Enjoy reading!


Healer
Chapter 2
Author: Patch
Editor: Rei Kinneas
E-mail: patchkhan1@hotmail.com or
	kittiekat90@yahoo.com
Rated: PG-13

Insert Standard Disclaimer

	Bubbling laughter filled the hallways as a
figure swathed in sparkling white dashed past open
and closed doors closely followed by another figure,
this one dressed in a pale orange material.
	The first figure ducked into a hallway and
soon came to a stumbling halt when met with a dead
end.
	"Give that back," the second figure
growled ominously.
	The first figure whirled around, two
streamers of golden hair whipping around her body.
"Oh Minako but I just can't. I haven't finished reading,
you see," she said, her blue eyes sparkling with
mischief.
	"Serenity, give my diary back. Now." The
Senshi accentuated each of her words with slow,
purposeful steps towards the Princess.
	Serenity stifled her giggle and quickly
opened the small leather bound book and flipped to a
random page. In a high voice she began to read the
entry before her.  "Dear Diary, today Sir Damien
from Mars flirted most scandalously with me. I felt
so flattered but he said things that just cannot be
repeated. He's certainly a handsome one, one that I
intend to keep in my sights."
	Minako lunged at Serenity and the other
girl sidestepped nimbly to the right, holding the
diary up as Minako flew past, nearly falling to the
floor. Serenity giggled and then quickly flipped to
another page and began reading out loud again.
"Dear Diary, I nearly *swooned* tonight when
Lord Faunders from Venus stole a kiss from me at
the gardens. I knew he had been eyeing me for
quite some time and thank heavens he made the
first move for if he hadn't I surely would have!"
	Serenity pivoted on her heels, placed
her hands on her hips and gave her friend a
quelling stare. "Heavens Minako, how fast do you
go through men? It's quite unbelievable and
shocking almost."
	"You sound like a possessive mother,
Serenity and my own mother wouldn't be as bad
as you. I am the Senshi of Love and Beauty, it is
only natural for me to gain as much... experience
as possible," she finished confidently, sticking
her chin up.
	"Experience?! Minako, just what sort
of experience are you talking about exactly?"
Serenity asked, a subtle blush creeping up her
face.
	Minako smiled slyly and sauntered
over to Serenity. "Oh that's right. I forgot. You,"
she said, pointing a finger at the now wary
Princess, "don't know what experience is. You,
if I'm correct, don't have any knowledge of men."
	"I do too!" the other girl huffed. At
Minako's raised eyebrow she went on. "Why,
just the other day, Lord... oh what's his name..."
she raised her eyes to the high ceiling, pointedly
ignoring Minako's widening grin. For the life of
her she could not remember the man's name!
"Well, whatever his name was, he winked at
me!"
	"And if I remember correctly,
Serenity, you gave Lord *Foster* from Pluto a
disdainful look, swept right past him and then
blatantly ignored him for the rest of the time that
he was here.  You didn't even encourage him or
any other man in any sort of manner! Now I, on
the other hand, would have winked right back
just like I did with Lord-"
	"Spare me your amorous pursuits
Minako," Serenity finally conceded, sighing. It
was true. She showed no interest in the many
young men who tried to gain her attention.  But
how could she? In her mind, there was no doubt
that her heart would ever soften towards anyone
except him...
	"Oh no! I completely forgot I
promised Sir Evan that I would meet him this
afternoon!" She quickly grabbed her diary from
Serenity's hands and glared at her. "If he's
already left our meeting spot, it will be your
fault!"
	"My fault? I bet Sir Evan wouldn't
mind if I told him about the kisses you shared
with Sir Ivan!" Serenity retorted. Minako opened
her mouth to counterattack but shut her mouth just
as quickly, glared once more and then tore off,
her long hair flying behind her.
	Serenity stared after her with a smug
