Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.... geez, I don't know any other
way of apologizing to you. I'm aware that this chapter took me
months to finish and I'm completely, absolutely, entirely, honestly
sorry. I have to admit that I've been lazy, but what really kept me
from writing was that I didn't know exactly what to write. Yes, I
knew what the chapter was going to be about, but I had no idea of
how to put it into words. Besides, every time I thought I was
finally going to make it, another idea popped into my mind and I
just HAD to write it down, making the story go on, and on, and on...
(you know what I mean?)

Since I'm still recovering from a *major* writer's block I'm not
really sure if I'll be able to have chapter 9 ready for the next
week. Though I can promise you something: it won't take me more
than 3 months to finish it (wow Dafne, *THAT* was comforting)

Well, that's all I have to say for now, so... on with the story!

E- mail: sailor_dafne@hotmail.com
Rating: PG-13 (one word: smooching)
By: Dafne

Most of the characters used in this story belong to Naoko Takeuchi
and lots of other important companies. Since I don't claim them,
please don't sue me. Thanks.

A real princess
Chapter eight: Promises

The forest was starting to get dark and the atmosphere was becoming
moister and colder little by little, however Serenity and Endymion
didn't seem to notice at all...

*	*	*	*	*

The princess couldn't see anything, crystal tears blocked out her
vision, yet she could still hear Mamoru's voice calling out for her
and his firm footsteps approaching her quickly.

Her eyes were sore and puffy, her legs were starting to get tired,
and, due to her lack of sight, she was continuously tripping and
falling, her knees had already several bleeding bruises and her
once impeccable dress was now dirty and ripped all over. However
she tried to ignore the pain for at the moment the only thing that
mattered was to get away from him as fast as possible.

*Why do I have to be a princess? Why is life so cruel? Why can't I
marry whomever I want? Why did I have to fall in love? Why do I
feel as if he's the only one I'll ever love? Why, why, WHY?*
Serenity was desperate, she didn't know what to think anymore, so
she just kept running through the dense foliage trying her best to
forget everything and everyone if just for an instant.

*	*	*	*	*

*Geez, that girl is fast* thought Endymion. Although he had been
running with all his might he still couldn't reach Usagi, on the
contrary, he had almost lost track of her. He was about to give up
when suddenly a splendid idea came to him *Maybe if she thinks I'm
gone she'll stop running and then, when she's not paying attention,
I'll catch her from behind. Yep, I think this could work*

With this encouraging thought in mind the prince stopped abruptly
and hid behind a large tree, never removing his eyes from Usagi.

*	*	*	*	*

Just as he had thought, when Serenity noticed Mamoru was not
following her anymore she halted. The hurt she had been holding
back suddenly knocked her down. She fell painfully to her knees and
started sobbing mournfully. Since the agony within her heart was
too much to bear her body weakened more and more with every passing
moment. Soon after she couldn't stand it anymore and tumbled to the
floor hiding her face within her folded arms.

She had already reached the end of the forest and the menacing sea
stood before her. Dark clouds covered the once crystal-clear blue
sky and a freezing wind whirled all around her. The leaves made
rustling noises and the waves dashed against the breakwater.

*Why am I feeling so much pain? Isn't there a way to get rid of it?
Will I have to live my entire life enduring this sorrow that is
tearing me apart?* Then, in an attempt to set free all of her
distress, she cried out desperately to the skies "Mom, please help
me! I promise I will never break the rules again, but PLEASE, just
release me from the sharp and deadly claws of agony! I beg for
mercy!!!!" feeling completely hopeless seeing that there was no way
to remove all of the suffering slashing at her very heart and soul,
with those last words she broke down in sobs all over again.

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion felt his own eyes well up with tears, he just couldn't
stand to see his love crying, his heart had ripped apart at the
sight. *Have I caused her so much pain? But... but what did I do
anyway?* he wondered, but as soon as he took another glance at the
fallen angel all of his logic abandoned him, and instead of letting
his mind ponder about what he had done wrong, his heart immediately
assumed the guilt... *Oh my dear Usako, please forgive me for
hurting you so, but believe me when I tell you that I never meant
to harm you* The prince started to walk towards her as quietly as
he could, however, since he didn't saw a fallen twig he stepped on
it and broke it. The cracking made an almost imperceptible noise
and yet it didn't go unnoticed by Usagi.

*	*	*	*	*

"Huh? What was that?" Serenity turned around carefully and as soon
as she noticed whom it was she practically fainted. She tried to
get up from her lying position but since she was too weak she
couldn't. *Stupid legs!* she thought to herself *What am I gonna
do? I can't face him again.... at least not yet*

Once again the Moon Princess attempted to escape, only this time she
didn't even bother to move her legs, instead she dragged her body
as fast as she could with the help of her arms. *Great Usagi, just
great, do you actually think you can run away in these conditions?
He'll catch you in no time* she scolded herself. As if he had read
her thoughts, Serenity heard Mamoru's footsteps coming towards her
when she hadn't even moved 3 feet.

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion gasped at the breaking noise, he stood still, holding his
breath, waiting for Usagi's reaction. *Baka Mamoru, why can't you
ever be careful on what you do? Now she will just run away from
you... again* he cursed himself.

When Usagi turned around to look at him, Endymion couldn't help but
stare back and admire her beauty... *She is absolutely gorgeous,
geez, I wonder if she cast a spell on me or something, because
whenever I look at her beautiful blue eyes I drown myself in them,
they capture my entire heart and soul, my mind just blocks out and
I can't think of anything else but her flawlessness. Oh my dear
Usako... wait, where did that come from? My little bunny? Good
heavens Mamoru, you really have it bad for her don't you?*

Endymion was so lost in his thoughts that he never noticed Usagi's
vain efforts to stand up. However, when he came back from his
reverie he immediately turned his gaze towards his enchantress to
surprise her in an attempt to move away from him. At first he
thought it was quite amusing to see her so vulnerable, but when he
noticed her bleeding wounds he groaned inwardly and scolded himself
for being so insensitive. *Oh no Usako, you're not going to get rid
of me that easily* He trudged towards her and lifted her lovingly
with his strong arms, then he grinned wickedly while whispering
softly in her ear: "You're mine little rabbit, you have no way
out... Usako".

*	*	*	*	*

Since Serenity couldn't move swiftly she didn't have the chance to
react in time and before she knew it she was already in Mamoru's
warm and strong arms.

"You're mine little rabbit, you have no way out... Usako" he
muttered. Serenity gasped at the given name *Little rabbit?,
USAKO?* she thought confusedly. At first she was surprised and
didn't know what to do, but then she began to relax, giving in to
all the emotions that were now flowing freely. She closed her eyes
as she rested her head on his shoulder and put her arms around his
neck. *I want to stay this way forever, he feels so good... Oh Mamo -
chan I love you so much, I wish I could be yours and nobody else's*
she thought dreamily, but then she came back to reality... *NO
Usagi!, you shouldn't be thinking that way* her mind scolded her
*you're a princess with a very important task to fulfill, your duty
is to marry according to your kingdom's traditions. Besides you
must remember the fact that you CAN'T stay in a strange planet for
too long, your friends granted you 3 hours and that's all you've
got, nothing more*

When Serenity opened her eyes again, they were welled up with tears.
She started to kick her legs furiously and her arms dropped from
their former position as two huge drops of salt water rolled down
her flushed cheeks. "Mamoru, let me go NOW!" she yelled at him
attempting to sound as angry as possible. She was trying
desperately to escape from his grasp, but she was so weak it was to
no avail; with the abrupt movement her still aching wounds started
to bleed profusely forcing her to stop the struggle.

When Usagi finally admitted she couldn't do anything she began to
sob heartbreakingly and her whole body started to tremble
uncontrollably *I have to return home and I can't even get away
from him. Well, it's not that I'm complaining... Actually I wouldn't
mind staying here, but I CAN'T!, as the Moon Princess it's my duty
to go back where I belong* she reminded herself bitterly.

Serenity looked up at Mamoru with pleading eyes and said, "Mamo-
chan, please put me down, this is not right... I beg you, don't make
this more difficult than it already is. If you don't let me go both
of us will end up hurt"

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion grinned when he saw Usagi gasp at the new name he had given
her. At first he felt her body stiffen, but when he was about to
say something to calm her down she started to loosen up. As she
placed her head on his shoulder and her arms went around him he
blushed, his cheeks turning a DEEP crimson color. Her smooth
fingers playing with the strands of hair at the nape of his neck,
her warm breath and sweet, intoxicating scent were doing wicked
things to his senses...

