5/28/09 - Chastity
Mead was a dangerous thing. It was sweet, and warm, and made the drinker crave more. Its irresistibility was currently manifesting itself in too many lords and ladies sporting very red faces and very little inhibition in the great hall. It was also why Princess Mars had contented herself to nursing her one glass over the course of the entire evening. Decorum required her to accept the hospitality of the royal family of Earth. Propriety demanded she accept the glass which was offered. Sensibility required her to maintain her focus while Princess Serenity was in the midst of so many strangers.
And above all, she needed all her wits about her while General Jadeite was anywhere within a thousand miles. Gods but that man was too much. The part of her that was still a young woman acknowledged that he was handsome and mysterious, and he had a certain power over her that made her stomach flip and her knees weak.
That made him dangerous.
For the thousandth time, she cursed this wretched banquet. Negotiations had not progressed in many months, and she was tiring of the constant travel. And every time she was on Earth, she had to be hyper aware of her surroundings. Anything could be a threat. Coupled with Serenity's penchant for being "curious" at all hours of the night, she was very nearly on her last nerve.
The music for the waltz began, and once again, Mars was in a bind. She was content to watch Serenity from a distance, but the music and the constant movement of the dancers forced her to move closer to detect threats more clearly.
She was making her way forward when she felt a hand take hers.
She couldn't see him, but she could feel him.
"What a pleasant coincidence, Princess," he whispered. "I, too need to watch my Prince more closely. Shall we?"
He moved in front of her, kissed her hand and bowed. Even when he was being an insufferable and arrogant cad, he still obeyed the rules of decorum. She could not turn down the invitation to the dance. And it would give her a better vantage point. Regrettably, she could not murder him at this moment. Instead, she allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor.
She made an effort not to be affected when she felt his arms take her in the proper hold, and willed herself to be calm as his body came close. He was a skilled and strong lead, and his complicated dance actually did allow both of them to survey the room as they danced. Her heart was pounding, and she hoped the blush rising to her cheeks would only be attributed to the exertion of the dance.
As the music stopped, they parted. Jadeite once again took her hand to his lips and then bowed. His smirk had only grown, and his eyes were dark with mischief and cockiness. His breathing was perfectly even.
"Thank you for the dance." There was a gravely quality to his voice that would have had most women swooning. It was a cue for Mars to brace herself. She stared him down with all the ferocity of a beast trapped at the end of the spear.
"My pleasure General."
He turned and walked away. The swagger in his gait was all to evident.
"You are sure you wish to do this Mars?"
"I am sure."
Queen Selenity took a long, hard look at the soldier bowing before her. Mars' dedication to her daughter was unquestioned. Taking the extra step of a vow of chastity was certainly not needed to prove her loyalty. If anything, it could create more problems. To break the unbreakable would have serious ramifications. And she was hesitant to deprive anyone of the sort of happiness she had always wanted for her own daughter. The Senshi were like sisters to Serenity, and they were like daughters to her.
"Look at me Mars."
Mars raised her head and met the Queen's eyes. She showed no doubt, no uncertainty, only conviction.
Selenity knew such conviction was born only from great heartache. Sadness filled her as she considered what sacrifices the girl kneeling before her had already made for her sake, and what further sacrifices she was offering.
"Very well. Rise."
Mars rose to her feet and offered her left arm. Queen Selenity summoned the bracelet and secured it about Mars' wrist. With a simple spell, it sealed itself and could not be removed; a physical symbol of the unbreakable vow she had sworn.
Mars observed the bracelet for a moment, a thousand emotion swirling in her eyes. Finally, a sense of finality and certainty came over her, and her face was serene when she met the Queen's gaze again. She was surprised to see tears in hers.
Selenity engulfed Mars in a warm embrace and whispered in her ear.
"I'm sorry."
At the next banquet, Mars was once again nursing a glass of mead and keeping an eye on Serenity. Jadeite approached her directly this time. His eye fell first to the bracelet. His usual smirk replaced with an unreadable mask.
"I trust you are enjoying yourself my lady?"
"Yes, thank you."
"We live to serve."
He turns and walks away. He does not swagger.
A curious friendship forms between the two. They are much more at ease with one another. Jadeite remains a perfect gentleman, and Mars is no longer so affected by his presence. Smiles are exchanged more often, and laughter comes between them much easier.
It is in one of these moments that it happens. As much as he was always drawn in by her mysterious beauty, it is when her eyes are bright and smiling with laughter that the words fall, unbidden from his lips.
"You are the most beautiful woman in the world."
Her breath hitches, and the entire world is suddenly just the two of them. And it shrinks as his hand finds her hair and his lips move towards her.
"Wait," she gasps.
The moment is broken. She awkwardly fidgets with the bracelet on her wrist.
"I can't."
His breath is ragged for a moment before he regains control.
"I know. I'm sorry."
"My first duty is to Serenity."
"I understand."
He turns to leave. His gait is that of a defeated man.
The blades meet, and for a moment, the warriors meet each others' gaze. Amethyst meets black.
It is not the way it should be. She remembers when those eyes were bright and blue, and looked upon her with desire and mischief.
Today, they are black and hollow, and she can feel the hate and the malice behind them.
"Why?" she asks.
A voice that is not entirely his responds.
"My first duty is to the Earth."
The words cut deeper than any blade. For a moment, all she can see is Queen Selenity's sad eyes, and suddenly, the full force of her sacrifice is brought to bear. She can feel the fire building inside of her.
A righteous fury fills her, and with a scream, the fire is released. It consumes them both, as well as the advancing army.
In the end, the fire is indistinguishable from the flames that burn all over the Moon Kingdom.
The Southern Army had performed admirably. As hard as she had pushed them, as hard as she had pushed him, they had responded.
She wondered if it was safe to tell him.
She decided to risk it.
"General."
"Yes Princess?"
"I think you should know… I know you are not who you once were."
He bowed, and she could tell that it was as though a great weight had been lifted from him.
"You should also know… I am not who I once was."
Confusion marked his features for a moment before realization made his eyes widen. For the first time in almost a thousand years, General Jadeite was utterly dumfounded. He licked his lips as he tried to find something appropriate to say.
"I… well… that is… Have you eaten?"
In spite of herself, she smiled at how awkward he suddenly was. This was a side of him she had not seen. She shook her head.
"Well, perhaps you'd care to join me?"
The smile stayed as she rose and walked with him. He was completely captivated until he realized they were both paused at the door. Inwardly, he kicked himself as he reached to open the door for her.
She stifled a laugh, but could not hide the light in her eyes. He stared at her in awe for a moment. She noticed.
"Did you want to say something?"
You are the most beautiful woman in the world.
"Oh, no, just, I think this will be nice."
She smiled. "Me to."