Oh my gosh! I know I have been MIA for...well I'm not even sure how long. So I'm sure it'll be disappointing because this chapter is short, HOWEVER, I just wanted to get this out since I just finished writing it. Thank you to everyone who has stayed with me, thank you to all the new reviewers and followers. Please leave any comments, questions, criticisms. I will start on the next chapter ASAP! THANK YOU AGAIN!
I was busy gathering my things together when I heard a knock on the door. Sure that this must be Endymion again to discourage me from going with Nephrite, I ignored it. There was another knock, to which I replied, "Endymion, I do not want to see you. You have done enough!"
"Well good thing it isn't Endymion at your door!" I heard Princess Mars yell out. I went over to open the door to see each of my Guardians standing there, each with a variation of a scowl. Except for Mercury, who had a sympathetic look. No doubt that they had been briefed on the situation by Endymion, and they were here to stop me.
"Understand this, I am going to see Nephrite's ruler, my mother's assassin. Not a single one of you can stop me. She has taken away many things I care about, and attempted to take away more. The last thing I need is her coming here, to Earth, and threating this planet and its people." Jupiter stepped towards me and grabbed onto my hands. She towered over me and if I was a mere stranger, I would most likely be intimidated. However, I knew her kind, motherly spirit and that she was a protector.
"Serenity, what if we lose you? Have you thought how we will deal with that? We lost our queen, we lost many of our friends, we can't lose you! Now you can go, but you cannot go alone. You must let us and the Shinettou come with you and help fight if needed." I shook my head.
"If you come they will hurt more people that I love, they may take it as a threat and call war! We don't know who these people are, what they are thinking, or how dangerous they are! I will not put any one else in danger for my battles. I will not allow a single one of you to follow me, this has hurt too many already." I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at the girls surrounding me. No, they weren't girls anymore, we had all became women in the worst imaginable way, by loss. I closed my eyes as I felt the tears rushing down my face. No sooner than the first drop hit my cheek did a sharp slap accompany it. Looking up, shocked, I expected the smack to have come from Princess Jupiter or even Mars, however the hand was of Princess Mercury. My mouth, along with everyone else's in the room, was wide open. "M-Mercury…what?" I started, truly unable to find words. She stood in front of me, with the sternest face. I had never seen her so stern, except when she was tasked by my tutor with helping me to learn sums.
"Princess, no sorry Queen Serenity, get a hold of yourself! Do you hear what you are saying? We will not, ever, leave you to fend for yourself among enemies. That is our sworn duty! I have a plan so stop crying and whining and all of you listen to me." We all stared at this newly assertive Mercury in shock, all though I was sure I saw a smirk from Jupiter. Mercury proceeded to pull our sheets of paper with a battle plan on it. And for the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of victory wash over me. We could win. We WOULD win. Once Mercury finished laying out her plan and had calmed down I hugged her tight. She smiled and I returned it. The girls all left, with plans to return at night fall.
A little while later I heard a knock on my door, I turned away from the task at hand to answer it. Standing there, looking somehow both apologetic and assertive at the same time, was my prince. I smiled at him and opened my door wider to allow him to enter my chambers. He sat on a chair in the corner, obviously still not sure how welcomed he was. It was until I went and sat in his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck that he relaxed his tense muscles and stern jaw.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I know you were just trying to keep my best interests in mind. Please, Endymion, please forgive me." He chuckled and the sound made me pull back. Looking at him puzzled, he ran a finger down my face starting from my forehead and tracing a line to my jaw, brushing my lips along the way.
"And here I thought I was coming to apologize to you. I know you're scared and I know you're hurt, I shouldn't have pushed. And for that I am sorry. But I will not be sorry for wanting to keep you safe, that I will never apologize for as long as I live. I've spoken to Princess Mercury, and I trust in her plan. Will you trust in me to be a part of it?" His sincerity took my breathe away, I had always had friends and family that loved me. However, it always seems to be more out of obligation and duty than actual love. Here sat this man, a man I had barely known, and yet it was so obvious in his words and eyes that he truly loved me. This must be what it feels like, I thought to myself, this must be what finding who fate had created for you feels like. I got up from his lap and pulled him up, softly I kissed him. There was no more that need to be said, everything was right. I pulled him towards the bed and we laid there. And finally, we made love for the first time as if it was our last night together. And for all we knew, it very well could be.