Welcome, welcome! I can hardly believe that not a week has passed and already, I am posting another chapter. This chapter and the previous chapter were originally part of one huge chapter, but it wasn't meshing well. After a couple of rewrites, this thing looks completely different from my original draft. Thankfully, it is better this way. The previous version was stagnant and boring. I hope you find this one more entertaining. Sorry, in advance for the odd breaks between sections. keeps erasing the symbols I used to use.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Do I still have to write this every time?
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In the last chapter, Serenity had a bath, got her hair combed out by a more than accommodating Jedite, and found out that Endymion is the prince, not necessarily in that order. Oh, and Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter had a moment in of pause in the forest due to the latter's injuries.
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Light of Love: Red Moon
Chapter 22: Serenity revealed
The sun had faded quickly behind the horizon that night, bathing the village of Alendoor in darkness. The temperature dropped just as fast, leaving the town icy and cold. Once the sun and warmth had gone for the night, everyone in the village hastily retreated indoors. The chilly conditions were not the only reason for their haste; a strange, ominous feeling hung in the frozen atmosphere. The innkeeper commented at supper that only the very brave or the very foolish would dare to venture out of doors on such a black night.
"Something very bad is about to happen," the old man declared boldly. "I feel it in me bones!"
His statement made Serenity shiver.
"Oh, I'm tired of you and your superstitions!" the innkeeper's wife peevishly snapped. She dropped her metal spoon onto the empty plate in front of her with a clatter.
The jarring noise made Serenity jump. Her nerves, still raw from the day's events, were just barely holding up. Considering all that had happened, Serenity silently wondered why she didn't use her crescent moon pendant and go home. What could she accomplish by remaining on the Earth? Linnaus was dead. Queen Metallia had invaded. The planet was crawling with Cavern Dwellers. She could barely look at Endymion, now that she knew his true identity. Why remain on Terran soil when now seemed like the best time to make a hasty exit?
The princess clamped her eyes shut and allowed the conversation at the table to drown in her ears. Serenity's right hand shook when she recalled her earlier encounter in the meadow with the Cavern Dweller. Had Zoicite's arrow not found its mark, then the injured Solarian would have surely killed her.
Her lids opened. The princess discreetly lifted her eyes from her food and glanced to her left, where the red-headed guardian was seated. Zoicite glowered back at her. Serenity recoiled. She averted her focus back to the table directly in front of her and sighed.
Her mind felt twisted and knotted. This morning, her only thought had been to locate Linnaus. How strange it was that so much could change in such a short expanse of time, she bitterly thought to herself. She peered across the table at Endymion. His eyes met hers. He held his spoon up and playfully winked at her before taking bite of food.
Shame suddenly washed over Serenity. She averted her eyes from the boy seated across from her. The princess felt selfish for knowing that he was a prince while he still thought of her as a commoner.
The princess had not intended for this to happen. Earlier, she had told Jedite that she wanted to talk to Endymion in private. She had planned to take him aside right away and tell him that she knew who he was. She also considered revealing that she was the Moon Princess. Serenity waited for an opportunity to present itself, but the prince and princess were consistently surrounded by other people throughout the evening. It was unfortunate timing for the princess, and the longer Serenity waited, the harder it was to tell him. A sinking feeling of dread bore deeper into Serenity's stomach when she merely imagined the conversation him. She was consumed with self-loathing and guilt because of it.
That morning, when she thought Endymion was just a Terran boy who had volunteered to help her, Serenity had regarded him differently. He had been brave. He had been protective. He had been common.
Best of all, Serenity glumly realized, was that Endymion thought she was common, too. Once she revealed that she was the Moon princess, their charade would be over.
Throughout the evening, Serenity had watched the Terran prince from the corner of her eye. She no longer regarded him as Mamo, her savior, but as Endymion, the Crown Prince of the Earth. He was the same as before; he was still kind and thoughtful. The difference of who Endymion was lived inside of Serenity's mind; he was now different to her, so she attributed his actions to his regal birth. Serenity noticed that he grew embarrassed when the innkeeper and his wife lavished special attention on him. Endymion behaved graciously over their hospitality, but he expressed himself awkwardly. Serenity thought that his humility did not exist because he was common, but because he was a prince who was treated according to his birthright.
Serenity hated that she regarded him differently. She didn't want to spoil their current rapport by thinking in such terms. Clearly, the dynamic of their friendship was already severely altered by her knowledge of his identity as the Terran prince. What damage would her revelation do to Endymion? Would he feel betrayed when she told him she was the Moon princess?
She hated to think it, but she was afraid to tell him. She fretted over his response. She couldn't bear the thought of Endymion despising her for lying to him.
Endymion deserved to know who she really was. It didn't matter if he hated her for it, or if he felt betrayed because of it. He was the Terran prince; she was the Moon princess. And anyway, if he cared as much for his kingdom as Serenity did for hers, then Endymion would want to know about the threat of Metallia and her dangerous followers. The prince may even be able help Serenity contact her mother. They could work together to save their worlds. Serenity had never considered such an option.
"Are you okay?" chorused both Jedite and Endymion from across the table.
Throughout her internal reverie, Serenity's face had contorted into a contemplative frown. Her sour expression was not missed by her two admirers at the table. Zoicite, on the other hand, scowled at Endymion and Jedite's question and returned to eating his supper.
Serenity flinched with surprise. Her blue eyes darted up. The princess stared at both the prince and his guardian vacantly.
