What Blooms in the Wilderness
"It is done."
The words vanished into the wind as soon as they left Layla's lips, but it did not matter. Since ghosts could hear things the living left unsaid, they would have little trouble distinguishing her whisper from the wail of the wind.
There were many ghosts here.
Slowly, she dropped to one knee and raked her fingers through the red dirt. "Cross," she said softly. The old man's body lay somewhere beneath her feet in an unmarked grave. His body would become part of the Martian soil, merging with the land he had roamed in life. He would live on in this wilderness that he had treasured more than civilization.
But this wilderness was still cruel and harsh. The wind whirled the red grit around Layla's fingers as she scooped up a handful of soil. When she opened her hand again, the rust-stained grains of sand on her palm blew away in the relentless wind until only heavier pebbles remained. Eyes stinging from tiny bits of dirt and the hair whipping into her eyes, she closed her fingers around the last pebbles. She rose to her feet and, with one swift movement, flung the small stones away with all her might. They arced through the air and landed with small splashes in a pool of water many yards away—plip, plop.
The last time she had been in this place, there had been no water—not enough to form puddles, at least. Before the great change, the people of Mars had extracted what water there was from the dry surface and recycled every drop of the precious liquid. But now water appeared to be welling up from every crack, seeping up through the soil, pooling in puddles and ponds, and rushing through ravines and valleys as wild, untamed rivers.
Mars was alive again.
Already the seeds Cross had scattered across the planet were sprouting and taking root. Wide swathes of abandoned land would soon be tilled and tended so that the fragile new plants might have the chance to grow and flourish. Everything would change. Everything would be different. Layla felt it in the air, in the wind, in her bones.
It was Layla's fault that Cross was not here to see the beginning of a new, greener Mars. But the old man had never expected to see the fruits of his labor. He had worked for a future he thought lay far beyond any of their lifetimes. She knew that; he had told her so, back when they still spoke to each other.
And surely he had known she would kill him. Cross had wanted to test her resolve and her fighting skill; with his death, he revealed to her the fatal weakness of his mighty brother. Without defeating Cross, she would not have been able to challenge the real Volk.
She had set out all she had vowed to accomplish. Cross had known from the beginning what her intentions were and had trained her, fed her, and supported her on her mission. She had killed Volk because Cross had shown her how to do so. Layla felt no guilt for his death.
But that did not mean she had no regrets.
"Cross," she said again, the name dying upon the howling wind. But she did not care; she knew he would understand.
xxxxx
The journey back to what remained of Volk City took longer than expected. The sudden appearance of large quantities of water did more than reshape the surface of Mars—it changed the entire climate of the planet. Strange clouds appeared in the sky, and soon the first rainstorms in millennia made their way across the Martian landscape.
Caught in a sudden downpour, Layla cursed as visibility dropped to zero in the torrential rain. The ground beneath her feet turned into a treacherous sea of mud, sucking at her boots with every step. Stumbling, she made her way to a rocky outcropping and took shelter beneath a small overhang that blocked most of the rain. She sat down on the damp ground and pulled her knees up to make herself as small as possible. Then she wrapped her cape tightly around her, and, shivering slightly, waited for the storm to pass.
Two days later, the sky finally cleared. Tired and stiff, Layla stepped out into the light to find the scenery greatly changed. A new river had carved its way through a valley to her east, and one of the mountains to the north appeared to have lost half its mass in an enormous landslide.
She stretched her arms high over her head, took a deep breath, and held it for a long moment before letting it back in a rush. Even the air tasted different, as though all the dust had been washed out of it. Muddy puddles glinted in the faint rays of sunlight creeping around the edge of the giant red moon.
It was time to move on.
Stiff from sitting huddled under a rock for days, her progress was slow across the rain-soaked land, and the earth beneath her feet squelched wetly with each step. If the good weather held, she would reach her destination soon enough. It was only a day's journey—or two, at most—to the city Volk had ruled.
She wondered who ruled it now.
