Since this fic is more manga-based than anime-based, the senshi
are all five years older than Princess Serenity, which is the
impression I got when reading the flashback in manga #15 (final
volume of SuperS). On that note, Malachite is hetero as well. The
ages of the generals will be revealed in a later part, if you're confused.
And forgive me if this story gets odd at times, but I'm trying
something different with it. The term "Earthian" I chose because
I liked it, though the only time I've heard it used is as the title of
the anime of the same name (which I haven't seen, have no desire
to, and have heard is adult so beware). If that anime coined the
phrase, credit is theirs. Thanks!
-Lianne (liannesentar@hotmail.com)
http://Lianne_Sentar.tripod.com
*Blue Planet, White Moon*
Part 2
Rated PG, for Endymion's bad habit of cursing; though don't mess
with animal tranquilizers, they are VERY dangerous, and don't you dare
jump off high places or dive into water where you can drown because
those situations are both no good. But if you're older than 2, you
probably know those things already.
"The Earth royalty is coming back."
Princess Serenity looked up from her book and blinked.
"Coming back?" she repeated. "After only a month?"
Jupiter leaned against a wall and crossed her arms. "The Earth
queen's birthday is coming up, and your mother wants to throw her a
celebration here. Besides, you know the friction that's been building up
between the people of Earth and the people of the moon. Your mother
wants more positive ties." She shrugged. "One annual Earthian visit isn't
enough anymore, I guess."
Serenity frowned.
"Don't give me that face."
Serenity turned away.
"I though you loved Earthians."
"I *do* love Earthians." Serenity sighed and closed her book.
She rubbed an eye with the back of her hand. "It's just É you know.
Celebrations and diplomacy and all that. I'm going to be stuck in
uncomfortable shoes all day dancing with old men who used to know
my father and tolerating all the whispering of those stupid palace
gossips." She gripped her book tightly. "They're so *mean* about
Earthians, Jupiter. It hurts to listen to it."
"Welcome to royalty, darling." Jupiter gave a dry smile. "You
have to tolerate a lot of stupid people."
Serenity frowned again.
"Look." Jupiter walked up to her princess and lifted the petite
girl's face in her hands. She smiled slightly and touched Serenity's nose.
"Your mother's trying to change mentality of things. She hates the
animosity between Earthians and the moon people as much as you do."
"I know." Serenity sadly brushed a golden curl behind her ear.
"But É wait." She looked up at her guardian, suddenly hopeful. "Will
you and the girls be there?"
Jupiter raised an eyebrow. "You want us to bail you out of a
boring party?"
Serenity nodded enthusiastically.
Jupiter laughed. "Um É no. We're princesses ourselves,
sweetheart. We have our own diplomatic responsibilities to deal with when
universe powers come to meet." She tapped Serenity's nose again. "You'll
be on your own, I'm afraid."
Serenity wilted. "I never see you anymore," she mumbled.
"Your mother's kept us busy since we turned sixteen. Our
schedules will start freeing up soon enough." She smiled. "But the king
and queen of Earth are bringing their son up for the celebration. Why
don't you spend some time with him?"
Serenity gave a start. "They're bringing him *back*?"
"Sure. Why?"
Serenity nervously averted her eyes. "You heard about what
happened last month, right?"
Jupiter laughed. "The entire moon heard. The young prince
has a bit of a weak constitution, does he?"
"They drugged him to get him back to Earth." She made a
gesture with her thin fingers, as if she were pushing a syringe into her
arm. "You know, that shot they give Earthian horses before bringing them
onto the ocean?"
Jupiter's eyes widened. "They gave him *that*?"
Serenity absently played with a curl. "I never thought he'd come
up here again."
Jupiter whistled. "Well," she said after a moment, "he *is* the
crown prince. He's going to have to get used to the trip if he's going to
be king one day." She picked up Serenity's book. "You said you were
sick of dancing with old men, right? So hang out with Endymion. He's
probably going to be the only one there who's close to your age."
