Change of Heart

Part IV

In a dream like state Mika slowly walked down the grand halls of her orphanage. Glass stained mosaics filled every window and painted carpets hung on opposing walls, soaking up the warm colors that bled through when the sun was at its brightest. Each door she passed by was carved mahogany wood with rose wood linings and gold and purple paint trimmings. The floors she walked on were white washed marble stone with scenes of powerful and influential past Queen's of their land. It was still unreal to think that SHE was a Queen Candidate. There was absolutely nothing spectacular about her. She was pretty, yes, but nothing in comparison to half the girls here, or even the androgynous Icarus.

Flashes of Icarus and the Dark Queen reeled through her mind again and Mika felt her face blush a deep red. Why couldn't she stop thinking about them? How delicate the Queen looked in Icarus' arms, the perfect mixture of pale flesh and golden tanned muscle...they way their lips connected in such tender passion, lips that were powerful, but so soft to look at.....

"Mika-chan why are you blushing so hard? Are you sick?"

Yet again, Mika was caught off guard. She should really stop getting so lost in her thoughts. She looked up at Hiroko and saw the girl beaming with unnatural happiness.

"Umm, no i was just thinking of-why are you so happy? What's going on?"

Hiroko gave a little squeal and grabbed Mika by the arm, dragging her around a corner and violently stopping. She popped her head around the corner and pulled back quickly, looking back at Mika. "Look over there!" she urger her friend.

Mika peeked around the corner and saw Icarus in conversation with Deushi jotei-sama's body guard Demos. Looking at the two of them next to each other was looking at the living representatives of day and night. Amazing how different the two courts were. Demos had such a serious and rigid commanding aura about him, Mika was nervous just watching him. His jet black hair was flawless and uniform, his ice blue eyes darting everywhere, taking in everything and anything. His words were indistinguishable, but Mika could still feel and hear the deep tremors of his voice, light rolls of thunder in the dark sky. He stood at 6ft 4 and the magical aura around him was...different some how. It almost felt if he could be one of the few that were still able to shift into their true forms. Over the past 1000 years the fae were diminishing in power and numbers, do to slaughter and war and the humans. Amongst the pureblood Vampyres there were only a few hundred left.

Icarus laughed and against her will Mika turned her attention to the sun god incarnate. Icarus was dwarfed in size compared to Demos, but there was a strange calmness about the gold warrior that scared her more than the dark knights display of prowess. If Demos was rigid and unforgiving like ice, then Icarus was the flame that caressed and taunted, enticing you to play with it. If there was one thing she learned in Elements class, was that Lightning was compound of fire, and lightning was the most deadliest element in sheer power and force. Icarus looked over at Mika, and her exposed golden eye twinkled with amusement as direct contact was made.

A strangled noise escaped her throat and Mika jerked herself back from the corner with such ferocity that she unbalanced herself and landed on the floor. Hiroko dropped to her side and took her by the shoulders shaking her with excitement. "Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?! Which one do you think is better Mika-chan? Demos-san is kinda scary, but he's such a mysterious looking man, and Icarus-san is so gorgeous! He look's like the romantic type. What do you think Mika-chan? Who should i go for?"

"Umm I-I dont know...."

"What about Mika-chan? Who do you think is better?"

"Yeah Mi-chan, enlighten us to your decision."

Both girls whipped around to look up at a smiling Icarus. The Knight shifted weight onto on leg and rested against the wall, crossing arms in the process. Both girls scrambled to get up and blushed heavily as Icarus merely watched with smiling eyes and an easy grin.

"Wh-why are you so easy going?" Mika heard herself ask before even realizing it.

The easy grin changed immediately into a mischievous smile and Icarus lazily shrugged her shoulders. "What's the point in being overly serious and worrying about everything? The realm is a better place if we look kindly upon it and treat everyone like friends, rather then strangers, dont you agree Hiro-chan?" Icarus asked, slowly sliding her stare to the pink Baroness-to-be.

Hiroko blushed and stammered trying to get any sort of comprehensive thought out. Icarus laughed in a good natured manner and took the smaller girls hand in her own and slowly bent over it, ever so slightly brushing her lips against the back of it, sending shivers down the girls spine. Hiroko looked so overwhelmed with ecstasy that Mika wondered if the girl might pass out from excitement.

"Icarus," a deep growl interrupted.

Everyone looked to find Demos standing there scrutinizing the lot with a restrained gaze. "Quit your flirting. We have business to attend to."

The gold warrior sighed and straightened up and gave a graceful bow to the ladies. "Duty call's but hopefully the gods will grace me with another opportunity to share intimate time with you both again soon."

The girls just nodded and both knights took off in a flourish of grace and power, light and dark, energy and void. As soon as they were out of sight Hiroko squealed in delight and jumped up and down. "MIKA-CHAN HE KISSED MY HAND! I think I'm in love!"

Mika grunted and was about to tell her friend that Icarus was not whom she thought, but decided to hold tongue. That would just invoke more questions that she was not in the mood for. Her journey to the library had already been halted for longer than she had anticipated. She wanted to know what this legend was.

"Hiroko do you know what the Kikai Legend is?" Mika asked.

Hiroko stopped her merriment and paled at the name.

"Dont ask me Mika, it's a banned topic."

"Why?"

"Please dont ask me! I dont know and even if i did I wouldn't be allowed to speak of it. "

"Do you know someone who does?"

Hiroko shook her head and no matter how many times Mika tried to pry more knowledge out of her friend, the Pink haired girl would not answer.

"My advice, drop the subject Mika-chan. No one here will help you. I"m sorry."

Mika remained silent.

"I'll see you at dinner ok Mika-chan?"

The blonde princess nodded and turned back the direction she was going originally. Somehow she doubted the library would be very helpful now, but she still had to see for herself.

She was going to find out what this Kikai Legend was.