Passion for a Prince
Chapter 6
By: Silent Moon
Mail: silentmoonstar@yahoo.com
Rated: R
Disclaimer: standard
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I desire you
more than food
or drink
My body
my senses
my mind
hunger for your taste
I can sense your presence
in my heart...
....I wait
with silent passion
for one gesture
one glance
from you
From "Desire" by Rumi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The King stood angrily glowering over the tied up figures of Molly
and the Guard who had been Sere's driver.
Where was Sere?
"Traitors!" The King hollared, "Both of you! You shall die for your crimes!"
"No! Oh no!" A voice cried out before Endymion could.
It was Sere--and she broke away from the Guards running to shield her
friends.
"You cannot!"
The King's eyes grew blacker, "Step aside you insolent wench! I shall tolerate
no further disobediance from you!"
And in a terrible instant he was raising his whip as Serena turned to shield
her friends bodies with her own--back exposed.
Endymion moved faster than he ever had before--he could not recall running later.
"No!" Was all he managed before he was in front of his love and then, the King,
in one of his blacker moments whipped his son.
The whip could not be stopped and sliced against his youngest sons' back.
And before that instant the King had never whipped his sons.
A strange expression crossed his face before he grew angry.
"Endymion! What are you doing?! These traitors were aiding your Mistress
in escaping the Palace! They are to be put to death!"
Andrew appeared now, putting his arm around Sere.
"Yes, and since it seems she no longer desires your company, *I* shall
take her!"
He glared at her triumphantly, "At last I will repay your offences to
me servant-girl!"
Endymion's eyes flashed, "Get your hands off her Andrew!" He said
violently, shoving his brother off.
"None of you touch her!" He cried wildly, "Twas *I* who orchestrated
her escape! We were to leave together!"
There was a terrible silence as everyone stared in shock.
Finally the King spoke, "You were abandoning your family name and title?"
"Yes! There is no honour in this name! Your reign has been cruel
and terrible--as my brother's shall be! I want no part of it! I long only
to leave and marry my Lady!"
Andrew snorted as the King sat silent in shock, "Marry? Forsake your title?
You can never escape who you are! Girlish, incompetant, weak as you are, you
remain a Prince! And she--" He pointed to Sere whose eyes were wide staring
intently into her love's--but he saw no one at that moment, "*SHE* is a servant,
a woman, NOT a Lady!"
Endymion's thoughts spun--oh this was all just thrashing out of control--he had
to get Sere out of here--he had to leave before it was too late! No matter how
much he longed to throttle his brother.
"She is my Mistress, and I her Prince--that affords me the power to do with
her as I wish!" He cried desperately, damning himself inside for speaking of
her so.
The King spoke up now--he'd been quiet a long moment, he spoke slowly,
"You wish to leave this Kingdom? Turn your back on your name? You
dishonour your Mother!"
"I have *NEVER* dishonoured my Mother!!!" Cried Endymion in outrage, and something
in him snapped. The Guards, the Court, Sere, they could all see it.
"This girl is not your Mistress!" Andrew accused, pointing at her, "You're
in love with her!"
"And what if I am?" He countered with a deadly calm never present in his voice
before.
All of Andrew's pent up rage and jealousy and pride flashed out. He would take
this woman his brother loved and have her, punish her, break her...
"If you wish to wed her," He pulled out his sword, "You must fight for her
honour!"
But where he expected a cowardly retreat there was none. His brother was
meek and bullied no more.
Endymion brandished his own sword, "Very well, I challenge you, since you want
her, I challenge you to fight for her!" And in a burst of unrestrained
passion he added, "For the Kingdom, for the throne!"
For it suddenly occured to him that he did not just want to save Sere--he wanted
to save everyone. Wanted to give new meaning to the titles his father and brother
had spoiled. And he was quite capeable of doing it.
Andrew's eyes were wide, and for one strange moment his mouth hung open in shock,
then he lost it completely, "How dare you!?!" He screamed.
But Endymion was frighteningly calm, "It is my right and I choose to take it."
The two brothers looked at their father and King who was staring at his youngest
son as though he were a stranger.
But he nodded.
Andrew's face darkened, hatred heavy in his features, "Very well then, to the death!"
Endymion ushered Sere, Molly and the Driver away and the open court cleared as they
posed to attack.
And it was Endymion who struck the first blow.
Sere watched in something of terror and fascination and pride.
They fought on and on and the King watched with astonishment as Endymion
showed a skill that betrayed both practice and inborn talent--and something
had been kindled and lit in him.
It was suddenly apparent he was the stronger brother--proud of himself--a man.
A man fighting for his Kingdom, his values, his love.
A passionate man whose kindness and ease were suddenly his strength.
The Guards watched with interest, praying their Prince should win--ready to
intercede and dispose of his older counterpart but knowing they must not.
"Do you really think you have the backbone to lead the people?" Sneered Andrew
taunting him as they fought.
