"For Serenity's Sake"
By: Isis @}->--
isis@moonkingdom.com
Rated: G
Disclaimers:  Please do not copy.
AN:  A marriage decided upon by everyone else and two people 
that must endure it.  And, of course, my own philosophy on 
marriage!  Dedicated to the pure and innocent, in a world that 
almost seems bent on destroying them…


Chapter 4
@}->--


The day of joining was happy, and sad, mournful, yet exhilarating, 
somber, but emotional.  It depended on whom you asked.

If you spoke with the people assembled inside of the Moon 
Kingdom's Lunar Chapel it was a dream, and prayers were offered 
for happiness, health, peace, and even an annulment.  Many looked 
on with eyes of wonder, hearts of love, and minds of possibilities.  
Others looked with scorn, heard with contempt, and held hearts of 
non-existence.  Still more were deaf, blind and shallow.

If you approached the people assembled around oracles and seers 
on Earth to witness the events of the Chapel, it was said to be a 
revelation of goodness, of grace, of new beginnings, and of more 
gossip.  Many hoped for the end of an age, others wished for a 
different age, and the rest were simply aged.

If you were to stand amid the companies around the oracles of all 
of the other System's planets you would see the same emotions 
tossed about clumsily and trampled underfoot as the people 
struggled for room enough to see and voices enough to ask why 
everyone else was standing there.

Yet if you asked the three standing at the alter then and there you 
would find quite a difference.  For example, the priest's only 
thoughts were of prayers to join these two in the sight of God now 
and forever.  And he prayed fervently as to appose the cries for an 
annulment already being lifted.  He spoke with a gentle voice and 
patient heart as he interceded for these two youths as they came to 
their vows, which he knew, would be without love.  For without 
love, two would become one and crumble again to two, usually 
with the addition of two or three more by that time.

Yet, looking at the small princess of the Moon, the heir to the 
System's thrown, she could not have known the prayers of those 
around her.  Her own were posed for the strength to endure any 
trial and face this with the sense of chivalry to which her betrothed 
was receiving it.

And indeed her destined knelt but a foot from her and he as well 
prayed for the courage and the strength for the marriage to work.  
To be faithful to his vows and to uphold his match with limitless 
care.  Though, it seemed, he knew all too well the prayers of the 
others assembled.  Praying against the thoughts of those apposed to 
this and hoping with all might that the well-wishers would be right 
about them.

The full, emotional heart of the young princess was borne of 
conflicting sentiments.  Pure innocence having a troubling time of 
forging herself a vision of the future she was so rudely pressed 
into.  She accepted her station, though she knew not how, and she, 
as she rose to face her prince, felt a peace inside of all of the 
turmoil…

The compassioned, intellectual heart of the Earth's prince was 
deep in thought.  His conflicting thinking gave him no rest as he 
searched for a way in which to understand his bride and fulfill the 
vows he was to make.  The heart of a mastermind was not called 
upon as often as the natural leader inside of his chosen-for bride, 
yet it beat softly to remind him, and itself, that it served a purpose 
and would not fail to be allowed to direct in these maters.  And as 
he rose to his feet and faced the youth before him, it beat more 
harshly, eager to be listened to…

The two of them joined hands and the priest quietly whispered the 
vows that they were to repeat.  First to Endymion the words that 
should have belonged to a lover, committing his life to the one he 
would forever hold, were given for his pronunciation.  He looked 
solemnly at the golden balls of hair that was all he could see of the 
woman he was professing undying… concern for.  He repeated the 
words diligently, dutifully, worriedly, and even a bit longingly.  To 
protect, to cherish, to honor, to care for, to be supportive of… 
everything but to love.

Serenity remained with her eyes closed and lowered as she began 
her own words.  Words that could empower heaven itself to join 
two souls together in a union to which her impassioned heart cried 
out for happiness.  She felt the tears threaten to seep from her 
closed lashes, but not for fear or love, but for the tremendous hope 
that had lit within her.  She repeated the words without hesitation, 
and with each word her chin lifted to finally look into the eyes of 
the man she would belong to, and with, for as long as time would 
allow.  To be faithful, to cherish, to honor, to care for, to be 
supportive of…  everything but to love.

