Part II: Chapter 11

The Forgotten Son

"Princess Mina!" Barrick smiled as Mina and Idra entered a large room. He was seated at a large, polished oak round table. Ten matching chairs with dark green seats circled the table and each one was empty except for one. Barrick's black leather boots were propped up on the table and he rested comfortably against the back of his chair, his eyes set squarely on Mina.

Mina held her head high, keeping her expression vacant as Idra pulled her further into the room. She pushed Mina forward until she came to a stop before the table.

"Don't think about trying anything." Idra warned her as she left her side. She turned on her heel and left, shutting the door behind her. The sound of a lock turning followed, leaving Mina alone, trapped, with Barrick.

"Silence is most unlike you." Barrick said as he dropped his feet from the table and sat up straight. "I know, you're probably upset… taking you in front of your own guards, Lita, and your man was a crappy thing to do, but necessary."

"What do you want with me?" Mina asked, ignoring his ramblings as her eyes narrowed.

"Straight to the point." Barrick commented as he crossed his arms and rested against the back of his chair again. "I like you."

"Then let me go." Mina replied as she held his gaze.

"Perhaps I don't like you that much." Barrick replied with a chuckle. He rose from his seat, the wooden legs screeched against the stone floor as he rose. "But returning to your question earlier, I have taken you because we need each other."

"What do you need me for?" Mina asked with a scoff as her blue eyes followed his every move.

"Let's just say, you have a way with words, you're convincing." Barrick replied as his hands went behind his back. He slowly approached Mina, hit heavy footfalls echoed within the large room. "I'm more of an action man. Action isn't what is needed, at least, not yet."

"Again, what do you need me for?" Mina asked, annoyed as her eyes followed him. She didn't trust Barrick. Why would she? She also didn't like that she knew almost nothing about him. If Fabian was to come rescue her, which she still felt confident that he would, she needed information from Barrick. That was the least she could do while she was in captivity.

"Obviously, I've lost Serena's trust. If I try to talk to her…" He continued as he shrugged his shoulders with a shake of his head. "I don't see her taking it well. In fact, just seeing me may be unsettling. What I need is for someone to do the talking for me, at least the introductions. You will get her to listen Mina. She trusts you. You're her second in command after all."

"What is so important that you had to kidnap me and bring me here just to talk your ex-fiancé?" Mina asked as she crossed her arms.

Barrick's expression transformed into a cruel smile as she spoke. He stopped just a foot from her, his hands still behind his back. "She'll trust you before she trusts me. I want you to tell her that we aren't enemies. I have no quarrel with the sailor scouts or Endymion's generals. I have … plans… for this galaxy and several individuals within it. All that I ask, is that she stay out of my way."

"That the entire message?" Mina asked as she perked a brow, carefully watching Barrick's expression.

"The gist." Barrick confirmed with a nod as his smile returned.

"No." Mina replied as she turned from him. She took several strides to the locked door and pulled on the handle. It didn't budge, not that she expected it to.

"No?" Barrick repeated, questioning. His brows lifted in surprise as he shook his head, as if he wasn't hearing right.

"No." Mina repeated as she turned to face him again. "I won't be doing you any favors. I don't know you and I don't owe you anything. All I know about you is that you deceived one of my best friends for almost three years. I don't know why, and I don't know what you did during that time, but I can guess it wasn't good. Now, you've taken me from my home planet and forced me to be a prisoner with Nephrite, another individual that you've taken against his will. You've given me no reason to trust you, quite the opposite in fact. You want Serena's trust? You have to earn mine first, and you're off to a bad start."

Barrick nodded, acknowledging her words as she spoke. He crossed the room in four quick strides, stopping just inches from her face.

Mina took a step back, her back hit the wall beside the locked door as she felt the heat from his body.

Barrick's charming smile was gone. His features had turned dark, his eyes held a cruel glint that hadn't been there only moments ago. This was his true form, his true nature. Mina could see it seeping through his façade.

"Princess… I have not harmed you or your cell mate. I've fed you, provided you with essentials. The only wrongdoing I've done is taken you against your will. You weren't harmed and neither was Nephrite. As I stated previously, I have no issue with you, the sailor scouts or the generals from Earth. I do however, have issues with others. The time I spent with Serena, though somewhat deceitful, was never malicious. I treated her well and actually, I really do like her just not enough to fight beside her. Now…I'm asking nicely this time. I won't be so nice if I have to ask again. I have shown you respect here Mina and if you wish to continue to see it, I suggest you do as I ask." He leaned forward and put his right hand on the wall, right next to her head. He leaned in as his other hand went to her cheek. He ran a finger down the side of her face, trailing down to her slender shoulder where he twirled a lock of her golden hair around his finger. "Mina… will you please relay my message?"

