Welp, this one is a long one. However, I hope you are not too disappointed in the fact that it is entirely a flash back. I really like this chapter, I do like writing about the Moon Kingdom time arc. I started one a long time ago, and it was epic and pretty good. IDK if I told you guys this but my external hard drive died, taking ALL my work with it. I mean since my days in college and my essays from then. It's part of the reason I have been so slow to get new stuff out.
That said, some of you may be happy to know that I have started the sequel to The Customer is Always Right. Had to re-read it on the website cause, dead hard drive. Any who, I forgot how much I liked that story. But the sequel is going a bit slow for me to be honest. I'll get it out asap but I don't want to rush it and make it not as good.
Any who, enjoy my lovelies!
Chapter 4
"For the happy man prayer is only a jumble of words, until the day when sorrow comes to explain to him the sublime language by means of which he speaks to God."
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Everything was static and silent. The warm sun flittered on her face but yet no birds swang to wake her. Opening her eyes, she found the assault of the sun's brightness too much for her tired eyes and had to shield them. The silk sheets poured off of her body like pools of melted metal as she slowly sat up. Cool marble met her feet, with the hem of her night gown to follow soon after.
The first thing that met her eyes was a full length mirror. Her reflection almost startled her, till she realized it was just herself in the mirror. Her hair was a bit disheveled, having coming undone in the night, but her nightgown was miraculously wrinkle free, white silk hanging from her shoulders to her ankles. Her gold moon stood out brightly on her pale face and pale gold hair. She was at the moon kingdom. Another memory. She knew it was best not to fight it, to relax and let her former self show her what she needed to see. Relaxing her inner subconscious, she let her past take over, becoming a passenger in her own body.
Soon she was not alone, handmaids entered her room.
"Good morning Princess Serenity," they said in perfect, creepy unison.
"Good morning Mary, Flora."
The two were older than her but not by much. Mary had long dark brown hair that fell in beautiful waves down her back and shoulders. Flora had black hair, short and super curly, sticking close to her head. Both had dark skin, from years of working out in the sun before they obtained their positions in the palace.
Flora got to her first, gently pushing her into the chair at her vanity. She began the tedious task of brushing out her hair. Mary put herself to work making her bed and putting fresh flowers in her vase. Then she pulled out clothes for her to wear. Mary was good at putting an outfit together, but just once she would like to pick something out for herself.
Finishing her hair, Flora turned her towards the bed which now housed her cloths for the day, a light blue gown made of a thin silk. It had short sleeves and a square neckline with a small line of lace on the edging.
They helped her slip it on over her tightened corset, which made just the 'right' amount of breast pop out of the neckline of the gown. It fit tight on her arms and chest, loosened a little on her ribs and stomach, then fell in loose pleats on her waist and legs. The material was soft and luxurious but thin, giving her a chill inside the cool palace.
The two women set about pulling jewelry for her, a silver chain made of moon and star shapes was placed around her wrist, wrapping around three times. Small diamond studs were put in her ears and a small pearl necklace that hung just above her collarbones was clasped in place.
Finally satisfied with their work, she was released to her day. First, was breakfast with her mother and the occasional delegate or adviser. Today was no exception. Her mother and one of her top advisers talked business the entire breakfast. She listened in and gave responses when it was considered respectful for her to. An agreement here and disagreement there. They were mostly talking about the upcoming harvest festival and Earth relations. Plans were on schedule and the Earth and the Moon were still not on good terms blah blah blah. Breakfast couldn't have ended sooner.
Not that she had anything else to rush to. All of her dear friends were back home for the week, readying for their own harvest festivals. Even her cousin Mina was back on Venus. The thought brought tears to her eyes, she already missed her friends so much. But she couldn't cry, they would be mad at her for letting their absence ruin her days. Putting on a brave face, she headed towards the gardens.
She strolled them twice before giving up. She was bored.
Inside wasn't much better. Maids and butlers scuttled about preparing the Palace for the upcoming festival as well. The Lunar Kingdom would soon be filled with guest from all over. Every planet had agreed to come. She listened in on their gossip as they worked, none of them minded her presence, they knew her well enough that they could talk freely around her. Apparently the big topic today was that Earth had actually agreed to come. It would be the first time Earthen Royalty would be on the premises or the planet in 100 years!
She couldn't believe it herself but if it were true, wouldn't her mother have mentioned it this morning? She just chalked it up to rumor, but everyone was talking about it. Could it possible be new news? Something that happened after she left the table? Or was her mother keeping it secret from her?
Seeking out the truth, she began to wonder the halls of the Palace looking for her mother. She made her way to the West wing which made up of offices and official meeting spaces for delegates and royal representatives. Occasionally Royals would meet her mother here when they had official business to attend to but it was rare for there to be an issue that couldn't be solved by representatives.
