AN: I know, I know, 5 months of absence and when I finally do write it's CRAP! But what can I say? I'm losing interest in this story. I'm actually losing interest in Sailor Moon, which is why I'm finding it so hard to write. But I will finish! I promise. It's just gonna take longer than anticipated. And I'm sorry that these are barely passable chapters. I've just lost my inspiration. If anyone can tell me how to find it, please feel free. On a much lighter note, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to all you wonderful reviewers!!!! Really! Thanks for sticking in there and responding! You're just BLOODY beautiful! You rock!! Hopefully I'll be able to give you better chapters in the future…in the meantime, feel free to read on… and thanks again!
Chapter 10
Sunset.
The nearing conclusion of a long eventful day.
To Mina, an anticipated closure of another day of praying for what she feared was inevitable: having to see Kunzite again. Alone. She really did not want to face him. Even though doing so would probably help her diminish some of her mental demons. She feared revisiting the past, but she knew it had to be done. Sooner or later. He was here wasn't he? She could not ignore him his entire stay, although that was what she desperately wanted to do.
If she had the choice, she would quite happily lock herself away in her room and hide there till he left, but that was the coward's way out. And she was no coward. He knew that. She made sure he did. No matter how much it tore her apart inside.
She watched the last glittering rays from the sun as it sunk its head behind the mountain tops, its last vestiges of light vacating and welcoming the bruised clouds in its wake.
Twilight.
It was then she sensed his presence. A dark shadow sweeping up her back, impressing his appearance and making himself known. Not that he was easy to miss. One did not have to see him to recognize he had entered a room, or stepped out of one as it was.
He came to stand beside her, forearms resting on the railing, watching the disappearing sun. He did not say anything and neither did she. Each not wanting to break the peace, both not wanting to shatter the beauty of the sunset with words. The clouds were a colour not quite purple, and not quite orange, but a swirl of both, tinting the shade preparing for darkness.
Moments passed before either one of them would talk. The silence broke once Mina turned and noticed a shirtless Endymion.
"Holy cow!" She blurted, eyes wide and unblinking, mouth open, shamelessly taking in the sight before her. If she was awed by the gloriousness of the sunset, she was astounded by the gloriousness of Endymion.
His trim frame was leaning over the railing; his biceps bulged slightly, revealing a hint of their true strength. His back was bowed, showing firm muscles in all the right places. He looked over at her, hair falling over one eye and smirked. As if torturing the poor (lucky?) girl even more, he turned his body so that it faced her, allowing saliva to come flooding quickly into her mouth.
His broad chest looked hard and smooth, ivory silk over marble. Perfectly sculpted and goddess help her, peppered with a light sheen of sweat. He was evenly tanned, she noticed as her eyes tracked the sinewy muscles down, skimming along rock imprints in his stomach before resting at his naval. Slowly her eyes then trailed back up again, repeating their path.
Sweet Mother and all that is Holy, the man was hot! With the face and body that gods only dreamed and his own devil-charm, he was sin incarnate. He ought to be locked up. It was a dangerous for a man like this to be walking around half-naked. Mina, not one for swooning was having a hard time closing her gaping, not to mention drooling mouth.
"Endymion, sweetie. You really need to put a shirt on." She announced abruptly. Of course it would have been just as easy for her if she were to close her eyes or simply look away from him, but then that was just as likely as her growing an extra head. All aspects definitely out of the question.
But hell, who was she to deny free eye candy when it was available. He looked good, great, mouth-wateringly exceptional and he knew it. And he did not appear to be shy, with amusement at her predicament etched all over his face. So if he was happy to be looked at, then by god, she was quite happy to look. And he was not even naked. Imagine if he was. Her eyes almost crossed at the prospect. No, best not go there.
Priorities finally set, eyes contentedly roaming over his body...bicep here, pectoral there, here a muscle, there a muscle...as if ripping off a piece of her own skin, she peeled her eyes off his body and looked up at his face.
Not that that was any less of a threat.
He raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips before asking, "See something you like?"
She looked at him as if he had spoken another language. Was the man mad? Had he not looked in a mirror lately? Eyes floating over his body once more, mourning over the body parts covered by clothing, she took upon herself the duty to make a swift and fair judgement.
Once she uncurled her tongue from lolling out of her mouth, she answered sophisticated and formally. Professional like. "Hell yes!"
Her answer sent Endymion's mouth curling upwards into a grin. When she realised what she had said, she shook her head form her daze, hoping to rattle the mush in her head to some semblance of sensibility. Cursing her irrational bluntness, she struggled to find some sort of reasonable explanation for her dose of dizziness.
One glance up at him and it all came rushing back. Oh yeah, that's right. The damn man was gorgeous. And up close and shirtless like this, it was pretty understandable.
Grinning at the sight she must make, she shook her head in disbelief. "I suppose you do this to all the girls." She stated sardonically, straightening and stepping back from him.
"Do what exactly?" He countered, his hip propped up against the railing as his amused eyes stared down at her.
Mina swallowed for what must have been the seventieth time in less than a minute. "Send them into a drooling, stuttering pile of mush." She could not believe she had just audibly admitted to her lusting over his body, but then she never was one for subtlety and she was usually forthcoming with her honesty, and with a body like his made to be openly praised: acceptable.
He smirked at her answer. "Only during sunsets."
With that he picked up his shirt hanging over the railing and kindly put it on, fingers lazily moving over the buttons. Mina's eyes mourned the loss of delectable flesh, but decided it was necessary for an intelligent conversation.
Once, he had buttoned the last button, he rested his forearms over the railing once more, staring at the darkening sky. To their left vibrated the unmistakable rumble of thunder in the distance, the blackness of the clouds accompanying it. The atmosphere around them flowed with electricity. The air was humid, hot yet they could smell the promise of a cool flowing rain.
"A storm's coming." He murmured softly, the power of the guaranteed storm surging within him. He loved storms. Loved its force and might it proved when the elements competed. The vibration that echoed through each solid object, shaking in its aftermath; the striking lightning blasting its ferocity in an electric flash of light; and the following rain which soothed away the damage. Conflict fought, conflict solved, time for repentance.
It contrasted bleakly to the storm brewing inside him. A small rumble way in the distance, waylaying the appearance of the true fury to come. The conflicting battle within him was a foreign one to say the least. What was going on with the princess? The only way he knew how to answer that was by protesting lust. Unbound, unadulterated lust. But then, if he let himself ponder over the circumstance even further, he would have to admit there was something more to it. He not only wanted her for her beauty, for her being a desirable woman, but for the underlying innocence and vulnerability that lay beneath all that. Not just for the chase, but also for the fiery temptress with a short temper whose taming proved the true challenge. But he did not want to explore those depths just yet.
For now, he just wanted to be lost in the storm.
"Poor Senni." Mina said on a whisper, low but not so quiet that Endymion did not hear.
"How so?" He asked curiously, annoyed that the moment should be shattered by the mention of the bane of his frustrations.
"She fears storms." She answered, lost in a distant memory. He kept silent, knowing that Mina was being swept away by the disturbance of the memory. One he quite wanted to hear about. "A friend of hers was killed by lightning. She reached to help, but the current shot through him to her and she was left paralyzed...laying on the ground watching as he fried and burned to death. She was left there, in the rain for hours before anyone thought to look for her."
Her eyes were troubled, and a frown creased her brow. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Her father found her. Freezing under the torrent of rain and unable to move. Ever since then, she has never been able to go outside when -" She broke off suddenly, eyes wide as she realised what she revealed. It was not exactly a secret throughout the kingdom about the incident, but neither was it an event to be discussed openly and especially not with the Earth prince. She cringed at the thought. Senni was just going to love her for this.
"I probably should not have told you that." She stated humbly, pushing strands of hair behind her ear.
Endymion knew. He realised it was probably private information that he was not supposed to know, but that did not make him any less horrified at what the princess had witnessed; had gone through. He had fought wars, he had seen burnt bodies, burning bodies and helplessly watched them suffer, almost vomiting as the acrid stench wafted throughout the air. It may not be entirely the same, but it was close. And for a girl...for her to be witness to that nearly scraped him raw.
"How young was she?" He asked numbly, his voice hoarse with an unknown emotion.
She sighed heavily. Might as well continue. "Eight."
"Eight." He repeated thickly, disbelief and sympathy etched in his features.
He suddenly was filled with the overwhelming urge to seek her out and hold her. Just hold her.
Wrap her in his arms, tuck her into himself and promise her everything would be alright. He wanted to carry her into the rain, set her down and kiss her as the rained splashed upon them, caress her wet skin as the thunder roared above them, follow the rain with his tongue as the lightning flashed, highlighting the smooth outline of their bodies and show her there was nothing to fear. Create a happy memory in a storm, one that would wipe the horrors of her friend's death away. But most of all, most of all he just wanted to protect her. Kiss away her tears as she mourned over her dead friend's memory, envelope her within his arms, stroking her hair, rocking her gently until she settled against him in a sated exhaustion.
These urges were unfamiliar to him, that much he knew for sure. He was shocked at his thoughts. Surprised that such strong protective emotions could come from him and terrified at what it could mean. Before he was simply shaken by a frustration caused by lust, and that was fine because it was a familiar notion, one that usually did not last as long mind, but still familiar. And one that he eventually knew how to overcome.
None of his other lustful conquests made him pause at the thought of hurting her. Of tainting her innocence with such reckless abandon. No other had been able to make him lose control of himself, to let the body take over and just feel, without any thought to the consequences to come. She even gave him the niggling emotion of jealousy and that just about floored him. She was his. This was his princess. A princess he was set out to possess, and one for whom he would willingly crush any hopeful suitors with his bare hands. He frowned in dismay. This was not good.
"So why were you sweating and shirtless anyway? Or do I want to know?" Mina broke into his thoughts, changing the subject much to his delight. He smirked at her question. He looked her over, taking in her sun blonde hair and all too long legs. She truly was a beauty. If it were not for the love of his best friend, she would definitely be in his bed.
Nevertheless, she held the heart of his friend and now would be as good a time as any to find out why. Lord knows Kunzite would not budge an inch. "Kunzite and I were training."
Her face closed at that. "Oh." She said sharply. Taking her interest away from him completely.
Endymion raised one coal coloured eyebrow. "He never did tell me what actually happened between the two of you."
"He didn't?" She answered half-heartedly.
Seeing that she clearly did not want to carry the subject on any further, he felt it was only right to continue talking about it. "No. Just that you left him. Along with his heart."
She snorted with laughter at that, scoffing at such a ridiculous notion. "I'm sure."
Endymion shrugged, eyes twinkling with humour at her response. "His words." A soft pause. "What are yours?"
What are your words presumably, Mina thought with a sigh. "Short version or long?"
"Short." He answered automatically.
"Kunzite is a prick." She said without a beat, voice flat and expression blank.
Endymion chuckled. "I already know that version."
Mina smirked. "I have no doubt."
The prince's silence phrased his unspoken request. 'Tell me.'
...The Past...
"Tell me."
"Why?"
"I want to know."
"Why?"
"Just tell me."
"Why?"
"Kunzite!" Mina snapped annoyed.
"Mina!" He imitated, grinning at her frustrated pose, hands on her hips as she glared at him. Her mouth held the pout of a five year old not getting her way. God she had gorgeous lips. He wanted to kiss them. Bad. So bad his hands were clenched in fists at his sides in attempt to prevent reaching out and embracing her; pulling her in close, her soft body against his hard one. Very hard. Kunzite blinked away his thoughts. Not yet.
"You are an insufferable cur." She huffed exasperated as his unnerving stare raised her body temperature several degrees.
"A cur? I never have known what that was." Kunzite retorted conversationally once they started walking again.
The day found them strolling along the mountainside just beyond the borders of the Terran Castle. She had awoken early, completing necessary chores, reporting back to the Moon of successful duties, unconsciously clearing the rest of her afternoon. She knew why of course. She had lost the bet. There were terms to be met, but that did not mean she would have to comply readily. She would have to put up some form of struggle somewhere. Otherwise he just may think she actually lusted for him. Wanted him. Needed to feel his body against hers so badly she could barely breathe. And we could not have him thinking that at all.
Although prepared for a free day, and expecting Kunzite to come find her, she was still caught off guard when she did see him. He was even more handsome in the early daylight. How that could be possible she did not know, but he was. His long hair was left loose. She marveled at its length. It was nearly as long as hers. The colour of pearls, a deep milky white which emphasised his striking grey eyes, the blue tinge almost making them silver. The navy blue general suit he wore hid no detail of the lithe muscled body she knew lay beneath. The look on his face she knew reflected on her own, though she hoped maybe a little subtler.
Oh, I want to touch him, she cried silently, I want to fight you and lose every time.
As if sensing her thoughts, he stepped toward her and raised his hands as if to reach out and yank her in. But as if held by and invisible chain, they halted just as they were about to make contact. Mina nearly cried. Instead, he exhaled on a shuddering breath and his hands slowly drifted back down to his sides again.
Forcing out a shaky smile and clearing his throat he said, "Hi." His voice husky, deep.
A great heat flushed up through Mina's torso at the sound, spreading and settling at the bottom of her stomach. "Hi." She responded. Her voice meek, almost a whisper.
It fluttered across Kunzite's skin like a caress. He almost moaned at the sound of it. Coughing it back he held out his hand to her. "Ready?"
"Yeah." She slid her hand in his. Perfect.
"I am going to give you a tour of our most humble kingdom." He stated sardonically, leading her into the castle. He showed her different rooms, individual bedrooms, the barn, the kitchen, introducing her to servants and nobles as they passed. He took her outside into the city, showing her shops and people. Buying things she took interests in, buying things as surprises for her. Then took her hand back to the dining room for lunch. They ate with the other nobles, royal family excluded.
Finally he presented her to the ballroom. "And this is where you will see every female specimen fawning over the infamous Prince of Earth." He said, humour in his tone.
"Infamous?" She questioned lightly. She was exhausted. The day had taken it out of her. And while trying to remain as stoically unattracted to Kunzite as possible, it was another great feat all its own. If she were not careful, she would be falling in love with him before the day even came to an end, and she definitely did not want that happening. Considering the facts, it was not so hard a task to accomplish. He was handsome, kind, funny, considerate - taking her on a tour, taking her shopping, doing things that he made sure she would enjoy - and they had not even kissed yet. He was being a complete gentleman.
And it was frustrating Mina to the point of madness. But in a way, she was glad. She was able to keep her wits about her then. Otherwise, she did not think she would be able to keep her hands off him.
"I say infamous, I mean dog." He stated with a smirk. "He is the wolf and those willing little rabbits are all his prey."
"One might say you were jealous." Mina chided irreverently.
Kunzite looked remarkably amused at this. He had every right to of course. He was not exactly very far behind the Prince in his number of women on the side. But at least he had the decency to learn their names. And his dumping of them was much less bastardly than that of the Prince. He pertained the kindness to tell them when it was over, rather than leave them wondering or hoping, as it was.
And then there was this one; he contemplated looking down at the blonde beauty in front of him. This one was different from all the others, he knew. So different he could not even remember the name of his last lover. Strange. He had been struggling with himself all day trying to keep his hands off her. Every time she looked at him with her sparkling blue eyes, every time she smiled at him, hell, every time she breathed he wanted to tear her clothes off and be inside her, close enough to feel every inch of her skin until they both melted and conformed into one.
But he would not let himself. He would treat this one properly. Lavish luxury unto her, even though she deserved so much more. This one he would treat with the respect and honour she duly deserved. It was the least he could give her.
"I don't do so bad."
No doubt there, Mina thought jealously. Jealously? Not good.
He took her hand once again and led her out. Walking leisurely in silence, they had made it so far before Mina insisted on knowing where he was taking her. What seemed to alarm her the most was when they slid through a secret door in the castle walls and out into untamed wilderness on top of a mountainside which eventually brought them to now; Kunzite's curiosity over the definition of a 'cur'.
"You should know. You do own a mirror don't you?" She remarked primly, climbing the rocky slope of the mountain further.
"Touche, Madam Wit. Or should I say, Madam Witless?" He answered in cheek. "Do you need some help?" He asked with a slight mock in his tone. She seemed to be sporadically slipping as the hill steepened.
"Of course bloody not. It is these blasted shoes." She complained stroppily, earning a grin from the general.
"Right. Blame the shoes." He could not help himself. He loved seeing her riled. She was like a fiery spitting cat, one whose stomach he really wanted to pet. But for now, he wanted to raise the fur on her back, tweak the tail just a little.
"I would like to see you scramble up a mountain in these shoes. In fact, walk on flat concrete in them and I bet you will stab yourself before you take your second step." She replied viciously, claws extracting.
"Another bet, my lady? As you proved so successful in the last one." He countered silkily. If looks could kill, Kunzite thought amused as he stared down into the glare that wished for hell to rain down upon him, he would die one miserable death.
Clearly wanting to get off the topic, mainly off the mountain slope she asked belligerently, "Pray tell, why are we ambling up a cliff?"
"So we can slide down the other side." Kunzite responded idly. His grin grew wider at the choked sound of disbelief behind him and then the response.
"For your sake, you had better be joking."
Shortly after they made it to the top. Mina cursing every second step, Kunzite grinning every third.
"Nearly there."
"Nearly where?" Mina sighed inaudibly. She had not expected him to take her on a tour of dirt, rocks and wait, oh yes, more dirt. Not that the view was all bad though, she considered staring once again at his lovely, ahem, back.
As Kunzite held aside a leafy branch for Mina, her mouth gaped in awe at the scene displayed before her. A lover's oasis; were the first words that popped into her head. It was the typical escape for a lover's tryst. A wall of segregated waterfalls parted the wilderness. Boulder upon boulder, the base of every waterfall. Large streams gushing forth into a turquoise lake, tinted in green. Ferns creating its shelter, allowing glistening drops of sunlight to pour through.
It was beautiful, peaceful, enchanting. The magnificence of it was situated around the main waterfall. The coursing torrents pounding the rocks along the base of the creek. A few more steps and she would be standing amongst the small base of the lake.
"This is amazing." She said in awe. Her eyes taking in all of nature.
"I know." Kunzite replied smugly. He knew how she felt. No matter how many times he brought himself here he could not help but feel humbled by its overwhelming splendour. And now he had brought the beauty one of its own.
"Come on." He said taking her hand. She was led to a shaded spot, a grassy patch to the side of the waterfall. He had already prepared a blanket and food for them to sit and eat. A picnic.
A picnic in a lover's oasis.
"We've just finished lunch." Mina said bemused, settling herself upon the blanket, her hands furrowing through the grass along the edges. She stretched herself out, soaking up the sunlight that poured through a gap in the trees.
Kunzite's eyes feasted upon her as he sat himself down beside her. She looked like a goddess. Like she belonged. As if she was a forest nymph who belonged to the beautiful nature of their surroundings. A goddess he would worship until his last breath. Shaking his head from those foreign thoughts, he pushed the food basket to the edge of the blanket with his foot. "Well, you could have been one of those girls who just do not know when to stop eating." He said carelessly, glancing over at her as she sat rigid.
"Are you calling me fat?" She demanded, staring at him in disbelief.
Kunzite chuckled. "Believe me babe, if I were calling you fat, you'd know. I would probably say something along the lines of, 'Your ass looks huge in that dress.'"
In response, he received and undignified gasp and a punch in the chest. "Ouch." He replied on a laugh, rubbing at his left breast. "Man you pack a punch."
"Yes. Remember that too." Mina sneered in answer, resisting the urge to rub at her fingers. Honestly, she probably did more damage to her hand than she did to him. The man was made of steel. "And don't call me 'babe'." She settled back down onto her elbows, legs bent at the knees, feet laying flat to the blanket.
"Sure, sweetheart." He said, turning over onto his side, resting his head on his hand as he stared at her.
"Or that." She mumbled, her face turned towards the sun, eyes closed delighting in its warmth.
"Darling. Honey. Dear," Kunzite began, listing off various endearments in order to get a reaction. "Sweet Cakes, Sugar Pie, Muffin, Candy Cane, Yo Bitch! -"
"Hey!" Mina shrieked, punching him in the chest again leaving him on his back laughing up at her. She was glaring by then, failing to hide the grin that threatened to break through. Then for good measure, she punched him once more.
"Ow, ow. I yield, I yield." Kunzite laughed, covering his chest with his arms.
"Yo Bitch, my ass." She mumbled indignant, glancing over at him as he was grinning up at her. She looked away with a smirk. Goddess, the man was sexy. His smile did things to her that left her rattled and breathless, but when he laughed... she just wanted to eat him up. But maybe not *right* this minute.
She sighed and flopped down on the blanket, imitating his posture, head resting on one hand as they stared at each other. "So tell me something about yourself." She proposed, a welcoming expression on her face.
"Something about myself." He repeated, looking thoughtful. "Like what?"
"I don't know. Something true. Something that nobody else knows."
"Something that nobody else knows. And is this reciprocated? Do I get to know something about you?" He questioned roguishly.
"Well of course." Mina assured
"Hmm..." He eyed her thoughtfully for a while, thinking of something to tell her. His eyes took in her features, slowly memorising each and every enchanting detail, floating down her body, her pose highlighting all the curves perfectly, pausing at her breasts, before continuing down her long legs to the bottom of her feet, and just as slowly making their way back up again to her face where a becoming blush tinted her cheeks. His eyes narrowed in on her lips, eyes becoming dark with lust.
Mina felt like her skin was going to burst into flames. His fervent gaze upon her was intense and terribly arousing, pinpointing all the pleasurable spots within her body, and melting her insides until they all pooled within the bottom of her stomach. His heavy-lidded intent look upon her mouth was fiery, and she had to lick her lips in order to cool them.
"I'm going to kiss you." And he pounced, his right hand reaching to her neck and pulling her mouth under his.
At first it was hard, two lips pressing tightly against one another, his hand gripping her neck, her hands motionless with shock as his hard body dominated itself over her the supple softness of hers. Then Kunzite moved his hand into her hair, and his lips gentled the pressure. Rather than bruising her lips by pressing too hard, he took his time. Tasting her. Learning her shape and texture, yielding her mouth beneath his.
Mina did not know what to be more surprised at: the speed in which he had manoeuvred his body over hers, or that this was the most arousing experience she had ever endeavoured in her life. She must have gasped, because his tongue suddenly invaded her mouth. Slowly. Surely. Searching. Exploring the moist depths of her mouth, seeking her tongue for its own response. And when he found it, he groaned deeply. She felt the rumble of it within her own chest. This time, he made his hunger known, slanting his head and eating at her mouth, swallowing her very essence as if he were a man starved.
Mina was drowning in the lust, her hands on his back at his shoulders clutching fistfuls of his shirt. She let out a whimper as he broke away from her mouth, nibbling his way across her jaw and down her neck. Her mouth was left open, panting, her eyes clenched tight and then shooting open as she felt his hand snake up her belly and land upon her breast. His tongue licked the hollow of her throat, trailing its way to the scooped neck of her dress that displayed her cleavage.
Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. He was purely intoxicating and she knew for certain that the moment was quickly spiraling out of control. The pleasure they created together was like a siren, luring her towards the brink of the ultimate satisfaction, but she could not let herself do it. Not yet. Not like this. She did not want to be another nameless face to him, and yet here she was, acting wantonly on the grassy floor in a bush. She could not do this. She could not lose herself like this.
With that thought firmly lodged in her mind, she struggled to push him up. But only just. It took entirely to much effort, especially as his tongue had managed to curl its way into the dip between her breasts. She moaned at the electric thrill that shot through her body and stared up into his bewildered eyes, which were almost silver in their intensity.
"We have to stop." She gasped desperately, her hands firmly lodged against his chest, pushing him as far as he would go, which was barely an inch.
He stared down at her flushed face and swollen lips. She looked as if she had been truly ravished and he felt as if he had just run a marathon. He closed his eyes against her beguiling beauty, propping himself up higher above her, and then finally pushing away sitting across from her, his legs bent as his elbows rested against his knees, hands pushing through his hair.
"I'm sorry." He let out on a breath, trying to soothe the fire within himself.
Mina curled up into a sitting position, straightening herself up as much as she was able before trusting her voice to speak minus the shakiness. She looked up to find him staring at anything but her. She took it upon herself to venture out and be the brave one. "I'm not sorry." She said softly, smiling slightly at his shocked look. "I just think we were going a bit too fast." She stated simply, shyly pushing a blonde tress behind her ear.
Kunzite smiled. Or perhaps more of a grimace, since lust was still flickering at the forefront of his mind. But he was glad she was not refusing him. In fact, a huge rush of relief flooded through him, that she was not pushing him away, permanently. Just for now. In the beginning he had not actually intended to go as far as he did, but she was just too tempting. The way in which she responded, god the way she tasted. How she felt beneath him. He wanted her with a force like no other. And because of that, he would do anything she wanted. He could not lose her now. Not now that he had found her.
"You're right. I'm sorry." He stated once again, pushing the lust as far from his mind as he could. And by doing that, he denied himself that luxury of looking at her.
"Don't be sorry." She answered, moving closer to him and hesitantly putting her hand upon his. "I feel it too you know. Just touching you makes me...makes me feel hungry." She whispered honestly, entwining her fingers through his. "Just looking at you makes my mouth dry, makes my body heat up like an inferno, my stomach tightens and I feel, I just feel, for the first time in all my life." She became doubtful at his lack of response. "Of course it could be a sickness. Some sort of reaction to the gravitational difference or perhaps just indigestion." She finished lamely in embarrassment, slowly beginning to uncurl her fingers from his, when suddenly his hand tightened over hers and her eyes shot up to his grinning face.
"I don't think it is any of those, babe." He said huskily, pulling her closer towards him.
"It's not?" Mina questioned half-heartedly, being lured into him, on her knees between his spread legs.
"It's not because I feel exactly the same." His hand floated up to stroke the hair at her temple. His mind floundered helplessly, lost for words, not being able to find any way to describe what he felt. "I can't tell you. I don't know how to say what it is I feel when I am with you. There is no word for it. I don't think there is one that exists." He swallowed back a growl of frustration, angry at his lack of response. When her hand touched his cheek his eyes slowly floated back to the emotion within hers. "But I can show you. I can show you what it is I feel, if you will let me." He said to her hopefully, eyes devouring her very being.
Mina smiled and the breath flew from his lungs at the sight, and his heart stopped at her reply. "Yes."
It was as simple as that. A smile, one word and their hearts were lost to each other. Time was irrelevant. The short period in which they knew each other did not matter. They had found each other, they belonged together, and that was all that they knew. It was all they needed to know.
...Present...
The quiet rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, shaking Mina from her memory. Something which she reluctantly recalled. One that would not go away. So many memories. So hard to be rid of.
"You are not going to tell me, are you?" Endymion questioned, clearly having lost interest during the length of hesitancy it took to answer. Well at least it got her off the subject of his bane. Now if only he could get his own mind to unravel itself from along those lines.
"Nope." Mina answered, smirking up at the bemused prince. Her thoughts turning towards dinner, where she would be sitting opposite the general. Marvellous.
Endymion shrugged in reply, before turning on his heel and walking away. Mina looked out to the black clouds as they crawled along the horizon. Yes, just marvellous.
*************************************************************************************
Dinner time. Two days since the family of the Earth had blessed the Moon with their presence. One delusional Queen. One oblivious King. One love sick general. And last but most certainly not least, a psychotic prince.
Brilliant, bloody brilliant guests. Serenity thought harshly. And this was only the second night.
She sighed heavily. Once again she found herself getting dressed for dinner. Millions of seconds had passed since the ever so polite visit from Queen Vienna. So many strange things had happened today. And Serenity did not want to think about any of them. She wished she could just wipe her memory clear, of the kiss, of the dream, of Vienna, basically anything and everything that involved the Prince. He was so much more trouble than he was worth.
Why she could not just get rid of him like she did every other prince was well beyond her. She did not know if it was because she could not rid herself of him, or because she did not want to. And frankly that was what terrified her the most. Her dream told her that. That she was truly and quite simply attracted to him. Her incredibly vivid and pulse pounding dream. It seemed so real. So him. So her.
So her? Was it? Could she honestly think back and say she did not enjoy her dream? Their endeavours in the garden, in the animal wing, in the bedroom. These feelings, these urges were so new and so disturbingly raw. Could she ever really turn away from this new prospect that presented itself? There had been no other times, no other people where she had ever felt this way. There was nobody else she could think of who made her so angry, so frustrated with unprecedented need, she did not know whether to pound her head against a wall or pound him against a wall.
She flushed at the thought. Oops, already did that. She shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of those thoughts. Unsurprisingly they would not go away. They would stay there until she found some unwanted solution, but for now, she was a princess, and for now, she would do her duty. She walked into the dining room.
"Good evening Serenity." Her mother greeted from across the table. As usual she was the last to arrive. Everybody was seated in the same positions as they were the previous night, much to Serenity's dismay. As much as she tried to avoid it, her eyes could not help but seek him out. And there he was. Gorgeous, brooding and staring at her. Their gazes locked for a few seconds before she forced herself to look away.
"Good evening." She said to everyone as she walked to her seat. She smiled at Mina and sat down.
The meal proceeded as usual. More silent however, obviously due to the underlying tension between certain members. Serenity looked over to Queen Vienna and found her smiling sweetly as her husband addressed her. She could not help but smirk at that. How fake could a person get? One minute she was issuing a warning for Serenity to keep away from the Prince, and the next she was practically purring in the King's lap. She shook her head in amusement. Earthlings were crazy people. Her gaze shifted over to Kunzite. Unsurprisingly his eyes beneath his lashes were fixed on Mina. She frowned at that particular circumstance. Whatever was going on between those two she would have to remember to ask Mina about it. They were beginning to be annoying.
And finally Endymion. Her gaze reluctantly slid to him. Or his hands more specifically. She could not bring herself to willingly look upon his face yet. It was bad enough when she walked in, what would it be like if she purposely let herself lock eyes with him. Would all her inner thoughts then be projected and displayed for each member of the royal court to dissect and analyse? Or would they stay locked up in her mind, escalating all possibilities for their existence until they eventually exploded into some sort of hormonal nightmare which would inevitably lead her to the nuthouse. Or worse, eagerly into his arms.
She mentally shook her head at her thoughts. Why she could not just let things be, she did not know. Why she could not just throw her hair back, laugh it off and say 'que sera, sera' was beyond her. But then she did know. She just did not want to admit it to herself. For the reason was simple. She wanted Endymion. She wanted this handsome, obnoxious, arrogant, scoundrel of a prince and she had no idea how to prevent that.
Truly, the only way she could be rid of this problem, was by submitting to it and there in it, laid the crux of the problem. She did not want to yield. Not really. And yet, she could not help feeling, that that was the only conclusion available. Her eyes once more focused on his hands. Gosh, such nice hands. How she managed to get them so right in her dream was beyond her. Her cheeks reddened at the memory. Oh, that was right. Her dream. It seemed so real. And being honest with herself, she liked it. It was nice. HE was nice. A dream about initiation to the pleasures of the flesh.
Gross! Had she really just thought that? She almost gagged at herself. Instead opting for a scowl, she hid her expression behind her glass as she took a sip.
"So how was your day today, son?" Serenity choked at King Damius' innocent question. Luckily she was still holding the glass to her mouth; otherwise some unfortunate soul would have been sprayed. Her coughing spasms subsiding, her eyes wide as they struggled to retain their expression of nonchalance.
God a simple question, so many possible answers. How was my day today? She asked herself amused. Could be improved. She smiled at herself. I have completely lost my mind.
Her eyes slowly floated up anticipating the Prince's answer. They clashed with his. What she saw in his eyes should not have surprised her, but easily made her breath catch in her throat. The heavy lidded look in his eyes told her exactly what he was reminiscing. Her arms and legs wrapped around him in such a wanton manner, with no qualms of who may catch them, who could walk in on them as she thrust herself against him, hands clenching hair, tongues tangled in a mixed display of desire.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not manage to tear her eyes away from his. His answer was clear to anybody actually looking at him. Fortunately for the both of them, it was only she.
"Could be improved." He said softly, keeping his eyes trained on her. Serenity's mouth parted in surprise as she realized he answered exactly how she would have. She glanced down. A half smile painted on her lips.
"Otherwise very," he paused as he sipped his drink and searched for the word, "educational. I suppose." Taking his gaze off the bemused princess, he stared at his father.
"Good, good. At least you kids are getting along." He answered cheerfully. Serenity snorted at that, capturing Endymion's gaze, laughter within his blue eyes. A shared moment of amusement passed between them before she lowered her eyes to her plate. That was weird. She mused to herself as she continued eating her dinner. Some men were so oblivious.
It was near desert when the clatter of a spoon along with the roar of thunder broke the near silence of the table. Everyone's gaze pinpointed on the pale face of the princess. A look of misery flew into her features before she closed her eyes in despair.
"Serena." Her mother called gently across the table, breaking the princess out of the small trance of memory she had lapsed into. She glanced up at Selene, the tender expression on her face and the endearing name only said in sincerity, alarming her of their guests. Her gaze quickly flew to Endymion to find him staring at her with an unreadable expression. Had she been looking closely enough she would have seen a fierce sort of anger at himself at not being able to shield her from her own memories. Had she been looking closely enough she may have seen an emotion within his eyes that not even he could name. If she had been looking.
"Senni." The soft call from Mina shook her back to herself.
"I'm fine." She said quietly, sending a half smile her mother's way before picking her spoon back up and resuming eating. Or at least attempting to. With the bright flash of lightning, she quickly lost her appetite. She wished somebody would talk to take the attention off of her. Also allowing herself to focus on something else taking her mind off things. Specific things, which only came during the presence of thunderstorms.
"Queen Selene. I could not help noticing the preparations of a ball." What, was he a mind reader tonight? The princess thought bemused as Endymion engaged the queen into a conversation. Dear Goddess she hoped not. She eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before she finally let his announcement sink in. Oh right. The ball. Another fun event to look forward to.
"Yes Endymion, it is an annual celebration for Winter Solstice. And also for you and your family."
"Any type of rituals or proceedings involved? I have heard of Winter Solstice. It is much like Earth's Christmas, I believe." King Damius said as he moved his plates to the side, which then were immediately collected by a table servant.
"Yes I suppose it could be. It is a national holiday and there can be gifts exchanged if desired, but mainly it is purely a celebration of womanhood for us. It is the first day of winter. It is simply a night of dance and feast. Myself, Serenity and an elder of our planet each represent the crone, the mother and the maiden and we each perform short ceremonial rituals for our deities before we eat. It is a beautiful celebration. You will enjoy it. In fact, Serenity will be performing a dance this year, won't you dear?" She said, directing everyone's attention onto the unknowing princess.
She had forgotten. She had forgotten the plans for this year's Solstice. Each year a noblewoman of the moon performed a dance. This year, that woman would be her. And she had forgotten. Usually such an event was to be anticipated and enjoyed, but with this particular audience, it was indeed an occasion for dismay. Not only did she have to dance in front of the entire kingdom, but dressed in their traditional garments, leaving nothing to the imagination. And the dance was not any better. It was a dance that celebrated all virtues of womanhood, all moulded into the sway of her hips and the graceful movements of her arms. It was a beautiful ritual, one she watched her mother perform when she was younger. The problem was, it could be perceived as a bit too alluring and seductive. Not the best way to discourage a prince.
"Um, yes." She answered subdued.
"A dance?" Vienna spoke up, her eyes narrowed and directed at the princess who sat hunched in her seat, playing with her dessert.
"Yes. It is just a customary dance performed before we eat. It is very beautiful. You will see." Selene said proudly.
A blast of thunder sounded once more outside shaking the princess out of her reverie. She started slightly at the roar. She clenched her jaw shut in an effort to stop from shaking. Her eyes concentrated on the glass in front of her as the outside rumble soothed. Oblivious to her unease, the king and queens continued talking about the upcoming ball and more explanations about Winter Solstice. Underneath the table Mina reached for her hand. Serenity groped it as Mina squeezed her support. In attempt to distract her from her thoughts, she started another conversation.
"So only two more days."
Serenity glanced up puzzled. "Two more days till what?"
"Until the Solstice, stupid. You know, what we were just talking about." Mina stated enthusiastically, pushing her plates to the side.
"Oh right." Serenity shook her head from her daze, not able to join in on her enthusiasm.
Mina smiled sympathetically. "And you have not even been practicing."
The princess gave and indignant snort at that. "Mina, I have known this dance since I was ten years old. It is practically engraved in my DNA, I am sure all will be fine."
"Yes, but you have a different audience now, than what we have usually. And this year will be your first actual performance. You aren't nervous?"
Serenity bit her lip. Well she *wasn't* nervous, until now. Bloody Mina. Honestly, she had watched and played with these dances since she was a little kid, it was practically hereditary. But Endymion would be there this time. He would be watching. Watched as the sheer material she wore, swayed along with her body movements, silky smooth, rubbing against her skin. The dance surmised a story. And if it could be loosely translated, it showed a woman's power. Over her life, over her surroundings, over her men. It represented them as the dominant figures, which allowed the dance to be seen as seductive, hitting a man's weakness. Arousing him She saw the look in her father's eyes when he watched her mother perform it. The way she looked at him. It was right. It was magic.
"Well I am now." She muttered, frowning at her thoughts.
Mina started chuckling, "I'm sorry, I did not mean for you to be."
Serenity glanced over at her friend who was trying to hold back her laughter. And smiled. Trust Mina to find her situation amusing. She looked over at the prince who was having his own private conversation with his general. Time for a role reversal. "What is it with you and Kunzite anyway?"
Mina stopped smiling and rolled her eyes in disgust. "Honestly, what is with everybody asking me that today?"
Serenity raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in curiosity. "Who else has been asking?"
Mina nodded her head in Endymion's direction. "Your man over there. You two are a nosy couple."
The princess frowned, "He's not my man. We're not a couple. And you are changing the subject."
"Nothing, nothing is going on between us. I wish people would just stop asking." She growled, voice rising with each word.
"Ok, ok. Settle. It was just a question."
Mina sighed. "I'm sorry. I have just had a frustrating day is all."
Serenity narrowed her eyes. "Alright. But do not expect to be able to swindle out of this. I'm going to ask again. And if you will not give me an answer, I will just ask him."
"Fine, fine. I will tell you later." She said submissively, sighing in defeat.
Satisfied with that, Serenity looked up to find everybody else standing up and getting ready to leave the table. Dinner was over. Perfect. And she did not even notice when the storm had eased and moved on.
Chapter 10
Sunset.
The nearing conclusion of a long eventful day.
To Mina, an anticipated closure of another day of praying for what she feared was inevitable: having to see Kunzite again. Alone. She really did not want to face him. Even though doing so would probably help her diminish some of her mental demons. She feared revisiting the past, but she knew it had to be done. Sooner or later. He was here wasn't he? She could not ignore him his entire stay, although that was what she desperately wanted to do.
If she had the choice, she would quite happily lock herself away in her room and hide there till he left, but that was the coward's way out. And she was no coward. He knew that. She made sure he did. No matter how much it tore her apart inside.
She watched the last glittering rays from the sun as it sunk its head behind the mountain tops, its last vestiges of light vacating and welcoming the bruised clouds in its wake.
Twilight.
It was then she sensed his presence. A dark shadow sweeping up her back, impressing his appearance and making himself known. Not that he was easy to miss. One did not have to see him to recognize he had entered a room, or stepped out of one as it was.
He came to stand beside her, forearms resting on the railing, watching the disappearing sun. He did not say anything and neither did she. Each not wanting to break the peace, both not wanting to shatter the beauty of the sunset with words. The clouds were a colour not quite purple, and not quite orange, but a swirl of both, tinting the shade preparing for darkness.
Moments passed before either one of them would talk. The silence broke once Mina turned and noticed a shirtless Endymion.
"Holy cow!" She blurted, eyes wide and unblinking, mouth open, shamelessly taking in the sight before her. If she was awed by the gloriousness of the sunset, she was astounded by the gloriousness of Endymion.
His trim frame was leaning over the railing; his biceps bulged slightly, revealing a hint of their true strength. His back was bowed, showing firm muscles in all the right places. He looked over at her, hair falling over one eye and smirked. As if torturing the poor (lucky?) girl even more, he turned his body so that it faced her, allowing saliva to come flooding quickly into her mouth.
His broad chest looked hard and smooth, ivory silk over marble. Perfectly sculpted and goddess help her, peppered with a light sheen of sweat. He was evenly tanned, she noticed as her eyes tracked the sinewy muscles down, skimming along rock imprints in his stomach before resting at his naval. Slowly her eyes then trailed back up again, repeating their path.
Sweet Mother and all that is Holy, the man was hot! With the face and body that gods only dreamed and his own devil-charm, he was sin incarnate. He ought to be locked up. It was a dangerous for a man like this to be walking around half-naked. Mina, not one for swooning was having a hard time closing her gaping, not to mention drooling mouth.
"Endymion, sweetie. You really need to put a shirt on." She announced abruptly. Of course it would have been just as easy for her if she were to close her eyes or simply look away from him, but then that was just as likely as her growing an extra head. All aspects definitely out of the question.
But hell, who was she to deny free eye candy when it was available. He looked good, great, mouth-wateringly exceptional and he knew it. And he did not appear to be shy, with amusement at her predicament etched all over his face. So if he was happy to be looked at, then by god, she was quite happy to look. And he was not even naked. Imagine if he was. Her eyes almost crossed at the prospect. No, best not go there.
Priorities finally set, eyes contentedly roaming over his body...bicep here, pectoral there, here a muscle, there a muscle...as if ripping off a piece of her own skin, she peeled her eyes off his body and looked up at his face.
Not that that was any less of a threat.
He raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips before asking, "See something you like?"
She looked at him as if he had spoken another language. Was the man mad? Had he not looked in a mirror lately? Eyes floating over his body once more, mourning over the body parts covered by clothing, she took upon herself the duty to make a swift and fair judgement.
Once she uncurled her tongue from lolling out of her mouth, she answered sophisticated and formally. Professional like. "Hell yes!"
Her answer sent Endymion's mouth curling upwards into a grin. When she realised what she had said, she shook her head form her daze, hoping to rattle the mush in her head to some semblance of sensibility. Cursing her irrational bluntness, she struggled to find some sort of reasonable explanation for her dose of dizziness.
One glance up at him and it all came rushing back. Oh yeah, that's right. The damn man was gorgeous. And up close and shirtless like this, it was pretty understandable.
Grinning at the sight she must make, she shook her head in disbelief. "I suppose you do this to all the girls." She stated sardonically, straightening and stepping back from him.
"Do what exactly?" He countered, his hip propped up against the railing as his amused eyes stared down at her.
Mina swallowed for what must have been the seventieth time in less than a minute. "Send them into a drooling, stuttering pile of mush." She could not believe she had just audibly admitted to her lusting over his body, but then she never was one for subtlety and she was usually forthcoming with her honesty, and with a body like his made to be openly praised: acceptable.
He smirked at her answer. "Only during sunsets."
With that he picked up his shirt hanging over the railing and kindly put it on, fingers lazily moving over the buttons. Mina's eyes mourned the loss of delectable flesh, but decided it was necessary for an intelligent conversation.
Once, he had buttoned the last button, he rested his forearms over the railing once more, staring at the darkening sky. To their left vibrated the unmistakable rumble of thunder in the distance, the blackness of the clouds accompanying it. The atmosphere around them flowed with electricity. The air was humid, hot yet they could smell the promise of a cool flowing rain.
"A storm's coming." He murmured softly, the power of the guaranteed storm surging within him. He loved storms. Loved its force and might it proved when the elements competed. The vibration that echoed through each solid object, shaking in its aftermath; the striking lightning blasting its ferocity in an electric flash of light; and the following rain which soothed away the damage. Conflict fought, conflict solved, time for repentance.
It contrasted bleakly to the storm brewing inside him. A small rumble way in the distance, waylaying the appearance of the true fury to come. The conflicting battle within him was a foreign one to say the least. What was going on with the princess? The only way he knew how to answer that was by protesting lust. Unbound, unadulterated lust. But then, if he let himself ponder over the circumstance even further, he would have to admit there was something more to it. He not only wanted her for her beauty, for her being a desirable woman, but for the underlying innocence and vulnerability that lay beneath all that. Not just for the chase, but also for the fiery temptress with a short temper whose taming proved the true challenge. But he did not want to explore those depths just yet.
For now, he just wanted to be lost in the storm.
"Poor Senni." Mina said on a whisper, low but not so quiet that Endymion did not hear.
"How so?" He asked curiously, annoyed that the moment should be shattered by the mention of the bane of his frustrations.
"She fears storms." She answered, lost in a distant memory. He kept silent, knowing that Mina was being swept away by the disturbance of the memory. One he quite wanted to hear about. "A friend of hers was killed by lightning. She reached to help, but the current shot through him to her and she was left paralyzed...laying on the ground watching as he fried and burned to death. She was left there, in the rain for hours before anyone thought to look for her."
Her eyes were troubled, and a frown creased her brow. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Her father found her. Freezing under the torrent of rain and unable to move. Ever since then, she has never been able to go outside when -" She broke off suddenly, eyes wide as she realised what she revealed. It was not exactly a secret throughout the kingdom about the incident, but neither was it an event to be discussed openly and especially not with the Earth prince. She cringed at the thought. Senni was just going to love her for this.
"I probably should not have told you that." She stated humbly, pushing strands of hair behind her ear.
Endymion knew. He realised it was probably private information that he was not supposed to know, but that did not make him any less horrified at what the princess had witnessed; had gone through. He had fought wars, he had seen burnt bodies, burning bodies and helplessly watched them suffer, almost vomiting as the acrid stench wafted throughout the air. It may not be entirely the same, but it was close. And for a girl...for her to be witness to that nearly scraped him raw.
"How young was she?" He asked numbly, his voice hoarse with an unknown emotion.
She sighed heavily. Might as well continue. "Eight."
"Eight." He repeated thickly, disbelief and sympathy etched in his features.
He suddenly was filled with the overwhelming urge to seek her out and hold her. Just hold her.
Wrap her in his arms, tuck her into himself and promise her everything would be alright. He wanted to carry her into the rain, set her down and kiss her as the rained splashed upon them, caress her wet skin as the thunder roared above them, follow the rain with his tongue as the lightning flashed, highlighting the smooth outline of their bodies and show her there was nothing to fear. Create a happy memory in a storm, one that would wipe the horrors of her friend's death away. But most of all, most of all he just wanted to protect her. Kiss away her tears as she mourned over her dead friend's memory, envelope her within his arms, stroking her hair, rocking her gently until she settled against him in a sated exhaustion.
These urges were unfamiliar to him, that much he knew for sure. He was shocked at his thoughts. Surprised that such strong protective emotions could come from him and terrified at what it could mean. Before he was simply shaken by a frustration caused by lust, and that was fine because it was a familiar notion, one that usually did not last as long mind, but still familiar. And one that he eventually knew how to overcome.
None of his other lustful conquests made him pause at the thought of hurting her. Of tainting her innocence with such reckless abandon. No other had been able to make him lose control of himself, to let the body take over and just feel, without any thought to the consequences to come. She even gave him the niggling emotion of jealousy and that just about floored him. She was his. This was his princess. A princess he was set out to possess, and one for whom he would willingly crush any hopeful suitors with his bare hands. He frowned in dismay. This was not good.
"So why were you sweating and shirtless anyway? Or do I want to know?" Mina broke into his thoughts, changing the subject much to his delight. He smirked at her question. He looked her over, taking in her sun blonde hair and all too long legs. She truly was a beauty. If it were not for the love of his best friend, she would definitely be in his bed.
Nevertheless, she held the heart of his friend and now would be as good a time as any to find out why. Lord knows Kunzite would not budge an inch. "Kunzite and I were training."
Her face closed at that. "Oh." She said sharply. Taking her interest away from him completely.
Endymion raised one coal coloured eyebrow. "He never did tell me what actually happened between the two of you."
"He didn't?" She answered half-heartedly.
Seeing that she clearly did not want to carry the subject on any further, he felt it was only right to continue talking about it. "No. Just that you left him. Along with his heart."
She snorted with laughter at that, scoffing at such a ridiculous notion. "I'm sure."
Endymion shrugged, eyes twinkling with humour at her response. "His words." A soft pause. "What are yours?"
What are your words presumably, Mina thought with a sigh. "Short version or long?"
"Short." He answered automatically.
"Kunzite is a prick." She said without a beat, voice flat and expression blank.
Endymion chuckled. "I already know that version."
Mina smirked. "I have no doubt."
The prince's silence phrased his unspoken request. 'Tell me.'
...The Past...
"Tell me."
"Why?"
"I want to know."
"Why?"
"Just tell me."
"Why?"
"Kunzite!" Mina snapped annoyed.
"Mina!" He imitated, grinning at her frustrated pose, hands on her hips as she glared at him. Her mouth held the pout of a five year old not getting her way. God she had gorgeous lips. He wanted to kiss them. Bad. So bad his hands were clenched in fists at his sides in attempt to prevent reaching out and embracing her; pulling her in close, her soft body against his hard one. Very hard. Kunzite blinked away his thoughts. Not yet.
"You are an insufferable cur." She huffed exasperated as his unnerving stare raised her body temperature several degrees.
"A cur? I never have known what that was." Kunzite retorted conversationally once they started walking again.
The day found them strolling along the mountainside just beyond the borders of the Terran Castle. She had awoken early, completing necessary chores, reporting back to the Moon of successful duties, unconsciously clearing the rest of her afternoon. She knew why of course. She had lost the bet. There were terms to be met, but that did not mean she would have to comply readily. She would have to put up some form of struggle somewhere. Otherwise he just may think she actually lusted for him. Wanted him. Needed to feel his body against hers so badly she could barely breathe. And we could not have him thinking that at all.
Although prepared for a free day, and expecting Kunzite to come find her, she was still caught off guard when she did see him. He was even more handsome in the early daylight. How that could be possible she did not know, but he was. His long hair was left loose. She marveled at its length. It was nearly as long as hers. The colour of pearls, a deep milky white which emphasised his striking grey eyes, the blue tinge almost making them silver. The navy blue general suit he wore hid no detail of the lithe muscled body she knew lay beneath. The look on his face she knew reflected on her own, though she hoped maybe a little subtler.
Oh, I want to touch him, she cried silently, I want to fight you and lose every time.
As if sensing her thoughts, he stepped toward her and raised his hands as if to reach out and yank her in. But as if held by and invisible chain, they halted just as they were about to make contact. Mina nearly cried. Instead, he exhaled on a shuddering breath and his hands slowly drifted back down to his sides again.
Forcing out a shaky smile and clearing his throat he said, "Hi." His voice husky, deep.
A great heat flushed up through Mina's torso at the sound, spreading and settling at the bottom of her stomach. "Hi." She responded. Her voice meek, almost a whisper.
It fluttered across Kunzite's skin like a caress. He almost moaned at the sound of it. Coughing it back he held out his hand to her. "Ready?"
"Yeah." She slid her hand in his. Perfect.
"I am going to give you a tour of our most humble kingdom." He stated sardonically, leading her into the castle. He showed her different rooms, individual bedrooms, the barn, the kitchen, introducing her to servants and nobles as they passed. He took her outside into the city, showing her shops and people. Buying things she took interests in, buying things as surprises for her. Then took her hand back to the dining room for lunch. They ate with the other nobles, royal family excluded.
Finally he presented her to the ballroom. "And this is where you will see every female specimen fawning over the infamous Prince of Earth." He said, humour in his tone.
"Infamous?" She questioned lightly. She was exhausted. The day had taken it out of her. And while trying to remain as stoically unattracted to Kunzite as possible, it was another great feat all its own. If she were not careful, she would be falling in love with him before the day even came to an end, and she definitely did not want that happening. Considering the facts, it was not so hard a task to accomplish. He was handsome, kind, funny, considerate - taking her on a tour, taking her shopping, doing things that he made sure she would enjoy - and they had not even kissed yet. He was being a complete gentleman.
And it was frustrating Mina to the point of madness. But in a way, she was glad. She was able to keep her wits about her then. Otherwise, she did not think she would be able to keep her hands off him.
"I say infamous, I mean dog." He stated with a smirk. "He is the wolf and those willing little rabbits are all his prey."
"One might say you were jealous." Mina chided irreverently.
Kunzite looked remarkably amused at this. He had every right to of course. He was not exactly very far behind the Prince in his number of women on the side. But at least he had the decency to learn their names. And his dumping of them was much less bastardly than that of the Prince. He pertained the kindness to tell them when it was over, rather than leave them wondering or hoping, as it was.
And then there was this one; he contemplated looking down at the blonde beauty in front of him. This one was different from all the others, he knew. So different he could not even remember the name of his last lover. Strange. He had been struggling with himself all day trying to keep his hands off her. Every time she looked at him with her sparkling blue eyes, every time she smiled at him, hell, every time she breathed he wanted to tear her clothes off and be inside her, close enough to feel every inch of her skin until they both melted and conformed into one.
But he would not let himself. He would treat this one properly. Lavish luxury unto her, even though she deserved so much more. This one he would treat with the respect and honour she duly deserved. It was the least he could give her.
"I don't do so bad."
No doubt there, Mina thought jealously. Jealously? Not good.
He took her hand once again and led her out. Walking leisurely in silence, they had made it so far before Mina insisted on knowing where he was taking her. What seemed to alarm her the most was when they slid through a secret door in the castle walls and out into untamed wilderness on top of a mountainside which eventually brought them to now; Kunzite's curiosity over the definition of a 'cur'.
"You should know. You do own a mirror don't you?" She remarked primly, climbing the rocky slope of the mountain further.
"Touche, Madam Wit. Or should I say, Madam Witless?" He answered in cheek. "Do you need some help?" He asked with a slight mock in his tone. She seemed to be sporadically slipping as the hill steepened.
"Of course bloody not. It is these blasted shoes." She complained stroppily, earning a grin from the general.
"Right. Blame the shoes." He could not help himself. He loved seeing her riled. She was like a fiery spitting cat, one whose stomach he really wanted to pet. But for now, he wanted to raise the fur on her back, tweak the tail just a little.
"I would like to see you scramble up a mountain in these shoes. In fact, walk on flat concrete in them and I bet you will stab yourself before you take your second step." She replied viciously, claws extracting.
"Another bet, my lady? As you proved so successful in the last one." He countered silkily. If looks could kill, Kunzite thought amused as he stared down into the glare that wished for hell to rain down upon him, he would die one miserable death.
Clearly wanting to get off the topic, mainly off the mountain slope she asked belligerently, "Pray tell, why are we ambling up a cliff?"
"So we can slide down the other side." Kunzite responded idly. His grin grew wider at the choked sound of disbelief behind him and then the response.
"For your sake, you had better be joking."
Shortly after they made it to the top. Mina cursing every second step, Kunzite grinning every third.
"Nearly there."
"Nearly where?" Mina sighed inaudibly. She had not expected him to take her on a tour of dirt, rocks and wait, oh yes, more dirt. Not that the view was all bad though, she considered staring once again at his lovely, ahem, back.
As Kunzite held aside a leafy branch for Mina, her mouth gaped in awe at the scene displayed before her. A lover's oasis; were the first words that popped into her head. It was the typical escape for a lover's tryst. A wall of segregated waterfalls parted the wilderness. Boulder upon boulder, the base of every waterfall. Large streams gushing forth into a turquoise lake, tinted in green. Ferns creating its shelter, allowing glistening drops of sunlight to pour through.
It was beautiful, peaceful, enchanting. The magnificence of it was situated around the main waterfall. The coursing torrents pounding the rocks along the base of the creek. A few more steps and she would be standing amongst the small base of the lake.
"This is amazing." She said in awe. Her eyes taking in all of nature.
"I know." Kunzite replied smugly. He knew how she felt. No matter how many times he brought himself here he could not help but feel humbled by its overwhelming splendour. And now he had brought the beauty one of its own.
"Come on." He said taking her hand. She was led to a shaded spot, a grassy patch to the side of the waterfall. He had already prepared a blanket and food for them to sit and eat. A picnic.
A picnic in a lover's oasis.
"We've just finished lunch." Mina said bemused, settling herself upon the blanket, her hands furrowing through the grass along the edges. She stretched herself out, soaking up the sunlight that poured through a gap in the trees.
Kunzite's eyes feasted upon her as he sat himself down beside her. She looked like a goddess. Like she belonged. As if she was a forest nymph who belonged to the beautiful nature of their surroundings. A goddess he would worship until his last breath. Shaking his head from those foreign thoughts, he pushed the food basket to the edge of the blanket with his foot. "Well, you could have been one of those girls who just do not know when to stop eating." He said carelessly, glancing over at her as she sat rigid.
"Are you calling me fat?" She demanded, staring at him in disbelief.
Kunzite chuckled. "Believe me babe, if I were calling you fat, you'd know. I would probably say something along the lines of, 'Your ass looks huge in that dress.'"
In response, he received and undignified gasp and a punch in the chest. "Ouch." He replied on a laugh, rubbing at his left breast. "Man you pack a punch."
