Storms Upon the Heart

Chapter Fifteen

A squeaky, high pitched noise awakened Serenity. Her eyes slid open sleepily; she groaned when she saw the intrusion and turned over to go back to sleep. The noise became even louder, which made Serenity sigh and pull a pillow over the top of her head.

"Seeeeeeeeeeeeerrreeeeeeee!" Minako screeched. She pounced on the bed, shaking Serenity's slender shoulders until the girl grumpily turned over and smacked Minako off the bed.

Minako toppled over the side, her nightgown flying up over her head. She giggled endlessly while Serenity rolled her eyes and trudged up out of the bed.

"You treacherous little creature! Do you not understand that I had a terribly long night, and I would have enjoyed sleeping in?" Serenity picked her cousin up by the ankles and dragged her across the floor. Minako squealed frantically when Serenity pulled her out into the hallway and deposited her small body on the floor.

The Fellotinhan princess then smiled, turned around, and slammed the door in Minako's direction.

Minako hurried to stand up, straightening herself, and banged on the door. "Sere! Let me in! Let me in this instant! You can't lock me out! It's my rooooooooom!"

Cassandra, Melodine, and Dermius were sitting in the breakfast room, each quietly enjoying their breakfast when they heard the high pitched shrieks of Minako.

Melodine jumped up, pushing her chair back and knocking it over. "What on earth! My goodness, Minako's room is on the other side of the palace! What ever could cause such a small girl to make that loud a noise!"

She rushed out of the room, Cassandra rushing up to join her.

They raced down the hallways and up the staircase, their skirts fluttering all around as they came to the aid of the nightgown-clad Minako, who stood beating on her bedroom door.

"Minako! My dear, what is going on!" Melodine gasped out, short of breath from the sprint.

Minako turned to them with a deep pout on her face. She folded her arms in a huff. "Serenity locked me out of my room! She locked me out of my own room!"

"Now, now, dear…" Cassandra stuttered. "There has to be a… reasonable explanation why Serenity would do such a thing as that."

"Yes, dear. What reason could there be? Can you think of anything?" Melodine asked.

Minako looked down sheepishly and dug her toe into the carpet. "Well… I… I guess she was tired and I sort of… umm… jumped on the bed and was trying to wake her up… but it's so pretty outside and I was only trying to hurry her up!" Minako looked at her aunt imploringly. "You're not mad, are you, Auntie?"

Melodine laughed. "No, I'm not. Serenity is, though. Perhaps you should have just let the poor girl sleep. She did have a long night. Come now, why not come downstairs and have some breakfast."

Minako blushed. "In my nightdress? Aunt Melodine!"

Cassandra cleared her throat. "Yes, Melodine… you obviously can't send the girl down dressed like that."

Melodine blinked. "Oh… yes, I see. I didn't notice. Well… hm. We do have a predicament, don't we?" She walked up to the door and knocked lightly. "Serenity? Serenity, dear, I promise, we don't want to bother you… we know you need your rest. But Minako needs to change clothing. Could you please open the door, dear? She'll change and be out of your way for the rest of the day… she promises."

Minako started to protest, but Cassandra clamped a hand down over her mouth.

The door didn't budge.

Melodine tried again, knocking a little louder. "Serenity? My dear, wake up… just for a few minutes. You can go back to sleep… but we need your help. Serenity? Come now, dear… you're being unreasonable… listen to your mother and open the door…"

Nothing.

Melodine cleared her throat. "Well."

"What do we do? She's obviously asleep, and not about to wake up." Cassandra noted.

"We… well, I suppose there's only one thing to do."

"What's that?" Minako asked.

"We break in." said Melodine.

"She won't open the door."

"No."

"And Minako is in Melodine's room, and cannot leave because she is not dressed."

"Yes."

"And you want me to break in the room so Minako can dress."

"Exactly."

"Huh."

"Will you do it?"

"Why can't Motoki?"

"He and Makato left this morning for a hike and picnic. Besides, it really is your duty."

"Why mine?"

Cassandra felt a nerve twitch on her face. "Endymion. She's your fiancée. She's locked herself in a room because she's tired from a long night, and Minako was bothering her. Now, don't you think that it is your responsibility, as her fiancé and future husband, to go take care of her?"

