AN: Welcome to my latest story, dear readers! This is a SilMil fic, but not at all like the ones you're probably used to reading…but don't let that deter you! I think you'll agree it's a positive thing once we get going here 3

A HUGE, GIGANTIC, OMG, YOU'RE AMAZING thank you to my forever beta, FloraOne. This story never would have happened without you, and you have no idea how grateful I am to have you not only as a beta, but as my friend. (PS, if you haven't read her stuff, YOU'RE WRONG! XD)

So, without further ado, enjoy chapter 1, and please let me know what you think! I LIIIIVEEEE for your reviews!

oOo

A soft sigh stirred him from his sleep. Reaching out blindly, he pulled her further into his embrace, luxuriating in the feel of her hair all around him. Long, flowing hair that smelled of strawberries and reminded him of the sun.

He smiled, still not ready to open his eyes or let the daunting light of day enter his chamber. With daylight came separation from his love, and a bond to duty he never asked for, let alone want. A curse of his birth he could not escape.

Except in these sweet, still moments between dusk and dawn, where the outside world ceased to exist. Moments where he could choose to be with whom he wanted. And she was what he wanted.

"Good morning, my love," a lilting voice flitted into his mind, and he blearily opened his eyes.

"How ever did you know that I was awake?" he asked, a teasing grin making its way onto his lips.

A soft giggle escaped her. "Because you had that blissful smile on your face that you only get in the mornings when you awaken, and I'm still here."

"And what usually happens after I awaken with that blissful smile you're speaking of?" he asked, voice husky near her ear, as his hand began soft touches against her thigh.

"You do your very best to put the same look on my face," she whispered, eyes locking onto his, before they fluttered closed, and she breached the distance between their lips.

It was some minutes later, after he had latched his mouth onto her breast, tongue swirling around a swollen nipple, while his hand rubbed tantalizing circles between her legs, that there was a loud knock on the door.

Before either occupant of the chamber could react to the noise, the door had swung open, allowing a striking man with long, silver-white hair to stride into the room. "Endymion, your father wishes to speak with…" General Kunzite began, trailing off when he noticed the two in the bed scrambling to cover their nudity.

Endymion quickly gathered the woman into his arms, sitting up briskly, and doing his best to shield her from Kunzite's gaze. "Kunzite…" he growled in obvious frustration, "Did it ever occur to you that the purpose of knocking was to give the person inside a chance to respond?"

Kunzite continued to look Endymion square in the eye, his stance unwavering. "I'm so sorry, Endymion," he drawled sarcastically. "But seeing as I keep your schedule managed to the minute, I didn't expect you to be…" Kunzite raised a skeptical eyebrow, and moved his gaze towards the woman in Endymion's bed. "...sticking your prick up Lady-"

"Kunzite!" the prince yelled, but the general simply kept on.

"-of course if you weren't, that would imply you were even the least bit responsible, which we both know is an area in which you are severely lacking."

Endymion's eyes narrowed into slits at Kunzite's words. "Are you quite finished?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Kunzite replied, "but your father is expecting you shortly, Endymion. Surely you know better than to keep him waiting?"

And without another word, he turned and exited the room, his cape billowing behind him as he slammed the door shut.

With a sigh, and a frustrated run of his hands through his tousled hair, Endymion lay back against the pillows. "God, that man. I swear-"

He was interrupted when a calming hand was placed on his chest. "I understand where he's coming from, Endymion."

Endymion looked at her incredulously, mouth gaping open as he tried to find the words to respond, until she laughed at him, and continued on. "Please don't misunderstand me, love. It does bother me, because I so wish we could be married. And I know General Kunzite wouldn't be so against us if we were. His job is to protect the crown. To protect you. I can respect that."

Sighing deeply, once more, Endymion pulled her against him, burying his head into the endless strands of her hair, and breathing in its scent. "It is true. He would follow you to the ends of the Earth if you were his queen."

She smiled sadly against his chest. "I know, Endymion. But it is not to be."

The couple sat in silence for a few moments more, before Endymion gently deposited her back against the pillows. He kissed her lightly, enjoying the feel of her smile against his lips, as he rose to dress.

The prince would normally wear informal attire for his day to day activities, usually a richly adorned tunic of the deepest blue, but when his father was involved, Endymion knew he was expected to don his full royal regalia, armor and all.

He had always felt that he looked rather foolish in such a getup, but he had to commend whomever had designed his armor, as it was lightweight, and moved with him as if it were a part of him. None of the clunkiness his soldiers experienced with their uniforms was present, and he was incredibly grateful for it.

Finally fastening the last bit of cape to his shoulders, Endymion walked back towards the bed, bending to kiss her once more. "I love you," he told her, his voice thick with emotion.

She smiled brightly at him, and raised a comforting hand to stroke his cheek. "I love you, too. Hurry back?"

"The devil himself couldn't keep me away," Endymion said, unable to keep the grin from his face.

With one last kiss to her lips, the prince walked to the door, closing it behind him, as a sudden feeling of dread washed over him.

oOo

Endymion took a deep breath as he turned the handle to enter his father's study. The sight that greeted him was a familiar one. His father, the great King Aethlius, sitting behind a large desk, scribbling away at any number of official documents, with his spectacles sitting low on his nose, was an image that always brought a smile to the prince's face.

While a study often implied a small, personal space, the king had, instead, chosen a large room with nearly endless shelves full of books. In many aspects, the study more resembled a library than a study.

The study had once belonged to Endymion's mother, the Queen Calyce, and after her death, Aethlius had found much solace spending time in the place his beloved wife had loved most.

This particular place was also Endymion's favorite in the palace, both because of the memories it held of his mother, and the countless time he had spent in it with his father.

Aethlius glanced up at his son, for a brief moment, before turning back to his writing. "Sit, Endymion."

The prince had to suppress a chuckle at the way his father greeted him. Aethlius had always had a difficult time switching between his roles of king and father, but Endymion had long ago learned to recognize the warmth in his father's voice. A warmth he only ever heard when the king addressed him.

"You wanted to see me, father?" he asked, as he sat in the plush chair opposite Aethlius.

The king was silent, while he finished signing the parchment in front of him. After he was finished, he placed the large quill back into the bottle of ink, and sat back in his chair, sighing deeply.

"Yes, my son. There are urgent matters we must discuss, and they cannot wait. I'm afraid I have already waited too long."

A twinge of fear surged through Endymion, but his lifetime of training allowed him to mask it well. He and Aethlius often discussed matters of state, but he couldn't recall the last time his father had wanted to speak with him about urgent matters.

"Urgent matters, father? Surely it can't be anything too serious if it involves me," Endymion countered with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood in an attempt to quell his own fears.

Aethlius smiled at him sadly. His eyes reflecting something heavy Endymion could not explain. "Endymion," he began, appearing to search for the right words, "there comes a time in every king's life where he has to consider securing the future of the crown."

The prince sat in silence, looking at his father with concern and furrowed brows. "Father, are you ill?"

The sadness was temporarily wiped away from Aethlius' face, as he laughed softly at his son's conclusion. "Eager to get rid of me, are you, son?"

Endymion's eyes grew wide in horror. "No! No of course not-"

"I'm talking about marriage, Endymion," Aethlius interrupted. "It's time for you to be married."

A spark of hope lit itself in Endymion's chest. He'd been searching for an opportunity to propose marriage with her. She was of nobility. Surely the people and certainly his father wouldn't object to such a match?

He tried his best not to look too eager when he replied, "Married, you say? And have you picked out my lovely bride, or do I get some say in the matter?"

Aethlius' face fell instantly, as his eyes fell to the parchment in front of them. Without saying a word, the king pushed the document towards his son, allowing it to say the words he couldn't seem to muster himself.

Endymion took the parchment with shaking hands, dread washing over him at the look on his father's face. He scanned the words quickly picking out his own name, and the word, "betrothed", before his eyes fell on what he was searching for.

'Endymion, Prince of Earth, has been promised to...'

His eyes grew wide, and he was unable to hide the, now, violent shaking of his hands. "You can't be serious," he said without attempt to hide the malice in his voice.

Aethlius drew in a deep breath. "Now, Endymion, I know this might not seem like a good match, but-"

"Might not?! Father, you might as well have sold me into slavery!" the prince shouted, rising from his chair.

"Endymion, be reasonable-"

"You be reasonable, father! How could you possibly think this was a good idea?! You've worked your whole life to make us independent, to prove we don't need help. How does this not undo everything you've done?" Endymion said, trying to regain a sense of calm in his voice, and failing miserably.

