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

      Against All Odds

   A Sailormoon Fanfiction
   by dejanatalis@aol.com

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

       Chapter Eight

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


	It was an evening outlined in blue on the calendar that sat on 
the desk in Queen Serenity's office. And so, it rained. The sun went 
down, the sky clouded and the stars were blotted out, the thunder 
rumbled a warning and the water came down from the sky. Throughout the 
gardens, the plants, accustomed to rain being a rare boon granted 
arbitrarily by the Queen, swiftly stretched out their stems and spread 
out their roots beneath the ground to drink up the blood of life as it 
fell on the surface of the Moon. With the waning Earth hidden by the 
clouds, it was dark and gloomy, and the rain came down swiftly in 
sheets so it could be over as soon as possible. It was a perfect night 
to be miserable.
	Alone in her bedroom, listening to the rain pound against the 
marble balcony outside, Princess Serenity lay on her bed and did just 
that. Although she had had more free time than usual this evening, she 
had refused all company with the excuse of illness; even that of Sailor 
Venus, who knew the truth. Serenity knew she could not keep this up for 
long, especially after her lateness that morning. Her mother would soon 
grow worried and send healers to her. For the moment, however, she 
didn't care. In her entire life, she had never felt as much pain as she 
did on this night.
	Her entire body still ached. Her muscles were stiff and sore, and 
her palms and feet throbbed painfully. It had been an exhausting day of 
forcing herself to walk properly in glass slippers despite her blisters 
and keeping the rope marks on her hands carefully turned away from all 
eyes. When Serenity had finally retired and was able to remove the 
painful shoes, she had been glad of the long skirts of her dress; she 
discovered her feet had been rubbed raw and bloody.
	Still, she suffered in silence, keeping her wounds a secret from 
everyone and bearing the pain that she considered a fit punishment 
without complaint. Destiny had given her the gift of true love and she 
had thrown it away for a life she dreaded.
	That Endou - no, Endymion. What was he thinking, putting so much 
pressure on her all in one night? All Serenity wanted was to be with 
him and he just would not stop reminding her of the obstacles in their 
way. He was her sanity, her distraction, her-
	Her distraction. The bitterness in Serenity's stomach rolled 
away, to be replaced by shame. She had been using Endo - no, Endymion - 
to distract her from her unhappiness, as an excuse to forget her 
responsibilities for a while. Every day she had to go back to the world 
of frills and propriety, but at night, with End - Endymion, she was 
free. Her lover was her air supply as she drowned in a cold and empty 
life. Desperate only for that release and reveling in it, she had not 
taken the time to think about anything else. Indeed, when had she last 
put some serious thought into any of the issues that cluttered her 
life? Endymion had offered distraction and she had eagerly accepted.
	What a fool she had been. Princess Serenity rolled her stiff body 
onto its side and curled up into a ball. Had she thought she could 
continue this indefinitely, never having to choose between her lover 
and the life she had been born to? Never facing the consequences of her 
actions? Her time with Endymion had been a dream, but it could not last 
forever.
	Endymion had known that. While Serenity was ignoring reality in 
favor of temporary pleasure, he had been thinking of ways to save their 
relationship. Which of them, then, had a true sense of responsibility? 
A deep feeling of guilt came over the Princess. Surely Endymion had 
friends and a life here on the Moon, but he had been willing to give it 
all up for their love. For Serenity. And she had thought him a fool.
	For a brief, terrifying moment, Serenity wondered if she truly 
loved Endymion at all. Her heart trembled in her chest and the rain 
seemed to beat harder and colder on the Moon outside. Would she have 
fallen for any man who offered her tenderness and understanding? The 
chill of uncertainty crept over her body, and she pressed her hands to 
her face.
	There, she found reassurance in the bracelet of orange beads 
around her wrist. Not every man would have braved a maze of gardens 
filled with guards to return a trinket such as this. Endymion was more 
than just any man, and Serenity loved him for it. She loved his 
sweetness, and his compassion, and the way he leaned around her to hold 
doors open. She loved how he teased her and dared laugh in her presence 
although she could easily have imprisoned him for it. She loved the way 
his hair constantly brushed the corners of his eyes and his habit of 
rubbing the back of his neck when he felt awkward. Most of all, she 
loved the way she felt in his arms, when he surrounded her with his 
warmth and his security and his love and for a few moments made her 
feel as if nothing in the entire universe could harm her. No other man 
could ever make her feel like that.
	What had she done?
	Before she knew it, Serenity had climbed off her bed, hurried 
over to her wardrobe and reached into the small space against the wall 
behind it. Her fingers closed on a bundle of cloth, and she tugged it 
out of its hiding place. The rough brown cloak unfurled in her grasp, 
the rope wrapped within it tumbling to the floor.
	With shaking hands, the Princess pressed the tough material to 
her face and breathed deeply. The scent of roses, the fragrance of her 
beloved, filled her lungs and swirled through her head. Just breathing 
that scent brought all the lovely memories of her love affair back in a 
rush: the horseback rides, the conversations, the walks through the 
garden, the comfort of his arms and his scent surrounding her...
	Shuddering from head to toe, Serenity sank to her knees on the 
floor, clutching the cloak against her chest and crying bitter tears 
into its scratchy fabric. With every breath came the smell of roses and 
the miserable regret it brought, as well as the knowledge that it was 
too late to go back to the way things were. She had made her choice and 
now she had to live with it.

