Author's Note: No translations again ^^; Oh... and, if you don't like how
the story's going :รพ on you. Yes, I know that Endymion would never do
something like that ever... but.... oh, just read the story! All twisted
paths will be unraveled, I promise.
Chapter Five
One evening, about two weeks after the ball, Selena had excused herself from appearing at dinner for the third night in a row. Concerned for her daughter, Queen Serenity postponed her evening council meeting and instead went searching for her. After several stops in places like Selena's room, the library, and the main gardens, she finally found her sitting in the fully-blooming Garden of Selene. Smiling a bit, she walked over to her daughter.
"Selena... for three nights now the dinner table has been lacking your company. Would you mind telling me why?"
Looking up, Selena smiled serenely as she saw her mother. "I've been ill, mother, and I didn't want to have to leave in the middle of supper."
"Ill, Selena? What ill can you have that your healer's blood cannot cure?"
Still smiling, Selena rose and walked to a colorful batch of flowers. After a moment, she looked over to her mother. "Though I know what it will mean in the end, the only thing that I'm afraid to say is that you'll be a grandmother soon."
Queen Serenity released a sad sigh, seating herself where Selena had just been. "Oh, Selena... well... I need not ask the name of the father. I'm afraid I must already know."
Selena nodded her head a little, smile never faltering. "I know it will mean leaving once more to insure my sister's happiness with the one she loves, but I don't mind."
The queen nodded her head sadly. "Yes. I need not to be asked to keep your secret - you and Endymion have discussed this?"
Once again, Selena nodded. "He doesn't know yet that I am pregnant for sure, but he will. He's due to visit tomorrow."
"Daughter... I must ask your permission to speak to my council about this. There are... complications to your plans. I only hope to rectify them so that it does not rain on whatever decision is made."
Rightfully confused, but knowing she should not ask, Selena said her mother could speak with her council about it. She knew her mother kept only those who could be trusted most in her council.
Selena was again seated in the Garden of Selena the next day. She was examining some of the flowers. Newly bloomed, these flowers grew alongside the original flowers. These had crimson petals, slowly fading to pink, then tipped with crimson.
It was like this that Endymion came upon her. "You asked to see me?"
Turning, Selena had a bewildered look on her face. "No... but I suppose it's just as well. "She sat down on a marble bench, motioning for him to sit next to her. "I'm not going to drag this out unnecessarily. I am pregnant, Endymion, no doubts about it. I've told mother, and she's speaking to her council now. I can only guess their decision can be to send me away once again."
Endymion's face fell a little with each word she said. "It makes sense, of course...but... I had hoped I'd get to see the child..."
"You will... to tell the truth, there is someone who asked me to marry him... it was a total formality, of course, we never had feelings for one another. But apparently, I'm a 'good match.'" Selena smirked, a hint of bitterness coming into her words. "But, I suppose I should go back there and marry him... No one would think much of a baby who arrives a bit early."
Endymion was tempted to say what he had meant to that night on the balcony, on the night of her ball. "Selena, I-"
"Good, you two are here."
"They both looked up to find Queen Serenity approaching.
"I'll make this as brief as possible. Though I know it will not ease the pain." Looking as if she had aged many years in the past day, Serenity lowered herself to sit on a bench across from them. "Selena... It appears though Selene gifted us with the miracle of your birth, it came with a consequence. Between you and your sister, there may be only one child. And the council has chosen your sister, since she will be the one to follow me to the throne."
Endymion's expression turned to one of horror as all happiness seemed to seep out of Selena. She remained calm, though, as she spoke. "What else, mother?"
Watching her daughter will a tearful expression, Serenity explained the rest. "You are to be sent off to give birth to the child, and her soul - in the form of a thing called a star seed - will be transferred instead to your sister. She will never know... she will only know the child is hers."
Selena gave a nod of her head. "Alright, mother."
Serenity rose to her feet, walking to her daughter. She gently touched her cheek. "If there were any other course to take, believe me, I would."
"I know, mother. The will of Selene rules us all. Perhaps I am not that special after all?" She rose to her feet. "I think I'll go pack my things."
Serenity sank down to sit where Selena had just been as she walked away. For the first time since her husband's death, the queen cried. "I knew the day would come when her happiness would end. I just wish it did not have to be me who did it."
Endymion nodded his head faintly, looking to the ground. "I need to speak to her again. To try and make her smile at least once more."
The queen's head shook. "No, Endymion. Serenity's waiting for you. Selena is to leave tonight, before anyone has a chance to learn of her leaving once again. They would insist on a farewell party, and that would take time we do not have."
Nodding sadly, Endymion rose to his feet. "I only hope that this will turn out for the best... She's only sixteen... She must feel as if her life is ending." He turned and left, leaving the queen alone. She was miserable. What kind of mother would knowingly take away her daughter's only chance for happiness? Sadly, she rose to her feet. Powerful as she was, she would not for anything upset the peace of her kingdom, or the will of Selene. No matter who may get hurt.
