Quicksilver's Quill Offers: 
VIRGO 
Part Three: 
Child of the Books 
-or- 
Beyond the Sun 
*** 
"Virgos crave details and facts." 
***

Saffir, second son of Prince Onyx and his consort Topaz, was born on dark day 
that the sun did not shine- in other words, a standard day for Nemesis. If the 
Black Moon Family had bothered to keep track of his birthday, they would have 
noted that his birthday fell on September sixteenth, making him a Virgo. And he 
would certainly grow up to be the quinessessional Virgo. 

But they didn't. He was a second son, the 'spare' that usually managed to get 
shuffled away. By the time he was six, he was already taking care of himself, 
sneaking into the kitchen to make sure he was fed (if left up to others, he 
would sometimes miss meals for days on end), dressing himself, and generally 
making himself as unobtrusive as possible. 

All in all, it was a dreary, pointless life for a small child. Saffir, though, 
achieved one feat that managed to entertain himself. 
He taught himself how to read. 

This was an astonishing feat, especially when one considered that he barely 
talked, since he had no one to talk to. One day, he stumbled onto the Palace 
libraries. Sneaking inside, his eyes widened as he saw all the heavy volumes. On 
one side there were a row of extremely advanced computers, but Saffir didn't 
have a password to use them. He crept up to a shelf and pulled an archaic book 
down, wondering exactly what is was. 

It took him a month to puzzle out the written word, but once he did, he started 
to devour the library at a rate which was astounding. Ten books a day, and that 
was on a bad day. He'd spend his entire day there, leaving only to eat and 
sleep. New worlds opened to him, those of history, mathematics, physics, 
alchemy. One book was on chess, and he quickly scrounged up an old board and 
begin to play against himself, mastering complex strategies. 

It was one day, probably sometime during his eighth year, that everything 
changed for the forgotten prince. He was curled up in a corner of the library on 
a somewhat overstuff chair that smelled slightly of mildew, something that was 
prevalent in the library. Balancing a large tome on his lap, he looked like a 
miniature scholar. 

He heard the soft murmur of voices in the main library, but didn't let that 
concern him, continuing to read about gradients. The few times someone else had 
come in, they had used the machines and left as though a dragon were on their 
heels. Nemesis was a grim place to live, yet the oppressive air of the library 
made even the stoutest citizen want to leave. Except Saffir. If asked, he would 
say that the forgotten lore of the library was what made people so nervous- as 
though all the secrets of the world where locked up in this one place. Saffir 
was determined to know those secrets. 

This time, though, was different. The voices came closer, and Saffir was able to 
make out three distinct ones- two young men and one female (who had the most 
annoying laugh he'd ever heard). He eavesdropped shamelessly, continuing to read 
at the same time- the first time he ever successfully managed to multi-task. 
"... computer?" one man was saying. 

"For me to do that, someone would have had to put the information into it in the 
first place. No one bothered," the other man replied. "It'll have to be the 
book, but I can't find it." 

"Is it really that important?" the female demanded in a somewhat whiny voice. 

"You don't have to be here, Esmeraude-chan," the first man said. 

At this point they rounded the set of shelves that had hid Saffir. He looked up 
at them watchfully, wondering what book it was they were after. Setting his book 
down gently, he studied them closely, mentally entering their images into his 
organized mind. 

The female was around fifteen or so, fluttering a fan with a careless hand. Her 
hair was a brilliant green, and he decided that "Esmeraude" was certainly a 
fitting name. Her body still held traces of her childhood, but in a few years, 
she would be stunningly beautiful. 

The older of the two men had unkempt red hair- hair that reminded young Saffir 
of a flame. His eyes were hard, but that was common for any member of the Black 
Moon Family. What scared Saffir was that this man was cruel- and sadistic. He 
made a mental note to avoid this one whenever possible. 

The last of the trio, though, was the one who held Saffir's attention. He looked 
about sixteen, but Saffir wasn't sure since the teenager held himself with a 
dignity that would have suited Prince Onyx. His hair was white as was his skin 
and clothes. White was such a rare color that Saffir found himself staring. He'd 
seen the word "charisma" before, but didn't understand it until he looked upon 
this man. 

The trio finally caught sight of the child who was sitting half-hidden in the 
shadows. Esmeraude stepped forward menacingly, snapping her fan at the 
youngster. "You! What are you doing here?" she demanded. 

Saffir opened his mouth to reply, but the white-haired teenager held up a hand 
to forestall him. "Esmeraude, manners. He's only a child," the man said in a 
gentle voice that still managed to convey authority. 

"Children can be spies, too," the red-haired man pointed out. 

"Are you a spy?" the white man asked, as though no one would dare lie to him. 

Saffir certainly wouldn't. "No," he said, his voice husky from lack of use. "I 
just was reading a book." 

Esmeraude sniffed derisively. "A good excuse," she said. "A book? Why not a 
computer? And I doubt," she continue, yanking Saffir's book off his lap, "that 
someone your age is capable of understanding "Atomic Manipulations for the 
Mathematically Oriented'." 

Saffir lunged forward and grabbed the book out of her hands, knocking her fan to 
the floor (something Esmeraude held against him to the end of her life). "I can, 
too," he said defensively. 

"Oh? Then you're familiar with the library?" the white -haired man asked, not 
seeming to notice the incongruity of a child understanding such material. 

Saffir nodded, his hair, long overdue for a trim, falling into his eyes. "Hai. 
You were looking for something?" he asked. 

"Yes. A book called 'Earth: Geography and History'. It may be in a large set- I 
think there's about six of them or so, actually, but I'm not sure." 

"There's seven, actually," Saffir said. 

The trio stared at him. "You know where it is?" the red-haired man asked. 

"I've read it," Saffir replied. Setting his precious book down, he scampered 
over to a shelf that was a few feet away. He pointed up, as he was unable to 
reach the books without assistance, and he refused to allow them the 
satisfaction of watching him drag a stool over. "It's on the second shelf from 
the top." 

The white man reached up, extending himself to his fullest possible length and 
grabbed one of the books. "This is it," he said, his voice slightly amazed. The 
other two teens looked at him, and Esmeraude let out a cackle that sent Saffir's 
teeth on edge. 

"So the little bookworm is for real," she said, fluttering her fan, shooting a 
coy look at the white-haired man. 

"Indeed," the white-haired man mused thoughtfully, running a hand over his 
smooth cheek. He knelt down so their were on level, and for the first time, 
Saffir looked into the most remarkable pair of amethyst eyes he would ever see. 
Years later, he would remember this as one of the defining moments of his life. 
He was aware of being weighed carefully, and for some reason, a slight gleam of 
approval appeared in those violet orbs that brimmed with vitality. "My name is 
Demando, child. Who are you?" 

Saffir's eyes brightened, and a brilliant smile illuminated his tiny face. So 
this imposing man was his older brother he had heard whispered about? "I'm 
Saffir, oniisan!" he exclaimed gleefully. 

Esmeraude stopped fluttering him fan. The still-unknown man's jaw dropped. 
Demando's expression didn't change a hair. "You're that Saffir?" he said. 
The blue-haired child nodded. Then he averted his gaze slightly, recognizing 
that he was talking to the Heir to the Pellucid Throne. By all rights, Demando 
should hate him- a second son was always a threat. 

Demando's mind, always cunning, started to shift through the news. Here was his 
little brother, a child who had never really been interested in. He'd heard a 
few things here and there, but all and all, the child was a nonentity. Now here 
they were together, and Demando looked down at him. The child was startlingly 
intelligent, and that was dangerous for an older son. He could, of course, 
arrange for an assassin, but Demando firmly believed in making lemonade from 
lemons. This child was still young and malleable. And besides, something in the 
boy's eyes called to something in Demando that he hadn't know existed. 

"I would like to speak to you at a later time. Unfortunately, I don't have the 
time right now. For your future reference, my companions are Esmeraude and 
Rubeus." They nodded as he named them. 

The Heir and his entourage left the library, leaving Saffir to his books. He 
headed back to his chair, picking up his book. His mind absorbed the 
information, though for once, his heart wasn't in it. Finally, he set aside the 
book, cupping his chin as he assumed a classic thinker's position. His face 
furrowed as he thought of the man he had just met. 

Beautiful. That was the only word that summed Demando-sama up. He was beautiful 
physically, but Saffir had caught the look of intelligence on Demando's face, 
which made his physically beauty pall. Even though he didn't realize it, Saffir 
was more then half in love with his older brother. 

