The Legend
In the beautiful gardens surrounding the Imperial Palace, Princess Serenity sighed, breathing in the sweet aroma of the flowers surrounding her. In the distance, the soft, melodic sounds of music could be heard coming from the ballroom where the annual Moon Ball was being held. She turned toward the palace, thinking about returning to the jubilee. Her mother and friends were probably worried about her, and she knew that Luna, the queen's chief advisor, was probably fuming that she managed to sneak away from her watchful eyes once again. But she didn't go back. He said he would be here, and she trusted him.
The princess carefully plucked one of the unusual Earth roses -- a gift from him -- from a nearby bush, careful not to poke herself with one of the sharp, deadly thorns, and brought the soft petals to her cheek. How she loved these exquisite flowers! They reminded her of his touch, so smooth and gentle…
"Serenity."
A pair of strong comforting arms wrapped around her tiny waist, pulling her closer toward him. She leaned back against her lover, perfectly content to be in his embrace. He bent down and kissed her lightly on the top of her blonde tresses, which were styled in the traditional odango style of the Lunarian royal family.
"Why can't it be like this forever?" she wondered aloud, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why does life have to be so unkind to keep us apart?"
He turned her around, lifting her chin up to gaze into those cerulean blue eyes he loved so much. They were filled with tears as she remembered that they could never truly be together. It was their sad fate. The handsome man gently wiped away a tear that managed to streak down her lovely face, smiling despite the sadness in his heart.
"It is forbidden, Serenity," he said. "We mustn't keep meeting like this. Beryl already suspects that we are continuing our relationship, despite her law forbidding contact between Earth and the Moon. We musn't fall in love…"
"But what if it is already too late?"
Ignoring her question, he simply brought his lips to her own, kissing her with a passion that she never knew existed. She didn't resist even though she knew it was wrong. Her fingers raked through his short black hair as he pulled her closer, his hands caressing her lower back. Serenity could feel herself weakening under his touch. Reluctantly, she pulled away, afraid of what she would do if given the chance.
"Endy, please don't," she pleaded breathlessly. "Don't make this harder than it already is."
"I can't help it," he whispered. "You are too beautiful to resist. I love you, Serenity."
She blushed as he brought his hand up to her cheek, caressing it ever so slightly, but she quickly turned away. Why did he have to be so persistent?
"My engagement to King Topaz is to be announced tonight," she blurted out, immediately regretting the words. Though she was turned away from him, she could sense the pain in his cobalt blue eyes, hidden behind a white domino mask.
At first, Endymion didn't say anything, the quiet even more nerve-wrecking than if he had lost his temper or burst into tears. At least she would know how to react then, but his silence was strangely unnerving.
"Do you love him?" he finally asked, his voice in a whisper as if he could hardly bear to say the words aloud.
"No, of course not, but Topaz and Beryl were perfectly clear in their intentions. If I refused to marry him, the Dark Kingdom's troops will attack the kingdom, destroying everything. I have no choice, Endy. I must sacrifice my happiness in order to save Silver Millennium. Don't you understand?"
His eyes lowered as he slowly nodded his head. He understood all too well, and strange as it seemed, loved Serenity more for it. She was willing to give up everything in order to protect the kingdom, even herself. She was so brave and beautiful.
"Endymion…" She reached for his hand, but he pulled away from her, not even bothering to glance up.
"Goodbye, Princess."
With those words, he silently walked away from the princess. Serenity watched his slumped over figure exit through the silver gate, the pain growing in her young heart. The tears that welled in her eyes broke through the barrier, streaking her face. He was gone.
"Serenity! Serenity!"
The princess quickly wiped away her tears and turned toward the source of the voices that had called out her name. Two girls walked toward her. One was a tall woman dressed in green, bringing out the emerald color in her eyes. The brunette walked proudly, her chest held high and her shoulders back, looking very much like a proper princess. The other was a shorter blonde, but very curvaceous. She wore an almost non-existent tangerine dress, the shade matching the large bow on the back of her head.
"Serenity, what are you doing out here?" the tall one asked. "The party's already started."
"Yeah, you're missing all the action. There are some really cute guys in there," the other girl replied.
Serenity crossed her arms across her chest and gazed up at the sky, remembering the sweetness of Endymion's last kiss. She sighed deeply. "What does it matter anymore, Bella?" she asked mournfully. "I'm engaged to King Topaz, remember? My life is over."
Bella immediately felt ashamed. She just wasn't thinking. Of course she realized the princess was engaged. There would be no more chasing guys or flirting with the guards. That part of Serenity's life was over. In less than a week, she would be Topaz's wife and consort.
"I'm sorry, Serenity," she apologized, noticing the sadness in the princess's normally bright blue eyes. "But maybe it won't be as bad as you fear, being married to the king. He certainly is handsome in his own unique way and besides, nobody can be all bad." Princess Bella of Venus was always the eternal optimist.
"I wouldn't bet on that," Flora growled. "I still can't believe that you and your mother agreed to this. I would rather die than marry that…that monster!"
"Flora, you know what will happen if I don't marry Topaz. He and Beryl will attack the kingdom, and Silver Millennium will be destroyed. I don't like it anymore than you do, but I'm afraid it is the only way to ensure the peace of our people," Serenity explained.
Flora banged her fist on the stone wall that surrounded the palace, the pain barely registering in her mind. She hated this! Why should Serenity, one of the kindest and most beautiful people she ever met, be forced into a marriage to a man she didn't love, just to save the kingdom? It just wasn't fair!
She turned back around to face Serenity, taking the princess's hand in both her own. "You don't have to do this," she insisted once again. "Go ahead and let Topaz and Beryl invade the kingdom. The Sailor Soldiers can take care of them."
The princess slowly shook her head. "No, I won't allow you, Bella, and the others to go into battle. If there is a way to settle this without bloodshed, then that is the road we must take. A war will only lead to unhappiness for everybody. It's better that I alone carry that burden."
"But, Serenity, that is our job, our destiny," Bella said. "We made a vow on the day of our awakening to protect Silver Millennium at all cost. How can we do that if you and your mother won't allow us to fight?"
"No, there have been too many deaths already."
Another tear ran down her face as she recalled a night about a year ago when she learned of Sailor Earth's death at the hand of Queen Beryl's army. Gaia…her best friend and Endymion's older sister. Her heart ached as she remembered the girl's forever bright smile and her endless energy. No, she wouldn't allow what happened to Gaia to happen to the rest of her friends. There had to be a better way!
The ominous sound of high heels clicking against the stone walkway caused the girls to turn around. They knew that sound all too well. It had to be Luna, their strict, overprotective guardian and advisor to the queen. Sure enough, the imposing figure of the woman appeared from behind the tall trees that had hid her from sight and walked toward them, an annoyed look on her face. With her was her lover and fellow advisor, Artemis.
Though she rarely smiled, Luna was undeniably attractive. She was tall, almost as statuesque as Flora, with long black hair, styled similar to the queen and princess. Her blue eyes were strangely cat-like, a characteristic of her Mauian heritage, and on her forehead, the golden sign of the Moon, identical to Serenity's, stood out from her pale white skin, symbolizing her position on the queen's court.
"Princess Serenity, Princess Flora, and Princess Bella, I've been looking all over for you three girls," she stated, a hand on her hip as she glared down at the two shorter girls. "You know perfectly well that you are to stay inside the palace unless you have a male escort or are with a family member. It is unwise for three young girls to be alone without protection."
Artemis, a handsome man with long white hair and the same cat-like eyes, nodded his head in agreement. "Luna's right. These are dangerous times, and we all must be careful."
The Amazon rolled her emerald eyes, apparently feeling that she could take care of herself without some man around to "protect" her. And she would be right, of course. It would take a brave soul indeed, man, woman, or monster, to stand up to Princess Flora of Jupiter. As the physically strongest of the Sailor Soldiers, she was known to be absolutely fearless in battle, willing to put her life on the line to protect the ones she loved, especially Serenity and the queen. Nobody, and nobody, messed with her and her friends and lived to tell about it.
"I saw that," Luna said, not even bothering to glance up. "Follow me, girls. King Topaz wishes to have a word with his fiancée."
Reluctantly, the three girls followed Luna and Artemis back to the palace.
The princess of Silver Millennium looked around the humongous ballroom at all the happy couples dancing to the music of the pianist, humming softly to herself. The melody was entrancing. Pretending to dance with a mystery man, Serenity twirled her skirts around her, letting the silky fabric open around her like a fan. How she wished Endymion was here so they could dance the night away…
"Princess Serenity, come."