*Mamoru!? Is anybody there?!* his mind called out to him. *Jesus
Christ!, when you look at her you can't think of anything else, you
just go to your own dream world; but when you're close to her you
merely become stupid... what's going on with you? You have never
acted like this before, so what does this girl possesses that has
you totally head over heals for her? What special quality do you
see in her that you've never seen in any other woman before?*
Endymion thought about it for a moment before explaining the reason
to his own mind *I really don't know, but I wouldn't change this
feeling for anything else in the entire universe. Yes, I may be
acting oddly, but I'm only letting myself be carried away with this
extraordinary passion I never knew I had and I do believe I'm doing
the right thing, no matter what you say*

All of a sudden Usagi started wriggling under his arms, interrupting
his thoughts abruptly. She was kicking her legs so violently she
almost escaped from his grasp, but he managed to gather all his
strength and tightened his hold on her, pressing her body closer to
him. The prince was very proud of himself, he had a clever smile
playing on his lips and a particular sparkle in his eyes as he
leaned towards his goddess, however when he was about to say
something she caught him off rudely "Mamoru, let me go NOW".
Endymion wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from her and when
he recognized the cold tone of her voice his heart broke into
million pieces *She doesn't want to be near me? But just a moment
ago she seemed so peaceful within my arms, why did she suddenly
change her mind?* he wondered.

A few seconds later he noticed she had stopped fighting him, yet
what he saw pained him even more than her heartless words. She was
crying heartbreakingly on his shoulder and the sobs racked her
whole body. He didn't know what to do or say, he just held her
securely. He hated seeing her in such conditions, but what bothered
him even more was that he couldn't do anything to help her other
than to embrace her delicate figure and try to give her all the
support she needed.

Before he knew it his eyes started to fill up with tears and his
mind was suddenly overwhelmed by emotions of agony, longing, and
confusion *But it's strange, this feelings I'm experiencing are not
mine...* he thought dazedly.

Endymion looked down at Usagi to find her staring back at him with
pleading eyes. "Mamo-chan, please put me down, this is not right... I
beg you, don't make this more difficult than it already is. If you
don't let me go both of us will end up hurt"

If her strange behavior and unstable state of mind had bewildered
him before, now he was totally lost. When he heard her call him
'Mamo-chan' he almost leapt up in joy, but as he heard the rest of
the sentence his spirits died down *What the hell is she talking
about? What's not right? What's going to be difficult if I don't
let her go? Why are we going to end up hurt?* he wondered.

Endymion wanted to know why she said such things, but he decided
that before he could clear all his doubts he had to find a peaceful
spot where they could talk without being interrupted, and he knew
just the right place...

With Usagi still in his arms Endymion went into the forest once
again and headed back to where he had left his horse Black Angel.
Since he knew the woods as the palm of his hand he reached his
destination in record time.

The prince helped Usagi get on the saddle taking care of not to
place her in a wrong position so that her injuries wouldn't bother
her. After he made sure she was comfortable he took the reins and
guided Black Angel through mazes of trees and bushes until he
finally reached a dark cave...

*	*	*	*	*

Thunder shook the earth with its deafening roar as lightning lit up
the dark sky. The wind was blowing strongly, making the trees and
bushes surrender to its power; it could manipulate anything that
stood on its path at will, except three figures that met every
single gust without being affected...

*	*	*	*	*

The Moon Princess didn't know what to do anymore, she had already
accepted the fact that fighting Mamoru was futile, and even if he
could be beaten, right now she was so weak she could barely move...
her arms and legs had gone limp and the wounds were still burning,
so she just watched helplessly as Mamoru set off towards the forest
with her still in his arms.

Neither of them said a single word during the 10-minute journey.
Finally they arrived at a clearing that seemed somehow familiar...
Mamoru walked a few more steps before finally stopping next to a
beautiful black stallion.

He lifted her tenderly to help her get on the saddle. Serenity
offered no resistance; she just let him guide her. As soon as she
was settled Mamoru led the way. Moments later they found themselves
at the entrance of a big, dark cave.

A gust of cold wind made Usagi shiver, but before she knew it she
was already in Mamoru's warm embrace. He got her down carefully,
but as soon as she touched the ground he had her up in his arms
again. Mamoru entered the gloomy cavern and walked through it with
a firm, non-hesitating pace, as if he already knew the place.
Serenity couldn't see a thing and the dampness of the room was
chilling her to the bone, so she just clung to her love for dear
life.

After a while he reached the end of the cave, but instead of
stopping he advanced towards the hard-dampened wall... Usagi prepared
herself for the impact letting out a small cry before closing her
eyes. When she didn't feel anything she dared to open them, but a
blinding light forced her to close them once again.

Serenity woke up about 20 minutes later, she wasn't sure when did
she lose consciousness... It took her sometime to adjust her eyes
to the light since just a moment ago she had been enveloped by a
dense darkness.

When she finally got used to it she sat up to take a better look at
her new surroundings, however she couldn't see a thing since a
certain white fabric didn't allow her to. She then looked at
herself and noticed that she was lying on a soft bed covered by
blue silk blankets with small white roses imprinted on them. The
cloth that blocked out her vision was hanging loosely from a
rectangular roof supported by 4 pillars standing at the corners of
her bunk; both, the roof and pillars, were made of pure gold.

*How the hell did I get in here?* she wondered, but immediately set
aside this thought as she tried to get rid of the sheets. After she
had accomplished her goal she took a quick glance at her condition.
She was no longer wearing her dress, but a rather beautiful and
provocative, yet simple, white nightgown, besides all her bruises
had been bandaged and although they were still sore she felt much
better. *And when did I.... change....?* the princess's thought
trailed off as her cheeks became a bright crimson color. "Oooh!"
she exclaimed. *The only one who could have done this is....* Her
stomach began to do summersaults and she blushed even more (if that
could ever be possible) at the image of her Mamo-chan actually
removing her clothes to take care of her injuries and then dressing
her all over again. *For God's sake, what are you thinking
Serenity? Don't go that far, maybe he just asked someone to do it
for him. A maid for example* she thought about it for a moment...
*Yeah, that must be it*; however, the butterflies on her stomach
wouldn't leave her alone and the blush didn't seem to subside.

The princess felt weak and nevertheless she was able to get out of
her prison, removing the curtains with her small delicate hands.
When she stared at the well-lighted room she was amazed by its
exquisite decoration. She could tell that the walls were made of
pure rock, but all of them were covered by velvet blue drapes with
the same rose's design she had seen on the blankets. In front of
her was a large mahogany bookshelf that held thousands of well-kept
books. As soon as she saw this she almost leaped up in joy and
despite her feebleness she managed to get up and head towards the
imposing piece of furniture.

When she was a little girl she wasn't very fond of the written word,
however ever since Sailor Mercury had shown her the wonders of
reading she had become one of the most enthusiastic readers in the
entire Moon Kingdom, to the Queen's and everyone else's surprise
and delight. The young princess had explored the Royal Library
countless times and she had devoured every single book on it. Each
time a new volume arrived she would be the first one to read it.

She was so devoted to this activity that she even had a personal
book collection. It included her favorite romance, science fiction,
adventure, suspense, and comedy novels among other things; she
could read them over and over again and she would never become
tired or bored.

Serenity was so lost in her own dream world, oblivious to the world,
and fascinated by the priceless treasure displayed before her very
own eyes that she never noticed a man's dark figure approaching
her...

*	*	*	*	*

25 minutes earlier...

The prince helped Usagi dismount Black Angel and picked her up
immediately after, giving her no chance to escape. When he entered
the dark cave he couldn't see a thing, but he didn't need to
because he knew this place as well as the palm of his hand. Since
he avoided all the rocks, puddles, and holes skillfully he never
tripped, managing to walk steadily even with Usagi's warm body in
his arms. As he advanced he could feel her press against him and he
couldn't help but smile down at her, she was dangerously close to
him... *Oh my, she has no idea of what she is doing to me...* thought
Mamoru as his stomach began to twist and turn and goose bumps
spread all over his skin. He could tell that she was afraid and as
he penetrated deeper into the darkness she began to tremble
uncontrollably. He tried to comfort her by tightening his embrace,
whispering soft words, but no matter what he did, her quivering
wouldn't subside.

As Endymion approached the apparent end of the cave he heard Usagi's
soft scream. He turned a little bit in order to push one of the
wall's rocks with his right side and arm, managing not to drop
Usagi and trying his best not to disturb her more than she already
was. When they reached the other side of the secret door a dazzling
light greeted them and she fainted in his arms.

The room they had entered was very elegant and homey at the same
time. Mamoru was standing on one of its corners, behind him were 2
fine oriental rugs, one of them was located on the wall from which
he had just emerged and the other one was placed on the adjacent
dike. Three beautiful chandeliers were hanging from the roof. Its
crystals reflected the candle's rays of light, sending thousands of
colorful rainbows throughout the room. A fluffy navy blue carpet
covered the floor.

Endymion headed towards the bed positioned on the far-left corner of
his chamber. First he carefully laid his goddess on it and then
walked towards the closet placed next to the bookshelf that held
the prince's most valuable treasure, his book collection. A variety
of all kinds of novels (prevailing science fiction, terror, and
adventure ones), short stories, legends, myths, fables, and what he
cherished the most: a complete set of medicine volumes.

