Chapter Three - Feelings Revealed
Zoicite kept her eyes averted, sure that Serenity was going to laugh or brush her off. When she didn't, Zoicite looked up, unsure of what to do or say next. She noticed Serenity seemed to be deep in thought and moved to give her some space. Serenity looked up at the sudden movement.
"No, it's ok, Lady Zoicite, I was just thinking about what you said. This Lord Kunzite must be a very special man indeed...," she trailed off at the odd look in Zoicite's eyes. Her face was red as a rose from blushing and her eyes were glassy-looking.
"Are you ok?" Serenity asked.
That woke Zoicite out of her reverie. "Oh, yes, I'm fine, thank you," she stammered. "I...I was...," embarrassed, she couldn't continue. Serenity patted her hand in comfort.
"I understand what it's like, I feel the same way about your prince, Endymion. I just wish I knew how he felt. I know I've only just met him but...," she began to blush as well.
"We are a right pair, aren't we," Zoicite laughed. Serenity saw the humour as well and the two women shared a laugh at themselves and their predicament.
Zoicite sobered. "Milady, I just have to ask, it's been bothering us all since we found you being attacked by those bandits. Where do you come from? We would have recognised you if we'd seen you here before now. And how did you come into the clutches of men such as those?" It all came out in a rush, as if Serenity would flee before she got it all out.
Serenity's face went paper white, a fact that Zoitite didn't miss. She looked like she was going to faint. Zoicite put her good arm around her in comfort. "It's ok, we want to help you...," she said to the now trembling girl.
Still Serenity didn't speak. In truth, she didn't know what to say to the woman she now counted as a friend. The Terrans didn't know about the Moon Kingdom; to them, the goddess Selene was pure mythology, nothing more. How could she explain her family, her culture and those of the other planets to these people so they wouldn't fear her or consider her insane and lock her up? She just looked at her feet, her face now expressionless.
There was a knock at the door which made both women jump in surprise. Sheepishly, Zoicite rose to answer it. There stood Prince Endymion with a maid whose arms were full of clothing. He gingerly carried a pair of low-heeled cream sandals in one hand and a pair of white slippers in the other. She smothered a laugh. He wouldn't be very pleased if she laughed in his face, she knew. The door now open, they stepped into the room.
Serenity felt a shiver of electricity run through her and looked up. There HE stood, with some shoes in his hands. For her, she knew. She blushed and looked away. Endymion put the shoes down gently beside the bed and sat in the chair vacated by Zoicite who had now left the room. He gestured to the maid to put the clothes away in the wardrobe and dresser. Having accomplished her task, the maid left the room quietly.
"How do you feel now?" he asked her with concern plain in his voice.
She was turned away from him, staring at the far wall. He took her hand in his when she didn't reply and she turned sharply to look at him. She blushed and looked down at her hands, which were now firmly ensconced in his. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she could see he was blushing as well, and trying to hide it. She smiled to herself. It appeared he did feel something for her after all.
Finally, she spoke, so softly he could barely hear her. "I'm fine, thank you for asking." she replied, still looking at their conjoined hands.
Endymion smiled. She still looked unnaturally pale to him though and he resolved that he wouldn't let her go back to her family without knowing she was fully back to health. The bruises on her face and arms still a livid purple and red, he winced. They stood out all the more against her pale creamy skin. Freeing one of his hands from hers, he lifted her chin so she was looking at him.
"Are you sure you're all right? Those bruises look nasty. It may be some time before you're...," he couldn't speak past the lump in his throat.
He had just realised how close they'd come to losing her, before even getting to know her. Afraid of losing his composure in front of her, he got up roughly and strode to the large bay windows, looking out at the gardens there. Normally, the sight of the beautiful flowers calmed him down but this day was not one of those times. He felt the tears flowing without check, he wasn't able to stop them any more.
Serenity looked at him for a few moments, still shocked by his strange behaviour. Then she saw his shoulders shaking and couldn't stand it any more. She quietly slipped from the bed, pulled on the slippers, which fit perfectly she saw with amazement, and went over to him. Putting her arms around him gently, she pulled his head down to her shoulders to let him cry. She didn't understand why he was, just that he needed some comfort that only she could give.
