Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon F: Past Lives ❯ Chapter 3: Happy Birthday? ( Chapter 3 )

It's now August 3 and has been little over a month since Princess Serenity's birth. Today, Prince Endymion was going to celebrate his 6 birthday.

As Prince Endymion casually walked down the hallway enroute to the dining hall, he cheerfully hummed the "Happy Birthday" song to himself. He knew that this was a special day to him and he wasn't going to let anyone or anything spoil it for him. After a few short moments, he entered the dining hall and calmly walked in still humming to himself. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he heard: "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to you!" They were singing the melody in sync with his humming; because of it, he quickly stopped dead in his tracks and froze with fear. Behind his back, her could hear someone giggling. He slowly turned around only to be greeted by the site of his own mother, who snickered and waved shyly at him. He sighed with relief while his mother smiled and walked towards him.

"Sorry sweetie! I didn't mean to startle you. Anyway, today's a very special day for you, isn't it?" his mother asked sweetly.

"It certainly is, mom!" Prince Endymion cried out joyously as he ran up to his mother. She got down on one knee and he hugged her fiercely. She embraced him with equal passion.

"You better let go before I lose my ability to breathe," she cried out hoarsely.

He let go and said apologetically, "Sorry mom! I was just so happy to see you."

"It's okay honey!" she said sympathetically then she put him in a playful headlock and gave him a nugy.

Endymion wiggled around trying to free himself from her friendly grasp. "MOM! STOP IT!! PLEASE!!!"

In response to his plea, she let go of him. "Sorry!" she replied sarcastically then added with a smirk, "Now we're even."

"Yeah! Whatever mom!" he told her as he put his hand on the back of his head trying to get his ruffed up hair back in place. "Actually, we're not even. Remember that just a few moments ago when you nearly scared me half to death?"

"Umm...yes! Okay! You're right! We're not even."

"So, since you're ahead of me by one, I still have to get even with you."

"By..."

"Oh...I don't know yet but I'll think of something and it'll come your way when you least expect it," he said with a grin spreading from ear to ear plastering itself on Endymion's face.

Queen Gaia crossed her arms and frowned while replying coolly, "I'll be awaiting it."

"Well, don't wait too long. It shall come before the day ends."

She laughs. "That's fine." Then she goes down on one knee again while opening up her arms to him. "Now lets say we start the day anew, shall we? Now come give your mother another hug but be gentler this time." Endymion went over to his mother and hugged her gently. "There! That's better," she said as she padded and rubbed his back with her hand. After they released one another, Gaia gazes at her son's facial appearance, while putting her hand on his forehead to push some of his hair back. Then suddenly tears sprung from Gaia's eyes.

"Mommy! Why are your eyes leaking?" Endymion asked curiously.

At the sincerity in his voice, Gaia smiled because of it. It was a natural reaction not to. "Honey! Mommy's eyes are just crying tears of joy." She racked her hand through his hair again. "My oh my! Look at how much you've grown. You'll grow up to be a fine handsome lad one day." Then she brings her hand to lightly read on his cheek. "You definitely have your father's eyes."

"What about my hair?"

"Well, despite the hair colour, the texture is unmistakable. It definitely distinguishes the difference. You have my hair. There's no doubt about it." She racked her hand through his hair again while saying, "It's so soft and silky just like mine." Then she hugs him fiercely. "You're my little boy and I'm so proud of you. I just want you to know that. Okay? I'm so happy that you're not becoming like your father. And I hope you know that I'll always be there for you. To protect you and comfort you. Even when I'm not around, you can always turn to me just by thinking of me. Okay? Good!" She lets go of him and grips both of his hands in hers. "Anyway, enough of this! Isn't this a special day for you?"

"Yeah! My birthday!" he cried out cheerfully.

"Well then! Shall we celebrate it?"

"Yeah!"

Gaia gets up and takes Endymion's hand in her own. "Come on! Lets go then!" She took him by the hand and led him away from the dining hall.

