Author's Note: Merry Chirstmas, Happy Hannaka, and Merry(?) Kwanza!(sorry if I spelled anything of that wrong, most days I'm happy if I get my name spelled right. :P) Sorry its late, this time its cause of the holidays. There will not be an update next week, sorry Z went home for the holidays and this was the last chapter she had edited. So it'll be after the new year before you get the next update! But we're getting close to the end, only 3 chapters and an epilogue to go!!

And hopfully this will satisfy you since its 23 pages in word..(I had a hard time finding the right spot to end...)

Hope you enjoy it!! Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, I love all the comments, and appreciate the criticism. ^_^

Author's Note I am starting this before I have it finished- before editing, before its even a month to posting- but you have to know this... it makes me giggle.

There's a part, and you'll get to it....waaaaay down there.... where Endymion is in a towel, and I forgot... and left him in his towel for a veeery long time... Lets just say before I went back and edited the villagers and gypsies would have been very entertained by the Liege and his Lady as the danced for them....

Observation Room in the Castle of the Red Lady

Serenity stretched her neck as she woke up, testing the soreness in her muscles. There was the dull thrum of a gentle ache through out her entire body, but knowing how her evening was spent, she realized she felt magnificent and a little peculiar. She decided to test her limbs. Legs stretched, same ache. Arms- and thats when she felt the hand holding hers, and the band of steel encompassing her waist. She gently turned her head so she could look over her shoulder at her captor.

"Good morning, Little Bunny." She scrunched her face in confusion. Endymion chuckled at the look on her face, "Its an old earthling legend. I'll tell you the tale some other time. How are you feeling?"

"Quit amazingly good, just a slight ache through to my bones, and quite completely confused. What are you doing? What happened last night?"

Endymion chuckled. "I was, aaaah, helping?"

Serenity's eyes narrowed. "What did you help with?"

Endymion suddenly felt restless and unsure under her glare. "Well, I, aaahh, the cost of your alchemy."

The silver haired angel in his arms exploded with fury. Serenity turned to face Endymion, hands still locked, his arm around her waist still firm. "What!!? I did not need your help! What the hell did you do? Why would you even-"

"BECAUSE!" He speared her with his own glare, and she had sense enough to recoil a fraction. "Last night I was wandering through the halls and I heard your screams of agony! I found you here! I saw your blood running from your throat, your face, your chest, your heart! I watched you die! Over and over!" He paused remembering his first reaction to the situation. "It was destroying Ikuko to watch you suffer! I simply used my magic to split the death between us, so it did not rip you apart. . ." Endymion paused looking for the words to continue as visions of the previous evening over took his mind.

"So what? Am I to thank you?"

Endymion's rage dimmed a bit at her sarcasm. "Well-"

"Because I did not ask for assistance! Quit honestly, I told Ikuko to stay back, I did not want her assistance and I did not want yours! What do you care if Ikuko was upset by my suffering? She was the assassin before I, so you should have enjoyed her suffering as much as I'm sure you enjoyed mine!"

A dark scowl appeared on Endymion's face, making him look like the monster she'd seen in him all those years ago. Endymion slowly released Serenity and slid off the left side of the bed. As he made his way to the door Serenity saw the blood dried to his large hands, sculpted chest, his face- every where she looked he seemed to be covered, and she began to wonder if there was as much on herself.

As the echo of the black doors closing resounded through the large chamber, Serenity became aware of the sense of loss she felt when Endymion had released her. She shook her head denying the thought, clearing her mind, and began to push herself up.

"You would have died this time."

Serenity's head snapped up as she searched the shadows on her left looking for where she had heard Ikuko's voice. The older woman took a step and Serenity immediately found her mentor with her eyes. "I would have-"

"Died. You were twelve deaths in when he discovered you. I tried to stop him, as per your request." There was a dark, defeated, angry tone to Ikuko's voice. "He pushed me aside and assisted anyway. What you said to him this morning was unfair. It was uncalled for."

Serenity opened her mouth to protest, but the older woman silenced her with a glare and continued. "He came charging in here to save you. Not really understanding anything about who you are, what you've done, or what you've accomplished he tried to heal you- to save you! The more he tried the more it tore his flesh." She sighed. "And so of course like any sensible man," Serenity had to retrain her eye roll that was a natural response to such sarcasm, knowing it would only upset Ikuko more. "He mixed his blood with yours, so his magic would run through your veins and his attempts were more successful and it injured him more.

He saved you of his own accord. He shared your punishment with no more reasons than your own. He allowed the worse possible torture for your benefit. And you spit in his face?"

Serenity looked to her lap to spare herself from Ikuko's gaze. Her response only a whisper. "How quickly you forget that just last night he wanted to kill me."

"He pardoned the Red Lady of all her crimes." Serenity's head snapped up and Ikuko nodded. "Yes. Molly told him her tale. He told me, that he didn't know anything, but what you had done for the one village in his kingdom was enough for him to forgive you."

Tears uncontrollably, unknowingly, came to Serenity's eyes. "I did not want his forgiveness."

"No, Child. But if he can forgive you, don't you agree that it's about time you forgave yourself?"

Hallways of the Castle

Endymion was storming back the way he came. He'd wondered to that room in a daze, but his anger darkened mind made it easy to find his way back through the fog of his memory. 'Ungrateful little wretch!' Screamed his mind. 'Can you blame her?' Begged his heart.

He didn't hear the laughter from around the corner, so when he came around the bend in the hall he ran into the strong, unforgiving chest of Kunzite. The impact caused him to stumble back several paces.

The group of eight found their cheery conversation immediately ended when they took in the sight of Endymion. He was dressed in nothing more than britches, just as he had been when he'd left their company the previous evening. However, the stunning difference in his appearance had nothing to do with his attire or the dark scowl, but the dried blood that was smeared from his toes, all the way up to his glossy black locks where it knotted and clumped some of his hair together.

Kunzite reached a hand forward to help his liege to his feet. "My Lord, what has happened?"

The scowl became impossibly darker. "Her."

A panicked looked appeared on the face of Ami, "Is this her blood? What did you do to her?"

" Why does everyone assume the worst of me? I did nothing! This-" he made a gesture to the blood coating his body, "was her own doing. I have had a terribly long evening, so one of you willtell me exactly what happened after she knocked me out."

Zoicite gulped and began to fill in his Lord about the incidents immediately following his black out, and how Endymion had come to be in his room. Mina added Artemis's recount of the scene with Jupitarian King. When the Venusian princess had finished, Kunzite took over describing the trek to the observation room. Mako took over next, describing their mission in the village and the role of the white cat. Ami described the medical ward, the sleeping drought, and the quiet night.

Endymion nodded and became thoughtful.

"What happened to you M'Lord? After you left the company of Mina and Kunz, I mean."

"Why did you let her go through with such an asinine plan?" Endymion growled ignoring Nephrite's quiet inquiry.

Ami frowned. "It was not asinine. It was genius. No one would think to try and use a village as leverage again. All the remains there is the remains of a massacre. And there was nothing to it! Borrow a shadow for the form, a drop of the villager's blood for the life, and a drop of her own for the magic! When the villagers woke the bodies had already burned, so none of the evidence disappeared suspiciously. How is that asinine?"

Endymion rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath.

"You know something. We have answered all of your questions. Why do not you return the favor? Where is all that blood from?" Fire sizzled in Rei's eyes.

Endymion sighed in the face of her anger, he bent his head a fraction, rubbing his eyes with the thumb and index finger of his right hand. 'It is not as though she trusts me, but I do not feel I should betray her wish. . .' "I stumbled upon that impressive lab you mentioned. When I was looking about I bumped into some beakers at the back of the room. She said this was part of an alchemy experiment."

