"The Slumber"
Chapter 5
~Past Troubles and Future Hopes~
By: Willow Mae

"We found nothing on the grounds." Makoto reported as the four senshi gathered in the North Room. Minako nodded in recognition.

"Well, what now?" Rei asked. All heads turned to Minako.

"Don't look at me! I have no idea what we should do…this must be a group effort, we must tread cautiously." She sighed and put her head in her hands.

"Perhaps it is not such a good idea to let them stay." Ami muttered. "After all, they did mention the Witch."

"Yes, but they also said they were fighting her." Mako countered. There was a silence as the four women thought over the matter.

"Come, let us see the princess." Minako stood and led the group through an adjoining door to the Princess's chamber. The women stood around the princess's bed, gazing sadly at their liege. She lay peacefully, with her hands clasped lightly on her chest. Her delicate fingers were closed about a dried rose. Silvery hair framed her dainty form, and there was a gentle sereneness about her. One might think that the princess was simply in a peaceful sleep. However, the deathly stillness of her frame and the cold color of her skin told that she was suspended between life and death in the bonds of magical slumber.

Her guardians bowed their heads respectfully for their sleeping princess, each trying to block the flood of emotions that beat upon them whenever they thought of her sorry fate. The chamber was silent for some time as each senshi pondered the choices presented to them. Makoto twirled a lock of hair around her finger while Rei began to fiddle with the bow on her senshi uniform once more. Minako chewed on her thumbnail and Ami closed her eyes and bit her lip. At last, Rei spoke.

"I still don't trust them entirely." She confided. "They are from Earth, and it's difficult to believe their tale so readily. I doubt they are telling us the entire truth, if it's even the truth at all. Still…" she cast another sorrowful glance at the slumbering princess. It would have been impossible to read the thoughts on her face had the others not been thinking the same as her.

"For the princess." Ami said solemnly. The other three nodded. Casting a final glance at their sovereign, they left the chamber and returned to the North Room. The North Room was the sitting area in the North Wing of the palace grounds. It was finely decorated, like the rest of the palace, but it had a more personal touch. This was because the North Wing was the living quarters of the inner senshi, and in the three centuries that had passed they had decorated the place to fit their own liking. The North Room had become a base for the women. Once more, they used the room as a place to make plans.

"It has been agreed that the strangers will stay until their companion is well again." Minako stated. "Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, how shall we approach this visit?"

"They should not be allowed to roam freely." Mercury stated firmly, lounging on her favorite fluffy blue chair. "And yet, it would be impolite to keep them confined. After all, they are the first guests we've had in three hundred years."

"Who cares about being polite!" Mars cried, her violet eyes flashing. She had taken up her usual spot standing behind Venus' chair. As she spoke, she sat down on the arm of the chair Minako had taken residence on. "They are from Earth. Earthlings have never been polite before. I don't see why we should be kind to them if they refuse to be kind back." Venus laid a gentle hand on the Martian girl's arm in attempt to calm Rei's flaming temper.

"Mercury is right, Rei. If we wish the princess to awake, we must not push away the only opportunity that has come to us. We must be polite and try to win their trust." Jupiter crossed her arms and legs defiantly and sniffed.

"I agree with Mars. They have been nothing but a nuisance so far." She grumbled. Ami shot her an icy look.

"Although I would incline to side with you, I am not selfish enough to think only of my own feelings of the matter. I'm thinking of the princess, as is Venus, and as you two should as well." Makoto narrowed her eyes.

"Are you accusing me and Rei of being selfish?" she inquired angrily, sparks of electricity crackling behind her eyes.

"SENSHI!" Venus cut in, her voice commanding and firm. The ladies silenced themselves and had the decency to look slightly ashamed. When the room was silent again, she spoke. "It is no use arguing over the matter. If we continue to bicker over these strangers, then I shall decide myself what course of action to take. Understood?" she demanded, her blue eyes hard.

"Understood." Three voices chimed. Minako nodded and let her leader-tone drop back into her normal lilting voice.

