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Dawn cast its first light onto the fields. For many a farmer, the sight of golden light cresting over fields heavy and ripe for harvest was a wonder a whole year in the making. But this harvest was different. General Nephrite’s heavy boots crunched the fallen leaves, the only sound punctuating the morning air. His cloak, recently pulled from the chests where his cold weather wares spent the summer, held the early morning chill at bay. It felt colder than it should. A part of him thought that the silence made the chill settle on him even more. There should be birdsong. Just as there should be a bountiful harvest. But neither was there.General Nephrite listened to the concerns of his people. They knew their fields, and they knew their land. And everything they knew told them something had been amiss this year. Seeds sown in the spring had not sprouted. The leaves underfoot were far too many for the season, having been withered in the unusually hot dry season preceding the harvest. During the nesting season, very few of the hatchlings had survived. Flocks had been seen migrating months earlier than normal, and their numbers were shockingly low. The seeds and grubs they depended on were no longer plentiful. Old farmers from throughout his Western Kingdom, good families who had tended their fields for generations had been streaming into the palace begging for an audience. Men who defended their lands from beasts and bandits with naught but their tools and bare hands had come to him, fearful that they would not meet their season’s quotas. They feared they might not be able to feed their own families, let alone send the required provisions to the Capital. For months, General Nephrite had been out among his people, seeking to reassure them. But the longer he looked at the fields, the more he knew disaster was looming. He bent down to examine a withered bush. Ordinarily, it would be nearly as tall as him, leaves sagging with the weight of colorful vegetables, firm and hearty, having taking in the gifts of the sun during the warm season. Instead, the growth was stunted, and the leaves had been eaten by vermin that had become overly numerous this year, and whose numbers had been steadily growing in the past few seasons, ever since one of the new initiatives pressed by the scholars of the Eastern Kingdom to increase the harvest. General Nephrite had fought hard to resist these initiatives, stating that they were short sighted and would eventually cause the harvest to fail. And standing amidst a field of dead bushes, which represented empty stores for the winter, General Nephrite knew the day of reckoning was at hand. A snap of a branch put him on alert. He wheeled around to see a wild beast emerging from the woods. Encounters between farmers and the beasts had been growing in recent years. In their desperation for food, the beasts ventured closer to homesteads in search of a meal. The herds they fed on were thinning unnaturally, and livestock, or a child, made a good substitute. Even a mighty warrior such as the General would be easy prey, ordinarily. But as with seemingly everything these days, nothing was ordinary. The beast was young, far too young to be on its own. Its mother should care for it for at least another season. Either she was dead, or simply unable to feed her cub. The cub itself was gaunt, not at all healthy. The General looked the beast in the eye. This was a beast that relied on stealth and speed to hunt. The cub was too young to know this. Its chances were grim, much like that of the kingdom itself. Nephrite was loathe to strike at the creature in its present state. Though, given its prospects, death might be a mercy. There were no good choices. He opted for a yell and throwing a stone, which scared the young cub back into the woods. It would have to fend for itself. General Nephrite feared it would not be the only one. ***“Well, it’s obvious what the problem is. Your people have not followed our guidance properly. Why else would the harvest fail?”General Nephrite folded his hands as he leaned forward at the council table. “I can assure you General Zoisite, your…voluminous guidance has been followed, to the letter, in spite of our misgivings, which appear to be well founded now, given the failure of the harvest.” He didn’t bother hiding the disgust in his voice. General Zoisite would not, so why should he, even if his scholarly arrogance was mistaken for impartiality by the Prince. “The dictates of the grain harvest initiative were very stringent. Our studies showed that the greatest danger would be inconsistent adherence by small farms. Which is why we recommended the centralized farming methods. They have produced consistent yields, meeting quotas now for the past 6 growing seasons. The evidence suggests that the initiative is working, and your people need only comply.”General Nephrite took a deep breath. “General, your centralized farming methods have diverted over a quarter of my kingdom’s water resources to grow a single crop; grain. Your overseers have massacred flocks of birds you consider detrimental to the grain, meaning they no longer spread seeds for other crops, and they no longer hunt the mites that have devastated harvest throughout the kingdom.”“Incidental crops, unnecessary to the success of the initiative,” General Zoisite interjected with a dismissive wave. “I’m very sorry your people are no longer able to cook their winter stew, but the health of the army and stable prices for crops in the market is far more important.” “I’m inclined to agree,” General Kunzite agreed. “The success of the initiative has meant a stable supply of bread and meat for the new recruits. The artisans in my kingdom are able to reinforce the battlements, and we can commission new research with the Eastern Kingdom’s academies for improved building methods. The new methods for farming must be considered a success.”“Precisely! Sire, I agree it is unfortunate that the farmers in the West are struggling, but that has nothing to do with us. We must think of the greater good. The defense and health of the kingdom is paramount. Without that, there is no future.”Prince Endymion looked pained at the conflict among his high generals, whom he also considered his closest friends. He was quiet for a moment. “General Jadeite, you have been awfully quiet in this exchange. What say you?”The Southern General had been leaning back in his chair. An outsider might have mistaken his aloof attitude for indifference. He just had a different way of listening. “Oh, your highness is well aware that I shared the concerns of our neighbors in the West, but we were outvoted by the three of you in this matter. So my kingdom has continued to supply stones for your walls and steel for your weapons. The increased rations of food for our work is nice, as well as guaranteed work, but the more you demand, the more dangerous the mining becomes. I have shared our concerns many times, but this council seems not to care not for miners and farmers. We are a kingdom of scholars and soldiers.”There was a flash of anger from Kunzite. “Show some respect!”The younger general from the south rose from his chair and offered a theatrical salute and bow. “My humblest apologies my liege. I prostrate myself before your mercy.”The prince sighed as he rubbed his forehead. “Please, have a seat General.”“Your word is my command,” he said, though his tone suggested otherwise. Kunzite leaned in. “The prince may see your antics as harmless Jadeite, but I do not. Your insolence borders or treason.”This time, it was Jadeite’s turn to show anger.“Come to the next funeral in my kingdom for men crushed in a mine collapse and then question our allegiance again. You can build up your garrisons all you want, the blood that is being spilled for our kingdoms is not that of soldiers!”“That is enough! Generals, sit. That is not a request.”The Northern and Southern Generals slowly took their seats again, eyes never leaving each other. The tension did not lower with them. “Nephrite, I too share your concerns regarding the harvest. But the fact of the matter is, the peace between the four kingdoms is built upon the sharing of burdens. The North defends, the East studies, the South mines and the West harvests. These are our roles, whether we like them or not. Unless you would have us return to the days of war and chaos.”Nephrite turned to face his Prince. “Your highness, I remember well the day the peace was declared and my father came home from the front. His gratitude for being able to come back and tend his farm is what inspired him to send me to your service. I have never forgotten what peace means to my kingdom.” He turned towards Zoisite. “Nor have I forgotten the lessons my mother taught me of tending the crops. Many might dismiss what she and the people of my kingdom know of tending to the harvest as old wives tales and superstition, but it is born from generations who have listened to the land, and given thanks for its gifts.”Zoisite pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Your Highness, I can not substitute such stories for disciplined learning. For knowledge to be obtained, it must be done so with rigor, control, clear parameters. Our initiative has delivered consistent harvests, enough to see us even through this lean period. The results are clear. There need never be a period of fasting through a harsh winter again.”“Your initiative may prevent lean winters for now.But for all your learning, have you and your people ever stopped to question whether they should be forcing the harvest to be larger?”Zoisite looked back to Nephrite and for once, his mask of scholarly indifference slipped. “You would rather people starve?”“I would rather we not take from the land more than it can give.”“You speak as though the land has a choice.”“And you speak as though it does not. You may not share the same traditions as my kingdom General Zoisite, but that does not mean we won’t bear the consequences of your actions.”“This back and forth will get us nowhere,” Kunzite interjected. “Sire, the deadlock remains. The North and the East remain committed to the Peace and the initiatives. The South and the West oppose. It falls to the Sovereign to settle the matter.”Endymion rose from his chair and looked out to the window. It faced West towards the fields that fed all the lands. At this time of year, all would be a rich gold as the grains would be heavy on their stalks, ready to be cut and threshed. And wide swaths were such, but on the edges of the land, he could see plots of land that were a sickly brown instead of lush green. “We must continue. If we abandon the Peace, there are too many forces at work that would divide our kingdoms and bring war upon us all. We will increase rations to the South and West to compensate for the losses you have suffered.” He turned back to face the four men. Whether they felt vindicated or not by his decision, they would not show it, only loyalty. “That is all.”The men rose and bowed and moved to leave. “General Nephrite, please stay a moment.”Nephrite remained, standing at attention. When the others had gone, he bowed. “How may I serve?”“We are alone old friend. Please, do not stand on ceremony.”Nephrite did not rise from his bow. “You are the Sovereign.” It was meant as a statement of loyalty, but in this moment, it felt like an accusation. Now it was Endymion’s turn to show his frustration. “Very well then. As your Sovereign, my command to you is to speak what is on your mind, without reservation.”The anger of his Prince seemed to temper his own wrath. “We can not know what the initiative will do to the land sire. Just as mining has become more dangerous in the South, I can not say that whatever ails the crops in my kingdom will not spread to the grains and the livestock feed reserves. If that happens, who can say what will become of us.”“Zoisite says that is not possible. His scholars speak with certainty.”“You say certainty, I say arrogance. Only time will tell which of us is correct. He and his scholars have their certainty. I have mine. I take no joy in it. And I will not hide it for the sake of a lie. If there is no food, there will be no peace Sire.“Endymion sighed again. Nephrite could almost feel the weight that seemed to weigh him down. But he had his own burdens to bear. “I have to have faith in the initiative and the Peace. Surely you can understand that?” Nephrite bit back his frustration. “Faith is not the opposite of knowledge Sire. Zoisite may not understand this, but if you are to be the mediator between us, you will have to learn that distinction. Or else you will never value the wisdom of my people, no matter what it costs us.”“I do value your counsel, old friend. It’s just… to maintain this Peace…”“Peace demands sacrifice, yes, I know. How is that any different from War?”The question hung between them like the cold morning fog. Neither had any answers to lift it. ***Nephrite knew the next week would be busy. The extra rations would need to be delivered throughout the kingdom. The plan would have to efficiently reach as many people as soon as possible before the depths of the cold truly set in and their own reserves were exhausted. The larger villages near the capital could be served through several major distribution points. It was the outlying hamlets near the edges of the wilds that would be difficult. There were very few centralized locations. Farms were often spread out by a day or more, even on a swift mount. To say nothing of a supply caravan that needed good roads to travel on. It would take a full regiment of men to guard the caravan from the wild beasts and bandits, and make the scattered rides to reach the most remote homesteads. Nephrite knew he needed to tend to this personally. His people needed to see him. With the large distributions being overseen by competent men, he embarked on the ride to the furthest reaches of his kingdom. Here, fields were not simply of the open plain as they were near the capital. In these lands, farmers had to claim their fields from the thick woods, and often lost them in the floods when the river changed direction or swelled in the heavy rains. Without the protection of the patrols that frequented the lands near the capital, the threat of robbery or attacks from predators made life out here hard. The old wisdom was the most regarded, and families who had endured the harshest of seasons cared little for the dictates of scholars or distant kings. The further out he went, the more he saw signs of poor harvests. There were many homesteads that had clearly been abandoned. Others showed signs of attack. Desperation was a terrible thing, and might bring even the slightest