After Volk's defeat, the city could have been hers, but she wanted no part of it. Her realm lay in the badlands of Mars; she reigned supreme in the empty stretches between the domed cities where the sheltered inhabitants spoke her name with fear and awe. The continued upheaval on the planet's surface might have changed the appearance of the land, but nothing could shake her deep-rooted desire to live in a place where the only thing above her head was the open sky.
But even so, she had unfinished business in Volk City. There was only one thing that made her even consider temporarily giving up the wandering ways of the Barbaroi. There was only one person that could get her to return to that hated, ruined city.
"Nei."
xxxxx
The refugees of Volk City set up a temporary camp near the wide river that had swallowed their former urban paradise. A big space at the center of the camp had been turned into a marketplace where the newly homeless Volkans bartered away what little they had to opportunistic newcomers who offered replacements for all the things that had been lost. A steady stream of all-terrain vehicles from neighboring cities carried in fresh workers, hungry entrepreneurs, and plenty of supplies. Already construction had begun on buildings for a new city.
Layla passed silently through the outer edges of the refugee camp until someone recognized her beneath the dried mud caking her from head to toe. The startled man cried out as if he'd seen a demon: "God help us, it's Layla Ashley! It's Lady Layla!"
All around them, people stopped and stared, speaking in excited shouts and nervous whispers. "Lady Layla has returned! Look, she's the one who killed Volk! She's back!"
A crowd gathered around Layla, blocking her path. She was about to yell at them to move out of her way, but then she spotted a familiar face among them. The corner of her mouth curved up ever so slightly. "Speedy."
"Layla!" He shoved past a few old men to reach her. "I thought you'd never come back," he said with a half-smile, though his eyes were narrowed. She could sense his hesitance, his unspoken accusations.
But she had no time to apologize to him. "Where's Nei?" she demanded to know.
"Always one for the preliminary niceties, aren't you!" he laughed. "So nice to see you again, too, Layla. Glad you didn't drown in the flood."
"Nei," she growled.
Speedy sighed and scratched at the bandana tied around his head. "She's with Lady Vesta," he said softly. "They left a few days ago."
"Where did they go?"
"To the moon."
Layla's eyes immediately went to the enormous red sphere hanging heavily in the sky. Her brows furrowed. If Vesta had left the planet, that could only mean that contact between the Martians and the lunar residents had been re-established.
She felt Speedy take her by the arm—a bold move for the man, she thought. "Listen," he said in a low voice. "Why don't we go to my tent and talk without all these people staring at us?"
She nodded slightly, then pulled her arm away from him and cast a withering gaze at the bystanders hemming them in. A murmur ran through the crowd, but the sea of frightened people parted before her and Speedy as they made their way into the camp.
"You'd best make yourself scarce," suggested Speedy. "Half these people think you're a demon who caused the destruction of Volk City." He stopped in front of a tent much like the one they had used during their travels together. "But," he added, holding open the tent flap for her, "the other half thinks you're an angel who challenged Volk solely to get them out of the city in the nick of time, before the disaster struck. Either way, you want to avoid these people."
She stepped into his tent without a word. The inside was dimly lit by a lone lamp, and Speedy's belongings were scattered about everywhere. He shoved aside a box of tools and cleared a place for her on a dusty, worn blanket. She sat down carefully while he took a seat across from her, next to a giant box marked "Shoes" that apparently contained anything but footwear.
"Nei," she said, reminding him of the point of her following him here.
Speedy sighed. "Vesta took her," he explained. "There've been communications back and forth between Vesta and the moon, but the folks up there won't come down here yet, from what I can tell. I don't blame 'em. I'm guessing Vesta wants to use Nei as a sign of how even delicate young girls can survive down here, or somethin' like that."
The muscles in Layla's jaw tightened. "I won't allow it."
"Not much you can do about it now, is there? You abandoned her, and now Vesta's got her." He sighed. "I hung around much as I could but there wasn't much a guy like me could do compared to the likes of the goddess Vesta. Besides, people's dolls needed fixing here in the camp, and I need to make a living."
