by Sailor Lily
posted December 30, 2000
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Setsuna was sitting on her bed reading to make the time go by faster for her meeting with Endymion. The past week had been absolutely unbearable for her. She had to avoid the urge to be with Endymion, and the questioning looks the girls gave them. She had been so involved in her thoughts, that she jumped out of her skin when a knock came to her door. <Who could it be? Please don’t let it be Endymion! Wait, it can’t be him, he wouldn’t put our meeting for tonight at risk.> She finally asked, “Who is it?”
There was no answer, instead she heard the door open, and Beryl entered the room triumphantly. Setsuna held back her urge to get off the bed and slap her. Instead, she asked calmly from her secure bed, “Don’t you know it’s rude to enter a room without permission?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I heard you say ‘come in.’”
<Well, you need to get the excessive amount of earwax out of you ears and brain.> she thought while smiling at Beryl. “What do you want?”
“Did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Setsuna, I know you can pretend better than that. But I’m not here to look at you, I wanted to know how you were dealing,...you know, without Endymion.”
Setsuna looked at her with her calmest expression and said, “I’m perfectly fine. Thank you for caring.”
“I really do care. As a matter of fact, I wish there was a way that I could help you.”-answered Beryl with an evil grin that made Setsuna stiffen with hate. “I know, I can just take Endymion and make him mine. That way you don’t have to worry about the destruction that would be your fault, and I get some very deserved company.”
With that simple statement Setsuna was enlightened as to why Beryl hated her so much. She hated her for an obvious reason: Endymion loved her with all his heart. Beryl would hate any woman who stood in her way of attracting him. Since Setsuna now had this weapon against Beryl, she knew well how to use it to divert attention from herself.
“Fine, you can have him. After all, I’m not the one you must worry about any longer. I’m not engaged to him any more.”
“What do you mean you don’t care? You said you loved him so much, what happened?” -asked Beryl firmly.
“Unlike you, I happen to care about the future of other people, and if that relationship was to bring destruction, then it’s not worth it. Besides, you know how fanciful men can be: in love with me today, in love with Rei tomorrow, or Serenity after that.” -lied Setsuna efficiently.
Beryl stared at her straight in the eyes full of disbelief. She wanted to see pass Setsuna’s face of stone, but couldn’t. She finally said, “Endymion, is not that type of man, he only can love the one woman who wins his heart.”
Setsuna smiled inwardly because after all Beryl was right. Her face continued to be expressionless. She knew that Beryl wasn’t immune to the seed of doubt. Now, it was just a matter of how the others behaved, specially Endymion. She said, “Fine, if that’s what you think...”
Voices were heard in the hallway, outside of Setsuna’s open door. It was Endymiontalking to the other girls. It had always been obvious to Setsuna that the younger girls had a crush on him, but never pressed it out of respect for her. Beryl had never noticed before how the girls glanced at him, and how charming he was to them. It was perfect. Setsuna saw Beryl staring at the group that passed in front of her door, and said, “You see what I mean?”
“I got you out of my way, didn’t I?” -snapped Beryl turning to Setsuna angrily. “They’re weaker than you, they post no threat to me.”
“I wouldn’t underestimate them so much if I were you. Besides, I thought you wanted to prevent the destruction that was foreseen?” -asked Setsuna trying to catch her in a lie.
Beryl narrowed her eyes at realizing that she had to be careful with Setsuna. <This girl is not easily deceived; she can see through me.> She answered cordially, “Yes, that was the main reason. It was a direct order from the Queen, but that doesn’t mean that Prince Endymion should be alone.”
Setsuna smiled and said, “Right, he doesn’t have to be alone...just with nobody that’s not you. Right?”
Beryl went to where the smiling girl was siting, and backhanded her. Setsuna couldn’t believe she had dared to do that, and threw her a horrible look. Setsuna declared angrily, “So I’m right then? You just want him for yourself! You want to step over anyone who stands in your way!” Beryl raised her arm again, and as it was coming down, Setsuna grabbed it without blinking. Setsuna held her gaze unflinching, while saying, “I told you, you can have him. Don’t you ever, EVER try that again! Remember who you’re dealing with,... you’re dealing with me. I’m not a helpless little girl, and don’t you forget that!”
She let go of her arm and knelt on her bed looking decisively at her opponent. Beryl simply stood there returning the look. Suddenly, out of no where, Setsuna slapped Beryl hard across the face. Beryl held her face, incredulous that the other girl had done that. Setsuna simply said, “What? Don’t tell me you weren’t expecting that?”
Beryl narrowed her eyes and left the room slamming the door. Setsuna’s knees gave out beneath her. She had been so scared, and simply couldn’t believe she had done that to Beryl. She held her throbbing face while thinking sadly, <Let’s see who wins, since I have openly rebelled against her. Let the games begin.>
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<The moon...such a beautiful moon. the ocean, so pure from all evil things. I wish I could stay here with all this peace for ever.I wish I could be as pure as all these things.> thought Setsuna with tears in her eyes while awaiting for Endymion’s arrival. <Why do I feel so sad? Could I let destruction come to all this? But no... evil can’t come from love. No evil can come from this love.>
“Setsuna?” -asked a whispering voice in the dark, but it wasn’t Endymion’s. “Is that you?” Setsuna stiffened and turned slowly to find Princess Serenity before her. Setsuna managed to mutter, “Serenity, what are you doing here this late?”
“Well, I came out to get a breath of fresh ocean breeze. This is what I love best about Earth, its ocean breeze.” -She answered thoughtfully, until she realized that Setsuna was nervously looking around. “What are you doing here anyway? Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?”
