Affair - Chapter 4
by Sereko
sereko13@yahoo.com


Wow! I love summer! So much free time to write has suddenly fallen 
into my lap! ^_- I tried my best to fix the problems I had when I 
posted Chapters 2 and 3, so they should be back in order now. But
the exciting news is the arrival of Chapter 4! Not much Usa/Mamo
time in this one, but I can't write the entire story without 
including other characters (well, I could...but let's not go 
there)! Chapter 5 is already thoroughly in the works (in fact,
I might have it done in time to post at the same time that I post
this chapter!). Enjoy!!

PS. Please note the change of e-mail address. I still have my 
princess-serenity@rocketmail.com account, but I'm trying to filter
SM related e-mails to my sereko13@yahoo.com account. Feel free to
send me any comments/reviews/critiques!! I'd love to see them in 
my new inbox! And thanks to all of you who have already sent me
mail. You guys are a great inspiration for me!


Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters
associated with the story. I merely use Naoko Takeuchi's genius as a 
starting point for my own storytelling.




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Chapter 4
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	A deep, droning voice echoed in Endymion’s head. Usually, he was 
very active and attentive during political meetings, but he was unable to 
focus this time. He was running on little to no sleep and it was becoming 
increasingly harder for him to keep his eyes open. 
	Someone banged a hand upon the conference table, which caused 
Endymion to jump in his seat. Looking over he saw that the commotion came 
from the noble King of Asia. He was arguing over some matter or another. 
The last time that Endymion had heard anything the topic of conversation 
was centered on trade, but he highly doubted those negotiations were the 
reason for King Sylkia’s anger. A sigh passed through his lips. He looked 
blankly at the conference table while picking imaginary lint off of it. 

