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: None really - By the way tho, this is the Epilogue to Part One
Last Time : Haruka talks to Sere
Serenity closed her eyes gently, smiling at the feeling of the warm Spanish sunshine against her face. So far the day had not been nearly as hot as the previous days of her visit, and Serenity reveled in the feeling. She opened one eye and glanced at the two snooty women before her. Yes, she dared to call the Spanish Princess and Lady Beryl snooty. All day they had done nothing but talk of what Lady Beryl would be wearing to the banquet tonight and Serenity frowned softly listening to their current choice of topic. The Princess and Lady Beryl had opted to talk in English, afraid that Serenity might slightly understand them if they spoke in Spanish. Neither even considered the fact she might know English.
"Beryl, darling, I would be careful of the French princess, though. I overheard my husband talking of an alliance with France." The Princess Elena stated, smiling gently to a passing noblewoman.
"Your Highness, you and I both know that talk of an alliance with France is an absolutely ludicrous idea." Beryl sneered. "Besides, we also both know that Endymion is very fond of me." Beryl smirked.
"Beryl, don't be so sure of yourself. The one thing I can say about the stupid girl is that she is beautiful, just like her mother." Princess Elena frowned softly. "And Marie nearly cost me my own husband. I had to put up a hard fight to get Phillipe to marry me and I will not, you hear me, not let Marie's filthy whore of a daughter entrap my son, the future King of Spain. They say the apple never does fall far from the tree, and Marie de Boire certainly was no saint."
Serenity's frown soon changed to a glare and she wished for a moment that she did not have to feign daftness in front of the women before her. She clenched her hands into fists behind her back as her lips formed a thin white line, all color draining from her face. She took a deep breath and restrained from saying something she would later regret. She slowly exhaled and began softly, speaking to them as best she could in Spanish.
"Your Highness, Lady Beryl, If you ... er.. excuse me, yes, I am feeling ill..." She trailed off, bowing her head and curtsying before turning and heading down a different path. Beryl smirked.
"Shall we tell her she is headed towards the forest?" Princess Elena laughed and shook her head.
"On no, dear, she is feeling ill and we musn't disturb her. Perhaps some bandit will come along and kidnap her, leaving us with much less to deal with. Come along, Beryl. It is time to talk of much greater things than Serenity..." Princess Elena added with a knowing smirk and motioned to the edge of the gardens. At that moment a lone rider dressed in black saluted Princess Elena before riding off towards the forest.
"Well done, Your Highness," She laughed hautily and followed the Princess back to the palace, triumphant looks on both their faces.
***
Endymion smiled lazily as he and his horse made a slow trip back to the castle. The sun shown down on his tan face, which he lifted skyward as his clothes slowly finished drying. He lowered his head and opened his eyes gently when he felt shade hit his face. He knew he was close to home because he had just come upon the forest separating the castle from the river.
He glanced around the forest and smiled seeing several little animals scurry about and then noticed a large white blur pass by the corner of his eye. He frowned and turned to where he had seen it pass, but... there was nothing there. The lines on his face deepened as his frown grew and he turned his head to the left, then he looked behind him. Still, nothing was there. He frowned deeper and slowly began to ride again when something glomped onto the his leg as he felt several sharp objects embed themselves there. He jerked the horse reigns quickly and unsheathed his sword reaching down and grabbing a handful of whatever had attacked him before jumping off the horse and dragging 'it' to the ground. 'It' soon let out a terrified shriek before Endymion realized just what he was holding.
"Hair?" He looked down and saw a terrified princess on her hands and knees in front of him, dress ripped and leaves in her hair. "S-Serenity?" he choked out as he let go of her hair and she finally peered up at him through red, teary eyes. It was then that he noticed the trail of blood down her temple. He froze, but before he could apologize for whatever he might have done to injure her, she hurled herself into his embrace, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and began to sob into the crook of his neck.
"Don't let him get me, Endy... Don't let him..." she whispered softly as she collapsed in his arms, the obvious loss of blood now affecting her. He stood slowly and set her atop his horse, then took a quick glance around before sheathing his sword and climbing up onto the horse behind her. Checking one final time to make sure the coast was clear her urged to horse into a swift gallop and headed straight back to the castle and to the royal physician.
***
"You idiot! Can you not do a single thing right?" Elena bellowed, throwing a vase in the kneeling rider's direction. He bowed his head and did not flinch as the vase smashed into peices only two feet in front of him. He glanced up slowly.