The fingers of their hands were united and a small ribbon of the 
purest of white was placed around their hands to signify the 
inseparable nature of their commitment.  The knot was sealed 
inside a bow and the two began what would be the greatest of all 
challenges of life… to live with each other.

In the fog of un-thought-of memories they had became two against 
the rest of the Universe.  And there was one lost entity there during 
those moments that was not given the amount of thought that it 
deserved.  I was the one looking over the two of them.

I am fate, I am destiny, I am luck, I am chance, I am the one you 
blame for all failings and never thank for any good.  And I have a 
sense of humor.


The Moon always seemed to hold an unquestionable amount of 
warmth and power to it, yet as Serenity gazed at the their guardian 
planet folded out in all of its glory this night she felt at peace now 
that she had seen even such a small part of its surface.  The 
wedding festivities would continued through the coming month's 
worth of nights, yet it seemed this night would not close.

The princess stood absently at the railing of the ballroom's balcony 
overlooking the gardens.  The huge balcony allowed her to choose 
a shadowed position where the other participants would not seek 
her.  They waltzed past in an ever-changing pattern within the 
buttered light that was seeping from the inner chamber.  A warm 
breeze ruffled at her dress and twirled her hair playfully, yet she 
did not notice it.  She felt calm, although she had more than feared 
what the outcome of this night would bring.  Her wedding… was 
behind her now.

She knew that she should be in fear of nothing at this point, but 
still there were cowardly thoughts that would not speak their mind 
and preferred to stay buried.  These were the ones that would not 
allow her rest.

"It is a beautiful night."  She turned to watch her newly joined 
husband walk out onto the balcony to meet her.  "You know," he 
mumbled, "you would make an excellent scout.  I doubt over three 
people saw you leave the room."  He carefully took her hand and 
bowed a bit before her, bring her hand to his lips in a light kiss.  
"Of course, with your luck, one of them had to be me."

"I am sorry, I needed some air," she said quietly, the wind almost 
taking her words.

"It is all right… but my question is, are you as well?"

He had not released her hand, but held it loosely should she wish to 
remove it.  His stance was of a distance enough that it would not 
be considered intrusive and indeed she realized that he must have 
waited until now to venture our after her since she knew not how 
long she had been there.  She took all of it as a sign that this was a 
true peace offering, and one of the only moments that they had 
been able to spend alone since they had meet again the day before 
in order to prepare for their sacrament.

She quietly smiled at the thoughtfulness that he was showing her 
and reminded herself once more that she was fond of the man 
already; could her life ever be happy, it would be with him.

"I was only thinking, I will be fine."

He nodded and shifted his gaze up to meet the vision of his home 
world.  Serenity watched him a moment through corner lashes, 
wondering what would pass through his mind on seeing it, yet she 
was disappointed when he showed nothing but the proud profile of 
a man in possession of his own life.

She was going to find that annoying.  Yet she was envious of his 
strength and his ability to hold himself unmoved through anything.  
Though, he was not emotionless, as she had once feared.  There 
seemed only a time and place for his heart, as through his mind led 
it, instead of the other way around.  Perhaps… that was simply 
how he operated.

"It is amazing, is it not?" he questioned.  She turned her attention 
more to the creation she was suppose to be looking at.  "So close, 
yet our worlds are so different."

"Yes," she murmured.  Gazing up, the Earth filled over seven 
times the amount of room that the Moon did upon it.  Never had 
she realized the vast difference in size that their neighbor had over 
them.  But then, she lived on a moon, the smallest of all of the 
habitable worlds in the System.  Somehow, she felt a bit 
insignificant.

His gaze shifted from above to below as he took in the view of the 
midnight gardens, lit well under the nearly full planet.  A few of 
the dance's patrons traveled around it, in groups of threes, fours, 
and even in pairs as young lovers snuck away from the inner lights 
into the more romanced twilight of the ever-faithful guardian in the 
sky.  "Everything is so beautiful here, so touched by magic."

It was true, the seat of the System's power was properly named.  It 
held the greatest of all planetary forces and it was the home of the 
Mystical Silver Crystal.  The power of love and peace that it 
provided could not be equaled in all the galaxy.  It was the light 
that upheld the homes and worlds of all people…  It was her 
destiny.