smile that quickly turned into a happy one. Sighing
she left the hallway and went in the opposite
direction that Minako had ran to. She walked
slowly, her head filled with thoughts of all that
had happened in the past month.
	The most obvious was the bond of
close friendship she had formed with the Senshi.
Had anyone told her a month ago that her
bodyguards would become her best friends she
would have laughed out loud in disbelief. But
now, she was glad that things had turned out
this way. It hadn't been easy, she admitted that
much.
	At first, the Senshi had been wary
around her, and she had been the same: stiff and
aloof, their practices fought, for the most part, in
silence. Afterwards they would part go their
separate ways, the four Senshi going together,
in a group, one way and she, Serenity, going the
other, alone. But then, with every bump, bruise
and ache she received at each practice, each
Senshi had become more vocal, yelling tips and
encouragement as she fought against one of them.
And she would do the same, yelling
enthusiastically her own support to whoever
was fighting.
	Gradually the girls began to invite her
to come with them after their practices, and
Serenity, who was curious as to where they went
gladly complied. She found they loved the palace
gardens as much as she did, and even better, she
found out that Makoto, the tallest of them all and
probably the toughest, had a soft spot for cooking
and would always have something delicious
prepared for their 'relaxation sessions' at the
gardens. And when Serenity wasn't going along
with her friends, she would invite them to learn
about her healing practices.
	Healing. The word brought an
incredible amount of joy and peace to her soul.
Contrary to what outsiders believed about her,
her personality was not shaped in any way by
her title. She was not a snob and though she
carried herself with aloofness at balls and the
like, to those less fortunate and lower than her
in station she opened her heart to. And through
the many herbs, potions and powers that she had
gained the knowledge of, she was able to give
more of herself and she was content with that.
	She enjoyed teaching the Senshi the
arts of healing. Although they did not have the
same healing abilities like her, they learned
various other things. For instance, how a single
leaf blade from the Cornith rose could cure
stomach pains or how the juice from the Filian
fruit when mixed with the juice from the Talith
fruit could ease a troubled mind.  It was in this
alternative realm that the Senshi slowly realized
that Serenity was most confident and sure of
herself. She was at her best in this field and at
most peace.
   	Serenity had also, in the past month,
increased the times she went out to heal the
people who needed her aid. Ever since she had
gained the approval of her mother, she had
dropped all pretenses of sneaking out from the
palace. The guards knew now that she could
leave the palace in the middle of the night and
Serenity did not have to worry about conjuring
plans of escape. She also felt at ease when
treating her people, unlike before when she
always felt tension and a pressure to get back
home, and into her bed before her mother could
miss her. She went to sleep every night knowing
that if she was needed that night, she would be
leaving guilt-free.
	And how did she know when someone
needed her help? After all, she could not let her
true identity be known. It would be a disaster if
people knew that the Healer, in all actuality, was
the Heir to the Moon's throne. Serenity knew
better than to let that information be known, which
was why any requests for help did not come
directly to her but to Naru.
	Serenity's expression softened as she
thought of her old friend, the middle-aged woman
who lived in a small cottage near the Palace. It
was she who had awakened Serenity's powers
and helped her control them, tune them as though
they were a fine instrument...

