Title:Rebels & Royals.Part 5
Author:Tapestry
Email:Shaddow_Cat@hotmail.com
Rating:PG13
Standard Disclaimer Apply
*denotes thought
18/4/01

"Woman was created from the ribs of man
 Not from his head to top him
 Nor from his feet to be walked upon
 She was made from his side to be his equal
 From beneath his arms to be protected
 From very near his heart to be loved."
         --Anonymous--

AN:Lover - two people who are in love.(Not the other meaning you hentais!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Serenity spent the next month going round the camp helping. It was
probably the happiest month in her whole life. She even got back her 
black kitten which she loved to cuddle once in a while.
  Right now, she was stirring a pot full of stew. She lifted a spoon 
to her mouth and tasted the brew. It needed more salt. Standing up, 
Serenity ticked off her fingers of things she had to do.
  An arm snaked around her waist as hard body came to stand behind her.
Serenity gave a little gasp as she felt warm air tickle her ear.
  "Endymion, what are you doing??" asked Serenity as she squirmed, when she
felt his lips kiss her ear.
  "Making you uncomfortable, love." teased Endymion.
  Serenity ducked out of his arms and wagged a finger at him.
  "Naughty, naughty. Selfish rebel, that's what you are. You would deprive
your merry men of their meal??" laughed Serenity.
  "Let them starve." grinned Endymion wickedly.
  Serenity's breath caught in her throat. Shaking her head,Serenity gave
a giggle. "Oh, Endy, I really need to fix that stew."
  "A princess shouldn't be fixing stew."
  Serenity frowned. "You know I want to be treated as an equal, Endy."
  "I apologize. But can't I just get one little kiss??" asked Endymion 
as he turned puppy eyes to her.
  "Off with you, deceitful man."
  Endymion gave a sham look of pain. "Is this how you treat your lovers,
little rabbit?? What if I perish in the raid afterwards??"
  Serenity glared at him. "Endy, you stop speaking like that!!"
  Endymion sighed. "Alas, I fear I've lost to the cooking pot."
  Serenity rolled her eyes and walked back to the stew.

  Endymion grinned as he watched her go. He loved her so much. He also 
loved baiting and teasing her.

  Queen Bruche paced around. She hated doing nothing. Would her sister 
NEVER learn??? In the past half-year, her sister had runaway from 
home, more times than she'd ever done in a whole year before when 
she was younger.
  *Grandmama must really have had a sense of humor to name her Serenity.*
thought Bruche wryly to herself.
  Rei entered the room, bringing with her, a cloaked figure.
  "Your Majesty...the person who wants to speak to you, has arrived."

  It was early morning when Endymion led a small band of rebels on a raid
of a supply envoy. The supplies would of course,help the rebellion
tremendously. Food supplies, medical supplies and of course, weaponary.
The rebellion needed it much more than the royals.
  Endymion nodded at his cousin across the road. They'd selected a spot
along the road where trees and bushes grew in wild tangles. The perfect
spot for an ambush.
  As the supply envoy came into position, Endymion gave the signal by 
using his powers to blast one of the wheels on the vehicles. Soldiers
shouted in alarm as the vehicle careened slightly and crashed to the 
ground.
  The rebels gave a battle cry and charged at the escorting soldiers. Other
rebels were quickly loading the supplies onto a cart.

  Endymion fought beside his cousin only using weapons and not his powers.
He had made it a point never to hurt soldiers weaker than himself.
  Seiya crashed to the ground as a soldier sliced his shoulder and tripped
him. Endymion shouted in concern.
  Just as the soldier was about to plunge his weapon downwards, the soldier
was stunned by a ball of energy crashing into his chest, sending him
flying towards a tree.
  Endymion bent to help his cousin up, making sure to take care of the
ugly bleeding gash at his shoulder that was already staining his cousin's
white shirt.
  "It's back to training for you, Seiya." growled Endymion.
  "It's just a cut." protested Seiya as they made their escape with the
other rebels.
  "A cut my foot. That gash looks deep, judging by the big red patch on
your shoulder. You're lucky it wasn't your head." snapped Endymion as 
they rode away through the forest.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Ami and Minako were talking with Serenity when Beryl walked up.
  "Hello girls." smiled Beryl, her catty eyes eyeing each one of them.
  "What do you want, Beryl?" asked Ami.
  "Nothing except, Endymion is back and his cousin Seiya is bleeding like
no tomorrow at the arm." smiled Beryl sweetly.
  Serenity's eyes brightened at Endymion's name. "Endy is back?"
  "Seiya's hurt?" asked Minako her golden eyes staring at Beryl.
  "Yes. I thought you might want to look at it Ami." said Beryl as she
bent over the stew Serenity had made tasting with the ladle.
  "Of course." said Ami walking towards the main clearing.
  The other two girls followed.

