Chapter one

"Mia, we’re back," Rowen said as he burst through the door. "And we brought company!"

"Where’d you find another living soul?" Sage asked. "Whoa, who’s the babe?" he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Cool your heels, Casanova, she’s not your type," Rowen said, ushering Rhiannon in the door.

"And how exactly would you know my type?" Sage asked incredulously.

"Because she’s got some semblance of a brain," Rowen retorted.

"She can also speak for herself, thank you very much," Rhiannon said, entering the conversation for the first time.

"Shot down!" Sage gloated.

"What is going on?!" Mia yelled as she came in from her study.

"Ro and I were in the city and we met Rhiannon. Rowen insisted she come home with us," Ryo said trying to prevent Mia from having a fit.

"Ms. Koji, I didn’t want to impose but these young men insisted."

"Oh, don’t worry, it’s no bother. I just like to know what’s going on in my house before it happens," she said casting glances at Ryo and Rowen. "I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name and for some reason you look very familiar."

"I’m Rhiannon Gael."

"The Doctor Rhiannon Gael?"

"Yes, you’re familiar with my work?"

"Of course, my grandfather and I both taught at the university. I took a few of you classes. Where are my manners? Please come into the sitting room. Would you care for some tea?" Mia and Rhiannon meandered into the sitting room leaving Ryo, Rowen, and Sage, who had by now noticed Rhiannon’s resemblance to Lady Kayura, to ponder that striking resemblance.

"So, which of my classes did you take? Oh, and what did you and your grandfather teach? I don’t remember seeing the Koji name on the staff roster."

"My grandfather taught ancient Japanese history. He also translated several ancient manuscripts. I took over his classes and his work on the manuscripts after he passed away thanks to Talpa’s invasion."

"Oh, I’m so sorry. Were you very close to him?"

"He was all I had in this world."

"Then we have more in common than just where we teach."

"Really?"

"Talpa took my entire vil—er—family."

"Oh, my God! How did you manage to survive? How did the warlords miss you?"

"I don’t know. I ran out for my sis—to see if I could do anything but by the time I got there the warriors had all disappeared. There were only a few of us left . . .and they were soon taken and everything had been destroyed. Anyway, we can discuss the unpleasantries later. You said you had taken some of my classes, which ones?"

Mia was more than willing to change the topic of conversation. She did not want to reveal exactly how close she was to the Talpa situation. "I took your modern medicine and healthcare through the ages. I must say that the ancient healthcare class was amazing. It was as if you had been a doctor and lived through all that time."

"Yes, well. . ." now it was Rhiannon who seemed uncomfortable. "I try for that effect. I think it makes the material easier to learn. I can’t believe though, that I had you for two classes and I don’t recognize you."

"It was a few years ago, I’m sure you’ve had many students come through your classroom doors. I’ve always wanted to take your theoretical course on surviving immortality."

"That’s one of my favorite classes. There’s so much to discuss. So many people long for immortality and yet once it’s achieved, there really isn’t anything to look forward to. Unless you want to see friends and relatives grow old and die while you remain unchanged for all eternity."

"I had never thought of it that way. You sound as if you speak from experience."

"Well, that goes back to what we were talking about in regards to the ancient medicine class."

"I’ve always wondered though, why a medical doctor such as yourself would teach a class on immortality?"

"Well. . ."

And so it went on like that. Mia and Rhiannon questioning each other, finding out all kinds of interesting things about each other, and becoming fast friends. But eventually the conversation turned back to Talpa and the dynasty. Rhiannon’s questions focused mainly on what Mia knew of the warlords and Mia kept trying to find out why Rhiannon was so familiar with, and opposed to, the concept of achieving immortality.

"Who’s Mia in there talking to?" Kento asked as he came barreling in from the TV room. "And where’s Sai? It’s almost time for dinner."

"Mia’s talking to the girl Ryo and I met in the city today," Rowen said from his position curled up on an armchair with one of the thickest books Kento had ever seen.

"Try ‘woman,’ Ro. Mia said she was a doctor," Ryo interjected from where he was lying on White Blaze.

"Girl, woman, same difference. She’s a pretty face. Why would she not be my type?" Sage asked as he strolled down the stairs, obviously coming from a primping session.

"Gee, Sage, we knew you were shallow but thanks for showing us just how much," Rowen snickered.

"Hey, I resent that," Sage glowered.

"I don’t care! I want dinner and I want it now!" Kento whined at just the right moment for it appeared that Sage was going to smash Rowen into little bitsy bits.

