Rules Are Meant To Be Broken-Part 3
Rather than meander around the large palace, lost, Zoicite snagged a passing servant, who directed him to a nearby library while he carried the message to the princess. Looking around at the vast room, he smiled in delight. Here, surely, were tomes and texts he had never read before. Just looking at such richness, the gen's fingers itched to set his fingers upon the knowledge shelved teasingly before him. Walking quietly over to one of the many wooden tables, both square and circular, the general blinked as he realized that the thick book lying there, with a blue ribbon hanging out as a bookmark around the middle of the story, was the one that he had searched for just as Endymion had summoned him to the meeting with Kunzite. In fact, the Earthen Palace's only copy was currently in his rooms.
Just as before, a crystalline voice interrupted his thoughts as Zoicite reached out to touch the book. "General Zoicite."
He turned around abruptly and bowed. "Your highness."
As her eyes sought the volume he was holding, Ami blushed darkly. She hadn't realized that she had left the book on the table in the library. "I believe you wished a private word?"
"Yes, I did. Do. Er..." Flustered, the blond-haired man attempted to recapture his composure. "It was very kind of you to come so quickly. I...uh...appreciate it."
Belatedly, the Mercurian remembered that she had forgotten to use the royal "we" to address him. Looking towards the book he still held in his hand, she said, quite out of the blue, "I see you've found Indigo." At Zoicite's puzzled look, she flushed again and explained, "I'm sorry. My father first introduced the book to me. He called it Indigo, but I never understood until I came across a book of poems one day. There was a line of a poem, whose title I've forgotten, but it read, ‘In hues of dark and moody indigo, the chapter closed, the end had come. And yet hope lived on eternally.'" When he said nothing, only gazed in the distance moodily, she coughed softly. "Would you like to borrow the book?"
Finally waking up, he jumped and turned red also. "Uh, no, thank you. I actually brought my own copy with me. Besides, it looks as if someone's in the middle of it."
"Me, actually." With a casual wave of her hand, the book drifted out the open door. He guessed it was on its way to her rooms, wherever they were. "But we had matters to discuss, didn't we? Please, my study is right across the hall."
As he held the heavy library door open for her courteously, Zoicite looked his full appreciation of a more complimentary gray dress that she had changed into. He had never been partial to the color black himself, and gray was also a very appropriate mourning color. He settled himself into the chair she indicated, after she had seated herself-calmly, coolly, collectedly.
Waiting for him to begin, the princess reminded herself to be careful not to meet his eyes again. They were dangerous, those emeralds that pierced her own eyes brightly. "Ahem. Did you know Sir Leon well, my lord general?"
"Not as well as I would have liked to, my lady. Although he frequently traveled to Earth, I always felt that his visits were too short. He had such endless knowledge, such wisdom that he passed on to me willingly."
Her eyes shone to hear such high praise of her friend. "Indeed, being the notable scholar that he was. But Leon was more interested in things besides what can be learned from books, like lessons of the real world."
After quite a few hours passed (the entire afternoon), Zoicite was sitting forward at the edge of his seat, listening avidly. Ami had even laughed once or twice, after her first genuine smile. And they had both let the tears fall at last, giving them peace. Checking the timepiece on the wall, Ami's eyes widened as she took account of how much time had passed. "It's been three hours already? Dinner will be starting in fifteen minutes!"
Mouth twisted in a wry smile, the general responded, "Ah, well. There's no time like the present."
"Leon used to say that."
"That he did. Quite often. I assume I'll see you at dinner then, your highness?"
Usage of her title reminded them both of how unprofessionally they had been talking for the past few hours. Icy mask firmly back in place once more, Ami smiled a lukewarm smile and replied, "Yes, of course." And thus was their parting of ways.
~~~~*~~~~
Zoicite returned to his rooms once more after a rather lengthy dinner, frustrated and too wound up to have a good night's rest, which he needed. Dearly. Everything had been going so well, he thought to himself. The princess had even laughed, and they had shared memories of Leon, mutually shedding the tears that had been needed to shed. But during dinner, among the many court nobles, the Terran Embassy, her Prime Minister, and a few other important people, Ami had acted as perfect hostess and princess once more, revealing nothing about herself or her people. Therein lay the problem. He had forgotten how damned secretive and close-mouthed the Mercurian people were. Even Leon, at times, had found it hard to break the old habit of letting nothing slip.
