Disclaimer: Naruto, Sailor Moon, their settings, characters, etc, belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!
Land of the Crystal Moon: The Lost Chapter
Their wedding had been a grand affair in the Land of Crystal. The populace there had feasted and celebrated the return of the love that spanned eons. In their room in the Crystal Palace, Selene could hear the celebrations going well on into the night.
She smiled down at the several lights below, memorizing everything of this place for this would be her last night here.
The servants had treated her well and were most likely finishing with Gaara. Everyone wanted this night to be perfect. Could she say she was a bit nervous?
"The people will greatly miss you, Selene…" Her brother was there at her side on the balcony. Like the rest of her family, he had helped with the preparations for the wedding, for everything.
"And I will miss them." She smiled. "This will be the last time I can call you brother…Tomorrow, you will be the Odoroku to me…"
Their hands touched and he kissed her hands. "May you have a wonderful life…My dear, precious sister…"
"And you the same, my brother…"
He let her go. "I should leave, your Endymion will be coming soon…" Gently he kissed the star burst on her forehead. "May the moon guide and protect you, as it always has…Perhaps…we shall see each other in our dreams…" Then he was gone.
Not but a few moments later, Gaara entered the suite. He had been told of what was to happen but had not been mentally prepared for it. Even after Kankurou gave him 'the talk', Gaara still felt uneasy.
After the ceremony he was whisked away by some servants who treated him as though he were the Emperor himself. Dressed in nothing more than white silk pants he went into his and Selene's room for the night, closed the door behind him.
She was standing on the balcony, hair flowing in the natural wind. Rarely had he seen her with her hair down before now he knew why…It was hard to look away from her in that state. She was breathtaking…a true goddess.
"Gaara…" Her voice was music to him, her eyes upon his form. She giggled. "I hope they didn't unnerve you too much…"
He smiled and reached a hand to her of which she went into the room and took.
"I have…never seen you like this…" She delicately touched the light scars on his chest, from past battles. Most were hard to see, only touch could let one know they were there. His hand touched her wayward one and their eyes met. A longing was there, hidden deep within…
When they kissed, it was as if the world around them was gone.
"I love you…" She whispered out when they pulled apart slightly.
"And I love you…" He replied.
It was slow, their pace…The merging of two souls was beautiful and ethereal at the same time. Their souls called out to one another, neither of them speaking but simply letting ancient memories take hold. Everything she was belonged to him, and everything he was belonged to her. He touched every bit of her, memorizing the form that was his and his alone to gaze at. Unconsciously sand covered the walls of their room, for he didn't want anyone else to hear those beautiful breathless gasps but him. He wanted those noises for his ears and his ears alone.
"Gaara…" She breathlessly called his name and it sent him over the edge.
He held her in his arms, not wanting to let her go…No…he would never let her go…This, he realized, was what love truly meant…This feeling, he wanted it to last forever, to last for eternity. Still though, he worried…especially when that beautiful face curled up in pain as he slowly entered her form.
He gripped her into his arms, his breath in her ear.
"I swear…" He whispered to her. "This will be the only time…that I will give you pain…" And he meant it, wholeheartedly. "Hold onto me…" He told her. "Let me be your rock…"
Her delicate arms wrapped around him tightly. He kissed her pulse before swiftly breaking the only barrier left between them. Her grip on him tightened immensely, her whole body racked with surprise and pain. He kissed her, loved her, anything to distract her from the pain. His heightened senses could lightly smell blood in the air and a part of him was saddened that he caused it to spill but it had to happen. It was a necessary pain, one that told him she was now his. It symbolized a promise that no one would touch her in this way but him.
The smell of blood was soon gone, the sand around them soaking up every last drop. Yes, he was that possessive at the moment. When the arms that gripped him slowly untightened and her breathing matching his, he knew that was the moment…Thus…he moved.
Oh how glorious it felt to be connected to the other half of your heart, your very soul. At some point into the throws of their joining, their hands had clasped one another on the bed sheets around them. A slender leg was made to rest on a broad shoulder, deepening the connection. The two wanted to be as close as possible, almost melting into each other.
Names were called between them, their thoughts mindless to everything but the arms that held the other, the breaths that conjoined into one single gasp. When the final moment came, instead of their present names, those they held eons ago fell from their lips through quickened gasps that sounded more like screams than anything else.
Completely spent Gaara's full weight rested upon her form and she gladly took it against her erratically beating heart. It was comforting, his weight…It kept her grounded and safe.
The lovers kissed and held each other well into the night, not wanting to let the other go.
When the sun came up the very next day…the lovers were still entangled into each other's embrace. For the first time in a while, Gaara slept with no nightmarish dreams to haunt him. He smiled down at the form lying beside him, kissed those beautiful locks of pure white that were splayed about the white pillows. To think he would now see this beautiful creature sleeping beside him every night…wake to her form every morning.
Those blue orbs opened, her face lighting up upon seeing him. They kissed each other in the morning sunlight.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he combed a hand through her silky locks.
"I will be…" She smiled in reassurance then sighed. "I…feel so happy right now…Do you?"
"Yes…" He replied as he kissed her forehead. "Do you want to leave secretly?" He could easily use his sand to have them both appear at the Crystal land gates without anyone noticing them.
"No…I…I will be alright…" She took his hand in her own. "As long as you are beside me…" She kissed his fingers. "It would be…improper for us to leave so suddenly without proper goodbyes anyway."
He frowned. "If you are sure…"
"I am…" She smiled. "It will be the first time I present myself as the wife of Lord Suna. I must represent our lands correctly…I have…one request though…"
"Name it and it will be done." His words were finite.
"I know that as your wife, there will be times when we cannot be together like this…when these moments do occur…Please…Do not hold anything back and I will do the same."
He knew her lingering meaning because he had held a position of power for so long. A leader needed to be strong for his people; the people could not see him show weakness or they wouldn't follow. In these moments when it was just him and Selene, only then would they be just man and wife…Not Lord and Lady Sobaku.
"You have my word." He kissed her delicate fingers, lingered on the left ring finger which carried the symbol of their joining. Underneath the golden band still rested the ring of sand which would remain with her until the day he died.
They were given a light breakfast, dressed then went to say their farewells to the royal family of Crystal. Most of the other nobles and kages had left using the transportation ring, however it was Selene who decided to leave long way.
"Lord Sobaku." The Crystal Emperor did not rise from his throne like the following day when he greeted Gaara like a father to a child. Now, according to Crystal law, they held no connection whatsoever other than noble affairs.
Gaara walked up first, Selene behind him slightly. It was customary for Suna noble women to stand behind their husbands as a way to protect them from any invaders that came nearby.
"We must congratulate you upon your wedding." The Emperor nodded. "May you have many happy days, Lord and Lady Sobaku."
The two bowed and after Gaara thanked the royals for their hospitality, they made their exit to the gates not speaking a word.
"Gaara." Selene took Gaara's hand, squeezed it for comfort. "I…know there will be times when you will come here…will it be…disrespectful if I didn't join you?"
He frowned. "You wish to never come back?"
"Yes…" She stopped at the threshold of the gates. The last step to make before her new life began. "I…do not think I could bare it…Coming back here…"
"Alright…" He squeezed her hand in comfort. "Take as long as you need…" Then left her side to speak to Naruto.
She silently thanked Gaara then fixed her gaze at her homeland. She stood there, imprinting the glory of Crystal into her mind. Memories flowed through her mind and she let them go with the wind. This place would be nothing more than a distant memory to her…It was the only way she would be able to move one.
"Goodbye…" She whispered to the wind then turned away from her homeland, to the bright future that awaited her with Gaara at her side.