  "Oh, and Serenity??" called Beryl.
  "Yes?"
  "The stew really needs more pepper and salt." said Beryl walking away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Ami looked over Seiya's wound and frowned. "Better clean this up good,
it looks deep." said Ami as she began to take a piece of cloth to clean
the wound.
  "I'll do that, Ami. There are plenty other wounded. I can clean his
wound." smiled Serenity.
  "Thank you, Serenity." said Ami returning the smile.

  Serenity set to work by dipping to cloth into warm water and cleaning
the wound at Seiya's shoulder. She tried not to blush as Seiya wasn't
wearing a shirt.
  "Where's Endymion??" asked Serenity trying to sound calm, her head bent
in case she was blushing.
  "He went to categorize the supplies." grinned Seiya aware of the 
Princess's discomfort at his naked chest.
  Serenity cleaned the wound and applied some alcohol to the wound. Seiya
winced at the burning pain that lanced through his shoulder.
  Carefully, Serenity bandaged the wound in strips of white linen.
  "There, all done. You'll have to change the dressing often though." said
Serenity, her mouth curling into a frown.
  Seiya laughed and caught her hand. He bent to kiss it. "My thanks."

  Serenity rolled her eyes.
  "We may have gotten off on the wrong foot Serenity. I apologize. I also
want to thank you. You've changed my cousin in a way I never thought
possible. It's strange, but also a blessing. Heaven knows I wished very
much he'd change. Be a bit more loose and considerate. A bit more loving."
  Serenity gaped. "But he IS loving. Even before I met-"
  "Ah, but he loved the kingdom. He didn't bother about himself." grinned 
Seiya as he touched her cheek. "You're wonderful and you have my 
everlasting gratitude." he murmured as he lowered his mouth and kissed
Serenity's....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Endymion was walking back towards where he'd left his cousin. He saw
Seiya and Serenity standing together. Seiya's shoulder was all bandaged
up. He was about to call out to them when he saw Seiya's hand touch 
Serenity's cheek.
  *Godammit!! Seiya may have be injured, but his brain isn't addled!!*
swore Endymion to himself. As he got closer, he heard snatches of the
converstion..
  "You're wonderful and you have my everlasting gratitude." he heard his
cousin murmur before he lowered his head and kissed Serenity.
  Endymion was sure his blood pressure had risen at the sight of it. He
heard a fierce growl and then someone bellow before he realized it was his
own bellow of rage as he hurled himself at his cousin.

  Serenity gasped as she was torn away from Seiya by a dark blur. That was
of course until she realized the dark blur was her love.
  Endymion rammed his shoulder into his cousin's stomach. They fell to the
hard ground and rolled slightly. Seiya grunted in pain as the ground dug
into his injured shoulder.
  Serenity gave a cry as Endymion pulled a dagger from his boot while 
holding his cousin by the neck. Seiya gasped for breath as he flailed 
against his cousin's strength.
  "Endymion, stop!!" cried Serenity as she tugged at his arm.

  Endymion glared at his cousin.

  "You can't kill him!! He's your cousin!!" exclaimed Serenity trying to
pull her angry lover off his cousin.
  "Look away so I can hack his head off." growled Endymion.
  "But he was only thanking me!!" wailed Serenity.
  Endymion gave a snort. "I would think I knew the difference between
desire and gratitude." scowled Endymion.
  Serenity gave an exasperated sound and with all her strength, pushed her
love off Seiya.

  Endymion blinked in surprise, but regained his objective and sprang 
quickly to his feet.
  Serenity was standing in front of Seiya, a glare on her face. Endymion
stomped towards her and Serenity braced her feet.
  Endymion was about to pick her up gently and set her aside, but she 
outwitted him by throwing herself into his arms, her arms clasping 
and encircling his waist.
  Endymion groaned as he hugged her back. He glared angrily at his cousin
who seemed to be snickering. That was the only prodding he needed to renew
his jealousy and anger.
  "Oh no you don't. You stop this at once, Endymion." commanded Serenity
sternly as she leaned back to stare at Endymion.
  Endymion frowned, his expression almost like a pouting young boy.

