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Enchanted Night	By : EmpressMoonchildOfFantasia Category: M through R > Neverending Story Views: 3814 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The names, people, places, etc of The NES are all owned by the late Michal Ende & Warrnor Bros. Copyright � 1984. I'm just borrowing them for fun. I do not own anything but the plotline of this fic.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Chapter Rating: T: [for Suggestive Dark Theme woven into the chapter]
DISCLAIMER: The names, people, places, etc of The NES are all owned by the late Michal Ende & Warrnor Bros. Copyright © 1984. I'm just borrowing them for fun. I do not own anything but Brijatte, Luanna, Twyla, Lupianya, Sertala, Jazeminya, Jesmandala, Jezenya and the plotline of this fic.
Later that night, in the second room of her private living quarters, Moonchild was seated at her dressing table surrounded by four out of the five handmaidens who were on duty that night. The four handmaidens, including Twyla, were daintily bustling about around and near the dressing table tending to their various duties they had been assigned to by Brijatte in order to help The Empress get ready for bed. Moonchild's Second-in-Command handmaiden, Luanna, was on the other side of the room where she was in the middle of arranging the evening wear Moonchild had worn earlier.
"So how was your afternoon with Atreyu?"
"It was fine." Moonchild replied vaguely.
The five handmaidens looked at each other over Their Empress's head. They could sense there was more to the story then Their Empress was telling them. From the look of love shinning in her eyes they could tell that Their Empress's afternoon with the Great Warrior and Buffalo Hunter had been MORE then just 'fine.'
Jezenya, who was brushing out Moonchild's long, long hair, glanced over at Luanna, who was over by The Empress's set of wardrobes still putting garments away, Their eyes met and Jezenya silently asked her Second-in-Command Handmaiden if her aunt had retired for the night. After a long puase, Luanna nodded, confirming that her Aunt Brijatte had indeed gone downstairs to her own living quarters to retire for the night and would not be back up here till the morning.
This settled, Jezenya turned back to her task of freeing the tangles from The Empress's fine mass of hair. As she ran the brush gently over a section of hair that had a knot in it, she paused for a minute, then spoke, "We know you're not telling us EVERYTHING Moonchild." She expertly worked her way through the troublesome knot. "We're not Blind, you know. We've seen the look you've been wearing on your face and in your eyes all evening and we are suspecting that we are correct about the meaning behind it." There was a slight tug and a moment later the knot came undone.
Luanna, who was not only The Empress of Fantasia's Second-in-Command Handmaiden, but also Moonchild's VERY best female friend, halted in her task of smoothing out the wrinkles of the dinner gown Her Empress had worn that evening. Laying the garment she was in the middle of preparing to put back away in the wardrobe that contained all of The Empress's dinner gowns and dresses, she purposefully walked over to where her four fellow handmaidens were grouped around The Empress who was seated on a plush rectangular armless and backless seat that had white-gold legs and a satin ivory cushion. She motioned for Jezenya to hand over the brush and, with a wave of her hand, motioned her to please step aside for a moment, Taking up the brush Jez had handed over, Luanna took over the task of brushing out Moonchild's fine, long hair with careful, even strokes. Knowing she was about to breach what possibly could be a sensitive matter, she stayed silent for many moments as she ran the brush, then a wide-toothed comb over and over through her mistress's hair. Then, very slowly, she laied the comb down on the table and placed her hands gently on Moonchild's shoulders.
Fixating her gaze solely on their mirrored reflections in front of them, Luanna quietly asked Her Empress: "Do You Love Him?"
Startled, Moonchild replied just as softly, "What!?'"
Gently turning the long seat around so that they were now facing one another, Luanna squatted down in front of Her Empress and stared deep into her eyes. "Are You in Love With Him?" She repeated, her tone gentle but firm at the same time.
Seeing fear manifest in Moonchild's eyes Twyla spoke up: "You don't have to be afraid, Moonchild. You know FULL WELL None of us OR Anyone Else on the Staff will EVER betray you OR Atreyu by squealing in ANY shape or form to that Bitch of an Aunt of Luanna's or That Control-Freak of an Asshole Who Calls Himself your 'Head Adviser/Head Servant' about the truth of your and Atreyu's relationship."
Swallowing, Moonchild paused as she looked over the five females she loved as much as if they were her own sisters.
"It's all right." Jesmandala said gently, "Come on. You can tell us."
Her gentleness was what released the fear from Moonchild's eyes and heart.
"Yes." The Empress of Fantasia admitted softly, staring deeply into each and every one of her 'sisters' eyes "I do love him." Then her eyes filled with tears as a wistful smile lighted up her face.. "I love him so very, very much..."
Five pairs of arms embraced her in one big, loving group hug.
"We KNEW there was something more then 'just very best friends' going on between you two!" Twyla replied, her little arms around Her Empress's waist and her Elfen face alight with glee. "Anyone who isn't Blind Enough-"
"Or Stupid Enough." Interrupted Jazeminya with a smirk
"Can see what's happening between Atreyu and yourself." Twyla finished.
"Is it THAT Obvious?" Moonchild let out a shaky laugh, wiping her eyes.
"No!" Jazeminya laughed along with Her Empress "Of Course Not!"
"But, Anyone-and I mean the other ninety-eight percent of the Royal Staff-including my six fellow Handmaidens and myself-have seen how subtle hints of love have begun to show themselves between the pair of you over this past year." Luanna concluded.