Not only could she not find her mother, she couldn't find herself! She was actually lost! She had been in the West wing a number of times but never alone. There was always someone showing her where to go and sit. She was sure she had NEVER seen this part of the Palace before, the stone was different than the rest of the marble that made up its walls and floors. This marble had grey mixed into it. If she was remembering her countless lessons on the history of the Moon kingdom correctly, this was an older part of the Palace, made of marble from Earth instead of Mars like the rest of the Palace. This part represented the once harmonious relationship the two planets had.
She had come to the end of the line. All that stood before her were two large wood doors. There was nothing special about the doors, they were quite plain actually. That is what caught her attention to them as every door in the Palace had some kind of ornate carvings on them.
The wood was old and splintering. They had not been taking care of them. Whatever was behind this door was of little importance as the doors were clearly expected to never be touched. However, it was not locked she found as the heavy metal latch flicked upwards with little effort. The strain of movement foreign for the hinges as they squeaked so loudly she was sure the whole Palace heard it. She waited to see if anyone was coming, but there was no movement down the hall of closed doors.
The room was dark, pitch black. There were no sounds within its walls. The heavy door slammed behind her leaving her lost in darkness. Fear crept into her bones but she continued deeper into the room. She tripped on something, propelling her deeper. The room came to life at her presences. Lights switched on above her and machines warbled with life. Small blinking lights of every color covered the dashboards of the large machine that filled the room. On the wall in front of her were stones of different shapes and colors. As she got closer, she could see that she recognized some of them. There was lava rock from Mars, a porous coral stone from Mercury, a beautiful yellow marble from Venus, and a piece of petrified wood from Jupiter. The others she didn't recognize and they were all strange and freaky. Then her eyes landed on a strange but beautiful stone. It was milky in color but a little see through, showing inside a pink color. (AKA a Rose Quartz for those of you not up on your rocks!)
She reached up and touched the stone, feeling its course texture, when the floor fell out from under her. She was swept up in a wave of darkness that tossed her back and forth. Nausea was just about to set in when she was found herself on solid ground again.
Opening her eyes, her breath caught in her chest. The sun was setting, casting golden rays across a golden land. There were trees, real trees surrounding her. She knew they were real because their leaves had changed from the evergreen color they were on the moon, to yellows and reds, and oranges. The golden sun only made their colors brighter.
The wind picked up, casting a chill across her. She was not dressed for the weather here. On the Moon, it was always warm thanks to the magic bubble placed over the Palace to create a livable atmosphere. Here, they needed no such magic. The air was clean and fresh, crisp from the cool air.
She had no idea where she was but it was easily more beautiful than the Moon, which was saying a lot since the Moon is considered the most beautiful place in the galaxy by most.
Everywhere she turned she saw beauty, overwhelming beauty. It was almost too much to bear. That was when she saw it. Hanging heavy in the sky, still not fully visible thanks to the Sun, was the Moon, her home. It was so close and so beautiful from this planet. She was on Earth.
The realization was both startling and terrifying. Lunars were not allowed on Earth. If any Earthan saw her and realized who she was, she would be put to death! Or worse, held for ransom. She needed to get back...but there was no one around...she was in the middle of an empty field, no one was around for miles. Surely she was safe for a little while to do some exploring.
Taking her first real step, something crunched under her heel. Looking down she found dried leaves now brown from their descent from the trees. The grass was still green but had a few browning patches. This must be the fall she had read about in her books. Earth and its histories were not taught in the Lunar curriculum, but she had found a few books on the planet in the royal library. She found the planet fascinating.
The sun was very low now, only a few dim rays remaining, when she stumbled on a few small houses. This was far enough today, she wasn't prepared to be seen and she was getting very cold. She made her way back to the spot that she landed. It didn't occur to her till then that, she may not be able to take herself back. She had seen her mother do it a few times, but it required the use of her mother's powers. Her mother was very strong, she could transport multiple people back without the use of any helpers like the room that sent her here. Probably why the room was so forgotten. The technology was antiquated and un-needed as so few traveled without a ship or the Queen, who rarely traveled period.
She thought back to what she had seen her mother do so many times before. All she seemed to do was close her eyes and concentrate. But what else did she do?! Oh Goddess how was she going to get home?!
She did all that she could. Closing her eyes, she concentrated her strength. She felt warmth spread across her as her power flowed through her body. Using her mind, she thought of the Moon; the Palace, garden, her bedroom. She filled her thoughts with home.
Opening an eye to peek at her surroundings, she found herself still planted on Earth. She squeezed her eyes tight, "Please, Goddess of the Moon, take me home!"
Her power burned under her skin, then just as quickly as it came, it was gone leaving her cold and very weak. She was almost afraid to open her eyes. But relief flooded her as she opened her eyes for she found herself back in the strange room.
She barely made up to her room, the trip back drained almost all of her energy. She didn't even have the energy to eat. She flopped on her bed, gown, corset and all.
She didn't even stir till morning. Her handmaidens came in to dress her usual, but they chastised her for not calling them to change her for bed. Her dress was horribly wrinkled and they worried for her health, sleeping in a corset.
She only half listened to them. All she could think about was going back to that beautiful blue planet.