  "He is your COUSIN. A BLOOD relation. He's also injured and much weaker
than you are. I'm not going to let you go around hacking off his head when 
you're in a fit." snapped Serenity. "What do you have to say for yourself,
Endy??"
  "He kissed you." growled Endymion darkly as if that would explain all his
actions and his rights.

  Serenity sighed and lay her head against Endymion's chest, listening to
his heart beat a steady rhythm. She closed her eyes and smiled. He was
jealous.
  "You're jealous."
  "Damn right you are, and I don't particularly find the feeling pleasant."
grunted Endymion as he held her closer to him, his arms constricting like
steel bands.
  Seiya laughed. "Don't worry cousin, I'm not out to steal your beloved."
  Endymion shot him another glare. "You'd better not be. I'd have to kill
you then." stated Endymion calmly.
  "Endy!!"
  "I understand, cousin." grinned Seiya.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Endymion held the woman he loved a moment more. Slowly, he released her
to stare down at her eyes. They were shining with all the love in the
world. Just for him. His heart seemed to miss a beat.
  "I missed you." he said shortly.
  "Silly. You were only gone for a few hours."
  "It felt like an eternity."
  "I know." whispered Serenity.

  The couple were unaware of the chilling glare that one pair of eyes
gave them. *Endymion....I'm always watching you.* thought the figure.

  Serenity cuddled up next to Endymion for warmth as they sat around a
bonfire along with some other rebels.
  Nephrite prodded the fire with a stick while some rebels sang. More and
more rebels joined in, some of them thumping hollow logs while others
played the guitar. Minako laughed as she pulled some other girls to join
her in a dizzy whirling dance around the fire.
  Serenity held onto Endymion more tightly as she smiled, leaning her head
against his chest. His hand instinctively came up to stroke her silver
curls.
  Minako stopped in front of her and tried to coax Serenity to join them.
She tugged at Serenity's hand. Sparkling sapphire blue met mysterious ocean
blue that twinkled with amusement.
  Reluctantly, Serenity released Endymion's hand and got up, Endymion 
watched her move forward towards the dancers, his hand stretched out until
he could no longer touch her. His hand dropped slowly as he watched his
silver siren begin to move and dance to the rhythm of the beats. The 
orange glow of the fire casting shadows over her features and figure while
her silver hair shone like moonlight.
  Endymion smiled slightly. Although she was a princess, it seemed she'd
taken very quickly to the rustic ways. She was a royal...but she was also
the woman he loved. The woman who had given up everything just to be with
him.....
  That brought the warmest and softest smile to his lips.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Queen Bruche smiled as she greeted her guest. He had white hair and 
piercing violet eyes. His clothing was white except for the intricate black
design on his shirt. His cloak was black with a purple velvet lining.
  A black crystal earring dangled at his earlobe.
  "Welcome Prince Dimando."

  The man eyed his surroundings critically and arrogantly. Then, he
unexpectedly bowed in respect.
  "Queen Bruche." acknowledged Dimando.
  Bruche frowned at him. *The arrogant princeling. He hasn't changed one
bit.* she thought to herself. *Thank God father didn't decide to make ME
marry him.*
  "Where is your lovely sister?? It is rumored she has grown very fair."
smiled Dimando silkily.
  "Oh, she has Prince Dimando. She has. But I'm afraid she's away just
now. She's become very flighty." responded Bruche as she motioned one
of the Royal Guard forward. "Iolite, escort the prince to his chambers."
  Iolite bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