Endymion, upon hearing Jedite's voice overlapping his, frowned with annoyance. The prince glanced sideways at the blonde guardian with a disapproving grimace. Jedite shrugged with indifference; he focused all of his attention back to the princess. He leaned forward. Endymion also leaned forward, elbowing the blonde man in the arm. Jedite shoved back with his own arm. The two men elbowed each other several times, each vying to reach the princess' free hand first. Endymion clearly had the advantage; unlike Jedite, the prince was seated directly across from Serenity. The blonde guardian sat on Endymion's left side, which meant a larger gap of space between him and the princess.
Zoicite inwardly reeled. Jedite and Endymion often made fools of themselves in public, but the red-head regarded their present behavior as an all-new low. The two men acted like a pair of obnoxious schoolboys fighting over something trivial like a last piece of chocolate cake. Zoicite cast look at Serenity. If not for the long blonde braid trailing down the center of her back, she could easily be mistaken for a young lad. In her present garb—the dead boy's clothes—she looked even less like a girl than before. She couldn't look any less womanly if she had tried. She was a child. Zoicite rolled his brown eyes to the ceiling. His prince and his comrade were making a spectacle of themselves over an underdeveloped kid.
Finally, after several amusing moments, the shoving match ended with Endymion the victor. A strange, guttural noise emerged from Jedite's throat. He refocused his attention on eating his food.
Triumphant—and pleased that Jedite was sulking instead of shoving him in the arm—Endymion reached his left hand out and gently touched Serenity's wrist.
His fingers sparked her skin like static. The princess jerked back. Wide, startled blue eyes met Endymion's midnight orbs. A blush crept into Serenity's cheeks. With just a touch and a look, the prince ensnared the Moon Princess in rapt attention. Everyone else in the room—Jedite, Zoicite, the innkeeper and his wife—disappeared from Serenity's sight. All of her earlier worries dissolved. The princess wanted to drown into depths of his twilight eyes. Endymion was the only person who mattered, more than her mother or her responsibilities. His eyes sparkled with promise; he wouldn't expect her to shoulder any burden alone.
A burst of wind howled outside. Behind the princess, the fire in the hearth accepted the extra gust of air that blew down the flue with a roar. Serenity jumped forward; Endymion's steady grip kept the princess from falling into the table in front of her. Serenity hastily lowered herself back into her seat just before another harsh breeze blew against the exterior walls of the inn. A bare tree branch scraped against one window pane. A faint whisper breathed through the gaps in the building's walls.
"Serenity…"
Her hand jerked out of Endymion's immediate reach. The girl clamped her eyes shut. Linnaus' voice scratched the interior shell of ears. She closed her fingers into tight fists. She sucked in a deep breath. Her heart no longer beat steadily; it thumped heavily against her breastbone. She clenched her teeth together.
Using all of her inner strength, Serenity resisted Linnaus' pull. She could not fall under his spell now, not when Endymion and the others were present. The princess suddenly realized that her dead cousin would not stop calling for her until she succumbed to his cries and released his soul. Her attempts to resist were, in the long run, pointless.
Serenity's distracted mind was enough for Linnaus' trance to take its hold. Her head swam. Her limbs felt like lead. A dead, frozen forest illuminated by faint moonlight flashed into her mind's eye. Her body was cold. She shivered.
Endymion's voice pulled her back from the edge of her cousin's summoning.
"Usa, what is it?" the prince quietly questioned with genuine concern. He leaned further across the table and again placed his hand on Serenity's hand.
His touch dissolved any lingering effects of Linnaus' call. Slowly, Serenity opened her blue eyes. She trembled.
"What was it?" Endymion said out loud, "You're shaking,"
He peered suspiciously around the room. Serenity quietly watched him. The regard he cast at the walls made the princess' mind race. Hope welled into her heart and then sunk back to her stomach. Had Endymion heard Linnaus' voice, too?
"Her hair's probably still damp," chortled the innkeeper's wife, breaking the connection between the prince and princess. "Her clothes'll probably be dry before that rat's nest on her head."
The princess cast a look of disdain in the elder woman's direction. Endymion squeezed her wrist to draw her attention back to him. This time, his fingers sent a buzz of energy through Serenity's arm. The girl twisted her head and focused her eyes on the hand presently wrapped around her small wrist. Serenity's gaze trailed from Endymion's fingers, up his arm, to his shoulder, and rested his face. His strong features were lined with concern. His midnight eyes compelled her to speak. She licked her lips before doing so.
She had so much that she wanted to tell him—needed to tell him—but she was loath to begin. Linnaus' sudden intrusion on her across-the-table moment with Endymion caused her to realize that she was bound by her duties as the Moon Princess. Linnaus wouldn't let her rest peacefully until his soul was released from his body.
"Cat caught your tongue?" Zoicite sneered from his position at the table.
Endymion's kind gaze smoldered with irritation. He eyed the guardian with reprimand. He was quickly growing tired of Zoicite and Jedite. One visibly resented the princess, while the other seemed enamored with her. The two extremes in the guardians' feelings for her made the prince's head ache. He longed for how it was the day before, when he and Serenity were alone. Things had seemed much simpler—dangerous, of course, but simpler.
