Strongly worded Author's Note –
I will not be held responsible for any reader's mental, emotional or physical well-being if he/she reads this story without first reading my "Crystal Flaws" series. This story is definitely meant to be read after reading "Crystal Flaws".
If you already read, "Crystal Flaws" then you can laugh with me as we read the flame reviews left by the people who didn't read "Crystal Flaws" first.
Chapter 11 -
Beryl returned home after the extended weekend at Endymion's and flopped down on her bed. She thought over the last three days and recalled the time she'd spend in Endymion's arms on the beach. A satisfied smile curved her lips. "Finally," she whispered.
A scowl then crossed Beryl's face as she remembered Kunzite and Nisha's announcement. She and Endymion were supposed to be the first couple in their group to get engaged! However, she reminded herself, she hadn't included not seeing Endymion for two whole years in that plan. She consoled herself with the thought that at least they had made definite progress this weekend. She was disappointed though that they had only managed to be alone together that one time and that Endymion hadn't yet made their relationship public. As far as Beryl was concerned, their marriage was a given. She just had to be patient and soon all her dreams of being Endymion's wife and the future queen of the consolidated Earth would come true.
When Endymion returned to the palace, he learned his parents had already heard about Kunzite's and Nisha's engagement." Queen Roselynn pointed out to Endymion that as Kunzite's cousin and good friend, he should host an engagement party for the couple.
Endymion grimaced at the idea of organizing a party and his mother laughed, "It's not that hard to do! The palace staff will take care of most of it."
Putting down his pen, Endymion sighed and stretched a cramp out of his hand. He had started his new job and quickly realized it wasn't as easy to run the Earth as it looked. He also suspected his father was giving him many of the more tedious jobs on purpose.
With a look of annoyance, Endymion pushed the pile of papers away from him and stood. As he walked to a window and looked out over the palace gardens, he noted that the weather was sunny and breezy, but not too brisk. Perfect weather for the party tonight, he decided.
Nisha, who stood next to Kunzite, smiled and thanked each person for his or her well wishes as she tried to ignore Beryl, but it wasn't working. Nisha could hear Beryl charmingly greet each guest that arrived then make a big show of pointing them in the direction of the honored couple and refreshments.
Nisha also noted that so far, Endymion hadn't had to say a word. He just smiled and nodded as Beryl led him around and played hostess for the party. Of course Endymion wasn't complaining. What guy would with Beryl standing so close to him and looking the way she looked?
Nisha mentally chided herself for being petty, but she just couldn't help feeling resentment towards Beryl. Nisha had dressed carefully for the party in a pale blue gown with a modestly scooped neckline. Pretty lace and ribbons decorated the skirt and pearls for her neck, ears and hair had finished off the outfit. Even Nisha's most elegant gowns tended to be modest and sweet in style.
Beryl, however, had shown up in a long, sleek, black gown. The dress demurely came to her neck where a diamond choker glittered, but it left her back and shoulders bare. Then, dipping down to a point just below the small of her back, the dress seductively hugged her hips. Every set of male eyes there seemed to follow Beryl around like the tug of a magnet. The way Endymion kept his hand on the small of Beryl's back, it was obvious he too liked what he saw. Nisha had to admit they did look great together but Beryl was acting like the party was for her and Endymion instead of for Nisha and Kunzite!
Eventually, Kunzite noticed Nisha's strained attitude and forced smile. Asking to be excused for some fresh air, he led his fiancée out a doorway into the gardens. As they silently walked along the sunset tinted trail, Kunzite surreptitiously glanced at his unusually quiet girlfriend. They reached a secluded spot, and Kunzite pulled her into a hug. Nisha finally felt safe enough to let her façade drop, and she cried as Kunzite comforted her. When Nisha finally calmed some, Kunzite gently asked what was wrong.
Through her sniffles, Nisha mumbled that she was just being silly, but Kunzite urged her to talk. Finally, she admitted, "It…It's Beryl. You'd think it was her party! F-for once I…I thought it'd be us…me, but it's still not…" Looking up, she asked, "Don't you ever resent always being overshadowed by Endymion?"
Kunzite's blank, slightly confused expression let Nisha know he really didn't understand. Sighing, she said, "Never mind. I guess it's not like that with you guys. I just…I just wish Beryl hadn't been able to come to the party. When she's around I feel invisible. I had hoped for more this time."
Kunzite knew this conversation was out of his depth, so had wisely kept quiet until Nisha said something he felt safe to comment on. Lifting her chin with his fingers and looking into her tear bright eyes he whispered, "You're never invisible to me."
Nisha wanted to take Kunzite's sweet statement at face value but felt compelled to turn away from him. Hugging her arms to herself, she asked, "Really? Even with Beryl and her slinky black dress around?" Shaking her head, she added, "I even noticed King Stanton and my own father turning repeatedly to glance her way!"
