Chapter Four
It had been a week since Princess Serenity had last seen Aryon. Because he was often away at sea or on duty, they had to schedule their rendezvous ahead of time. Though it gave the young princess something to look forward to, it also made the days and weeks drag by slowly as she anticipated seeing him. It was made even worse this time around when she was so eager to discuss what her mother had said about his family.
With the real Silver Crystal gripped tightly in her hand and her heart thundering loudly in her chest, the princess raced through the dark courtyard towards the Moon Road. This time, she was wary of her surroundings. She spotted Demetrius around the corner and easily slipped past him, making her way to the pale white marble columns that took her to the man she loved.
He'll explain it all to me, she thought with defiant certainty. Mother must be mistaken. Surely his family had no part in such a plot. He'll tell me the truth. I know he will.
Her pale shoes clacked against the cold, flat surface of the Moon Road entrance. Gritting her teeth, the princess held the Silver Crystal tight and shouted, "Moon Prism Power!"
Within seconds, her body was racing through the dark space between the moon and the Earth. As her kingdom shrank behind her in the distance, the magnificent blue-and-green swirls of Earth grew larger in her sights. The first time she made this journey nearly a year ago, she had been awestruck by the splendor of the colors before her. Though beautiful, the pale moon didn't have nearly the sheer number of colors that were painted across the Earth's surface. She still marveled at the sight, but her heart desired to see something else—or someone else, rather.
As she gently descended to the Moon Road's exit, Serenity felt her heart tighten in her chest as her eyes landed on the familiar golden hair and sweet blue eyes she often craved to see. He stood straight and tall in his Royal Navy uniform, handsome and strong as always. When Aryon's eyes lit up with joy at seeing her, the princess briefly forgot about all the questions raging through her mind.
"My princess," he said warmly as his arms wrapped around her slender frame. "I feel as though I am not alive until I see your face. I merely walk in a trance in the time we spend apart."
"You say the most ridiculous things," she chided, though she couldn't hide the blush on her cheeks or the smile that lit her face. And when he pressed his lips against hers and she smelled the sea for the first time in a week, she too felt as though she had just woken from a trance.
He pulled away, his eyes darkening slightly in confusion as he regarded her. "My princess, is something the matter? You seem… tense. Did something happen?"
Oh, how she had wished he would delay this moment. Serenity wanted to ignore the angry tugging at her mind and heart. She wanted to put aside her doubts and just be happy for the time being. But now that her love had noticed, she had no choice. The young princess sighed, unable to meet his eyes with her own. "Aryon… I must ask you about something."
"Of course," he answered readily, but the wariness was unmistakable in his voice. "You can ask me anything. You know that."
"I do!" she responded quickly, tightening her arms around him. "I trust you completely, my love. And I know you will tell me the truth."
"You act as though I'm on trial," Aryon stated with a tense laugh. "Please, do not keep me in suspense any longer. What questions do you have for me?"
Again, Serenity looked away from his sweet face, though her eyes craved to remain locked on his. "I… I spoke with my mother."
"The queen?" he asked, surprised. "About what?"
"She said that she knows your family," Serenity responded quietly. "She says that you… that your family is Lunarian, and that you were banished to Earth long ago. She told me that your parents were part of the Royal Court and sought to destroy her and my father when they had first ascended to the throne. But that can't be true," she added quickly with a pained smile. "Of course she must be mistaken. She received false information. Your family can't… they wouldn't…"
But as she spoke, Aryon's arms slackened around her. Her stomach twisted with dread as she slowly looked up to his face, only to see his eyes dark with an unreadable expression. Where his face usually displayed a ready smile, his lips were pressed together in a thin line. "Aryon," she whispered, her eyes wide with horror at his response. "No. She… she's wrong, isn't she? Tell me she's wrong!"
His eyes failed to meet hers as his arms fell to his sides. She clung onto him desperately, but he did not hold her in return. "I wish I could, sweet princess."
She drew back quickly, as though she had been stabbed with a knife. She stared in disbelief at Aryon, willing this all to be a terrible ruse of some kind. "What…? Aryon, what are you saying?"
