Author's note: this has got to be one of the hardest chapter's I've written so far. Bleeh.

The Ball, part three

As she walked away he felt the oddest feeling – like part of himself was going with her. 'You dork,' he thought, turning his attention to Bellona. He bowed a greeting and she returned a bit of a curtsey, but didn't look all too happy about the situation. "Good evening, Bellona," he tentatively greeted, curious about her apparent irritation but not really wanting to push her about it.

"And to you as well, Prince Endymion," the raven-haired girl returned cooly, "How are you this evening?"

"Rather well," he replied. They stood staring at each other for a moment as people milled about them. … well this wasn't going as well as it could be… "Would you care to dance with me?" he asked, offering his hand as the music began. She gave him her hand and fell into place, but her analytical purple eyes did not leave his. He was starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

"It looks like you and our princess have really hit it off." Her words were a statement, without any hint of a conversational tone. Endymion glanced away from her intense gaze – she was very straightforward. Was she expecting an answer? When she said nothing more he nodded, and, if it were even possible, her eyes became even less friendly. Bellona's voice was barely above a whisper, yet contained much malice, "If you're just playing with her, consider this your warning: change your intentions immediately, because if you hurt her I promise you that you will not escape this moon in one piece."

A chill ran down his spine – she was serious. By Aphrodite's reaction he had thought that all of Serenity's guardians were okay with this, but Bellona obviously had her reservations. Not that he blamed her; now that he knew a little bit of Serenity, even if she didn't care for him the way he was starting to care for her, he would do whatever he could to protect that smile. "Well, then it's a good thing that I have no intention of hurting her."

She considered him, as if to read whether or not he was being honest. This time he stared right back at her, willing her to believe him. She broke eye contact first. "I believe you."

"Thanks." …. Why did he say that? It didn't really matter if she believed him or not – it was the truth.

She smiled, quirking an eyebrow at his weird response. Endymion smiled back – anything was better than that intense stare, even if he looked odd in the exchange. Though she had introduced herself as the senshi of fire, he was beginning to think that ice might be a better comparison to her personality. … unless the fire was that quiet intensity she just displayed. His train of thought was derailed as Bellona's expression changed yet again, reverting back to a glare that could've frozen a person in their tracks. Luckily, he wasn't the subject of this look – it was someone over his shoulder.

He was almost afraid to move and break her concentration… but it was a dance… he had them box-step for a few seconds. … then he got curious. Deftly he side-stepped and dipped her, her long black hair pooling on the floor.

Her expression didn't change, her eyes moving to follow the target. He was a little disturbed, but the moment he saw the corners of her mouth twitch, fighting a smile, he felt a lot better. She was messing with someone. He pulled her back up and she glared for just a few seconds more, then her face transformed yet again, becoming a lot softer. She smiled and he stepped up the dancing technique.

"So that was…?" he invited, twirling her under his arm.

"Adrestia," she answered with a smile, "she looked like she was working up the courage to try to step in – she's really got her sight set on you tonight."

"I had noticed," he groaned.

"She wants to use you to give herself a leg up, or to make herself look better," Bellona stated matter-of-factly. "She is a creature filled with ambition, and none of the good kind. She uses everyone to her advantage, adding whatever qualities they possess to her arsenal. She's probably told anyone who would listen that you've promised her the last dance, or have already proposed to her or something."

He couldn't help furrowing his eyebrows, "Really?"

Bellona rolled her eyes, "more than likely. And the longer you hang out with us, especially our princess, the more she'll want you. Greater bragging possibility – she'd be able to claim she stole you away from 'the princess herself' and treat it like a great victory, a testament to her charms or some such nonsense. She'd be more determined than ever to be seen with you."

"I'm so thrilled. … but she won't be."

Bellona cocked her head to one side inquisitively.

"Kunzite was working out a plan with Nephrite and Jadeite to foil any further attempts she makes towards me."

