Hello, disclaimer!
I kinda' DON'T own Sailor Moon. Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha and Toei
Animation, however, DO. So there's that. . . no lawsuits, and everybody's
happy! Yay! ^_^
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Fire and Ice
Chapter 3: Torrents of Emotion and Damnable Downpours
~~~~~~~~~~
Upon stepping out into the bitter chill of the air outside, Endymion immediately realized just what a complete shambles the formerly organized camp had become, and in record time, none the less. The surprise attack had definitely caught Diamond's men off guard and there had been far less soldiers stationed there than first predicted.
With odds in their favor, the troops of the Terran army had easily devastated the enemy forces, cutting down over half and forcing the rest to flee through the trees to unknown destinations.
Their fearless leader was nowhere to be found, having vanished without a trace as usual. Endymion wished for nothing more than the opportunity to run the bastard through with his own blade, longing for the day in which he would finally be forced to face him after being granted so many clean escapes. So much chaos had been born of him, his trickery far spread, more so than any of the Earth's court had seen at first glance.
Though the reasons behind Diamond's madness remained yet in shadow, Endymion had the feeling that very soon, they would be made known. Kidnapping the princess of the Moon had been a rather bold maneuver, however, even for Diamond. Surely he realized the consequence of such a thing.
Nevertheless, Endymion was thankful to have her under his protection, for the good of his kingdom and his own health. At very least he could now keep a close watch over her, ensure that no more wickedness would befall her until she was returned to her home.
His only remaining concern at the time was discovering just what she'd succumbed to while being held as his captive. He'd taken little time to look her over upon first glance, leaving himself still oblivious to the answers he sought out.
However, knowing Diamond, odds were that his worst fears would indeed be founded. As badly as he dreaded the discovery, things were now in Zoisite's capable hands, and the prince hoped to hear nothing but news that he could stomach.
If Diamond had indeed violated her in such an inexcusable way, he realized what a dilemma they would be facing. Her mother would be livid, and understandably so. War would no doubt erupt, leaving another would be alliance shattered and more lives to be lost, ideas which caused his frown to deepen as he made his way through the camp, seeking out his most medically inclined general.
Being drawn from his heated reverie, Endymion noticed that a bitter, stinging rain had begun to fall, and soon it was pelting him mercilessly, prompting him to adjust the position of his cargo. He maneuvered her around until she lay cradled like a child in his arms, her face buried against the front of his uniform to keep her from being assaulted by the sting of the falling rain.
This was no damn good. At this rate, the accumulation would be swift and heavy, perhaps even causing the surrounding streams and river to flood their banks, which would do nothing to help them in the least. The gods, he mused, must have been feeling very fickle this day.
Raging with his own thoughts, he came upon Zoisite, who was occupied with searching a few abandoned tents to ensure that they were emptied of enemy soldiers.
"Zoisite!" he called rather loudly, approaching the blond man with much haste. The general turned then to witness the sight of his prince coming toward him, a body wrapped in a violet cloak held securely in his arms. That had to be her, the reason behind this entire miserable mission.
"You've found her then? How does the lady fair?" he wondered, his steps quick as he dashed into the pouring rain to meet them.
"I know not, though I fear treachery has befallen her. I ask that you take a look for yourself. You would know of her condition far better than I," his charge answered, looking down upon her small form as he spoke.
Her hood had fallen a bit, revealing her face to his view. She looked so helpless lying there, droplets of rain sliding along her pale skin before he bowed his head over her, shielding her from the merciless water. He noted with alarm that her lips appeared to be turning blue, and even he realized that her life would be forfeited, should they not act swiftly to aid her.
"Come. We must warm her. There is chance of hypothermia, should she remain chilled," he informed him, sending shockwaves tearing through the prince. That, he resolved, would not do. While he held any power over the matter in the least, there would be no more death this day.
As he stood, still protecting the unconscious princess from the pouring rain, Zoisite began shouting commands at nearby troops until a large tent was set up, ready to accept them into it's embrace.
"I must retrieve my necessities, but keep her warm until I return. I shall be but a moment," Zoisite promised, before disappearing into the rain once more, leaving the prince with the task he'd been given.
Endymion sat cross legged on the floor, his hair dripping water and the princess's body cradled precariously in his lap. The back of his hand touched her cheek, and he sighed mightily as he realized how cold she truly was.
Her soft skin was like ice, her color nearly drained entirely. Worry gnawed away at him like some wild beast, and he unclasped his own cape, shaking the moisture from it before wrapping it about her small form, pulling it close about her.
"Should you have entertained the notion of dying in my presence. . . do think again, princess," he advised, knowing all the while that she'd not heard a word he'd spoken.
How damned annoying, he thought silently, his hands running along her arms and shoulders as he attempted to get her blood circulating properly. If this blasted girl expired, it would be all their asses, and he knew it well.
In desperation, the prince brought her in close against his chest, hoping that what heat he'd managed to retain would help to sustain her until Zoisite could take over.
Soon the tent flap opened, his four generals stepping in, all dripping wet and carrying arm loads of supplies and necessities. Kunzite sat a cot down heavily upon the ground while Zoisite motioned for his charge to deposit the princess upon it. The man was well trained in the area of medical sciences, leaving his faith resting heavily upon him.
His medical bag in hand, the genuinely concerned general hovered over her, attempting to quickly diagnose the situation. Nephrite went about the task of lighting lanterns around the somewhat cramped space, hanging them with care upon the wooden support beams of the tent. Light softly filled the area, leaving them all speechless as it hit the golden crescent moon upon Serenity's forehead, causing it to glow brightly.
"By the blessed gods above," Jadeite muttered, his mouth hanging slightly agape as he took in the sight of her. She was a gorgeous creature, that none present could possibly deny. The rumors floating about hadn't done her justice, had they?
"Well, at least we can be assured that this is our girl," Nephrite mumbled, coming to stand next to Jadeite as he too began to gawk, though attempting to appear as though he were doing just the opposite.
"That she is. Just look at her. No wonder Diamond wished to have her in his possession. Who would be fool enough not to?" Jadeite wondered, causing Endymion to roll his eyes. The girl was near death and all he could manage to do was ogle her?
"Alright, gentlemen. I require room to work. Do be kind enough to leave me to examine her. But Endymion. . . you stay," Zoisite ordered, before turning back to his patient. The other three generals did as he bid, though Jadeite grumbled the entire while. The man wanted desperately to see more of the princess, after all.
After only three occupants remained, Zoisite cautiously removed the cape and cloak from about her form, revealing what a mess she truly was. One good look at her had the man scowling, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenching with anger at what he was witnessing.
"Oh, no. . . not this," he breathed, closing his eyes as anger swept through him. How dare he? How DARE he do such a thing to this innocent? He looked over at Endymion, who in turn had a deadly grimace written across his face.
"Though I know not what transpired, by the looks of her dress I can surely imagine. He had no right," he told his friend, his internal rage evident in his voice.
His dark eyes swept over the from of the princess, taking in the sight with a twinge of sadness stabbing away at his heart. Too late. He'd promised to protect her, yet he'd been too late.
"Look here, Endymion," Zoisite pointed out, taking her hand gently in his own as he lifted one arm for their inspection. Rage only grew as his eyes swept over the bruises dotting her perfect skin.
"What race of monster would dare such a thing? She had no defense. This girl did nothing to deserve this," Endymion declared, his voice coldly controlled as his fingers trailed along her skin as if she were made of glass instead of flesh and blood.
"He is no man to do such a thing to an innocent such as this maiden. Though it appears that she attempted to fight him," he noted, holding up her right hand for his charge to see.
"Blood," he said absently, noticing that her fingertips were colored red, as was the space beneath her fingernails. So she HAD made an attempt, though only succeeding in angering him further, the prince guessed, as Zoisite again lowered her hand gently to her side to continue his assessment.
Endymion shook his head, taking a deep breath as he tried to control the emotions swimming through him at an alarming rate. He himself could be quite an amorous lover, but he would never attempt to take anyone against their will. This girl hadn't deserved this dose of inhumanity.
Gods, how scared she must have been, he thought, to face such a monstrous thing alone, in a place that was nothing but foreign to her sight.
Pity for the fair girl lying before him grew within his heart, prompting the man to long more desperately to find Diamond and leave nothing of his body to be identified by passers by. This would entail much explanation, he thought, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Of all the gods be damned luck.
"I feel that she will be well, physically, at any rate, under the condition that warmth remains with her. Her body appears well, save for these beastly bruises. We have nothing more to do than keep a close watch upon her until she wakes. Only then will we be aware of what she has faced. Until then, she needs as much comfort as can be afforded. I shall retrieve more blankets to keep her warm," Zoisite told him, leaving the prince to attend to his thoughts and the princess alone.
Endymion looked down upon the sleeping princess curiously, noting how peaceful she appeared as she lay there, like some heavenly creature in sleep. Before he could put a stop to his action, his fingers trailed along her cheek, and he noted that she had indeed warmed up a bit in the short time since his touch had last graced her skin.
So soft it was beneath his hand, like spun silk, he mused, as his gentle caress continued, so automatic that he was unaware of what he was indeed doing.
Zoisite returned shortly, only to find his prince caressing the girl's cheek with what appeared to be reverence to his sight. The general stood silently, watching him for a time, the way he so carefully stroked her cheek as if she were some breakable doll.
In all the time he had know Endymion, never had he seen him look as he did then, so enthralled by the simplicity of his own actions. His face had softened greatly, a genuine look of concern for Serenity gracing his face.
Zoisite allowed the tent flap to fall behind him, causing a very perturbed Endymion to jerk his hand away quickly as he attempted not to be so obvious. What the hells had he been doing, anyway, acting like a fool over this girl? This was a mission, he reminded himself sternly, one he would indeed fulfill.
"Here you are," the general offered, handing the pile blankets to the somewhat flustered prince. Endymion went about spreading them over her body, tucking the edges in under her with care. Zoisite put a gentle hand to her forehead, a small smile gracing his face. She felt a bit warmer now, but she was yet a bit chilled for his liking.
"Have no fear, Endymion. This girl is strong. . . that I can plainly see. Have faith in her, for it shall see her through. I shall stay with her for a bit. I know we have much to do yet," Zoisite said, turning to face his prince.
"I thank you, Zoi. I shall return later to relieve you," he assured him, taking one last look at the beauty lying silently upon the cot, before leaving his friend to attend to her alone.
Darting out into the relentless downpour, Endymion found his thoughts to be steadily overwhelming him, his chest aflame with the fires of vengeance.
Far too many things had yet to be done to waste time on such things, and yet he could not force the thoughts of her from his mind. So beautiful she was, so perfectly innocent in sleep, like a fawn lost in a strange new world blooming around her.
And what would he speak of when she awoke? Would even he be composed enough to question her time spent in Diamond's cruel grasp? He doubted he would handle any foul news well. As it was he was prepared to bring ruin to the next being foolish enough to cross him. After hearing the truth, he knew not what his reaction would be.
Endymion entered the large tent set up across the way, finding the remaining three generals engaged in a lively discussion about the brief battle that had ensued earlier. Cursing the gods forsaken weather, he shook his head, wondering sourly if he would ever again be dry.
"Those dogs won't soon be back with that heavy a loss on them," Nephrite proclaimed, endlessly amused by the sight of so many grown men running like swine through the trees. Such spineless beasts. . . and their leader's actions showed just how desperate they had become.
"What news have you, Endymion?" Jadeite wondered anxiously, green eyes glittering as he anticipated being made aware of further developments regarding the gorgeous creature he'd caught a now treasured glimpse of earlier.
"Unconscious still, though she seems to be stable. Zoi has volunteered to stay with her until we can secure the premises," he answered, his voice thick with fatigue and the anger that simply refused to die.
"Long since done. None remain but our men, Endymion. The wolves fled with flame nipping at their tails," Jadeite remarked smugly, quite proud of the swift victory that had been theirs.
"What else troubles you so? You seem a bit ill at ease," Nephrite pointed out, becoming a bit uneasy himself as he noted the scowl deepen upon the prince's face.
