Fic: A Merry Chase
Well, this is a birthday fic for a birthday that was in April. Dear venusorbit1 , sorry for sucking so much and taking so long. I hope you enjoy this, I tried not to kill anyone. You can take that as a measure of how much I like you.
A merry chase
A whirlwind of golden stars appeared in the dark bedroom, casting sudden light on the heavy oak furniture, illuminating the shadowy corners and warming the cool air.
Usually, this would be the moment in which Kunzite would shoot up from his sleeping position, grab his sword and discover the giggling Lady Venus leaning against his bedpost. He would glower, she would laugh, and then they would engage in a little argument before she would toss her hair over her shoulder and walk right past the angered general, out of his bedroom and into the palace.
Only that Kunzite wasn't here this evening.
Stumped, Venus turned on the spot, looking for some silver hair gleaming in the darkness. Thoroughly confused, she peered behind the curtains, in the wardrobe, and even under the bed, but all she found there was dust.
According to her spies, the general was supposed to be here on Earth in the palace, guarding Prince Endymion. Making a mental note to herself to re-evaluate Adonis's spying abilities, she set out to find Serenity. The Moon princess had disappeared from her bed about ten minutes ago and while Venus had known about it the second the irresponsible teenager teleported away, the guardian had decided to let her be happy for a very brief moment before taking her home to the dressing-down of a lifetime. If Endymion were from the Moon, Venus would have left them to their young love, but as a Terran, he was as forbidden as going for a swim in the holy fountain of Mercury. Disgruntled, she nevertheless had to admit that while Endymion was annoyingly persistent, he wasn’t a bad sort and he took care of Serenity while she was on the blue planet. Her princess had never returned home with so much as a scratch and given the girl's extreme clumsiness, Venus put her good health down to Endymion's excellent care.
Not that Serenity needed all that much taking care off in other matters; the young princess could be frighteningly clever when the need arose. Venus had learned it the hard way: convinced that her fellow senshi would support her in trying to keep Serenity away from Earth (these sort of unions were forbidden by royal decree after all), she had been surprised to learn that sweet and gentle Mercury had lost her heart to a Terran nobleman as well and thus fully supported Serenity's relationship. They had met when Endymion showed his beloved and her guardian the great library of his kingdom, a small expedition headed by none other than the Lord Zoisite. Granted, the slim blonde man and Mercury were perfect for each other, truly two peas in a pot, what with their obsession with science and learning, but still! How could Mercury simply abandon the rules they lived by?
When Jupiter volunteered to work on the new intergalactic military committee which was - oh surprise - conveniently presided over by Lord Nephrite, Venus grew suspicious. Her misgivings were confirmed one night when she saw the brunette leaning against the Moon palace's windows with satisfaction in her eyes, heat in her soul and Nephrite between her legs. Afterwards, it didn't take long to find out that Serenity had played matchmaker for both Mercury and Jupiter, arranging casual run-ins between her senshi and her lover's shitennou.
Immediately consulting Mars, the two of them scolded and scorned, but to no avail. Every time Jupiter or Mercury were on guard duty, Serenity would slip away (or rather be waved off, Venus thought viciously) and spend whole nights with Endymion while hers and his guard frolicked around in some of Earth's darker corners.
And then one fateful evening, Venus's last ally fell. Serenity had tipped Jadeite off that the Martian princess loved almond chocolates and blue roses and that was that.
Now Venus was the last one standing. Luckily, Kunzite didn’t show any inclination to declare his hot and burning passion for her. Not that Venus believed him capable to even so much as spell the word passion: the man was as cold as a fish. Which made riling him up so much fun, Venus had decided. Always ambitious, she quickly found out that the best way to get under his skin was to teleport directly into his chambers and thus disrupt his rare hours of respite. If pushed hard enough, his cheeks could turn the loveliest shade of red and thus brighten the dreary task of retrieving Serenity.
But tonight there was no fun to be had, Venus realised as she hurried through empty corridors. She had disguised herself as a maid, exchanging her customary thin silk dress for the robust uniform of a Terran servant girl. She was actually quite fond of the apron that she had tied around her waist, it emphasised her curves in the best of ways. But since there was nobody around to appreciate those curves - not that she wanted there to be anyone, she hastily assured herself - the whole exercise was in vain.
