For Love...or Duty by Sapphiregirl

Part 3: Confessions From the Heart

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: Special thanks go, as always, to Dejana for beta reading. ^_^

"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."— Song of Songs 4:1, NIV

 

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

For Love......or Duty

Part 3:

Confessions From the Heart

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

The noon meal was rather uneventful. Quiet chatter filled the air, punctuated here and there by bursts of laughter. To give Rei a break from Jadeite's particular brand of humor and to give the fiery princess a chance to cool down, Ami slipped into the seat across from the blond General. Lita and Mina took the seats on either side of her. Relieved, Rei sat down at the end of the table across from Malachite. She sent a grateful look to Ami, who smiled at her reassuringly. Nephrite calmly took the seat opposite Lita, leaving Zoicite to sit facing Mina. Endymion and Serenity of course, were seated across from each other. His Generals knew better than to interfere.

Mina chattered happily about this and that and Zoicite listened to her in amazement. He was astonished that she could talk as much as she did and still be able to eat. Flicking his gaze around the table subtly, he noticed that the Mercurian princess was very quiet, despite several of Jadeite's attempts to engage her in conversation.

Though he tried to keep his focus firmly away from her, Jadeite's eyes kept straying to the black-haired girl sitting at the other end of the table. Nephrite and Lita were deep in conversation about the differences in how the constellations appeared from Jupiter, the Moon, and Earth. Endymion and Serenity were politely conversing with Luna and Queen Selenity. Malachite and Rei were the only silent people at the table. He was silent from habit, she just to calm her rattled nerves. Jadeite was extremely good at ruffling her feathers and it bothered her.

When the meal was over, Queen Selenity stood. "Shall we adjourn?"

The Generals and the Princesses stood as well and followed the silver-haired ruler to a large room with a huge table and comfortable chairs. The Moon Queen's advisors were already seated inconspicuously. "Please be seated," she invited cordially.

Malachite was slightly surprised that the princesses were a part of the process as well, but he reminded himself they were probably acting as representatives of their respective planets. He glanced over at the Princess of Venus, who wore a strangely thoughtful expression on her face. This would be interesting.

Selenity sat up straight in her chair. "Prince Endymion, consider this your preliminary hearing. If you demonstrate to me that Earth will be a valuable addition to the Silver Alliance, I will take your case to the High Council."

Endymion bowed his head slightly. "I understand perfectly, Your Majesty."

"Very well then. We shall begin."

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

Mina sighed to herself, thankful the day was over. The first meeting had lasted until right before the evening meal; several hours' worth of polite, delicately couched statements that had served no real purpose other than to begin to bridge a gap several centuries wide. It didn't matter Selenity had kept in touch with the Terran King via Luna—there was still so much about Earth they knew nothing about.

Mina collapsed onto her bed, too tired to even change clothes. She wasn't quite sure why, but it seemed that the afternoon of deliberations had taken more out of her than a full day of training. She would have preferred a day of training, come to think of it.

Though she often chose to ignore it for the more direct approach, Mina could well appreciate subtlety. It had its purposes. However, politics were one area in which she wished more bluntness could be used. She wished heartily they could just come out and ask what Earth really wanted. It would save a great deal of time and energy.

While she had to give points to Endymion for the way he had handled things with great aplomb and diplomatic tact, even she was aware there was something he wasn’t telling them. It was not obvious, but it was there, lurking beneath the surface, coloring everything he said. Earth was a proud planet; they had delighted in relying on no one but themselves. Wanting to expand their horizons and export goods wasn't enough of an answer after the centuries they had spent ignoring the rest of the galaxy.

No, there was an underlying reason behind their sudden reversal. There had to be. Mina knew Selenity (and by probable extension, the High Council) wanted to accept Earth as part of the Alliance, but there was something decidedly odd about the whole thing. Selenity had refrained from pressing Endymion further about the subject, choosing instead to move on to other topics until they stopped for the day.

The evening meal had been only slightly tense; a day of dubious politics wasn't enough to dampen the attraction in the air.  Afterwards, they had chatted together with Endymion and his Generals for a short while before the Queen retired for the night. The Princesses soon followed suit and everyone went to bed to prepare for another day of fun and mind games.

The blonde Venusian rubbed her forehead wearily. This is going to take a while. It didn't take a genius like Ami to see that things were even more complicated than she had originally thought. At this rate, she was sure that the 'peace' process could take weeks, if not months. Wonderful.

Mina groaned to herself and smacked her pillow angrily as she rolled over. I just want things to go back to normal. She wanted life as it had been, before the arrival of the Terrans. Before she had to deal with the niggling thought that if a relationship did indeed bloom between Serenity and Endymion, she was going to be seeing a great deal more of these Terrans than she had ever intended.

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

What with negotiations and other matters, which included the Terrans spending almost all of their free hours with the Moon Princess and her court, time passed slowly for Malachite. He breathed a sigh of heartfelt relief when each day was over and took to sitting out on his balcony looking up at Earth, just enjoying the quiet in the evening.

Mina hadn't been as clingy after the second day—his chilly attitude might have discouraged her—but she was always popping up and misquoting things or making cheerful small talk. After a while, she was just too much. Of course, the odd thing was that some small part of him looked forward to seeing her. He couldn't imagine why.

Malachite shifted uneasily in his seat. That wasn't true—he did know why. She and the Moon Princess shared two very similar traits. They were both vibrant, buoyant individuals, and they both had the same gift of picking up on moods and making people comfortable. More than once he'd seen Mina say something encouraging to a maid or guard who looked unhappy, and her talent for matchmaking was almost as legendary as the Sailor Senshi. She attempted, in her own way and regardless of whether or not it was needed, to lift his spirits and the fact that she even tried was gratifying in a small way.

