Ummm...would this be the right time to yell out, “Ninx has returned!”
 Oh, why not? *g*
 Yep, I’m back, after twenty million attempts to write this 
chapter--and that may not be an exaggeration--a change in 
residence and e-mail address, and a semester of college.  Add 
to THAT some time away exploring various other anime...and well, 
you get the picture.
 I don’t intend to stay away this long this time, but I don’t 
expect to have parts out every week or every two weeks.  Perhaps once a month.  
I’m very sorry, but I’m also VERY busy, and spread perhaps a mite too thin. 
However, I love this story too much...anyways, onto it!
 DISCLAIMERS:
 1) I don’t own Sailor Moon, or the Disney movie “Beauty and the Beast” upon 
which this has borrowed heavily.  I don’t think anyone else has created the 
concept of the Silence, so I’m pretty sure that’s mine...but that’s about it.
 2) Jessies and hoods are used in falconry to keep the hunting birds quiet and 
undistracted.  
 3) Gosh, this chapter is LONG...and if you haven’t seen this story in awhile, 
I’d say go back and at least start from Chapter Four.  That should about cover 
your bases on plot.  I know I am going to...*g*
 That’s it for now...EXCEPT a change in e-mail address that you should note. 
ALL MAIL SHOULD BE SENT TO (yes, I know I’m shouting): FIRE_DANCER@HOTMAIL.COM 
I’m two and a half hours by car from my old address, and my sister either forwards 
it to me or deletes or lets it sit there.  Please, please, write to this address!  
I don’t want people to think I’m ignoring them... 
 Okay, onto it! 

				CHAPTER SEVEN
                          A CALM
                "...and she could desire no more from him."
 Prince, formerly known as Endymion, formerly an actual human, sat in his lounge, 
staring at the tablecloth.  It was green, the deep hunter green he loved, and the 
edges of it were embroidered with small flowers.  The artisans of the kingdom had 
been-at least in his day and his father's day-both learned and skilled, and had made 
the tiny decorations as close to actual plants as possible.  Now he studied them,
holding it a little ways away since his vision was both human keen-he could 
distinguish shapes, colors, details and more complex items-and animal keen-flickers of 
movement, long distances, a more general sense-which allowed him to observe minutia 
at large distances.  Yet, he wasn't thinking about what allowed him to look, but 
rather what he was looking at, for it gave him a good indicator of what his day 
would be like.  If he knew many of the flowers, and remembered the trivialities 
humanity assigned to them like USE and LORE, he was good for a day.  If, however, 
he thought only of their scent or feel or how they looked at night or dangling from 
the lips of prey, he was going to have a rough day.  This morning, they seemed to be 
coming to him more easily than normal.
 There was a small tap on the door, and he called, "Come in!"
 "I need help," came the reply.
 Now his eyes pulled away from the flowers, and he smiled to himself, a tug at the 
corners of his wolf's mouth which almost resembled a human smile.  <That took time,> 
he thought as he pushed away from the table and moved to the door.  <After the Troubles, 
a month or so of attempts…or was it more?>  He pulled the door open with a small bow, and 
was not surprised to see Serin there.  However, he was surprised to see her carrying a tray, 
which she smiled over and announced, "Breakfast."
 "Are you a servant to be bringing me breakfast?" he asked, closing the door as she 
moved into the room to set it down on the table.  "Honestly, Serin, someone could've 
brought that up."
 "A ruler must serve the people as often as he leads, a role you are obviously not 
comfortable in," she replied primly, eyes a flashing, challenging blue.  
 He began to protest as he pulled the chair away from the table, but stopped when she 
sat, looking up at him with an expression which spoke of an argument.  "Let us not 
have this discussion now, Serin.  You have brought us a meal," and now he pushed her 
chair in, "so let us eat it."
 "As soon as you sit down," she replied with a small smile, and he obliged her 
very graciously, forcing his body into a courtier's grace which he thought barely 
adequate.  Actually, he moved with carnivorous grace, and very rarely do wild animals 
trip, especially when they have fox feet.
 As soon as he sat, they took their plates off the tray and began to enjoy their own 
respective meals.  She was having buttered toast, juice, and fruit; he had a few stale 
bread crusts, meat mostly raw, and water in something more like a dish.  At first, she 
had been nearly queasy watching him eat, but once he explained to her that he could not 
handle much human food anymore, she accepted it.  He was a Beast, and his body required 
the food of such.
 They ate in quiet, watching each other with furtive eyes, content with just the company.  
When she had first joined him for a meal, he had been afraid he would disgust her and she 
would leave; yet, instead, she asked if he felt well.  After he'd explained himself, 
she was fine, telling him not to worry-he could go mad and she would still come to him.  He 
was beautiful, remember?
 <She is,> he thought as he brought the bowl to his mouth, licking at the water as 
he sipped it, a movement mastered early on.  <She is so beautiful, yet she sees me as such.  
A wolf I can see-they are naturally made well-but I am more than wolf, and yet less at the
same time.  I am Beast; how do I deserve this?> His eyes glimmered, blue and suddenly 
soft, and he had to catch himself before he sloshed water all over his silks.  She 
looked up and smiled at him, eyes staying on him even when he looked down.  A question 
stirred at the edge of her mind, one that had been hovering their ever since she had 
first joined him for meals, something she was reluctant to ask.  <Why not?> she thought now.  
<It couldn't hurt.>
 "Why do you not dine downstairs with the others?"
 He looked up, a piece of crust tucked in his mouth, his eyes stern with surprise.  
She didn't shrink back now; she know how he reacted to unexpected questions, with 
this odd, hungry look of the wolf staring out from navy eyes.  Instead, she met his 
gaze with a meek evenness that kept his temper from flaring too hotly at her.  Instead, 
he thought about her question…and found he had no answer.  Why did he not eat with those 
downstairs?  Had he ever considered it?  
 "My Lady Serin," he began, "I'm afraid I have no true answer as to why I will not eat 
with them.  In the early day, my beast was…quite fierce, and I secluded myself in fear 
of harming my guard.  They were…are…my only true friends."  He stopped, reflecting over 
his words; they were true in the most honorable sense, and he was sure apart of him had 
kept himself back for that reason.  He also did not want to have to face what had happened…not 
for awhile yet.  His features softened, and he added, "Perhaps it has cost me friendships I 
had no wish to end in the first place."
 "Oh, Prince, I doubt that," she replied.  "They seem as devoted as ever."
 "I do not know why, Lady," he replied.  "They…they deserve better."  He looked at her, finally, 
and asked, "What do you think?"
 "Of them?  Oh, I know only little fragments of them from my ladies, but they seem nice, helpful."  
She cast back to her memories of that day when they had shown them about the grounds.  "Secretive, 
I believe, but everything in this castle has secrets.  Yet I also feel the love they bear you, 
and that respect you deny yourself."  She smiled a little, and her eyes averted to her plate.  
"But I have spent much of my time with you, and I am not qualified to make a complete judgment."
 "Wisely spoken, Lady," he managed, swallowing a piece of meat in an attempt to hide the plain 
emotions he felt over his face.  "But do you think…well, that I could…"
 "Ay, Prince, you need not say a thing.  Of course they will support you-in fact, they'd probably 
be shocked with happiness just to see you again," she replied, cutting her fruit into tiny pieces.
 "But what of your ladies?  Some have never seen me, and none have seen me eat," he pointed out.
 She allowed another smile, gently and graciously reproving him.  "My ladies are all strong of 
constitution, and my family has been exposed to various rarities and oddities in the past.  
They'll be fine," she replied quietly, mentally roaming over that territory.  The coming of 
powers…the dream battles…enemies from nowhere…oh, all sorts of strange things…and her smile 
for him altered a bit, her secrets contained there if he could just read them.
 Which he couldn't; yet, it didn't bother him.  The Silence had provided him with a comfort 
zone, and he had no wish to break out of that just yet.
 "So you think they could handle my habits?"
 "I am sure of it, Prince," she replied.  "After all, if I can, why can't they?"
 "Well…I have no more arguments," he said.  "So it is set-I dine with the others downstairs tonight."
 A great, bright smile spread over her face, and the blue of her eyes lit once more, the 
soft silver radiance she exuded contrasting with that lovely light.  He felt his soul sigh, and 
it shown softly in his deep, powerful eyes.  She met his gaze with ease now, though; it 
seemed as if their close contact gave her some immunity to his magic.  It didn't, however, 
give him any immunity against hers.
 "Look at this, Lady," he said, finishing off a rough piece of meat.  "It has been all of 
eight days-four since we've begun to speak-and yet we work so well together.  Is it not amazing?" 
 "I suppose, Prince, considering your temper," she jested.
 "Ay, yes," he said, rubbing his ear, scratching for a moment behind it.  Sometimes, it came 
in handy to have fingers, especially when they were clawed.  "It has always been nasty, 
unfortunately, and though I must take blame for my acts, I…"  He stopped.  "Lady?"
 She had looked away, not to be rude, but because of a sudden thought that had zipped through 
her brain.  <Eight days…that means…OH! Six left! How do I…six days to say farewell to my Senshi…>
 "What, Lady?" he asked again, ears flattening, his eyes worried.  It always troubled him to 
see her distracted, for she was such an astute listener, even if she had memory troubles…but he 
shrugged that off.  Any Lady willing to overlook his monstrous appearance deserved to have some 
leeway.  Heck, a lot of leeway-and more because she thought he was beautiful.
 She looked down at her plate, and shuffled the thought of telling him around her head again.  
"It's the date," she finally said, voice quiet.  "Six days until my Senshi are…I lose them…" 
She trailed off, silver blond head bowing in the light, all the brightness of before curdling 
before his eyes.
 Mentally, he ground his teeth.  It wasn't her sensitivity that upset him, but the fact that 
he had brought this sadness to her day…
 He uneasily reached out for her hand, fur brushing crumbs and blood, yet he cared not.  Most of 
that was black anyway, then dark crimson; it was more likely to match than show.  He managed to 
brush her hand, and she looked up, eyes light with tears now.
 <That look plucks my heartstrings, reminds me I have them,> he thought, and briefly wondered if 
this was a good thing. 
 "Lady Serin," he said, tenor of his voice lightening a bit, "please do not fret.  There is so 
much more to be happy about."
 "Oh, Prince, what?" she said softly, a trickle of a tear beginning to bead in her eye.  
"I'm loosing four of the best companions I've ever had, my Senshi…" she bit off that word with 
sadness, and more sympathy flooded the Prince's dark features.   It was hard enough to make 
them seem not so frightening; yet, he did it, and well, for he truly felt her pain.  He, too, 
had been cut off from friends and family and more, though in a much more involuntary way.  
He had suppressed these emotions as he dealt with this Beast curse, a feralness he had to tame, 
allowing him no time to experience that heartache.
 Yet, just watching her, understanding some of that pain, his own began to rise…
 Immediately came a defense, an idea quite amazing and grand and it just might work…
 As a secret.
 "Lady, what if I told you that there's a reason-besides the regular need I have for 
you to be happy-but I can't tell you right now?"
 She sniffed and stopped, looking up with the glints of her blond hair reflected in her 
eyes.  "Do you mean a…surprise, Prince?  A secret surprise?"
 "Perhaps, Lady," he replied, wishing that he could convey the half-smile he felt.  
 She studied him for moments, and mulled over his words, eyes slowly clearing, a realization 
coming to her.  "You honestly wish my happiness, then?" 
 The question caught him as he was tossing back the last of his food; he swallowed, 
and his eyes came down.  They traveled over her half-covered face-her hair fell down in a 
silver-blond mass-and her eye, closed to his view.  The whole set of her face was as if she 
had heard something she didn't quite comprehend, and was waiting to be told differently.  
In other words, as if she…couldn't believe it.
 <Where are you from, Lady?> he thought suddenly.  <Where do kindness, beauty, and happiness 
count for nothing?  Where, Lady, where?> 
 "Serin, of course I consider your happiness important," he replied.  "I would be a fool 
not to want to see you smile.  A complete fool."  He shook his head and swallowed his 
rising temper--<How DARE they?  How DARE they!?>--adding, "And I'm not partial to being a fool, 
Lady.  So please-smile and be happy."
 She looked up at him, eye opening to be cornflower blue and shining-a watery shine, 
he noted-and pushed back her hair in almost a shy motion, giving him a smile.  Not full 
bloom, not truly happy, but it was a start.
 "Okay," she said quietly, "I'll…"
 "You will, Lady-that's an order," he replied.  "Now, come, for I must locate my Generals 
and propose an idea to them."
 "Anything to do with my surprise?" 
 "Perhaps," he replied.  "Perhaps."  He stood, and she followed, the tow of them taking 
a quick trip to his solar.  He had shown her his solar, room, balcony, and some-yet not all-of 
the passages that could be used to reach him.  There were very few forbidden areas to her now-more 
for the Senshi, since he did not know nor trust them-yet the ones considered off limits were 
so for a good reason.  They protected this acceptable Silence, for they included the portraits, 
seal copies, documents, bits of lore and history of the Terra family.  What alarmed him most 
were these records, and those portraits; the records because they told who they were, 
and the portraits because they revealed what they were beforehand.  Also, there was 
more of his wing cordoned off, and the Generals' Tower--destruction in one, privacy for the other.
 They came into the Solar together, she having caught up and taken his arm, giving him a 
wider smile.  He bared his teeth back, a frightening smile, but she had stopped the pangs 
of fear as soon as she realized what it was.  He parted with her about the Golden Table, 
preparing to summon the features of his Generals.
 "Are they with your ladies?" 
 "Oh yes.  They keep company with them…I'm assuming under your orders." 
 He nodded.  "Unknown quantities must be watched," he said.
 "Which explains why you were given Four Guardians!"
 "Q'ar!" Serin called out.  "How are you, Lady Bird?"
 The falcon colored, hawk sized bird with the deep blue eyes hopped from its window 
perch to the nearest stable rung.  Serin greeted her properly, stroking her feathers 
gently from head to tail, and the bird nodded in reply.  "Fine, fine, Lady Serin," she 
said, nuzzling her hand.  "Though some exercise would be nice."
 The Prince growled.  "Q'ar, what are you doing?"
 "Making a suggestion."
 "The only suggestion for you is to get to your perch."
 "Oh, you menace! Serin, look how he treats his best bird!"
 "Only bird.  Besides, proper hunting birds don't talk back."
 "Proper hunting birds don't talk, period.  Consider it an advantage."
 "Over what?  At least with a real bird, I could hunt."
 "And I can't hunt?"
 "It's been disputed."
 Q'ar's hackles raised, and she clacked her beak sharply at him.  "That's low, Prince."
 "It is my gift."
 "It isn't very nice," Serin said, slightly confused.  These two bickered like Hiko and Aiko, 
but without a true reason.  "After all," she added, "this bird did aid in finding me in 
the forests.  And, she has been in stasis for…oh dear, how many years?"
 "Excepting this brief period of freedom, I have been marbleized and on my perch since 
the beginning, when they left the Gifts by the gates," the bird stated, voice a touch haughty.
 "Oh," Serin said, looking to the Prince for confirmation.  
 The man-beast growled for a moment, then said, "Yes, 'tis true, aside from the time 
Jade had his trouble with the Rush, and twice more for reasons I cannot recall.  
Accidents, I'd guess."
 "In other words, a long time!" Q'ar replied.
 "Quiet, bird!"
 "As you wish, Master Wolf!" she retorted in mock servitude.  He growled again, and 
Serin covered her mouth with her hands to hold off her giggles.  The two had squared 
off from opposite sides of the table, and each gripped the edge with fierce hands/claws, 
glaring at the other, hair bristling on him, feathers ruffled on her.  It had to be 
one of the oddest-and funniest-sights she had ever seen.
 Finally, unable to stand it, she began to giggle quietly at first, then louder, and 
finally the two of them looked to her in unison, same expression on both of their faces.
 "A joke, Lady?" Q'ar asked.
 "No, no…you two…" and she began giggling again.  Now, they exchanged milder glances, 
puzzlement plain on their features.
 "Oh, if you could've seen yourselves-it was…well, it…" she paused, and smiled.  
"It made me laugh, Prince."
