"Yes, Father," answered Haruhi in a very formal voice as she descended on one knee and placed a fist over her chest. She had been waiting for this day. They day she would prove herself worthy to her Father and the Nation. It was an uplifting feeling. Knowing that you were being trusted with a mission that would consist of only you going on a journey by yourself out of the forest that had been your safe Haven for 118 years.
"My daughter," King Ranka began again in an almost peaceful voice. She along with the rest of the crowd began to wonder why the King seemed to be so relaxed about his only daughter leaving on such a dangerous mission. It was well known throughout the kingdom how much he treasured her. "I give you this scroll to guide you in your mission, but it must not be opened until you have left the forest." Haruhi took the scroll reverently as she looked into her Father's saddened eyes. It was inlaid with the finest of silver in small vines and roses that were so detailed they seemed to move of their own accord around the oak protector. Now she saw the fear that her Father had been keeping well hidden from his audience enter his eyes before he said the ceremony's last words. Though it wasn't as great a fear as she had expected. "Do not return unless your mission is complete. If you fail to uphold the standards listed, you will no longer be allowed to step foot into the Haven without fear of death. Do not fail." King Ranka seemed to wheeze out that last bit as if trying to hold back the Old Words that had been written down centuries before him.
Haruhi looked deep into the eyes of the Father that would have given up his life for her as she said the final words that would send her out on her journey. "I will not return until I have fullfilled your request." With her part spoken, she turned on her heel and strode through the path made by the parting crowd as they watched their Princess leave through the huge white Greek columns standing between the King's Hall and the Outside World.
She looked around the Elven village that she had lived in her whole life. She might never see it again, so it would be good to take it in to its fullest the last time she strode through it. The sweet air that filled her nostrils as she breathed deeply to inhale the almost toxic fumes of the Elves well kept gardens and the old Oaks of the Haven. Several old storeholders sat in their stalls waiting for her to pass by. They were so brave. She was the only Princess that had been born to their King since most of them could remember. The Elves were ageless and only died if by disease or wound. If an Elf chose to remain in the safety of the Haven with its tall protecting branches, they would never die. Elves were the chosen people of the Oaks. Trees had a mind of their own despite what others may think, and the Oaks of Haven protected their people. Haruhi knew this. It had been made clear to her many times that her real duty and danger would start outside of the Haven as her true quest to become the Heir to the throne began. Her people needed to be able to rely on someone to help them in times of need. They depended on the wise Questing Council to set her a task to test all that she should be rather than what she was. I will be the best they have ever seen, she silently vowed as she stepped outside of the great iron gate that guarded their city.
The trees seemed to usher her protectively toward the edge of the Haven. She laid her hands on the great trunks as she passed and remembered all the times a younger her had played in this great wood though never alone. Ranka always had his most trusted advisor's son Kyouya come along to watch her. She smiled as she remembered the way she had pulled and tugged at him to explore and search for the most amazing parts of the Haven. He would just push up his glasses and shrug as if he wanted to but had far better things to do. Luckily, Haruhi was not one to easily give up. She would pull and chatter about the magnificent waterfall over the rise or the magical unicorn grazing beyond just a few trees till he came around to her way of thinking. She was a wild sort of child back then when she was in the woods. But to be by her father as princess she had to grow up quickly. That's why she always looked forward to the times when she could drag the future advisor off to the sweeping trees. Back then, she was sure that Kyouya was secretly grateful to her for taking him away from his own father's strict schooling to play deep in the forest till the magic called her home. Her reasoning was based on the nervous and numerous glances he would shoot her way as she walked by him and his increasingly fast consents to participate in her forest antics. She laid a hand on a tree trunk that had watched her and him grow up for as long as she could remember.
Haruhi rested her hands under her head and lay her head against the tree as she whispered to it, "Did you miss me when I didn't come around, my friend?" As she became older, her freedom had been steadily restricted till she could no longer visit her beloved forest. She had dreaded that for as long as she could remember even though it was made clear to her on her first visit that her duties would grow until she took the Quest that would decide her fate. Haruhi almost swore she felt the tree sigh under her warm touch as only an old friend would. She closed her eyes to just take in the moment. She wanted to remember everything.
