The original that I sent was mangled so I'm reposting:
I first decided to include this in the 'Looking for Home'
series, but I was hesitant so I decided to give the guy
his own series. Technically this is a prologue, so not
much action here. I may still decide to include him in
the 'Looking for Home' saga ( Yes,saga. From my es-
timations it's going to be at least pulp novel-length)
Disclaimer:
The only guy here that belongs to me is Attis.
All the others belong to the great Naoko Takeuchi.
**************************
[Silver Millenium, A Long Time Ago]
The beauty of the ballroom was breathtaking. The polished
marble floors, the beautiful golden arches and the paintings
on the ceiling enhanced the grandeur of the place. But, if
the place alone was beautiful, the people who filled it were
more so.
Handsome men in dress uniforms, complete in their full regalia
and beautiful women in their stunning evening gowns danced
upon the shiny marble floors to the music of one of the best
musical troupes in the Kingdom of Erewhon, the most powerful
kingdom on Earth. They glided gracefully upon the dance floor,
each pair of dancers as equally magnificent as the others.
However, one particular pair was a cut above the rest. The other
dancers had noticed this and they stopped to admire the pair.The
man was tall and clean-shaven, black hair delicately combed. He
wore a gray dress uniform, tunic and pants, the only signs of
decoration were the roses embroidered into his collar ,the epaulets
shaped in the form of roses and a ceremonial sword at his side
with a rose at the crosshilt. He was a bit lanky, but with his pose
and self-confident smile he managed to look like a gallant knight.
The woman in her own way looked like the princess which he served.
Her hourglass figure was enhanced by the form-fitting purple evening
gown. Her flaming red hair that reached the small of her back was
kept in check by an ebony tiara. Her emerald eyes looked back at
her partner with a mixed look of annoyance and affection. A smile
was on her ruby-red lips, though it was a lot more subdued than her
partner's. They danced through the intricate steps of the dance, both
of them moving in clockwork motion, with a lot more added finesse.
As the piece ended, the two bowed at the applause they received
from their audience. They moved away as the band struck up another
tune. The man took two crystal glasses of wine from a passing server
as the pair moved to entrance to the balcony to get some air and rest
a bit after their recent dance.
' Here, Milady, a glass of wine for your parched throat.'
' Thank you, Milord.' she said as she accepted the glass, taking a sip.
' You know I hate it when you call me that.' He said a touch of annoyance
in his voice.
' You call me Milady, I call you Milord.' She said ,her smile widening a bit.
' OK, Beryl. You win again.'
' My dear Attis, you should know by now that I always win.' A trimphant grin
breaking out on her face. Attis laughed softly , took a sip of his wine and looked
down at the palace grounds. The full moon was reflected from the waters of the
fountain. The trees and shrubbery that lined the walkways around the large pool
formed by it were dark, very fortunate for some of the more enthusiastic couples,
he thought. A slight grin was on his face as he saw a giggling couple duck into
the darkness.
' It's a beautiful night, isn't it ?' he asked Beryl as he looked to her.The moonlight
brought out the highlights in her hair and her face framed by her red tresses was
extraordinarily beautiful.
' Yes, Attis. It's very beautiful. It fits the event.'
Attis favored her with a sideward glance.
'Beryl, I know you didn't come to socialize. You're here because of Endymion,correct ?'
He said as he set the glass away and put both his hands on the balcony railing.
'And what if I was ? Is there any problem in that ?'
'No. But the last time I looked there was a really,big ten year gap between 18 and 28.'
Beryl's eyes roved over the palace grounds, ignoring her companion's statement.
'Come on,Beryl. This obsession with my nephew can't be good for you. It's unhealthy.
Listen to a friend's advice. We've been friends for what ? 20 or so years now ?'
Beryl responded with an arched eyebrow and a withering glance.
'OK,OK, I didn't exactly act civil when we first met. By the Seven, I was six years old !
It was perfectly normal me to douse you with a bucket of water.'
Beryl remained silent as she looked to the palace grounds.
' I still don't know why you're fixated on Endymion. Hellfire, you can have your pick
of the nobles with your beauty alone.'
' You've always been good at laying on the flattery, Attis.'
' I'm not kidding. You've got power. You've got beauty. You've got-'
' A question, Attis. How many of the nobles would love me for who I am ?'
' Uhm.....ah.....uhm.'
A short,bitter laugh came from Beryl's lips.
' We both know that everyone who courts me, courts me because I'm heir to
the second most powerful kingdom on Earth. If I were just a minor noble I would'nt
be receiving that many suitors. My reputation would make sure of that.'
' Well, you _are_ a bit short-tempered. And I still believe that kneeing the Crown Prince
of Lemuria in the groin when you didn't think highly of his advances didn't help any.Though
I still think he's a total bastard.'
They shared a light laugh. Beryl became serious as she looked out again at the palace
grounds.
' And that is why I love your nephew,Attis. He is unlike your ordinary young prince. He
respects people for what they are. I've seen him treat servants with respect. Even the
lowliest peasants, if he thinks that they deserve it. He is lot like you in that respect. All
the others are snobbish brats who couldn't care less. That is my reason. I intend to have
him as my husband.You don't have anything to say that can change that.'
Attis looked at her thoughtfully and sighed.
' What if I said that I was proposing marriage to you ?' He said as he looked away from
her. Beryl's eyes widened as she looked to her old friend.
' You're joking, right ?'
Attis was silent.
' If you....if you asked....if you proposed, then I would say no.' Beryl stuttered out her
answer.
Attis kept his mouth shut and contemplated the moon upon the placid waters of
the fountain. The music from the ballroom behind them was the only sound they could
hear as the pair was silent.
' I can't marry you, Attis. I never thought of you that way. You were like the brother I
never had. I could never - ' Beryl's soliloquy was interrupted by the trumpeting fanfare
from inside. Prince Endymion had arrived.
' Excuse me, Knight of Roses. I must present myself before the Crown Prince.'
Beryl bowed before she reentered the ballroom.
Attis was silent for awhile as he still looked into the palace grounds. The marble
cracked slightly from his clenched hands. He smiled ruefully as he brought out a
small black box and opened it. A exquisitely detailed ring topped by a fire opal,
a girasol, looked back at him. It glittered in the moonlight as it shifted from azure
to lavender and crimson, shifting it's hues constantly as all girasols are known to do.
' What is it about me and women,' he said softly, as he looked from ring to the
full moon, ' that always has me ending up on the floor, cleaning up a thousand
pieces of my broken heart ?'
******************
Once again have I begun a series that I don't know if I could finish or continue.
<sigh>
If any of you guys and gals have an idea where I should take this one. Send
them over.
As always C&C is requested.
__________________________________________________________
' Writers are the torchbearers of civilization. We're set in a corner only we
can illuminate.Some of us are searchlights, able to cast a beam into the
far reaches of the human soul.Some of us are candles , barely able to
sustain a glow against the darkness. Nevertheless the words I write
are important, because light is additive. Another's light doesn't diminish
my own. Our lights together make us stronger.'
- (After much paraphrasing and reaaranging) Roger Martin
' ... there's a hell
of a universe next door ; let's go '
e.e. cummings ' Pity the Busy Beast Manunkind '
' How can a person live in a world where she can hear voices only she
can hear and visions that only she can see ?'
- (Paraphrasing) Shirley Jackson