"Maybe," he replied playfully, and then added in a whisper, "It's not all that fun to be followed all day - people are always watching me really closely, you know? They want to make sure I'll be a good Prince of Earth, and I don't get to, you know," he looked away, trying to come up with a good word, but ended up with simply, "relax." 

He shrugged. "Do you ever sneak out?" he asked, wanting to know more about her before the stable boy returned with, he could only assume, a small army of people.

Serenity blinked in surprise when she heard Endymion’s confession. And as it happened, she understood exactly how he felt. After all, she was a princess herself—with the same burden and restrictions and tiresome lessons. “Isn’t it just… vexing?” she replied without thinking, for once not really sorting out her words. “The way they follow you around, saying no, you can’t do this, and no, you can’t do that, but then some other time, they’d say, you must do this, and it’s starting to feel like your life isn’t your own anymore—”

She paused in mid-outburst, realizing that she’d come way too close to the truth. And then the guilt stabbed her again. She was still lying to him.

She should tell him the truth.

Maybe before they said goodbye? That way if he was mad at her, at least she didn’t have to see him again…

His question hit very close to home, and Serenity looked down ashamedly. “I… Actually…” she stuttered, and before she could think twice, the words spilled out of her, “…that’s kind of how I got lost. I was just so frustrated… and I… left. And I couldn’t find my way back.”

It sounded so dumb now, but at least she wasn’t lying anymore.

She understood.

She really understood. Endymion was at the edge of his seat as she elaborated on everything he had been thinking and feeling, his eyes wide open and staring as the onslaught of mirrored experience flooded from her, holding on to every word, feeling better, yet stranger with each syllable. He was lost in her passion, entirely absorbed. When she paused he regained the part of himself that she had taken, and tried processing those feelings that were causing his cheeks to flush. He felt... validated. The unjust situation wasn't just in his head - it was obvious that she felt the same way and was in similar circumstances. That he - no, they - were held to such standards when regular kids were not - it was unfair. She felt it was unfair, and she was mad about it, and yet she was still everything he thought a lady should be and more. He felt more grounded with this realization, which was why he felt better, but the strange feeling... They had only just met, but he felt closer to her, now; they had something in common, something big, something that made him feel tied to her in a way that was different from how he felt with Kunzite and his other Shitennou. Lady Selene...

When she looked away guiltily and admitted she hadn't actually been left behind and gotten lost, but rather ran away and got lost, a smile spread across Endymion's face. "You ran away while travelling? And went so far you actually got lost?" He made as if to punch her in the arm, like he did with his friends, but managed to pull back before it landed. It was awkward, but at least he hadn't hit her. Still, he was impressed, and quickly worked through the awkwardness the near-punch left to continue, "I've never done that before! What were they wanting you to do? Learn how to dance another style or something? Practice standing beside someone as they gave a speech? I hate that one the most - it's just standing! Why do I need to practice?! Or had you tried to do something that 'wasn't befitting someone of your status'?"

If by ‘traveling’, he meant while the moon was orbiting Earth, he was quite correct.

She blinked in confusion as it seemed like he was going to… do something with her arm?—but decided against it at the last minute. However, she was quickly distracted by his excitement. Serenity giggled when she heard the options he presented, all of which sounding achingly familiar to her.

“You must not slouch,” she said in a good imitation of Luna, all stern and disapproving. “Straight backs only, and eyes front, not wandering all over the place!”

Gods, when was the last time she had felt this free? This… validated? She loved her senshi, but they, too, expected something from her, and sometimes they treated her like this delicate flower who must be protected at all costs. They would laugh, but it would be quite different. It wasn’t quite the camaraderie between equals that she hoped for. They adored her, protected her, but didn’t truly understand her. Their position would forever be different from her, and they would never stand on the same ground as her.

Endymion did.

And it made her want to tell him everything.

“I was wanting to go to another place,” she admitted. “They wouldn’t let me go anywhere on my own. But I wanted to see the world, you know? Just as me, to enjoy it like a normal person would, not as a diplomatic mission or anything involving my title.”

He smiled at her, and offered quietly, "Maybe I'll try that sometime. I'm glad I ran into you - " A commotion was heading their way - the servants, no doubt, ready to whisk Selene off to a quiet room and put in word to Kunzite's father to speak to him in the morning. Probably double the guard to make it harder for him to get out at night. He looked back to her, "Where are you from? Maybe I can visit someday."

At Endymion’s question, Serenity paused. Her mouth opened, the word ‘moon’ almost stumbled out, then she choked on it. Slowly, she closed her mouth again, and managed a sad smile. “I’ll tell you in the morning,” she promised.

And indeed, if she had still been there in the morning, she would have told him. She would have told him everything, because her sleep would be restless and her heart would have been weighed by guilt and lies, but as fate would have it, after Serenity settled in the room provided for her that night, he guardians found her in the middle of the night, and just like it would later show up in the Earthians’ fairy tale of Princess Kaguya, whisked her back to the moon, where she belonged.

OOC:

His expression turned quizzical as she seemed to hesitate in answering him, but nodded when she made her promise to tell him later; maybe then she'd explain that, too. He made a show of rolling his eyes for her when the servants finally caught up to them and immediately started pulling and prodding them into different directions with exclamations abound about where he had been and who she was and how indecent it all was, on top of how much trouble he would be in with his guardian and all the rest. He managed a wave before they were completely separated, and hoped he could fall asleep soon so he could learn more about her in the morning. 

Lady Selene...

But he never got his morning talk. 

The next day dawned bright and clear, but when he went looking for Lady Selene, she was nowhere to be found. He stopped several servants, many of whom he had seen the night before, but no matter whom he asked, from the stable boy to the very woman who had held Lady Selene's hand to lead her down the hallway to the other wing of bedrooms, no one remembered the little girl with the long silver hair he had brought back with him. They remembered him coming in late, and the commotion it had raised, and the trouble he was in with Kunzite's father, but no one remembered the girl with the bright blue eyes. Despite his protestations, his questions, his demands, no one gave him a straight answer as to where she had gone. 

'There was no little girl,' one Knight told him firmly, daring to grasp his arms and stare into his eyes, the motion shocking enough to calm Endymion down, to silence his questions and his pestering, leaving him motionless in the courtyard as the world move on without him, people giving him worried glances as they went about their business.

She had been there. He knew she had been there. He had spoken with her. Had held her hand. She had been standing right there. He hadn't imagined her.

... He hadn't.

It had been… how many earth years had it been now? Four? Five? Serenity had lost count because time in the Silver Millennium passed as if in a blink of an eye. Earth years felt like days, though she certainly felt she could feel the length of it just the same.

