Falling Away

MarshAngel

Rated: R

Chapter 9

"You look happy," Khassan commented looking up at the satisfied and happy expression

on his niece's face. Her green eyes were practically gleaming with satisfaction. She floated

around his office touching every little surface lightly. She was uninvited as usual but she was

easily bored so naturally she sought him out to annoy him with a dozen unimportant things.

"I am," Beryl announced, turning to smile at him. "I've finally managed to get

Endymion's attention. Last night…" She looked at the aloof expression on her uncle's face and

decided he wasn't interested in the details. "In no time he'll have forgotten his whore and I'll

have him completely wrapped around my little finger."

"I'm happy for you, Khassan replied dryly. It's a pity that wretched old aunt of yours

couldn't have found a closer date for the wedding. We'll have to wait for nearly an entire year

thanks to stupid traditions. Any day a woman becomes a queen is an auspicious one if you ask

me." He sighed in frustration. "Nonetheless everything is going according to plan. Keep

Endymion satisfied and everything will work just fine."

"I intend to keep him very satisfied," Beryl responded smugly. "Now all I have to do is

find and get rid of the slut who distracted him in the first place and make sure she never catches

his eye again."

"She's not important Khassan reminded. "We must keep our mind on our goal. I've

already begun eliminating some of the smaller royal families. Endymion will see it as nothing but

old enmities arising once more but it will shift the balance of power on the council in our favor

and once you're queen, all Earth will be ours." He had also begun spreading propaganda, fueling

dislike for the moon kingdom, using it as a uniting factor that would allow him to manipulate

hundreds of people to their will.

"You're brilliant, Uncle," Beryl announced gleefully kissing him on the cheek.

"I know."

Things were going well, Serenity thought. She felt secure, for the first time in weeks that

everything would work out. She had spent time with Mael, and although she wasn't on the verge

of professing anything deeper than appreciation of his company, she was getting to know him

better.

She looked out over the lake, breathing deeply and enjoying the calming effect of nature.

She jumped at the unexpected sensation of a hand on her shoulder. She'd been so lost in thought

she had forgotten that she wasn't really alone.

She'd gone for a walk with two guardsmen from the palace following at a discreet

distance. It wasn't one of them who had interrupted her however; it was Mael. She turned to look

at him with a blank expression her face, searching his face for something, anything. If this had

been Endymion she would have felt her skin heat. Her heart would have pounded a little faster;

she would have said something instead of staring at him as if she didn't know who he was.

"Mael. I didn't expect you."

"I thought we should be alone for a few moments," he replied.

She looked beyond him and couldn't see the two guards. She looked up at him again and

was confused by the look on his face.

"What…" She never got the chance to finish because he kissed her, or rather he tried to.

At the sight of his face looming closer she turned and he got her on the cheek.

"I'm sorry…" she began immediately aware that she shouldn't have done that. He was

well within his rights to kiss her. It was so completely unexpected however. She heard him mutter

a curse.

"By the goddess, you could at least try!"

"I…"

"Yes I know. You're sorry," he snapped. "I didn't ask for this either but at least I'm

trying to make the best of it." He turned on his heal and walked away from her leaving her

standing there in surprise and embarrassment.

She should go after him and apologize but she supposed she should let his temper cool.

She thought she'd been making an effort. She'd gone with him on a picnic, spent hours with him

and his family, granted it hadn't exactly brought them closer but it had been something. She

wasn't avoiding him; she'd thought it was enough.

She knew she'd been emotionally distant, excessively polite, and not at all relaxed in his

company. But she'd hoped and eventually believed he hadn't noticed. Obviously she was wrong.

She sighed.

Tomorrow was a new day. Tomorrow she would start all over and try harder. The

morning would give birth to a more determined, emotionally available Serenity.

Marila wrung her hands. She was nearing panic herself.

She'd already called for Princess Reimi in hopes that perhaps she

could do something. So far, nothing she'd done had worked and she

was nearly certain at any moment Serenity would pass out from her

hyperventilating.

