Disclaimer: I own nothing.

This is a continuation of the last chapter! I hope you all enjoy it and thank you once again for reading it!

My Knight In Shining Armor

Chapter 9 - Reality

"The heart may freeze or it can burn, the pain will ease if I can learn . . . I can't control my destiny. I trust my soul, my only hope is just to be," - No Day But Today, Rent

Serenity decided to pull herself together. After some contemplation, the saddened Princess realized that she would never fall in love. The Fates just did not want it for her. She wiped her face and stood up. With a heavy sigh, brushed herself off and started to walk back to the ballroom. No longer would she be affected by a man.

"Serenity!"

She heard a voice. His voice. Why was it so mesmerizing to her? She stopped and turned around. He was running toward her.

"What's wrong? Why did you run away?" Endymion asked her.

"No reason. I just wanted to leave. Don't you want to go back to her?" Serenity replied, almost bitterly.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"That girl with the brown hair. Aren't you together?"

"No, what are you talking about?! She's my friend."

"Wait, so you aren't with her?"

"No..."

"Well, why was she flirting with you?"

"She was flirting?"

Serenity laughed at herself. She felt dumb. Why would he kiss her if there was nothing there?

"Do you want to go back to the ball?" Endymion asked warily, extending his hand in invitation.

"Not really. We can take a walk around the gardens?"

"Anything you want." He held his arm out for her and she looped hers through his.

Serenity made eye contact with Larissa as she looked in the ballroom. She immediately looked away and focused on getting out of the palace. She wasn't going to fight her feelings anymore.

They made it to the gardens and walked in silence. Serenity wanted to tell him everything; her feelings for him, how she thought he was the kindest, funniest, handsomest man she had ever met, and so much more. Almost everyone knew about her feelings except for him.

"What are you thinking about?" Endymion asked her.

"Nothing, really."

"Yes you are. That's your thinking face."

"I have a thinking face?"

"Yes, your eyes get bigger, and it's actually quite adorable."

Serenity laughed as she looked down and blushed.

"You're adorable when you blush, too," he said, looking at her.

"You make me blush a lot..."

"I do? Is that good?"

"It's very good..." Serenity said mysteriously. She was getting nervous. He was slowly unraveling her emotions.

"What do I make you blush about?"

At this point, they were both stopped by the fountain.

Serenity felt his body getting closer to hers. He was holding her close and Serenity loved every second of it.

"A lot of things... the things you say, the things you do..."

"What exactly do I do?"

Serenity grinned sheepishly and began to rock on her heels.

"You smile, and you listen to me. You seem as if you actually care about the way I feel, and no one has ever done that before."

"I'm glad I affect you that way."

There was a moment of silence between them both. Their lips were moving closer to each other until Endymion pulled away, looking down in shame.

"I can't," he said quietly,

"What? Why?"

"This is wrong, Serenity."

"N-No it's not..." Serenity said, even though she knew full well it was wrong.

"Yes it is. We should stop, we...we have to."

"I don't want to," Serenity replied stubbornly.

"I don't want to either; I like you too much to stay away from you. But this can't happen..."

"Then don't stay away from me," Serenity said, staring hard into his dark blue eyes.

"I can't be anything more to you than your knight."

"What if I want you to be more?"

"Do you really want that...?"

"I want you." Serenity looked up at him with so much love in her eyes, Endymion found her almost impossible to resist. He forced himself to turn away.

"You have to ignore your feelings for me, no matter how bad you want to act on them," Endymion told her sadly.

"Why should I? I shouldn't deny myself a chance at love, and neither should you!"

"You have to, there's nothing neither of us can do. If we lived in a different time and a different place, I would make you mine immediately, but we don't live in a different time. You are a Princess, I am but your lowly knight. The only reason for me to ever be around you is to protect you. I will always be your friend." Endymion inhaled, bracing himself for her reaction.

Serenity didn't want to be only his friend. She knew how she felt about him and how he felt about her. Their feelings were too strong. But she knew that their relationship would never advance to anything more than a close friendship. And it killed her inside.

"That's not ho-"

The trumpets sounded off inside of the palace, interrupting her.

"You should go back inside," Endymion said.

Serenity looked deeply into his midnight blue eyes, searching for a reason to try and stop her feelings for him but found none. She broke away and walked inside, a slight slouch in her shoulder as she was weighed down with sadness and disappointment.

She didn't know how she felt. It wasn't exactly heartbreak, but it wasn't the happy moment she wanted. Was she too fast with her feelings? Was she not in love with him, but with the idea of being in love? She didn't know. With a fake smile, she went up to her throne that was beside her fathers.