Ever since that night, she had been put on around the clock protection to protect her from anymore accidental teleportation mishaps. The queen had been beside herself with worry and was nearly hysterical when her guardians brought her back. Serenity was stunned; she had never seen her mother that scared. What was she so afraid of? She told everyone the tale about the little prince and how gallant he’d been, about how kind the Earth people were, but they would hear none of it.

It’s forbidden, they kept saying, over and over like a mantra, yet no one ever told her why.

Why was that beautiful green planet forbidden? Why could she no longer see Endymion? She wanted to leave a message for him. How confused he would be if she just disappeared like that? What did he think of her, leaving without even so much as a goodbye? And she never got to tell him the truth.

For a time, she tried to commit his face to memory as best she could. In his absence, she tried to remember him so that his memory would not slip away from her mind.

His hair, dark as night. His eyes, blue like the ocean. His hand, small but gentle and firm. His voice, so kind and comforting. She thought she heard his voice in her dream sometimes.

And then as time passed the memory began to fade, and one day Serenity could not remember his voice anymore.

She was so stricken by the reality of it that she had stood up from where she sat reading and began pacing the room. For the past few months the security had let up some and she was able to spend time alone again, mostly because she’d gotten so fed up with the constant surveillance that she promised—and kept said promise—to be on her best behavior. After maintaining impeccable manner and being the utmost perfect princess for so long, finally the punishment was lifted and she was able to breathe again.

And then she had learned to hone her powers.

The power that had led her to earth the first time.

She had trained it, experimented with it, even read about how it worked for other Lunarians because no one would actually teach her. She would first teleport a few feet away, then to other places from her room like the kitchen to steal some extra food or the garden at night to see the Earth far away.

With every experiment, she knew how it worked a little bit more, though she’d never actually tried to go there again.

Today, though.

Today she forgot his voice. What would she forget next? His smile? His face? His name? (No, she had carved it secretly into the wall behind her bed the night she came back to prevent this very thing. But it could always be found and covered and then she would have none at all.)

Serenity could not wait any longer. She had been separated from Endymion long enough.

And so she stood in the middle of her room and looked out the window. She recalled the way she felt that day when she’d first gone there. But this time she used the image of Endymion she’d kept secretly in her mind to anchor her, to find her destination.

Bring me to him, she prayed in her heart.

And the familiar feeling of lightness enveloped her.

When she opened her eyes next, she was surrounded by trees and bushes and grass, green as far as the eye could see, as colorful as the moon was monochrome.

Years had passed since that morning, and Endymion was well on his way to being the Prince he had always dreamed he could be. A Knight, brave and true, who fought for his convictions and his people, who stood up against injustice and reached out a helping hand to those in need. He traveled the world to learn all he could about those he would one day lead and strove to be the best of what they hoped of him. He was growing into a swordsman to be feared, a philosopher to heed, and an orator of great skill, and yet, despite all of the knowledge and experience he had gained, he still looked for her. In every new town, in every quaint village, in the slums and manses of well-traversed cities, he still searched for some sign of her, for while his mind was convinced he had imagined Lady Selene, his heart felt otherwise, and the two were often at odds over the disagreement. With every new establishment, every ball held in his honor, every gathering at which he spoke, his heart leaped at the chance of finding her, and then his head was quick to chastise it every time he failed. 

He had stopped speaking of her a little over a year after it had happened; at first his guardians had tentatively believed him, and they bonded over the supposed conspiracy during their then-enforced time together, which was every moment of every day after his revealed "escape", but as time wore on and nothing of her surfaced and none of the servants broke their story, even to Zoisite, who was the most cunning of them, the four had hesitantly changed sides. Over time it had become something of a private joke, and with how admittedly outlandish it seemed, he took the teasing in stride, but still he looked for her. 

Lady Selene, with the silver hair and the bright blue eyes and the easy smile, who understood what it meant to held above and apart, who emphasized with the impossibilities of his station and the expectations therein, who held his hand and let him be brave one night, deep in the forest. 

He thought of her less and less, the near-constant wonderings about where she went, what she could be doing, and what she could be thinking about fading away to be replaced with peacekeeping notions, of diplomacy and tactical advantages. But still, when he was up late and the moon shone down onto the night in the same manner he had remembered before, he could not help but wonder if she had been real and, if she were, why she had left so suddenly. 

---

The day grew late.

He stood and subtly held out a hand to stop Zoisite, who had looked up and made to follow; he just need to stretch and clear his head, then he could get back to studying. He left the library and made for the garden, where he could find quiet and lose himself among the greenery should he be approached. As he strode down the stone stairs he offered a nod of his head or a raise of his hand to acknowledge the bowing of guards or visitors as he passed, not wishing to be rude but not wanting to stay and talk, either. He quickly lost himself in the gardens, heading past the hedge-maze and into the small forest beyond that bordered the meadows this Castle was built to admire. Once he was out of view of the palace behind him, he stretched, walking further as he teased new life into his muscles. The flowered hillsides would be his destination - none would quickly find him and he could relax in peace as he recharged for the hours it would take to finish the assignment given to him by his tutor. He stuck to the path until the meadows came into view, then split off, walking the edge of the woods, gazing down upon the fields contemplatively. 

If she had not been looking towards the scene, so lost in his own head was he that they might never have found each other.

Serenity searched for him among the colors of Earth that were so vibrant in her eyes—eyes only accustomed to silver and greys and blue and white, and for a moment she was unable to quickly pinpoint his location as her sight readjusted to the explosion of hues.

But then movement caught her attention, and her heart thundered loudly in her chest when her gaze captured him. He was so different yet so familiar from the little prince she’d remembered, from the memory she’d carved in her mind. His hair was still as dark as night, his eyes still blue like the sky above them. His shoulders were broader now, fuller, and his hands looked firmer and stronger.

Serenity’s knees weakened as she imagined what it would be like to be in his arms.

She could no longer wait. After making sure that he was alone, she walked toward him, quietly and carefully, emerging from the thick copse of trees like a nymph or an overgrown fairy, her white dress shifting soundlessly against her bare feet.

“Endymion?” she spoke the name that she had not dared to utter except in private for much too long, releasing it into the world again to be freed.