Rei narrowed her eyes, obviously not believing a word he said but also not finding any fault. "What did M' Lady do to put you in such a mood?"

"Scolded me for ruining her experiment." Now that he'd begun, the lies came easily.

"How about Ami's question? Whats asinine about M' Lady's plan?"

"She destroyed everything those people knew, their homes and their lively hood because she had to keep a town as a pet."

Rei slapped him and stormed off, Jedite throwing his Lord an apologetic look and rushing off in her wake.

Mina glared. "She helped those people. Maybe you should take the time to learn her history! Molly would gladly fill you in on all that Ren has done for them!" She turned, head held high, storming off in a haughty fashion. Kunzite following so closely he accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirts once or twice.

Mako glare, in much the same manner as Mina had. "Yeah, what she said!" And she was at Mina's side leaving just like her obviously close friend. Nephrite's actions mirrored Kunzite, though this action seemed to be derived from a need to be close to his lady as opposed to being close to his friend.

Ami sighed and shook her head. "You were unnecessarily harsh with your opinions of M' Lady. But Rei should not have slapped you, after all, it was just yesterday we shared your harsh view of her new life. It is rather funny the knowledge you can gain in a day. Even funnier how it changes everything." She slowly turned and sauntered off in the direction of her friends. Zoicite gave his lord a gentle smile, and followed the lead of his lady.

Endymion sighed, and then continued his journey to his chambers and an eventual soak in a hot bath.

Observation Chamber

Serenity rubbed a hand over her face as she watched the recorded footage from Molly's villageg the previous evening. 'They lost everything, because I could not protect them well enough.' A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away. 'No. The time for tears is long past. A creature such as myself is dark, and has no use for such things.' She thought back to Ikuko's words. 'Forgive myself?' She gave a silent snort. 'There is no forgiveness for my crimes.'

She closed her eyes for a moment reliving the violence on the viewing screen. "No forgiveness." She opened her eyes turned off the play back, and turned from the console. Heading to the shadows where Ikuko had appeared earlier, she placed a hand and gentle pressure on the wall and it folded away.

She walked down the narrow staircase to the constricting corridors that matched the wide hallways directly above her head.

She knew the feet above her could hear her no more than she could hear them, but still she moved quickly and silently to her destination.

She slipped just as silently into her chamber, appearing to the left of her four post bed. Without warning her clear mind was overtaken with the image of blood soaked Endymion, and tears once more pricked at her eyes. Not bothering to brush them away, she moved quickly to the bathroom slipping into the tub she had already ordered the shadows to fill. As the water turned a subtle pink, the image became stronger and tears began to flow more steadily.

Endymion's Chambers

Endymion stood and let the clear water trickle down his body. He had spent had spent the better part of the morning in the bath hoping his anger would wash away as easily as the- his mind halted. 'Her blood.' The anger came flaring back every time he thought of the dried mess he had washed away from his flesh, the pink water as it swirled down a drain . . . 'How she was so careless with something so precious...' And his heart would argue, 'But just yesterday everyone was begging her to be so careless...'

He was conflicted and it made him even angrier.

'But still, I had thought that perhaps last night would... bond us? Gods, I'm a fool. I have been nothing but cruel and careless with that girl since I met her... To think one evening...'

He looked around for a towel, "Damn. Knew I forgot to grab something."

Walking out of the bath area, he stopped in his tracks. Coming out of a hole in the wall was Serenity. His breath caught as he watched the candle light playfully illuminate her long silver locks, her simple off white summer peasant gown hang from her shoulders leaving the flesh of her arms visible and inviting, while hugging her chest and flaring to swirl around her ankles. His heart stopped when he came to her face, candle light twinkling in her blue eyes, lips drawn in a shy smile, and cheeks tainted with a light blush.

Serenity cleared her throat, letting a little giggle slip out as she tried to divert her eyes.

The action suddenly reminded Endymion of his state of 'dress', and he instantly became aware of how much he'd enjoyed taking in the sight of her.

"I-- Ugh-- Bath! Couldn't find-"

She rushed across the room to the large oak chest of drawers. Reaching in the bottom she pulled out a large fluffy white towel. Closing the space between Endymion and herself, she stole one last quick glance before handing him the towel. Endymion quickly wrapped the towel around his waist and Serenity gave him a shy smile, 'What is wrong with me? Giggling? Smiling? It is like being a school girl all over again! I am a fierce tough- Ugh! Who am I kidding?'. "I do apologize. I should have knocked."

Endymion grinned. "No harm done. If it helps, I probably would have invited you in despite my state of dress, after all its not often someone knocks on the wall to enter."

Serenity looked shocked and turned to look at the wall. "Oh right!! I'm sorry!! I-- They run all through the castle. The corridors down below follow much the same paths and patterns as the hallways here. With all the extra people. . ."

"Sounds perfectly reasonable. Just be careful not to surprise anyone else." Serenity chuckled and smiled even brighter and Endymion felt his heart swell with pride at having put the look on her face. "So what was the reason for the surprise?" Her smile fell, twinkle in her eyes gone. Endymion heart deflated.

"Right." She looked to her feet and began to dig her right toe into the carpet. 'How can one man make me feel so many things? This was all so much less complicated before last night. Last night... right.' "I... well... umm... ugh... you see... I'm sorry!"

Endymion's jaw dropped. "What?"

Serenity looked to him a sad apologetic look on her face, "I'm sorry. You saved my life. I took on to much last night. Sometimes I get carried away with... Anyway, it was a ridiculous plan, I underestimated the payment, and I would have died without you. You should not have punished yourself like that, but thank you for surviving it with me." Her gaze returned to the toe digging into the carpet.

Endymion smiled at the adorable picture she made. "I am sorry, too."

Her actions ceased and her head snapped up to look at him. Endymion chuckled at the surprised look on her face. "What?"

"I am sorry." He crossed the room and placed a gentle hand on Serenity's left cheek, and it began to glow softly. "Many years ago, I left an ache here." The glow subsided and he continued to caress her cheek. " Less time ago, I beat you for crimes you did not commit. And just yesterday I sought to slay you in your own home. I have been an idiot and a fool. I see that now. I am sorry. Could you ever forgive me?"

Serenity's mouth hung open in shock, as words escaped her.

He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "I am sorry I ask to much."

With a final stroke, he removed his hand and turned from her. She caught his wrist and tugged him back to face her. 'If he can forgive you...' Ikuko's words rang though her mind, as Endymion half turned to stare at the girl before him. She met his gaze, slowly turning, being careful to keep her eyes locked with his even over her shoulder. She pulled a ribbon and let it slide to the floor. Her right hand slowly pushed down the strap on her left shoulder, then moved and did the same for the strap on her right. She allowed her dress to the ground.

Endymion's breathing stopped as he took in he pale milky white skin of her back. His eyes were distracted from taking her form in by the harsh pale pink jagged lines of scarring that marred her back. As she twisted her long silver hair up into a messy temporary bun, he could see now that the scars ran from her neck to her ankles.

Tears began to make their way down his cheeks. His heart begged he should ask who had done this, but his mind sneered that he had done this is in a moment of wicked glory.

"I-" He choked on his breath not sure what to say.

"I have similar healing powers to yours, though I must admit your powers appear to be much stronger. I have refused to let these heal, because I refused to forget what you had done to me. In the years since, I have felt your punishment just, and I kept these as just as much of a reminder of my own monsters as they were a reminder of yours."

