She

By Maria Szabo

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: this is a work of fanfiction, and no profit is being made from it, save that of enjoyment.

They were waiting for him as he re-entered the Great Hall, Nephrite in attendance and Queen Beryl standing on her pedestal, like a garishly painted classical statue.

"My Queen," he murmured reverently, falling to one knee and placing his hand to his heart. "I have returned."

"Jadeite," her voice always seemed to radiate a fondness for him, something not afforded to the others. "Report."

"She wasn't there."

"What?" Nephrite's outburst was short and sharp. "But I saw…" He fell silent as Beryl turned to his direction and lifted one of her delicate eyebrows.

The Queen looked pleased with herself. "I knew it. Kunzite is, after all, still devoted to me." Her lips turned up in a perfect smile.

"As are we all," Jadeite replied smoothly, trying to catch her eye. He didn't succeed, but that didn't bother him. Beryl kept her gaze set on greater matters.

Nephrite seemed like he wanted to say something more, but was trying valiantly to keep his mouth shut. The blonde general found it all very amusing. That guy could never hide his feelings.

"So," Beryl asked, "where did he put her? He did not take her back, I know."

"Zoicite's quarters."

"Zoici..?" Beryl's face lit up with amusement. "Ah! He won't like that at all!"

"Zoicite's returned?" Their words, spoken not quite in unison, tumbled on top of each other, and Jadeite grimaced in distaste. He should have sensed it. He was the gatherer of secrets.

She gave them one of her smiles, the sort that made a man light up with desire, and looked away towards the chasm where Meteria's power radiated.

"Who can say?"

As she dismissed them both, Nephrite seemed bent on escape, but Jadeite wasn't about to let him go so easily. He'd tried that particular trick before.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, catching the red general's arm.

"Bastard!" Nephrite had a habit of suddenly turning on an unwary opponent and unleashing the full force of his attack. It worked very well in combat, and Jadeite had never quite gotten used to it, although he knew by now to expect it of him. "Showing me up in front of Queen Beryl! How dare you?"

He stepped back, but did not loosen the grip on the other man's arm. "You're the one who was tearing down Kunzite again…"

"So? You didn't need to bring up that other matter!"

Ah. That was it. Nephrite was embarrassed that Beryl found out about his suspicions. Why was that? It didn't matter, he supposed. He could still utilize that fact against him. "Beryl-sama found it very amusing…"

"That's not the point!"

"No, it isn't. The point is: I win. You lose. Pay up," he held out a hand gloved in immaculate white. "Mercury didn't stay in Kunzite's quarters."

"That doesn't mean that they didn't…" Nephrite was scowling and blushing at the same time.

"That wasn't the bet, though, was it?" Jadeite snapped his fingers. "Come on."

Nephrite muttered something under his breath, but reached into his pocket and pulled out five stones. He grudgingly deposited them, one by one, into the other general's hand.

"There. Hope you're satisfied."

Oh, he was. Jadeite watched Nephrite stalk into the gloom with a smile. Each of those stones was a youma, and this meant that he now had more youma in his control than any of the other Shitennou. This increased his position significantly. And diminished Nephrite's, which was even better.

"So nice to know you're thinking of me."

His smile faded as she came out of the darkness. Her face was a pleasant mask, but her eyes were cold, ice cold.

To Be Continued