This is going to be a looonnggg chapter because I couldn't figure out where
to stop it. I promise the other chapters won't be as long as this one. I
guess I just got carried away. ^_^00. Review!! ~Lady Hino
"Jadeite!" she screamed, her body arching wildly.
Jadeite smothered her cries with his mouth and furrowed his brow. For some reason, spending time with Lily didn't seem as rewarding to him. He tore his mouth from hers roughly and laid his head in the crook of her neck. He let out a deep groan of satisfaction when his climax seized him.
Lily stroked her lover's head slowly, tremors still wracking her body. It's true, she told herself, he is magnificent. She looked down and stared at her lover's head, he was as beautiful as the gods were. Jadeite stared at the woman. She was five years his senior and very beautiful, though not as beautiful as he had originally thought. Her flaxen hair fell down her back in rippling waves. Her eyes were a deep brown, her nose straight, and her mouth rosy. Her body was superb, the body of a courtesan, he told himself silently. Her skin was as white as snow. He couldn't help thinking that the hair he stroked should have been as black as midnight and that the eyes he gazed into should have been innocent orbs of violet. He pictured a flushed mouth, bruised with his kisses and limbs as supple and delicate as a flower's. He could imagine breasts as round and perfect as a goddess', just the right size to fill his hands with.
He shook himself out of his dreaming and pulled away from the woman. She groaned, disappointed, and sat up with him. He felt exhaustion seep into his bones and a strange sensation of guilt. He shook his head roughly and looked down at his body.
A white hand snaked down his chest and over his flat belly and he groaned before jerking away.
"What?" Lily asked him, "You seem distracted," she said.
Jadeite grabbed his blue breeches and pulled them on roughly before turning around. "I am not distracted," he said with his hands on his lean waist. "Do not assume such ridiculous things," he ground out.
Lily kneeled on the bed with a frown on her lips. She was putting on her famous act for him, he knew. "Won't you come back to bed, sire?" she asked putting her arms out to him.
Jadeite shook his head and grabbed the white lawn shirt that lay crumpled on Lily's ornate wooden desk. He had paid for almost everything in this cottage; save for the frilly things she bought with what she had made when she had no protector.
Jed shrugged into the white shirt and stepped toward the woman. "I'm not coming back to bed tonight, Lily, my sweet," he said with his usual grace. He kissed her pouting lips and stroked her belly lazily. "I've a guest at my home who I am eager to see well."
Lily reached for the laces of his breeches. "Stay, Jadeite." she moaned as she nuzzled his neck. "I want you to stay with me."
Jadeite smiled slyly and stepped away from her. "Do not be selfish, Lillian," he said pointing a finger. "It is rude."
Lily put her hands on her hips and thrust out her chin. "You are being rude tonight, Jadeite," she said playfully.
Jadeite smiled despite himself and kneeled low so that he could bestow a kiss on her smooth abdomen. "I want you to be ready for me tomorrow." he whispered hotly against her flesh. "I'll be ravishing you with all I have until you scream for mercy and beg me to stop." he breathed. He felt his mistress shudder with desire before he pulled away. "Now, get dressed and escort me to the door, like a good little girl," he said with a tap on her nose.
"I'm not a little girl, Jadeite," she said, "I'm thirty-years-old!"
"And you don't look a day over twenty," he said smoothly, knowing what she would enjoy and what she wouldn't. She blushed slightly, pulled the pale pink dressing gown from the edge of the large bed and wrapped herself in it.
Jadeite frowned slightly as he watched her saunter to the door of the bedchamber. Her experience left him angered. She was a courtesan; a woman taught how to pleasure a man in the most sensual and erotic ways. She was not an inexperienced innocent who would shy away from him and wait while he instructed her on the most enjoyable aspects to love play. He was disappointed to say the least.
"Come, sire," his beautiful mistress called seductively. She was trying to get him to stay, but he would not. He was too concerned about the dark beauty in his adjoining bedchamber. He could imagine she was sleeping at this hour for the moon had risen hours before and the stars were twitching with their brightness. It was past the decent hour for sleep. He knew his mother would reprimand him if she found him coming in at the hour he was, but at the moment he could care less. He wanted to ensure that the lovely goddess was still where she was supposed to be.
With the thought that the girl could escape in his mind, he raced ahead of Lily and roughly planted a kiss on her cheek. "I must be off, Lily!" he called over his shoulder. He found his golden stallion grazing near the tree he had tied him to and he swung himself effortlessly into the saddle. "I'll send word if I cannot make it tomorrow night," he said flicking a finger at the knotted reins. They came loose with a flash of blue light and fell into his hands like two feathers from a phoenix tail. "I'm surprised I didn't hear the little ones screaming their heads off tonight." he said with a smile.
"They're at my neighbors, Jadeite!" she replied with a grin, "I knew you were coming and had them sent off."
Jadeite felt a sharp stab of guilt in the back of his mind. They were both his children. "Take care, lovely." he said with a wave.
"Sleep well, darling!" Lily called back.
Jadeite grinned crookedly at the blonde woman and turned the stallion in the direction of his palace. The ride was invigorating. He could feel the chill in the air for the sun had taken its warmth with it when it left the sky. He enjoyed the coolness as he raced through the city. Many homes were black, some had lights blazing. He paid them little heed as he rushed through the palace gates and into the stables.
He jumped off the horse before it stopped and slammed a fist on the door of the groomsman's quarters. "I don't mean to wake you, Drake, but please tend to Notus for me.I haven't the time to do so myself. He is waiting for you in his stall!" he cried through the wooden door.
"Oh.yes, sire.of course!" Drake called back in a trembling voice. Jadeite smiled, he had woken the young stable-hand.
"Thank you, Drake!" Jed shouted as he ran through the stables and into the back of the palace.
He was running without a care in the world. For some strange reason he was eager to see if the raven-haired goddess was still in the room he had put her in, but he had an unusual desire to set his eyes upon her before he went to sleep. Almost as if the demons would lift their wing if he had gazed upon a she-god before closing his eyes.
"Jadeite?" a figure called out in the night.
Jadeite lifted his eyes to the dark and stopped running. Who would be out at this time of night? "Oy! Who goes?" he yelled.
"Idiot, it's me!" Sora's voice rung out.
Jadeite squinted his eyes and smiled. "Why are you out here, Sora?" he asked more quietly.
Sora stepped out from the shadows and frowned. "She's gone, Jadeite."
"Who is gone?" he replied looking back up at the palace.
"The girl I was telling you about. The one with hair as dark as midnight and skin as light as snow. Lips as rosy as a red red rose and cheeks as bright as the pink from a morning sunrise. Eyes as strong and as violet as a-"
"Enough," Jadeite said, cutting off his friend's words with a hand. He knew exactly whom Sora was speaking about; in fact, he didn't even want to start a conversation about the girl with his friend. For one, the girl had skin as white as a fresh water pearl's, not snow, and her lips were a more dusky rose than the bright red, her eyes a soft, dark violet and her cheeks a gentle dusting of pink. "I know who you speak of."
"Have you seen her, Jadeite? I have not seen her and I fear that I lost her," Sora said with a note of panic in his voice.
"I have taken her back." he whispered looking away.
Sora frowned slightly then sighed. "As I would suspect. You said you did not see her, but then you saw her and you stole her from me."
Jadeite looked at the friend he'd known since childhood and shook his head. "That's not the way of it, Sora. I did not steal her from you.she merely fell into my hands."
"Then you have taken her already."
"I have not.she is untouched by me, Sora. Did you hear? I have not touched her. I just have her in my quarters."
"And you expect me to believe that you did not destroy her? You are the prince, you are more handsome than your father was at his age, and you have slept with many women, Jadeite. You are insatiable.and you expect me to believe that you have not tampered with that young girl in your quarters?"
"Sora, you must believe me. I would not hurt you so. I only have her because she tried to-"
"It's all right, Jadeite.I understand. I'll just go back to my room and sleep away the hours of the night."
Jadeite watched sadly as his friend turned his back to leave. "She has struck a chord in your heart." he said softly when his friend had finally gone. "She has struck some unknown chord in your lonely heart and you wish to have her back.strange, Sora.but this is one girl I am not going to share with you."
He had to creep along the walls to guarantee that his mother did not see him and when he reached the third floor without confrontation, he heaved a sigh of relief. He just hoped Sora had not taken the girl from his room while he was away.
When he entered his room, he quickly tossed his disheveled clothing onto his turned down bed and donned fresh breeches and a new shirt. He laced both garments hastily and calmly strode into the parlor.
'You're home late' Tyche greeted.
Jadeite looked up and noticed the large snowy owl resting atop the mantle. "Good evening, Tyche." he said to the bird.
'More like good morning, highness.'
Jadeite grinned slightly then made his way to the door near the opposite end of the room. If he was smart he would have taken the stairs that connected his dressing room to hers, but he was in such a hurry to get to her that he had forgotten.
He eased the door of the chamber open slightly and peeked in. The fire was dimming and the candles were out. The magnificent phoenix was asleep beside the bed, but was instantly awake when he heard the door open. Jadeite put a hand to his lips and shook his head. He knew that the bird would wake up his mistress at any moment.
Jadeite prayed for the best and moved toward the bed. The goddess was sleeping peacefully with one arm clinging to the coverlet and the other resting delicately beside her turned face. She was breathing deeply and slowly.
Jadeite smiled slightly at the girl. She was a beauty to say the least. He wanted to stroke her cheek and wake her with a kiss, but he wouldn't dare. Instead he turned around and closed the distance between the bed and the fireplace. As quietly as he could, he stoked the dying embers and brought the fire to life again. Then, as silently as he had come in, he left the room in search of his own bed.
'His highness is pleased to have the girl here, ne?' Ares asked from his perch on Jadeite's bedpost.
Jadeite looked up before he stripped off his shirt and reached for the laces of his breeches. "I suppose it's a new experience to have this woman in my rooms than any other. It's obvious that she's an innocent, Ares," Jadeite said as he climbed into bed. "I would be surprised if she wasn't."
'True.'
Jadeite stacked his hands behind his head and looked up at the golden hawk. "What of you, Ares?"
'Am I happy that the girl is here?' the bird asked with a bewildered expression.
Jed smiled despite himself. "No, of course not. I've heard tales that birds like you have a human form that they possess when the time is called upon."
'This is true, highness.'
"Have you ever had to use your human form?" Jed asked on a yawn.
'Once.' Ares answered. 'It was for reasons that I have never told you.'
"What reasons, Ares?"
'I was in love once, highness.' the bird said softly. He turned his head slightly to gaze upon the dying fire in the hearth.
Jadeite looked up at the bird in astonishment. "You, Ares?" he asked with disbelief. "You are the last soul I would suspect of falling in love."
'And I would not suggest that you do likewise, highness. When I fell in love, it destroyed me.'
"But.how could that have destroyed you?" Jed asked as he propped himself up on his elbows.
'It made me weak, highness. I was young.very young and still flying over the planets as a young hawk should. Once during my many excursions, I had to stop for water where I found a small creek. It was at this time that I was flying through Mars' never ending deserts. The sands were hot and the air was dry, the water was warm, but cool to my own throat. It was here that a saw a young girl of ten and eight summers or less. She was crying and I felt my heart, or whatever a hawk has in his chest, go out to the young one.
'I thought that if I helped her, she would lead me to the palace where I could visit the new baby that had just arrived. This baby now rules Mars beside Keola; their daughter resides on the Moon where she is training as a senshi. I thought that visiting this new baby would ensure my success as a protector. So, I went to the girl in my hawkish form and prodded her with my silent voice.
'She did not hear me, nor did she like me. She ran away with tears streaming down her face and hid behind several large rocks. So, thinking that I could convince her to come with me, I flew off behind my own rocks and emerged as the man that I could become. I went to her then and conjured up enough strength to speak to her as any other man would.'
Jadeite shook his head in amazement. His strong-willed, dead hearted friend had fallen in love with a maid of eighteen in a desert on Mars. "This is all too insane," he said to himself.
'It was not insane, highness', Ares said angrily. 'I spoke to her and she listened. I took her home as quickly as I could, hoping that the sooner I arrived at the palace, the sooner I would find the new baby.
'However, when we arrived in the village, she continued to move toward the palace. She was the princess Aria. I did not believe it at first, but she was Ariai, the first born to Mars' throne. I had fallen for a princess and she had fallen for me. I tried to escape her as soon as we arrived, but she would not let me flee. I became more enthralled by her every day I was with her, until the day she betrayed me.'
"Ares.this story is too strange. Never has any of this been told to me before." Jed whispered.
'And never will it be told again. She betrayed me by falling in love with a merchant and eloping with him. It was betrayal in its strongest form. Women are never to be trusted, and men are likewise.though I trust you more than anyone I have before. So I stay a hawk to protect myself against all women.'
Jadeite turned away and looked out the open window. So, Ares did not believe that women could be trusted. Well, Jadeite couldn't either. Not since the day that Lily bore him his second child. He dismissed the first child by his wife of two years, Kat, knowing that she was an innocent in the conceiving, until he discovered her trying to sell the babe for money. He had confronted her later and she swore to him that the people she was "giving" his child would help bring money into the family. It was then that he had to steal his child away from her and put the babe in the care of his former steward. The betrayal was severe and he had had her removed from his father's kingdom discreetly-explaining to his people that she had come down with an incurable illness and was going to spend her last weeks with her family in France. When Lily bore him a second child, he was convinced that she planned the outcome so that it would have been impossible for him to get rid of her, which was exactly the case.
"Thank you for sharing, Ares," Jadeite whispered to the window. "I shall sleep now and keep your secret as safe as I can."
'Thank you, highness', Ares responded softly. He glided gracefully to the side of Jadeite's bed and sat down on the pillow. 'Tyche went in search of the Earth palace to gather information from the King regarding this little girl's whereabouts. I'll stay on for your protection.'
Jadeite grunted and rolled onto his side away from the bird. "I need no protection." he whispered before falling asleep.
* * *
Rei woke with the worst headache imaginable. She had consumed glass after glass of wine to take her mind off of her current situation. She had passed out after the fifth or sixth glass, but had stopped counting after the fourth, so she wasn't entirely sure what number she stopped at.
When Eurus returned from his search for a secret escape, he found his mistress asleep on the bed with a glass of wine in her hand. He had been disappointed and angered, but did not bother to chastise her. Instead he covered her with a blanket and gently pried the glass from her hands.
At the moment, watching his mistress was as entertaining as anything. "Eurus, you great lout of a bird.you are not helping," she droned out as she staggered from the bed. It felt as if her head would split in two.
Eurus shook his elegant head and flew out of the window. 'I'm going to make certain that no one disturbs you as you relieve yourself and wash.'
Rei groaned slightly and watched through squinted eyes as he protector flew away. "Damn bird." she whispered as she fell behind a privacy screen and proceeded to do what she needed. She emerged quickly and tried as best she could to reach the washstand. She poured a healthy amount of water into the basin and splashed it onto her face, delighting in the fresh coolness of the water.
She turned around when she was finished to look at herself in the large mirror and frowned. There were bags under her eyes and she looked pale. Her hair was hanging in long strands down her back while some remained atop her head. Her clothing was twisted and askew and as she strained to see clearly, she noticed that her breasts were clearly visible because of how tight the material was over them. "Oh.Gods." she moaned.
She quickly ran a hand over her head and the hair flew back into place in its mass of curls and twists. She wriggled out of her gown and tossed it to the side then ruffled through the dressing room that was through a small door and up several stairs.
It was a large room that hung over the parlor between the lord's chamber and her own. There were millions of men's clothing and a small bundle of women's in the corner of the rest. Clad in her chemise, she entered the large room and looked about her. It was difficult to see anything. There were several chairs and settees in the center of the room, creating a very inviting sitting area. Lining the walls were several mirrors that reflected her every move and nearest the door leading to-she assumed the master suite-was a large silver tub big enough for two. She shuddered at the thought. She was slightly unnerved when saw that there were even mirrors on the floors of the closets that housed the clothing.
She slowly made her way to the corner where she was certain she spied women's clothing. She silently swore to herself that every man in this palace had at least one woman's garment in his wardrobe. She ruffled through the several gowns and frowned. These clothes were made for someone with fair coloring and a voluptuous body, just like the clothing in Sora's dressing room.
"You don't understand, Hiro!" a voice yelled from below. Rei paused and looked over her shoulder at the opposite door she came in through. She jumped when she heard the door open and turned toward the closet again. "Just forget the possibility!" she heard him yell again. She quickly climbed through the clothing and pressed herself against the wall as she heard him enter the room.
"Damn that man." Jadeite said to himself as he strode toward the bath tub. He waved a hand over the wide mouth until water began to pour through a small tube hidden in the wall and into the silver tub. He stalked back to the door and slammed it. He leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes. "It can't be happening." he whispered to himself. "It's not possible. It can't be possible."
He turned around abruptly and walked toward one of the blue and white settees. He threw himself onto the cushioned seat and propped his elbow on the arm of the settee. "How is it possible?" he asked himself. He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists. "If it is possible." he stopped and stood. He would not think about what was happening. He would forget it all and live without worries. It was the only way to go.no other possibility existed.
He unlaced his shirt without looking and striped his breeches off quickly, then slowly sank into the warmth of the tub. It did little to calm his nerves or stem his worries. He wondered at that only because he had assumed that the heat that usually soothed his aching muscles would also ease his aching mind. The possibilities that were now brought up just didn't seem at all feasible and required more attention than he was willing to give. If he had but more time, perhaps then he would be able to come up with a logical explanation for all that was occurring. "This is.insane." he muttered to himself.
As he slid under the water, it was then that he noted the second presence in the room. Once the water had covered his head, he reached out his mind to the corners of the room and tried desperately to detect the other energy. With his thoughts as hazy as they were, it took more effort to locate the other energy, but he found it, cowering in the corner of the room nearest the lady's chamber. He smiled to himself under water and then came up with a splash.
His eyes roamed the silent room until he found what his mind had pointed out to him. He moved in the tub until he could see the mirrors that adorned the floor of the closet then grinned. So, the girl had decided to watch him bathe, did she? He shook his head at the possibility. She was most likely looking for something to cover her up, judging from what he saw from the reflection in the mirror, for she was wearing naught but a chemise.
He smiled yet again that morning before grabbing the towel that was draped over a chair near the tub. He wrapped it around his waist tightly without bothering to dry his hair. Shaking his head out and combing his fingers through the sodden, blonde mess was the only thing he could think to do to improve his current appearances, but it made no difference, did it? He paused in his movements to think about what had just come to mind. Why would it matter where the girl was concerned? She was just an innocent maid, nothing to fuss over. He shrugged off the thought and made his way to the area he knew she hid in.
