Chapter 7: prophet
Serenity walked into her room with her most loyal guards her princess friends at her back.
"Ikuko?" She called. Ikuko came forth with knitting in hand.
"What will you have my princess." She asked.
"Do you know where the dress that was to be made for my engagement tomorrow, might be?" She asked politely.
"Right princess, one moment please let me go find your seamstress. She has it I believe, excuse me." She bowed and left. Serenity sat down in a cushy white chair leaned back sighing and opened her mouth to talk but Nunoko her seamstress and apprentice arrived. So she turned her attention to the dress to put it on and model it for them. Makoto helped make adjustment as Rei gave critical commentary/ analysis of adjustments that should be made. Mercury worked with the schedule for the next day on her mini computer.
"The betrothal ceremony is to be at three o'clock tomorrow and at 5 o'clock the reception shall start at the main ballroom dinner will be served at 6:30 there is no specific ending time for the reception. Got that?"
"Yes, no problem."
"There also some more important details that I'm going to go through so listen up." She said looking at her computer with sharp attention. Serenity sighed.
"right." Serenity turned her head to look at her while her dress was being adjusted more.
"Okay. Your mother and all of the outer Princesses will be arriving at 10. Other delegates and envoys from the moon and other parts of the earth will be arriving at 12 and other planetary envoys at 1. You shall be expected to be onsite at 2:30 dressed certainly if not ready. Another note you shall not be allowed to greet any of the guests arriving until the reception besides your mother as she has specifically requested to speak with you."
"Not even the outers."
"No princess, I apologize."
"Oh… well, I'll see them at the reception."
"Yes princess."
"Milady." Nunoko said hesitantly
"Yes, Nunoko."
"I'm finished."
"Oh! Thank you Nunoko. From how it looks now I'm sure it will be fabulous. I really appreciate all the work you put in I know this was kind of last minute and all." She said taking off the dress behind a delicate looking shoji style screen and putting her old one on and handing the dress to Nunoko.
"No problem milady, Tomo come." She said gently smiling lightly and gestured to her apprentice a small dark pretty dark haired girl with plum colored eyes to follow. Venus made her way into the room.
"Where have you been Mi-na-ko." Serenity said emphasizing each syllable of her first name smiling widely, noticing not only her lateness but also her disarray. Minako attempted to give her a serious look and shut her down, but couldn't help but grin and blush. Falling backward onto Serenity's bed next Ami who was sitting there causing the silk sheets to poof up in a wave formation, she let out a small giggle.
"I'm not sure I want to know." Makoto grumbled.
"So…Serenity, how did your talks go with the Prince." Ami asked. Serenity blushed.
"Don't tell me," Makoto said smacking her own forehead in exasperation or shame. "You made out the entire time?"
"No Jupiter we actually had a discussion. Some people actually like to get to know the person before they are engaged. And then we kissed." She said in a goofy tone grinning.
"So do you want to marry this man even if you'll never be able to go home like you said before?" Rei said slowly. Serenity sighed.
"I don't know I think… I…no I know I love him more than anything but I still feel the pull of my the moon. It is quite beautiful from here, it was a lot cooler and temperate and not so humid as here. Nearly perfect. It is so hot and so cold here so extreme not so temperate in every sense of the meaning. I feel so alive here though, perhaps because its not so perfect, but everything seems so alive here, before I felt more like a living doll or statue. Kept in her beautiful glass case admired by the owner but never allowed to know the love and attachment of the dolls cuddled in a child's arms. This simile is of course at fault for I'm not a doll I am a Lunarian princess bred for ruling not like most other princesses (besides you my friends) bred for show and breedings sake: pretty, mindless, and with a wide pelvic arch for birthing children. I have a mind, a will and a heart of my own. Furthermore the love I now wish to know is not that of child attachment though perhaps soon I shall know and want the love of my own child, I wish for a lovers- my husbands love first. Endymion will give me this and more. He loves my mind and spirit as well as my body I feel it as he teases me and converses with me confessing his feelings, worries and memories in all honesty. I feel it as he sees and me look at me with reverence, love and passion and as he kisses me gentle yet insistent." She paused to regain focus of her thoughts and calm her beating heart. " It is for the best… many have had to trade their home for less at least I shall have the comfort of true love if not my homeland. The people here are nice enough though Nicholas… the king…the generals... my husband to be… but I love my people of the moon they are all so wonderful. It is strange but as I'm here I feel increasing uneasiness as if there was a storm coming or an evil of some kind approaching or building. Silly isn't it, please don't tell anyone this I don't want them to think I'm unhappy here." Rei looked at the others they had held a meeting about this earlier in the today during Serenity's exploration of the Palace.