 A moment, and then he realized her words.  "Although I fear I looked ridiculous 
thanks to this finch here, the sound of your laughter causes such…"
 "Finch! Finch! I should…" Q'ar roared, and it set Serin off again to see the bird in 
such a human rage.  This time, the Prince added his quiet laughter, a faint growl 
that was choked into short fragments.  The sound made Serin start, and for a moment 
concern passed over her face; yet Q'ar, seeing despite her blue eyed fury, nudged her.  
"'Tis only his laugh, Lady," she said quietly.  "Not quite the proper noise for him--he 
should bray like an ass."
 "Push me not, bird; even Serin's favor will not save you then," he shot back.
 "But…wait, I have an idea!" she said, eyes lighting.  To Q'ar, she asked, 
"You're a tracker, right?  'Tis how your skills are best?"
 "Why, of course, Lady." 
 "And your eyes are keen enough to spot difference even from a height?  Differences 
between persons, at least."
 "Truly, Lady-I know the track of a mouse from a rat in the air," she said.  She nudged a bit 
closer, feathers settling roughly back into place.  "Yet, why ask?" 
 "Simple," she replied.  To the Prince, she said, "Why not let her look for your men?  
For, as we know, my ladies will be out with them; no one is too keen on being alone after 
the incidents."  She made but a slight pause, then added, "It will be much more…interesting 
then just seeking them out here."  She gestured at the table, for the Prince had told her 
of its purpose: to keep track of that which was in his domain.
 Yet despite this explanation, there was more to the table than she knew…but those are trials 
for later chapters.
 He looked down at her carefully, considering the idea in his mind as he check the 
sincerity that backed it.  It only took a moment of quick study; he needn't have glanced 
at the bird, for her anticipation and hopefulness were scents upon the air easily sifted 
out by his nose.  <They still do not know all the animal they see,> he thought quietly.  
<Of the way scent, and movement, and the minor parts that compose them…yet, then again, neither 
do I know all.>
 He sighed deeply, then said, "Very well, Q'ar, you may come with.  Maybe we shall see if 
you have this ability you claim."
 Q'ar sneered-well, as best as she could-and replied, "Then I shall prove to you, scoffer.  But for now…"
 "Now we shall have to find your jessies and hood," he said.  "Now, where did I…"
 "You are not, Lord Prince!" she screeched out.
 "Oh yes.  A bird, especially one as valuable as you claim to be, always goes out hooded 
and jessied.  You know that," he said.
 "He is right," Serin agreed, moving about to stand by him.  "Yet…yet I think we can do 
without the hood this time-I believe Q'ar can be trusted that much."  
 The bird's head swiveled between them, and now she gave a great sigh.  "All right, then," 
she said.  "They're over here."
 Fifteen minutes later, a pair stepped out into the Prince's hallway, Q'ar jessied to the 
Prince's furred arm.  Serin had taken leave of them to find a warmer clothing; 'twas a 
little chilly out there, and gray, though no rain seemed to be on the horizon.  Though she 
was held firmly in place, and low growls greeted ever movement, it didn't stop her from analyzing 
the area about her.  It was a die hard habit picked up from earlier in her life, when her form 
had been her own and her magicks not as filtered.  Yet, being a raptor had in some ways helped 
her, and so she pierced the darkness about her to see how things looked here.  <Rarely leaving 
that room has disadvantages,> she thought, eyes a suddenly intense blue that broke the darkness.
 Except there didn't seem to be that much breaking to do.
 Puzzled, she scrutinized about her with a much deeper glance, eyes focusing beyond to 
a corded, blackened reality, a thick streak of shadowy work and injustices and spells 
twisted by their maker.  It would've made her nose crinkle, had she still been able to.  
Yet, for once, there was some light in this domain of dark magic, a soft, silvery sort of 
brilliance which wound closely about some of the pillars of that awful, evil place.  The light, 
though, was somewhat muted; not only was it but a few simple strands, they were all sunk quite 
deeply into those pillars.
 A flick of her head-which earned her a flash of fang-brought her back to reality; the 
threat meant nothing, though, especially considering the light she saw now.  The halls were 
usually a deep, gray color, like ancient stone and decayed matter twisted into a palette; now, 
though, that seemed muted, which not only brightened the wing, but brightened the mood.
 <It seems,> she thought quietly, <that Serin has been doing more work than anyone knows.> 
A quirk of a smile moved her beak, and a warm contentedness spread through her, making her 
forget those blasted jessies.  
 
 "Go, bird, and find the others!" the Prince commanded, his arm coming up quickly.
 "As you say, my Prince!" she called back languidly, taking off on deadly wings for this 
silent hunt.  The wolf head cocked at her odd words, but then he shrugged it off and looked back.
 "Oh no, Lady!  Let me get our mounts!" he called out, coming to assist her in pulling out 
the large black he required.  Though it had been a few days, he dared not touch the dapple; 
a horse could only carry him so many times, and it had taken a double load.  There was 
something about his magic that could cause problems, and he didn't want to risk another creature.
 "I am perfectly capable of getting a horse, Prince," she replied, dusting off her 
hands.  "I can tack one up, too, if you'd believe that."
 "You've proved it, Lady," he replied.  "I will dispute you no more about that."
 "You need that, don't you?"
 "What?" he asked, turning away from the black to grab the tack for it.  Swiftly, 
he tugged on its bridle, and began to work on the saddle, his quick fingers working in 
concert with his paralyzing appearance to ready the animal quickly.
 "Proof," she replied, allowing him to take out the other horse, but gathering her 
own gear.  She had changed from the dress to an extremely comfortable habit of a soft, 
strong material she had no name for, as well as a warm jacket and a new, bound up hairstyle.  
She had also found gloves that fit her hands just right, and this he was happy to see; he 
knew how soft her hands were.  "You always need some sort of…well, a test and score, and a 
category for it all." 
 "Pardon, Lady Serin?" he asked, eyes coming about to lock on her.  
 She made no motion away from the gaze, but continued with her own tasks.  "Tangibility," 
she finally said.  "Am I right?"
 He thought a moment, then answered, "Yes, Lady, you're right.  It is a stabilizing 
characteristic of my house, one that seems to have been handed down with the blood.  I 
must have some sort of proof, for otherwise how can I be sure of what is true and what 
is not?  And it is this truth and surety which are the foundation of the family I belong to."
 "Grounded in the earth," she said quietly.
 "Very much so, Lady," he said.  "I know your ability to tack and ride because I have 
seen the proof of it-the horse ridden with both, and the lack of injuries to the rider.  
Indeed, by gait and by smell I could tell the horse's thoughts-and they were naught but good."  
He waited until she was finished, then offered a leg up.  She accepted, mounted, and as 
she was messing with the reins he asked, "Are you going to tell me what happened to that horse, Lady?" 
 She stared, and the white mare-that same beast she had commanded the day of her arrival-pranced 
nervously beneath her, the scent of the wolf too close for comfort.  She looked down and away, 
ventured a glance, then away again.  "I am not sure if I am at liberty to tell, Prince," she 
replied uneasily.  <So far he has believed me,> she thought.  <Please, I wish not to offend…oh, 
I don't know what to do!>
 "Lady, trust me on this: the Forest has been my companion for years, and while I know
not all, I know much.  Do not be afraid," he said quietly, gently reaching out to touch her hands.
 She nodded to herself, and swallowed a few times, before softly saying, "They took it."
 "They?"
 She looked at him now, and quietly said, "They of the Forest."
 <They of the…OH!> rang his thoughts, and quickly he patted her hand before moving away, 
finishing his horse.  "It's all right, Lady," he said.  "I understand…and…" his ears drooped 
a bit, "I owe you an apology."
 "For what, Prince?"
 "For yelling at you…about the last animal.  I cannot fault you, and I shouldn't have 
then, knowing what I know, especially about that area!" He sighed.  "It wasn't…right…of me."
 Her eyes widened, and she watched a little awed as he mounted up on his horse.  She sidestepped 
the mare, noting the stud; yet, from her distance, she said, "It is all right, Prince.  
You are already forgiven…the words are not needed from me."
 "My thanks, Lady," he said quietly.  Mentally, he was amazed; <I have never had such 
freedom; I was such a terror, yet those words…make me more conscious than ever…>  He cleared 
his throat and added aloud, "Shall we find that bird and see where everyone has disappeared to?"
 "Gladly, Prince," she replied.
 Calling down Q'ar proved to be more of challenge than anticipated, as he had never done 
it before, the bird usually coming by itself.  Finally, Serin whistled her down with a 
high pitch, keening cry; the bird appeared as if by magic, and swooped down to perch upon 
his arm.  Yet, despite this minor trouble, her directions to Kishi and Arashi were 
clean and precise-if a little confusing.
 "They're where?" Serin asked.
 "In the trees, Lady," the bird replied.
 "But…"
 "You'll just have to see, Serin," the Prince growled.  "Q'ar may be frustrating, 
but her words always have truth."
 "Thank you, Prince," Q'ar replied, surprised.
 "Not quite a compliment, bird," he replied.  "A fact.  Speaking of which, do you 
know where the others are?"
 "I sighted Naosu and Kiri very close to the first two, on the stream's edge…not 
the Rush, Lady, but a small feeder of it," she said, adding her words when Serin's 
posture tightened fearfully.  "As to the other four, I saw them riding together, and 
I believe thy were heading towards the gardens."
 "Makes sense-Hiko and Aiko both enjoy flowers," Serin said.
 "Mazes as well?"
 "Why…yes.  Why?"
 The Prince chuckled again, and said, "There are a few on the grounds-simple, complex, ridden…"
 "A maze a horse?" What an interesting idea!" she said, eyes brightening.  
"Is there any chance we'll see that."
 "It can be arranged, Lady-but we'll have to seek out my Gens first," he replied, 
eyes softening.  The sun played upon her like a fine painter's brush, light illuminating 
her bound silver-blond mass to a shining heap, yet playing in her eyes with almost an 
empathic shadowing ability.  It streamed over her habit and caught lines of blue and 
green woven into the fabric, flashing a curve here, a line here, all overlapping to 
create her figure.  She was so fresh, beautiful, and…he caught himself before his mind 
danced off on its own.  "All right?"
 She nodded, then said, "Lady Q'ar?"
 The bird, who had shifted to his cantle, nodded to her, and it was then that the Prince 
remembered what Serin had said.  "Q'ar, wait a moment, for I must tell you something."
 "Yes?" 
 He leaned down and whispered what the Lady had said, and the bird shot back, rocking 
on her post.  "Truly?" she whispered.
 "Would I make something like that up?" 
 "No…no…" she replied.  Looking up, she called to Serin, "You have met the Others, Lady?"
 "Why yes, Q'ar," she replied, reining her horse closer so she could talk freely with her.  
"Why do you ask?"
 "I…well, with whom did you talk?" she asked quietly, her eyes a flickering and 
unsteady deep blue.  "Or did you just see them?"
 "Oh no…I spoke with three of them--they were the Leaders of this part of the woods, 
they said-and their names were…" She squinted briefly in the sun, trying to recall them.  
"Aor…Iyn…and…Res.  Yes, Aor, Iyn, and Res."
 "Aor, Iyn, Res.  Yes, they would be…oh dear," the bird replied, and the Prince watched 
stunned as a change came over the usually vivacious bird.  Her eyes dimmed, and the 
normally fluffed out feathers slicked down, making her appear small, sleek, and withdrawn.  
It was as if a wall was springing up about her, a shield against something.
 "Are you all right, Lady?" Serin asked, alarm in her voice.
 "I'm fine, Lady.  Just…memories," she replied.  "Call me down after you've meet with 
the…the four.  I will give you an update on…" She broke off, and leapt into the air.  She 
flapped almost desperately into the sky, her black and white and blue body flashing across 
their vision for a moment before disappearing completely.
 "Is she all right?" Serin asked quietly.  "She seemed…sad."
 "She, too, has her secrets, Lady Serin," he replied carefully.  "And though she has not 
bound herself to be Silent, I feel obligated…to let her tell you herself."  His voice nearly 
stumbled over that; he prided himself in knowing the histories of all about him, and 
all those little facts that could be used against someone.  It was what made him so 
GOOD at what he often did, but…yet…even though he knew the story of Q'ar, he also felt 
his mouth should stay shut.  It was a…surprising notion.
 Serin's eyes widened, but she just nodded, and reined the mare away.  "Shall we ride?"
 He nodded, and tried to give her a smile.  Somehow, as if she knew, she smiled back, 
a subdued smile, but a smile none the less.  Inside him, something warmed…and then 
he nudged his horse, and the two rode off towards Arashi and Kishi.

 When they arrived, Kishi was hanging upside down from the tree.  The Prince caught his 
scent and noted its textures: a very calm, relaxed note, underscored by a sort of peace 
and energy, a bit of almost frantic wariness; it was a clash of emotions that pulled him 
up short.  <Normally he's this calm…but that energy?  Where?>
 "Arashi!" Serin called out.  "Arashi, where are you?" Her eyes searched among the leafy 
trees, overgrown with jade green leaves and branches so that it could easily be ascended.  
The sunlight through it cast emerald and hunter green shadows around, turning the shape 
hanging from the branch a pale lime color.  It surprised her at first, but quickly she 
realized that she was seeing Kishi.  Her head cocked at his curious appearance; it appeared 
to be a shape, dimly figured, composed of two layers of color-blue and gold-roughly outlining 
a blurred area of person.  There were no features, and very little could be told from the shape,
but it sufficed for her.  Indeed, there was joy to know she could do it, though it had taken 
her long enough.
 "Serin!" Arashi called down, and she looked up, smiling.  The woman, who had clothed 
herself in dark green and brown today, was semi-visible among the upper limbs of the oak, 
and it took her a moment for her eyes to settle.  Finally, she caught her, very near the 
top branches.  
 "What are you doing up there, Arashi?" she called.
 "Communing with nature," she yelled down, laughter in her voice.
 "I assume you're somehow responsible for this," the Prince said to Kishi, pulling his black 
up close.  It sniffed at Serin's mare, and the dainty animal shied a little, sidestepping away 
from its affections.  Neither really noticed.
 "The meditation, yes," he replied.  "Being in the trees?  That was strictly Lady Arashi."
 "Lady!" he bellowed out.
 Arashi's sigh fluttered down, and then she quickly made her way into the lower branches.  
Her form peeked out at them, and she answered, "Yes?"
 "Why the trees?" he asked.  "Is this not a Lady…"
 Serin chuckled, and Kishi hid a smile.  The Prince darted a look at Serin, and then back 
to Arashi, who had a sort of resolute disgust on her face.  "What?" he asked.  "She is a 
lady, title born-is she not?" 
 "Oh yes, Prince," Serin said.  "She is a lady born-that I vouch for."
 "She's just not as orthodox as the rest," Kishi added smoothly.  "It's quite refreshing, 
in my opinion.  Also, m'liege, she is a Jovan-and their court has produced more warriors 
than embroiderers."
 "Hmmm," muttered the Prince, quietly mulling.  "Lady, perhaps we shall talk later then-but, 
'til then, my apology for my ignorance."  He motioned to Kishi.  "Come, old friend; we must speak."
 "As you say, my liege," he replied, easily swinging up to grip the branch, then flipping 
down.  Arashi smiled as his feet touched ground; he had been working on that for most of the 
morning.
 "Pardon, Lady," he said to Serin, but she gave him a dismissive wave, her focus on Arashi.  
The two turned and headed a little ways off, to a small copse of pine clumped near the edge, 
hard needles interlacing with cones to provide a natural barrier.  He had not yet decided if 
it was magic or nature.
 As soon as they were out of sight, Serin looked up to Arashi with a smile and said, "Up."  
 Arashi smiled brightly in return, a rare gesture on her part, then reached out and easily 
pulled her from the saddle.  With her help, the two ascended quickly towards the top of the 
tree.  When Arashi felt they were high enough, she set Serin in a crook and took her own branch.
 "How can you stand him?" Arashi asked, once they were settled.  "I mean…besides his shape, 
he's kinda…"
 "Yes, he is," she replied with a smile.  "But I forgive him for it-he's been here, alone, 
for so many years."
 "We all can see why," Arashi muttered.  "He sounded just like those…" She cut her words, 
looking out and away, hiding the swiftly vibrant anger of her eyes and the veil of watery 
sadness over that.
