The Will of Heaven 8/? By Meredith Bronwen Mallory mallorys-girl@cinci.rr.com ------------------------------------- Olympus Earth (Capital of the Terrain Empire) Nine p.m. Earth Standard Time ------------------------------------- The wind came up, seemed to rise out of the Earth angrily. It brought with it pillars of thunder and rain, sweeping over the land with the force of a tsunami. It reached the Earth Palace, making the inhabitants shiver, while the older servants shook their heads in mutual agreement; it was the worst storm theyıd seen in years. The leaves on the trees turned over, to welcome the water. Standing by the window, Serenity watched them, their tall branches reaching for the sky. This always surprised her, the way trees grew on Earth. Only vines and flowers crawled her native moon, and yet, the young woman loved this lush green world, just as she loved itıs kind, charming prince. A gentle smile curved on her features, anticipating his evening visit, when the world would be shut away and it would be just the two of them. Often she wondered why he always came, though she was thankful he did. In her mind, Serenity measured herself against the elegant ladies of the court, and found herself sadly lacking. She did not understand that it was the very things she lacked- the fake smiles, blinding makeup and glittering, gaudy jewelry- that made her so attractive. Some ways away, the fire crackled happily, waiting for Prince and concubine to come together. Serenityıs revere, however, was shattered by the shutters as they dashed themselves against the outer walls. ³Itıs really getting bad out there,² Ami remarked, coming up from behind. Together, the two women pulled the shutters closed, sheltering themselves from the storm. ³Is it always like this?² Serenity asked. ³Actually, no,² her friend replied, blue eyes darting nervously towards the shuttered windows, as though she could still see the threatening black thunder clouds, ³Itıs our wet season, but Iıve never seen it this bad.² Serenity nodded mutely, following Ami away from the window. In silence, the two girls took turns brushing each otherıs hair, though Amiıs took considerably less time than Serenityıs. All the while, they would glance worriedly at the window, the dim roar of thunder becoming louder by the minute. A small shiver climbed up the golden girlıs spine. Though Endymion had explained it to her, she still hated the bright flashes of light and loud noises that came from the sky. He would be here soon, though, so it would be okay. The crystaline liquid slipped through the cogs in the water clock, each droplet a moment, turning the mechanism until it marked minutes and hours. Sitting alone on the coach, Serenity shivered and hugged herself, eyes darting between the closed windows, and the growing hours marked above the mantle. A small, almost unnoticeable frown of worry made itıs way to her face, but the golden girl didnıt seem to notice, she was too busy fighting off the thoughts put forth by her traitorous mind. He would come, he *always* did. In all of three months he had never missed a single night. But then, some part of her mind whispered, never in all of three months had he been late, either. Frustrated with herself, Serenity rose to her feet and began to pace the length of the room. The area which had once seemed so large and spacious was now as confining as her harem cubical had once been. Endymion had just been detained, probably by his mother and those would-be moon princesses. And wasnıt there supposed to be a diplomatic dinner tonight? Yes, heıd probably had to stay late for that as well, and entertain the daughter of whatever noble had been visiting. Well, there were any number of reasons he could be late... ³Unless, of course, he just isnıt...² Serenity clamped a hand over her mouth, as though she needed to physically restrain herself from saying it. Slowly, she forced herself to swallow the words, and though they burned going back down her throat, saying them would have been much, much worse. Saying them would have made it true. The wheels on the water clock turned another notch. ------------- On the other side of the palace, another soul was in pain. The room in which he sat was shrouded in darkness, the shutters banging against the outer walls, the rain pouring in the window, drenching the floor, the curtains, everything with in reach. Endymion didnıt even notice, just sat on the couch, half dressed and miserable, head held in his hands. Had a medium been present they would have fled the room immediately, for only they would have sensed the dangerous anger making the Princeıs aura flare like a supernova. ³Itıs not fair,² he said softly, blue eyes glancing up at the water clock on the wall. Without mercy, the device informed him the time was 1 am; he was three hours late for his usual meeting with Serenity. A meeting he had been forbidden to have. He didnıt understand his mother. She, who claimed to love him, claimed to want what was best for him, was the source of all this pain. And yet all she could think of was the damn Moon Princess and some decade old promise to her dead best friend! Though the memory was hazy, the Prince could recall being there when the news of Queen Serenityıs death became known. If he remembered nothing else, the look of complete and utter guilt etched on his motherıs features would remain with him always. ŒItıs my fault,² she had remarked to her husband, clutching young Endymion to her breast, ³I could have prevented this. Serenity and I knew the Mineral Kingdom was trouble. She asked me to help her appeal to the alliance, see if we could curtail their activities, but I wouldnıt help her. Itıs all my fault!