This happened 18 years or so before Naru shows up …hmmm, so what’s that dark-haired girl up to?

August Moon
Prologue : To make a deal with the Devil
©MM T h r e a d s

The sun streamed down through a cloudless sky onto the world below. It’s warmth filled everything, and made even the coldest of locations warm again. An open field spotted by trees and flowers hungrily absorbed the suns generosity as a small boy ran through the field, playing games within his mind.

The sun caught his radiant head of auburn hair and set it afire with vibrant color. The boy, no more than five, danced through the tall grasses and weeds, jumping, and tumbling and laughing hysterically, playing with the breeze.

He neared a small cluster of trees and slowed his race with the wind. The mood of his game changed suddenly as he crept through the forest, hunting like his father did, searching for the unknown- maybe dragons and demons to save his mother from. He tip-toed through the last part of darkness, pausing to pick up and oddly shaped leaf, and burst back out into the sun-soaked field.

He saw a woman watching him from behind a tall oak tree. She smiled slightly when she saw him.

The small boy slowed his pace, and dropped his leaf unconsciously trying to determine if this woman was a threat or not. She took a step from behind the shelter of the tree, and then another towards the small boy.

He still stood his ground.

She held something slightly concealed in her hand, as she neared him, she held out her hand and knelt down to present a beautiful poppy she picked from the field.

“Do you want it?” She asked in a gentle voice.

The boy looked at her cautiously.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s just a wildflower that I picked.”

The boy reached out hesitantly and snatched it from her grasp.

“Do you like it?” She asked.

The red-haired boy nodded.

“You know, there are lots more beautiful flowers like that were I come from… would you like to see them?”

The boy nodded quickly.

The woman frowned. “Not today, but one day when your older I’ll take you, we’ll both go.” She examined him slowly. “One day you will make a wondrous warrior to my kingdom. Do you want to be a warrior?”

The boy nodded eagerly.

“Well, there’s nothing to worry about… because it’s written in the stars for you, and I know you like to watch the stars in the sky at night.” She said smiling.

The young woman opened her mouth to continue when she was startled by a cry.

“Nephrite!” Called a woman’s voice. “Nephrite!”

The boy turned around to see a well-dressed woman approach the two. She had red hair similar to her sons, a flowing ivory gown, and sparkling jewelry that bedecked her hands, neck and ears.

“Mamma!” The boy cried and ran towards her, hugging her around the leg.

“Don’t ever run off like that, do you hear me? We have to go to the palace today with your father, you don’t want to be late, do you?” She asked, wiping some of the grit from his angelic face.

The woman looked up to meet the eyes of the strange girl.

“Oh my, I didn’t even notice you.”

The girl stood up and brushed off her dress. “Oh don’t worry… I was just chatting with your son. He’s very nice to talk to.”

The mother smiled.

“Mamma, she said I would become a great warrior to her kingdom! Do you hear that, I’m going to be like daddy, she said it was in the stars!”

The mother looked up at the girl curiously. A great warrior to her kingdom? Written in the stars? What is this strange woman speaking of?

Nephrite’s mother examined the girl more closely. She wore a simple gray gown, and had her hair pulled back slightly, and tied with a matching ribbon. Her hair reached to the end her back… it was a lustrous black, and shimmered in the sunlight. The girl looked to be a year or two younger than her.

Was it Endymion’s mother? She had never met her.

It had to be, there were no other kingdoms here, and the queen of the moon had white hair.

The mother smiled and bowed slightly.

“It was lovely speaking with you… but I really must take my Nephrite home, our carriage is waiting.”

The black-haired girl smiled. “Maybe I’ll see you again one day Nephrite.”

He gave an exaggerated wave. “Buh bye!”

Nephrite then pulled on his mother’s dress.

“Mamma, mamma, look what she gave me! Isn’t it is pretty?”

His mother looked down and examined the poppy.

“These flowers don’t grow here… Where did-“ She began to ask, looking up, but the woman was gone.

Shrugging the memory of her, mother and son made their way back home.

Behind the same oak tree, the dark-haired girl watched the two walk away.

Three down, one to go. She thought. After she spoke with the last, maybe her empress would let her return to her “home” until she was needed again.

End Prologue.

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