 "No, he's not that bad," she replied gently, reaching out to touch her friend's wrist.  
"I have a feeling he was of high birth before his curse, and that pains him very much.  Also, 
he has been alone…"
 "He has his guard!"
 "He has kept himself from his guard, from any life, since the spell was set.  There is more 
beast than human-he fights not only his manner, but what growls inside him as well."  Her eyes 
were softly sympathetic and wise; it was as if she was opening herself more than usual.  "That, 
I understand."
 "You are much more forgiving than I, Serin.  After what he said…well, I can barely bite my tongue 
about him.  He rankles me," she replied, voice resigned.  "But you are you, and I know that 
your judgment is more keen than mine."
 "As your intuitions are more realistic," she replied kindly.  "Speaking of that, what is your 
intuition about Kishi?  Are you still at each other's throats?"
 A fondness took over her cold, viridian eyes, a softening-almost.  "He is actually all right, 
Serin.  I have developed a respect for him-his fighting abilities are sure, he has a strong sense 
of duty, and he is open to suggestions."
 "Then you brought him out here?"
 She nodded.  "I remembered the trees in the forests of home…beautiful, tall trees, the smell of 
pine and earth and just the woods."  She sighed quietly, barely stirring the air about her.  "It 
used to relax me, and since he wanted to meditate, I had to suggest it.  It has soothed me, to sway 
in the wind again with a person I know won't mind."
 <Respect?  Won't mind?> Serin thought, mentally blinking.  <She hasn't thought this of a man 
since…since…> "Do you miss it?"
 "What, home?" She thought for a moment, then shook her head.  "Nah.  Not much there, 'sides family."
 "And Kaze."
 She flushed, and Serin smiled.  <That's the other one,> she thought.  "Have you spoken with him?"
 "Just before we left.  He was going to visit Neptune for awhile, swinging by Pluto and then 
Jupiter before going back home.  We talked about meeting on Io for a day off-just to talk."  
Her eyes were down, and she was blushing a little, which caused Serin's smile to widen.  
Tennohsei Kazeno, the Prince of Uranus, was one of Arashi's only male friends-aside from her 
numerous siblings-and she often wondered if the two could be-or would be-more.  As an Outer male, 
he would understand her; as an Outer Prince, he would be worthy of her.  It was a match made in 
heaven-something that had been said before, regardless of the pun.
 "I'm sorry this happened, then," she replied quietly.
 "I am, too, Serin, but for a different reason," she replied.  "You're so precious to us all…"
 "Shush.  You'll make me worry."
 Arashi replied not, but gave her Princess a very soft look.  Serin returned it, remembering 
their meeting on the Moon years ago.  She had been hungry late on night, and had floundered 
into a kitchen where Arashi had been taking out some pain or anger on food.  They had talked for 
awhile as Arashi made food and Serin ate it; by the end of the night, they were firm friends, even 
though their names had not been exchanged.  When they actually met-for the Princess and her guard 
were not formally introduced until the guard had been together for a year-it was a pleasant surprise, 
a wonderful shock, to find that she knew all of them.  Their friendship had only tightened, until 
she and her guard were almost telepathic, bonded to each other.
 Now, though, she was going to have to break that bond.  And for the first time, she realized how 
hard that was going to be, not only on them, but on her.
 <Oh Mother,> she thought, <what am I going to do?> 

 "You wished to speak with me, my liege?"
 "Yes," he replied, dismounting.  He patted the black, then motioned the man further into 
the copse.  "It's about Serin."
 "Is something wrong with the Lady?  She seemed fine, and I sensed nothing troubling."  
Although Kishi's power lay in the stars, in the universe itself, he was not like Jade and 
able to sense illness; still, he had refined his abilities to generalities, a black or white, 
good or bad sort of thing.
 "No, no…not now.  But her ladies will be leaving, and that will be a problem for her.  And…it 
worries me."  His voice dropped a bit, and Kishi's eyebrows rose.  The Prince expressed much, 
but rarely concern; he usually took such things in stride.
 "What do you propose?  Do you plan to hold her ladies with her?"
 "I cannot do that-they owe me nothing; Serin's promise was extracted under a boon, and even 
that may not have been true and right."  He sighed, a heavy, brash sigh.  "No, I cannot make them 
stay, nor truly ask them to do so."
 "So…"
 "I'm thinking of a temporary measure.  Actually, a nice way to end that night."
 Kishi looked at him for a moment, cast back, and thought.  "You aren't planning a party, are you?"
 "Yes, in a way."
 "What way?" His voice was curious, and a tad suspicious.  
 "A ball."
 Kishi fell silent, attempting to keep his mouth from dropping.  Finally he rasped, 
"A ball, my liege?" 
 "Rush Castle was famous for them."
 "But…well…" His thoughts were surprisingly jumbled.  On one hand, it was an excellent 
idea-they had not had fun like that in forever, perhaps not since that night they'd lost 
their form-but could it truly work?
 "Yes?" A low tone, almost as if he were inviting trouble.
 "Would it really work, though?" Could you honestly persuade the Lady to forget her travails 
and enjoy the night?"
 The Prince gave him a thoughtful look, blue eyes mightily keen, and he wondered briefly 
if he had overstepped some boundary.  He had been extremely sensitive before these ladies 
showed up; perhaps…
 "Lady Serin is a capable, adaptable woman.  I believe that she will be able to enjoy a 
final night in good company," he replied.
 "Then it has merit, and my support," he replied firmly, then smiled.  "So, why did you 
come to me?"
 "Because her ladies need escorts, and I wanted to check and makes sure there would be 
no objections," he replied.  "I…have realized that it would be improper to ask you to 
accompany them without first…checking with you.  For all I know, they are horrendous witches."
 <Lady Serin, what sort of Sorceress are you?> he thought incredulously.  <The Prince 
being…almost considerate…and MEANING it!> He mentally pinched himself, found he was not 
dreaming, and took a breath.  The air had the same quality; the universe still felt the 
same; the Prince, then, had been truly nice for once.
 "Well?" A touch of impatience.
 "Ryu truly speaks for us…but I believe all will consent.  These ladies, by the way, 
are interesting…but none appear to be witchy."  His eyes twinkled at the sudden thought 
of Arashi in a ball gown, and he added, "Don't announce it yet, though.  It would be 
better as a surprise."
 "Agreed," the Prince replied.
 The two men began to move out of the copse, their conversation flowing to a halt 
as their courses were set.  The Prince mounted up, and looked back to his General.  
"Remember to keep an eye out, Kishi, not only for yourself but for the Lady.  Consider 
her under you protection.  We need no more injuries."
 "I think not, my liege," he replied.  "She's as capable as any of us-and she won't fall."
 "Quite an eclectic bunch, aren't they?" he mused lowly.
 "Would you prefer them any other way, Prince?" They…well, it's refreshing," Kishi replied, 
a little smile playing over his face.  "You couldn't take it if Serin was as…ladyish…as some 
of the ones we've met, m'lord."
 "I…perhaps," he admitted, and Kishi grinned.  "Yet, it takes some adjustment, my friend."
 "Of course, my liege."
 He nodded, then kicked the horse into a bouncy trot.  It had been difficult to ride a horse 
after the change-his hips were differently made, and he couldn't grip as before, plus what his 
scent did-but he managed.  It had taken practice and some creativity, but he had done it.  
Sometimes, though, he wished for wings.  Occasionally, the thought flitted across his mind to 
drop to his "hands" and let himself run, yet he shied away from that with a passion.  It 
wasn't that he could be human; he needed to be human, or the beast without would take over.  
That black witch of hell that had twisted him so had built in a deliberate instability-he had 
to keep it together.
 So the yip that came out of him when he caught the scent of Serin up in the tree caused 
his eyes to snap an angry blue, and Kishi to query his health.  "Fine," he replied, suddenly 
tense.  "Lady Serin, come down!" 
 "Just a minute, Prince," she called back.  "It's quite lovely-could you come up?"
 "The paws are red fox, not gray; I cannot climb trees," he replied, voice slightly disgusted.  
"Otherwise…"
 "How did she get up there?" Kishi wondered, moving to his left.
 "One never knows," he replied, dismounting.  "I'll assume Arashi had a hand in it, though."
 "More than you know," came the waft of Serin's voice, laced with giggles.  
 "Yea, assume such," Arashi muttered softly, then looked to her lady.  "I should go first to 
insure your safety."
 Serin shook her head.  "No, Arashi, I'm all right-I can climb trees well.  After all, you taught me."
 "Yes, Serin, but…" She stopped, and looked up, her sense aflare with tingles.  The day was 
cloudy, yes, but she had scented no rain--why was there something like lightning flaring across 
her mind?  It didn't bode well.
 "Arashi?" Serin quiered.
 "Princess," she whispered lowly, startling her.  "Go…now." 
 "What?"
 "GO!"
 Needing not a word more from her guardian, she quickly began to clamber down the tree.  
Now she understood Arashi's first warning, for though climbing up means easy placements of hands 
and feet, climbing down is done mostly by touch and not sight.  Plus, the bark did not help a bit.  
Yet the need she had felt in Arashi's voice, that had screamed to her from her eyes, was the only 
motivator she need.  Soon she managed to get to the bottom branch, and from there she beckoned the 
Prince over to help her down.  "Thank you," she whispered quietly as he helped her down, trying to 
ignore the sudden fluxes of heat that hit her as his soft hands took their firm grip.
 "Where's Arashi?" Kishi asked.  "Is she staying up?"
 "Coming down!" she called, and a rain of bark and small leaves followed.  "Very quickly!" The 
shifting sound of a person clambering down the trunk followed, and several branches moved as she 
grabbed on for holds.  The senses in her head were clanging, and she knew that something was very 
wrong weather wise, in some way or another.  It prevented her from concentrating completely on hand, 
foot, or branch holds, yet her body senses saved her instinctively, and she was able to avoid several 
near falls.
 Suddenly, a stiff gust of wind smashed into the tree, a breeze at the ground that mussed hair and 
fur and caused the horses to snort anxiously.  In the tree, Arashi was reaching for a branch, nearly 
ready to swing down to the ground, when it hit.  Immediately her kinthestetic sense went dead, affected 
by too many variables at once.  Consequently, she missed.  Her head smacked a branch, and she fell.
 As if by magic-which is probably was, though Fate's type and not the normal-Kishi looked up to see 
if he could spot her.  He did, and immediately moved to catch her, arms taking on a sheen of energy 
to hold her weight.  To Serin, who happened to be watching, it appeared quite graceful and easy; 
really, it took more than was seen.  The landing for her was not fun, as it jammed her head and 
managed to smack a bruise from yesterday; yet the warmth of the energy he held, and the gentle way 
he cradled her for a moment before setting her down, calmed these pains and the anger that rose.  
 "Arashi!" Serin called, breaking away from the Prince to go to her.  "Are you all right?"
 "I hit my head," she groaned.  "But that shouldn't be too bad, eh Kishi?" She looked to him, 
blinking, eyes bright.  He almost had shape to her now, a sort of sizzle that worked a star 
shape-very faint, but there.  She shook her head--bringing on an additional pain-but it only faded 
to a glimmer.  <Must have hit that sucker hard!> she thought, rubbing the spot gingerly.
 "Yea, nothing," he replied quietly, voice soft in a way that made Serin look up.  She wished she 
could see his eyes now, for she sensed it would interesting-especially for Arashi.  As it was, he still 
held her close to him, as if reassuring himself that she was there.
 "What happened?" the Prince asked.  "You said she wouldn't fall."
 She looked up, and offered him a look of irritation tempered by the wince of pain in her eyes.  
"I'm fine," she replied.  "Right, Kish?"
 "Kishi?"  It sounded more a command, and Arashi's eyes narrowed.
 "She's fine, m'liege.  As said, a bump on the head-nothing drastic," he replied, his eyes 
never straying from her.
 "All right," he said, eyes tracing her ruthlessly for other injuries, nose seeking any additional 
hurts.  "But if you hurt-or feel faint, should ladies of Jove ever do that-see Naosu, or at least 
go inside."  Wind stirred again, ruffling about them all, carrying a scent not unlike rain to 
his nose.  He looked away from the two to Serin, noting a curious look in her eye; "I smell moisture, 
Lady," he said.  "Come-let us find Naosu and Kiri before a storm rolls in."
 She let her eyes fall on him now, and nodded.  "Do we need Q'ar?"
 "No-she has given us the directions already," he said.  "It'll take us but a moment to get 
there."  He assisted her onto her mare, then mounted up on his black, reining towards her.  She 
adjusted her seat, nodded briefly to him, and the two of them left at a smooth, long trot.  
 Both watched them go, then looked back to each other.  The height difference sensed between 
them-which left the top of her head about at his mouth-suddenly seemed negligable.  They were 
close, very close, he holding her waist, her hands on his shoulders, the natural position for 
a woman just put down.  Yet his breath caught suddenly, as their eyes met across a barrier, as 
if she could look through that one way mirror about him.  Her eyes crinkled and sparked, vividly 
deep, a living green he was sinking into slowly, slowly…
 "Are you all right?" he asked quietly.
 <He was touching her…>
 "Yea," she replied, voice hazy.  "And you?"
 <Her eyes are so green…>
 "I didn't fall out of a tree."
 <…comfortably, on her waist…>
 "But you caught me.  Doesn't that," she paused to move her hands to his arms, "hurt any?  
You're strong, but…" She trailed off into quietness as a shudder rippled his frame.
 <…pure as forest, as healthy grass, plants, as emeralds…as jade…>
 "A little, Lady Arashi.  A little.  But I was prepared to catch you."
 <…so warm…so comfortable…>
 She looked down, and to his surprise the semblance of a blush rose to her face.  
"Thank you," she murmured.  "For catching me."
 <…or nephrite…>
 "Lady, do not thank me for doing something to help you," he said, voice as warm as sunlight.
 <…electrically warm…>
 "Isn't that rude, though?" she asked, grinning a bit.
 "Not if its a pleasure," he replied.
 She began to laugh, then stopped.  "It's a pleasure to catch me?" she asked quietly.
 "It's a pleasure to be with you."
 In that moment, both seemed to mentally gasp, she looking up at him with a face slightly 
contorted, he looking down at her in hidden disbelief.
 <…TOO green!>
 <…TOO warm!>
 They drew apart as one, a mutual disconnection, she to rub her arms, he to quickly tie 
back his hair.  The wind had come up again, a chill breeze scented with some unfamiliar 
and unpleasant.
 "Well…" he began.
 "Wanna swim?"
 "What?!"  <That's all I need in my mental snapshot category…>
 "I just wanted to make a suggestion," she replied, a little sheepish.  "But I guess 
it's a little cold…"
 "Why don't I take you on the trails?" he said.  "Not the ones by the Rush either," he added quickly.
 "Then to where?"
 He smiled to himself.  "Ever been out to the Jade Cliffs?"  At her negative nod, he shook 
his head.  "It's something everyone who comes to Rush Castle has to do."
 "Is it long?  Hard?"  Her voice was hopeful.
 "A little of both, really."
 "Then what are we waiting for?  Let's go!" she said, and he chuckled lowly.  
 "All right, all right…if you're sure…"
 "Yes, let's go!" she replied.
 He chuckled again, but led on up the trail, thoughts straight.  Or at least he thought, 
though one has to wonder why he chose to take her to the JADE Cliffs…

 The Prince hoped that there would be no more surprises this day, especially involving 
Serin's ladies.  He felt uneasy around the guard-after all, they were so important to Serin, 
but they had INSULTED him so!--especially when it came to their safety.  He was the head of 
these lands, and the people on them were under his protection; if he couldn't keep them safe, 
who would?  Yet, at the same time, did he want to keep them safe?
 Yes, he had to.  But he wished they would apologize…
 So the sound of laughter coming from the Chatter-an appropriate name for the bubbly little 
brook-made him uneasy.  <Perhaps Q'ar mistook these two,> he wondered. <Gave us the place 
for Jade and Hiko, or Jade and Aiko…>  He shook his head, mentally rolling his eyes at the 
bird; she claimed she was a great tracker, then screwed up this majorly?
 He nearly fell off his horse when he saw that Q'ar had been right.  It was Naosu and Kiri, 
they were laughing, and apparently in the midst of a mud fight.  He scented the air just to 
make sure it wasn't an illusion, and then checked again to see if he missed something; after 
all, this was NAOSU.
