Chapter Three: The Royal Ball



Ami clung to Zoisite's arm waiting to be introduced.

They were standing behind Mina and her huge escort Malachite, who would tower over everyone there.

"The Princess of Venus and General Malachite." The Queen announced.

Mina and Malachite walked through the doors.

"The Princess of Mercury and General Zoisite."

Ami felt her cheeks burn as she walked through the door on the arm of Zoisite.

They took their places next to Mina and Malachite.

"The Princess of Jupiter and General Nephrite."

Lita and Nephrite walked through the door and took their places.

"The Princess of Mars and General Jadeite."

A perfectly content Rei clung to a very scarlet Jadeite as they walked into the room and took their places.

Ami bit her lower lip to keep from laughing as a couple of barely audible snickers came from Nephrite and Zoisite and a cough came from Malachite.

"The Princess of the Moon and the Prince of Earth."

A very imperial looking Serenity and a very majestic looking Endymon walked into the room and took their places next to the Queen.

The Kings and Queens from the 'inner' planets were already in the room.

The music began and everyone started dancing.

"Could I have this dance, Princess?" Zoisite asked Ami with a very ersatz pleading look.

Ami looked up at him with a smile. "Of course you can General."

She grasped his outstretched hand, and he spun her into a waltz.

"You do know that you… I mean, we're going to be the topic of conversation tonight right?" Zoisite asked sympathetically.

"I think I realized that." Ami sighed. "We're probably going to be asked questions like: 'What were you doing after you left?'; 'Are you going to continue your relationship?'; and stuff like that. I doubt they'll ever let me live this one down, mostly because I'm supposed to be the shy one. And you're three years older than me."

Zoisite laughed. "Well are we going to continue our 'relationship'?"

Ami stared at him for a moment. "What?"

"'Are we going to continue our 'relationship'?'" He was serious.

She closed what little space there was between them and laid her head on his chest. She could hear the rhythmic beat of his heart speed up with the adrenaline rush caused by her closeness.

"You know I could get us away from here and nobody would know." He whispered softly.

"You could?" Ami asked.

"Zoisite laughed softly. "Yeah, I can teleport. I could teleport us from here to any where."

She lifted her head up. "Really?"

He kissed her softly. "Really."

She kissed him back. "When and if we teleport I want to go to the pool in the court yard. Of course that will be the last place they think to look."

"Out of sheer curiosity, what will be first?"

She laughed. "The library, of course, where there are books AND a chess set."

The waltz ended and the two, fingers threaded, walked over to get a drink.

Ami picked up a glass of champagne and took a sip. "To answer your question: Yes."

Zoisite blinked a couple of times, took a sip of his wine, and gave her a confused look. "Huh?"

She giggled. "You asked if we should continue our 'relation ship'; I told you we should."

He cocked an eyebrow. "I don't believe you."

Ami kissed him, hard. "Believe me now?"

Zoisite kissed her back. "Of course, I do, Ames."

She stopped and took a step back. "Ames. Only my dad and friends call me Ames."

"Well, I figured that since we have a relationship, I could give you a pet name. But I didn't know that the name was so sentimental." He sounded frustrated.

"If you're going to give me a pet name, I have to give you one as well."

"Why don't you call me Z?" He asked with a grin.

Ami laughed. "Okay, Z it is."

***

"Just look at her, she is so in love with him!" The Martian Princess was raving, again.

"Shut up, Rei! Let her enjoy it while it last, he's a guy, once he's had sex with her, he'll drop her." Serenity said matter-of-factly.

Malachite laughed behind them. "You obviously don't know Z. I've personally never seen him like this, and I've been in the service of our prince with him for over twenty years. He's never been head-over-heels for a girl before."

"I've never seen Ames like this before either. She wasn't like this when Sir Tyler. She never gave him a hug, much less a kiss." Mina said from beside Malachite.

"Mina, she did giver Sir Tyler a few hugs." Serenity said. "I was there."

"I don't know about y'all but it looks to me like they're having a hell of a time over there." Jadeite glanced at the others. "What do you think, Mal?"

"I'd have to agree, Jade, the do look like they're having a damn good time over there with each other." Mal paused. "You don't think they're gonna…."

Jade raised his eyebrows. "I don't think Z would think about it… unless you're talking about sex, then maybe, but… I don't think he would… do you think he told her? Mal, Neph?"

"He wouldn't of; he's not that stupid…is he?" Neph looked worried.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rei demanded.

"Nothing… Nothing…." Jade said bluntly. "That you need to know about anyway."

Rei's cheeks turned scarlet.

"Um… Rei, calm down… This is not a matter of… Um… killing somebody." Mina backed up and covered her ears.

"You bastard! I actually let you take me to this damn ball and you won't tell me some fucking piece of shit useless information! You ass! Damn! Who the hell do you think you are?" Rei was really pissed.

"Jadeite showed malice in his sky-blue eyes. "I think I am one who has been sworn to secrecy on the matter… I think you have a few secrets of your own, Princess."

Rei opened her mouth to say something, snapped it shut, reared back, slapped Jade as hard as she possibly could, spun on her heel, and stalked off.

As jade watched her leave, he put the back of his hand to his lip, pulled it away, and glanced at it. "Yep, she busted it."

Mina laughed. "I think she likes you. She's never really hit anyone that hard."

The five laughed.

***

Another waltz began and Zoisite, one again, asked Ami to dance.

"We should teleport now." Ami whispered.

Z grinned. "Okay."

He planted a kiss on her lips and they were gone in a swirl of iced over sakura blossoms.

***

Mina blinked. "What the hell is that?"

"it looks like frozen sakura blossoms." Serenity chimed in.

Mal, Neph, and Jade were stricken with horror.

"Oh Gods, he did tell her." Mal looked, (and sounded), like he had just seen a ghost.