Sailormercury stiffened suddenly at the sight of the flowing green cape that covered her victim's body. It can't be, she thought. Could it?

Cautiously, she stole toward the unconscious form. The long silken cape hid a tall, masculine form, in gray pants with green trimming, as far as she saw. A random lock of wavy blonde hair peeked out from above what she thought to be his head.

What have I done? she realized in terror as she flung the cape away to reveal her victim. General Zoicite lay there, his hands above his face as if to block her attack. Sailormercury bit her lip. Her guess was right. She lifted one of his strong arms and felt for his pulse from his wrist. She sighed in relief as she felt the relaxed beating of his heart. I know the Shabon Spray Freezing isn't that strong, but still, I have to take precautions… Small chips of ice were caught in his sleeve, and a random few had penetrated the gray cloth, and blots of red marked those spots.

From the corner of her eye, her stare was caught by something red on Zoicite's face. Unaware of what it was, she turned to look in grim anticipation, which softened as soon as she saw what it really was.

Between the fallen general's lips was a single, red rose. This time, Sailormercury did not stifle the smile that was playing on her lips. Gently, she removed the rose from his mouth, and held it to her nose. Hmm, I wonder for whom this is for… A sweet, delicate smell emanated from the scarlet bloom as she closed her eyes and inhaled it deeply. As she smelled the rose, her hands felt the velvety texture of each petal as she rubbed each between her fingers.

She opened her eyes at last. The sight of the unconscious Zoicite lying on the unwelcoming marble floor shook her out of her reverie. This is all my fault, she decided, putting the rose between her own lips as she braced herself to carry the general. Gomenasai, General Zoicite. I will help you. Fiercely determined to nurse her "victim" back to health, she pulled upon the general's weight, staggering as she dragged him across the cold marble floor of the balcony to the warmth of her own bedroom. With all her might, she heaved to get his upper body propped on the soft light blue sheets of her feather bed, after which she removed General Zoicite's shoes so she could place his legs on the bed as well. Though thoroughly exhausted, she continued to work, with only the "victim's" welfare in mind.

The rose stayed between her lips as Sailormercury wearily disappeared to her bathroom. Minutes later, Princess Mercury emerged. Her hands held a basin of warm water with a small, white washcloth and a tiny tub of ointment. As she hastily set these necessities down on her crystal bedside table, she carelessly tore the red rose away from her lips. A protruding thorn drew blood from her lip as she set the rose down on her bedside table along with the supplies.

Sitting down on the bed beside the sleeping general, she placed her hand to her mouth. Her finger showed her the blood that had rushed out from the cut on her lip. Without as much as a blink, she hastily swiped her lip with the side of her hand as she proceeded to roll up Zoicite's shirtsleeves. Poor Zoicite…

The cuts on his arm varied in size. Most of them looked like nips from an ant, while a random few reached more than an inch long. Biting her lip as she examined what she had done, she wrung the washcloth to get rid of all excess water and dabbed it gently on his arm to clean the cuts. With a light and gentle touch, she then placed ointment on each cut, praying over each one that it may heal fast. When she finished treating these wounds, the Princess placed a few more pillows behind General Zoicite, making sure that he was most comfortable.

Standing up from the bed, Princess Mercury took hold of his heavy cape, and hung it on a peg on her bedroom wall. She absently fingered the silky green material, reminiscing about the General's emerald-green eyes. They were exquisite, the type of eyes that looked at you and drew you inside them. They were just the type of eyes you could lose yourself in…

With a small gasp, she shook her head, as if to shake away all the things she had been so wistfully thinking about. Though in solitude, she was embarrassed at her thoughts, and a burning sensation scorched her cheeks. How can I think of such things about the General, while he's hurt and in bed, and it's all my fault? Confused and flustered, she turned her back to the peg and headed back to check on General Zoicite, who still did not show any signs of consciousness.

Seemingly hesitant and afraid to even move, the Princess stole toward the bed and took her place by Zoicite's side. Zoicite was sleeping as though he would sleep through a moonquake. For that single moment, she forgot her shyness and came closer to the sleeping General. For the second time that night, she gazed at the General's perfect face, the same impeccable features she saw that night, except for a few details. The enchanting green eyes were nowhere to be seen, as they were covered by delicate eyelids. A look of contentment was on his face as he slept soundly, his breathing slow and even. Her eyes strayed to his lips, where a fresh cut had remained. Plucking a velvety petal from the rose Zoicite had with him, she dabbed his lip gently with the petal, making sure that no more blood rushed out from the cut. It must have been from the rose, she guessed as she wondered about how he had gotten that nip. It might have been a thorn. She touched the incision in her own lip as she examined the rose with her other free hand. She felt for thorns as she ran her fingers along the long woody stem, and was surprised to feel only one. Must have been the same thorn that had cut my lip. She smiled. What a small world…

She broke the thorn with a slight push of her index finger. That way, you won't hurt anyone anymore, especially the person Zoicite was going to give you to. She turned to look at her patient once again. Her heart was filled with worry and regret as she reached out to stroke his forehead, and free his brow from the random locks of short hair that covered it. I'm sorry Zoicite-kun, she told him silently as she kept on smoothing his hair. I didn't know it was you. Please forgive me. I hope I didn't keep you away from the person you were supposed to meet with. A random tear ran down her cheek as she thought of the wrong she had done.

She stood up from the bed, finally, wiping the tear from her cheek. No use crying over spilt milk, the Princess decided. I may as well just wait until he awakens. She strode over to the small bookcase that stood in a far corner of her room, and pulled out a full-looking volume bound in black leather. Book in hand, and spectacles in the other, she settled down on her royal blue velvet-upholstered loveseat, and began to read about the great men and women of intergalactic Philosophy.

Meanwhile, Zoicite lay on the soft feather bed, dreaming about the heaven he was already in at the moment…

   

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