AN: Sorry it's been so long. You would never believe what's been going on in my world… well none of that matters now. You didn't click to hear me complain about my life. Back to the story… BTW, I still don't own BSSM.
Two weeks had passed since Nehelenia's revelation. The dynamic between the three royal had changed drastically. Amidst the internal conflict, Nehelenia seemed to be faring quite well. Her eyes shone with a happiness that could rival the star around which their solar system revolved. Nehelenia shed her introverted behavior. Since finding out about her arranged marriage, Nehelenia exhibited a confidence that was more often attributed to Princess Serenity. Endymion, on the other hand, had become withdrawn. He decided that he would not lean on Serenity, which the Earthen prince often did in times of uncertainty. Endymion could not bear to see the vacant expression in Serenity's eyes. It was as if some one had doused the fire in her soul. In place of the resilient young woman he was accustomed, Endymion saw a fragile creature, a being so delicately wounded that he feared that if he got too closed she'd disappear. Serenity faded into the background. She did not anyone to see the turmoil that occupied her heart and soul. Unwilling to appear bitter, Serenity sequestered herself.
Upon his return to Earth, Endymion asked his parents to whom he was betrothed. The only answer that he ever got was that she was a worthy partner that any man would be lucky to have. Endymion asked his father outright whether he was to marry Princess Nehelenia. King Endymion repeated that answer given previously. The king's resistance infuriated Endymion to no end. All he wanted was a straight answer. Frustrated, Endymion stormed from his father's study.
"Endymion…" The gentle lilt of Queen Guinevere's voice traveled across the room to her son's ears. Endymion stopped the march out of the study. Still upset about his situation, he would not turn to face his mother.
"You do know that we are doing this for your own good." Guinevere had seen the despair in her child's eyes as he sought to identify his future wife.
Endymion looked over his shoulder into his mother's eyes. Slowly, the rest of his 20-year-old body followed.
"How can you say that this is best for me? Can you possibly believe that blindsiding me like this was in my best interest?" Endymion walked over to his father. "Father, please. I am asking you as a son to reconsider. I understand the necessity of my marriage. However, you never bothered to ask me whether I had anyone in mind."
King Endymion was taken aback. He never thought to find out if his son had picked a suitable mate. There was never any indication that he was interested in anyone. In fact, as far as King Endymion was concerned, his son was spending an excessive amount of time on the moon. He harbored no ill feelings toward the moon or her inhabitants. It was the quite opposite. King Endymion was actually quite taken with Princess Serenity. He hoped that Endymion would see the lunar princess in the capacity of competent ruler and loving wife. However, there was little chance for that union. Serenity was destined to sit on the most powerful throne in the solar system, if not the galaxy. King Endymion did not believe that Queen Serenity would align herself with the troubled blue planet. Having given up on his first choice of mate for young Endymion, the king hoped that this impending marriage would force Endymion to take his duties more seriously.
"I understand that you are frustrated by your current situation. However, it pains me that I must put the needs of this kingdom ahead of the desires of my son."
"Father!!!"
Faced with his son's fury, King Endymion stood firm. He lifted a single had to silence the young man. The prince was immediately hushed.
"Endymion," the king walked to his son. He placed a hand on the prince's shoulder. "I need you to understand that the future viability of this planet is dependent on this union."
Prince Endymion bowed his head in defeat. Whenever his father started being overly consoling, Endymion knew it was time to concede.
"But father, why won't you at least tell me who I am marrying?"
"I'm sorry my son. Even I do not know."
Endymion's head jerked up. His ears had to be deceiving him. Endymion knew it was impossible to keep a secret from his father. This was a diversionary tactic meant to throw him off kilter. Endymion had witnessed his father's games first hand. The king should have known that it would not work.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Endymion chuckled. "Surely you would not have me believe that the great King Endymion does not know the name of the woman his only son is marrying?"
King Endymion glared at his impudent son. Part of him wanted to slap the smirk off his face. However, restraint overpowered raw emotion.
"What I should have said was the only people privy to the knowledge of your future bride's identity are her mother and yours."
King Endymion could feel his wife's cool gaze on the back of his neck. The two of them had decided that Endymion was not to know that it had been Guinevere who arranged the union. Endymion cast an incredulous glance at his mother. She wouldn't do this to him. She wouldn't.
Guinevere was enraged. Both she and her husband agreed that an intervention was necessary. Their son was twenty; he should have been married by now. Guinevere could not believe that King Endymion dropped this in her lap. He would definitely pay for this later.
"I don't believe it!" Endymion exclaimed.
