Pet of the Peacock Prince

By Princess Thil Galel

I DO NOT OWN

Thank you

R&R

Please enjoy!

I apologise for the wait. I wasn't able to access this file for a while, but I fixed it! Yay me! Okay, I know it's a bit short, but it's like a leading chapter. The end of this one will mix into the theme of the next chapter.

BTW, since I wasn't able to finish this for a few weeks, I put my bored creative brain to use after watching an old tv show from five years ago-Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go! So, I started a new fan fiction. It's titled Blood and Magic. If you like my work, like srmthfg, or both go check it out and tell me what you think.

Thank you all go to: Elemental Queen, eld mcm, Gin Kaminari Of The AzureSky, sakiko of soleana, and jozs001. You guys/girls are the best ever! Without reviews, you won't get updates. Remember that. ;)

The Seventh Moon

He didn't bother to knock, instead Shen simply opened the door to Ah-Mah's room and waltzed inside. The Soothsayer wasn't surprised to see him, in fact she'd been waiting for the prince. He'd come straight to her after Amalthea headed to the bathing room to meet with his mother and Xin Jing.

The goat looked up from her knitting with a soft smile. "So what do you need, Darling?" she asked.

Reaching into the collar of his gi, he removed the needle he'd hidden underneath, and casually dropped it on the table. The tiny needle was still covered in Amalthea's blood from earlier that same day. "You know what I want, Nanna." he said, "Look into your bowl for me, and tell me what you see. Will you do that, please?"

She nodded, her smile growing slightly. "Of couse, you had only but to ask." she replied. Her bowl was already sitting on the table, waiting to be used. Taking the needle in her hoof, the goat set it in the bowl and tossed a little of her magic powder in after it.

White smoke curled up out of the brazier, moving almost lazily as it began to form into shapes. Although Shen could make nothing out, the Soothsayer saw the sun blazing brightly at midday. It hung as a golden sphere without a cloud in sight. Then, the silver moon suddenly rose up and covered the sun, turning it into a black disk with a ring of fire. The flames formed by the eclipse leaped off the two celestial bodies, and fell to the earth. When they landed, a silhouette appeared. It took the shape of a bird, it's plumage ablaze.

Finally, a shadow fell over the fire bird. It screeched in fear and defiance as the darkness overtook it.

'Her past...' thought Ah-Mah. 'But that would mean that she's-'

"What did it show you?" interrupted Shen.

"I...nothing important." she lied. "Why don't you let me see your mixed fortunes?"

Shen raised a brow. "Mixed fortunes?" he asked, "What is that?"

"To put it simply? It's were two people's fates are entangled, meaning that they'll share a similar fortune." she explained. Then her smile widened and a twinkle lit her eyes. "Often those who share a fortune find something...'special' in each other." Shen gave her a suspicious look as he offered the Soothsayer his wing. Ah-Mah plucked a small feather, smirking when the prince flinched and rubbed the missing feather's place. The Soothsayer placed the white plumage into the bowl and added another dose of powder.

This time, the eclipse appeared instantly. The sun and the moon separated, hanging side by side in the air before falling to the earth. As they fell, the two shining orbs changed shape, taking on the form of birds. The sun became the fiery bird from the previous vision, while the moon turned into a white peacock. Together they landed. She watched as the peacock took the red bird's wing and lead it to a tree. On a branch overhead were two apples, growing as a pair. The red bird reached up and picked one, while the peacock did the same.

Turning, they faced each other and held their apples out to one another. At the same time, they both bit into the other's fruit, then bit their own fruit in the same place the other had bitten.

Ah-Mah blinked, and the vision vanished.

Shen had waited with more patience this time, tapping his talon as he tried to hold his tongue. But he finally gave in. "What did you see this time?" he asked.

The goat blinked to clear the remaining images. It wouldn't be right to tell Shen want she'd seen. After all, there had to be a reason that Amalthea had kept such a thing secret. But she had to tell him something, or he'd figure out she was hiding the truth. So, she decided to play the unpredictable fortune card. "I...I'm not sure." she replied slowly. "I saw some things-images and sounds, but I can't piece any of it together. It was...all scrabbled, and mixed up."

The crest on the prince's head fell. He knew sometimes his Nanna's visions didn't come through clear enough for her to read them. But this time he really wanted her to give him advice-to guide him through all the confused emotions swirling around inside him. If her second-sight couldn't help him, then he'd have to come right out and say something.

"Nanna," he began," Do you remember that time when I was little and I asked you about that 'hurting' in my chest, right after I saw my parents kissing?"

