Can True Love come True?
A young girl walks out onto her balcony as the rain is falling to the rose gardens below. Her falling tears mingle with that of the falling rain. A sob escapes her painted lips. A knock at her door makes her leave that moment of bliss and peace.
"Yes", she asks, "you may enter" she says with a sigh.
"Excuse me princess, but your mother calls you to the dining hall. She wishes to speak to you about your engagement to the prince. What shall I tell her, highness?" a young servant girl asks.
"I will attend shortly, that is all. Now take your leave" she states as she turns around to sit at her vanity. She hears the door click behind her.
Sighing deeply she thinks to herself, 'Why do I feel as though this is wrong? I was betrothed to him the day I was born. I must get dressed to go speak with my mother.'
Twenty minutes later found her entering the banquet, and sitting across from her mother and the man she was to marry.
"Good evening Princess. The stars bow before your beauty on this night", Prince Eddymoin, said kissing her hand as he bowed to her.
"Sire, you shall soon turn a girl's head with that talk" she said blushing as she turned to her mother. "Good evening mother" she said with a nod and small curtsey.
They had a more so silent meal than the joyous ones the servants were used to. "Princess Serenity, would you like to join me for a walk in the gardens?" he asked her.
"I would love to" she replied. The moment his hand held hers, she thought to herself, 'I would love to run as far from you and this horrible life as I could' while smiling charmingly to him as they walked out into the rose garden and lost from sight of the servants and her mother.
"Princess… I love you. You do know that, don't you? Bah, of course you do. What I am trying to ask you is…umm… well...Will you marry me?" he asked while going down on one knee. The hope in his eyes was enough to persuade her.
"Yes, of course I will" she said, as a lone tear fell down her cheek. This was not a tear of happiness, but one of absolute sadness.
The next night Serenity was walking from the dining hall to her room when a thought struck her, she ran quickly to her room, lifting her skirt as she did. When she reached her room, she bolted the door behind her.
"This is perfect, I'll run away and they'll never find me" she said excitedly. "Hmm, where will I go. I'll go to Vegita-sei! That's a wonderful hiding place. I'll need to take food, some money and clothing. I can put pillows in my bed so they think I'm sleeping. I'll leave by the hall. The guards change duty at eleven thirty tonight, it takes them ten minutes to change and by that time I'll be out the first gate. Ok, I have my undergarments, my fencing uniform, my riding gear, two dresses, two months of extra clothing, and two cloaks. Hmmm, hope that will be enough" she said, sitting on one of her satchels with all her weight, just to get it closed. 'I'm going to go and take a nice hot bath, then I will get ready.' She thought to herself as she ran hot water and poured lilac smelling salts into the water. She then grabbed her robe and set it down on a chair next to the hot relaxing water of her large bathtub.
'This feels so good ' she sighed as she slipped in to the hot water. 'I wonder what mother will do when she finds out that I'm gone. She will think the worst has happened to me. Father will to busy with his scrolls to even notice that I'm gone, until someone says something to him. Eddymoin will use his power as prince, and send out every knight to try to find me. I doubt that he will even lift a finger him-self. I need to just relax and forget about everything for now.' She then dipped her head under the water for a few moments.
"So much better." She said as she dried off and walked to her closet to get dressed, after being in the water for over an hour. "I leave in one hour. There is it no turning back now. I must go through with this no matter what happens." She sat down at her vanity and braided her hair, and wrapped it into a tight bun.
She glanced at her crystal clock. "Eleven o'clock! Must time go so slow? Well I can go down to the kitchen to grab some supplies that I will need. I should get at least a week' worth of food. It should only take ten minutes. Well, here I go." She slipped silently out of her room and ran all the way to the kitchen. When she got there she was breathing very hard. "Well that was easier than I thought it would be." She walked over to the larder and picked out a large satchel. She walked over to the cupboards and stated to put food in to it. 'Let's see… two loafs of bread, four containers of soup, one tray of butter and jam, fife apples, fife oranges, two bags of grapes, on bag of chicken, and roast, ten canisters of water and one of wine." "This should do it. I what is the time? Eleven-fifteen. I did very well on time. Another fifteen minutes and I will be out the first gate. Well I need to get back to my room now. "Eleven twenty-five. Everything is packed and I am ready to leave. Let see… Run to gate, open, get out before the other guard comes, run to the stables, take my darling out and pack and saddle Alora, go to the main gate have the guard ask his questions tell a …lie and hopefully get out to never return again." She spoke under her breath.