The rest of her week went pretty much the same; breakfast with the Queen, sneaking off as soon as she could to the transport room, spending as much time as she could on the beautiful planet. Everyday she made it a little farther into her surroundings. Discovering all sorts of plants and wildlife she had only ever seen in books. But today was going to be special.
Yesterday she had found a rather large village. She watched from a distance as the people of Earth milled around, buying and selling goods, children laughing in the streets, and just so much chaos. It looked wonderful. But she couldn't just walk into the middle of a crowded town the way she was. So she took care to remember how to get to it so she could prepare and go today!
Her handmaidens dressed her, but as soon as they were done she claimed a headache, which got her out of breakfast and had her handmaidens out the door. They were too busy with preparations anyways to fuss over her too much. They recommended bed rest, as she expected, and left her alone in her room.
She quickly removed the fancy gown they had dressed her in for the day and traded it for the most 'common' gown she had. It was the one she wore for picnics with the girls. It a light pink cotton dress, the thin material would be too cold on Earth this time of year so she quickly pulled on a pair of tights. The gowns sleeves were a little longer than her other dresses, coming to her elbows and the neckline was rounded and plain, lacking any adornments. It fit snuggly to her chests, ribs, and belly, flaring out only at her hips. It ended right at her ankles, hiding the tights beneath. A small belt to sit loosely on her waist would serve as a means to store any goods she was able to find or buy. She looped the strings of a small coin purse around it. Putting on some sensible shoes and grabbing a wool cloak, she was ready to go. She dared not to wear any jewelry for fear of any of it giving away her identity or an air of wealth. She wanted to blend in completely.
She contemplated taking the signature Lunar Royalty hairstyle down, but since she could do little to cover her lunar mark on her forehead, she decided to leave it and never take her hood off once inside the town.
Sneaking down to the transportation chamber unseen was the trickiest part. Everyone was up in arms cleaning, decorating, and straightening. But even with every man, woman, and the occasional child running around the palace, they were distracted with their own tasks. She was able to make it to the chamber and to Earth without incident.
Once back to her usual landing spot, she took off, throwing the cloak over her shoulders and pulling the hood up along the way. She arrived soon after daybreak and the town was already a bustle of action.
The sellers called out their craft to all who entered the square and everything was for sell. She managed to wrangle up a few coins from her collection of Earthen artifacts and they jingled in her coin purse tied to hip. The real question was, what to buy! She wanted more than anything to try some Earthen fruit. Especially something called an apple.
As if on cue, an older woman called out to no one in particular, "Apples! Apples!"
Turning, she found the woman with ease as she held out a beautiful red apple. Walking over to her cart, she saw that it was full of all types of apples and they were all different colors. Her eyes swept hungerly over them, unsure which one to pick.
The woman loomed close to her, making sure she wasn't going to steal, "Would you like an apple? Only six pence!"
"Oh yes please. I'm just..not sure which one to get."
The woman began pointing at all the different apples, "That's the Granny apple," she said pointing to a bright green colored one, "and that is a red delicious, a golden delicious, a pink lady, a…."
The woman continued, but she had stopped listening when she saw the golden apple. It looked like it tasted like gold. When the woman stopped talking, she continued to look expectantly at her.
"I'll take the gold one please."
The woman seemed a bit taken back by her formal gestures. But handed her the apple she craved just the same. She in return handed her a coin and started to walk away.
She was less than a foot away when the woman called after her, "Hey wait!"
She stopped in her tracks, had she been figured out?! The woman raced up to her while she looked for a place to escape, but the woman reached her first, "You gave me too much dear. I need to give you change."
Oh. Was that all? "It is fine. You keep it."
The woman stood in shock as she walked away. Just how much had she given the woman? It couldn't have been much, it was just one gold coin. She dared to peek back to see the woman was looking at the coin with tears of joy in her eyes. It must have been a lot. But the woman was overjoyed so she did not regret her choice.
Stopping to sit on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the square, she took her first bite of the apple. Her teeth sunk deeply into its flesh, tearing easily through the skin with a crunch. Its sweet juice filled her mouth. She had never tasted something so amazing made by nature. The Moon had its fruits and they were all delicious but had to be cooked first or they were hard as rocks. She had never had a fruit that she could just, eat.
The juice dribbled down her chin, making a mess, but she was in the zone eating her apple. It wasn't until a handkerchief was put in her face that she even noticed anything outside of her little world. The figure stood before her, the sun directly behind them blocking her view of whomever they might be.
She took it cautiously, "Thank you."
He laughed, or she assumed it was a man given the deepness of his voice. His laugh was sweet and light full of joy and mirth. However, she was not accustomed to being laughed at. She quickly wiped her chin handed it back in a bit of a huff. Then, with her head held high not giving him the courtesy of her eye, stood and left him standing there.
