Ha! See! Another post! ^____^ Having no school is wonderful.

Disclaimer:: Story be mine ... original belong to some mean lady who refused to sell it to me.

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            Serenity lay on her bed, her disguise melted away. Compared to her hulking, manly mask, her original self seemed small and weak. Usually one would be proven wrong by just looking into her eyes, but this morning ... there was no vigor or strength in them. Only hurt and fear floated in her purple gaze. She'd cancel all her meetings and such today. She will not be able to look in the eyes of the prince after this. All night she'd dreamt of the woman and Darien together in bed ... something she did not want to imagine. "Curses on that bastard! Making me fall in love with him!" Even as she spoke, she wiped away a tear among many.

"And curses on Haruka for dancing with him! What was she thinking?" Mysteriously, the senshi of Uranus had disappeared the night before and no one, not even Sailor Neptune knew where she was.

"Curse my heart for falling in love with him." But why? Sure he was a handsome fellow, but there were plenty others just as good-looking! He was weak and judgmental! He was also a walking hard-on from what she saw last night. But then there were those times when she'd talked with him. When he had seem so polite, trying not to hurt her feelings about her looks. The way she'd seen him react with his guards, as if they were brothers and not prince and subjects. There was a kind soul in him and she knew it.

"And curse those blasted KISSES!!" It had been those kisses that opened these stupid emotions. "Damn him! Damn everything about him! Damn the Earth! Damn mother for bringing him here! Damn everything damn thing in the universe! Damn ... my heart." Trying to mask her sorrow with anger, she cried out and threw a pillow across the room.

"Oof! Eh, why don't you be more careful with where you throw these things? You've got a pretty good arm." Lita's voice twinkled behind the princess, full of concern and slight amusement.

"How'd you get in here? I had the door locked." Serenity growled and hugged her knees, leaning against the headrest of her bed.

"After knowing you all these years, I think I know few weak chinks in the door." Grinning kindly, the Amazon walked over and sat down on the bed, gazing at her princess. "What's going on? You seem so ... happy picking on the prince and the guardians. Now you've locked yourself in the room."

Serenity looked away and stubbornly kept her mouth closed. "Go away. I damn and curse you too."

Lita chuckled in amusement. "Yes, I heard you a couple of seconds ago damning everything made by the gods except food."

"Food hasn't done anything to deserve it."

"I see. But ... Prince Endymion has?"

Serenity's head jerked at the question, tears starting once more. Angrily, she wiped them away and furiously shook her head. "Hell no! Why would I fall in love with such a pompous jerk?!"

"Perhaps because he hasn't been anything but kind to you ever since he came?"

"Ha! What the time he ... well ... that time he ... I..." She frowned, unable to come up with a question. It was true. All this time, she'd been the one acting like a fool. Immature. "I hate you, Lita."

"I know you do, sweetie. That's why we get along so well!" Grinning, the brunette tugged on one of her princess' pigtails. "He's someone very special. Most princes wouldn't have bothered to deal with you."

"Yea, but he also prefers beauty, Lita. Last night ... I ... I saw a woman step out of his room. It was obvious they had just slept together." Her voice was hollow as she spoke, pain entering her heart again. Damn this pain.

She glanced up quickly as she heard the Amazon's snort and chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"You aren't ... by chance talking about the busty Lady Beryl, are you?"

"W ... who?"

"Let me say it this way. Gorgeous, tall, red-haired, breasts the size of Jupiter?" Lita's eyes sparkled with good grace and humor, a hint of sarcasm in the words.

"Yes! How'd you know? Oh, no. He's made it publicly known." She curled into a tighter ball, thinking that Lita was laughing at her pitiful plight.

"Well, your highness. You have nothing to worry about. From what I hear ... last night the prince had to fight off the woman. That she kissed him and tackled him to the bed. Nephrite said the prince never knew a woman could be so strong, next to you that is. And all day long, he's been trying to avoid the woman. Even using the excuse of looking for you." Lita grinned brightly but it fell away as she received nothing from the princess except a short sob. "Serenity?"

"I'm so confused, Lita. So confused about everything."