~*-*-*~

	"Princess, why have you escaped from
the very walls that have been built protect you?"
	A thirteen-year-old Serenity whirled
around, angry at the voice that knew her identity
even though she had done her best to hide it.
	"Who are you?" the young girl yelled.
	A figure stepped into the clearing that
was surrounded by tall, silver trees and Serenity
took a step back in caution. A woman with brown
hair, slightly streaked with gray, smiled warmly
at her and held out her hand.
	"Do not be afraid, I am here to help
you, Princess."
	"And how can you help me, peasant?"
Serenity asked haughtily. She wanted this woman
gone, she wanted to be alone! Was that too much
to ask for?
	But the woman did not lose her smile,
in fact it seemed as though her eyes twinkled with
barely contained mirth.
	"Your harsh talk does not
disguise the generosity of your heart."
	Serenity's eyes widened for just a
moment before they narrowed suspiciously. She
quickly turned around and crossed her arms. "And
how would you know?" she asked.
	The other woman did not reply and
Serenity, growing curious, turned back around
hesitantly. What she saw surprised her for the
woman had knelt down beside a small patch of
flowers and was currently studying them. Insulted,
Serenity strode over to the woman until she stood
right over her.
	"Why didn't you answer my question?"
	"Serenity, do you know what this flower
is?"
	Startled, the young Princess blinked at the
abrupt change of topic and realized that the woman
was holding one of the flowers. It was a pretty thing,
with light pink petals that held traces of a lilac color
in them.
	"Of course. That's a Sintilla flower. Why
do you ask?"
	The woman stood up brushing off her
hands on the front of her dress. She looked at Serenity
for a moment before speaking. "Most people do not
know the name of that flower, it is so rare yet you
knew. I am sure you know that the flower can be
used as a balm for minor cuts."
	Serenity nodded, unsure of where the
woman was heading.
	"Serenity, you are not aware of what your
knowledge can do. If you combined the powers
you have received from your royal lineage including
that of the Silver Crystal, with the knowledge you
have of plants and nature, you could *heal* people."
	"Heal...?"
	The woman nodded and took Serenity's
hand, turning it so that her palm faced upwards. She
placed a dead Sintilla blossom in the girl's hand and
then closed it so that she formed a fist. "Heal it," she
whispered.
	Serenity shook her head in confusion. She
felt a twinge of fear at not understanding what the
woman wanted from her. "I... I don't know what
you're saying."
	"You do. Go on, heal the flower you hold."
	Serenity stared at her hand and taking a
deep breath, closed her eyes. She had not a hint as
to how she was supposed to heal something *dead*
but she did what she thought she was supposed to do.
Picturing the blossom as though it were alive, she
concentrated, bringing a mental image of the flower
in its full health to her mind. She inhaled, her mouth
parting slightly when she felt a coil of heat surge from
her feet to her fist. Chills over took her and caused
her body to tremble ever so slightly and she felt hot
and cold all at once. It was an amazing feeling and
she felt as though she were breathing the purest of
air around her. Opening her eyes and her fist, she
looked to see that, amazingly, the bloom had once
again regained its full color and form.
	"I-I can't believe it," the Princess
breathed. She snapped her head up when the woman
spoke. Truth be told, she had forgotten the woman
had been standing there.
	"My name is Naru, Princess, and I have
lived near your palace for many years. If you will
trust me, I will show you and teach you, things you
would never have thought you could do. You will
learn more than you know now and with the
knowledge you gain, you will do what your soul
yearns to do; to help those who need you." The
woman finished, holding out her hand once more.
	Time slowed as Serenity's breathing
became shallow. This woman... she held a key, a
key to a life that held promise for her. A life she
wanted, a life different than the one she led now.
Holding Naru's gaze, she gave her hand to the
woman and gripped it. The action would change
her life...