 [x]
'Endymion'

Chills traveled the length of his spine, stopping him in place as memories flooded through his vision, turning the soft, flowered meadows before him into the dark stables of Kunzite's father's hunting manse of all those years ago. Again he remembered the thrill of leading her to safety, the trepidation of his younger self at admitting his lie, and the excitement of meeting someone who understood him, and then the crushing disappointment of finding her gone the next morning. This voice was hers, as though the memory was reaching through time to tease him as his friends had often done, and yet it was fuller, older. His heart beat faster in his chest as hope fought belief: it couldn't be her. She was a figment of his imagination, a friend he made up to play with, a princess for his brave knight-play to save. This was his mind, overtired and overstressed, playing tricks on him to remind him of what could happen if he relaxed too much, of what could happen if he released his hold for too long. And yet his heart still beat faster, unable to completely dismiss the slim chance that it was actually her - that she had been real, and now, so many years later, they had somehow run into each other again. Slowly he turned to face down this ghost of his past, to once an for all put the vision firmly in the past with the lonely young prince, where it belonged -

But there she was. 

His eyes widened, pupils dilating as he saw her, and the logical side of his brain fell silent. Every heartbeat filled him with new life and new drive as he took her in, unable and uncaring to stop himself from closing the distance between them. He walked lightly, as though in a dream. His hand reached out to take hers, wanting to touch some part of her, to either fully prove that she was there or just feel her porcelain skin. He had never seen anyone as beautiful as she - none would compare to her, from her long, straight, silver hair, to her startling blue eyes in her lovely face. She was slight, her thin white dress of a foreign design making that evident; everything was familiar and yet new - the young girl of his memory was suddenly older -- but that made sense. What didn't quite was how immediately, inexcusably attracted he was to her. It's transference, his mind quietly stammered in a whisper, trying to take control again but quickly sputtering out. His heart knew - it wasn't 'transference', it wasn't surprise, it wasn't adrenaline. It was her, and it was him, and it was fate. 

He had never before so strongly wanted to know someone more, or touch someone more, than he did her at that moment. 

His right hand waited for hers, his left behind his back formally, and he greeted her with a mouth that formed words as though for the first time, "Lady Selene." An unexpected sensation, like a less uncomfortable form of pins and needles, traveled up his arm as she placed her cool hand in his, and while slightly startling it did little to dissuade him from holding her hand in his. Gently he closed his fingers around hers and as his thumb grazed her soft digits, he had sudden the urge to kiss the back of her hand, to feel that smooth, cool skin in a more intimate way. Had the logical part of his mind still be working it would have protested - it was too forward, he didn't know her status, it could embarrass her greatly - but that part of his mind remained silent, still stunned by her presence. So, instinct won. Keeping his eyes on hers, he smoothly brought her hand higher and lowered his head just enough so, unblinking, he could press his lips to her soft skin, thrilling again at her touch. 

As he pulled away, her hand still in his, his mind slowly clicked on, and emotions other than awe and attraction started falling into place. Emotions like hurt and confusion. "Why did you disappear like that, all those years ago?"

Her biggest fear, at the very moment that he turned, the moment his gaze latched onto her and their eyes met, was that he would not recognize her.

That he would see her as a stranger, a girl he met for a brief hour one night many years ago and was not memorable enough to remember. That he had forgotten her while she always treasured the memory of him. That her feelings were completely one-sided. Serenity did not realize she held this fear until the very moment she was confronted with the possibility of it becoming a reality, and for that one very brief moment, she couldn’t breathe.

But then he reacted. Surprise flitted across his face. Disbelief. He seemed caught in a trance when he moved toward her, as if she had put a spell on him. And then suddenly their hands were reaching toward one another—she hadn’t even realized she had moved.

Serenity had not truly felt the earth’s gravity until she was caught in that irresistible pull—in his deep blue eyes, in the warmth of his hand that connected with hers, in the presence of his body so daringly close to her the way she had never been allowed to be with any other person beside her immediate circle of people. When he took her hand, it felt right in the way that no one else’s ever had.

But her joy at seeing him again and his obvious recognition crashed to the ground the moment he called her by the wrong name—the name she’d given to him, yes, but still the wrong one.

It reminded her of the duplicity that was yet to be broken, and the guilt that weighed upon her chest. She had lied to him for years. Would he ever forgive her?

And then suddenly he dipped his head to kiss the back of her hand. Serenity had to suppress the shudder of warmth and pleasure that the contact initiated, her head suddenly feeling dizzy. She had to plant her feet more firmly on the earth itself to remain standing. How could such a little thing cause her to feel so much?

The moon had many beautiful denizens, but not one of them had ever made her feel like this. She didn’t even know this kind of feeling even existed. So vivid, so… intense, that she was afraid she might be drowned by it. But it was beautiful and wonderful at the same time, never ceasing to fill her with awe.

And then the guilt returned by way of his question.

Serenity averted her gaze, her face crumpling in anguish. She had to tell him. She could lie to him no longer. Not for another second. Even if it meant losing him forever.

“I wanted to tell you,” she began, her eyes still looking towards the scenery behind him rather than at him, but then she found the courage to look back into those blue eyes. “I wanted to tell you the next morning. Everything about me. But they came… My family came and found me in the middle of the night. It was not my choice to go, to leave without an explanation.”

She looked down, shame washing over her. She should have tried harder. Should have… done something. She didn’t know what, but something that would not have made him suffer in confusion, something that would not cause the hurt she was seeing in his eyes right now. He had helped her, and this was how she repaid him. She kept pointing it out to her mother; if Endymion hadn’t been there, she might not have survived. Didn’t that mean he deserve an explanation? Or a reward, even?

But the queen would hear none of it.

She took a deep breath, then started again. “Endymion, I have not been entirely truthful with you. For starters, my name is not Lady Selene. I am not a noble from the northern kingdoms, either.”

She willed the golden crescent mark on her forehead to appear, to no longer be disguised by a small glamour magic. For him to see it herself, because otherwise he would not believe her.

She looked into his eyes again then, the pride seeping into her voice despite everything as she stated, “I am Princess Serenity, the heir to the Silver Millennium, the kingdom of the Moon.”

He set his jaw to await her answer, staying still to give her time to process and explain; he would wait as long as she needed, though each second seemed to stretch longer in his anticipation for her answer. He didn't enjoy making her suffer so, but he felt he deserved an explanation; so many years of wondering if she had been even real, suddenly ending in being with her face-to-face, her hand in his... but the doubt she had caused in him, the constant questioning over how only he remembered her - that needed to be settled, too. He needed to know why, to finally release the burden of wondering if he was predispositioned to delusions, to put a logical explanation and not just try to erase it with the proof of her existence. He needed to know why, and how, she had disappeared so thoroughly. 

