Despite a clear miscommunication…Here I walk, beside the man in my dreams, through the moonlit gardens of his kingdom."Princess, yet you won't give me your name or home? How am I to trust you…""Don't you believe me, Your Highness?""I would very much like to, but I don't even know your name."There's silence for a moment, and I pause by the patch of those full red blooms I previously pricked my finger on. The blood from my finger is already cleaned away, leaving only tiny stain marks on the stone."I am sorry, about the rough treatment you received. I thought my guards were better trained in dealing with problems."Turning my head up from the stone to his face, I nod once and smile thoughtfully, deciding my name."You can call me Usako, Your Highness. It's cute, no?"He nods and rests a hand on my head for a moment before pulling it back suddenly, as though shocked by his own actions. Even though brief, I already feel the swell in my chest, missing even such simple contact. Fiddling with the skirts of my dress I cast my gaze down and only raise it again as I hear the snip of metal. Warily, I watch him set down the scissors into a box within the flower bed and close the lid, turning with red bloom in hand."A rose, for you Usako.""A rose…"He plucks off the thorns before handing it over to me and closing my hands around the stem, clasping my hands between his and smiling. "You look like you've never held a flower before.""We don't have 'roses'. I was wondering what they were…They're awfully beautiful, aren't they?""They are. My favourite are the red roses, but they come in a variety. Yellow and Pink and White, and every colour symbolises something. Red is…for romance and passion."Taking a short breath I cast my eyes up to his soothing blue pair, feeling the flush of my cheeks run rampant. "Romance? Then it is awfully inappropriate to give one to me, isn't it?"As I cast my eyes down, pausing to brush over his lips, he clears his throat and turns away, releasing my hands. "I suppose it is. But, Usako…Wouldn't you like to know me better? Is it too forward to…ask you to visit me again?"I had convinced myself that one visit would be enough, and my heart would feel fulfilled after one glance. Yet here I stand, returned home as dawn begins to flood my land with it's warm glow and my heart is filled with only more longing. I need to go again.My Guardians, with their sweet hearts, had covered for my absence during the night and only sked I give them details upon the time we convene for breakfast. Hesitant, yet excited, I pause to allow the stationed guards to open the doors for me to the four guardians milling in the room nervously. "Princess!""Venus! I hope that you weren't worrying for me too much?"Suddenly enclosed in a mass of arms I felt my body relax, the nerves evaporate and I started talking instantly. "Oh he's so sweet, everyone! He saved me from a group of rude guards and he cut me a rose and..and he calls me Usako!"For a while the four laugh and poke at my sides playfully. "Serenity is in love!~""He gave you a flower? That's so sweet…"Caught up in our laughter and within my relay of the visit I suppose my Mother's presence went unnoticed for something close to a few minutes, from the way her voice rang clear and angry. Long enough to understand what we were talking about, at least."Earth?! Serenity!"The blood in my veins chilled almost at that those two words, and though reluctant I turned my head towards her figure, fuming with anger. "M-Mother…I can explain it-""I don't want you to explain it! I should have known this infatuation of yours would spiral out of hand. And you four-! How dare you allow this to happen, and to then celebrate it?!"Taking their reprimand, the senshi beside me bowed their heads in regret and respect for their Queen. None of them spoke, and I swear that none of them even dared to breathe. "Serenity…To your room. You will not find a way out of it as long as this infatuation within your heart stands. How could you?"Tossing an arm across my eyes I settle back down onto my bed. Though a comfortable living area anything gets boring if you can't leave it. So far, according to the sunsets, I've been locked up in here for a week and two days. The hours all began to blur a few days ago. "You can't keep me locked up in here forever..I want to see my Guardians!""I'm sorry, Princess. Our orders are specifically to keep you in there until otherwise notified."Not the voice I wanted to hear. The guards have been posted at my doors for weeks now, and I was moved into the top floor of the tower. A balcony with smooth walls either side; no way down. Guards on specific rotation at the doors; not even left unattended in the dead of night. I miss him…With a sigh I throw off my arm and force myself to my feet. Settling down at my desk I pick up the brush and run it through one of my tails, watching my sombre reflection in the mirror. I have to find a way out of here, I can't stand not seeing him.Setting the brush back onto the marble desk I rise once again, pacing back and forth before tossing open the doors of closet and picking out a shorter dress to don; for the purpose of freeing up my legs and arms for more movement. Another white piece embellished with silver pearls across the chest and scattering down along the skirt – which cuts off mid thigh. Sheer across my chest with a high collar, buttoned with a single silver pearl, and loose sheer sleeves collared at the wrists. Pulling out the remainder of my dresses – the ones I'm not so fond on that is – I tie them end to end with my sheets and towels and toss it from the balcony, tying it to the railing. From what I can see straight down…It only stops about three metres from the ground. That's…safe to fall from. Right?Discarding the idea of socks or shoes I pull my hair into a braid starting from my left ear and coming around my skull to hang over my right shoulder, tucking my fringe into it as I go along. Carefully lowering myself over the edge of the balcony I grip the sheets tightly, only able to hope that they'll hold, and begin an unsteady descent downwards. At the drop I grip the edge of the fabric, closing my eyes and shaking my head. No turning back now. Pursing my lips to refrain from screaming I let go, freefalling for only moments before my feet hit the grass and I tumble forward onto my shoulder. Swallowing the pain I raise and set off at a sprint, the only positive being that from here the travel to the loading pod is much shorter, and I reach it within mere moments of sprinting. Taking no time to catch my breath I hit the chosen destination and smooth out my dress as the light consumes me again, taking me once more to that desired planet; and to his warm arms.
