For Love...or Duty by Sapphiregirl

Part 6: Loves Me Not...

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

AN: I love how this chapter turned out. It was one of the weaker, bridging chapters and I think it's a lot stronger now. :smiles:

For those of you who were wondering, FLOD will have a different ending from canon SM. The alternate ending is one of the reasons I began writing this story in the first place.

Special thanks again go to Dejana Talis for being an amazing beta-reader.

Enjoy!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17 (NIV)

 

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For Love......or Duty

Part 6:

Loves Me Not…

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For Mina, the next few months slipped by quietly, unmarked by anything in particular. She was aware of the rumors about her marriage to Malachite, rumors ranging from tragic to ludicrous, but she ignored them with consummate ease. Her ability to change the subject whenever a conversation dipped into her personal life was soon legendary. And as no one ever saw Mina in anything but a cheerful mood, this oddity was something the gossips puzzled over when they had nothing better to discuss.

Despite Mina’s assertions that Malachite could not possibly be her soul mate, and despite her own private belief that she had none, the silver-haired General had fascinated her from the moment they met. The occasional glimpses she caught of his other side throughout their marriage so far merely tantalized her further.

She began to have a great deal of respect for him as well. All of the Generals were busy, but Malachite seemed especially so. Mina never ceased to be amazed at the responsibilities he carried on his broad shoulders. In addition to overseeing the training of guards and soldiers—which she had occasionally sneaked in to watch on more than one occasion—he waded through oral and written reports from outposts and cities all over Earth on a daily basis.

They had fallen into a routine of sorts over the months that provided very little contact between them. They arose at nearly the same time in the morning and exchanged a few polite words before going their separate ways for the day. Sometimes they breakfasted together, though Malachite usually went straight to work. They next saw each other at dinner, but his duties often prevented them from retiring for the night together. If it hadn’t been for the companionship she received from Serenity and the others, there were days and weeks Mina thought she might have gone mad.

They had fallen into a routine of sorts over the months that provided very little contact between them. They arose at nearly the same time in the morning and exchanged a few polite words before going their separate ways for the day. Sometimes they breakfasted together, though Malachite usually went straight to work. They next saw each other at dinner, but his duties often prevented them from retiring for the night together. If it hadn’t been for the companionship she received from Serenity and the others, there were days and weeks Mina thought she might have gone mad.

Life continued in this pattern until late one afternoon in mid summer, when, returning from the Queen’s sitting room, Mina chose to take the long way back to her quarters to avoid the usual haunts of a number of the more gossipy court ladies. She was in no mood to fend off any more queries—delicate or otherwise—about how she must be enjoying married life. Her route led her through a hall set with floor-to-ceiling windows, many of which were open to facilitate a breeze. Familiar male voices drifting through from outside piqued her curiosity and she stopped. Slowly, she crept to the edge of one window, where she could see out but not be seen herself, and peeked outside.

Endymion, Jadeite, and Malachite stood on the green grass beyond the window, beneath the shady branches of an oak tree, and a general air of levity prevailed. Not wishing to eavesdrop, Mina almost turned away, but her eyes darted unconsciously to Malachite. She froze, a strange rushing noise filling her ears.

He was smiling.

Malachite was actually…smiling.

Mina felt positively weak in the knees and her heart began to thump loudly. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him smile before. It was amazing. He ought to smile more often, she thought dazedly.

Malachite’s smile was gone as quickly as it had come, but Mina had seen the way his face lit up, seen his eyes soften, and her world would never be the same. At that moment, she finally realized what her heart had been trying to tell her for weeks. I love him. The thought was staggering.

Trembling, Mina pressed her back up against the cool stone wall, away from the window, and closed her eyes. How could she have been so foolish as to allow him to slip into her heart? She wasn’t meant to find love.

Suddenly cold, Mina wrapped her arms around herself and stared with unseeing blue eyes at the opposite wall. Malachite would never return her love. She couldn’t even hope for a smile. It’s hopeless.

The sound of footsteps approaching down the hall a few minutes later recalled Mina to herself. She stepped away from the wall, straightened, and arranged a pleasant expression on her face. No one must ever know how she felt—especially not Malachite. He barely tolerated her as it was; there was no need to provide him with another source of irritation.

She watched as a servant hurried down the hall. He stopped and gave her a respectful bow before hastening on his way. Once he was gone, Mina resumed her walk, resolutely leaving Malachite behind. She was, however, unable to stop thinking about him.

A dull, aching pain began to throb in her chest. She hadn’t wanted or planned to fall in love with him, but the damage had been done. Her situation had just become a thousand times worse.

He would never love her…and the knowledge crushed her inside.

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Malachite was not unaware of the various rumors concerning his relationship with the Venusian Princess swirling around the Palace. Anyone with eyes could see they weren’t close, and it had led to all manner of speculation. The gossip mongers were wise enough to hold their tongues when he was within earshot, but they should have known he would eventually hear everything.

The First General found the rumors that he mistreated Mina particularly troublesome. The thought that someone in the Palace could even suggest he was capable of such behavior rankled deeply inside him. Worst of all was his conscience, which chose to remind him periodically that ignoring Mina could hurt her as badly as actually laying a hand on her.

It was early evening and he sat with his fellow Generals in Endymion's study, polishing his sword as he listened to their idle conversation. They had given the Prince their customary reports on matters in their sectors, and the topic of discussion had now shifted to other things.

"I still don't understand why you dislike Mina, Malachite," Endymion said deliberately, casting an inquisitive look at his friend. "Everyone else in the palace likes her, including my parents. She's so cheerful. And," he added with a slight smile, "I must admit she has a flair for matchmaking." He thought about the people she had brought together during the past few months. All of them had been considered hopeless and yet she had found a way to convince them to open their hearts to each other. It was, he reflected, perhaps a little ironic that no such miracle had taken place in her relationship with Malachite.