Rei, for the most part, was trying desperately to move away from his approaching form. She could see naught but his hair, but that gave her reason enough to try and move away. She was surprised when she looked up again and did not see his hair any more. Likely, she saw nothing of the prince, which confused her greatly. For a moment she released the breath she was holding in relief, until the clothes in front of her parted to reveal his stunning face. She almost screamed had she not used her energy to calm her emotions. It was frightening to see a god stick his head through a wardrobe!
"What do you in my chamber, Reina?" he asked with a grin.
Rei blushed slightly before pushing against his chest and climbing out of the closet. If she was going to face him, she might as well do it in front of him, rather than cowering in a closet like a little girl. "I, sire, was looking for something to cover myself up with!" she said loudly. She remembered then that she was wearing naught but her chemise and almost crossed her arms over her chest, but pride prevented her from doing so.
Jadeite, however, did not care a whit about what she felt. He deliberately lowered his gaze so that he could eye her slender body through the thin garment. His eyebrow raised as he looked back into her eyes. "Very lovely, Reina." he whispered to her.
Rei pursed her lips and snorted. It was very unladylike, but then again, this big lout thought her no more than a peasant whore anyway. "I did not give you leave to look," she ground out.
Jadeite lips quivered with his smile. This girl had an arrogant side to her that was very amusing. "I did not give you leave to come up here and roam around my quarters," he retorted.
"I assumed that this was also my dressing room, seeing as how there is no other in that chamber below," Rei replied.
Jadeite frowned slightly and lifted his chin. "What made you think that?" he asked.
Rei looked confused for but a moment before the angry blush ran into her cheeks again. "There are so many damn doors in that room I was confused as to where anything was!" she said. That should have been convincing enough. There were thousands of doors in that room. She had discovered last night that one of them led to small hallway behind the hearth and to, she assumed, the master suite. She had also discovered a hidden door near the desk that she had not figured how to open, but as soon as she got back into her room, she would figure out how it worked and escape the palace.
Jadeite rose a hand to the side of his neck and rubbed slightly. He would have to make sure she didn't find any of the hidden doors, especially the one nearest the desk, behind the tapestry. It led to the king and queen's bathing chamber. It would do her no good to go in there if his parents were in there. "Likely you did not bother to look into any of them to ensure that it was a dressing room," he said crossing his arms.
Rei's eyes followed the movement, and it was then that she realized he was wearing naught but a towel and several water droplets. She almost stepped away from him if she hadn't realized he would most likely laugh at her. Instead, she looked him in the eye and spoke to him without much embarrassment. "I suggest you put some clothes on ere someone walks in here to find you as such. It would no doubt ruin the prince's reputation should he be found with a common girl, like myself."
"It would no doubt ruin the reputation of a girl like you despite that fact. You are no more than a peasant maid, innocent and pure as a princess," he said softly.
Rei inwardly smiled. He didn't know how close to the truth he had gotten. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and stomped out of the room. Perhaps that would make him think twice before opening his beautiful mouth. She almost paused when she realized what thought had slipped into her mind. This was absurd! He was unbelievably arrogant and stubborn. Why would she ever think of him in that way? It was inconceivable and not liable to happen again.
Still steaming with anger, she marched into her room and slammed the door close. "That man!" she said to herself, "He is the most obnoxious, arrogant, stubborn, spoiled-"
"Conceited?"
Rei spun around on her heel in surprise when she heard his clear voice. "What are you doing?" she fairly yelled.
Jadeite hid a smile and walked into the room. He noticed that her gown from earlier was carelessly draped over one of the chairs beside the fireplace. "Didn't care for the white?" he asked nodding toward the dress.
Rei followed his gaze to see what he referred to. The blush that fused her cheeks was embarrassing enough, aside from the fact that they were both nearly naked. "I suggest you get out of here, my lord." she said angrily.
"A challenge?" Jadeite asked as he moved toward her.
Every nerve in Rei's brain screamed at her to step back, that this man could do more harm to her that good. "I did not challenge you, sire." she said.
Jadeite advanced on her until his chest brushed against her own. "Didn't you?" he asked huskily. What in the universe was happening to him? He would be out of this room, dressed, and visiting his mother by now. He didn't have the heart to tear away from her, though. The violet orbs that flared with angry fire drew him to her, and the slender body hiding beneath the thin silk was driving him to distraction. The moment he felt her presence in his dressing room, his blood began to boil. This wench had a way with his body, despite the fact that she was unaware of it.
"I.I did not, my lord." Rei responded breathlessly. Why was she feeling this way? She didn't even know the man! He was a complete stranger and a brute to boot! But it didn't seem to matter. Her breathing quickened to a fevered pitch and her heart began to slam against her chest. The fact that his lips were inches from her caused her body to slacken and her anger to fade. I would enjoy it if he kissed me; she began to think as his head lowered down to meet hers. She roughly pushed him away when the thought entered her mind and backed away from him until her back was flush with the wall.
Jadeite looked after her in chagrin after he regained his balance. "Reina." he whispered.
She shook her head roughly and pointed to the door. "Please, sire." she said softly. "I don't think it is a very good idea that you remain here any longer.'tis.improper."
Jadeite nodded slowly then turned around to make his way to the exit. "Gomen ne." he said gently. "I'll have Hiro bring something for you to eat," he said after several tense moments. "I'll expect to speak with you tonight."
Rei did nothing but stare at his back. First he mocks her, then he accuses her of challenging him, and then he frightens her half to death with his lust, and now he's ordering her to do his biding? She felt the anger flare up again, yet did not give in to the temptation. She didn't speak a word until he was finally gone. "We'll see about that," she then said to herself.
She proved herself right, he did call on her that night, but she refused to meet with him. If he wanted to speak with her, he was going to have to ask politely, not command. And as it turned out, he didn't ask for her presence again for several days.
* * *
Jadeite entered his bedchamber fully expecting to sit in front of the fire and paint the lovely garden from his view of the window. Painting helped him overcome the demons, especially beautiful paintings that came to mind. He was beginning to get excited over the idea. He would paint the window first, enlarging it of course, and then he would paint the view as he saw it, a mystical garden full of wonder and new things. It would be his greatest painting. He would catch the stars as they shimmered on their own midnight canvas and he would paint the moon with light strokes as if he were smoothing the silk of his cravat, then he would loose himself in the colors and drown in their beauty. It would be an adventure to capture the view as he envisioned it.
However, when he got into his chamber and sat down with a blank canvas propped up on its easel, his vision vanished as if it were nothing but a floating dust moat. He grew quiet and looked out the window, trying to call the image back into his mind for the sight that he had foreseen had made his heart leap with excitement. But now, as he stared at that dark window with the blinking stars like too bright flashes of light being cast by a witch's hand, he could not concentrate on the beauty his mind had before seen. It may have been because he was tired of worrying over his current situation in court, or the fact that Tyche was still gone and he couldn't ask his advice for anything. At any rate, he was certain that he was too distracted to remember the sight his mind had shown him briefly.
So, he took up the blank canvas and laid it on the ground, hoping against hope that some vision would come to him. He needed to soothe his mind with art. He pushed the bottles of paints aside for the moment and looked at the bucket beside the fireplace. It was obvious that Hiro had been in the process of discarding the embers and ash from his hearth, but had been distracted by something, for there was no fire and the offal was still sitting beside the hearthstone as if it belonged there.
It was while he was looking at the gold bucket of coal, that an idea flickered in his mind and he reached for it to extract a rather large chunk. He noticed that the soot dusted his fingers and his blue clothing, but he paid no attention to that small fact. Instead, he knelt beside the canvas that was lying on the ground and placed the coal to the white fabric. What he was sketching, he had no idea, but his fingers seemed to know where they were going and what to do. He allowed his instinct to take over and smiled when he noticed that he had used the entire piece of coal before he could even realize what he had started on the canvas. He brushed his hand off on his blue satin breeches and reached into the bucket for another piece of the black coal until he noticed what had come from his hands.
He paused quickly and leaned back on his heels to stare at the creation. It was the first time he had ever attempted a painting, or rather a sketch, of this kind. It was normally Sora who bothered with this subject, not him. But here it was, right before his eyes, the lovely Reina dressed as he had first seen her, with her white gown and white sash. The ragged edges of the frock were as clear as day and the sash around her waist was the same length as he had seen it several days before. But what frightened him enough to throw the canvas behind his bed into the secret compartment he and Sora had built when they were younger was the look he had managed to capture on her face.
It was that apprehensive look she had given him when she had thought he didn't see her in the tree. The wide eyed gaze that made his heart stop beating and her lips pressed together in worry, not to mention the way her winged brows came together in trepidation. It was almost as if she were standing before him, scared and alone in a place she did not know, concerned about her pet and about the danger that could be threatening her.
Jadeite moved away from the bed after he had hidden the picture and strode to the cold fireplace. He didn't need its warmth, he was already sweating from.something. He couldn't name what he felt. It scared him to think that his mind had gotten so carried away with lust that it had created that image, but lust was not exactly what he was feeling. He didn't even know the girl! Had met her only a fortnight ago. Had hardly spoken to her in all that time. Whenever he tried to say something to her, she snapped at him. It was obvious to him that she did not care a whit about him. He had offered to buy her garments, but she continued to refuse him. He had offered to take her on a ride, but she had turned her back. When he demanded what she wanted, she had said simply, "Has a missive returned from the king?"
"No." he said softly. "Not that I know of."
