"Yeah, Sapphire. I hope I'm not too much of a bother to have
around the palace. If so, I'd be glad
to leave. But… I'm afraid to say
Diamond might leave with me, so it might be to your interest if I stayed."
Ebony hugged her knees.
"Oh, no. You're fine. It's okay for you to stay here, as long as
you keep Diamond as happy as he has been in the past few days." He laughed.
"What do you mean? Isn't he always like that?" she asked,
bringing her eyebrow down-turned in a concerned look.
Sapphire let out a roaring laugh.
"Oh, Kami, no! He's been, for the past
few years, bitter and mean, and unwilling to listen to anything anyone else has
to say. He was also a drunk-wouldn't go
even for a few hours without champagne." He added. "You seem to have a sunshine
affect on him, so I'm glad that you're here."
Ebony blushed slightly, then wiped a
piece of hair from her face.
There was an extended silence, almost
uncomfortable, yet not. There was more Sapphire wanted to say, and more Ebony
wanted to hear, but they knew it wasn't the time.
"Well, thank you, Sapphire, for
enlightening me on how much of an impact I have on him." She nodded, taking his
hand and squeezing it.
He smiled.
"He really does love you, Ebony."
Sapphire whispered, smiling into her eyes. "It'll just be hell's ice that hits him in the head before he says it."
With that, he stood up, dropping her
hand, and walked out of the room.
Diamond bumped into him in the hall,
and stopped.
"What did you accomplish, Diamond?"
Sapphire asked calmly, though his mind was twitchy at the thought of him
actually talking to the queen- the former object of his idolatry.
"Ebony has some business to accomplish
with the queen, so we're all going to Crystal Tokyo tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. to
help her settle it. Oh, if you don't
mind, that is. I would like you and
Emerald to come along to help back up Ebony and let the queen know that she
really is a true woman, with her own power and spirit. You both have witnessed, so I figured it
would be good for Ebony." Diamond reasoned.
"Diamond, I wish you had consulted me
before you had made the decision." Sapphire stated, trying not to flinch at the
thought of how he might react.
"You don't have to go, Sapphire. I'm not making you. I just wanted to help Ebony… But you don't
have to… I just- the queen doesn't trust me very much, considering the past ways
that I have been presented towards her. She still believes I desire her, still thinks I want to take over
Crystal Tokyo, and that I'm evil. She
doesn't know that I am sleeping with her daughter, or even her daughter's
present state. Serenity has no idea
that Ebony's name isn't Chibi Usa anymore. I left that for the lady to tell, so she may fight her own battles. And
besides, it wouldn't have been a good plan to tell the queen how much I care
for…" Sighing, Diamond patted his brother on the shoulder. "Anyway, I hope you and Emerald will come
with me tomorrow- it'll be a lot of help, not just for Ebony, but for me."
Smiling, Sapphire placed his hand on
top of Diamond's.
"I'd be glad to accompany you."
Diamond's face broadened in a glowing
smile.
"Thank you so much." Was all he allowed himself to say, his eyes sparkling
with gratitude.
Walking back into the bedroom, her
greeted Ebony with a smile. However, to his dismay, he found her dressed and
the bed made.
"Come now, Ebony, why are you preparing
and what for?" he questioned.
"I don't know… but I thought that maybe
we should just… stop for a while…" she frowned, shrugging her shoulders.
"Ebony, what's wrong?" he asked
concerned, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Nothing, Diamond. I'm fine."
Diamond took her hand in his and rubbed
it gently with his thumb.
"I don't believe that. I've said that too many times in my life,
lying to whomever I have to, but it never helped and it never solved anything.
And I know when something needs to be solved." He smiled softly.
"Who was that woman on the pictacom?"
she inquired slowly.
"That was the queen. Serenity, if you will." He replied, still
holding her hand.
"What did the old witch want?" Ebony
rolled her eyes.
"Ebony, you don't have to be so crude
about it. I scheduled a meeting tomorrow
at 5:00 so you could tell her and show her and the scouts yours power." Diamond
told her, almost proudly.
"Why did you make a meeting? God,
Diamond, you just screwed it up. You
can't be aggressive and show them how powerful you are when you 'schedule' a
meeting! Damn!" she shouted and pushed up from the bed, dropping his hand
abruptly.
Diamond's eyes went wide.
"Ebony, I was only helping you like I
said I would." Hid voice took on a more serious tone.
"I know, but that wasn't the smartest
thing you could have done!" she yelled and sighed loudly in frustration.
