Welcome back! Without further ado, here's the next chapter!
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Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
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Light of Love: Red Moon Chapter 11: The Missing Prince
The repeated sounds of fists striking wood echoed in Jedite's ears, interrupting the guardian's sleep. Initially, the knocking was slow and constant, but quickly became more persistent and intense.
Jedite, unwilling to awake at such an early hour, grasped each end of his pillow and wrapped it around his head. Even muffled by the feathers and fabric, the pounding still disrupted Jedite's sleep. He rolled over to his right side, away from the noise. He clamped his already closed eyes even tighter.
Across the room from Jedite lay Zoicite. The knocking caused the red headed man to also stir in his cot. His brown eyes snapped open. As his gaze focused on the stone ceiling above his head, Zoicite groaned. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his forehead with his left hand. Rolling his head to his right and opening his eyes, Zoicite observed the crumpled mound of Jedite in the cot on the opposite side of the room. Zoicite's nut- brown eyes glanced dubiously to the door between them. The thick wooden boards shook from the loud pounding. Dust particles freed themselves from the door and clouded in the single ray of sunlight cascading into the room.
"For crying out loud, Jedite!" growled Zoicite, "Get up and answer the door."
The guardian tossed a pillow at his companion. The padded white object bounced off of Jedite's shoulder and landed on the floor. Zoicite muttered peevishly and sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he crawled out from beneath his bedclothes and crossed the room. The cold tile floor stung his bare feet. Pausing at the door, Zoicite glanced to his companion, and observed that Jedite's cot was several feet closer to the door than his own.
"No need for you to get up, Jedite."
The red-headed guardian tossed his loose, tangled mane of auburn hair over his shoulder and unbolted the door. A man dressed in a Terran Soldier's uniform tumbled into the room. Correcting his stance, the soldier straightened out the bottom of his coat. He carefully smoothed his mane of brown curly locks and gently placed them over his right shoulder. Unlike Zoicite and Jedite, this man was wide awake and neatly groomed. No lint was visible on his starched and pressed dark blue uniform.
The soldier turned to face the bleary-eyed red-head. Zoicite groaned.
"Nephrite," he muttered beneath his breath.
Zoicite blinked his eyes repeatedly as he silently pondered if he was dreaming. Obviously, the guardian thought to himself, if he was still asleep, then he was in the middle of a nightmare. He casually crossed his arms and discreetly pinched himself in the side. The sharp pain made Zoicite jump a little. No, this most certainly was not a dream.
Nephrite was really there.
"When did you get here?" he curiously inquired.
"Early this morning," Nephrite replied. "Kunzite dispatched me from Ellysion last night after the strange explosions occurred. I've been riding all night."
"What explosions?" Jedite demanded. Upon hearing Nephrite's voice, the blonde-headed guardian had released the death-grip on his pillow and rolled over.
"You didn't see those bright flashes last night?" The two pairs of tired, curious eyes that peered back at Nephrite was answer enough for his question. The soldier smirked as he muttered, "I suppose you both were too far into your ale and women to notice."
Jedite opened his mouth to rebuff the brunette man. Images of pints and buxom women flashed into his fuzzy, dehydrated mind. The blonde snapped his jaw together and shrugged with indifference.
"Oh, you are referring to the lightning?" casually responded Zoicite. He shuffled across to the wash basin located at the foot of his cot.
A self-preserved and enthusiastic, "Yeah!" emerged from Jedite's dry mouth. Both Zoicite and Nephrite stared at him with confusion. "I mean," stammered the blonde, for it really was far too early for him to be thinking clearly, "Yeah, we saw it. In the stables. That lighting storm."
"It was hardly what I could call lightening," Nephrite laughed. "The light was from some sort of energy blast. It was so intense, I am surprised you were so quick to dismiss it."
"Perhaps it was more vibrant in Ellysion," snapped Zoicite. He grasped the large porcelain pitcher in his hand and poured a small amount of water into the basin.
"Perhaps," Nephrite repeated, eyeing Zoicite as he splashed water over his face. "Helios said that the prince may be in great danger, so Kunzite sent me here to check on him."
"How noble of you," hissed Jedite. He rubbed his eyes and licked his lips. His mouth was dry. Standing, Jedite crossed the room, bumping Nephrite in the shoulder as he walked past. Joining Zoicite at the wash basin, Jedite grasped the handle of the water pitcher and raised it to his lips. His loud slurps echoed in the pitcher.
Nephrite winced at the pair. "I had hoped that your bad breeding had not rubbed off on the prince."
Jedite set the pitcher on the bureau and wiped his moistened lips with the back of his hand. He flashed a whimsical smile at Nephrite, who shook his head.
"Where is the prince?" Nephrite finally demanded.
"Unless your racket disturbed him," Jedite responded, motioning toward the closed door leading to Endymion's sleeping quarters, "I would guess that he is still asleep."
"Too much fun out with the pair of you, eh?" mused Nephrite. He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced to the door leading to the inner chamber.
"The King is furious with him," Nephrite commented, "I am certain that at his age, the prince prefers to be in the company of you two, but that is no excuse for missing an important supper!"
"What do you mean?" questioned Zoicite.
Nephrite ignored red-head's interjection. Instead, he continued to rant while pacing the room and occasionally throwing his arms in the air.
"Endymion is just lucky that his presence was not so important last night. Princess Orleana did not arrive, so King Demetrious is willing to excuse his indiscretion. However, gentlemen, the princess is scheduled to arrive at any minute this morning, and Endymion is expected to be present for the hunt this afternoon. Do you understand me?"
Both guardians dumbly nodded. Nephrite's mention of Endymion's absence at supper was still filtering through Jedite and Zoicite's tired heads. Jedite's confusion stemmed from his moments with the prince the night before, when Endymion had dressed for supper. At that time, the prince had not indicated that he was not attending the dinner. In fact, Jedite was certain that Endymion was on his way to the dining hall when he left his chambers. When Endymion had not met his guardians at the tavern later that evening, Zoicite suggested that young prince had either retired early or had been too busy entertaining the Solar Princess to notice the late hour.
