I know it's been a while since I've written anything, but I'm so glad to be finally picking this story up again. I'm back, to writing, and I'll be continuing to work on this story often, in the hopes that I'll have it finished by the end of May.

Storms Upon the Heart
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Chapter Nine
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Serenity gazed out at the landscapes unfolding before her, the Fellotinhan palace fading fast behind them as the carriage moved along slowly away from the city. She watched as the clouds drifted above in the sky, and how the sun reflected softly through patches in the sky, shimmering on the mountains that ran along the Fellotinhan boundaries.

She turned away from the window and looked at her cousin, who was happily reading a book, oblivious to all that around her. Serenity smiled and pecked the top of Minako's head, causing her to briefly glance up at her older cousin and smile before turning back to the adventurous story in front of her.

Serenity looked away from Minako and glanced at the man sitting in front of her, her eyes wandering up his lean, powerful physique before meeting his dark, hauntingly blue eyes. He was gazing directly back at her, capturing every movement she made. She blushed, knowing full and well that he had been watching her. He grinned and winked slyly at her, noticing the appreciative once-over she had given him.

She rolled her eyes, her face turning to a becoming shade of pink, before she looked out the window again, determined not to let him catch her staring at him again.

They were reaching the very edges of Fellotinhan, the large bridge that led out of the realms of the land approaching fast. Serenity frowned sadly, sticking her head out the window to take one last look at her home of seventeen years.

"Goodbye…" She murmured. She felt a hand on her knee. Blinking, she pulled her head in the carriage again and looked at Endymion, whose hand was stroking the material of her dress gently.

They held each other in a long gaze.

"It's alright, Sere." He said softly, his voice carrying the emotion that he was trying to restrain, being in the presence of a young girl.

"I know." She whispered back, trying desperately to remain in her seat. "I know."

Minako looked up from her book and watched them with a small smirk on her face. "I'm not two, you know. If you want to kiss her, Prince Endymion, just do it!"

The prince turned and raised his eyebrows at his fiancée's cousin. "Minako?"

She rolled her eyes agitatedly and looked down at her book again. "Just don't get carried away. Kiss her, for the gods' sakes."

Endymion grinned boyishly and looked back at Serenity. "Well, it seems, my dear, that I have permission."

Serenity sniffed. "You may from her, but not from me. I don't think this is the right… time."

Endymion shook his head. "Serenity, really. You're exasperating sometimes."

She shrugged her slim shoulders, scooting away from him and nearer to Minako. "Well, I just think that I'd rather not be seen by my young cousin in that… position, whether she gives her 'permission' or not. So, no, Endymion, you will just have to… wait."

"Wait?" His eyes burned into hers, gazing at her soulfully.

She blushed. "Yes… wait. Hershim can't be too far… can it?"

"Two hours."

"Ah… well, that is not so bad. Yes, I believe you can restrain yourself for the remainder of the trip, dearest."

She looked down at Minako, who was pretending to be intrigued by her book, but, in reality, had been listening to their every word.

Serenity laughed. "Mina, you're not reading, I can see. Come, put the book down and give up the charade. We'll find a game to play."

Minako did as she was told, her face slightly red with shame for eavesdropping. "I'm sorry. But… well, it's hard not to listen…"

"I know. We are in close quarters, aren't we?" Serenity stroked a hand through the girl's long blonde hair. "Turn around, dear. I think I should very much like to braid your hair."

Minako's bright blue eyes lit up. She adored the times when Serenity would fix her hair. "Sure!" She sat up straight and turned, letting Serenity take the bow out of her hair and begin to braid it.

Endymion leaned back on the other end of the carriage and watched his fiancée shamelessly, not bothering to hide his gazing.

Cassandra and Melodine spent the carriage ride knitting and gossiping between them, leaving Dermius to a book in complete restless boredom.

He sighed and put his book down, uninterested in reading. Glancing out the window, he thought of the prince and princess riding behind them.