Luna grabbed the princess's wrist, dragging her toward her mother and fiancé. The two other girls had spotted Princess Marina of Mercury and Princess Marcia of Mars and were now gossiping with their fellow soldiers in a dark corner of the ballroom.
Serenity took a deep breath as they approached the throne where her mother, the regal Queen Serenity, sat. The queen was truly beautiful, with her long silver hair, ice blue eyes, and creamy complexion. She wore a simple white gown that accented the curves of her body, and once again the princess felt a pang of jealousy. Would she ever possess the beauty of her mother? Yes, she was pretty, but Serenity never considered herself to be really beautiful. That honor belonged to her mother and Princess Bella, considered the two most gorgeous women in the universe.
Hating herself for her bout of jealousy, she turned her eyes toward the man sitting in the throne beside the queen, her father's throne. However, the figure sitting there was not that of her late father, but of her fiancé, King Topaz. Serenity could feel the flames of anger burn in her veins. How dare he! He had no right to sit on that throne. It belonged to King Cosmo.
"Get out of my father's throne," she ordered harshly once they reached the throne. The king simply laughed and grabbed her hand, kissing her palm. She quickly pulled her hand away, considering slapping him for his insolence but thinking better of it.
"You never cease to amuse me, Serenity," Topaz replied good-naturedly.
She bristled at his familiarity with her. "Until the day of our wedding, you will address as Princess, just as I will only call you King."
Her mother shot her a look, silently pleading with her daughter to behave. "Serenity, please…"
"It's okay, Your Majesty," he assured the queen. "I always like my women to be a little bit feisty, just as long as they know when they've crossed the line." The king stood up and offered his arm to Serenity. "On that note, Princess, may I have this dance?"
Beside her, Luna discreetly pinched her arm, causing her eyes to water, and the queen smiled encouragingly. They both obviously wanted her to play along with this devoted lover bit for the party. Sighing in exasperation, Serenity took his arm and allowed Topaz to lead her toward the dance floor. As he pulled her close, she felt a shiver of disgust travel up her spine.
"I hate you," she growled under her breath, even as she smiled.
Topaz was wearing an identical grin, although his looked a little more authentic. "I hardly think that is an appropriate thing to say to your future husband. Especially one who could crush your kingdom with a single word."
"We may be getting married, but that doesn't mean I have to love you, or even like you. You repulse me!"
Topaz dug his nails in her back, producing a small squeak from Serenity. She was pushing her limits. "You are trying my patience, Princess. I suggest you act a little more grateful if you know what is good for you."
"Grateful? Why should I be grateful to you? You and your sister have brought nothing but pain and misery to my kingdom. The day I show gratitude toward you will be a cold day in --"
He brought his finger to her lip before she could finish her sentence, his evil black eyes laughing once again. "Watch your language, Princess. Cursing doesn't suit you very well."
"Give me another shot," Endymion ordered, slamming his glass on the dusty counter.
Behind the bar, the bartender raised his left eyebrow at the young man. He had been sitting in that same exact spot for the past three hours, gulping shot after shot of whiskey and vodka. Quite frankly, the bartender was surprised that the guy could still sit up, much less speak somewhat intelligently.
"Hey, I normally don't refuse to fill my customers' orders," the bartender said, wiping a glass with a filthy washrag. "It's bad for business, you know. But I think in this case, I'm going to make an exception. By all scientific thought and reason, you should be dead by now."
"I wish I was," Endymion said softly.
The man nodded sympathetically. "I see. Trouble with your girl, right? What did you do this time? Cheat on her? Forget her birthday? Actually told her that she did look fat in that dress? Believe me, I've heard all the stories, and they're all the same."
"I told her that I loved her."
The bartender looked at Endymion strangely as he filled another customer's drink from the tap. This was a new one for him. A guy actually getting dumped for falling in love with his girlfriend? "Come on, man. Tell me what really happened. You can't possibly be serious."
"She's engaged to another man," he finally revealed, wondering why he was telling this guy anything. "The marriage is arranged, and there's nothing I can do about it. And the worst part is that she doesn't even love the guy. I might have been able to deal with it if she actually liked her fiancé, and I thought she could be happy, but she's throwing her life away on that jerk."
"Tough break, man," the bartender replied, sliding him a glass of foaming beer. "Here. It's on the house, since you've been my best customer tonight, but this is the last drink, so take it slow. And you might consider doing a little exercise to wear off the effects."
"Thanks."
Endymion slid off his stool, landing on rather shaky legs. The alcohol was catching up to him now. He grabbed the bar in order to catch his balance, then took the mug and drunkenly walked over to an empty table in the dark corner of the room, wanting to be alone with his thoughts.
Taking a sip of his drink, he glanced around the small bar, the disgust churning in his stomach. What in the world ever possessed to come to this place? Bacchus's Bar was a breeding ground for the lowest drudges of society, frequented by prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards. Hardly the kind of place a person would expect to find the crown prince of the Golden Kingdom. Any sober person would be able to see that he didn't exactly blend in with the crowd, with his classic beauty and the elegant tuxedo he wore. Of course, it would be nearly impossible to find a single person who wasn't drunk around here, so they welcomed him with open arms.
Waving away some of the smoke that surrounded him, Endymion turned his attention toward the door where four extremely sexy women wearing short army uniforms entered the bar. The redhead in the front of the small group looked around for a second, then led the girls to another empty table near him, calling for the bartender to bring them four drinks. There were a couple of catcalls from some of the men, and one of them actually was bold enough to pinch the blonde chick on the butt. Endymion cringed as the woman grabbed the drunk by the throat and easily choked him to death, tossing him aside as if he were some piece of trash. It seemed nobody but him noticed.
He didn't know why, but these girls interested him. Not sexually, of course -- the murder he just witnessed was enough to burn away any desire he might have had -- although they were all unbelievably attractive. No, it was more out curiosity. They were outsiders, like him, not really fitting in with their surroundings. Who were they?
He first focused on the redhead, the one who appeared to be the leader of the group. Like the others, she wore a double-breasted black jacket trimmed in gold, a matching micro-mini, short black gloves, and a pair of thigh-high stiletto boots. However, a gold cape was draped around her shoulders, likely signifying her authority over the others. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful of the group with long, flaming red hair highlighted with orange streaks, stunning green eyes, and pale white skin devoid of the freckles that often plagued others of her coloring.
Beside her sat the blonde who had heartlessly killed the poor drunk less than five minutes before hand. She appeared to have no remorse about the murder, laughing with her girlfriends as if she didn't have a care in the world. To be truthful, her hair, which was pulled back from her face by a large gold headband, was more yellow than blonde, but that was just a technicality. Bright blue eyes popped out at him, the exact same cerulean color as Serenity's…
Shaking his head to forget about the comparison he just made between a cold-blooded murderess and his former lover, Endymion stared at the next girl. She was the quiet one who didn't really say very much. Occasionally, she would laugh at something one of the other girls said or share a brief anecdote, but mostly just listened, sometimes blushing brightly whenever something naughty was said. It gave her an aura of innocence. She was almost angelic-looking with curly light blue hair and soft violet eyes that were practically hidden behind her gold-rimmed glasses, but he suspected that underneath that gentle exterior lied a heart as ruthless as the rest.
The last girl was also the tallest of the bunch, towering over the rest like a skyscraper even while sitting. From her muscular legs and lean physique, Endymion figured that she was the athletic type who didn't necessarily care that much about acting feminine. Indeed, she did look uncomfortable in the short skirt she was forced to wear, constantly forgetting to cross her legs (not that any of the men were complaining). Her green hair was chopped in a short bob and her eyes, which she had a habit of rolling, were a deep chocolate brown.
Endymion was sitting just close enough to their table that he could hear bits and pieces of their conversation. Most of what they said wasn't veryinteresting to him. They mostly talked about their love lives, like most women do when they get together. The blonde murderess seemed to get around quite a bit and even appeared to find Endymion attractive, but he was shocked to learn that she was the lover of one of his former generals, now working for Queen Beryl. He had heard rumors that Kunzite had found himself a new girlfriend, but the prince hadn't believed it until now. Endymion remembered how much in love General Kunzite used to be with the Princess of Venus before Beryl gained control of the Earth Army. He was even more surprised to discover that each of the other girls were also dating one of the generals. It saddened the prince, who remembered a time not long ago when he and the four generals would visit with Serenity and her four guardians without fear of punishment. It was such a happy time…
Finishing off the rest of his beer, Endymion shakily stood up, intending to get out of this seedy place. The girls no longer interested him. They were simply four soldiers eager to have fun on their night off. However, as he started to leave, his curiosity was once again aroused by something the flame-haired leader said.
