Greetings, Sailor friends! If you have already read this chapter, please reread the ending to this romantic marriage ceremony and now subsequent honeymoon of one of our romantic Three Lights, Terry Starr to Susan de Venici, Sailor Pluto, that has been added to complete this momentous part of their romance.
If you're new to it, please enjoy the entire whirlwind episode starring Sailor Pluto and Sailor Star Maker!
Thanks for your patience and avid reading of their beautifully timeless love story!
We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.
"SAILOR MOON ETERNAL"
The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga
Chapter 22
"For as Long as There is a Forever"
In the morning sky of early autumn, September 21st, a breathtaking sun rises over Susan. Too excited for sleep to claim her for very long, she is up with the sun. She takes in the gorgeous view from Serena's high rise apartment balcony.
"Excited, Susan?" Susan hears a voice through the stillness of the morn. She finds Alex standing there in her sleepwear, with one cup of green tea for Susan and a mug of black coffee for herself. "Isn't it a little cold out here for you, just in that?" Alex offers the cup to Susan with a raised eyebrow. Susan was wrapped in one of Terry's 'borrowed' shirts.
"Thank you." Susan accepts it, and sips the hot drink gingerly. "I'm not cold at all, Alex. I feel so warm inside." She whispers, putting her hand to her heart, with a dreamy expression on her lovely face. Alex, leaning on the edge of the balcony rail looks at her in consternation.
"I suppose it's a little too late for this. And I'm not anyone to be asking you this, but…are you sure about this, Susan? Is marriage the right thing for you—for any of us?" Alex asks, concerned. She never put much stock in a ceremony or the establishment that put a man so high in position over a woman. "I don't mean just as a soldier, but as a woman. An individual, too. Won't you feel possessed by him?" Alex voices her anxieties to the woman she has come to consider a dear friend.
"Oh, Alex." Susan smiles at her wistfully. "I've never in my whole long, empty life been so absolutely certain of something. I want to be possessed by him. More than that, I want to be able to say it with my head held high, that I belong to Terry Starr and he belongs to me. Forever. Do you understand that? Forever! Marriage isn't simply about 'possession.' It's about love. To love someone enough to swear your life to him. To promise you'll keep this love for all time. And I've known since that moment my eyes met his, that he was the one. The one who will love me, and the one I will love through eternity. That's what marriage means to me. That's what marriage must mean to all who love each other as much as Terry and I do." Susan smiles at her friend, hoping this heartfelt answer was enough to convince her that she was doing the right thing. Because, for some reason, she wanted Alex to understand.
"And you're wrong about something else, too, Alex. You're not just "anyone" to me." Susan sees something in Alex's eyes that told her that her message of love had been conveyed. She wraps her arms around her strong friend in a sweet embrace.
"I don't think I've told you yet, Susan, but—thanks for asking me to be your Maid of Honor at the wedding today. I never imagined I would be in that role." Alex says with a small smile, still wondering why Susan chose her of all people to such an honored position above the other girls.
"I wanted it to be you." Susan says sweetly, as her thought-provoking gaze then turns to the sun, slowly shining its warmth upon the sleepy world below. Susan, lost in her own reverie again, meets Alex's gaze across the beautiful view. Her blissful eyes then travel to a balcony not so far away in the distance, where someone else with the same blissful smile searches the skies for the magenta sunrise of the eyes of the woman he would soon be blessed enough to call his wife.
In a whirlwind, every little thing, every last minute arrangement is rushed toward the preparation of this joyous event. The girls, all happy to don bridesmaid dresses again, this time made to Susan's taste. Even Alex reluctantly wears the fancy, feminine maid-of-honor gown Susan had made just for her. (She looks dazzling in it, too, much to the Best Man's delight).
Amazingly, without a hitch, this miracle wedding is about to start. All the bridesmaids were primped and prepared. The pink and fuchsia flower girls had stayed over for their last day in this time to watch their timeless guardian as a gorgeous bride in her lovely off the shoulder gown, of her own creation and design.
Surveying herself in the mirror, Susan smiles as her friends help apply the endless strings of diamonds that Terry had insisted she wear in her headdress. It surrounded her soft hair, swept up in a fashionably lovely style.
"Susan-mama, you look so beautiful!" Tara looks up in awe at the beautiful bride, and hands her a white calla lily bouquet. After their problems earlier, not so long ago on the particular subject of this man, Tara now considered kind Susan her idol—that someone she would like to be like someday.