A wry smile turning up the corners of his mouth, the general thought, ‘At least I know she can laugh. And she's even more beautiful when she smiles.' He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on the door, and Zoicite was even more surprised when it opened to reveal Greg Urawa. Although he still knew nothing about the young man besides his title and appearance, he had sensed wary and unfriendly vibes coming from him that disturbed him greatly. "General Commander. An honor, sir."
Bowing in return, the brunette man nodded. "As it is for me, General Zoicite. I came to tell you that in honor of Earth and your visit, we have began preparations for a ball tomorrow night. Tonight, however, we shall rest and mourn the worthy man that has passed from this world to the next."
"That's very kind of you," Zoicite answered in his turn. He had had a feeling that something like this would happen. "We appreciate the hand of friendship you have extended towards us. I am sure that all of my comrades will enjoy the party."
Nodding curtly, Greg turned on his heel before saying, "I wish you a good night then, my lord general."
"Good night to you as well." ‘What a strange fellow. I haven't even done anything worthy of being disliked or warned away yet. Imagine if Jade had gone in my place.'
~~~~*~~~~
The next day, already weary from having almost no sleep (Ami figured that she had finally succumbed to the restful darkness at around two o'clock in the morning), the Princess of Mercury rose at six o'clock, as she always did. The minute her eyes opened and her mind became conscious, the past days' events came flooding back in a terribly heavy burden. Sighing, the blue-haired woman got up and looked at her reflection in the large mirror, framed in silver with ornate curves and a liquid smoothness to the texture. Reaching for the compact that rested peacefully on the small wooden table under the looking glass, Ami applied the white powder to the pale skin under her eyes, attempting to cover the dark circles, yet only managing to make them slightly less noticeable. Regarding the contents of her wardrobe tiredly, she reached for her second gray gown, which was lighter-hued than the one before it. It was also more becoming, with small creamy pearls adorned for further embellishment.
Turning as a soft knock was heard at the door, she smiled warmly as it opened noiselessly to admit Kathrina, her personal maid. "Good morning, Kathrina."
"Good morning, Miss Ami." The younger girl curtsied, balancing a breakfast tray skillfully. Her mistress had often tried to break her of the habit of addressing her as Miss (she shuddered to remember the early days when she was called "your highness," "my lady," and "Princess Ami."), but she was unsuccessful thus far. Kathrina refused to budge so much as an inch this time, and she could be truly stubborn when she wished.
Examining the fresh fruits on her plate, along with a frosty glass of juice, a steaming cup of tea, and some light bread, Ami tried vainly to find her appetite. It all looked delicious, but she just did not feel hungry. "How are the preparations for tonight's ball going?"
"Wonderfully!" The maid chattered in her excitement, barely noticing that the other woman was not listening. "If you have time, you should see the marvels the cooks are making. They've been baking all today and yesterday, luscious pastries stuffed with fruit, marzipan statues...not to mention the stews! All sorts of vegetables, thick slices of meat, broth, and spices are going in them."
Laughing, her mood lightened slightly, the princess told her, "I think you'd get along very well with Lita. She always did like anyone who appreciated cooking as much as she did."
"Is everyone allowed to wear colors besides black and gray?"
Putting aside the pain in her heart, telling herself that they had mourned the appropriate time for Leon, Ami nodded. "Yes." After an awkward silence, she asked, "Have you heard from your family?"
"Very recently, Miss. My brother has just written from Uranus." Most of Kathrina's immediately family resided on that planet, which was quite far from Mercury. Lowering her voice confidentially, the maid whispered, "He said, my lady, that the councillors there wish to arrange a marriage between you and Princess Haruka's younger brother."
Sitting bolt upright, spine as straight as a blade, the princess demanded, "How recently was this letter?"
"A week ago."
