Darkury Pt 5
Thanks to covenmouse for betaing and to verisimilitude9 , satine86 , and apsaraqueen for early reading and thoughts, though it's been fixed since that hour.
I'd say this chapter is less angsty, but that's not entirely true.
Zoisite broke past Jadeite and passed the ball to Nephrite. The larger man dribbled, but was blocked by Kunzite. As the two danced around each other, it seemed to Mercury that they took a ball game as seriously as they took a sword drill.
Nephrite feinted left, then darted past Kunzite. He lobbed the ball through the hoop before the other man could stop him. As it swished through the net, he and Zoisite fist-bumped and made faces at the other two.
She listened to the banter that went back and forth as their game continued. The insults they hurled at each other--claims to have slept with each others’ mothers, taunts of incompetence and impotence--made no sense to her, nor did she understand what they had to do with playing basketball. Despite the seeming cruelty of their words, there seemed to be an easy camaraderie in their laughter. Mercury frowned in confusion.
When they finished, the score was close--21 to 20--with Kunzite and Jadeite having won. They came over to join her, though Zoisite hung back a bit. She looked at the four of them and shook her head. “How can you do this?”
“Well, you dribble the ball, pass it when your teammate has a clearer shot than you do, and shoot when you get an opportunity.” Nephrite grinned.
“I...” Mercury’s forehead wrinkled a bit as she contemplated Nephrite’s anser. “No, I mean, act normally, just playing basketball, like...like we’re not under the thrall of chaos.”
Kunzite shook his head. “Ignore the idiot. As for how...we have to.” He shrugged, taking a drink from his water bottle.
Mercury’s frown deepened. She knew that Kunzite’s intention had been to end the conversation, but she was simply not willing to let it drop. “Does she command you to?”
“No.” Jadeite gave her a small smile as he moved to sit beside her, ignoring the glares from Kunzite and Nephrite. “We do this--try to be normal when we can, have fun, laugh--to maintain our humanity, to try to remember who we are apart from what we’re forced to be. And we do it to forget, even if just briefly.”
“Oh.” Mercury looked between the four of them, surprised at Jadeite’s answer. Kunzite guzzled the last of his water, eyes turned away from her. Nephrite massaged one of his shoulders as he stared a little too nonchalantly into the sun. Zoisite was deeply invested in the rocks on the ground.
Jadeite rolled his eyes at his companions before turning back to focus on Mercury. “If you close in on yourself here, you’ll go crazy. Whatever brought each of us here...well, trust is still necessary, even here.”
“Especially here.” Mercury looked up as Zoisite spoke, their eyes meeting
***
Mercury managed to keep her expression neutral as she straightened from her bow. Audiences with the self-styled queen were never pleasant, but private audiences were almost torturous.
“Lady Mercury, I need your help.” Beryl’s smile would have sent shivers down Mercury’s spine were she not accustomed to it. “There is a matter on which I seek your counsel.”
“Of course, my Queen. I’m yours to command.”
Beryl’s smile grew slightly. Mercury trembled beneath it, fighting the urge to wipe it from the bitch’s face. “Yes, you are.” The woman studied her fingernails for a moment, before gesturing at a seat across from her.
Mercury glanced at the chair, an eyebrow raised. Even in the less formal receiving room Beryl rarely yielded such an advantage. “I believe I prefer to remain standing, Highness.”
“As you wish.” Beryl shrugged slightly, and Mercury hoped she had not taken offense.
For a moment that stretched indeterminably for Mercury, Beryl studied her. She felt her jaw clench involuntarily, but otherwise managed to maintain her equilibrium.
“So, Mercury, tell me. Who should join us next?”
Feeling her stomach drop at the question, she stared at Beryl, ever aware that no amount of self-control could keep the pain from her face.
Beryl merely smirked and once again took to examining her blood-red fingernails. “Well?”
“That would depend upon your goal. What do you wish to accomplish?”
The woman laughed. “I know the Princess. Each loss will hit her personally. Unless you believe that there is one she’ll feel more deeply?” Beryl leaned forward.
Mercury shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. “No.”
“Tell me, if My Prince were found, if Endymion was reunited with his moon whore, would his loss hurt her more than yours has?”
“No.” Opening her eyes, Mercury met Beryl’s. “No, my Queen.”
“And yet he thought she truly loved him.” Beryl shook her head. “It’s rather pitiful. So, back to the matter at hand. Who should join us next?”
“R...” Mercury caught herself. “Mars.”
Beryl looked thoughtful as she considered Mercury’s answer. “Very well. That is all.”
Mercury sketched a half-bow and turned to leave. When she reached the door, Beryl said. “Oh, and Mercury...”