"I suppose you aren't aware of the state in which I found her. From what I can surmise, his intention was to tear into her like a lamb, though I know not whether he accomplished the act. Her skin bares the signs of his cruelty, though Zoisite is confident that she will be well as soon as her temperature rises. A surprising thing. . . she did attempt to fend him off. Blood lingers beneath her fingernails still," he noted with a small smile. Perhaps the girl did in fact have a bit of fight in her.
His generals looked visibly shaken by his words, even the normally resolute Kunzite seemingly angered by such an atrocious thing.
"Gods, how on this blessed Earth are we to tell her mother?" Nephrite wondered, tapping a finger against his cheek as the reality of the entire situation sank in fully. What a beast! This man was not human. . . no, he was some breed of shadow to have the audacity to treat a lady in such a way.
"I know not. For now, as badly as it unnerves me, we have naught to do but wait. Perhaps she will enlighten us after she wakes," Endymion said, sounding irritated on the whole with the way things were flowing.
"What of this beastly weather?" Jadeite put in, noticing the sound of distant thunder rumbling above.
"We'll not be traveling tonight at any rate, not with her in such a condition. And this rain. . . who is to say when it shall cease," Endymion muttered, drumming his fingers against his armor as his mind continued to wander.
"We may be grounded here for a time. If this weather doesn't calm down, we'll not be able to get return home for days," Jadeite noted, not entirely disappointed with the idea.
"At least Serenity will be able to find a bit of rest," Endymion said, prompting Jadeite to be bold as usual.
"Endymion. . . I would be more than happy to watch over her myself. Zoisite should not have to shoulder the watch alone," he told him, eyes full of what Endymion easily recognized as hunger. But no, the idea tore into him like some ruthless blade, causing his voice to protest rapidly, so much so that it shocked even the prince himself.
"That, Jadeite, shall not be necessary. I think it better to allow her space. . . after so much, it would do nothing but harm to have you lusting after her. I will stay with her," he stated firmly, seeing the frown spread slowly across the fiery general's face.
"As you wish, Endymion. I meant no harm," he defended, and Nephrite soon intervened before the two were sparring in the center of the tent.
"I'm sure that everything will work out. We know from what we have gathered that this young woman is no wilting flower. . . perhaps we need not fear," he said hastily, trying desperately to change the subject. Sadly, the look upon Endymion's face told them all that the matter would most assuredly not be so easily dropped.
The man's jaw was set firmly, eyes narrowed as the others followed his obvious train of thought. My, but this little nymph was affecting their charge strangely! None of them had yet to bare witness to this oddly protective side of Endymion, and in turn, none quite knew what to make of it.
"I want you to make it known immediately throughout this encampment. . . that she is not to be bothered. That tent will remain guarded by one of us at all times, and no others shall enter at any time. It would be best for them not to get any ideas," he told them, his eyes focusing on Jadeite as he spoke, flames dancing dangerously within.
"I shall announce it at once," Kunzite assured him, noting then that the tension hanging in the air was thick enough to be slice through with a knife.
Suddenly realizing how cross he had so rapidly become, the Earth prince regained his composure, wondering what demon had snagged hold of him to cause him to act in such a way.
"I do thank you all for this," Endymion told them, his sapphire eyes clouded with uncharacteristic doubt even as he spoke.
"Think not of it. We were due a bit of excitement, after all," Jadeite quipped, in an attempt to reassure the prince of his own intentions and the beastly situation they were currently facing head on.
Silence reigned as Kunzite departed, to inform the troops to keep their eyes and thoughts from straying to Serenity, while Jadeite and Nephrite sat off the ensure that the perimeter guards were on alert. The security about the encampment needed to be faultless due to the danger that still lurked. In no way could they afford to let their guard down while dealing with such ruthless animals.
~~~~~~~~~
The evening wore on, until at last Endymion felt sleep tugging away at his eyelids, finally prompting him relieve Zoisite of his vigil over Serenity. The rain, still pouring from the heavens, once again soaked him through in the short distance from tent to tent, and he was growing extremely tired of the feeling of cold water trickling down the back of his neck.
Upon entering the makeshift medical tent, he found Zoisite sitting quietly upon a cot next to that of the sleeping princess, immersed in a thick volume of medical science. His head rose at Endymion's approach, and a small smile soon graced his lips.
"She seems to be doing better, I believe. Her temperature's has risen to normal and her breathing appears steady. She has weathered this storm, only to face another," he mused, seeing the relief spreading over the face of his prince.
"I do thank you, Zoisite. Go now. Get some rest while you are able, and I shall stay with her," Endymion told him, beginning to unbuckle his gods forsaken, rather cumbersome armor in order to find a tiny bit of comfort for the first time since they had left the castle. His general nodded and closed his book as he stood, popping his neck and giving his legs a stretch.
"Goodnight then, Endymion. Call me should anything change during the night," he told him.
"I will indeed. Goodnight," he returned, watching as Zoisite exited the tent, leaving him alone with the Moon princess to guard .
Endymion turned back to the sleeping maiden, who lay still as death upon the cot, covered in layer after layer of heavy blankets. He continued with the task of removing his armor, dropping it to the floor with a dull clang.
His uniform jacket came off next, and he gratefully found the shirt beneath to be relatively dry. Tossing his jacket aside, he made his way to the cot Zoisite had previously occupied, pulling it a bit closer to Serenity's and sitting gingerly to gaze upon her once more.
The man's eyes came to rest upon her small body, watching as her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. He couldn't help but wonder what emotions had shot through her while Diamond had her held captive. He sighed mightily, hoping to find her awake and having regained her wits by morning. Laying down gingerly upon his own cot, Endymion surrendered slowly to slumber, even his dreams giving him no peace.
~~~~~~~~~
Sometime later into the night, a horrid wail awoke him with a start, like the howl of a dying animal in the night. It took him a only moment to recall his location, before his body shot up from it's reclining position, eyes narrowed as they tried to adjust to the lamp light gloating over the contents of the tent. He turned to see the formerly comatose Serenity, struggling with an unknown enemy in her sleep.
She'd kicked off the many blankets draped over her, arms and legs thrashing about wildly as the terrible wail continued to rush forth from her throat. Endymion had been totally taken off guard and found himself to be grossly bewildered by the hideous shrieking surrounding him, seeming to echo off his very soul.
Unaware of his exact plan of action, yet sure he had need to intervene in some way, the sleep deprived, rather irritated prince made his first attempt to calm the wailing princess before she succeeded in waking the entire camp. Gods, how much trouble could one girl be?
"Serenity!" he said strongly, noticing quickly that his malicious tone had accomplished nothing. With a groan of irritation he proceeded to haul her writhing body over to his own makeshift bed, holding her against his chest in order to keep her limbs still. And yet, the screams continued, causing him to wonder just how much longer his poor eardrums would hold out before giving up on the situation and bursting.
Clearing a few golden strands of hair from her face, he stroked her cheek with his thumb, trying desperately to wake her before all hell broke loose completely. Unfortunately for the usually composed Endymion, the term was about to take on new meaning.
Crystal blue eyes shot open, not even taking time to focus upon her surroundings before the most blood curdling sound he'd ever heard in his short existence upon the Earth poured forth from her lips.
"STOP!!! DON'T TOUCH ME!!" she cried, hands clawing at her captor as she struggled to break free of his now iron like grasp.
The sound of her palm connecting with his face could be heard in his mother's chamber, and he did naught but stare, his cheek stinging terribly. However, he overlooked his shock and the rather irritating ache in order to focus on calming her.
"Serenity, calm yourself! I mean you no harm! Will you stop your flailing?" he ground out harshly, unable to keep his irritation in check. His tone was enough to bring her back to her senses, her eyes finally focusing on him and growing three times their average size as they landed upon his face.
Realizing that the man holding her bound against him was the Earth prince, not Diamond, she resisted the urge to faint once more, appreciating the simple state of consciousness for the first time in a good while.
Suddenly, the tent flap was ripped aside, four very adrenaline fueled generals falling over one other in attempt to enter all at once.
Endymion was at a total loss for words as they gaped at him, the formerly hysterical princess in his arms and a very priceless look upon both their faces. Fighting back all amusement, Jadeite was the first of any of them to find his voice.
"Endymion, what. . .?" Jadeite began, though unable to finish his question due to the laughter threatening to erupt from him at any moment.
"The princess, gentlemen. . . has awakened," he muttered tiredly, looking from the four amused faces to the wide eyed girl upon his lap.
"Gods, my mother knows?" she muttered, a dainty hand held to her head as her eyes evilly attempted to cross on her.
"Well, yes. . . and your guardians, your court. . . everyone," he informed her, somewhat irritated by her ignorance in the matter.
"Your mother has sent us to find you. . . to bring you back safely so that you may return to your own kingdom," he informed her, though he was unsure of whether she heard him or not.
She seemed a bit too dazed to receive any information at the time, her eyes wide and unblinking, mouth slightly ajar and breath coming in short gasps.
He was sure that should he release her, she would simply careen backwards to the tent floor below, though he had no desire to witness such a thing. He decided to get the introductions out of the way in order to begin his own line of questioning.
"I Prince Endymion of the kingdom of Earth, and these are my generals: Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoisite, and Nephrite," he said and each bowed slightly in turn as they were introduced. Only then did they sheath their weapons, each expecting to have someone to behead after hearing the scream she'd let out earlier.
"Well, Endymion. I think we'll leave you to attend to this," Jadeite said hastily, backing out of the tent with a ridiculous smile upon his face. He was in no mood to attempt to deal with a hysterical female at the time, even such a gorgeous specimen as Serenity. No, that task, he thought, was better suited for the reputedly unshakable Endymion. Still, even Jadeite doubted that his charge would handle this so smoothly.
"Wait a minute!" he protested, but the others quickly bolted as well, leaving him with a scowl on his face and a confused princess still held in his arms.
Endymion turned his attention back to Serenity, who was positively gawking at him as if he were some foul beast intent on chewing her flesh from her bones.
"I know who you are," she managed a bit brokenly, color gradually returning to her pale cheeks.
"Oh? And how is that?" he wondered, his curiosity peaked at the small revelation.
"Pay it no mind. I. . . I had no intention of harming you. Do forgive my mistake," she whispered hurriedly, one small hand touching the now red imprint upon his cheek, as if in attempt to correct her action.
Endymion swallowed hard, realizing just what a precarious position he had gotten himself into. The way she stared up at him, blue eyes massive as she attempted to study him was a tad closer to unnerving than he would've liked.
Her fingers brushing against his still stinging cheek did nothing in his favor either, save cause another nagging ache to erupt in the pit of his stomach. Gods, this girl. . . this beautiful creature, was totally causing him to lose the normally firm grip he held on his faculties.
Noting the way in which he was watching her, like a raptor having spotted a mouse darting through the tall grasses below, she forced herself to regain her senses.
They all knew. Everyone knew of her blunder and as badly as she hated to face it, she knew that she had no time to waste in hauling herself back to the Moon. Lectures took quite a while to receive at any rate.
Too many emotions were assaulting Serenity, leaving her wanting to shout, cry and laugh all at once, not to mention the desire to lose herself in the depths of the amazingly blue eyes that seemed beyond intent on devouring her. But no, it would not do. She had too much to repair to squander any more time with daydreams.
"I must return home," she declared suddenly, attempting to get to her feet as he did naught but gape right back down upon her.
The demon known as gravity struck without mercy once again, for as soon as she stood, her knees buckled, though two strong arms were about her before she smashed headlong into the ground.
An annoying scarlet shade tinting her cheeks, the princess allowed him to pull her back against him, as she fought the vile urge to be sick. Damn this beastly planet and it's atmospheric discrepancies! What breed of madness was this?
Serenity blinked a few times before he turned her around to face him, twin orbs of the deepest sapphire staring a hole straight through the shrouded depths of her soul.
"What plagues you, Serenity? Are you well?" he asked, concern apparent in his smoky voice. Her body shuddered at that voice, chills creeping boldly along her spine, leaving her again searching for any response at all.