Endymion snorted. "According to her, I am no longer her fiancé."

Cassandra's nerves popped and she found herself yelling at her only son. "Endymion, get up off your ass and get up to Minako's room! You go in there and you apologize to your fiancée for being such a brute, and make all this ludicrous mess about you and Serenity not marrying go away!" She paused. "And while you're at it, grab a dress for Minako!"

Endymion stared at his mother in disbelief. She never yelled. He cleared his throat and looked away, getting up from his desk and leaving the room.

Feeling triumphant, Cassandra picked up her skirt and followed him.

Endymion reached the door and began to knock, softly at first, and then increasingly louder, until he was beating on it with his fist.

Serenity, stirred from her deep slumber, grumbled into her pillow and lumbered out of the bed. Sighing furiously at the person who was intruding her sleep, she swung open the door. "What the hell do you want?" She yelled, and then noticed it was Endymion leaning against the doorframe, looking rather smug and -too- handsome this morning for comfort. She gulped, noticing the way the sunlight from her window was streaming onto his face, highlighting the perfect features of his face, and the way he was leisurely leaning, looking her up and down. He was grinning at her, and it made her squirm.

She squared her shoulders, glared at him, and began to slam the door in his face, until he stopped the door with his open palm, pushed it open, and strode into the room.

Cassandra was watching from close by, and she giggled as Endymion slammed the door behind him. Happy with the results of her quest, she turned and trotted down the stairs.

At the same moment, Serenity was backing away from Endymion, pointing at him and trying to threaten him. "You stay away from me, do you hear?" He kept coming closer and closer, grinning at her as if he was going to devour her, and at that moment, she was sure that that was exactly what he wanted to do. She squeaked and kept backing up until her back hit the cool glass of the balcony door. He met her there, and wrapped his arms around her waist, stopping her.

"Serenity, you can't run any more. You hid all night from me, and you won't do it again."

She scoffed at him and turned her head, folding her arms and staring at the ground. "Who do you think you are, ordering me around like I'm just your slave? I will do as I wish, Prince Endymion." She whipped her head up and glared at him. "Now let me go!"

"No." He answered, leaning down quickly and capturing her lips with his. She began to protest, and even reached out her hand and slapped him, but he just grinned at her again and clamped down on her again. She gasped and after several minutes of struggling, finally sunk into his embrace and kissed him back.

In need of air, Endymion broke the kiss and rested his head against Serenity's, looking into her eyes, grinning mischievously at her.

She was gasping for breath, her chest heaving. "I'm still furious with you. The only reason you got that kiss was because you're… stronger than I am."

He snorted. "Right. You wanted that, and you know it."

"Shut up, Endymion."

He shook his head and pulled away from her. "By the way, I freed Setsuna this morning. She's resting in a guest room." A gleeful gasp escaped Serenity's lips as he continued. "We had quite a long talk before I let her go, however. I couldn't let her go without some sort of punishment." At Serenity's furious look, he placed a finger to her lips. "She did hire a hit-man to kidnap you, and that cannot be overlooked, even if her intentions were harmless… which she did claim, as you did. But her punishment… is simply that she is to be your maid for at least three months. What you shall treat her as, I care not. She can be your maid, if you wish… you may just wish her a companion to be treated as your other friends. I cannot say, for that is your decision."

Serenity squealed happily and launched into his open arms. "Oh, Endy, thank you so much! What made you change your mind?"

Endymion smiled wryly. "My father, of all people." At her confused look, he shook his head. "I won't go into it. You have had your wish, though, princess, and your friend is free. Now will you please stop being angry with me and just marry me already?" He laughed and shook his head.

Serenity pursed her lips and pulled away from him, crossing her arms. "Endymion, this wasn't just about Setsuna, and you know that."

He looked confused. "You wanted her free. I freed her. What else is there? Serenity, you're being absurd."

She sighed. "No, Endymion. That's not all. Just think about your attitude toward me. It took you this long to free Setsuna, when really, you should have freed her last night when I pleaded with you!" Her face held hurt, and suddenly Endymion felt his own face grow hot. "You don't listen to me, Endymion. You treat me like I am an invalid, unable to make her own decisions and to voice her own opinions." She looked up at him. "That's why I won't marry you. Not until you learn to listen and treat me as your equal." She brushed past him into Minako's washroom, shutting the door behind her.

