Sparta
"If you come with me, we'll never be safe. Men will hunt us, the gods will curse us, but I'll love you. Until the day they burn my body, I'll love you." --Paris of Troy
A soft knock at the door stirred Serenity from her dreamless sleep. Before Serenity could fully sit up in bed, the door opened and a woman stepped into her room. The woman had long black hair that caught the wind as she entered the room and beautiful violet eyes that gleamed with the fires of strength and confidence. She was dressed in a blood red toga that clung from one shoulder to pour down her body and hug her curvy features. The woman stopped as her eyes caught sight of Serenity.
Serenity blushed under the woman's blatant stare. "Are you Rei?"
Cocking her head to the side as if she were musing over the question she finally replied, "Yes, I am… and you are..Serenity?"
Nodding Serenity slowly stood to greet the woman. "I'm feeling rather awkward.. You are perhaps the twentieth person to look at me like so…"
Rei shook her head as if to brush off the statement. "I've just never see anyone with hair such as yours…the sun must have kissed your head when you were born…." Rei continued without hesitation. "Are you of Spartan decent? I ask because Spartan women usually have darker features."
"Oh, yes I am a Spartan…" Serenity trailed off as she lightly fingered her hair.
"Are you a council member's relative…?" Rei continued as she walked over to Serenity handing her a white two piece toga.
"Council member…? No, not that I know of…" Serenity said as she tilted her head to look at the garments.
Rei seemed to visibly relax after Serenity answered the question. "Well, let's get you ready to meet the Prince shall we?! Now…change into that outfit."
Serenity stiffened, "Alright."
Rei caught the slight hesitation and cast a curious glance at Serenity. All the other women were dying to meet the famous Spartan Prince…and here was this beautiful young girl of about eighteen…who seemed to have little to no interest in the occasion.
"Do you mind if I ask why you seem less than enthusiastic about meeting the Prince?" Rei asked as she turned her back to let Serenity change.
"I was happy with my life…living in the temple of Apollo..Playing music…and one day I get an invitation to meet the Prince. The invitation states that I am to be compared to other women as a potential spouse for him." Serenity said exasperated as she finished adorning herself in the outfit Rei had provided for her.
Rei turned back around when she heard Serenity stop fidgeting with her outfit. The outfit Rei had given Serenity exemplified her beauty in every way. The top piece of the toga wrapped around her breasts and tied around the back. The bottom half of the outfit was a long white skirt that clung to Serenity's hips and cascaded down her lusciously long legs. Serenity blushed as she watched Rei's eyes skim over her body critically.
Rei nodded her head seemingly pleased with the outfit she chose for Serenity. Continuing the conversation Rei softly sympathized with her, "You sound like my brother."
Serenity gaped at the woman before her. Her brother!? Hesitantly Serenity asked the question she was dreading to hear the answer to, "And who is your brother…"
"The Prince…of course." Rei said with a small smile. Serenity groaned audibly as she put her hand to her face in embarrassment. Why did she have to open her big mouth to the first person who would listen? She probably got herself into trouble already! Peeking through her fingers at the woman in front of her, she sighed. "I'm terribly sorry…" Serenity tried to redeem herself with a bow.
"Oh, get up! Don't treat me differently now that you know I am his sister!" Rei said as she helped Serenity straighten herself. "I was just simply saying that… my brother is as fond of this arrangement as it seems you are."
Serenity smiled wryly, but before she could say anything else Rei interrupted her, "It's time to meet in the ballroom!" Rei grabbed Serenity's arm and tugged her towards the door.
Serenity let out a surprised squeal and grabbed her bow and arrows before Rei could yank her from the room. "You don't need that!" Rei said as she headed down the hallway dragging Serenity behind her. "Here give it to me." Stopping in front of the ballroom doors Rei held out her hand expectantly.
"No." Serenity said as she draped the bow and arrows across her shoulder. "Rei—I don't know anyone here…much less my way around the palace. And to be completely honest I'm kind of scared. If someone tries to touch me…I will kill them."
Raising her eyebrows at the nerve this woman showed Rei gave in with a smirk. 'Definitely a Spartan Women,' Rei mused in delight.
"Fine…just don't do anything stupid….And don't kill my brother!" Grinning Rei nudged Serenity towards the door. "It was nice meeting you Serenity…I hope Endymion keeps you around."
"There's nothing I want less that to stick around here." Serenity muttered as she slipped through the ballroom doors.