"Too cheerful," Malachite said gruffly. "And matchmaking?" He grimaced. "That's worse. She's a meddler."

"You won't give her a chance," Jadeite observed from his seat in the corner.

Malachite met his friend’s sharp blue gaze head on. "She doesn't like me, Jade. Probably never will." He returned his attention to his sword. "End of story." It didn't matter his opinion of her was slowly changing. He was convinced she would have nothing to do with him.

"You haven't done much to help the situation," Nephrite said dryly, glancing up from his star charts. "The two of you could at least become friends if you put a little effort into it."

Malachite scoffed. "I doubt it." Even as he said the words, he knew they were wrong. He could become friends with Mina… if he dropped the icy façade he had used as protection for so long.

Jadeite crossed his arms behind his head and propped his boots up on a low table. "Admit it Mal," he said lazily, "You like her."

Startled, Malachite looked up again, the sword nearly dropping from his fingers. "What did you say?" he demanded in a low, icy voice.

"You like her." The blond man's voice was now perfectly matter-of-fact.

Malachite stared at his friend. "It's entirely too early for you to have been drinking. How did you reach this… astonishing conclusion?"

A smug smile flitted across Jadeite’s face. Ha, got a reaction out of him. He shook his head slowly. "Mal, I've been watching you lately and I've noticed that you…" he paused and then continued lightly, "You can't keep your eyes off her when you're in the same room. You've only been lucky so far that she hasn't caught you."

Zoicite laid his book aside—one Ami had recommended from her own collection—and leaned forward. "You could be charming if you put any effort into it, Malachite,” he said earnestly. “You could sweep her off her feet. We know you’ve got it in you… somewhere.” He looked over at Nephrite, Endymion, and Jadeite, who nodded, before returning his attention to Malachite. "You're just too used to keeping everything bottled up. Sooner or later you've got to let go. Take a break."

"Are you analyzing me?" Malachite snapped, greatly disliking the direction this conversation had taken.

"Someone has to do it," Zoicite shot back coolly.

"Give it up," the silver-haired General advised, resuming his polishing. "It won't work on me, Zoi."

Jadeite shook his head again, this time in disbelief, and his boots hit the stone floor with a loud thud as he sat up straight in his chair. "I can't believe you're giving up on her, Mal. You're married to the girl, for goodness' sake. Don't you want to have a few years of happiness? Don't you ever get lonely?"

"Who could be lonely with her constant chatter?"

"That's not what I meant." Jadeite ran a hand through his short blond hair in frustration, searching for right way to phrase the thoughts racing through his head.

Zoicite, who usually didn't argue with Malachite, jumped back into the conversation. The First General was being deliberately obtuse. "We can all see that you're attracted to her, Malachite.”

“Even Serenity has commented on it,” Endymion added with a smile. “It seems Princess Mina is the only person who hasn’t noticed.”

“You don't realize how much you end up watching her,” Zoicite continued, “and you ought to see the look on your face when you see her talking with a guard or another male." He paused for effect. "And apparently you've never noticed the way her face lights up when you walk in." He waited for a reaction.

Malachite raised an eyebrow at the usually quiet General's outburst. Mina was happy to see him? "No, I hadn't noticed," he admitted reluctantly. He didn't believe it.

"Watch her. You'll see." Zoicite's green eyes flashed.

"Zoicite, I don't think you understand. Some people are not meant to be, and there is nothing anyone can do about it." Malachite's voice was even and patient—as if he were explaining to a three year-old exactly WHY it wasn't a good idea to play with a freshly sharpened sword.

"I think you're wrong," Nephrite put in. "The stars say you two are meant to be."

Malachite just shook his head and continued polishing his sword. "Just because you four are happily married doesn't mean it works that way for everyone else,” he said gruffly. “Sorry to disappoint you."

“Your attitude is appalling, Malachite.” Endymion’s tone held a distinct note of disapproval. He and the other three looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders helplessly. What else could they do? Hit Malachite over the head with the hilt of a sword and hope it brought him to his senses? Lock the two of them in a room together until they stopped being so stubborn and admitted that they cared for each other? They would have to let the matter drop for now. It was out of their hands.

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Mina closed the door to the corridor and leaned against it, thankful to be able to escape the excited chatter about the gala the King and Queen were planning for Endymion’s birthday. She had enjoyed being a part of the lively conversation, but when talk turned to the ball that would be held in celebration, her heart had sunk all the way to her toes.

To distract herself from taking that thought path again, Mina glanced around Malachite's room. It was empty; he had not yet returned from making his rounds. She sighed, feeling his absence both a blessing and a curse. They had moved slowly towards casual conversation over the months and there were moments she felt a glimmer of hope that he might be warming up to her. There was no point in waiting for him, however. He’d think it odd.

As she made her way over to the door leading to her own room, Mina happened to glance over at his desk, where rolls of parchment lay scattered about untidily. That caught her attention. As much as he hated paperwork, Malachite never left his desk in disarray. Everything was always kept neatly organized.

Intrigued, she went over and unrolled one of the parchments. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. It was one of the finest maps she had ever seen, depicting Earth’s capital city and its surrounding countryside in astonishing detail. The tiny illustrations all but pulsed with life.

Fascinated, Mina leaned over the scroll, her eyes eagerly scanning every inch. She had only been out of the Palace a few times and had been unable to see much of the city. It was wonderful to finally know what everything looked like. She traced the course of the nearest river and found it emptied into the ocean only a few days' journey from Terra. Ami will love that, she thought with satisfaction.