 Serin, too, had an extreme reaction to watching Kiri sling mud at her helpless friend: her 
eyes bulged, and she blinked a few times.  Finally, she turned to the Prince and asked, 
"Am I dreaming?"
 "If so, we share a dream," he replied.
 "I didn't think that was possible."
 "It isn't," he said.  "Though one wonders…NAOSU, ATENCION!" 
 Immediately the General was out of the stream, water running off him in rivulets, mud 
clumped approximately at his head and smeared across his form.  Kiri waded after him, hand 
over her mouth to either smother her giggles or hide her embarrassment-Serin wasn't sure 
which.  She dismounted; the Prince followed, looking at her.
 "I'll…" she said, gesturing at the horses.  
 "No, Lady; it'll only take a second, for I need only tie mine.  There's a reason your 
mare is called Prudence," he replied quietly.  So saying, he tied his horse tightly to a 
tree, and the two of them advanced on the soaking pair, muddy water running down clay to 
drip sedately to the ground.  The pair, on the other hand, were apparently still recovering 
from their lapse.
 "Naosu, what in blazes happened here?" the Prince immediately started in.  "You…"  
 It was then that Kiri began to giggle, looking to her counterpart with a muffling hand, 
eyes pleading for him to help.  A small intake of breath…and then, without warning, soft 
laughter began to issue from him as well.  
 Prince and Serin looked at them, and then at each other, with near stunned amazement, 
for neither had heard this sound from these two for a long time.  

 Kiri ran her finger across the water's surface, watching the trail of ripples that 
spread across it.  One could learn a lot from ripples, she mused, from their patterns, 
orderly chaos, their harmonies and interactions…
 <And I suppose they're pretty, too> she added quietly, a nearly neglected afterthought.
 She was standing in the shallow stream, her skirt tied up but still damp, feet bare to the 
sandy bottom.  It did not bother her a bit to be doing this; in fact, she rather enjoyed 
feeling the coolness on her legs and the grainy bed beneath her feet.  There was something 
like this in the caves of Mercury, except the streams of water ran over rocky beds and crystal, 
and there were spots were barely hardened molten rock flowed from the surface.  She had grown 
up in the mists and fogs and occasional ices, and it was no surprise that her water 
sense should be so adept, especially with the genes of her sister.
 <Kiri.>  The thought chimed within her head like a soft bell ringing; she had been the 
first to hold her, to accept her, to know her, as well as the first person to leave her… 
 She let the thought trail away, to ripple through her and bounce off the ripples she had 
touched off on the stream.  Naosu, her so far silent companion, appeared not to notice; the trace 
of him she had come out here with was busy on the bank searching for clay and stones.  In fact, 
that was their purpose for this little trip-to pick up materials for his projects.  She had no 
clue that it was truly to keep an eye on her; he…well, he needed some materials, but he 
felt…this more.  He knew after watching her that she would agree to go with him; yet, once out 
here, he had no clue how to approach her, or deal with her…so he sifted through clay and stones, 
and found some good stuff.  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her making soft ripples, 
fingertips tracing and chilling the smooth surface.
 <What?" he wondered, mentally picking at that odd thought.  <She can't do that; she's human 
and her core temp is fifty degrees K.  It would be impossible.>
 <For Aisuno Kiri?  Naosu, don't lose your mind because of HER,> came the mental chastisement.  
<She chose a name with ICE in it on purpose-perhaps she could chill the water.  Perhaps 
it's related to how she saw you.>
 <Perhaps it's related to her attitude…> 
 The thought stopped; he couldn't continue it.  It wasn't true, in his opinion; if anything, 
she was more of a reflection of him than a cold wench.  Which was, unfortunately, not a good thing…
 He stopped for a moment, and glanced at her.  She was staring at the water as if lost in 
thought; the ripples about her diminished, and he wondered what could be on her sharp mind.  
Perhaps physics…or chemistry; the waves triggered his own thoughts about such.  For the first 
time in a long while he missed some of his favorite theoretical tomes from home; with that 
thought came a soft burst of appreciation for what Kiri must miss as well.
 "Lady," he said.  "A moment, please."
 "Yes?" she replied, turning to him with relatively little displacement of water.  It struck him 
then how quietly, quickly, and smoothly she moved through the stream, as if she was not in it but 
apart of it.  As if she blended in with the water… "Is something wrong?"
 "Come here, please; I need your help," he replied, voice slightly twisted and uneasy.  She 
caught the note but allowed it to slip away, and waded quietly to him.  He listened as she moved, 
and had his proof her lack of sound; there was never a splash, just the softness of fog in her steps.
 "What is it?" she asked, looking to where she thought he could be looking.  "Something wrong?"
 "No, actually, I was just wondering if you had any clue to this," he replied, holding up a clump of 
clay.  Yet her eyes widened, and she took it with almost reverence; it was the normal red shade, 
but…she brushed another swath of it away with her fingers to reveal a stone.  It was mostly blue, 
muted by gray and green, but blue nonetheless; it reminded her once again of home, and Kiri…the true Kiri.  
 He watched her react to it, and was fascinated; she stayed calm, but pieces of her face fractured 
into small moving parts.  Her eyes widened a touch and shone; a muscle twitched in her cheek; 
she rubbed her lips together slightly.   He had never seen one so restrained when there was 
some obvious turmoil; it was a brief thrill, and a sudden shock, to realize he had an equal in this.
 A very brief thrill, for then he sneezed.  Loudly.  Grossly.  And in front of a Lady…! He was 
suddenly glad she couldn't see him flush.  
 "Bepu," she said softly.
 "What?" he asked, hand coming up to dab at his face.
 "It means…oh, Naosu," she replied, looking stunned.
 "What?  Or must you be Silent?"
 "No…no… 'bless you.'  It means 'bless you.'  It's what I say when someone sneezes," she replied.  
She was trying not to look at him, or look towards his direction, because a smear of clay had 
stained his cheek and she was afraid she would begin to laugh.  
 "Is something wrong?"
 "Huh?  Oh…well…" Tentatively she moved closer, his face illuminated by the dark colored chunk 
of clay he'd left their.  Slowly, she reached towards him, eyes unsure and a little worried-she 
felt as if she was taming a skittish horse, unsure if he would bolt.
 "Lady?"
 "Hold still, hold on," she replied.  With a quick movement, she swiped at the clay, managing 
to scrape most of it off his face.  The rest, however, was smeared across his cheek, highlighting 
a rather interesting bone structure.
 He caught her hand, and peered at it.  "How…"
 "When you sneezed, Naosu," she replied, smiling.  A giggle quietly bubbled from her, and she 
attempted to cover her mouth.  Unfortunately, that was the hand that held the stone he'd given 
her, and flecks of it spattered from it to her face and dress.
 "Now you appear to have the same problem," he replied.  "May I help?"   Reaching over, he went 
to wipe it off…then paused, and smeared it instead.
 "Naosu!" she cried out, shocked, and quickly she broke his handhold and thumbed his face again.  
His only choice was to reach down and grab more mud with which to defend himself.  Yet in moments 
she managed to fling her own piece at him, drops of water flying with it.
 Thus began the scene that Serin and the Prince came upon, and it didn't stop until the two 
royal persons appeared.  Yet not only was it out of character for them to do this, it 
also brought a certain unexistinguishable feeling within, as if a candle had been lit there.  
There was a sense of delicious life, of opening up to a warmth neither had ever known.  It 
was noticeable, faintly, in the blush on her wet cheek and the scent of him on the air.  
Finally drawing his General aside in order to talk, the Prince noted his muddy form with 
some surprise; Naosu was fastidiously clean, yet now he seemed to care not that he was 
mucky and smelled of reeds.  
 "Yes, my liege?" he asked, beginning to wipe some of the water from his clothes, and slap 
off some of the muck.  He smelled no distress or rush, though, but faint amusement, as if 
the feelings of the fight overrode his normal pickiness.  "What have you called me for?" 
 "To guard my back," he said softly.  "I need a drink."
 "Si, my liege," he replied, and x-ed his arms, hands balling into fists.  Tensing 
slightly, he pulled them both parallel and flipped his hands so they faced palm upward; 
two crystals points jutted out, and then the shafts shot out into the air.  He let them 
fly and caught them, a trickle of energy arcing between their points.  It was one of his 
flashier tricks, yet as dangerous as it looked; the spears were sharpened at their ends 
now, but in a moment he could turn them lethal all the way down.  A glance showed him that 
the Prince was ready, and as he stood in an attack stance, the great creature dropped to 
all fours.  He waited a moment for all to align, then shuffled forward to lap at the stream.  
It was cool, clearer here than nearly anywhere else on the grounds, and tasted faintly sweet.  
He drank only a short time to wet his throat, and savored this feeling of coolness trickling 
within him.  His mind was torn between taking further or returning to his normal stance, for 
while the pose was beast-like the action was cerebral, the mind of a gourmet working through 
the taste of it.  He had become a connoisseur of water, for his body barely tolerated wine; 
the former fluid was often much more complex than the latter.  Or perhaps that was just his 
limited knowledge of one combined with his senses now…
 <That would've been a deep hitter,> he thought with a dark grin, <to have told the vineyards 
this…hrm, what cruelty.  Is it my wine?>  The question dragged him back from the stream to a 
stand, and said brusquely, "Stand down, Naosu."
 "As you say, my Prince," he replied, traces of his old accent filtering through his normally 
mild voice.  It threw him off; normally he spoke quite clearly, never sounding like that 
except under stress.  Emotion brought it out, but…
 "Are you all right, Naosu?" he asked.  "You seem…"
 "Different?  Yes, I suppose I would," he replied, shifting the grip on his crystals.  
In a swift motion he pointed the current down his frame, destroying what still lay on his 
clothes in a quick flash of crystal brightness, leaving him cleaner than before.  He flipped 
the crystals twice and they vanished; he rubbed his hands against the trace of energy that 
still remained there, then looked to his liege.  "It has been days since we have exchanged words, 
after all."
 "That is the cool response I know," he replied.  "The accented one…"
 "Play with Serin in a stream, my liege, and see if you talk differently for awhile," he 
calmly replied.  "After all, play is but a less serious fight, and we all know what happens to 
me when I fight."
 "You no speaka da language."
 "No, ya'll do not speak the language," he replied.  "It was a tongue before yours, my 
Prince, and you cannot fault me for reverting to the fierce type."  He smiled coldly, as 
his Prince could picture him doing, and knew-understand, really-that he was doing that.  
"I suppose you'd rather prefer it."
 "In battle, yes.  And it's good to find you back to self," he said.  
 "Would a change in me truly both you, my liege?  A change in any of us?" 
 The Prince sighed, and Naosu seated himself on a flat rock slightly warmed by the sun.  
The wolf's head stirred and looked down at him, a slight grimace-its more frightening 
equivalent, really-and he rumbled, "You know how much I hate when you sit in my presence."
 "At least it's not a change, m'liege," he replied, voice warm as the rock he sat on.  
"But, Prince, let us not stray too far from the real question: why are we out here?  Not 
just for a drink, otherwise we would have stayed closer to them."  Actually, Naosu privately 
wondered if the Prince would've gone "beast" in front of Serin; he seemed to endeavor to keep 
a human facade up for her.  
 "I have an idea, Naosu," he replied, furred hands carefully-very carefully-running over his 
silks, smoothing and picking clean.  He frowned at a grass stalk, and then laid out his ball 
plan, including what Kishi had said.  Naosu listened with his normal attentiveness, not feeling 
the shock Kishi had, but a different interest.  He had gone to balls more to watch, research, 
and chuckle to himself; yet, now, he had a chance to truly experience one.  When the Prince had 
finished, he still pondered on the rock, thoughts smoothing out wrinkles quickly.
 "I have a suggestion, Prince," he finally said. 
 "Go ahead," the Prince replied, relieved that he hadn't taken an hour to ponder the subject.  
That was the average, or so said Kishi, who had worked more closely with him than anyone else.
 "Tell her ladies, but not Serin.  As you have said, this is a surprise, but it will be much 
easier to coordinate if the others are let in on it.  More helpers, more knowledge-a better surprise."
 The Prince briefly considered.  "I believe you have something there, Naosu.  It will also 
intrigue the Lady herself…very nice."  He gently pawed his leg, a way of patting him on the 
back.  "An excellent suggestion."
 "Merely one that the lady will enjoy, my Prince.  Women like a carefully thought out surprise," 
he replied modestly.
 The Prince looked at him now, eyes brought full upon him, those dark, glittering blue eyes 
probing and questioning.  "That brings to mind a story, Naosu, of a young woman in a small city.  
She was a nice, quiet creature who was deeply in love with a young man who returned her affections.  
Yet a casual glance the wrong way one day, and his jealously was aroused; in a fit of rage, he stabbed 
her to death, leaving her in the street to die.  Yet, despite all of this and her wounds, she 
pleaded with her last breaths of how much she had truly loved him, and how she forgave him 
because she loved him so.  Such a pity, wouldn't you say, bleeding to death for no reason at all."
 Naosu's eyebrow rose, and he replied dryly, "You tell it so much better than I do, my lord."
 "We've only heard it enough," the wolf replied.  "I thought perhaps you needed a reminder."
 "Perhaps not, m'lord.  As of now, I am but fascinated."  He raised his head, keen eyes on 
his liege, the heat of his gaze brushed over the Prince's mind, yet he managed not to show it.  
"You are afraid of change, aren't you?  Of what would happen if…if we turned on you as your family did."
 His eyes closed, and the great head bowed.  A trickle of unease filled Naosu; he had said 
more today than he had in so many years, the thoughts well tucked in his mind falling out.  
Yet…perhaps he should've said it…
 "I have told you my idea, Naosu, and have taken in your words.  Good day," he finally said, 
yet the great eyes would not open to face him.  He knew, then, that he had struck a fine point; 
yet, he also knew the Prince.
 "As you say, m'liege.  I am at your service, always."
 The beast moved off, leaving his General still on the rock, contemplating.

 "Kiri, you're a mess," Serin said as she took in her Senshi.  "Look at this…" she gestured to 
her clay streaked dress, water stained at the edges; Kiri, however, didn't seem to notice.  
She slowly, dreamily, plucked at her hem, and a smile appeared on her face.
 "What am I going to do with you?" Serin muttered, half reproaching, though secretly the 
thought of her enjoying herself was a blessing.  She had often worried about this one; 
her social graces were impeccable, but her lack of love outside the group was disturbing.  
She was a Princess of a planet (though Mercury was but a colony, and so only had the equivalent 
of a royal family) and more than deserving of companionship…
 <She is too sweet not to,> Serin added defiantly. 
 "I am sorry, Serin," Kiri finally said.  "We got a little carried away…"
 The Princess grinned.  "I noticed."
 Kiri blushed, the rose stain creeping slowly up her face until she was a pale pink.  
"If the Lady would allow me to clean up," she quietly requested.
 Serin slung an arm around her with a smile, even as her habit came in contact with the 
dirtied dress.  "Don't be formal, Kiri; I'm not the Prince here-nor am I a true Princess.  
High lady, maybe, but perhaps so are you…to them, at least."
 Kiri smiled shyly and detached herself from her Lady, then returned to the stream.  She 
touched the water, and almost immediately a roil of mist sprang from it.  This she wrapped 
herself in, a sort of quick cleaning method that left her soon spotless.  As well, she 
enveiled Serin with a tendril, removing any traces from her.  As quickly as the mist had 
appeared, she dispersed it, and with that the water that clung to them, leaving both dry 
and crisp.  
 "Kiri, that was delightful!" Serin replied, smiling brightly.  Again, the Senshi blushed, 
but nodded her head in appreciation.  The two moved into the sun from the stream, letting 
the warm light wash over both of them.  "Did you do such to Naosu?" 
 "Serin, you know…" the woman begun, blush deepening, but she could not finished her words.  
It widened Serin's smile to see her stumble, though not in an unkind way; it merely 
confirmed her thoughts.
 "Oh, perhaps you physically dunked him them?"
 "I can't even see him, Lady!" she protested.
