As day faded into night, the sconces on the walls cast a warm glow across the skin of the young women lounging in the North Wing. Minako had sprawled herself across the lush cushions by the window and was absently painting her nails a shimmering salmon color. Makoto had joined her, puttering in with sketchbook in hand as she lazily redesigned her room. Ami and Rei had both retired for the evening, though it was understood that Ami would be up a few hours yet reading and Rei would be meditating. Few words were exchanged between the two young women, save to share the random fleeting thoughts that might be mutually enjoyed. So it was that both jumped when a soft but firm knock came on the main door. The women exchanged a look, knowing it would be one of the men, but wondering which one.
"Come in." Minako called as she blew on her nails. Makoto turned discreetly back to her sketching, though she looked up through her eyelashes to see who would come through the door.
Though they were expecting it, the shock was still there when Lord Kunzite stepped through the door.
He looked powerful in the shadowy torchlight, grim and serious. The glow of the light caught in his hair and glinted in his steely eyes. Mina locked her eyes on him and quirked an eyebrow, fighting her urge to stop breathing with a firm command that carried into her mannerism. Kunzite eyed the women and, noting their nightdress, decided to make things quick.
"Lady Venus, Lady Jupiter." He bowed formally, a hand clasped across his broad chest. "I realize the hour is late, but I must beg your assistance."
"For what?" Venus leaned forward in her chair and blew on her nails again, feigning indifference.
"I am in search of the Lady Mars. Is she around?" He was not entirely unperceptive of the slight fall in Venus's face, nor the surprised jerk of Jupiter's head, but he ignored both in light of his mission.
"She's in her room." Venus replied airily, waving towards Mars's door. "I'll let her know you stopped by."
Kunzite stood stock still a moment as unreadable thoughts flickered through his mind. Then he started towards the door Venus had motioned towards. The women, noting his actions, were swift to get to their feet. Jupiter, having the longer legs, beat them both to the door. She leaned back against the handle and gave a laughing smile, effectively blocking the general's path.
"Really, you don't want to disturb her right now." Venus had joined her at this point, both women friendly but firm in their actions. "Perhaps you can see her tomorrow."
"My apologies, my ladies, but this is urgent." Kunzite repeated himself solidly. "If I don't speak with her now, I'm afraid any damage for either of our parties might be permanent. So if you please?" He gave another half bow and motioned to the door. The ladies exchanged a look, in which Kunzite could only imagine what was read, and stepped back with a sigh.
"Lord Kunzite. Give us a moment." Venus beamed up at him and oozed to the door, knocking lightly but insistently. Kunzite took a step back and smiled at Jupiter, who was watching him with a curious stare. There was an uncomfortable silence as no one came to answer the door. Venus looked back at the general and gave a nervous laugh before knocking more insistently on the door.
"Mars!" she hissed loudly through the woodwork. "Call to arms, dammit! You have a visitor." There was the noise of some shifting behind the door, and Mars's distinctive voice muffled angrily through.
"If it's that pompous ass Jadeite, tell him to go away. Better yet, fry him with your Crescent Beam." The sound of locks grating was heard and the door slowly started to open. "Even better, I'll do it myself." Lady Mars stepped out of her room and blinked in surprise at seeing Kunzite standing there.
Venus coughed. "Wrong visitor."
"Oh." Mars shifted her weight uncertainly, then, making a decision, crossed her arms and glared up at the general. "Well, you're not much better. What do you want? I was in the middle of something."
"Then I'll be brief, I promise you." Kunzite glanced around warily. "Is there somewhere private we can talk?"
Mars looked to her two companions and raised her eyebrows meaningfully. Jupiter twirled a lock of hair around her fingers and Venus coughed again and looked anywhere but at the fiery soldier. Both had assumed a blank mask, but it was clear by the slight wrinkling and tension around their lips that they were trying their best not to laugh outright.
"We're quite settled out here." Venus shook her head and let a small smile slip through.
"Quite." Jupiter agreed, her eyes laughing.
"I'm afraid you'll have to go somewhere else."
Mars narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth for some retort, but closed it again in frustration. "Oh you two are impossible!" she cried. In a growling undertone, she leaned towards Venus. "You're so dead, Mina. Next time on the training grounds…"
"Oh, it'll be worth it, for this." Mina whispered back playfully. "Have fun Rei!"
