AN Yeah! Next chapter is here. Hope you'll all enjoy it. More fluff!
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A silver wrapped gift
Chapter 2: Encounter
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Fat rain drops splattered on the ground. The leaves were battered by the wind and the rain. The trees moaned in the storm. Selenity yelled in delight. She stood on the banks of a river, drenched. Her dress had become annoyingly sticky, her hair was terribly tangled, but she didn't notice. She tossed her head back and let the rain fall in her face.
The grey sky intrigued her. She knew it were clouds, but how could clear rain come from grey clouds? Shouldn't the rain be grey as well? It didn't matter. All that mattered was, that she was wet because of Earth's rain. She laughed and spun around on the spot, until she was dizzy and dropped on the ground.
She had seen so much by now. She had walked on the South Pole, where it was freezing all year, and been down with a cold the following week. She had patted rabbits and deers and run from a wolf, who had taken a bite of her dress. Now, all she wished to see was the ocean. She couldn't believe a great pool of salt water even existed. She had to see it with her own eyes.
Her eyes fell on a yellow flower with orange edges. She had seen that variety of flower before, in the garden where she had gone the first time she went to Earth. That had been over a month ago. Maybe she should go back there. She hadn't seen all of the garden yet and she could pay attention so she wouldn't run into anyone again.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. The world shifted around her. When she opened her eyes again she was standing in front of the wall surrounding the garden. It couldn't have been very far from the river she had just come from. The light was the same and there was still a bit of rain falling down. She took a deep breath and jumped over the wall.
The garden was still as breathtaking as before. The flowers glistened with raindrops. Cobwebs shone with giant pearls hanging from them. She walked along the paths with the same admiration as before. Some flowers had stopped blooming, but others had opened their petals to the now absent sun. Last time she had been here, she hadn't been able to see how big the garden really was. Now she saw it held more than lanes with flowers. She crossed many clear streams that flowed across the garden. Silent pools held many waterlilies. A pond showed fish as big as her arm, but half of them consisted of a tail so thin, it was almost transparent. Sometimes paths met, and at such a crossing benches were placed, some just in the open air, some in a white marble pavilion. Fountains sprayed their own water in the air.
Selenity sat down on the edge of one of them and wrung out her hair and the hem of her dress. She sat there a long time, staring into the water dreamily.
"You'll catch a cold being out in the rain."
With a yell she jumped on her feet. "Don't scare me like that! How dare you sneak up on me?!" Her heart skipped when she saw who had spoken to her. It was the same man she had seen before.
He grinned. "Well, how dare you walk around my garden without my permission?"
"Your garden?"
"My garden," he answered.
"I didn't know I needed permission to use my own legs," she retorted.
"You do, if you're in my garden."
She sniffed. "And how do you expect me to ask permission to do anything to a total stranger? I don't even know your name."
"I am sorry. How terribly rude of me not to introduce myself. I am prince Endymion of Earth."
"Oh, great," Selenity moaned. "Of all the gardens I could see, I end up in the one belonging to the prince of the Earth."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that a bad thing then?"
"Oh no, not at all. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go."
She turned to walk away, when he suddenly grabbed her arm. His touch was electrifying. Her heart started beating so loud, she was afraid he would hear it.
"Fair is fair," he smiled. "You know my name, now I want to know yours."
For a moment she stood in doubt, but she couldn't just walk away. He was right, fair was fair.
"I am Selenity."
His eyes widened. He looked at her forehead, where the crescent symbol was just visible beneath her hair. He let go of her arm and then to her horror he bowed deeply.
"Forgive me, moon princess, I meant no disrespect. I apologize for my words."
"What words?"
He looked up, puzzled.
"You had every right to question a stranger who had entered your park without your knowledge. The fact that I am princess Selenity doesn't change that." Where did this regally manner came from? I sound like my mother! "I am not offended."
His shoulders relaxed visibly. "Allow me." He took of his cape and draped it around her shoulders. It was warm and heavy and it smelled a bit like him. With him standing so close to her, her heart worked overtime.
"You shouldn't be out in the rain like this. You'll catch a cold."
She looked up. "I already have, when I had walked on the South Pole."
"South Pole?"
"Yes, I am discovering Earth. Learning what rain is, is a part of that."
He laughed. "There is an easier way to discover Earth, you know."
"Oh yeah? What would that be?"
"Very simple. You ask someone from Earth to show you around."
"I see, and you would be the ideal candidate to do so, wouldn't you."
He shook his head. "No, I am too busy. But I think I could find you a guide, if you would like that."
She pushed her hair back. "I don't know. I say, I made quite a fool out myself, earlier today with my 'rain obsession', so I don't think I would want a guide."
Endymion smiled. "I don't think you look a fool. I think you look pretty."