The next two days were tense ones for the young boy, the waiting enough to drive 
him crazy. He started to dream, something he had never done before during his 
short life. His dreams were full of vivid images of Demando, a dream of the 
White Prince -but wasn't he only the Heir? and why the White Prince?- sitting on 
a throne, beloved and respected by his people. Saffir stood in the corner, 
watching and loving Demando more then anyone else. Purple eyes fixed on a goal 
only he could see, Demando opened his mouth to speak, and then the dream ended. 
Those dreams should have terrified him, yet Saffir felt strangely refreshed 
after each dream. Yes, he was on the side, but Demando was there. Demando was 
everything. 

Three days after the encounter in the library, Saffir again ran into the man 
with flaming hair who Demando had called Rubeus. This time the boy was darting 
through the Palace kitchens, scrounging up a meal. He never bothered thinking of 
it as breakfast, lunch or dinner, for Saffir would only eat when he felt hungry- 
sometimes going many days without food for lack of hunger. 
Rubeus walked into the kitchen, a look of disdain on his fox-like face. He 
looked down at his boots in disgust, not relishing the task that had required 
him to descend to the level of commoners. He was NOT an errand boy, but for 
Demando, he would make an exception. That didn't mean he had to like it. 

"You there," he said bluntly, pointing a finger at Saffir. "Demando-sama wants 
to see you." 

The boy swallowed the hunk of cheese he had been chewing on. "Now?" he asked, 
rather surprised. He hadn't been expecting anyone to actually bother tracking 
him down- rather, he had believed that they'd ask a servant to keep and eye on 
the library or something to that effect. 

"Of course, now," Rubeus responded testily. "When Demando-sama states he wishes 
something, he means NOW. Get up, boy, and come with me." 
Saffir ran a hand through his over-long hair, wishing he had time to prepare. 
His clothes were old and ink stained from his attempts at calligraphy (he'd 
swiped a set of pens and ink from a beurocrat's desk), and he was sure his face 
could use a good scrubbing. But Rubeus was tapping his foot impatiently, and 
Saffir decided that arguing would be futile. With a wistful glance at his 
half-eaten meal, he followed Rubeus out the door. 

Rubeus led him through a maze of corridors that would have dizzied most people- 
but Saffir wasn't most people. His mind recorded his surroundings automatically, 
noting the dark passages that led off into the unknown. The occasional resentful 
glances Rubeus threw at the youngster did nothing to endear him to Saffir. It 
was the start of the rocky relationship that would sometimes shake Nemisian 
politics to their core. 

Finally, they reached a large door that had the Black Moon Family Crest on it 
entwined with a crown- the royal chambers of Nemesis. Saffir had seen this door 
before, but had known better then to enter. Even though this was, technically 
speaking, his family's rooms, he didn't doubt that his presence would be most 
unwelcome. Rubeus, though, forced the door open without a second thought. 
Saffir entered this unknown place with a sense of wonder. There were gems 
littering the room as thought thrown by as thoughtless hand, thick carpets that 
his slippered feet sunk into, luxurious tapestries that were frivolous displays 
of wealth... and more. Enough that Saffir was barely able to contain a wince. 
His parents were fond of such things? 

Rubeus seemed oblivious to Saffir's feelings of revulsion and stomped through 
the room to knock heavily on a door that bore a diamond, an eye, and the Black 
Moon all entwined together. "Saffir is here, as you commanded," Rubeus said in a 
more respectful tone then he had used towards Saffir. 
"Let him in," came a quiet voice. 

Rubeus opened the door and Saffir went in, preparing his senses for another 
assault of gaudiness. To his relief, he found the room almost as austere as he 
could have wished. Demando sat in a throne-like chair, calm radiating from him. 
Saffir wasn't exactly sure what to do. He bowed low and hoped Demando would be 
happy with that. To his surprise, a light chuckle escaped the Heir. "Don't 
bother, Saffir-chan," he said. "I get more then enough of that from the 
courtiers- my own brother shouldn't stand on ceremony." 

Saffir's smile nearly took in his ears. "Hai, oniisan," he said, relishing the 
feel of that word on his tongue. 

"Now, I must admit that I never really gave you and your... situation any 
particular thought. I always assumed... well, that servants had been taking care 
of you and that you would be reared in a manner suitable for a Prince of the 
Blood. Since running into you in the library, I have done some research, and I 
must admit I am appalled by the current situation. You have no servant?" he 
asked. 

Saffir shook his head. "Not for... almost two years now. Old Quartz was looking 
after me, but she died unexpectedly," he said. He remembered watching her cough 
up blood, seeing the old lady fight for each breath. It had not been a pleasant 
experience. 

"And you've had no schooling?" Demando asked. 