"I hope King Topaz knows what he's doing. One simple mistake and the whole plan will be ruined…"
Endymion returned to his seat.
A young waitress wearing a short red skirt and a black tank top walked over to the table to bring the four girls their drinks. As she sat a mug of foaming beer in front of Pyra, the flamed-haired leader, the soldier flashed the attractive waitress a nasty look. If there was one thing she hated with all her heart and soul, it was people who were more beautiful than she was, and this girl certainly fit the bill. Perhaps she would kill her before they left.
"Pyra, how in the world did you discover this place?" Terra, the green-haired one, asked with distain, swiping her gloved finger on the table. She immediately became disgusted by the obscene amount of dust. "It's filthy!"
Windy, the blonde, looked around the smoky bar. She smiled as she locked eyes with a handsome tuxedo-clad man sitting in the corner, nursing his drink. He was kind of cute. Maybe she would go say hello later on and invite him for a nightcap. Then she turned back around to the girls. "I don't know, Terra. I kind of like it. This place has a rustic beauty. Completely different from the normal places we go, don't you think, Aqua?"
"Oh, yes, Windy. Completely different," the last girl answered.
Pyra took a drink of the bitter liquid and made a face. Well, they certainly weren't picky about their alcohol here, but it was a minor thing. Jadeite was right. Bacchus's Bar did have its own little charm. A person could come in here and lose themselves in the crowd.
"Jadeite told me about this place and suggested we come here if we ever got the chance," Pyra replied in answer to Terra's question. "Apparently the guys used to come here a lot whenever they visited Queen Serenity as Earth Generals."
The mention of Queen Beryl's handsome generals caused Windy to sigh, her face getting that far away look she got whenever she thought about her beloved Kunzie. "I miss Kunzite. We haven't seen each other in so long. These stupid wars just keep getting in the way."
Terra rolled her dark brown eyes. "You didn't look like you missed him too much yesterday. How many guys did you sleep with last night? Ten?"
"You exaggerate, Terra. It was only four, and besides, a girl has her needs. You can't possibly believe I could control myself until the next time I see Kunzite, can you? Sometimes weeks pass before we can get together."
"The rest of us don't have a problem with being faithful to our boyfriends, or, in Aqua's case, her girlfriend."
The angelic girl with the glasses began blushing profusely, hiding behind one of the ragged menus, which Pyra immediately grabbed away from her hands. She and Terra were staring expectantly at Aqua, waiting for a comment, while Windy seemed to lose interest and turned her attention back to the guy in the corner.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Aqua replied, trying to act dignified, but not succeeding.
"Oh, I think you do, Aqua," Pyra teased. "We've heard all the rumors. So, tell us. Is it true that Zoisite is really a woman?"
"He certainly looks and acts like one," Terra commented, causing Aqua's blush to deepen.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. What goes on between me and Zoisite in the bedroom is our business and nobody else's."
Terra again rolled her eyes, a familiar habit of hers that she never could seem to break. "You are such a prude, Aqua! We three are always telling you about our sex lives, but we never get to hear about yours."
"Don't you think that Nephrite would be embarrassed if he ever heard about some of the things you told us about his performance in bed?"
"No, of course not. I always make him sound good. What would there be to be ashamed about?"
Growing bored of teasing Aqua, Pyra flipped her long red hair over her shoulders as Terra kept grilling the blue-haired beauty. The one thing she knew about Aqua was that if she didn't want to tell them something, then no amount of prying would make her spill the beans. It was one of the reasons she was such a good lieutenant. She could keep a secret, which was more than Pyra could say about Terra, who blabbed about everything and nothing. However, she was a fantastic fighter in battle.
Pyra glanced over at Windy, who was still staring at the guy sitting in the corner. She wasn't the kind of woman who actively ogled other men -- her Jadeite was all the man she needed -- but Pyra did have to admit that the man was cute with his dark raven hair and beautiful cobalt eyes. He was also dressed nicely, making him stand out from the crowd of drunks.
"Hey, he's handsome," Pyra whispered, poking Windy in the ribs. "Why don't you go say hello?"
Unfortunately, the man chose that moment to stand up as if he was going to leave. Beside her, Windy sighed with disappointment. Another opportunity wasted, although she was sure to find some other guy to take home tonight. The place was crawling with men after all, although most of them made her shudder with disgust. But that guy over there was kind of cute…
The girls turned back around in their seats, and Pyra took another gulp of her drink. After a while, this stuff wasn't so bad. "I hope King Topaz knows what he's doing. One simple mistake and the whole plan will be ruined…" she mused.
At the mention of their boss, the argument between Aqua and Terra immediately ended, and Windy let out an annoyed groan. None of the girls noticed that the man in the corner had sat back down and was staring at them intently, engrossed in their conversation.
"I thought we agreed that we wouldn't talk about work tonight, Pyra," Windy whined. "It's not everyday that the king gives us the night off. We were having such a nice time until you just had to bring King Topaz up. I'm sure he knows what he's doing."
"I just have this strange feeling that something is going to horribly wrong. I don't know how to explain it, but I can feel it in my bones."
Aqua brought her finger to her mouth, silently telling Pyra to lower her voice. "You ought to be more careful. What if somebody hears you and informs the authorities?"
Terra laughed. "I highly doubt that will happen, Aqua. Look around. Who's going to tell? If anybody does hear us, they'll probably forget all about it in the morning. And who would believe a drunk anyway? The police will just believe it was a hallucination."
Stirring her drink with her finger, Pyra sighed. "I just don't trust this plan of Topaz's and Beryl's. There's too much opportunity to make mistakes. Getting Princess Serenity to agree to marry him was easy enough, but just because they're engaged doesn't mean that the marriage will actually happen. The princess is known as being a headstrong girl. If she suspects the truth, she won't marry him. Besides, it's rumored that she is still in love with Prince Endymion, even with Beryl's law forbidding those of the Earth associating with Lunarians. If their love is strong enough, she might be persuaded to change her mind."
"You worry too much, Pyra," Windy exclaimed. "The princess won't change her mind. She's one of those annoying types who would sacrifice everything so that nobody else would suffer. Even if she did find out that the king is planning to kill her and the queen after the wedding, she would probably still go through with it so that Topaz could ascend the throne peacefully."
"Personally, I would worry more about Eris' role in all of this," Terra said. "She doesn't like this plan one bit. I wouldn't put it past her to murder Serenity before the wedding because of her jealousy."
"Eris is an idiot!" Pyra spat out angrily. "If she does one thing to ruin the king's plan, I will personally break every single bone in her body."
There was no love lost between Pyra and King Topaz's mistress. While the other girls didn't particularly care for Eris too much, which explained her absence tonight, Pyra positively hated her with a passion. Eris didn't even try to hide the fact that she desired to be the leader, which Pyra suspected to be the main reason why the girl was sleeping with the king. The fact that Eris was breathtakingly beautiful hadn't helped. The only thing keeping the redhead from killing her was fear of Topaz's legendary temper. He was strangely attached to that girl, although why was beyond Pyra's comprehension.
"I'm sure Eris understands, Pyra," Aqua, who was the closest thing Eris had to a friend in the group, replied. "She's a smart girl, and don't forget that after King Topaz ascends the throne, he will most likely select her as his queen. She wouldn't risk that chance by doing something stupid."
Slamming her glass on the table with a loud thud, Pyra violently stood up, fire burning in her gorgeous green eyes. "The day I bow to that good-for-nothing bitch as queen will be a cold day in Hell."
Pyra stalked out of the bar, anger raging throughout her body. The three other girls stared at each other in shock, then quickly ran after her, knowing how their leader could get when she was angry. The fire department was going to be busy tonight…
After he arrived back on Earth, the prince of the blue planet angrily stomped down one of the halls of the Golden Palace, his intoxication from earlier catching up to him as he accidentally crashed into a nearby table and knocked over a priceless glass vase. Endymion cursed, but ignored the mess he made, instead continuing down the dark corridor until he reached an intricately decorated door leading to what used to be his parents' bedroom. Now the chambers belonged to one who called herself Queen Beryl.