Now where on earth was Serenity? Venus checked the rose garden, hurried onto the library (already knowing that the chances of finding Serenity of all people near a book were slim to none), dipped into the kitchen (where she spotted a batch of muffins that looked distinctly like the ones Jupiter always made for birthdays) and finally even to Endymion's private chambers. Of course she couldn't open those damn doors, there were so many protective charms on them that they could guard the silver crystal, but Venus hammered against them anyway, knowing that Serenity wouldn't be able to suppress a giggle should she be inside. But there was no sound from the other side of the room; the wily royal wasn't there. “Where on earth is that girl?” Venus huffed, as close to stomping her foot as a princess and guardian of the Silver Alliance could possibly get.
A chuckle from the other end of the corridor had her whipping around and blue eyes met brown. “Nephrite!” “Hello Lady Venus, fancy meeting you here.” Impossibly tall and broadly built, Nephrite seemed to fill half of the corridor with ease. It was obvious why Jupiter liked him. Men on the Moon were smaller than their Terran counterparts and Jupiter herself was quite tall. But couldn't she have fallen for a nobleman from Uranus? People there were practically giants and marrying them was perfectly legal. Faced with the object of her friend's affection and the reason for a very vocal fight between the women earlier that day, Venus smiled sweetly and walked towards him. “The muffins in the kitchens look lovely.” His happy expression disappeared instantly and for a moment, there was panic in his eyes. So Jupiter hadn't told him that Venus knew about their relationship. Interesting.
“Our cooks are very good. I'll let them know you admired their work.” Venus fought back a grin and nodded. “Oh, please do. If I run into one of them, I'll make sure to do the same.” Watching him squirm under her eyes, she changed the topic to the one nearest and dearest to her heart - she would deal with Jupiter once Serenity was tucked safely into her own bed. “Where's my princess?”
“No idea,” Nephrite shot back, a sly grin appearing on his own face. The silly man obviously thought he was out of the deep end already. “What a bad liar you are, sir,” she almost whispered and moved towards him, each step graceful, her hips swaying and her eyes twinkling. “When I ask you something, you better tell me the truth, or you will soon find that there won't be any more- … muffins here on earth. I command the muffins, you see. Now again: where is my princess?” Narrowing his eyes, Nephrite stared at her. No, they would not become the best of friends tonight, Venus thought, knowing that she had won this battle. “They're in the small temple outside the palace. The one in the fir forest.” Not wasting a second, Venus hurried past him. Damn Serenity had to hide in one of the scariest parts of Endymion's kingdom! Wolves and monsters and who knew what else roamed this forest, Kunzite himself had told her so during one of their many arguments. Feeling even more put out than before, Venus turned on the spot and walked backwards for a few steps, bestowing a truly wicked smile on Nephrite.”I'll let your prince know that you value your private entertainment more than his secrets, I'm sure he'll understand.” And with that, she turned the corner and was out of his sight.
It took her almost an hour to reach the vicinity of the small temple in the forest and with each step, she could feel her anger mounting. Numerous branches slapped her in the face as she strode through the forest and she fiercely wished that this stupid temple could be relocated to a desert. And she hated that she was made to look a fool in front of Endymion's guardians, who apparently all supported this forbidden union! Now that she couldn't even count on Mars, a small part of her conscience had to wonder whether it was right to insist on keeping Earth and Moon apart. Mars was usually such a good moral compass. But she was sworn to protect Serenity, had given her allegiance to the Queen and was bound by holy pledges. It didn't matter what she thought, it didn't matter what she felt (not that she felt anything, there was nothing to feel), the only thing that mattered was what she had promised in the sacred ceremony all those years ago.
“Must be very annoying not to matter, especially with an ego as big as yours.” There was no mistaking that snide voice anywhere. Not breaking her stride, Venus continued her walk into the darkness, hoping that her sense of orientation hadn't failed her. If she wasn't mistaken, then the temple would be behind the next hill, in the small valley that formed near the lake. Jadeite fell into step beside her. Well, better him than a wolf.
