***
"Serenity, are you planning to have your sisters return to the palace again tomorrow morning?"
Serenity looked up from the bedclothes to where her husband's voice had originated. "Yes," she admitted. "I was going to ask you first, of course. Please?"
Endymion sighed. "Serenity, please don't have them come back here."
"Why not?" Serenity cried.
"You said only one more day," he answered. "I'm telling you, it's dangerous to have them come here more than once!"
"But..." She bit her lip, which was trembling in lieu of the tears that were about to roll down her cheeks. "We had such fun yesterday. We went riding, and the maids and the stable boys told her the most wonderful stories about this country. And the choir sang for them. The food was even more delicious than it normally is, if that's possible. They enjoyed themselves so much; but neither one of them enjoyed themselves more than I!"
"It's not wise," Endymion insisted, stroking his beloved's face. "I want you to be happy, and to enjoy yourself. But I also look to the future. Your sisters' next visit will bring more pain than joy."
"No," Serenity said stubbornly. "My sisters will never do anything to harm me. I am so lonely here, alone during the day – you are away doing the gods know what. The maidservants and everyone are so very nice, but I cannot see them. And these are the two who I have grown up with, who have watched me ever since I was very little! Why would they try to bring destruction upon my soul?"
Endymion sighed heavily. His wife's voice was trembling, and she was on the brink of tears once more.
"Fine," he said, softening at her open show of emotions. "But Serenity, I will ask you to promise me this again—"
"—not to let them persuade me to see you," she said, happy once again. She placed her hands around his neck. "I know, I know! I would never jeopardize our happiness either, love." Serenity began to draw her husband in for a kiss.
"I know you wouldn't, intentionally," Endymion replied, resisting her kiss with great effort. "But...women are...crafty, Serenity. You yourself – you're the most innocent young woman I've ever met. But others are not like you. Sweet or not, women are capable of heinous crimes when they are jealous."
"Jealous!" Serenity laughed. "Why would Trivia or Diana be jealous of me? Both of them were married before I was; their husbands are both exceptionally handsome and they are rich. We're all in the same situation!"
Endymion shook his head. "Believe what you want. But you must promise me, darling, that you won't allow anyone to persuade you to see me. I swear to the gods that if you do, you'll regret it!"
"But I won't!" She kissed her husband quickly before he could protest, and once enclosed in it, he found he couldn't pull away. "Now, since I cannot behold you, may I behold my sisters tomorrow? Please?"
He smiled, nodding, his mind a little clouded by Serenity's eagerness. "Yes," he said. "Go ahead. But be careful, Serenity."
****
"Good morning, sisters!" Serenity hugged them both tightly, as she had done the day before; they hugged her back with the same alacrity. "How are you this morning?"
"Fine – and you look fine yourself. We don't have to ask," Trivia said, her voice taking on a warmth she did not feel. She eyed the deep indigo gown Serenity wore, this one of muslin and lace.
"Oh," said Serenity, and blushed. She'd taken into account what her husband had told her last night and had donned one of her lesser gowns, but even that was beautifully crafted and was more expensive in quality than the most expensive of gowns in either Diana or Trivia's closet. It complemented her immensely and only served to highlight the beautiful radiance she possessed.
The view only intensified her sisters' jealousies, but they suppressed them. Their plan would not fail, and soon they would have nothing to envy from their resplendent younger sister.
"Come inside, my dear sisters," she said, brushing away the compliment and bringing her sisters into a parlor to await the announcement that breakfast was ready.
"Did you enjoy your night with your husband, Serenity?" Trivia asked innocently, seating herself.
Serenity blushed. "It was wonderful," she answered. "As always. He's so kind to me."
"So he returned early from his hunting expedition, hmm?" Diana said.
Serenity stopped in her tracks. "Um...yes." She gave them both a watery smile. "Something went wrong...with the carriage. So the men had to return."
Diana and Trivia exchanged glances with one another, knowing full well from experience that men – even the wealthiest – did not travel by carriage to their hunting sites.
"Must be wonderful, staring deeply into those eyes each night," Diana breathed. "I know from experience. Somnus' eyes are so very blue – just like your husband's – it's most wonderful."
"Blue as the oceans," Serenity said, eager to agree with her sister. "It's like slipping into a pool of cool water."
"And to run your fingers through his hair..." Trivia sighed. "Deep and dark and cool...like ebony."
"Or the cedars of Lebanon," Serenity said, smiling dreamily.
"But dear sister," Diana said treacherously, "just yesterday night you told us your husband's eyes were green as the meadows."
Serenity's mouth dropped open with shock.
Coming into the parlor, Ceres nearly dropped the tray of tea she was carrying to greet the two older women. She stopped outside the doorway to listen to their conversation, glad for once that she could not be seen by either the twins or her queen.
"And you said that his hair was as golden as the sun," Trivia accused.
"I...I...was mistaken..."
"You've never seen your husband, have you, Serenity?" Diana stood, placing her hands on her hips.
"I...I..." Serenity bowed her head, close to tears. "No. I haven't."
"He only comes to you at night, when it is completely dark and you can't see him, right?"
Serenity looked up at her two sisters, a tear rolling down her cheek. "How did you know?"
"Because, Serenity. We asked."
"You...asked?"