"If it wasn't for Minako riding with them, I would think that Princess Serenity and Endymion would have been… entwined during the course of the trip." He observed aloud, gaining the attention of both ladies present.

They glanced at each other amusedly.

"Well, I would believe so," commented Cassandra, "but it's of no use to wonder of these things now, Dermius. We all know that, by now, with all the late morning arrivals, worries of that sort have passed. I just wonder when we shall expect a child… from Motoki and Makato as well. We might very well find ourselves very laden with grandchildren very soon."

Melodine's eyes lit up excitedly. "Wouldn't that be splendid? Oh, how I would love to have a grandchild."

"And I. It would indeed be wonderful, especially to have many children."

Dermius grunted. "As long as there is a son to receive Endymion's crown, I do not care how many children Serenity decides to give him. I hope to retire my crown to him with the relief of knowing it will pass to his own son as well."

Melodine's eyes clouded for a moment, pain flickering in her brown depths. "I just hope that Serenity is strong enough to withstand child-bearing…"

Cassandra frowned. "Yes… she is such a fragile girl…"

Melodine sighed sadly and placed her knitting in her lap wearily, looking out the window and pondering her daughter.

The hours of the journey passed slowly, and Endymion spent them gazing at his beloved, who spent her time braiding Minako's hair, playing a long game of word puzzling, and avoiding the looks that Endymion was gladly bestowing on her.

Now, currently deeply engrossed in a book of astrology, Endymion felt the carriage slow, and glanced out the window to see that they were approaching the lands of Hershim. His eyes flickered in excitement.

He leaned over and gently roused Serenity from her lightly napping state with a soft touch of his hand to her face and a whispering of her name. She fluttered her eyes open and sat up, letting her sleeping cousin remain dozing on her shoulder.

"What is it, Endy?" She whispered, yawning. She covered her mouth with her delicate hand, trying to fight off the remains of her sleep.

"We're here." He said.

"We are?" She moved gently towards the window, sticking her head out without awakening the child resting on her arm.

She gasped at the soft, flowing hills nestling the city they were approaching, and the large, glamorous palace that lay on the outskirts. She gazed at the beautiful sparkling river that was beside them, and as the carriage dipped down a hill that would lead into the city, she felt her heart lighten. The palace, she could see, was lined with large, beautiful gardens and lakes, and she could see that she could very easily make this her home. She gazed up at the large castle where she would soon be living, and noted how very much more extravagant it was than her own home, knowing it was twice the size, and was made with the very best of stones. She remembered vaguely that Hershim was much more prosperous than Fellotinhan, and had not suffered because of the war.

'The river could be the cause of that.' She thought, knowing that the exporting and importing of goods was much easier for Hershim because of the water, while it had made Fellotinhan suffer much during the long years of the war.

'Now perhaps that will not be a problem… I'll make Endymion be sure of that. With Motoki and Endymion working together, Fellotinhan will be just as prosperous as Hershim. Still… the land here is so beautiful, lush, and green. If only the mountainous lands of Fellotinhan were this beautiful…' Serenity finally pulled back into the carriage, sighing happily.

Endymion's dark eyes were suddenly very bright. "You like it?"

Her own eyes were glazed and dreamy. "It's beautiful, so very beautiful."

He smiled widely. "Then you like it?"

Serenity shook her head and laughed softly. "I love it, Endymion. It's beautiful here. I know I can make this home... just think of the hours I shall spend in the gardens… maybe even outside the gates? I would love to take trips into the hills…"

Endymion frowned slightly. "Not alone, though… if you wish to travel outside the palace, I will go with you…"

"Of course! But I want to so… I should be familiar with my own kingdom… yes?" She stared up at him, and he nodded in return.

"Yes, of course." He smiled. "I just… I don't want you outside the palace… without protection…" His eyes suddenly became pained. "There are criminals and vile people here just as any other place in the world, and I won't have you hurt…"

She smiled softly. "I know, love. I know." She gave him a loving glance and turned to gaze down at Minako. "She could sleep through anything, I believe."