Upon entering the ballroom Serenity's breath ceased at the spectacle before her. Women… The ballroom was filled with the most beautiful women Serenity had ever seen. Suddenly completely and utterly conscious of how she looked Serenity blushed, casting her eyes to the floor as she tried avoiding eye contact with the other women. Feeling the critical stares rake over her petit figure, Serenity slowing inched to the darkest corner of the room. Making her way to the corner, soft whispers from the other women reached her ears.
"Look at that scrawny little thing that just stepped into the room, like she could win over the prince's heart?!"
"What kind of woman carries a bow and arrows?"
"A barbaric one…"
Feeling outnumbered and cornered Serenity was about to flee through the doors she came through when a loud masculine voice boomed over the crowd of women.
"Ladies, please.. If I could have your attention?"
Serenity perked up at the sound of a familiar voice. It was Jadeite's.
"The Prince requests that you form a line… Twenty-Five women will enter the throne room at a time. Once you have entered the throne room you will be lined up and asked to bow upon the Prince's entry. Do not rise until the Prince addresses you by your name. If you can not follow these instructions you will be asked to leave and your invitation will be revoked." Jadeites eyes scanned the crowd of women to make sure they understood.
At the end of Jadeite's instructions the women all began to move to form a line. Most of the women, Serenity observed, rushed to be first in line. Hanging back until the first twenty-five women disappeared behind what Serenity assumed to be the throne room doors, did she then join the line as the last woman.
Fidgeting with her skirt, Serenity sighed. It had been an hour and a half and Serenity was on the brink of insanity by boredom. Exasperated, Serenity was about to scream in frustration when the doors to the throne room reopened. Jadeite again reappeared before the group of women.
"Ladies, if you please, follow me… And remember what I said earlier!" turning back Jadeite led the group of women into the throne room.
Stopping in the middle of a lavishly decorated yet utterly empty room, Jadeite's voice once again instructed the women to form a line and bow.
Serenity sighed from her place in line. She would be bowing for an extremely long period of time. Body bowed and eyes to the floor Serenity thought, "This is not worth it.."
The throne room doors opened once again and an extremely irritated Prince entered. To the Prince's disappointment there was another group of twenty-five women. Sighing he walked up to the first woman, Jadeite by his side.
"Lady Beryl" Jadeite read from his list.
"Rise" Endymion commanded to the woman bowing before him.
Beryl lifted her head gracefully and her face twisted into a smile when she was faced with the Prince. "Your Highness!"
Endymion raked his eyes in uninterest over Beryl's features. The woman had deep red hair, emerald eyes and a nicely curved body. "Are you from Sparta?" Endymion's deep voice cut in.
"No, Your Highness. I'm from Athens." Beryl said flipping her red hair over her shoulder to reveal her scantily clad bosom.
Endymion's eyebrow arched at her discreet act of 'forwardness'. "Do you have distant relatives on the council?"
"No….But my father is the King of Athens." Beryl finished, looking quite pleased with herself. Her answer was meant put herself in a higher favor with the Prince than the other women.
"Athens is not in good graces with Sparta… Why has your father sent you." Endymion couldn't help but be suspicious.
"Well, my father received an invitation… And he thought that if you chose me as your Queen… Athens and Sparta could form an alliance." Beryl recited from what her father told her in Athens.
"We'll see about that…" Endymion replied dryly before continuing to the next woman.
Beryl seethed for a moment. Oh, he would pick her as his wife…Her father had already spoken to the council members who sent the invitation. The council would command the Spartan Prince to marry her. He would have no choice. Beryl once again twisted her face into what some would think resembled a smile. Just then another soldier stepped forward to lead her back to her chambers before the ball.
With one last glance at the sinfully handsome Prince, Beryl let the soldier lead her to her bed chamber. 'All of this will be mine.' Thought Beryl as she left the room.
God he was bored…. These women were all the same! Council member's relatives… women thirsting for higher status… for wealth. It sickened him.
"And last but not least Lady Serenity." Jadeite concluded as he stepped back to watch the show.
Endymion turned his bored gaze down to the next women. Tilting his head, his eyes caught sight her golden tresses of hair that flowed from the two buns that were perched on either side of her head. The Prince blinked, he had never seen hair the color of golden embers. Words left him and the only thing he could do was reach out and touch her hair to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Feeling a tug on one of her ponytails Serenity's head snapped up to gaze accusingly at the man before her. Her sky blue eyes clashed with the ocean depths of his—their gazes locked. Fear gripped her as she felt herself drowning in the intensity of his eyes. Snapping out of the daze his eyes put her in, Serenity realized the man before her still had a hold of her hair. Anger rose in the pit of her stomach and before she could think of the consequences her next action would bring… she smacked the man's hand away from her hair, letting out a soft growl in warning.