She looked up at Endymion once more and focused on his dim, but 
steady, silhouette.  He was also her destiny, her destined.  And this 
day she had been bound to him forever more…

"Serenity?"

"Hum?" she mumbled, still lost in her thoughts.

"I am happy that you find me mesmerizing, but a woman of your 
stature should be reminded not to stare."

"What?" she muttered, fully finding herself staring up at him 
unconscious of her surroundings.  A bright blush spread across her 
cheeks and she began to find the hem of her gown of the utmost 
interest.  "Forgive me, I was…"  He paused waiting for her to 
explain herself, which of course she knew not how to do.  "I was 
deep in thought, and…"

"Staring?" he finished for her.

Serenity was mortified and the light humorous tone in the other's 
voice made her no more comfortable.  "I am happy to see that we 
can finish each other's sentences.  I have known that to be a very 
important part of a marriage."

He chuckled at her and once more took her hand.  "Forgive me, 
Princess, but if I can not pick on you, who am I too?"

"Anyone," she mumbled.

He chuckled again and gently raised her chin to look at him.  "I do 
suppose you will have to get use to my sense of humor."

"I am," she teased, "I already find myself annoyed."

He simply shrugged in resignation and bowing before her.  "May I 
then escort my newly found, and might I say most beautiful, wife 
back into the ball held our honor?"

"Of course, my Prince, please lead the way."

And for a time, all fears were left to fend for themselves.


"Fear can be a wonderful ally, a powerful force, and a demanding 
master.  The one who governs it, governs everyone under it.  There 
is a power inside of fear, the power of a leash closed tightly around 
the hearts of those within its grasp.  No courage will escape it 
completely, no will can break through without being tainted, no 
emotion is complete without it.  Fear, it is in every move one could 
make, it upholds the strong and bows down the week.  Fear is an 
ultimate power."

The small globe of light that had been broadcasting the Lunar 
Chapel's wedding and the subsequent festivities compressed itself 
to a point and then exploded outwards in a ring of light.  "Anger, 
resentment, pride, lust, vanity, selfishness, all have root in fear.  
The self is borne in the fear of failure, of twisted remorse for things 
unable to be done again, and of the un-vision to not forget.  
Humans are silly that way."

There was the slightest sound of a laugh that escaped darkly 
polished lips.  "They say love is the strongest of emotions, yet 
misguided love is the purest of all evils.  It gives us 'compassion' 
to forestall our own consciences in order not to hurt the feelings of 
others.  We compromise our own spiritual selves so that we do not 
step upon anyone else, all for the sake of misguided 'love for 
neighbor.'  We allow others to change our hearts and prevent us 
from finding the truth and they call it 'love for oneself.'  We fail to 
see the need to correct, and forget charity in the sake of 'love and 
never judgment.'  Do we understand what we do?"

The ball of light reappeared in a bust of fire and took on the image 
of a woman dressed in pure white joining hands with a man in 
gleaming armor and blue accents.  "What did love have to do with 
this arrangement?  They did not choose each other, nor did they 
wish to be forced to this.  Queen Selenity, I had hoped for more 
from you.  You, who had shown a pure heart and a true love for 
one man.  You who had the strength to stand up for yourself and 
for true love.  I am surprised that you would show no better 
judgment for that of your daughter."

The light wavered slightly and was replaced with a moving image 
of the former couple dancing now around a ballroom floor.  "Yet 
they seem resigned to this.  How misguided of them.  They have 
given up hope for true love and have taken on the veils of duty and 
hollow, worthless, emotions."

A sigh was heard to echo in the seemingly empty, never ending, 
chamber.  "Fear will enter quickly…"


The chapel bells finally rang midnight and the first night of their 
wedding feast drew slowly closed.  As quiet and reserved as 
Serenity had been through the preceding weeks since he had 
known her, she had now begun to truly come to life in Endymion's 
company.  Since she had been allowed to adjust and come to 
understand him more, he felt that she had re-opened herself.  That, 
and possibly she recognized that with their vows behind them, he 
was trapped.

