Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I become fully cognizant. The stark walls of the hospital should surround me, but there is only darkness. This darkness is almost palpable and there is no mistaking the evil. Worse than anything, it's familiar. My eyes snap open to an obscurity so all consuming I could see it without eyes. I'm back in the cell, except this time it's not some spectral dream of a past I'd just as soon forget; this is the reality of the moment. I feel it draw me back into that awful memory, and the old fear surfaces again. Beryl…

The man lowers his hood and I recoil in horror. The others follow suit. Darien's guards, Jareid's friends also, and they've betrayed us. Trust and loyalty are such dear things to me that I forget for an instant who I am, and where I am, as I become too incensed to bear it.

"How dare you! You who pledged your lives, your hearts! How dare you insult the princesses and Darien, your truest friend, whom you swore to protect with your very lives!" My tone is scything to my own ears, but Jadeite laughs easily.

"I think we upset her," he mocks me, "we must defend our honor." I had gotten to my feet as I spoke. He raises his hand in front of him, palm out, and knocks me back into the fall without having to take so much as a step forward. The breath is knocked out of me and I can't rise for a moment. Their attention is quickly drawn away from me as another enters the dungeon. They drop to their knees in an almost groveling sign of respect.

"Be careful, my generals, remember I have plans," Beryl's serpentine voice is well suited to her equally baneful and snake like beauty. "Bring her to the chamber." She turns brusquely with a rustle of skirt and flick of hair. Jadeite steps forward to pull me to my feet. Zoycite takes my other arm and together they drag me from the cell and up a long, winding staircase. Light is a fleeting thing in this place. It hides from the darkness afraid to show itself. They deposit me on the floor of a wide room with a low ceiling, only one word describes it: evil. Malachite brandishes a knife. I do not want to die here! I fight against their iron hold. Useless to resist, but I never relinquish all control so easily.

Kunzite seizes my shoulder length hair and pulls it out behind me. I think it is another tactic to use to hold me down. I ignore it, a deadly mistake. Malachite brings the knife down and I scream despite myself. Beryl takes the hair to throw into a small dark pool that lies in the floor. The surface bubbles ethereally. By this time, I am beyond reason, I thrash about, but Malachite still has the knife and the other three hold me fast. Beryl enters the pool. It boils wherever it comes in contact with her flesh. Jadeite clenches my arm, making me keep it straight out over the water while Malachite cuts across the wrist. I scream again, this time in pain. Blood runs freely down my wrist into the water instantly transforming it into a diaphanous liquid. After a time, I collapse.

When I wake up, I am back in at my room at the palace. Startled, I sit up and look for signs of life or some reassurance that this is not a dream or cruel chicanery. A clean bandage binds the wound on my wrist. The sudden flow of blood from my head makes me dizzy such that I fall back to the soft bed. The need of another person, if only for the comfort of his or her presence, is strong enough that I succeed in my struggle to sit up and then to walk.

Peripheral vision disappears as I run down the lonely halls. Where are the guards? The imposing doors of the throne room are before me. I enter surreptitiously through a side way, feeling suddenly too unclean to enter this place. The queen speaks to Luna and Artemis, her closest and most trusted advisors.

"Then it's true, she has sunk to a new level," Luna says with disgust and trepidation, "I suppose that we cannot let this interfere when the welfare of the entire kingdom is at stake."

"This is true, but I simply cannot imagine sacrificing her life without some resistance," Serenity answers. She paces agitatedly before her throne, "If Serena were to find out –"

"But she won't know. How can we tell her the life of her best friend and companion will end if Beryl is killed? Beryl has outthought us this time, we must choose. Kill Beryl and save the kingdom, or allow her to continue building her army so that one girl can live on." Artemis says, shaking his head slowly as though he cannot imagine he dares to voice his next words, "Their lives are joined for an eternity. We haven't considered the reverse. Maybe if she were to die then Beryl would die also." The queen cries out horrified at the implications of what he is suggesting. Artemis bows his head in shame.

"No, Beryl would never have taken that chance. If we must fight Beryl, so be it, but not until the time comes. For now, we will wait for the enemy to come to us. Believe me, I understand the risk," Serenity allows her voice to drop to a whisper to convey the deep sorrow she feels for her kingdom and for permitting herself to be backed into such a corner by her own morality.

