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Desperately Searching
Title: Desperately Searching
Author: kazeko [ginnokonekochan@yahoo.com]
Rating: M15
Show: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
Series: prequel to “Kazeko”
Multipart: yes
Chapters: 7
Couples: Haruka/Michiru, Makoto/Ami, Minako/Rei, Princess Serenity (Usagi)/Prince Endymion (Mamoru), Serenity (Ailan)/Setsuna, Hotaru/Shioko (OC)
Time: Six years after Sailor Stars, immediately before “Kazeko”
Disclaimer: Takeuchi Naoko, Toei, Kodansha, etc., own Sailor Moon and all SM characters.
Disclaimer 2: I own the world, any characters not from BSSM, and the people and history of the world. Please do not steal my ideas or my characters without asking.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Prologue
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haruka watched her lover sleep, amazed at the serenity on Michiru’s still features. The blanket had slipped down, revealing her perfect round breasts, and Haruka watched the moonlight play across her light skin as she breathed. She marveled that such a perfect woman was hers, heart, body, and soul, and she reached out to touch Michiru’s cheek. The aqua-haired stirred, leaning into the caress, reaching for consciousness.
In this world, there are many kinds of spirits. Some are good, some are bad, but most are either curious about mortal life or desperate for a moment of fun. It just so happened that on that night, as Uranus and Neptune rose in conjunction, one light in the night sky, that a group of the last type of sprites was having a party and began to wonder just how powerful the red string of fate was. It could bring together two souls even if both were female, but what if they were so different that they could never be together? Could Destiny survive that?
So a small number of the curious sprites went into Tokyo, listening, searching for that special brilliance that meant true love. They found one incredibly strong bond in a spacious house near the edge, the more masculine of the lesbians leaning over her mate, kissing her as the sea woman woke, her passion rising to meet the wind woman’s. The sprites realized that they had found the perfect couple, and they decided to extend their experiment to those directly linked to the pair. They laughed as they wove their spell, perfecting it as the women peaked together, and their cry of passion and love bridged the gap between the old world and the new.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 1: Princess of the Skies
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haruka awoke with a start, the last of her very erotic dreams fading to nothing, leaving not even a hint of her lover’s identity. She groaned and hissed at the sunlight streaming into her window, the pupils of her emerald eyes narrowing to slits at the sudden and semi-unexpected brightness of the light coming from curtains she had forgotten to close when she entered her room from her balcony the night before. Her father always scoffed at her dusk excursions, but she needed the whispery darkness of the coming night to calm her before sleeping. She knew there was something missing and she searched desperately for it, but she wasn’t sure she would ever find it. She rolled out of bed, shedding the golden blanket she used to ward off the faint nighttime chills and sauntered over to the balcony, swinging open the glass doors and breathing in the frigid springtime air of her mountaintop home. She stood on the balcony, knowing that no commoner would dare glance up the black and silver slopes to the princess’s rooms, so she didn’t bother to hide her nakedness. Sometimes she wished one of the nubile young women she saw in town would look up and perhaps approach her, but she knew that her father would chase those women away. As heir to the throne she had to marry a man, and she wasn’t able to tell the old man that she didn’t care for men at all.
The icy cold of dawn that would cripple or freeze weaker races played across her tanned skin, not cold enough to raise a bump, giving way to the first of the sun’s warmth, the heat on the dark slopes awakening the crystals imbedded in the stone, their song, the Morning Song that had sustained her people for centuries filling the air. She purred at the near-sexual stimulation, running her hands up and down her body, wishing that she had a mate to share the call with. She had heard that when two people mated while under the influence of the Song, the passion they experienced was incredible. She wanted to feel that, just once. A discreet knock on her door elicited a hiss of displeasure from the young princess, but she knew that it was only her faithful servant, right on time. While most of the unmated slept through the siren call of the warmed crystals, she was unable to ignore the song. He was always afraid that she would injure herself again in the utter depression that followed the sensual high, so he always came on time. Haruka admitted the stump-winged man with a sharp growl as the first chords of the mountain’s tribute to the new-risen sun faded into whispers.
“What if the sun suddenly decided not to rise?”
The man was used to the fickle moods of his young charge, and he urged the woman to sit on the bench on her balcony, pulling the shallow basin of cold rainwater to him as he knelt in front of the woman and carefully cleaned the smudged dirt from the previous day’s excursions from Haruka’s tan skin, unaffected by her perfect body. She stared at the sun, her inner eyelid shielding her green eyes from the dangerous light, not paying a bit of attention to the servant. His cloth ran over the long scar on the outside of her right leg and she shivered, vivid memories of the attack filling her. He winced as he cleaned the inside of her arms, noting the long, jagged scars marring the soft skin where she had tried desperately to end her own life during the depression phase of the Morning Song. She never noticed the attention he paid to her scars, never noticed that he treated her more like a daughter than her own father did.
Finished with the bath, the servant, Kiyoshi, dumped the water down the side of the cliff and reached for the special fine-toothed comb he used on the princess’s wing feathers. The Morning Song, though it had its dark side-effects, was the only thing the Sky People knew to stimulate the production of the oils that coated the delicate wing feathers and allowed flight. He ran the comb through her golden feathers, coating each one in the oil, watching her expression as she relaxed, the caress of the comb easing her depression. When he was done, she flapped her wings and folded them along her spine as he pulled out another comb and ran it through her short golden hair. He was secretly glad that she kept her hair short, simply because it was easier to brush.
As Kiyoshi stood and headed for her closet, pulling out something for her to wear, Haruka let her eyes follow the old man as she contemplated his life. The servant, once a fine soldier in the Queen’s army, had injured his black-feathered wings in the final battle of the Wars of Unification as Queen Kazeko triumphed over the other kingdoms at last. His prize had been the prestigious position of servant to the then-baby Princess Haruka, his family provided for and given huge rooms in the palace with a great view, his son and three daughters students in the Military Academy free of charge. Old Kiyoshi was a kind man, unhampered by his injury and never deterred by his inability to fly, and he was the princess’s only confidante. He was her only friend, and the only person who really cared about the future queen once her mother died.
“What if we didn’t have the Morning Song, Kiyoshi-kun? Without the stimulus to secrete the oil we need to keep our feathers healthy, we couldn’t fly. So, what if there were no crystals in the mountains’ sides to sing our oil glands into production every morning?”
“Haru-chan, let me tell you something.” In public he would never call her by the childish name, but in private she would not let him be formal. She liked the name, which was also the word for spring, and it gave her hope that one spring she would blossom into a woman and attract her soulmate. She brought her attention back to her mentor. “The Sky People have not always lived in these mountains. Once we lived by the sea, but an old war separated the people of the wind and sea, so we fled far away. By the sea there were no mountains, no gems, no Morning Song, but we still flew. I don’t know exactly what stimulated our oil glands, but something did.”
Haruka took the clothes he offered, slipping into the loincloth-like skirt that hung to her knees, transparent silk flaring out behind her and just barely not touching the ground, fringe hanging to her feet to resemble the golden feathers of her wings. She took the shirt and hooked it over her neck, pulling it under her breasts and turning so Kiyoshi could tie it in the back. Sky Women rarely covered their belly buttons and the ring they wore there declaring family and position, using only the minimum of clothing for modesty’s sake, while the men usually wore a loincloth and perhaps a sash to indicate position or power. Haruka grabbed her thick-soled sandals and pulled them on, lacing them up to her knees and tying them as Kiyoshi handed her the leather gauntlets all Warriors of the Sky wore. Hers were dyed gold, imbedded with tiny precious stones to match the gems decorating her top and skirt and the golden metal bands she wore on her arms, revealing her muscles. She looked out at the open sky again, and Kiyoshi sighed at the tremor that passed through her frame.
“What are you waiting for? Go on.”
Haruka looked at Kiyoshi and flexed her retractable claws, wondering. “Are you sure, Kiyoshi-kun? Just like that? No word of farewell, no sword, no crown?”
“Where you’re going, no one will recognize the Crown Princess of the Sky People.”