The prince chuckled to himself at the thought as he dotingly bid 
their well-wishing guests a good night.  It was not the people 
themselves, as they were wonderfully caring and supportive, but he 
instead found the atmosphere not to his liking.  It seemed that the 
Moon's lightened touch was giving him a headache.

Slowly the couple made their way from the ballroom's lighting, 
leaving few aside from their guardians and parents behind.  
Serenity once again seemed much too quite and he wondered at her 
apparent mood swings.  Of course, truth be told, this day may well 
have worn heavily upon her as well.  He had not decided yet 
weather the marriage or the wedding was a harder burden.

He allowed her to lead them through the hallways, still sprinkled 
with guests, and up a flight of stairs to, what he assumed would be, 
her bridal chamber…

Perhaps he knew after all what troubled the child ahead of him.

Were he to be asked to personify innocence and purity into a living 
soul, his efforts would come no closer then Serenity herself.  Yet 
this night would mark the end of such thinking by most of the 
System… perhaps by everyone but two.

A true marriage was love solidified in a sacramental bond made in 
the presence of friends and family, and created between man, 
woman, and God.  Yet it was the wedding chamber's place to 
solidify the longing and passion built upon pure love.  What begins 
in mental terms, and indeed had its place inside the will, moves 
steadily into the heart and emotions.  With such a pure 
combination of hearts, only can real love be borne.

Yet the last aspect comes and places a point to this squatted 
pyramid.  Only after a sufficient base can the mental and emotional 
levels be capped by the physical realm of marital, ever lasting, 
love.

Somehow, two weeks did not seem sufficient enough time to even 
level the path they were to build upon.

Endymion studied his young bride carefully as she mounted the 
stairs.  She was an enchanting figure.  Her, more natural, grace was 
brought out here in her home, unburdened by the strange planet he 
had met her on.  It was the quiet, seriousness, which was displaced 
against her brow.  It was this burden that weighed her more heavily 
now, he knew.

She led the way down a marble-clad corridor's length ending in 
two wooden doors.  Serenity carefully pushed open one, as custom 
would have, and led in.  The room was done in soft tones.  Light 
wood was used on the furniture and white covered them in 
cushions and was plastered over the walls.  Flower paintings hung 
about and the mantle piece to the great fireplace, seemingly never 
used, was sprinkled over with arrangements.

The center of these was a bouquet that appeared a bit familiar.

Carefully Serenity made her way to this vase and delicately began 
to tie a ribbon around its crystal top.  The same ribbon that had 
united their hands together only that afternoon.

He slipped up behind her and watched her perfect the little bow.  
"It is suppose to be symbolic of us," she said softly looking over 
the arrangement.  "I asked your mother for a favor."

Endymion nodded, gazing at the flowers captured in the crystal.  
Pink roses stood out prominent, stemmed with the deep green of 
Earth.  Aside them a few delicate orchids unfolded their white 
blooms to full view.  Yet the bundle was finished only with 
luminous silver petals of lunar roses and a few sprigs of golden 
filigree, which also rose from Moon's soil, accenting the edges.

"It is amazing," he breathed, taking in the perfection of that in 
front of him.

"I wanted something that would represent both of our homes."  She 
turned to face him and looked up to see his eyes.  "Do you like it?"

"It is beautiful," he commented, touching her chin.  "Just as its 
envisioner is."

Serenity blushed slightly and dropped her face, a smile tugging at 
her lips.  He chuckled a bit and scanned around the room to the far 
wall.  Three double doorways opened off of this sitting room, one 
to the left, one right and a short hallway between them led to a 
third set.  On his left the portals displayed what was probably a 
den, and to the right the pair parted to show a pillared bed, curtains 
open in waiting.

Endymion quickly dismissed that direction as a possibility and 
wondered, as though aimlessly, toward the glass of the remaining 
middle access way.  These did not lead to a room as the others did 
but allowed exit onto the balcony beyond.

The princess silently followed, watchful of him as he curiously 
stepped closer to the doors' pane, and looked back to see his young 
bride smile and slip ahead to open them and usher him out.  "The 
gardens at night are truly beautiful," she said quietly.  They found 
themselves on a wide, half moon balcony over-looking the leading 
edge of the royal flower gardens.  The sliver roses, central to the 
design, sparkled in the dim lighting giving off by the guardian 
planet, set low and heavy now, in the sky.  Indeed it was 
breathtaking.

"The whole of the Moon is so enchanting," he mumbled, inspired 
by the sights around him.

"Many say that, yet I found Earth just to be as wondrous."  There 
was a question in her statement and she looked up at him as she 
leaned against the stone railing, propping her elbows against it and 
her chin atop her hands.

"It is the magic of the Moon that they feel," he answered.

"Yet all planets possess their own power."

He nodded, "Each do, but each planet's power is given off for 
certain reasons.  It is dependant upon the circumstances and people 
living there."

"Yes, such as Mercury.  The planet is small yet a great quantity of 
power is needed to shelter its people from the nearness of the Sun."

Nodding again he finally tore his gaze from the gardens.  "Correct.  
With such a great quantity serving that purpose, much else is not 
available, or needed, with its small size."

"So each planet uses what it needs."

"That is true," he regarded her more closely.  "Except for the 
Moon."

She nodded, still gazing blindly at the darkening sights.  "Because 
of the Silver Crystal."

"It is its power that adds so much essence to the Moon.  It is that 
added power that the people can feel," he concluded.

"It serves to uphold the atmosphere, increases the gravity and 
places an added spin to our home's rotation.  It cultivates the soil, 
controls weather… yet it holds its burdens as nothing at all."

There was a slight amazement in her tone as though she had not 
been in its presence through her life.

"Of course it is always helped by the power of the people charged 
with holding it."

The comment did not appear to settle well as Serenity straitened 
her posture and rested only her hands on the rail, watching them 
blankly.  Absently he remembered that this was the second time 
that she had shied away from the topic of her own powers.

"Forgive me again, Princess, I seem to do well at touching 
uncomfortable spots."

"No, not at all," she shook her head.  "It is something that you are 
well to know now."  He gazed at her curiously as she continued 
with a weak monolog.  "The biased rumors spread that I am to be 
the very image of my mother as carrier of the Silver Crystal are 
truly unfounded."

There was a small pause as she let the slight breeze tickle her with 
her hair and she breathed deeply.  "It is a misunderstanding in the 
least.  The queen has the gentlest of touches with the stone, yet her 
control over it is unmatched in all of history.  Yet, I was to be the 
same… and I have failed in that."

Endymion was about to interrupt her but she continued before he 
could begin.  "It is not that I am unable to use its power, it is that I 
can control it well only in the most spontaneous of ways.  My 
powers have been hailed as a match to Mother's yet I can control 
that much of the true potential of the Crystal only in times of great 
emotion it seems."  She glanced back up to the prince and her 
voice turned hollow, "I do not know what would happen should the 
Council be confronted by this fact in a crisis"

"Yet you have been trained extensively in its use as any heir would 
be, correct?" he asked a bit concerned.

"Of course, in truth, more so than most would be.  We always 
assumed that I would grow into my position more with years… but 
it has not appeared so."

"Each is different, Serenity.  You may still," he encouraged.

"There is always hope."  She once more leaned fully against the 
railing and watched the gardens.  "I suppose we both know a secret 
of each other now," she teased, sounding more like the young 
woman he was beginning to know.

"Yes well, I do not suppose that black-mail material is all that 
necessary in a functional marriage anyhow."  He leaned over to 
match her posture and likewise took in the night.  She giggled 
lightly and leaned absently into his shoulder, shivering slightly in 
the midnight breeze.

He gazed silently down at the two balls of gold that where 
lounging against him for a moment, simply without thought.  She 
was so trusting, so innocent…  It made sense to him that her 
powers came from her emotions; after all they were her guiding 
force in life.  Her heart was the one thing more powerful than any 
rock or crystal could be.  Had no one thought of this?

Again there was a slight shiver and she wrapped her arms around 
herself yet did not move from her position.  He smiled at the tip of 
her head and carefully removed his cape from his shoulder 
supports.  She looked up at him curiously when he moved but 
laughed when he sweepingly wrapped it around her slight frame.

"I can not allow my new bride catching an illness on our wedding 
night," he mumbled to her as he began to clasp it for her.

"I suppose that would make for more interesting gossip," she 
murmured.

