Disclaimer: As Always I don't own Sailor Moon, I'm just borrowing the Characters. Secret Garden: Part 4 Serenity woke to find her aunt folding a cool cloth across her forehead, "Are you alright, dear?" The Princess looked around, trying to clear her vision and her mind, "Yes, aunt Mianna, I think so... what happened?" Her aunt sighed, "I told you about the soul-bond remember?" when the princess nodded her aunt continued, "But you fainted before I got to the last and most important part." Serenity met her aunt's eyes with a fear filled gaze, "And what part is that?" Mianna took the girl's hands in her own, "Peace, Serenity. Long ago a prophecy foretold the coming of two children, both of royal blood; that would be soul bonded. One from the Earth, and the other from the Moon. It was said that a time of Peace would reign until these two would meet and finally, when the bond was completed Peace would be shattered within a ten-year period. In short, the completion of the soul bond would bring about the fall of the Silver Millennium." "How is that possible?" asked Serenity, "Aunt Mianna, how can something so pure, so right bring about the fall of the alliance? Love between two people destined for each other should create, not destroy, right?" Mianna sighed, pulling her confused niece onto her lap and hugging her, "My poor little Serenity... You are right, but to bring about change and a new age the old must fall. If you had never met with Endymion than you would have reigned long after your mother. But because you met him and sealed the bond last night your souls are forever to be searching for the other." She stroked her niece's hair gently, "My poor little Serenity. I wish this could be easier for you. We have to tell your mother, she knows of the prophecy even if she does not understand it." Serenity pulled away, her eyes filling with tears, "I cannot tell her! She would punish me for sure. And I would never be able to see Endymion again she would have me under such a tight watch! Oh, please, please, Aunt Mianna, do not tell her. I beg of you, if I can never see him again..." Mianna pulled Serenity into her warm embrace, "I will not tell her Serenity. That is for you alone to do." She gave her niece one last squeeze and then pulled away, leaving Serenity alone with her thoughts and all that had just been revealed to her. Serenity curled herself up on her bed, her voice lessons completely forgotten as she crossed her arms on the windowsill. She rested her head on her arms and stared at the blue and green marble that hung in the sky above the moon, "Are you thinking of me, my prince?" she wondered softly, tears tracking slowly down her cheeks, "Have you found out the consequences to my rash actions as I just have? Oh, my love, my prince. Shall I ever see you again? Will I ever get to tell you how deeply you touched my heart and filled my soul?" She tried to stem the flow of tears down her cheek as she watched the Earth rotate slowly in front of her. Her eyes brimmed with tears and the droplets slid down her cheeks, making the Earth look blurred. She continued to weep softly, sitting in the same position, eyes glued to the Earth as tears tracked down her cheeks. She retrieved the book holding the rose that the Prince had given her and gently pulled out the still fragrant, if crushed, flower. She returned to her position at the window, her eyes glued to Earth, the rose in her hand. She closed her eyes; her head on her arms, as the light of the Earth brilliantly light the afternoon sky. ********** Endymion returned home later that night and went straight to his chambers. He froze when he entered, his eyes looking for what had caused him to put up his defenses. "Oh, there you are Endymion," said a silky, cultured voice, "I was starting to worry you were going to be gone all night." "What are you doing in my chambers?" he asked, turning to face the voice, his insides twisting with loathing. It was the same snakelike voice from this afternoon. That Beryl creature, who was intent on marrying him. An ugly thought just occurred to him, "You could ruin your reputation by being in the chambers of the crown prince, Lady Beryl." She laughed, sliding out of the shadows and into the light. She slithered, or so it seemed to the prince. This lady was like a viper in human's clothing. She could be lethal. He held his ground, eyeing her warily. She was dressed in a gown the color of blood that brought out the color of her hair and eyes. It was low cut, showing a lot of cleavage and high cut to the point of being indecent, showing a remarkable amount of skin. Endymion had no doubts as to why she was in his chambers and her