Disclaimer: I own nothing, I know nothing, I am nothing but a poor writer who
is simply borrowing some neat characters that were created by Naoko T. (I
wish I could remember how to spell her name.)
Chapter Three: Bad News
Jadeite walked around the palace the next morning. He marveled at how
magnificently built it was. Walking past Raye's bedroom, he realized that
had been the third time that he had walked by that morning. Each time he
contemplated whether or not to speak with her or not, and each time he had
cowardly walked away.
This third time that he was at her door, he had finally decided that he would
knock, but at the last possible moment where his knuckles would make contact
with the door, he shied away once again.
*I'll do it next time,* he promised himself.
He circled the palace once again, this time, going at a much slower pace. He
walked about trying to focus on the beautiful detail and design of the Moon
Castle. The shiny walls and marble tiles left a slight reflective surface and
steps on the smooth and powerful marble echoed. But even the magnificence of
it all could not block out one important thought on his mind.
*What happened last night?* He had asked himself that question countless
times since his dance with Raye. But the answer was always the same
non-understandable feeling. If Sir Charles had not interrupted them, he
wasn't quite sure what might have happened, or rather, he was sure what would
have happened, but he refused to believe THAT.
After twenty minutes of walking, he had come full circle and was for the
fourth time at Raye's door. Summoning all of his courage, he prepared himself
to knock on the door, until a soft voice stopped him.
"Lady Raye and the rest of the ladies are having their studies right now."
Jadeite turned to the voice and then bowed. "Queen Serenity." He looked up
at her again. "I forgot that their lessons began in the morning."
"She left five minutes ago."
*Five minutes ago? I barely missed her.* "Oh," he simply said.
"Perhaps you will be able to speak with her before she has her training in the
afternoon." She said that with a smile that seemed to convey that she knew
some sort of secret.
"Thank you." He bowed before her, and then exited the area.
*****
Lessons for the day seemed completely futile. All of the girls were still
excited or exhausted because of the Ball the night before. Even Amy was not
concentrating on her lesson plan. Instead of the discussion of the Solar
Kingdom's history, gossip of the party filled the room. Except for Raye. She
was just trying to NOT remember last night.
"Lord Nephlyte is so charming," sighed Lita dreamily.
"We know." Mina rolled her eyes. "That's about the millionth time that
you've said that."
"Well it's true," Lita replied. "I'm deeply in love." Now all of the other
girls rolled their eyes. Lita was always in love with one man or another.
"I know what you're thinking," Lita began when she saw all of the expressions
on her friends faces. "But it's different this time. I feel- I feel... it's
unexplainable, but so wonderful." She sighed again and leaned back in the
sofa that she was sitting on and began to remember the events of the previous
night again.
Serena sat beside Lita and had the same dreamy expression on her face. She
twirled one of her long pigtails around her fingers absentmindedly. Mina
noticed this first.
"I take it that Prince Darrien is also very charming."
Serena continued to play with her hair. "Yes," she swooned.
Mina then turned to her blue-haired friend. Amy was simply staring out the
large window, instead of having her nose in a book like she used to when her
friends broke out in a gossip discussion. She was quietly humming a tune to
herself that sounded vaguely familiar to the rest of the people in the room.
"So Amy," Mina prodded. "Is Lord Zoicite a good dancer?" Amy did not seem to
notice the question at first, but then she spoke.
"Yes," Amy began softly. "Zoicite is a good kisser..." She then snapped out
of her trance and sat straight up. "I mean, good dancer. Yes, Zoicite is an
excellent dancer." Her face blushed furiously.
Lita looked at her shy friend in shock. "Amy, I had no idea that you had that
in you! Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
Amy shrugged sheepishly. "I-um... it must've slipped my mind." She put on
her innocent smile.
"Nothing EVER slips your mind," Lita said with fake anger. She picked up a
sofa pillow and threw at the Mercurial. Amy blocked it easily but it bounced
off of her and hit Mina in the face.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. She threw it back at Amy, who simply ducked this time.
The pillow knocked the book that Raye was reading out of her hands. She had
been hogging the loveseat by laying across it, but now she stood up annoyed.
"I don't think that was quite necessary," Raye said irked.
