"Any news?" Endymion asks, full of desperation.
"Not yet." Malachite replies. "But I think at this point we should assume that Emerald got to them first."
"Maybe we haven't been searching for them far enough away from the castle. I mean think about it, Emerald worked for Diamond who was the 'master' of the dark arts and is now presumably hiding with a man who seems has the ability to appear and disappear at whim so why do we think that they wouldn't be able to travel beyond the land we know about?" Zoisite says, but before anyone can respond Jadeite, who hadn't said a word since he was told the news of what happened a little over four hours ago, cuts in.
"Or they have someone on the inside." They all look at him questionably. "Well it's obvious that Emerald had no dark art skill before she escaped otherwise she would have done it long before it actually happened and without help. And I don't think that this Sapphire character can come and go at will because he hasn't been back since we upped the guard around the perimeter. And if they could come and go as they please why would they wait until Rei and Serenity were outside the palace to grab them. And for that matter how did they even know Serenity and Rei left? Endymion lets out a gasp.
"Because someone told them they did."
"Exactly and whoever that person is may know where Emerald and Sapphire are hiding out, or at least how to communicate with them." Endymion stops all movement for a split second before he pulls Jadeite to him in a tight embrace. Letting Jadeite go he turns to his generals.
"We need to find whoever this person is. We'll start by interrogating whoever was on guard today when they left." He looks to his guards. "We have to discover who the traitor is before the sun sets tonight, the less time Emerald has them the better."
Serenity sits on the bed leaning over and clutching her stomach while Rei continues kicking the gate, as she has been doing for the past fifteen minutes. They had only been captive for a few hours but it had already felt like a lifetime. Rei had spent the time since Serenity had calmed down searching high and low for a way out. After failing to find one the subtle way Rei decided to go with the direct approach and started yelling out taunts to Emerald in hopes of a face-to-face confrontation suddenly very glad she had decided to have those sessions with Jadeite, sure that in a fight she would be strong enough to take Emerald down.
Serenity, however, was doing everything in her power not to panic anymore then she already was. It was about when Rei had started kicking the gate that Serenity first felt it. A tightening of her stomach causing it to harden underneath her hands. It had not lasted long but had repeated again some minutes later. The back pain she had been experiencing throughout the day reaches new heights as the worst possible thing that could happen occurs.
"Rei?" Rei continues kicking the gate.
"Rei?" Serenity calls a little louder but still not loud enough to be heard over Rei's boot hitting metal.
"REI!" Serenity shouts just as Rei starts to lift her leg once again. Rei turns to look at her. "We need to get out of here."
"I know Serenity but I don't know what else to try, I think we're going to have to wait for an opening." Serenity, a terrified look on her face, stands up and Rei gasps when she finally sees the puddle at Serenity's feet.
"We don't have time to wait Rei because my water just broke."
Endymion paces outside the door as Zoisite and Malachite sit inside interrogating Rubeus while Jadeite and Nephrite interrogate Andrew in the room next door. They were almost three and a half hours into the search and they were down to the last two guards who were on duty at the main gate when Rei and Serenity left. This round of interrogations had been going on for almost thirty minutes and Endymion was at the end of his rope. It had taken about ten minutes in to the first interrogation for the generals to decide that Endymion should not be allowed in the room when he almost attacked one of the guards they were interrogating who, by the way, turned out to be innocent. So for almost three hours and twenty minutes Endymion stood outside the two rooms sending visual death to any who entered the rooms and as each of them left such a look of pure desperation would face them, one so bad they actually would wish they were guilty just so their king wouldn't have to look like that anymore.
And that's exactly what happened when Andrew was released. When Jadeite and Nephrite follow out to the hallway Nephrite comes over and places his hand on Endymion's shoulder and the three of them look over to the other door. Almost immediately a crash comes from behind the closed door and before Jadeite or Nephrite could stop him Endymion rushed into the room, grabs Rubeus out of his chair and slams him against the wall holding him up a few inches off the floor holding him up by pushing his forearm into Rubeus' throat. Malachite and Zoisite shoot up to restrain him when Endymion gives them a look so cold that even two of his closest friends were terrified of him in that moment.
"You are going to listen to me very carefully. My baby, sister, and the love of my life, the reason for my existence are in the hands of a couple of homicidal maniacs and I am pretty sure you know exactly where they are. And in order to get you to tell me where that location is I will happily break every bone in your body. But trust me when I tell you that when I find them, and I mean when because everyone has a breaking point," Endymion lets out a dark chuckle at his own bad joke then turns serious once again "if when I find them they have been harmed in any way because I was too late to get to them the first thing I will do when I get back will be to end you in the most creative and painful way imaginable."
Endymion releases Rubeus who grabs his neck and starts gasping for breath. Endymion grabs Rubeus' chin and forces Rubeus to look him in the eyes. Endymion grows a small smirk when he sees the complete and utter fear in Rubeus' eyes.
"Now, is there something you would like to tell me?"
Racing to the location Rubeus gave Endymion ignored everything around him. He ignored the wind whipping against him as he pushed his horse as fast as he could. He ignored his generals trying to keep up with him, Zoisite pulling a wagon behind him so they can bring back Serenity and Rei without having to worry about keeping track of extra horses. He ignored all the wild life and vegetation he was riding through and he ignored the sun that was setting behind him. All he could see was the mountain he was racing toward which was supposed to hold Serenity and Rei.
