Author's Notes: You see what happens when I let myself write a bunch of one shots? You get a chapter story instead! Lately I've been wondering what would have happened in the Silver Millennium if there had never been a Dark Kingdom or Queen Metallia or Beryl. If everything had just continued on the way it was going. How would things have panned out for Serenity and Endymion? Originally, this was just supposed to be one scene and a part of One Chance, but the more I think about it, the more I see a full story. As of this posting, I've only got this chapter written. I know for sure that there will be at least three parts. I had this idea before, but seeing Shakespeare In Love helped give me a great deal of inspiration.

"Inevitable"

Part 1

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The market was always crowded at this time of day, and Endymion reveled in it, in the way he could move amongst his people. He'd traded his finely tailored clothing for dusty, worn riding clothes, and a wool knit cap hid his hair. It was a sad excuse for a disguise, but it worked. No one paid him any more attention than they did each other, assuming he was common from the way he dressed. It allowed him to see his people for who they really were, not the way they presented themselves to their future king.

There was so much life here, so much activity. People rushing about, buying and selling and haggling. Making their livings. There was laughter and shouting, children chasing each other. It put a smile on his face.

As the prince wandered the streets, he came across a man selling hand-crafted jewelry. These pieces were not of the same quality as those Endymion usually selected. From time to time, merchants would come to the palace with wooden boxes filled with the finest golds and gems of astounding color and clarity. This merchant sold wares of beaten silver, with bits of jade, turquoise, and quartz. There were flaws in the gemstones, but rather than spoiling the pieces, these imperfections gave the jewelry a certain charm, and it was this that caught Endymion's eye and made him pause to look.

"Ah, yes, sir," the merchant said gleefully, "I can see you are a man of good taste. Shopping for a beautiful lady, no doubt."

Endymion could not stop the slow grin as it twitched the corner of his mouth up. The man was right, of course; like always, he had been thinking of Serenity.

Encouraged by the smile, the merchant rushed on. "I thought so! Now, tell me of this maid, and surely we can find something to earn you her love."

In spite of himself, Endymion was drawn into the man's sale's pitch. "She is beautiful indeed, my good man. Fair hair, with skin the color of milk. Her eyes are the palest blue sky you've ever seen." He stopped, his thoughts wandering to the last time they'd been together.

The merchant chuckled, wagging a finger at Endymion. "Boy, I see where your head's at. Ah, to be young and in love, so fresh that the world's not yet dimmed your eyes. But come, you say she's fair with blue eyes. Let me see…" Running his fingers over the gems and stones, the merchant finally paused his hand over a necklace. "Here we are, my good sir. I think this will suit your lady quite nicely."

The prince took the necklace in his hands, holding it up so that the sunlight glinted on the face of the small opal. The stone shimmered, its milky face lighting up in iridescent blues and pinks in the daylight. The silver had been twisted about the sides of the stone, curlicues forming an intricate design that wrapped around a thin, delicate wheat chain. He could practically hear Serenity's gasp of delight.
Endymion nodded. "Yes, I think this is perfect."

The man began talking about the price, but Endymion shook his head and withdrew three coins from his pocket and placed them in the merchant's hand. The man's eyes widened considerably when he saw how much money he had been given, and he shouted his thanks as Endymion walked away, placing the necklace in his pocket.

As he walked back to the stable he had rented for his horse, Endymion took note of the the sun's slow descent, knowing that he had spent more time in the village than he should have. His father would not be pleased, but Endymion didn't care. He just wanted the day to end so that he could see his lover smile at her gift.

-

"Where the hell have you been?" Kunzite hissed in greeting as Endymion handed his horse off to a servant. "Your father wanted to see you hours ago!"

"Stop worrying so much, Kunzite," Endymion said, brushing aside his guard's question. "I'll go see him right away."

The prince left Kunzite scowling and headed for his father's office, where the king was no doubt studying countless papers, proposals, and maps. The guards at the door gave Endymion pitying, fearful looks, telling him just the sort of mood he should expect from his father. With a deep breath, Endymion opened the doors.

Just as he'd expected, King Hector stood leaning over a desk littered with papers. He was a strong man, as tall as his son, though his age was beginning to show in the white of his beard and the lines of his face. At present, the king's brows drew forward into an angry frown.

"I've had your men searching for you since noon. Where the devil have you been, boy?"

Endymion sat himself in one of the chairs at the desk, leaning back to look at his father's angry face. They were very similar, Endymion knew. They shared the same strong jawline and proud chin, the same straight nose, olive complexion, and broad shoulders. They were both stubborn men with quick tempers. Though Endymion loved his father, too often it was their similarities that drove them apart.