Sailor Venus, on the other hand, was a different matter. He was no closer to figuring her out than he had been at the outset. The Generals had been formally introduced to the Senshi the fourth day of their visit, and he had met Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Mercury. Venus pretended they were complete strangers but winked at him carefully, which shocked him and nearly disrupted his composure. He hadn't expected that of her. Winking at him was something more along the lines of what Mina would do. Maybe they're related, he mused. It was certainly a possibility.

Malachite propped his booted feet on the white marble railing of his balcony, eyes distant as the other events of that day replayed themselves in his mind. The Sailor Senshi had gracefully challenged the Generals to a sparring match—no magic involved. He smiled faintly as he recalled the surprise on Endymion's face. The Prince had not been expecting that at all, but he gave his permission. Lots were cast and Malachite had found himself up against the tall Senshi of Jupiter. Nephrite had been paired with Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury against Jadeite, and Sailor Mars against Zoicite.

He had won his own match by a fraction, and had it been a real battle he was quite sure that Jupiter would have taken him down along with her. Malachite shook his head. How was it that they allowed women to be trained like that? Wasn't the Queen the least bit concerned for the girls' safety?

Frowning, he remembered that shortly after the competition, the Sailor Senshi excused themselves and disappeared. It had struck him as odd that Serenity was the only one of the princesses present for the match, but she had explained to Endymion her friends had been obliged to sort through some important papers newly arrived from their planets. Malachite accepted that, though he knew Zoicite had been a tad suspicious. It didn't bother him however; Zoicite was nearly always suspicious of something. It was in his nature to question everything.

Malachite's mind wandered back to Sailor Venus and the rather scandalous wink she had given him. He had to admit she seemed to be a good leader, and there was no doubt that her fighting skills were honed. She had beaten Nephrite in their match, though not by much. Malachite found himself hoping at some point he would be able to face her again. He wouldn't be so easy on her now that he knew what she was capable of.

The silver-haired general spent another few moments out on the balcony, staring at the blue-green globe in the sky that was his home. He tried to push Sailor Venus out of his mind and was successful—only to have Mina invade it a few minutes later. Her bubbly cheerfulness grated against his nerves at times, yet he felt a little more cheerful himself being around her. Her zest for life was contagious—not that he would show it.

He rarely loosened up, though he smiled more at home than he did here. It drove his friends crazy. Even Endymion begged him to relax on occasion. But he saw no reason to do so. Someone had to be the serious one, the one who kept a cool head at all times…the one who could always be counted on to do his duty. And he would do his duty.

Always.

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

Towards the end of the two months the Terrans spent on the Moon, Mina watched her friends fall more and more in love. There was no doubt about it. They did a good job of hiding their growing feelings—after all, there were complications to consider—but Mina had grown up with them and she was a Venusian to boot. She could tell.

They were in love, and from the looks of the auras she was picking up, there was something more than love there too. Something that would last a lot longer. Something along the lines of a soul bond. Mina's powers were still growing, but she knew soul mates when she saw them. Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion were soul mates, at the least, even if none of the others were.

The prince and princess were also the only ones openly intimating that they cared about each other. Everyone else pretended they were simply people who had come to be good friends. Mina smiled and shook her head in amazement. She knew the truth, and the truth was that her friends were head over heels for the Terrans. On the other hand, she was fairly certain that the feeling was mutual.

Mina sighed softly. Wouldn't that be ironic? Serenity, Ami, Lita, and Rei all find true love while I sit off to the side by myself rejoicing in the fact that I'm able to recognize they've found true love. Deep in thought, she stared out the window.

When they weren't involved in peace talks and ambassadorial meetings, her friends and their visitors were off in couples, strolling the flower gardens, or just sitting and talking. They were never without chaperones, but the servants shadowing them were discreet and gave them ample privacy.

As far as she knew, today her friends were exploring the unrestricted sections of the palace with the Generals. Malachite had excused himself some time ago and vanished. Mina knew he was glad to be rid of her presence. The thought stung a little. Of course, she was happy to be free from his gloomy personage as well...but she still hated to be left to play the fifth wheel. It was hard to be a third party in a conversation for two. Shortly after he disappeared, she discreetly slipped away. She had been in the mood for a quiet hour or two and found a small window seat in an alcove set in one of the less populated corridors where she could curl up and mull things over.

The Venusian bit her lower lip, thinking about Malachite. The silver-haired General disliked her intensely when she was Mina. Only when she was Sailor Venus and she wasn't as cheerful and bubbly did he seem to be more—well, more human. He's so cold and stern all the time, she thought pensively, Doesn't he ever loosen up? It was then that she became aware, rather bitterly, that she had used the time they had been forced to spend together during the past two months attempting to get him to relax and all she had accomplished was to irritate him.

He apparently wasn't impressed by her looks, and he didn't seem to think much of her personality either. She wasn't sure why she irked him so much, but it did nothing for her self esteem that he was marginally warmer towards her alter ego. Sailor Venus simply showed a side of her personality Mina didn't let out often.

I'd rather he liked me because I'm Mina, she realized in shock, staring blankly across the lake. Not because I'm Sailor Venus. Although, if he did find out that we're the same person, he'd probably never speak to me in either form ever again. Not that he talks to me anyway. She shook her head. Why do I care what he thinks about me? I don't like him. I don't. Really. I can't. He's not my type.

Oh? an annoying little part of her mind asked sarcastically. And just what is your 'type'?

Not him. Definitely not him. Her type was not someone who was more or less blind to her very existence.

Mina was so lost in thought that when someone came up behind her and touched her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh!" she gasped, whirling around on the cushioned seat. "You frightened me, General Zoicite." Her heart was beating wildly, and she put her hand over it to still it. This is good, she thought acerbically. Leader of the Senshi dies of fright when a Terran general sneaks up on her. Good going, Mina, she complimented herself sarcastically.

