Chapter 7

Jupiter sat in her dark room and remembered.

It had been the first day of the Lunar holidays. She and Venus had lain in this room, giddy on wine, and Venus has reached over to touch the bracelet. She had giggled as she'd done so--such an innocent sound.
And she'd said, "What is this? You never take it off."
And Jupiter had said, "It's a family heirloom."
And Venus had giggled again and said, "I've seen something like this before. On Venus. A True Love bracelet."
And Jupiter had shifted, and in the boldness of the wine, had said, "That's what it is."
Venus had stopped giggling after that. Jupiter knew the serious look on her face--so serious it was comical, almost--would stay with her forever. Venus stopped giggling, and for awhile stopped talking and touching her where robe met skin. Then Venus did speak, and all she said was, "I'm sorry, Emi,"
And Emi had closed her eyes, forced out an, "It's okay," and got up to get some more wine.
They never spoke of it again.

In the dark, Jupiter sighed and rubbed at her face, as if trying to smear away the memory. She rather liked the dark; it was cooler, for one, and so still. It reminded her of home, where the Sun's light was not so bright and everpresent. She liked the feeling of just herself in this place.

Except, if she was not mistaken, she was no longer alone.

Nephrite had stared at Jadeite for a second, then blurted out, "You're kidding!"

"I wish," Jade said.

"Things like that don't exist," Nephrite said.

"On Earth, maybe," Jade replied. He moved to the couch and sat down heavily. "This is the Moon, the System. Who knows what's possible, out here?"

"Every bit of training I've ever had says no," Nephrite replied. "239,000 miles doesn't change that."

Jade just gave him a look, as if to say, "What are you, an idiot?" When Nephrite didn't say anything else, he shook his head and said, "Fine. Don't believe me, just because I've known her for years longer than you have. Go ask Jupiter, she'll say the same thing."

Nephrite looked him over, then nodded. "I will."

"Fine. It'll be on your head then, not mine," Jade replied, leaning back into the couch and closing his eyes.

Nephrite didn't reply. He gathered power, then stepped into shadow and sought her room. The traces of power he had used there stood out like a beacon, and he found it easily. It was a much shorter journey than just walking, as shadow journeys were.

He stepped from darkness into darkness. For a moment, he wasn't sure where he was.

Then, from the dark, "Hello, Lord Nephrite."

He turned at the voice, tried to home in on it, but couldn't see anything. "Hello, Lady Jupiter," he said, voice quiet. "Why are you sitting in the dark?"

"Memories." A pause. "I trust Jadeite told you?"

"Yes."

"Cousin," she sighed.

"If it helps, Lady, I threatened his life," Nephrite replied. He wanted to add, "And I didn't believe him, either," but it didn't seem right, given her reaction.

A pause again. Then, "It helps. A little."

They were silent again. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness, but he still couldn't see her.

A breath. "If you're going to stay...come, sit," she said.

"I can't see you, Lady," he replied.

Another pause. Then a tiny firework of green light shot up in the air, a soft light brilliant in the dark. It hovered above her, and after a moment's adjustment he saw she sat on the bed. He made his way over to her, and as he sat down, the light went out.

They sat in silence for a moment. Then, he said, "Lady, why are you so distressed?"

Quiet. Then, "Why aren't you?"

He raised his wrist, the bracelet clinking in the dark, and stared blindly in its direction. "I'm...surprised," he ventured cautiously. "I didn't...don't believe such things are possible."

"They are." Her voice was resigned.

"How?" he asked. "How can a bracelet..."

He felt her fingers touch his wrist. They were cold. "I was told that the metal comes from Pluto, and the charm within the metal is Venusian. That would make sense, but I...honestly don't know how it works. I just know that it does."

Her fingers left his wrist.

They sat in the dark and quiet for a little longer. He said, "It could be wrong."

"It isn't," she said. Her voice was quiet and hard.

"Why do you say so, Lady?"

"Because..." She paused, as if considering her words. "Because that bracelet has been in my family for years, handed down from one generation to the next. My mother and father were joined by it. My father's father and mother." A pause. "Eight generations of us, all joined by that bracelet."

Whatever words he had to say, they died on his lips. |Eight generations,| he thought. |That's...nearly two hundred years. Incredible!|

"It was given to me on my eighth birthday, just before I was sent to the Moon. The Seer told me to 'rejoice when it broke'." Her voice was dry, devoid of emotion. "I knew the stories already, of how the bracelet worked." Her voice shifted higher, taking on a sing-song rhythm. "At the touch of your True Love, the bracelet will break. Place it on your True Love's wrist, and it will heal without a clasp. As only death can part True Love, only death will part the bracelet from their wrist."

