Heart of Silver, Soul of Glass by Stormlight Chapter Six "There is nothing better," sixteen-year-old Serena stated contentedly, "than lounging around on a balcony with your two very best friends in the world, feeling the sunlight on your head, and hearing the birds sing, and..." "...watching several dozen extremely attractive, shirtless men training directly below you..." Miaka finished with a giggle as she peered between the marble posts of the balcony railing. "Oh yes, we mustn’t forget that now," Serena replied slyly as she, too, peered through the posts. "Mmmmmm...we really must remember to thank Her Majesty for insisting that we take these spare rooms beside Rei’s chambers. Who knew that they would be so useful?" "Oh, will you two stop it?" Rei complained haughtily. "Honestly! Haven’t we all outgrown these silly, juvenile infatuat...Oh, good grief! Have you seen the muscles on that one?!" The two sisters burst into riotous giggles as the princess pressed her face against the slender stone posts and stared down at the soldiers below them. "What was that you were saying, Your Highness?" Miaka teased. "What? Well, I’m a woman, too, you know," the princess sniffed. "Besides…some of those soldiers are probably the sons of dukes or counts or barons, and maybe there’s even a prince or two! One can never be too certain, and it always helps to get as much information as possible on potential husbands," she informed them primly. "Such as how big their muscles are," Miaka told Serena seriously, sending her into laughter again. She sighed and continued to watch the display below her. Most of the men she didn’t know...had never seen before, in fact; they were probably new recruits for the king’s army...but she did catch sight of Hotohori and Tamahome, both shirtless and gleaming with sweat from their efforts. They were fighting with swords, throwing playful insults back and forth at each other, and she sighed appreciatively. "They look so wonderful," she said, then wrinkled her nose and added playfully, "Too bad they never smell as good as they look when they’re finished!" "Yes. It’s always better to admire from afar, elsewise we’d probably pass out!" Serena quipped. She allowed her eyes to scan over the group again, until they inadvertently fell upon one certain individual. She froze, abruptly finding it difficult to force breath past the knot in her throat. Gleaming black hair fell over a pair of piercing, blue eyes that were fixed intently on his opponent. He, too, wore no shirt, and the sun gleamed off smooth, tanned skin that stretched over taught, well-formed muscles, all the way down to where a pair of light-colored breeches hugged his slender hips and long legs. The waistband was slung low, due to the weight of sword scabbard hanging at his hip, and Serena thought her heart might stop then and there as she frantically tried to stop her imagination from going any further. H-he’s so…beautiful, she thought in wonder, drinking in every detail of him. It seemed to have fled her mind that this was her greatest rival she was staring at so hungrily. It also fled her mind that she had two rather curious women seated right next to her, and that both had noticed her shell- shocked expression, and had realized its cause. Miaka and Rei exchanged sly glances, smirking evilly. "See anything special down there that’s got your jaw resting in your lap?" Miaka asked teasingly, rapping on her sister’s head with her knuckles. "Endymion wouldn’t have anything to do with it, would he?" That snapped Serena out of her stupor, and she quickly sat up, her cheeks turning pink. "Don’t be absurd!" she huffed, quickly gaining her composure. "That idiot has nothing to do at all with…" "With what?" Rei asked innocently, while Serena shot her a withering glare. "Nothing," the other girl sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Nothing at all." Rei and Miaka exchanged another amused look. "If you say so," Miaka replied. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ Later, when Serena had finished her assigned chores in the castle kitchen—after Ikuko had died, she and Miaka has insisted on continuing to work and earn their keep—she walked slowly through the hall leading to her shared quarters with Miaka. Queen Julietta had indeed been very generous in giving the two sisters those rooms, the very same ones she had offered them once before when Ikuko was still alive. This time, however, they had accepted the offer, not wanting to be alone in the apartment, where the memories of their mother were still too painful. It had taken a very long time for them to get over their grief, but they had managed to pull through, although Serena knew that some of those nights—when she had lain in her bed, staring blindly into the blackness in absolute terror that she would lose someone else important to her—had been the darkest of her life. Rei’s understanding friendship had helped, and of course Miaka had always been there. As they comforted each other with the thought that their mother was finally with her beloved Kenji, and that she would want them to be happy with their lives, their grief did lessen enough to remind them that they were not alone; that there would always be people to care for them. Even Endymion had changed, Serena realized. After that horrible night, when he’d held her so tightly and comforted her…it was a side to him that she had never seen before, and that she had never seen again. He’d turned from a cold, arrogant, indifferent prince into the warm, compassionate young man who had grieved with her, had held her and rocked her and who, at the time and for a time afterward, had even had seemed to lo… Serena didn’t let herself finish that thought. There wasn’t any point to thinking it, after all, because it wasn’t real. But oh, how I wish it was… She stopped suddenly in the middle of the hall, blinking in astonishment. Now where had that come from? She stared at the floor, her brow furrowing slightly. Was it…true? No…no, it had to be a joke, a cruel trick of the mind. She