Part XIV

"Jadeite, I am beginning to wonder about your true motives regarding this human girl," Queen Beryl tells Jae after he gives his report to her.

"What do you mean, my Queen?" he asks, keeping his voice even and humble.

"You spend almost all day with her every day, and yet you come back with the same information you gave me the day before," Beryl explains, annoyance in her voice.

"I apologize, my Queen," Jae says, going down on one knee and keeping his gaze on the floor.

Beryl looks down at him, speculative.

"Jadeite, look at me," she orders.

Jae raises his sapphire eyes to look up at her.

"What do you see?"

"I see my Queen, the one who I answer to."

"Am I beautiful? More so than that human you spend your days with?"

Jae  swallows. "Of...of course you are, my Queen. More beautiful by a million fold."

"Would you do with me what you do with her?"

Though the very thought makes him sick to his stomach, he has no choice but to answer, "If you so wished it, my Queen, I would."

Beryl nods, satisfied with the grip she has over him.

"Good. Return to your duties, Jadeite."

"Yes, my Queen." He says, bowing down and kissing her hand before returning to duties around the Dark Kingdom.

The next day, late in the day, there's a knock at Diana's bedroom door.

Diana looks up from the drawing she's working on.

"Yes?"

"It's your mother."

Diana gets up to unlock the door and let her mother in.

"Hello, Mother, what can I do for you?" she asks wearily.

"Naomi said that you were being mean to her, breaking things whenever she comes in here. She said that you even cut yourself open and tried to bleed on her," Diana's mother says in a quiet, angry tone.

Diana sighs and sits back, looking at her with narrowed green eyes, neither woman notices Jadeite teleport back in at a hidden place in Diana's room. He was there earlier, but got called away.

"You really shouldn't believe everything that girl says, mother.

I've never thrown anything at her and do you see any cuts on my body that are big enough to have blood literally drip out of?"

"Stand up and take off your shirt."

"What?!"

"You heard me, girl, do it. I can't see enough of you with that sweatshirt on."

"Oh FINE," Diana says with exasperation as she stands and pulls her shirt off over her head, resting her hands on her hips.

"Hands at your sides," Diana's mother says, frowning slightly at the skimpy black bra she wears for Jadeite, "typical attire for a slut."

"You're the one who made me take off my shirt," Diana growls as her mother walks around her, looking for any fresh cuts in her skin. "How embarrassing, being eyed up by your own mother," she mutters.

"Shut up, Diana."

Diana frowns.

After a few moments, her mother orders, "Take that black thing off."

"What are you SMOKING, Mother?! I'm not gonna take my bra off! Aren't I embarrassed enough?!"

"I found no cuts on the obvious places. Now take it off, girl. Half the boys in town have seen your boobs, you shouldn't be shy," her mother says with contempt.

"No they haven't and I will NOT take my bra off!!"

Jae frowns, clenching his fists, knowing that if he shows himself, Diana only gets into more trouble.

"Why must you be so difficult?"

"You're telling to strip for you!"

"It's not like you haven't for total strangers!"

"I haven't and I won't!!"

Her mother growls and goes behind her eldest, practically tearing the bra off of the girl.

Diana clenches her jaw, and, closing her eyes, turns red.

"You happy now?" she asks in a soft deadly tone.

"You got away with it this time."

"I DID NOTHING! WHY THE HELL CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!" Diana suddenly explodes, the power of her voice sending her mother fleeing the room in tears.

She turns back just long enough to see Diana put her fist through the wall in a fit of rage.

She closes the door before fleeing downstairs.

Jae grabs Diana by the shoulders and pulls her tight against his chest, just holding her until she relaxes into his arms.

"Are you hurt?" he asks softly, feeling her start to tremble.

"I...I'm ok...did you...see the whole thing?" Diana whispers in a trembling voice.

"Almost all of it..."

Diana whimpers softly, trembling.

"It's ok, love, I'm here for you," he gently picks her up and holds her close, lying back on the bed with her.

"No matter what, I'm always with you in spirit. Always."

She looks up at him, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"That's so...sweet," she swallows, putting her arms around him, "and I'm here for you, too."

Part XIII
Part XV
Beginnings and Endings Index