"You told me to frighten her, Your Highness, not to murder her. If that was the case she would have been dead within moments of me seeing her, but as it was, I followed my orders and gave her a good romp through the woods." He smirked at the Princess gently. "And if it eases your worries, Milady, she was terribly frightened and perhaps a slight bit injured. Perhaps you should go give your apologies and consolations to the poor thing?" He bowed his head once again, smirking up at her, his eyes smiling evilly up at her through his light bangs, which now fell over his face. Elena smirked as well and walked over to the man.
"Oh loyal servant, you do serve me well," She grasped his chin between her long, narrow fingers and lifted it up so she could meet his gaze. "Perhaps you could stay around a bit longer and what say, serve me even better than before?" She asked quietly and the man smirked, taking her hand in his and kissing it tenderly.
"I live to serve you, my 'Queen'." He murmured gently.
***
"Stop staring at me like that, Motoki," Endymion growled as he paced his study agitatedly. Motoki frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Endymion. "And do not lecture me, either!" He yelled, stopping dead in his tracks and slamming his fist angrily on the table beside him. "I know I am worrying, alright? Does it please you to hear me admit my weakness to you?" He bowed his head in shame. "I am worried about Serenity," He sighed in frustration. "And I know exactly why! I'm fascinated with her, I am drawn to her like a moth is drawn to a flame. I don't know why I'm so fascinated with her, but it's like someone else is controlling me when I'm around her. I just simply cannot help it." He sighed running a hand through his raven locks, daring a glance at his closest guard and friend. "Are you happy now Motoki? I've said it. I am fascinated with her! Isn't that what you wanted to hear?" Motoki stared at him intently.
Motoki opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment a maid came bustling into the room frantically. She bowed before the prince before speaking hurriedly. "She is awake, milord." Endymion surged to his feet, thanked the maid and nodded to Motoki before quickly exiting his room and heading towards the physician's quarters.
***
Serenity sighed softly and wished the hovering maids would let her be. Her head thumped slightly and she frowned, wondering exactly how she had gotten from the woods, where for some unknown reason she was being chased, to her the Spanish castle. She glanced to one of the maids she recognized as the girl Endymion had sent to tell her about his suit the night before. She motioned for the girl to come over to her. Serenity pointed to her head with a questioning look in her eyes, trying to ask the maid 'what happened?' with her actions. The maid smiled gently at her.
"Prince Endmyion saved you..." She said quietly and smiled even wider as Serenity's eyes widened. At that moment Endymion entered, followed by the small maid who had been sent to get him, He crossed the room and searched Serenity's face gently, asking with his eyes and expression if she indeed was alright, like the physician had just told him.
"I'm fine, Your Highness," she said softly and Endymion smiled in relief. "Just a tad bit confused." She added and he raised a full raven brow.
"What do you mean, Serenity?" He asked, snapping his fingers for a chair, which was quickly brought. He sat down beside her bed and gently took her hand in his. "I should be the one confused here. One moment I was riding through the forest and the next I am on the ground ready to kill whatever has attacked me. The next thing I know, my dear, you were in my arms begging me not to let 'him' whoever he might be, get you." Serenity froze in remembrance. Endymion could feel her cold hand begin to shake in his grasp and he squeezed it gently. "Serenity, what is it?"
"I..." She gathered her breath and her thoughts, demanding her body to still, but it disobediently would not listen. "I was in the gardens with..." She paused and glanced at all the people in the room, her voice suddenly gone. Endymion noted her discomfort and snapped his fingers again, sending out a harsh order in Spanish.
"Everyone, out." He ordered. "Except you, Malachite, you may stay." The guard nodded. Endymion turned back to Serenity and smiled softly. "You can trust, Malachite, Serenity. He is my closest guard next to Motoki, and I trust him with my life," he said gently in French. Serenity nodded softly, swallowing hard, trying to get the bad taste and dry feeling from her mouth. "Now go on.." He urged softly and she nodded in agreement, closing her eyes gently as she began to recount the day's events.
"I was in the garden with your mother and Lady Beryl. They had been speaking in English, obviously thinking I could not understand them. They- they began to talk of me and I grew angry with them. However, instead of acting out I simply excused myself, planning to head back to the castle. The next thing I knew I was lost in the garden maze. When I did manage to escape, I was on the outside, not the inside. Instead of daring re-enter the maze with the chance of simply getting even more disoriented, I began to follow the edge of the maze in hopes of finding my way back to the castle. The next few things took place so fast, I can barely remember exactly what did happened..." She paused and took a deep breath.
~Serenity walked slowly along the edge of the maze, sighing tiredly. 'I wish I could just get back around to the castle,' she thought. 'How big is this maze?' She stared in front of her and frowned as it looked like the maze stretched out for miles. She sighed and picked up her skirts and began to walk faster. She had gotten no more than ten feet when she heard something crack behind her. She glanced back expecting to see a guard of some sort, but there was no one there. She sighed agitatedly 'Stupid bunny,' She thought as a bunny scurried across the path behind her. She turned back and began to walk down the edge of the maze again.
