Chapter 7

The sound of a groan and the feel of shifting sheets wake you up. Your eyes snap open and you tense momentarily once you notice that something is weighting you down, keeping you from getting up. You glance down and relax once you see who it is and remember what happened a few hours earlier. The Princess's head rests in your chest, apparently in a deep slumber. It would seem you've been promoted to Royal Pillow. You somehow manage to escape from beneath her without her waking; slowly stretching once you're on your feet. You move to the window and gaze outside. The sun had yet to rise.

"Good morning."

You turn around, surprised, eyes meeting the sleepy ones of the Princess who is now sitting in your bed. "Morning."

She smiles slightly and her face crinkles in slight discomfort, hand rising to the dark shadow of the bruise in her cheek. You quickly walk to her, kneeling in front of her and quickly inspecting the wound. "It's looking good. You're lucky it hasn't swollen."

She nods. "I suppose."

"Does it hurt?" you hesitantly move your fingers to touch her face. Not seeing any hesitance, you softly but firmly press on her skin, searching for any hidden damage. "Nothing's broken." You move to the bathroom and grab the ointment again, rubbing it in her face as you did last night. "I know I already asked but are you hurt anywhere else? Or sore maybe?"

She frowns and tenses slightly, shifting around for a few moments before stopping. "My right thigh is hurting slightly but nothing too serious."

"Let me see."

Michiru blinks. "Excuse me?"

"Let me see, Princess." You repeat. "You may not think it serious but it can be."

"Alright." She gets up from the bed and, with only a few seconds of hesitation, takes of the leggings carefully. And you're suddenly thankful for the length the shirt you lent her – it covered her down do mid-thigh. She lowers herself back down to the bed and stretches her right leg slightly and you are greeted with smooth, pale flesh. "Here." She points to a particular spot, breaking you from your gazing and you hiss in compassion.

"Hurting slightly?" you ask, already reaching into the flask again. "You have a damned palm print in your thigh. A nearly black one at that." You start rubbing it. "Look at you, Michiru. You're cringing away from me and I'm barely touching you. You could've said something last night."

"Last night, I was too preoccupied with other affairs to notice a bruise." She says through clenched teeth, one hand clenching the sheets while the other grips your knee in an effort to keep herself motionless. "Can you try to be gentler?"

Your eyes snap up to meet hers and your fingers still in her skin. "I…"

Whatever you meant to say is impeded by the sudden opening of the door, a loud bang echoing in the small room as it hits the wall. "Tenoh! Tenoh awaken! We need to search for my…" the Queen of Neptune appears in the doorway, her dark eyes jumping between you and the Princess, mouth falling open in shock.

And you are suddenly made aware of how the whole situation must look from her perspective. Michiru's muscle tensing beneath your palm tells you that she also noticed.

"Mother, this is not what it looks like!" Bad idea, you think, that usually makes people believe that it is what it looks like.

"Then you have not… are not dallying with the… the Guard! A woman no less!" Larissa screeches, eyes opening more and more with each spoken word. "Michiru!" rage like you'd never seen before clouds the Queen's expression and she is so pale you are concerned she might pass out. "What the hell do you think you are doing, child? Have you got nothing in that head of yours?"

You unexpectedly find yourself feeling rather insulted. "Now, just wait a minute, Highness, and I'll-"

"Shut up!" she screams, pointing her finger at you. "I am going to have your head for this, Tenoh!" she advances in quick, angry steps to the bed and grips Michiru's arms, pulling her up forcefully. A cry of pain erupts from your charge's mouth.

The same cold fury that took hold of you the past night starts seeping into your muscles and you spring up, gripping the Queen's forearm until she lets go, not even caring if you'll leave a mark. "Are you so completely set on thinking the worst of your daughter that you don't even notice that she's hurt, oh Queen of Neptune?"

She pulls herself free from your grip and she finally takes a careful glance at Michiru. The dark marks in her body are clearly visible, considering that the shirt hadn't lowered with her movements and her hair didn't cover her cheek; afterwards looking around the room and noticing the torn dress that you'd put in a bench. The Queen's eyebrows rise. "Michiru…" she whispers, clearly having understood the meaning of everything. Still, her tone suggests that she's hoping she misunderstood.

A single nod comes from the Princess.

A ragged breath escapes Larissa and she trembles slightly. She shakes her head, as if trying to wake herself. And then she turns on you again. "You! Did you do-"

"She did not!" Michiru speaks in a clear voice before you manage to defend yourself. "She saved me. She cared for me. That is what you walked in on Mother."

"Who did this, Michiru? Tell me so they can be punished."

"Kenichi." You spit out, hands clenching.

"Ke…" the Queen frowns, disbelief written in her face.

"Yes." The Princess whispers.