“Ever since when can you make yourself invisible?” she asked the telepath, angry that he had caught her when she was pondering a topic so delicate. His response was a laugh. “Oh yes, sure, laugh at me, this is all very funny.” Feeling her temper rise again, she concentrated on the image of Mars's father and her older brother, clad in their best and most vicious looking armour. “We'll see how funny they find all this sneaking around.” Sobering up, Jadeite gripped her arm, forcing both of them to stop. “You wouldn't dare-”
“Of course I would. But as long as Serenity is safe, Mars can do whatever she wants. Give me my princess and I'll let you keep your lover. Simple as that.”
“You know, you don't look nearly as evil as you are.”
“I'll take that as a compliment.” Jadeite let go of her arm and after a mock bow, she moved further into the darkness. He didn't follow her.
Of course, she continued to trip and stumble more than she actually walked. There were countless thick roots crawling over the ground, making it impossible to move at a decent speed and speed was of the essence here. Because of the new moon and the thick cover of the trees, there was very little light and her eyes were unaccustomed to this kind of darkness. On the moon, the light of the stars was never dimmed. But it was black and cold down here and Venus really wanted to be home. Home meant either the moon or her own planet, but she wished she could simply lock herself in a safe room where she had a moment to process these new thoughts that had risen inside her. Should she simply let Serenity be? What was the harm in allowing the princess to be with Endymion? She had been raised to follow the rules, but wasn't it time for some new ones that allowed for the chances time had wrought? Earth was no longer as barbaric as it was two-hundred years ago and with Endymion as its king, the blue planet could have a glorious future. Her sisters had already found happiness here and they were fine, completely unharmed. There was a tinge of regret gnawing at her bones; it wasn't like her to be as harsh as she had been to Jadeite. They usually got along well, always sharing a laugh or two.
Finally, she reached the top of the hill and looking down, the temple came into her vision, shining brightly and banishing all the dark creatures of the night. There were countless torches lit all around its white walls and only one lone figure to guard it. Venus knew that she would meet either Zoisite or Kunzite at this stage, and was not surprised to find that it was the former. Making her way down the hill and into the valley, she had to resist a smile. The temple was beautiful and beauty always had its way of touching her heart. Involuntarily, her steps slowed down and she moved more leisurely, looking at the temple, the way the stars and the fire of the torches lit up the smooth surface of the lake and at Zoisite, who was perched on the stairs, a book in hand and the white gloves of his uniform beside him. When she drew close, he smiled at her, and she couldn't find it in herself to snap at him. He still looked like a boy rather than a man and she knew that he was kind. He couldn't have won Mercury's love otherwise.
“She in there?” Venus asked and sat down next to the youngest general. He nodded, a smile firmly on his lips. “Will you take her home now?” Taking in the scenery, Venus leaned back on her elbows and shrugged.
“In a bit.” The night was not silent, she could hear the waves running against the shore, the owls crowing in the woods and the wind rising and falling around them. There was no sound coming from the inside of the temple though, not even a whisper. A glimmer of panic rose in Venus's heart: Serenity wasn't one for being silent.
“What are they doing in there? It's awfully quiet.” Her voice didn't betray her worry, years of being in charge of the guard had taught her to hide her feelings. Beside her, Zoisite was completely unconcerned. “They're praying. Kunzite is with them.”
At once thoroughly calmed, she stretched out her legs. The blue skirt of the servant's dress was not as long as her own clothes and ended shortly above her ankles. Her sandal-clad feet were dirty from running through the forest and she saw a number of small cuts on them. Great. She was sure that she would find some matching bruises on her legs; she had bumped against more than one tree and bush on her way here. It was only now that she knew that her princess was safe that she finally felt how cold and tired she was.
“Don't be too upset with her,” Zoisite suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts, “she only wants to be happy.”
Throwing him a reassuring look, Venus smoothed her skirt.“Don't worry, it's not the first time she came down here and it won't be the last.”
“Remember that in five minutes.”
The sound of footfalls behind her had her turning around. Kunzite was walking out of the temple and it took her a moment to realise what was off. Venus drew herself back together into a sitting position, craning her neck to get a better look at him.
“Why aren't you wearing your uniform?” Dressed in brown leather breeches and a simple white shirt, he looked years younger. The man even slept in his uniform, as Venus knew from her many unannounced visits in his bedroom, and she always teased him that with his white hair and rigid way of dressing, he looked less like a man of 25 and more like a wise elder pushing hundred. He smiled and she could swear that it even reached his eyes. They were green, like the leaves of a tree in the summer sunshine. “You're not dressed like you usually do yourself,” he responded, his voice not altogether disapproving. The corners of her mouth turned upwards and Venus looked down, playing with the hem of her apron, suddenly conscious of how slinky it fit around her small waist. “Better for all of us, my being in disguise, isn't it?”
