At the dining table, Venus enthusiastically ate the fish on her plate.
"I always though the fish here are better than on Neptune."she said to everyone present.
"I agree!"Serenity told her.
"You would agree even if she were wrong. After all, the fish is food! And we all know food is one of your favorite subjects."Mars commented.
"Food is an interesting subject."Jadeite said. "Ouch!"
Mars had kicked him under the table.
"What's the matter with you?"Kunzite demaded at Jadeite's outburst.
"Sorry."Jadeite immediately apologized.
"Perhaps the one who should be apologizing should be someone else."said Nephrite.
The girls looked confused.
"Apologize?"asked Mars suspiciously, her eyes on Jadeite.
"He didn't mean me, I swear!"he said hastily.
"What is Nephrite talking about, Zoicite?"Mercury asked Zoicite.
"Ask him."Zoicite simply said.
All the guys were looking at Kunzite, who cleared his throat.
"To change the subject,"he said, turning to Venus. "I would like to apologize for the way I've been acting."
Venus dropped her fork.
"You would?"she asked.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day when Kunzite apologizes to someone in front of a crowd!"said Jadeite.
"Jadeite, shut up!"Mars told him.
"Yes, I'm sorry. It was just the surprise of-"he stopped. He'd been about to say it was just the surprise of Serenity and Endymion having arranged the marriage, but he remembered that there were members of the staff present, and on Venus it wasn't customary to arrange marriages for any reason. "just the realization that I'm actually going to be married."he said, hoping it was the right thing to say.
"Oh, I see. Well, I accept your apologies."she said, smiling.
Endymion gestured towards the jug in the middle of the table.
"Allow me."said Kunzite reaching for it, noticing as Venus was about to gesture to someone to pour her drink for her.
She smiled.
"Thank you."
When they finished the meal, he also escorted her out of the dining room, to the parlor, where the girls would be spending the evening, doing their embroidery, or reading.
"Wow! That was quite a change!"Venus said, settling herself on the sofa.
"He did seem more attentive."Mercury agreed.
"I wonder why?"
Artemis looked out the window, determined not to make his presence known.
"You know,"Venus turned to Serenity. "It might not be such a bad idea, this marriage! Maybe it really was just that he was surprised at the whole thing. And tactful enough not to mention the fact that it was arranged in front of the servants!"she added.
Artemis smiled to himself. He had to hand it to himself, he'd done a marvelous job.
"See, I told you!"Serenity told her.
Venus smiled, and looked delighted.
"I'm actually just as excited as any bride!"she said. "Even though I know I said I wouldn't marry him! I will!"
"Of course you will! You've already been told you will."Mars told her.
"But it's so much better that you're looking forward to it now."Mercury smiled.
Kunzite walked in to the game room, where the other three shitenou, and Endymion were waiting.
"I hope that whoever was watching took note."he said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"If they're Venusians, they probably did, so don't you worry about that."said Zoicite.
Kunzite turned to Endymion.
"Did you find it to your satisfaction, Sir?"he asked, ignoring Zoicite.
"That depends, Kunzite, on what Princess Venus thought about it, so you'll probably know tomorrow."
Kunzite nodded.
"And speaking of tomorrow…"Endymion began. "Just what do you plan on giving her?"
"Um…"Kunzite began.
Endymion shook his head.
"Kunzite, Kunzite, I don't think she'll find um very romantic."Nephrite said.
"Nephrite's right."Zoicite added.
"So, while we play a game of cards, why don't you think about just what you will give to your fiancé as a gift?"Endymion told him.
"And you should probably think, and practice what you're going to say while you give it to her as well."Nephrite added.
"That's your homework."Zoicite added, smiling.
"I have no clue."Kunzite admitted, looking desperate.
Everyone else seemed intent on the cards in their hands.
"It can't be so hard, Kunzite!"Nephrite told him.
"I'm not you, Nephrite! I don't know just what I should do!"
"A flower."Nephrite suggested. "Jupiter always loves flowers. For her garden."
"Chocolates."Endymion put in. "Serenity loves chocolates, or anything with chocolate in it."
"Promise her a honeymoon around the Galaxy."Jadeite suggested. "Just if it's a promise, make sure you can keep it. Mars hates it when I say something, and don't keep it. And she's got a sharp memory."
"Jewelry."Zoicite told him. "Mercury loves jewelry."
Kunzite sighed.
"Why don't we draw straws, and see whose idea wins?"Endymion suggested. "Or why don't we get Artemis to tell us just what Venus would like! Or one of the other girls?"
"There'd be no time, then!"Kunzite said.
"True…"
"I know!"Endymion gave him a rose. "Just give her a rose! Just this once! We'll have to think of something tomorrow!"
"A painting! Of a scene she loves!"Nephrite suggested.
"Or a portrait of herself!"Zoicite said.
Everyone turned to stare. Zoicite shrugged.
"Mercury told me about that from a book she read once."he told them. "He was a painter, and he painted a portrait of her. She cherished it forever. If only I could paint! She said she always dreamed that she would be proposed to like that. But it only happens in fairy tales! Hmm. No, you know, forget the painting. Forget I ever mentioned it. I'll do that. I'll find someone who can paint, and, yes…forget I mentioned it."
"Then why'd you mention it?"
"Just forget it!"
"So, the rose?"Kunzite asked.
"We'll move on to something else next."Endymion told him.