Ha! That red-haired witch was no queen except in her sick, twisted little mind. She was nothing more but a powerful sorceress who used her black magic to overthrow his kind-hearted parents from their throne and to brainwash his once devoted generals, not to mention the entire planet, to the side of evil. Endymion was one of the few people on Earth to escape Beryl's spell, and that was only because he'd been spending the day with Serenity on the moon. He alone knew the truth, that Silver Millennium was not the enemy Beryl made the once peaceful kingdom to be. The thought of what she and her brother had done to his planet and his beloved sister Gaia, not to mention the innocent people of the Moon, was enough to make his blood burn with hate. Still, Endymion raised his hand and knocked on the door, his blue eyes narrowing as it slowly opened, revealing a partially darkened room.
"Come in, my dear prince," a seductive female voice called out. "I've been waiting for you."
Slowly, Endymion stepped inside, the door slamming shut behind him without aid. He jumped in surprise, but quickly recovered from the loud noise, looking around the room until his gaze landed on the reclining figure of the so-called "Dark Kingdom's" queen.
To some, Beryl might have been considered attractive with long red hair and flaming eyes, but not even her scantily clad figure could capture Endymion's attention. The Earth prince stood stationary in the center of the room, ignoring the sorceress's invitation to join her in her bed.
"I know what you and Topaz are planning to do, Beryl, and you are not getting away with it," he said. "I want you to tell Topaz to call off the wedding. You know as well as I do that this marriage is not the peace offering it seems to be."
Beryl sat up in her bed, feigning innocence. "Why, Prince Endymion, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Like hell you don't! I heard all about the plot to assassinate the queen and Princess Serenity so that you and Topaz can take over Silver Millennium. All this talk about the wedding bringing peace between the two kingdoms is a lie. You intend no such thing!"
The fake queen stood and calmly walked over to the liquor cabinet, pouring herself a glass of red wine. She took a sip of the drink before she turned back toward her visitor, offering to pour the prince a glass, which he promptly refused. "Beryl, this is not a social visit," he said.
"Pity," she replied, setting her crystal glass back down on the cabinet. "I do so enjoy your company, despite your tendency to be somewhat…hot-headed and stubborn. But you were saying…?"
"I overheard a couple of Topaz's soldiers at Bacchus's Bar talking about how he plans to murder the queen and princess after the wedding night so you two can legally take control of Silver Millennium."
Beryl arched an eyebrow. "My, my… Bacchus's Bar? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that tavern is located on the shores of the Mare Serenitatis. I assume that means you have once again broken the law against traveling to the moon."
"That is your law, not the law of the Earth," Endymion growled, forming fists with both his hands.
Clicking her tongue in disapproval, Beryl shook her head and crossed her arms over her bountiful chest. "Endymion, what am I going to do with you? This is the third time this month I've caught you sneaking off to the moon. How does it look to the subjects when not even their prince can obey orders?"
Feeling his anger rising, Endymion took in a deep breath and relaxed his hands. It would do no good, to either him or Serenity, for him to lose his temper. Whether he liked it or not, his parents had unwillingly relinquished their power to the evil witch, and Beryl and Topaz were now in charge, which meant if he wanted to make any headway, he would have to play nice, as much as it was killing him.
"Beryl, you know how I feel about the new laws," he stated calmly. "If you honestly expected I would end my relationship with Serenity…"
"Serenity!" Beryl spat the name out as if it were a curse. "She is a Lunarian, Endymion, descended from the same people who have denied the people of the Earth what we rightly deserve for thousands of years. How you can be so enamored with that bitch is beyo--"
Unable to contain his anger anymore, Endymion slapped the queen across her face. Beryl yelped, touching the tender area as she glared at the handsome prince with fire in her eyes. "You bastard!"
Endymion didn't even flinch. "Don't you dare say that again about Serenity."
"You have some nerve, Prince. I was willing to once again forgive you for your offense, but this is the last straw. Guards! Take him away."
Out of the shadows, two men garbed in gray uniforms appeared and grabbed Endymion by the arms, pulling him back. The one on the left was a tall man with long white hair and stone cold eyes, while the other was a shorter, more effeminate male who wore his long golden hair in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. Endymion gasped, recognizing his former generals. "Kunzite! Zoisite! Let me go!"
There were no signs of emotion in their eyes at the pleas of their friend. Instead, Kunzite and Zoisite roughly turned him around and pushed Endymion out the door, Beryl cackling in the background.
That night after the party, Topaz stumbled into his room around midnight, more than a little bit drunk from the wine. He didn't even bother turning on the light, preferring the darkness to the endless day found on the sun. However, the king cursed violently as he hit his knee against the coffee table, not seeing it until it was too late. Eris must have decided to rearrange the furniture again. Couldn't that girl leave well enough alone?
Letting out another round of curses, Topaz flopped down on his king-sized bed and began yanking off his boots. He was going to have a major hangover in the morning. Why did he always do this to himself? The king was well aware that alcohol was his one weakness. One sip of that intoxicating liquor, and he could never have enough. The last thing he needed was to lose control when they were so close.
"Topaz, is that you?" Eris' sultry voice called out from the bathroom.
"Of course it's me. Who were you expecting? Santa Claus?"
Eris laughed at his corny joke, knowing that Topaz thought he had somewhat of a sense of humor. It was best to let him continue thinking that. Nobody liked to get on the king's bad side.
"Did you have fun at your little soiree?" she asked, walking into the bedroom clad in little more than a skimpy piece of black lace lingerie.
Topaz whistled appreciatively as Eris modeled in front of him. "Not as much fun as I'm going to have…"
He grabbed Eris around her tiny waist, pulling her toward him. The woman moaned at the touch of his lips on her neck. He always knew exactly what to do to turn her on. Little shivers of ecstasy traveled up her spine as Topaz unhooked the back of bra.
"I missed you tonight, baby," she whispered as he gently lowered her down to the bed.
"You could have come to the party, you know," he answered, yanking off his necktie, which he tossed carelessly on the ground.
Eris huffed as she began unbuttoning his shirt. "And watch you fawn over that wretched little princess the entire night? I'd rather watch paint dry."
"Do I detect a note of jealousy?" he asked, a sparkle in his eye. "That's cute, Eris. You know as well as I do that I could care less about Princess Serenity. She's still a little girl. I prefer the company of a mature woman, like you."
Once again, he brought his lips to her smooth alabaster neck, giving her soft butterfly kisses that drove Eris mad with desire, especially when he began traveling down to her pert breasts. She groaned loudly.
"Then why must you marry that brat?" she asked, unable to give up the subject.
He sighed. "Eris, we've been through this all before. Marrying Serenity is simply the easiest way to get what we want. Once the wedding night is over, I'll kill her and her mother, and then Beryl and I can legally take the throne of Silver Millennium and finally harness the great power of the Silver Crystal."
"Why wait until after the wedding night? Why not kill them right after the wedding?"
Topaz caressed his lover's cheek, knowing Eris hated the thought that another woman would own him, at least for one night. "Try to understand, Eris…"
The telephone took that opportunity to ring loudly, banging against his eardrums. The king swore loudly, and then reached over his mistress's nubile body to grab the phone from off the nightstand. There was only one person who would call him this late at night.
"What do you want, Beryl?" he answered gruffly, not even bothering with common courtesy. "This better be important. I was kind of in the middle of something."
"Don't worry, Topaz. Your precious Eris will still be there after we finish our little chat. And believe me, it'll be even better the longer you wait."
This is exactly what I need right now, sex advice from my little sister, he thought sarcastically. Beside him, Eris began unzipping his pants, and he involuntarily let out a small groan. He pulled her hands away from the area and shot her a look that said he was busy.
"So, what is it now?" he asked, sitting up. "Is that idiot Endymion still stirring up trouble?"
Even though they were thousands of miles apart, he could imagine the smile on his sister's face. Beryl had always had a soft spot for the handsome Earth prince, although in Topaz's opinion, Endymion was more trouble than he was worth. His sister Gaia hadn't been much better.
"Yes, unfortunately, but I've taken care of it. I assume things have been going well on your part, from what I hear from our dear prince."
"Things couldn't be going better. The engagement was just announced tonight at the Moon Ball, and the wedding will take place next week."