"Aside from what I've taught myself, no," Saffir answered. 

"Then how do you know how to read?" Demando asked. This question had been 
bothering the Heir since he had learned how neglected the child was. 

"I just figured it out on my own," Saffir answered. 
Demando grasped the arms of his chair tightly, his knuckles whitening under the 
strain. This boy was dangerous- too intelligent for his own good. What a 
brilliant, brilliant mind he must have, Demando thought. Now if I can channel it 
in the right direction, he'll have no cause to desire my throne. I would not 
like to have to kill him. 

Saffir was unaware of Demando's plotting. His eyes scanned the room during 
Demando's contemplative moment, final falling on a few books that he hadn't 
read. His fingers itched to touch them- they looked far more interesting then 
anything they had in the library. 

Demando looked at the sudden longing on the boy's face and realized that this 
child was a prodigy, an academic whose potential could be sculpted into a tool 
for Demando's usage. "I think I'm going to see about arranging for a tutor for 
you, child." 

Rather then the instantaneous acceptance and gratitude he had been expecting, 
Saffir bristled slightly. "I'm doing very well on my own, oniisan," he said 
somewhat arrogantly. 

Most other people would get swatted back down for speaking that way to the Heir, 
but Demando only smiled slightly. It seems he has a trace of that stubbornness 
so prevalent in our family, he thought with amused acceptance. I had better 
encourage him to be strong, so no one else can turn him against me. "Yes, you 
are. But you have no one to guide you in your studies. You will need that 
guidance if you are to become one of my advisors," Demando said. 

Saffir's eyes widened. "Your advisors?" he said. "Me?" 

"Yes, ototochan," Demando said. 

"But I'm only eight!" the boy protested. 

"And I'm barely fifteen," Demando confided. "It will be a long time before I 
ascend the throne. Before that, though, I wish to gather loyal followers around 
me to form my cabinet. That's why Esmeraude and Rubeus are around me so much. 
And I can't think of anyone else that I would more desire to have beside me then 
my brother," Demando said smoothly. I'd rather have him beside me then behind me 
with a knife. 

It was then that Saffir fell completely, hopelessly, irrevocably in love with 
his older brother. For the first time, it seemed that someone actually wanted to 
have him around. The empty child was gone- now he had a purpose, a purpose 
fueled by the love that burned so intensely inside of him. 

"I'll do my best, Demando-sama!" he exclaimed. "I won't disappoint you!" 

"I'm sure you won't." 

Demando smiled as the boy was escorted out of the room, feeling the beginnings 
of regret. For some reason, manipulating the boy like that was enough to make 
him feel lower then a snake. He quickly squashed that sentiment down- sentiments 
had no place in the Heir of the Black Moon Family. 

Saffir quickly proved to be more intelligent then anyone could have guessed. In 
a year, under the guidance of a skilled tutor, he was asking questions about 
alchemy and physics his teacher was hard-pressed to answer. His mathematical 
skills were almost as good, yet Saffir showed a disdain for magic and its uses. 

When his sensei asked him why, Saffir had replied that it was simply 
impractical- why expended large amounts of energy to teleport when walking was 
exponentially more energy efficient? If he would have had his way, he would have 
ignored the Magick Arts completely, but Demando had insisted. 

Originally, Demando had managed to meet with the boy once a week, sometimes just 
dropping in on his lessons. He did so to make sure that Saffir knew where his 
loyalty lay, but as time wore on, he came more frequently. There was something 
about the soft adoration in Saffir's eyes, the knowledge that this boy truly 
loved him above and beyond anything else. No one (aside from Esmeraude, but 
Demando just wasn't interested) ever just wanted Demando for nothing aside from 
himself. 

Sometime during Saffir's ninth year, Demando summoned him to his study rather 
unexpectedly. A groggy-eyed Saffir walked into the room, his clothes loose on 
his young body. "Whaddya want, oniisan?" 

Demando resisted the urge to smile. Saffir usually was so formal that his 
slurred speech was rare and amusing. Saffir seemed to think he could make up for 
his lack of years by being painfully proper. "I wanted to see if you would join 
me for a morning stroll," Demando said lightly. 

Saffir nodded eagerly. "Hai!" he said eagerly, ready to grasp any opportunity to 
spend time with his big brother. 

The two brothers quickly went through the hallways, Saffir following in 
Demando's shadow, his silent presence somehow very reassuring to the teenager. 
Their soft shoes slid across the dark floors, not a sound coming from either of 
them. Saffir didn't bother asking Demando where they were going- it really 
didn't matter. It was enough to simply be with Demando. 

