AN: Hey, guys! Sorry for the bit of the delay in update. Things were busier than I thought they would be during the holidays, and then I hit a few road blocks with this chapter. But, things are picking up now, and assuming all goes as planned, I should have another chapter up soon after I update my other story, New Beginnings.
Speaking of which… I must do some shameless self-promotion here. New Beginnings is a Sailor Moon story, set during season 2, but it deviates from canon in several places. It's a sequel to my other story, Changes, but it can also act as a standalone fic. Since you guys have been so awesome, maybe you want to go and check it out? :D
Anyways, many thanks to my reviewers: moonlightlove1990, Rozenthorn, Moonprincess998, , and Hinata'sMuse. 5 reviews? You guys are awesome, and I love you all. Without further ado, chapter 21!
Serenity swung her sword towards Endymion with all her might, but he easily blocked her blow, and countered with an attack of his own.
"Don't put all your weight into the attack," he said, as he knocked her sword aside. "It throws you off balance, and makes it easier for someone to counterattack."
She nodded, blew her bangs out of her face, and raised her sword to try again. For awhile, there was just the clash of swords as they sparred, before Endymion broke through her defenses and knocked her to the ground.
"You always win!" Serenity complained.
"Yes, but you hold out longer each time," he said. "And I've been studying swordplay since I was old enough to hold a sword, I just started teaching you a few months ago."
Sitting up, she smiled. "I guess you're right. Good thing I have such a talented teacher."
Endymion helped her to her feet, and pulled her into an embrace. "Good thing I have such a talented student."
Jadeite, who was sitting at a nearby table in the courtyard, rolled his eyes. "You guys are disgustingly in love."
Serenity blushed, but Endymion just grinned and pulled Serenity closer to him. Looking around at her friends, all gathered in the Terran courtyard, Serenity smiled. All those months ago, when she had first ventured to Earth and fallen in love with Endymion, she never would have imagined that it would end up like this- all of her Senshi in love, her dearest friends supportive and understanding of her relationship with Endymion, because they experienced it, too. It was perfect.
Aphrodite stood on the shores of the lake, her eyes closed, enjoying the breeze and the mist from the lake. She should be happy. She was happy, mostly. She and Kunzite were more in love than ever, and they didn't even have to keep their relationship a secret. For the first time, she felt like perhaps a happy ending for them wasn't too implausible. And yet, she was troubled.
"Am I interrupting?" Kunzite asked from behind.
"Not at all," she said, smiling, and melting into his embrace. He kissed her, and she wished it were enough to make her forget about her worries.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sensing her tension.
"I don't know," she admitted. "I guess… well, part of it is Serenity. At the ball here on Terra the other night, she asked me to marry her and Endymion, in secret."
Kunzite's eyebrows rose at that. "That's quite a burden she's placed on you."
"I know," she said. "But I can't blame her for it. She's in love, and she's desperate for a way to make it more permanent. And I'm torn, because Sailor Venus, the Senshi of Love and Sailor Venus, guardian and protector of Princess Serenity, are at odds with other, and I don't know which one I feel more strongly."
"I wish I could help," he said, and Aphrodite knew how strongly he meant that. There were few things he hated more than feeling useless. It was a feeling they both shared.
"It helps just talking to you," she said.
"That's not the only reason you're distracted, is it?" he said, knowing her too well.
She shook her head. "No, it isn't. Can't you feel it? The change in the air? Something feels… different. Off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it has me worried."
"You worry too much," he said against her lips as he pulled her in for a kiss. "It is nothing, I'm sure."
Sighing, Aphrodite wished she could fully relax and believe him that it was nothing. But there had been some slight shift in the air, and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She feared that something was very, very wrong.
"Just admit it, Jadeite."
"I am not going to admit to something which isn't true!"
Enyo smirked. She and Jadeite had dueled, a rematch of the previous time, when Jadeite refused to admit defeat. She had beaten him, again, but he still refused to admit that she was a better warrior than he was.