 "But you could throw mud at him.  And giggle a lot.  Of all my ladies, I thought 
only Aiko giggled that much," she added, eyes a teasing blue.  
 "Serin, it was an accident.  Completely.  I accidentally smeared mud on him, and he 
retaliated, and the next I knew we were fighting in the stream.  Please…'twas nothing," 
she replied quickly, unsure, cheeks hot.  
 "Ay, 'twas something, Lady Kiri.  I have not heard laughter from you for awhile…too long 
awhile," she replied, suddenly becoming quite serious, blue eyes softly penetrating.  "If he 
gives you that, then it is really something.  And quite acceptable."
 "Acceptable."
 "Smart, really; quite intelligent."
 A slow, warm blue light began to fill her eyes.  "All right, Serin, all right-I like 
him.  He is…very interesting.  Intriguing.  But…"
 "There's a but?"
 "Yes," she said softly.  "While I was in the Rush-beneath the stream, my life fading-I saw 
a man.  A man with curly hair and fascinating eyes.  Beautiful eyes.  They have captivated me, 
Serin; I feel as if I have seem them everywhere since.  In stones, in the trees…I feel so foolish, 
but I have to find them again."
 "Find him again."
 Kiri's blush returned, but she nodded her agreement.
 Serin smiled, and felt as if she was vaguely missing something-which she was.  Having taken 
off down the wrong trail in search of her ladies, she had missed a very obvious rescue: 
Naosu of Kiri.  Anyone else would've known but her, and so she could not bring up this 
very plain point.  However, she did ask, "Do you remember who pulled you from the river?  
Perhaps it was them." 
 Kiri shook her head quietly.  "It's very much a blur, Lady.  I don't remember anything 
clearly until I work up in the lab.  Saving Aiko took much out of me."  Mentally, though, 
she added, <Perhaps Naosu, though-his voice seems to remind me of…something…>
 "For which you deserver a medal, a commendation of some sort.  Perhaps when you return…" she cut off.
 She moved closer, giving her a comforting touch on the shoulder.  "I will."  She moved back 
now, fumbling with her skirts for a moment, then asking, "How fare you and the Prince?" 
 The cloudy look disappeared from her eyes, and she smiled again.  "Better," she replied.  
"He has been much more courteous to me, and…well, he says he has a surprise."
 "A surprise?  But what?"
 "You shall see, Lady!" came a loud, deep voice, and the Prince appeared, striding from 
where he had pulled Naosu aside.  The trace did not follow him, Kiri noted, and she 
wondered where Nasou had disappeared to.  <He wouldn't leave…> she thought, slightly worried.  
"But later, later.  And only if you promise to keep quiet."
 "Of course, Prince," she replied.  Hesitantly, she asked, "Is Naosu returning with you?"
 "Hm?  No.  He is upstream," he replied, gesturing vaguely that way.  "I believe he will 
not stir for awhile-if you can find him."
 Something in his voice rang of a challenge, and she pulled herself up to it.  "I can, 
Prince," she replied quietly, voice almost fierce.  "I will."  Now she moved off in that 
direction, head held high, utilizing her royal walk.  Serin hid a smile, and the Prince 
turned to her with a clearly bemused look.
 "Are you ready, sir," she asked quickly.  "I believe we should go find the others now."
 "You can whistle down Q'ar," he replied, untying the black from his perch and remounting.  
Serin did the same with her mount, and the two reined away from the stream.
 "Unless you think you can find them for yourself," she replied.
 "Best not to try, Lady; after all, then I'd have to listen to her whine about hurt feelings." 
 He snorted for effect, feeling truly disgusting.  
 To his surprise, she reined closer, touching his arm.  "Be gentle on the Lady Bird, Prince," 
she said.  "You know as well as I the talent she has, and her pain as well."
 "What makes you think she is pained, Lady?" he asked.
 She pulled back and looked down, hand straying towards her heart.  "I feel it, Prince," she 
said quietly.  "As I feel yours."
 A shock touched him, sending a wave of goose bumps over his suddenly chilled hide. 
He swallowed once, twice, and tried to speak, but found he could not.  <She feels me, the 
Beast?> he wondered, eyes raking over her with an odd grace.  <Yet…I thought…> He ventured 
no further, now unsure of the surety he'd had before.  What was it about this woman that 
could catch him completely off guard?
 "All right, Lady," he found himself saying.  "All right."

 They managed to whistle down Q'ar with ease, and the bird gave a quick and clipped report 
on where to find the others.  They were still enjoying the garden, Hiko and Aiko taking 
deliberate time in examining every last little petal and blade.
 "It seems to be a hassle to Ryu, but Jade is taking it well," she reported humorlessly.  
 "You spoke to them?" the Prince questioned, tone less sharper than before.  
 The bird sighed, rubbing her head against her wing in a way that made Serin think her very 
tired.  "No, Prince, I read it off their faces," she replied.  "And before you tell me what 
I do and do not know, be mindful-I can read human expression very well.  My eyes are…suited 
to it."
 "I know, Q'ar," he replied.  "I know.  If you wish, you may fly ahead and warn them of our 
approach, or you may stay with us."
 "I believe I will hover, Prince; I need more exercise before I attempt a fast flight," she 
replied, and launched herself into the air, flying up very high before beginning to glide, 
resting herself on the currents above.
 "She can see them?" Serin immediately asked.
 "Oh yes, Lady-she is the only one who can," he replied.  "Though I had forgotten, as they 
certainly have."
 "Oh," she said.  "But…how?"
 The Prince reined closer, eyes briefly on the sky.  "Much has been revealed of Q'ar today, 
Lady," he said.  "But I am afraid I cannot tell you that, for it would bring more of her into 
the open.  Please, understand this."
 "Of course, Prince," she replied with a small smile.  "Now, what shall we find when we 
get there?"
 The Prince answered carefully, and the two rode slowly and chatted as they made their way 
towards the others.  Thus they arrived a few minutes later to find the two ladies just coming 
out of the Rainbow Gardens, one of the few greenhouses left on the grounds.  The Prince naturally 
shied away from all glass, but he could not bring himself to destroy this most colorful exhibit of 
plants.  Now, he reined himself to the left of Serin, allowing her to stand between him and his 
true reflection.  
 "Ho, Serin!" Aiko called, tripping up to her lightly, Hiko shaking her head and following.  
The woman's head was lightly wreathed with a bundle of white flowers, and health had returned 
to her peach skin; not unexpected, given the way Venusians healed.  The woman greeted her with 
a smile.  "Come you to join us?"
 "Partially," she replied.  "More, we came to find your companions, since the Prince here has 
some big secret to tell them."
 "A secret?" Aiko said, moving from her side to his.  "Well, I wonder what it possibly could 
involve?"
 "Indeed," rang out Jade's voice from her side.  "What sort of thing could Prince have to 
tell us?"
 "It will be revealed, in time," Ryu said pragmatically, his voice more from Serin's side.  
"Afternoon, Lady," he greeted.
 "Afternoon, Lord Ryu," she replied.
 "Nay, nay-just Ryu," he said.  "I am not of the rank for you to call me 'Lord'."
 "His mind is on protocol once more," Hiko sighed, coming to meet her Princess.  Like Aiko, 
she too wore a wreath of flowers, though about her neck; the colors ranged from crimson to 
deep violet, and they brought out marvelous highlights in her skin, hair, and eyes.  Or so 
Ryu thought.  
 "Always?" she questioned.
 "Not always, Lady; enough to be intriguing, but not enough to be boring.  He is more 
widely studied than any of us, I'd imagine."
 "Even Aiko?" she asked, eyes widening.
 "I believe we are matched on that one, Lady, though her customs are more unusual than 
I am used to," he replied smoothly.  "As well, Lady Hiko has talked of some fascinating 
customs that I had never heard of before.  Perhaps a study of those outside the planet?"
 "Are you chattering on Mars again, Hiko?" Serin teased, eyes glinting.  She had noted the 
way the form of Ryu-for her eyes had adjusted somewhat to their forms now, though not as 
well as the Senshi's had-stood at a comfortable but close distance to the fiery Senshi, 
and it made her smile.  <How interesting,> she thought.  <Kiri, Arashi, Hiko…perhaps even 
Aiko will allow her heart to open here.  I wonder if it's the air.> 
 "As always!" Aiko burst in, moving from one horse to the other.  
 "It's her specialty, Aiko-give her credence for it," Jade said, voice laughing, and for 
a moment Serin had a picture of blue eyes dancing.  "But we are not here to discuss scholarly 
matters, are we, my liege?" 
 "No, and I thank you for bringing around the point, Jade," the Prince said.  "Though I would've 
thought Ryu above such distractions, but I suppose the attention of three ladies can do much 
to distract someone."
 Serin giggled, Hiko smiled, and Jade grinned at him, yet he saw not them, but the look 
in Aiko's eyes.  It almost seemed like a sudden fear had sprung into them, quickly covered 
and tempered by a smiling facade.  <Intriguing,> he thought, and mentally added it to the list 
of qualities he found so with her.  It was getting to be a long list.  Perhaps tonight he 
should draw it away again…
 "Don't start yourself, Prince," Serin said.  "What have we assembled here for?"
 "First, for me to tell my two Guardians of a certain surprise…and secondly, because I wished 
to run a maze, and more than two are needed."
 "A maze?" Hiko asked.  "What maze?" 
 "There are several on the property, Lady, which we noted the first day," Ryu replied.  
"But my liege…you know I cannot be allowed to run the maze. At least, those afoot."
 "Is there any other way?" Aiko asked Hiko, and the raven haired one shrugged.
 "There are a few mazes done in different ways, Lady Aiko," the Prince replied, having caught 
her words.  "But Ryu…why not?"
 "He trains there, my Prince," Jade said, stepping in quickly.  Yet Serin had caught the lack 
of knowledge demonstrated, and saw the flash of pain in his deep blue eyes.  <Do they know 
why he has been without them so long?> she wondered.  <Would he ever say?  No…no, I do not 
think so.  And it is a shame, a terrible shame.> 
 "Aye," Ryu added.  "As much as possible, as many ways as possible, until I have covered the 
ground blindfolded and backwards?"
 "Barefoot as well?" Aiko asked.
 "Occasionally, Lady," he said seriously.  "It depends on the weather, for it must be either 
cold enough to test myself or warm enough to try it."
 "It sounds…horrible," Serin said, compassion in her voice.
 "It often is," Aiko and Ryu replied, voice locking together for a moment.  Startled, she and 
Jade both looked to him as if unsure, but he let his gaze rest on Serin, as if ignoring what 
had happened.
 "Let us speak first, Guardians, before we talk of the mazes," the Prince replied, dismounting 
and leading the two of them back into the Greenhouse.  
 Now Serin dismounted, and was greeted with hugs by her Senshi.  "Are you all right?" Hiko asked.  
"Has he treated you well?"
 "Of course, Hiko.  Why do you ask?"
 The two women exchanged glances, and then Aiko said, "We've both been picking up something 
of a disturbance around here.  It's a hint of darkness, a ripple in the black, and we didn't 
know if it was you…" She stopped, the meaning clear.
 "That's why you took so long to look through the gardens," Serin said.  "You were feeling 
them out."
 "Trying to," Hiko said, a note of frustration in her voice.  "These two men can not only 
distract, but their powers interfere with what I can pick up.  I am not as sensitized to this 
place as I am to any other, and that only makes it more difficult to align on any darkness.  
I wonder if even Mars could truly pick up the right trail; these grounds have myriad magical 
signatures, all tied into the spells."
 "Perhaps we should take a look at these spells, then," Serin said quietly.  "Just the three of 
us, though, since we don't want to excite anything."  
 "Are you sure, m'lady?  Kiri's focus could help us much," Aiko said. 
 "I think yours and Hiko's will be all right for now.  Besides, I have trained with the two of 
you more than them, and though I am loath to leave them out of anything, I believe we must in 
this case," she replied quietly.  
 "Aiko, she's right.  You know their nature, and you know ours," Hiko reminded gently, and the 
blond finally nodded.  Hiko referred to the blood carried magic within Kiri and Arashi, that 
which made them special among Senshi; they knew from birth what their role would be, and had 
begun to train as such.  Well, at least Arashi had; Kiri's story was as clouded as her home 
had been.  As well, their magic didn't work over a tight band, but had its dotted lines and 
places were fields thinned; they, on the other hand, were usually strictly held to fire and light, 
though Aiko had a natural affinity with metal, and she her priestess abilities.  In fact, as she 
thought upon it, it seemed most of the "narrow" Senshi had some way of bending the rules…
 "Then it's settled," Serin broke in, softly yanking her away from her thoughts.  "We will meet 
early tomorrow on this."
 "Oh…" Aiko began, but then a rustle of wings filled the air, and down from the sky came the 
Lady Q'ar to land gently on Serin's horse.
 "Lady! Have you come to stay with us?" Serin exclaimed, eyes brightening at the thought.
 "I enjoy your company, Lady Serin; you are kind to me," the bird replied, nodding a slight bow.  
"Though I am afraid I do not know…"
 "Lady Q'ar, this is Lady Aiko and Lady Hiko," Serin introduced.  "Aiko, Hiko, this is the Lady 
Q'ar, magical bird of the Prince."
 The two ladies curtseyed-they wore skirts still, but those of a quality that could withstand 
some punishment-and the bird dipped her head once more.  "Of Venus and Mars, I see," she said.
 The three women were stunned, and the bird raised its head and trilled a small laugh.  "My 
apologies; I could not keep from saying that," she replied.  "The Lady Serin is quite correct 
when she calls me magical, for I have much of it, and am old enough in its use to be quite good 
at it.  As you are both, I think."
 "Hiko, perhaps, Lady," Aiko said.  "But I carry not as much power."
 The bird trilled again, low and soft.  "Careful, Lady Aiko, careful," she replied.  "If I can 
see your origin, it also means I can see what it has brought to you.  With all of you."  
She trained her blue eyes now on Serin, and added quietly, "I know of you too, Lady.  
It is in your magic, the very quality of it."
 Serin paled, and the other exchanged a very potent and dangerous glance.  Q'ar raised a wing 
and said, "Peace, peace, all of you! I mean you no harm.  As I said, Lady, you have been kind 
to me, which is very different from the Prince.  It has not been his capacity for awhile to be 
kind, so concentrated on his fight within.  The struggle against the Beast is very tough, you know, 
and so we banter as this.  But you, Lady, have shown me something very rare to my life.  I will 
not forget it."
 "I was worried," Serin confessed softly.  "Though I know you to be a good soul, I was 
petrified you would…say something."
 "No, no Lady.  I am not bound by the Silence, but I respect it; it has brought a very 
fine balance to what could've been a very bad situation," she replied.  "That you must 
remember, Lady; the Prince is grounded in a world older than now, and carries some of 
those thoughts."
 "And his Guardians?" Hiko asked.
 Q'ar twittered quietly.  "They are of a very rare breed, Lady Hiko, a very rare breed.  
That, I feel, lays under the umbrella of the Silence, but your worries are most definitely 
unfounded.  Especially if they find you the equals they already have."
 Aiko looked a bit puzzled, but Hiko gave her a small smile and a slight bow in 
understanding.  The bird nodded back, and then a small silence spread between the four, 
allowing all to process and retain what had been said.
 "Lady, what can you tell us about these mazes?" Aiko inquired, opening the flow of 
conversation up once more.  "They say Ryu is proficient in those afoot, but isn't that 
the only type?"
 "I know this one," Serin said quickly.  "He means that he has not mastered the maze a 
horse-the ridden maze."
 "A ridden maze?" Hiko said.  "Isn't that dangerous?"
 "Not truly," Q'ar replied.  "Though I have not seen in run since the night we arrived.  
All of the mazes are usually done in pairs--it makes it more adventurous--and that one 
has been built wide enough to accommodate two horses with ease.  It's a test of horsemanship 
as well as direction, and it was considered quite a challenge by all."  She looked at Aiko.  
"It also requires someone else to make it a challenge, since the ground isn't as proving as 
Ryu would wish.  Thus, he has not taken to it as he has the others."
 "He always trains alone?  Now that is dangerous," Aiko said.  
