Story: Beloved Midnight

Chapter: Two

Anime: Sailor Moon

Pairing: Serenity/Endymion

Rated: Teen

Author's Notes: I'm really proud of the fact that I am keeping a steady update for this story. Enjoy the chapter.

The irony that life beholds is seemingly unbelievable. There are some things it throws at you, and it makes you think what it could possibly have been drinking to make it do it. He was standing there still as perfect as before – I could tell that now and actually trust my opinions. Yes, he was impossibly good looking. I'd admit that at the very least. Unfortunately, the package that contained everything he had within wasn't exactly what I was looking for anymore.

"You wanted this, you should'a accepted it a long time ago," I said, glaring at him fiercely.

My mother turned sharply in her chair. "Serenity!"

I didn't hear her nor did I intend to. "What do you want or did your parents force you to come this time too?" His mouth dropped open slightly, but he didn't utter a word. "Spit it out, bastard."

My father stood. "Serenity, how dare you speak to Prince Endymion with such language! That is very improper for a princess. We taught you better than that."

"Well, is the way he talked to us and his parents any way proper for a prince to speak, father? And don't even say 'we'. You were never home to bother raising me." I turned towards Prince Endymion, and stepped down on the marble floor. "Don't look at me like I should be a ditz. I remember who you are and what you once were to me."

"Serenity," my mother said sternly, "That's enough. That's no way to talk to anybody no matter what they ever did."

"Don't matter?" I snapped, twisting to glare at her, "Doesn't matter, mother? This man treated us like shit! He only cared about himself. He didn't even bother to listen to what his parents had to say to him. All he wanted was to go home. He didn't even give us a chance!"

"Now, wait a minute," Endymion started.

"Shut up!" I yelled, turning my angry face towards him now, "I was ten years old, but even at that age I still understood what was happening. You didn't want me or anything I had to offer. I'm sure you don't want me now, either. All you probably want is the power and money that is entitled to me. Isn't that right, huh?"

"No, that's not true, princess," Endymion said, stepping forward. He reached his long, strong arm out to me.

I jolted back. "Don't even think about touching me. Get out! Go away, you coward? You imbecile! Get out!" I could feel tears begin to stir in the very depths of my eyes. I couldn't let him see me cry again so I ran.

I ran like never before. My mother told me she never saw a woman run like I did. When I was a little girl, I used to book it all over the palace, knocking everything over as I went. I love the feel of running, the adrenaline it contained. It sent this certain temporary numb feeling over my whole body and mind, and all I could focus on was putting one foot in front of the other. At moments like this, I let that feeling flow through my system, washing me clean of all my emotions. I knew it was only temporary, but even so I embraced it. In the back of my mind, I felt it when I hit open, fresh air because it wasn't stuffy like in the palace. I wasn't sure where my feet were taking me, but I trusted them enough to let them lead the way.

--

I could feel the change completely in the air when I reached a safe enough distance from the palace walls. I knew my parents would be quick to send guards out to find me. I stopped glancing over my shoulders, and looked at the path in front of me. It led through a tall, misty forest. I had no idea what was inside, but nevertheless I took another step that started me down the narrow, rough path.

Nature was everything, but that was expected. One you got about five feet into the forest, the path almost disappeared completely because of the branches, weeds, grass, and moss everywhere. I glanced up from my feet when I smelt the scent of smoke in the air. I looked around my surroundings, looking for the source. That's when I saw a small, wooden cottage resting in the midst of the trees several yards ahead of the path. I crept forward, staying cautious. I reached the small clearing that expanded only a few feet in front of the cottage's walls. A lit candle sat in front of a window inside the little house. I walked up to the tiny wooden door, trying to peak in the small little hole of a window. I jumped when I heard a sudden sound. I looked towards my left to where the sound it had come from.

I sighed, placing a hand over my chest. "Thank Selene." It was only a horse. I turned towards it more fully, putting a kind smile on my face. "Hello."

The horse neighed again, but didn't move. I took that as a greeting. The horse had a remarkably deep black coat and black eyes. Its mane shined from the thin strips of sunlight that managed to break through the tree tops. The horse was big and looked strong and steady. It was an exact opposite of my pure white horse, Moonlight, back home. My feet started to creep their way towards the horse as my hand reached out, preparing to lightly touch him.

"Beautiful, isn't he?" a deep, masculine voice said from behind me.

I spun around in surprise only to see Prince Endymion leaning against the doorway of the cottage. "You. What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I could ask you the same thing. No, wait. That's right. You ran here. Now, to answer your question: I followed you. You know, princess, a horse can be a lot faster."

"I don't need your smart comments. Leave me alone," I said, turning back to the path I was on originally.

