Title: Peace, Love, and Serenity
Author: Mei Mei (Formerly known as Sailor Peace)
Rating: R (I don't think it will ever be NC-17, but just warning you... I'm not sure...)
Author's Notes:Just had to change Anoine to Etienne in this part and things like that... I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, and no offense to any Antoine's out their, I just kinda felt like Antoine is a cliche French name like Pierre... and I know Etienne is probably more modern, but for know... it's staying (am I a hypocrite or what?) I also reworded BEryl's original description in this chapter, but it isn't anyhting major. Happy Reading!
Last Time : Just a little prologue... no real plot developements...
Prince Endymion's maids quietly folded his recently washed laundry. Neither dared to say
a word about the black corset that had been found underneath his bed or the lace
undergarments that were hidden beneath his sheets, nor did they take the time to ponder who
they might belong to, if indeed they did belong to the same woman.
Endymion was known for his wide range of women callers and it was quite normal for
him to have a different woman at each of the many royal banquets and balls. The last banquet
had been only two nights before and Endymion had escorted Beryl Saint Martine, an English
noblewoman who was the daughter of one of the King's many allies. A wedding for Endymion
and Beryl would have been more than convenient for her parents, but Endymion strictly refused
to get married anytime in the near future.
Beryl Saint Martine was a beautiful woman, no one could deny her that, with long
auburn hair and green eyes, many men fell sway to her physical charms. However, when
describing her other qualities, Beryl was lacking. Miserably. Her bitter personality and spiteful
ways tended to keep many of her callers and lovers at bay.
How Endymion could stand Beryl was a mystery to many, sometimes even to
Endymion himself. Endymion convinvced himself the only reason he stayed with Beryl was
because of her physical attributes, but truth be told, he knew deep down in his sub-conscious
what the real reason for his continuous liasons with Beryl was. She had been the first one to
comfort him when he had been scarred by his first brush with love. Before his liasons with Beryl,
Endymion had once been in love with her younger sister, Elisabeth.
Endymion had courted Elisabeth for three years, since they were both fifteen years old.
They had grown up together as childhood companions and over the years Endymion had fallen
for his friend, planning to propose to her on her eighteenth birthday.
Unlike Beryl, Elisabeth was a treasure, a shining jewel that everyone loved, but nearly
six years ago, Elisabeth had been found brutally murdered on the morn of her eighteenth
birthday.She was kind and gentle, loving everything and everyone. She had a spark to her that
Endymion loved, to be with Elisabeth made Endymion happier than he had ever been before in
his life. She had a beauty to her, quite like Beryl's, except her beauty was inward and outward.
~ FLASHBACK ~
Elisabeth sat quietly at her vanity, brushing out her long golden hair. She smiled softly
as she thought about the last few days she had been spending with Endymion in Spain and was
glad she could be with him on her birthday. Lately she noticed Endymion had been quite happy,
giving her roses every morning and sneaking into her room to talk to her every night. He always
had a twinkle in his blue eyes and a smile on his face. Perhaps, she thought, he is going to
finally propose.
She blushed softly at the thought of her and Endymion as husband and wife and gently
set down her brush and looked at herself in the mirror. She carefully inspected herself with
bright shining blue-green eyes, running a gentle hand though her long golden hair. She smiled
gently, she knew she was pretty but for once in her life she thought she was as beautiful as
Endymion thought she was.
As she sat at her vanity, she saw a shadow flash past from the corner of her eye. She
smiled softly and turned toward her room. "Enri? Is that you?" she whispered softly into her
room. Elisabeth stood slowly when no answer came and she took a step forward. The shadow
passed by the corner of her eye again, causing Elisabeth to wrap her arms about her shoulders,
a wary apprehension of some foreboding doom flooding her senses. Again she quietly whispered
her love's name.
"Endy?" she called. "Endy... This isn't funny anymore. Come out..." Her voice wavered,
fear clearly evident there. Her body began to shake slowly as her eyes quickly, frantically
searched the room. She felt a presence behind her and slowly turned to face whatever was
there.
No sooner had she done this when she was pushed roughly against her bed, a pillow
slammed against her face, halting her scream abruptly and blocking any view of her attacker.
Her immediate reaction was to claw at whatever held her in place, gasping desperately for air as
she did so, but barely receiving any. She grabbed at her attacker, only to have a scream rise in
her throat as her hand encountered a sharp object, now deeply embedded there, then suddenly
being ripped out.
The scream died in her throat because of her lack of air and her body writhed as she
felt a hot burning rip of pain shoot up her body. The scream built and died in her throat again as
she gasped for air. Stab after stab of pain ripped through her body, making it harder and harder
for he to fight back. Tears filled her eyes as she mentally screamed for Endymion, for someone,
for anyone who could save her.
Finally her scream broke free when she felt a hot rip of pain through her belly, only to
have it muffled by the pillow. From the vanity mirror, all one could see was a dark figure
stabbing and slashing at Elisabeth over and over again until her movements slowly and finally
came to a stop. The figure slowly moved away from her, throwing the pillow to the side and
looking down at its victim one last time, then disappearing into the night.
Elisabeth opened her eyes barely, enough to touch her hand to her stomach, feel the
warm blood flood over her fingertips and see her once white sheets now soaked with blood. She
took deep breath gathering all the voice she had to scream, even though she knew her life would
be over soon, but she had to tell him. She had to tell Endymion good bye, that she loved him,
and to never forget her. She opened her mouth to let the sound come out, but all that came out
as Elisabeth lay there, breathing her last breath was, "Endy..." in a barely audible whisper.
~ The Next Morning ~
Endymion smiled happily as he carried a tray of food to Elisabeth's room, checking
every few minutes for the small, wrapped package in his pocket, smiling when he felt the smooth
velvet beneath his fingers. When he reached the door of her suite, he rapped slowly, calling her
name.
"Elisabeth?" When no answer came, he slowly opened one of the large French doors,
figuring she was still asleep, and stepped slowly into the small sitting room the separated her
bedroom from the hallway. He stopped and listened for a moment to see if she was bathing and
took a deep breath to smell for her rose soaps that he loved so much. But instead the smell of
death filled his nostrils, immediately alerting his senses as he headed for the door that separated
him from his love.
When he went to turn the door handle, he noticed his hand shaking violently. For some
reason he knew today would change his life, and not necessarily for the better. Some evil
foreboding was eating at his soul and sadness covered his face at the thought of what could be
behind the door, but nothing prepared him for what he would see next.
He continued to her room, pushing the door open with his back, the tray dropping as
soon as he turned around. Food and silverware flew to the floor, glass shattering at his feet,
juice and milk spillover over the Oriental rug, but none of it phased him more than the sight of
his love's mutilated body on the bloody bed.
He took a slow, staggering step towards her, then quickly ran to her, pulling her into
his arms, shaking her. "Elisabeth!" He cried frantically, trying to wake her, trying to do
something impossible. Slowly the realization came to his mind that no one could have survived
whatever had happened to Elisabeth, but his heart would not listen. This couldn't be happening,
he hadn't even proposed yet. How could the fates be so cruel?
All the emotions were too much for his eighteen-year-old mind and he fell to his knees,
Elisabeth still in his arms as he screamed to the heavens.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
~ END FLASHBACK ~
Maids, servants, the king, Princess and Elisabeth's family had all come running at the
sound of Endymion's soul-piercing scream coming from Elisabeth's' room. When they had
entered the room, Elisabeth's mother had immediately fallen into her husband's embrace crying,
he and Beryl both hugging her tightly. Princess Elena had run to her husband's arms as well,
crying for Elisabeth's and Endymion's lost love.
After that day, Endymion was no longer the happy and light-hearted man from before,
closing his heart off to love and women. He swore he would never give his heart to another,
mainly because of his love and faithfulness to Elisabeth, but also because he was too afraid to
love and lose again.
He told himself many times that Beryl only a distraction, a toy in some ways, until he
found someone he could marry and rule with or until he was forced into marriage.
His father happened to be for the latter option. King Phillipe had been realizing he was
not as young as he used to be and he knew that sooner rather than later, Endymion would have
to settle down and marry or the kingdom would have to be ruled by someone else when
Endymion died heir-less.
At the moment King Phillipe was planning another ball in hopes that Endymion would
meet someone he would like to see more than once, and not just in his bed. That is why King
Phillipe had specifically invited the heir to the French monarchy, Princess Serenity. As the last
heir to the French throne and the last member of the family d'Eliese, the princess had led a very
sheltered life, not knowing all the sins and scandals of Endymion's world.
Rumor had it as well that Serenity was imparticular to her suitors, never really caring
for any of her uncles prospective matches. King Phillipe was rather surprised at this because
Serenity was lovely vision like her mother Marie de Boire, with long golden curls and bright,
cerulean-blue eyes.
Phillipe often told himself, had Etienne not married Marie, he himself would have. But
he would always remind himself that was in the past and he had to worry about his son and
Marie's daughter now. He owed Marie that much.
The ball was set to happen in one week, the invitations already sent out three weeks in
advance. Phillipe hoped the princess would attend, and he knew if the current Reagent of France
still thought the way he did when he was a younger man, her presence would be ensured.
Author's Notes...
So Phillipe knows Henri, the prince and regeant of France... and he used to know Marie and Etienne... interesting... You know most arranged marriages happen when peoples parents are friends.. (I hope that wasn't a spoiler to anyone, but I figured most people knew the generics of what the next few chapters would be about... I mean they have to get married anyway... it's a Serenity/Endymion Romance for cryin' out loud!)
ANYWAY! You guys chew on that little tidbit for a while...
Next Time: Endymion and Serenity meet.... And the fun begins!
Author: Mei Mei (Formerly known as Sailor Peace)
Rating: R (I don't think it will ever be NC-17, but just warning you... I'm not sure...)
Author's Notes:Just had to change Anoine to Etienne in this part and things like that... I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, and no offense to any Antoine's out their, I just kinda felt like Antoine is a cliche French name like Pierre... and I know Etienne is probably more modern, but for know... it's staying (am I a hypocrite or what?) I also reworded BEryl's original description in this chapter, but it isn't anyhting major. Happy Reading!
Last Time : Just a little prologue... no real plot developements...
Prince Endymion's maids quietly folded his recently washed laundry. Neither dared to say
a word about the black corset that had been found underneath his bed or the lace
undergarments that were hidden beneath his sheets, nor did they take the time to ponder who
they might belong to, if indeed they did belong to the same woman.
Endymion was known for his wide range of women callers and it was quite normal for
him to have a different woman at each of the many royal banquets and balls. The last banquet
had been only two nights before and Endymion had escorted Beryl Saint Martine, an English
noblewoman who was the daughter of one of the King's many allies. A wedding for Endymion
and Beryl would have been more than convenient for her parents, but Endymion strictly refused
to get married anytime in the near future.
Beryl Saint Martine was a beautiful woman, no one could deny her that, with long
auburn hair and green eyes, many men fell sway to her physical charms. However, when
describing her other qualities, Beryl was lacking. Miserably. Her bitter personality and spiteful
ways tended to keep many of her callers and lovers at bay.
How Endymion could stand Beryl was a mystery to many, sometimes even to
Endymion himself. Endymion convinvced himself the only reason he stayed with Beryl was
because of her physical attributes, but truth be told, he knew deep down in his sub-conscious
what the real reason for his continuous liasons with Beryl was. She had been the first one to
comfort him when he had been scarred by his first brush with love. Before his liasons with Beryl,
Endymion had once been in love with her younger sister, Elisabeth.