"Good," she replied. "Although, I would suggest you have a little talk with your lieutenants about what is and is not appropriate to discuss in public, Topaz. Endymion just stormed into my room, raving about how he overheard some of your soldiers talking about our plan in one of the Moon's more infamous taverns. Fortunately, the prince is now safely behind bars and not a threat, but I would appreciate it if we didn't have to deal with anymore close calls. We're too close for everything to fall apart now."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll talk with Pyra in the morning," he replied, faking a yawn. If he didn't stop this "little chat" soon, she would never stop her yakking. Eris was already sound asleep as it was. "I better let you go. There was a lot of alcohol at the party tonight, and I feel the beginning of a major headache. Goodbye."
Before she could protest, Topaz plopped the phone back on the nightstand and gently nodded Eris. She awoke, glancing up at him with groggy gray eyes.
"Topaz…"
"Shhh…"
He quickly pulled off his pants and continued where they left off, deciding to test his little sister's theory.
In a dark, cold dungeon where he was being kept prisoner, Endymion threw an old thread-bare blanket around his shoulders and walked over to the only window present in the tiny cell. Outside, the beautiful moon shone brightly over the Earth, bathing even the darkest places with its soft, soothing glow. He wanted to be there, with her. He needed to warn her.
"Serenity…" he whispered.
Wrapping his hands around two of the bars in the window, the prince attempted to pull them apart. Even with his strength, however, the steel columns refused to bend. Endymion cursed, finally giving up.
He sat back down on his cot, the only furniture provided for him, and hung his head. What was he going to do? He never should have tried to reason with Beryl. After he learned about the murder plot, he should have gone straight to Serenity and told her what Topaz was planning to do. Now, he was stuck here and his beloved had no idea what awaited her on her wedding night.
There had to be a way out of this place. But what could it be?
A week later, as she prepared for the wedding, Eris smiled at her reflection in the mirror, pleased with what she saw. She really was incredibly beautiful with long, straight ebony hair, flashing gray eyes, and full, seductive lips the color of blood. Like the rest of the girls, she wore her uniform which showed off her long, limber legs to their best advantage.
Eris ran her hand along the side of her jacket, feeling the weight of the gun she discreetly hid underneath. It was the gun that she was going to use to kill Princess Serenity directly after the ceremony. There was no way she was going to allow that little brat to have her way with her Topaz, not even for one single night. It was simply out of the question. Topaz wouldn't mind. He would still get what he wanted without taking the virgin princess to his bed.
She was so engrossed in her plans that she failed to notice that Topaz had come out of the bathroom, already dressed in an elegant tuxedo, until he came up right behind her and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. Surprised by his appearance, Eris gasped, hoping that he wouldn't notice the slight bulge on her hip. Fortunately, the king appeared to have other things on his mind.
"Wish me luck today, Eris," he whispered, lightly kissing the top of her head. "I'm getting married."
"You sound a little bit too excited for a guy who plans to coldly murder his wife after taking her virginity," she replied scornfully, not at all happy about the joyful tone in his voice.
"I thought we already discussed this, honey. It's just for one night, and by this time tomorrow, I will finally be the co-king of Silver Millennium."
That's what you think, baby, she thought to herself. Turning around to face her lover, she reached up and began retying his bowtie, which he had managed to totally screw up. He never could do it right. "You might as well look your best for your soon-to-be late wife…" she muttered.
After she finished, Topaz reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. He was smiling, but he had a dangerous look in his cold eyes. It actually caused a shiver to travel up her spine. "Eris, I want you to behave today at the ceremony," he said in a serious tone. "I don't want to deal with any crazy business. Princess Serenity and I are getting married, whether you like it or not, so don't even think of doing something you'll live to regret. Promise me!"
She nodded slightly, her eyes cast down at the floor. Topaz lifted up her chin, forcing her to look at him. He never looked more serious in his entire life. "I mean it!" he continued, his voice rough. "I've worked too hard for this to have it all thrown away by my jealous girlfriend. Just don't do anything to ruin the wedding."
"Okay, okay. I won't do anything that would prevent you and the princess from getting married," she promised, which was true, technically. She had no plans to stop Serenity and Topaz from saying their vows. It was the honeymoon she was worried about.
"Good girl. I knew I could count on you."
Before he left, he gave Eris a small kiss on the forehead and sighed. Topaz still wasn't sure if he could trust her. She sounded sincere, but her eyes told a different story. He hoped that she wouldn't do something stupid, for his sake, and hers.
"I'll see you at the church."
Back in the dungeons, the prince of Earth paced the length of his cell, deep in thought as he tried desperately to figure out some last minute plan to break out of the prison. Time was running out. He knew today was the day of Topaz's and Serenity's nuptials. Beryl had taken great pleasure of informing him of that news right before she and his former generals left for the wedding that morning. If he didn't think of something quick, it would be too late to save her.
"Serenity, please come to you senses," Endymion begged, stopping in front of the window and again trying to pull apart the bars trapping him inside. He knew it wouldn't do any good, but at least it made him feel as if he was doing something productive. "Damn!" he swore when the bars didn't move an inch. The curse echoed throughout the empty dungeon, loud and clear.
The prince finally surrendered, sliding his back down the wall and taking a seat on the dusty floor. His head hung low as he massaged his temples. What was the point of trying anymore? He'd been attempting to find a way out of the tiny cell for the past seven days with no luck, so what made him think today would be any different? Maybe it was time to admit defeat.
"Serenity, I'm so sorry," he whispered, looking up and banging the back of his head against the stone wall behind him. "I've failed you. Please forgive me."
"Perhaps all is not yet lost, Prince."
Hearing the soft, masculine voice, Endymion stood up and ran over to the door, afraid he was beginning to imagine things. The voice was no illusion, however. Endymion looked out the small window of the door and saw the figure of one of his closest and dearest friends.
"Helios! What are you doing here?" the prince asked, never so glad to see the white-haired man in his entire life.
The young priest cautiously glanced around the empty corridor with his golden eyes before he continued. "Forgive me, Prince," Helios said. "I would have come sooner had I known. Beryl informed your parents you had left for a training mission after finally surrendering to her control."
"How are they? My parents?" Endymion inquired. After the king and queen were overthrown, they had exiled themselves to the shrine of Elysion, the one place on Earth still not under Beryl's and Topaz's control. That meant he rarely had the chance to see them as Beryl forbade any contact with the so-called "traitors" of Earth.
"The king and queen are well, though very concerned you and about the situation on the Moon. Beryl told them about Topaz's and Serenity's engagement. That is why we suspected she was not telling the truth about your whereabouts. It didn't seem right that you would suddenly go off on a training mission when the woman you loved was marrying another man against her will. Even if Beryl had somehow convinced you to join the Dark Kingdom army, which you never would, we knew you would never stand for such a thing to happen to the princess, so I offered to sneak inside the palace after she and the generals left for the wedding and find the truth."
The prince sighed. "Topaz plans to kill both her and Queen Serenity," Endymion said bitterly, raking a hand through his dark hair. "I overheard some of his soldiers talking about it at Bacchus' Bar the night the engagement was announced and decided to confront Beryl, who threw me in this jail. Lot of good that did me… I should have gone to Serenity as soon as I learned of the plot against her and her mother. Now there's nothing I can do to save her."
"There's still time, Prince. You mustn't give up hope. I'll help you escape."
Endymion let out a hollow chuckle, resting his forehead against the coolness of the metal door. Helios always did have an admirable quantity of optimism. He was innocent in that way, but things were looking far from optimistic for the handsome prince. "How the hell do you propose we do that, Helios?" he asked, loudly banging his fist against the door in frustration. The noise startled the priest. "If there was a way out of this hellhole, don't you think I would have found it by now? Beryl is the only person with the key to open this door, and she took extra care in making sure I saw her place the key in a place I'd rather not mention before she left this morning. I think that witch rather enjoyed crushing any hope I had left of saving Serenity. She certainly was successful in doing so. We might as well face the facts -- there's no escaping this dungeon of nightmares. You should probably leave before somebody sees you. They don't look too kindly on the 'traitors' here."
Surprisingly, Helios didn't leave, despite his prince's pleas to do so. Endymion's cobalt blue eyes widened as the priest willed a golden crystal in his hands. It couldn't be, could it?
"Is that…?" the prince stuttered in disbelief. "But I thought her crystal had been destroyed when she was killed."