couldn’t possibly be wishing that the crown prince of all people would love her! It was ludicrous! Absolutely insane! And yet… It was absolutely…true. She took a deep, shuddering breath and swallowed hard. As much as she wished it otherwise, it was true. She groaned and closed her eyes, letting herself fall against the wall. "Why me?" she whimpered. "Why do I have to be so stupid? Why do I have to love someone who will never love me back?" Because, she realized, she did love him. Deeply. And, she thought ironically, it had only taken her sixteen years to figure that out. How could she have been so blind? All that hate and animosity she felt for him suddenly took a completely different turn. Had that been her way to get the prince’s attention, by goading him, by making him tease her? At least he did notice her, even if it was usually annoyance he regarded her with. But he did notice her, and perhaps that was why she had always continued to taunt him, so that she could be sure he wouldn’t forget her. Probably, she realized, it really was dislike she’d felt for him at first; after all, little girls hardly know what real love is, even if they wonder about it, as she had often done. It was as she grew up that her emotions had begun to change. But when? she thought, closing her eyes. When did I first realize…? The memory of a certain night—one which she’d long tried to banish—suddenly rose up in her mind, of the time when she had tried to plant the stuffed serpent in his room to scare him. Oh, but he’d gotten his sweet revenge on her for that trick! She remembered all too clearly how it felt to be wrapped in those warm, strong arms, pressed so intimately against his naked chest as he’d kissed the breath out of her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as she leaned against the stone wall, which felt cold against her suddenly-heated body. So much passion he’d poured into her mouth, as though he’d been starving to get a taste of her. Of course she had been too young, then, to really understand what all those feelings were that were swirling around inside her, and she’d panicked and pulled away. But, she thought breathlessly, what if…I had stayed? She was abruptly jerked out of her musings by a warm hand coming to rest on her shoulder, and she brought startled eyes upward to meet a deep, intense gaze that seemed tinged with worry. Her own eyes widened slightly in shock. Endymion! No, not now! Not here! I can’t face him when I’ve been thinking…thinking about… "Are you all right?" the crown prince asked her gently, trying to meet her suddenly-averted gaze. "You seemed deep in thought…a little distressed. Did something happen?" She blinked up at him in surprise. "Why do you care?" she bit out, more harshly than she’d intended. He stepped back, looking almost hurt, but his hand stayed where it was on her shoulder. "Of course I care," he replied awkwardly. "When one of my sister’s friends is in trouble, I…" "I’m fine," Serena replied coldly, knocking his hand off her shoulder. His words had cut her. …one of my sister’s friends… Such a cruel thing to say… Endymion sighed, pushing his fingers through his still-damp hair. He’d obviously come fresh from the baths, having finished his training awhile ago. "Why don’t I believe you?" he asked quietly, again meeting her gaze. He reached out and took her hand—startling her into speechlessness—and led her down the hallway a bit until he came to a door. He opened it, stepped inside, and closed it behind them. "Now," he said firmly, turning to regard her again. His face was stern. "I’m not going to ask you again. What is the matter?" His tone was just short of a direct order, and even she knew better than to argue with him when he was in one of his princely moods. "I was just thinking about the past," she mumbled, crossing her arms and looking away uneasily. She’d have to be careful about what she said to him, lest he figure out on his own her suddenly-discovered emotions. How he would laugh then! Oh, how she wanted to escape, so she could sort through these thoughts in her mind on her own. "Nothing serious," she added, hoping to convince him. "Nothing to concern Your Highness about, anyway." There was a subtle softening of Endymion’s features, a gentle warmth that entered his dark eyes. "Serenity," he began softly, making her start in surprise; nobody ever called her Serenity anymore. "Serenity," he began again, "what good will come of thinking sad thoughts? Serena barely held back a sudden, bitter laugh. Sad? she thought cynically. Mildly depressing, maybe, completely hopeless, certainly. But sad? She sighed softly, then forced a smile to her lips. "Please, stop with the heart-felt speeches," she told him dryly. "You’re starting to scare me." He frowned. "Serenity…" "I really must go, Your Highness," Serena choked out, curtsying rather stiffly. "Rei’s expecting me shortly, and you can’t keep a princess waiting, right?" She forced out a little laugh as she stepped to go around him, but his hand shot out and snagged her arm, pulling her closer to him. "Serenity," he began again, gazing into her eyes. "There’s something…" He paused, a look of frustration passing over his features. Slowly, one hand came up to touch her face, stroking gently over the smooth skin of her cheek, allowing his thumb to caress her lips ever-so-softly. She began to tremble inside, holding back a soft whimper at his touch. What was he doing?! Was he trying to drive her mad?! "There’s something I need…to…" "Endymion! Are you in here?" Tamahome’s voice suddenly cut in from right outside the door. Endymion almost groaned, closing his eyes briefly. When they opened again, resignation and regret mingled there for a moment before vanishing. "Never mind," he told her in a low voice. "It…isn’t important." He let her go, casting a final, regretful look in her direction, before he turned and strode almost angrily out of the room. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ Miaka watched Serena from the corner of her eye as the two sisters carefully arranged delicate, china plates and bowls and shining silverware on the linen tablecloths in the great banquet hall. Serena was being very quiet, which, for Serena, was very unusual. But whenever Miaka asked her what was wrong, she would simply smile and shrug and claim that she was perfectly fine. Miaka wasn’t fooled, of course, but she didn’t press the issue, although she did resolve to pry the trouble out of her sister later on. As for now…there was work to be done, and lots of it, for there was to be a banquet that evening, held in honor of a visiting ruler from a neighboring country. This small country, called Elithia, was located on the other side of an unnamed range of mountains which acted as a border between the two kingdoms. Very little was known about Elithia, for there were few in Davinshire who were brave enough to travel there, due to the bandits that lived throughout the mountains. It had come as a surprise when King Ayurhu sent a messenger to Davinshire requesting audience with Their Majesties, who immediately requested a friendly visit. Admittedly, it was most likely that they were as curious as everyone else as to why a king who had shown such little concern for his neighbors before should suddenly take such interest now. It was rumored that Princess Rei had a lot to do with his visit, what with her being of the age to marry and all, and the gossip was flying among the servants and townspeople that King Ayurhu had come specifically to ask for her hand. After all, it would be quite the beneficial match; his small kingdom would be bound with Davinshire, which would, in turn, increase his power and exceedingly. "Serena, what do you think about this king coming to visit?" Miaka asked her sister curiously as she folded linen napkins and arranged them carefully on the plates. "Are you anxious to meet him? Rei certainly seems to be." "Mmm," Serena replied distractedly as she polished a fork, her eyes lidded and sleepy-looking, clearly not focusing on her task. Miaka rolled her eyes and gave the younger girl a light smack across the head. "Wake up, would you? You’ve been off in La-La Land all day!" she scolded. "And if you keep polishing that fork like that, you’re gonna polish it into nothing!" She deftly picked the fork from Serena’s hand and put it back in its place on the long table. "What’s the matter with you?" she asked. "Are you dreaming about a boy?" Serena immediately straightened, a bright blush spreading across her face. "I am not!" she protested hurriedly. "Especially not about him!" Miaka raised a curious eyebrow. "Him?" she repeated teasingly. "And exactly which him are we talking about here?" Serena winced. "Er…never mind," she mumbled, picking up another piece of silver to begin polishing again. "It’s nothing worth worrying over or anything." "Oh?" Miaka smirked. "If that’s true, then why are you polishing the exact same fork you just finished not thirty seconds ago?" she asked sweetly. Serena blinked down at the piece of silver in her hand, then sighed, shook her head, and set it down again with deliberate care. "It…I just…" She hesitated. "If I tell you something…do you promise not to tell another soul:?" she questioned softly, staring at her sister pleadingly. "I’ve just realized something about myself, and I don’t know how to deal with it, and I could really use some advice…" Miaka stopped working and faced Serena seriously. "What is it?" she asked. "I think…" Serena’s voice dropped to a whisper. "I think I’m in love," she confided. Then, grimacing, she shook her head and added, "No, that isn’t right. I know I’m in love." "But, Serena, that’s wonderful!" Miaka gasped, throwing her arms around her sister’s shoulders. "Why are you acting like it’s the end of the world?" "Because it is!" Serena wailed, before remembering to keep her voice down. "Th-the man I love…well…he doesn’t love me back," she continued mournfully. "Are you sure?" Miaka asked. "Did he tell you that?" Her face brightened. "Have you told him how you feel?" "Good grief, no!" Serena choked, her eyes widening. "Are you insane? He’d keel over from laughing so hard! And…and besides, even if I thought he did feel something for me—which he doesn’t—it would never work, anyway." She sighed dramatically and shook her head, setting her long braid to swinging back and forth over her back. "It would be completely forbidden, you see." "Forbidden?" Miaka’s brow furrowed. Then, suddenly, understanding dawned in her eyes, and her expression gentled. "You mean Endymion, don’t you?" she asked quietly. Serena sniffled and nodded, eyes fixed on the tablecloth before her. "I know it’s stupid," she said softly. "I tried so hard to talk myself out of it, but…but…I just can’t help it!" Miaka sighed and hugged her sister again. "Rei and I thought for awhile that there was more to your feelings for His Highness than you ever admitted to," she told her. Then, with a small grin, she added, "And we also feel that there’s a whole lot more to his feelings than what he ever admits to, as well." "You’re just saying that," Serena replied sulkily, pouting a little. "The only thing he sees me as is a court jester when he needs a good laugh." "Now that’s not true, and you know it," Miaka scolded, smiling at her sister’s dramatics. "Well, even so, it’s still impossible. I mean, he’s the crown prince, and I’m just…well…I’m certainly not a princess," Serena snorted, tossing her hair. "It’s just…" "Hopeless," Miaka finished softly, her green eyes suddenly taking on a strange, melancholy cast. "I understand how you feel, Serena. Believe me." Serena gave her a long, hard look, before her own blue eyes softened. "You do know, don’t you?" she replied quietly. "Your feelings for Hotohori…" Miaka smiled stiffly. "Hotohori is a close friend," she said, unconvincingly. "That’s all." Serena thought for a moment. "What about Tamahome?" she asked. Miaka blinked. "What about him?" "You’re still seeing him, aren’t you?" Serena asked. "You went into town with him just the other day. He really cares about you, you know." Miaka