Zoicite's cheeks flushed slightly and he looked down in embarrassment, a stray lock of red-gold hair dropping into his face. "My apologies, Princess." He twisted his hands nervously, while Mina looked on with faint amusement. Ami was nowhere in sight; neither were any of his friends. She had a feeling she knew why he had come.

"What is it?" she asked, not unkindly.

"Well, uh—," he fumbled for the right words. "You see, Princess Mina, I have heard that Venusians, especially royalty, have an ability to sense things of the heart…and…I've heard about your matchmaking skills."

Mina raised an eyebrow. He's been asking around? Interesting. Even she didn't know the extent of her fame; Zoicite had never needed to ask around. "That's true, to some extent."

"I was wondering if perhaps you...knew anything about Am—Princess Ami and how she feels?" Zoicite's face was beet red now. This was quite harder than he had expected.

Mina looked at him for a moment, meeting his gaze and reading the emotions and thoughts behind his green eyes. "Why don't you ask her and find out?"

"I—I..." Zoicite trailed off, unable to finish. He'd thought that same thing himself, but he was terribly afraid of having misread her signals and throwing a perfectly good friendship into arrears. Even if the subject was slightly embarrassing, he knew Mina would be sympathetic and if he'd been imagining things, she would let him down gently.

In the short time she'd known him, Mina had never seen Zoicite at a loss for words and she tried to keep from smiling. "Let me guess, General," she said quietly. "You care for her, but you're not sure she feels the same way."

Zoicite nodded, his attention fixed on her as if she held all the answers in the universe.

Mina clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them, staring up at him. "Well, I would have to say that you've not been very observant then."

He looked surprised. Very surprised. She knew he prided himself on his intelligence and hastened to explain. "Now, perhaps it's because I've known Ami for most of our lives, but she's never talked about anyone the way she talks about you, and I've never seen her flush and turn red like she does whenever someone mentions your name. Just like you're doing now, by the way," she added conversationally. "Now if that doesn't indicate something, well, then I'm a monkey's cat."

Now Zoicite looked confused, but he also looked relieved. Hope ignited again inside him. She talks about me? That was a good sign. Aloud he said, "So, seeing that you've known Ami for so long, what would you suggest I do?" His green eyes were focused on her completely. "Tell her the way I feel?"

"Exactly." Mina beamed at him and winked conspiratorially. "I think you'll be happy with the results."

Zoicite took Mina's hand and kissed it, then bowed. "Thank you so much, Your Highness, for the clarification." And with that, he was off like a shot.

Mina smiled. She could just imagine the rapture her friend was going to be in and it made her laugh. Ami deserved someone to care for her like that. Then she sighed and swiveled around to stare out the window again. Why was it she could manage everybody else's love life, but her own was practically nonexistent?

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

Just down the hall, Malachite had been strolling idly along when he heard low voices. He thought nothing of it until he recognized both Zoicite and Mina and the realization stopped him short, eyes narrowing coldly. What was he doing speaking to her alone? He edged closer and then his eyes widened as he realized what they were discussing.

Now that Zoicite had rushed off, he leaned up against the wall, processing everything he had just heard. Despite the rumors, this was a side to Mina that he definitely had never seen before, and heaven knew he had spent enough time around her lately to know what she was like. She had sounded mature and she had given his friend sound advice without belittling him.

Malachite poked his head around the corner cautiously, feeling like a fool, but he didn't want to face the blonde princess unless he absolutely had to. She was seated on a window seat, gazing out with a preoccupied look on her face. The cheery sunlight glinted off her hair and seemed to brighten the area around her. She is beautiful, his mind whispered, It's a shame she's not very bright. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he chased it away. She was bright, in her own way, and the fact that his heart had begun to skip a beat or two every time she turned her dazzling smile on him was irrelevant, wasn't it?

The General began to feel a tad mixed-up, and wrenched his mind away from her. His eyes too. Then he did an abrupt about-face and marched back down the hall the way he had come. Some trains of thought led to dangerous ground and were best left unexplored.

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

After leaving Mina to her reflections on life, Zoicite meandered through the beautiful Moon palace, casually searching for Ami. The Queen had called her away some time before, and in the process of straightening out the emotions and thoughts in his mind, he had found Mina. The General ran a hand nervously through his curly red-gold hair. It was one thing to know the course of action he should pursue, quite another to actually take the plunge. How do I tell her? he wondered. What do I say? What do I do?

He frowned to himself and absently turned a corner. Not watching where he was going, he plowed directly into a person coming the other way. "I beg your pardon!" he exclaimed. He realized he had run into Ami and reached out to catch her arms and keep her from hitting the floor. "I'm very sorry, Princess Ami. I was...thinking...and I wasn't watching where I was going."

Ami smiled up at him, a pink flush in her cheeks. "You're forgiven, General."

Zoicite let go of her and stepped back a little, trying to compose himself. Why am I so nervous? he asked himself. I've courted a number of women before. Never very seriously—somehow he could never stay interested for more than a few weeks—but it wasn't like he was a novice. Why was it she had the ability to make him forget he knew how to speak at all?

The blue-haired angel beside him turned her navy blue gaze on him. "You seem to be in a hurry, General. I won't keep you."

"Actually," he blurted out, "I was looking for you."

Ami's eyes widened. "Me?" There was something different about his demeanor and her heart started beating faster. She willed it to return to normal, but naturally, it wouldn't listen.

The green-eyed Terran almost broke out into a cold sweat. Oh, that was smooth. "I was—I was wondering if you would be so kind as to play me a game of chess?" He bowed. "And, if I may be so bold as to remind you again, Princess, you are welcome to call me Zoicite."

Ami felt relieved and disappointed at the same time but she smiled brightly. "I'd be happy to play chess with you, Zoicite."

He offered her his arm and they walked down the hall together. "If I may ask," Zoicite said, "What did Queen Selenity need you for?"