-----

	“All right. What was all that about?” said Jadeite.
	Endymion turned as they exited the room and gave him a puzzled look. 
“What are you talking about?” Without letting his guardian answer, he 
continued on through the hall towards an open-air balcony. Walking out 
into the warm atmosphere, he approached the railing and looked out upon 
the vast green fields before him. In the sky above, a faint outline of the 
moon could be seen through the bright rays of the sun. He let a sigh escape 
him for the second time that morning. 
	She was gone. 
	Which would’ve been fine, except that he missed her. Missed her! 
Endymion shook his head. ‘What has come over me? Too act like such a 
lovesick puppy is not in my nature.’ He nearly jumped out of his skin when 
he felt a hand fall upon his shoulder. 
	It was Kunzite. He caught up with Jadeite and his prince once they 
left the conference. He was supposed to lead them to the prince’s next 
meeting, but the two men never made it to him. The captain of the guard 
became even more anxious when he saw Jadeite standing worriedly in the 
hallway. Before he could ask about the melancholy of his fellow guard, he 
noticed his prince standing forlornly on the nearby balcony. 
	“Endymion,” he intoned with concern.
	The other man did not respond for a while. When he did, his voice 
was tight and strained. “What is it, Kunzite?”
	If the white-haired general was worried before, he was frantically
afraid now. Nothing had ever troubled the prince so greatly for him to act 
like this. There might have been one other time in the young man’s entire 
life, when a treasured pet died or something to that extent, that such 
emotions burdened him. Kunzite was at a slight loss as to how to help his 
friend and realized that this was why Jadeite was standing listlessly in 
the hallway. He, too, did not know how to approach the situation. 
	“You did not meet me so that we could attend the second trade 
organization conference.”
	Conference? ‘That is the least of my worries right now. If I could 
not concentrate in the first one, how am I supposed to in the second?’
	“Endymion?”
	“Cancel it.”
	Kunzite sharply raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, your highness?”
	Finally turning to his closest guardian, Endymion repeated, “I said 
to cancel it. I am unable to attend.” 
	“If I am not mistaken, sire, you are not sick and you have no 
other engagements. Why, therefore, are you unable to attend?”
	“Because!” erupted Endymion. He had to take a deep breath before 
lowering his flailing arms and attempting to speak again. He closed his 
eyes to keep control. “I just cannot manage it right now.” He took a deep 
breath. “Please inform the delegates that they should continue the 
negotiations without me.”
	Jadeite was the one who ended up informing the delegates since 
Kunzite wanted to stay behind to talk with his liege. He ensured the 
younger general that he would get to the bottom of this matter. He leaned 
his back against the railing of the balcony so that he could peer at 
Endymion through the corner of his eye. There was silence for a few, long 
minutes. “So, are you going to inform me of what is bothering you or am I 
going to have to guess?”
	“There is nothing wr-”
	“Do not even try to finish that sentence.” It was Kunzite’s turn 
to sigh. “There is obviously something on your mind. When I instructed 
Jadeite to do your bidding, he informed me that you had phased out 
completely during the entire meeting with the eastern trade organizations. 
You did not even interrupt when King Sylkia demanded a drop in export taxes 
but an increase on imports.”
	“I was merely listening. I was trying to let King Sylkia and his 
neighbors work out their problems on their own.”
	“That is not your job! You know it, too. You always keep the peace 
and declare fair compromises. So, I will ask you again, what is bothering 
you? What has turned your mind so completely from the affairs of state 
that used to excite you?”    
	A slight breeze ruffled past the two men. Endymion ran a hand 
through his hair to tame the windblown tresses. Here he was, an incredibly 
attractive man who also happened to be the crown prince of an entire planet. 
He could have any girl he wanted. Yet, he found himself drifting off and 
lacking in his duties because of the small, slip of a girl who he had barely 
talked to for more than a day. 
	“You can tell me, Endy. What is troubling you?” This caught 
Endymion’s attention. Kunzite was known to never drop proper protocol, even 
when there were no officials present. For him to call the prince by his 
nickname had serious implications. 
	“It is nothing, Kunz. Do not worry over me so much,” said Endymion 
as he took a sideways glance at the older man whom he considered a brother. 
	“I cannot help it. Especially when something affects you so strongly.” 
Another long silence passed between them as Endymion continued to gaze out 
at the kingdom beyond the palace. 
	Without warning, he whispered, “Do you believe in love at first 
sight?”
	Kunzite was taken aback by this comment. “Love at first sight?”
	“I suppose I should begin by asking if you believe in love before 
I delve into love at first sight.” The prince could feel his friend’s eyes 
boring into the back of his head. 
	“Excuse me if I am slightly bewildered by your question, highness. 
You have never once mentioned love even throughout all of the various 
relationships and women you have had.” The mind of Kunzite was going haywire 
with this information. His prince, playboy extraordinaire, was troubled with 
thoughts of love? It was a simple woman that managed to plague his mind 
during his political meetings? He must have heard wrong.
	Endymion bent his head. “Yes, I know. I just wanted to know what you 
thought about it. Do you think it exists? And if so, what does it feel like?”
	“I am not sure if I am the person you should be asking about this.”
	There was an incredulous expression. “Kunzite, despite your formalities 
that make me seem like a distant cousin, I consider you my closest friend. You 
are the only person that I can ask.”
	Kunzite took a moment. “Then, my answer is yes. I do believe in love, 
Endymion. I believe that two people can be meant for each other and, when 
brought together, I believe they complete one another as well. It is a struggle 
to find this person, but if one accomplishes it, it is one of the greatest 
feelings in the world. You just know. One minute, you are standing there 
giving orders and the next she walks in the door and takes your breath away. 
She is the one you have been waiting for. She is your match. You just know 
it.” After drifting off into his own little world, Kunzite shook his head 
and returned his attention to the prince. 
	Endymion was standing there with a cocked eyebrow. “It sounds as if 
you speak from experience. Do you, Kunzite? Is there something you haven’t 
been telling me?”
	The general shyly turned away as a slight blush crept upon his cheeks. 
	“Kunzite?!” shouted a shocked Endymion. He had always known the man 
before him to be rigid, stoic and demanding. Never would he have imagined he 
might once catch Kunzite blushing like a little girl. 
	The man in question stepped away from his liege in order to assume a 
position on the edge of the balcony much like the one Endymion had been in 
earlier. A small, uncharacteristic smile snuck onto his face. “You would love 
her, Endy. She is beautiful and powerful and caring…she is my other half.”
	Before Endymion could ask any questions, Kunzite cut him off, “I am 
sorry to say that this is not a recent development,” he paused to look at the 
prince’s reaction, “It has been almost a year since it started.” Endymion just 
blinked in astonishment, still shocked by the gooey and sappy way his commanding 
friend was acting. “Do not think that I have kept this from you for so long 
without purpose. We have both kept it rather quiet for a single, important 
reason. One that I cannot tell you, my liege.” This surprised the prince even 
more than finding out that Kunzite was in love. Kunzite was not a man to disobey 
orders or to withhold any information, no matter how personal, from his prince. 
He continued softly, “We do not get to see each other very often. But I crave 
every moment I have with her.”
	“God,” Endymion breathed. “I never thought that I would see the day.”
	“Neither did I.”