Finishing her apple, she walked back through the market. She stopped here and there, purchasing more fruits to try. She got some grapes, a few tomatoes, and something called herbs that looked like weeds but each had a different shape and smell. Her favorites were the basil and the mint which such sweet fragrances, she couldn't imagine cooking them. Each time she gave the vendor a gold coin to which they each tried to give her change. But each time she let them keep it no matter how they protested. A few of them shut up their shop as soon as she left, others just cried. How much money was she giving them anyways? It couldn't have been much but they acted as if it was a great gift from the heavens above. She loved brightening their days but it also saddened her that so little made them so happy. How poor were these Earthens treated if a small gold coin made them so happy?
With her coin purse empty and no room left in her bag for anything else, she was ready to head home, when a hand grabbed her roughly, pulling her into a small, secluded corner. He pushed her hard against a wall, the rocky surface dug into her back, surely bruising her. The hand released her arm and returned to cover her mouth. Her head was knocked against the wall, jumbling up her thoughts and stealing her concentration. It wasn't until the knife was pressed to her neck that she was brought back to the moment.
His face was close to hers, allowing for his rank breath to mingle with hers. He grinned wickedly at his prize making her skin crawl.
"Scream, and I'll slit your throat so wide, it will be the last thing you do." He pressed the knife deeper into her flesh for emphases.
She nodded carefully in agreement with his terms and his hand slowly slid off her mouth and on to the wall behind her blocking any chance of a quick and clean escape. Even if she could run, the blade was pressed so tight, any movement would slice her neck in half. So she stood as still as a statue.
"You've been running around town all day flashing your coins...GIVE THEM TO ME!" He said it with a quiet force that almost caused her knees to buckle. But if she didn't keep it together and keep herself still, her blood would be all over the small alley.
Not waiting any longer, he ripped her coin purse from her belt. Finding it empty, he became enraged, pressing the knife even harder on her throat. She felt warmth trickle down her throat. He had drawn blood.
She had no idea what Earthen blood looked like and feared this man had just found out her big secret. But when he looked back at her blood, he seemed unfazed. She was safe, at least from discovery. But the man held her still even though he knew she had no money. What else could he possibly want from her. Then his face turned cold and wicked, and she got her answer.
She had seen that look a handful of time when suitors came to meet her. Each one had given her the same greedy, lustful look, which led her to yet pick a suitor for engagement. Her mother was not happy about it but she understood and didn't push, always saying, 'You will have to choose someday Serenity'.
Her privilege of choice gave her little comfort in this moment as her choice was about to be made for her by this man with the crooked nose and yellow teeth. Keeping the knife where it was, his hands began to make work of her clothes. Pulling up her skirt so the hem rose higher and higher..
"Please," a tear slid out and down her cheek, "Please don't do this."
He pressed hard on the knife again and leaned in close to her face, "Shut your mouth or I'll make this last much longer than you can stand."
Tears continued to fall freely down her face as the man continued his assault. He just laughed at her pain, enjoying his sick little game. Her hem had reached her upper thigh. One more pull and there would be little between him and her virtue.
He was just about to make his last tug. She squeezed her eyes tight and prayed silently to the Goddess above to save her somehow. There was a sick pop and a thud. The knife had left her neck and her dress had fallen back to the ground. Opening her eyes, the man was on the ground, no longer grinning and cocky with blood covering his face. Another man stood over him with his back to her. He had no weapon that she could see and he said nothing to the man, but he cowered on the ground below the man just the same.
His voice sputtered as he tried to speak, "I'm ssssorry, my lord. Please, have mercy."
The man responded but he was so quiet, she couldn't hear a word. Her adrenaline began to wain and blood filled her ears to replace it making it difficult for her to hear or think. She lost track of her assailant and her 'hero' took her by the arm, leading her away from the scene. Two more bodies rushed past her into the alley which was now behind her.
The man had gripped both of her arms to steady her. His touch was much gentler than the ones that grabbed her moments before. But nonetheless, they were the hands of a strange man, once again pulling and directing her against her will. He was leading her away from the market. The noise of people faded away and soon she was alone again with a strange man.
Her senses returned and her fight or flight begged her to take action. But her body and mind couldn't decide on an action, so she went for broke and did them both.
Using the element of surprise, she pulled herself out of his grasp and punched him squarely in the jaw. He let out a grunt and took a step back, unprepared for her to fight. Then she turned on her heel and ran for it.
Lost. She was lost. The man had led her to some kind of garden maze. Probably to make her escape that much harder for her. She managed to find the middle after what seemed like ages of running into dead ends. But she had no idea how to escape the maze. The middle held a mixture of beautiful flowers in late bloom. They had yet to meet the same fate as the leaves on the trees. Their fragrance was intoxicating but did little to calm her nerves. There were several benches placed all around the small garden within the maze's middle. She picked the closest one and plopped down, very unlady like.
Her neck stung as her sweat mixed with the fresh cut on her neck. Touching it, she found that the blood had yet to fully dry, it stuck thickly to her fingers. Her neck would heal in no time, Lunars heal pretty quickly. If she didn't exert herself, it would be almost healed by the time she made it home. Her hand was a different story. It burned inwardly and she found it hard to move her fingers.
The sound of water trickling took her attention away from her hand. There was a small fountain in the corner. She crouched beside it, using the water to wash her neck. The blood floated and swirled, disappearing as it was overcome by the water. Then she dipped her swollen hand into the cool water. The heat was subdued a little. She flexed her fingers under the water, they were stiff but the cold water helped. Looking over her reflection, she found a mess. Her cloak had come loose, to the point that her hair was showing. She had just fixed it when a voice came from behind her.
"That is some right hook you've got."
Standing and turning, she put her fist and her best fight face on. It must have been the man from before, the one who 'saved her' but then led her here. She didn't get a good look at him before but a bruise had formed from where she struck him.
Other than her fist mark, his face was...perfect. Black hair fell on his forehead, attempting to cover his deep blue eyes, but it failed. His mouth was curved into a smile and he held his hands out as a show of surrender. His clothing was fine, finer than any of the townspeople she had seen. His dark blue tunic had gold thread weaved in intricate and elaborate designs all across his broad chest. All of his clothes were fine, save for his cloak which was tattered and torn. It stood out against the rest with it's ratty appearance.
He was beautiful. Even with the ratty cloak and bruised chin. But he was still a stranger and he was still after her.
He noticed that she didn't change her stance, she was still ready to fight. But this only caused him to chuckle. She recognized the laugh, it was the same one she heard earlier. He was the man who gave her his handkerchief.
"You've been following me?"
He was unfazed by the accusation, "Only to get my handkerchief back."
She hadn't realized she kept it. "Is it a custom where you come from to take what is offered and leave a man so offensively?"
She quickly found the item and showed it to him, still not ready to get close enough to return it to him, "If you don't want to give an item away, you shouldn't offer it to someone."
"Like the man in the alley?" He quipped.
"Excuse me?!" Now she was getting mad.
"You went all over town flashing your gold around. Of course he tried to take it."
How dare he talk to her that way, "That gold went to good, hard working people who deserved the comfort that it would bring them!"
"I agree, but that doesn't mean you weren't careless."
She didn't realize that the two of them had moved closer to one another. He had provoked her into dropping her guard. She was so foolish. He was right, she had been careless. She could feel the tears welling up, they burned behind her eyes. She begged them not to fall but they would not listen.
His face softened and she let out a sob. He lowered her to a bench and settled himself next to her, but she hardly cared, the shock of the events she hitting her too hard to care.
He moved, kneeling before her, a few inches from her but he did not place a finger on her, "Now, now, everything is alright. You are safe now. I won't let any harm come to you ever again."
His promise was sweet and reassuring. Without thinking, she pressed his handkerchief to her face but quickly realized her error, "I'm sorry."
She tried to hand it back to him, but he put up a hand in refusal, "No. You keep it. Let it be a reminder of me."
She laughed, "It will be hard to forget you."
He used a finger to lift her chin up and inspect her neck, "It's a nasty cut. It will leave a scar. I hope that is not how you plan to remember me."
Taking his handkerchief from her hands, he pressed it gently against the cut. She was suddenly aware of just how close his was to her. He smelled sweet but she could not place the scent, she only knew that she liked it. She breathed in deep, hoping to store the smell in her memory.
"What will happen to the man? The one who attacked me?"
His eye flicker briefly to hers, then back to the cut, "He will be hanged."
She gasped and pulled away from him grasp, "No! No you can't do that!"
He furrowed his brow, "He commited a crime. A heinous one at that," he seemed to be seething, "what he tried to do to you…" anger rolled off him in waves.
She probably should have been scared and stopped, but she couldn't give up, "No. I beg you. Spare his life. I couldn't bare it, knowing someone had been killed on my behalf."
"He almost killed you! And it's not just for you, it is the punishment given for such a crime."
She got down on her knees as well, facing him and clasping her hands, begging, "Please, I implore you. Do not let him punishment be death. Perhaps you can talk to someone? Let them know that, no real harm was done. Give him a chance to apologize, give him a chance to live and change his ways. Please!"
She could feel the tears burning in her eyes again as she begged. She had never begged for anything before in her life, but the idea of a life ending, crime or not, broke her heart.
He stared, stunned by her display. His anger melted away quickly, "Alright...I will….talk to someone for you."
She leaped on him, forgetting her place, "Thank you, thank you so much!"
He didn't wrap his arms around her to return the hug, but that let her keep it quick as her senses quickly returned to her, realizing what she was doing. The handkerchief in his hand was stained light pink from the remaining blood on her neck. It would be the last reminder of the cut she received. Which meant she needed to leave, soon. Sticking around would mean an Earthen seeing how quickly her neck healed. She knew a few things about Earthens themselves, but one thing she knew for sure was that they did not heal as quickly. It was one of the reasons Earthens did not like Lunars.
The man was still on his knees in shock when she took the opportunity to try and make another break for it.
"Thank you for your help kind sir. Now if you will excuse me…" She made it to her feet but not much further.