SNAP!
Haruhi stayed still as if not noticing anything. Her lukewarm chocolate eyes slowly opened as if she was just being roused from her revelrie. It would not do to alert whatever was hiding in the forest around her of her sure awareness. She swept the surrounding trees with her eyes to see if anything had been noticed by them. After all, she was technically under their charge until she passed their boundaries. As one of their children, they would warn her if her nearby companion was dangerous. After no sign from the great Oaks, she pressed on determined to find her follower, but, if the trees said that it was not dangerous, she would believe them for now. Perhaps it was just a wild animal snuffling through the brush.
She traveled until the high sun had just began to drop behind the lowest of tree tops. The forest was putting on an almost inpentrable cloak of darkness that summoned all creatures to their dens except for a few choice night-dwellers. She could've traveled to the edge of the forest if she traveled all night but chose instead to stay the night in the Haven. After all, she may never see it again, and she had rather face the dangers outside during the daylight hours when it would be easier to assess the terain and any potential dangers. As she began to set up camp, she saw all manner of animals pass by. Once she even saw a unicorn. He was a deep dark blue that rivaled the night sky. He had walked up to her camp and begged in a sweet lilting voice to lay his head in her lap so that he might have the company of a virgin maiden that night. She had declined quite sharply because it was unutterably hard to deal with the sappy beasts. For their seemingly simple requests, they were awful company and little help when dealing with practically anything.
After the day creatures settled and night creatures became fairly active, she laid her bedroll out to just lay and watch the branches sway. She had no fire for there were no dead trees nearby to help in constructing such a thing and no water to put it out. The Elves never cut down the precious Oaks but instead harvested them when they fell against the elements. It just seemed wrong to them to kill even one precious tree for they were their children. Almost like murder. That's why our heroine was accustomed to the dark. Because the Elves hardly ever made a fire it was a prized trait to possess the ability to see in almost any dark. Haruhi had had this trait ground and trained into her as all children had but more so because of her status. She closed her eyes for a moment to rest.
A light began to play over her eyes till it made strange shadows dance upon her eyelids. She cracked an eye open to see the Haven's own resident fairy standing in front of her glowing with an unearthly light. He was so old yet never aging a day. Even the elders didn't know what deed he did to be able to live in the Haven or who had given him permission to remain. She watched curiously as he sat down beside her and affixed his mysteriously glowing eyes upon her. It was hard to believe he had actually approached her. During all her years exploring in the forest, she had only seen him at a distance with that silent smile on his face that showed the Faery beauty to its fullest. For all creatures had their own esteem of what was beautiful, but the fairies were widely known to have the most admirable beauty in both male and female.
He looked at where a fire would be if she had bothered, and his glow dimmed to surround him by only a few inches. "I'm sure the Princess will not fail." He sounded as if he were talking about a person he would never meet rather than one he had so casually aproached by himself. "She is so strong and cunning."
He reached out to stroke her cheek and she stayed still as if in an unbreakable trance. Her eyes took in the rough curves of his face and broad shoulders. The face its self was a bit frightening, but the eyes told the of a gentleness she had never known in her short life. His waist tapered to an almost unbelievable smallness that was accented by the first article of clothing. A belt with the crest of her family on it. An Oak branch over a maiden. His trousers were of the finest woven linen that seemed to have no wear in them even though she sensed that they were very old just like the one wearing them. He had no boots or even the oddly fashioned shoes that many older fairies prefer though his long toes looked as graceful as anything that could befit a foot. He wore no shirt since it was the summer. His muscled chest rippled with controled power as he shared numerous thoughts through his glowing green eyes while looking up at an odd angle through his, at least she thought it was, golden hair.