She smiled mischievously, "I think we senshi might be able to help them out."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you five are honored guests – you're expected to dance with as many people as possible, so they can't always be watching to cut in and take her out," she explained, "besides, if she got to dance with your generals multiple times she'd start a rumor that you all were fighting over her. I'll talk to Aphrodite and Athena after this and we'll keep our eyes on her, stealing dances right out from under her nose if need be." The senshi of war looked amused with the idea.

Endymion wondered if he dared to ask, and immediately found he did, "Couldn't I just dance with Serenity the rest of the night?"

Bellona rolled her eyes, "you really don't do subtle, do you?"

Guess that means it wasn't an option. Endymion sighed.

The dance was ending. As the music slowed, Bellona added, "Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to dance with her. Look, right there, the girl with the shoulder-length red hair with the green bow. Her name is Naruna – she's safe. Try her next."

"Thanks for the tip," he said, releasing her.

The next two dances went by without incident. Naruna really was a nice person, a little shy, very humble and unassuming… but she definitely had a starry look in her eyes that he had grown to be weary of. As that song ended he had already picked out his next partner and proceeded without too much difficulty.

He was planning on sitting out the next song, which should have been the last of the set, if his timing was right – it had been about three quarters of an hour since the musicians had had a break so one had to be coming on soon – but on his way across the floor towards the refreshment table he saw her coming right at him, her purple hair bobbing and long silver dress swooshing. Crud. He glanced around surreptitiously, acting like he hadn't seen her as he searched for Nephrite, Jadeite, somebody. No such luck. She was gaining.

He'd just tell her he had no interest in dancing with her and stop this whole nonsense right now. Let her come. He had had his fair share of turning girls down… though he hated to see their expression. … and what was the chance that this Adrestia would give up so easily? Hadn't Bellona say she'd try even harder? He would just have to be firm. Polite, but firm.

He had almost reached the drink table, Adrestia only feet away, when an elegant girl with short blue hair appeared right in front of him.

"Prince Endymion, might I trouble you for a dance?" It was Athena, "Aphrodite and Bellona tell me you are a wonderful dancer."

"Oh! He is!" Adrestria had reached them, her voice dripping with something – pride? No, possessiveness. She was talking about him as if he was hers, bragging about his skills as if she held claim to them. Disgust and anger at her pretention welled up inside of Endymion, their levels only growing with her next boast. "I've had two dances with him so far and -" she started, slipping her hand around his arm and resting her head against his shoulder, hinting at a closeness that he by no means cared to share.

She didn't get the privilege of finishing her comment. "And those two were two too many," Endymion finished, putting a force behind his voice that betrayed his royal heritage. He stepped aside, taking her wrist to remove it from his person dropping it. Intentionally he not didn't look down at the girl, his eyes fixed straight ahead as he bid her her leave, "You may leave, and do not trouble my generals, as they have no wish to be involved with your scheming, either. Goodnight, miss."

Dropping the commanding tone, he offered his hand to a somewhat uncomfortable looking Athena, "Please, Athena, it would be my honor to dance with you."

She took his proffered hand and he led her onto the dance floor. He felt relief at having rid himself of that pest, yet remorseful that he had to do it in such a manner. He had let his anger get the better of him – she was probably very hurt and he had no right to act that way, despite what others may believe of the rights of a Prince. The song began and they started to dance.

"Prince? If I may be so bold?" Athena queried.

Endymion's heart dropped with the sensation that it was covered in some sort of disgusting ilk. The way she addressed him – it was as if she was afraid to say the wrong thing, like he might jump down her throat for being 'out of line.' She probably thought him to be an arrogant jerk, spoiled by position and power. "Please, Athena," he said, his voice almost pleading, "don't talk with me like that. Of course you may speak – you can do whatever you wish. My behavior back there was inexcusable, but I ask that you do not judge me by it."

"Prince, what I was going to say was that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself."

'What?' He looked at her for the first time since the music started. She looked at him openly, her expression compassionate, her blue eyes honest. He couldn't help but repeat his mental question aloud, "What?"

She smiled, "You really shouldn't beat yourself up like this over what just happened. Adrestia is a very willful girl, and anything less than what you just did would've made her even more intent upon you."