The man quickly grabbed her hand, stopping her escape, "Unless you want to continue to wonder around this maze, I suggest you allow me to escort you to the exit."
She had completely forgotten her predicament. She could spend another hour or more wandering or she could just let the beautiful man lead her out. Tough choice.
He let go of her hand, stood, and offered her his arm. Last chance to make a run for it. She hesitated, considering her options once more. She had no choice. Taking his arm, she let herself be led out back into the maze.
It took the man less than ten minutes to lead her out of the maze. She was so close yet so far from getting out herself. The man was silent the entire way but she could feel his eyes examining her. It made her nervous, and not just because she feared he would figure out her lineage.
Who was this man? He must be from a rich family. He was well groomed in both his looks and his manners. But she knew so little about the people of Earth, maybe they were all like this? Save for the people in the square, who were very nice but certainly lacking training.
Once they exited the maze, she released her hold of his arm and tried to make as polite of an exit as she could.
She gave a small curtsey, "Thank you for all your help...sir.."
"Endymon. Sir Endymon." He returned her curtsey with a small bow, earning a smile from her in return.
"Thank you, sir Endymon. I owe you my life. Now if you would please excuse me, I should be heading home now."
She walked past him without him stopping her this time, only walking a few steps away before….
"And your name?"
She turned back to him, "Excuse me?"
"Your name?"
Her mind raced. This was not good. She had no idea what kind of names Earthens had but she knew Serenity would be a strange name.
"You don't need to know my name. I'm no one."
She quickly turned, hoping to make it away from him before he could press her any further.
No such luck.
He jumped in front her path, stopping her dead, "Is it another custom, where your from, to take a name and not give one in return?"
"And just, pray tell, makes you so sure I'm not from here?"
He scoffed, "You are most certainly not from around here!"
She crossed her arms, annoyed, "Alright, so I'm not from this particular town…."
"Oh it's much more than that. You are not even from this continent are you?"
In school, she remembered that the continents were the separate pieces of land that made up the land. Each one had a representative that lead the continent but they all reported back here to this kingdom.
He continued his investigation, "So where are you from? The Northeast? They are all pretty pale like you."
The nerve of this man! She took back what she thought before, this man had no manners whatsoever!
"It is not your business where I am from and neither is my name for that matter."
Walking around him, she continued her escape. Teaching this man, Endymon, manners was not her priority. Not now.
He quickly caught up to her, following along beside her, "I'm sorry, your right. It was rude of me to make assumption about your lineage. But, surely, a name would be a worthy reward for saving your life?"
She had forgotten her own manners. The man had saved her from a fate worse than death. But she had no name, not one she could use. She thought back to her studies with no success. She gave the only name she could think of. The only one that transcended Earthen and Lunar relations.
"Selene."
"Selene..huh."
Stopping in her tracks to face his rude face, "What? What is wrong with that name?"
He, however, did not stop, "Nothing. It just..suits you."
He was leaving her behind. Now it was her turn to catch up. She had no idea where she was or how to get back to the square for that matter. If she could get back to the square then she would be fine the rest of the way. Maybe this Endymon could still be of some use to her.
"Excuse me, Endymon. But could you take me back to the square? I fear I'm still a bit lost out here."
He turned and bowed once more, "It would be my honor, Lady Selene."
Being called a Lady was a demotion from her actual status, but it was still nice to hear. He gave her his arm again and started leading her around. Then he turned sharply. She may not have known the way back to the square but she knew that it was in the other direction.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Shortcut."
That was all he said. It wasn't long until they came upon a large wall covered in vines. It was several feet high and went on for what seemed like miles in both directions.
"Some shortcut. Are you sure you know where you are going?"
He smiled, "Oh ye of little faith."
He reached deep into the vines. There was a strange click and then out of nowhere the wall opened under his hand, swinging open towards the two of them. It was a small door, naked to the eye. Except for those who knew where it layed. The sun shone brightly through the small opening, giving off the appearance that the door led straight to heaven. She hesitated, after all, her luck with trusting Earthens had not gone as expected. This could be a trap. But curiosity got the better of her.
Stepping through, she was sure she had stepped into heaven. It was a garden. One like she had never seen before. So many variations of flowers, so many colors. And the smell, so sweet. It beat the basil and mint easily.
"What is this place?" She said it as a whisper, as that was all she could muster.
He answered her just the same, "The Royal garden."
Her heart stopped. The Royal garden? As in part of the palace? She was that close to the Earthen palace? She had no clue! Of course the transportation room would put her close, it was designed to meet with the royals of this planet. But landing in a field...she hadn't even considered being this close. They must have moved the castle since the dissolution of faith in the Lunars.
She could not be here. If any of the royals saw her they would recognize her in a heartbeat. They may not know exactly who she is, but they would know she was a Lunar. They taught their Royals at a young age what Lunars look like so that they did not 'bewitch' them and take over their kingdom. It was a ridiculous notion, no Lunar had ever seduce an Earthen that she knew of. A Venetian, sure, but it wasn't a part of Lunar's powers to be seductive or even in their nature to be.