She went quiet.

"Lady," he said, voice warm in the silence, " I am not sure I understand."

"What part, Lord?"

"Why this bothers you so much." He paused, then went on, words skittering uncontrolably out of his mouth. "I understand why you might be reticent to...accept that I am your True Love. We have only known each other a short while..."

"Two days," she murmured.

"...yet even so, I already feel a...closeness with you. Lady, I could..."

"No." Her voice was dark. "No."

"Lady, why not? Is it my...planet of origin?" His voice was cautious.

"I don't care about that!" she cried out. The 'energy' from her, which had been so muted, suddenly sizzled between that. "I wouldn't care if you were from Earth, or the asteroids, of the fucking Sun!" She took in a wounded breath. "It's just..."

"Just..." he prompted.

She took several ragged breaths, chest hitching with each inhale and exhale. Then, in the quiet dark, she whispered, "You're not supposed to exist."

"Oh, Lady..." he whispered back.

She let out a sob, stopping his words. It sounded so painful, so repressed, that it froze him completely for a moment. Then, he did what felt natural: he reached out and took her into his arms.

She resisted for a moment, but just when he felt he would have to let her go she stopped, and flowed against him. It didn't halt her crying--if anything, it increased it--but now, at least, he could do something for her.

She seemed to cry for a very long time. He did all he knew to do: kept her close and tight, whispering soft words of comfort and laying gentle kisses in her hair. But mostly, he just let her cry. He had been told once that tears were the lubricant of the soul, and that holding it all back just dried a person up inside. Best then to cry.

|It must have been a very long time for you, Lady,| he thought. |A very long time.|

After sometime, when her sobs were nothing more than sniffles, he said, "Lady...I wish I could see you."

She sniffed. "Why?" she asked. "I must look terrible."

He smiled in the darkness. "I doubt it. And...and I want to see you."

"Nephrite," she said softly, "you're crazy."

He chuckled. "I've been told that before." He paused, then added, "Please?"

She let out a sigh against his shoulder. "Candles on the table," she finally said.

He reached out and concentrated--firestarting was not one of his major talents--and soon a warm light unfurled from the candles. He pulled away from her a little bit, and she raised her face to his.

Candlelight is the kindest light, and even so, Jupiter looked ragged. Her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks stained with tears and bits of fluff from his shirt, and her lips were dry and had small bite marks in them. She still had on the dress from this afternoon, a high necked green confection slashed with pink. She had taken off her veil and the headband it was attached to, but her hair was stilled pinned in place, two dainty brown curls hanging down by her ears.

Venus in the sun had been gorgeous beyond compare. Yet Jupiter, now, with tears on her lashes, outshone her.

|Dear gods,| he thought to himself as he raised a hand to brush back a curl of hair. He cupped her face, and she leaned into his hand. |Dear...gods.|

"Terrible, yes?" she said, voice falsely light.

"No," he replied. "You're beautiful."

"Your far too kind, Lord Nephrite," she said, eyes skimming across his.

"Not at all, Lady," he said, voice husky, thumb brushing across her cheek.

Her eyes widened, then met his for a moment. He wondered what she saw there. He wondered, again, how someone's eyes could be that sharp and deep a green, so clearly defined by the wide band of black around her iris.

Whatever she saw there, it triggered something in her. "Nephrite," she said again, voice barely there. Her eyelashes fluttered, her head tipped back, and she leaned towards him.

He took it for what it was: an invitation. He leaned in and kissed her.

Her mouth was firm against him for a moment, then softened. He pulled back a hair, kissed her again, and this time her lips opened a little beneath his. He continued to kiss her like this, slowly coaxing her mouth open, until they were slanted completely against each other. They kept this up for a few minutes, and then tentatively, he touched her tongue with his.

The kiss, so sweet, so slow, exploded.

Her arms came back around him, his around her, and whatever reticence they'd shown before vanished. He submerged himself in it completely, and so only remembered quick bits of it later. Her hands on his back. Slowly laying back, her following every step. The moan when they'd started to separate a little. Her fingers finding the buttons to his jacket. His fingers, up and down her spine, searching for the key to her dress.

Then, without warning, she was gone.

For a moment he was still, and the air felt far too cold. His eyes opened. The candles flickered beside him. He sat up.

