A/N: This was a long time coming, and I apologize for the delay. Life has been hectic, details I won't go into at the present time. I have an epiloge for this story, though otherwise this is the last chapter of "The Untouchable Princess." I have another tale planned, though I don't know when it will be released. I'll keep you updated as much as I can through the profile page, or author alert. I hope you all enjoyed thism and that chapter 18 was worth the wait. Anja.

Chapter 18

Breathless

The soft hum of the ship surrounded us; both it and the accompanying vibrations soothed me. We were heading back to the Earth, and as much as I didn't want to leave mother quite yet, I was happy to be going home with Endy. He would be coming back to the room soon since it was nearly time to go to bed. We had been traveling for a few hours already, and he had gone to speak with General Malachite and Motoki about a few new things Sapphire had said just before we left. I had opted to stay out of the meeting since it would probably drag on, and I wanted a little time alone. Endy hadn't left my side once since our reunion, not that I minded, but neither had anyone else. Now, though, within the safety of the moving ship, I was finally granted a little more solitude, though not without a lengthy convincing session with Endy. It took me over half an hour to persuade him I would be fine alone for a little while.

So he left. Then came back ten minutes later. Finally, I managed to make him leave again, and this time he didn't return on some feigned mission of having forgotten something.

And so, I sat at the window seat, finally having a few moments to myself to reflect back on what had happened. The whole situation still seemed so surreal. I felt as if I was going to the Earth for the first time again, with Endy and me being married for only a very short period of time. It was different now though. I didn't feel so confined and terrified. I trusted Endy, both him and his intentions.

I suddenly felt silly for being so afraid of him. I knew that back when we had first come to Earth together, I felt mistrust towards all men. I couldn't help it. No matter how much I thought about it, I simply could not fight against my subconscious. My brain shut off whenever I came near a man and my instincts took over, and all they were telling me to do was to fight with all my strength.

I appreciated Endy's patience with me. I could understand how hard it could be to have someone push you away the way I pushed him. Still, he remained with me and waited until I was ready to move a little further, to gain my confidence back.

I had to admit that the incidents with Sapphire had disturbed me. I could remember that night, which had happened only a few days before, when Sapphire had come to my room on the Earth. I had thought he was Endy, and not until it was too late did I realize it wasn't him. It was scary how similar they looked, how easily I had been fooled with some dim light. During my second encounter with Sapphire I had been just as easily deceived, and I had thought it was Endy the whole time. When I had opened my eyes after that second encounter and saw the real Endy staring down at me, I felt a strong surge of fear and anxiety, one I had not felt when in his presence in a very, very long time. I suddenly felt ill and nauseated from the memories of his attempt to break me... of course, I still believed at that time that he and Sapphire were one and the same.

I leaned my head on the wall behind me and closed my eyes. A feeling of relief swept through me, touching every fibre of my being as I thought of my husband. I trusted him, trusted him more than any other mortal, save for my mother whom I trusted just as much. She almost didn't seem to be on the level of mortals though. I felt like a walking irony almost. Before I had met Endy and Diamond, I had no reason to mistrust anyone. Crime was virtually non existent on the Moon and guards were kept around only as protocol and to make sure no small squabbles escalated into big ones. They were also to check everyone coming to the Moon, to make sure they posed no threat. After I had met Diamond though, my trust plummeted, after just one bad incident in comparison to a lifetime of feeling safe and trusting. I shook my head at the thought.

I heard a soft click and my head shot up. He was back! The door opened and I jumped from my seat. The look on Endy's face was priceless when I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Usagi!" he gasped out as he regained his balance, shutting the door in the process. His arms wrapped around my waist protectively as he pulled me to him, and all I could do was sigh. It felt good to be so close to him again.

"I missed you," I murmured into the fabric of his tunic. He pressed his lips to the top of my head and I could have sworn I felt him smiling.

"I thought you were the one who wanted me to go," he said into my hair, his tone soft and teasing.