She then turned around to stare out her window; her legs tucked up under the white gown she had gotten from his dressing room. "You will let me know when it comes, won't you?" she whispered to him.
Jadeite looked at her and frowned. "Of course I will," he said to her. He was battling within himself to tell her that he wasn't even sure that would be happening soon. As he saw it, Tyche had not gone to the palace, but back to Avalon where he would be waiting until the girl had left. Tyche did not care a whit about women or phoenixes for that matter. And if this phoenix was so smart and magical, why did he not go to the king or spread a wing over his mistress and disappear? "Will you be needing anything before I leave today?"
She shook her head and continued to stare out the window, a strand of hair caressing her shoulder.
Jadeite turned to leave then, but then found he was striding toward her. "What do you need, Reina? I wish you would not sulk around this room like a pouting child," he said with clenched fists.
She looked at him, her eyes a deep violet and the faint smile on her lips mocking. "I need nothing, my lord, simply peace and quiet."
"You are as spoiled as any princess. You refuse the food we send you, you refuse new clothing, opting for the larger garments of past mistresses and- "
Her lips thinned then and she stood up quickly to face him, though he noticed that she only reached his shoulder. "I refuse your offers for help because I do not need it! Doesn't it look like I am doing well without your incessant offers for assistance? I am capable of taking care of myself! Now leave, sire, or I shall call upon Eurus and have you bodily removed with nothing but talons in your backside!"
Jadeite turned his head to relieve himself of the memory. Reina was not lacking in strength, but she did continue to be a bother to him. If she continued to refuse his assistance much longer, he would threaten her.with.with something. And with that thought in mind, he strode to his door and marched into the parlor then banged on her door. "Open this door immediately!" he bellowed.
'Highness, you should not order-'
"Keep out of this, Ares!" Jed shouted at the bird. His fury was evident and his self control lacking, as far as the bird could see.
Jadeite turned back to the door and slammed his palm against the wood. "Reina!"
There was a muffled shuffling inside, then the door opened wide enough for him to see her head. "What are you shouting about? It's two in the morning, sire, you will wake the entire palace." she whispered.
Jadeite pushed the door open and strode in. "You are avoiding me, I see," he said loudly.
Rei closed the door behind him, then thought better of it. If he were going to hit her, it would do her good to have the door open. "I am not avoiding you, sire, it is you who are avoiding me."
He looked at her with fury in his eyes and then tried to calm himself. He was acting ridiculous, he knew. He was yelling at her, when he wasn't even mad at her, but himself for falling under whatever spell she had wrapped around him. "Reina." he said more gently.
"Yes, sire?" she asked politely. She really wished he would leave, she was overly tired. She had spent the whole day examining the room-for the hundredth time-trying to find another hidden door that she had perhaps looked over. Instead, she found nothing and digging through the endless tapestries was as tiring as running several miles.
Jadeite guided his attention to the seating arrangement beside the fireplace and gestured for her to sit. When she did, he took his seat beside her and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. He would be polite tonight; he had made up his mind. He wanted to know the girl more and when he did, perhaps it would help him discover just what was wrong with him. "How.how do you fare?" he asked softly.
Rei was shocked at his question and looked at him with her head cocked to the side. "I'm well, sire, thank you."
"Good," Jed responded quickly.
"How are you faring, sire?" she asked him in return. He was beginning to confuse her. First, he bangs on her door as angered as a bull, now he's making civil conversation. He was a complicated one, all right.
He sighed heavily and looked at her. "I am not sure," he said softly. "Do you like it here?"
Rei, surprised yet again, nodded quickly and smiled stiffly. Perhaps he was given to drink? "Is there a reason why you came to my room tonight, sire? Did you hear from your king?"
Jadeite shook his head and grinned. "Not yet, my lady."
Rei's eyes widened. She hadn't been addressed like a lady since she had gotten here. The servants called her girl and Hiro called her wench. She hadn't seen Sora since the day she ran away from him and wondered how he was faring. Truthfully, he was probably the only one she could call a friend in this place. The prince ignored her and her phoenix was too busy trying to locate an escape and meeting with her father-which she did not understand, seeing as how Endymion was on the same planet-to converse with her. She did find that she enjoyed speaking with Ares, when he did find it in him to say something to her. "Sire, are you well?" she asked cautiously.
Jadeite looked up at her and straightened in his seat. "I'm fine, Reina." he said softly.
She looked doubtfully back at him. "You seem out of sorts."
Jadeite shook his head and smiled at the girl. My what a beauty, he thought to himself as he looked at her. It was then that he noticed that her hair was not up, but down and flowing around her like waves of raven silk. It fell at her waist and shone with the light from the fire. It was straight and.perfect. He had never seen her with her hair down and staring at her now made his blood boil. "I'm perfect, Reina." he whispered.
"I would hope you aren't drunk," she said bluntly.
Jadeite laughed slightly and stopped suddenly to look at the fire. "I am not drunk, Reina.simply in need of someone to talk to."
Rei cocked her head to the side. He had a beautiful laugh, but stopped short, as if he was unaccustomed to hearing it. "Well, what is it you'd like to talk about?" Rei asked, adjusting her gown so that it covered her bare feet.
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Jadeite looked back at her and grinned.again. "Why not?"
Rei, who was slightly unnerved by that crocked grin, smiled sweetly and folded her hands in her lap. "What would you like to know, my lord?"
That was a little too sweet for the girl, Jed thought. "Where do you live?"
"Far away."
Jadeite felt the laughter rise in his chest, but pushed it down. That fiery wit was still there. "Where is this 'far away' place?"
"Far from here."
Jadeite closed his eyes and then opened them again to watch the dancing flames. "Is it on this planet?"
"Sometimes." she replied.
Jadeite felt the laughter die and a frustrated groan surface. "Sometimes?"
"Depends on the time of year."
Was it a floating home she lived in? "I'm afraid I do not understand."
"You wouldn't."
Jadeite now felt as if he would love to throw something out a window. "Then let us move onto a less.confusing topic. How old are you?"
Rei looked at him with surprise. "I'm ten and nine, sire." she said softly. "How old are you?"
Jed smiled, now they were getting somewhere. "I'm a score and five," he replied.
"An old man then," he heard her say quite loudly.
"Excuse me?" he asked her.
Rei covered her laughter with a frown. "Truly, sire, a score and five is old enough to be married with several children. Where then, is your wife?"
Jadeite frowned and then leaned back in his chair. He was not old. "I have no wife because I have not found the one I want." he said quietly.
Rei finally allowed herself to smile. "Yes, you are an old man.you are becoming picky."
Jadeite opened his mouth to retort, but then looked at the raven-haired goddess and realized the game she played. "You little minx," he said with a smile. "I swear, you wounded me rather harshly."
Rei laughed again and recovered long enough to say, "But, you could never be old, sire.you look not a day over twenty."
Jadeite laughed at her laughter then stopped just as suddenly as before. His laugh sounded harsh in his ears, he grinned at that, he hadn't laughed in years. But hers.hers was a sweet melody that stirred the lust in his belly. "And you, you would make any fifty year old feel as if he were sixteen again," he said with a bright smile.
Rei looked at him and laughed again. He was being ridiculous, she knew, but she couldn't help but feel flattered by it. Nor could she ignore the fact that he looked like a god when he smiled. She noticed again that he had stopped laughing as quickly as he had started. She wished to make him laugh more. His teeth were extremely straight and white and the dimple in his left cheek was so adorable she felt as if it would be nice to kiss it. She stopped laughing when that realization came to mind. Kiss him? Why ever did she think of that?
Jadeite looked at her then and his smile faded. He cleared his throat loudly and then turned to look at the clock on her mantle. "I've kept you awake too long, Reina.I'll leave you now."
But she didn't want him to leave. For some reason, she wanted him to stay and sit with her. She even thought that it would be fine if he didn't say a word, just simply sat there with that ridiculous smile on his face. "Of course, she said quietly.
Jadeite stood abruptly and watched as she rose rather stiffly. "It was fun, Reina." he said softly.
"It was, sire." she replied staring at the floor. She caught herself, though. She was being a coward. "I hope you sleep peacefully," she said kindly, looking up into his eyes, those blue eyes that were no less blue than the oceans that lay on this planet.
"And I hope you sleep well, Reina," he said softly. He grabbed her hand before she could move away and see him out the door. Before she could protest, he had risen the hand to his lips. "Perhaps another night may be spent as this one has?" he asked gently as he pressed his lips to her knuckles.
Rei could feel a blush rising, but continued to stare at his golden head. "Yes." she said breathlessly, "Perhaps."
Jadeite smiled that uncanny smile of his that made women bend to his will then made his way to the door. "Perhaps in the future, we could close the door.just in case some hapless fool decides he wants to invade our privacy." he said before leaving.
Rei continued to stare at the door even after Jadeite had left. He was surely jesting. Not only did she need that door open for her protection, but also she needed it to ensure her reputation, even if it was bad in this palace. When she went back home, she would have it known that she did not partake in any physical relationship with the man.
After she had finished staring at the door, she moved toward the bed and sat on its edge. It was a wonder how someone as handsome as he was not married, it had been annoying her since she asked the question. His simple "I have not found the one I want" had her thinking that he was very picky indeed, or perhaps he was searching for true love, as her parents had found. It was an absurd idea, but one she liked to dwell on. Mayhap this prince was not like all the other spoiled and snippy others she had met. Perhaps this one was a genuine and sincere gentleman who was searching for true happiness. Whoever he found to be his wife would be a lucky woman indeed.
