Title: Chronicles of the Moon: Life of the Late Queen Serenity
By: AJ Martinez
Email: Goodnight_Spoon@hotmail.com
Rated: TV PG; D, V, L?
Started: 4:07 PM; May 11th 2002
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is copyrighted as follows: Naoko Takeuchi,
Toei Animation, Kodansha Ltd., DiC, CWI, Pioneer, Mixx, and quite a
few other people. Any characters that you do not recognize are my
inventions, and I would prefer that you not use them, except in and
under special conditions.
Ugh, it's been a while since I updated, huh? I honestly had
this chapter finished, it was just trapped on my mom's laptop (my
computer crashed again ;_;).
This chapter is dedicated to my bestest-cousin, Michael, who
just turned two on Saturday, July 12th, and to Todd, for helping me
get this chapter onto an internet-capable computer.
--
When Serenity did not reply, Mea repeated himself. "What have
you done?" he asked again, although he already knew. Fear and hurt
crushed down on him, and he knew a shame so deep that it brought him
back to years before; before he had broken free, before he had started
the Cause, before he had come to the Moon and met a Crown-Princess and
became so utterly and completely confused.
Mea had taught himself early on that pain, love and shame were
all the guises of weakness, but that, when turned into anger they could
fuel strategy.
*I need a strategy right now,* Mea decided, although adrenaline
rushed and tore through his veins, hot and fiery as brandy. He hung his
head. *Now that she knows, she'll want nothing to do with the Cause...*
"or me", he left out, *...and that will be that. We'll be captured and
put to death. She'll have to die. * even as the thought came, Mea
recoiled from it, but also knew its necessity. Had it been anyone else,
he would have come to the conclusion sooner.
*I shouldn't make any decisions right now,* Mea thought,
although he recognized this new course of action as a delay tactic. *I'll
hold off for a few days, until I can be sure and I'm not in such a state.*
Two months ago, had anyone suggested this to him, Mea would have
laughed him out of the room, if only for using the word "state" to
describe his Lordship. But now, he let it slide and turned his attention
to Serenity, who sat looking him, her face gone ashen.
There was a long silence, and then Serenity coughed, clearing
her throat.
"You're not a hunchback?" she asked, the answer being self-
evident.
Although not familiar with normal conversational patterns, Mea
guessed that she had not asked from ignorance, but to prod him into
telling her more about his wings. Not in any mood to do so, now or ever,
Mea rolled so that his back was to her and hope that she would not
press for details that he could not give, even had he wished to.
~~
Serenity's licked lips gone dry, she prepared to repeat her
question; but Mea's demeanor suddenly changed, and his head lowered,
snakelike. A moment later she heard footsteps.
The elder approached without a trace of caution, and he smiled
broadly when his eyes lit on Mea.
"Awake, are we?"
Mea did not reply, and the man must not have expected him to,
because he did not wait for an answer to his mostly rhetorical question.
"Dawn is but a few hours away, and you'll have to take your
leave then," he went on, unperturbed by Mea's hostile stare. "But for
now you're welcome to come and break your fast."
Serenity's stomach growled in response; reminding her that she
had not eaten dinner the night before. Although not starved, she suddenly
felt ravenous from the fatigue, and, seeing the look on her face, the
elder laughed.
"This way, then," he indicated the darkened end of the room
with a hand, and then stepped toward Mea as if to assist him.
Unwilling to show weakness before one who may later become an
enemy, Mea jumped to his feet in a quick, albeit clumsy movement that
shocked vertigo through him. Nausea churned in his gut, and he doubted
that he would eat much, if anything.
Unclasping the cloak that hung over his own shoulders, the elder
made his way over to Mea and swept it over the wings, hiding them.
Grateful of the cloak, if not its source, Mea clasped it and arranged
it across his wings, then hunched his back over and bent his knees. He
looked up to see Serenity, mouth slightly agape, studying him with an
intensity that almost frightened him. Then she blinked, and, noticing
both men's attention was focused on her whilst hers had been on Mea,
she turned quickly and hurried into the dark, her footsteps slowing as
the light faded from her vision.
Not sure what to think, Mea trailed in silence.
~~
Cheeks burning, Serenity let the old man overtake her, following
the sounds of his footsteps where her vision failed. She could hear Mea
shuffling behind her, and knew that she should slow her pace to give
him an opportunity to catch up. Serenity shuddered at the thought of
being near him after he had caught her staring.
*What was I staring for?* she berated herself. *I'd seen his
wings while I was cleaning and wrapping his back.* she shook her head,
and slowed her pace unconsciously.