With another frighteningly angry glare at her companions, Lady Mars swirled on her heel and stormed back into her room. "Well, are you coming or not?" she demanded over her shoulder. Kunzite came to attention and after only a moment's hesitation, followed her in. With one last searing glare at the ladies, Mars slammed the door shut.
Mako and Mina looked at each other and started laughing, unable to contain themselves any longer. "Shh, shh!" Mina whispered frantically, waving her arm. Mako reciprocated her grin, and both tiptoed close to the door and leaned their faces against the smooth surface, pressing their ears to the door.
"I heard a noise." Ami stepped out of her room, blinking owlishly. "What's going on?"
"Shh!" Mako hushed her with a wave. "Lord Kunzite decided to make a late night call on Rei. It should prove to be interesting."
"You guys..." Ami shook her head. "You shouldn't eavesdrop."
"But they're alone. In her room." Makoto protested. "She hardly ever lets anyone in her room!"
Ami's brows drew together slightly then she quickly joined the others at the door. "All right, make some room for me."
Inside, Rei pulled on a sheer red robe over her nightclothes. She took a moment to count her breaths and settle her seething temper. She couldn't believe what had just happened! Of course, as soon as men entered the palace again those two would be the ones to turn into giggling idiots. Hell, it was practically Mina's second job, to screw around with romance. No, no, that was unfair. But really, it wasn't! Yes, it was. Whatever. In any case, she had had her fill of the men for the day, and didn't need them coming into her personal space, interrupting her meditations, and gods, even tormenting her dreams. She put the final thought firmly out of her mind and turned back to the man standing at attention by her bed.
"Now, what was so important that you had to talk to me now?" she demanded, keeping her voice level and calm.
"That 'pompous ass Jadeite', I'm afraid." She was silent a moment, before swirling on her feet and falling back into a lush chair by the fireplace.
He watched her patiently, wary of offending her and digging all their graves that much deeper. Yet some thoughts came unbidden to his mind. Seeing her lounged regally on the chair, sheer red cape cascading around her, white linen shorts riding high on her thighs and the matching top riding low over her bosom...it was a very compromising image. When she crossed her long smooth legs he looked away, just above her head. Oh that idiot Jade, what was he messing with? If only once he could just keep it in his pants.
"I might have guessed it." Mars muttered darkly. "You want to know what I think? I think--"
"Please. Milady." Kunzite interrupted her. "I have an idea of what you might say, and I would rather have my chance to convince you myself before you convince yourself." Mars frowned at him, but said nothing. He took this as a positive sign and motioned to the chair opposite hers. "May I?"
"Fine."
He sat and leaned his elbows on his knees, intently focused. "There are a few things I need to make clear in this discussion. First off, I know how much of an ass Jadeite can be. You needn't inform me of that. Secondly, he knows how much of an ass he can be. We're all quite aware of his attitude; he's very adept at making it known right off.
I've come to you tonight for two main reasons. I'm here to apologize on his behalf, but I'm also here to try and patch up some of the relations between both parties. I feel that I can say with fair certainty that you are probably the least happy with us being here, am I correct?"
Mars's eyes flashed momentarily and she defensively raised her chin a little, but said nothing. Kunzite gave an affirming nod and continued.
"Jadeite informed me some of what happened last night, and I'm fairly sure he has no idea what exactly he did wrong. But I assure you, he's fully aware of his making misstep, he's obnoxious but not an idiot. Not a complete one, anyway. And I admit that of everything he might have said and done, whatever was exchanged between the two of you couldn't possibly be as bad as some of the other things I've seen him do. But it was clearly still enough to cause tremors in the already ambiguous situation we find ourselves in.
I have no desire for there to be any trouble between our two parties. I am fully aware of the delicacy of our position. We are not welcome here; the fact is fairly obvious. I can assure you that we are just as eager to be on our way as you are to have us gone. But we cannot leave without our liege-lord. Until we can return to..." Here he hesitated slightly. "Return to Earth, it would please me to keep the peace. We have no hostile intentions and I can only hope my words will convince you of this.
Please accept my sincerest apology for Jadeite. I hope that things will all be patched soon, and we can all go back to our regular lives. My lady."
