Falling Away
MarshAngel
watsonma@hotmail.com
Rated: R (for future chapters)
Chapter 2
Serenity awoke to the sight of her mother sitting beside her on her bed looking as much a part of the brilliant white surroundings as anything else in the room. She was as usual dressed in white and sitting on the white covers of her bed. She'd chosen the white-themed décor herself a year and a half ago but it was beginning to wear out its welcome. It seemed to epitomize the very blandness and boredom she lived and had come to despise.
"Mother?" She inquired sleepily sitting up slowly. She couldn't recall the last time her mother had been in her apartments. She was usually far too busy to spend much time with her. She missed being young and tagging along after her mother constantly even when she shouldn't have been. She wasn't a little girl anymore however; holding on to her mother's skirts was simply not cute anymore. Besides her mother's schedule was even more hectic than her own.
She looked up at the beautiful woman who appeared far too young to be her mother. She was elegant, beautiful and absolutely regal. Her face seemed to have escaped any touch of time, the beauty of her youth still in full bloom.
"Glad to know you still recognize me honey, considering it seems I haven't seen you in months," her mother replied, smiling with typical serenity that her daughter had not yet mastered despite her misleading name.
"I forgive you."
"Do you really?" the Queen questioned teasingly. "The way I hear it you've been moody, irritable, and remote."
Serenity raised a brow. "And who, may I ask gave you that flattering description?"
"I'll never reveal my sources," her mother replied.
"I see Aahe has been complaining," Serenity said knowingly.
"She loves her job," the queen confirmed. She hates relinquishing her charge."
"I wish she'd love her job a little less," Serenity grumbled. "I suspect the people of the moon have seen more of me than is entirely necessary. Just for a week or two I'd like to have my time to myself. I'm tired of meeting ambassadors and attending groundbreakings and…"
"I know. But you are their princess and the people need to see you."
"If they see any more of me, I'll lose my entertainment value."
"I've spoken to Aahe about lightening your schedule and letting you have a few days, Queen Serenity comforted. She could easily see that the unrelenting schedule was beginning to wear Serenity down. "Today is your first. What do you plan to do with it?"
Serenity wrinkled her brow. She hadn't really given it much thought.
"Maybe I'll spend some time with the girls."
"Actually, Mináxi has gone back to Venus for the remainder of the week and Litalya has accompanied her. Reimi's grandfather is ill and she has returned to Mars to visit him and Amyra has been researching in the libraries since yesterday."
Serenity frowned, as much at her mother's formal use of her friend's full names rather than her preferred shortened versions, as well as the fact that her mother knew more about what her friends were doing than she did.
"I would have known all this had I not been so very busy."
"I know dear, but you all have your different responsibilities. Perhaps over the next few weeks you'll see more of each other."
"I suppose I'll spend some time in the garden reading that book Amy gave me."
Her mother raised an elegantly arched eyebrow but said nothing. Serenit had little patience for reading, particularly on any subject Amy might have found interesting, but she had no doubt she would find a way to entertain herself.
"Will you be meeting with Prince Endymion and the others today?"
"No. I had a late dinner with Prince Mikhail last night. We decided to take a break from discussions today and meet with the rest of the council later in the week. Endymion declined but his Uncle Mikahil accepted my invitation to take a tour of the city.
"I must go. I don't want to be late," Queen Serenity announced getting up from the bed. "Enjoy your day dear."
"I'll see you at dinner?"
"Yes of course," the Queen replied as she left the room.
*****
Serenity took breakfast in her rooms alone and contemplated what to do with herself. She was so used to itineraries that without one she couldn't help feeling a little lost. After finishing her meal she walked out to her balcony.
It was a beautiful day. She could hear water bubbling in the fountains below. She returned to her room, and changed into a simple blue dress and left her apartments, heading for the gardens. For a moment she was almost tempted to walk to the other end of the palace and visit Amyra in the library but she knew, given the level of concentration Amy had undoubtedly devoted to her reading, she would be fortunate if her friend looked up at her while she occasionally grunted to acknowledge that she had heard what Serenity had said.
She was at the entrance to the gardens when she realized she'd forgotten her book. She sighed in slight annoyance with herself but wasn't about to turn back to get it. It wasn't as though she would have really read it anyway, but pretending to do so would have been something to do.
