Sapphire stormed about his room in his brother's palace. He was angry. That
woman was impossible. For once in his life he had used his ability to judge
people to do something decent. How had she reacted? Oh, she'd not believed
him. She had told him to go away! That Pluto-Woman would pay. No one made a
fool of him like that.
What would he do with her? Oh, the possibilities. His mind was racing with ideas when a knock was heard at the door. "Enter," he bellowed, his foul mood dripping from his voice.
The door opened and his brother entered. "Sapphire! Just what do you think you are doing with that... woman?"
"I'm toying with her. You want her busy and so shall she be," he replied. "You are interrupting my plotting, Brother."
Demando grumbled. "Whatever you're doing, you put our plans at risk. Why would you go to a gathering of the Moon People? Have you no idea how damaging that could prove?"
Sapphire rolled his eyes. "I know what I am doing, Your Highness."
"Why did you go, Sapphire?" the prince repeated, his authority hanging in his voice.
"That other man could prove to be a danger to my plans. Were he to find out about me, he would surely tell the Queen. That certainly would place a hindrance on the realization of your idealistic world."
Demando nodded. "As you will, but make certain that my Serenity is not harmed. How is this man dangerous? He'll only take more of her time."
"She may tell him about us. Besides, he seems to have his own ill intentions and plans to use our dear Guardian as a tool to set them into place."
"I see. You're protecting her, then?"
"Not really. I simply don't like people interfering with my missions."
"You make no sense, baby brother," Demando said as he clapped Sapphire on the back and left.
Sapphire sighed and watched as Sailor Pluto danced with Aemar. He nearly vomited as he flirted with her shamelessly. She was so dense that she hardly realized he was doing as such. The azure haired man sighed. That woman really got on his nerves. She was so weak.
He sat for hours, never taking his eyes off of her. He watched as she prepared herself for bed. Her body was lovely, and her movements graceful. She was the type of woman that he'd have for a lover were they not enemies. He watched as she closed her lids on those lovely orbs of hers and as her breathing slowed. She looked like an angel when she slept. The hard look that normally graced her features was replaced by a beautiful melancholy smile. It was beautiful –she was suffering and it was entirely his fault.
Had he not been so content with the look on her face, the azure-haired man would have gone to bother her. Sighing, he prepared for bed himself. He would do something or another to her tomorrow.
Setsuna rose early, before dawn. She was happy to know that the feeling of being watched was gone. Stretching, she made herself a mug of tea. Waiting for the water to boil, she dressed herself in a long black dress. As she sipped a mug of her tea she heard a knock at the door.
Putting down the mug, she went and answered it. Aemar stood there. He was smiling. "Good morning, my princess."
"G- good morning, my lord. What has you here so early?"
He shrugged. "I just needed to see you again. I fear that if I spend too long away from you I shall die of heartbreak," he replied as he kissed her fingertips.
She blushed. "I... see. Well, I am afraid I have things to do today so you cannot stay long."
"You can take a day off from your duties, certainly. Come with me. I'll show you a good time."
She shook her head sadly. "I fear that I cannot. I am sorry."
Anger flashed in his eyes, or maybe it was hurt. "Please, princess?"
She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I would, but as the Guardian I cannot take too much time off."
He reached up and gripped her wrist. "Your highness –"
Aemar was cut off by another man entering the room. He came from Setsuna's bedroom. "The lady has things that need to be done, knave. Leave now, or face my wrath," came a cold and eerily familiar voice. It was Sapphire.
Aemar grumbled and left. Looking at where his hand had been, she found it red. He had a strong grip, that much was certain. Suddenly, she felt herself being shoved up against the closed door. "What's wrong, Pluto? You didn't think I'd gone nice, did you?" he sneered at her.
She shuddered. This drew a cruel laugh from the man. She could nearly feel her arms and back bruise as he shoved her against the door again and again. His eyes looked more evil than they had last night. His hands were colder, and his mirth at her pain even more apparent than ever.
"Are you going to cry for me now, Senshi? You know I'd just love to see salty tears fall from those pretty little cheeks of yours," he whispered in her ear. She shivered involuntarily.
"I won't give you the pleasure," she spat at him.