Endymion felt a shock run through him at her touch but didn't want to pull away. He knew now that he loved her, loved her more than anything in his world and that he would die without her. This realisation brought fresh tears and he sobbed into the silky white material of the nightdress she wore. She didn't say anything, just let him cry, a comforting hand rubbing his back.
After what seemed an eternity, he got his emotions under control once more and turned to look at her. Putting her at arm's length, he looked deeply into her azure blue eyes and lost himself in them. He couldn't breathe or move at that moment, so deeply entranced by her that he felt himself becoming faint. She looked at him with concern and love (love? he wondered, and suddenly felt as if his heart would burst with happiness. She loved him too!) and he couldn't hold back. Bending his head down to hers, he gently placed a kiss on her mouth, almost groaning with the pleasure the taste of her lips brought to him. She stiffened slightly against him, then kissed him back, her arms stealing around his neck, holding him to her with a strength he never knew she possessed.
Gasping for air, they broke off the kiss and stared at each other in wonder and amazement. She's so beautiful, mere words can't describe her Endymion thought in a daze. And she loves me! Me! He couldn't take it all in. Serenity stared back at him with much the same emotions running through her. She caught her breath.He was gorgeous. And he loves me too. Oh Mother, what am I going to do? she thought sadly. She knew there would be hell to pay but she was willing to fight for him and hoped he was willing to fight for her.
She pulled free of his strong arms, turned away from him, and looked out at the colourful gardens outside the infirmary's bay windows. He sensed there was something wrong but didn't know what. He searched his memory for something he might have said or done that caused her such unhappiness. Drawing a blank, he stood behind her, slipping his arms around her tiny waist and giving her time to tell him what was on her mind.
Drawing a deep breath, Serenity turned to Endymion with a sad, faraway look in her eyes. "I must tell you now where I come from and how I got here," she said to him sadly. "You must promise not to interrupt me and I hope you believe what I am about to say. It may sound far-fetched and you may not believe it, but it is the truth."
Endymion stared at her in confusion. Why wouldn't he believe her? She took his hand and led him back to the bed. She sat him down in the chair, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out into space and collecting her thoughts. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she began her tale.
Zoicite kept her eyes averted, sure that Serenity was going to laugh or brush her off. When she didn't, Zoicite looked up, unsure of what to do or say next. She noticed Serenity seemed to be deep in thought and moved to give her some space. Serenity looked up at the sudden movement.
"No, it's ok, Lady Zoicite, I was just thinking about what you said. This Lord Kunzite must be a very special man indeed...," she trailed off at the odd look in Zoicite's eyes. Her face was red as a rose from blushing and her eyes were glassy-looking.
"Are you ok?" Serenity asked.
That woke Zoicite out of her reverie. "Oh, yes, I'm fine, thank you," she stammered. "I...I was...," embarrassed, she couldn't continue. Serenity patted her hand in comfort.
"I understand what it's like, I feel the same way about your prince, Endymion. I just wish I knew how he felt. I know I've only just met him but...," she began to blush as well.
"We are a right pair, aren't we," Zoicite laughed. Serenity saw the humour as well and the two women shared a laugh at themselves and their predicament.
Zoicite sobered. "Milady, I just have to ask, it's been bothering us all since we found you being attacked by those bandits. Where do you come from? We would have recognised you if we'd seen you here before now. And how did you come into the clutches of men such as those?" It all came out in a rush, as if Serenity would flee before she got it all out.
Serenity's face went paper white, a fact that Zoitite didn't miss. She looked like she was going to faint. Zoicite put her good arm around her in comfort. "It's ok, we want to help you...," she said to the now trembling girl.
Still Serenity didn't speak. In truth, she didn't know what to say to the woman she now counted as a friend. The Terrans didn't know about the Moon Kingdom; to them, the goddess Selene was pure mythology, nothing more. How could she explain her family, her culture and those of the other planets to these people so they wouldn't fear her or consider her insane and lock her up? She just looked at her feet, her face now expressionless.
There was a knock at the door which made both women jump in surprise. Sheepishly, Zoicite rose to answer it. There stood Prince Endymion with a maid whose arms were full of clothing. He gingerly carried a pair of low-heeled cream sandals in one hand and a pair of white slippers in the other. She smothered a laugh. He wouldn't be very pleased if she laughed in his face, she knew. The door now open, they stepped into the room.