It was then did the Princess of Jupiter take in the thin form of the princess and the blood-shot eyes. Cursing under her breath, she could see the sunken eyes and the weak way she held herself. "That stupid disguise. You said you would know when it became too much for you!"

She winced at the harsh and worried tone, shaking her head. "I know ... and I thought I could handle it just a bit longer. I didn't know he was going to stay so long."

"He'll be going home soon. The King and Queen left for the their planet. Something about a small argument between two powerful lords."

"I see."

**********

Prince Endymion paced his room, face withdrawn from the world. That's when he heard the husky voice of Beryl. Crying out in fear, he dove under his bed, watching as his door opened. He saw a pair of heeled feet travel across his room, the spiked heels digging into the soft carpet.

"He's not in here. Damn it."

He never understood how he could have been attracted to that woman. Something about her threw him off and he knew it wasn't her body. Something about the way she thought and acted disturbed him. He sighed deeply as he saw her walk out of the room, waiting a few minutes before he climbed back out.

"You know, you're supposed to sleep on the bed, not under it." Zoisite's amused face poked through the door, frightening the prince more than necessary.

After managing to pry himself away from the bedpost, he turned swiftly and threw a punch, which Zoisite dodged easily. "Don't do that! I thought you were Beryl!"

The blonde chuckled lightly and ducked again as the prince threw another punch. "My, aren't we in bad mood?"

"And aren't we in a good mood?" He glared at his guard as if to ask what right did the other man has to be happy while he was so ... miserable.

"I should think so! The lovely Princess Ami makes wonderful breakfast company." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and shrugged off the glare the prince threw at him. "Now what is eating away at you, oh mighty mental one?"

"I should have you beheaded."

"All right then. I won't tell you where Jadeite is."

"What?! Tell me where that f--"

"Watch your language! Now I won't tell you unless you tell me what's wrong with you."

Darien shrugged and looked away, trying to hide his blush. "I miss talking with the princess and I'm worried about her."

"..."

"She's sick okay! I saw the doctor go into her room this afternoon and haven't come out yet. And I'm afraid she's really sick."

"What if she's having an affair with the doctor instead?" Zoisite said this jokingly, trying to get his prince out of this strange mood. He completely regretted saying that.

"You think so?! You think she prefers guys like him? You better not be lying to me or else you're going to be a dead man!" It drove him mad at the thought of her kissing someone else. Those kisses that managed to throw him off-guard and have desire running through. By now he had Zoisite up against the wall, hands ready to throttle.

"Whoa, lover boy! Do you even remember how the guy looks? He's like he's beyond sixty!" The blonde was both frightened and amused by the reactions of the prince.

"Maybe he likes older men?"

"Dar, old buddy! Relax, but I'm afraid she really is sick."

Endymion seemed to deflate at these words, as he started to pace once more. "She's really sick. Maybe I should go visit her. You think she's going to kick my family jewels again? Or attack me with make-up? By the gods, I've never met a princess so determined to get rid of me."

"You love her, don't you?"

"Well of course I ... do." The prince blinked, confused by the words that had come out even before he knew it. The words sounded strange in his mind and he tried to work it out in his brain. In his mind, he pictured the princess. He saw her overly muscular form, her greasy hair, and all her other faults. But then he saw her with the people, smiling gently and kindly. The light that seemed to live in her eyes always and the way they would light up with anger whenever he was around. Yes, he did love her. He loved her personality and the brilliant light that seemed to surround her at all time. Somehow ... along all the pranks ... he'd fallen in love with her. It no longer mattered if she could probably beat him in a wrestling match. Somehow, she seemed more beautiful than the gods themselves to him. And more precious.

"Uhh ... Darien?" Spooked by the sudden silence of the prince, he waved his hand in front of the eyes, trying to catch his attention. "Hullo?!! Hullo?!!! Princey!!? Anybody home?!"

"I love her."

"Yea, we covered that already."