To him, it was if she was shutting the door to her heart as well. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, how do I prove to her that I listen?"

Serenity, dressed in a soft pink day gown, happily joined her friends for tea on the veranda, hugging Setsuna as she greeted her. "Oh, Setsuna, I'm so glad you're here. You're alright, I hope? Oh, I'm so very sorry you had to spend the night in that terrible prison!"

Setsuna refused her apologies. "No, Serenity, dear. Don't worry about it in the least. I'm fine… happy and well. And to think, my only chore now is to get to know you!" She laughed. "I don't see the punishment in it, really!"

Serenity giggled. "I rather like the idea myself!"

Ami spoke up. "Well, I am glad he finally learned his lesson. The wedding is still planned for tomorrow, then?" She passed a cup of tea to Serenity, who had nestled into her seat beside Setsuna.

Serenity turned red in the face. "Well… actually, no."

Rei jumped up, nearly knocking over her own teacup. "But Serenity!"

Serenity held up her hand and shook her head. "No, Rei. You don't understand. I can't marry him now, or I would be going back on everything that I've been trying to achieve. Yes, my dear friend is free, but this was not only about her. It was also about how Endymion is a brute who needs to learn that I am his equal, not his slave. He has got to learn that I want to be listened to, not ignored. Only then will I marry him."

"But didn't he listen to you by freeing Setsuna?" She asked.

"No, not really. He freed her to get me back, not because he listened to me and understood me. That's not good enough."

Ami nodded. "I'm with you, always."

Setsuna agreed. "And me as well. You're doing the right thing, Serenity."

Serenity smiled. "I do hope so. Oh, and please call me Sere. All of my close friends do."

Their tea was interrupted by a croquet ball crashing into the center table. All four of the ladies jumped up, clutching their tea cups.

"Oh my goodness!" Serenity sputtered. She turned and stared out at the green courtyard, where she saw Minako, Endymion, Jaedite, and Kunzite engaged in a game of croquet.

Minako was racing up towards them, her arm outstretched. "Sorry, Sere! Can you hand me that ball?"

Serenity sighed. "Honey, that is NOT how you play croquet. Who taught you?"

"He did." Minako pointed to Endymion, who was leaning on his croquet putter and grinning at Serenity.

"Typical." The princess rolled her eyes in Endymion's direction and handed the ball back to Minako.

The girl scampered back out into the courtyard, while Serenity turned her back on the game and sat with her friends again. "That Endymion, I swear."

Setsuna laughed. "You have to give him credit, though, Sere. He is desperately in want of your attention."

Serenity sniffed. "He doesn't deserve it the way he's acting. I mean, really… telling the girl to hit the ball way out here just so I would turn and see he was there?"

"I think it's sweet." Rei noted.

Serenity shrugged. "I don't know what to think about him anymore."

Endymion paced back and forth in his study, his generals watching him. They sat silently, all with glasses of scotch, amused with the predicament of their prince.

"Can you believe how far she's taking this? What do I do to show her I listen? How? Unless Setsuna kidnaps her again, so I can set her free within seconds this time, I don't think I have a chance!"

"Can I give a suggestion, Prince?" Kunzite spoke, raising his glass.

The prince stopped and looked at his friend eagerly. "What, Kunzite?"

"Well… you want to show her that you listen to her, yes? Then… think back, and try to remember something special she told you." He stopped, taking a swig of his drink. "There has to be something she told you, that would mean something to her, something that would show that you do listen."

Endymion frowned and sat behind his desk. He sat in silence for a long while, listening to the generals swirling the ice in their glasses. After sitting for a while, he asked them to leave so he could think alone. They obliged, wishing him the best. He sat and pondered the thoughts in his head, trying to sort them. Sighing, he stood and walked to the window, staring out at the gardens, which were darkening. He frowned. It was too early for it to be dark. He looked out up at the sky and saw a storm brewing. Turning around, he walked back to his desk and ran a finger along the edge as he thought.

Then suddenly, his eyes widened and he looked out the window again. 'I know… I know how to show her!'

He raced out of the room, intent on making sure he was not without his love ever again.

End Chapter Fifteen