"Oh, jeez, now that didn't sound childish at all. What are you going to do? Ran away again, I assume," he said. "You are pretty damn good at it after all."

"Oh, please. You were the expert ten years ago." I faced him again.

"I see you caught up with the flow."

I scoffed. "You know what? I don't need this. I don't want to talk to a selfish jerk like you."

Endymion hit his fist against his chest, feigning pain. "That one hurt."

"Shut up," I said, turning back around and beginning to walk away.

"Oh, come on, Serenity. Don't be so stubborn," Endymion said, grabbing onto my arm and pulling me back. "Don't you want to give us a try at least one more time? I know I didn't want it before, but I was only fourteen. I'm different now. I've grown up. Please, I want to try again."

"I'm sorry. Second chances aren't given out so easily anymore," I said, "You should have been the one to try ten years ago to get to know me. Instead, you walked out without even a glance at me."

Endymion groaned, dropping my arm. "Serenity, I was fourteen! I didn't want to marry a princess. I wanted to train and practice, ride my horse, and play rough with my friends. I didn't want to look to the future even though I knew it was there. I didn't even know I was coming here when we did. My parents told me that we were going to visit some countries over seas, but then we end up on the moon. That was when they told me I was here to meet my future bride. How do you think a teenager would have taken that? What would you have done?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. You were so cold. You saw me crying, but not once did a flash of guilt wash over your face, not even for a brief second."

He walked towards me and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Look, Serenity, I'm sorry about what happened between us. I feel awful about it. I know I didn't care then, but I do now. I want there to be an us now. I'm just asking for one tiny chance. Please?" I sighed. "You could start off by coming back to the palace. You still have two weeks till your birthday. I'm not asking for a change of heart right away, okay? I don't want to rush you or force you. If you don't want me by the end of the two weeks, I'll go home."

"But my parents said-."

"I'll deal with your parents and with the law. All I want is for you to make the right decision. A decision you want. We both can make our future for ourselves now, Serenity. Don't let this opportunity pass by too quickly. I do care about you, but I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't feel comfortable with."

"Okay, okay," I said. "I get it. Two weeks. I'll try to get to know you – emphasis on try, but I still don't like you."

Endymion smiled, making it send shivers down my spine that I didn't want to be there. "That's fine. I'm just glad you're giving me a second chance."

"Yes, well, there won't be a third so don't do anything stupid or I'll go with my original plan and clobber you," I said, making him laugh a deep laugh.

"As long as you do it with all you got in those little arms of yours," he said with a crooked smile. He whistled sharply. The sound make his horse's head rise up suddenly, and move toward him. "Oh, and this… this is Midnight. We grew up together."

"Midnight?" I said softly. Maybe a little compliment wouldn't hurt. "You know, Endymion – can I call you that? -, your eyes are really gorgeous. I would call that kind of color midnight blue. I really like it."

He smiled that adorably cute crooked smile again. "Midnight blue, you say? I'll take your word on that. Thanks." He got on his horse, and reached out his hand. "I've give you a ride back to the palace. I'm sure you don't want to run again."

I shrugged. "I guess you're right." I placed my small, pale hand into his large, tan one, and he pulled me up in front of him with no effort. He whispered some ancient words to Midnight, making him race forward with graceful agility.

I turned my head to look at the terrain prince. "Was that Lunarian you just spoke to him?"

He nodded. "Yes, it was. I've studied the language of the Lunarians since I was a child. I trained Midnight to only respond to it. It's helpful during a war."

"You've fought it wars?" I asked, my eyes widening. He nodded again, but his eyes remained ahead of me.

"Yes, several. It's the prince's duty to lead the war when he becomes of age."

"Oh. Is it scary?"

"No, not anymore. The first war was a bit, but I guess you just get used to it after awhile. I've seen blood and death so many times it no longer fazes me."

I shook my head. "I don't think I could ever be in a war."

"Nor would I want you to be. War is a depressing, hard place to be. It wouldn't be fit for a princess," Endymion said, this time looking down at me. His eyes were hard and serious, making the message sterner. I didn't respond so we rode in silence. I could see the palace getting even closer. My parents were waiting at the gate. I dreaded seeing them and having to hear their lectures.

"Um, I'm sorry about you being tricked into coming here the first time," I said, keeping my head bowed.

"I'm sorry for never giving you a chance you deserved," he said, "I glad you are giving me that chance again. You'll never know how much I appreciate it. Thank you."

I nodded, not knowing what to say. I could tell that he had really grown up these past ten years, but that didn't mean I was going to forgive him right away. Teenagers still knew right from wrong, and he knew what he was doing. I would give him this chance out of kindness, but he would have to earn the place in my heart where a he had already dug a deep hole so many years ago.

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MoonlightMaiden14