Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Decided Bride ❯ The Encounter ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

By: Anja

Chapter 9 ~ The Encounter

Serenity flopped down onto her bed and moaned in pain as she rolled over onto her back. 100 push ups and 250 sit-ups was simply not the best way to start the day, no matter how much Lita swore by it. She got up and went over to the bath that she had told one of the maids to prepare for her, and slipped into the water and soaked. And soaked. And soaked.

She could still feel her cheeks burning from the encounter that had happened just before she came to her room.

She was walking back to the palace from training. She groaned softly as she brought her head down and rubbed the back of her neck. As she turned the corner in one of the hallways, still absentmindedly rubbing her neck, she ran into something, or rather, someone, who let out a low grunt as he tried to regain his balance and hers at the same time.

"I'm so sorry..." she managed to say.

"No, the fault was entirely mine…" said the stranger.

"I should have been watching where I was going," she said as she finally looked up at him as he took his hands off her arms. He had flowing long silver hair and eyes that seemed to hold all the wisdom of the universe.

A look of surprise crossed his face before he laid on arm across his stomach and bowed slightly at the waist. "Your Highness, please, accept my apology." He straitened up. "I am General Malachite of Earth. I don't believe I have had to pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She stepped back ever so slightly, but quickly remembered her manners. She gently inclined her head to him. "The pleasure is mine General. I did not know that anyone from Earth had arrived here yet." She tried to keep her voice from betraying the utter shock she felt. She had not know that anyone form Earth's court had arrived on the moon yet.

He smiled. "I only arrived two nights ago at the palace. Her Majesty was kind enough to invite myself and a few others to the Moon to prepare for the upcoming visit of My Lord and Lady, and discuss a few….treaties," he said, pausing just a little longer than he should have before the last word.

Serenity felt a pang in her stomach, but she forced on a fake smile. "The Moon is honoured to have you here as a guest. Even if it may not seem so, with me running into you quite disrespectfully." He laughed, a good natured laugh, but Serenity couldn't help but think she heard a bit of mockery in it too.

She was wrong though. Malachite had no intentions of mocking the lovely creature before him. "You're highness, you may run into me anytime it so pleases you," he replied. She blushed. She was, once again, embarrassed and she wanted to get out of there, fast.

"If you will excuse me General, I should go and freshen up before breakfast," she finally said.

He seemed to glance down at her training clothing and sweaty demeanour for the first time. He bowed again. "My apologies for keeping you then. I saw how hard you train yesterday morning. Until later then, Your Highness." He said, and she walked past him, thankful that the encounter was over. Yesterday morning? That was when she had snapped. She groaned inwardly. He just had to see that, didn't he?

She sank deeper into the water so that her chin and mouth were covered. She could just picture the General telling his prince what a clumsy, childish, temperamental warrior he was coming to try to claim, both men laughing all the while. He would probably return to earth even before he saw her, ruining all of her plans.

It wasn't until she heard a soft steps coming toward the closed door of the bathroom that she knew she had to get out of the now lukewarm water. Luna came into the bathroom to the tub and held out a towel for her. Serenity stepped out of the water a little reluctantly, and wrapped herself in the soft cloth. After drying off and wrapping herself in a robe, she settled herself on the chair in front of her vanity and let Luna brush out her hair.

She wondered what he would be like if he did bother to stay. She knew he was still fairly young, only twenty three, so she didn't have to worry about getting a man who was old enough to be her grandfather. Still, she knew little more of him. Tall, short, blonde, brunette, lean, full bodied, strong, weak, she knew none of his physical qualities. She knew even less of his personality. She sighed softly. With her luck, he would be one of those men who claimed a woman as his trophy to flaunt, who expected his wife to speak only when spoken to. The only thing that she did know about him was that he was a good warrior and ruled well. That little bit of information did little to comfort her though.

"Serenity, are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Luna's voice broke through her thoughts.

Serenity flinched a little. "Of course I was Luna," she lied.

"What did I say then, if you were paying such close attention, hmmm?" Luna asked as she arched her eyebrows.

"Ummmm…..could you repeat it?" Serenity asked with a sweet grin on her face. She saw Luna roll her eyes in the mirror before she resumed brushing.

"If you had been listening to me the first time, you would have heard me tell you that after lunch Artemis and I want to spend a little more time with you ladies preparing for the upcoming festivities. We're going to meet in the main ballroom….." The rest of what Luna said was lost to Serenity, who was already back to daydreaming about the man she had danced with the previous night. Why can't I get him out of my mind? I know almost nothing about him, other than the fact that he can dance and likes to read and can be annoying and kind. He's nobody that I know, so why can't I get him out of my mind? I'm going to be meeting my husband in a little less than two weeks, and all I can do is think about this blue-eyed god. And why did I promise to help him get a job here at the palace? Serenity managed to confuse herself more than anyone else sometimes.

*****
~Disclaimer~

I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots.