January 10, 621
Minako walked down the cool hallway, the fingers of her right hand trailing along the large expanse of stone wall. She had somehow found the lowest level of Kunzite's estate where the rumored hot springs were located.
It had been a couple of days since Endymion and Serenity had been to visit and Kunzite had left only hours after they did and had not yet returned. She wondered where it was that he was always being required to travel to and if he ever grew to dislike being on the road so much. Although if he were as half as bored as she often found herself, she would probably learn to love traveling so much as well.
To be fair, her boredom spanned from lack of any meaningful companionship. The only company she seemed to have an abundance of was those of the staff – which shied away from her – and the soldiers – whom kept an even further distance.
She had a small staff of her own, although it seemed their interest in their gossip of her and Kunzite's relationship made it hard for them to befriend her. Rebecca was the closest thing that she had to friendship, and while the other woman was kind enough, there was no doubt that her loyalty was to Kunzite first.
Warm walls now replaced cool stones as her fingers continued their path down the smoothed surface of a narrowing corridor. Decorations and carpets became scarce as she continued through the halls. Dim lighting was the only indication that something lay at the end of the hall. There was a slight damp odor in the air, and if she strained her ears, she thought she could hear the sound of water trickling.
The corridor opened up into a cavernous room that echoed with the sound of a droplet of water dripping from a stalagmite nearby. The ground was dark colored and shone with moisture. Several small pools filled the area with the ground varying in gradation. Steam filled the open expanse making small beads of sweat form on Minako's brow. As she moved to step into the area, she paused, realizing that she was not alone.
Kunzite stood near one of the pools, his fingers unbuttoning his uniform shirt before laying it over a nearby rock. His tanned skin appeared pale in the faint light of the room, giving him an almost ethereal appearance.
Arms stretched above his head, muscles flexing and constricting with the movement, accentuating his tall, lean body. Pale hair that normally hung loose down his back had been pulled into a ponytail and laid along the defined line of his spine. His left arm came down to his side, his right hand rubbing the tense muscle as he rolled his shoulder backwards, working out some stiffness.
He plagued her thoughts constantly and more often than not, she found herself wanting to be accepting of their betrothal. She wanted to be able to fall into this relationship and let herself become swept away in it, because that would be so much easier than fighting the resentment that dwelled within her.
Since she was a child, her father had told her that she would be good for nothing but marriage and heirs, and perhaps that was where she had come to have such a hatred for all proposals. This match though, was more than her father could have ever hoped for - save for the Prince himself who had already declared his unconditional love for her cousin.
While Minako did not wish to have Endymion for herself, she wanted to have what he had with Serenity. That feeling of safety and comfort that only comes with being with someone you truly love. This relationship she knew, would never be anything more than paper and motions. Some things were just far too ingrained.
Minako's thoughts were broken as Kunzite began removing his sword belt before loosening the ties that held his pants closed at his trim hips. The brown pants were peeled away from him legs, exposing the parts of him that made him a man.
A gasp escaped from her lips.
Kunzite paused, his body statuesque, head tilting away from her. Minako slid backwards against the wall, cursing at herself for being heard. She hadn't meant to find him here - she hadn't even known that he returned home, but once she saw his body, her eyes refused to be torn away. It was unnerving, she thought to herself, how the sight of him so thoroughly consumed her.
When several seconds passed, she slowly let out a breath, feeling confident that she had gone unnoticed. Carefully she peered around the corner, watching as he slid into a shallow pool of warm water from one of the springs, all previous distractions appearing to be forgotten. Tendrils of steam enveloped him, rolling off his skin in soft waves.
When Kunzite submerged himself into the water, she dashed into a corridor, trying to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. Dark stone steps rose up in front of her and she came to a sudden stop. This wasn't the way that she came. She glanced behind her, realizing too late that there must have been a split in the corridor that she emerged from.
A frown marred her face. She certainly couldn't risk going back the way that she came. There was no guarantee that she could go unseen trying to find the hall that she had come from. Worse, he may have come from this way and she didn't want to meet him in this enclosed space.
Without giving it another thought, Minako made her way up the stairs, holding her palm against the wall as she ascended the narrow steps. The stairwell wound around several times. Sometimes the hall narrowed, the steps becoming shallower before spacing back out. Her heart beat in her chest from the exertion of the steps. Each step took more effort than a normal set of stairs should take.
When she felt ready to give up, the outline of a door came into sight with dim rays of light peeking around the edges. She estimated that she had gone four floors and walked close to a hundred of those horribly placed risers.
Minako paused with her hand resting on the doorknob, laughing silently at herself. What was the worst that was going to happen had he seen her? Would he really have been so angry at her for finding the springs? Or for accidentally seeing him as he started to undress?
An echo reached her ears and again she faltered, not sure whether the noise was coming from behind or before her. The thought of going down the treacherous stairs was more than she could handle and she decided that whatever was behind the door could be no worse than remaining in this terrible hallway.
The heavy door offered only a little resistance as Minako used her small frame to push against its weight. She moved from the damp stairwell and into a bedroom, closing the door as silently as possible behind her. When her eyes settled on the open wardrobe, she knew by the familiar uniforms hanging within that this room was Kunzite's.
There was not a doubt in her mind that he would not be happy to find her here. He was a man that valued his privacy in every way. Only one person on his staff was even allowed into his personal quarters, and that person was Rebecca.
A few delicately placed steps brought Minako to the wardrobe where she sifted through the row of uniforms hung within. Several white jackets lined the space with two black ones on the end. Her fingers ran over the seal on the chest of the first one, noticing Endymion's symbol on the front. The other jacket had a different one - a bear over a rose. She jerked her hands away as though the material had burned her. It was the mark of the dead king.
She shook her head, mentally ridding herself of the feel of the material as she turned to face the rest of the room. Dark wood floors gleamed with the light of the sun coming in through the windows. Three sets of large single paned glass doors were inset to the wall across from the entryway, each separated by a single beam, sheer curtains hanging over the glass while heavy, dark colored drapes were pulled to the sides of each frame.
To the left rested a large bed with an oak canopy frame, crisp white linens lay under a thick, dark blue comforter. Her eyes scanned the room, noticing other assorted bedroom furniture, but what caught her eye was the coat of arms that hung on the wall. A family crest had been drawn with bright paint on wood, the sun low, the moon high and a crowned wolf howling. Two swords had been mounted in a crossed position over it.
Moving further into the room, she crossed over to the first set of glass doors, closest to the bed and pushed it open. A cool breeze met her skin, the sensation both welcoming and chilling. After the dankness that she had emerged from, the chilled fresh air sent goosebumps along her exposed skin.
To her left was a small glossed wooden table, her reflection visible in the immaculately polished surface. A small blade with a handle of gilded gold held a silver blade encrusted with light pink stones down the center. She picked up the poniard and ran her hand over the smooth surface, keeping her fingers clear of the sharp, nearly paper thin, edging of the blade.
Her ears perked at the sound of an echoing thud. She spun around, looking for the source of the noise when she realized it was coming from the hidden door.
Minako looked between the bedroom door and the balcony doors trying to decide what to do. Did she have time to make it out of the bedroom before he emerged? Or try to hide from sight on the balcony until he departed? It may end up being a long night in the cold, but with her bravado suddenly missing, hiding felt to be the better option. She slipped through the doors and pressed herself against the stone exterior wall trying to remain hidden from view.
Kunzite shut the door to his suite and removed his boots at the door, leaving them placed squarely on the large mat along the wall. His fingers worked at removing the top buttons of his shirt as he walked towards his bed. His uniform clung to him in some parts where the dampness remained on his body. He wanted nothing more than to wash up and change so that he could go to sleep early and have the first full night of rest in over a week.
He stopped at the small table by his bed and removed the pale pink cuffs from his sleeves. A family heirloom that never failed to draw attention. Although not as much attention as the single diamond stud that rested in his ear.
Once an act of rebellion.
Then a sign of brotherhood.
Now just a heavy reminder of his sins.
He didn't know what it was that caused the reaction in him, but all at once he froze, realizing that things were out of place. The balcony doors in his being open when he distinctly remembered closing them before leaving. The missing letter opener that belonged on the nightstand. Then, finally, the glint of sunlight against metal.
With steps as a quiet as a cat, he crossed the distance to the balcony, his hand deftly drawing the short blade on his side from its sheath and switching it to his right hand as he moved towards the left most door. He stepped close to the wall and brought his sword up as he reached out and grabbed at the direction of the person attempting to hide from sight.
His hand was met with soft fabric and a slim arm as he jerked the person into the room, ready to raise his sword in defense. Although as he began to move, he realized that it was a petite female within his grip, but was moving too quickly to stop himself.
As they came face to face, the small blade in her hand rose to his neck. "Minako," he warned through clenched teeth.
"You startled me," she said, finally speaking after allowing several long seconds to pass.
"Funny, I had the same thought," he said. "Now if you realize I'm not a threat to you, perhaps you can remove that blade from my throat." He arched his eyebrow in a way that either indicated humor or displeasure as his hand moved to cover hers.
Anger and fear welled up inside of her – neither of which she wanted to explore or understand further. It was then that she noticed the dot of blood that welled from his neck where the tip of the blade had cut him.
The sound of the front door opening and closing broke their gaze. Kunzite pulled at her hand wielding the weapon and spun her to face the door, her body resting just in front of his, his sword hand lowered behind his body. Long fingers wrapped around hers, keeping the small dagger placed between them.
She could feel the exposed skin of his chest pressing against the back of her hand, though thankfully he held her so tightly that she didn't have to fear her fingers brushing over the muscled skin of their own accord. She wanted to blame her reaction on resistance to his grip, but flushed knowing that it was really a shallow desire that tempted her.
Rebecca came to a silent stop in the doorway to the bedroom upon seeing the couple, her previous words all but forgotten. A confused but polite smile curled her lips. "If you are going to have company," she said in a chastising tone, "you should be so kind as to let me know so that I can return the favor and not disrupt you."
"I am finding myself just as surprised. Although now that Minako is here, she has decided to join me for dinner. Can you have dinner brought up once it is ready?"
Minako tensed against him, her lips parting, but no words would come out. Couldn't he have said something to defend her being there? Surely it didn't help anything that he was in a slight state of undress. That and the flush of her cheeks was surely giving her away.
Rebecca sighed and bowed her head in a nod. "I will return shortly. I've left letters for you on the front table for when you might find yourself less occupied."
"Thank you, Rebecca," Kunzite said as he watched her leave the room.
Once the door had closed, Kunzite yanked the dagger from her grasp as she pulled away. He placed the knife heavily on the table and then sheathed his sword, his eyes remaining in contact with hers.
"You couldn't have come up with something better than my seeking you out in your bedroom?" Minako said quickly, her hands tightening up into fists at her side. "She doesn't understand why I'm here."
"I don't understand why you are here either," he muttered, his hand reaching up to touch a small cut on his throat, noting the small drop of blood that stained his fingertips.
Minako's cheeks turned pink. "Rebecca surely thinks that we were doing - something before she arrived. You could have at least closed your shirt."
"You didn't mind when I removed my shirt earlier," he said, pulling his sword belt from around his waist and tossing it on the bed. "Or anything else for that matter."
Minako's cheeks burned even redder. "I didn't know that you had returned home. I thought you were still away."
Kunzite leaned over her so that their faces were almost touching. "Surprise," he whispered, and then started walking towards the bedroom doors. "Rebecca should be up with dinner in a few minutes. You can join me if you're hungry."
She watched him walk out the door and turn to the right. If she wanted to, she could walk out and put an end to this humiliation that she created for herself. Or at least delay the further inevitable conversation that was to follow.
Her palms felt sweaty and she glanced down to look at them, noticing the grayish tint that stained them. The dirt of the stairwell wall must have rubbed onto her skin when she leaned onto it for balance. A glance over her dress showed that the same grayish dirt marred the light colored material. It was then that she realized that he perhaps hadn't seen her after all and she admitted it all the same.
Her concentration was broken when she heard the sounds of hurried footsteps in the hall and she looked over to find Rebecca entering the room with a gown of pale orange in her hands. The other woman closed the door behind her with a kick of her foot and approached Minako, pausing only to drop the dress on the bench at the foot of the bed.
"While the girls are setting up dinner we need to get you changed," Rebecca said, pushing the young girl to the edge of the bed and started to unfasten the clasps of the blonde's peach dress.
"Should I be changing in here? Won't he walk in at any minute?"
"You'll be fine as long as we hurry. He is still washing up so we have a few minutes." She helped Minako to step out of her dress and shift, and into a fresh slip and new gown.
"Is this necessary?" Minako asked.
"Necessary? No," Rebecca responded as she pulled tightly at the corset ties around the back of the dress, "but something that you should do regardless." Rebecca tucked the strings into the dress panel and stepped back to look Minako over. She ran her fingers through Minako's golden strands, smoothing the hairs that hung wildly around her face. "How did you know how to find those hot springs below ground?"
The blonde girl willed away the flush of her cheeks. "I heard some of the other girls talking about it."
Rebecca took Minako's hand and led her across the room to where a bowl rested on a table. Minako stuck her hands in the water, using a nearby cloth to try and wash off the gray stains.
"Those foolish girls," Rebecca said, shaking her head, "probably followed the young master down to those springs."
Minako found herself feeling possessive that someone else's prying eyes would be watching him. Jealousy surged thinking that he might have been aware. "Does he invite them to watch him bathe as well?" she asked. Her tone sounded petty even to her own ears.
Rebecca didn't bother to hide her distaste at the girl's question. "He has no affairs with anyone on his staff."
Both women looked at each other, eyes meeting as no further words were spoken. Minako felt ashamed that she had said those words aloud. It was a terrible thing to say about him and worse to say it to someone who was clearly so endeared to him. The other woman's words were meant to chastise, but there was something else that lay under those words. "I'm sorry, Rebecca," she finally said.
"When you are with him," Rebecca said, "he is with no one else. He is not the man people want him to be."
Minako turned away to look in the mirror. The dress hung loosely from her shoulders, the long sleeves completely open on the sides and held together by decorative straps just above and below the elbows, allowing the material to fall open and expose her wrists.
A matching sash tied around the high waistline, the ends flowing down the back of the dress. The lengths of the material pooled out in layers spilling around her feet, which had been adorned in matching colored sandals. The dress was beautiful as was the color, yet she felt insignificant underneath the golden flair. Still too short, body too slender and without curves. "Why me, Rebecca?" Minako asked, her voice low.
"What?"
"Why didn't he marry Esmeraude?"
Rebecca bristled at the name. "We don't speak about her."
"I heard the prince talking with Kunzite about her."
"She was a terrible person and some people are best forgotten. Our Prince's ability to breach that subject is far different from our own." The older woman paused, her head tilting to the side as she looked over her charge. "You are a kind, caring, beautiful woman," she said. "Others can see that about you and you should be able to see that as well."
"Is that what he sees in me? Or does he see only beauty and nothing else matters?"
That gave Rebecca pause as she considered her next words. "He can be shallow. That was all that Esmeraude was to him. He has never settled himself with anyone who was only that."
"And how does he know what I am if he knows nothing about me?"
"You will find that he never asks a question that he does not know the answer to." Rebecca ushered Minako from the bedroom, across the hall, and into the room with the open door where a table had been set for dinner.
The room was lightly furnished with two padded high-backed chairs, a small table between them, facing a fireplace. Further back behind the chairs sat an intimate sized table where their dinner had been set. A thick square of plush carpet embroidered with striking designs covered most of the hardwood floor, giving the room a warmer feel. A large oak mantle had been constructed around the spacious fireplace, taking up the majority of the wall as the main source of heat for the room.
Along the adjacent walls hung some paintings similar to those she had seen in the Palace. Her eyes were brought back to the fireplace where she noticed a particularly bright painting hanging high above the mantle.
She approached the fireplace to inspect the artwork further and was amazed by the beauty the painter was able to bestow with his paintbrush. Within the frame was a depiction of a blonde haired woman kneeling at the edge of the ocean. She seemed to be sans clothing, although her long hair framed her body as if to cover her nudity.
The woman's eyes were haunting and her features were strikingly beautiful as she seemed to be looking at the painter with a backwards glance. It was almost as if the artist had managed to stop time long enough to capture this image before the girl would disappear. The whole effect of the picture was captivating and Minako felt an urge within herself to reach out and touch the canvas in a vain effort to make physical contact with this striking beauty.
Rebecca excused herself and headed for the main door. As she was about to exit she saw Kunzite exiting from his bedroom into the main hall. "Minako is waiting for you in the sitting room."
"Thank you, Rebecca. That will be all for tonight."
"You put quite the scare into her, whatever it was you did," Rebecca said as she moved towards the door.
"I'm fairly sure she is far more hazardous to my health than I to hers."
Rebecca glanced over her shoulder at him. "Try being more man than a beast tonight, my young master."
Kunzite frowned at her, casting her a dark look. "You know how much I hate to be called that." Rebecca laughed as she continued towards the door, allowing the heavy oak to fall closed behind her.
His step faltered as he entered the sitting room and took in the blonde girl staring at the painting over the fireplace. Desire was the emotion that pulled the strongest at his thoughts, but he pushed it away and moved towards the far side of the room, pulling the stopper from a glass decanter.
"Will you not offer a drink to your dinner companion?" Minako said from across the room, her eyes still fixed on the painting.
"I don't imagine you would care for what I am drinking," Kunzite responded, pouring himself a glass of the amber colored fluid.
"I didn't say I wanted it, only that you should have offered." She smiled as Kunzite chuckled at her words. "Who is this painting of?"
"Aphrodite."
"She looks so sad."
"She carries the love of the world on her shoulders without ever finding love of her own."
"There are few that do."
"She looks a bit like you."
Minako turned to look at Kunzite, her eyes drinking in his image. His hair was still damp and there was a hint of moisture that glistened on his tanned skin. The top buttons of his uniform shirt were unfastened and hanging open with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows allowing her a glimpse of his finely defined chest and sculpted arms. "Do you say that to every girl who passes through your doors?"
For a moment he was taken aback by her comment. Her tone was pleasant but her words were sharp barbs. She seemed to regret her words and turned back towards the painting, her arms crossing at her chest. "Are you hungry?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Not very to be honest," she said softly. "I am only here because you told Rebecca that I wished to dine with you."
"Not true," Kunzite said, moving towards the table. "I believe that I said you and I would have dinner together while you were here."
Minako turned to face Kunzite. "You have a way with words don't you? You always make such vague statements so that no one can later remember exactly what you said."
Kunzite smiled and pulled out a chair for Minako. "I'm sure my soldiers would tell you quite the opposite."
"If you knew I was watching you, why didn't you say anything?"
"Watching me where?"
She could feel her cheeks burning. "You don't need to draw this out."
"Because I didn't see you."
"But you knew."
"It could have been anyone who wandered down to the springs. No one else is supposed to be down there, but I know that others sneak down there when they think I'm away. You chose to confess."
"What if I had denied it?"
"Then we both would have known that you were lying."
"I wasn't watching you."
"Then why not announce yourself?"
"You think that I'm lying?"
He gestured towards the chair he was holding for her. "Sit. Please."
She watched as his face remained impassive. He didn't seem to believe her, nor did he seem to care. "What do you want from me?"
"A companion."
She moved across the room and sat down in the chair he held for her, holding the ends of her dress as he helped to push her chair closer to the table before moving to seat himself. "Companions converse with each other, not spend their days avoiding each other."
"I don't have a choice in the time I have to spend on the road."
"You do have a choice in announcing your return rather than skulking through hidden passages to avoid being seen by anyone."
"Ah," he said, "that's how you ended up in here ahead of me." When she didn't respond, he continued, "You seem determined to dislike me."
"Surely I came with enough gifts that my actual feelings need not be of any consequence."
"Your dowry? Is that what bothers you? You think you're here because of your worth? Does Endymion care any less for his bride because of her dowry?"
"We are not the same as them."
"We are exactly the same as them," Kunzite countered, leaning back in his chair.
"You have taken me as a gift, he took her as his love. We are quite different."
"I didn't take anything from your father. There was nothing that he could offer that I needed."
"My father never did anything out of good will."
"He was not a good man, I would agree with that."
Minako crossed her arms at her chest. "You know nothing of him or of me."
"It's my purpose to know everything and everyone. Do you think I would have accepted you into my home knowing nothing about you? That I would have entered into an agreement with your father without knowing the value of his word?
"For a woman of your birth to have such a small dowry and such high marriage agreements was rather intriguing to me. You're a beautiful girl of a noble birth, but most men of rank would have a certain expectation of what their bride would bring to the marriage."
"Depends on what you consider men of rank to be, I suppose."
"He nearly married you to Duke Westingham."
"A friend of yours I'm sure," Minako responded dryly.
"Westingham is a man who deserves to have his titles and lands stripped from him for the way he treats others. He and I had the misfortune of running into each other once. I still receive grief from Endymion to this day."
"Why do you know all of this?"
"You shouldn't have been forced into that union."
"But forced into this one instead?" Minako said, rising from her seat and nearly knocking over the glass in front of her in the process. "You want my gratitude for choosing me to spite a rival? I hate to inform you that your wooing skills do not live up to their rumored expectation."
Kunzite reached out and grabbed her wrist, keeping her from moving away from the table. Her heart jumped in her chest. He was so fast that her eyes barely registered his movement until her hand was trapped by his.
For a moment she was taken back to the moment in his room where his hand had wrapped around hers and their bodies had been pressed together. Her eyes darted to his neck where a faint red line still remained on his otherwise flawless skin.
"Please let me go," she whispered, her mouth suddenly too dry to properly form the words.
Kunzite rose from his seat, his hold on her softening, but not entirely releasing her either. He stood so close and she felt like she could only breath in the scent of him, the rest of the room disappearing into the background. "I don't want to hold you against your will, Minako. I want you to trust me."