Endymion had courted Elisabeth for three years, since they were both fifteen years old.
They had grown up together as childhood companions and over the years Endymion had fallen
for his friend, planning to propose to her on her eighteenth birthday.
Unlike Beryl, Elisabeth was a treasure, a shining jewel that everyone loved, but nearly
six years ago, Elisabeth had been found brutally murdered on the morn of her eighteenth
birthday.She was kind and gentle, loving everything and everyone. She had a spark to her that
Endymion loved, to be with Elisabeth made Endymion happier than he had ever been before in
his life. She had a beauty to her, quite like Beryl's, except her beauty was inward and outward.
~ FLASHBACK ~
Elisabeth sat quietly at her vanity, brushing out her long golden hair. She smiled softly
as she thought about the last few days she had been spending with Endymion in Spain and was
glad she could be with him on her birthday. Lately she noticed Endymion had been quite happy,
giving her roses every morning and sneaking into her room to talk to her every night. He always
had a twinkle in his blue eyes and a smile on his face. Perhaps, she thought, he is going to
finally propose.
She blushed softly at the thought of her and Endymion as husband and wife and gently
set down her brush and looked at herself in the mirror. She carefully inspected herself with
bright shining blue-green eyes, running a gentle hand though her long golden hair. She smiled
gently, she knew she was pretty but for once in her life she thought she was as beautiful as
Endymion thought she was.
As she sat at her vanity, she saw a shadow flash past from the corner of her eye. She
smiled softly and turned toward her room. "Enri? Is that you?" she whispered softly into her
room. Elisabeth stood slowly when no answer came and she took a step forward. The shadow
passed by the corner of her eye again, causing Elisabeth to wrap her arms about her shoulders,
a wary apprehension of some foreboding doom flooding her senses. Again she quietly whispered
her love's name.
"Endy?" she called. "Endy... This isn't funny anymore. Come out..." Her voice wavered,
fear clearly evident there. Her body began to shake slowly as her eyes quickly, frantically
searched the room. She felt a presence behind her and slowly turned to face whatever was
there.
No sooner had she done this when she was pushed roughly against her bed, a pillow
slammed against her face, halting her scream abruptly and blocking any view of her attacker.
Her immediate reaction was to claw at whatever held her in place, gasping desperately for air as
she did so, but barely receiving any. She grabbed at her attacker, only to have a scream rise in
her throat as her hand encountered a sharp object, now deeply embedded there, then suddenly
being ripped out.
The scream died in her throat because of her lack of air and her body writhed as she
felt a hot burning rip of pain shoot up her body. The scream built and died in her throat again as
she gasped for air. Stab after stab of pain ripped through her body, making it harder and harder
for he to fight back. Tears filled her eyes as she mentally screamed for Endymion, for someone,
for anyone who could save her.
Finally her scream broke free when she felt a hot rip of pain through her belly, only to
have it muffled by the pillow. From the vanity mirror, all one could see was a dark figure
stabbing and slashing at Elisabeth over and over again until her movements slowly and finally
came to a stop. The figure slowly moved away from her, throwing the pillow to the side and
looking down at its victim one last time, then disappearing into the night.
Elisabeth opened her eyes barely, enough to touch her hand to her stomach, feel the
warm blood flood over her fingertips and see her once white sheets now soaked with blood. She
took deep breath gathering all the voice she had to scream, even though she knew her life would
be over soon, but she had to tell him. She had to tell Endymion good bye, that she loved him,
and to never forget her. She opened her mouth to let the sound come out, but all that came out
as Elisabeth lay there, breathing her last breath was, "Endy..." in a barely audible whisper.
~ The Next Morning ~
Endymion smiled happily as he carried a tray of food to Elisabeth's room, checking
every few minutes for the small, wrapped package in his pocket, smiling when he felt the smooth
velvet beneath his fingers. When he reached the door of her suite, he rapped slowly, calling her
name.
"Elisabeth?" When no answer came, he slowly opened one of the large French doors,
figuring she was still asleep, and stepped slowly into the small sitting room the separated her
bedroom from the hallway. He stopped and listened for a moment to see if she was bathing and
took a deep breath to smell for her rose soaps that he loved so much. But instead the smell of
death filled his nostrils, immediately alerting his senses as he headed for the door that separated
him from his love.
When he went to turn the door handle, he noticed his hand shaking violently. For some
reason he knew today would change his life, and not necessarily for the better. Some evil
foreboding was eating at his soul and sadness covered his face at the thought of what could be
behind the door, but nothing prepared him for what he would see next.
He continued to her room, pushing the door open with his back, the tray dropping as
soon as he turned around. Food and silverware flew to the floor, glass shattering at his feet,
juice and milk spillover over the Oriental rug, but none of it phased him more than the sight of
his love's mutilated body on the bloody bed.
He took a slow, staggering step towards her, then quickly ran to her, pulling her into
his arms, shaking her. "Elisabeth!" He cried frantically, trying to wake her, trying to do
something impossible. Slowly the realization came to his mind that no one could have survived
whatever had happened to Elisabeth, but his heart would not listen. This couldn't be happening,
he hadn't even proposed yet. How could the fates be so cruel?
All the emotions were too much for his eighteen-year-old mind and he fell to his knees,
Elisabeth still in his arms as he screamed to the heavens.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
~ END FLASHBACK ~
Maids, servants, the king, Princess and Elisabeth's family had all come running at the
sound of Endymion's soul-piercing scream coming from Elisabeth's' room. When they had
entered the room, Elisabeth's mother had immediately fallen into her husband's embrace crying,
he and Beryl both hugging her tightly. Princess Elena had run to her husband's arms as well,
crying for Elisabeth's and Endymion's lost love.
After that day, Endymion was no longer the happy and light-hearted man from before,
closing his heart off to love and women. He swore he would never give his heart to another,
mainly because of his love and faithfulness to Elisabeth, but also because he was too afraid to
love and lose again.
He told himself many times that Beryl only a distraction, a toy in some ways, until he
found someone he could marry and rule with or until he was forced into marriage.
His father happened to be for the latter option. King Phillipe had been realizing he was
not as young as he used to be and he knew that sooner rather than later, Endymion would have
to settle down and marry or the kingdom would have to be ruled by someone else when
Endymion died heir-less.
At the moment King Phillipe was planning another ball in hopes that Endymion would
meet someone he would like to see more than once, and not just in his bed. That is why King
Phillipe had specifically invited the heir to the French monarchy, Princess Serenity. As the last
heir to the French throne and the last member of the family d'Eliese, the princess had led a very
sheltered life, not knowing all the sins and scandals of Endymion's world.
Rumor had it as well that Serenity was imparticular to her suitors, never really caring
for any of her uncles prospective matches. King Phillipe was rather surprised at this because
Serenity was lovely vision like her mother Marie de Boire, with long golden curls and bright,
cerulean-blue eyes.
Phillipe often told himself, had Etienne not married Marie, he himself would have. But
he would always remind himself that was in the past and he had to worry about his son and
Marie's daughter now. He owed Marie that much.
The ball was set to happen in one week, the invitations already sent out three weeks in
advance. Phillipe hoped the princess would attend, and he knew if the current Reagent of France
still thought the way he did when he was a younger man, her presence would be ensured.
Author's Notes...
So Phillipe knows Henri, the prince and regeant of France... and he used to know Marie and Etienne... interesting... You know most arranged marriages happen when peoples parents are friends.. (I hope that wasn't a spoiler to anyone, but I figured most people knew the generics of what the next few chapters would be about... I mean they have to get married anyway... it's a Serenity/Endymion Romance for cryin' out loud!)
ANYWAY! You guys chew on that little tidbit for a while...
Next Time: Endymion and Serenity meet.... And the fun begins!