"Will it matter in the end? If we win, then she dies anyway, and if we lose, then…" Luna does not know what will happen then. Beryl, like the Senshi and all connected with the planetary power, is destined to live until that power is cut off.

"Then she will live forever, with Beryl as ruler," Artemis finishes for her. I stand frozen in place, hidden by the decorative hangings behind the throne. My life is valued such that they would consider risking the entire kingdom, billions of people, for it. On the other hand, perhaps they feared Serena. It does not matter, either way I cannot let my life impede their decisions. I run back the way I came, this time taking the fork that leads to the communications room. Serena is walking serenely from that direction, having just spoken to Darien no doubt. I feel hot tears fall down my cheek. She looks up in surprise and moves to intercept me. I brush pass her awkwardly, wanting to stop and say goodbye because I believe I will not see her again, but knowing I cannot stop. Serena is not to be put off so easily, she gracefully lifts her skirts up enough to be able to hasten after me. However, I reach the room first and lock the door behind me. Fumbling with the switches and not entirely of sound mind, I manage to turn the equipment on and call to Jarreid.

His smile falters as he takes in my disheveled appearance. I collapse on the floor, having lost too much blood to stand any longer. I rush to fill him in on all that has happened. The shock, rage, betrayal of his friends, and fear for what has happened fight for possession of his mind. Concern for me wins out. He tries to comfort me, but I push his words aside as I tell him of what I intend to do, with his help. I will steal into Sailor Jupiter's garden where the most wild and exotic flowers of the solar system can be found. There is one in particular, which causes a death like sleep to any that eats its petals, which will be off use. The Senshi are away. After returning from earth, they went to their respective planets to pay homage to their parents. Jupiter would be the only one who could recognize the signs from this poison, so no one will suspect a thing. Jarreid will come for the funeral, as would be natural for the fiancé. It is traditional on the moon to send the deceased into the sun, as a symbol of coming into light, or a better place. He would collect my body before then, administer the antidote, and, together, we would take refuge on earth, Beryl's plan having failed. If he does not come, I will die, so there is no way for this to go wrong.

Jarreid only agrees to it because if he did not, I will kill myself here and now. I gather my remaining strength and set out stealthily down the hall. Jupiter's garden is a large enclosed dome that controls light, temperature and irrigation. She had shown me through here only a day ago, or perhaps it was not so long ago. Then maybe it was longer. I have lost track of time and fallen into the surreal. It is dark at this time, which is fortuitous for me as the flower blooms at night and will be easier to see. I pluck one and retreat to one of the guest bedrooms. There will be a few moments before the drug takes over, during which I can remove all trace of it. I pull back the petals carefully so as not to drop one. They task bitter, almost acidic and I feel their caustic flavor painfully. I clean my hands, and the area, then lay down wearily on the bed, hoping they will blame my death on a loss of blood.

Sometime later, I wake up. Jarreid's face slowly becomes clear as the sleep filled fog of my sight disappears. His distress is evident, but I smile in reassurance. He tells me we are on earth, in hiding. It has been a week since my "death." Princess Serena is in mourning and Darien had gone to comfort her. I am remorseful that Beryl chose this time to scheme; Serena was to have a ball to celebrate her coming of age in a few days. He assures me that Darien will be able to console her and the affair will go on as planned. The danger is still great for us. Beryl was outraged by my "death", as she knows I am alive. She had sent messengers to the Queen in order to convince her of this, but she would not believe it. Now Beryl is looking for me to verify her claims to the Queen. With Jarreid by my side, I am having a hard time being troubled by this. There is one other thing to worry about, he imparts to me, my mother is on the verge of collapse, and perhaps even suicide, over my "death."

We sit quietly together in the small cottage. Birds sing cheerily outside, making all of this seem somehow inconsequential. I say that I cannot let my own mother suffer because of me; She has to know I am alive. Jarreid agrees reluctantly and we plan our next course of action.

I thought the chapter was getting excessively long, so I've cut in half to be psychologically shorter for anyone reading this. In other words, expect the next chapter to come out this week, as soon as I'm done proof reading it.