Love, Passion, Rapture, Devotion: Part 5
Written by: Hino Rei (shar@vertek.net)

AUTHORS NOTES:
Disclaimer info in Part 1. Blah blah blah.

Nani: What?

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I am your slave, make me your king.
- Leiutenant Jock Lewes to Mirren Barford, July 6th, 1941

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The sun was setting and what a beautiful sight it was. Hues of red and orange filled the skies, and the planet of Mars seemed to glow brighter than any other celestial being of the sky. Mars was being rejuvenated, for it had gained its true ruler.

Inside the Earth's palace walls, a ceremony was being held. Glasses filled with sake were being passed around as Endymion made a toast towards Rei's success. Everyone cheered. Everyone, that is, but Leiko. As everyone was caught up in the happiness and laughter, she took the chance to sneak away and head out to her troops. "Where is she going?" Rei whispered over to Endymion. "We have to stop her.."

Endymion sipped his drink. "Business has already been taken care of..."

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Later that evening, the news of an attack reached them both. Rei turned all her attention to plotting out victory. "We can not risk losing this fight. We will counter attack at once. The future of my planet is at stake." She waited for Endymion's response, but there was none. She turned around only to see that he had alreaedy left the palace's interioir, out to fight against Leiko for himself. She had sent her troops to attack upon Earth, in hopes she would win, with the throne of Mars as her prize. There was nothing Rei could do but watch. She ran to the window for the view, seeing nothing blue vivid colors of orange and red; colors of passion; the colors of Mars. She closed her eyes a moment, meditating, allowing for her prayers to the ancient gods to be heard.

Blood was everywhere by the time she opened her eyes and looked outwards. Men, both of Earth's troops and her Leiko's, were left slaughtered across the grounds. Fires of evil causes burned, and Rei could not ward them off. She could see Endymion standing among some of his men, surrounded by dead bodies. Through the crackling of the fires, and the last wails of the now dead men, she heard his voice loud and strong. Victory. He claimed his victory. Leiko was defeated. She searched for her body, hoping to find it laying alongside the men who had betrayed the planet, but she was nowhere to be found. But there she was, running off, with guards close behind. "You have lost, Leiko.." Rei spoke to herself. "And, I, my dear sister, have won..." She smiled, knowing that despite the great losses of lives, it was a victory after all.

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Rei pulled away after a long kiss with Endymion. A kiss in celebration of their triumph. She tended to his wounds, and he winced only slightly at the stinging pain. "Mm, quite a lovely scar this will be..." Rei said, allowing her finger to trace over it. "One of great victory, Endymion. You shall wear this with pride." He nodded quietly. "Has there been any word of Leiko's location?"

"Your sister is being held captive and is now a prisoner of Earth."

"She belongs to me. She is of my blood, and her betrayal was one to my planet, not yours."

"No, Hino-sama," he said quietly, yet strongly. "She will be considerably useful in the future.."

"She will only turn against me!" Rei shot back.

"It does not matter, for she has already lost." And with that, he lost himself in silence.

"You are right," Rei said softly. "Mars and Earth, we are already victorious, and that is all that matters..." Rei intended on dealing with Leiko on her own. She was the property of Mars, not of Earth. Leiko would not be a problen anymore.

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The two lay beside each other in Rei's bed. Endymion slept soundly, his arm wrapped around the newly crowned Queen, and she seemed to be off in this dreamy state as well. But she wasn't. Once he had drifted off deep into this state of mind, she slowly crept out of bed and down to the prison cells of the palace.

"Gomen ne, Hino-sama, but you are not to pay any visits to your sister." One of the guards stepped in the middle of her path. Rei pushed him aside, statying that she was the Queen of Mars, and would do as she pleased.

In a dark, lonely prison cell down the corridor, Leiko stood, pacing back and forth. "Ah, my beloved sister, Leiko.." Rei said as she stepped into her cell. How I pity seeing you in here. Oh, but now I remember, I don't!" She laughed to herself. "As I recall it, you burned with a lust. A lust and greed for power. You betrayed your own Queen, and now you shall pay."

"But are you not a betrayer yourself?" Leiko eyed her. "It is one thing to go against a mere member of the family," she circled around Rei. "But I know you. We are of blood, you and I, though I hate to admit such a thing. You have many schemes in that head of yours, am I not right? I may have betrayed you, but what do you think will happen once you betray the heart of the man who holds onto your power!? What will the Alliance think of you betraying Endymion, ruler of _Earth_!"

"Leiko, I wish not to hear you speak of such nonsense! I will not tolerate this any longer!"

"It's because it is true! You are going to betray Endymion-sama and his heart as well, just as you will betray your own planet! You're pushing yourself out as a _whore_, a dirty pathetic WHORE! Mars wants NOTHING to do with you, absolutely NOTHI--" The screams of Leiko were halted as Rei reached within her robes, pulling out a knife sharp enough to kill. She watched the blood seep out of the slit across Leiko's throat, watching the life die out from her eyes. 'Forgive me, but I had to do what needed to be done.' she thought, hoping the ancient gods would hear her reasoning. With that, she dusted herself off, and then turned to leave the prison cells. Before her, though, stood Endymion..

"I have some bad news," he said. Rei already knew what was coming.

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Comments, questions, suggestions?
Email me : shar@vertek.net