"I-"

She held up a hand to cut him off. "I think we have both made premature judgments. We have both made harsh mistakes. Someday I should like to tell you my tale, but for now, I would ask you heal these scars and take that as a sign of my forgiveness of both myself and you. For if you, who have hunted me all these years, can see goodness, then truly there must be something there."

He nodded eagerly. "Only if when I finish you would do the same for me." He turned, keeping their eyes still locked. Serenity gasped as she saw the matching scares in his sun kissed flesh. She turned facing him, stepping over her gown, she crossed the short distance between them. She averted her eyes for just a moment, and gently pushed the towel out of the way, to see just as hers, his ran the entire length of his back. "I kept these as a reminder of what happened when I was foolish, when I wasn't cautious, when I lost my mind." He paused, and Serenity opened her mouth, but Endymion interrupted whatever she had to say. "This is nothing in comparison to what I have done to you, M' Lady, even though this was meant to be my punishment for having harmed you. But having a better understanding, seeing your flesh, my punishment was not near enough. But please know, that the site I beheld today will never leave my mind." Her gaze returned briefly to his as she gave him a gentle smile, then flicked down to his back. She began the gentle work, tracing each marring of the flesh with a delicate soft silver magic that flowed gently out of the tip of her finger.

Endymion would occasionally shiver at her sensual slow touch, but never moved his eyes from the vision she made while she worked.

Serenity was on her knees as she healed the last scar, and Endymion slowly turned and knelt offering her his hands to help her rise.

His hands caught her eye, first looking to those large sculpted tan hands, and then to his deep ocean blue eyes, Serenity allowed him to help her stand.

Their eyes locked, he gently pushed her shoulders so that her back was facing him. His eyes moved to her back as he began similar gentle ministrations. She shivered as his rough calloused hands made gentle precise movements over each aged scar. His fingers glowing a gentle gold, seemed to savor his task removing ever mark he had once put in its place restoring her back to the pale soft glory it had once been like an artist restoring an abused painting.

He would heal with his right hand, and when the work was done he would use his left hand to gently massage what had been restored. Serenity's moan surprised them both, and she found herself bitting her tongue to keep further noises slipping through.

As he finished he work, she too slowly turned and kneeling to offer him her hand. He smiled at her pale slim delicate hand, accepting it and moving his gaze to her eyes.

Together the slowly rose, staring deep into one another's eyes. The depth of the ocean crashing into the soft light blue of the afternoon sky. Uncontrollably, they slowly began to lean into one another drowning in the torrent of emotions flowing between them-

Knock, knock, knock. As the panel in the wall began to open, the rooms two occupants became aware of three things- Their improper state of undress and what it implied. Endymion's obvious state of 'enjoyment'. (To which Serenity had the good grace to blush upon noticing.) And finally, they were inches apart and the knock had been the only thing to prevent the kiss.

Ikuko smiled at the blushing faces before her. "Its nice to see you're getting along."

Serenity let a gentle chuckle escape under her breath while raising her left hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. "What do you need Ikuko?"

Ikuko's smile turned into a wide grin. "No pleasantries then? Good, I didn't want to have to undress to be part of the pleasantries anyway." Serenity rolled her eyes at the crude way Ikuko had said pleasantries. "I come with news." The grin fell. "The red haired beast that would call herself queen is calling you directly."

"Oh!" Serenity rushed to put her dress on, forgetting the ribbon on the floor. "Umm, Endymion-"

"I should like to go with you."

Serenity's brow furrowed. "Oh." It straightened into a strained smile. "Then by all means come. You'll have to wear a mask as well, however. I'll need you both behind me, several paces behind." Ikuko nodded handing Serenity a red mask, Endymion a black mask, and keeping a second black mask for herself. Serenity began to tie the mask around her face. "Think of a stranger, keep that picture in your mind, and imagine the mask over their face a part of the guise. Try and imagine his armor similar to mine in black- the witch believes it to be the underlings uniform. And remember these masks can only change the appearance not the genetic structure so it has to be a male stranger." A small shimmer of light and she gently shifted into the red woman he had hunted for years.

Endymion nodded, more to himself, and began to reach up with the mask. He stopped as he concentrated on a man. 'Short spiked blond hair. Narrow green eyes. Crooked nose from battle. Strong jaw, slender lips. Tall, lean, and muscular. Black armor, black mask.' He tied the knot, and began to shimmer. He felt him self stretch up no more than five inches, and slim down. He felt his hair pull in, his nose break and set, his skin stretch and shift. And it was then he felt his towel shift into black leather armor, similar to Serenity's red. He almost groaned as he realized while she scrambled with clothes he had only grabbed his towel.

The eyes of the Red Lady looked excited. "Excellent! I've never seen anyone do so well on their first try!" The excitement simmered down, but a gentle smile remained as she looked over her shoulder to keep talking to him as they walked. "Do not say anything. Please try not to show any emotions. I will be replaying some footage of deaths and fights. All of what you will see today has been done with shadows, no one was harmed, I promise, so please try to remain impassive."

The blond stranger that was Endymion nodded, and he couldn't help but think 'No one but you.' He spared a quick glance to Ikuko. In place of the aged woman stood a girl of no more than seventeen, short spiked black hair, similar to Endymion's choice, but slightly more feminine, harsh squinty orange eyes, and she too had chosen to be taller than the Red Lady.

Serenity lead Ikuko and Endymion back into the dark scientific room where he had spent his previous evening. Endymion had to force himself not to shudder with memories of the previous evening as he realized that upon entering their every move was being watched by a scowling woman. Her face took up all twenty five monitors that were in the center of the east wall. Wild dark red hair framed a pale face and insane emerald eyes, her scarlet lips turned down in a scowl as she watched Serenity approach.

"I had your little wench go to fetch you over an hour ago. I do not like to be kept waiting."

The Red Lady's eyes sparkled with amusement as she glanced over her left shoulder eyes absorbing all of Endymion's strange form. "I was..." She let out a slight chuckle. "Preoccupied." She slowly rolled her attention back to the monitoring screen not letting her eyes leave Endymion's stoic face til the last possible moment. "Besides after your negotiations yesterday, you are lucky I am still willing to take your calls. Hows Autumn and his little friends?"

"You little-"

"Watch your language."

"You destroyed my barracks!"

"No. I simply returned your warriors. I really had not meant to kill them, but amidst everything else I was simply having to much fun to stop. I will admit they were in less than perfect condition when I returned them, and unfortunately half-life warriors are impossible to control. So they made a little mess?" The woman growled and began shouting obscenities. "Do not get angry with me. This was your doing."

"MY DOING?"

The red eyes rolled at the uncontained anger. "I warned you when we first started doing business not to cross my path, or you would regret the consequences. You cost me a village of hard unquestioning workers."

"I offered their protection"

"You offered not to slaughter them in lou of payment! You silly witch, what you fail to understand is that if I had allowed them to live as payment, everyone would be demanding free work!"

"Well-"

"You will stop right there. I ignored the obvious betrayal in yesterdays acts. I simply returned the kindness you displayed. Now, you will give me the entire payment in the usual manner. If you do not get me my funds in two days time, I will consider that an act of betrayal. If, like all the times before, you try and track the funds, I will consider that an act of betrayal. If you try another negotiation I will consider that an act of betrayal. You do not want to betray me."

"And if I-"

Endymion's death displayed in the top right corner. The screen below that showed a blond female royal being tortured to death. Below that was one view of yesterdays massacre. Below that the death of Miniya. Below that a different view of yesterdays massacre. Below that a brunette, Endymion recognized as Duke Worhtington, murdered in his home.