"Thank you, Tara." Susan just about manages to say, feeling as if inside she would burst. Her heart was filled to the brim with overwhelming excitement, now that her every dream, which she had once thought could never happen, was just about to become no longer only a fantasy.
Across the hall, the dashing groom feels the same emotions surging through his veins as well. Not one bit nervous as a normal husband-to-be would, but he was worried—not about his marriage, but about the brothers he would be leaving behind, one in particular…
"Sayer." He says, as he tucks a white rose in his best man's top jacket pocket. "I'm glad to have you here at my side, in this important step for me." He smiles. "But I want you to know that no matter what, I will always be at your side whenever you need me." In those few meaningful words, Terry relieves his brother's troubled soul. The fondness for him and for each other passes through their eyes. He was trying to express to Sayer that things were not changing—they were just getting better.
"Thanks, Ter." Sayer smiles his brightest for his close brother and smacks his back with a big bear hug. "I knew that." He says with a wink. "Let's get going anyway. You don't want to make Susie wait any longer than she has to." He smirks.
"Oh, no." Terry smiles. "I don't think I can wait any longer, either." For Terry Starr was about to receive the reward of his love and efforts for the most perfect woman in the world.
"Sayer, do you have the ring?" Terry whispers to his best man as they stand at the altar of the lavishly decorated church. It was all decked out in white and lavender ribbons, with beautifully chosen sprays of flowers lining each pew.
No, Terry wasn't getting nervous. He just knew this brother's tendency for forgetfulness at times. And he wanted everything to run as smoothly as possible for his Susan's wedding. Our wedding…Terry smiles dreamily to himself, looking dashing in an all-out handsome white, double breasted tuxedo, complete with tails and cummerbund. He made all the female members of the audience sigh, wishing they could, perhaps, trade places with the lucky bride.
"'Course I do, Terr." Sayer says, a bit miffed. He looked quite dapper himself, in his own black tuxedo. His face goes through several cute contortions as he searches his pockets for the golden band surrounded in sparkling diamonds that Terry had entrusted to his care only minutes ago.
"Oh! Here." He whips it out of his back pants pocket. How'd it get there? Sayer thinks, as he triumphantly holds it up to Terry. The taller man smiles at his younger brother's penchant for trouble and foolishness.
I will miss it. Terry straightens Sayer's continuously crooked bow tie with brotherly care. Suddenly, he stiffens as the organist begins to play the familiar melody that was celestial music to Terry's romantic ears.
RiRi, an expert at this by now, looked oh-so-cute in her little flower girl dress, scatters white rose petals everywhere. Two by two, the lavender bridesmaids walk down the aisle. Amy and Rei look lovely, Lita and Mina radiant, Tara and Rini darling, and Michelle and Serena dazzling, as the maid-of-honor brings up the rear. Alex takes her place in that frilly lavender dress, ignoring the quick wink from her counterpart, the best man, and all turn anxiously as they await the arrival of the beautiful bride.
Terry sighs softly to himself as he feels her presence enter, as the music soars to full orchestral bloom. The bride was indeed beautiful, indeed lovely, and more than that, she was breathtaking. The audience stands at rapt attention in awe of her splendor. This gown of her own design was one of the most beautiful any of them had ever seen. A vision in white, Susan seems to float on Darien's arm—for he was the one to give her away. A fitting tribute Susan and Terry had requested of the man who was their Princess' Prince, and would one day be their King.
Darien, proud to give away one of his soldiers, justified and befittingly to another, who had vowed to devote his life to her and to Serena. As Susan and Darien make their way down the aisle towards him, Terry finds himself standing in awe of her once more. In awe of the lady who would soon truly be his—and his for all time. He was still in disbelief that she of such perfection would agree to love him, to marry and promise her life to him, as he would eternally swear his to her.
In a beautiful white, misty dream she comes to him, linking her arm through his offered one, as their souls were about to be linked and melded into one as well.
"My precious lady." Terry whispers softly to her, with such adoration and love for her in his beautiful violet eyes.
My darling. Susan can only say in her mind, too overwhelmed was she by the moment she had longed for so very long a time to even speak. The wedding march slowly fades, and the entire church grows silent, awaiting the priest's recital of their solemn marriage vows—which Terry and Susan had written special verses for each other and each other alone.
"I, Terry Starr," He takes both of Susan's delicately gloved hands in his, and gazes into the sea of her eyes, speaking what he considered the most important words he would ever say, coming straight from his heart. "…pledge to you, my lady Susan de Venici, my eternal devotion to honor, to protect, to keep you safe in my heart for all time. Because of you I have found the truth in my soul, my reason for living. Because in you I have discovered everlasting dreams become reality. Because for you, I will do anything, my precious one. This and more, I vow to you a lifetime of my undying love, stretching into the far reaches of eternity and blessed by the One Creator God, Maker of all above who wove the threads of our lives together. For as long as there is a forever, I will love you."
Finishing his vows, Terry kisses her hands lovingly, his beautiful poetry causing Susan and every other woman in the audience to fill with joyous tears in their eyes. A tender smile passes between them as Susan answers with her sacred promises to him.
"I, Susan de Venici," Susan's voice wavers in a whisper, trying to find the strength amidst surging emotions to speak. Looking into Terry's eyes, she finds the inner calm, bringing peace to her soul as his hands squeeze hers tenderly, giving her the strength she needs to continue. "…pledge to you, my beloved Terry Starr, my unending devotion to honor, to cherish, to keep your heart safe in mine forever. Because for you, the door to my lonely soul has been opened. Because of you I believe in impossible dreams. Because to you, I will give everything, my darling one. This I promise to you, a lifetime of my truest love, reaching into the far corners of eternity, sanctified by He who has blessed me with you from the Heavens above. For as long as there is a forever, I will love you."
Susan gazes strong and true into her love's eyes, meaning each sentence and each line with every ounce of her timeless soul. Many a tear falls in the crowd, the bridesmaids who know the happy couple so well, lead the tearful waterfalls at the inspiring vows the bridal couple had just sworn to each other.
"With this ring, I thee wed."
Sayer dutifully hands the ring over as Terry slides the golden jeweled band on Susan's now ungloved slender hand.
Smiling, Susan takes the gold band Alex offers to her. "With this ring, I thee wed." She repeats the unbelievable words. They echo through her and she begins to tremble, as she slides the band on Terry's finger.
"Such beautiful devotion, such perfect love. The Lord has truly smiled upon this happy couple." The Father says as tears fill his old eyes, too. "I am now so pleased to announce you as man and wife." He says.
In that ephemeral moment, both Terry and Susan's wrists begin to glisten with unearthly chronos energy. The invisible bonds encircling each of their now forever entwined wrists glow for all to glimpse their partnered sparkle of enduring love.
It was as if in that brief second that even Time itself was giving this destined pair its eternal blessings to last throughout infinity…
Terry and Susan's eyes lock, and their hands linked. Terry needs no further prompting, as he takes the woman who was now his wife—my wife!—in his arms, and kisses her tenderly, lovingly.
It was a kiss that Time seemed to stand still for, as the audience watches in silent awe, then suddenly breaks out in cheers of good will. The deliriously happy Susan and Terry make their way from the church out to the front steps.
The best man and his counterpart were right behind them and the bridesmaids follow, arm in arm with their chosen escorts, as the anxious bride awaits them to crowd around, ready to throw her bouquet.
As soon as her friends gathered, Susan sends her white lilies flying through the air towards the anticipating women welcoming the floral spray with open arms.
But in mid air, the flowers seem to change direction, a sudden violent wind takes hold, to send the bouquet soaring in the opposite direction. It crash lands onto Sayer's head and bounces off into Alex's unsuspecting arms. All the girls gasp in horror at the one woman who did not welcome it or its significance catches the sought after bouquet.
Alex had stood as far back on the sidelines as she could, not in the least trying to catch the air-lifted flowers. A chance breeze? Or was it something deeper that had carried the omen to the golden-haired beauty standing in utter shock at the object that had somehow made its way into her hands.
Similarly surprised, and knowing what that certain tradition meant, (and seeing what it got Terry into—remembering Susan was the one who had caught the bouquet at Serena's wedding not so long ago), Sayer swallows hard, the look on his face was obvious scared-out-of-his-wits shock.
"Don't look so scared, Starr. You're safe." Alex says, a little indignantly. Nonchalantly, she hands a giggling Michelle the lily bouquet. "It's just a silly old superstition anyway." Her scoffing words reach everyone's eavesdropping ears, cementing their belief that this time, this was a wasted bridal bouquet brought on by an unfortunate sweep of the wind.
But somehow, from far away, the new bride catches a glimpse of something in her formidable friend's eye that makes her not believe in mere chance.
There is no chance in this life…there is only fate, only beautiful destiny.
