Act 3 - Stolen Kiss
It was the night of the Crystal Ball. Yumeko was in her room, getting dressed without much enthusiasm. She was not looking forward to tonight. After much thought, she still had not decided what to do about Phoenix, but she knew she had to make a choice, and soon.
A knock on the door caused Yumeko to jump involuntarily. It was Phoenix, coming to escort her to the ballroom.
"Yumeko, are you dressed yet?" he asked, outside the door. "We're going to be late."
The sound of his voice paralyzed her. All she could do was stare at the door, wishing she never had to open it. Elysia nudged her mistress, wondering what was the problem. "Aren't you going to answer the door?" she asked.
"I guess I should," Yumeko said, forcing herself to stand. "How do I look?"
"You look absolutely gorgeous. Now will you just open the door before Phoenix decides to go downstairs without you?"
"Okay, okay!"
Yumeko dabbed a little bit of pink lip gloss on her lips, trying to waste some time. Maybe she should just stay in her room for the rest of her life. Then she wouldn't have to make such difficult decisions.
Phoenix knocked again, growing impatient. Building up all her courage, Yumeko finally opened the door and let him come in.
As usual, he looked extremely handsome in his military uniform. His long blonde hair was pulled back in a low ponytail and his beautiful aqua-green eyes were filled with love. Yumeko wished with all her heart that she could feel even a slight attraction to her fiancé, but again she could feel nothing.
Coming in, Phoenix gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "You look incredible, Yumeko," he complimented her. "I must be the luckiest man in the world to have won the hand of someone as beautiful as you."
"Phoenix, I wish you wouldn't say such things," Yumeko said softly.
"Why? Everything I say is merely the truth. If it wasn't, I wouldn't say it."
Elysia stretched, then jumped off Yumeko's bed and went to the door. "I'll leave you two alone for a few minutes, but don't be late."
She left, leaving the couple to have a moment of privacy before the ball. Finally alone with Phoenix, Yumeko couldn't help wishing that she had stayed. The silence between them was undeniable, and Phoenix seemed to sense something was wrong.
"Yumeko, are you feeling okay?" he asked, resting his hands on her shoulders.
"Of course," she answered quickly, going to toward the door. "We better go downstairs. If we're late, I'll never hear the end of it."
"Wait…"
She turned around. Phoenix had pulled out a small black velvet box from his jacket, which he handed to her. She accepted it with shaking hands, getting a bad feeling.
"What's this?"
"Open it!"
Curious as to what was inside, she opened the box and gasped. Inside laid the most gorgeous ring she ever laid eyes on. The center stone was a large, heart-shaped blue sapphire, and surrounding the sapphire were small diamonds that shimmered in the light as if little bursts of fireworks were exploding inside them. The shank of the platinum ring was engraved with tiny roses.
"Do you like it?"
In awe of its beauty, Yumeko was absolutely speechless. She just managed to nod her head "yes" as Phoenix slipped it on her finger. The brilliance of the stones was almost blinding. Her eyes began to water, although it was hard to tell whether it was caused by the intense brightness, or by the fact that she couldn't accept it, knowing that she didn't really love him.
"It's beautiful, Phoenix, but I don't feel right about accepting something that obviously cost you a small fortune."
"It was nothing. I'm not exactly a pauper. Besides, I love you, Yumeko, and my love for you is priceless. I would give up both my arms if it would put a single smile on that lovely face."
She hated it when he talked to her like that. Why couldn't she love him the way she was supposed to? Any other girl, especially Ryoko, would kill to be in her position.
Yumeko was about to take off the ring and give it back to him when Elysia reappeared, reminding them that the ball was about to begin. She had no choice but to thank him for the lovely gift as Phoenix offered his arm to escort her down the stairs.
When they entered the ballroom, Yumeko couldn't believe how wonderful everything looked. Amaya, Hana's mother and the palace's official decorator, had truly outdone herself this year. Huge ice sculptures, carved in the shape of famous works of art, were scattered around the room, looking very much like large crystals, sparkling like diamonds. Bouquets of pink roses released their sweet perfume in the air. A large buffet table stood against the wall, every inch covered with Amaya's wonderful desserts, causing Yumeko's mouth to water, and in the center of the room, Kagami was singing while her boyfriend Toki accompanied her on the grand piano, as couples danced merrily around them.