The both of them went out together to celebrate his birthday. They first started out by packing a picnic together in the kitchen then they both saddled up 2 horses and went horseback riding together. After riding for over 2 hours, they stopped to have lunch under a shady tree neighbouring a stream. That's where they tied up their horses beside a branch and had their picnic that they packed. Afterwards, they both took a leisurely walk by the stream and, when they went back to retrieve the horses, it was around 3 o'clock. They packed everything up and proceeded to leave.

"Mom! Why didn't dad come with us?" Endymion asked while riding back on his horse.

"Well...um...because...you father was too busy at that particular moment. I didn't want to bother him by asking."

Endymion hung his head down in shame. "Mom! You don't have to keep making excuses for him. It's easy to see that he obviously doesn't want to spend any time with me. He doesn't love me anymore!"

"Honey! That's not true."

"Yes, it is!" Endymion shouted back as his head shot up and he glared at his mother.

Queen Gaia took her eyes off her son and looked down at the road. "This is neither the time nor the place to discuss this. If it bothers you that much then confront your father about it."

"Fine! I will," he said sternly as he nicked his horse to go faster. They both rode the rest of the way home back in complete silence.

As they returned home, Queen Gaia was the first to speak. "Look! I don't want you to stay mad at me forever. Can we just put this behind us and enjoy the rest of your birthday?" Prince Endymion remained silent. "Please! Forgive me! I'm sorry!" she pleaded to him while dismounting her horse. Shortly after, he followed suit.

"Ugh! Okay! I forgive you! But please stop lying every time when it comes to father. I know the truth. It's so obvious to see."

"Then why do you continue to ask when you already know the truth?"

"Uh...umm...ummm...I...don't know!" he stuttered. 'Wow! That's deep,' he thought astonishingly.

"Got ya there, didn't I?" she asked triumphantly.

"Yep!"

"And I know why you keep asking me when you know the truth."

"You do."

"Yes, I do. You keep denying the truth and so you hope to hear a lie in order to make you feel better. You seek to find the person you want your father to be so you can't except who he really is. But when you do hear the lies, the frustration has built up inside you that you're so sick and tired of hearing them because you finally realize that it's not the answer to your problem of denying the truth. So now, you have to finally find another solution to the problem. Talking can sometimes be the best medicine. But there are also some other methods as well."

"I see. Then I'll talk to him the next chance I get."

"Good! Well, since we got this out in the open, why don't we finish this discussion over some birthday cake. I had the cook bake your favourite, double chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Mmm...sounds yummy, doesn't it?" His face lit up merrily at the mention of chocolate. "Then lets go some, alright?"

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Lets go!"

They both settled the horses back into the stables and together made their way to the dining hall where a gigantic feast was set out for them. Endymion ran over to the table and stared obsessively at his birthday cake. Then he started drooling at the site of it.

"Dinner first. Dessert after. But first, lets go get ready and clean up for dinner." Endymion reluctantly complied and went to wash up. They both finished and came back to sit down at the table to start eating dinner. In the middle of dinner, Gaia asked her son, "Does they way your father treat you nowadays bother you a lot?"

"Yes! Dad is never nice to me anymore. Even though my memory is very vague. I think I remember him being nice to me several times some time ago. Now most of the time, he simply ignores me. When he does pay attention, he just acts so cold. Even though you say that he does love me, I don't feel like he does. I mean, when I'm around him, I don't feel any love from him towards me anymore. Not like the way he use to anyway. He's different now somehow. He's causes me nothing but pain nowadays. Why is he like this mother?"

"First of all, I want you to know that he wasn't always like that. I'm glad that you've noticed that about him." *Sighs* "He was a nice person once, towards you, me, and everyone else. You were just too young to remember that very well. I'm sorry that all you have to remember him by, of once being a kind caring father towards you, are vague memories. He mysteriously changed 2 months after your fourth birthday. Very strange yet pitiful. But despite that, I still love your father and probably always will since I'm still hung up on who he once was." Tears start to form in her eyes as she said that then she hung her head low to hide the tears she so desperately needed to shed.

