Thunder rumbles low in the distace. The sky in dark and heavy with black clouds. It is hot and still and there is nothing to do but wait. Wait. It seems that is all that I have been doing lately. That is all that anybody can do anymore. I sigh and fold my arms over the railing of the balcony and breathe in the humid air. I haven't seem my mother in a couple of days; she's been in the Communication Room with Luna and Artemis and probably the two Senshi of Legend. The other Senshi have returned to their planets to gather troops for the inevitable war that no one wants to metion even though it looms over us like these swollen rain clouds. Just ready to burst. My heart clenches up when I realize I haven't seen you in days, either. I wonder how conditions are on Earth. Much worse than here, I'm sure.
Sighing loudly, I turn and walk back into my room to try to ease my mind. At this point, I don't think it will help. I sit on the edge of my bed and stare at the pattern in the carpeting. It blurs back and forth into indistinguishable colors. Focusing on a single spot on the floor, I let my mind wander from thought to thought.
Then, I hear something a sharp noise at my balcony door, like something was thrown against it. I look but nothing is there. My heart races; lately, it seems that anything will scare the life out of me. Assuming it's the wind picking up and scattering things about, I try to forget it and resume my previous thoughts. But it happens again. I gulp and my stomach becomes queasy. I wonder who could be out there playing such a nasty game with my head. Reluctantly, I decide to investigate.
The door swings open slowly and I step out still, heavy air. No wind. Just stillness. And a single red rose on the floor. I pick it up suspiciously and peer over the balcony, trying to find its owner. No one is there. I bring the perfect, scarlet bud up to my nose and inhale its delicious fragrance. I have a good idea who might have left this for me. My assumptions are confirmed when I see the tiny white note attached to the stem.
"Meet me in the Tower."
There is no signature but I know immediatly that you are the author of the simple, laconic message. My immediate response is a violent surge of joy. At last, I can meet with you! However, I realize why you are here. I can feel it. The revolution has begun. I panic, considering not meeting you. What you don't know can't hurt you, right? But I *do* know. I clench my fists and fight down those salty tears that spring up often. And with a pseudo-determination, begin my march to the Tower.
Once I am there, I stand quietly outside, gathering my strength, for I know I will need it. I exhale and, opening the door, the first thing I see is you, bathed in warm candlelight, appearing almost heavenly. You turn to face me when you hear the creaking of hinges. We stare at each other for an instant, seemingly reading each others thoughts. A sadness exists in your eyes. My heart feels like melting. No, dearest love, it isn't you who has failed me. Not you.
"We have to be brave," you whisper. Your voice is husky and tender and I know you are struggling to keep your emotions in check. "They are coming."
I inhale slowly. "What do we do?" I ask shakily.
You shake your head and look away. "Did you inform your mother?"
"She knows. Troops are coming."
You nod once and take a few steps towards me. We stand facing each other for a quiet moment. finally you speak. "I've missed you."
This brings a smile to my lips. "And I, you," I murmur gently.
I stare up at you, into your endless eyes. A gentle smile plays on your mouth and you run your fingers across my cheek. Our lips meet and we savor a long kiss. Suddenly the door swings open and there stand two figures clad in the Senshi-fukus. We separate and stare with a look of surprised guilt.
"Serenity! Prince!" Mars says, looking from me to you. "You shouldn't be here, Princess!"
"You're back...," I say.
"There is danger!" Mercury exclaims harshly, glaring at you, yet speaking to me. "You shouldn't be here, either, Prince. Not now."
"Go back to the Palace," Mars orders.
"But-" I protest.
"Serenity!" Mercury snaps. "Now..."
I can't believe they want me to desert you now. Don't they know what is happeing? Do they possibly think that you are the enemy? I am outraged and desperate. With a hopeless look, you gaze down at me.
"Serenity," Mercury warns.
"Forgive me," I say, staring towards my friends.
Then I yank your arm and push my way through the two Senshi harshly, knocking Mars to the ground and tripping Mercury, causing them both to cry out in surprise. We run past them, out of the Tower, to where, I do not know, we just keep running.
"Serenity!" you gasp, as I pull you along. "That wasn't very Princess-like!"
I smile. "I know."
We continue sprinting until we get to the top of a hill, where we slowly come to a halt. At the same time, I laugh and cry. I'm so scared right now I can hardly think straight but you cradle me in your arms and we stand there, overlooking the entire Moon Kingdom. It feels peaceful now and I close my eyes, hoping that when I open them, all of this will seem like a misty fog. Suddenly, I feel you suck in your breath.
"Endymion, what?" I ask.
