Rules Are Meant To Be Broken-Part 9 (in which the author begins to smack the readers in the face with the meaning of the title --;. sorry for my lack of indelicacy.)
Zoicite gasped in surprise as Ami flung herself against the door, out of his arms. Opening the door, she escaped to the safety and confines of her room, and slammed the door shut after her. He felt his heart start to break when he heard her sobbing quietly, and he called, "Ami, please! I'm sorry!"
"Go away, please," she cried, disregarding the heavy droplets of salty water that splashed onto the floor as she curled up on her bed, wishing the world and especially Zoicite would leave her alone. Softer, she pleaded, "Please, just leave me alone."
About to walk away in despair, the general's shoulders suddenly straightened, and he stood proud and tall. Deliberately but quietly, he said, "Actually, you know what, Ami? I'm not sorry. I don't apologize for anything. Do you want to know why?" Disregarding the fact that he didn't receive an answer, nor had he expected one, he continued, "I don't care about any of these damn rules the world has. I don't care if I'm a lowly general-and if you do, princess, then it isn't my fault. I love you, Ami. And you have to learn someday that rules are meant to be broken." Walking away, he staggered in surprise and pain as a sharp right hook caught him directly in the jaw. Rubbing his face, Zoicite's triumphant but sad green eyes met dangerous, dark brown.
"What did you think you were doing, General Zoicite?!" Greg hissed.
"I was doing what I had to, commander. I told her the truth: I love her."
~~~~*~~~~
Waking up the next morning, the general raised a sardonic brow at his reflection in the mirror. Ah, a wonderful, purple spreading bruise on his face. That would be certain to raise uncomfortable questions and impress everyone. And today was the picnic with the Inner Princesses...and they were all sailor senshi too, he shuddered. Zoicite wondered, would he be walking to his doom if he went after all? But he was no coward...and he would do what he had to. If Ami couldn't accept the fact that a general could love a princess who was also a senshi...then she was not the woman that he thought she was.
~~~~*~~~~
Ami also looked in the mirror the next day, washing away dried tear stains with a washcloth and cold water. Her nimble, slender fingers shook slightly as she wrung out the cloth and hung it up to dry...and she visibly flinched when a loud knock came on the door.
Kathrina, who had been watching her mistress perplexedly, inquired patiently, "Should I get the door, Miss Ami?"
"Yes..." she trailed off when it banged open, having been left unlocked when the maid had come in this morning, apologizing for her absence the last night.
Glowering darkly at her, Greg asked in stiff tones, "Miss Kathrina, would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes?" Glancing at the princess, who nodded as she sunk into a chair, the maid quickly left the room. Locking the door after her, the Prime Minister felt slight satisfaction that Ami was not meeting his eyes. Good. So she knew it was wrong, at least. "You know, Ami, I was up late last night, and I heard some voices in the hallway. So I came out of my office...and guess which two people I saw in an intimate embrace?" When she looked away, he gripped her arm tightly. "Do you know what I saw, Ami?"
"Yes," she whispered, tears making fresh trails down her cheeks, "yes, I do."
As if he hadn't heard her, although he released her, Greg continued, "I saw a very unamusing site, your highness. Imagine-I saw what I thought was the Princess of Mercury, an untouchable virgin who should be kept that way until her eventual marriage, kissing a man. And not just any man-one lowly General Zoicite of Earth."
Drawing her tortured gaze up to meet his, the blue-haired princess said, "Stop it, Greg. He-we didn't do anything like you're suggesting. He only kissed me, and I made him stop."
"Oh, at least we had some sense," he exploded, "but you couldn't do anything beforehand, could you?" Calming himself and continuing in a deathly voice once more, the general commander remarked, "Strange. I thought that woman was you, Ami. But it couldn't have been, could it? I mean, if I saw her, and she didn't even notice, any other person could have been watching. The princess would never have been so careless or unheeding of the laws of her station. Am I right?"