-----

	Starlight joined with the soft light of candles in brightening the 
Queen’s study. Nighttime had just fallen, but her duties for the day were far 
from over. With a curl of her lips and the wave of her hand, Queen Serenity 
motioned for Mars to connect her holographic call. Moments later, the shaky 
and rough image of a man formed above a small display stand. 	
	“Good evening, Queen Serenity.”
	“Good evening, King Arian. Thank you for speaking with me on such 
short notice.”
	“I fear I had no choice in the matter, milady. By the tone of my 
daughter, I was lead to believe that this issue could not wait for anything.”
	The queen sent a slightly disapproving look to the young senshi who 
shyly ducked in response. “Yes well, I wanted to address it immediately.”
	“And what, may I ask, is it?”
	Taking a calming breath, Queen Serenity intoned, “I was informed 
earlier today that my daughter and your son have been secretly courting each 
other.”
	“What?”
	The monarch of the Moon gave King Arian a moment to regroup himself. 
She waited patiently for him to continue. 
	“To say that I was unaware of this would be an understatement, your 
majesty.”
	“I was also greatly unaware of it until just this afternoon.” The 
queen smiled. And now is when the plan is made. “Though I was shocked, I 
must say that I was definitely pleased by the news. A time was reaching 
when I would have had to resort to drastic measures to ensure my daughter’s 
familial future.” The queen held back a greater smile at her coming words. 
“I wished to speak with you about these developments, to see if we could 
not come to some kind of arrangement.”
	King Arian shot a skeptical look. “What type of arrangement?”
	“The type that results in marriage.”
	The queen tapped her foot impatiently as she waited again for the 
king to compose himself. 
	“I must inform your highness that I am already in the process of 
solidifying a bride for my son.”
	A slight scowl marred the queen’s face. This was an unwanted obstacle. 
How would she convince him to reject one bride in favor of another?
	“However.” Hope jumped upon Queen Serenity.
	“Your daughter is a very influential woman with much power, both 
physically and politically. Most of all, it seems that my son favors her and 
she him. I would be willing to cancel my previous preparations in light of 
this newly discovered attraction. It is my greatest wish that my son find 
happiness and if it happens to be with your daughter, then so be it. I would 
be happy to contract an engagement with you, highness, as long as I have 
proof that what you are saying is true.”
	Queen Serenity thought her face would tear apart were she to smile 
any wider. Of course, that was on the inside. Outside, her visage was that 
of a calm and collected monarch. “The proof you request is right here, 
milord.” She motioned to the young senshi Mars and the woman stepped forth 
to be viewed by the hologram. 
	With a small smile to her father, not to be caught by the queen, Mars 
said, “It is my pleasure to tell you, King Arian, that I personally witnessed 
affectionate actions being passed between the prince and princess. I was 
only a few feet away when I saw them enchant each other with intimate touches 
and names.”
	The king was slightly shocked to see his daughter step into view. He 
had not seen her in such a long time, due to his own schedule and the lack 
of vacations allotted to senshi. The familiar, raven black hair that swung 
behind her back was one of the only things that he could recognize. “Truly, 
Anna?”
	It was impossible for the senshi not to reel back from the name. She 
had almost forgotten that her father used to always refer to her that way. 
The pet name melted her heart and she could barely keep herself from 
reaching forth and touching the image in front of her. “I…um…yes, yes, your 
majesty,” she stumbled.   
	“Then the engagement is on,” the king stated without hesitation. 
He glanced behind the image of his sweet Reianna to that of Queen Serenity. 
“I will have my assistant write up formal documents immediately. When they 
are ready, I will have them sent to you through a secure currier. They will 
only require your signature, since I will have already placed my own upon 
them, and then they will become official and binding. I look forward to 
speaking with you again soon, your highness.”
	“As do I, King Arian.” 