Haruka nodded as she walked to the edge of her balcony. The two sides had ornate railings to keep Kiyoshi safe, but the front was bare, opening onto the freedom of the open skies and the world beyond her mountain home. Kiyoshi slipped a golden chain around Haruka’s neck, the necklace her mother had worn as queen, a tiny golden charm embedded with gem chips on the end, having known since winter ended that she was old enough to go find herself, try to find what piece of her famous mother she carried. The princess never noticed the necklace. “One favor, Kiyoshi-kun. Don’t tell my brothers or my father where I’ve gone, if they even bother to ask. Just say you were late for the Morning Song and I just wasn’t here. Maybe I died out there; he won’t care.”
“I think he might,” Kiyoshi whispered, struggling to keep the tears out of his eyes. “I won’t tell them. If you want to find the sea, head East, over the next range of mountains. Beyond that, I do not know, but you have your mother’s strength. You will prevail. Is there anything else?” In his mind, he berated himself, wondering if he was doing the right thing. “Don’t worry,” his inner voice soothed. “You and I know what we’re doing. Let her go. The chick must fledge the nest eventually. It’s her turn now.”
“Yes.” Haruka’s mind focused on her only sister, little red-headed Kotori. “Tell Kotori that I love her and I’m sorry that I have to go away. If I can come back, I will.”
“Goodbye, Haruka, daughter of my heart. Remember that there are people here who love you, too.”
Haruka nodded and fell off the cliff, opening her great wings as she caught a gust of wind and soared east, arms held against her sides. She was ready for this journey. Transparent inner eyelids protecting her cat-like emerald eyes, the princess headed for her people’s ancestral home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 2: Sisters of the Sea
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
She watched her cousin twist and turn, playing in the currents, long hair streaming behind her and wrapping around her lithe body as she breached and returned to the safety of the waters with barely a splash. Her pale skin shone in the filtered sunlight, tinted slightly blue-green. Her long tail propelled her forward, the rich sapphire color highlighted in brilliant amethyst. The princess arched her back, spinning in a tight circle before diving under her cousin and breaching again, soaring so high into the air she could see the shore. Michiru seemed to have some sort of power over the ocean, and no wave or current could tame her, no matter how wild. Ami ran her coral comb through her short hair, watching as Michiru slowed to a stop, her sapphire tail moving back and forth lazily to keep her still, purple fins shimmering in the light, long hair flowing forward to tickle her cousin. (What are you up to, Ami-chan?)
Ami laughed, a light, bubbly sound in the mermaid world. (Mako-chan asked to see me today. It’s the first time in weeks she’s been free of royal duties and can visit the bay.)
(You sure do go to a lot of trouble to see this woman. What’s she like?)
(She’s very sweet, though she has a tendency to lose her temper, and I know how alone she is. She looks strong, but she is very scared sometimes and she is very alone.)
Michiru raised one eyebrow. (I think you really have feelings for her! Let me go with you! I want to meet this special woman.)
Ami blushed. (I really want you to meet her, Michiru-chan. But the Bay is forbidden by your father’s laws.)
(As if I ever gave a shark’s tail what my father thinks. Please, Ami-chan?)
(Then let’s go before someone comes looking for us.) Ami grabbed Michiru’s webbed hand and headed for the shore, both mermaids laughing as they prepared to defy their king. (I know you’ll like her; I told her all about you.)
(You must really care about her, then, to trust her that much, shy little Ami-chan.)
Ami nodded as the pair caught sight of the shore, pulling her cousin toward a secluded bay. (I love her, Michiru-chan.)
The princess stopped, staring at the young duchess. (You really do, don’t you? Okay, now I really want to meet her.)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Makoto sighed as she waited, sharpening her arrows for lack of anything better to do, watching the surface of the water in the secluded bay. Her pointed ears caught every rustle in the grasses, every ripple in the water, but she couldn’t hear her lover’s siren call. Deciding that the mermaid couldn’t get away from the palace, the elf stood to leave.
“Mako-chan?”
The soft words caught her attention, and she put her arrows on the ground, kneeling down by the water’s edge as a familiar blue head popped above the surface. Ami smiled as she pulled Makoto into a gentle kiss, the salty water on her lips intriguing the elf. When the elf pulled away, she raised an eyebrow at the aqua-haired mermaid hovering behind her lover, sapphire eyes cautious. “Who is this, my sweet?”
“This is my cousin, Michiru-chan. She wanted to meet you.”
Michiru swam closer, eyes wide as Makoto stood up. The mermaid stared at the elf’s strange coloring, the green top half of her body and light brown bottom half, including leathery back fins. The woman had chestnut colored hair pulled back into a very simple ponytail, and the skin on her face, neck, and lower arms was a third color, a light tan. “Why are you so colorful?”
“What do you mean? Oh, my clothes.” Makoto pulled her shirt off and slipped off her pants, piling her clothes and boots neatly by the water’s edge. “Landlings wear coverings over their entire bodies to protect them from the elements. You mermaids have scales to keep you warm or cool, but we do not have such luxury.”
“Are you not warm-blooded, too?”
“Yes, but our bodies have a difficult time maintaining homeostasis without help.” She smiled as she slid into the water and wrapped her arms around Ami. “I kinda’ prefer your no-shirt look myself.” Ami purred and leaned against the tall woman as the brunette treaded water. The mermaid grinned as she flicked her tail back, between Makoto’s legs, and the brunette groaned, eyes fluttering closed. Michiru, sapphire eyes wide, swam closer, biting her lip. Her cousin smiled, and the young princess reached out and ran her fingers over Makoto’s smooth skin, marveling at the texture.
“No scales,” she purred. “How much like us are you?”
“How so, Michiru-san?”
“Well, like . . .” Michiru backed off, fluttering the gills on the sides of her neck, her thin purple dorsal fin lifting out of the water for a moment before folding against her spine once more. Ami recognized the signs of confusion and perhaps a little trepidation in her cousin, and she touched the older woman’s arm.
(Do not be afraid to ask any question, Michiru-chan. Mako-chan is a friend of the seas.)
Michiru nodded. “What about your offspring? Do you carry your young internally until they are ready to join this world?”
“We do. I think that all of the sentient species on this planet do. And we nurse them with milk, as you do.” Makoto let her fingers roam over Ami’s body, eliciting a bubbly purr from the mermaid. Michiru smiled at the mating pheremones her cousin was emitting, knowing that the landling would not know the purpose of the perfume.
The blue-haired duchess twirled in her lover’s grasp and kissed her, tongues dueling for control as Michiru watched, wondering if she would ever find someone so wonderful. “I missed you,” Ami purred, expelling air through her gills underwater as the pair separated.
“I came every day, Ami.”
“I couldn’t get up here until today,” Ami pouted. “Her father watches us closely these days. I tried my best.”
“My father watches me, too, but he does not suspect that I wander off to see a very beautiful Sea Woman.”
Michiru laughed as her cousin blushed, leaping out of the water, arcing completely out of the water before returning to her element. Ami squealed her delight as she followed, breaching inches from her lover and soaring over Makoto’s head before slipping back into the water. Makoto grabbed Ami around the waist and let the mermaid pull her under, cavorting with the pair before she had to surface to breathe. The three surfaced together, laughing, then Michiru froze, Ami still a second later. Makoto looked back into the woods, wondering what the pair heard, and when she turned back, the mermaids were gone.
“Makoto-san?”
Makoto let her eyes return to land as one of her friends, an elf lady named Yuriko, entered the empty clearing. “Princess? Are you bathing for the reception?”
“Yeah, sure.” Makoto, her disappointment evident in her voice, stepped out of the water and dried herself off, slipping back into her clothes and boots.
“Mako-chan? What’s wrong?” Yuriko looked out across the calm bay and thought she caught a glimpse of blue at the rocky entrance, but the image was gone an instant later. “Oh, I see. Your mermaid was here again.”
Makoto nodded as she swung her quiver over her shoulder. “She brought her cousin today, the princess. You frightened them away, Yuriko-chan.”
“I’m sorry,” the shorter elf apologized. “I know you care for her.”
“I love her,” Makoto whispered. “I don’t know how to tell her, or even if I should, but I love her.”
“Mako-chan, you have to marry a man sooner or later. Your father won’t let you stay single forever.”
“I know. I’ll marry whomever he chooses and have the children he demands, but I will always have Ami for love.”
“Let’s head back to the city,” Yuriko suggested gently. She took Makoto’s arm and headed back into the trees.
