Disclaimer: as Always, these character's aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them.

				Secret Garden - Chapter 6

	Serenity woke slowly, a strange, gentle warmth radiating about her body.  A steady
 drum, beat strongly underneath her ear and she snuggled closer to the warmer heat under
 her.  A weight around her waist didn't bother her in the least.  She sighed contentedly,
 half asleep still, "Endy..." she murmured, dreaming about her prince.  

	"Yes my love?"

	Her eyes flew open and she sat up startled, having felt the words more than heard
 them, "Oh!  Endymion!"

	"You were expecting someone else?" his wry, amused smile warmed her heart and she
 giggled, having the grace to blush as she shook her head mutely.  His arms were tucked, one
 around her waist, the other behind his head for a pillow.  His midnight hair was falling
 every which way after a night of sleeping curled on the ground.  

	Serenity almost swallowed her tongue when she was suddenly rolled onto her back,
 Endymion bracing himself on his arms above her.  She reached up and brushed a gentle,
 whisper soft caress on his forehead as she brushed his bangs out of his eyes and then
 smoothed his hair down some what, "You are gorgeous in the morning, my love," she said, her
 eyes shining.

	"And you, Princess, are absolutely breathtaking." His eyes met hers and she blushed
 a deeper pink as his gaze traveled over her face, her hair (which she was sure was going to
 be horribly tangled), and then back to her face.  His fingers reached up to brush across
 her cheek as he leaned in close, his gaze locked onto hers.  "Allow me to ask you
 something, Princess," he said, his voice a whisper, "Is it better to steal a kiss from your
 majesty, and beg forgiveness or shall I ask for the privilege?" 

	Her eyes widened as his lips held back a fraction from her own, not touching yet she
 could feel the heat of them on her own.  She licked her lips, her tiny pink tongue slipping
 out to wet the skin that had suddenly gone very dry.  His lips were so close that she
 caught the very edge of his with her tongue as well.  He groaned and Serenity knew then
 that he must have been exerting a huge amount of self-control to be able to hold himself so
 close and yet so far, "That is for you to discov-" she was cut off as his lips settled onto
 hers in a fierce kiss.  Her eyes fell closed on instinct, as his lips were hard, yet
 gentle, on her own.  

	He tasted like dusky chocolate, warm and rich and delicious.  The scent of roses, so
 new and fragrant, seemed to cling to him.  Her lips parted of their own accord and he slid
 his tongue against her soft lips, hesitant to push her farther when she didn't quite
 realize what they were doing.  She was all sunshine, sweetness of the first drop of dew on
 the morning grasses and the purity of freshly fallen snow.  Somewhere in the back of his
 mind he realized that this was probably her first kiss.  Yes he had brushed a chaste kiss
 over her lips the night before, but this was her first -true- kiss.  He wasn't sure if it
 was the innocent, almost hesitant way she reacted, or if it was the unbound passion that
 flowed from her lips to his but he knew, somehow, that he was the first man to ever kiss
 this angel.  Forbidden fruit, that's what she was, and he felt himself drowning in her
 sweet kisses.

	Endymion almost lost it completely when he felt her soft little tongue hesitantly
 touch his.  He felt himself go still as she explored his lips and tongue and finally his
 mouth with a madding intensity.  When he felt her hesitate he angled his head above hers
 and kissed her deeply, returning the favor of exploring her mouth.  A sound escaped from
 her throat and he finally pulled back, his chest heaving as he rested his forehead against
 hers, his eyes still closed, "Stars above..." he murmured in wonder, his voice so soft that
 Serenity only knew he'd spoken by the breath on her lips.

	Her eyes opened as she struggled to regain her regular breathing.  She never knew
 that a kiss could be so intense!  Her whole body was shaking beneath his, like a leaf in
 the breeze, she felt hot and cold all at once and she couldn't resist squirming as new
 sensations continued to course through her body, "Did you say something?" she asked finally
 when her breathing had returned to a semblance of normal.  Her heart continued to pound in
 her chest at an accelerated rate but she knew now that it was only a symptom of being so
 close to her prince.

	His eyes opened and she noticed they were almost completely black.  She was unaware
 that her own normally ocean blue eyes were almost navy blue.  "I never knew a kiss could be
 so intense," he said truthfully, echoing her thoughts as his own heart continued to poud
 quickly.  He rolled off her and levered himself up on one elbow to look down on her. She
 was cushioned on a bed of her own hair, the golden tresses we starting to sparkle slightly
 as the false dawn began.  The dim light began to cause the clouds to glow pink and purple
 on the horizon but neither of the two noticed, "Serenity, perhaps we should head back to
 the palace, just in case the sunrise is too intense for your eyes."

