The resounding slap echoed off the crystal walls of the palace. He was aghast at himself almost before the sound had died away. Slowly, deliberately, she reached up, the back of her hand wiping at the corner of her mouth. A line of red smeared across the delicate, pale skin of her wrist. The contrast was shocking, and when she looked up, all the Fire of Mars was in her eyes... though she was sworn to Venus.
No words were said. No words needed to be said. Aphrodite was a strong woman. She would not be dominated by any man. This mistake, one moment of hot temper, would not be forgiven. Those glorious eyes, the color of the Earth below, blinked once, slowly. Then Venus turned on her heel and walked away, the clack of her heels and the swirl of her dress the only sounds in the room.
He had lost her. She would not be coming back.
Ares threw back his head and howled his loss to the stars shining through the roof overhead.
&
The ocean crashed, almost drowning out the sound of the cleric. One of the lovers smiled briefly, finding it slightly ironic that the priest was calling on the goddess whose daughter he was stealing to bless the union. She was too enraptured to notice.
The priest declared them man and wife, just as the first glorious colors of sunset erupted on the horizon. Endymion kissed Selene II deeply as the crowd cheered.
One man of the throng turned away, his smile of congratulations for his prince and friend fading. Kunzite turned to the north where the ominous cloud undulated on the horizon. It had seemed to him, just for a moment, that when the union was pronounced, the cloud had swelled angrily, as though protesting. Though not especially superstitious, he made the sign to ward off evil.
It felt too much like an omen of disaster.