sighed softly. "Yes, I know," she replied, picking up a knife to begin polishing it absently. "Tamahome is a wonderful man, and I care for him very much, but…" "But you don’t love him," Serena finished quietly. Miaka’s smile was bitter. "Now who’s the fool?" she asked. "Did you know he asked me to marry him?" "What?" Serena was so startled that she dropped the plate she was holding. Luckily, it landed on a pile of napkins on the table, rather than the marble floor. "When was this?!" she cried. "You never told me!" "I never told anyone," Miaka replied with a wry smile. "I didn’t want…Hotohori to find out about it. It was just the other week, actually, when Tamahome took me on a picnic." She fidgeted nervously. "He looked so hopeful when he asked, so shy, like a little boy asking for something he knows he probably can’t have. I know it would be the smart thing to do! I know he loves me, but…" "Did you tell him yes?" Serena asked. Miaka shook her head. "But I couldn’t tell him no, either," she replied in a whisper. "Oh, I just couldn’t break his heart like that, Serena!" Her eyes filled with earnest tears. "And really, I’d be stupid to turn down his offer, wouldn’t I? He wants to take care of me, and I’m seventeen! I’m practically a spinster! Who else is going to ask me?" She swallowed. "I could learn to really love him," she added, as though talking to herself. "I know I could. It would be so easy to love Tamahome. I mean…I do love him, you know. I just…it isn’t that kind of love. But maybe that doesn’t matter. Maybe I’ll just…need to give it some time." Serena threw her arms around her sister’s shoulders. "Oh, Miaka, I’m so sorry! I feel horrible now! I’ve been so involved in my own problems that I didn’t even realize what you were going through!" She stood back and shook her head. "Don’t marry Tamahome if you don’t think you love him, Miaka," she added earnestly. "If you don’t love him now, you’ll never love him the way married couples should love each other, and it’d just make the both of you miserable in the end." "But I don’t want to hurt him," Miaka protested. "He doesn’t deserve that!" "But what happens when he wakes up one day and realizes that you don’t really love him, anyway?" Serena asked gently. "Wouldn’t you be breaking his heart then? It would be so much worse, especially if you had a family by then." Miaka’s shoulders slumped. "I…I guess you’re right," she whispered. "It wouldn’t be right to do that to him. But how can I tell him? What excuse do I give?" "Tell him you’re in love with someone else," Serena replied simply. Miaka’s eyes flew wide. "Oh, I couldn’t do that! What if he guessed it was Hotohori? He’d think me a fool for turning him down for a hopeless dream!" "Miaka." Serena kept her voice gentle, although she looked a little amused. "Maybe you don’t realize…but your feelings for Hotohori aren’t exactly well- hidden, at least to myself and Rei. It’s more than a little obvious that you love him." Now it was Miaka’s turn to blush. "You don’t think he’s guessed it, too, do you?" she squeaked. "I tried so hard to hide my feelings." Serena’s smile was sad as she shook her head. "Don’t worry," she replied. "I think the only one who hasn’t noticed your feelings is Hotohori himself." Upon seeing Miaka’s half relieved/half dismayed expression, she added hastily, "but you can’t really blame him for that! He is a man, after all, and as a general rule, all men are dense like that. Even princes." This evoked a laugh from Miaka, and, mutually deciding to end the discussion for the moment, the two girls continued on with their work. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ King Ayurhu arrived at Rosewood Castle with a scandalously small entourage of courtiers and soldiers. While this greatly relieved the household servants—after all, the less people there were, the less extra work there was to be done—there were several who had to question the wisdom of a king traveling with so few guards through the dangerous mountain passes. If that wasn’t a tempting target for the local bandits, nothing was. Rei, however, had quite a different tale to tell when she met Serena and Miaka (who had not attended the banquet) in the royal gardens the next morning to pour out every detail of her meeting with the king. "He’s so gallant and handsome," she sighed, staring dreamily up at the canopy of an oak tree from her sprawled position on the grass beneath it. "He came with only four guards to protect him! He’s very strong and brave, to go through those awful mountains with so little protection. Why, the last time my brothers ventured anywhere near the mountains, they had at least six guards each!" "It was a hunting party," Endymion, who was sitting nearby and simply relaxing—a rare treat for him these days—immediately defended himself. "Hunting parties are always large, so it’s easier to carry all the meat we get. You know that!" "Details, details!" Rei purred, waving a hand in his direction as though to shoo him away. Endymion rolled his eyes at her and leaned back against the trunk of the tree he rested under. "What’re you doing here, anyway?" Serena couldn’t help but ask the crown prince snidely. "Shouldn’t you be out torturing the guards or something?" Referring to the strenuous exercises she’d often witnessed him putting the soldiers through in the mornings while training. "And shouldn’t you be brushing out the fireplaces or polishing my boots or something, servant?" he retorted easily, not bothering to open his eyes to look at her. Serena winced and looked away. That one hurt. It was true, of course, but it didn’t make it any less painful. Or maybe it was so painful because it was true. Must he constantly remind me that I have no place as anything more than a simple servant in his life? she wondered sadly, looking at her hands folded in her lap. Endymion, expecting to hear one of Serena’s razor-witted comebacks, was therefore rather surprised when he didn’t. Opening one eye, he chanced a quick peek at her, only to see her sitting with her hands folded