"Yes. Remember that too." Mina sneered in answer, resisting the urge to rub at her fingers. Honestly, she probably did more damage to her hand than she did to him. The man was made of steel. "And don't call me 'babe'." She settled back down onto her elbows, legs bent at the knees, feet laying flat to the blanket.
"Sure, sweetheart." He said, turning over onto his side, resting his head on his hand as he stared at her.
"Or that." She mumbled, her face turned towards the sun, eyes closed delighting in its warmth.
"Darling. Honey. Dear," Kunzite began, listing off various endearments in order to get a reaction. "Sweet Cakes, Sugar Pie, Muffin, Candy Cane, Yo Bitch! -"
"Hey!" Mina shrieked, punching him in the chest again leaving him on his back laughing up at her. She was glaring by then, failing to hide the grin that threatened to break through. Then for good measure, she punched him once more.
"Ow, ow. I yield, I yield." Kunzite laughed, covering his chest with his arms.
"Yo Bitch, my ass." She mumbled indignant, glancing over at him as he was grinning up at her. She looked away with a smirk. Goddess, the man was sexy. His smile did things to her that left her rattled and breathless, but when he laughed... she just wanted to eat him up. But maybe not *right* this minute.
She sighed and flopped down on the blanket, imitating his posture, head resting on one hand as they stared at each other. "So tell me something about yourself." She proposed, a welcoming expression on her face.
"Something about myself." He repeated, looking thoughtful. "Like what?"
"I don't know. Something true. Something that nobody else knows."
"Something that nobody else knows. And is this reciprocated? Do I get to know something about you?" He questioned roguishly.
"Well of course." Mina assured
"Hmm..." He eyed her thoughtfully for a while, thinking of something to tell her. His eyes took in her features, slowly memorising each and every enchanting detail, floating down her body, her pose highlighting all the curves perfectly, pausing at her breasts, before continuing down her long legs to the bottom of her feet, and just as slowly making their way back up again to her face where a becoming blush tinted her cheeks. His eyes narrowed in on her lips, eyes becoming dark with lust.
Mina felt like her skin was going to burst into flames. His fervent gaze upon her was intense and terribly arousing, pinpointing all the pleasurable spots within her body, and melting her insides until they all pooled within the bottom of her stomach. His heavy-lidded intent look upon her mouth was fiery, and she had to lick her lips in order to cool them.
"I'm going to kiss you." And he pounced, his right hand reaching to her neck and pulling her mouth under his.
At first it was hard, two lips pressing tightly against one another, his hand gripping her neck, her hands motionless with shock as his hard body dominated itself over her the supple softness of hers. Then Kunzite moved his hand into her hair, and his lips gentled the pressure. Rather than bruising her lips by pressing too hard, he took his time. Tasting her. Learning her shape and texture, yielding her mouth beneath his.
Mina did not know what to be more surprised at: the speed in which he had manoeuvred his body over hers, or that this was the most arousing experience she had ever endeavoured in her life. She must have gasped, because his tongue suddenly invaded her mouth. Slowly. Surely. Searching. Exploring the moist depths of her mouth, seeking her tongue for its own response. And when he found it, he groaned deeply. She felt the rumble of it within her own chest. This time, he made his hunger known, slanting his head and eating at her mouth, swallowing her very essence as if he were a man starved.
Mina was drowning in the lust, her hands on his back at his shoulders clutching fistfuls of his shirt. She let out a whimper as he broke away from her mouth, nibbling his way across her jaw and down her neck. Her mouth was left open, panting, her eyes clenched tight and then shooting open as she felt his hand snake up her belly and land upon her breast. His tongue licked the hollow of her throat, trailing its way to the scooped neck of her dress that displayed her cleavage.
Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. He was purely intoxicating and she knew for certain that the moment was quickly spiraling out of control. The pleasure they created together was like a siren, luring her towards the brink of the ultimate satisfaction, but she could not let herself do it. Not yet. Not like this. She did not want to be another nameless face to him, and yet here she was, acting wantonly on the grassy floor in a bush. She could not do this. She could not lose herself like this.
With that thought firmly lodged in her mind, she struggled to push him up. But only just. It took entirely to much effort, especially as his tongue had managed to curl its way into the dip between her breasts. She moaned at the electric thrill that shot through her body and stared up into his bewildered eyes, which were almost silver in their intensity.
"We have to stop." She gasped desperately, her hands firmly lodged against his chest, pushing him as far as he would go, which was barely an inch.
He stared down at her flushed face and swollen lips. She looked as if she had been truly ravished and he felt as if he had just run a marathon. He closed his eyes against her beguiling beauty, propping himself up higher above her, and then finally pushing away sitting across from her, his legs bent as his elbows rested against his knees, hands pushing through his hair.
"I'm sorry." He let out on a breath, trying to soothe the fire within himself.
Mina curled up into a sitting position, straightening herself up as much as she was able before trusting her voice to speak minus the shakiness. She looked up to find him staring at anything but her. She took it upon herself to venture out and be the brave one. "I'm not sorry." She said softly, smiling slightly at his shocked look. "I just think we were going a bit too fast." She stated simply, shyly pushing a blonde tress behind her ear.
Kunzite smiled. Or perhaps more of a grimace, since lust was still flickering at the forefront of his mind. But he was glad she was not refusing him. In fact, a huge rush of relief flooded through him, that she was not pushing him away, permanently. Just for now. In the beginning he had not actually intended to go as far as he did, but she was just too tempting. The way in which she responded, god the way she tasted. How she felt beneath him. He wanted her with a force like no other. And because of that, he would do anything she wanted. He could not lose her now. Not now that he had found her.
"You're right. I'm sorry." He stated once again, pushing the lust as far from his mind as he could. And by doing that, he denied himself that luxury of looking at her.
"Don't be sorry." She answered, moving closer to him and hesitantly putting her hand upon his. "I feel it too you know. Just touching you makes me...makes me feel hungry." She whispered honestly, entwining her fingers through his. "Just looking at you makes my mouth dry, makes my body heat up like an inferno, my stomach tightens and I feel, I just feel, for the first time in all my life." She became doubtful at his lack of response. "Of course it could be a sickness. Some sort of reaction to the gravitational difference or perhaps just indigestion." She finished lamely in embarrassment, slowly beginning to uncurl her fingers from his, when suddenly his hand tightened over hers and her eyes shot up to his grinning face.
"I don't think it is any of those, babe." He said huskily, pulling her closer towards him.
"It's not?" Mina questioned half-heartedly, being lured into him, on her knees between his spread legs.
"It's not because I feel exactly the same." His hand floated up to stroke the hair at her temple. His mind floundered helplessly, lost for words, not being able to find any way to describe what he felt. "I can't tell you. I don't know how to say what it is I feel when I am with you. There is no word for it. I don't think there is one that exists." He swallowed back a growl of frustration, angry at his lack of response. When her hand touched his cheek his eyes slowly floated back to the emotion within hers. "But I can show you. I can show you what it is I feel, if you will let me." He said to her hopefully, eyes devouring her very being.
Mina smiled and the breath flew from his lungs at the sight, and his heart stopped at her reply. "Yes."
It was as simple as that. A smile, one word and their hearts were lost to each other. Time was irrelevant. The short period in which they knew each other did not matter. They had found each other, they belonged together, and that was all that they knew. It was all they needed to know.
...Present...
The quiet rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, shaking Mina from her memory. Something which she reluctantly recalled. One that would not go away. So many memories. So hard to be rid of.
"You are not going to tell me, are you?" Endymion questioned, clearly having lost interest during the length of hesitancy it took to answer. Well at least it got her off the subject of his bane. Now if only he could get his own mind to unravel itself from along those lines.
"Nope." Mina answered, smirking up at the bemused prince. Her thoughts turning towards dinner, where she would be sitting opposite the general. Marvellous.
Endymion shrugged in reply, before turning on his heel and walking away. Mina looked out to the black clouds as they crawled along the horizon. Yes, just marvellous.
*************************************************************************************
Dinner time. Two days since the family of the Earth had blessed the Moon with their presence. One delusional Queen. One oblivious King. One love sick general. And last but most certainly not least, a psychotic prince.
Brilliant, bloody brilliant guests. Serenity thought harshly. And this was only the second night.
She sighed heavily. Once again she found herself getting dressed for dinner. Millions of seconds had passed since the ever so polite visit from Queen Vienna. So many strange things had happened today. And Serenity did not want to think about any of them. She wished she could just wipe her memory clear, of the kiss, of the dream, of Vienna, basically anything and everything that involved the Prince. He was so much more trouble than he was worth.
Why she could not just get rid of him like she did every other prince was well beyond her. She did not know if it was because she could not rid herself of him, or because she did not want to. And frankly that was what terrified her the most. Her dream told her that. That she was truly and quite simply attracted to him. Her incredibly vivid and pulse pounding dream. It seemed so real. So him. So her.
So her? Was it? Could she honestly think back and say she did not enjoy her dream? Their endeavours in the garden, in the animal wing, in the bedroom. These feelings, these urges were so new and so disturbingly raw. Could she ever really turn away from this new prospect that presented itself? There had been no other times, no other people where she had ever felt this way. There was nobody else she could think of who made her so angry, so frustrated with unprecedented need, she did not know whether to pound her head against a wall or pound him against a wall.
She flushed at the thought. Oops, already did that. She shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of those thoughts. Unsurprisingly they would not go away. They would stay there until she found some unwanted solution, but for now, she was a princess, and for now, she would do her duty. She walked into the dining room.
"Good evening Serenity." Her mother greeted from across the table. As usual she was the last to arrive. Everybody was seated in the same positions as they were the previous night, much to Serenity's dismay. As much as she tried to avoid it, her eyes could not help but seek him out. And there he was. Gorgeous, brooding and staring at her. Their gazes locked for a few seconds before she forced herself to look away.
