Serena sat in her regular seat nest to Seiya's hospital bed. She had been sitting there since she found Seiya's sprawled out on the ground yesterday. The doctors had said Seiya would wake up the next day. It was already 8:00 pm. The scouts sat in the hallway with the star lights. Only one person was allowed to visit him at the time.
"Serena you need to eat something. " Ami's voice was soft in the air.
"I will. When Seiya wakes up." Ami didn't want to say so but it seemed like the man would never again open his eyes. Ami left the room through the glass door. Serena could see Mina ask her a question and Ami shake her head. In this bed laid the same person who shielded Serena from her own pain. He laid next her in their bed not more than a week ago. Serena could not count the smiles he elicited and the fears he vanquished. But when the time came for her to reciprocate by saving him, she fell short. Now he was attached to so many tubes her eyes stung.
Serena bent her head to hide the tears she was shedding. She could see the dark teardrop stains on her pink skirt. It was one of Seiya's favorites. She had hoped for him to open his eyes today. But as the watch on her wrist encroached on 11:30, Serena stated to give up hope. While clutching his hand Serena closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Serena's eyes started to flutter open. Her head faced the glass door. She was able to see everyone seated asleep on the chairs in the hallway. She was suddenly aware of the hand combing through her hair. Serena swiveled her head around to see Seiya staring at her. No one said a word, instead the couple stared at each other as tears cascaded down Serena's cheeks. Seiya sat up to hug Serena, but she move backward.
"You shouldn't. I am the reason you are in this situation. If only I returned from the moon faster…"
With speed Serena thought him incapable of Seiya grasped his lover's face. Her chin cupped in his hands her forehead to his, "The only one to blame is Ataxia. But if you are truly feeling guilty you can make it up to me in bed tonight." He proceeded to wipe the tears on Serena cheeks with his thumb.
Serena laughed. "It's nice to see your humor hasn't died."
"Is that a no?" A smirk appeared on Seiya's face.
"Quite the contrary actually." Seiya's hands moved from Serena's chin to her waist as their lips began to move against each other.
Seiya rose quickly. The bed beside him was empty, but he could hear Serena in the kitchen attempting to whip up breakfast. Sweat beaded down his forhead and his breath was short. The dream was the same since two days ago. However, each time the dream oozed more and more urgency.
Flashback
The youkai started to close in on the group. There wasn't much he could do but attack those closest to him. That plan seemed to work for a while before he heard the high pitched shiek of Rini behind him. Turning around Seiya saw the youkai dragging the young girl away. Perhaps it was his fatherly instinct but his eyes immediately darted to Natsume. He ran toward his son and draped his body over the boy.
"DAD! Get off! I can help!" He ignored his son's wishes.
"Taiki, Yaten get out of here!" He slowly pulled his son from underneath him. But he still felt the pain of the weapons and attacks of the youkai."
"I have Rini!" Taiki was already out of the park jogging to safety with the girl.
"Don't let the boy go." Ataxia stood on the tree branch on looking the fight. With Natsue on the ground, Seiya stood above him parrying and blocking. But he was getting tired. Blows were encroaching from both sides. Not knowing what to do Seiya stepped to the side dodge one and blocked the other. However, he stepped into the blow as the blade ran down his back. Searing pain erupted toward his back.
"Dad!" Seiya fell to a knee.
"Get out of here Yaten! GO!" Yaten grabbed Natsume and ran. The youkai however continued to attack, drowning the black haired man with vicious blows. Eternity came and went before Seiya started to lose consciousness. A bright white light blinded his vision, and all he could hear was the urgent cries of his name.
End
The words always bothered Seiya. Ataxia has said more something about three something.
"We come bearing fod!" Natsume marched in with a plate of onigiri. The boy placed the plate on the night stand by the bed.
Reaching down Seiya grabbed his son, dragged him under the bed sheets and started to tickle him. The boy squealed loudly and it wasn't long before Serena joined them. Several moments later the three laid on their backs, their chests heaving.
"You two should hurry up. I have a cake made for Natsume that I would not mind eating all by myself."
"Why did you make a cake?" Seiya swung his legs to the floor and put a shirt on that fell to his baggy pajama pants. It's his birthday!" Serena jumped up to drape Natsume over her shoulder. "C'mon."
"H-hey! Put me down!"
"Seiya c'mon! It's been 3 days, the doctors said you should be exercising."
3 days….
Ataxia said 3 days….
There were 3 days before her final attack, "Shit. You need to call all the scouts."