He listened closely when she spoke, attempting to stay compassionate even as questions cropped up about her explanation - if her family had come to get her in the middle of the night, why did no one remember them? Why such secrecy? How did they get in without anyone noticing, without an alarm being raised? The King of the West was not so lenient with his guards; they would not have been paid off to betray him. He tried to think back even as he gave her his attention, trying to remember if anyone had shown any sort of understanding behind the obvious pity in their eyes as he asked about her, to attempt to determine whether, perhaps, they had been ordered to keep it a secret from him, but it was so long ago he couldn't be sure. He believed her when she said it hadn't been her choice, but the mechanics behind everything left him going over old questions again.

When she took a deep breath she had his full attention again, his mind pressing the questions back. They could figure them out in time; now, though, it was just --

Her confession took what was left of the wind from his sails, his body growing heavy. His grip loosened on her hand - she had lied? She had lied, and continued to lie, even when he had come clean all those years ago. She wasn't a noble from the northern kingdoms, her name wasn't even Lady Selene. He felt foolish for every time his heart jumped entering a gala in Zoisite's kingdom, hoping to see her face in the crowd. His hopes had been built on a lie, and he was embarrassed for never even considering that she had lied about that. He had considered that she was not real over and over again, but he had never considered that what he remembered her saying was somehow false. Fighting to keep his expression neutral despite the betrayal festering in his chest, he wondered what she really was. A gypsy, maybe? He doubted whether a gypsy band would be able to get away so mysteriously; maybe they dabbled in mind-altering drugs, and had secretly put them into their water supply? But why, then, take Selene - or whoever she was - away when she had successfully gotten to him? They could have benefited from that. 

Sourness turned to surprise as a golden crescent appeared suddenly in the middle of her forehead. His eyes widened - magic? Her eyes met his as strength pulsed through her voice, but her announcement only further alienated him. Shocked, his hand fell from hers and he took a small, involuntary step back - the kingdom of the Moon? 

He had studied relationships with the moon in passing - they had first sent an ambassador down to greet them officially just under ten years ago, to tell them that they were up there, and that they meant to exist in peace, but they had never returned since. Many chose to believe that the person who had appeared - a tall brown-haired woman in exotic wear - had been insane: no one could live on the Moon, and if they did, they could not reach Earth from the Moon, because Earth's people had never been able to fly, let alone reach the Moon. That she never came back sealed that idea for most, but as the Heir to the Throne, he had to keep his mind open to the possibility that there was a civilization there. And now? With Sele-- Serenity stating that she, too, was from that mysterious world, and was able to work magic -- it was unsettling, to say the least. 

Endymion's mind was working in overtime, pressing his emotions to the back as political and diplomatic training rushed to the forefront. He questioned her claim only for a moment, before brushing it all aside; if she were from the moon, and she could do magic, it made sense to assume that all from the moon could do magic, and so the question of why none but him could remember her was explained well enough. Why they had let him keep his memory was a different question, but that could be how they handled diplomacy. He bowed politely to her, as one greeting an equal in court, his long cape covering his shoulders as he stood. "It is good to meet you, Princess Serenity," He had been thinking of her for so long as Selene; it both hurt and felt justified that the use of her real name may forever put to rest childish fantasies of easy friendship, and the only too recent imaginings of something else. Of expanding on that feeling of holding her hand and kissing her skin; it was better this way, that the lie that had toyed with his past end with a potential political deal for his future. Part of him screamed inside, for the betrayal, the unfairness of it all, and the pain of burying a dream, but the sound was buried beneath years of grooming and training, and so his face remained impassive as he asked, "How might I assist you?"

She watched the gradual change of expression with a sinking feeling. First the surprise, then the disbelief, and finally the betrayal. He let go of her hand, and she immediately missed his warmth, suddenly feeling as if she had been left in the cold. She could see what he was thinking in his eyes, and her heart felt as if it were the one being shattered when she watched him realize that she had lied and manipulated him, tried to take advantage of his kindness.

Tears began clouding her eyes as she watched him shift from cordiality to formality, upon realizing the truth about her identity. Every single word seemed to stab her with the coldness of ice, and his new mask of apathy made her want to crumble to the ground and beg for forgiveness.

Her feet remained planted on the earth, however, and her knees didn’t buckle, for princesses did not beg for anyone—a lesson that had been drilled into her since birth. But still, the idea that he hated her now, or worse, felt nothing toward her at all, threatened to drown her in misery.

“Endymion, I do not want anything from you. Please don’t get me wrong. I came back only because I missed you—they don’t even know I’m here! I’m not supposed to—” a sob interrupted her sentence, and she swallowed the lump on her throat. “I’ve been separated from you for so long, and all I’ve ever wanted was to return to you and tell you the truth. I am so sorry it took me this long. Please forgive me. I don’t think I can bear your anger or your loathing.”

She clutched her aching heart and looked at the ground, too afraid to see into his eyes for what she might find there.

Some might have felt justified to have their pain mirrored in another, to see tears in her eyes that he could not shed, but Endymion was not such a person. 

It was only years of training that stopped him from immediately comforting her upon seeing her distress; well, years of training and the new budding suspicion he had for her. He wondered if her tears were fabricated just for him, as a means of making him more agreeable in whatever she was about to ask; he had seen the tactic implemented before, and he felt heavier in that she would try to use that on him, on top of everything else she had done. If these were the machinations of the people of the Moon Kingdom, he was glad they had targeted him, rather than someone else. He could weather this, and learn from it. He wouldn't fall prey to it; he would remember every gesture, every movement, that he could report on it and make the future of his kingdom stronger by preparing his ambassadors for such maneuvers. That they would employ emotional schemes was bold. That they would send their own Princess to entreat with him and engage said tactics was bold. That they had gone so far as finding him in the past to make him weaker to this advance was bold. 

Yet still, despite the dispassionate reasoning of his mind, that small part inside him that felt like it was suffocating - the part that felt so badly hurt by everything that she had done - wanted to reach out for her and alleviate her guilt, despite how horrible she had made him feel in her revelations. Despite how stupid he felt for having spent so many years believing her tale, despite the self-pity that threatened to drown him for the dreams he had had for finding her again, he still didn't like to see the ghost of his dream upset.

When she started to speak, the logical part of his mind screened every word for duplicity, even while his heart took in every word. Her sob threatened to undo him, his mask breaking for that moment as emotion burst through, but he regained his composure quickly, tightening his hand in a fist to provide focus. He wanted to believe her; her words spoke directly to that place inside that had hurt acutely, providing it with just the right meaning, just the right explanation for why she had hurt him and why she had returned. He wanted to believe her so badly, but how could he follow her words so blindly when she had just proven how false they could be?