At the top of the closet he had a medicine cabinet with all the
necessary equipment. He opened it and took out some bandages,
alcohol, and cotton. He put them on the bookshelf while he rummaged
through his clothes. He was trying to find something that might fit
Usagi; after a while he noticed a somewhat peculiar garment, at
first he had thought it was just a white shirt but after taking a
better look at it, much to his surprise, he recognized his mother's
nightgown *I wonder how did this end up in here...*.

Endymion decided not to worry about it, so he gathered everything he
needed and returned to his lover's side. He put the first aid
equipment on the small bedside table while he sat down next to
Usagi with the nightgown still on his hands. The prince let out an
almost inaudible sigh as he looked down at her. She was lying
peacefully on his favorite set of silk blankets, her unbelievable
white skin contrasted with the dark navy blue color, but at the
same time matched with the softness and delicacy of the roses *An
angel as beautiful and innocent as a white rose* he thought
dreamily.

He would have stayed that way, delighting in the belle's
gracefulness, but unfortunately he had to return to reality when
his mind practically yelled at him *ENDYMION! What the hell do you
think you're doing? Admiring her ethereal beauty won't get you
anywhere, just get down to business. Heal her, change her clothes,
and then wait until she wakes up. Can you handle that without
making a fool of yourself!? I mean look at you, you're getting
EXTREMELY sentimental and romantic, do you know that that is the
key to failure, weakness, and pain?!* At this last statement his
heart couldn't stand it anymore, so it answered back at once.
*Would you just shut up?! I don't believe being in love is a sin,
quite the opposite, it's a blessing. Love is something that only
comes once in a lifetime and I'm certainly not going to give up the
only chance I'll have to experience it. Besides you're totally
mistaken, love is not a weakness, it's the strength that helps us
go on with our lives, and it is not the key to failure and pain,
but to success and happiness. I really don't know what's the point
of having a life without love, of being as cold as you are, of
giving up God's most precious gift to mankind just because I have
to fulfill my "duties" or because I have to watch my "good
manners". Just leave me alone and let me do whatever I want to do.
Is that understood?!!!* *....* No reply.

Mamoru sighed exasperatedly *Man, this is way too much, I'm actually
having a discussion with myself. I'm going to end up crazy!* he
thought as he held his head tightly with his hands, brushing the
strands of midnight black hair away from his eyes. He stayed that
way for a while before finally returning his attention to Usagi.
"Wait a minute. In order to heal her injuries I'll have to...."
Endymion trailed off, he could feel the blood rushing up to his
cheeks and even if he couldn't see his own face he just knew it was
a BRIGHT crimson color. *But I can't do this, I can't possibly...*
his heart thought, but was immediately interrupted by his mind *Of
course you can't, didn't I tell you? You're weak! You can't even
handle her! Geez Mamoru, she's just a woman, nothing to worry
about!* *Didn't I just tell you to SHUT UP?!!!!* Silence....

The prince ran a trembling hand through his hair, wondering what he
was going to do. After a while of considering the problem an idea
popped into his mind *And why didn't I think of it before?* Mamoru
closed his eyes and as soon as he did so a golden light surrounded
him; when he was sure he had gathered enough power he focused it on
Usagi and the young woman was promptly enveloped by Endymion's
golden energy...

When the light subsided Usagi was no longer wearing her dirty
shredded dress, but the Queen's white nightgown. Endymion smiled
down at his sleeping angel but as soon as he noticed the small red
stains on the once flawless skirt he frowned. *Damn, I should have
used more power. Now I'll have to do it by myself* he cursed
himself.

Mamoru grabbed the bottle with alcohol and poured some of its
content on a piece of cotton. With his free hand he raised Usagi's
skirt to her knees and then proceeded to disinfect all of her
wounds. He was not surprised when she didn't react to the burning
sensation because he knew that his power had anesthetized her. When
he finished bandaging the bruises he stood up, draw the bed's
curtains and then headed towards the bookshelf.

After he had chosen an interesting novel to read he walked to the
remaining corner of the room. There he had a nice fireplace along
with a set of 3 white couches and a mahogany table in the middle of
them. Endymion removed his black leather boots, unbuttoned his
shirt [AN: it only has 4 buttons that come down to his chest], and
then laid down on the largest couch.

A few minutes later Endymion heard some muttering, but he didn't pay
attention to it, instead he continued with his lecture. *She must
be dreaming* he had thought. However it didn't take him long to
realize that she was already awake. He had spotted a slight
movement from the corner of his eye but as soon as he took a better
look at it he gasped *Oh my God....* was all he could think about.

When he had used his powers to change her clothes he was too
concentrated in healing her injuries that he didn't pay any
attention to her appearance. Although he had imagined the nightgown
would look quite well on her he certainly didn't expect *this*, he
had never seen such an... enticing sight in his entire life. The
nightgown went down to her heels, but it had a *seriously* low cut
and since the cloth was so thin the light could easily pass through
it, exposing her feminine figure to his bold, eager, and
penetrating gaze.

Endymion could only stare at her. He knew that his eyes were out of
its sockets and that his jaw was almost touching the floor, but
even though he tried to keep his composure his body just wouldn't
listen to him. Mamoru watched as Usagi approached the bookcase and
then began to turn the pages of a book she had selected from the
science fiction assortment. Soon he found out that he had been
holding his breath and was about to faint because of the lack of
oxygen *Mamoru, BREATHE for God's sake!* his mind scolded him.
*That's it... inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale... Good boy, good boy...*

After he finally recovered from his shock he straightened up his
shirt, combed his trembling fingers through his hair, stood up, and
headed towards the dazzling woman before his very own eyes...

*	*	*	*	*

Serenity gasped and then dropped the book she had been looking at as
soon as she felt a pair of arms going around her small waist. She
didn't have to look at the person, she already knew who it was... the
muscles of his strong members were unmistakable. The princess stood
frozen in place, she had been caught off guard, and she didn't know
what to do.

She stayed that way for a while, but then she began to relax in his
loving embrace. Little by little her breathing returned to its
normal pace, but as soon as Mamoru pulled her closer to him it
began to speed up again along with her heartbeat.

If she had thought that he could not possibly draw nearer she was
totally wrong. Mamoru leaned forward until she could feel his hot
breath against her cheek. *Oh my, he's way too close...* she thought
dazedly. He placed several butterfly kisses on her bare right
shoulder, relishing in the smoothness of her creamy white skin, and
then made his way up, travelling along her neck. Serenity began to
moan softly, but she wasn't aware of it, the passion within her had
clouded her judgment, tearing each and every rational thought out
of her mind. When he reached her ear he whispered in the most
sensual voice she had ever heard "Have I told you recently how
beautiful you really are, Usako? Have I reminded you just how much
I love you?"

Mamoru's last statement brought Usagi back to reality. She managed
to pull away from him and started to retreat "Hmmmh... Mamoru, I-I
think it's time f-for me t-t-t-o leave..." she stuttered.

She hadn't even walked 3 feet when he grabbed her by the wrist.
Serenity turned around to look at him and he took advantage of that
split second to gather her in his arms once more. "Don't even think
about it my little bunny, you're not going to get rid of me that
easily" he hissed. The small princess was about to say something,
but instead of that she shrieked. Mamoru had picked her up and was
now walking towards the fireplace. Usagi knew that she would only
be wasting her energy if she tried to struggle so she just sighed
defeatedly, surrendering to her love's will.

When he reached his destination he sat down on the couch he had been
occupying just a moment ago and Serenity soon found herself on his
lap. She blushed at the intimacy of their position, and even though
she tried to control her emotions she started to tremble, but not
because she was cold, quite the opposite, she was burning from the
inside...

"Now Usako, could you please tell me why don't you want to be with
me? Why do you want to run away? I need to know, this is tearing me
apart!" he said.

Serenity was startled by his sudden reaction and when she looked at
him to verify that what he had said was true, her heart almost
broke. His eyes reflected pain, rejection, melancholy, loss... and
yet they held a small ray of hope. She could tell that he was
waiting for her to answer his question, but... "I... Mamoru, it's not
what you think, it's just that... No, you wouldn't understand..." she
said with a tone of finality in her voice. *I can't possibly tell
him who I really am, he will think I'm crazy. Terrans believe that
the Silver Millennium is nothing more than a legend. Even though
we've watched over them for millions of years they have never
noticed our presence. They just can't accept the fact that there's
life outside Earth, they're too stubborn to accept the truth. They
can't see what is in front of their very own eyes*

"No Usako, you are the one who doesn't understand, if I let you slip
out of my grasp I'll regret it for the rest of my life and then
I'll be the one who's going to end up hurt. Now that I've met you I
don't think I'll be able to survive without you. I want to spend
the rest of my life with you, no one else. Don't you get it? I LOVE
YOU with all my heart, I thought I made that clear the first time
we talked about this."

"But..." she was trying to explain herself, to make him see her
difficult situation, but he caught her off abruptly.