Endymion's eyes narrowed but his voice was steady, "I shall be a better leader
than you ever could--you don't have the heart!"
The crash of swords and the echoing anger of their voices seemed to fill the hall
and swell it as something powerful took place.
Andrew managed to nick him and laughed, "You really think heart and kindness can
rule a Kingdom? You haven't the strength or the will!"
Endymion's sword became heavier as he fought back angrily, "Love has given me more
strength then your hate can ever give you and I have more than the will to lead my
people! I have the passion!"
And the word was like magic as it fell over the room. Everyone suddenly realized
what it was the young Prince had gained.
The fight changed, Endymion's full strength and skill springing to life.
It was clearer than ever that he was the stronger, the bigger, the truly skilled
brother.
Sere watched pale and breathless from the side and felt as if she were
watching her love grab hold of his destiny.
Endymion knocked Andrew to the ground and struck his sword away, his own hovering
over his brother's heart.
"I will not kill you." He said with finality, "But know that I have won this duel.
I shall restore Serenity's title and rule this kingdom with her as my Queen."
Andrew's eyes narrowed as the King's widened.
Endymion sheathed his sword and walked away as the Guards suddenly broke into
thunderous cheers and applause.
He smiled with surprise at them and then met his love, her arms open, welcoming him.
"My love." He could see her mouth whisper, "I am so proud..."
And he knew, wherever his mother was--she was proud too.
He reached her and fell to his knees at her feet, weary and victorious.
She cradeled his face to her stomach, "Endymion...you did it my Prince."
And those words made him prouder than he had ever felt.
He stood and ushered the cheers quiet.
He spoke seriously, looking from his Guards to his Servants to the Royal Court,
"I promise you, if you will lend me your loyalty I will prove myself worthy of
it--as your King."
The cheers rose again, the Guards hollaring out their loyalty to him--the Oldest
Guard felt tears at the corners of his eyes and thanked God for this wonderous
destiny.
Sere slipped an arm about his waist and smiled up at him--his eyes filled with love
for her. He leaned down,
"*You* did it my love."
She blushed. Then she noticed Molly and the Driver struggling and hurried over to help
them.
And it was then--in the loud uproarous crowd of cheers and congratulations,
gasps and confused stares, in the bewilderment of the King as he watched his
youngest son--that Andrew made his move. His last vengeance.
He grabbed his sword and headed not for Endymion but Sere.
Running.
His sword outstretched he lunged for her.
"Now you shall die!" He cried and both she and Endymion turned to see him at once,
eyes widening in horror--but only Molly screamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 6
By: Silent Moon
Mail: silentmoonstar@yahoo.com
Rated: R
Disclaimer: standard
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I desire you
more than food
or drink
My body
my senses
my mind
hunger for your taste
I can sense your presence
in my heart...
....I wait
with silent passion
for one gesture
one glance
from you
From "Desire" by Rumi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The King stood angrily glowering over the tied up figures of Molly
and the Guard who had been Sere's driver.
Where was Sere?
"Traitors!" The King hollared, "Both of you! You shall die for your crimes!"
"No! Oh no!" A voice cried out before Endymion could.
It was Sere--and she broke away from the Guards running to shield her
friends.
"You cannot!"
The King's eyes grew blacker, "Step aside you insolent wench! I shall tolerate
no further disobediance from you!"
And in a terrible instant he was raising his whip as Serena turned to shield
her friends bodies with her own--back exposed.
Endymion moved faster than he ever had before--he could not recall running later.
"No!" Was all he managed before he was in front of his love and then, the King,
in one of his blacker moments whipped his son.
The whip could not be stopped and sliced against his youngest sons' back.
And before that instant the King had never whipped his sons.
A strange expression crossed his face before he grew angry.
"Endymion! What are you doing?! These traitors were aiding your Mistress
in escaping the Palace! They are to be put to death!"
Andrew appeared now, putting his arm around Sere.
"Yes, and since it seems she no longer desires your company, *I* shall
take her!"
He glared at her triumphantly, "At last I will repay your offences to
me servant-girl!"
Endymion's eyes flashed, "Get your hands off her Andrew!" He said
violently, shoving his brother off.
"None of you touch her!" He cried wildly, "Twas *I* who orchestrated
her escape! We were to leave together!"
There was a terrible silence as everyone stared in shock.
Finally the King spoke, "You were abandoning your family name and title?"
"Yes! There is no honour in this name! Your reign has been cruel
and terrible--as my brother's shall be! I want no part of it! I long only
to leave and marry my Lady!"
Andrew snorted as the King sat silent in shock, "Marry? Forsake your title?
You can never escape who you are! Girlish, incompetant, weak as you are, you
remain a Prince! And she--" He pointed to Sere whose eyes were wide staring
intently into her love's--but he saw no one at that moment, "*SHE* is a servant,
a woman, NOT a Lady!"
Endymion's thoughts spun--oh this was all just thrashing out of control--he had
to get Sere out of here--he had to leave before it was too late! No matter how
much he longed to throttle his brother.