"There's no shame in admitting defeat," she said, trying again. "You know, it takes a person with real honor and integrity to admit he's inferior."
"Nope, not going to happen," he said.
"So does that mean you don't have honor and integrity?" she asked with mock horror and indignation.
"Nice try, but you're not going to trick me into admitting you're a better warrior," he said. "Now, how about instead of arguing, we do something more productive with our time?"
"And what do you have in mind?" she said, raising an eyebrow as he drew her into an embrace.
"I was thinking," he started to say, pausing to kiss her neck. "That we could go out to the little gazebo on the far side of the lake. Watch the sunset. Relax."
"You certainly make a convincing argument, but…" she glanced over at Serenity and Endymion, who had stopped sparring, and were now sitting with their heads bent together, Serenity giggling at something. Enyo and Jadeite had stayed in the courtyard under the pretense that the Prince and Princess needed guardians with them at all times.
"They won't even notice we're gone," Jadeite promised, seeing Enyo's hesitation. "And you know they'll be fine on their own."
"Okay," she said, a smile breaking across her face. Jadeite grabbed her hand and they ran off. Enyo giggled at the excitement of running off, and the fact that it felt forbidden, despite the fact that they were not obligated to stay.
The giggling gave her pause—her, giggle? She was Enyo, accomplished fire priestess, Senshi of Fire and Passion, and a highly skilled warrior. She certainly did not giggle. And yet, looking at her hand intertwined in Jadeite's as they ran towards the lake, she felt the urge to giggle again.
What was this man doing to her? But she couldn't really complain. Jadeite had changed her, but she wouldn't take it back even if she could. Right now, in this moment, she felt light and buoyant, happier than she'd ever been. And it was all thanks to him.
A couple days later, Serenity stood in front of the mirror in her chambers, nervously smoothing down her dress. Queen Serenity had requested her presence at lunch today, and it would be the first time they had lunched together since she broke off her engagement to Prince Tatsuhiro.
"Your Highness?" Kaiya said at the doorway as she dropped into a curtsy. "I am bid to come bring you to lunch with Her Majesty the Queen."
Serenity sighed, and turned away from the mirror. "Thank you, Kaiya." She joined her lady-in-waiting, and together they walked the long corridors to the private courtyard, where Serenity was to meet her mother for lunch.
As she walked in silence, she wondered what she was supposed to say to her mother. They had once been so close, and Serenity never would have thought of hiding something from her mother. But now, all the important things in her life were things her mother couldn't know about. Her frequent trips to Earth. Her relationship with Endymion. If Queen Serenity were to find out about these, she would never allow Serenity to continue on with them.
And so, sighing, she smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in the skirts of her dress, and wondered how she would survive a private lunch with her mother. It pained her, knowing that something which used to bring her so much joy was now something she dreaded. But there was no alternative.
They arrived outside the doors to the courtyard, and Kaiya curtsied and left, leaving Serenity alone.
"Serenity!" the Queen opened the glass doors, and drew her daughter into a warm embrace. "I'm so glad you could make room in your schedule for lunch with me today. I know you've been busy with your studies lately."
"It's no trouble at all, mother," Serenity said with a smile and a curtsy.
"Good." The Queen smiled broadly, and sat down at the table, gesturing for Serenity to do the same. There was a feast laid out in front of them—poached eggs over roasted vegetables, a charcuterie and cheese board, and candied fruit for dessert. All this was accompanied by a pitcher of chilled sweet tea.
Serenity sat with her hands folded demurely in her lap, not sure if she should say something, or if she should wait for her mother to say something.
"Is something wrong?" Queen Serenity asked.
"Pardon?" Serenity looked up from her lap, startled.
The Queen frowned. "You seem… distant. And you haven't even touched your food! This may be our last day of warm weather, and normally you would leap at the chance to have a late summer's meal like this."
"I'm sorry," she said, helping herself to the food. "You're right. The food looks delicious, and I know we may not get another day like this for quite some time, with the colder weather coming. I'm just a little distracted, that's all."