² Her voice had carried a note of pain and sorrow the young prince had never heard before, had never imagined he could understand. He understood now... all that and more. But knowing that this marriage was his motherıs way of atoning didnıt ease Endymionıs suffering in the least. Before heıd met Serenity, there had been no one with whom he could share his problems. It was as if, because he was was Prince, everyone expected him to be almost god-like, without worries or emotions. Sensing that from those around him, young Endymion had shut himself off, feeling that he had no right to be fearful or complain about anything, because of his rank. For seventeen years he had gone through life being who everyone expected him to be; the Crown Prince, the Son of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, the heir to the throne. But with Serenity, his sweet, shinning Serenity, the Prince discovered a part of himself even he hadnıt known about. He was Endymion, not a Prince, not a godling, just a normal human being, with human wants and human fears. He saw Serenityıs loving, positive image of himself, and in turn, began to respond to that image. Not only did he become a better person, but a better Prince as well. But now there was no one to share that with, no one who would look at him and smile reassuringly. Worst of all, his body ached for Serenityıs warmth as much as his mind ached for her companionship, as much as his heart ached for... ³DAMN IT!² the sudden outburst almost made the Prince jump out of his skin, and it was even more frightening when he realized that it had been his own voice shouting. Despair welled up inside him, if he was this miserable now, how painful would it be tomorrow... a week from now... The anger that had been building since his motherıs fateful order rose to the surface, in some ways more powerful than an exploding star. Without warning, Endymionıs hand shot out, strong fingers wrapping around a nearby vase before he lifted it and hurled it against the wall with surprising force. For a moment the Prince just stood there, stunned at both his anger and his lack of self control, before collapsing onto the couch and burying his head in his hands. For a moment, he swore he heard a familiar voice sobbing his name, carried across the palace by the tide of the storm. ³Gomen ne, Serenity-chan,² he whispered brokenly, ³Gomen ne.² ---------- At last the storm clouds parted, allowing the sun to briefly color the horizon with dazzling shades of purple, gold and red. The landscape, though battered by the harsh winds, seemed almost beautiful now, the raindrops catching the light of the sunrise. Slowly, Serenity opened the shutters of her room, to see if dawn had really arrived, to prove that Endymion had not come. As she poured the spoiled tea out on the lawn, a chill made itıs way up her spine, turning it to ice. Oddly enough, she felt no instant of heartbreak, as if the situation had no true reality. It was as if her whole form had turned to stone, and she could no longer feel anything at all. It was almost voyeuristic, she considered distantly, like she was looking at someone elseıs emotions from a long ways away. Dimly she recalled another time, a another place, when she had hovered above herself, and a strange white haired guard, a thin thread of humanity her only link to the world. She felt that way now, only this time, there was no one to pull her back. Like a thing on automation, the young woman went to dress for the day, but there was no mistaking the tear stains on her face. ------- The sun came and the sun went, the weather raged against the Earth Palace, as though it embodied all the anger Endymion felt. Though no one could really put their finger on it, something was different; perhaps it was the way Serenity looked when sheıd entered the kitchen, no sunny greeting for the scullery maids. The spiteful young servants who normally only scowled in her direction, suddenly found themselves turning worried eyes to her form. Meals were strained for the Royal family, and soon it became common knowledge that the Queen and her son were no longer speaking to one another. At times everything seemed silent as death, the only sounds being the roar of rain and the insistent turning of water clocks. Serenity went through her days desperately trying to make herself care. But it was like someone had placed a pane of glass between her and the world, and try as she might, she could not penetrate it. With icy fingers, the golden girl went about her tasks, met with her friends, did everything she usually did. But it did not escape her friendıs notice when she was unusually quite at lunch, or when she did not touch her food. Like worried sisters, they conferred with glances, their hearts going out to Serenity, whom they knew to be in pain. Only Ami, who shared quarters with Serenity, knew why the young womanıs eyes looked so haunted; though three days had passed, she never stopped sitting up to wait for her friend. The sun had no chance to shine on the third day, going unnoticed as it sank below the horizon, hidden by the storm clouds that had become common place. Shivering, Serenity sat on the couch in her quarters, staring off into space, the aroma of brewing tea all around. She was still there when the sun rose again, but for some reason, the sight of it, shedding itıs light on the world, broke the dam within her. The ice melted and the pain came in. With a cry of despair, Serenity sank to the floor, and almost instantly, faithful Ami was by her side, cradling her friend as she sobbed painfully. Almost against Serenityıs will, the words sheıd been trying to choke down for days, came to her lips, and this time she didnıt have the will to stop them. ³Heıs not coming back...² she whispered brokenly, ³Heıs never coming back...² The pure agony in the voice of someone normally so happy, broke Amiıs heart. ---------------------- Two Days Later ---------------------- ³I am a fool,² Queen Cassiopeia remarked with much despair, deep blue eyes darting over the papers spread out on her desk. Five hundred and fifteen reports, each on one of the would-be Moon Princess, and every one of them a fraud Resting her head in her hands, the Queen rubbed at her temples, as though such a simple action would relieve the pounding headache that had been following her for days. Outside the gray, rainy day did nothing to relieve a body prone to weather sickness. Had there ever been a time when she hadnıt felt so old? Almost fearfully, Cassiopeia sat back and looked at her hands; how withered they seemed, as though each wrinkle marked a year of her age. The business with the Moon Princess would not be settled as easily as the Queen had hoped, indeed, now that she looked at it, she realized she had been rather naive in her approach. Oh, but there was nothing she could do now, not with five hundred fifteen women residing on palace grounds, and more arriving each day. Besides, there was still some prideful part of her that hoped this plan *would* work, if only to diminish the sense of failure she felt crowding around. She seemed to have diverged with her destined path, trying, and failing, to return to the road she knew she needed to follow. The night before, Cassiopeia had visited the shrine of Poseidon, but even the water spirits refused to speak to her. The Queen felt forsaken, and oddly enough, it was her own fault. With a sigh, she pushed her chair away from the table and leaned back, willing herself into a light trance. Dimly, she let the silence surround her, waiting for the unmistakable murmur of Serenityıs humming to reach her ears. Though sheıd rather die than admit it, there were times the Queen was unerringly thankful for the young maid servant. Like a leach, she fed off the glow of the other womanıs youth, knowing it could never be herıs again. That was why she had relented so easily when Endymion had come to her early the morning after their argument, pleading that she not punish Serenity. It had been he whoıd instigated the meetings to begin with, the Prince had argued, it would be unfair if any punishment should fall on the girl. In her own way, Cassiopeia was thankful her son had given her an excuse not to hurt the young girl, otherwise, the Queenıs own pride would have done Serenity in. Pride. There, at the root of everything, was one, single word that meant the world to Cassiopeia For a moment, she saw herself in her mindıs eye; sixteen years old, standing naked in the middle of Olympus Square. Her traditional grab, the robes of Callistian Royalty, had been taken from her, and for a moment, the frightened teen stood bare on the wooden podium, before her future subjects and future husband, completely venerable Cassiopeia's marriage to Cepheus had been arranged, for political gain, to unite the people of Callisto and Earth, but never for love. That had become clear to the young girl as she gazed out on the crowd, and her eyes locked with that of the Crown Prince, or, more over, the sneer resting on his lips. Then, her torture was over, moments later, her maid servants had helped her dress once more, this time in the gown of a Terrain Princess. That single instant had been a pivotal one for the young woman, and though she had not understood it then, somewhere in the back of her mind, she had vowed never to feel that way again; lost, vulnerable and alone. When everything had been taken from her, she resolved to keep her pride in tact. But now that pride seemed more destructive than protective; her relationship with her son was in shambles, the search for the Moon Princess was a disaster. So Cassiopeia leaned back and listened, but only silence came... The Queenıs eyes flashed open, this time filled with annoyance. Earlier that morning she had put Serenity to work just across the halls, polishing the ballroom floors. The rabbit *always* hummed, or sometimes even sang, while doing monotonous chores, so why then, did Cassiopeia not hear her now? Was the girl neglecting her duties? No, for all the faults she attributed to Serenity, disobedience was not one of them. Swiftly, the Queen rose from her chair, intent on seeing just what was wrong. She pushed when she reached the threshold of the ballroom. To her eternal surprise, Serenity was indeed hard at work, but there was no graceful tune escaping her lips this morning. Instead, the young woman scrubbed hard at the marble floors, as if her very life depended on the cleanliness of those tiles, back bent over, hair falling haphazardly around her. Cassiopeia frowned, since when had Serenity worked so hard? Oh, the girl did the job alright, but it was never perfect, and the older woman had developed a habit of pointing out every last flaw. Had she been standing closer, the Queen might have seen the heartbroken look in Serenityıs eyes, one of a young girl who had discovered love, only to have it torn from her grasp. It was one of those moments where time stands still, one soul looks at another and says Œfor the first time, I think I understandı. Because suddenly, Cassiopeia saw herself in Serenity, of all people. A young girl, removed from home and family, involuntarily, under circumstances she could not control, taken to a strange foreign land where she was all alone. That could describe either one of them, Queen or concubine; how ironic. With a will of itıs own, Cassiopeia's foot moved forward, as though she was about to go to the young woman, before common sense and her own foolish prejudices reasserted themselves, and she squared her shoulders, turning away. After all, she had things to do. ------------ Rain, Serenity decided, was the color of sadness She sat on the veranda, propped up on her elbows, gazing down at the open court yard of the Training Center. If she noticed her friends, who stood off to the side, she gave no indication of it, simply staring out at the rain and occasionally playing with a droplet or two , rubbing her finger in the tiny puddle until it all but disappeared But her mind was elsewhere, dwelling in the gray, shadowy land of her own self-doubt as she longed for her Prince. She could not fathom what she had done to make him end their relationship so abruptly. Theyıd been on such good terms the night before, and then, suddenly... nothing. Not a word, not a message, not even a glimpse of his handsome visage! Had she been too forward? Too trusting? Too... presumptuous? It would have been better if she had a reason for his sudden departure, all this wondering and worrying was driving her insane. Without realizing it, the golden girl began to cry, but she was so used to tears running down her cheeks that she didnıt even notice. Her tears seemed as endless as the rain. ŒWhy?ı Serenity asked the heavens, ŒWhy?ı Natsumiıs voice rang clear in her head. ŒFalling in love is the worst thing a woman can do to herself. You may believe the man you love is honest and true, but trust me, he will break your heart. Its what men do.