Setting: Spring 1776, in and around Khwopa (modern-day Nepal)

AN: Zephyrus = Jadeite
Also, please forgive the lengthy hiatus. I do plan on eventually finishing this story. Also, this was not beta'd, so please forgive any misspellings, grammatical errors or tence inconsistencies. I have read this multiple times, but like Rei, I'm not perfect. Enjoy!

Liar!

Rei flinched.

Deceitful, despicable liar!

Only the knowledge that no one else could hear that voice kept Rei from putting her hands over her ears.

What did you say? it mocked, some sad slop about respect being the most important thing to you? Respect!? A bitter laugh seemed to echo in the silence of the grotto. Not only do you lie to others but you lie to yourself.

Wasn't it the most important thing? Isn't that what she had always said, not just to herself, but even declared to her friends?

What had she said on that night so long ago? It was little more than a year, one solitary orbit about that nearby star, only 93 million miles away… Yet, it seemed like a lifetime ago. More had happened in the last Lunar year than in her entire lifetime.

"…I wouldn't enjoy it if I didn't respect the person to whom I was speaking. I've had to suffer too many fools, too many people who only wanted to use me for power or influence or publicity. I would want equality. Not perfect equality, but someone who saw me as a person, as just me…"

Respect… Equality… What rubbish! You want more than equality. You want it all; that all consuming passion that only comes from your one true love. What chance do you have to find your soul mate? Pitiful woman, pitiful child, what makes you think that you could be worthy of such love? Your own father doesn't love you. Your mother died because of you.

Her eyes burned with unshed tears. That's not true, she wanted to say, but deep inside she believed it. That's what that voice was, her own insecurities and fears spoken in her own inner voice. There was a hard shell, but inside, would she ever have the confidence and self-esteem that she displayed? Maybe no one else recognized her mask for what it was; that didn't matter because she knew the façade for what it really was—a lie.

No! Now anger suppressed the sorrow and fear. At least anger made her feel stronger. Like fire… when she blazed, nothing could touch her; nothing could hurt her, at least for a little while.

And now she gets mad. Just lovely. How "feminine" you are, the voice sneered. Like the sun, anyone who flies too close to you is burned. What idiot would choose that? Far, far better to be miserable alone than to share it, right?

Alone.

Solitude could be sweet; it wasn't being alone that bothered her. It was the loneliness that did it. The knowledge that even in a crowd, she was going to be alone… And if she let herself admit it, those long, lonely years stretched off into the foreseeable future, maybe even forever. It was the knowledge that no matter how she filled the daytime hours, at night she would still go home to her cold, empty bed.

Liar the voice hissed. As long as you lie to yourself, that's all you are….

The fire died, extinguished by tears she could no longer suppress. Alone, she sobbed, desperately wishing for some comfort, but half-grateful that no one was there to see her tears.

Yet, at the mouth of the cave, a man stood, his heart pierced by the sound of her sobs.

Only a short time before, they had been so happy together.

Home.

It was as close to home as a travelling merchant ever got and as close to a home outside of the palace that Zephryus would find. His home base was Bhaktapur, or Khwopa. It was perfect, for it laid on the trade route from China and India. Hence, spices, silk, precious stones and the like often passed through his hands.

He may not own such wonders for long, but even handling them for a brief period of time was rewarding. Zephyrus flexed his fingers and thought of the treasures he had seen. Although he strove to be objective, Zephyrus was definitely a man who appreciated beauty.

Beauty.

The very personification of beauty stood before him in the form of Rei, princess of Mars, political advisor to Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. But to Zephyrus, those titles didn't matter as he watched her. She moved with sensual grace, the silken garments she wore alternately floated and embraced her figure, concealing then revealing her delicate curves as she moved. Rei's dark eyes examined the wares for sale at a nearby merchant's stand. Her expression was non-committal, distant, but the dark flicker of her gaze told Zephyrus that something at that merchant's stall had attracted her attention before she continued on her path.

Out of mere curiosity, he told himself, he went and looked over the merchant's wares.

"Ah, Zephyrus," greeted the man, "what brings you to look over my humble wares? It wouldn't happen to be curiosity in the lovely young woman who just passed, would it?"

"What if it is?"

"None of my business, of course." He spread his hands and turned away.

Zephyrus stopped him. "That young woman didn't take particular... interest... in one item over another, did she?"

The merchant put on an angelic expression. "How would I know? I simply cannot remember."