Susan's thoughts turn upward to the husband now on her arm, rushing her down to the white limousine waiting for them at the bottom of the church steps. He lifts her in to the car as the crowd forming sees the couple off with a shower of lucky rice and good wishes. Terry and Susan no longer could hear their cheers or applause as the door of the limousine close.
"Terry, my love." Susan whispers, still trembling in exhilaration of this happiest of happy moments for her life, beaming with radiance.
"Susan, my own darling." Terry just manages to whisper back as he wraps his beautiful new wife in his strong arms, and kisses her lips passionately, giving them both a glimpse of the future ahead, and of the unending honeymoon they were embarking on together.
At Terry's stern request, Pym the agent had kept the exact time and location of the actual wedding a secret, staving off the droves of reporters and photographers, just itching for such a celebrity media event. But he didn't promise anything about after the ceremony, and the bridal couple's white limousine arrives at the reception hall to find the sidewalk leading to it crawling with reporters and cameramen.
"Oh." The sudden flash of bulbs and noisy crowd anxiously waiting to greet the newly wedded couple surprises Susan, still trying to catch her breath.
"I am sorry, my lady. I should have insisted that there shouldn't be—" Terry starts to say, knowing Susan's shyness in front of all those pushy people.
"No. It's perfect." Susan's combs her fingers carefully through her hair, and then Terry's, too, smoothing it back. She straightens her veil that had become a little mussed during the trip. "I will be proud to be able to tell the world that I am Mrs. Terry Starr, your wife." She smiles adoringly at her husband, as the dark tinted glass window shields one more passionate kiss from the reporters' eyes.
"Ready?" Terry signals for the limo driver, a friend of Alex's who was very obliging to the couple, and he comes around the limo, opening the back door.
FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.
A seemingly endless stream of cameramen want to be the first to get the photograph of Three Lights' idol Terry Starr and his mysterious bride, whom they had been able to dig up very little about since the announcement of their sudden engagement. This unknown young woman, now because of her fiancé', had shot to star status and was splashed on the front page of many a news magazine—all for the fame of her new husband.
Terry steps out of the car, composed as always, nods politely to the reporters, though he ignores their barrage of questions. The photographers get a few quick snaps of the handsome groom on his own, but a strange stillness comes over the media when Terry turns and leads his new wife from the car.
In awe of her radiant timeless beauty, the reporters mouths stop yapping for a full five seconds. The camera shutters pop out of control. The gorgeous, breathtaking bride on the arm of Terry Starr was certainly a sight to see.
Mr. Pym, from out of nowhere it seemed, suddenly rushes up, as heroically (yeah, right) he presses back the media. "Please, gentlemen, ladies! This is a very private affair. Don't keep pestering the happy young couple with questions that no pair in their right mind would tell you about! Have some respect for privacy." Pym smiles amiably, referring to the persistent question: "Where's the honeymoon at?" and "Where are you off to right now?" which Terry already was deftly avoiding.
"If you were young Mr. Starr here, would you say where you were headed to for your honeymoon with such a ravishing creature? Hmm?" Pym was a pressman extraordinaire, making the reporters and photographers amicable with his pleasant jokes. He was hopefully swaying what they would print about the event with all favorable comments as he protectively leads his charges into the reception hall area.
Susan graces the photographers with a final, dazzling smile as the three disappear behind the door.
"Good show, old man! Good show!" Pym slaps Terry on the back. "I believe you have picked a winner." Pym was more than a little impressed with Susan's graceful poise and charm with the media.
"Yes, I know I have." Terry nods, and pulls Susan close.
"And may I say, my dear, how lovely you look." Pym kisses her hand. "And many congratulations to both of you."
Terry and Susan arrive at the reception already in progress. Sayer and the rest of the gang had gotten the party into full swing. The orchestra played romantic ballads in the background, and the hall was decorated just as the church was, to a tee—for Terry had given over all the decorations to Susan's taste and style.
Cordially receiving the rest of the guests and the countless 'congratulations and good luck', the bride and groom were both anxious to get a start on the long journey to their honeymoon location.
They soon find themselves cutting the wedding cake, hand in hand. Susan takes the first slice, raises it to Terry's mouth and lets him take a nibble of her fingers as well as the cake. Everyone giggles at the playful scene, wondering if Susan was going to do the smashing cake in the face ceremony. But somehow, they liked it better this gentle way. Terry gentlemanly feeds his lady, tenderly wiping a bit of frosting from the sides of her lips, and then kisses her sweetly as everyone applauds.
The girls help serve the pieces of cake to the guests (little RiRi makes the expected mess all over her future mommy's pretty gown. Serena doesn't do too badly in the mess department herself, just having moved onto her second piece, half of it going down her none too dilly-dilly lavender dress. Sayer and Alex have an argument over something as usual, and get more cake on each other than the bridal couple did.
And then, in a whirl, it's time for gifts. The yards and yards of gift-wrap Susan must undo seemed endless as Terry manfully comes to her aid to speed up the grueling progress.
The pleasant gift-giving session was over and the orchestra plays their song. Terry and Susan waltz, seeing only each other in the clouds of their dream world. They fill the hall with their romance and love for each other.
After the dance, they disappear, and soon return changed from their wedding attire, to some very striking less formal wear.
"Are you sure you're not going to stay for that garter thing? It's sure to be exciting." Sayer says wickedly to his brother and Susan, then looks at Alex mischievously.
"We're not doing that, okay." Alex states angrily.
"Come on, Ally! It'll be fun! Tradition, too."
"One we can do without." Alex retorts, giving him her evilest eye.
"Goodbye!" Susan hugs each of her beloved girls, as each one feels the happiness glowing from within her.
"Good luck!" Lita says.
"Have fun!" Mina waves.
"Of course she'll have fun! Behave yourself, Terry." Rei observes haughtily.
"'Bye, Puu! Terry-papa!" Rini says, a bit sad, knowing this would be the last time she would see either of them in this era.
"'Bye-bye!" RiRi repeats. "Chibi!" She gurgles with pink frosting all over her face.
"Goodbye." Tara smiles with a hug.
"Roses wither quickly, but I know that the love between you will never fade." Darien gives a trademark Tuxedo Mask speech, to which Terry and Susan both thank him as he hands Susan a single red rose.
"We'll see you soon!" Serena smiles.
"But…not too soon, eh, Ter?" Sayer nudges his brother with a knowing smirk. "Keep him smiling, okay, Susie?" Sayer kisses his new sister-in-law with a wink.
"And make sure he keeps you smiling, too." Alex knocks Sayer out of the way and kisses Susan warmly with the good advice.
"I will certainly do my best." Terry says, pulling Susan to him, his turn to kiss her hair.
"Enjoy your vacation, you two. It certainly sounds promising." Michelle squeezes Susan's hand and gives Robin a coy glance as he exchanges a brotherly nod and smile with Terry.
"Good luck, Terry. Sayer and I will try not to kill each other while you're gone." Robin says to his more companionable of the trio of brothers, whose eyebrow raises at the thought.
A few final hugs and farewells and the newlyweds are off to the airport, packed and ready to go to the honeymoon they have both been waiting for.
Soaring through the by now darkened skies, the flight to their honeymoon destination of Italy could be very long and tiring but Terry and Susan find themselves not the least bit exhausted. He had wanted to take his Susan to someplace wonderful, a place that would suit their romance and dreams.
All through the plane ride, he couldn't close his eyes for even a moment. For then, he would not be able to gaze at the beautiful lady resting beside him, her head on his shoulder.
Oh my beloved, how much I love you. He gently rubs his cheek against her soft hair. The two of them remain this way for most of the flight, though sometimes Susan was awake as they whispered tender promises to one another.
All the other passengers and stewardesses around knew that these were two young people very terribly much in love. The plane finally lands, hours later, in Italy. It was late in the night of their wedding. Terry gently awakens his Sleeping Beauty and leads her to the waiting taxi.
The Italian cab driver spoke no English but somehow understood they were a newly married couple and hurries to the hotel Terry directed him to, in perfect Italian.
Arriving at the finest hotel in all of Venice in record time, the driver helps Terry carry in the many bags of luggage. The hotel manager at the front desk sends out a volley of boys to retrieve the suitcases and bring them to the room, upon hearing of Mr. Starr's illustrious name.
The hotel's luxurious honeymoon suite had been reserved for these newlyweds for a full two-week stay.
"Bella, bella!" The driver kisses Susan's hand in a farewell gesture, to the most beautiful creature ever to grace his taxi cab.
"Your bride is indeed very lovely, Mr. Starr." The hotel manager says, smiling at Susan with approval. "But ah! Such beauty could be only of Italian descent." The manager says dreamily, certain that this dark haired vision of beauty must be one of his own country's tan-skinned beauties.
"Thank you." Terry smiles, not so sure of Susan's lineage. Her past was still shrouded in mystery somewhat, but his only concerns were her present happiness and her future. He was certain though, her past held many surprises for him yet.