"Then he has been dealt punishment already." You have to make an effort to look surprised. "He was found dead this morning. He took his own life." Larissa continues, offering an explanation.

Silence falls on the three of you for a few seconds before you move to the door. "I've been hired to protect your daughter, from everything and everyone." You speak, unconsciously reinforcing your last word. "Right now, considering your state of mind, you are the only danger to her well-being that I perceive, Highness. As such, I will ask, as politely as I can, that you leave."

The Queen looks at you for a few moments, as if getting ready to contest. But she doesn't. She walks out of the room, head held high, not looking back once, and you close the door after her.

Michiru falls back on the bed and sighs. "Thank you, Haruka."

You sit next to her and lean your shoulder against hers. "You're welcome."

"You are dismissed, Tenoh Haruka."

The orange you were tossing up in the air fell down on the ground unnoticed and the brush that the Princess was moving across the canvas stops its motions. "Excuse me?"

"Your services are no longer needed." The Queen repeats in a slower voice, looking down at you with contempt clearly written in her expression. "You are fired."

The brush drops to the floor. "But… Why?"

Larissa sighs as if her actions greatly weighted in her heart, but the small smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth spoke otherwise. "Well, after long deliberation, I found myself rather unsatisfied with the protection that you are offering my daughter. When I first accepted you into service, I honestly expected a more thorough and careful approach to something as delicate as the safety of your Princess. Alas, I was wrong in holding such expectations."

There's only one thing going through your mind. "Bullshit!"

The Queen's eyes narrow. "Mind your language, Tenoh."

"Mind my language? Mind my fucking language? Why the fuck should I mind my fucking language? I've just been fucking fired with no fucking explanation, you nasty old bi-"

"Haruka!" Michiru whispers and you swallow down the torrent of insults you have especially thought of for her Highness, tapping your foot in a speedy rhythm so you won't carry on. "Mother, I must agree with Haruka… I do not see the logic behind your actions."

"Quiet, child. You have no business in this affair." Larissa spits out, glaring at her daughter. "And since when do you treat the servants by their first name?"

Like you don't. "She is not a servant!"

"Then what is she? A friend?"

Silence falls over the three of you. The Queen looks impossibly furious and imposing, Michiru's face is tensed in barely restrained anger and you are slowly breathing in and out so you won't explode. You figure it wouldn't bode well for you to kill the Queen, no matter how much more appealing the idea becomes with each passing moment.

"Well, you have an hour to collect your possessions and leave the grounds, Tenoh Haruka." Larissa breaks the silence, silently shifting in her place.

"The Princess's birthday party is tomorrow, Highness." You speak through your teeth in a last attempt of putting some sense into the woman's head. "Are you not concerned about your daughter's safety?"

"My daughter's safety has already been taken care of." The Queen turns and beckons someone from the shadows. "This is Michiru's new guard, Tanaka Kunio."

A tall, dark haired man steps out to stand a few feet behind the Queen, nodding in acknowledgment to both you and the Princess. A scar runs down his cheek; a scar that you put there long ago during a competition to see who was the best. He leers at Michiru, gray eyes slowly and provocatively running over her body, and you barely step in front of her out of instinct.

"Now, Tanaka, escort Tenoh to her ex-quarters. That is where you will be staying as long as you are in charge of the Princess's security." The Queen commands.

"With pleasure, Highness." He moves to you and grabs your arm, pulling you forcefully away from the two women. You manage to glance back once, smiling in reassurance at Michiru who is looking at you worriedly.

As soon as you are both out of sight, you pull out of his grip, reaching for the dagger hidden by your clothes and pressing it against his neck. He smiles and sighs as if indulging you. "Give me one fucking reason as to why I shouldn't kill you, Tanaka."

"You'd be accounted with my murder, Tenoh." He says, continuing before you are able to reply. "Yes, yes, we all have heard of your great elusion skills but the Queen doesn't seem to be particularly fond of you. You've always had balls, Tenoh. Not everyone would order Royalty to abandon a room." He chuckles. "She'll have hundreds of men searching for you, just to have your head. You won't be safe."

You know he's right. "What are you doing here? Have you grown tired of the strenuous life of an Assassin? Or maybe you're growing too old for it? You should've retired when I beat you, old man."

He shrugs out of your grip, face tightening. "I was contacted last week by the Black Hand and was hired to kill the Princess. I've been hired to do your job." He starts walking and you follow him, noticing that he's leading you to your room. Knowing him, he already studied and memorized the structure of the Palace. "She seemed rather disappointed in you… I'd go underground for a while if I were you."

"That's ridiculous!" you growl "Why would she be disappointed in me? I have been keeping up with her orders."

He chuckles. "People talk, Haruka…" he smacks you in the cheek condescendingly. "Rumors can kill faster than poison. I thought I'd taught you better."

"This is my job, Kunio."

