"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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