*Disclaimer: White walls are BORING!!!
::grabs her posters:: Time to decorate the
walls with lovely SM posters!! ::RS sticks 
posters everywhere:: Hey, CP, check out
the purdy posters! ::no answer:: CP? CP?
Uh oh. CP? ::muffled screams are heard:: 
Hehe, oops? Guess I'll have to find her.
Yo! Guys in white suits! Little help?

A deep pulsing
An ache
Can we...
Never, just
We fall
But dare we see?
The darkness
Only a façade
The light?
Never existed
Just...
What is it?
What is it that we feel?
We feel...
I feel...
I no longer know.

Desert Mirage
Chapter 8
By: Eternal Angel and The Rose Society
Rating: R
Email: stargazing12@hotmail.com
	EtrlSlrMn@aol.com
http://www.steelpenguin.com/~fromangeltofoes/
http://www.geocities.com/the_rose_society/


	Serenity moved quickly, hoping to
escape notice. She avoided the more active
areas of the palace, knowing that someone
would stop her and might attract Endymion's
notice. Unfortunately for her, she was not
as familiar with the back of the palace as
she was with the front. After many dead ends,
she finally found her way to freedom. At the
palace exit, however, the guards would
definitely be there, standing guard. There
would be no escaping their questions. But
Serenity was prepared.

	As soon as one of the guards spotted
Serenity, he immediately moved to block her
path. "HALT!" The other guard, mirroring his
partner's movements, then asked, "Where are you 
headed, miss?"

	Gathering her senses, Serenity spoke as
calmly as possible. "His highness has given
orders to allow me my freedom, has he not?"

	The guards looked at each other,
uncertainly. They had been issued those orders
earlier, true, but the Sultan had locked this 
girl up not too long ago. It would be a perfect
time for her to escape and if she did and the
Sultan somehow forgotten those  orders, it would
not bode well for the two.

	Seeing their hesitation, Serenity played
her trump card, praying that the guards would
fall for it. "Shall I interrupt his highness and
ask the Sultan here myself, and let him reiterate
his orders to you both?" She moved slightly, as
if she was truly going to call Endymion. 'Please,
please, let this work,' thought Serenity, her
insides quivering.

	The ruse worked. The guards promptly
moved aside and let Serenity pass. "Forgive us,
miss. Please, proceed."

	Relief poured through her body. She was
going to finally escape from this miserable place.
She walked quickly toward her freedom. Just a few
steps more...

	"Wait," said one of the guards gruffly.

	Serenity stopped dead in her tracks,
startled. Had they changed their minds?

	The guard motioned toward her small
bundle. "What is that?"

	Serenity opened the bundle, allowing the
guards to see its contents. "Just some old clothes.
I was going to throw them away and buy some new
ones at the night market."

	Nodding, the guard let Serenity pass. Once
outside, Serenity let out the breath that she had
been holding. It had been close, but she had
finally escaped.

	The soft breeze of the night cradled her
face and hair, as the beautiful moon floated within
the crisp beautiful sky, overcast with clouds of
darkness. The stars shone with a bright brilliance, 
twinkling merrily. A sad smile came to her face.
She was finally free, free from her father, free
from the old man, and most importantly, free from
Endymion.



	He walked briskly, eager to see his siren
once more. After all, he had been away from her
for the entire day and he missed knowing that she
was only an arm's length away. Besides, for the 
entire day, he could only think about the taste
of heaven he had experienced the night before and
was looking forward to a repeat.

	Throwing open the door without so much
as a knock, he entered the room boldly. But the
sight of her lively face did not greet him.
Instead, an empty room greeted his eyes. Incensed, 
Endymion called for a servant.

	"Where is the girl," he bellowed,
irritated from his disappointment.

	The servant shook in fear and answered,
"She left, sire, to roam the palace. You gave her
your permission and she wished to exercise her
new freedom, so she said."

	Huffing, Endymion turned on his heel,
determined to find out where his siren had run off
to. Calling to the other servants, he found that
she had not been to the garden or front half of the 
palace, her more familiar areas. All his servants
had been called, but none of them reported seeing
Serenity. His eye fell upon a young brown eyes
servant girl. Unlike the others, she was not shaking
with fear. Indeed, there seemed to be a new found 
strength in her posture.

	Eyeing the girl, Endymion asked suspiciously,
"Do you know where she went?"

	Looking the Sultan straight in the eye, she
spoke, anger barely veiled in her voice. "I would
assume that she has left the palace, your highness."
Contempt filled her tone. "She was rather upset,earlier."

	The servant's uppity attitude was really
starting to annoy Endymion. But her words gave him 
ause. Had Serenity truly tried to leave the palace?
Alarmed, Endymion told the servants to ask the guards
if any had seen Serenity. It was then that the two 
guards from the back entrance answered the Serenity
had indeed left, but scant moments ago.