He may not have understood much of what Nisha was upset about, but Kunzite knew what he thought of Beryl. "Nisha," he seriously answered, "I only have eyes for you." Absently reaching up to rub his cheek, he added, "I learned a long time ago that Beryl's a lot more trouble than she's worth." He reached out to wrap his arms around Nisha's waist and whispered, "I'd much prefer to have you around to look at any day."
Nisha's resentment and insecurities crumbled under the overwhelming weight of love she heard in Kunzite's words. With a relieved smile, she turned in his arms and reached up to kiss him deeply. They broke the kiss and Kunzite pulled her closer as he began to trail soft kisses down her neck.
A quiet sigh escaped Nisha's lips as she tilted her head to give Kunzite better access. Her hands took on a mind of their own as they slipped up under Kunzite's thick mane of hair and wound her fingers into the soft strands at the nape of his neck. When she realized she was only a breath away from giving in, Nisha reluctantly disentangled her fingers. She slid her hands down until they rested against Kunzite's chest then gave her very tempting lover a little push.
Lifting his head, Kunzite looked at her. His ice blue eyes were filled with passion, and they made her shiver with desire. Nisha sighed, "Kunzite, sometimes you make me wish I wasn't a 'good' girl."
Kunzite smiled as he hugged her tighter then dropped his lips back down to the smooth skin of her collarbone. Between kisses he whispered, "I promise not to tell anyone...if you're a 'bad' girl..."
Nisha laughed as she again pushed on his shoulders, "Oh, no…no way! Remember? I have reasons for not…"
Kunzite dropped his forehead to her shoulder. "You know...you're killing me here!" he whined.
Wriggling out of his grasp, Nisha chuckled, "No one has ever died because they didn't. I'm pretty sure you'll make it to the wedding alive." She then smiled and held out her hand, "Let's get back before people start to look for us."
Zoisite watched Kunzite and Nisha return to the party and be quickly absorbed into the large crowd. He then sighed softly as he looked down at the dark haired girl clinging tightly to his arm. Zoisite had asked Princess Galienne to attend the engagement party with him but now he was beginning to regret it. She was very pretty, with her big brown eyes and delicate features, and nice enough, but extremely shy. Galienne barely spoke, even when spoken to. It was very obvious that she was nervous. Zoisite knew the only reason Galienne had agreed to come was because she had a bordering on hero worship crush on him. He couldn't help being flattered by her devotion, but he also felt bad that he couldn't find the same feelings in his heart for her. This was Galienne's first real date, and Zoisite knew he shouldn't have given her the encouragement. However, he really hadn't wanted to come alone to the party and end up watching Beryl again. This wasn't much better though. He felt like he was babysitting a frightened child instead of on a date.
On the other side of the large room, Nephrite, Jadeite and two girls they had brought to the party were getting louder by the minute. The girls were obviously not used to mingling in the royal social circle. They hung all over their escorts and crudely joked then laughed raucously at their own perceived wittiness. The girls had greedily eaten every hors d'oeuvre that came near them and had already drunk four glasses of wine before dinner was served. Nephrite and Jadeite thought all this was much more entertaining than the boring conversations of diplomats and dignitaries that surrounded them. They laughed and did their best to encourage the girls' disruptive behavior.
About six months ago, Kunzite had decided to settle down and be more serious about life. This had meant Nephrite needed a new "partner in crime" and Jadeite had been more than happy to volunteer for the position. Without Kunzite's moderating influence, the two had quickly left a trail of mayhem across the continents in their search for amusement. Their fathers' attempts to get them involved in their realms' administration had failed to curb the boys' travels, and tales of Nephrite and Jadeite's exploits had quickly spread across the globe. These tales usually included girls and girls' angry fathers, brawling and annoyed tavern owners. As far as Nephrite and Jadeite were concerned, it was all in the pursuit of fun. Any problems they had caused were easily handled with a generous sprinkling of gold coins.
Queen Roselynn had been keeping an eye on the situation. She knew of the reputation her son's two guards were getting, and she didn't want this party to become another casualty of their recent behavior.
Looking around, the Queen spotted her son and Beryl in the crowd. She sighed as she watched the two of them for a moment. She may not personally like Beryl's method of getting Endymion's attention but she had to admit it was quite effective. Well, she thought, I'm still his mother and whether Beryl likes it or not, I require a few moments of his time. Roselynn then moved toward them and gently placed her hand on Endymion's arm.
Endymion felt a hand rest on his sleeve. Looking down, he recognized the diamond and sapphire ring his mother often wore. He stopped his conversation and turned to look at her questioningly.
Roselynn murmured, "A moment, please?"
Endymion excused himself to follow his mother and Beryl turned to go with them. Roselynn looked her son's date in the eyes and shook her head. "We'll only be a few moments, please wait."
Beryl looked like she wanted to protest. Queen Roselynn continued to pointedly stare at her, and Beryl decided to acquiesce. As the redhead turned back to the conversation, Roselynn internally sighed. She still found confrontational situations a bit unsettling.