disagreement to violence that could not be undone. The rations were welcome, though clearly taken with regret. Nephrite could understand. These families had survived on their own merits for so long. They needed to eat, but it also meant accepting their own labors were not sufficient. Once he neared the lands closest the deep woods, a curious thing happened. Families began telling him they needed no rations. Their stores were full, even though their harvests had seemingly failed. Crops that rotted on the vine had suddenly ripened again. Dried out seeds took root and thrived. Seemingly overnight, stores that were barely filled suddenly burst with stocks that would last through the winter and into the spring. It defied any logic. Nephrite asked the people what had happened. No one was eager to speak. He had the sense that some knew, but did not wish to reveal the secret. As though giving voice to it might make the whole miracle vanish. A part of him wanted to order them to reveal the secret, but he knew that it would not be right. If these people wished to keep their own counsel, that was their prerogative. There was little he could do out on these distant frontiers for them anyway. They did not owe him blind allegiance. If he was to learn their secrets, he would have to earn them. An opportunity presented itself at a homestead where he found a young girl enjoying a basket of nectar berries. He had passed their fields earlier and clearly, this farm had suffered the same fate as so many others where the crops had rotted on the vine. And yet, their stores were full.“Good day my lady!” Nephrite called to her. Her lips were stained with the juice of the berries, and so were her clothes. Part of him heard his own mother scolding him when he was younger for eating too many nectar berries and having to spend extra hours scrubbing the juice out of his tunic. “Hello Mister Soldier! Would you like some berries?”Even at a young age, the tradition of kindness to travellers was alive and well. “Why thank you very much! I can’t remember the last time I had nectar berries.” He sat down next to her and took a berry. The first bite took him back again to his childhood, and he could practically smell the pies his mother made for harvest celebration. These were sweeter than anything he had ever tasted. “You know, these are the best berries I think I’ve ever had. You must be a very gifted farmer-- especially since back where I’m from, no one has been able to grow them this season.”The little girl looked around before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Do you want to know a secret? You have to promise not to tell!”Nephrite gave her a very solemn look and put a hand over his heart. “I swear to you on my honor, I will guard your secret with my life.”The little girl looked at him seriously and nodded, deciding he was trustworthy. She gestured to him to come closer so she could whisper in his ear. “We lost all our berries too, until the Queen of the Forest came. She made our berries come back, and all our other crops too. Now we won’t go hungry in the winter!”Nephrite looked at her wide-eyed, and not just for theatrical effect. “The Queen of the Forest?”The little girl nodded. “She came on a falling star and comes out of the woods to keep us from going hungry. They say she’s here to heal what’s wrong with the land. What the scholars have done to it. She’s here to save us!”“Is she now? That’s wonderful! What do you know about her?”“Only that she’s the most beautiful and gentle Queen there is, and she brings the storms that make everything grow. But if she wanted to, she could destroy everything, so we try to be kind to her and to the land, because she loves the land more than anything. I want to be just like her when I grow up!”Nephrite smiled. “I’m sure you will be my dear. Do you know where I could find her?”The little girl looked shocked. “Oh no, you can’t go and find her! It’s forbidden! She only comes when she’s needed. She’s not ours to command, you know! And if you saw her, she might cast a spell on you! No no, you must leave her be!”Nephrite could practically feel Zoisite’s hand waive the little girl’s story away. His nose would be so high in the air a stray bird might mistake it for a roosting hollow. “Thank you for the warning. I will be safe now, thanks to you. How can I repay you?”The little girl looked around as if checking for spies. She gestured for him to come closer again. “Please make sure the scholars don’t destroy us! They want to turn us all into slaves and make us forget our homes!”Nephrite’s heart clenched at the fear in her voice. Endymion’s voice echoed in his ears: “If we abandon the Peace, there are too many forces at work that would divide our kingdoms and bring war upon us all.”He had said many unkind things about the Northerners and the Easterners, but in this moment, the need for unity was clear. He took her hand. “I promise you, the scholars have no such intention. They want to make sure you don’t go hungry ever. I know their General. He is a good man, and his people want to help. They just don’t know everything we do. I’ll get them to listen. I promise.”The little girl looked at him for a moment, and then nodded as if she accepted his pledge. “Would you like some berries to take with you on your journey?”“That is a kind offer, but I think they’d be better suited for a harvest pie, don’t you?”The little girl smiled an extra wide and berry stained smile. Perhaps there was hope yet.***
With the last of the provisions delivered, Nephrite began the long journey home. With the urgency of the deliveries no longer upon him, he could travel at a more relaxed pace. The ride had been hard on his mount, and he could allow more frequent breaks and even the occasional treat from grateful farmers. Knowing what he now knew, made the return journey more interesting. He could begin to piece together where this mysterious “Queen of the Forest” had been to in the hinterlands, and perhaps even hazard a guess as to where she may be travelling next. Luckily, his route and hers seemed to coincide. If he wished to find her, he could try to come to her next destination. It might require a more… serpentine route home. He should get back to the important matters of state. But something about the little girl’s story, and the mystery of the full storehouses would not let him go. So he lingered in the woods, even as the days grew shorter, and the nights colder. The risk of beasts and bandits was ever present, but this burning question was more pressing. On more than one occasion, he passed a home where he had delivered rations, and now it seemed, there were full stores and crops growing in the yards. Every time he thought he might be coming to somewhere she had not yet been, only to find flowers blooming out of season, and the smells of crops ready for picking. He knew well the smell of wildflowers, but something about their scent seemed, different. It was stronger, wilder, and yet somehow, gentle. When he inhaled them, all at once he felt cool breezes and roaring tempests. He wanted to stop and sing, and yet he wanted to race into the woods and wrestle a mighty beast. He had no idea why, but it seemed as though the flowers were taunting him. And so, he followed. His luck changed about a week into the return journey. He had detoured back along his route after following an old trail that few still remembered that led to a cluster of farms separated from their neighbors by a neck of deep woods that was generally avoided. Nephrite had recalled on his outward journey that many of the homesteads here had been abandoned, perhaps lost to bandit raids or even a neighborly dispute gone wrong. He had hoped, perhaps, the Queen of the Forest might come here to recover some of the land, especially as most of the surrounding farms had already been restored. If nothing else, perhaps an abandoned farm house and stable would make for better sleep than the hard ground. The sun was setting and he hoped he and his mount might find lodging before the darkness set in when he came upon one of the homesteads that had remained in his memory. The door of the house had been forced open, as had the doors of the stable. A few scattered remains had made it very plain that someone had forcibly come here and taken all that they wished, from livestock to clothes. Nephrite had no idea what had become of the people. If they had resisted… he preferred not to think of it. His own warning to the Prince now echoed in his ears. “If there is no food, there will be no peace.”He was about to go in when some movement from the woods at the edge of the wall caught his eye. Fearing an attack, Nephrite quickly dismounted and led his mount to cover, hand over his sword, ready to strike if need be. From the woods came a slim figure in a cloak, looking each way before rushing back into the thick tree cover. Another scavenger? Instead, a cart laden with crops and a family came rolling out… pulled by the figure in the cloak. It should take 2 strong beasts of burden to pull such a cart, but whoever, or whatever it was, pulled it as though it were a horse by the reins. When the cart came to the house, the family jumped down and embraced the figure. Though he was far away, he could tell they were wiping away tears and clearly grateful. As the family made their way inside, the cloaked figure pulled the cart to the storehouse and pushed it inside with ease. It then moved among the empty plots in the yard and knelt. Nephrite felt a change in the air. He ordinarily felt this way if a storm were approaching. If rain were to come, he and his mount would be ill prepared. The cloaked figure stretched out its arms, and it seemed stayed that way for an eternity. When it arose, Nephrite found that he let out a breath he didn’t even know he had been holding. The figure walked out of the yard, and in its wake, crops grew, seemingly from nothing. Against his will, Nephrite gasped. The figure froze and looked back in his direction. And just as suddenly, it dashed into the woods. Nephrite abandoned all pretense of stealth and took off in pursuit, running headlong into the deep and dark woods. The shadows of dusk seemed to be playing tricks but he kept seeing what looked to be the flicker of the cloak just at the edge of his vision. Fortunately, despite the darkness, he knew something of the terrain here, and recalled that the path ahead wound its way down a small hill. It would be dangerous in the dark but he had the chance to try and cut ahead of the fleeing figure. He leapt and slid down the embankment and landed again on the path, just as the figure came around the bend. Nephrite planted his feet, prepared to meet this stranger head on. The figure made no move to stop. Instead, it leapt, and as though it were a bird, it went soaring above Nephrite before landing behind him. “Wait!” he screamed. “Queen of the Forest! Please speak to me!”The figure froze. It was still crouched and ready to flee. “Thank you for what you have done. Who are you?”Nephrite took a step forward. That was a mistake. With speed that didn’t seem human, the figure whirled and a bolt of lightning sprang forth, crashing a few feet before Nephrite. The brightness in the dark and the force of the bolt sent him crashing back, and left him momentarily blind. But for just a moment, he had a very distinct picture of unruly curls framing a pair of green eyes.He rose slowly and it took his eyes a moment to adjust. The cloaked figure was nowhere to be seen. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. In the depths of the wood, it seemed to echo all around. “Do not follow me,” a voice responded, though from where, he could not say.In spite of himself, he laughed. “I make no promises your majesty.”There was no response this time. “I mean you no harm. For what you have done for my people, I owe you my life.”A whisper of wind made him turn around. There was no cloak this time. In the deep shadows of the woods, all Nephrite could make out was a figure that was tall, though not as tall as him. And though it was slight, given what had happened, Nephrite knew better than to assume it was frail. It advanced, ever so slightly until the light of the moon brought it into relief. Once again, Nephrite gasped involuntarily. She was breathtakingly beautiful. She moved like a breeze, gentle at first but with the sense that she may yet whip into a tempest that would destroy all in her path. Her skin seemed to glow in the dim light of the moon as though a star itself had come down to Earth. Her hair fell in enticing curls, framing an elegant face that had all the beauty of youth. But the eyes were what kept his attention. They seemed to be a shade of green that existed nowhere on Earth, but if it did, it was in a garden that he wished to walk in forever. “Be careful the pledges you make. You can not know what they will mean.”He was taken aback at that. “Please, who are you?”A cloud passed over the moon, casting a shadow. Nephrite looked up to track it and then back to her. But she was no longer there. ***
The whole journey home, Nephrite hoped for another encounter, but it never came. His dreams each night were haunted by those green eyes. They began to occupy his waking thoughts, too. It was enough to forget that he had set out under dire circumstances, with the specter of famine, and possibly worse looming. He returned to the Capital and settled back into the day to day matters of governance. His journey had taken longer than he planned, which meant there was much he needed to tend to upon his return. Word of rations being distributed to the far reaches of the kingdom had made the bandits and highwaymen more active, and the patrols were stretched thin trying to maintain order. The shipments of grain to the other kingdoms had to be delayed while the rations were being distributed and the outbound caravans would have to be doubled to make up for the difference. That meant more men were needed to haul and to protect, and with the increased patrols to the outlands, it meant troops from the North had to be mustered. The royal treasury had to delay payments until the revenue from that grain came in, which meant anyone the Crown owed had to be given credit. There were meetings and councils and parchments and so much ink that Nephrite thought the rivers might run black. But even amidst all the mundane matters of state, there was no denying the whispers. Word of the strange happenings in the distant hamlets had reached the Capital. At first, just as curiosities discussed by men on the night watches, or fanciful tales told by children in the school yards. Perhaps someone with a mug or two of ale too much had a tall tale to tell. But eventually, the grapevine that had begun as a single