Jedite and Zoicite now glanced across the room at each other. Nephrite, who was still pacing the room, did not notice the exchange. Endymion's guardians knew that the prince could be irresponsible, but he was not in the habit of skipping important events.
"We'll let him know once he has awakened," Zoicite muttered absently.
Nephrite stopped pacing about the room and eyed the two disheveled guardians.
"Good. Oh, and can you see to it that Endymion comes and sees me later this morning?"
"I really hate that guy!" Jedite declared once Nephrite had left the chamber and closed the door behind him.
Zoicite threw his loose auburn locks over his shoulder and stood rigid. Raising his nose slightly in the air, he mockingly said, in a deeper voice, "Oh, can you see to it that Endymion sees me later this morning?"
Jedite laughed.
"If Endymion skipped out on us and the king, I at least hope that he was up to no good!" heckled the blonde. He casually rapped his knuckles on the door leading to the inner chamber.
"With a pretty maid!" agreed Zoicite. He pulled his auburn locks back and secured the hair into a pony tail at the nape of his neck. Zoicite then picked his crumpled blue trousers off of the floor and began to put them on.
Giggling, Jedite called toward the door, "Wake up, Endymion. You have a lot of explaining to do!"
"Perhaps it was the pretty red-headed maiden who caught your eye," Zoicite suggested, lacing up the front of his pants.
"That's not funny!" snapped Jedite. He grinned and again turned toward the door, "Come on, sleepy prince. Get up!"
When there was again no response, Jedite leaned his ear toward the door. He expected to hear a rustling noise or perhaps the prince's heavy breathing. Jedite glanced away from the door. He heard nothing. His concerned grey eyes locked with Zoicite's. The red-headed guardian had just pulled his linen undershirt over his head. He pulled his ponytail out through the neck hole. Zoicite frowned at Jedite's expression.
"What is it?"
"I don't think he's here," Jedite commented.
He stepped away from the door to permit the other guardian to stand before it. Zoicite pounded his fist against the heavy wood several times.
"Endymion?" Zoicite's voice was more determined and stern than Jedite's had been. The red-head leaned his head forward, straining to hear a response.
Zoicite glanced wearily at Jedite. He tested the door handle. The metal twisted in his hand. The red-headed guardian paused before pushing the door open. The two men slowly entered the room.
The stone-walled chamber was as cold as a tomb. A large, neatly made four- poster bed greeted the pair. Jedite crossed over to the opposite side of the bed, while Zoicite threw up the duvet and looked under the mattress. After determining that the prince was not hiding under the bed, Zoicite walked to the fireplace on the opposite side of the chamber. Crouching, he placed a hand over the burned logs. A cold draft drifted from the flue. The red-head stood up and stepped toward the massive oak wardrobe that he and Jedite had moved the night before. The huge furnishing did not appear as though it had been upset or shifted from its position over the secret passage.
"He's not here," Jedite finally muttered. His conclusion was so obvious that it caused the more serious Zoicite to snort.
"I am glad that has been cleared up," responded Zoicite.
"Well, where is he?"
"How would I know?"
"You are more insightful."
"You saw him last."
"True," admitted Jedite. He crossed to the window and peered out at the grey, frozen world beyond the pane of glass. "Maybe he went out for a ride."
"All night?" Zoicite countered. "Anyway, his horse was still in its stable last night."
"Good point."
"Was he acting strangely when you last saw him?" questioned Zoicite.
Jedite laughed. "No more than usual. He even seemed to have recovered from his earlier fit. He said he would join us after supper. I even made him take his cloak and sword with him."
Zoicite paced the room. He pinched his chin with his thumb and forefinger. Pausing, he stared at the floor tiles.
"Perhaps Nephrite is right," Zoicite concluded, "Maybe the prince is in danger."
Shrugging, Jedite shook head and tossed his empty hands in the air. "What are we to do, then?"
Zoicite bit his lower lip. Sighing with exasperation, he muttered, "Unfortunately, I think we will have to tell Nephrite."
The blonde rolled his grey eyes to the ceiling. As he crossed the room, Jedite said, "I better get dressed, then."
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Meanwhile, in another room in Jade Castle, the princes of the Sun stood next to a window and scowled as she surveyed the landscape. Flat fields covered with grey snow greeted her orange gaze. Near the horizon were naked, frost-bitten trees; their skeleton branches stretched up to the lifeless grey sky above.
Orleana lowered her eyes. She withdrew her hand from the grimy-green stone of the windowsill. She wrinkled her nose as she inhaled the damp, musty smell of her room. She swallowed her disgust like bitter medicine.
She had never imagined that a place as dreary as the Solar Castle existed on the Earth. Now, as she raised her scrutinizing gaze up to the low ceiling of her guest quarters, the princess realized with misery that Jade Castle was as depressing and ugly as her own palace. She had just arrived, and already, she longed to return home.
Two Solarian Soldiers stood behind Orleana. One cleared his throat.
The princess jumped slightly as she remembered the two men in the room with her. Orleana squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a deep breath. She longed for privacy. She wanted to be anywhere but in this horrid black room on this horrible little planet. She wished that she was in her old bed chamber on the Moon, surrounded by light. If only she were alone, Orleana silently thought to herself, she might be able to relax.
"Your highness," stated one of the soldiers, "please tell us how to proceed."
Orleana's eyes snapped open. Irritation smoldered in each firey orb. She stared at the small end table on her left. Orleana wanted to reach for the two painted vases resting on the tabletop and hurl them at the Solarian men. The princess rolled her eyes to the ceiling and again focused her gaze to the drab world outside. An exasperated sigh escaped from her mouth. She clenched her fists against her sides.
"Kill him," she said. A cloud of breath fogged the glass before her. She frowned at the pane and wiped the condensation with the back of her right sleeve.
"Kill him?" parroted one of the soldiers. His eyes widened as he repeated her suggestion.