"Relax, Sai’s in there now. Dinner should be ready in about an hour," Ryo said, attempting to placate Kento.

"Hey, Kento, did you get a good look at Rhiannon?" Rowen queried.

"Dr. Gael," Ryo corrected. "She’s got to be at least twice our age."

"She introduced herself as Rhiannon and she doesn’t look it."
"Is that why you guys don’t want me to date her? Because she’s so much older?" Sage asked.

"SAGE!" Rowen, Ryo, and Kento cried, exasperated. "Is that all you can think about? Surely you notice the resemblance and we don’t want you dating someone like that," Rowen finished.

"Hey, if she wasn’t trying to kill us, I’d go for her."

"You are incorrigible."

"What is going on? The doctor is trying to kill us?" Kento cried.

"No, you just never got around to answering my question—"

"So, now I’m a woman and I’m trying to kill you?"

"No, Kento," Rowen said, trying to calm himself down. "Let’s go back to before we were so rudely interrupted," Rowen snarled while glaring at Ryo, who was, as usual, oblivious to innuendoes. ‘As if he even knows what "innuendo" means,’ Rowen thought. "Anyway," he continued aloud, "did you get a good look at Rhiannon?"

"Sort of, why?"
"And you didn’t notice a resemblance to a certain priestess?"

"What?" Kento asked, thoroughly confused.

‘He’s as bad as Ryo,’ Rowen thought. "Picture her slightly taller, with long blue hair instead of red, and attempting to skewer you with one of her twin jitte."

"The doctor’s got jitte? Where’s she hiding ’em?"

"I know what she’s got," Sage said, wiggling his one visible eyebrow.

"Sage, go take a cold shower," Ryo said without looking up from his book—Language Skills for the Vocabulary Impaired.

"Kento! Are you blind? Rhiannon looks as if she could be Lady Kayura’s twin sister!"

"Oh, my God! And she’s in the house?! Armor of Hardrock! Dao—"

"Kento! Wait! Don’t get so worked up about this. She might not have anything to do with the Dynasty."

"Wait, Ro," Ryo said, marking his place in his book. "What exactly is your opinion of the good doctor? When we first met her you were positive that it was a dynasty trap and that she was really Kayura in disguise. Then you invited her into Mia’s house, sure that she couldn’t have anything to do with Talpa. Then you get Kento all excited about bashing her skull in because she’s Kayura again. Just now you said that she might not have anything to do with the Dynasty. Are you sure you’re alright or did that trip to outer space addle your brain cells?"

"I think," Rowen said cautiously, "that we need to give her some time. I don’t think we should pressure her into telling us how she survived Talpa’s attack. I definitely don’t think that we should tell her why we survived. Maybe she did just get lucky or maybe it is a trap. We should be prepared for anything. There, are you happy now?"
"Yes, just please don’t set Kento off. I don’t really want to have to rebuild Mia’s house."

With that, a shout of "Dinner’s ready!" came from the kitchen and Kento was off, nearly knocking Rowen, Ryo, and Sage over in his attempt to get to the food. In the sitting room, Mia and Rhiannon stood.

"I should go," Rhiannon said.

"Oh, don’t. You must stay for dinner and it’s too dark to go back to the city. Night is too risky a time to travel anywhere. You must stay the evening. Besides," Mia smiled, "I like having another woman around to talk to. The boys are nice but they’re not very understanding."

Rhiannon laughed and said, "Well, since you put it that way, I would very much enjoy staying the evening."

"Wonderful. Wait, you’ll need something to wear to bed. I totally forgot that you didn’t bring anything with you. I think we’re about the same size. One of my night dresses should fit."

"Thank you," Rhiannon was about to say more when another cry erupted from the kitchen.

"If you all want to eat you’d better get here soon! I can’t hold him off much longer!" came Sai’s strained voice.

"Kento is quite the gourmand," Mia said laughingly. "We’d better go."

As they walked into the dining room, Sai turned from serving the meal to greet Mia and when he saw Rhiannon he nearly dropped his bowl. Mia, thinking that his reaction would be like the other guys’ ‘whoa, what a babe,’ proceeded to introduce Rhiannon.

"Sai, I’d like you to meet---"

"Lady Kayura!!" Sai screamed.

"You know Kayura?" was Rhiannon’s instantaneous response.

Seven pairs of eyeballs stared at Rhiannon as she realized that she had just given herself away.