On that formal note, he stood and bowed to her and turned to leave.
Rei was impressed. Through the entire monologue, she miraculously hadn't wanted to pummel the man into the floor. This gave her pause.
"Lord Kunzite." She called to him firmly. He turned to her, his face as impassive as ever. She cleared her throat and raised her chin slightly more. "Inform Lord Jadeite that I will accept your apology on his behalf."
"Thank you, Lady Mars."
"But I would appreciate a little effort on his part to stay out of my hair. Out of everyone's hair, if you please." She cocked an eyebrow at him, daring him to dispute. He nodded.
"As you wish. Good evening." He opened the door to step out, only to be blocked by three crouching females. From his height, the view was extraordinary. He turned his gaze away quickly and waited while they scrambled out of his way. It was surprising how regal they could be one moment, and how childish the next.
"Oh, we were just..." Lady Jupiter said hastily, groping for words as she hastened to her feet and backed away. Lady Mercury had scrambled to her feet and backed a few paces back; hands clasped tightly in front of her and face a brilliant shade of red. She said nothing. Lady Venus was slower to rise and gazed up at him with her liquid blue eyes.
"Just doing a little eavesdropping, my lord." She said lightly, a coy smile curling on her face. She rose slowly and he couldn't help watch her graceful movements and how the way she stood from such a compromising position still managed to draw his attention to every part of her barely-dressed body. Her eyes remained locked on him as she took a few steps back, granting him final passage out of Mars's room.
"So I can see." Kunzite responded in kind. "Good evening, ladies." His step was quick as he headed for the outer doors, for a few reasons. Rei had risen and come to the doorway to witness the scene, and while Venus watched the tall general's retreating form, she was busy glaring daggers at her three companions.
"I can't believe you three." She hissed in low undertones. "Even you, Ami." The blue senshi blushed even deeper and ducked further into herself. As soon as the man exited, Mina and Makoto whirled on their friend.
"So, what did he say?" Minako demanded eagerly, nearly bouncing.
"You were eavesdropping, you already know." Rei responded coolly. Makoto brushed away her friend's anger with an impatient wave.
"Yes, but it's not the same as hearing it in a heavy session of girl-talk. Spill!" Makoto's eyes shone, and even Ami stepped a little closer again to the group.
Rei shook her head in exasperation, anger slipping into habitual tolerance. "Oh, go to bed already." She shut her door again, leaving three disappointed figures in her wake.
"Aw." Minako pouted slightly.
"She'll tell us tomorrow." Ami reassured her. "And we did hear most of it anyway."
"I know, but still..." with a sigh, the girls retired.
Just outside the North Wing, Jadeite stopped pacing as Kunzite exited. His anxious steps carried him swiftly to the tall man's side, where he was greeted with a raised eyebrow and a slight turn of the lip that could be considered a smile.
"Well?" Jadeite demanded. "What did she say?"
"She accepts your apology. Well, my apology, thank you very much." Kunzite responded in kind. A look of relief washed Jadeite's face, only to be quickly replaced with suspicion.
"Oh no. What did you say?" The two men started off towards their own rooms.
"I'm the diplomat among us, trust me to be diplomatic." Kunzite's strides were long, and Jadeite tripped along beside him, flustered for words.
"Oh great. That's a real reassurance." He responded dryly. "Anything else?"
"Well, she would appreciate it," the way he said 'appreciate' made Jadeite's mind automatically fill in 'she would castrate you if you went against her wishes, mark my words' instead. "if you would avoid contact with her for a while. A good long while, I understand. And I don't think she'd be too keen on you trying to flirt up her friends as well."
Jadeite's eyes widened and he opened his mouth, but nothing came out for a good moment. "So what, am I under house arrest or something?" he cried incredulously, crossing his arms and scowling. "I wasn't really that bad. She's overreacting, I tell you."
Kunzite watched the smaller man with growing amusement, something that didn't get past the blonde. He scowled up at Kunzite.
"What?" Jadeite demanded. Kunzite shook his head.
"If you had a copper for every time you were screwed up a relationship, you'd be very rich. If you had a copper for every time you cared about said relationship, you'd have a copper. I doubt Lady Mars would appreciate the statistic, even if it is in her favor."