A young Faeri, her long golden hair shining in the sun, sat in a tree by the bay having observed the entire thing with her pale blue eyes. Her golden butterfly wings, folded along her spine, fluttered twice before she jumped off her branch and headed for the desert and the volcanoes just visible in the distance.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 3: Volcanoes and Mountains
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Rei waved her hand lazily, watching as the volcano she resided near sent smoke wafting into the sky. It would erupt soon, though it was too lazy and too old a girl to blow her top violently, and she wondered if there would be a Gathering to observe and bathe in the fresh lava. Probably. She groaned, knowing that her father would come. The less she saw of him, the happier she stayed.
“Lover! What are you up to?”
Rei stood as her Faeri lover appeared beside her, landing in the shade of the rocky caves the Flame Walker called home, safe from the scorching midday sun. “Minako,” Rei purred. “Where have you been?”
The petite Faeri laughed as she folded her butterfly-like wings and kissed the taller, red-headed woman. “Hey, Rei. Whatcha’ doin’?”
“Watching Ol’ Remih. She’s going to erupt soon, and there’s sure to be Flame Dancing. It’ll be nice to see other Flame Walkers again.”
“I wanna’ come.”
“I want you to be there, my love, but Faeries can’t walk on lava.”
“We’re magical, lover. I can walk on lava if you can get me an invitation.”
Rei purred as she pulled Minako into her arms, the silk layers of her dress swirling around the pair and creating the illusion of a dust storm. “You are most definitely invited, Minako, but my father really isn’t going to like it.”
“I thought he didn’t pay attention to you.”
“Not usually, since I’m his youngest and least necessary daughter. But on Festival Days and Gatherings, he notices. He expects me to have a boyfriend by the next seasonal Grand Festival.”
“What, am I not good enough?”
Rei pulled Minako down onto the sand and caressed the blonde’s cheek. “You little imp,” she whispered. “Let’s make the most of this glorious day, shall we?”
Minako laughed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haruka landed before a huge cave, its darkness and cold stone freezing her, the slight touch of claustrophobia all Winged Folk suffered from stopping her in her tracks. The wind screamed at her, begging her to be careful and leave the dangers of the underworld alone, return to the skies, but the princess felt a storm coming, and the mountains were higher even than the ones she came from. She had not been able to find a lower pass through which she could fly and there were no caves on the higher western slopes, so the underground caves were her only choice. She was more curious than afraid, and she hated being out in storms more than venturing into dark and damp caves buried miles under earth. She folded her golden wings, flexed her claws, and entered the cave, pupils widening to admit as much light as possible.
She heard a whispering, a slithering, the instant she entered the cave. She could tell from the faint and distant echoes that the cave system was huge and extensive, hopefully ending on the eastern edge of the mountain range. She paused, the cold, sharp scent of fresh water reaching her nostrils, and she knelt down, fingers following the damp rock until they reached the underground river she had sensed. Grasping the edge of the stream with one clawed hand, she reached the other out and down, searching for the opposite bank and the bottom of the stream. Finding neither, she ceased her exploration and scooped a little water up, sniffing before tasting. It seemed perfectly clean. She drank a little more, ears twitching as the sound of thunder and heavy rain beat against the ground outside the cave she had entered.
Her thirst quenched, Haruka reached into the sack she had tied to her belt and sighed. There was precious little left. Pulling out the fruited bread her people had once been famous for, before the Peoples of the World separated, she consumed one small piece, finding the last of the meat from the ptarmigan she had killed the day before. There was little to eat so early in the spring, and what she could find was often too small or too young. Finishing her meal, Haruka straightened and headed deeper into the caves, following the stream.
She felt a cool breath chill her skin, and she spun, eyes and wings wide, desperate to find the source of her unease. But she couldn’t see anything. “Hello?” Her tentative call silenced the slithers, and she took a deep breath, closing her wings and relaxing. Calm down, she ordered herself. It was probably nothing.
“Misstabiss,” a voice whispered, inches from Haruka’s feet.
“Tssirrassii,” came from the other side.
“Missiirr?”
“Bisssssss.”
“Antzzess!”
At the last cry, a fierce order, all of the slithering vanished, and a pale blue-purple light appeared before the winged woman. It brightened, revealing a small woman with purple eyes, short black hair, and glistening white skin. The light originated from luminescent cells on the tip of her long, thin tail, which she held closer to Haruka to examine the visitor more closely. The white-skinned woman wore a simple skin-tight purple skirt, having no need to hide her breasts in the dark underground environment. Her ears were pressed flat against her head, and her eyes possessed the inner eyelid common to flying or swimming species. Her nostrils were two slits, able to close completely and prevent water from entering, and bluish gill flaps on the sides of her neck fluttered in the dry air.
“A Darkling,” Haruka breathed, keeping her voice low. She knew from the ancient legends that the inhabitants of the underground not only had supersensitive eyes but extra keen hearing, and she didn’t want her voice to hurt the girl.
“Yes, Winged One.” The Darkling’s voice was barely a whisper. “There have been no visitors for a very long time, and never a Sky Person. Your people abandoned this coast long ago.”
“I just came in here because of the storm. I was headed east over the mountains when it hit, and my people don’t like being out in storms. We can’t fly and the senses we use for navigation are dulled.”
“I can’t help you with the storm, but I can help you get to the eastern side of these mountains. I am Hotaru, High Princess of the Western Kingdom and Queen of the new united Kingdom Under the Mountains. Now that the two kingdoms are united through my marriage to the heir of the East, I can take you to someone in the center of the Range who does know about storms.” She closed her huge eyes and let out a soft whistle, deep but light. “I do not know the exact way to Her place, since it is in the East, but my wife Shioko does. She comes.”
“Wife?”
Hotaru nodded as a shadow slipped up beside her, red eyes glinting in the light. “Yes, of course. What did you expect? Oh, I forgot. You Surface-Dwellers have males as well as females. All Darklings are female.”
“Why?”
The shadow beside Hotaru lit her own tail. “We have always had ten times as many females, dating back to when we lived part of the time on the surface. Through the year, we would mate each other, female to female, and birth daughters. As fall came and the food became less and less easy to find, mated pairs would stop breeding and some of our older females would spontaneously develop male genitalia, becoming males as winter set in. Each male would mate up to ten receptive females, impregnating them with daughters that would grow slowly through the winter and be born as spring returned. The males did not ever survive the winter as they were too small, too weak, and utterly worthless when spring would return. Slowly though, fewer and fewer females changed as we spent more and more time underground and no longer needed to have so many daughters to survive on the surface, no longer needed to slow our activities in the winter. Gestation time lengthened, and the females born were larger and healthier, more adapted to life in these caves. Then, one fall, no males came forth and we retreated into the caves for good. Ever since, we have lived here, sans males.”
Shioko flicked her tail closer to Haruka, examining her. Haruka reached out and touched the appendage, smiling as she flexed her claws for the Darkling to see. Shioko held out her webbed hands, tiny claws visible on the end. Her feet were also webbed, proving that they were an amphibious species, and she also did not bother to wear a shirt. Haruka realized that there was no need. “Shioko-san, Hotaru-san tells me that you know of a person who can help me get to the other side of the mountains.”
“The Queen of Darkness? I can take you to her, but she can be very temperamental. She will not see everyone.”
“Maybe she will see me, maybe she won’t. It doesn’t matter; I have to try.”
“Your determination amuses me, Skyling. Very well. The Queen is very old and very wise, though they say that she hasn’t aged a day in millennia. She lives high in the last mountain, and she knows everything. Some say she even witnessed the birth of the Universe. We do not know if it is true, but she is wise. No one climbs the Endless Stair without reason, but she will be able to tell you how to get wherever you are going. She has many names among many races, including Queen of Darkness, Guardian of Time, Queen of Storms, and Messenger of Balance. And even if she won’t talk to you, she has many Oracles who may. They are the Keepers of Light, and they are blinding to look upon. It’s rumored that they can change shape even as the Dark Queen does, and that they were once members of other races, even Darklings. Would you like to visit her?”
Haruka nodded, green eyes lighting with curiosity and excitement. She hadn’t had such an adventure in a very long time. “I would love that. Please, lead on.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haruka looked up at the stairs that spiraled away into the darkness, cat-like eyes wide. Her sense of adventure was piqued by the promise of an ancient queen at the top, but she did not relish the absolute darkness.