When she again heard the noise however, she glanced back frightenedly. At the sight of nothing behind her she quickened her gate. However, when she heard a horse neigh behind her she took of into a full run, not stopping to looking behind her. Before she knew it she was running through the forest. Not watching where she was going, she snagged her dress on a bush. Frantically trying to free herself she caught glimpse of the horseman behind her, clothed entirely in black. Tears welled in her azure eyes and she quickly ripped her dress and began to run again. She tore through the forest, bushes seeming to reach out and tear at her dress and face. As the horse seemed to get drastically closer she took a sharp right turn and found herself falling down the edge of a back. She hit her head hard on something, though she knew not what. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up in time to see the dark rider faintly before the darkness claimed her.~
Serenity cringed, seeming to still feel the spider's web in her face and the twigs and leaves in her hair. "I eventually woke up. By then the rider was no where to be found, but I did see you however. I tried my best to get up and when I finally did I do not know what possessed my tired body to do so or what gave me the strength, but I ran towards you. All I remember is wanting to get out of that forest, I didn't care if my head throbbed or if my limbs ached, all I cared about was the fact that you could get me out of the forest." She stopped slowly and shivered at the memories of what had happened. She glanced up at Endymion. When he didn't say anything she became worried. "Endymion? What is the matter?" He looked up at Serenity's worried face.
"Nothing, my dear, I am just glad you are alright, though slightly confused as to why someone would be after you." He heard Malachite murmur something in Spanish and he raised a raven brow. Malachite repeated what he said slowly in Spanish so that Serenity might catch his meaning.
"I said, Milord, that Serenity is the heir to the French throne," he paused and glanced to Serenity, before adding, "and your father and her uncle have plans to unite the two of you in a marriage alliance. Neither of you were supposed to know, but it is too late for that now. It has already begun."
"What has begun, Malachite?" Endymion asked with a frown.
"The threats and plans by our countrymen to stop this alliance. All those in the rebellion will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if it means killing Serenity herself."
Author's Notes...
Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUN! Hehehe.... Til' Next time!
Next Time: Prologue to Part Two
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: None really - By the way tho, this is the Epilogue to Part One
Last Time : Haruka talks to Sere
Serenity closed her eyes gently, smiling at the feeling of the warm Spanish sunshine against her face. So far the day had not been nearly as hot as the previous days of her visit, and Serenity reveled in the feeling. She opened one eye and glanced at the two snooty women before her. Yes, she dared to call the Spanish Princess and Lady Beryl snooty. All day they had done nothing but talk of what Lady Beryl would be wearing to the banquet tonight and Serenity frowned softly listening to their current choice of topic. The Princess and Lady Beryl had opted to talk in English, afraid that Serenity might slightly understand them if they spoke in Spanish. Neither even considered the fact she might know English.
"Beryl, darling, I would be careful of the French princess, though. I overheard my husband talking of an alliance with France." The Princess Elena stated, smiling gently to a passing noblewoman.
"Your Highness, you and I both know that talk of an alliance with France is an absolutely ludicrous idea." Beryl sneered. "Besides, we also both know that Endymion is very fond of me." Beryl smirked.
"Beryl, don't be so sure of yourself. The one thing I can say about the stupid girl is that she is beautiful, just like her mother." Princess Elena frowned softly. "And Marie nearly cost me my own husband. I had to put up a hard fight to get Phillipe to marry me and I will not, you hear me, not let Marie's filthy whore of a daughter entrap my son, the future King of Spain. They say the apple never does fall far from the tree, and Marie de Boire certainly was no saint."
Serenity's frown soon changed to a glare and she wished for a moment that she did not have to feign daftness in front of the women before her. She clenched her hands into fists behind her back as her lips formed a thin white line, all color draining from her face. She took a deep breath and restrained from saying something she would later regret. She slowly exhaled and began softly, speaking to them as best she could in Spanish.
"Your Highness, Lady Beryl, If you ... er.. excuse me, yes, I am feeling ill..." She trailed off, bowing her head and curtsying before turning and heading down a different path. Beryl smirked.
"Shall we tell her she is headed towards the forest?" Princess Elena laughed and shook her head.
"On no, dear, she is feeling ill and we musn't disturb her. Perhaps some bandit will come along and kidnap her, leaving us with much less to deal with. Come along, Beryl. It is time to talk of much greater things than Serenity..." Princess Elena added with a knowing smirk and motioned to the edge of the gardens. At that moment a lone rider dressed in black saluted Princess Elena before riding off towards the forest.