"Yes!" Orleana snapped. She turned to face the two uniformed men. She crossed her arms over her chest as she added simply, "That is what we do with prisoners."
"But, your highness," gasped the other soldier. He was younger than the first man; his voice cracked when he spoke. "We can not kill the Terran Prince! Your father is arranging for you to marry Endymion."
"So what?" the princess responded. She rubbed her brow with her left hand. She stifled a yawn and continued, "I have no desire to marry--much less marry someone who can't keep out of other people's affairs!"
"Your father sees it differently," said the first soldier.
"If he sees this differently," Orleana retorted sourly, "then perhaps he should take care of this issue himself, instead of pawning it on me, when I have barely arrived here!"
She stopped abruptly once she realized that she was shouting. Her words bounced off of the stones and thick wooden beams of the chamber. She scowled and rubbed her temples with her fingertips.
Her eyes burned for sleep. Her joints ached from travel. She turned her weary gaze to the bright red uniforms of the two Solarian soldiers standing before her. Orleana sighed—-this time, in defeat.
"Fine, then," she muttered. Orleana waved her right hand in the air as she stated, "Bring him back to the castle. Perhaps we can sneak him back here before he wakes." She laughed. "If Terrans are as daft as I've heard, he may just attibute last night's events to a bad dream."
"I am afraid it's too late for that!" a masculine voice boomed. Orleana turned. A tall, thin man with long fingers, a narrow nose, and thick lips approached from the shadows. He removed the hat from his bald, shiny head. The man stood before the princess and bowed. He smiled. Orleana shuddered. She tried to mask her disgust.
"Quarro," Orleana said cooly to her father's closest advisor. She extended her right hand.
The man squeezeed her fingers. Even through her glove, Orleana could feel his bony joints. He leaned forward to kiss her knuckles, but princess flinched and withdrew her hand before his full, plump lips could touch the fabric of her glove. She turned and motioned to the two soldiers.
"These men say that the Terran Prince has been captured," Orleana stated. She raised her glowing orange eyes to meet Quarro's tepid yellow gaze. "I say we kill him."
"As much as I would like to carry out your wishes, your highness," Quarro said, "I can not. Your father is arranging your marriage to Prince Endymion as we speak."
He pursed his thick lips together. He smiled and shrugged at the disbelief in the princess' face. He pressed the fingertips of each of his hands together in front of his chest.
"I am so sorry, princess," stated the advisor.
Orleana glared at Quarro. She knew he wasn't sorry for anything. He relished her humilation. The princess growled and stomped her foot. She reached for the red vase from the table and hurled against the floor as she screamed with rage.
Quarro ignored her temper and continued to speak.
"And anyway," he said, a small devious smile sprouting in the corners of his mouth, "The prince has escaped. He's gone."
The two soldiers gasped. A chill sliced up Orleana's back. She raised her eyes from the smashed bits of porcelain and glared at Quarro. The smile on the thin man's face widened.
"Sorry," said the advisor.
"What the hell do you mean, 'He's gone?'" Orleana demanded.
"He's gone," Quarro repeated. "He's not in the cave."
"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Orleana shouted. She paced the floor of her cramped chamber. "Who was in charge of watching him?"
"A couple of...soldiers," Quarro hissed. He cast a disdained look to the two men in red uniforms. He snickered.
Orleana glanced to the pair of soldiers. Both men appeared terribly uncomfortable. The princess hardly cared how she behaved in front of the men in her father's army; however, Orleana dismissed the soldiers before she and Quarro continued their conversation regarding the Terran Prince. Once the men closed the doors to Orleana's chamber, the princess errupted into a rage.
"What is going on here?" she demanded.
"I told you, your highness, the prince escaped," Quarro stated calmly.
"Does my father know about this?" asked Orleana. Surely, she could not be expected to take care of this problem for the King. She was, afterall, only his daughter.
Quarro nodded. He held his neatly manicured nails up to the light of the window and sighed.
"He does indeed." Quarro stated. "He would like for you to be in charge of finding Endymion."
"I don't want to look for the prince!" cried Orleana. "It's not my job to hunt for him. I'll tell my father that I won't do it! Right now!"
Orleana crossed the room. She was about to turn the handle and open the door to her chambers when Quarro's words stopped her.
"Your father has too much on his plate, I'm afraid," he stated. "What with arranging your marriage, setting up an allegience with the Terran King, and attacking the Moon from the Earth behind the Terran King's back, I'm afraid King Nefar is having a hard time prioritizing."
The Solar Princess shuddered. The attack on the Moon had happened moments after Orleana had been expelled from the planet by Princess Serenity. Of course, King Nefar and his assistant had no idea that Orleana was on the Moon that day.
The princess shook her head. She refused to turn to face Nefar's advisor.
"I don't care how occupied my father is, Quarro," she stated through clenched teeth. "I am not fixing his mistake." Orleana thought briefly about her mother, and of the sacrifices she had already made for her. She would not become a slave to both of her parents—especially not for her father.
A knock on her chamber door interrupted Orleana's thoughts. The princess jumped back from the door in surprise. She turned and cast a questioning look at Quarro. The assitant merely shrugged at her. A sigh of exasperation escaped from Orleana's lips as she crossed to the opposite side of the room. She spun around and faced the door with her hands crossed over her chest.
"Enter!" she commanded, much like she did in her own castle.
A young man with dirty blonde hair and a pocked face greeted her. The clothes he wore appeared to have been made of fine fabrics, but many washings had left the material threadbare and dull. He was a plump man, but his jacket still appeared too large for his frame.
Just behind the man, cowering in the shadows of the hallway, stood a red- headed woman. Orleana recognized, from the girl's simple blouse and skirt, that the red-head was a servant of some kind. The princess grimaced as she and the girl made eye contact. Orleana had never been fond of servants.
The young man bowed. Orleana frowned.
"What do you want?" the princess demanded. She was not in the mood for niceties. Quarro stepped in front of Princess Orleana and led the man and woman into the chamber.
