 Disclaimer: As always, The characters don't belong to be, I'm only borrowing them.

				Secret Garden - Chapter 5

	Endymion was seated by the pool in his loose black shirt and black pants.  His boots
 were on the ground next to him as he trailed his feet in the water.  His armor was in a
 pile underneath the same tree as the night before, the weeping willow's branches falling
 towards the earth in an almost protective embrace.  The fading light of the sun illuminated
 the garden: and the rising light of the moon.  The contrast between the yellow and gray was
 so clear in the reflective pool that Endymion had to close his eyes to avoid being blinded.
  He looked around as the sun finally faded, only the faint light of the moon casting
 shadows in the garden.  He waited patiently, his gaze on the rising orb that was beginning
 to shine with a soft, yet sharp, light.  The beams faded as they hit the canopy of the
 trees and Endymion closed his eyes again as the light breeze ruffled his ebony hair,
 causing it to brush against his closed eyelids.  

	He felt a presence suddenly in the clearing with him and didn't move, almost dared
 not to breathe as it knelt neat him, the whisper of silk against the moss covered rock his
 only clue.  A soft voice caused him to open his eyes after a few minutes, light fingers
 brushing his bangs off his forehead, "Endy?  You awake?"

	"Angel?  Is that you?"  His ocean blue eyes connected with her sky blue ones and it
 was then that he noticed the brilliant crescent moon on her forehead.  It shone bright gold
 in the light of the moon, "So I was right.  You are from the moon."

	She nodded, her eyes sad as one of her fingers reached up to touch the symbol of her
 heritage, "Yes, Endymion."  Her voice was soft, like the breeze and he leaned towards her
 to hear, "I am afraid my actions of last night are going to have dire consequences.  I must
 tell you, now, before I lose my courage."

	His eyes remained focused on hers, "Tell me anything, angel, anything you need.  I
 will listen."

	She flashed him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she sat next to him, but
 didn't touch him.  Her eyes drifted around the clearing, the brilliant greens and reds and
 blues of the Earth being once again committed to memory with a glance.  She sighed sadly,
 raising her knees to hug them as she kept her eyes focused across the pond, refusing to
 meet his gaze again, lest she find her resolve crumbling.  "Last night something happened
 between you and I.  I should not have returned, but I could not stand not saying goodbye to
 you.  Especially without a reason.  I would never have forgiven myself."  He made to speak
 but she cut him off with a raised hand, "Please, do not speak until I am finished.  This is
 harder for me than you know."

	He nodded and she continued, "I was caught last night, though not by my mother.  I
 do not know how much you learned of the planets in our solar system or in the Silver
 Millennium, but the plant Venus is home to the people of the heart.  My Aunt is their
 Queen.  She came to me today and explained what happened between you and I last night.  I
 do not know how she knew I came here, or how she finally pieced together the pieces, but we
 formed what is called a soul bond.  The weird thing is that it was foretold many, many
 years ago, before my mother even became ruler of the Moon.  Now, that we have met and the
 bond has been sealed, it is said that the peace of the universe will be shattered." She 
 took a deep breath and finally met his eyes, "I am Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom,
 Prince Endymion, and my rash actions have doomed not only my kingdom but yours as well.  I
 cannot hope for your forgiveness, I will not even ask for it, for if I did, I would be
 betraying my own heart.  For all the suffering that will follow, for the tear I am sure to
 feel in my heart, I cannot regret meeting you last night, nor falling in love with you.  I
 only ask that you can find it in your heart not to hate me."  She fell silent, her words
 having been spoken.  Her eyes fell away from his to hide the fear she knew must be showing
 in them.  

