I remember it all now, we come out of that secret study room and walk outside the castle together, we go somewhere we can speak calmly so I can explain...the fact that I'm Mei Kaze Empress of Hosho. Finally we get to a safe clear between the woods and they sit down waiting for my words.
-"I know this sounds confusing, but I was born a hundred years ago, as the older daughter of the Emperor and the Empress Mei Kaze...my parents were killed by a knight yes, and a faery that wanted Hosho's spirit for her...my parents were very strict with me, but they were good people who never meant to harm anyone. The last Empress wasn't my mother, it was me. I took the place of my parents on the throne, but my heart was full of hatred, I was confused...lost, I didn't understand why all of the sudden me and my little sister and brother were all alone...why no one explained? One day I woke up as a dragon, I was enraged...and I lost it"-at this point I feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I can recall everything like it just happened, the images were burned in my memory along with the agony and guilt-"I burned the kingdom...I almost destroyed the magical forest, and the spirit of it sent me to sleep inside that cave where you...Faythe, found me"-I finish and try to smile at the same time I'm crying in silence. Moonlight's eyes looked dead since Natasha is lost but right now they look sad, and comprenhensive. Min's eyes are as wide as they can be, she looks away as fast as she notices I'm looking at her. Ruth seems about to burst into tears herself.
-"Ryuko..."-Faythe stands up and walks to me slowly, her light grey eyes yell thousand of things, I easily get lost in them just like the first time I saw them back in the cave. I can't do this! I can't stand losing her! I run away from her deep into the forest, I hear her running after me, she suddenly tackles me.
-"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"-I say between sobs, she blinks surprised.
-"Ryuko...Ryuko calm down"-she speaks sweetly and caress my cheeck.
-"Do you hate me now? Please don't...please"- I beg her.
-"Don't be silly...I don't hate you...I love you"-she smiles as she says this.
-"You...love me? Like a friend?"-I mumble.
-"A friend would do this?"-she leans over and her lips brushes mine, she gives me a gentle kiss making me blush deeply while my heart beats frantically...you make me feel alive Faythe...my beloved Faythe.
-"I love you Faythe"-I whisper and hug her, I shut my eyes just enjoying the moment, I was afraid for so long of hurting someone again...I was afraid of friends, I was afraid of happiness, I was afraid of love.
-"I love you too Mei"-she answers in a whisper.
-"Tomorrow is the ball...I was going to ask you to go with me"-I say shyly and she laughs.
-"I was going to do the same!"-she smiles bright.
-"That's wonderful...too bad Nat won't be...wait a second"-my eyes widen in realization.
-"What? What is it?"-
-"Aisling!"-
-"The Queen?"-
-"Yes! She's my parents' killer! She's not human! That's why she smelled so weird, I thought it was some perfume she used"-
-"That means...she...Natasha is..."-Faythe stutters, I have the same word on my head.
-"Yes...she is dead...as much as it hurts me to say this, she isn't our priority at the moment, not only Hosho is in danger but so is Kielray! She will use Hosho's spirit to destroy this place...or make it her own, either way we must stop her!"-
-"Yes but how? After the ball we're heading to Hosho for war!"-
-"I know...I know...we have to assist the ball, and follow our plan...when we get back to Hosho I'll awaken the spirit, it's the only way we can save both my home and yours"-
-"Alright...but be careful alright?"-
-"Don't worry about me, let's tell the others"-I help her up and steal a quick kiss from her lips before walking back to the rest.
...
I never imagined I would be the one making the first move, but I'm glad I did...I'm not afraid anymore, I'm a strong and brave knight lady...and I love her with all my heart. The ball is tonight...my heart aches for Natasha but feels at joy from being able to share love with someone. I look at myself on the mirror, my white dress is long and adjusts to my figure without any big skirts, my hair is braided and I painted my lips red.
-"You look beautiful"-
I turn around slowly to see Min, I'm still very upset for what she did...
-"Thank you"-I reply dryly and go outside our room.
-"You look wonderful Fay!"-Ruth exclaims and smiles, she's wearing a pink dress that makes her look stunning.
-"Ru when did you turn into a princess?"-I smile back and she giggles, her violet eyes sadden and I know she remembers about Nat.
-"I miss her so much"-she says looking about to cry.
-"I know Ru...I miss her too, how is Moonlight?"-I feel worried about her.