"No buts, Usako. You said you loved me too, so why do you want to
run away from me? What have I done?" he asked her with a tint of
dejection in his voice.

Serenity noticed this and immediately hurled herself into his
waiting arms "No Mamo-chan, you haven't done anything wrong. It's
just that..." she pulled back, hesitating whether to tell him the
truth or not.

"What Usako, you know you can trust me. If I haven't done anything
wrong, then what's keeping you away from me?." He said gathering
her with his arms once more.

She considered the issue for a while before finally deciding that
the best was to explain everything... *Well, it's not as if he's
going to find out I'm omitting 'certain' things*. Serenity looked
up at him before resting her head on his chest. She sighed and then
added softly "Look Mamo-chan, I have certain responsibilities to
achieve and since there's no way to avoid them we wouldn't be able
to see each other again. It's against my..." *No Serenity, you can't
say 'kingdom'...* "...my... people's laws and traditions, and my status
forces me to stick to them, do you understand?"

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion listened to Usagi carefully, not missing a single word *So
that's it! I thought it was something worse...* *Well Endymion, that
should be a lesson for you. She's more responsible than you. As of
lately, you've been trying to avoid your duties as heir to the
Earth Kingdom and she is just a countrywoman who doesn't want to
fail her people by having a relationship with you...* *Countrywoman?
Give me a break! She appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the
forest and then she just transformed into someone else, as if it
were the easiest thing to do, as if she had done nothing more than
to change her clothes. I don't think she's lying to me, but I do
believe she's hiding a secret from me, something related to her
real identity, her home, her family. I don't fully understand why
she doesn't want to talk about it, why she is concealing this from
me, but I suppose she has her motives, and they must be of great
importance... I have the feeling that our entire future will revolve
around this mystery, but for now I'll keep quiet, I don't want to
pressure her. Besides I have secrets of my own and sooner or later
we will have to confess our enigmas to each other.*

"Mamo-chan? Are you okay?" asked Usagi as she put a hand on his
shoulder, concern filling her voice and features.

"Huh? What?" asked Endymion with a faraway look on his eyes. Since
he was still deep in thought he hadn't heard what she had just
said.

Usagi rolled her eyes, seemingly annoyed at his distraction "I SAID
THAT IF YOU WERE ALRIGHT!!!" she asked again, but this time yelling
at the top of her lungs.

Mamoru was obviously brought back to reality. He rubbed his
throbbing ears while saying "Geez Usako, I'm not deaf you know?"
Seeing her evident change of color, as well as her sudden unease,
his last remark gave him an extraordinary idea. His eyes began
twinkling with mischief and a teasing smile tugged at the corner of
his lips. *I'll just have to lower her defenses a little bit, it
shouldn't be that hard, she blushes quite easily... Yep, this might
work... it has to.* the prince thought stubbornly.

*	*	*	*	*

You see, Endymion was someone used to get everything he wanted, and
'Oh boy!' you'd never know just how much he desired her, how much
he loved her... he didn't care about what her people (or his people
for that matter) would think about their relationship, because he
was certain about one thing: there wouldn't be another woman for
him, for she was his one and only; he loved his little rabbit, his
Usako, and there was no way he was going to give her up. He would
fight against anything and anyone who even tried to keep them
apart, even if it meant that he would have to go against his own
beloved mother...

Besides, he recalled that the Queen had once told him that he had to
follow his heart, and that's exactly what he was doing. She had
also told him that the 'real princess' he was bound to marry would
be the only one able to fulfill his soul, and who else but Usagi
could do that? Being the only heir to the Earth Kingdom, as well as
a 20 year old very handsome young man, Mamoru had already met about
every single noble girl on the face of Earth; he had had the
privilege of admiring different kinds of beauties, among
princesses, duchesses, empresses, countesses, as well as their
servants who were mostly countrywomen coming from all over the
world [***]: England, Mexico, Japan, China, India, France, Spain,
Germany, Sweden, Egypt, Greece, Brazil, Italy, Slovenia, Argentina,
Australia, Canada... but none of them had attracted him as much as
Usagi did, she was the only one who had been capable of bringing
him out of his shell, letting him see all of the wonders that life
has to offer just by looking at her gorgeous blue eyes... So, if
there was anyone he could call a TRUE soul mate, it just HAD to be
Usagi. His heart would never lie to him, and somehow it just knew
that no one else would ever make him feel so happy, so loved, so
complete, so peaceful, so trusted, so ALIVE...

Before Usagi had run away from him he had already considered the
possibility that she could be the real princess his mother was
talking about, and after having this reflection he was almost
convinced that she was. Mamoru understood that that would
definitely make things easier for both of them, but that was not
the point, he hadn't decided that she would become his wife because
that would most likely please the Queen, but because he was being
selfish and overprotective... Even if he had just met Usagi, the
prince could tell that his Usako had NEVER been in contact with
men, her innocent way of acting had betrayed her, and maybe that's
what made her all the more special and alluring, what made him love
her so deeply: he had felt her shiver at his lightest touch, every
time he complimented her she would blush becomingly, and when he
had kissed her back on the woods, at first she had answered him by
placing soft butterfly kisses on his lips, however as soon as he
made them deeper and more passionate she had stiffened (if only for
a little while), obviously not knowing how to react, and when he
had finally managed to relax her fairly enough in order for her to
surrender to his burning desire she had started to tremble, maybe
not because she was nervous but because the fire that was beginning
to run through her veins was too much for her to bear; her arms had
tightened around his neck as if he was her only support, the only
thing that was keeping her from losing herself in the fiery and
endless depths of emotion, and he knew that if he hadn't been
holding her she would have fallen hopelessly since her whole body
had lost all of its weight within his grasp. To summarize all this,
Mamoru had come to the conclusion that even though on the outside
Usagi seemed to be the most attractive, lovely, and dazzling
enchantress, on the inside she was nothing more than a naive girl
who wasn't truly aware of the fact that her charm could easily
attract ANY man (just as it had done with him), and that's what
worried him... He realized that because of her pureness and
ingenuousness, clever, sly, and bold men could readily take
advantage of her: sweep her off her feet and then dump her as if
she was nothing more than a doll they could play with for a while
and when they got tired of it throw her away without anything such
as an explanation. The thought of it made him seethe with anger,
but even worse was the jealousy he felt at the idea of her being in
someone else's arms. He had been the one who discovered that the
bud was starting to open its delicate and perfumed petals, and it
was just fair that it was him who could possess the flower in its
full bloom, beauty, and magnificence. No man other than him could
have her because not even one would be able to love and cherish her
as much as he did which meant that they didn't deserve her. She was
a delicate white rose that needed to be handled carefully and with
extreme tenderness, if not, she could be easily crushed... The prince
was ready to give her his entire heart and soul, but in order to do
that she had to be his, no one else's...

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion leaned closer until his breath was caressing her cheek and
then he murmured in his huskiest voice: "But if you continue
screaming that way I wouldn't be surprised if my sense of hearing
gets spoiled for the rest of my life".

His last statement made Usagi turn from a light pink hue to a bright
crimson one and when he took notice of it he just winked at her.
Utterly ashamed, she quickly tore her burning face away from him,
her head dropped to her chest, and her gaze fixed on the floor "I...
ummm... well, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... well, you know..." she
stammered, not sure of what to say.

Mamoru almost chuckled at the sight *She looks soooo cute. Well... now
that I think about it I can't remember a time when she DOESN'T look
cute at all...*

Usagi tried desperately to find the right apology but when she
finally realized she was just wasting her time she instantly
returned to the main subject "But anyway, you didn't answer my
question..." she said softly, almost shyly.

"Huh?!" Mamoru was once again caught off guard and for a brief
moment he simply forgot what the question was... "Oh! Oh yeah, I'm
fine! I was just thinking about... 'things', you know?" the prince
replied with a smile playing on his lips. He looked down at her
angelical face and almost burst out laughing; she made such a
lovely picture with her left eyebrow arched in confusion and her
small lips set in a pout. The prince covered his mouth in an
attempt to stop his snicker, but when he realized it was useless,
he started to giggle blatantly, never noticing the effect that his
behavior was having on her.

When he finally got a hold of his self-control he gazed at Usagi
from the corner of his eye. She was seemingly angry and about to
stranggle him... *Dear God, if looks could kill I would be already
dead...* he thought as he swallowed the lump that had risen in his
throat *...but she seems to look even more beautiful when she's
angry*. This last thought brought the twinkle of mischief back to
his eyes and the teasing smile returned to his full lips.