"Your highness," Quarro said, motioning toward the young man. "This is Algernon. His father is the Duke of the Puissant Territory."
Orleana shrugged. Quarro cleared his throat and continued.
"Jade Castle is Algernon's home," the King's assistant stated. "He was also placed in charge of the prisoner."
"Endymion is my cousin, Princess Orleana," young Algernon stated. His voice cracked. His swollen, bloated form stepped into the light. Algernon's smile revealed jagged, pointed teeth.
"Your cousin!" Orleana echoed. "You must not be very close, then?"
Algernon shook his head.
"Indeed, no," the young man stated, smiling.
"And you are the incompetant who was in charge of looking after the Terran Prince," muttered Orleana.
Algernon laughed nervously.
"Well, his presence last night came as quite a surprise to me and my father, I assure you," the young man stated, lacing his fingers together. "He was supposed to be in the castle last night, not running across the coutryside in search of your father's, ah, project? One of your father's men hit Endymion on the head pretty hard, though. We didn't think he would need much supervision."
"You are very stupid, then," Orleana stated. She crossed to the window. She spotted a forest of bare trees on the horizon. "He has a severe head injury," she muttered. "If he is unarmed, how far can he get?" she pondered. Her breath again clouded the pane of glass.
"Um, your highness," Algernon interrupted. He cleared his throat and raised his left index finger. "About the unarmed thing..."
Orleana felt the rage flush her cheeks. She turned away from the window. She looked Algernon in the eye. If Algernon had not appeared worried before, he certainly did now.
"The prince has a weapon," the princess stated. Algernon silently nodded. "Why didn't you take his weapon?"
"We did! It's just that, well," Alergnon giggled nervously and scratched the back of his head. He twisted and motioned to the red-headed girl who now stood near the chamber door. She was so quiet and meek that Orleana had forgotten her presence. "Beryl didn't realize that he was better..."
Orleana walked across the room to the red-head. The princess guessed that they were both the same height, but the girl slumped her shoulders forward, as if trying to disappear. The princess of the Sun towered over the girl.
"Are you Beryl?" Orleana questioned.
The red-head raised her gaze. The girl remained silent. She slowly nodded her head. Orleana reached her right hand out and slapped Beryl across the left cheek. Beryl let out a yelp. She covered her face with her left hand and glared at the princess. A small tear pooled in the corner of her left eye.
"Now see here!" Algernon protested. He attempted to walk toward the princess, but Quarro stepped in front of him.
"That's for being completely useless," Orleana calmly told Beryl. "Be glad I don't do anything more to you!"
Quarro cleared his throat. Orleana spun away from Beryl. She crossed to the opposite side of the room.
"So, we must conclude, then," Quarro said, "That Endymion is armed, and recovering..."
"And travelling on foot," Algernon added.
"Oh good," Orlean sourly commented, "I'm so glad to hear that you didn't also give him a horse."
Quarro snickered. "Well, then, he couldn't have gone very far so he should not be too difficult for us to capture. If we are lucky, he might come straight back here. Algernon, can you have some of your men set up an ambush near the castle? I would hope that your men be smart enough to disguise themselves as thieves or some such thing."
"I'll get on it immediately," Algernon stated, bowing. He turned to leave the room. Beryl stepped behind him to follow.
"Beryl!" Orleana called after. The red-head hesitated, and turned to look at the princess. Orleana smiled wickedly as she motioned to the smashed porcelain on the floor and said, "This vase fell from the table. Clean it up."
Beryl's green eyes widened with horror. She turned to Algernon, who had waited for her. The young man silently nodded to the red-head. Beryl bit her lip and crossed the room. She bent down. She heard the door close behind her. Beryl prayed that she had not been left alone in the room with the Solarian Princess. Her imagination warned her of the abuses Orleana may force her to endure, now that Algernon could no longer protect her.
"See, your highness," Quarro stated, "We will find Endymion in no time. You got upset over nothing."
"We haven't captured the prince yet," replied Orleana.
The princess' temper errupted again when a new knock was heard at her door.
"What now?" Orleana snarled impatiently to the Solarian Soldier who had entered. The man crossed the room to Quarro. He handed the advisor a scroll of paper and left. Quarro unrolled the parchment. After he finished reading its contents, he handed the scroll to Orleana. Both the princess and the advisor had forgotten about the young red-head picking up pieces of porcelain at the other end of the room.
Orleana shook her head. The writing appeared to be in some sort of code.
"I don't understand," confessed the princess.
"Of course you don't," Quarro muttered. He grasped the scroll and tucked it underneath his left arm. "It's a correspondence from our military base here. A bit of energy was detected entering the Earth's atmosphere."
"So?"
"So," Quarro repeated, "The source of the energy was investigated. It came from the Moon."
"A retaliation?" gasped the princess.
"No, nothing like that!" laughed Quarro. "It was much too small to be considered a retaliation. The levels are equivalent to what is normally used to transport individuals."
Orleana's eyes widened. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
"How many individuals?" the princess tenatively questioned. Quarro was not yet aware of the implications of such a revelation, but a former Senshi-in- training was.
The advisor again removed and unrolled the scroll. As he reread the energy level, he shrugged.
"It was a faint trace," he muttered. Shrugging, Quarro said, "I would say only one individual. Someone small, perhaps..."
"A woman?" suggested the princess. She knew that the Senshi would not let an attack on the Moon Castle go unpunished for long.
Quarro shook his head. "Perhaps. Whoever it is must be taken care of. I must go and fetch some men to find the Lunarian."
"You can't use ordinary men to stop that intruder," Orleana calmly stated.
"Why not?"
"Because," Orleana said, wringing her hands together, "Senshi are too powerful. Regular soldiers—even an army of regular soldiers—would just be cannon fodder to a Sailor Senshi."
"Well, princess," Quarro sighed, "What do you need to stop such an opponent?"
Orleana smiled.
"Another Senshi."
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End of Chapter 11
As always, I beg for reviews! I'll post the next chapter in a week or so.
Hollie
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Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
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Light of Love: Red Moon Chapter 11: The Missing Prince
The repeated sounds of fists striking wood echoed in Jedite's ears, interrupting the guardian's sleep. Initially, the knocking was slow and constant, but quickly became more persistent and intense.
Jedite, unwilling to awake at such an early hour, grasped each end of his pillow and wrapped it around his head. Even muffled by the feathers and fabric, the pounding still disrupted Jedite's sleep. He rolled over to his right side, away from the noise. He clamped his already closed eyes even tighter.
Across the room from Jedite lay Zoicite. The knocking caused the red headed man to also stir in his cot. His brown eyes snapped open. As his gaze focused on the stone ceiling above his head, Zoicite groaned. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his forehead with his left hand. Rolling his head to his right and opening his eyes, Zoicite observed the crumpled mound of Jedite in the cot on the opposite side of the room. Zoicite's nut- brown eyes glanced dubiously to the door between them. The thick wooden boards shook from the loud pounding. Dust particles freed themselves from the door and clouded in the single ray of sunlight cascading into the room.
"For crying out loud, Jedite!" growled Zoicite, "Get up and answer the door."
The guardian tossed a pillow at his companion. The padded white object bounced off of Jedite's shoulder and landed on the floor. Zoicite muttered peevishly and sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he crawled out from beneath his bedclothes and crossed the room. The cold tile floor stung his bare feet. Pausing at the door, Zoicite glanced to his companion, and observed that Jedite's cot was several feet closer to the door than his own.
"No need for you to get up, Jedite."
The red-headed guardian tossed his loose, tangled mane of auburn hair over his shoulder and unbolted the door. A man dressed in a Terran Soldier's uniform tumbled into the room. Correcting his stance, the soldier straightened out the bottom of his coat. He carefully smoothed his mane of brown curly locks and gently placed them over his right shoulder. Unlike Zoicite and Jedite, this man was wide awake and neatly groomed. No lint was visible on his starched and pressed dark blue uniform.
The soldier turned to face the bleary-eyed red-head. Zoicite groaned.
"Nephrite," he muttered beneath his breath.
Zoicite blinked his eyes repeatedly as he silently pondered if he was dreaming. Obviously, the guardian thought to himself, if he was still asleep, then he was in the middle of a nightmare. He casually crossed his arms and discreetly pinched himself in the side. The sharp pain made Zoicite jump a little. No, this most certainly was not a dream.
Nephrite was really there.
"When did you get here?" he curiously inquired.
"Early this morning," Nephrite replied. "Kunzite dispatched me from Ellysion last night after the strange explosions occurred. I've been riding all night."
"What explosions?" Jedite demanded. Upon hearing Nephrite's voice, the blonde-headed guardian had released the death-grip on his pillow and rolled over.
"You didn't see those bright flashes last night?" The two pairs of tired, curious eyes that peered back at Nephrite was answer enough for his question. The soldier smirked as he muttered, "I suppose you both were too far into your ale and women to notice."
Jedite opened his mouth to rebuff the brunette man. Images of pints and buxom women flashed into his fuzzy, dehydrated mind. The blonde snapped his jaw together and shrugged with indifference.
"Oh, you are referring to the lightning?" casually responded Zoicite. He shuffled across to the wash basin located at the foot of his cot.
A self-preserved and enthusiastic, "Yeah!" emerged from Jedite's dry mouth. Both Zoicite and Nephrite stared at him with confusion. "I mean," stammered the blonde, for it really was far too early for him to be thinking clearly, "Yeah, we saw it. In the stables. That lighting storm."
"It was hardly what I could call lightening," Nephrite laughed. "The light was from some sort of energy blast. It was so intense, I am surprised you were so quick to dismiss it."
"Perhaps it was more vibrant in Ellysion," snapped Zoicite. He grasped the large porcelain pitcher in his hand and poured a small amount of water into the basin.
"Perhaps," Nephrite repeated, eyeing Zoicite as he splashed water over his face. "Helios said that the prince may be in great danger, so Kunzite sent me here to check on him."
"How noble of you," hissed Jedite. He rubbed his eyes and licked his lips. His mouth was dry. Standing, Jedite crossed the room, bumping Nephrite in the shoulder as he walked past. Joining Zoicite at the wash basin, Jedite grasped the handle of the water pitcher and raised it to his lips. His loud slurps echoed in the pitcher.
Nephrite winced at the pair. "I had hoped that your bad breeding had not rubbed off on the prince."
Jedite set the pitcher on the bureau and wiped his moistened lips with the back of his hand. He flashed a whimsical smile at Nephrite, who shook his head.
"Where is the prince?" Nephrite finally demanded.
"Unless your racket disturbed him," Jedite responded, motioning toward the closed door leading to Endymion's sleeping quarters, "I would guess that he is still asleep."
"Too much fun out with the pair of you, eh?" mused Nephrite. He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced to the door leading to the inner chamber.
"The King is furious with him," Nephrite commented, "I am certain that at his age, the prince prefers to be in the company of you two, but that is no excuse for missing an important supper!"
"What do you mean?" questioned Zoicite.
Nephrite ignored red-head's interjection. Instead, he continued to rant while pacing the room and occasionally throwing his arms in the air.
"Endymion is just lucky that his presence was not so important last night. Princess Orleana did not arrive, so King Demetrious is willing to excuse his indiscretion. However, gentlemen, the princess is scheduled to arrive at any minute this morning, and Endymion is expected to be present for the hunt this afternoon. Do you understand me?"
Both guardians dumbly nodded. Nephrite's mention of Endymion's absence at supper was still filtering through Jedite and Zoicite's tired heads. Jedite's confusion stemmed from his moments with the prince the night before, when Endymion had dressed for supper. At that time, the prince had not indicated that he was not attending the dinner. In fact, Jedite was certain that Endymion was on his way to the dining hall when he left his chambers. When Endymion had not met his guardians at the tavern later that evening, Zoicite suggested that young prince had either retired early or had been too busy entertaining the Solar Princess to notice the late hour.
