Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Against All Odds ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Against All Odds

A Sailormoon Fanfiction
by dejanatalis@aol.com

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Chapter Eight

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It was an evening outlined in blue on the calendar that sat on the desk in Queen Serenity's office. And so, it rained. The sun went down, the sky clouded and the stars were blotted out, the thunder rumbled a warning and the water came down from the sky. Throughout the gardens, the plants, accustomed to rain being a rare boon granted arbitrarily by the Queen, swiftly stretched out their stems and spread out their roots beneath the ground to drink up the blood of life as it fell on the surface of the Moon. With the waning Earth hidden by the clouds, it was dark and gloomy, and the rain came down swiftly in sheets so it could be over as soon as possible. It was a perfect night to be miserable.

Alone in her bedroom, listening to the rain pound against the marble balcony outside, Princess Serenity lay on her bed and did just that. Although she had had more free time than usual this evening, she had refused all company with the excuse of illness; even that of Sailor Venus, who knew the truth. Serenity knew she could not keep this up for long, especially after her lateness that morning. Her mother would soon grow worried and send healers to her. For the moment, however, she didn't care. In her entire life, she had never felt as much pain as she did on this night.

Her entire body still ached. Her muscles were stiff and sore, and her palms and feet throbbed painfully. It had been an exhausting day of forcing herself to walk properly in glass slippers despite her blisters and keeping the rope marks on her hands carefully turned away from all eyes. When Serenity had finally retired and was able to remove the painful shoes, she had been glad of the long skirts of her dress; she discovered her feet had been rubbed raw and bloody.

Still, she suffered in silence, keeping her wounds a secret from everyone and bearing the pain that she considered a fit punishment without complaint. Destiny had given her the gift of true love and she had thrown it away for a life she dreaded.

That Endou - no, Endymion. What was he thinking, putting so much pressure on her all in one night? All Serenity wanted was to be with him and he just would not stop reminding her of the obstacles in their way. He was her sanity, her distraction, her-

Her distraction. The bitterness in Serenity's stomach rolled away, to be replaced by shame. She had been using Endo - no, Endymion - to distract her from her unhappiness, as an excuse to forget her responsibilities for a while. Every day she had to go back to the world of frills and propriety, but at night, with End - Endymion, she was free. Her lover was her air supply as she drowned in a cold and empty life. Desperate only for that release and reveling in it, she had not taken the time to think about anything else. Indeed, when had she last put some serious thought into any of the issues that cluttered her life? Endymion had offered distraction and she had eagerly accepted.

What a fool she had been. Princess Serenity rolled her stiff body onto its side and curled up into a ball. Had she thought she could continue this indefinitely, never having to choose between her lover and the life she had been born to? Never facing the consequences of her actions? Her time with Endymion had been a dream, but it could not last forever.

Endymion had known that. While Serenity was ignoring reality in favor of temporary pleasure, he had been thinking of ways to save their relationship. Which of them, then, had a true sense of responsibility? A deep feeling of guilt came over the Princess. Surely Endymion had friends and a life here on the Moon, but he had been willing to give it all up for their love. For Serenity. And she had thought him a fool.

For a brief, terrifying moment, Serenity wondered if she truly loved Endymion at all. Her heart trembled in her chest and the rain seemed to beat harder and colder on the Moon outside. Would she have fallen for any man who offered her tenderness and understanding? The chill of uncertainty crept over her body, and she pressed her hands to her face.

There, she found reassurance in the bracelet of orange beads around her wrist. Not every man would have braved a maze of gardens filled with guards to return a trinket such as this. Endymion was more than just any man, and Serenity loved him for it. She loved his sweetness, and his compassion, and the way he leaned around her to hold doors open. She loved how he teased her and dared laugh in her presence although she could easily have imprisoned him for it. She loved the way his hair constantly brushed the corners of his eyes and his habit of rubbing the back of his neck when he felt awkward. Most of all, she loved the way she felt in his arms, when he surrounded her with his warmth and his security and his love and for a few moments made her feel as if nothing in the entire universe could harm her. No other man could ever make her feel like that.

What had she done?

Before she knew it, Serenity had climbed off her bed, hurried over to her wardrobe and reached into the small space against the wall behind it. Her fingers closed on a bundle of cloth, and she tugged it out of its hiding place. The rough brown cloak unfurled in her grasp, the rope wrapped within it tumbling to the floor.

With shaking hands, the Princess pressed the tough material to her face and breathed deeply. The scent of roses, the fragrance of her beloved, filled her lungs and swirled through her head. Just breathing that scent brought all the lovely memories of her love affair back in a rush: the horseback rides, the conversations, the walks through the garden, the comfort of his arms and his scent surrounding her...

Shuddering from head to toe, Serenity sank to her knees on the floor, clutching the cloak against her chest and crying bitter tears into its scratchy fabric. With every breath came the smell of roses and the miserable regret it brought, as well as the knowledge that it was too late to go back to the way things were. She had made her choice and now she had to live with it.


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Rain, Endymion decided, was exactly what he needed right now. He stood outside on the grass beside his hut, his face tilted up toward the dark, overcast sky, letting the rain pour down its torrent upon him. It was often said that rain was the essence of life, a blessing to be treasured, but Endymion had always found rain days gloomy. At the moment, it certainly fit his mood.

The rain splattered against his face, running into his eyes, soaking his hair and his clothes until both were plastered against his body. He slowly relaxed, forcing his tense muscles to yield to the battering of the raindrops, letting his arms hang limply from his shoulders as streams of water ran from his fingertips. He accepted the punishment of the heavens without resistance, although the warmth of his home beckoned from behind him.

It had been a rainy night like this one when Endymion had first felt that he loved her, although he had not admitted it to himself at the time.

Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? The stable hand squeezed his eyes shut more tightly and clenched his fists, but he could not banish Princess Serenity from his mind. The rain could not wash away her rosy smile, her bright blue eyes, her silky pale hair. He longed for the sound of her voice and the touch of her hand as much as the grass beneath him hungered for the rain. He had wanted to be with her forever, to see the light of love in her eyes every day for the rest of their lives, but he had not meant as much to her.

Ah, yes, the pretty pampered Princess in her lovely world of crystal and glass. He had been a fool to think she would leave all that for an Earth-born stable hand. He was nothing to a woman of Serenity's education and breeding; why would she choose him when she was being handed a crown? He was little more than a shoulder to cry on, a temporary comfort.

Endymion flinched at the memory of the many nights he had spent holding the Princess as she wept. Whatever else may have been false, he could not deny that those tears were real. He sighed, hanging his head, letting the rain-soaked strands of hair cling to his face. Serenity did not want to marry the Prince of Earth; he knew that for certain. Yet, she was choosing to marry him just the same, even when Endymion offered her an escape. Why? Because other people told her to? What kind of mother would arrange a loveless marriage for her daughter anyway?

His beloved's mother, the Queen of the Moon. Queen Serenity. Endymion shuddered from a chill that had nothing to do with the rain. He knew his beloved was a Princess, which, obviously, made her the daughter of a Queen, but he had never given much thought to what that meant. For the most part, he did not want to think of it.