"I have a parting gift for my Princess," he murmured with a cool slowness. As he reached into his pack, Haruhi's eyes couldn't help but follow him. He withdrew a jar of a liquid golden substance or at least she thought that was the color from the odd glow. She watched him dip a long and somewhat bony finger into the liquid and rub it on his lips a bit shyly. It rather surprised her when a darker shade of green crept over his cheeks. It was the first emotion other than the coolness he had mantained until now.
He reached toward her face and clasped her cheeks with his hands. She stayed still when he began drawing her face toward his even while he pulled himself toward her. It was almost like a magic when his lips grasped onto the corner of her mouth. She couldn't think. He slid his lips on to a full kiss that was tender and magical. She tasted the honey, for that was what it was, in her mouth, yet it was like no other honey she had ever come in contact with. Its taste spoke of the dark. Of places that surrounded you with mysteries far different than the Haven and the feeling of the moonlight on bare skin. The taste overwhelmed her until she realized she was quite out of breath. She opened her eyes feverishly to see him with that odd darker green almost overwhelming his face while he took in her eyes.
He leaned even closer to her till his mouth was right beside her ear and whispered,"This is my gift. You may call me and no matter where you are I will always hear and come. I will aid you to the best of my ability. Just speak my name. Sairan." He rose to leave, but Haruhi caught his wrist in her tender hand.
"I have questions," she said as she searched his eyes for an answer.
"We all do," Sairan said then looked out toward the trees and smiled silently before turning his gaze back to her. "I will grant you one question."
"I have three," she stated.
"You have many less than me, Princess," he said in that deep musical voice he possessed. "I shall answer two then. Does that suit you better?"
Haruhi pondered this very carefully. Faeries were very tricky with their presents, but she had seen no deciet in his solid questions. "Why do you do this for me?"
"It is a story that is long, and I have almost let fade to memory. It hurts to still know that it happens," he smiled while looking at her but seeing something else entirely. "I believe I shall be a part of your Quest. It has happened before, and I am sure it may happen again considering all others sent failed."
Haruhi waited until she believed he would say no more. "Do you always glow that green color?" She thought she had offended him when his face stretched to an unbelievably dark glow.
Then he laughed. His laugh was like a deep chime despite the fact that he looked as if he was about to die from overuse of the obviously barely used emotion of pure pleasure. She watched in almost awe as tears of pure silver sprung from his eyes till he quieted down. "I haven't laughed like that in a long time, my Princess," chuckled the faery. "It was you who gave me that gift. I will always thank you for that." He came so close to her face that his warm breath almost stung. "I am a Dark Faery. My power is from the shadows. If you saw me in the light of what you call day away from the shade of these trees, I would appear quite normal." He backed up and stood with that knowing smile on his face.
"Someone follows you," he whispered almost to himself.
"Is it dangerous," she asked sharply.
"That is three questions," he smiled softly. "But I will answer nonetheless. Do not worry or even fear. You will see his face soon enough." With that, he bowed and his glow winked out to a small body of green light and flitted off through the trees.
Haruhi sat in awe for more than a moment as her mind processed the events. All the questers failed the Dark Faery? Or is it Sairan? She stored that name mentally in her mind for later use. It might be the one thing that would keep her Quest in tact later. Her mind swirled with other facts. His answers about her follower were not clear in any way at all. Though he did say she was safe for now. Could she trust him? There was no use worrying over it tonight though, so she attempted to drift off to sleep in the once glowing place. And drift off she did.
--
The morning dawn lay over the Haven like a gentle mist. Haruhi was packed and ready to go. Her night had not been as peaceful as it had at first. That honey scent kept waking her to the feeling of the strangely beautiful creature from the night's lips pressed solidly against hers. Haruhi shook her head. Such dreams were not good for her. That was not the way to start off a journey. She should have dreams of the quest to come more than that of such a strange occurence as what took place before.