"Oh, My Gods..." Moonchild's head dropped into her hands, a wave of shocked embarrassment washing over her. "I'm So Sorry...We didn't mean to...We didn't know..."
"Don't." Jaz snapped. "Don't you or Atreyu EVER apologize for what has happened, is happening and could or will happen between you." She reached over and removed Moonchild's hands from her face. Taking her mistress's chin between her fingers she lifted The Empress's head so that she was staring straight into her eyes. "Neither One of You Should Feel Ashamed of the love you have for one another. NOT EVER. What the pair of you have between you is Special. Very Special And Very Rare. it's a Gift that not many, if any, other Fantasians can claim they have experienced with their spouses or partners. So Treasure it and Whatever time you two can steal for each other-on a daily basis if possible." Jaz then gently released Moonchild's chin but still held her steely gaze. "Do You Understand?"
"Yes I Do. " Moonchild whispered. "And I Thank You My Handmaidens and Any Other Members of the Royal Staff who have decided to open their hearts and minds and become the family I've never had."
"We All Love You. Both of You." Jes said. "And We want Only The Best for You Moonchild."
"I only wish I could say the same thing about Cairon and Aunt Brijatte..." Luanna said dryly.
Moonchild gave her a questioning Look.
"Well..." Luanna continued slowly, "I'm getting the strange feeling that even though Cairon and Aunt Brijatte say They Care about You and Your Well Being and that They Claim They Want Only the Best for You, My Empress...I'm Not So Sure They Really Mean It..."
A worried look crept into the Empress's eyes.
"But then again, We All KNOW what a pair of Fanatical Control-Freaks they are." Jes pointed out.
"Yeah." Twyla's little voice piped up, "EVERYONE on the Royal Staff KNOWS that Cairon absolutly HATES Atreyu and CAN'T STAND the fact that he's 'in the presence of Our Empress' every month."
"That coupled with the fact that ever since the Nothing eight years ago, Aunt Brijatte has become MORE paranoid about losing you."
"Unless, of course, it's to a Fantasian Nobleman." Jaz's tone also held a dry note to it.
"So you might be right Jes..." Luanna sighed, tucking back a stray hair threatening to escape from her circulated mass of braided hair. "It may be nothing...But then again...You Never Know..."
"I wouldn't worry about it unless need be." Jes consoled both The Empress and her Second-in-Command Handmaiden. "Besides, there's no proof let alone any truth to what you're feeling Lu." She glanced at her friend. "No Offense."
"I'm not offended. Don't worry about it."
The two women hugged.
"What We DO need to worry about," Jez said, looking hard at her fellow handmaidens over Her Empress's head, "is How, among Us Staff Members that Do AND Support the Gift of Love between Atreyu and Our Empress, Do We keep Cairon and Brijatte from finding out that their fears about their relationship are confirmed?"
"Do you think they know already? And they're keeping it to themselves?..." Twyla's fearfully gasped.
"No." Luanna stated firmly. "I just Know for a Fact there is a SLIM chance Aunt Brijatte and Cairon suspect there MAY be something much more then 'just friendship' between Atreyu and Moonchild. But they're both SO Full of Themselves and are SUCH a pair of Snobs in the first place, I wouldn't be surprised if they've convinced themselves that the very thought of a Such a Thing as a Buffalo Hunter from the Great Plains being in a VERY serious AND possibly INTIMATE relationship with The Empress of Fantasia is impossible. The sheer notion of anything MORE then a 'platonic friendship' between Atreyu and Our Empress would be TOO MUCH for their minds to conceive-let alone deal with. In thier minds and eyes Atreyu is on the same level as a stablehandler-if not statusally lower then that."
"So you're saying they're choosing NOT to see what's obviously there in front of them?" Jes asked
"What I'm saying Jes, is that Cairon and Aunt Brijatte are MORE THEN choosing not to see what Fate has put before them... They are Full-On Blind and in Very Deep Denial to the truth that Atreyu and Moonchild were DESTINED to be a couple and watch over Fantasia TOGETHER! Cairon and Aunt Brijatte are Obvious to the fact that Fate Itself decided this for Our Empress and Atreyu a long, long time ago. Possibly Even Before the Arrival of The Nothing."
Four Pairs of Jaws were Hanging Open.
"Are You Serious Lu!?" Twyla was looking up at her in astonishment.
"Yes, Twy." Luanna smoothed a sisterly hand over the half-elf's hair. "I'm Dead Certain about this."
"Oh...My...Gods..." Jesmandala had her hands over her mouth, her eyes as round as saucers. "You think that Atreyu and Moonchild were chosen to be one another's Life-Mates?"
"Not Just Life-Mates." Jazeminya stared Jes dead in the eyes. "Soulmates. And that's something that goes much, much deeper and is MUCH more Rare."
"I've heard about that..." Twyla breathed, awestruck. "From the stories I've heard it's supposed to be one of, if not, THE MOST Strongest Bond of Love in existence. It's also supposed to be THE RAREST Form of Love from what I've been told."
"Come to think of it..." Jaz looked as if she were deep in thought. "A couple being soulmates is SO rare that it's become more of a legend then a story. Especially here in Fantasia." She chewed on her lower lip absentmindedly, thinking hard, "In fact...I don't think I've EVER heard of let alone come across a pair of genuine soulmates. Not in my lifetime anyways."
"Or our Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great grandparents lifetimes either" Jes added.