	Serenity looked away from his deep, dark eyes and sat up, wrapping her arms around
 her knees as she looked at the dimly lit sky, "This is not bad, Endymion, I thought you
 said it would be brighter?"

	He smiled and climbed to his feet, extending his hand to her, "This is the false
 dawn my love, in about a half hour the sun will rise and it will be much, much brighter."

	She grasped his hand and let him pull her to her feet, her tresses pooled around her
 bare feet and surrounding her in a golden glow, "My stars, you are the most gorgeous
 creature I have ever seen," he breathed, pulling her close so he could hug her.  She lifted
 her face to his, her eyes darkening back to the almost navy color as she looked at him.  He
 gave a little groan and then hugged her gently, but swiftly, and stepped away.  "Serenity,
 you have no idea what you are doing to me when you look at me like that.  Come.  We should
 get you indoors."

	She nodded, standing on legs that barely supported her weight.  She saw a promise of
 heat in his eyes for half a second before he shuttered it away and then turned her
 attention to her hair and sighed.  It was a tangled mess as she thought it would be.  She
 combed through it with her fingers as Endymion proceeded to put on his armor.  She had to
 concentrate so completely that when another set of hands began to help her comb through the
 mass she almost shrieked.  She put one hand to her pounding heart, "By Selene, you scared
 me!"

	He smiled at her, "I am sorry, Angel.  I did not intend to."

	She went back to combing her hair as best she could with her fingers.  After about
 20 minutes She shook her head.  The top half of her hair was completely snarl free but the
 bottom half was a tangled mess, "I will never get this out," she moaned, wincing as her
 fingers and then his caught in a particularly nasty tangle.  Tears formed in her eyes as
 she wrenched her fingers free, taking several strands of the golden silk with them. 
 Endymion was gentler and managed to untangle the snarl after about five minutes.

	"Angel?  Are you alright?"

	She nodded, wiping away tears, "Thank you, Endy."  Her gaze traveled to the rapidly
 brightening sky and she shielded her eyes against the bright glow, "Oh, that is bright,
 Endymion, make it stop!" she didn't eve register the new myriad of colors that were
 spreading across the sky so intense was the light compared to that on the moon.

	He pulled her into his arms, hiding her in his cape, "I warned you.  Come on, we
 will get your hair damp and see if that helps."  He led her slowly to the waterfall where
 early morning shadows kept the area slightly darker than the rest of the garden.  He
 withdrew the cape, "You can open your eyes now, Serenity." He said softly.

	She carefully peaked out and then opened her eyes, careful to keep them on the dark
 rock face and not look at the glow that was continuing to get brighter.  Endymion took her
 hand and led her behind the waterfall.  It was dark, blessedly so, and Serenity sighed. 
 Endymion hugged her in the tight space, "Better?"

	She nodded and proceeded to go back to untangling her hair, having picked it up to
 drape over her arm to keep it off the ground.  She shivered, her bare feet connecting with
 the cold stone floor of the dark grotto.  She stepped up onto the toes of his boots, "I
 should have brought my sandals."  She said, keeping her voice quiet.  In the darkness that
 was barely illuminated by the light from outside a whisper seemed more appropriate. 
 Endymion kept his arms around her as she worked through her hair, the spray from the
 waterfall dampening it and making it easier to work with.  After about another 30 minutes
 she stepped off of his toes, suppressing a shiver as her feet connected again with stone,
 "Endymion, and you hold my hair while I put it back up?"

	He nodded and she draped half of it over one of his arms and the other half she
 started to work with, wrapping it into a tight ball on the top of her head near the back. 
 Endymion watched, fascinated, as she slowly wound up almost two feet of hair into the tight
 little bun.  She searched suddenly for the pins to hold it up and then sighed, "Endymion,
 did you by chance pick up my pins?"

	He shook his head, "Sorry, my love, I must have forgotten.  Would you like me to go
 and get them?"

	Serenity thought about it for a minute then shook her head, wrapping the length of
 hair once again around the bun and tucked it in securely.  She twisted the bun slightly
 until it felt right.  

	Endymion had to hold back a groan as every more she made caused the length of hair
 he held to brush with a satin soft smoothness across his hands.  When she began to wind the
 rest of her hair into the other bun he almost cried.  As she pulled the tresses through his
 fingers they tortured his senses with that it would be like to have those magnificent
 tresses against his naked body.  He quickly closed off that thought and closed his eyes. 
 'I will -not- think about that!'  He told himself.  Finally he felt her hair fall from his
 fingers and opened his eyes before they could fabricate any images of him and Serenity, or
 just Serenity, lying on his b- NO!  He cut the thought off and looked at her as she turned
 to face him.  Her hair glistened in the faint light with a sheen of water, her skin glowing
 in the faint light.  Her smile caught him off guard.