Completely absorbed in the maps, Mina lost track of time. It was only when footsteps neared the door that she came to herself and remembered she shouldn’t be here. She sprang guilty away from the desk just as the door opened and Malachite entered, carrying a sheaf of papers.

A faint look of surprise crossed his face before it was wiped away. "What were you doing?" he demanded coolly. Whatever his friends thought they saw on his wife's face when he approached, she was anything but delighted to see him now.

Mina lifted her chin and met his suspicious gaze. "I was merely looking at your maps. I wanted to see what Terra looked like." She paused and then added, "Your mapmaker rivals the ones on Mercury. They’re beautiful."

Malachite stared at her. He loathed the very idea of someone going through his papers. Had she really only been looking at the maps? His eyes narrowed. There was only one way to find out. "You read maps?" he asked sharply. If she did, it was highly unusual. He doubted many of the ladies of the court could say the same.

Mina inclined her head in a nod.

"Show me."

Mina held back a sigh at his obvious disbelief and gave him a bright smile. She stepped back over to his desk and gracefully unfurled the scroll she had been examining before looking up at him expectantly.

For the next few minutes, Malachite peppered her with a variety of questions designed to thoroughly test her knowledge of maps. She answered all of them promptly and with an accuracy that surprised him greatly, though he let no sign of it show in his face or voice. She is more intelligent than anyone gives her credit. Her hair glinted in the lamplight, and he wondered suddenly if the silky strands were as soft as he remembered.

No. Giving his head a violent shake to clear it, the silver-haired man stepped away from the quiet blonde and rounded his desk. He sat down and began to sort through the sheaf of papers he had been carrying, resolutely forcing himself to focus on them. It made no difference if she could read maps. This new wrinkle in her personality meant nothing.

Sensing he was through with her, Mina carefully rolled the map back up and laid it with the others on his desk. She watched his long fingers deftly separate the papers into several piles before turning her attention to his face. She could see his smile in her memory and wished he would smile again.

Silence stretched between them, the only sounds the rustle of his papers. When at last Malachite looked up at her, a hint of impatience in his eyes, she asked suddenly, "Why must you do all this? Why can't you delegate a portion of it to someone else?"

"Someone has to do it," he replied, unconsciously echoing Zoicite's earlier words. He went back to the papers. "Goodnight, Mina."

She was dismissed. "Goodnight," Mina replied coolly. She turned and swept into her room, leaving a lingering fragrance of fresh flowers and sunshine.

Once she had gone, Malachite put down the papers on which he could no longer concentrate and rested his head in his hands. Endymion and the others were mistaken, he was sure. They were imagining things. Mina was friendly with everyone—her behavior didn't mean she liked him.

As for Jadeite's infuriating remark that he cared for Mina....well, that was ridiculous. Yes, she was obviously smarter than she looked, and, yes, he sometimes didn't mind her company, but he wasn't falling in love with her and he certainly didn't stare at her. I am not falling in love with Mina.  It would lead him only to heartache.

On that note, he plunged himself back into the stacks of paper and attempted to lose himself in them, unaware that on the other side of the door, Mina was thinking many of the same things.

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Mina pressed a hand to her mouth in an attempt to stave off the bitter lump rising in her throat. She had hoped her knowledge of maps would perhaps impress Malachite, or at least soften his attitude towards her, but it was obvious there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t break through his barriers of cold reserve—she would never persuade him to see her in any other light. She climbed into her bed and burrowed into the covers, blinking furiously to hold back hot tears.

Come on, Mina, she scolded herself harshly. You are Sailor Venus, the leader of the Sailor Senshi. You don't need to cry yourself to sleep every night. Grow up. You might as well get used to the fact that he will never return your feelings. It doesn't matter—you don't have a soul mate. The only thing that does matter is that you do your duty and keep Serenity safe.

Small comfort.

She slumped down farther into her pillows. She couldn't even take out her frustrations on a training session and the inactivity was getting to her. After years of training with the Senshi and practically running the Moon Palace's security, it was a shock to not be doing anything other than sewing and other related hand work. Besides the boring daily routine, she knew nothing about how things were going on the Moon or her home planet, for that matter.

Still, as much as she felt she was not accomplishing anything, Mina knew she had been far from idle. Thanks to her habit of popping up all over the palace, her sudden appearance at any given time drew little attention of late. She overheard a number of things she would never have learned otherwise and over the past few months, she had pieced together a sketchy picture of why Earth had so suddenly become interested in being a part of the Silver Alliance. Mina hoped the entire picture would emerge soon. They needed to determine if Earth really was a safe place for the Moon’s sole heiress to live.

Her heartache took a back seat to the Senshi part of her as she mulled over what she had learned so far. If she had been on good terms with her husband, he might have proved a valuable source of information. Unfortunately, Malachite never left anything pertinent out in plain sight where she could peruse it and Mina could not yet convince herself to break into his desk. It was unlikely he kept anything there anyway, she reminded herself. In any event, she had been forced to learn everything secondhand and the reliability of the wild tales she had heard was definitely in question.

Truth is stranger than legend, she mused, staring up at the paneled ceiling above her bed. There were accounts of a strange group of radicals who seemed to hate the Terran royalty with a passion, and who of late had taken interest in inciting riots. Mina had not heard anything about them appearing close to the capital city, but it was always possible.

Mina felt cold chills creep up her spine as she considered the other tales….

The ones about the things that appeared from nowhere.