“If it is the dark that gives you pause, do not worry. Our Dark Queen serves all races, so she had us include lights for species with weaker eyes.” Hotaru placed her webbed hand over a red stone imbedded in the wall and it glowed, pale light shining through the semi-transparent webbing between her clawed fingers. The Darklings let the illumination on their tails fade as lights glowed from the stairs above, showing a hollowed mountain that didn’t seem to end.
“Good luck,” Hotaru whispered, turning to leave. Shioko smiled as she and her wife slipped into the cold river flowing beside the stair, swimming back to their palace.
Haruka took a deep breath and carefully opened her wings. When she had assured herself that she had enough room, Haruka jumped into the air and headed for the top of the Stair.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 4: Darkness and Light
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haruka grunted as she came to a landing at the top of the staircase, her great golden wings complaining at the strain of the carefully controlled flight. She stood up, stretching her limbs before knocking on the white door at the top of the staircase.
A tall woman with red hair and golden eyes opened the door, wearing a long silky dress that seemed to be absorb the pink tint in the light and darken it to red in the material. “Oh, a Sky Person. I don’t know why you came through the caves—there is a balcony entrance, though I suppose it is hard to find in the rain. Are you cold? You don’t seem to be wearing that much. Or are you hungry? I imagine the Darklings didn’t feed you—most of their food makes outsiders sick, though the poor dears do try. Your eyes remind me of Kazeko; you must be one of her daughters. She had two, right? I guess you’re the older one, Haruka—I’m told that Kotori is a little redhead.” The woman reached out and grabbed Haruka’s hand, her rapid-fire question-and-answer session leaving the Skyling reeling, unable to think. “I know you must be tired if you flew up that staircase! Come on inside and we’ll see what we can do for you.”
The woman pulled Haruka inside, leading her down a short marbled corridor to a huge chamber carved out of the very heart of the mountain, crystal columns reaching out of sight, a fountain tinkling peacefully in the center, light streaming in from windows on the sides of the mountain, colorful carpet covering the floor, women seated on couches and pillows scattered throughout the room. One, a gorgeous pale blonde with pink eyes, rose off her pillow, white dress changing to gold as she passed under one of the skylights, smiling as she took the redhead’s free head. “Who is our Skyling guest, Riko?”
“Asakaze, meet Haruka, daughter of Kazeko and rightful Queen of the Sky People. My name is Rikuriko and this is my partner, Asakaze.”
“Are you all women?”
Rikuriko nodded. “All Speakers of the Guardian—or Keepers of the Light as the Darklings call us—are women. When the Guardian of Time began to recruit us, she knew that the males that Darklings birthed every now and then would soon die out and their species would be all female. In order to show that she respects every species, she made all of her Oracles female so that there would be no conflict with the mountain-dwellers. We can adapt to her power much more easily than males, in any case. All Speakers are paired, too; the Guardian chooses soul mates always. She doesn’t want us to be lonely in her service. Natsuko! Fuyuko! Our guest is no doubt hungry and will be joining us for the midday meal.”
Two of the Speakers—one with orange-gold eyes and chestnut hair and one with white eyes and pale blue hair—nodded and slipped into another room, obviously heading to the kitchen or wherever food was prepared. “What do you guys do up here?”
“We serve the peoples of this planet. We’re peacekeepers, though few have asked for our help in almost twenty years. The Guardian doesn’t seem too worried, though.”
Haruka walked forward, wings open wide as she tried to imagine the size of the cave. “This place is huge . . . where’s the Dark Queen the Darklings mentioned?”
“Oh, she’s off somewhere with our newest member. Ailan was the first Keeper to come here without a soul mate. We think that the Queen fell in love with her herself and chose her to be her partner. I imagine it must be lonely at the top, and all. She probably won’t join us for supper, but I’ll take you to meet her afterwards. By the way, why are you headed through our mountains, anyway? Don’t you Sky People live father west?”
“I’m heading for the sea, which I am told is to the east.”
“Then the queen should be able to help you.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ailan purred as Setsuna ran her hands over her breasts, the silky material of her dress scratching her as the Dark Queen’s hands moved lower, searching blindly for the hem of her dress. Ailan gasped as Setsuna covered her lips with her own, the fire in their kiss igniting the silver-haired woman’s lust. Then she felt Setsuna’s hand find its target between her legs, and she arched her back, pressing her body against Setsuna’s, moaning in anticipation of what was to come.
Unfortunately for the young Seer, it never came.
A short, sharp knock sounded on the wooden paneling, eliciting a curse from the very aroused Dark Queen. Ailan sighed and rolled off the low couch, straightening her dress as Rikuriko spoke from the other side of the door. “Megami-sama? We have a guest, a Skyling princess.”
Ailan leaned over and kissed Setsuna, letting her tongue tease the older woman before she pulled away and headed for the huge balcony, leaving the glass doors open behind her. “Later, my love,” she called as she vanished into the gardens.
Setsuna sighed and straightened her dark robes, calming her lust with a lot of effort and millennia of practice, brushing her long green hair over her shoulders and sitting on the ornate black throne her Keepers had carved from opal hundreds of years earlier. Her Time Key, the tool through which she focused her power, waited quiescently in the stand by her throne, waiting for her need. When she was ready, she cleared her throat and spoke in her most majestic voice. “Enter, Rikuriko.”
The red-haired Speaker entered the Throne Room and bowed briefly before pulling a tall Sky Woman with short blonde hair, emerald eyes, and golden wings into the chamber. “Kurai Ojo’ou-sama, this is Haruka, daughter of Kazeko, of the Sky People.”
Setsuna smiled as she waved a hand. “You are dismissed, Rikuriko.” The Speaker left, and Setsuna descended from her throne and dais. “A Skyling,” she breathed. “There hasn’t been one of your people here in centuries. You have all forgotten me.”
Haruka raised one eyebrow. “I’m not so sure. We still worship the Goddess of Storms, a dark-robed queen with dark green hair and fiery red eyes. I think that’s you.”
“That’s nice. I am called Setsuna by my friends. Why have you come to me, Haruka?”
“I’m trying to find my people’s ancestral home, and Kiyoshi-kun said that it was by the sea. Therefore, I am pointed fairly eastward.”
Setsuna took Haruka’s arm and led her out onto the huge balcony, complete with sprawling gardens, majestic fountains, and marble temple-like buildings where visitors could pray to her or the other gods. A slender woman in a white dress that shimmered silver in the light with silver hair and purple eyes met them, a question on her lips. “Ailan, this is Haruka, Kazeko’s oldest daughter and heir.”
Ailan bowed, and Haruka smiled at the two. “The other Seers told me that you two are an item, that you brought her here as your soul mate.”
Setsuna nodded. “They’re right, and they know it. I couldn’t help it—I was lonely, I fell in love, and I tempted her back to my mountain home.”
“And I never regretted a moment of it,” Ailan whispered lovingly. She waved her hand, turning to the sun-caressed flowers. “What do you think of my gardens?”
“They’re breathtaking; I don’t think any of my people are so skilled. You did all of this?”
“Yes. Before I met Setsuna, my last girlfriend was wonderful with flowers—we joked that she had to be part Elf. When she died I devoted myself to her flowers. This garden has become a beacon of love, and I made this for Setsuna.”
“Who were you before you became a Keeper?”
“I was the High Princess of the Plains that lie between the hills on the other side of these mountains and the forests by the edge of the sea. I haven’t been here that long, only one generation, and my little sister is High Queen now.” Her smile saddened a little, and she glanced at Setsuna.
“What’s wrong, Ailan-san?”
“Nothing, Haruka-san,” the silver-haired woman whispered, turning away. Setsuna rested her hand on the slender woman’s shoulder, trying to comfort her lover. “It’s just that . . . a few years after I came here, my sister, Noriko, visited to tell me that she was sterile. She couldn’t have the daughter needed to take over as queen after her. Her husband had no idea. In order to keep my kingdom alive, I agreed to help, and Setsuna used some of her magic to impregnate me.” Ailan sighed, one hand fluttering across her flat belly, remembering the child. “Two months into my pregnancy I visited my sister and had her announce that she was with child and brought her here, to my mountain retreat. Eight or so months later, after I nursed little Serenity long enough for the wet nurse we found to take over—actually, it was Rikuriko who volunteered—Noriko went home, carrying her heir. Every oldest daughter of my line is named Serenity, but I think they call her Usagi. I really miss her, you know. I could visit, but I haven’t been able to find the strength to see my daughter without her knowing the truth.”