She was standing across the room, arms wrapped around herself, trying to catch her breath. Hair had escaped from the pins on her head, and she looked rather rumpled. She didn't meet his eyes.

"We can't," she said.

He just stared at her. He had no words.

She drooped. "I can't," she whispered.

He found the first button on his jacket. Buttoned it.

"Please, please. Don't be angry," she said.

He looked up at her.

She sighed. "All right, be angry," she said. "Just listen."

Button number two. This one was loose; he'd have to resew it.

"I'm the only child of my father and mother, before she died," she said. "Does that...does that mean anything to you?"

He looked up, considered her for a moment. "It makes you First Issue," he said, voice cool. "First heir."

She nodded quickly. "Yes," she said.

He looked back down at his jacket. Hmm, where was button number three? "Unless your father remarried, and she bore a son," he said.

"They were joined by the bracelet, my mother and father," she said, voice soft. "Who would he marry now?"

He looked up at her. "Anyone who would provide him an heir," he said.

A flash of anger darkened her eyes, then passed. "It wouldn't matter now, anyways," she said. "Not for my situation."

"Lady, far be it from me to impugn your knowledge of politics..."

He never got to finish that sentence, because suddenly she was there in front of him. "Stand up," she commanded.

Wearily, he got to his feet, wondering what was next.

At which point, she kissed him.

He was steel for a moment, but she was persistent, and he found himself giving into her again. This time wasn't full of passion, but other emotions--sorrow and sweetness.

The kiss broke naturally. His hands were on her waist, hers on his shoulders. He leaned in, rested his forehead aghainst hers, eyes closed, and sighed. "I'm sorry," he said.

She made a stiffled sound. "I was rude, but..."

"But..."

She pushed away a little, and met his eyes. Her hand came up to cup his cheek. "It was the only way I could push myself away from you," she said, voice soft, eyes sincere. "And I had to."

"You could've said 'no'."

She smiled a little. "I didn't want to say no," she said.

"Oh."

Her smile faded, and she pulled her hand away. "Sit, Nephrite," she said, voice steely but gentle.

He did so, and she sat down next to him again. He turned a little to face her, but she kept her eyes on the room.

"I might as well state this bluntly," she said. "I couldn't...continue with you, knowing what you are, because I am not a free woman."

His eyes widened. "You're married?" he whispered.

She shook her head, a half-smile on her face. "No, nothing like that," she said. She turned her head a little, so he could see more of her face. "At least, not that I know of."

He said nothing. She looked back out into the room.

"The bracelet you wear was part of an agreement between my family and the Moon," she said. "Almost two centuries ago, the relationship between the Inner and Outer planets was far more shaky than it is now. The Queen at the time..."

"I thought the Moon had the same Queen since the Rabbit Rebellion," he broke in.

She gave him a side glance, mouth quirked a little. "It's complicated," she said.

He let it pass.

"The Queen at the time proposed to seal the two parts of the system together by bringing Jupiter in to the Court as an Inner planet," she said. "Although there was much debate, all eventually agreed, and my family was chosen rulers of the planet." Her face developed a faraway look, as if she could actually see into that past. After a moment, she shook it off and continued, "The Queen gave my family the bracelet you wear to seal the bargain."

She must have sensed his puzzlement, because she looked at him then. "There are certain benefits to coming to Court," she said, voice low. "The Queen wanted to ensure that they stayed within my family, as we don't have to worry about Inner sterility." She gave him a dark smile. "Jade and I wouldn't be related if we did."

He didn't quite understand what she meant, but he nodded for her to go on. She looked away again.

"Because of planetary distance, it has also usually been the case that the Jovian representative is not the Heir to the Planet, as with the the Inner representatives. Instead, the second or third born Princess was usually sent. This worked out well; the Heir to my family married their True Love within the Jovian houses, and the Court representative could be used for..." here she swallowed, "bargaining. This was specified at the time of the treaty, agreed to by all."

The picture had begun to take shape in his head. "Until you," he said.

"Until me," she agreed. She paused, took in a long breath, and exhaled it slowly.

"My mother died in an accident in space," she said, voice quiet. "It broke my father, and cast a pall over the entire court." She looked at him. "I was three."

He wanted to say something. He wanted to reach out again. Instead, he nodded.

"Eventually, someone asked what would happen to the arrangement. The meetings went on, oh, forever it seemed. Finally, they decided they would send me as a Court Representative, under the same conditions, the only difference being that whoever I married would also end up with the Heir of Jupiter." She paused, then added, "It's actually seen as a better deal than before. My bloodline is spread all over the system, in various houses; surely, among those distant relations, there was someone fit to be the next ruler of the planet."

She turned to face him, not meeting his eyes. "So though I knew the story of the bracelet, it would never be MY story. My life is not my own, not even when I reach majority in four and a half years. My marriage will not be my own; it will be decided by the Jovian Council and the Queen to best benefit both of them."

She raised her head a little, and when her voice came, it was far away. "I told myself over and over again that despite the bracelet on my arm, despite what the Seer had told me as a child, that my True Love didn't exist. Because he COULDN'T exist. Not in my life." She finally met his eyes. "And that's why I am so damn scared of that bracelet on your arm. It shouldn't be possible that it sits there...and neither should you. Neither should you! Because I could..." She broke off, eyes dropping.

He didn't say anything for several minutes, and she turned back away from him, hand covering her face. The distance between them, small as before, seemed so much greater now.

Finally, he said, "Lady...could you not ask the Queen to release you from such a deal?"

She didn't say anything for a moment, then, "Yes."

His heart lifted for a moment. Then she said, "But I won't. I can't." She turned back to him, eyes sad. "The relationship between my planet and the Moon has been too productive to let it go now. And I..." She trailed off, unable to finish.

"But Lady..."

"No!" she said, looking away. "No," she repeated, voice softer. Then, "You should go."

He nodded to himself, understanding. He found that last button and did it up, but he couldn't leave just yet. He scooted a little closer to her, and put his hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly, but didn't move away.

"Lady," he said, voice soft, "may I kiss you good-bye?"

Her head came up, and she glared at him. "How can you ask that?" she hissed.

"I ask," he said, staying still, "because I want to leave you with one good memory of me, Lady."

"Oh, Nephrite," she said, and tears smudged her eyes again. "I have good memories of you. Last night, and yesterday, and..."

He put a finger to her lips. "One good memory of me like this, Lady. Knowing what we would be."

"Can a good memory come of that?" she whispered.

"Yes, Lady," he said, tilting her chin up with two fingers. "Yes."

She studied him for a long moment, then whispered, "Yes."

He leaned in and kissed her. There was passion in it, and sorrow, and a taste of the possibilites that lay between them. He longer to explore that just a little more, but she pulled back, eyes glossy.

"Go," she said. "Go, before I can't ever let you leave."

He pressed a hand to her cheek, and nodded. He stood up, and stepped back, and for a moment, drank in the sight of her. Then, he called power, and moved back into the shadows.

She watched him go, and then, as if exhaling a breath long held, let out a long, ragged sob.

Nephrite emerged back into his room with a heavy heart.

His mind, on the other hand, was racing.

Jadeite looked up as he came in. He was working again on something--it looked like a small flute--but he didn't 'pocket' it this time. Instead, he said, "Long night?"

Nephrite sat down on the couch across from him. On closer inspection, it wasn't a flute at all, but a recorder. "Yes," he said.

Jade nodded, then looked down. "She told you, huh?" he said.

"She did." He was almost surprised by the levelness of his voice.

Jade worked a moment longer on the recorder, then stopped. "It's not fair," he said, voice harsh.

"No, it's not."

"Poor girl deserves a chance at happiness," he said.

"She does."

"Even if it's with you."

Nephrite couldn't surpress a chuckle. "Yes, even if it's with someone as horrible as me."

"I wish we could do something."

Nephrite leaned forward, propping his chin on his hands. "So do I," he said. "But what I already thought of, she seems dead set against."

Jade shook his head, and went back to working. After some time, he asked, "So, you want another go at prying that off your wrist? It'd be..." he paused, struggling for words, "a nice thing to do?"

Nephrite had been lost in his thoughts, but the tail end of Jade's words snapped him out of it. "Say that again," he said.

Jade pointed at his wrist. "You. Me. Bracelet. Off." He smirked. "Get it?"

Nephrite's eyes widened, and a sudden smile broke out over his face. "That's exactly what we're going to do," he said.

"Excellent!" Jade crowed. "I know I saw a crowbar around here somewhere..."

"No, I've got a better way to do it," he said. He stood up. "Come on."

Jade gave him an odd look. "Where to?" he asked.

"We need to talk to Zoisite. And the Commander, if he's not..."

"He's not," Jade said, standing.

"He's not?" Nephrite asked, surprised.

Jade rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you on the way," he said, pulling out his flute.