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	   	      Written by Avanla Mireille 

Book Three, Chapter Nine - "When All Stories End"
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	Endymion watched his general closely, pacing around the chair
in which Jedeite sat. His remaining council stood behind, watching their
king pace back and forth, eyeing down the young general. 

	"Tell me everything we've lost because of this war." Endymion 
asked, and papers shuffled.

	"We started off with 765,000 men, over half have been lost,
mainly most of them against Alvediaca and in the last four years." 
Answered Zoycite. 

	"Over seven major cities of ours have been demolished." Nephlite
continued. 

	"We're in debt 2.5 million dollars." Zoycite said. 


	"It's going to take years of pain and work to repay and rebuild
this country. And you," Endymion stopped pacing, and towered over 
Jedeite. "You could've stopped this all."

	"Endymion, I-"

	"Your highness, King Endymion." He corrected, and Jedeite
nodded solemnly.

	"Your highness, I did it with the best intentions in mind. I
didn't mean to start a war, blaming Serena wasn't my idea. I swear it
Endy-Your highness, it just, it just-"

	"Turned out that way." Endymion finished for him. "I don't even
know why you would associate with him. Jedeite...this cannot go 
unpunished!" He walked around some more, massaging the bridge of his 
nose.

	"For the sake of your wife and your child, and the fact that
you are my Lord General, I save you the punishment of death." He looked
to him. "You and your descendants are forever banished from my country,
go collect your things at once, you are to leave immediately." 

	Endymion pointed to the door, and with a sigh Jedeite stood up
and turned to go.

	"I'm sorry Endymion, I only wanted you to be happy." Endymion
looked away, and Jedeite was led out by two guards.

	"Yeah, funny how that turned out." Endymion sighed, sitting
down on his throne. Nephlite came over, putting his hand on Endymion's
shoulder. 

	"What do I do now?" Endymion groaned, putting his head in his
hands. 

	"What else can we do, but start over." Nephlite replied. Endymion
nodded, looking outside. 

	"Start all over."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

	A couple years went by, slow and steady. Endymion walked 
through his capital city, just watching his people's daily lives. There
was still some animosity between Endymion and them, so he took no guards
to make his presence known. He suddenly spotted Kelvaudius, the eldest
son of Nephlite in the crowd, and started walking towards him. As he
neared he noticed he was with a girl, and they were holding hands while
looking at some jewelry.

	"Kelvaudius." Endymion called out, and they both turned around.
The girl looked up at him and gasped, and Endymion stared at her with
surprised. She looked so familiar, with curly, shinning black hair
and blue eyes. She turned around quickly, and pretended to sift through
some semi-precious gems.

	"Hello, your highness." Kelvaudius greeted, grabbing his 
attention away from the girl. "What are you doing at the market?"

	"Oh, just seeing how my people are doing." He answered and
turned back to the girl. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

	"Oh, yes," Kelvaudius cleared his throat and she reluctantly
turned around. "Your highness, this is uh, um-"

	"Terra." She said and curtsied. "It's an honor."

	"Likewise." Endymion smiled and kissed her hand.

	"And I was uh, just leaving. Good day your highness, Kelvaudius."
She quickly curtsied again, and ran off into the crowd.

	"Strange girl." Endymion commented.

	"My girl." Kelvaudius corrected, and Endymion smiled.

	"Sorry."

	"Quite alright. She has a strange thing with royalty." Kelvaudius
explained. 
	
	"I see." Endymion nodded. "Well if she intends to stay 'your
girl' she better get used to royalty, for you might become the next king."

	"But Sire, it is not my destiny. You have two heirs waiting for
you." Kelvaudius disagreed.

	"I don't think they want anything to do with me." Endymion 
shook his head. 

	"How do you know that if you haven't even talked to them? The
human heart is the strongest thing in the world, and the thing must 
endless, enough room to forgive anything." Endymion chuckled, patting
Kelvaudius on the shoulder.

	"You are wise my friend, maybe too wise."

	"I try, Sire." Kelvaudius smirked.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

	"You're supposed to CATCH the diskette Tibaron!" A young orange
haired boy by the name of Emaladus yelled to his younger brother, who
chased after the rolling diskette. The two were the sons of Kaleb, Mina's
older brother. 

	The children of Alvediaca's court played in the courtyard, 
thirteen different children of all different ages. Two sat of to 
themselves, wrapped up in each other's arms. Sariane smiled fondly up 
at Cairan, and he pushed a piece of dark silver-green hair behind her 
ear.

	"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" Cairan whispered
in her ear, and she smiled.