"What your mother says…" he responded quietly, his eyes still not meeting hers. "What she tells you is the truth. I will not lie to you, princess. My heart forbids me to do so. But I wish I had a happier truth to tell you. My parents," he explained with venom in his voice, "were indeed part of a plot to assassinate both your mother and father in attempts to weaken the kingdom and allow for a new royal bloodline to take the throne. It was an ill-conceived plan that failed—thank the gods."
With a heavy, pained sigh, the young sailor turned from her and paced among the trees. The princess stared after him, her heart frozen at his words. "There were other conspirators, of course—ones much more involved in the plan than my parents. When the Queen's Guard captured my mother, she complied with them and told them the names of the other conspirators in exchange for a lighter sentence. While the others involved in the plot were imprisoned and executed, my mother and father were banished to Earth for their crimes."
Serenity felt as though her breath had been crushed out of her lungs. "You…" she whispered weakly. "You knew about this? This whole time?"
Aryon nodded solemnly, looking away from her. "I did. I've known since I was young about my true heritage. Why do you think I've been so fascinated with the Moon Kingdom? How can one not long for his true home?" He cast a sorrowful look in her direction. "It was not my intent to deceive you, princess. When I first saw you exploring these woods with awe and wonder, I did not know who you were. Had I known, I would have never thought to converse with you."
The words hit Serenity harder than the truth did. She couldn't imagine a reality in which he did not know or love her. The thought made her knees weak with an agony she didn't anticipate.
He must have seen the despair in her expression; within moments, he had swept her back into an uncontrollable—yet reserved—embrace. "Oh please, princess, do not be troubled," he begged quietly as he gently cupped her pale face in his hand. "I would not have my life any other way now. I am glad that I did not know who you were, for my life would not be the same if I hadn't met you on that fateful day. But when I found out that you were the heir to the throne, and that my parents had conspired to murder yours, I was filled with an unshakable guilt. How could I tell you? How could I hope to explain the terrible actions of those who gave me life?"
His eyes hardened with sudden resolve as he held her face captive in the palm of his hand. "I have built my life around distancing myself from my parents' sins. I refuse to be brought down by a past I did not partake in. At first, I thought the gods were mocking me by making me fall in love with someone connected to the past I desperately tried to escape. But now I believe they sent you as a sign of penance. If you can truly love me, despite the errors of my bloodline, then surely I can escape from the bonds of their past."
Serenity felt her frozen heart flutter back to life at his words. As though caused by the thawing of her heart, sweet tears streamed down her face as she gazed back up at Aryon. "Of course," she rasped. "Of course I love you. How could I do anything but? You are my life now, my sweet Aryon. And your parents' sins are not your own."
When he kissed her, she felt the staggering force of his relief and renewed passion. They had shared many kisses together, but this was far stronger than any she had experienced in the past. As they clung to each other, Aryon's lips possessed hers completely. Her whole body felt wrapped in a blazing fire as his strong hands held her firmly against him. In the past, he had gently pried her lips open with his tongue as though politely asking for permission. But now, he claimed it. He buried his hand in her hair at the base of her neck, tilting her head back to give him complete domination over her lips and mouth.
Serenity struggled for breath, but she found herself fighting against her own desire and passion more than she fought against Aryon's strength. She craved him more. This sweet fire that enveloped her as he claimed her mind, body, and soul, was both too much and not enough at the same time. "Aryon," she gasped as she pried her lips away from his. "Aryon, wait… I…"
He kissed her once more, as though he could not help himself, but obeyed her words. She felt an odd mixture of relief and disappointment as her lungs filled with cool air, clearing her foggy mind. There was some consolation in the fact that Aryon, too, had been left gasping for breath. The two clung to each other as they breathed deeply.
"I swear," Serenity heard Aryon whisper by her ear. "I swear on my own life, I shall have you as my bride. Let no man or god stand in my way—you are all that I desire in this world. If you shall have me, princess," he added, pulling away just enough to gaze into her eyes with overwhelming longing, "you would make me happier than any man in existence."
"Yes," she choked out between sobs of joy. "Of course I shall marry you."