"Hey, I resent that." Jadeite warned. "I'm a very caring person. I've cared about a bunch of relationships before, thank you very much."
"Which is why each time I've had to talk you out of a drunken stupor you're usually just upset because you didn't get laid that night." Kunzite retorted.
"No! I mean, okay, but..." Jadeite frowned angrily. "You're not being fair. Besides, I wasn't trying to seduce her or anything like that." His frown turned a little more confused. "I don't think. Anyway, what are you getting at?"
"You're right, I'm not being fair. I'm just amused by the fact that this has you so flustered." Kunzite admitted. "I don't know what you were thinking with that one, Jade."
Jadeite flashed a grin. "Well, can you deny that she's terribly sensual?" Kunzite gave him a Look, which Jadeite brushed away. "I thought not. Anyway, can't I just want to make a good impression while we're here?"
"I think I like this Lady Mars, if she can get you so twisted up so fast." Kunzite mused. "A good impression for you or for her?"
Jadeite stopped. A few paces further, Kunzite stopped as well and turned to face his friend. The expression Jadeite wore was very serious, an expression that rarely graced his face but was as much a part of his character as anything else. The tall man knew that there was something serious his friend had to say, and waited patiently and intently until Jadeite spoke.
"Kunzite, please." Jadeite's voice was strangely tight and his hands clench and unclenched at his sides. "I'm trying. Please give me credit for that, okay? I'm real worried about..." he swallowed. "I'm worried about Endymion. I'm worried about us, being here. I don't know what's going on back home, and I'm worried about that too. So give me credit. I'm trying. I really am."
Kunzite returned to his companion's side and gave his shoulder a firm but comforting squeeze. The look that Jadeite sent up to him was crowded with gratitude.
"Come on, it's late. Let's get back to our rooms and face tomorrow tomorrow." Jadeite gave an affirming nod, and the two men returned to their quarters in silence.
* * *
Endymion looked around, startled. The darkness had gone, to be replaced by a grey fog filled with whispers. He could see a few feet around him, but even close up any objects he might encounter would just be dark shadows. Either way, it was better than the darkness. He was unsure what it was that had frightened Serenity so. His mind went to the frail princess and his head snapped around. Where was she? He looked to where she had fallen behind him, but she wasn't there. Mildly worried, he took a few steps. The fog swirled around him and whispered obscenities in his ears as he passed. He ignored the barely audible voices and their lewd suggestions and began searching for his companion.
"Serenity?" he called. Here, his voice echoed, but it came back to him harsh and ugly. He grimaced at the sound, but kept his ear open for a response. There was none. "Princess?" he tried again. The fog laughed.
No princesses here. It whispered to him. Here I am queen. I shall be your queen.
He prowled carefully further into the fog, hunters eyes wary for any shape, any movement that might give him direction.
Who are you, to be here? You're nothing. The fog swirled mockingly about him.
I see you now. I know you. I would have you, little, young prince.
Even if you're expendable... Nothing.
"Princess Serenity!" he called loudly, ignoring the voices.
Why do you seek the little bunny?
She's easily broken.
Has been for years.
You're nothing. The voices of the fog continued to speak to him. He wouldn't let on how disconcerting it was, especially as the voices began to grow stronger, resembling the sultry rasp of the Witch. Nothing. I know you. You're MINE.
Endymion gritted his teeth. "And Serenity is mine. Where is she?" he didn't know why he said it, but it didn't matter. His demands fell on laughter.
Yours? Oh no, she's been mine forever. Mine alone. The fog swirled again, thickening around him. Did you think to protect her, silly prince?
Nothing of a prince.
She's mine. You're mine. I shall have it all. She breaks slowly beneath me. But you I shall crack instantly.
You won't stand under me.
Mine. Did you think to protect her? The voices laughed again. You couldn't protect your friends back on Earth, how do you suppose to protect her as well?
You're pathetic.
Pathetic.
I shall crack you, and make her watch. Doesn't that delight you? I will lead you to her, so she can watch. The fog grew thicker still, until Endymion could feel it pressing into him, stifling his breath.
"I won't...I won't allow that." He gritted out.
You can't help it. You're weak. Pathetic. I know all.
I can see everything about you.