ı Some ways away, Serenityıs friends looked at her worriedly, before all eyes turned to Ami, demanding explanation. ³So youıre telling me,² Minako said in a low whisper, looking over to see if Serenity paid them any heed, before going on, ³That she and Prince Endymion had been meeting, secretly, at night?² ³Hai,² Ami replied sadly. She hadnıt wanted to tell the others, but she felt almost as if she did Serenity a greater disservice by not protecting her, than if sheıd kept the secret to herself. ³Six nights ago, he just stopped coming, period. Thereıs been no word. At first I, and I think Serenity too, hoped he would return, with an explanation, but now...² ³Bastard,² Makoto seethed, ³Of all the low-life...² she couldnıt even finish the sentence, so filled with rage. It simply wasnıt right that someone so happy, so *glowing* with life as Serenity was, should become so dead, all because of one man. ³Now, Mako-chan,² Minako soothed, ³Maybe thereıs an explanation...² ³No,² Ami said curtly, drawing the otherıs attention, ³Itıs been almost a *week*, Minako-chan, surely he would have found *some* way to contact her...² ³The Prince refuses to speak to the Queen,² the blond girl pointed out, ³Maybe that has something to do with it.² ³Perhaps...² Ami replied. Makoto just shook her head and clenched teeth and fists, glancing over at Serenity. Her heart filled with a sisterly, protective love when she saw the other woman was crying. ³Thatıs it!² she said, stalking over to Serenity and taking her hand, ³Come on, weıre going to put some life back in you! I canıt stand seeing you this way!²With that she dragged the golden girl, who remained listless and unprotesting, towards the stair well, and the practice hall bellow. The others followed. Rei, who had been silent through the discussion of Serenityıs love life, followed a bit behind the rest, confusion in her violet eyes. Oh, she had an idea of what Makoto planned, that wasnıt what puzzled her so. While the otherıs had been engrossed in Endymionıs faulty handling of the situation, the priestess had been quietly reading her friendıs aura. There was something different about Serenity, she could tell, she seemed withered, more so than a little heart break could account for. That golden river Rei had sensed the first day theyıd met now seemed buried deep, deep down and covered with a heavy blanket of darkness. This worried the Martian woman, it was one of the symptoms of a dying spirit. But because the blinding light of Serenityıs aura had been toned down, Rei was able to look more closely. What she discovered both confused and excited her. Serenity had a link, a soul bond, with someone very dear to her, and close by as well. The priestess could almost *see* the silvery thread of their connection, tight and thick, as though the two souls had traveled together for centuries and intended to do so for many, many more. But without the aid of the sacred fire, Rei lacked sufficient skills to follow that link and discover who the other person was. Whoever it was, the Martian girl could tell that they were putting Serenity in a great deal of pain. the priestess considered as she followed the otherıs down the winding steps, Rei frowned. The darkness she felt in Serenityıs aura was not something that came from simple puppy love heart break. That kind of darkness, which, before now, Rei had only heard about from her teachers, was the kind caused by separation from oneıs soul mate. She sucked in a breath, hand flying to her mouth so swiftly it was almost audible With iron control she willed herself to be calm as she pulled Ami aside. ³Ami-chan, I just remembered, Iım supposed to meet with the Queen soon, I canıt stay,² she lied, ³Will you tell the others?² The blue haired girl glanced up to see that the trio ahead of them had already rounded the corner. ³Hai,² she nodded, forcing a smile. ³Alright, arigato,² Rei said turning, forcing herself not t flee in her excitement, ³Ja ne!² ³Ja ne, Rei-chan!² Shaking her head, Ami turned and picked up her skirts, hurrying to catch up with the others. She came through the threshold of the main hall just in time to see Makoto press a fighting pike into Serenityıs hand, ushering her over to one of the practice dummies. ³Serenity-chan, you need to let it out,² she said gently, giving her friend a nudge when she failed to extend the pike right away. ³I know you want to help, Mako-chan,² Serenity said softly, gazing down at the weapon in her hand, as though she were afraid it might bite her, ³But Iım really not...² ³Nonsense,² the Captain said tersely, ³You havenıt practiced in almost a week. Come on,² her tone came almost jovial, ³humor me.² For a moment, Serenity paused, considered throwing the pike down and just plopping beside it to cry. But sheıd learned that her tears gave her no release, and besides, what harm could it do to oblige her friend? Her own reluctance surprised the golden girl, normally she was anything but lethargic. Lately however, it just didnıt seem worth the effort to move. Slowly she moved her feet to fighting stance, spread wide, moving her hips to the right just slightly, her hands moving the grasp the pike properly. It took her a moment or two to get everything right, like Makoto had said, it had been a while since sheıd practiced, but it quickly came back to her. Then, so quickly she surprised herself, Serenity lashed out at the dummy, the blunt end of the pike connecting with it dead center. Then it happened again, and again, and again, until the golden girl was performing the ritualistic warm-ups better than ever before. To her amazement, it actually seemed to help, all the tension flowing out of her heart and into the metal weapon until they were one, moving to and fro, the rest of the world falling away. Behind Serenity, Makoto smiled. She knew that though this could not take away her friendıs pain, it could at least help her express it. ------------------ As soon as the Training Center was out of sight, Rei broke into a run, ignoring the blinding rain as she hurried towards the palace. Like an archeologist unearthing their find, excitement pounded in her veins, and with disregards to all propriety, she rushed past the guards and into the outer chamber of Ariesı shrine. The young men who stood watch outside the door exchanged