She was about to say something *probably yell at me...*, but before
she could utter a single word he hushed her by putting two fingers
to her lips. Once she had calmed down he draped his right arm
casually over her shoulders and his left one went around her waist,
pulling her closer to him and pressing her back against his hard
chest... Mamoru then placed his chin on top of her head and was
suddenly overwhelmed by her ambrosial smell... *Vanilla can't be this
sweet...* he thought dreamily. *Not even the most luscious rose can
equal this exquisite aroma. I can't find the right words to
describe it...*

Usagi's scent had mesmerized him, and at the moment he couldn't
think of anything else but the lovely enchantress who had somehow
captured his heart. Endymion leaned closer in order to pull her
legs and place them on top of the couch. His left hand was resting
on her back, but with a swift movement he brought it up to the nape
of her neck so he could lower her body as slowly and carefully as
he could manage, knowing perfectly well that that particular
position left her totally defenseless. As he gazed down at his
bewitching muse he couldn't help but smile at her, tenderness and
care written all over his face. Just by looking at her facial
expressions he could tell Usagi was obviously embarrassed by the
precarious circumstance she was in, her sparkling blue eyes were
wide open, her cheeks were a faint pink hue, and her rosy lips were
slightly parted... *just as if they were waiting to be kissed...* he
thought absentmindedly. As soon as the idea entered his mind,
Mamoru felt his insides starting to melt *Gods! What are you doing
to me, Usako!?* he mused, groaning inwardly at the all-too-familiar
sensations assaulting him, feelings that made him lose all of his
self-control, emotions that only took over him whenever he was near
HER.

*If her looks are even more enchanting than those of Aphrodite, her
perfume is sweeter than that of any flower I know, her skin...* he
thought while sliding his right hand down her arm *...is as soft as
rose's petals, and her voice surpasses Aoide's hymn's beauty... I
wonder what her lips taste like, for the last time I kissed her it
was such a brief moment I think I've already forgotten what being
in heaven feels like... I just hope I don't get punished for getting
involved with such an enthralling goddess; I can almost feel Zeus'
eyes on me, probably determining the best angle from which he can
strike me with one of his powerful thunderclaps...* The prince was
desperately trying to get a hold on his increasing desire, but
after a while he finally decided not to fight his senses and
allowed them to carry him away...

*	*	*	*	*

As soon as she finished her explanation, Usagi looked at Mamoru to
see what his reaction would be. He seemed deep in thought, but
since he stayed that way for quite a while she decided to ask him
if he was alright. She did that several times and when he didn't
answer she began to get worried. She put her hand on his shoulder
and questioned him again, this time she succeeded in catching his
attention, but considering that he was still in his own dream world
he only managed to stutter a couple of words. His reply gave her
the idea that he didn't care at all about what she had just said
and so she lost all of her patience and started to yell at him,
finally bringing him out of his reverie. When she noticed the
bewildered look on Mamoru's face she cursed herself for having such
an outburst. He brought his hands up to his ears and rubbed them
carefully, she assumed that her noisiness had seriously damaged his
auricles... and she wasn't totally wrong "Geez Usako, I'm not deaf
you know?" he commented. Just when she was about to apologize he
added "But if you continue screaming that way I wouldn't be
surprised if my sense of hearing gets spoiled for the rest of my
life". These last words were whispered near her ear, his deep
masculine voice, his scorching breath, not to mention his sweet,
intoxicating cologne *Hmmm... roses...*, were sending delicious shivers
up and down her spine. During this time the princess had already
turned three shades of red and even if she hated to admit it she
just knew that she couldn't help it, the closer he was, the less
power she had over her emotions. Heck, all he had to do was look at
her to make her insides melt!... and that's exactly what he did; when
their eyes met he winked at her, making her blush even more
evident. Usagi realized that she was making a fool of herself and
so, in order to make the situation less embarrassing, she tore her
gaze away from him and fixed it on the floor, suddenly finding her
feet quite interesting...

Sometime later, as soon as the princess had somewhat regained her
self-control, she began to apologize for her behavior, but to her
utter dismay all she was able to do was stutter some incoherent
words that even though they somehow made her point clear, they also
revealed just how nervous he made her feel, which also meant that
she was unconsciously telling him that whenever he was around, she
became weak. Usagi was desperately trying to find the right
apology, but when she finally did she couldn't bring herself to say
it aloud, so after a while she finally gave up.

Instead, she resolved that the best thing to do right now was to
change the subject. Cautiously, with a gentle, faraway voice she
said "But anyway, you didn't answer my question..." referring to the
inquiry that had first started this uncomfortable predicament...

At first Mamoru seemed to be dumbfounded by her statement, since he
was staring at her with the most foolish and unreadable expression
on his face. "Huh?!" was the only word that escaped his lips. Usagi
was about to lose her patience all over again, but decided against
it. She was about to repeat her remark when he suddenly started to
talk again "Oh! Oh yeah, I'm fine! I was just thinking about...
'things', you know?"

*No, I don't know what 'things' you're talking about, the only
'thing' I know is that you've been spacing out quite easily,
leaving me talking to myself* was what Serenity wanted to tell him,
  but instead of letting him know of her ponderings she just raised
her left eyebrow skeptically and pouted her lips slightly (however,
she didn't realize she was doing so), she really didn't want to
discuss anymore.

The young princess watched as Mamoru brought his left hand to his
mouth, she could tell that he was trying to supress his laughter,
but not being able to stop it he started to giggle softly. *What
the hell is he laughing about? This is not funny!* the princess
thought exasperatedly.

*	*	*	*	*

Usagi didn't usually have such a short temper, but she was trying to
make him see the reasons why they couldn't be together and all he
had done was get distracted; then, after coming back to his senses,
he had acted as if nothing had happened, being the perfect
gentleman; and finally, as if that wasn't enough, he had burst out
laughing without any reason at all.

On the inside, more than angry she was disappointed that he didn't
take her seriously. She knew that either he hadn't paid ANY
attention to her (as she had initially thought) or he was trying to
avoid the subject, and somehow she suspected that it was the
latter, making her feel all the more upset with him.

The raven haired priestess of Mars had once told her that the best
way of hiding one's true feelings was acting as if she were pissed
off, and that's exactly what she was doing. She didn't want to look
like a weak sentimental woman, even if that's what she really was...

*	*	*	*	*

Usagi was about to blow off the top of her head when she suddenly
felt Mamoru's fingers pressing against her lips. She gazed up at
him with an exasperated look on her face, but as soon as she saw
the tenderness written all over his features her heart melted right
then and there. Her anger towards the man sitting next to her or...
more like under her, was soon forgotten.

The princess turned away and crossed her arms in front of her
frustratingly, embarrassed at herself for not being able to
maintain her firmness of purpose. She was trying her best to
rearrange her thoughts, but having him this close made it nearly
impossible. Besides, at this point she really didn't know how she
should be feeling: angry, upset, happy, bewildered, excited maybe?
*Oh! this man is just sooooo confusing* Usagi thought to herself
*How am I supposed to know if he's taking me seriously when he
keeps changing his personality every now and then? Wha... 'gasp'*
Serenity's thoughts were rudely interrupted when she felt a pair of
strong arms wrap around her. She was tempted to look at the bold
gentleman but decided against it, knowing that if she were to look
into those two pools of endless blue there was no way she would be
able to uphold what little self-control she still possessed. By
this time Serenity's arms had already fallen from their folded
position and were now resting on her lap. She was having serious
trouble with her breathing, and in an attempt not to die from lack
of oxygen she started to inhale with loud gasps and exhale with
soft sighs.

She was so focused in this usually normal exercise that she never
even noticed Mamoru placing his chin comfortably on her head and
sometime later, when she had finally gotten a grip on her wild
emotions, he surprised her by settling her all of a sudden on a
lying position, putting her on an *extremely* awkward situation.
For about the hundredth time that day Serenity's body started to
act on its own: abnormal heartbeat, difficulties in breathing,
trembling limbs, tall tale blushing, widening blue orbs... [AN: well,
you get the idea, don't you?]

The princess watched enthralled as Mamoru's lips started to near
hers. A part of her wanting nothing more than to taste his
sweetness, but another one keeping her from doing so, knowing and
fearing the consequences of her not being able to stop kissing him.

Her eyes started to water up, the longing was eating at her insides,
but somehow she managed to keep the tears from falling. Mamoru's
face was getting closer and closer by the minute, yet when his
mouth was not even an inch apart, Usagi twisted in his arms and
with a sudden and somewhat violent pull she was completely out of
his grasp.

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion couldn't quite understand what had just happened. One
minute he was about to overstep the threshold of ecstasy and the
next one he was holding onto thin air, the bunny had escaped from
its hunter *Damn the girl!* he cursed, but was immediately
silenced... *Hey! Watch your tongue young man! Don't you dare talk
about my Usako in that way, do you hear me? EVER! Understood?* The
prince groaned annoyingly while rubbing his temples with his thumbs
*Here I go again...*

After this now all-too-familiar discussion, Mamoru opened his eyes
and gazed at the girl standing next to the fireplace, so close yet
so far away from him. She was hugging herself vehemently as if
looking for some kind of protection. It was evident that her whole
body was trembling *And I bet it's not because she's cold...* and her
head was bowed in such a way that she almost looked... defeated?

The young man frowned at this last thought and without moving from
his seating position, afraid that he would scare her away... again,
he whispered her name softly "Usako?" The tenderness in his voice
still seemed unfamiliar to him *Was it just a few hours ago when I
had nothing more than coldness in my heart?* he wondered.

Mamoru watched Usagi carefully as he waited for her to say
something, but the response never came. Determined to make her
talk, Endymion was about to ask if she was okay, nevertheless the
sound of a muted sob made him stop. Now more confused and concerned
than ever he finally stood up and walked towards her. Once he was
by her side he tried to reach for her, but to his utter dismay she
was not about to let him comfort her. Usagi stepped away from him
and declared in a broken voice "Please, don't touch me".

It was a simple statement, said in a kind yet firm way, but it was
enough to break any man's heart... especially Mamoru's. *What's wrong
with her? She's acting even more distant than she did at the
beginning of this whole thing. For God's sake I was only going to
kiss her, nothing out of this world!* he thought miserably *But she
did tell you that she wouldn't be able to see you again, that this
relationship couldn't last. Don't you think she's trying to make
you understand it? If you could only accept fate this wouldn't hurt
so much. Just let her go and everything will be alright* *ARE YOU
COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR MIND?! I'm never, and put it into your thick
hardened head: NEVER going to give her up. Do you know how long
have I been waiting for someone like her? Of course you know,
you've shared my loneliness all these years. How could you ever
suggest such a stupid idea? I've already told you, and if I haven't
I'm telling you now: she'll be mine no matter what. If I have to
give up the crown... I'll do it, if I have to go through hell... I'll
do it, if I must die so I can wait for her in heaven... I'll do it,
whatever it takes... I'll do it. IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH?* *Yes... but are
you sure she'll be willing to do all those things for you in
return?...* The prince's heart suddenly froze.

*	*	*	*	*

Not wasting her time, as soon as Serenity found herself free she
started to back away from Mamoru, however trying to stay within
audible range for she knew that he would no doubt ask for an
explanation to her unexpected and abrupt demeanor. When Usagi got
to the fireplace she stopped, deciding that she was already at a
'safe' distance.

Since her body was trembling from the effort of suppressing her
heart's will, the princess hugged herself striving to calm the
aching within her mind and soul.

It was his voice, full of anxiety and gentleness, what broke the
dam. The tears that she had once refused to let go were now running
down her cheeks, leaving behind them small trails of salt.
*Serenity, you fool girl, calm yourself! You can't possibly let him
see you in this state, you must...* Too late, a sob had already
escaped from her lips and she could hear his muffled footsteps
approaching her. Sensing his intent, Usagi moved away before he
could lay a hand on her and said in a low voice "Please, don't
touch me".

The princess didn't have to look at him, didn't want to, she knew
she had hurt him... badly. Heck!, her own heart had been seriously
slashed when she said those words. As a matter of fact she DID want
him to touch her, to comfort her, to whisper words of
encouragement, to love her, to cherish her, to... *But he can't! Geez
child, how many times do I have to remind you that: 1. You're a
princess 2. Princesses do NOT mingle with common people 3. You're
the heir to the throne of the Silver Alliance 4. Earth is NOT part
of the Silver Alliance 5. He's an earthling 6. This relationship
CAN'T subsist 7. Capisce!? [AN: sorry, I don't know how to spell
this thing]*

This self-reprimand hushed Serenity, her sobs could no longer be
heard, but the drops of salt water were still flowing openly. There
was a long silence between the two youngsters. It was Mamoru who
broke it...

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion's last thought terrified him to no ends. *...are you sure
she'll be willing to do all those things for you in return? Does
she really love you? Do you really love her? Or is it just a
temporary thing?* *Well, there's only one way to find out...*

Gathering all of his willpower, the prince took a step forward and
with a roughness so unlike him grabbed the girl by her shoulders.
Since she didn't look up at him he commanded rather harshly "Usagi,
look at me!" when she still refused to return his gaze, Mamoru lost
his temper and shook her vigorously while yelling at her "USAGI!".

Finally she lifted her head and stared at him with a mix of anger,
fright, disappointment, sadness, and shock. Glancing at her,
Endymion suddenly forgot what his rage was about... Lowering his head
in humbleness and shame he lessened his grip on her arms and spoke
in an undertone "Sorry, I don't know what got into me"

After a couple of minutes the prince decided that he had had enough,
it was time to put an end to this uncomfortable silence. Heaving a
long nervous sigh he finally asked "Usako, why are you acting like
this? Why are you turning me down?"

Usagi gave a sigh of her own and answered nonchalantly, trying not
to let her emotions grow wild and out of control "I've already told
you Mamoru, but apparently you didn't take me seriously, I'm not
surprised you don't remember since you were spacing out and simply
ignoring my words. I..." Endymion placed his fingers on her lips
succeeding in cutting her off for the second time that day. *Is
that what she thought? That I wasn't paying attention to her? Well,
well, well, she should have said that from the very beginning, that
way we wouldn't be having this conversation.*

With a sheepish and lopsided grin Mamoru explained himself "Well my
darling, I'm about to prove you wrong" Needless to say, the petite
girl had the grace to blush prominently at the use of such an
endearment, causing him to chuckle softly, he was really enjoying
himself.

"First of all I want to make clear something: I DID listen to what
you were saying, the reason why I was, as you have so accurately
put it, 'spacing out' was because, as weird as it may sound, I have
EXACTLY the same problem." Seeing Usagi's left eyebrow raise in a
skeptical way that told him "O yeah, right. Whatever you say" he
tried to be even MORE explicit "I know what you're thinking right
now, my disbelieving little rabbit, but it's true. According to the
law I shouldn't even be talking to you, but you know why I'm
violating it?" he questioned her in a mysterious tone of voice.
Usagi didn't say a word, she just shook her head no.

Taking advantage of the situation, the prince took another step
towards his love so that their bodies were practically touching and
murmured huskily in her ear "Because I love you"

Endymion could have burst out laughing at Usagi's bewildered and
somewhat amusing expression, but determined to charm her into
surrender he asked in his sexiest tone of voice "Why so bemused,
sweetheart? I've told you that before, haven't I?"

The girl was speechless and her body seemed to paralyze momentarily.
The only thing she was able to do was stare open-mouthed at the
handsome young man, slowly digesting what he had just said. In an
attempt to make her senses come back to reality she shook her head
and finally managed to stutter "But... but..." ...and then the words
caught in her throat, nothing else could possibly come out.

Endymion couldn't help but smirk. The thought that he affected the
girl so that she couldn't even find her voice to speak was quite
flattering *She's almost in the palm of my hand. A compliment more
and she'll have to forfeit. There's no doubt about it* *Geez! Where
did your humility go Endymion Mamoru Chiba?* *Well, you do want her
in your arms, don't you?. This is not about values my friend, it's
about winning* *If you say so...* "But what my dearest?"

Usagi was obviously embarrassed by her previous display of
stammering. Her head was bowed and her face had already acquired
that unique and lovely pink hue... It took her a while before she had
the courage to face him again, but when she finally did all traces
of shyness and uncertainty had vanished.

"But you can't quit on your responsibilities just because you've
fallen in love Mamoru. Maybe it's easy for you, but not for me. If
I keep seeing you I won't be just 'breaking the law' as you say,
I'll be betraying my people. The ones that surround me have put all
its confidence in me and I just can't throw that trust away" Once
she had finished she turned away in order to hide her water-filled
eyes and murmured softly as if to emphasize and convince herself "I
can't"

Endymion was utterly astonished by her words, they had almost
sounded as a lecture for himself... nevertheless he wasn't about to
give up, at least not without a fight. He had already made up his
mind and no one, not even her, could change that. Without
hesitation the prince reached out for his goddess and gathered her
in his arms so that her back was pressing against his chest.

By now Mamoru had realized that flattering was getting him nowhere
so he decided that the best was to explain things solemnly, that
way Usagi would know for sure that he was indeed taking her
seriously and he would most likely make his point clear. Sighing,
the prince rested his chin on the girl's right shoulder and began
to talk "Look Usagi, I understand what you're feeling and I'm aware
of the fact that I'm being absolutely immature, but you know what?
if being irresponsible means that I'll always have you by my side I
don't care a bit. I've told you countless times: I love you and I
won't give you up that easily. You say our duty is more important
than our emotions, but I'll have to disagree with you. The moment
we're born we necessarily have to accept certain obligations, we
have no choice in that matter, but as time goes by each and
everyone of us, human beings I mean, develops his or her own
judgment. For 20 years I've obeyed my parents and teachers, I've
never complained for I understood it was part of my education. But
when these tasks go beyond my beliefs I don't let them triumph over
me and that's exactly what you're doing: you're letting other
people rule your life. I have no doubt that our parents expect us
to be content, but sometimes they just don't realize that what they
consider the best is not what we want. People may give their
opinion of my everyday deeds, sometimes I'll agree with them,
sometimes I won't, but I'm never going to let them force me into
doing something against my own will. In this case I must confess
that I have no experience in love, but I'm more than willing to
learn, and I'm not letting ANYONE interfere with my feelings. I
don't care if I disappoint my people, it's my happiness we're
talking about, not theirs" Endymion stopped for a moment and then
murmured in a somewhat saddened tone of voice "However everything
I've said also applies to you, you're also an individual who has
the right to make her own decisions. As much as I would like you to
stay with me, if you refuse to do so I won't stop you anymore."
With these last words Mamoru pulled away, turned Usagi around and
held her at arms-length, waiting for a response.