Serenity looked away.
"Now what?" Jupiter's eyebrows furrowed. "Is he supposed to
be a jerk or something?"
Slowly, Serenity shook her head. "No," she said after a moment.
"I just É" She trailed off.
Jupiter narrowed her eyes and waited.
Serenity sighed. "Never mind," she said, taking her book back.
She opened it up and attempted to start reading once more.
*****************
Nephlite stared unreadably at the short straw in his hand.
"Sucker." Zoycite grinned and slapped Nephlite on the back.
"Have fun."
Malachite smiled. After handing Jedite his long straw, he bent
by the pallet and slid his arm under the unconscious Endymion's shoulders.
"Fair's fair," he said as he gently pulled Endymion into a near-sitting
position. "You've got to carry him. But I'll you load him onto you."
Nephlite let out a breath. "All right," he murmured. He went on
his knees beside the pallet.
Putting Endymion on Nephlite's back was more difficult than
everyone had guessed. Besides the fact that Endymion's recent growth
spurt had left him with lanky limbs that were hard to maneuver, the drugs
had not put him in the kindest of dreams, and he often thrashed out and
cursed in his sleep. In the end it took all three generals to get him on
Nephlite, and Zoycite and (particularly) Jedite ended up with some nasty
scratches. Gripping an oozing gash on his arm, Zoycite grinned through
gritted teeth.
"Well," he spat. "At least we know he'll be good on the battlefield
someday."
Nephlite walked a good half-kilometer through the moon palace
with the snoring, muttering heir to the Earth on his back. The other three
generals walked in tight quarters around Nephlite to ensure the prince
wouldn't slide out of Nephlite's grip; this put Jedite, unfortunately, right in
the way of Endymion's fist when the prince suddenly lashed out, and the
blond general got it right in the eye. As soon as they reached the guest
quarters, they dumped the prince none too kindly on his bed.
"Good God." Jedite touched his slowly swelling eye. "He's never
been this violent in his sleep before."
"He's never been on horse tranquilizers before, either." Malachite
gently pulled Jedite's fingers back and examined his eye. When the older
general tenderly prodded the flesh, Jedite hissed with pain.
"This needs to be treated." Malachite took Jedite under his arm and
glanced at Zoycite. "Would you watch the prince? Nephlite has things to
attend to."
Zoycite saluted cheerfully.
Nephlite stretched his arms in front of him, then winced. Gripping
his back, he murmured, "He's getting heavy."
Zoycite gave a sympathetic squeeze to Nephlite's side before
pushing him out the door with Jedite and Malachite. "Poor babies," he cooed.
"Go on now. I'll take care of him, so go patch yourselves up."
Nephlite muttered something rather impolite as Zoycite slammed
shut the door.
Zoycite turned back to Endymion and let out a breath. After a minute
or so of deliberation, he gripped a chair and pulled it up to the prince's
bedside. He brushed a strand of almond hair behind his ear.
Endymion started to murmur again. Sweat beaded on his forehead,
and his face twisted up in anguish.
"No," he moaned. "No, please, I can't É you can't leave me to É
please, God, don't leave me É"
Zoycite's eyebrows furrowed. Endymion had suddenly turned
very pale, and his hands frantically clutched the bed sheets.
"No, please É" Endymion hiccupped. He rolled to his side, and
tears squeezed out of his closed eyes. "God, don't let them go. Please!"
"Endymion?" Zoycite gripped the prince's shoulder and shook him
gently. When more tears started to spill, Zoycite sat up and shook harder.
"Endymion, hey." Zoycite quickly brushed damp hair from the
prince's eyes. "Hey, come on. Wake up. It's only a dream."
Endymion suddenly screamed.
Zoycite jumped out of his chair. Fumbling around in his pockets,
he yanked a small vile from one and popped the cork. He pushed apart
Endymion's lips and tipped the dark blue liquid into the prince's mouth.
"Drink," he prayed.
