Storms Upon the Heart
Chapter Sixteen
Endymion fled up the stairs, passing his mother and Melodine in his hurry. They both blinked and watched him, turning and shrugging to each other.
"Such energy." Melodine noted.
"I wish I had that energy again. The energy of youth, I guess." Cassandra retorted.
"You are a storm upon my heart because you've…changed what is in my heart. You confuse me, you drive me mad…and yet I still want to be near you."
The thought of Serenity's voice speaking the words echoed through Endymion's mind as he rushed down to the hallway and ripped open the door to their bedroom. Serenity, standing beside the bed and pulling a white robe around her slim shoulders, turned with a start and stared at him as if he had morphed into a frightening monster.
"Endymion! What on earth are you doing?" She pulled the robe tightly around her, tying a knot in the silk cord.
Endymion held up his hand for a moment and took a deep breath to regain his composure. Then he walked up to her and grabbed her around the waist, bringing his lips to hers.
Surprised, Serenity tried to pull away, but ended up tripping backwards over the bottom of her robe and falling. Endymion grabbed her before she fell, and he looked down into her blinking blue eyes, and a grin formed over his face.
"My sweet little klutz."
Serenity rolled her eyes, pushed him away, and stood up. She straightened herself and sat down on the edge of the bed. "A klutz. Well, I've never been called that before… pray tell, Prince, what does that mean? Is it a foreign Hershim word I am not accustomed to hearing? Or is it some imaginary word in your own demented head?"
"Oh, give it up already, Serenity. I didn't mean anything cruel by it, and you know it. I was simply teasing you." He sat down on the bed and tied his arms around her waist, turning her to face him. She gulped and looked away, noticing that she was practically sitting in his lap.
"Endymion, I am very tired, and I was going to take an afternoon nap. What do you want?"
He grinned. "I want you."
She sighed impatiently. "Be serious, Endymion."
"I'm being very serious! You, Princess Serenity, are the love of my life, and I will not leave this room until you say you will marry me tomorrow… well, in fact, you will say that you'll marry me tomorrow, and then I still won't leave." He grinned again. "Seeing as it is our room."
Serenity frowned. "I will not marry you, Endymion. For one thing, you will not stop bossing me around, and for another, you still have not learned your lesson."
"But I have, Serenity… I really have."
She raised an eyebrow.
He shook his head and slid of the bed, kneeling in front of her on one knee. He reached out and clasped her hands in his. "Now listen, Serenity… I know I'm… what do you call me? Brutish? Well… yes, I guess I can be sometimes, but that's just part of me… and you love me, yes? Well, I can't change some things, and you're just going to have to accept that… but I can change to be… a better listener. I know that sometimes I act like I'm not listening, but I will try harder… and if I ever start acting like I'm not, then… well…." He looked down sheepishly. "I suppose it will be a guest room for me. But I'm being serious, Serenity. I want you to marry me, because I love you… and you're the only woman I want to listen to for the rest of my life."
Serenity looked away and sighed. "Endymion, that's sweet, but how do I know you'll listen, and you'll stop treating me like I'm your… slave?"
"You'll have to trust me." He stood up and pulled her up with him. He led her to the window and pulled back the heavy curtains. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he leaned his chin down to rest on her shoulder as they looked out at the darkening skies. "I'm sure you remember what you called me? What you've called me from the beginning"
Serenity frowned. "Um… Endy?"
He laughed. "Well, yes and no. When I was lost and confused, you called me a storm upon your heart. It stuck with me, and it always will. Because you're the sunshine of my heart. You're the good part of me, the part of me that clears away the storm. And I can't go on without you… so you're just going to have to trust me when I say that I do listen to you, and… this thing we've been through… it won't happen again…"
Serenity pulled away and pressed her hand up against the glass of the balcony door. "Well."
Endymion stood quietly, watching her. He stepped back away from the window. She stood for a long time, watching as the clouds got heavier and a heavy rain began to fall, soaking the earth below. She sucked in a breath of air, watching a small blue bird take cover under the rail of the balcony.
When she didn't say anything for quite a while, he sighed and turned, heading toward the door. Reaching it, he opened it quietly.
"Endymion."
Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that she still hadn't turned away from the window. She was standing, staring out, with her arms crossed.
She finally turned around and looked at him. "Are you tired?"
He blinked.
She giggled softly and ducked her head, shaking it. "Alright, I guess that was an odd thing to say." She walked to the bed and sat down, and patted the mattress. "Take a nap with me? It's dark and gloomy out. Why not sleep it off?"
He cocked his head to the side and leaned against the door frame. "Does this mean…?"
She mimicked him and turned her head sideways. "I believe it does, Endy."
Endymion grinned and rushed up to her, picking her up off the bed and twirling her around. She squealed when he pulled her close, nuzzling her nose.
"You scared me."
Serenity laughed. "Can't you give a girl a moment to think?" She rolled her eyes and pulled herself out of his arms. She turned and pulled the covers back from the bed and climbed in, scooting over. Reaching out her hand for his, she smiled. "Sleep with me?"
"Hopefully forever." He grinned. He sat on the bed and took off his boots, climbing in with her and wrapping his arms around her waist tightly. "Going just a day without you in my arms is… murderous."
She snuggled deeply into his embrace. "Oh, brother."
"Weren't you lonely at all last night without me?"
She turned around and faced him. She propped herself up on her elbow and brushed a few bangs out of his face. "Hmm… not really." At his hurt look, she laughed. "Well, okay, but it was because I was too busy fighting off Minako to really even think about you."
He raised an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes. "She kicks in her sleep, the little twit. Every two seconds, she would land one in my ribs, on my face, on my stomach…" She laughed. "At least half the night, she was sprawled all over the bed. Her feet were on MY face, while her head was at the other end of the bed!" She grinned evilly. "Your snoring is heaven compared to her."
He feigned hurt. "I do not snore."
She shook her finger in his face. "Ah, there's my egotistical jerk. Yes, dear, you snore. Loudly." She turned around and snuggled into her pillow. "But I'll take your snoring any day of the week over Minako." She yawned.
Reaching his arms around her again, he leaned over her and was about to say something to retort, but he noticed her heavy eyelids, and he smiled softly. He kissed the top of her head and went to sleep with her.
End Chapter Sixteeen