	Rain, Endymion decided, was exactly what he needed right now. He 
stood outside on the grass beside his hut, his face tilted up toward 
the dark, overcast sky, letting the rain pour down its torrent upon 
him. It was often said that rain was the essence of life, a blessing to 
be treasured, but Endymion had always found rain days gloomy. At the 
moment, it certainly fit his mood.
	The rain splattered against his face, running into his eyes, 
soaking his hair and his clothes until both were plastered against his 
body. He slowly relaxed, forcing his tense muscles to yield to the 
battering of the raindrops, letting his arms hang limply from his 
shoulders as streams of water ran from his fingertips. He accepted the 
punishment of the heavens without resistance, although the warmth of 
his home beckoned from behind him.
	It had been a rainy night like this one when Endymion had first 
felt that he loved her, although he had not admitted it to himself at 
the time.
	Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? The stable hand squeezed 
his eyes shut more tightly and clenched his fists, but he could not 
banish Princess Serenity from his mind. The rain could not wash away 
her rosy smile, her bright blue eyes, her silky pale hair. He longed 
for the sound of her voice and the touch of her hand as much as the 
grass beneath him hungered for the rain. He had wanted to be with her 
forever, to see the light of love in her eyes every day for the rest of 
their lives, but he had not meant as much to her.
	Ah, yes, the pretty pampered Princess in her lovely world of 
crystal and glass. He had been a fool to think she would leave all that 
for an Earth-born stable hand. He was nothing to a woman of Serenity's 
education and breeding; why would she choose him when she was being 
handed a crown? He was little more than a shoulder to cry on, a 
temporary comfort.
	Endymion flinched at the memory of the many nights he had spent 
holding the Princess as she wept. Whatever else may have been false, he 
could not deny that those tears were real. He sighed, hanging his head, 
letting the rain-soaked strands of hair cling to his face. Serenity did 
not want to marry the Prince of Earth; he knew that for certain. Yet, 
she was choosing to marry him just the same, even when Endymion offered 
her an escape. Why? Because other people told her to? What kind of 
mother would arrange a loveless marriage for her daughter anyway?
	His beloved's mother, the Queen of the Moon. Queen Serenity. 
Endymion shuddered from a chill that had nothing to do with the rain. 
He knew his beloved was a Princess, which, obviously, made her the 
daughter of a Queen, but he had never given much thought to what that 
meant. For the most part, he did not want to think of it.
	Queen Serenity, the woman that the people of Earth worshipped as 
a goddess. As the servants never saw their elegant ruler, but all knew 
of her power, many of them believed in her divinity as well. Endymion 
was in love with the daughter of a goddess, a woman with divine blood 
in her veins. The very thought made him tremble. Princess Serenity was 
so like other women when he was with her, all emotion and body just 
like any of her future subjects, that it was easy for Endymion to 
forget what he was really dealing with. There were those in the stables 
who would consider his love sacrilege, if they knew.
	Yet, Endymion knew firsthand that the Princess was flesh and 
blood, a woman with wants and needs like everybody else. It was the 
citizenry of the Moon Kingdom that saddled her with the roles of ruler 
and goddess. That was a tremendous responsibility for a young woman 
and Serenity had endured it throughout her entire life. The people of 
the Moon depended on her to take care of them.
	What would happen to the Moon Kingdom if Princess Serenity 
abandoned her home? The Queen had matters well in hand, but the kingdom 
would be left without an heir. Endymion did not know what powers the 
monarch possessed, but she had lived a long time; it was more likely 
than not that she would be unable to raise another successor. What 
would follow then? Anarchy at worst, bitter rivalry at best, and 
without the power of the Silver Crystal behind the throne the Moon 
could not remain habitable for long. Not to mention the Earth's 
reaction to the disappearance of its Prince's fiance; war would be likely.
	With these chilling thoughts, the cold and damp of the pouring 
rain finally began to set in, and Endymion retreated to the warmth of 
his hut. With a few logs of the dense long-burning wood that the 
kingdom imported from Jupiter and some kindling from Saturn, he soon 
had a meager but very warm fire crackling in the small stone hearth 
built into the hut wall. Endymion sat close to the fire for a long 
time, staring into the flickering flames, but the chill inside him did 
not go away.
	Of course Princess Serenity would refuse to go to Earth with him. 
No matter what her own feelings were, she was not selfish enough to 
throw entire worlds into chaos for her own personal happiness. If she 
were, Endymion would not have fallen in love with her. 
	His eyes kept straying to the rose in its plain mug of water on 
the table - such an unsuitable container for such a precious gift. Even 
as a child, the Princess had ignored his rosy skin and shabby clothing 
and had seen only a potential new friend. Her choices had nothing to do 
with Endymion's blood or position. He had been foolish to ever imagine 
it could be otherwise. Serenity was beautiful and elegant as the rose, 
an elite among flowers, but she was also as tender and fragile. What he 
had said to her had been nothing short of cruel.
	And now it was over and he had never even told her that he was 
the boy she still wondered about. Yes, he could try to go to her and 
apologize, but if they could not be together, wasn't it better this 
way? If she remained angry with Endymion, it might be easier for her to 
move on.
	Of course, there was no way for Endymion to ease his own guilt 
and pain. In the end, he was alone and he had lost the woman he loved 
with all his heart. Without Serenity, there was a bitter emptiness 
inside him that gnawed away at his spirit, a yawning hunger that could 
never be satisfied, a deep loss that could never be forgotten. When he 
closed his eyes, all he could see was her smile, and when he opened 
them, her hair danced in the flames that flickered before him. He knew 
his heart would never be rid of her and the coming years of life on 
the Moon would be excruciating. Endymion would live out his life in the 
shadow of his beloved's home as she married, had children, became Queen 
and forgot about him. Perhaps Endymion would go to Earth alone, once 
the public teleportation stations on the planet were reopened. There 
was always a chance that he could find his family.
	Still, at that moment, it was hard for Endymion to imagine that 
he might ever be cured of Serenity's smile. He lay back on the wood 
floor beside the hearth, staring up at the ceiling of the small hut he 
called home. Setting the gold star locket on his chest, Endymion opened 
it, closed his eyes and listened to the light lilting melody long into 
the night. A few stray tears slowly slipped from the corners of his 
eyes.
	He had no way of knowing the simple fact that the locket still 
sang proved Serenity still loved him.