She looked up in surprise. He seemed a bit shocked himself to have said that. As she stared at him, he began to blush and looked away. She turned her eyes towards the fountain, that still sprayed its water high up into the air. Silence fell, but his words still rang in her ears. I think you look pretty.
The rain had since diminished to a faint drizzle. She didn't even feel it falling on her head, though that could have something to do with the fact that her hair was so wet. The cloak was nice and warm though. She wrapped it tighter around her.
"Are you cold?"
She shook her head. "No."
She heard him sigh. He said, "If I overstepped myself, I apologize."
"I wouldn't know," she answered. "I don't know what is appropriate and what is not."
"Oh," it sounded. "Well, that's interesting. You are a princess, yet you are ignorant of social manners. I don't get that."
"Well, excuse me for not knowing the finer elements of society, but I have lived on a rather isolated spot all my life."
He raised his hands in defense. "I'm sorry. You're right." He paused for a moment. "What is the moon like?"
She looked up towards the sky. "It's stale."
"Stale?"
"Yes, stale, compared to Earth, that is. Everything on the moon is just a pale reflection of what it is on Earth. Even the air you breath, you can smell it has been recycled many times over. The Crystal grants us a life longer than a normal human being has, but it does not give us the reality of Earth. Nothing can give that."
"I understand."
She swirled around with gleaming eyes, startling him. "Do you? Do you really know what's it like to live in an artificial atmosphere? The dome we live in on the moon isn't all that big, you know. Even though everything that grows there is essentially the same as on Earth, I found that here everything is just so much more. The colors, the smell, the feel of everything, it's wonderful. I could stay here all my life, even if it was shorter than it would be, when I live on the moon."
He was taken aback by her words. And she was as well. She had not expected such a ferocity from herself. It was not appropriate for a princess. Her mother had always reminded her to moderate her tone and keep her patience. And now she had disregarded that, in front of a stranger no less. She turned away.
A hand touched her head. "I'm sorry, princess. I guess you're not the only one lacking knowledge on some points." He walked up in front of her. "I don't know what it's like on the moon."
She looked up and saw him smiling at her. Her heart ached. His smile made her feel special in a way she had never felt before, even when her mother gave her her warmest smile. She lost herself in those deep blue eyes. She didn't know how long they stood there, but after a while she managed to tear herself away from that look.
"I really have to go." She started to take of her cloak.
"You keep it," he stopped her.
She smiled. "Thank you." She surprised him, and herself for that matter, by raising tiptoed and brushing his lips with a kiss. Then she turned around and ran away.
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AN Okay. Review please. Next chapter coming soon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A silver wrapped gift
Chapter 2: Encounter
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fat rain drops splattered on the ground. The leaves were battered by the wind and the rain. The trees moaned in the storm. Selenity yelled in delight. She stood on the banks of a river, drenched. Her dress had become annoyingly sticky, her hair was terribly tangled, but she didn't notice. She tossed her head back and let the rain fall in her face.
The grey sky intrigued her. She knew it were clouds, but how could clear rain come from grey clouds? Shouldn't the rain be grey as well? It didn't matter. All that mattered was, that she was wet because of Earth's rain. She laughed and spun around on the spot, until she was dizzy and dropped on the ground.
She had seen so much by now. She had walked on the South Pole, where it was freezing all year, and been down with a cold the following week. She had patted rabbits and deers and run from a wolf, who had taken a bite of her dress. Now, all she wished to see was the ocean. She couldn't believe a great pool of salt water even existed. She had to see it with her own eyes.
Her eyes fell on a yellow flower with orange edges. She had seen that variety of flower before, in the garden where she had gone the first time she went to Earth. That had been over a month ago. Maybe she should go back there. She hadn't seen all of the garden yet and she could pay attention so she wouldn't run into anyone again.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. The world shifted around her. When she opened her eyes again she was standing in front of the wall surrounding the garden. It couldn't have been very far from the river she had just come from. The light was the same and there was still a bit of rain falling down. She took a deep breath and jumped over the wall.
The garden was still as breathtaking as before. The flowers glistened with raindrops. Cobwebs shone with giant pearls hanging from them. She walked along the paths with the same admiration as before. Some flowers had stopped blooming, but others had opened their petals to the now absent sun. Last time she had been here, she hadn't been able to see how big the garden really was. Now she saw it held more than lanes with flowers. She crossed many clear streams that flowed across the garden. Silent pools held many waterlilies. A pond showed fish as big as her arm, but half of them consisted of a tail so thin, it was almost transparent. Sometimes paths met, and at such a crossing benches were placed, some just in the open air, some in a white marble pavilion. Fountains sprayed their own water in the air.
Selenity sat down on the edge of one of them and wrung out her hair and the hem of her dress. She sat there a long time, staring into the water dreamily.
"You'll catch a cold being out in the rain."
With a yell she jumped on her feet. "Don't scare me like that! How dare you sneak up on me?!" Her heart skipped when she saw who had spoken to her. It was the same man she had seen before.