Another burst of wind hit the side of the inn. This breeze was more forceful and persistent than the previous two. More tree branches scraped more windows, creating a crescendo of ear-splitting noise. Everyone in the dining room winced when they heard it, save for Endymion and Serenity. The prince kept his eyes focused on the girl, watchful of her response. She had started to shake again, but it wasn't from the noise. She seemed to be bracing herself; for what, Endymion wasn't sure. He suspected that he knew, though.
The breeze blew harder; the sound of it reminded Endymion of blowing out several candles at once with a single breath. The gust pressed harder against the windows, almost like it wanted to get inside. A draught finally blew in. Air hissed through slight cracks in the walls and tickled the back of Endymion's neck. He thought he heard a whisper in the wind.
"Come to me…"
The same voice that had ensnared Serenity the night before had returned. Endymion thought the tenor sounded familiar to him, like he had heard it some place before. His mind began to wander, trying to place the voice.
Endymion's thought process was interrupted by a massive, jolting wave of emotions and energy. His heart seared like it was being torn from his chest while his stomach constricted and knotted. His body began to spasm. He felt himself fall off of the bench. Jedite leaned forward and caught him before the prince's back made contact with the floorboards underneath.
On the opposite side of the table, Serenity abruptly stood up. Zoicite jerked as the long bench he shared with the princess was suddenly pulled out from beneath him. He opened his mouth to reprimand the girl, but he noticed that something was clearly not right with her. Her body, like the prince's, was shaking, although her jerks and trembles seemed different from Endymion's. She clenched her hands at her sides. Her body turned rigid. Her neck twitched. From watching her, Zoicite observed that much of her spasm was caused by self-containment. His suspicion was confirmed when he heard Serenity speak.
"Not now," she whimpered in a terrified voice, "Please, not now."
Her last statement was punctuated by a blinding light. Zoicite shielded his face from the explosion. His eyes stung from the radiance. He squinted and lowered his arm just slightly. The light disappeared just as quickly, but not before Zoicite noted that the power had come from the girl. More pointedly, the explosion had resonated from the center of her forehead. The blast had blown her bangs away from the spot, revealing an upturned crescent moon located just above and between Serenity's eyebrows. The symbol still glittered with light.
Serenity leaned forward and placed her hands on the edge of the dining table. Her back arched with each deep breath she took in. Her trembles had subsided considerably, but her body still tingled from adrenaline and fright. She swallowed the build-up of mucus that had found its way into her mouth. She licked her lips and clamped her eyes shut.
Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Linnaus' calling was more persistent than it had been earlier in the afternoon. She had used all of the strength she had to resist falling into a trance, and even then, it nearly wasn't enough.
The princess slowly opened her eyes. Situated across the table from her, now on the floor, were Endymion and Jedite. The guardian was supporting his prince with his right arm. Endymion looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. A layer of sweat was visible on his brow. His breathing, like her own, was heavy and labored.
The princess' heart pinched with guilt. She had caused this. She had hurt him.
Endymion's link with Serenity tugged his attention from his own injuries. His midnight gaze, so intently focused on the floor just moments before, drifted to the princess. The sight he beheld caused him to blink with surprise. He shook his head. Surely, he must be dreaming.
She glowed. Her skin radiated with a strange, ethereal brilliance that he vaguely remembered seeing previously. Her light penetrated through the barrier of the table between them. He could still feel Jedite's supporting arm pressing into his back, but everything around him disappeared. He and Serenity alone shared the space. Though she still wore the dead boy's clothes—Endymion could see the sagging fabric outline on her form—Serenity's glowing silhouette was dressed in a filmy floor-length gown with a dipped square neckline. Her golden hair was no longer contained in its simple braid but was splayed around her shoulders, left to cascade in gentle ripples to the floor.
Endymion squinted. He rattled his brain to remember why this vision was so familiar to him. His eye was distracted by a silvery, sparkling light on Serenity's forehead. He focused his attention to the upturned crescent moon. He remembered seeing the very symbol in the reflection of his own forehead when he was a Lunarian in one of his visions. His face filtered with sudden recognition. His chest swelled as he realized what—or more specifically, who—he was looking at. She was the very person who had saved him during the eclipse. She was a Lunarian. She was Princess Serenity.
The prince's mouth dropped open. He reached his left hand out to touch her. His fingers hit the edge of the table still situated between them. The contact with the solid object caused the dream-like vision to disappear, giving way to the hum-drum dining room at the inn. The princess' ethereal glow quickly faded from his eyes. He probably would have thought that he'd imagined the entire thing, if not for the still-glimmering crescent symbol at the center of her forehead. It alone confirmed his suspicions. Endymion struggled to stand on his feet.
The princess, unaware of what the Terran prince had just witnessed, suddenly realized that center of her forehead burned. Her eyes widened with shock and horror. Her moon symbol was unearthed during her power struggle with Linnaus' spirit. She slapped her right palm over the offensive mark. Her eyes sought out each inhabitant of the room. Judging from their expressions, she knew they had all seen the symbol that betrayed her as a Lunarian. Her blue eyes rested on Endymion last.
The prince was still attempting to stand, but the energy blast he'd received from Serenity made his limbs feel like jelly. Jedite grabbed him by the arm and helped to hoist him up. Zoicite, relieved that he could be of any assistance, moved quickly and cautiously away the princess and to the struggling prince.
Realizing that her exit was no longer blocked by the red-headed guardian, Serenity pivoted on her foot and motioned to leave the room.
"Wait, no Usa!" Endymion desperately called after her. He tried to step forward, but his legs, still growing accustomed to standing, faltered beneath his body. The prince growled with frustration, "Serenity!"