“I can’t believe that you gave up your only daughter like that. I know I couldn’t have.”
“She has a better life down there, anyway. She’s High Princess of the Plains and one day will be queen in her own right. Just because I didn’t want the throne doesn’t mean that she should be denied that choice.” The three finally reached the edge of the flowered plateau, and Setsuna stepped aside so Haruka could have an unobstructed view of the land before her. Haruka gasped at the simple beauty beyond the mountains. Rolling green hills topped by simple cities flattened into golden plain studded by simple huts and fields of grain tinged by green forest along the horizon, tiny red volcanoes rising out of red desert to the south.
“It’s beautiful . . .” she breathed.
“The ruins of your ancestral home is beyond the forest. So is the sea. If you pass by the palace on your flight, you should stop by to visit our daughter.”
“I will, Setsuna-san.” Her boldness amused the dark queen. She bowed deeply, wings curled in friendly submissiveness. “I thank you for the help and the directions. I will stop by on my way home. If I go home.”
Setsuna smiled at the Skyling. “Oh, I have no doubt that we will meet again, young princess. Good luck on your journey.”
Haruka opened her great wings, carefully testing the winds billowing under her before leaping into the startlingly blue sky, adjusting her golden feathers before soaring off toward the plains. Setsuna smiled as she pulled Ailan into her arms. “I was wondering when she would come.”
“She’s so young and full of life. I’m going to miss her, Setsu-chan.”
Setsuna kissed the side of Ailan’s neck, pulling the former princess back into her rooms. “I have a few ideas how to make you forget.”
Ailan stopped her, placing a hand on Setsuna’s collarbone. “I need to ask you something first. Setsu-chan, three months ago when we were celebrating the Darkling Unification, did you . . . did we . . . that burst of power . . . am I pregnant?”
“God I hope so. I tried so hard.” Setsuna grinned as the silver-haired woman jumped into her arms. “You had been so melancholy and I just wanted to see you smile again.”
“I’m so happy, Setsu-chan! And that explains this damn morning sickness. I never had any with Usagi. Another daughter . . .”
“Actually, twins.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 5: Princess of the Plains
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Haruka soared over the rolling hills, glad to be airborne again. She had enjoyed her visit with the two Darkling princesses, but, like all Skylings, she was very claustrophobic and it took ever ounce of her self-control to enter those caves in the first place. Luckily, unlike most of her people, Haruka’s curiosity overrode her fear most of the time, but she didn’t think that she could have stayed underground much longer.
She heard a cry from below, and her flight faltered as she looked down, spotting a small crowd of wingless ones in the town below her. She circled for a moment, wondering if she should land, but she decided that the wingless ones could not be that dangerous. With little more thought, she folded her wings and dove, opening them at the last possible second to land safely in a crouch, arms held up semi-defensively, claws retracted to keep from frightening the landlings. As she folded her wings, two of the men moved forward, a more richly dressed woman between them. She seemed to be the leader, raising a hand to stop the delegation a few feet from Haruka, afraid of frightening the winged woman, opening her hands to show that she carried no weapons. “Hello, Sky Woman,” the woman greeted.
Haruka slowly straightened, trusting the three strangers, and stepped forward, albeit a bit hesitantly. “Hello, Wingless Ones. I was just passing through . . .”
“Forgive our curiosity, but we haven’t seen a Sky Person on this side of the mountains in centuries. I am Anderaa, ruler of this province, and I am honored to meet you.”
“Haruka, oldest daughter of King Koshu of the Skylings and heir to my late mother’s throne,” she introduced, second eyelids fluttering open. “There used to be Skylings here? My people used to live on this side of the mountains?”
“Long ago, Princess Haruka of the Sky People.”
“I came here looking for my people’s ancestral home. The Queen of Darkness—”
“The Guardian of Time? You spoke to her? This is an auspicious day! Certainly you were sent here by the gods to bless the princess’s engagement to the Prince of the Hills! Haruka-hime, you must hasten to the palace and meet with the queen! She will certainly want to meet you, almost as much as her daughter.”
“I was actually headed for the sea . . .”
“Please? It would mean so much to her. She’s such a romantic, our princess.”
Haruka bit her lip like some little fledgling, considering the lady’s words. “I suppose a short stop won’t hurt anything . . .”
“Thank you, Haruka Princess of the Sky People!” The lady fell to one knee, all of her followers kneeling and bowing their heads to the blonde. Haruka stammered her thanks before jumping into the air and soaring toward the distant silver palace.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Serenity smiled as she watched the wind play with her flowers, listening as the birds sang for her, sitting inches away and watching her with their bright little eyes. She felt the wind change, all of her birds silenced by something they sensed in the air. She looked up, shocked, as a huge golden eagle soared overhead. No, that wasn’t an eagle—it had arms as well as legs and lacked a tail. It was a winged person! A Skyling! There hadn’t been Skylings in the Plains for centuries!
“Skyling!” Some part of her reached out, desperate to keep the golden-winged woman from escaping, though she had no idea what prompted her to cry out.
The winged woman began to circle at the call, recognizing the crystal-embossed building as the palace she was aiming for. Spotting the silk-clad young woman in the rose garden far below with her eagle-eyes, she recognized the unique hairstyle as identical to Ailan’s. It was the royal hairstyle, then.
Haruka landed, wings stirring up a brief hurricane of leaves and debris as she folded her wings tightly against her body. When the air cleared, Serenity stared at the winged woman. “Wow,” she whispered. “I’ve never seen a flying woman before.” Haruka relaxed her wings, letting them open slightly and curl forward in curiosity. Curious, the young princess reached out toward the feathered appendages with one tiny hand, jerking back when she brushed the edge of one of the long golden feathers. The taller Skyling chuckled as she opened her wing, reaching out and wrapping it around the slim girl, pulling her close.
“You look just like her,” the Skyling murmured, running her long fingers through Serenity’s shining golden hair, touching the odango-like buns on top of the girl’s head. “It must be the royal hairstyle or something.”
“I-it is. Every Crown Princess adopts it. My mother doesn’t wear it because she was never the Crown Princess; she only became queen when her older sister went away to become an immortal Keeper of the Light/Speaker of the Truth/Seer of the Path.”
“She fell in love with the Queen of Darkness/Guardian of Time/Goddess of Storms. They make a beautiful couple.”
“You met them?”
Haruka shrugged her free wing. “Yeah. Ailan-san told me that you are called ‘Usagi’. Is there any particular reason?”
The blonde blushed. “My mother tells me that she named me for a story about a princess who lived on the moon and spent her life searching for true love. It’s a very old story, and I am told that every species has its own version.”
“We have a tale about a small child with white wings that was kidnapped by the sprites of the moon but she grew to love them and brought peace to the Earth. She’s the reason why there are no more attacks from the moon. It’s a very old, very simple story. It’s supposed to make us want peace between the different races.”
“That’s what my name is for. Peace. I’m supposed to unite the Plains People and the Hill People through marriage in a few months. And make peace.”
Haruka pulled away slightly, letting her wing drop. “At least you have a way to make a difference. I have nothing.”
Usagi smiled and reached up to touch Haruka’s face. “You’ll find your purpose in time. Now, my mothers sent you out here to find your ancient home, not me. You need to get going, no matter what those villagers said. You are all I expected from a Skyling Princess, and you will make a great queen like your mother.”
“How did you know?”
Usagi smiled as she pulled away, fingering the jeweled pendant Haruka wore. “I know a great deal more than most people think. I know that Noriko is not my mother, but I know why Ailan gave me up. She did the right thing. There’s also a prophecy about you, Skyling, but you will discover that on your own. Thank you for coming to see me, but now you must head for the sea where your destiny awaits.”
“Destiny?” Haruka opened her wings, preparing for flight, automatically following the princess’s commands. “I don’t understand.”
“You will. Go now, and we will meet again.”
“Wait! Princess, I can see in you the great strength your mothers possess. I know you will make a great queen one day, and I will be honored to be your ally.”