-"I'm fine"-
We both jump in surprise and turn to look at Moonlight, she's looking gorgeous wearing a dark blue dress and her platinum hair falling over her shoulders as a waterfall. My jaw drops when Mei comes out of their room, she's wearing a bright red dress and flowers on her jet black hair...she look's breathtaking. She giggles and blushes, I realize I have been keeping my mouth open and quickly close it.
-"Sarah...are you sure you're fine?"-I ask still concerned about her. She nods and smiles sadly, Mei squeezes her shoulder to comfort her.
-"We're ready"-Min says coming out, she wears a green dress and certainly looks beautiful. We head to the great hall where the ball is being held. The music is being played by an orchestra, I feel nervous and stay close to Mei, she takes my hand and squeezes it gently to let me know she's there for me.
-"Dancing won't do us any harm, right?"-Mei says smiling warmly to make me feel better, she pulls me to the dancefloor, every couple is a man with a woman so we stand out. When my eyes meet hers I realize I don't really care about that, loving the person I want is the right thing to do. We start to dance, our feet follow the music and I feel my soul dancing as well, we twirl skillfully and I let out a soft laugh. I feel guilty of having a good time when Natasha just died...suddenly I smell smoke.
-"Mei..."-
-"Fire!!! Fire!!!"-a maid yells and we soon can notice the fire burning the walls of the castle getting closer to us.
-"Aaaagh!! Spirits!!"-someone screams, what?! We turn to the stairs and see a mass of dark creatures coming down from them...those are not spirits. The soldiers pull out their swords ready to battle.
-"Those can't be spirits"-I protest.
-"They are, not from our spirits though...Aisling must have brought them here"-Mei looks dead serious, her crimsom eyes are shining red.
-"We have to fight them?"-I can't say I'm not scared from those creatures.
-"Run! We must run! They are after us!"-Mei takes my hand and yells for the others to follow us, we rush outside the castle and look for our horses. Horrible howls fill the air and the dark monsters appear in front of us, they are big and shadowy without a defined outline just white smiles with sharp teeth. Sarah's eyes start glowing and she makes balls of white energy appear on her hands, she throws them at them.
-"Get away! Go! I can handdle this"-she says but Mei makes her get on her horse.
-"We're not losing you too"-she says before throwing fire at them. The whole castle is burning, we flee as fast as we can headed to Hosho, Sarah and Mei keeping those dark spirits away from us. I'm scared...but I know we will manage this, we will win this war...we must for the sake of Kielray and Hosho.
...
The girls arrived at dawn, I asked the spirits to dress them with clothes they made themselves to wear when they use their human form. My dear Mei, my Ryuko, the dragon girl...I remember how confused and upset she was when they killed her parents...it's time, for her to meet her destiny, that's tangled to that lovely girl she holds so dear.
-"Zethyr? The girls were already dressed and taken care of"-Kenneth tells me expecting for other orders. I turn and smile at him, he has faught so much to fix his mistake.
-"Good, good, I wish to speak with Ryuko...please bring her to me"-I ask him gently, he nods and heads off, minutes later she comes.
-"Zethyr, you asked to see me?"-her voice is changed, I turn to look at her, she's changed...but of course, she has to be.
-"Mei, you're so grown up...you're even more beautiful than your mother was, your parents would be proud"-
Her eyes get full of pain and tears, I pull her into a hug and hold her like I used to do when she was a child. I stroke her hair gently.
-"I'm a disgrace to them..."-she mutters.
-"Look again at yourself...you changed, you made friends, you got free from that hatred and painful rage...and fell in love"-I smile as her eyes brighten at the mention of this.
-"I really love Faythe, she saw in me a human even when I was in a dragon form and tried to kill her"-
-"I know you do, and she loves you!"-
-"But Zethyr...the spirit from Hosho...how am I going to bring it back to life?"-
-"Bring her back to life? She's alive my dear, you just have to call her"-I smile sweetly at her shocked face.
-"As simple as that?"-
-"Nothing is as simple as it seems, you and your love will find out together"-with this I turn around and leave.
-"But Zethyr wait!"-
-"Remember Mei, you also have spirits inside yourselves, you have energy, you own souls"-I add and disappear into the forest, the forest that is part of me, and the forest that I'm part of.
Hey there! Hope you enjoy this chapter, remember to comment and vote.
Have a wonderful day!
With much love Bel :3