One by one the screens began to fill, with individual deaths and scenes from the massacre.

"You do not want to betray me, because this is a sample of me being kind. I am not so kind to my enemies. The money in the usual place and manner in two days time or you will lose more than a barracks."

The screens all went blank simultaneously.

Serenity waited a moment and then screamed in frustration, and stormed out of the room into the pathway in the wall.

Endymion looked to Ikuko, who had changed back. "What did she do to the barracks?"

"She used the creatures shadow to instill the dead bodies with a half life and then returned them with the gypsy trader. The problem with that is, its impossible to know what they will do or think, because no one is really in control, though most often a half life reflects the creatures true nature. So I imagine the Lady knew exactly what she was doing when she sent them through the portal after Autumn."

"Why couldn't that woman stop them?"

Ikuko smiled. "That's the other problem with half life creatures. They're already dead so most normal means don't work. Have to burn em, and bury the ashes in the dark. The other problem is, if one of them should kill you, the taint flows and spreads like disease. I can't say for sure, but I imagine the thing with the barracks was pure luck that ended the half life invasion."

"What if those creature had attacked the general population?"

"Sir, you have to understand the Lady is nothing if not careful. That witch lives in some other half dimension. So secluded and secure that we have, as of yet, been unable to pin point its exact location."

"Of course." He waited a beat. "Do you know where she went of to so quickly?"

Ikuko smiled. "Can't get enough of M' Lady?" Endymion looked away from her sparkling eyes and blushed, refusing to admit, even to himself, the pull in his chest he had felt as Serenity stormed from the chamber. "She was angry, so I believe she will have gone to the grounds to train. I can take you there, if you'd like." Endymion started to head for where he knew the hole in the wall to be, when Ikuko stopped him with a gentle touch. "I believe it best to take the regular hallways, she is in a foul mood and I don't want to risk seeing her should anything have delayed her." She turned, untying her mask before heading for the doors.

Endymion nodded and following Ikuko's to the large black oak doors and untying his own mask. Ikuko had begun to push the door open when Endymion cleared his throat, causing her to turn and looked at him. A large grin lit up her face, as a deep blush stained his cheeks. "Perhaps I could get some clothes?"

Ikuko laughed. "Of course. How could we forget to dress you?" As if having read her thoughts, a shadow appeared through the hole in the wall with Endymion's clothes.

Endymion took them, and rushed behind a changing screen. "I have been wondering since our arrival here, what are those creatures?"

"Shadows borrowed from those who are sleeping. Its an old Solarian trick. People must rest, but their shadows don't need the down time. The Lady simply uses a spell weaved into the candles here to call the shadows of those sleeping. The spell gives them enough form that they can take care of the smaller tasks. Ya know she was never really comfortable with people waiting on her hand and foot?"

Endymion stepped from behind the screen. "Yes. I do remember a particular instance where she made such discomforts obvious."

The older woman smiled kindly, and finished pushing the door open. Endymion followed her from the room, now fully dressed in a white blouse, black pants, and black boots. Ikuko lead Endymion through the maze of hallways, and he recognized little pieces of it all from his two walks down these halls before. A vase in the first hallway. In the second, a large painting of a young brunette woman when they passed Endymion asked its origin. "It is a painting by Felipe Geralda, of the first Red Lady. She was his mysterious lover, and eventually his wife." They turned and he recognized a small chest that was placed to the right of a large oak door. "This was a gift to the fourth Lady. It was hand carved by the leader of the Anulta Gypsie tribe. A token of thanks for sparing his life when his brother had employed her to end it."

"Why would she spare him?"

Ikuko glanced at Endymion over her shoulder, as they turned the next corner. A mysterious smile curved her lips, "There is another history to your kingdom, Endymion. That tells a far more complicated and involved story than centuries of royal marriages."

As they came closer to the main halls Endymion could hear the shuffle of feet and the gentle hum of conversation. "Would you please tell me." The rounded the final corridor bringing them into the thrum of life, and past Minako and Kunzite. The couple was flirting and giggling, but upon seeing the strange pair walking together, stopped and followed.

"Its long. Its complicated. But I think we have enough time to cover the beginning. The first lady was born a duchess. When she was twelve her parents were murdered before her very eyes. She ran screaming from the site, and was hunted through the dark castle by her uncle, a cruel man who sought to take her father's throne for his own greedy intentions. She was rescued by the apprentice of a famous painter who was visiting her parents while he painted her mother's portrait. The two escaped into the woods and were discovered by the Anulta Gypsies-"

Endymion interrupted as they passed Ami and Zoicite, who picked up on the transfer of knowledge and joined the group. "Thats the second time you've mention the Anulta Gypsies, I don't think I've ever heard of them?"

"You know the unrecognizable language Serenity was babbling while in your care as Rose?" Endymion nodded. "That is the language of the Anulta Gypsies. They are nomads. They never stay in one place for long. Never offer alliance, and rarely take in new members to their tribe. And – as such things would indicate, they are impossible to locate. Most people assume the tribe to have modernized and forgotten their way of life, like the other gypsy tribes that now have a permanent camp that they return to frequently. But the reality of it all is just simply that people stopped looking, Serenity found them, much the same way the first lady did.

Wandering through the forest, scared, starved, and directionless Anastasia and Felipe wandered for days until a scout found them and upon hearing the child's tale took them back to the camp site." As the group turned another corner Ikuko lead them past an arguing Rei and Jedite. Both looked up seeing the group, ended their argument and followed their friends. "Anastasia and Felipe were adopted by different families of the tribe and raised. Anastasia by some of the hunters who recognized her strength in spirit and determination, and Felipe by a weaver who saw his grace of hand and vision for beauty."

The group received many looks as they traveled the halls behind Ikuko, but the villager's and gypsies having a certain understanding of Ikuko ignored them. The Royals did not. It was not long before they were joined by Makoto, Nephrite, Luna, and some accumulated whispers of strange happenings. "Anastasia grew into a beautiful strong hunter that many of the men of the tribe desired, many woman admired, and all cherished.

It was on Anastasia's twenty first birthday that the wise woman of the tribe saw the sparkle of magic in her heart. So she was adopted by yet another and the wise woman took her under her wing and trained her how to hone her powers, to bend them to her will. And soon her skills included sorceress.

Just after she turned twenty four, the tribe was traveling near her place of birth for the first time since the death of her parents. When they got to the edge of her parents kingdom she went to the first village she could find, to see what her uncle had done to the kingdom. She found poverty, sickness, depression, starvation, and death. The gypsies traveled all over her kingdom, and every where she roamed she found the same and every villager she spoke to had the same fear in their eyes and none dared speak a word of ill will, the most she caught were gentle whispers to their friends. Finally, she came across her parents home, the castle where she'd grown for half her life. It was lavish and extravagant compared to what she remembered from her child hood. Pillars made gold, gems in every door, gaudy carpets, tapestries- it seemed anything that could show wealth was proudly displayed."

They had reached the outdoor courtyard, and Ikuko took a seat on a stone bench, while her audience sat in rapture at her feet.

"Anastasia was immediately angry with herself, for in all her time with her new family, it had never occurred to her until that moment, that when fleeing the castle, instead of facing her uncle, she had traded her life for that of her people.

She spoke with Felipe and the wise woman. She explained the evil, explained her guilt, explained her duty, and she explained her plan.

Over the next several days the gypsies kept an eye on the extravagant castle looking for an opening. On the fifth day, Anastasia weaved some of her magic into an old scarf. When she used that scarf to cover her face, it transformed her into a new, different young woman. This stranger walked through the castle gates, unnoticed, with some girls who had been collected from throughout her kingdom to become part of her uncle's harem.