	"And did I ever tell you how charming you are?" She replied, and
kissed his cheek.

	"I do believe you said unrashionably charming and devishly 
handsome once." He smirked, causing her to laugh.

	"Oh did I?" She raised a defined eyebrow. "Well, I was right."
He brought his lips down on hers for a quick kiss, and she leaned
further into him with a content sigh.

	Serena smiled at the two fondly, from her perch on top the balcony.
She looked over her land quickly, a pleasant smile coming to her face.

	It had been six years since that day the war ended, and
everything was rejuvenated, on all sides, for the most part. Serena's debts
were paid off, as were most of Ielaque's, with some help from Serena. Her
children had begged her to not leave their father with absoluetly nothing,
so she had started to build some bridges and give annonymous donations. She
also kept the Alliance off his back, she was an excellent nagotiator. She 
heard footsteps from the hallways and saw Lita pass.

	"Lita." She called out, and the tall brunette retraced her
steps.

	"Yes, mistress?"

	"Do you know where my daughter is?" Serena asked.

	"No, I haven't seen her since lunch." She replied.

	"Alright, thank you." Serena nodded, and Lita continued on her
way. "Hm, where is that girl?"

	Serena began to walk down to the courtyard, but was stopped
short at the entrance by a guard.

	"Uh, your highness." She turned around, and made eye contact
with deep sapphire eyes. "He insisted upon seeing you." Serena took a
moment and nodded, the guard retreating back into the palace with slight
hesitation.

	"Endymion." His lips curled up on the sides slightly, and he
bowed his head. Serena looked him up and down, noting all the differences
in the man she hadn't known for six years. He was still strong and
built, but he was forty years old, and war and age made his deep black
hair highlighted with rogue silver strands. His eyes were the same, 
Serena noted, not being able to look away.

	"Serena." He replied. 

	"What are you doing here?" Serena blurted out, pulling him
aside to the wall. 

	"Well," His eyes lost their playfulness quickly, and he sighed
at the ground. "I got tired of hiding Serena. I came here to set things
right."

	"Endymion-"

	"Please Serena, just let me talk." He interrupted her, and Serena
looked at him for a moment, contemplating.

	"Alright."

	"War never ended six years ago for me, another one just picked
up where the other one left off. I've been fighting not another enemy,
but myself. For six years part of me said this is destiny, what is meant
to be will be. Let destiny continue its course. The other part makes me
want to run here and hold you close. I guess you can see which side won
out."

	"I'll never find happiness in this world Serena, if we can't
be together. That's why I'm here now, I couldn't take it anymore." 
Serena sniffed back her tears, watching Endymion's fall freely from his
eyes. "I'm sorry Serena, for all the lies I've ever told you. I never 
meant to hurt you, it just-"

	"It just turned out that way." Serena finished for him, shaking
her head and causing him to look up at her choice of words. "It's always 
like that, they never mean to hurt you but they do, in the worst ways 
possible." 

	"I know, but secrets can hurt just as much as lies." Endymion
said accusingly, and she looked down.

	"And I'm sorry, for keeping your children from you. I didn't 
know what else to do, you were married, and I didn't want to shame Elaina, 
or you. It would've made things worse..I thought, at least."

	"I know Serena, I know." He smirked, outlining her face. "Oh
these six years have been the hardest I've ever known. To know you're
right there, and all I had to do was cross the line. To say I love you 
wouldn't even be enough." He shook his head. 

	"Serena, I'm addicted to you, and I need you, or I'm going to 
die!"

	Serena let out a small cry, before launching herself into his
arms. He engulfed her lips with his, and she desperately clung to him, 
fresh tears of pain and happiness running down both their faces. They
pressed their foreheads together, while Endymion touched her soft
face.

	"Why couldn't we have done this six years ago?" Endymion shook
his head, causing her to laugh shortly.

	"Mother?" They both looked over and Endymion let out a small
gasp at who he found. The girl was the same one he had seen with 
Kelvaudius two years ago, her curly hair now reaching her lower back.
She stood beside a man with pearl colored, shoulder length hair and blue
eyes, contrasting Caitriona with his lighter skin tone.

	"Endymion, meet your daughter, Caitriona." Serena smiled, her
heart beaming with happiness.

	"Father..." Caitriona breathed out, and suddenly launched herself
in his arms. For a moment he just stood there, before hugging her and
burying his head in her hair.

	"Caitriona..." He sighed, closing his eyes. After a few quiet
moments he pulled away, and smiled at her. "You were the girl with
Kelvaudius. Your face was strangely familiar then, and it has never
left me."