I pulled back a little and gazed up at him. His lopsided grin made me smile. "I did, but only because you needed to. Now I'm glad you're back though."

"I'm glad to be back too," he said, and I frowned as a look of worry passed over his features.

"What's wrong?"

"Malachite managed to get some new information out of Sapphire just before we left," he replied with a hint of anger. "It appears that Prince Diamond had an accomplice on Earth, a lady whom I would very much so like to have a word with right now, and it wouldn't surprise me if her brother had something to do with all of this too."

"Who are you talking about?" I asked as I racked my brain for every brother and sister duo we had at court.

"It appears that Anne had a hand in making your disappearance go so smoothly and quickly. She provided Diamond and Sapphire with instructions on how to get to our chamber and how to escape without causing any commotion or alarm too early."

I blinked in surprise. I had thought of her but dismissed the notion right away. "Anne? Why would she though?" I would have understood if Alan had been the one helping Diamond, I didn't trust him, but Anne?

Endy was quite for a few seconds. "I'm not entirely sure why. I would have never thought she would stoop so low as to commit treason."

"Not entirely sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Something in his tone didn't make me very happy.

Endy ran his hand down the blue fabric of his tunic. "Lady Anne had feelings for me well before you and I ever met. She was hoping to become my Queen, and I think that was something she had been working towards for years. Needless to say, she was upset when she learned I was coming to the Moon to meet you, and even more upset when I returned with you as my wife." His eyes darted between the window and me, as though he expected that I would be angry with him

I didn't get angry. I just stared at him. I found it almost hard to believe, since Anne was always kind to me, never uttering a single sharp word. "I--I didn't know that. I would have never guessed." A feeling akin to jealousy welled up in my heart, but it was mixed with a tinge of sadness for Anne, the Lady whom Endy had rejected. I could imagine what I would feel like if he suddenly turned his back on me. Granted, he never had a relationship with the Lady Anne, so she really had lost nothing. However, I couldn't help but feel a sense of mourning for her.

Suddenly, I felt Endy's hand on my shoulder. His smile made my knees weaken as his strong fingers gently squeezed my skin. "It's late now, we should get some sleep."

I nodded absentmindedly as he squeezed my shoulder once more before going into our walk-in closet to change. I was already in my nightgown, the pale fabric falling comfortably around my frame. I ran my fingers across the soft material as I strolled back to the window and gazed out, crossing my arms in front of my chest for warmth. It wasn't cold in the room by any means, but I felt an odd chill sweeping through my body. I would have never suspected Anne as being any part of the whole escapade. It frightened me to know that a lady so close to me could turn out to be so sinister. Or was it possible that she wasn't sinister, but just madly in love?

"What are you thinking about?" Endy asked against my ear as his strong arms snaked around my waist. I was sure he could feel my tension, and I wasn't really sure how to explain what I was thinking to him.

"About Anne. I--I feel sorry for her." The confession was harder to say than I thought.

"Sorry for her?" Endy's arms loosened around my waist. "Why?"

I twisted a piece of silken fabric between my fingers. "I'm just picturing what she feels like, what could have brought her to do what she did. It must have been hard for her, watching you bring another woman into your life."

"But Usagi, she had you abducted," Endy exclaimed as he gripped my shoulders. " Who knows what would have happened to you if we didn't find you on the Moon."

"I know, but you did find me, and that doesn't change the fact that Anne still has feelings," I persisted, wanting him to understand what I was thinking before he made any rash decisions about Anne's fate. My words seemed to have sunk into his head since there was a long moment of silence. I felt him rest his chin on my shoulder and lean his head gently against mine.

"Usagi," he murmured quietly. "I just don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found you. When our link disappeared..." his voice trailed off and I could have sworn I heard his voice crack. The effect was my heart leaping into my throat as my breath hitched, and for a moment I could almost feel his very love flowing into my body. For me it had been easier, since I was led to believe he and I had never met. Yet for him it must have been so much worse, believing I was in danger, not knowing who had taken me or if I was safe and alive; all those things I didn't have to worry about with him.