	It was an uneasy, awkward breakfast. None of the Sailor Soldiers 
could fail to notice Princess Serenity's unusually quiet and somber 
mood. When they asked if she was still ill, the Princess assured them 
she was well again, but she merely nibbled at her food through most of 
the meal, and her eyes were downcast. The soldiers tried to engage her 
in conversation, but Serenity answered their questions as briefly and 
neutrally as she could. Several times, Sailor Mars tensed and looked 
about to demand to know what was troubling her Princess, but a touch on 
the arm and a jerk of Mercury's head stopped her. There were servants 
present.
	As the attendants began clearing the dishes away, the double 
doors of the private dining room opened and Queen Serenity glided into 
the room. The Sailor Soldiers got to their feet immediately and turned 
to face the monarch. The Princess looked up from the untouched goblet 
of juice she had been holding.
	"Are you ready, my dear?" the Queen asked her daughter. Her 
attendants were gathered just outside the room, ready to leave again. 
The Princess shot to her feet. She had completely forgotten; today she 
was to pray to the Crystal Tower for the first time. 
	Venus, of course, knew the Princess' schedule by heart.
	"Are you sure you feel up to this?" the orange-suited soldier 
asked gently, giving the Princess a meaningful look.
	"I am fine," Serenity insisted firmly. "Arrange for me to take 
luncheon with my fiance today, will you, Venus?" she added, turning 
away from the blonde warrior. If she did not go forward with the day of 
prayer as planned, her mother would grow even more suspicious. Indeed, 
the skepticism was plain in the Queen's eyes as her daughter 
approached. Princess Serenity focused her gaze on the woman's nose, 
hoping to hide the emotions her eyes would betray.
	"Serenity, look at me." The Ruler of the Moon reached out a hand 
to tenderly brush a stray lock of hair off the golden crescent on her 
daughter's forehead. Inwardly, the Princess cursed her mother's gift of 
perception. Delving deep into all the resources she possessed, drawing 
from all the years of training she had been through, Princess Serenity 
banished all thought from her mind, pulled the best mask she could 
muster over her face, and looked bravely into her mother's eyes.
	Queen Serenity blinked. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at her 
daughter, searching, questing for what lay beneath the practiced blank 
look. The Princess waited calmly, unwavering.
	"Are you sure you are all right?" the Queen asked at last.
	"Yes, Mother." The young Princess barely dared breathe, but she 
forced herself to stay relaxed. The intensity faded from her mother's 
face.
	"Very well, then. Let us go." The monarch turned and left the 
dining room. Her daughter hurried to her side as they moved through 
the corridors of the castle within a cloud of attendants. Princess 
Serenity felt a bit guilty. She had won, or so it seemed, but at what 
cost? Her mother had always been able to see what really lay in 
Serenity's heart no matter how hard she tried to hide it, but that lack 
of privacy had led to many a heartfelt and comforting conversation. If 
the Princess began keeping her sorrows secret now, would her 
relationship with her mother grow cold?
	On the other hand, it seemed to Princess Serenity that her 
feelings mattered less and less to her mother as time wore on. The last 
time she had confessed her true emotions to the Queen had been the 
night of her engagement, and her mother had done nothing to help her. 
It seemed the Princess was now expected to accept what she was given 
without question, so what could be gained by complaining?
	Still, although the Queen's face as they walked was as neutral 
and serene as always, the Princess somehow got the distinct impression 
that her mother sensed the growing space between them as well and was 
saddened by it. Now that the Princess considered it, who on the Moon 
was her mother close to? Who was by Queen Serenity's side, supporting 
her through the difficult times? 
	There was Luna, of course, and Artemis, but they were Mauans who 
dwelled on the Moon only because of a contract that could be 
renegotiated at any time. None of the Queen's servants could truly be 
called friends, and in the life the ruler's position allowed, there was 
really no one else, save a few long-distance acquaintances among the 
royal families of the other worlds in the Silver Alliance. If she and 
her daughter could not be friends, Queen Serenity would be very much 
alone.
	The Princess shuddered slightly. Was such a lonely life her fate 
as well? She had the Sailor Soldiers, but lately they seemed to be 
growing apart, and the odds of her husband-to-be becoming a close 
companion were almost nothing. Her best chance at a lifelong friend and 
partner, the stable hand Endymion, had been wasted.
	Endymion...
	Serenity drew herself together before sad thoughts could cause 
her to falter in her steps - the blisters on her feet were still 
painful and it took most of her concentration to prevent herself from 
limping - and resolved not to think about the stable hand any more. 
That relationship was over and it was best if she moved on before 
anyone else began to suspect it existed. If she did not want to be 
lonely as Queen, the most important task ahead of her was to win over 
the Earth Prince, at least as a friend.
	Now they reached the waiting room where the Queen's entourage 
would remain until their mistress returned from the Crystal Tower. Over 
the past months, this place had become very familiar to Princess 
Serenity. She waited politely while her mother opened the heavy marble 
doors to the grassy courtyard hidden at the heart of the Moon Castle. 
Along with her mother and Luna, she entered the sacred place, which was 
beginning to feel almost like coming home after a long journey.
	"Now, you know what to do," Queen Serenity instructed her 
daughter as they stood beside the entrance to the inner sanctum, the 
small building from which the tower of prayer rose into the sky in a 
flawless spike. The lack of ceremony seemed strange for such a 
momentous occasion, but the secrecy and restrictions surrounding the 
sanctuary made formality pointless. 
	"Clear your mind of all thought save for the continued safety and 
stability of the Moon Kingdom," the ruler continued. "The Silver 
Crystal will read the desires of your heart and will make them 
reality."
	Unbidden, an image of Endymion's smiling face materialized in the 
mind of the Princess. She quickly shoved it aside and concentrated on 
what her mother was saying. What was she doing thinking of him at a 
moment like this?
	"The first time you commune with the Silver Crystal may be an 
intense experience," the Queen warned, "but do not fear. I will be with 
you." Luna gave the Princess an encouraging smile. The younger girl 
nodded, trying to remain calm, but she was dreadfully nervous. This was 
only the first of the new duties she would undertake as Queen and she 
wanted to get it right.
	Queen Serenity pressed her hand against the ornately-carved 
silver door, and it swung open, revealing only darkness within. She 
gestured to her daughter to enter first. The Princess took a deep 
breath and stepped forward. No matter how many times she entered this 
place, she always felt uneasy stepping blindly into complete darkness. 
She crossed the threshold into the temple and her mother followed, the 
door closing behind them.
	As usual, when the door clicked shut the shadows lifted away and 
a white glow illuminated the room. When Princess Serenity entered this 
place for the first time, the light had been nearly blinding, but over 
time the Silver Crystal had learned to recognize her as the Moon 
Queen's daughter and the shine that greeted her now was soft, gentle, 
and friendly.
	Clenching her hands into fists to stop them from trembling, the 
Princess approached the wide base of the Crystal Tower as she had seen 
her mother do. She gathered her skirts in her hands and slowly knelt 
down in front of the glowing spire, ignoring the stiffness of her 
muscles, her eyes watching the tower warily for signs of rejection. She 
did not sense her mother nearby but she could feel the Queen's eyes on 
her; most likely she was standing by the wall in the Princess' usual 
place.
	The young heir to the Moon bowed her head, pressed her lacerated 
palms together in front of her chest and closed her eyes. Forcing 
herself to breathe calmly, Serenity focused her thoughts and desires on 
the health and security of her kingdom, mentally directing them toward 
the Crystal Tower as best she could.
	For a long moment, nothing happened. Princess Serenity began to 
feel sick with worry, wondering if she was doing something wrong, but 
at last the tower of prayer responded.
	Her eyes were closed, but light exploded everywhere and a 
tingling, warm wave of energy flooded through her entire body. The 
lingering dull, throbbing ache in her muscles and feet vanished and she 
felt as if she were floating in a gentle sea of warmth. The pressure of 
the floor against her knees faded away and, through her closed eyelids, 
a perfect flawless jewel sparkled into view.
	There were faces, too, ghostly images that danced on the edge of 
her mind's eye, figures that vanished whenever Serenity tried to see 
them properly but reappeared a moment later on the boundaries of her 
view. They danced around the glittering Silver Crystal, whispering 
without sound, speaking without words, welcoming the successor to the 
throne of the Moon Kingdom and asking for her wish.
	Remembering her mission, Princess Serenity concentrated on the 
kingdom she would one day be responsible for and prayed with all her 
strength for its continued safety and prosperity. The voices 
surrounding her paused to listen as she fervently wished for the Moon 
Kingdom to last forever.
	The faces doubted her. They looked into Serenity and saw 
something deeper, something hidden. She prayed for the Moon with all of 
her mind, but not with all of her heart. The voices asked again, 
demanding to know her true wish.
	The Princess resisted, focusing her thoughts on the Moon as she 
had been taught, praying for a successful marriage to Prince Endymion 
and another era of peace and security for her kingdom and all the 
planets of the Silver Alliance. That was what she wanted.
	The ghostly beings refused to believe her. That was not her true 
desire!
	Serenity argued back, concentrating more fiercely on the future 
as her mother wanted it. Yes, yes, it was!
	The Silver Crystal would grant no favors to liars who denied the 
truth of their own hearts. The faces lunged. Princess Serenity 
recoiled, sealing her secrets tightly, covering them up and 
sequestering them away, but the shadowy figures battered against her 
efforts and the voices howled away her strength. The Silver Crystal 
attacked her defenses relentlessly, demanding the truth.
	What was her true desire?!
	It escaped. An image slipped from Serenity's grasp and floated to 
the surface, blazing its message in bold colors and lights, refusing to 
be hidden any longer.
	A happy life with the man she loved. Endymion.
	Yes, yes, that was what she really wanted, more than anything!
	At this confession, the voices and faces immediately fell back, 
satisfied. The glow of the Silver Crystal once again became warm, 
comforting, friendly. As the light began to fade, Princess Serenity was 
given a final warning: to ask nothing that she did not ask with all her 
heart. The Silver Crystal could see straight into her soul.
	Suddenly, there was pressure on her shoulder. The world came 
rushing back, reality flooding in like a wave as the floor 
rematerialized beneath Serenity's legs and the silence of the temple 
returned. She opened her eyes. The light in the room had gone back to 
normal, the Crystal Tower faintly incandescent, and her mother's hand 
was on her arm.
	Overwhelmed and trembling, the Princess unclasped her hands and 
let her mother help her unsteadily to her feet. To her surprise, her 
shoes no longer hurt her. All of her injuries had been healed. Her 
mind, however, was badly shaken. She felt weak, drained from the inside 
out, and a dreadful shame was settling in as she realized what had just 
happened in the embrace of the Silver Crystal. She had not done what 
she had been charged to do.
	The Queen was looking at her with a stricken expression of worry 
and concern. Princess Serenity reached up to her own face and 
discovered tears rolling down both cheeks, soaking her skin. She opened 
her mouth to speak, but the Queen swiftly placed a finger over her 
daughter's lips to silence her. They could not talk in this place. 
Quaking as she clung to her mother's arm, the Princess allowed herself 
to be led out of the sanctuary.