Queen Serenity, the woman that the people of Earth worshipped as a goddess. As the servants never saw their elegant ruler, but all knew of her power, many of them believed in her divinity as well. Endymion was in love with the daughter of a goddess, a woman with divine blood in her veins. The very thought made him tremble. Princess Serenity was so like other women when he was with her, all emotion and body just like any of her future subjects, that it was easy for Endymion to forget what he was really dealing with. There were those in the stables who would consider his love sacrilege, if they knew.

Yet, Endymion knew firsthand that the Princess was flesh and blood, a woman with wants and needs like everybody else. It was the citizenry of the Moon Kingdom that saddled her with the roles of ruler and goddess. That was a tremendous responsibility for a young woman and Serenity had endured it throughout her entire life. The people of the Moon depended on her to take care of them.

What would happen to the Moon Kingdom if Princess Serenity abandoned her home? The Queen had matters well in hand, but the kingdom would be left without an heir. Endymion did not know what powers the monarch possessed, but she had lived a long time; it was more likely than not that she would be unable to raise another successor. What would follow then? Anarchy at worst, bitter rivalry at best, and without the power of the Silver Crystal behind the throne the Moon could not remain habitable for long. Not to mention the Earth's reaction to the disappearance of its Prince's fiance; war would be likely.

With these chilling thoughts, the cold and damp of the pouring rain finally began to set in, and Endymion retreated to the warmth of his hut. With a few logs of the dense long-burning wood that the kingdom imported from Jupiter and some kindling from Saturn, he soon had a meager but very warm fire crackling in the small stone hearth built into the hut wall. Endymion sat close to the fire for a long time, staring into the flickering flames, but the chill inside him did not go away.

Of course Princess Serenity would refuse to go to Earth with him. No matter what her own feelings were, she was not selfish enough to throw entire worlds into chaos for her own personal happiness. If she were, Endymion would not have fallen in love with her.

His eyes kept straying to the rose in its plain mug of water on the table - such an unsuitable container for such a precious gift. Even as a child, the Princess had ignored his rosy skin and shabby clothing and had seen only a potential new friend. Her choices had nothing to do with Endymion's blood or position. He had been foolish to ever imagine it could be otherwise. Serenity was beautiful and elegant as the rose, an elite among flowers, but she was also as tender and fragile. What he had said to her had been nothing short of cruel.

And now it was over and he had never even told her that he was the boy she still wondered about. Yes, he could try to go to her and apologize, but if they could not be together, wasn't it better this way? If she remained angry with Endymion, it might be easier for her to move on.

Of course, there was no way for Endymion to ease his own guilt and pain. In the end, he was alone and he had lost the woman he loved with all his heart. Without Serenity, there was a bitter emptiness inside him that gnawed away at his spirit, a yawning hunger that could never be satisfied, a deep loss that could never be forgotten. When he closed his eyes, all he could see was her smile, and when he opened them, her hair danced in the flames that flickered before him. He knew his heart would never be rid of her and the coming years of life on the Moon would be excruciating. Endymion would live out his life in the shadow of his beloved's home as she married, had children, became Queen and forgot about him. Perhaps Endymion would go to Earth alone, once the public teleportation stations on the planet were reopened. There was always a chance that he could find his family.

Still, at that moment, it was hard for Endymion to imagine that he might ever be cured of Serenity's smile. He lay back on the wood floor beside the hearth, staring up at the ceiling of the small hut he called home. Setting the gold star locket on his chest, Endymion opened it, closed his eyes and listened to the light lilting melody long into the night. A few stray tears slowly slipped from the corners of his eyes.

He had no way of knowing the simple fact that the locket still sang proved Serenity still loved him.


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It was an uneasy, awkward breakfast. None of the Sailor Soldiers could fail to notice Princess Serenity's unusually quiet and somber mood. When they asked if she was still ill, the Princess assured them she was well again, but she merely nibbled at her food through most of the meal, and her eyes were downcast. The soldiers tried to engage her in conversation, but Serenity answered their questions as briefly and neutrally as she could. Several times, Sailor Mars tensed and looked about to demand to know what was troubling her Princess, but a touch on the arm and a jerk of Mercury's head stopped her. There were servants present.

As the attendants began clearing the dishes away, the double doors of the private dining room opened and Queen Serenity glided into the room. The Sailor Soldiers got to their feet immediately and turned to face the monarch. The Princess looked up from the untouched goblet of juice she had been holding.

"Are you ready, my dear?" the Queen asked her daughter. Her attendants were gathered just outside the room, ready to leave again. The Princess shot to her feet. She had completely forgotten; today she was to pray to the Crystal Tower for the first time.

Venus, of course, knew the Princess' schedule by heart.

"Are you sure you feel up to this?" the orange-suited soldier asked gently, giving the Princess a meaningful look.

"I am fine," Serenity insisted firmly. "Arrange for me to take luncheon with my fiance today, will you, Venus?" she added, turning away from the blonde warrior. If she did not go forward with the day of prayer as planned, her mother would grow even more suspicious. Indeed, the skepticism was plain in the Queen's eyes as her daughter approached. Princess Serenity focused her gaze on the woman's nose, hoping to hide the emotions her eyes would betray.

"Serenity, look at me." The Ruler of the Moon reached out a hand to tenderly brush a stray lock of hair off the golden crescent on her daughter's forehead. Inwardly, the Princess cursed her mother's gift of perception. Delving deep into all the resources she possessed, drawing from all the years of training she had been through, Princess Serenity banished all thought from her mind, pulled the best mask she could muster over her face, and looked bravely into her mother's eyes.

Queen Serenity blinked. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at her daughter, searching, questing for what lay beneath the practiced blank look. The Princess waited calmly, unwavering.

"Are you sure you are all right?" the Queen asked at last.

"Yes, Mother." The young Princess barely dared breathe, but she forced herself to stay relaxed. The intensity faded from her mother's face.

"Very well, then. Let us go." The monarch turned and left the dining room. Her daughter hurried to her side as they moved through the corridors of the castle within a cloud of attendants. Princess Serenity felt a bit guilty. She had won, or so it seemed, but at what cost? Her mother had always been able to see what really lay in Serenity's heart no matter how hard she tried to hide it, but that lack of privacy had led to many a heartfelt and comforting conversation. If the Princess began keeping her sorrows secret now, would her relationship with her mother grow cold?

On the other hand, it seemed to Princess Serenity that her feelings mattered less and less to her mother as time wore on. The last time she had confessed her true emotions to the Queen had been the night of her engagement, and her mother had done nothing to help her. It seemed the Princess was now expected to accept what she was given without question, so what could be gained by complaining?

Still, although the Queen's face as they walked was as neutral and serene as always, the Princess somehow got the distinct impression that her mother sensed the growing space between them as well and was saddened by it. Now that the Princess considered it, who on the Moon was her mother close to? Who was by Queen Serenity's side, supporting her through the difficult times?