"You have earned neither," he replied quietly, speaking honestly from both his head and his heart, the former calculating diplomatic moves, the latter expressing his honest feelings, glad for once that one did not dismiss the other. "Princess Serenity, I am not angry with you, and I do not loathe you - " he couldn't stand to see her hands at her chest, pressing against her heart; he did not want her to avert her eyes from him. He wanted nothing more than to apologize for making her feel that way, even while his mind protested that her emotions were her own doing, and that he could not even be sure they were genuine. "You must understand that I do not understand; every fiber of my being wants to believe you, but every ounce of my training warns against that. For the past number of years I thought myself crazy for remembering the beautiful young Lady Selene when no one else did, and today I find that not only is she is real, but she is neither from this world nor who she claimed to be. My Lady Selene from the Northern Kingdoms never existed; instead I have learned that she was the Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, a place I had never even heard of back then, and know very little of now, beyond reports of one earlier attempt at diplomacy that never had the chance to grow. Simultaneously I have learned that she, and by extension her people, can do magic, which puts into question everything that I have perceived of her or am perceiving of her, as well as questions concerning my people and our future. Thus I cannot simply be Endymion, forgiving a beautiful girl I have been looking for for years; I must also be Prince Endymion, meeting with a foreign dignitary with my Kingdom's safety and defense at the forefront of my mind." 

He stepped forward, back to where he had been before, and hesitated just a moment before continuing, "I am afraid I am at a loss for what to do now," he admitted as fear bubbled up within. Fear that he had said too much, fear that being so honest with her might be used against him, fear that she may choose to leave and he would be left with little explanation as to her motives and as to the future between their two Kingdoms. Fear that he might never see her again. With trepidation, he offered her his hand once again, not wanting her to leave, wanting to touch her at least once more if she did choose to go, wanting her to know that, for him, anyway, friendship was still possible. He wanted to hold her, to embrace her to relieve the raw feelings that lingered within him, to attempt to ease the hurt in her, but if he could just touch her hand one more time...

His words made her dare to look back up at him, even as every part of her felt as tense as a spring, ready to feel the pain from them, ready to feel her heart broken. But… he was not angry with her?

Something else he said confused her; no one else remembered her? What had her mother done? Had she attempted to do something… to erase all traces of her being on Earth? Serenity had heard Mercury slip up about it once, something about how she didn’t have to worry about the prince never knowing what had happened to her, but when Serenity asked what she meant by that, Mercury had paled and clammed up, saying that time would help him forget. But Serenity had always known there was more to that. And now the horror of that realization dawned on her. Had her mother tried to manipulate the minds of everyone who had seen her? The thought was positively horrifying, but then—why had Endymion remembered? Did he care for her that much to overcome even such a strong mental magic?

Everything he was saying made sense, and she completely understood. Wasn’t that what had attracted him to her in the first place? How intimately he understood what it meant to be a royal? To be the future leader of an entire kingdom? His training, much more refined now since she last saw him, shone through clear as day just like the one instilled in her, and as a princess herself, she had the unique ability to comprehend exactly where he was coming from.

For them, the duty to their people always came first.

However, just when she thought perhaps she should leave, he stepped closer to her again, and Serenity could not resist the hope building in her chest. Maybe things did not have to end here. Maybe they could work through this and put the lies behind them for good.

Then, unbelievably, he offered his hand to her again. Serenity stared at it, wondering if she was imagining it, but did not hesitate too long. She slipped her own hand into his, relishing that comforting warmth that seemed to be unique to Earth dwellers, and looked into his eyes.

“I lied that night because I was afraid. Because I did not know you, and because I was a princess from the Moon who had accidentally found herself stranded on Earth. It was my training, too, that forced me to hide the truth from you, because I did not know if you could be trusted, or how you would react had you known the shocking truth.” She added with a softer voice, “Or if you would have even believed me.”

Would he, back then? He said himself he had no idea the Moon Kingdom existed at the time. Would he not simply think she was crafting a fairy tale, especially given her age? Would he make fun of her or simply think her imaginations endearing?

“But if you wanted to, if you think I am still worth giving another chance, I would like to start over again, with the truth this time. I have introduced myself to you honestly, and I mean no harm to you or your kingdom. If you wanted to, I’m willing to tell you everything about who I am and where I come from, so that there might only be truths between us from now on. And, Endymion… don’t you see? We can be the chance both of our kingdoms need to form a good relationship. A peaceful alliance. Maybe…”

She swallowed, wondering if she was trying to convince him or herself. “Maybe we should do this… form a friendship, an open communication with each other… for the sake of both of our kingdoms.”

He listened to her closely and nodded his head once, accepting her reasons with an open mind as she spoke of why she had hidden who she was; honestly, he didn't know what he would've thought back then if she had told him that she was from the Moon. He probably would've taken it for a game and played along, but even if he had treated it as play, would, over the years, he have wondered if it had been true? Having the idea of a Moon Kingdom in mind might've made everything a bit easier to swallow - why no one else remembered her, or why he hadn't been able to find her again. But he could never tell what might have happened in the past. 

As she continued, his heart further eased, believing her intention to tell the truth about herself, and her kingdom by extension, from that moment forward. The hope the crept into her voice when she spoke of alliance furthered the feeling of weightlessness; they could be friends. They could continue having a relationship, not just for his own good, but for the good of both their kingdoms. Butterflies fluttered weakly in his stomach, and her hand in his seemed more prominent as she swallowed, his eyes intent on her. Her words echoed in his mind, the only sound in all the world.

Again he nodded, a small smile forming on his lips, "For both of our Kingdoms," he echoed, "I think that is a an exceptional idea."

Everything seemed to settle into place, even as the world around him seemed new and filled with life, the breeze through the trees and the color of the leaves on each branch like a new sensation in the background of her. Of her pretty face and glorious silver hair. His eyes strayed to the golden crescent standing out against the pale skin of her forehead, and he bowed his head playfully, "Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, welcome to Earth." His eyes met hers again, a certain intensity in his gaze, "Might I show you the meadows for which this region is famous?" he asked, already turning so she could see the vista behind him, and gently pulled her forward as though she had already accepted his offer. "We are well off the normal paths for viewing this seasonal wonder, but I personally consider the wild nature of these flowers to be of equal or greater beauty when compared to those carefully tended in the palace gardens." He glanced over and a metaphor fell softly into place, and he hoped if she caught it, she would not take offense to another meaning, but understand that, as before, he appreciated that she had apparently snuck away again. "Do you have such meadows on the Moon?" he asked, wanting to hear her voice speaking in happier tones.