~*-*-*~

	And that had been the beginning. The
beginning to a world unlike the one she knew
now. Taking Naru's hand that day she had
stepped into a different plane where one did not
rely on physical strength, but powers that were
beyond the capability of the material world.
	Blinking, Serenity stopped her thinking.
With a silly grin, she realized she was heading into
deep thinking, territory that was not her 'style' as
Rei, the Senshi of Mars, so fondly put it. Speaking
of which, she had to remember to ask Rei how she
and the others managed to know when she went
out at night. She had taken it all in stride before
but now she was curious as to how the Senshi
knew when and where she went. Naturally they
followed her, but late at night, but who tipped
them off? She certainly did not want them coming
with her. She loved her new friends dearly, but
she could not risk any danger coming upon them.
She was already taking risks by going out with no
real protection other than the small knife she
always carried. She did not want to worry about
her friends' lives, no matter how confident they
were about themselves. She would get to the
bottom of it one day.
	Her hand fell to the smooth, crystal
knob of the closed door she now stood before.
Pushing it open, she walked into the room she
never failed to visit at least once every two days.
A sudden thought occurred to her, one that made
her halt in place. If the Senshi did follow her
moves every night, did they know where she
was each and every moment of the day? The
idea was really quite absurd! But, it was quite
possible they knew she went to this room, even
though she went through great pains to cover
up her tracks.
	Did they know? Did they know how
often she came here? Did they know how she
had to see only one specific image and nothing
else? Her cheeks turned red as she wondered
about it. Her friends could not know about her
secret... they could never find out!
	Walking over to the computer screens
she spoke the numbers she knew would get her
to view the image.  The computer immediately
processed the information and once more she
was able to see the man who haunted her dreams
almost every night, tortured her with visions that
she could see but not touch. Oh how she longed
to actually touch him! To know that he was real
and not some image her mind conjured up late
into the night.
	She stared at the screen, enraptured
by the sight before her. Tall and well built, the
man with inky black hair stood commanding
soldiers around him. He wore a suit of armor
and a black cape with a dark purplish red
underlining attached to his armor with two
clasps fluttered slightly around him. She
knew he wore the cape almost everywhere
and it was the clasps that gave his status
away. No soldier or general would be given
such unique, gold plated clasps without
special reason. And his stance, domineering
and commanding could not come from one
who was not already of noble blood.
	"Prince," she whispered, "I do not
know your name nor where you come from
yet you have captured my heart like no other.
Those around me tease and taunt saying I am
made of ice, unfeeling towards my suitors.
But in truth I am very much alive and I yearn
for the day I can utter your name from my
lips."
	Serenity sighed and then as she
usually did, cursed herself for being such the
weak fool, for allowing herself to fall for a
man whom she had no information on
whatsoever. A very one-sided relationship,
that much was obvious but she couldn't help
it. Ever since that day so long ago when she
had come upon this room and she had seen
her mother corresponding with this man she
could not stop her need to see him.
	She could clearly remember
the day. She had been in search of her
mother and someone had directed her to the
viewing rooms. She had opened the door
and upon seeing her mother talking to
someone, had closed it quietly and then
leaned against it waiting for the Queen to
finish. Her head had been bowed but then
when she raised it to look at the person on
the other side of the screen she found she
could not look away. Startling dark blue
eyes filled with seriousness stared at her
mother, firm lips mouthed words her
consciousness did not bother to hear. Black
hair fell in strands across a smooth
forehead and Serenity knew she would
never find a young man more handsome.
But the conversation had come to a close
and when Serenity blinked next, the
computer screen had become black and
silent once more and the Queen stared at
her with a questioning look.
	They had walked out of the room
together but as soon as Serenity had had the
chance she had gone back to the viewing
rooms in secret. She had had the computer
bring up one picture of the man she had
seen earlier and the computer had given her
a full- length picture, which she had
automatically saved in a file no one could
reach. But surprisingly, there was no name
or information that she could attach to the
man. The computer refused her commands
every time she asked for some hint as to
who he was. It was odd but Serenity was
grateful enough and happy that she had at
least this much. To this day Serenity
never gained the courage to ask her who
that man was and why she was speaking
to him.
	And now here she was staring
at this screen hoping, yet not hoping to meet
this man, this Prince, one day in the near
future. She sighed heavily once more and
then walked out of the room knowing it was
nearly time for her training session.
	The room was silent for a minute
or so after the Princess left. And then from
the back of the room, from within the
shadows a figure walked into the light, a
knowing smile on her face.

*^*End*^*
Heh, just as I told Laz, just a feeew more
chapters until Serenity and Endymion meet.
Trust me, there's good reason for this
building up... at least I think so...
^_^
Patch:-)(-: