Author's Note: THE LONG AWAITER CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well,
upon consulting with the voices in my head, I have discovered that my plan
to own Sailor Moon has failed--again--so I don't own Sailor Moon or
anything of the like. *smiles* I hope you guys like this. . . it's the
long-awaited meeting. . .please, don't get your hopes up too high,
though!!!
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No matter how much she pushed her horse, Serenity could not catch up to her father or the cloaked riders with him. She eventually gave up, settling into a slow canter. The estate appeared over the next rise, and Serenity exhaled a sigh of relief; she would be able to rest in only a few moments.
The stable smelt of hay and horses, its aroma reassuring to the young woman. She dismounted from her dapple-gray horse and led it to its stall. A white piece of paper, with rough writing scrawled over it, caught her eye. She could feel her face growing hotter as she read the words.
"He expects me to groom and care for seven horses?! Has he lost his mind!?!" her outburst startled her mare, and the horse shied. Serenity tugged lightly on the reigns to keep the giant creature from rearing up and dropped the paper to the ground. "Seven horses?. . . he is insane!"
Serenity, however, did not wish to incur her father's anger. She put her spotted mare in her stall and proceeded to quickly brush her down after removing the saddle and bridle. The horse nipped playfully at the waist of Serenity's skirts, its breath warm through the layer of clothing. "He has lost his mind, hasn't he, Yukiko? At least you're still sane. Between father and Columbia, I'm amazed that I possess a sound mind in any form!"
Yukiko seemed to listen, her ears pinned back towards Serenity gently. She was a wonderfully well-behaved animal. Serenity would often come and visit with her, stroking her silky coat or feeding her special treats. The young woman rested her head on the mare's shoulder, wisps of her silvery-blond hair floating in front of her crystalline eyes. "This will take forever, Yukiko. I still have six more horses left. I still need to give Shingo his medicine, too. He is insane."
Stroking her horse's muzzle a final time, Serenity moved to the next stall. The familiar bay gelding stared at her with dancing black eyes. "I know you," Serenity frowned. "I know you very well. Do you remember me? You nearly plowed me over earlier."
Serenity could not help but feel offended by the horse. He had done nothing, of course; it was his rider that Serenity had developed an immediate spite for. She entered the stall. The gelding was favouring his right side. Serenity dropped closer to the ground, forgetting entirely that he was a strange horse, and began to feel his ankles for inflammation and heat. His right front tendon seemed to burn her hand as her skin glided over the area.
"That jerk!" she snapped, angry that the horse had been injured by its arrogant and careless rider. "That utter jerk!"
After removing the saddle (there was something written on the back, but she did not register what it said), Serenity moved quickly from the stall and retrieved a cooling salve for inflammation and a wrap. Dropping them infront of the stall door, she went outside with a bucket to retrieve ice water. She did not have to travel far. The water barrel was full and the ice on top was easy to break through. She brought the overflowing bucket back inside, the water sloshing over the edges and onto her skirts.
Heat squeezed the bay horse's front right tendon in such a way as to suggest a sprain. Serenity angrily rubbed the cooling salve that smelt of iodine and peppermint onto the lame joint, keeping the anger away from her hands and handling the sore creature gently. Thin hair hairs fell from the horse's coat and stuck to Serenity's hand along with the sticky salve. Wiping her small hand over her skirt to remove the unwanted mess, she snatched up the horse-wrap and began to bandage the animal's leg.
"--hard to believe. I mean, that she found you up here, and so quickly too! I didn't think it was possible. I didn't think that letters could travel so quickly, even if she had heard of your departure the day we left," Nephrite muttered as he thumbed through the queen's commanding documents. "That must have been quite the messenger."
"Strange, though," Zoicite added. "I did not see an animal supporting him. He just walked. Yet he left no footprints, just as Endymion said. And if he was so silent--"
"Endymion?" Serenity looked at back of the horse's saddle to where she had seen writing earlier, but not bothered to look closely. The saddle read 'Endymion Shields.' Her blood began to boil.
"Like he needed to say anything, Zoicite!" Nephrite snorted. "The letter screams by itself. Ain't that right, milord?"
"I'm not a noble. Do not call me that," Endymion commented mildly before returning his cold eyes to the depths of the barn. "Who's in here?!"
The generals looked up in surprise; they had not seen or heard anyone. Endymion had done this before, though--sensed someone or something.
Endymion continued to listen; he swore that he had heard someone, even if his senses told him that their was no one in the stable aside from animals.
Serenity's eyes became two angry slits that sparked and glowed venomously; she knew who that would be. He sounded just as arrogant as he behaved! After clenching her skirts in an immovable grip, she scooped up the bucket and salve and left the stall. Endymion raised a single, dark eyebrow at her as she locked the sturdy, wooden stall door.
"What were you doing to my horse, stable-girl?"
"I am not a 'stable-girl,'" Serenity spat, her neck tickling as the unseen hairs covering her baby-smooth skin prickled defensively.
"Then what were you doing in my horse's stall?" Endymion snapped, his voice matching Serenity's established tone. Something about this girl tickled his mind and annoyed him.
"Your horse is lame! And you left it to get worse, so I wrapped its ankle!" her breathing came in frustrated rasps, and she could not understand what it was about the man who towered above her petite form that infuriated her. This was their first time to speak together, and they were already prepared to snap each other's egos into oblivion--if not each other's necks!
"My horse is not lame."
"If you believe that, LORDLING, than you need a lesson in husbandry!"
"Lordling!?!?!" Endymion stared at the young woman in utter disbelief. "I am much older than you, CHILD!"
"I'm sixteen! What are you, lordling? Five!?!"
"Try twenty, ORDANGO-ATAMA!" he retorted, his breathing coming heavier due to the yelling. What was it about her that brought him to yell? She had only just met him, and he had only just met her!!
"Don't call me that!" Serenity cried out, clutching her hair protectively.
"Maybe if you weren't such a LUMPHEAD, I wouldn't have to!" Endymion sneered, pleased to have found a sensitive topic in which to prod her. "Now get out of our way, ordango. We are going to the tavern. I'm certain that you could come with us, there's always room for more wenches there."
Serenity ignored the man's harsh words, despite their sting. Why should anything that he said bother her? She had only met him; he meant nothing. . . right? She shook her head, her long silver-blond hair snaking down her back. "You cannot ride this animal."
"I will decide that for myself. Now move, ordango!!"
"NO!!" Serenity yelled back.
The two generals watched in stunned silence. The Endymion they knew only seemed contemptuous in outward appearance; they had never actually witnessed him outwardly explode! They looked at the slighter figure as Endymion moved closer to actually tower over her. She did not appear to be mastered in any form; Endymion could not overshadow her, despite her obvious shorter stature. Her spirit seemed to blare and spark in his presence and challenge his own.
The two stood (as face-to-face as they could considering the significant height difference) and glared into each other's eyes. Endymion's darker attributes--his deep ebony hair and black uniform--made the young woman's features seem lighter by comparison--as though she was a fallen angel, and Endymion her guardian, her protector. The two generals, however, were alone in their insight. Endymion and Serenity saw none of those qualities in each other--at least, none they were willing to admit.
"I will remove you myself, ordango!!" Endymion snapped, his eyes trying to glare her own twin crystalline orbs into submission.
"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH ME, LORDLING!" Serenity growled.
Endymion clapped his hands on Serenity's cloaked shoulders and made the first motions of transporting her from infront of the stall door. He never had the chance to exert any force on her though, or move her even slightly from her position. Slamming her knee into his groin, she waited until his head was low enough to dump the ice-cold bucket of water. Endymion cried out in surprise as the frigid water moved through his clothing and down his back. Nephrite and Zoicite stood even more shocked than they had been previously, unsure of whether they should laugh or aid the now-sopping-wet soldier. Serenity dropped the empty bucket and salve onto Endymion's back and began to run for the main stable door--her escape and exit. The two generals did nothing to stop her departure, choosing to tend to Endymion instead.
"Whoa, careful there," Kunzite murmured as he entered the barn.
Serenity looked up at the solid wall she had slammed into. Her eyes locked on the man's long silver hair and sparkling blue orbs as they gazed down on her. Kunzite offered her a hand and helped Serenity back to her feet. "I'm sorry," she murmured.
"You must be Serenity, right? My name is Kunzite. I was wondering if I would meet you today. Your father has mentioned you more than once this evening."
"I'm sorry," Serenity pushed past the general and continued to run, shying from Jedeite as the other general appeared. "I really have to go."
Jedeite turned to watch the young woman depart; she was in such a hurry. Kunzite, however, kept his attention within the barn. His love, Zoicite stood up from assisting the younger soldier. "Serenity, was it? She is quite forceful," the female general offered a wolfish smile. "I like her."
"You would, Zoicite," Nephrite snorted. "You probably have wished to do much the same to our Endymion."
"What happened?" Jedeite inquired as he accompanied Kunzite deeper into the barn. "Are you alright, Endymion?"
"That stupid ordango-atama groined me!" he snapped, the anger in his voice still intended for the young woman who had so successfully evaded him.
"'Ordango-atama?' Such an endearing nickname for someone you just met, Endymion," Kunzite chuckled.
"She thought so too," Zoicite snickered.
Jedeite rested a hand on his head. "You called her 'ordango-atama' to her face? Endymion! We warned you about trying to be nice to people here. Enemies are not a good thing to have, you know," the general chided. "It's no wonder she--reacted the way she did."
"She started it!" Endymion protested.
"Endymion! You sound like a child!! Wasn't it you that said that you didn't need babysitters? Or was that another soldier I know?"
Endymion forced himself from the ground, swiping the ebony hair from his cool eyes. "I don't need babysitters, Jedeite," he wiped the random pieces of straw and sawdust from his clothing. "She is maddening! I will get her back for that!!"
"I, personally, enjoyed her company," Zoicite commented. "I think that we should have her more often."
"I invited her to come," Endymion smiled slightly, remembering just how her face had scrunched up and wrinkled--it had been. . . . "I suggest that we find another accommodation quickly. I do not want to stay by her longer than is absolutely necessary. . . . um. . . . I need another horse."
Kunzite smiled, glad to see that Endymion would still listen to reason despite his new desire to spite Serenity. "I will ride with Zoicite, you may have my horse."
The ride into the tavern was quiet. Kunzite and Zoicite enjoyed the time that they had in each other's arms. Nephrite was happily planning out what he would say to the Lord-Commander Gizborne. Jedeite, however, sat watching Endymion, noting how a soft smile would play on his normally flat lips every once in awhile. The general shook his head and said nothing. And Endymion (whose lips WERE pulling into a smile every-so-often) thought of Serenity--how her face seemed to spark and light up when he had challenged her--how she had been so fearless and unconquerable--how she had given him something. . . given him a sense of life--but he did not realize the thoughts.
They were entirely unconscious--an echo of his heart that his mind could not yet hear.
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No matter how much she pushed her horse, Serenity could not catch up to her father or the cloaked riders with him. She eventually gave up, settling into a slow canter. The estate appeared over the next rise, and Serenity exhaled a sigh of relief; she would be able to rest in only a few moments.
The stable smelt of hay and horses, its aroma reassuring to the young woman. She dismounted from her dapple-gray horse and led it to its stall. A white piece of paper, with rough writing scrawled over it, caught her eye. She could feel her face growing hotter as she read the words.
"He expects me to groom and care for seven horses?! Has he lost his mind!?!" her outburst startled her mare, and the horse shied. Serenity tugged lightly on the reigns to keep the giant creature from rearing up and dropped the paper to the ground. "Seven horses?. . . he is insane!"
Serenity, however, did not wish to incur her father's anger. She put her spotted mare in her stall and proceeded to quickly brush her down after removing the saddle and bridle. The horse nipped playfully at the waist of Serenity's skirts, its breath warm through the layer of clothing. "He has lost his mind, hasn't he, Yukiko? At least you're still sane. Between father and Columbia, I'm amazed that I possess a sound mind in any form!"
Yukiko seemed to listen, her ears pinned back towards Serenity gently. She was a wonderfully well-behaved animal. Serenity would often come and visit with her, stroking her silky coat or feeding her special treats. The young woman rested her head on the mare's shoulder, wisps of her silvery-blond hair floating in front of her crystalline eyes. "This will take forever, Yukiko. I still have six more horses left. I still need to give Shingo his medicine, too. He is insane."
Stroking her horse's muzzle a final time, Serenity moved to the next stall. The familiar bay gelding stared at her with dancing black eyes. "I know you," Serenity frowned. "I know you very well. Do you remember me? You nearly plowed me over earlier."
Serenity could not help but feel offended by the horse. He had done nothing, of course; it was his rider that Serenity had developed an immediate spite for. She entered the stall. The gelding was favouring his right side. Serenity dropped closer to the ground, forgetting entirely that he was a strange horse, and began to feel his ankles for inflammation and heat. His right front tendon seemed to burn her hand as her skin glided over the area.
"That jerk!" she snapped, angry that the horse had been injured by its arrogant and careless rider. "That utter jerk!"
After removing the saddle (there was something written on the back, but she did not register what it said), Serenity moved quickly from the stall and retrieved a cooling salve for inflammation and a wrap. Dropping them infront of the stall door, she went outside with a bucket to retrieve ice water. She did not have to travel far. The water barrel was full and the ice on top was easy to break through. She brought the overflowing bucket back inside, the water sloshing over the edges and onto her skirts.
Heat squeezed the bay horse's front right tendon in such a way as to suggest a sprain. Serenity angrily rubbed the cooling salve that smelt of iodine and peppermint onto the lame joint, keeping the anger away from her hands and handling the sore creature gently. Thin hair hairs fell from the horse's coat and stuck to Serenity's hand along with the sticky salve. Wiping her small hand over her skirt to remove the unwanted mess, she snatched up the horse-wrap and began to bandage the animal's leg.
"--hard to believe. I mean, that she found you up here, and so quickly too! I didn't think it was possible. I didn't think that letters could travel so quickly, even if she had heard of your departure the day we left," Nephrite muttered as he thumbed through the queen's commanding documents. "That must have been quite the messenger."
"Strange, though," Zoicite added. "I did not see an animal supporting him. He just walked. Yet he left no footprints, just as Endymion said. And if he was so silent--"
"Endymion?" Serenity looked at back of the horse's saddle to where she had seen writing earlier, but not bothered to look closely. The saddle read 'Endymion Shields.' Her blood began to boil.
"Like he needed to say anything, Zoicite!" Nephrite snorted. "The letter screams by itself. Ain't that right, milord?"
"I'm not a noble. Do not call me that," Endymion commented mildly before returning his cold eyes to the depths of the barn. "Who's in here?!"
The generals looked up in surprise; they had not seen or heard anyone. Endymion had done this before, though--sensed someone or something.
Endymion continued to listen; he swore that he had heard someone, even if his senses told him that their was no one in the stable aside from animals.
Serenity's eyes became two angry slits that sparked and glowed venomously; she knew who that would be. He sounded just as arrogant as he behaved! After clenching her skirts in an immovable grip, she scooped up the bucket and salve and left the stall. Endymion raised a single, dark eyebrow at her as she locked the sturdy, wooden stall door.
"What were you doing to my horse, stable-girl?"
"I am not a 'stable-girl,'" Serenity spat, her neck tickling as the unseen hairs covering her baby-smooth skin prickled defensively.
"Then what were you doing in my horse's stall?" Endymion snapped, his voice matching Serenity's established tone. Something about this girl tickled his mind and annoyed him.
"Your horse is lame! And you left it to get worse, so I wrapped its ankle!" her breathing came in frustrated rasps, and she could not understand what it was about the man who towered above her petite form that infuriated her. This was their first time to speak together, and they were already prepared to snap each other's egos into oblivion--if not each other's necks!
"My horse is not lame."
"If you believe that, LORDLING, than you need a lesson in husbandry!"
"Lordling!?!?!" Endymion stared at the young woman in utter disbelief. "I am much older than you, CHILD!"
"I'm sixteen! What are you, lordling? Five!?!"
"Try twenty, ORDANGO-ATAMA!" he retorted, his breathing coming heavier due to the yelling. What was it about her that brought him to yell? She had only just met him, and he had only just met her!!
"Don't call me that!" Serenity cried out, clutching her hair protectively.
"Maybe if you weren't such a LUMPHEAD, I wouldn't have to!" Endymion sneered, pleased to have found a sensitive topic in which to prod her. "Now get out of our way, ordango. We are going to the tavern. I'm certain that you could come with us, there's always room for more wenches there."
Serenity ignored the man's harsh words, despite their sting. Why should anything that he said bother her? She had only met him; he meant nothing. . . right? She shook her head, her long silver-blond hair snaking down her back. "You cannot ride this animal."
"I will decide that for myself. Now move, ordango!!"
"NO!!" Serenity yelled back.
The two generals watched in stunned silence. The Endymion they knew only seemed contemptuous in outward appearance; they had never actually witnessed him outwardly explode! They looked at the slighter figure as Endymion moved closer to actually tower over her. She did not appear to be mastered in any form; Endymion could not overshadow her, despite her obvious shorter stature. Her spirit seemed to blare and spark in his presence and challenge his own.