  Bruche watched the despised man walk away. But she REALLY needed this
alliance to stamp out rebels. And for that, she needed Serenity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Dimando followed the lavender-haired woman down. She didn't look too
bad. He often wondered why he'd agreed to come to the Silver Kingdom to
try and establish a match anyway?? In his country, women didn't rule. 
They were only ornaments at court or for birthing heirs. He remembered his
disgust at his father's friendship with the Silverian monarchs. He'd even
disliked the two DAUGHTERS on sight. A GIRL becoming the next ruler. It
just wasn't done.
  He passed a hall full of potraits. One or two were of the late King and
Queen. Others were of the current Queen and her sister. One row of 
potraits caught his eye though. It was of a silver-haired imp seated on a
kind loving woman's lap whose platinum-white hair cascaded around her, held
in two buns like the child's. It was the Queen Dowager Selenity and a 
very young Princess Serenity.
  He stopped to look the potrait over. He moved on to the next one. It was
of the Princess Serenity once more, at the age of 10. The next one was 
of the Princess again. This time, it was of her current age. She had grown
up and matured into a beauty. She was smiling serenely at the painter, her
eyes twinkling while her silver hair cascaded around her in shining waves.
  Dimando's lips curled into a smile. Well...she wouldn't be hard to look
at. True, he had mistresses and a harem full of women. His current 
favourite, Esmeraude had told him he was a demanding ruler and lover.
  He turned to face the Royal Guard who was watching him with a hooded 
gaze that seemed speculative and assessing.
  "This way, Prince Dimando." said Iolite in an oddly detached voice.

  Dimando took one last look at the potrait and turned to follow the guard.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Serenity smiled as she held her beloved's hand. She was daydreaming.
She'd been doing that a lot lately.

  "My love, don't you think you should stop daydreaming and come back from
wherever you are?? I miss you." whispered a husky voice.
  A wet kiss on her nose brought her back to reality.

  "Luna, stop that." laughed Serenity as she pushed the black kitten gently
away from her.
  "Oh, so you'll respond to a kitten, but not to me, huh??" came Endymion's
voice as he moved closer beside her.
  "You turn into a cat, then I'll take notice of you." teased Serenity
playfully pushing at his head.
  "I think you have just poked my ego into disrepair, my loved one."
  "Like your fat head needs anymore swelling." replied Serenity getting
up and dusting her outfit.

  Endymion tugged on her hand. "Come sit back down."
  "No, beloved. You're going to laze away if you do." pointed out Serenity.

  He rised and leaned down, his lips touching hers but not kissing.

  "You're a hard woman, my sweet."
  "Aren't you proud of me, my love??" laughed Serenity as her hands reached
up to twine about his neck.
  "Mmmhmm..."
  Her hands reached up to stroke his dark silky hair.

  "Serenity, I want you to keep this." came Endymion's voice as he pulled
slightly back to show her a beautiful locket watch. It was in the shape of
a star, it's center made of platinum outlined with gold. It dangled from
a golden chain.
  "It's beautiful." whispered Serenity as she reached out to touch the
item. Endymion caught her fingers and pressed it into her palm.
  "Keep it. So you may remember me if you ever get lonely." whispered
Endymion hugging her tightly.
  "I'll never get lonely, love. Not while you are here." smiled Serenity
as she clasped the watch tightly and leaned up to kiss him....

  "Ehem..."
  "Cough.."

  The two young lovers turned to stare at the unwanted intruders. It was
Haruka and Seiya with a laughing and knowing look.
  "Haven't the two of you heard of privacy??" asked Endymion sourly.

  Seiya chuckled, his arm in a loose sling. "In a FOREST??? You want
privacy, get a room."

  Endymion mumbled something that sounded like "I should have killed him
yesterday..."
  Serenity stifled a giggle.

  "Well??" snapped Endymion still holding on the his love. "Speak what
you have come to tell me. Before I decide you're interupting and annoying
and decide to blast you back to the moon."
  "Endy..." chided Serenity as she tried to placate him with a hand on
his chest.

  Haruka smirked and bowed. "Of course, I wouldn't dare offend his high
and mightyness." she mocked.
  "We received word from one of the servants in the palace, a certain 
Prince has arrived within the walls of the palace." said Seiya his demeanor
growing serious.
  "Who??" questioned Endymion with a frown.
  "Prince Dimando of the neighbouring kingom, Endymion." answered Haruka.

  "DIMANDO!!!???" exclaimed Serenity in surprise.
  "You know this Prince, love??"
  "He's the one who Bruche and I despised when we were younger. He was
always so arrogant and creepy with those piercing purple eyes of his."
said Serenity with a shudder.
  "What's he doing in the Silver Kingdom then??" asked Endymion.

  "Recently, my sister said something about an alliance with his kingdom.
I think she meant a marriage engagement between me and...ugh, Dimando."
finished Serenity as she burrowed deeper within his arms. 