Endymion choked on the liquid. He coughed it up, navy drops
spilling down his lips and chin as tears rolled from his squeezed-shut
eyes.
"*Drink.*" Zoycite held Endymion's face in his hand. Tenderly,
he brushed a thumb down EndymionÕs cheek.
The prince coughed again. Then swallowed.
Zoycite let out a breath of relief. Endymion slowly calmed, his
grip on the bedÕs side loosening even as his tears slowed. His eyelashes
fluttered a touch. His eyelids barely parted.
He looked at Zoycite.
"You're ... here." The prince's voice was a weak, hoarse whisper.
Zoycite pushed the sweat-soaked bangs back from Endymion's
forehead. "You were dreaming," he murmured. "It wasn't real." His irises
turned a lighter shade of emerald, and he smiled. "And I'm always
here."
Endymion's eyes welled up. "You're here."
Zoycite sat on the bed. Leaning his back against the headrest,
he pulled Endymion's head into his lap. The 15-year-old general let his
fingers tie in his prince's dark hair as he started humming quietly.
Endymion, his hand entwined with Zoycite's free one, sniffed and
closed his eyes.
A few minutes passed. At the end of them, the door quietly
opened, and a familiar figure walked in.
But she stopped, frozen in shock.
"I ... I d-didn't know you had arrived already." Princess Serenity
swallowed hard, her eyes wide. "Am I d-disturbing something?"
*****************
The ball was the next evening. Serenity, in a white silk dress
and white silk slippers and white pearl crown, nervously stood beside
(and almost behind) her mother.
"I'm speechless," the queen of the Earth declared, her hands
clasped happily. She swept her gaze around the moon palace's
mammoth ballroom, at the magical pearl lighting and the marble
tables set with feasts and the hundreds of guests who spun and glittered
on the dance floor. The mixed company - shimmering, light-colored
moon people and solid, darker-colored Earthians - was clearly what
pleased her the most.
"This is a celebration in your honor." Queen Serenity smiled.
"And a celebration of the eternal friendship between our two glorious
kingdoms."
The queen of the Earth laughed, taking Queen Serenity's hands.
"You never fail to charm with grace, Serenity. I hope you don't mind
my saying that my friendship with *you* is as sacred to me as my
friendship with your kingdom."
Queen Serenity beamed. "I would be honored if you would
accept that sentiment from me as well."
The princess watched the ballroom's huge open doorway
from behind her mother's arm. The Earth king hadn't made his
appearance yet, and she knew that as soon as he did, she
would be sent off to wander the ballroom. And keep her posture.
And take small steps. And formally accept compliments from
diplomats. And dance. And watch over the subjects in attendance.
And Endymion was going to be there.
She was frightened. Excited, yes, anxious, certainly - but
more frightened than anything. She didn't know how to react to
the things she'd seen. The dull prince, with his dark hair and opaque,
ocean eyes. The way he seemed to absorb light rather than shine in
it. The way he walked: heavy, uncaring steps with a fixed posture
obviously forced and quite often unsuccessful. She'd heard
he cursed at his generals frequently, he argued with them in public and
embarrassed his father by squabbling with them in front of diplomats
and highly ranked subjects. She'd even heard he physically fought
with them. Sometimes.
She'd seen him asleep in Zoycite's lap.
She was frightened. Who were these Earthians, whom she had
thought she'd known so well? The Earthians she had come to love, the
subjects and servants who had visited the moon on the annual visits,
were strong-hearted and bright-eyed. Yet they *hadn't* seemed so
different from the serene, almost put-offish moon people in the long
run. Livelier, perhaps. But still fairly distinguished in the end. They
didn't seem wild, almost primal. Clumsy. Violent. Intimate.
She had no idea what truth was anymore.
And she saw him walk in the ballroom then, behind his father,
his tall, still-developing teenage body wrapped in a uniform of
navy and black silk. His dark hair. His dull eyes. His black boots
clomping on the shining marble floor. He brushed a thick lock of
midnight hair from his forehead and let his gaze travel the room. The
generals walked in behind him, Zoycite with a tugging smile,
Nephlite expressionless, Malachite with a quiet Jedite by his side.