glances; it was not often one saw a drenched Aries no Miko running into the shrine like all hell was on her heels. Kneeling before the sacred fire, Rei tried to still her trembling hands as she lit a rod of bamboo , using it to ignite the small candles scattered about the altar. Then, she closed her eyes, mouth moving to form the ancient words of a long forgotten language. The priestess concentrated on driving away all distraction, leaving herself empty, to be filled. The physical world fell away as Reiıs soul climbed from her body, closed eyes peering into a dimension composed only of auras. Like an April witch, her psyche flew back towards the Training center, racing along the folds of wind in search of the answers she might find there. Carefully, the Martian woman blocked out every aura, one by one, searching for the golden fountain of Serenityıs soul. At last, she began to follow the strand of silver that connected her friend to her ever-mysterious-soulmate. Rei was so deep in her trance that she did not notice the shadows dancing wildly along the walls of the shrine, back in the physical world. At last she seemed to reach the end of the bond, a tall commanding aura standing, shadowed in pain, just as Serenityıs had been. But just as Rei was about to read itıs identity, she found herself strangely blocked, dark wings beating her back. she asked the fire, her psyche contorting in the equivalent of a frown. The fire refused to answer, only forced the priestess back, keeping her from the truth. Angrily, Rei pushed a little harder, but was yet again blocked. Inwardly, her eyes narrowed. Though her respect for the fire was deep and great, she would allow nothing to come between her and this truth. It was the key... she knew it, could feel it in her bones. Mustering one huge surge of energy, the priestess fought past the fire and shoved blindly towards the shadowed aura. It was Endymion. Though somewhere deep with in, Rei had known or at least suspected, nothing could compare to seeing real, Œtangibleı evidence of the truth. Why the fire had chosen to try and hid this from her, the Martian girl could not fathom, but now she *knew*. The only way Serenity and Endymion could have this tight a bond, this soul searing need to feed off each otherıs souls, was if Serenity was the Moon Princess. THE MOON PRINCESS. All this time they had been searching, high and low, calling women from every corner of the globe, interviewing day and night, hoping and praying... all this time the Moon Princess had been right underneath their noses. Serenity, the concubine, the maidservant, Reiıs friend, was of royal birth. Incredible. So taken aback was Rei by the sheer surprise of her finding, that she was unprepared for the sudden, psychic attack that jammed her soul back into her body with the force of a tsunami. Darkness crept over her vision as she fell backwards, only managing to catch herself just before her head connected with the hard marble floor. She stared up at the fire, almost accusingly, before her vision cleared, and she observed with wide eyed fear, the shadowsı manic dance along the walls. It was as though they were *alive*.... The fire flared up instantaneously, and the priestess scooted away fearfully, watching as the flames seemed to condense... and form a... *woman*? It was a woman, now the blaze fell away and Rei could see her clearly, black cloak gathered around her shoulders, tight velvet dress hugging her curves almost possessively, in stark contrast to her deep green hair and penetrating, crimson red eyes. ³Who... what are you?² the Martian asked fearfully. She could *feel* the sheer energy, the uncontrollable power surrounding this being, and it frightened her. ³Aries no miko,² the creature, woman said, black feathered wings spreading out around her until she looked like an intimidating, avenging angel, ³Why have you chosen to disrespect the sacred fire?² ³I... I wanted to know the truth!² Reiıs tone was defensive, ³All this pain Serenity feels, it doesnıt have be this way, for her or Endymion!² ³IT IS NOT YET THE TIME FOR HER SECRET TO BE KNOWN!² the woman boomed threateningly, crimson eyes ablaze. ³All things come in time, Aries no miko, all things come in time. You have flagrantly disregarded the rules places upon those of your order, you should ashamed,² now her voice seemed to soften, and she descended from her perch in the fire, one perfectly formed bare foot placing itself against the marble floor, before the other followed it. Quickly, she advanced on the hapless Martian priestss, who tried in vain to back away, but soon found herself up against the wall, staring at the taller woman in mute terror. The stranger reached forward, placing her icy hands on Reiıs temples in an iron grip that though secure, seemed almost intangible; the ghost of a touch. Her crimson eyes stared into the other girlıs brown depth, as though she could see strait to Reiıs soul. ³Go now...,² she spoke softly, ³and forget....² Try as she might, Rei could not fight the glow that surrounded her, the last thing she saw being the stranger dissolving into a cloud of black smoke. When Serenity came looking for her three hours later, Rei was still sprawled on the floor, unconscious ---------------------------------------- Parsa, the Moon Colony of the Mineral Kingdom 25 miles north of Susa ---------------------------------------- He was drunk. Perhaps more drunk than he had ever been before- then any human had ever been before. The gods, now they were another case. Oh, Demando cursed the gods, sitting, half hunched over on his stool in a seedy, cheep little bar, bottle of sake in hand. He cursed everything in the universe, really, except Serenity. And she, his gold angel, was the root of his problems. With a half hearted sigh, Demando took another sip of his drink. His commission, the one that would have allowed him to buy Serenity back, had fallen through. Damn the prey for killing himself before Demando could get to him! Now it would take him weeks to earn even half as much as his rich, ex-employer had offered for a single job. So close, and yet so far. It was as though the fates themselves conspired to keep him from her. Fate, well, he cursed fate too. Stumbling, he pushed through the door and out into the bitter night, the world spinning around him pleasantly With a groan, he ran a hand through his hair, making his way towards home. Half way there, though, his legs refused to support his body any more, and he slunk into an alley, sliding down the wall, sitting with his head in his hands. Gods, he felt awful. Heıd thought perhaps, that the drink would cloud his mind, that by crawling into the bottle he could somehow forget her. It didnıt work, Demando knew, for in the alcohol induced haze that dimmed his mind, memories returned with unbearable clarity. Serenityıs face, voice and smile, became more real to him than things tangible. And... she was not with him. ³Curse you,² he raged at the universe, ³You wonıt beat me, Iıll win her back yet!