"I understand mom! You can't make him change and he'll never do so voluntarily." His mother looked up at him in astonishment revealing the tears she'd been shedding clearly evident on her face. No words were needed between them for the expressions on their faces spoke far more than enough words between them. They both smiled warmly at each other in complete understanding.

It was 5 o'clock when they returned home and 5:15 when they started to eat dinner. When they were done eating, it was 6 then they moved to the dessert. Endymion went crazy for his birthday cake and kept on mentioning how good it tasted to him. When they finished, Endymion was a sloppy mess with chocolate nearly sticking everywhere on him from head to toe especially all over his face. Then an idea surfaced in his mind and he grinned evilly. He got up from his chair and walked around the table to where his mother was seated.

His mother asked him, "Endymion! Look at the fine mess you made on yourself. Anyway, you look troubled. Are you okay?"

Endymion nodded then proceeded to ask her, "Mom! Can you get up for a moment? Please!"

"Sure sweetie!" She complied, with a puzzled expression on her face, wondering what he was up to. Suddenly he rushed forward enveloping his mother in a fierce hug. "What is this for?" she asked cautiously.

As he buried his face in her dress, he said, "Thank you! Thank you for everything. The picnic, the ride, our walk, and what we talked about..." then he turned his head upwards to look at his mother, "but most of all, thank you for my double chocolate birthday cake with chocolate icing. It was sooo delicious. Absolutely yummy! And also thanx for making my birthday so special."

Queen Gaia smiled tenderly down towards her son with him returning the smile with a smug one of his own. Then Gaia let go of her son and said, "Well, I'm glad that you feel that way but mommy has to go to clean herself off right now. You too."

"I know. That's the other thing." He grinned mischievously.

"What?" she asked with panic in her voice.

"My revenge, remember? Now, since it's complete, we're both even."

"Oh!" She giggled. "I see. Yes, we are both even now," she smirked.

Then they both left to clean up themselves off. Endymion left feeling pleased with himself. This day had gone so well for him so far that he started to wonder what to expect the remainder of this evening. So why, when his mother left the scene, did she have a sinking feeling that something terrible was still going to happen tonight? Anyway, after they finished, they rejoined back in the dinning hall and the clock struck 7. But before either one had a chance to speak to one another, King Darius, Endymion's father, came stomping into the room. 'He never changes, does he?' she mused to herself. He walked right pass them, ignoring them both. Then her face dropped and she just stared at him with a sad yet hopeful expression etched across her features. As Endymion watched his father aimlessly walk by, he frowned because of it. Then Darius stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to glare down at his son.

"Don't you have something to say to me?" Endymion asked angrily.

"I have nothing to say to you, son, " Darius replied detestably.

"How dare you call me SON when you don't even know me. Don't you know what today is?" Endymion shot back bitterly.

"Its August 3. What's so special about today?" he asked coolly.

Endymion balled his hands into fists and glared at his father with a cold expression on his face. But like he told himself this morning, he wasn't going to let anyone or anything ruin it for him. "It's my birthday today. I've turned six."

"Oh! That's all?" Darius asked uncaringly.

"Yes! That's all!" Endymion replied sternly. 'That's all! Is that all you can say?' Endymion thought to himself. He stood his ground with his eyes about to water but he wouldn't show weakness in front of his father. He wouldn't cry so he used all of his strength to hold back his tears. King Darius smiled at this. And Gaia thought that him smiling was very odd.

"Well then, if there's nothing else, Happy birthday to you son." He glanced over at his wife and said, "Enjoy the rest of the evening with your mother." Then he looks back at his son. "Now if you'll both excuse me, I'm very busy so I must be going." He departed leaving them both to sort through their mixed feelings.

Gaia clearly felt heart broken while Endymion was left feeling with a mixture of sadness, anger, and hate. But they did put their feelings aside and enjoyed the rest of the evening. Endymion received many gifts that night but he did not receive anything from his father. It was typical yet sad. But Endymion still intended to sleep that night with a smile on his face because of the bonding he did with his mother.