Aethlius rose from his chair, face grave. "I was a fool, Endymion. A fool to think that we were capable of doing this on our own. We need this alliance. We must have this alliance. The future of our people depend on it."

Endymion had started pacing the room, intermittently running frustrated hands through his hair. HIs cape billowing in his wake.

But abruptly, he stopped.

Moving back over towards the desk, he placed his hands on the desk, and looked his father dead in the eye. "Father," he pleaded, "don't make me do this. Please. I beg of you."

But Aethlius' face remained unmoved. "Kings do not beg, Endymion."

Endymion's face grew sickly pale. "But father, I'm in love."

Aethlius looked towards the rows and rows of books, sighing. "I know."

Endymion couldn't help his sharp intake of breath. Had he somehow gotten through to his father? Was that all it would take? "Then why-"

At the sound of his son's voice, Aethlius looked back at Endymion with the all too familiar sadness, making him look years older than he actually was.

"Because it is your duty, Endymion."

oOo

Endymion couldn't remember how he'd managed to get back to his chambers. He couldn't even remember opening the door.

The only thing that registered in his brain, was her concerned voice calling out to him. "Endymion?! What's wrong?"

He turned unseeing eyes towards the voice, willing them to focus. Slowly, his head began to shake back and forth, anger rising in him, his fists clenching. "No. No, he can't make me do this!"

She took his face into her hands to still his movements. Slowly running her thumbs across his cheeks. "Make you do what, love?"

He opened his mouth once. Twice. Three times, before he was able to choke out the word.

"Marry."

Her hands fell to her sides, and her eyes cast down towards the floor.

When Endymion saw the defeat in her frame, he clasped her shoulders. "I won't do it. I won't. I don't care what it means. I'll give up the crown if I have to-"

She stopped him with a finger to his lips. "No, Endymion," she said, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "We knew this day would come. We knew it from the very beginning!"

"I don't care!" he shouted, uncaring about who might hear him on the other side of the door.

She smiled sadly. "Yes, you do, love. You were born to be king. It is your duty to marry for the good of the people."

Endymion's hands tightened their grip on her. "But an arranged marriage? What good will a queen I can never love do my people? Our people?"

"Your mother and father's marriage was arranged. Look at all the good they did for Earth," she tried to reason.

He let go of her shoulders, sighing in frustration while turning towards the window. "That was different. Everyone loved my mother. She was…" he trailed off, wishing for the comfort of his mother more, as if he were a little boy still clinging to her skirts. "...perfect."

Another sad smile lit her face, as she walked over to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You will come to love whoever you are promised to marry, Endymion."

He turned around, and she nearly gasped at the wild look in his eyes, before she found herself being crushed to his chest, locked in an embrace that seemed as if it were his last.

"No, Beryl. I will never love another. Do you understand me? Never."

Beryl looked up at him, auburn hair askew from being so tightly locked in Endymion's arms. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Endymion."

She was unable to hold back the tears, though she had tried so hard. Her sobs broke his heart all over again, as he clutched her to him, rocking her back and forth, and whispering, "I love you. Only you. Forever. I swear it."

When Beryl finally found her voice, again, only two questions were able to manifest on her lips. "When?" she breathed out.

"A fortnight."

Her sobbing stilled, and she pushed on his chest to move out of his embrace, moving swiftly towards her cloak resting on a chair.

Endymion moved after her, reeling from the sudden shock of the loss of her warmth. "Beryl!" he cried, grabbing her hand. "Please stay. Please. I-I can't bear this without you."

Beryl reached up to touch his cheek, once more, as if allowing herself one last touch. "And I can't bear it with you."

When she saw the tortured look in his eyes, she her face softened. Fresh, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. "I love you, Endymion."

A strangled cry left him. "And I love you."

She donned her cloak silently, not speaking again, until her hand reached the door handle. Without turning back to him, she asked. "Who is it?"

He sighed, utterly defeated.

"The Crown Princess Serenity of the Moon."

She gave one nod of her head, opened the door, and clicked it shut.

Endymion fell to his knees, and wept silent, agonized tears.

To be continued….

AN: AHHH! Did I fool you?!

If you're worried this is going to be an Endymion Beryl story, just remember I ONLY write Usagi/Mamoru fanfiction, so please don't fret too much.

They're going to be as amazing as always, we just have to take a little detour to get there 3

Please let me know what you think!