Eyes blazing hotly, Ami marched out of the room swiftly, leaving a befuddled Kathrina behind in her room. Opening each and every door that her own advisors met in, she finally came upon the misfortunate group in the parlor of the Prime Minister. "Good morning, gentlemen." She had tried many times to break the tradition of having only men councillors, but so far, the stuffiest and oldest nobles were unyielding to her wishes. Slowly, just now, they had begun to bend, but it was not quick enough for her.
They all jumped guiltily, as they had not been expecting her. Flurries of "Your grace!", "Princess!", "Your highness!" and "My lady!" met her ears, but she still surveyed them coldly.
"I do not believe I knew of this meeting. Do forgive me for being late," Ami smiled icily. "Tell me, what is our topic of discussion today?"
Shifting uncomfortably as he met her eyes, the Prime Minister and General Commander muttered softly, "Your current marital status, Am-my lady."
Eyeing them suspiciously, she scowled her darkest frown, uncaring if her smooth brow was now marred. "Ah, yes. There have been...murmurings...of a purported match between myself and the younger Prince of Uranus, have there not?"
An unwitting man, one of the newest, said unwisely, "My lady, if only you would consider a suitable prince to marry! You refused the Prince of the second house of Pluto, all of the Venusian and Jovian princes, and have barely acknowledged the possibility of the Neptunian ones!" He neglected to mention the planets Mars or Saturn, but they had no princes. Only princesses. Something she was very fond of them for at the moment.
The air in the room crackled, becoming cold as bitter winds swept the room. Eyes of blue ice regarded the occupants of the room imperiously as the princess commanded quietly, "Whomever I marry, I shall choose. I know my duties. But if I ever hear of any more meetings like this, or if anyone else is foolish enough to suggest my considering anyone else of your choosing again, you will know what it means to cross this Mercurian Princess. May I remind you, gentlemen, that she is also a senshi?" And in a swirl of hail and snow-laden winds, she disappeared out the door in a glittering fury.
~~~~*~~~~
After an uneventful brunch, Zoicite decided it was time that he saw the famed Mercurian Gardens. Surely they could not rival the Earthen roses. But still, he had heard they were rather beautiful. And it wouldn't be that hard to find the gardens, since they could be seen from his window, right? Wrong.
The general's pride forbade him from asking anyone for help, but soon he was so desperately lost in the mazes of deserted corridors and echoing halls that he would gladly have begged just to get out of this insane labyrinth of a palace. It would have been easy to find his way around, would it? he asked himself gloomily. He figured he may as well have been lost in underground mines. Zoicite's usual sharp sense of direction had been confused by the many turns and lefts and rights he had taken. Suddenly, a welcome sound pierced the halls, the sounds of soft footsteps clicking on polished tiles. Recognizing the princess's distinctively dark hair, he called, "Wait! Please wait, my lady!" After a few faltering footsteps, she did stop, but she didn't turn around. Puzzled, he inquired, "Are you all right? I didn't mean to startle you-"
At his kind although bewildered voice, she finally faced him. With one look into earnest green eyes, Ami did something she would never forgive herself for. It was unheard of. Unspoken of. Never before had she behaved so humiliatingly...she burst into tears and covered her face with her hands, sobbing quietly. Zoicite stood in front of her, bewilderedly, staring at her pale face. About to say something, they both flinched when he heard a gaggle of women coming towards them, talking and laughing. Lifting her face up, Ami whispered, "I must get out of here, before anyone sees me."
"Which way is quickest?"
"Through that hall," she pointed. "There's a secret door concealed behind a tapestry that will lead underground..." Ami's voice trailed off as they ran in that direction. She finished with, "Eventually, through an underground passageway, we'll end up in the gardens, the one with the fountain."
"The one with the statue of Hermes?"
Nodding because she was beginning to get out of breath, Ami cursed him silently for two things (although he didn't deserve it). The first one was that he had seen her cry. The second one was, well...he was running just as fast as she was, perhaps even faster, and he wasn't even out of breath. While she herself may not have been breathless, she was definitely starting to feel a little winded. "Over there, the tapestry with the picture of the fountain."
Wryly, the gen drawled, "Well, it's only fitting. At least you'll remember where you're going. How do you open it?"
