Prologue |
Chapter One |
Chapter Two |
Chapter Three |
Chapter Four |
Chapter Five |
Chapter Six |
Chapter Seven |
Chapter Eight |
Chapter Nine |
Chapter Ten |
Chapter Eleven |
Chapter Twelve |
Chapter Thirteen |
Chapter Fourteen |
Chapter Fifteen |
Chapter Sixteen |
Epilogue
Princess Serenity was nervous. It had started off small, in the gardens; a tiny flutter within her stomach, the thrill of encouraging something that was forbidden. Now, as she stood on the castle balcony beside the man she was engaged to marry, the spark of nervousness had grown into a raging torrent of unease. This was worse than waiting at the front of the Great Hall to see her fiance for the first time. The Princess fidgeted ever so slightly in her place as, far below, the Moon Knights marched and engaged one another in mock battles as the Sailor Soldiers put them through their paces. Serenity felt as if the demonstration were taking place within the pit of her own stomach. The sun was rolling higher in the sky. Soon, Endou would be looking for her. "Are we to see the Sailor Soldiers in action as well?" King Arton asked. He had stepped right up to the rail of the balcony and was watching the Moon Knights with interest. "We have heard so much about them, and yet we know so little," he added hopefully. "I'm afraid not," Queen Serenity replied, her voice casual. "The power of a Sailor Soldier is extremely destructive and can not be used so lightly." Arton looked disappointed, but did not argue. Taking advantage of the break in the silence, Princess Serenity took a deep breath and leaned closer to her mother, who was standing by her side. "Mother," she said quietly, "I do not feel well. Might I be excused?" "Are you ill?" the Queen asked, alarmed. Her eyes darted to the visitors from Earth, and her daughter realized the Queen's concern. Disease was rare on the Moon, and the lavender-haired monarch feared an illness had been brought from the planet. "No, Mother," the Princess amended hastily, "only, the sun is so warm today, and this dress..." She rubbed her bare arms, as if to shield them from the sun's rays. Queen Serenity reached out a slender hand to touch her daughter's cheeks and shoulders. Fortunately for the Princess, her skin had indeed been warmed by the sun. A pang of guilt struck the younger woman as she read the sincere worry in her mother's eyes. "Very well," the Queen said at last, squeezing her child's shoulder gently. "Perhaps you should spend more time indoors until you become accustomed to this dress, my dear. For now, it would be best for you to return to your chambers and rest." An apprehensive look crossed the monarch's face and she looked over the edge at the Sailor Soldiers, her daughter's guardians, who were busy with the Moon Knights. "There is no need to disturb them, Mother," Princess Serenity said quickly. "I will be all right on my own." "No, you must have an escort." The Moon Queen's eyes roamed the assortment of servants standing on the balcony and in the shadows just inside the castle. "Luna." The dark-haired woman stepped forward immediately, the skirt of her ruffled yellow dress bouncing around her knees, and bowed slightly. "Escort Serenity back to her chambers," the Queen instructed. To her daughter, she added, "I will check on you later, my dear." Luna and Princess Serenity curtseyed to the Earth's royal family and excused themselves, then headed into the shade of the Moon Castle's interior. The walk to the Princess' suite of rooms was nearly painful as Serenity forced herself to move slowly despite her apprehension. She was supposed to be ill, after all. Inside, her mind worked furiously as she struggled to figure out how she could separate herself from Luna. The dark-haired woman had always been a bit overprotective of the Moon Princess, and Serenity could not help feeling that Luna still thought of her as an ignorant little girl. At least she no longer scolded the Princess for every misstep. The Queen's advisor matched her pace to that of her liege's daughter, her long hair tumbling around the ruffles of her yellow dress. Serenity did not look at her escort, keeping her eyes trained on the floor, but occasional flashes of gold from the crescent-moon mark on Luna's forehead caught her attention as the older woman glanced at her with concern. Serenity knew she should say something to reassure her companion, but at the moment she was too frustrated at being unable to escape. At last, they reached the Princess' chambers in the royal wing of the castle. Seeing them approach, the doormen opened the heavy double doors they were forever guarding to allow the women to enter. The luxurious interior with its thick white carpet was no comfort to Serenity, although she was glad to remove her glass slippers. As they entered the sitting room, Serenity's personal attendant emerged from her own adjoining quarters, surprised to see her mistress back so soon. Blushing, the girl retied the confining ribbons of her dress and pinned up her red hair as she waited for instructions. "A basin of cool water and a cloth, please," Luna ordered, putting an arm around the Princess' waist to guide her to the bedroom. The attendant nodded and was gone before Serenity could think to object. The two women wove between the chairs and couches of the front room and climbed the few steps to the raised bedroom, Luna lifting the white chiffon curtain aside for her Princess. Serenity stretched out on her four-poster bed with a sigh as Luna circled the room, pulling the drapes closed to shut out