 "Yes," Serin said.  "If there's anything that's been drilled into my head, it's the need 
for someone to be observing you at practice.  It cuts down on injuries and accidents, and…"
 "General stupidity," the three ladies said in unison, grinning as Kiri's quote echoed 
between them.  Q'ar joined them in their laugh, her trills blending with Serin's giggles as 
a harmony to a melody.  
 It was then that the Prince emerged with his Generals, the idea having been communicated 
and discussed.  Jade was all for the idea, enthusiastically supporting Naosu's idea; Ryu wasn't 
as so, but he agreed it would probably be a good plan, and they should work on it as soon as 
possible.  After all, this was day eight, and balls were notoriously difficult to organize with 
such little time left.  
 "Something amusing, Ladies?" Prince asked as he joined them.  "Q'ar, care to share?"
 "A pun, m'lord, one likely not to be understood by you," she replied, her eyes almost grinning.  
He looked from her to the other three ladies and found them in a good mood as well.  The 
reaction he had was almost instantaneous; he didn't smile, but his posture changed to that of 
almost a wolfish swagger…and his eyes lightened.
 "Makes one wonder if the ladies laughed for kindness, Q'ar, since I've heard your puns," 
he replied.  "But enough, enough-is there anyone here up to maze?"
 "Count me in, m'lord; it's not a fabulous day, but I could use the exercise," Jade said.
 "That you could, methinks," Aiko rejoined.  
 "How would you know?  You can't see me," he asked, wondering if something more about 
them was to be revealed.
 "No, but Hiko tells me all about your labored breathing…when you go up stairs," she replied 
lightly, her eyes sly and cutting, and everyone laughed in response.  Even Ryu cracked the 
barest of smiles, not adverse to letting her light touch him.  <If only for today,> he thought.
 "I am out, m'liege," he immediately added.  "For reasons you know best."
 "I, as well, Prince," Serin replied.  "I'm not made for these sorts of rough engagements."
 "Then who will partner me?" Hiko wondered aloud.  "I had hoped to join you on this one."
 The group paused for a moment, and then in a grand voice the Prince said, "I will partner you, 
Lady, and we shall beat these other two."
 "I don't think so, my Prince," Jade replied.  "My breath may grow short, but my stamina 
isn't lacking.  You shan't win, even with your obvious advantages."
 "Discounting the Lady so soon, Jade?" his master retorted.
 Jade almost seemed to soften for a moment, and his eyes fell on the Lady again.  He 
sighed internally, and added in almost a wistful tone, "Never would I discount the Lady Hiko.  
She has proven her worth to me many a time over."
 She took it rather well; her years of priestess training kicked in immediately, and she 
just nodded with a tilt to the corner of her mouth.  However, Serin and Aiko seemed to 
blush for her, and Q'ar noted along with them the way her posture changed for a moment-as 
if she, too, wanted to blush.  "My thanks, Lord Jade, but you are too sure of my abilities," 
she added quietly.
 "Not sure enough, truly," he replied.  "You continue to impress me."
 "And I will continue getting damp if we don't move soon," the Prince interrupted, unheeding 
of the moment.  He turned to Serin and said, "The best vantage, Lady, is from the top of the 
hill.  Ryu and Q'ar can show you the way, and attend to you if you need anything."  This 
command he addressed most firmly to the bird, knowing that Ryu was as likely to rebel against 
a command as…well, as the bird was to really obey one.
 "As you wish, Prince!" Q'ar replied gaily.  "The Lady is much better company for me than you.  
Come on, Ryu-you know the best spot."
 "Something new every day," Ryu added quietly to his Lord as he followed Serin, who was 
reining away under the bird's instructions.
 "Indeed," he replied, then turned to Hiko.  Already, Aiko and Jade were heading for the 
maze, and he gestured to his partner to follow.
 Ryu, Serin, and Q'ar trekked up the hill in quiet, their thoughts their own.  As they 
progressed, Serin found that she could hear the quiet rustles and whispers of those below her.  
"Ryu," she said quietly, "I can hear them."
 "What, Lady?"
 "I can hear Prince and Hiko talking...and Aiko and Jade are giggling with each other."
 Ryu's face tightened, catching Q'ar's eye, but he replied, "It's the hill, Lady.  The maze 
was built over a theatre, and some of the sound amplification still exists."
 "ah," she replied.  "So, we can hear their progress?"
 "It will fade as they go further in, but we should be able to track much of it."
 They reached the top, she dismounting to stand by him, Q'ar perching on Ryu's shoulder.  
He did not wince as she settled her claws into his flesh; she, in turn, applied a little 
of her remaining magick to alter her bird shape, going from a hawk sized bird to a kestrel 
sized one, though nothing else about her changed.  It made her lighter, and she could feel 
his thanks about it.
 "See, Lady, where the maze is uncovered?" he asked, pointing.  She looked blankly at him, and 
in response Q'ar indicated with a wing his direction.  Looking, she let her eyes follow--and did 
indeed see.
 "Are ye ready?" called up the Prince.
 "We are, Lord Prince!" Ryu replied.  "Are ye?"
 "Aye!" came back the resounding chorus.
 "Then...begin!" Q'ar answered.
 There was a pause, and then the four small figures darted into the hedge, taking two of 
the many entrances.  As they did, Ryu looked to Q'ar and said, "Thanks."
 "You are welcome, Ryu--but..."
 "Q'ar, don't say 'but'!  I know what follows it..."
 "Ryu..."
 "Lady Q'ar, let him alone.  We are supposed to be watching this race," Serin quietly said.
 "As you say, Lady," she sighed, then turned her keen eyes back to the maze.
 Things would've remained silent had not the hill been constructed as it was, with the 
quiet sounds filtering up--which included the serious words of Hiko mixed with the sonorous 
grows of the Prince, and the levity of Jade and 
Aiko.  To Q'ar and Serin, it sounded as if the two were making the best of their situation, and 
being their usual bright selves.  To Ryu, though, it was flirting--and dangerous.
 They had lost track of their movements by the time they reached one of the last parts of the 
maze, which was shadowed by arches and other canopies.  It was the most difficult section to 
traverse, he recalled, which furthered his odd irritation at the sounds of joy and humor 
emanating from a certain side. 
 "Doesn't Jade take anything seriously?" he wondered aloud.
 "No, Ryu dear, he doesn't--as you well know," Q'ar replied.  She peered at him so much 
he actually looked at her, briefly meeting her eyes before turning away.  "But it bothers you, 
doesn't it?"
 "Hm?" he asked, and now Serin looked away from the maze.
 "It bothers you that Jade is cavorting in there with Lady Aiko, instead of..."  Suddenly, her 
blue eyes widened, and she nearly fell off his shoulder.
 "Lady?" Serin inquired, sounding a touch worried.
 "It isn't Jade, Serin, it’s Aiko," she whispered, moving to perch on her shoulder, beak 
touching her ear cautiously as she breathed the quiet words.  
"Somehow, it's her laughter which bothers him--not Jade's."
 Serin's eyes widened, and she quietly asked, "But what prejudice could you hold against 
her, Lord Ryu?  Her laughter is too rare to hate."
 "Oh, Ladies, I do not hold a thing against her.  She has saved my life in recent days, and 
her company when I have shared it has been...enjoyed."  He 
wasn't sure of that last word, but had no substitute for it.  "I respect her much, and 
apologize for my odd behavior."
 Q'ar and Serin exchanged looks, and Serin smiled.  "Odd, my friend?" she replied.  "To you, 
it may seem so, but Q'ar and I...understand."  She looked 
the bird, smiling.  "Do we not?"
 "Indeed, Lady, indeed," she replied.
 "So, Lord Ryu, fear not and continue being a friend.  Aiko has had not enough good male 
friends.  Too many bad experiences..."  She sighed, and turned to stare out at the maze.  
They were reaching the end, and from what she could see, it would be close.
 Ryu turned to look out as well, yet he could not keep himself from asking quietly, 
"She...was harmed?  By a man?"  Nor could he keep his voice completely tight, a touch of 
darkness leaking into it; his thoughts whirled in blood as well, and would not be quiet...
 She nodded.  "Yes, Lord Ryu.  She was young--and it was bad."  Her face quieted, as did her 
voice.  "Very bad."
 Ryu stood stock still for a long moment; to Q'ar, he seemed to have gone into statue mode, 
eyes fiercely fixed on the end point of the maze.  To anyone else, he would have seemed 
fiercely concentrated on determining the winner; yet Q'ar knew better.  As did Serin.  
Without truly seeing him--unlike Kishi, his impression was but a smudge of a person, with no true 
outline or colors to mark him--she could feel his thoughts, and knew his mind was elsewhere.
 "It was a long time ago," she said quietly.
 "I...I understand that."
 "Then why do you feel so tense, Lord Ryu?"
 "It's his state of nature, Serin," Q'ar commented.  "It is how he was trained to be--but 
this time, there is something different."  She flitted back to his shoulder.  "Would you care 
to say, Ryu?"
 "Lady Q'ar, I do not know what you are speaking of," he replied, voice cool and calm, yet 
streaked with minute tension.
 Q'ar gave Serin a look that said, /Oh yes he does./  She smiled in return, then focused 
her attention back on the maze, saying, "That may be true, Lord 
Ryu.  But then...perhaps you should spend more time with her and find out."
 "Pardon, Lady Serin?" he inquired, and she was about to answer him when, suddenly, 
Hiko and Prince burst from the end of the maze, leaves flying about them as they 
stumbled to a stop.  Right behind them came Jade and Aiko, running as hard but somehow 
managing to laugh at the same time.  The four barely managed to avoid smacking into 
each other; Jade and Aiko saw it coming and dove to the side just as Prince grabbed Hiko 
and jumped away.  All it managed to do was get Aiko and Jade muddy--the mud forming a scant 
outline of Jade's face--and it made Hiko blush, but at least there were no bruises.
 "My recommendation, Ryu, is that you spend some time with Lady Aiko--and see if you 
truly should feel as tense as you do," she replied quietly, giving him a serene smile.  
Turning to her horse, she mounted up, ready to ride down and meet the others.  "Oh, and Ryu?"
 “Yes, Lady?" he replied automatically, thoughts buzzing.  <What does she know 
that I do not?> he wondered.  <What can she see that I...cannot?  Or is it...do not want to?>
 "Thank you for caring," she said, voice quiet, eyes soft.  "I...I appreciate it."
 And with that, she clucked to her mare, and slowly began her descent down the hill.  
He and Q'ar stood at the top for a moment, eyes on the four below--and then they too 
came after her, he walking carefully so as not to dislodge her.
 "What does she mean?" he finally wondered aloud.
 "Oh, Ryu, it is simple," the bird replied, spreading her wings a bit. “She was giving 
her approval."  With that, she flapped a touch, then launched herself off his shoulder, 
noting once again how he did not wince at the impact of her talons.  Soaring higher, she 
circled the hilltop once, watching him as he looked down upon the group, steely eyes soft 
and dark and turned inward, his thoughts sealed within his humming mind.
 Taking her eyes off of him, she screeched out a loud call, and then dove down to the others.  
The Prince raised his arm, and instinctively she aimed for it, slowing herself with learned 
ease and perching there.  His eyes sparked at her as she dug in, and she clacked her beak back 
at him.  They were all quiet as the two of them straightened out, and then she said, "My, that 
was close, wasn't it?"
 "Exhilarating is what it was, Q'ar," he replied cagily.  "And I must thank you, Jade, Lady 
Aiko, for providing such a chase."
 Jade smiled, but Aiko shook her head.  "We spent most of our time stumbling around; it was pure 
chance, not skill, that got us there," she replied.  
"I'd love a rematch."
 "Aiko!" Hiko scolded.  "Stop putting down your talents!"
 "Talents?" the Prince asked, Serin dismounting and coming over to him.  "What talents?"
 "Talking about Aiko, eh?" she said, smiling at him.  "Congratulations on your win."
 "My thanks Lady--and yes, we were speaking of this woman's mysterious abilities," he replied.
 "Oh, they are not so!" she protested.  "I simply have a good sense of direction!"
 "A fabulous sense of direction," Serin put in.  "It's almost magical. She can wind 
her way through just about anything."
 "Ahh...that's almost as bad as Ryu's memorizing the maze," Prince replied, and she blushed.  
"And it makes me wonder...how did you not win?"
 She shook her head as if to shake away the blush, but it still remained.  "First of all, 
Prince, my sense of direction is NOT magical, and NOT as good as they claim.  It's just 
a knack I picked up...from the old days." She glanced as Serin and Hiko, who both looked 
a little surprised.  Looking back at the Prince, she added, "As for our losing...well, to 
be honest, I did not play to win.  Nor did my partner contribute much."
 "May I remind the Lady who giggled and joked all the way through?" Jade said, lopsided 
grin on his face.
 "But is it true, Jade?  That you did not assist the Lady?" the Prince asked, tone darkening.
 "My liege, my liege, I admit it 'twas true.  She is...quite a distraction to the senses, 
and I most shamefully say that I paid much more attention to her than the path."
 Aiko blushed; in fact, everyone seemed to pick up more color to their cheeks at Jade’s 
words.  The Prince clucked twice, shaking his head.  “Old tricks, eh Jade?”
 “My liege, do not make sport of me,” Jade protested.  “Surely, if you were in the same 
situation..?”
 The Prince’s eyes looked once over Aiko, and then rose, seeking and finding Serin.  
“Perhaps, Jade, perhaps,” he muttered, the deep blue of his eyes suddenly even more shadowed.
 “And no insult to you, Lady Hiko,” Jade added deftly, turning to the Lady with an 
invisible flourish.  “I am sure you would’ve distracted me just as much.”
 Red rose to her cheeks, and she looked away, the purple of her eyes dimming.  “I thank 
you for your compliments, Lord Jade,” she replied quietly.  “May we soon travel a maze together.”
 “That’s an excellent idea!” he replied.  “But first… a short rest.”
 “I did not mean…today,” she said.
 “And why not?” he replied, grinning.  “We’re here, and we have people to run against.  
Unless you’d prefer to go solo.”
 “Solo?” she replied, tasting the word.
 “Alone, Lady Hiko,” Ryu supplied, arriving to hear the last of the exchange.  He nodded to 
Jade, gray eyes tight, face serene in a tense way.  “It is a word we have borrowed from 
Naosu’s tongue, as it…”  
 “Flows well?” Aiko put in.  “Yes, I see that.”  She paused for a moment, looking 
thoughtful, then said, “Well, Hiko, are you up to it?  I’m game for a rematch.”
 “But…but we know the path!” Hiko said.  “It would not…”
 “Ahh, but we have more than one maze,” Jade replied.  He reached out and touched her 
shoulder, saying, “Please, Lady?  I do not know if we will have time or the weather to 
do this any other day.”
 The Prince gave a short grunt of warning, but the Lady did not look at him.  In fact, 
she instead cast her eyes upon Serin, a question within them.  The Princess was taken aback, 
unsure what she requested-but knowing that she must answer.
 “I would enjoy seeing you win, Hiko,” she replied quietly.  “And I know you could.”
 The question in her eyes passed, and Serin knew she had given the right words.  
Slowly, Hiko turned back to Jade, and nodded.  “I will maze with you,” she said.
 Jade smiled, then stopped, withdrawing his hand.  “With me, Lady?”
 “Well…I…” she began, voice cracking suddenly. A look of bleakness stole into her eyes, 
and with that, Aiko jumped in.
 “Of course, Lord Jade!” she said.  “It is only fair that you should be partnered with 
her, since I was with you last race.”  She looked about her, eyes quizzical, until 
they finally settled on Q’ar.  “Lady Bird, will you maze with me?”
 There was a stunned silence, and then Q’ar began to giggle softly.  “I am quite 
pleased for you to ask, Lady,” she said, “but I am afraid it would be too unfair an advantage.”
 Aiko grinned back at her.  “Well, I know the Prince prefers the company of Serin,” 
she winked at him, “and Jade is with Hiko, so…I had to ask.”  Sighing, she set her 
face in mock sadness.  “Guess I’m going solo!” 
 “No…Lady, wait.”
 It was Ryu now, and as she cast her eyes to him, Q’ar thought she saw color rise to 
his cheeks.  Whatever it was, it did not interfere with his voice, as he said, “Lady, 
I will maze with you.”
 “Ryu?” Jade asked.  
 “She needs a partner, my friend,” he said softly.  “And I would not see her go 
alone.  That would be…unkind.”
