I'm trying to get a decent amount of time with chapters, and I'm working really hard on it. So...here you go:

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Depths of Friendship
by PsychicDreams
Chapter 10

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The horses slowly stopped from their canter, picking at the grass absently. They listened and felt for the commands from their riders, but as none came, they fell into a restful doze, their training as war-horses keeping at least a little of attention alert for danger.

Jadeite leaned forward to look at the city that they would reach within a day, once they rested. He smiled. He was looking forward to seeing his uncle again. He had a scar on his shoulder from the arrow that had injured him, but none of his injuries hurt. In fact, thanks to that unexpected performance of Endymion and the Golden Crystal, no one was injured.

Endymion sighed. "Back to being hounded by Mother." There was an irritated affection in his voice as he said it.

Jadeite glanced at Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoisite, pursing his lips. What on all the planets were they going to say to the King and Queen when they pressed them for knowledge of where Endymion was going? And if the prince ever found out the original reason they had become friends? What...what would happen?

Endymion dismounted and leaned against the nearest tree. Ajax nuzzled him briefly before setting to eat with an intensity. "It is not that I do not love her, but sometimes I feel like she's trying to smother me."

Jadeite and his fellow Shitennou climbed wearily off their horses, letting them graze next to Ajax. "At least she loves you that much
to smother you," Nephrite commented, glancing up at the slowly darkening sky. Jadeite knew that at least for the first hour of complete darkness, he would be studying the stars.

Zoisite dropped down to the ground, laying himself out and stretching, his back arching against the earth. "He's got a point, Endy."

Kunzite looked preoccupied and Jadeite could make a very good guess as to why. It was up to him, as the leader of the Shitennou, to answer to the King and Queen. The question was what loyalty was deeper: to his friend, Endymion, or to his King and Queen.

Endymion shrugged. "I know, and it's not that I don't know it or don't appreciate it, but sometimes it's a bit of irritating."

"Let's get some sleep," Kunzite said abruptly, working his hidden frustration out on mundane things. Endymion looked at him curiously, but did as he said without comment. The other Shitennou knew what bothered him because it bothered them too. What were they going to do? Perhaps that was the reason that Nephrite constantly stared at the stars at night. Maybe he was searching for an answer.

Jadeite hoped that he would find one.

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There were cheers as they made their way to the palace from the people. Endymion smiled and welcomed as many that dared to come up near the five and their warhorses. The people loved their prince, that was for certain.

Five pages withdrew from the crowd around the palace gates to take the tired horses and the Shitennou plus one prince entered their home. Jadeite sighed in exaggerated relief. He was very sore after riding so much lately.

Endymion, just before he walked through the double doors, touched Kunzite's arm. "Wait a minute."

They drew around him in concern. "What is it, Endymion?" Zoisite asked in worry.

"Meet me in my room as soon as you can."

With that, he brushed past them and into the palace, an eagerness in his steps that only after knowing him for as long as they did, they were able to recognize.

"Now what was that about?" Jadeite demanded, confused.

Kunzite shook his head in perplexity as a messenger bowed to them. "Their Majesties would like a word with the Shitennou, if you please. As soon as possible."

"As soon as possible" for the King and Queen meant right then and with worried glances among themselves, they made their way to the throne room. As usual, the Monarchs were seated comfortably in their thrones, though there were lines around their eyes, as if their worries were beginning to tell on them physically.

"Close the door."

It was only then that Jadeite noticed that the room was already empty...echoingly empty. There was not even a single page. Zoisite, as the youngest, hurried to obey the command, trying to close it quietly, but it booming anyway, despite his efforts.

The King rubbed a hand on his forehead in a tired gesture. "Lately, things have been getting very complicated. At this point, I believe the Golden Crystal is sentient, which is why it used its own power to save Endymion."

Jadeite slipped forward, bowing lowly for a minute. "My Lord, might I inquire as to how you knew about that?"

Endymion's mother laughed, if a little wearily. "Jadeite, even if we did not feel the burst of power, as requested, Kunzite alerted us with a carrier bird as to the situation."

He shot a quick glance at Kunzite, but his face was set as stone. The Shitennou of the Far East pursed his lips briefly, nodding and stepping back.

"And as if that was not the be all and end all of our worries, even with the war," the king continued, "we have Endymion, who is determined to fight. And now that he is back in Elysian, his disappearances will continue."

Jadeite really felt for his Monarchs. They were exhausted, mentally, spiritually, and probably magically as well. And they didn't much need any added problems, but with Endymion...He loved both his prince and his King and Queen, but a decision would lose one of them. If they chose to find out and report where Endymion was going, they would lose Endymion. If they chose not to report, they would lose their King and Queen, either by banishment or disfavor for disobeying orders.

"We need you to find out where Endymion is going," the Queen told them, "while you are still here this time. We really need to know before you leave again, as you undoubtably will, knowing my son."

"We shall do our utmost to find out," Kunzite murmured, bowing, before leaving the room slowly. After a moment, Jadeite and his two friends followed.

"I noticed," Zoisite murmured as they walked through the halls, "that you said we would find out, but not tell them where he was going."

"I noticed that too," Nephrite commented, glancing at their superior with curious eyes.

"I cannot make a promise to Their Majesties without knowing that I will keep it," Kunzite murmured.

Jadeite dragged the leader abruptly to an alcove in the hall, Nephrite and Zoisite following. "What do you mean by that, Kunzite?" he demanded.

Kunzite slumped, his shoulders bowing as if the weight of the entire world were on them and he could not stand straight anymore. "I did not promise to tell the King and Queen if we ever find out where Endymion is going. I said we would find out, not tell."

"And what are we going to do?" Zoisite asked in the silence.

"I don't know," the leader retorted tiredly. "I just don't know."

"There you are!"

Nephrite and Zoisite moved a bit to show Jadeite and Kunzite as Endymion approached them. His eyes shown excitedly. "Hurry up, come on!"

They followed his somewhat reckless pace back to his bedroom, where they watched as Endymion decended from the window. His head popped back up briefly. "Do hurry up!"

The four of them looked out the window and the black spec down that was the prince. Taking a deep breath, Jadeite slipped and slid down the sheets, not having had practice climbing out of windows with such silk things.

When the four of them reached the ground, Endymion pelted for his horse and began cantering it in the general direction of the forest. His friends hastened to catch up with him, almost bumping into each other as they grabbed the nearest reins.

The ride was silent among the five as made their way through the trees. Many times Jadeite had wanted to pipe up and say something, but somehow, he didn't dare. He knew that they were about to find out just where Endymion constantly went. He glanced surrupticiously at their leader, seeing faint worry lines around the man's eyes.

Finally the prince drew to a stop just at the edge of a clearing. "Stay here. I'm trusting you with this secret." It was all he said as he dismounted and led the horse into the clearing and sitting, waiting for something.

Jadeite shifted impatiently in his saddle as the minutes ticked by, confusing the horse until Kunzite snapped a look at him that made the Shitennou subside, if a little sullenly. Endymion seemed content to wait all day there if need be.

Even Kunzite with his iron patience was beginning to fidget when it happened. The sunlight seemed to intensify gradually, and brightening. Jadeite lifted his hand to cover his eyes briefly, watching through his spread fingers as somehow the streams became pure white fabric. And admist all that pureness, pale gold slid in strands, like hair of the sun. It came in an unusual pattern, seeming to fall in two clumps on either side of...something.

Finally the light died and Endymion was standing in front of a woman that had appeared. As she turned to him, a sunbeam caught the pale gold crescent on her forehead, and her hair style made it obvious who she was. Jadeite felt his jaw drop to the ground in utter shock and he would not be surprised if his friends' had done the same.

"Serenity," Endymion greeted warmly, kissing her.

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End Chapter 10. I guess it is kinda short, but from here on out, I have everything planned. At least for a while, anyway, so you might see more chapters coming soon. I tried to avoid the same mistakes that I made when writing the last chapter. I hope you enjoy it.