He felt not a bit of jet lag, as he pulls his lady close to him on the elevator ride to their suite. They ignore the elevator boy traveling with them, as they kiss all the way up to the top floor. The doors open and the boy brings the rest of their luggage into the spacious suite before them.
Knowing it was a honeymoon, the smart lad scurries away, even before Terry could tip him. I'll give him double tomorrow. Terry smiles to himself at the respect for their privacy, as he, still kissing Susan the whole way up, somehow still manages to reach behind him for the "Do not disturb" sign, hang it on the door and shuts it tightly behind them with a kick, as his hands were full of his new bride, hanging all over him, kissing his neck.
"Oh darling, is this real? Or am I still in one of my endless, lonely dreams?" She breathes, looking deeply into his eyes.
"If this is a dream, then let us never awaken." Terry whispers, his voice low, as he sweeps her away into an endless honeymoon of their timeless love…
The next morning...
Awakening late after a night the eternal guardian of time never dreamed she'd have the privilege to partake in the glorious emotions of, Susan de Venici—no, Susan Starr—senses the warmth of lavender sunlight brush along her face. A soft, tender scent, too, permeates the ageless female's entire being, giving her such a complete feeling of utter gentleness.
Time sent you to me in all my fantasies, Terry darling… I'm not alone anymore…
She gazes up languidly to find her new husband's deep orchid eyes lazily opened, looking back down at her and toying in her hair with curiosity and so much love that it permeated her entire being.
"Sleep well, my lady?" His voice, low and languid, murmurs in delight while admiring the long, dark green strands of her tresses with soft strokes on her pillow.
Your voice. Ah, your beautiful, awe-inspiring, gentle voice that makes me feel so very alive…
"Very well, my lord." Dreamy Susan kisses Terry's bare chest tenderly in gratitude for the firm, yet restful pillow it had provided for her through the night.
"I...didn't hurt you, did I?" His eyes were full of concern as they searched hers.
"You could never hurt me! You are always so gentle—so gentle." She kisses his jawline, which visibly relaxes at her assuring words.
"And now I am admiring your beautiful violet eyes. They are exactly the shade of the heavens, at the edge of sunrise." She says wistfully, and she kisses his eyes dreamily, as he closes them for her to do so.
"I'm glad they please you—your every wish I want to make true." He says, slightly amused by her whim but truly impressed with her heartfelt romanticism towards him.
"Purples are my favorite color—so you fit me to the last 't'—right down to your perfect nose." She says teasing, as she taps the tip of his nose laughingly and he joins in her mirth. "But truly, you are so handsome, my darling one. Even in my dreams, I could not fantasize such perfection!"
"Just the same as I think of you, my beauty." Blushing at her praise, Terry lifts Susan's soft hands, kissing each of her delicate long fingertips, traveling to her palms and then her slender wrists.
Wrists that were encompassed by invisible shackles he alone could perceive. Silent bonds that time has kept hold of this special woman who guarded over its mystery for millennia untold.
But no longer are you to traverse this endless road alone, my lady. From this day forward, I will walk it with you, side by side, guarding your pure beauty and protecting you, close to my heart, for as long as there is a forever…
Susan notes how her fearless, strong, quiet man was pondering the eternal bands around her limp wrists in his powerful, yet gentle, grasp's command. For his wrists, too, reflected the same invisible fetters on his manly ones as well, now, with that same imperceptible glow of time's endless stream to match hers.
A grateful Sailor Pluto reminisces when time itself had wrapped around his willing wrists in that moment Terry Starr sacrificed everything he was, all of Sailor Star Maker's freedom to wander the skies as a shooting star ever again, just for her.
You gave up so much just for me, Terry darling, to share in Time's unending responsibility as dual guardian. So now, I no longer need face my solitary sentence alone. Because of your care and love.
Never had Susan, in all her long existence, imagined such devotion could be for her, the forgotten soldier, with every promise to her fulfilled by this honorable man in the past, in this exhilarating present, and into the exciting future to come that she could now be certain would not be empty.
For here on our precious honeymoon bridal tour, you have made me feel so very cherished and loved, my husband. You so much a part of me now, as I believe our Creator made us to be—we are one. The soul of Pluto felt so intricately assured in her entire being that their first night in the romantic city of Venice would last in her dreams for eternity.
"How long have you been awake?" Susan finally finds her own voice, running her long fingernails along this virile young man's chest to his long neck, landing kisses until his well developed Adam's apple bobs up and down.