"Oh, don't mind Raye," Mina said. "She's upset that her and Jadeite’s moment
was ruined last night when that idiotic Sir Charles interrupted them."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Raye almost laughed out of
discomfort.
"Oh please," Lita exasperated. "Even I saw the way you were looking at each
other."
Raye was beyond annoyance. She picked up the pillow but her concentration had
been among other things and the pillow flew at Serena. She looked back at
Raye with a haughty but amused face. A moment of silence passed through the
room before a full-fledged pillow war broke out.
*****
Jadeite had decided not to let his courage desert him and headed to where he
thought the study room was. Even if the days lesson weren't going to be over
for awhile, he was going to camp outside the door if he had to. But to his
surprise, when he had reached the hall outside the door, the other three
generals and the Darrien were outside the door.
"Are you guys eavesdropping?" Jadeite asked when he had approached them.
They all turned to him. He had half expected for them to try and deny it, but
they affirmed his suspicions.
"Why? What could be so interesting about their studies?" He was immediately
shushed.
Darrien grinned at his general mischievously. "The fact that they're studying
us."
"It's a typical non-study session and gossip game," explained Zoicite.
Jadeite briefly remembered how Zoicite had always eavesdropped on his sister
and her friends back home on Earth.
"All good things so far," Nephlyte assured Jadeite.
"I'm not going to sink to that level, gentlemen." Jadeite turned his back,
but temptation ensued. He reluctantly leaned in to grasp onto what the
muffled voices inside were saying. "I can't hear anything," he groaned. But
giggling did manage to reach his ears.
Malachite's brow furrowed. "It sounds like, they're throwing things?"
Numerous 'thumps' could be heard from the inside, mixed with the girl's
laughter.
"What are you all doing?" They all straightened and stepped away from the
door at the sound of Luna's voice.
Darrien cleared his throat. "We were admiring this door. It's such a unique
design."
The black cat raised an eyebrow. "It's identical to almost every other door
in the building." It was obvious that she wasn't buying the story, but she
seemed to let it go. "I'm glad I have found you, Prince Darrien. The Queen
has summoned you and Lady Raye."
"Why?"
"It's important, and you'll see. Please wait while I fetch Lady Raye." She
gestured towards the doorknob. "Do any of you mind opening the door for me?"
Malachite did so. Luna stepped in through the doorway, but was immediately
hurled out when a stray pillow hit her in the face. She collided with the
wall opposite the study with a 'thump'.
"Ah," Malachite deduced. "It was a pillow."
Luna got up, pointedly annoyed and angered and marched into the study, the men
watching from the doorway. Numerous things were toppled and on the ground,
or strewn about the tables or chairs. The occupants inside did not even
notice that they were being watched. The war of pillows continued.
"What is going on here!" Luna yelled. Immediately, the pillows stopped
flying through the air. All of the girls slowly turned to the cat, amusement
on their faces as they tried to suppress laughter. "Well?" Luna asked
impatiently.
All of the girls looked at each other for assistance. "Well," Amy began. "As
part of my lesson-plan... we- um... " she searched her head for a decent
response. "We re-enacted the War of Saturn."
The girls all nodded their heads. "Yes, the War of Saturn," Lita supported
Amy's explanation.
"And exactly what were you to learn from this MESSY re-enactment?" Luna asked
skeptically.
Raye spoke up. "That had the War of Saturn been fought with pillows, many
lives would have been spared and the only way to describe the war would be
messy."
"Yes," Serena backed Raye. "Only messy. I have learned that."
"You're an excellent teacher, Amy," Mina said, putting a hand on Amy's
shoulder and smiling hugely, as all of the other girls soon did too. A
snicker was heard from the hallway.
"Oh, it was nothing." Amy feigned modesty and then turned to Luna. She
wasn't buying the story. "Was there something you wanted?" Amy asked,
changing the subject.
Luna decided to deal with the girls later. "Queen Serenity wishes the
presence of Lady Raye and Prince Darrien."
Raye stepped forward. "Why?"
"You'll see."
Raye looked back at her friends to see if they knew anything, but they all
shrugged. Even Serena did not know what the Queen wanted. Raye grinned
before she left the room. "I don't have to clean up this mess."