the morning sunshine. The older woman met the attendant at the entrance to the bedroom, taking the bowl and cloth before dismissing the young servant. Sitting down at Serenity's bedside, Luna began to gently dab the Princess' face and arms with cool water. The room was warm, the bed was soft, and Luna's caring ministrations were soothing. Princess Serenity could almost have relaxed into sleep, had she not been so nervous. She could not bear to look at Luna, the genuine concern in the older woman's eyes bringing Serenity nothing but guilt. For a moment, the young Princess considered forgetting all about Endou...but she had unlocked the garden door. The stable hand would be wandering the castle grounds alone - who knew what mischief he would get into? Serenity sighed and swallowed hard, gathering all the courage she could muster for what she was about to do. It would have been easiest to feign sleep and wait for Luna to leave, but there wasn't enough time. "Luna," she said quietly, "I'd like to be alone." The dark-haired woman stopped pressing the cloth against Serenity's skin and was silent for a moment. "Is something troubling you, Princess?" "No, Luna." With a sigh, Luna set the damp cloth beside the basin of water and leaned forward against the bed, her eyes serious and solemn. Her hair slid forward around her face, framing the golden crescent on her forehead. "Serenity." Luna reached out and lightly laid her hands on the Princess' pale arm. "I've watched over you since you were born. You can tell me anything, anything at all. You know that, don't you?" The girl on the bed shuddered beneath Luna's touch. This was pure torture. She wished Luna would demand she cheer up, or even scold her; anything but this honest kindness. This way, there was no path left open to Serenity but that of cruelty. "Hardly," she said coldly, swallowing tears of shame. "Your loyalty lies with the Queen. Anything I tell you goes straight to my mother." Luna's hands abruptly pulled away from the Princess' skin. "Serenity - I -" The woman paused to keep her voice from breaking, then plunged onward. "I know you're unhappy about your engagement to Prince Endymion." At this, a blush burned Serenity's cheeks and she wondered how many others knew about her outburst at the previous night's ceremony. She wanted to ask, but the rays of sun peeking around the edges of the curtains teased her, reminding her of time slipping by. She could patch things up with Luna later; right now, she had an appointment to keep. "My mother told you about that, I suppose," she muttered. "I'm worried about you, Moonbeam," Luna sighed, using her old nickname for the Princess. She had already been an adult when Serenity was an infant, yet due to the power of the Queen that embraced all who lived on the Moon, her face was still as youthful and lovely as it had ever been - even when she was distressed. "Did...did he... Did Prince Endymion harm you?" Serenity stiffened on the bed and her breath caught in her throat. Was Luna truly that concerned? "Please tell me!" the older woman cried, leaning forward over the Princess' form. "Has he hurt you in any way?" "No," Serenity replied truthfully. She would not let her deceit extend that far. She turned toward Luna to show sincerity, and nearly gasped at the sight of tears in the woman's eyes. "The Prince has not harmed me, Luna." Luna relaxed visibly, tension flowing out of her body. Serenity's arms ached to embrace the dark-haired woman, to show her she had not changed, but there was no time. She had to convince Luna to leave, and soon. "I'm all right," Princess Serenity tried hopefully. "There is no need to watch over me." "Nonsense," Luna replied, snapping back to her businesslike manner. "You are ill, Princess. I am responsible for ensuring your safety." This was an attitude familiar to Serenity. In moments like these, it was obvious that Luna was older than the Princess despite the growing similarities of their physical bodies. The dark-haired woman soaked the cloth in the basin again and began to wring the excess water out of it. Now the bitterness in Serenity's voice was not entirely feigned. "I am not a child," she said coldly. Luna looked confused. "I did not say you were." "I am a woman about to be married," Serenity continued indignantly, pushing herself up into a seated position on the bed. Automatically, Luna reached out to arrange the Princess' streams of crystal hair so they would not impede the girl's movement. Without thinking, Serenity flung out an arm to shove her hands away. "I can take care of myself!" Serenity protested. "I don't need all this ceremony and fussing! I don't need all of my decisions to be made for me, and right now I want to be alone!" For a moment, Luna just stared at the girl on the bed, a girl she had cared for since birth. Serenity watched the older woman's face change from shock, to anger, to the most devastating expression of injury that the Princess had ever seen. Luna dropped the damp cloth she was holding and stood up, her yellow skirts rustling. "Very well, Princess," she whispered, her eyes downcast. "I apologize." Hands shaking, Luna turned away and left the bedroom, closing the chiffon curtains behind her and leaving Serenity alone in the dim light. Serenity heard muffled voices as Luna encountered the attendant in the sitting room. The voices were cut off as both women left the Princess' chambers and the heavy doors closed with a firm thud. Princess Serenity shuddered, curling into a ball on her soft bed. She barely knew where that anger had come from, but it was genuine. Even as an engaged future Queen, she was still treated as an ignorant child. She clenched her hands into fists, clutching the sheets in her fingers. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than a normal conversation with a person who would treat her like a normal Lunarian. The Princess climbed off her bed and stood for a moment in the center of the room, uncertain. The door to her chambers was always guarded; how could she leave unseen? She considered the wide balcony that adjoined her bedroom, but she was on the second floor and there were no sturdy trees planted nearby. The same security measures designed to keep intruders out were making the Princess a prisoner. After a moment of frustration, Serenity shook herself internally. She was an adult, destined to be Queen! Why should she have to sneak out of her own rooms? She was only going for a walk in the gardens; where was the harm in that? Squaring her shoulders, Princess Serenity marched out of her bedroom and toward the doors, which were opened before her, as always. She could never figure out how the guards knew when someone intended to exit her chambers. Her white dress and hair flowing out behind her, the young woman strolled between the two guards, who glanced at one another nervously. The Princess never left her chambers alone. For a moment they stood speechless, caught between different definitions of duty, and Serenity thought she might escape unhindered. She was ten paces away when one of the men found his voice. "Princess...?" the middle-aged man called out tentatively, as if unsure why he was speaking. Serenity whirled around to face them and drew herself up to her full height, short as that was. "Yes?" Her blue eyes were sharp beneath the crescent moon shining on her forehead; cool, clear, royal. "Are...is..." The nervous guard faltered beneath his future ruler's cold stare. "Shall we call for an escort?" he finally asked, settling for a harmless question. "Thank you, but no. Carry on, gentlemen." Serenity hoped she was using the proper language for such a situation. She turned away and continued down the corridor before the guards had a chance to consider it, taking the first turn she encountered to escape their view. Once around the corner the Princess breathed easily again, heaving several sighs of relief. She shuddered all over. Serenity had not even realized how nervous she had been until the trial was through. She smiled a little smile all to herself. At last, she had been treated as a capable adult. Serenity hurried through the Moon Castle, her white, nearly weightless skirts clutched in her hands. She kept to the smaller, least-used corridors to avoid being seen, placing her feet carefully to make as little sound as possible. As a child, the Princess had roamed the servants' passages on occasion when she could escape her attendants, and those memories served her well now. At this time of day, most of the hands were occupied with preparing the midday meal or cleaning the castle's many rooms, and the servants' corridors were deserted. Before long, Serenity had slipped out a rear door and into a nearby hedge maze, and was hurrying through the twisting paths toward the distant corner garden. She only hoped she was not so late that Endou had given up waiting for her. Of all the tasks he had been faced with in his life, all the cleaning, lifting, carrying, shoveling, and training he had done, Endymion had never imagined that opening a door would be the most difficult thing he ever had to do. He had nearly memorized every line in the panels of wood as he stood there staring at the overgrown entrance. What would be waiting on the other side? Would there be a half-dozen guards, ready to arrest him for trespassing? The last time he had entered this garden, that very thing had nearly happened. The memory resurfaced within Endymion's mind: the white-haired man, Artemis, towering over him with eyes flashing in anger, his grip tightening on the boy's arm until tears pricked the corners of Endymion's eyes. Artemis had given his warning. Endymion was violating the nobleman's orders merely by thinking about entering the garden. As usual, the chilling memory was chased away by the clear, sweet voice of Princess Serenity, pleading for Endymion's safety. Surely such an angel would not lead an innocent servant to his doom. Endymion's hand reached out for the door handle, eager to see the Princess again. She had been so kind to him, both as a child and as an adult, ignoring the limitations of his birth. He wanted to speak with her again, to show her that orphaned Earth-children were indeed worth a moment of attention. He hesitated, his fingers hovering over the curved metal. There was a third possibility, worse yet than being imprisoned: the door could be locked. It could all have been the jest of a cruel, teasing Princess. Deep within, Endymion was afraid that was the case. He was afraid to try the door and discover that Serenity was not the person he hoped she was. And so, his hand dropped to his side once again, one more time in a series of many. The door remained closed. The garden was empty. Serenity's heart sank. Slowly, she wandered around the small enclosure of brilliantly colored blossoms, looking behind every bush and tree for a hint of dark, silky hair. Eventually she had to face the fact that the garden was indeed empty; she was the only one there. Serenity sighed, standing alone by the fountain in the center. So, this was the way things were. He