The face she'd imagined was irresistibly beautiful, so, on that first night, she was chosen to visit her uncle's chambers along with several other girls. They were lead to a large chamber, Anastasia recognized it as her parents room. In the center of her parents bed on black satins sheet sat her uncle, his crimes had made him old beyond his years and his greed made him obese beyond the fattest pigs. The dirty old man sat on the edge of his bed leering, teasing, jeering, taunting the young beauties, threatening to end their lives should they all not eventually come forward to please him.

Anastasia stepped first from the crowd. The stranger's face she wore was proud, her posture strong like only a true royals. He demanded she strip and join him. She grinned wickedly, and as she reached for the old scarf in her hair, she saw fear quickly pass her Uncle's eyes. He'd seen the plan in her smile, but through years with out opposition, his cunning intelligence had dulled, and so he'd dismissed the look as a trick of his imagination.

As the scarf slid to the floor, she transformed back into the herself, becoming a slightly taller, slightly bustier, brunette with piercing unforgiving emerald eyes. Just before her blade sliced his throat, he managed to scream one word, her mother's name, "Alexandra!"

The girls ran screaming from the room, as the guards came rushing in. Anastasia disappeared through a secret corridor in the wall. As she crept along the underground passages until she ran into a young man.

He raised his sword and demanded, 'Who are you?' She laughed at him, 'Didn't you hear the old fool's death cry? I am the late ruler Alexandra! And, who, boy, are you?"

'I am Nicholas, son of the old dead fool. And foolishness is not something I inherited from my father. You are not an apparition, and you must pay for the death of my father!'

In a matter of moments Anastasia had disarmed the boy, blade at his throat she smiled sadly down at him. 'I do not wish to kill you, Boy. My quarrel was with my Uncle. He slaughtered my parents while we rested by the fire. He sought to slaughter me as a child. And all so he could steal my father's title, his land, his people, his home and destroy it. But if my only way out is through your blood, I shall spill it, do not think I would spare your life again.'

Weaponless he let her pass. When she was ten paces down the hall he called after her, 'And what now of your father's land, his people, his home? Will you restore its former glory, cousin? Or did you kill my father solely for revenge? Would you leave this starving nation unto chaos?'

She shook her head, slowly turning to face the young man. 'No. I have long since been dead, I can return nothing. But you- Nicholas, the angel son of the demon duke. Your name is a whisper among the people. You are their hope, their light, their chance for survival. I have listened to the whisperings, and all their trust and faith lies with you. But be forewarned, this kingdom was my home. These villager's were my friends. Your father paid with his life for the destruction he brought down upon this nation, should you follow in his foot steps you shall share his fate.'

'What am I to say of this evening?'

She turned and continued walking. 'Tell them what you like. For all I care, you could follow my Uncle's dying belief, tell them the ghost of Alexandra came to drench this castle in red once more.'

The following day Nicholas had started a rumor, alright. He had it whispered that the ghost of Anastasia came to drench the castle in red, and set right the order of her father's kingdom.

Six months later, the Anulta tribe came to a similar kingdom that bordered her own, and Anastasia found her duty once more. At the end of the second life, she found two things necessary. First she left the gypsy tribe, fearing people would associate the death's with their appearance and they would be hunted. She traveled with Felipe, always in disguise. It wasn't long before Felipe became renowned and they could visit any place they pleased using him as a pretense. Next she sent a letter to her cousin, telling him that the lord of the current land was leaving the trails of a whisper among the shadows that the ghost, whom people had come to known as The Red Lady Anastasia, was for hire. He'd paid a handsome price for his kingdom, and she asked that should anyone question him, he should imply the same thing. She found that becoming the darkest shadow, and being for hire, was the easiest way to find those that needed justice most swiftly.

And so the Lady has been built from the ghost story. Each Lady was found in the dark while running from her past. Each Lady has her own way of finding those who need her. Each Lady has brought with her, her own special gifts and talents to further the name, the cause, and the treasure trove. Every Lady has added to the impression of darkness that surrounds the name. And every Lady has been tainted so that the light and hope of the people can remain pure."

Ikuko stood up, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and smiled. "Shall we continue to where your Lady is?" Her group returned her smile, while standing up and dusting themselves off. As she began speaking again she began leading once more. "I think it would be of interest to you to know two things. The first being, the castle you are staying in, was the original the home of the Duchess Anastasia. The next being that Serenity is a first among many things for the league of the Red Ladies. She was the first non-earthling. She is the youngest to don the mask, at the age of fourteen after only six months of apprenticeship, and having learned everything I had to teach. She is the first to integrate all the technologies of the Sol System. She is the first to run the organization on a global level. And she was the first to have an intense knowledge of her physical and mental capabilities before becoming an apprentice."

Endymion looked startled, "Wait, you mean to tell us the princess knew how to fight?"

Ikuko nodded. "She knew much when I met her." Ikuko pointed to the center of an almost empty field, where Serenity twirled, twisted, and flowed to an invisible song. She held a sword as though it were a lovely ribbon twisting it with her movements, slicing through the air. Endymion felt the pull in his chest dull and almost relax with the site of her. Watching her, he noticed she had changed from her white dress to a white blouse the hung off her shoulders, a long dark blue skirt, and just below that he could see she was still bare foot. When Ikuko continued, his attention returned to the older woman before him. "You think that kind of grace, agility, and strength could be learned over night?"

"I-"

"Assumed it was luck that allowed that petite wisp of a girl to hand you your ass on a platter during your duel?"

"I--"

"I did not hand him his ass. You put up an excellent fight. He was beating me. It was luck, one moment he slipped and I was able to grasp victory."

Endymion's laugh filled the courtyard, a sardonic smirk on his face. "You do not need to be so kind."

"I--"

"Mina and Kunz showed me my tunic."

Serenity's right eyebrow lifted a notch, a small frown displayed on her features. "Your tunic?"

"The one you marked every time you had an opening." He shook his head. "It is funny, when I replay the fight in my mind I see it all. The unnecessary movements to mark my shirt, just in the corner of my eye. The way your arm would swing wide when I would lean to closely, saving me from even the slightest scratch. How every blow I landed was immediately after you had spared me. Or how you waited until, my mistake was so completely obvious, that a novice could have disarmed me." He shook his head again, only stopping when his left hand caught his chin on the third shake. "That night I was so angry because I thought I had been cheated by an amateur. But now, I know I was saved by a skilled master."

The courtyard was silent. Twenty two wide eyes starred at Endymion's face, searching for a sign he was less than sincere.

"Would you become my teacher?"

Several jaws went slack. A wide grin broke out on Serenity's face. "Alright." The rest of the jaws went slack. "Your first lesson is right now!" She ran towards him, pausing long enough to grab his hand, dragging him with her as she charged inside. "I think the gypsies planned a celebration tonight!! That will be perfect!"

Endymion grinned, charged by her sudden show of energy. He could vaguely hear the feet pounding behind them as they were followed. "Perfect for?"

"Your first lesson! My first lessons started when I was three!"

"You started fighting when you were three?"

Serenity giggled. "No! The actual combat lessons did not begin until I was five! This is the first step to proper form! Dancing!"

Endymion stopped, and Serenity tumbled backwards into him pulled by their linked hands. The people behind them, tumbled into his back pushing them forward again, and Endymion struggled to keep himself and Serenity upright. "Dancing?"

Serenity sighed, looking very serious. "Yes. It helps you with the basics. Grace, agility, speed, and timing."

Endymion smiled. "Sorry, I was curious. I've never had an instructor tell me the best way to learn fighting stances was to waltz."

Serenity grinned. "That must be why it was so easy to kick your ass!" Endymion's laughter filled the hall as Serenity took off, dragging him with her once more. She pushed into the dinning room. There was a band of gypsies playing a fast paced tune at the north end of the hall. The other three walls were surrounded by villagers and gypsies tapping their feet and clapping to the beat of the music, laughing, smiling, talking. Those not lining the walls, were a colorful dancing array filling up the center of the room.

Leaving the door open, and Endymion standing by it, Serenity rushed into the room toward the band. She was all nimble and elegant as she danced her way across the room. Occasionally a couple would stop her, pull her into the routine, and she would float with them for an instance before twirling away toward her destination once more.

When she reached the band, she walked up to the flute player, and stood on her tip toes, though the man was still a head taller, to whisper in his ear. He leaned down listened for a minute, then nodded and smiled as she turned to prance and twist her way back across the large make-shift dance floor.

As she flitted to a stop in front of him, she began to pull him to the floor. "They will be changing songs soon. I asked him to play something a little slower. Now, I want you to follow my lead!" A joy like none he had ever seen, sparkled in her eye and he could not help but smile too as he felt a similar joy within himself.

Just like she promised the tune changed, slowing pace. Still faster than a romantic waltz, an even steady tempo. She held up her right palm flat in the air and motioned for Endymion to place his hand in hers. The walked in a circle towards the right before Serenity's twirled out, spinning around and coming back in to hook her left arm with Endymion's. He stumbled and tripped as he tried to mimic the move, but quickly straightened and hooked his left arm with hers and they began to walk left. They twirled and switched between right and left a few times before Endymion managed to mimic her moves while she was away from him. Twice more, and he didn't need to look at her to twirl out, spin around, and come back to her changing their direction. Next she changed the step of her feet. Toes pointed out, she'd step toe to heel, while bringing the opposite leg up just enough to place her foot behind her ankle, and then kick out gently before placing that foot on the floor. He kicked Serenity once, and the couple next to them twice before he understood enough to make the gentle and calculated moves required. They twirled out and spun back in.

The song lasted several more minutes, Serenity never adding more, letting the flow and rhythm of dance and song try and enter Endymion's core. The song began to change again, and before either Endymion or Serenity could say a word, Serenity was swept off her feet hauled over the shoulder of a tall dark scraggly haired gypsy.

"You think that was impressive, boy?"

Endymion's face had gone from shock, to anger, but as her tinkling laughter filled the hall, he could not stop the grin from spreading. "I suppose you would like to show me what she is really capable of?"

The gyspy barked laughter in response. "Nah, boy! I'm not nearly good enough to show you what this girlly can really do! I just want to show you up! What do ya say, Rosey? How bout a bit 'o exercise?"

From her upside down position, her head swinging near the man's lower back hair dragging the floor, Serenity let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well, Cahir, I suppose, from my current position, I find myself unable argue with you."

Cahir chuckled again, "That's the spirit!" All the other couples cleared the floor, and the music stopped as Cahir made his way to the middle of the floor and set Serenity on her feet. "Alec, play our song!"

The drummer started a rapid tempo. Serenity and Cahir began to move their feet to the beat. After a measure the flutist joined him. Serenity began a move that Endymion couldn't quit follow with his eyes. The two guitarist joined the band and Cahir joined Serenity's elaborate moves. The room cheered as the pair spun, floated, and twirled along with the rhythm. To Endymion's eyes Serenity's was little more than a white and blue flutter accented by silver when strands of her hair caught the light, hands and feet moving to quickly for his eyes to follow.

Endymion noted that Cahir was an extremely talented dancer. But as Serenity flitted around him, never missing a beat, he would still stumble and falter every once in a great while, making Cahir appear to be as novice as Endymion knew himself to be.

After ten or more minutes of their intimate, elaborate dance Cahir held up his hands in surrender. Serenity giggled at him as he stopped, bent over at his waist with one hand on his knee for support and the other on his chest to assist his shallow breathing as he fought to catch his breath after their exercise. The music changed again, into a move reasonable tempo, and couples began to fill the floor once more. Serenity floated in and out of their midst making her way back to Endymion.

Before she'd reached him, she was stopped by a young woman in a maid's outfit from Endymion's own castle. He frowned as he struggled to recognize the black hair, green eyes, or anything else about the woman's delicate features. Serenity finished her journey, "I'm sorry your lessons will have to wait to continue until tomorrow. I did not realize the hour, and I have an appointment to keep with my dear friend their." She indicated the girl standing a few paces behind her head bowed.

He smiled warmly at the girl in front of him. Marveling at the delicate curve of her lips and the rosy tint to her cheeks that came with the dancing. He was so distracted by her breath taking beauty, that he almost missed what she told him, and he barely had the chance to respond as she turned to walk away. "I should like to see you later."

She stopped her movement, gracing him with a smile. "Well, since you're staying in my home, I think thats a distinct possibility." Endymion opened his mouth, but she continued cutting him off. "I should like that as well. As soon as, I have caught up with Gwen, and seen her safely on her way, I shall come to find you."

She left Endymion grinning like a fool as he watched her retreat, feeling like a part of him was walking from the room with her. When she disappeared around the corner of the open door, Endymion allowed his attention to scan the the rest of the room. He saw that his generals and Serenity's guard had followed them in, and paired off around the room. The longer he looked he saw more of Serenity's prisoners, he snorted at the thought, mingled in with her guests. 'I wonder how many royals were here for her stunning-'

"A dance, M' Lord?"

Endymion's attention snapped to the blond girl in front of him. He scanned her appearance, simple peasant blouse long green skirt, pretty face, but he found himself unable to place her as either gypsy or peasant. "What did you say, M' Lady?"

She giggled, leaning closer to him. "I asked M' Lord for a dance."

A similarly dressed brunette walked up to them. "You're outta your league, Charlotte!"

"Oh shush, Cami!"

"Well, ya are! Didn'tcha see him dancin' with Rose? And even if he wasn't so taken with 'er, this is the High Prince of the Golden Kingdom, Endymion!"

"Well a girls gotta aim high! So whats with you an Ol' Rose?"

Endymion laughed. "There's nothing between Rose and I. And anywhere else I am the High Prince of the Golden Kingdom, here in Rose's home, I am simply Endymion." He took Charlotte's hand, and gently kissed her knuckles. "And if I knew how to dance I would be pleased to take such a lovely lady up on such a tempting offer."

Charlotte laughed. "He's twice the charmer we 'eard he was!!"

Cami grinned. "And twice the liar!" At Endymion's confused look she continued. "Don't know how to dance? Then what were ya doin with Rosey? And nothin' between you two? Please, M' Lord, we all seen the way you looked after her as she left." His face became more puzzled, and Cami laughed. "Perhaps he's even lying to 'imself!"

"I do not--"

"He really is in denial. I've never seen a man more smitten!"

"I am not--"

"Did ya see the look on Rosey's face? She's just as smitten as this fool here. Although as stubborn as she is, and as dense as he seems to be, I imagine it'll be ages before anythin' happens."

Endymion shook his head at their conversation, and slowly backed away looking for an escape. As he stepped through the main doors, his sneaky retreat was hindered as he backed into someone. "Oh, I'm so-"

"Endymion!"

"Queen Selenity, how are you this evening?" He righted himself and turned to face the queen.