"Well, I hope you can manage to focus yourself soon. There's a ball coming up, and I'd like you to think about finding a husband."
Serenity nearly choked on her food. A husband? Again? She had thought that she would have more time… time in which she could secretly marry Endymion, and avoid having this happen ever again.
Seeing her daughter's panicked face, Queen Serenity laughed. "Relax. I'm not going to force you into anything, especially not after… what happened the last time you were engaged. I just want you to think about. You're young and beautiful, with your whole life ahead of you.
"But you're also a woman now, Serenity, not a little girl, and it's time to start thinking about and making plans for the future. Can you just promise me you will dance with your suitors at the ball, and seriously consider a marriage to one of them?"
Serenity hated lying to her mother, but she knew she couldn't say no. Besides, how would the Queen be able to tell if she was seriously considering marriage or not? So, she smiled, nodded, and said, "Of course."
"I'm glad," the Queen said. "I know growing up can be frightening, but marriage with the right person can be wonderful, and there are plenty of kind, smart and eligible young men out there. I know that my time with your father was some of the happiest moments of my life." She drifted off, a slightly sad smile on her face.
"How did you know he was the one for you?" Serenity asked carefully. Her mother rarely spoke of her father, and she knew from past experience that if she pushed too far, her mother would shut off completely.
"I just… knew," the Queen said. "From the moment I met him, everything just seemed right, and I knew he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I was lucky." She shook her head slowly, and focused her attention back on her daughter. "But even if you aren't so lucky, even if you don't meet a man who seems perfect right away, love can grow over time. Being the future Queen of this kingdom means sometimes making sacrifices."
Serenity looked down. She wished she could tell her mother that she already had found the perfect man—he was kind and smart, perfect for her in every way, and a prince, too!—but she knew her mother would never understand.
Instead, they ate the rest of their lunch in relative silence, the Queen still lost in a dreamlike state as she remembered her lost husband, and Serenity as she thought about the man who would hopefully be her future husband.
In the days that passed, things were much the same—the Senshi would accompany Serenity to Earth, where they would all meet with their lovers. Sometimes they would all converse together, but more often, each pair would go off on their own.
Jadeite and Enyo would bicker like crazy, often about Jadeite being a prick (in Enyo's words) or Enyo being a haughty know-it-all (Jadeite's words). But underneath it all, there was genuine love and respect, and you could tell by their smiles and they way they looked at each other that it was all in jest.
Athena and Nephrite spent their time sparring, or off to one corner, chatting. Nephrite would flirt with Athena, and she'd laugh and punch him in the shoulder for being so formal.
Metis and Zoisite could usually be found reading a book together, their heads bent together as they discussed scientific theories, or playing chess—games which seemed to go on forever, as each was a master at the game.
But it wasn't all formalities with them—every now and then, they'd look up from whatever they were doing, catch each other's eye, and blush and turn away. But anyone could see how much tenderness was there. And then there were moments when they thought no one was looking, and Zoisite would shyly kiss Metis, and the love was clearly visible.
For Kunzite and Aphrodite, they spent most of their time curled around each other, talking about politics, or love, or each other, or nothing at all. Kunzite would absentmindedly stroke Aphrodite's hair, while she rested her head on his shoulder, or they would sit with their hands intertwined, saying nothing at all, simply basking in each other's presence.
And Serenity and Endymion would continue sparring, as Serenity became more and more confident with a sword. Endymion would tease her and try and distract her, and she'd laugh and kiss him. When he wasn't teaching her to fight, she would sit on his lap, as she told him stories to make him laugh, and he'd kiss the tip of her nose.
After a day just like this, Aphrodite came up to Serenity right before they left to return to Luna, and pulled her out of earshot of the other Senshi.
"What is it?" Serenity asked. "Is something wrong?"
Aphrodite took a deep breath. "I've thought about what you asked me, at the Terran ball. And I'll do it. I'll marry you and Endymion."
AN: Apologies for the slight cliffie… hehe, oops. But please review! You guys have been amazing lately, and it means so much to me, so keep it up!