It had all started when she'd been helping Serenity into her gown

this morning. It was a bit elaborate for a day dress, with a long

line of looped buttons up the back but Serenity had been

determined to look her best. She was on a mission, she'd claimed,

to fall in love with her fiancée, if it killed her.

Marila had only gotten a half way up the back, looping the

buttons, when she'd begun pulling for more fabric. Serenity had

complained about the discomfort but the buttons wouldn't close.

Being of sound judgment, Marila suggested another gown rather

than mention the obvious. The second gown, yet another she

hadn't worn in months, fit but was exceptionally tight in the

bust.

Serenity, after the first attempt to get dressed, had been quiet,

consumed by her thoughts. Now, after looking at herself in the

mirror, her breasts pressed tightly into the gown and peeking

over the low neckline her eyes had widened in horror and that was

when she'd begun hyperventilating.

Certainly the princess wasn't vain, no more than any woman. A

little weight gain was certainly no reason for hysterics. So

Marila assumed it must be something else but it didn't seem

Serenity was about to calm down to explain it to her no matter

how she tried. So she'd called for one of the other princesses.

Princess Reimi burst in with Minaxi right behind her. Apparently

Marila's short message regarding Serenity's 'severe upset' was

more than enough to send them both running despite the fact that

she'd understated the situation for the ears of the Druan

servants.

"Serenity!" Rei snapped at the girl trying to get her attention,

The tears streaming down Serenity's face however didn't stop as

she tried to get a hold of her breathing, made even more

difficult by the restraining gown. Rei slapped her in the face,

hard enough to have her and the other two women in the room stop

and stare at her in shock.

Secretly Rei had to admit she'd always wanted to do that to

someone. The situation was serious however, she could tell that

much from Serenity's face.

"What is it?" Rei demanded grabbing Serenity by the shoulders.

"I think I'm pregnant," Serenity whispered.

The silence in the room was palpable. Everyone was too stunned to

say a word. For several minutes there was no sound. No one moved;

it seemed no one even dared to breathe.

Serenity eventually slumped into a chair and buried her head into

her hands.

"We were careful," she said softly. "We took no chances. I never

even suspected all this time..."

"We're not talking about Mael are we?" Mina asked.

Mael and Serenity had absolutely no chemistry. That had become

more evident the more time they spent together. They tried but

nothing had come off the time they'd spent together. It was

inconceivable that they could have dredged up enough excitement

for a moment of reckless passion.

"Endymion," Serenity responded.

Rei muttered several curses she shouldn't have known under her

breath and bit back the impulse to call Serenity every kind of

fool. She looked down at her, tear soaked and looking

vulnerable. She didn't need more condemnation. The situation was

enough to deal with and dealing with it was going to be

complicated.

Mina wanted to ask what happened but she suspected she had a good

idea. Even if Serenity had used contraceptives the risk remained.

Having been born into a family that used magic regularly, her

body was altered enough to make contraception a tricky and

unpredictable matter. Granted, in most cases it made

contraception harder than easier but there was always an

exception.

One of the first things they'd learned about magic in their

education was that like all things, it had side effects,

consequences. It altered the users and sometimes the environment

in which it was used. It could cause both obvious physical

changes, like hair and eye color and less obvious internal ones.

Serenity's magic might simply have caused her body not to respond

to the contraceptive at all or made it less effective. Anything

could have happened given the unpredictability of it all.

Serenity had been foolish to depend on whatever methods she'd

used.

"What am I going to do?" Serenity questioned. "I can't..."

No one had answers for her. They were all still trying to wrap

their minds around the idea. The consequences were simply too

much to think about.

Rei took a deep breath and took charge. She turned to Marila.

"Don't mention this to anyone. Start packing your things and

hers." The maid nodded and immediately began working.

"Mina, get in touch with Ami on a secure communications line.

Have her send a post-dated message to you saying my grandfather

is ill, possibly dying. I will tell the queen as much, and see if

we can get a ship to take us home."

Rei turned back to Serenity. "I'll tell everyone you're not

feeling well and you're not to be disturbed but you are going to

have to get it together to tell everyone goodbye. Do you think

you can do that?"

Serenity nodded. She would have to. Even if her life was

spiraling downwards to disaster she had to be the princess.