She's stronger than you. How does that make you feel? That weak, frightened thing is stronger than you. She's survived for years, and you shan't last a day under me. I promise you that.
But because you're so handsome, I think I'll let you go swiftly. It might lessen her pain as well, which is a shame, but I'd hate to make someone as attractive as yourself suffer for TOO long.
The fog continued to press at him. He tried to move, to breath, but it was increasingly difficult. His vision began to go dark around the edges. It reminded him of the time when he was twelve and his horse had thrown him after he had run away into the woods to escape his parents. He had gotten a concussion, and was convinced that he was going to die alone in the woods. Kunzite had found him while Nephrite had gone after his horse. He hadn't died. But he was convinced that he would.
And he was convinced again. His breath became more and more shallow as the fog pressed closer and everything became darker. With all the breath left in him, he cried out one last time.
"SERENITY!"
The pressure around him ceased instantaneously. His vision began to return, but it seemed that perhaps it had returned too much, because everything around he was a bright silver color. He closed his eyes to the light and focused on breathing. The air was sweet, like strawberries and lilac...
A body fell into his arms, snapping his eyes open in surprise.
"You haven't left me..." Serenity mumbled from the vicinity of his chest. He gazed down at the two buns on top of her head and let his arms subconsciously encase her in a comforting hug. A small part of his mind chastised him, angrily telling him that this was improper. He barely knew the woman, and all signs of protocol had been tossed out the figurative window.
But to see how much she clung to him, needed him, like no one had ever needed him before...he would protect her from anything. He thought back to the whispers and taunts the fog (the Witch?) had tormented him with. Even if he was weak, even if he was nothing, he would protect her through this strange inescapable Wonderland. She's easily broken, the fog had whispered to him. But broken things could be fixed...couldn't they?
"Let's find our way out of here, huh?" he suggested. She looked up at him, eyes bright with tears, and smiled radiantly.
"Please." They began to walk, and the world slowly shifted around them. The undefined white melted into rolling green hills and gentle brooks. In the distance there was a forest, and it seemed as good a destination as any. They began to walk.
"Are all Dreams this lush, princess?" he asked at last. She pursed her lips and frowned.
"No." she replied, a hint of confusion in her voice. "Dreams are usually worse than the darkness. Dreams are filled with death, and hate, and loneliness..." he watched as her face clouded.
"I see." He said, to stop her from dwelling on any painful memories. "Then let us enjoy this...serenity, shall we?"
"Are you making fun of my name, my lord?" she demanded, mocking fury.
"No, of course not my lady!" he instantly replied, before a sheepish grin crept onto his face. "Well, maybe a little."
She gave an indignant huff and smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "You're a very rude prince." She informed him haughtily.
"And you're a very childish princess." He returned, rubbing his arm.
"How dare you!" she cried, and lunged at him, laughing. He escaped her, and they both ran down the hill.
It seemed like hours were spent that way. It was...pleasant, and peaceful, and it made it easy to forget everything about their situation. They teased like old friends. Beneath her frightened and lonely shell, Serenity bubbled. She was witty and charismatic, graceful and shy. She was in every way a princess, and in every way human.
They took off their shoes and waded in the brook, lay under a tree and stared at clouds, and talked. That is to say, Serenity talked and Endymion listened. Clearly the girl had been without company for far too long, for her words were an endless river pouring forth as though a dam had broken. Yet Endymion found it odd, that while they shared stories neither made much mention of their backgrounds. It was easy to keep it that way, for who knew what secrets might be lurking behind innocent words.
As the sun began to lower itself behind the horizon, the pair finally headed towards the forest. Serenity's hands were waving enthusiastically as she told him some story about her fifteenth birthday when she cut off abruptly, all color drained from her face.
"Serenity?" he asked quietly, before following her gaze just inside the tree line.
Strung up in the branches were four bodies, mangled nearly beyond recognition. They were draped in a sadistic, artistic manner a few feet off the ground, branches impaling them painfully. Black blood oozed down the trunks and the ground was soft and wet with the stuff. The worst was the slow dawning knowledge that the four people were still alive. The closest one blinked slowly and tried to speak, only to have blood ooze out instead. The sight was horrifying, even for one as war-hardened as Endymion. He took Serenity's arm to try and guide her away from the scene, but she broke free with surprising strength and rushed forward to the figures.