"I could have just left it at that and
not defended you at all- would you have liked that?" he asked sardonically.
"Now just what the hell is that
supposed to mean?!?" Ebony whipped around, glaring at him.
"You tell me." Diamond stared blankly,
yet cruelly at her, though not realistically- just for effect.
"You prick- what's gotten ahold of
you?!?" she looked at him, cocking her head to the side.
"What gotten ahold of me? Ebony, you came at me with an
attitude when I was helping you do what you needed and wanted to show your
might. Where do you get off acting like
that when I was being so kind to you?" he spoke firmly, but not crudely.
Ebony just stared.
"But if I did say anything offensive, you
of all people should be able to know that I didn't mean it. I care about you so much more than anything
I've ever had feelings for and I wouldn't ever want to offend you or make you
feel bad."
Tears welled up in her eyes as they
went wide.
"Oh, D-diamond… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to treat you like that." Her
lower lip quivered.
"Ebony, don't cry. It's okay." Diamond took her into his arms,
holding her like a child, and a lover at the same time.
They held each other, rocking back and
forth, for a few minutes before they took a laying position, with her at his
side.
"You really care about me that much,
Diamond?" she asked him silently.
They sat there in silence; without an
answer.
There came a slight knock at the door,
then a louder one to justify that someone was there- undoubtedly Sapphire not
wanting to intrude once more.
"Dinner is ready, Diamond. If you want to eat, come out… or… just… come
out later… if you want…" Footsteps conceded, growing less and less.
Both of them stood up about the same time,
more or less, clasping hands once more.
As they approached the door, Diamond
leaned quite close to her ear, lips brushing against it.
"Yes, Ebony. I do." He purred. "You are my world."
As Ebony cleared the table and Diamond
helped her generously, Emerald retreated to her room.
She sat upon her bed, and yawned.
Climbing into her silk pajamas (or more
lingerie), there came a knock on her door. She sighed and, brushing her hair,
waltzed over to see who had knocked.
Opening the door, Emerald found, to her
surprise, nobody. Instead, there lay a
rose on her doorstep. Attached was a
note that red-
Dearest Emerald,
I
can't help but think about you. I try to live my life, but as I hear your
breath, mine stops in mid-inhale, knowing that you are more deserving of the
air than I. You are an incredible person, and you have captured my heart like
no other. In dreams, you are not as wondrous as in reality. I can't explain the way I feel, since it
goes far beyond words. I know this is all sudden and you have no idea where my
emotion came from, but this is the way I feel when I'm close to you. Even if
you don't feel the same way, I just wanted you to know that I do. Hopefully you won't be insulted, and we may
remain friends above all. You are so sweet, and I'd hate to lose a friend like
you over something as silly as my emotions. Have a good night's sleep, and if you don't feel for me, don't moon over
the fact that I do, because I would hate to make you think of me when you
didn't want me to… oh, I'm sorry. I'm just
babbling again, aren't I? Kinda nervous, but that doesn't matter anymore. Good night, sweet Emerald.
Sapphire
Emerald put one hand on her chest. How
could this man have so many feelings for her and she not even detect the
depth? Wiping a tear from her eye, she
set down the tiny note, though it was five pages long on note cards.
Standing up, Emerald strolled to the
door, and twisted the knob and pushing it open. From there, she tapped down the
hall to a familiar room.
She placed her fist on Sapphire's door,
and pounded a few times.
No answer.
She hit it again.
Nothing.
"I'm not in there, Emerald." A voice
whispered from behind her.
"Good. 'Cause I would have dragged you
out here anyway. What the hell is
this?" she snapped, taking him by surprise.
"Um, it's a- a love letter, I guess…
Why? Don't you like it? Or was it insulting? Oh, Go- I knew it was a bad idea!
I shouldn't have even-" he shook his head and placed it in his hand.
"Shh, shh." Emerald put her fingers to
his lips. "It was the sweetest thing I've ever read."
"Really?" Sapphire asked in awe.
"Yes… but why? What about me has you so
wrapped up? I'm just like any other
woman."
Placing his hand on hers, though more
brushing it than holding it, he smiled.
"Emerald, it's your fiery spirit, and
you kindness; your beauty, your strength, endurance, lips, eyes, nose, mouth,
temper, passion, love, sparkle, increduous smile, tears, emotions, everything
about you, love, is what I fell in love with. It's what I crave, what I desire. And what's more, it's what I need. You body and mine, they are the
same. That night when you fell asleep
when we were talking, I felt your heartbeat. And it matched mine. Emerald,
I'm in love with you. No one thing had
led me to you, but all the things. They
match me, my soul… I can't describe… but I don't know if you would truly
understand if I did… I don't even understand it… but it's there… and I-"
Sapphire gasped suddenly, realizing how much of everything he said. "-I-I got
to go… I-I'm sorry, for disturbing you, Emerald… It won't happen again."