As she paused between the two large white fluted pillars that announced the beginning of the gardens, she breathed in the fresh air. She was so caught up in the sound of birds and the smell of freshly cut grass that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her.
"Your highness."
Serenity jumped. The voice chuckled softly.
"I didn't mean to frighten you. Seems you were trying to inhale the whole garden."
Serenity blushed. "It's ok Artemis. I was just a little caught up, that's all." She turned to face the thing, white-haired man who, strangely, on occasion was a cat. "Why aren't you with my mother? I thought you would accompany her today."
"No, I'm trying to avoid Luna as it is, I hear she's on the warpath. And that path too often treads all over me. She's accompanying your mother today. I have other duties to attend to anyway. Your mother has once again left me in charge of finalizing the details of this ball she's planning," he said with a long-suffering sigh."
"She only does it because she knows you're best at it," Serenity complemented, knowing that it was what he wanted to hear.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you best," he replied grinning widely, a smile that made his feline blue eyes light up in his pale face. "I hear you're free today."
"Gratefully so, yes. It's been a while since I've had an entire day all to myself. I'm a bit lost as to what to do with my time."
Artemis nodded in understanding before grinning conspiratorially. "You're not the only one with a free day. Though I'm sure 'he' is more than capable of filling his time."
Serenity's brow furrowed in confusion, not understanding to whom he was referring.
"I see the news has yet to reach you."
"News or gossip?" Serenity accused with evident amusement. Artemis was a king of gossip. He seemed to know everything that went on with everyone in the palace.
"Semantics," Artemis tossed the concern aside. "I am, of course, speaking of the popular Prince Endymion."
"What about him?"
"Well as I've heard it, the women of the moon are making it their mission to make him feel as welcome as possible."
Serenity turned up her nose at Artemis' grinning implication and snorted delicately, remembering the previous night. "They really should endeavor to cut back their efforts. We wouldn't want him to feel smothered or worst yet, so welcome he'll decide to stay."
"You mother would be appalled at such an undiplomatic statement coming from the future queen," Artemis scolded with mock dismay but his horrified expression once again collapsed into a grin.
"My mother would be more appalled at how the prince takes advantage of her hospitality."
Artemis ceded the point. "Well I must go torture the cooks and take a whip to the maids' backs," Artemis announced playfully as he retreated."
"Goodbye Artemis," Serenity called out.
She turned her attention back to the garden, taking in the multitude of colorful flowers and shades of green. It was one of many gardens surrounding the palace and not even the largest one by far, but she loved this one particularly. It was the one that most resembled the garden around the temple of Selene on Earth. It had a lily pond complete with lotus flowers and koi, water fountains that flowed out of statues of swans and fat babies and willow trees whose limbs hung heavily to the ground as though they bore the weight of the sky. It was a peaceful spot, not because it was quiet but because there was so much life and sound with butterflies, birds, fish, and tiny little flying dragon-like creatures that lived on the moon alone and resembled translucent flying sea-horses.
She stepped out unto the soft grass that was still somewhat moist with morning dew and headed for her favorite spot by the lily pond. She kept her eyes to the ground as she walked, examining the groups of daffodils and lilies that were placed almost carelessly here and there. She stopped suddenly when she realized someone else's footsteps had fallen into step with her own.
She looked towards her right, up into a pair of blue eyes that weren't bright blue like her own or pale and cloudy like others she'd often seen but startlingly clear and sharp like chips of glacial ice, as if they saw much more clearly than others.
"You shouldn't pay so much attention to gossip you know," Endymion reprimanded.
Somehow it didn't surprise her to realize he'd been hidden away, listening to her. After last night's display she expected anything. Already she felt as if she knew him though they hadn't really ever spoken.
She flushed slightly, embarrassed at being caught talking about him. She got over it quickly becoming annoyed at him for mentioning it.
"And you shouldn't eavesdrop on other people's conversations," she returned before she really thought her words through. It was bad manners to return a rude comment with one of equal rudeness. As Artemis had said, it wasn't particularly diplomatic.
"I wonder if it's entirely wrong to eavesdrop on a conversation about one's self?" He pondered aloud. "Besides, gossip is hardly an appropriate line of conversation don't you think?"