Your horrified gaze is fixed on the valley below and I turn my sight to follow it. "Oh, my God!" I cry and place my hand over my mouth in sheer terror. Below, is an army with a magnitude I have never seen before. Like waves in the ocean, the march steadily, beating out their deadly rythym. I begin to panic.
"We have to warn them hurry we can't be up here oh god what are we going to do there's so many of them we're going to die I don't want to die I have to fight oh god oh god I'm scared what are we going to do-"
Whack! I feel your hand crack against my cheek, knocking me to my senses. I shake my head and hold my burning red cheek, as my chest heaves up and down.
You seem shocked that you did that. "I-I'm sorry, Serenity," you say apologetically. "But-but we have to remain calm...We have to be brave. Let's go"
I nod my head as fresh tears smart in my eyes, more from shame and fear than anything else. You notice them. "No more crying," you say. I nod again and you take my hand gently and again, we run.
Thunder crashes and lighting lights up the sky. Finally the sky bursts and heavy rain pours down from all directions. I feel the cool wetness on my face like tears as we run. Thunder booms again and I jump. I feel your hand tighten around mine safely. I don't know what is happening but I can already hear the repulsion of the forces, a battle. The angry voices yelling, and the clash of metal, and the screams of death. I have never known war. Nausea washes over me. We keep running until we return to the Moon Palace.
"Stay right here!" you command harshly and your steel blue eyes become hard. Droplets of water drip from your hair and roll down your chiseled face.
My lower lip trembles and my eyes brim with anxiety and fear. I don't want you to leave me. Then, your eyes become soft and your hand brushes my cheek.
"I won't let anything happen to you. Even if it means my own life," you whisper huskily.
I shake my head. "I fear not for *my* life..."
Then, a smile forms on your lips. "I won't die."
I try to smile back, but it doesn't work. I'm too frightened. You run off and I am left by myself, standing under the pillars, amisdt a bloody battle. My heart pounds in my chest, my palms are damp, and my breath becomes labored and shallow. I hear an explosion and I nearly jump out of my skin. The sound of crumbling rock echoes in the air. Loud thunder, blinding lightning. And there are the screams, those awful, blood-curdling, howls of pain in the distance. Rain splatters on the ground. There's so much chaos. Squeezing my eyes shut and covering my ears, I try to block it out. When are you returning? My mind begins to envsion horrible scenes of your bloody demise and I try to remember the happy times. But it's hard. Beacuse there were so few. My knees quiver a bit and I concentrate hard on simply standing.
A cold gust of air blasts by my body sending chills down my spine. Opening my eyes, I see that girl Beryl standing on the bottom of the steps to the entrance under which I stand. She looks hideous. I shiver and stare at her.
"Well, if it isn't the Supreme Princess of the Universe," she says saccharinly and curtsies. A sardonic grin plays on her lips. I notice two long fangs in her mouth. "It's all your fault, do you realize it? This! You caused this!"
She flings open her arms and gestures to all of the destrustion around her triumphantly.
"All for a meaningless love affair! Do you see what happens when something was never meant to be? War!"
My jaw drops and no words come to my lips. Beryl laughs low and wicked and then continues.
"Your people are losing, you know. Half your Kingdom is ruins already and once I unleash Queen Metalia's power it won't even be a memory."
She walks slowly and menacingly up the steps and I move backwards as she approaches me. Sneering, Beryl goes in for the kill. "Oh, and Endymion has given up on you and the Moon. He promised his eternal loyalty to the Dark Kingdom and...to me. It was only a matter of time before he came to his senses, don't you think?"
For a moment, I stand, mouth agape in shock, heart stepped on. Have you betrayed me? Were these always your intentions? Is this why you have taken so long to return? Beacuse you're not returning at all? No. I know they weren't. I can't believe, that even for a second, I trusted anything that came out of that horrible snake's maouth! Suddenly, I discover my missing speech.
"You lie! Endymion would do nothing like that! You mean, horrible, ugly, bitter snake! You and your Metalia are nothing and when we crush your pathetic *Kingdom*, I will be the one holding a sword to your heart!"
Her mouth clamps shut and something in her eyes throbs. For a second, I regret the words that have erupted from my mouth. I see the pain in her face, that very same hurt I saw so often on mine when I gazed into athe mirror, and realize that she loves Endymion. A wave of pity swells in my heart because, somehow, in some twisted way, I know how she feels. To love someone so much it hurts. She stands there, no more than a few feet away, now, and then suddenly releases a scream that would wake the dead. Things begin to happen in slow motion. A long sword appears in her hand and I see a cloud of black energy, smiling, frigid and evil, behind her. She raises the sword high over her head and charges at me, shouting "Die, Moon Princess!" I scream and instinctively throw my arms out in fromt of me, knowing it will do absolutely nothing and that in ten seconds, I will be dead. Then I hear it.