	"Yes, she's made a couple visits to Ielaque, most not approved
by me." Serena cut in, Caitriona blushing slightly.

	"Why are you here, now, Father?" Caitriona asked bluntly, 
and Endymion cleared his throat.

	"Well, you have to start somewhere, don't you?" He smiled, 
causing her to smile as well.

	"Oh, and this is Diavian, all grown up." Serena smiled, and the
two men shook hands.

	"It's good to see you, Diavian."

	"Your highness." Diavian bowed his head.
	
	"What's going on?" At the sound of a new voice they turned
around, to find Cairan and Sariane. The two men at each other, speechless.

	"Cairan," Serena cleared her throat. "You've always wanted to
talk to your father, and now that he's here you're speechless?"

	"Father?" He choked out, stepping away from Sariane. "Is it
really you?"

	"The one and only."

	"Father!" The two embraced, a silent tear coming down from 
Endymion's eye.

	"Son," Endymion whispered, wrapping his arms tighter around
Cairan. 

	"Oh Father, I do have so many questions!" Cairan said as they
pulled away. 

	"As do I. We have sixteen some years to catch up on." Endymion 
smiled. "First of all, I'm so sorry about-"

	"Father," Cairan shook his head. "We understand. We've never
blamed you for not being around."

	"Well, maybe once or twice." Caitriona smiled. They continued
talking, and Serena smiled, wiping away a stray tear. She watched them
talk together, a sense of infinite pride filling her. Her family was
finally together. They spent the rest of the day together, catching up,
and explaining a few things, of course.

	It was close to dinnertime, and the twins were getting ready.
Endymion and Serena stood on her balcony, looking over at the sunset.

	"They're wonderful." Endymion said.

	"It was hard to try to explain to them why their father couldn't
be with them. It got a little easier when Kunzite died, and they had
someone to relate to, but I'm not saying Kunzite's dying was a good thing.
But Diavian and Cairan grew closer, and Diavian and Caitriona grew very 
close, but then she found Kelvaudius. And when they turned thirteen I think
they finally understood."

	"I've never lied to them about you, because then I'd just have
to explain why I lied and what I lied about and then they wouldn't
trust me and-"

	"Serena." Endymion chuckled, pressing his finger to her lips.
"You did a marvelous job." She smiled modestly, as he touched her cheek.
"So which one did you have in mind for me?"

	"Pardon?"

	"The twins. Ielaque needs an heir, I need an heir." Endymion
explained, and she nodded, looking at the now darkened horizon.

	"Caitriona." She finally said. "She's practically there everyday
anyways. She loves Ielaque, loves the culture and the people, although
her main attraction is Kelvaudius." They laughed, and he took her in 
his arms. "She reminds me of you, more than Cairan does. He's kind of oh,
well-"

	"A Momma's boy?"

	"If you want to put it like that, yes." She smirked at him.
"And he loves Sariane very much. I don't think your people would like 
to be ruled by two Alvediacians."

	"I see your point." He nodded. "But I know things will work
out fine, whichever way it goes."

	"And how can you be so sure about that?"

	"Because, what happened to us can't possibly happen again. It
would be unfair."

	"The world isn't fair." She shook her head.

	"Yes, I know." He kissed her, lingering his lips only for a 
moment. "But we can guide them, teach them, and make sure the world
doesn't take advantage of them like it did us."

	"Sounds like a good plan." She smiled, turning around in his
embrace. "I love you Endymion, and I thank you so much for giving me
them. They're the only thing that has sustained me, and the hope that
someday, somewhere I would be with you again. But-"

	"But what?"

	"It can't happen, can it?" She sighed. "We're too different now,
too far apart, separated by more than just two countries. I have my 
world, and you have yours. I will never let you rule Alvediaca, and I
don't think my people would let you either, and vice versa. We'll never
be totally together. Ugh, why does this have to be so impossible!"

	"Because, it makes the idea of heaven so much more appealing."
Endymion smiled. "So we won't be married, or eat together, or sleep in
the same bed. But we'll be with each other, every moment, every time
we shut our eyes, and we'll see each other in the eyes of our children. 
We'll never be totally apart, either. And if you hold on to that fact,
nothing can keep us apart."

	"How can you be so positive all the time?"

	"Because I know your smile, and I love the way your eyes light
up when you do, and I strive to make you laugh as much as I can. It
keeps me alive, to know that you are."

	"You are such a charmer."

	"I try." She chuckled, and he cupped her face. "I love you,
Serena."

	"And I love you, my savior, my love, my everything."