*	*	*	*	*

Serenity didn't know what to do anymore. After Mamoru's reasonable
explanation her sense of duty had started to falter. According to
what he had said their love for each other wasn't a mere whim, but
rather a determination they had both taken and that their people
would have to, if not accept, at least respect. *But... even if I do
rebel against my kingdom I wouldn't be able to see him that often,
and how am I going to be sure he's not going to fall in love with
someone else? Although it hurts me to leave him, it'd be even more
painful to someday find out he doesn't love me anymore.* And so the
princess' decision was taken...

Usagi continued staring at the carpeted floor and said in such a low
voice that he almost didn't hear her "I'm sorry Mamoru, but I
really have to go back home. I..."

"Is that what you truly want Usagi?" he interrupted her.

The princess was in the verge of tears, but her mind stopped her
from breaking down *Come on Serenity, don't crumble now that you're
about to succeed* *Please enlighten me, what am I supposed to win?*
*JUST DO IT! Geez, you're such a stubborn girl...* *Is that a bad
thing?* *Don't you start messing up with me Usagi!* *Ok, ok, I got
the message* "Y-yes" she finally managed to say. Everything would
have been perfect if a sob hadn't escaped from her mouth... *Damn it
girl! Couldn't you just wait for a couple of minutes more!?*

Unfortunately for her the soft sound hadn't gone unnoticed by
Mamoru. Serenity didn't dare look up at him for she knew he might
had already found out she was lying, and she wasn't mistaken...

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion shook his head in disapproval *That girl... she should have
already learnt that there's no point in hiding the truth from me...*
and stepped forward. He put his right hand under Usagi's chin and
lifted it gently until a pair of tearful eyes were staring back at
him.

A teardrop found its way down her cheeks, but the prince brushed it
away with his thumb before it could fall. He put his hands on both
sides of her face and whispered near her ear "You can't fool me
Usako" After that he straightened up slowly and resumed his speech
"Very well, if that's what you genuinely desire, you'll have to
prove it to me."

"H-how?" asked the shy girl confusedly.

The prince paused for effect, took hold of her chin once again, and
then approached her until their noses were practically touching
  "You look up at me and tell me that you won't regret taking this
resolution" he stated somewhat sternly.

Upon hearing this Usagi tried to turn away, but since Endymion had
been prepared for this kind of reaction, he didn't let go and
forced her to maintain eye contact. After a long silence in which
the two youngsters just gazed at each others eyes, she finally
managed to stammer "I... I..." but she couldn't finish for she
collapsed on top of his chest sobbing openly and heartbreakingly.

Endymion closed his eyes and relished the moment of having her in
his arms. He tried to soothe her the best he could, but it seemed
that nothing in this world could ever stop her crying. A few
minutes went by and then all of a sudden he heard her murmur
painfully "I can't"

Mamoru didn't have the chance to reply for Usagi had startled him
when she began shuddering uncontrollably. He looked down at her and
noticed that her legs were tottering. Sensing what was about to
happen if he didn't do something to prevent it, the prince
tightened his grip on the girl's waist, successfully steadying her.

Placing his head on top of hers he sighed and asked "Gods Usako,
what are you so afraid of?"

Usagi hesitated for a while before she finally said "You..."

"Huh?!" This simple yet meaningful word had managed to turn
Endymion's good sense into a whirlwind. Baffled, Mamoru demanded an
explanation "Wha-what do you mean by that?"

*	*	*	*	*

Pulling slightly away so that her hands were resting on his chest,
Serenity began her rationalization "What I mean is that it scares
me immensely to think that I'd be willing to give up everything
just for you, a man whom I've met a short time ago. What I'm
feeling is rather confusing and I must confess I don't understand
it myself at all. If I leave you I'm positive my heart will always
be missing something, I'd become half a person. However, if we do
get to know each other I won't be able to see you that often, and
it frightens me to think that while I'm gone you'll find someone
else. I've never had a relationship with a man, therefore I've
never experienced a heart break, nevertheless somehow I know I
won't be able to overcome that kind of pain... That's why I'd prefer
to return home, incomplete yet unharmed "

As soon as she finished, the princess looked up and gasped. Mamoru
was gazing at her with a smile on his face and even though tears
were falling from his eyes, they still revealed the feelings within
its depths: never-ending love, gratitude, and devotion...

After a glimpse, Usagi had already been freed from her previous
doubts. He needn't say anything and yet he did...

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion hadn't been able to stop the tears from falling. Usagi's
earnestness had touched him...

He removed his hands from her waist and placed them on her cheeks
instead. For a while he just stood still, admiring and caressing
her features. Then, he said affectionately "How could you think
that Usako? I'd never betray you, ever. I can't stand to see you in
pain, and I would hate myself if I were the cause of it. Throughout
my life I've met thousands of women, some of them were stunning I
have to admit, but you're the first one who's captured my heart.
You've this special quality that makes you beautiful not only on
the outside, but on the inside too and I'm not about to throw away
the opportunity to keep you to myself now that I've found you.
Believe me when I tell you this my lady: you'll always be my one
and only"

"Promise?" she asked tentatively, her eyes beaming with renewed hope
and cheerfulness.

"I cross my heart" he whispered meaningfully "But..." This last word
had made Usagi's fears return full force. The prince noticed this
immediately and smiled at her reassuringly. "...But you'll also have
to promise me something"

Usagi sighed with apparent relief. When she turned to look up at him
once again, her eyebrows were raised suspiciously and yet she was
grinning "And that would be...?"

Not to be outdone, Endymion returned the smirk and then made his
move...

*	*	*	*	*

The young princess squealed in surprise and delight when Mamoru all
of a sudden lifted her off the ground and began walking towards the
large sofa.

She had wrapped her arms around his neck and when he placed her
gently on the couch she stopped Mamoru's efforts to disentangle
himself by tightening her grip on him. As soon as she realized what
she had just done she reddened, but was compensated when he started
to chuckle softly.

Once his laughter had subsided Mamoru resumed his talk "You have to
promise me that, when the time comes, you'll be mine... forever"

Serenity, suddenly feeling weak, let her arms fall from their former
position. She was staring at Mamoru agape, her previous blushing
had turned into an unhealthy paleness and her eyes were about to go
out of their sockets. It took her some time to regain her ability
to speak and when she did all she could deal with was a stuttering
"W-what d-did you s-say?"

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion wasn't surprised by her reaction, he was kind of expecting
it... Smiling lovingly down at her he took both of her hands in his
and whispered tenderly "I know I may be going too fast, but I've
never been so sure about something in my life" he paused, trying to
find a way of explaining the issue not so straightforwardly, but
after a while of hesitating he decided that the best was to go
direct to the point. Having made his decision, the prince took a
deep breath and said "Usako, will you marry me?"

*	*	*	*	*

Serenity couldn't believe her ears. *He's actually asking me to
marry him?!* *Of course you dumb bunny! Geez, are you deaf or
something?! Well, it doesn't matter... the point here is that you're
going to tell him...* "Yes!" she yelped enthusiastically,
interrupting her mind's train of thought. *WHAT??!!! Are you crazy
or something? Do you have any idea of what you've just done?* *Yep!
I've just agreed to marry the only man I'll ever love. Now, if
you'll excuse us... we need some privacy here and your yelling is not
helping, so... could you just SHUT UP!?* *...* *Thank you so very much*

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion was a bundle of nerves. He had just proposed to her, but it
seemed that she hadn't heard for she simply kept looking at him
with an unreadable expression. He was about to say something, but
before he could utter a single word he found himself enveloped in
the thin arms of an excited girl who was crying out "Yes!"

The prince returned the hug whole heartedly until he finally
realized the significance of what she had just said *SHE SAID
YES!!!!* and that was Mamoru's last thought before he fainted dead
away.

*	*	*	*	*

Serenity had gone to her own dream world, she couldn't recall a
happier time than this... Everything was perfect until she took in
the fact that about 140 pounds were weighing her down. "Mamo-chan?"
she asked softly. When he didn't answer back she began to worry.
She tried to sit up, but since he was too heavy she only succeeded
in falling down to her previous lying position... with Mamoru on top.

Usagi blushed becomingly, as she was so used to, at the *ahem*
intimacy of their current situation. Now grasping the full meaning
of what was going on, the princess squirmed until she finally
achieved to get his body's load off of her. She stood up in order
to smooth down her nightgown and then kneeled down next to him.