Layla's left eye twitched. She heard the man's accusation and his excuses, but they meant nothing to her. She had come back for Nei, but Nei was gone. She rose abruptly to her feet. There was no reason for her to stay here.
Speedy fell back, startled. "Wha—where are you going?"
"Out."
"Layla! Wait!" He grabbed her by the arm again, much more firmly than before.
She paused with the tent flap held half open by one hand and turned back to spear him with a cold, dagger-like glare. He recoiled visibly but did not release her arm.
"Stay here," he said, swallowing nervously. "At least until she comes back."
"Why." Her voice was flat.
"Because Nei wants nothing more than to see you again. I promised her you'd come back for her."
Layla raised her chin slightly, debating what to do with this man who dared to make promises on her behalf. But he hadn't been wrong—she had come back for Nei.
"I can help you get her back. She'll come back. Vesta can't be away forever. Wait for her, and wait for Nei."
She regarded Speedy for a moment longer, then dropped the tent flap. She sat back down on the blanket, crossed her arms, and grunted, "Fine."
xxxxx
Layla waited. Weeks passed, and still she waited.
Then Speedy got word from his vast network of clients and informants that Vesta would soon return from her goodwill mission to the moon, though no one seemed to no exactly when. Layla helped herself to his supplies and camped out by the spacecraft landing field for days, waiting for Vesta to bring Nei back. If the so-called goddess did not have the girl with her, Layla would fight her until she revealed her whereabouts.
She would not give up Nei again.
Finally, as she sat brooding in her tent one late afternoon, Layla heard the unmistakable roar of an approaching spacecraft. She hurried outside and looked up at sky. A dark speck over the horizon grew rapidly larger until the shape of a shuttle became clear, and a few minutes later, the spacecraft made a dusty landing on the sand-swept airfield.
As the dust settled, Layla stealthily approached the airfield to take in the situation. She could see a dozen security guards and half a dozen of Vesta's female servants gathering around the shuttle. They would be but collateral damage, if it came down to it. She had no qualms about dealing with them—it was Vesta who worried her. She had not forgotten their last battle for custody of Nei. The woman was not to be underestimated, even if she was ancient.
Suddenly a door on the shuttle swung open. An elegantly robed female servant disembarked first, followed by blonde Vesta, ethereal yet imposing as ever. And then came the petite form of a rose-haired girl.
Layla, silent and unmoving, watched the girl set foot on the airfield. The girl glanced up and turned just enough to spot Layla standing at the edge of the runway. For a moment, the girl cocked her head slightly, but then she suddenly pushed past the servants and the security detail and broke out running.
"Layla!"
The voice startled Layla—its tone was sweeter than she had remembered. Nei rushed toward Layla with her hands outstretched and her pink hair—longer now than the last time Layla had seen her—streaming out behind her. Her long, gauzy, white dress drifted about her like the strange wisps of cloud in the Martian sky.
And then the girl was there, clinging to her waist and sobbing. Layla reached down to pat her head and realized that Nei had grown at least an inch in the short time they had been apart.
Layla crouched down to Nei's height. "Nei," she said so softly no one but Nei could hear. She gently stroked the girl's soft cheek.
Nei raised her tear-stained face. "Lady Layla," she replied with fondness, and in her smile, Layla found the reason she had returned to this place. She was forgiven.
"Lady Layla," said another voice—a lower, darker voice. Layla looked up and saw Vesta approaching them. Her guards trailed a few feet behind her.
"Vesta," Layla responded without warmth, drawing herself up to her full height.
"It is a pleasure to see you again," said the ancient woman with a practiced smile. "I know how much Nei missed you."
Layla gently nudged Nei to stand behind her, but Nei clung to her and only moved half a step back.
"You took her to the moon," accused Layla.
With the flick of her hand, Vesta waved off the guards and servants. They fell back a respectful distance. "Yes. We were both very well received. It was a great moment in the history of humanity."
"Nei isn't a doll," said Layla.
"I know."
"Then don't use her like one."
Vesta raised her eyebrows. "Whatever could you mean?"
"You use her!" Her hand tightened possessively on Nei's shoulder. "You want to show them—the people on the moon—that Mars is safe. Safe enough for children."
Vesta took a step forward. "Nei is indeed vital for convincing everyone that all will be well here on Mars, despite the havoc wreaked by the arrival of the blood-red moon." She turned her gaze to Nei, who still clung to Layla. "The people of the moon were charmed by you, Nei," she continued pleasantly, stepping even closer to the pair. "They understand that we mean no harm, since we bring even a child with us." Vesta reached out and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind Nei's ears. "With your help, we've avoided war and established full diplomatic relations with the moon."
Layla clenched a fist, struggling to keep from attacking Vesta then and there. "Nei's a child," she insisted. "You can't mold her to your purposes."
Vesta slowly straightened up and looked at Layla again. "What about the way Cross molded you, Layla?"
Layla stared at her, her heart pounding, though she did not know why.
"He didn't do it just to take care of a poor orphan. You know that. You knew it when you killed Volk."
Layla's eyes narrowed. "So what?"
"All children are shaped by their elders, Layla."
"So what?!" She was shouting now. Cross had nothing to do with the present situation. She would rather strangle this woman than listen to her speak of the dead man again.
Vesta clasped her hands in front of her and gave a little sigh. "You misunderstand me, Layla," she said. "I'm not using Nei to show the people of the moon how blessed their future on Mars could be." She turned to look up at the moon from which she had recently returned. "I'm not using her to entice them to come here, to lure them here with the promise of security and abundance for themselves and their children. I let Nei travel with me so that the people of the moon will see for themselves the resilience of Mars—and the fragility of our continued existence, now that we have lost our mother Earth." She bowed her head. "We can barely support ourselves, as it is," Vesta explained. "I may have disagreed with Volk's methods, but he was right about one thing: we cannot allow a huge influx of outsiders. We need peaceful cooperation between the moon and Mars, but we cannot yet accept the people of the moon in our midst."
"So why take Nei with you?"
Vesta smiled. "Nei shows them our peaceful intentions, but her nature frightens them enough that they will stay on their world and leave us to ours."
"What?"
"She is evolving, and evolution frightens those who fear their own extinction."
Layla felt a shiver run down her spine.
"Perhaps someday, Layla, lunar citizens will make new homes here with us, and Martians will go up to settle on the moon. A new era of prosperity will begin for both our people, until one day we become one again, as we were once, on Earth. But now—now is not that time."
Suddenly Nei spoke up: "I saw Mars from the moon. It was pretty. So big and red from so far away."
At her words, a memory flashed to Layla's mind—an image of the giant, reddish-brown orb of Mars looming large against the backdrop of space. It was the view she had enjoyed many years ago, before Volk had shot down the spaceship she called home. The planet had appeared beautiful to her, too.
But that was before her parents had to throw her into an escape pod, before the ship that carried all her loved ones exploded silently amongst the stars. Layla had pounded against the window of the escape pod, trying to no avail to break through so that she could return to her family. But gravity pulled her inexorably toward that red-stained ball of dirt called Mars, where she would meet Cross and carve a meager life out for herself as a Barbaroi gladiator—and where she would eventually find a strange, doll-like child among the ruins of Martian civilization.
"Yes, it's beautiful, Nei," Layla said, and her voice caught in her throat only briefly.
"So—what will you do now?" asked Vesta. There was a challenge in her voice, though her face remained as serene as ever.
Layla glared at the woman in silence, then looked back at Nei. Something flickered across Nei's eyes—an honest fear that Layla would leave her again. Suddenly Layla felt the urge to pick up Nei and carry her away from here, back out into the open lands where Vesta could not find them. But instead she dropped to one knee and looked into Nei's pastel pink eyes. "What do you want me to do?"
Nei's answer was immediate: "I wish to be at your side."
Layla smiled softly. "Then I will stay with you." She placed a reassuring hand on Nei's slender shoulder. She would stay here to make sure Nei wasn't treated like a doll. She would stay until Nei became strong enough to take care of herself. She would not leave her now. "I'll stay as long as you need me."