Stunned by the fervor this woman showed, Endymion smirked. "Down little kitten."
Serenity glared, "You have no right to touch me."
The man before her chuckled in amusement for the first time that day, "You are right…But I should warn you…You should be more mindful of whom you choose to snap at… I am Endymion, Prince of Sparta."
Serenity gulped. Oh, by the Gods.. This was the Prince!? Her eyes then took in his appearance. He was dressed in well…very little… but it was the traditional soldiers outfit. How was she to know he was the Prince.. and not some perverted soldier?! Her face went from white hot fury to a beautiful shade of pink as she took in the sight of him. Seeing the other soldiers had not effected her so but this man… the prince.. was absolutely handsome.. he exuded masculinity and sexually.
Having no other choice Serenity raised her eyes to meet his, in order to keep them off of his body. Once again their eyes gazes met.
"So, Serenity, are you from Sparta." Endymion continued, his gaze never leaving hers.
"I am." Serenity answered softly, her voice loosing its anger.
"Are you related to one of the council members?" Endymion tried not to tense up as his mouth spit out the question.
"No." Serenity answered. 'Wow.. how utterly redundant,' she thought as she remembered Rei inquiring the same questions.
"Then how did you receive an invitation?" Endymion looked down at her quizzically.
"Ah! Now that's a good question! I have no idea… in fact I didn't even want to come! My mother made me!" Serenity said with accusation and anger in her voice.
Endymion was quite taken aback by the unexpected response Serenity gave him. Feigning hurt Endymion said, "You did not wish to meet me? Or perhaps become my queen?"
"NO! I was quite content living where I was, with my family!" Serenity sputtered trying to keep her courage and wits about her. She was not going to swoon like those other women.
Endymion gazed at the girl before him and was rather impressed with the courage she held to talk to him like that. Endymion was about to say something in regards to her lack of respect but was struck by a nagging question.
"Who are your parents then?" For some reason he felt anxious toward her answer.
Serenity hesitated before she slowly opened her mouth to reply. "M—"
Before she could utter a word the doors behind Endymion burst open.
"Where is SHE?! Where is Serenity?!" an angry voice boomed from the doorway.
Endymion's eyebrows arched as Serenity's face became tense with fear. As he stared at her worried face, he realized that fear did not suit her beautiful face nor her previously stubborn and confident personality.
"WHERE IS SHE?! I KNOW SHE IS HERE!" the voice yelled louder from the doorway.
Author's Notes
Any guesses as to who is at the door?... How about any guesses on who her father is? (This shouldn't be an extremely difficult question…because I tried to give hints already as to who it is… without actually giving it away. haha) I would love to hear some guesses!!! Also while you're taking a guess… please tell me what you think about the story so far.
Honestly I would like to thank all of the people who reviewed…This chapter wouldn't have been posted so soon without your comments! The response I've had to this story has blown me away…Thank you.
Happy5- You make a very valid point…thus because you make such a good point I decided to post my next chapter…the day before Harry Potter came out! It is because of you that this chapter came out today…Thank you once again for the wonderful review!!
Foquer- You left such a wonderful comment… Thank you! It's really nice to see that some of my readers actually notice the hard work I put towards editing my chapters! (I'm an English major…I hope it shows.) I would also like to say that I have written up to chapter 6 and am currently working on chapter 7… Because of your wonderful review…I have decided to combine my sixth and seventh chapter to make it one long chapter… SO when I finally post chapter 6 (aka my ubber long chapter)… it will be dedicated to you! Once again…Thank you.. Your comments really do make a difference.
Daddyzangel108- I loved the movie 300.. all the guys in it were super hot and total badasses…I could just picture Endymion and the generals in that movie! And also thanks for the complements! I'm really trying to make this story original! Thanks again!
Ashurina- I really try to put a lot of detail into my stories…I want my reader's to be able to visualize what they read! Thanks for the review!
Firegoddess372- I totally agree with you…I enjoy it when author's give Serenity some guts and actual personality! In this story.. I really can't make her subordinate and childish because she's a Spartan! And Spartans are total badasses! I loved your comments! Thanks!
PinkDreams- I must agree…Endymion is totally hot… Now if God would only grace the earth with more men like him…lol. I also try really hard to show realistic personalities for the character's in this story… I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far! Thanks for the wonderful review!
To my other Reviewers- Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews.. I would not have posted this chapter as soon as I did without your encouragement.
P.S: If I get a lot of reviews on this chapter I will post next Saturday… if their becomes little interest and therefore no reviews… I will wait two weeks from today to post…Again I appreciate every review good or bad… I just enjoy hearing your opinions!
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
