Chapter 4
**************
"I think it suits Jadeite better," he admitted bluntly, "It is a lovely planet, make no mistake, but there are too many fires everywhere for me to be entirely comfortable." Fire really more of Jadeite's forte, he realized, and it was only fitting that that general be the one to find the princess of the fire planet in his arms. Ah well, to each his own. Personally he preferred ice but that was another story.
Ami seemed quite relieved. "It's nice to know I'm not the only one bothered by that."
It shocked him a little to find someone else who thought the same way he did. Of all people he was closest to the other generals and they were as different as they could possibly have come. Really and truly he had never met a person with the same ideas as himself. It was almost creepy. "But you like the night here, Lady Ami?"
Liked it? "It's my favorite aspect of the planet," she gushed, "I only wish I had an ounce of talent in the art of painting so that I could capture it on canvas. The way the colors seem so alike at the first look but in reality dance the whole spectrum of blues and purples. And the black! It's just . . . the eye searches for light and can never find in the absolute darkness. It's beautiful!" Zoisite realized then how much he loved to hear her talk, to listen to how she flowed her words together in unwritten poetry,
Speaking of . . . "Have you ever thought of becoming a poet?" he asked out of curiosity.
Biting her lip she cast her gaze back to the ground. "I have made an attempt, but I fear it was not much."
"Try just letting the words fall from you hand," he offered, "It's what has always worked for me." 'What am I ~doing~?' he screeched to himself, 'No one knows I write poetry, why am I admitting it to her?' But nevertheless he found he was not finished speaking. "Write the way you speak and it could not be any less beautiful than you are."
Ami blushed furiously, feeling her cheeks darken to crimson. "Thank you." Her voice was the barest of whispers, he had to strain his ears to hear it. "I don't think anyone has ever said that to me before, really meaning it." She thought back to all her suitors, all sent packing by her and her parents after their gold-digging characters were revealed to the court. No one had called her beautiful and meant it, not even Urawa.
"I don't see how they could have missed it," he whispered back directly in her ear, reaching down to take her slim hands in his. "But now I do believe that they are calling for a dance of the royals. One of which I believe you to be?" He hated it, she was royalty and he was but a general. They could never be together -- publicly. He helped her to her feet, holding onto her wrists to speak to her a few moments more. "I gave you my silence freely," he told her quietly, watching her listen intently, "But now I ask only a small price."
She looked just a bit confused. "What do you ask, general?"
The smile he gave her melted her knees. "That you don't be to angry with me."
"For what?" Ami was most definitely confused now, but finally the blush was beginning to fade.
A slightly impish twinkle appeared in his eyes, dancing amongst the emeralds. "This." The word was barely formed when his lips descended on her in a feather-light kiss full of sweetness that soon increased in intensity. Ami felt as though she were floating and only her grip on his forearms kept her anchored on earth. He was a general! She was a princess! This was oh-so wrong but it felt oh-so right.* And yet just as she began to wish it would never end Zoisite pulled his head back just a bit to look her straight in the eye. "I hope you are not to angry with me?"
"I could never be," she managed to breath, flustered at her own forwardness. Her gaze locked with his she couldn't bear to turn away and yet she knew she had to. "They are calling for the dance of the royals." Why, oh why, oh why? She hated that she had to go but it was required. She must!
Zoisite didn't agree. "I couldn't care less."
And as he once more covered her lips with his own, she found that she couldn't either.
**************
shorter chapter, i know. don't kill me, just review.
*it's over used. it's cliche. i love it.