had not wanted to meet with her after all. The Princess leaned against the fountain, crestfallen. Now that Endou was nowhere to be found, Serenity realized how badly she had truly wanted to see him. Absently, she wondered why this meeting was so important to her. She was a Princess, and he was an Earth-born stable hand. Obviously, they lived in completely separate worlds, not meant to collide. It was for the best, really, that he had not come. Serenity could go back to her own world now and forget all this nonsense. Her own world...a world filled with ceremony and propriety, stiff posturing and a fiance who wanted to marry her only because his parents had ordered it. Serenity thought of Endou, laughing at her frantic escape from the pond, his midnight eyes sparkling like the night sky. How long had it been since she met someone who dared laugh in her presence? It was a pity, really, that he had not come. With a sad sigh, Serenity gazed at the unlocked door, wishing it would open. "I suppose I had better lock it again before I leave," she muttered aloud to no one in particular. Dragging her feet, the Princess approached the vine-covered entrance. Her hands reached for the lock, but then they swung downward to the door handle. Just a quick look outside, to make sure... Endymion shook the tension out of his arms, then shook his head for good measure, his dark hair swinging around his face. This was silly. Enough procrastinating. Either the Princess was waiting for him or she wasn't; he would never find out by standing here. Endymion took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. Before his fingers had even touched the smooth metal, the latch clicked, and the door began to swing inward. With a startled cry, Endymion leapt backward, nearly losing his balance. His surprise was echoed by a similar cry from within the garden. After a few pounding heartbeats of resisting the urge to flee, the door creaked open a bit further, and the most beautiful face Endymion had ever seen peered around its edge, a waterfall of crystal hair tumbling to the stones from the buns at its crown. Serenity looked out cautiously, unsure of who would be standing on the other side of the door. As Endymion's dark complexion slid into view, relief flooded her own pale face. That emotion was swiftly followed by delight. He was here. "Come in, come in," the Princess urged earnestly, waving Endymion forward with one hand, "before someone sees you." As if breaking free from a trance, Endymion blinked and hurried into the garden, slipping through the forbidden door for the second time in his life. Serenity quickly closed the entrance behind him, and it clicked shut. The stable hand looked around slowly, his eyes sweeping over every detail. The garden was exactly as he remembered it, from the vine-covered walls to the bursts of brilliant blossoms lining the paths. There in the center was the small fountain endlessly bubbling clear water, and there beside it grew a certain rosebush covered in blood-red blooms. Endymion breathed deeply, inhaling the sweet scents that had so often filled his dreams. Standing beside the tall young man, Serenity was reluctant to interrupt. It occurred to her that this must be the stable hand's first time setting foot in a garden. With inner pleasure, she watched him take in the sights and smells of her favorite place, his enjoyment of the garden so different from her fiance's impassive indifference. After a long moment, Serenity reached out and lightly touched Endymion's arm to draw his attention. The contact was electric. Serenity jerked her hand back as Endymion jumped and whirled around to face her. Her fingertips had been so soft against his arm, like the fresh powder of newly fallen snow, and yet warm and filled with life, flawless and smooth as the petals of the flowers that surrounded them. The texture of Endymion's skin, toughened by years of labor and sun exposure, left Serenity's fingers tingling with the heat of Sol's energy. They stared at one another as their hearts pounded with the shock of unexpected contact. They both knew something had happened there, something more intense than the previous night's accidental meeting of their hands. "So..." the Princess began hesitantly as the pause began to become awkward, "do you like it?" Thinking of the brief flutter of Serenity's touch, Endymion's cheeks reddened, and he averted his eyes, his lips parting without sound. "The garden," Serenity clarified hurriedly as her mind followed Endymion's down the wrong trail of thought. "What do you think of the garden?" "It's beautiful," Endymion replied, grasping at the excuse to turn away from the young woman's blue gaze. "It's just as I remem... er, imagined it," he added, catching himself just in time. The Princess didn't seem to notice his slip of the tongue. "This is my favorite place of all the castle grounds," Serenity explained as she moved to stand beside him. "Thank you for coming to meet with me, Endou." "It is my pleasure, Princess." Endymion watched as the pale young woman moved away from him toward a cluster of tulips. In one smooth motion, she swept her skirts out of the way and bent down to untangle a few blossoms whose stems had twisted together. So like an angel she was, attending to the fragile blooms with a mother's gentle touch, her hair forming pools of spun silver on the stones beside her feet. One glimpse of royalty in a lifetime was a rare treat for a servant; Endymion was truly fortunate to have had three encounters with Princess Serenity. He