"Jadeite!" she screamed, her body arching wildly.
Jadeite smothered her cries with his mouth and furrowed his brow. For some reason, spending time with Lily didn't seem as rewarding to him. He tore his mouth from hers roughly and laid his head in the crook of her neck. He let out a deep groan of satisfaction when his climax seized him.
Lily stroked her lover's head slowly, tremors still wracking her body. It's true, she told herself, he is magnificent. She looked down and stared at her lover's head, he was as beautiful as the gods were. Jadeite stared at the woman. She was five years his senior and very beautiful, though not as beautiful as he had originally thought. Her flaxen hair fell down her back in rippling waves. Her eyes were a deep brown, her nose straight, and her mouth rosy. Her body was superb, the body of a courtesan, he told himself silently. Her skin was as white as snow. He couldn't help thinking that the hair he stroked should have been as black as midnight and that the eyes he gazed into should have been innocent orbs of violet. He pictured a flushed mouth, bruised with his kisses and limbs as supple and delicate as a flower's. He could imagine breasts as round and perfect as a goddess', just the right size to fill his hands with.
He shook himself out of his dreaming and pulled away from the woman. She groaned, disappointed, and sat up with him. He felt exhaustion seep into his bones and a strange sensation of guilt. He shook his head roughly and looked down at his body.
A white hand snaked down his chest and over his flat belly and he groaned before jerking away.
"What?" Lily asked him, "You seem distracted," she said.
Jadeite grabbed his blue breeches and pulled them on roughly before turning around. "I am not distracted," he said with his hands on his lean waist. "Do not assume such ridiculous things," he ground out.
Lily kneeled on the bed with a frown on her lips. She was putting on her famous act for him, he knew. "Won't you come back to bed, sire?" she asked putting her arms out to him.
Jadeite shook his head and grabbed the white lawn shirt that lay crumpled on Lily's ornate wooden desk. He had paid for almost everything in this cottage; save for the frilly things she bought with what she had made when she had no protector.
Jed shrugged into the white shirt and stepped toward the woman. "I'm not coming back to bed tonight, Lily, my sweet," he said with his usual grace. He kissed her pouting lips and stroked her belly lazily. "I've a guest at my home who I am eager to see well."
Lily reached for the laces of his breeches. "Stay, Jadeite." she moaned as she nuzzled his neck. "I want you to stay with me."
Jadeite smiled slyly and stepped away from her. "Do not be selfish, Lillian," he said pointing a finger. "It is rude."
Lily put her hands on her hips and thrust out her chin. "You are being rude tonight, Jadeite," she said playfully.
Jadeite smiled despite himself and kneeled low so that he could bestow a kiss on her smooth abdomen. "I want you to be ready for me tomorrow." he whispered hotly against her flesh. "I'll be ravishing you with all I have until you scream for mercy and beg me to stop." he breathed. He felt his mistress shudder with desire before he pulled away. "Now, get dressed and escort me to the door, like a good little girl," he said with a tap on her nose.
"I'm not a little girl, Jadeite," she said, "I'm thirty-years-old!"
"And you don't look a day over twenty," he said smoothly, knowing what she would enjoy and what she wouldn't. She blushed slightly, pulled the pale pink dressing gown from the edge of the large bed and wrapped herself in it.
Jadeite frowned slightly as he watched her saunter to the door of the bedchamber. Her experience left him angered. She was a courtesan; a woman taught how to pleasure a man in the most sensual and erotic ways. She was not an inexperienced innocent who would shy away from him and wait while he instructed her on the most enjoyable aspects to love play. He was disappointed to say the least.
"Come, sire," his beautiful mistress called seductively. She was trying to get him to stay, but he would not. He was too concerned about the dark beauty in his adjoining bedchamber. He could imagine she was sleeping at this hour for the moon had risen hours before and the stars were twitching with their brightness. It was past the decent hour for sleep. He knew his mother would reprimand him if she found him coming in at the hour he was, but at the moment he could care less. He wanted to ensure that the lovely goddess was still where she was supposed to be.
With the thought that the girl could escape in his mind, he raced ahead of Lily and roughly planted a kiss on her cheek. "I must be off, Lily!" he called over his shoulder. He found his golden stallion grazing near the tree he had tied him to and he swung himself effortlessly into the saddle. "I'll send word if I cannot make it tomorrow night," he said flicking a finger at the knotted reins. They came loose with a flash of blue light and fell into his hands like two feathers from a phoenix tail. "I'm surprised I didn't hear the little ones screaming their heads off tonight." he said with a smile.
"They're at my neighbors, Jadeite!" she replied with a grin, "I knew you were coming and had them sent off."
Jadeite felt a sharp stab of guilt in the back of his mind. They were both his children. "Take care, lovely." he said with a wave.
"Sleep well, darling!" Lily called back.
Jadeite grinned crookedly at the blonde woman and turned the stallion in the direction of his palace. The ride was invigorating. He could feel the chill in the air for the sun had taken its warmth with it when it left the sky. He enjoyed the coolness as he raced through the city. Many homes were black, some had lights blazing. He paid them little heed as he rushed through the palace gates and into the stables.
He jumped off the horse before it stopped and slammed a fist on the door of the groomsman's quarters. "I don't mean to wake you, Drake, but please tend to Notus for me.I haven't the time to do so myself. He is waiting for you in his stall!" he cried through the wooden door.
"Oh.yes, sire.of course!" Drake called back in a trembling voice. Jadeite smiled, he had woken the young stable-hand.
"Thank you, Drake!" Jed shouted as he ran through the stables and into the back of the palace.
He was running without a care in the world. For some strange reason he was eager to see if the raven-haired goddess was still in the room he had put her in, but he had an unusual desire to set his eyes upon her before he went to sleep. Almost as if the demons would lift their wing if he had gazed upon a she-god before closing his eyes.
"Jadeite?" a figure called out in the night.
Jadeite lifted his eyes to the dark and stopped running. Who would be out at this time of night? "Oy! Who goes?" he yelled.
"Idiot, it's me!" Sora's voice rung out.
Jadeite squinted his eyes and smiled. "Why are you out here, Sora?" he asked more quietly.
Sora stepped out from the shadows and frowned. "She's gone, Jadeite."
"Who is gone?" he replied looking back up at the palace.
"The girl I was telling you about. The one with hair as dark as midnight and skin as light as snow. Lips as rosy as a red red rose and cheeks as bright as the pink from a morning sunrise. Eyes as strong and as violet as a-"
"Enough," Jadeite said, cutting off his friend's words with a hand. He knew exactly whom Sora was speaking about; in fact, he didn't even want to start a conversation about the girl with his friend. For one, the girl had skin as white as a fresh water pearl's, not snow, and her lips were a more dusky rose than the bright red, her eyes a soft, dark violet and her cheeks a gentle dusting of pink. "I know who you speak of."
"Have you seen her, Jadeite? I have not seen her and I fear that I lost her," Sora said with a note of panic in his voice.
"I have taken her back." he whispered looking away.
Sora frowned slightly then sighed. "As I would suspect. You said you did not see her, but then you saw her and you stole her from me."
Jadeite looked at the friend he'd known since childhood and shook his head. "That's not the way of it, Sora. I did not steal her from you.she merely fell into my hands."
"Then you have taken her already."
"I have not.she is untouched by me, Sora. Did you hear? I have not touched her. I just have her in my quarters."
"And you expect me to believe that you did not destroy her? You are the prince, you are more handsome than your father was at his age, and you have slept with many women, Jadeite. You are insatiable.and you expect me to believe that you have not tampered with that young girl in your quarters?"
"Sora, you must believe me. I would not hurt you so. I only have her because she tried to-"
"It's all right, Jadeite.I understand. I'll just go back to my room and sleep away the hours of the night."
Jadeite watched sadly as his friend turned his back to leave. "She has struck a chord in your heart." he said softly when his friend had finally gone. "She has struck some unknown chord in your lonely heart and you wish to have her back.strange, Sora.but this is one girl I am not going to share with you."
He had to creep along the walls to guarantee that his mother did not see him and when he reached the third floor without confrontation, he heaved a sigh of relief. He just hoped Sora had not taken the girl from his room while he was away.
When he entered his room, he quickly tossed his disheveled clothing onto his turned down bed and donned fresh breeches and a new shirt. He laced both garments hastily and calmly strode into the parlor.
'You're home late' Tyche greeted.
Jadeite looked up and noticed the large snowy owl resting atop the mantle. "Good evening, Tyche." he said to the bird.
'More like good morning, highness.'
Jadeite grinned slightly then made his way to the door near the opposite end of the room. If he was smart he would have taken the stairs that connected his dressing room to hers, but he was in such a hurry to get to her that he had forgotten.
He eased the door of the chamber open slightly and peeked in. The fire was dimming and the candles were out. The magnificent phoenix was asleep beside the bed, but was instantly awake when he heard the door open. Jadeite put a hand to his lips and shook his head. He knew that the bird would wake up his mistress at any moment.
Jadeite prayed for the best and moved toward the bed. The goddess was sleeping peacefully with one arm clinging to the coverlet and the other resting delicately beside her turned face. She was breathing deeply and slowly.
Jadeite smiled slightly at the girl. She was a beauty to say the least. He wanted to stroke her cheek and wake her with a kiss, but he wouldn't dare. Instead he turned around and closed the distance between the bed and the fireplace. As quietly as he could, he stoked the dying embers and brought the fire to life again. Then, as silently as he had come in, he left the room in search of his own bed.
