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Chapter Two
Endymion wasn't just late to practice the next day - he didn't show up at all. Nor did he the next day. After he skipped lessons for the third time, Kunzite went looking for him. After asking around for awhile and bribing one of the maids, Kunzite went out and found the prince in the stables.
The young man was in the stall with his favorite horse, an even-tempered gelding. Kunzite watched him groom the animal for a few moments before stepping into view. The horse whickered, but then went back to eating when he recognized Kunzite's scent.
"Endymion," Kunzite spoke up.
The prince looked up, then down. "What do you want?"
"I haven't seen you for three days."
"Go away."
Kunzite leaned over the door.
"I could order you to go away," Endymion muttered.
"You could."
The prince went around to the other side of the horse. Kunzite just waited patiently.
"You embarrassed me."
"You embarrassed yourself," Kunzite said, "You have a lot left to learn. If you will come back to lessons, you'll learn how to not embarrass yourself."
Endymion made sure there was enough water for his horse before leaving the stall.
"You made me think that I was good," he accused Kunzite.
"You are good, up to a point. Just inexperienced. Come back to lessons."
"No," Endymion snapped, "Fencing is dumb." With that, the prince stalked off down the aisle.
***
The next time that Kunzite found Endymion, the Shitennou was better prepared. He greeted Endymion in the garden where the prince was tossing stones into an ornamental pond.
"What do you want?" Endymion grumbled.
"Did you want to go for a ride?" Kunzite asked, "One of the cooks packed a lunch."
The prince regarded the silver haired man suspiciously.
Kunzite spread his hands out, palm up. "No tricks. Just a ride and a picnic."
Endymion dropped his last stone back on the path and turned to Kunzite with a faint smile. "Alright."
Soon after, Kunzite and Endymion were riding off, away from the palace grounds.
Kunzite didn't say anything important while they rode - something Endymion was grateful for. The only thing that the silver haired man said was strictly scenery related as he pointed out things. The prince relaxed as Kunzite pointed out various different landmarks and animals along the way.
"Where are we going?" Endymion asked finally.
"Oh I have a picnic spot in mind," Kunzite said, "Don't worry."
Endymion was beginning to wonder if they were ever going to stop to eat when Kunzite indicated a large boulder.
"We'll stop over there," the Shitennou said, "There's a nice place just beyond there."
"Good," the prince said, "I'm hungry."
Kunzite chuckled and clucked to his horse, urging the animal into a slightly faster gait. Endymion smiled when he saw the grassy expanse on the other side. The rock provided just enough shade, but without having to worry about leaves and bugs from trees.
"I will take care of the horses, and you set up our lunch, alright?" Kunzite said.
Endymion nodded, dismounting and taking the bags of food from Kunzite. While he unpacked (and gave his approval of) their lunch, Kunzite ground tied the horses, giving them plenty of room to graze.
The two settled in to eat in silence.
"Crystal laughed at me," the prince burst out suddenly, "And she didn't want to meet me in the garden anymore."
Ah that explained a lot. Kunzite merely nodded.
"I wanted to impress her..." Endymion said softly, "Being prince wasn't enough to really impress her, so I thought... if I could show her how good I was at fencing..."
"You were doing well," Kunzite said.
"Until you started making it too hard."
"I did as you asked - you wanted a proper duel."
"I thought you'd help me impress her," Endymion said, tearing his bread into tiny bits and tossing them over to the horses.
Kunzite shook his head. "It is my job to teach you and protect you, not help you impress girls."
The prince sighed.
"Endy," Kunzite shook his head, "I know this is hard to understand. At your age, it seems very important, but..."
"Why are girls so dumb?" Endymion growled, "They're pretty, and soft, and fun... but they're so dumb about what they want! They ask you to do things, but even if you try, you still can't win."
"That's because they don't know what they want either," Kunzite said gently, "It seems bad now, but things will get better when you get older."
"What am I supposed to do now then?"
Kunzite refrained from cringing at the whine in Endymion's voice. "You finish your lunch," he said with a smile.
***
Now that all four were fed, Kunzite, Endymion and their horses were on their way again.
"Do we have to head back?" the prince asked.
"Eventually," Kunzite said with a wink, "As long as it is before dark."
Endymion grinned.
"So which way would you like to go?" he asked, "That path leads off south to the river; that one leads to the village, and that one goes through the field."
"Well..." Endymion looked around, "What about north?"
"There's no path north from here."
"So let's make one!" the prince grinned, "It'll be an adventure."
"No my prince," Kunzite said, "North leads into the forest."
"So? Our horses are trained to navigate rough terrain," Endymion said, "Father's trainer is good."
"No. Pick a different way."
Endymion turned his horse northwards. Kunzite sighed and urged his horse forward, cutting in front of the prince and blocking his path.
"Pick a different way."
"Get out of my way Kunzite!" he tried to go around him.
"No."
"You're always spoiling my fun!" he shouted, "Why can't you just listen to me? What's so wrong about wanting to go exploring, or impressing a girl?"
"Endymion-sama..."
"Silence!" he ordered imperially, and turned his horse, startling the horse into a canter. Prince and horse hurried over to the edge of the forest and vanished inside it.
Kunzite cursed and followed him.
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