	When it came time for lunch, Serenity was still too unsettled to 
eat. She picked at her food as she and her fiance avoided each other's 
gaze. She had had good intentions for this meal when she asked Sailor 
Venus to arrange it, but things were different now. The Silver Crystal 
had forced her to stop denying the true desires of her heart.
	She loved Endymion, the stable hand, and she did not want to lose 
him. A life without him by her side was not a life she wanted. All 
things, even the Moon Kingdom itself, paled in comparison to her 
yearning and need for him. No number of years or duties could make her 
feel differently.
	As if that were not a disaster in itself, she had said as much to 
the Silver Crystal. She had wished selfishly, and she dreaded the 
results more and more with every passing moment. Serenity had lied to 
her mother and said she had prayed properly, but she had wished for a 
happy and peaceful life with Endymion instead. She had betrayed her 
mother's trust.
	Serenity looked up at the Earth Prince across the table and 
pitied him. He seemed so young, so unready for this, and he was all 
alone on a world of people whom his subjects worshipped as gods. Not 
only that, but he was bound to marry a woman who could never love him. 
Serenity had blamed the Prince for the lack of emotion between them, 
but now it was her feelings that doomed their union.
	He leaned his auburn-haired head heavily on one hand and stabbed 
a fork at his plate with the other, looking utterly miserable. Prince 
Endymion's blue eyes were downcast and Serenity felt she could almost 
recognize a bit of her own sadness in his demeanor. She shook herself 
inwardly; there was no reason for her to treat him so heartlessly.
	"I trust you have been able to find ways of amusing yourself here 
on the Moon, Prince?" she asked timidly, breaking the silence.
	"Sometimes," the blue-eyed boy muttered, barely glancing up at 
his fiance. "It is not easy alone." Serenity blushed with regret. She 
could not deny that she had been avoiding him.
	"I apologize," she said quietly. "My duties have kept me busy of 
late. I will try to make some time to spend with you, if you wish."
	"Do not concern yourself," the Prince replied shortly after 
swallowing his last bite of bread. "My guardians should be joining me 
soon."
	"Still, until then-"
	"There is no need." The young man began to eat noticeably faster, 
obviously eager to escape the company of the Princess. Now Serenity 
remembered why she disliked him; remembered that he was a rude, brusque 
stone with a bitter heart. Her grip tightened on her fork and knife.
	"You are not exactly making this easy," she muttered in 
annoyance. "We are going to be together for a long time, Prince."
	"What do you want from me, Princess?" her fiance sighed. "I told 
you I can never love you. I thought we had an understanding on that."
	"Is friendship too much to ask?" Serenity asked, barely keeping 
her voice from becoming a hiss. "Or even a single civilized 
conversation?" Had she really given up a magical relationship with a 
man who truly loved her for the lifelong company of this heartless 
shell?
	"You told me to be honest with you," the Prince reminded her, 
narrowing his eyes. "Do you want to go back to feigned courtship, to 
play out the public roles that have been scripted for us in private as 
well?"
	"No, but after all I've sacrificed for this, I would appreciate a 
little respect!" Princess Serenity grabbed the stone hanging around her 
neck and shook it at her fiance. "These chain us together for life! We 
might as well make the best of it!"
	"Do you think you're the only one who feels that weight?" Prince 
Endymion demanded, gesturing at his own pendant. "Do you think this is 
the life I wanted? I was the heir to the most powerful kingdom on 
Earth! I have sacrificed my throne, my freedom, my friends, all hope of 
love-"
	"You, Prince Endymion, do not know the meaning of love." The Moon 
Princess glared at her fiance as her heart cried out for the company of 
the stable hand who shared his name. They stared at each other over the 
table, fuming, fire in their eyes and anger in their hearts. The Earth 
Prince's face, twisted with fury, was suddenly eerily familiar to 
Serenity. He and Endymion rather resembled one another when they were 
angry. As the stable hand's expression was usually gentle and the 
Prince's was usually stoic, she had never noticed any similarity 
before.
	"I, Princess, understand love and sacrifice quite well," the 
auburn-haired man spat. He snatched his napkin off his lap and slammed 
it down on the table with such force that the goblets and plates 
jumped, then got out of his chair and stomped out of the room.
	Serenity watched him go without making a single move to stop him. 
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized she had probably 
destroyed whatever small chance remained of their becoming friends, but 
she did not care. She knew what she wanted, and it was not Prince 
Endymion.

	Evening approached. Although the dome of atmosphere on the Moon 
was thin and artificial, it still caught and bent the light as the sun 
slid toward the horizon, spreading an orange and pink glow across the 
landscape. As the shadows lengthened, the buildings of the city took on 
a fiery hue that shifted and changed over time, and the streets became 
lazy rivers of gold.
	With his eye pressed against the telescope in the castle 
observatory, Artemis ignored the picturesque beauty of the sunset. He 
had sent the assistants home for the night long ago but continued 
working alone, focusing on the sun as it faded from yellow to orange, 
filling page after page of his record book with notations. The sunspot 
activity had been increasing steadily all day and now, oddly enough, 
the dark regions seemed to be collecting on one area of the sun's 
surface.
	Artemis had already sent word to observatories in other cities, 
but the most advanced equipment was here in the castle, and soon the 
Moon would enter the Earth's shadow and the sun would be lost to them 
all. This was terribly poor timing for a Day of Shadow, known to 
watchers on Earth as a lunar eclipse, when every point on the entire 
Moon would be plunged into darkness for hours. Although he was a 
scientific man, Artemis could not help wondering if this was more than 
mere coincidence.
	Fortunately, due to Queen Acidalia's influence, the Ruler of the 
Moon was as concerned about the activity on the sun as her Mauan 
advisor. Queen Serenity had agreed to alter the Moon's rotation 
slightly to provide more time for observation. Throughout the afternoon 
the spin of the Moon had gradually slowed, the change so slight that it 
was imperceptible to the average citizen. The day and the following 
night would seem long to the Lunarians, but by the next morning, time 
would again be flowing normally. Artemis had one extra hour to observe; 
after that, communications from the other planets would have to 
suffice.
	As it was, his hour was almost up. The orange star was falling 
toward the rim of the world, the bottom edge of the glowing disc about 
to impact the distant ridges that marked the borders of ancient 
craters. Artemis' eyes hurt from staring through the lenses, but he 
could not tear his eyes away. Another sunspot darkened, then another 
and another, until a corner of the sun almost seemed to be boiling with 
them...
	Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light at the center of 
the bruise that had developed on the star. Something flaming erupted 
from the sun's surface and streaked away from its point of origin. It 
was small enough not to be visible to the naked eye, but through the 
telescope Artemis could see it clearly, a blazing ball of fire that 
shot like a comet across space. His mouth hanging open, the Mauan 
traced the sun-born object's path through the sky. It seemed to be 
heading for the Earth, whose hulking blue-green body was following the 
sun toward the horizon on its way to block out the star.
	As Artemis watched, his pen having fallen to the floor as he went 
limp with shock, the light dimmed during its journey through the void. 
The edges remained flaming longest, forming an outline of utter 
blackness that cut across the sky. Even with his advanced equipment, 
Artemis could not find any distinguishing marks whatsoever on the 
object's surface. As it cooled in the vacuum of the cosmos, the flames 
flickered and died out, and the coal-black mystery vanished against the 
background of darkness formed by outer space. It had still been 
following a direct course for Earth.
	The white-haired man straightened up, blinked, and rubbed his 
eyes. He was alone in the room and had no sketches of the event. Had 
he hallucinated the fiery object after staring at the sun too long? 
This worry was short-lived as the communications panel against a nearby 
wall began to beep. Correlating reports were coming in from other 
observatories.