They weren't ghost stories. She was sure of it. When people dared speak of them, it was always in grim, hushed voices with an underlying whisper of fright lacing their words. Whatever the things were, wherever they were, they were certainly real, though Mina had not yet decided if she believed they were in fact monsters.

Ami and Rei were both developing theories, but everything was mere speculation until they could find conclusive, solid proof.

As she drifted off to sleep, Mina found herself hoping fervently that their proof wouldn't come with any kind of disturbance at the gala that would mark Endymion's birthday. Her rarely-seen practical side surfaced and reminded her it would be an excellent opportunity for some sort of disaster.

Lovely.

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Two days to go. Malachite was intensely grateful the insanity would soon be over. The past week had been bad enough. The celebration would come to an end and everything would settle down again.

The early dawn light cast grey shadows around his chamber, but he could have navigated it blind. He reached into his armoire, his fingers searching through his uniform jackets until they found the one he considered most comfortable. As he shrugged it on, he reflected that it was getting rather worn and would soon have to be parted with. It's good for another day, he thought dismissively as he buttoned it.

Rip.

The fabric securing the middle button to his jacket chose that moment to give way and he heard a musical jingle as the button hit the stone floor and bounced away. He held back a sigh. Or not.

Malachite glanced around without immediately seeing his missing button and briefly considered conducting a more thorough search. However, a glance out the window told him he didn't have time—at least not if he wanted to give a few parting instructions to the squad of soldiers being transferred to Gulai to deal with the aftermath of the latest riot. He tossed the torn jacket onto his desk and grabbed another one before snatching up his cape and striding from the room.

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Mina slept later than she intended that morning. When she emerged from her room, ready to begin the day, she was not surprised to find Malachite had already left. As she glanced around his room, she noticed the grey jacket lying on the desk. Out of curiosity—just like papers, Malachite never left clothes anywhere either—she picked it up and looked it over.

Hmm. Torn and missing a button. She glanced back at the desk. Said button was currently nowhere in sight. Mina stood for a moment, eying the jacket thoughtfully. Provided she could find the button, it would be the work of only a few minutes to mend the jacket. A smile brightened her face. Then she could leave Malachite to wonder just how his button miraculously sewed itself on again. She chuckled at the thought.

Alas, the search for the golden button was not as easy as she had assumed it would be, but she finally prevailed. The button was found lurking behind one of the wooden posts of his narrow bed and she picked herself up off the floor with a decided feeling of victory. Hastily retrieving needle and thread from her room, she began to mend the tear in his jacket with precise, even stitches. Breakfast could wait.

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After seeing the soldiers on their way, Malachite received a summons from Endymion; the Prince wanted to discuss this latest riot. With a start, he realized he had left the report from the governor of Gulai in his desk. Quickly, he marched back across the palace to his chamber.

As he neared the door however, his footsteps slowed. Someone—probably Mina, he reasoned, given the fact that no one else was usually allowed in their chambers—was singing. Loudly. So loudly, in fact, that the sound was carrying through the heavy wooden door and drifting down the corridor. Very quietly, he pushed the door open, thankful he had finally broken down and allowed the hinges to be oiled.

His eyes went wide and he felt his chest constrict slightly.

Mina was perched on the edge of his desk as if she belonged there, her long golden hair half-obscuring her face, and she was singing at the top of her lungs. Malachite didn't recognize the song or the language she was singing in, but he found himself captivated by the lilting, golden quality of her voice. She was also, he realized belatedly, re-attaching his button to his jacket. A wash of confusion swept over him. How had she found it? Why was she fixing it?

He watched as she put the last stitch in, cut the thread, and then held the jacket up to the light to examine the spot where the tear had been. With a flourish, she finished the last stanza of her song and carelessly draped his jacket back over his desk, arranging it, he realized, almost exactly as it had been before.

When she disappeared into her own room, presumably to put her sewing things away, he stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him, feeling rather as if the rug had just been pulled from beneath his feet. Why would she do this for me? He lifted the jacket and examined the spot she had mended. The previous tear was barely noticeable. He'd be able to get a little more wear out of this jacket yet.

Mina bounced through the door and stopped short when she saw him. "Oh. Malachite," she said faintly. What is he doing here? Then in a stronger voice she added, "Good morning." I didn't expect to see him until this evening at least.

"Good morning." Malachite retrieved the letter he needed before fingering the button on his mended jacket. "I seem to have been on the receiving end of a small miracle. This wasn't attached when I left." He glanced at her. "Would you happen to know anything about this?"

Unable to look anywhere but at Malachite, Mina noticed his eyes were not cold. If anything, they were almost warm. It's… like he knows. She resisted the urge to squirm beneath his penetrating gaze and lifted her chin. "I fixed it. The button was under your bed."

One corner of his mouth quirked at the thought of her crawling around on the floor looking for his button. "I did wonder where it had gone."

Mina dropped her eyes and was suddenly very busy rearranging the folds of her gown.

Malachite watched her, finally able to recognize the signs that indicated she was nervous. A small corner of his mind admitted it was entirely likely he did spend too much time observing her. "Thank you," he said quietly. He doubted she would have bothered if she…if she felt nothing for him at all.

Startled, Mina looked up, her blue eyes widening as they focused on him. Had he actually said what she thought he said?

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Mina," he continued. His eyes were still steadily fixed on hers, and he gave her a rueful half-smile. "My favorite jacket."

Mina felt a blush rising in her cheeks and laughed merrily to distract herself. "It was nothing." She waved a hand airily. "I didn't mind at all." She resisted the urge to fan herself, though she felt the room was becoming hotter by the second.

Struck by a sudden inspiration, Malachite put one hand behind his back, within the folds of his cape, and concentrated. Casually, he withdrew his hand and presented a perfectly formed pink rose to Mina. "Princess." Endymion wasn't the only one who could perform that little trick—he'd just never seen a use for it before.