Normally there was one glass wall which allowed for a gorgeous view of the royal gardens, but for tonight, the wall disappeared, allowing guests to mingle under the night sky and enjoy the beauty of Poppy's flowers. Phoenix steered her toward the garden and pulled Yumeko close as they began dancing to the music.
For the first time in over a week, Yumeko felt at peace. Phoenix was a great guy, and though she may not feel passion toward him, there was definitely affection. Perhaps marrying him wouldn't be such a bad idea. Maybe she should just forget about the mysterious gardener she hadn't even officially met and enjoy the company of a man who loved her deeply. Maybe she was asking for too much.
Shadow and Midnight arrived about forty minutes later, due to the fact that Midnight could not decide what to wear. She eventually decided on a sequined black bikini top and a long skirt with a slit practically up to her hipbone, much to Shadow's embarrassment. Why couldn't she dress like a proper lady?
"You look like a tramp," he complained, handing the invitation he had luckily found among Noburo's tools to the soldier at the door, who was obviously checking her out.
"Thank you, Shadow."
"It wasn't a compliment."
After the soldier checked his -- well, technically, Tamura Noburo's -- name off the list, the two of them entered the garden. Shadow had to admit that Poppy and the other workers had done a great job preparing for the ball. The garden never looked more beautiful. Every single flower was in bloom, filling the air with their sweet scent.
"Hey, Shadow-kun!"
He turned around at the sound of his name. Joji and Botan, along with their dates, were coming toward them, huge goofy smiles on their faces at the sight of his oversexed sister.
"Glad you could make it, man," Botan said, shaking Shadow's hand. "We were beginning to think you weren't coming."
"Well, you know how long women take getting dressed…"
"Speaking of women," Joji interrupted, kissing Midnight's hand as his date glared angrily. "Who is this lovely specimen?"
Midnight giggled, enjoying the attention. "I'm Midnight, Shadow's little sister."
"Well, Midnight-chan, may I have the honor of this dance?"
She nodded as Joji lead her toward the dance floor. Shadow glanced at his friend's forgotten date and immediately felt sorry for the poor thing. Though she was very pretty, compared to Midnight's so-called "charms," there was no comparison.
"Would you like to dance with me, miss?" Shadow asked her as Botan and his date walked over to the buffet table.
"I'd like that."
A smile appeared on Queen Lady Serenity's face as she looked upon her subjects from her throne. Everybody seemed so happy. She was sure that this was destined to be one of the most memorable balls of all time.
"You're beaming, my maiden," King Helios said, kissing her hand.
"Why shouldn't I? The future has never been brighter. Just look at our daughter, Helios. She and General Phoenix make a beautiful couple, don't you think?"
"That they do. Phoenix will make Yumeko a wonderful husband, and I could not be more happier with their engagement."
A waiter serving drinks passed before the king and queen. Serenity signaled for him to come over. She then took two glasses of wine from the tray and handed one to her husband.
"Let's make a toast," she said, raising her glass. "To Dreama Aurora and Phoenix, the future of Silver Millennium."
"To Yumeko and Phoenix."
Across the room, Yumeko and Phoenix were still dancing together under the moonlit sky. She couldn't quite explain it, but she didn't ever want to stop. Phoenix's arms were so strong and loving. There was definitely a level of comfort in their relationship that was very appealing.
Yumeko knew Phoenix would never intentionally hurt her. He was sweet, honest, and trustworthy, qualities that would make any man the perfect husband. Perhaps she was looking at this situation the wrong way. It was true that she wasn't in love with her fiancé, but maybe there was no such thing as love. Maybe it was just a foolish fantasy.
Glancing over at her parents, Yumeko sighed. Who was she kidding? Queen Lady Serenity and King Helios were the very picture of true love. Every look, every touch, every word that passed between the two lovers was as if they were falling in love all over again. She wanted that kind of love with all her heart and soul…
"Yumeko… Yumeko!"
She jumped as if someone had just wakened her from a deep sleep. "Huh?"
Phoenix smiled, accustomed to Yumeko's occasional visits to fantasy land. "I was just talking about our honeymoon," he said. "I hear Venus is supposed to be positively beautiful in the summertime. What do you think?"
"Anywhere you want is fine with me," she replied distractedly, looking over Phoenix's shoulder.
Dancing in the corner was the handsome gardener and a very pretty young woman, who was obviously his girlfriend. The sight of the couple made Yumeko sick to her heart.
She was such an idiot! Of course a guy that good-looking would already have a girlfriend. He probably had an entire harem of sexy babes to choose from.
