Author's Notes: Hi everyone! I just wanted to tell you that Usa-oneesan is the one who wrote this chapter, so all the credit goes to her, k? Also, this chapter is dark. You have been warned.
Warning: In case none of you read the author's notes, this chapter is dark.
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Forbidden Love
Chapter 5 - A Dark Turn of Events
Authors: Usa-chan & Krys Yuy
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Serenity leaned back to stare into Jadeite's eyes. "Why are you here?"
Jadeite grinned and kissed the Princess's cheek. "We're here to protect Prince Arrogance."
Serenity giggled, "Honto? Demo all four of you?"
Jadeite mock frowned, "He sent an urgent request for us from Earth. What'd you do to him?"
Serenity grinned, "Only got revenge. You don't know what he tried to do to me, Jadeite-chan! If it hadn't been for Heero-san..." She let her words trail off and shivered. She forced the usual bright smile to her face and grinned, "Demo it's over now so I'm alright! Will you be staying for the ball?"
"Heero?" Jadeite asked an amused smile sliding onto his lips. "Serenity-chan, am I sensing a crush?"
Serenity flushed faintly, "Baka, Jadeite! Why would I have a crush?" Her face fell for a moment and her eyes darkened, "Besides you know as well as I do that I'm betrothed to Endymion."
Jadeite winced, "I feel sorry for you having to go through that by the way."
Serenity sighed, "Demo... Okaasan won't even listen to me when I tell her what kind of person he is. All she cares about is her Kingdom... I wish... I wish I'd have never been born," she snapped before picking up her skirts and running away tears of fury and pain starting to trail down her cheeks.
Rei scowled at Jadeite, "Way to go, baka."
Heero who had been watching in the shadows frowned. He stepped towards the group, "Is it really safe for her to be running off like that? She was attacked earlier by one of those Dark Kingdom beasts and this time she doesn't have my gun."
Serenity ran faster letting her dress drop from her hands and ignoring the sounds of tearing fabric as the hem got caught in a tree's root and she pulled free. "I ... I want to be free," she whimpered feeling the hot salty tears stream down her soft cheeks. She ignored where she was going and didn't pay heed to anything but getting as far away from the Palace as possible. She felt one of her shoes fall off and cursing she bent down to get it.
"What a pleasure it is to find you out here, Hime," whispered a gruff voice near her ear.
Serenity turned and looked up startled as a heavy hand slammed into her left cheek. She screamed but one of the torn and muddied shreds of her dress was stuffed into her mouth. She looked up at the almost human like youma and shivered.
The creature smirked dark blue lips lifting to reveal normal looking teeth. "You're a real catch you know. I could just sell you and make far more then Beryl would ever give me... of course isn't it customary for merchants to test their wares first?"
Serenity's eyes widened and she began to struggle more. Fear clouding her mind. She managed to spit the make-shift gag out and ignored the hand that slammed into her cheek again. She could taste blood and knew the second blow must have split her lip. She turned her head and took a deep breath. "HEERO!" she screamed as a fist connected with her unharmed cheek.
The creature snarled dark green eyes filled with fury, "BAKA!" It roared throwing her as hard as it could against a tree. Serenity gasped as her soft body hit the rough bark of the tree. Her head bounced off the wood and for a second her vision was complete black, "Heero..." her cries were becoming sobs and it was the last time she was able to whisper his name as the gag was roughly pushed into her mouth. She sobbed as the smells of the youma started to overwhelm her and she was forced to fight to retain her conciousness. She was dimly aware of the energy draining ropes she was being tied up with and gasped as she realized the thing was tugging at her delicate dress. Her eyes were filled with confusion for a moment before she realized what it was trying to do. Hysteria welled up in her throat and she began to struggle more.
The sound of fabric being ripped sounded as loud as screams to Serenity's ears and she struggled wildly as the thing loomed closer rancid breath fanning her face. "You'll make me rich, Hime," it grunted red skin shining in the daylight. It ran a finger down her chek picking up blood and tears and a long pink lizard-like tongue shot out and licked the moisture off his fingertip. "Mmmmmm."
Serenity's cries had been reduced to soft sobs as she felt rough hands on her arm. She closed her eyes as she felt her arm being squeezed and twisted and she almost choked on the gag when she could practically feel the cruel thing attempting to break her arm.
"Humans are so weak. Demo before I sell you I should get a look at you to see just how much you can make me." She felt more of her material rip and the lacey silk floated to the ground leaving her exposed and unprotected.
There was the sound of a gunshot and the youma fell away a look of utter shock on its face. Serenity felt the ropes go slack and through her hazy vision realized Heero had finally come. A deep frown restd on his lips and he lifted her in his arms wrapping her body in what was left of her dress. He tore the gag out of her mouth and she saw his eyes narrow at the crimson red color it had become.
"Daijobu ka?" Heero asked as Serenity turned her head to the side and spit out the blood that would have eventually choked her. She turned back towards him a ray of sunlight lancing through the treetops and revealing her face for the first time. She heard him curse and felt his arms slacken slightly.
"I knew... you'd come, Heero," She said a faint smile coming to her lips. She leaned her head against him and closed her eyes her body trembling a final time before she allowed her exhaustion to overcome her.
Heero glanced down at the burden in his arms his eyes narrowing. 'If I had been any later she could have...' He shook his head faintly pulling her closer to him until he heard her whimper. He loosened his grip slightly and walked back towards the Palace not quite sure what he was going to do or explain what had happened.
Duo looked up from talking with Makoto his eyes widened. "Nani?... Heero? What happened???"
Heero ignored him and walked by going to Ami's side. "One of those creatures had her tied to a tree and did this to her. You're a healer, ne?"
Ami stared at her princess in shock. "Serenity..."
"SERENITY! What did you do to my daughter? I knew you five were trouble!"
Heero looked up and saw a furious Queen Serenity with Endymion slightly behind a smug smirk on his lips. It was obvious that he had been the one to alert the queen.
The Queen shook her head rage shining in her eyes. "All five of you are going to the dungeons. You'll be executed in the morning."
Minako gasped, "Nani? Serenity-sama, Heero-san didn't do this to her! A youma did."
The Queen shook her head, "I don't want to hear it. I can see for myself that he did this. Disgusting animal. GUARDS!"
The four senshi could only watch shocked as the five pilots were taken away and Princess Serenity was taken to the medical room.
Jadeite glanced at Rei, "What just happened?" He was started to see almost tears in the fire maiden's eyes. "Rei-san?" He asked concerned.
Rei looked up, "We have to save them... Jadeite-san will you and the other generals help us?"
"Help you free the prisoners?" He whispered as he realized Endymion was coming back.
Rei nodded once. "Endymion, this is your fault this happened to her," Rei spat her eyes narrowed.
Endymion almost smirked, "You'd be surprised how sweet revenge is, Rei-san," he said with a smile. "Now I'm going to go visit the prisoners. I do believe I owe one of them for being with my fiancee." He walked off leaving the senshi and even his own guards furious.
Serenity awoke a cry coming to her lips. Beside her the Queen of Mercury sat. "Daijobu ka, Serenity?"
Serenity winced, "Where's Heero?"
"Who?"
"The boy... the one with the green tanktop."
"Is he the one that did that to you?"
"IIE!!! Heero saved me! A youma attacked me out there... I need to see Heero... demo..." She looked up at the older woman her eyes pleading, "O-negai, don't tell Okaasan."
"Serenity-san... you don't understand. Your Mother has ordered all five of those boys to be executed."
"NANI?" Serenity sat up ignoring the pain. "You have to keep her busy while I talk to Heero. O-negai?"
The older woman nodded. She had seen the gradual way that the elder Serenity's concern had went from Princess Serenity to caring only for her Kingdom and relations with other planets. "Hai, just hurry."
Serenity smiled thankfully then hurried out of the room. She knew her Mother wasn't around. She doubted if the woman would ever be around if she had been killed that day. She stayed out of sight of the guards and hurried as quickly as her injuries would allow.
Heero looked up as the door opened and a smirking Prince arrived. "You should have stayed away from her. Of course it was a small price to pay to get you into this situation. However I had given specific orders for that numbskull to leave her face untouched. Honestly... how can I be seen going to the ball with someone looking like THAT."
Heero frowned his eyes narrowing. "You arranged that?"
Endymion smirked, "Hai, it taught both of you a lesson."
Duo standing beside Heero scowled deeply, "You're sick. She could have DIED."
Endymion shrugged, "And that affects me how? Queen Serenity is too concerned about relations with Earth to be concerned about anything else."
"So you arranged for something like that to happen to her, your own fiancee?" Duo demanded with a scowl.
"Nani?" Whispered a soft voice.
Endymion scowled at the stricken Princess, "You weren't supposed to hear that..." He stepped towards her pinning her to the wall. "You know your mother wouldn't believe you anyways pathetic Princess."
Serenity closed her eyes her body trembling. If what she had heard was true then the youma had been following Endymion's orders. She remembered the feel of the thing's hands and she shivered an almost whimper escaping her. 'Iie... that can't be true. Why would he do that to me? I know he doesn't love me demo... to wish for something like that to happen?'
Endymion frowned, "I'm going to tell your Mother to postpone the ball. I refuse to go with you looking like that." He stalked off leaving Serenity crouched against the wall eyes closed.
Heero noticed Duo reaching through the bars and gently touching Serenity's back. "Daijobu, Serenity. I won't let him hurt you again."
Serenity glanced at him for a moment. "Arigato, Duo-kun... demo...." She turned to Heero, "You have to get out of here. I could talk Ruka-chan into hiding you aboard her shuttle and taking you back to her planet. I won't let Okaasan kill you for a crime you didn't commit..."
Heero simply watched her making no move to accept her offer of freedom. "On one condition."
Serenity smiled. Even if her life would be ruined for as long as she lived at least her friends would have escaped. "Hai?"
"You have to come with us."