"You know...there may have been a pair of Fantasian soulmates or two during our oldest ancestors lifetimes... But Not One Being in Fantasia knows for Certain if such a thing has EVER happened in Fantasia." Luanna mused. "If it did...it happened SO long ago nobody remembers whom or when. It's like Jazeminya said... A couple, particularly a Fantasian couple, being True, Genuine Soulmates is more of a wistful rumor or, better yet, a legend rather then a story with bits of truth hidden in it."
"Still. We need to figure out how to help Our Empress and Atreyu." Jaz pointed out. "Brijatte and definitely Cairon'll go ballistic if they come across OR catch Atreyu and Moonchild in even THE MOST simplest acts of love. Even something like a chaste kiss on the lips is considered scandalous and taboo in their minds." A wicked gleam sparkled in her eyes. "Can you imagine what would happen if Moonchild and Atreyu become lovers in every sense of the word and Cairon and Brijatte somehow discovered it?"
"Oh, My Gods!..." Twyla couldn't help giggling, her hands over her mouth. "They'd Kill them For Sure! Especially Atreyu!"
"It's not funny Twyla!" Jez snapped. 'Take that look off your face right now!"
Twyla's giggles ceased immediately, her Elfen face sobering, her already fair skin tone going even paler from guilt over her ill-timed behavior as she meekly lowered her hands and folded them in front of her.
"They'd kill them anyways." Luanna said, a little sadly. "For daring to 'break the unspoken social rules of Fantasian Nobility' and fall in love with each other."
"Oh, My Gods! You've Got To Be Joking!" Jesmandala was stunned.
"I'm afraid I'm not Jes." Luanna sighed. "Aunt Brijatte says that a non-platonic relationship of ANY KIND between a person of Nobility or Royalty and a person of non-nobility or royalty is THE MOST Taboo and Scandalous thing that can happen. Especially if the former is a Noble or Royal woman. I've heard Aunt Brijatte tell her snobby friends that 'If a Woman of Fantasian Nobility or Royalty Carries on Anything But a Platonic Relationship with a Man Who is Not of OR Connected to a Noble or Royal Bloodline Then She Might as Well Be a Harlot.' "
"And Cairon?" Twyla whispered. "What does he think?"
"He agrees with Aunt Brijatte unquestionably." Luanna told them. "I've heard him tell her that 'If a Noble or Royal Woman Acts Like a Whore. Then She Should Be a Whore.' "
"Even if its just kissing and nothing else?" Twyla's voice wobbled.
"Even that Twy," Luanna's voice was still sad.
"But Why?" Twyla asked tearfully.
"Cairon and Aunt Brijatte both think that any male without being connected to or is part of a noble or royal family should keep 'intimate relations' strictly to and with females of their own social status." Luanna explained gently. "In their minds, men who are not born into a family of nobility or royalty or men who are poor or have little to no money are either illiterate or are so stupid, they cannot obtain 'proper, respectful' employment where they can earn enough wages to raise their social status. Cairon and my aunt strongly feel that men such as these have SUCH loose morals due to poverty they don't care WHAT type of female they lay with. If they can't find or have a female who's of the same class as their own, they'll go higher in class till they find a female who's willing to give them what they seek. It doesn't matter if it's something simple like kissing or something more complicated like 'taking them to their bed' and mating with them. To a lower-class man, 'A Female's A Female.' In 'his' eyes it's 'Just someone who can be used to 'satisfy 'his' lustful cravings' for a certain length of time.' However short or long that time may be varies from male to male. It could be one night, a few days a few weeks, a few months or even a few years, though from what I understand, the latter part is a rarity. Either way, that 'certain length of time' will only last till the lower-class man gets 'tired of their-the female's-'company' ' Then 'he''ll abandon 'her' and move on to the next female 'he' can find who'll willingly satisfy 'his' 'physical male needs' and on and on and on...so the 'pattern' continues till the lower-class man either gets sick, gets so old in age 'he' can no longer 'preform as a male should' in bed', dies or marries. But even if the latter DOES happen, Cairon and Aunt Brijatte believe lower-class men who DO marry and settle down will THEN go on to have extramarital affairs." There was a long silence before Luanna went on. "And THAT'S WHY Cairon hates Atreyu SO much. That's WHY he cannot stand the sight of Atreyu being around Our Empress so much. Because both he-Cairon-AND Aunt Brijatte are VERY MUCH afraid that a penniless warrior from the Great Plains will ONE DAY prove them wrong about their theories concerning the upper and lower classes of Fantasian Society."
Dumbfounded, all four handmaidens stared open-mouthed at Luanna, shocked at what The Empress's Second-in-Command Handmaiden had just told them.
"But Atreyu's Not Like That! He's NOT what your Aunt and Cairon claim he is!" Twyla cried out, outraged at the unfairness of it all. "Atreyu has MORE MORALS then All the Noblemen in Fantasia put together!"
"We all know that is true Twyla." Luanna said dejectedly, agreeing wholeheartedly with the half-elf. "But Cairon and Aunt Brijatte are biased against ANY and ALL who are of lower class then themselves. Particularly more so of the men."
"They think ONLY a nobleman, or better yet a Royal male, is 'Good Enough' for Our Empress". Jaz added in a low growl. Her eyes were blazing with unjust fury "But We are Fully Aware of the fact that that is not the case. We ALL know that, despite Cairon and Brijatte's claims that 'ONLY lower-class men are capable of using women for their own carnally selfish needs', elite Fantasian men have the tendency to use women solely for their bodies AND, more often then not, do worse things to them then that. We've ALL seen men of Fantasian Nobility be brutal to females of their very own status, no matter how often they deny it to themselves or others. How many times have you overheard the Staff speak of some elite guest visiting in the Tower subtly tell his wife or mistress to hide the 'evidences' of his brutality before they show themselves in public?"