"Do you still want to rule the moon though." Rei asked
"I do, but I want to be with him always. Besides Mom will still be ruling for several more centuries. I have time." The comment gave impression of flippancy but was accompanied by an uneasy tone that countered this. There was a knock at the door.
"Yes?" Serenity called.
"Dinner is to be served in a half hour."
"Thank you."
"Well I should dress for dinner." the girls started to file out.
"Do you want help?" Rei asked
"No I got it under control." Serenity replied and began getting ready as her room door shut behind her. She put on a deep midnight blue flowing dress and was slipping in earrings as she heard on knock at the door.
"Yes?" the door creaked open slightly she saw in her mirror Endymion's head peak through.
"Endy?"
"Serenity, er… may I come in."
"Sure." He stepped in and shut the door.
" So… how are you?" he asked nervously.
"Well, and you."
"Well. Would you like to have dinner with me instead of with the group."
"Sure, why."
" 'Cause I want to get know you, Love." His arms encircled her waist from behind and he rested his chin on her head miraculously managing to not muss her hair. He hugged her gently as she smiled at him and finished slipping in her earring she reached up and stroked his face watching him in the mirror.
" Okay. Lets go then." She said.
She sat on her bed in her night gown wisps of fragrant air drifting through her open balcony door the curtain pulled back from their door billowed at the winds entreat. Serenity gazed at the moon longingly that rose large and luminous and sighed. Naru came in and started to straighten up the room.
"Hey Naru?"
"Yes princess."
"If you had to choose between your homeland, family, your people and the love of your life what would you choose." Naru thought a moment then gave her princess a thoughtful look.
"Well I suppose it would depend on the circumstances. But you are referring to yourself aren't you milady." Naru caught Serenity's blush and nod out of the corner of her eye as she finished straightening up. She made her way to the bed where Serenity sat her eyes closed her knees pulled to her chest her head resting on them she her face still flushed in embarrassment at her transparency her long tresses falling about her like a blanket of gold and pooling about her.
" Lets say there was no obligation to marry him you would want to still, yes?" Naru sat down across from her on the bed. Serenity nodded still pink still garnishing her cheeks. "Well I think if you rejected Prince Endymion I think he would let you go he is good man. But I think he would take it really hard. You can see it in his mannerisms when he is not around you he seems to be shelled in darkness of his own construct. He is lonely, he is trying very hard for you to get around his old reflexes he has built up to guard himself from hurt, because he knows in heart that he loves you. I think he might be devastated if you left him. But your people love you too and they would also be in mourning if you left them. We need the leadership of our queen to continue to continue to guide and guard us if you leave so may the good grace the gods have bestowed on those of the royal family and imperial silver crystal the envelope our planet. If you are married to the prince you may not be able to rule again. You are very wonderful princess whatever you decide are sure either would still love you. But you are very bright you may figure out a way to do it all. But you still have some time to think it's a little less than a month to your marriage plus your mother shall be ruling for several hundred more years." Naru said.
"Thanks Naru. You're actually from the earth aren't you?" She smiled and hugged her friend.
"Yes I was sent at five to become your servant as a gift from the Earthen Court. Glad I could help you princess. You should get to sleep it's a big day tomorrow." She smiled and hugged her princess back and back. She heard Serenity mumble.
" I'll do it. I can have my cake and eat it too." Naru shut the chamber door behind her and padded down the hall to her room. Serenity stared out the window. She caught a whiff of smoke and went out to her balcony a sniffed the air again. It was definitely a sacred fire of Rei's she went back into her room trying to decide if she should go check it out she sensed that her senshi princesses were hiding something when she talked to them earlier. No doubt on mother's orders. She decided to check it out. She changed into her senshi form and headed out from her balcony. She hid behind a pillar in the room of the sacred fire where Rei sat in deep meditation. The fire flared up a bit and she sharply took in a breath.