small branch was now a vine heavy with juicy gossip. Gossip was a strange thing. Though it might have a kernel of truth in it, it never quite grew in the expected manner. What ultimately came of it rarely resembled the truth of the matter. And that strange perception had an even stranger way of becoming reality. Nephrite knew that whatever was happening was born of good intentions. But to hear the chatter in the town square, a witch from the stars was casting a spell on anyone who ate the fruit to turn them to mindless slaves. Old stories had much to tell of wisdom of the land, but they also masked forgotten chapters of history that had been perverted to malicious intent. Nephrite knew the story of the Moon Witch. Or rather, he knew stories. Who could say what was true and what wasn’t? No one in living memory had seen her, but her shadow was long, and fear took hold in the darkness. The people of Earth were the only ones to resist her enchantment, and it was why Earth was wild and free. It was still an old warning among mothers in the deep woods that curious and unruly children were ripe to be snatched away by the Moon Witch, punishment for questioning what was known. Nephrite was no longer a child, old enough to know that questions were not always an evil, and although he held dearly to the old wisdom, true change only came by questioning it. The day his father came home and he saw that all four kingdoms could indeed live in peace, he knew that there was more wisdom to be known than that which he was told. And in the halls of the great castle in Endymion’s service, he learned much of it. There was also wisdom in the stories from the other kingdoms, wisdom his people knew nothing of, but would change their lives forever.A part of him knew that the Queen of the Forest was not of the Earth. Logic suggested she was from one of the other worlds spoken of in hushed whispers in the old stories. But if it were true that there were beings of immense power who lived in the stars, then how did he know that they weren’t set on taking unruly children, or turning his people into slaves, or turning the world into a barren wasteland that they could rule? And why in the name of all that was sacred did the flowers smell so strangely this season, and why was he dreaming of green eyes and green gardens and a hand that fit so perfectly in his as he walked that garden? It seemed he could not yet escape her. ***As the harvest season moved on, Nephrite continued to ride amongst his people, monitoring the incoming crops, and doing his best to ensure there was enough among his people to sustain them through the coming winter. The nights may have been longer, but sleep was elusive. For all the fanciful talk of the weight of the world resting on shoulders, as the months stretched on and more and more caravans of grain left the kingdom, the more strained he felt. And what little sleep he had was plagued with dreams. They seemed innocuous enough, waltzes in which his nose was surrounded by auburn curls that smelled of roses, and laughter echoing in the rain, but they left him restless. The note of sorrow in the Queen’s voice when she warned him against pledges had never left him. And every time he thought of it, his heart clenched as his own responsibilities weighed on his heart. One night, as he rode through a dense trail, a strange sound reached his ears. At first, he thought it to be the death wails of a wild beast, or perhaps a missing child far from home. But as he tracked the sound, he knew it to be the cries of a woman. Late at night, at least a few hours walk from any homestead, it could not be a good thing for anyone to be alone in the woods. He pressed forward to see if he could help. The closer he came, the stronger the strange scent of a flower he did not know filled his senses. His pulse quickened as he pressed into the woods. But he was not prepared for what he saw.She was there, cradling a wild beast in her lap, tears flowing freely as though she mourned her own child. Nephrite’s thoughts went to the young beast he had scared away that chilly morning. His own heart was heavy when he saw its plight. And though many who had fought away its like from their own homestead might find its passing welcome, Nephrite knew better. This time, when he approached, she did not flee. Perhaps she did not have the heart to.“He starved. There just wasn’t enough.”Her every tear felt like a dagger to his heart. Where he carried the burden of his kingdom, it seemed whatever she carried was twice that. “I’ve tried to heal the land, and it seems to work, but he still starved. The herds won’t return until next season, and the farmers scare him off before he can take any livestock. It was just too much.”Life on the frontier was hard, and not everything survived. Death was an ever present companion for those who made their life this way. It didn’t make it hurt any less. She did not resist when he knelt next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. She even leaned her head onto his and her tears came more freely. When finally she seemed to have cried all the tears she had, Nephrite took her hand in his. “Come, let’s leave him be. His meat will sustain the other creatures of these woods, and what’s left will be taken back by the woods to grow more of their own.”Reluctantly, she left the beast to lie in peace. Nephrite guided her to a nearby clearing where he made camp. Once he had set his travelling bedding and made a fire, and prepared some of his provisions to share with her, he joined her around the fire. “I am Nephrite, High General to the Sovereign, Prince Endymion and ruler of the Western Kingdom,” he said as he handed her a share of the meal. She took it, but did not immediately eat, nor speak. “And you are the Queen of the Forest it seems. A wise subject of mine says you came from a falling star and feed those who are hungry. She was very grateful for the nectar berries. Though I suspect her mother is not happy that she’ll have to wash the stains out of her dress.”Still she remained quiet.“I suspect that there are many in these distant woods who owe you much. It’s a terrible thing to be driven from your home, or have to leave because you will perish if you stay. Their homes and their crops are all many have out here. It makes them who they are. What you’ve given them is more than just their lives.”She was quiet for a moment longer. “It’s still not enough though, is it?”Nephrite dared to reach out to her again and take her hand. For just a moment, the thought passed through his head that hers fit in his quite agreeably. She looked into his eyes, this time with the brightness of the fire to show every detail of her exquisite features. She really was quite beautiful. “It’s a start,” he said. ***Long into the night, they spoke, conversation growing more comfortable as more words were said. She was not the Queen of the Forest, or the Moon Witch. She was, in fact, the Princess of Jupiter, and sworn guardian of the Moon Princess, who was the heir to the throne of the Silver Millenium and the Silver Crystal whose power brought peace and harmony to the planets of the Alliance. Earth had once been part of the Alliance it had seemed, but for reasons no one remembered, not even the nearly immortal Queen Selenity, Earth and the Moon no longer spoke. Contact was forbidden upon pain of death. The knowledge of