'His highness is pleased to have the girl here, ne?' Ares asked from his perch on Jadeite's bedpost.
Jadeite looked up before he stripped off his shirt and reached for the laces of his breeches. "I suppose it's a new experience to have this woman in my rooms than any other. It's obvious that she's an innocent, Ares," Jadeite said as he climbed into bed. "I would be surprised if she wasn't."
'True.'
Jadeite stacked his hands behind his head and looked up at the golden hawk. "What of you, Ares?"
'Am I happy that the girl is here?' the bird asked with a bewildered expression.
Jed smiled despite himself. "No, of course not. I've heard tales that birds like you have a human form that they possess when the time is called upon."
'This is true, highness.'
"Have you ever had to use your human form?" Jed asked on a yawn.
'Once.' Ares answered. 'It was for reasons that I have never told you.'
"What reasons, Ares?"
'I was in love once, highness.' the bird said softly. He turned his head slightly to gaze upon the dying fire in the hearth.
Jadeite looked up at the bird in astonishment. "You, Ares?" he asked with disbelief. "You are the last soul I would suspect of falling in love."
'And I would not suggest that you do likewise, highness. When I fell in love, it destroyed me.'
"But.how could that have destroyed you?" Jed asked as he propped himself up on his elbows.
'It made me weak, highness. I was young.very young and still flying over the planets as a young hawk should. Once during my many excursions, I had to stop for water where I found a small creek. It was at this time that I was flying through Mars' never ending deserts. The sands were hot and the air was dry, the water was warm, but cool to my own throat. It was here that a saw a young girl of ten and eight summers or less. She was crying and I felt my heart, or whatever a hawk has in his chest, go out to the young one.
'I thought that if I helped her, she would lead me to the palace where I could visit the new baby that had just arrived. This baby now rules Mars beside Keola; their daughter resides on the Moon where she is training as a senshi. I thought that visiting this new baby would ensure my success as a protector. So, I went to the girl in my hawkish form and prodded her with my silent voice.
'She did not hear me, nor did she like me. She ran away with tears streaming down her face and hid behind several large rocks. So, thinking that I could convince her to come with me, I flew off behind my own rocks and emerged as the man that I could become. I went to her then and conjured up enough strength to speak to her as any other man would.'
Jadeite shook his head in amazement. His strong-willed, dead hearted friend had fallen in love with a maid of eighteen in a desert on Mars. "This is all too insane," he said to himself.
'It was not insane, highness', Ares said angrily. 'I spoke to her and she listened. I took her home as quickly as I could, hoping that the sooner I arrived at the palace, the sooner I would find the new baby.
'However, when we arrived in the village, she continued to move toward the palace. She was the princess Aria. I did not believe it at first, but she was Ariai, the first born to Mars' throne. I had fallen for a princess and she had fallen for me. I tried to escape her as soon as we arrived, but she would not let me flee. I became more enthralled by her every day I was with her, until the day she betrayed me.'
"Ares.this story is too strange. Never has any of this been told to me before." Jed whispered.
'And never will it be told again. She betrayed me by falling in love with a merchant and eloping with him. It was betrayal in its strongest form. Women are never to be trusted, and men are likewise.though I trust you more than anyone I have before. So I stay a hawk to protect myself against all women.'
Jadeite turned away and looked out the open window. So, Ares did not believe that women could be trusted. Well, Jadeite couldn't either. Not since the day that Lily bore him his second child. He dismissed the first child by his wife of two years, Kat, knowing that she was an innocent in the conceiving, until he discovered her trying to sell the babe for money. He had confronted her later and she swore to him that the people she was "giving" his child would help bring money into the family. It was then that he had to steal his child away from her and put the babe in the care of his former steward. The betrayal was severe and he had had her removed from his father's kingdom discreetly-explaining to his people that she had come down with an incurable illness and was going to spend her last weeks with her family in France. When Lily bore him a second child, he was convinced that she planned the outcome so that it would have been impossible for him to get rid of her, which was exactly the case.
"Thank you for sharing, Ares," Jadeite whispered to the window. "I shall sleep now and keep your secret as safe as I can."
'Thank you, highness', Ares responded softly. He glided gracefully to the side of Jadeite's bed and sat down on the pillow. 'Tyche went in search of the Earth palace to gather information from the King regarding this little girl's whereabouts. I'll stay on for your protection.'
Jadeite grunted and rolled onto his side away from the bird. "I need no protection." he whispered before falling asleep.
* * *
Rei woke with the worst headache imaginable. She had consumed glass after glass of wine to take her mind off of her current situation. She had passed out after the fifth or sixth glass, but had stopped counting after the fourth, so she wasn't entirely sure what number she stopped at.
When Eurus returned from his search for a secret escape, he found his mistress asleep on the bed with a glass of wine in her hand. He had been disappointed and angered, but did not bother to chastise her. Instead he covered her with a blanket and gently pried the glass from her hands.
At the moment, watching his mistress was as entertaining as anything. "Eurus, you great lout of a bird.you are not helping," she droned out as she staggered from the bed. It felt as if her head would split in two.
Eurus shook his elegant head and flew out of the window. 'I'm going to make certain that no one disturbs you as you relieve yourself and wash.'
Rei groaned slightly and watched through squinted eyes as he protector flew away. "Damn bird." she whispered as she fell behind a privacy screen and proceeded to do what she needed. She emerged quickly and tried as best she could to reach the washstand. She poured a healthy amount of water into the basin and splashed it onto her face, delighting in the fresh coolness of the water.
She turned around when she was finished to look at herself in the large mirror and frowned. There were bags under her eyes and she looked pale. Her hair was hanging in long strands down her back while some remained atop her head. Her clothing was twisted and askew and as she strained to see clearly, she noticed that her breasts were clearly visible because of how tight the material was over them. "Oh.Gods." she moaned.
She quickly ran a hand over her head and the hair flew back into place in its mass of curls and twists. She wriggled out of her gown and tossed it to the side then ruffled through the dressing room that was through a small door and up several stairs.
It was a large room that hung over the parlor between the lord's chamber and her own. There were millions of men's clothing and a small bundle of women's in the corner of the rest. Clad in her chemise, she entered the large room and looked about her. It was difficult to see anything. There were several chairs and settees in the center of the room, creating a very inviting sitting area. Lining the walls were several mirrors that reflected her every move and nearest the door leading to-she assumed the master suite-was a large silver tub big enough for two. She shuddered at the thought. She was slightly unnerved when saw that there were even mirrors on the floors of the closets that housed the clothing.
She slowly made her way to the corner where she was certain she spied women's clothing. She silently swore to herself that every man in this palace had at least one woman's garment in his wardrobe. She ruffled through the several gowns and frowned. These clothes were made for someone with fair coloring and a voluptuous body, just like the clothing in Sora's dressing room.
"You don't understand, Hiro!" a voice yelled from below. Rei paused and looked over her shoulder at the opposite door she came in through. She jumped when she heard the door open and turned toward the closet again. "Just forget the possibility!" she heard him yell again. She quickly climbed through the clothing and pressed herself against the wall as she heard him enter the room.
"Damn that man." Jadeite said to himself as he strode toward the bath tub. He waved a hand over the wide mouth until water began to pour through a small tube hidden in the wall and into the silver tub. He stalked back to the door and slammed it. He leaned his head against the door and closed his eyes. "It can't be happening." he whispered to himself. "It's not possible. It can't be possible."
He turned around abruptly and walked toward one of the blue and white settees. He threw himself onto the cushioned seat and propped his elbow on the arm of the settee. "How is it possible?" he asked himself. He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists. "If it is possible." he stopped and stood. He would not think about what was happening. He would forget it all and live without worries. It was the only way to go.no other possibility existed.
He unlaced his shirt without looking and striped his breeches off quickly, then slowly sank into the warmth of the tub. It did little to calm his nerves or stem his worries. He wondered at that only because he had assumed that the heat that usually soothed his aching muscles would also ease his aching mind. The possibilities that were now brought up just didn't seem at all feasible and required more attention than he was willing to give. If he had but more time, perhaps then he would be able to come up with a logical explanation for all that was occurring. "This is.insane." he muttered to himself.
As he slid under the water, it was then that he noted the second presence in the room. Once the water had covered his head, he reached out his mind to the corners of the room and tried desperately to detect the other energy. With his thoughts as hazy as they were, it took more effort to locate the other energy, but he found it, cowering in the corner of the room nearest the lady's chamber. He smiled to himself under water and then came up with a splash.
His eyes roamed the silent room until he found what his mind had pointed out to him. He moved in the tub until he could see the mirrors that adorned the floor of the closet then grinned. So, the girl had decided to watch him bathe, did she? He shook his head at the possibility. She was most likely looking for something to cover her up, judging from what he saw from the reflection in the mirror, for she was wearing naught but a chemise.
He smiled yet again that morning before grabbing the towel that was draped over a chair near the tub. He wrapped it around his waist tightly without bothering to dry his hair. Shaking his head out and combing his fingers through the sodden, blonde mess was the only thing he could think to do to improve his current appearances, but it made no difference, did it? He paused in his movements to think about what had just come to mind. Why would it matter where the girl was concerned? She was just an innocent maid, nothing to fuss over. He shrugged off the thought and made his way to the area he knew she hid in.