"Who is there." Rei called coming out of meditation. Serenity dared not a breath. Rei was distracted by the fire which grew higher she refocused on it and Serenity escaped out the door and into the nearest open window of the palace which happen to be in partially moonlight area of the library. She ran her hand across the ancient books and scrolls lining the shelves as she made her way to the exit. Something… no someone grabbed her hand. She gasped in fear.
"Who are you?" the voice said it sounded achingly familiar. 'It's Endy' she realized and he stepped on cue into the moonlight as if to confirm the assertion.
"Endymion!"
"No that's who I am, that will save some time on introductions, but I asked who you are." He said coldly
"um I'm uh..."
"Daresay forgotten." He continued interrupting her stuttering. " Why do you wear the moon imperial hair style, do have relation to them?" He added with a touch of uncertainty creeping into his tone.
"uh…" she sighed she really didn't want to do this she knew he would be mad at her for not telling him. "here this will um… explain." She detransformed and realized that she had forgotten to put a robe on before morphing. ' oh this is good, I'm wearing a near translucent thin white night gown before him. Please say I'm dreaming or kill me now.' She blushed violently. 'at least I'm not naked' she thought glumly. He looked at her and his eyes widened.
"Serenity."
"Yes.
"Are you really her, not just a shape shifter or an illusion?"
" I conscientiously believe so, Endy" (A.N. Fwa that's not my line I just subbed in Endy instead of Mr.Rochester. In case you still don't know where I got it: its from Jane Eyre and couldn't resist putting it in, in this situation, so don't sue I have no claim.) He hugged her then pulled back.
"Why were you dressed up like that before?" he questioned lifting an eyebrow.
"I am also a senshi like the other princesses" she laid her head against his chest. "And was trying investigate why Rei had a sacred fire burning. My senshi have been co-opted by mother and they are hiding something from me." Trying to put in enough information to distract him from her secret life.
"A secret?" he was successfully momentarily distracted then his brows drew down. He took her shoulders and pulled her back and looked her in the eyes with a piercing gaze. "Why didn't you tell me you were a legendary senshi?" he demanded angrily.
"I just met you two days ago and hadn't conceived how to tell you I was a legendary warrior princess at sixteen." She said quietly pulled away from him completely and turning her back on him. Now wasn't the time for petty arguments she realized. However she could not stand the way he was looking at her and his angry tone. "Sorry… goodnight Endymion." She said stiffly and left quickly. He came to her and put is arms around he and hugged her.
" No I'm sorry. I was just taken by surprise… it's just that being a senshi must be a rather integral part your life and tomorrow we're getting engaged and all. Serenity I don't want to know just part of you I want to be able know all of you and love you entirely. "
"I know… I'm sorry, but I have been sworn to secrecy for so long… you are the first person I've told."
"Oh." He said and held her warmly for a few moments she felt him measurably relax. Then he sighed and tension came back into his form. " I suppose we should probably retire for the evening. May I walk you to your room?" she nodded he took her hand and they walk to her room in silence. They stooped at the door.
"Good night Serenity. I just want you to know I love you and could never stay angry with you and I'm sorry if I seemed that way this evening." He kissed her softly on the lips and pulled back gently but just an inch. " Serenity whatever you do please don't ever leave me. No matter what happens know that I'll always love you." He once more closed the distance and kissed her passionately. When he broke the kiss she smiled up at him.
"Endy I love you, and you will always be the one I love most so don't worry I will always be with you." She smiled again and went into her room and slipped under her sheets. Endymion glanced back towards her room as he strolled down the empty hall lit occasionally by moonlight that splayed across the hall though the expanse of windows toward his room. He retired to his room and disrobed and fell into bed, but couldn't sleep she was stuck in his mind. He sighed turned over and was finally able to drift off. He slept peacefully and dreamlessly until bright visions exploded into his mind. Sickly yellow tufts of grass and light brown dusty dirt painted the plains augmented by skeletal remains of shrubbery that once garnished the now barren wastelands and burnt villages that flooded his minds eye, dark storm clouds rode the horizons and a deep dark resonant cackle rang through the dank air and surrounded him then the sound of steel override it. A battle that raged around him, he looked forward to see his father slump to the ground crimson liquid flowed steadily from his numerous gashes he seemed to reach out toward Endy who surged forward the world whirled violently into nothingness and he noticed that his eyes were open as he focused on the black velvet canopy of his bed.