Her eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting by now, and Serenity
could just make out the entrance to a hallway as the elder breezed
through it. By now Mea had caught up to her, and they entered the
hallway together.
Mea's breathing was irregular pants, and sympathy speared
through Serenity. There was a torch burning from its perch on the wall
before a door, and from its light Serenity could see the beads of
perspiration Mea's forehead. His hair hung in limp, damp tangles,
obscuring his features, and as they neared the torch, Serenity could
see the shadow of newly grown facial hair along his jaw.
Serenity didn't realize that the elder had stopped walking until
she almost collided with him. Side stepping, he managed to keep his
grip on the edge of the door that he held open for them. Embarrassed,
Serenity stepped through quickly, and was nearly blinded by myriad sets
of torches, all fixed to the walls of a large stone chamber, complete
with a high ceiling. A long, narrow table was in the center of the room
with equally long benches on either side, and there was an empty doorway
situated in the rightmost comer at the end of the room.
Dozens of men sat on the benches, all varying in age from mid-
thirties to an old, wrinkled elder sitting at the head of the table.
From the scents wafting from the other room, Serenity guessed it to be
the kitchen, making this the dining room. Bells chimed loudly from
above her, and, flustered, Serenity stood rooted in place, blocking
the doorway.
Instantly alert to danger and taking Serenity's immobility as
shocked fear, Mea shouldered past her ruthlessly, drawing the poison
dart from her pouch and reaching with his other hand or the dagger
secreted in his boot.
Startled, the men all jumped up, save for the elder, who remained
sitting and nonplussed. Only a slight tightening underneath his eyes
betrayed his displeasure.
"It's alright, Brothers," hastily stepping through the doorway,
their guide let the door swing closed, and it clipped his ankles.
Jumping awkwardly, he sidled up beside Mea and lay a hand on the
hunchback's shoulder. If he noticed its stiffening at his touch, he
gave no indication.
Apparently comforted by the sight of a trusted companion, the
men all regained their seats, some grumbling.
"Brother Antony?" the elder prodded, when a moment passed in
silence.
Brother Antony cleared his throat, "These are the-" he paused,
searching for words, "-visitors that I had mentioned. I thought that we
might discuss matters over breakfast. "
The elder nodded once, and, apparently taking this as a cue,
two young men in their early twenties hurried from the back room, one
carrying a basket filled with large, hollow circles of bread, and the
other toting a basin of thick, creamy stew. Once placed on the table,
the other men began filling bread-bowls with soup, and, at Brother
Antony's urging, made room on one of the benches for their "visitors".
Serenity slid into place on the bench easily, her diplomatic
training taking over: in this instance, control was clearly in the
hands of the "Brothers", whose patience was surely waning. To antagonize
would not be wise, and matter could be settled in a more satisfactory
manner if all were seated, fed and comfortable when negotiations began.
Noticing that Mea still stood, Serenity shot a look in his
direction, pleading with him to trust in her judgment, although he had
no reason to.
Mea held her gaze a moment longer than was polite, then dropped
his defensive position and returned his weapons to their proper places.
He headed for the table unapologetically.
Taking a proffered bread-bowl, Serenity reached for a utensil
and dipped it into the stew, famished. She had only taken one bite when
she felt eyes on her. Looking up, Serenity saw that everyone in the
room, save Mea, who had lifted the bread-bowl to his mouth and taken
three mouthfuls in as many seconds, was staring at her as though she
had grown a beard. Embarrassed, she set down her spoon and looked at
Mea, mimicking the Brothers' stare.
Mea looked up slowly, a smudge of stew on the corner of his
mouth. Glancing around quickly, he set the bread-bowl down on the table
in front ofhim, elbows resting on either side of it protectively.
Once they had their visitor's attention, the Brothers all clasped
their hands in front of themselves on the table and lowered their heads.
Serenity hurriedly followed suit, but Mea, more interested in the
proceedings than blending in, sat back to gain a better vantage point.
Either unaware of or unperturbed by Mea's actions, the elder
who sat at the head of the table began to chant passionately:
"Bless us, O Lord
And these, Thy gifts
Which we are about to receive
From Thy bounty through Christ our Lord..."
"Amen," the Brothers chorused.
Unnerved, Serenity remained silent. There was no widespread,
practiced religion on the Moon, and the few sects were few and far
between. She knew without the need to question that they spoke to and
of their God, whomever He may be, and that it was best not to inquire.
Their prayer over, the Brothers chatted amongst themselves,
spooning stew into their mouths between words. It was only when the
elder tapped two fingers on the table that they grew silent, apparently
in difference to his station.