in her lap, staring blindly down at them with a most peculiar expression on her face. She looked almost…miserable. He blinked. What had caused such a melancholy air to settle over her so suddenly? Just as he opened his mouth to question her, she abruptly rose to her feet—never mind the fact that Rei was still gushing on about the many charms of King Ayurhu—and strode away from the group. Rei abruptly stopped talking, blinking in surprise at Serena’s sudden departure, before turning, along with Miaka, to fix her brother with a what-did-you-do-to-her-now sort of glare. Endymion sighed and rolled his eyes. "I’m going, I’m going," he grumbled, rising to his feet to start after the girl. Feh. Silly women, getting upset over any little thing… He hadn’t even done anything this time! He caught up with her in the stables a good while later, muttering to himself in annoyance. It was almost impossible to find Serena when she didn’t want to be found, he’d quickly come to realize, and it had taken a bit of questioning to discover her whereabouts. Of course the maids he questioned were curious as to what the crown prince could possibly want with one of their own, but naturally they weren’t brave enough to ask. Endymion sighed and shook his head wryly. No doubt the tongues would be wagging tonight. He found Serena easily once he entered the stables. She had pulled up a rickety-looking stool before one of the horse stalls—his own charger’s, he realized in surprise—and was softly stroking the horse’s nose and neck and murmuring softly. The snow-white stallion, called the Ghost for his coloring, was in absolute bliss as he heaved a contented sigh and closed his eyes, laying his ears back in ecstasy at the gentle treatment which his real owner would never have spared him. Endymion didn’t know whether to feel amused at the animal’s almost human-like expression, or annoyed because of the fact that Serena was turning a proud, fighting war horse into a kitten. "So, how long has this little love affair been going on?" he drawled, crossing his arms and leaning against an empty stall. The effect was immediate. Serena shrieked in surprise, jerking backward so fast that it caused the stool to tip over, spilling her over it in a flurry of petticoats and a muffled, painful yelp. The Ghost, startled out of his trance-like state, reared up with a scream and bucked at the walls of the stall in agitation before settling again. Endymion ignored his prized stallion in his concern over Serena’s tumble, rushing to her side in a panic. A fall like that…the way she’d landed, backwards…she could’ve broken something! Hopefully not her neck… Unfortunately for him, Serena had not broken anything, and that included her vocal chords. "You cretin!" she shrieked, struggling to right herself. "You utter imbecile! What are you trying to do?! Break my neck and give me a stroke all at the same time?!" She struggled to her feet, rather rumpled and dirty, but none the worse for wear. She stood straight and tried to look as dignified as she could, no easy task to accomplish when one has been laying with her skirts up over her head, no doubt giving a culprit a good view of her unmentionables. She turned to face the intruder fully, mouth open and ready to give him another piece of her mind, but the words froze in her throat when she realized just who it was she’d been insulting so viciously. "Y-your H-highness," she stammered, her face flushing darkly as mortification overcame her. Not at what she had said to him—heaven only knew that he deserved it!—but more at the fact that it was he who had been witness to such a display of gracelessness that one might expect from a newborn calf! Not to mention that glimpse under her skirts! She turned away from him in utter humiliation, hands flying up to cover her burning cheeks, trying desperately to hold back the flood of tears that waited to burst free from her eyes. She would not cry in front of him! She would not give him that ultimate triumph! "D-did you want something, Your Highness?" she questioned, putting as much ice into her tone as possible. As her back was turned, she didn’t see him wince. "Are you all right, Serenity?" he asked softly, well aware of the embarrassment she was facing. He was rather facing that same embarrassment, for an entirely different reason. The sight of those long, shapely, slender legs, covered by her silken stockings, had done something to him that he would’ve rather not thought about at the moment. Luckily, not all her petticoats had gone up completely, but they’d gone up far enough to leave little to his imagination. He almost regretted that he’d not glimpsed more, but then he mentally smacked himself for having thoughts like those, and focused on the task at hand. "I’m fine," Serena was answering him stiffly, clearly wanting him to go away. "Nothing’s injured." Besides my pride, she added silently, grimacing. What a wonderful court jester she would have made! No wonder she could never gain his admiration and respect, with unseemly displays like that! "Nevertheless," Endymion was saying seriously, "let me make sure you’re okay. A fall like that could have serious repercussions later on if not attended to right away." Before she could protest, he’d moved up behind her and was laying a hand against her shoulder, using the other to push aside her thick, knee-length plait of hair. Then she barely managed to hold in a gasp of shock when she felt that same hand pressing gently against her back, its heat searing her through the thin layers of fabric that covered her flesh. "Wh-what are you doing?" she squeaked, panicking a little. His hand on her back, stroking and kneading gently and carefully, was doing amazing things to her self-control. Those fingers were firm, but gentle, as they sought for hidden injuries along her back, and a trembling began deep within her, despite all efforts to ignore his touch. "I’m simply trying to determine whether you injured anything," the crown prince explained calmly as he continued his explorations. "Do you