Title: Dangerous Beauty

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon

Author's Notes: Here's the next chapter! So many of your seem to really like this story, and I'm happy about that. Thank you so much. It makes me want to really work hard and get chapters out to you on time. I try for once a week. Anyway, enjoy!

Endymion walked as quickly as he could to the queen's rooms that Serenity was now occupying. The king had wanted to 'talk' about the upcoming war. He had spent the last hour trying his hardest not to hit his father.

Luckily, it did not appear as if the king was very likely to pick another military target before the ball. He was, as Serenity had said, completely consumed with her.

His thoughts jumped back to the garden a little earlier. The way she had looked at him while held in his arms. Her blue eyes had gazed at him with so much open wonder. He could still feel on his skin where her soft finger had touched him.

He shook his head, trying to clear it. Seconds later, she had pushed him away and all but hissed at him. He knew that she had done it for his father's benefit, but still, he had been no less then surprised to find that the action had actually wounded him. He didn't like the idea that she might hate him.

And now he was anxious again. She had been alone for some time, and he worried for her state. She had been crying when he had last seen her, and the sight had nearly broken him.

Jadeite was at her door when he arrived, obviously having relieved Nephrite.

"How is she?"

Jadeite smiled softly. "She is sleeping."

"Did she say what she was so upset about?"

Jadeite shook his head. "She did not."

"Any hints, or emotions?"

"I got nothing from her, other than she needed to speak with you. Apparently, even I could not be trusted to tell. I went in when my shift started, and although she felt happy to see me, she was firm with her refusal to tell me what happened."

Endymion placed a hand on the door, unable to feel her behind it. It had been a long time since he'd felt her at all, and he knew now it was because she could hide herself when he was near. The thought comforted him, but it also made him realize that he wanted to know how she was feeling. He missed her presence from the first few weeks of the journey.

"She did ask for you to be let in when you arrived."

"But that was hours ago."

Jadeite nodded. "She did not put a time limit on the request."

Endymion understood that Jadeite felt it necessary to get to the bottom of this quickly. His guard looked as worried as Nephrite had earlier, and he was sure it was mirrored in his own expression.

Endymion stepped past Jadeite to go into her room.

The room was quiet. Serenity was alone. Mina was not with her and no guards stood in view. Of course, he knew there were many of them around the room. At least five were under her window, and another ten in the garden. He had also placed guards at the start of the hall instead of just at her door. All to protect one innocent girl.

Endymion looked at her as he quietly moved towards the bed. She was asleep, curled up to one of the large pillows. Her hair trailed out behind her, like rivers of golden sunshine on the pure white sheets.

She was so small. The hands that clutched the pillow were delicate and pale. The form that rose and fell softly with breath disappeared in the soft covers.

How could such a creature as this be capable of what she was?

Her brow scrunched softly in sleep, and she shifted her head. Endymion felt he could watch her in sleep forever. It was so calm. She seemed so at peace. He wished this for her. He wished this rest.

Slowly, he reached forward to gently shake her shoulder until her eyes fluttered open.

For a moment, she seemed confused. She looked up at him with slightly clouded eyes.

And then she pushed herself up, brushing aside her rumpled dress and blushing softly. The color made her look even more radiant.

"I'm sorry," she said in almost a whisper. "I meant to wait for you."

"It is I who am sorry for not immediately coming to you. My father insisted on detaining me."

She nodded, seemingly a little still in shock. He was anxious for her, and his concern only rose when he saw her eyes begin to tear slightly, although she fought to keep it hidden from him.

He sat down on the edge of her bed, being careful not to touch her. The feeling of having her in his arms still resonated with him, and it was hard to keep himself away. But he didn't want to scare her.

"Will you tell me what happened?" He asked softly.

Pain crossed her face, and she looked away from him, as if ashamed.

Endymion was finding it almost impossible to stay calm. He would kill his father for causing this. Whatever he had done to her had been enough to dislodge her courage and harm her.

"Please, Serenity," he said quietly. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No, I promise you I am unharmed."

"Then what? Did he threaten you?"

"It is good you were not able to come to me quickly," she said softly. "I had time to think of what might be done."

She looked so broken then, as if she had been beaten. He couldn't stop himself from reaching forward and gently caressing her hand. Her skin was smooth and soft, and the sensation of touching her, even lightly, made him warm.

But she moved away from him, placing her hands together in her lap, still not looking at him.

Endymion didn't want to admit that the small movement had hurt him.

"The king has asked me to do something for him, and in return he will make me his queen and give me all the power I could ever want."

Endymion nodded. "What has he asked you to do?"

That pained look crossed her face again, and it made his heart clench in his chest. But her answer confused him.

"It is not something you need to worry about."

"Perhaps it is best I should know, just in case."

She shook her head. "No. It is not something you need to know."

Endymion felt betrayed at her words. For some time now, he had begun to trust her. She was nothing like he thought she would be. She was nothing like the stories of her ancestors. But now, doubt bloomed within him.

"I know it will damage how you trust me," Serenity said, seemingly able to read his thoughts. "I regret that you will once again feel the need to be weary of me, but I have made up my mind not to tell you what your father has asked me to do."

He watched her for any sign of deceit. But her eyes continued to tear up, and the pain never left.

"Why?" He asked softly, knowing she wished to answer.

"Because," she said with a shaky voice, "I will not be another person who causes you pain."

Her words surprised him. "I don't understand."

"Endymion, you cannot convince me to tell you. You can choose not to believe me, but I am acting in your best interest while continuing to act as you have asked me towards the king. While he thinks I am doing his bidding, he has given over to his other emotions for me. I believe I can continue to distract him, and I will buy you time while you do what it is you need to."

He looked away from her then, shifting to sit with his elbows on his knees. Sometimes, if he let it, the stress of his situation overwhelmed him and it made him feel hopeless. He was aware of that feeling building in him now and wondered if it was strong enough to reach her through his wall.

"I wish I had never brought you here," he said sadly.

She finally looked at him again, but he kept his own gaze on his hands in front of him. For a moment, it felt as if he could feel her emotions again. A slow, deep depression washed over him, filled with pain and failure.

"I didn't think it through," he continued before she could say anything. "When I first heard about you, it was from a man who had already become obsessed with you. He spoke of you like my grandfather said that men used to speak of your people. It was so crude and cruel. I wrongly associated that with you, thinking you would be worthy of his words."

He looked at her then. "I was wrong. I put together this plan in my mind, using you to get what I felt this kingdom needed. I didn't consider, not for one moment, who you truly would be."

Her gaze was so clear as she looked at him.

"I know what people say about me," Endymion said. "I know how I come across. I do what I need to do to survive and I have always thought of my people first. But I can't this time. I will not keep you here. I will not use your guilt to make you help us. You have lived your life in hiding because of the way we treat you, and I can't blame you for that. You have no reason to want to help us."

She was quiet for a moment, contemplating him. He would not stop her from leaving if she chose to. But the thought of her going, of him being alone again fighting this war with his men, nearly brought her to tears.

"I chose to come with your Endymion," Serenity said. "I chose to fight this fight with you. Our goals may not be the same, but they are taking us in the same direction."

He shook his head. "I see you get hurt more and more every day, and now you tell me you're also trying to protect me from something my father has asked you to do. I have seen him make many decisions Serenity. I have had to follow him into places only real in your nightmares. There is nothing he could do at this point that would surprise me."

She didn't say anything. Tears slid silently down her face.

"I will ask my men to escort you home," he said softly.

"No," she said, finally speaking.

He watched her carefully, wishing he could feel her emotions again.

"Unless you are sending me away, I will not leave."

"I am not sending you away, but I think you should consider this opportunity to go back to where you are safe. Things here are going to get worse before they get better. If they get better."

She looked away from him for a moment, as if considering what she should say next. She seemed at least a little calmer than before, willing to have this conversation with him.

"Do you know what I did this morning?"

The question seemed odd to him, but he nodded anyway. "I was told you met with my cousin Lita, and lady Amy, who is the daughter of one of my father's advisors."

Serenity nodded. "I did."

He wasn't sure where she was going with this. "And did you like them?"

"Very much," she said with a faint smile. "We sat together along with Mina, and talked about the people of the palace. I found out some of what goes on behind closed doors here. I heard about some of the scandals among the nobles. We gossiped about you and your men, and teased Mina for her engagement."

Endymion nodded, but he didn't really understand.

"It was the very first time, in my whole life, that I have ever done that."

Finally, with those words, he did understand. It wasn't that she particularly liked gossiping or that something of great value was said. She cared about the experience. She cared about the freedom of it. She cared about the normalcy of it. She cared about the new friends she might have made.

"I see," he said calmly. "You risk a lot to have so small an experience. But I understand why you might see it as something bigger than that."

"It is hard for me here," she said honestly. "I have come into contact with people I would rather have never known. I have been subjected to some very crude and frightening situations. I find myself more confused and lost than ever. But I believe that what I am doing here is right, and that is something I cannot ignore. I want to help you. Perhaps my motives are selfish, but I will not ignore them."

"That doesn't explain why you refuse to tell me what happened today."

She nodded, looking down again. "Will you allow me to keep this secret?"

"I feel inclined to force it from you, but I will try to refrain."

She smiled softly at that. "I would appreciate that."

"Will you assure me that you are not betraying me?"

She met his eyes again, looking at him seriously. "Yes."

Endymion wished he could tell her what he feared from her. He knew that he trusted her. Even now he knew that whatever she was doing was probably aiding in their plan. But he couldn't stop the doubt. What was she up to? Why would she keep something like this to herself?

"Then I trust you," he said simply. He wasn't sure if it were a lie or not. Somehow, he couldn't believe that she would side with his father.

She nodded, looking guilty. It did not defend her case.

For a moment they continued to simply look at one another silently.

"Perhaps we should talk about the ball," Endymion said.

Serenity nodded. "Yes, I think you are right. We should decide what it is that needs to be done."

"I have come up with a plan for our army," he explained. "I have written to most of my captains, making sure we are understood. I don't want the army to think there is some sort of internal battle, even if there is one."

"That makes sense."

"It's hard to really know how to act when we don't know what will happen next, but I am in the process of setting up meetings with all those in charge. Most seem willing to follow my lead."

"That does not surprise me."

"Nobody wants war," Endymion said.

"The king does," Serenity corrected.

"Yes, he does," Endymion said. "And unfortunately, he usually gets what he wants."

"Do you want me to keep him distracted from the war still?"

"If that's possible."

"While I have been around him, it has never even come up. But I was thinking that perhaps, with this new thing he has asked of me, it might work better if I acted as something of an informant to him. Getting him to desire me is one thing, but I don't think that will be able to hold him alone. But, if he trusts me, then I could find out exactly what he is planning."

"That sounds very dangerous," Endymion said.

"How long did you expect I would simply be able to stand in front of him and blind him without him snapping and coming after me?"

Endymion sighed. "I supposed I never allowed myself to think about it."

"If I earn his trust, he will not think twice about asking for my help. He thinks he can control me. He thinks he can use me. That is why I think I might be more successful going at him from a different angle."

"How do your propose to do that?"

She hesitated then, and Endymion wondered how much of her plan she would tell him.

"I will use you, if that is alright."

She seemed so ashamed of even saying it, that he knew she was only considering it because there was no other choice. So he nodded.

"Your father seems very much to want to be rid of those who support you. I have already convinced him that you are not much in my notice for anything other than easy protection, and he was eager to believe me when I told him I cared nothing at all for you."

He didn't say anything to that. He hoped she was speaking only as she needed to, and not as she felt, but he could not ask her.

"I think perhaps it would work if we made it seem as if I am very much in control of you. If you appear to be under my influence, and do only what you think might please me, then they will no longer think of you as a threat."

Endymion understood. "I will have to inform some of my men that it is not true, but otherwise, I do no see the problem with it."

"If the king believes I can control you, and we make it seem as if there are others we carefully pick to also be controlled, he will begin to ask more of me. The more I do, the more he will trust me. I am sorry to say it might be quite humiliating for you at times."

"I do not care what is thought of me. As long as we agree it is for a greater purpose."

"I will have to act as if I want the power that he is offering me. I intend to ask the ladies I met today for their help as well. It has become impossible for me to hide myself away. I will do what I can to make it clear what my motives are. I will demand riches and goods from the king. I will make the maintenance of my lifestyle very high. I will demand servants and jewels and only the finest silks and clothes. It is the only way I can put myself on the same level as him, and have him think he understands me."

She was offering to be exactly the person he had originally thought she was. She was offering to fill the mold of what everyone thought of her ancestors. She was going to go against everything that she was to put herself in a position of complete danger.

"Are you strong enough to protect yourself?" It wasn't meant to hurt her or dissuade her. He wanted to make sure.

"Not yet," she said quietly. "I did make some progress today in recreating your protection for myself, and I believe I am close to no longer needing you physically near by. But I still need more time."

"So how do we explain why I still need to be around you for now?"

"If I am indeed in control of you, I simply have to will it. I will 'force' you to go where I go, and do what I say. Of course, I will also make it possible for you to sneak away and do what it is that you need to do."

He nodded. "You're asking me to give you complete control over this situation."

"I know," she said quietly.

"And you ask me to put this faith in you?"

"I do."

"I am not used to giving up control."

"And I am not used to having control," she said softly. "But to win this fight, you and I will both have to put ourselves in positions we are not comfortable with. If we don't, you will…people will die."

"Why are you doing this Serenity?"

She looked confused. "I already told you, I…"

"No. I understand why you're here, doing what I ask. But why are you doing this now? You're going so much farther than I've asked you to."

"You asked me to help you save your kingdom."

"I asked you to blind the king while I walk behind him. You are already doing that."

She looked away then, brushing her soft hair away from her face with a shaky hand.

He wanted to know what his father had asked her. He wanted to know with every fiber of his being. Whatever it was, it had caused her to make up her mind to do whatever she could to help him, and that was a terrifying thought.

"Would you believe me if I said I was doing it for you?"

Her words sounded through him, making his heart beat a little faster in his chest. He wasn't sure exactly what she meant by that.

"I would hope you were speaking an untruth."

She gazed evenly at him. "Why?"

"Because I am not what people think I am. You may be fighting for someone that doesn't exist."

She didn't say anything to that.

Endymion felt that this conversation was beginning to press on him. They were carefully speaking to one another now, trying to say what needed to be said without giving something away. It was a tiring game, and he didn't feel in control of this one. He realized he was afraid of her. Not because of what she could do, but because what she might put herself through for him. He had no idea what kind of person she was when it came to selfless acts.

"The ball is a few weeks away," Endymion said. "If your plan works, perhaps it will be time to take action with the army."

Serenity nodded. "We can speak of it more later."

"Will you be joining the king for dinner tonight?"

"Yes," she said. "I told him I wouldn't, but I believe I should."

"Then I suggest you dress. I will come and get you when it is time to go."

"Please ask Mina to come to me if she is able."

"I will."

End of Chapter ten! This was a long, one scene chapter with little action, but it was needed in the story. Hope you enjoyed it. Please remember to review, and add me to facebook if you want updates on my stories.