He looked back at her, fumbling with a clasp that he should have 
been able to fasten without use of his eyes.  There was the same 
resigned tone to her voice that he had been able to pick up on a few 
times during the night.  "What worries you, Princess?" he asked, 
sure that he would know the answer.

She peered up at him, finding his eyes on hers, yet only stood 
before him.  Slowly she found her voice and her eyes returned to 
the ground below them.  "I am sorry for being such a mess through 
this…  I am simply frightened, Endymion."

Frightened.  Yes, she would have every right and reason to fear 
this night for any other man that she could have met at the alter.  
Yet, could any act differently studying this woman before him?  
"Serenity…" he carefully took her chin and lifted it toward him.  
"Please do not be frightened of me."

"It is not you that I fear, Endymion," she interjected before he 
could continue.  "I fear my position only.  I fear that I simply do 
not know how to be a wife to you."

So then, her fears, numbered and mounted as they were, reflected 
themselves for one reason.  She was left unprepared for such an 
extravagant change, and indeed was less prepared than possibly 
any innocent bride of history.

He looked gently into her eyes and could think of nothing but one 
thing to say, "I have no need of a wife, Serenity, no more than you 
have need of a husband."  Confusion took her quickly yet he found 
his thoughts again before she managed hers.  "I have need of a 
friend; a confidant… not a lover."

A small light filtered through her angelic face and a grateful smile 
lifted her lips a bit as tears possessed her eyes.  "I would be 
honored of that position, dear Prince," she whispered.

Endymion smiled down at her once again, feeling that the right 
choice had been decided on for this child.  He found one of her 
hands and brought it to his lips in a fluttering kiss.  "I would be 
honored to be the same for you, Princess."

"Always," she sighed as she swiftly wrapped her arms about his 
waist and hugged him fiercely.

The cape that he had still not managed to fasten about her slipped 
from her shoulders and would have collapsed to the ground had he 
not brought his own arms around her at the same time.  There was 
a delicate nature to this girl, a gentle spirit that was lit from within 
by a fire of emotions and the power of a crystal heart.

But it was the fragile character that needed guidance and 
protection.  Endymion found himself holding her closely for the 
first time and for the first time realizing just how young and 
impressionable she was.  Even for her age and for her up bringing 
she had been locked within a glass case that must be removed 
through time and with great care for this blossom to grow free of it.

He made himself a vow that he would defend her spirit from any 
reality that would shatter her heart of hearts, and at the same time 
he slowly realized that his words could not have been more 
truthful: he would grow, as a friend, just as she would.  Growing 
around and through her to protect and support, just as the trees of 
Earth had given support and nurturance to the orchids that were 
taken for their flower arrangement did.

Somehow he found that thought odd, but comforting.

Slightly, she stirred in his arms.  "Endymion, I am sorry that we 
had to begin like this."

He chuckled lightly and brushed his chin over her hair, bumping 
one of the small balls of hair, "I would say the same…" gently he 
picked her chin up so he could look at her more closely, "yet it 
does not seem to mater much any longer."

Serenity nodded happily, still drying her eyes a bit.  Slowly she 
backed away and wrapped the cape back around her.  "A rough 
beginning only creates a greater appreciation through the 
duration."

"Well then, might I say that I appreciate you in the utmost of ways, 
Princess," he said, bowing elaborately before her.  Chuckling he 
leaned back against the railing and raising his eyes to the stars 
appearing so low in the shallow sky.

She again leaned her head against his arm, giggling softly.  He 
simply listened to her laughter and somehow he found the sound 
align itself with the fountain's musical splashing.  …Fountain?

He peered sideways around Serenity's shoulder to the side where 
the near silent gurgle of water came from a three tiered stone 
fountain standing before the entrance to the gardens.  There was 
something that clicked into his mind at the thought of this water 
cascade, something that was perhaps engrained with him upon his 
first visit here so many years before…  And for some reason he 
looked back up at the towers of the castle above them, searching 
for a light.

@}->--_____________
"I love being married... I was single for a long time and I just got 
so sick of finishing my own sentences." - Brian Kiley

"The discipline of desire is the background of character." - John 
Locke (1632-1704)