The princess, her fingers now wrapped around the knob of the front door, hesitated. The mention of her true name—especially from the prince's lips—caused her spinal column to arch up like she had been stabbed in the back. Slowly, hesitantly, she twisted her head around to face him. Her eyes locked with his. Contained within her cerulean orbs were countless emotions; the prince, still unable to physically approach her, tapped into his connection with her and absorbed some of her anxiety into his body.
"Don't go," he whispered. Serenity's blue eyes widened with surprise. He detected her relief. Endymion breathed a sigh of relief, himself. He couldn't lose his angel her, not now, not when he had finally found her.
A hard gust of wind again rattled the windows. The air pushed through the room and filled it with cold. A chill snaked up Serenity's spine. The princess anticipated Linnaus' voice before she actually heard it. Through his connection to her, Endymion anticipated it, too.
"Serenity…"
The princess bit her lower lip. She stared at the door in front of her. The wind still pushed violently against the panel of wood. She wondered if the force of Linnaus' spirit would knock her over. She turned her head and looked back into the dining room.
"Stay here," Endymion urged. "You don't have to go out there."
Serenity's eyes were filled with tears when she gazed at him. Her woe painfully squeezed the prince's insides; he suddenly wished that he wasn't able to experience the full extent of her emotions.
"I have to go to him," the princess uttered apologetically. "I'm the only one who can help him now."
"I'll go with you," Endymion volunteered. He tried to take a step forward, but his legs wobbled. His immobility frustrated him. He again tried move, but he faltered. Only Jedite and Zoicite's support kept him standing.
"You aren't going anywhere," Zoicite dryly observed.
The prince did not want to admit it, but his guardian was right. Endymion's head sagged in defeat.
Serenity twisted the knob in her hand. The door blew open. A violent gust of wind slammed into her body. She flinched against the burst. The air pressed hard against her skin, enveloping her figure in its grasp. Like before, the princess felt her head swim, her limbs sag, and her consciousness slip from her. The last thing she heard, before completely succumbing to Linnaus trance, was Endymion, voicing one last protest.
"No!" his desperate plea filtered into her ears and passed through her awareness. The word felt comforting but sharp; her resistance to his cries, she silently thought, was her ultimate betrayal to him.
She thought she would fall, but she continued to stand. She felt like a small stone sinking into a pool of deep water, drifting further and further from the surface. Her consciousness finally slipped completely away.
Endymion was several paces away from her, which was too far, in his present state, to reach her. He held his hand up in a futile attempt to hold her back. He remembered what the innkeeper said earlier about how this particular night was dangerous. He imagined Serenity in the blackness, alone in her trance, vulnerable and unaware of what was around her. He still did not know who she had referred to when she said she must go to "him." Endymion felt slighted and angry regarding this mystery man. The prince would not let her go; the mystery voice had a strong grip on her, but Endymion was still stronger. He was the future heir of the Terran throne. Only he had access to the planet's true strength.
The prince focused his eyes on Serenity's still wavering form. He held his hand out with more conviction, willing what energy he still had to hold her back. A gold streak of power stretched from his palm to the girl in the doorway. Serenity stumbled back; Endymion trained his strength on keeping her from falling. She stood, suspended, wavering between leaving and staying. The glazed look in her eye and the bright glow from her moon symbol indicated that she was still under the spell of the wind's voice.
"What the?" Jedite murmured.
Endymion grunted, focusing his energy more tightly on holding Serenity's body in place. He could feel the power struggle between himself and the magic that held the princess. The grip of the voice was strong and determined, but the prince's resolve was greater. With a gasp, he felt the mythical grasp let go of the princess' body. The girl sagged as her knees bent.
"Catch her!" Endymion shouted, directing his order Zoicite, who was still closer to the girl than anyone else in the room.
The red-headed guardian released his arm from around Endymion's middle and crossed to the doorway. He knelt down and lifted Serenity's body. Her figure was light in his arms. He kicked the door shut. The wind ceased.
Endymion sighed in relief. He lowered his arm and shook out his hand. His palm felt hot from the power he had emitted.
When Endymion released the focus of his energy from Serenity, the girl's body slumped in Zoicite's arms. She was still very light in the guardian's grip, but she felt more substantial and less like she may float away. Her eyes were closed and her moon symbol had faded from her forehead.
"She's sleeping now," Endymion stated before Zoicite could even ask what had happened.
"How can you be sure?" Jedite inquired.
The prince realized that he could stand on his feet without assistance and staggered sideways out of Jedite's supportive hold. He took a step forward. He desperately wanted to hold the princess in his arms. His legs still shook precariously. He wearily eyed Serenity's unconscious body.
"This happened last night," the prince finally replied to Jedite's question. "The voice, then the trance, then the scary attack by the woman in the woods."
Jedite eyed the prince critically. "Uh, you told us about the woman, but you didn't mention a voice."
Endymion shook his head in frustration. He ran a hand though his black hair.
"Well, it was the same voice as tonight," he calmly stated. The confused glances he received from his guardians annoyed him. "Look, I didn't mention the voice before was because it's a little odd and I didn't want you to think I was crazy. Now that we've all heard the voice…" the still confused looks caused Endymion to grumble with frustration. "Please tell me you heard the voice, too?"
The blank expressions answered the prince's inquiry. Endymion's face flushed slightly.