They equate it to our 'unparalleled beauty' but even that didn't hold. They had clearly never seen her cousin Mina or her mother. They could easily bring a nation to their knees if they so desired.
Without warning, she made her way back towards the door when he unceremoniously shut it before she could leave.
"Where are you going?" He had a mischievous smile on his face. Like he was trying to get her in trouble.
"I can't be here." She said it before she thought it through and it earned her a curious look in return. Before he could ply her with questions, "Surely this place is not open to comeners like us."
He looked at her like she had grown a second head, "No, it is always open to the public. Well except for this week. Apparently the Royals are preparing for the Harvest festival."
"You see. Then it is closed to us."
She made for the door again only to be stopped by him again, "Look, the fastest way back to the square is through this garden. It is just on the other side over there," he pointed and she looked, it didn't look like it was that far away, "besides, this is a much better way to go. And you should see the garden before you leave. It is worth it, believe me."
She looked at him and back at the way he claimed the square was. He did get her out of the maze like he promised.
"Alright. But let us be quick please."
The garden was amazing. And her guide knew the names of every flower. He must have visited here often. There were so many varieties, she could hardly remember a handful of them. Each one was beautiful and special in their own way.
Her favorites were; the Peony, its big buds reminding her of clouds at sunset; Hydrangeas, each bud seemed to have a thousand flowers; and the sunflower, it's happy face so big and full.
Then he took her down a different path, she barely registered that he had turned her in a different direction from the square. But she was enjoying herself so much she didn't care.
The path was narrow but well worn. Even before they reached the next garden, she could smell it. The sweet smell of the mysterious flower washed over them so heavily it made her gasp in surprise. Endymon just laughed and kept pulling her along with him.
Then the path opened up to the most glorious field of flowers. Pinks, reds, yellows, oranges, each color was represented by the flower. And each thick, short bush held thousands of them. It seemed to on and on, unending. Row after row of the beautiful flower and an endless assault on her senses, that she gladly welcomed.
She could feel him watching her. He had watched her every move since she had met him. It was unsettling at first, she worried he would figure her out. But now it was almost comforting, to know he was watching over her while she explored this strange planet.
"Surely the Lady knows the name of this flower?"
He had a wide smile on his face, taunting her. He must think she is so knowledgeable. She hadn't known the name of a single flower yet. But at least she knew this one. Earth was famous for them. She had been able to read extensively on them and it was a flower she desperately hoped to see while she was on Earth.
"Rose," turning to relish in his shocked expression, "it is called the rose."
His shock quickly turned back into a smile and she turned her attention back to the beauty before her.
"I have been looking forward to seeing this flower. I'm surprised that it took me so long to find it. I thought roses were extremely common on Ear...Eastern Europe."
She caught herself but no doubt he noticed her slip. But he just nodded his head, "It was. But with wars and diseases attacking the plant, most had died out. That is until the Queen took it upon herself to bring it back. She managed to procure a few plants to start and now she has over a thousand."
"Amazing."
"Yes. Her majesty has quite the green thumb. She still comes out everyday to take care of them. Of course now she needs help to do so."
Looking across the vast field of beautiful and well kept roses, it was hard to believe such a caring woman was also okay with hanging criminals. The two did not fit together in her mind. What kind of ruler would she be?
"It was her that opened this garden to the public you know," pulled from her thoughts, she turned to him, "she said that 'such beauty should be shared with all mankind'."
Funny. She was sure the same thing was said about Lunars.
She must have made a face because his face changed as well, "You don't agree?"
Uncomfortable with how easy a read she was, she turned away from him to inspect the roses closer. She reached down trying to pull a rose a little bit closer to her nose. But, she stuck her finger on a thorn.
She pulled her hand back quickly but the damage had been done. A small cut on her finger, so thin it was hard to see, til blood began to pool from it. 'Silly Lunar, you forgot about the thorns' she cursed herself.
Endymon quickly grabbed her hand and stuck her finger in his mouth before she could get a word in edgewise. His tongue licked her finger and the blood away. Part of her feared her blood would taste noticeably different from an Earthian's and the other part was caught up in how close he was to her. But were dangerous and made her heart race impossibly fast.
He pulled her finger back out of his mouth and inspected it. Coming to his senses, he noticed how close they were to one another. It didn't catch him off guard as much as it did her. His eyes felt as if they were penetrating her down to her soul and she silently prayed there were no tell tale signs of Lunar in her face.
He brushed a piece of hair that had slipped out of her hood back inside, "Silly little rabbit, this roses bite."
He was so incredibly close, she had never been this close to a man willingly. She breathed in his scent again, realizing that the scent that she couldn't recognize before was the same as the roses she was now surrounded by. She examined his beautiful face, taking note of every freckle and scar, like the little one next to his nose. His eyes were a dark blue but they had flecks of gold within them. They were trained on her, doing what she suspected, the same thing she was doing to him. But then his eyes darted away, looking at something in the distance behind them.