"Many times." Twyla admitted.
"That's Right." Jaz continued. "And Those Two," she was referring to Cairon and Brijatte, " turn a Blind eye to it ALL." She furiously waved her hand in the air as if she were flicking away a fly. "They REFUSE TO BELIEVE SUCH THINGS CAN AND DO HAPPEN IN FANTASIAN HIGH SOCIETY! It's Sick and it's Disgusting What Those Two Think!"
"Calm down Jaz. Please." Jes pleaded. We know you are pissed and rightfully so, but we NEED to get back to the subject at hand!: How can We discreetly assist Atreyu and Our Empress in spending the most of their time together as a couple during the times Atreyu is here each month WITHOUT tipping off 'The Enemy'?"
Before any of the others could speak, Moonchild herself, who had been listening VERY closely to the discussion between her handmaidens, spoke up. "If all of you don't mind." she said in her calm, quiet way "I'd first like to bring Atreyu in so we BOTH have a chance to hear whatever ideas you have to share."
"Of course." Luanna smiled and fetched her mistress a simple dressing gown from the wardrobe containing all of The Empress's nightwear.
Slipping into the thick dressing gown Moonchild stood up. "Let me go get him then." The Empress smiled at the small group of females who were more like her sisters then just her handmaidens "I'll be right back." She promised.
Then quickly and quietly she left the room.
. . . . .
Atreyu, bare-chested and dressed in a pair of loose, drawstringed uzogis, was sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor in front of the fireplace in the living quarters of his suite, attaching arrowheads to a set of new arrows he was in the process of making when he heard a knock on the door. Uncrossing his legs, he stood up and strode over answer it. He was surprised to find Moonchild, in her dressing gown, standing on the other side of the door. A grin broke across his face.
"Moonchild...Ogliglewakan...What are you doing here?"
"May I come in for a minute?"
Atreyu laughed and held the door open all the way. "Hau, hau, come in." He gestured for her to step inside, stepping aside so she could cross the threshold, then shut the door behind them.
Placing his hands on her shoulders he leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. "It's good to see you, Ogliglewakan." He gave her another kiss to her forehead, "I thought you were getting ready for bed."
Then he saw the seriousness of her face and his smile evaporated, his face sobering.
"Canteskuye, What's going on?" His hands fell from her shoulders. Is something the matter?" A look of concern was settling on his handsome features.
"I need to talk to you."
"Of course, cantkiya. What is it? What's on your mind?" One hand rose to tenderly brush a few stray strands off her beautiful face.
She paused, then looked away. When she looked back up at him Atreyu's keen gaze had caught the expression in her eyes. It told him that The Empress's handmaidens had indeed brought up the subject of his relationship with her and that she had indeed confirmed their suspicions of them being 'much, much more then 'very best friends'.'
"And how do they feel about it?" He had a feeling Moonchild was right about their approval but, still, he wanted to hear it directly from her.
A smile as radiant as the sun lit up The Empress's face, and this alone made the whole room seem brighter. "There's no need to worry, My Atreyu. They wholly approve. All seven of them."
"Oh good!" Atreyu breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a temporary weight of worry had been lifted from his shoulders.
"I TOLD you they'd approve!" She leaned up and kissed the side of his face. "Did you doubt me My Atreyu?" Her eyes were soft and loving despite the hint of worry darting across her dark orbs.
"It's not that I didn't doubt you, cantkiya. I just wanted to be on the safe side. I apologize mitawa Ogliglewakan if it seemed, for a moment there, I was harboring a sliver of doubt about the seven ladies who are as close to sisters as you have."
"I accept, My Atreyu. And there's no need to look so upset. I understand why you decided to be a little cautious for a short while. I don't blame you for wanting to be protective of this new level of our relationship. I'd have done the same if I were in your shoes." The Empress's face went somber again. "But that's not all I wanted to speak with you about."
"Go on, Ogliglewakan. I'm listening."
"I wanted to tell you that not only do my handmaidens approve of this 'new level' of our relationship, but they're ready and willing to support us in any way they can. Discreetly of course. And what's more is that I've just found out from them that the rest of the Royal Staff are prepared to rally around us as well.
Atreyu's mouth fell open in delighted shock. "You're kidding!"
A relieved laugh escaped The Empress's mouth, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes. "No, I'm not." She hurriedly wiped her eyes. "They've ALL agreed to help us steal whatever moments, hours or even days we can for each other, no matter what it takes, in any way they can while keeping the truth hidden from Cairon and Brijatte at the same time."
"Mitawa Tunkasilas, Moonchild...that's incredible! Who knew we'd have such blessed luck on our side!?"
"I know." She sniffled, still laughing softly, smiling so hard her cheeks were hurting."I always knew the rest of my Staff wholeheartedly approved of our relationship as a whole-no matter what level it was on. But never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined they'd be ready to step up and be willing to go to such lengths for us to be a 'normal couple.' Not to mention risking the wrath of my Head Adviser/Servant and Head Handmaiden in the process!"
"What I can't get over is the risks your Royal Staff is willing to take in order for you to be 'a normal person' as well as doing whatever it takes for us to be together the way we want to. They TRULY are a bunch of amazing people Moonchild. They really are."