"I-" The Lunarian paused, looking to her hands neatly folded in front of her chest. "Would you care to join me for tea?" Endymion nodded, and Selenity began to lead them away from the ball room. "She was always a lovely dancer." Endymion, confused, looked to back to the room they had left, trying to think of whom she spoke. She let out a quiet gentle chuckle. "No. Not there now. Serenity."

He smiled fondly at the memory from only minutes before, holding a large door open for the silver haired woman. "Yes. She reminded me of the magical fae creatures that mother spoke of in stories when I was small. All gossamer and light, she seemed to be floating across the floor. And such speed!"

They sat adjacent to each other in large red velvet wingback chairs. "And grace." The proud mother continued, "She has been dancing a long time."

"Yes. She said she started lessons when she was three."

The elder woman looked at something past Endymion a look of age over comming her features.. "Yes. Her father's request. I am certain he would be proud she kept up with her lessons. She was always daddy's little girl."

A shadow came through the door with a tray, setting it on the table between them. After it had left, Endymion poured them both tea. His cup in hand, he sat back in his chair, burning to ask the next question, the one he'd wondered about since the day he'd met the Lunarian Royals, the day of his betrothal, but formalities almost held his tongue at bay. Almost. "Who was Serenity's father?"

Selenity's gaze snapped to Endymion, surprise crossing her features. "You do not know?"

Endymion shook his head. "No one speaks of him. What happened?"

Selenity sighed. "Its a long story."

Endymion smiled. "I'll listen if to your tale of it would not pain you to terribly to tell me."

Selenity shook her head. "No. You have a right to know. It explains quit a lot actually." She paused a moment gathering her thoughts. "I suppose the best place to start is with my own betrothal. When I was nineteen my mother betrothed me to Prince Seiya of Kinmokusei in the Kaeru Galaxy. My mother hopped our marriage would help regulate Inter-Galactic trading protocol and prices. It was a smart match. He was a lovely man to behold and he was kind to me. I wish I could say as much of the way I treated him. I was furious with my mother, though I never spoke a word of it to her. I knew what was expected of me from the day I was old enough to attend the courting socials, but I, like many young princesses, was determined to marry for love. So when we were courting I was as horrible as I could be. And when we were not courting, I snuck off to other planets in search of my true love.

Six months after the betrothal, I was sneaking out late at night when I heard my mother's advisor coming down the hall. I quickly jumped into the transport, desperate to escape, least I get caught and have to explain myself. In a matter of moments, I was blindly stumblingly out of the teleporter and right into the arms of Solarus sending us both tumbling to the ground. Right away he shoved me off, shouting about the rudeness of strange girls. So I shouted right back about the rudeness of strange boys- And I stopped mid sentence and I can still remember the puzzled look on his face.

'Whats the matter with you now?'

And I blinked at him and said, 'I was shouting about the rudeness of strange boys from this planet, but I'm not sure where I am!'

He laughed at me saying, 'You walk into a porter and you did not stop to check where it would lead you?'

I struggled to find a response stumbling out half words, and he continued to laugh at me. So, desperate to defend my good sense, I scowled at him and shouted 'It was better rushing to the unknown than getting caught in the Transportation Room back home!'

He stopped and looked at me curiously, 'What could a creature like you have to run from?'

My scowl grew even darker in embarrassment of my foolishness, that everyone seemed to see when I told them of my dreams of finding true love. So I snapped at him, 'You have had your last laugh at my expense this evening. If you would excuse me, I came for reasons of my own, but shall not leave until I've had at least of a bit of adventure and so I must be off.'

I turned from him, found the exit, and as I reached for the knob his hand stopped mine. 'M' Lady. I too was running from the chores of my life, looking for, at the very least, a bit of adventure to fill my evening. Would you allow me to join you?' I was speechless, for the first time since I met the man, so I nodded. 'Good. Now if you do not mind waiting,' He consulted his watch, '4 minutes for the patrolling guard to return to his station our even can begin.' I grinned at him nodding again. 'By the way, you can call me Sol.' He gave an over dramatized bow and a charming smile, obviously mocking the traditions of the court.

'You can call me Lena.' I returned his bow, with my own dramatized curtsy.

We explored the towns and villages of the sun that evening sharing our own small adventure. We promised to meet again the next night. And on the next night we promised again and again and again. And each night we would explore one of the kingdoms of our galaxy and as we shared our adventures we told each other our secrets, our hopes, our dreams. I found out that he was out for the very same reason I was, he'd been betrothed to the very lovely, respectable, demur Sophronia of Pluto. At the end of the first week, I learned that he was Prince Solaris, only heir to the Sol Kingdom and he learned of my heritage. And before I knew it a month had passed, and he was proposing. So, breaking a great deal of laws, the following night we set off in search of a priest.

We were married on Venus, where things like betrothals are folly in the name of a love like ours. And by the end of the second month, I was pregnant with Serenity. So two nights before his betrothal became an announced engagement, we called a meeting between our parents.

They of course were furious, but in the face of a child what could they do without disgracing both kingdoms?

Both betrothals were quickly canceled. Which despite parents being quit upset and put out, both Seiya and Sophronia were quit pleased. Seiya had fallen in love with the High Priestess Kakyuu who served all the temples on Kinmokusei. And dear Sophronia had fallen in love with a scientist from the labs in her palace- and although her father was a little reluctant to allow her marriage to a commoner, thanks to the combined persuasive techniques of myself and Aphrodite, they were married by the end of the month.

Our darling Serenity was born to us healthy, happy, and beautiful. Even as a child she was her father's little girl. He doted on us both, and we were happy. And when our parents took in that precious bundle, for the first time, they could not grumble about the sense or beauty of our union. And seeing that we promised each other, that a child born of love should be given the opportunity to find love, we would never betroth her to anyone that was not of her choosing.

We were happy for a little more than a year, before Sol's father became sick. So instead of spending our time between the two homes, we lived on the Sun. When Serenity was three, my mother became sick. So we switched homes every month, watching over both kingdoms. We were stressed, strained, and tired but our love and our child kept us happy.

The night of Serenity's sixth birthday, was the night of the Great Solarian Disaster. We had been staying on the Moon, and Sol received an emergency telecom, begging for assistance." Tears entered the aged woman's eyes. "I--," She paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I remember seeing the flames towering in the background. The technician who called, said that something in one of the coolers had malfunctioned, and after the first one had blown, the temperature had increased significantly. The rise in temperature seemed to be causing malfunctions in the other cooling units around the surface of the Sun, and the only thing to be done was to evacuate immediately." Her tears ran freely down her face now, "I begged him not to go. But he insisted that his people needed him, and he promised he would returned and continued to say he would not head into the danger if he did not think he would return to see tomorrow with me and our darling daughter.

I was so cross with him, that I did not even follow to say good bye. I waited in our rooms, sulking, furious he would risk his life in such a dire situation. And I never saw him again. More than six hundred Solarians said it was their king that saved their life. Helping them escape homes, fixing transporters that had been damaged as the surface went ablaze. But my Sol never returned to me. He broke his final promise. And so with his death, I grew bitter, cold, mean towards my child. As a ruler, my people had never seen finer justice, more equal laws. But as a mother, my child was no longer loved, and I sought to break every promise Sol and I had made in regards to her. Luna and Artemis, my head advisors who had watched over the Moon when I was on the Sun with Sol, took over the raising of my child. I owe everything she is to them." She smiled a teary smile. "She was right, my Serenity. The day you two were betrothed, I did it out of spite for my late husband and not for the people. How could a forced marriage solve any problems?" She shook her head. "But now it is to late for such thoughts, and it is only after my child has become a beautiful woman all on her own that I realize I never should have hated her for being so loved by him. And I never should have hated him for serving his people, his conscience, and his heart."