Her hand trembled over the doorknob as she stopped, wanting nothing more than to escape.
“You will speak of this to no one.”
Her eyes closed as she nodded. “Yes, my Queen.”
***
Try as she might, she could not ease the pain of having betrayed the others. She’d vomited once she’d returned to the relative safety of her rooms, and even the water of her bath could bring her no comfort.
She’d not been able to eat, and when the others tried to draw her out, she refused to be coaxed.
Eventually, though, she did emerge from her quarters, when she’d realized she would not able to find solace there. Mercury headed towards the music room, hoping that she could lose herself in the harp.
However, as she drew closer to the room, she heard the clear notes of a piano wafting through the hallway. Mercury sighed and stopped in her tracks. She hesitated, unable to decide if she could continue forward.
The music was haunting, a melody that pulled at her. After a few moments of indecision, she went on, unable to resist what she would find there.
Zoisite was sitting at the piano, as lost in the music as Mercury had hoped to become herself. Mercury could see the that the Shitennou’s eyes were closed as long fingers flew over the keys, playing with intimate familiarity.
Mercury stood watching, taken as much by Zoisite’s absorption as she was by the music itself.
When the music ended, Zoisite’s eyes did not open. “It’s meant to be a duet. You should join me.” A slender hand gestured towards the harp.
Moving past the surprise she felt, Mercury nodded. Taking a breath, she moved to sit at the instrument. Her fingers flew over the strings, running a a couple of arpeggios, before she glanced to Zoisite with a nod.
A slight smile was her answer, before Zoisite began to play again. Looking away from the blond, Mercury turned her attention back to the instrument before her.
Once again, the music washed over, her eyes closing as she listened. She knew the melody, though she did not want to contemplate how or from where. After a few bars, she began once again to pluck the strings, her fingers knowing, instinctively, which notes to play. The music of the harp blended perfectly with the piano, each complimenting the other.
Mercury had no sense of how much time had passed when they finally stopped.
Looking to Zoisite, she saw the other watching her. “It’s good to hear the piece whole again. Thank you.”
“Thank you. I needed that.” Mercury blushed slightly, smiling as she answered.
Zoisite laughed warmly. “I’m sure. Don’t worry, none of us will ask you what she wanted. We’ve learned better.”
“I can’t.” Mercury frowned, remembering why she had needed the respite.
“I know.” Zoisite stood and began to head towards the door.
Taking a deep breath, Mercury called out: “Wait. Stay.”
I'd say this chapter is less angsty, but that's not entirely true.
Zoisite broke past Jadeite and passed the ball to Nephrite. The larger man dribbled, but was blocked by Kunzite. As the two danced around each other, it seemed to Mercury that they took a ball game as seriously as they took a sword drill.
Nephrite feinted left, then darted past Kunzite. He lobbed the ball through the hoop before the other man could stop him. As it swished through the net, he and Zoisite fist-bumped and made faces at the other two.
She listened to the banter that went back and forth as their game continued. The insults they hurled at each other--claims to have slept with each others’ mothers, taunts of incompetence and impotence--made no sense to her, nor did she understand what they had to do with playing basketball. Despite the seeming cruelty of their words, there seemed to be an easy camaraderie in their laughter. Mercury frowned in confusion.
When they finished, the score was close--21 to 20--with Kunzite and Jadeite having won. They came over to join her, though Zoisite hung back a bit. She looked at the four of them and shook her head. “How can you do this?”
“Well, you dribble the ball, pass it when your teammate has a clearer shot than you do, and shoot when you get an opportunity.” Nephrite grinned.
“I...” Mercury’s forehead wrinkled a bit as she contemplated Nephrite’s anser. “No, I mean, act normally, just playing basketball, like...like we’re not under the thrall of chaos.”
Kunzite shook his head. “Ignore the idiot. As for how...we have to.” He shrugged, taking a drink from his water bottle.
Mercury’s frown deepened. She knew that Kunzite’s intention had been to end the conversation, but she was simply not willing to let it drop. “Does she command you to?”
“No.” Jadeite gave her a small smile as he moved to sit beside her, ignoring the glares from Kunzite and Nephrite. “We do this--try to be normal when we can, have fun, laugh--to maintain our humanity, to try to remember who we are apart from what we’re forced to be. And we do it to forget, even if just briefly.”
“Oh.” Mercury looked between the four of them, surprised at Jadeite’s answer. Kunzite guzzled the last of his water, eyes turned away from her. Nephrite massaged one of his shoulders as he stared a little too nonchalantly into the sun. Zoisite was deeply invested in the rocks on the ground.
Jadeite rolled his eyes at his companions before turning back to focus on Mercury. “If you close in on yourself here, you’ll go crazy. Whatever brought each of us here...well, trust is still necessary, even here.”