Ami waved a hand dismissively. "Her Majesty just wanted to discuss a few things about this latest conference, that's all."

The pair reached the library and Zoicite gallantly held the door for her. She smiled at him and walked in, feeling some of her tension drain away. The library had always been a place of calm and peacefulness for her and she was immediately more comfortable. They seated themselves at an ornate wooden chess table that had come from Jupiter and began to set up the board.

Ami picked up a white marble pawn and a silver pawn and held them behind her back as she mixed them up. Then she held out her closed hands. "Which do you choose?"

Zoicite motioned to her right hand. Ami opened it, revealing the white pawn, and handed it to him.

"You start first."

"Very well." Zoicite placed the pawn back into position and moved his first piece. He tried to focus on the game, but all he could think about was the beautiful lady across the tiny table and how to tell her how much he cared for her.

Ami frowned to herself as she captured the General's last bishop. This was too easy. Her puzzlement increased when, through a series of moves that a novice could have blocked, she took his queen. "Is something the matter, Zoicite?" she asked, looking up to find his green eyes steadily observing her.

"Not that I know of," he replied. "Why?"

"You're not playing very well." Ami motioned to the board. The Terran General had about five pieces left. "That last move—you could have avoided that in your sleep."

Zoicite looked down at the board and realized that she was right. He looked back up at her with a wry smile. "I wasn't really paying attention to the game," he admitted ruefully.

Ami raised an eyebrow. "Well, then what were you doing?" She was amazed at how comfortable she felt around him.

He took a deep breath. It's now or never, he decided. "I was thinking about you, Ami."

She gasped and eyed him warily. The huge library seemed to close in on her and she found herself abruptly wondering where everyone had gone. Why had they chosen now of all times to leave her alone with him?

Zoicite reached across the small table and took her hand, keeping his eyes fixed on her face. "You are an amazing person, Princess. You're intelligent, gentle, kind-hearted...and you're the most beautiful woman I've ever had the honor of meeting."

Ami blushed fiercely and looked away. "I'm not beautiful," she mumbled.

The General gently turned her scarlet face back towards him with long, slender fingers. "Ami," he said quietly, "You are beautiful. As beautiful as you are sweet." His brilliant green eyes were soft and warm. "But that's not the only reason I love you."

The Mercurian princess's heart nearly stopped. "You what?" she exclaimed. She pulled away from his touch and stared at him with wide, startled eyes.

"I love you, Ami." He spread his hands. "You're everything a man could ever hope to have." He gave her a soft, wistful smile. "I'm not royalty, Princess, and I never will be. I can't aspire to ever be worthy of you, but I want you to know that I love you with all my heart." He took a breath. "I would do anything for you, Ami. Anything."

She stared at him seriously for a moment, and Zoicite met her gaze, offering her everything in his eyes. The flame of hope burning in his heart flickered. He'd misread her—Mina had misread her. She didn't care for him that way.

But then, the Mercurian Princess nodded slowly. She glanced down with a heavy blush and said in a low voice, "I—I love you too, Zoi." She looked up at him and he saw that her dark blue eyes were tranquil and happy. "I think I have for some time now."

His face broke into a wide smile. "You do?" he breathed.

Ami nodded, not trusting herself to speak further. Eyes sparkling, Zoicite leaned forward and kissed her shyly, framing her face with his hands. She looped her arms around his neck and he kissed her again, softly. Then he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you," he said again.

She smiled happily. "I never thought I'd meet anyone like you."

He chuckled, the sound welling up exuberantly from deep inside him. "I know. I never knew that there are actually women as bright as you." At her indignant glare, he held his hands up. "You know what I mean, don't you?"

She nodded ruefully. Zoicite pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and then returned to his seat. No one, coming in just then, would have seen anything amiss. The General took a deep breath. "Well. Now that that is over with, how about another game?" He gave her a roguish smile. "I'll win this time, love."

Ami raised her eyebrows at the challenge. "Oh really? We'll just see about that."

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

A few days later, the princesses and the Generals went outside after dinner for their customary stroll around in the gardens. Ami and Zoicite, Mina noted with satisfaction, were walking together comfortably, her arm tucked through his as they talked. She smiled to herself. The happiness radiating from the pair was almost visible.

Lita and Nephrite disappeared to find a good place to watch the stars. Serenity and Endymion, chatting easily, wandered off to explore Serenity's favorite section of the garden. Rei, who still became furious when they were together with no less than three chaperones to keep an eye on them, bristled and stalked after the two. Alarmed, Jadeite followed her, leaving Malachite and Mina alone.

"If you don't mind, General Malachite," Mina began, breaking the awkward silence between them, "I would like to retire for the evening."

He bowed his head. "Very well, Princess. I will escort you inside." It was the least he could do. After all, he'd been bracing himself to spend a few hours out here unable to get away from her, and now he would be free for the rest of the evening.

"I thank you, but it's really not necessary." She smiled brightly at him. "Good night." She vanished into the palace, her bright hair catching the light spilling out of the doorway.

Before heading to the quarters he shared with his fellow Terrans, Malachite spared one glance over his shoulder in the direction Jadeite and the Martian princess had headed. For Endy's sake, he hoped Jadeite would be able to distract her again.

Jadeite hurried after Rei's retreating figure. She's surprisingly fast, he thought, not for the first time. He put on a burst of speed and caught up with her, grabbing her arm. "Leave them be, Rei," he advised. "How many times do I have to tell you that Endy won't hurt her?"

She whirled, her silky black hair flying around her, and wrenched her arm free. "Let go of me."

Jadeite refused to let her words or tone bother him and chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're not secretly in love with Endy, are you? This anger you show isn't actually jealousy, I hope." His voice was light and hid the worry that he felt. The longer he was around her, the more he realized how much he was coming to care for her. Something tightened inside him. Hearing she was in love with someone else would probably kill him.