feel any pain along your spine? Any numbness?" He didn’t seem to be at all aware of what he was doing to her. Hmmph. Typical, thick-witted male… "I said I’m fine!" she snapped, feeling as though she would lose control of herself at any moment, and either run away or turn and throw herself into his arms. Neither one was an option, of course. "What will people say if they see us like this?!" Her eyes widened in horror. Oh, the scandal it would cause! Not that she would necessarily mind being thought of as a possible lover of the crown prince, but rumors like that could ruin his family name. She wouldn’t want to destroy Rei’s chances with the oh-so-wonderful King What’s- his-name, and to hear that the crown prince may or may not be having an affair with a common servant would no doubt send the king packing in disgust. Endymion, however, didn’t appear to be half as worried over Rei’s future as Serena was, because he ignored her panicked outburst and continued with his gentle ministrations until he was thoroughly satisfied that she was completely unharmed. "There now," he told her as he stepped back. "That wasn’t too painful, was it?" She opened her mouth to retort, found she had none, and shut it again in befuddlement, looking away from him as she tried to ignore the heat still burning in her cheeks. Endymion regarded her curiously, well aware that her pride was still stinging. "You can’t still be embarrassed for falling off that stool," he told her, attempting to take her mind off her embarrassment. "I’ve seen worse klutz attacks than that before. Like that time you fell into the river. Remember?" She turned instantly, eyes blazing righteously. "You pushed me in! And as I recall, we both ended up in the river that day, thank-you-very-much!" she snapped, before noticing the teasing light in his eye and realizing that he was merely trying to bait her. She huffed and crossed her arms, scowling. "I was only eight at the time, too, and that’s a little different than the situation now," she grumbled. "Anyway…was there something in particular you wanted, or were you simply trying to scare the life out of me? If that’s the case, you’ve succeeded, so you can be on your way now." Endymion cocked his head to one side. "I sought you out because I noticed you seemed a little upset over something," he began carefully, "and I was curious as to what it was, or if there’s anything I can do to help. Did I say something to upset you?" She blinked at him, clearly surprised at the concern in his tone. "I-it’s nothing," she stammered. "Really, you don’t have to worry about me." She turned back to the Ghost again, who was still looking a little agitated, and began to stroke his neck to calm him. Endymion thought for a moment, before an idea touched him. "Are you upset because you and Miaka weren’t allowed to attend the banquet last night?" he asked. "I know you both are usually allowed to dine with us, but with the visiting king, my parents wanted to be sure to leave him with a good impression, and I don’t think allowing servants to take their meals with us would…" "I could care less about the stupid banquet!" Serena suddenly exploded, startling the Ghost again. He flattened his ears and backed away from her in displeasure, and she sighed and tried to coax him back. When he refused to obey, she frowned and stalked away from the stall, toward the entrance of the stables. She seemed to have forgotten that Endymion was there. The crown prince frowned, as well, and started after her, gripping her arm before she could escape the building. "You certainly seem to be upset about something, and I won’t allow you to leave until you tell me what it is," he told her sternly. "I, as your prince, command it!" She bristled and glared at him. "Well, please excuse your humble servant, Your Highness," she snapped, "but I really don’t believe you have the right to demand that I tell you anything about me!" He frowned. "Serenity…" "Quit calling me that!" she cried, yanking her arm away from him. "Serenity is a name for a lady of the court, and I’m not a courtier! I might’ve been, once, but that was taken away from me! I’m just a servant, and I’ll always be a servant! Nothing will ever change that!" And with that, she burst into tears, turned, and fled the stables, leaving a completely bewildered Endymion to wonder what in the world had gone wrong. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ Serena was awakened quite rudely by an insistent knocking on her chamber doors. She cracked an eye open, noticing that it was still dark outside, with only the barest tint of gray on the horizon to announce the coming dawn. The knocking started up again, and she scowled and tumbled out of her bed, shivering as her bare feet hit the cool, stone floor. "Somebody had better be dead!" she growled as she stumbled for the door and yanked it open. She blinked in surprise when she found herself looking right up into Endymion’s dark sapphire gaze, and for a moment could do nothing but stare at him, her mind still too muzzy with sleep to react, or even to wonder why in the world the crown prince would be standing outside her chambers in the middle of the night. After a moment of utter silence, Endymion’s probing gaze dropped, and a raven eyebrow arched as it fixed on a certain area with poorly-veiled interest. She blinked and frowned, looking down at herself to see what was so entertaining to him, and abruptly realized that she was dressed in only her silken nightdress. Her rather thin silken nightdress, which had a very low, wide- scooped neckline that left little to the imagination. To make things worse, the silk was a lovely, although somewhat revealing, shade of pale cream. Rei had once given it to her to tease her, knowing that Serena wouldn’t actually wear something so risqué. What the princess didn’t know was that on warm, rather humid nights like this one, Serena did wear it, since it kept her cool. Now, though, she was starting to regret her decision as she let out an "Eep!" of dismay and slammed the door in Endymion’s face, her heart pounding and the blood rushing into her cheeks. "What do you want?!" she yelled through the door. There was a moment of silence, and then his clearly-amused voice replied, "Well, to begin with, I’d like to actually see who it is I’m talking to. It’s rather rude to slam the door in the crown prince’s face, don’t you think?" There came a disgruntled snort. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I’d assumed that the crown prince was too busy ogling to take much notice of what I did!" came the biting reply. Endymion, to her outrage, merely chuckled in reply. "Next time, perhaps you might want to put on a shawl if you don’t want me to admire the view," he purred, and was pleased to note the sudden silence on the other side of the door. "Now," he continued calmly, glad that the wood between them hid the smug grin on his face, "I’ve come to request that you dress yourself and come join me in the stables." "Why?" she asked suspiciously, and he could almost see her eyes narrowing at his odd request. "Because we’re going for a ride," he replied easily. "So, my advice is to wear something you’re comfortable riding in. It will be a rather long trip." "And what if I don’t feel like going?" she shot back, and he wondered at the hint of panic he heard in her tone. "This isn’t really an option, Serena," he told her seriously. "This is an order from your liege. I’ll expect you in half an hour in the stables, dressed to ride." "But I don’t know how to ride!" she protested weakly. He raised an eyebrow. Now that was an untruth. He’d seen her ride before, with Miaka and his sister, and she was just as good as the other two girls at handling a horse. But he decided to ignore the lie and simply replied, "I’ll choose a gentle horse for you." A moment’s hesitation. Then, "And if I don’t show up?" Her voice sounded innocent enough, but he detected the note of challenge hidden beneath the playful words, and sighed, well aware that she was testing his patience as she had done so often in the past. "Then," he replied with a sly smile, "I guess I’ll be forced to come in there and fetch you myself." He paused a moment, then continued in a low, intimate tone, "I’ll even dress you, if you’re going to be stubborn about it…which is something, I admit, that I would enjoy greatly." He laughed softly at her outraged sputtering, before turning on his heel and striding away, boots clicking sharply on the stone floor. She would come. It would probably take her more than half an hour, but if she knew what was good for her, she’d show up. He had to wonder, however, if she would really be rash enough to ignore his orders. It would be quite interesting, he decided, as a small smile tugged at his lips. The crown prince did not, after all, make empty threats. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ It was exactly a half an hour later when a very angry Serena stomped into the stables, making it abundantly clear that she did not appreciate being roused from her sleep by an arrogant prince at such an unholy hour of the morning. What was he, after all? A prince or a barbarian? One simply did not go around threatening innocent, unsuspecting maidens such as herself and dragging them away to who-knew-where on some crazy whim! It was simply indecent! All this she managed to convey with a few muttered exclamations and several choice phrases she’d picked up here and there by the stable boys, most of which were not suitable to repeat in polite society. Endymion merely listened to her ranting, quite amused, as she stood before him with arms crossed and an expression of absolute displeasure pasted to her face. However, she was, he was pleased to note, dressed properly in slightly-worn trousers and a tunic, with her long hair plaited neatly down her back and a pair of good leather riding boots on her feet. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed cheerfully as he finished clinching the saddle to his charger and checked the trappings to make sure they were tight. He threw two leather saddlebags over the Ghost’s rump and fastened them tight, then swung himself gracefully into the saddle and looked down at Serena, who was watching him with a somewhat blank expression on her face. Smiling down at her, he held out a hand. "Tally up?" he said expectantly. She blinked at him, clearly not understanding what he meant. "Where’s my horse?" she asked suspiciously. "Your horse?" he repeated innocently. A sly grin touched his face as he leaned toward her, locking her in his gaze. "Did you not tell me you didn’t know how to ride?" he purred. She gulped. "Didn’t you say you’d choose a gentle horse for me?" she shot back, not missing a beat. She had a sudden sinking as she realized what he was up to. "I did say that," he replied calmly, "and there is not a calmer horse than the Ghost here when bearing ladies on his back. He knows how to behave like a true gentleman." "Unlike his owner," Serena muttered under her breath, trying to keep the flush she felt creeping into her cheeks at bay. Endymion smiled. "Well, are you going to climb up, or do I need to climb down and fetch you up myself?" "We’ll both be too heavy!" she protested. "No heavier than I when I’m wearing my armor, which I’m not at the moment, so it won’t put a strain on the Ghost. He’s a very strong beast. Champion stock, I might add. Only the best for a prince, after all." She rolled her eyes. "I’ll saddle my own horse then," she muttered, turning toward another stall. But before she could take a step, a strong, warm arm was wrapping itself around her waist, and in the next moment she found herself being lifted from the ground and deposited in front of Endymion on the stallion. She squeaked in surprise and gripped the prince’s arms tightly to keep her balance, before turning to shoot a black glare at his grinning face. "You have some nerve!" she sputtered. "Swing your leg over the side," he instructed, completely ignoring her. "There, like that. Now, we can be off. Don’t worry, I’ve told your sister you’ll be gone for the day, so…" "You did what?!" Serena screeched. "Oh, wonderful! Well, I’ll never hear the end of it now! She’ll be harassing me forever to find out where I went." She paused, then added suspiciously, "Just where are we going, anyway?" He chuckled. "You’ll see soon enough," he replied. "Just sit still and be patient. And trust me when I say that you’ll enjoy yourself." Seeing as she had no other choice—his arms on either side of her did not allow for enough room to escape her predicament without falling off and possibly killing herself—Serena settled with her back against his chest and tried her best to ignore the pleasant sensation of warm, velvet-clad arms surrounding her as they rode out of the stable and through the castle grounds. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ It was now well into morning, and the sun had risen above the mountains in the distance, casting its light across the valley, chasing away pale morning shadows and glimmering on the water of the river the two traveler’s rode beside. Serena held back a jaw-cracking yawn as she shifted in her seat, trying to hide the fact that she was uncomfortable. She might’ve been a decent rider, but she’d never ridden for such a long period of time before, and it didn’t seem as though they were going to stop anytime soon. Her backside was going numb, and her legs were starting to get stiff. Still, she’d be blamed if she admitted that she needed a break when Endymion didn’t seem to be bothered at all! "We’ll ride on past the next village, then stop for a rest," his voice suddenly rumbled in her ear, making her jump slightly in surprise. She frowned irritably. Blast the man, always reading her mind like that! How did he do that, anyway? She grunted a reply and shifted again, trying to ease the tingling in her legs. "Unless, of course, you’re ready to stop now," Endymion added mischievously, noting her unease. She stiffened slightly. "I’m perfectly fine, thank you," she replied haughtily, earning another smile from him. He flicked the reigns, and the Ghost tossed his head and abruptly quickened his pace. Serena, unprepared for the sudden movement, lost her balance and was thrown back, hard against his chest. His arms immediately tightened around her to keep her from sliding off the saddle, and she suddenly found herself in a most interesting position. "Er…sorry," she mumbled, straightening up again, feeling the heat burning in her cheeks. Endymion merely smiled, and they continued on in silence. ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ ~~~{~@ By midday, Serena was starting to wonder if they’d ever reach their destination, wherever it might be. They’d taken a short rest beside the river to water the horse and to eat a light meal, and after that they continued on, always following the river, through villages and past nearby towns; Serena had now seen more of the kingdom of Davinshire than she’d ever seen before. She had no idea that the country was so big! And to think…one day Endymion will rule over it all, she thought in wonder, turning to regard him thoughtfully. How must he feel at times, knowing that he was destined to be the ruler of an entire country? Did he ever feel scared of his responsibilities? No, she decided quickly. Not him. Endymion isn’t the type of man to be afraid of anything. The crown prince sensed her gaze upon him and glanced down at her, smiling slightly, and she quickly turned away, embarrassed to be caught staring. It was then she realized that they were nearing what must have been, at one time, a prosperous, sprawling manor. There wasn’t much left of it now, however. The house—which was really more of a small castle than a mere house—was nothing but a crumbling ruin of stone walls and charred wood. The courtyard was littered with rubble, and weeds and clinging vines covered every surface with green. The gardens surrounding the house had grown wild, although patches of blackened earth—the remains of some great fire—could still be glimpsed through the tangle of vines and shrubbery. Serena looked around in wonder. There was a wild, tragic beauty about this place. Such an air of hopelessness hung over everything in a kind of chill aura. Some great tragedy had befallen the owners of this manor at some point in time. A past war, perhaps? Or thieves? She wondered if anyone had survived to tell the tale. The Ghost slowed to a halt as Endymion reigned him in, and stamped polished hooves on the stone with sharp clacks. "We’re here," the crown prince announced, sliding off the horse’s back. Serena’s brow furrowed in confusion as she, too, slid from the saddle, barely catching herself when her legs almost didn’t support her. "And where exactly is here?" she demanded. "You mean this is it? You forced me to ride the whole way out into the middle of nowhere…just to show me some old ruins?" She didn’t know whether to hit him or to steal his horse and ride back to the castle without him. Either one was a pleasant prospect to her at the moment. "This isn’t just some old ruin, Serenity," Endymion was telling her seriously, turning to look into her eyes. There was something in his tone that suggested there was more to the story than he was letting on, and she regarded him suspiciously in return. "It isn’t?" she questioned. Then, attempting to keep her temper in check, she added, "Just where exactly are we, Endymion?" "We’re at the remains of what was once the manor of Willow Glen," he replied calmly, his gaze searching hers for any sign of recognition. She tilted her head to one side curiously, pursing her lips. "Willow Glen…" she repeated. Shaking her head, she added hesitantly, "The name…seems familiar to me…" "This is where it started, Serenity," he told her, moving closer to her and laying a hand on her shoulder. She blinked up at him, before a faint light of recognition began to dawn in her wide eyes. "This…is…" she whispered, her face paling slightly. "Yes," he replied softly, nodding his head. "This was once your home, Serenity. Willow Glen was where you were born."