  Endymion held tighter. The thought of her marrying some prince, some
other man loving his siren, sent jealousy, protectiveness and anger through
him.
  "I don't want to marry him, Endy..." came Serenity's muffled voice. She
had her head buried against his chest, and it was beginning to feel
peculiarly wet. Then, he realized she was weeping.
  "Beloved, what is wrong??" asked Endymion as he stroked her hair
comfortingly.
  "I don't want to go back, Endy. Promise me I'll never have to go back."
sobbed Serenity.
  Endymion rubbed her back as he stared down at the mass of wild silver
curls. He'd never had anyone rely on him so personally before. He'd 
never had the urge to convince and calm one of his friends or men. Of
course, they'd never been the woman he was in love with.
  "Of course you aren't going back. You belong here with me. I love you,
and I'm never letting you go. Come now, stop this weeping and smile for me,
my silver one." grinned Endymion as he tilted her chin up.
  Serenity gave him a watery smile, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

  "I promise, my love...nothing will happen to you. You won't have to 
marry that prince."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Rei sat on her horse, her red hair flying with the wind as she surveyed 
the vast landscape. The Princess was somewhere nearby. She HAD to be.
  Rei closed her red eyes and tried to focus her powers to send out
feelers into the nearby vicinity. They came back with only a vague 
impression of something with preternatural ability.
  She cursed soundly.

  "Such profanity is very unbecoming, my darling." laughed Jadeite as
his horse came up next to hers.
  "Shut up!" snapped Rei angrily as her head swivelled to glare at her
comrade. Her red eyes burned like bright red fire. Her red hair tossing in
the wind.
  Jadeite sucked in his breath. She always looked so beautiful when she
was angry. Her eyes lit up with a fire of their own and her own hair 
seemed to take on it's own light in the setting sun.
  He chuckled. "First, you're seductive. Now you're furious and cold??"

  "I'm not in the mood to play, Jadeite."
  "Who said anything about playing??"
  "Jade, do you know it'll be OUR heads on a platter if we don't find 
Princess Serenity soon???" asked Rei.
  "I know. But you know the Queen has her own agenda and spy in the rebel
camp." reminded Jadeite.
  "That's just it!! The arrogant so and so. Actually saying it was not the
right time and wanted to make a deal with the Queen." spat Rei.
  Jadeite laughed.
  "Getting all hot about it won't help, my sweet."
  Rei rolled her eyes. "A little sexy innuendo and you go all mushy on me,
Jade??"
  "Don't call me by that name."
  "Why?? It's not as if it'll make you any less jaded." commented Rei 
airily.
  It was then, she was caught by surprise as Jadeite forced a kiss on her
mouth. Rei felt a slithering warmth creep up her spine.
  "You like this..." stated Jadeite triumphantly.
  Rei could only nod her head as he kissed her again.
  She gave a groan and Jadeite laughed as he pulled away. "Very sweet."
Rei blinked at him. The loss startling her.
  Rei whimpered as his warm hand lifted to touch her cheek.
  "It seems," began Jadeite as he stroked her cheek "that your hard shell
has just shattered, my sweet."
  That's when she came back down to reality with a hard splat. Shoving his
hand away, Rei glared at him.
  "Do NOT ever think that. Ever." hissed Rei as she kicked her mount into
a gallop towards the palace touched golden by the sun.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Iolite watched the strange prince warily. He always seemed to be staring
at one potrait or another, but it was clear to the trained eye that he was
secretly staring at the potrait of Princess Serenity.
  "I know you are staring at Princess Serenity's potrait, Your Highness.
Why bother to hide it??" asked Iolite in a sneering tone.
  Purple shards glared at her. His body seemed to glow a dark purple almost
black.
  Iolite stood her ground. If she didn't, she wasn't worthy to be a member
of the Royal Guard.
  "You have courage, I'll give you that. But you also have foolishness."
snapped Dimando eyeing her.
  "Please, no praise Your Highness. I have heard how much you actually
dislike the Silver Kingdom. You do not think women can fight or rule."
  "Are you an outspoken creature or just plain suicidal??" asked Dimando
coldly.
  "Neither. I just do not approve of the way you ogle the potrait of the
Princess." snapped Iolite. "I did not mean to offend." she continued 
remembering to bow as a sign of submissiveness.
  "She will be my Queen. I do not find that such an offense."