Endymion was quiet a moment, looking for the right thing to say to try and slow the flow of tears down the older woman's cheeks. "He was a good man. He died an honorable death."

She smiled, gently shaking her head. "And I have shamed both him and his death by making it something to be talked of only in whispers."

Endymion looked to the forgotten cup of tea he held in his hands. He swirled it gently, looking for answers in the cold gentle ripples. Wishing for answers to mend the old queen's broken heart, but knowing that if they were so simple to find she would have healed by now. Endymion was brought from his musing as Selenity stood. As manners demanded him, he stood with her. She smiled gently at him. "I think I should like to rest now. Thank you for listening to the mistakes of an old fool."

Before Endymion could counter the lady's accusations against herself, she slipped from the room. Endymion sat back down with a sigh, he placed his cold cup of tea down, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his right hand hoping to easy away the coming headache.

"Not to ill for another story, I hope."

Endymion jumped up, turning to the bookcase that was swung away from the wall. He smiled at the voice and the figure that it had come from, and embraced the swell of emotion that appeared with her. "Serenity!" He began to stride towards her arms open to embrace her, b he paused two feet in front of her, hands falling awkwardly to his side, as he struggled to figure out what their relationship was, and what was allowed.

She watched him and as he approached arms wide, she blushed and looked to the floor, digging the toes of her left foot into the stone floor. "I-" She looked up and noticed him staring at her awkwardly, no longer coming towards her. "You said you wanted to see me."

The smile returned, "Yes!" He paused realizing he might have sounded to eager. 'Ugh! How can this slip of a girl make me feel like I am stuck going through puberty all over again? My palms are sweaty, my heart is racing, and I'm afraid if I speak again my voice might squeak!' He shook his head, clearing his mind. He opened his mouth, "I-" he voice cracked. He mentally sighed. 'The power of suggestion.' He dropped his head as Serenity's giggle filled the room. "I-" This time, it was a low baritone, far deeper than his normal voice. Serenity giggled again. Endymion sighed, "I wanted to see you."

Her giggling calmed, and she smiled brilliantly. "Yes. I gathered that. Thats why I came to see you when I finished with Gwen. What did you need?"

"I-" He paused and thought a moment. "Nothing. I just wanted to see you again." He looked up to meet her eyes. "Is that alright?"

She bowed her head shyly, looking up at him from her thick eyelashes. "Of course it is. I-" She stopped, and turned her gaze from him to the books on her right, placing a hand on the back of the open bookcase door on her left to steady herself. "You have had quit the change of attitude towards the Red Lady. Would you call yourself a traitor?"

Endymion took the last steps to her, taking her chin in his left hand and turning her head to look at him. He caught her eyes and smiled gently. "If it means seeing your smile." He shifted his hand to cup her cheek, and she snuggled into his hold. "Besides I've learned a great many things since you took me into your home. Knowledge has changed my mind while your smile changed my heart."

She reached her hand out fingers stretched to caress his face, but she paused at the last moment and pulled her hand back. "I can give you more knowledge. Would you like to listen?"

Endymion took a moment to comprehend what she was offering. "Now?"

"Oh. If its to late," Her head scanned the room looking for a clock. "We could do this in the morning."

"No!" Startled by his sharp response, she jumped back from his touch. He pulled his hand back to his side, a frown taking over his features at the loss of contact, the strange decrease in the swell of emotions. When he found his voice again it was barely above a whisper, "No. Tonight is fine. I would love to hear your tale..."

She heard the pause and waited for him to continue. She could no longer take the feeling of deeper loss that over came her when she had broken Endymion's contact, so feeling desperate Serenity reached out a nervous hand. She paused at the last moment before the feeling forced her hand forward and she instantly felt comforted. She caressed the side of his face, and he leaned into the touch, following the lead of her hand to look at her face once more. The touch seemed to restore his confidence, "I think your mother would love to hear your tale as well." At the mention of her mother Serenity pulled away. "She told me about your father."

Serenity frowned. "I know. I heard the end of her tale from the other side." She inclined her head toward the back of the bookcase.

"Then you know she feels guilty for-" Endymion paused trying to find the right choice of words. "Your childhood."

Serenity snorted, rolling her eyes. "Yes. And her guilt now really alleviates the the pain of having to grieve the loss of both my parents."

"Serenity, please," He paused, his next words coming from something he didn't understand. "For me."

She looked to Endymion's face seeing the same emotions she felt coursing through herself. "I do not understand this."

A nervous smile touched the corner of his lips, "I do not either. What I understand is, every time I have thought about running, a pain pulls at something so deep with in me and the only place I can find comfort is in your gaze."

"And when I look in your eyes, I feel so many things I am overwhelmed. And now when we touch I feel so much more, I am no longer certain if every emotion is my own. It strange, I did not know I could feel so much-" She continued for him, staring into his eyes and searching their depths.

"And now that I feel so much, I am afraid of not feeling all of this." His nervous smile, became confident and it touched his eyes. "If there is no running, the only thing left for us to do is embrace this together."

She smiled nervously, "Alright." He took a step forward, but stopped his approach as she continued. "For you." Endymion thought over their conversation, and realized they'd come full circle. "But if you want to have company for this conversation, do you think we should also invite our friends? My guardians, your generals, Luna, Artemis?" Endymion beamed, nodding. "Good. Then you can go fetch everyone." He laughed and Serenity frowned. "Please do not laugh at me. It was hard enough to convince myself to tell you all of my sins. Now you want me to tell her. And if thats not enough, I feel I owe it to our friends to explain it all to them as well." She put a hand to her mouth as she pursed her lips. "I am not the girl I was. It was hard enough to convince myself to tell you, because I am so overwhelmed with feeling when you are around-" Tears leaked from her eyes, and Endymion made the last step and embraced her. Endymion felt overwhelmed with emotions at the first touch, and as Serenity's tears began to flow, he felt the insecurity, fear, and confusion that he knew was not his own. Endymion forced himself to concentrate on his own feelings, confidence, caring, joy, and more confusion. As Serenity felt his surge of emotion, and her tears slowed. Snuggling closer, she embraced what she felt was his confidence and used it to continue. "I am not sure I want you to see my demons. I'm afraid you will not care for me once you hear what I have done. And-" Her voice hitched as the tears became steady once again. "Since, despite this fear, I have found the voice to tell you, I feel they should hear as well. But I am so terrified that I will disappoint them it almost brings me back to silence."

Endymion tightened his hold. "Then draw your strength from me." He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent and once again reigning down on the emotions running rampant within him. He felt her snuggle deeper, and her tears lessen as he calmed the emotions. "You feel that too." She nodded. "So draw your strength from me."

"And if I disappoint you? I do not exactly understand this, but I think I understand enough to know that if your confidence wavers I will feel that and-"

"It will not waver."

"You do not know what I have done. I-"

"That is where you are wrong. I know many of the things you have done. Those villagers, those gypsies, those royals, myself all here now because of who you are. You have influenced so many lives, saved so many people. All in the short time I have been here. How could anyone be disappointed in that?"

"I-" She shook her head and stopped herself. "Promise me you will not let go."

"I would not dream of it." He pulled back from her offering her his right hand, which she took interlocking their fingers. "Shall we go fetch everyone together?" She nodded wiping away her tears. "Good. We should collect our friends and take them to your mother's room."

She nodded. "When I parted company with Gwen, I saw them dancing with the others in the dinning hall." He nodded. And together they walked to the dinning hall to gather their closest friends.