A/N: First of all, thank you for all your comments and votes! I am utterly happy this story has many fans! Second of all, I am sorry for the long hiatus. I did not manage to work on this fic during the Open Novella Contest. BUT I am proud to say it paid off: "Branches - Two Fates. One Tale" actually is a finalist for the Grand Prize of the contest! Whoop, whoop!^^

What else is new? I posted a tribute for Mayura's birthday playing in the context of this very fic. So if you want to learn more about this world, you should check out "About Crystals and Stars - One-shots".

Okay, now I leave you to have, hopefully, fun reading! ;)

9

Furiously, her chest heaved up and down in a helpless attempt to fill her lungs with air. Her body swayed to the side. Mayura tried to keep her focus on his movements. Her hands, slick with sweat, were grabbing tightly onto the solid handle between her fingers.

If he'd thrust back now, she would fall. And so she advanced again, pushing her body into his direction.

She rose the sword and swung it towards Shimon.

He blocked the blow. The blade carved into the branch he held.

She wanted to withdraw but the sword stuck in the wood did not give in immediately and so she stumbled, when she finally retrieved the weapon.

'Game over,' she thought while stumbling backwards, knowing exactly what would happen. In the very same moment she saw Shimon twisting the branch to the side and hitting the sword above its hilt.

With a clatter the sword fell to the ground, twisted out of her grip. Mayura fell back on her buttocks with a yelp.

"You've improved," Shimon commented as if he had not just knocked her off her feet with something simple as a branch.

Mayura mustered him from head to toe. While her own stamina was drained and she was on her last legs, he had not even broken out in sweat. She huffed bitterly, "It's not a real improvement, considering I advanced from zero to... something."

"Don't stress yourself out. Swordsmanship isn't learned in a few days and I am years ahead of you. All you need to have is the resolve to push yourself," Shimon bowed down to retrieve the sword lying on the ground. "However, if you don't, you will fail."

The metal hissed and clicked as he sheathed the sword upon his grave words. He always was very serious, wasn't he?

Interested she raised her eyebrows and inquired, "How many years did you learn?"

"I've started since I was a small boy but with twelve I had found a master." A small smile adorned the corners of his lips. He must have been quite taken with his master. Although that was understandable. The way Shimon fought was enough proof of an effective training.

"Your moves are pretty impressive," she said while massaging a sore spot on her arm. Being a princess, she'd never had to lift a finger to get something. These last days of physical work were taking a toll on her muscles. Constantly something ached, whether it was her arms, her legs or her back.

Shimon stretched his hand out for her. "I am sure you will be able to move more swiftly in no time."

"Thanks," she said while helping him to pull her body to her feet. She was not so sure about herself but was glad to accept his reassuring words.

He grabbed the bamboo pipe they used for water and looked at it with a frown. "Seems like I have to go fetch some water. Wait here. I'll be quick."

Mayura nodded at him and saw his retrieving figure disappear into the woods.

Resolve, huh?

They had been training for days and still she felt only small improvement. It was hard to keep up resolve when having to face more failures than gains.

Rising her hands, she looked at them. They hurt, her skin itched where it had been rubbed from the hilt's leather. Those weren't the hands of a Princess anymore. They were still as vulnerable and soft but they weren't pure and stainless anymore. If she wanted to get stronger, she needed to steal herself.

The world was at a constant battle of power. They say the most powerful weapon is the word. Yet, it wasn't as immediate and it wouldn't help her to survive facing direct danger. There weren't many other powerful thing as the sharpness of a blade or the force of an order. Well, except for the one power that was the most important but sensed by so few people, the Crystal's power.

If only she could control the Crystal's powers like Jinya-sama.

Jinya... He had told her how to channel those powers, how to gain control of them. How to absorb them from the nature surrounding her.

These hands, could she do more with them than hold a sword?

She sat down on her heels and folded her hands in her lap. Recalling how the priestess from Narukami had meditated to get a grip on the powers enveloping each and every living thing.

Mayura closed her eyes and snorted before refilling her lungs again with a deep breath. Slowly she found a rhythm deeply in and out. She began to relax while repeating the process a few times, trying to clear her mind.

The Crystal gave and it took.

The Crystal was generous and severe.

The Crystal was divine and worldly.

The Crystal was light and dark.

It was inside and outside.

One was two and two was one.

Banishing everything from her mind and concentrating on the Crystal Mayura's mind left her body, freed from the grasp of space and time and dwelling in the dark and unknown. On the next breath something from afar turned towards her. In the darkness there was a light. It turned to light a path. It was warm. She felt safe and secure close to the light.

Home.

It felt like home.

She reached out a hand. When she touched it, it enveloped her being. Like a mother's embrace it cocooned her.