	"Thank you, Endymion," she said; reaching out to hug him fiercely, "I did not want
 to have to ask you to take off a few feet of my hair with your sword if we could not
 untangle it."

	He almost jumped, "Cut your hair?!  Never.  I would rather have spent all day
 untangling it than to cut one lock." He smiled softly down at her as she laid her head
 against his chest, her head over his heart.

	"I love you, Endy..." she said softly.

	"And I you.  Come; let's get back to the palace.  My Mother will have words for me,
 I am sure of it."

	Serenity followed him through the dark tunnel and then stopped when they began to
 near the other end.  It had grown brighter, much brighter than she was used to and her eyes
 were beginning to sting from the brightness.  Endymion stopped with her, his whole form
 bent over slightly, "Are you alright?"

	She nodded, "That is very bright, Endymion," she said nervously.

	He smiled, "Take you time, princess.  Let your eyes adjust."

	She nodded.  For the next few minutes she moved forward only a few feet as her eyes
 began to adjust to the light.  Her eyes stung as they finally came to the waterfall on the
 other side of the secret garden.  She squinted, her face scrunching up adorably.  Endymion
 took a glance around the garden and stepped from behind the waterfall, being careful on the
 slippery surfaces.  Serenity put her hand out to him and he pulled her outside.  She cried
 out as the full force of the newly risen sun slammed into her sensitive eyes.  Endymion
 quickly made his way off to the side and enfolded her in his cape once again, holding her
 close.  Her two blonde pigtails were damp and clinging to the skin of her shoulders, and
 now his hands as he tried to reassure her, "That hurts so much, Endymion," she whispered,
 opening her eyes in her dark hiding place.  The light filtered in a hazy black and red
 color.  

	"Take your time, Angel, I am not going anywhere."

	Serenity spent the next half hour slipping gradually out from under his cape.  When
 her eyes had finally adjusted to the brightness of the sun, she took a look at Endymion in
 the full sunlight.  Her hand flew to her mouth.  He was terribly handsome, she knew he was
 handsome but under the light of the sun his eyes sparkled and he looked to be every inch
 the prince that he was.  Her heart melted to see him in his element.

	Endymion for his part had lost his breath completely when Serenity stepped away from
 him.  He was finally able to see her under the light of the sun and what he saw took his
 breath away.  She was tiny, her hair falling from her head in gentle cascades of molten
 sunshine, her dress the purest white he had ever seen.  The sun caught the glint of the
 crescent moon on her forehead and he smiled, forcing himself to close his jaw.  She was the
 goddess he knew her to be, but more so, under the light of the sun.  He reached out a
 gentle, reverent hand to caress the slight blush of her cheeks.  "My lady, you are
 absolutely breathtaking."

	She blushed prettily and smiled, "And you, my prince," she curtsied to him
 gracefully, "are even more handsome under the sun than you were under the moon."

	Endymion coughed, his cheeks getting tinted slightly pink at her heartfelt
 compliment and bowed to her, offering her his arm, "May I have the honor of escorting you
 to my home, Milady?"  

	Serenity giggled, accepting his hand arm by sliding her hand under his elbow and
 wrapping her fingers around the inside joint of his elbow.  Endymion slid his other hand
 over hers and started off towards the palace, Serenity at his side.  

	He felt her trip, heard her exclaim with sudden pain and looked at her, stopping. 
 They hadn't gone even five steps, and he raised an eyebrow at her.  She smiled
 apologetically, "Sorry, I have never seen so many bright colors!" her eyes didn't look at
 him for they were glued to the many rose bushes and other plants that were in the garden,
 "Oh, Endy!  You live with these colors everyday?!  What is that one?"

	"That is a violet, the shade and the flower.  Those bell shaped ones next to them
 are blue bells."

	"And those?" 

	"Sunflowers.  They have seeds you can eat when baked.  See the black center?  Those
 are actually seeds.  Sometimes we plant them but most of the time we bake the seeds for
 snacks."

	"Oh. Can I try some, sometime?"

	He nodded, smiling, "Sure.  See those odd looking spiky plants?  Those are cacti, or
 a cactus; they usually grow in the desert but that part of the garden is shielded against
 the rain so the gardener carefully tends them.  Do not touch them; they have spines to keep
 them safe.  They are one of the few plants in this garden that retain water so if ever
 there is a drought you could slice one open and eat it, after pulling off the spines, to
 get water."

