AN: HEYYYY, EVERYOOONNEEE! I'M BACK! Thank you all SO much for the amazing reviews last chapter. Honestly, I wasn't expecting that much of a response, so you blew me away!
And we all owe the biggest thank you ever to FloraOne, my incomparable friend and beta, who kept on me about writing, and honestly is the reason this chapter was written, today xD She has this amazing new fic out called 11 Hours, and if you haven't read it yet, you need to, because you'll LOVE IT.
Without further ado, here's chapter 9, and please let me know what you think!
oOo
Serenity had hoped that bringing Beryl back into Endymion's life would better her relationship with him. She had given him back his heart, after all.
But oh, how very wrong she had been.
And as she sat across the table from him, setting eyes upon her husband for the first time in days, the sting of her naivete become nearly too much to bear.
The princess could feel Venus and Kunzite's uncomfortable gaze on them, as they met for a briefing of the week's events, the tension that filled the air impossible to ignore.
Kunzite was the first to brave speech. "Endymion, you remember that you and Serenity are meeting with the ambassadors from the Middle Eastern territories, today?"
Endymion rolled his eyes. "Yes, oh great schedule keeper. How could I possibly forget when you've already reminded me a dozen times in the past two days?"
Serenity, ever the peacemaker, did her best to diffuse the situation. "Endy, I'm sure Kunzite just wants to make sure I don't forget. You know how absentminded I can be," she said with a soft smile, reaching her small hand across the table, and placing it gently over his larger one.
But Endymion immediately snatched his hand back, icy cold eyes, that she hadn't seen since those very first days together, stared back at her. "Stop trying to placate me, Serenity. I'm not a child."
She took in a tiny gasp of air at the harshness of his words, the use of her full name cutting through her more deeply than it ever should have.
"Endy, I…"
"I'll see to the ambassadors by myself," he interrupted. "I have a feeling they'll not want an outsider intruding on the negotiations."
She felt Venus bristle beside her, the senshi's mouth opening in order to allow Endymion to hear exactly what she thought of his attitude, so Serenity continued on.
"Kunzite, what else is on the agenda for today?"
The general looked startled at the sound of his name, as he'd been glaring at Endymion for some moments. But when his eyes finally settled on Serenity, his wits returned. "It looks like you have tea with the duchess this afternoon. I have it down that Endymion will be joining you, as well."
At this pronouncement, Endymion laughed a short, derisive laugh. "I hardly think my presence is needed entertaining idle court gossip."
Serenity's eyes flew to her husband, frustration rising in her at his overly relaxed and cocky posture. "But Endymion, I specifically told the duchess you'd be joining us. How exactly would I manage to explain your absence?"
The prince was quiet for a moment, an arrogant smirk making its way onto his lips, as he leaned forward towards her.
"You seem rather adept in making decisions for me, princess. Surely you can figure something out."
And with those words, he rose from his chair, leaving the room and three stunned people behind him.
An uncomfortable silence settled over them, until Kuntize sighed deeply. He stood and bowed to Serenity. "I am very sorry, Princess Serenity. If you'll excuse me, I have a petulant child to attend to."
As soon as the door slammed shut behind the general, Serenity knew what would commence.
"What the hell was that?" Venus snarled, standing from her chair, as she began pacing the room.
Serenity sighed. "Venus-"
"You said things were better, Serenity! You said he wasn't acting like that anymore!"
"I know, it's just-"
"If this is better, Serenity, we need to have a serious discussion about how people are supposed to be treated."
"No, Venus, you don't-"
"That no good, lowlife, piece of-"
"Venus!" Serenity yelled at her senshi, finally having enough of being interrupted and ignored. "That's enough!"
Venus stopped her pacing abruptly, falling gracefully back into her chair. "I'm sorry, Serenity, but we can't just allow this to go on! Your mother wouldn't stand for it. I won't stand for it."
"Mother isn't here, Venus. And there's nothing that can be done that I haven't tried already."
Venus laughed bitterly. "Oh, I'm sure there a few things you haven't tried, that I'd be more than happy to show him."
"You'll do no such thing," Serenity replied in a commanding tone that still somehow managed to convey her affection for her senshi. "Besides, I have no one to blame but myself for this. Endymion isn't at fault."