"What do you want to do with her then?" I finally asked. "You can't deal with her the way you did with Prince Diamond."

Endy sighed. I could hear the battle between justice and compassion raging within him, seeking ou the answer he was to give. Finally, he spoke. "I don't know yet. My actions will be governed by her reaction to the whole situation. I can't forgive someone who shows no remorse, but even if she does, then I can't let justice go unfulfilled." He spoke with strength and determination, sounding more and more like the king he was going to become. He paused for a moment and drew me tightly against his chest. "We'll worry about that when we land though. Right now, all I want to think about is you."

His words and tone of voice sent a shiver down my spine as his hands gripped my hips and pulled me even closer to him. I wouldn't deny his request. "We should get to bed," I murmured. As much as I loved the attention I was getting from him, I knew he needed some sleep. Motoki had told me how little he had rested since my disappearance, and I knew from observing him that he still wasn't quite himself yet. He needed sleep, reassurance, and peace for a while.

I turned in his arms and prepared to pull myself away from him, but he held me in place. His deep blue eyes stared at me, dug into my mind as though he wanted to read my thoughts. I shivered as I felt his hand glide over my hip and up my side, over the skin of my neck, and to my cheek. His thumb stroked my cheek as he lowered his fingers where they molded themselves to my jaw, and he studied my face with such intensity I almost forgot to breathe.

"I love you, Usagi," he whispered softly, bringing his face down lower, so low I could feel his warm breath on my face. I reached up and touched my fingertips to his cheek, slowly dragging them along his skin to his lips. His eyes fluttered closed as I continued my trek. His skin was smooth and soft, and his lips quivered as my fingers outlined them. I nearly squeaked out when one of my fingers found itself being lightly sucked. Endy's eyes were open now, and the intensity in his eyes was unlike anything I had ever seen before. His own hands slid from my shoulders down my arms until they were resting on my hips again.

Without warning I found myself being slammed against his chest as he buried his face in my hair, breathing in deeply. I felt my own eyes close as his hands slid up and down my body from my hips to my ribs. A jolt ran through my body when I felt his lips make contact with my neck, kissing softly at first, then with more passion. I clung to his shoulders, letting him do as he pleased, encouraging him to do that which I had denied him for so long.

One of my arms encircled my waist as the other ran up and down my ribs and hip still. I felt the silky texture of his hair as my hand wandered up to the back of his neck, and I felt him shiver as my fingers stroked the sensitive skin there. I almost lost awareness of his fingers sliding over my side when suddenly his fingertips brushed over a rather sensitive piece of flesh above my ribs. My hand froze and my whole body tensed. Endy froze too. Both of us stood there, not moving, not daring to take the next step... and then I felt Endy's hand shift ever so slightly, continuing it's upward motion.

I took in a sharp breath, ready to scream, as all my muscles tensed up-- but no scream came. The air remained lodged in my lungs as Endy's gentle fingers moved up very slowly, painfully slowly, until his palm came in contact with the mound and his entire hand cupped me. Instead of pulling back and screaming, like my mind wanted me to, I found myself instead standing very still. Suddenly my heart leapt into my throat as Endy gave a light tug on our heart string, and my back arched, causing me to come even closer to him. I let my breath out in one shuddery gasp as Endy flexed his fingers ever so cautiously

"Breath, Usagi," he whispered in my ear, his voice cracking and heavy with emotion. "Don't forget to breath."

I managed to nod somehow and took a deep breath as his hand left its former position. He leaned closer and laid his lips on mine, the kiss being both chaste and passionate at the same time. I felt, through the gentle brush, his love being poured into me, promises of devotion and patience. I leaned in a bit, tilting my face, and I was rewarded with a content sigh from my husband. I suddenly found myself being scooped up into his strong arms and carried to our bed, my former fears left standing at the window as he lowered me to the soft coverlets, and finally, I became his wife.