"Yes, I know." She cleared her throat. "Anyways, I wanted to know if you'd mind coming with me to my bedchambers and discussing the matter further with five out of my seven handmaidens? They've implied to me that they have some ideas they would like to share with us."
"Mitawa Tunkasilas, of course I don't mind coming along with you Moonchild! Now that you've told me, I'm anxious to hear what they have in store for us." He pulled her into an overjoyed embrace, hugging her so tight his arms hurt. Cupping his Angel's face between his hands, Atreyu bent down and kissed her fiercely "Do you want to go now?" He asked, after breathlessly ending his kiss.
"I do, My Atreyu."
"All right, wait right here a minute. I'll be right back."
Disappearing into his bedroom, Atreyu snatched up a long unfringed aikita and threw it over his naked torso. Fastening the edges of the garment with a buffalo-bone clasp, that hooked together halfway down the aikita, he reappeared into the living area, beaming. Then, grasping the hand of The Empress, he strode back towards the door, moving at such a fast pace Moonchild nearly tripped over her feet trying to keep up with him. He only slowed down long enough to open the door a few inches to check to make sure 'the coast was clear' then, satisfied that all was well, both he and Moonchild slipped out the door and made their way into her suite of rooms.
. . . . .
Upon entering the secondary room of her living quarters, the couple were enthusiatsticly greeted by The Empress's five handmaidens. There was a buzz of excited chatter for a short while as greetings were exchanged all around. Twyla was grinning the hardest as Atreyu hugged her tightly to his side with one arm, ruffling her hair with his free hand. They had a special bond for, being an only child, she saw the Great Warrior as the older brother she never had. Atreyu in turn found that the adorable half-elf with the sunny disposition reminded him of a few of his 'sisters' back home.
"All right everyone, settle down, settle down." Luanna's voice rose over the dim. "We have important things to discuss here tonight."
Everyone in the room quieted down.
Atreyu, taking a cue from his lover, took a seat beside her on the windowseat, his left arm sliding protectivly, lovingly around His Empress's slim waist-she doing the same to him-while the five handmaidens stood in a semi-circle a few feet away from them. As if he knew she was going to be in charge of the conversation, he turned towards Jazeminya who had stepped forward out of the very small crowd of handmaidens.
The Great Warrior's expression and gaze took on a sense of seriousness as he listened intently to what these wonderful ladies had to say. All the handmaidens, with Jazeminya taking charge, told him of the discussion they had while they'd been clustered around Their Empress a little while ago. The look of seriousness on Atreyu's face gradually became replaced with one of astonishment when Jaz spoke of the fact that they strongly beloved that Fate had chosen HIM, Atreyu, a top-skilled warrior yet nonetheless simple buffalo hunter from the Tatanka Oyate [Buffalo Nation] tribe of the Great Plains, and Moonchild, The Empress of All Fantasia had been destined to be not only Life-Mates but soulmates as well LONG Before the Arrival of the Nothing.
Atreyu just sat there next to his beloved Empress, staring at the five females in front of him, an expression of shocked disbelief on his now pale face. He was utterly blown away by this revelation he was hearing, for as a child, he too, had heard people of his tribe speak of couples being soulmates. But like SO many other Fantasians, he had always believed it was nothing more then the stuff of legends and that No One in All of Fantasia could positively recall two Fantasians being true genuine soulmates
"If that is indeed the case," Jaz said slowly, never taking her eyes off The Empress and her lover, "then the Pair of you Will be the First in The History Of Fantasia to experience the Real Thing."
Both Atreyu and Moonchild were So Shocked Neither Could Utter A Single Word.
They just sat there, on the windowseat, arms around one another's waist, free hands holding the others in their laps, staring at Jazeminya in shocked amazement, their minds unable to fully absorb what they had just heard.
"My Gods..." Moonchild breathed. "It can't be possible... Could it?..."
She directed the question to her handmaidens.
"Think about it." Jaz told her matter-of-factly, "Remember when you were so deathly ill and you kept having all those strange dreams in the weeks leading right up to the moment when you sent for Atreyu to come to the Ivory Tower?"
Atreyu's eyes shifted to those of his Angel's. He recalled her telling him of those dreams a long time ago during his first few visits to the Tower the year after the Nothing had been vanquished.
A softness had come into The Empress's eyes. "Yes." she said softly. "I remember...."
"And Atreyu," Jaz continued, "Can you recall, at any time leading up to the moment you left to heed The Empress's summon, having dreams with similar if not the same contents? Dreams that you couldn't figure out or explain, even to yourself?"
Atreyu was silent for a long time. He bowed his head and closed his eyes as he tried to think back to that time so many years ago.
"Concentrate," Jazeminya coaxed, her firm tone had a hint of gentleness to it now, "think hard. I know it may not be easy but please, try to remember anything concerning any dreams, no matter how fleeting it might have been, that seemed unfamiliar to you at the time. Anything at all."
And, then, as if an old rock had suddenly cracked open, Atreyu remembered. Bits and pieces of images from dreams and memories long forgotten and possibly unconsciously suppressed, filled his mind's eye:
Him standing alone in the vast fawn and golden colored prairie. The silhouette of a feminine figure directly ahead of him standing motionless in the distance, her features blocked by the glare of the sun. That nagging feeling always tugging at his subconscious mind, off and on both day and night, suggesting to him that she could be his equal. Someone who, despite the delicateness, was more stronger in both body and mind then she appeared to be. Someone who was able to adapt to any environment or situation she found herself in with little to no fear or resistance. More images flashed in his mind's eye, visuals, this time, of his thoughts during these dreams: 'Who is this person? You've never seen her in your life... but...yet...she seems so familiar...only you can't put your finger on exactly why she is a stranger and yet not a stranger at the same time... She's like no female you've ever known...she's not from the Plains...from far away... But...her heart...her spirit...so much like your own...' Atreyu could hear a faint, distorted feminine voice fill his head now, saying his name over and over again, asking him to come to her, she needed him for some reason he did not yet know,... as these flashes of dream images flickered in and out like those old scratched and worn moving pictures Bastian had spoken of when he'd described his world to him on many different occasions.