	Sailor Mars was irritated.
	She was a Sailor Soldier, part of the keystone of the Moon 
Kingdom's military and the right hand of the Queen - and she didn't 
know what was going on.
	It was obvious that there were secrets afoot in the castle. 
Artemis had come down from the observatory with a thick book full of 
notes and a face as white as snow, and had stolen Sailor Mercury right 
out of the Sailor Soldiers' meeting. The other three of them waited 
patiently for the Queen to summon them for their briefing on the 
situation. Darkness fell and the light crystals flickered into life. 
No summons ever arrived. 
	Mercury returned hours later, well into the night, and 
apologetically explained that Queen Serenity had sworn her to secrecy 
on the matter until all the facts were in. The meeting ended bitterly.
	It had not been a productive meeting to begin with; Sailor 
Mercury was not the only one keeping secrets from her fellow soldiers. 
They all knew there was something going on with the Princess, but Venus 
was stubbornly silent on the matter, saying only that the problem had 
resolved itself. By the sound of things, Jupiter was jealous of her 
leader's sudden special closeness to the Princess, and Mars had left 
the meeting incredibly frustrated. They were supposed to be a team. How 
could they work together if they kept secrets from each other?
	Annoyed at being left out of the loop, Sailor Mars resolved to do 
a little investigating on her own. She returned to her chambers alone 
and, retrieving a silver key from its hiding place, opened the door to 
the special room Queen Serenity had prepared for her when she first 
came to the Moon Kingdom.
	It was a small version of a Martian Temple of the Infinite, 
designed to focus one's psychic abilities and duly consecrated by a 
spiritual advisor visiting from the home world. It was dark, the walls 
and ceiling painted shades of red and black, and the floor had been 
dusted lightly with sand from the surface of the fourth planet. Sailor 
Mars sighed with pleasure as she stepped into the comfort of her home 
away from home, glad to be placing her shoes in the soil of her planet 
and surrounding herself with artifacts and artwork from her people.
	After tying her long violet hair back with a ribbon, Mars added a 
few short square logs of the precious alta wood to the small round fire 
pit in the center of the room and knelt on the soft sand in front of 
it. It was considered disrespectful to light the fire directly with her 
powers, but a slight effort of concentration was all that was needed to 
set a nearby splinter of wood alight, which the soldier then used to 
kindle the edges of the logs into flame.
	The outer surface of alta wood was extremely flammable and the 
fire crept around the logs quickly, but the denser wood inside could 
burn for hours. Sailor Mars closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she 
waited for the flames to settle into the alta, opening her lungs to 
receive the first tendrils of fragrant smoke that rose from the sacred 
material. The burning wood produced a sweet and spicy odor that 
permeated the rose-tinted smoke it released, which soon filled the 
small chamber and brought memories of home to Mars' mind. The thin 
smoke could cause disorientation and hallucinations in the untrained, 
but for Martians it was a powerful enhancer that gave them clear, 
strong views through their inner eye.
	When the alta smoke was singing in her blood, Sailor Mars was 
ready to begin. Reaching down to her waist, she unfastened the red 
stone that was attached to the dip in her uniform where the white 
bodysuit met the skirt. The brooch was a gift from Queen Acidalia and 
augmented the soldier's natural talents with the ancient strength of 
the Royal Family of Mars. She pressed it between her gloved palms and 
lifted her arms, bowing her head to bring the stone near her forehead. 
In this position, Mars opened her mind to the Infinite.
	The entire flow of the cosmos became tangible to the red-suited 
soldier, and as she knelt on the sandy floor she could feel the very 
flow of time itself rushing past her. Events spiraled off into the 
past, vanishing into oblivion, and ahead loomed the shadowy indistinct 
shapes of incidents yet to occur. Most concerned about the subject of 
Artemis' urgent meeting with Queen Serenity, Sailor Mars first focused 
on the fate of the Moon Kingdom.
	In her mind, she pulled back from the smoke-filled room where she 
knelt and soared high above the surface of the Moon, looking down on 
the castle and the city that surrounded it. Trusting in the red brooch 
to guide her, Mars let time spin forward gently, watching the sun rise 
and set and the kingdom continue about its business as usual. She had 
done this many times before, watching the realm she protected continue 
its peaceful existence until the fog of uncertainty grew too thick to 
see through.
	This time, however, the soldier was not watching for long. Almost 
immediately the grayness of undetermined fate was gathering, blotting 
out her view. Within mere weeks, an uncertain future plunged the entire 
Sol system into an indistinct blur. Confused, Sailor Mars focused all 
the effort she could muster on her red jewel, but it was the same. The 
future was closed to her.
	Another dead end. Frustrated, Mars drew her consciousness back to 
her body and the feeling of the sand beneath her and the smoke filling 
her lungs came flowing back. After taking a moment to reorient herself, 
the soldier refocused her efforts. If she could not discover what was 
threatening the stability of the kingdom, she could at least make sure 
the Princess was all right. Taking a deep breath of the alta smoke, 
Mars began again, this time focusing on the young woman she was sworn 
to protect.
	The first sense that came to her was a feeling of utter despair, 
an overwhelming sadness and loss that nearly shook Mars out of her 
trance with its intensity. Princess Serenity was hurting terribly. 
Despite what Venus had said, the issue was definitely not resolved.
	Deeply concerned now, Sailor Mars delved into the cosmic record, 
desperate to find out what had hurt Serenity so badly. The red brooch 
grew hot between her palms and a vision shimmered into the view of her 
mind's eye. It was the face of a young man with dark hair, stormy eyes, 
and the tanned skin of an Earth-born laborer. Behind the image, various 
scenes flickered by: a pond, a stable, a field, a beach, a balcony - 
and a kiss. Several kisses.
	Sailor Mars' eyes shot open.

