Okay...I must admit, I'm a bit writer's blocked on "The Wager". I've
written several versions of the next chapter, but none seem just right...so
I'm starting this one to clear my thoughts a bit, so I'm not quite so
muddled. Let's just see how it goes, alright?
Lots of Love!
Lissy.
Endymion had worked in the palace all his life. He couldn't very well remember a time when he'd not been there, although for a few years after his birth, it had been illegal to have slaves of any sort, much less Earthlings. Endymion was an Earthling slave at the Lunarian palace...the worst sort. Earthlings were valued lower than dirt. The only purpose they had was to serve. Endymion resented his position, but he could do nothing against it. In his left ear was a gold ring, the only piece of jewelry slaves were ever allowed, as it marked them as property. If he tried to leave, he would be caught and returned, or killed.
At this time, he was on his way to the kitchens; dishes were always needing to be washed. Lost in his thoughts, he wasn't paying very close attention to his steps.
"Oh!" A very feminine voice cried. Endymion lost his footing, and fell to the floor, alongside a petite, silver-haired female. A Lunarian, of course. No Earthling had silver hair. He hastily repeated the necessary apology, hoping that the noblewoman- or so it appeared she was, by the manner of her dress- wouldn't send him to the torture chambers.
"This slave apologizes for his clumsiness, milady." He said, watching the young woman climb to her feet. It was illegal for a slave to voluntarily touch a noble. Accidents were bound to happen, most resulting in a serious punishment. But to touch a noble- and profane his or her purity- was forbidden. She shook out her dress, brushing the wrinkles from the soft, white fabric. Her silvery hair tumbled over her pale, smooth shoulders, nearly brushing the floor.
"No, no, it was my fault entirely. I wasn't paying attention. I'm very sorry. Are you alright?" she asked. Satisfied that her dress was in one piece, she looked up at him. Familiar silvery-blue eyes met his. She smiled hesitantly, pink lips curving gently. She had a striking face, a straight, perfect nose, rosy cheeks, and high, elegant cheekbones. Thick, long black lashes fanned her cheeks when she blinked. He'd seen her face many times, though never this close. It was the princess! Bloody Hell, he'd run into the princess of the moon! A few seconds later, he realized she was waiting for his response.
"What? Oh, no, I'm perfectly fine." He said in shock. She smiled again, not noticing his bewilderment.
"That's nice. I'd have felt terrible if you'd been hurt." She said softly. 'By the gods, she's beautiful,' Endymion thought, 'but foolish. What if someone caught her talking to a slave?'
"Is this slave bothering you, my love?" a silver haired man emerged from a corridor on the left, with a frown on his perfect, pale face. The princess sighed impatiently.
"No, Demando. The only one bothering me here is you." She said. The man paid no attention to her.
"I shall dispense of him for you, Serenity, my love." Demando said, drawing a gleaming sword from its sheath at his waist.
"No!" the princess cried, darting in front of Endymion. Demando could not halt the heavy weapon in time, but he tried to pull it away, thankfully ruining his aim. The heavy, razor-sharp sword sliced through her dress, and into her left thigh. She hiked her skirts, and grabbed the curved, wicked dagger strapped to her right thigh. In seconds, it was pointed just beneath Demando's chin.
"Drop your sword." She said, in a voice that was dangerously low. The sword clattered noisily to the ground. "Good...now turn around, and walk away. Slowly, slowly...that's it." Serenity said. Demando's rigid, frightened form walked slowly towards the corridor from whence he came, and broke into a mad run as soon as he reached it.
"Princess...you're bleeding." Endymion volunteered hesitantly. Serenity looked down in shock.
"Why, so I am." She murmured wondrously. The dagger slipped from her clenched fingers, and she swayed. "Strange...I can't even feel it." Her voice was slowly growing softer.
Endymion hesitated...to touch a noble- a *princess*- would mean death...to do nothing would mean her death. Panicked at the sight of blood staining the front of her gown, he scooped her into his arms, and raced towards the doctor's wing.
"What's your name?" the young woman murmured softly, tracing the features of his face in wonder.