searched for something to say, sorting through all the lessons he had begged, borrowed, and stolen in the past for something to show the elegant heir to the throne that he was no dim-witted Earth-born. She was so beautiful...graceful...like a goddess...but none of those compliments would do. For a moment, Endymion wished he were back among equals, where an exchange of teasing banter often led to friendship, but the ground was far too fragile here for him to risk using such relaxed language. "It seems you know much about flowers, Princess," the stable hand commented at last, moving closer to watch Serenity arrange the tulips. "Do you care for them yourself?" Serenity glanced up at her visitor, a bit surprised and yet delighted by his interest. "Indeed I do, when I can," she replied. "Of course, there are gardeners to handle such things, but there are few things as pleasant as a garden you've touched with your own hand." She straightened up and began walking down the path, smiling at the clusters of flowers surrounding her. "I know them all as if they were my children," Serenity said fondly. "Chrysanthemums for friendship. Orchids for beauty," she continued, pointing to each flower in turn. "Tears of Venus for strength. Titanian Crystals for happiness. Every flower, no matter its planet of origin, has a purpose." Endymion allowed himself a half-smile. Flowers from every planet, indeed. Perhaps this Princess would be even more accepting of his tainted blood than he had expected. Following in her wake, he approached the familiar rosebush near the fountain. The plant was hardly changed, so carefully had it been tended. "And these?" he asked softly, looking down at the full red blossoms, each one a universe of self-embracing petals. "These roses, what is their message?" The Princess stopped short on her journey among the flowers and turned toward the stable hand, although she already knew what plant he was inquiring about. It was a type of blossom she had been avoiding at present. Slowly, she walked back to the bush in question. "Red roses," she said quietly, gazing at the blushing blooms beside them. "The flower of true love, and a promise never to be broken." Endymion watched her pale face carefully as her blue eyes became distant. Did she remember? The scent of the roses filled Serenity, bringing with it memories of her childhood games. She had often pretended it was her wedding day. She would process through the garden, imagining herself as a grown woman in an elegant white gown. Even as a child, her hopes and dreams for the future had been firmly fixed in her mind. She had dreamed of a grand ceremony in the Great Hall, which would be decorated with flowers and banners of every color. She would walk down the center of the hall, and a wonderful, handsome young man would be waiting there for her. He would be her best friend and would love her forever, always there to protect her and care for her. When she reached him, she would give him a single, perfect, red rose, to seal their eternal promise of love to one another. Love. After all this time, the truth had finally been revealed. Love was an impossible dream, reachable only by the common people with no responsibility to the kingdom as a whole. A pang of guilt and concern struck the pit of Endymion's stomach like a lightning bolt. All the joy had drained out of the Princess, from her flawless face to her slender body, and she stared down at the roses like a person doomed to never again see the sun. Her sapphire eyes, normally so bright and vibrant, had become dull and lifeless. What was bothering her so? Had it been something he said? Endymion knew he should not pry into the personal lives of royalty - even Sir Marton's business was none of his - but he could not ignore the fact that she was in pain; that the beautiful smile had fled her face. He swallowed hard, then leapt forward into uncertain territory. "Princess, what is troubling you?" Serenity whipped her head around to glare up at her companion, immediately on the defensive. Doubtless the stable hand was eager for a bit of gossip about the Moon Princess' private life, so he could boast to his servant friends of his friendship with royalty. She prepared a scathing retort...and was surprised to see only honest concern in the young man's tanned face, the worry his dark eyes as serious as Luna's had been. The Earth-child's sympathetic expression did not falter in the heat of Serenity's glare, which swiftly softened as she realized he meant no harm. For a moment, she seriously considered trusting this man with the truth. What a relief it would be to reveal to someone the dark reality of her arranged marriage! Yet, the fact of the matter was that her companion was a servant of the castle and a resident of the Moon. News of her reluctance to marry Prince Endymion would be likely to shock him and cause him to worry about the stability of the Moon Kingdom. And, of course, by the next morning the castle grounds would be buzzing with rumors. That was the last thing Princess Serenity needed. Still, the charcoal-eyed stable hand was so caring, so sensitive to her silent suffering. As Serenity looked up at him, she knew he was seeing her as a woman, not as a Princess. Inwardly, she shook herself. She barely knew this man; had only recently met him. Why did her heart ache for her to trust him with its secrets? "My fate requires that I do things I do not wish to," Serenity said at last, finding a compromise between confidence and caution. "Red roses remind me of that." A