Jedite and Zoicite now glanced across the room at each other. Nephrite, who was still pacing the room, did not notice the exchange. Endymion's guardians knew that the prince could be irresponsible, but he was not in the habit of skipping important events.
"We'll let him know once he has awakened," Zoicite muttered absently.
Nephrite stopped pacing about the room and eyed the two disheveled guardians.
"Good. Oh, and can you see to it that Endymion comes and sees me later this morning?"
"I really hate that guy!" Jedite declared once Nephrite had left the chamber and closed the door behind him.
Zoicite threw his loose auburn locks over his shoulder and stood rigid. Raising his nose slightly in the air, he mockingly said, in a deeper voice, "Oh, can you see to it that Endymion sees me later this morning?"
Jedite laughed.
"If Endymion skipped out on us and the king, I at least hope that he was up to no good!" heckled the blonde. He casually rapped his knuckles on the door leading to the inner chamber.
"With a pretty maid!" agreed Zoicite. He pulled his auburn locks back and secured the hair into a pony tail at the nape of his neck. Zoicite then picked his crumpled blue trousers off of the floor and began to put them on.
Giggling, Jedite called toward the door, "Wake up, Endymion. You have a lot of explaining to do!"
"Perhaps it was the pretty red-headed maiden who caught your eye," Zoicite suggested, lacing up the front of his pants.
"That's not funny!" snapped Jedite. He grinned and again turned toward the door, "Come on, sleepy prince. Get up!"
When there was again no response, Jedite leaned his ear toward the door. He expected to hear a rustling noise or perhaps the prince's heavy breathing. Jedite glanced away from the door. He heard nothing. His concerned grey eyes locked with Zoicite's. The red-headed guardian had just pulled his linen undershirt over his head. He pulled his ponytail out through the neck hole. Zoicite frowned at Jedite's expression.
"What is it?"
"I don't think he's here," Jedite commented.
He stepped away from the door to permit the other guardian to stand before it. Zoicite pounded his fist against the heavy wood several times.
"Endymion?" Zoicite's voice was more determined and stern than Jedite's had been. The red-head leaned his head forward, straining to hear a response.
Zoicite glanced wearily at Jedite. He tested the door handle. The metal twisted in his hand. The red-headed guardian paused before pushing the door open. The two men slowly entered the room.
The stone-walled chamber was as cold as a tomb. A large, neatly made four- poster bed greeted the pair. Jedite crossed over to the opposite side of the bed, while Zoicite threw up the duvet and looked under the mattress. After determining that the prince was not hiding under the bed, Zoicite walked to the fireplace on the opposite side of the chamber. Crouching, he placed a hand over the burned logs. A cold draft drifted from the flue. The red-head stood up and stepped toward the massive oak wardrobe that he and Jedite had moved the night before. The huge furnishing did not appear as though it had been upset or shifted from its position over the secret passage.
"He's not here," Jedite finally muttered. His conclusion was so obvious that it caused the more serious Zoicite to snort.
"I am glad that has been cleared up," responded Zoicite.
"Well, where is he?"
"How would I know?"
"You are more insightful."
"You saw him last."
"True," admitted Jedite. He crossed to the window and peered out at the grey, frozen world beyond the pane of glass. "Maybe he went out for a ride."
"All night?" Zoicite countered. "Anyway, his horse was still in its stable last night."
"Good point."
"Was he acting strangely when you last saw him?" questioned Zoicite.
Jedite laughed. "No more than usual. He even seemed to have recovered from his earlier fit. He said he would join us after supper. I even made him take his cloak and sword with him."
Zoicite paced the room. He pinched his chin with his thumb and forefinger. Pausing, he stared at the floor tiles.
"Perhaps Nephrite is right," Zoicite concluded, "Maybe the prince is in danger."
Shrugging, Jedite shook head and tossed his empty hands in the air. "What are we to do, then?"
Zoicite bit his lower lip. Sighing with exasperation, he muttered, "Unfortunately, I think we will have to tell Nephrite."
The blonde rolled his grey eyes to the ceiling. As he crossed the room, Jedite said, "I better get dressed, then."
***********************
Meanwhile, in another room in Jade Castle, the princes of the Sun stood next to a window and scowled as she surveyed the landscape. Flat fields covered with grey snow greeted her orange gaze. Near the horizon were naked, frost-bitten trees; their skeleton branches stretched up to the lifeless grey sky above.
Orleana lowered her eyes. She withdrew her hand from the grimy-green stone of the windowsill. She wrinkled her nose as she inhaled the damp, musty smell of her room. She swallowed her disgust like bitter medicine.
She had never imagined that a place as dreary as the Solar Castle existed on the Earth. Now, as she raised her scrutinizing gaze up to the low ceiling of her guest quarters, the princess realized with misery that Jade Castle was as depressing and ugly as her own palace. She had just arrived, and already, she longed to return home.
Two Solarian Soldiers stood behind Orleana. One cleared his throat.
The princess jumped slightly as she remembered the two men in the room with her. Orleana squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a deep breath. She longed for privacy. She wanted to be anywhere but in this horrid black room on this horrible little planet. She wished that she was in her old bed chamber on the Moon, surrounded by light. If only she were alone, Orleana silently thought to herself, she might be able to relax.
"Your highness," stated one of the soldiers, "please tell us how to proceed."
Orleana's eyes snapped open. Irritation smoldered in each firey orb. She stared at the small end table on her left. Orleana wanted to reach for the two painted vases resting on the tabletop and hurl them at the Solarian men. The princess rolled her eyes to the ceiling and again focused her gaze to the drab world outside. An exasperated sigh escaped from her mouth. She clenched her fists against her sides.
"Kill him," she said. A cloud of breath fogged the glass before her. She frowned at the pane and wiped the condensation with the back of her right sleeve.
"Kill him?" parroted one of the soldiers. His eyes widened as he repeated her suggestion.
"Yes!" Orleana snapped. She turned to face the two uniformed men. She crossed her arms over her chest as she added simply, "That is what we do with prisoners."
"But, your highness," gasped the other soldier. He was younger than the first man; his voice cracked when he spoke. "We can not kill the Terran Prince! Your father is arranging for you to marry Endymion."
"So what?" the princess responded. She rubbed her brow with her left hand. She stifled a yawn and continued, "I have no desire to marry--much less marry someone who can't keep out of other people's affairs!"
"Your father sees it differently," said the first soldier.
"If he sees this differently," Orleana retorted sourly, "then perhaps he should take care of this issue himself, instead of pawning it on me, when I have barely arrived here!"
She stopped abruptly once she realized that she was shouting. Her words bounced off of the stones and thick wooden beams of the chamber. She scowled and rubbed her temples with her fingertips.
Her eyes burned for sleep. Her joints ached from travel. She turned her weary gaze to the bright red uniforms of the two Solarian soldiers standing before her. Orleana sighed—-this time, in defeat.
"Fine, then," she muttered. Orleana waved her right hand in the air as she stated, "Bring him back to the castle. Perhaps we can sneak him back here before he wakes." She laughed. "If Terrans are as daft as I've heard, he may just attibute last night's events to a bad dream."
"I am afraid it's too late for that!" a masculine voice boomed. Orleana turned. A tall, thin man with long fingers, a narrow nose, and thick lips approached from the shadows. He removed the hat from his bald, shiny head. The man stood before the princess and bowed. He smiled. Orleana shuddered. She tried to mask her disgust.
"Quarro," Orleana said cooly to her father's closest advisor. She extended her right hand.
The man squeezeed her fingers. Even through her glove, Orleana could feel his bony joints. He leaned forward to kiss her knuckles, but princess flinched and withdrew her hand before his full, plump lips could touch the fabric of her glove. She turned and motioned to the two soldiers.
"These men say that the Terran Prince has been captured," Orleana stated. She raised her glowing orange eyes to meet Quarro's tepid yellow gaze. "I say we kill him."
"As much as I would like to carry out your wishes, your highness," Quarro said, "I can not. Your father is arranging your marriage to Prince Endymion as we speak."
He pursed his thick lips together. He smiled and shrugged at the disbelief in the princess' face. He pressed the fingertips of each of his hands together in front of his chest.
"I am so sorry, princess," stated the advisor.
Orleana glared at Quarro. She knew he wasn't sorry for anything. He relished her humilation. The princess growled and stomped her foot. She reached for the red vase from the table and hurled against the floor as she screamed with rage.
Quarro ignored her temper and continued to speak.
"And anyway," he said, a small devious smile sprouting in the corners of his mouth, "The prince has escaped. He's gone."
The two soldiers gasped. A chill sliced up Orleana's back. She raised her eyes from the smashed bits of porcelain and glared at Quarro. The smile on the thin man's face widened.
"Sorry," said the advisor.
"What the hell do you mean, 'He's gone?'" Orleana demanded.
"He's gone," Quarro repeated. "He's not in the cave."
"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Orleana shouted. She paced the floor of her cramped chamber. "Who was in charge of watching him?"
"A couple of...soldiers," Quarro hissed. He cast a disdained look to the two men in red uniforms. He snickered.
Orleana glanced to the pair of soldiers. Both men appeared terribly uncomfortable. The princess hardly cared how she behaved in front of the men in her father's army; however, Orleana dismissed the soldiers before she and Quarro continued their conversation regarding the Terran Prince. Once the men closed the doors to Orleana's chamber, the princess errupted into a rage.
"What is going on here?" she demanded.
"I told you, your highness, the prince escaped," Quarro stated calmly.
"Does my father know about this?" asked Orleana. Surely, she could not be expected to take care of this problem for the King. She was, afterall, only his daughter.
Quarro nodded. He held his neatly manicured nails up to the light of the window and sighed.
"He does indeed." Quarro stated. "He would like for you to be in charge of finding Endymion."
"I don't want to look for the prince!" cried Orleana. "It's not my job to hunt for him. I'll tell my father that I won't do it! Right now!"
Orleana crossed the room. She was about to turn the handle and open the door to her chambers when Quarro's words stopped her.
"Your father has too much on his plate, I'm afraid," he stated. "What with arranging your marriage, setting up an allegience with the Terran King, and attacking the Moon from the Earth behind the Terran King's back, I'm afraid King Nefar is having a hard time prioritizing."
The Solar Princess shuddered. The attack on the Moon had happened moments after Orleana had been expelled from the planet by Princess Serenity. Of course, King Nefar and his assistant had no idea that Orleana was on the Moon that day.
The princess shook her head. She refused to turn to face Nefar's advisor.
"I don't care how occupied my father is, Quarro," she stated through clenched teeth. "I am not fixing his mistake." Orleana thought briefly about her mother, and of the sacrifices she had already made for her. She would not become a slave to both of her parents—especially not for her father.
A knock on her chamber door interrupted Orleana's thoughts. The princess jumped back from the door in surprise. She turned and cast a questioning look at Quarro. The assitant merely shrugged at her. A sigh of exasperation escaped from Orleana's lips as she crossed to the opposite side of the room. She spun around and faced the door with her hands crossed over her chest.
"Enter!" she commanded, much like she did in her own castle.
A young man with dirty blonde hair and a pocked face greeted her. The clothes he wore appeared to have been made of fine fabrics, but many washings had left the material threadbare and dull. He was a plump man, but his jacket still appeared too large for his frame.
Just behind the man, cowering in the shadows of the hallway, stood a red- headed woman. Orleana recognized, from the girl's simple blouse and skirt, that the red-head was a servant of some kind. The princess grimaced as she and the girl made eye contact. Orleana had never been fond of servants.
The young man bowed. Orleana frowned.
"What do you want?" the princess demanded. She was not in the mood for niceties. Quarro stepped in front of Princess Orleana and led the man and woman into the chamber.
"Your highness," Quarro said, motioning toward the young man. "This is Algernon. His father is the Duke of the Puissant Territory."
Orleana shrugged. Quarro cleared his throat and continued.
"Jade Castle is Algernon's home," the King's assistant stated. "He was also placed in charge of the prisoner."
"Endymion is my cousin, Princess Orleana," young Algernon stated. His voice cracked. His swollen, bloated form stepped into the light. Algernon's smile revealed jagged, pointed teeth.
"Your cousin!" Orleana echoed. "You must not be very close, then?"
Algernon shook his head.
"Indeed, no," the young man stated, smiling.
"And you are the incompetant who was in charge of looking after the Terran Prince," muttered Orleana.
Algernon laughed nervously.
"Well, his presence last night came as quite a surprise to me and my father, I assure you," the young man stated, lacing his fingers together. "He was supposed to be in the castle last night, not running across the coutryside in search of your father's, ah, project? One of your father's men hit Endymion on the head pretty hard, though. We didn't think he would need much supervision."
"You are very stupid, then," Orleana stated. She crossed to the window. She spotted a forest of bare trees on the horizon. "He has a severe head injury," she muttered. "If he is unarmed, how far can he get?" she pondered. Her breath again clouded the pane of glass.
"Um, your highness," Algernon interrupted. He cleared his throat and raised his left index finger. "About the unarmed thing..."
Orleana felt the rage flush her cheeks. She turned away from the window. She looked Algernon in the eye. If Algernon had not appeared worried before, he certainly did now.
"The prince has a weapon," the princess stated. Algernon silently nodded. "Why didn't you take his weapon?"
"We did! It's just that, well," Alergnon giggled nervously and scratched the back of his head. He twisted and motioned to the red-headed girl who now stood near the chamber door. She was so quiet and meek that Orleana had forgotten her presence. "Beryl didn't realize that he was better..."
Orleana walked across the room to the red-head. The princess guessed that they were both the same height, but the girl slumped her shoulders forward, as if trying to disappear. The princess of the Sun towered over the girl.
"Are you Beryl?" Orleana questioned.
The red-head raised her gaze. The girl remained silent. She slowly nodded her head. Orleana reached her right hand out and slapped Beryl across the left cheek. Beryl let out a yelp. She covered her face with her left hand and glared at the princess. A small tear pooled in the corner of her left eye.
"Now see here!" Algernon protested. He attempted to walk toward the princess, but Quarro stepped in front of him.
"That's for being completely useless," Orleana calmly told Beryl. "Be glad I don't do anything more to you!"
Quarro cleared his throat. Orleana spun away from Beryl. She crossed to the opposite side of the room.
"So, we must conclude, then," Quarro said, "That Endymion is armed, and recovering..."
"And travelling on foot," Algernon added.
"Oh good," Orlean sourly commented, "I'm so glad to hear that you didn't also give him a horse."
Quarro snickered. "Well, then, he couldn't have gone very far so he should not be too difficult for us to capture. If we are lucky, he might come straight back here. Algernon, can you have some of your men set up an ambush near the castle? I would hope that your men be smart enough to disguise themselves as thieves or some such thing."
"I'll get on it immediately," Algernon stated, bowing. He turned to leave the room. Beryl stepped behind him to follow.
"Beryl!" Orleana called after. The red-head hesitated, and turned to look at the princess. Orleana smiled wickedly as she motioned to the smashed porcelain on the floor and said, "This vase fell from the table. Clean it up."
Beryl's green eyes widened with horror. She turned to Algernon, who had waited for her. The young man silently nodded to the red-head. Beryl bit her lip and crossed the room. She bent down. She heard the door close behind her. Beryl prayed that she had not been left alone in the room with the Solarian Princess. Her imagination warned her of the abuses Orleana may force her to endure, now that Algernon could no longer protect her.
"See, your highness," Quarro stated, "We will find Endymion in no time. You got upset over nothing."
"We haven't captured the prince yet," replied Orleana.
The princess' temper errupted again when a new knock was heard at her door.
"What now?" Orleana snarled impatiently to the Solarian Soldier who had entered. The man crossed the room to Quarro. He handed the advisor a scroll of paper and left. Quarro unrolled the parchment. After he finished reading its contents, he handed the scroll to Orleana. Both the princess and the advisor had forgotten about the young red-head picking up pieces of porcelain at the other end of the room.
Orleana shook her head. The writing appeared to be in some sort of code.
"I don't understand," confessed the princess.
"Of course you don't," Quarro muttered. He grasped the scroll and tucked it underneath his left arm. "It's a correspondence from our military base here. A bit of energy was detected entering the Earth's atmosphere."
"So?"
"So," Quarro repeated, "The source of the energy was investigated. It came from the Moon."
"A retaliation?" gasped the princess.
"No, nothing like that!" laughed Quarro. "It was much too small to be considered a retaliation. The levels are equivalent to what is normally used to transport individuals."
Orleana's eyes widened. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach.
"How many individuals?" the princess tenatively questioned. Quarro was not yet aware of the implications of such a revelation, but a former Senshi-in- training was.
The advisor again removed and unrolled the scroll. As he reread the energy level, he shrugged.
"It was a faint trace," he muttered. Shrugging, Quarro said, "I would say only one individual. Someone small, perhaps..."
"A woman?" suggested the princess. She knew that the Senshi would not let an attack on the Moon Castle go unpunished for long.
Quarro shook his head. "Perhaps. Whoever it is must be taken care of. I must go and fetch some men to find the Lunarian."
"You can't use ordinary men to stop that intruder," Orleana calmly stated.
"Why not?"
"Because," Orleana said, wringing her hands together, "Senshi are too powerful. Regular soldiers—even an army of regular soldiers—would just be cannon fodder to a Sailor Senshi."
"Well, princess," Quarro sighed, "What do you need to stop such an opponent?"
Orleana smiled.
"Another Senshi."
------------------------------
End of Chapter 11
As always, I beg for reviews! I'll post the next chapter in a week or so.
Hollie