the Alliance was great, and by harnessing the Silver Crystal, they had discovered powers that made the impossible seem routine. But with knowledge came curiosity, and the desire to learn things still unlearned. Contact may have been forbidden, but when peace reigns, the fear of the unknown withers. Jupiter spoke fondly of the Moon; the great palace and the magnificent fountains were a sight to behold, and the mighty mountains and deep ravines made for a hauntingly beautiful, if desolate landscape. But it was nothing like Earth. With lush woods and blossoming flowers and wild beasts and even wilder tempests, much like those of her home planet which she had not seen since her childhood. Earth was fascinating, and she wanted to see more. And when she found it in need, how could she not act?Nephrite understood. A farmer at heart, he knew what it meant to care for all that grew in his purview. Life didn’t happen by accident. It had to be cared for, nurtured, even fought for. They were kindred after a fashion, even if they were from different worlds. And so it was that nightly, the Princess of Jupiter and the King of the West would meet under the stars. Nephrite became her guide, showing her the wonders of his lands, and in her delights of discovery, he too rediscovered some of the magic of what grew. She wanted to know the name of every tree and bush, and smell every flower, taste every fruit, and meet every wild thing that walked upon the land. But there was more than just the wild things that grew. There were also the wonderful things that could be made. Often they would sneak into the castle kitchens, baskets heavy with the bounty of the land. He showed her how the grains were threshed and made into bread, and how vegetables made stock for soups and stews. How fruits were made into preserves and sweet confections. Every dish, every scent, every taste, every new experience was savored, and Jupiter eagerly took it in. She had spent so long simply trying to help those in need, she had little idea what could become of the things she had made grow. For his part, Nephrite was equally enchanted. The thrill of discovery and the rush of the forbidden were hard for any man to resist. And it didn’t hurt that her cheeks dimpled when she smiled and her eyes shone when she laughed. And her hair always smelled of some wildflower he could never place but it intoxicated him. They only ever had the night, as the passage between the Earth and the Moon was only open then. It made him treasure their stolen moments, but he wanted more. So much more. One night, she made to leave, when he took her hand. “I’ve shown you what there is to show you of my land, but you’ve never seen it in the sunlight. Please stay, there is a whole world of wonder to show you.”Her hand fit quite perfectly in his, and he could only imagine how much more perfect it would be if he could do it during the day. It seemed she felt the same, because she wished to watch the sunrise with him. And so they sat in the shelter of a mighty tree and for the first time, Jupiter saw the sun rise over fields of gold. And for the first time, Nephrite saw how bright her hair shone in the sun. In the light of day, everything was new. Even in this time of year when the nightly chill lingers in the air, the warmth of the sun still provided refuge. Perhaps it is the warmth of the sun that gives him the courage to kiss her, and perhaps it is the warmth of the sun that gives her the courage to kiss him back. It is a different world under the sun, and the things that seemed forbidden in the night are now possible. It would not do to be seen out in the fields when the ground is still wet with morning dew, so he snuck her back into the palace, where the sunlight filtered in to his bedchamber, and a fire kept it pleasant and cozy. Because he is not going to rut her like a wild animal, he made love to her and savored every moment. The softness of her skin is not to be wasted on cold, wet ground, and the echoes of her moans are meant for his ears, not for the wide open fields. There may be a whole world out under the sun, but for now, she is his world. ***
The whispers hadn’t ceased. If anything, they had grown louder, and a restless discontent was spreading amongst his people, especially as the growing season was drawing to a close and the chill of winter was setting in. Nephrite was more distracted than he should have been in meeting with his ministers. If he had been paying closer attention, he would have realized that there were troubling indications. What provisions were being sent to the Capital was being consumed to quickly. There would almost certainly be a shortage in the winter. There had been more mining accidents in the South, and tensions were rising with the death count. In places of commerce, those from different kingdoms were often at odds, and it had come to violence on more than one occasion. And then, as the first frost came, disaster struck. Urgent messages came rushing in from the other kingdoms. The grain harvests were withering in their storehouses. Famine was looming. Endymion summoned his Generals for an emergency meeting. “I don’t know how to explain it, Sire. There is no reason for the grain to rot the way it has,” Zoisite exclaimed.“Oh yes there is. If you had bothered to listen to my council back when you first proposed this initiative, I told you that constructing wooden sheds was not adequate. Grain must be kept dry to be preserved. It’s why every silo on every farm in my kingdom is made from stone.”“There is no evidence that moisture would cause this. Besides which, it’s simply more economical to construct mass storage from wood. To construct stores from mason would not have been feasible. Each facility would have taken too long, and the masonry was needed for military fortification.”“What more evidence do you need? The frost came early this winter, and it hit the grain. If it was stored in stone silos as it has been in my kingdom for generations, we would be fine. But your short-sighted arrogance has now doomed us all!”“Not all of us,” Kunzite interjected. “My patrols have reported farms in your kingdom seem to be doing well, despite your protests. They seem to have full stores. And there are rumors that it is through unnatural means.”That struck a nerve. Nephrite knew he had to keep his liaisons with the Princess of Jupiter a secret, or else risk open war. Besides which, why should the other kingdoms complain when it was his people who fed them?. “My people are good farmers. They know how to work their own land. There is nothing unnatural about that.”Strangely enough, Endymion was the one to interject. “Generals, this will get us nowhere. We need to plan how we get our people through the winter. General Zoisite, have your scholars prepared the calculations.”“Yes yes, we have determined how much of the crop is still useable and we are moving it to warehouses unaffected by the rot. Based on what remains, this is the schedule of what will need to be distributed.”Zoisite handed a copy of his schedule to each man for review. “Sire, this is outrageous!” Jadeite exclaimed. “It… does seem a bit drastic Zoisite. You are sure about this?”“I don’t disagree that it will require sacrifice, but given what we have left, we must make the best of it.”“This is all your fault! Nephrite and I told you this was foolish, and now your grand designs mean we all starve! And you have the audacity to ask us to send your people food!”