With a stunning realization Atreyu suddenly recognized the voice repeating his name in his head.
It was Moonchild's.
His Head Jerked Up As His Eyes Snapped Open.
It was Moonchild whose silhouette he had seen in those dreams. His Angelic Empress was the person his subconscious thoughts had spoken of in those long ago dreams. Even if he didn't know or understand it at the time.
His mouth slightly agape, Atreyu stared, awestruck, with clarity at the small group of females in front of him and The Empress.
And Knew Right Then and There They Spoke the Truth.
He could hear Moonchild's voice saying, "But how is such a thing possible? How could have both of us have nearly the exact same series of dreams at the same time? How could we not make the connection when we finally did meet? How Could We Have Not Known Back Then?"
Atreyu blinked his eyes to find his Angel, her hands on either side of her temple, pacing back and forth of the area between the windowseat and the semi-circle of handmaidens. Her lovely cherub face held the same awestruck expression his did.
"There's No Way You Could Have Known." Jesmandala said gently. "You were too young TO know the TRUE meaning of the implications of those dreams." She looked from one to the other, her hand coming to rest on The Empress's shoulder to pause her in her pacing the floor in her shocked realization. "You were only ten years old then Moonchild. And Atreyu, he was thirteen or fourteen years of age, if memory serves me right, the year the Nothing nearly destroyed Fantasia."
"I had just barely turned fourteen when the Nothing struck." Atreyu's voice was a low croak. He was still in shock. As was The Empress.
"Neither one of you had a single thing to do with those dreams." Jazeminya told them wisely. "You didn't create them, Fate did."
"And Fate sent them to you when It felt the time was right for you to know." Luanna added.
"You were destined to be the others Soulmate as well as Lfie-Mate." Twyla's eyes were shining. "Fate decided this for you both a long long long time ago,"
Moonchild, passing by the windowseat again, swayed when she heard this. Her knees buckled.
Instinctively, Atreyu reached out and placed both hands on her hips, steadying her.
"Easy There," he whispered so softly the handmaidens could not hear him speak to Their Empress. "Come on now, canteskuye, you need to sit down." His hands moved to her waist, guiding her body back to sit next to him as if he'd been doing such a thing all their lives.
Shaking, Moonchild sagged against his side, her head leaning against him. Atreyu put a loving arm around her shoulders, tenderly brushing her forehead with his lips.
"What about afterwards? During the year between the time you parted ways after the Nothing and the first time Atreyu started coming to the Tower on a monthly basis, I mean." Jaz inquired of them. "Did you feel or experience things mentally or emotionally that wasn't there before?" Again, she looked from one to the other.
Both Atreyu and Moonchild looked at each other as they fell silent again, searching their memories for anything they might have found unusual, but for one reason or another had dismissed from the logical parts of their minds, in the days, weeks and months following that fateful meeting eight years ago.
Then It Hit Them. Like They'd Been Punched Hard in the Stomachs.
There HAD been things happening to them during those twelve months between the time Atreyu had departed for his journey home to his tribe in the Great Plains and the time he returned to the Tower for his first seven-day visit with The Empress.
It All Made Sense Now. Everything.
The strange sensation of being able to feel the same thing that the other was experiencing in the same moment without being nearby. [this sensation was particularly strongest when one or the other was feeling overwhelmed, stressed, angry, distressed, upset, lonesome or scared.] The many nights of waking up from a deep sleep due to the fact they couldn't get thoughts or visions of the other out of their heads. The latter was particularly true for Atreyu, who, for countless nights after returning home, had sat straight up in his pallet-bed of buffalo furs gasping for breath, his nearly naked body drenched in sweat, his eyes wide and his mouth agape after experiencing either yet another disturbing dream in which he was back in the Tower with The Empress all over again or the visions of her entering his mind coupled with the sound of the calm, soothing tone of her voice echoing in his head would jolt him out of a dead sleep. Either way, he wound up sitting there, in the dark, his knees pulled up nearly to his chest with his bowed head resting on his forearms as he struggled to not only catch his breath and calm his racing heart, but to let the remnants of the dreams, visions, or soft echo of The Empress's voice finish making their way through his head so his body could relax enough for him to fall back to sleep-even if it took nearly til just past dawn to do so. The strange feeling they got where one of them could feel the inner spirt of the other watching over them, like A Guardian Spirit, during both the day and night. Sometimes this feeling was SO strong the one feeling being watched over would turn around or glance over expecting to see the other one standing there, hidden in either the glare of the sunlight or the dark shadows of the night. Most of all, there was the constant dull ache inside of them as if they'd each left a part of their soul back with the other that last day they parted ways for the Very First Time at the base of the Ivory Tower and it lingered with them until the day came when they saw each other, once again at the base of the Tower, exactly one year later to the day Atreyu had to leave The Empress's side for his journey back to the Plains and his tribe.