A smile broke out across Nei's face. She nodded.
Layla turned back to Vesta. "I will not take her away," she declared, as though she were granting Vesta a favor instead of reluctantly acquiescing to Vesta's unspoken demand. "But you will not keep her from me, and you will not take her anywhere without me. You will have to kill me before I let you do that."
Vesta smiled—a cool, satisfied smile. "Then it's decided."
xxxxx
"Lady Layla! Are you heading out already?" cried the servant in surprise as Layla strode toward the heavy front door of Vesta's mansion.
Layla scowled. "Yes. Do not wake Nei. I will be back in ten days."
"Yes, ma'am," squeaked the servant nervously, hurrying to open the door for her. "May you enjoy a safe and pleasant journey!"
With a grunt, Layla pushed past the servant and stepped outside into the cold, early morning air. Stars still glinted far above her, but already a hint of gray dawn crept over the jagged edge of the horizon. It was early, but Layla always left before sunrise on trips like these—it was impossible to depart while Nei was awake. A pleading, tearful look from Nei was all it took to delay her journey by another hour, another day, another week. Layla had learned that it was best to make her escape while Nei was still sound asleep in the suite of rooms they shared here, in Vesta's official residence.
But even the thought of Nei sprawled peacefully beneath the covers of the bed they shared was a distraction that risked delaying Layla's departure. Nei's hair would be escaping in tendrils from its long braid, and her lashes would flutter against her cheeks as she dreamed. She would roll over in her sleep and clutch at a pillow, not realizing Layla was gone.
They had been here in the new city—named after its ruler, Vesta—for years now. Layla had positioned herself as Nei's bodyguard, accompanying the girl everywhere. In the beginning, she had stayed with Nei day and night until it became clear to her that Vesta not only tolerated but actually welcomed Layla's presence. As the city was being rebuilt, Vesta shared her makeshift home with Nei and Layla; as soon as her new residence at the top of the domed city was completed, she granted Layla and Nei an entire wing of the abode to serve as their personal suite.
"Why?" asked Layla when she confronted Vesta in the parlor room one evening not long after they had moved in to the newly completed mansion.
Vesta was watering a small succulent perched in a ceramic pot on an end table. "Why what?"
"Why do you do this for us?"
Vesta put the watering can down. "You, too, need a home," she said softly. "Your family is here."
"My family is dead."
"Mine, too. But you are here. Nei is here."
An impulsive jealousy surged through Layla's heart. "Nei's family is dead, too," she said bluntly.
Vesta raised a hand to touch Layla's cheek. "Oh, Layla…" she sighed. "There's no need to be so hard, at least not here. This is your home. I want you to understand that."
"There's nothing to understand," retorted Layla, abruptly turning away from Vesta.
This was not her home; this was just the cage she stayed it. But she would not stay here forever. If she had a home, it was elsewhere, out on the open plains of Mars.
But even those plains had changed. Water changed the landscape, filling valleys and canyons with lakes and rivers. Plants sprouted out of the dirt and cracks in the rock. The barren deserts Layla had roamed would soon be but a memory, a ghost lost to the past.
Even so, life with Nei and Vesta was not as terrible and confining as Layla had initially feared. The three of them traveled often, touring the planet to reinforce Vesta's status as de facto planetary rule and religious symbol. They would occasionally accompany a special trade caravan to another city to strengthen ties with their neighbors. Every now and again, Vesta spoke of returning to the moon with Nei, but for now, it seemed like satellite communications and the occasional visit by low-level diplomats were enough to maintain a cordial distance between the moon and the planet.
But no matter where they went, Layla always felt Vesta's watchful eye upon her. And when they weren't on the road to other cities, Layla felt trapped, caged, compressed. She found herself longing for wind in her hair, unfiltered light on her skin, and dirt in her shoes. She needed everything that the dome of the city and the walls of this house tried to keep out. The frustration grew unbearable, and violent, angry impulses rumbled deep in her rebellious heart.