It was then that the five men realized that they should have made there escape
earlier, or at least jumped into a hiding place. Not having enough time to do
either, they all tried leaning on the wall casually, as though they were
conversing. Out of the corner of his eye, Jadeite saw Raye emerge from the
study.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked suspiciously.
*****
The morning's sun had now become the afternoon's sun, and just like morning,
Jadeite was walking about the halls of the Moon Palace. And, he was still
looking for Raye. He had lost track of her after her meeting with the Queen.
He had even been by the training area, but the girls had said that Mars had
been the allowed the rest of the day off before the ball that night.
"Another ball?" he had inquired.
"Some really important announcement is to be made," explained Venus. "Royalty
and nobility will be coming from everywhere. We don't know what's the news is
though."
"Why was Raye the only one who got the day off?"
Venus shrugged. "I don't know. Luna and Artemis just said that it was a good
idea for her to get some rest."
"Do you know where she could be?" he asked hopefully.
Mercury flashed an apologetic smile. "No, but I'm sure she's around
somewhere. Perhaps she's meditating."
But meditating where was the question. She was not in the Fire room and her
room was empty. And in a kingdom as big as the Moon Kingdom, she could be
anywhere.
*****
Raye was somewhere no one could find her. It was a low cliff that over-looked
the far side of the Great Silver Lake. The trees and bushes and wild plants
camouflaged it well enough so that you couldn't tell it from another end of
the lake. Decorative rocks sat under the cliff, the lakes waves occasionally
crashing against them. It was Raye's sanctuary, a hiding place she had found
when she first came to the Moon. No one knew of it and she came there often
to be alone.
She sat on the edge of the cliff, her bare legs dangling over the edge. She
absentmindedly threw small rocks into the water below her. The sun was
slowly dipping below the horizon and she knew that she had to go back soon for
the Ball. She had to be there for the announcement. On any other occasion,
she would have enjoyed going to the Ball, but this was one she was not looking
forward.
She couldn't shake the feeling of dread she had felt when she learned why she
had been summoned by Queen Serenity. It wasn't necessarily horrible news, but
it wasn't fantastic news either. And soon everyone in the Solar Kingdom was
going to hear about it.
Thinking about it all, her thoughts slowly drifted back to Jadeite, until that
was all that occupied her mind. His soft, blonde hair, firm hands, clear
eyes, intense gaze...
Raye shook her head and snapped out of her trance. What was she thinking?
She was beginning to act like a love-sick fool. But that was ridiculous.
Jadeite was her best friend. She had known him her entire life. Falling in
love with him was absolutely crazy.
It wasn't like it was for the others, like Princess Serena and Prince Darrien.
They were immediately attracted to each other, and Raye sensed their strong
feelings. It was obvious they were deeply in love. So that simple fact left
it impossible for her to be in love with Jadeite.
She stood up and began to march quickly back to the castle, allowing her to
think about the Ball, the announcement, ANYTHING but Jadeite and the ridiculous
idea of falling for him. She sighed thinking about the announcement again, and
her steps slowed. It didn't matter how good the news was to all of the elders,
this was ultimately bad news for her.
The worst part was, Raye knew this was one announcement that was going to break
a few hearts... if not already her own.
*****
Lady Mina and Lady Amy walked towards Lady Raye's quarters, in hopes of
speaking with her. They were curious about Raye's meeting with the Queen, and
wanted to know if Raye knew anything about the big announcement. To their
surprise, when they turned the corner, they saw Lord Jadeite standing watch
outside Raye's door.
Mina approached him with a slight guardness. She was still mad that he and
the rest of the Generals had been eavesdropping earlier that morning.
"Eavesdropping again?" she asked with bitter. She wasn't really THAT mad, but
she wasn't going to let them easily off the hook as Lita and Amy had.
He looked at her and quickly shook his head. "No, I was waiting for Lady Raye
to return. I have to speak with her."
"She's not back yet?" Amy asked concerned.
"No, in fact, no one in the castle has seen her at all."
Amy furrowed her brow, but managed a cool smile. "I guess she'll have to come
back soon."