"Hehehe! Stop it, Susan! That tickles!" Generally sedate Terry's giggle was not only adorable, but it was contagious, Susan unable to contain herself in his joyful laughter that she soon joins in on.
"Forgive me, my darling! But you are rather ticklish. Hee hee." The sheltered woman who had not known any man in her long life, pets his throat lovingly, thoroughly enjoying exploring much of the mahogany haired male's body parts up close.
"Yes…ahem." Clearing his admired throat, Terry Starr was also extremely male in his mortified modesty at his Susan's high regard of his masculinity. "Back to your original question on the length of my wakefulness, my pet." He indeed pets Susan's mussed bangs to perfection again.
I was the culprit of this disarray last night, after all.
"Long enough for my enchanted eyes to fully explore every portion of your delectable body and mentally write a sonata of each." Living up to his poetic proclivity, Terry leans down, his pleased kisses starting at Susan's hot forehead and traveling downward to more supple parts of her tanned body.
"And what did you discover?" Susan answers in a whisper, gasping at each of his lips' touches.
"That you're as gorgeous on the outside as you are beautiful on the inside." Terry declares the song he had been composing in his heart since dawn for his now blushing new bride.
"And the fact that I am the most fortunate man in the universe to have finally found you, that you agreed to be mine, my timeless beauty." His arms wrap even tighter around her, pulling her tightly to his chest.
"Oh, my darling! I still cannot believe how blessed I am to belong to you—to be entirely and completely yours." She nuzzles her face into his neck, breathing in his scent and reveling in the fact that he was hers.
"I am for you, my love. Before the stars were born, I was yours." He romantically expresses the deepest feeling in his heart, in his soul. "And you were mine. God destined us for each other." He strokes her hair with deep emotion.
"You are too perfect! How can it be that I was the one deemed worthy to deserve such a man as you? But so grateful! So grateful!"
"It is I who must strive to be worthy of you, my beloved princess. You are the one so far above me."
Terry and Susan lose track of all the tender kisses, soft whispers, gentle caresses and passionate lovemaking shared in the magical marriage that time itself had joined together for today, tomorrow, and for eternity.
"Are you happy, my lady?" Sometime later, Terry's soft whisper enters Susan's dreamy thoughts out of nowhere, he wanting to know he had fulfilled every wish, every desire of the woman he held so high in esteem.
You will always and forever be too good for me.
"Happy?" Susan smiles up at him, her voice slowly drifting back from the half-asleep/ half-fantasizing state she was in. "'Happy' could never begin to describe what I'm feeling, my darling. It's beyond happiness, beyond joy." She giggles that sweet, silly giggle of hers that Terry adored so much after hearing it so many times these past nights. "I'm in pure bliss, my own darling." Susan lifts her face up to be kissed, Terry obliging willingly.
"As am I, my angel Susan, as am I." He answers, in her eyes once again seeing the lonely soul who had called out to him, making this Star Maker her own for all time now.
The pair spends their second day in Venice much like their first. No ancient site in the beautiful city was more tempting than the newlyweds' honeymoon suite as Terry and Susan quietly discover new things about one another, basking in their mate's company. The couple softly discusses their future together under the dimmed lights, with tender caresses, making plans and promises they knew deep inside that the other would always keep.
They were that certain that this incredible, blessed love would last a lifetime and beyond.
"Susan, my love, tomorrow I'll take you somewhere very historic, very beautiful. Venice, I have researched, has much to offer." Terry calls to his lady love who had mysteriously disappeared into the bedroom, leaving Terry to uncomplainingly clean up the cups of hot cocoa they had ordered by room service earlier.
"That sounds lovely, my darling one. So thoughtful, but…" Her voice trails off, when suddenly the shy female appears from the other room, draping her scantily dressed form in a sheer golden lingerie lace negligee in the doorway temptingly.
"—Anywhere would be wonderful, as long as I am with you." Her voice was breathy, giving that sensual air to compliment her sexy garb, as Susan gazes up at her tall partner from beneath long eyelashes.
"Susan," Terry breathes, nearly dropping the half full cocoa cups as he hurriedly places them back down to the table with a clatter. "You are breathtaking beyond words." His deep tones whisper almost reverently.
"Venice indeed has much to offer, much like my own stunning Italian beauty…" His lyrical soul recites a portion of the romantic poetry she inspired that Terry had been transcribing into a little journal he was planning to dedicate to his wife when this wondrous honeymoon tour of theirs was over.
