I think that's the right chapter number... *feels
woozy* Oyyyy *sees fuzzy* Double oooooyyyyy
@_@
It's only something called deprivation of sleep.
Nooothing to worry about.
Mmmmm, I am so very glad that midterms are
*almost* over. Just one more to go. One more...
Must have Pepsi... need to stay awake....
@_@
Coffee just doesn't cut it for me.
Enjoy reading!
Patch:-)(-:
Healer
Chapter 11
Author: Patch
Editor: Rei Kinneas aka *Kaitou Comma*
E-mail: patchkhan1@hotmail.com
kittiekat90@yahoo.com
Insert standard disclaimer here.
"Oh... oh goddess!" Serenity cried, falling
back and hitting the wall. She pressed herself into
it,
wishing it would just swallow her up and spit her out
onto the other side. Anything to escape the look on
the
men's faces and this embarrassing situation.
But then, something else took her attention.
First, it was the fragrance that overwhelmed her. It
was so strong here and it was simply wonderful.
Purposely avoiding everyone's eyes, she looked
around and gasped.
Red. The color was everywhere. And it
was only one kind of red, on one kind of flower. A
deep, blood red that tinted the petals of the most
beautiful flower she had ever seen. Suddenly, one of
these flowers was right in front of her face and she
jumped back, seeing Endymion standing directly in
front of her, holding a stem.
"It's called a rose, Princess. And this red
rose is the color of love."
Serenity took the proffered flower and
looked at it carefully. She supposed this was what it
looked like before it bloomed. Smiling, she saw it
was like a child's fist, closed tightly, it's petals
puckering outwards at the top. She raised her other
hand so that she could touch the petals and was not
surprised when her fingers encountered softness.
Stroking the bud with her thumb, she met Endymion's
eyes. He had given her a flower that symbolized
love.
"It is beautiful."
The Prince returned her smile and her
heart began to do somersaults. But then he took a step
back, crossing his arms. "Now may I ask how you
got here?"
Serenity's mouth fell open and she quickly
closed it, blushing brightly. The magical moment was
broken. She saw the Generals smiling slightly,
waiting expectantly for her answer. She coughed
slightly before speaking.
"Well, I was heading back towards the
Palace and I suddenly smelled the scent of flowers I
hadn't smelled before and I realized the flowers had
to be on this side. So I used the Crystal and now,
here
I am." She realized how ridiculous her story sounded
and ducked her head, looking at the ground. "Oh!" she
exclaimed. The grass was littered with the petals of
roses. In fact a layer of rose petals made up the
ground of the small area.
"This place is an exclusive favorite of
Endymion's, Princess," Kunzite informed Serenity.
"Not too many know how to get here from the main
entrance and no one is allowed in without permission."
"I did not mean to trespass," she said
defensively, "I was just-"
"Overly curious?" the Prince finished,
raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I mean, no!" She glared at him,
ignoring the chuckles from the other men. "Think
what you would like!" she huffed.
He shrugged in response and then turned
around, walking away from her.
"Why don't you join us, Princess?"
Jaedite asked, motioning her to sit down on one of
the large, off-white furs that had been placed here
and there. They made a striking contrast to the red
petals that lay beneath them and Serenity
wondered at the odd sitting arrangement. But she
didn't dwell on it for too long when something else
caught her eye. A small fountain, made out of
pebbles sat in a pool of shallow water and it was
not only soothing to the eye but also soothing to the
ear. The water would spurt upwards and then hit
the pebbles, falling down to the pool.
"So relaxing," Serenity murmured, not
taking her eyes off of the fountain.
"There is a reason..." Nephrite said
quietly but when Serenity turned her head to look
at him, he didn't meet her eyes. He hadn't thought
she would have heard him but apparently she had.
"Really?" she asked. "What would that
be?"
No one answered and she looked
around in annoyance. "Oh, it can't be that bad, can
it?" Again, no one volunteered any information.
However, Jaedite did have a mischievous light to
his eyes and Zoicite was actually blushing! Not
really, but his cheeks were a faint red.