"Good. Then, the men shall be given access to the palace grounds as well as the East and South wings. This will insure the princess's safety, as well as keep them away from the weaponry and sleepers in the West Wing. Does this work for everyone?" she questioned. The women nodded. "Good. Now, regardless of any hard feelings towards them that we might have, I expect us all to be on our best behavior. They are guests for the time being, and I will not tolerate any of you treating them otherwise unless you have solid fact that they are a danger to the princess and us. Is this understood as well?" again, the women nodded their consent. Minako let a warm smile touch her lips. "Good. Now, let's prepare for dinner. Mako, is there enough food in the kitchen for extra people? Will you have time to prepare something in about an hour or two?" Mako frowned as she thought.

"I believe we have enough, though I'll have to restock again in a few days." She replied. "I can whip something together if you give me an hour and a half."

"Excellent." Mako smiled and left the North Room, her mind whirling with possible dinner courses as she made her way to the kitchen. Minako continued. "Ami, would you mind telling the gentlemen to be ready for dinner at that time?" Ami nodded.

"Of course. I needed to go by that way anyway, I wanted to look up a few things in the library and check on my patient again." So saying, she stood and left as well, going in the opposite direction of Mako towards the library.

"Rei, would you be willing to do a reading?" Minako turned to the girl sitting beside her.

"What for?"

"I want to see how plausible their story is. See what sorts of wars are taking place on Earth, find out what you can about the whereabouts of Beryl. See if there is anything the fire will tell you that might be helpful." Rei considered it for a moment, then nodded.

"I can do that. It may take a while though."

"You have an hour and a half."

"Then I should start right away." Rei stood and began to leave when Minako called to her.

"Rei, be careful." She told her, the concern in her voice evident. "Who knows how powerful Beryl might be at this point. Don't let her detect your scrying, all right?" Rei offered her friend one of her rare smiles.

"Of course. Thank you for your concern Mina." So saying, she turned and left Minako sitting alone in the North Room.

***


Endymion opened his eyes and tried to look around him. He was alone in the same back emptiness as before. He couldn't see farther than a few inches in front of him. It was disconcerting, because when he looked down he couldn't even see his own feet. The darkness swallowed him entirely.

Where am I? Why am I here? He thought as he pushed back the uneasy feeling inside of him.

"Hello?" He called out. The words were barely off his lips when the darkness swallowed them. The sound of his voice never reached his ears and he wondered if he had even said anything in the first place. He opened his mouth to hail greetings again, when another noise caught his attention.

"Who are you?" It was a voice. Endymion turned, trying to see the speaker. "Who are you?" the voice asked again. It was soft and feminine, though the sound faded in and out like a poor radio transmission. Endymion took a fighting stance and cautiously spoke again.

"I am Prince Endymion. Who are you and what do you want with me?" His mind raced quickly and carefully. The thick darkness around him didn't allow him to hear himself speak, but the voice could be heard. It sounded as though the speaker was close by. Endymion's eyes flickered as he looked carefully around him. A hunter by nature, he didn't like to feel like prey to anything. With such an opposing darkness, it would be hard to protect himself from an attack.

"Are you asleep too?" the voice asked. The speaker sounded so forlorn that Endymion let down his guard ever so slightly.

"Perhaps. I'm not entirely sure." He replied.

"Please, will you keep me company?" the voice pleaded. The softness of the sound startled Endymion. She --for Endymion was sure by now that the speaker was indeed a she--sounded so frightened and sad. "Please, keep me company. I've been so alone. I'm frightened. Please…" the voice begged of him. Endymion sighed.

"Where are you?" he asked. "I can't see you anywhere."

"I…I don't know where I am." The voice replied sadly. "I know I'm here, and I know I've been alone for a very long time…please, won't you come find me?"

"Why don't you come here?" he demanded. "I'm not sure I like the idea of wandering off into this place without knowing where I'm going. You've obviously been here for a while, you must know your way around." The voice didn't respond. Endymion waited, sapphire eyes straining to look into the darkness to see who had been talking to him. "Excuse me? Hello?" he finally called out again. Then, he heard the voice again. It was barely above a whisper, and it was laced with terror.

"I'm afraid of the dark." The voice confided. It sounded as if the speaker was close to tears. "I haven't moved from this spot in a long time…please, won't you come find me and keep me company? I'm so scared…" the voice faded into a low murmur as the speaker began to weep softly. Endymion felt his heart wrench for a moment. A person this pitiful could not possibly harm him directly. He took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"I'm coming."

"The Slumber"

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