Demando led the way to one of the doors that opened outside. "I feel like seeing 
the world beyond our Palace today," he said in his soft, yet compelling, voice. 
Saffir pulled a face, revolted by the very thought. "Why?" he asked. 

Demando reached down and tousled the younger boy's hair affectionately. His 
expression grew far away, as though he was seeing something Saffir couldn't 
perceive. "It reminds me what my goals are," he said to his brother in a low 
voice. "Let us stroll for a while... I will tell you of my plans." 
Together they walked out of the door into the dark day of Nemesis. "Day" and 
"night" were terms that held little meaning on this world, but its inhabitants 
had stubbornly clung onto the old standards of their homeworld. Exiled though 
they were, they were Terrans. They refused to give up anything they didn't have 
to- it would only be a triumph for the Neo-Queen and her heathen Senshi. 
The air was cool on Saffir's pale cheeks, and he resisted the urge to shudder. 
Dark, black... little life. Soon the pair was beyond the protective walls of the 
Palace, and Saffir surveyed the foreboding landscape with loathing. The few 
animals (or what passed as "animals") that were around slunk back into the 
darkness before the young prodigy was able to get a good look at them. There was 
nothing but bleakness.... 

A flash of color caught his eye. Rushing forward, confident that Demando would 
protect him should anyone attack, he bent down and looked at a clump of plant 
life. "Oniisan! Oniisan! What are these?" he asked. He carefully touched one, 
surprised that such beauty existed on Nemesis. 

Demando smiled down at his younger brother, a crack appearing in the icy facade 
he presented everyone else. "They're called flowers. Smell them-- they have a 
pleasant fragrance." 

Saffir did as he was told. The scent was heady and he sighed in pleasure. "Very 
beautiful," he murmured. 
Demando knelt down beside his younger brother. "These are the only flower that 
can survive on Nemesis. On Earth, though, there are fields of them." 

"I wish I could see them," Saffir said wistfully. He had unknowingly taken the 
first step towards the bitterness that marked a Nemisian- the longing for Earth. 

Demando raised the boy's chin with strong fingers so he could look him straight 
in his eyes. "Someday, ototochan, you will," Demando said. 

"But I thought we weren't allowed on Earth. Are you going to sign a treaty with 
the Neo Queen when you become Prince?" Saffir asked. 

"No. I would never betray our people in such a matter. What I plan is..." He 
shut his eyes, purpose etched on his face, "what I plan is to conquer Earth for 
the Black Moon Family." 

"What!?" Saffir gasped. 

"It's been centuries since we were banished to this wasteland," the Heir said. 

"Since then, our people have grown strong, stronger then anyone would have 
believed possible. This planet is barren, yet by living here, we have become 
stronger then any of us would have dreamt possible! Our magics will rival that 
of the Senshi themselves, and we will have a whole army of such powerful 
warriors! Earth will be reclaimed by her true masters- us." 
Saffir wasn't sure he agreed with the idea. "But many of our people will die," 
he said softly. 

Demando normally would have royally flayed anyone who dared question his 
judgment, but this was his younger sibling. "Sometimes, Saffir, those losses are 
acceptable. If you grow up and have children, would you want them to live in 
such a dark place?" he asked, waving an emphatic hand around their dark 
surroundings. 

Saffir cringed. He himself had no plans on ever having children, but he could 
see Demando's point. "People will die in the hope for the future generations." 
Demando nodded. "And it's up to us, as their leaders, to make sure that as few 
of them die as possible- it would be senseless for them to waste their lives 
needlessly." 

"Why are you telling me all this, oniisan? You won't be able to act until you 
are Prince-- and that won't be for a very long time," Saffir stated. 

"Because, Saffir, I need you to do something for me." 
The boy smiled eagerly. "Anything!" he declared hurriedly. 
Demando's hand tightened slightly. "No, child, listen to me first. What I need 
you to do is prepare yourself for this upcoming battle. I need you to become a 
tactician- that means studying like you never have before. It means giving up 
much of your spare time- you will have to learn many things, many of them 
tedious and boring." 

"Why me?" Saffir asked, surprised. 

"I trust you. You're brilliant, as I'm sure everyone has told you, but it's more 
then that. You have the gift of creativity- if I give you a problem, you will 
solve it without complaint. That is what I need- and you're young enough to 
train yourself into that role." 