"I, uh. . . I. . . I mean. . . gods," she breathed, wrapping her arms around herself tightly as the shock of memories assaulted her without mercy. It had in fact been real. . . not some wildly vivid nightmare. A look down upon her bared arms reaffirmed just that, and Endymion noticed her cringe as she took in the sight of her now purple bruises.
"He has gone, then?" she managed softly, her form still shaking steadily in his embrace. He wondered then the reason behind her shivering, whether it be himself or the memories of Diamond's touch upon her.
"Indeed he has. Have no worry. . . he shall not return. Serenity, I mean not to pry, though I do wonder. . . what form of abuse have you been dealt?" he wondered, his eyes softening a bit as she looked squarely into them, seeming to tear his very soul in two with her sorrowful gaze.
Her heart skipped a few beats as she remembered the feeling of him, his hands and lips brutal and seeking as he attempted to dishonor her in the way that only a man could.
But no, he had no succeeded in such a thing, for this man. . . this prince of Earth had arrived in time to put an end to the nightmare she had regretfully found herself stuck in the midst of. And she was dreadfully thankful to him for it.
"That demon. . . he tried to force himself upon me, though the chance was snatched from under him. . . by you yourself, and your men," she replied, the slightest smile touching her rosy lips.
Relief washed over the man, the look upon his face making it quite obvious. So he hadn't succeeded in taking what he assumed was his! Endymion felt the urge to shout his thanks to the gods above. Now, he was assured that Serenity's mother would be nothing but thankful for her daughter's safe return. Then, he could send her off, back to her home, and this entire mess would soon be forgotten. . . wouldn't it?
"Endymion. . . my back aches horribly. . .what of it?" she wondered, turning away from him so that his eyes could evaluate the problem.
With the patience that no sane man could possibly possess, his fingers went about the unnerving duty of unlacing the back of her dress, the soiled white fabric falling away and causing his eyes to widen at the sight which met them.
He felt her shiver, realizing that she was still more than a bit demoralized by the entire situation, being sure that his each move was as mild as possible. His stinging cheek reminded him of her capabilities under stress, and he rather wished to avoid another such encounter.
Tentative fingers stretched out, hesitating only a moment before they touched the horribly bruised skin. Again she trembled, though he most assuredly could not blame her for reacting so. Nearly the entire flat of her back was marred by a grotesque violet hue, and only then did the man realize how roughly Diamond had indeed treated her.
"The same as your arms, princess. But they shall fade, along with the ache. In time they shall fade," he reassured her, withdrawing his hand in order to lace her garment back up, the apparent temptation of naked skin a bit too much for him to handle at the time.
Only then did he notice that her trembling had not ceased, her small body beginning to jerk violently as she sat just before him, her head bowed a bit. His hands, unused to such tenderness, turned her slowly to face him, and he was horrified to witness tears flowing silently down her cheeks.
Endymion felt the heat of a thousand flames assaulting his heart, the sight more devastating than any scene of battle he had ever witnessed. A feeling of immeasurable sorrow grew within, prompting him to question the reasons behind such strong reactions to seeing her cry. They were only tears, after all. But it seemed so surreal, a being so beautiful and pure, warm trails of sadness flowing down her face.
He wished to comfort her, to be able to articulate anything at all to bring her any respite he was able. And yet he feared that nothing he could say would alleviate her pain. Never one to be adept in displaying tenderness, he only watched her, though one hand betrayed him, straying to brush a few rogue tears away.
"Do forgive me," she said softly, her own hand straying to her cheek, the backs of her fingers scrubbing roughly against her skin.
Tears were such a weakness, she thought bitterly, hating herself for the many transgressions she'd so carelessly committed in so short a time. Never would she hear the end of this from anyone.
"What is there to forgive?" he wondered, taken aback by her sudden apologetic tone, tears still falling despite her attempts to cease their flow.
"I regret putting you all in so much danger on my account, Endymion. I wanted only to prove a bloody point. . . though now it has become lost in this madness. I suppose that I am not as capable as I previously assumed," she noted, a frustrated sigh escaping her soon afterward.
He was baffled to find that she truly regretted her disaster of an expedition, the look in her eyes speaking for itself. Poor girl.
Endymion could not fight the need to assure her that all was well, that she need not scold herself after all she'd been through. However, heart and mind were locked in a dread battle, one not allowing the other to overtake the situation.
"It appears as though your intentions certainly went awry, though it will do no one any good for you to continue fretting so. No harm will come to you while in our presence, Serenity. Do allow yourself to be at peace," he prompted, his voice a bit more apathetic than he had intended it to be. Even so, she smiled slightly, further puzzling him.
"I thank you, Endymion," she said softly, her eyes speaking volumes more than words ever could. Though both would've been content in the simple act of sitting by the other, their moment of mutual quiet was viciously interrupted by a loud clap of thunder sounding overhead, sending Serenity hurdling into him, her terrified scream setting his ears to ringing once again. Never would he have expected such a small being as she to be so capable of producing so much noise.
"Dare I assume that thunder displeases you, lady Serenity?" he wondered somewhat smugly, his entire body paining him as the feeling of her body pressed against his struck all five senses at once. Either he was the most fortunate man alive, or the most ill-fated, though at the time he was sure it could slide to the favor of either.
This was not where he'd expected to find himself, trapped in a gods forsaken tent in the middle of a flash flood, the now infamous Moon princess Serenity shaking in his arms, which had curiously tightened about her form since she'd nearly sent him crashing to a painful end upon the tent floor.
"Quite observant, aren't you? It terrifies me. I. . ."
Another loud crash silenced her in mid thought, her arms so tight about his torso that he nearly cried out for breath.
"Though I fear little in this life, thunder and lightning I cannot stomach. I suppose you find this to be amusing?" she asked, though not exactly concerned with his opinion of her phobia. Put simply, as long as he provided a somewhat comfortable haven against the beastly weather blowing foully just outside the confines of the tent they occupied, nothing else factored into it.
"I wouldn't dare to think such a thing. But I do not make claim to understand. . . it is only thunder, Serenity," he chided softly, before receiving a deadly glare from the flustered subject of his small chastisement.
"Only thunder? Tell me, Earth prince. . . have you no fears? Nothing that sets your blood to running cold? Do not lecture me over such a miserable thing, for you shall not accomplish a thing, save for upsetting me further. Is that what you wish?" she demanded, the tone in her voice nearly prompting him to chuckle, though he dared not attempt such a thing while she was so livid.
"My, but a spitting little kitten you are. Had I known as much, perhaps I would have been wise enough to bring along a cage to hold you," he mused, abnormally pleased by the look of death soon shot directly at him from the said feline, who seemed to positively hiss at his blasphemous humor.
"I would be endlessly humored to witness any attempt by you to accomplish such a thing, you imprudent little boy," she shot back.
Sadly, the venom of the princess seemed to evaporate shortly afterward, as the humored gods above blessed her with another thunderclap, one so loud that she swore she could hear the lanterns hanging about the tent rattle in it's wake.
"Oh, gods! Never mind it, Endymion! Just bring this accursed noise to an end!" she begged, knowing full well that even he was incapable of such a deed.
Humored to no end, yet oddly touched by the fear coursing so rampantly through the spirited princess clinging desperately to him, Endymion could do not but aid her, however much he wished to continue being entertained by her impractical antics.
"Hush, fair Serenity. Thunder can do naught, save rattle your bones. It will not harm you, though you think it to be your enemy. Be still. Listen only to the beating of your heart," he told her, looking down upon her blond head as she spoke, his arms still resting about her in a way that was oddly comfortable to him indeed.
"Easy to say, is it not?" she whispered, still attempting to bruise his heart with the words that didn't seem nearly so harsh as intended as they flowed from her lips.
"Then listen to the beating within my chest, should that be any easier," he suggested, nearly startling her witless as one hand drew her head closer, until her cheek lay against the resting place of his heart.
It was hard to establish which was more disturbed by his actions: the princess who lay against him, positively enchanted by his tenderness. . . or the prince himself, who had been made absolutely dumfounded by his own dealings. What by the gods had so possessed him, to have him acting so towards this ethereal creature?
Granted she was a vision, the likes of which he could never recall bearing witness to, but even that did not serve to make it any more sensible in the least. He knew better. By all royal standards and protocol, he knew that his current predicament would only lead to further madness.
Strangely enough, he cared not, for his last words had indeed caused her to finally cease her trembling, her small frame lying still against him as the merciless weather continued to wreak havoc all around them. He was positively enchanted by the moment, never having experienced such a tranquil moment in his young life.
The formerly incensed lady Serenity had now managed to transform into some mythical maiden, positively striking and inspiring much awe with her calm splendor. He felt her every breath, each movement of her body as she took in now steady breaths against his chest, seeming to warm him from within. So peaceful she was, like some nymph exhausted from daylong frolicking in the loving rays of the sun.
Endymion shook his head, cursing his own thoughts as he adjusted his hold on her, realizing that he was simply too exhausted to remain awake. Serenity looked up at him, eyes still sparkling with tears that would remain held back.
"What troubles you? Am I burdening you?" she asked softly, sleep now thick in her voice as she questioned him.
"Not at all, princess. I merely think it time for rest, now that you have managed to face your fear," he answered, barely able to keep himself from smoothing his fingers down her cheek.
"Of course. I suppose we should be prepared to face the morrow," she noted in agreement, watching as he moved to sit upon the empty cot.
By some ungodly force, which chose that moment to take control of her body, Serenity found her fingers to be gripping the sleeve of his shirt tightly, her eyes wide and pleading for his understanding.
"Would you think it odd of me, Endymion, should I ask you to lie with me?" she wondered, sounding a bit ashamed by her own request.
Reason and desire were soon battling once more, the usual victor taking control with relative ease.
"Perhaps I would, though if you should wish it, I shall gladly oblige," he replied calmly, cleverly keeping the struggle within himself hidden from her view.
So it was that the Earth prince Endymion found himself totally submerged in the strangest dream he had yet to encounter, one that would haunt him for days and nights to come.
The princess of the Moon was locked safely away in the cage of his arms, sleeping soundly against him upon the cot they then shared. The man found himself wishing that he she was back upon her home planet, yet another part of him desired for her to remain exactly where she lay, like some seraph in blissful sleep.
Thoughts in abundance and not a one of them sensible, Endymion too fell at last into a dreamless sleep, the warmth of the smaller body next his own seeming to fully envelop his soul.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Serenity awoke to find two strong, warm arms around her, an altogether surprising yet not entirely unpleasant sensation. She was well on the way to panicking when she saw his face, mere inches from her own. The Earth prince looked so peaceful and harmless in sleep, like some child dreaming of sweet candies and rainbows. Who would think, she mused silently, that he was the captain of an army that was thoroughly trained to kill for survival?
As she took in every detail of his face, her heart nearly ceased it's beating as his eyes opened, causing her to turn a bit pink at being caught so openly staring.
"Good morning to you, princess. How do you fair?" he asked, releasing his hold on her and causing the chill around them to descend mercilessly upon her. She rubbed her eyes wearily, until she could totally focus on the question at hand, and the rather amused looking man doing the questioning.
"As well as can be expected, Endymion," she complained, feeling the ache in her back as she attempted to roll over. The action had her wincing, the grimace upon her face prompting him to sit up to steady her.
"Fret not. I shall live," she assured him, giving him a weak smile as he shook her head at her wryness.
"I thank you for your help," she said again and he nodded, pleased to note the actual sincerity of her words. Perhaps, he mused, he had judged her too harshly.
"Do not think of it. I have made a vow to your mother and I have every intention of keeping it," he said firmly, looking down upon her with the eyes that still seemed to be intent on tearing her apart. The interior of the tent was arctic enough for their breaths to show before them, and upon noting the beastly chill, Serenity shivered as the air touch her skin.
Endymion realized that until the weather cleared, they were grounded, else they would all be facing their deaths from it. The realization prompted him then to make his request, the man hopeful to avoid any arguments about the subject.