Suddenly feeling very cold, Yumeko pulled Phoenix closer, the heat of his body like a warm fuzzy blanket. In his arms, she felt security and love. What more could she want?
"Thank you, Shadow-san," Aiko, Joji's date, said as the song ended. "You're very kind."
"It was nothing. I'm sorry about my sister. Midnight can be incredibly insensitive sometimes."
"Well, I'm glad that it doesn't run in the family."
Aiko kissed him on the cheek, then went over to the buffet table to gossip with a couple of her friends. Watching her walk away, Shadow couldn't help feeling embarrassed. What had come over him? This wasn't like him at all. He was Prince Shadow, the fiercest warrior in the Delian Nightmare Army, not a dashing gentleman.
The worst part was that he kind of liked it. It felt good to actually do something nice for someone for a change.
"It must be the flowers," he muttered under his breath. "The smell is so sickly sweet, I'm about to suffocate."
Glancing around the room, Shadow searched for his troublesome sister. Why did he ever agree to work with Midnight? She was about as helpful as a broken leg and twice as painful.
She was nowhere in sight, probably making out with Joji in one of the other rooms. Shadow rolled his eyes in disgust. Somebody needed to knock some sense into that girl. If she ever wanted to become a true warrior, Midnight needed to learn when it was time for work and time for play.
He was about to sneak upstairs to go look for her when a beautiful woman dressed in blue caught his eye. He recognized her as the same girl he was so enraptured by his first day working in the garden, the princess of Silver Millennium.
She was sitting alone on a bench, eating a rather large slice of chocolate cake. Shadow laughed at the sight. At least she had a healthy appetite. Most girls he knew, his sister included, would die at the sight of so many calories.
"Well, if Midnight is allowed to have some fun, why can't I?" he said to himself, walking toward the princess.
Yumeko began blushing profusely when she noticed Shadow coming toward her. It was crazy how he had this affect on her. She felt like some groupie, going gaga over a wild rock star.
It turned out that the girl was dancing with earlier was not his girlfriend, as she had thought. Suki, forever the busybody, informed her that Aiko was actually the gardener Joji's date, although he seemed to have disappeared with another girl.
Not that it mattered anymore. Yumeko had finally came to a decision. She was going to marry Phoenix. He wasn't her Prince Charming, but he was very kind to her and would make a wonderful husband.
As the gardener approached her. Yumeko stood up, intending to find Phoenix, who was dancing with Ryoko. Although Shadow was free, she was not, so there was no reason to lead him on.
But she couldn't move. Those sexy brown eyes were hypnotizing, freezing her in place. Her heart was pounding against her chest a thousand beats a minute in anticipation, and her mouth suddenly went dry.
"Princess, may I please have this dance?"
Shadow held out his hand, which she silently took without thinking. He then lead her onto the dance floor and pulled her close as Toki began playing a romantic waltz.
What was she doing? Her head was saying that she shouldn't be here, that this was wrong, but her heart was shouting the opposite. Why did love have to be so difficult?
"My name is Shadow, by the way," the gardener said in his low sexy voice.
"I know," she whispered.
Yumeko rested her head on his broad shoulders, taking in the musky smell of his cologne. It reminded her of the brand her father wore.
She couldn't explain it, but there was something familiar about his touch. Their bodies fit together perfectly like two pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. It was as if they were made for each other.
The rest of the dance went by a whirl. When the song ended, Yumeko couldn't believe it was over so quickly. She didn't want it to end.
The dance had a similar affect on Shadow. He had never been in love before, but maybe this was what it was like. How he wished the music would play on forever with Dreama Aurora in his arms.
"Thank you for the dance, Shadow-kun," she said, gazing into his beautiful eyes.
"No, thank you, Princess."
He lifted her chin and kissed her softly on the lips, causing her to tremble. It was wrong, but this felt so right…
Yumeko pulled away, coming to her senses. She was engaged to Phoenix. She shouldn't be here.
"I've got to go…"
"No, don't go, Princess," he begged, reaching for her hand. "Stay with me."
"I-I can't, Shadow-kun. I'm engaged."
"Engaged?"
Tears filled her eyes as she turned to leave. "I'm sorry, but now that you know, please don't attempt to contact me again."
"Princess…"
He reluctantly let go of her delicate hand and watch sadly as she walked away. What was it about her that caused him to feel this way?
Dreama Aurora's engagement was probably for the best, anyway. They came from two different worlds. A love between them could never be.
But how he wished it could.