Decision time. Saffir shut his eyes, trying to understand why Demando was so 
serious. Could being a tactician really be so terrible? "It would be an honor to 
serve you, oniisan," he said. It seemed that that advisor position Demando had 
once mentioned would actually become a reality. 
Demando smiled. "I swear this to you, Saffir-chan," he said. "If you do your 
very best for me, then I will give you fields of flowers when we conquer Earth." 

Saffir's smile was more brilliant then the sun that never shone on Nemesis. 

"Hai!" he exclaimed eagerly. 

*** 

"Virgo is fantasy in nature. Existing in a world of their own, Virgos seem to 
invent and re-invent reality as they wish it to be." 

***

Twelve year old Saffir looked up from the book he was studying as his cousin 
Esmeraude entered the room. Esmeraude wasn't once of his favorite people, but he 
looked up at her and smiled pleasantly enough. "Having more problems with 
Calculus?" he asked sweetly. 

She glowered at him in the way only she was capable of, but then her expression 
softened slightly. "Saffir-chan, you are needed. Prince Demando has summoned 
you." 

His eyes fluttered as he still the instinctive confusion. Prince? Since when? he 
wondered. "Then Prince Onyx is dead?" he asked. 
She nodded. "If you had left this room sometime in the last year, you would have 
heard of Prince Onyx-sama's illness," she answered scathingly. 
Saffir let her insult roll off of him like it was made of water. It was true he 
seldom left his study, but then, he had little cause to. He was on a quest for 
knowledge, and there were few who he could share that with. Even though 
Esmeraude was almost seven years older then him, Saffir had already far 
outdistanced her in anything involving academics. Esmeraude possessed a native 
cunning that almost made up for that, but her vanity wouldn't let her admit she 
was jealous that this child had something she didn't- Demando's love. "Very 
well, then," Saffir said. He rose to his feet, indicating that she should leave. 

"I assume he'll be in his court?" he asked rhetorically, even though the court 
hadn't been Demando's until an hour ago. 
Esmeraude fumed as he turned away to gather something from his many drawers of 
knickknacks. "Don't turn your back on me, Saffir-kun! I am NOT a mere 
messenger!" she spat. 

Saffir looked at her pityingly. She acted flamboyant and self-assured (this was, 
he reminded himself, the self-proclaimed most beautiful woman in the galaxy), 
but he recognized the fact that she was desperately in love with his older 
brother. This was, in his opinion, the only redeeming thing about her... 
mentally. "Maybe you should turn your back on me, Esmeraude-chan," he replied, a 
thin smile on his face. "I need to prepare, and unless your tastes run to young 
boys, I suggest you leave," he said. 

Her mouth opened slowly as she tried to articulate her feelings of rage, but 
Saffir used her distraction to gently shove her to the door. Clicking the lock 
close (something she could easily get around if she had the wit to magic it), he 
pulled out a blue outfit. 

Sliding into his navy-blue clothes, he wondered if he should feel sorry that his 
father was dead. With his excellent memory, it wasn't hard to summon an image of 
Onyx- black hair, flat black eyes, skin that rivaled Demando's for whiteness. 
Shaking his head, he banished the memory from his thoughts- he could count the 
times he'd ever seen Onyx on both hands with fingers to spare. Onyx might have 
been his sire, but he wasn't his father. 

The crystals on his shirt gleamed brightly, and Saffir glimpsed into a mirror. 
His body was starting to stretch out and he could see images of the man he would 
one day become, but he still wasn't an adult. He recognized that he was just 
beginning to enter adolescence, and the thought terrified him. His body was 
beginning to do things he had no control over. The dreams he'd been having in 
the last few months were embarrassing, and if Esmeraude ever found out, he was 
positive his superior intellect would be little defense against her rage. 
His eyes were sparkling sapphires as he stared deeply into the mirror, tugging 
on his unruly hair. There was one lock that seemed determined to do what it 
wanted to, and he had given up the battle long ago. Still, he looked respectable 
enough and he probably wouldn't embarrass Demando too terribly. It was horrible 
to have a fully developed mind in a child's body. 