From afar and from nearby a voice said, "Bring my children back to me."

Unconsciously she nodded and tried to channel what was given to her.

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The water swept in waves against the walls of the pipes as it moved in response to Shimon's steps, making a swishing sound.

Based on the position of the sun it was still early. If Mayura was up to it, they could put in another hour of training before working on the raft.

She had quite a lot to learn and more than her unpolished skills she lacked stamina and physical strength. Nonetheless, Shimon was sure she could, at least, defend herself. Her determination and quick level of learning came to an advantage for learning the swordsmanship.

Pushing away the small branches reaching into the path, he revealed the sight of the meadow they had chosen for their training. It was close enough to the stream and the beach but thanks to the even ground less tiring.

His eyes immediately stuck to her form as if she'd called him.

Mayura sat on the grass, not moving from what he could see. He wondered, if she meditated or something. Coming closer he circled her and he almost dropped the water when he saw a white light glimmer between her hands.

Holy –! The Crystal's powers!

Ripping his eyes from the pure and bright light, he scooted them to her face. The brightest smile he'd ever seen adored it as she looked down to the power she held between her hands. Reflections of the light danced in her blue eyes like fairy spirits of a summer night's dream. A red hue covered her cheeks.

She was utterly beautiful.

His breath hitched. A funny feeling bloomed in his chest as his heart seemed to collapse and explode at the same time. Irritated he rubbed the cloth above the spot.

Suddenly her eyes darted to him and she yelped. The light vanished and she rose a fist to her chest now, too. "Shimon! You've scared me."

He broke out of his stupor, sucking in a deep breath. There were more important matters at hand than her lovely sight. Though he still not understood what had just taken play in front of his eyes. Confused he mumbled, "The Crystal's powers, you control them?"

"Oh, you know what they are," she chirped and her eyes danced.

He nodded, "A monk used them to save my sister's life once. The light he extracted from her body, it looked the same."

Smiling brightly she told him, "It was a monk who told me how to control them. I had not believed I would be able to do it on the first try but –" She broke of and giggled, euphoric and high-spirited.

Caught between amazement and disbelief he stared at her. Was she serious?

"Could you hand me the pipe? I feel like dying from thirst."

Wordlessly he handed her the pipe and watched her drink with deep gulps, leaning back her head and drinking until the pipe was empty.

She huffed and giggled again. "Oh, I emptied it. I'll go refill it. I would like to wash off a bit before going to a second round of training. Just wait here." Jumping to her feet she turned on her heels and walked towards the spot, he had come from only a few moments ago almost as if she danced.

"Mayura –"

She left him behind, dumbfounded and thunderstruck.

Shimon puffed a breath when he did not see her retrieving figure anymore.

What had just happened?

His mind was roiling.

Seriously, she left him speechless in many ways. He had never seen her being like this, this cheerful. And the powers. How had she gained them?

First try, she had said. But how was that possible? Monks and priests, from what he knew, they spend years and years of training until they are able to shape the Crystal's powers according to their will. And then she had been hyped and enthusiastic. He could not tell if this was a side effect from controlling the Crystal or if she had been like this because of her accomplishments. Whatever it was, to Shimon it had been – alluring?

Rising a hand, he lowered his forehead to the palm and rubbed the furrow between his knitted eyebrows.

Whatever had transpired right now, Mayura being able to control the Crystal's power might work in their favor. Though he had no idea how. Truth be told only those who were in control of the Crystal's power knew what they could achieve with it. The brotherhood was very silent about it. Priests swore an oath to keep the Crystal's powers protected. Only the chosen ones were allowed let in on the secret.

Who had chosen Mayura? Was she a novice? Had she concealed this little fact?

Annoyed Shimon clicked his tongue. Too many questions worked to mislead from the truth. He wouldn't find an answer like this and maybe it was not that important as he currently made it to be, being untypically agitated.

Releasing a sigh he let the topic go. Perhaps she would tell him about it herself after she returned.

Titling his head up again, he looked around. Never would he have thought that he would feel tired of the sight of green. Although the woods were fairly different then the gardens at home. They were uncontrolled, wild and untrimmed . He preferred things with composure and reserve.

He noticed it then.

He noticed the blurred edges of the trunks, ruffled colors of the leaves. Walking closer to the trees he concentrated on the shapes and truly they sharpened the closer he got. Were his eyes deceiving him? Had he just been imagining things?

Squeezing them shut, he traced his eyelashes with a thumb and forefinger. Upon blinking them open again, he guessed it was fine now. These thoughts were forgotten, however, when a movement in the woods caught his eyes. A human shape walked towards the meadow. Quickly Shimon hid himself behind a trunk, hoping the person had not seen him yet.