Beryl growled, listening from the doorway. How the hell did that hulking mass of a woman manage to get the prince to fall in love with her?  Stalking down the hallway, she frowned and thought about what she would have to do. She knew the princess' room was somewhere near here and was delighted to find the door open. The guards were away for the senshi was in the room, thinking that the warrior could protect their princess better than they could. Leaning gingerly against the door, she listened for any weakness or possibilities that could tear away the prince from the princess.

"Sere, we were so worried about you! The doctor said you could have gone in a coma!"

"I don't ever want to see you in that disguise again. Do you hear me?"

"But what about the pr--"

"Forget about him. Your safety is much more important."

"You've got to stop deceiving him like this."

"Not yet. I can't."

Beryl's eyes widened as she heard the word deceive. Glancing in through the door, she nearly burst with anger as she saw a slim beauty leaning against pillows. Then, she knew the prince could never forgive the princess. For there is one thing the prince hated among all others. Being deceived.

**********

Darien frowned, glancing at the note in his hand. It said the princess wanted to see him and now he was nervous out of his mind. This love he held for her was immense and frankly frightened the hell out of him. She held a power over him that he wasn't comfortable with. Brushing his hand through his hair, he nervously gathered up his courage and headed towards the room of the princess. It was evening and everyone else was at dinner, something he'd declined because he knew Beryl would be there. Hands wet with sweat he knocked on the door. "Um, Princess Serenity?"

He listened carefully as he heard a string of curses and then a flash of light shimmered through the creases of the door. Raising an eyebrow, he knocked again, amused by the swears he heard. He had no idea someone of royal birth knew that much ... ahem... vocabulary, save for him. Excitement coursed through him as the he heard the princess invite him.

"Prince Endymion!" She exclaimed with surprise and he heard the fatigue laced in those words.

He gazed at her for a second, her large form fitting the bed quite comfortably. Weariness was evident in her eyes and her hand seemed to tremble as she waved him forward. "I ... um ... received your letter."

Her eyebrows rose as she heard his words. She'd never sent a letter to him. She figured it must have been one of senshi trying to set them up. "Yes." She couldn't help but let her eyes wander over him. She was never one to judge a man by his looks, but she couldn't help but find his nervous stance adorable. Anger coursed through her as she realized the thought and then she lowered her head.

"Well, you ... um ... look like shit." Great. From that moment on, he figured himself an idiot.

"Gee, thanks asshole." She grinned a bit, totally accepting his honesty. "Glad you're not one of those respectful princes that'll tell me I look beautiful when I do look like shit." She panicked a bit as she felt her draining energy. Lying back down from her sitting position, she took deep breaths. "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"I thought you ... wanted to talk to me..." He trailed off suddenly very uncomfortable here. Never before had he been so nervous. 

"I'm kind of tired right now, Prince Endymion. I was wondering ... if you could visit me another time?" She asked, trying to mask the hopefulness in her voice.

"Oh, sure!" He breathed out a sigh in relief and headed back towards the door. He could hear her own sigh and the sheets moving with her. As he opened the door, he froze for a second. "Princess Serenity?"

"Hmm?"

"I ... I've grown to care for you after all this time."

She remained silent, caught off-guard by his words. Her energy was draining fast and her head spun in fatigue.

"What I mean to say is ... that I ...I ... I fell in love you."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she heard the words. "Oh, really?"

He turned at the words and frowned. "Yes, really. Don't you trust me?" At her silence, he sighed and stepped out of the door.

"Wait! I ... I do trust you."

He turned and stepped back in the room, confusion and hurt in his eyes.

"Oh, stop that. I'm ill over here and you march here in saying that you love me. You ... you need to give me time for things like this." She sighed in fatigue, pain swimming her head. The spell was starting to drain on her life energy now. "Please come back later."

He nodded and turned, and soon as he did that the spell wore off and Serenity's original form lay on the bed. But he didn't get to see for his back was turned and he had stepped out of the door.

"Thank Selenity." With that Serenity collapsed on the bed, breathing hard with exhaustion. Then, she fell into a deep sleep.

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Who thought that was funny?! . . ::sees nobody raise their hand:: Good! Don't worry ... it'll get funny again. Well hope you enjoyed it! I'll be updating next ... week!