Usagi ran to the gate, she saw that the torch light of the other guard was coming to take his shift. 'Oh no!' she thought, 'I'm not going to make it!' She ran as if the devil was on her heels, and she made it just as the light touched the gate she ran through. She opened the gate pulling her cape on as she went. "Run, go legs, don't fail me now!" she said breathlessly. "Stables, I must get to the stables. I should be safe there and can sneak out the main gate."Reaching the stables, she sneaks inside quietly to the end of the row where her mare is kept. "Hello my darling, we're going to leave" she whispered to her mare all the while thinking to herself, 'We will never come back here, ever! I'm not going to marry Eddymoin, I won't. It just doesn't feel right.' "There, all done" she whispered to her mare as she finished saddling Alora. "Come on love, let's go." Sneaking to the main gate, she begins to think, 'I can pretend to be a trader that came to show my wares to my mother and myself. I need to think of a new name. Hmmm, Usagi Serenity is to royal; I need a common name. Ahhh, Bunny… Bunny Slenity. That's perfect! Well, here I go!' she thought bravely.
"STOP! Who are you and when did you get here traveler!" the guard asked, eyeing her clothing with disgust. "My name is Bunny Slenity, I arrived yesterday morn' before your shift started. I came to show their Royal Majesties my wares, and fine blankets. They were kind enough to allow me to fill on food and drink"; she stated bluntly changing her voice as to not be recognized. She watched fearfully as he sifted through the packs.
"Fine, go on now you disgusting pig" he spat at her with detest. She got back on Alora and trotted out the main gate. She stopped to look back at her home once more. Silently she said goodbye. "Come on, let's go," she said softly to Alora.
"I have more than enough money for food, boat and lodging. It should not be a problem," she said while patting Alora's neck. 'I need to realize that I am no longer a princess but a commoner. I love my mother but she just doesn't understand that I don't love Eddymoin' she thought to herself. "Well, here's the first town, I better stop for the night. I hope that to get on a pod, its not too much money." she whispered softly.
She decided to sleep at the Meridian Inn, as it was the only one with stables for her mare, as well as the only one with pods. "How much for a room, meal, stabling for my horse, and a pod to Planet Vegita-sei?" she asked the Innkeeper quietly. "Room one gold, food two silver, stalls one gold each, pod to another planet 4 gold and 2 silver." the Innkeeper stated looking her over. She laid down the money as the Innkeeper took out a book and asked for her name. "Why do you need it?" she asked him. "I like to know who is staying in my inn." He responded. "My name is Bunny Slenity." she stated quietly. He wrote it down as the Bartender across the way stared at her openly. She glanced in his direction because she could feel his eyes on her. The Innkeeper handed her the key and told her where the stables were. She glanced at the Bartender one last time as she stepped out the door and into the cool refreshing night air.
As she led her horse out to the stalls, she bumped into someone and fell down. "Sorry lady" a handsome voice said as hands reached down to help her up. "Thank you, but it was my fault. I was not looking where I was going. Forgive me for my lack of… grace" she said slowly, as her gaze swept over his face. 'He's gorgeous, look at the strong jaw line, ebony eyes, and strong nose, the muscular arms, powerful legs. That proud arrogant smirk, is this a man or a god? I've never seen a man like this before' she thought while feeling her face redden for staring.
"I wasn't paying attention either. Can I buy you a drink? Hey are you all right?" he asked looking into her eyes. 'So pure and innocent. Eyes made of sapphires, hair of liquid gold, athletic body, soft. What am I thinking! She must have put me under a spell of some sort. Why am I asking her to dinner?! Stop Vegita, stop!' he thought, cursing himself for acting like a fool.
"No thank you, I have traveled far. I wish only to put my horse away and retire to my room for some sleep. Excuse me sir," she said bowing her head slightly as she lead her horse away to the stables. Feeling wetness on her face, she looked up to see the falling of rain. Why did it feel like I knew him form somewhere?
"What am I supposed to do. I know he wants me to have a drink with him, but I'm new to this place. Alora…What shall I do?" she asked with a sigh of distress. "Come to dinner with me," he stated as she whipped around, surprised to see he had followed her, "I'm normally not this nice, Lady." He walked slowly towards her and the mare with a brush in his hand. "I can't." she said looking into his eyes to see what he was going to say. She saw loneliness, despair, and pain. "Good night then…Milady" he said with a sarcastic smear in his voice.
She set the brush down, walked out the door, and then ran as fast as she could to her room. She turned and locked the door behind her. It was soon to be the biggest mistake she could have ever made.