“Thank you, Haruka. When you finish your journey and find your home, come back to visit me, okay?”
Haruka leaned down and brushed her lips across Serenity’s forehead. “I’ll come back, Usagi-san. I promise.” With that, she let the strengthening wind billow under her great wings and carry her into the darkening sky, heading away from the setting sun and toward the sea glistening many miles away.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 6: Clash of the Titans
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Makoto! How dare you?!”
Makoto looked up, shocked, her arms automatically wrapping around Ami’s waist as she pulled back from shore, as her father stormed into the clearing, dark green eyes sparking. She ducked until her head was just above the water, fear in her eyes for the first time since Ami met her. “Father . . .”
“A Mermaid?!” King Ken’nin of the Elves pointed one long finger at Ami, Michiru cowering just behind her, power sparking with every move. Since the day Ami introduced Michiru to Makoto, the princess often followed her cousin to the bay when she visited her Landling lover. However, they had not been careful enough, had not remembered to make their visits short, and Makoto’s father had finally discovered his daughter’s hiding place. “How dare you cavort with a mermaid?!”
Ami swallowed and swam a little closer, cautiously slipping out of Makoto’s arms. “I . . . my name is Ami, niece of King Tsuyu of the Seas. I . . . I know you’re upset because our laws and traditions are meant to keep the People of the Seas and the People of the Land apart, but I think it’s time we learned to look beyond that. I do not see Mako-chan as a Landling, I see her as a beautiful woman with a gentle soul. I fell in love with your daughter by chance, but knowing her and caring for her has changed my entire worldview and I am glad for it. I came to this bay one night to escape the guards my uncle always has watching me, and I happened to see your daughter, bathing in the moonlight. The sight took my breath away. Do not blame her; mermaids are not allowed inland. If I had not broken the rules of my people she would not be breaking yours. I am sorry, Elf King, for tempting your daughter. I’ll leave now, for good.”
“Ami! No!”
Ami easily slipped free of her lover’s grasp, catching Michiru’s webbed hand as she headed for sea, tears joining the bay’s clear water on her cheek.
“Wait.”
The Elf King’s deep voice stopped the mermaids, and Ami turned back, not bothering to hide her tears. “Yes?”
Ken’nin knelt at the edge of the water, his thin face kind and gentle. “You really love my daughter, don’t you?” Ami nodded. “And, as the niece of the King of the Seas, what position do you hold.”
“Since my mother died, Duchess of the Reefs.”
“To tell you the truth, I never had any luck with Makoto and Dukes. She’s one of the tallest Elves you’ll ever meet, and most men are frightened off by her height and her fighting prowess. I guess it took a mermaid to see past all of that. If you really love my daughter . . . than you two have my blessing.”
Ami smiled as she swam up to the king, taking the hand he held out. “Thank you.”
“You know, Ami-san, there’s a river than runs to the sea past our castle. You could come up that and not have to worry about your people catching you here.”
“Your subjects will see me. The ones at the palace, I mean.”
“I’ll worry about that; you worry about my only daughter. I can feel in my old bones that your alliance will mean great strides forwards for our two people.” He glanced at the hand he held, touching the delicate blue webbing that reached the last joint on each digit. “I never knew that you had webs and such sharp claws.”
“I never knew that you had to use weapons and tools to catch your food and that you have to farm your own vegetables. There is a lot we do not know about each other, King Ken’nin of the Elves. I’m willing to learn.”
“As am I.” Makoto swam closer to shore, emerald eyes wide, as Ami returned to her loving embrace. Her father smiled and bowed his head, accepting his only daughter’s choice. “I’m proud of you, Makoto, and I wish you all the happiness in the world. Your girlfriend and all of her Sea People family are welcome at our palace.”
“Th-thank you, Father.” Makoto pulled Ami closer, wiping the tears off her cheek. “Thank you so much.”
Michiru, sensing that the crisis had passed, swam closer to shore, sapphire eyes watching the Landling king. He smiled and bowed, touching his hand to his forehead before tapping the surface of the water in a traditional greeting between equals. “You resemble Ami-san. Are you related?”
“I am her cousin, daughter of King Tsuyu and his heir, Princess Michiru. It is a pleasure to meet you, King Ken’nin; I know few Landlings.”
“We are not a brutish race.”
“And we are not demons that call sailors to their deaths,” Michiru countered, smiling. “I believe you and I can become great friends.”
“I would like that very much, Princess Michiru of the Seas.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“An’narai! Piyoh-shitorah!”
“Anrai,” Rei greeted, long red hair cloaking her. She welcomed each guest, glad to see so many of her old friends again. Flame Walkers were extremely solitary creatures, and even family groups only gathered once or twice a year outside of festivals and Gatherings. The King and his children were no exception.
“Rei?”
“Minako!” The Flame Walker smiled as she embraced her lover, kissing the slender faeri as Minako landed on Rei’s rock. “I’m so glad you made it. An’narai.”
“Anrai,” Minako purred, locking fingers with the Flame Walker, leaning in for another kiss, her other hand wandering toward Rei’s breast. The Flame Walker moaned as the faeri’s deft fingers pinched her nipples, the owner of that hand smiling as she kissed her lover again. “Someone missed me.”
“More than you can imagine,” Rei breathed, her voice full of fire, purple eyes glowing. Her red-gold skin was glowing, the gold filigree patterns covering her leaking droplets of liquid fire. Minako, as a Faeri, was immune to the flame, catching some in her hand as she began to move, rubbing against Rei’s leg, hand searching for the hem of the woman’s short skirt. Rei groaned and grabbed Minako’s wandering hand, pulling it to her lips. “Not here,” she growled, struggling to control her breathing. “Later, my love. When this crowd is gone and we are alone.”
“Not if I can help it!” Rei and Minako spun, startled, at the sound of Rei’s father’s furious voice. Minako took flight, wings flapping furiously, as the Huge Flame Walker King thundered into the small crater. He was rust red with age, his gold a dark tan, his ice blue eyes as powerful as ever. His other two daughters and four sons were behind him, their mother long dead, their eyes focused on their littlest sister, the troublemaker, the dreamer. She was about to have her dreams crushed for the last time, and they were frankly sick of it.
“ENOUGH!!” Kazan, the oldest son, stepped between his imposing father and his little sister, tired of watching the confrontation. One day he would be king, and he was trying to learn everything about being an effective ruler. “Leave her be. Her relationship with the Faeri cannot bring us harm, especially since her domain is so far from the Great Fire Mountain and so close to the plains. Even we Fire Walkers know loneliness, and she deserves someone to share her heart with. Let her be, Father.”
“I will not have one of my children break the greatest covenant of our people. All of the tribes banded together for protection against the Cold Ones, including the flighty Faeries who know no obligation, feel no emotion, care for nothing. What can that bug bring you but a moment of joy and centuries of pain? I do not want that for you, youngest of my seven children, greatest priestess of the Flame Walkers. Let her go, make her fly back to her own king, her own family, and find a lover more appropriate to your position, your power, your future. Man or woman, you may have any mate within my kingdom; you have but to ask.”
“I have never asked you for anything, Father,” Rei whispered, the gold patterns on her smooth skin changing purple as despair filled her frame, “and I have never needed to. You have been a wonderful father, loving me when I did the most rebellious things, and I chose this Domain so that I might not displease you ever again. But this one volcano, this fair lady, cannot ignite the fires in my heart as Minako can. I am alone, Father, not by choice but because I am not a perfect Flame Walker. I learned the laws, and I learned our ways, but the traditions and the separation from all other races never made any sense to me. The Cool Ones are not cold, and they do not fear us as we fear them.”
“I fear nothing!”
“You fear everything that you do not rule! You fear the forest and the plains and the hills and the mountains and the sea! You fear the ones who live there because you do not understand them. The Faeries are an ancient race, and they could teach us many things if you would let them. They possess power that we cannot understand, and I hear that the Elves of the Forest do, as well. We could learn and profit from an alliance with the Cool Races, but your fear drives us into hiding. I’m tired of hiding! When Minako first came to me, we were both scared, but we learned that we are not so different after all. She can make me feel things that no Walker has ever been able to, and not just physically. I love her, Father! I have a duty to her, a duty to the woman my heart has embraced!”
“You have a duty to me, to our people!”