"Endymion," he said, hoping that would pacify her, and she'd keep quiet the rest of the way.
"Endymion," she whispered. Her fingers stroked his cheek ever so gently, cupping his face tenderly. "When I am queen, you will be free." Having said that, she slipped into unconsciousness.
Endymion reached the doctor's quarters, and burst through the door. The doctor, a young Mercurian woman named Ami, took one look at Serenity and gasped.
"Set her down on the bed...quickly, now! You've brought her just in time. Another few minutes, and she'd have died, surely...you've saved her life." Ami gathered her supplies, and went to work on Serenity. She cut a length of thread, and threaded a needle.
"How can you think of mending clothes at a time like this?" Endymion cried, raking a hand through his unruly ebony hair.
"Not for clothes, sir, for her," She said, jerking her head towards Serenity while tying a knot in the thread.
"For her?!" Endymion nearly shouted.
"Keep your voice down if you please, she's sleeping quite peacefully considering, and I'd like to keep it that way." Ami said patiently. "Yes, it's for her. She's got quite a gash...you can explain how she got it in a minute...I'll have to sew it up, and cauterize it, so she won't get an infection or lose any more blood." She held the thread to the light, making sure it was strong. "Be prepared to hold her down. Some who faint awaken while I make the stitches, some don't...if she wakes up, you can be sure she will be in great pain...she will most likely scream and thrash, and such great pain adds strength ten fold to the body."
Endymion took his place beside Serenity, smoothing her hair from her face. He leaned close to her to gauge her reaction when Ami began to stitch the wound closed. When the needle and thread were drawn through her tender skin, he saw her flinch. About half way through, her eyes opened, filled with tears. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she bit her lip, unwilling to utter a sound. The tears, however, she could not control. They slid down her cheeks silently, each one paining Endymion as if it were he the doctor was stitching up. He brushed them away from her cheeks, more gentle than he thought he could be.
"Shhhhh..." he hushed her softly, linking her fingers with his, allowing her to squeeze his hand tightly. He knew he could be killed for touching her so, but he owed her this small comfort. He owed her his life. Her eyes locked onto his, searching. He felt like she could see into his very soul, and it scared him for a minute. Finally, she closed her eyes, resting her head back on the pillow, smiling softly through the pain. Tears still streaked her cheeks, but she was no longer tense, and her fingers no longer clutched his hand desperately. She was still awake...but she trusted him to be her strength. He leaned forward and brushed his lips across her forehead gently. He didn't know what made him do it, but it earned him a curious glance from the doctor.
Her eyes opened again, and glanced at him. He heard a sharp sizzle, and smelt burning flesh. The fever-bright silver-blue eyes that gazed up at him held no pain.
"You will be free." She murmured, squeezing his hand. With a soft sigh, she turned her face into the pillow, and slept. Endymion gazed down at the beautiful young woman in amazement.
"She will sleep peacefully now. It's amazing that she didn't struggle." Ami said, blinking at Endymion, stunned by the words the princess had murmured. "Tell me now, how did you come to bring her here?"
"I accidentally ran into her in the hallway...after I apologized, she insisted it was her fault. A man came...I think his name was Demando...he tried to run me through with his sword, but she...she jumped in front of me. He couldn't stop mid-swing, and sliced her leg. She...pulled a knife on him and ordered him away. She was bleeding so much...so I brought her here." Endymion explained hastily.
"You've certainly saved her life as surely as she saved yours. She'll be fine now, there's no need for you to stay. I won't tell anyone who brought her here." Ami said. Endymion thanked her, and hurried out of the room. When he arrived in the kitchens, he was patronized heavily for being late, and sent about his duties.
By midnight, he was finished, and fell into his small, hard bed, exhausted, asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The next day, he was early for his duties. The head cook, Lita, from Jupiter, thrust a silver tray at him.
"What's this for?" he asked, confused.
"Take it to Princess Serenity. She asked to see you." The young woman said, turning away.
'She asked to see me?' Endymion wondered, as he walked the halls, 'Why would she ask to see me?'