	In the darkness of her chambers, Princess Serenity lay awake in 
bed, eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. The thought of actually 
trying to sleep had not entered her mind; there was no room for it. She 
had lived through the evening as if in a dream. Adele had washed her, 
dressed her in her nightgown and brushed out her long pale hair, but 
Serenity was only vaguely aware of the process. Now she lay like the 
dead beneath her blankets, unable to think of anything but the warmth 
of his arms and the softness of his voice and the aching of her heart.
	She had thought she could go back to her normal life and 
eventually put all that had happened out of her mind, but it was 
impossible. Without him, she was nothing. His eyes were the sky, and 
his hair was the sea, and his flesh was the world they lived on. 
Without them, what else was there? All the beauty of the Moon Kingdom 
was pale and empty without Endymion by her side.
	She longed for him, wanted him desperately with everything she 
was. Her lips burned for his kiss, ached to feel his mouth pressed 
against hers, his breath on her cheeks and his tongue meshing with her 
own. Just the thought of it was enough to make her sigh with desire. 
Could she really endure the rest of her life never again experiencing 
the intense rush of passionate love?
	No. It was impossible. Her fiance was cold to her, her friends 
were too busy for her, and her mother cared only for the succession. 
Endymion was the only one who truly loved her for who she was, who made 
her feel like a woman. She could not survive a life without seeing him, 
nor could she let their relationship end the way it had. She had to 
apologize, to tell him how she felt. She had to see him again.
	Throwing the blankets aside, Serenity climbed out of bed and 
hurried to her dressing table. It took a few tries, especially in the 
darkness of night, but she managed to tie her hair up properly in its 
twin buns. If she left it down, it would hinder her climb down the 
rope. Then she crossed the room to her wardrobe and reached between it 
and the wall to retrieve the rope and the stable hand's brown cloak.
	They were not there.
	Serenity crouched beside the furniture and groped around behind 
and under it, searching with her arm for the rolled-up bundle, but she 
found nothing. There was only empty space. Her means of escape was 
gone.
	A dreadful emptiness settled into the Princess' stomach. She was 
trapped in a marble cage. Numbly, she rose to her feet, returned to the 
dressing table and sat down heavily in the chair. Perhaps this was a 
sign that she had been about to make the wrong decision.
	With trembling fingers she lifted the engagement pendant off the 
table and hung it slowly around her neck, then stared at her reflection 
in the mirror. It was a beautiful stone, and it matched her eyes 
perfectly, giving her an air of elegance even in only her simple silk 
nightgown. Her face was solemn and empty, but she was every bit a grown 
woman, a mature adult with all the training of a worthy ruler.
	Serenity, Queen of the Moon, with Earth's Prince Endymion as her 
King. Perhaps that fate would not be as unpleasant as she feared. She 
would have a daughter of her own, after all. The blessings of the 
Ancients decreed it. Perhaps they would become close...
	The small silver bell hanging beside the main door of Serenity's 
chambers jingled, a signal from the guards outside that someone wished 
to enter. The Princess leapt out of the chair and rushed back to her 
bed, yanking the covers over her body as Adele's footsteps left her 
room and crossed to the door. The door was opened. There were quiet 
voices in low tones, and then someone entered the sitting room and the 
door closed behind them.
	"Leave us." It was the voice of Sailor Venus.
	Serenity bolted upright in her bed, her mind racing with possible 
reasons for the Sailor Soldier to be visiting her at this time of 
night. She heard Adele's door close, and then a white-gloved hand 
pushed the bedroom curtain aside. Sailor Venus entered, her gentle face 
set in a solemn expression of resignation. In her arms, she carried a 
bundle of cloth. Stepping toward Serenity, the blonde soldier tossed 
the bundle onto the bed, and it unrolled into a rough cloak and a 
length of rope.
	"V-Venus," the Princess stammered, staring at the secret items 
and the woman who had brought them. "What-"
	"I took them," Venus confessed, hanging her head and averting her 
eyes. "I wanted to stop you from changing your mind and going back to 
him. I tried to convince myself that it was only an infatuation, just a 
game that you would be better to forget, that there was no possible way 
you could truly love him. Only a few minutes ago did I realize that I 
was wrong."
	Sailor Venus moved closer and sat down on the edge of the bed, 
glancing at her Princess out of the corners of her eyes.
	"Love is not a simple thing," the soldier continued. "It can come 
from anything - a word, a glance, a touch, even - even a picture." At 
this, Venus looked away, and a slight blush colored her cheeks. 
Serenity furrowed her brow curiously, but the orange-suited soldier did 
not explain.
	"I have not met this man of yours," Venus said, "but I know what 
my senses tell me, and you do truly love him. You are an intelligent 
woman, Serenity. You deserve the freedom to make your own choice." She 
looked over at the Princess, in bed in her nightgown but with her hair 
properly styled for an outing. "From the look of you, you have already 
made it."
	Serenity bit her lip and nodded her head slowly, her fingers 
reaching out to grasp the edge of the rough brown fabric sprawled over 
the silk sheets of her bed. Venus gave her Princess a warm smile.
	"Well, then, you had better hurry."
	Sailor Venus helped Princess Serenity out of her nightgown and 
into her usual dress and glass slippers, both of them ignoring the 
usual frills and extras that went with the clothing in favor of haste. 
Serenity breathed deeply as she wrapped herself in Endymion's cloak. 
The scent of roses was still there. Butterflies raged in her stomach, 
but she did her best to remain calm as the leader of her guardians 
hugged her and carefully lowered her to the ground, leaving the rope 
tied beside the wall as usual. Serenity hurried off into the gardens, 
trying to ignore the worry that threatened to consume her.
	What if Endymion did not forgive her?

	There was a slight bite to the air this night, the sort of faint 
chill that was not quite cold but made those outdoors glad of their 
cloaks. Not having one, Prien stuffed his hands in his pockets and 
wondered absently if the Queen was planning to bring winter soon. He 
bowed his head against the breeze as he hurried into the cluster of 
buildings where he and the other castle servants lived. The settlement 
was nearly deserted; the next day was a day of rest for most of the 
workers, and they were entertaining themselves in the city. Prien had 
been at the tavern himself, but it just wasn't the same with his friend 
Endymion in such low spirits.
	Thinking about the distraught young lover, Prien could not help 
but sigh. Endymion was devastated. He had started the day well, sharing 
friendly smiles with his fellow servants as usual, but by the afternoon,
his light was gone. His steps were as heavy as his heart, his eyes were 
downcast, and even simple tasks seemed like an impossible struggle for 
him. Throughout the day, Prien had lent a sympathetic ear to an endless 
stream of lamentation: If only he could see her again. If only he could 
hold her one more time. If only he could tell her he was sorry. After 
Endymion left him, Prien wandered about on his own for a while, racking 
his brain for ways he might help his friend. There was a long road 
ahead of them and he did not know if they would ever reach the end of it.
	Rounding a corner, Prien came across a strange sight. A small 
figure covered by a dark cloak was wandering among the huts, alone and 
obviously confused. A woman, Prien decided by the stranger's quick 
lightfooted movements and slight build beneath the cloak. She seemed 
lost, flitting from house to house and looking around wildly, yet she 
shrank into the shadows if anyone came near.
	The hooded cloak was too long for her and dragged along the 
ground. Even from a distance, Prien could tell it was the kind owned by 
many of the servants, but the woman did not carry herself like a 
commoner even though she was trying to be inconspicuous. Now that he 
thought about it, Prien had not seen Endymion wear his cloak in quite 
some time.
	Prien nearly choked. Could it possibly be? Although he knew of 
Endymion's relationship with the Princess, nothing could have prepared 
him for the reality of her presence. The heir to the throne of the 
Moon, the most powerful position in the Silver Alliance, was a mere few 
huts away from him.
	Vertigo made the blond man unsteady on his feet as he hurried 
forward, his first thought to prevent the Princess from exposing 
herself. She had to be looking for Endymion's hut. She wasn't far off; 
Prien glanced over and found his friend's home just across the way and 
a few huts down. To his relief, there was light flickering in the 
windows. Endymion was at home.
	Heart pounding in his chest, Prien shook out his arms in an 
attempt to stop his hands from trembling. Maybe he was wrong. Perhaps 
she was a servant of the Princess, trying to deliver a final message to 
her mistress' lover. Maybe she was not connected to the Princess at 
all. Still, she definitely looked out of place. Whoever she was, he 
would do his best to help her.
	When the cloaked woman glimpsed Prien heading toward her, she 
hurried in the opposite direction looking for escape. Prien called out 
to her to stop, but she paid him no heed. As if that were not enough of 
a clue to her identity, as the woman ducked around the edge of a hut 
she momentarily lost her grip on the front of the brown cloak that 
covered her. For an instant, a flash of white showed.
	Now he ran toward the hut she was hiding behind, desperate to 
reach her before anyone else. If Prien didn't help her, she might 
wander around this community all night without finding Endymion. He did 
not want to face his friend in the morning knowing that he could have 
done something.
	Thinking ahead, Prien hurried around the far side of the 
building. Sure enough, he nearly ran into the cloaked woman just past 
the first corner. Unable to avoid this confrontation, she stopped 
short, but kept her head bowed so the hood completely covered her face.
	A string of greetings ran through Prien's mind as he wiped his 
sweaty palms on his trousers. He didn't know for sure yet if she was 
the Princess and didn't want to frighten her if she was, yet he did 
not want to be disrespectful either. After an uncomfortable moment, he 
settled on what he hoped would suffice.
	"Miss," he said softly, but clearly, "it's over there." Prien 
raised an arm to point across the cluster of huts. "That one at the end 
of the row, with the blue marker on the door." The hooded head turned 
to look, but only a confused shy silence reached Prien's ears.
	"That is Endymion's," he explained in a low voice. At that, the 
woman sucked in her breath, and Prien knew he had hit the mark. A 
cautious arm as white as snow emerged from beneath the cloak and rose 
to the edge of the brown hood, pushing it up ever so slightly.
	Prien quickly swallowed his gasp of admiration as he caught a 
brief glimpse of a perfect pale face, smooth and flawless as a 
porcelain doll even through the shadows of the hood and the night. 
There were cherry-red lips slightly parted in curiosity, and round blue 
eyes brighter than any daytime sky, and above that, a flash of gold 
like a ray of sunshine. Then the vision was gone, concealed once again 
beneath the worn rough material.
	"Thank you," Princess Serenity whispered. 
	The cloaked woman ducked around Prien's frozen form and headed in 
the direction he had indicated. For a moment, the young man stood in a 
daze, and he understood completely Endymion's absolute devotion to the 
alabaster goddess. Just a glimpse of the future Queen was enough to 
experience her loveliness and even a half-whisper of her voice was a 
song. If he survived his role in this conspiracy, Prien would certainly 
have an impressive story to tell his future children.
	Coming out of his trance, Prien whirled around to make sure the 
Princess reached the right hut. She had. The door was open, outlining 
the cloaked woman standing on the stoop in a halo of flickering golden 
light. Endymion was standing in the doorway, his arm still on the door, 
blocking entry. Prien stared at them, silently willing Endymion to 
swallow his pride and do as his heart told him.
	Endymion looked up. His gaze fell on the blond Lunarian standing 
by a hut at the other end of the community, watching him. Hoping his 
friend could see him well enough in the dark, Prien smiled his broadest 
smile and gave Endymion an encouraging nod, gesturing with both arms 
for him to take his visitor inside. Endymion returned the smile with a 
small grin and stepped aside, allowing the cloaked woman to enter his 
hut. The door closed behind them.
	"Good luck, my friend," Prien murmured to himself. "That is truly 
a precious jewel you have there, however briefly." Shoving his hands 
back into his pockets, he headed for his own dwelling, whistling.