"Serenity!" he called again, racing to catch up with her. She was frantic, clawing at the bodies and trying to release them from the grip of the branches that impaled them. Her hands were quickly covered in the sticky blood; she wiped it on her white gown without second thought and continued her entreaties to the trees.
"Rei-chan, Rei-chan..." she moaned up at the body, salty tears flowing freely down her face. She wiped her nose unceremoniously, leaving a streak of blood there as well, and tried to climb the tree to her friend.
He watched rather helplessly, unsure of what to do as her feet slipped on the slippery bark and her dress turned red-brown with the blood of her friends. The four trees that held them reminded him of the grotesque forest he and his generals had been running through before they met Beryl and he woke up in this subconscious state. The branches seemed to grow around the bodies, legs and arms twisting into branches, thorns piercing through the skin to grow, bark and blood covering the bodies until nearly no patch of white skin was visible.
"Mako, Ami..." Serenity continued to cry, tugging at the impassive bodies that taunted her with their accessibility and immobility. Gone was the cheerful women he had spent (the afternoon?) talking to, replaced with the terrified, shy and frightened girl he had met initially. He preferred the first.
His hands quickly became as coated as hers as he too tried to wrestle the figures from the trees. He cast looks over at the tiny princess, concerned as her frantic state escalated at steady intervals.
"Rei-chan, don't die..." Serenity coaxed the near-corpse she wrestled with. "Please, don't any of you die...please..."
"This is your fault." The woman said lowly, voice but a mere gurgle in the back of her throat. But even though the words were quiet, they had enough weight to stop Serenity dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell in stunned silence as she dropped her blood stained hands to her side.
"Rei-chan, surely you don't mean..."
"But she does." A second voice croaked. "You killed us, Serenity. If you had any real power, you would have saved us."
"Minako-chan, I..."
"You never really cared, did you princess?" the woman Endymion had been trying to free snarled. Like four marionettes, the bodies and the trees shifted limply towards the shocked and miserable princess. Fresh tears began to pool in her eyes.
"Mako, you know that I..."
"You selfish brat." The fourth seethed, spewing fresh blood across Serenity's cheek with her venomous words. "You said you were our friend, but you never cared. You killed us. Go to hell, princess."
"A-Ami..." Serenity sank heavily to her knees, body deflating rapidly into a crumpled mess on the blood soaked earth. Endymion put a hand on her shoulder, unsure what to do or say anymore.
The world seemed to heave a final sigh, and the four figures stopped their accusations as well as their breaths. Serenity could hold it in no longer. Her sobs choked her until she could hardly breathe from the shuddering of her body. She pitched forward onto her hands and promptly vomited.
"I never meant to hurt anyone." She whispered hoarsely, wiping her mouth. Endymion frowned as his thoughts played back over the scene.
"Princess--"
"Serenity." She replied fiercely through her tears. He bit his lip, remembering the venom with which her title had been thrown at her.
"Serenity." Endymion knelt beside the princess. "This is painful, I know. But it's only a dream. A horrible dream, but a dream nonetheless."
"They've never...Sometimes they die, but they've never..." Serenity looked as though she would vomit again. She swallowed heavily. "Maybe this one isn't a dream. I just see it over and over..."
As she spoke, Endymion caught sight of movement over her shoulder. The trees had begun to move again, the corpses slowly reanimating. To his horror, they began to speak again, the same vile words as before.
"This is your fault." The one called Rei started, like a broken record. Serenity's eyes widened and she turned slowly around, horrified by the sight.
"No..." she moaned, covering her ears and rocking slowly.
"Serenity!" he commanded, focusing her attention back on him. "This is a DREAM. If this is your subconscious, you have final say over what happens!"
"No, no, no, they don't hate me, they're not really dead..." her denials were quickly escalating from babble to outright hysteria. "They're right! If I really cared, they wouldn't have...oh god, what have I done? No, this isn't happening..."
If the dream was frightening, Endymion thought that it certainly paled to what he was currently witnessing.
He grasped her shoulders firmly and forced her to look at him. At any cost, he needed to get them out of this Dream so she could recollect herself. Unfortunately, she was also the only one among them that might know how to do that. "Serenity." Her hysterics continued. "Serenity. Serenity!"
