Hey everyone.  Just wanted to say, all this was Jade's doing!

Love and Jealousy: An Unforgotten Legend
By: Eternal Angel and Jade

        Eternal
       ~~~~~~~~~

   Time has no meaning,
   Without something to do in it,
   It is there to be wasted,
   But to be used as well.

   Time is a sequence,
   That goes on forever,
   As I'd always thought we would,
   For all eternity.

   Time has no ending,
   Because it has no beginning,
   It is simply there,
   As my love is for you.

   Time has no substance,
   Without a reason for being,
   Just as I don't,
   Without you here beside me.

   Time is a river,
   With currents and rapids,
   The going is rough,
   But it always manages.

   Time has no feeling,
   No joy and no pain,
   Which is its own loss,
   Since that gives us life.

   Time is the embodiment,
   Of misery and sorrow,
   Because through it I have suffered,
   And known anguish and agony.

   Time is an echo,
   Of everything that is,
   A repeat of the past,
   And a cycle of the future.

   Time heals all wounds,
   Or so they say,
   I think it makes them,
   Because time, and destiny,
   And fate and future,
   All took you from me.
   And didn't give you back.

   It gave me the knowledge,
   Of what it is to hate,
   With my whole being,
   And what it is to hurt,
   With my whole soul,
   And what it is to cry,
   With all the tears in me,
   And what it is to feel,
   Utterly and truly,
   Completely alone.

   Without you there by my side,
   I am nothing but a shell,
   I love you so,
   And time took you from me,
   Time and everything else.

   I finally know what it is to hate,
   What it is to hurt,
   What it is to cry,
   But for what reason did time have to do this to me,
   Other than to teach me what I'd already learned,
   And forgotten once before.

   I love you so much my dearest...
   And time took you from me,
   For however long it sees fit,
   Because it is eternal.
   And so am I.

                - Jade

Chapter 5

        For weeks on end on the blue green planet, storms raged in the
darkened skies.  The black-blue seas were turbulent and took many a
life, the winds were known to blow down houses, thunder and lightening
rolled through the mountains, and floods destroyed villages in tens.
No one could understand it.  It was as though suddenly nature itself
was turning against the Terran people.  Scientists were baffled,
advisors had no advice to give the King and Queen could not explain it,
and the people were frightened nearly into hiding.

        Only ten people on the whole of Earth knew what was wrong, and
none of them could tell a soul.  Nine of them, five men, four girls,
because they knew no one would ever believe them, and it wasn't the
type of thing you spoke of casually, and one simply because she didn't
want to give herself away.

        No one else could know, of course, that the ragged winds that
tumbled houses, were the essence of a dying soul, given life only to
have it snatched away.  Or that the rain that fell, drenching the earth,
was tinged with salt from one girl's tears of agony.  Or even that the
lightening that cracked the sky was the embodiment of one girl's grief.
An anguish so great even the heavens fell before it.  No one could know
that one girl could cause all of this.  No one would believe it.

        No one would ever think to suspect that someone could be so
powerful to cause all of this.  No one would ever suspect a young girl
capable.  No one would look for the source in a Water Sprite hidden
among the stars.  No one would suspect Serenity.

        Except for four stricken girls, four saddened men, and one cruel
witch, and one anguished prince.

        The ferocious storms lasted throughout the month.

        And continued for even longer.

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        No one could stop the tears that flowed from the water sprite's
eyes.  No one understood why she even shed so many tears.  You could
count on your fingers how many times she'd cried before this, and
never had it been this bad.  She stayed locked up in her room, keeping
herself at a distance from anything and everyone.  But whenever one
walked by her room, either in an attempt to bring her out, to talk, or
simply in passing, they could hear the sounds of a  girl sobbing in
anguished desperation.  It was enough to melt even the most hard-
hearted of all.  Day after day the sobbing continued, never dying
down, and never calming.  But if you listened closely, you could
almost hear the sounds of whispery musical notes playing faintly in
the background as they mingled with the sounds of a heart broken girl.

        Selene was worried about the state of her daughter.  Never had
she acted this way before, ever.  It seemed as if as more and more
time passed, instead of the hurt fading as one would expect, the girl
only felt more and more pain, and in response to that, the weather
turned from bad to worse, and beat against the Earth mercilessly in
what seemed almost like an attempt to turn the forces of nature
against it, mourning for the only girl who could stop it.  Selene
walked down to her safe haven, and sat down next to the still figure
whose eyes remained closed in sleep.

        "Ohh, what should I do?"  She asked him, reaching out with a
hand and tenderly brushing it over his brow.  "She is so heartbroken,
so sad.  What shall become of our daughter?  Her pain is effecting
Earth, the planet we have sworn to protect with our lives as they
are."  She whispered sorrowfully, almost to herself, as she reached
out and took hold of his hand gently.

        "She's so alone.  I can't bare to see her this way.  She locks
herself in that room of hers, and doesn't come out for anything.  I
don't think she'd bother if there was a universal crisis."  Selene
told him quietly, and truthfully as she kissed his knuckles softly.
"Did I do the right thing?  Letting her go down to earth?  It seems
that she's even sadder now than how she was before she left."

        "The gods have punished me already, why are they punishing my
daughter?  What has she done to deserve this but serve you all
faithfully?  Why must you hurt her so?"  Selene shouted out loud,
but could only hang her head and weep quietly as silence echoed
around her but for the distant sounds of a girl sobbing in sorrow.

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        "Endymion..." Serenity screamed his name in her mind as loud
as her mental voice would allow, but when it reached her mouth and
she repeated it on a breath, all that came out was a whisper.
Crystal tears streamed down her face like endless rivers,
reflecting it all quietly as starlight shimmered around her.  Her
heart and soul felt as though they lay shattered upon the floor,
glinting like glass as shards and splinters taunted her with unholy
laughter.  She looked again at the locket, the only thing she had
left of the Earth and her love but for the memories.  She listened
without really hearing as it played its song for her, filling the
room with the gracious melody.  Before the notes has stood for
happiness and finding love, as they should.  But now it was about
grieving over a love that was gone and could never be retrieved,
ever.  A bitter reminder that what was, could never be again.

        If one were to look at her now, really look, they would be
shocked at the sight that met their eyes, a reality that shouldn't
have been.  Instead of the beautiful maiden that protected the
Earth, with the blinding smile that could melt hearts colder than
ice, the bright sapphire blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with
enthusiasm and feeling, long golden hair that was richer than the
moon itself, and skin so pale it was whiter than the clouds, all
they would see was a girl who had lost everything; the opposite of
what they would have expected.

        A mirror stood at the other end of the wonderfully
decorated room, but she'd long ago covered it, not wanting to see
her reflection.  The first time she had it has sent her into a
sobbing fit again; at least now all she had let were quiet tears
that she couldn't, or wouldn't, stop.  Dead eyes filled with bitter
anger and soul deep grief has stared out at her from the glass, not
a smile could be seen; her hair lay around her in disarray, the
shine gone from it, and her face had been haggard and gaunt.  She
hadn't sleep for weeks, the pain wouldn't let her; it kept the tears
coming until she was sure that she had none left to weep, but they
didn't stop.  They never stopped.

        On the ground, just beside the bed she sat upon, a discarded
dress lay crumpled and torn.  It was made of the finest silk in
silver and white and a set of slippers and jewelry had been thrown
down on it.  She felt like screaming at the familiar sight that
brought back so many memories, painful and happy, just to let out all
the hurt that she was feeling, to let everyone know just how *much*
she *was* hurting.  But she didn't.  She couldn't.  She didn't have
the energy, and she wasn't even sure if her voice still worked.  The
endless sobbing and crying had strained her vocal chords, but she
continued with it, relentless, trying with all her might to sooth the
hurt that welled up each time she whispered the name she could stop
saying no matter how hard she tried.

        "Endymion...."

        And the storms continued.

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        Endymion looked out of his balcony window, staring up at
the heavens above with blank, glistening eyes.  It had been five
weeks exactly since Serenity had left, and still his heart refused
to mend.  Night upon night was spent watching the storms sweep
through the kingdom, and the moon rise and descend, and listening
to his friends tell him eventually it would be alright, the hurt
would go away and everything would go back to normal.... but he'd
learned to tune them out, because he knew it would never be the
same again.  Not if, after five weeks, he still thought of her
every minute of every day, even during meals and visits from
royals in neighboring kingdoms.  Not if, after five weeks, he
still dreamed of her every time he fell asleep.  Not if, after
five weeks, he cried for her every time he saw the moon, when he
had never cried at any time before in his life since turning seven
years old.