-----

	It had been three full weeks since her meeting with Endymion, 
each one more grueling than the last. Serenity was initially flighty in her 
duties, oftentimes her fellow members of court gossiped that she was 
daydreaming. As the weeks passed, however, Serenity became less flighty and 
more depressed. She threw herself headlong into her work, trying to rid her 
mind of fanciful visions of a man from Earth. Her mother took this as a good 
sign. Not only was her daughter acting even more responsible with her duties 
than normal, but she also, consequently, was spending more time with Arian 
whilst she worked with the academic negotiations.
	It was true, the princess was spending much time with the Prince of 
Mars. Her meetings with him tended to run long because she found that he was 
the only one that she could confide in about her emotional turmoil. She usually 
did not speak too much past her negotiations with him about the educational 
advances, but Arian was very able to discern her sour moods regardless. 
	He would simply sit with her. No words needed to be spoken as he 
comforted her with an arm around the shoulder. Her silent pain called for 
his silent compassion. 

-----

	It was a few days later when Serenity found herself restless. She 
unceremoniously carted herself out of bed, threw on a robe and marched out 
of her bedroom door. Her only confidante was a planet away tucked into his 
nice, little, Martian bed and she was left alone to brood. 
	The thought of waking Mercury flittered through her head for a moment 
before she shook it away. Serenity needed to find solace in one who knew all 
of her secrets and since neither Endymion nor Arian were rightly available, 
she would have to turn to her gardens instead.  
	Barely had a foot been laid upon the garden’s ground when Serenity 
heard the tinkle of a laugh. Immediately intrigued, the princess cautiously 
wandered deeper through the trees and flowers in search of the owner of the 
voice. 
	It was as she was turning the last corner that Serenity heard another 
voice. This second one was much deeper than the first, which was why she did 
not readily hear it. In a split second, she stepped back around the corner as 
to not be seen. 
	Since she was up for anything that would take her mind off of her own 
problems, the regal and gracious Princess of the Moon resorted to burying 
herself within a nearby bush and eavesdropping upon the two in the cove next 
door. 

---

	A thankful moan filled the thin air of the Moon. “That feels wonderful,” 
the moan’s owner continued. The man behind her was brushing his magic hands 
over her back and working out the horrible kink that she had received there
earlier that day in training. It had been troubling her all day. 
	After a few more moments, the woman turned and stilled the man’s hands. 
She smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
	Taking the woman’s hands within his own, the man smiled back. “It was 
nothing. I am glad that it made you feel better.”
	“Mmmm, much better.” A sly smirk crossed her face to replace her smile. 
She giggled despite herself. At this her partner raised an eyebrow but was 
left baffled when she didn’t explain her actions. 
	As a silence crept between them, the man grew slightly serious. He 
raised a hand and gently let it run across the woman’s cheek. “I missed you.”
	The woman closed her eyes thoughtfully while catching the man’s hand. 
“I missed you, too. I wish I could see you more often. I wish it were 
permissible.” She let her head fall lightly to his chest. She sighed as if 
the world lay on her shoulders. “I wish we both were not so bogged down with 
our duties…I wish we were *allowed* to be together.”
	“As do I, Min. As do I.” 
	He slowly removed her forehead from his chest and raised her chin so 
that he could lean down and lay a gentle kiss upon her lips. 

---

	Serenity gasped. ‘Min? MIN?! Min as in Minara, Princess of Venus, 
and acting leader of the Sailor Senshi?!?!’
	‘I knew that voice sounded familiar!’
	Taking a quick peek around the bend to confirm her suspicions, she 
saw the captain of her guard caught in a lip-lock with a tall, white-haired 
man. The princess quickly turned back and heaved a great, hyperventilating 
breath. ‘Someone please tell me that I did not just catch the Senshi of Venus 
in a forbidden affair!’
	Serenity took several heaving gasps of air to calm herself. She 
couldn’t believe that this was happening. What was the likelihood that just 
as she became entangled in an unlawful love life she would find her senshi 
in one too? 
	She had to calm herself. She was the High Princess of the Moon 
Kingdom and she knew how to deal with surprising situations effectively. 
Straightening her shoulders, Serenity gathered up some courage and 
confidently walked into the cove to meet her friend.
	(However, she did pause to make sure that the two had stopped kissing 
first.)