Roselynn walked with her son until they entered a private room. As Roselynn shut the door, she motioned for Endymion to sit. Once settled, she explained the situation regarding Nephrite, Jadeite and the girls. She ended with, "I think you need to say something to them before things get too out of control."
Endymion agreed with his mother and quickly left to deal with his friends. A little while later, a much more subdued Nephrite and Jadeite returned to their dates. A few gold coins and whispered promises of more if the girls cooperated had quickly taken care of the problem.
King Stanton had been conversing with a white-blond haired couple while waiting for dinner to be served. When he spotted Endymion walking through the crowd, he waved his son over. The King introduced, "Ambassadors Corvus and Elara, I'd like you to meet my son, Prince Endymion."
Greetings were exchanged and Endymion asked, "What country are you ambassadors to?"
Corvus answered, "Elysion."
Nodding, Endymion said, "Elysion. I remember it to be a beautiful place but I haven't been there since I was small."
With a note of sadness in her voice, Elara said, "We haven't been back to Elysion for a very long time ourselves. We're looking forward to visiting our children there this coming spring."
King Stanton interjected, "Your children? I thought all your children were here on the surface with you."
"No," Corvus explained, "Elios, the oldest of our eleven-year-old triplet sons, and our five-year-old twin daughters, Alcyone and Pleione, were called to serve at the shrine in Elysion last February. We have our other two boys and also triplet daughters that were born five months ago here with us."
"Oh," King Stanton responded with surprise, "Merak introduced Elios to me the last time I visited Elysion, but he didn't mention that Elios was your son."
Elara's eyes lit up when she heard this. "You saw Elios? How is he? Does he look well? Is he happy there? Did you see the girls too?"
King Stanton answered, "I wasn't introduced to your daughters, but Elios seemed well, and Merak said he was a quick and eager learner."
Trying to unobtrusively wipe her eyes, Elara whispered, "Thank you, Your Highness. We aren't allowed to communicate with the children during their first year so we're grateful to hear he's doing well."
"I'm happy to have brought you news of your son," the king offered. He then turned to Endymion. "I didn't realize you haven't been to Elysion since we moved. I want to bring you with me the next time I go."
Endymion agreed then excused himself when he heard his name being called.
Beryl spotted Endymion and quickly approached. She admonished, "Endymion, you're needed to give a toast to start the dinner. Hurry, this way."
After dinner, a large group of friends surrounded Nisha and Kunzite. The girls had asked Nisha about her wedding plans, so she began to describe her colors and dresses.
When Nisha mentioned that Kunzite had chosen Endymion to be his best man and that Reianne was going to be her maid of honor, Beryl interjected with a cheerful smile, "Oh, that's very good to know!" She then turned to Reianne and offered, "Your boyfriend can escort me to the wedding and after the ceremonies we can trade back to our actual boyfriends."
Endymion hadn't been paying very close attention to the wedding conversation. Briefly, he had tuned in when Nisha mentioned he was the best man but had quickly tuned back out when he didn't hear anything new. Now suddenly, the entire group was quiet and looking at him and Beryl curiously.
Reianne spoke, "I guess that would work, Beryl, but…are you and Endymion a couple now?"
All color drained from Endymion's face as Beryl blushed and threaded her arm through his. She looked up at him adoringly and answered, "Well, yes, we are. Isn't it obvious?" Everyone in the group looked to Endymion for confirmation.
Still in shock and wondering exactly how this subject had come up, Endymion stammered, "Y-yes…yes, o-of course."
Nisha sighed as the group quickly broke up. Some of them left to spread the news they had just been scooped on. The others followed Endymion as he quickly pulled Beryl out onto the dance floor to try to get away from all the teasing attention.
As Endymion was lying in bed later that night, he tried to figure out how he had ended up saying Beryl was his girlfriend. He then thought about the very nice goodnight kiss she had given him and decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to have a girlfriend after all.
Beryl, Kunzite, Nisha, Nephrite, Jadeite and their families had all stayed overnight and the next day was another beautiful sunny autumn day.
Endymion and the guys had shown up for breakfast before the girls had. As Endymion was served his food and coffee, Nephrite looked to Kunzite and Jadeite and conversationally asked, "So, do you think there'll be two weddings this spring instead of one?"
Endymion, who wasn't completely awake yet, lifted his cup to his lips as he asked, "Who else's?"
"Yours, of course!" Nephrite answered, and Endymion choked on his coffee.
"Mine?!" Endymion rasped incredulously. "I'm not getting married!"
The three guys laughed at their prince's reaction and Jadeite added, "I'll bet my best horse you're married before the end of summer!"
With an embarrassed scowl, Endymion refuted, "We just became a couple. I'm not interested in getting married anytime soon."
Finally taking pity on him, Kunzite chuckled, "Sure, Endymion. Whatever you say." The guys then looked up when they heard the girls enter the dining room, and to Endymion's relief, the subject was dropped.
Nisha and Kunzite smiled happily when their eyes met from across the room. They greeted each other with a quick kiss and Nisha sat down next to Kunzite.
Beryl smiled at Endymion, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and sat down next to him. She was obviously in a good mood as she snatched a toast triangle from Endymion's plate and asked, "What's for breakfast?"
As he answered Beryl's question, Endymion noted the flowing brown skirt, pale blue peasant top and floral print vest she wore. Her flame hair was tamed into a French braid that enhanced her slender neck and delicate features. He thought she looked pretty in a casual, wholesome way that was so very different from how she had looked the evening before.
When everyone finished eating, Endymion suggested horseback riding and a picnic lunch and they all agreed. When everything was together, the group of friends headed out from the palace stables and down a wooded trail.
They were heading for a stream with a clearing that was perfect for picnicking. The guys knew the way there, so Kunzite and Nisha led the group. Endymion and Beryl ended up taking the rear position because Beryl had been the last one ready to go.
The friends all joked and laughed with each other as they rode down the shaded trail. After they had been riding a while, Beryl stopped her horse, saying that her saddle was slipping and needed to be adjusted.
The group stopped as Endymion dismounted and Beryl offered, "You guys can go ahead. We'll catch up." The others shrugged and turned to continue down the trail.
Beryl had been riding sidesaddle, so Endymion reached up to wrap his hands around her waist and helped her dismount. Beryl's feet touched the ground and she stumbled a bit. Endymion steadied her in his arms and she looked up with a smile.
Endymion smiled back then said, "I'll take a look at the saddle straps." Beryl watched as he tested the strap tightness and when he stood up straight, he observed, "It seems like the straps are plenty tight."
With a shrug of her shoulders, Beryl offered, "Maybe I imagined it then." She looked down the now deserted trail.
Endymion offered to help Beryl back onto her horse and she turned to look at him. She said, "Um…," then hesitated. Looking down, she blushed and didn't continue.
After a moment of waiting for her, Endymion prompted, "What?"
Still looking down, Beryl explained, "I, um…had an idea, but…um…" she trailed off and continued to carefully study her shoes.
Getting a little exasperated with her, Endymion asked, "An idea for what?"
"Well," Beryl continued then sighed and blurted, "We could have our own picnic…"
After a short moment of surprise, Endymion asked, "You mean, don't go back to the others and go off on our own?" Beryl nodded and bit her lip. Endymion continued, "But the others have all the food. We have nothing to eat.
Looking up with a mischievous smile, Beryl walked to her horse and pulled a loaf of bread, some cheese, ham and two shiny red apples out of her saddlebags. She added, "I have something to drink rolled up in the saddle blanket. That's why I was running late."
Endymion stared in shock then began to chuckle, "So…you planned this?"
Blushing, Beryl nodded and cautiously asked, "Are you angry?"
Endymion stepped forward and took Beryl in his arms, "No, just surprised. It's a nice idea, but the others will worry when we don't show up. They'd probably search for us."
Shaking her head, Beryl explained, "I spoke to Reianne earlier. I said you and I wanted some time alone together and that if we disappeared for a while, she could tell the others not to worry."
Mentally groaning, Endymion thought, Great! The guys are really going to tease me now! However, Beryl was soft and warm in his arms and it had been a few weeks since… "Well, it seems you've thought of everything. Sure, let's do it," he concluded.
Beryl smiled, "Okay, where can we go?"
Thinking a moment, Endymion suggested, "I know of a pond not too far off this path. We could go there."
"That's a great idea," Beryl agreed.
A little while later, Endymion, with Beryl following, entered a clearing. He looked at the pond that was shielded with a canopy of tree branches and said, "I haven't been here in years. He helped Beryl dismount and tied the horses as he added, "I wonder if the swinging rope is still there."
Taking Beryl's hand, Endymion led her to the other side of the clearing and pulled the end of a rope out of the bushes so it dangled from a tree branch. He then turned and looked at another tree with evenly spaced holes up the length to the first branch. Somewhat puzzled, he observed, "Those aren't as high up as I remember."
Beryl laughed, "You've grown since you were here last!"
Chagrined, Endymion also laughed and answered, "I guess you're right."
Endymion took the blanket and spread it out under a willow tree at the edge of the clearing. Its delicately draped branches formed an opaque curtain that brushed the ground creating a cozy, private tent beside the pond.
Beryl carried the food and drink over, and the two of them chatted and laughed together while they ate and drank the wine. When full, Endymion stretched out on the blanket with a sigh and observed, "This was a nice idea…very peaceful and relaxing.
Beryl grabbed the apples. She bit into one and held the other over Endymion's lips. As she lowered the fruit, he opened his mouth but at the last second, she lifted it up out of his reach.
Endymion had his mouth open like a baby bird, and Beryl laughed as she bobbed the apple down and up teasingly. Suddenly, Endymion launched himself up and grabbed the apple as he tackled Beryl. For a few moments, they played tug-a-war with the apple then he leaned down and caught it with his teeth. He let Beryl pull the fruit away and was rewarded with a large chunk of it.