"Where have you been?" Aegean asked her.

"I got incredibly hot so I went outside a while. I feel much better now," Serenity said, putting on a fake smile for her father.

Aegean looked at her skeptically but dropped the subject. He had to address the reason the ball was happening - Larissa and Enceladus' Engagement - and tell his people of the events that will take place. The trumpets sounded once more which brought the attention back to the King.

"My good people! Tonight signifies new things happening in our solar system. My daughter, Princess Larissa is engaged to Enceladus, Prince of Venus! The wedding will be taking place in a few short weeks. This brings more prosperity to the kingdom. Things are better than ever. My daughter, Princess Serenity, is now seventeen and will be taking the throne once she is twenty-two. She is succeeding in learning more about her future role as Queen. I would like to propose a toast. To Enceladus and Larissa, may your lives be filled with happiness!" Aegean said.

Everyone raised their glasses and drank in tribute. "I hope you all are enjoying yourselves tonight; now on with the celebration!" The king gestured for the orchestra to continue playing and everyone continued with what they were previously doing.

Serenity looked up and saw her friends gesture for her to join them. She got up from her throne and walked over to them. They immediately pulled her to the hallway outside of the throne room.

"What happened when you and Endymion left?" Mina asked.

"I wanted to get some air, and he went with me," Serenity replied, not wanting to talk about what happened.

"Come on Serenity! You have to tell us something!" Lita said.

"There's nothing to tell," Serenity replied simply.

"Serenity, even I know that something happened between you both," Amy chimed in.

"And how could you possibly know if something happened between us?" the Princess snapped.

"Just a feeling. And you're avoiding the question," Amy said, ignoring Serenity's rude outburst.

"I'm not avoiding anything! Nothing happened, I wanted to get some air and he went with me, there's your answer!" Serenity said.

"Okay Serenity, we'll play along for now. Anyway, have yo-"

"Serenity, may I talk to you for a moment?" Larissa cut Raye off. The girls exchanged glances and walked away, leaving the two sisters to talk.

"You are making a big mistake," Larissa said.

"No I'm not, I know what I'm doing. He knows what he's doing. We're both fully aware of what could happen," Serenity said defensively.

"You realize that he could be exectued if you both are caught?"

"Caught doing what? We're just friends. Nothing more," Serenity said.

"I'm not going to tell anyone . . .I just need you to be careful."

"I will."

Larissa stared at Serenity and studied her for several moments before turning and walking away.

Serenity watched as her sister went back inside the ballroom. She was unsure if she wanted to go back to the ball. After thinking for a few moments, she decided not to and went up to her room.

"Serenity? What are you doing? The ball isn't over," Luna said when Serenity walked into her room.

"I know, I just . . . wanted to leave. I have a lot to think about," Serenity replied.

"Like what?"

"Larissa. She keeps telling me to be careful, and I'm not sure she's going to keep my secret," Serenity said, looking out the window.

"What secret?"

Serenity realized she didn't tell Luna.

"I- um - I know how Endymion feels about me..."

"And how does he feel?"

"He really likes me."

"Serenity, you have to be careful, for both of your sakes," Luna said softly.

"I will; we're both being careful. He wants to remain friends. He knows the consequenses and doesn't want to risk it."

"You ha-"

Luna was cut off as the door was opened and Mina, Amy, Raye, and Lita walked into Serenity's room.

"Okay, tell us what happened!" Mina said, practically bouncing as she walked in.

Serenity smiled at her friends.

"You think that just because I am in the privacy of my own room that something else happened?" she asked, seeming innocent.

"No, but we think you'll tell us since we're alone and no one would hear us," Raye said, getting annoyed. "We know something happened."

"He likes me, but he doesn't want to be anything more than friends, because of our situation," Serenity said sadly.

"I'm so sorry," Mina said, going to sit by Serenity to comfort her.

"It's just - maybe I was being too forward with how I felt; I don't know. Maybe I'm just in love with the idea of being in love," Serenity said, looking down at her hands.

"I don't think that's the case. If you were in love with the idea of love, you would be with Diamond," Raye pointed out.

"Serenity, you've never felt like this about someone. Numerous amounts of men have tried to court you but you paid them no interest. But when Endymion shows up, you fall for him. You're falling in love with him, not the idea of being in love," Lita added.

"Well if that's the case, we still can't be together. It just wouldn't be right," Serenity said.

"Love is more powerful then anything in this universe. It can triumph over anything. If you and Endymion both have strong feelings for each other, you can find a way to be together," Mina said.

