Chapter 2. White Princess

Queen Beryl watched every move Serena made. She had eyes everywhere. In the instant that Serena became a threat of taking her throne away, Beryl would take action in doing away with the white princess.

Beryl was already getting bored of King Kenji. She wanted someone younger and someone who would assume the throne with her. Beryl had her eyes on Endymion. He had grown up to be a fine specimen and she couldn't help being drawn to his intense blue eyes and his power.

"Mirror, Mirror, what do you see for me and my future as Queen?" asked Beryl to her magic mirror in her room. In the mirror appeared a man with long white hair and he sighed at Beryl's question.

"I see the future holds only one place for thee. A white princess will take the throne and you will be unseen," replied the man in the mirror feeling a little terrified that he had to tell her that.

"What? She cannot take thy throne. I will not let that happen. I will dispose of her once and for all. No one will even miss her. Jedite!" A young man with blonde hair walked over to Beryl's side and kissed her hand.

"Yes, my Queen," replied Jedite.

"I want you to do something for me. It is very important. Take Princess Serena into the woods and with this..." Beryl made a dagger appear in her hand. "Cut out her heart out and bring it to me."

Jedite's eyes widen at the request his beloved Queen had asked of him. He only bowed his head and took the dagger hiding it in his cloak.

"As you wish my Queen." Jedite stands up and walked out the room.

"No, Jedite," said the man in the mirror, but Jedite didn't even hear him.

"No one can hear you or see you but me Zoicite. Now who is Queen in the future?" Beryl grinned at Zoicite.

Outside of Beryl's quarters, Yaten was passing by and over heard everything they had said. He quickly hid as Jedite exit with a mission in mind, cut out the heart of Princess Serena. When Jedite passed by, Yaten ran the opposite direction trying to find someone tell this information he had just heard.

Serena was walking down the hallway and met up with Mina, one of the four guardians and her best friend. Mina knew something was up when she saw Serena walk up to her.

"What's wrong?" asked Mina nudging her on the arm.

"I'm so confused," replied Serena with a sigh.

"About what?"

"Love. I don't know if what I'm feeling for Endymion is love."

"Then what do you believe it is?"

"It's a strong bond I know. I know that my dad would like me to be with good guy and I know Endymion is all that and more."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Every time we try to get close we always get interrupted. Don't you see that as a sign?"

"No, Serena." Mina puts her hands on her hips. "Is Seiya the one doing the interrupting?"

"Well, most of the time. You think he's doing it on purpose?"

"Duh. Seiya's gotta a thing for you."

"No, we're friends. I don't feel that way about him."

"You gotta be kidding me. I've seen the way you two stare at each other in class and when your dancing together. You two zone out into your own little worlds. It's kind of cute."

"Mina for being the goddess of love and stuff you really aren't very good at recognizing love."

"Serena you are on a little river called denial." Serena rolled her eyes and nodded her head.

"Maybe my confusion is love."

"Serena don't analyze love. It's a feeling. You feel it right here." Mina shows with her hand and pointed at her chest. "Your heart."

"How can I listen to my heart if every time I'm around Endymion and Seiya my heart starts beating faster?"

"The love of two men. It's going to be hard choice Serena, but I know you'd make the right decision."

"I hope so." Serena sighs again. "I'm going to see my dad. See ya later."

Serena walked over to her father's bedroom. He had been sick for the last couple of weeks and she had been keeping him company after her studies were done. Ikuko, a maid that has been attending to Kenji since he became sick, walked into the room with some soup a second after Serena entered the room.

"Kenji how are feeling?" asked Ikuko.

"Oh, still not too well," said Kenji. "But now that you and Serena are here perhaps today will be a good day." Kenji smiled at the maid and he hadn't realized that he had made her blush a bit. Serena noticed that as she sat on a chair next to her fathers bed.

"Can I?" asked Serena to Ikuko about feeding her father the soup she had brought.

"Sure," replied Ikuko. She placed the soup on the night stand and handed Serena the bowl with a something beneath it for her to hold the hot soup so she wouldn't burn herself. "Is there anything else I can get for you your highnesses?"

"No, thank you," replied Serena.

"I'll be off." Ikuko bowed her head and exited the room. Serena continued to feed her father and she soon found something that was itching to come out since she saw Ikuko blush.

