This has no effect on the story line of Haato No Kagami, it is kind of a prequel/ background story. I do not claim that any of the information in this story is correct according to the worlds created by Chibi Alex-Chan in Haato No Kagami, just that this was inspired by them. ^_^

It was a late evening in early summer. The plants had just begun to put forth their new leaves and the fields and meadows were beginning to look green again. The new Houou sighed, she knew that her work could not begin until her knight was born. It was also very exhausting experiencing the moments of judging for every possible candidate. All that the Elders would tell her was that when she experienced the right life sequence that she would know, and would then be able to apply her binding mark at the moment just before birth. She knew that this was why all the knights of the world were known to be ' called from the hour of their birth' to the service of the Houou to which they were spiritually connected. Of course it was not always a perfect relationship, their had been times when a knight had refused service and had been required to guard only until a replacement was born, but that only happened every ten hundred years or so.
It was tiring experiencing every child's life sequence. In the hour previous to a mother's labour that would bring each child into this world Nitara was allowed by the Holy Powers to know the sum of each child's life. Sometimes it was sad or sometimes a happy thing to lose that selfsame knowledge at the moment of each child's birth. But Nitara was as close to excited as any Houou ever became. She was only a little over a single century old and had finally learned enough and proven herself ready to bind her first knight and begin to truly work in the world. To an Houou as old as Katrianna, the oldest and most experienced of the Elders, the task of claiming a new knight to her service was almost more of a chore than the joy it would be to Nitara. Even if each knight was unique and special in their own way, they all still had to be looked after and their training had to be seen to. Nitara had the joy of looking forward to doing this for the first time, to Katrianna it was just how things were done. Nitara sighed again, she knew that once her mark was placed on a child she would no longer experience the lives of each child that was born until her mark was placed, the mark that could only be removed by death or at a refusal to serve. But knowing this she did not even consider picking someone just to make the life visions stop - she wanted to be very sure that she chose wisely, she wanted someone that she could love who would love her in return. She also wanted someone who was intelligent and capable of what could be required during the lifetime of servitude each knight performed. "Of course" Nitara corrected her thought " it's not a really a whole lifetime of active service". Every Houou was bound to the rules that had kept the balance in the world since the beginning. Nitara thought back to what one of the Elders had said when explaining this to the young Houou.

"Every bound thing has two sides to it. In order to preserve the balance service must be rendered for service. For the things that we provide to this world we are granted the servitude of the beings therein. All the life on this world can be granted the healing and workings of our energy's to keep this world beautiful and pristine and to keep their mother, the earth, in the best possible health. To this end the weather, animals and plants of the world can be made to do our will at the physical exertion of our energy. But man benefits from us the most and so the most is required from their kind. Those who are destined to live their lives as guardian knights are set apart from the rest of their kind. The bond between us is complicated but the basics are this : only when bonded to a knight can a Houou have the ability to be in a constant physical form. This form is activated on the sixteenth birthday of the chosen knight, upon the completion of the ceremony to accept the role of a knight protector by the bonded person. This also completes the act that allows the bonded knight to experience the elements of physicality that you will share. The act of bonding is the sealing of our part of the contract whereupon we begin the long watch over our knight to ensure that they reach the age of sixteen during which time we interfere in their lives only to protect and guide them. The way in which we do this is solely by the guide given to us by the Holy Powers, the only knowledge you will ever retain from the life of your bonded child are those times that you will effect his or her life during those sixteen years. Active service baring fatality or serious maiming (we are capable of dealing with all but the most extreme wounds), is required until the age of forty. At that time they may settle down permanently with their family if they wish and are only required thereafter to be available to train any new knights in the physical arts until fifty five and the intellectual arts until death. This livelihood is the privilege of all those who serve the Houou as knights. In return they have our guardianship for them and their family for the length of their lifetime. As well as the life spent as one of our knights, humans have an interesting view when it comes to adventure, travelling and doing things they deem 'heroic' for others of their kind. Most place a high value on it, and those who don't would never be chosen for the tasks of knighthood. These are the things that make up the balance for our bonds with our knights, there are more rules and there is much yet for you to learn but the balance is served in this same way for all things, remember this."