slight chill rolled through Endymion, and he wondered what unspeakable act the Princess might be referring to. Violating another social grace, he began to walk down the garden path instead of awaiting the Princess' lead. His gamble was a success; Serenity followed him away from the flowers that were causing her pain. "We all have our duties in life, defined by fate, do we not?" Endymion commented as the crystal-haired girl caught up with him and matched her pace to his. Maybe their worlds had something in common after all. "My destiny is to serve the Queen," he continued, "but there is joy in that fate as well. Have you no joy in your role, Princess?" Serenity nearly stopped short in amazement, but she forced herself to keep walking. No man had ever spoken to her this way: polite, and yet with the honest interest of a friend. "There is joy in being of my station," the Princess replied thoughtfully. "When I am Queen, I will have the power to bring happiness to the lives of my people and to protect them. My life will have great significance to the well-being of the Moon." "A noble goal," the stable hand remarked. As they walked, he applied all his training to behaving as a refined courtier would. He almost couldn't believe his situation. Not only was the Princess of the Moon allowing him to bend the rules of propriety, but she was actually opening up to him, sharing her dreams and concerns! It was all Endymion could do to resist leaping for joy. He observed the garden around them, denying his longing to gaze endlessly upon the beautiful woman walking at his side. "With those values, you will be a fine Queen, Princess." "I thank you." Serenity's heart fluttered nervously in her chest. She was walking with a man, an act strictly forbidden by her mother even if he were not a stable hand, and yet it felt so natural, so ordinary. Surely this was what companionship was meant to be; strolling comfortably beside a young, handsome man taller than she was, strong, and yet caring and considerate... "You're quite learned, for a stable hand," the Princess observed, absently twitching her white skirts out of the path of her shoes with slender fingers. "I have spent much of my life attempting to better myself," Endymion explained, being careful not to look at Serenity lest she discover another reason in his eyes. His hands began to shake, but he drew a deep breath and risked his entire life to speak the words he had come to say. "It is my opinion, Princess, that although fate defines our role in life, it does not define who we are." To his relief, a faint smile touched Serenity's lips. "Very wise words," she commented. "I will surely remember them." Internally, she marveled at the fact that a mere servant, his garments patched and worn, could tell her exactly what she needed to hear. She had to marry Prince Endymion, yes, but she did not have to change for him. After all, he showed no intention of becoming anything but what he was. There was no reason for her to become any more bitter or any less loving than she had always been. Married or no, Serenity could still be the kind of person she wished to be. She did not have to surrender to her fiance's shortcomings. The Princess wanted to tell the stable hand how much difference his words had made, but she had to settle for "Thank you, Endou." Endymion allowed himself a smile, as much out of relief as pleasure at the Moon Princess' gratitude. There was hope for the society of the Moon yet, if the future Queen agreed that birth did not determine the quality of a person. There was a chance that he might not be trapped as a work-animal hand forever. Hiding a chuckle, he shook his head in disbelief. "What is so amusing, Endou?" Serenity asked, looking up at him with a wry smile on her blushing lips. "Well, I..." Endymion's cheeks reddened, and he arched one arm over his head to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly. "I have not had the opportunity to converse with many members of the nobility. I must admit, Princess, you are more pleasant company than I had expected." Serenity laughed, a light ringing sound that warmed Endymion from his fingers to his toes. "And what did you expect?" she teased, smirking up at the tanned man. "Not all of the nobility are coldhearted masters of propriety!" "I know that now," Endymion replied, returning her smile. The Moon Princess started to say something else, but suddenly she whipped around and stared at the tall hedges that marked the entrance to the garden. "Do you hear voices?" she whispered urgently. Endymion had been so caught up in the miracle of the moment that he had not noticed anything, but now in the silence he definitely heard distant voices, growing nearer. Serenity did not wait for his response. "Go, quickly!" she urged him, waving him away toward the gardener's door. "You must not be found here!" A cold block of ice settled in Endymion's stomach as he remembered what had happened the last time he was caught invading this garden. The memory rushed back to him, banishing the bliss of his conversation with the Princess. This time, he was no innocent boy, and Miss Amaris would not be there to speak for him. His dark skin broke out in a cold sweat. "What are you waiting for?" Serenity hissed, seeing the fear seizing his face. "Go, hurry!" With one final gesture toward the wooden door at the other end of the garden, the Princess gathered her light skirts in her hands and dashed away between the hedges, hoping to give Endymion more time to escape by stopping the approaching people