“This is my duty! This is how I can help the Flame Walkers the best! Don’t choose this day to care what the hell I do!!”
“I do care! You are the princess, a leader of our people, and you must set an example! I cannot have you so blatantly disregard the laws of our people! You will leave her or you will leave the deserts forever!!”
“No.” All eyes turned to the forgotten Faeri as she landed in front of King Akaneiro, bowing slightly and fluttering her wings before speaking again. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, for interrupting your conversation, but I think I should speak. I never intended that my love for Rei should separate her from her family and people. She is a beautiful woman, inside and out, and I am still amazed that she chose to give all of that to me, that she has entrusted me with her heart. I am not afraid of her and I am not afraid of you. I do not believe that you fear my people, I just think that we do not understand one another. Your deserts are beautiful, your volcanoes majestic and temperamental, and your people must be wonderful to have raised Rei. But I understand your concerns. You see, my father was the King of the Fae Folk, and I know that he would not have approved, either, though perhaps he would come to understand in time. My brother is regent now, and he cannot understand what I feel for Rei, why I am so desperate to stay by her side, why leaving her will kill me, too. But I know that love cannot defeat fear and the separation of the races, and I won’t let my feelings for your daughter ruin her life and drive her from her home. I love her too much for that. Instead, I will leave and never return.”
“Minako! No! Please don’t leave me.” Rei grabbed Minako’s arm, tears in her purple eyes, the purple designs on her skin turning ice blue. Even her body temperature was falling, and Minako could feel it. “I can’t live without you.”
“You have to, koibito. I know it feels like you’ll never breath properly again, but your life will return to normal soon enough and you’ll meet someone appropriate.”
“Minako, I can’t. I can’t love anyone else. I gave you my heart and I don’t want it back. If you fly away, I’ll die.” Kazan’s eyes widened as he watched Rei’s body temperature drop, his ability to see infrared showing his sister’s pain. He knew that his father could see it, knew that the girl would die if her body temperature dropped too low, and he stepped forward, wondering what the old man was doing. Akaneiro raised his hand, watching the pair as Minako pulled out of Rei’s arms, tears in her blue eyes. Rei was breathing hard, the red color of her skin fading to pink as the blue lines turned almost white. Minako raised her wings and turned toward the forest.
“I love you, Rei, and I always will, but we were just born to the wrong parents. I’m sorry. Maybe we’ll see each other again, okay?”
“Minako,” Rei whispered, falling to her knees as Minako shook her head and walked away, not bothering to fly. She was too upset to trust her wings, anyway.
“Dammit!” Kazan fell to the ground beside Rei, wrapping his cold sister in his arms. “Father, what are you doing? You’re killing her! Don’t let your fear destroy the love these two share! Don’t let Rei-chan’s life be the price of our isolation.” Minako had stopped, turning to watch, knowing that she wasn’t the one who could help Rei. Only her family could save her.
Akaneiro smiled, nodding. “I know that, Kazan my son. I don’t want her to be unhappy. I must admit, Princess Minako of the Fae, that I never imagined a Cool Race could love so much. If Rei has given you her heart, she must see something in you that I am too old to, and I don’t have the right to dictate her life. She is an adult, and I trust her judgment. If she welcomes Minako-san into her life, than so do I.”
Kazan stared at his father as Minako rushed forward, pulling the shaking woman into her arms. “Then why all this? Were you testing her?”
“I was testing both of you. If you never learn to speak your mind, Kazan, than I cannot ever name you king. Today you showed me that you do possess the wisdom and caring that you need to lead our people. You have also shown me that maybe the old ways are too old and our traditions are too rigid. The Cool Ones can teach us a lot if we will only listen. Minako-san, I’m willing to try, if you are.”
Minako, sighing in relief as Rei’s skin slowly darkened and the patterns on her skin returned to their previous golden hue, reached out and took the king’s warm hand. “I am willing, but I must ask for a gift to seal the bargain.”
“What gift?”
“I want Rei.”
Akaneiro laughed, the sound setting his gathered subjects at ease, as Rei pulled away, glaring at her lover. “I believe that my daughter is in control of her own life. You will have to negotiate with her.”
Rei nodded as Minako leaned in for another kiss. “I think I might win,” she whispered, kissing the Flame Walker princess as her subjects cheered. A strange musical sound filled the sky, and a flock of gold descended on the Gathering, hundreds of Faeries hovering overhead as Minako’s only living family, her older brother Shinrai, landed by her side, glaring at the woman in her arms. “O-nii-chan! Why are you here?”
“We felt your pain, Imouto-chan.” Shinrai was Regent of the Fae until his little sister was old enough to assume the throne of the matrilineal society, and he was not happy with her recent absences from the court. At least the Fire Walker in her arms explained her recent flightiness. He raised his butterfly wings, prepared to remove his sister from the scene, when he realized that the Flame Walker loved his little sister and the other Walkers approved of the union. Folding his wings, the tall Faeri waved his hand. “But I see that we were not needed.”
Minako’s eyes widened, recognizing the retreat in her brother’s voice. “Shinrai-kun? Are you . . .”
“What can I say, Minako-chan? It seems that you have begun negotiations for a peace and mutual friendship treaty with our desert neighbors, and I’m proud of you. In only a few months, you will be crowned queen and your word will be law. If this Flame Walker makes you happy, than I offer my blessing, such as it is.”
“Thank you, Shinrai-kun. Please let me introduce you to the King of the Fire Walkers, Rei’s father Akaneiro-san. And this is her oldest brother, Kazan-kun. This beautiful woman, of course, is my Rei.”
“Since when have I been yours?”
Minako smiled as their brothers introduced themselves, Akaneiro inviting the Faeries to the Gathering and the flock landed. “Since right now,” she whispered, capturing Rei’s lips once more. The Fire Walker groaned as she began to glow once more, liquid fire beginning to drip onto Minako’s arms. The Faeri began to back away, heading for the nearby cave that she and Rei often shared, determined to finish what they started on the rock earlier.
All activity ceased as the lookout let out a low whistle that warned of danger from the skies, heads turning toward the forest. The colorful, ephemeral Faeries took to the skies as the lookout pointed at a dark speck hurtling toward the ground not far from the Gathering. A loud crash sounded in the sudden silence, and all of the Faeries flocked toward the treeline, Minako carrying Rei, Akaneiro and his children following on foot. Rei and Minako reached the fallen creature first, both hesitant to touch it.
Rei leaned down and touched the huge wing stretched out on the ground, marveling at the shimmering golden feathers. She stepped closer, trying to fold the feathered limb, but it was too awkward. The owner of the wing groaned, and Minako helped her lover turn the creature over.
“A Skyling,” Shinrai whispered as the unconscious woman was moved onto her back. “She has to be taken somewhere she can rest. Look how ragged her wing feathers are—she must have been flying for days, weeks even. The Sky People don’t live around here anymore. Not since the Divide.”
Akaneiro nodded. “Certainly we must help her regain her strength. Rei-san, Minako; I place you two in charge of her well-being. Kazan will help you carry her to the nearest cave and make her a bed.”
“I’ll help,” Shinrai offered as the Faeries and the Fire Walkers entered into the first joint effort in millennia, moving one unfortunate Skyling into a safe cave.
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Chapter 7: Flightless Princess
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Haruka was a Skyling, a fine, seasoned warrior like all of her kind, and she knew better than to open her eyes or make any sign of wakefulness before analyzing her immediate surroundings for any sign of danger. The winged woman let her senses identify the hot, dry, and incredibly silent signs of a desert, the faint wind filling the area slightly more humid and cooler. She was not far from the forest she had been flying over when her wings gave out, the feathers too dry and oil-less to keep her aloft any longer. She had to find another source of oil for her wings or she would never fly again.
She heard no movement in the room with her, so she opened her emerald eyes, fighting the wave of nausea that overcame her at the closeness of the stone walls. Haruka’s eyes flew to the opening, a circular hole ringed by pale stone, and she rolled over, scrambling to get out of the cave.
She panted when she exited into the fierce sunlight, raising her left arm to cover her face. She winced as pain shot through her, and she lowered her aching arm. She gingerly probed her bruised arm with her long fingers, sighing when she realized that it wasn’t broken. It hurt, though. Haruka stretched out her golden wings one at a time, carefully examining them for injuries. Her wings were bruised, swollen, and painful, but the worse damage was to her ribs. She was able to count four broken, but Skylings’ large lungs were nearly puncture-proof. Two more of the fragile bones were tender but not broken, and Haruka wondered how she was going to bind them so they’d heal.