"I wonder myself, if it's still considered gossip if it's actually true."
"I'm sure someone with far more concern for upholding the codes of appropriate social behavior would know best." His voice was light and touched with humor.
"But that someone isn't you is it?" She snapped tersely trying to keep annoyance out of her voice and barely succeeding.
"Hardly." He grinned widely and she was amazed at the sight. His face lit up with boyish good humor. "But then you have some rather unprincess-like attributes as well, voyeurism being one of them, so I don't feel entirely worthy of reproof."
He was teasing her but it annoyed her that he should draw attention to what she considered a moment best forgotten. "You should; if only for pointing them out," Serenity reproved, a little miffed and more than a little embarrassed at his reference to last night's incident.
She began to walk, not particularly caring if he chose to keep up with her or not. She couldn't really explain her behavior to herself but then she decided not to try. She could hardly be considered at fault for his blatant rudeness. She decided at that moment that the rumors about Terrans had some truth to them after all. They were barbarians, if only because of their complete lack of appropriate behavior. If their prince behaved so rudely, how then did the rest of them?
"You are named after your mother," he stated rather randomly, having decided to keep up with her. It was a stupid thing to say, certainly not the most brilliant opening to a conversation, and he knew it even as the words left his lips. He couldn't explain his desire to have a conversation, particularly on such an inane topic, with the queen's pampered brat, but so far she hadn't been quite what he had expected.
She was as reserved as he'd expected but far more willing to return his inappropriate quips than he'd thought. She was interesting, he decided; he'd expected dull but she didn't seem at all concerned with fulfilling his expectations.
When they'd first, been introduced she'd barely looked at him and muttered the appropriate words. It was as though she hadn't been there, but thinking of other things she considered far more important. It wasn't a reception he was used to but the bored expression on her face had convinced him, at the time, that she was as uninteresting a person as she had presented herself to be. Today, however, having declined the queen's invitation to tour a city he'd already seen, he was left with nothing to do and had found himself wandering in these gardens so remarkably like the ones he'd left behind in his own palace and here she was.
She'd seemed angelic, standing between the two columns in that sleeveless sky blue dress that curiously enhanced all her best qualities, which, he noticed for the first time, she possessed in abundance. She'd looked far more interesting than she had on their first meeting. Perhaps it was for lack of entertainment choices that he'd approached her and listened in on her conversation and was at the moment making redundant conversation with her. Whatever the reason, she seemed far more intriguing than he'd thought.
"And you after your father," she replied blandly.
"Seems a bit lacking in imagination don't you think?"
"Yes but then what is there to imagine? For the past nine generations every Serenity has looked remarkably like the one before her and possessed of a similar placid expression, living in the same palace, and ruling the same people, it only makes sense that they'd all have the same name."
"Sounds rather boring."
"I am well acquainted with boring," she stated dryly and immediately regretted revealing as much.
She glanced at him. He smiled a wry half smile that made him appear boyish and cynical at the same time. He was much better looking than she'd first thought when she'd met him briefly upon his arrival. He had narrow, long lashed icy pale blue eyes that seemed capable of being both seductive and cruel, an aristocratic nose, and a stubborn jaw. It all came together to form possibly the most handsome male face she'd ever seen. She wondered that she hadn't been struck by it when they'd first met, but she suspected her mind had been otherwise occupied at the time, with thoughts of food if she recalled correctly.
"I can understand how that could happen. This isn't the most exciting place."
Serenity took immediate offence. "And I take it Earth is just the most exciting place in the galaxy; everyday is a brand new adventure, each moment abounding with something new and wonderful. I bet the air is just rife with joy and constant entertainment," she stated with mocking excitement.
"In comparison to this place, without doubt," he replied, ignoring her sarcasm.
"I hardly see reason for you to complain," she rebuked, a little miffed at his insult of the only home she'd ever known. "You seem quite adept at entertaining yourself."
"The moon is not without it's charms," he replied knowing exactly what she was referring to, and wondering if that was annoyance he heard in her well practiced calm voice.
"But it is, quite frankly, by comparison, far less than anything Earth has to offer."