"If it pleases your highness, we didn't hear no voice neither," the innkeeper's wife yelped.
Endymion pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. He had completely forgotten that the innkeeper and his wife were still in the room. His head suddenly ached.
"Please go away," he whimpered. They didn't move. Endymion cleared his throat and waved a commanding hand at them. "Leave our presence at once!" he said in a raised, authoritative tone he often heard his father use in court, "I will call if I need your services!"
The innkeeper and his wife bowed awkwardly and exited to the kitchen.
Now alone with his two guardians and the still unconscious Serenity, Endymion breathed a sigh of relief. Zoicite cleared his throat.
"About that voice…"
"Forget about the damn voice!" Endymion snapped peevishly. "Just trust me, there was a voice. It called her name, her real name."
The two guardians silently nodded their heads.
"So, what should I do with her?" Zoicite questioned.
Endymion gestured to cross the room. "We should take her upstairs."
"Zoicite can do it," Jedite stated, pulling on Endymion's left arm. The prince glared annoyingly at the blonde. "You can barely hold yourself up. You may drop her."
The prince grudgingly nodded. Zoicite turned to climb the stairs. Endymion called after him.
"Zoi!"
The red-headed guardian shifted his attention Endymion. The prince's eyes were dark and resolute when he spoke.
"If you hurt one hair on her head, I swear to the gods, you will suffer for it."
Zoicite nodded his comprehension and mounted the stairs. Endymion did not look away from the staircase until the guardian and Serenity had disappeared from his sight. The prince hung his head and rubbed his temples. So much for a relaxing dinner and a full night's sleep, he thought to himself.
"What should we do?" Jedite timidly questioned, breaking the uncomfortable silence in the room.
The prince shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
"We should go to bed," Endymion finally muttered. He stepped forward. His legs only wobbled slightly.
"Good idea," said the blonde. "We have a long journey ahead of us, if we plan to make it back to the castle before nightfall."
The front door of the inn suddenly opened. A chilling gust of icy cold air filled the room. A stooped, cloaked man entered the inn and shut the door behind him. He was shorter than both the prince and Jedite. His shoulders were hunched forward, which made him appear even shorter. His cloak was worn through in places; the bottom edge appeared melted. The man wore no boots; his feet were wrapped in several strips of fabric. His facial features were concealed by the hood of his cloak. His head was bowed toward the floor.
"What in the blazes do you think you're doing?" the innkeeper growled from the kitchen entrance. He had heard the front door open and had come to investigate.
The cloaked man shifted to face the innkeeper. His face remained bowed to the floor. His voice came out in a raspy hiss when he spoke.
"My apologies, sir," he said. "My mistress wanted to be left alone. She asked me to leave."
"All guests are supposed to be back here before nightfall," the innkeeper stated. "You missed supper. Actually, your whole group missed it."
"We are a solitary group, sir," the man said. "We traveled long and far."
"You've been out in the cold all night?" Endymion questioned. The man's costume was hardly appropriate for the frigid temperatures.
The man laughed. He shifted to face the prince, but his head was still turned down. His features were hidden in shadow.
"Indeed, sir," he answered. "I find the chill refreshing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go to my room."
Endymion nodded and stepped toward the staircase. "We're just heading to bed, so you could stay down here if you want."
The cloaked man shook his head. "My mistress is missing me."
Jedite snickered quietly at the odd man. Endymion cast a disapproving glance at his guardian before shifting his attention back to the stranger. When the cloaked figure mounted the first step, he lifted his head slightly to observe the prince. The faint light from the dining room fire lit the man's disfigured face. One of his eyes was missing. His skin was shiny and distorted.
Endymion's midnight gaze narrowed when he noticed the color of the man's good eye: orange. The eye's hue betrayed the man's identity. He was Solarian.
The prince's blood felt cold in his veins. Rage coursed through his body, strengthening his muscles. His expression turned grim. His instincts took over.
Endymion's movements were deliberate and fluid. He narrowed the gap between himself and the Solarian with two large steps. He reached his left hand out and grabbed the man's upper arm. The prince hauled the Solarian like he was a rag doll. The stranger grunted in surprise as he was physically dragged from the bottom of the staircase to the opposite side of the dining room. The man struggled to keep from falling while still trying to free himself from the prince's vice-like grip on his arm.
The innkeeper and Jedite seemed shocked at the prince's sudden aggression. Endymion's dark expression of rage kept the pair from physically interceding.
"What the hell are you doing, Endy?" Jedite yelled.
"Really, your highness…" uttered the innkeeper.
Endymion ignored their protests. Jedite unsuccessfully attempted to pry the prince's grip from the man's arm. Endymion absently shoved him away. He grabbed the man by both shoulders and faced him.
"Why are you here?" the prince demanded, shaking the man.
"Release me!" the man whimpered, wiggling to get free. The tone of his voice had changed from a hiss to a howl. Endymion tightened his grip. The man yelped with pain. His cries reminded the prince of a wounded, desperate animal.
"Endy!" Jedite shouted. "What the hell is this?"
"He's a Solarian," Endymion announced.
"What?" gasped the blonde. He stepped forward and removed the hood from the man's head. He stepped back after he revealed the Solarian's disfigured face.
Jedite critically eyed the stranger. "He looks cleaner than that rabble we dealt with earlier," he muttered. He wrinkled his nose after he leaned in and sniffed the Solarian. "Ugh. He smells as bad as the others."
