Minako awoke in the morning with strong arms wrapped around her; the sun barely visible on the horizon. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around realizing that she wasn’t in her room. She panicked for a moment trying to remember what happened last night when she recognized where she was - Kunzite’s room. A dull ache in her head reminded her of how much she had had to drink last night and wondered when exactly she had fallen asleep. Had she fallen asleep leaning against him? She could faintly remember him walking her to a bed so that she could lay down – funny that it didn’t occur to her what a short distance they travelled.
She turned her head and looked at his sleeping face. His breathing was soft and even and his features seemed so gentle. Is it possible that just a few short hours ago she had fought so fiercely with him only to find herself wrapped in his arms now?
Careful not to wake him, she slowly unwrapped herself from his grasp and slipped out of the room. As quietly as possible she pulled the door shut behind her before heading back towards her own room hoping that she would be able to make it back without being noticed. She turned her head back one last time glancing in the direction of his quarters and was quite startled when she bumped into someone as she turned to look forward again. She bowed her head and began making apologies only to look up to see Adonis’s smiling face.
“My Lady, you look lovely today. I’m surprised to see you so early this morning in this hallway, so close to his quarters. Is everything alright?”
“Why would anything be wrong?”
“I’m just surprised to see you at this early hour, especially here of all places.” She could see a sadness hidden behind his eyes.
“If you are trying to insinuate something I would ask that you come out with it and say it.”
“I would never suggest such a thing of you. It’s him that I am ever mindful of. He has a way with words that you need to be mindful of.”
“I’m fine. I’m just up early is all,” she said, choosing not to elaborate any further.
“I see. Then may I walk with you?” he asked, offering his arm to her.
“Actually I was just on my way back to my own room.”
“That’s only a short walk away then, come.” He put his arm through hers and they walked back towards her room. She wondered to herself why was he so interested in what she was doing. He had been kind to her in both their meetings, but did he want something more from her? She laughed at herself. Of course he couldn’t, he knew that she was to marry Kunzite, why would he expect anything more? What she found to be truly disconcerting was why he was concerned for her. What did he know about Kunzite that she did not?
They arrived at her door and he unraveled his arm from hers, running his hand down her arm and catching some of her hair in the process. She shivered at his touch. His hand ran down to hers and he brought it to his mouth, placing a soft kiss on the backside along her knuckles. “So perfect,” he spoke softly and moved to stand closer to her.
Her throat suddenly felt dry by his proximity and she nervously licked her lips, reaching behind her to open the door to her room.
The bright light began to invade her vision as she struggled to keep her eyes closed. Her head throbbed and the daylight was not making her feel any better. She made a weak attempt to pull the blankets over her face only to have them pulled back down by a hand that was not her own.
“Miss Minako,” Rebecca shook her carefully, “it’s time to get up. Do you know how late in the day it is? There is much to be done today and I need to get started with washing your blankets.”
“Where am I…?” Minako mumbled, barely audible.
“In your room misses – where else would you be?”
Minako smiled to herself as she sat up ignorant to the tangles of her hair, remembering the feel of his arms around her. “Nowhere, Rebecca, there is nowhere else I would be.” She pried her eyes open and flinched by the bright light pouring in through the open window. She put her head in her hands, the tell tale signs of a hangover glossing over her thoughts. ‘I will not drink like that again,’ she thought to herself.
“So how was your dinner last night? You seem like you’re in a good mood, I’m assuming that he was on his best behavior for once.”
“Dinner was good, and he was very polite.”
“Good. I told him last night to be anything other than his normal charming self. I’m glad he listened.”
Minako couldn’t help but to laugh at her assessment of the General. “You are bad, Rebecca.”
“He is in desperate need of a woman to clean him up. He’s been a bachelor for so long that I’m afraid he has become a bit feral in his ways and I am too old to keep reminding him of his bad habits. He’s not really as terrible as he will tell you he is. I think he just forgot what it’s like to be touched by someone who loves him.”
“Rebecca! It’s a little too soon to start talking about love. We had one meal together last night and I don’t even know that it meant anything to him.”
“I’ve already seen him this morning and his foul mood seems to have subsided.”
“Really?”
“You should see him for yourself. There has definitely been some improvement. You will be a good influence on him, I can tell.”
“That’s sweet of you to say, Rebecca. I think we all want to see him happy. Now I must take a bath, hopefully the hot water will help to clear my aching head.”
“I’ve already run a hot bath for you ma’am, just go on in.”
Minako got out of bed and hugged her. “You are too good to me. I’ll let you get back to your work now.”
Kunzite awoke shortly after Minako had left that morning to find himself alone. His hand reached out to where she laid with him last night feeling for her lost warmth. It couldn’t have been a dream having her laying with him, could it? They had spent hours together sitting on the balcony drinking and talking until she fell asleep resting against him. She looked so peaceful, and he knew he should have brought her back to her own room, but he was exhausted himself and didn’t want to walk the halls carrying her. He carefully picked her up and laid her to rest on his bed, sitting next to her, idly playing with some strands of her hair. Thoughts started to race through his mind, he wanted her – she knew that, but he also knew that he couldn’t have her. Not after having drank as much as they did. He debated with himself as to whether he should lay with her or if he should sleep on the couch in his study. The wine made his thoughts fuzzy and he struggled with making his decision, and at last he decided that he would leave her alone for the night – that’s what she would have wanted. With his resolve set he leaned forward on the bed to kiss her forehead. Her eyes fluttered and she grabbed his hand and sleepily asked him to hold her. She looked so beautiful laying there with her hair fanned out around her and in a dress that he was sure had been made just for her, that he couldn’t help himself. He laid down next to her with his arms around her and fell asleep himself.
For a few minutes more he just laid there thinking of their close contact from last night. He ran his hand over her pillow and discovered a ribbon that had been left behind. He smiled to himself knowing that it couldn’t have been a dream after all. She must have woken before he did and left to go back to her room before the rest of the castle staff awoke. A chuckle escaped through his lips as he thought about how no other woman he had been with before was so cautious over her reputation. It was a good change he started thinking to himself. All too soon though he realized that he would have to let his thoughts of his blonde beauty elude him for a while longer while he attended to his other responsibilities.
Later that morning Kunzite met with his soldiers for their morning training. As they practiced they couldn’t help but to notice his improved mood and how he wasn’t pushing them through their drills as hard as he normally would. His mind was otherwise distracted by a certain blonde, which was much appreciated by the men who fought in the high heat of the summer. After a couple of hours he dismissed them from their training, eager to see Minako again. As he watched the departing men he noticed that something hung from Adonis’s sword. It caught the light and he realized that it was a piece of material from Minako’s dress, not unlike the ribbon that was left in his bed this morning. His eyes narrowed wondering how Adonis might have acquired this treasure that should have only belonged to him.
He followed Adonis back to the castle and called for him to stay back while the other men began to disperse, some preparing for their afternoon duties and others heading for their homes to the north of Kunzite’s property. Kunzite approached Adonis and withdrew Adonis’s sword from its sheath, ramming the tip of the blade into the ground as he balanced the sword with his palm resting on the pommel. Staring Adonis down he asked about the ribbon that was so carefully tied to this sword. “Would you care to explain this?”
“It is a favor from a lady. She asked me to tie it to my sword so that I would always remember who I fight for.”
Kunzite was not satisfied with this answer. “You fight for your Prince, Adonis, and not some woman.”
“Perhaps you do, Kunzite, but I fight for love.”
“And whose love is it that you fight for today, Adonis? Is this still about your mystery woman who was never seen again?”
“Does it matter? Is love not love, regardless of who is involved?”
“It matters to me and that’s all that should matter to you.” He pulled off the piece of ribbon. “I know who this belongs to; now tell me where you got it from.”
“It was a gift from the Lady herself. I can still remember the soft smell of her perfume and the touch of her hair. She really is so beautiful that it’s a shame that she is going to be your downfall.”
“You will watch how you speak of Minako.”
“Do you not see it already? You’re distracted, your mind was not with the men this morning and I’m sure your thoughts were not of protecting the Prince.”
Kunzite pulled Adonis’s sword from the ground and swung it up to Adonis’s neck, stopping as the blade rested against his flushed skin. Adonis did not flinch, instead standing his ground. “Consider yourself warned, Adonis. I will not be so tolerant of your talk. Your place is below me, and I would think that after our previous discussions you would have realized that. Unless you are choosing to forgo your title and rank, I would suggest that you refrain from further contact with my fiancée.” With that he dropped Adonis’s sword to the ground and proceeded into the castle. Adonis growled lightly in response and angrily reached down to pick up his sword as he stared after Kunzite’s retreating back.
