Title:Phoenix Author:Tapestry Email:Shaddow_Cat@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Apply *denotes thought A cloaked figure stood silently watching an Arabian city with sad lonely blue eyes... A sandstorm starts and the figure is no longer there... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prince Endymion of Arabia with his guards stop and wait for the sandstorm to pass. "The Sultan will not be pleased about you going off like this,my Prince." said the guard. "Relax,..I'll return to the city as soon as the sandstorm passes."smiled Endymion."Surely a man is allowed a breath of freedom before he is to choose a bride??" "Er..." "Doesn't matter...lets just wait out the storm." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~About an hour later~ "My Prince,the sandstorm has passed.The sun is beginning to set.It's best we set off back for the city."suggested the guard. "Alright.Lets go then."agreed Endymion mounting his horse. The rest of the guards mounted their horses.With an order from the Prince, they set off for the city.... As they neared the city,the Prince noticed a figure lying on the sand. The figure was still. Calling his guards to a halt,Endymion jumped off his horse and aproached the figure cautiously. "My Prince!!Stop!!Let us examine the person there,it could be a thief!" exclaimed the guard. "Razul.."began Endymion. "One can never be too careful,my Prince.Please,let us do our duty...if you are hurt,the Sultan will surely punish us."pleaded the guard. "Alright.."relented Endymion. The guards circled the figure and turning the figure so that it's face could be seen. It was a woman!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Prince Endymion,it is a woman!!!"called the guard. "Is she unconcious??"asked Endymion. "Yes,my Prince." Prince Endymion stepped forward.It was a woman alright...one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen.However this woman had strange silver hair. She seemed as if she had collapsed out of exhaustion.It was lucky her cloak had shielded her from the sandstorm. "Place her on my horse."ordered Endymion. "But,my Prince!!"protested his guard. "That is an order,Razul."said Endymion sternly. With that,the guard lifted the woman off the desert sand and placed her on the Prince's horse. Endymion mounted his horse while carefully laying the woman's head on his chest so that he could grip the reins of his horse. Somehow...he knew,this woman was special.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back at the palace,Endymion had ordered maids to take the young woman to his room while he faced his father. The Sultan had given him a serious reprimanding about running off here and there.Endymion merely nodded at his father.Usually he would have argued, but today his thoughts were on the silver-haired woman he'd found. After his father dismissed him,Endymion had returned to his bed-chambers. The young woman was lying still as ever on the bed.Her cloak had been taken off her head to reveal a head of silver-white hair tied in two buns with hair falling from them. Her face had been cleaned.Now he saw she wasn't just beautiful,she was a fairy...Beautiful as a fairy they used to call pretty girls.But now,she was probably the fairy herself. Her porcelain skin and red lips only added to her beauty.It was a shame he couldn't see the colour of her eyes. Then...her eyelashes fluttered slightly,revealing two clear blue eyes. It was strange as he'd never seen Arabians with blue eyes,save himself. She stared up at him,without fear and shock. Endymion was speechless. "Hello.."came a soft voice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Endymion blinked and then finally found his voice. "Hello.Um...Don't be alarmed,I found you unconscious in the desert.So,I brought you back to my home."explained Endymion. "I thank you,then."she smiled slightly. "Who are you??"asked Endymion curiously. "My name is Serenity."answered the girl."You??" "Endymion."replied Endymion. *Better not to say my title lest she fears me.*thought Endymion to himself. "You are the prince of Arabia."stated Serenity.No expression of shock or fear played her face. Endymion blushed slightly.She had guessed.... "Do you live here in the city??"asked Endymion. "No...I am...a vagrant."said Serenity.A shadow passed over her face.It was clear she did not want to mention her origins. "I suppose you would like to freshen up?"suggested Endymion. "Thank you,your highness."said Serenity. Endymion led her out of bed to the bathrooms.He'd told his maids to prepare a warm bath for his visitor..Serenity looked around then smiled. With that,Endymion left. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two days later,Endymion found no trace of Serenity.Asking the maids,they told him the silver-haired girl had left the palace during early dawn. Endymion,dressed as a commoner,found Serenity looking at things in the market. Catching hold of her,Serenity turned with a look of shock on her face. "Why did you run out??"asked Endymion as he held onto her wrist. "Your hospitality was most appreciated,but I must leave.Besides,I am well enough to move."answered Serenity calmly. "You could have at least informed me first,I could have asked someone to escort you to wherever you wished to go."said Endymion. "Thank you for your kindness,but I just would not be able to accept." replied Serenity. Endymion sighed.Much as he hated to admit,he wished she didn't have to go... "Your-"began Serenity. However,before she could finish,Endymion had clamped her mouth shut with his hand. "Be quiet!!We're in the city outside the palace walls!!"whispered Endymion. "So??"retorted Serenity. "So????!!I don't want them bowing down to me in fear!!I just want to be treated as a normal human being!!"exclaimed Endymion in a hushed tone. "You are an odd person,Endymion..."smiled Serenity. "Well,I'm odd because I want to be normal??"huffed Endymion pretending to be insulted. "No,no I didn't mean-"began Serenity. "Gotcha."laughed Endymion pointing at her. Serenity smirked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the end of the day,Serenity and Endymion were sitting in a tall abandonned building watching the sunset. "So,how long will you be staying in the city?"asked Endymion. "I don't know...I don't really have any place I want to go."sighed Serenity."I guess...I'll just stay here.The view here is lovely."smiled Serenity content. "Then I'll come and visit you."grinned Endymion. "You,have to pick a bride, O' Prince."reminded Serenity. "If that is the case,I would pick you.." Serenity sighed..."I am no one,Endymion.Besides...we are merely friends, we are not in love." Endymion watched as a sad expression passed her face.Reaching forward with his hand,he cupped her chin and turned it to face him. "Who says??"asked Endymion as he kissed her lightly. Serenity stared at him with confused blue eyes. "I love you,Serenity..."whispered Endymion. "No you don't..."said Serenity looking away. Endymion's arms snaked around her waist and locked with each other in front. "Yes I do...I fell in love,the first time I saw you.I loved your beauty first...but the last two days,as I got to know you...I loved you for who you were...It's true Serenity." "But why fall in love when you and I both know we will never be together??" asked Serenity. "Love is love,Serenity...no one can explain why they fall in love." answered Endymion. "I...have never felt this way for a person before Endymion...this thing, this emotion.....is alien to me.One reason why I left."admitted Serenity hesitantly. "Don't leave the city,Serenity...stay?"pleaded Endymion. "Endymion...you know we'll get hurt in the end.Why??" "It doesn't matter,Serenity...because I know it'll hurt too if I wasn't with you.I love you." "The sun has set,you should return to the palace."sighed Serenity. "Not until you promise not to leave."said Endymion stubbornly. "Alright...I promise." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weeks passed....the Sultan noticed Endymion frequently disappeared to the market place only returning at sunset.He'd even put off his choice for a bride.This angered the Sultan. "Razul,"said the Sultan looking at his son's guard.Where does Endymion disappear off to in the market?"questioned the Sultan angrily. "F-Forgive me your h-highness....but...I d-do not k-know."stuttered the guard in fear. "Well then....you will FOLLOW the Prince into the market and report to me where he goes."ordered the Sultan. "Y-Yes...y-your h-highness." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As usual the next day,Endymion had disappeared off into the market. Only this time...one of his guard was tailing him. The guard watched as the Prince went up to a tall abanddoned building. A few moments later,he came down with a woman.The guard was surprised. It was the silver-haired girl they'd found in the desert weeks ago!! With that,the guard hurried back to the palace... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Serenity...what is the matter??"asked Endymion.He noticed Serenity's sad worried face.She'd had that expression for the past week, "It's nothing,Endy...I'm just tired."sighed Serenity. When Endymion turned his attention away,a single tear fell from Serenity's blue eyes,disappearing into the ground. "What's the matter my love??"asked Endymion worried. "I'm fine...really."said Serenity trying to convince him.But Endymion didn't believe her.Eyeing her suspiciously. "Stop looking at me like that.I'm fine.Seriously!!Endy,my love...I'm fine.I'm just worried about,well...your father getting suspicious of your disappearences."said Serenity. "Don't worry about that...There's no way father would know where I go anyway."smiled Endymion as he placed a comforting kiss on her forehead. "If you say so,Endy...if you say so." "Of course I say so,my love."smiled Endymion. "I love you,Endy...promise me you won't forget it?"whispered Serenity. "Why say all this,beloved??Is something wrong?" "Just promise me...please." "Alright,Serenity...I promise.I love you too.Now stop being a silly goose."laughed Endymion. Serenity merely smiled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Sultan was angry beyond a doubt.His son,out in the market with a girl he'd found unconscious in the desert.No...he wasn't angry...he was FURIOUS! A girl with silver hair no less.The guard was mad...nobody in Arabia had such a hair colour.Much less a commoner. The Sultan had decided.When Endymion was sleeping,he'd order guards to catch the girl and bring her here.Then he'd see what common wench would dare to seduce the Prince of Arabia. Serenity was roughly woken from where she was living.She was shocked. Burly royal guards had told her the Sultan wanted to seek an audience with her.Serenity relented allowing them to march her towards the palace. The Sultan was surprised.The girl wasn't common at all,and the guard wasn't mad either.It was true,the girl had a full head of silver-white hair and blue eyes!!It was also no surprise why the prince adored her...she was a beauty beyond compare.She made all the lovely princesses the Sultan had met pale by comparison. "What is your name,girl???"asked the Sultan. "Serenity,your majesty."answered Serenity in a clear tone. "You know why you are here??" "Yes,your majesty." "Do you know why I disapprove then??" "Of course,your majesty.It is because I am a commoner and the Prince of Arabia should have a wife of royal blood."replied Serenity. "You are a bright girl..."smiled the Sultan.He liked the girl's courage and wits.Unfortunately,she was also common. "Before you sentence me to anything,your majesty...please,let me speak." requested Serenity. The Sultan was surprised.He nodded. "I am prepared to leave the city and never return." This came as a surprise."Do you not love my son??"asked the Sultan. "That I do,your highness...but-"sighed Serenity.A sad expression playing across her features. "I cannot stay..." "Oh??Why is that??" "If you permit your highness,I rather choose not to answer."whispered Serenity sadly closing her eyes. "Fine.I permit,you do not have to answer the question."replied the Sultan.It was plain the girl loved the Prince very much but for an unknown reason,did not wish to stay.So the Sultan decided not to ask. "Grant me one request before I leave the city your highness.."pleaded Serenity. "Speak and I will consider."ordered the Sultan. "Let me see Endymion one last time.Before I leave...." "Granted."said the Sultan. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serenity entered the dark room.Endymion was sleeping peacefully between his dark silk covers. In fear of waking him,Serenity knelt down by the side of the bed.Resting her head on the side,Serenity looked up at his sleeping face.So calm...so serene...The moon moved from behind a cloud,throwing their silver rays on Endymion and Serenity's face. "Serenity..."mumbled Endymion as he turned in his sleep. Serenity smiled slightly.He really did love her.A tear fell to the ground. Pushing a lock of hair away,Serenity kissed his forehead. "Forgive me,Endy....goodbye."whispered Serenity.A cloud moved to cover the moon..a shadow blocking out the light. When the moon's rays returned...Serenity was gone.In her place by the bed,was a feather glowing like fire. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morning came and Endymion awoke.Something didn't feel right...Reaching to rub his head,his hand brushed against something soft and light. Taking it,he brought it in front of his face.It was a feather!!He stared at the glowing feather..it was beautiful. Sitting up,something snapped in his mind.Jumping out of bed,Endymion ran towards the palace halls clutching the feather.He was stopped by guards and his father...... "Where are you going,boy??"questioned his father. "I-I.." "If you want to look for the girl,she's gone."stated the Sultan regally. That snapped Endymion out of his speechlessness."Gone??What do you mean gone??Where has she gone??"exclaimed Endymion. "I'm afraid I don't know."answered the Sultan. "You forced her away didn't you...y-you sent her away.You think I'll be thankful you did that??If you did,then you're wrong!!I hate you for it!!" shouted Endymion angrily. "On the contrary...she volunteered to leave,herself."said his father. "You lie....Serenity wouldn't do that.."whispered Endymion. "But my Prince,the Sultan speaks the truth!!!The girl said she'd leave!" said the guard. "No...I won't believe it..I won't!!You all lie!!She promised she would't leave the city!!I'm going to find her."stated Endymion in a determined tone. "My son...she personally asked me not to let you do that."said the Sultan."I am sorry for what you've lost,but she left of her own free-will." sighed the Sultan."Confine him to his chambers." "No!!!Release me!!"shouted Endymion. The Sultan watched as the guards dragged the struggling Prince to his room.The Sultan shaked his head sadly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That night,Endymion escaped from the palace.He'd tied his bedsheets together and climbed down to the ground.Guards roamed the palace.Careful not to bump into any of them,Endymion stole a horse from the stables and he was off....away from the city... "Serenity...wait for me."pleaded Endymion as his black horse galloped towards the desert. The Sultan passed by his door and knocked. "Endymion??" Opening the door,the Sultan saw the bedsheets and saw the Prince's empty bed... "No....no...Dispatch the guards!!!The Prince has escaped!!!Find him!! FIND HIM!!!!"shouted the Sultan angrily banging his fist on the Prince's table. Endymion's horse galloped hard.Reaching the desert...Endymion then knew it was probably impossible to find her.The Arabian desert was vast and there were many directions she could have gone. The feather he had kept was glowing brighter than ever.It's light shining straight towards the person who had left it behind.... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Endymion followed the light of the feather,hoping...it would lead him... to the one he loved. It was an hour to dawn when he reached a sand dune.Down below,were four brightly lit torches with a pyre in the middle.Standing in front of the pyre was a woman.... "Serenity!!"shouted Endymion. He jerked his horse's reins sending it galloping down the sand dune. When he finally reached the bottom,Serenity was staring at him. "Serenity!!"shouted Endymion as he jumped off his horse and ran towards her. Embracing her in a hug,Endymion felt wet tears run down his face. Serenity did not hug him back. "Serenity...why did you leave the city???"asked Endymion looking at her face. She was smiling slightly.Her eyes were misty with unshed tears. Pushing him away.Serenity stepped back slightly. "I left because...my time is up."whispered Serenity. "What do you mean??"asked Endymion. "Endy...I am far older than I look.Older than you...older than your father and his father before him." "How can you be...nobody can live that long." "I am over five centuries old,Endy...and for the past five centuries,I have been lonely and sad.I had no one.Then I met you...the last few weeks have been the most wonderful of my long existance."smiled Serenity. "You are dying??"choked Endymion. "No...I am merely renewing my life.In a way...it is sort of dying.I had never felt love before.You gave me a meaning to the word,Endy.And for that...I thank you."whispered Serenity. "Serenity..."began Endymion. "I do love you,Endymion.Don't ever doubt it...I do and I always will.." "Serenity...I don't want to lose you.I need you...I love you.."sobbed Endymion as he tried hard to stop the tears. "And you never will,my love.You will always have me.But our seperation here...is inevitable."smiled Serenity,a look of calmness and serenity crossed her face. The pyre behind her burst into flames. "Never forget my love."whispered Serenity as she stepped forward and kissed Endymion for the last time.... Breaking the kiss,Serenity stepped back and suddenly,her form changed into a fiery bird. "Serenity..." *Don't ever forget my love..* The bird flew up into the air and gave a sharp shriek then plunged down into the burning pyre. Tears fell from Endymion's eyes.But he could almost swear...he heard her voice in his mind.. *I love you* Endymion watched as the fire burned the pyre...the crackling sound as the pyre was consumed into the flames. The sun rose as he stood there.....and somehow...he felt better already. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ His guards found him later in the morning...still standing in front of the burnt funeral pyre... "Let me stay until tonight.."said Endymion in a soft tone his eyes still fixed on the ashes of the pyre. Endymion waited....as night fell,his guards had fallen asleep.But Endymion merely kept watch over the ashes. Around midnight...when the moon was overhead,Endymion watched as the ashes began to glow. From the ashes,a bright flaming bird rose above and gave a cry. The guards awoke,awakened by the bird's cry. "What is that??"said one guard. "It's a devil.." "It's beautiful.." "It's a bird..." "It's the Phoenix."stated Endymion as he watched the bird up into the sky.It seemed to be watching him. Endymion smiled and the bird merely gave another cry and flew away. *I love you...Serenity...my Phoenix.*thought Endymion to himself. *Goodbye...Endymion...may we meet again in another life..*came a reply. "The Phoenix,your highness?"questioned a guard. "Where there is death there is life...where there is life,there is hope." smiled Endymion to himself.The guards were confused by his words. "My Prince??" "Come,lets go home...." Phoenix ~ A mythical bird the only one of it's kind,that after living for five or six centuries in the Arabian desert,burnt itself on a funeral pyre and rose from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle.~*~ ~from the Oxford Dictionary.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The End... 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