Zoisite got up, book in one, gloves in the other hand. “Well, I'll leave you to it.”
“Leave us to what?” Venus immediately asked and shot to her feet as well.“There's nothing to get to. Nothing to get to at all. Stay. I'll be off in a minute anyway.”
Smiling, Zoisite shook his head. His eyes didn't look like that of a boy, there was the uncanny shimmer of wisdom in them. In such a young face, the sight was a bit unsettling, even though Venus knew he was not one to mean harm. “No, I'll see you soon. Goodbye, Lady Venus. Remember your promise of letting her come back.” And with that he walked towards the edge of the lake, following its margin until he disappeared from sight.
What with Kunzite standing next to her, Venus felt that she couldn't sit back down again. She would have to get Serenity and leave. It was always easier when it was just him and her bickering in his bedroom. Once of twice, they had actually even talked, long conversations that continued until the sun rose in the east. But only once. Or twice. It didn't matter. He was as cold as a fish and she was bound by vows too strong to break. A blush was spreading over her cheeks and while she didn't know where it came from, she did know that she wanted it go away. “Well, I really need to leave,” she said and caught his eyes. He looked down at her (and Venus noticed for the first time that he was even taller than Nephrite) and nodded. Stupidly, Venus nodded too. “I need to call Serenity.” He continued to look at her, face unmoving. Feeling incredibly insecure, a feeling she was not accustomed to, Venus half turned and made a move for the temple. A warm hand stopped her, catching her own.
“Our servants wear boots,” he whispered, his deep, dark voice dancing. “I'll make sure that you'll find a pair in my wardrobe. For your next visit.”
She nodded once more, her throat dry, and quickly hurried into the temple.
Inside, she found Endymion and Serenity kneeling side by side, surrounded by an ocean of candles, a priest standing in front of them, hands outstretched in a gesture of blessing. Serenity turned around, a wide smile on her face and gold ring on her right hand.
“Oh hell no!” Venus exclaimed.
Outside, Kunzite laughed.
The End
A merry chase
A whirlwind of golden stars appeared in the dark bedroom, casting sudden light on the heavy oak furniture, illuminating the shadowy corners and warming the cool air.
Usually, this would be the moment in which Kunzite would shoot up from his sleeping position, grab his sword and discover the giggling Lady Venus leaning against his bedpost. He would glower, she would laugh, and then they would engage in a little argument before she would toss her hair over her shoulder and walk right past the angered general, out of his bedroom and into the palace.
Only that Kunzite wasn't here this evening.
Stumped, Venus turned on the spot, looking for some silver hair gleaming in the darkness. Thoroughly confused, she peered behind the curtains, in the wardrobe, and even under the bed, but all she found there was dust.
According to her spies, the general was supposed to be here on Earth in the palace, guarding Prince Endymion. Making a mental note to herself to re-evaluate Adonis's spying abilities, she set out to find Serenity. The Moon princess had disappeared from her bed about ten minutes ago and while Venus had known about it the second the irresponsible teenager teleported away, the guardian had decided to let her be happy for a very brief moment before taking her home to the dressing-down of a lifetime. If Endymion were from the Moon, Venus would have left them to their young love, but as a Terran, he was as forbidden as going for a swim in the holy fountain of Mercury. Disgruntled, she nevertheless had to admit that while Endymion was annoyingly persistent, he wasn’t a bad sort and he took care of Serenity while she was on the blue planet. Her princess had never returned home with so much as a scratch and given the girl's extreme clumsiness, Venus put her good health down to Endymion's excellent care.
Not that Serenity needed all that much taking care off in other matters; the young princess could be frighteningly clever when the need arose. Venus had learned it the hard way: convinced that her fellow senshi would support her in trying to keep Serenity away from Earth (these sort of unions were forbidden by royal decree after all), she had been surprised to learn that sweet and gentle Mercury had lost her heart to a Terran nobleman as well and thus fully supported Serenity's relationship. They had met when Endymion showed his beloved and her guardian the great library of his kingdom, a small expedition headed by none other than the Lord Zoisite. Granted, the slim blonde man and Mercury were perfect for each other, truly two peas in a pot, what with their obsession with science and learning, but still! How could Mercury simply abandon the rules they lived by?
When Jupiter volunteered to work on the new intergalactic military committee which was - oh surprise - conveniently presided over by Lord Nephrite, Venus grew suspicious. Her misgivings were confirmed one night when she saw the brunette leaning against the Moon palace's windows with satisfaction in her eyes, heat in her soul and Nephrite between her legs. Afterwards, it didn't take long to find out that Serenity had played matchmaker for both Mercury and Jupiter, arranging casual run-ins between her senshi and her lover's shitennou.
Immediately consulting Mars, the two of them scolded and scorned, but to no avail. Every time Jupiter or Mercury were on guard duty, Serenity would slip away (or rather be waved off, Venus thought viciously) and spend whole nights with Endymion while hers and his guard frolicked around in some of Earth's darker corners.
And then one fateful evening, Venus's last ally fell. Serenity had tipped Jadeite off that the Martian princess loved almond chocolates and blue roses and that was that.
Now Venus was the last one standing. Luckily, Kunzite didn’t show any inclination to declare his hot and burning passion for her. Not that Venus believed him capable to even so much as spell the word passion: the man was as cold as a fish. Which made riling him up so much fun, Venus had decided. Always ambitious, she quickly found out that the best way to get under his skin was to teleport directly into his chambers and thus disrupt his rare hours of respite. If pushed hard enough, his cheeks could turn the loveliest shade of red and thus brighten the dreary task of retrieving Serenity.
But tonight there was no fun to be had, Venus realised as she hurried through empty corridors. She had disguised herself as a maid, exchanging her customary thin silk dress for the robust uniform of a Terran servant girl. She was actually quite fond of the apron that she had tied around her waist, it emphasised her curves in the best of ways. But since there was nobody around to appreciate those curves - not that she wanted there to be anyone, she hastily assured herself - the whole exercise was in vain.
Now where on earth was Serenity? Venus checked the rose garden, hurried onto the library (already knowing that the chances of finding Serenity of all people near a book were slim to none), dipped into the kitchen (where she spotted a batch of muffins that looked distinctly like the ones Jupiter always made for birthdays) and finally even to Endymion's private chambers. Of course she couldn't open those damn doors, there were so many protective charms on them that they could guard the silver crystal, but Venus hammered against them anyway, knowing that Serenity wouldn't be able to suppress a giggle should she be inside. But there was no sound from the other side of the room; the wily royal wasn't there. “Where on earth is that girl?” Venus huffed, as close to stomping her foot as a princess and guardian of the Silver Alliance could possibly get.
A chuckle from the other end of the corridor had her whipping around and blue eyes met brown. “Nephrite!” “Hello Lady Venus, fancy meeting you here.” Impossibly tall and broadly built, Nephrite seemed to fill half of the corridor with ease. It was obvious why Jupiter liked him. Men on the Moon were smaller than their Terran counterparts and Jupiter herself was quite tall. But couldn't she have fallen for a nobleman from Uranus? People there were practically giants and marrying them was perfectly legal. Faced with the object of her friend's affection and the reason for a very vocal fight between the women earlier that day, Venus smiled sweetly and walked towards him. “The muffins in the kitchens look lovely.” His happy expression disappeared instantly and for a moment, there was panic in his eyes. So Jupiter hadn't told him that Venus knew about their relationship. Interesting.
“Our cooks are very good. I'll let them know you admired their work.” Venus fought back a grin and nodded. “Oh, please do. If I run into one of them, I'll make sure to do the same.” Watching him squirm under her eyes, she changed the topic to the one nearest and dearest to her heart - she would deal with Jupiter once Serenity was tucked safely into her own bed. “Where's my princess?”
“No idea,” Nephrite shot back, a sly grin appearing on his own face. The silly man obviously thought he was out of the deep end already. “What a bad liar you are, sir,” she almost whispered and moved towards him, each step graceful, her hips swaying and her eyes twinkling. “When I ask you something, you better tell me the truth, or you will soon find that there won't be any more- … muffins here on earth. I command the muffins, you see. Now again: where is my princess?” Narrowing his eyes, Nephrite stared at her. No, they would not become the best of friends tonight, Venus thought, knowing that she had won this battle. “They're in the small temple outside the palace. The one in the fir forest.” Not wasting a second, Venus hurried past him. Damn Serenity had to hide in one of the scariest parts of Endymion's kingdom! Wolves and monsters and who knew what else roamed this forest, Kunzite himself had told her so during one of their many arguments. Feeling even more put out than before, Venus turned on the spot and walked backwards for a few steps, bestowing a truly wicked smile on Nephrite.”I'll let your prince know that you value your private entertainment more than his secrets, I'm sure he'll understand.” And with that, she turned the corner and was out of his sight.
It took her almost an hour to reach the vicinity of the small temple in the forest and with each step, she could feel her anger mounting. Numerous branches slapped her in the face as she strode through the forest and she fiercely wished that this stupid temple could be relocated to a desert. And she hated that she was made to look a fool in front of Endymion's guardians, who apparently all supported this forbidden union! Now that she couldn't even count on Mars, a small part of her conscience had to wonder whether it was right to insist on keeping Earth and Moon apart. Mars was usually such a good moral compass. But she was sworn to protect Serenity, had given her allegiance to the Queen and was bound by holy pledges. It didn't matter what she thought, it didn't matter what she felt (not that she felt anything, there was nothing to feel), the only thing that mattered was what she had promised in the sacred ceremony all those years ago.
“Must be very annoying not to matter, especially with an ego as big as yours.” There was no mistaking that snide voice anywhere. Not breaking her stride, Venus continued her walk into the darkness, hoping that her sense of orientation hadn't failed her. If she wasn't mistaken, then the temple would be behind the next hill, in the small valley that formed near the lake. Jadeite fell into step beside her. Well, better him than a wolf.
“Ever since when can you make yourself invisible?” she asked the telepath, angry that he had caught her when she was pondering a topic so delicate. His response was a laugh. “Oh yes, sure, laugh at me, this is all very funny.” Feeling her temper rise again, she concentrated on the image of Mars's father and her older brother, clad in their best and most vicious looking armour. “We'll see how funny they find all this sneaking around.” Sobering up, Jadeite gripped her arm, forcing both of them to stop. “You wouldn't dare-”
“Of course I would. But as long as Serenity is safe, Mars can do whatever she wants. Give me my princess and I'll let you keep your lover. Simple as that.”
“You know, you don't look nearly as evil as you are.”
“I'll take that as a compliment.” Jadeite let go of her arm and after a mock bow, she moved further into the darkness. He didn't follow her.
Of course, she continued to trip and stumble more than she actually walked. There were countless thick roots crawling over the ground, making it impossible to move at a decent speed and speed was of the essence here. Because of the new moon and the thick cover of the trees, there was very little light and her eyes were unaccustomed to this kind of darkness. On the moon, the light of the stars was never dimmed. But it was black and cold down here and Venus really wanted to be home. Home meant either the moon or her own planet, but she wished she could simply lock herself in a safe room where she had a moment to process these new thoughts that had risen inside her. Should she simply let Serenity be? What was the harm in allowing the princess to be with Endymion? She had been raised to follow the rules, but wasn't it time for some new ones that allowed for the chances time had wrought? Earth was no longer as barbaric as it was two-hundred years ago and with Endymion as its king, the blue planet could have a glorious future. Her sisters had already found happiness here and they were fine, completely unharmed. There was a tinge of regret gnawing at her bones; it wasn't like her to be as harsh as she had been to Jadeite. They usually got along well, always sharing a laugh or two.
Finally, she reached the top of the hill and looking down, the temple came into her vision, shining brightly and banishing all the dark creatures of the night. There were countless torches lit all around its white walls and only one lone figure to guard it. Venus knew that she would meet either Zoisite or Kunzite at this stage, and was not surprised to find that it was the former. Making her way down the hill and into the valley, she had to resist a smile. The temple was beautiful and beauty always had its way of touching her heart. Involuntarily, her steps slowed down and she moved more leisurely, looking at the temple, the way the stars and the fire of the torches lit up the smooth surface of the lake and at Zoisite, who was perched on the stairs, a book in hand and the white gloves of his uniform beside him. When she drew close, he smiled at her, and she couldn't find it in herself to snap at him. He still looked like a boy rather than a man and she knew that he was kind. He couldn't have won Mercury's love otherwise.