"No. This was your job. Now it's mine." He opens the door to your room and pushes you in. "Grab whatever belongings you own and retreat with whatever pride you have left."

You have never felt as humiliated as you are feeling in this instance, being led out of the Palace in everyone's sight. Led like you are a restrained animal, surrounded by 10 guards as if expected to try and run away. Tanaka seems to be rather bored by the whole situation, gaze traveling across the landscape of the Palace Grounds while leading you to the gate.

"It'll be a pleasure to substitute you, Tenoh." He says, before moving to touch his pockets. "Ah, before I forget, the Black Hand asked me to deliver this to you."

A small note falls in your palm, an even smaller message in it.

'Tonight. Your house. Be there.'

You nod once you read it and turn to leave, tossing the paper in his face.

"Haruka!" comes a cry from behind you and when you turn you are hit head on by the body of the Princess of Neptune. Her arms wrap around you tightly and you can't help but do the same, pulling her closer to your body. You tense as if you feel one of her hands diving beneath your clothing, the cold, smooth texture of paper sliding against your skin unsettling you. She pulls back after making sure that it is secured in place. "I will miss you."

You allow a smile to curve your lips. "Stay safe, Michiru."

She nods. "I will."

You don't notice the frown that forms in Tanaka's forehead at your actions.

"Can you believe this?" you say, tossing the small bag you carried to the floor, kicking it in frustration, sending it flying across the room and hitting a bronze statue with a dull thud. "I've been fired. Fired, Setsuna!"

She doesn't look up from her papers. "Please do refrain from thrashing my office."

"Yes, of course, I apologize." You retort, sarcasm flooding your words.

"Sit down, Haruka." She waits until you plop down into a chair before continuing. "I must admit it is surprising but why do you care so much?"

"It's my job. It's my responsibility." You shift in your seat. "I've never, ever, left a job unfinished. I have a reputation to uphold!"

Her red eyes narrow. "Is that all? No other reasons?"

You slam your fist in her desk. "What are you insinuating exactly?"

"Nothing." She holds her hands up, palms facing you. She waits for a few moments for you to calm down before continuing. "Did you try to get back in?"

You let out a bitter chuckle. "A substitute had already been found. Tanaka Kunio."

Her eyebrows lift in surprise. "Tanaka? Really?"

"He's working for the Black Hand too."

"So she found your mentor to do your work for you…" she leans back in her chair, gaze traveling across the room as if it was the first time she found herself in there. "The second best to do the best's job… This is rather strange, Haruka."

"I know." A few moments pass by in silence. "You think that Kenichi's death might be involved in this?"

"No." she coughs, shaking her head to reinforce her answer. "No. News traveled all over Neptune that the Queen's advisor took his own life… You did a good job, as usual."

"Setsuna… I didn't kill him."

She immediately looks at you, frowning in what you assume is concern. "What do you mean?"

You clear your throat and look down. "When I got to him, I asked a few questions… Drugged him to make sure he wouldn't lie, of course, and he gave his answers. And, when I asked him if he knew why Usagi wants the Princess dead he just started laughing… And afterwards… I don't know what it was that answered me but I know it wasn't him. His voice was not his own and I felt as if there was something truly evil in that room." You breathe in deeply, remembering. "And that thing, whatever it was, called me Tenoh Haruka of Uranus."

Your head snaps up when a choked sound comes from Setsuna. Her face is drained of all color, eyes wide and unfocused. It scares you. "Haruka, forget anything that has to do with this job. Forget what that man told you." She makes a cutting gesture with her trembling hand. "Forget everything! And stay as far away from the Palace as you can. You having been fired is going to turn out to be a blessing."

"Do you know what that thing was?"

She shudders. "It was nothing! Nothing important."

"Then about the whole part of me being of Uranus? What did that mean?"

"I said forget about it!" she growls out and a small cup that sat in her desk shattered. You swallow back your questions. She closes her eyes and lifts her hands, rubbing her temples with her fingers, taking in a few deep, calming breaths. "Go, Haruka. Go home and rest. Take those vacations you were planning on taking."

You know better than to push her. "Alright."

Her voice stops you from closing the door. "Haruka?"

"Yes?"

Her eyes meet yours for a few intense seconds before she speaks softly. "Be careful."

Stepping into your house for the first time after a few months is always a strange experience. The dust that rests on top of your few pieces of furniture immediately has you sneezing and the scent that fills the air is an eerily remembrance to the air back in the pub. As usual, you open the windows, barely any light entering considering that night had already fallen.

You drag your feet to your room, carefully navigating across the dark corridors, bumping into a few walls when you take the usual turns you'd take in the Palace. The door creaks as it opens, muffling your grumblings. You lower your bag to the ground and sit down in your old, familiar mattress and, when you shift in search of a comfortable position, you feel something scratching your skin. You reach back and pull out a small, plain envelope from your back. Michiru. You open it.

Two pieces of paper drop in your open palm. One is a note.

'Haruka, please accept this as a means of apologizing. I do not understand what is happening with my Mother… I know it must be hard to believe but she has never been so brash. She has changed incredibly since you came to work in the Palace. Do not let her actions keep you from coming.'

You only need to read the first lines of the other to know what it is.

'Tenoh Haruka, you are hereby cordially invited to her Royal Highness, Princess Kaioh Michiru's birthday party that will be celebrated…"

You turn and fall headfirst into the bed, dropping the papers near you, groaning in frustration. You had lied to Setsuna – there was indeed another reason as to why you were so outraged by your demission. You didn't want to leave Michiru's side. As such, you found yourself annoyed with yourself – you'd grown emotionally attached to a target. You cared too much about the Princess, so much so you weren't sure you could've done what you set out to do. Being fired spared you of having to find out.

Still, there was a side of you – the innermost, darkest part of you – that wanted to go and kill her, just to prove yourself and get rid of these unwanted feelings that lurked in your mind.

But, there was no point fighting. You know that you are going to end up going, even if just to see her once more. You turn to lie on your back. Your eyes close and you slip into a restless slumber, all thoughts of wating for your meeting with Usagi long gone.

A heavy weight settles on your bed, shifting the mattress and waking you up. Disorientated, you aren't able to react fast enough to move and you are suddenly unable to breathe. Your hands are held down and your legs are tied and you can't fight back.

You never thought you'd meet your demise by choking, helpless to do anything about it. Bright spots start appearing in your vision and your head feels too full of blood, the slowing pounding of your heart echoing loudly in your ears. The weight holding you down shifts slightly and then disappears. Your mouth falls open and you suck in a deep breath, oxygen erupting in your system and calming you down. The sound of your panting doesn't smother the distinct crack of a broken neck. The ropes tying you down are cut off and arms grab you and pull you to your feet. Your legs feel boneless though and you crumble to the floor. An impatient sigh escapes your savior and you are pulled into their arms and carried outside.

Long minutes pass unnoticed after you are shoved into a carriage with a sac put over your head, its motions nearly lulling you back to sleep. You are feeling much better but you're faking that you are still recovering, already thinking up a plan in case your savior wanted to kill you himself. You doubt though – you weren't tied up, and his voice – deep and gentle, though with an edge of command, and strangely familiar – calms you.

The carriage stops abruptly and you are led in an almost gentle way outside and into a building, the sound of your shoes surprisingly loud in the silence of the night. The creaking of a door closing behind you startles you and the bag is ripped off of your head. Your eyes close as they're hit by bright light and you groan in discomfort. A chuckle escapes the man who saved you and you risk opening your eyes, noticing in appreciation that the light isn't as intense as before.

The room you're in is bare, a single chair in the center, currently covered by the man's body as he bends down. The sound reaching your ears makes it clear that he's kissing someone. You frown. He straightens himself and turns to face you and your mouth falls open. You do know him.

"Prince Endymion…"

He nods and gives you a smile, moving away from the chair and leaving to another room, making the person in the chair visible. This time a surprised gasp escapes you.

"Usagi…" She stares at you, a soft, tired expression in her face. She looks older than the last time you saw her.

She rises from the chair and the Prince brings out another two seats, arranging them around Usagi's. She smiles at him gratefully and strokes his cheek. He takes her hand in his own and presses a kiss against her palm, sitting down in the seat closest to hers. All thoughts of feeling uncomfortable with their display leave your mind when her sharp blue eyes fix on you, lips parting to speak.

"There has been a change of plans, Tenoh Haruka."

AN

Hey guys!

Hope you like this chapter. Sorry for the time skips and scene changes but like I said before I cannot wait to get to a scene that I've written that is going to happen next chapter! I'm so excited!

How many of you guys saw Haruka being fired coming? He he… I know I didn't… -.-" this story is practically writing itself and I hope you guys are enjoying the ride! It's gonna get even bumpier! I guess that some of the things may seem random and might be boring you (I know I find myself bored when there isn't much interaction between Haruka and Michiru) but I'm struggling to make that happen and keep Haruka realistic – she can't quite jump Michiru… even if she wants too deep down xD, but they are growing closer! These chapters are laying grounds for the future!

Well, thanks for reading and reviewing – hope it has you reviewing as much as you reviewed last chapter. Or not. It's your choice!

Until next time,

LostWyrda

Ps: completely random but last week I watched an anime that left me gobsmacked! Kannazuki no Miko! If you haven't watched it, go! It's not exactly my kind of thing since it involves mecha and all but I absolutely love the development of one of the characters (Chikane). I'm not an overly emotional person but it brought tears to my eyes in several occasions... The manga is better though! So, if you don't mind me suggesting, go! xD