"Look," Trivia said, coming to sit next to her sister and placing an arm around her, "you're younger than us, more innocent. You tend to take things at face value. But when we came here yesterday and realized that you couldn't describe your husband accurately without stammering, we decided that we had to make sure that you were truly as happy as you claimed to be."
"So we went to Apollo, the oracle, to ask him if your husband was truly as handsome, kind and gentle as you said he was," Diana continued. "He said that your husband was kind now, and appeared to be a handsome man. But he conceals himself at night because underneath the darkness, he truly is the horrible serpent that you were fated to marry."
"Oh, no," Serenity whispered. "That can't be true."
"You can't be sure whether he is man or beast, Serenity," Trivia said softly. "You just said yourself that you have never seen him, didn't you?"
"Yes – I have never seen him," she answered. "But he is kind and gentle to me! He..." She blushed. "He feels like a man."
"Silly, irreverent girl." Diana shook her head. "You know that this serpent-god has powerful magic, for you hear voices but do not see anyone. What makes you think he cannot lull you into thinking you feel a man, when really you are being entered by a horrendous beast?"
Serenity clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes widening. Tears slipped down her cheeks, disappearing behind her hands. "No!"
"The oracle said that the serpent desires to have you bear him an heir first. Then he will turn and devour you."
"Mamoru would never do that to me!" But she couldn't deny her sister's claims. They'd spoken to an oracle! Apollo's words were always true. Serenity's body shook with her tears.
"He has lulled your mind with his magic. You cannot keep on believing his lies if you want to save yourself, Serenity!"
"I..." Serenity swallowed a sob as she alternated looking at Diana and Trivia, who had by now both came to sit on either side of her. "I often wondered why he would never let me see him, always at night. I thought it was folly. I am the silly one!"
"Oh, but Serenity," Trivia said, her voice taking on the quality of love. "Who could help but believe his lies? His voice must have been so sweet, his features felt so enticing."
Serenity nodded wretchedly. "There must be something very wrong," she sobbed, "for him to shun the light of day."
Her two sisters nodded gravely.
"What should I do?" she asked them, her eyes bright with tears and wide with pleading.
Diana could hardly conceal her smile. Her sister was so gullible! "By now you must have learned the art of womanly persuasion, Serenity," she said with a smirk. Serenity blushed.
"You must spend only one more night with the wretched beast. Before you go to bed, though, hide a knife and a lamp close by the bed. When he comes in to spend the night with you, give in to him...put him to sleep the best you can. Then, when the beast sleeps soundly, light the lamp and plunge the knife into his heart."
"We will be near," Trivia said, "and carry you away with us when he is dead."
No! Ceres thought. She knelt down and set the tray of tea on the floor, lest she drop it. Her hands were trembling. But she had to stay and hear her mistress's answer...she hoped to the gods that Serenity would keep her senses and not be frightened by her sisters' wicked words.
"You...promise that you'll be here?"
"We can't stay inside the palace," said Diana, "because that would seem suspicious. Besides, should the serpent happen upon us, he might devour us, then ravish and kill you! But we will be close by."
"We would never leave our sister in her hour of need."
Serenity stared at the floor. "Then...I will," she said. "I'll come outside through the side entrance at night when I...am finished."
Her sisters nodded and exchanged a satisfied glance over her head.
****
"Queen Serenity!"
Serenity turned. The flurry of yellow magic signified Ceres' presence, and she smiled upon seeing it. "Ceres. Did I forget something?"
"Only these." Ceres' voice was cold as a lantern and a sharp knife floated up in the air. "You left them under the chaise in the powder room."
Serenity's lips parted, and she uttered a soft groan whens he saw the items.\
"Please tell me you won't do what those wicked women told you to do," she said.
"Those 'wicked women' happen to be my sisters!" Serenity exclaimed.
"Apologies, your highness," Ceres said sarcastically. "Forgive me for branding those who told you to kill your own husband as wicked!"
"My husband seeks to kill me!" Serenity screamed back, and then lowered her voice. Someone in the palace might have heard her.
"You don't know that for sure."
"Have you ever seen the king, Ceres?" Serenity asked.
"Of course. On several occasions."
"What does he look like?"
Ceres lowered her eyes, although the queen could not see it. "I...cannot tell you."
Serenity threw her hands up in frustration. "Do you know how many times I went over this, all day? The one side told me I love my husband, very much. But the other said he was a terrible serpent-god, and I loathe him! I must kill him – no, no, I cannot kill such a kind and sweet man. I must do his bidding. No, I must do my own bidding, so as not to be devoured. On and on and on all day...do you know how painful that is to one's soul?"
Ceres shook her head.
"Serpent or not...my heart, my love, my very soul, is deeply entrenched in this man...the man I love so very much." A tear rolled down the queen's lovely face. "But he might be out to kill me! I could come to only one conclusion: I must lay eyes on him. I must prove either way – gentle man or ugly beast. Can you at least sympathize with that?"
Ceres dropped her head, then held the items up to her queen, who gently took them from her hands. "Queen Serenity-sama," she said, "I ask only this."
"What's that?"
"That you look at him first. Look very closely. Remember, with all the love in your heart, how this man had treated you, and look before you make your move with this—" She pointed to the knife.
Serenity nodded, and Ceres ran to her queen, hugged her tightly, then ran off through the palace, sobbing silently to herself for the fate of her master who loved her misguided mistress more than his own soul.