He grinned. "Well, how dare you walk around my garden without my permission?"
"Your garden?"
"My garden," he answered.
"I didn't know I needed permission to use my own legs," she retorted.
"You do, if you're in my garden."
She sniffed. "And how do you expect me to ask permission to do anything to a total stranger? I don't even know your name."
"I am sorry. How terribly rude of me not to introduce myself. I am prince Endymion of Earth."
"Oh, great," Selenity moaned. "Of all the gardens I could see, I end up in the one belonging to the prince of the Earth."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that a bad thing then?"
"Oh no, not at all. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go."
She turned to walk away, when he suddenly grabbed her arm. His touch was electrifying. Her heart started beating so loud, she was afraid he would hear it.
"Fair is fair," he smiled. "You know my name, now I want to know yours."
For a moment she stood in doubt, but she couldn't just walk away. He was right, fair was fair.
"I am Selenity."
His eyes widened. He looked at her forehead, where the crescent symbol was just visible beneath her hair. He let go of her arm and then to her horror he bowed deeply.
"Forgive me, moon princess, I meant no disrespect. I apologize for my words."
"What words?"
He looked up, puzzled.
"You had every right to question a stranger who had entered your park without your knowledge. The fact that I am princess Selenity doesn't change that." Where did this regally manner came from? I sound like my mother! "I am not offended."
His shoulders relaxed visibly. "Allow me." He took of his cape and draped it around her shoulders. It was warm and heavy and it smelled a bit like him. With him standing so close to her, her heart worked overtime.
"You shouldn't be out in the rain like this. You'll catch a cold."
She looked up. "I already have, when I had walked on the South Pole."
"South Pole?"
"Yes, I am discovering Earth. Learning what rain is, is a part of that."
He laughed. "There is an easier way to discover Earth, you know."
"Oh yeah? What would that be?"
"Very simple. You ask someone from Earth to show you around."
"I see, and you would be the ideal candidate to do so, wouldn't you."
He shook his head. "No, I am too busy. But I think I could find you a guide, if you would like that."
She pushed her hair back. "I don't know. I say, I made quite a fool out myself, earlier today with my 'rain obsession', so I don't think I would want a guide."
Endymion smiled. "I don't think you look a fool. I think you look pretty."
She looked up in surprise. He seemed a bit shocked himself to have said that. As she stared at him, he began to blush and looked away. She turned her eyes towards the fountain, that still sprayed its water high up into the air. Silence fell, but his words still rang in her ears. I think you look pretty.
The rain had since diminished to a faint drizzle. She didn't even feel it falling on her head, though that could have something to do with the fact that her hair was so wet. The cloak was nice and warm though. She wrapped it tighter around her.
"Are you cold?"
She shook her head. "No."
She heard him sigh. He said, "If I overstepped myself, I apologize."
"I wouldn't know," she answered. "I don't know what is appropriate and what is not."
"Oh," it sounded. "Well, that's interesting. You are a princess, yet you are ignorant of social manners. I don't get that."
"Well, excuse me for not knowing the finer elements of society, but I have lived on a rather isolated spot all my life."
He raised his hands in defense. "I'm sorry. You're right." He paused for a moment. "What is the moon like?"
She looked up towards the sky. "It's stale."
"Stale?"
"Yes, stale, compared to Earth, that is. Everything on the moon is just a pale reflection of what it is on Earth. Even the air you breath, you can smell it has been recycled many times over. The Crystal grants us a life longer than a normal human being has, but it does not give us the reality of Earth. Nothing can give that."
"I understand."
She swirled around with gleaming eyes, startling him. "Do you? Do you really know what's it like to live in an artificial atmosphere? The dome we live in on the moon isn't all that big, you know. Even though everything that grows there is essentially the same as on Earth, I found that here everything is just so much more. The colors, the smell, the feel of everything, it's wonderful. I could stay here all my life, even if it was shorter than it would be, when I live on the moon."
He was taken aback by her words. And she was as well. She had not expected such a ferocity from herself. It was not appropriate for a princess. Her mother had always reminded her to moderate her tone and keep her patience. And now she had disregarded that, in front of a stranger no less. She turned away.
A hand touched her head. "I'm sorry, princess. I guess you're not the only one lacking knowledge on some points." He walked up in front of her. "I don't know what it's like on the moon."
She looked up and saw him smiling at her. Her heart ached. His smile made her feel special in a way she had never felt before, even when her mother gave her her warmest smile. She lost herself in those deep blue eyes. She didn't know how long they stood there, but after a while she managed to tear herself away from that look.
"I really have to go." She started to take of her cloak.
"You keep it," he stopped her.
She smiled. "Thank you." She surprised him, and herself for that matter, by raising tiptoed and brushing his lips with a kiss. Then she turned around and ran away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN Okay. Review please. Next chapter coming soon!