"Perhaps you should find some rest, Serenity. Dawn has yet to break and you are in great need of sleep after so much," he said, rising to his feet as her wide blue eyes watched him the entire while. Though secretly wishing to beg for him to remain by her side, she held her tongue to save what shred of pride she had remaining. The man was insanely warm, after all.
"And where will you be, Earth prince?" she wondered, watching as he tediously buckled his armor back into place, his every movement seeming to enchant her further as the moments ticked by.
"I have yet to see how high the waters have risen, and I also have need to check on the others. We have a few wounded from yesterday's melee ," he informed her, buckling his sword belt about his waist before at last clasping his cape about his shoulders.
"All on my account," she realized with shame, turning away as his eyes came to rest upon her.
"Do not fret so, Serenity. Once this storm passes, you shall find yourself home again, this entire bout of chaos forgotten ," he assured her.
His indifference was beginning to irritate her. The longer she sat pondering it, the more angered she became. At very least he could act as though she weren't the most egregious thorn he had ever had lodged in his side. It wasn't as if she had planned this madness, after all! Through her ponderings, she stole a glance at him, though immediately cursing herself for it.
Gods above, he was a handsome man. The way he stood there, in full armor and with that gods be damned smirk gracing his face, Serenity found a curious heat pooling within, her throat suddenly seeming to close up.
Breathing was becoming too much of a chore for her liking, and she silently cursed the lunacy that he so easily spawned. Curious as to why it was so, but not daring to explore the issue, she forced her mind to become operational at that point, her eyes gazing directly into his as she spoke.
"I can offer my aid with the wounded, Endymion," she offered, starting to rise.
"No," he said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her grounded. She eyed him curiously, wondering why he was insisting on being so bloody stubborn.
"I have no wish for you to leave this tent, princess. The situation is yet far too unstable for you to venture out to get yourself into more mischief. . . which seems to have the tendency to follow you. I do not wish for you to experience any more mishaps. Understand?" he asked sternly, drawing his hand away to gaze down upon her with storm cloud eyes.
He was talking to her as if she were a child and it bit into her like some raging, rabid animal. His tone reminded her of the constant battles with Raye that she found herself frequently submerged in back home. If the man knew with what fire he toyed with, perhaps he'd not be so keen on handling her like some witless juvenile.
"There is no need for you to treat me so," she bit out, crossing her arms over what he had previously noted to be a nicely developed chest.
"Indeed. . .actions speak volumes more than mere words, and by that I say that you have no room to argue with me over any matter. Need I bound your limbs to ensure that you stay where I have asked you to?" he wondered, the idea not entirely ludicrous as he thought it over, that wicked smirk never fading.
"I fear you would but enjoy such a thing, Earth prince. I merely offered to help YOUR men, whom will be much more useful after they have been treated for their injuries. However, since you are a male. . .an egotistical, pompous, infallible brute who seems to believe that he is never wrong. . ."
"Such a forked tongue for so fair a being. You have the world fooled, I assume. How many hearts has your deadly frost frozen, little princess?" he quipped, not allowing her to finish her bitter chastisement.
Her cheeks were flushed, and Endymion knew by the look upon her face, the clenched fists at her sides, that she was fast approaching the point of eruption. But, as his planning allocated, he would be long since vanished before such a thing occurred.
"And how you would long to be another, Endymion," she shot back, her blush only deepening as he deep laughter rang out. She wasn't being entirely ridiculous, though he would rather have run himself through with his own blade than admit such a thing to her or anyone else alive.
"If such a thought pleases you, believe what you wish, though I dare say that you would be the one to be wounded by such a thing. I advise you not to toy with things beyond your years," he mocked, setting the flames of rage roaring to life within the princess before him
"You are a pig, Endymion. Perhaps if you were a man. . ."
"Perhaps I shall indeed show you the ways of men some day, Serenity. Though I doubt you would survive it," he noted, his eyes becoming impossibly darker at such a depraved thought.
"I would leave you like a broken toy upon the floor," she spat, crystal eyes burning though he was able to see directly through her artificial threats. Those eyes still held within them fear, uncertainty. . .the naivety that he knew her to possess.
"My heart bleeds, fair Serenity. So naïve you are. . .it almost saddens me. However, it is simply too amusing to cause me to pity you," he informed her smugly.
Anger raced forth quickly, her tongue prepared to cut his throat, though before she could continue what had quickly escalated into a rather ruthless quarrel, he turned brusquely, leaving her with flushed cheeks and a temper that would take some time to quell.
"I shall return to you later," he called over his shoulder indifferently, before disappearing out into the camp, leaving one very flustered, very angered princess shaking in his wake.
"Oh, do hurry! I would hate to be denied such a glorious presence for any longer than necessary! Coward!" she shouted in response, though doubted that he had even heard her insolence.
She brooded for a long while, wishing to let him know just what she thought of his seemingly endless supply of arrogance. Her anger subsided after a bit, and though hating to fulfill his wishes, she found herself lying back down to sleep, grumbling the entire while about conceited princes and how she would enjoy humbling them using rather unceremonious, undignified methods.
So many thoughts ran through her mind that she soon found herself harboring a horrid headache, which only served to aggravate the already fuming princess further.
That gods be damned man had managed to wreak total havoc on her senses. Never had she been so attracted to anyone and yet so rejected by them all at once. One moment he was consoling her, showing her a tenderness that she doubted many had seen, the next chastising her for some nonsense or the other. . . as if she didn't already feel like a fool for what had transpired thus far.
Surely her mother and her guardians were an unholy wreck due to this entire fiasco, leaving her wishing that everything she'd experienced over the past few days would soon amount to nothing more than one elaborate dream that she could easily rouse herself from.
But no, she was indeed stuck amidst a pack of chauvinistic males with way too much testosterone flowing through their bodies to do anyone any good, with no hope of being home any time soon.
Her bitterness reached a boiling point, and Serenity knew that should she not soon allow herself to sleep, she would unleash her rage upon every last one of them without thought or reason. But no, things were far from over. She would most assuredly deal with the issue of Endymion's over confident nature. . . after a much needed nap.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Endymion scowled deeply, feeling as though he needed to take a flying leap into the surely icy pond just east of camp. Normally, waking up with a beautiful woman wrapped in his embrace was a good thing. However, that was indeed the problem, he reminded himself cynically.
Serenity was a gorgeous creature, that no sane man could deny. The poor girl been through enough objectionable circumstances and he had no wish to traumatize her any further by being forward with her, though he was sure that he would burst into a thousand stars to dot the night sky if he kept himself from it for very long.
And that fire. . .that fire that lurked within her, was enough to totally captivate him. He had been in his share of pointless arguments in his lifetime, though the one he had just managed to pull himself from was nothing but historical.
That girl had managed to stir things within that he could never recall feeling before. And it bothered him, the formerly unshakable prince of Earth, sole heir to the kingdom of the Terrans, that anyone had managed such an impossible task.
What was it about her that caused him to feel so strange, as if some invisible force had taken total control of his being? It should not be so difficult, he thought, to retrieve and return the obviously difficult princess to her home, and yet it had evolved into a grand scale fiasco, the likes of which he had never been forced to face.
He silently wondered, as he stalked through the encampment like some territorial beast, if he indeed wanted her to go. She had caused so much unrest within him, yet for some ungodly reason, he wished to see past what it was that everyone else seemed to see. Gods, and how he longed to touch her, that glorious perfection that so beckoned him with such a baneful whisper.
The longer she raged at him, the more the primal beast within clawed to the surface, until he'd had no choice but to stalk away from her, though still laughing inwardly at the parting barbs she had launched after him. Such a spitting little kitten. . .
The urges he felt to allow himself to be a tad naughty were growing by the minute, forcing him to rein them in with every ounce of willpower the man possessed. She was the Moon princess, after all, the one he had been sent to retrieve and keep from the talons of harm. He simply had no right to even entertain such ludicrous notions.
A vision of her entered his mind, and despite his valiant efforts to purge her from his thoughts, he found himself wondering how those rosy lips would taste. . .how her body would quake with approval in response to the random exploration of his skillful hands.
He shook his head, positively disgusted with himself on the whole, trying to clear such thoughts from it. There was work to be done at the moment, despite the bellows of his own male instincts to be freed.
No one had been severely wounded in the previous days' battle, merely lacerations and bruises here and there. At least they had managed to emerge relatively unscathed.
He was most grateful that they had arrived before Diamond had a chance to take his leave with Serenity in tow. It would have been maddening trying to find them in this weather.
The rain had fallen steadily all through the night, and the sight of the nearby river threatening to overflow it's banks was none too reassuring. It was a major task getting from tent to tent, the beastly wind blowing relentlessly and rain still pelting him from what seemed to be all angles.
As he entered the tent his generals occupied, he noticed that they all looked a bit distraught, and the sight did nothing to lighten his rather beastly mood. He had no desire to hear any more bad news, though it seemed quite inevitable at the time.
"Now what?" he inquired, sitting heavily upon a chair next to Kunzite, his armor rattling loudly as he did so.
"This devilish weather has knocked all communications out completely," Zoisite muttered, holding up the scrambled screen of his small computer as proof.
"Wonderful. So no one has a clue as to where we stand, nor can the Moon contact our castle, correct?" he guessed, receiving a nod from the blond general in response.
"Gods be damned. So again we wait," he realized, his fist slamming painfully against the table before him.
"For a bit anyway. We may as well prepare for it," Zoisite said, tucking his small machine away.
"This may pose a problem," Jadeite cut in, causing four brows to raise almost simultaneously.
"And what might that be?" Endymion wanted to know, his foot tapping anxiously.
"Rumors will fly, gentlemen. Our men have already begun to daydream about Serenity. If everyone remains in such close quarters until we break camp, what do you suppose will occur?" he wondered, his eyes now serious at the mention of such a repulsive scenario.
"She has been told to remain in my tent. The less they see of her the better," Endymion told them, fire growing within at the thought of anyone daring to disobey him by going near the princess.
"And do you suppose that she shall indeed listen to you?" Jadeite wondered, amused to see the anger flash across the face of Endymion.
Though he wished to argue his position, the prince realized that the man had a point. He had bared witness to enough to realize that she would most likely do just that. . . the exact opposite of what he wished.
"Though I hate to admit it," he said somewhat sourly, "you do have a point. I suppose I shall have need to keep a close watch over her."
"Indeed," Jadeite mused, leaning backwards precariously in his chair, his mind still turning rapidly. Oh, but the poor man had no chance, he mused silently, for this girl. . .this girl would be the death of the proud Endymion, and there was little hope for him to escape with any shred of dignity left in tact.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Endymion was somewhat elated to find that the weather had let up a bit, a light drizzle now replacing the formerly devastating downpour he had nearly gotten used to being assaulted by each time he stepped foot out of the safety of one tent or another.
His fickle mind was far past the threshold of irritating him, thoughts of battle, revenge, freezing rain and a certain azure eyed nymph that had somehow managed to set up permanent residence in the depths of his very confused psyche.
The point was fast approaching that he simply bashed her (ever so gently, of course) over the head, tossed her across a saddle that happened not to be his own, and rode for home as if the demons of all the worlds were tearing along behind him.
However, he affirmed, that would be most cowardly, and quite dangerous as well. Whatever number of the enemy's force had managed to escape. . .they were still on the prowl, and probably fairly close by due to the sudden flood they'd found themselves submerged in.
So were his thoughts, all consuming and relentless, as he marched into his tent, the same in which the object of his unexpected misery and overwhelming lustful thoughts was sure to be dozing peacefully in. Poor misguided fool that he'd become, Endymion nearly squeaked like some startled little boy as the tent flap fell behind him, his cobalt eyes growing massive and jaw dropping nearly to the floor.
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And you thought the other cliffies were rough, DIDN'T you??!!! I know, that was rough, but the next chapter will be around soon, with any luck at all. Until then. . .chew those fingernails!!! Or not. . .that's not that healthy.
To everyone who's reviewed so far. . .I LOVE YA'!!!! I'm beyond glad to see that you like this story, and I hope Chapter 3 has served you well. Ja Ne!!!
