O.O.O
A/N: This one comes in a different format than usual. Still, it serves an overall purpose.
O.O.O
[The following is a transcript from The Eyes of Crystal Tokyo of DATE 30XX]
*Music fades in as the video opening of scenes from previous segments where journalist Kobe Takeshi is shown to be interviewing prominent figures and being on scene of different events before fading onto Kobe in his seat behind usual news desk*
Kobe Takeshi: Greetings and welcome to The Eyes of Crystal Tokyo. Well for those of you keeping track there is widespread news of a second accusation of an affair between the Queen and someone of close counsel within a calendar year. Within a few months even. After a while you have to ask yourself if you can still believe the official press releases and if the King and Queen just aren't doing it for each other anymore. To truly see if we can't get from the horse's mouth, we have asked King Endymion himself to join us. King Endymion, your majesty, welcome to the program.
*The holographic image of the King Endymion fades in on the opposite end of the news desk, his elbows resting on it*
King Endymion: Thank you for having me.
Kobe Takeshi: Yes your majesty. Now, tell me, are you going to insist on sticking with your official statement or do you have something else you like to add?
King Endymion: I'm going to stick with that statement because it is the truth. The Queen was with me the night of the incident and Lady Venus was acting as her body double for the mission to investigate Torahata and his connection to Nemesis sympathizers.
*Kobe shakes his head in a disapproving manner*
Kobe Takeshi: Again the people are only able to verify this are members of your staff. We already have the written and verbal statement of one of the former members of the Silver Hearts operations team. Frankly this isn't enough to settle the doubts of many of our citizens. How do we know Lord Kunzite isn't having an affair with the Queen.
*King Endymion remains sitting with his hands folded and his elbows resting on his desk*
King Endymion: Is there any video evidence of Lady Venus taking her revenge?
Kobe Takeshi: What are you talking about?
*King Endymion shrugs, a sly smile on his face*
King Endymion: I'm saying if Lord Kunzite did cheat on Lady Venus she would make sure to have released a live video of her personally castrating him. As one does not exist, there is all the evidence you need.
Kobe Takeshi: You always seem to have an answer for every question I have.
King Endymion: I come prepared. I also always want to exercise absolute transparency with my citizens and be held accountable.
*Kobe nods his head*
Kobe Takeshi: As well you should. The citizens fund your grandiose lifestyle. They deserve at least some level of honesty.
King Endymion: While I admit we are our royalty, we have done our best to remain as sensible as we can be with our lifestyle. Records of our expenses have been made as public as we can allow. Most of our clothing comes as donations for advertisement from various fashion designers all over the world. A lot of our personal savings come from investments and private ventures all of which are, again, in the public record.
*Kobe sneers*
Kobe Takeshi: Really? What about the reports of the Queen indulging in a bathtub full of Serendipity 3's Frozen Haute Chocolate? Considering a single cup of which is worth thousands of dollars.
*Endymion chuckles*
King Endymion: It was her birthday and frankly I am the one who set up that little stunt. Cut the lady a break.
Kobe Takeshi: You are only able to perform such stunts with the assistance of your citizens. Never forget that.
King Endymion: I won't.
*A pause as neither says anything. King Endymion clears his throat.*
King Endymion: So, are there any questions you'd like to ask?
Kobe Takeshi: As long as we are talking about transparency there are more questions I'd like to ask. Are you willing to state here with all honesty that you have never cheated on your wife and she has never done the same?
King Endymion: Neither of us have ever in the history of marriage cheated on one another.
Kobe Takeshi: Inconceivable.
King Endymion: Why?
Kobe Takeshi: It is absolutely impossible for two people to stay completely devoted without some form of difficulty taking place.
*A smile appears on King Endymion's face*
King Endymion: I'll be the first to admit our marriage takes work. We have ways of making sure our relationship remains strong.
Kobe Takeshi: Your citizens do not always look at your relationship as being so spotless. Tell me, are you aware of the highly popular book series, "The Knight and the Queen." One of the core themes of this is a torrid love affair between the Knight and the Queen. Seems to me, many citizens are in favor of wanting to believe a woman in high power would need to seek an affair because her husband isn't providing her the affection she requires.
King Endymion: I have experienced a book or two but I don't see how such a popular book series has any reflection on how well my wife and I interact with one another.
Kobe Takeshi: So despite running an entire planet, you find a way to satisfy your base desires with one person for over a thousand years. It seems like such actions would result in you having to neglect some of your duties to ensure you prioritize your marriage over your people. So tell me, how would you prefer to be viewed? As a King totally devoted to his people or some kind of sexual deviant who can't stop thinking about his wife?
*King Endymion doesn't flinch.*
King Endymion: Sexual deviant.
*Kobe blinks, pauses, and clears his throat before he can respond.*
Kobe Takeshi: Excuse me?
*King Endymion closes his eyes, shrugs, and smiles*
King Endymion: If those are my only options then I gladly choose the one which paints us as being horny teenagers over giving my critics even a single bit of evidence. Our actions to try and better the lives of all our citizens should be all the evidence we need. So, I'll instead insist I'm a sexual deviant who can't get enough of his wife. One of the reasons why I married her to begin with.
Kobe Takeshi: Well then if you are such a deviant, perhaps you would like to clarify some of the incidents which have been attributed to impersonators and your supporters.
King Endymion: I'll make it easier for you. Why don't you list the incidents and I'll stop you for the ones which weren't us?
Kobe Takeshi: Very well. After a tea ceremony last year with delegates from the European Union you two were rumored to have disappeared only to be found in a compromising situation. Last Christmas while making a public donation to Oura Catholic Church in Nagasaki, a pair of individuals matching your description were rumored to have been in a compromising situation in a confessional booth. Two months ago you two were attending the annual Crystal Tokyo Exhibition Golf Tournament for Charity, witnesses described the sound of passionate screams emanating from the back of a news crew van. Finally, there are the rumors of you two not leaving the private box at the summer Olympics for three days and you personally greeting room service shirtless covered in hickies.
*King Endymion pauses and says nothing*
Kobe Takeshi: Your majesty? Anything to say in regards to these accusations.
*Kobe looks off screen*
Kobe Takeshi: Did we lose the connection?
*King Endymion smiles*
King Endymion: I believe I said I'd stop you when you mentioned one that wasn't us.
*Kobe clears his throat, visible flustered over the answer*
Kobe Takeshi: I see well then…
*King Endymion waves his hand*
King Endymion: If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a question.
Kobe Takeshi: That's not how this works.
*King Endymion narrows his eyes at Kobe*
King Endymion: Tough. I'd like to call attention to the following op eds that have been published on a site you own. "Who Fathered Princess Kousagi?" "Upcoming Renewing of Vows to Throw off Evidence of Affairs?" "Unfaithful Monarchs: Reviewing the Multiple Claims of Affairs." You seem to be following a theme.
Kobe Takeshi: As you said, those are in the op-ed section of the website.
King Endymion: You have also had each of my generals on here to ask them if they had fantasized about the Queen. You are deliberately attempting to craft a narrative where my wife and I are unfaithful to one another and are basically spreading Nemesis talking points.
Kobe Takeshi: I am only asking questions, your majesty. Questions that are in the forefront of the minds of your citizens and which demand answers.
*King Endymion folds his hands and leans forward in his chair*
King Endymion: I find it hard to believe these insane talking points are truly on the mind of all the citizens of the Kingdom.
Kobe Takeshi: Then let me ask you something. What question keeps you up long into the night that you demand an answer to?
*King Endymion smiles widely and chuckles*
King Endymion: The only question that keeps me up at night is which is hotter my wife with her hair up or when she puts it down.
*Kobe shakes his head in disgust*
Kobe Takeshi: Thank you your majesty for your time and your continued attempt to detract from the real issues.
*King Endymion continues to smile smugly*
King Endymion: Anytime Kobe-san. Anytime.
*The hologram of King Endymion fades out*
Kobe Takeshi: Again, we find the King and Queen will go to any lengths to lie to the public and insist their relationship, which they pride themselves in as a cornerstone of the stability of the Kingdom, remains infallible. Yet, we continue to be bombarded by reports of sex tapes and illicit affairs. Perhaps it is time the people had something more to believe in than the power of love to hold the Kingdom together. This is real life. Not some fairy tale. We'll be right back after these commercial messages.
*The screen fades to black*
O.O.O
"Fuck, fuck…oh fuck!" Endymion roared as he threw his head back and began panting heavily. A moment later he looked down and licked his dry lips. "Oh god Usako…that was amazing."
"Damn it," Usagi replied from under the desk. She smacked her lips as she gave firm sucking kisses to the tip of her husband's deflating cock. "I was sure I could get you off as he mentioned the confession booth."
"I absolutely almost lost it there," Mamoru panted as he threw her head back and did his best to recover from his wife's loving assault. "I had to bite the inside of my cheek and remember I still wanted to question him about the Op-Ed pieces."
"Do you think if we told him I wrote "The Knight and the Queen" as a way to brag about how amazing our sex life would be he'd drop it?" Usagi wondered, her eyes glancing to a bookshelf on the opposite side of Endymion's den where the entire book series was shelved.
"I don't think so," Mamoru replied, drawing circles around Usagi's smooth knees. "Men like him are only out to make sure the narrative they are trying to spin can sway even a small group of people."
"Why do we put up with assholes like that?' Usagi asked as she crawled out from under the desk and took a seat on top of it. "We're two seconds away from getting the information we need to indict him on conspiracy to commit treason by being connected to those Nemesis Sympathizers. Why even address him at all?"
"We need men like him," Mamoru mused, smiling softly as his wife. He reached his hand out and rubbed it on her bare knee. "Men that put us on edge. If we get too comfortable we'd get soft. Even in our love. A little jealousy and some envy helps us make things spicier."
"I guess I see your point," Usagi huffed, before looking at her husband with a loving smile. "So, which of your philosophy books taught you that bit of wisdom?"
"I got it from Dune actually," Mamoru smiled, back not taking his hand off Usagi's knee. "The books, not the movies."
"You are such a dork," Usagi giggled, pushing at her husband's chest with her barefoot. The move made Mamoru take the time to appreciate the outfit she was wearing.
"Usako," Mamoru growled as he looked at Usagi's lack of clothing. She was wearing a sheer black teddy which was only a hair above see through. "What have I told you about wearing black?
"Hmm," Usagi hummed, putting a finger to her chin pretending like she was actually thinking about the question. "Something about how you think it makes me think I am turning evil and it makes you want to practically rip it off my body like some cursed item."
"Damn right it does," Mamoru roared as he jumped to his feet and pulled his wife close. Soon the two of them had stumbled to the couch in Endymion's office and proceeded to make love long into the night.
O.O.O
A/N: Well, I brought back the pompous ass I introduced in the second chapter of this series. I had plans of him returning for a while for this very purpose.
I actually have been reading the audiobook version of Dune. It really is a fascinating reading experience and I highly recommend it to everyone especially if you enjoyed the recent movie. The entire time the book talks about how royals and politicians in the Universe of Dune are supposed to act and immediately I think how Endymion and Serenity would do everything in their power to make sure their love survived and they didn't get stuck in a boring political marriage.
Thanks to Starlight Bunny for editing. Reviews are love and they keep me writing. Expect more Royal Affairs installments in the future.