"Sailor Crystals continue to exist eternally, even when their carrier bodies succumb to mortality," Helios explained. "After Gaia's death, I became the temporary guardian of her crystal, and that is the reason why the shrine is protected from Beryl's evil spells."
The temporary hope that shone in the prince's eye disappeared as he suddenly remembered the limitations on its power. "But only Gaia can use the crystal, Helios. She was the true soldier of Earth. I'm afraid the Golden Crystal is completely useless to us."
"Then you shall become the new guardian of this planet, Prince. Since Gaia was the king and queen's only daughter, and you are now the next in line to the throne, you should technically be able to assume the position of protector of Earth. It's quite unorthodox, but if it works, you would have more than enough power to break through these walls."
Endymion stared at the shining crystal in Helios' hands, unsure of what to think about the priest's proposal. He, a Sailor Soldier? The idea was more than simply unorthodox -- it was unheard of. Never in the history of the universe had there ever been a male Sailor Soldier. At least, none that he'd ever heard of. But if he could use the Golden Crystal's power to save Serenity, then he was willing to consider the possibility.
"Will I have to wear one of those short skirts the other Sailor Soldiers wear?" the prince asked. He was trying to lighten up the noticeably somber mood that had settled over them, but a part of him was being deadly serious.
Helios chuckled. "No, I don't believe you will, Your Highness. That is, unless you would like to don the traditional uniform…"
"No, thank you," Endymion replied. He became serious once more, turning his thoughts back to the subject at hand. "What do I need to do to receive Earth's blessing as the new guardian?
"All you need to do is pledge yourself to Earth and open your heart to its power. The crystal will do the rest, if it believes your intentions are virtuous and true," Helios explained. "Now, close your eyes and think of the one thing you love most about this planet."
Endymion did as he was told, closing his dark blue eyes. A vision of a blood red rose, full in bloom, appeared in his mind. The prince's lips curled into a small smile as he imagined the soft petals and the sweet scent of the only flower matching Serenity's beauty. She always loved the roses of Earth he brought her when he visited. It was a love they both shared.
"Repeat after me, Your Highness," Helios said once the prince had opened the link. "I, Endymion, do solemnly pledge my life and soul to this planet Earth and vow to protect it from all harm and evil, until the day I die."
Endymion repeated the words in a strong, clear voice. He then began to feel a burning fire deep in his heart as the sign of Earth shone golden on his forehead. The crystal had accepted him as its new carrier, much to his relief. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and found himself dressed in the same tuxedo and white domino mask he had worn the last time he saw Serenity. Well, I suppose this is better than a sailor fuku, Endymion thought to himself, hiding a grin from Helios.
"Prince…?"
"You might want to move out of the way, Helios," the new guardian of Earth said. Endymion turned toward the locked door as he willed some of the crystal's power to his hands. "I don't want you to get hurt."
Once Helios moved safely out of the way, Endymion sent a blast of energy toward the door. The once indestructible metal faltered under the direct attack and clattered as it fell to the cold, barren floor. The sound echoed throughout the dungeon, but fortunately, other than its two current occupants, it was empty. The prince then stepped out of his cell and over the fallen door to join the priest on the other side.
"Helios, thank you," Endymion said. "I don't know --"
The young man shook his head. "It was nothing, Prince," Helios insisted. "Now, you must go save your princess. She is waiting for you."
"Right." The prince turned to leave, but not before he patted his friend's shoulder. "Take care, Helios."
"You, too, Endymion. I'll be praying for your safe return back to Earth."
"My, my, don't you look handsome today, Topaz," Beryl remarked as she caught up with her brother outside the chapel. "If I didn't know better, I would think you actually cared about this mockery of a wedding."
The groom chuckled, flicking away some imaginary flecks of lint off his tuxedo. "Serenity and her mother picked this out. It's not necessarily what I would have chosen, but it'll do, I suppose."
"Well, as long as you and Serenity exchange vows, you could wear a burlap sack for all I care. Might as well let the little princess have her dream wedding before she begins her nightmare marriage."
Topaz raised an eyebrow at his little sister. "Are you saying I'm going to be a bad husband?" he asked, the slightest tug of a smile on his lips.
"Considering you do plan to kill the blushing bride after the wedding night… Yes, you will make a terrible husband, Topaz. In fact, you just might be the worst husband in all of Silver Millennium."
"You say that as if it were a bad thing, Beryl."
"Bad for her, but good for us."
"Very good for us."
The evil siblings laughed. In just a few hours, everything they had ever wanted would be theirs. Beryl would get her revenge on Princess Serenity for stealing the handsome Earth prince away from her, and Topaz would have more power than he ever dreamed of. To think, only two or three years ago, they had been nothing more than lowly nobles at the Golden Palace. Now, they were joint rulers of not only the Golden Kingdom, but soon to be crowned king and queen of Silver Millennium. Topaz was tempted to pinch his arm just to assure himself it wasn't some wonderful dream.
"You aren't going to get cold feet, are you?" the redheaded queen asked, not very worried. She knew Topaz wouldn't pass up the opportunity they worked so hard to obtain.
Topaz shook his head. "You have nothing to worry about, Beryl. Everything will go according to plan."
Red-orange eyes narrowed, and Beryl pursed her blood red lips together before continuing. While she was confident in her brother, there was another that could stand in the way of their victory -- Topaz's seductive mistress. Beryl never did like the beautiful lieutenant with a reputation of being rather possessive of her lovers. She only tolerated Eris because she knew how much Topaz adored her.
"What about Eris? I know she can't be pleased with the fact you are marrying another woman. Does she understand the importance of this marriage?"
"Don't worry about her. I laid down the law to Eris before I left. If she knows what's best for her, she'll behave at the ceremony," Topaz assured her before raising his own question. "But what about Endymion? Any chance he'll escape? I must say it was rather bold of you to leave him at the palace without the supervision of one of the generals."
The queen reached into the bustier-style top of her black dress and pulled out a small, golden key. Smiling, she held it up for her brother see. "I wouldn't worry about Endymion. There's no way he's getting out of the dungeon without this key."
"Good."
The door to the chapel opened as Beryl hid the key once again between her breasts. The two turned around to see Eris make her way over to where her lover stood, the sound of her high-heel boots clanking loudly against the marble floors. Beryl discreetly rolled her eyes, but Topaz wrapped his arm around his mistress's tiny waist as Eris stopped beside him. What he saw in her was beyond Beryl's comprehension.
"Your Majesties, the ceremony is almost set to begin," Eris informed them in a dull monotone. "Queen Serenity has asked all guests and wedding party to get into place for the processional."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Topaz said, leading his sister and his lover back toward the door of the chapel. "Come, we have a wedding to attend."
"You don't understand!" Endymion, his true identity hidden behind his mask, practically shouted at the two female soldiers guarding the door to Serenity's dressing room. "I must see the princess immediately. It's a matter of life and death!"
Sailor Mars, also known as Princess Marcia, breathed in deeply, trying to control her notorious temper. The masked man was getting on her last nerve. "If I told you once, I've told you a thousand times that Princess Serenity is not receiving visitors. She is getting dressed for her wedding, which will take place in little more than an hour and must not be disturbed."
"But I'm here to warn her about the wedding. Serenity must not go through with the ceremony. It's a trap."
"That is Princess Serenity to you, young man," the other guard, Sailor Jupiter, informed him, surprised by his boldness to refer to the princess by her given name. "And, as Sailor Mars said, we cannot allow you to speak to the princess. We were given strict orders that nobody but the Queen may enter without being summoned by the bride herself."
"Well, then go in there and tell the princess that I'm here. I'm sure she will consent. My name is…Endy; she knows me well."
Mars closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten. Would this guy ever shut up? He had been arguing with them for the past fifteen minute,s and there were no signs that he intended to give up anytime soon. Maybe if they gave in to his request to inform Serenity of his presence, he would leave when the princess herself refused to see him. It was worth a shot.
"Fine, Endy. Jupiter will tell the princess that you are here, and you can see for yourself that she will see no one."
"I will?" Jupiter asked, surprised. This was news to her.
"Yes, you will. And I'll stay out here with this bold young man and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."
"That's all I ask," Endymion replied, glad that someone was finally going to do something about this. "If the princess refuses to see me, I promise I'll leave."
"You better, or I'll do the honor for you."
In the dressing room, Sailor Mercury expertly buttoned up the back of Serenity's wedding gown with her quick and nimble fingers as the bride stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror. Today was her wedding day, the day she dreamed of ever since she was a little girl. So, why did it feel like her nightmare come true?