“Skyling?”
Haruka fell into a fighting stance instantly, wings half-spread for flight, ignoring the pain in her body as her instincts took over. She stared at the slender white-skinned woman crouching in the sand beside the cave, her long golden hair caressing the sands. She had a double set of transparent golden wings folded along her spine, twitching as the warrior stared at her, iridescent scales shimmering in the light. Her pale blue eyes scanned the area, coming back to rest on Haruka’s battle-ready form, waiting patiently. Haruka let her eyes take in the strange shirt the woman wore as she straightened. Her skirt was similar in style to a Skyling’s, though it was shorter and less tapered, and her shirt was backless, but it seemed to be part of her skirt, no hole for her belly button to show, a simple sash knotted around her waist holding it to her body. How very strange. Haruka stood up, catching her breath as pain lanced through her from her injured ribs.
“Are you okay, Skyling?”
Haruka shook her head, all of her warrior instincts screaming at her to leave and not reveal her disability to the stranger. She spoke for the first time, never noticing the flush cover the other woman’s face at the sensuality she unintentionally exuded with her faintly masculine voice. “My ribs and my arm. Why?”
The Faeri moved forward slowly, hands outstretched. Haruka froze as the faeri touched her arm with her tiny hands, and all pain vanished. The blonde faeri rested her cool hands on Haruka’s belly under her tight half-shirt, and her ribs stopped hurting. Her legs also healed, the swelling going down.
“You healed me,” Haruka whispered, shocked. “Who are you, Faeri?”
“I am Minako, Crown Princess and future Queen of the Faeri People. Who are you, Skyling who lost her footing on the clouds?”
“Haruka, princess and future queen of the Skyfolk. If I decide to go back. If my father even realizes that I’m missing.”
“You left your home without letting anyone know where you were going? Why?”
“My father is what we call a mahk-reevah, a male obsessed with patriarchal lineage. In my kingdom, because of our constant wars and uncertain lives riding the winds, the only parenthood we know for certain is our mother. So our society is matrilineal. I’m the oldest princess and I know that my father always wished that he had no daughters. My sister doesn’t mind or notice, but if I fell off a cliff and died, Kotori would be glad to relinquish her claim to the throne and my brother Eiki would ascend. She is probably the only one who misses me, besides my servant.”
“Your mother would be proud of your search, Haruka-san.” Minako grinned at Haruka’s shock. “I can sense certain things, princess. Once you began speaking, I could see that you left your mountains with a purpose. You say that you wish to find your people’s ancestral home by the sea, but I know that you want to prove yourself to be worthy of your mother’s throne. And she, Wind Rider, would be proud of you, Wind Runner. I promise you that.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. “How did you know that my mother was called Kazeko the Wind Rider? Only my people know.”
“I know. I also know that she was the greatest warrior the mountains have ever known. She created the peace, she won the last of the Great Wars of Unification—”
“Then she vanished in the worst snow storm in a millennia,” Haruka finished. “It wasn’t a story, then. You Faeri do have powers. Magical powers. You can know stuff about someone just from looking at them.”
“Something like that. You were heading for the sea when you fell?”
“Yeah. I think I missed, though.” Haruka closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness passed over her, grateful for the little Faeri who caught her and kept her from falling. She tried to open her wings for balance, but the pain from that motion dropped her to her knees, and the Faeri grunted.
“Maybe we can get you to a safe place. If you’re claustrophobic, there are some nice trees in the forest . . . and it’s cooler there. I know you’re not used to the heat.”
“Maybe that’s why I don’t fell so good,” Haruka whispered. “Do you have anything to eat in those trees?”
“Faeries are vegetarians, but the Flame Walkers are insectivores and carnivores. I guess you Skyfolk are omnivores, so we can find you something. Anharraaht!”
Minako’s strange call brought a lithe woman out of the sands, red hair flowing down her back like a waterfall of fire, eyes a pair of fierce purple coals, clad in a skin-tight red shirt and skirt, chains of amber, rubies, and garnets hanging around her waist, neck, and arms, fine iridescent scales covering her arms and legs, clawed fingers webbed to allow easy movement through her sandy home. Her pointed ears turned toward Haruka, the transparent inner membrane over each eye retracting. “The Skyling is awake. What’s wrong with her, Minako? You healed her, didn’t you?”
“She’s not used to this heat, Rei, and I think she may be sick. From one of your little poisonous critters.”
Rei moved closer, flattened nostrils flaring as her purple eyes narrowed. “Yes, I believe you are correct. Do you not have poisonous animals in your mountains?”
“No. And it never gets this hot up there.”
“This is a cool day for the desert. Minako, let me help you get her to the forest. Do you know where the nearest Elf settlement is?”
“I know where the palace is,” Minako answered as Rei slipped under Haruka’s other arm and the three of them headed for the treeline. “The princess is open to other races, so I could try to contact her. They have medicines that you would not, since your people are immune to the creatures of the sands.”
Rei glanced over at the Skyling, taking in her tanned, scale-free skin, her feathered wings, her emerald eyes, her short hair, her strange clothes, her inner eyelids that fluttered with every dry gust, and the claws on the tips of her fingers, retracted as soon as she was sure that the Flame Walker was safe. “Can you not fly, Skyling?”
“Call me Haruka,” she whispered, her voice almost masculine and filled with a casual sensuality the Flame Walker had never heard before. “I lost a lot of feathers when I fell, and the ones that are left are too dry from lack of oil to attempt flight. Until I find an alternative source of oil or another way to stimulate my oil glands, I won’t fly.”
“We’ll get you fixed up,” Minako promised.
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“Elf Princess?”
Makoto opened her eyes at the soft call, staring at the Faeri woman standing in her bedroom window, golden hair moving softly with the gentle wind. Her pale blue eyes searched the room, coming back to rest on the brunette princess. “Hello, little Faeri. I didn’t know you people existed.”
“I wouldn’t have revealed myself, Elf, but I have a sick friend from two mountain ranges west that needs your help. She’s been stung by something from the desert, but Rei and the Flame Walkers are immune and have no idea how to treat her. She and I thought that you Elves would have more experience healing sick people than us.”
“Your friend is not from around here? What is she, a Darkling? No, they never leave their caves. A Skyling?” Makoto’s breath caught as the blonde Faeri nodded, shock and anticipation filling her frame. She had never seen a Skyling before. They were legend, creatures of almost mythical proportion by the Sea, and she had always hoped that they would return to its shores some day. “If she is, than she’s probably also suffering from heat fever. I have some herbs that will help, but she’ll have to be moved to the edge of a bay I know. We can use the water to cool her fever, at least a little. And I have some Merfolk friends who can help us keep an eye on her.”
“She’s claustrophobic,” the Faeri warned. “She won’t stay in a cave unless it’s pretty large. She can stay in a tree, but the weather may get wet . . .”
“I know. I have a few ideas. How long have you been watching me? I mean, how did you know that I’m the princess? I never saw you before.”
“I hid, Makoto-san. I was there, in the trees, the day Ami-san first introduced you to her cousin the princess. I can sense that she has been here, in the waters below the palace, so your father must have accepted her in the past month or so. True?”
“Yes. What is your name, Faeri?”
“Minako. Can you come now? Do you have herbs here that you can bring?”
“Some . . . I do need to see her.”
“You look strong, Elf. I am not, and the Skyling is not small and light. You can help Rei move her to the Bay. Come now, please?”
Makoto grabbed her tunic and pants, shoving her feet into her boots as she swung her bow and quiver over one shoulder, a small bag filled with herbs and potions on the other. Without a backward look, she leapt out the window behind the Faeri and slipped into the silent forest. In the castle, an aging king smiled as his daughter vanished, knowing that she was going to help an injured member of another species. Not one like the Faeri she was following, and probably not a Flame Walker or Sea Person, but someone. Long ago, a great peace had blanketed the continent, but civil wars had separated the individual species into factions and later destroyed many of the treaties. Makoto and the young princesses like her were the best hope for a new world.
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To be continued
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Read the sequel, Kazeko
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