He was smirking again. "You've not yet realized that everything about you is my will. If I will it that you live, you live. If I want you dead, you die. And, if I want you to cry, you shall cry. I'm not afraid to bring a few of your little friends into this, woman."
Fear crossed her features, "You said you wouldn't!"
"So I lied," he shrugged, "but if you cooperate, I'll keep my promise."
She nodded slowly, accepting her fate as his toy to protect the younger senshi. If she could have killed him, she wouldn't have. It would have changed the timelines, and that she was not bidden to do.
"Good girl," his smirk turned into a broad yet crazed grin. "I think I'll leave you to ponder what you've committed to for now, my dear." And then he was gone.
Setsuna slid to the ground, wanting to cry. However, no tears would come. Had she forgotten how? That didn't matter –she had more pressing problems burdening her at the moment. Sapphire had demanded that she conform to his will. (AN: CONFORM?! AAAAAH! FASCIST! NOOOO! DO NOT OBEY! A'ight, I'm done now. BEWAAAAARE THE FASCISTS! MUSSOLINI IS NOT GOD! DON'T HAIL! Really, I'm done.) What if he used her to get into the past? That would be very unfortunate.
By now, all wonderings as to whether or not he had been truly concerned for her last night had faded. It seemed he was simply toying with her mind. He certainly liked to do that a lot. Sighing, she stood and walked outside. Allowing her feet to take her wherever they pleased to go, Setsuna let her mind wander.
She found herself in the palace gardens. The sun glistening on the morning dew was lovely. "It rained late last night," she noted in her head.
"Setsuna!" someone called. She turned to find Michiru and Haruka walking towards her, Michiru waving.
She hugged the two women when they caught up to her, hiding her wince as Haruka patted her back with a goofy grin. "What has you two up so early," she asked.
"Oh, we just felt like taking an early morning stroll through the gardens before breakfast," Michiru said happily, entwining her fingers with those of the yawning Haruka.
"You wanted to 'take an early morning stroll through the gardens before breakfast' -I wanted to sleep," Haruka stated irritably.
This drew a giggle out of Setsuna. She watched silently as the couple bickered playfully. She was drawn out of her thoughts when Michiru called her name, waving her hand in the green haired woman's face. "Hm," she asked, shaking her head.
"You were spacing out. I said 'isn't that guy over there with the blue hair one you were dancing with last night?'"
Looking at where Michiru was pointing, Setsuna gasped. It was Sapphire. He was sitting on a bench, sketching the blue-purple roses in front of him. She nodded slowly.
The three of them noticed Aemar walking into the gardens as well. Setsuna dragged the other two behind a huge oak tree. Motioning for them to be quiet, the three of them listened to the men converse.
"You again," Aemar spat as he approached.
Sapphire looked up. "Oh, hello," he said with a smile so fake Setsuna wanted to give him acting lessons.
"I suggest you stay away from Princess Setsuna, or you shall regret it," Aemar said.
Sapphire shrugged. "I don't really think you could do anything to me. Besides, I don't see your name on her, pirate."
"Pirate? Why do you say that?"
"You are greedy. And, you look like the type to go about commandeering."
Aemar growled. "I am no scoundrel."
Sapphire shrugged. "You're in my light, laddie."
Suddenly, Setsuna was watching Aemar smack Sapphire so hard that he fell over the bench's back. Sapphire stood slowly. He wasn't hurt –he was angry. The others mistook it for injury, though.
He moved to fast for any of them to see. Setsuna blinked, and in the time it took her eyes to reopen Aemar was on the ground, clutching a bleeding sword arm. Sapphire was gone, but his sketchbook remained. Quickly, Aemar stood and ran off. When she turned, Haruka and Michiru were gone. She was the only one in the garden once more.
She stood and walked over to the bench Sapphire had been sitting on. She picked up the book and gasped at what she saw. Sapphire had drawn her amongst the roses. They encircled her, but did not seem to trap her. None of the thorns were digging into her skin, surprisingly. It seemed, though, that there was the most detail in her eyes. This rough sketch looked exactly like her.
She sat and stared at this for hours. She really didn't know how long it was. When she came out of her trance, though, the evening chill had set in. She shivered as a cool breeze swept past. Had she really sat there all day?