words confirmed it, "Oh, my Prince, if my reputation is ruined, I can think of no other I would prefer to have it tainted by." She slid close to him, sliding one hand up his muscular arm, her talon-like nails gently gripping the fabric. Endymion pulled away, "Sorry, Lady Beryl, but you must leave." He walked to his balcony and opened the doors. The footsteps behind him showed that she had not done as he'd commanded. He didn't bother to look at her, "If you refuse to leave of your own free will, lady Beryl, than I shall have you removed." She gasped, "You would not!" "You doubt my word? I have no wish to see you, be seen with you, or otherwise. If you being in my chamber does indeed sully your reputation I have no intention of correcting it. Nor," he turned to face her, his midnight eyes flashed with anger, "do I have any intention of making a proper woman out of you if this compromises you in anyway. I refuse to take responsibility if your actions have disastrous consequences. Have I made myself clear?" She nodded, speechless. No one had ever resisted her charms before! Not any of the guards, the Prince's own generals or even the king! She turned on her heel and fled his room, her mind churning with anger and thoughts of revenge. 'He'll pay,' she thought darkly, 'no one ever rejects the lady Beryl and lives long. I'll make him mine, do not doubt that.' Endymion sighed, hearing his door close behind the fast retreating footsteps of the woman. Something about her warned him that this was not over yet. Jumping off his balcony, he noticed that the sun was starting to go down. He crouched, and then, being sure he wasn't followed, made his way back to his secret garden. With luck, his angel would come back tonight and they could talk. There was much to discuss. ********** Princess Serenity waited for night to fall before slipping out of her chambers. She'd missed dinner, all of her daily lessons and hadn't even gone to train with her friends. She'd spent her day staring at the Earth, though she'd locked her chamber door at some point so that she wouldn't be disturbed. Her mother, she knew, was growing increasingly worried. She sighed dejectedly, wiping her eyes and turning away from the window. Her body protested and she gasped as feeling returned to her arms and legs. She'd been in the same position for most of the day with very little activity. She curled up on her bed, flexing her fingers and toes to get the feeling to return, her eyes shut, as the pins and needles raced through her fingers and up her arms. The sensations continued also in her legs. After several minutes of silently dealing with it, the tingling and numbness went away. She uncurled herself from her bed and looked around, wiping away the tears that usualy followed the pins and needles. Her room was in order, save for the two gowns she had changed into and then out of eventually. One was supposed to be for dinner. It was a light pink with frills and bows and a high neckline. She had discarded it almost immediately. It was too small anyway, but she decided that frills and bows were too immature. It lay crumpled on the floor next to the door for someone to remove. The second gown was her formal gown and it was draped across the back of her chair. She'd wanted to throw it away from her when she'd removed it, but she knew her mother would have thrown a fit. Instead she'd settled for draping it across the back of a chair. She now wore the same gown she'd had on the night before when she'd met Endymion. She hugged herself, wrapping her arms around her front and gripping her elbows tightly. "Oh, Endymion," she murmured to the room, her eyes welling with tears, "Can we be together with everything I have just learned?" Resolute, she went and changed into her royal gown once more. As she fastened the bow at the back and then the two buttons she went to look in the mirror. The Crescent moon on her forehead stood out with clarity and she sighed, "This time, you shall see me as I am, my Prince, as I should have done in the first place." She made no move to hide her mark. She looked out in time to see the Earth setting and knew the moon's rays would soon touch it. She closed her eyes, focusing her energy on the very core of the Moon itself. With a flash, she was merging into the moonbeams and once again heading towards Earth. ********** Author's note: Alright, so I managed to get three parts out, instead of two (admitedly I kept two of those parts together). What can I say, I got caught up in my writing *grin* Next part should be out next week and should mostly be Serenity and Endymion. Feed back, as always, is greatly appreciated! Jade_Max@innocent.com