Rei, for the most part, was trying desperately to move away from his approaching form. She could see naught but his hair, but that gave her reason enough to try and move away. She was surprised when she looked up again and did not see his hair any more. Likely, she saw nothing of the prince, which confused her greatly. For a moment she released the breath she was holding in relief, until the clothes in front of her parted to reveal his stunning face. She almost screamed had she not used her energy to calm her emotions. It was frightening to see a god stick his head through a wardrobe!
"What do you in my chamber, Reina?" he asked with a grin.
Rei blushed slightly before pushing against his chest and climbing out of the closet. If she was going to face him, she might as well do it in front of him, rather than cowering in a closet like a little girl. "I, sire, was looking for something to cover myself up with!" she said loudly. She remembered then that she was wearing naught but her chemise and almost crossed her arms over her chest, but pride prevented her from doing so.
Jadeite, however, did not care a whit about what she felt. He deliberately lowered his gaze so that he could eye her slender body through the thin garment. His eyebrow raised as he looked back into her eyes. "Very lovely, Reina." he whispered to her.
Rei pursed her lips and snorted. It was very unladylike, but then again, this big lout thought her no more than a peasant whore anyway. "I did not give you leave to look," she ground out.
Jadeite lips quivered with his smile. This girl had an arrogant side to her that was very amusing. "I did not give you leave to come up here and roam around my quarters," he retorted.
"I assumed that this was also my dressing room, seeing as how there is no other in that chamber below," Rei replied.
Jadeite frowned slightly and lifted his chin. "What made you think that?" he asked.
Rei looked confused for but a moment before the angry blush ran into her cheeks again. "There are so many damn doors in that room I was confused as to where anything was!" she said. That should have been convincing enough. There were thousands of doors in that room. She had discovered last night that one of them led to small hallway behind the hearth and to, she assumed, the master suite. She had also discovered a hidden door near the desk that she had not figured how to open, but as soon as she got back into her room, she would figure out how it worked and escape the palace.
Jadeite rose a hand to the side of his neck and rubbed slightly. He would have to make sure she didn't find any of the hidden doors, especially the one nearest the desk, behind the tapestry. It led to the king and queen's bathing chamber. It would do her no good to go in there if his parents were in there. "Likely you did not bother to look into any of them to ensure that it was a dressing room," he said crossing his arms.
Rei's eyes followed the movement, and it was then that she realized he was wearing naught but a towel and several water droplets. She almost stepped away from him if she hadn't realized he would most likely laugh at her. Instead, she looked him in the eye and spoke to him without much embarrassment. "I suggest you put some clothes on ere someone walks in here to find you as such. It would no doubt ruin the prince's reputation should he be found with a common girl, like myself."
"It would no doubt ruin the reputation of a girl like you despite that fact. You are no more than a peasant maid, innocent and pure as a princess," he said softly.
Rei inwardly smiled. He didn't know how close to the truth he had gotten. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and stomped out of the room. Perhaps that would make him think twice before opening his beautiful mouth. She almost paused when she realized what thought had slipped into her mind. This was absurd! He was unbelievably arrogant and stubborn. Why would she ever think of him in that way? It was inconceivable and not liable to happen again.
Still steaming with anger, she marched into her room and slammed the door close. "That man!" she said to herself, "He is the most obnoxious, arrogant, stubborn, spoiled-"
"Conceited?"
Rei spun around on her heel in surprise when she heard his clear voice. "What are you doing?" she fairly yelled.
Jadeite hid a smile and walked into the room. He noticed that her gown from earlier was carelessly draped over one of the chairs beside the fireplace. "Didn't care for the white?" he asked nodding toward the dress.
Rei followed his gaze to see what he referred to. The blush that fused her cheeks was embarrassing enough, aside from the fact that they were both nearly naked. "I suggest you get out of here, my lord." she said angrily.
"A challenge?" Jadeite asked as he moved toward her.
Every nerve in Rei's brain screamed at her to step back, that this man could do more harm to her that good. "I did not challenge you, sire." she said.
Jadeite advanced on her until his chest brushed against her own. "Didn't you?" he asked huskily. What in the universe was happening to him? He would be out of this room, dressed, and visiting his mother by now. He didn't have the heart to tear away from her, though. The violet orbs that flared with angry fire drew him to her, and the slender body hiding beneath the thin silk was driving him to distraction. The moment he felt her presence in his dressing room, his blood began to boil. This wench had a way with his body, despite the fact that she was unaware of it.
"I.I did not, my lord." Rei responded breathlessly. Why was she feeling this way? She didn't even know the man! He was a complete stranger and a brute to boot! But it didn't seem to matter. Her breathing quickened to a fevered pitch and her heart began to slam against her chest. The fact that his lips were inches from her caused her body to slacken and her anger to fade. I would enjoy it if he kissed me; she began to think as his head lowered down to meet hers. She roughly pushed him away when the thought entered her mind and backed away from him until her back was flush with the wall.
Jadeite looked after her in chagrin after he regained his balance. "Reina." he whispered.
She shook her head roughly and pointed to the door. "Please, sire." she said softly. "I don't think it is a very good idea that you remain here any longer.'tis.improper."
Jadeite nodded slowly then turned around to make his way to the exit. "Gomen ne." he said gently. "I'll have Hiro bring something for you to eat," he said after several tense moments. "I'll expect to speak with you tonight."
Rei did nothing but stare at his back. First he mocks her, then he accuses her of challenging him, and then he frightens her half to death with his lust, and now he's ordering her to do his biding? She felt the anger flare up again, yet did not give in to the temptation. She didn't speak a word until he was finally gone. "We'll see about that," she then said to herself.
She proved herself right, he did call on her that night, but she refused to meet with him. If he wanted to speak with her, he was going to have to ask politely, not command. And as it turned out, he didn't ask for her presence again for several days.
* * *
Jadeite entered his bedchamber fully expecting to sit in front of the fire and paint the lovely garden from his view of the window. Painting helped him overcome the demons, especially beautiful paintings that came to mind. He was beginning to get excited over the idea. He would paint the window first, enlarging it of course, and then he would paint the view as he saw it, a mystical garden full of wonder and new things. It would be his greatest painting. He would catch the stars as they shimmered on their own midnight canvas and he would paint the moon with light strokes as if he were smoothing the silk of his cravat, then he would loose himself in the colors and drown in their beauty. It would be an adventure to capture the view as he envisioned it.
However, when he got into his chamber and sat down with a blank canvas propped up on its easel, his vision vanished as if it were nothing but a floating dust moat. He grew quiet and looked out the window, trying to call the image back into his mind for the sight that he had foreseen had made his heart leap with excitement. But now, as he stared at that dark window with the blinking stars like too bright flashes of light being cast by a witch's hand, he could not concentrate on the beauty his mind had before seen. It may have been because he was tired of worrying over his current situation in court, or the fact that Tyche was still gone and he couldn't ask his advice for anything. At any rate, he was certain that he was too distracted to remember the sight his mind had shown him briefly.
So, he took up the blank canvas and laid it on the ground, hoping against hope that some vision would come to him. He needed to soothe his mind with art. He pushed the bottles of paints aside for the moment and looked at the bucket beside the fireplace. It was obvious that Hiro had been in the process of discarding the embers and ash from his hearth, but had been distracted by something, for there was no fire and the offal was still sitting beside the hearthstone as if it belonged there.
It was while he was looking at the gold bucket of coal, that an idea flickered in his mind and he reached for it to extract a rather large chunk. He noticed that the soot dusted his fingers and his blue clothing, but he paid no attention to that small fact. Instead, he knelt beside the canvas that was lying on the ground and placed the coal to the white fabric. What he was sketching, he had no idea, but his fingers seemed to know where they were going and what to do. He allowed his instinct to take over and smiled when he noticed that he had used the entire piece of coal before he could even realize what he had started on the canvas. He brushed his hand off on his blue satin breeches and reached into the bucket for another piece of the black coal until he noticed what had come from his hands.
He paused quickly and leaned back on his heels to stare at the creation. It was the first time he had ever attempted a painting, or rather a sketch, of this kind. It was normally Sora who bothered with this subject, not him. But here it was, right before his eyes, the lovely Reina dressed as he had first seen her, with her white gown and white sash. The ragged edges of the frock were as clear as day and the sash around her waist was the same length as he had seen it several days before. But what frightened him enough to throw the canvas behind his bed into the secret compartment he and Sora had built when they were younger was the look he had managed to capture on her face.
It was that apprehensive look she had given him when she had thought he didn't see her in the tree. The wide eyed gaze that made his heart stop beating and her lips pressed together in worry, not to mention the way her winged brows came together in trepidation. It was almost as if she were standing before him, scared and alone in a place she did not know, concerned about her pet and about the danger that could be threatening her.
Jadeite moved away from the bed after he had hidden the picture and strode to the cold fireplace. He didn't need its warmth, he was already sweating from.something. He couldn't name what he felt. It scared him to think that his mind had gotten so carried away with lust that it had created that image, but lust was not exactly what he was feeling. He didn't even know the girl! Had met her only a fortnight ago. Had hardly spoken to her in all that time. Whenever he tried to say something to her, she snapped at him. It was obvious to him that she did not care a whit about him. He had offered to buy her garments, but she continued to refuse him. He had offered to take her on a ride, but she had turned her back. When he demanded what she wanted, she had said simply, "Has a missive returned from the king?"
"No." he said softly. "Not that I know of."
She then turned around to stare out her window; her legs tucked up under the white gown she had gotten from his dressing room. "You will let me know when it comes, won't you?" she whispered to him.