"I went into the village," Endymion explained. "I needed time to myself."

"What you need," his father growled, "is a swift kick in the ass. You do not go galavanting about the country side without informing your men. You are to be available to me when I call for you, do you hear me, boy?"

"So you would like me to be a dog rather than a man?" Endymion countered, his own temper flaring in response to his father's rising volume.

"Don't give me that attitude," his father snapped. "You are my son and heir and will obey me, as is your duty to father, crown, and country."

"And what does the crown require of its dutiful son?" Endymion asked, glaring.

"Marriage."

Endymion's brow furrowed once again, this time in confusion. "What?"

"I've arranged for you to marry. Since you were not here when I called for you, I was forced to make the decision for you. Don't worry, she's a beautiful girl, and healthy. She'll bear you sons."

Endymion was speechless. He could barely understand what his father was saying. Marry? Sons?

The king saw his son's confusion. "It is time, boy."

"No," Endymion managed. "No. How could you make such a decision without my consent, without my knowledge? To marry is bad enough, but to choose my wife? What gives you the right to --"

"I am your king!" Hector shouted. "And I am your father! That is what gives me the right. For near a year now you have been disobedient, withdrawn, disinterested in your duties. You were always a spirited boy, and I credit my own disposition for that, but enough is enough! If you are to inherit my throne, you must at least pretend to want it!"

Taken aback, Endymion calmed slightly. "Of course I want it, Father. But chaining me to a woman will not make me a more dutiful son. You wish me to be more attentive. I understand this. But why force me to marry?"

"You are twenty years old," Hector replied. "I married your mother, god rest her soul, when I was seventeen, and she cursed me with you two years later. As you well know, she never carried another babe to term, and it is only by sheer luck, given your recklessness, that you survived to manhood. Now, it is your duty to produce an heir. Mayhaps you will be luckier than I and have many sons, mayhaps you won't. But I will not gamble on the fate of my kingdom, boy. I will not have it fall into the hands of some greedy noble because you were too free-spirited to settle down and have sons. Since you show no interest in finding a wife of your own, I have found one for you. Be glad I found such a one as her. She's pretty, and her father says she's obedient."

Words failed Endymion, for he heard the logic in his father's words. The prince in him, the part of him that knew his duty to his kingdom, agreed. He'd been permitted to wile away a great deal of time, unrestricted and free to do as he pleased. But he would be king some day, some day not too far off if the advancing silver in his father's hair was any indication.

But his heart ached, and the necklace in his pocket suddenly felt like an anchor, weighing him down and rooting him to the ground. What would he tell Serenity?

His father saw the conflict in his eyes, and with a sigh, the king walked around the desk to clasp his son's shoulders. "My boy, I know the heavy burden that my blood has laid upon you, but do not think of this as a shackle. There will be women enough, beyond the marriage bed."

Endymion nodded, sealing his fate and resigning himself to his father's will.

-

By the time Endymion's men got him into his room, he had been through several bottles of wine. Nephrite and Jadeite hefted their prince onto his bed, where he let his head fall back to stare at the ceiling.

"Are you alright, Endymion?" Nephrite asked.

"Fine," Endymion grunted. "Leave me."

The two guards exchanged doubtful looks. Sensing their hesitation, the prince struggled to his feet and stood before them. His eyes were glassy, and his cheeks were flushed, but for all that wine, the prince stood firm on his feet. "I am fine," he said, more clearly this time. "Leave me."

When the door closed behind his guards, Endymion walked to his desk and leaned over it, staring into his reflection in the mirror. He was drunk, though not drunk enough to suit his needs. What Endymion really wanted -- what he needed -- was to be obliterated by drink.

In the mirror, Endymion saw a slight motion behind the curtains. The windows were closed.

Closing his eyes, Endymion said aloud, "You shouldn't be here, Serenity."

He turned around as she stepped out from where she'd been hiding, and the sight of her made him want to weep like a girl. He no longer felt the wine. She was so beautiful, her long silver hair falling about her in tumbling waves, blue eyes wide and filled with love. There was such joy in those eyes, such honesty and trust, and it made Endymion's heart constrict within the confines of his chest.

"I've missed you," she said sweetly, coming close to him. He inhaled, her scent making him dizzy. His body reacted to her, his arms itching to fold her in their embrace. He held himself back, stopped himself from reaching for her, kissing her, loving her.

