Title: To Brave the Darkness
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon
Authors Notes: Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all the reviews. It was pointed out to me by my beta reader that I made a little mistake. In the first chapter, I had Serenity's stepfather say she wasn't to leave her room at all, but then obviously she does. I've gone back and changed the threat so instead of telling her to stay in her room, I've said she has to stay in her room unless entertaining his guests. That way, it's not an empty threat and it's not a mistake.
Here's chapter three!
Serenity got up the next morning excited for the first time in recent memory. Her stepfather's business party would still be here, and the sun was shining outside. She felt like it was a new day, and she was thrilled about being part of it.
Her maid was not allowed to come to her, as her stepfather promised, so she dressed and washed herself cheerfully. Endymion was right, she was sore, but not unbearably so. It reminded her of what she had done last night, which both empowered her and made her blush. She hadn't expected to enjoy it so much. In fact, she had assumed she would lay there, clenched and waiting for it to be over, and then leave after feeling used. Not only did she not feel used, she felt as if it were something she might like to do again.
She skipped down the stairs, heading for breakfast, ignoring the strange look she got from the few servants getting ready for the day. It was not usual to see her this happy and excited, especially not when her stepfather was around.
She heard cutlery clink together as she neared the breakfast parlor. The soft voices of men could be heard, and they seemed casual. There was no scandalous outburst, angry yelling or amused murmuring.
Serenity felt her good mood wash away as she walked into the room, glancing around.
The men at the table all stood up to greet her, her stepfather at the head, glaring at her wearily, but not angrily.
"Good morning lady Serenity," one of the men said kindly.
Serenity looked confused. "Good morning."
She walked over and sat in her chair at the right of her father, looking at him, waiting for him to say something.
He seemed startled by her gaze. "I hope you are in better spirits today daughter," he said.
Serenity tried to judge if he was hiding his anger, but he didn't appear to be. He seemed still upset from the night before, but not nearly as furious. And if he knew, he certainly wouldn't be sitting so calmly eating breakfast. Would he?
Serenity looked down the table to where Endymion was casually eating his breakfast. He was laughing at whatever the man beside him had said and engaged in the conversation.
She looked at her plate. Something had gone wrong. She had assumed that he would start talking the moment he got up in the morning. From what she had heard, that's what he did. The rumors said that he always made it clear what he had done to the girl's family immediately, loving the reaction.
Maybe he would in a little while. Perhaps it was a little early.
She glanced at him again, and this time caught his eyes.
Her heart sped up immediately as she remembered what had happened between them.
He smiled, his eyes dark.
She found herself breathless, and quickly looked away, trying to hide her blush. But she was confused. She had expected it to be over. She would come down to breakfast to find her father in a rage, too angry to make sense of his own words. He might hit her. He might call her all sorts of vile names in front of his guests. It all led to him saying he didn't want her in his house and she would have permission to leave with nothing but what was on her, which including a little purse of gold hidden under her dress.
But it wasn't happening like that.
She shook herself, thanking the servant who had given her breakfast. Just because he hadn't said anything yet didn't mean he wouldn't. He always did. His reputation guaranteed that he always did. And then her father's temper would be too much. He always over-reacted. He would be too angry to even see straight.
But as the morning went on, and Serenity kept expecting something to happen, she realized that some part of her plan simply wasn't working. That part of the plan was Endymion.
It was hard to speak to him. Usually, when her stepfather had guests, she excused herself as soon as she could and escaped into the gardens or something. She hated being on show. But this time was different. In order to find a moment to speak to him, she had to stay close. She sat with them in the parlor and played the piano when the requested it. She walked with two of them in the garden, desperately trying to be friendly so her stepfather wouldn't suspect. She even sat with them while they were talking business, trying to listen but unable to stop being aware of how constantly Endymion was looking at her.
It wasn't until the evening, after they had eaten dinner and talked more of business, did Serenity see her opportunity.
Her stepfather had gone into his study with five of the men and left only two. The older man, who very obviously wanted to win her favor, and Endymion who was sitting with a drink by the fire reading silently.
Serenity looked at the man who was speaking to her, feeing guilty for not being able to answer whatever question he had just asked because she hadn't been listening.
She smiled at him. "I'm sure you're more interested in joining my father's business meeting than sitting here with me," she said kindly.
He glanced at Endymion. "I'm sorry my lady, I am indeed interested in what is being said, but I would not wish to leave you unguarded."
She saw Endymion smile out of the corner of her eye.
"I am grateful for your interference, I assure you. But it is getting late, and I am on my way to my room anyway, where my father has placed guards. I will be perfectly safe, I assure you."
"If you are sure."
"I am. I will leave now," she said getting up and heading towards the door. She allowed him to kiss her hand and then watch her leave.
Serenity took two steps into the hallway and hid in the shadows. She knew he would follow her. She knew by his smile that he had been intending to. She waited for a few minutes, until the man she had spoken to was gone, her stepfather had checked on Endymion and made sure she was already on her way to her room, and everything was safe.
Only then did he follow her out.
"What are you doing?" She asked as soon as she saw him.
He smiled, stepping with her into the shadows, and pulling her tightly to him. He kissed her, immediately making her knees go weak and her mind lose it's determination. The heat from his body and the softness of his lips was too much to fight. She kissed him back, melting into him.
She couldn't be deterred. With more willpower than she thought she had, she stopped the kiss.
"Endymion please," she said, glancing around and then pulling him into another room with her.
As soon as she closed the door behind her, he spun her around, pushing her against it, kissing her again, passionately.
She immediately responded, grabbing the front of his shirt tightly, trying to get closer to him. Kissing him was impossible to stop. Both her mind and body simply rebelled against the idea of pulling away from him. Despite how wrong it was, being wrapped in his presence felt amazingly, tantalizingly right.
"Stop," she pushed him away by an inch.
His breathing was slightly ragged as he refused to move much farther away from her. His eyes were dark. "What do you want my lady?"
"Why haven't you told anyone?"
That stopped him. She felt him go still and then pull away to look at her.
"What?"
"You were supposed to tell everyone what happened last night."
He looked confused and a little taken back. "Excuse me?"
"Isn't that what you always do? Don't you have your way with women and then ruin them to their families in the morning."
"It's not exactly like that," he said, looking unlike his usual cocky self.
"I don't understand. That's what everyone says. They say you tell their families the morning after because you're done with them, and you like to see their reactions."
"I don't understand," he said. "You actually want me to tell your family."
"Yes," she said almost desperately.
"But…" he seemed so turned around by that. "That's ridiculous."
She shook her head, trying to calm down. "Why do you think I came to you last night? Someone with your reputation is a danger to me. I knew of your reputation and still I came, as a virgin, to your rooms. What reason could I have for that?"
He took a step back from her, his brow furrowed. "Every family that has ever found out about what I've done has been furious. Their daughters were practically disowned."
"Exactly," she said, pleading with him.
"You want to be disowned?"
"More than anything else in the world."
His laugh was not humorous. He seemed very taken back by her words. For the first time since he'd been here, the look in his eyes was neither amused nor cocky. It was bordering angry, confused, and perhaps a little hurt.
"So you used me to get what you wanted."
Serenity felt frustrated and a little defeated. "Yes," she said honestly. "My stepfather put guards in place to stop you from coming to me, so I had to come to you. I knew you wouldn't turn me away and I knew you would see me as an achievement. My stepfather, despite what he might have intended, made sure of that when he created an unattainable fantasy in me. I assumed, like all your other conquests, that you would feel free to talk about it right after."
His face had gone calm and stony.
Serenity felt bad. She had never really considered what he might feel about the whole thing. Honestly, with his reputation, she didn't think he would ever care about what she had planned. She hadn't even expected to need to explain it to him.
But just when her feelings for him were leaning towards guilt, he changed her mind.
"I'll tell them," he said seriously, "at the end of the week."
The look in his eyes was not something she was comfortable with. "You have a condition, don't you?" She asked already knowing the answer.
He nodded, stepping towards her. "You will come to me every night, just as willing as you were last night, and you will not leave until I am satisfied with you. If, at the end of the week, I feel like you have you held out on your end of the deal, I will tell you father whatever you want me to tell him."
Her shoulders sagged and sadness took over. Why she thought this might work she had no idea. She felt foolish now, giving away her virtue for nothing. Now, instead of being used by one man, she was being used by two.
She nodded, not looking at him.
"I will expect you the same time as you came last night."
He walked passed her, out of the room, and Serenity felt completely alone.
It had been a long time since she'd cried. She had given up years ago, when she had refused to give in to her father. She had fought him, every single time something like this had happened, and she hadn't cried. As long as she was fighting, she was still strong.
But this was too much. She couldn't fight them both. She didn't have the will to keep going with this.
That night, Endymion was not so gentle with her. He wasn't like the man she had given herself to her first time. He kissed her roughly, and pushed her onto the bed. He didn't give her time to warm up to him and he didn't seem to care if she got pleasure out of it or not.
When he was done, breathing hard as he lay beside her, he didn't pull her close like he had the day before. He didn't kiss her gently and tell her not to worry if she was sore the next day. He didn't tease her and make her blush.
She didn't wait, as he had told her she was supposed to, to learn if he was satisfied. She just rolled off the bed, pulled on her nightgown, and walked out without so much as looking at him.
End of chapter three. Reviews please!