"And you have undoubtedly experienced every excitement Earth has to offer?" If he said yes she wouldn't be surprised. His face spoke of experiences of which she couldn't begin to dream and would no doubt be embarrassed if she could.
"Not everything," he goaded, "but I aim to try. Being bored as you are, I assume you've already experienced the full measure of all the moon has to offer."
"I wouldn't begin to know what you mean," Serenity sniffed at his implication, her face growing heated.
"Perhaps your restlessness is due to a lack of passion. It's easy to be bored when one has no capacity for enjoyment," he stated blandly.
"I have plenty of passion," she retorted. "And I'm not at all restless." The man obviously had a penchant for insulting words. He was ill mannered, ill bred, and…. Her mind ran out of invectives. Still she kept a calm expression and tone. There was no need to satisfy his lack of manners by showing him a reaction.
How had he known about her restlessness? She wondered. Was it written all over her face? What if he was right? Maybe her restlessness had more to do with her than her situation.
He resisted the urge to smile. Though he had been referring to that specific kind of passion, he couldn't help but wonder about the other kind. Women of the moon were known for their purity not their passion, however one chose to interpret the meaning of the word. Her countrymen were decidedly of a peaceful persuasion, rather dull by his standards. They weren't generally given to strong drink, violence, sport, dramatic emotions and they were certainly not known for their more private passions.
Some would think of this as a paradise, where little crime occurred, peace was the norm, life was uncomplicated, and good health a guarantee. But all this perfection was boring. The moon was quite similar to Mercury. It was a place of scholarly pursuits, a haven for philosophical thought and political discussions. Life was well planned here on the Earth's moon, the center of the alliance of planets, but the people didn't have a passion for living it.
Still he couldn't help but think about her in a far more carnal sense. Her accurate assumption that he referred to her passion for life, instead of the more inappropriate line of conversation that he was purposefully leading her towards made him curious as to whether she was as innocent as he guessed she was. His imaginations had taken a decidedly less than innocent turn.
"But no one to share it with I'm guessing." He stated purposefully misinterpreting what she'd said.
"If we're speaking about your definition of 'passion' then I can hardly go around spreading my 'passions' as indiscriminately as you do. I prefer to focus my attentions on more deserving individuals like my fiancée." It took self-control not to grimace at her own words. She hadn't intended to say that and she didn't know what had possessed her to let the words slip from her mouth. Mentioning her fiancée was a defense mechanism but against what she couldn't explain.
She was obviously not entirely as naïve as he'd assumed. But then he'd also assumed she was not affianced. The thought that she might be engaged had not for a moment entered his mind. Thinking back, it was rather naïve of him not to have assumed as much. She was, or rather she would be, the most powerful person in the system one day. It was only natural for her to have a marriage already arranged to benefit her and her kingdom politically. Most likely it was one arranged at her birth or not long after. Many women her age on Earth were already married and birthing children. It occurred to him that he didn't know why it should matter that she was engaged but somehow it did.
"I'm sure your fiancée is particularly grateful to be on the receiving end of such fervent ardor," he commented dryly.
Serenity flushed at that comment. Mael was not the recipient of any 'passion' from her. She'd been engaged to him on her fifth birthday and most of the little time she had spent with him had been in the company of his parents or her mother. He was satisfyingly handsome, congenial, eight years her senior and she supposed he'd make an adequate husband. Passion was not a consideration in their arrangement. The goal was really an alliance that allowed them access to his home planet Drué's lunar mines She was satisfied with the arrangement. It could have been much worse; he could have been old, ugly, barbaric, or perhaps worse he could have been from Earth.
She very nearly laughed at that thought. Her mother and the Lunar council would probably rather have her marry a Venusian horned pig than deal with the political fiasco marrying a Terran would result in. It wasn't even a consideration. She doubted any Terran would consider lowering themselves to marry a cowardly Lunarian anyway.
The Terrans were a violent bunch. They considered going to war an act of bravery. The planets in the alliance generally considered them backwards, power-hungry, and barbaric. The sympathetic, an obscure minority, considered them passionate, romantic, people with a thirst for knowledge rivaled only by their love of violence.
"My fiancée is no concern of yours."
That was true enough. Nothing about her life should concern him. He really should apologize for his behavior and be on his way; he'd been inexcusably rude. But he remained, looking down at her blonde head, wishing she would look up at him instead of staring into nothing.