Mina accepted it hesitantly, her pulse racing, and twirled the flower between her fingers. "It's lovely." She glanced up at him with a suddenly shy smile. "Thank you, Malachite."

They stood looking at each other for a long moment before he abruptly returned to reality and remembered why he had come back. "I must go—I need to give Endymion a report."

Mina nodded. "Have a good day," she said, offering him another smile. The rose was solid between her fingers and she tightened her grip.

Malachite glanced over his shoulder as he left and found Mina staring at the rose, a contemplative look on her face, highlighting the pink flush suffusing her cheeks. Should I have done that? he debated as he strode down the hall. His heart lightened at the remembrance of her smile and a faint smile tugged at his own lips. Yes, that was the right thing to do. It was a step towards building a friendship at least…and…maybe… someday a relationship.

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After he left, Mina absently wove the rose into her hair, still smiling. Might as well put it to use. She skipped out the door.

Is it my imagination, or is Malachite a bit warmer towards me today? He'd certainly never given her a flower before, much less a gorgeous rose like that. Where had he gotten it, anyway? She was sure he hadn't had it when he walked into the room. Mina reached up and touched the velvet petals reverently as she turned a corner.

A flower from nowhere.

Perhaps there was hope after all.

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Nephrite fell in beside Malachite as he climbed the steps to Endymion's study. The stargazer placed a hand on his friend's broad shoulder and steered him to the side.

"Mal," he said quietly, "Watch over Mina. Something is going to happen to her. Soon."

Malachite met his brown-haired friend's concerned blue gaze. "The stars have told you this?" His voice was level, cool, calm....belying the sudden spike of unreasonable fear  Nephrite's words sent through him.

"Yes."

"Anything else?" he asked dryly. "A warning of danger isn't much to go on." He wondered briefly if this was the stargazer's idea of a joke, or a matchmaking attempt, but Nephrite’s expression was entirely too grim.

Nephrite shook his head. "No particulars—you know how they are—but Mina is in danger of some kind. Just be careful of her, eh?"

"I won't let anything happen to her," Malachite said solemnly. Nephrite clapped him on the shoulder and the two continued on in silence.

Malachite meant every word, but fate had other ideas.

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Mina was late for breakfast with Serenity and the others, primarily due to the fact that she was lost in thought as she walked towards the Great Hall. Her fingers kept reaching up to touch the rose as if to assure herself it had been real and she hadn't been dreaming.

Conversation revolved mainly around the upcoming gala. Serenity was ecstatic about being able to celebrate her beloved's birthday. The King and Queen watched her indulgently, smiling at the golden sprite.

Despite the heady surge of excitement that flashed through her mind, Mina dropped out of the conversation after only a few minutes. Her food lay forgotten before her as she stared at the dancing patterns the sun cast on the eastern windows of the Great Hall.

"Mina, are you all right?" Rei asked with concern, after she tried, unsuccessfully, to ask the golden princess a question. "You look rather preoccupied."

The Venusian waved her hand in the air. "Oh, I'm fine," she said dreamily, "I was just thinking."

Lita gasped dramatically. "You were thinking? This early in the morning?"

Mina shot her a sarcastic look and sighed loudly. "I know, I know, it's hard to believe."

Serenity focused her cerulean blue eyes on her friend. "What's on your mind, Mina?"

"I—well…I forgot. Something about dancing." Mina feigned puzzlement. Please, please don't ask me anything else, she begged mentally.

The other girls sighed. "I knew it couldn’t be true," Rei muttered, shaking her head. Her raven hair was pulled back into a long braid and it swung back and forth with her movement, much like the tail of a cat.

The King guffawed heartily. He enjoyed the quick-witted banter the princesses exchanged at meals.

The conversation continued, but Mina lost interest again and merely picked at her food.

After a little while, the Queen laid a hand on her arm. "Mina, dear, are you feeling well?" She eyed Mina with mild concern. "You aren't your cheerful self today."

Mina roused herself and gave the Queen a dazzling smile. "Oh, no, Your Majesty, I'm feeling quite well. I was just thinking about the ball and what I'm going to wear."

“I see." The Queen nodded and returned to her fruit, but after a moment, she said abruptly, "Mina, would you do me the honor of finding some flowers suitable for decorations for the ball?" She motioned to Lita, "Of course, Lita, I'd like you to arrange them." It was a given fact around the palace that the Jovian princess had an amazing talent for making gorgeous flower arrangements and the Queen knew by now she would enjoy the challenge.

"I would be honored," Lita said happily. Mina nodded, beaming, and shook off her pensive mood until she could be alone.

When Mina left the Great Hall, she completely missed the concerned, speculative glance the Queen sent after her. She wandered out to the flower garden and began to stroll around idly examining blooms. She selected and cut various flowers automatically, but her mind was only half on her task. When her basket was full, she sank down on the nearest bench to finish thinking.

She had told Endymion's mother the truth—she was thinking about the ball and what she would wear. She was also wondering if perhaps matters between Malachite and herself would be easier now. She hoped they would.

Mina's thoughts bounced from Malachite to the rumors of unrest in the kingdom. She was astute enough to recognize that Malachite—and by extension the other generals—were setting up elaborate security measures. Such precautions were only necessary if there was real danger. Obviously they were concerned something would happen as well.

Mina tapped a golden rose against her chin thoughtfully. She seriously doubted the mysterious "monsters" would make an appearance; from all accounts they showed up randomly and seldom in the larger cities. That left the royalty-despising fanatics to stir up trouble.