There was Luna, of course, and Artemis, but they were Mauans who dwelled on the Moon only because of a contract that could be renegotiated at any time. None of the Queen's servants could truly be called friends, and in the life the ruler's position allowed, there was really no one else, save a few long-distance acquaintances among the royal families of the other worlds in the Silver Alliance. If she and her daughter could not be friends, Queen Serenity would be very much alone.

The Princess shuddered slightly. Was such a lonely life her fate as well? She had the Sailor Soldiers, but lately they seemed to be growing apart, and the odds of her husband-to-be becoming a close companion were almost nothing. Her best chance at a lifelong friend and partner, the stable hand Endymion, had been wasted.

Endymion...

Serenity drew herself together before sad thoughts could cause her to falter in her steps - the blisters on her feet were still painful and it took most of her concentration to prevent herself from limping - and resolved not to think about the stable hand any more. That relationship was over and it was best if she moved on before anyone else began to suspect it existed. If she did not want to be lonely as Queen, the most important task ahead of her was to win over the Earth Prince, at least as a friend.

Now they reached the waiting room where the Queen's entourage would remain until their mistress returned from the Crystal Tower. Over the past months, this place had become very familiar to Princess Serenity. She waited politely while her mother opened the heavy marble doors to the grassy courtyard hidden at the heart of the Moon Castle. Along with her mother and Luna, she entered the sacred place, which was beginning to feel almost like coming home after a long journey.

"Now, you know what to do," Queen Serenity instructed her daughter as they stood beside the entrance to the inner sanctum, the small building from which the tower of prayer rose into the sky in a flawless spike. The lack of ceremony seemed strange for such a momentous occasion, but the secrecy and restrictions surrounding the sanctuary made formality pointless.

"Clear your mind of all thought save for the continued safety and stability of the Moon Kingdom," the ruler continued. "The Silver Crystal will read the desires of your heart and will make them reality."

Unbidden, an image of Endymion's smiling face materialized in the mind of the Princess. She quickly shoved it aside and concentrated on what her mother was saying. What was she doing thinking of him at a moment like this?

"The first time you commune with the Silver Crystal may be an intense experience," the Queen warned, "but do not fear. I will be with you." Luna gave the Princess an encouraging smile. The younger girl nodded, trying to remain calm, but she was dreadfully nervous. This was only the first of the new duties she would undertake as Queen and she wanted to get it right.

Queen Serenity pressed her hand against the ornately-carved silver door, and it swung open, revealing only darkness within. She gestured to her daughter to enter first. The Princess took a deep breath and stepped forward. No matter how many times she entered this place, she always felt uneasy stepping blindly into complete darkness. She crossed the threshold into the temple and her mother followed, the door closing behind them.

As usual, when the door clicked shut the shadows lifted away and a white glow illuminated the room. When Princess Serenity entered this place for the first time, the light had been nearly blinding, but over time the Silver Crystal had learned to recognize her as the Moon Queen's daughter and the shine that greeted her now was soft, gentle, and friendly.

Clenching her hands into fists to stop them from trembling, the Princess approached the wide base of the Crystal Tower as she had seen her mother do. She gathered her skirts in her hands and slowly knelt down in front of the glowing spire, ignoring the stiffness of her muscles, her eyes watching the tower warily for signs of rejection. She did not sense her mother nearby but she could feel the Queen's eyes on her; most likely she was standing by the wall in the Princess' usual place.

The young heir to the Moon bowed her head, pressed her lacerated palms together in front of her chest and closed her eyes. Forcing herself to breathe calmly, Serenity focused her thoughts and desires on the health and security of her kingdom, mentally directing them toward the Crystal Tower as best she could.

For a long moment, nothing happened. Princess Serenity began to feel sick with worry, wondering if she was doing something wrong, but at last the tower of prayer responded.

Her eyes were closed, but light exploded everywhere and a tingling, warm wave of energy flooded through her entire body. The lingering dull, throbbing ache in her muscles and feet vanished and she felt as if she were floating in a gentle sea of warmth. The pressure of the floor against her knees faded away and, through her closed eyelids, a perfect flawless jewel sparkled into view.

There were faces, too, ghostly images that danced on the edge of her mind's eye, figures that vanished whenever Serenity tried to see them properly but reappeared a moment later on the boundaries of her view. They danced around the glittering Silver Crystal, whispering without sound, speaking without words, welcoming the successor to the throne of the Moon Kingdom and asking for her wish.

Remembering her mission, Princess Serenity concentrated on the kingdom she would one day be responsible for and prayed with all her strength for its continued safety and prosperity. The voices surrounding her paused to listen as she fervently wished for the Moon Kingdom to last forever.

The faces doubted her. They looked into Serenity and saw something deeper, something hidden. She prayed for the Moon with all of her mind, but not with all of her heart. The voices asked again, demanding to know her true wish.

The Princess resisted, focusing her thoughts on the Moon as she had been taught, praying for a successful marriage to Prince Endymion and another era of peace and security for her kingdom and all the planets of the Silver Alliance. That was what she wanted.

The ghostly beings refused to believe her. That was not her true desire!

Serenity argued back, concentrating more fiercely on the future as her mother wanted it. Yes, yes, it was!

The Silver Crystal would grant no favors to liars who denied the truth of their own hearts. The faces lunged. Princess Serenity recoiled, sealing her secrets tightly, covering them up and sequestering them away, but the shadowy figures battered against her efforts and the voices howled away her strength. The Silver Crystal attacked her defenses relentlessly, demanding the truth.

What was her true desire?!

It escaped. An image slipped from Serenity's grasp and floated to the surface, blazing its message in bold colors and lights, refusing to be hidden any longer.

A happy life with the man she loved. Endymion.

Yes, yes, that was what she really wanted, more than anything!

At this confession, the voices and faces immediately fell back, satisfied. The glow of the Silver Crystal once again became warm, comforting, friendly. As the light began to fade, Princess Serenity was given a final warning: to ask nothing that she did not ask with all her heart. The Silver Crystal could see straight into her soul.

Suddenly, there was pressure on her shoulder. The world came rushing back, reality flooding in like a wave as the floor rematerialized beneath Serenity's legs and the silence of the temple returned. She opened her eyes. The light in the room had gone back to normal, the Crystal Tower faintly incandescent, and her mother's hand was on her arm.

Overwhelmed and trembling, the Princess unclasped her hands and let her mother help her unsteadily to her feet. To her surprise, her shoes no longer hurt her. All of her injuries had been healed. Her mind, however, was badly shaken. She felt weak, drained from the inside out, and a dreadful shame was settling in as she realized what had just happened in the embrace of the Silver Crystal. She had not done what she had been charged to do.

The Queen was looking at her with a stricken expression of worry and concern. Princess Serenity reached up to her own face and discovered tears rolling down both cheeks, soaking her skin. She opened her mouth to speak, but the Queen swiftly placed a finger over her daughter's lips to silence her. They could not talk in this place. Quaking as she clung to her mother's arm, the Princess allowed herself to be led out of the sanctuary.


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When it came time for lunch, Serenity was still too unsettled to eat. She picked at her food as she and her fiance avoided each other's gaze. She had had good intentions for this meal when she asked Sailor Venus to arrange it, but things were different now. The Silver Crystal had forced her to stop denying the true desires of her heart.