He slid through the hallways meekly, trying not to draw attention to himself. 
Unlike Demando, who was able to draw attention by merely breathing, Saffir had 
to make a conscience effort to be noticed. He was learning to be grateful, 
especially at times like this. The palace was in an uproar... the Prince was 
dead, and now there was a new ruler... and whenever someone new inherited the 
throne, it was almost inevitable that there would be uprising. Saffir had every 
confidence in his oniisan, but some of their citizens obviously didn't. 
It was simple enough to slip through the crowds to the take a place on the edge 
of the court. He looked up at where Demando was standing, telepathically sending 
out a greeting and a burst of adoration. Demando's face was blank, yet Saffir 
could feel his inner tension extend towards his oniichan. Demando raised one of 
his elegant hands and the court stilled, waiting with baited breath for what the 
Heir would do. 

"Prince Onyx-sama has died. As his heir, I now assume the Pellucid Throne," 
Demando stated. He moved to sit upon the marble throne, yet was stopped by a 
shout from the crowd. 

"You are not his only heir! The people have the right to choose!" a voice called 
with safe anonymity. 

Demando's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Saffir's mind caught his determination. 
The boy, though, felt a chill run through him. Someone was actually putting him 
forth as Heir? he wondered incredulously. Why would they want to do that? 
The answer came almost as quickly as the question had. I'm still young. They 
probably want a puppet prince, he thought cynically. Too bad I'm not going to 
let that happen, he thought viciously. 

"I was Heir, now I am Prince," Demando retorted angrily. "No one will challenge 
me for the throne.." 

"Bring Saffir, son of Onyx, forth and let him speak!" a voice called from the 
other side of the Court. 

Saffir was growing increasingly uncomfortably as the crowd started to shift, 
searching for him. Esmeraude and Rubeus flanked Demando. Esmeraude looked over 
her fan, scornfully surveying the crowd, though Saffir could tell she was 
nervous from the way she was tossing her hair every three seconds. She only did 
that when she was worried or trying to flirt with Demando. Rubeus stood with his 
arms crossed over his chest, staring forward with a sneer on his handsome face. 
Saffir could see the tension etched into his stance, and realized that if he 
survived this, it would be wise to avoid the flame-haired advisor for a while. 
Facing the unavoidable, Saffir sidled to the front of the room, for once taking 
center stage. He could feel the eyes on his back, and hated it. He wished that 
Demando-sama could get him out of this one, yet this was something he would have 
to do. "You summoned me, Prince Demando-sama?" he asked bowing briefly, acting 
as though he had just arrived there. 

There was a gasp from the crowd. No one could be called Prince unless they had 
taken the Pellucid Throne, and for Saffir to call his brother that was more then 
gauche. It was almost treason to the minimal laws that tied their society 
together. 

Demando ignored this. "Yes, Saffir-san," he said, addressing him with the 
honorific for the first time. "There appears to be some confusion as to the 
rights of inheritance, and I was hoping you could sort it out for me," he said 
gently. 

Saffir nodded. "The rights? You mean how the Heir is chosen and assumes the 
throne? Since Prince Onyx-sama's reign lasted two hundred years, I can see how 
most normal people might not remember the exact law," he said with just the 
right amount of derision lacing his words. He turned around and faced the crowd, 
staring right out in the middle of them, yet not really seeing any of them. 
"From the Laws of State, Book Three, Section Sixteen: The Pellucid Throne shall 
pass through the paternal line upon the death of the reigning Prince. The Heir 
is the oldest male child of the Prince. In the event that the Prince has no male 
relatives, the Throne shall first be offered to his brother, then any nephews... 
the line shall be traced until a suitable Heir is found. If there is any doubt 
over who is the Heir, the people of Nemesis have the right to question the 
assumption of the Throne. However, once the Throne has been claimed, the Prince 
shall retain it until the end of his life," Saffir recited from memory. 
Silence met his little demonstration of his talented memory. Demando nodded 
gravely. "My thanks, Saffir-san," he said. "It appears that there should be no 
question as to who inherits." 

"Indeed, oniisan," Saffir said, prompted by Demando's telepathic nudge. 

"Besides, I'm the only other possibility, and I fully support your reign," he 
said, trying to muddle through this political gibberish to the best of his 
abilities. 

"I'm glad to hear that, Saffir-san," he said. "I am Prince," Demando pronounced. 
He sat back into the throne, sitting there as though he was used to the 
experience. The Throne started to glow, every shade known to human-kind (and 
some that weren't) shooting forth as it welcomed its new occupant. Magic ties 
wrapped tightly around Demando, and it was difficult for Demando to keep his 
face from displaying the ecstasy the new power was forcing into him. The throng 
let out a half-hearted cheer, and Demando realized he would have to establish 
his authority quickly, or be overthrown. 