One last thing: Letting you know now that as this progresses, the rating *WILL* go up. . .safe for now, but later. . .yeah. *_*
*Cosmic Moon Baby*
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Fire and Ice
Chapter 3: Torrents of Emotion and Damnable Downpours
~~~~~~~~~~
Upon stepping out into the bitter chill of the air outside, Endymion immediately realized just what a complete shambles the formerly organized camp had become, and in record time, none the less. The surprise attack had definitely caught Diamond's men off guard and there had been far less soldiers stationed there than first predicted.
With odds in their favor, the troops of the Terran army had easily devastated the enemy forces, cutting down over half and forcing the rest to flee through the trees to unknown destinations.
Their fearless leader was nowhere to be found, having vanished without a trace as usual. Endymion wished for nothing more than the opportunity to run the bastard through with his own blade, longing for the day in which he would finally be forced to face him after being granted so many clean escapes. So much chaos had been born of him, his trickery far spread, more so than any of the Earth's court had seen at first glance.
Though the reasons behind Diamond's madness remained yet in shadow, Endymion had the feeling that very soon, they would be made known. Kidnapping the princess of the Moon had been a rather bold maneuver, however, even for Diamond. Surely he realized the consequence of such a thing.
Nevertheless, Endymion was thankful to have her under his protection, for the good of his kingdom and his own health. At very least he could now keep a close watch over her, ensure that no more wickedness would befall her until she was returned to her home.
His only remaining concern at the time was discovering just what she'd succumbed to while being held as his captive. He'd taken little time to look her over upon first glance, leaving himself still oblivious to the answers he sought out.
However, knowing Diamond, odds were that his worst fears would indeed be founded. As badly as he dreaded the discovery, things were now in Zoisite's capable hands, and the prince hoped to hear nothing but news that he could stomach.
If Diamond had indeed violated her in such an inexcusable way, he realized what a dilemma they would be facing. Her mother would be livid, and understandably so. War would no doubt erupt, leaving another would be alliance shattered and more lives to be lost, ideas which caused his frown to deepen as he made his way through the camp, seeking out his most medically inclined general.
Being drawn from his heated reverie, Endymion noticed that a bitter, stinging rain had begun to fall, and soon it was pelting him mercilessly, prompting him to adjust the position of his cargo. He maneuvered her around until she lay cradled like a child in his arms, her face buried against the front of his uniform to keep her from being assaulted by the sting of the falling rain.
This was no damn good. At this rate, the accumulation would be swift and heavy, perhaps even causing the surrounding streams and river to flood their banks, which would do nothing to help them in the least. The gods, he mused, must have been feeling very fickle this day.
Raging with his own thoughts, he came upon Zoisite, who was occupied with searching a few abandoned tents to ensure that they were emptied of enemy soldiers.
"Zoisite!" he called rather loudly, approaching the blond man with much haste. The general turned then to witness the sight of his prince coming toward him, a body wrapped in a violet cloak held securely in his arms. That had to be her, the reason behind this entire miserable mission.
"You've found her then? How does the lady fair?" he wondered, his steps quick as he dashed into the pouring rain to meet them.
"I know not, though I fear treachery has befallen her. I ask that you take a look for yourself. You would know of her condition far better than I," his charge answered, looking down upon her small form as he spoke.
Her hood had fallen a bit, revealing her face to his view. She looked so helpless lying there, droplets of rain sliding along her pale skin before he bowed his head over her, shielding her from the merciless water. He noted with alarm that her lips appeared to be turning blue, and even he realized that her life would be forfeited, should they not act swiftly to aid her.
"Come. We must warm her. There is chance of hypothermia, should she remain chilled," he informed him, sending shockwaves tearing through the prince. That, he resolved, would not do. While he held any power over the matter in the least, there would be no more death this day.
As he stood, still protecting the unconscious princess from the pouring rain, Zoisite began shouting commands at nearby troops until a large tent was set up, ready to accept them into it's embrace.
"I must retrieve my necessities, but keep her warm until I return. I shall be but a moment," Zoisite promised, before disappearing into the rain once more, leaving the prince with the task he'd been given.
Endymion sat cross legged on the floor, his hair dripping water and the princess's body cradled precariously in his lap. The back of his hand touched her cheek, and he sighed mightily as he realized how cold she truly was.
Her soft skin was like ice, her color nearly drained entirely. Worry gnawed away at him like some wild beast, and he unclasped his own cape, shaking the moisture from it before wrapping it about her small form, pulling it close about her.
"Should you have entertained the notion of dying in my presence. . . do think again, princess," he advised, knowing all the while that she'd not heard a word he'd spoken.
How damned annoying, he thought silently, his hands running along her arms and shoulders as he attempted to get her blood circulating properly. If this blasted girl expired, it would be all their asses, and he knew it well.
In desperation, the prince brought her in close against his chest, hoping that what heat he'd managed to retain would help to sustain her until Zoisite could take over.
Soon the tent flap opened, his four generals stepping in, all dripping wet and carrying arm loads of supplies and necessities. Kunzite sat a cot down heavily upon the ground while Zoisite motioned for his charge to deposit the princess upon it. The man was well trained in the area of medical sciences, leaving his faith resting heavily upon him.
His medical bag in hand, the genuinely concerned general hovered over her, attempting to quickly diagnose the situation. Nephrite went about the task of lighting lanterns around the somewhat cramped space, hanging them with care upon the wooden support beams of the tent. Light softly filled the area, leaving them all speechless as it hit the golden crescent moon upon Serenity's forehead, causing it to glow brightly.
"By the blessed gods above," Jadeite muttered, his mouth hanging slightly agape as he took in the sight of her. She was a gorgeous creature, that none present could possibly deny. The rumors floating about hadn't done her justice, had they?
"Well, at least we can be assured that this is our girl," Nephrite mumbled, coming to stand next to Jadeite as he too began to gawk, though attempting to appear as though he were doing just the opposite.
"That she is. Just look at her. No wonder Diamond wished to have her in his possession. Who would be fool enough not to?" Jadeite wondered, causing Endymion to roll his eyes. The girl was near death and all he could manage to do was ogle her?
"Alright, gentlemen. I require room to work. Do be kind enough to leave me to examine her. But Endymion. . . you stay," Zoisite ordered, before turning back to his patient. The other three generals did as he bid, though Jadeite grumbled the entire while. The man wanted desperately to see more of the princess, after all.
After only three occupants remained, Zoisite cautiously removed the cape and cloak from about her form, revealing what a mess she truly was. One good look at her had the man scowling, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenching with anger at what he was witnessing.
"Oh, no. . . not this," he breathed, closing his eyes as anger swept through him. How dare he? How DARE he do such a thing to this innocent? He looked over at Endymion, who in turn had a deadly grimace written across his face.
"Though I know not what transpired, by the looks of her dress I can surely imagine. He had no right," he told his friend, his internal rage evident in his voice.
His dark eyes swept over the from of the princess, taking in the sight with a twinge of sadness stabbing away at his heart. Too late. He'd promised to protect her, yet he'd been too late.
"Look here, Endymion," Zoisite pointed out, taking her hand gently in his own as he lifted one arm for their inspection. Rage only grew as his eyes swept over the bruises dotting her perfect skin.
"What race of monster would dare such a thing? She had no defense. This girl did nothing to deserve this," Endymion declared, his voice coldly controlled as his fingers trailed along her skin as if she were made of glass instead of flesh and blood.
"He is no man to do such a thing to an innocent such as this maiden. Though it appears that she attempted to fight him," he noted, holding up her right hand for his charge to see.
"Blood," he said absently, noticing that her fingertips were colored red, as was the space beneath her fingernails. So she HAD made an attempt, though only succeeding in angering him further, the prince guessed, as Zoisite again lowered her hand gently to her side to continue his assessment.
Endymion shook his head, taking a deep breath as he tried to control the emotions swimming through him at an alarming rate. He himself could be quite an amorous lover, but he would never attempt to take anyone against their will. This girl hadn't deserved this dose of inhumanity.
Gods, how scared she must have been, he thought, to face such a monstrous thing alone, in a place that was nothing but foreign to her sight.
Pity for the fair girl lying before him grew within his heart, prompting the man to long more desperately to find Diamond and leave nothing of his body to be identified by passers by. This would entail much explanation, he thought, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Of all the gods be damned luck.
"I feel that she will be well, physically, at any rate, under the condition that warmth remains with her. Her body appears well, save for these beastly bruises. We have nothing more to do than keep a close watch upon her until she wakes. Only then will we be aware of what she has faced. Until then, she needs as much comfort as can be afforded. I shall retrieve more blankets to keep her warm," Zoisite told him, leaving the prince to attend to his thoughts and the princess alone.
Endymion looked down upon the sleeping princess curiously, noting how peaceful she appeared as she lay there, like some heavenly creature in sleep. Before he could put a stop to his action, his fingers trailed along her cheek, and he noted that she had indeed warmed up a bit in the short time since his touch had last graced her skin.
So soft it was beneath his hand, like spun silk, he mused, as his gentle caress continued, so automatic that he was unaware of what he was indeed doing.
Zoisite returned shortly, only to find his prince caressing the girl's cheek with what appeared to be reverence to his sight. The general stood silently, watching him for a time, the way he so carefully stroked her cheek as if she were some breakable doll.
In all the time he had know Endymion, never had he seen him look as he did then, so enthralled by the simplicity of his own actions. His face had softened greatly, a genuine look of concern for Serenity gracing his face.
Zoisite allowed the tent flap to fall behind him, causing a very perturbed Endymion to jerk his hand away quickly as he attempted not to be so obvious. What the hells had he been doing, anyway, acting like a fool over this girl? This was a mission, he reminded himself sternly, one he would indeed fulfill.
"Here you are," the general offered, handing the pile blankets to the somewhat flustered prince. Endymion went about spreading them over her body, tucking the edges in under her with care. Zoisite put a gentle hand to her forehead, a small smile gracing his face. She felt a bit warmer now, but she was yet a bit chilled for his liking.
"Have no fear, Endymion. This girl is strong. . . that I can plainly see. Have faith in her, for it shall see her through. I shall stay with her for a bit. I know we have much to do yet," Zoisite said, turning to face his prince.
"I thank you, Zoi. I shall return later to relieve you," he assured him, taking one last look at the beauty lying silently upon the cot, before leaving his friend to attend to her alone.
Darting out into the relentless downpour, Endymion found his thoughts to be steadily overwhelming him, his chest aflame with the fires of vengeance.
Far too many things had yet to be done to waste time on such things, and yet he could not force the thoughts of her from his mind. So beautiful she was, so perfectly innocent in sleep, like a fawn lost in a strange new world blooming around her.
And what would he speak of when she awoke? Would even he be composed enough to question her time spent in Diamond's cruel grasp? He doubted he would handle any foul news well. As it was he was prepared to bring ruin to the next being foolish enough to cross him. After hearing the truth, he knew not what his reaction would be.
Endymion entered the large tent set up across the way, finding the remaining three generals engaged in a lively discussion about the brief battle that had ensued earlier. Cursing the gods forsaken weather, he shook his head, wondering sourly if he would ever again be dry.
"Those dogs won't soon be back with that heavy a loss on them," Nephrite proclaimed, endlessly amused by the sight of so many grown men running like swine through the trees. Such spineless beasts. . . and their leader's actions showed just how desperate they had become.
"What news have you, Endymion?" Jadeite wondered anxiously, green eyes glittering as he anticipated being made aware of further developments regarding the gorgeous creature he'd caught a now treasured glimpse of earlier.
"Unconscious still, though she seems to be stable. Zoi has volunteered to stay with her until we can secure the premises," he answered, his voice thick with fatigue and the anger that simply refused to die.
"Long since done. None remain but our men, Endymion. The wolves fled with flame nipping at their tails," Jadeite remarked smugly, quite proud of the swift victory that had been theirs.
"What else troubles you so? You seem a bit ill at ease," Nephrite pointed out, becoming a bit uneasy himself as he noted the scowl deepen upon the prince's face.