"She is my Mistress, and I her Prince--that affords me the power to do with
her as I wish!" He cried desperately, damning himself inside for speaking of
her so.
The King spoke up now--he'd been quiet a long moment, he spoke slowly,
"You wish to leave this Kingdom? Turn your back on your name? You
dishonour your Mother!"
"I have *NEVER* dishonoured my Mother!!!" Cried Endymion in outrage, and something
in him snapped. The Guards, the Court, Sere, they could all see it.
"This girl is not your Mistress!" Andrew accused, pointing at her, "You're
in love with her!"
"And what if I am?" He countered with a deadly calm never present in his voice
before.
All of Andrew's pent up rage and jealousy and pride flashed out. He would take
this woman his brother loved and have her, punish her, break her...
"If you wish to wed her," He pulled out his sword, "You must fight for her
honour!"
But where he expected a cowardly retreat there was none. His brother was
meek and bullied no more.
Endymion brandished his own sword, "Very well, I challenge you, since you want
her, I challenge you to fight for her!" And in a burst of unrestrained
passion he added, "For the Kingdom, for the throne!"
For it suddenly occured to him that he did not just want to save Sere--he wanted
to save everyone. Wanted to give new meaning to the titles his father and brother
had spoiled. And he was quite capeable of doing it.
Andrew's eyes were wide, and for one strange moment his mouth hung open in shock,
then he lost it completely, "How dare you!?!" He screamed.
But Endymion was frighteningly calm, "It is my right and I choose to take it."
The two brothers looked at their father and King who was staring at his youngest
son as though he were a stranger.
But he nodded.
Andrew's face darkened, hatred heavy in his features, "Very well then, to the death!"
Endymion ushered Sere, Molly and the Driver away and the open court cleared as they
posed to attack.
And it was Endymion who struck the first blow.
Sere watched in something of terror and fascination and pride.
They fought on and on and the King watched with astonishment as Endymion
showed a skill that betrayed both practice and inborn talent--and something
had been kindled and lit in him.
It was suddenly apparent he was the stronger brother--proud of himself--a man.
A man fighting for his Kingdom, his values, his love.
A passionate man whose kindness and ease were suddenly his strength.
The Guards watched with interest, praying their Prince should win--ready to
intercede and dispose of his older counterpart but knowing they must not.
"Do you really think you have the backbone to lead the people?" Sneered Andrew
taunting him as they fought.
Endymion's eyes narrowed but his voice was steady, "I shall be a better leader
than you ever could--you don't have the heart!"
The crash of swords and the echoing anger of their voices seemed to fill the hall
and swell it as something powerful took place.
Andrew managed to nick him and laughed, "You really think heart and kindness can
rule a Kingdom? You haven't the strength or the will!"
Endymion's sword became heavier as he fought back angrily, "Love has given me more
strength then your hate can ever give you and I have more than the will to lead my
people! I have the passion!"
And the word was like magic as it fell over the room. Everyone suddenly realized
what it was the young Prince had gained.
The fight changed, Endymion's full strength and skill springing to life.
It was clearer than ever that he was the stronger, the bigger, the truly skilled
brother.
Sere watched pale and breathless from the side and felt as if she were
watching her love grab hold of his destiny.
Endymion knocked Andrew to the ground and struck his sword away, his own hovering
over his brother's heart.
"I will not kill you." He said with finality, "But know that I have won this duel.
I shall restore Serenity's title and rule this kingdom with her as my Queen."
Andrew's eyes narrowed as the King's widened.
Endymion sheathed his sword and walked away as the Guards suddenly broke into
thunderous cheers and applause.
He smiled with surprise at them and then met his love, her arms open, welcoming him.
"My love." He could see her mouth whisper, "I am so proud..."
And he knew, wherever his mother was--she was proud too.
He reached her and fell to his knees at her feet, weary and victorious.
She cradeled his face to her stomach, "Endymion...you did it my Prince."
And those words made him prouder than he had ever felt.
He stood and ushered the cheers quiet.
He spoke seriously, looking from his Guards to his Servants to the Royal Court,
"I promise you, if you will lend me your loyalty I will prove myself worthy of
it--as your King."
The cheers rose again, the Guards hollaring out their loyalty to him--the Oldest
Guard felt tears at the corners of his eyes and thanked God for this wonderous
destiny.
Sere slipped an arm about his waist and smiled up at him--his eyes filled with love
for her. He leaned down,
"*You* did it my love."
She blushed. Then she noticed Molly and the Driver struggling and hurried over to help
them.
And it was then--in the loud uproarous crowd of cheers and congratulations,
gasps and confused stares, in the bewilderment of the King as he watched his
youngest son--that Andrew made his move. His last vengeance.
He grabbed his sword and headed not for Endymion but Sere.
Running.
His sword outstretched he lunged for her.
"Now you shall die!" He cried and both she and Endymion turned to see him at once,
eyes widening in horror--but only Molly screamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