² When he had become so dependant on one person, he would never know. As if he had been blind, he had not known his life was empty, meaningless and dark before Serenity had opened his eyes. And the Universe had taken her from him. ³Show a little more respect, Demando,² a voice said, terribly familiar, cutting him to the bone. Instantly, he straightened, not wanting to be seen in a weak moment. He was Demando, Captain of the late King Ulexiteıs guard, scourge of his underlings. Serenity or no Serenity, he would be strong, keep the illusion of his independence, to his last breath. ³Who...?² he began, eyes darting to the shadowy corner of his sanctum. The gray specters seemed to move aside, part like the reverent members of a monarchs court. And from that crowd of shadows rose a familiar hooded figure. The black velvet hid all form from Demandoıs gaze. If not for the flash of her crimson eyes, peering out from the darkness of her face, he would never have known it was she. But he did know, he remembered those red orbs, staring him down, sizing him up. ³You would think you might be a little more grateful towards the fates,² the figure went on, ³After all, they did save your precious Serenity,² her tone, condescending, irked him to no end. Rage built up inside him, rising like a fire dragon, intense and dangerous. Without warning, he sprung from his fetal position, lunging at his tormentor. His training had been extensive, even drunk he was more agile than normal man. ³Bitch!² he shouted angrily. He could tell by the almost unnoticeable way she drew back, that heıd surprised her. A smug smile bloomed on his face just before impact, fading quickly as he stumbled *through* her, barely stopping himself from colliding with the wall. Twisting around, he looked at her incredulously. ³What *are* you!?² ³You donıt want to know,² she said dryly. ³What do you want with me?² he asked climbing to his feet, ³Youıve caused enough trouble for me!² ³²Thatıs gratitude for you,² she remarked, carelessly. Then she seemed to tire of their previous subject, switching to another train of thought. ³You love Serenity, no?² ³Of course!² her words put him on the defensive. ³She is not yours to have!² ³And who are you to decide that?!² he challenged. ³Demando,² her voice stopped him, just as he was about to turn , leave her, whatever she was, ³Serenity needs your help. If you do not aid the heavens, she, and the man she loves, will die.² The guardıs violet eyes narrowed as he met her crimson gaze head on. ³You want me to help the fates when they abandoned me, denied me the one thing I wanted?² ³Baka!² she cried, visibly restraining herself from hitting him, ³Are you so prideful that you would sacrifice a life in favor of your ego!? Have I misjudged you? Listen to me, she will *die*.² Demando sighed then, almost unnoticeable, but one of defeat. ³Very well, what need I do?² ³Keep your eyes open, your ears as well. The time is coming when you will happen upon information regarding the Prince of Earth. This involves Serenity as well, for they are as one. When this happens, you will know what to do.² Demando blinked. Whatever instructions heıd been expecting, these were not it. ŒYou will know what to doı? What was that supposed to mean! He opened his mouth to ask just that, but a chill wind swept through the alley, stealing not only his words, but the mysterious specter as well. Like a fluted cloud of smoke, she vanished entirely. ³WAIT!² Demando cried, ³I donıt understand!² The wind answered not. ------------------------------------- Olympus Earth (Capital of the Terrain Empire) One oıclock Standard Time ------------------------------------- Endymion felt trapped. Heıd never been claustrophobic before, had once even liked the security of high walls and tall, intimidating columns. But now his spacious suite was more like a dungeon cell, closing him in, burying him alive. Heıd awoken from a dream, of what he could not remember, but heıd found himself shouting Serenityıs name desperately. Like a child, he had wished for her to come and hold him, smooth his hair and tell him that, yes, she was alright. Heıd laid there for a moment, trying in vain to will her to his side, feel the warm of her smile, the satin of her hair, but it would not come. When pacing the length of his room did not help to calm the Prince, he at last surrendered, dressing quickly that he might go stalk the corridors of the palace. He glanced at his shadow as it moved along the columns, ever in tandem with his own jerky motions. It looked like a jaguar, almost, rummaging about in the jungle for prey. But Endymion wasnıt searching for prey, he was searching for solace, for serenity, both literally and figuratively. Once upon a time he had not understood the word Œlongingı. It had always seemed so strange; was it a length, could it be measured? Was it perhaps saying that the length got longer the further down it you traveled? Now he understood that, no, it wasnıt a length, it was an eternity wanting for something you could not have. Something like Serenity. He should have known his traitorous feet would take him there, he knew the way by heart. But still, it came as a surprise to the young Prince when he found himself standing before the door to Serenityıs chambers, staring at it, imagining the angel lurking just beyond itıs barriers. Blue eyes glanced up at the water clock in the hall, it was one in the morning, what was she doing right now? Was she sleeping, or did she still wait up for him... oh, how he hoped not, he couldnıt stand to put her in pain. Or, some part of his mind whispered, did she care at all that he never returned. Caught up in his thoughts, the prince nearly jumped out of his skin when the door opened. For a second, his eyes darted around wildly, searching for a place to hide, but as it turned out he did not need one. It was only Ami, the blue haired mouse-like girl who acted as Serenityıs servant. The girlıs navy eyes seemed to freeze over when she saw him, and Endymion wondered at once what he had done to offend her. ³Your highness,² her tone, though not disrespectful, seemed to hold reproach, ³Is there something I can do for you?