“The Peace requires sacrifice Jadeite. It is our guiding principle. We share our bounty, and our scarcity. Surely you understand this,” Kunzite said. Jadeite glared at him across the table. “We most certainly do not share sacrifices. How many of your men died this year mining for your walls and your armor? If your people starve, that would bring the scales back into balance.”“Mind your words. They border on treason,” Kunzite growled. Nephrite had had enough. “I warned you once, Sire. But it is too late. And we all know it.” He turned to his Eastern counterpart, not bothering to hide the rancor in his voice. “General Zoisite, did you and your learned kin not realize that this schedule will surely mean that our people will starve? Because it did not go unnoticed by me that you expect the rates of shipments from my kingdom increase during the deepest part of the winter. That doesn’t make sense, unless you expect that we will be feeding fewer people in my kingdom.”“What exactly are you accusing me of Nephrite?”“I am accusing you of nothing. I’m merely following the facts, just as you claim to do. And they have led me to my conclusion.” He rose from his chair, barely keeping his rage in check. “We will not follow this schedule. We have followed you once to our ruin. We will not make the same mistake again.” And with that, he exited the chamber. Endymion rushed after him. “Nephrite, if you go, then all that we have built falls apart. Though his anger was still raw, the pleas of his friend and Sovreign still moved him. “Everything we built failed with the harvest this season, Sire. I must look after what I have left. You must do the same.”Endymion’s intervention made him take stock of what was about to happen. He had openly defied the council because he believed the East and the North had conspired to starve his kingdom. There was no further diplomacy or reconciliation that could take back his words, or stop what was coming next. He took his sword from its sheath and offered it to Endymion. “I am sorry, but I don’t think we will see each other again. And if we do, it will not be as friends.”***
Nephrite rode hard to return to his kingdom, because he knew once he arrived, things would have to move fast. If the Peace was truly at an end, War would not be far behind, and he needed his people ready. He would need to ride all night, with few breaks if he were to return by sunrise. He decided he’d take his respite near the ford, allowing his mount to quench his thirst before crossing the river.He is all set to ride out when voices from further downstream catch his ear. This time of night, no one but bandits would be out. He took cover and tried to get closer. He was surprised to hear the voices of two women. “No, no, this is not good.”“What do you mean Mercury?”He recognized the second voice, but what was she doing here? As he made his way closer, he could see Jupiter at the other edge of the river, and the woman she referred to as Mercury kneeling by the bank, with her hand in the water. There was a curious glow from her eyes, as though there were something covering them. “It is as I feared. The mining has diverted the headwaters of the river. And without the minerals dissolving into the water as it flows down and into the farmlands, essential nutrients are missing. It explains the low crop yields.”“And this part of your research, this is not part of what General Zoisite stole?”“No, all he took was the first part of the study, that made proposals for large scale agriculture. He knew nothing of the work we did to study its impacts on native vegetation and animal life. Or the consequences of diverting resources like the stone taken from the mountains. It was all a disaster waiting to happen. Oh Jupiter, I feel as though this is all my fault! I should never have been so open about the research we were doing!”Jupiter knelt and put her arm around the other woman. “Nonsense, you couldn’t have known he only intended to steal from you, or that he would push so hard without knowing the consequences.”“But isn’t that what the ban is meant to prevent? Haven’t we always been told Earth is dangerous which is why we mustn’t make contact? If only Serenity had never met Endymion!”“But she did, and she loves him, and he loves her. And we hoped perhaps they could make it better, find a way for Earth to rejoin the Alliance.”Nephrite froze when he heard her say that. Endymion had been courting the Moon Princess? And intended to submit Earth to the Alliance? And Jupiter knew. And she never once told him. Had she only been with him to keep him blind to what her Princess had been doing? He knew he had been distracted by her - that damned scent of wildflowers. Was anything he felt real? Was anything she told him real?He felt a fool. She didn’t love him. It was only ever a ploy to make the Earth join the Alliance. And Endymion had been compromised. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t be true. He had to speak to Endymion. He got on his mount and rode all the way back to the palace. The guards were unable to stop him as he stormed through the palace to Endymion’s chamber. He heard whispers within. “It’s not true, is it beloved?”“I’m afraid so. If the West and the South refuse the orders to share their rations, there will be war. All that we’ve fought for, all that we’ve tried to build, it will all come to an end.”“But we were so close! If the Peace had held, I could have persuaded my mother to welcome Earth back. Now, I don’t know how that will happen!”Nephrite burst through the doors, afraid of what he’d find, but set upon his ruinous path once he saw it-- the small, strange woman in Endymion’s arms with the unnaturally silver hair and bright blue eyes, eyes that could not be of this world.In his anger, he finally lashed out. “I wanted to believe it wasn’t true. But it is, isn’t it? You’ve come to poison his mind and make slaves of us all! It’s your doing that our crops fail and our people starve!”Endymion stepped in front of the strange woman. “You don’t understand old friend-““I told you if I saw you again it would not be as friends!”At that moment, Jupiter and Mercury came through the door as well. “Nephrite, what are you doing?”Nephrite turned to Jupiter, and he saw fear in her eyes. He has no idea it is because of the rage in his. In his mind, her fear is from guilt at manipulating him. Her fear is deserved. “You lied to me!”And the fear turned to pain. “I am sworn to protect her. Anything I did… anything I said… or didn’t say-““None of it was real. I was only ever a way for you to get to him.”“No, what I feel for you, that is real. And what you feel for me, what I know you feel for me-““LIES!”Nephrite ran from the palace and onto his steed. There would be no respite now. When he returned to his kingdom, his people would be marching to war. ***