"Good evening." She said to everyone as she walked to her seat. She smiled at Mina and sat down.
The meal proceeded as usual. More silent however, obviously due to the underlying tension between certain members. Serenity looked over to Queen Vienna and found her smiling sweetly as her husband addressed her. She could not help but smirk at that. How fake could a person get? One minute she was issuing a warning for Serenity to keep away from the Prince, and the next she was practically purring in the King's lap. She shook her head in amusement. Earthlings were crazy people. Her gaze shifted over to Kunzite. Unsurprisingly his eyes beneath his lashes were fixed on Mina. She frowned at that particular circumstance. Whatever was going on between those two she would have to remember to ask Mina about it. They were beginning to be annoying.
And finally Endymion. Her gaze reluctantly slid to him. Or his hands more specifically. She could not bring herself to willingly look upon his face yet. It was bad enough when she walked in, what would it be like if she purposely let herself lock eyes with him. Would all her inner thoughts then be projected and displayed for each member of the royal court to dissect and analyse? Or would they stay locked up in her mind, escalating all possibilities for their existence until they eventually exploded into some sort of hormonal nightmare which would inevitably lead her to the nuthouse. Or worse, eagerly into his arms.
She mentally shook her head at her thoughts. Why she could not just let things be, she did not know. Why she could not just throw her hair back, laugh it off and say 'que sera, sera' was beyond her. But then she did know. She just did not want to admit it to herself. For the reason was simple. She wanted Endymion. She wanted this handsome, obnoxious, arrogant, scoundrel of a prince and she had no idea how to prevent that.
Truly, the only way she could be rid of this problem, was by submitting to it and there in it, laid the crux of the problem. She did not want to yield. Not really. And yet, she could not help feeling, that that was the only conclusion available. Her eyes once more focused on his hands. Gosh, such nice hands. How she managed to get them so right in her dream was beyond her. Her cheeks reddened at the memory. Oh, that was right. Her dream. It seemed so real. And being honest with herself, she liked it. It was nice. HE was nice. A dream about initiation to the pleasures of the flesh.
Gross! Had she really just thought that? She almost gagged at herself. Instead opting for a scowl, she hid her expression behind her glass as she took a sip.
"So how was your day today, son?" Serenity choked at King Damius' innocent question. Luckily she was still holding the glass to her mouth; otherwise some unfortunate soul would have been sprayed. Her coughing spasms subsiding, her eyes wide as they struggled to retain their expression of nonchalance.
God a simple question, so many possible answers. How was my day today? She asked herself amused. Could be improved. She smiled at herself. I have completely lost my mind.
Her eyes slowly floated up anticipating the Prince's answer. They clashed with his. What she saw in his eyes should not have surprised her, but easily made her breath catch in her throat. The heavy lidded look in his eyes told her exactly what he was reminiscing. Her arms and legs wrapped around him in such a wanton manner, with no qualms of who may catch them, who could walk in on them as she thrust herself against him, hands clenching hair, tongues tangled in a mixed display of desire.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not manage to tear her eyes away from his. His answer was clear to anybody actually looking at him. Fortunately for the both of them, it was only she.
"Could be improved." He said softly, keeping his eyes trained on her. Serenity's mouth parted in surprise as she realized he answered exactly how she would have. She glanced down. A half smile painted on her lips.
"Otherwise very," he paused as he sipped his drink and searched for the word, "educational. I suppose." Taking his gaze off the bemused princess, he stared at his father.
"Good, good. At least you kids are getting along." He answered cheerfully. Serenity snorted at that, capturing Endymion's gaze, laughter within his blue eyes. A shared moment of amusement passed between them before she lowered her eyes to her plate. That was weird. She mused to herself as she continued eating her dinner. Some men were so oblivious.
It was near desert when the clatter of a spoon along with the roar of thunder broke the near silence of the table. Everyone's gaze pinpointed on the pale face of the princess. A look of misery flew into her features before she closed her eyes in despair.
"Serena." Her mother called gently across the table, breaking the princess out of the small trance of memory she had lapsed into. She glanced up at Selene, the tender expression on her face and the endearing name only said in sincerity, alarming her of their guests. Her gaze quickly flew to Endymion to find him staring at her with an unreadable expression. Had she been looking closely enough she would have seen a fierce sort of anger at himself at not being able to shield her from her own memories. Had she been looking closely enough she may have seen an emotion within his eyes that not even he could name. If she had been looking.
"Senni." The soft call from Mina shook her back to herself.
"I'm fine." She said quietly, sending a half smile her mother's way before picking her spoon back up and resuming eating. Or at least attempting to. With the bright flash of lightning, she quickly lost her appetite. She wished somebody would talk to take the attention off of her. Also allowing herself to focus on something else taking her mind off things. Specific things, which only came during the presence of thunderstorms.
"Queen Selene. I could not help noticing the preparations of a ball." What, was he a mind reader tonight? The princess thought bemused as Endymion engaged the queen into a conversation. Dear Goddess she hoped not. She eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before she finally let his announcement sink in. Oh right. The ball. Another fun event to look forward to.
"Yes Endymion, it is an annual celebration for Winter Solstice. And also for you and your family."
"Any type of rituals or proceedings involved? I have heard of Winter Solstice. It is much like Earth's Christmas, I believe." King Damius said as he moved his plates to the side, which then were immediately collected by a table servant.
"Yes I suppose it could be. It is a national holiday and there can be gifts exchanged if desired, but mainly it is purely a celebration of womanhood for us. It is the first day of winter. It is simply a night of dance and feast. Myself, Serenity and an elder of our planet each represent the crone, the mother and the maiden and we each perform short ceremonial rituals for our deities before we eat. It is a beautiful celebration. You will enjoy it. In fact, Serenity will be performing a dance this year, won't you dear?" She said, directing everyone's attention onto the unknowing princess.
She had forgotten. She had forgotten the plans for this year's Solstice. Each year a noblewoman of the moon performed a dance. This year, that woman would be her. And she had forgotten. Usually such an event was to be anticipated and enjoyed, but with this particular audience, it was indeed an occasion for dismay. Not only did she have to dance in front of the entire kingdom, but dressed in their traditional garments, leaving nothing to the imagination. And the dance was not any better. It was a dance that celebrated all virtues of womanhood, all moulded into the sway of her hips and the graceful movements of her arms. It was a beautiful ritual, one she watched her mother perform when she was younger. The problem was, it could be perceived as a bit too alluring and seductive. Not the best way to discourage a prince.
"Um, yes." She answered subdued.
"A dance?" Vienna spoke up, her eyes narrowed and directed at the princess who sat hunched in her seat, playing with her dessert.
"Yes. It is just a customary dance performed before we eat. It is very beautiful. You will see." Selene said proudly.
A blast of thunder sounded once more outside shaking the princess out of her reverie. She started slightly at the roar. She clenched her jaw shut in an effort to stop from shaking. Her eyes concentrated on the glass in front of her as the outside rumble soothed. Oblivious to her unease, the king and queens continued talking about the upcoming ball and more explanations about Winter Solstice. Underneath the table Mina reached for her hand. Serenity groped it as Mina squeezed her support. In attempt to distract her from her thoughts, she started another conversation.
"So only two more days."
Serenity glanced up puzzled. "Two more days till what?"
"Until the Solstice, stupid. You know, what we were just talking about." Mina stated enthusiastically, pushing her plates to the side.
"Oh right." Serenity shook her head from her daze, not able to join in on her enthusiasm.
Mina smiled sympathetically. "And you have not even been practicing."
The princess gave and indignant snort at that. "Mina, I have known this dance since I was ten years old. It is practically engraved in my DNA, I am sure all will be fine."
"Yes, but you have a different audience now, than what we have usually. And this year will be your first actual performance. You aren't nervous?"
Serenity bit her lip. Well she *wasn't* nervous, until now. Bloody Mina. Honestly, she had watched and played with these dances since she was a little kid, it was practically hereditary. But Endymion would be there this time. He would be watching. Watched as the sheer material she wore, swayed along with her body movements, silky smooth, rubbing against her skin. The dance surmised a story. And if it could be loosely translated, it showed a woman's power. Over her life, over her surroundings, over her men. It represented them as the dominant figures, which allowed the dance to be seen as seductive, hitting a man's weakness. Arousing him She saw the look in her father's eyes when he watched her mother perform it. The way she looked at him. It was right. It was magic.
"Well I am now." She muttered, frowning at her thoughts.
Mina started chuckling, "I'm sorry, I did not mean for you to be."
Serenity glanced over at her friend who was trying to hold back her laughter. And smiled. Trust Mina to find her situation amusing. She looked over at the prince who was having his own private conversation with his general. Time for a role reversal. "What is it with you and Kunzite anyway?"
Mina stopped smiling and rolled her eyes in disgust. "Honestly, what is with everybody asking me that today?"
Serenity raised her eyebrows and tilted her head in curiosity. "Who else has been asking?"
Mina nodded her head in Endymion's direction. "Your man over there. You two are a nosy couple."
The princess frowned, "He's not my man. We're not a couple. And you are changing the subject."
"Nothing, nothing is going on between us. I wish people would just stop asking." She growled, voice rising with each word.
"Ok, ok. Settle. It was just a question."
Mina sighed. "I'm sorry. I have just had a frustrating day is all."
Serenity narrowed her eyes. "Alright. But do not expect to be able to swindle out of this. I'm going to ask again. And if you will not give me an answer, I will just ask him."
"Fine, fine. I will tell you later." She said submissively, sighing in defeat.
Satisfied with that, Serenity looked up to find everybody else standing up and getting ready to leave the table. Dinner was over. Perfect. And she did not even notice when the storm had eased and moved on.