² He stared at her intently, wondering what he should do, before he seized the opportunity ³Ami-san,² he said quietly, ³Your mistress... is she well?² Ami stared at the man before her, wondering what he could possibly be after. Endymion had caused her friend so much pain, and for a moment, the young girl considered not answering at all, merely turning her back and shuttering the door, no matter how disrespectful it might be. But there was something in the Princeıs eyes, a smoldering dark flame, that made her wonder if she would ever be so lucky as to have such a gaze directed at her. Whatever it was, it prompted her to answer truthfully. ³She is not well, Endymion-sama,² she said, her voice a mere whisper, unable to look him in the eye, ³She does not eat, or sleep very much for that matter.² Looking up, she saw the raw pain in the manıs eyes, before his voice became intense, commanding. ³Is she sleeping now?² ³Hai.² ³I would see her,² he said, almost wonderingly, as if he hadnıt expected such a thing to come out of his mouth. ³But you will not tell her of this, promise me.² ³I-,² Ami faltered. Whatever evilıs she might have accused the Prince of, it was obvious to her that he still loved Serenity. Why he chose to break her heart was another matter all together, but how could she promise not to reveal information she *knew* would put the light back in Serenityıs eyes? ³Promise me,² Endymion prompted again, standing over Ami. Nodding, she shrank back a little, intimidated by his height, but allowing him to enter the room. ³Arigato,² he muttered. ----------- Feeling like a man possessed, Endymion made his way unerringly through the main room and into Serenityıs bedchamber. In the center of the room stood a large, four-poster bed, made out of crystal, sheer pink curtains draped across the posts. Quickly, the Prince reached out to draw bad the curtain and see his angel fully, when the strangest sense of deja vu gripped him. It wasnıt a feeling of having done something before, but rather, a feeling that he would do this again. For a moment, he flashed froward, saw himself, perched carefully on the ledge of an open window, drawing back the curtain to see his angel. The name associated with her was different; Usako, foreign on his tongue. And yet it was her, golden hair, soft skin, soul shinning through even while she slept. The longing in the heart of this Œotherı him was the same, made the situation real, even though Endymion could not touch it. Then, as quickly as it had come, the feeling went, taking with it the memory. Now all the Prince knew was that this *would* happen again. he wondered as he drew back the curtain presently. He had his answer within moments, his eyes feasting on Serenity as she lay spread out on the bed, surrounded by a sea of golden locks, eyes closed, lips parted slightly and.... cheeks wet with tears? Endymionıs heart lurched within him. *She* made it worth it, with her love, her compassion, her enthusiasm for living. Bitterly he saw himself, years down the road, married to the faceless Moon Princess, still dreaming of Serenity. What would he do then, when she was only a memory, and some stranger was bearing his children? That thought made him want to reach out and hold Serenity, pull her to him, but just as his traitorous hands moved towards the sleeping girl, he stopped himself. He remembered entering the shop of a glass blower once, five years old and clinging to his motherıs side, that is, until he saw the magnificent creations all around. Breathlessly heıd rushed around, peering in wonder at everything, until a particularly beautiful glass rose caught his eye. Reaching out to touch it, the small princeıs hand had immediately been brushed away by that of his mother. ŒLook, donıt touch, Endymion,ı sheıd said, ŒEyes only.ı he told himself now, gazing down at the face of his angel, relaxed in sleep. Serenity was like that glass rose, even if she did awaken, and gave him the opportunity to explain, it would do them no good. He endangered her with his very presence, his mother had made one rule very clear when he had pleaded in Serenityıs favor. He was not to speak with her, if he did, then she would be punished. The penalty for disobeying a rulerıs order was death. His mother might as well have said Œeyes onlyı. Thatıs what Serenity was: ŒEyes only.ı ---------------------------------------- Susa, the Moon (Colony of the Mineral Kingdom) Five am, Earth Time ---------------------------------------- Sheıd finally snapped. The sound of Berylıs enraged screams came almost as a relief to her guards, whoıd been walking on egg shells all week, afraid to breathe the wrong direction, lest they upset their Queen. But right on top of that relief came fear; Beryl was dangerous when she was in a *good* mood... she was absolutely deadly when in rage. The hall outside the Queenıs chambers was silent as a tomb, guards standing stiff and strait only their eyes, darting from side to side, belayed their growing fear. None of them understood that what they were hearing was not Beryl in one of her typical rages, but a soulıs last desperate attempt to crawl back to some semblance of humanity Within the Royal Chambers, claw like hands tore at anything with in reach, the curtains, the furniture, trinkets. Glass figures and vases were thrown against the wall, sheets were ripped from the bed, for Beryl was tearing up her *life*. Ever since meeting Metalia, the young woman had been in a struggle for her own soul. As the years dragged on, more and more of her