He stopped just a couple of steps behind her, and said, as calmly as he could: "Excuse me, milady. Would you mind if I stay with you for a while?" Mercury jumped; he could see the hairs in her upper neck stiffen.

"Zoisite?" said she, a tingle of hope in her voice, which Suri noticed quickly, as she turned around. When she saw who was speaking to her, she seemed disappointed, and sighed. "Oh, sorry. I mistook you for someone else. Please, make yourself comfortable." The window was large enough to allow both of them in front of it, and Suri stepped quietly by her side, trying hard not to look at her. He knew that if he did, he would never take his eyes off her again.

They kept quiet for a while, Mercury just looking through the glass, the look of contemplation still in her eyes, and Suri fighting with himself not to take her by her shoulders and kiss her. But, soon Suri was helpless. Without even thinking it much, he leaned casually on the window-sill, his elbows resting on it, with his head on his hands, and asked: "May I ask you a question, Princess Mercury?" He bit his tongue. He had almost said her true name, one he--well, Zoisite--and only a few more knew. He saw as she turned to look at him, wonder present in her voice: "How do you know my name, Lord...?"

"Suri. I'm from Gemini. Well, it was simple your highness, even in that far away corner of the galaxy, your beauty is well known."

Suri knew what compliments she liked to hear, and was determined to court her, to make her up for the chance they never had. This time, I'm gonna make things right. When we met, we sorta jumped into each other, now, it's my chance to show her how much I admire her…

Mercury, in the meanwhile, had smiled for the first time, and was saying: "Thank you, Lord Suri. But don't exaggerate things like that."

"No, I'm just telling the truth. I know that the only thing that surpasses your beauty, is your intelligence." Good move, Zoi!

This time, Mercury blushed. Just a bit, but the pink was evident in her chins. "I... I don't know what to say, but thanks."

Yes! I'm doing it! When she doesn't now what to say, it's because I'm intriguing her! All I have to do now is tell her I'm sorry! "So?"

"So what?"

"You haven't let me ask my question yet. What's wrong? Maybe I can help you."

Mercury frowned a bit, and looked at him, straight into his eyes. "I don't think that's something that you should...."

Her voice trailed off, as she saw something in his eyes. She was thinking, His eyes! They are just like Zoi's! That greenish gray, the emotion they show... those are his eyes!

Suri saw as Mercury started blinking a couple of times, as if she wasn't sure if what she was seeing was true. "Are you Ok, Lady Mercury?"

"Yes. It's just that... your eyes... they are just like someone I knew some time ago." Suri flinched, but this passed unnoticed by Mercury.

She frowned, and looked at him questioningly: "I don't think we've met before, have we?"

"No. I would have remembered you." She blushed again, this time her gaze went to the floor.

Suri smiled under his face, and kept insisting. "You haven't told me what's wrong yet."

"Nothing important. Just... remembrance."

"That old friend you told me about?"

"Yes. Well, he was more than a friends." Suri's heart skipped, as he thought that maybe, not everything was lost.

"What happened?" he asked, determined to know what was the secret she had being keeping from him.

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Mercury was surprised because of the lack of respect he was using, as if he was used to talk like that with Royalty. However, she liked it. It reminded her of how Zoisite used to treat her, teasing, but always so gentle... as a matter of fact, this man in front of her was a lot like him. He was a gentleman, (that could be seen from miles away), he was caring, as she has discovered recently, and he had his eyes... that intrigued her the most. How could two different people have the same look, colour and expression? He looked so familiar to her, yet, she couldn't place him anywhere in her memories. She turned to look at him again, and gazed into his deep green eyes. She tried to read them, as she always did, and saw a pure soul, a caring personality, and a clever mind. Also, something very, very deep inside... something... familiar. Again that feeling of déjà vu spread over her, as she tried to travel deeper into his soul.