Chapter three

"You left without my permission, again."

"I’m sorry, my lord, but I did learn the location of the ronins."

"You fool, you did not have my permission and we can’t face the ronins at that house. We need the city as the anchor."

"But, we know where to draw them from—"

"How dare you question me! How dare you interrupt me! Get out of my sight before I destroy you as all traitors should be!"

"But master—"

"Out!" and the man was gone, sent who knows where by and amorphous skull. "Dais, Cale, Sekhmet! The viewing window, at once!"

"Yes, my lord? You bellowed?" came Dais’ sarcastic remark.

"Never again dare to speak to me in that tone!" the head bellowed as Dais was flung against the wall.

"My most sincere and humble apologies, master," Dais said as he stood, fuming at the ribbing he knew he would receive from his fellow Warlords once their audience with the master was complete.

"You see the girl," Talpa said as the guestroom in Mia’s house appeared on the viewing window.

In the room were Rhiannon and Onyx. Rhiannon was preparing for bed. One of Mia’s nightdresses lay neatly folded on the bed. Onyx nosed it and whined. "Yes, Onyx, I know. It’s not exactly my usual but it will make do for this evening." She picked up the nightdress and shook it out, examining it more closely, "You know," she said, turning back to the dog, "I do believe that I had a gown like this, many moons ago." Onyx barked. "I know I could, baby, but wouldn’t they wonder where a change of my own clothes came from?"

"Arff." Onyx seemed to agree that whatever her suggestion had been, it was not a very feasible one.

Rhiannon slipped the gown on and appeared as if she was going to say more when a soft scratching at her door interrupted her. She opened it to find White Blaze there, slowly wagging his tail. He mewed at her and sidled in the door. "I missed you too, but you know why we all did what we did." White Blaze seemed to nod his huge head and mewed once more. Rhiannon laughed at the fact that such a small sound could come out of a tiger that was as big as White Blaze. He growled this time and Onyx barked at him. "Yes, I know it’s not funny," Rhiannon said, still slightly laughing. "I also know that you usually spend you nights with Ryo." White Blaze gave her a quizzical look. "But you know that you’re always welcome here," she said with a smile. White Blaze whuffed and hopped into Rhiannon’s bed. Onyx arffed and jumped up next to him, snuggling into his side. A very amusing picture they made, but Rhiannon was not amused. "Just where do you two think I’m going to sleep this evening? And Onyx don’t even think about it, levitating is definitely out of the question." In response, both animals moved down the bed about six inches. Rhiannon decided not to argue. She left her door slightly agar incase anyone felt the desire to leave and crawled into bed herself.

"Master, who is this girl, what does she want with the ronins, and why can’t we hear what is going on?" Cale asked.

"I do not know who the girl is but I want her watched and very closely."

"But why couldn’t we hear anything?" Sekhmet asked.

"I have a suspicion that the monk is protecting her. The tiger is his and it appears to have taken a liking to the girl. Dais, I will forgive your momentary lapse and send you on this mission. Your powers of illusion should prove most useful. In the morning I want you to begin your tail of her. But be forewarned. If I am unsatisfied with your performance I have two others more than willing to take your place."

"But what about—"

"Silence! Dismissed!" and with that Talpa’s head was gone.

"But what about Anubis?" Cale finished, asking his fellow Warlords.

"Who cares about the traitor, I get his mission," Dais gloated.

"Yeah, if you can succeed in keeping your mouth shut," Sekhmet said, upset that Dais was sent on this mission, but reveling in the fact that the master was already highly upset with him. If Dais failed, his head would be served to him on a silver platter. Sekhmet chuckled to himself.

"Well, I am not going to spend any more time in this chamber," Cale said and teleported out. The remaining two Warlords followed suit.

"Who is she? Where do I know her from?" Anubis paced back and forth, wracking his memories for some knowledge of the girl. "And why could I not bring myself to dispatch her? I had a clear shot. I could have taken out the tiger and that hound before anyone else had noticed. The master will destroy me if I fail. Already he has sent me to those horrid priests so that they could torment me beyond reason. And now this constant pain." Anubis clapped a hand over his forehead, which only seemed to make the burning pain worse. He fell to his knees and the "chu" kanji glowed brightly beneath his red bangs. The Warlord cried out once in agony before collapsing unconscious.

***

The two young girls ran and played in the tall grasses. Neither had a care in the world, save catching the other one. Their hair had long since come unbound and it streamed behind them like pure rivers of red and blue.

"Raine! Wait up! You know I can’t run that fast. My legs aren’t lone enough!"

"Mama says it won’t be long now until you’re taller than I am, even though I’m older," Raine said as she waited for her sister to catch up.