She wrapped her slender arms around his neck, standing on her toes to press her lips against his. She was warm, and with her pressed against him like that, he felt as though he was drowning as he held himself back, refusing to return her soft caresses.

Serenity pulled back, her blue eyes filled with laughter. "What game is this, my love? You wish for me to beg for a kiss?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Endymion shook his head and shoved her away from him. He'd meant to be gentle, but she was small. Serenity stumbled back and caught herself on the post of his bed. The look of shock and hurt on her face slashed Endymion like a blade, but he clenched his jaw. "I meant what I said, Serenity. You shouldn't be here."

"I don't understand," she said softly.

"I am betrothed, Serenity."

The blood drained out of Serenity's face, leaving her cheeks the color of fresh fallen snow. Endymion was sure that she would have fallen if she hadn't been holding onto the bed post. Her voice, when she spoke, was small. "W-what?"

"Betrothed. Engaged. Promised to be married," Endymion said, knowing that each word was like a knife in Serenity's heart. He could see the pain and disbelief in her eyes, welling over with tears. "My father told me this afternoon. In six months' time, I shall have a wife. And it won't be you."

Those final words were not meant to hurt her, but he could see that they had. Slowly, Serenity slid to the floor, her hands covering her eyes as she wept. Endymion looked away, cursing his fate, his father, himself, but never going to her. He would not comfort her in this, he swore. How could he comfort her when there was no one to comfort him?

A few moments passed with no sound but Serenity's soft crying. When that subsided, she got to her feet and looked at him. He could feel her gaze on his face, and he forced himself to look her in the eyes, trying to ignore the drying tears on her cheeks.

"So that's it, then," she whispered hoarsely. "This is how it ends for us."

Her quiet was chipping away at his willpower, and some of his own grief bled into his voice. "We knew this day would come, Serenity. We knew it would end, one way or another."

She nodded. "I should go, then."

She turned toward the window, and Endymion lost his slippery hold on his self-control. He rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. "Don't go," he whispered. "Please, please don't go."

Together they knelt on the floor, holding desperately to one another. Endymion buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing the scent of her hair as deeply as he could. Without meaning to, he began to speak.

"It doesn't have to end, my love," he said, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, every inch of her face. "Even if I marry this woman, it doesn't have to end. We can still be together, as we always have. We can--"

"No," she said tearfully. "No, love, we can't. You know we can't. We have to end it."

In spite of himself, a tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. "Ask me to cut out my heart, for that would be more easily done. How can I live without you?"

Serenity pressed her forehead against his, her hands pressed to his cheeks. "I don't know how, Endymion, but you must. We have to end it."

"No," he hissed, grasping her forearms tightly, afraid to let her go. "Serenity, don't ask me to say goodbye. Please. I love you, Serenity. Please don't leave me."

"Oh Endymion." She mimicked him, covering his face with kisses. "Endymion, I love you. I will always love you. And perhaps that is how we will go on, in knowing that we love each other. Even if we cannot be together, we will always have that. We can cling to that."

Endymion clenches his eyes shut, as though if he could not see, none of this would be real. But even as Serenity cradled his head against her breast, he knew that this was goodbye. All the nights they'd spent together, making love and making promises of forever, all of it had been leading them to an ending. Forever was in their hearts only.

It was small, delicate Serenity who got them to their feet. Serenity, with her slender bones, bones he had been so careful not to bruise or break, she brought the strong, proud prince up off the ground. For a moment, he wept, no longer too stubborn or proud to hide his sorrow. The thought of losing Serenity was like a gaping hole in his heart. But she held him while he sobbed against her throat. And when his tears ran dry, she kissed each of his eyelids and then his lips.

He grabbed her roughly, desperately, deepening the kiss, trying to pour an entire lifetime of love and passion into one kiss. They parted breathlessly, staring into each other's eyes, trying to put off the moment as long as possible. Finally, Serenity took a step back and out of Endymion's embrace.

"I love you," he said, voice raspy with tears. "Please remember that. I will always love you, beyond this life."

She nodded, eyes filling with tears once again. "I will never stop loving you, Endymion. Goodbye, my love."

Serenity vanished, using her power to take her back to her own bedroom in her own palace on the Moon. Endymion could have followed her. He could have used his own power and chased after her. But he did not.

Instead, he sat down on the floor. As he did, he felt something in his pocket. Laughing bitterly, Endymion drew the opal necklace from his pocket, wondering how just a few hours ago he had been nearly giddy at the prospect of giving it to Serenity. With the necklace still in his grasp, Endymion buried his face in his hands, and alone, the prince of Earth wept.

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