"Princess," Kunzite spoke, "I'm surprised
you aren't ready to drop off. Why don't I escort you
back-"
But before the General could continue,
a rustling from the hedge had everyone looking
towards the sound. Serenity gasped when suddenly,
as if from nowhere, a woman walked into the
enclosed area, holding a tray of champagne flutes
in her hands.
She walked with a sway of her hips
and approached the group with a seductive smile.
She walked to each of the Generals so that they
could take a glass, gave Serenity only a curious
look and then walked to Endymion. He took the
last flute from her and smiled, nodding his head.
"Merci, Eloise."
The woman giggled and bent down to
whisper something to him. Serenity watched as
Endymion replied and seeing red, watched as the
'Eloise' woman giggled again and then walked
away, throwing one last look over her shoulder
before seemingly disappearing into the hedge.
Everyone was silent until Jaedite
spoke. "A Frenchwoman, Endymion?"
"She was hired before we left," the
Prince answered simply.
Serenity sat still, her mind filled with
confusion and thoughts racing about in her head.
"I thought you didn't allow that many people to
come here," she finally said, looking directly at
Endymion.
"He doesn't, Princess," Zoicite
answered, before Endymion could.
"But then, why...?" And suddenly it all
clicked. An enclosed area that was hard to get
into, a place that no one could disturb another, a
relaxing place made entirely of roses, the flower
of love. Off-white furs that were soft on bare
skin...
Something inside of Serenity cracked
and quickly she got up. How could she have been
so stupid? The weight in her heart increased
tenfold as the realizations struck her full force. But
then again, why was she so utterly stunned? She
knew what went on between the courtiers of the
Court. Minako loved telling her every detail
about the going ons of everyone. In the short time
that she had gotten to know the Senshi of Love, it
had become a game between them to guess who
was with who and for how long the couple would
last. So why now, did she feel as though a piece
of her had withered and died? Why now, did she
feel the need to hurt someone, namely that woman,
Eloise? Endymion was not hers after all. He
never was! Would he ever be?
Not sure if she could maintain her
composure, Serenity took a deep breath and with
as much grace and dignity she could muster, walked
in the direction she had seen that woman take to
leave from this place.
"Serenity."
She froze but did not turn around to
acknowledge the owner of the voice.
"Stay a moment. I would have a word
with you."
No. No, she could not stay. Not now,
not when she was so close to losing her calm.
Not when all she wanted to do was lie down and
cry until her eyes were dry. She did not want to
face-
"Endymion, we'll see you back at the
Palace."
She hardly heard the Generals walk
towards her but then saw them as they each
passed her. She nearly cried out for them to stop
when they left her. Alone with Endymion.
"Serenity."
Again he called her name and she
debated on whether or not it would be a good
idea to make a run for it. But for reasons she
herself could not explain later on, she turned
around slowly and stiffly to face Endymion.
"Yes?" She saw him take a few steps
towards her and then stop. She did not look at his
face but gazed blankly at some unseen object
behind him. So intent was she in not looking at him
that she didn't even realize how close he was until
she heard his sigh.
Startled, her eyes shot to his face. She
was surprised to see resignation there and also
some amusement. How ever did the man manage
to find humor in awkward situations? It was
beyond her to understand.
"She means nothing."
"What is that supposed to mean?" she
asked coldly, her eyes snapping back to that
unseen point.
"You know what it means, I know you
do." He took hold of her forearms but she fought
him and quickly took a step back.
"Do not touch me!" she cried, hugging
her arms around her waist. She spun away from
him and looked at the hedges, biting her lip and
closing her eyes to keep from crying.
"Why does it bother you?" he asked
quietly.
She did not have to guess at what he
was referring to. "It does not bother me," she said
thickly.
"But it does. I-"
"It doesn't!" she cried, whirling around.
Her hands were fists at her sides and her eyes shot
fire. "It doesn't mean a thing to me what you did or
do. I don't care! Why should I? It is not like we
mean anything to each other! I don't like you and
you can't stand me!"
"That's not-"
She whirled around again and stalked
off to the hedges. She found the secret entrance,
which was really just an entryway that was hidden
by one bush that stood in front of the other.