"I suppose you aren't aware of the state in which I found her. From what I can surmise, his intention was to tear into her like a lamb, though I know not whether he accomplished the act. Her skin bares the signs of his cruelty, though Zoisite is confident that she will be well as soon as her temperature rises. A surprising thing. . . she did attempt to fend him off. Blood lingers beneath her fingernails still," he noted with a small smile. Perhaps the girl did in fact have a bit of fight in her.
His generals looked visibly shaken by his words, even the normally resolute Kunzite seemingly angered by such an atrocious thing.
"Gods, how on this blessed Earth are we to tell her mother?" Nephrite wondered, tapping a finger against his cheek as the reality of the entire situation sank in fully. What a beast! This man was not human. . . no, he was some breed of shadow to have the audacity to treat a lady in such a way.
"I know not. For now, as badly as it unnerves me, we have naught to do but wait. Perhaps she will enlighten us after she wakes," Endymion said, sounding irritated on the whole with the way things were flowing.
"What of this beastly weather?" Jadeite put in, noticing the sound of distant thunder rumbling above.
"We'll not be traveling tonight at any rate, not with her in such a condition. And this rain. . . who is to say when it shall cease," Endymion muttered, drumming his fingers against his armor as his mind continued to wander.
"We may be grounded here for a time. If this weather doesn't calm down, we'll not be able to get return home for days," Jadeite noted, not entirely disappointed with the idea.
"At least Serenity will be able to find a bit of rest," Endymion said, prompting Jadeite to be bold as usual.
"Endymion. . . I would be more than happy to watch over her myself. Zoisite should not have to shoulder the watch alone," he told him, eyes full of what Endymion easily recognized as hunger. But no, the idea tore into him like some ruthless blade, causing his voice to protest rapidly, so much so that it shocked even the prince himself.
"That, Jadeite, shall not be necessary. I think it better to allow her space. . . after so much, it would do nothing but harm to have you lusting after her. I will stay with her," he stated firmly, seeing the frown spread slowly across the fiery general's face.
"As you wish, Endymion. I meant no harm," he defended, and Nephrite soon intervened before the two were sparring in the center of the tent.
"I'm sure that everything will work out. We know from what we have gathered that this young woman is no wilting flower. . . perhaps we need not fear," he said hastily, trying desperately to change the subject. Sadly, the look upon Endymion's face told them all that the matter would most assuredly not be so easily dropped.
The man's jaw was set firmly, eyes narrowed as the others followed his obvious train of thought. My, but this little nymph was affecting their charge strangely! None of them had yet to bare witness to this oddly protective side of Endymion, and in turn, none quite knew what to make of it.
"I want you to make it known immediately throughout this encampment. . . that she is not to be bothered. That tent will remain guarded by one of us at all times, and no others shall enter at any time. It would be best for them not to get any ideas," he told them, his eyes focusing on Jadeite as he spoke, flames dancing dangerously within.
"I shall announce it at once," Kunzite assured him, noting then that the tension hanging in the air was thick enough to be slice through with a knife.
Suddenly realizing how cross he had so rapidly become, the Earth prince regained his composure, wondering what demon had snagged hold of him to cause him to act in such a way.
"I do thank you all for this," Endymion told them, his sapphire eyes clouded with uncharacteristic doubt even as he spoke.
"Think not of it. We were due a bit of excitement, after all," Jadeite quipped, in an attempt to reassure the prince of his own intentions and the beastly situation they were currently facing head on.
Silence reigned as Kunzite departed, to inform the troops to keep their eyes and thoughts from straying to Serenity, while Jadeite and Nephrite sat off the ensure that the perimeter guards were on alert. The security about the encampment needed to be faultless due to the danger that still lurked. In no way could they afford to let their guard down while dealing with such ruthless animals.
~~~~~~~~~
The evening wore on, until at last Endymion felt sleep tugging away at his eyelids, finally prompting him relieve Zoisite of his vigil over Serenity. The rain, still pouring from the heavens, once again soaked him through in the short distance from tent to tent, and he was growing extremely tired of the feeling of cold water trickling down the back of his neck.
Upon entering the makeshift medical tent, he found Zoisite sitting quietly upon a cot next to that of the sleeping princess, immersed in a thick volume of medical science. His head rose at Endymion's approach, and a small smile soon graced his lips.
"She seems to be doing better, I believe. Her temperature's has risen to normal and her breathing appears steady. She has weathered this storm, only to face another," he mused, seeing the relief spreading over the face of his prince.
"I do thank you, Zoisite. Go now. Get some rest while you are able, and I shall stay with her," Endymion told him, beginning to unbuckle his gods forsaken, rather cumbersome armor in order to find a tiny bit of comfort for the first time since they had left the castle. His general nodded and closed his book as he stood, popping his neck and giving his legs a stretch.
"Goodnight then, Endymion. Call me should anything change during the night," he told him.
"I will indeed. Goodnight," he returned, watching as Zoisite exited the tent, leaving him alone with the Moon princess to guard .
Endymion turned back to the sleeping maiden, who lay still as death upon the cot, covered in layer after layer of heavy blankets. He continued with the task of removing his armor, dropping it to the floor with a dull clang.
His uniform jacket came off next, and he gratefully found the shirt beneath to be relatively dry. Tossing his jacket aside, he made his way to the cot Zoisite had previously occupied, pulling it a bit closer to Serenity's and sitting gingerly to gaze upon her once more.
The man's eyes came to rest upon her small body, watching as her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. He couldn't help but wonder what emotions had shot through her while Diamond had her held captive. He sighed mightily, hoping to find her awake and having regained her wits by morning. Laying down gingerly upon his own cot, Endymion surrendered slowly to slumber, even his dreams giving him no peace.
~~~~~~~~~
Sometime later into the night, a horrid wail awoke him with a start, like the howl of a dying animal in the night. It took him a only moment to recall his location, before his body shot up from it's reclining position, eyes narrowed as they tried to adjust to the lamp light gloating over the contents of the tent. He turned to see the formerly comatose Serenity, struggling with an unknown enemy in her sleep.
She'd kicked off the many blankets draped over her, arms and legs thrashing about wildly as the terrible wail continued to rush forth from her throat. Endymion had been totally taken off guard and found himself to be grossly bewildered by the hideous shrieking surrounding him, seeming to echo off his very soul.
Unaware of his exact plan of action, yet sure he had need to intervene in some way, the sleep deprived, rather irritated prince made his first attempt to calm the wailing princess before she succeeded in waking the entire camp. Gods, how much trouble could one girl be?
"Serenity!" he said strongly, noticing quickly that his malicious tone had accomplished nothing. With a groan of irritation he proceeded to haul her writhing body over to his own makeshift bed, holding her against his chest in order to keep her limbs still. And yet, the screams continued, causing him to wonder just how much longer his poor eardrums would hold out before giving up on the situation and bursting.
Clearing a few golden strands of hair from her face, he stroked her cheek with his thumb, trying desperately to wake her before all hell broke loose completely. Unfortunately for the usually composed Endymion, the term was about to take on new meaning.
Crystal blue eyes shot open, not even taking time to focus upon her surroundings before the most blood curdling sound he'd ever heard in his short existence upon the Earth poured forth from her lips.
"STOP!!! DON'T TOUCH ME!!" she cried, hands clawing at her captor as she struggled to break free of his now iron like grasp.
The sound of her palm connecting with his face could be heard in his mother's chamber, and he did naught but stare, his cheek stinging terribly. However, he overlooked his shock and the rather irritating ache in order to focus on calming her.
"Serenity, calm yourself! I mean you no harm! Will you stop your flailing?" he ground out harshly, unable to keep his irritation in check. His tone was enough to bring her back to her senses, her eyes finally focusing on him and growing three times their average size as they landed upon his face.
Realizing that the man holding her bound against him was the Earth prince, not Diamond, she resisted the urge to faint once more, appreciating the simple state of consciousness for the first time in a good while.
Suddenly, the tent flap was ripped aside, four very adrenaline fueled generals falling over one other in attempt to enter all at once.
Endymion was at a total loss for words as they gaped at him, the formerly hysterical princess in his arms and a very priceless look upon both their faces. Fighting back all amusement, Jadeite was the first of any of them to find his voice.
"Endymion, what. . .?" Jadeite began, though unable to finish his question due to the laughter threatening to erupt from him at any moment.
"The princess, gentlemen. . . has awakened," he muttered tiredly, looking from the four amused faces to the wide eyed girl upon his lap.
"Gods, my mother knows?" she muttered, a dainty hand held to her head as her eyes evilly attempted to cross on her.
"Well, yes. . . and your guardians, your court. . . everyone," he informed her, somewhat irritated by her ignorance in the matter.
"Your mother has sent us to find you. . . to bring you back safely so that you may return to your own kingdom," he informed her, though he was unsure of whether she heard him or not.
She seemed a bit too dazed to receive any information at the time, her eyes wide and unblinking, mouth slightly ajar and breath coming in short gasps.
He was sure that should he release her, she would simply careen backwards to the tent floor below, though he had no desire to witness such a thing. He decided to get the introductions out of the way in order to begin his own line of questioning.
"I Prince Endymion of the kingdom of Earth, and these are my generals: Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoisite, and Nephrite," he said and each bowed slightly in turn as they were introduced. Only then did they sheath their weapons, each expecting to have someone to behead after hearing the scream she'd let out earlier.
"Well, Endymion. I think we'll leave you to attend to this," Jadeite said hastily, backing out of the tent with a ridiculous smile upon his face. He was in no mood to attempt to deal with a hysterical female at the time, even such a gorgeous specimen as Serenity. No, that task, he thought, was better suited for the reputedly unshakable Endymion. Still, even Jadeite doubted that his charge would handle this so smoothly.
"Wait a minute!" he protested, but the others quickly bolted as well, leaving him with a scowl on his face and a confused princess still held in his arms.
Endymion turned his attention back to Serenity, who was positively gawking at him as if he were some foul beast intent on chewing her flesh from her bones.
"I know who you are," she managed a bit brokenly, color gradually returning to her pale cheeks.
"Oh? And how is that?" he wondered, his curiosity peaked at the small revelation.
"Pay it no mind. I. . . I had no intention of harming you. Do forgive my mistake," she whispered hurriedly, one small hand touching the now red imprint upon his cheek, as if in attempt to correct her action.
Endymion swallowed hard, realizing just what a precarious position he had gotten himself into. The way she stared up at him, blue eyes massive as she attempted to study him was a tad closer to unnerving than he would've liked.
Her fingers brushing against his still stinging cheek did nothing in his favor either, save cause another nagging ache to erupt in the pit of his stomach. Gods, this girl. . . this beautiful creature, was totally causing him to lose the normally firm grip he held on his faculties.
Noting the way in which he was watching her, like a raptor having spotted a mouse darting through the tall grasses below, she forced herself to regain her senses.
They all knew. Everyone knew of her blunder and as badly as she hated to face it, she knew that she had no time to waste in hauling herself back to the Moon. Lectures took quite a while to receive at any rate.
Too many emotions were assaulting Serenity, leaving her wanting to shout, cry and laugh all at once, not to mention the desire to lose herself in the depths of the amazingly blue eyes that seemed beyond intent on devouring her. But no, it would not do. She had too much to repair to squander any more time with daydreams.
"I must return home," she declared suddenly, attempting to get to her feet as he did naught but gape right back down upon her.
The demon known as gravity struck without mercy once again, for as soon as she stood, her knees buckled, though two strong arms were about her before she smashed headlong into the ground.
An annoying scarlet shade tinting her cheeks, the princess allowed him to pull her back against him, as she fought the vile urge to be sick. Damn this beastly planet and it's atmospheric discrepancies! What breed of madness was this?
Serenity blinked a few times before he turned her around to face him, twin orbs of the deepest sapphire staring a hole straight through the shrouded depths of her soul.
"What plagues you, Serenity? Are you well?" he asked, concern apparent in his smoky voice. Her body shuddered at that voice, chills creeping boldly along her spine, leaving her again searching for any response at all.