"Trust you? I know little more than your name after months of living in the same home as you. Perhaps I am but a trinket for you to collect."
"My tour is coming to an end soon and I will be spending more time at home. We'll have the opportunity to speak and know each other."
"I don't want to be used by you," she responded, her voice just above a whisper as she pushed the words past her lips. She watched his face for a response, noticing that he seemed somewhat taken aback by her comment.
He didn't appear angry, but his eyes searched hers as if he could see into her head, reading her thoughts. The silence between them felt as if it stretched on endlessly, but she didn't know what to say to him after making such a statement. Did she owe him an apology for being so blunt?
"I will earn your trust, Minako. You will see that when I give my word on something it will never be taken back." His hand dropped, releasing hers.
Minako continued to watch him, noticing the changes in his features as he spoke. The intimidating look he normally wore was absent, now replaced with something much more intimate.
She stepped closer to him, her splayed fingers resting on the exposed skin of his abdomen. His skin was warm and electrified her in a way that she knew should defy nature. Perhaps it was the excitement of everything he represented - lust and danger - or maybe, it was just his handsome features, but she felt herself being pulled towards him and she didn't want it to stop.
Under her touch, his muscles tensed, body rigid. She could feel him holding back from her, letting her move as she wished. Sharp green eyes watched her, not giving away the true context of his thoughts. When she rose up on her toes to brush her lips against his, his fingers slid up her forearms and came to rest at her elbows. Goosebumps lined her skin from the heat of his touch as he returned her kiss.
Her eyes remained closed as she pulled away from him, still savoring the feeling of his lips on hers. The bittersweet taste of the brandy he drank staining her tongue. When his hands rose up to cup her cheeks, her breath caught in her throat. It was unreal how she felt so pulled to him, his attentions all consuming. The single shared kiss still weighed heavily on her lips and she craved more of him.
"Let's go outside," he said, his voice low. "I think the fresh air will do us both some good."
Minako nodded her head in consent and stepped back, his hands falling away from her. She could feel the lack of warmth his body had provided her immediately, but didn't trust herself to step towards him again. The kiss had left her distracted and wanting, but she was afraid of seeming foolish and naive at admitting such a thing to him.
As they walked out of the room, his hand found its way to the small of her back as he ushered her across the hallway towards his bedroom. Maybe it was because of their shared kiss, but she found herself leaning closer to him, breathing in the lingering scent of fresh soap.
They walked through the now dimly lit room towards the open glass doors of the balcony to emerge outside in the cool winter night. Minako welcomed the chilled air as it wrapped around her, removing the remaining heated vestiges of Kunzite's kiss, allowing her to clear her thoughts. She walked towards the edge of the balcony, her hands coming to rest on the stone ledge as she leaned forward. Directly below she could see the gardens that surrounded the backside of the castle as well as the lake that she often went for walks around.
In the distance, the illuminated turrets of the Palace towers were visible. Minako turned to look at Kunzite, noticing that he stood with his back pressed against the wall, arms crossed at his chest as he watched her. "Are you afraid of heights?" she asked teasingly. She could hear the deep rumble of his laughter in his chest just before he pushed himself away from the wall to stand near her.
"Heights are the last thing that I am afraid of," he said.
"Then what are you afraid of?"
His gaze sent a chill through her. A man who had the depth of his stare clearly had seen enough in life that he had no fears at all. She turned away from him, her attention returning to the skyline. Her hair slipped over her shoulder, spilling like gold over the edge of the railing and she could feel Kunzite's hand brushing the strands back towards safety. "What is your tour?"
"Endymion has his four generals take turns at traveling to the ends of the kingdom. We need to make sure that our territories are protected and properly served. If they find themselves lacking or feel abandoned, you risk rebellion."
"Where has your tour taken you?"
"I spend most of my time in the city of Calingstone."
"I've never heard of it."
"It was once a prosperous city, but was reduced to little more than rubble from the war. Someone needed to take responsibility and it was solely mine to do so."
"Why?"
He turned his body towards hers and brushed his hand over her cheek, her eyes stared wide into his own, light blue orbs against pale skin. "I had thought that I could distance myself from you, but after one kiss I admit that I can't stop thinking of a second one from you."
She remained silent, her lips slightly parted, and then he noticed the slightest of nods as her cheek brushed against his cupped palm. Her body remained routed where it was as if she had suddenly turned shy and forgotten about their kiss only moments earlier. He leaned forward, his lips brushing softly over hers.