Endymion watched her leave and even
when she disappeared into the hedges, he did not
move. It would have been so easy for him to stop
her, pull her back and then comfort her. He would
have held her close to him, talk to her comfortingly,
kiss the eyes that were filled with tears and
soothed her.
But no, he had not done any of that.
Something held him back, a fear maybe. A fear of
what? That he could not answer. Feeling like the
worst man alive, he sat down heavily on the rose
petals and stared at the fountain, willing it to
comfort him.
When Endymion returned to the Palace
later in the evening, he was informed that dinner
had already been served. He strode quickly to the
dining room, wondering if Serenity would be
there.
"Endymion! Glad you could join us,
son."
"Forgive me for being late. I had some
unfinished business to take care of," he said,
walking to the long table. His parents sat on either
end of the table, the Generals in the middle and he
went to his seat. With a feeling akin to dismay and
something else, he saw that he had been seated
next to Serenity, who had her head bowed and was
currently pushing the food around in her plate.
He asked his father to pass a meat dish
and began eating, joining into the conversation at
hand. Apparently, Zoicite had been speaking.
"As I was saying, the Senshi have not
yet been able to fix the glitch in the transporter.
But I have had contact with them and spoken to a
Sailor Mercury whom I have guided in the steps
to correct the problem. Most likely, they will be
able to come here tomorrow morning at the
earliest."
Endymion stole a glance at the Princess
to see how she was taking this. She probably had
not expected to stay here for even one night. He
observed her profile and realized, if he looked
closely enough, he could not miss the slightly red
nose and puffy eyes. Had she been crying over
what had happened earlier today?
She suddenly stopped playing with her
food and he knew that she had caught him looking
at her. Pushing back her chair, and rising before a
footman could attend to her, she looked at the
King and then the Queen.
"I'm sorry, but I fear that I'm quite
exhausted. If you would excuse me, I'd like to retire
early. This day has been far too long and tenuous."
"Of course, Serenity. You know where
your room is, would you like an escort?"
"No, thank you," she replied quietly and
left the room. After the doors had been closed
behind her, the Queen shot a worried look to her
husband.
"The poor child. She's been through so
much, has she not, Endymion?"
Endymion lifted his head so suddenly,
he knew he had cracked it. "I believe so, Mother.
She will be alright tomorrow once the Senshi are
here."
"I do hope so."
Endymion looked at his friends and
each had a question on his face. He knew they
were concerned but he wasn't up to letting them
in. The rest of the meal went in silence and
afterwards the King and Queen retired while the
men stayed behind.
Everyone was quiet. Endymion stared
at his glass, turning it in one hand. He knew what
was coming and sighed tiredly.
"I've never seen you look so troubled,"
Kunzite said finally, resting his arms on the table.
"You've never been in my position, my
friend," Endymion answered, still turning the
glass around. He looked at the silver haired
General, smiling slightly. "Have you ever kissed
a woman, taking her by surprise, confusing her
completely and then turned around and
disappeared?"
Suddenly, Jaedite began choking and
Nephrite, who sat next to him, did nothing but
roll his eyes. "Disappeared?" he gasped when he
had finally gained control.
"By disappearing, I mean, reverting
inwards. Shying away from her and what she
might be feeling."
"I can't say that I've been in your shoes,
Endymion. However, I take it this concerns a
certain Princess?" Nephrite asked.
The Prince did not say anything, but it
was enough of an answer. And it was not just
about a simple, stolen kiss. It was about so much
more and at the present moment, Endymion stood
at the crossroads. Which path did he take? The
one towards the young woman occupying a
chamber somewhere upstairs? Or did he travel
down the one that would lead him away from her,
away from these complex emotions and back into
a life that was uncomplicated. A life that would
involve many more women but not her. Never
her. He had to make a decision.
His gaze drifted upwards to the
ceiling. What was she thinking right now?
She felt so very cold. But Serenity
made no motions to make herself warmer.
Instead, she continued to sit in the middle of the
huge bed, her head bent, her eyes staring down
at her open palms. Dry before, they were now
speckled with tear drops.
"Why do I care?" she whispered
fiercely.
It was a question she had asked
herself one too many times. And always, she
received the same answer. An answer that
came from the heart. But it was not enough.