She could see his expression change gradually, and relief flooded her. She hadn’t ruined their chances forever. She could still get to know him… this time without the burden of lies… starting an honest relationship. Relationship. The thought made her shiver; she knew this was still forbidden—she should probably be upfront with him about that too, in case she was snatched away from him again for longer or, gods forbid, forever—but she vowed she would always find her way back to him no matter what.

Only death shall keep them apart.

She smiled as he agreed with her idea, calling it ‘exceptional’ even. Joy filled her heart and lifted her spirits, and she resisted the urge to grab his arm and hold him close the way she often imagined. When he bowed politely, yet with a playful glint in his eye this time, she grinned. “Thank you, Prince Endymion. And yes, please, I would love a tour of your kingdom.”

He pulled her, and she clasped her hand around his easily as if their hands had always belonged together, feeling the happiest she had been in forever.

“Your Earth is indeed incredibly beautiful. The Moon isn’t like this; it’s not green or full of life. We have artificial and some of our own natural plants, but they’re nothing as vibrant or alive as these flowers. I don’t even know what half of these are called. We can’t have more than perhaps ten types of plants on the Moon. The downside of living on a barren rock…”

She turned to him and smiled. “That’s why I love it so much here. The view here is positively breathtaking. Tell me… what is your favorite flower?”

They reached the hillside beside the forest, able now to look down fully upon the fields of golden flowers that glowed in the soft light of the setting sun, yet Endymion's eyes paid them no heed, their beauty pale in comparison to that of his new companion. As she answered him he turned them both, keeping to her left, his right hand guiding hers so she could see the field of flowers clearly and he could see her with the pretense of gazing at the scenery with her. His thumb rested gently on her slim fingers, his eyes rested easily on the curves of her features, watching her as she looked to the fields and described her home. For an instant his eyes left her to find the gibbous moon in the sky and wonder, in its faint glow, about the dark areas there; it should have come as no surprise that the the moon had few gardens or meadows based on color alone, but then he had never really thought about people living there, and those dark regions they had called "maria" could be oceans, as suggested by scholars, or they could have been forests... but apparently not. He returned his gaze to her, more questions forming in his mind about their society - so many of his people tended the land and cultivated produce; if they had but ten species of plantlife, what did her subjects do day in and day out? How did they sustain themselves?

He couldn't help but to stare when she turned her attention to him, her smile and her sapphire gaze drawing him in so completely that he nearly forgot to continue walking; as she spoke of how she loved the Earth and how it took her breath away, he had to resist leaning in, wanting nothing more than to brush those smiling lips with his own and see if he could take her breath away... but such thoughts were inappropriate. He broke her gaze, subtly regaining his breath and stilling his beating heart as he answered in a restrained voice, looking ahead on the faint path before them. "Roses," he replied, "But I'm afraid there are few in this area, so I would be unable to show them to you now; have you seen a rose before?" he asked, his eyes daring to find hers again, and found himself quite unable to look away. He trusted himself to keep to the path, and so long as he kept his feet moving he was sure he would be able to resist her. 

The drive was strange and new for him - he had never felt so strongly attracted to anyone before, even after the recently concluded messy business between them, but restraint was part of his training, using his head was his default: he was confident he would not do anything untoward, but that the urge was there and so strong was undoubtedly distracting. He felt he needed to turn things back towards official business, or, rather, away from personal matters: it would be easier that way. "With only ten species of plantlife, what are meals like in your Kingdom, and how do your citizens spend their time? And the dark regions of the moon - are they great oceans, or something else entirely?"

Serenity gasped as she took in the breath-taking scenery in front of her. The beautiful flowers swaying gently under the afternoon sun, so full of colors and so alive. She subconsciously squeezed his hand in amazement, barely able to believe that this was real. The last time she was here, it was nighttime and impossible to see much, and she hadn’t seen anything else of Earth except in pictures or holograms. No matter how beautiful or vivid those pictures were, though, nothing could beat the real deal. To have it right in front of her… that she could touch them all… it was overwhelming to say the least.

It was at this moment that Serenity realized that she had fallen in love with Earth.

“Rose,” she repeated the name of the flower he’d mentioned, liking how pretty it sounded. “No, I have not seen them, but I would love to, especially if they’re your favorite,” she added with a wistful smile, trying to imagine the shape and color of this plant that had won his heart.

“We don’t have a lot of food selections, as you can guess. We try to grow as many things as we could underneath the dome that functions as some kind of a green house, and sometimes we… import from other places.” That was where the others said things like meat came from, anyway. Serenity never quite knew where these ‘other places’ were, but she assumed other planets that had formed an alliance with them. “We work to build new things, do a lot of research, and learn as much as we can. We’re more like a community of scientist trying to survive in a small, limited environment.” That was how Mercury always put it, and Serenity was glad she’d at least listened to some of those lessons, lest she would certainly look clueless right now.

She thought about his next question, trying to understand what he meant by ‘dark regions’ in a place she’d known to always be surrounded by light. “Ah, those aren’t oceans, no. We don’t actually have oceans—which I would also like to see someday. They’re actually craters filled with magma, but it’s actually more like powder now. The rest look whiter because it’s covered by a layer of sand-like substance called Regolith.”

All those boring lessons. Serenity had never expected them to be useful, but now she was so thankful some of it had at least made it into her brain, for now she could impress Endymion with her knowledge.

The pressure of her hand on his, the sound of his favorite flower on her lips, the way she seemed to savor the word... how would she like the rose? He stole a look at her and as his eyes fell to her mouth when she spoke, a stray thought pushed its way through to wonder how she would find the delicate red petals; would she enjoy the feel of their soft touch? Were he to use them to brush her lips, would she enjoy the sensation? ...and how did those lips compare to the texture...? His pace slowed with her wistful smile, his attention dangerously diverted...

She continued, but her attention shifted focus he was having trouble keeping up, wanting nothing more to slow down and talk about roses again, but some part of the rational side of his mind was listening, catching the odd word - 'Food selections.' 'Dome.' 'Greenhouse' -- Dome? He blinked, catching up with himself and increasing his stride back to normal rates as though nothing had happened - as nothing had happened, as much to his mental relief as his emotional dismay. This could get confusing. He should avoid such thought in the future - and, honestly, with such notions as a society filled completely with researchers and scientists, it should not be hard to divert his attention. He nodded in response to her explanation, for the moment having completely missed the 'import' information and all associated diversions.

As she continued, he had reined his attention back into focus and listened intently to her description of the truth of Lunar Maria, and found her description satisfying. He had seen the black pools left behind after a volcanic eruption, and his mind enjoyed the thought of connecting craters to giant pools of magma, and the idea of the moon being covered in sand - Regolith - but that she had never seen the ocean... 