The two stood (as face-to-face as they could considering the significant height difference) and glared into each other's eyes. Endymion's darker attributes--his deep ebony hair and black uniform--made the young woman's features seem lighter by comparison--as though she was a fallen angel, and Endymion her guardian, her protector. The two generals, however, were alone in their insight. Endymion and Serenity saw none of those qualities in each other--at least, none they were willing to admit.
"I will remove you myself, ordango!!" Endymion snapped, his eyes trying to glare her own twin crystalline orbs into submission.
"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH ME, LORDLING!" Serenity growled.
Endymion clapped his hands on Serenity's cloaked shoulders and made the first motions of transporting her from infront of the stall door. He never had the chance to exert any force on her though, or move her even slightly from her position. Slamming her knee into his groin, she waited until his head was low enough to dump the ice-cold bucket of water. Endymion cried out in surprise as the frigid water moved through his clothing and down his back. Nephrite and Zoicite stood even more shocked than they had been previously, unsure of whether they should laugh or aid the now-sopping-wet soldier. Serenity dropped the empty bucket and salve onto Endymion's back and began to run for the main stable door--her escape and exit. The two generals did nothing to stop her departure, choosing to tend to Endymion instead.
"Whoa, careful there," Kunzite murmured as he entered the barn.
Serenity looked up at the solid wall she had slammed into. Her eyes locked on the man's long silver hair and sparkling blue orbs as they gazed down on her. Kunzite offered her a hand and helped Serenity back to her feet. "I'm sorry," she murmured.
"You must be Serenity, right? My name is Kunzite. I was wondering if I would meet you today. Your father has mentioned you more than once this evening."
"I'm sorry," Serenity pushed past the general and continued to run, shying from Jedeite as the other general appeared. "I really have to go."
Jedeite turned to watch the young woman depart; she was in such a hurry. Kunzite, however, kept his attention within the barn. His love, Zoicite stood up from assisting the younger soldier. "Serenity, was it? She is quite forceful," the female general offered a wolfish smile. "I like her."
"You would, Zoicite," Nephrite snorted. "You probably have wished to do much the same to our Endymion."
"What happened?" Jedeite inquired as he accompanied Kunzite deeper into the barn. "Are you alright, Endymion?"
"That stupid ordango-atama groined me!" he snapped, the anger in his voice still intended for the young woman who had so successfully evaded him.
"'Ordango-atama?' Such an endearing nickname for someone you just met, Endymion," Kunzite chuckled.
"She thought so too," Zoicite snickered.
Jedeite rested a hand on his head. "You called her 'ordango-atama' to her face? Endymion! We warned you about trying to be nice to people here. Enemies are not a good thing to have, you know," the general chided. "It's no wonder she--reacted the way she did."
"She started it!" Endymion protested.
"Endymion! You sound like a child!! Wasn't it you that said that you didn't need babysitters? Or was that another soldier I know?"
Endymion forced himself from the ground, swiping the ebony hair from his cool eyes. "I don't need babysitters, Jedeite," he wiped the random pieces of straw and sawdust from his clothing. "She is maddening! I will get her back for that!!"
"I, personally, enjoyed her company," Zoicite commented. "I think that we should have her more often."
"I invited her to come," Endymion smiled slightly, remembering just how her face had scrunched up and wrinkled--it had been. . . . "I suggest that we find another accommodation quickly. I do not want to stay by her longer than is absolutely necessary. . . . um. . . . I need another horse."
Kunzite smiled, glad to see that Endymion would still listen to reason despite his new desire to spite Serenity. "I will ride with Zoicite, you may have my horse."
The ride into the tavern was quiet. Kunzite and Zoicite enjoyed the time that they had in each other's arms. Nephrite was happily planning out what he would say to the Lord-Commander Gizborne. Jedeite, however, sat watching Endymion, noting how a soft smile would play on his normally flat lips every once in awhile. The general shook his head and said nothing. And Endymion (whose lips WERE pulling into a smile every-so-often) thought of Serenity--how her face seemed to spark and light up when he had challenged her--how she had been so fearless and unconquerable--how she had given him something. . . given him a sense of life--but he did not realize the thoughts.
They were entirely unconscious--an echo of his heart that his mind could not yet hear.