She loved Endymion, the stable hand, and she did not want to lose him. A life without him by her side was not a life she wanted. All things, even the Moon Kingdom itself, paled in comparison to her yearning and need for him. No number of years or duties could make her feel differently.

As if that were not a disaster in itself, she had said as much to the Silver Crystal. She had wished selfishly, and she dreaded the results more and more with every passing moment. Serenity had lied to her mother and said she had prayed properly, but she had wished for a happy and peaceful life with Endymion instead. She had betrayed her mother's trust.

Serenity looked up at the Earth Prince across the table and pitied him. He seemed so young, so unready for this, and he was all alone on a world of people whom his subjects worshipped as gods. Not only that, but he was bound to marry a woman who could never love him. Serenity had blamed the Prince for the lack of emotion between them, but now it was her feelings that doomed their union.

He leaned his auburn-haired head heavily on one hand and stabbed a fork at his plate with the other, looking utterly miserable. Prince Endymion's blue eyes were downcast and Serenity felt she could almost recognize a bit of her own sadness in his demeanor. She shook herself inwardly; there was no reason for her to treat him so heartlessly.

"I trust you have been able to find ways of amusing yourself here on the Moon, Prince?" she asked timidly, breaking the silence.

"Sometimes," the blue-eyed boy muttered, barely glancing up at his fiance. "It is not easy alone." Serenity blushed with regret. She could not deny that she had been avoiding him.

"I apologize," she said quietly. "My duties have kept me busy of late. I will try to make some time to spend with you, if you wish."

"Do not concern yourself," the Prince replied shortly after swallowing his last bite of bread. "My guardians should be joining me soon."

"Still, until then-"

"There is no need." The young man began to eat noticeably faster, obviously eager to escape the company of the Princess. Now Serenity remembered why she disliked him; remembered that he was a rude, brusque stone with a bitter heart. Her grip tightened on her fork and knife.

"You are not exactly making this easy," she muttered in annoyance. "We are going to be together for a long time, Prince."

"What do you want from me, Princess?" her fiance sighed. "I told you I can never love you. I thought we had an understanding on that."

"Is friendship too much to ask?" Serenity asked, barely keeping her voice from becoming a hiss. "Or even a single civilized conversation?" Had she really given up a magical relationship with a man who truly loved her for the lifelong company of this heartless shell?

"You told me to be honest with you," the Prince reminded her, narrowing his eyes. "Do you want to go back to feigned courtship, to play out the public roles that have been scripted for us in private as well?"

"No, but after all I've sacrificed for this, I would appreciate a little respect!" Princess Serenity grabbed the stone hanging around her neck and shook it at her fiance. "These chain us together for life! We might as well make the best of it!"

"Do you think you're the only one who feels that weight?" Prince Endymion demanded, gesturing at his own pendant. "Do you think this is the life I wanted? I was the heir to the most powerful kingdom on Earth! I have sacrificed my throne, my freedom, my friends, all hope of love-"

"You, Prince Endymion, do not know the meaning of love." The Moon Princess glared at her fiance as her heart cried out for the company of the stable hand who shared his name. They stared at each other over the table, fuming, fire in their eyes and anger in their hearts. The Earth Prince's face, twisted with fury, was suddenly eerily familiar to Serenity. He and Endymion rather resembled one another when they were angry. As the stable hand's expression was usually gentle and the Prince's was usually stoic, she had never noticed any similarity before.

"I, Princess, understand love and sacrifice quite well," the auburn-haired man spat. He snatched his napkin off his lap and slammed it down on the table with such force that the goblets and plates jumped, then got out of his chair and stomped out of the room.

Serenity watched him go without making a single move to stop him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized she had probably destroyed whatever small chance remained of their becoming friends, but she did not care. She knew what she wanted, and it was not Prince Endymion.


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Evening approached. Although the dome of atmosphere on the Moon was thin and artificial, it still caught and bent the light as the sun slid toward the horizon, spreading an orange and pink glow across the landscape. As the shadows lengthened, the buildings of the city took on a fiery hue that shifted and changed over time, and the streets became lazy rivers of gold.

With his eye pressed against the telescope in the castle observatory, Artemis ignored the picturesque beauty of the sunset. He had sent the assistants home for the night long ago but continued working alone, focusing on the sun as it faded from yellow to orange, filling page after page of his record book with notations. The sunspot activity had been increasing steadily all day and now, oddly enough, the dark regions seemed to be collecting on one area of the sun's surface.

Artemis had already sent word to observatories in other cities, but the most advanced equipment was here in the castle, and soon the Moon would enter the Earth's shadow and the sun would be lost to them all. This was terribly poor timing for a Day of Shadow, known to watchers on Earth as a lunar eclipse, when every point on the entire Moon would be plunged into darkness for hours. Although he was a scientific man, Artemis could not help wondering if this was more than mere coincidence.

Fortunately, due to Queen Acidalia's influence, the Ruler of the Moon was as concerned about the activity on the sun as her Mauan advisor. Queen Serenity had agreed to alter the Moon's rotation slightly to provide more time for observation. Throughout the afternoon the spin of the Moon had gradually slowed, the change so slight that it was imperceptible to the average citizen. The day and the following night would seem long to the Lunarians, but by the next morning, time would again be flowing normally. Artemis had one extra hour to observe; after that, communications from the other planets would have to suffice.

As it was, his hour was almost up. The orange star was falling toward the rim of the world, the bottom edge of the glowing disc about to impact the distant ridges that marked the borders of ancient craters. Artemis' eyes hurt from staring through the lenses, but he could not tear his eyes away. Another sunspot darkened, then another and another, until a corner of the sun almost seemed to be boiling with them...

Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light at the center of the bruise that had developed on the star. Something flaming erupted from the sun's surface and streaked away from its point of origin. It was small enough not to be visible to the naked eye, but through the telescope Artemis could see it clearly, a blazing ball of fire that shot like a comet across space. His mouth hanging open, the Mauan traced the sun-born object's path through the sky. It seemed to be heading for the Earth, whose hulking blue-green body was following the sun toward the horizon on its way to block out the star.

As Artemis watched, his pen having fallen to the floor as he went limp with shock, the light dimmed during its journey through the void. The edges remained flaming longest, forming an outline of utter blackness that cut across the sky. Even with his advanced equipment, Artemis could not find any distinguishing marks whatsoever on the object's surface. As it cooled in the vacuum of the cosmos, the flames flickered and died out, and the coal-black mystery vanished against the background of darkness formed by outer space. It had still been following a direct course for Earth.

The white-haired man straightened up, blinked, and rubbed his eyes. He was alone in the room and had no sketches of the event. Had he hallucinated the fiery object after staring at the sun too long? This worry was short-lived as the communications panel against a nearby wall began to beep. Correlating reports were coming in from other observatories.


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Sailor Mars was irritated.

She was a Sailor Soldier, part of the keystone of the Moon Kingdom's military and the right hand of the Queen - and she didn't know what was going on.