"I am Abbot Michele," he began, and he spoke with a heavy accent,
pronouncing his name Me-gELL-ee. "Welcome to the abbey."
~~
Mea leaned forward attentively, food forgotten. He would not
let hunger make him inattentive to a potential enemy; especially one
who already had the upper hand.
"We've been hospitable and more than understanding, under the
circumstances."
His thick accent and dark eyes inspired trust, but Mea fought
through that, watching the elder fanatically, waiting for him to
betray an ulterior motive, no matter how small.
"Explanations are in order."
Serenity was nodding, and she began to speak before Mea could
think to stop her. Having no experience with deceit and therefore no
reason to be wary of another, Serenity could not be a good diplomatic
liaison, no matter what her training had been.
"We thank you for your patience and your generosity," the Moon
Princess was saying. She addressed Abbot Michele, as he held the highest
position among the Brothers, although her gaze roved the include everyone
in the room. "Be sure that your kindness will be remembered.
"I'm sure that you're aware of the barbaric treatment of slaves
and gladiators on the Moon..."
"There was a raid on the pit tonight," Mea interrupted, barely
believing that she had nearly blow their cover. "We were out," he shot
a look in Serenity's direction, akin to the furtive glances exchanged
between lovers, then returned his gaze to Michele, feigning
embarrassment. He cleared his throat as an excuse to break the eye-
contact, then started again. "We were out walking, " this time he did
not falter, "and we were in the general area of the coliseum.
"Suddenly we heard shouts, and three men ran past us. One ran
into Luna and knocked her down, " he indicated Serenity, "and as I
helped her to her feet, more men came running our way. I shouted at
them, thinking them companions of the ruffians who would dare run into
a woman and then go about on their merry way.
"As it turns out, they were guards, and mistook us for the
raiders. They attacked, and I injured one before taking a scratch in
the back," he downplayed his own wound. "Once I realized that they were
city guards I ran, frightened of the consequences that would be laid
at my feet. Luna followed, and we ended up seeking sanctuary in your,"
he paused, trying to remember the word, "abbey.
"Then Brother Antony found us. "
Abbot Michele nodded slowly, no emotion passing over his features.
If he read through Mea's hastily concocted lie, he wasn't telling.
~~
Serenity and Mea were following Brother Antony, who was leading
them to a back door in the abbey. After Mea's tale, the meal had passed
without incident and mostly in silence, although Abbot Michele had made
it clear that, though they offered sanctuary to those in danger, it was
time that they part company.
As they reached the door, Serenity could see the pale, gray
luminance of dawn's first light glowing from the slot between door and
floor. Anxiety gnawed at her; every moment that she spent here was a
moment that she could not to afford; any number of terrible things might
happen now, not the least of them being her absence from her chambers
being discovered and the news reaching her royal parents.
Lost in her thoughts, Serenity was caught off-guard when Brother
Antony stopped short before the door. He stood, as though trying to
find words, and she respected his need for silence.
When the Brother finally moved, it was so quickly that she had
no time to react. Antony pressed a greasy thumb to Serenity's forehead,
rubbing downward and then from side to side. He mumbled something in a
language that she did not understand, and then jerked away, now facing
Mea, who had obviously been caught just as off-guard as she, for he
stood rooted in place, and made no move to assist her or control the
Brother. Then, noticing the Brother's new target as himself, Mea slid
into a defensive, at ready position.
Antony approached, thumb raised.
"Wait," Mea said, unable to think of anything better to stall
the mild-mannered Brother. The Brothers and Abbot Michele had been kind
to them, and Mea loathed to harm or kill anyone who had been hospitable
to him; at least not without an explanation.
When nothing followed, Mea glanced at Serenity. She did not
appear harmed, just flustered. An oily mark shone on her forehead, and
feathery bangs stuck to it. He directed his attention back to the
Brother, and darted his eyes to the man's thumb. "What is that?"
Antony made a slow, deliberate motion, removing a vial from his
robes. "This is a Holy Oil," he began. "We use it as a blessing."
"A blessing?" Serenity mimicked, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
The Brother smiled. "A blessing, my dear, is a physical
manifestation..."
No longer threatened, Mea tuned the elder out, content to focus
on Serenity as she nodded and questioned. In all his life, Mea had
never met a woman that he could not put into one of three categories.
The first category was for women who were competent, who he would like
to invest time with, who might be an asset to the Cause. The second
was for the beauties, and he used them only for their bodies--or
perhaps they used him for the novelty of his. The last category was
actually more of an anti-category; it was for women who fell into
neither of the aforementioned ones, and could serve him no purpose.
*What category would Serenity be in?* Mea wondered, and
immediately felt guilty for doing so. It seemed both stupid and
impossible to section her into any neat, tidy package, and he smiled
slightly. *It would be a challenge just to build a category for that
woman.*
~~
Brother Antony was still talking when Mea nudged Serenity in
the side. She swiveled her head to face him, and he raised his eyebrows,
impatient to leave.
Apparently catching the hint, Antony smiled and clasped Serenity
on the shoulder. "Farewell, my friends. I know that I speak for everyone
at the abbey when I wish you a safe return, and a safer journey."
Serenity opened her mouth to launch into a long, formal farewell--
courtesy of the High Kingdom of the Moon--but then felt Mea's eyes on
her and substituted it with a less formal, more to-the-point version
of the same thing. When she had finished, Brother Antony opened the
door for them and they slunk out, grunting in farewell to the older
man as they crept by.
The streets were already alive, and the sky was a fuzzy gray
tinted with pink and peach where it met the land. Anxiety goaded Mea
to take the swiftest, most reliable course straight to the cathedral,
but he fought it down to a baseline, unwilling to forsake reason.
Instead, he looped them between buildings, often doubling over their
own tracks, working toward the forested area around the outskirts of
the city. Throughout this all, Serenity voiced no complaints, and for
this he was grateful.
Once in the forest, their traveling became even slower. Although
he would never admit it, Mea's injury and the need to remain hunched
over hindered him like few things he ever had, and the rough, uneven terrain
added to his ever-growing list of annoyances.
The silence remained unbroken even as they found the badger-hole.
They bellied through the tunnels and into the shed, and as they swung
the wooden door open they were met by an army of former slaves, wielding
swords, spears, axes, pitchforks, shovels, and knives. All were dressed
in old, worn homespun, and children huddled behind the legs of stony
parents, slingshots in hand.
The bared steel frightened Serenity, but it seemed only to anger
Mea, whose patience was, by now, in tatters.
"Nicolas!" he roared. "Get out from behind them, you coward!
Hours after a raid I return to find the burrow still lived in and the
rabbits waiting to be slaughtered? What madness is this?" He whirled,
making a grand gesture meant to encompass them all. "Peasants made out
to be warriors!" he cried, eyes roving for his Captain of the Guard.
"I'm surprised that they knew which end of the sword to hold."
There was a shuffling in the masses, and then Beryl stepped out.
"Nicolas," she said, "is dead."
Mea met her eyes, and anger seemed to radiate from him. There
was complete silence they stared each other down, two titans among mere
mortals. Without breaking the gaze, Mea addressed a nearby stable boy.
"Fetch Luna her gelding and help her to mount. Then open the gates."
Serenity stared, shocked to speechlessness at the casual
dismissal she had just been dealt. Mea ignored her, refusing to meet
her eyes while they waited for the stable boy's return. The crowd began
to slowly disperse, but the Moon Princess paid them no heed.
She felt as though no time at all had passed when the stable
boy returned with the gelding, and remained staring at Mea, even when
the youngster cleared his throat twice, hoping to catch her attention
without invoking her wrath.
"Help Luna to mount," Mea said, and his voice sounded loud in
the near-silence.
Serenity opened her mouth to object, and images of remaining
in place until he at least glanced her way darted fleetingly through
her mind. But she knew that this would do no good; of the two of them,
Mea's will was certainly stronger; and the sun was rising.
Now furious, Serenity whirled on the youth, and he flinched
back before realizing that she would not strike him. Still wary, he
knelt before her and laced his fingers together to create a step with
his cupped hands. Remembering this as a motion once used by a stable
boy employed in the palace, Serenity was slightly more prepared, and
mounted easily. The gelding whickered a late greeting, but did not
stomp or throw his head as they stood there, him attentive to her and
she attentive to Mea.
Without tearing his eyes from Beryl's, Mea fluttered his hands
at the stable boy, who then rushed off. A moment later Serenity heard
the gate opening. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat had
tightened painfully, and she no longer trusted her own voice, nor the
words that might come flying out, spoken in hurt and anger. Kicking the
gelding into a canter, they flew from the cathedral.
The raid was over.
--
Well, whatcha think? Was it worth the wait? ^___^
You know what? I absolutely hate the name of this fanfic. It
was only supposed to be temporary, 'til I thought of a better one, but
now...I dunno. Maybe I'll change the name, maybe not. Suggestions
would be nice, though. ^_^
Anyway, you all know I love getting email/reviews/critiques.
Or, better yet, AIM/MSN me! My AIM is AJluvs2Bannoying and I use my
goodnight_spoon addy for MSN. I hope to talk to you all soon!
Ciao.
AJ
By: AJ Martinez
Email: Goodnight_Spoon@hotmail.com
Rated: TV PG; D, V, L?
Started: 4:07 PM; May 11th 2002
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is copyrighted as follows: Naoko Takeuchi,
Toei Animation, Kodansha Ltd., DiC, CWI, Pioneer, Mixx, and quite a
few other people. Any characters that you do not recognize are my
inventions, and I would prefer that you not use them, except in and
under special conditions.
Ugh, it's been a while since I updated, huh? I honestly had
this chapter finished, it was just trapped on my mom's laptop (my
computer crashed again ;_;).
This chapter is dedicated to my bestest-cousin, Michael, who
just turned two on Saturday, July 12th, and to Todd, for helping me
get this chapter onto an internet-capable computer.
--
When Serenity did not reply, Mea repeated himself. "What have
you done?" he asked again, although he already knew. Fear and hurt
crushed down on him, and he knew a shame so deep that it brought him
back to years before; before he had broken free, before he had started
the Cause, before he had come to the Moon and met a Crown-Princess and
became so utterly and completely confused.
Mea had taught himself early on that pain, love and shame were
all the guises of weakness, but that, when turned into anger they could
fuel strategy.
*I need a strategy right now,* Mea decided, although adrenaline
rushed and tore through his veins, hot and fiery as brandy. He hung his
head. *Now that she knows, she'll want nothing to do with the Cause...*
"or me", he left out, *...and that will be that. We'll be captured and
put to death. She'll have to die. * even as the thought came, Mea
recoiled from it, but also knew its necessity. Had it been anyone else,
he would have come to the conclusion sooner.
*I shouldn't make any decisions right now,* Mea thought,
although he recognized this new course of action as a delay tactic. *I'll
hold off for a few days, until I can be sure and I'm not in such a state.*
Two months ago, had anyone suggested this to him, Mea would have
laughed him out of the room, if only for using the word "state" to
describe his Lordship. But now, he let it slide and turned his attention
to Serenity, who sat looking him, her face gone ashen.
There was a long silence, and then Serenity coughed, clearing
her throat.
"You're not a hunchback?" she asked, the answer being self-
evident.
Although not familiar with normal conversational patterns, Mea
guessed that she had not asked from ignorance, but to prod him into
telling her more about his wings. Not in any mood to do so, now or ever,
Mea rolled so that his back was to her and hope that she would not
press for details that he could not give, even had he wished to.
~~
Serenity's licked lips gone dry, she prepared to repeat her
question; but Mea's demeanor suddenly changed, and his head lowered,
snakelike. A moment later she heard footsteps.
The elder approached without a trace of caution, and he smiled
broadly when his eyes lit on Mea.
"Awake, are we?"
Mea did not reply, and the man must not have expected him to,
because he did not wait for an answer to his mostly rhetorical question.
"Dawn is but a few hours away, and you'll have to take your
leave then," he went on, unperturbed by Mea's hostile stare. "But for
now you're welcome to come and break your fast."
Serenity's stomach growled in response; reminding her that she
had not eaten dinner the night before. Although not starved, she suddenly
felt ravenous from the fatigue, and, seeing the look on her face, the
elder laughed.
"This way, then," he indicated the darkened end of the room
with a hand, and then stepped toward Mea as if to assist him.
Unwilling to show weakness before one who may later become an
enemy, Mea jumped to his feet in a quick, albeit clumsy movement that
shocked vertigo through him. Nausea churned in his gut, and he doubted
that he would eat much, if anything.
Unclasping the cloak that hung over his own shoulders, the elder
made his way over to Mea and swept it over the wings, hiding them.
Grateful of the cloak, if not its source, Mea clasped it and arranged
it across his wings, then hunched his back over and bent his knees. He
looked up to see Serenity, mouth slightly agape, studying him with an
intensity that almost frightened him. Then she blinked, and, noticing
both men's attention was focused on her whilst hers had been on Mea,
she turned quickly and hurried into the dark, her footsteps slowing as
the light faded from her vision.
Not sure what to think, Mea trailed in silence.
~~
Cheeks burning, Serenity let the old man overtake her, following
the sounds of his footsteps where her vision failed. She could hear Mea
shuffling behind her, and knew that she should slow her pace to give
him an opportunity to catch up. Serenity shuddered at the thought of
being near him after he had caught her staring.
*What was I staring for?* she berated herself. *I'd seen his
wings while I was cleaning and wrapping his back.* she shook her head,
and slowed her pace unconsciously.
