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
The day after the ball, Endymion went about his daily business like a hunted man. The tuxedo had been back in Sir Marton's closet long before the Moon Knight returned from the ball, but worse transgressions than theft had taken place that night. As he fed the horses and cleaned their stables, Endymion was constantly looking over his shoulder, dreading who might be there. Every time a door opened or a new voice entered a room, he whirled around half-expecting to see armed guards coming to drag him off to the dungeons. Yet, if he could, would he have undone any of his actions? Not for all the crystal on the Moon. He had kissed the woman he loved, and he did not regret that for a second. Even if it condemned him to spend the rest of his days in chains, at least he would have the memory of that one perfect moment of bliss. Ah, that kiss. Even now, the thought of Princess Serenity's sweet, tender lips sent a tingle through the pit of his stomach. She had been so warm, so yielding, so hungry with the same desire for love as Endymion. Still...she had shed tears. Obviously, the Princess believed that kiss was a mistake. He had crossed a line that should have remained unbroken. And so, when the next evening came, Endymion did not go to Serenity's balcony. Neither did he sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, images of shimmering long hair and azure blue eyes filled his mind, and his arms ached for the warmth of the Princess. Eventually he gave up and abandoned his bed, leaving the empty comfort of his hut to wander the lonely, dark night. Before long he found himself in the stables, the chorus of breathing issuing from the horses a slight comfort to the bitter loneliness that plagued him. His steps automatically brought him from the work animals' quarters to the high-bred section of the stables, but without the Princess by his side, Endymion did not feel comfortable going near the royal horses. Instead, he headed for the area where the guest mounts were kept and visited a certain brown gelding, the very one that had helped him rescue Serenity from disaster. Things had changed so much since that night, although no average citizen of the Moon would notice it. He had fallen in love with the most forbidden of women, one both heir to a kingdom and engaged to another man, and he had kissed her. The kiss had been beautiful, and pure, and perfect - but wrong, so very wrong. At least yesterday he had had the Princess' friendship; today he had nothing. Endymion hovered on the edge of uncertainty, now unable to decide whether or not to be glad he had kissed her. Was a brief flare of passion, no matter how glorious, truly worth the bitter emptiness of never seeing Serenity again? Behind him, a door opened and closed. A single set of footsteps entered the stables, but Endymion did not turn to greet whatever squire or stable hand had come to finish lingering chores. He stroked the gelding's mane absently as the horse happily gobbled oats from his hand. With a simple kiss, he had doomed himself to a lifetime of pining over a woman he could never be with. "Endou?" a voice called, tentative and uneasy, from behind him. Endymion froze. There was only one sound so sweet, one tone so pure, as that voice. He whirled around. Standing just inside the doorway, the hem of the rough brown cloak brushing against the hay strewn across the floor, was Princess Serenity. She was breathing rapidly, as if she had been running, and her eyes as they peered out from beneath the hood of the cloak were filled with uncertainty. Endymion's arm dropped limply to his side, and the gelding's soft lips began nuzzling his neck as the food supply vanished. "Serenity? What are you doing here?" Endymion asked in surprise, pushing the horse's questing nose aside as he took a few steps toward her. "You didn't come, so I climbed down myself and went looking for you," the Princess replied, shifting her feet awkwardly. "I don't think I can lift myself back up to the balcony on my own, though," she added with a halfhearted chuckle and a hopeful glance at the stable hand. He did not respond. Serenity felt sick to her stomach with unease. Had it been a mistake to come here? Had she said something at the ball that offended him? "Why didn't you come tonight?" she asked at last, dreading the answer. "I feared...I had done something wrong," Endymion confessed in a rush. "Something inexcusable." His cheeks burned with shame, yet a tiny ray of hope shone through. She had come all the way here just to see him. "No, not at all!" Serenity burst out, pulling the hood off her crystal hair as she hurried toward the nervous young man. "I wanted... I needed every moment of it," she continued breathlessly, stopping short in front of him. "It was wonderful. All of it was so wonderful." For a long moment, the two of them just stood there, staring at one another, an arm's length of space separating them. The Princess could barely breathe. He was so close she could feel the warmth emanating from his body, and even beneath the cloak she felt chilled. She wanted his arms around her, his warmth enfolding her, to be as close to him as she had been on the balcony, but he did not move. For his part, Endymion was floating on a cloud of ecstatic relief. She had enjoyed their dance, their kiss, as thoroughly as he had, and by the look of her, she wanted more. It didn't matter that she was a Princess; the Moon Kingdom itself could have collapsed around them, and in that moment, Endymion would still have felt as light as air. He was in love with her and she had not rejected him. "Shall we dance?" he burst out, longing to act on his joy, to hold her again. "What, here?" The Princess blinked her large blue eyes in disbelief, looking around at the wooden stalls and piles of hay surrounding them. "Yes." He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling, and she felt in another moment she would need his arms around her for support as her knees weakened. "But...we don't even have any music!" the Princess within Serenity protested. The stable hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold star locket. For a moment, Serenity's breath caught in her throat - what if it had all been a mistake and the locket was now silent? - but the beautiful melody rose from the depths of the enchanted object as the man opened it, a testament to the truths of her heart. He gently set the open locket on a stout wooden post and reached for her, and her arms automatically rose to encircle his neck. This time, in the privacy of the stables, there was no fear, no self-consciousness, no need for custom or propriety. Serenity stepped right up to Endymion, stretched her arms around his neck, and laid her head against