"Serenity, smile," her friend lightly ordered. "It's your wedding day. This should be the happiest day of your life."
"It should be, Mercury," the princess said softly, "but it feels more like my funeral."
Mercury sighed. She understood what Serenity meant. There was nothing joyful about today. Even the normally clear blue skies were overcast with ominous looking black clouds. They were obviously Topaz's contribution to the wedding decorations, for the people of the Moon rarely enjoyed anything but perfect weather all the time.
After Mercury finished buttoning the dress, Serenity sat back down at the vanity and put on a pair of pearl earrings as Sailor Venus began brushing her long golden hair.
"Maybe it won't be so bad," Venus commented, not even believing it when she said it. "I know Topaz isn't exactly Prince Charming, but…"
The sound of the door opening in the back of the room caused the three girls to turn around, expecting to see the queen. Instead, the tall figure of Sailor Jupiter graced their presence, looking none too happy.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Serenity," she apologized. "I'm afraid that Mars and I are being pestered by a young man who insists that he must speak to you immediately. We've told him that you are not receiving visitors, but he won't leave until he gets an answer from you."
"Who is it?"
"He said his name is Endy and that you two are acquaintances."
At the mention of her former lover's pet name, Serenity gasped, the other earring dropping from her hand and onto the floor. Mercury bent over to pick it up as Venus raised an eyebrow.
"Endy?" she asked. "I've never heard of him. Do you know him, Serenity?"
The princess shook her head, trying to calm her racing heartbeat. "No. We've never met."
Jupiter gave the princess a curious look. "But you…"
"I don't know him," Serenity repeated, this time more convincingly. "Jupiter, you may tell the young man that his request for an audience with me has been denied and that if he doesn't leave the premises as soon as possible, I will be forced to have him arrested for trespassing."
"As you wish."
Jupiter quietly exited the room to inform Endymion of the princess's decision. However, Serenity was acting most unusual from the interruption. She was holding onto the vanity tightly with her hands, their color a ghostly white, and was visibly shaking. How could she have said such a horrible thing? He was going to hate her, although maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. It was better for Endymion to think that she no longer loved him. Then maybe he could move on with his life and find another girl…
"Serenity, are you feeling okay?"
Venus rested her hands on the princess's shoulders, causing Serenity to involuntarily jump in surprise. What was wrong?
"I'm fine, Venus," she insisted, taking a deep breath. I'm fine…
Endymion quietly slipped inside the church, taking a seat in the last pew. His blue eyes scanned the area, making sure nobody had noticed him, but it appeared that he had managed to sneak inside without being detected. He let out a sigh of relief.
The wedding was set to begin in little less than five minutes, meaning he had to think of a plan, fast. He never did consider the possibility that Serenity would decline to see him. That was a huge blow to his ego, as well as his plan. However, he refused to give up. There had to be a way to stop the wedding.
"Serenity, please don't go through with this wedding," he prayed silently. "Please, whatever you do, don't marry Topaz!"
The sound of the pipe organ startled him from his prayers. The wedding was beginning a few minutes ahead of schedule. Sadness filled his heart as he stood up with the rest of the guests and turned toward the aisle where each of the Sailor Soldiers were slowly walking toward the altar. What was he going to do?
Watching each of her friends walk down aisle, Serenity's eyes filled with tears. You can still get out of this, a voice whispered in her head. Just turn around and run out of this church. It's Endymion you love, not Topaz. Go find him and tell him how you truly feel.
No! I can't betray my kingdom. Marrying Topaz is the only way to achieve peace between the Silver Millennium and the Dark Kingdom.
But what about what you want?
I want peace. You want Endymion.
"Follow your dreams, Serenity," Sailor Venus said, squeezing the princess's hand before following Mars out the door. She was the last in line.
Serenity stared at her friend, her eyes wide in shock. What did she mean? Follow what dream? But she didn't have much time to dwell on Venus' riddling words for the strains of the Wedding March sung throughout the large chapel. This was it.
The bride took a deep breath, then stepped forward, practically forcing herself to continue. She didn't want to do this, but she had to. She had no other choice. By sacrificing herself, there would be no more wars, no more death, no more unhappiness. This was her dream. Or was it?
As she began the slow walk down the endless aisle, Serenity let her eyes wander, smiling sadly at the few guests she recognized. Most were part of the royal families of the planets, people she knew by name, not by face. There were no smiles on their long faces as the princess passed by, knowing the extent of the situation. Everybody knew this was a marriage of politics, not of love. They were all simply playing a part. Most were against the marriage, but none spoke out, fearing what would happen if they did. Those who supported the union did so reluctantly, knowing that it was the only way to stop the war that had plagued Silver Millennium for so long, the war that took the king's life.
The memory of her father's death released a wave of emotion inside the princess's heart. Cosmo had been a wise and gentle ruler who doted on his only daughter, his beautiful little Angel. She could still remember his bright smile and his deep blue eyes, so much like her own. She had been devastated by his death a year ago at the hands of the Dark Kingdom Army. And today she was marrying his murderer.
Approaching the altar, she looked over at her beautiful mother, seeking comfort. Queen Serenity smiled, but the look in her ice blue eyes was filled with sorrow, perhaps more than anyone else in the room. She mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," as Topaz took Serenity's hand and they turned toward the priest who was going to perform the ceremony.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of King Topaz and Princess Serenity in holy matrimony," the priest began, taking their hands in both his own. "If there be anyone present who has reason to believe that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."
Topaz immediately glanced over at Eris, who stood with the other lieutenants, along with the turncoat Earth generals. She had better hold her peace if she knew what was good for her. Fortunately, she didn't even flinch. She was handling this better than he thought. Turning back around, he flashed the priest a smile, urging him to continue. There would be no objections.
"Then, King Topaz, do you take Prin--"
"Wait!"
Every single person in the church, including the bride and groom, turned their attention toward the back of the room where the voice came from. A young man stood up from his seat, dressed in a tuxedo and a domino mask. Serenity could feel herself growing faint as she realized who it was.
"I object!"
"Endy!"
Serenity wanted to run into his loving arms and shower him with kisses, but something was holding her back. She looked down and saw that Topaz was gripping her bare arm tightly in his hand. His black eyes were positively full of evil. Pain traveled up her arm as she attempted to escape his grasp, but he wouldn't let go. With a heart filled with fear, her mouth opened as if she was about to scream but no sound emerged.
"Do you know this young man, Princess?" Topaz growled as Endymion came toward them. "Answer me!"
"Let her go, Topaz!" Endymion ordered, using his magic to transform in his normal armored attire. In the front pew, the king's sister Beryl stood up, surprised to find her prisoner had escaped. "She won't marry you. I know all about your and Beryl's master plan. It's over!"
"That's what you think, Prince Endymion of Earth," the queen said snidely, provoking gasps from the surprised guests. "Jadeite and Nephrite, take this man back to his cell. He is a wanted criminal and certainly not welcome here. My brother's wedding ceremony will continue without interruption."
"No!" the prince shouted, shooting a couple of beams of energy toward the two men coming after him. Nephrite and Jadeite, mildly injured from the attack, fell to the floor as Terra and Pyra moved to comfort them, and Beryl's eyes widened in shock at the prince's new guardian-like powers. Endymion, meanwhile, dropped to his knees in front of the frightened bride, grabbing the hem of her dress. "Serenity, he's planning to kill you. He's going to murder you and your mother and take the throne. I heard all about it at the bar. His lieutenants were there, talking about it. I heard it, I heard it all. You have got to believe me!"
"What?" she whispered, barely believing what he was saying.
King Topaz tightened his grip on her arm and laughed. "Are you actually going to take the word of a drunken prince? He was obviously under the influence when this supposed 'conversation' take place. This man is mad. It was only a hallucination. Take him away."
This time, Kunzite reached for Endymion's arm, but again the prince released another attack in retaliation just before the general touched him. The attack roughly pushed his former friend away, and Endymion reached for the princess's free hand.
"Serenity, please believe me," he begged. "I'm telling you the truth. It wasn't a hallucination. Please, believe me. You're nothing more than a pawn to them!"
"I-I don't know what to believe anymore!" she cried.
"Look at me! Look into my eyes, Serenity. I'm telling the truth. You know I am."
The bride lifted her veil, her gorgeous cerulean blue eyes locking with Endymion's ones of sapphire. He never blinked, just stared at her, silently pleading Serenity to believe him. "I am telling the truth," he repeated, this time his voice calm and steady.