"Ahhh" Serenity groans as another contraction hits. It seemed like the contractions were progressing at an accelerated rate, faster than they probably should be. Rei was sitting next to Serenity one arm around Serenity's shoulder and the other hand being squeezed painfully by Serenity's.
"It's okay Serenity, just breath through it." Rei says, trying her best to calm Serenity.
"I am breathing!" Serenity snaps at Rei, hissing through the pain. Rei just starts rubbing Serenity's back and the contraction soon stops. "Rei" Serenity pants grasping at Rei's collar "you can't let her take my baby. Promise me that if something happens to me you won't let her take my baby." Serenity lets out a sob.
"Serenity I won't let anything happen to your baby or you, I swear." Rei says hugging Serenity to her. "Besides, knowing Endymion, I bet he is almost here.
They reach the entrance to the cave, exactly where Rubeus said it would be, just as the last of the sun dipped underneath the horizon. Endymion motions for Jadeite, Nephrite and Malachite to follow him, Zoisite was at the base of the mountain waiting for them with the horses. As soon as Endymion takes a step inside he hears Serenity's voice sounding as though she was in pain.
"Let go of me, I need to get to her." Endymion struggles against Malachite who pulls him back, stopping him from running into the unknown.
"She needs you unharmed. And running into someplace without knowing what's down there is a way to get yourself harmed and unable to help anybody." Endymion relaxes slightly and they start the long trek down the stairs. Reaching the bottom they look around the circular room and can't seem to find Emerald or Sapphire, they do however see Serenity and Rei sitting on a small cot. Serenity starts to groan again and hunches over herself, Rei cringing in pain from the grasp Serenity has on her hand.
"Serenity!" Endymion calls out racing over to the door while Jadeite, Nephrite and Malachite follow behind him watching out for Emerald or Sapphire. There is no sign of them, but there does seem to be another passage way leading further down into the mountain. Serenity snaps her head up at the sound of Endymion's voice and tries to stand up, collapsing immediately under the pain of her contraction. Endymion starts to pull at the gate locking them in. When that doesn't work he looks around and surprisingly finds the keys lying on a table with some loose papers. Unlocking the gate he rushes in and pulls Rei and Serenity into a hug. Kissing Rei on the forehead he releases her and squeezes Serenity to him right before giving her a sweet kiss. Rei walks out and looks shyly towards Jadeite who loses all pretenses and just kisses her soundly then promptly releases her leaving a dazed look on her face. Serenity hisses as yet another contraction hits. And Endymion immediately goes into worried mode.
"What's wrong?" Endymion asks panic on his face.
"She's gone into labor." Rei replies breaking out of her dazed expression landing back into the gravity of the situation.
"What? Oh my god! We need to get you out of here! It's not time for the baby to come yet!" Endymion says starting to pace.
"I don't think we have much of a choice." Serenity responds back her voice just as panicked.
"What's with all the racket going on up here? I'm doing things and I don't…" Emerald cuts off as she looks up and see's what is going on, Sapphire walking slightly behind her. A look of pure rage crosses her face as her grasp tightens around some kind of staff she happens to be holding. Endymion steps outside of the 'cage' and glares at Emerald and Sapphire.
"Nephrite, get Serenity and Rei out of here." Nephrite grabs the arms of Rei and Serenity and starts to pull them toward the stairs.
"Endymion." Serenity whimpers out as yet another contraction hits causing her to bend forward. Nephrite lets go of Rei's arm and sweeps Serenity up and starts to carry her up the stairs.
"I'll be right behind you Serenity, I just need to finish some business here." Endymion calls out to her as he Malachite and Jadeite pull out their swords and points them toward Emerald and Sapphire.
"She's not going anywhere." Emerald growls out pointing the staff toward Nephrite, carrying Serenity, and Rei who are running up the stairs as fast as they can. Endymion knocks the staff out of her hands and pushes his sword slightly into Emeralds stomach.
"You are not going to touch her. I hope you are happy with the way you have lived your life Emerald, because it's about to end."
AN: Here you go, we are quickly approaching the end of the story if all goes according to plan there should be two chapters left after this one (maybe three, I need to see how it pans out)
Also, just in case anyone wants to know the time line of the day I thought I'd map it out for you
11:00-Serenity and Endymion Fight
11:45-Serenity finds Rei and Jadeite kissng
12:05-Serenity and Rei leave
2:00-Serenity and Rei are taken, around the same time Endymion discovers they are gone from the palace
4:15- Endymion and the generals have their meeting, a little before that Serenity goes into labor
7:45-Rubeus is discovered to be the spy
8:45-Endymion and the generals reach the hideout
Lastly,
Stephie 23- Thank you for your reviews. I, as always, really appreciate hearing what you think. I hope you had fun in vegas! And I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint
themoongirl2000-In response to your question this is a AU fic, so they never lived as Usagi/Serena or Mamoru/Darien and were Sailor Moon or Tuxedo Mask. This is just them living in the 'olden days' as Serenity and Endymion but not as the moon princess and the earth prince, just as two regular monarchs.
As always I hope you enjoyed!