his chest. Her slender body seemed to fit perfectly against his as Endymion wrapped his arms around her waist, sliding them underneath the coarse brown cloak. The white dress was soft and silky beneath the stable hand's worn hands, her waist seeming impossibly small as he held her. He could feel her breathe against his chest, the silver circles lining her bodice pressing into him. She was so close, so alive, so real, and a warm wave surged through Endymion's blood. Small piles of hay gathered around their shoes as the young couple swayed together in the close embrace of a slow dance too intimate to be permitted in the Great Hall. The gold star locket sang out its lilting, tinkling melody, surrounding the pair in sweet tones and soft beams of glowing light. Serenity closed her eyes, listening to the rapid but steady pulse of the stable hand's heartbeat beneath her ear. Her feet easily followed his simple steps and a calm and utter peace settled around her. She breathed, and there it was - the velvet sweetness of roses that surrounded the man against all the laws of nature. The scent swirled within Serenity's head, sweeping away every care and concern. "I love you, Endou," she whispered. A warm tingle rushed through Endymion's blood at these words, yet it took every bit of willpower he possessed to prevent his body from stiffening around her. She loved him; how badly had he yearned to hear those words? Yet, a false name fell from her lips, a lie the recipient of her affections. How could she truly love him when she didn't even know his name? It was like loving a shadow, an illusion. Now, however, was not the right time to confess the truth. The Princess had just bared her heart to him, and Endymion could feel her holding her breath as she awaited his response. If he told her his real name now, she would think he was mocking her. She needed to hear the truth, yes, but a truth of a different kind. The truth of his own heart. "And I love you, Serenity." How difficult those words had seemed a moment ago, and how natural they felt now! Princess Serenity raised her head and looked up at the tall man, her eyes shining with happiness and relief. Without hesitation, Endymion bent down to meet her offered lips with his own. The now-familiar electricity rushed through the pair of them, a glowing heat spreading from their joined lips to their cores. This time, Serenity did not delay in opening herself to him. Her eyes closed, her lips parted, and she leaned into the kiss as the stable hand's tongue slid into her mouth. Her hands tightened behind the man's neck as a blaze of passion erupted into flame within her and he filled her with his breath and the silk of his tongue. Endymion pulled her slim body close against him, his eyes shut tightly as all the emotion of his heart poured itself into the kiss. Serenity moaned softly against his lips, matching his desire with her own as her soft tongue entered him and explored his mouth in turn. Endymion could feel her fire, her passion, and it further inflamed his own as he eagerly tasted her. For the first time, they both felt truly free; they both wanted this so badly, and they acted on that desire without restraint. All too soon, however, their lips parted, leaving behind the gentle glow of a time of passion. With a contented sigh, Princess Serenity leaned her head against the stable hand's chest again, and smiled at the sound of the far more rapid heartbeats pulsing inside him. Endymion began to sway again and the woman in his arms followed his lead. Bending down, the Earth-child gently kissed the shining crystal hair of the Moon Princess, then laid his cheek against the top of her head. In that embrace, the lovers danced together long into the night as the gold star locket endlessly sang out the melody of their love. The next day, Endymion felt like a new man. He was in love with a beautiful, wonderful woman who loved him in return. Their dance, their kiss, had been more magical than all the power of the legendary Silver Crystal. He went about his daily chores with reckless energy, feeling as if his heart had wings. Yes, she was a Princess, and their relationship was certain to be filled with strife, but she loved him and for the moment that was all that mattered. Throughout the day, Prien bided his time as a silent observer of the lightness in his friend's step and the sparkle in his eye. To those less close to Endymion, it might have seemed that the stable hand was simply in good spirits that day, but to his best friend, it was obvious that the man was in love. Prien noted that there was no similar change in Misa's demeanor. Apparently Endymion had been telling the truth about having his eye on another woman after all. It was strange... Prien studied all the servants in the area as he worked, but none of the women cast flirtatious glances in the Earth-born man's direction or seemed unusually upbeat. Who was the mystery girl? As a man who prided himself on his perceptive nature, Prien resisted the urge to confront his friend outright and demand answers. Endymion's secret would reveal itself soon enough. There was no need to pry - at least, not overtly. It would be far more amusing to let Endymion think himself a good actor for a while. Princess Serenity was exhausted. After returning to her chambers at a very late hour, she had lain awake in her bed for the remainder of the night, her mind consumed by turmoil. She was a Princess, engaged to a Prince, and she was in love with a stable hand. There was no way it could work. For the sake of the Moon Kingdom, she had to marry Prince Endymion; she was the Moon's only Princess. Yet, the very thought of ending her relationship with the stable hand was so painful that it caused her to curl up in agony. He was her heart's only desire. He made her feel alive, like a person, a woman, instead of a figure on a throne. He was her savior, her protector, and her confidant, whose arms held all the suffering of the universe at bay. More than all that, he loved her, he adored everything about her and would do anything to bring her happiness. No other man could ever make her feel the way he did. Especially Prince Endymion. After breakfast, the auburn-haired Earth man finally worked up the courage to apologize for the things he had said at the ball, but Serenity was too tired to care about diplomacy. "Do not apologize for speaking the truth. I know where you stand now, and I will not bother you any further." With only those words, Princess Serenity turned away from her fiance and headed off to her morning lessons. Unfortunately for the exhausted young woman, today's focus was yet another lecture on the history of Earth. Serenity barely heard a word Sailor Mercury was saying as she stared, bleary-eyed, at the blue-haired