"Sweet words through iron bars lose their charm." Mina replied as she turned her face from him, opting instead to glance at the adjacent wall, if only to keep him from touching her again. "Let me go. Free me and Nephrite and I will deliver your message."

"I can't be reassured that you would if I let you leave freely." Barrick replied as he pulled back from her just slightly, letting her silky hair fall through his fingers.

"And how can I deliver a message if I'm your captive? Just how to do you plan on getting me to Serena without letting me go?" Mina asked as her eyes slid over to his.

"Leave that to me." Barrick replied with a grin. "I'm not through yet."

"Who are you after?" Mina asked bravely as she turned her head back to face him. He was still uncomfortably close to her though she kept her head held high. "If it's not the sailor scouts or the generals who then? The Shadow Warriors? Beryl? Raven?"

"That list is lengthy, and believe me, I've already started on it." Barrick replied as he rested his hand on her arm, holding her still. "I don't want peace, I don't want tranquility. I want revenge." He leaned in closer to her.

Mina held her breath as she felt his body press against hers. His fingers, cold but firm, gripped her arm. She could feel his heart beating steadily against her chest. He was at an angle so they were nearly eye to eye, though he stood several inches taller than her.

"I have big plans princess… those plans don't need interruptions, especially not from individuals that I don't have a quarrel with. I like Serena. I like you. I don't want to harm any of you but I do need you. In fact, there may come a time where we need each other." He whispered in her ear as he tucked a lose strand of hair back over her shoulder. "But until then, stay out of my way."

Mina cringed as she felt his breath on her shoulder. She could his chest rise and fall against hers as he spoke. "Barrick, let me and Nephrite go home."

"Oh… you will… when the time is right." Barrick stated as he pulled away from her.

"When is that? When am I to deliver this message?" She asked as she watched him.

His smile grew as he sat back down in his chair, putting his feet back up on the table. "I'm thinking soon. After all, we have a royal wedding to attend."

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Raye fidgeted, shifting from one foot to another as Earth rose into the night sky. She wore a simple deep burgundy dress. Her long ebony black hair was loose, hanging around her shoulders and trickling down her back like a ribbon of black silk. Just behind her the other scouts and most of the palace occupants were venturing into the great hall for dinner. She could smell tonight's dinner, roast duck with potatoes, wafting through the long hallways to the south wing. Though she was hungry she didn't follow the crowd to the hall, instead she stood silent, allowing them to pass her as her eyes remained on a nearby flight of stairs.

It was nearly time. In just a few moments the generals and Endymion would teleport back to the Earth, this time leaving for who knew how long? What if she never got to see Jadeite again? What if the Negaverse moved up their attack and came earlier? The scouts weren't ready. They had barely gotten back to training, their powers were still developing, a fight now would be a losing one. Too many what ifs were lingering in her mind. What if they were attacked soon? What if Barrick decided to show up and take more of them? What if …

She paused as she heard another group of voices approach. She could hear the heavy thuds of boots as a group of men descended the staircase. She strained her eyes to see Zoisite's wavy blond hair, Kunzite's long silverly locks and Endymion's sleek black hair. She felt her breath catch in her throat as the last man, slender with short blond hair, follow them to the landing. Each man held a bag in their hands, packed for the journey home.

"Jadeite." Raye whispered as they passed.

All four of them stopped and turned, each with their own expression of mild surprise. However, once their eyes caught Raye, all but one reflected their own expressions of pity.

"I'll catch up." Jadeite told the others as he dropped his bag onto the floor.

"Let's go guys. Take care Raye." Endymion replied with a nod to Raye as he and the other two men continued down the hallway to the transportation room.

Raye reached for Jadeite's hand. He hesitated for a moment, casting a look around them to make sure they were alone before he took it.

"I don't… I don't want you to leave." Raye whispered as she felt him draw her to his chest.

"I know." Jadeite replied as his hand left hers and went to her hip, guiding her to him. "But I must."

"I don't have a good feeling." Raye whispered to him as she rested her head against his strong chest. "I feel like… like… I'm never going to see you again."

Jadeite wrapped his arms around her as he shook his head. "You know that's not true, we have months still—"

"But what if we don't Jed? You heard Pluto, we've caused a rift in time. What if things happen much faster?" Raye protested as she felt her eyes sting.

"And what if they happen much slower?" Jadeite asked as he looked down at her. "We don't know what the future holds, as much as we think we do…"

"My parents have asked that I go home." Raye whispered as she shut her eyes. "They've heard unsettling rumors about things happening at the far end of the galaxy. Saturn has already closed their borders, Jupiter just announced the same, Mars wants to follow suit, but if they do… I won't be able to leave."