        Streams of silver and shimmering white cut through the
land, and the soft rays of the moon shone brightly upon the green
grass and colored marble of the palace.  That was one of the
strange things about these storms.  No matter how many clouds
rolled in from any and all directions - North, South, East, or West
- the Moon always remained in sight.  It was like there was a ring
that stopped them from blocking its light, and it was almost
visible, if you looked hard enough you could almost see it... if he
looked hard enough he could almost see her face, her deep blue
eyes, bright gold hair, loving smile...

        He swore and looked down at his bedspread with a grimace.
Damn, wouldn't he *ever* stop thinking about her?  Why couldn't she
just get out of his head!  Why couldn't he *get* her out of her
head!?

        But he already knew why.  He could never forget.  This hurt
would never fade.  Not so long as the woman he loved was up there,
far beyond his reach.  

        He leaned his head on the cool reflecting glass of his
window and wept quietly for a love far gone, and new pain found.

        "Serenity...."

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        Raye watched from the doorway as her brother cried his
anguish to the night and felt her heart ache for him.  No one
deserved this pain, certainly not him.  What had he done to
warrant this?  What had Serenity done?  What had any of them done?

        She felt a pair of arms slip around her from behind and
turned, startled, to find Jadeite staring down at her softly, his
face was troubled and weary.

        "He's still mourning her?"  He asked quietly, so as not to
disturb the prince from what had become something of a nightly
ritual for him.

        Raye nodded, turning back, and observed her brother as he
folded in on himself, bringing a shaky hand up to lay upon the
glass as he whispered the name of his love again and again...

        "Still mourning."  She whispered painfully and leaned back
against him with a soft sigh.  He tightened his arms around her
and she spoke again with sorrow that went bone deep, "I think
perhaps he will mourn her forever if things do not change.  He has
been waiting all his life to find someone whom he could love whole-
heartedly and be loved back by, and when he finally found her, she
was snatched from him without pause or reason."

        "There was a reason."  Jadeite responded, but she did not
bristle in anger as she normally might have if any other man had
objected to her words.  "She belonged with the Goddess.  The two
seemed very close, and it is possible that she herself could be a
goddess, or maybe even a Sprite, so..."

        "It matters not."  She interrupted, not unkindly, gently
placing her hands over his own where they had laced together at
her stomach.  "It isn't that I don't believe in Sprites, I do, I
always have, but love knows no boundaries.  Even if she was one of
the protectors, the gods must know that this is destroying him.  I
fear that when everything finally comes to a head, we are going to
lose him, and without Endymion, the Earth will be torn apart by
war.  He is the leading Prince, he must rule.  If he can't... then
the very world the Sprite's were created to protect will be
destroyed by this act."  Jadeite was silent, unwilling to protest,
because he knew that her words were true.  Without Endymion the
peace they had all worked so hard to keep would be broken, and with
things as they were now... Jadeite couldn't be sure that Raye
hadn't been right when she'd said that Endymion could very well
mourn Serenity all his life.  He just hoped it wouldn't come to
that.

        But he knew it was inevitable.  It would happen unless
something stopped this.  Unless Serenity came back....

        And without intervention from the Gods themselves, Jadeite
very much doubted that would ever happen.

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        Raye and Jadeite were not the only ones watching Endymion
at that moment either.  From her spot hidden among the garden
shadows, Beryl watched the man she loved as he cried endlessly
against the smooth glass window beside his bed. She scowled at the
look of pain on his face and her eyes blazed with jealousy.  She
just couldn't believe this.  Even after five weeks Endymion had yet
to even leave his rooms for more than the time it took to eat a
meal and greet guests.  He hadn't even said hello to her once in
all this time!  She was getting angry.  Surely he'd had enough time
to get over that brat by now.  Why couldn't he love her?  She'd
loved him unconditionally almost from the moment she'd seen him,
and she'd never stopped.  She was obsessed with him now.  She had
to get him, no matter what it meant.  Even if it meant hurting or
even killing people in the process.. Damned prince.... what would
it take to make him love her?!