“Especially here.” Mercury looked up as Zoisite spoke, their eyes meeting
***
Mercury managed to keep her expression neutral as she straightened from her bow. Audiences with the self-styled queen were never pleasant, but private audiences were almost torturous.
“Lady Mercury, I need your help.” Beryl’s smile would have sent shivers down Mercury’s spine were she not accustomed to it. “There is a matter on which I seek your counsel.”
“Of course, my Queen. I’m yours to command.”
Beryl’s smile grew slightly. Mercury trembled beneath it, fighting the urge to wipe it from the bitch’s face. “Yes, you are.” The woman studied her fingernails for a moment, before gesturing at a seat across from her.
Mercury glanced at the chair, an eyebrow raised. Even in the less formal receiving room Beryl rarely yielded such an advantage. “I believe I prefer to remain standing, Highness.”
“As you wish.” Beryl shrugged slightly, and Mercury hoped she had not taken offense.
For a moment that stretched indeterminably for Mercury, Beryl studied her. She felt her jaw clench involuntarily, but otherwise managed to maintain her equilibrium.
“So, Mercury, tell me. Who should join us next?”
Feeling her stomach drop at the question, she stared at Beryl, ever aware that no amount of self-control could keep the pain from her face.
Beryl merely smirked and once again took to examining her blood-red fingernails. “Well?”
“That would depend upon your goal. What do you wish to accomplish?”
The woman laughed. “I know the Princess. Each loss will hit her personally. Unless you believe that there is one she’ll feel more deeply?” Beryl leaned forward.
Mercury shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. “No.”
“Tell me, if My Prince were found, if Endymion was reunited with his moon whore, would his loss hurt her more than yours has?”
“No.” Opening her eyes, Mercury met Beryl’s. “No, my Queen.”
“And yet he thought she truly loved him.” Beryl shook her head. “It’s rather pitiful. So, back to the matter at hand. Who should join us next?”
“R...” Mercury caught herself. “Mars.”
Beryl looked thoughtful as she considered Mercury’s answer. “Very well. That is all.”
Mercury sketched a half-bow and turned to leave. When she reached the door, Beryl said. “Oh, and Mercury...”
Her hand trembled over the doorknob as she stopped, wanting nothing more than to escape.
“You will speak of this to no one.”
Her eyes closed as she nodded. “Yes, my Queen.”
***
Try as she might, she could not ease the pain of having betrayed the others. She’d vomited once she’d returned to the relative safety of her rooms, and even the water of her bath could bring her no comfort.
She’d not been able to eat, and when the others tried to draw her out, she refused to be coaxed.
Eventually, though, she did emerge from her quarters, when she’d realized she would not able to find solace there. Mercury headed towards the music room, hoping that she could lose herself in the harp.
However, as she drew closer to the room, she heard the clear notes of a piano wafting through the hallway. Mercury sighed and stopped in her tracks. She hesitated, unable to decide if she could continue forward.
The music was haunting, a melody that pulled at her. After a few moments of indecision, she went on, unable to resist what she would find there.
Zoisite was sitting at the piano, as lost in the music as Mercury had hoped to become herself. Mercury could see the that the Shitennou’s eyes were closed as long fingers flew over the keys, playing with intimate familiarity.
Mercury stood watching, taken as much by Zoisite’s absorption as she was by the music itself.
When the music ended, Zoisite’s eyes did not open. “It’s meant to be a duet. You should join me.” A slender hand gestured towards the harp.
Moving past the surprise she felt, Mercury nodded. Taking a breath, she moved to sit at the instrument. Her fingers flew over the strings, running a a couple of arpeggios, before she glanced to Zoisite with a nod.
A slight smile was her answer, before Zoisite began to play again. Looking away from the blond, Mercury turned her attention back to the instrument before her.
Once again, the music washed over, her eyes closing as she listened. She knew the melody, though she did not want to contemplate how or from where. After a few bars, she began once again to pluck the strings, her fingers knowing, instinctively, which notes to play. The music of the harp blended perfectly with the piano, each complimenting the other.
Mercury had no sense of how much time had passed when they finally stopped.
Looking to Zoisite, she saw the other watching her. “It’s good to hear the piece whole again. Thank you.”
“Thank you. I needed that.” Mercury blushed slightly, smiling as she answered.
Zoisite laughed warmly. “I’m sure. Don’t worry, none of us will ask you what she wanted. We’ve learned better.”
“I can’t.” Mercury frowned, remembering why she had needed the respite.
“I know.” Zoisite stood and began to head towards the door.
Taking a deep breath, Mercury called out: “Wait. Stay.”