	Serenity seemed to be looking everywhere at once, "And those?"

	"Daffodils,"

	"And those?"   

	"Rosemary, it is a spice.  That is our spice plot.  There is thyme, basil, garlic
 and several others I cannot remember right now."

	"And that white stuff?"

	"Baby's breath.  Usually used in wedding bouquets."

	"Oh." She stopped looking around the garden and walked with him some more, this time
 her eyes on the ground.

	"Something wrong, Serenity?"

	She shook her head, her pigtails swinging and catching the rays of the sunlight. 
 The golden strands glowed like fire in the light and Endymion found himself reaching up to
 pull a short lock that had come free back behind her ear just to feel its silky texture,
 "My love, what is it?"

	Her eyes met his and he saw something akin to sorrow... or was it fear?  In their
 depths and he felt his heart twist, "To whom are you intended?" was her soft question.

	He smiled, "No one.  I was given the choice of finding my own bride or having one
 chosen for me.  I choose to let my heart decide."  A dark look crossed his face as a smile
 blossomed on hers, "And you, Serenity, who are you intended for?"

	She reached up her free hand to touch his face, "I am not.  Mother let me have a
 choice, though I have until my 16th birthday to find a man or she will choose for me.  And
 I have found you..."

	Endymion suddenly wrapped his arms around her tightly and began to spin her around,
 "Oh Serenity!"  He placed her on the ground and dropped to one knee on the cobble stone
 path between the rose bushes, grasping her hands in his own. "Will you marry me, my
 darling?  Will you make me the happiest man in the universe?"

	Serenity felt tears swell in her eyes and begin to course down her cheeks, "Endy...
 do you mean it?  Truly?"

	He nodded, kissing the back of her fingers gently and then released her hand to
 remove a ring that rested on his pinky and slid it onto her left ring finger, "Will you
 marry me, Serenity?"

	Tears coursed down her cheeks as she threw herself at him, "Yes, oh yes!  Endymion,
 a thousand times, yes!!"

	Endymion caught her in his arms, burying his face in her soft stomach as she curled
 her arms around his neck.  His arms wrapped securely around her waist.  Serenity slid down
 until she was on her knees, catching his lips on her way down.  Finally they pulled away
 from the core shaking kiss and Endymion helped Serenity stand, pulling her with him.  She
 stood on his boots until her knees would support her again.  Finally she pulled away but
 Endymion caught her around the shoulders, keeping her close to him.  She naturally wrapped
 an arm around his waist and leaned her head just under his shoulder as they walked. 
 Serenity looked at the ring on her finger, her gaze dreamy.  She stopped walking as she saw
 the symbol on the ring.

	Endymion smiled down at her as she realized the ring he'd given her, "Oh, Endy...
 this is your personal signet ring!  It is gorgeous... Are you... I mean, you only... Oh
 Endy!"

	The ring was a light, durable metal with the engraving of a rose in bloom on it. 
 The Prince's personal symbol.  The metal was a grayish-silver and sparkled like a diamond
 in the light.

	"Yes, I am sure I want you to have it Serenity.  I have a stamp, but the ring is
 yours.  You can keep it even after I find you an engagement ring.  Call this one a promise
 ring until that time."

	Serenity hugged him again, careless of the ridges in his armor, "Oh Endymion."

	"Come.  The morning is young; the palace will be stirring soon.  I will take you on
 a tour of the gardens later, alright?"

	She nodded and Endymion led her away through the gardens quickly.  They reached his
 balcony and he turned to her, opening his arms completely and scooping her up, "Hold on. 
 I am going to jump to my balcony."

	Serenity closed her eyes as she wound her arms around his neck.  She felt him jump
 and peeked through her fingers as the air rushed past her face.  He landed on the balcony
 and started walking into his chambers, Serenity still in his arms.  She looked up at him as
 he stepped inside the balcony doors and then set her down to close the doors behind him.

********

 Author's note: Alright, that's it for this week, unless I get time and decide to add
 another to the list.  As long as this has gotten, I hope I haven't bored everyone to death
 with it!  Feedback is much appreciated, this is, afterall, still my first fic :)  send
 anything you want to say to Jade_Max@innocent.com (I tried to cut back on some of the
 descriptions for those of you who asked, but it's hard when you want to get a picture
 across, you know?) Write me, let me know if it was good, bad, great, awful, whatever, I
 love to hear from you guys!  Suggestions are welcome too.

 Jade_Max