That was why she left the city on her own now, without Vesta, without Nei. The first time, she had gone off to spend just a few days camping outside the city dome. Being completely alone again, away from all the people, all the servants and visitors, and away form the confining walls of the house and the repressive dome of the city, was enough to ease Layla's soul. When she returned to Vesta's mansion, she felt refreshed and calm again. And to her mild surprise but admitted relief, she noted that Nei was perfectly capable of managing without her for a little while.
After that first excursion, whenever the need to flee the dome city for the open sky and windswept plains grew too strong, she packed her bag and left. She couldn't predict when the urge to escape would strike, but inevitably the desire to run away would possess her to the point that she could think of little else.
That was just the way of the Barbaroi. Cross would've understood.
On her solitary journeys, Layla came to see that there was work for her to do, out there, beyond the city. It was something Vesta had first suggested, and although Layla had rebelled against the idea out of sheer stubbornness, she eventually recognized the benefits of the new arrangement proposed by the ancient woman. Vesta's plan gave a respectable purpose to Layla's flights into the wilderness, and in return gave Vesta valuable information.
So Layla roamed freely, as Cross once had. Her travel pack contained new seeds developed in Vesta City, containers for collecting soil and plant samples, and data chips for recording all the things she observed on her route. Layla would scatter seeds and check the progress of previously sown plants. Sometimes she walked for days without seeing another human, but she also stopped at different settlements and traded chips and seeds for food and information. Vesta and the city council appreciated the intelligence Layla brought back from each trip; it was routine now that Layla would file a report with the city council upon her return.
"I do like to maintain the rumor that you are out there prowling the wilderness," Vesta admitted to her once. "It deters banditry, if nothing else." She did not have to add that the exaggerated rumors about Layla enhanced her status as an unmatched warrior and strengthened Vesta's own reputation for keeping the legendary Barbaroi under her thumb.
But Layla did not complain. It was a compromise—one she would never have even considered years ago—but somewhere, deep down in a secret recess of her soul, she grudgingly acknowledged that the present arrangement pleased her.
For the first time in a long time, she was happy.
xxxxx
Layla returned from her latest journey after two weeks—only four days late. It was past midnight by the time she passed through the city gates, but she preferred to plow on through the darkness rather than keep Nei waiting yet another night.
In her bag, she carried some carefully sealed plant and soil samples from different parts of the countryside. She had charted the shifting course of the river south of Vesta City, seen firsthand the beautifully flourishing algae farms on Ares Lake, and verified the exciting rumor that some of the semi-nomadic Barbaroi had successfully harvested their fifth annual crop of wheat somewhere out on the plains. It had been a very worthwhile trip.
Layla climbed the last flight of steps to Vesta's mansion and paused in the courtyard to look back out at the night sky. The stars were dimmer here, through the dome glass. But then she turned back to the elegant residence before her, with its warm lights shining through the windows. It was time to go home.
As soon as she was inside, a servant greeted her—someone very astute had long ago made sure that there were no dolls here in the wing where Nei and Layla lived.
"Welcome home," said the servant with a polite bow.
Layla handed over her travel bag. "Here, give this to Vesta," she ordered. Then she dug into her pocket and pulled out a data chip containing all her reports. "And make sure Vesta and her ministers see everything in the morning."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Thanks. That's all."
"Have a good night, Lady Layla," said the servant. But Layla was already hurrying down the tiled corridor leading to the bedroom. She could see light beneath the bedroom door. Wondering if Nei had fallen asleep with the light on again, Layla gently turned the handle and pushed open the door as quietly as she could.
She found Nei standing at the window. Nei wore a pale blue robe, and her loose, waist-length pink hair flowed behind her like a silken veil. The girl turned as Layla stepped into the room.
They stared at each other in silence; there was always that tense moment of unasked questions and unspoken apologies. But before anyone could say anything, they felt into each other's arms. Nei laughed, and Layla basked in the warmth of her body pressed so close. She buried a smile in Nei's soft hair and inhaled the gentle scent of flowers more beautiful than any she had seen growing in the Martian wilderness.