"Oh no," was all he said before he grabbed her and forced her down.
The two of them were crouched behind the rose bushes, "What are you doing!" She all but screamed.
But he quickly put a hand over her mouth. Then she heard it, voices. It sounded like a mixture of men and women, talking a chatting away. She could only make out a few words here and there, but the two words that made her heart stop was, "Your Majesties". It was the King and Queen. What were the chances that they would be in this very garden right now?! If anyone was to recognize where she was from and who she was on sight, it was them!
He knelt before her, his hand still over her mouth, staring straight into her eyes again. He slowly lowered his hand, blushing his fingers against her lips as he went. She could feel his hot breath on her face, that was how close he was to her. He leaned in a little closer, then hesitated as if he was unsure of what his was about to do. She felt as if her entire being had turned to jelly. Forgetting her current situation, entranced by him, she leaned forward just a little as well.
Then the party was right next to them. The were a mere row over. She held her breath, fearful they would hear them.
"The roses are stunning, just stunning your Majesty. How ever did you bring back this dying race?"
She laughed, "With hard work and dedication."
"Yes, Esmeralda worked very hard on this project of hers." A deep voice answered.
The laughing followed them as they moved further down the row till silence returned to the garden.
He stood up first, checking to see if the coast was clear. Then he quickly pulled her to her feet and back out of the garden.
"This was a mistake. We can't let them see you."
"Why, because the garden is closed? What is the punishment for trespassing here?"
He didn't stop, he didn't even look at her, he just said, "No because your a Lunar."
At first, she was shocked. Pulled along by his force alone, she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
Wait a minute.
She ripped her hand from his, "How long have you known?!"
He sighed, annoyed as if it was so obvious, and finally turned to look at her, but he didn't say a word, he didn't need to.
"You knew the whole time didn't you!"
"Well you didn't do a very good job of hiding it!" He was yelling at her now, like it was her fault.
"How? Just tell me. How was it so obvious?"
He took a step to her, closing the gap, grabbing her hand again, this time holding up a single finger, "Your cut is already healed."
"It was a shallow cut."
He narrowed his eyes at her then gripped her chin, lifting it upwards, "Your neck is completely healed, not even a scar," he said touching her neck on the spot.
She pulled away from his grasp but he didn't stop, "And then there's your hair, your skin, your complete lack of general knowledge, and…"
"STOP….just stop. I get it."
"If any of those..Royals get one look at you, it is over. You will be thrown in jail or worse."
She remembered the fate of the man from before and vaguely wondered if her cell would be near his.
It occurred to her that she might as well come clean, he already knew she was a Lunar. The rest was not that much worse. She had probably put him in grave danger, associating with her kind.
"They won't do any of that."
"You don't know that. You don't know what they are like."
"No, they won't do any of that because it's worse. It's worse than you think Endymon."
She pulled down her hood and his jaw hit the floor. He quickly raced up to her and pulled the hood back on.
"A ROYAL Lunar? What the hell were you thinking coming here?!"
"I just...I wanted to see Earth. I had only ever seen it from a distance. Hanging like a big blue marble outside my window."
"Well now you may just die on this big blue marble. There is no way I can get you to the transportation dias. The palace is way too busy today."
"Just get me to the square, please."
He took her hand again, pulling her this way and that down path after path. Everything winded around her. Finally they reached the square, it was not as close as he had led her to believe, and he pulled her in closer to him, as if his body would hide her. It seemed to work because no one would even look at the two of them.
The sun was already beginning to set. It would be nightfall before she reached home.
"You knew from the start and yet you kept me here. You kept me here on purpose. Why?" She whispered.
"I guess I just wanted to know you. I wanted to see what a real Lunar was like."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Are the rumors true? Are you bewitched?" It came out as a harsh whisper, daring him to be so bold with her.
He answered her with a hush and continued to push her along. Once they cleared the square she took over directions. Taking them both back to the field, where she needed to be to get home.
He looked around making her nervous, "What's wrong? Is someone behind us? Were we followed?!"
"No no..it's just...this is where the old palace use to be."
"Ha! I knew it!"
She was careful to stand in the right spot and closed her eyes, feeling her power flow through her and warm her up. She opened her eyes, ready for the trip, watching as he watched her. The wind swirled up from where she stood throwing her hair all over the place, making it almost impossible to see his face, which she so desperately wanted to see one last time.
Then he stepped into the transportation circle she had created, "What are you DOING! You can't be here, you will go to the Moon! Step back!"
"I will I will. I just wanted one more minute."
Then he pressed his lips to hers. A muffled squeal escaped her lips before his warmth over took hers. She let herself melt as his lips grabbed onto hers, tasting her fully. Then, almost as soon as it started, he pulled away.
"The answer is yes, I am bewitched by you."
He stepped back out of the circle and she took off, flying into the dark oblivion. When she landed back in the transportation room, her knees were still shaking. Only this time it wasn't due to her energy being spent.