END for now! I don't know how well this turned out, as it is only 9 AM. I'd apprietate all responses, though. I hope to get another chapter out sooner than this one came.
What would he do with her? Oh, the possibilities. His mind was racing with ideas when a knock was heard at the door. "Enter," he bellowed, his foul mood dripping from his voice.
The door opened and his brother entered. "Sapphire! Just what do you think you are doing with that... woman?"
"I'm toying with her. You want her busy and so shall she be," he replied. "You are interrupting my plotting, Brother."
Demando grumbled. "Whatever you're doing, you put our plans at risk. Why would you go to a gathering of the Moon People? Have you no idea how damaging that could prove?"
Sapphire rolled his eyes. "I know what I am doing, Your Highness."
"Why did you go, Sapphire?" the prince repeated, his authority hanging in his voice.
"That other man could prove to be a danger to my plans. Were he to find out about me, he would surely tell the Queen. That certainly would place a hindrance on the realization of your idealistic world."
Demando nodded. "As you will, but make certain that my Serenity is not harmed. How is this man dangerous? He'll only take more of her time."
"She may tell him about us. Besides, he seems to have his own ill intentions and plans to use our dear Guardian as a tool to set them into place."
"I see. You're protecting her, then?"
"Not really. I simply don't like people interfering with my missions."
"You make no sense, baby brother," Demando said as he clapped Sapphire on the back and left.
Sapphire sighed and watched as Sailor Pluto danced with Aemar. He nearly vomited as he flirted with her shamelessly. She was so dense that she hardly realized he was doing as such. The azure haired man sighed. That woman really got on his nerves. She was so weak.
He sat for hours, never taking his eyes off of her. He watched as she prepared herself for bed. Her body was lovely, and her movements graceful. She was the type of woman that he'd have for a lover were they not enemies. He watched as she closed her lids on those lovely orbs of hers and as her breathing slowed. She looked like an angel when she slept. The hard look that normally graced her features was replaced by a beautiful melancholy smile. It was beautiful –she was suffering and it was entirely his fault.
Had he not been so content with the look on her face, the azure-haired man would have gone to bother her. Sighing, he prepared for bed himself. He would do something or another to her tomorrow.
Setsuna rose early, before dawn. She was happy to know that the feeling of being watched was gone. Stretching, she made herself a mug of tea. Waiting for the water to boil, she dressed herself in a long black dress. As she sipped a mug of her tea she heard a knock at the door.
Putting down the mug, she went and answered it. Aemar stood there. He was smiling. "Good morning, my princess."
"G- good morning, my lord. What has you here so early?"
He shrugged. "I just needed to see you again. I fear that if I spend too long away from you I shall die of heartbreak," he replied as he kissed her fingertips.
She blushed. "I... see. Well, I am afraid I have things to do today so you cannot stay long."
"You can take a day off from your duties, certainly. Come with me. I'll show you a good time."
She shook her head sadly. "I fear that I cannot. I am sorry."
Anger flashed in his eyes, or maybe it was hurt. "Please, princess?"
She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "I would, but as the Guardian I cannot take too much time off."
He reached up and gripped her wrist. "Your highness –"
Aemar was cut off by another man entering the room. He came from Setsuna's bedroom. "The lady has things that need to be done, knave. Leave now, or face my wrath," came a cold and eerily familiar voice. It was Sapphire.
Aemar grumbled and left. Looking at where his hand had been, she found it red. He had a strong grip, that much was certain. Suddenly, she felt herself being shoved up against the closed door. "What's wrong, Pluto? You didn't think I'd gone nice, did you?" he sneered at her.
She shuddered. This drew a cruel laugh from the man. She could nearly feel her arms and back bruise as he shoved her against the door again and again. His eyes looked more evil than they had last night. His hands were colder, and his mirth at her pain even more apparent than ever.
"Are you going to cry for me now, Senshi? You know I'd just love to see salty tears fall from those pretty little cheeks of yours," he whispered in her ear. She shivered involuntarily.
"I won't give you the pleasure," she spat at him.
He was smirking again. "You've not yet realized that everything about you is my will. If I will it that you live, you live. If I want you dead, you die. And, if I want you to cry, you shall cry. I'm not afraid to bring a few of your little friends into this, woman."