human qualities were stripped away, leaving something far more terrifying than a woman merely drunk on power. Now she only had one thing left; love. Love was a human emotion, a positive emotion. No matter how possession, how destructive, how deadly that love could grow, it would still be love. It would still be human. Prince Endymion of Earth had become a fixation for that love, and now the fires of anger and hatred threatened to burn away even that. The wound of his Œbetrayalı had festered all week, all Beryl could think of was the moment sheıd discovered he was seeing *her*. Serenity, her idiotic fatherıs biggest mistake. Somewhere in her twisted, delusional mind, the girl had come under the impression that Endymion liked her, that he cared for her. Because normal human compassion was so foreign to a girl raised in a society of hatred, she mistook polite interest for avid adoration; common courtesy for undying love. Now even that illusion was gone, rage was all that remained. Screaming, Beryl grabbed the nearest object, in this case one of her motherıs glass statuettes, and hurled it against the wall. She wanted to destroy, just as Serenity had destroyed her last chance to crawl back to humanity. Then, suddenly, she stopped. Of itıs own violation, her body had frozen, her muscles straining to complete the motion. the darkness of Metaliaıs voice poured into Berylıs mind and, hand she been able to, the young woman would have clutched at her temples, trying to block it out. In any case she could not, the goddess had such power over her servants that she could freeze their body in place if she pleased. The power Beryl had once revealed in now became terrifying as she became the object of her mistressı rage. ³Nani!?² Beryl gasped, almost falling forward as Metalia released her power over her. ³Endymion....² Beryl breathed, eyes filling with something quite akin to pain. What little humanity she had left returned with a vengeance, to fight for her Œloveı. ³Is that absolutely necessary?² Metalia bubbled angrily, fiery power scorching Berylıs neurons, making her head ache. The full meaning of the goddessı words fell over Beryl like a wave of sickness, and she felt her stomach turn. For the first time in years, she said the word Œnoı. ³No,² she told Metalia, ³I wonıt do it! There has to be some other way!² For a moment, it could have been a five year old princess standing there, stomping her foot because she could not get her way. But unlike Berylıs nannies, Metalia was not intimidating by a mortal womanıs tantrums. Wave after wave of dark energy drowned the young woman in their depths, but unlike all the other times, there was no pleasure in it. She could feel Metalia slithering through her brain, rooting out all that love, and she tried to force her out. Just as she was gaining the upper hand, Beryl felt her heart stop, as though and iron fist had closed around it. Metalia raged while Beryl clawed wildly at her breast, as though she could make her heart beat again, ³Metalia-sama,² the girl gasped out, feeling dizzy, ³Matte! Onegai... Iıll.... matte! Onegai.... onegai....² she fell to her knees, her body craving the rush of blood that now lay stagnant in her veins. Metalia taunted, mimicking those nannies of old. ³Hai! Anything... onegai....² Beryl nodded her head vigorously. The weight on her heart relaxed, and once again it began to beat. Closing her eyes, Beryl surrendered the last of her humanity.... ----------- Outside in the hallway, the guards could not help but wonder to whom their Queen spoke. All they heard were distant murmurs, like that of a mad woman. They were beginning to suspect that they served under one such mad woman. But then, a sudden, shrill scream cut through the silence of the corridors Worried, but unable to move from their posts, the young men shifted nervously, if anything happened to Beryl, they would die painful deaths. Proceeded by the clack of her heels on the marble, Kalonite, Captain of Queen Berylıs guard, rushed down the hallway, red hair flying. Normally she was the picture of composure, silent and sensual, giving the impression that her high position was not based on performance on the battle field Now though, the guards who normally looked at her in lust, glanced at her in relief. She was in charge, second only to Beryl, she would take care of things. Without a word, the tall woman knocked on the chamber doors, but the fear was evident in her eyes. If she annoyed the Queen needlessly, it could mean her head... literally ³Beryl-kiin (queen),² she said, ³Are you unwell?² A shrill, girlish laugh echoed from within the closed doors. ³Not at all, Captain Kalonite,² she seemed almost... amused, ³Do come in.² Taking a deep breath, the young woman did as her Queen bade, the guards moving ever so slightly, wishing they could peer inside. Berylıs back was to the officer as she entered the room, but when her Queen turned around, something caught in Kaloniteıs throat. She was not one to fear things, heaven knew she had worked tirelessly to get where she was today, but the sheer *darkness* in the young Queenıs eyes knocked the wind out of her. ³My Queen,² Kalonite bowed, ³Is there something you need?² ³As a matter of fact, yes,² Beryl said, some amusement in her tone when she noticed her guard was surveying the destruction of the room, ³Tell me, how many new ships have we turned out this month?² ³4 warships, 13 fighters and two commercial vessels, my Queen,² Kalonite said immediately She knew such things from memory, her sometimes hung on being able to quote details. ³Ahh,² Beryl considered, ³Step up war productions, they shall be needed soon,² here she laughed, ³And please, summon the best assassin you can find, I have need of such services.² ³Of course, my Queen,² the guard replied, preparing to leave. ³And Kalonite?² Berylıs voice stopped her mid-turn. ³Hai, your majesty?² The young Queen made a scoffing noise, gesturing to the chaos all around them. ³Clean up this mess.² ------------ ALRIGHT, :::puts hands up:: I'm ready to admit, I'm addicted to email! ^^; Hey, stop snickering! What? You say you already knew that? WELL THEN EMAIL ME ALREADY!! ^_~ *~*~*~*~*~*~* Meredith Bronwen Mallory Evil Mad Scientist Moonie Code: SM:5+m+ F:sJu