CHAPTER 3
The first night of the ball. Michiru had gone straight home to the Neptune Palace after that dance with Haruka. Although she was extremely tired, Michiru couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw... Haruka. She couldn't stop thinking about the handsome prince. This scared Michiru. She'd felt this emotion before... when she'd first met Larry. The troubled princess tried to push the haunting image of Haruka out of her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and slowly drifted into a tormented slumber.
Little did she know that at that same moment, she filled Haruka's thoughts. The tall blond had been struck by the smaller woman's grace and refined beauty. But Michiru obviously didn't share her feelings... and she'd hate Haruka even more if she found out that she was actually a woman! Haruka buried her face into her hands. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
.::..::..::.
Much later, after a seemingly endless day, Michiru was in her room preparing for the second night of the ball. Earlier that day, her mother had presented Michiru with yet another stunning outfit: a black gown with short sleeves and long black gloves. Michiru's heart fluttered as she stepped into the dress. She didn't know if it was from excitement or nerves. She tied her hair back into a simple bun for tonight, leaving two wavy turquoise strands of hair hanging on each side of her face.
She wondered to herself if she'd see Haruka again tonight. Half of her longed to dance with the prince yet again, but the other half dreaded even seeing him. She sighed as she gazed thoughtfully into the mirror.
When she was ready to leave, she climbed for the second night into the waiting carriage. Her mother was, once again, staying home to tend to her sick father. The carriage magically took flight into the crisp night air. Although it was warm inside the carriage, Michiru shivered the whole way to the castle.
The carriage pulled to a halt in front of the ever-impressive Moon Palace. Michiru proceeded up to the castle. She looked around her, not admitting to herself what she was looking for.
Meanwhile, already inside, Haruka absent-mindedly chatted with the younger Saturn Princess. Normally the two were good friends, but today Haruka's mind seemed miles away. Every so often the blond would look around the room as if searching for something... or was it someONE? Hotaru decided to be daring and ask.
"Haruka, what are you looking for? ...Haruka?"
"Huh?" Haruka glanced at Hotaru. "What was the question?"
Hotaru grinned. "You're looking for something, aren't you? Or should I say someone? Haruka! Tell me!"
"Me? Looking for something? I'm not looking for anything!" Haruka replied, her face turning red.
"Oh, yes you are! Please tell me what."
"Look! It's none of your business!" Haruka replied, annoyed. Hotaru was taken aback by her friend's sudden snappy attitude. Haruka sighed. "I'm sorry, Hotaru. I didn't mean to yell. It's just that..."
Suddenly Haruka saw a flash of aqua out of the corner of her eye. She stopped mid-sentence and her head snapped up. It was indeed Princess Neptune! Michiru turned and, from across the room, saw Haruka staring at her. Their gaze locked for a second, but then Michiru turned and started pushing her way through the crowd, away from Haruka.
"Haruka?" Hotaru tried to see what her companion was staring at.
Haruka didn't even hear the dark-haired girl speak. Her mind was locked on one thought: I must follow Michiru... I must talk to her!
Her gaze followed Michiru to see that the turquoise-haired princess fled outside, to the gardens. Haruka began shoving her way through the crowd, pushing people aside, not caring about anything but Michiru...
.::..::..::.
She entered the ballroom and the first thing she saw was the sandy- haired prince. He was staring at her. He wanted to see her, to talk to her; she just knew it. She thought about advancing towards him. The desire to see his stunning grin again tugged at her heart. But in one moment of panic, she faltered and escaped out to the gardens.
The gardens were amazing: a maze of little windy paths that wound in and out amongst clumps of pink and white flowers. Michiru didn't stop to admire the plants, though; instead she ran as fast as she could, as far away from the palace as possible. She looked over her shoulder to make sure that no one was following her.
WHAM.
The princess whimpered as she collided into someone. "I'm sorry, honestly... please forgive me," she gasped, out of breath. She looked up to see who she'd run into. She gasped.
It wasn't Haruka.
It was Larry.
.::..::..::.
I sense trouble ahead! Anyways, leave me a review and make my day...please?
The first night of the ball. Michiru had gone straight home to the Neptune Palace after that dance with Haruka. Although she was extremely tired, Michiru couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw... Haruka. She couldn't stop thinking about the handsome prince. This scared Michiru. She'd felt this emotion before... when she'd first met Larry. The troubled princess tried to push the haunting image of Haruka out of her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and slowly drifted into a tormented slumber.
Little did she know that at that same moment, she filled Haruka's thoughts. The tall blond had been struck by the smaller woman's grace and refined beauty. But Michiru obviously didn't share her feelings... and she'd hate Haruka even more if she found out that she was actually a woman! Haruka buried her face into her hands. Why did everything have to be so difficult?
.::..::..::.
Much later, after a seemingly endless day, Michiru was in her room preparing for the second night of the ball. Earlier that day, her mother had presented Michiru with yet another stunning outfit: a black gown with short sleeves and long black gloves. Michiru's heart fluttered as she stepped into the dress. She didn't know if it was from excitement or nerves. She tied her hair back into a simple bun for tonight, leaving two wavy turquoise strands of hair hanging on each side of her face.
She wondered to herself if she'd see Haruka again tonight. Half of her longed to dance with the prince yet again, but the other half dreaded even seeing him. She sighed as she gazed thoughtfully into the mirror.
When she was ready to leave, she climbed for the second night into the waiting carriage. Her mother was, once again, staying home to tend to her sick father. The carriage magically took flight into the crisp night air. Although it was warm inside the carriage, Michiru shivered the whole way to the castle.
The carriage pulled to a halt in front of the ever-impressive Moon Palace. Michiru proceeded up to the castle. She looked around her, not admitting to herself what she was looking for.
Meanwhile, already inside, Haruka absent-mindedly chatted with the younger Saturn Princess. Normally the two were good friends, but today Haruka's mind seemed miles away. Every so often the blond would look around the room as if searching for something... or was it someONE? Hotaru decided to be daring and ask.
"Haruka, what are you looking for? ...Haruka?"
"Huh?" Haruka glanced at Hotaru. "What was the question?"
Hotaru grinned. "You're looking for something, aren't you? Or should I say someone? Haruka! Tell me!"
"Me? Looking for something? I'm not looking for anything!" Haruka replied, her face turning red.
"Oh, yes you are! Please tell me what."
"Look! It's none of your business!" Haruka replied, annoyed. Hotaru was taken aback by her friend's sudden snappy attitude. Haruka sighed. "I'm sorry, Hotaru. I didn't mean to yell. It's just that..."
Suddenly Haruka saw a flash of aqua out of the corner of her eye. She stopped mid-sentence and her head snapped up. It was indeed Princess Neptune! Michiru turned and, from across the room, saw Haruka staring at her. Their gaze locked for a second, but then Michiru turned and started pushing her way through the crowd, away from Haruka.
"Haruka?" Hotaru tried to see what her companion was staring at.
Haruka didn't even hear the dark-haired girl speak. Her mind was locked on one thought: I must follow Michiru... I must talk to her!
Her gaze followed Michiru to see that the turquoise-haired princess fled outside, to the gardens. Haruka began shoving her way through the crowd, pushing people aside, not caring about anything but Michiru...
.::..::..::.
She entered the ballroom and the first thing she saw was the sandy- haired prince. He was staring at her. He wanted to see her, to talk to her; she just knew it. She thought about advancing towards him. The desire to see his stunning grin again tugged at her heart. But in one moment of panic, she faltered and escaped out to the gardens.
The gardens were amazing: a maze of little windy paths that wound in and out amongst clumps of pink and white flowers. Michiru didn't stop to admire the plants, though; instead she ran as fast as she could, as far away from the palace as possible. She looked over her shoulder to make sure that no one was following her.
WHAM.
The princess whimpered as she collided into someone. "I'm sorry, honestly... please forgive me," she gasped, out of breath. She looked up to see who she'd run into. She gasped.
It wasn't Haruka.
It was Larry.
.::..::..::.
I sense trouble ahead! Anyways, leave me a review and make my day...please?