"Stop, please! All right, I admit to everything. I didn't stop him before, and I could have stopped it sooner than I did. And I was that woman in the hallway who was so careless of her station! Are you happy now?" This time, before he could say anything, Ami gathered her courage. "And do you know what? If I had to go through life again, I wouldn't have stopped it beforehand. Because I liked kissing him, and I liked him kissing me."
The brown-haired man erupted passionately at this statement, so angry that they were both surprised that he wasn't boiling. "That's exactly what he wants you to think! Him and all of those Terrans that came! Didn't you know, Ami?"
"Know what?"
"I really shouldn't be telling you...no, no, I won't. It would only hurt you, and the Embassy's leaving soon anyway."
Icily, she became princess and senshi once more, powerful and dominating. "Tell me now, Greg." "Well..." He shifted uneasily before continuing, "Earth could accomplish so much with better relations with us. They could have better repute in the Silver Alliance, and they would be more powerful. Imagine if they sent one of their most charming and handsome men, even though he's only a general, to charm the innocent and unmarried princess. And if she fell in love with him..."
The power massing behind her suddenly fell away, and Ami felt like a small child again. A child who doesn't understand why they get hurt or why people would want to hurt them. Pressing her lips together to keep them from trembling, she asked in a shaky voice, "It's-it's not true, is it? He wouldn't do anything like that, would he?"
Looking deeply sorrowful, the brown-haired man nodded. "I'm afraid so, Ami. I'm sorry."
As she began to cry, silently, he took her in his arms and held her, rocking her, and she made no objections. All she wanted to do was be a child again, a carefree child without duties as a ruling princess, and a child to whom the only love that mattered was that of her parents.
~~~~*~~~~
After a while, she pulled herself together and out of his arms. Wiping her eyes and dousing them with cold water once more, hoping that the swelling and redness of her eyes would go away, Ami said softly, "I should go now. Mina should be docking soon, then Rei, and then Lita." As he nodded in comprehension and left, she closed the door once more and locked it, preparing to change her eyes. Shrugging impassively, she finally chose a silky blue dress that exactly matched her eyes. It had thin spaghetti straps, and the rest of the dress flowed down her slim body like water. With one last glance around the room, the princess closed her door once more, locked it, and set off for the main port that they could come in. Resolutely she stood, feeling the Greg's and Zoicite's eyes on her alike, but she ignored them and waited patiently. While she waited, memories of another long wait came to Ami's mind.
She had stood there for a while, grief for old Leon fresh in her mind, thinking about the funeral that morning and those of her parents'. And then everything had been swept out of her mind in one tumultuous whirlwind when Zoicite had stepped off the ship. She had met his eyes for the first time then, and they had never left her memory since.
Snapping out of her recollections, Ami smiled brightly when Mina appeared from the ship, to the cheers and greetings of the Mercurians.
Hugging her tightly, the golden-haired princess chirped, "Ami! I've missed you so much..."
"So have I, Mina."
Searching her eyes, cornflower meeting sapphire, Mina's mouth curved downwards when she saw the sadness in her friend's eyes. "What's wrong, love? Is everything okay?"
"Not really, no, but I'll tell you all about it later." Smiling wanly, she suggested, "Why don't you go and rest a little? I know you don't like these trips through space much, and you won't need to make any formal appearances. If you can get up in the mid-afternoon, though, I was planning to have a picnic."
"Good idea!" Mina replied, much enthused. As her brilliant eyes searched the crowd astutely, they came to rest on a certain blond-haired, green-eyed man. "Now, who is that over there?"
Turning around to see who Mina was talking about, the blue-haired one flushed darkly. "You'll meet him later...at the picnic. That's General Zoicite, of Earth. He's here as an ambassador from Endymion."
Nodding, the Venusian princess smirked a little as she felt the ties between them with the power of her planet. "He's very handsome, isn't he?"
"Quite," Ami echoed faintly, blushing darkly. "Oh, look, Rei's here!"