She went to bed and woke up an hour later. She heard a footstep. Sitting up in bed, she looked around the dark room. She turned around when she saw a shadow hit the wall, it was the bartender from down stairs. "What are you doing in my room?" she demanded. He said nothing, but smiled sinisterly. "Leave my room immediately" she demanded. He smiled again, but this time came running at her. She screamed as his bulky weight sent her to the floor. "You are a very pretty woman and could get hurt in this part of town" he sneered at her. "Get off of me!" she shouted. She tried to roll away but he was too heavy. "Please, you are hurting me" she half choked out as he ripped the top of her gown off. "You won't get away" he whispered while holding her down. His breath making her feel like she was going to vomit. His oily blue black skin rubbed against her own, making the feeling of vomiting worse. He moved up-wards a little more so the pressure was off her stomach.
She let out an ear-piercing scream. The bartender covered her mouth so she could not scream again. At that moment, she heard footsteps. Very faint, but still noticeable. The bartender was to busy hitting her across the face to notice until he was hit across the side of his face. "What the hell!?" he said as he went crashing to the floor. 'Is that the man I bumped into' she thought silently as she fainted.
Four hours later she woke up in a different room, strange bed and unfamiliar clothes. "What? Where?" she whispered. "You need to lay down and rest, I'll take care of you. What's your name?" he asked. "Bunny…" she began, but he cut her off. "No, I asked for your name, no fake stuff" he asked while looking her in the eyes, so she would tell the truth. "Princess Usagi Serenity, princess of the Moon and heir to the throne" she said looking downward. "I ran away because my mother wanted me to marry someone that I do not love. I wanted to see the world as well. I taught myself to speak and act as a commoner slowly. I didn't want to be behind closed walls anymore, and wanted to see what it was like to live. So, what is your story?" she asked him. She now held his gaze.
"Well" he said as he looked at her. "I've given myself the name Demon-ji, but my real name is Prince Vegita Aries, prince of Vegita-sei, home of the Sayin-jins. I live my life by my heritage… death is my sport, torture is my game. I kill for fun and love to play with the minds of others. I also know a few "tricks," mostly for wounds and strength. I normally don't help others, but… there is something magical about you. You are like an enchantress that has cast me under your spell. I don't know if I should run or kill you instead. You scare me. I see purity, innocence and beauty in its true form. I have never seen such beauty in all my life!" he said with a slight blush crossing over his face. "How can you think that, I am not beautiful. How could you think that of me? You! Everything about you is wonderful, the battle scars, your eyes, your arms" she whispered.
"I fell in love with a girl that looked like you, her name was Daystar, but she used me to get what she wanted, she didn't care. I swore I would never fall in love again, yet the moment I saw you I felt calm, not so alone and…warm. That is why you're beautiful. I'm sorry that I didn't come to your aid sooner," he pleaded. "You got there just in time, he almost… almost." She broke down in tears, running from his room and into hers. 'I have to leave, I can't stay here any longer' she thought to herself.
She packed her bags quickly then left the room, closing the door behind her. She then ran down the flights of stairs to the dining hall, seeking out the Innkeeper. "I shall be leaving earlier than I planned" she stated. She ran out into the pouring rain to the stables. She saddled Alora. "It's time to go" she told her mare. Trotting out into the rainy night, she passed the Inn just as Vegita ran out to see her leaving. "Usagi" he shouted, over and over again, just to see her keep going, never looking back.
"Finally, we've made it to the boat!" she whispered in Alora's ear. Approaching the ticket master she asked him, "How much for a horse and myself to Vegita-sei?" "That will be three gold and five silver" he stated while looking her over, then the mare and back to her again. "Mighty young to be going off all alone ain't ya lass?" he asked her as she handed him the money. Giving her the ticket, the ticket master pointed her in the direction of the pod ships where the captain stood. Handing him the ticket, she boarded the ship. Leading her mare to the stables, she bedded her down for the trip then went to her room, changed into her sleeping gown and fell into a deep sleep. She slept for two days. When she awoke, she dressed and left her room to find the dining area on the ship. She sat down with a tray of beef stew, a roll and glass of wine.
After dinner, she went to the stables to visit her horse. She watered, fed, and groomed her. Leaving the stables thirty minutes later, she went back to her room where she then thought of Vegita for the first time in many days. Thoughts of him entered her mind a little longer before she again, fell fast asleep. She awoke to the sound of banging on her door. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and went to the door. "What is it?" she asked sleepily. "You wanted to get off at Vegita-sei, right miss? Well, that's the next stop in about thirty minutes time" the captain said to her as he turned to leave. She packed her things and got dressed, then went to the stable getting her mare ready.