“She in there?” Venus asked and sat down next to the youngest general. He nodded, a smile firmly on his lips. “Will you take her home now?” Taking in the scenery, Venus leaned back on her elbows and shrugged.
“In a bit.” The night was not silent, she could hear the waves running against the shore, the owls crowing in the woods and the wind rising and falling around them. There was no sound coming from the inside of the temple though, not even a whisper. A glimmer of panic rose in Venus's heart: Serenity wasn't one for being silent.
“What are they doing in there? It's awfully quiet.” Her voice didn't betray her worry, years of being in charge of the guard had taught her to hide her feelings. Beside her, Zoisite was completely unconcerned. “They're praying. Kunzite is with them.”
At once thoroughly calmed, she stretched out her legs. The blue skirt of the servant's dress was not as long as her own clothes and ended shortly above her ankles. Her sandal-clad feet were dirty from running through the forest and she saw a number of small cuts on them. Great. She was sure that she would find some matching bruises on her legs; she had bumped against more than one tree and bush on her way here. It was only now that she knew that her princess was safe that she finally felt how cold and tired she was.
“Don't be too upset with her,” Zoisite suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts, “she only wants to be happy.”
Throwing him a reassuring look, Venus smoothed her skirt.“Don't worry, it's not the first time she came down here and it won't be the last.”
“Remember that in five minutes.”
The sound of footfalls behind her had her turning around. Kunzite was walking out of the temple and it took her a moment to realise what was off. Venus drew herself back together into a sitting position, craning her neck to get a better look at him.
“Why aren't you wearing your uniform?” Dressed in brown leather breeches and a simple white shirt, he looked years younger. The man even slept in his uniform, as Venus knew from her many unannounced visits in his bedroom, and she always teased him that with his white hair and rigid way of dressing, he looked less like a man of 25 and more like a wise elder pushing hundred. He smiled and she could swear that it even reached his eyes. They were green, like the leaves of a tree in the summer sunshine. “You're not dressed like you usually do yourself,” he responded, his voice not altogether disapproving. The corners of her mouth turned upwards and Venus looked down, playing with the hem of her apron, suddenly conscious of how slinky it fit around her small waist. “Better for all of us, my being in disguise, isn't it?”
Zoisite got up, book in one, gloves in the other hand. “Well, I'll leave you to it.”
“Leave us to what?” Venus immediately asked and shot to her feet as well.“There's nothing to get to. Nothing to get to at all. Stay. I'll be off in a minute anyway.”
Smiling, Zoisite shook his head. His eyes didn't look like that of a boy, there was the uncanny shimmer of wisdom in them. In such a young face, the sight was a bit unsettling, even though Venus knew he was not one to mean harm. “No, I'll see you soon. Goodbye, Lady Venus. Remember your promise of letting her come back.” And with that he walked towards the edge of the lake, following its margin until he disappeared from sight.
What with Kunzite standing next to her, Venus felt that she couldn't sit back down again. She would have to get Serenity and leave. It was always easier when it was just him and her bickering in his bedroom. Once of twice, they had actually even talked, long conversations that continued until the sun rose in the east. But only once. Or twice. It didn't matter. He was as cold as a fish and she was bound by vows too strong to break. A blush was spreading over her cheeks and while she didn't know where it came from, she did know that she wanted it go away. “Well, I really need to leave,” she said and caught his eyes. He looked down at her (and Venus noticed for the first time that he was even taller than Nephrite) and nodded. Stupidly, Venus nodded too. “I need to call Serenity.” He continued to look at her, face unmoving. Feeling incredibly insecure, a feeling she was not accustomed to, Venus half turned and made a move for the temple. A warm hand stopped her, catching her own.
“Our servants wear boots,” he whispered, his deep, dark voice dancing. “I'll make sure that you'll find a pair in my wardrobe. For your next visit.”
She nodded once more, her throat dry, and quickly hurried into the temple.
Inside, she found Endymion and Serenity kneeling side by side, surrounded by an ocean of candles, a priest standing in front of them, hands outstretched in a gesture of blessing. Serenity turned around, a wide smile on her face and gold ring on her right hand.
“Oh hell no!” Venus exclaimed.
Outside, Kunzite laughed.
The End