        She glowered with murderous rage up at his window one more
time before whirling on her heal and leaving the garden by the
trees covering, the wind ripping at her clothing and fuming all
the while as she planned ways that she could 'accidentally' end up
in Endymion's bedchambers....

        (Jade: Scandalous!!)

        (Usa-chan: Well, well, well... she sure is busy.)

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        The crying jag had left Endymion feeling woozy and very
tired.  It seemed that he always felt tired these days.  He yawned
slowly, covering his mouth with his hand, then looked up at the
raging sky again.  Immediately tears filled his eyes for the
thousandth time, and he clenched his fists so hard it hurt.  He
wouldn't cry.  He couldn't cry.   He thought desperately, but despite his best efforts,
the tears still fell unheeded.  Every time he thought of her, smelt
something that reminded him of her unique scent, saw something the
same color as her hair or her eyes, or caught a flash of long hair
that shone in the sun, his heart ached, and a tearing feeling
crashed through him, shaking him to his bones, his soul.  He
couldn't rid himself of it, and he wasn't sure he wanted too... it
was all he had left of her, that and the memories.

        Shaking his head, trying to throw off the tears that
seemed to bubble up in him at any excuse lately, he raised a hand
again and put it to the window, looking longingly at the glowing
orb in the sky and whispered her name again, and again, and
again....

        "Serenity...."

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        The tears had drained her.  These fits always left her
feeling groggy, and downright sick.  She felt like a wrung-out doll,
and she let her head hang down to her chest for a moment before
yawning and bringing it up again.

        The planet Earth filled her vision before she could avert
her eyes.

        Instantly, she felt tears being to seep from her dulled
blue eyes, and she squeezed them tightly shut to try and block off
their escape.  No good.  They continued their trek down her face
without pause and quietly, she wept again, whispering his name and
feeling the pain each time, unable to stop.

        "Endymion...."

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        Endymion continued to stare at the moon, knowing he was
crying still, not caring.  All he could see were her sapphire blue
eyes as they stared at him, love in their depths and tenderness
upon her face.  All he could hear was her soft, silver-sweet voice
as it whispered his name.  All he could smell was the clean, fresh
aroma of roses that had trailed in her wake and floated about her
hair.  All he could feel was the creamy texture of her skin upon
the pads of his fingers and the downy softness of her full, lush
lips against his.  All he could taste was her... just her.  God, he
was never going to get over this.  He knew that with a certainly
that surpassed him.

        And he wasn't sure whether that was good or bad.

        "I love you, Serenity.  And I will love you always.  I wish
to all the heavens above, all the gods in the universe and beyond,
all the higher powers that be, and anyone who is listening.... that
you could come back to me.  I will love you for forever and more.

        "And I will never let you go.  You will be with me always,
in my heart."

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        Serenity continued to stare at the Earth, wondering if
perhaps her body would run out of water before she ever stopped
crying.  It had to.  Because she knew she would be crying forever,
perhaps longer.  Looking at the swelling oceans upon the green-blue
world that her prince lived on, she imagined his face in her mind,
his voice in her ears, his touch on her face, his lips on hers, his
heart in his eyes..... and felt the tears begin again.  She didn't
care.  She wished she could, but it wasn't possible.  She hurt too
much to care anymore... loved too much to care anymore.

        And, ohh, how she missed him.

        "I love you, Endymion.  And I will love you always.  I wish
to all the heavens above, all the gods in the universe and beyond,
all the higher powers that be, and anyone who is listening.... that
I could go back to you.  I will love you for forever and more.

        "And I will never let you go.  You will be with me always,
in my heart."

        *       *       *       *       *       *       *       *

        And somewhere far away, listening as always to those worthy,
a figure sat, and waited.  And in the darkness, the silence that had
reined for as long as the Earth had existed, a voice spoke softly,
knowing as it did that with these words, the fate of the universe
could well rest on its shoulders now.  That this could be the right
path, or it could be a dead end.  The answer or the mistake.  But
whatever it was, whatever it would be, was what it had to be now.
It was done.  With the one sentence it spoke, it was done.

        "Your wish..... is granted."

        And with Cronus's word and by his power, it was.

        To Be Continued....

DISCLAIMER: Standard.

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