For answer, she reached over and pressed the center of one of the rods holding the tapestry up. A great cavity opened up in the wall, while the tapestry was pulled up-momentarily. As Zoicite looked into the big, dark hole uneasily, Ami grabbed a nearby candle and some matches, lighting the waxy stick. "Hurry up!" she hissed. "Before someone comes and sees us...not many people know about the secret passageways of the palace."
"I'll bet," he commented.
Once they were both inside, the princess reached over to a lever he hadn't noticed before. Instantly, the tapestry came down once more, and the wall came into place behind it. "The tunnel isn't long, maybe a mile or two, because we're in the heart of the palace."
Trying to take the candle from her, the general ordered, "Let me lead."
Looking at him as if he were crazy, she said, "I know the tunnel better than you do."
"But your hands are shaking, you're exhausted, and there's very little chance that I'll get us lost just by leading. There aren't twenty million forks or paths crossing, are there?"
Rather sullenly, for which she was immediately ashamed for, Ami handed over the candle and suffered the indignity of letting him take the lead. "No," she told him contritely, "there are other corridors like these, but very few of them come into contact with each other."
Casting a backwards look at her, careful not to hold the candle too high, Zoicite asked, "May I ask why you were so troubled before, my lady?"
"It's Ami."
"Pardon me?" he inquired, arching an eyebrow as he scanned the sloping ceiling of the narrow way.
Flushing, she explained, "I mean, Ami's my given name. You can just call me Ami. It saves the trouble of always addressing me as ‘my lady' and ‘your highness.'" Nearly walking into the wall where they were supposed to turn, the general sweatdropped and carefully made his way around the curve. "Thank you, my-Ami. It's a lovely name, and it suits you. Please call me Zoicite, then. Or Zoi, that's what my fellow generals call me."
"Thank you...I suppose you deserve to be told," Ami said slowly. "This morning, my maid Kathrina told me that behind my back, Greg-oh, do you know who he is? The Prime Minister?"
"Oh yes. A brown-haired, brown-eyed man around my height?"
"Yes. Kathrina told me that in secrecy, my council of advisors were planning a marriage, or at least a betrothal, between the Prince of Uranus and myself."
Almost hitting his head on a stalactite protruding from the ceiling, the blonde blinked. "Alex? Princess Haruka's brother?"
Surprised, she replied, "Yes, Prince Alexander. Is something wrong?"
"Uh...no. At least, I hope not. The thing is, Alex is already engaged to one of Endymion's cousins. They just haven't announced it yet."
Smiling brightly, Ami said jubilantly, "Well, I'm glad to hear it. They have my most sincere congratulations and well wishes. Alexander is really a very nice young man, and I adore Haruka, but I want to marry whom I choose."
Curiously, he asked her, "What happened to your council?"
"Oh, I surprised them this morning and threatened to do very bad things to them if anyone ever suggested any more political marriages or even attempted to discuss the matter among themselves. It comes in handy to have powers that are ice and water-based. I can even whirl up some very cool winds."
Making a mental note never, ever to anger the princess, the gen murmured, "I take it that all the Inner Princesses have powers like these?"
Biting her lip, Ami realized that she had nearly revealed that she and her friends were the legendary sailor senshi. No one, besides a few select people, was supposed to know about their true identities. "Yes."
Conversationally, he inquired, "Have you ever met the sailor senshi?"
Startled, the only thing the dark-haired woman was grateful for at the moment was the fact that he had his back turned and could not see her surprise or chagrin. "Yes, I have."
"What are they like? I'd really like to meet them one day or at least one of them."
"Perhaps you'll get your wish," she said demurely. "They're wonderful women, all strong and independent. Of course, they can also be very prideful at times, and that causes problems....But what I admire most about them, though, is that no one urges them to get married." ‘Their other forms are another matter. But it's true that no one has ever talked about marriage to me when I'm in senshi form.'
This last statement startled a laugh out of Zoicite, who grinned as he saw that the tunnel had finally come to an end. "Is there a doorway here?"
"Just push up where you see that circle of blue. There are always doorways," she smiled, "especially in places where you may least expect them."
~~~~*~~~~