"Let go of me!" the man said viciously. He reached his bandaged hand up to scratch Endymion. His sharp nails caught the prince's throat. Endymion pushed the man into the corner of the room. The Solarian fell to the floor. Jedite stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Endymion. The stranger was trapped.
"Are you okay?" Jedite asked the prince. Endymion rubbed his neck.
"Just a scratch," the prince said, nodding. He shifted his attention to the Solarian. "What are you doing here, you…" he paused and tried to remember what Serenity had called the Solarian monsters they had fought earlier that day. "…you cavern dweller!"
The man glared at Endymion contemptuously with his good eye. He frowned and spat at the floor.
"I'm not a cavern dweller!" he shouted defiantly. "How dare you call me one!"
Jedite frowned thoughtfully at him. "You know what a cavern dweller is?"
The Solarian snorted. "Course I know."
"But you aren't one?" Endymion questioned. The stranger shook his head. "But you are a Solarian, right?" The man nodded. "Then what kind of a Solarian are you?"
"Surface dweller," the Solarian proudly said.
"Naturally," Jedite snickered.
"'Twood explain the melted skin," the innkeeper offered. The elderly man stood on the opposite side of the fireplace, just behind the prince and his guardian.
"Good point," Jedite commented, thoughtfully nodding.
Endymion cared little as to what type of Solarian the man was. He contemptuously eyed the stranger. A gust of cold air prickled his skin. Endymion attributed the goose bumps on the back of his neck to nerves.
"Jedite," he quietly said. The prince never broke eye contact with the disfigured man.
"What is it?" the blonde said eagerly.
"Go upstairs and get my sword," the prince ordered. Jedite nodded. He was halfway across the room when Endymion spoke again. "Wait!" he called. This time, the Terran prince glanced over his shoulder to make eye contact with his guardian. "Check on Serenity, too."
Jedite nodded and mounted the stairs. Endymion again focused his full attention on the cornered Solarian. The surface dweller cackled. Jedite paused on the steps.
"So that's her name, eh?" the man said, standing to his feet. He continued talking when no one answered him. "She's real pretty, though I preferred her when she was covered in blood. That's how I like 'em, though. Bloody and…"
The Solarian's statement was abruptly halted when both Jedite and Endymion lunged at him. Endymion was startled when he saw his guardian standing next to him.
"What about my sword?"
"I figured it would be more fun to bludgeon him to death," the guardian said, punching the Solarian in the face for extra emphasis. His normally jovial tone was missing from his voice. The prince raised his eyebrow.
The man yelped with surprise as Jedite's fist smashed his face. The force of the blow slammed the back of the Solarian's head against the wall. Endymion pinned the man with his left hand and held the man's neck with the other. Jedite gripped the man's left shoulder and kneed him in the groin. The man whimpered with pain.
"You maggot!" Jedite shouted at the Solarian.
The prince narrowed his eyes. He was beyond words. His fingers tingled with pain when he touched the Solarian, like the foreigner's skin was slicked with acid, but Endymion didn't care. The prince squeezed the life from him by slowly closing his right hand around the man's neck. His anger was satiated by the stranglehold.
"Please, Prince Endymion," the innkeeper said behind the prince. "Show mercy. Surely, this man is not worthy of the breathing the same air as you, but even he does not deserve such an undignified death."
Endymion cynically laughed. "Well, I'll agree with you on the whole air thing," he muttered over his shoulder. He twisted to face the Solarian again. He squeezed his hand tighter. "What do you vermin breathe on the Sun, anyway?"
The man writhed against the prince's hold. He tried to bring his hands up to his neck, but Jedite pinned his arms against his sides. The man looked straight into the prince's eyes.
"Endymion," the man whispered. His lid drooped over his good eye. He looked like he was slipping into unconsciousness. Before he closed his eye completely, he whispered, "Golden Crystal."
The prince's eyes widened with surprise at the mention of the mythical stone. He released his hold on the man's neck. He still kept the Solarian pinned to the wall. The surface dweller gulped the air.
"What did you say?" the prince demanded. The man coughed and wheezed. Endymion shook the Solarian forcefully. "What did you say?" he repeated.
"Endy, maybe we should back off," Jedite hesitantly said. To prove his point, the guardian let go of the man's arms and stepped away. Endymion shifted to hold all of the man's weight.
"But he said my name," the prince said. "And he said something about…" he paused, recalling Helios' words of caution regarding the Golden Crystal. He opted to reword his next statement, "…about something. I have to know what he meant."
"I know that!" Jedite peevishly snapped. He rolled his grey eyes. "But you are not going to get anything out of him by hurting him more. The guy can hardly breathe, much less talk."
Endymion twisted and regarded the Solarian's face. He now had the man pinned by each shoulder against the wall. The prince had somehow managed to slide the man up the wall so that his bandaged feet were suspended in the air. The surface dweller still coughed and gasped for breath. The prince's gaze trailed to his own hands; his fingers were buried in the flesh of the man's shoulders. He noticed how white his knuckles were. The image of his vision with Nefar—the one with the Solarian King torturing the Lunarian—flashed in his mind. Endymion shuddered over the recollection. A chill ran up his spine.
The prince released his grip on the man and took a step away. The Solarian's feet dropped to the floor so suddenly that the man could not support his own weight. He fell, on all fours, to the ground. He leaned forward and coughed steadily. The Solarian gripped his neck gingerly with his bandaged hand.
"Are you finished?" the prince impatiently muttered, visibly annoyed by the hacking sounds emanating from the Solarian's throat. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"You are quick to temper," the Solarian whispered hoarsely. "I like that."
Endymion scowled. "I don't want your approval," he spat. "What did you say before? About the Golden Crystal?"
The man smiled, revealing his rotted teeth and blackened gums. "You have heard of it?" he said. "I suppose you would have, if you are Prince Endymion."
The Solarian erupted into a fit of coughs.
Jedite groaned with annoyance. "You just had to strangle him, didn't you?" he said to the prince. Shifting his attention back to the Solarian, the blonde questioned, "How did you know who he was?"
The Solarian smiled. "I have the ability to hear."
The blonde guardian grimaced when he noticed that, in addition to an eye, the Solarian was also missing an ear.
"My mistress is looking for you," the disfigured man said to Endymion.
The prince frowned. "Your mistress?" The Solarian nodded. Endymion shook his head and said, "What mistress? Aren't you one of King Nefar's men?"
The Solarian snickered. "No. I am a servant of the great Metallia. She seeks the Golden Crystal. She will find it, through you."
Endymion recognized an air of confidence in the Surface dweller's final statement. The prince was almost relieved that he had lost the confounded stone, if only to prove the Solarian wrong. Still, what the stranger said about the Golden Crystal worried the prince. He clamped his eyes shut for a moment to settle his thoughts. If the stone was lost, it could be found. The crystal could not fall into the hands of this Solarian and his mistress. The Terran prince was prepared to do anything to stop them.
"You do realize that you can not kill us," the Solarian hissed.
The prince opened his eyes. The surface dweller's statement was so acute that the prince initially thought the man had read his mind. He blinked as he stared at the stranger. Endymion regarded the man's deranged, haggard appearance.
"You're hardly in a position right now to say such things," the prince finally stated.
"Oh, indeed I am," the surface dweller laughed. "And the innkeeper can attest to my truthfulness. We surround you, here in this place. The rooms upstairs are filled with my comrades."
Jedite and Endymion both looked at the innkeeper, who stood on their right. The old man laced his fingers together nervously and reluctantly nodded his head.
"They looked a bit strange," the innkeeper admitted, "But they offered us a lot of money."
Endymion's expression darkened. Their situation was grim.
He glared at the Solarian; the stranger was still on the floor. The man grinned confidently at him. His smug smile enraged the prince. Anger flooded Endymion's body; his limbs tingled with adrenaline.
The prince let out a low growl of pure rage. He reached forward and grabbed the Solarian by the collar of his cloak. He pulled the surface dweller to his feet. The stranger opened his mouth to speak, but his voice was muted by a strong punch in the face. The man howled with pain. Endymion pulled his arm back to punch him again. The Solarian shut his one eye and braced himself for another hit.
"Endy!" Jedite yelled.
The prince paused. His right arm was still coiled back and ready to strike. He shifted his attention to his guardian.
"What?" he loudly demanded.
The Solarian opened his eye. He focused his attention to Jedite. "Good, Terran," he hissed. "Tell your prince that hurting me will not stop the great, all powerful Metallia."
"Shut up!" snapped Endymion. He released his clenched fist and delivered a strong blow to the surface dweller's nose and left cheek. The punch rendered the man unconscious. His form sagged in the prince's grasp. Endymion released his hold and allowed the Solarian to fall gracelessly to the ground. The prince rounded his attention to his guardian. Impatiently, he said, "What is it, Jedite?"
The blonde shrugged and glanced at the crumpled Solarian on the floor. "I was just going to tell you to hit him hard enough to knock him out."
"Thanks for the recommendation," the prince muttered. He pivoted around and crossed the room. When he reached the foot of the stairs, the prince paused and addressed Jedite. "Tie him up. I'm going upstairs to get Zoicite and Serenity. We can't stay here tonight."
"Hurry," his guardian stated. "His friends may come down to investigate the noise."
Endymion nodded. The other Solarians had kept to themselves the entire night, even following Serenity's strange spell, but the prince couldn't risk that they would remain in their rooms forever. The Solarian had shouted a lot. Endymion wouldn't be surprised if the man had managed to wake all of Alendoor with his screams.
The prince leapt up the stairs. He walked quickly through the darkened corridor that led to the attic. The floorboards creaked under his weight. The hair on the back of the prince's neck stood on end. Endymion sensed that he was being watched, but he kept his focus on reaching the door that led to the attic. He clenched his fists at his sides. The muscles in his arms and neck tightened. He really wished he had his sword.
Endymion unceremoniously burst into the attic. The room was dark, but he spotted the silhouette of a body splayed out in the center of the floor. The prince's heart skipped a beat. At first, he thought that it may be Serenity. He knelt down beside the body. He breathed in relief. It was Zoicite.
The prince frowned with concern. He reached out and touched the corner of Zoicite's mouth. His finger touched something sticky. It was blood. Endymion patted the red-head's cheek.
"Wake up, Zoi!"
The guardian roused from his unconsciousness. He flinched and blinked his eyes into focus. The room was dark, but he could see a figure towering over him. He squinted.
"Endy?"
The prince, relieved to see that Zoicite was awake, nodded his head. "Yeah, it's me. What happened?"
Zoicite sat up. He looked around the room. He brought his right hand to the corner of his mouth. He winced.
"The girl," he muttered. "She hit me!"