It was obvious that there were secrets afoot in the castle. Artemis had come down from the observatory with a thick book full of notes and a face as white as snow, and had stolen Sailor Mercury right out of the Sailor Soldiers' meeting. The other three of them waited patiently for the Queen to summon them for their briefing on the situation. Darkness fell and the light crystals flickered into life. No summons ever arrived.

Mercury returned hours later, well into the night, and apologetically explained that Queen Serenity had sworn her to secrecy on the matter until all the facts were in. The meeting ended bitterly.

It had not been a productive meeting to begin with; Sailor Mercury was not the only one keeping secrets from her fellow soldiers. They all knew there was something going on with the Princess, but Venus was stubbornly silent on the matter, saying only that the problem had resolved itself. By the sound of things, Jupiter was jealous of her leader's sudden special closeness to the Princess, and Mars had left the meeting incredibly frustrated. They were supposed to be a team. How could they work together if they kept secrets from each other?

Annoyed at being left out of the loop, Sailor Mars resolved to do a little investigating on her own. She returned to her chambers alone and, retrieving a silver key from its hiding place, opened the door to the special room Queen Serenity had prepared for her when she first came to the Moon Kingdom.

It was a small version of a Martian Temple of the Infinite, designed to focus one's psychic abilities and duly consecrated by a spiritual advisor visiting from the home world. It was dark, the walls and ceiling painted shades of red and black, and the floor had been dusted lightly with sand from the surface of the fourth planet. Sailor Mars sighed with pleasure as she stepped into the comfort of her home away from home, glad to be placing her shoes in the soil of her planet and surrounding herself with artifacts and artwork from her people.

After tying her long violet hair back with a ribbon, Mars added a few short square logs of the precious alta wood to the small round fire pit in the center of the room and knelt on the soft sand in front of it. It was considered disrespectful to light the fire directly with her powers, but a slight effort of concentration was all that was needed to set a nearby splinter of wood alight, which the soldier then used to kindle the edges of the logs into flame.

The outer surface of alta wood was extremely flammable and the fire crept around the logs quickly, but the denser wood inside could burn for hours. Sailor Mars closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she waited for the flames to settle into the alta, opening her lungs to receive the first tendrils of fragrant smoke that rose from the sacred material. The burning wood produced a sweet and spicy odor that permeated the rose-tinted smoke it released, which soon filled the small chamber and brought memories of home to Mars' mind. The thin smoke could cause disorientation and hallucinations in the untrained, but for Martians it was a powerful enhancer that gave them clear, strong views through their inner eye.

When the alta smoke was singing in her blood, Sailor Mars was ready to begin. Reaching down to her waist, she unfastened the red stone that was attached to the dip in her uniform where the white bodysuit met the skirt. The brooch was a gift from Queen Acidalia and augmented the soldier's natural talents with the ancient strength of the Royal Family of Mars. She pressed it between her gloved palms and lifted her arms, bowing her head to bring the stone near her forehead. In this position, Mars opened her mind to the Infinite.

The entire flow of the cosmos became tangible to the red-suited soldier, and as she knelt on the sandy floor she could feel the very flow of time itself rushing past her. Events spiraled off into the past, vanishing into oblivion, and ahead loomed the shadowy indistinct shapes of incidents yet to occur. Most concerned about the subject of Artemis' urgent meeting with Queen Serenity, Sailor Mars first focused on the fate of the Moon Kingdom.

In her mind, she pulled back from the smoke-filled room where she knelt and soared high above the surface of the Moon, looking down on the castle and the city that surrounded it. Trusting in the red brooch to guide her, Mars let time spin forward gently, watching the sun rise and set and the kingdom continue about its business as usual. She had done this many times before, watching the realm she protected continue its peaceful existence until the fog of uncertainty grew too thick to see through.

This time, however, the soldier was not watching for long. Almost immediately the grayness of undetermined fate was gathering, blotting out her view. Within mere weeks, an uncertain future plunged the entire Sol system into an indistinct blur. Confused, Sailor Mars focused all the effort she could muster on her red jewel, but it was the same. The future was closed to her.

Another dead end. Frustrated, Mars drew her consciousness back to her body and the feeling of the sand beneath her and the smoke filling her lungs came flowing back. After taking a moment to reorient herself, the soldier refocused her efforts. If she could not discover what was threatening the stability of the kingdom, she could at least make sure the Princess was all right. Taking a deep breath of the alta smoke, Mars began again, this time focusing on the young woman she was sworn to protect.

The first sense that came to her was a feeling of utter despair, an overwhelming sadness and loss that nearly shook Mars out of her trance with its intensity. Princess Serenity was hurting terribly. Despite what Venus had said, the issue was definitely not resolved.

Deeply concerned now, Sailor Mars delved into the cosmic record, desperate to find out what had hurt Serenity so badly. The red brooch grew hot between her palms and a vision shimmered into the view of her mind's eye. It was the face of a young man with dark hair, stormy eyes, and the tanned skin of an Earth-born laborer. Behind the image, various scenes flickered by: a pond, a stable, a field, a beach, a balcony - and a kiss. Several kisses.

Sailor Mars' eyes shot open.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


In the darkness of her chambers, Princess Serenity lay awake in bed, eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. The thought of actually trying to sleep had not entered her mind; there was no room for it. She had lived through the evening as if in a dream. Adele had washed her, dressed her in her nightgown and brushed out her long pale hair, but Serenity was only vaguely aware of the process. Now she lay like the dead beneath her blankets, unable to think of anything but the warmth of his arms and the softness of his voice and the aching of her heart.

She had thought she could go back to her normal life and eventually put all that had happened out of her mind, but it was impossible. Without him, she was nothing. His eyes were the sky, and his hair was the sea, and his flesh was the world they lived on. Without them, what else was there? All the beauty of the Moon Kingdom was pale and empty without Endymion by her side.

She longed for him, wanted him desperately with everything she was. Her lips burned for his kiss, ached to feel his mouth pressed against hers, his breath on her cheeks and his tongue meshing with her own. Just the thought of it was enough to make her sigh with desire. Could she really endure the rest of her life never again experiencing the intense rush of passionate love?

No. It was impossible. Her fiance was cold to her, her friends were too busy for her, and her mother cared only for the succession. Endymion was the only one who truly loved her for who she was, who made her feel like a woman. She could not survive a life without seeing him, nor could she let their relationship end the way it had. She had to apologize, to tell him how she felt. She had to see him again.

Throwing the blankets aside, Serenity climbed out of bed and hurried to her dressing table. It took a few tries, especially in the darkness of night, but she managed to tie her hair up properly in its twin buns. If she left it down, it would hinder her climb down the rope. Then she crossed the room to her wardrobe and reached between it and the wall to retrieve the rope and the stable hand's brown cloak.

They were not there.

Serenity crouched beside the furniture and groped around behind and under it, searching with her arm for the rolled-up bundle, but she found nothing. There was only empty space. Her means of escape was gone.

A dreadful emptiness settled into the Princess' stomach. She was trapped in a marble cage. Numbly, she rose to her feet, returned to the dressing table and sat down heavily in the chair. Perhaps this was a sign that she had been about to make the wrong decision.

With trembling fingers she lifted the engagement pendant off the table and hung it slowly around her neck, then stared at her reflection in the mirror. It was a beautiful stone, and it matched her eyes perfectly, giving her an air of elegance even in only her simple silk nightgown. Her face was solemn and empty, but she was every bit a grown woman, a mature adult with all the training of a worthy ruler.

Serenity, Queen of the Moon, with Earth's Prince Endymion as her King. Perhaps that fate would not be as unpleasant as she feared. She would have a daughter of her own, after all. The blessings of the Ancients decreed it. Perhaps they would become close...

The small silver bell hanging beside the main door of Serenity's chambers jingled, a signal from the guards outside that someone wished to enter. The Princess leapt out of the chair and rushed back to her bed, yanking the covers over her body as Adele's footsteps left her room and crossed to the door. The door was opened. There were quiet voices in low tones, and then someone entered the sitting room and the door closed behind them.

"Leave us." It was the voice of Sailor Venus.

Serenity bolted upright in her bed, her mind racing with possible reasons for the Sailor Soldier to be visiting her at this time of night. She heard Adele's door close, and then a white-gloved hand pushed the bedroom curtain aside. Sailor Venus entered, her gentle face set in a solemn expression of resignation. In her arms, she carried a bundle of cloth. Stepping toward Serenity, the blonde soldier tossed the bundle onto the bed, and it unrolled into a rough cloak and a length of rope.

"V-Venus," the Princess stammered, staring at the secret items and the woman who had brought them. "What-"

"I took them," Venus confessed, hanging her head and averting her eyes. "I wanted to stop you from changing your mind and going back to him. I tried to convince myself that it was only an infatuation, just a game that you would be better to forget, that there was no possible way you could truly love him. Only a few minutes ago did I realize that I was wrong."

Sailor Venus moved closer and sat down on the edge of the bed, glancing at her Princess out of the corners of her eyes.

"Love is not a simple thing," the soldier continued. "It can come from anything - a word, a glance, a touch, even - even a picture." At this, Venus looked away, and a slight blush colored her cheeks. Serenity furrowed her brow curiously, but the orange-suited soldier did not explain.

"I have not met this man of yours," Venus said, "but I know what my senses tell me, and you do truly love him. You are an intelligent woman, Serenity. You deserve the freedom to make your own choice." She looked over at the Princess, in bed in her nightgown but with her hair properly styled for an outing. "From the look of you, you have already made it."

Serenity bit her lip and nodded her head slowly, her fingers reaching out to grasp the edge of the rough brown fabric sprawled over the silk sheets of her bed. Venus gave her Princess a warm smile.

"Well, then, you had better hurry."

Sailor Venus helped Princess Serenity out of her nightgown and into her usual dress and glass slippers, both of them ignoring the usual frills and extras that went with the clothing in favor of haste. Serenity breathed deeply as she wrapped herself in Endymion's cloak. The scent of roses was still there. Butterflies raged in her stomach, but she did her best to remain calm as the leader of her guardians hugged her and carefully lowered her to the ground, leaving the rope tied beside the wall as usual. Serenity hurried off into the gardens, trying to ignore the worry that threatened to consume her.

What if Endymion did not forgive her?


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


There was a slight bite to the air this night, the sort of faint chill that was not quite cold but made those outdoors glad of their cloaks. Not having one, Prien stuffed his hands in his pockets and wondered absently if the Queen was planning to bring winter soon. He bowed his head against the breeze as he hurried into the cluster of buildings where he and the other castle servants lived. The settlement was nearly deserted; the next day was a day of rest for most of the workers, and they were entertaining themselves in the city. Prien had been at the tavern himself, but it just wasn't the same with his friend Endymion in such low spirits.

Thinking about the distraught young lover, Prien could not help but sigh. Endymion was devastated. He had started the day well, sharing friendly smiles with his fellow servants as usual, but by the afternoon, his light was gone. His steps were as heavy as his heart, his eyes were downcast, and even simple tasks seemed like an impossible struggle for him. Throughout the day, Prien had lent a sympathetic ear to an endless stream of lamentation: If only he could see her again. If only he could hold her one more time. If only he could tell her he was sorry. After Endymion left him, Prien wandered about on his own for a while, racking his brain for ways he might help his friend. There was a long road ahead of them and he did not know if they would ever reach the end of it.

Rounding a corner, Prien came across a strange sight. A small figure covered by a dark cloak was wandering among the huts, alone and obviously confused. A woman, Prien decided by the stranger's quick lightfooted movements and slight build beneath the cloak. She seemed lost, flitting from house to house and looking around wildly, yet she shrank into the shadows if anyone came near.

The hooded cloak was too long for her and dragged along the ground. Even from a distance, Prien could tell it was the kind owned by many of the servants, but the woman did not carry herself like a commoner even though she was trying to be inconspicuous. Now that he thought about it, Prien had not seen Endymion wear his cloak in quite some time.

Prien nearly choked. Could it possibly be? Although he knew of Endymion's relationship with the Princess, nothing could have prepared him for the reality of her presence. The heir to the throne of the Moon, the most powerful position in the Silver Alliance, was a mere few huts away from him.

Vertigo made the blond man unsteady on his feet as he hurried forward, his first thought to prevent the Princess from exposing herself. She had to be looking for Endymion's hut. She wasn't far off; Prien glanced over and found his friend's home just across the way and a few huts down. To his relief, there was light flickering in the windows. Endymion was at home.

Heart pounding in his chest, Prien shook out his arms in an attempt to stop his hands from trembling. Maybe he was wrong. Perhaps she was a servant of the Princess, trying to deliver a final message to her mistress' lover. Maybe she was not connected to the Princess at all. Still, she definitely looked out of place. Whoever she was, he would do his best to help her.

When the cloaked woman glimpsed Prien heading toward her, she hurried in the opposite direction looking for escape. Prien called out to her to stop, but she paid him no heed. As if that were not enough of a clue to her identity, as the woman ducked around the edge of a hut she momentarily lost her grip on the front of the brown cloak that covered her. For an instant, a flash of white showed.

Now he ran toward the hut she was hiding behind, desperate to reach her before anyone else. If Prien didn't help her, she might wander around this community all night without finding Endymion. He did not want to face his friend in the morning knowing that he could have done something.

Thinking ahead, Prien hurried around the far side of the building. Sure enough, he nearly ran into the cloaked woman just past the first corner. Unable to avoid this confrontation, she stopped short, but kept her head bowed so the hood completely covered her face.

A string of greetings ran through Prien's mind as he wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers. He didn't know for sure yet if she was the Princess and didn't want to frighten her if she was, yet he did not want to be disrespectful either. After an uncomfortable moment, he settled on what he hoped would suffice.

"Miss," he said softly, but clearly, "it's over there." Prien raised an arm to point across the cluster of huts. "That one at the end of the row, with the blue marker on the door." The hooded head turned to look, but only a confused shy silence reached Prien's ears.

"That is Endymion's," he explained in a low voice. At that, the woman sucked in her breath, and Prien knew he had hit the mark. A cautious arm as white as snow emerged from beneath the cloak and rose to the edge of the brown hood, pushing it up ever so slightly.