further away from the garden. In a flurry of white cloth, she disappeared into the hedge maze. Breaking out of his frozen state, Endymion turned and ran for it, darting between the clusters of flowers scattered around the garden. As he rounded the fountain, something out-of-place caught his eye. It was a bracelet of round orange beads, lying forgotten on the stone path. Almost without thinking, Endymion scooped the bracelet off the ground and slipped it into his pocket as he rushed toward the door. In another moment, the door was open and then he was through, closing the entrance behind him. Endymion leaned heavily against the garden wall, pausing to catch his breath. He was outside; he was safe. The grassy hillside rolled away beneath his feet down to the distant pond. Never in his life had the stable hand felt so relieved to be outside walls. When his heart stopped pounding, Endymion left the garden behind and headed back to the stables. Hurrying around a corner in the hedge maze, Princess Serenity nearly ran headlong into two familiar faces. "Venus! Mars!" "Serenity! Where have you been?" Sailor Mars demanded, putting her gloved hands on her hips. "The Queen is worried sick about you," the orange-suited Venus added, looking a bit worried herself. A spike of dread made Serenity feel queasy. Had she been gone that long? Mars raised her wrist toward her lips and spoke into the red communicator strapped over her glove. "We found her," she announced, "in the gardens." "We'll meet you in the Queen's office," the voice of Sailor Jupiter replied through the device. "You were all searching for me?" Serenity exclaimed in disbelief. "Can't I take a simple walk in the gardens without the entire castle having to know about it?" "You could have at least told someone where you were going!" the red-suited soldier of Mars scolded. "It is our duty to watch over you and make sure you are safe, Serenity," the blonde Sailor Venus added, although her face was softened by a hint of sympathetic understanding. "With all these visitors from Earth running around, a bit of extra caution is in order," Mars grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. The Moon Princess pushed past the two Sailor Soldiers and headed for the castle proper, trying not to stamp her feet. She had never realized how suffocating her position was until she tried to avoid it. It was certain she would be severely scolded by her mother. And yet, it had been worth it. Fondly, she thought about Endou, a mere servant and an Earth-child besides, who had had such gentle and caring words for her. The memory of his smooth dark eyes looking down at her, shining with honest concern, brought a faint smile to her face. It had definitely been worth it. "All right, what is it?" Endymion looked up from his bowl of vegetable stew, startled. "Huh?" "You've been staring into that stew more than you've been eating it," Prien observed from across the table, pointing at Endymion with his spoon. "And you didn't butter your bread, even when the butter was passed around a second time. You never pass up butter. What's on your mind?" The stable hands surrounding the two men at the long wooden table listened for Endymion's response, as they had also noticed his odd behavior. "C'mon, tell us," Misa urged, elbowing the dark-haired man in the side from her seat at his right. "We're your friends. What's the problem?" "Not turning into the silent type on us, are ya, Endou?" a large red-haired man called through a mouthful of bread. With a chorus of groans, the servants eating around him tossed their napkins at the bearded man as crumbs sprayed across the table. "Silent? Endou?" a muscular blonde woman laughed. "The sun'll fall out of the sky before that happens!" A chuckle rolled around the table. "So, let's have it," Prien pressed, his eyes boring into his Earth-born friend. The group fell silent again, waiting for his answer. "It's nothing," Endymion replied, scooping up a spoonful of stew. "None of that, now," his blond friend protested. "Out with it!" With a mischievous smirk, Endymion grabbed his chunk of bread and chucked it across the table. It hit Prien's bowl of stew, which flipped over, tipping vegetables and broth over the edge of the table into the young man's lap. The group exploded with laughter as Prien shot out of his seat, dripping with peas. Diners at several tables around them turned at the noise and joined in the merriment. Prien threw his own bread at Endymion, who caught it smartly and helped himself to a bite. "Ah, buttered. Just the way I like it," the tanned man teased. "I'll get you back for this," Prien vowed with a grin, scooping up his bowl and heading back to the serving line for a second helping. Endymion chuckled and resumed eating as the stable hands around him clapped him on the back, congratulating him on his prank. Thanks to the distraction, Endymion was now free to return to his thoughts. These musings were mainly concerned with the bracelet currently burning a hole in his pocket. Apparently, the chain of smooth orange beads had slipped from Princess Serenity's wrist at some point during their meeting. It was nothing special; surely she had others, and a possession of the Moon Princess herself was sure to earn a fine price in the Lower Quarter. And yet...returning the bracelet would give Endymion an unparalleled excuse to visit the Princess again. Princess Serenity. Royalty, yet with compassion and a sense of the meaning of equality. So beautiful, with such bright blue eyes; eyes that looked at Endymion without seeing the dark hair and bronzed skin of an Earth-child. He wanted to see her again, no matter the risk. That was his last thought before Prien crept up behind him and dumped an entire bowl of stew over Endymion's head. For Princess Serenity, the remainder of the day was slow torture. After a stern lecture from her mother on the responsibilities and necessary limits of being a Princess, she had spent the rest of the daylight hours at Prince Endymion's side as the Moon Queen led the monarchs of the Golden Kingdom on tour after tour of the castle grounds. The Earth Prince had not changed since the moment Serenity had met him. If anything, he was worse. He walked beside her, but it was as if she were not even there; his eyes were everywhere except on the woman who wore his engagement pendant. He never offered her his arm as they walked and did not sit beside her at dinner. They were a couple in jewelry only. When her friends, the Sailor Soldiers, tried to chat with her, Serenity kept her answers short and simple. She did not want to risk slipping up and revealing that she had distracted herself for much of the day by imagining how Endou would have behaved in her fiance's place. By picturing the tall, dark-haired man making a snide comment or wise remark during the endless tours, the Princess was able to bring a smile to her face to maintain the illusion of contentment. At the same time, her heart was sad. They had not had time to arrange another meeting. She wondered if she would ever see Endou again. Now, as she stood alone on her private balcony beneath the night sky, the barriers came crashing down. Serenity slid to her knees and leaned against the cold marble railing, tears rolling down her fair face. She truly was a prisoner of society, a dove in a gilded cage. She would do her best to maintain her true nature, to deny the coldhearted Earth Prince the victory of filling her heart with bitterness, but it was so difficult! A lifetime without love; how could she endure it? With swimming eyes, Serenity looked out over the reflecting pool that extended nearly to the base of her balcony. The stars were clearly visible in the still water, a perfect mirror of the sky above. And there, at the apex of it all, was the Earth, the beautiful blue-green globe from whence came the source of her misery. A faint rustling far below disturbed the Princess from her thoughts. She leapt to her feet, hurriedly wiping the tears from her cheeks. To the right of the small courtyard that was nestled between the castle and the reflecting pool, there was movement in a cluster of bushes. "Who's there?" Serenity called out tentatively, trying to sound brave. Slowly, she backed toward the open doors to her bedroom, ready to cry out for the guards. From the bushes a hand emerged, clutching a string of orange beads. The rest of the body followed, and a tall stable hand stepped into the earthlight, thrusting the bracelet in front of him like a protective talisman. "Endou!" Princess Serenity exclaimed. Her heart beat faster at the very sight of him, her forbidden escape from reality. "You, er, lost this today. I'm just, um, returning it," Endymion called up in a shaking voice. He cringed, dreading her reaction to his bold intrusion. Seeing his fear, Serenity chuckled. "Don't worry, Endou. I won't call the guards. I'm glad to see you." "You are?" Endymion replied in disbelief, walking closer to the balcony. Serenity smiled down at the shabby young man, obviously a low-level servant by his clothing alone. What hardships had he overcome simply to return her lost trinket? Prince Endymion would never show such bravery for her sake. Her mind flew back to her mother's lecture. The Princess was doomed to be a prisoner during the daylight. But perhaps, at night... Kneeling on the marble again, Serenity peered down at the stable hand standing below. "Endou-" She stopped, noticing something. "Is your hair wet?" In what was becoming a familiar gesture, Endymion twisted an arm behind his head and rubbed his neck, his cheeks reddening. "That's a long, strange story..." he muttered with an awkward chuckle. Internally, he cursed Prien for making it necessary for him to bathe before coming here. The Princess stared down at him intently, determination shining in her eyes. "How did you get here, Endou?" The fear returned to grip Endymion's heart. "I apologize-" "Could you make it here again?" Serenity interrupted earnestly. "Tomorrow night?" Endymion's mouth dropped open before he could stop it. "Well, yes," he replied numbly. "If you wish it, Princess." "Bring something that can get me down from here," Serenity added. The stable hand shuddered slightly. Was she a prisoner? Was she being punished for meeting with him? "Quick, go now before the guards hear us," the Princess hissed through the marble posts that supported the railing. Endymion nodded and turned to go, then whirled around again. "The bracelet!" he whispered, holding it up. Serenity had to lie flat on the balcony and Endymion had to stretch his arm and toes to their limits, but after a few minutes of effort the Princess managed to pluck the circle of orange beads from his fingertips. "Now, go," Serenity urged her visitor breathlessly. "Until tomorrow." "Until tomorrow," Endymion agreed with a bemused smile. The crystal-haired girl got to her feet and crept back into her chambers. After one last, long look at the balcony where she had been standing, the stable hand backed away and ducked into the bushes again, butterflies dancing within him. |