Serenity felt a shiver of electricity run through her and looked up. There HE stood, with some shoes in his hands. For her, she knew. She blushed and looked away. Endymion put the shoes down gently beside the bed and sat in the chair vacated by Zoicite who had now left the room. He gestured to the maid to put the clothes away in the wardrobe and dresser. Having accomplished her task, the maid left the room quietly.
"How do you feel now?" he asked her with concern plain in his voice.
She was turned away from him, staring at the far wall. He took her hand in his when she didn't reply and she turned sharply to look at him. She blushed and looked down at her hands, which were now firmly ensconced in his. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she could see he was blushing as well, and trying to hide it. She smiled to herself. It appeared he did feel something for her after all.
Finally, she spoke, so softly he could barely hear her. "I'm fine, thank you for asking." she replied, still looking at their conjoined hands.
Endymion smiled. She still looked unnaturally pale to him though and he resolved that he wouldn't let her go back to her family without knowing she was fully back to health. The bruises on her face and arms still a livid purple and red, he winced. They stood out all the more against her pale creamy skin. Freeing one of his hands from hers, he lifted her chin so she was looking at him.
"Are you sure you're all right? Those bruises look nasty. It may be some time before you're...," he couldn't speak past the lump in his throat.
He had just realised how close they'd come to losing her, before even getting to know her. Afraid of losing his composure in front of her, he got up roughly and strode to the large bay windows, looking out at the gardens there. Normally, the sight of the beautiful flowers calmed him down but this day was not one of those times. He felt the tears flowing without check, he wasn't able to stop them any more.
Serenity looked at him for a few moments, still shocked by his strange behaviour. Then she saw his shoulders shaking and couldn't stand it any more. She quietly slipped from the bed, pulled on the slippers, which fit perfectly she saw with amazement, and went over to him. Putting her arms around him gently, she pulled his head down to her shoulders to let him cry. She didn't understand why he was, just that he needed some comfort that only she could give.
Endymion felt a shock run through him at her touch but didn't want to pull away. He knew now that he loved her, loved her more than anything in his world and that he would die without her. This realisation brought fresh tears and he sobbed into the silky white material of the nightdress she wore. She didn't say anything, just let him cry, a comforting hand rubbing his back.
After what seemed an eternity, he got his emotions under control once more and turned to look at her. Putting her at arm's length, he looked deeply into her azure blue eyes and lost himself in them. He couldn't breathe or move at that moment, so deeply entranced by her that he felt himself becoming faint. She looked at him with concern and love (love? he wondered, and suddenly felt as if his heart would burst with happiness. She loved him too!) and he couldn't hold back. Bending his head down to hers, he gently placed a kiss on her mouth, almost groaning with the pleasure the taste of her lips brought to him. She stiffened slightly against him, then kissed him back, her arms stealing around his neck, holding him to her with a strength he never knew she possessed.
Gasping for air, they broke off the kiss and stared at each other in wonder and amazement. She's so beautiful, mere words can't describe her Endymion thought in a daze. And she loves me! Me! He couldn't take it all in. Serenity stared back at him with much the same emotions running through her. She caught her breath.He was gorgeous. And he loves me too. Oh Mother, what am I going to do? she thought sadly. She knew there would be hell to pay but she was willing to fight for him and hoped he was willing to fight for her.
She pulled free of his strong arms, turned away from him, and looked out at the colourful gardens outside the infirmary's bay windows. He sensed there was something wrong but didn't know what. He searched his memory for something he might have said or done that caused her such unhappiness. Drawing a blank, he stood behind her, slipping his arms around her tiny waist and giving her time to tell him what was on her mind.
Drawing a deep breath, Serenity turned to Endymion with a sad, faraway look in her eyes. "I must tell you now where I come from and how I got here," she said to him sadly. "You must promise not to interrupt me and I hope you believe what I am about to say. It may sound far-fetched and you may not believe it, but it is the truth."
Endymion stared at her in confusion. Why wouldn't he believe her? She took his hand and led him back to the bed. She sat him down in the chair, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out into space and collecting her thoughts. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she began her tale.