He looked over at Rubeus and Esmeraude, who took positions behind his throne. 
Though Onyx had been ill for a while, no one had expected him to die so young. 
He had barely entered his second century of rule, and should have live to see at 
least another four, giving Demando time to prepare for the assumption of the 
Pellucid Throne. Now he the Throne was his, yet he had few political alliances 
to hold it with. 

Saffir managed to blend back into the crowd, yet his usually striking eyes were 
dark with concern. Young as he was, he recognized how tenuous Demando's position 
had become. 

"Let my reign commence with three days of festivities- let there be music, games 
and dancing!" he pronounced, using ancient tradition. "On the eve of the fourth 
day, my council shall be called!" 

*** 

"Virgos are usually observant, shrewd, critical, and patient. Supporters of the 
'status quo', and conservative in all areas of life." 

***

Demando paced up and down rapidly, making Saffir dizzy just looking at him. 
Rubeus and Esmeraude were perched on chairs like birds ready to take flight, 
while Saffir sat with unnatural stillness, the needs of his body forgotten as 
his superior intellect turned the problem over and over in his mind. 

It was a strange council. The new ruler, two inexperienced youngsters, and a 
boy. Together, though, they held more power then any other faction on Nemesis, 
as they currently controlled the Throne. With the throne, came a vast amount of 
power that had been imbued over the ages by each of Nemesis' previous rulers. 
Demando had tied himself to it, and there was no way to part him from it except 
death, and that would mean his powers would then join the rest of his ancestors 
in strengthening the Pellucid Throne. Any usurper would find it extremely 
unpleasant to sit upon it. Saffir remembered reading of Diamonda, and the less 
that was said about that little incident, the better. But some would brave it, 
especially with Demando this new to power. 

"Well?" he asked finally, looking at his most trusted confidants. He spun 
around, the rich purple cloak swirling with wonderful flare, causing Esmeraude's 
eyes to light up. Rubeus just sat sulkingly, while Saffir just stared blankly at 
his brother. 

"We retain the Throne for you, of course, Demando-sama," Esmeraude said purring, 
batting her amazingly long eyelashes in unison with the fluttering of her fan. 
He, as always, seemed impervious to her attempts at flirtation. "That is a 
given. The question is how?" His fingers idly touched the gem he wore at his 
throat, the gem that bound him to the Throne. "I should have had more time," he 
said bitterly. "Onyx wasn't suppose to die so young. This makes things more 
complicated- I have almost no political alliances." His reaction was typical of 
any Namibian citizen- not concern over the loss of a relative, but rather the 
awkward position he had been placed in. because of the loss. 

"But we're stuck with things as they are," Esmeraude said. "Now we have to make 
the best of the situation." 

Demando frowned and sat down on the edge of his desk. "I have to get the people 
to love me as well as fear me," he said. "How?" 

"Give them what they want," Rubeus said. 

"But what do they want?" Demando asked. 

The room was silent as they all digested that question. The answer was painfully 
obvious. "Earth," Esmeraude whispered, almost dropping her fan. "We want the 
Earth back." 

Demando nodded grimly. "I have long cherished the hope of re-taking the blue 
planet. I hadn't planned on implementing my plans so soon, but this is the only 
method I can think of to ensure no one attempts a coup." 

Saffir raised his head and spoke for the first time. "There is a quote that 
applies well here. 'What this country needs is a short, victorious war to stem 
the tide of revolution.'" 

"I like that one, Saffir-kun," Demando said with a thin smile lingering on his 
lips. "Is it possible?" 

Saffir shut his eyes, calculating events as rapidly as he could. "Terra is 
strong, but it had been at peace for centuries- aside from the Senshi, they have 
no real warriors. We are a more savage people who will understand the realities 
of war more quickly. Each one of our citizens is worth ten of the common 
soldiers of the pacifistic Earth. While the Senshi are neatly immortal, they are 
not invulnerable. With proper dedication, they can be destroyed. The Neo King 
and his consort control the world and are almost omnipotent, yet even they will 
fall in the end." 

"How long, Saffir-kun?" Demando asked. 

"Ten years. Almost nothing when one considers the life span we live." 
The group was silent. "So that's it?" Rubeus asked. "We're finally going to 
reclaim Earth?" 

Demando smiled in his own enigmatic way. "Hai, Rubeus. As of this moment, 
Nemesis is at war." 

END PART THREE