"Dad," said Serena.

"What is it?" asked Kenji.

"I think Ikuko likes you."

Kenji suddenly spit's out the soup he had in his mouth and looked at Serena with wide eyes. Serena handed him a napkin to clean himself up.

"Why would you say that?"

"I like her. She reminds a lot of mom." Serena bowed her head.

"Oh, sweet heart. I know that Beryl isn't the best substitute for your mother but we're both happy here, aren't we? That's was counts."

"Beryl hates me. She's watching me like a hawk. She's never said anything nice to me or nothing. I don't know how you ever fell in love with her."

"Beryl's been through a lot. She's lost her husband and she had to take care of Endymion."

"Her maids did all that. Endymion told me so. She never once took care of him. He was on his own and so am I. If I lose you daddy, I've got nobody."

"Oh, Serena." He caressed her cheek and began to see some tears stream down her cheek. "You'll have your guardians. They will always be your family."

"I know." Serena pulled away and wiped her tears. "I'm going to go. I'll see for dinner." Kenji nodded his head and watched his distraught daughter leave his room.

Yaten was still running around the palace trying to find Serena but he only finds Mina. He stopped in front of her breathing heavily.

"Yaten," said Mina. "Are you alright."

"Give me a second," replied Yaten trying to control his breathing. He finally looked up at Mina. " I'm not...as athletic...as Seiya. Where is Serena?"

"She's with her dad. What's your hurry?"

"She's in danger. Beryl…she wants her dead. One of her guards is going to take her out into the woods and cut out her heart." Mina's eyes widen at what Yaten had just told her. She then grabbed hold of his shirt and dragged him along into the palace to find Serena.

Serena was already outside of the palace in the gardens on the opposite side of the palace from where Yaten and Mina were.

"Princess Serena," called Jedite. He startled her and she turned around. "There is something I want to show you." He extended his hand to her and Serena took. He led her out of the palace gates and started to walk towards the woods.

Mina and Yaten arrived at Kenji's door and they see Ikuko come out of the room with a tray. The two had hoped that Serena was still in the room with her dad and they confronted Ikuko to make sure of that.

"Ikuko, is Serena still in with her dad?" asked Mina.

"No, Serena left about 5 minutes ago," replied Ikuko. Mina's and Yaten's eyes widen at her answer.

"I've gotto warn the girls," said Mina as she began running down the hallway leaving Yaten behind.

"Thanks," replied Yaten. Then he runs after Mina.

Jedite was still leading Serena deeper into the woods. He wanted to make sure that they were far enough so no one would hear her scream.

"Jedite where are we going?" asked Serena. "Is this suppose to be a surprise?"

"Yes," replied Jedite as he continued to lead her on.

"I hope is not too far. My feet are killing me." Jedite made an abrupt stop and Serena crashed into him.

"Oops. Sorry. Next time give a girl a warning." Jedite turned to Serena. "So where is it or what is it?" Jedite grabbed hold of her and pushed her against a tree. "Ouch, Jedite." He then pulled out the dagger from his cloak and Serena's eyes widen at the sight of the dagger. Jedite moved closer to Serena, keeping her still with one hand that pushed her against the tree and the other hand with the dagger about to piece through her delicate skin. The dagger was inches away from the her heart when Jedite pushed away.

"I can't," said Jedite as he stuck the dagger into the ground just two feet away from Serena. He bowed his head. "I'm so sorry your highness. I was just doing my bidding from my Queen."

"Beryl," said Serena.

"She wants you dead. She told me to take you into the woods and with this dagger cut out your heart and bring to her." Serena gasped. "Go, run away. Don't come back. Run!" Serena quickly did what he told her and ran through the woods.

Jedite pulled the dagger out of the ground and stood up. He had to have something for Beryl or he surely be killed. Jedite spotted a white rabbit hopping about. He grinned a evil grin and went after the creature.

Back at the palace, a search party by the four guardians was in process but there was no sign of Serena anywhere in or around the palace. They knew that she had been taken into the woods and the four knew what they had to do. It was their duties as guardians of the princess to keep her safe. Without warning Endymion or King Kenji, the four readied themselves to save their princess.

AN: You know I wouldn't kill Serena.