“You look nervous, and you haven’t been with Endymion since Beryl’s arrival. Did something happen?”
<According to Beryl, it was Queen Serenity who asked her to separate me from Endymion to prevent that great destruction foreseen. It will be wise to keep that from all, specially from Serenity since it was an order from her mother.>
“Setsuna, are you all right?” -asked Serenity looking closely at Setsuna. She nodded and answered, “Yes, I’m fine. As to why I haven’t been with Endymion... its simply because of an argument. No big deal.”
“I certainly hope to see you two together soon. I can tell he really misses having you close. Besides, I’ll rather have him teasing me, than to see him all sad and quiet.”- said Serenity thoughtfully. Setsuna smiled at her and nodded.
Steps were heard on the grass. They turned to look apprehensively in the direction of the noise. “Who’s there?”- asked Serenity straining her eyes to see beyond the gate that separated the garden from the beach.
“Its me.” -answered Endymion coming out of the shadows and into the moon light. Serenity looked back at Setsuna, and it was then she realized why Setsuna had been so nervous. Setsuna held her look and said pleadingly, “Serenity, may I ask for the biggest favor I will ever ask of you?”
“Of course, anything you’d like.”
“Can you keep this as a secret between us? I mean,... that you saw us together tonight.”
“Setsuna, but why? I thought...”
“Please don’t ask any question. Can we keep it a secret?”
“Setsuna...”
“Please, I beg you. It’s nothing bad, I swear it on my love for Endymion.”
“Okay, okay... nobody will know it from me; I swear. I trust you both.”
Setsuna let out a sight of relief and took Serenity’s cold hands into her own saying, “Thank you, thank you so much. I will pay you this favor some day; I promise.” Serenity smiled at the pretty face of her older friend, and then turned to Endymion saying, “Well, what are you waiting for? Come get this beauty, and fix whatever it was you did.” Endymion smiled and winked at Serenity murmuring, “Thanks meatball head.”
Serenity blushed, and left the young couple alone. Endymion took Setsuna’s hands and rubbed them since they were really cold. She only laughed at his attempt to warm her.
“Why are you laughing? Aren’t you cold?” -he asked concerned.
“I think you forget where my home planet is. Besides, it doesn’t matter now that you’re here with me.”
“I’ve missed you so much all this time. I don’t know what to do, or think about what Beryl said. I’m really confused!” -he said as he pulled her closer to hug her delicate frame.
She rested her head on his chest. She closed her eyes whispering, “Do you think something... bad will happen.. if we stay together?”
“No, I really don’t think bad could come out of it. Our hearts can’t be wrong, besides, Queen Serenity would never had allowed the chance to have us meet. The destruction of the galaxy is a really delicate matter that she wouldn’t have taken lightly.” -he said while caressing her soft hair.
“You’re right, ...but still, I’m scared to think that our stubbornness could have everyone we love destroyed.”
“No, don’t think that. But I don’t understand Beryl or the Queen’s purpose for uncovering that knowledge precisely now. Why would they wait so long? Why didn’t they prevent it?”
Setsuna pulled away and looked him in the eyes. “Don’t you see? Beryl is absolutely obsessed with you, she would do anything to be with you...even lie.” She then turned around to look at the calm, dark ocean while she continued. “As for the Queen, I have no idea what her purpose was. It will be wise to... pretend... to have stopped seeing each other. That way it will be easier to find the answers we seek.”
Setsuna felt his warmth behind her as he enveloped her in a loving embrace. He leaned his head forward and murmured, “It sounds wise, but do you know that I feel doomed without you. I feel like something is missing, and I wonder without direction trying to find it. This week was the hardest ever, I thought it would never end!”
She said nothing and looked up at the sky. After that eternal silence, she finally said, “I can imagine how hard it was for you. I’m so sorry I brought all this trouble upon you, maybe... it would have been... better... if you had never met me at all. You would have been happier.”
Endymion was shocked by what she said: he didn’t want her to believe that. He spun her around and kissed her. But that kiss was unlike the tender ones they had exchanged before, this one was full of urgency to erase those thoughts from her mind. He wanted to take away her doubts, her pain, and sorrow more than anything else. He wanted to replace all those bad things with happiness, reassurance, trust, but most of all, love. Setsuna could feel the ardor in his kiss, in his embrace, and all she could do was melt. Endymion cupped her face with his cold hands when he ended the kiss. He whispered breathlessly, “Don’t dare ever say that again. I couldn’t have been fulfilled without you, don’t you understand? It was my destiny to meet you, to love you, and to be with you. Can’t you feel that we’re meant to be together forever?” Setsuna couldn’t answer anything to his mournful eyes full of darkness. He continued with his voice full of emotion. “I know that we were meant for each other. This love we have didn’t happen overnight, we have been... feeding the flame in our hearts ever since we met. I could have found any of the other girls the day of Serenity’s presentation, but I didn’t... I found you. I thought about you for years...wondering how you were doing, if your hand had healed, if you still remembered me, and I began to think that I would never set eyes on you precious eyes again. But look, here we are... together and more in love than ever. Setsuna, if you weren’t with me I would probably think I was happy, but in my heart... I would be able to feel the void in me growing. I would conceal my unhappiness from everyone by being distant, detached... or I would pretend to be happy. Then a day would come when I would realize that something,...someone... was missing from my life.”
He paused and took her hands in his while looking in her eyes. “But come... lets enjoy the time we have together.” He led her down to the point were beach and water met.