The generals she had seen so many times before, at formal meetings,
with formal manners. Zoycite fluttered behind his prince and whispered
something in his ear. Endymion whipped around and angrily swung
his fist. Zoycite danced out of the way, laughing, and bumped into Jedite.
Jedite recoiled, touching a black eye, and Malachite calmly put his arm
around the blond's shoulders and pulled him close. The king glared
at his son. Endymion turned irritably back to the party and, suddenly,
met the princess' eyes.
Terror sparked Serenity to jump behind her mother and throw
her arms about the queen's waist.
Queen Serenity looked down at her daughter, surprised.
"Serenity?" she asked. "What's wrong?"
The princess couldn't stop shaking. Her heart had jumped
to her throat, and she could barely breathe.
The queen was instantly alarmed. She knelt
and took her daughter in her arms while the queen of the Earth
watched with wide eyes.
"Baby," Queen Serenity said quickly, "what's the matter?
What's bothering you?" She took her daughter's face in her hand
and tilted up the tiny chin. Princess Serenity's eyes were wide
and nearly transparent.
Trying to swallow the lump in her throat, the princess
buried her face in her mother's shoulder. "Mama," she whispered.
"I'm scared!"
*****************
Endymion blinked. If he hadn't known better, he would've
sworn it was his glance that sent the tiny princess flying behind her
mother.
"Wow." Jedite's eyes widened. "What just happened to her?"
"I dunno," Endymion murmured. He watched, his heart oddly
tight, as the queen of the moon held her daughter and tried to calm her.
He could see the girl was shaking.
Nephlite's eyebrows furrowed. "She jumped when you looked
at her." He glanced at his prince. "Right?"
Trembling, white arms around the queen's neck. Crystalline
blue eyes glassy. The lighting of the ballroom gleamed off the
snow-white skin of the soft, white silk princess.
"Endymion?"
Guilt pulled at his chest. The girl honestly looked upset.
"Man, Endymion. What'd you do?"
He threw a glare at Zoycite. "I didn't do *anything,*" he snapped,
his voice oddly high. He swallowed. "Shut up."
Malachite was watching him; he could always feel those ice blue
eyes when they locked. The general rested a gloved hand on his shoulder.
"Endymion?" he asked. "What's wrong?"
Endymion pulled away. He realized he was trembling, and he
tightened his muscles to try and hold still. It worked. Sort of.
Nephlite gripped Endymion's arm. "Relax," he said quietly.
Endymion knocked Nephlite's hand off. "How can I relax?" he
snapped, suddenly angry. He jerked around to face the generals. "The
princess apparently hates me. She *looked* at me and ran to her mother.
I didn't do anything! I don't even know her!" He spun away from them
and crossed his arms. "And I feel guilty. I didn't do anything, I don't even
know her, and I feel *guilty.*"
The generals exchanged looks.
Endymion started to tremble again. He cursed.
Jedite reached out to his prince. "Endymion-"
"And stop touching me." Endymion took a few steps away,
mouth a tight line. "All of you. I don't want any of you to hold me
right now."
There was a moment where nobody said anything. The Earth
king had left some time before, to join his wife and see what was wrong
with the princess. Endymion was glad his father wasn't there right then.
Nephlite, finally, let out a breath. "Go see the princess," he said.
"Jupiter requested you spend the evening with her."
Endymion stiffened. Slowly, he turned to the tall general.
"You're *kidding* me," he growled.
Nephlite shook his head. "Jupiter came to me this morning. She
said you two would be good company this evening." Endymion was
about to retort, but Nephlite cut him off. "She *did* say Serenity was
a little nervous about meeting you. It's natural, Endymion. She's young,
and your first meeting was a touch ... unsuccessful."