He looked down the path contemplatively, trying to think of how best to describe such a magnificent sight as the ocean at sunset, or the feeling of the winds rushing in towards the shore, the soothing sounds of the waves and the smell of salt in the air, or the feeling of sand on bare feet; attempting to describe such a thing to someone who was only just getting used to the sights and sounds of Earth - how could he make such an attempt? The experience of such majesty could barely be put into words for those who have felt it; how could he possibly hope to verbally illustrate such an incredible thing? "The ocean is beautiful; the stark contrast of sea and sky, the complete lack of land - it's awe-inspiring. There are thousands of poems written about the ocean, hundreds of songs composed for its power and beauty; I hope you can experience it someday," he said, resisting the temptation of putting himself in that picture. He would like nothing more than to show it to her - the idea of being her personal guide to all that his home had to offer was overly tempting, but to insert himself into her plans was simply too forward. ... Despite already knowing exactly where he would take her for her first experience of the sea. 

He turned to face her yet again, unable to completely mask the enthusiasm shown in his eyes as well as he controlled it in his voice. "If you are to visit the ocean, I suggest starting with the Aegean Sea; there is a city in Caria called Halicarnassus - the waters just off its coast are so clear that to dwell in them appears to be more flying than swimming, and the feel of the air rushing in off the sea is a balm for the spirit as much as for the senses. Its waters relax and heal you; but if you are in the mood for adventure, the greater Mediterranean in spring and summer hosts storms that have decimated ships; the adrenaline of sailing those waters before a storm is enough to make you wish for dry land."

He paused, "Are there other places you would wish to see? Beyond the ocean?"

She listened to Endymion’s words about the ocean, trying to imagine the vast spread of water with no land anywhere on it. She thought about the two of them, just floating in that endless expanse, with no world on their shoulders, no responsibilities, no fear or burden about the future. Endymion was talking animatedly about the seas he was obviously familiar with, words that obviously offered intimate knowledge about what it was like to be there.

“Then, perhaps… let’s go to the ocean together someday,” she said in almost a whisper, suddenly feeling shy about her perhaps too-bold proposal. She wanted to hold his hand again, wanted to stand with him upon a shore and try to forget that she was a princess and he was a prince. Serenity only wanted freedom and happiness and to be with the person she’d thought about for years yet was forcefully separated from. Was that selfish?

To his next question, she thought back about the pictures and stories of Earth she’d heard and seen, the holographic projections that offered only a measly illusion and a pale replica of what the planet truly possessed. What did she long for the most? The majestic mountains, with its tops clouded by the mist? The terrifying volcanoes, sprouting fire and lava from their peaks and destroying everything in their path? The evergreen valleys, with trees bearing fruits of all kinds, delicious bounties offered by nature itself? She thought about the rain, of the leaves that turned brown and fell only to bloom again in the next season.

And that beautiful image she remembered had taken her breath away…

“I want to see the snow,” she said, her mind recalling the dark expanse of the sky peppered with what seemed like falling stars. It reminded her of the colors of the moon, of beauty even in the coldest places, making the lights that surrounded it all the more warm-looking.

Her proposal, to go to the ocean together... He smiled softly. "I'd like that," he replied, his voice quiet and warm and yet peppered with regret; the chances that it could actually happen were small, but that she wanted to go with him, as he did with her, was encouraging. The snow, though? His brow quirked down at her as he walked, considering the request; snow might have been the last thing he would have expected she wanted to see; he couldn't imagine it being much different from what she saw on a daily basis on the moon - just white and fluffy and cold; but maybe that was the point? ... maybe she was already growing homesick? His brows furrowed with worry - he didn't want to say goodbye just yet, despite the sun inching ever closer to the horizon and the knowledge that soon dusk would be upon them, and with dusk his inevitable return to the palace, less his friends worry overmuch and set out after him. 

"The snow is nice," he replied conversationally, looking forward again, his tone betraying his apprehension, "but I imagine it would not be dissimilar to the regolith of the Moon; simply white and thick, but perhaps colder? I wish I could direct you to a place where the snows were still in season, but you would need to travel much farther north or south in order to see them at this time of year." He paused, considering - he didn't want to disappoint her on her choice of weather, but honestly... "Truth be told," he said, feeling a little nervous putting forth an opinion that might not please her, "I don't much care for snow itself. It can be dangerous, and frightfully cold and wet when it starts to melt, and the ice that can accompany it is often downright deadly; what I do enjoy, however, about the colder months of snow, is the games, and the company," he started thinking back to the season that had just passed, and how throwing balls of snow had made even Kunzite seem to lose his worries. "Heading inside and warming up by the fire with something hot to drink and a break from duties - it's peaceful...." he trailed off, thinking back to Saturnalia and the festivities surrounding it, "Serenity," he began, a thrill coming unbidden to his chest as her name alone reminded him of his surreal circumstances, that he had found his Selene after years of searching, after having given up, and they were walking together again years later... "Does your Kingdom have any seasonal celebrations?"  He was curious - did the Moon have seasons? What would they celebrate, and how? Were their methods of celebration similar to his, or entirely different?

She felt disappointed to hear it wasn’t quite the right season to see snow, but as Endymion talked about the activities that happened during that time of year, she smiled. It reminded her of the Moon’s starlight celebrations, when they gave thanks to the goddess that had watched over them and took care of them for the entire year. Her heart jumped as he called her name—she loved the way he pronounced it—and heard him ask about the very thing she was thinking about.

“Unfortunately, we don’t really have seasons in the sense of weather changes,” she noted, thinking about how the moon was either light or dark, with not much change in between. “But we do have certain celebrations to mark certain occasions. There’s the harvest celebration; a time when most of our carefully cultivated crops are gathered and we give thanks for the bounty, and the starlight celebrations, which take place on the other half of the year. Oh, when that time rolls around… it’s so beautiful, Endymion. It’s my favorite time of year. All the lights everyone put up, all the parties being thrown, balls and masquerades and festivities, gifts being exchanged… It’s a time to be joyful and to celebrate another successful, prosperous, and safe year and to prepare for the start of a new one.”

She tried to imagine him on the Moon, decked in their best royal attire, dancing with her under the light of a thousand twinkling stars… It made her heart ache with longing. Would he ever be able to go to the Moon? Could she take him with her? Her mother would certainly be angry if she knew, though… Would she punish him? Punish them both? She didn’t care about herself, but if anything should happen to him…

“I want to show you my world, too,” she said in a whisper, her words filled with sincere yearning.