Raising her eyebrows, impressed, she said, "Either they broke all the speed laws in the universe, or they set out a lot earlier than I did. Rei!!"
As they raven-haired princess came towards them, hair swirling darkly around her, Ami felt a certain peace descend upon her heart. Soon, all her friends would be with her. Together, they could do anything and everything, and they would try to help her as much as they could. "Rei, it's been too long."
"Of course, but considering that half of my government consist of inept morons, what do you expect? It's hard to get away." Purple eyes twinkling merrily, Rei examined her friends carefully. "So, Mina, how many people here do you think you have charmed? We have to continue our bet, you know."
Shrugging modestly, her friend replied, "I don't know, Rei...ten? Twenty?"
"Actually," Ami corrected softly, "it's thirty-five."
"I was pretty close."
"Rei, why don't you and Mina go in now, to rest? You know where you're staying, right?"
"Of course. By the way, we're meeting in your garden later, aren't we?"
Nodding emphatically, the Mercurian princess answered, "At three. But shoo. I'll wait for Lita now."
Before she left with Mina, Rei put one hand gently on her friend's arm. "Ami...your soul is disturbed. It isn't just because Leon passed away, is it?"
"No..."
"At least you're being honest," she smiled faintly. "Catch you later, then."
"Mm hmm."
~~~~*~~~~
The minute she was in range, the brown-haired princess reached over and picked up her smaller friend, swinging her around energetically. "Hey there, girl!"
"Lita! Put me down!"
Laughing as she obliged, Lita caught her friend up in a warm hug. "Am I the last one here, again?"
"Sorry, but yes."
"Oh, darn. Next time I'll start out a day earlier and beat them all! Hm....is that the famous General Zoicite over there, staring at you?"
Turning back too late, Ami flushed darkly. "You know, information seems to travel among you guys too fast. Did Mina tell you about everything, or did you tell her?"
"I didn't tell her anything! And she didn't tell me anything either. We just had a feeling." When the other still remained skeptical, the brunette woman asked softly, "Now, would I lie to you about a thing like that?"
"No."
"Good. Nothing's changed, has it?"
"Well, maybe a little. But nothing too important."
"You'd be surprised at which trivial things can turn out to be very crucial..."
~~~~*~~~~
Later that day, Lita stopped at the end of the labyrinth to admire her work on the plants. She could already hear the others talking inside the garden, but she wanted to talk to the plants. They chimed happy greetings to her, and she petted them fondly. She loved happy greenery. Standing there for a moment, enjoying the feeling, she was surprised by an unfamiliar voice behind her.
"Your highness, I would like to compliment you on your masterpiece."
Whirling around, green met green until she broke the silence. "So you're General Zoicite. I guess Ami told you about the garden, then?"
"I am," he said in surprise. "But I didn't know that you knew of me."
"I didn't, " Lita smiled slightly, "but word travels fast around here."
"Yes, it does," he agreed wryly.
Liking his spirit, the brunette grinned widely. "Do you have magic with plants?"
Nodding, he held open the door to the garden for her. "Among a few other things: crystals, healing. Mostly my powers are unrelated."
Showing almost complete indifference to his finding the door so quickly, Lita curtsied to him and entered, as he had indicated. Conversation ceased when she entered, but an evil idea had crept into her head. Smiling at Ami, she purred, "Well, Ames, you didn't tell us all what a charming general was visiting you on the Moon. Zoicite here is a very nice and interesting person."
Gulping as she ushered him in, feeling two impenetrable gazes upon him, he felt extremely ill-at-ease.
Standing up, feeling as uncomfortable as Zoicite did, Ami cleared her throat slightly while Lita sat down on a nearby bench, smirking at Mina and Rei. "Ahem. Everyone...this is General Zoicite of Earth, one of the Four Shitenou. He is a courier from Endymion. (He winced at her impersonal tone and formal introduction.) General Zoicite, this is Princess Lita of Jupiter, whom you seem to have already met. Next is Princess Mina of Venus, then Princess Rei of Mars."