"No fair!" Beryl pouted as Endymion chewed and swallowed.
He looked down at her, shook his head and chuckled, "You haven't changed at all."
Beryl scowled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're still a sore loser," Endymion teased.
"Am not!"
"Are too."
"Am not!"
Endymion leaned down and kissed her. After a moment, he began to trail kisses down her cheek, and Beryl sighed. He murmured in her ear, "Are too…but I was wrong about one thing. In some ways, you've changed a lot."
As Endymion continued his kisses down her neck, he moved his hand over her breast and began to gently tease her nipple with his fingers. Beryl throatily hummed her approval of what Endymion was doing, but then she pushed him back and sat up.
As Endymion watched, Beryl took off her vest. She slowly pulled her shirt up over her head then off. Smiling coyly, she whispered, "Do you like the ways I've changed?"
Reaching out, Endymion pulled Beryl toward him and buried his face between her soft breasts. He lustfully answered, "You know I do!"
Beryl was now sitting on Endymion's lap. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him. Her smile was triumphant as she ran her fingers through his raven locks.
Endymion kissed his way to her nipple and enveloped it with his mouth. As he sucked, he pulled Beryl closer and pressed her against him.
Beryl squirmed in Endymion's arms as she felt intense waves of pleasure spread from her breast to her groin. Endymion growled as he felt her warmth move against him. His desire to be buried deep inside of her was all consuming.
Endymion moved his hands over Beryl's skirt, which was bunched up around her thighs then sliding them under it, he tugged on her underwear.
Beryl disentangled herself from Endymion and slid back off his lap. Silently, she reached out and began to unbutton Endymion's shirt. When he reached for her, she admonished, "Patience!" and smacked his hands away. With a sigh, Endymion sat still and let her finish taking his shirt off. Next, Beryl leaned forward and ran her tongue over his sensitive nipple as she lifted her hips to pull the rest of her clothes off. Endymion released her hair from the braid and ran his fingers through it so it spread out around her.
After Endymion had also quickly shed the rest of his clothes, he again took Beryl in his arms. As they passionately kissed, Endymion leaned Beryl down to the blanket then pushed into her with a groan. Beryl had gasped when he entered her, and that was when Endymion realized he might be rushing this. He stayed still inside of her and took a few slow deep breaths to regain some control. Nuzzling her neck, he murmured, "Are you okay?" Beryl nodded, so Endymion began to move slowly and deliberately.
As Beryl felt Endymion move, she raised her hips to meet him thrust for thrust. Soon both of them began to breath heavier from their building passion and exertion. Endymion groaned as he felt his control slip away. He gathered Beryl up in his arms and thrust into her a few more times more forcibly. A gasp escaped his lips as his release overwhelmed him.
Endymion's final movements and release was all it took to push Beryl over the edge too. She clutched at him and cried out, as she was overwhelmed.
After a few moments the two of them breathed deeply and held each other as they slowly regained their senses. Now that their sexual hunger was sated, the two of them snuggled together comfortably and rested.
Quite a while later, Endymion awoke with a start. At first he was disoriented, but quickly remembered when he saw Beryl naked and asleep in his arms. The air was beginning to get a chill, and Endymion shivered. That was when he noticed how low the sun was in the sky and that full sunset would probably be upon them within the hour.
For about the tenth time, Kunzite paused in his pacing and pinned a baleful glare on Reianne, who was trying to hide behind her brother, Jadeite. Everyone in the group was uncomfortably silent and on edge.
Kunzite shook his head and continued pacing. He was furious! He knew he shouldn't have accepted Reianne's story and let this many hours pass without knowing where Endymion was! Now the sun was almost set and none of them could return to the palace until the missing couple decided to show up. That is, if they weren't dead or injured somewhere!
Kunzite abruptly stopped again to glare at Reianne then turned heel and mounted his horse. He growled, "I'm going to look for them!"
Panic-stricken, Nisha begged, "Please! Just give them a few more minutes! Endymion knows the forest well and grew up here. I'm sure they'll be here any minute!"
Kunzite turned his intimidating glare on his fiancée, but it melted with a sigh as he saw the fear and concern for him in her eyes.
That was when they all heard hooves on the trail behind them. The guys, with their hands on their sword hilts, moved between the girls and the approaching party. Out of the deepening gloom a horse with two riders appeared on the trail. There was a second horse being led behind. Everyone sighed with relief when Endymion called out, "It's us!"
The couple pulled to a stop in front of the group and everyone noticed Beryl's hair was loose from its braid and that their clothes were rumpled and half undone due to their rush to get back. "Well, well, well," Nephrite mocked with a slow sardonic grin, "One can only begin to wonder what the two of you have been up to for all this time!"
Jadeite and some of the others snickered as Beryl and Endymion's faces turned a bright shade of red. The teasing was cut short by Kunzite's angry command, "Let's go! It's late enough already! As it is, we're going to have a hard time explaining why!" The rest of the group quickly mounted their horses, and Endymion led them down the darkening trail.