"I, uh. . . I. . . I mean. . . gods," she breathed, wrapping her arms around herself tightly as the shock of memories assaulted her without mercy. It had in fact been real. . . not some wildly vivid nightmare. A look down upon her bared arms reaffirmed just that, and Endymion noticed her cringe as she took in the sight of her now purple bruises.
"He has gone, then?" she managed softly, her form still shaking steadily in his embrace. He wondered then the reason behind her shivering, whether it be himself or the memories of Diamond's touch upon her.
"Indeed he has. Have no worry. . . he shall not return. Serenity, I mean not to pry, though I do wonder. . . what form of abuse have you been dealt?" he wondered, his eyes softening a bit as she looked squarely into them, seeming to tear his very soul in two with her sorrowful gaze.
Her heart skipped a few beats as she remembered the feeling of him, his hands and lips brutal and seeking as he attempted to dishonor her in the way that only a man could.
But no, he had no succeeded in such a thing, for this man. . . this prince of Earth had arrived in time to put an end to the nightmare she had regretfully found herself stuck in the midst of. And she was dreadfully thankful to him for it.
"That demon. . . he tried to force himself upon me, though the chance was snatched from under him. . . by you yourself, and your men," she replied, the slightest smile touching her rosy lips.
Relief washed over the man, the look upon his face making it quite obvious. So he hadn't succeeded in taking what he assumed was his! Endymion felt the urge to shout his thanks to the gods above. Now, he was assured that Serenity's mother would be nothing but thankful for her daughter's safe return. Then, he could send her off, back to her home, and this entire mess would soon be forgotten. . . wouldn't it?
"Endymion. . . my back aches horribly. . .what of it?" she wondered, turning away from him so that his eyes could evaluate the problem.
With the patience that no sane man could possibly possess, his fingers went about the unnerving duty of unlacing the back of her dress, the soiled white fabric falling away and causing his eyes to widen at the sight which met them.
He felt her shiver, realizing that she was still more than a bit demoralized by the entire situation, being sure that his each move was as mild as possible. His stinging cheek reminded him of her capabilities under stress, and he rather wished to avoid another such encounter.
Tentative fingers stretched out, hesitating only a moment before they touched the horribly bruised skin. Again she trembled, though he most assuredly could not blame her for reacting so. Nearly the entire flat of her back was marred by a grotesque violet hue, and only then did the man realize how roughly Diamond had indeed treated her.
"The same as your arms, princess. But they shall fade, along with the ache. In time they shall fade," he reassured her, withdrawing his hand in order to lace her garment back up, the apparent temptation of naked skin a bit too much for him to handle at the time.
Only then did he notice that her trembling had not ceased, her small body beginning to jerk violently as she sat just before him, her head bowed a bit. His hands, unused to such tenderness, turned her slowly to face him, and he was horrified to witness tears flowing silently down her cheeks.
Endymion felt the heat of a thousand flames assaulting his heart, the sight more devastating than any scene of battle he had ever witnessed. A feeling of immeasurable sorrow grew within, prompting him to question the reasons behind such strong reactions to seeing her cry. They were only tears, after all. But it seemed so surreal, a being so beautiful and pure, warm trails of sadness flowing down her face.
He wished to comfort her, to be able to articulate anything at all to bring her any respite he was able. And yet he feared that nothing he could say would alleviate her pain. Never one to be adept in displaying tenderness, he only watched her, though one hand betrayed him, straying to brush a few rogue tears away.
"Do forgive me," she said softly, her own hand straying to her cheek, the backs of her fingers scrubbing roughly against her skin.
Tears were such a weakness, she thought bitterly, hating herself for the many transgressions she'd so carelessly committed in so short a time. Never would she hear the end of this from anyone.
"What is there to forgive?" he wondered, taken aback by her sudden apologetic tone, tears still falling despite her attempts to cease their flow.
"I regret putting you all in so much danger on my account, Endymion. I wanted only to prove a bloody point. . . though now it has become lost in this madness. I suppose that I am not as capable as I previously assumed," she noted, a frustrated sigh escaping her soon afterward.
He was baffled to find that she truly regretted her disaster of an expedition, the look in her eyes speaking for itself. Poor girl.
Endymion could not fight the need to assure her that all was well, that she need not scold herself after all she'd been through. However, heart and mind were locked in a dread battle, one not allowing the other to overtake the situation.
"It appears as though your intentions certainly went awry, though it will do no one any good for you to continue fretting so. No harm will come to you while in our presence, Serenity. Do allow yourself to be at peace," he prompted, his voice a bit more apathetic than he had intended it to be. Even so, she smiled slightly, further puzzling him.
"I thank you, Endymion," she said softly, her eyes speaking volumes more than words ever could. Though both would've been content in the simple act of sitting by the other, their moment of mutual quiet was viciously interrupted by a loud clap of thunder sounding overhead, sending Serenity hurdling into him, her terrified scream setting his ears to ringing once again. Never would he have expected such a small being as she to be so capable of producing so much noise.
"Dare I assume that thunder displeases you, lady Serenity?" he wondered somewhat smugly, his entire body paining him as the feeling of her body pressed against his struck all five senses at once. Either he was the most fortunate man alive, or the most ill-fated, though at the time he was sure it could slide to the favor of either.
This was not where he'd expected to find himself, trapped in a gods forsaken tent in the middle of a flash flood, the now infamous Moon princess Serenity shaking in his arms, which had curiously tightened about her form since she'd nearly sent him crashing to a painful end upon the tent floor.
"Quite observant, aren't you? It terrifies me. I. . ."
Another loud crash silenced her in mid thought, her arms so tight about his torso that he nearly cried out for breath.
"Though I fear little in this life, thunder and lightning I cannot stomach. I suppose you find this to be amusing?" she asked, though not exactly concerned with his opinion of her phobia. Put simply, as long as he provided a somewhat comfortable haven against the beastly weather blowing foully just outside the confines of the tent they occupied, nothing else factored into it.
"I wouldn't dare to think such a thing. But I do not make claim to understand. . . it is only thunder, Serenity," he chided softly, before receiving a deadly glare from the flustered subject of his small chastisement.
"Only thunder? Tell me, Earth prince. . . have you no fears? Nothing that sets your blood to running cold? Do not lecture me over such a miserable thing, for you shall not accomplish a thing, save for upsetting me further. Is that what you wish?" she demanded, the tone in her voice nearly prompting him to chuckle, though he dared not attempt such a thing while she was so livid.
"My, but a spitting little kitten you are. Had I known as much, perhaps I would have been wise enough to bring along a cage to hold you," he mused, abnormally pleased by the look of death soon shot directly at him from the said feline, who seemed to positively hiss at his blasphemous humor.
"I would be endlessly humored to witness any attempt by you to accomplish such a thing, you imprudent little boy," she shot back.
Sadly, the venom of the princess seemed to evaporate shortly afterward, as the humored gods above blessed her with another thunderclap, one so loud that she swore she could hear the lanterns hanging about the tent rattle in it's wake.
"Oh, gods! Never mind it, Endymion! Just bring this accursed noise to an end!" she begged, knowing full well that even he was incapable of such a deed.
Humored to no end, yet oddly touched by the fear coursing so rampantly through the spirited princess clinging desperately to him, Endymion could do not but aid her, however much he wished to continue being entertained by her impractical antics.
"Hush, fair Serenity. Thunder can do naught, save rattle your bones. It will not harm you, though you think it to be your enemy. Be still. Listen only to the beating of your heart," he told her, looking down upon her blond head as she spoke, his arms still resting about her in a way that was oddly comfortable to him indeed.
"Easy to say, is it not?" she whispered, still attempting to bruise his heart with the words that didn't seem nearly so harsh as intended as they flowed from her lips.
"Then listen to the beating within my chest, should that be any easier," he suggested, nearly startling her witless as one hand drew her head closer, until her cheek lay against the resting place of his heart.
It was hard to establish which was more disturbed by his actions: the princess who lay against him, positively enchanted by his tenderness. . . or the prince himself, who had been made absolutely dumfounded by his own dealings. What by the gods had so possessed him, to have him acting so towards this ethereal creature?
Granted she was a vision, the likes of which he could never recall bearing witness to, but even that did not serve to make it any more sensible in the least. He knew better. By all royal standards and protocol, he knew that his current predicament would only lead to further madness.
Strangely enough, he cared not, for his last words had indeed caused her to finally cease her trembling, her small frame lying still against him as the merciless weather continued to wreak havoc all around them. He was positively enchanted by the moment, never having experienced such a tranquil moment in his young life.
The formerly incensed lady Serenity had now managed to transform into some mythical maiden, positively striking and inspiring much awe with her calm splendor. He felt her every breath, each movement of her body as she took in now steady breaths against his chest, seeming to warm him from within. So peaceful she was, like some nymph exhausted from daylong frolicking in the loving rays of the sun.
Endymion shook his head, cursing his own thoughts as he adjusted his hold on her, realizing that he was simply too exhausted to remain awake. Serenity looked up at him, eyes still sparkling with tears that would remain held back.
"What troubles you? Am I burdening you?" she asked softly, sleep now thick in her voice as she questioned him.
"Not at all, princess. I merely think it time for rest, now that you have managed to face your fear," he answered, barely able to keep himself from smoothing his fingers down her cheek.
"Of course. I suppose we should be prepared to face the morrow," she noted in agreement, watching as he moved to sit upon the empty cot.
By some ungodly force, which chose that moment to take control of her body, Serenity found her fingers to be gripping the sleeve of his shirt tightly, her eyes wide and pleading for his understanding.
"Would you think it odd of me, Endymion, should I ask you to lie with me?" she wondered, sounding a bit ashamed by her own request.
Reason and desire were soon battling once more, the usual victor taking control with relative ease.
"Perhaps I would, though if you should wish it, I shall gladly oblige," he replied calmly, cleverly keeping the struggle within himself hidden from her view.
So it was that the Earth prince Endymion found himself totally submerged in the strangest dream he had yet to encounter, one that would haunt him for days and nights to come.
The princess of the Moon was locked safely away in the cage of his arms, sleeping soundly against him upon the cot they then shared. The man found himself wishing that he she was back upon her home planet, yet another part of him desired for her to remain exactly where she lay, like some seraph in blissful sleep.
Thoughts in abundance and not a one of them sensible, Endymion too fell at last into a dreamless sleep, the warmth of the smaller body next his own seeming to fully envelop his soul.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Serenity awoke to find two strong, warm arms around her, an altogether surprising yet not entirely unpleasant sensation. She was well on the way to panicking when she saw his face, mere inches from her own. The Earth prince looked so peaceful and harmless in sleep, like some child dreaming of sweet candies and rainbows. Who would think, she mused silently, that he was the captain of an army that was thoroughly trained to kill for survival?
As she took in every detail of his face, her heart nearly ceased it's beating as his eyes opened, causing her to turn a bit pink at being caught so openly staring.
"Good morning to you, princess. How do you fair?" he asked, releasing his hold on her and causing the chill around them to descend mercilessly upon her. She rubbed her eyes wearily, until she could totally focus on the question at hand, and the rather amused looking man doing the questioning.
"As well as can be expected, Endymion," she complained, feeling the ache in her back as she attempted to roll over. The action had her wincing, the grimace upon her face prompting him to sit up to steady her.
"Fret not. I shall live," she assured him, giving him a weak smile as he shook her head at her wryness.
"I thank you for your help," she said again and he nodded, pleased to note the actual sincerity of her words. Perhaps, he mused, he had judged her too harshly.
"Do not think of it. I have made a vow to your mother and I have every intention of keeping it," he said firmly, looking down upon her with the eyes that still seemed to be intent on tearing her apart. The interior of the tent was arctic enough for their breaths to show before them, and upon noting the beastly chill, Serenity shivered as the air touch her skin.
Endymion realized that until the weather cleared, they were grounded, else they would all be facing their deaths from it. The realization prompted him then to make his request, the man hopeful to avoid any arguments about the subject.
"Perhaps you should find some rest, Serenity. Dawn has yet to break and you are in great need of sleep after so much," he said, rising to his feet as her wide blue eyes watched him the entire while. Though secretly wishing to beg for him to remain by her side, she held her tongue to save what shred of pride she had remaining. The man was insanely warm, after all.