His people needed little incitement to march. Discontent had been brewing, and when the heralds went to the four corners of the kingdom to marshall any willing and able bodied men, hordes of angry farmers shed their plowshares for swords. In less than a week, the might of the West was prepared to advance on the Capital. Scouts reported that the miners in the South had already begun raiding the Eastern Kingdom, and the North had rushed to send aid. The patrols that would have protected the routes to the Capital were spread thin. Rather than any clever tactics, haste seemed to be the order of the hour. They may have been mere farmers, but there were enough of them that the makeshift garrisons along the main road could not hold them back, though any advance was paid for dearly. It mattered little when the horde was so large. By the end of the second day of their advance, the masses of the West had reached the palace gates, where resistance was much stouter. Had Nephrite been in his right mind, even with what he knew of the raids to the East, there were far few troops guarding the walls. It should have troubled him where the rest of the army was. But he and his people were hell bent on taking the palace, no matter the cost. It was a steep cost. Between the battles on their advance, and the siege of the palace, nearly a quarter of their original number had fallen in the advance, and the defences of the palace were still holding. Their losses were not sustainable. But no one cared. This was war, and all that mattered was winning. Nephrite led his most trusted men on a daring raid that breached an old servant’s entrance from the rear of the palace. He intended to open the gate from the inside and overwhelm the remaining defenses once his army made it through. Once he made it to the ramparts, he saw why the defense of the palace was so light. He could see columns of Northern soldiers marshaling in the courtyard and marching through a portal and disappearing. They were already preparing to invade the Moon. And with that power, he knew they would be able to come back and overwhelm any resistance. He and his men made short work of those defending the gate and thrust them open. The hordes of the West poured through like a flood. The Northern soldiers were better armed but vastly outnumbered. Such a delicate balance meant that there could be no meaningful victor; only slaughter on a scale unthinkable. Arrows and long spears felled his people in droves, but the inexorable tide meant that the archers and spearmen were only delaying the inevitable. Eventually, his men were ready to storm the portal. At least, whoever was left. When they went through, they found fire as far as the eye could see. In the distance, there was something that might have once been a beautiful palace, but it was barely visible through the smoke. He could see armored men in clashes, but in the inferno, it was impossible to tell who was from Earth and who was from the Moon. It mattered not. His people were willing to slaughter both in equal numbers. He fought his way to the looming palace in the distance. A familiar figure was fighting in its defense, and he knew he could not avoid this confrontation any longer.He charged at Endymion with murderous intent. He was overwhelmed and all Nephrite had to do was strike. His thrust was true, and he felt the satisfying feeling of steel meeting flesh, but his target was not what he expected. Jupiter had lept in front as he struck, and his blade had found her. The confusion was only momentary but it gave her the opportunity to strike back. All he saw was light, and every nerve in his body burned as the lighting struck. He fell on his back, and he knew he would not rise again. Jupiter fell next to him, her body lying atop his as though they were basking in the afterglow. “We only wanted to help...”He may have accused her of lying, but he also knew she was honest. It was one of the things that made him fall in love with her. He moved his lips, trying to apologize, but there was not enough breath left in his body to form the words. It mattered little. The fire would have them soon enough.***
Early morning fog lingered over the fields as Nephrite walked among the corn stalks. They had grown tall in the summer and there was still sweet ripe ears awaiting harvest. He had grown to love this time of day. The sunrise made the Crystal Palace in the distance sparkle in colors that seemed out of a dream. Indeed, having died twice and been reborn each time made all of life seem like a dream, especially when he knew he did not deserve the simple joy of checking his harvest in the light of dawn. And yet, here he was. Further down, where the cucumbers grew, under every leaf, there were heavy specimens that were almost as long as his arm, and twice as heavy. The grain was tall and sturdy, and he loved nothing more than seeing it sway as the wind came through the fields. In every part of the farm, there were rich and bountiful crops, all healthy and hearty. It was a glorious harvest, and there would be much to share. Of course, it meant there was much to do, and he set about his work. He had managed to work up a good sweat when he heard the advancing footsteps. In another life, he would have been on alert. Even a few months ago, when the war was at its worst, he would have had to defend himself against threats from all sides. But the months since Peace had returned to Earth had let him bring his guard down. Besides, he would recognize those footfalls anywhere. “Good Morning, Sire.”“Nephrite, I’m not King yet. The coronation isn’t until next week. And I’d still like for you to be there. Until then, I’m just Mamoru.”“I promised I would be. And so I will. But that means I need to pick these crops while they are at their peak.”“There are far more important things you can do than just pick crops. There is much to do now that Crystal Tokyo is upon us.”Nephrite set down his basket and wiped his brow. “With all due respect, Sire, I disagree,” he said with a smile. He could see Mamoru was perturbed by him still using the title. Even if Nephrite had refused to take up leadership in the new court, he still held on to its hierarchy. “I learned a long time ago, the most sacred duty we have is to tend to the Earth. It’s why my place is here. Not commanding armies or sitting on councils.”Mamoru wanted to object, but he also knew this kingdom would be very different. And perhaps the problem with his last one was that no one paid enough attention to the farming. “If I can’t have you by my side-““You do sire. Now more than ever. But I hope you understand that I am of better service to you here.”Mamoru considered him for a moment, and decided he was right. “Then promise me you won’t be a stranger.”Nephrite knelt, hand over his heart. “How could I be. I’ve sworn an oath.”“I mean more than duty old friend.”“So do I.”Mamoru offered his hand as he lifted Nephrite up and the two men embraced. “I’m sorry…”“So am I.”They lingered in the embrace for a moment. More was said in it than could be with words. “I will see you soon.” It wasn’t a question.“Yes you will.”Mamoru turned to leave. “If I were you, I’d take a break from the crops and harvest some flowers. I suspect you’ll have need of them.”Nephrite chuckled. Mamoru didn’t know, but he already had some waiting back in the house. He would pick new ones every few days, keeping them ready for when he had his next visitor. It might take some time for her to come around, but his resurrection, and his sacrifices to make Peace last were the only way he had to atone for his previous mistakes. He was a farmer, and he knew that seeds had to be sown, and patience was needed for beautiful things to grow. The secret to growing anything worth reaping was to tend to it with love. And this time, he had a feeling the harvest would be well worth it.