---

	Venus felt a chill as she pulled away from her lover. The atmosphere 
had suddenly changed from safe and warm to biting and crisp. Before the senshi 
had time to realize why her emotional sensors were going haywire, she saw 
something coming around the bend of the garden’s natural wall.
	There was a sharp intake of breath. 
	Her companion turned to see what she had seen and he, himself, gasped 
at the sight. 
	As Venus took a few steps away from the oncoming intruder, she fished 
around for some sort of story or excuse. 
	“Do not bother.”
	Startled, sky blue eyes looked up. “W-What?” Venus stumbled as she 
straightened her posture and locked her arms behind her back. She coughed and 
said again in a less squeaky voice, “What, your majesty?”
	Serenity frowned at the reaction she was receiving. “Do not bother 
finding an excuse for why I have found you like this. I do not want to hear 
it.” The words came out more harshly than the princess had originally intended 
and it caused the other two people to stiffen slightly. 
	“Of course not, your majesty.”
	She sighed. She did not mean to instill this type of coldness. She 
tried again. “Stop that, Venus. I am not here to scold you or yell at you or 
to take away this fine young man and never let you see him again.” Venus still 
did not drop her guard. The princess took a few more steps forward and lowered 
her head. Surprisingly, it was this action that loosened both the man and 
Venus’ shoulders. By bowing her head, Serenity implied that she spoke as a 
friend and not as a princess. They were on safer ground. 
	“I can explain, princess.”
	When Serenity raised her head, a smile was firmly planted upon her 
face. “There is no need, majesty.”
	“Oh, please do not address me so formally, highness.”
	Smirking, Serenity replied, “Then the same goes for you. We are both 
of the same station, my dear. The fact that you serve as the captain of my 
guard in no ways implies that you are of a lower status. We are both 
princesses.”
	“Yes, your highness.” Serenity gave a reproving look that Venus 
returned with an innocent shrug. 
	Giving up, the Moon Princess returned to her main priority. “As I was 
saying before, there is no need for an explanation.” She sent a caring smile 
to the man beside her senshi. “It is obvious that the two of you are in love.”
	“How did-”
	“I am ashamed to admit that I overheard that last of your conversation. 
Forgive me for that.” She gave a slight bow of her head. “But there is no 
harm done. Though I am aware of the serious implications that are connected 
with your relationship, I believe that there is nothing that love cannot find 
a way through.”
	“I fear, then, that you do not fully understand those serious 
implications,” Venus said reluctantly. She was surprised when Serenity laid a 
hand on her shoulder while giving her a sympathetic smile.
	“I understand all too well the seriousness of forbidden love.” She 
paused in order to clear her head of the images of Endymion that suddenly 
shot through it. “You will find a way to be together. I am not going to stop 
you nor am I going to turn you in. I may not know exactly why your being 
together is forbidden, but I am sure that it is something my mother would 
frown upon.”
	Both lovers ducked their heads. “Yes, princess, she would.”
	Serenity let a momentary pause ensue in order to calm the air around 
them. She felt like she was talking a hundred miles a minute and she needed 
a moment to collect herself. She wanted to be warm and gentle while dealing 
with the situation and not like some protocol droid. Taking a deep breath, 
she delved in again. “I was afraid of that.”
	Out of character, Venus suddenly dropped to her knees and clasped 
Serenity’s robe. “Please, princess. Please! You musn’t tell her. She must 
never find out! I beg of you!”
	The high princess was completely surprised by this turn of events. 
She immediately joined Venus on the ground in order to wrap her arms around 
the girl’s shoulders to give her a hug. “Of course not! Did I not already 
say that I was not going to turn you in? I would never tell my mother, 
dearest Venus. I would never tell *anyone*!” She slowly rocked her senshi 
as the girl gave out a chocked sob. “Shh, dear, it is okay. When I came 
into this cove to speak to you, I had no intention of doing you any ill. 
I merely wanted to talk to you and have you introduce me to this man who 
has managed to steal the most prized heart in the universe, that of the 
senshi of love.” Serenity pulled away a bit to look her captain in the eye. 
She smoothed the other girl’s hair and wiped away the last of her fading 
tears. “I was being selfish, in truth. I wanted you to know that I had 
overheard and overseen you so that we could gossip together once you had 
to part from your beau.”
	Venus weakly smiled as her princess continued to try and cheer her 
up with playful words. 
	“You know how terribly boring I can find court meetings. What 
better to fill up the dull than good gossip about love?”
	“It is not fair for you to be selfish, your highness. You gave me 
quite a fright in being so,” said the senshi as she found her voice and her 
wits again.
	Serenity, happy that she had handled the situation well, helped 
Venus up into a standing position. She smiled at her companion. “I shall 
try to work on it. For now, however, you will have to stifle my curiosity 
and introduce me to this patient man here.” She motioned to the man who 
had yet to speak a word or move a muscle. So far she had only seen him 
react in any way when she had first walked in and when Venus had tumbled 
to the ground. 
	With a shy smile, Venus addressed the forgotten man, “Princess 
Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, may I introduce to you Kunzite.”
	Kunzite took Serenity’s hand and kissed it as she bowed low to 
give him a curtsy in return. “It is a pleasure to meet you, your majesty.”
	“The pleasure is all mine.”
	For Venus to leave out where the man was from in her introduction 
clued the princess in to the reason why their relationship was forbidden. 
She nearly choked at how similar her senshi’s love life was to her own. 
Could it be that this man was also from Earth? Or was there some other 
place that the citizens of Venus were banned from?
	“So it is your kingdom that causes the rift between you and my 
guard,” she said as soon as the thought struck her. There’s no point in 
holding back now, she thought.  
	Slightly shocked at the statement, Kunzite replied impressed, 
“You are very observant, milady.”
	“You, like my dear Venus, are very formal, milord.”
	Kunzite smirked. “You will find that I am also as stubborn as 
she at upholding that formality, your highness.”
	Serenity gave a pout. “No fun.” She smiled when she heard her 
senshi giggle at her antics. She smiled wider when she saw Kunzite 
discretely snag Venus’ hand so that he could lace their fingers together. 
	Without warning, the princess was bombarded with visions of her 
and Endymion. She tried to clear her head of them as she had done earlier, 
but they would not leave. With them, an onslaught of longing and despair 
hit her. The emotions were so forceful that she almost lost her balance. 
Being unable to rid herself of all that was attacking her, the princess 
mumbled an uneasy good-bye and tumbled away from her new friends. 