As she walked away, Serenity did not notice the swiftly dying garden, or the storm clouds gathering in the distance.
Chapter Five
One evening, about two weeks after the ball, Selena had excused herself from appearing at dinner for the third night in a row. Concerned for her daughter, Queen Serenity postponed her evening council meeting and instead went searching for her. After several stops in places like Selena's room, the library, and the main gardens, she finally found her sitting in the fully-blooming Garden of Selene. Smiling a bit, she walked over to her daughter.
"Selena... for three nights now the dinner table has been lacking your company. Would you mind telling me why?"
Looking up, Selena smiled serenely as she saw her mother. "I've been ill, mother, and I didn't want to have to leave in the middle of supper."
"Ill, Selena? What ill can you have that your healer's blood cannot cure?"
Still smiling, Selena rose and walked to a colorful batch of flowers. After a moment, she looked over to her mother. "Though I know what it will mean in the end, the only thing that I'm afraid to say is that you'll be a grandmother soon."
Queen Serenity released a sad sigh, seating herself where Selena had just been. "Oh, Selena... well... I need not ask the name of the father. I'm afraid I must already know."
Selena nodded her head a little, smile never faltering. "I know it will mean leaving once more to insure my sister's happiness with the one she loves, but I don't mind."
The queen nodded her head sadly. "Yes. I need not to be asked to keep your secret - you and Endymion have discussed this?"
Once again, Selena nodded. "He doesn't know yet that I am pregnant for sure, but he will. He's due to visit tomorrow."
"Daughter... I must ask your permission to speak to my council about this. There are... complications to your plans. I only hope to rectify them so that it does not rain on whatever decision is made."
Rightfully confused, but knowing she should not ask, Selena said her mother could speak with her council about it. She knew her mother kept only those who could be trusted most in her council.
Selena was again seated in the Garden of Selena the next day. She was examining some of the flowers. Newly bloomed, these flowers grew alongside the original flowers. These had crimson petals, slowly fading to pink, then tipped with crimson.
It was like this that Endymion came upon her. "You asked to see me?"
Turning, Selena had a bewildered look on her face. "No... but I suppose it's just as well. "She sat down on a marble bench, motioning for him to sit next to her. "I'm not going to drag this out unnecessarily. I am pregnant, Endymion, no doubts about it. I've told mother, and she's speaking to her council now. I can only guess their decision can be to send me away once again."
Endymion's face fell a little with each word she said. "It makes sense, of course...but... I had hoped I'd get to see the child..."
"You will... to tell the truth, there is someone who asked me to marry him... it was a total formality, of course, we never had feelings for one another. But apparently, I'm a 'good match.'" Selena smirked, a hint of bitterness coming into her words. "But, I suppose I should go back there and marry him... No one would think much of a baby who arrives a bit early."
Endymion was tempted to say what he had meant to that night on the balcony, on the night of her ball. "Selena, I-"
"Good, you two are here."
"They both looked up to find Queen Serenity approaching.
"I'll make this as brief as possible. Though I know it will not ease the pain." Looking as if she had aged many years in the past day, Serenity lowered herself to sit on a bench across from them. "Selena... It appears though Selene gifted us with the miracle of your birth, it came with a consequence. Between you and your sister, there may be only one child. And the council has chosen your sister, since she will be the one to follow me to the throne."
Endymion's expression turned to one of horror as all happiness seemed to seep out of Selena. She remained calm, though, as she spoke. "What else, mother?"
Watching her daughter will a tearful expression, Serenity explained the rest. "You are to be sent off to give birth to the child, and her soul - in the form of a thing called a star seed - will be transferred instead to your sister. She will never know... she will only know the child is hers."
Selena gave a nod of her head. "Alright, mother."
Serenity rose to her feet, walking to her daughter. She gently touched her cheek. "If there were any other course to take, believe me, I would."
"I know, mother. The will of Selene rules us all. Perhaps I am not that special after all?" She rose to her feet. "I think I'll go pack my things."
Serenity sank down to sit where Selena had just been as she walked away. For the first time since her husband's death, the queen cried. "I knew the day would come when her happiness would end. I just wish it did not have to be me who did it."
Endymion nodded his head faintly, looking to the ground. "I need to speak to her again. To try and make her smile at least once more."
The queen's head shook. "No, Endymion. Serenity's waiting for you. Selena is to leave tonight, before anyone has a chance to learn of her leaving once again. They would insist on a farewell party, and that would take time we do not have."
Nodding sadly, Endymion rose to his feet. "I only hope that this will turn out for the best... She's only sixteen... She must feel as if her life is ending." He turned and left, leaving the queen alone. She was miserable. What kind of mother would knowingly take away her daughter's only chance for happiness? Sadly, she rose to her feet. Powerful as she was, she would not for anything upset the peace of her kingdom, or the will of Selene. No matter who may get hurt.
As she walked away, Serenity did not notice the swiftly dying garden, or the storm clouds gathering in the distance.