"Layla, I missed you!" Delicate hands tightened their grip on Layla's shoulders.
"Me, too," whispered the tired Barbaroi.
They stayed like that for a little while, clinging to each other in silence, but then Nei pushed Layla back and frowned at her. Nei was almost the same height as Layla now.
"What's wrong?" asked Layla.
"I bet you haven't showered since you left!" she chided, wrinkling her nose as she practically shoved Layla into the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom. Layla made no move to resist. "Don't come out until you're clean again!" shouted Nei, shutting the door in Layla's face.
Layla stood there for a second, but then she heard Nei giggling on the other side of the door.
Amused, she turned on the shower. As steam filled the room, Layla peeled off her filthy clothes and armor. Grains of red Martian sand scattered about as her clothes fell to the clean, marble floor. It was true—she hadn't properly bathed since she'd left. Naked, Layla stepped beneath the hot water pouring from the shower and let out a pleasant sigh as weeks of dirt and fatigue washed away and spiraled down the drain.
It felt wonderful.
When she finished, Layla put on a light nightgown that someone had left for her. When she stepped out into the adjoining bedroom, she found Nei sitting at a small vanity table, brushing her long hair in front of the mirror, as she always did before braiding it for bed. The fact that she had delayed this evening ritual until now meant that she had been purposely waiting up past midnight, hoping that Layla would come home.
Layla walked over to the vanity to stand behind Nei. Wordlessly, she took the brush out of Nei's hands and started smoothing the rose-colored locks herself. Nei leaned back in her chair, eyes closed. They fell into a comfortable silence, as they often did when they were alone together. There was only the barely audible sound of the brush gliding over hair. Then Layla deftly wove Nei's hair into a single, thick braid. She took up the brush once more to smooth over some stray hairs at the top of her head, but then she finally put the brush down on the vanity with a quiet clunk.
Nei tilted her head back and opened her eyes drowsily. "How long will you stay this time?" she wondered. There was no accusation her voice—only curiosity.
"I don't know." Layla never knew when the restlessness would become unbearable again. It could be weeks, months, even half a year before she set out on her next journey.
"Next time, I'll go with you."
The words took Layla by surprise. Nei had already traveled far and wide—to the moon, to other cities on Mars. It was part of her duty as a symbol of Mars reborn. Layla traveled at her side, the loyal warrior-servant following Nei. But no matter where they went, Nei was never allowed back into the wilderness; she had no reason to go there, and the authorities feared any harm might befall their precious icon of hope and renewal. To the people of Mars, Nei was a goddess, borne of Vesta; to the government, the wild woman by the young deity's side was but a grim-faced demon who had proven rather useful.
"They'll never allow it," Layla said.
Nei rose from her chair and approached Layla. With a smile, she twined her arms around Layla's shoulders and pressed herself against her. Through the thin fabric of their nightgowns, Layla could feel Nei's heartbeat.
"Vesta would never allow it," Layla added.
"Vesta is old. I want to see everything you've seen with my own eyes, Layla. I want to go to all the places you've told me about."
Layla put her arms around Nei's slim waist, pulling her even closer. "Why, all of a sudden?"
"I'm the goddess of Mars. I should know everything there is about my world."
A chill ran over Layla. She pulled back to look into Nei's eyes. "Vesta's their 'goddess.' Not you. You're Nei."
"I am as old as Mars, Layla," said Nei, still smiling. "At least, that's what some people say. It's what Vesta is saying."
"And you believe such crap?"
Nei snuggled back against Layla. "No," she said softly. "But I believe that Vesta will not be with us much longer. I must do everything I can to take advantage of this last bit of free time I have. And I must do everything I can to prepare myself for the future."
Layla ran a hand over Nei's head. "You're too young," she said, feeling tightness in her chest.
"Older than you were when you found me. Older than you were when you accepted the mission fate ordained for you."
"That was different," insisted Layla. It unnerved her to hear echoes of Vesta's voice in the way Nei spoke to her.