If I hated the Royal Family and wanted to do the most damage…whom would I choose to attack?

That was easy.

Serenity, of course..

Mina's fingers tightened around the stem of the rose, unmindful of the thorns digging into her skin. Serenity is the perfect target. The injury or death of the Moon Princess on this particular day would devastate the Royal Family—particularly Endymion—and would also drive a wedge between Earth and the rest of the Silver Alliance. The peace and unity they had worked so many years to establish and maintain would be shattered.

Mina didn't even want to imagine the chaos that would follow. Earth's people had not unanimously joined the Alliance; her months of wandering the palace with her ears open had rewarded her with the knowledge that there were many who still believed Earth had no reason to bond with other planets. Those same people, however, seemed to have been captivated by Serenity. No one spoke ill of her.

It was a rather interesting situation, all things considered.

Mina dropped the golden rose back into her basket and stared at a bush of deep pink hydrangeas. How were they going to keep Serenity safe? True, security would be extremely tight, but it would be best to prepare for the worst.

Undoubtedly, Endymion would never leave her side—Wouldn't it be nice to have a love like that?—but what if he was killed first? Or what if the attack came at a time or angle when Endymion couldn't protect her? The Sailor Senshi would have to make an appearance and Mina doubted it would go over well.

With her mind thus occupied, several hours passed by without her knowledge and Mina did not hear, much less sense, the figure that came up behind her.

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

The meeting with Endymion lasted longer than Malachite thought it would and it was close to the noon meal when he set off for the training courtyard. As he bypassed the Great Hall, one of the Queen's maids called out to him.

"General Malachite," she said, with a curtsy, "The Queen wishes to know if you have by any chance seen Princess Mina lately. The Princess went out to the flower gardens several hours ago and has not yet returned. The Queen—" the girl trailed off as Malachite's face darkened and he took off with a determined stride that sent his cape billowing out behind him.

The maid shook her head. Obviously he didn't know where the Princess was either, but she was sure he would find her. It occurred to her that perhaps that had been the Queen's intent and she went back to report to her liege with a thoughtful air.

Malachite reached the gardens in record time, his mind filled with images of a hurt or dying Mina. Why should you care? a snide voice asked in the back of his mind.

She's your wife, another part shot back. It's your duty to protect her.

Is that all she is? A duty?

He wasn't sure anymore.

There was no trace of her anywhere and his agitation increased the further he went into the gardens. His eyes were everywhere, searching for the golden glint of her hair. Glancing up at the trees, he thought the chirping of birds had never sounded so ominous before.

Malachite rounded a hedge sharply and stopped short, breathing an almost audible sound of relief. She's fine. With his relief came a tinge of anger, but he dismissed it as irrational. Mina had done nothing wrong, and there was obviously nothing the matter. She was sitting on a bench in the shade, staring off into space and idly winding a few strands of her hair around one slender finger. A basket of wilting flowers lay beside her on the bench. His rose, he noticed, was tucked into her hair, still as vibrant and fresh as it had been that morning.

"Mina," he said quietly as he approached, not wishing to startle her. When he received no response, he called her name again in a louder voice.

"Wha-?" Mina whipped around, nearly knocking the basket to the ground. "Oh. It's you." She looked at him quizzically, doing her best to suppress the butterflies his sudden appearance caused to rise in her stomach, but her attention wandered.

Why did she have to catch glimpses of the real Malachite—the man who wasn't always so cold, stern, and devoted to duty? Why did he give her a rose when he would never feel anything for her? Why did she have to fall in love with him when it was obvious she was never meant to find love?

Malachite was slightly unsettled by the way her eyes slid past him and she seemed to forget he was even there. "You were gathering flowers for the Queen?" he reminded her patiently. At least, that's what he thought she had been doing—he hadn't exactly stayed long enough to hear the rest of the story from the Queen's maid.

"Oh. Yes." Mina looked down at her basket and frowned. Several hours out of water had not helped her chosen blooms. Very quickly, she darted around and gathered new ones, slightly disconcerted by the way Malachite trailed along behind her.

One of each will do nicely, she told herself. The servants can come back and gather more after Lita determines how many she'll need. As she cut another hydrangea, she heard a voice in her head whisper, …vapid…flirtatious… She blinked back sudden tears. That's all he thinks I am.

Malachite caught the glint in her eyes as she turned away from him. "Are you all right?" His voice was level, but held a trace of concern.

Mina refused to meet his eyes. "Of course I'm all right. Why on Earth wouldn't I be?" Clutching her basket, she swept past him and started back to the palace, head held high.

"Why do you have to be so confusing? I never can make heads or tails of you." The words slipped out before Malachite could stop them.

Surprised, Mina glanced back over her shoulder at him. He thinks about me? "I'm a woman," she shot back. "My job is to keep the male species confused." With that, she went on her merry way, leaving, needless to say, a puzzled and thoughtful man behind.

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

Her exchange with Malachite brightened Mina's spirits for the rest of the day. She was exuberantly excited when she showed the Queen the flowers she had chosen, much to the Queen's satisfaction, and persisted in hanging around Lita while she was experimenting with arrangements.

Finally, Lita had enough. "Mina!" she scolded, to the amusement of the girls in charge of bringing her more flowers as needed. "I'm never going to come up with the perfect arrangement if you're under my feet the entire time!"

The blonde gave her a look that was entirely too innocent. "I'm not under your feet, Lita. I'm standing right beside you."

The flower girls tittered, trying desperately to keep laughter at bay.

Lita brandished a white rose, waving it threateningly in Mina's face. "Listen, Mina," she said in a low voice, "If you don't let me have some peace and quiet to think, I'll—"

"You'll what?" Mina's eyes were dancing.