They had come to a stop by a tiny alcove where the bright sunlight filtered through the leaves of the surrounding trees before the lily pond. She appeared to be examining the leaves of an overhanging willow tree in great detail but he knew she wasn't really thinking about the tree at all. He wished he knew exactly what she was thinking, but at the moment her mind was closed to him.
"On Earth we have a fruit called the passion fruit. It's said to inflame the passion between lovers. Perhaps you should try it," he suggested.
"I don't have need of it. But I'm sure you've made much use of it," she replied wryly.
"It's quite, tasty, you just might enjoy it. In fact, I'm certain you would."
The sound of his voice, deep and caressing made her blush, not just as a result of his innuendoes but just then his voice had caused a shiver up her spine that made her entire body tremble and she hoped he hadn't noticed. He was unbearable and yet he'd caused her to blush more often in the few minutes she'd been in his presence than she probably had most of the year.
She turned to face him and looked up at his face, the sight of which made her blush even hotter. The way he was looking at her intently made her feel awkward and a bit uncomfortable. She tried to get control of herself; she didn't know what was wrong with her but she was certain she needed to leave his presence this very moment.
"Your Highness," She began and then glancing down, she realized that he was holding the end of a long lock of her hair, rubbing it between his fingers. She froze in surprise at the intimate act, completely forgetting what she'd intended to say.
"Endymion," he corrected softly. He didn't take his eyes off her. He stared right into her wide dark-lashed blue eyes that reminded him of a giraffe; they were so expressive. They were the exact shade of his mother's sapphire pendant, The Heart Of The Ocean.
Looking at her, he had only one thought in mind, one that stunned him. He wanted her with an intensity he couldn't recall feeling before.
He frowned. Why hadn't he felt this same overwhelming desire when he'd first met her? Certainly nothing had changed between then and now. He knew little more about her now than he did then. Her beauty certainly played a huge part but how could he have been so oblivious before?
Why was he frowning? She wondered. Was there something on her face? Did her hair feel like dried straw? Why was he holding her hair?
"You have my hair," she muttered inanely.
"Yes," he replied simply, holding the silky strands for a few moments longer before letting it drift back down to join the rest of her soft blonde hair wafting in the breeze that had just picked up.
Serenity realized her heart was pounding erratically. She was suddenly very uncomfortable. The tension between them was building quickly as they stood staring at each other, neither saying anything.
"Serenity," a voice interrupted, and she jumped a little in surprise. She was however relieved at the interruption. She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a breath she only just realized she'd been holding.
Serenity and Endymion turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. Coming down the path was Amyra.
"Amy," Serenity greeted happily. "I thought you'd still be confined to the library.
"Your Highness," Amy greeted Endymion.
"Endymion, please" he corrected. Amy nodded and curtsied as was appropriate. She prayed the heat rising in her face wasn't visible beneath her pale skin. She had met Endymion briefly at his arrival and had been impressed by his good looks to a degree that embarrassed her. She was a scholar and a princess of Mercury, one to be impressed by the content of a man's character and his willingness to seek knowledge, not the beauty of his façade. Still, the eyes were a useful tool of science and by extension logical thought, and logic demanded that she accept that he was extraordinarily good looking, enough to make her just a little flustered in his presence, particularly when his pale eyes looked directly at her as they were now.
She had no doubt any woman would feel the same; certainly Serenity was just as flustered. Looking at her princess however, told an entirely different story. In fact she heard Serenity's tiny voice in her head demanding that she find a way to extricate her from this conversation and his presence. How strange. Fortunately she was blessed with ingenuity (better to call it that, than a glorious ability to lie well).
"Aahe has something very important to discuss with you Rena," Amy addressed Serenity. "She says it can't wait. She wants you to meet her in the west wing by the statue of Selene. Your mother told me you were free today and I'd thought to take a break from my research, perhaps if you have time after your meeting you could meet me in the library. Since you're going to be busy I should get back to my work."
Serenity was impressed. She glanced at Endymion to see if he accepted Amy's ingenious excuse. His face gave nothing away. She excused herself and hurried away. Walking down the corridors of the palace moments later she realized that once again she was without a thing to do.
*********