	As soon as the door was closed, Serenity unhooked the fasteners 
at her throat and let the cloak fall to the floor. Creeping through the 
servants' village with only a piece of brown cloth to conceal her 
identity had been a harrowing experience. Her heart had nearly leapt 
out of her throat when that blond man stopped her. She had been lucky 
indeed that he only meant to help.
	Now she was standing in her beloved's home for the first time. It 
was small and meager, just a one-room hut, but it was cozy and 
comfortable, and the fire warmed her bare arms and shoulders from 
across the room. Before her stood her heart's only desire, Endymion, 
looking as alluring as she had ever seen him with his dark hair 
slightly disheveled and his patched work clothes. She wanted nothing 
more than to leap into his arms right then and there, to banish the 
chill that had settled into her heart, but she resisted. There was no 
guarantee that he had missed Serenity as much as she had him.
	"Serenity," he said flatly, looking down at her.
	"Good evening," she replied in just as neutral a tone.
	There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence as they stared 
at each other, both unsure of the other's feelings. Such regrettable 
things had been said at their last meeting that neither one of them 
knew where to begin. 
	Endymion ached to hold his beloved, each moment they stood with 
this distance between them a pang of excruciating agony, but he 
hesitated, afraid to do or say anything that might upset her further. 
She had come looking for him, yes, but most likely it was to say her 
final goodbyes. For the moment, he contented himself with just looking 
at her, admiring her smooth pale hair and alabaster skin, both 
surprised and elated to have the chance to gaze upon her beauty one 
more time.
	"You weren't in the stables," Serenity said at last. "I was 
afraid I'd never find you."
	"How did you get here?" Endymion inquired. He had never even 
pointed out where he lived to the Princess, ashamed of his tiny old 
hut, but it was too late for that now.
	"The blond man, he showed me," the Princess replied, rubbing her 
left arm with her right hand awkwardly, wondering if she had made a 
mistake. "A friend of yours?"
	"Prien." Endymion stiffened with guilt. She knew he had revealed 
their secret. "He is the only one who knows, Sere, I swear it! He-"
	"It's all right," Serenity assured him quickly, taking a step 
closer to the stable hand. "If he hadn't helped me, I would have been 
lost forever. Besides, I told someone as well, just one person," she 
admitted. "I couldn't keep it to myself any longer, I just couldn't. It 
hurt so much..."
	The young woman's voice broke, and her eyes filled with tears. At 
this distance, she could smell it, that lovely scent of roses that flew 
in the face of all logic and whispered of the delights of true love. 
His eyes stared into hers, the deep charcoal pools gazing straight into 
her, seeing the core of who she was and all that she had the potential 
to become. As long as he was there, nothing else mattered.
	"Oh, Endy, I love you so much!" she wailed, breaking down as 
tears rolled down her cheeks. "Without you, the world is cold and empty 
and dead. I need you more than anything. I'm sorry, Endy, I'm so sorry! 
I-"
	Endymion stopped her apologies with two fingers pressed against 
her lips. Serenity closed her eyes and shuddered from head to toe, his 
light touch sending warm tingling waves throughout her body. She choked 
on her tears as they kept rising beneath her eyelids, concentrating on 
the delight of feeling his touch again, even if it was for the last 
time.
	"I know," Endymion said hoarsely, the velvet softness of her lips 
beneath his fingers like a refreshing splash of cool water after a 
day's labor under the summer sun. Great Selene, even shaking like a 
leaf with tears pouring down her cheeks she was beautiful. "I am sorry 
as well, Sere. I should not have asked the impossible of you. I was 
wrong."
	He let his fingers fall from her lips and gently laid his hands 
on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. No sooner had he 
done so than Serenity pushed through his grasp and into his arms, 
unable to bear the distance between them any longer. Automatically, he 
drew her into his embrace as her hands slid around behind him, and his 
heart pounded in elation as they both returned to the place where they 
were meant to be.
	"I love you, Sere," Endymion whispered. "Please don't leave me 
again." Serenity reached up, wrapped her arms around her beloved's 
neck, and pulled herself up to him with newfound strength.
	This kiss was an explosion of passion, the release of all the 
hunger and longing they had both been feeling for the past two days. 
They were consumed by fire, melded together in an embrace that no force 
could separate. The lovers had tasted the bitter emptiness of 
separation and loss, and thus the joy of their reunion surpassed all 
the pleasure of any previous meeting.
	Endymion reveled in the feeling of Serenity's dress and skin 
beneath his hands as he wrapped his hands around her, the emptiness in 
his soul once again filled with her warmth and her softness. The 
Princess pressed her mouth against the stable hand's with seemingly 
boundless energy, refusing to let go until she had drank enough of his 
passionate flame to melt the freeze that had taken hold of her soul. 
Now that they had been apart, they knew the true value of what they 
shared together, and the need and desire that only the other could sate 
returned in abundance.
	At last their lips separated, although their bodies did not, and 
they gasped for breath as they stood in a solid embrace, staring into 
each other's eyes as if they were the last man and woman alive. 
Serenity drank in the sight of him, from his coal-black eyes to the set 
of his jaw. How could she have ever thought she could live without 
seeing this face again? It would be like trying to live without water, 
food, or even air, thrown into the void of space. She could not endure 
the despair of the past two days again. She needed to be with Endymion, 
always.
	"I will go to Earth with you," Serenity whispered. Her mother was 
a powerful woman; surely she could find a way to protect the kingdom 
without this Princess. Besides, if longing for Endymion prevented 
Serenity from praying to the Silver Crystal properly, she could never 
be Queen.
	"Sere, don't-"
	"No," she cut off Endymion's protest. "I want to. I want us to be 
together for the rest of our lives, whatever it takes." She squeezed 
her lover firmly in her arms, never wanting to let go. "I mean it, with 
all my heart." Reaching up, Serenity lifted the engagement pendant in 
her hands and pulled it off, tossing it aside. It clattered across the 
floor.
	Despite the seriousness of the situation, Endymion could not stop 
his face from breaking out into a broad smile. He would never have to 
be without his beloved Serenity again. His strong hands gripped the 
Princess around the waist, and he lifted her up and spun her around and 
around in the center of the hut, kissing Serenity again and again as 
she giggled with relief and happiness. It would be a difficult life, 
and leaving their loved ones behind would be sad, but as long as they 
were together, they knew they would be all right.
	When their spinning came to a stop and they separated briefly, 
laughing, Serenity found herself facing the joined blocks of wood that 
served as Endymion's table. There, standing in a rough mug, was a 
perfect blood-red rose. Curious, the Princess approached the blossom. 
Had her lover taken it from her garden? No, she was most devoted to the 
crimson roses over all the other flowers in her favorite place. If even 
a single bloom was missing, she would have noticed.
	Behind her, Endymion watched his beloved and held his breath as 
she studied the rose.
	The petals were of the lush velvet texture Serenity knew like an 
old friend. This rose was certainly from her garden, but no red roses 
had been taken from there in quite some time. She knew every flower 
that left that place as well as Endymion knew the horses in the 
stables, all the way back to the one she had given a little servant boy 
many years ago...
	Come to think of it, that boy had been an Earth-child with dark 
hair and skin, like the man who was now standing behind her. Since 
meeting her blue-eyed, auburn-haired fiance, Serenity knew not all 
Earth men looked like her lover. She thought back to the night she and 
Endymion had spent at Selene's Blessing. He had mentioned a girl he met 
as a child and had sounded like he knew the boy she spoke of from her 
own memories. It was too much to be coincidence.
	Serenity turned around and there he stood, the little servant 
boy all grown up into a man she loved more than she had ever dreamed possible.
	"It was you," she whispered, her eyes widening as Endymion 
smiled. "It was you!"
	"That little girl inspired me beyond any other experience of my 
life," the stable hand replied, looking on his beloved with tenderness. 
"I loved her then, even before I knew what love was, and no woman since 
has been able to compare. Her smile, her voice, her kindness stayed 
with me always and I did all I could to become a man who would be 
worthy of her. Of you, Serenity. Everything I am, everything I have 
learned and accomplished, was for you."
	"I always wondered about you," Serenity said, her eyes brimming 
with tears of joy. "I thought about you every day. Oh, Endy, I would 
have loved you even without all that trouble." For the first time in 
her life, her heart finally felt complete. Endymion gathered her into 
his arms, and they kissed with nothing held back.
	Eagerly, the lovers explored their passion with all the energy of 
two hearts finally freed from all restriction. All thoughts in their 
minds were focused on each other, their only desire to be in this 
moment and celebrate their love. Serenity clung to her beloved's shirt 
as he held her around the waist and his lips roamed away from her mouth 
and down her neck. She had missed this so badly, the tingle of his 
moist lips and tongue on her flesh and his firm grip on her body, and 
she leaned into his caresses as his kisses sent shocks deep into her 
center.
	Endymion couldn't get enough of her, his touch gentle but 
insistent as he relished the slightly salty taste of her skin against 
his tongue. After days of believing she was gone forever, Serenity was 
back in his arms, warm and eager and undeniably real. He trembled as 
her hands climbed over his shirt and slid behind his neck, pulling him 
firmly against her in a silent plea for more. Endymion happily obliged, 
letting instinct lead his lips over her shoulders and along her 
collarbones. His entire body was coming alive, becoming charged with 
the energy of irresistible desire. He wanted to hold her, touch her, 
taste her forever.
	Serenity wove her fingers into her lover's hair and lifted his 
head to kiss his lips, opening herself to let their tongues meet. As he 
dived into her, she felt it again; the dull aching need that began 
small and rapidly grew more intense. This time, she made no attempt to 
fight the wave of desire as it doubled and redoubled while her lover 
explored her mouth. Serenity loved this man, and there was no longer 
anything to fear from that love.
	In fact, their usual expression of the power that drew them 
together was no longer enough. Serenity wanted more; she wanted 
Endymion's caring hands elsewhere on her body and an experience 
stronger than a passionate kiss. She wanted her beloved to have all of 
her, to lavish as much adoration on her entire body as he did her head 
and neck.
	Gently, Serenity broke their kiss, a slight smirk curving her 
lips as she saw Endymion's reluctance to end their embrace. Slowly, he 
allowed her to pull away, although the heaving of his chest and the 
hunger in his eyes made his desire clear. Hoping she was reading her 
lover's signals correctly, Serenity seized the aching rush of desire 
that was consuming her and gave her lover her best alluring smile. 
Stepping sideways, she walked around Endymion and strolled across the 
room toward the bed. Her hands were shaking with anxiety when she 
reached the full-size wooden bedframe, but she breathed deeply to 
steady herself, setting her face in an expression of confidence before 
turning to face Endymion again. They were meant to be together. They 
were meant to share this moment, this act, together.
	Endymion turned around to find Serenity standing at the foot of 
his bed, and he watched numbly as she sat down on its edge and pulled 
her body backwards across the blankets, smiling as she settled into the 
center of the pillows and held her arms out to him. His heart was 
racing as he approached the end of the bed, his mind spinning as if he 
were in a dream. Of course he wanted her, all of her, he ached for her 
deepest embrace, but she couldn't really want...that, could she?
	"Serenity," he rasped through a throat so dry it nearly choked 
him, "are you sure? Is this truly what you want?"
	The young Princess was dreadfully nervous, but more sure than she 
had ever been of anything in her life. She swallowed hard and renewed 
her welcoming smile.
	"Yes," she replied confidently, reaching toward him, "with all my 
heart. I love you...Endymion."
	The stable hand closed his eyes briefly as his true name fell 
from his beloved's lips for the very first time, letting a small wave 
of ecstasy tingle through his body at the sweet sound of his name being 
spoken in love by the most lovely voice in existence. Slowly, he 
reached for the fastenings of his trousers.

