The garden is quiet, peaceful. The perfect place for someone to come and enjoy solitude, away from piercing gazes and whispering voices.

All the court had been forced to agree that the Lady Beryl was purified, but that did nothing to stop their gossip or their cruel words. The Prince and Princess, soon to be King and Queen of the country already calling itself Crystal Tokyo were too merciful, they said. Beryl was too dangerous, they said. Already, some whispered, the Shitennou were being drawn to her side and surely that was proof of wrong-doing.

This garden, the only one of its kind – white roses, white tulips, it was a place of greenery, or purity, soiled by only one sight – the flame red hair of the woman taking shelter in its peace. The people of the court found the garden, with its stillness, its pure white flowers, eery, sad. They said it would be better to make it like the others, a mix of flowers, a riot of colors.

It was the only argument the Lady took place in, and her first victory at the court – another source of rumor, of course.

Sitting at one of the two swings, Beryl drifted slowly, the long green dress she wore covering her frame, touches of purple embellishment the only hint of the queen she had once been. Her expression was one of quiet sorrow and exhaustion. Tied to the swing beside her, a white scarf, dancing in the wind. A promise that her companion would return quickly.

The scarf, a gossamer thing more fitting for a woman and than a man, was not her only company however. Beryl could feel his presence, watching her from the corner of the garden and knew that she was with him. An almost bitter smile crossed her features, the sadness dimming not one bit.

With all their kind words, all their pretty speeches, the young women knew all to well that the royal leaders of Crystal Tokyo did not truly trust her. Why else would they watch so closely, unless their intent was to drive the knife even deeper. For the Prince and Princess, the soon-to-be Monarchs of this country – and Beryl had no doubts that soon it would be the world – were husband and wife, the rings borne by their left hands unmistakable proof.

The sight of the ring on that man's finger was often a source of quiet misery for the red-headed woman, though her pride kept her face a calm mask in all places but this simple garden that had inadvertently become hers.

Some of the more romantic members of the court said that she pined away for him, ever lonely and quietly despairing at the sight of the man she loved in the arms of his rightful wife and true love.

They were fools. Beryl may have been saddened, heart-sick once upon a time, but she had never in her life broken. Lied, tortured, maimed, and killed yes – but Beryl had never broken and it would take more than a hopeless love to break her now.

Quiet footsteps heralded the return of her companion, and when her lips turned up, it was with genuine pleasure. Zoisite took a seat on the lonely swing, nimble fingers untying his scarf.

"My apologies for keeping you," he smiled impishly. "It took longer than I had anticipated to find the others."

"Oh?" She asked quietly. In the distance, she could sense Endymion and Serenity moving away, though she was unsure why. They had listened in on the pair before, continued to watch them in the past. Why – and then strong hands placed a coat over her shoulders, and she understood. Kunzite walked past the pair, leaning against a nearby tree as she watched them swing. His gaze, she noted, stayed on his Prince, though he didn't move to follow them.

"Kunzite was leaving shift," Zoisite explained with a sparkling, mischievous smile. "And I thought it only proper that a lady such as yourself should have some protection as you enjoy this lovely garden. Jadeite and Nephrite will join us soon enough; Jade is bothering the Lady Jupiter again."

Beryl chuckled faintly, one gloved hand covering her smile, as was only polite. Zoisite's grin widened and even Kunzite smirked faintly

This, she knew, was why the Prince and his Princess fled. Why their smiles were always the slightest hint nervous, their eyes watchful. The Four Shitennou of Elysion followed their orders, carried out their commands, yes.

But it was for the Lady Beryl that they smiled, relaxed. It was she who would win their hearts, and all the court knew it.