"Not by that much. Only a year, so don’t go thinkin’ you’re better then I am."

"Now where would I get an idea like that, Kay? Come on, it’s time to go back. Mama’ll miss us."

"Raine!" came a male voice. "Raine, Kay! Where are the two of you?"

"Hiding!" was Raine’s saucy reply.

"Your mother wants to see you both. You’d better get back."

"We’ll be with her shortly."

"It’s getting dark. I’ll walk you back."

"The sun has not even begun to set. We’ll be fine; you needn’t worry."

"Why do you always speak so formally to him, Raine?"

"Hush, you’ll find out later."

"Still," came the voice, "I’d feel much better if I walked you home."

"Very well," Raine said sounding exasperated, but secretly pleased. "Give us a moment to bind out hair."

***

Time sped forward to a teenage Raine standing before her parents and a monk.

"She is the one. Etheria has chosen her," the monk said.

"Chosen me for what, Mama?"

"Avatar, my child. You will bring honor to our line as host for Etheria."

"She will need a husband to keep the home for her while she is busy with her work," Raine’s father said.

"Yes, my love, but we have already planned that. It has been planned for many years. You know that."

"But will we need to hasten the coming of the ceremony?"

"Of course not," the monk said. "It will be better if it is after the avatar dedication."

"Can we please stop talking about me and start talking to me? I don’t even know what is involved in becoming avatar except the few things Kaos taught me. I don’t even know whom you think I’m going to wed. I don’t know that I want to go through with all of this!"

"My dear, you know you have been trained for avatar since the day you could speak. You were chosen from the day you were conceived. We were only waiting for Etheria to confirm her choice when you turned 18. Come with me and we will talk of these things at length and you can quell your fears. It is a great honor you have been chosen for," the monk said as he led Raine away.

"It’s not fair! Why does she get everything?"

"Kay, she’s older, you know that," her mother said.

"Only by barely a year!"

"She was chosen before she was born. We knew that and you were both raised with that knowledge. It never stopped the two of you from being best friends before. Why should it stop you now that it has been confirmed? Besides, we also know that you are destined for greatness in your own way. Don’t let this come between the two of you."

"Yes, Mama," she said as she slowly returned to her room.

***

"My son, your mother and I feel that it is time to inform you of a decision which will affect the rest of your life." A very authoritative looking man stood in front of his teenage son.

"Yes, Father," the boy said, standing and tossing his long red hair out of his face.

"We would like you to meet the woman you are to marry."

"What! So soon? And do I not have a choice in whom I’m going to spend the rest of my life with?"

"My son, you’re 18 years old. Your mother and I were wed by that time in our lives. And you don’t have to marry her today. We will wait a few more years, we just want the two of you to spend some time together and get to know each other. She is a very special girl. She will bring honor to her line and by marrying into ours, she will bring her honor with her. I believe that you will be happy with our choice," the man said, a knowing smile on his lips.

"Who is she, Father?"

The older man made a gesture and in walked Raine’s parents. She followed shortly, ushered by the monk.

The newly engaged couple stared at each other. Neither could believe that their parents had agreed to this wedding.

"Perhaps we should allow them some time alone to sort through all of this," Raine’s father said. The other three parents agreed and left, leaving only the monk with the couple.

"Remember, my children, this is the beginning of a very special time in your lives. Raine has much ahead of her, she will explain it to you and you both can discuss it." With that, he was gone.

"Come and walk with me. We can talk in the fields."

"Of course," Raine said as she followed her new fiancé out the door.

They walked to the far fields, neither saying a word until they reached a hill overlooking the village.

"I don’t believe they’re letting us do this," he said, turning to face Raine.

"My parents said that this has been planned for years," she replied, turning away.

"Well then," he began with a slight smile, "it’s a good thing we fell in love years ago."

Raine started and turned to look at her fiancé.

"You do love me, don’t you? Because I’ve loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you."

"Oh, Goddess, for so long, I’ve hoped and prayed. Never did I think that you could love me. . ."

"But do you love me?"

"Of course I do. I’ve loved you forever and I will love you forever. I know that we will be together for all eternity. I just can’t believe this. It’s almost not real."
He took her and wrapped his arms tightly around her tiny frame. As his lips descended to meet hers, she tilted her head slightly and her eyes fluttered closed. As lips met in a kiss to seal their love, she whispered his name, "Anubis."

***

Rhiannon twisted in her bed, nearly knocking Onyx and White Blaze off. She started into a sitting position, waking from her slumber. Her eyes opened and filled with tears. Onyx and White Blaze woke also, both staring at her with their soulful eyes. Her eyes shut and the tear spilled over as she whispered a name, "Anubis."

***