Chapter VI

HLM sighs and leans back in her chair, rubbing her eyes once the glow in the stones dies down. She looks up at Neph and smiles a little.

“I am sorry about that. Usually Cal’s a lot more pleasant than he just was.”

Neph nods slightly. “Does he have a crush on you?”

HLM blinks. “A…ah…crush?” She gives him a confused look.

“Ah…I mean…does he have a romantic interest in you?”

“Oh!” She chuckles softly. “We were once lovers for a short period of time. We grew up together and our elders thought that we might be able to produce an heir. We, ah,” she blushes slightly, “had fun trying, but nothing happened, and the romance simply did not work between us.”

Neph smiles a little and nods. “He still has an interest in you and sees me as competition.”

She chuckles softly and nods. “Exactly.” Their eyes lock, suddenly. Neph clears his throat and the lock dissolves.

“Well, ah,” he starts, “you must be tired, and tomorrow is going to be busy as well. I believe we both need some rest.”

HLM nods, her cheeks slightly flushed. She then stands and walks with him to the doors. “Good night, Nephrite.”

He smiles charmingly as he takes one of her hands in his and kisses it gently. “Sweet dreams, M-chan.”

The next morning, Nephrite awakens from a strange and disturbing dream that he can’t really seem to remember. He steps into the shower of warm water after stripping down. A corner of his mind acknowledges the warm water streaming over his powerfully muscled body, while the rest concentrates on trying to remember the dream. He has the feeling that it has something to do with HLM and her beloved worlds.

Perhaps the Stars will be able to show me if something is going to happen to her or her worlds. I would never want anything bad to happen to her.

He smiles slightly as he finishes rinsing out his hair and steps out of the shower, slightly amazed at the feelings that young woman evokes in him.

Once he’s fully dressed, he goes into his cathedral and stands in the middle of the large room.

“The stars know everything,” he intones, feeling the power rise within him. “What will happen to HLM and her worlds?”

He feels a slight resistance before the image of HLM sitting at her vanity brushing her long hair raises to the surface of his mind. Her face is sorrowful and he can’t help raising a brow when she looks up and around. This is when he realizes that he’s looking at what she’s doing now.

He terminates that vision before trying to gently coax the stars into telling him something of her future. They seem unable to tell him anything about her worlds or what is going to happen to them or her. He frowns, stopping the divination.

He walks out of his cathedral and pauses by his window to look at the Earth as it sets. The sorrow swells in his heart when he sees how much light it has lost. He sighs softly, having a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He takes one last look at Earth before heading out to escort HLM to the breakfast meetings.

“All right,” HLM says, rubbing her eyes and looking at her notes, written in her language. “We are going to,” she frowns, noticing the thickening of her accent and hollow feeling in her belly, “Exchanging representatives over the next year and…ah,” she struggles to remember the word, “exchange teaching recordings.”

Queen Serenity nods. Her senshi look just as exhausted as HLM feels. She glances at Neph and is surprised to see how fresh and awake he looks.

I’m really impressed now. We’ve been at this since…since…before that bright thing rose in the sky, and he looks as awake as he did this morning.

“I believe it is time for a break. We are all hungry, and Pharaoh HLM, you look as if you feel ill. Is all well with you?” Serenity asks with concern in her caring eyes.

“Ah…’tis nothing more than a headache. It should go away with some food and rest.” She smiles. “I am not yet used to this light.”

The Queen nods again. “Very well, does two hours sound like enough time to replenish your resources?”

HLM nods gratefully. “That sounds excellent.”

“All right, meet back here in two hours.”

HLM sighs softly as she sits across from Neph, gently setting her tray on the table before them about an hour and a half later.

She looks as if she feels much better, Neph thinks with a slight smile.

“You impress me, Nephrite,” she comments.

“Oh? How so?” he asks, putting a forkful of pasta in his mouth.

She nods. “We’d been in those meetings for I don’t know how long, and after even the Queen was showing signs of wear, I couldn’t see any change in the way you hold yourself or anything! How do you do it?”

He grins slightly, watching her daintily eat. “A lot of times, it takes a lot of patience to deal with the stars. I suppose that simply permeates into my everyday life.”

The exotic young woman nods, and they both look up when they hear Diana’s voice asking, “May I join you two?”

“Of course. Have a seat,” HLM invites her with a smile.

Diana returns the smile and takes a seat next to Nephrite.

“Thanks. How are you liking your stay here, M-chan?”

“Oh, it’s lovely here, and the people have been so nice to me, “ HLM answers, smiling. She then looks down and sighs. “But it’s nothing like home, and that attack yesterday really scared me.”

Neph reaches over and pats her hand, saying in a comforting voice, “It scared all of us.”

“I know, I know, but I just have this horrible feeling about the fate of my worlds.” She sighs. “When I last spoke with my people this morning, though, things were going very well, so maybe the feelings are unfounded.”

“Perhaps Nephrite can do a divination?”

“I did, and the stars told me nothing, Diana-chan. I think perhaps M-chan’s worlds are invisible to the stars.”

HLM nods and sighs, “Well, I’m sure everything will turn out for the best.

Anyway, how are you doing, Diana? Neph and I haven’t seen you all day!”

“That’s because I’ve been in the library since seven this morning.”

“Ah…that’s right! You’re assigned to do that research,” Neph speaks up. “How is it going?”

“Very well, in fact. I’ve gathered a great deal of information, which Sailor Mercury was kind enough to bring to Serenity for me. I’m not finished yet,” she tells them after finishing the last of her meal and standing. “Now I must be returning to work. It was great chatting with you two. I’ll see you later?”

“Hai,” Neph answers. “I hope you don’t have too much more to do.”

“Heh, same here,” HLM puts in with a sympathetic grin.

“Thank you both. Jaa ne!”

They watch as she leaves before finishing the last few bites of their respective meals. Once she finishes, HLM stretches with a soft smile on her face. Neph can’t help grinning slightly and eyeing her up.

Stars! What a beauty she is!

He’s still grinning when she looks up and raises a brow at him.

“If I may ask, what is it?”

He gives her a full, heart-breaking smile and gently takes one of her hands, softly pulls it over the small table and plants a gentlemanly kiss on the back of it.

“I was simply admiring your beauty, Pharaoh M-chan.”

She blushes and smiles shyly, managing to add to her allure.

“Oh, General Nephrite, you are the only man who’s ever been able to make me feel this way! Thank you!” Her cheeks somehow get even pinker.

“Ah, my lady, ‘tis my honor. Now perhaps we should go back to the meeting room. I fear if you blush much more, you will pass out.”

Chimelike laughter fills the area.

“Then I shall have to agree, much as I wish otherwise. I was enjoying this break.”

Neph grins at her, offering her his arm once they put their trays by the dishwashing room.

“I have a solution to that,” he comments good naturdely.

“Oh?” She arches a brow at him. “What is that?”

“We will simply have to take more breaks together.”

Chapter V
Chapter VII
Life Between Worlds Index