	Endymion was shocked, to say the least, "Serenity..." he murmured, reaching up a
 hand to cup her chin and look into her eyes, "I learned today about the Soul Bond, the
 consequences and the very real dangers.  With the bond formed there is no reason for our
 kingdoms to remain apart from one another.  I learned today, also, that I fell in love last
 night with an angel of the moon.  For in my eyes you are indeed an angel.  An angel that
 saved me from certain death of the soul, from loneliness and rescued me from my own fears.
  With you I feel complete.  I could no more hate you than continue living my meaningless
 existence without you.  Do not ask for forgiveness, my love, for I cannot grant forgiveness
 for something I find to be perfect.  I love you Serenity.  And though I have known you for
 only 24 hours, I know that without you my life has no meaning.  My life is without light,
 and I am reaching for something I cannot name.  Without you I am incomplete.  I love you,
 Serenity, child of the moon.  With all of my heart, body, mind and soul.  You complete me."

	Her eyes filled with tears at his words and the graceful princess collapsed into his
 embrace, her silk gown a bright contrast against his black clothes.  "Oh Endy... Why us?"

	He held her close, his lips brushing the silken strands on the top of her head,
 "Serenity, my angel, if not us than who else?"  He sighed and she could feel his chest
 moving beneath her cheek.  

	Comforted by the rumble of his voice through his chest and the steady, if somewhat
 accelerated beat of his heart she closed her eyes, "Endymion?  Can I stay with you tonight?
  I know it may seem forward but I do not want to go home tonight."

	He pulled away fractionally, "Serenity... if you stay tonight and the moon goes over
 the horizon, will you be able to get home?"

	She shook her head, looking up at him with pleading saffire eyes, "No, but I do not
 want to go home.  I will have to tell my mother about what I have done and I fear she will
 never let me see you again.  I cannot bear the thought of leaving you for any length of
 time, which is why I returned again tonight."  He felt his insides melt at the plea in her
 eyes.  He had the feeling that whenever she looked at him with her eyes so vulnerable, he'd
 never be able to refuse her a thing.  Not that he minded.

	He stood up and pulled her to her feet, wrapping secure arms around her as she
 curled into his body and molded her form to his.  He bit back a groan of pure, almost
 painful pleasure as he felt his body respond, inevitably, to having hers so close, "If you
 wish, I shall keep you with me today, and we will approach my mother.  She does not know of
 what has occurred, but I do not see how, with the prophecy fulfilled, they can keep us
 apart."  He suddenly thought of something and looked down into her eyes, his own suddenly
 filled with worry, "Have you ever seen the sun rise, dearheart?"

	She shook her head, her hair swaying with the motion of her head and brushing across
 the backs of his hands, "No. Not on the Earth anyway.  The Sun is very faint on the moon. 
 Why?"

	He sighed, "Serenity, sweet Serenity, your eyes are going to hurt a lot today if you
 stay with me.  The light in the garden right now is very, very faint, the sun is almost
 100% brighter!"

	One of her hands came up in surprise to cover her mouth, "That bright?  Are you
 sure?  The moon is bright tonight, you are sure it gets much brighter than this?"

	He nodded, bending down to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead, "Tell you what.
  If it turns out that the sun is too much for you, I will make sure to keep you in a darker
 place until it sets, alright?"

	She nodded, her fingers creeping up to rest on his shoulders uncertainly, "Alright.
  I am not going home tonight, though.  I know mother will be worried but," she sighed, "I
 may never get the chance to spend a day with you otherwise."

	He nodded, "Come, let us find some place soft to sleep.  I do not know what kind of
 clock you run on, my angel, but my body is telling me it is past time to be sleeping."

	She giggled, "Same one as you, my prince." She yawned, covering her mouth with a
 graceful gesture, "Are we going to sleep in the garden?"

	He smiled, leading her over to the weeping willow, "Indeed, my love, there is a
 natural curve about ten feet off the ground in this tree.  It is perfect for sleeping in
 and we can see the sun rise in the morning."

	She looked doubtful, "Can we not just sleep on the ground?  Falling from that tree
 would hurt."

	He shook his head, "You will not fall; I will be there to catch you."

	"You sure?  It looks dangerous.  And I cannot climb in this dress.  Mother will kill
 me if I tear it!"