 Q’ar and Serin exchanged silent looks, nodding to each other.  The Prince’s head 
cocked, ears flopping down, dark eyes glittering as he scented the air about his 
General.  Yes, he was healthy…and his reasons were sound.  <So why do I think he’s 
hiding something?> he thought to himself.  <Curious.>
 “Lady Aiko?” Ryu said now.  “Will you accept my invitation?”
 For a moment, Aiko’s face was still, eyes hung with memories that she couldn’t 
quite suppress.  Then, in a blink, it changed, assuming a sly, cocky look.  “Why yes, 
Lord Ryu, I accept,” she replied.  “Especially since this means I will see your talent.”
 “And I may prove yours as well,” he replied.
 “Well, that settles it,” Jade said.  Turning to the Prince, he asked, “Lord, may 
we borrow your horse?”
 “Why, Jade?” the Prince replied, uncomprehending.
 “ ‘Cause with Ryu along, we’re going to need to take the Ridden Maze,” he replied. 
 “Otherwise, just wouldn’t be fair.”
 The Prince nodded, saying, “Take good care, Jade.”
 “Ay, m’lord,” he replied.  
 “I can ride Serin’s mare,” Hiko said.  “But what about you, Aiko?  We both walked 
out here…”  She paused.  “Why are you smiling like that?” 
 “Because I have just the horse in mind to ride,” she said, then turning to Ryu.  
“If the Lord protesteth not, that is.”
 “Certainly not, Lady,” he replied.  “Have your pick.”  He paused.  “Aside from my horse.”
 “Lord Ryu!” she protested.  “But it is such a fine animal!”
 “Indeed.  Which is why I wish to ride him,” he replied.
 “Ay, Ryu, why not let the woman have her pick?” the Prince replied.
 “Because, my Lord, I have seen her ride,” he replied easily.  “I believe I have 
an animal in mind that would be a much…better…choice.”  He seemed to think a moment, 
then added, “And it would suit you much better than my drab animal, Lady.”
 “Oh…I think silver compliments me, Lord Ryu.  But, if you insist…”  She sighed, then
 began to walk towards the stables.  
 “We will meet you at the starting line, Lady!” Jade called ahead.  “Though it will 
take you forever to get there,” he added in a softer tone.  Turning to Ryu, he said, 
“And when have you ever let a Lady walk?”
 “Quite surprising for a Master of protocol,” Hiko agreed.  
 Ryu arched an annoyed eyebrow at the both of them, then turned and started after the 
Lady.  Soon his feet left the ground, and in a hovering rush he caught up with her.  
Pausing her with a hand on her shoulder, the two of them stopped together, his feet 
coming down the ground.  She looked up at him, he down at her, and to all watching, 
it seemed as if their eyes met for a moment, piercing the veil between them.  
A word was exchanged, so soft that none could hear it; then, quietly, she offered her hand.  
He took it, and the two of them vanished in a blaze of intense blue light.
 “Well, glad that’s settled,” Jade said, swinging into the saddle of the Prince’s animal.  
“Come, Lady Hiko, onto conquest!”
 Hiko grinned to herself, shaking her head, and mounted up as well.  “See you later, 
my Lady,” she said to Serin.  “And you too, Q’ar…Prince.”
 The trio nodded at her, and she nudged her horse into a trot after Jade.  
They watched her for some seconds, and then the Prince turned to Serin and said, 
“Well, Lady, we should secure our place on the hilltop.  Should be quite an exciting match.”
 “Indeed,” replied Serin, catching Q’ar’s eye again.  “Indeed.” 

 Aiko glared at Ryu when they appeared.  “You didn’t say that you were going to do that,” 
she said, voice quietly dark.
 “Do what, Lady?” he asked softly, hand still in her own.
 “Teleport,” she replied.  “Oh, I wish you would have told me, Lord Ryu.  I could’ve 
prepared myself.”  She spoke truthfully, for while she was unafraid of the magic involved, 
her own had suddenly begun to rise with it, as if called by his blue spark.  
 “My fervent apologies, Lady,” he replied, voice barely above a whisper, letting loose 
her hand.  “I am…unaccustomed to such objections.”
 “Don’t take it the wrong way, Lord Ryu,” she said immediately as the blur he was began 
to move away from her.  “I…I didn’t mind IT.  I just wish you would’ve warned me beforehand, for…for…”
 “I believe I understand,” he replied, voice never raising a note, the blur still moving.
 “Ryu…” she protested, following him, then quickly corrected herself.  “Lord Ryu, perhaps 
it is I who should apologize.”
 He did not reply, and she continued.  “After all, you honored me with your gesture, a 
show of your personal power, in order to ease the journey for me.  Or…both of us…or just to 
save time…”  She caught herself starting to ramble, and shook her head to stop.  “What I 
mean is that…Lord Ryu?”
 He had stopped, and was standing in front of a stall.  For a long, dragged out moment he 
paused, and then finally said, “This should do for you.”
 Her brow furrowed, and then she realized what he meant; he had found her a horse.  
Sighing delicately, she walked over to him, laying a hand about where she thought his 
shoulder would be.  “Thank you,” she said softly.
 “You have not even seen it yet,” he replied.
 “I trust your judgment,” she said in return, not a flippant note in the sentence.  
Turning, she looked at the animal, and all breath left her.
 The horse which gazed back at her was of a little larger than medium size, though she 
couldn’t judge the number of hands; its eyes were a stunning blue, an odd color she had 
never seen before in a horse.  The horse’s coat was a soft gold, almost as blond as her 
hair, the mane and tail straight white.  In a sense, it resembled her-and ‘twas the 
loveliest little horse she had ever seen.  
 “What’s…what’s its name?” she asked softly.
 “We usually don’t name our horses, but…this little one caught our attention,” he said.  
“We call her Yuri, meaning…”
 “Lily,” she whispered.  
 “Yes,” he replied, looking carefully at her.  Something about that word seemed to 
touch her, for her face and eyes suddenly mirrored the within, as if exposing her soul 
in a vivid instant of time.  It caught him off guard, and he found himself taking in 
a breath as well.
 Then, she shattered it by turning to him with a wry smile, saying, “But is Yuri capable?”
 Again he was caught off guard, but not pleasantly; “Of course Yuri is capable.  
I trained her myself.”
 She stiffened, then smiled slowly.  “I have insulted you once again, Lord Ryu.  
If this keeps up, I will owe you my life.” 
 He smiled to himself, unknowingly, finding that thought almost…pleasant.  “I should hope 
not, Lady,” he said.  “But come, we must tack the horses up and get back to the maze.  
Jade will wonder what keeps us.”
 “Oh no, Lord Ryu,” she replied, stalling him with a hand.  “Lord Jade will think he knows 
what keeps us.  The Prince and Serin, though…”
 “Point taken,” he replied, this time nearly grinning.  She seemed to have as much a 
hold on Jade’s personality as he did, and it…pleased him.  Turning away, he went to find his horse.
 Aiko beat him in the tacking race, and as the two rode outside, she turned to him and 
said, “Lord Ryu, could you do the teleporting trick with horses and riders?” 
 He thought, then replied, “I do believe I can, Lady.”
 “Then…shall we?”
 “Well…are you ready?”
 She stopped, and peered at him, half grinning in wonder.  “Well, well, well, 
Lord Ryu-a sense of humor after all,” she remarked, then settled firmly into her saddle, 
thanking the prudence of Hiko for suggesting riding skirts.  “Hold a moment…let me test her paces.”
 “As you wish, Lady,” he replied, watching horse and rider move off together.  She 
trotted the animal a ways away and did some circling, testing gaits and lead changes.  
She returned quickly, a smile brimming over her face.
 “Satisfied?” he asked.
 “Very much so,” she replied.  “Now…if you could get us back to the field?”
 “As you say, Lady,” he replied.  “Come…we should get a little further from the horses.  
They frighten easily.”
 “Uh-hm,” she replied, letting the horse move off.  He followed her for a bit, and when 
he judged they were a good distance away, nudged his mount into a higher pace.  Sweeping 
about her, he took the lead, then pulled back to a slower gait and said, “This is good, Lady.”
 She reined up and nodded, then reached out her hand.  “We need to touch, don’t we?”
 He nodded slowly, then reached over and took her hand.  His grip was warm, comfortably 
tight, and she swallowed nervously.  Within, she took a hold of her power and crammed it 
away, locking it behind her own mental shields.
 “Ready,” she said softly.
 There was no perceptible answer, but in the blur of his aura a faint sheen of blue appeared.  
It brightened into a spark as the warmth between then rose, and then engulfed them all as 
she felt her body fuzz away.

 “What is taking those two SOOO long?” Jade wondered aloud for the third time in five minutes.  
“What did they do, go to the Castle and change clothes?  Bathe the horses?  Bathe themselves?”
 “Bathing together?” Hiko suggested dryly, moving her horse closer to him.  
 “No, no…that would SAVE time, Lady Hiko,” he replied quickly, aura flashing bright red.  
“And Ryu ALWAYS takes forever, too-too much hair.”
 “Aiko as well,” Hiko sighed.  “But truthfully, Lord Jade, they’ve only been gone…well, 
less than ten minutes.”
 “He teleported the both of them there, and he has quick hands,” he continued as if not noticing her words.  “What could be…”
 “Jade, settle down!” Hiko said, a bit of laughter infusing her voice.  “Lord Ryu did have 
to find a horse for Aiko, and she’s unusually picky about the animals she chooses.  I’m sure 
they’ll be returning soon.”
 He sighed, then looked away from her, aura flashing once again.  “They’d better, or I will 
have to go looking for them,” he said, taking on a mocking, serious tone that nearly copied Ryu’s.
 There was something about the tone of his voice, and the set of his aura, and just perhaps 
the brightness of his personality, which made that statement suddenly funny to Hiko.  Without 
meaning to, she laughed aloud-a bright, cheerful laugh that cascaded downward, escaping 
fully before she could muffle it.  She caught it soon after, but not soon enough for Jade 
to have missed it.  A blush crept up over her face as he slowly turned towards her; she had 
been raised not to do such things around men.  She could see them now, the Elder Priestesses 
looking darkly at her, issuing their stern and cold warnings of how one was to act around men.  
It was not like her…
 “You have a beautiful laugh, Lady Hiko, and an equally beautiful smile.  Has anyone ever 
mentioned this to you?” Jade said softly.  His tone was casual, his eyes upon her, 
measuring her expression.  From the blush that came slowly creeping up her face, he 
had hit the mark.
 “No, Lord Jade,” she replied slowly, composure slowly returning to her face with every word, 
every breath.  “It has never been a topic of any conversation.”
 He let out a slow breath.  “That is quite unfair to you, Lady Hiko.  You have many things 
to be complimented on, and those men of your home country should have paid much more attention 
to that.  I know I looked forward to every chance I have,” he said quietly, a small smile on 
his face, eyes flickering with an unseen brightness.  
 “I…I…” she began, but there were no words in her mind to send to her mouth.  She was completely 
stunned, utterly speechless-and more than confused.  <What does he mean?> she wondered quietly.  
<He just spent…so much time…with Aiko yet…yet…>
 She was saved from answering, though, by the arrival Aiko and Ryu, the former ridings upon a 
lovely mare with blue-ish eyes.  “Yuri!” Jade exclaimed, turning away from Hiko to nudge 
his horse closer to the other woman.  “I should’ve guessed…was that perhaps why you took so long?” 
 “Exactly,” Ryu replied dryly, and Aiko grinned at the man.  
 “Worried, Jade?” she asked.
 “No…just impatient,” he replied, a grin back at her in his voice.  
 “No surprise there, Lady Aiko,” Ryu commented, his silvery steel aura turning to Aiko.
 “Of course not, Lord Ryu,” she replied, cheer in her voice.  “After all, those clouds do 
look rather full…”
 “Exactly my point!” Jade crowed.
 “…so shall we start this race?  I am still waiting to see your skills proven,” she finished, 
giving Jade a wry grin.
 “As I am to see yours, Lady,” he replied.  “But we must wait for the Prince’s…”
 “RYU! AIKO! FINALLY!” came a rough, low voice from the top of the rise.
 “…approval,” Ryu finished, and Aiko giggled.  Hiko managed to stifle hers, but not before 
she caught a look from Jade.
 “Let it out, Lady,” he said quietly, and she dipped her head, turning her horse away.  His 
eyes followed her, and within his head came a long, slow sigh.  <If only you would, Lady,> 
he thought quietly.  <If only…>
 Any words that would’ve passed between them were silenced by a whistle from the hill, and 
the riders separating to go to their respective entrances.  This maze was much wilder than 
the other one, climbing flowers twining their long stems about the entrances, and the inside 
paths nearly grown over with long grasses and weeds and tiny, white mushrooms.  On impulse, 
Aiko reached over and plucked a flower, turning and handing it to Ryu.  “Here,” she said quietly.
 He was stunned, and asked her uncertainly, “What for, Lady Aiko?”
 “Luck, Lord Ryu,” she pronounced.  “And…a memento, whether we win or lose.”
 “We shall win, Lady,” he replied.  “I know it.”
 “Don’t be so brash, Lord Jade,” Lady Hiko replied to the same statement yards away, 
toying with the flower in her hand.  “We are up against Aiko…”
 “Ah, but I know Ryu’s weaknesses,” he stated assuredly.  “And I am sure that…”
 But he never finished his words, for up on the hill, the call for the race to begin rang out.  
Dutifully replying, the two pairs of riders set out, all thoughts flying away except for those 
of the race at hand.

 Dinner was a boisterous affair, for though the day had been cloudy, much had been done by 
everyone.  Four had mazed, to had gone art hunting, and the last two had gone rock 
climbing-the deed which was being related now.
 “The first part wasn’t so bad,” Kishi said.  “More of an incline than a climb, and we 
both managed well.  However, the second section of the climb was of a harder, slicker 
stone; we both managed to find good handholds…but it was not easy.  After some sheering 
and buffeting, we made it up.  The next part, though, was sheer and the crags were 
smaller, holds few, and the weather was getting worse.  However, with the top in sight, 
I was sore pressed to try for it.  Yet…”
 Aiko held up her hand.  “I think I can guess,” she said lightly.  “You found it quite 
difficult, but Arashi made like a mountain goat?”
 Kishi paused.  “Well…”
 “Aiko, you’re such a pain,” Arashi broke in, face quirked in an annoyed half-smile.
 “But right,” Kishi added.  “The challenge was such that we both could not resist, 
but…I found it much harder than she did.”  He took a sip of his wine, the outline of 
the glass fuzzing as he held it.  “Or so it seemed.”
 “You ‘seemed’ right, Kishi,” Aiko replied.  “Arashi cheats.”
 He raised an unseen eyebrow at her, bringing a smile to Jade’s face.  “Cheats?  How, 
may I ask, can you cheat at rock climbing?”
 “With proper training, you can cheat at anything,” Hiko replied dryly from her seat 
beside Jade.  She had been quiet throughout dinner, ears open and reading to interject 
a comeback where needed.  
 “I still don’t see,” he replied.  “Was she…trained for it?”
 “Lord Kishi, Arashi has climbed and will climb anything,” Kiri broke in.  “She has 
built up her strength for it, and her reputation for traversing such deadly surfaces 
is extensive.”  Quietly, she smiled.  “Higher gravity helps, too.”
 “I see,” he replied, looking at Arashi.  Their tables was a mix of invisible men and 
seen women, the first time they had willingly sat in such a jumble.  She seemed to 
catch his look, then looked down.
 “Ay, Lady, don’t be ashamed of training or talent,” he said.  “Though now I shall 
have to challenge you to something I have a talent in.”
 “Oh dear,” Hiko muttered.  
 Arashi’s eyes gleamed with emerald brightness as she looked up towards him.  “I 
should like to hear of this challenge-if you can find one.” 
 “Cielo,” Naosu muttered.  “Oh, why the challenge back?” he asked Kiri in a whisper.  
“Doesn’t she know he’ll be honor bound to reply?”
 “Exactly why she did it,” Kiri replied quietly.  
 “Never understood that thinking,” he said.
 “To tell the truth, neither have I,” she replied, a hint of a smile touching her mouth.  
