August Moon
Part 12 : The Other Way of Stopping
©MMI T h r e a d s
Naru ran a hand over her hair for the hundredth time as she stood in the crowded ballroom. She watched couples and nobles flow back and forth on the dance floor as waiters weaved in between them.
She watched Daun from across the room talking with Nephrite and a number of other gentlemen.
Naru had watched a number of other women at the ball- they all seemed to act and dress the same. Daun easily outshone them all. It wasn't just her beauty that got her attention. It was the way about her- the way she did things, the way she said things, the way she acted.
Her modus operandi.
Naru could never hope to ever understand how she did that. She watched her talk with one of the noblemen as easily as she talked with Naru, her golden eyes shining and her red lips curling into a smile as she talked. She had her long black hair pinned up into rolls around her head that cascaded into ringlets down her back. Her dress was bright green and pink- it stood out easily amongst all the blue's and white's and gray's of the other women's dresses. It was made of a thick, shiny material that was strapless and a low crop around her bust. The sleeves started midway down her arms and the skirt ballooned out around her body in thick silks.
Naru looked down to her royal blue dress and sighed. At least it wasn't pastel like all the others.
She clung close to the Walls, too shy to venture out into the sea of social activity before her. The small Orchestra played something melodic that he mind hummed to. Naru stood next to a large potted plant that was placed next to a long corridor that disappeared into darkness. Naru speculated that it was for waiters and servants to enter and exit from, but she could never be sure.
The very purpose of the ball was still a mystery to her. As it turned out, the Prince had decided to stay on the Moon for anther week, regardless that his guardian Kunzite had decided to return, and the King was bedridden, ill, at this moment.
Still, as all balls were, they were mostly political devices, and used to raise the spirits of the nobility in the kingdom, and to flaunt money.
Naru heard hard footsteps coming from a distance, they weren't from the dance floor, too many people moved at once there, they originated from the corridor next to her. She was about to crane her next past the plant too see who approached, but retreated that thought as she recognized the gentle, and piercing voice of Zoisite.
And another.
Kunzite.
They were arguing quietly about something.
Something important.
"Kunzite-sama… how the Moon found those things out could be one of any reasons… I-" Zoisite's voice whimpered off almost painfully, as if Kunzite were clutching his arm.
"Zoisite… I've been in this business A LOT longer than you have… I think I can tell when we have mole in the castle."
Zoisite breathed in slowly, preparing himself. "With all do respect Kunzite-sama… the information…" He trailed, but quickly regained his composure. "It wasn't anything drastic, anything too damaging… maybe it was just overheard accidentally outside the Palace around the wrong people…"
"Don't question me, Zoisite. I know what I'm talking about."
"My apologies Kunzite-sama, and with no disrespect towards you… but I do hope for the sake of this Kingdom that you are wrong… or at least this… person is very ignorant about keeping his identity."
Kunzite didn't respond. He didn't feel that one was necessary.
"That common-girl Jadeite keeps dragging around, what do you know of her?"
Naru tensed unconsciously.
"I do suspect something amiss with her, Kunzite-sama, but Jadeite seems blind to anything from her. Still, this information was leaked before she appeared."
"The Moon Kingdom would never establish just one, it isn't they're style. She is one now, and there were others before her here too, and still are."
"But I don't think the Moon Kingdom would be this careless…"
"Unless that's what they want us to think, to set us up to something."
"But what?"
A waited darted down the corridor with and empty champagne platter in tow. The conversation between Zoisite and Kunzite stopped abruptly.
The two were silent for a while, though Naru could tell something that didn't involve conversation might be going on, something more with gesture.
"Let's go." Kunzite growled. Naru could tell there was a definite double meaning to that statement.
"Kunzite-sama," Zoisite whispered quietly. "Please, I don't want the others to start gossiping."
"About?"
"This. Our leaving together."
"I don't think anyone would be bold… or stupid enough to start a nasty rumor about me… lest not forget who I am."
"That hasn't stopped others before."
"You know Zoisite-"
"Kunzite-sama… you're hurting me." Zoisite yelped silently. Kunzite must be gripping his arm or back with his free hand.