The quiet shade was all around her as she pressed on through the forest. Occasionally she heard a tell tale rustle come from behind her that witnessed of her very adamant stalker. Some would consider this turn of events a bit unruly and creepy, but it made her feel rather safe. Neither the trees nor the faery had foretold of danger from this follower. She would trust their judgement.
Later, as she neared the hottest part of the day, a light could be seen coming from ahead. She was a bit afraid but more curious than anything. This would mark the first time she had ever ventured outside the Haven. And could possibly be the last time she would ever see it. It felt wierd to take her death into consideration for the first time. She had always been aware of the possibility, but it hadn't seemed real until she saw the light between the trees. Without time to regret her decision, she flung herself outside of the Haven and turned to look back one last time. The trees suddenly appeared foreboding and dangerous as if they hadn't been her companions for the last century or so. It pained her to lose the magnificent forest, but, as her personality is, she chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she looked out to the new land which she would be traveling.
Rolling hills bordered the horizon with its unblocked sun as in bore down upon her. She had never seen such an open area or the sun with its full power. Haruhi was amazed at the sheer newness of the landscape. While living in the forest, she had not seen any such beauty. The cleared land was so green and bright. It was enough to make her head reel with uncontrolled pleasure as she looked all around her. She turned circles while trying to catch the whole land in one glance as she whirled. Colors swirled and swam before her eyes as a light breeze picked up a few flowers that had been lying on the swept green land.
She twirled until sheer dizziness rocked her till she fell down the hill that she had been perched upon. As she fell, a shape darted from the bushes and grabbed her as she rolled down the hill to an abrupt stop. She lay on her back in the soft grass as the swirling breeze died down and deposited its debris around the tangled couple. With apparent shock in her eyes, she looked at the gorgeous Elf splayed on top of her. His coal black hair framed his face as his shoulderlength ponytail struggled to stray from its bonds. Deep almost black eyes stared at her in a form of disbelief and coldness. "Kyouya," she whispered.
He jerked backwards in a split second, moving only as an Elf can move. Kyouya turned his back to her and held a hand to his head. This brightness of the open world was not to his liking. It glared perpetually down on him to a point where if he had his glasses on he was sure he would go blind just from remaining in this oppressive sun's prescence. He much more preferred the cool deep Haven to this torturous place. He broke from his revelrie to see Haruhi looking at him in disbelief.
"Kyouya," she said again. She recognized him even without his glasses. It was his personality that made his identity irrevocably clear. "Why are you here?" She knew him. Kyouya in the years after their escapades ended had become almost addicted to his books as he studied and prepared to become the King's next top advisor. He would not leave the courts where he was praised as the greatest mind (translation = manipulator) of his generation without good reason.
"Hmmm," Kyouya replied in a non-committed way. He had gotten himself into a real mess this time. Okay. What is a good plausible reason why I have been following the Princess around in the woods for the past two days, he thought to himself as he stroked his chin. Unfortunately, the poor and definitely non-woodsy teen could come up with no good reason for his previous actions other than the truth which was frankly quite embarassing. He silently cursed King Ranka and his father as he began to reveal the truth to our heroine. "Well, you see," he began.
"Yes," prompted Haruhi as her eyes narrowed.
Kyouya glanced at the current Quester briefly before stating,"Your father sent me."
"Why?"
"He claimed to want me to protect you. He fears for your safety."
Haruhi considered this answer carefully. If her father truly feared for her safety that much, he would have sent a skilled swordsman or Royal Guard. But she let herself briefly entertain the thought that perhaps her father had some other reason in sending Kyouya in particular. He had always had a soft spot for the boy. That settled it! Kyouya was not telling her the whole truth. "Kyouya, what is the real reason my Father pulled you away from your books and court," she asked with suspicion evident in her voice.
Kyouya winced. He hated not having his glasses. This would be the perfect time to toy with them so he could look quite smug when he answered her question. Haruhi would get it out of him eventually no matter how much he tried to supress it. It was just a matter of time, so why not reveal it in the first place?
"Your father offered me your hand in marriage if I could safely guide you through your quest," he relented.