Endymion scowled. He glanced at the princess, and saw her
sniff and nod at her mother. Tentatively returning his glance, the princess
pulled from the queen's embrace and stood on her own.
"See?" Zoycite gave Endymion a little push forward. "She's gonna
be fine. Go on."
Endymion paused. Across the marble dance floor, through the
spinning dancers and under the pearl lights, Serenity kept her eyes locked
with his. She swallowed and gave a shaky, forced smile.
"I dunno," he murmured. "Do you really think that's it?
She's just nervous?"
"That's definitely it," Zoycite said.
"Definitely it," the other three generals agreed.
Endymion sighed. Brushing down the silk of his shirt, he started
forward. "Fine." He glanced back at his generals. "Wish me luck."
"Just go show her a good time, Endymion." With a final little
push from Zoycite, Endymion began the walk across the dance floor.
Nephlite watched him, watched the dark prince cut through the
light-colored dancers like a navy silk knife. Serenity turned a touch
paler, but she still kept her smile as he made his way toward her.
"Nerves." Nephlite's face was unreadable. "That's definitely
not just it."
"Definitely not just it," the other three generals agreed.
*****************
It wasn't just moon people on the dance floor - nearly
half the dancers were Earthians, actually - but they were all light.
Moon people never dressed in deep-shaded clothing, and most
of the Earthians, whether for style or to respect the moon's customs,
dressed in white or light colors. The pearl lights glittered on the
moon people and shone on the winter-light skin of the Earthians.
Serenity found herself wondering, yet again, who in God's
name dressed the Earth prince. Walking through those light dancers,
in striking silks of navy and black, his midnight hair falling over ocean
eyes, his bronzed skin shades darker than that of anyone else in the
room, he looked like a raven flying through a snowstorm. His
clunky, adolescent way of walking in his still-developing body
was remarkably unrefined, though she could see he was still
making some kind of effort (the sad result of some refinement
attendant's great pains to teach the prince how to walk properly,
no doubt). His feet looked a little too big for his body.
Serenity swallowed and tried not to let her smile wilt.
Endymion stopped a few steps from her, lowered himself to
one knee, and met her eyes. "Good evening, Princess," he said
with simple formality.
Queen Serenity smiled from behind her daughter. "Good
evening, Prince Endymion. You look well."
"The drugs eased his trip, to an extent," the king said in
response. "They'll do until his body adjusts to transporting."
Serenity suddenly realized it would be a good time to say
something. "I hope you're f-feeling better," she blurted. "Nobody
likes being sick, and you looked awful." Realizing how stupid that
sounded, she blushed and looked away.
Prince Endymion smiled slightly. "Um, thanks."
"Rise," the king ordered.
Endymion stood.
The queen of the Earth took Princess Serenity's hand and
pulled the girl closer to her son. "We would be honored if you
would spend some time with Endymion tonight," she said cheerfully.
"So you can get to know one another. It would please all of us if you
two became friends."
Endymion seemed willing, and the look he gave her was
encouraging. The princess tried to slow her thudding heart.
The top of her head just reached his shoulders, and she was
barely over half his width.
"Serenity?"
The princess took Endymion's offered arm and smiled
thinly at her mother. "I would be honored," she responded,
nodding her head at the king and queen of the Earth. She looked
up - way up - at Endymion and gave him a smile that she hoped
didn't reveal her flipping stomach. "Shall we dance?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Sure."
*****************
It wasn't so much that Endymion was a *clumsy* person,
so to speak. He didn't bump into things terribly often, he rode a
horse well, and he was proving to be quite deft at swordsmanship.
He wasn't very clumsy. For a growing boy. A quickly growing,
rather awkward pubescent boy, at any rate.