"You know what they say you are, Layla?"
Layla could think of many different things the people of Mars had called her, but still, she said, "No."
"A ghost. Gaia, the ghost of Earth, come to avenge that world's cruel fate."
"You've been listening to Vesta too much, Nei." She hated these comparisons. Nei was human—not a doll, not an idol, not a god. And Layla was an avenger for no one but herself and her murdered family.
Nei laughed. "I know you're not a ghost." A hand trailed distractingly down Layla's back. "I couldn't touch a ghost like this."
Layla let out a sigh. "Stop talking about that."
"Are you mad?"
"No."
"So you'll take me with you, next time?"
"No."
Nei raised her head. "No?"
Layla shook her head. "No," she repeated firmly.
"But it'd be just like the old days, just the two of us!"
"No."
Nei searched Layla's eyes, a pained confusion on her face. "Why? I want to see the world you've created out there!"
"So Vesta or some government official can say a murderous Barbaroi has kidnapped the beautiful goddess? So that they have an excuse finally to hunt me down and kill me and get me out of their way? Is that what you want?"
Nei's pink eyes widened in shock. "That's—!"
"I can't take you with me," said Layla, a hint of anguish creeping into the edge of her voice.
Nei's brows furrowed, but then her jaw set firmly. "In that case, I'll just take you with me."
"What?"
"When Vesta's gone, I'll set out on my own. And you will accompany me." She drew Layla close and whispered, "You can't take me away, but I can go where I please and take you along. Isn't that right?"
"Ah. Maybe."
"Problem solved, then," said Nei, clearly pleased.
"So no more talking tonight, then," said Layla, tired from her journey and tired of this conversation. She had a lovely woman in her arms, and an empty bed waiting for her. "Let's get some sleep."
"If you say so, Lady Layla," teased Nei before she silenced her dangerous Barbaroi with a warm kiss.
xxxxx
"I've been here before, haven't I."
"Yes, Nei."
They stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the vast floodplain of the Hera River. A patchwork of green and yellow fields covered nearly a third of the river valley, while a young forest and verdant grassland covered the rest. Mars had changed, but it was by no means tamed yet. The wilderness had simply changed its colors, and Layla loved it just as much.
"It's very different now, isn't it," said Nei.
Layla looked over at her. Nei was dressed in a deep purple robe and a light green poncho. Solid, silver-polished armor protected her chest and shins, and her long, pink hair was tied back in a high ponytail and secured with a gleaming ruby pin. It was hard to believe that this elegant woman who now ruled the world had once been a ragtag, androgynous child with blonde hair and mismatched eyes, following an exiled warrior and pretending to be less than human.
"I'm surprised you remember it at all," said Layla after a moment. "You were but a child."
"I remember standing here with you." Nei reached for Layla's gloved hand and squeezed it warmly. "And you held my hand, just like this."
Layla said nothing, but turned her gaze back out over the valley. She had come here several times on her own journeys and stood on this precipice alone, thinking of Nei. It felt strange and wonderful to be here with Nei this time.
"Looking at this landscape, I feel like the darkness of the past has finally lifted." She turned toward Layla.
Layla glanced back at her. Nei's eyes shimmered and her voice trembled with emotion as she said, "Thank you, Layla. Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for making this world beautiful."
Layla touched Nei's cheek. "You're beautiful."
Nei giggled. "Layla!"
Layla moved forward to embrace Nei. "It's true," she said, her voice low and her forehead bumping against Nei's. "You're more beautiful than this place, this valley—this world, Nei."
"I love you, Layla," Nei responded, closing her eyes.
"I love you, too," whispered Layla just before she kissed Nei's lips.
The wind gusted around them, twirling through their hair and stirring the lush grass beneath their feet. The breeze carried the cool scent of water up from the valley, but the sun was warm upon their skin and the whole world seemed to sing with vibrant energy.
As Nei kissed her back intensely, Layla felt her heart soar as high as the wispy clouds in the blue sky.
At last, she was free.