"Well done, Your Highness," She laughed hautily and followed the Princess back to the palace, triumphant looks on both their faces.
***
Endymion smiled lazily as he and his horse made a slow trip back to the castle. The sun shown down on his tan face, which he lifted skyward as his clothes slowly finished drying. He lowered his head and opened his eyes gently when he felt shade hit his face. He knew he was close to home because he had just come upon the forest separating the castle from the river.
He glanced around the forest and smiled seeing several little animals scurry about and then noticed a large white blur pass by the corner of his eye. He frowned and turned to where he had seen it pass, but... there was nothing there. The lines on his face deepened as his frown grew and he turned his head to the left, then he looked behind him. Still, nothing was there. He frowned deeper and slowly began to ride again when something glomped onto the his leg as he felt several sharp objects embed themselves there. He jerked the horse reigns quickly and unsheathed his sword reaching down and grabbing a handful of whatever had attacked him before jumping off the horse and dragging 'it' to the ground. 'It' soon let out a terrified shriek before Endymion realized just what he was holding.
"Hair?" He looked down and saw a terrified princess on her hands and knees in front of him, dress ripped and leaves in her hair. "S-Serenity?" he choked out as he let go of her hair and she finally peered up at him through red, teary eyes. It was then that he noticed the trail of blood down her temple. He froze, but before he could apologize for whatever he might have done to injure her, she hurled herself into his embrace, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and began to sob into the crook of his neck.
"Don't let him get me, Endy... Don't let him..." she whispered softly as she collapsed in his arms, the obvious loss of blood now affecting her. He stood slowly and set her atop his horse, then took a quick glance around before sheathing his sword and climbing up onto the horse behind her. Checking one final time to make sure the coast was clear her urged to horse into a swift gallop and headed straight back to the castle and to the royal physician.
***
"You idiot! Can you not do a single thing right?" Elena bellowed, throwing a vase in the kneeling rider's direction. He bowed his head and did not flinch as the vase smashed into peices only two feet in front of him. He glanced up slowly.
"You told me to frighten her, Your Highness, not to murder her. If that was the case she would have been dead within moments of me seeing her, but as it was, I followed my orders and gave her a good romp through the woods." He smirked at the Princess gently. "And if it eases your worries, Milady, she was terribly frightened and perhaps a slight bit injured. Perhaps you should go give your apologies and consolations to the poor thing?" He bowed his head once again, smirking up at her, his eyes smiling evilly up at her through his light bangs, which now fell over his face. Elena smirked as well and walked over to the man.
"Oh loyal servant, you do serve me well," She grasped his chin between her long, narrow fingers and lifted it up so she could meet his gaze. "Perhaps you could stay around a bit longer and what say, serve me even better than before?" She asked quietly and the man smirked, taking her hand in his and kissing it tenderly.
"I live to serve you, my 'Queen'." He murmured gently.
***
"Stop staring at me like that, Motoki," Endymion growled as he paced his study agitatedly. Motoki frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Endymion. "And do not lecture me, either!" He yelled, stopping dead in his tracks and slamming his fist angrily on the table beside him. "I know I am worrying, alright? Does it please you to hear me admit my weakness to you?" He bowed his head in shame. "I am worried about Serenity," He sighed in frustration. "And I know exactly why! I'm fascinated with her, I am drawn to her like a moth is drawn to a flame. I don't know why I'm so fascinated with her, but it's like someone else is controlling me when I'm around her. I just simply cannot help it." He sighed running a hand through his raven locks, daring a glance at his closest guard and friend. "Are you happy now Motoki? I've said it. I am fascinated with her! Isn't that what you wanted to hear?" Motoki stared at him intently.
Motoki opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment a maid came bustling into the room frantically. She bowed before the prince before speaking hurriedly. "She is awake, milord." Endymion surged to his feet, thanked the maid and nodded to Motoki before quickly exiting his room and heading towards the physician's quarters.
***
Serenity sighed softly and wished the hovering maids would let her be. Her head thumped slightly and she frowned, wondering exactly how she had gotten from the woods, where for some unknown reason she was being chased, to her the Spanish castle. She glanced to one of the maids she recognized as the girl Endymion had sent to tell her about his suit the night before. She motioned for the girl to come over to her. Serenity pointed to her head with a questioning look in her eyes, trying to ask the maid 'what happened?' with her actions. The maid smiled gently at her.
"Prince Endmyion saved you..." She said quietly and smiled even wider as Serenity's eyes widened. At that moment Endymion entered, followed by the small maid who had been sent to get him, He crossed the room and searched Serenity's face gently, asking with his eyes and expression if she indeed was alright, like the physician had just told him.
