Chapter 4: Agreements are Made

That night Venus put locks on the outsides of 
Serenity's doors and windows. She has to be 
outside to teleport to Earth, so she'll be 
safe in there, Venus thought, Besides, there's
 no way I can hold up if I sleep in her chamber 
every night… the snoring is unbearable!
	Venus stood outside Serenity's door and 
listened to her scream and attempt to break out of
 her chamber. After ten minutes, She tiptoed back 
to her quarters, confident that Serenity would never
 be able to escape. 
	Venus sighed deeply as she arrived in her 
room and shut the door behind her. She dressed in her
 nightclothes, but she kept her tiara fit on her head.
 She didn't want to lose it, now that it was her most
prized possession. 
She snuggled under her covers and was just about to 
blow out the candles, when she heard a rapping noise 
at her window. Venus glared in the direction of the 
noise with irritation. Walking over to the window, she
 checked to make sure the latches were shut tight, 
and the tapping came again. She peered out the window 
to see a dark figure two stories below her.
Venus squinted to make out who it was. "Is that you, 
guard boy?" she called down.
"Shhhh!" the figure hushed her, "keep quiet, I'm not 
supposed to be here."
Venus' heart began to pound faster. "Who are you?" she
 ordered.
"It's me, Kunzite!"
Venus groaned. Great, not this loony again, she thought. 
"What? What are you doing here?" she questioned.
Kunzite straightened his uniform and cleared his throat.
 "Well, I was wondering if we could get to know each other."
Venus stared in disbelief. "You're kidding right? 
I mean, right now?"
"Um, yes, what's wrong with right now?"
"Well, for one it's the middle of the night, and two, 
it's forbidden for you to be around me. Not to mention 
I have to watch the Princess…" she stopped to listen 
to the Princess' maniacal screaming coming from the window
 across from hers. 
Now Kunzite groaned. "Is that all you do in life, worry 
about that royal pain?" Venus nodded sadly. Kunzite 
pondered this, then said, "Well, she's locked up in her
 room, right? Then you can leave and nobody will know, 
and…"
"I can't do that," Venus said stubbornly, crossing her 
arms tightly, "You should go now. Good night."
"No! Wait!" Kunzite called, waving his arms, but Venus 
shut the window firmly and returned to her bed. 
I can't believe he risked his life just to come see me, 
she thought, I've never had this kind of attention before…
 Venus stayed up half the night wondering about the handsome 
stranger.

The next morning, Venus just left Serenity locked up 
after sliding breakfast through the crack of the door. 
The princess had finally fallen asleep after several 
hours of screeching hysterically. Luckily the Queen's 
Chamber was on the opposite side of the palace.
For the first time, Venus was actually glad to be alone. 
She left the palace quietly and meandered off into a 
nearby field. Her high heels sunk into the damp soil as 
she trudged further and further from the palace gates.
 At last the palace was far enough behind her, and she 
began to meditate.
Thinking deeply, she tried to discover the powers her 
tiara granted her. The Queen said that it would come to 
her in the proper time, but she didn't want to wait any 
longer. She sat on the soft grassy hill and shut her 
eyes, searching within herself for the power she longed for.
She felt rumbling under her, and wondered is this my power? 
Is it finally coming? She opened her eyes and smiled, but 
that smile faded quickly when she saw what had produced the rumbling.
Venus scrambled to her feet and ran like mad toward the 
palace. "THE EARTH! THE EARTH IS ATTACKING!" she wailed. 
Hundreds of horsemen poured over the horizon, each with 
sword at ready. Venus huffed as she flailed her 
uncoordinated arms and legs, trying to move as quickly 
as possible. She had to warn the others, she just had to.
The snorting horses and pounding hooves drew closer on Venus' 
desperate trail. Tears streamed from her eyes and she 
continued to scream her warning to the still peaceful kingdom.
 At last a horseman grew near enough to her to grab her 
long streaming hair and pull her along behind his stampeding horse.
Pain splintered through Venus' scalp and her body 
bounced hard on the ground as she was dragged. She 
shrieked, struggling to get free. Her pain slowly 
turned to anger, and her anger to power. 
She could feel it surging through her body. At last she 
cried out, pointing a glowing finger at the cackling 
horseman, "CRESCENT BEAM!" A beam of light jumped from 
her finger and split into the man's body. He howled in 
anguish as he fell from his horse, which continued galloping
 on its way.
Venus dodged the horses as they plowed over the field, 
straight towards the palace. Still shocked from her 
sudden fit of power, she felt weak and unable to protect 
herself much longer. Just as the last horse passed by 
her, she tumbled to the ground in an unconscious heap.

Fuzzy figures lingered above Venus' eyes as she opened 
them. She sat up on her elbows and rubbed her eyes to 
clear away the fogginess. Looking about the room 
curiously, Venus saw that she was in a cramped living
 quarters. Where am I? She wondered to herself.
She heard a rustling coming from a nearby doorway. She
 watched nervously, hoping it wasn't someone from Earth.
 But the moment she saw the cape swish past the door, 
she knew. Her stomach did a somersault as Kunzite popped
 his head in the room.
"My Goddess of Love is awake!" Kunzite teased, "How do 
you like my quarters? Isn't it lovely?" 
Venus was almost offended. "I'm not your Goddess," she snapped.
Kunzite looked taken aback. "Is that the way you treat 
someone who just saved your life?"
Venus looked at him like he was crazy. "What are you talking about?"
Kunzite puffed up his chest, "Well, I was heading after those 
troops of horses, trying to stop them, and I saw you unconscious.
 I knew you needed help, so I neglected my duty and took you 
home to nurse you back to health." Kunzite smiled, trying to 
look manly and heroic.
Venus continued to stare at him. Kunzite began to look
 uncomfortable. "So, are you going to say anything? Thank
 me? Anything at all?" Kunzite prompted hopefully.
Venus shook her head. "Well, um, thanks, I guess." She 
looked up at Kunzite, who seemed saddened. She sighed, 
and said, "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
Kunzite's face brightened at this. "Yes, actually!" he 
voiced, "I'd like to take you somewhere, get to know you 
a little." He looked on as Venus reacted to his suggestion.
"Yes, Kunzite, I'll go with you," Venus said slowly. 
Kunzite swept his cape about. "You won't regret it, V-baby!"
Venus glared at his remark, then quickly added, "But only 
once! Just once!"
Kunzite nodded eagerly. Venus began to stand up from the 
bed, but he stopped her. "No! You're still too weak to be 
mobile. Stay for a while longer." The way he said it made 
it seem unoptional.
Venus sighed and nodded her agreement. As much as she 
pretended to dislike Kunzite, she adored getting attention
 from him. Kunzite helped her back into his bed and 
covered her up with his blanket. He smiled contentedly 
and watched the young warrior drift off to sleep.