soldier pointing out areas of a global map. She was too tired even to think about her Earth-born lover or the predicament she was in. Her mind was blurry and the room spun gently around her, her eyelids drooped, her head dropped forward... "Serenity!" Her back was against something hard and cold, and someone was gently shaking her arm. "Serenity! Wake up!" Her eyes slid open, and she looked into the worried face of Sailor Mercury. Blinking, she realized she was lying on the floor. "Oh, Mercury, I apologize," she said quickly, rubbing her face. "It's not that your lessons bore me, I'm just so tired..." "Lessons?" Mercury's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What lessons? Are you all right, Neo-Queen?" Neo-Queen? Serenity sat bolt upright. The library had vanished. She was in a castle, but it was not the one she called home. The walls and floor were all made of solid crystal and there was not a scrap of marble to be seen. The hallway she was sitting in was long and wide, sterile and lifeless as frozen glass. "That was quite a tumble you took there," Sailor Venus' voice said. Whipping her head around, Serenity discovered the blonde-haired leader of the Sailor Soldiers standing behind her. "Where am I?" she asked uneasily, climbing to her feet. She felt heavy, yet stronger, as if she had had years to become accustomed to the weight of the air. "Not Earth again!" "Someone fetch the King," Sailor Venus hissed urgently to a small group of servants hovering nearby, who scampered off. Everyone in the area had the rosy complexion of the people of Earth. Venus turned back to Serenity and smiled, but the worry was clear in her eyes. Those eyes. Serenity looked at Sailor Mercury and saw it there as well, the deeply-rooted echoes of pain from years of struggle. These were not the eyes of the friends she knew, but they were familiar to her. She had seen these faces in her other dream of Earth. "It's only a dream," Serenity said with a nervous chuckle, "just another dream!" Still, it felt so real! Every fiber of her brain was alive and active, just as if she were awake. At least this time she was dressed properly. The familiar chain of silver circles hugged the top edge of her white dress and cradled her breasts. The gold-edged blue jewel that represented her engagement to the Earth Prince, however, was missing. "Dream? What are you talking about?" Venus asked nervously, studying Serenity's face. "Are you feeling all right, Neo-Queen?" Serenity's eyes widened as she stared down at herself. Her gown seemed caught between the mid-youth cut she was used to and the style of an adult dress. It did not flare out beneath the bodice but crept down over her body, hugging her legs closely. She felt bigger, somehow, although she wasn't any taller. She felt older. Serenity reached behind her back and found thin, delicate wings sprouting from her dress, much like her mother's, and her head felt heavy. Reaching up, her fingers touched a metal tiara resting on her hair. "What is this?" she asked numbly. "Where is this place?" Mercury's hand shot up to her temple and activated her computer visor, which slid over her eyes, covering them in semi-transparent blue. She studied Serenity intently as the visor beeped and displayed the data from its scans. Sailor Venus reached out and seized the white-robed woman by the arm. "Usagi-chan! It's the castle in Crystal Tokyo, don't you remember?" the blonde soldier squeaked, her face filling with panic. "It's obviously the future, if I am Queen," Serenity mused aloud, "but why Earth? What is Tokyo?" The two soldiers exchanged fearful glances. Before either one could speak, a door somewhere in the crystal hallway banged open and a small figure dashed out, followed close behind by two servants calling out for the child to stop. It was a little girl with pink hair tied up in two pointed buns. She ran straight to Serenity and flung herself against the confused woman's body. "Mama, are you okay?" the child wailed, her voice muffled by Serenity's form-fitting white dress. "They said you fell and something was wrong!" "My apologies, Neo-Queen," one of the servants gasped, out of breath from running after the girl. "I was relaying the news to some of the other hands and Small Lady overheard." Serenity could not find the words to speak and just stared down in amazement at the pink-haired child clutching her legs. A child. A little girl. She was a mother. Slowly, her arms lifted from her sides and her hands reached out to caress the soft rosy locks pressed against her body. Her daughter, her own Small Lady. "Don't worry, Mama," the child sniffled into her mother's dress. "Daddy will be here soon." Serenity stiffened. The father of her child. If this was truly a vision of the future...who would it be? The obvious answer, Prince Endymion, surfaced in her mind, and she shuddered all over. If that was her destiny, she pitied the child in her arms, doomed to be raised in a household devoid of love. Another door in the corridor opened and Serenity turned in that direction, trembling with anxiety. A man strode out into the hallway and headed toward her at a rapid pace, surrounded by a cloud of attendants. "Daddy!" The pink-haired girl pulled away from Serenity and rushed toward the man, his servants swiftly stepping out of her path. As she approached, he leaned down and caught the child up in his arms, lifting her to his chest as he continued down the hallway. "Something's wrong with Mama," Small Lady moaned, wrapping her little arms around his neck. Serenity just stared at him, wide-eyed. He was tall, with short dark hair, and was dressed in a lavender tuxedo with a long, flowing cape. A white mask covered his eyes. His clothes were now the color of evening instead of midnight, but there was no mistaking him. This was the same man who had protected Serenity in her previous dream. "It's you!" she cried, clasping both hands to her mouth in shock. What manner of dream was this, where her child was fathered by a fictitious man she didn't even know? The tuxedoed stranger stopped short, staring at her stunned and frightened expression over their daughter's pigtails. He handed the child to a servant standing nearby. "Sakako, take Small Lady to her rooms," he instructed the woman, his masked gaze never leaving Serenity's face. "Daddy, no! I want to stay!" the little girl protested, squirming in the attendant's arms. The man turned and looked at her sternly. "A proper lady must always do as her father says," he admonished her. "Be a good girl, Small Lady." "Yes, Daddy." The child buried her face in the servant's shoulder and Sakako carried her away. As soon as the door closed behind them, the man in lavender headed straight for Serenity, reaching out his arms as he approached. "What's