As they both retired for the night, Queen Gaia was about to have an encounter with her husband, King Darius. She was sitting in front of her dresser and mirror brushing her long silky black hair awaiting the arrival of her, once dear but now cold hearted, husband. As she blankly stared at herself in the mirror, it was clear to see that her face was locked in a sad expression. Then she started thinking to herself, 'What happened? To us and everything? But most of all, what happened to him? He's changed and I would like to know why. And look at the state I'm in. It's terrible. I look like a sack of potatoes. My hair is a mess, my eyes are puffy, and my body feels tired. I'm like this every night that it's starting to become a nightly routine. I can't live like this anymore. But what can I do? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Just sit here and take it. Well, at least it's not like he's physically or verbally abusing Endymion and me. He's often doesn't have a temper. He's just ignoring us, which is physiological abuse. It's not that bad. The other types of abuse are way worse. Right? Anyway, I still wish he could just stop causing is all this pain. Why does he have to be so mean, selfish, and inconsiderate? What happened to the man I fell in love with? Now all he does these days is irritate me. Especially with the way he treats Endymion and me nowadays. He aggravates me so much with his arrogance.' At her last statement, she frowned and her face contorted into an angry expression. Soon after, Darius walked into the room and gave her the silent treatment so she spoke first as she continued to brush her hair. "Why?" was all she asked.

"Why what?" he asked dumbfounded.

"You know damn well what I mean!" she countered.

"Honestly! I don't what you're talking about," he replied convincingly.

"I don't believe you!" she said angrily.

"Believe what you want but..."

She suddenly interrupted him by standing up abruptly, out of her chair, slamming her hairbrush on the dresser and turning sharply around to give him an icy glare. "Don't you DARE play stupid with me!" she practically yelled.

The king was quite surprised to witness such an event. Normally, his wife was a shy flower. She was not timid but she wasn't the type to meddle in other people's affairs and stuff like that. She usually was a quiet reserve person that anyone would have pegged her to be the type to never develop a temper. He'd never seen his wife this angry before. Maybe a little irritated at times by little things or really annoyed at something but never in his life had he seen her this extremely angry. She even swore which is something she's never ever done before. But guessing with the right buttons pushed and even as shy and gentle as she was, she possibly was capable of such distraught behavior. So in turn, he retaliated with, "Don't you dare raise your voice towards me in such a manner or else..."

She interjected with, "Don't you dare threaten me and tell me to shut up. Not when I have very good reason to." Then she took a few steps towards him and shouted, "You forgot our son's birthday, for crying out loud!"

King Darius calmed down and chuckled then said, "Oh! Is that all you're worried about? I thought it was something more serious."

Queen Gaia could only look at her husband with a stunned expression on her face. She couldn't believe what he was saying. "Excuse me! You forgot your own son's birthday. Both he and myself were rather upset about this and still are."

"It's not that much of a big deal."

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it isn't! And before you say another word, shut your trap and let me explain."

"Why should I?"

"My patience is growing very thin. Just shut up woman and listen."

Queen Gaia was going to protest at that last remark but decided against it as to not aggravate him any further. Instead she threw her arms and hands up in the air and sarcastically said, "Then by all means, please do. And can't wait to hear your so-called explanation."

"Thank you finally! Now I'll tell you it isn't that much of a big deal because, even though I forgot, you both reminded me. Remember? Or have you forgotten? I said 'Happy Birthday' to him. So what's the big deal?"

"Well first of all, you should not have been needed to be reminded that it was Endymion's birthday. You should have remembered that on your own. But worst of all, you didn't even get him a gift. You should have seen his face fall when he finished opening all the presents. He told me that he was expecting to receive something from you. Anything from you! And he was deeply hurt because he didn't receive anything from you."