It was just that he wasn't *graceful*. His "refinement advisor"
back on Earth, an old lady who grew flabbergasted quickly and was
overall a rather unpleasant person, tried everything from making him
walk with books on his head to poking him when he slouched at dinner
to shrieking when he dropped platters with wine glasses to trying
to kill him with her bare hands when he stepped on her toes one
too many times. Once those (rather feeble and quite unthreatening)
attempts on Endymion's life began, the refinement advisor was
sent to a place where she could be properly cared for, and the
task of refining the prince was left to his generals. His parents made
the decision to not risk the mental stability of another staff member
on their son's lack of grace after that.
He quickly realized, after trying to dance with the tiny
princess for a few minutes, that the act was doomed to failure.
Although he fiercely focused on not stepping on her feet (and
succeeded), he danced like an awkward fool, which was all
the more embarrassing when compared to the soft, graceful
steps of the princess in his arms. To make things worse, it was
the first time he'd danced with a person of the moon, and he
was unused to the style. He'd bumped into several other people
and a pillar before he released the girl and sighed.
"Sorry."
Princess Serenity blushed. She'd been keeping her eyes
away from the people who undoubtedly watched Endymion
make a fool of himself, but Endymion knew she was horribly
embarrassed regardless. At least, that frightened look in her eyes
he *assumed* was embarrassment.
Endymion glanced over at his parents. Queen Serenity,
by their side, looked perplexed and perhaps the slightest bit
amused, but his mother looked disappointed and his father
looked downright angry. He swallowed and looked down at
Serenity. And blinked.
She was staring at his hand.
Something happened to him then. He wasn't sure what
it was, really - the only time he remembered ever feeling such
a way before was that brief instant when he had first kissed her
hand a month earlier, and he had assumed it had just been another
reaction of his failing body. But here it was again. That tight, odd
feeling that gripped his heart and sent the blood racing through his
veins. His heart hammered. His mouth went dry. And as she stared
at the hand of his that rested on her shoulder, as she slowly
raised her own tiny, white hand to compare it to his, he became
acutely aware of the scent that clung to her skin and dress.
Baby powder.
Like mother.
There was something terribly different about the
way that scent made him feel. He was suddenly overwhelmed by
visions of his past blurred into a stream of images and senses:
breaking a glass vase, the way his father had screamed at him, running
into his mother's arms, lost within the folds of her dress, her smell,
her warmth. Fighting with Zoycite, running to his mother for comfort.
Training sessions leaving him bruised, running to his mother for
comfort. Loneliness when his mother left for the moon, running
into her closet and burying himself in her scented hanging dresses....
Serenity suddenly looked up and met his eyes. There
was a moment where they both only stared at each other, too lost
in tangled thoughts and spiderweb feelings to claw back into
reality.
Serenity turned red and dropped her hand to her side.
Endymion blinked his eyes to clear them. Feeling the
blood rush to his cheeks, he glanced once again at his aggravated
father, then at a nearby balcony exit. He found his immediate
thoughts focusing on getting out of his father's sight.
"P-Princess." Endymion cleared his throat, then tried
again. "Princess Serenity, would you mind, uh ..." He pointed
at the exit.
Serenity shook her head, averting her eyes. "I think that's
a good idea."
He took her hand and led her to and out the marble door.
The cool night air of the moon rushed in on them as they stepped
out, and Endymion shivered. The soft pearl lights along the balcony
barely lit up the marble handrail.
Serenity was staring at their clasped hands. Confused by
it, he gathered up all his courage and mumbled, "What are you
doing?"
Serenity turned beet red again and pulled her hand away.
She glanced at him for a brief instant before averting her eyes. "I'm
sorry," she whispered.
"No, it's ok, I just ... what's wrong?" He paused a moment,
then asked quietly, "Do you hate me?"
Serenity turned pale. She shook her head. "No," she
breathed. "Why would you ask something like that?"
"You hid behind your mother when I looked at you."
Paler. Serenity swallowed. "No," she answered. "I don't
hate you."
Endymion frowned and gave up. For right then, at least,
hearing that she didn't hate him was enough. He felt something
in him loosen in relief.