"You've got a dilemma. The sailor scouts need you." Jadeite replied though his voice cracked slightly, as if he were fighting his own emotions.

"Jed, I don't know what to do." Raye said as she looked up at him. She could feel his heart beating against her chest, she could feel his strong grasp around her, soothing her nerves though the stinging in her eyes was only intensifying. She had never felt so vulnerable. It wasn't a feeling she was accustomed to.

"You know what you need to do." Jadeite corrected her as he brushed back a strand of hair from her face. "Your team needs you."

"I've always been the obedient daughter, I've never had to stand up against my parents. On Earth there was only grandfather and he allowed me freedom my parents never did. " Raye replied. "If I break away from their wishes, then the last thing they will remember of me is how I disappointed them."

"Disappoint?" Jadeite repeated with a shake of his head. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her head until their eyes met. "Raye, you're not a disappointment. You're the most selfless person I know. You've dropped everything to be with your team. You've trained and pushed yourself to fight for those who can't. You've don't almost nothing for yourself in two lifetimes. You could never be a disappointment to anyone."

"Perhaps the disappointment is that I don't want to do any of it. I'm tired, Jed. I'm tired of having to always be strong when I'm not happy… but you… you've been the best part of my life… and to see you go and to be so alone … I can't… I cant." Raye trailed off as the tears finally broke free and trickled down her cheeks.

"Raye." Jadeite whispered as he took her into his arms, pulling her even closer to him. He kissed her cheeks, wet with tears, as she shook. "You aren't going to be alone. I promise you I'll come back. There's Endymion's coronation and eventually Endymion and Serena's wedding. We will have opportunities."

"But I want more." Raye whispered as she brushed away her tears angrily with the back of her hand. "I don't want to settle for official events and just waiting and waiting for another opportunity to come along."

"What are you saying?" Jadeite asked as he studied her.

"Lita and Amy didn't wait. Why should we?" She asked as her dark eyes caught his.

"What do you mean?" Jadeite replied as his eyes widened.

"Marry me." She whispered before she could stop herself. "I don't care about anything else Jed. I just want to be with you. I can't take another life of what ifs. I can't handle another moment without you. I'm about to lose you again and I can't… I can't do it."

"Jed! Let's go!" Kunzite yelled from down the hall.

"Raye… are you serious?" Jadeite asked, ignoring Kunzite as his green eyes scanned Raye's. Her expression had changed. The worry and agony that had been etched into her features had transformed to a hopeful glance. Her fingers closed around his as she lifted herself up onto her tip toes. Her lips brushed ever so gently against his.

He felt a jolt within him at her touch as a newfound strength seeped into his body yet he hesitated. Had he heard her right? Had the princess of Mars just asked him to marry her? No, not the princess of Mars... Raye.

Her eyes searched his, wide with worry over his silence as she continued. "Marry me Jed… screw it all. Let's be together. We can't keep waiting for the perfect opportunity, there may never be one. If all we have is this time together then I don't want to wait anymore. I'm through waiting—"

She was cut off as Jadeite's lips found hers. She was caught off guard by the intensity of his kiss. His hands snaked around her back, lifting her off the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as the kiss only deepened.

"I love you." Raye whispered as their lips parted.

"JED!" Zoisite called, his voice echoing through the empty hallway.

"I love you." Jadeite replied as he set her back on the ground. Their eyes met one last time as Jadeite reached down and grabbed his bag. "I promise I'll return."

Raye reached for his hand, catching him before he could turn from her. "Jed… you… you didn't answer."

"Of course." He grinned with a slight chuckle. He shouldered his bag and wrapped one arm around her waist, bringing her back to his lips. "I'll find us someone to marry us on Earth. Make sure you're there for the coronation. I promise I'll have a ring then."

"Truly?" Raye asked as she felt the sparkle return to her eyes. She could hardly believe her ears. The coronation was planned for the end of the next week.

"I promise." He kissed her one more time and took off a silver chain that was around his neck. The chain held a single pendent, a crest. It was his family crest. Though he wasn't of notable birth like Kunzite and Zoisite, his family crest was still a prized possession for a simple family. The pendant sprouted three oak leaf trees surrounded by a flame. The trees symbolized the three brothers that had rose within the ranks of Earth's great armies. The flame didn't signify the trees were burned but rather strengthened by a fiery spirit as they had been gifted with fire magic. The tale of the three brothers had become nothing more than a story. One of the brothers had been Jadeite's great, great grandfather, now he was the next in the line. The crest was passed down for generations. As the eldest son, Jadeite had inherited the crest. The silver was worn, but still shone brilliantly, even in the dimly lit hallway. He placed it around Raye's neck. A smile tugged at his lips as he saw the pendant rest against the bodice of her dress.