	A short while later, the lovers became one. For Serenity, there 
was a brief flash of shooting pain, but it faded quickly, replaced by a 
swelling wave of pleasure that climbed ever higher with each passing 
moment. She had never imagined that love could feel this way. Her body 
was aflame with her beloved's touch and every kiss and caress drove the 
growing feeling to new intensity.
	Endymion was flying, soaring through the heaven that was his 
lover's body on wings of fire, trembling in his passion as Serenity 
shuddered beneath him. The power of their joining coarsed through his 
veins like a sweet drug far more potent than any Moon Nectar, and it 
burst all boundaries of restraint as he passed the point of no return 
and charged forward into a shining realm of crystal and silver.
	There was a perfect moment of absolute ecstasy.
	In that instant, their souls suddenly became, for a heartbeat, 
one. Both Serenity and Endymion cried out together in surprise as a 
searing heat that had nothing to do with their bodies blazed to life 
within their hearts. The room was filled with light, their very flesh 
illuminated by a pure glow from within them. Through the haze of 
passion, neither one could be certain that they were not imagining it 
all. It seemed they were more than a man and a woman; they were two 
worlds, shining orbs of life, one blue-green and one pearl-white, 
meeting and melding and blending powers they had not known they 
possessed. For a breath, they were truly joined, one soul in two 
bodies, and every thought and sensation was shared between them.
	Then it passed, as quickly as it had appeared, and there was only 
their entwined bodies and the mundane desires that drove them.

	Afterwards, Serenity and Endymion entered the realm of dreams in 
each other's arms. The lovers, at last satisfied, slumbered as deeply 
and peacefully as if they had not slept in years.


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

    End of Chapter Eight

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

"Against All Odds" fanfiction copyright 2004 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its associated characters and canon 
belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha. The text of this creative work 
was created by dejanatalis@aol.com and is her exclusive property. Not 
to be used without permission.  Sailor Moon Says: Don't steal! ^.^