"Leave me!" she cried. "Everyone else has, I don't deserve anything from you!" Her voice cracked as her pitch grew higher and higher.
He shook her. "Serenity! Look at me, Serenity." She continued to shake and sob; he couldn't be sure she could even hear him anymore her so lost was she in herself. He forged on, trying to get any response. "Serenity, this is a dream. We may not be able to wake up completely, but we can wake up from this. You have to show me how, Serenity, I can't do it without you."
"I can't!" she cried wildly. "You don't know, you don't understand! I deserve this!"
"Snap out of it!" he ordered desperately. Her incoherent wails continued.
He slapped her.
It wasn't hard, but it was enough. Her pale cheek slowly bloomed a rosy color, and she touched it gingerly, only a few hiccupping sobs escaping her now. He stared at the offending limb a moment, unsure whether to be disgusted with himself or pleased that he finally got her to stop her hysterics.
At least, he thought he had.
She began to cry again, only this was worse. Far worse. The noise was loud and shill, drowning out the muttering corpses behind them and making him clutch his ears to dull the sound. She had amazing lungs, continuing without breath at a high-pitched wail. The world around them began to shake. The trees blurred and the ground rumbled. Endymion wrapped himself protectively over the howling princess as everything around them fell apart around them.
He found them wrapped in the same brilliant silver light that dispersed the fog, and then the dream was gone.
Serenity had worn herself out and was merely whimpering in his protective embrace. Embarrassed, he released her. She still held her hand to her face, and would not meet his gaze. The silence stretched out between them.
"I'm sorry." He finally said.
"As you should be." There was no venom in her voice, only a hollow sound. "I'm sorry too."
"You have less reason to be sorry than I." He sighed. "We're out of the Dream, at least."
She nodded dully, and finally looked at him. Her eyes were red and puffy and her nose was running, but all traces of blood had vanished from both of them with the Dream. His eyes fell on the red welt sported on her cheek and winced inwardly. Gently, he reached out and brushed the tears from her cheek, lightly caressing the place he had violated her, as if to repair the damage with a touch. What hurt him so was knowing that the dream had caused her emotional damage, but it was he who had physically brought harm to her.
Surprisingly, at his touch the bruise faded away. He took his hand away and looked at it curiously. Serenity gazed at him and wiped her nose, a throaty chuckle escaping her lips.
"It looks as though we both have some strange powers we didn't know about before, prince."
"So it would seem, princess..." he replied, a corner of his mouth twitching in amusement at her dark humor.
"I think we've had our fill of adventures for the time. Please forgive me if I sleep."
"Sleep? In your own subconscious?"
"Not really. There is no dreaming, nor is there actually any rest, but it's something to do to pass the time." She smiled dryly. "I've had a lot of time to pass."
She didn't wait for him to respond. Heaving a tired sigh, she lay down and curled herself into the fetal position right where they sat. Her eyes closed and she was asleep.
Endymion watched. He supposed he could try to 'sleep' as well, but his mind was too preoccupied. Instead, he settled for brooding in his thoughts and watching over the small princess as she slept.
He would find a way out of this subconscious state.
And he wouldn't leave without bringing her with him.
hr
Heya heya, minna-san!
So here you go, chapter (13?) of Slumber. I hope y'all enjoyed it!
My thanks to everyone who sent me encouragement and poked me to keep writing this. I appreciate that, and it helped a lot. But let me also say I don't really appreciate people demanding I update. Gentle suggestions, yes. Rude orders, no.
Please realize that I'm a college student with a lot of other work going on. I have lots of things to do, and have three other fics running around in my head, plus four original stories, plus schoolwork, and all sorts of things of that nature all vying for my time.
I'm not going to give up on this fic, don't worry about that. I have it all planned out in my mind, and I have a bunch of scenes for later chapters written out. But it'll take me a while to get there; I warn you (as if you haven't already figured it out) this will be one LONG fic. And it has a sequel and everything waiting to be written. I'm also trying to make the chapters longer, so expect a time-delay with that as well. Updates may not be frequent, but I promise they will be continuous.
So here's to this chapter ^_^ I'll start on the next one soon, promise!
Lurve!
wil-chan