wrong?" he asked hurriedly, his voice filled with worry. "It's me, Endymion." Endymion! Serenity recoiled toward the Sailor Soldiers as he drew closer, clutching her hands to her chest. He was her mystery man? "Why are you looking at me with such fear in your eyes? Usa-ko?!" Stepping right up to her, he reached up, pulled off the white mask and tossed it aside. Serenity gasped, staring at his face in disbelief as he gripped her securely by the arms and looked at her with an expression on the verge of desperate panic. As she beheld the mysterious knight's face in its entirety for the first time, Serenity wondered why she hadn't realized it sooner. The man was a full head taller than her, and well-built, with a mass of short dark hair and a smooth voice like melted chocolate. Now that his eyes were revealed, their deep liquid pools engulfing her, it all fell into place so easily - the angle of his chin, the soft curve of his lips... "Endou?" she whispered hoarsely. Now it was his turn to be startled, and his entire body jerked as if he had been slapped. The stable hand in a king's clothing gaped at the woman in his arms, his dark eyes wide with shock, and, shining deep within his gaze, a tiny glint of hope, of recognition, sparked into light. "Sere?!" His voice was earnest, yet cautious, as if he barely dared to believe it... "Princess!" Serenity leapt about a foot in the air as Sailor Mercury slammed a heavy tome into the table right beside her ear. After a moment of disorientation, the room resolved itself into the familiar surroundings of the monarchy's private library in the Moon Castle. The engagement pendant was once again around her neck. So it was another dream, then. It had felt so real! She had been Queen, but not of the Moon, and...the stable hand, her husband? "I apologize, Mercury," Serenity said meekly to the blue-haired soldier who was glaring at her disapprovingly. "I haven't been sleeping well lately." Mercury's eyes softened. She walked around the table and sat down next to her Princess, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I know all this is hard on you, Serenity," the soldier said gently. "Your fiance is not what you hoped he would be. I wish there was something I could do to change that." Serenity averted her eyes, blushing with guilt. "Please try to relax, all right?" The blue-haired woman patted her friend's arm in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. "No matter what happens, you will always have me and the other soldiers. Think about all the people of the Moon and of Earth who are eagerly awaiting your marriage. Your union will be celebrated for generations." Princess Serenity forced a smile to her lips. She didn't want her guardians to worry about her. Inside, however, her heart sank. Sailor Mercury obviously had no idea how to cheer her up. Not even her closest friends truly knew her. The Moon Castle was essentially filled with strangers, and the person who knew her best was a stable hand she could only marry in dreams. "I just don't know what to do." Sailor Mercury leaned against the wall of Jupiter's sitting-room and rubbed one forearm absentmindedly. "My strength is in books, scrolls, quantitative things. She hurts so much and I don't know how to help her." "It'll be all right," Jupiter soothed her with a warm smile. "That's why there are four of us; to work together as a team." "She just needs to wake up and accept her responsibilities as the Princess," Sailor Mars said crossly, arranging her red skirt as she settled into a plush green chair. "We all have duties we were born to; it's a part of life." "How can you be so cold, Mars?" Pushing herself away from the wall, Mercury crossed the sitting-room to a nearby window. "Serenity needs us. We are all she has." "I'm not so sure about that," Jupiter muttered from her chaise lounge. The other soldiers turned to look at her curiously and the brunette sighed and sat up. "Sure, she's been sad lately, but...silent," the green-suited soldier explained. "Isn't it strange that she's not complaining to us about her engagement to the Prince?" "Maybe she's finally accepting the responsibilities of her position," Mercury suggested. "No, she hates it," Mars mused. "She really hates it. It IS strange, Jupiter. She used to come to us with every problem and concern." "Well, we don't spend as much time with Serenity as we used to," the blue-haired soldier commented. "There's so much work to be done, so many tasks, for all of us. We don't just sit around and talk anymore." "It's not easy to suddenly stop depending on others." The brunette leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, but her face was turned up toward her fellow soldiers. "I wonder if she's found another friend." At this, Mercury looked stricken. "Have we failed her so badly?" she whispered. Sailor Mars looked as if she had been slapped. "Serenity wouldn't lose faith in us, would she? Venus, what do you think?" Silence. All eyes turned to their leader, the orange-suited soldier who had been silent throughout the conversation. Sailor Venus was standing alone in the corner, leaning against the pale green wall with her arms folded across her chest. Beneath her thick bangs, the blonde's brow was deeply furrowed in thought. "There is...something," Venus muttered, her eyes distant as she concentrated on the messages of her heart. As a Venusian, the leader of the Sailor Soldiers possessed an innate sensitivity to emotions - especially those of her loved ones - and her senses were sending her very strange messages indeed. "It may be nothing," Venus told the others. "I want to investigate more before I explain." The next few weeks passed without major incident. Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion saw each other very rarely, only spending time together when it was necessary for them to be seen publicly as a couple. They coexisted in completely separate worlds, Serenity going about her daily business as usual and Prince Endymion vanishing into the extensive castle grounds. Serenity had no idea what her fiance did with his days. His four guardians never arrived from Earth. As wedding plans began, Serenity distracted herself from the cage being constructed around her by visiting her secret lover almost nightly. She spent plenty of days barely awake, wandering her mother's castle like the living dead, but she didn't care. The stable hand was her breath of fresh air when she felt she was suffocating. With his robust constitution, Endymion had an easier time dealing with the lack of sleep than the Princess. Often he would take her to some secluded area of the gardens and simply hold her while she dozed, his mere presence bringing a far greater peace to his troubled heart than she could ever find alone