---

	Venus didn’t know what to do when she saw her princess stumble. 
Her heightened senses could pick up the huge assault of emotions, but 
she was unable to sort through them effectively before Serenity high-
tailed it out of the garden. 
	She took a step forward. “Serenity!”
	The thought of following the distraught girl passed through her 
mind until she felt the hand of Kunzite on her shoulder. She turned to him 
and stared into his eyes. 
	“Let her go. I am not sure if anyone can help her now. She seems 
on the verge of something and will need some time alone to calm herself.”
	Damn reason! Venus would have grumbled like a child had the 
situation not been so serious. Instead she merely nodded and clasped 
Kunzite’s hand for all that it was worth. “I hate it when you are right.” 
She turned to look at the exit of their garden clearing. “I hope she 
will be all right. I did not have time to discern what was troubling 
her before she left. It all happened so suddenly.”
 







End Chapter 4
--------------

So? Whatcha think? I love the 
generals being paired with the
inner senshi and although I didn't
want to turn this story into one
that encompassed all the senshi
joining with the generals (some
Silver Millenium stories that
write about Usa/Mamo getting 
together and then their guardians
just happening to fall instantly
in love as well -like it's some
requirement- bother me), I did 
want Serenity to have a 
sympathetic heart. Who better 
then the senshi of love? ^_- 

Please send ANY comments to me, Sereko. My e-mail is: 
sereko13@yahoo.com