"It's all so confusing. . ." Serenity said, putting her head in her hands.

"Serenity, maybe you should talk to your father. Who knows? Maybe he won't be as opposed to it as he was with Caliban," Mina said.

"Are you kidding me? He'd freak out. There's no way he is knowing any of this! You know what happened to Caliban; I can't let that happen to me," Serenity said.

"Is being Queen that important to you? Would you give it up for love?" Lita asked her.

Serenity had to think for a moment.

"I don't know, I've never been in love. I don't know how it feels," she said.

"I feel like you would," Mina speculated.

"But you can't. You have a duty to your father and to the solar system. You must become Queen," Raye stated.

"I know, but there has to be a way," Serenity said, hope glimmering in her eyes.

"There's always a way. Every problem has a solution," Amy said.

"I feel like people who are royalty don't marry a person, they marry the country, which isn't fair whatsoever. Everyone has someone that was made for them; you shouldn't be forced into something you don't want, which is why I can't marry Diamond. I know it's my duty . . . but I just can't," Serenity said.

"Serenity, you have to. What will your father say?" Raye said, looking at her with concern.

"I don't know, but I have to tell him...keeping this secret is getting to be too much for me. The ball should be well near over by now," the Moon Princess said.

"Go talk to him," Raye said encouragingly.

Serenity bit her lip nervously, not daring to move.

"No time like the present," Mina said, taking Serenity's hand and pulling her out of the room.

"Thanks," Serenity mumbled once she was alone in the corridor.

She walked down the long hallways trying to give herself a pep talk:

"He's my father, and he can't be that upset with me . . . but the way he treats Caliban proves that he can be. Just talk to him and don't get nervous."

Serenity found her father saying good bye to some of the nobles in the ballroom. She waited at the entrance silently so he could look busy, she pretended to be invested in a flower in a vase.

"Serenity!" her father yelled her name and she looked at him, startled. He gestured for her to come over to him which she did.

"Hello," she said, as the nobles bowed to her.

"Are you excited about your sister's engagement?" a red-haired woman asked her.

"Of course, I'm very excited and happy for her," Serenity responded.

"Your engagement won't be too long from now, huh?" a man with brown hair and an atrocious outfit said to her.

"Well, it-"

"Diamond and Serenity are very happy together; another engagement should be happening very soon," Aegean said, cutting her off.

Serenity looked up at her father and felt nervous again. How was she going to tell him how she felt when he's so dead-set on her marriage to Diamond?

She stood there silently until her father finally bid the nobles farewell.

"Father, I need to talk to you," she said, once they were alone.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, I just - I need to tell you something," she replied.

Aegean nodded and the pair started to walk to the King's office. "What do you need to tell me exactly?"

"It's more of a conversation I'd want to tell you in private," Serenity said, making sure any of the servants weren't listening.

"And you're sure you're alright?"

"Yes . . ."

The two entered the office and they sat down on a soft couch.

"Now, what's wrong?" Aegean asked.

"Father . . . I can't marry Diamond," Serenity blurted, nervous of what his reaction will be.

"I know you can't. You two will marry in a couple of years, just not at this moment in time," Aegean replied happily.

Serenity sighed. "No Father, that isn't what I meant. I . . . I don't want to marry Diamond. In fact, I don't like him at all. Nothing is there between us; I really don't have any feeling beside dislike for him."

"That's an issue," Aegean said, staring intensly at his daughter as he walked to sit down at his desk.

"I-I know, I'm sorry but I'm sure there's someone else I co-"

"No, there's not. Serenity, you will marry Diamond when you're 22. You don't have a choice," Aegean said sternly.

"I can't. I can't just marry someone I don't love," she said, starting to feel panicked.

"I'm sorry, but that's what will happen. You have to give things up for ruling the solar system."

"But dad, I-"

"Serenity, no buts."

There was an intense silence in the room until Aegean spoke up again.

"Why have you barely been at the ball tonight?"

"I was with my friends," Serenity said quietly.

"Who else?" he questioned.

"That's it," Serenity felt nervous as her heart begin to race.

"Who is it?" Aegean asked.

"Who's who?" Serenity said.

"Diamond came to me. He asked if there was anyone else trying to win your heart, and I said no because you haven't told me anything. Is there someone else? Is this why you're opposed to marrying Diamond?" Aegean said.

"No, of course not," she lied.

"You would tell me?" Aegean said.

"Yes," Serenity said, crossing her fingers so he wouldn't see.

"I feel like you feel left out, what with Larissa's engagement. Are you happy?" There was a strange look in the King's eyes that Serenity couldn't quite identify.