"Zoisite," He gripped tighter. "When you say things like that… I know a lesser man would think you didn't enjoy me. However, you don't fool me… I know you like this… what we have…" He gripped even tighter and Zoisite sighed a cry of pain. "Don't disparage me like that." After a moment, he must have let go. Zoisite breathed out slowly.
"I only meant-"
"Meant. I know you; you just want to watch the pretty girls a little longer. Maybe if you stare hard enough you'll turn into one. " Kunzite snapped. "You know where I'll be." He added before he strode out of the corridor and into the ballroom, his strides smooth as the dancers and his jaw clenched as tight as their dresses.
Zoisite stepped out after a moment, his face a cross between confusion, and sorrow for upsetting Kunzite… even though Zoisite hadn't really done anything. A few strands of hair fell in his face, somehow he had managed to straighten his gold hair; it reached to almost his back. A group of courtiers waltzed by him at that moment- their hair was pinned up in tight ringlets, and their dresses of soft pink tones.
Zoisite's eyes followed them for a moment, as part of him thought something through. At first, for a moment, he blushed, but then his eyebrows began to crease and frustration set in. He threw some hair over his shoulder, which was beginning to kink now from the heat, and stormed off into the cruel grasp of Kunzite's bed.
Naru fell back against the wall, saddened by what she just saw. She wasn't even sure of what to think, and she definitely didn't want to say anything to anybody.
Her eyes wandered back over to where Nephrite stood talking with the other nobles of the kingdom.
He stood there alone, as Daun had left his side, but was nowhere to be seen.
She watched him carefully from across the room, as she stood there alone, next to a large potted plant. Nephrite across the room, alone with wealthy aristocrats he should probably care less about.
She made up her mind. She couldn't stand it anymore.
Summoning every last ounce of courage within her, Naru pulled up the front of her dress and marched over to where Nephrite stood.
He could see her coming before she had even moved. He excused himself from the group that surrounded him and began walking over towards the main balcony. He disappeared into the darkness of night, and Naru followed.
She caught up with him as he leaned over the side of the railing, cradling his glass of wine in one hand as he watched the moon rise over the royal garden below. Naru stopped next to him, and smiled slightly up at him. He turned and nodded in response.
And that was all he did. For a moment, Naru thought this was all a wasted effort, that she had just made a fool of herself and never had, and never really would achieve anything. But then he spoke.
"A lovely night tonight, isn't it?" He sighed, taking a sip from his glass, his gaze unmoving from the horizon.
Naru looked up in surprise. "Yes." She said quickly, almost in excitement.
Nephrite nodded in response.
"Is it always this nice here?" She asked, hoping he would keep his interest in her.
"More or less." He responded casually. "It does snow here, but not much, and the summers do sometimes warm up considerably."
"Oh. I like the summer. I can't wait."
"I think I'm more of a fall person, myself."
"Ya, the fall is nice too. The leaves change to really beautiful colors."
"They sure do." He chimed unenthusiastically, as he took another sip from his glass.
Naru gazed out into the navy darkness up above her. It was a clear sky tonight, stars shone brightly in the sky, and the moon loomed in the distance. The garden below was dimly illuminated by a path of lanterns that ventured deep within the forest's dense foliage and followed a winding trail to the fountain at the center. For a moment, Naru thought she saw someone move amongst them, but it was too fast for her to be sure. A cool breeze lifted the tendrils of hair that fell at the nape of her neck and she sighed.
"Nephrite, you want to go take a walk?" She blurted suddenly, then blushed at her forwardness. She hadn't intended to ask such a bold question. She was content enough just standing here with him. Some days, that's all she could have ever wanted.
She braced herself for his decline, but instead he shrugged a nod in response.
"Sure, why not." He said, and then downed the remainder of his wine. At that gesture, Naru realized that he wasn't being so polite to her because he wanted to, it was likely because he'd had a few, and was a little more relaxed now.
But maybe it wasn't so bad anyway. At least now he'd listen her, maybe appreciate her more.