Okay! S'all for now, peoples! I hope to get more out later today....gosh, this just writes itself!!!
Love ya lots!!
Lissy.
Lots of Love!
Lissy.
Endymion had worked in the palace all his life. He couldn't very well remember a time when he'd not been there, although for a few years after his birth, it had been illegal to have slaves of any sort, much less Earthlings. Endymion was an Earthling slave at the Lunarian palace...the worst sort. Earthlings were valued lower than dirt. The only purpose they had was to serve. Endymion resented his position, but he could do nothing against it. In his left ear was a gold ring, the only piece of jewelry slaves were ever allowed, as it marked them as property. If he tried to leave, he would be caught and returned, or killed.
At this time, he was on his way to the kitchens; dishes were always needing to be washed. Lost in his thoughts, he wasn't paying very close attention to his steps.
"Oh!" A very feminine voice cried. Endymion lost his footing, and fell to the floor, alongside a petite, silver-haired female. A Lunarian, of course. No Earthling had silver hair. He hastily repeated the necessary apology, hoping that the noblewoman- or so it appeared she was, by the manner of her dress- wouldn't send him to the torture chambers.
"This slave apologizes for his clumsiness, milady." He said, watching the young woman climb to her feet. It was illegal for a slave to voluntarily touch a noble. Accidents were bound to happen, most resulting in a serious punishment. But to touch a noble- and profane his or her purity- was forbidden. She shook out her dress, brushing the wrinkles from the soft, white fabric. Her silvery hair tumbled over her pale, smooth shoulders, nearly brushing the floor.
"No, no, it was my fault entirely. I wasn't paying attention. I'm very sorry. Are you alright?" she asked. Satisfied that her dress was in one piece, she looked up at him. Familiar silvery-blue eyes met his. She smiled hesitantly, pink lips curving gently. She had a striking face, a straight, perfect nose, rosy cheeks, and high, elegant cheekbones. Thick, long black lashes fanned her cheeks when she blinked. He'd seen her face many times, though never this close. It was the princess! Bloody Hell, he'd run into the princess of the moon! A few seconds later, he realized she was waiting for his response.
"What? Oh, no, I'm perfectly fine." He said in shock. She smiled again, not noticing his bewilderment.
"That's nice. I'd have felt terrible if you'd been hurt." She said softly. 'By the gods, she's beautiful,' Endymion thought, 'but foolish. What if someone caught her talking to a slave?'
"Is this slave bothering you, my love?" a silver haired man emerged from a corridor on the left, with a frown on his perfect, pale face. The princess sighed impatiently.
"No, Demando. The only one bothering me here is you." She said. The man paid no attention to her.
"I shall dispense of him for you, Serenity, my love." Demando said, drawing a gleaming sword from its sheath at his waist.
"No!" the princess cried, darting in front of Endymion. Demando could not halt the heavy weapon in time, but he tried to pull it away, thankfully ruining his aim. The heavy, razor-sharp sword sliced through her dress, and into her left thigh. She hiked her skirts, and grabbed the curved, wicked dagger strapped to her right thigh. In seconds, it was pointed just beneath Demando's chin.
"Drop your sword." She said, in a voice that was dangerously low. The sword clattered noisily to the ground. "Good...now turn around, and walk away. Slowly, slowly...that's it." Serenity said. Demando's rigid, frightened form walked slowly towards the corridor from whence he came, and broke into a mad run as soon as he reached it.
"Princess...you're bleeding." Endymion volunteered hesitantly. Serenity looked down in shock.
"Why, so I am." She murmured wondrously. The dagger slipped from her clenched fingers, and she swayed. "Strange...I can't even feel it." Her voice was slowly growing softer.
Endymion hesitated...to touch a noble- a *princess*- would mean death...to do nothing would mean her death. Panicked at the sight of blood staining the front of her gown, he scooped her into his arms, and raced towards the doctor's wing.
"What's your name?" the young woman murmured softly, tracing the features of his face in wonder.
"Endymion," he said, hoping that would pacify her, and she'd keep quiet the rest of the way.