Jadeite looked at her and frowned. "Of course I will," he said to her. He was battling within himself to tell her that he wasn't even sure that would be happening soon. As he saw it, Tyche had not gone to the palace, but back to Avalon where he would be waiting until the girl had left. Tyche did not care a whit about women or phoenixes for that matter. And if this phoenix was so smart and magical, why did he not go to the king or spread a wing over his mistress and disappear? "Will you be needing anything before I leave today?"
She shook her head and continued to stare out the window, a strand of hair caressing her shoulder.
Jadeite turned to leave then, but then found he was striding toward her. "What do you need, Reina? I wish you would not sulk around this room like a pouting child," he said with clenched fists.
She looked at him, her eyes a deep violet and the faint smile on her lips mocking. "I need nothing, my lord, simply peace and quiet."
"You are as spoiled as any princess. You refuse the food we send you, you refuse new clothing, opting for the larger garments of past mistresses and- "
Her lips thinned then and she stood up quickly to face him, though he noticed that she only reached his shoulder. "I refuse your offers for help because I do not need it! Doesn't it look like I am doing well without your incessant offers for assistance? I am capable of taking care of myself! Now leave, sire, or I shall call upon Eurus and have you bodily removed with nothing but talons in your backside!"
Jadeite turned his head to relieve himself of the memory. Reina was not lacking in strength, but she did continue to be a bother to him. If she continued to refuse his assistance much longer, he would threaten her.with.with something. And with that thought in mind, he strode to his door and marched into the parlor then banged on her door. "Open this door immediately!" he bellowed.
'Highness, you should not order-'
"Keep out of this, Ares!" Jed shouted at the bird. His fury was evident and his self control lacking, as far as the bird could see.
Jadeite turned back to the door and slammed his palm against the wood. "Reina!"
There was a muffled shuffling inside, then the door opened wide enough for him to see her head. "What are you shouting about? It's two in the morning, sire, you will wake the entire palace." she whispered.
Jadeite pushed the door open and strode in. "You are avoiding me, I see," he said loudly.
Rei closed the door behind him, then thought better of it. If he were going to hit her, it would do her good to have the door open. "I am not avoiding you, sire, it is you who are avoiding me."
He looked at her with fury in his eyes and then tried to calm himself. He was acting ridiculous, he knew. He was yelling at her, when he wasn't even mad at her, but himself for falling under whatever spell she had wrapped around him. "Reina." he said more gently.
"Yes, sire?" she asked politely. She really wished he would leave, she was overly tired. She had spent the whole day examining the room-for the hundredth time-trying to find another hidden door that she had perhaps looked over. Instead, she found nothing and digging through the endless tapestries was as tiring as running several miles.
Jadeite guided his attention to the seating arrangement beside the fireplace and gestured for her to sit. When she did, he took his seat beside her and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. He would be polite tonight; he had made up his mind. He wanted to know the girl more and when he did, perhaps it would help him discover just what was wrong with him. "How.how do you fare?" he asked softly.
Rei was shocked at his question and looked at him with her head cocked to the side. "I'm well, sire, thank you."
"Good," Jed responded quickly.
"How are you faring, sire?" she asked him in return. He was beginning to confuse her. First, he bangs on her door as angered as a bull, now he's making civil conversation. He was a complicated one, all right.
He sighed heavily and looked at her. "I am not sure," he said softly. "Do you like it here?"
Rei, surprised yet again, nodded quickly and smiled stiffly. Perhaps he was given to drink? "Is there a reason why you came to my room tonight, sire? Did you hear from your king?"
Jadeite shook his head and grinned. "Not yet, my lady."
Rei's eyes widened. She hadn't been addressed like a lady since she had gotten here. The servants called her girl and Hiro called her wench. She hadn't seen Sora since the day she ran away from him and wondered how he was faring. Truthfully, he was probably the only one she could call a friend in this place. The prince ignored her and her phoenix was too busy trying to locate an escape and meeting with her father-which she did not understand, seeing as how Endymion was on the same planet-to converse with her. She did find that she enjoyed speaking with Ares, when he did find it in him to say something to her. "Sire, are you well?" she asked cautiously.
Jadeite looked up at her and straightened in his seat. "I'm fine, Reina." he said softly.
She looked doubtfully back at him. "You seem out of sorts."
Jadeite shook his head and smiled at the girl. My what a beauty, he thought to himself as he looked at her. It was then that he noticed that her hair was not up, but down and flowing around her like waves of raven silk. It fell at her waist and shone with the light from the fire. It was straight and.perfect. He had never seen her with her hair down and staring at her now made his blood boil. "I'm perfect, Reina." he whispered.
"I would hope you aren't drunk," she said bluntly.
Jadeite laughed slightly and stopped suddenly to look at the fire. "I am not drunk, Reina.simply in need of someone to talk to."
Rei cocked her head to the side. He had a beautiful laugh, but stopped short, as if he was unaccustomed to hearing it. "Well, what is it you'd like to talk about?" Rei asked, adjusting her gown so that it covered her bare feet.
"You."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Jadeite looked back at her and grinned.again. "Why not?"
Rei, who was slightly unnerved by that crocked grin, smiled sweetly and folded her hands in her lap. "What would you like to know, my lord?"
That was a little too sweet for the girl, Jed thought. "Where do you live?"
"Far away."
Jadeite felt the laughter rise in his chest, but pushed it down. That fiery wit was still there. "Where is this 'far away' place?"
"Far from here."
Jadeite closed his eyes and then opened them again to watch the dancing flames. "Is it on this planet?"
"Sometimes." she replied.
Jadeite felt the laughter die and a frustrated groan surface. "Sometimes?"
"Depends on the time of year."
Was it a floating home she lived in? "I'm afraid I do not understand."
"You wouldn't."
Jadeite now felt as if he would love to throw something out a window. "Then let us move onto a less.confusing topic. How old are you?"
Rei looked at him with surprise. "I'm ten and nine, sire." she said softly. "How old are you?"
Jed smiled, now they were getting somewhere. "I'm a score and five," he replied.
"An old man then," he heard her say quite loudly.
"Excuse me?" he asked her.
Rei covered her laughter with a frown. "Truly, sire, a score and five is old enough to be married with several children. Where then, is your wife?"
Jadeite frowned and then leaned back in his chair. He was not old. "I have no wife because I have not found the one I want." he said quietly.
Rei finally allowed herself to smile. "Yes, you are an old man.you are becoming picky."
Jadeite opened his mouth to retort, but then looked at the raven-haired goddess and realized the game she played. "You little minx," he said with a smile. "I swear, you wounded me rather harshly."
Rei laughed again and recovered long enough to say, "But, you could never be old, sire.you look not a day over twenty."
Jadeite laughed at her laughter then stopped just as suddenly as before. His laugh sounded harsh in his ears, he grinned at that, he hadn't laughed in years. But hers.hers was a sweet melody that stirred the lust in his belly. "And you, you would make any fifty year old feel as if he were sixteen again," he said with a bright smile.
Rei looked at him and laughed again. He was being ridiculous, she knew, but she couldn't help but feel flattered by it. Nor could she ignore the fact that he looked like a god when he smiled. She noticed again that he had stopped laughing as quickly as he had started. She wished to make him laugh more. His teeth were extremely straight and white and the dimple in his left cheek was so adorable she felt as if it would be nice to kiss it. She stopped laughing when that realization came to mind. Kiss him? Why ever did she think of that?
Jadeite looked at her then and his smile faded. He cleared his throat loudly and then turned to look at the clock on her mantle. "I've kept you awake too long, Reina.I'll leave you now."
But she didn't want him to leave. For some reason, she wanted him to stay and sit with her. She even thought that it would be fine if he didn't say a word, just simply sat there with that ridiculous smile on his face. "Of course, she said quietly.
Jadeite stood abruptly and watched as she rose rather stiffly. "It was fun, Reina." he said softly.
"It was, sire." she replied staring at the floor. She caught herself, though. She was being a coward. "I hope you sleep peacefully," she said kindly, looking up into his eyes, those blue eyes that were no less blue than the oceans that lay on this planet.
"And I hope you sleep well, Reina," he said softly. He grabbed her hand before she could move away and see him out the door. Before she could protest, he had risen the hand to his lips. "Perhaps another night may be spent as this one has?" he asked gently as he pressed his lips to her knuckles.
Rei could feel a blush rising, but continued to stare at his golden head. "Yes." she said breathlessly, "Perhaps."
Jadeite smiled that uncanny smile of his that made women bend to his will then made his way to the door. "Perhaps in the future, we could close the door.just in case some hapless fool decides he wants to invade our privacy." he said before leaving.
Rei continued to stare at the door even after Jadeite had left. He was surely jesting. Not only did she need that door open for her protection, but also she needed it to ensure her reputation, even if it was bad in this palace. When she went back home, she would have it known that she did not partake in any physical relationship with the man.
After she had finished staring at the door, she moved toward the bed and sat on its edge. It was a wonder how someone as handsome as he was not married, it had been annoying her since she asked the question. His simple "I have not found the one I want" had her thinking that he was very picky indeed, or perhaps he was searching for true love, as her parents had found. It was an absurd idea, but one she liked to dwell on. Mayhap this prince was not like all the other spoiled and snippy others she had met. Perhaps this one was a genuine and sincere gentleman who was searching for true happiness. Whoever he found to be his wife would be a lucky woman indeed.