Fear crossed her features, "You said you wouldn't!"
"So I lied," he shrugged, "but if you cooperate, I'll keep my promise."
She nodded slowly, accepting her fate as his toy to protect the younger senshi. If she could have killed him, she wouldn't have. It would have changed the timelines, and that she was not bidden to do.
"Good girl," his smirk turned into a broad yet crazed grin. "I think I'll leave you to ponder what you've committed to for now, my dear." And then he was gone.
Setsuna slid to the ground, wanting to cry. However, no tears would come. Had she forgotten how? That didn't matter –she had more pressing problems burdening her at the moment. Sapphire had demanded that she conform to his will. (AN: CONFORM?! AAAAAH! FASCIST! NOOOO! DO NOT OBEY! A'ight, I'm done now. BEWAAAAARE THE FASCISTS! MUSSOLINI IS NOT GOD! DON'T HAIL! Really, I'm done.) What if he used her to get into the past? That would be very unfortunate.
By now, all wonderings as to whether or not he had been truly concerned for her last night had faded. It seemed he was simply toying with her mind. He certainly liked to do that a lot. Sighing, she stood and walked outside. Allowing her feet to take her wherever they pleased to go, Setsuna let her mind wander.
She found herself in the palace gardens. The sun glistening on the morning dew was lovely. "It rained late last night," she noted in her head.
"Setsuna!" someone called. She turned to find Michiru and Haruka walking towards her, Michiru waving.
She hugged the two women when they caught up to her, hiding her wince as Haruka patted her back with a goofy grin. "What has you two up so early," she asked.
"Oh, we just felt like taking an early morning stroll through the gardens before breakfast," Michiru said happily, entwining her fingers with those of the yawning Haruka.
"You wanted to 'take an early morning stroll through the gardens before breakfast' -I wanted to sleep," Haruka stated irritably.
This drew a giggle out of Setsuna. She watched silently as the couple bickered playfully. She was drawn out of her thoughts when Michiru called her name, waving her hand in the green haired woman's face. "Hm," she asked, shaking her head.
"You were spacing out. I said 'isn't that guy over there with the blue hair one you were dancing with last night?'"
Looking at where Michiru was pointing, Setsuna gasped. It was Sapphire. He was sitting on a bench, sketching the blue-purple roses in front of him. She nodded slowly.
The three of them noticed Aemar walking into the gardens as well. Setsuna dragged the other two behind a huge oak tree. Motioning for them to be quiet, the three of them listened to the men converse.
"You again," Aemar spat as he approached.
Sapphire looked up. "Oh, hello," he said with a smile so fake Setsuna wanted to give him acting lessons.
"I suggest you stay away from Princess Setsuna, or you shall regret it," Aemar said.
Sapphire shrugged. "I don't really think you could do anything to me. Besides, I don't see your name on her, pirate."
"Pirate? Why do you say that?"
"You are greedy. And, you look like the type to go about commandeering."
Aemar growled. "I am no scoundrel."
Sapphire shrugged. "You're in my light, laddie."
Suddenly, Setsuna was watching Aemar smack Sapphire so hard that he fell over the bench's back. Sapphire stood slowly. He wasn't hurt –he was angry. The others mistook it for injury, though.
He moved to fast for any of them to see. Setsuna blinked, and in the time it took her eyes to reopen Aemar was on the ground, clutching a bleeding sword arm. Sapphire was gone, but his sketchbook remained. Quickly, Aemar stood and ran off. When she turned, Haruka and Michiru were gone. She was the only one in the garden once more.
She stood and walked over to the bench Sapphire had been sitting on. She picked up the book and gasped at what she saw. Sapphire had drawn her amongst the roses. They encircled her, but did not seem to trap her. None of the thorns were digging into her skin, surprisingly. It seemed, though, that there was the most detail in her eyes. This rough sketch looked exactly like her.
She sat and stared at this for hours. She really didn't know how long it was. When she came out of her trance, though, the evening chill had set in. She shivered as a cool breeze swept past. Had she really sat there all day?
END for now! I don't know how well this turned out, as it is only 9 AM. I'd apprietate all responses, though. I hope to get another chapter out sooner than this one came.