	They shared a kiss under the bright stars, while the whole world
watched on, and for once smiled at the star-crossed lovers.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-


	I used to believe that hate and love could never be the same 
thing. They were on different sides of the spectrum, and nothing could 
ever bring them together. That's how Endymion and I were. We were so 
different, so absolutely different...but that's what brought us 
together in the end. You can hate someone with such passion, as they 
say, but isn't passion a form of love? I hated Endymion so much that I 
loved him, and because I loved him so much I hated him. I hated the very 
breath he breathed, every minute that he wasted on this earth. But I 
loved the way he smiled at me, or would hold me so close that it seemed
I had melted into him. Yes, we were two children born from love and 
hate, and I-I was the one of hatred. For I hated the way that we couldn't
be together, and that love never seemed possible for me-possible 
for us. I hated love.

	But on the other hand, Endymion was just the opposite. He 
cherished every single moment we spent together, and when we were 
apart, would dream about when we would see each other again. He knew 
the truth. That after everything was said and done, after every field 
of grain was burned with our hatred, after every soldier fell down in 
our names, and after every hurtful word was spoken to our broken hearts, 
that love would still be there, hidden beneath the ashes of my rage, 
and his pride. It would rise up, a beacon to the charred remains of our
hearts, and once again we would be reunited. But now, not just in love, 
but in hate as well.

	But I wish that was enough. Those twelve years were horrible, 
because I was fighting the very person I loved. I never wanted any of it, 
I never wanted us to be enemies, and I surely never wanted to hate him.
But life happens in the most mysterious ways, that a lover would become
your enemy, an enemy you still loved deep inside. I think the thought 
of us not being together made our love stronger. They say absence makes
the heart grow stronger, and I know that it's true. 

	I'm old now, much old than that small nine year old who lost
everything in one fateful night, wiser than a young empress that let
her loss blind her judgment just to loose once again. My children are
grown, emperor and empress of their own country. Endymion and I had
another child, a boy, and we named him after his father. I look at them,
and I can still see him in their eyes. He passed away almost six years
ago, at the age of seventy-nine. But he got to see his children grow
up and have children of their own, to see his country flourish and 
his people reunite. But do you know what he said to me, the moment
before he died? He said to me;

	"I got to see you smile."

	Endymion made all the pain and heartache worth every moment
with just those six small words. My life meant something then, and I
finally understood what life was about. It's not about surviving till
the next day, or looking out for the next person who will hurt you. 
It's about living like titans, above the gods of circumstance and 
restraint. About being strong in the face of adversary, and knowing 
that pain is only temporary. I don't regret one thing that happened in 
my life, because it made me stronger, made me wiser, made me more 
compassionate. You can either be a victim of life, or be a volunteer. 
My advice to you, my friends, is to be a volunteer, and find your wings,
because you were never meant to crawl through life. Find your life 
before it's over, find happiness.

			      And be free.


	Serena sighed contentedly, placing the feathered pen beside the
leather bound book, which held the account of her life. It was finally filled
up. She looked to the mirror beside her, to see her old face looking back at her.
But it faded away however, to a picture of her when she was nine years old. Images
and memories flashed upon its surface, of her forest home and the simple life she
lived, to the grand white palace, and balls and the extravagant outfits of the 
Jewels of Portrai. Diamonds smile flashed before her, followed closely behind by 
her ladies and High Council. Some images of war and pain sped by, but they were so
fast and gave way to her children, their bright smiling faces taking any recognition
of war away. The last long years flew by, and stopped at that night Endymion and her
stood on the balcony, holding on to each other. She sighed once again, clasping the 
book in her wrinkled hands. With great exaggeration she closed the book, and ran her 
hands over the cover. She smiled, a burden lifted off of her and carried into the sky.

	"It's finished."

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	      	         -*  T I T A N S  *-
	     		-- *-*-*-*-*-*-*-* --
                         -------------------
	   	      Written by Avanla Mireille 

            Book Three and story completed on February 20th, 2002


	WOW! Finally it's finished! I want to thank everyone who read
my story and enjoyed it! And a special thanks to Moon Princess, who kept
me focused! hehe :) And thanks to her I will 'eventually' have my own website!
Well guys, I don't know what's next from me, but I need a vacation!
Practically all my imagination has been spent on this story, my little(big) 
baby, my imagination needs rejuvenated! Maybe if you guys emailed me and tell me
what you'd like to see next from me, ya no, some tips or something. A comedy, 
a sci fi, and whatever, you name it, it might help me out a little! Thanks again 
to everyone, God bless!

						-Avanla Mireille-