"Now Endymion…it's not what you think." Guinevere was treading lightly. Young Endymion had a temper to rival his father's.
"Not what I think?! What I think is that I've been sold to the highest bidder!"
"Endymion!" Guinevere seldom raised her voice. Her husband and son were sore afraid. "I am only going to say this once. As your queen, I made a decision about the future of my kingdom." Guinevere's voice took on the warm tones that her loved ones were accustomed. "As your mother, I made a choice that I know will enrich your life."
Endymion opened his mouth to argue. Queen Guinevere shook her head gently.
"This is not open for discussion my son." Guinevere's heart was heavy. It pained her to see what this was doing to Endymion. The prince, dejected, sighed. Endymion turned from his parents and walked toward the door.
"Endymion," Guinevere's compassionate voice halted her son's advance, "Due to the terms of the arrangement, I can not reveal your bride's identity. However, I will tell you that you already know her."
"I…already know her," Endymion whispered. "Mother, please tell me."
Guinevere closed her eyes for she did not want to see the anguish in her child's eyes. "I've said all that I am going to say."
Endymion resigned himself to his fate and left for his room.
Nehelenia had been a bundle of nerves since that day in Serenity's garden. Initially, she had been opposed to the arrangement. Nehelenia did not agree with the idea of an arranged marriage. The thought of a group of people sitting around making decisions about her life did not sit well with the New Moon princess. But this was different. This was Endymion. Nehelenia was willing to compromise her ideals if it meant that she would be Endymion's wife.
Nehelenia was so consumed with thoughts of her impending nuptials that she had not heard Dyanera calling out to her.
"Nehelenia!" Dyanera wondered what was going on.
"Oh Dyanera. I didn't know you were here."
"Obviously. You've been in your own world since you came back from visiting Serenity. What happened?"
Nehelenia blushed deeply. She looked into the eyes of the woman who had been like her mother. Dyanera always seemed to know what was happening to Nehelenia. It was as if Dyanera was with her everywhere she went.
"I'm getting married," Nehelenia said wistfully.
"Nehelenia, I know you're getting married. I'm the one who told you. Remember?" Dyanera did not expect this type of reaction. Rage, yes. Sorrow, perhaps. But this? This was unsettling. Nehelenia appeared giddy.
"Dyanera, I'm marrying Endymion," Nehelenia sighed.
"Endymion? Where did you hear that? I thought that the identity of your intended was not to be revealed until the official announcement next month."
Nehelenia sat on the edge of her bed. She had a satisfied smile on her flawless face. Her amber eyes flashed as she began to speak.
"Remember when I last visited Serenity?"
Dyanera nodded.
"Well I interrupted a cozy little scene between Endymion and Serenity." Nehelenia was seething with anger as she recalled the exchange between Serenity and Endymion.
"How cozy?" Dyanera probed.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is what happened next." Nehelenia paused for dramatic effect. "It seems that they were lamenting Endymion's arranged marriage."
"Now this is getting interesting," Dyanera whispered.
"It seems that Endymion has been promised to a princess powerful enough to stabilize the twenty some odd years of conflict on his planet."
"And you have been promised to a prince of a planet with a history of unrest," Dyanera interjected.
"Exactly. So now I am just waiting for the announcement to confirm what I already know." A wicked smile made its way to Nehelenia's face. Dyanera noticed.
"Is there any other reason for that smile on your face?"
The grin on Nehelenia's face grew. "You should have seen the look of abject horror on Serenity's face. It was classic."
Dyanera was more confused now that she was at the beginning of the conversation. "Now Nehelenia dear, why are we reveling in Serenity's heartache?"
Nehelenia rolled her eyes. "You should have seen her, batting her big blue eyes and playing the sweet oblivious friend. Serenity had my Endymion wrapped around her finger. It was disgusting. The first thing I'm going to do when I marry Endymion is sever ties between our kingdom and her. I don't trust that silver haired wench. Who ever heard of silver hair anyway?"
Dyanera could not have asked for a better outcome if she had staged the encounter herself. Good old-fashioned jealousy had done a far better job than she ever could. Nonetheless, Dyanera was not going to leave this up to chance. Teenagers were fickle. Dyanera was not going to risk Serenity turning on the charm and getting back into Nehelenia's good graces.
"Nehelenia, there's something I think you should know."
"What is it Dyanera?"
"This may be a little disturbing, but I think now is the right time to tell you." Dyanera wanted Nehelenia to demand to know what she was to say. That way, Dyanera would appear the concerned guardian.
"Enough!" Nehelenia shouted. "What are you trying to tell me?"
Dyanera hesitated for the dramatic effect. "It's about your mother…"
"My…mother?"
"Yes. Before either you or Serenity were born, your father was searching for a bride…"
Dyanera told Nehelenia the story Sarai and Liza told her. However, Dyanera added a special twist.
"You mean to tell me that Queen Serenity is in love with my father?" Nehelenia was shocked. But it did explain why she and her father always traveled to the Moon Kingdom. Obviously Queen Serenity was still forbidden to enter the New Moon Kingdom.
"Nehelenia, there's more."
"More? What else can there be? What -- are you going to tell me that Queen Serenity killed my mother?"
Dyanera turned her face away from Nehelenia. She knew she was gilding the lily, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
"No. No…I don't believe you. Why would she do such a thing?" Nehelenia sobbed.
"It was shortly after your birth. Queen Serenity requested an audience with you mother. Queen Serenity claimed she wanted to mend fences. Since the queen was married to King Gareth and pregnant herself, your mother saw no harm in lifting the ban."
"How…how did my mother die? How did she really die?"
"Apparently, Queen Serenity poisoned your mother's tea. The poison was slow acting. Your mother did not succumb to it until after Serenity left. No one would openly accuse Queen Serenity, so nothing was done."
Nehelenia was furious. Everything that she had been lead to believe was a lie. How could she have been so blind? How could her father let this heinous crime go unpunished?
"Father…"
"Your father refused to believe that Queen Serenity would behave in such an atrocious manner. He treated the accusations as idle gossip. His official stand was that your mother died of an infection due to the complications of child birth."
"Why are you telling me this now?" Nehelenia drawled.
"I don't want the past to repeat itself."
"The past repeating itself now?"
Dyanera cast Nehelenia a knowing glance.
"Endymion," Nehelenia whispered. She finally understood what Dyanera was telling her. "Serenity wouldn't."
"That's what you mother thought. Look what her benevolence got her."
KNOCK KNOCK
Queen Serenity looked up from the scrolls that Apollonia sent her. She wasn't expecting any visitors. The monarch did not know who could be disturbing her.
KNOCK KNOCK
Queen Serenity got the impression that her persistent visitor had no intention of leaving. She strode across the sitting room to the door.
"I hope you have a good reason for disturbing me." Queen Serenity opened the door to her chamber. Her daughter's distraught face greeted her. "Seren…" Serenity quickly ushered her daughter in. She sat her only child down. The princess' eyes were red and extremely puffy. It was obvious that the young woman was spending much of her time in the company of her tears. Queen Serenity was about to ask her daughter what was wrong when the princess' voice escaped from her throat.
"Mother, I don't know what's wrong with me. I should be happy that Endymion and Nehelenia are marrying, but I don't. I feel like an outcast now."
"That's only natural sweetheart. Endymion and Nehelenia are at a crucial point in their young lives. As their friend, you want to be there for them, but you don't have a reference point to draw from." Queen Serenity stood behind her daughter and loosened her buns. The queen picked up a hairbrush and gently stroked Serenity's hair. This simple gesture often soothed the younger Serenity as a child.
"But why does it have to be Endymion and Nehelenia? I feel like I'm losing both. Once they're married, I'll be on the outside looking in."
"Seren, you know that neither Endymion nor Nehelenia would cut you out of their lives."
"Mother, when they are man and wife, where will that leave me?"
Queen Serenity dropped the hairbrush. She was aware of Endymion's marriage, but Nehelenia's nuptials were a surprise.
"Who told you this?" Queen Serenity asked.
"Nehelenia."
Queen Serenity raised a single regal eyebrow. Ever since the debacle with Queen Phoebe's great grandmother, the details of royal marriages were kept confidential until the official announcement. It was highly unlikely that Nehelenia knew the particulars of Endymion's situation.
"Sweetheart, how could Nehelenia possibly know to whom she, much less Endymion, is promised? I believe that she may have been jumping to conclusions. You know as well as I do that the details of a royal marriage are secret."
"I know, but Endymion said that he was marrying a powerful princess. Then Nehelenia said that she was marrying a prince from a troubled kingdom. The three of us put two and two together and came up with the most obvious conclusion."
Queen Serenity had returned to her brushing of Serenity's hair. Over the past eleven years, Serenity's hair had changed from a golden blonde with a few strands of silver to the inverse. The queen was hard-pressed to find a golden strand. Queen Serenity understood the ramifications of Serenity's change. Hopefully, Serenity would be better equipped to handle it than she was.
AN: So here we are at the end of another chapter. You know the drill. Read, review and recommend. Until the next time, be safe.
The Deadly Diva