When the ship landed, she hopped onto Alora and trotted off the boat and down into the city of Edison. 'Finally, I have been on that ship for almost a month. My darling needed to stretch her legs' she thought. "Well my dear, lets go" she said. They rode hard for three days before Usagi took time to sleep again. She came to a small town known as Kinderwall, and looked for the local Inn. Putting her cloak on, she drew her hood up and went inside. 'No one will see my face while I am here' she thought.
Finding the Innkeeper, she asked, "How much to stable a horse, a room for myself and two meals?" she asked barely above a whisper. "Horse one gold, room two silver and food two silver" the Innkeeper said. She handed the coin over and took her key. After putting her horse away in the stable, she quickly found her room and went to bed. Waking the next morning, she went to the dining hall to have breakfast, then saddled and packed the horse and left.
She traveled for another three days before stopping again, when she finally reached the main city of Vegita-sei. She decided to rest for a day before traveling to some castle ruins she remembered in the stories her mother told her, when she was a child.
After traveling all day in the steady rain, she found the castle ruins, just as the rain stopped. Looking around, she spotted a pool of water. The quarter moon was shining brightly, reflecting it's light into a soft glow. 'How beautiful that is' she thought. "This is a perfect place to camp for the night" she told her mare.
Unpacking her gear, she put up a shelter made of fine cloth and smooth wooden poles. Once inside, she changed into a silk dress of light baby blue. 'It's so nice to dress like a lady again, even if it's just for one night' she thought.
Suddenly, she heard a man yelling and her mare whinnying. Running outside of the shelter, she spotted a man with a rope in his hand, trying to restrain Alora. "Milady, help me please!" she heard her horse say loudly, yet it was in her head. "What are you doing!" she yelled to the mysterious man. "Getting this beast under control," he yelled back at her. "That beast is my horse. Leave her be, you disgusting pig-headed scum" she yelled at him with fury. "Well, well, well, what have we here, a lady far away from any court? What Milady, are you doing out here in the middle of this lonesome country without the aide of a guard? Unless they are waiting to attack me, I do believe you are alone" he said as he advanced toward her. "Back away" she yelled at him. "Do not order me around Milady, or you might get hurt. Then whatever shall we do?" he asked sarcastically.
She turned to run, only to be tackled to the hard ground. He then turned her over, pinning her arms by her sides. "Get off of me!" she yelled. "Who is going to hear you this far away lass?" he asked laughing. "Me!" said a deep, evil voice. "What the…!", he never finished.
The moment Usagi realized the weight was off of her, she rolled over and jumped up. She turned and saw that her savior was Vegita. "What… what is he doing here?" she asked out load. "Saving your rear end, since you don't have enough sense to do it your self," he shouted at her as he knocked the man out. He threw him as far as he possibly could. "Why? How?" she looked at him curiously. "I followed you, I've been following you ever since you left the Inn. I knew I had to protect you. I... I want you to come back with me princess. I am asking you to be my friend, my wife, my lover and the soul mate I have been looking for my whole life. I… I love you. I have the moment I saw you stare into my eyes when we bumped into each other. I'm asking you… No, begging you. Will you marry me?" he asked her as he went down on both knees and held her hands in his own.
"I…" Serenity started, then stopped. He looked up fearful of what he would see. What he saw scared him more than any monster he had ever fought or seen. His lady crying and falling to her knees, the look of a caged animal in her eyes. It was then that he understood. 'She thinks marriage is a burden, like she cannot be who she is' he thought. "Milady, if you cry because you are afraid of marriage like it is a restriction on who you are to be, then you are sadly mistaken. I would not want you to change for anything" he stated with kind determination. "Usagi, I love you, I would do anything for you. I would take you to the stars and back. I would pluck the moon from the night sky for you. I would walk a thousand miles over the worst conditions, just to see your smiling face. I love you for who you are, I swear to the gods above! If I fail you in anyway, may they cast me away to the deepest darkest hell imaginable. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I thank the gods for the gift they have placed in my arms" he said as he hugged her tightly.
Usagi sat there with tears spilling out of her sapphire eyes then threw herself back into his arms again, as she shook with the force of her sobs. "Hush now love, you need not cry. I told you what my heart wanted to say, yet you cry, why?" he asked as he looked upon her with loving eyes. "I cry because I feel the same for you. When I met you, my heart burned to have you near me, and to wake next to you for all the rest of my days. YES, I will marry you!" she said through her tears of joy.
Several months later, standing in the rose gardens of the moon, stood Vegita and Usagi, soon to be wed. Looking into each other's eyes, they whispered, "I love you".
From that day forward, the gods looked down upon them and smiled for this love was to last for all eternity, proof that true love can come true.