"Yes, I do. You were tripping on those ridiculously long sleeves of your new robe." she said. "Why do you ask? Any particular reason you're bringing it up?"

He glanced away, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, because...I've got that same feeling again." he mumbled.

She raised a brow. "Really now?" she inquired. "Care to elaborate a little?"

"In all honesty? No, I'd prefer not to." he admitted. "But I don't really have any other choice, and...it's beginning to tear me apart."

The goat gestured to the chair across the table from her own. "Have a seat, Darling." she suggested. She waited for him to settle comfortably and set her brazier aside. "Now then, why don't you tell Nanna all about it?"

Shen brushed some nonexistent dirt off the corner of the table before resting heavily on his elbows, allowing his shoulders to slouch. He never displayed bad posture unless something was really bothering him, or when he too sick to care. This position was obviously from the former.

"It's...I think it has something to do with Amalthea." he mumbled.

"You're going to have to be more specific than that, Shen." said the goat, "I'm a Soothsayer with second sight-not a mind reader."

With a sigh, the peacock leaned back in his chair. "It's just that...whenever we're together, things just feel...so right." he said. "Afraid I don't know exactly how to explain it, but...I can't find the words, Nanna."

Ah-Mah stroked her beard thoughtfully, nodding her head slowly. "I see." she murmured. "So it's hard to say how you feel since you've never felt like this. Is that what you mean, perhaps?"

His ruby eyes lit up. "Yes! That's it exactly!" the prince exclaimed. Then he sighed softly and shook his head. "But if I can't even understand one of my own emotions, how am I suppose to know what it means?"

She smiled softly at her chick. "You'll know." she said simply. "When the time is right, you'll know. But until then, just enjoy the moments you have, because once they're gone you'll never get them back." Ah-Mah then tapped her cane on the floor, as if to officially close the conversation. "Now then, it's late, and you should be getting to bed." she waved him away with a hoof. "Go on, shoo."

The prince rolled his eyes as he stood. "Alright, alright-I'm going!" he said with a chuckle. "Good night, Nanna." He paused briefly, then moved around the table to embrace her and softly whispered in her ear. "I love you, Nanna."

With an even brighter smile, the goat gently patted his back as she returned the hug. "And I love you too, my Darling." she said as they broke apart, and just before he walked out, she added, "Pleasant dreams tonight, Shen. Just remember to lock your door and windows before you go to bed."

"Yes, Nanna." he called back over his shoulder.

Once she was certain that he was gone, Ah-Mah pulled her bowl back over for a closer look. The needle still lay at the bottom, stained with Amalthea's blood. Carefully picking it up, the Soothsayer dumped out the ashes before placing it back down. She stared at it for a long silent moment, swirling a pinch of her magic powder in her hoof. If she tossed it in, what other secrets would she see?

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

The halls were eerily quiet. Because the Xiangyang palace didn't have glass in it's windows like the Tower of Sacred Flame they had to be closed to shut out the cold, moanng wind. That left no way for moonlight to brighten the halls. Only the red glow of the burning torches lit Amalthea's way, but they were little comfort.

Something was wrong within the walls of the mountain palace. She knew it, she could feel it. The dancing shadows all around her seemed to mock her, as if they themselves knew what was happening but kept their voices hushed.

As the human passed one of the closed windows, she paused. Even though she couldn't see through the heavy wooden shutters, she knew what she'd see if she could. 'A full moon has risen tonight.' she thought. 'Up here, on the mountains, I feel closer to the sky. But I also feel unease, and that's strange during a full moon, for me at least. But what is it?'

With a sigh, she continued on. Her thoughts turned away from her feelings about Xiangyang, and towards her feelings for a certain peacock. What would he say if he ever found out? Would he laugh at her? Get angry? Send her away? She shook her head. 'No, that's just silly.' she scolded to herself. 'We're friends, after all. Even if he doesn't love me, he wouldn't do anything like that.'

But that thought really wasn't very comforting. She was lost in what to do. She very well couldn't tell him. He was royalty, and she was a peasant. Such relationships were forbidden. Gods forbid his father ever caught wind of her feelings. Knowing him, he might have her executed.

The floor behind her suddenly creaked. She glanced over her shoulder to see...no one. The hall was empty, and she was alone. Her heart fluttered slightly as she quickened her pace. She already didn't like this place in the daylight, no light made it worse. The creaking sound seemed to follow her, yet the wood never once squeaked under her own feet.

A window suddenly banged open, a flurry of snow blew in like a small whirlwind. The full moon stared down at her, so huge and magnificent in the blue-black sky. It's silver glow lit her eyes, leaving not a trace of color. Something cold brushed against her cheek. Amalthea turned, the glow never shifting in her eyes even as shadows fell across her face. The whirling snow formed around a misty figure, a gasp of terror fled her lungs.

Standing before her, with a shattered beak and broken neck, was the snowy Lang had killed.

His head was lolled to one side, his cheek flat atop his shoulder, his tongue dangling uselessly from the fragments of his beak. Amalthea backed up, her chest heaving with fright as the owl held up a transparent wing. "Fear me not, lady of the sun and moon." he rasped. "I have come to set rights to my misdeeds made during my time amongst the living."

"H-How are you here?" she demanded. "The spirits of the dead are forbidden in the world of the living!"

The wing slow rose up and pointed out the window to the lunar sphere hanging above them. "'On the seventh full moon of the year, the dead may rejoin the living under it's silver gaze'. I am here to set rights, while I can." he explained. "I had no choice-was forced to take the white one's life. My sister would have been killed if I refused."

The statement immediately had Amalthea's attention. "Killed? Killed by who?" she asked. "Please, tell me who's trying to kill Shen!"

"I cannot say, nor can I name the living." he said, a tone of saddness in his voice. "But it isn't just his life that shall now be taken. You are in danger."

"Me? Why me?"

"You are blamed for the attempt on his life."

"Someone blames me? Who would blame me for someone trying to kill Shen?"

"Beware!" he suddenly shouted, his wings flapping like mad, his head rolling uncontrollably atop his broken neck. "Beware the one with eyes of the sun!" The snow clinging to his form slowly began falling through him to the floor, his body fading fast.

She reached out, "Wait!" she called out, "Tell me more!" But she past straight through him like he was a breath of cold wind. When she turned, he was gone. The human trembled, her arm still reaching out as snow dripped off her clothes, the glow in her eyes slowly dying. Heart hammering her ribs, she turned and ran.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Shen had just stepped into his sleeping robe when the door to his chamber was flung open. Amalthea slammed it shut behind her, bracing her back against it with her arms clutching the frame. Her braid had come undone, her bright pink hair hung wildly about her shoulders. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her eyes. The pupils were glowing white, but when she blinked, they became black once more.

"Amalthea?" he asked as he crossed the room. "What's gotten into you? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She gave a nervous chuckle. "A ghost? Ha, good one." she said. "I-I just, uh, kinda freaked myself out. You know, wandering around in the dark, in a strange place..."

"Uh-huh," he mused, giving her a scrutinizing look. "You're asking strange. What are you hiding?"

The human pushed herself away from the door, wringing her hands. Their eyes met briefly, before she quickly looked away, her chest heaving as she clenched her fists together. "Uh...nothing." she said quickly-a little too quickly. "I just...don't really like this place. It...makes me uneasy."

He hummed, clearly not convinced, but didn't push further. "Yes, well perhaps a good night's sleep will help to calm your jittering nerves." he said. She nodded, and brushed past him. The human grabbed the blanket draped over the foot of the bed, and began making a bed on the floor at the foot of the bed. "Excuse me, but what do you think you're doing?" he inquired.

She paused, glancing at him and then back at her work. "Making my bed?" she said uncertainly.

Shen slapped a wing to his forehead. "Amalthea, do you not know how cold it gets up here at night? Especially during winter?" he asked, then shook his head as he took the blanket from her and tossed it back onto the bed. "You'll be frozen before morning-toes turned into ice chunks, lips turning blue, fingers numb. No, you'll be sleeping with me."

"Excuse me?" she squeaked, her face turning red.

He cocked his head at her strange reaction. "You're sleeping with me," he restated, then tossed back the covers and furs. "Now get in! I'm already losing feeling in my talons."

Amalthea gulped, then quickly got onto the bed and moved to the other side, making as much space between them as possible. The peacock rolled his eyes, and gave her a look that said 'Really now?' before climbing in himself. He pulled the blankets up to his chin and closed his eyes with a sigh. Within minutes, he was lost to sleep. However, Amalthea had no such luck. When she'd looked into his eyes, a horrifying thought had struck her.

Shen's eyes were red, just like the rising sun in Gongmen City. The owl had warned her that someone wanted her dead. His only clue was those haunting words that echoed in the dark.

'Beware the one with eyes of the sun!'

Shen had eyes like the sun.