hi again! here's a new installment, this time with plenty of serenity+endymion. hope u enjoy.
and if you've read the manga, you might notice some familiar stuff. i'm basing this story heavily on the manga version (english translation) of the silver millenium, so some of the scenes and lines from here on are taken from different parts of #2 & 3...
so yeah...
y gracias a just a teen para su "review"! me gustaria mucho que te gusta mucho mi historia. Aqui es mas!
perdon para mi espanol. Soy una estudiante solamente....... ^_^;
It was a few nights later, and Kume had just finished her kitchen chores, making it a very pleasant evening. Stars were falling through the night sky in a meteor shower that had been going on for the past several weeks. Darien had told her about it that morning. It wasn't normal, but so far, no harm had come of it, and in Kume's mind, the constant blanket of shooting stars above made the overworld even more magical.
The other reason Kume was enjoying herself so much was that Beryl was gone. Due to the strange events, she had gone up to the North Pole to investigate. With her gone, Kume's workload had become much more bearable. The only disadvantage to these days was Jadeite. The young general seemed to almost be stalking her - always just around the corner, always nearby, watching her work. It put Kume on edge, but so far, he hadn't made any more moves towards her.
Lost in her thoughts, Kume didn't notice the young woman wandering about the marble pillars until she was almost upon her. "Excuse me," the girl spoke up. Kume's eyes darted about until she caught a glimpse of the speaker. Noting the shimmering white dress that flowered around the girl's delicate frame, Kume lowered her head. This strange girl had to be at least a lady if not royalty - she was too beautiful to be anyone else. The girl gave a curtsey, slightly off-balance, but fine nonetheless. "I'm looking for Endymion," she spoke softly, almost as if she didn't want to be heard.
Kume glanced up at her in surprise, but remembered her place and bowed, lowering her eyes again, "Who should I tell him you are?"
The girl thought for a moment, then smiled, "Tell him my name is Rabbit."
"As you wish, lady," Kume hid her puzzlement. "You may wait in the garden." She bowed again, and set off towards the prince's room. Just before leaving the outdoor walkway, Kume gave a glance back at the lady. Still mostly hidden in the shadows, Rabbit knelt by one of the rose bushes and gently caressed a young bud. Her hair, the palest shade of gold, shimmered like silver in the moonlight and cascaded around her, flowing from two round buns atop her head.
"Prince," Kume knocked on the royal chamber door.
"Yes?" Endymion opened the door a moment later. "Oh, hello, Kume." He smiled warmly at the servant.
"M'lord," Kume bowed deeply, "There is a lady asking for you. She waits in the garden."
"A lady?" the prince was puzzled.
"Yes, my prince."
"Did she give a name?" he asked.
"M'lord, she said to call her Rabbit."
"Rabbit?" Endymion's eyes sparked with sudden interest. "Is that so…" Turning back into his room, he grabbed a cloak and fastened it about his shoulders before returning to the doorway. "Listen, Kume."
Kume lifted her eyes as he addressed her, a slightly anxious tone in his voice. "If anyone asks," he continued, "You know nothing of my whereabouts."
Kume frowned at this, but knew better than to speak her mind. "Yes, my prince."
The prince winked at her, "I knew I could trust you. And the name's Darien."
Kume nodded, "I know nothing, Darien, your highness."
He grinned at her, and shook his head. "Thank you." And with a brief wave, he turned about and disappeared silently into the night."
Kume had promised Darien that she would not tell where he was. She assumed that her silence included the identity of the lady he was with, whoever she was. She was free to go, and the hour was late, but Kume couldn't resist the urge to investigate further into the clandestine meeting the prince had seemed so anxious about.
The few short weeks as a servant had already taught Kume much about the many ways through the palace and how to move silently along them. Kume waited until she was sure Darien had gone, then followed through the shadows after him. Soon, the palace garden came into view again. The girl, still washed in moonlight, stood as Darien stepped forwards from the marble walkways to the carefully tended earth.
"Endymion," the girl breathed, lifting a hand to her mouth. Even Kume could not resent Rabbit's surprise. As he entered the moonlight, Darien's beauty had become almost surreal. His perfectly chiseled features caught in the moonlight just right and betrayed the innocent in his spirit. A slight breeze lifted a few of his ebony locks, ruffling them ever so slightly. His eyes registered the girl before him with a brief shock. For a moment, Darien seemed completely and totally vulnerable.
But in the next moment, as Kume watched with surprise, his face slowly melted into a grin. "Rabbit. Why am I not surprised?"
"I missed you," she murmured, barely loud enough for Kume to hear. Rabbit moved towards the prince, gazing upwards as he looked down lovingly at her. Slowly, he took her arms, and drew her up against him in a single, tender motion.
They looked into each other's eyes for a time. The breeze picked up, and in an unconscious effort, Kume drew her arms closer, trying to preserve her heat. Darien and the lady hardly seemed to notice. The wind wafted through the garden and played with Rabbit's long twists of silvery hair. Darien lifted a hand and gently caressed her cheek. Rabbit squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them again, they were rimmed with tears.
"We mustn't keep meeting like this," Darien said sadly.
"Why?" Rabbit asked, lifting her own hand to his cheek.
Darien shook his head and stepped backwards, his voice thick with emotion, "Communication between the people of the Moon and the Earth is strictly forbidden. It is the way of the gods…"
Rabbit looked down as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We mustn't fall in love," she repeated, trying to convince herself of something that wasn't true. "We mustn't fall in love…" she gazed back up at Darien, and in a bold confession, drew him to her once more. "But it's already too late…" She lifted her face, tilting it slightly. Closing his eyes, Darien moved deliberately toward her. Taking her right hand in his, Darien wrapped his other arm firmly about her shoulders and completed the embrace as his lips met hers.
No! Kume stared as the kiss lengthened. The girl's arms wound about Darien's neck, and his around her waist. How dare he?! He can't possibly love her! Two tears slipped from the corners of Kume's eyes, and she lifted an arm to furiously wipe them away. What is status anyway?! She has only beauty and finery. Can't he see past that? He may be a prince, but he has too kind a heart for her. I thought he could see past the outside of a person. I thought...
You thought he loved you. Some voice hidden deep inside Kume spoke the truth to her. Muffling a sob, the servant girl stepped away from the romantic scene so that she would not be overheard. Foolish girl.
He was so kind to me though, Kume argued inside her mind.
Kind yes, as any good-hearted person would be. But hardly a lover.
Kume knew the truth. Darien did indeed love the girl, Rabbit, or whatever her true name might be. She had seen it in his eyes. When she called him to the garden, a spark had lit in his expression that couldn't have been kindled by a outward desire alone. And the girl Rabbit, Kume could only guess, was as beautiful inside as she was out.
"Is it so wrong to want love?" Kume demanded to the moon that shone in the night sky above her, but the only reply was silence. "Can I help what I feel?!"
"No."
Kume jumped at the voice, throwing her head back around to see who had approached so silently behind her. Akito was standing there, a small sort of smile crossing his features. With a somewhat wistful sigh, he glanced up at the moon Kume had been speaking to. Hesitantly, Kume followed his gaze.
"No," Akito repeated. "We can't help what we feel." He gazed back down at Kume, his eyes deep and his mouth set in seriousness. "It is what makes us human."
Kume's reply stuck in her throat, and she could only watch silently as Akito took a seat beside her. After a long moment of quiet thoughtfulness, Akito began to explain. "The girl in there is the Princess of the Moon Kingdom Serenity. Her mother is Queen Selenity who watches over our planet with the power of her Silver Imperium Crystal. Their kingdom protects ours."
"But," Kume spoke up with uncertainty in her soft tone, "Why have I not heard of her before?"
"Because," Akito sighed, "Those of the White Moon are our protectors, but they are not our people. Each of us keep to ourselves unless in a time of trouble, and even then, contact is limited. And any sort of bonds between the two races is strictly forbidden. It is the way it has always been. It is what our gods intended. They are not to be ignored."
"But the prince…" Kume said in confusion.
Akito glanced back over his shoulder for just a moment. "Endymion knows what he's doing - what he could be setting himself up for. But apparently, he shows very little concern for his people."
Kume was surprised at the bitterness in her friend's voice. "How can you say that?! Darien is loyal and true to us all. He would not let us get hurt!"
Akito's eyes twinkled in a sort of regretful humor, "I wish I still believed that, but I see the prince and his "rabbit" so often, that I've begun to wonder." He reached a hand out towards the heavens just as a star seemed to fall into it. "Ever since this meteor shower started, I've heard of nothing but bad omens from the other servants. The lady Beryl came back this evening, and hasn't said a word since, not even when the queen asked for her report. But whether the prince brought it on us or not, I don't know. I know only that no good will come from this."
disclaimer: don't own sailor moon. don't argue.