Rei looked at him as if he'd suddenly sprouted arms out of his head. "Oh, please. Don't insult me."

"Surely you don't think Endy's going to harm your Princess in any way?" When she stood silent and merely glared at him, a look he felt despite the semi-darkness, he whistled. "Why are you so suspicious of men?" He knew, instinctively, that something horrible had happened to her and it made his protective side bristle.

"I'm not entirely sure you can be trusted," she snapped.

"Why?" His voice was low and serious.

Rei didn't answer. Instead, she sat down on one of the numerous benches that were placed throughout the gardens and looked up at the sky. She didn’t want to tell him. It was easier to keep the pain locked in her heart where no one could see.

Jadeite sat down next to her, keeping a respectable distance. "I'd really like to know, Princess. What did I do?"

She sighed and shook her head. "You didn't do anything, Jade." She used his nickname without thinking. "I just don't trust men in general. They take advantage of the women who love them." Her voice was sad, tinged with bitterness.

"What makes you say that?" Jadeite was completely serious. He enjoyed teasing her and watching her rise to the occasion; it was a side of himself he didn't let out often. He could sense though, that now was not the time to bait her or be sarcastic.

The Martian princess was silent for a moment or two, warring within herself. Finally, she reached a decision and began to speak in slow, measured tones. "I had a sister who was about eight years older than I was. We were close, despite our age differences. She fell in love with a young man from a high-ranking Martian family and they had a whirlwind courtship. She loved him very much and was able to persuade our parents to allow them to marry quickly."

She stopped for a moment, and the blond General waited patiently for her to continue. He had a sinking feeling he knew where this story was headed. "A few months after the wedding, we discovered her husband had only married her for her title and the power that it gave him. He dropped all pretenses and everyone could see he didn't love her. He made no secret of the fact that he had many mistresses, but my poor sister was blind to it all." Rei raised her head, staring off into the dark flower beds. "My parents were furious, but there was nothing they could do."

Rei pressed a hand to her mouth as she remembered the rest of it. Jadeite sat very still. "When Mother and Father realized how deeply she loved him, they tried to keep all knowledge of his crimes from her. She found out eventually, although she tried to convince herself that he really loved her after all. He was finally killed in a duel with his current mistress's angry husband."

"What happened to her?" he asked quietly.

Rei turned to face him, her face expressionless, save for her eyes. Those violet orbs were burning with intensity. "She died of a broken heart," she said flatly. "And I swore that I would never let a man have that kind of power over me."

Jadeite nodded, everything clicking into place. "I can see why you'd be wary." He focused his blue eyes on her. "But we're not all that way, you know." I'm not that way.

"Of course." Her tone was noncommittal.

Concern deepened on his face, though he knew she probably couldn't see it. They sat there quietly for a while, and he watched her stare off into space. "Thank you for telling me, Princess," he said eventually.

Rei stiffened for a few seconds, before her shoulders slumped a little. "I don't know why I did," she said bluntly. She bit her lip and then stood. "Time to find out what that prince of yours is up to. And this time, Jade, don't even try to stop me."

With a faint chuckle, he asked her lazily, "Do you realize that's the second time this evening you've used my nickname?"

Rei tilted her head to one side, looking down at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He got to his feet and folded his arms calmly. I can still distract her. "Well, for one thing, it means you're comfortable around me."

"What!"

The blond man grinned rakishly at her. "Certainly. You don't feel you have to be formal any more."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "If I hadn't been sitting across from you at dinner," she growled, "I'd have to wonder what you've been drinking."

"Oh, come now, Rei."

"Don't you dare 'oh, come now,' me!" Rei shot back.

Jadeite shook his head. "Rei, we dropped the 'Princess' and 'General' weeks ago, except in public—you know that. You've just never used my nickname before."

Rei hesitated replying for few seconds. He'd said that with a trace of wistfulness in his voice, almost as if— She banished the thought. It was impossible. "Well, if it upsets you so, I won't use it again, Jadeite."

He winced. "I like it when you call me 'Jade'," he protested in a hurt voice.

"You're hopeless," she exclaimed in exasperation. She turned to go, and he chuckled amiably.

"That's what I've been told."

Rei just huffed and swept back to the palace, head held high. The chaperones would have to see to it that Endymion behaved himself. She needed to get away from Jadeite before she spilled any more of her deepest secrets.

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

Completely unaware of the drama taking place behind them, Serenity and Endymion wandered through the garden arm in arm, laughing and chatting with an ease that belied the fact they'd only known each other for two months. Their chaperones stayed at a discreet distance, happy to give the pair their privacy as long as the Prince kept a respectable space between them.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you really came to the Moon?" Serenity asked in a laughing voice, smiling up at him. "You keep evading the question."

Endymion looked down at her and his heart gave a funny flop at the artless warmth in her blue eyes. "As I've said before, it's not exactly a logical explanation, Princess—I'm not even sure I understand it."

She giggled and the sound tinkled across the still air of the garden. "Life doesn’t always make sense, Endymion."

"I'm well aware of that." He smirked at her, blue eyes glinting invitingly.

After a few moments, Serenity's grip tightened on his arm. "So are you going to tell me?"

The dark-haired Terran Prince was quiet for the space of a few heartbeats. He'd avoided the question before because he wanted more time to think about how to broach the subject without seeming chauvinistically focused on her beauty instead of her beautiful personality. It seemed however, that the opportune moment had arrived. "Princess," he began in a soft voice, "you visited Earth a few years ago, didn't you?" It wasn't a question.

He had to suppress a smile at her reaction; Serenity was without a doubt the worst liar he'd ever encountered. She almost missed a step, her hand loosening from its comfortable hold on his arm and her face froze in shock. Her blue eyes were wide and startled for a few seconds before they regained their usual glow. He could feel how nervous she was.