"Beryl!!!! NOOOOO!!!!"
It is your voice. And then I see you running, leaping, and throwing yourself in the way of the crashing sword and me. Then your eyes wide, face twisted in pain, a low moan escapes from your lips. Blood splatters on my dress and I struggle to catch you and break the fall.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" I hear myself scream. So ear-piercing and loud is it that I think my head will explode.
I look up and notice Beryl's ugly, warped face, with an expression of shock upon it, for she knows she has just brutally murdered the man she loves. That he died for me and she knows he would have never done the same for her. Taking a few retreating lunges backwards, she drops the sword with a loud clank and vanishes.
"You coward!" I yell hysterically after her. Low, dirty coward! She couldn't even stay to finish her own battles!
I hear you muffle a groan of pain and I look down at your face. Blood is everywhere: on my hands, and white dress, on your face and body. I wrap my arms around your neck, tightly and bury my face into the warm, soft hollow in between your neck and shoulder. All I can do is sob. All of my bottled up tears pour from my eyes. I whimper and moan and release peals of agony. My chest is tight and my breath come is shallow gasps.
"She's right," I wail, amidst low sobs. "It's my fault. Oh, Endymion, why? Why did you do it? You should have let me die! It's all my fault."
A wail escapes my throat and more tears pour from my eyes. I look down at your tortured expression and my blood-soaked hand caresses it gently. Your hand comes to meet it.
"No," you moan. "No, Serenity. Please...don't say...that."
I wrap my arms around your neck and hug you fiercly. "I'm so sorry, Endymion. This is all my fault. It-it would have been better if-if we had n-never met."
Tears trickle from your eyes now, as well.
"Oh, Serenity...that hurt me more than...that sword through my back. I would rather die right now, in your loving arms, than live all my life never having met you, or held you, or kissed your sweet lips. Serenity, I-"
You wince with pain.
"Shhh, Endymion, please don't talk. I'll find a doctor, we'll make you better."
You nod and force a grin and your eyes glaze with tears. "You were always so positive...That's why I love you. Always..."
Another wince and you close your eyes. "Endymion? Endymion!!!" I scream. Oh, god! Is this the end?? No, it's too soon. There are too many things to say. Oh, God, no! I feel so nauseous. Your eyes flutter open and you look at me with so much tenderness and love. I shake my head, sobbing wildly, and lean down and press my lips gently against yours. I can taste warm, fresh blood.
"Always...Moon Princess," you mutter almost so quietly that I can barely hear you. Your eyes shut and I feel your body go limp.
For a moment, I sit there in stunned silence. And then: "YAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"
I scream so loud I think I'll faint. Sobs rack my shoulders and I pull and tug on your neck with some hope that maybe you'll be revived. My head spins and so many visions and noises pound in it. I can hear the explosions, the destruction, the cackling laughter, and blood-curdling screams. The ear-splitting thunder. The clanking of metal, and the voices, oh god, so many voices, and the screams. And smell death and blood and ashes. Feel the red, hot blood on my hands and lap. Your blood. See the flash of lightning. And tears stream down my cheeks and blind my sight and I hear a scream and I know it is mine. Chaos, so much chaos. My head spins. I hold my head and gasp for air. My gaze becomes transfixed on a single object lying on the scarlett-stained marble. A sword. And then I know what I must do. What I *want* to do.
The noise and confusion and pain suddenly ceases.
And there is silence. Precious, still silence. No tears, no voices. Just the soft, light patter of rain. I feel...relieved. Like I know where I am going and that I will be with you when I get there. I brush your cheek and look down at your beautiful, peaceful face and kiss your lips softly once more. No more tears.
Then, with a new found determination, I grasp the hilt of the sword tightly. My hands do not shake; I am calm. I lift it high and feel it's metallic smoothness. And I face the blade towards my heart. For one millisecond I doubt myself, but it is gone when I glance at you. That face. Just like that first day in the Communications Room when I saw you. A solitary remaining tear trickles slowly down my cheek. I was so blissfully happy then. I was always happy when I was with you. From that Room or in the Garden or in your arms, always.
"I love you, Earth Prince," I whisper. "Always..."
Looking up to the sword again, I hear distinct cries in the distance. They are of my friends.
"Serenity, no! Don't do it!" they yell in vain.
But it is too late. With full force, I thrust the sword towards my body and... The pain is not as awful as I expected. I hear faint screams as I fall on top of your chest, but I am peaceful, with a tranquility I have never felt before. Our blood mingles and we become one again. And the rain washes it away. I look my last upon your still face. My last vision, before I shut my eyes eternally, is of you. It seems I was always watching you.
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