He left his glass on the balcony railing; one of the waiters would find it and pick it up later. As he escorted her down the stairs to the garden, Naru heard the distinct 'ping' of breaking glass as his goblet fell from high above.
Naru laughed lightly as Nephrite finished recounted an old story of Kunzite. He stood in front of her (She sat seated by the fountain) with his arms crossed, and a smug smile across his lips.
Maybe Kunzite wasn't as bad as she thought he was.
After recovering from a self-reminiscent laughing fit, Nephrite slowly took the seat down next to her.
"I know," He said, looking at her. "It's hard to believe someone like him could have once been like that."
Naru nodded eagerly in agreement.
After a few minutes of awkwardness as the walked through the garden, Nephrite had eventually begun to relax to Naru, much to her pleasure.
He put his back to the fountain and clasped his hands in his lap as he gazed up thoughtfully at the castle before him. He could see silhouettes of partygoers move about the balcony with their dates.
"You're not so bad, I suppose." He said aloud. "I must confess, I really didn't like you much at first, but you really can be tolerable."
Naru smiled at Nephrite's strange compliment. I really wasn't what she had been hoping for, but at least it was something.
"Thank you." Naru replied quietly.
Nephrite was going to add that 'he still really didn't trust her much' considering the circumstances of her discovery, but decided against it. He didn't feel like hurting her feelings, not tonight at least.
"Comes with the territory." He said instead.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Nephrite continued to watch the palace, it's venerable nobility filled him with a kind of guilt he knew he should feel, but didn't want to. It only reminded him of other things he still had to attend to.
"I have to go now." Nephrite said as he rose from his seat by the fountain.
Naru reacted quickly in desperation. She didn't want the evening to end.
"Nephrite-" She said grabbing his right hand.
He looked back down at her in surprise. She looked back up at him with soft sea-green eyes and an expression of longing.
His face creased into something of disgust and of confusion and he yanked his hand from her grasp. It was almost shock that made him react the way that he did. Maybe that he had known all along, but couldn't truly admit it to himself. Couldn't admit the gravity of this inevitable situation.
"Nephrite… I…" Naru began again as she too rose from her seat.
"What are you trying to do?" He asked in a low voice, glaring down on her.
"I only wanted-"
Nephrite laughed loudly. "The very idea…" He growled as he stormed back towards the castle, and into the cool veil of night.
Nephrite Aldrich, in all his arrogant glory, had rejected her.
Jadeite fell back against a tree in pain and sank down to the grass, as if he had just been stabbed.
He had seen it all. He had heard everything.
He gathered his legs up to his body and rested his head against his knees. This was not happening to him. Not now, he had promised himself never again… not after Mars-Hime… not now, and from Naru…
He clenched his jaw tightly to ward off the coming tears. All he had come down for was to see Naru, to see if she wanted to dance. Not find out this.
At least Nephrite had rejected her. He was thankful for that.
Jadeite began to growl swearwords through his teeth, but stopped as he heard the soft approach of someone who stopped in front of where he sat. He raised his head to see Daun looking down at him sadly. Her hair had straightened out from the curls it once held, and she wore no shoes. Shadows played across her face, and slivers of light illuminated her gold eyes.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" She asked, unmoving. Jadeite only continued his stare at her.
"You know," She began, kneeling down to his level. "I can help you. I can take you someplace else… where you'll never have to worry about feeling this way ever again…" She said in a soft, low voice.
Jadeite's head fell to the side slowly. "Thanks, but I'll be alright. Nephrite is just a pretty face to her, that's all."
"Are you sure? Maybe it is something more."
"Don't tease me." He said quietly. "Things like this always end the same way… I said I'd be fine."
"Alright, enjoy your evening then, Jadeite." She said as she rose, and disappeared into the trees of the garden without looking back.
Jadeite never did understand her. She seemed to be the equivalent to the Castle whore, but he had also heard numerous rumors that she was in fact royalty. He didn't doubt it. The way she carried herself. She truly was an intriguing creature, and he did appreciate her offer.
Even though Daun had meant something else.
End Part 12.
End Arc I