Harvest festivals and a new years celebration... the emotion in her voice kept him wrapped in her voice and the picture it drew, all the while unable to take his eyes off of her. The lights of her eyes seemed to burn brighter as she spoke of balls and masquerades, her smile drawing him in. The more she said the more he wanted to see her at that time - if she were so excited just talking about it she must have been absolutely radiant when it was actually transpiring. What would it like to be there with her, entrenched in the foreign atmosphere of the moon, surrounded by darkness but for the lights of the festivals. How would it feel to dance with her beneath the stars, the Earth providing all of the nighttime light... 

Her quiet wish resonated so deeply within him that if it were within his power he would, right then and there, find a way to make it come true. As it stood, powerless as he was to travel between their worlds, he instead closed the distance between them, gently taking her hand so she knew that he, too, wanted that. To see her world with her, to experience new things by her side... 

New things... His eyes were hers only, her presence all he wanted or needed. That she was there with him was unbelievable, that he felt this strongly towards her, inconceivable. That he wanted more of her was unreasonable, and yet... and yet he wanted to be closer to her. He wanted to to make her happy, to excite her, to make her feel like she was standing on the edge of something terrifying and yet felt safe in doing so. He wanted to make her feel how she made him feel, and then maybe even something more and explore a feeling entirely new to him, with her. Emotions he had only read about, feelings he had never understood the draw of before, but now was wanting nothing more than to try...

When had they stopped walking? And why, then, did it feel like he were still moving, like he were floating with her, suspended somewhere between the ground and the sky, between reality and dreams. ... Reality.

It felt like a string had been knotted to his stomach and was slowly pulling him back down, pointing out how low the sun had sunk, how twilight was right at their doorstep; that soon they would come looking for him, and if they found her, what kind of upset it would cause. His hold on her tightened slightly with anxiety, afraid of what that could mean, what it could do, but afraid too of leaving her. "Will I see you again?" he asked suddenly, the question out before he could stress over her answer and whether he could really believe it, given their last parting.

His hand in hers felt warm and comforting, and for a brief moment she thought about trying to teleport back to the moon with him in tow. Could she do that? Did she dare to do that? What if they caught him and killed him for trespassing? The soldiers of the moon could be so… focused on their rules and laws. And being the only kingdom, it would be really easy to spot an intruder that didn’t belong, unlike when she arrived on Earth. Would she be able to convince the queen to spare him? But that would raise so many questions… Questions that she wasn’t prepared to answer right now. Of course, her being here posed the same risk. What if someone caught her? She had no idea what the Earth people were like. Would they really hate her?

Either way, the sun was setting, and perhaps the time to find out was not today. Her heart ached at the idea of being separated from him again. She’d waited too long for this moment. Could she survive it again? And how long would she have to wait this time?

As if sensing her thoughts, Endymion posed his question, and Serenity smiled up at him hopefully. “I want to,” she blurted out, because that was the one thing that was more important than anything. “Perhaps I could come to you again? We could set a time and place. Where would you suggest?”

She figured he knew the best and safest places to meet, and then all she had to do was come. And… evade her loyal guardians somehow. She hadn’t thought about that. It was going to be hard, but she did it this time, didn’t she?

…had they noticed she was gone yet? It had been quite a while.

She cursed mentally and made a mental note to come up with a convincing excuse of where she’d been. Here’s hoping the queen hadn’t started a search party yet.

"Endymion?" Nephrite's far-off call resounded with the same urgency as a battle clarion. 

"Here," he quickly, urgently replied. "Tomorrow - " Tomorrow. The meeting, the whole reason he and his entourage were here. He cursed his luck, his eyes breaking from hers, but he redoubled his resolve. "The day after," he corrected, blue eyes staring into hers once more, his heart beating against the inside of his chest painfully. He didn't want her to go - he didn't want to let her go, not again, not after so long. Controlling himself, he slowed his beating heart, calmed the urge to breathe faster. "Midafternoon," he stated, his voice calmer but just as insistent, watching her closely, memorizing her. Just in case...

She wanted to kiss him. It felt like they’d only been reunited for a while, and now they must part again. Tomorrow already seemed so far away, and yet he still amended it, adding another day to wait. Serenity didn’t know if she could bear it. Or how long she could keep sneaking around her family like this. The more often she came here, surely the higher the chance they would notice her frequent disappearances. She was going to have to come up with a plan.

“The day after it is,” she nodded, swallowing hard and trying to be brave. “Then I will see you, my prince, in two days.” She squeezed his hand, starting to turn, then, not wanting to regret if she didn’t do it, she swung back toward him and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. With a blush and an embarrassed smile, she let him go and ran back towards the woods before his people could come upon them.

She’d count the seconds to their next meeting as if her life depended on it.

OOC:

She agreed. A thrill chased through his veins, one born of anticipation laced with worry - he shouldn't let his hopes get too high. Last time she had disappeared for years, this time may well end up the same - but the way she said 'my prince', the way her hands squeezed his as she turned - all of it only made that anticipation grow --

And then she kissed him.

His blue eyes wide with shock, frozen in place he could only watch as she ran away, disappearing into the woods as Nephrite's calls came closer. Slowly, his hand reached up and long fingers gently touched the warmth of his cheek where her lips had been. Questions burned, the words racing a mile a minute through his mind as his heart hammered in his chest - what had it meant? Was it a Lunar custom? But her hesitation before - how she had almost left without doing so, that meant it wasn't ordinary. She had been blushing, hadn't she? And her smile - the was no doubt that she had been smiling; that expression of hers, how her cheeks glowed and her lips glistened as she turned, her silver hair and gossamer white dress twirling after her - he'd never forget that. He would make sure of it; it was a memory that, like that of the Lady Selene, would haunt him until the end of his days, for better or for worse. 

Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom had kissed his cheek. 

Prince Endymion of the Earth Kingdom... battled with wanting more than that. 

And Nephrite of the Eastern Kingdoms hailed him, breaking the dream with his cheer and the easy manner he threw his arm around the Prince's neck and dragged him back towards the manor proper. As they walked, Endymion looked back over his shoulder, committing everything to memory. This had happened. This had not been a dream. Princess Serenity was real, and in two days time he'd wait for her to appear again.

---

Two Days Later


It had taken effort, but midafternoon on the second day Endymion was back in the clearing, breathing evenly as he looked across the field of colorful flowers, telling himself that she would be there even as he made excuses for why she would not be. He had not slept well the night before, despite his exhaustion from the meeting and knowing the morning would be an early one, he kept himself awake, going back and forth between recalling the events of the prior day, accepting his attraction even as he tried to change it, and wondering if she would even show up and if all this worry would be pointless anyway. 

Midafternoon. The time was so broad - why had he said midafternoon?