"I'm not happy, but I'm not sad either. I don't know how I feel."

"If there's something wrong, you can always talk to me."

"I know," Serenity said, knowing deep down she couldn't tell him everything that was wrong with her. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed. Good night, Father."

"Good night, sweetheart," Aegean said, pulling his daughter in for a hug.

Serenity left his office and slowly walked to her room. She felt like everything was a blur. She had to marry Diamond and she and Endymion couldn't act on their feelings. Was love not meant for her?

She was in her room getting ready for bed when Luna interrupted her thoughts.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know how I feel right now. I'm just confused. I have to marry Diamond, and I can't be with Endymion in any way. So, I guess I'm not happy. I don't want to marry Diamond and I want to get to know Endymion more," Serenity said as she got in bed.

"Serenity, you're the Princess and soon-to-be Queen of the solar system; you're going to have to give things up that you want the most," Luna said.

"But it's not fair, I shouldn't have to give up love, that's the one thing everyone needs," Serenity whined.

"You have to deal with it though, giving things up come with the job."

"Caliban easily got out of being king and married the one he loves. Larissa just happened to be madly in love with whom father wanted her to be in love with, and then there's me. It's not like I can just not be Queen, I'm the only heir left. That just means that father is going to make sure there is nothing deferring me from being Queen. Caliban and Larissa got their happiness, so why can't I?"

"Caliban took the easy way out, you have to be stronger, Serenity. I know you can, you're a strong girl. You'll be a great ruler ,and you will find happiness."

"I hope so," Serenity said.

"Good night, Princess," Luna said, curling into Serenity.

"Good night, Luna," Serenity responded.

Serenity kept tossing and turning. She couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard she tried.

She eventually got out of bed and went to the library. Once there, she pulled out a copy of Pyramus and Thisbē.

She still didn't believe in killing yourself to be with the one you love, but she knew how hard it was to be torn away from the one you love. She certainly didn't love Endymion, but she was rather fond of him. She desperately wanted to get to know him better but she knew that wouldn't happen. It felt as though she was robbed; deprived of being able to fall in love with whomever she wanted.

She heard footsteps and got curious. She turned around and saw Caliban coming down the stairs.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"The same reason you're here. You couldn't sleep?" Caliban assumed.

"Not really, a lot has been going on," Serenity said.

"Like what?"

Serenity figured that she could tell him now. She needed help, and Larissa wanted no part of it.

"I-I just- I have strong feelings for someone. He is my knight, and I know how wrong it is. I wish I could stay away from him, but I can't. I'm really trying. We told each other how we feel and it's mutual; we like each other. But he said that it's wrong and he can't do it. I tried to talk to Larissa about it, but she wants nothing to do with it."

"Wow, I didn't expect you to want to disobey Father like that. You can't let status control your life. I learned that, and since then I've been much happier. You just have to do what your heart says. Love is with your heart, not your mind. It's better to just follow your heart. If you like him, then follow that. You're going to try to stop your growing affection for him, but in the end, it won't work. You're only going to want him even more. In the end, you'll still like him. So save yourself the trouble and just do what your heart says."

Serenity looked at him, shocked.

"That's actually . . . very helpful. Thank you," she said quietly.

"Glad I could help. Be careful though. Father won't let you go like he let me go, he's going to do everything in his power to make sure you become who he wants you to."

"He wouldn't . . . hurt Endymion if we were ever caught being more than friends, would he?" Serenity said, feeling a pit of nervousness in her stomach.

"He will do whatever it takes to make sure that you're with who he wants you with," Caliban said.

Serenity nodded and got nervous. Her father would make sure she ended up with Diamond. She had no choice but to marry him. She could never be with Endymion no matter how bad she wants to.

She suddenly felt light headed and felt fatigue over her.

"I'm going to go back to bed, I shouldn't leave Alexia alone for too long," Caliban said

"Good night," Serenity told her brother.

"Good night," Caliban said as he walked away.

Serenity was alone in the library. Alone with her thoughts and alone to think. Her thoughts immediately went to Endymion.

"Being with Endymion is just a dream, a fantasy that'll never come true."

Serenity wanted to get that out of her mind. Her mind couldn't handle anymore emotions. Serenity continued to read to get her mind off of things. She read until she fell into a sound sleep in the library.

It was so upsetting for me to write this! I want them to get together just as bad as the next person! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm so excited for you all to see what I plan on doing with this story! Happy Valentines day, I hope your day is filled with love and happiness!

Have an AMAZING day/night.

xx Morgan xx