	He smiled and lifted her to sit on the first branch, same as he had yesterday, and
 looked into her eyes, "Will not your mother also kill you if you get it dirty?"

	She nodded, biting her lip.  She had her hands on his forearms and his strong
 fingers were around her waist.  He pondered it for a moment and then felt her body begin
 to shake.  His eyes flew back to her face to find her blushing and giggling, "I could
 always take it off," she said softly.

	His eyes widened fractionally, "E-excuse me?"

	She giggled a bit louder at his expression and raised one hand to his face to
 delicately trace the strong line of his jaw, "I can climb in my slip, I have got a ton of
 them.  But if I do where will I hang my dress?"

	Endymion blinked, wondering if this woman-child in his arms was for real.  His hands
 tightened on her waist fractionally and dug into the soft flesh of her tiny waist.  Her
 eyes widened, the hand still on his arm tightening in reflex as he pulled her down off the
 branch and back into his arms, "Angel, do you know what you are saying?"

	She nodded, looking into his eyes, her own completely innocent, "Yes, I just figured
 out how to sleep in your tree.  What is wrong with me sleeping in my slip?  I think
 sleeping in my dress would be terribly uncomfortable anyway."

	He had to laugh at her innocent logic.  The angel in his arms seemed to have no clue
 as to the effect she was having on him.  "On second thought, I am sure we can be
 comfortable on the ground.  Here, you stay here, I will go find us some place to sleep."

	Serenity giggled, not letting him go as he tried to pull away, her hands sliding up
 to wrap behind his neck, "Endymion... As long as I am with you, I am comfortable; I do not
 care where."

	Her upturned face, innocent blue eyes and sweet, earnest expression caught him and
 he felt himself drowning in her eyes once again.  "Uh... Ser-" he was cut off as she place
 a gentle hand against his lips, her fingers barely brushing the sensitive skin.  

	"Endymion, we could just sit and talk.  If I fall asleep, or if you do," her
 smile was genuine as it curved across her lips, "we will sleep where we fall, alright?"

	He nodded mutely, encircling her waist with one arm and leading her back to the moss
 covered pool edge, "Alright."  He held her hand as she gracefully sat, folding long,
 shapely legs under her.  She floated to the ground, or seemed to, in a cloud of silk and
 lace.  He sat next to her, putting his legs out in front of him and crossing them at his
 ankles.  He leaned back, stretching his arms out behind him.  His tall, lanky frame
 stretched out comfortably.

	Serenity reached up and put a hesitant hand on the pins holding her hair up.  She
 smiled when he looked at her curiously.  Before she could change her mind she pulled out
 both pins, one after the other, sending her hair cascading in golden moonlight waves around
 her body.  Surrounded by her hair, it looked like she was wearing a halo.  She stretched
 out next to him, keeping her tiny bare feet within the folds of her gown as she leaned
 against his side.  Her legs curled slightly against his, her knees against his thighs.  She
 broke the silence after a few minutes, her voice whisper soft.  "Endymion, if you had one
 wish, what would it be?" her luminescent eyes were focused on the moon, hanging bright in
 the sky.

	"I should think it would be obvious." Came his reply.  A smile was in his voice, "To
 keep you with me always, my angel, my Serenity.  Nothing would please me more than to be
 able to call you mine and for you to call me yours.  For, though our hearts and souls are
 linked, I wish to be with you in every way.  You?"

	Serenity blushed, her gaze remaining solidly on the moon, "I wish tonight would
 never end," was the soft reply, "Tomorrow is going to be more difficult than I, or even
 you, can imagine."

	He held her close. For he next few hours they talked about various,
 inconsequential things until eventually they fell sleep.

********

 Author's note: As promised, it was all Serenity and Endymion.  The next part is done and
 will be posted at the same time as this one... actually, the next two parts are finished...
 this has gotten long than I thought it would, but *smile* so far I'm very pleased with it.
 As Always, feedback is much appreciated!  Jade_Max@innocent.com  

 Jade_Max