Rei sat on her canopy bed staring into the distance. Without warning she started screaming, she tore at her hair, shredded her dress, and spat words of spite and mutiny.
The door screaked open slowing revealing a messenger ant youkai, "Mistress demands you come to the throne room." Rei threw a mirror at the beast and it swiftly dodged and left the room. Rei walked over and picked up the cracked remains of what had once been the mirror.
Her raven locks were tangled, her eyes empty sitting superior to her tear stained cheeks in a fit of rage she snatched a shard of glass and traced the tear lines till her hands were covered in her own blood. All the while she screamed in pain thinking, he will notice me, he will love me, we will be together.
It was a Sunday afternoon and all the scouts stood in the amusement park. It was empty but full of mirth. Serena stood opposite her soldiers and said, "I will be the lookout, Rini and I will ride the Ferris wheel to look for where Ataxia will attack from." Seiya took a step forward, "Alone." Then she grasped her child's hand and walked to the ride.
It only took a little of Jupiter's power to start the ride. Now the duo sat in a car not speaking.
"Do you care about me?" Rini sat, her posture aggressive and her eyes sharp.
"Of Course! I love you." Serena grabbed her daughter by the shoulder.
'Then why don't you love daddy?!" Rini violently shook her shoulders free.
"Darien?... I will always love Darien no matter what he does. "
"Then why…. Why are you not with him anymore?" Rini's eye bore into her mother's with the demeanor of a lioness.
"I told you, he was with Rei…"
"That is not good enough! You of all people taught me how important it is to forgive those that you love. You… you did the same for me when I lost the moon crystal!"
"Rini. I only love your father because he gave me you. I-I will always remember the pain I received from splitting from him but the simple of thought of losing you was so much worse. I- Seiya and I love each other and I want to be happy. This is my first time being selfish, I want to fight not just for the happiness of other's this time but for my happiness too. "
"Mama…" Rini hugged Serena.
Rei walked into the throne room with the dress that Ataxia had given her. It was a simple white halter dress. Rei remembered the bitch laughing at the pure irony of the gown. She said, " This piece of fabric is quite innocent and modest for a slut like you. I like it, will you wear it for me sometime?"
Now Rei clad in her white dress open the doors for the last time to the throne room. " Sit next to Darien." At the name Rei picked up her head searching for a familiar face. There in the center of the room on an ornate chair sat her former lover. His head hung in a defeated state, and his hair covered his face. Rei ran as fast as she could in her three-inch heels to him. Nearing him she dropped to her knees to cock her head so she could see his face under his hair. "Darien."
He quickly shifted his head and slapped her hand away. "He won't listen you anymore." Ataxia started to giggle her black hole like eyes squinted. "He is lost in his own despair. And he won't return until he gets what he wants. Can you guess what that is?"
"Darien! I'm right here." Rei moved closer only to be ignored by the man. "But it is Serena …" The blonde's name made Darien look up. It was as if he was searching for his long lost lover, it was a moment of vulnerability. Then as his eyes settled on Rei who very much looked like the polar opposite of Serena, he bounded toward her. His long, slender fingers wrapped around her neck. "Reyna, feel my pain, feel my anguish. You will follow me in my footsteps taking the joy from each and every galaxy until there is no left but the ones we harbor."
Rei started to lose consciousness and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Feel My Pain.
"Rini, there is one more thing you have to know." The pink haired girl looked up toward her mother. "The future is never certain. You may not be born and I may not be Queen."
"But isn't that the future we are fighting for?"
"I just fight for a future. What the future contains is never certain. And I don't want you to pressure anyone into a possibility and never confuse one to be the definite future. That will only cause pain for everyone."
"Does that mean that Natsume won't…"
"I hope he is in our future. "
"This sounds scary."
"I know Rini. It is scary."
Rei couldn't breathe. No matter how much she flailed and scratched she couldn't get air to pass enter her lungs. Darien's hands were so firm and strong she couldn't hardly wrap her fingers around his fists. Feel my pain.
There had to be someway Rei could escape this pain, a way to skip this moment. In the back of her mind shined a grey light and she knew exactly what is was. Ataxia. A meld between the minds of the two had formed from Ataxia mind control. If only Rei could feel what the bitch was feeling. Manipulate what little emotions the woman could possibly be harboring. But instead Rei's mind was sucked into the pool forming, muddling her head.
"I'm coming! Just wait a second Efah!" Kessem gently slid her card under the door. Standing up she dusted off her nightgown. Letting out a breath she was holding for a while, she started to walk down the hallway slowly trying not to draw any suspicion to what she was doing.
Suddenly a hand snatched her arm with such force it spun the girl around. "Honestly! The ball has starting and we need to get you ready. If you show up late Mistress will have my head and you will be sent to Luna again."
...
It wasn't long before Kessem stood tall at the top of the grand staircase over looking the ball goers. Her brown skin glowed ever so slightly and her black hair fell to her ankles. Though it was hard to breathe with the skintight corset she knew she was gorgeous. The blue gown and lace train made her look absolutely regal.
She began to walk down the stairs and as she neared the bottom Lasairian bowed, and held his hand out for Kessem to take. "How are you Lasairian?"Her eyes were a lovely pink showing the emotions she felt.
The couple walked toward the center of the ballroom as the people attending stopped to look. "The fighting on the dark side of the Sun has increased since that last time we have seen each other. But seeing you has definitely brightened up my mood."
As they neared the center Lasairian placed his hand on Kessem's waist. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he twirled her around. He started to lean in. "Do you think it's okay to do that here?"
"Of course it is. Your parents aren't here yet." After waiting for everyone else to dance the two snuck out to the balcony. Kessem leaned into the man. He turned her around so she leaned over the balcony and he started to kiss her. After begging for entrance to her mouth with no avail, he pinched her softly on the side. A shiver ran down Kessem's spine as she moaned. Taking advantage of this moment of weakness he slipped his tongue in her mouth and then pulled Kessem closer by the waist. The kiss intensified.
"Get off of my daughter." The two spun around. On the balcony with them stood Kessem's mother and father. Both were so old no one remembered their names and were only called King and Queen with few exceptions.
"Mother! I- we were only kissing. "
"You are only supposed to be with Cian. This man is not worthy of your attention. We have been over this multiple times. Do you understand the importance of this marriage?"
"Don't make this like some cliqued arranged marriage that I am trying to avoid. If only it were that easy. My marriage has nothing to do with this kingdom or your preference in character. This is about that prophecy and I know it!"
SLAP! "You will remain silent when I talk to you. This is not a debate." The King walked forward grabbing Kessem by the arm and dragged her inside. "NO! Father let me go! Let me GO!" Inside back inside the ballroom she was tossed to Cian, who held her tighter.
It wasn't long before two guards appeared in the front of the room holding Lasairian by the arms. The air was thick and the room silent. The rest of the crowd was confused but Kessem knew what would happen. "NO!" The scream sliced through the silence, it was so ear shattering many people reached up to cover their ears.
This time she wouldn't sit around silently and watch someone else she loved be killed by the hands of her parents. "Aum Hrim Hrim Suriyaye Nameh Aum." Each time she said this, her words got stronger and louder. Once her voice reached the height of an all out scream the ceiling shook and the floors cracked.
"Cian shut her up!" Fear pierced her heart. She was so close to saving Lasairian; she just needed a couple more seconds. She tried to get her arms free but a guard stood behind her holding her hands behind her back. The King shouted, "This is what happens when you disobey the Rulers of the Sun!"
"No! I'm so close. Please let me save him! PLEASE!" No matter how much she pleaded the rest of the room only bent their heads. "I told you shut her up!" Cian walked forward and punched Kessem. Thud! She hit the floor hard. Her vision dizzied but she was able to focus on Lasairian. She couldn't make out what her father was saying. But she saw her Lasairian mouth the words I love you. Kessem tasted the bile in her mouth as her father's sword ran through her lover's neck. "No!"
Kessem was reduced to tears on the floor. "Oh shut up. Your disgusting sobs are ruining the music. And no daughter of mine will lie on this floor like a slave. Efah! Come get Kessem changed. I don't want a splotch of blood on her."
Efah dragged the girl by the wrist until they were hidden in a room adjacent to the ballroom. "Oh you sad fool… I told you not to try to create happiness with someone. Something so pure can only be snatched from others and stolen." As the maid rubbed Kessem's arm with a wet rag the princess stared out the window at the lava sea where her lover's body had been brought to burn and vanish. She could see her reflection in the window. Her eyes darkening like her soul. "It can only be stolen."
Rei
Air filled her lungs. Darien was sprawled on the floor his eyes unmoving. But he was stuck in a horrid state between youkai and man. Antennae stuck out from his head and his skin was greasy, yellow, but his facial features were still handsome and his limbs still intact. Across the room was Ataxia hunched over the throne. Her knuckles were clenched and her brown skin pale. She was heaving, grasping for air as sweat and tears beaded down the sides of her face. Rei could imagine the woman's once beautifully color changing eyes were the black orbs sat. Kessem was Ataxia.