It was a typical ploy. To protect trade secrets, Zephyrus often ran the same gimmick. It was time to "grease" the wheels. A copper coin appeared on the table. "Do you remember now?"

In a flash the coin was gone. "Ah yes. It is still hazy, but I do recall that the item in question was out on display."

Well, that helped a bit, but not much. He already knew that she hadn't entered any shop, so it was already pretty likely that whatever it was that had caught her eye was already out here. The question was: why did he care?

Because she is an unknown, his inner voice insisted. Endymion insists upon this alliance with that princess of the Moon. The same Moon which has long ignored and despised the Earth. I would rather not know of the Silver Alliance at all than to know I will never be able to see it for myself.

His eyes scanned the tray of goods while Zephyrus thought those painful things. There were many things that a woman would naturally appreciate. There were jewels of many types, large and small, ornate and simple. But, he brushed those aside. Her clothing was not elaborate, yet not austere. It was simple, allowing her beauty to shine through all the more clearly. No, she would not have been drawn to mere jewelry.

There were other items, ones that reminded him of the other women that had come into his life. Ami would no doubt be fascinated by that extremely old scroll there, and Lita would light up at the cunning carving of a soapstone horse. Beryl... he thought that she would like that bundle of incense. The rich, heavy fragrance brought him back to the smell of her wagon. Was that only a year ago?

No, none of those things, although aesthetically appealing, seemed right for Rei. And while normally he would savor standing in front of a merchant's stall for a while, mentally judging what he should or should not buy, or how well he could haggle, Rei had already moved on and Zephyrus was losing patience.

He flashed a few more coins at the merchant. "A hint perhaps?"

The man's weathered face darkened with chagrin. "To be completely honest sir, I am not sure what she saw."

"Trying to trick me are you?" Zephyrus did not like being tricked, nor did he like wasting his valuable time! Rei was already rapidly moving out of eyeshot. But did it really matter? Had it been his own time or his own wares, he might have haggled but Zephyrus was too consumed by thoughts of a certain woman.

The merchant held up his hands. "Of course not! I told you what I know. The woman's eyes flashed at something on this tray. More than that, I do not know…" It was too late, like a soft Spring breeze, the man was gone.

The day had been warm, and as the sun climbed the sky to its zenith, the air became positively humid. Although she did not like admitting it, Rei was not used to the oppressive moisture in the air and was fatigued. Besides, the political situation was stable within Khwopa for now; there was no need for her insight or input. So now she was feeling tired and cranky.

"Why did I even come?" she said. Rei took several deep, calming breaths. She hated feeling useless. "Although the king is here, most of his court isn't. Much of the military is gone because they're trying to expand the kingdom. Therefore, not only are most of the inhabitants of the city fairly content, but the attention of the ruling class is directed outside of the realm."

"That's good, right?"

"Yes…" she took another deep breath without looking at him. "But, the best way for me to gauge the political situation here is to see and speak with the leaders!"

"It sounds like you already have a handle on what's going on here. So, what's the problem?"

It was true. She had spoken to all kinds of people, from merchants to soldiers, a few peasants and even the extremely bored wife of a minor official. All of them had expressed satisfaction, even optimism for the future. The former king Prithvi Narayan Shah had died not more than three months ago and his successor was, if not beloved, at least well-regarded.

"I have been able to surmise certain data, but that is not the same as being able to bring back a concrete report to Serenity. Besides, I am concerned by a few things. The sealed border, for instance. The British Empire is not going to accept that lying down." She pulled her long hair back into a tail with one hand while moving an obscuring vine with the other.

Zephyrus kept walking, picking his way down the rocks and across a stream. He shrugged but otherwise didn't respond.

"Zephyrus," she called. "Where are you taking me?"

He stopped by a vine covered wall and turned back to her, smiling. "As you said, there isn't much more that you can learn here. For the moment at least, the kingdom is stable, so I wanted to show you something special about this land." He pulled aside the vines revealing the entrance to a grotto. The air inside was cool and comfortable.

He stepped aside so she could enter first.

"It's… beautiful!"

Her smile lit up the dim cavern. She was so often quiet, so frequently distant that it was a delight to see her happy. While Rei was undoubtedly a beautiful woman, that wasn't what made her attractive. No, it was her inner light and passion; that was the beauty that drew him.

In the soft light he watched as she drew a long ribbon from within her gown and with a few twists bound her hair up. She sat by the nearby underground spring, kicked off her shoes and paddled her feet. As she sat, she dropped her gown, leaving her clothed in just a simple cotton shift. The fabric clung to her perspiring body.