"Why do you ask?" Her voice was remarkably steady. Serenity congratulated herself. She didn't know she could act so well.

A smile playing at the corner of his mouth, Endymion told her the tale of the beautiful girl he had seen wandering the Palace garden in the moonlight two years before. Her recognition of that story merely confirmed what he'd known all along. She was the girl.

"You came here because you were curious about me?" she breathed in awed surprise, too amazed to deny anything.

Endymion nodded impatiently, brushing back rogue strands of black hair that persisted in falling haphazardly into his eyes when he didn't want them to. "There was just something about you—an innocent…" he searched for the right words "…sweetness." He swallowed. "You're nothing like the women I've met at home. There's just something about you that I haven't seen in anyone before." Cobalt blue eyes locked on hers. He raised her hand to his lips, his breath warm on her skin. "You're special, Serenity. You're special to me." He placed a gentle kiss on the creamy skin of her knuckles and Serenity felt herself shiver.

"Endymion—"

It struck him then how much he loved hearing her say his name. He loved it. It was like music to his ears, water after spending days in a parched desert, and all the nebulous thoughts and feelings swirling in his mind suddenly coalesced into one powerful realization. "I love you," he said simply. He'd never said those words to anyone before except for his parents on occasion, and they came from a place deep inside him—straight from his heart.

Serenity's blue eyes searched his tanned face as if to validate the confession she'd just heard. She'd never heard those three words spoken with such conviction before…with such quiet firmness and…longing. She had no doubts that he meant every word. A lovely smile suffused her face. "Endy, I'm glad you came. I—" she blushed and then said with crimson cheeks, "I love you as well."

A soft smile curved his lips and he tilted her chin up with long, slender fingers. His entire face was alight and his gaze was tender as he whispered, "I'm so glad" before meeting her in a gentle kiss.

It only lasted a second—they were both aware of the chaperones following along behind them—but it was enough for now. Serenity conquered her blush and tucked her arm through his again and they continued strolling through the garden. Every now and then, in the midst of their quiet conversation, Serenity would lift her blue eyes to meet his and they didn't need words anymore.

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

Lita hid a smile as she saw Ami and Zoicite wander off together, happy her shy friend seemed to have found someone who appreciated her. Then she turned to the tall man at her side.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," Nephrite commented, looking up at the sky.

"I agree." She slipped her arm through his comfortably. "Would you care to see my favorite spot for stargazing, General?"

"I would love to, Princess."

Lita gave him a dazzling smile and they sauntered off through the garden. The night was peaceful and quiet, and the lights from the palace danced on the grass. A warm, gentle breeze blew gently, ruffling their hair.

"I am still amazed the Moon has such things as wind."

"It was designed to be very much like Earth."

"Does Jupiter have wind?" he asked curiously, struck by a thought.

The Jovian princess laughed merrily. "Of course it does. We have the most spectacular storms on occasion, and the wind is nearly always blowing. Whenever I visit my family, I always spend a lot of time outside just enjoying the breeze." She motioned to another path leading off of the one they were on and they took it.

After a few minutes, Lita stopped. "Here it is." Their path had reached a large grassy area, in the middle of which stood a huge tree. It stretched up into the sky, branches full and leafy.

Nephrite stared at it and his brows lifted in amazement. "What is that?"

"It's an oak from Jupiter," she replied proudly. "My family planted it here when the Moon was chosen to head the Silver Alliance. It's the largest tree on the Moon."

"It's the only tree on the Moon is more like it," he muttered good-naturedly.

Lita shot him an amused look. "Actually, the Moon does have trees. Small ones, usually, but trees nonetheless."

Nephrite pretended to be stunned. "And here I thought those little things were bushes!"

She chuckled. "No, no, not bushes. Trees."

"As you please," he replied in a courtly manner. Then he looked around. "Lita, the branches obscure the stars. How do you see anything sitting under this—this lovely gargantuan?"

Lita laughed merrily. "I never said I sat under it, did I?"

His dark blue eyes were speculative as he looked down at her. "Then what, pray tell, do you do?"

"I climb the tree." Her face was the picture of innocence.

Nephrite's mouth dropped open. "Princess, you can't be serious," he began.

"I'm perfectly serious." With that, Lita jumped up and caught hold of a lower tree branch. She used it to swing herself onto another branch and twisted so that she was sitting on it gracefully. She gathered up part of her skirt and moved higher in the tree.

"There's a spot up here where you can sit and see the whole sky." Her voice was faint, coming up from high above the dumbstruck General's head. He couldn't believe that she had actually climbed the tree. And she had done so without inadvertently showing anything more than a glimpse of her long legs. Quite a feat.

"Nephrite? Are you coming?"

The brown-haired man came out of his trance and started up the tree. "Do you climb this often?"

"All the time."

When he reached the top, he found Lita leaning up against the trunk of the tree. He sat down next to her on the wide branch, took a look around, and whistled. The branches seemed to all be out of the way here, leaving them with an unobstructed view of the sky straight ahead and above them. Stars sparkled and twinkled brightly.

"This is amazing," he said softly.

Lita nodded. "This is where I come to get away. I especially love to sit out here at night."

"Aren't you afraid you'll fall?"

"No. Why should I be?"

Nephrite gazed at her thoughtfully. "You know, you're not like most women."

"Don't I know it?" Her voice was light, but her green eyes held a trace of sadness.

He heard the wistfulness behind her words. "I would have thought," he said casually, locking his hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky, "that with all of your abilities and charms, you'd have a flock of eager young men asking for your hand."

Lita cracked a wry smile. "I've scared them off," she confessed honestly. "Most of them don't like it that I'm as tall as I am, and they think my...hobbies are completely insane."

"Stargazing and tree climbing?" he hazarded, darting a glance at her.