"And where will you be, Earth prince?" she wondered, watching as he tediously buckled his armor back into place, his every movement seeming to enchant her further as the moments ticked by.
"I have yet to see how high the waters have risen, and I also have need to check on the others. We have a few wounded from yesterday's melee ," he informed her, buckling his sword belt about his waist before at last clasping his cape about his shoulders.
"All on my account," she realized with shame, turning away as his eyes came to rest upon her.
"Do not fret so, Serenity. Once this storm passes, you shall find yourself home again, this entire bout of chaos forgotten ," he assured her.
His indifference was beginning to irritate her. The longer she sat pondering it, the more angered she became. At very least he could act as though she weren't the most egregious thorn he had ever had lodged in his side. It wasn't as if she had planned this madness, after all! Through her ponderings, she stole a glance at him, though immediately cursing herself for it.
Gods above, he was a handsome man. The way he stood there, in full armor and with that gods be damned smirk gracing his face, Serenity found a curious heat pooling within, her throat suddenly seeming to close up.
Breathing was becoming too much of a chore for her liking, and she silently cursed the lunacy that he so easily spawned. Curious as to why it was so, but not daring to explore the issue, she forced her mind to become operational at that point, her eyes gazing directly into his as she spoke.
"I can offer my aid with the wounded, Endymion," she offered, starting to rise.
"No," he said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her grounded. She eyed him curiously, wondering why he was insisting on being so bloody stubborn.
"I have no wish for you to leave this tent, princess. The situation is yet far too unstable for you to venture out to get yourself into more mischief. . . which seems to have the tendency to follow you. I do not wish for you to experience any more mishaps. Understand?" he asked sternly, drawing his hand away to gaze down upon her with storm cloud eyes.
He was talking to her as if she were a child and it bit into her like some raging, rabid animal. His tone reminded her of the constant battles with Raye that she found herself frequently submerged in back home. If the man knew with what fire he toyed with, perhaps he'd not be so keen on handling her like some witless juvenile.
"There is no need for you to treat me so," she bit out, crossing her arms over what he had previously noted to be a nicely developed chest.
"Indeed. . .actions speak volumes more than mere words, and by that I say that you have no room to argue with me over any matter. Need I bound your limbs to ensure that you stay where I have asked you to?" he wondered, the idea not entirely ludicrous as he thought it over, that wicked smirk never fading.
"I fear you would but enjoy such a thing, Earth prince. I merely offered to help YOUR men, whom will be much more useful after they have been treated for their injuries. However, since you are a male. . .an egotistical, pompous, infallible brute who seems to believe that he is never wrong. . ."
"Such a forked tongue for so fair a being. You have the world fooled, I assume. How many hearts has your deadly frost frozen, little princess?" he quipped, not allowing her to finish her bitter chastisement.
Her cheeks were flushed, and Endymion knew by the look upon her face, the clenched fists at her sides, that she was fast approaching the point of eruption. But, as his planning allocated, he would be long since vanished before such a thing occurred.
"And how you would long to be another, Endymion," she shot back, her blush only deepening as he deep laughter rang out. She wasn't being entirely ridiculous, though he would rather have run himself through with his own blade than admit such a thing to her or anyone else alive.
"If such a thought pleases you, believe what you wish, though I dare say that you would be the one to be wounded by such a thing. I advise you not to toy with things beyond your years," he mocked, setting the flames of rage roaring to life within the princess before him
"You are a pig, Endymion. Perhaps if you were a man. . ."
"Perhaps I shall indeed show you the ways of men some day, Serenity. Though I doubt you would survive it," he noted, his eyes becoming impossibly darker at such a depraved thought.
"I would leave you like a broken toy upon the floor," she spat, crystal eyes burning though he was able to see directly through her artificial threats. Those eyes still held within them fear, uncertainty. . .the naivety that he knew her to possess.
"My heart bleeds, fair Serenity. So naïve you are. . .it almost saddens me. However, it is simply too amusing to cause me to pity you," he informed her smugly.
Anger raced forth quickly, her tongue prepared to cut his throat, though before she could continue what had quickly escalated into a rather ruthless quarrel, he turned brusquely, leaving her with flushed cheeks and a temper that would take some time to quell.
"I shall return to you later," he called over his shoulder indifferently, before disappearing out into the camp, leaving one very flustered, very angered princess shaking in his wake.
"Oh, do hurry! I would hate to be denied such a glorious presence for any longer than necessary! Coward!" she shouted in response, though doubted that he had even heard her insolence.
She brooded for a long while, wishing to let him know just what she thought of his seemingly endless supply of arrogance. Her anger subsided after a bit, and though hating to fulfill his wishes, she found herself lying back down to sleep, grumbling the entire while about conceited princes and how she would enjoy humbling them using rather unceremonious, undignified methods.
So many thoughts ran through her mind that she soon found herself harboring a horrid headache, which only served to aggravate the already fuming princess further.
That gods be damned man had managed to wreak total havoc on her senses. Never had she been so attracted to anyone and yet so rejected by them all at once. One moment he was consoling her, showing her a tenderness that she doubted many had seen, the next chastising her for some nonsense or the other. . . as if she didn't already feel like a fool for what had transpired thus far.
Surely her mother and her guardians were an unholy wreck due to this entire fiasco, leaving her wishing that everything she'd experienced over the past few days would soon amount to nothing more than one elaborate dream that she could easily rouse herself from.
But no, she was indeed stuck amidst a pack of chauvinistic males with way too much testosterone flowing through their bodies to do anyone any good, with no hope of being home any time soon.
Her bitterness reached a boiling point, and Serenity knew that should she not soon allow herself to sleep, she would unleash her rage upon every last one of them without thought or reason. But no, things were far from over. She would most assuredly deal with the issue of Endymion's over confident nature. . . after a much needed nap.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Endymion scowled deeply, feeling as though he needed to take a flying leap into the surely icy pond just east of camp. Normally, waking up with a beautiful woman wrapped in his embrace was a good thing. However, that was indeed the problem, he reminded himself cynically.
Serenity was a gorgeous creature, that no sane man could deny. The poor girl been through enough objectionable circumstances and he had no wish to traumatize her any further by being forward with her, though he was sure that he would burst into a thousand stars to dot the night sky if he kept himself from it for very long.
And that fire. . .that fire that lurked within her, was enough to totally captivate him. He had been in his share of pointless arguments in his lifetime, though the one he had just managed to pull himself from was nothing but historical.
That girl had managed to stir things within that he could never recall feeling before. And it bothered him, the formerly unshakable prince of Earth, sole heir to the kingdom of the Terrans, that anyone had managed such an impossible task.
What was it about her that caused him to feel so strange, as if some invisible force had taken total control of his being? It should not be so difficult, he thought, to retrieve and return the obviously difficult princess to her home, and yet it had evolved into a grand scale fiasco, the likes of which he had never been forced to face.
He silently wondered, as he stalked through the encampment like some territorial beast, if he indeed wanted her to go. She had caused so much unrest within him, yet for some ungodly reason, he wished to see past what it was that everyone else seemed to see. Gods, and how he longed to touch her, that glorious perfection that so beckoned him with such a baneful whisper.
The longer she raged at him, the more the primal beast within clawed to the surface, until he'd had no choice but to stalk away from her, though still laughing inwardly at the parting barbs she had launched after him. Such a spitting little kitten. . .
The urges he felt to allow himself to be a tad naughty were growing by the minute, forcing him to rein them in with every ounce of willpower the man possessed. She was the Moon princess, after all, the one he had been sent to retrieve and keep from the talons of harm. He simply had no right to even entertain such ludicrous notions.
A vision of her entered his mind, and despite his valiant efforts to purge her from his thoughts, he found himself wondering how those rosy lips would taste. . .how her body would quake with approval in response to the random exploration of his skillful hands.
He shook his head, positively disgusted with himself on the whole, trying to clear such thoughts from it. There was work to be done at the moment, despite the bellows of his own male instincts to be freed.
No one had been severely wounded in the previous days' battle, merely lacerations and bruises here and there. At least they had managed to emerge relatively unscathed.
He was most grateful that they had arrived before Diamond had a chance to take his leave with Serenity in tow. It would have been maddening trying to find them in this weather.
The rain had fallen steadily all through the night, and the sight of the nearby river threatening to overflow it's banks was none too reassuring. It was a major task getting from tent to tent, the beastly wind blowing relentlessly and rain still pelting him from what seemed to be all angles.
As he entered the tent his generals occupied, he noticed that they all looked a bit distraught, and the sight did nothing to lighten his rather beastly mood. He had no desire to hear any more bad news, though it seemed quite inevitable at the time.
"Now what?" he inquired, sitting heavily upon a chair next to Kunzite, his armor rattling loudly as he did so.
"This devilish weather has knocked all communications out completely," Zoisite muttered, holding up the scrambled screen of his small computer as proof.
"Wonderful. So no one has a clue as to where we stand, nor can the Moon contact our castle, correct?" he guessed, receiving a nod from the blond general in response.
"Gods be damned. So again we wait," he realized, his fist slamming painfully against the table before him.
"For a bit anyway. We may as well prepare for it," Zoisite said, tucking his small machine away.
"This may pose a problem," Jadeite cut in, causing four brows to raise almost simultaneously.
"And what might that be?" Endymion wanted to know, his foot tapping anxiously.
"Rumors will fly, gentlemen. Our men have already begun to daydream about Serenity. If everyone remains in such close quarters until we break camp, what do you suppose will occur?" he wondered, his eyes now serious at the mention of such a repulsive scenario.
"She has been told to remain in my tent. The less they see of her the better," Endymion told them, fire growing within at the thought of anyone daring to disobey him by going near the princess.
"And do you suppose that she shall indeed listen to you?" Jadeite wondered, amused to see the anger flash across the face of Endymion.
Though he wished to argue his position, the prince realized that the man had a point. He had bared witness to enough to realize that she would most likely do just that. . . the exact opposite of what he wished.
"Though I hate to admit it," he said somewhat sourly, "you do have a point. I suppose I shall have need to keep a close watch over her."
"Indeed," Jadeite mused, leaning backwards precariously in his chair, his mind still turning rapidly. Oh, but the poor man had no chance, he mused silently, for this girl. . .this girl would be the death of the proud Endymion, and there was little hope for him to escape with any shred of dignity left in tact.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Endymion was somewhat elated to find that the weather had let up a bit, a light drizzle now replacing the formerly devastating downpour he had nearly gotten used to being assaulted by each time he stepped foot out of the safety of one tent or another.
His fickle mind was far past the threshold of irritating him, thoughts of battle, revenge, freezing rain and a certain azure eyed nymph that had somehow managed to set up permanent residence in the depths of his very confused psyche.
The point was fast approaching that he simply bashed her (ever so gently, of course) over the head, tossed her across a saddle that happened not to be his own, and rode for home as if the demons of all the worlds were tearing along behind him.
However, he affirmed, that would be most cowardly, and quite dangerous as well. Whatever number of the enemy's force had managed to escape. . .they were still on the prowl, and probably fairly close by due to the sudden flood they'd found themselves submerged in.
So were his thoughts, all consuming and relentless, as he marched into his tent, the same in which the object of his unexpected misery and overwhelming lustful thoughts was sure to be dozing peacefully in. Poor misguided fool that he'd become, Endymion nearly squeaked like some startled little boy as the tent flap fell behind him, his cobalt eyes growing massive and jaw dropping nearly to the floor.
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And you thought the other cliffies were rough, DIDN'T you??!!! I know, that was rough, but the next chapter will be around soon, with any luck at all. Until then. . .chew those fingernails!!! Or not. . .that's not that healthy.
To everyone who's reviewed so far. . .I LOVE YA'!!!! I'm beyond glad to see that you like this story, and I hope Chapter 3 has served you well. Ja Ne!!!
One last thing: Letting you know now that as this progresses, the rating *WILL* go up. . .safe for now, but later. . .yeah. *_*
*Cosmic Moon Baby*