 He gave her a slip of a grin back, and was about to reply when Jade called out, “Naosu!”
 “Yes?” he asked, tone neutral yet undercut with obvious displeasure.
 Jade grinned, saying, “Hate to interrupt your conspiring…”
 “Conspiring!” Kiri exclaimed.
 “Well, that’s usually what’s discussed in whispers,” Kishi pointed out.  
 “Especially with such quiet looks,” Aiko added.  
 Kiri blushed, and Naosu pointed his fork at her.  “Just because we were quietly conversing…”
 “It’s always the quiet ones,” Ryu broke in.  “Still water runs deep and dark, as they say.”
 “Ryu!” Naosu protested.
 “So what does that say about you?” Aiko shot back, eyes gleaming as the challenge within them rose.
 “That I should talk more?” he rejoined, voice softer than before.
 “Might be wise,” Hiko said, giving him a soft, knowing smile.  Without thinking, he smiled back.
 “Ha!  As if that would ever happen,” Jade broke in. “Lady Aiko, Lady Hiko, do not let 
that man fool you.  He has his own plots.”
 “Such as what, Jade?” Ryu said, and chuckles drifted about the table.
 “I do not believe it so,” Hiko said emphatically, and Aiko added her own nod.
 “ ‘Tis because you have known the man but days, whilst I have known him for years,” 
Jade shot back, unseen smile growing by the moment.  “Our Commander there, Lord General 
Ryu and assorted other titles, may not appear to be a schemer…but he conceals it very well.”
 Jade’s natural charisma could not help but draw the rest in; even Q’ar, perched in 
the rafters, turned her attention towards him.  And of course, he knew it, and consciously 
began to play towards it.
 “Then what’s the plan, oh Lord Jade, revealer of secrets?” Aiko asked, voice adopting 
a quirky formal style.
 “Why, brilliant Lady Aiko, can you not guess?  Or you, wise Hiko?”  He turned about the 
table, calling out, “Fierce Arashi? Deep Kishi? Quiet Kiri?  Sardonic Naosu?”
 “Ha ha,” Naosu muttered to himself, then said, “Judging from the silence, I’d
 say no one has a clue.”
 “Why, of course not!  He wouldn’t be who he is without being able to keep a secret, 
Nasou.  That’s a given,” Jade replied with an arrogant grin, and Naosu shook his head 
and quietly longed for some sort of peace so he could finish his meal.
 “Ay, that he is,” Kishi joined in.  “Trained for it, and well.”
 “Not just trained, my friend-bred for it,” Jade replied.
 “Does he always do this?” Hiko muttered quietly to Naosu.
 “Oh, without a doubt,” the man muttered back.
 She turned to her dinner companion and quietly asked, “Then…what is this secret of his?”
 “Why, I’m sure someone here has a glimpse of it,” he replied.  “Come…make a guess…”
 “Do we have to?” Kiri pleaded.
 “Why yes, of course!” he grinned.  “Would it be fair if only some contributed?”
 Jade’s words and attitude were such that this request could not be ignored or 
passed over, and so all pitched in a guess.  ‘Twas an awful attempt by most; the 
Ladies simply did not know Ryu-he had made sure of this-and the Generals jested at 
Jade through their odd guesses.  Finally, Hiko suggested, “I’d say if he were trained 
and bred for it, that is would be something about his command.”
 Jade’s smile widened.  “And I’d say you are much closer than any of the others,” 
he replied, touching her hand.
 “But I have not yet said my piece,” Aiko protested.
 “Can you improve her words?” he asked.  “For they are the essence of the…”
 Her face flushed, and her eyes brightened and hardened.  “Ryu’s greatest strength 
and the reason he could ‘rule the world’-though I suspect he wouldn’t want to…”
 <Quite correct, Lady,> Ryu thought to himself.
 “…is his commanding presence and honor,” she finished.
 The table fell silent for a long moment, and then Kishi asked, “How is that, Jade?”
 “Hits the nail on the head, but…” He looked to her.  “Care to explain it further, Lady?”
 “I had hoped you would ask, Jade,” she replied, offering him a quiet smile.  Another 
silence fell as she readied herself, and all eyes came to rest upon her.
 “Jade has stated that the traits Lord Ryu possesses which could ‘conquer the world’ 
are inherent in both training and breeding,” she began, voice bright and pitched 
lower than normal, “and there are very few things that one can have that are both.  
A commanding aura stands out as the first in my mind, for by his rank he commands 
you-indicative of training-and yet…”  She paused, glancing about at them all, making 
sure their attention was firmly fixed on her words.  “And yet, were it not so, I believe 
his presence would carry him without it.  The saying ‘Born to Lead’ has never found a 
truer example than Lord Ryu-and perhaps it never will again.” 
 Once more, quiet was on the table-and then, the sound of loud clapping rang through the 
room, a sound which drew everyone’s eyes immediately to the source.  
 And that source was the Prince, accompanied closely by Serin, who held onto his arm 
with a very quiet smile on her face. 
 The men at the table exchanged a quick look before they all rose, the Ladies standing 
with an equal grace.  Another moment, and they applauded as well; Aiko blushed, smiled, 
and made a little bow.  In this time, Prince and Serin approached the table, he pulling 
out her chair and his own, then waiting expectantly.  Once the applause had died, he took 
Serin’s hand and raised it, then sat down quietly.  The rest automatically sat as well.
 The two settled into their chairs, and soon two plates materialized. For Serin, it was a 
similar meal as the others; for the Prince, a hunk of bloody meat, a few clippings of dry 
bread and plant matter, and a bowl of clean water.  All eyes watched and waited until the 
two had taken their first bites, the Prince delicately handling the meat as the Lady Serin 
scooped up a few vegetables, before continuing their own meals.  The conversation lulled for 
a time as all chewed not only their food but the significance of this event-especially the 
Generals.  They had not eaten with their Prince since before he had been cursed with 
this shape-what did this mean?  And what sort of magic had Serin used to make it happen?
 It was Ryu who broke it, turning to the Prince and saying, “My Lord, it is wonderful 
to welcome you to our table once more.”
 Prince swallowed.  “As it is grand to join my comrades and their friends once more, Ryu.”
 “We are deeply grateful for your change in attitude, my Lord,” Kishi said next.
 “It is not I, Kishi, but the Lady Serin who has…causes this,” the Prince replied smoothly.
 “Then let me be the first to extend our thanks, Lady,” Jade said.
 “And proclaim the honor of your addition,” Naosu added. 
 Serin put down her utensil and gave them all a radiant smile.  “My thanks for your 
words extends to all-and let me assure you, the privilege is mine.”
 For a moment, quiet-and then someone gave a loud shout of approval, immediately picked 
up by the rest of the table as a cheer.  In the midst of the noise, Serin reached over and 
quietly touched the Prince’s hand.  He turned, looked at her, and smiled, taking her 
hand and squeezing it back.
 From her perch above, Q’ar nodded to herself.  “Well played, Lady,” she whispered.  “Well played.” 

 The two had excused themselves from dinner rather late, leaving the four mazers to 
continue their coffee and discussion of the times there-from the faded sounds, they were 
again discussing the Ryu/Aiko victory a horse.  Naosu had gone to his lab, Kiri had gone 
to bed, and Kishi had taken Arashi star gazing.  “Though if that’s what they’re doing, 
I’d be surprised,” Serin had confided to the Prince.
 “What do you mean?” he had asked, unsure.
 She had grinned, a lively smile.  “The two of them have been in constant combat since 
they arrived.  It will probably continue.”  Her grin had faded a little, and she had quietly 
inquired, “Why do you ask?”
 His hackles had risen a touch, and his eyes had fluttered a bit; though she didn’t know it, 
this was the lupine equivalent of a blush.  “I…well, the only thought I had was…of…well…a 
more…romantic…encounter…”
 Her eyes had widened, and then she’d giggled.  “Oh Prince! Not with these Ladies, especially 
Arashi.  Their time is too fleet for such a thing, and…well, they have no release of courtship.”  
 Though her last words were a formal and unknown phrase to him, he still caught the gist.  
“As with my Generals, Lady.”  <But this time…well, you may be wrong,> his thoughts had added 
quietly.  <Very wrong.>
 Now they walked together in the gardens, he slowing his pace to keep with her light step.  
The pale moonlight above had waned since the night he had found her in the woods, yet remained 
bright enough to bathe the world in hues of argent and gray.  She delighted in the touch and 
scent of the flowers that rode the quiet breezes of the night, and he delighted in her approval.  
As they walked on, saying little, just enjoying the air and letting the night seep into their 
bones, an idea began to take shape in his mind.  Something…something that she…would enjoy.
 “I’d say tonight’s dinner was a success,” Serin remarked suddenly, breaking into his thoughts.
 “And I would agree,” he replied.  “You were right, Lady-they did accept me.”
 “Did you doubt, Wolf Prince?” she asked, a teasing note in her voice.  “After all, 
they are my ladies.” 
 He gave her a careful look, then a wolfish smile.  “Yes, yes indeed.  As they are my men.  
Yet…the length of time…well, it did not make me confident.”
 “Aye,” she replied.  “One’s station does not always promote that-usually the opposite.”
 “Indeed, Lady.  Indeed.”
 They were quiet for a time, yet his eyes remained on her, on the sky brilliance the moon 
added to her, a soft and silvery dusting of light.  It bleached her fair skin to a brighter, 
softer shade, highlighted her blue eyes, and made silver rivers in her already white-blond hair.  
He wondered how it was she could be so achingly beautiful as night as well as the day.  
 And with that, the idea in his head blossomed, and he knew what he had to do.
 “Lady, come with me,” he said, boldly taking her hand and leading her through the garden.  
His pace had increased, and a handful of light laughter came from her as she was dragged along.
 “Prince, Prince, what is it?” she called out as she skipped only with him, steps light and 
dancing as she attempted to keep up.  Yet she could not hold her footing long enough to 
increase her pace, and so was pulled along giggling through the gardens.
 Rather soon they reached an evergreen hedge, thick and glossy hunter green in the moonlight.  
There was a small gate set in it, the hedge parted a little ways beyond it to form a small path, 
fit for single file and not pairs.  The Prince saw this quietly, and so turned to the Lady 
and said, “Close your eyes.”
 “My eyes…Prince, what is this about?” she asked.  “Is this your surprise?”
 “No, Lady-it is a gift,” he replied quietly.  “A gesture of thanks to you and yours for…for 
this evening.”
 “Oh, there’s no need…” she began, but he shushed her quietly.  Taking up her hand again, he 
bade her once more, “Close your eyes, Lady.”
 She stared at him, resolute for a few seconds, then softly complied.  
 Once her lashes had touched her cheek, he swung the gate open and gently pulled he through.  
Closing it behind them, he stepped quietly before her in order to keep the path clear, then 
gave her arm an extremely gentle tug to start her walking.  The ridges of the tinted branches 
bushed over his body with a film of dew, the light coolness making it seem as if he were being 
washed by the moon.  Behind him, the Lady caught the scent of deep pine, and it relaxed her a 
little.  It wasn’t that she really feared or dreaded what was coming; it was just that she hated 
being led around with her eyes closed.  Long ago, someone else had entreated her to join a game 
like this, and it had turned into a harrowing experience for the little Princess.  Now, this 
wolf Prince was leading her in the same sort of game, and though she trusted him as she trusted 
all others, she could not help the little quivers of fear which dogged her body and mind.
 The path opened up some ways in, the left part of the path diving away at a diagonal to enlarge 
the space within.  He ushered her closer to him, as they were able to walk side-by-side now, and 
again reminded her to keep her eyes closed.  She nodded mutely, and he paused to look at her 
quiet face, crinkled a little about the eyes.  His wolfish nose detected a trace of fear in her 
scent, and he squeezed her hand in a reassuring gesture. “We are almost there, my Lady,” he said 
softly.  “We are almost there.”
 She nodded, a little too quickly, and he let out a low sigh and tugged on her arm.  As 
they trundled on, he began to speak, saying, “This is one of the few places I feel close 
to being human.”
 “What…what do you mean?” she asked softly.
 “Aye, Lady, I am sure Q’ar has told you some of my daily war,” he replied, brushing away a 
persistent branch.  
 “She has said…very little that I recall,” Serin replied, pausing as she tried to dredge up 
a memory of it.  But she could find none, no offered remark or casual discussion about such a thing.  
“Though she’s probably thought a great deal about it,” she added, almost trying to defuse the 
stiffness she suddenly felt within him.
 “I am sure she has,” he replied quietly.  “For each day is a struggle, man against Beast.  
The vile creature who trapped me in this mixed form set it that way, so that I could never 
truly trust myself-nor could others.  This is why I have so long avoided my friends, Lady.  
But…but now…”  he swallowed, bringing her into the clearing.  “Now, it seems better-and for 
that, I thank you, Lady.”
 “Open your eyes.”
 She did so, and an immediate gasp issued from her.  For the clearing was another garden, 
hemmed in by silvery hedges which seemed to almost protect what was there.  As for that…she 
could understand the urge to protect such a wonder.  For before her lay flowers, arrayed in a 
way she did not understand-though she knew there was order there, else it would not seem so lovely 
otherwise.  Their blossoms were open, seeking the moonlight-and it glowed within every part of 
their plant body, from stem to silver-strewn leaf tips to light hungry blossoms.
 She let out a breath, then stepped cautiously within.  Her hands skimmed about the flowers, 
never touching them, but seemingly trying to see if this…this all was real.
 And it was.  For Serin had entered a night garden, where ordinary flowers by day took on a 
luminescence by night.  It was something that she, a Moon dweller, would never know; the 
Magic which made Luna her home did not allow for it.  But on Terra, wild and strange and 
magical Terra, such things could be known.
 “Do you…like it?” he asked, voice cautious.
 “Life it?” she whispered.  “Why Prince…it’s the…I do.  I do like it, but…”
 “The words defy you,” he finished, coming over to take her hands.  “How well I know that feeling.”
 She smiled up at him, eyes tender, blushing a little.  He, in turn, gazed down at her 
with a deep warmth.  Something bright was welling within his soul-something this Terran Prince 
had long since forgotten.  Something…magical. 
 They spent a good portion of the night there, Serin wandering about, asking questions, 
and the Prince replying as best as he could.  When that had been exhausted, they simply 
talked, mood ever so mellow in that garden fell of light.  And finally, they sat in stillness, 
the beauty and peace within completely soothing their souls.  It was at this time that Serin 
found herself drifting to sleep-and when she next awoke, she was in her room.  Stirring and 
looking about, her eyes alighted on a large froth of flowers nearby.  Rising, she plucked one 
of the small flowers there-and smiled.  Beneath the moon, this pale blue flower had been 
silver-white; now, in her room of mixed light and shadow, it fell between the two, a paler 
blue silver in the center to a cool, argent color.  Smiling to herself, she slid out of her bed, 
then delicately placed the bloom in her hair.  Moving over to the mirror, she gave a delighted 
giggle to see it there, then swept across the room, laughter spilling out of her in contented trills.  
With an elaborate twirl and flourish, she fell back into her bed, a giggle bubbling upon her 
lips and an oddly contented bliss stirring in her heart.
 She drifted off to sleep quickly, quietly, never knowing the name of the flower she wore.

 Across the land, forests, rivers, and deep within a castle, the Sorceress snarled.
 Her eyes had, of course, seen the whole scene-and it angered her beyond anything.  
“I underestimated the Moon,” she whispered to herself.  “I saw the silver swallowed by the 
black, but instead…it lightens it.”  She growled to herself, then stalked back into the room, 
evil intent in her heart.  Pausing briefly to pick up her pestle and mortar, she slid the rest 
of the way across the floor to begin to grind away her anger.
 Then, quite abruptly, she stopped.  Slowly, a low and malicious smile darkened her face, 
tips of her fangs glistening beneath her dark lips.  “They will be the cause,” she whispered 
to herself.  “Their energy will be their downfall.”
 She paused, then looked back at the large Rush model.  “But it will take some power…”  Her 
face faltered for a moment, and then a double portion of that evil gleam filled it.  “But I,” 
she said, raising her eyes upward, “have access to that.” 
 For a long, long time afterwards, the room was filled with her dark, menacing laughter, 
the sound striving upwards to echo along the walls of the Jewel family castle.