  Iolite snorted. "If I may speak??"
  "Please."
  "I doubt Her Highness would enjoy being your Queen when you have plenty
of mistresses. So I've heard. A harem full, if I recall correctly."
  Dimando's lips curved slightly in a sneer.
  "She would have no choice." answered Dimando turning away and walking 
down the hall, leaving a shaking, angry Iolite behind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Minako was riding her horse hard in an effort to get back to the 
rebellion camp before night fell. But she was still a good while away
from her destination.
  She ridden to a nearby village this morning to meet with a spy who was
one of the Queen's maids who had begged for the day off. It'd been 2 days
since the news of Prince Dimando's arrival.
  Minako shuddered. If the rumors about him and his kingdom were even half 
true, that would make him a terrible man indeed.
  The maid had said his kingdom was ruled with an iron fist. His father
was ill and was reputed to be dying. It wouldn't be long before the 
Prince's coronation. The peasants suffered a state of daily fear as 
soldiers were sent out everyday to terrorize the people into submission.
Not only that, but the peasants lived in a state of near poverty while
the rich nobles got richer with the taxes.
  Minako shook her head as a shiver ran down her spine. Daily intimidation.
Even Queen Bruche was not as twisted as that as much as she craved revenge
on the rebellion. Queen Bruche actually cared about her people and kingdom
but ruled with a hard edge. The Queen did not tolerate traitors and rebels.

  "Where are you running off to, Minako??" came a voice.

  Minako slowed her horse to a trot and stopped as a large destrier 
cantered out from behind bushes and stood in her path. Seated on the large
war horse, was the leader of the Royal Guard, General Malachite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Malachite."
  "Minako." acknowledged Malachite with a small smile.

  Minako glared at the white-haired man who was in her way. It was 
difficult to think. The rebellion had started around after the death of the
Dowager Queen, and at that time, Minako had just been about to pass her
14th birthday before the kind monarch had passed away. 
  After the Dowager Queen's death, Minako's parents and some of the other
Royal Guard had left and rebelled. Minako had been 15 at that time. She
remembered vaguely her parents and Malachite's parents being good friends.
If she remembered correctly, they had even been betrothed. Of course, none
of that had come to pass. Malachite's parents had died in the battle with 
the rebels. Along with Minako's own parents.

  "Why are you in such a hurry, Minako?? Stay and talk with me awhile."
laughed Malachite. "Didn't we used to be such good friends?"
  "That ended when the rebellion formed."
  Malachite chuckled, his eyes like ice. "I suppose."

  Minako's eyes narrowed. "You tried to kill me and the others the last
time. Why should I hang around now??" snapped Minako angrily.
  "Is that any way to talk to the person your-OUR parents betrothed you
to??"
  Minako rolled her eyes. "And is killing your betrothed something the
Royal Guard training taught you??"
  "Touché. But just remember, we're bonded by blood."
  "I'm not the one who forgot, Malachite.

  Malachite frowned as he nudged his horse closer. One hand reached out to
touch her cheek and smooth her hair back from her face.
  "I really missed you Minako. Too bad we're on different sides of the 
fence ne,??"
  Minako's lips trembled slightly as she pushed his hand away.

  "Yes...it's too bad. You serve the royals, and I...merely do what I 
believe is best." sighed Minako.
  Malachite closed his eyes as his horse stepped a few paces back.

  A few guards burst onto the road beside Malachite dragging along a dead
body.
  Minako's golden eyes widened. It was Arushiwa, the Queen's maid. The
spy she'd met only hours ago.
  "Arushiwa..."

  Malachite nodded. "The Queen's maid. One of your spies. It's a pity 
actually. She could have lived but instead refused to tell us anything."
  Minako glanced up at him.
  "Why??"
  "She is a rebel and a traitor to the crown, and by the law, you Minako
are under arrest." stated Malachite coldly.
  Minako pulled the reins of her horse to keep her mount from bucking.

  "You'll see me dead first!!" shouted Minako as she released a burst of
energy at Malachite and the guards.
  Malachite dived off his horse as it reared and fell as the explosion
shook the ground.
  Minako kicked her horse into a gallop away from the group.

  Malachite pushed himself off the ground and frowned at the trembling
guards, then he turned back to where Minako had ridden off. He wiped his
bleeding lip as it curved up one side.
  "The same as ever Minako..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be continued....

<|-) *grin... makes okay sign* Yay!! I finally finished this chapter!!
I had some problems back. But it's okay now.