in her chambers. During those hours he would lie back, gaze up at the starry night, and enfold himself in Serenity's fresh invigorating scent and the feeling of her slender warm body in his arms. At times like this, there was nothing to distract them from the comfort of their love for each other. And, of course, there were the kisses. Ah, those kisses, when the very Moon itself fell away and they soared together through a universe of color and light. No feeling in the world could compare to the heat and energy of their lips pressed together, their mouths tasting each other, their bodies hungering for one another. These moments, spent in the passionate embrace of true love, were worth all the risks they had to take. Indeed, the risks were growing far greater than Serenity and Endymion knew. Lost in one another's eyes, neither lover noticed the well-meaning friends beginning to pry into their private lives. Prien rapidly became Endymion's shadow and Sailor Venus took more notice of the Princess' schedule, both of them searching for clues to their friends' secrets. Meanwhile, on a familiar star, another force was in motion; a power and a possibility that no one on Earth or the Moon had ever imagined. One more wipe with the polishing cloth and it was perfect. Artemis carefully examined the curved piece of crystal under the light, but not even the slightest smudge remained. Rising from his chair, the white-haired Mauan crossed the observatory to the telescope that was aimed at the midday sky. The development of crystal lenses was truly a technological miracle; worlds at the very edge of the galaxy could be clearly seen with an instrument only slightly taller than its operator. After sliding the clean lens into place, Artemis strolled to the eyepiece and settled into the chair there. An attendant brought him a pen and his record book, turned to a fresh page, and the tall man began his work by bending over the book to record the weather conditions that day. Signaling to the student astronomers to lower the filtering panels, Artemis focused the telescope on the local star, Sol, known by the general populace as "the sun." He remained nearly motionless for over an hour, shifting only to make notations in his record book and to realign the telescope as the sun climbed higher in the sky. "Artemis." The white-haired man bolted out of his chair, so startled that he nearly collided with the telescope. He had been concentrating so hard that he had not even noticed when Queen Serenity entered the observatory. All the students and staff were already kneeling on the marble floor, watching the Queen and her retinue out of the corners of their averted eyes. Standing in the bright sunlight, her lavender hair shining as it tumbled down her back, the ruler of the Moon looked positively dazzling. Artemis could almost see the power of the Silver Crystal surrounding the white-robed woman, and the reflection of the sun on the golden crescent on her forehead was nearly blinding. "My Queen," he stammered awkwardly, hurrying forward and bowing deeply. "My apologies. My full attention was on my work." "I would like to review your progress," the ruler said serenely, her face the mask of tranquility she generally wore when she had something on her mind worth hiding. "Certainly." Artemis stepped aside to clear the path to the telescope, extending an arm to welcome the Queen to his work area. The monarch glided forward, her grace, as always, impeccable. Turning her head slightly, she acknowledged her assembled subjects with a brief nod, and they rose from the floor and returned to their various tasks. This was a strange thing indeed. Queen Serenity rarely bothered to climb up to the observatory; Artemis' monthly reports were usually sufficient. The Mauan noted with interest that the Queen's retinue remained at a respectful distance while their mistress approached the telescope. "The sunspots are increasing in number," Artemis reported, leafing through his notes. Serenity looked over his shoulder intently as he showed her some sketches he had made. "It is fortunate that your power controls our climate, my Queen. The effects on Earth's weather must be intensifying dramatically." Flipping over a page, he displayed some charts of sunspot activity. "I've just spoken with Queen Acidalia of Mars," the ruler of the Moon murmured beside Artemis' ear. She spoke in low tones so even that her lips barely moved, and Artemis, catching the hint, shuffled his notes around to keep up appearances. "Her projections have become cloudy," Serenity continued smoothly, speaking of the Martian people's legendary ability to foretell the future. Artemis' eyes widened involuntarily and he was glad to be facing away from the other occupants of the room at that moment. "We have not yet determined the cause of the upset," the Queen muttered, "but Acidalia senses it is somehow tied to our sun. Study hard, Artemis, and provide me with weekly reports." Without waiting for a response, Queen Serenity straightened up, turned away and swept out of the room. "All right, it is safe to speak again now." "Good. Now, Endou, won't you tell me where we're going?" Princess Serenity snuggled up against the stable hand's back, keeping her arms locked around his waist. Resisting the urge to peek out from underneath her blindfold was becoming excruciatingly difficult. "Not a chance." Endymion chuckled and prodded the black stallion with his heels to urge the beast into a gallop. Now that they were outside the main grounds of the castle, he could breathe a little easier. He inhaled deeply, relishing the feeling of the cool night air rushing into his lungs as he looked around at the rolling landscape. It was so peaceful, riding over the Moon's surface with the slender arms of the woman he loved encircling him. Endymion could almost imagine there was no castle, no Moon Kingdom, and he and Serenity could just ride away to their destiny together. Behind him, the Princess carefully adjusted to Starry Night's new pace as the horse galloped across the countryside. With her eyes covered, her other senses were on full alert, and she strained her ears to catch any clue to their destination. Below the regular thumping of the stallion's hooves was another steady sound, a dull rhythmic roar gradually growing louder. It swelled and ebbed repetitively, and along with it came the scent of fresh, moist air. The Sea of Serenity. The Princess smiled, but did not speak; she would let her lover keep his surprise for now. Soon Endymion brought the horse to a stop. He dismounted, then carefully lifted the blindfolded Princess off the stallion and set her on the ground facing the sea. With a grin of anticipation, he swiftly untied the band of cloth covering the woman's eyes and whisked it away. Serenity gasped in true admiration and was struck speechless. They were standing on the edge of a small private beach she had never known existed, which was surrounded on three sides by trees and bushes. From here, only the Moon Castle's observatory and the top of the Crystal Tower could be seen above the treetops. It was almost as if the two of them were alone on a deserted island. It was a clear night and the Earth was once again at its fullest, casting the full force of its blue-green glow over its satellite. A shimmering trail of light danced across the shifting waves toward the beach, glistening over the water as the rest of the sea sparkled with reflected stars. A gentle breeze flowed off the water, bringing the pure scent of the freshwater sea to its visitors. Endymion had patiently waited for a night such as this to bring Princess Serenity to this place. "This is where the servants of the castle come to swim," he said softly. "It's still within the outer wall, but there is no trail or path leading here, so we don't need to worry about having to yield the beach to noble bathers. We call it Selene's Blessing." "Indeed," Serenity murmured, gazing around at all the beauty surrounding her. Inwardly, she wondered about the existence of this place; everything under the atmospheric dome had been created by her mother and she could not imagine what reason the Queen had had to design such a secluded sanctuary. For now, however, she put the thought out of her mind and was simply grateful for the privacy. Kicking her glass slippers onto the grass, Serenity gathered her skirts in her hands and dashed off into the cool sandy beach barefoot, letting out a small cry of delight. The fine sand was soft and powdery beneath her delicate pampered feet, its coolness refreshing after the long ride astride a warm-blooded animal. She ran forward toward the rolling sea, digging her toes into the beach at every step. Left behind, Endymion hurriedly looked around for a place to tie the black stallion and sighed. He didn't want to miss a moment with Serenity, but the nearest tree sturdy enough to hold the horse was a small distance away. With resignation, he turned back to Starry Night - and found the stallion standing perfectly still, solid as a statue. When Endymion looked at the beast's face, he somehow understood perfectly. The horse would not stray. "Thank you," the stable hand whispered to his fellow Earth-blooded creature, without knowing exactly why. He patted the horse's neck gratefully, then turned and charged off into the sand after his beloved. Reaching the edge of the dry sand, beyond which the fingers of the sea caressed the beach as the waves crashed ashore, Princess Serenity stopped and sank down on the soft cool sand. She unfastened the clasp of the brown cloak that covered her and tossed the disguise aside, letting the sea breeze flow around her bare arms and shoulders. The ocean bearing her name was calm tonight, and the waveline was low, allowing the young woman to sit close to the rolling waters without entering the damp muddy territory licked by the gentle waves. She gazed out over the extensive body of water, which stretched from the city almost to the far end of the atmospheric dome. Not even during the designated winter, when the frozen sea was surrounded by glittering snow, had Serenity seen a landscape as beautiful as this. The beach became more endearing yet as her lover plopped down on the sand beside her. "It's so beautiful," she exclaimed, drinking in the tranquil earthlit beach with her eyes. "Indeed," Endymion replied, but his gaze was fixed on Serenity. The Princess blushed and lay back on the sand, looking up at the star-speckled night. "I love you, Endou." Ah, those precious words, and that hated false name! Endymion reached out and took his beloved's hand, lifting it to his lips. He kissed her soft skin gently, savoring the feeling of her silky flesh in his rough hand and against his lips. Perhaps now would be a good time to tell her. He moved closer and slowly lay down on his side next to Serenity, propping his head up on one arm and softly caressing her slender hand and wrist with his fingertips. A small smile pricked at the corners of Endymion's mouth as he noticed she was not wearing her engagement pendant. "These past months have been wonderful," Serenity sighed, turning her head on the sand to gaze up at the young man leaning over her. The light touch of his fingers on her hand was soothing, and at the same time sent shivers through her body. "I never knew I could be so happy," she continued. "Being with you makes me realize how false my world is. Endou, you are like a breath of fresh air, a reminder of what life is truly about. You are real." She reached over with her other arm to caress the stable hand's cheek and brushed the short dark locks of hair out of his eyes, enjoying the feel of his silky hair slipping through her fingers like the sand beneath her. With the earthlight shining down on her pure white dress, Princess Serenity was truly radiant. Her hair was spread out on the sand, her blue eyes shining, her rosy lips slightly pursed in a way Endymion had learned to recognize as a signal. She loved him...but did she really know him? She said he wasn't false, that he alone was real, but she didn't even know his name. He wanted so badly to tell her, but he feared her reaction. Of all the names for the Earth Prince to have, why did it have to be his? Endymion's face changed, and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. "Endou? What is it?" Serenity's eyes narrowed in concern as nervousness shook up her lover's expression. She rubbed the back of his neck reassuringly with her outstretched hand, studying him. "You look like there's something you want to tell me." "Well - it's just that-" Endymion stopped. The words just refused to pass his lips. Serenity was so beautiful, inside and out, so warm and caring...but her heart belonged to Endou, a man who did not exist. He had no way of knowing whether it could belong to Endymion as well, and he was afraid to find out. "Just that I love you," he finished awkwardly. Another truth, this one so easy to say. He squeezed Serenity's hand in his as she smiled, the curve of her lips beckoning him. With a small smile of his own, Endymion rolled forward and bent down to her. The rolling waves and the crashing surf resonated with the churning of the young lovers' blood as they embraced, losing themselves in one another's eager lips. Serenity moaned into the mouth of her beloved as the familiar fire flowed through her body, and she wrapped her arms around the stable hand's neck to hold him closer. Not knowing how many more of these moments he might have with his love, Endymion threw all of his passion into every kiss. His arms burrowed into the sand and came up beneath her, pulling her slim body to him. His pulse pounded in his temples as his mouth left hers and made a slow journey down the Princess' neck, planting a neat row of kisses along the pale flesh. He could not get enough of the taste of her, and he continued exploring her throat and shoulders with his lips with even more energy as he felt Serenity arch her back and press her neck toward him, her breathing becoming deeper and heavier. Burying her fingers in her lover's dark hair, Serenity tilted her head back and closed her eyes, reveling in the soft wet touch of the stable hand's lips and tongue on her neck. His hands massaged her shoulder blades, and his mouth seemed to caress every inch of skin not covered by her dress, sending sharp shocks straight to someplace deeper within her. She found her hands traveling down her lover's back and slipping beneath his rough shirt to explore the toned skin underneath. He sighed against her throat and in that moment she knew he wanted her, all of her, as badly as she wanted him. Something was happening. Deep inside Princess Serenity something was waking, an intensity and desire that she had never felt before. She felt strangely warm, as if her soul was on fire, and the heat grew stronger with every kiss the Earth-born man planted on her neck. Serenity clung to her lover as the experience intensified. A dull ache was growing within the core of her being, a hunger for more than just kisses, a need for something deeper, stronger, a desire that made her gasp for breath. It was a strange, alien feeling and it frightened her. With a burst of willpower, she denied the urges of her body and pulled her hands out from beneath the stable hand's shirt, brought them around in front of him, and gently pushed against his chest. The tanned man stopped instantly and drew back from Serenity's skin, lifting his head to look down at her. For a moment, they stared at each other, both of them breathing hard as they fought to resist the demands of their blood. The beach, the sand, the rolling waves came roaring back in a flood of reality. The stable hand's cheeks were flushed with passion and Serenity knew hers must be as well. She could see the confusion and concern in her lover's eyes as he wondered why she had stopped him. It was a terribly awkward moment. Serenity had to do something. She felt so warm, as if she were burning... Serenity gave the stable hand a mischievous smirk and rolled out from under him. Stepping a short distance away, she reached down, seized the lengths of lightweight cloth draped around her body and pulled the dress up and over her head, whisking it off in a heartbeat. Before she had a chance to change her mind, she tossed the dress aside onto the dry beach and stood facing her beloved in nothing but her bodice and knee-length bloomers. Endymion was completely taken aback, to the point where he could not even find a snide or humorous comment to make. He stared at her, the graceful shapes of her long legs revealed to him for the first time, and could not prevent his eyes from roaming up the exposed contours of her body, memorizing every detail of the Princess' form. He only had a moment to look, however, before Serenity turned away and ran full-speed into the rolling sea. For a brief, chilling moment, Endymion feared the Princess was going to drown herself, but she stopped waist-deep in the surf and gestured for him to join her. Leaving his shirt and boots behind on the beach, Endymion plunged into the water with only his trousers on. Even in the middle of the night, the sea was only slightly cooler than the air, its temperature mediated by the Queen's power. When he reached Serenity, she was past the point where the waves curled over. The water was only as deep as her chest, but she was crouched in the sea up to her neck, letting the gentle waves bob her up and down as they passed around her. Making a daring move, Endymion dived into the shallow water, completely submerging himself beneath the rolling waves. In the darkness, the Princess could not see him until it was too late. He seized her legs and stood up suddenly, lifting his startled lover up and out of the water, then tossed her backward into the sea. With a shriek of surprise, Serenity crashed into the waves, every trace of her quicksilver hair vanishing into the sea's embrace. Endymion adopted a satisfied pose and a teasing smirk as he waited for her to resurface. She did not reappear. Seconds ticked by without a sign of Princess Serenity. Endymion waited, but not even a ripple disturbed the rolling waves. A knot of fear tied itself within his stomach. What had he done? He looked around frantically, but his beloved was nowhere to be seen. "Serenity? Serenity!" he called out, barely keeping the panic from his voice. There was no response. "Great Selene, no!" The Earth was shining brightly, but the waters were dark. How would he ever find her? Endymion took a deep breath, preparing to plunge beneath the waves in search - and choked as a fountain of spray erupted directly in front of his face. Princess Serenity launched herself out of the water, laughing as she leapt up, clung to the tall man's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Although the water was high enough that Serenity's lower body was still beneath the waves, Endymion's hands automatically slid around her thighs to support her as he widened his stance to keep his balance. "That wasn't funny, Princess," Endymion said seriously, staring into the woman's eyes as water ran down both of their faces. Serenity pouted, jutting her lower lip out ever so slightly as she angled her chin downward and peered up at the stable hand through her eyelashes. She held that adorable, innocent pose until Endymion shook his head and chuckled, a grin cracking his stern face. "You, my dear, are positively dangerous," the young man teased as the Princess smiled triumphantly. With her wet clothes and hair, Serenity was rather heavy, and her bracelet of orange beads was cold and hard against the back of his neck, but Endymion had no intention of letting her go. Judging by her firm grip on him she felt the same way. "Then you, sir, are the knight who comes to my rescue," she replied, punctuating her statement by kissing the tip of his nose. "Knight? Me? Hardly," Endymion scoffed, trying to hold his arms steady as he struggled to ignore the fact that his hands were on the thighs of the Princess. "Oh, come now," Serenity replied, idly smoothing locks of damp hair off her lover's forehead with one hand. "You have the manners of any courtier and you take lessons in fencing," she reminded him. "What more do you need?" "Blood," the stable hand muttered in a low voice, averting his eyes from the Lunarian's face. Her fingertips brushed the silver tattoo that marked his neck. "Are all the servants as skilled as you?" "Not at all," Endymion admitted with a laugh. "I'm quite the strange one as far as the other stable hands are concerned." "Why?" An innocent, honest question. The Princess studied her beloved seriously as she waited for a reply. "Well," he said slowly, steadying himself against the rolling waves, "when I was a child, I had an experience that inspired me to become the best I could be, in everything." "An experience? What was it?" Serenity wound her fingers together behind Endymion's neck, keeping her eyes locked on his so she would not stare at the well-defined musculature of his exposed chest. Being so close to so much tanned, toned flesh was making her heart pound. Pressed up against him like this, surrounded by his scent and the intensity of his eyes, she began to feel warm even in the cool water. "I met someone," Endymion said quietly. "A little girl a bit younger than me." For the first time in her life, Princess Serenity felt the sour pangs of jealousy. Another girl had been in her beloved's life, one who had motivated him to do great things. After only a moment, however, she pushed the feeling away, locking it deep in a corner of her heart. It had been a long time ago when her love and this unknown girl had met, when they were merely children. Surely she could never take Serenity's place. Besides, there were plenty of female friends in the stable hand's life. This man's heart belonged to Serenity. He was hers, and only hers. Still, she ached for reassurance. "Do I not inspire you?" she half-whispered in a husky, low voice she hadn't known she possessed, pulling herself closer to him. "Very much." Endymion leaned forward and kissed her. With only two layers of clothing flattened by dampness between them, the two lovers were closer together than they had ever been. One light kiss led to another, then another, then a deep passionate encounter that left both of them gasping for breath. Their growing hunger for one another returned with a vengeance and they could see it clearly in each other's eyes as they paused momentarily to take in deep gulps of air. After only a few heartbeats, they began again, Serenity's fingertips digging into Endymion's shoulders as he feathered his lips and tongue up and down her neck. His breath was hot in his ear, her mouth insistent on the side of his neck, her lips sought his again and again as they clung to each other in the earthlight-bathed sea. The aching, fiery longing began to awaken within Serenity once more, but this time she did not resist. She was acutely aware of her lover's rough hands beneath her thighs, and she wanted them elsewhere, everywhere. Between the endless deep kisses, she gasped for air and felt her breasts heaving into his naked chest, and electric tingles shot through her body. The intense desire ceased to be a cause of fear and became something wonderful, an awakening experience that she never wanted to end. Yet, she wanted still more. The burning hunger was as intense within Endymion as it was for his eager lover. The seawater was chilly against his exposed skin, but his body was warm and growing hotter by the second. As he tasted Serenity's smooth skin and slid his fingers over her thighs, her body pressed tightly against his, the powerful ache doubled and redoubled inside him. His need began to focus into a tight knot that concentrated low within his body. Now it was Endymion's turn for fear and nervousness. With Serenity's legs wrapped around his waist, everything physical about him, every throb of his heart and more, was obvious to her. If he did not do something, right now, the Princess would know the depth of his body's demands within seconds. This was a response he could not control. Swallowing his disappointment at having to end their passion, Endymion broke off their last kiss, smirked at his beloved, took a deep breath and let his legs go limp beneath him. The lovers plunged beneath the waves, breaking apart underwater. Serenity came up growling, and with a wave of her arm she sent a cascade of seawater over the stable hand's head as he surfaced. Endymion responded in kind, slapping at the water with both hands until it literally rained around the Princess. The tension was effectively broken, and the young lovers amused themselves with a water battle for quite some time. Later, as they waded toward the shore, both of them thoroughly soaked, Endymion wondered why he had not reminded Serenity of the day they first met as children. In his heart, however, he knew the answer; he wanted his beloved to remember on her own. That day had shaped the rest of his life and he hated to think she had forgotten it. As if she could read his troubled thoughts, the Princess paused in her quest to escape the sea's embrace. "You are not the only one who met someone special as a child," she said softly. "When I was a little girl, a servant boy wandered into the gardens." She smiled fondly, remembering. "That particular garden was my favorite after that." Endymion's heart leapt within his chest. She remembered. A sudden chill rolled through him that had nothing to do with the cool breeze on his damp skin. Miss Amaris had called him by his real name that day. How much did Serenity remember? "Artemis was just awful to him," the Princess burst out, looking at her lover with troubled eyes. "I've always wondered what became of the boy. I know there are hundreds of servants, but if you ever find out who he is, please, try to make him understand that I am sorry about what happened." The stable hand smiled a warm, genuine smile. "I will make sure he knows, Serenity. I promise." At long last, the young couple returned to Princess Serenity's balcony. Endymion's trousers were still soaking wet, but with the ride back and the dry white dress and brown cloak to cover herself, Serenity's damp hair was the only sign of where she had been. They lingered a long time beside the rope that dangled from the balcony railing, exchanging kisses and soft murmurings. Finally, they gathered the willpower to separate and Serenity placed her foot in the loop at the end of the rope and held on to its length. Endymion seized the other end of the cord and pulled on it, lifting the young woman to the balcony above where she climbed over the railing and took the rope up after her. Blowing a last kiss to the stable hand, Serenity disappeared into her chambers. The young man stared after her for a long moment before vanishing into the bushes toward the gardens. With a tempest of emotion in her eyes and turmoil in her heart, Sailor Venus left her hiding place behind the hedge along the castle wall and headed back into the building. |