Venus' face registered confusion and anger. "What do you mean it isn't Endymion's fault? Last I checked he was in full possession of his faculties. There's no excuse for him to treat you as such."
Serenity looked down at her hands that were wringing nervously in her lap, an embarrassed blush coloring her cheeks. "Venus...I...might have done something I didn't tell you about."
She heard Venus' intake of breath, shock apparent at her admission. "Go on," the senshi said, doing her best to mask her emotions.
"Well, you see, I…" Serenity began, wondering just how much she should reveal of her visit with Beryl, and finally decided that since the deed was done, there was no reason to withhold the information from Venus any longer. "I invited Endymion's former lover, here, to the palace, to become his mistress."
Serenity finally chanced a look at Venus, and immediately regretted it, when she saw the woman's eyes grow large with disbelief.
"You did...what?" Venus managed to get out after a few, long moments of silence.
"Venus, you must hear me out-"
"Serenity, why? Why would you do that?!"
"Because I love him, Venus," Serenity said with conviction, as if it explained every action she'd taken, and to her, it did.
Venus sat back, exhaling loudly, the fight leaving her almost instantly. She looked at Serenity with compassionate eyes, and a sad smile. "Of course you do."
Serenity couldn't help but giggle at this. "I'm surprised you hadn't noticed."
Venus raised an eyebrow at her princess, and wiggled her finger at Serenity in mock sternness. "Well, you, young lady, have made a habit of hiding your emotions from me."
Serenity smiled sweetly at her friend, knowing how angry Venus would be at herself for missing such a monumental thing in her life. "Venus, you musn't be so hard on yourself. I could have sought you out. I should have sought you out. But I think part of me knew you'd try to talk me out of what I'd decided, and I simply had to be that way."
Venus affectionately rolled her eyes at Serenity. "Only you would think the scenario where you end up heartbroken as being the only way."
"His happiness is everything to me," Serenity said sadly, "And I thought that things would at least stay the way they'd been, bringing her back here. But I guess he was only being kind to me because he was lonely, and now that Beryl is in his life once again, I revert to the annoyance I was before."
There was a brief silence before Venus spoke again. "Beryl's her name?"
Serenity nodded, doing her best to keep the flood of tears that threatened to spill out at bay.
"What a silly name," Venus said with a degree of disdain. "Who in their right mind would name someone after a container?"
Serenity looked at her friend with confusion, until the meaning of Venus' statement finally registered in her thoughts. She couldn't help the true laugh that escaped her then. "No, no, you misunderstand. Her name isn't barrel like the container. It's Beryl. A gemstone, I believe."
With a wave of her hand, Venus dismissed her error. "Well, that's rather presumptuous, don't you think? Naming your child after a precious stone?"
Serenity giggled again. "Oh, Venus. I do love you so."
Venus smiled at Serenity, reaching over to take her hand comfortingly. "Serenity, you can't live the rest of your life like this. You're in pain!"
"There's no other way," Serenity replied. "My heart will always belong to him, but I won't allow him to be punished because he loved someone else first."
"But what about you? What of your happiness?"
"I will find my happiness in his."
"Serenity…"
The princess patted her senshi's hand. "I'm not there, yet, Venus, but I do hope to be, someday."
She did her best to hide the pang of jealousy that went through her, knowing full well, Endymion might be with Beryl that very instant, having cleared his day of all things that even remotely involved his wife.
But Venus had known Serenity long enough to recognize the signs. "Well, can you just imagine what the sex would be like with a barrel? All stiff and wooden and boring like?" she said, a visible shudder running through her.
Serenity laughed and rolled her eyes. "Venus, do you ever think of anything else?"
And her giggling continued for quite some time after, when Venus answered with mock indignation, "Why should I?"
oOo
The moon hung high above her in the night sky, when Serenity found herself in Endymion's gardens.
She felt somewhat unwelcome here, now, after everything that had transpired with her husband, but this place was the only one where she still felt connected to him in some way.
Of course, there was her bed, but that connection seemed to leave a hole much bigger than any she wanted to deal with at the moment.