But the fascination with the hands? Endymion found
his own eyes wandering from his hand to hers. There was a
definite difference in size, that was plain; her hand was tiny
and fine-boned, like a child's. She *was* a child. He was in
the midst of puberty and teenage growth, and his hands were
large and awkward and blistered where sword and bridle handles
had worn at him. Her hand was like a doll's, china and perfect.
White.
He suddenly realized how white she was. In the
soft pearl lighting, her china skin gleamed with the magic of
the moon people's heritage. White like marble, white like
snow. He was so *dark* when compared to her, with
his dull bronze skin. She looked almost too perfect
to be real. Flawless and white, while he was awkward and
dark. She looked all the more flawless beside him.
And beautiful, of course. Beautiful. He had registered
that the first instant he had seen her.
Some feeling welled up inside him, and he suddenly
wanted to impress her. That perfect, white little princess,
pale and nervous - he wanted to see her light up. For him,
if she *could* light up for a dark, flawed youth.
He went to the handrail and looked down. It was
a good five meters' drop to the ground level, which was
paved with the same moon marble. With that odd
feeling - which he could have sworn was masculinity
hormone - rushing to his head, he turned to her.
"Hey." His eyes brightened. "Wanna do something
exciting?"
Serenity blinked. "What?" she asked, before
Endymion took her hands and quickly pulled her to
the handrail. He pointed down.
"We can get down there if we jump. And if we
can make it there, we can escape this party." He smiled
eagerly, the hormone making him oddly giddy. "Wouldn't
you like that? To get out of this boring reception?"
Serenity looked down the five meters for a long
moment. "It would be nice to get out," she said at last,
"but I don't think-"
"Don't worry, princess. I'll jump first, then I'll
catch you when you come down after." He put two big
fingers under her tiny chin and tilted her face up. Their
eyes met.
He smiled.
"Ok?" he breathed.
*****************
She was drowning.
The images that raced through her head were
ones she hadn't revisited in years. That time, when
she had been hardly more than a baby, clambering over
the edge of a huge marble fountain so she could watch her
reflection in the blue-tinted water. Falling in. Water
filling her nose and open mouth, screaming and thrashing
and fighting against the water that filled her lungs.
Father jumping in, taking her in his strong arms, pulling
her above water, helping her cough up the water that
tried to choke her. Crying in father's arms, burying
herself in father's wet, cold, musky tunic. Father's strong
fingers running through her wet hair. Father's
warmth.
Dark ocean flooded her senses as she
stared into Endymion's eyes. Could she drown in
that water, deep and dark and blue and dull? Like in
the blue-tinted waters of the moon? The strong
fingers under her chin, like the strong fingers of her
father?
No. Those dark waters were nothing like the crystal
waters of the moon. And those fingers were nothing like her
father's.
She thought she might like to drown.
"Yes," she breathed. She wanted him to impress
her. She wanted him to go out of his way to be strong and
brave. A feeling - which she might have guessed
was femininity hormone had she known more about such
things - welled up inside her, and it made her want to dive
head first into deep, dark blue.
*****************
He was trapped in a dream. Overwhelmed by juices
flooding his senses, he climbed over the railing so he could stand
on the outside of it and look down. Five meters? With the way
his pulse was racing, he would've jumped it had it been five
hundred. He leaned forward, his grip on the handrail and his feet
between the rails the only things keeping him from falling.
"Please be careful, my prince!"
Endymion glanced back at her. Her hands were clasped,
her eyes were bright, a childish, excited grin pulled at the corners
of her mouth. Her cheeks were flushed with giddiness, and he
could feel his own blood grow hot.
"Fear not, my princess." He gave her a quirky, zealous
grin and jumped off the balcony.
And hit the ground.
And broke his ankle.
*****************
*****************
"Stoppit, stoppit, OW! Malachite!" Endymion glared
daggers at the general who prodded his foot. "You're doing that
on purpose!"
Malachite smiled. "Of course I am. I need to assess the
damage."