To commemorate every precious moment of our blossoming love, my Princess of Pluto, and speak for all ages of my eternal devotion to you.
The studious scholar pledges his adoration for the genteel woman as he takes her for his own, the well-suited lovers joining as one again. The night was young as they, with every treasured moment time permitted them, revel in being the missing part of the other's heart.
The next day, as promised, Terry was proud to (literally) dress his lady up (much to Susan's delight) and take her out to show her off and see Venice's most breathtaking sites, both historic and scenic of the centuries-old locale.
But it was her tall, clever husband who took her breath away, as he recited to her history and facts galore on every monument and museum and landscape. Each were all graced with the newlyweds' caressing embraces, photos taken for posterity, and poetic songs serenaded by a certain gorgeous voiced crooner for his lovely bride.
After the day trip had the two enjoying the views from a scenic outdoor café in the heart of the city, Terry had led Susan to the Brenta River that ran straight through Venice. He even stopped a passing gondola for the pair of excited tourists to board.
Soon Susan was lying under the romantic sunset in her strong husband's arms, as the slender craft slowly rocked to and fro on the river that stretched between Trentino and the Adriatic Sea.
"This Grand Canal that runs through the Padova now, in ancient times was called the Medoacus Maior. It was said in Roman times to have started flowing from the mountains high above, then changed course to divide into two branches during the Middle Ages. But they two were destined to converge again into one at the deepest point of the Venetian lagoon called the Fossa delle Ceppe, at about fifty meters deep, where we are right above about now." Handsome tour guide Terry Starr mixes history and romanticism as his exceptional memory comes in handy for the well accented names and locations and historical data he shared with his totally engrossed lover.
"Fated to merge together deeply for the ages." The elegist muses the allusion to their neverending love story in the cool September autumn breezes which tousled the little curls at the back of his neck that Susan adored the vision of as her devoted husband's loving smile and kisses warmed her.
"Their endless River of Time will flow together now for eternity."
'Come sei bella più bella stasera Mariú!
Splende un sorriso di stella negli occhi tuoi blu'!
The gondolier pretended to look away as he began to sing a beautiful Neapolitan love song, serenading the couple gently, unaware of the fact that this foreign young gentleman was not merely spouting sweet romantic nothings as other new husbands were want to do at such moments.
No, Terry Starr spoke his sweet, romantic everythings to his cherished lady from the outer parts of this special galaxy.
'Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi belli brillano'
As the gondolier serenades the Italian love song 'Parlami d'amore Mariu', Terry and Susan Starr make their own music in the small craft as the sun sinks low into Italy's sky, creating a stunning horizon of orange, melon and purple shades over the waters of the Adriatic Sea in the distance, as deep as time's river of eternity promised one for another…
'Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!'
'Parlami d'amore Mariu' Italian lovesong lyrics, so fitting for our starry-eyed newlyweds here:
"Parlami d'amore Mariú" by Ennio Neri
Come sei bella più bella stasera Mariú!
Splende un sorriso di stella negli occhi tuoi blu!
Anche se avverso il destino domani sarà
Oggi ti sono vicino, perché sospirar, non pensar
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Tutta la mia vita sei tu!
Gli occhi tuoi belli brillano
Fiamme di sogno scintillano
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
Dimmi che illusione non é
Dimmi che sei tutta per me!
Qui sul tuo cuor non soffro più
Parlami d'amore, Mariù!
'Speak to me of love, Maria' (translation)
How beautiful you are and even more so tonight, Maria!
A starry smile shines in these blue eyes of yours!
Even if destiny will be adverse tomorrow
Tonight I'm close to you, what's the sighing for?
Speak to me of love Maria!
You are my whole life!
Your two blue eyes are shining twinkling like two stars
Tell me this isn't an illusion
Tell me that you're all mine
Here in your heart I don't suffer anymore
Speak to me of love Maria!
I know what a pretty and red-blooded siren you are
I know that whoever looks into these blue eyes of yours gets lost
But why should I care if all the people laugh at me
Better off in the bottomless whirlpool as long as I'm always with you
Speak to me of love Maria!
You are my whole life!
Your two blue eyes are shining twinkling like two stars!
Tell me this isn't an illusion
Tell me that you're all mine
Here in your heart I don't suffer anymore
Speak to me of love Maria!
Tell me this isn't an illusion
Tell me that you're all mine
Here in your heart I don't suffer anymore
Speak to me of love Maria!
Here in your heart I don't suffer anymore
Speak to me of love Maria!