"Yes." Lita smiled again. "Among other things. Besides, I wouldn't want to have to leave Serenity. It's partly my job to keep her out of mischief."

"Surely young men on Jupiter….?" he began delicately.

She glanced down at her hands, suddenly quite interested in how her fingers entwined. "I haven't been back there long enough to find out, and my parents haven't mentioned anything about an arranged marriage."

"I see." He did see; probably much more than she realized.

Lita was now looking back up at the sky, but Nephrite was unable to follow suit. His eyes were drawn to her. Her courage, loyalty, casual grace, and generous personality combined to make her one of the strongest people he'd ever had the privilege to meet. Some men would no doubt find her imposing, but he only wondered why she hadn't yet come across someone who recognized her for the incredible woman she was.

Not for the first time, Nephrite wondered if he stood a chance. He clasped his hands together and studied her for a moment. "When we arrived on the Moon," he said off-handedly, "the stars told me our lives were going to change forever." He paused. "They were right."

Puzzled, Lita looked over at him. "The stars told you? I know you consider them to be your mentors—"

"They talk to me on occasion. I don't always understand what they say, but…" he shrugged, "Most of the time I can figure it out."

Lita raised her eyebrows. "And they told you that your lives were going to be forever changed?" she asked, amusement lacing the skepticism in her voice.

"More or less."

Lita twisted a little on the branch so she could face him. "What did they mean? You think the Earth will be admitted to the Alliance?"

"Do you?" he countered.

"Yes," she said solidly. Then her emerald eyes flashed. "You didn't answer my question. Is that what they meant?"

A faint smile played around his lips. "I met you, Lita. My life will never be the same."

Lita's green eyes went wide and her heart began to pound erratically. She'd secretly admired and liked the Terran General sitting coolly beside her for weeks and now...now...

Nephrite grabbed her arm, halting her slide off the branch. "Don't fall," he admonished teasingly, but with a serious undertone.

She blushed crimson, and even in the dim light he could see it.

He smiled at her. "You're so pretty when you're turning red."

Lita struggled to compose her flaming face and placed her hands on her hips. "And just what, may I ask, are you saying?" she challenged. She didn't like beating around the bush.

"You know what I'm saying."

"I do?"

"You do."

"And what would that be?"

Nephrite took her hands, knowing this was the right thing to do. "Princess Lita, I've fallen in love with you," he said in a husky voice. "You are without a doubt the most amazing woman I have ever met."

"You love me?" she asked bluntly.

"I love you," he confirmed, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth again.

Lita's face lit up. "I was hoping you felt that way," she said shyly, glancing down at her hands. "Because, you see, I've fallen in love with you too." She looked up and sapphire-blue eyes met soft emerald green ones.

Slowly, they leaned towards each other and met in a gentle kiss. Nephrite thought distractedly he'd never think of trees the same way again.

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

As the days wore on, Mina's feeling that her friends and their visitors from Earth were soul mates intensified. She wasn't sure she could explain it, had someone pressed her to do so, but her intuition could not be shaken. There was most certainly something there.

Out of all of them, Rei was the most amusing—and frustrating—to watch. Things were obviously not going as well between her and Jadeite as they were for everyone else. The blond General's behavior had not changed, but Rei's attitude towards him had taken a 180 degree turn. Mina often caught a wistful look in his blue eyes when he glanced at Rei. It was always gone quickly, but Mina knew he cared.

She wondered what had happened to make things so rocky between them. Rei was capable of so much passion and love, if only she would unlock the door to her heart and let Jadeite in.  Mina sighed and then her face took on a determined look. Perhaps she could find a way to subtly move things along.

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

Rei was doing her best to avoid Jadeite in the evenings. The twilight and peacefulness of nightfall couldn’t induce her to let him get any closer to her if she stayed well away from him. To her mild irritation and reluctance, this plan included leaving Endymion and Serenity alone, since the blond General had figured out her propensity for making sure the Prince was behaving himself.

She scowled darkly, kicking at a fallen bloom from one of the fireflower bushes lining the garden walkway. Things had been going so well. And then…and then…he had started worming his way into her heart.

"Lovely evening for a stroll, wouldn't you say?" a voice drawled from behind her.

Can I never escape him? Rei stopped short and closed her eyes, counting silently. Then she opened her eyes and turned around with an imperious air. "Good evening, Jadeite."

Jadeite approached her leisurely, a hint of a smile on his face. On his way to the gardens, he had passed Mina, who casually mentioned she had seen Rei heading towards the Martian section of the garden. Elated and filled with determination, he had set off to find the raven-haired princess. "Princess, will you do the honor of walking with me?"

Rei hesitated. As much as her mind was screaming at her to say no and walk away, she had missed the camaraderie she and Jadeite had shared before she made the mistake of telling him things he should have never known. "I suppose."

Jadeite offered her his arm and she took it grudgingly. They walked along the paths through the arrangements of Martian flora in silence, both busy with their own thoughts. Rei belatedly realized that they were completely alone. She had wanted privacy and deliberately left the palace without any chaperones, but the plan seemed to have backfired on her. It wasn't likely Jadeite had brought one with him.

As though a giant chasm was being opened between them, the awkwardness of their situation stretched and lengthened. They stood quite close together, but Rei had never felt so far apart from him.

Apparently, Jadeite was feeling the same way, because he suddenly halted. "This is ridiculous."

Rei was surprised, but she refused to let it show. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He turned and took her by the shoulders. "We can't keep dancing around each other like this, Rei. It's not doing us any good."

Rei stared at him. "Have you lost your mind?" she demanded. Jadeite's features were dim, but she could see he was looking down at her with a curious expression on his face.

"Most likely." His grip tightened fractionally on her shoulders, his hands warming her skin through the thin material of her dress. "Would you hit me if I were to kiss you right now?"

Rei didn't miss a beat. "Yes."

"Well, it'd be worth it." Before she had time to react, Jadeite swiftly bent and brushed his lips over hers.

Rei was startled, to say the least. Fire seemed to be running through her body at his touch but her mind refused to accept it. She broke away and raised her hand to strike him, violet eyes all but shooting sparks. He stood quite still, looking unapologetic, and did not even bother to brace himself for the blow.

She didn't touch him. Hand still raised, Rei asked petulantly, "Why did you do that? Do you want me to have to hurt you? Do you want the guards to lock you up for assaulting royalty?"

Jadeite took her free hand and raised it to his lips. His eyes were molten pools of blue, staring at her through the unruly locks of blond hair falling into them. "Like I said before, it'd be worth it. And it was." His voice was low and husky.

"Why?" she demanded angrily, trying to ignore the way her heart began to pound. No one had ever looked at her like that before.

He sighed, but kept his eyes firmly fastened on her face. "Because over the past few months, I've fallen in love with you."

Her hand cracked against his left cheek. "This is not a joking matter," she warned him, eyes still blazing. She could feel panic rising in her chest. This was not the road she wanted to take—she would not let someone treat her the way her sister had been treated.

"I'm not joking. I really do love you, Rei."

"You can't."

Jadeite raised an eyebrow and surveyed her with interest. "Why not?"

"Because you can't," she repeated. Her mind echoed his words. This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

"That's not much of an excuse, Princess. Hearts don't understand things like that." He swallowed, looking for the right words, and a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You are without a doubt the most infuriating woman I've ever met. You're snappy, bossy, opinionated, passionate…and I love the way your eyes blaze when you're angry. You're unique, Rei," he finished gently, "A one-of-a kind treasure. And I love you."

They looked at each other for a long moment and something in Rei's eyes and silence gave him her answer. Jadeite's eyes grew shuttered and he stepped away from her. "I appreciate you trusting me. Rest assured I will never betray that trust."

Something hitched painfully inside Rei. He's saying goodbye, a tiny voice whispered inside her mind.

He paused. "Please… please believe me when I say I love you. I—I understand if you don't feel the same way. After all," he laughed, a trace of bitterness in his voice as he dredged up her earlier words, "Men can't be trusted. You've made your wishes abundantly clear. I'll leave you alone, Princess. Good night."

Jadeite bowed and turned away to walk back to the palace. The ache in his heart throbbed painfully, pushing the pain of his smarting cheek to the back of his mind, and he berated himself for saying anything at all. He'd thought—he'd thought she was beginning to care, beginning to trust him, but was simply having trouble letting her shields down. Obviously, he was wrong.

Rei stood there, staring after Jadeite. His kiss still burned on her lips and her knees were wobbly. What did she feel for him anyway? She'd told him her deepest secret (besides the fact that she was the Senshi of Mars) and he had understood, and even promised to keep the secret for her. What other man would she have ever trusted like that?

A wave of clarity swept over her. She'd never taken the time to think about it until now—had never wanted to think about it before now—but there was a look in his eyes and a smile on his face that he never gave to anyone else. When she spoke, his attention was firmly fixed on her, and she was well aware that his blue eyes followed her around. It had irritated her at first, but she had grown comfortable around him and began to find his attention flattering, though she still stayed aloof.

Rei took a long hard look at herself. She'd kept a prickly hedge around her heart for so long it was hard to open up and let someone in. She had never allowed herself to truly care for a man before; she had always broken off all communication when she felt herself begin to slip down that treacherous path. It had been easier than risking being hurt.

She watched Jadeite's trim figure dwindle in the distance. Though she often pretended otherwise, she enjoyed their lively banter. She enjoyed being around him. He made her happy. She'd woken up with a smile on her face every morning for the past few weeks because she knew he would be there. I can't let him walk away. The past few days of avoidance had been horrible enough.

"Jade!" she called out impulsively, taking a few steps forward. "Wait!"

The blond man stopped in his tracks. Very slowly, he turned to face her. "Yes, Princess?" His eyes, his voice, his whole manner was guardedly hopeful. Has she changed her mind?

Time froze around Rei. Her eyes met his and she saw the humble adoration there, the love. This was a man who would never leave her. She launched herself into his arms, suddenly joyful that there were no prying eyes to see. "I love you too," she whispered into his ear.

Jadeite's mouth fell open in astonishment even as his arms automatically enfolded her. "What did you say?" he choked out, hardly daring to believe his ears.

She kissed his cheek. "I said I love you, Jade."

His arms tightened around her. "Truly?" Hope was burgeoning inside him, filling him with a happiness he could never remember feeling before.

"Yes." Her violet eyes were contrite. "I'm sorry."

Jadeite cupped one side of her face with a hand, brushing some of her black hair out of the way. "I know." He bent his head and brushed his lips over hers.

When they broke apart, Jadeite took a deep, steadying breath and held her gaze. "I love you so much." He felt like he could fly—he could do anything if Rei loved him.

Rei's violet eyes were soft. She didn't need to answer; she merely rested her head on his shoulder and allowed him to hold her close. I can trust him. He really loves me. The thought was balm on her aching heart.

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

That night, Mina discreetly kept an eye out for Rei's return. She hoped everything had been straightened out, and her hopes were confirmed when the Martian princess finally made an appearance. Rei wore a dreamy smile and seemed to be at peace—something that had eluded her for a long time.

Malachite who was reading in the common room he shared with his friends, noticed immediately that something about Jadeite was different. He held back a sigh and shook his head in exasperation. He had resigned himself to the fact that Zoicite, Nephrite, and Endymion were all obviously infatuated, but it had seemed lately that a romance between his younger friend and Princess Rei was not to be. Clearly that had changed.

They're so far gone now there is no chance of return.

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

 

Back to Summary Page