Just before the guys left the next day, Nephrite suggested they all get together with dates the following Friday evening. "Nothing fancy," he added, "just something casual and to have a good time together." Kunzite and Nisha already had plans for that evening, so it was decided they'd get together the Friday evening two weeks from then.
Two weeks later, Endymion, Beryl, Kunzite, Nisha, Zoisite and Galienne were at Endymion's for the planned get together, but Nephrite and Jadeite had yet to show up. Finally, the two of them came in with two more women the group had never met. This time the brunette's name was Elisabeth and the blonde's was Caterin. Their dates called them Elisa and Cat.
Once introductions were made, Endymion asked, "So, Nephrite, what do you have planned for us tonight?"
Nephrite mysteriously answered, "It's a surprise," as he and Jadeite smirked.
Their answer made some in the group a little nervous, but Endymion didn't seem to mind leaving their fates to the two men, so no one protested.
The transport brought them to the docks in Chiba where a large ship was waiting. Nephrite hadn't booked a private trip though. Instead, he had registered under an assumed name and also gave everyone in the group one. He explained, "This evening we will be known as just average, ordinary friends that are out for a good time."
Zoisite questioned, "What makes you think one or more of us won't be recognized in such a large gathering?"
Jadeite answered, "Probably eighty-five percent of the people here are under an assumed name for one reason or another. It's understood that no one looks too closely. Also, the management prides itself on its ability to avoid any sort of publicity whatsoever. That's why you've never heard of it. Admittance is only available to people who have been personally invited by an active member."
Even though the ship was obviously an impressive establishment, it sounded more than a little risky. Nephrite answered their unsure expressions, "Jade and I have been here many times and haven't yet ran into a problem. Trust us, we wouldn't steer you wrong."
"There are a few rules though, so pay attention," Jadeite added. Everyone looked at him and he continued, "Everything - meaning food, drink and entertainment - is included in the cover charge. One exception is the card games on the lower deck. If you should chose to play, be sure to have the gold to cover your account. When the ship turns to head back to port, play ends and the accounts are reconciled. I can't personally attest to this, but the rumor is that more than once the ship has returned with fewer people than it had left with because of an unpaid account."
Jadeite paused then looked at Nephrite a little uncomfortably. Nephrite rolled his eyes and smirked, "What? Cat suddenly got your tongue?" Cat, who was Nephrite's date, giggled at the pun while Jadeite blushed.
Nephrite picked up the explanation where Jadeite left off. "I'm pretty sure since we all have dates that this won't be an issue, but just in case you need to know, that if someone chooses to partake of the entertaining company of one of the ladies of the establishment, then that person is expected to leave an extremely generous tip."
Eliza and Cat giggled as Nisha and Beryl scowled. The guys knew it would behoove them to not say a word.
Galienne had noticeably paled and clutched at Zoisite's arm when she heard Jadeite's speech. As Nephrite spoke, Zoisite watched her eyes widen with shock. Internally sighing, Zoisite decided it had probably been a very bad idea to bring her there.
Despite a few misgivings, the majority of the group decided this might actually be fun. They walked up the gangway and were immediately immersed in the sights and sounds of a well ran floating tavern. There was dinning, dancing, shows and a wait staff that actively offered every kind of alcoholic drink one could imagine.
The group first sat in the dining area and feasted on local and exotic delicacies. As they ate, a strolling minstrel, with lute in hand, roamed the room making up bawdy and silly song lyrics for the people at each table. When it was their turn, the bard chose to sing about Galienne's strikingly exotic beauty. As the crooning tenor enthusiastically sang her praises, Galienne painfully blushed and silently buried her face in Zoisite's shoulder. The rest of the group laughed with amusement and vigorously applauded when the song ended. After the dinner, the group split up into couples and went their separate ways.
Kunzite and Nisha headed for the dance floor then enjoyed the time alone together as they strolled arm in arm on the upper deck.
Zoisite had taken Galienne dancing and soon discovered something that kept him quite occupied for the rest of the evening. During the meal, Galienne had accepted a glass of wine from the waiter. She had sipped at it and kept a glass full on the table while they danced.
Zoisite had seen Galienne sip her drink but figured they were small sips since it seemed her cup wasn't empting. By the time he realized the waiters had been unobtrusively refilling her glass, she was thoroughly smashed.
Drunk, Galienne lost all of her shyness. She vivaciously laughed and danced and even talked with people she didn't know. Zoisite didn't mind that too much. What he did mind was that she had also become very open about her feelings for him. She flirted with him shamelessly, and Zoisite had to catch her hands more than once as she tried to caress him in inappropriate places while they danced.