She's so beautiful. Zephyrus' mouth went dry. All he could do was stare at her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Rei said, noticing his unwavering gaze. "I mean, is this a sacred pool?" She quickly removed her feet and began to stand up.

"No. No, it's fine," he said, licking his lips. "You need to relax." He removed his boots too, then rolled up his trousers, tossed aside his satchel and stepped right into the spring. "Don't worry, we have time."

Rei didn't answer. She merely replaced her feet into the cool water then stretched, letting her head drop back and revealing her exquisite profile.

Say something, his inner voice whispered. "Humid, isn't it?" He almost tripped, but recovered by sitting down next to her.

"Yes, outside. But it's so nice in here. I feel…" she sighed with contentment, "I feel good."

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" He couldn't help himself; he had to touch her. First his fingertips ghosted over her hair and then he allowed his hands to slide down her shoulders and back.

"Hmm..?" She was beginning to feel so relaxed. Long fingers began to prod tight muscles. As the knots relaxed and the tension eased, Rei felt her mind begin to drift.

"Since you've relaxed."

She half-turned towards him lifted lazy, dark eyes to his. They were clouded with fatigue, but he felt a shock nonetheless.

"Yes."

Time stopped. He was drowning in her eyes.

And then she kissed him.

When time started again, the two had found new serenity in each other's arms. They felt content. Rei leaned back against him, his arms encircling her. She belonged.

Zephyrus buried his lips in her long hair, savoring the soft scent. It wasn't citrusy or musky or spicy, which he would have expected. Instead there was a very faint fragrance that reminded him of flowers.

"Lily," he murmured.

"What?" Rei pulled away to look at him. "Who's Lily?" He felt her tremble slightly before she tried to pull out of his embrace.

Zephyrus pulled her closer, and kissed her. "Your hair smells like lilies: soft and sweet, but not too sweet. There's a bite to it too, just like you."

"Oh." Rei let her hair fall, concealing her blushing face from his gaze and then buried her head in his shoulder murmuring something.

"Don't be like that." He stroked her hair back from her face. "Although you remind me more of a peony now than a lily…" he said, stroking her bright cheeks.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Zephyrus broke free from the tender moment by reaching into his discarded satchel. "Here, this is for you."

"I don't know if I want anything that's been traveling in there; I don't know where it's been," Rei quipped with a mild glare, but her glare had a trace of tenderness.

"I wanted to keep it safe for you. And besides," he said, "it wasn't in there very long."

The object was long and tapered, but not metal. It was wooden, and it did smell, but not of sweat and dirt and leather but sandalwood. Zephyrus held her hands gently, her back again resting against his chest and guided her hands to open it.

"A fan," she breathed. "How perfect!" Instantly she began pushing a cool breeze towards her face and his.

He smiled. For such a fiery disposition, she certainly liked being cool. "Actually," he said, "besides its obvious practical properties, there's another reason why this fan made me think of you."

The fanning stopped. Rei turned it over in her hands, running her fingers lightly along the spines. "And what's that?"

He turned the fan in her hands, pointing out the painted picture. "Do you know what this is a picture of?"

It was an odd picture, not of any animals she had ever seen, not even in the exotic Terran encyclopedias, so Rei surmised that they must be mythological. Unfortunately, unlike Serenity, Rei had never made an in depth study of that subject.

"I don't know…" she said. "This looks like some kind of bird and a… a lizard?" She traced the images. They were so different but somehow familiar.

"Your 'lizard' is a Chinese dragon or loong, and the bird is a Chinese Phoenix or fenghuang although it reminds me of a firebird. Traditionally speaking the dragon is the symbol for the emperor and the phoenix is the symbol for the empress."

"Oh?"

"Yes." He pressed his lips to her temple, savoring the perfection within his arms. "And when the two are together, it is a symbol of perfect harmony between man and woman."

She sighed, and lifted her lips to his for another kiss, but they were twisted into a half-bitter, half wistful smile. "Perfect harmony? Sounds too good to be true."

"That's silly."

"Even on the Moon, nothing is really perfect."

"You are."

His words struck her like a slap in the face. They weren't meant to, and in her heart of hearts, Rei knew that. But she was also only too aware of her imperfections. Imperfections he didn't know yet. Her hasty temper, the walls she kept about her heart, the bitterness she felt towards her father… so many scars. Would he leave when he discovered that she wasn't perfect after all? All of those thoughts and feelings bubbled up, released by one innocent remark.

She pulled herself up, out of his arms to sit erect; not relying, not leaning on anyone or anything. "How can you say that?" she whispered. "You don't even know me."

Zephyrus was confused. It had been going so well. What happened? She was so beautiful, so desirable. Beneath that cool façade lay a deeply passionate nature. He wanted to savor that depth. But now her walls slammed back up in his face. What happened? He had heard of mood-swings, but this was ridiculous!

He laughed nervously. "Of course I know you. You're Rei."

"That's my name, not who I am!"

He looked blankly at her. What else could she want from him?

"If you know me so well, then tell me, what do I want most in a relationship? What do I need?"

He smirked. This was an easy one. "Love."

Wrong.

Her face crumpled. "Just go," she said. "I need to be alone."

"I don't understand! What's more important than love?"

She turned towards him, her face flushed, her chin held high, but with tears in her eyes. "Respect."

Respect? What kind of weird answer was that? Sure, respect is important. But to build a relationship on that and not on love, on mutual attraction? It sounded ridiculous to him.

Zephyrus found himself back on the other side of the vines. He was wet, boots in hand and bewildered. And now, instead of silence he was shocked to hear Rei's sobs echoing in the hollow chamber. He wanted to make her stop crying. To make her smile, to make her laugh… to kiss her.

But then another emotion hit. True, his temper wasn't as lightning-quick as Rei's, but once roused, it burned steadily. What the hell? This crazy woman wanted the impossible! Love at first sight that was meaningful, non-physical, yet physical, yet grounded on some kind of innate knowledge of one another? And he wasn't a man to back down, not from haggling, not from fighting and not from some woman!

Before he knew it, he was back in the grotto… yelling.

"Okay, you know what? I don't know you. And you don't know me. This love isn't perfect, and you're not perfect and I'm not perfect. Hell, what is? Here's the thing: You're the most fascinating, intelligent, passionate and infuriating woman I've ever met. I want to know you. Stop pushing me away!"

She turned to look at him; the sparks of fury were drowned by her tears. "Why should I?" Her voice was choked and husky, but bitter. "Clearly, I'm 'infuriating,' so why put yourself through that? It's not worth it. I'm not worth it."

"And who decided that? You?"

"No… my father."

He groaned. Great… a girl with father-issues. Still, weren't he and his brothers scarred from their very un-traditional upbringing? Issues were things that you either faced and dealt with or slid under the bed. Why harp on them?

"That's crap and you know it! Your father doesn't get to decide how much you're worth. I don't get to decide that; your best friend doesn't decide that. You know who does?"

"Me?" It was almost a whisper, but the sobbing had stopped at least. She had calmed down and almost regained control of her tears.

"That's right. You."

"What if I don't think I'm worth anything?"

"Well," he rubbed his chin, "that's a problem."

"So, I'm stuck."

"Not necessarily. Let's be objective here."

She laughed, or tried to. "Objectivity is not one of my… skills."

"I can be objective for both of us. As a dealer in many fine and rare items, I often have to give an appraisal based on the merits of the merchandise."

"You're going to evaluate me like… a thing?" She quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not a thing."

He heard the danger in her voice and took pains to soothe her. "No, you're not a thing, but we're being objective, okay? Just work with me!"

"Fine." But, she smiled. He was beginning to work her through her fury. Did he know her? No, but her was learning her by the second!

"So, let's first consider your assets." He looked her up and down suggestively. "You have very nice assets…" She splashed water at him. "But, ahem! Let's see, you are intelligent, a political expert, graceful, well-spoken… Would you consider yourself loyal?"

"Absolutely! I'd die for Serenity or any of my friends!"

"Ah yes, loyal to a fault. You're obviously very, very, very beautiful and extremely passionate. Did I miss anything?"

"You forgot my wicked sense of humor," she smirked.

"Ah, yes…" Zephyrus looked down. His boots were now waterlogged. "… delightful."

Despite the inconvenience of wet leather boots… (Do you know how long it takes to properly re-season leather? They'll never be the same again!)… it was good to hear her laugh.

"So with all of that… you think I have value?" Instead of the expected sarcasm, her voice had the quality of a little girl, sweet and trusting.

"Of course." He brushed her tangled hair from her face. "You're right Rei. I don't know you. Not completely… but I want to learn. Can't we try?"

She raised one wet hand to push his hair out of his face, her eyes now soft and tender.

"Yes."