Her eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting by now, and Serenity
could just make out the entrance to a hallway as the elder breezed
through it. By now Mea had caught up to her, and they entered the
hallway together.
Mea's breathing was irregular pants, and sympathy speared
through Serenity. There was a torch burning from its perch on the wall
before a door, and from its light Serenity could see the beads of
perspiration Mea's forehead. His hair hung in limp, damp tangles,
obscuring his features, and as they neared the torch, Serenity could
see the shadow of newly grown facial hair along his jaw.
Serenity didn't realize that the elder had stopped walking until
she almost collided with him. Side stepping, he managed to keep his
grip on the edge of the door that he held open for them. Embarrassed,
Serenity stepped through quickly, and was nearly blinded by myriad sets
of torches, all fixed to the walls of a large stone chamber, complete
with a high ceiling. A long, narrow table was in the center of the room
with equally long benches on either side, and there was an empty doorway
situated in the rightmost comer at the end of the room.
Dozens of men sat on the benches, all varying in age from mid-
thirties to an old, wrinkled elder sitting at the head of the table.
From the scents wafting from the other room, Serenity guessed it to be
the kitchen, making this the dining room. Bells chimed loudly from
above her, and, flustered, Serenity stood rooted in place, blocking
the doorway.
Instantly alert to danger and taking Serenity's immobility as
shocked fear, Mea shouldered past her ruthlessly, drawing the poison
dart from her pouch and reaching with his other hand or the dagger
secreted in his boot.
Startled, the men all jumped up, save for the elder, who remained
sitting and nonplussed. Only a slight tightening underneath his eyes
betrayed his displeasure.
"It's alright, Brothers," hastily stepping through the doorway,
their guide let the door swing closed, and it clipped his ankles.
Jumping awkwardly, he sidled up beside Mea and lay a hand on the
hunchback's shoulder. If he noticed its stiffening at his touch, he
gave no indication.
Apparently comforted by the sight of a trusted companion, the
men all regained their seats, some grumbling.
"Brother Antony?" the elder prodded, when a moment passed in
silence.
Brother Antony cleared his throat, "These are the-" he paused,
searching for words, "-visitors that I had mentioned. I thought that we
might discuss matters over breakfast. "
The elder nodded once, and, apparently taking this as a cue,
two young men in their early twenties hurried from the back room, one
carrying a basket filled with large, hollow circles of bread, and the
other toting a basin of thick, creamy stew. Once placed on the table,
the other men began filling bread-bowls with soup, and, at Brother
Antony's urging, made room on one of the benches for their "visitors".
Serenity slid into place on the bench easily, her diplomatic
training taking over: in this instance, control was clearly in the
hands of the "Brothers", whose patience was surely waning. To antagonize
would not be wise, and matter could be settled in a more satisfactory
manner if all were seated, fed and comfortable when negotiations began.
Noticing that Mea still stood, Serenity shot a look in his
direction, pleading with him to trust in her judgment, although he had
no reason to.
Mea held her gaze a moment longer than was polite, then dropped
his defensive position and returned his weapons to their proper places.
He headed for the table unapologetically.
Taking a proffered bread-bowl, Serenity reached for a utensil
and dipped it into the stew, famished. She had only taken one bite when
she felt eyes on her. Looking up, Serenity saw that everyone in the
room, save Mea, who had lifted the bread-bowl to his mouth and taken
three mouthfuls in as many seconds, was staring at her as though she
had grown a beard. Embarrassed, she set down her spoon and looked at
Mea, mimicking the Brothers' stare.
Mea looked up slowly, a smudge of stew on the corner of his
mouth. Glancing around quickly, he set the bread-bowl down on the table
in front ofhim, elbows resting on either side of it protectively.
Once they had their visitor's attention, the Brothers all clasped
their hands in front of themselves on the table and lowered their heads.
Serenity hurriedly followed suit, but Mea, more interested in the
proceedings than blending in, sat back to gain a better vantage point.
Either unaware of or unperturbed by Mea's actions, the elder
who sat at the head of the table began to chant passionately:
"Bless us, O Lord
And these, Thy gifts
Which we are about to receive
From Thy bounty through Christ our Lord..."
"Amen," the Brothers chorused.
Unnerved, Serenity remained silent. There was no widespread,
practiced religion on the Moon, and the few sects were few and far
between. She knew without the need to question that they spoke to and
of their God, whomever He may be, and that it was best not to inquire.
Their prayer over, the Brothers chatted amongst themselves,
spooning stew into their mouths between words. It was only when the
elder tapped two fingers on the table that they grew silent, apparently
in difference to his station.
"I am Abbot Michele," he began, and he spoke with a heavy accent,
pronouncing his name Me-gELL-ee. "Welcome to the abbey."
~~
Mea leaned forward attentively, food forgotten. He would not
let hunger make him inattentive to a potential enemy; especially one
who already had the upper hand.
"We've been hospitable and more than understanding, under the
circumstances."
His thick accent and dark eyes inspired trust, but Mea fought
through that, watching the elder fanatically, waiting for him to
betray an ulterior motive, no matter how small.
"Explanations are in order."
Serenity was nodding, and she began to speak before Mea could
think to stop her. Having no experience with deceit and therefore no
reason to be wary of another, Serenity could not be a good diplomatic
liaison, no matter what her training had been.
"We thank you for your patience and your generosity," the Moon
Princess was saying. She addressed Abbot Michele, as he held the highest
position among the Brothers, although her gaze roved the include everyone
in the room. "Be sure that your kindness will be remembered.
"I'm sure that you're aware of the barbaric treatment of slaves
and gladiators on the Moon..."
"There was a raid on the pit tonight," Mea interrupted, barely
believing that she had nearly blow their cover. "We were out," he shot
a look in Serenity's direction, akin to the furtive glances exchanged
between lovers, then returned his gaze to Michele, feigning
embarrassment. He cleared his throat as an excuse to break the eye-
contact, then started again. "We were out walking, " this time he did
not falter, "and we were in the general area of the coliseum.
"Suddenly we heard shouts, and three men ran past us. One ran
into Luna and knocked her down, " he indicated Serenity, "and as I
helped her to her feet, more men came running our way. I shouted at
them, thinking them companions of the ruffians who would dare run into
a woman and then go about on their merry way.
"As it turns out, they were guards, and mistook us for the
raiders. They attacked, and I injured one before taking a scratch in
the back," he downplayed his own wound. "Once I realized that they were
city guards I ran, frightened of the consequences that would be laid
at my feet. Luna followed, and we ended up seeking sanctuary in your,"
he paused, trying to remember the word, "abbey.
"Then Brother Antony found us. "
Abbot Michele nodded slowly, no emotion passing over his features.
If he read through Mea's hastily concocted lie, he wasn't telling.
~~
Serenity and Mea were following Brother Antony, who was leading
them to a back door in the abbey. After Mea's tale, the meal had passed
without incident and mostly in silence, although Abbot Michele had made
it clear that, though they offered sanctuary to those in danger, it was
time that they part company.
As they reached the door, Serenity could see the pale, gray
luminance of dawn's first light glowing from the slot between door and
floor. Anxiety gnawed at her; every moment that she spent here was a
moment that she could not to afford; any number of terrible things might
happen now, not the least of them being her absence from her chambers
being discovered and the news reaching her royal parents.
Lost in her thoughts, Serenity was caught off-guard when Brother
Antony stopped short before the door. He stood, as though trying to
find words, and she respected his need for silence.
When the Brother finally moved, it was so quickly that she had
no time to react. Antony pressed a greasy thumb to Serenity's forehead,
rubbing downward and then from side to side. He mumbled something in a
language that she did not understand, and then jerked away, now facing
Mea, who had obviously been caught just as off-guard as she, for he
stood rooted in place, and made no move to assist her or control the
Brother. Then, noticing the Brother's new target as himself, Mea slid
into a defensive, at ready position.
Antony approached, thumb raised.
"Wait," Mea said, unable to think of anything better to stall
the mild-mannered Brother. The Brothers and Abbot Michele had been kind
to them, and Mea loathed to harm or kill anyone who had been hospitable
to him; at least not without an explanation.
When nothing followed, Mea glanced at Serenity. She did not
appear harmed, just flustered. An oily mark shone on her forehead, and
feathery bangs stuck to it. He directed his attention back to the
Brother, and darted his eyes to the man's thumb. "What is that?"
Antony made a slow, deliberate motion, removing a vial from his
robes. "This is a Holy Oil," he began. "We use it as a blessing."
"A blessing?" Serenity mimicked, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
The Brother smiled. "A blessing, my dear, is a physical
manifestation..."
No longer threatened, Mea tuned the elder out, content to focus
on Serenity as she nodded and questioned. In all his life, Mea had
never met a woman that he could not put into one of three categories.
The first category was for women who were competent, who he would like
to invest time with, who might be an asset to the Cause. The second
was for the beauties, and he used them only for their bodies--or
perhaps they used him for the novelty of his. The last category was
actually more of an anti-category; it was for women who fell into
neither of the aforementioned ones, and could serve him no purpose.
*What category would Serenity be in?* Mea wondered, and
immediately felt guilty for doing so. It seemed both stupid and
impossible to section her into any neat, tidy package, and he smiled
slightly. *It would be a challenge just to build a category for that
woman.*
~~
Brother Antony was still talking when Mea nudged Serenity in
the side. She swiveled her head to face him, and he raised his eyebrows,
impatient to leave.
Apparently catching the hint, Antony smiled and clasped Serenity
on the shoulder. "Farewell, my friends. I know that I speak for everyone
at the abbey when I wish you a safe return, and a safer journey."
Serenity opened her mouth to launch into a long, formal farewell--
courtesy of the High Kingdom of the Moon--but then felt Mea's eyes on
her and substituted it with a less formal, more to-the-point version
of the same thing. When she had finished, Brother Antony opened the
door for them and they slunk out, grunting in farewell to the older
man as they crept by.
The streets were already alive, and the sky was a fuzzy gray
tinted with pink and peach where it met the land. Anxiety goaded Mea
to take the swiftest, most reliable course straight to the cathedral,
but he fought it down to a baseline, unwilling to forsake reason.
Instead, he looped them between buildings, often doubling over their
own tracks, working toward the forested area around the outskirts of
the city. Throughout this all, Serenity voiced no complaints, and for
this he was grateful.
Once in the forest, their traveling became even slower. Although
he would never admit it, Mea's injury and the need to remain hunched
over hindered him like few things he ever had, and the rough, uneven terrain
added to his ever-growing list of annoyances.
The silence remained unbroken even as they found the badger-hole.
They bellied through the tunnels and into the shed, and as they swung
the wooden door open they were met by an army of former slaves, wielding
swords, spears, axes, pitchforks, shovels, and knives. All were dressed
in old, worn homespun, and children huddled behind the legs of stony
parents, slingshots in hand.
The bared steel frightened Serenity, but it seemed only to anger
Mea, whose patience was, by now, in tatters.
"Nicolas!" he roared. "Get out from behind them, you coward!
Hours after a raid I return to find the burrow still lived in and the
rabbits waiting to be slaughtered? What madness is this?" He whirled,
making a grand gesture meant to encompass them all. "Peasants made out
to be warriors!" he cried, eyes roving for his Captain of the Guard.
"I'm surprised that they knew which end of the sword to hold."
There was a shuffling in the masses, and then Beryl stepped out.
"Nicolas," she said, "is dead."
Mea met her eyes, and anger seemed to radiate from him. There
was complete silence they stared each other down, two titans among mere
mortals. Without breaking the gaze, Mea addressed a nearby stable boy.
"Fetch Luna her gelding and help her to mount. Then open the gates."
Serenity stared, shocked to speechlessness at the casual
dismissal she had just been dealt. Mea ignored her, refusing to meet
her eyes while they waited for the stable boy's return. The crowd began
to slowly disperse, but the Moon Princess paid them no heed.
She felt as though no time at all had passed when the stable
boy returned with the gelding, and remained staring at Mea, even when
the youngster cleared his throat twice, hoping to catch her attention
without invoking her wrath.
"Help Luna to mount," Mea said, and his voice sounded loud in
the near-silence.
Serenity opened her mouth to object, and images of remaining
in place until he at least glanced her way darted fleetingly through
her mind. But she knew that this would do no good; of the two of them,
Mea's will was certainly stronger; and the sun was rising.
Now furious, Serenity whirled on the youth, and he flinched
back before realizing that she would not strike him. Still wary, he
knelt before her and laced his fingers together to create a step with
his cupped hands. Remembering this as a motion once used by a stable
boy employed in the palace, Serenity was slightly more prepared, and
mounted easily. The gelding whickered a late greeting, but did not
stomp or throw his head as they stood there, him attentive to her and
she attentive to Mea.
Without tearing his eyes from Beryl's, Mea fluttered his hands
at the stable boy, who then rushed off. A moment later Serenity heard
the gate opening. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat had
tightened painfully, and she no longer trusted her own voice, nor the
words that might come flying out, spoken in hurt and anger. Kicking the
gelding into a canter, they flew from the cathedral.
The raid was over.
--
Well, whatcha think? Was it worth the wait? ^___^
You know what? I absolutely hate the name of this fanfic. It
was only supposed to be temporary, 'til I thought of a better one, but
now...I dunno. Maybe I'll change the name, maybe not. Suggestions
would be nice, though. ^_^
Anyway, you all know I love getting email/reviews/critiques.
Or, better yet, AIM/MSN me! My AIM is AJluvs2Bannoying and I use my
goodnight_spoon addy for MSN. I hope to talk to you all soon!
Ciao.
AJ