"The coronation." Jadeite promised as he kissed her cheek. Before she could speak again he turned on his heel and jogged down the hallway, joining the others to teleport home.

Raye was left alone in the hallway, her chest still heaving as she tried to process what had just happened. She could hardly believe it. She had asked Jadeite to marry her. What had come over her? What would her parents say? How could she stay on the Moon if Mars closed their borders?

"That was weird. I mean, I know you all said you came from another time but I've never seen a girl ask a man to marry her." Lita said as she strolled into view. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I did."

Raye jumped as Lita approached her, her eyes wide with wonder. "Well, that isn't entirely new." Raye commented as she tucked the necklace into her dress. "Just, whatever you heard, keep it between us for now."

"I promise… as long as you answer my question. Tell me, what didn't I wait for?" She asked as her hands went to her hips, referring to something Raye had said earlier. "What are you all not telling me?"

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"What are you thinking Nikko?" Fabian asked as he and his brother crossed through another field of debris. They were on Titan, in the remnants of what had been the royal palace. The palace had been destroyed during the uprising and most of Barrick's family had been killed in the onslaught. The Shadow Warriors had been shifting through the rubble for hours, looking for anything that could help them to figure out where Barrick had gone.

"I'm thinking Barrick wasn't the only family member to survive." Nikko replied as he pushed over a large, charred piece of stone. Beneath was a sea of shattered glass and metal, possible the remnants of a large chandelier. The palace hadn't been overly large but it had been over the top with luxury. The lavish spending is what had caused unrest on the planet and ultimately, the doom of the royal family.

"The resistance hunted them all down." Rhea replied as she used her staff to flip over another piece of stone. She shoved another with her boot, sighing as once again, nothing of consequence turned up. "There's no one but Barrick left."

"Well, we aren't going to find any live family members here." Femi said as she squatted low and brushed aside a pile of ash. Several papers were visible beneath. She lifted them and shifted through them, her eyes scanning for anything of importance. "So what are we looking for?"

"Of course not." Nikko replied gruffly. "But we also don't know who they all are. We know Barrick was off planet for the attack, he probably wasn't the only one. The family was huge, there were lots of family members."

"Wait." Fabian said as he lifted another stone and found a shattered frame beneath. He pushed aside the broken glass and lifted the picture to eye level. He could see about twenty people, all regally dressed and dripping with jewels surrounding the old king and queen of Titan who were seated on their thrones. Barrick was visible just to the right of the King, his hand resting on his shoulder. Beside him stood an older woman, presumably his mother. Her long blond hair was partially down, the loose curls rested against one shoulder. Her dark blue eyes, the same as her son's, were twinkling.

"That's it." Nikko said as he took the picture from Fabian and studied it. "Damn…"

"What?" Rhea asked as she and Femi crossed over to them, joining Nikko's side to gaze at the picture.

"Do you recognize those three?" Nikko commented as he pointed to two boys and one girl, standing just behind Barrick and his mother. They all had the same dark hair as Barrick but their eyes were all green, the same as the king's. They appeared to be teenagers, just around Barrick's age.

Fabian's eyes widened as he realized what Nikko had meant. "Those three… were the ones on Jupiter…"

"We killed them." Femi finished for him as she put a hand to her mouth. "Just before we went to the Moon to guard the princess. It was our last assignment."

"We killed a lot of people. We are assassins, not protectors." Rhea said dismissively as she studied the picture. "What is significant about their death?"

"Don't you see?" Fabian stated as he turned to face Rhea. "We finished them off. Barrick isn't after Mina or the scouts, he's after us. We killed his family, at least the ones that managed to survive."

"Not just us." Nikko said as he shook a few more ashes from the picture. "There were four of them we were told to kill. We only found those three. One still lives."

"Who?" Femi asked as she studied the picture. "I don't remember anyone else."

"He was a boy, I told him to run." Nikko said as he pointed to the other end of the picture. Just before the queen's feet was a boy, appearing around twelve, grinning from ear to ear. He had golden hair like Barrick's mother but shared the same green eyes as the other three. "I don't know what happened to him, but we didn't kill him. We don't kill children. We never have. I told the kid to run and get off the planet. He didn't ask questions."

"Who ordered the attack?" Fabian asked Nikko as he tore his eyes from the picture. The Shadow Warriors had always followed Nikko's lead. He was the only one who communicated with those that hired them. They never asked questions about who it was sending them on each assignment.

"The one who offered them shelter when they fled Titan." Nikko said somberly as he folded the picture and put it in his pocket. "Lita's uncle, the steward of Jupiter."