Prien quickly swallowed his gasp of admiration as he caught a brief glimpse of a perfect pale face, smooth and flawless as a porcelain doll even through the shadows of the hood and the night. There were cherry-red lips slightly parted in curiosity, and round blue eyes brighter than any daytime sky, and above that, a flash of gold like a ray of sunshine. Then the vision was gone, concealed once again beneath the worn rough material.

"Thank you," Princess Serenity whispered.

The cloaked woman ducked around Prien's frozen form and headed in the direction he had indicated. For a moment, the young man stood in a daze, and he understood completely Endymion's absolute devotion to the alabaster goddess. Just a glimpse of the future Queen was enough to experience her loveliness and even a half-whisper of her voice was a song. If he survived his role in this conspiracy, Prien would certainly have an impressive story to tell his future children.

Coming out of his trance, Prien whirled around to make sure the Princess reached the right hut. She had. The door was open, outlining the cloaked woman standing on the stoop in a halo of flickering golden light. Endymion was standing in the doorway, his arm still on the door, blocking entry. Prien stared at them, silently willing Endymion to swallow his pride and do as his heart told him.

Endymion looked up. His gaze fell on the blond Lunarian standing by a hut at the other end of the community, watching him. Hoping his friend could see him well enough in the dark, Prien smiled his broadest smile and gave Endymion an encouraging nod, gesturing with both arms for him to take his visitor inside. Endymion returned the smile with a small grin and stepped aside, allowing the cloaked woman to enter his hut. The door closed behind them.

"Good luck, my friend," Prien murmured to himself. "That is truly a precious jewel you have there, however briefly." Shoving his hands back into his pockets, he headed for his own dwelling, whistling.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


As soon as the door was closed, Serenity unhooked the fasteners at her throat and let the cloak fall to the floor. Creeping through the servants' village with only a piece of brown cloth to conceal her identity had been a harrowing experience. Her heart had nearly leapt out of her throat when that blond man stopped her. She had been lucky indeed that he only meant to help.

Now she was standing in her beloved's home for the first time. It was small and meager, just a one-room hut, but it was cozy and comfortable, and the fire warmed her bare arms and shoulders from across the room. Before her stood her heart's only desire, Endymion, looking as alluring as she had ever seen him with his dark hair slightly disheveled and his patched work clothes. She wanted nothing more than to leap into his arms right then and there, to banish the chill that had settled into her heart, but she resisted. There was no guarantee that he had missed Serenity as much as she had him.

"Serenity," he said flatly, looking down at her.

"Good evening," she replied in just as neutral a tone.

There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence as they stared at each other, both unsure of the other's feelings. Such regrettable things had been said at their last meeting that neither one of them knew where to begin.

Endymion ached to hold his beloved, each moment they stood with this distance between them a pang of excruciating agony, but he hesitated, afraid to do or say anything that might upset her further. She had come looking for him, yes, but most likely it was to say her final goodbyes. For the moment, he contented himself with just looking at her, admiring her smooth pale hair and alabaster skin, both surprised and elated to have the chance to gaze upon her beauty one more time.

"You weren't in the stables," Serenity said at last. "I was afraid I'd never find you."

"How did you get here?" Endymion inquired. He had never even pointed out where he lived to the Princess, ashamed of his tiny old hut, but it was too late for that now.

"The blond man, he showed me," the Princess replied, rubbing her left arm with her right hand awkwardly, wondering if she had made a mistake. "A friend of yours?"

"Prien." Endymion stiffened with guilt. She knew he had revealed their secret. "He is the only one who knows, Sere, I swear it! He-"

"It's all right," Serenity assured him quickly, taking a step closer to the stable hand. "If he hadn't helped me, I would have been lost forever. Besides, I told someone as well, just one person," she admitted. "I couldn't keep it to myself any longer, I just couldn't. It hurt so much..."

The young woman's voice broke, and her eyes filled with tears. At this distance, she could smell it, that lovely scent of roses that flew in the face of all logic and whispered of the delights of true love. His eyes stared into hers, the deep charcoal pools gazing straight into her, seeing the core of who she was and all that she had the potential to become. As long as he was there, nothing else mattered.

"Oh, Endy, I love you so much!" she wailed, breaking down as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Without you, the world is cold and empty and dead. I need you more than anything. I'm sorry, Endy, I'm so sorry! I-"

Endymion stopped her apologies with two fingers pressed against her lips. Serenity closed her eyes and shuddered from head to toe, his light touch sending warm tingling waves throughout her body. She choked on her tears as they kept rising beneath her eyelids, concentrating on the delight of feeling his touch again, even if it was for the last time.

"I know," Endymion said hoarsely, the velvet softness of her lips beneath his fingers like a refreshing splash of cool water after a day's labor under the summer sun. Great Selene, even shaking like a leaf with tears pouring down her cheeks she was beautiful. "I am sorry as well, Sere. I should not have asked the impossible of you. I was wrong."

He let his fingers fall from her lips and gently laid his hands on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. No sooner had he done so than Serenity pushed through his grasp and into his arms, unable to bear the distance between them any longer. Automatically, he drew her into his embrace as her hands slid around behind him, and his heart pounded in elation as they both returned to the place where they were meant to be.

"I love you, Sere," Endymion whispered. "Please don't leave me again." Serenity reached up, wrapped her arms around her beloved's neck, and pulled herself up to him with newfound strength.

This kiss was an explosion of passion, the release of all the hunger and longing they had both been feeling for the past two days. They were consumed by fire, melded together in an embrace that no force could separate. The lovers had tasted the bitter emptiness of separation and loss, and thus the joy of their reunion surpassed all the pleasure of any previous meeting.

Endymion reveled in the feeling of Serenity's dress and skin beneath his hands as he wrapped his hands around her, the emptiness in his soul once again filled with her warmth and her softness. The Princess pressed her mouth against the stable hand's with seemingly boundless energy, refusing to let go until she had drank enough of his passionate flame to melt the freeze that had taken hold of her soul. Now that they had been apart, they knew the true value of what they shared together, and the need and desire that only the other could sate returned in abundance.

At last their lips separated, although their bodies did not, and they gasped for breath as they stood in a solid embrace, staring into each other's eyes as if they were the last man and woman alive. Serenity drank in the sight of him, from his coal-black eyes to the set of his jaw. How could she have ever thought she could live without seeing this face again? It would be like trying to live without water, food, or even air, thrown into the void of space. She could not endure the despair of the past two days again. She needed to be with Endymion, always.

"I will go to Earth with you," Serenity whispered. Her mother was a powerful woman; surely she could find a way to protect the kingdom without this Princess. Besides, if longing for Endymion prevented Serenity from praying to the Silver Crystal properly, she could never be Queen.

"Sere, don't-"

"No," she cut off Endymion's protest. "I want to. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives, whatever it takes." She squeezed her lover firmly in her arms, never wanting to let go. "I mean it, with all my heart." Reaching up, Serenity lifted the engagement pendant in her hands and pulled it off, tossing it aside. It clattered across the floor.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Endymion could not stop his face from breaking out into a broad smile. He would never have to be without his beloved Serenity again. His strong hands gripped the Princess around the waist, and he lifted her up and spun her around and around in the center of the hut, kissing Serenity again and again as she giggled with relief and happiness. It would be a difficult life, and leaving their loved ones behind would be sad, but as long as they were together, they knew they would be all right.