When they stopped dancing, Zoisite sat down and reached across the table to move Galienne's drink away from her. The next thing he knew, she had jumped up from her chair and plopped herself down on his lap. Galienne then started to kiss him and blatantly attempted to seduce him. In desperation, Zoisite put his arms around her and pinned her still against him. With a purr in her voice, Galienne looked up at Zoisite and told him - in detail - exactly what she wanted to do with him.
Poor Zoisite's eyes widened, and he gulped. He was still a man after all, and Galienne was beautiful. He couldn't stop himself from imagining his skin and her smooth, warm-chocolate skin pressed together tightly and the two of them doing what she had suggested. For a brief moment, he considered giving in to her request then mentally smacked himself upside the head. He knew it would be wrong. Once she sobered, Galienne was going to be mortified by what she had said and done that evening. If he took advantage of her in this condition and added to her embarrassment, he wouldn't be able to look himself in the eye ever again.
With a sigh, Zoisite placatingly whispered, "Maybe sometime. Right now, why don't you just sit here quietly and rest with me?"
Satisfied that Zoisite's response wasn't a total rejection of her idea, Galienne smiled as she obediently snuggled closer and closed her eyes. As they sat quietly, Zoisite's thoughts were quite loud. He was shocked he had even considered the idea of something like that with Galienne. He didn't love her, and he was surprised he had felt attracted to her. Zoisite had thought he wouldn't feel that way towards any woman other than Beryl. Could he possibly, actually, someday get over Beryl? Would he eventually be able to love another? Maybe he could hope after all!
Endymion and Beryl had been having a great time together. They had danced and drank, walked on the deck and drank, watched a show and drank then danced and drank some more. The two of them leaned on each other and giggled as they attempted to dance and avoid falling on their butts.
The dance floor was big but eventually Kunzite and Nisha spotted Endymion, Beryl, Zoisite and Galienne. They insisted, "You guys have to come down stairs! Jadeite and Nephrite are down there, and you have to see what they're doing!" The four protested but unsteadily followed them.
The lower deck was one very long, crowded room with many tables and low lighting. The atmosphere was tense and except for requests quietly given to waiters or instructions from the card dealers, the room was eerily silent.
Nephrite and Cat, who sat at a table playing blackjack, waved and smiled as the group passed them.
Kunzite and Nisha led them to a table on the far side of the room where a fairly large crowd had gathered. This was the last hand of poker to be played that night and the stakes had been raised accordingly. Jadeite, with Eliza on his lap, sat at the table. Five more men with very serious expressions were also sitting there.
As the cards were dealt, Jadeite looked up and smiled when he saw his friends in the crowd. Eliza took a morsel of dark chocolate candy from a tray and teasingly wafted it under Jadeite's nose. He tried to catch it with his lips but missed. Finally, Eliza stopped her teasing and fed the piece of confection to him. She slowly pulled her fingers out of Jadeite's mouth as he thoroughly licked them clean of the melted candy. Then, taking a second piece of chocolate, Eliza seductively enjoyed sucking on it and playing with it for a while. Soon she had succeeded in thoroughly distracting every man at the table.
The dealer stated Jadeite had won and the losers left the table in disgust. As they walked away, Eliza gave Jadeite a long, deep, chocolaty kiss then smiled and said, "Congratulations!"
Jadeite's friends all shook their heads in amazement as he gathered up his very sizable winnings.
Later, back at the palace, Endymion was stretched out on his bed wide-awake. It was close to four in the morning but for some reason, he couldn't sleep. He knew he was still pretty drunk, but he couldn't figure out why he was so wound up. Endymion looked over when he heard someone trying to quietly open his bedroom door.
Beryl slipped into his room and softly shut the door behind her. As she approached his bed, the moonlight from the window filtered through the thin negligee she wore, silhouetting her voluptuous body. With a smile, Endymion figured this might be just what he needed.
Saturday morning everyone slept in. After a late breakfast, the friends retired to a sunroom off the palace gardens to relax.
Kunzite and Nisha snuggled together on a couch in the warm sunshine to read. Jadeite, Nephrite, Eliza and Cat were sitting at a small table, laughing and playing cards together.
Zoisite and Galienne refused the offer to join in the card game and instead took a walk in the gardens. Galienne looked pale and at breakfast she had hardly eaten. Zoisite had a hunch it was more than just a hangover that was upsetting her.
The two of them walked silently for a quite a while and Zoisite realized Galienne wasn't about to broach the subject of last night. Since he didn't know how much she remembered he neutrally asked, "Did you enjoy our date last night?"
Without a word, Galienne turned to run. Zoisite had half expected her to do exactly that and quickly caught her arm to stop her. Galienne choked on a sob as she struggled to get away, and he could see the tears running down her face.
He may not love her, but Zoisite did feel bad that Galienne was so upset. Sympathetically, he pulled her into a hug then led her to a bench where they could sit and talk. Zoisite had kept his arm around Galienne to comfort her, but she flinched it away. Eventually, Galienne's tears slowed and she silently sat next to Zoisite all huddled up and miserable.
Zoisite quietly offered, "I'm sorry. I should have realized how much you were drinking and stopped you sooner."