Her wet hands came up to cover her
face and she cried softly, not wanting anyone
passing by to hear her. But even behind the dark
comfort of her palms, she could still see his face.
The way his black hair fell over his forehead so
carelessly. The way his eyebrows arched
recklessly. The way his sharp, blue eyes pierced
her being so effortlessly. And the way his lips
erased everything so easily.
She was so confused and so tormented.
If only she could confide into someone. If only
her best friends were here already. Then she
would tell them everything and she knew that they
would help her. They would give her all sorts of
advice and Makoto would probably offer to
challenge Endymion to a duel. She smiled at the
thought but then her lips curved downwards once
again as the previous thoughts came back. What
was she to do now?
Suddenly the door to the bedroom
creaked open and she started, wondering if her
prayers had been answered so quickly. The light
from the hallway shadowed the lone figure and
she gasped, realizing it wasn't any one of the
Senshi at all.
"Princess, may I come in?"
"Kunzite!" To say she was surprised
was an understatement. Quickly, she wiped away
the tears and tucked a strand of her now loosened
hair behind her ear. "Of course you may.
Although I can't see why you would want to be
here." She looked at him questioningly, waiting for
him to come in and explain his presence.
He closed the door and then walked up
to the bed. Standing there, he stared down at her
feeling very awkward. "I... I heard you crying and
thought I would see if everything was okay."
She smiled slightly even as she turned a
bright shade of pink that she hoped he couldn't see
in the dark. "And here I thought I had done a very
good job of being quiet. Why don't you sit down?"
she suggested.
He did and they stayed silent for a few
moments. Finally, he spoke. "Do you remember
what I told you at the camp?"
"Yes. You told me it would be best for
me to forget my feelings for Endymion. But Kunzite
I just can't-"
"Forget what I said," he interrupted.
"What?"
"I was a bit pre-mature in my thinking and
thought I was doing what was right. However, now I
can see that advice cannot help anyone and will make
matters worse."
She stared at him incredulously, hardly
daring to breathe. "What are you trying to say?"
He met her gaze steadily and calmly. "You
are what is best for Endymion. He has never had
anyone like you and probably never will. Although
there is tension between you at the moment, do not
give up as you are right now so close to doing. I
believe that your light will shine through." He smiled
then. "And I do not mean the light of your Crystal."
"Kunzite... you sound like an old, wise
man," Serenity said, giggling slightly. "I never knew
you could speak in such a way. You're like Minako,
there are two different sides to you..." Serenity
trailed off as Kunzite got up. She looked at him
again and realized just how much he was like the
Senshi of Love. He showed the world just how
serious he was, but there was so much more to him.
So much emotion. And Minako. The Court knew
her for her energetic and boisterous ways but they
did not realize why she was chosen to be the leader
of the Senshi. The two fit together like pieces of a
puzzle. Serenity smiled at the thought and suddenly
felt eager to see her best friend.
The General had begun to walk towards
the door and before he could open it, she stopped
him.
"Kunzite, thank you so much, but do you
think...?"
He turned around slightly and smiled
reassuringly. It was as though a burden had been
lifted from her back when she met his gaze. If
Kunzite had faith in her, then why not she have
faith in herself?
"Princess, I know it."
And in the next instant he had left her and
closed the door behind him. She stared at the place
he had stood last before falling backwards into the
pillows. She stared up at the canopy pondering
Kunzite's words. He believed she was the best thing
for Endymion. She didn't really know how to
interpret that but the words hung there and they did
mean something positive. A burst of renewed
determination surged through her and her body
tingled with excitement and anxiety. Tomorrow
would be a new day and with it would come a
different sort of adventure. Gradually, Serenity's
eyes began to grow heavy and for the first time since
coming to Earth, the Moon Princess fell asleep with
a smile on her face.
In the dining room downstairs, sitting
alone, the Prince made his decision.
End.
Aaaaah. A nice, calm way to end the chapter, ne?
No explosions, evil witches, etc. Just clear,
logical thinking being done.
Hope you liked cause I liked ^^ .
(
geocities.com/element_sprite)