When their spinning came to a stop and they separated briefly, laughing, Serenity found herself facing the joined blocks of wood that served as Endymion's table. There, standing in a rough mug, was a perfect blood-red rose. Curious, the Princess approached the blossom. Had her lover taken it from her garden? No, she was most devoted to the crimson roses over all the other flowers in her favorite place. If even a single bloom was missing, she would have noticed.

Behind her, Endymion watched his beloved and held his breath as she studied the rose.

The petals were of the lush velvet texture Serenity knew like an old friend. This rose was certainly from her garden, but no red roses had been taken from there in quite some time. She knew every flower that left that place as well as Endymion knew the horses in the stables, all the way back to the one she had given a little servant boy many years ago...

Come to think of it, that boy had been an Earth-child with dark hair and skin, like the man who was now standing behind her. Since meeting her blue-eyed, auburn-haired fiance, Serenity knew not all Earth men looked like her lover. She thought back to the night she and Endymion had spent at Selene's Blessing. He had mentioned a girl he met as a child and had sounded like he knew the boy she spoke of from her own memories. It was too much to be coincidence.

Serenity turned around and there he stood, the little servant boy all grown up into a man she loved more than she had ever dreamed possible.

"It was you," she whispered, her eyes widening as Endymion smiled. "It was you!"

"That little girl inspired me beyond any other experience of my life," the stable hand replied, looking on his beloved with tenderness. "I loved her then, even before I knew what love was, and no woman since has been able to compare. Her smile, her voice, her kindness stayed with me always and I did all I could to become a man who would be worthy of her. Of you, Serenity. Everything I am, everything I have learned and accomplished, was for you."

"I always wondered about you," Serenity said, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. "I thought about you every day. Oh, Endy, I would have loved you even without all that trouble." For the first time in her life, her heart finally felt complete. Endymion gathered her into his arms, and they kissed with nothing held back.

Eagerly, the lovers explored their passion with all the energy of two hearts finally freed from all restriction. All thoughts in their minds were focused on each other, their only desire to be in this moment and celebrate their love. Serenity clung to her beloved's shirt as he held her around the waist and his lips roamed away from her mouth and down her neck. She had missed this so badly, the tingle of his moist lips and tongue on her flesh and his firm grip on her body, and she leaned into his caresses as his kisses sent shocks deep into her center.

Endymion couldn't get enough of her, his touch gentle but insistent as he relished the slightly salty taste of her skin against his tongue. After days of believing she was gone forever, Serenity was back in his arms, warm and eager and undeniably real. He trembled as her hands climbed over his shirt and slid behind his neck, pulling him firmly against her in a silent plea for more. Endymion happily obliged, letting instinct lead his lips over her shoulders and along her collarbones. His entire body was coming alive, becoming charged with the energy of irresistible desire. He wanted to hold her, touch her, taste her forever.

Serenity wove her fingers into her lover's hair and lifted his head to kiss his lips, opening herself to let their tongues meet. As he dived into her, she felt it again; the dull aching need that began small and rapidly grew more intense. This time, she made no attempt to fight the wave of desire as it doubled and redoubled while her lover explored her mouth. Serenity loved this man, and there was no longer anything to fear from that love.

In fact, their usual expression of the power that drew them together was no longer enough. Serenity wanted more; she wanted Endymion's caring hands elsewhere on her body and an experience stronger than a passionate kiss. She wanted her beloved to have all of her, to lavish as much adoration on her entire body as he did her head and neck.

Gently, Serenity broke their kiss, a slight smirk curving her lips as she saw Endymion's reluctance to end their embrace. Slowly, he allowed her to pull away, although the heaving of his chest and the hunger in his eyes made his desire clear. Hoping she was reading her lover's signals correctly, Serenity seized the aching rush of desire that was consuming her and gave her lover her best alluring smile. Stepping sideways, she walked around Endymion and strolled across the room toward the bed. Her hands were shaking with anxiety when she reached the full-size wooden bedframe, but she breathed deeply to steady herself, setting her face in an expression of confidence before turning to face Endymion again. They were meant to be together. They were meant to share this moment, this act, together.

Endymion turned around to find Serenity standing at the foot of his bed, and he watched numbly as she sat down on its edge and pulled her body backwards across the blankets, smiling as she settled into the center of the pillows and held her arms out to him. His heart was racing as he approached the end of the bed, his mind spinning as if he were in a dream. Of course he wanted her, all of her, he ached for her deepest embrace, but she couldn't really want...that, could she?

"Serenity," he rasped through a throat so dry it nearly choked him, "are you sure? Is this truly what you want?"

The young Princess was dreadfully nervous, but more sure than she had ever been of anything in her life. She swallowed hard and renewed her welcoming smile.

"Yes," she replied confidently, reaching toward him, "with all my heart. I love you...Endymion."

The stable hand closed his eyes briefly as his true name fell from his beloved's lips for the very first time, letting a small wave of ecstasy tingle through his body at the sweet sound of his name being spoken in love by the most lovely voice in existence. Slowly, he reached for the fastenings of his trousers.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


A short while later, the lovers became one. For Serenity, there was a brief flash of shooting pain, but it faded quickly, replaced by a swelling wave of pleasure that climbed ever higher with each passing moment. She had never imagined that love could feel this way. Her body was aflame with her beloved's touch and every kiss and caress drove the growing feeling to new intensity.

Endymion was flying, soaring through the heaven that was his lover's body on wings of fire, trembling in his passion as Serenity shuddered beneath him. The power of their joining coarsed through his veins like a sweet drug far more potent than any Moon Nectar, and it burst all boundaries of restraint as he passed the point of no return and charged forward into a shining realm of crystal and silver.

There was a perfect moment of absolute ecstasy.

In that instant, their souls suddenly became, for a heartbeat, one. Both Serenity and Endymion cried out together in surprise as a searing heat that had nothing to do with their bodies blazed to life within their hearts. The room was filled with light, their very flesh illuminated by a pure glow from within them. Through the haze of passion, neither one could be certain that they were not imagining it all. It seemed they were more than a man and a woman; they were two worlds, shining orbs of life, one blue-green and one pearl-white, meeting and melding and blending powers they had not known they possessed. For a breath, they were truly joined, one soul in two bodies, and every thought and sensation was shared between them.

Then it passed, as quickly as it had appeared, and there was only their entwined bodies and the mundane desires that drove them.

Afterwards, Serenity and Endymion entered the realm of dreams in each other's arms. The lovers, at last satisfied, slumbered as deeply and peacefully as if they had not slept in years.


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End of Chapter Eight

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"Against All Odds" fanfiction copyright 2004 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its associated characters and canon belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha. The text of this creative work was created by dejanatalis@aol.com and is her exclusive property. Not to be used without permission. Sailor Moon Says: Don't steal! ^.^