Written in the Stars

Author's Note: Warning, this chapter is very talky.

Act One Scene Seven

Dark Heart decided that yes, he would go find this mysterious Earth character. He had to find out just what it was that made him so distant from everyone else. Although, he doubted he would like it, he just had to know.

So down the path he trekked, or rather, UP. The path sloped up, steeper and steeper until Dark Heart was gasping for every step he took. "Jiminy Crickets, how high up does this guy live?"

Finally he reached the top of what appeared to be a great mesa. He looked around, realizing just what he was seeing. The sky so blue, so clear up here. Looking over the edge, he could see literally everything. The sun beginning it's journey towards the western horizon, already it was past noon. In the northern distance he could see the shrine on top of Big Star Point. He saw the respective palaces of the Empress and Emperor, and the single castle of the Seasons. A crystal blue lake shimmered with the sunlight.

"Wow." he whispered.

"It is amazing isn't it?" came a deep voice from behind him.

"AHHHH!" Dark Heart screamed in alarm, jumping into the air as he turned. There was the enigmatic Earth. "Don't do that!"

Earth chuckled, "You are late, and you are poorly trained. If you had been paying closer attention, you would have heard me."

Dark Heart scowled, "Well forgive me, but if you lived lower the ground… Wait, you were expecting me?"

"Yes. I knew you would follow me, when you saw me earlier. Come…" Earth gestured towards a quaint little cottage that Dark Heart had missed before. "Tea is waiting."

Confused, Dark Heart could only follow. "You know, I would have been here sooner, but I didn't know you lived quite so high up. It would be easier for a body to come talk to you if you lived closer to the ground."

"That is why I choose NOT to." Earth led him into the entry way, "Shoes off. I like my privacy." He handed him a pair of house slippers and gestured towards a low table adorned with a tea pot and two cups, as well as an assortment of foods. "Sit."

Dark Heart obeyed, sitting on a cushion across from Earth, "You have a nice place."

Earth nodded his acknowledgement as he poured two cups of tea, "I also assume you have not yet had lunch. In fact, it looks as though you've skipped many meals in your time."

"I didn't exactly have money for food, where I lived before. I had to steal it, and more often than not, I failed." Draco confessed.

Again, Earth simply nodded, "Here is your tea, help yourself to the food you see before you."

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about," Dark Heart asked as he did so.

Earth sighed and sipped his tea, "I want you to leave this place."

Dark Heart's eyes widened, "Leave? Why?"

Earth was solemn, "You don't know what you have gotten yourself into, but it's not too late. You must leave at once, before this place does to you, what's it done to everyone else. It'll destroy you, if you don't leave soon."

"Destroy?" Dark Heart asked incredulously, "But I thought we were immortal."

"You agree, don't you, that there is more to destroying a man than stripping away his heartbeat?" Earth asked, "This place, it looks promising. It's beautiful on the outside. But it's beauty only covers up the ugliness that boils within."

Dark Heart found a fear starting to form inside him at the man's words, "It's destroyed you, hasn't? That's why you stay away from people?"

Earth looked down, "I was in love once…with Winter. She and I shared a highly intimate relationship…I wanted to make her my wife, but…"

(FLASHBACK)

"You can't be serious!" a younger Earth shouted at the Great One, during one of their quarterly meetings, early in the world's creation, "You can't do this!"

The Great One shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry Earth, but the Emperor and Empress are correct. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into romantic and personal relationships with one another, or even a human on Earth, we risk the balance of life. If we were to procreate, our world would become overpopulated."

Princess Winter stood, "But Great One, what about," she gestured to Earth. This couldn't be happening.

"Forgive me, but you must end your relationship." The Great One replied. "Immediately."

Earth slammed his hands on the table, "NO! I won't!" he shouted, "I won't do it! I love her!"

"And I love him!" Winter insisted. "Don't do this to us, Great One!"

Empress Fauna patted Winter's shoulder, "Now child, you know we only want the best…"

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" Winter demanded, "How dare you! You bitch! You don't want the best, you want control! I want to be with Earth!"

Fauna glared at the young princess, "Why do you wish saddle yourself down with a man, anyway. We are immortal, we are gods and goddesses, we need no such relationships here."

Earth pleaded, "Great One, you can't allow this law. It will destroy us all!"

"And how will it do that boy?" Flora asked, "What do you know of ruling a world?"

"I know that a world without love is a cold place." Winter answered for her beloved. "And I know cold."

"Winter is right, Great One." Earth told him, "Besides, it's too late anyway,"

"What do you mean?" Flora asked.

Winter put a hand on her belly, "I mean, I'm already pregnant, with his baby. That gives us the right to be together."

"And we'll leave here, if necessary, to do it." Earth declared, no longer playing around.

The Great One held out his hand, "Earth, you know you can't leave. If you leave Etheria, the world will fall apart. The Elements must be together, here. Leaving would only destroy you and the rest of us as well."

"If you allow this law, you'll destroy us all anyway!" Earth spat. He had once respected the one who called himself their leader, and in truth, he was. But, he was unwilling to take a stand against two who were so obviously out only for their own gain.

Fauna stated, "You will simply to rid yourself of your spawn." Her words generated a gasp from both Earth and Winter.

Earth pulled Winter close to him, "Don't even suggest it! You bitch!"

"You know," Fauna sauntered over, "That's the second time I've been called that in the last ten minutes, by either of you. And I don't appreciate it."

The Great One frowned, "Fauna…calm yourself…don't do anything rash."

"Don't worry, Great One. I am only ensuring that your laws are followed." she conjured a ball of energy and threw it at Earth and Winter. The ball of energy sent Earth sprawling to the ground, allowing Fauna to take the Princess Winter by the neck.

"WINTER!" Earth shouted, "Great One, stop her!"

"Fauna," The Great One warned again.

Fauna put a glowing hand to Winter's womb, "I will not harm her, Great One. But as per the law, the spawn must be destroyed." A light escaped her hand, entering Winter's lower body.

"NO!" Earth screamed, running over to catch Winter as Fauna dropped her, "You bitch! You won't get away with this!" he weeped over the unconscious Winter's form.

Shortly after…

"You're NOT going to punish her!" Earth was livid, "She attacked Winter, and ignored your orders to stop, and you're not going to do anything!"

The Great One faced away from the man, "Winter will recover, Earth. Fauna was only attempting to uphold the law. I cannot punish that."

"The law shouldn't have even been made. The law is wrong!" Earth insisted, "You cannot deny any of us our rights to love and to be loved. You can't do that. It's wrong!"

"The law has been made, Earth." The Great One told him, "Right or wrong, balance must be kept. That is most important."

(END FLASHBACK)

"What! That's crazy!" Dark Heart shouted, "How could he do that?"

Earth looked at Dark Heart, "The Great One would rather allow them their way, and avoid a fight, then to issue discipline. The Empress and Emperor are more important, in his eyes, than the rest of us underlings, even though we do more than they ever will."

Dark Heart sipped his tea, "I'm sorry, for your loss. But I can't leave. I have no where to go. And change can only happen if someone is willing to take a stand. I'm staying."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, I know, it's a little confusing. I'm tired and it's hard to focus. So here it is, Scene 7.