Under normal circumstances, Endymion would have howled with delight. Zoicite may have been slight for a man, but he was quite a scrapper and could hold his own in any fight against any foe. Serenity, in contrast, was tiny. From his earlier struggle with the power that had held her, Endymion guessed that the girl's newfound strength was compliments of the voice. The prince's face paled with worry.
"Where is she?"
Zoicite shrugged. "How the hell should I know? She knocked me out cold."
"I have to find her," Endymion announced. He crossed the room to the pile of cushions and blankets he had laid out for Serenity to sleep on. The prince knelt down and tentatively touched the shadowed, lumpy form. His fingers sunk into the old pillows. He sighed. He knew that it wouldn't be that easy to locate her. He quickly stood and searched the darkness for his sword and cloak.
Zoicite rose to his feet. Eyeing the prince, the red-head cleared his throat. "Something else has happened, hasn't it?
Endymion, holding the hilt of his sword in one hand, twisted to face his guardian. "Plans have changed."
The prince secured the sword to his belt and reached for his cloak.
"What's going on?" the guardian questioned.
"We're leaving," the prince answered. He fastened his cloak. "The entire place is occupied by Solarians. First I have to collect Usa. Any idea of how long you've been knocked out?"
Zoicite shrugged. "I barely got her up here. I was just putting her down on the bed when her eyes suddenly opened. I tried to stop her, please believe me. I tried." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "That girl has one hell of a right hook."
Endymion grinned soberly. He stared thoughtfully at Serenity's vacant bed. He remembered the dark hallway he had just walked through. He thought of the countless eyes he had felt watching him. The prince nervously ran his hand through his dark hair.
"Well, she couldn't have gone too far," he tried to say with optimism. "I can't imagine she reached the door. We've downstairs the entire time."
A gust of air hit one side of the building, blowing a draught through the cracks in the roof. Endymion shivered from the sudden chill. The wind tickled the prince's neck and whispered in his ear.
"Come to me, Serenity."
A new panic filled the prince with unease. He glanced at his guardian. Zoicite still stood in the center of the room, looking, as far as the prince could tell in the dark, unfazed by the whispering wind.
"You, uh, didn't by any chance hear a voice this time, did you?" Endymion asked.
Zoicite stared at him incredulously. "Again?"
The prince shook his head. "Never mind."
He stormed to the window to see if Serenity was outside. He spotted a figure standing on the edge of the woods across the road. In the dark, he could not tell if it was the princess. He didn't waste time trying to decide. He stepped away from the pane of glass and stormed across the attic. He paused at the door to bark orders at Zoicite.
"Prepare to leave. Get the horses. Have them waiting outside. If anyone tries to stop you, kill them."
"Where are you going, Endy?" asked Zoicite.
"For a little fresh air," the prince called over his shoulder. He stormed through the hallway with as much determination as he had moments before. He gritted his teeth and eyed the dark shadowed door frames. He kept his fingers on the handle of his sword. The prince silently dared a Solarian to open a door and step in his path.
"Where are you going?" Jedite questioned after Endymion leapt down the stairs and bounded toward the door.
"Serenity's outside," the prince announced. He twisted the large door handle. The metal groaned as it turned.
"What?" croaked Jedite. "Is she in danger? I'll go with you."
"No, you won't," Endymion snapped. He was annoyed by his guardian's obvious concern for the girl. Though refreshing when compared to Zoicite's indifference, Jedite's overwhelming empathy for Serenity unsettled the prince.
"This way, Serenity."
The voice blew through the partially opened door. The prince twisted and stared out at the bleak, freezing cold night. He shut the door and turned to Jedite.
"Did you…hear that?"
The blank face staring back at Endymion provided the answer. The prince shook his head. "I didn't think so." he muttered. He opened the door again.
"I'm coming with you," Jedite said. The guardian took a step forward.
"No, you aren't," the prince sternly replied. He held out a hand in front of him. "I'll be back. I've given Zoicite instructions. Listen to him. We'll depart as soon as Usa and I return."
Endymion turned and stepped outside. He closed the door behind him and descended the stairs. He ran across the street to where he had spotted the figure standing from the attic window. The area was void of any man, girl, or, thankfully, creature. The prince peered forward into the bracket. He saw nothing but blackness.
He clamped his eyes shut and concentrated on Serenity's energy. He barely felt her presence; his connection to her seemed compromised. He opened his eyes. The prince stomped into the woods. He tried to walk in the direction he thought she was in, but he couldn't be certain of how close she was or if he was even headed in the right direction.
"Serenity."
Endymion scowled when he heard the voice again. The tenor scratched his ears. He glared into the woods. He was about to tell the voice where it could go, when he saw a faint light in front of him.
"This way."
The prince rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. He sucked in a breath and stepped forward. He would follow the light and the voice. He hoped that both would lead him to the princess.
"You won't take her that easily," he said out loud. He knew that would do anything to protect the girl. He'd sacrifice himself to safe her.
Endymion shuddered. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.
1----1----1----1
End of chapter 22
Okay, so a wee bit of a cliff hanger, but hopefully a bearable one. I have forsaken an entire day of house—erm, apartment—cleaning to finish this chapter, so please, please submit a review. They really keep my going. Many, many thanks to everyone who has already reviewed.
Nikkii5: Thanks so much for the email you sent me last month. My computer crashed and burned and was still on the fritz, but your words of encouragement were very kind.
Until next time…
Hollie