"And teach you a lesson, fool." Zoycite slapped
Endymion on the back of the head. "Your father's gonna have
a fit if he finds out what you did."
Princess Serenity, standing beside Jedite, swallowed.
She was shaking slightly.
Malachite glanced over at her. "Don't worry, princess,"
he said. "You won't get in any sort of trouble for this."
Princess Serenity barely nodded, but that wasn't what
upset her. She was still shaken by everything - Endymion's sudden
injury, her needing to run off and find his generals without her or
Endymion's parents seeing her, and the rather frightening curses
that had come out of Endymion's mouth and caused the color
to drain from her face.
And the feelings that raced through her. Those more than
anything. Not only was she seriously concerned about Endymion,
she was scared out of her mind of the way she had felt about him
up on that balcony. What had happened to her? To lose all judgment,
to feel heat racing through her body and yearning to be in those
strong, lanky arms? It wasn't like her at all. It scared her. It
terrified her.
But she liked it. She *liked* feeling that way. And that
scared her more than anything.
With the prince safely loaded onto his back, Nephlite
stood from the marble flooring. Endymion, his arms tightly
wrapped around the general's neck, cursed as his bandaged
foot shifted. Nephlite turned to Malachite.
"Let's get him inside."
"And remember the story." Zoycite raised his finger.
"Endymion fell - BY ACCIDENT - when he leaned over the
railing to observe it. By no means is the king to know his idiotic
son jumped."
Endymion glared.
Zoycite glared back. "Don't you give me that face."
Nephlite started off. Endymion turned his head back
to the princess as he was carried away.
"Serenity," he called. "I'm sorry. For scaring you like
that."
Serenity quickly shook her head. "Are you going to
be all right?" she called back.
"He'll be fine." Jedite took her hand and formally kissed
it. "Thank you for aiding our prince."
Serenity swallowed, nodded at Jedite (nervously keeping
her sight from his swollen eye), then watched as Nephlite and
Endymion disappeared into a palace side entrance. Zoycite and
Jedite followed, while Malachite came up to her.
"General Malachite." She clasped her hands and looked
up at him. Her eyes grew glassy. "I'm sorry. It's my fault he
jumped - I'm really, really sorry!"
Malachite smiled. Resting a hand on her head, he replied,
"It wasn't your fault at all. And you saved him further injury
and serious punishment by coming to get us before the king
could find him." He bowed to her. "Thank you."
Serenity hiccupped and looked down. Malachite took
her hands.
"Dear Princess." His ice blue eyes shone with
amusement. "The Earth will be holding a summer festival
in six months. We will return to the moon to hold some of
the festivities up here."
Serenity nodded. She'd heard.
"We hope to see you again then. Endymion, I'm sure,
would like to spend more time with you at that point."
Her cheeks colored slightly. "Tell him I return the
sentiment," she mumbled.
"Of course." He brought her hands to his lips. "And
tell your court we look forward to seeing them then, too. It's
been too long since our last meeting."
"Yes. Venus says she looks forward to seeing you
again."
His smile glittered. "Tell her I return the sentiment,
if you will."
Serenity nodded. Malachite released her, bowed,
and left. She watched him go, but her eyes didn't really
see him.
Six months.
She folded her hands over her stomach and looked to
the sky. The Earth, bright in the night, shone deep, dark blue
and powdery white.
Six months.
She licked her dry lips.
She hoped she could wait that long.
To be continued...
-Since it took me WAY too long to writee this part, hope you
enjoyed it. Please let me know either way. Part 3 will probably
be out in October, because I have to deal with going back to
school in the fall and going out of the country soon after. Stay
tuned to my webpage for details. Thanks!
-Lianne (liannesentar@hotmail.com)
http://Lianne_Sentar.tripod.com
*Sailor Moon and all its characters copyright © Naoko
Takeuchi/Kodansha Ltd./Toei Animation, Co., Ltd. This story
part copyright © Lianne Sentar, August 2001.
(
geocities.com/element_sprite)