This couldn't be Mayura. The lake was in the opposite direction.

Was this the monster who'd burned and buried the bodies?

Shimon held his breath. He focused on the sound of rustling leaves. The person was seemingly unconcerned about producing noises. It was fairly likely he had not seen Shimon yet.

The rustling becoming louder . The person got closer.

With his back pressed against the trunk Shimon waited for the person to exit the shades of the forest while pulling the Vermilion sword out of its sheath as quietly as possible. Its blood red guard glinted with the fire of the sun, ready to shed more blood.

The rustling became deafening. His heart thundered in anticipation.

Then the noise stopped altogether.

Damn. Had the person seen him?

Leaning forward to look around the trunk of the tree, Shimon stared into widened, red and blinking eyes, framed with brown hair.

He acted quick. Dashing behind the boy, he grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back in one move. The boy could not do much but yelp before Shimon pressed the blade of his katana against the intruder's throat. From what Shimon could see, the boy wore the a blue armor, the uniform of Narukami's warriors.

"Woah! Hey buddy, unhand me!" The Narukami warrior yelled. Not only did he look young, he sounded young.

Yet, Shimon did not give in and tightened his grip on the twisted arm of the boy, who yelped in pain. "So have a chance to attack me? I don't think so," Shimon replied darkly. "Who are you?"

"That's none of your business. Let me go!" When the boy moved his arm against the restraint, Shimon pulled his arm down, making every movement for the guy painful.

"Tell me who you are," Shimon warned him again.

"HEEEELP!" The boy screamed as loud as an alarm bell, making Shimon's ears ring. What was wrong with this guy?

As if she'd answered the cry for help, Mayura came running into the meadow from the other side of the forest. Her eyes grew big as she looked at the boy and him.

Shimon meant to tell her to stay away, when she suddenly exclaimed, "Rokuro?!" Shimon blinked in surprise as he listened to her adding, "Rokuro! Is that you? What are you doing here?"

Mayura knew this guy?

"Almost being killed by this knucklehead," the boy replied. In response to the insult Shimon twisted the arm even more, gaining a groan in reward. How dare this boy insult him?

"Shimon, let him go," Shimon raised his eyes towards her again. Mayura, turned towards him now, looked at him with soft and pleading eyes.

Succumbing to her request, Shimon sighed deeply and let the boy loose – reluctantly nonetheless. He still needed to make sense out of this situation. Who was this twerp and how did Mayura know him?

Said brown-haired jumped away from him and reached a hand for his arm wearing a comical facial expression as if he was gagging. He then looked towards Mayura and grinned at her broadly, displaying two rows of ridiculously sharp and pointed teeth. His hair fell around his head disordered and boisterous.

The boy was like the woods. Uncontrolled, wild and untrimmed. Shimon did not like him.

How was this boy related to Mayura?

In question Shimon's eyes darted over to the blonde. Shocked he noticed Mayura looking at the boy with a fond expression. Her lips tremble and tears appear in the corner of her eyes.

They stared at each other – the boy grinning and Mayura smiling brokenly – and Shimon found himself to be the intruder of a private scene now.

Then Mayura sobbed and ran to the boy standing in front of Shimon and throwing herself into his arms.

Something hit Shimon hard in the chest at once. He felt like he could breathe no more. As if something heavy was standing on his chest. He did not understand the world at all.

He couldn't do anything except watching them embrace and converse with one another.

"Thank the Crystal! It's so good to see you, Rokuro. But why are you here?"

Finally she released the twerp and they stopped hugging.

(Illustration by zeropointzerotwo.tumblr.com / @yayshiny. Don't repost or copy, please.)

"Your old man sent me after you. And since I am the only one who knew where you were going, I stole myself away." The boy grinned, proudly pointing a thumb at himself.

Mayura still smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes before she tilted her head to the side. "And how did you come to this island? How did you know I would be here?"

Shimon blinked in confusion. Her father had sent the boy. But what for? Was her fiance or something?

"I didn't. I was so hungry, that I wanted to make pause on this isle." Rubbing the back of his head, the guy named Rokuro grinned again. To proof his point there was loud stomach rumble, resembling the croak of the hopping creatures near by the lake, which Mayura had called frogs someday.

"Then we should make a fire and give you something to eat. Come," she said and turned on her heels heading back towards the beach.

Shimon let the boy walk in front of him. He preferred to have his eyes on him, then let him walk in his back.

Suddenly Mayura threw an apologetic gaze at him over her shoulder. "Shimon, can you leave us alone a while to talk?"

She continued to walk the path with the twerp on her tolls, leaving Shimon speechless behind for the second time today.

Today was the weirdest of all days.

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A/N: The illustration is adorable, isn't it?^^