The tall brunette said the first thing that came to mind. "I'll find a way to lock you and Malachite together in the same room." She regretted the words immediately; it was impossible to miss the way Mina's face tightened or the way her smile became brittle.

"Oh, heaven forbid," Mina said lightly. "Anything but that, Lita."

Lita's hands went to her mouth and the flower girls all edged closer, wishing they had heard whatever it was she had said. "Mina! I'm sorry! I didn't—"

Mina patted her on the shoulder. "It's all right, Lita." She gave her friend a conspiratorial wink and a forgiving smile. "I'll go find someone else to bother." She floated out of the room.

Lita stared after her unhappily, the flowers all but forgotten. How could I have said something so tactless? she berated herself. How could I forget how things are between them? She went back to her arrangements, ignoring the questioning looks on the flower girls' faces. I am so sorry, Mina.

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

Mina was able to quickly push Lita's words out of her mind—she knew the Jovian princess had not meant them harshly. She was even able to find amusement in the thought of Malachite's reaction to being locked in a room with her. He'd probably sit on the other side of the room, she thought with a snicker.

Eventually, her wandering feet took her to Serenity's quarters, where she found the Moon Princess involved in a good-natured argument with Rei about what to wear to the ball.

"I think Endy would prefer the pink one," Serenity protested, as Rei held up a long, flowing white gown for inspection. "I wear too much white as it is."

"You wear too much pink is more like it," Rei sniffed. "Just because you had to wear a white formal gown at the Moon Palace a good portion of the time doesn't mean you can't wear white on any other occasion." She tossed her raven braid behind her shoulder and narrowed purple eyes at her friend.

With a ladylike 'humph', Serenity folded her arms and stuck her nose in the air. Then she caught sight of Mina standing in the doorway struggling to hold back her laughter. "Mina!" she squealed. "You're just in time! Please tell Rei I'll look much better in pink than in white."

Mina glanced at the dresses and studied them critically. "You wear both colors well, Serenity, but in this case, I agree with Rei. I like that white dress much better."

Serenity looked back and forth at the two of them in surprise before letting out a sigh. "Oh, very well," she acquiesced grumpily. "I'll wear the white one."

"I've been meaning to ask you all day, Mina," Rei said suddenly, after hanging the rejected pink dress back up in Serenity's extensive wardrobe. "Where did you get that beautiful rose? I haven't seen any that particular shade of pink in the garden." She watched Mina out of the corner of her eye, waiting for her reaction. Rei thought she knew exactly where it had come from, but she wanted to be sure.

Mina almost succeeded in fighting back the urge to blush. "Malachite gave it to me this morning," she said casually, fingering the silky fabric of the Princess's white dress and refusing to meet their eyes.

Serenity's eyes widened. "He did?" She clapped her hands together and rushed across the room to give her friend a hug. "Oh, that's wonderful!!"

Embarrassed, Mina laughed loudly and waved a hand airily. "He just gave it to me because I fixed his jacket this morning, that's all. It wasn't anything special."

Hah!, a niggling voice in her mind said dryly, Of course it was special.

She ignored the voice.

As if aware of her internal dialogue, Rei arched an eyebrow "Are you sure?"

"Of course." Mina let out a sigh and sank gracefully into a chair. "Neither of you understand. Malachite doesn't like me. He can't stand to be in the same room with me for any length of time or do anything normal—like chatting during dinner or—or dancing." She drummed her fingers lightly on the arm of the chair. "There can't be anything else behind him giving me that rose. He's too practical."

"He does keep himself under very tight control," Rei said thoughtfully. "In many respects, it's understandable. He oversees palace security for Endymion and the King, and he, Jade, and the others are in charge of the Terran armies under Endymion's command. It takes a great deal of effort to maintain all that." She cast a sidelong glance at Mina. “Sometimes, he reminds me of you."

Mina rolled her eyes, feeling a blush burn her cheeks. "You flatter me, Rei. I'm sure he'd be glad to hear that."

"I'm quite serious, Mina," Rei insisted. "You two are alike in a number of ways."  Chief of which being that you're both well-practiced in concealing how you really feel. Aloud, she said, "You both have an obsession with duty. It's frightening, really."

Mina bit her lip. "I'd really rather not talk about him," she said truthfully.

Rei let the subject drop and turned the conversation towards Endymion's birthday celebration. She sensed there was a great deal more going on than met the eye, but no matter. They would figure it out eventually.

Serenity let the matter go as well, but did nothing to quash the feeling that things were looking up.

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

That night, Mina sat at her dressing table brushing her knee-length golden hair automatically as she mentally walked through the palace's many corridors and rooms. If they had to evacuate the Princess, she knew exactly which route they would take. Her thoughts then turned to her conversation with Rei and Serenity and she frowned. They were both wrong. It wouldn't do to get her hopes up just because he'd given her one silly flower.

It had been a hot day and as the night air had not yet cooled, Mina left her door ajar to facilitate a breeze. She heard the outer door open and Malachite's footsteps as he entered. As he went on with his nightly ritual of settling down at his desk with more reports or some such similar activity, Mina ceased paying attention and went back to her own plans.

She was therefore greatly surprised to find his reflection in the corner of her mirror a few minutes later. He was standing in the doorway watching her brush her hair. She pretended not to have seen him, choosing instead to survey him covertly from her seat. There was an unreadable expression on his tanned face, but his lavender eyes were uncharacteristically warm. Abruptly, he turned away and gently closed the door behind him, apparently thinking himself unseen.

This time, Mina was the one who was confused. What was he doing? Why was he checking on her? He'd never done that before. She frowned. What had that look meant?