"Still, it was not my place to speak so roughly with her. No lady should be spoken to in such a manner." The syntax of his last sentence came straight from the mouth of his etiquette teacher. … he could've expressed the idea less textbookishly.

"But it was your place." He was about to object – was she suggesting that it was alright to use his position to be uncouth with women? But she elaborated, "Maybe not for a normal man, but you are a Prince, and some young ladies are attracted to you by your status and your status alone. They can occasionally overstep the boundaries of common respect and courtesy and need to be reminded of such."

The look on her face, the conviction in her words – Endymion couldn't help but smile. "You almost remind me of Zoisite."

Athena blushed and looked away. "Yes, well," she said after her cheeks had faded almost to her usual tone, "it's a lesson we've been trying to get through to Serenity, but she's just too nice. Demeter and Bellona usually step in to help when things start getting a little too close for comfort."

It was Endymion's turn to blush. "You mean…"

"OH NO! Nothing like that!" Athena assured, shaking her head, her cheeks a blazing scarlet, "just when they linger for too long after a dance, or single her out. She doesn't show much of her true self in public anymore, so it is almost always guaranteed they're interested in her status, fancying themselves as future kings." The blue-eyed girl explained, a hint of annoyance flavoring her final words.

"Does that happen often?"

"Thankfully, not too much anymore – it seems they've gotten the picture."

They danced on, Endymion wondering what to say, if anything. As they spun closer to the standing audience he caught sight of Jadeite and wondered, "So, has Jadeite asked you more about Luna and Artemis, yet?"

Athena chuckled, "he was most insistent about the subject."

Endymion waited, but she kept her mouth closed, her head swaying slightly with the music. "So, I'll have to pry it out of him later? Unless he just up and shouts it from the rooftop," he amended, imagining the blonde's delight at figuring out a mystery. His studious friend had done that once before when he had had an eccentric hunch about a theory and was proven to be correct. Jadeite had claimed his ears bled that night.

"He wouldn't have much to tell you," Athena replied

"You didn't tell him anything, did you?" Endymion wondered in awe. Athena just shrugged and smiled. "You poor girl – Adrestia will be nothing compared to what he'll put you through. When Zoisite has a question he wants answered or a theory he wants validated, he really stops at nothing. One time he actually camped outside of a professor's house while the professor was out of town, simply so he could demand an opinion from him the moment he returned."

Athena laughed, "You're not serious!"

"I'm afraid I am," Endymion was having a good time – Athena seemed to be someone who could appreciate Zoisite's interests. If he could get them talking together, Zoisite might just have a really great trip. … and have someone else to bounce his crazy ideas off of. Endymion smiled at the thought.

So the rest of his dance with Athena was filled with other anecdotes of Zoisite. … after he placed her under a vow of secrecy that she would never reveal her source of the tales.

When the dance ended, Endymion escorted Athena off of the floor and found his way to Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoisite and Nephrite. They were once again gathered around the Queen and her new companions, ready for introductions to begin.

"Prince Endymion, General Kunzite, General Nephrite, General Zoisite, and General Jadeite, this is Dignitary Leran, Dignitary Corvus, and Dignitary Cretair."

The parties nodded in acknowledgement, Dignitary Corvus performing a quick curtsey.

"Good evening, Dignitary Corvus," a sweet voice greeted and a pleasant chill ran up Endymion's spine. Princess Serenity stepped up beside him, her face a cool, dignified mask. "How are the plans for next week coming along?"

"Wonderfully, Princess Serenity, and a happy evening to you as well!" Corvus replied enthusiastically, "I was hoping I found you before the night had come to an end. I would dearly like a meeting with you and Demeter sometime tomorrow – shall I arrange it?"

"Please do," Serenity said with a bob of her head. It was as if her personality had deflated, the light about her fading to a fraction of what it was. She presented herself as… well, as a true lady of court. Soft-spoken, elegant, polite to a fault. Every movement seemed to be planned, every expression practiced to look just-so. If it wasn't for his sense of her underlying current of energy, he might have thought this to be Serenity's twin.

So this was her face in public.