But no, this place, his garden, the one he poured life into. Where he'd first called her, 'Ren,' and everything felt perfect for a few moments…
This place she would love. Would always love.
Endymion hadn't come to her that evening. Not that she'd expected him to. But every night that passed with his absence only served as a reminder of everything she wanted, and would never have.
And so, her heart swelled with hope at the sound of heavy footsteps, and she jumped up from her place at the bench, twirling around to face the noise.
But the swell calmed to nothing when she recognized the person coming towards her as Kunzite.
"General Kunzite," she said warmly, refusing to allow her disappointment to show. "Forgive my reaction, I thought, perhaps, you were Endymion."
Kunzite bowed low, and when he raised himself, Serenity took the time to study his eyes for the first time in the bright moonlight.
There was a sadness there that she couldn't place.
"You need not apologize to me, your grace," he replied kindly. "I am afraid the prince is rather...indisposed at the moment."
Serenity's heart sunk again.
"Well, that's no matter, now is it? Would you like to join me?" Serenity asked, brilliant smile plastered on her face, as she gestured towards her recently abandoned bench.
Kunzite shifted nervously, obviously not expecting her invitation. "Uh...of course," he recovered quickly, coming around to sit next to her, as she settled onto the bench, once more.
They were silent for a few moments, an uneasy air surrounding them. But Serenity had never been one for silent spaces.
"I've been meaning to apologize to you for some time, Kunzite," Serenity began, and she smiled as he turned towards her with confusion. "I pestered you so about the identity of the woman Endymion loves, and I shouldn't have put you in such a position."
"Nor should he have put you in one where you felt the need to come to me, instead of him," he answered with a hint of anger, that Serenity somehow knew wasn't directed at her.
She blushed, and looked down, unsure of what to say, and she was grateful when Kunzite spoke again.
"Endymion is stubborn, your grace, as I'm sure you know," he said, a slight twitch of a smile on his lips. "And while that particular trait serves him well, on occasion, he is often incredibly hard headed, refusing to acknowledge that there could possibly be another answer or solution other than his."
Serenity smiled, reaching her hand out to pat his affectionately. "Indeed, I know this well, but it is one reason we love him so."
Kunzite didn't startle at her admission, as she feared he might. Instead, he took his other hand, placing it on top of Serenity's, squeezing it comfortingly, as he stared up at the night sky. "It is our burden to bear, yes."
Serenity giggled, while she pulled her hand back into her lap, before she turned back towards her companion, a serious question on her tongue. "How do you bear it, Kunzite?"
He smiled sadly at her. "Endymion is like a brother to me, and as in any relationship, platonic or otherwise, we hurt each other occasionally."
Kunzite turned his head towards her, as she sighed longingly. "But in the end, we love each other as brothers, and I know that underneath that stubborn, ridiculous, arrogant persona he's managed to cultivate for himself, there is a wonderful human being. One who I know would lay down his life for me in an instant, as I would for him."
Serenity smiled at him genuinely. "It does my soul good to know that you both have each other."
"And it does mine good to know that he has you," Kunzite answered with a sincerity that frightened her.
"Me?" she replied incredulously. "I mean no more to Endymion than I did on the day I arrived."
Kunzite chuckled at her softly, an amused look on his face. "Just don't give up on him, Princess Serenity. As I said, he's stubborn, but he's not stupid."
The princess felt the familiar rush of confusion flow through her at his words. But she didn't allow herself to dwell on them, for she knew Endymion had made his choice.
So, she simply smiled at him. "Thank you, Kunzite, I hope Endymion realizes how lucky he is to have you as a friend."
He smiled back warmly, lifting her hand to his lips, where he placed a gentle kiss. "I remind him of the fact everyday," Kunzite replied with a smirk, and he was rewarded with another laugh from Serenity.
"Goodnight, Kunzite," she said, as she rose from her seat, bending down to kiss his cheek in affection. "Sleep well."
But as she walked away, Serenity failed to notice the tall, handsome figure of her husband behind a nearby pillar, and the anger that radiated from the very core of him.
AN: Now, before you start screaming at me, yes, next chapter, you will find out what happened between Endy and Beryl, BUT I couldn't just let you off that easily on your wait xD Stick with me, and I promise it'll be worth it 3333