After considering the matter for a few moments, she laid the brush down and rose to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she crossed to the door, opened it, and leaned out. "Goodnight, Malachite."

He looked up at her from the papers over which he was now bent and their eyes met briefly. "Goodnight, Mina," he replied, pleasantly enough.

She smiled and closed the door.

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

For a short while after she disappeared from sight, Malachite remained gazing at the paneled surface of the door. Did she see me? He didn't think she had, yet… He shook his head and attempted to return to his papers. His thoughts refused to obey, choosing instead to linger on Mina and the warning Nephrite had given him.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. All he had wanted to do was make sure she was there, safe and sound, and he'd found himself unable to resist watching her brush her curtain of shimmering hair. Mina really was beautiful, no matter what her personal shortcomings happened to be. He shook his head. No, that wasn't quite it. Her physical beauty would be nothing without the beauty of her spirit shining through.

The realization brought him up short. Since when had he taken the time to think about her and reach a conclusion like that? Malachite ran over the list of her faults. She played matchmaker, she was nosy, she was often loud, especially when laughing, and she tended to talk too much. On the other hand, she was patient, kind, fairly even-tempered, always cheerful, and always ready to lend an encouraging word. Not to mention she had a madcap sense of humor.

Suddenly aware he was staring at her door again with a half-smile on his lips, Malachite snapped his thoughts away from Mina and set to work. He couldn’t think that way about her.

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

The next day flew by as if on wings. Everyone was busy doing last-minute things to prepare for the celebration. Mina was everywhere, getting into the way, completely obscuring her ramblings’ ulterior motive. As she wandered around, she studied the final security measures and noted where the guards were and where they were not. I'm impressed. I think Malachite's done an even better job than I would have. That was saying something. Sailor Venus, when in full steam, was unbelievably paranoid.

That night, Mina stopped to talk to Rei about the security measures. Jadeite was absent; it was his night to oversee the late watch.

"Malachite did an excellent job," she said finally. “I don't know that I would have thought of some of the things he's implemented.”

"Of course he did well, Mina." Rei ran a brush through her hair.

Mina shifted on her feet. "Well, just keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary tomorrow."

"You know I will, Mina.” Rei observed her narrowly. “You're jumpier than you were yesterday. Have you found out anything else? Any new rumors?”

“I haven't heard any new ones—I was just thinking about what we've learned so far.”

“You can’t believe everything you hear.”

“Rei! I know that! I’ve known that for years!" Mina paced up and down the room. "The trouble is that they all agree on one thing—these fanatics hate royalty. And who better to target than Serenity?"

The fire princess nodded somberly. "That thought has occurred to me too. We'll be careful of her. I don't want to get into a situation where they are needed."

Mina dipped her head in a nod; she knew exactly what Rei meant. "That would be best avoided." She ceased pacing. "Good night, Rei."

"Good night." Rei closed the wooden door behind her as the Venusian princess left.

Mina made her way down the hall slowly, contemplating her conversation with Rei. When she opened the door to their quarters, she was slightly surprised to find Malachite already there. He sat at the desk, one hand propping up his head, making notations on a sheet of parchment. A large sheaf of various papers was spread before him.

She allowed her eyes to wander over him and she shook her head. Doesn't he *ever* stop working? she wondered. Malachite looked dead tired, and her heart went out to him. He needs to go to bed, she decided. His shoulders could use a massage as well. A wry smile crossed her face. He'd probably have a fit if she touched him.

Unaware of her thoughts, Malachite glanced up at her. "Good evening, Mina. Did—” he cleared his throat awkwardly. “Did you have a good day?” His attention moved back to the papers but she knew he was listening.

"Yes, I did," she said brightly. "I’m looking forward to tomorrow." It wasn’t completely a lie. She took a few steps closer to him. "How was your day?"

"Fine."

She waited a moment, but that appeared to be the extent of his conversation for the evening. Suppressing a sigh, she said quietly, "Goodnight, Malachite."

He didn't look up. "Goodnight, Mina."

Halfway to her door, Mina stopped, struck by a sudden impulse. She crossed back over to Malachite and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Don't stay up too late working, Malachite," she murmured in his ear. "You look tired."

Once safely in her room, she leaned up against her door, torn between giddy happiness and the feeling that she had made a huge mistake. Her heart pounded wildly. She'd wanted to do something along those lines for some time now, but…she really didn't know how he'd react. Perhaps he hadn't reacted at all.

Mina slid down to the floor and buried her face in her hands. Don’t think about him, she told herself. Focus on living through the ball. You can handle everything else. She stared numbly at the dark sky visible through her window. Just survive the ball tomorrow night.

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

Malachite was stunned, to say the least. Not so much by Mina’s words, which were unusually kind, as by her action. He put a hand to his face in shock. Had she just done what he thought she'd done? Or was he so exhausted that he was imagining things?

He didn't know which frightened him more: the thought that she had actually kissed him or the thought that he was imagining she had kissed him. Other than the perfunctory things society demanded, it was the first physical contact they had had since their wedding day. Malachite buried his face in his arms, the paperwork forgotten. Real or imagined, he found himself wanting more.

That was most frightening.

You just have to make it through the ball, he reminded himself. All he had to do was survive an evening with her and he’d be able to go back to the way things were…wouldn’t he?

A little voice in his mind—a voice that sounded suspiciously like Jadeite—whispered, Just keep telling yourself that, Mal.

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

Don't forget to let me know what you think! Part 7 will be up as soon as I get it back from my beta—and the pace is going to start picking up. Next chapter starts a whole chain of events that some of you will remember and some of you will discover. :smiles:

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