Serenity gazed down at him adoringly with a smile on her face *He
looks so cute when he's asleep, and all the more handsome...* Then,
out of the blue, she began to giggle because of the thought that
had occurred to her *Who would've ever imagined that the strong-
looking Mamoru would become unconscious for the reason that a girl
accepted his marriage proposal*

Usagi stayed by Mamoru's side daydreaming, therefore never noticing
that at the same time her hands were playing with his silky strands
of midnight black hair.

10 minutes later...

The princess' reverie was broken by the sound of a muffled grunt
coming from the dark-haired young man. She watched him stir for a
while before he opened his eyes at last and blue met blue. "Hello
sleepy head" she whispered teasingly.

*	*	*	*	*

*What happened? Where am I?* were Endymion's first thoughts as he
began his journey back to reality. He tried to open his eyes slowly
only to groan frustratingly when the light forced him to close them
again. He made numerous attempts until he finally got used to its
brightness and the first thing he saw was... blue? The prince blinked
several times and as soon as he had a better focus he realized what
exactly he had caught a glimpse of. A pair of the most enchanting
blue eyes was staring back at him, its even more beautiful owner:
his beloved Usako...

"Hello sleepy head" she said softly while grinning playfully down at
him.

He offered her a smile of his own and then asked while sitting up
leisurely, visibly bewildered "What happened?"

Usagi didn't answer him immediately for she was busy trying to
suppress her chuckles, unsuccessfully. Once she had somewhat
regained her composure she inquired mysteriously "You really want
to know?" the prince only nodded. With a mischievous twinkle within
her eyes, Usagi leaned over so that her breath was caressing his
cheeks and whispered in a sexy tone of voice "You blacked out as
soon as I agreed to be your wife"

Images of the past events were suddenly flashing throughout
Endymion's head and feeling utterly embarrassed at the scene he
must have made when he passed out, the prince blushed prominently.
Noticing this, Usagi burst out laughing which only made Mamoru's
pink hue turn into a deep crimson one.

Wanting desperately to put an end to this humiliation, Endymion
managed to control his body, his skin immediately returning to its
normal shade. Taking advantage of the fact that Usagi was oblivious
to the world, still giggling uncontrollably, he grabbed her by the
waist, stood up, and commenced to spin around.

*	*	*	*	*

Although startled at first, the princess soon found herself laughing
merrily along with Mamoru. After a while though, she began to feel
dizzy and when she realized he wasn't about to halt just yet she
yelled at the top of her lungs "Mamo-chan, STOP!"

The scream had been a success, for it had caught his attention at
once. Mamoru tried to cease all movement, but since they had
already gained speed he lost control and tripped over his own feet.
Both of them fell to the ground with a loud "Ahh!!!", Serenity on
top of Mamoru.

The princess had closed her eyes on instinct and when she opened
them she found Mamoru grinning sheepishly up at her. Finding the
picture he made rather funny she burst out laughing yet again and
he followed her lead.

Once their chuckles had subsided, they gazed at each other. However
there was something strange in that look, something they hadn't
noted before, an emotion they couldn't fully make out, perhaps it
was... awareness?

As strange as it may sound Serenity didn't blush nor she tried to
escape from his grasp. She just smiled at him and then proceeded to
place her head on his chest, waiting for her still racing heart to
go back to its normal pace.

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion raised his eyebrows in amazement, finding Usagi's behavior
quite unusual... *On the other hand*, he reasoned, *she's already
accepted to become my wife, why should she be ashamed of having me
near?* *Besides, a time will come when we'll be closer than this...*
a part of him added, causing him to blush faintly.

Setting this thoughts aside, the prince hugged his angel tightly,
fully enjoying this new feeling of completeness that invaded his
heart and soul. The young couple stayed comfortably in each other's
arms until Mamoru considered it was about time to break the
silence. "Usako?"

At the mention of her name, the girl lifted herself up and placed
both of her elbows on his chest so that she could rest her head on
her hands and look at him effortlessly "Yes Mamo-chan?"

"So, it's Mamo-chan again, hmm?" he asked jokingly. Usagi made a
puppy face, batting her eyelashes, and then smiled charmingly, her
whole being radiating cheerfulness. Endymion shook his head while
murmuring "You little tease..." and then said out loud "Now that
we've both made our oaths, don't you think we should somehow seal
them?"

"What for? Isn't that enough?" she asked, puzzled by this strange
request.

"Just to make them more... let's say... 'legal'" he answered.

*	*	*	*	*

"Oh!" Serenity exclaimed, finally understanding what he meant.
Suddenly an impish idea popped into her mind and her eyes
brightened. "How about a kiss?" she suggested boldly.

Just as she had expected, her offer had caught Mamoru's attention
for he was grinning at her playfully and his gaze was reflecting
openly his never ending desire. "Hmmm... I like the sound of that.
Where did you get such an excellent idea?"

"I have my sources..." The princess said nonchalantly. He raised his
left eyebrow skeptically, but she just smiled innocently and winked
at him.

Shrugging, Mamoru put his arms under his head, closed his eyes, and
declared "Well? I'm waiting..."

With a mischievous smirk on her face, Serenity closed the gap
between them and placed a butterfly kiss on his cheek after which
she quickly hauled herself up, walked towards the couch, and sat
down, trying to find a position that looked sexy, yet above
suspicion...

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion couldn't wait to taste her sweetness again, but since he
was giving her the chance to take the initiative he had to be
patient. He could feel her warm breath coming closer, and closer,
and closer... *Any moment now...* he thought excitedly, fighting back
the urge to release his arms from under his neck, grab her, and
start devouring her nectar. And then it happened, her mouth made
contact with... HIS CHEEK?

The prince couldn't believe it *A peck on the cheek? What kind of
kiss is that?!* he thought exasperatingly. Mamoru was about to
seize her, planning to hold her prisoner until she gave him a REAL
kiss, but, either he was too slow or she was incredibly fast, when
his arms had been freed, she had already vanished.

Groaning, Endymion sat up and glared at the temptress that was now
sitting peacefully on the couch "THAT'S IT?" he demanded, not even
bothering to hide his wrath.

*	*	*	*	*

Serenity was having a hard time trying to suppress her giggles *It's
so hilarious to see him mad* "Why so angry my darling?" she asked
sweetly, feigning ingenuousness.

Mamoru's voice softened slightly at the apparent 'naﶥt駠of Usagi,
but he was still upset "Where's my kiss?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, the princess replied annoyingly "I've just gave it
to you, not a minute ago, remember?"

Now utterly frustrated he stood up and complained at her unfairness
"You call THAT a kiss?"

"Of course, what else could it be?" she asked confusedly.

"You didn't give me a kiss, you gave me a peck on the cheek, *the*
understatement of a kiss" he said matter-of-factly and sighed
dejectedly.

"Oh! I see..." she said, pretending she was learning something unheard
of. Smiling inwardly and returning to her original plan, the
princess put on her best innocent look and inquired tentatively
"...Perhaps you could teach me what a REAL kiss is. Would that be too
much of a problem?"

*	*	*	*	*

Endymion's face perked up at Usagi's timely proposition "Not at all
baby, it'll be my pleasure..." he answered back huskily and started
to walk towards his prey...

To be continued...

Stay tuned for chapter nine: The Storm

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, how did I do? Let me tell you that this has
been the largest and most difficult chapter I've done so far, so I
really hope you enjoyed it.

BTW, I've already made up the names for this story's chapters,
however they are not definite, there might be some changes. Anyway,
I just wanted to show them to you, so here's the list from chapter
one to the epilogue:

Chapter one: Farewell
Chapter two: Newcomer
Chapter three: First encounter
Chapter four: Love?
Chapter five: Duty
Chapter six: The prophecy
Chapter seven: Disagreement
Chapter eight: Promises
Chapter nine: The Storm
Chapter ten: The princess' trial
Chapter eleven: The Moon Queen
Chapter twelve: Usagi or Serenity?
Chapter thirteen: Misunderstandings
Chapter fourteen: The ball
Chapter fifteen: Clearing up
Epilogue: Together at last

As I always say, if you have any comments, doubts, suggestions,
flames, or ANYTHING you want to tell me then go ahead and e-mail
me, I really like to hear about people out there who actually read
my stories, and when I don't receive anything at all I really get
depressed (I'm not kidding, it happened with the last chapter I
sent of Rose's tears... hint!)

*** Just to make this clear, in this story the Earth Kingdom doesn't
have an exact location (a country, that is) for it is supposed to
be the head of all nations. I also have to add that every single
country has a royal family. So, as you can see, there are no
republics, just monarchies. Now don't flame on this, I just had to
make it that way so it would fit in the story's plot, ok? Well, I
hope I didn't confuse you that much.

Well, I think that's all I had to say, so I'll leave you alone, for
now...

Besos y abrazos para todos!!!!

Sunday December 26th, 1999. 2:58 AM