"Do you eavesdrop often?" Mina asked Jadeite. Amy rolled her eyes as was going
to try and stop Mina from antagonizing the poor fellow, but then she noticed a
dark-haired girl turn the corner. Amy squinted and could see that it was Raye.
Mina was busy bothering Jadeite to notice, and his back was turned to Raye.
Raye stopped in her tracks and stared nervously at Jadeite. She began to
motion frantically for Amy to distract him so that she may retreat to her
room. Amy thought quickly and turned to the two people beside her, both would
annoyed expressions on their faces.
"Relax Lady Mina," Amy said. "I believe him and the rest when they say they
were admiring the doors." They both looked at her stunned.
Mina sighed exasperated. "For the smartest person in the entire Kingdom, you
sure are the most gullible."
Amy ignored her and turned to Jadeite. "You know what's a really interesting
door? This one right down the hall." She began leading him in the opposite
direction of Raye. "Lady Raye says it's one of her favorites, isn't that right
Lady Mina?" Amy turned to the other girl behind her, but kept Jadeite's face
in the other direction. "She's always saying how it's a 'turnaround' from the
others." Amy gestured with her eyebrows for Mina to turn around.
She did so and so Raye quickly tip-toeing to her door. "Oh!" Mina said,
understanding everything. "That door. I have to agree with Lady Raye, it's a
beautiful door." The three stopped at the last door down the hall.
"It looks exactly like Lady Raye's door," Jadeite stated. "And all of the
other doors. So I'll just go back and admire her door while I wait for her."
Amy and Mina grew anxious as he turned around, but released a sigh of relief
when he missed Raye's door shutting quietly with her inside.
*****
Raye also breathed a sigh of relief of when she made it safely inside. She
didn't want to face her old friend at the moment.
*But why?*
She ignored the thought and quietly, but quickly got dressed into a simple
red, long dress with thin straps. After brushing her long, dark hair, and
applying a small touch of red lipstick, she stepped towards her door, but then
remembered that Jadeite was still probably out there.
*How am I going to get out?* She decided it was about time to face him
anyways, so she took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob. But then the
door opened by itself and the force of the door pushed her on the ground.
"Oops," Mina apologized. "But I have to get you out of here before he comes
back. Good thing you're ready."
"Who come back? Jadeite?"
Mina grabbed Raye's hand and helped her off the ground. "No, Amy was able to
get Zoicite to get rid of Jadeite, but then Sir Charles came by. He was
pretty adamant about escorting you to the ball. I didn't think you wanted to
talk to him either so I told him to go look in my room for your earrings."
Mina checked to make sure no one was coming, then brought Raye out and they
hurried to the ballroom.
"Good thinking," Raye said. "He's been bugging me lately. I've already
expressed my feelings about our relationship, but he keeps popping up all the
time, especially lately."
"What is with him?" Mina asked as they almost ran. "That Sir Charles simply
can't take no for an answer."
"Apparently."
"And what is with you?"
Raye stopped as they were outside the ballroom doors. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you avoiding Lord Jadeite? You were so excited the other day that
you could see him again after so many years. And why the sudden disappearing
act today? Nobody could find you at all!"
Raye looked at her feet, hoping that maybe by some miracle there was a simple
explanation, a quick excuse to throw at her friend. There was none, of course,
because her excuse was next to her. "Oh look," she said pointing through the
windows of the ballroom doors. "They're getting ready to make the
announcement. We have to go stand up there with Queen Serenity."
She hurried through the crowd, and ducked out of the way when she noticed that
Sir Charles was trying to reach her. She approached the marble steps where
Queen Serenity and Princess Serenity were waiting, as well as Prince Darrien,
the four Generals, the other Scouts, and last but not least, Raye's parents
and the King from Earth.
No matter what happened, she was going to have to keep a pleasant face on for
the night. She couldn't disgrace her parents decision just because she didn't
like it. Putting on her most pleasant smile and curtsying before Queen
Serenity, her parents and the Earth ruler, she took her place besides her
parents and waited for the news that everybody wanted to know about.
*Just try to look happy about it...*
*****
"Darrien, what's so important that I had to see you right away?" Jadeite
asked, an edge on his voice. Being friends for a long while now, titles were
rarely used between the two, unless in the company of others.
Darrien stood on the marble steps of the ballroom and looked at his friend, a
step below him. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Zoicite told me you told him to get me."
"No I didn't."
Jadeite turned to scold Zoicite, but he was no longer beside him. He had
drifted towards the company of Lady Amy.
*Why would he lie?* Jadeite made a mental note to himself to talk to Zoicite
later. He began to go back to Raye's room but Darrien stopped him.
"You might as well stay, everybody's ready for the big news." Darrien said
the words 'big news' with conviction, while rolling his eyes.
Jadeite sighed inwardly and did as advised. He would just have to talk to
Raye later. Glancing around the room, he finally noticed that Queen Serenity
was also on the marble steps, Princess Serena standing beside her. On either
side of them was the Earth rulers, and the Martian rulers.
*Why are they here?* But he remembered that Venus had told him that royalty
was coming everywhere tonight.
All the Generals were present, and Lady Lita and Lady Amy stood across from
them. They were patiently awaiting the arrival of Lady Mina and Lady Raye.
Darrien stood by his father, and when the two late scouts finally entered the
room, they curtsied before the royalty, and then took their places; Raye
besides her parents, and Mina across from Malachite.
Queen Serenity waited for the attention of the entire ballroom before
speaking. "I am honored that so many people have come for tonight's occasion
and festivities." She stepped back, and allowed the King of Earth and the
Martian King and Queen to step forward, along with their children.
The Earth King spoke first. "We would like to announce the union between Mars
and Earth."
The Martian King spoke next. "We have come to a decision that will benefit
the entire Solar Kingdom."
Finally, the Martian Queen spoke. "Tonight is the celebration of the
betrothal of our children, Princess Raye of Mars and Prince Darrien of Earth."
Before the ballroom crowd erupted in cheers, a soft gasp could be heard from
Princess Serena, but only those standing closest to her. She quickly regained
her regal composure and smiled, hiding any obvious pain. The Earth King, nor
the Martian rulers, did not noticed. They smiled happily. The Scouts were
slightly stunned, as the Generals, but they clapped, not wanting to be rude.
Jadeite was stunned most of all. He looked at the two now engaged pair. They
both had smiles on their faces, pleasant expressions. They didn't seem to be
upset about this. Jadeite always knew that Darrien only wanted to marry out of
love, and Raye, Jadeite was sure she felt the same way. But the looks on their
faces conveyed quiet joy.
*****
Raye kept her smile on her face, and Darrien did the same. They were not going
to forsake their parent's wishes, although in their hearts they did not enjoy
this that much. Raye had heard Serena's small gasp, and she was sure Darrien
heard it to, but he kept on a straight face. Raye felt sorry for him, she
knew that he loved Serena, not her.
After the announcement was made, Raye and Darrien headed to dance floor
together. It was a royal tradition to dance the first dance of the evening
together when an engagement was announced.
Hesitantly, they put their arms around each other and began to dance to the
music. They were both good dancers, but their emotions for each other made it
seem awkward.
Other couples joined the floor, and she kept her smile on for the show. "I'm
hating this," she told him, still smiling.
"So am I," he responded, his smile still present as well. "If I have to keep
smiling like this all night, my mouth is going to be sore in the morning."
"It's nothing against you," she assured him. "You are handsome and
charming..."
"And you're beautiful and charming as well," he told her.
"And we both like each other as friends."
"We do." They both meant it, but friendship could hardly be enough for a
happy marriage.
They danced to the music in silence for awhile. Raye looked around the room
casually and could see Serena watching them with casual interest, trying not
to look obvious that she was watching the pair. Raye truly felt bad for her.
Raye looked back at Darrien. Their smiles were still held in place, but she
could see the pain in his eyes.
"It's not easy to get married to someone, when you love another," she told
him, almost asking.
"No, it's not." He answered her unasked questioned.
She sighed and tried to offer her sympathy by acknowledging the truth. "You
are in love with Princess Serena-"
"And you are in love with Lord Jadeite." Raye almost choked on her breath.
"No I'm not," she protested with a short laugh.
Darrien was still smiling, but now he was doing it out of amusement. "Yes you
are."
"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard of." She began to ramble on
with excuses and reasoning. "Jadeite and I are friends, nothing more. Yes we
are best friends, and I do love him, but I love him as my friend."
"Please, Lady Raye, it is quite obvious that you have more than just that.
Everyone can see it."
"That can't see what is not there."
"Well then, why do they see it?"
"Because all of my friends are hopeless romantics. They believe any two people
who so much look at each other are destined to be together." She was not in
love with Jadeite, she had already determined and proven that to herself
earlier. "And stop smiling like you know everything about me."
"I'm smiling cause I don't want to look like I'm totally against this whole
betrothal thing, got keep up appearances. And you're right, I don't know
everything about you, but I do know everything about Jadeite. He's very easy
to fall in love with. Other girls have done so in the past."
"Well I'm not other girls," she said flatly, still smiling though.
"No, you're not. Because he loves you back."
Raye rolled your eyes. "We are friends and nothing more... " she stopped
speaking as she squinted over his shoulder. "Quick, dance in the other
direction."
"Huh? Why?"
"Just do it." He did as asked and lead them to the other end of the dance
floor.
"What was that all about."
"Just trying to avoid someone."
"Jadeite?"
She shot him a glare between smiles. "No, Sir Charles. His an old suitor who
won't leave me alone. That's the one good thing about this betrothal, he has
to leave me alone now."
"Stubborn about his feelings, huh? Just like you."
"Will you..." she was interrupted when a slight tremor that rocked the palace.
The quake did not do any intense damage, but Raye slipped on her high heels
and Darrien caught her, holding her so that she wouldn't fall again. The
shaking only lasted a few seconds, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when
it was over.
Raye slowly released herself from Darrien's grasp. "Thanks for the help," she
said. "That's strange, though, there haven't been many moonquakes. I was
used to marsquakes, but that's been awhile."
Queen Serenity stepped on the marble platform again. "Everyone is alright?"
she asked concerned. There were no injuries, to her relief. "Let's continue
on with the party then. It was only one small quake." All of the guest
obliged and the Ball continued.
*****
Jadeite watched the pair go onto the dancefloor, trying to diminish the pangs
of jealousy in him. Why was it bothering him that Raye was engaged now, even
if only by her parent's wishes. And why was it bugging him so much that she
seemed to be happy, that they were both happy with the news. Even while they
were dancing, they were smiling greatly as they talked with each other.
Jadeite looked over at Princess Serena. He could tell that it was taking
great will for her not to break and cry. She would have left for her room
immediately except it was her mother's party and that would have been extremely
impolite. Her hands were clasped tightly together in front of her, showing her
discomfort.
He thought it better to leave her at peace and went to retrieve himself some
wine. At the refreshment table, he unfortunately encountered the Martian King
and Queen.
"Jadeite!" the Queen greeted him warmly.
"Your majesties." He bowed to the both of them.
"My dear," the King corrected his wife. "It is General Jadeite now." He
turned to the all grown up boy. "It has been a long time. I trust Raye was
happy to see you again."
"Yes, it was nice to see each other again." He reminisced about their meeting
of a few days ago. "She is very beautiful now."
"And you are quite handsome now," the Queen complimented him. "I'm sure all
the ladies must have fallen for you."
He laughed softly. All the ladies did fall for him, except for one in
particular...
"It was a pleasure to see your majesties again." He bowed once more and left
without his glass of wine.
Walking back to his earlier spot, he saw the many couples gracing the dance
floor. Nephlyte and Lita were enjoying the music in one corner, and Zoicite
and Amy were not too far away, swaying together on the dancefloor. Once
again, Malachite and Mina were talking to each other in another part of the
ballroom. It was obvious that they liked each other, but they always managed
to distance themselves.
Suddenly, a quake hit the moon. Jadeite steadied himself for the small shake
and then looked around when it was over to make sure everything was alright.
His eyes fell on Raye, held tightly in Darrien's arms. A pang of jealousy
stabbed his heart. Why was he feeling this way?
"Everyone is alright?" Queen Serenity asked. "Let's continue on with the
party then. It was only one small quake."
The Ball continued and Jadeite quietly left the ballroom.
______________________________________________________________________________
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