Even now, after eight years of visits to the Ivory Tower, that dull ache emerged each and every time Atreyu and The Empress had to go their separate ways at the end of the seven day visits. It lingered with them, as if there was a hole in their hearts and a piece of their souls were missing, till the time they saw each other again four weeks later.
But After This Visit Atreyu and Moonchild Both Knew Things Would Not Be Like They Were Before They verbally Admitted Their Love For One Another.
They each had a VERY strong feeling that That Sensation of Half of Their Souls Being Left Behind, That Aching Sense of Neverending Loneliness that followed each and every departure, Would be Worse Then Ever Before.
This Time, When the Moment Would Come for him to Depart for Home, Atreyu Knew it was going to be Near Impossible to Tear Himself Away from the arms of The Empress.
And Moonchild Felt the Very Same Way. Her Heart told her it was going to be one of The Most Hardest Things for Her to Do When The Time Came, at the end of the week, to release her lover from her embrace.
"I don't think this is something that CAN be explained away." Jesmandala said finally, after Atreyu and The Empress told the five handmaidens of what their memories had revealed to them. "Not totally anyways. I think...I think it's one of those things you just have to accept for what it is."
Both Atreyu and Moonchild's eyes met, held, and then, as if they were one, nodded in agreement. their faces still a little pale from everything they had heard and taken in so far this night. "I think we can do that." The Empress finally spoke. Her voice was birdlike soft in the silent bedchamber.
"Good." Concluded Jezenya. She clapped her hands once. "Now on to the matter of figuring out how the pair of you can behave like normal couples are supposed to WITHOUT tipping off 'The Enemey'."
All Present knew she meant Brijatte and Cairon.
Two pairs of eyes shone with excitement as a sense of relief washed over Atreyu and The Empress.
"Tell us some of what you have in mind." Moonchild said softly from where she sat snuggled up against her very best friend and lover
Atreyu had never felt so relieved in his whole life as he did at that moment. "Please." He nearly begged, [something he rarely did] eager to hear what the handmaidens had to say. "Any ideas you have to share are deeply appreciated by both of us."
Moonchild, too overcome with shock and gratitude for those many members of the Royal Staff willing to risk the fury of her Head Adviser/Servant AND the fury of her Head Handmaiden, should their plans be discovered, just nodded her thanks. She too, was eager to hear what they had up their sleeves.
"We haven't figured out all the details yet." Luanna began "But we had a few pretty good ideas of where to start."
'And as soon as we secretly let the other ninety-one percent of the Staff know that their suspicions of you being in love with one another are indeed true. I'm sure they'll find ways to discreetly let one if not BOTH of you know they have been notified." Twyla chimed in reassuringly.
"First off, there are many, many nooks and crannies ALL over the Tower as well as the Royal Gardens that are deep and wide enough for the pair of you to slip into," Jes commented. She paused, then smiled. "I believe one of the Royal Gardeners directed you to one of them this morning?" There was a knowingly glint of approval in her hazel eyes.
"Yes. he did." Moonchild laughed.
"And The Head Cook whispered to me while I was helping her chop the vegetables that just before she closed the Outer Kitchen door she caught a glimpse of you sharing a quick kiss as you were walking away from the Kitchens late this evening." Twyla couldn't help herself. "She said it was too cute."
Now it was Atreyu's turn to laugh.
"I'm sure ANY one of the Staff can distract Aunt Brijatte or Carion should they see them coming in the direction of one of your hiding places." Luanna volunteered.
"Or the ones that possess a bit of magic can use it to knock something over or cause some sort of other kind of minor chaos a few doors away if they see one of 'The Enemy' coming near a room you might be occupying. That way they'll have to go rushing off to attend to the 'damage control' rather then continue looking for you guys," Jez threw in.
"There are plenty of rooms that 'The Enemy' almost never go into. If ever." Jaz added. "Dens, libraries, day-rooms..."
"Not to mention there's about a bizilion smaller gardens, groves and tall clusters of bushes and trees growing within the larger gardens," Twyla informed them, "and that's NOT including the miles of mazes in the Royal Gardens themselves. You could get lost for hours if not the whole day if you wanted to."
This made Atreyu and Moonchild exchange a smile. They were thinking of The Secret Garden.
"Don't forget the Stables!" Jez reminded her co-conspirators."Those Two Snobs Won't Even Set Foot in There if They Can Help it."
"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that" Twyla started giggling.
Atreyu couldn't help smiling at the half-elf. She was So Cute.
"And then there's the area where the Pegasuses, lionesses, deer, wolves, and other animals are kept," Twyla continued. She turned to Atreyu. "It's kind of like a petting zoo with separate closed-in areas for each kind of species." she explained.
"Cairon and Brijatte won't go there either?" he asked.
"Gods No!" Jes chortled, she was as much of an animal lover as Twyla, "Cairon and Brijatte think animals are too dirty and smelly to be around for longer then a minute. No matter how cute they are."
"They won't even venture out to the Royal Gardens at all if they think it's not necessary." Luanna informed Atreyu and The Empress. "Except to tell Our Empress here that she's needed someplace else in the Tower."
"Like This Morning." Atreyu said irritably. He ran a hand through his long hair, a disgusted look on his face."I WAS hoping to enjoy a nice leisurely breakfast with Moonchild and then have both of us go run a few laps afterwards and THEY had to show up and ruin the whole thing."