	In a rush, Endymion made his way out the back,
hoping to catch up to his wayward property. He caught
up with her before she completely left the palace walls,
roughly grabbing her arm. His eyes were bright with
anger, a whirlwind of unspeakable emotions flickering
within them.

	She looked away from his eyes. They had lied
to her before and she would be damned if she trusted
them again.

	"Where are you going?" He asked, his hand
cupping her face, pushing it upward to face him. She
tightened her grip on her bag.

	"I've done my due," she told him slowly.
"I've left your gifts and money. After all that I've
done, I believe that I more than paid back the money
you paid for me. It's time I leave. I did what you
asked last night...I pleaded for you last night..."
She let out a bitter, pained laugh then, her heart
breaking, but she didn't care. All she knew was that
she wouldn't, couldn't, let him see her reduce herself
any more than she already had. "But as I remember, so
did you. My debt to you is fulfilled, so I will now 
take my leave of this place."

	"Foolish talk," he snapped back at her,
letting her go. "What do you think you can do by
leaving this palace...by leaving..." me...? He bit
back that word, trying to stay what his father had 
raised him up to be as. Strong and constant, never
weak...especially right now when everything inside
of him told him to stop this stupid façade and just
confess his undying lov-

	No, never that.

	He was not in love with her.

	He *couldn't* be.

	He took a few steps away from her, his eyes
looking at the moon, a beautiful sight hidden
within the dreary darkness. A maelstrom warred
within him. He was on the edge of a precipice. 
She wanted to leave him. Him, the ruler of a vast
kingdom. And where would she go? Out to the
wolves, without anyone to care for her. Did she
honestly prefer the outside world to his shelter 
and comfort? Surely not. This was a ploy,
something Serenity was trying to pull off to get
back at him for his callous dismissal. Well, if
she wished to play this game, he might as well 
participate. When he turned back to face her, he
had regained his composure and was again his cool
self. "What is out there for you? Your lover's
dead Serenity, the old man is far gone with a 
sack full of coins that I have bartered him for
you... and your father, he left you did he not?
So what's out there in that world for you," he
said snidely, a smirk dancing across his features.

	His words slapped her across the face.
She took deep breaths, trying to calm the raging
emotions so deep inside of her. How dare he
criticize her? Had he not wrought enough damage 
for one lifetime? For him to actually do this...
to... to... 'No,' she thought. 'I refuse to let
him hurt me again. I refuse to be a victim!'

An icy stillness filled her heart, chilling her
words. "You're right Endymion," she said calmly.
"What is there out there for me?  No one wants me...
but... no one wants me here either. Out there I'd
be free. In here," she motioned to the palace
behind her. "In here...this palace of yours is
just a fancy cage. A cage where you can use and
discard me as you please. Well Endymion, 
I know my worth, and it's far more than being
your whore. I'd rather take my chances amongst
the people, than in here. Here, in this accursed
palace, I'd surely die, chained to your whims. 
Dying free is a much better option."

	He stayed silent as she continued on.
"You're a wonderful leader Endymion, a hell of
ruler, but you are a horrid person. The old man
might have beat me and my own father might have
sold me, but they never, not once, hurt me as
much as you have. Keep your jewels, silks and
riches, your highness. Let them keep you company
during those long nights alone. Or you could use 
them to buy another girl for your amusement, to
keep you company. But let me make it clear, I
shall not be the one doing so." Wrenching her
arm from his grasp, she turned and started to 
walk away.

	Endymion could only utter one word.

	"Habibattee."

	She froze but did not turn back to face
him. "Don't call me that, Endymion," she spat.
"That word no longer holds any meaning for me."
She looked up at the moon, her guardian and 
comfort. "Goodbye, Endymion. From now on, you
are dead to me."

	With Endymion staring at her retreating
back, Serenity walked away.


Author Notes:

CP: Well, I guess we'll be getting even more
flames huh kii? (grins) don't you love just
being a writer? anyways, I'm leaving tomorrow
so (sticks out tongue) kill me if you can, i'll
be far gone before it actually comes in affect!
(winks) I'll be back at the end of july, but
then again, kii is also leaving sooo... (evil
grin) ... see ya?
RS: o.O HEY!!! Don't leave me to the wolves!!!
::turns and glances at the readers:: Um, nice
readers...Don't eat me...If I die, no more DM!
::cringes as they continue to eye her:: 
AHHHHHHHH!!! ::grabs her trusty chopsticks::
BACK, BACK I SAY! ::the readers give RS the
evil eye:: Uh oh... ::runs for the hills::