Summary: The people of Silver Millennium gathered to celebrate their Princess' 16th birthday. There are guests invited from everywhere, and Serenity meets Princess Kakyuu and her guardians. She fells for one of them, but her royal parents have their own plans and won't let her follow her feelings.
The Eternal Love
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"Princess, what are you doing here? Hurry up, everyone is waiting for you!," Sailor Venus invaded into Princess' dressing room.
"I can't lace my boot!", Serenity was bouncing on her left leg, "Please, help me!"
"You was to be ready half an hour ago," Venus sighed and knelt down in front of her Princess.
"I know, I'm sorry", the girl whined in answer.
"Come on", Venus grabbed her hand and they darted out of the room, their heels clicked on the marble floor.
The servant opened the door and Serenity was almost blinded by the sudden flood of the light which overflowed her. She stepped forward, trying her best to walk downstairs gracefully.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Silver Millennium's heir, Princess Serenity!", the voice announced and the audience uttered a long sigh of wonder.
Serenity managed not to stumble and finally reached her seat near her parents, still accompanied by the hundreds of widened, admiring eyes. Then the river of guests, representatives and ambassadors started to flow, making her bored and tired. She was starving and her stomach was about to rumble. There were only a few interesting people, especially the Princess of Tankei Kingdom, Kakyuu, and her three guardians. The flame-haired Princess was very beautiful with her royal crimson outfit and the sweet fragrance of olive tree spreading around, but her Senshi... Their leather outfit, gloves and boots, made them look like... ahem. Serenity observed them curiously until they were lost in the crowd.
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Serenity stood amongst her guardians, gloomy and pouted, because there was no one brave enough to ask her for a dance, except of Prince Endymion, but they knew each other from so long and their families were in suchgood terms that she would be very astonished if he didn't dance with her once at least. One of his generals, Zoisite, also danced with her, but she was sure he only did because he was told to, and because he couldn't dance with the one he wanted to.
The ballroom was full of masked people and she could recognize only some of them, namely her parents, Endymion and his family, and those of her Senshi who weren't on duty that night. Ami was dancing with a tall, auburn-haired guy wearing silvery-grey suit and looked like enjoying herself much, sunk in the serious conversation (judging by their faces, it was v-e-r-y serious and surely scientific). Serenity felt a small rip of envy within her heart. Was she to stand here during the whole masquerade?
She lowered her head a bit, straightened her mask and adjusted her dress for the tenth time when someone stopped in front of her.
"May I ask you to dance?", the male voice asked. It was a polite and kind voice, shivering a bit with a little shade of sneer and flirt, but kind of overbearing and strong, undoubtedly hiding beneath the personality of someone used to be the leader.
"You??", Serenity growled in her thoughts, "How dares he?"
She looked at the arrogant one and her breathe was taken away a bit, not recognizing him at all. He was still bent in a bow, waiting for the answer, so she could see only the top of his head and the scarlet suit he was wearing.
"Maybe he didn't recognize me?", she was a bit excited, "Maybe he doesn't even know that I am the Princess?? But who is he?"
She stretched her hand out, giggling to herself, and the pearls and diamonds adorning her dress glimmered with that move.
"Yes", she answered the man gracefully.
He straightened himself and grabbed her hand. His palm was warm and lithe, sticking to her own, their fingers entwined. Serenity looked up impatiently to meet his eyes at last.
They were of the deep hue of indigo, like the sky at the summer night. They reminded of Endymion's ones, but while Endymion's were calm, serene, kind of blank and empty, this man's were deep, mysterious and fierce. They sparkled with an unspoken gentle laugh when he saw Serenity's reaction, her widened eyes, her parted lips and her held breath.
The music started, a slow, passionate melody by violin and piano. The dancing couple rocked to the rhythm and Serenity noticed for the first time the long ponytail swinging behind her partner's back. She stared at him intensely, trying to recognize his face, but it didn't work due to the red mask. Then he winked at her mischievously and pulled her closer. Princess blushed like crazy. To be honest, she was never good at flirting, especially when she was so bewildered like at this moment. Her heart started beating faster, giving her uncommon feeling of heat and melting inside. Then he smiled softly and this softness reached his eyes, making them look caring.
"Who are you?", Serenity uttered, searching for the answer in his eyes.
"I won't tell you, Your Highness", he winked again and she huffed.
"That's unfair! You know who I am but you don't want to reveal yourself."
"The masquerades are always unfair", he bowed when the music stopped, and kissed her hand, "But let me tell you something. If you don't want to be recognized, you should cover that crescentthe next time."
Then he went away, leaving her with her jaw dropped, annoyed and mad, but still not able to find any good retort.
"I am stupid!", she reprimanded herself, "Everyone knew who I was because of that damn seal on my forehead!"
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It was midnight yet the ball was still far from ending. Guests were hanging around in the palace and garden, where the fireworks show was providing. Serenity buried herself in the quiet corner of the garden with Sailor Venus and relatedthe story of mysterious guy who asked her for a dance and then vanished like a ghost with every detail .
"I was looking for him everywhere! But unfortunately it seems he is not here any longer", Serenity's face was grim.
"There are hundreds of people here, maybe you just missed him? Let's search together", Venus offered eagerly, getting up and looking around, ready to start at once.
"Eh? You're pretty interested, I bet you have also someone who you want to meet again", Serenity glanced at her friend suspiciously, "Am I wrong?"
"Hee hee, to be honest there is someone...", Venus reddened and scratched her head with embarrassment.
"So let's go and find them!", Serenity stated and grabbed Venus' hand, "I'm kind of sure they came from somewhere far away and maybe this is our last chance to meet them."
Two blonde beauties began to rummage in the garden, and it took them long, because it was large, but finally they found what they were searching for.
"There!", Venus aimed with her trembling finger, "Can you see them?"
"Yes", Serenity nodded with her eyes focused on the men standing in a distance, "It's him."
"Right", Venus added, "It's him for sure."
"Did you see him earlier?", Serenity was startled, "How could you know it is him?"
"Eh? Who do you mean?", Venus furrowed her brow.
"That one wearing scarlet outfit, of course!"
"He is your prey?"
"Yes. You're talking weird, Venus."
"That shorter one is mine", Goddess Of Love chuckled wickedly, "How lucky!"
"I see!", Serenity beamed, but after a moment her face turned disconcert, "And... what now?"
She looked at Venus, but Venus was already far ahead, pacing like a queen towards her chosen one.
"Hi", she bowed politely, "How are you?"
"Fine, thank you", the black-haired guy answered, but Venus missed his boyish, heart melting grin, because all her attention was paid to the other one.
"I'm Sailor Venus, in charge of Princess' safety, nice to meet you", she offered her hand and the green-eyed boy shook it with disdainful look.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Yaten, in charge of Princess Kakyuu's safety", he mumbled.
"Venus!", Serenity rushed out from her hideout, "Wait for me!"
"Hi!", the indigo eyes glimmered with content, observing her, "What an honour!"
"Thanks...", Serenity lowered her head shyly and shuffled her foot against the ground, but after a few minutes curiosity overwhelmed her and she glanced at him. He stood in front of her with his hand put out, still waiting for a handshake. Serenity's cheeks grew red while touching his palm again.
"I'm sorry not to introducing myself earlier", he brushed her palm with his lips and she gasped, "I'm Seiya, in charge of Kinmoku's safety. Nice to meet you, Princess Serenity."
Serenity was aware that Venus was discussing some matter with Yaten, but really didn't know what they were talking about. For the first time she felt something she only had heard of before. The world froze, the stars glistened like never before, every being in the entire Moon Kingdom, no, in the entire galaxy, wasn't important at all, except that one person standing in front of her. At last she could see him unmasked, his extraordinary face enchanted her. Or maybe that enchant made him look extraordinarily in her eyes.
With every breath she was taking, Serenity's picture was engraving stronger and stronger in Seiya's mind. She didn't know what a power she held, with that honest, open, innocent look in her eyes, just letting him into her very soul. Two hearts were racing more and more in the same rhythm. The fate flew down and brushed them with its inevitable magic, and after a while of sweet slight quivering within her heart Serenity knew without any doubt that she fell in love.