"I can check the night before what the following day's schedule looks like." Luanna offered. "That way if you have a meeting or something that day Moonchild, you'll both know what time you'll have to be somewhere in the Tower and how long it will take you guys to exchange 'proper goodbye's beforehand and still have time to walk back looking as if you were out for a stroll or coming in from a picnic."
"That's a good idea Luanna." The Empress praised her best female friend.
"What about after dark?" Jaz asked. There was a wicked gleam in her onyx eyes. "I'm sure the pair of you will want some time together after we have all turned in for the night."
"We'd love that." Atreyu said, "But wouldn't that be a little risky? I mean, what if we fall asleep? And then there's the matter of us sneaking in and out of each others chambers without being caught."
"I've already thought of that." Luanna reassured him. "Follow me please,"
Both Atreyu and Moonchild as they were asked.
Luanna lead them over to the far wall on the side of The Empress's bedchamber that she knew faced the direction of Atreyu's bedchamber itself. Pushing aside a camouflaged tapestry that covered the whole length of the wall, Luanna lightly tapped the wall behind it with her knuckles.
A low hollow sound reached the Buffalo Hunter and Empress's ears.
Moonchild's mouth fell open. "You don't me to tell me there's a hidden passageway behind that wall Luanna!?..."
"That's Right My Empress." Luanna was grinning like a Cheshire cat. She placed one hand gently on an elegant series of scrolls, long and wide enough for a hand-print, that were blended into the middle of the wall.
Moonchild saw that it was high enough for Atreyu's hand to reach without effort and low enough to where she, herself, wouldn't have any trouble reaching either. She saw her Second-in-Command Handmaiden push lightly on this scrolled area and a second later, without so much as a squeak, the wall swung inwards revealing a long passageway with a smooth grey floor and ceiling complete with pale gray cobble-stoned walls.
"You can open and close this wall two ways." The Empress's Second-in-Command handmaiden explained. "You can push it inwards just as I have done now. Or," She stepped into the passageway and closed it behind her, "you can open and close it this way." Her voice was clear but slightly muffled behind the now-closed wall. Atreyu and The Empress waited with baited breathes. Then they saw the wall move sideways and Luanna stepped back out, sliding the wall closed behind her.
The couple stared at Luanna slack-jawed before enveloping her in a grateful embrace.
"Thank you Luanna." Moonchild was on the verge of tears and even Atreyu was wiping his eyes and sniffling a bit.
"That passageway goes from here ALL the way to the SAME wall in Atreyu's bedroom." Luanna told them. "Come on, I'll show you." She pushed open the wall-door again and motioned them to follow.
Atreyu and Moonchild stepped behind the tapestry and joined Luanna inside the passageway. She slide the wall closed behind them and the second she did so the cobble-stoned walls lit up just enough to light the passageway's floor. As they made their way deeper into the passageway the sections of wall on either side of them went dark the moment they passed them. In less then five minutes they reached a dead end. Here, Luanna slid the wall sideways without a sound and all three emerged from behind another camouflaged tapestry into the far section of Atreyu's bedroom.
The Warrior and Buffalo Hunter was shaking his head in amazement as he watched his Angel's handmaiden slide the wall closed and let the tapestry, which blended in flawlessly with the dark brown walls around and beneath it, fall smoothly back into place."You truly are a genius Luanna."
"Thank you Atreyu."
"And you're certain neither your aunt nor Cairon knows of this?" Moonchild inquizzend her.
"The other six handmaidens and I anticipated there possibly would come a time where you and Atreyu would reach this point in your relationship. So, with the help of the Staff Members that have magical abilities, we created this passageway for your usage on the days we all knew You, My Empress, Cairon and Aunt Brijatte would be swamped with work and wouldn't be back on this floor for several hours."
"You can't even tell or feel that the tapestry's there..." Atreyu was blown away by what he was seeing and hearing."It's like it doesn't even exist."
"That's the whole point." Luanna told him. "To anyone else the wall here and in The Empress's bedchamber looks like it always does. It's ONLY when you or Moonchild yourselves step up to it that the tapestry reveals itself. So even if Brijatte or Cairon DO happen to bump against it or touch it in any way the tapestried section of the wall would feel and look like any other part of the wall. We made sure of that."
"Amazing." Atreyu and Moonchild said simultaneously.
They all went back through the hidden passageway to Moonchild's room where, with Luanna's guidance, Atreyu then Moonchild practiced, one at a time, then together, opening and closing the hidden door on either end as well as going to and from their rooms via the passageway until both of them could reach either room in less then two minutes.
Then all three returned to where the other four handmaidens were waiting with huge grins on their faces.
"Also, with Lupianya, being a Shape-Shifter, she can run as fast as the wind unnoticed and untraced by anyone or anything via the Servant's Tunnels that are hidden within the walls all over the Ivory Tower and be here in less then a minute if necessary." Twyla informed the couple when they finished telling her and the others about the hidden passageway. "She can come nudge Atreyu awake at least fifteen minutes before Luanna's aunt is barely finished getting ready for the day so you can get back to your room in time without rushing. The same for Moonchild if she happens to be spending the night in your room Atreyu. That girl knows Brijatte's sleep schedule like the back of her hand if not better."
All Atreyu and Moonchild could do was hug each and every one of them while thanking them profusely over and over again.
Then, after bidding the couple good-night, the five on-duty handmaidens departed to their own quarters for the night leaving Atreyu and The Empress alone in her bedchamber.
Author's Note: If anyone is curious or interested, here are the translations for Atreyu's native language.
aikita [shawl]
- 8
- 9
- 10
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Enchanted Night