Galienne wouldn't look at him as she brokenly whispered, "Don't…please don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."
Confused, Zoisite refuted, "I was your date and I should have been more aware of what the waiters were doing. You certainly wouldn't have known."
With a sigh Galienne whispered, "I did though." Looking up with tear bright eyes, she confessed, "I…I just wanted to be able to fit in…to relax and have fun. I…I thought the wine would help so…I hid how much I was drinking from you." She turned away from Zoisite in shame as she concluded, "B-but I…I didn't know…I…I would act like that! I…I'm so…ashamed! I…I can't believe I…I did those things!" Galienne was again crying as she choked out, "I…I'm s-s-sorry I ruined y…your evening!"
Now that he knew what had really happened, Zoisite was exceedingly glad he hadn't acted on his impulse last night. With a forgiving smile, he put his arms around Galienne and hugged her. Zoisite murmured, "Please don't feel bad. Actually, I didn't mind how the date went and it definitely wasn't boring. However, you don't need to drink to fit in. You're young and a little shy, but..."
Galienne suddenly gasped and wrenched herself out of Zoisite's arms. Her dark eyes flared furiously as she lifted her hand and slapped him across the face.
Totally dumbfounded, Zoisite stared as Galienne jumped up, stamped her foot and demanded, "I'm NOT young and shy! I'm just as grown up and sophisticated as my sisters are!"
A very offended Galienne turned heel and angrily stalked away. Zoisite lifted his hand and rubbed his stung cheek. Dazedly, he wondered, "What the hell just happened?!"
Zoisite returned to the palace sunroom where the others were. He walked over to Nisha and asked, "Did Galienne just come through here?"
Nisha looked up at Zoisite then nodded. "She didn't stop or say anything, but she came through here."
Zoisite sighed and said thank you.
Kunzite looked up and cocked his eyebrow questioningly. It was very easy to see the angry, red imprint of a small hand on Zoisite's cheek. Nephrite laughingly called out, "Hey, Zoi, lover's spat?"
Quickly turning, Zoisite growled, "No! Not that it's any of your business anyway!
"Then why…?" Kunzite questioned as he pointed to his own cheek for reference.
Sighing again, Zoisite rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He quietly answered, "It was a misunderstanding."
Jadeite and the two girls started to snicker and even Kunzite and Nisha quickly hid their faces behind their books. Nephrite smugly concluded, "That's what I thought…a lover's spat."
Zoisite clenched his teeth and decided he had better leave the room before he threw something very sharp at Nephrite. Turning to go, Zoisite hesitated. Endymion's parents and Beryl's parents had appeared in the doorway. They entered quickly and worriedly looked around.
Queen Lydia was obviously upset as she turned to her husband and almost yelled, "See? She's not here!" Lydia then turned to Stanton and Roselynn and demanded, "Where is she? Her bed hasn't even been slept in!"
By this time, all four boys were standing. Kunzite asked, "Who's missing?"
King Stanton answered, "Beryl."
Nephrite responded, "We know she came back with us last night, so she has to be here somewhere."
Suddenly, a chilling thought occurred to all four of Endymion's guards and they worriedly glanced at each other.
King Stanton hadn't missed the boys' quick, silent exchange. He then came to the realization that another person was also missing and there was one other place in the palace that they hadn't thought to check.
Kunzite tried to nonchalantly head for the door as Nephrite and Jadeite started to nervously babble about checking the gardens, the kitchen and the stables.
Kunzite was almost to the door when King Fredrick, who had silently observed the boys' behavior, suddenly blanched. He looked to Stanton for a denial and when he didn't get it he angrily cursed. Quickly turning, Beryl's father drew his sword and rushed past Kunzite. King Stanton also cursed and quickly followed. Endymion's four guards left immediately behind him.
The two women stared at each other clearly confused. Other than a lot of cursing and muttering about someone being a fool, the men hadn't said one word about where they were going.
Nisha cleared her throat. Queen Roselynn and Queen Lydia turned to look at her and she reluctantly explained, "They're going to Endymion's room."
Shocked by the implications of that statement, both mothers gasped then quickly ran.
Continued…
Thank you for reading my story. I hope you are enjoying it. If you did like my story, or if you have any (kind and gently worded) suggestions/comments about my story, please let me know. I truly appreciate feedback. You can email me at ndeblock at att dot net .
This story was edited and enhanced by the great minds and imaginations of my three wonderful betas, Sophia Prester, Yumeko & Loki. Their help and ideas have been of great value to me! Each is also a fabulous Sailor Moon fanfic author. Sophia Prester's and Yumeko's (author name Heavenly Pearl) stories can be found on fanfiction dot net with an author's name search. Loki's work is on AriasInk dot com I highly recommend reading all of their stories.
Bye, Luna Hope
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, her lover, her friends, her family and her enemies all don't belong to me. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I just borrowed them for a little bit of fun. All original characters in this story do belong to me.