Turning abruptly, Sapphire got ready to
race down the hall in a split second, not realizing his room was right in front
of him.
Sighing, Emerald smiled. She took his hand, and pulled it to her
breast. His face went absolutely pale,
then bright red.
"My heartbeat, Sapphire." She let go of
his hand, letting it remain on her chest. Then placing her hand on his, she smiled.
"Your heartbeat."
Everything went dead silent, except for
the two pounding heartbeats underneath the other's hand.
"They are the same." She hissed sensually in his ear.
Leaning into his body, Sapphire's
breath narrowed.
"Emerald… I…" he choked in a whisper.
"All those things you said, Sapphire…
the emotions you displayed… They are the truest I have ever known." Her hand
trailed slowly up and down his chest, feeling the rapid pulse of his heartbeat
grow quicker. "Something about them
made my heart stir, as they did yours. The feeling I got when you uttered those
words… my blood raced, and I was in entire awe… I liked it… I want to feel it
again…"
Sapphire's narrow breath was let out in
a silently gasping wheeze.
"I have no more words for you, Emerald…
You make my heart dance and sing… but I have no more words that could make you
feel as I feel right now…"
"Then show me." Emerald whispered.
Taking her head slowly in his hands, he
licked the outer rim of her lips, and pulled her body closer to his. Emerald
gasped, but he said nothing. Instead,
he pulled her head into his, greeting their lips as one, passionately and full
of ardor. Such an aura flowed from him that Emerald fell backwards onto the
door. Yet Sapphire didn't stop. He
kissed her with more fiery calenture than before; more than she ever though he
could have- more than he ever thought
he could have. Pressing her to the door, he heard her gasp, not of pain but
flavor. They broke apart from the lips
and he kissed her neck flamingly. She
hauled her head back, not paying any heed to the door that hit her on the
way. His lips sucked at her skin and
his tongue laced over the neck like a lover's would.
"Oh!" she cried as he hit a tender spot
on her skin with his tongue. Her hands
had long grasped the head that kissed her so delectably, pulling softly at his
fine shimmering hair of blue. One of Sapphire's hands held her neck smoothly,
while the other one still remained on her breast (though it was actually
holding it now, more than resting on it).
Diamond and Ebony rounded the corner to
enter the room, startled by Sapphire and Emerald on the door of his room. Silently, they walked around, as Ebony
stifled a giggle and Diamond held back a smile-though not for long. They entered their room, then closed the
door swiftly behind them, not disturbing them a bit.
Emerald trembled in ecstasy, turning
Sapphire more to reality.
"Emerald," Sapphire uttered huskily.
"Yes, Sapphire?" she groaned.
"Maybe we should stop…" he whispered
harshly while kissing her neck, still violently amorous.
"No… don't stop… don't stop…" she
begged, rolling one of her hands slightly below his navel- not quite to his
zipper, but low enough to tempt.
"Oh…" he quivered, then reached for her
hand. "But if we…"
"Sapphire… I want you… And you want me,
too… what's to stop us… and why would it matter?" she asked him hoarsely.
"Not here, not here… we can't… here…"
Emerald pulled her head back up long
enough to smile and push open his bedroom door.
"Here?" she grinned lasciviously, then
her look returned to the sexy, titillated features as before. "Please,
Sapphire… let me stay…"
He groaned, though he didn't know why
he was refusing. She was all he ever wanted and it was his first chance to
truly show her, and he was hesitant. He shook his head and gave a hint of a
smile.
Kissing her neck sensually once more,
Sapphire took her hand, and led her into the bedroom, already lit with candles
and incense.
"You planning this?" she smiled.
Leading her to his bed, he shut the
door slowly, then followed her to the silken candlelit area where she lay.
"Sapphire… you are… incredible…" she
purred as he crawled to her once again, wrapping his arms around her body, and
running his tongue along her neck.
"Don't hurt me, Emerald…" He didn't
know why he said that, but Emerald knew. He meant emotionally rather than
physically, she thought. He cared for
her so much, and couldn't bear it if she treated him as Diamond had her.
"I'll be gentle, Sapphire… I promise…"
she cooed, then pressed her body to his.