"Well maybe he shouldn't get his hopes up."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean Gaia. When he knows that's he not going to receive anything from me then why should he get his hopes up at all. Hoping is wishful thinking and is useless. It doesn't solve anything. Not when the world we live in is a harsh one to reside in. So why try hoping at all? I've given up on it long ago." Gaia was about to protest but didn't have time because Darius quickly continued with, "You now know what I mean since I explained it to you so don't you dare argue with me when it's futile. Anyway, it's not important. If it will make you both happy, I'll give Endymion something tomorrow. Okay?"

"Yes!" she answered hesitantly with a stunned expression on her face.

"Good! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm tired so I'm going to go get ready for bed." He left for the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Queen Gaia crossed her arms then tilted her head to the side and cocked an eyebrow. She wondered we he was acting so weird. 'Why is he acting so strange? Okay! So perhaps that was the wrong word to use. But he normally doesn't give in anymore. He use to but that was before he changed. He's not a sweet caring man anymore. Not the one I fell in love with anyway.' Then she tilted her head back into place and started to understand something better. 'Maybe this is a sign or something that he's actually willing to change back into who he once was.' Then she smiles contently and unfolded her arms. 'Well, I really hope that's what it is. That he's really going to change back into who he use to be. Well, I'll just have to wait and see.' Then she turned around and walked back over towards the dresser to check herself over in front of the mirror. She straightened herself out and said, "Good! I don't look like a total mess anymore." Satisfied with herself, she reties the string of her robe then she yawns and stretches. "Boy! I'm so beyond tired. I'm absolutely exhausted, especially after that event. Time for me to go to bed." She goes to her side of the bed then tucks herself under the covers and falls asleep immediately with a smile on her face.

After a lengthily time, King Darius emerges from the bathroom and walks over to his wife. He looks at her and brushes his hand lightly against her cheek and thinks, 'Ah! My darling wife! It's not your fault. Never think that, okay?' He smiles fondly and continues with, 'I know you want your dear old husband back but I'm afraid that can never happen. I've changed and it's for good I'm afraid. I'm sorry! I cannot be who you want and need me to be anymore. I'll never be the same again. Remember that's it's not your fault, it's mine. It's a decision I made and, in the end, I'll have to pay the price for it.' Then he speaks ever so softly, "So all I ask of you is to always be there for our son and to protect him from all harm and evil. But most of all, please protect him from me." As he slowly takes his hand away from Gaia's cheek and puts it at his side, she stirs in her sleep and mumbles something that he can't quite hear. But luckily, she does not wake up. Then he goes to bed as well.

The following day, he kept his word and gave his son a gift. When he first announced it to his son, Endymion was so ecstatic to receive the news. Queen Gaia was quite happy to hear such news as well. However, when Endymion received the gift, it was a whole different matter. Gaia's face fell while Endymion's face turned into one of disappointment when his father presented him with a sword. That was Endymion's gift from his father.

'How typical! I give up! He'll never change,' Gaia thought miserably to herself as she folded her arms.

"Thanx dad! It's exactly what I wanted," Endymion said sarcastically. 'NOT!' his mind screamed.

'I know you may not really like it but, in my state of mind, you must forgive me my son,' Darius thought solemnly to himself. Then he told his son, "Good son! I think you're ready to receive a gift such as this. I think you're finally ready to learn hand to hand combat. I'll have lessons set up for you very soon. You'll train under the command of captain of the guards. It'll improve your character. Make you become more of a man. Sounds good, eh?" It was all he could say but no one was thrilled to hear it.

'He couldn't be more inconsiderate. A child such as Endymion's age shouldn't be playing with real swords and learning how to kill. Okay! So maybe wooden swords are a different story but he should really be with kids his own age playing games, sports, and doing things that are harmless. Doesn't he understand that? When will he ever stop causing us so much pain?' Those were Gaia's final thoughts on the matter.

And so Endymion pretended to graciously accept the gift while he secretly dreaded it while Gaia continued to wish that he could change though knowing it would never happen. So that's how things were fated to happen. The damage was truly done and the pain was irreversible. Once things were set in stone, they could never be changed. Or could they?

Date: July 30, 2002