Endymion laughed quietly. "I think so too."

Finally, after passing through the large city, the carriages pulled up to the wide, iron gates of the palace. They were pulled open by four men, and the carriages entered in.

By this time, Minako was awake… wide awake. She stuck her head out the window happily and looked at the sparkling fountains with joy, and thinking of all the fun she would have running in the grass.

She pulled into the carriage. "Endymion, this place is so great!"

Endymion laughed. "I'm glad you think so, Minako."

She looked at Serenity, who was gazing out the window herself. "Sere, I can come visit anytime, right?"

"I don't believe that would be a problem, dear." Serenity placed a hand on the child's head vaguely, staring at her new home. "I would miss you too much if you did not."

Minako beamed and turned to look out the window herself.

Soon, they pulled to the entrance, and the door was opened. Endymion got out first, and then turned to the ladies inside.

Minako let him pick her up and place her on the ground. She giggled and then took off running to the other carriage to see her aunt.

"Serenity? Love, don't you think it would be better to see the grounds outside of the palace?" Endymion chuckled lightly, noting his fiancée's absent-minded gazing.

She snapped from her thoughts and turned to him. "Oh… sorry…" She shook her head and took his hand, stepping lightly down onto the ground. He slipped his arm firmly around her waist, sighing.

"Finally… not being able to touch you for hours has been hell." He murmured into her ear, tightening his hold on her.

She laughed and shook her head. "Endy… really…"

Cassandra came up to them and cleared her throat. Endymion loosened his hold on Serenity's waist, but his arm stayed around her.

"You're both glad the long trip is over, I'm sure."

Serenity nodded. "Very much. It was a long drive…"

Cassandra smiled. "Yes, it is a long trip. Now, Serenity, after you're settled in, I want you to start preparing for tonight. I know you're tired from the trip, so do take a rest before tonight."

Serenity blinked, looking from Cassandra to Endymion. "What… is tonight?"

"A grand ball to introduce you to Hershim… the court has been anxious for your arrival, and all of importance in Hershim will be there. So you need to be well rested for tonight… I'm afraid some of the guests are very long-winded and I expect it might be a long night." Cassandra patted the girl's arm. "So after you rest, I'll have Naru sent in to help you with preparations."

"Preparations, your highness?"

"Well, of course, dear. You should look your very best tonight, for it is your first appearance." Cassandra leaned over to kiss Serenity's forehead. "You always look so beautiful, though, so there is little matter in that to you."

Serenity blushed becomingly. "Thank you…"

Cassandra waved her hand in dismissal. "I speak only the truth that I know. Now go on, Endymion, take your bride on a tour of the palace. It's her home now."

Endymion grinned boyishly. "Yes, Mother."

Cassandra smiled back and left them, heading with Melodine and Dermius into the palace.

Minako bounded up to them with a daisy in her hand. "Look, Sere! Daisies! We never have daisies at home!" She squealed and put the flower in her cousin's hand before running off again.

"Well, Minako will definitely busy herself…" Serenity noted. "Now, shouldn't you follow your mother's orders and show me around?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously up at her fiancé, who grinned back and kissed her squarely on the lips before pulling her inside.

"Yes, my queen."

A tall, dark figure gazed from their spot on the hill closest to the palace, hiding their presence from behind a tree. They watched in annoyance at the royal families entering the palace and turned to another figure that stood behind them.

"That's the girl. The Fellotinhan princess. I want her brought to me, alive, within two days. Do you understand?"

"Yes. But I do no work without it being worth my while."

"Oh, it will be. 500 gold coins along with the falling of Hershim is certainly worth your time, yes?"

"Good. You will kill her, I am sure?"

"Of course. I want her brought to me alive, though… I want to watch her die myself."

The figure stepped from behind the tree. "Two days. You will have her." The figure left, escaping into the woods leading down to the city.

The other figure stood, hair swaying in the soft breeze. "I will see you fall, Princess." The murmur pierced the air, and the figure also turned and walked away.

End Chapter Eight