"Endymion," she whispered. Her fingers stroked his cheek ever so gently, cupping his face tenderly. "When I am queen, you will be free." Having said that, she slipped into unconsciousness.
Endymion reached the doctor's quarters, and burst through the door. The doctor, a young Mercurian woman named Ami, took one look at Serenity and gasped.
"Set her down on the bed...quickly, now! You've brought her just in time. Another few minutes, and she'd have died, surely...you've saved her life." Ami gathered her supplies, and went to work on Serenity. She cut a length of thread, and threaded a needle.
"How can you think of mending clothes at a time like this?" Endymion cried, raking a hand through his unruly ebony hair.
"Not for clothes, sir, for her," She said, jerking her head towards Serenity while tying a knot in the thread.
"For her?!" Endymion nearly shouted.
"Keep your voice down if you please, she's sleeping quite peacefully considering, and I'd like to keep it that way." Ami said patiently. "Yes, it's for her. She's got quite a gash...you can explain how she got it in a minute...I'll have to sew it up, and cauterize it, so she won't get an infection or lose any more blood." She held the thread to the light, making sure it was strong. "Be prepared to hold her down. Some who faint awaken while I make the stitches, some don't...if she wakes up, you can be sure she will be in great pain...she will most likely scream and thrash, and such great pain adds strength ten fold to the body."
Endymion took his place beside Serenity, smoothing her hair from her face. He leaned close to her to gauge her reaction when Ami began to stitch the wound closed. When the needle and thread were drawn through her tender skin, he saw her flinch. About half way through, her eyes opened, filled with tears. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she bit her lip, unwilling to utter a sound. The tears, however, she could not control. They slid down her cheeks silently, each one paining Endymion as if it were he the doctor was stitching up. He brushed them away from her cheeks, more gentle than he thought he could be.
"Shhhhh..." he hushed her softly, linking her fingers with his, allowing her to squeeze his hand tightly. He knew he could be killed for touching her so, but he owed her this small comfort. He owed her his life. Her eyes locked onto his, searching. He felt like she could see into his very soul, and it scared him for a minute. Finally, she closed her eyes, resting her head back on the pillow, smiling softly through the pain. Tears still streaked her cheeks, but she was no longer tense, and her fingers no longer clutched his hand desperately. She was still awake...but she trusted him to be her strength. He leaned forward and brushed his lips across her forehead gently. He didn't know what made him do it, but it earned him a curious glance from the doctor.
Her eyes opened again, and glanced at him. He heard a sharp sizzle, and smelt burning flesh. The fever-bright silver-blue eyes that gazed up at him held no pain.
"You will be free." She murmured, squeezing his hand. With a soft sigh, she turned her face into the pillow, and slept. Endymion gazed down at the beautiful young woman in amazement.
"She will sleep peacefully now. It's amazing that she didn't struggle." Ami said, blinking at Endymion, stunned by the words the princess had murmured. "Tell me now, how did you come to bring her here?"
"I accidentally ran into her in the hallway...after I apologized, she insisted it was her fault. A man came...I think his name was Demando...he tried to run me through with his sword, but she...she jumped in front of me. He couldn't stop mid-swing, and sliced her leg. She...pulled a knife on him and ordered him away. She was bleeding so much...so I brought her here." Endymion explained hastily.
"You've certainly saved her life as surely as she saved yours. She'll be fine now, there's no need for you to stay. I won't tell anyone who brought her here." Ami said. Endymion thanked her, and hurried out of the room. When he arrived in the kitchens, he was patronized heavily for being late, and sent about his duties.
By midnight, he was finished, and fell into his small, hard bed, exhausted, asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The next day, he was early for his duties. The head cook, Lita, from Jupiter, thrust a silver tray at him.
"What's this for?" he asked, confused.
"Take it to Princess Serenity. She asked to see you." The young woman said, turning away.
'She asked to see me?' Endymion wondered, as he walked the halls, 'Why would she ask to see me?'
Okay! S'all for now, peoples! I hope to get more out later today....gosh, this just writes itself!!!
Love ya lots!!
Lissy.