"I'm pleased to meet all of your acquaintances." He was relieved when none of them commented upon the fading bruise along his jawbone.
"Oh, likewise."
"A pleasure," Rei said smoothly.
"Ami's told us a lot about you," Mina smiled wickedly.
"I hope it was good," he smiled weakly.
Grinning at him, the raven-haired one decided to join in the fun of teasing her friend, who was blushing a delicate pink. "Oh, trust me, it was very high praise." At Ami's surprised cough, Rei relented-slightly. "So, about Earth, General Zoicite...are there many beautiful women down there?"
"Uh...perhaps, but before I visited Mercury, I thought I hadn't seen or met a truly beautiful woman." He smiled in relief when they all beamed at him. Ah...safe...for now, he thought dismally when he saw Mina and Lita formulating their own questions.
~~~~*~~~~
Once the other princesses began leaving, Ami stayed behind, acting as the good hostess. She was dismayed to find that Zoicite was loitering around, waiting for the rest of the princesses to leave. When she was sure they had gone, she took a deep breath. Protocol or no, being a good hostess or no, she was not going to wait around. This was an embarrassing scene just waiting to happen! Turning to go, she heard a gentle voice behind her and stopped, feeling that her heart was a traitor.
"Ami...please...would you wait? I'd like to talk to you."
Glaring at him with a well-bred scowl, she said icily, "Do not be too presumptuous, General Zoicite. You may address me as ‘your highness' or ‘my lady.'" Once she met his intense emerald eyes, she felt her resolve falter. No...it couldn't falter...she had to leave. Tearing her gaze away, as she had done many times before, Ami said, "Don't try to trap me that way, General Zoicite. Excuse me, I'm afraid I have some things to attend to now." She left at a run, hoping against hope that he had not seen the shimmery droplets beginning to form at the corners of her eyes once more.
~~~~*~~~~
"Well? What do you guys think?" Lita asked her two friends eagerly, bouncing excitedly in her chair.
Rei merely smiled tolerantly. "I think he's a very nice man, and I think Ami may have finally met her match in intelligence and looks. They would make a very cute couple, don't you think?"
The last woman nodded, blue eyes sparkling with interest. "I think they need a little push in the right direction, though. Did you notice that Ami nearly froze when Lita asked her wonderful starter question? And when she had to introduce him?"
"From all the juicy gossip that I'm hearing, she's been spending almost every hour of the day with him!"
"And don't forget, he saved her from dying when those mines collapsed!"
‘Mina the matchmaker strikes again,' the raven-haired one thought to herself, amused, a while later as Lita and Mina began their master plan. Suddenly, a new thought occurred to her, one that had been brushed aside by recent events. Slowly, Rei asked, "You guys...do you think that Ami's completely over, well, you-know-who and what yet?"
The blonde sat in silence for a minute, deep in thought, as Lita also pondered the question. Gazing out the window, she pointed suddenly and exclaimed, "Look! There's Ami storming towards us...and she looks pretty mad."
They all watched eagerly, crowding around the window. "Look, here's Zoicite now, trailing after her. Oh, he looks so sad!!"
Sitting back down, Rei smoothed her skirts gracefully before she remarked, "I don't think Ami lets anything go. Besides, how can you forget something that hurts you that deeply?"
"And to think that to this day, we don't even know the whole of it," Mina added softly, "I feel so bad to think that she can't tell us what happened in its entirety."
"Come on, give her a break. Wouldn't you find it hard to talk about something like this?"
"Yes...but...she has to give Zoicite a chance!" the Princess of Venus insisted.
Turning towards her curiously, Lita asked, "Do you know something that we don't?"
"Probably not...but...he loves her, and she loves him. And they have to let love take its course."
Rei stared at the ceiling contemplatively for a few minutes. "You know...their relationship would be a rule-breaking one if Ami accepts him."
"Rules, my dear, are nothing in the face of love." No one argued with the undisputed senshi of love.