"I'm fine, Your Highness," she said softly and Endymion smiled in relief. "Just a tad bit confused." She added and he raised a full raven brow.
"What do you mean, Serenity?" He asked, snapping his fingers for a chair, which was quickly brought. He sat down beside her bed and gently took her hand in his. "I should be the one confused here. One moment I was riding through the forest and the next I am on the ground ready to kill whatever has attacked me. The next thing I know, my dear, you were in my arms begging me not to let 'him' whoever he might be, get you." Serenity froze in remembrance. Endymion could feel her cold hand begin to shake in his grasp and he squeezed it gently. "Serenity, what is it?"
"I..." She gathered her breath and her thoughts, demanding her body to still, but it disobediently would not listen. "I was in the gardens with..." She paused and glanced at all the people in the room, her voice suddenly gone. Endymion noted her discomfort and snapped his fingers again, sending out a harsh order in Spanish.
"Everyone, out." He ordered. "Except you, Malachite, you may stay." The guard nodded. Endymion turned back to Serenity and smiled softly. "You can trust, Malachite, Serenity. He is my closest guard next to Motoki, and I trust him with my life," he said gently in French. Serenity nodded softly, swallowing hard, trying to get the bad taste and dry feeling from her mouth. "Now go on.." He urged softly and she nodded in agreement, closing her eyes gently as she began to recount the day's events.
"I was in the garden with your mother and Lady Beryl. They had been speaking in English, obviously thinking I could not understand them. They- they began to talk of me and I grew angry with them. However, instead of acting out I simply excused myself, planning to head back to the castle. The next thing I knew I was lost in the garden maze. When I did manage to escape, I was on the outside, not the inside. Instead of daring re-enter the maze with the chance of simply getting even more disoriented, I began to follow the edge of the maze in hopes of finding my way back to the castle. The next few things took place so fast, I can barely remember exactly what did happened..." She paused and took a deep breath.
~Serenity walked slowly along the edge of the maze, sighing tiredly. 'I wish I could just get back around to the castle,' she thought. 'How big is this maze?' She stared in front of her and frowned as it looked like the maze stretched out for miles. She sighed and picked up her skirts and began to walk faster. She had gotten no more than ten feet when she heard something crack behind her. She glanced back expecting to see a guard of some sort, but there was no one there. She sighed agitatedly 'Stupid bunny,' She thought as a bunny scurried across the path behind her. She turned back and began to walk down the edge of the maze again.
When she again heard the noise however, she glanced back frightenedly. At the sight of nothing behind her she quickened her gate. However, when she heard a horse neigh behind her she took of into a full run, not stopping to looking behind her. Before she knew it she was running through the forest. Not watching where she was going, she snagged her dress on a bush. Frantically trying to free herself she caught glimpse of the horseman behind her, clothed entirely in black. Tears welled in her azure eyes and she quickly ripped her dress and began to run again. She tore through the forest, bushes seeming to reach out and tear at her dress and face. As the horse seemed to get drastically closer she took a sharp right turn and found herself falling down the edge of a back. She hit her head hard on something, though she knew not what. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up in time to see the dark rider faintly before the darkness claimed her.~
Serenity cringed, seeming to still feel the spider's web in her face and the twigs and leaves in her hair. "I eventually woke up. By then the rider was no where to be found, but I did see you however. I tried my best to get up and when I finally did I do not know what possessed my tired body to do so or what gave me the strength, but I ran towards you. All I remember is wanting to get out of that forest, I didn't care if my head throbbed or if my limbs ached, all I cared about was the fact that you could get me out of the forest." She stopped slowly and shivered at the memories of what had happened. She glanced up at Endymion. When he didn't say anything she became worried. "Endymion? What is the matter?" He looked up at Serenity's worried face.
"Nothing, my dear, I am just glad you are alright, though slightly confused as to why someone would be after you." He heard Malachite murmur something in Spanish and he raised a raven brow. Malachite repeated what he said slowly in Spanish so that Serenity might catch his meaning.
"I said, Milord, that Serenity is the heir to the French throne," he paused and glanced to Serenity, before adding, "and your father and her uncle have plans to unite the two of you in a marriage alliance. Neither of you were supposed to know, but it is too late for that now. It has already begun."
"What has begun, Malachite?" Endymion asked with a frown.
"The threats and plans by our countrymen to stop this alliance. All those in the rebellion will stop at nothing to get what they want, even if it means killing Serenity herself."
Author's Notes...
Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUN! Hehehe.... Til' Next time!
Next Time: Prologue to Part Two