Nitara knew that the Elder had said more but just now a life vision was overtaking her and it seemed different somehow from the others that she had experienced. It carried a strong impression with it. An impression that held a feeling of love, strength and hope, with an understanding of life's simplicity's and immensity's gained by a lifetime's willingness to learn and grow and always continue forward with purpose. Nitara smiled, she had found her knight. As she flew through the ether of the spiritual plane to be at the side of the mother who would bear her knight she reflected to herself that the elders had been right. When he was made known to her she knew that this was the right child to bear the guardianship of the knighthood as her first night. She watched over the mother as she went through her labour, giving her and the child to be born some ease from the trial of childbirth. She was cautious however not to expend herself so much that she would be unable to complete the binding. Finally the moment of birth was about to commence, Nitara closed her eyes and began the binding ritual as the mother beside her also closed hers and gathered her energy for this last bit of effort to finish. When Nitara opened her eyes and became aware of the world outside her mind she was disoriented for a moment. Then looking around her she realised that she must have chosen her knight. She looked down at the young mother with admiration in her eyes and wondered what had been so special about the small baby boy in his mother's arms that had made him her choice out of the many possible people out there. She grinned as she heard his name spoken for the first time " Aiheric", and thought to herself 'well we have your whole life to find out, don't we?' . As she searched her thoughts she realised she would be very busy for the next few years as this very active child would need much watching over as the current youngest of three. His mother and siblings would not be able to keep up with his energy and curiosity and all the things that these would get him into. But he was a nice, bright boy who would learn quickly and by the time he would be five or so she saw that she would be required less often to protect and more as a simple whispering guide, helping him to find his way. Making sure that he met some people and helping him to stay clear of others. As she looked down at this small not even an hour old babe, she felt love stir in her heart, she was already glad of her choice.

*** Intermittent time that just seemed to fly by... 16 years ***

It was a late evening in early summer. The plants had just begun to put forth their new leaves and the fields and meadows were beginning to look green again. Nitara waited at the top of the hill and watched as the agile young man easily climbed the steep rock face. He was coming to see why his heart pulled him here on the eve of his birth. When he reached the top his eyes held a look of open curiosity which changed to surprise which slowly became a look of uncertain recognition. "Do I know you?" he asked.
Nitara smiled "You do Aiheric, though not by name". Then she did something that made him sit up with his eyes wide but almost immediately he bowed his head and assumed a position of respect. She had spread her wings. Her eyes glimmered with amusement, "Thank-you but please sit up, I wish to talk to you and I would rather do so to your face and not the back of your head".
"Yes, milady" he said and sat up but kept his eyes respectfully down.
"Oh no, we can't have that" said Nitara, " I've been with you in too many of your most dangerous moments for you to be calling me that. My mane is Nitara, and I would like it if you would use it".
"V-very well, Ni-Nitara".
"I can tell by the look on your face that your curiosity is beginning to work, ask the question I can see forming behind your eyes".
With a flushed face Aiheric stammered out "d-does this mean, I mean a-am I, a-a-are you?"
Still smiling Nitara answered him " Yes, I am Houou and if you chose this night to accept it you will be my bonded knight sworn to the life of a knight and my protection".
Running his hand through his hair, for a moment all that the wide-eyed Aiheric could say was "wow - I mean just...wow...wow". With a small movement of her wings Nitara brought his attention back from his amazed thoughts. "I'm sorry milady, er, um, Ni-Nitara, I didn't mean to be rude".
"Oh, I don't think you were, some surprise would be natural I suppose".
"You suppose?" Aiheric blurted then blushed.
"Well, yes, I can only suppose because if you accept you will be my first knight".
"Your...first?"
"Yes".
"Oh".
"So now that we have the introductions out of the way I get to formally ask you and then you have an hour's time to reflect. You can ask me anything you would like or you may just sit quietly with your thoughts I will say nothing excepting that I answer you questions until I have your answer. At the end of the hour I must have that answer."
"Um, okay".
While Aiheric blushed Nitara knelt before him in a position matching Aiheric's.
" Aiheric John Whellainar, as the Houou who bound you at birth and who has watched over and guided your life for the past sixteen years, I hereby ask that you serve as my protector knight serving with full loyalty and honour the tasks I set you. Should you refuse you are required only to fill this position for the length of time it takes to find a suitable replacement. Will you accept this position?"
.... Five minutes pass....
"So, from what you just said I'm guessing that all those times I've almost killed myself trying new things out, your responsible for the fact that I'm still alive, and maybe meeting Frenner and Misti that day wasn't such a coincidence after all, right?"
"That is correct, I've been with you your whole life and saved you often, and Frenner and Misti are both knights past active duty who travelled to your home town because you were there, to give you some preliminary training and to complete your training should you accept."
"Then I have my answer, I accept milady Nitara, my life is yours".
"Thank-you, we must complete the ceremony tonight but I have the feeling that this will be the beginning of a wonderful friendship".
As the two looked at each other and smiled Aiheric couldn't help feeling that he agreed.

The End

*Pronounced with a silent h phonetically it is Ay- ah- rick.