"I know you are, Endy," she finally whispered, causing the fire in Topaz's eyes to burn with hate. How could this be happening to him?
"Father, continue with the ceremony," he ordered the shaking priest. "We are getting married, if it is the last thing I do."
"No, I'm won't marry you, Topaz!" she declared, finally managing to escape from his grasp. She fell to her knees and brought Endymion's hand to her lips, a soft smile on her face. "It's Endymion I love, not you. I must follow my dreams. It's Endy I want."
"Serenity…"
Endymion took the princess in his arms, holding her close. She was crying, her tears soaking his tunic, but he didn't mind. The beautiful angel was finally his.
Eris watched the events unfold in front of her, feeling as if she was in some kind of dream. This was horrible. This guy was ruining everything for her Topaz, and she wasn't about to let him get away with it. Topaz was going to be king of Silver Millennium. It was his destiny. Nobody was going to get in his way, least of all some alcoholic prince.
Reaching underneath her jacket, she wrapped her hands around the cool metal of the concealed weapon. Endymion was going to pay for what he's done. He was going to pay big time. Feeling unusually calm, she pulled out the revolver and aimed the shooter toward the two lovers. A few people screamed, including the queen, but it was too late.
Eris pulled the trigger.
"Endymion!"
A pool of crimson blood formed on the altar where the princess and her lover were sitting, staining the beautiful bride's white wedding dress. Blood was everywhere. Tears streaked down Serenity's face as she held Endymion's limp body in her arms, the life slowly flowing out of the bullet wound to his chest.
Around them, a battle had broken out between the Sailor Soldiers and King Topaz, Queen Beryl, and their army, but she was only vaguely aware of the fighting. Her only thoughts were with Endymion, who grew weaker by the minute. She tore a piece of fabric from her soiled wedding gown and tried desperately to stop the bleeding, but in her heart she knew it would do no good. He had lost so much blood…
"Endymion, can you hear me?" she asked, brushing her hand against his cold cheek. "Say something. Anything at all."
"Serenity…"
She faintly smiled as Endymion's loving blue eyes popped open. He was still alive, but she knew it wouldn't be long before he was gone. "I love you, Endymion," she whispered.
She bent down and gave her lover one last tender kiss, her salty tears coating her lips. It was time to say goodbye.
Endymion grabbed her hand and moaned as another wave of pain washed over him. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something else to her, but he couldn't speak. It was too painful.
As she watched, Serenity choked back a sob. He was in so much pain. She wished there was something that she could do, but she was completely powerless to help. "It's okay," she said softly. "Don't try to talk. Just be still and rest."
But he wouldn't give up. Again he attempted to speak, this time more successfully, although his voice was very faint. Serenity bent down close to his lips in order to understand what he was saying.
"I love you, too…Serenity…"
As he finished his declaration of love, Endymion smiled softly at Serenity and closed his eyes for the final time. Sobs ripped through her body as she cradled his lifeless body in her loving arms. He was gone!
"Endymion, why did you have to leave me here?" she cried. "Why? Why? Why?! I can't live without you here with me. I want to be with you. Take me with you! Take me with you!"
The pain was too much for the young princess to bear. She had no more desire to live, for her life was over without Endymion. Spotting someone's sword laying on the ground next to her, Serenity grabbed the blade and aimed the tip at her stomach. I'll soon be with you, Endymion.
With that thought, the beautiful princess of Silver Millennium stabbed herself and collapsed on her lover's body, their blood mixing together around the two corpses.
Luna, in her cat form, waded through the ocean of bodies and blood that covered the floor of the church, feeling as if she were about to faint. Artemis followed behind her, he too feeling sick to his stomach. So many were dead, so many innocent lives lost…
Coming across the body of one of the Sailor Soldiers who lay near the entrance of the church, the black cat stifled a scream. Upon closer inspection, the body was revealed to be that of the intelligent warrior of water, Sailor Mercury. Next to her were the bodies of Lieutenant Aqua and Marina's former lover-turned-enemy General Zoisite, which gave Luna a sense of satisfaction. At least Princess Marina hadn't died in vain.
As they continued down the aisle, Luna and Artemis discovered that Mercury wasn't the only casualty suffered by the Sailor Soldiers. One by one, they came upon the bodies of the girls Luna had always considered her children in her heart, if not in body. The passionate, if hot-headed, Sailor Mars…the strong and protective Sailor Jupiter…and the beautiful and brave Sailor Venus, their leader. Coming across Princess Bella's bloodied body was the worst of all, because out of all the Sailor Soldiers, she had always been the prettiest, the bravest, and the most dedicated. To discover that not even she survived was heartbreaking, especially for Artemis, who always had a special bond with the Princess of Venus.
"My girls…" Luna murmured, struggling to hold back her tears.
Artemis hung his head, trying to hide his own watery eyes. "Bella…"
The sound of a woman's sobs brought Luna and Artemis back to reality. Somebody was still alive. They turned toward the altar, their hearts heavy with sadness at the scene that greeted them. Queen Serenity, covered with blood, held her daughter's lifeless body in her arms, weeping.
"No!" Luna shouted, running to her mistress. This was a nightmare, an absolute nightmare. "Not the princess, too!"
"I couldn't save them, Luna," Serenity cried. "I defeated Topaz and Beryl, but it was too late to save the others. Everyone's dead. I couldn't save them; it's my fault."
"You mustn't believe that, Your Majesty," Artemis said, walking over to the gruesome scene, the lovers' blood covering his snow white fur.
Serenity barely heard her advisor's words as she gently pushed back a strand of her daughter's blood-soaked blonde hair off her face. She had been so beautiful, both inside and out. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair!
"I'm so sorry, my angel," she whispered, kissing Serenity's forehead. "I never should have agreed to let you marry that horrible man. I should have known he was going to turn on us, but I wasn't thinking. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me? I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"It wasn't your fault, my queen," Luna insisted. "It was ultimately Serenity's choice to marry Topaz. She only wanted peace, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. That was her dream."
The red-eyed cat glanced over at the body of Princess Serenity's secret lover and sighed. Endymion, the handsome prince of the Golden Kingdom. No one ever even suspected exactly how much she was willing to sacrifice. Even though she was saddened at her princess's death, she was comforted by the fact that the two forbidden lovers were finally together.
"Peace."
The queen's whispered word mysteriously echoed throughout the quiet chapel. Luna glanced back up and was surprised by the tranquil expression on Serenity's face. Surrounding the queen was a beautiful silver aura, brighter than even the brightest star in the night sky. She was in a trance, her ice blue eyes closed to the world as a crystal formed in her outstretched hand. Luna's eyes widened. It was the Silver Crystal, the source of all the queen's power.
"Serenity!" the cat exclaimed, not bothering with formalities anymore. "You can't use the rest of your power. You'll die!"
The queen awoke from her trance, the golden light fading. While she appreciated her advisor's concern, she knew that this was the right thing to do. She would make her daughter's greatest wish come true.
"You've always been such a good friend to me, Luna," she said softly, petting the cat on the head. "But I have nothing left to live for. My daughter, my husband, my kingdom… Everything I loved is gone."
"But…"
Serenity interrupted the cat before she could protest. "The Silver Millennium is dead and soon the universe will be as well. Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus will awake the sleeping soldier of destruction, Saturn, who will drop her Silence Glaive, ending the world. However, with death always comes rebirth…"
"You aren't making sense. What are you talking about?"
Serenity smiled. Luna always was the type who liked to get straight to the heart of the matter. "I'm talking about another chance, Luna," she replied. "I have just enough power left to seal everyone in my crystal and send them to a new future on Earth. A future where they will finally be happy."
"But if you do that, Beryl and the rest will also be reincarnated. The future would just repeat what happened in the past."
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "It will be different this time. A new warrior will be born, the soldier of peace and sanctity. She will defeat the evil once and for all, succeeding where I failed."
"A new warrior? But who is she? How will we know her?"
"Your heart will tell you," the queen answered, wrapping her hand tightly around the crystal. "I must go now. Goodbye, Luna and Artemis. Take care."
Before the cat could protest further, Serenity raised the Silver Crystal above her head and prayed to its power. One by one, the bodies disappeared, their souls combining into the shining crystal. Luna wept as she slowly watched the queen's energy leave her body.
"Serenity!" Luna screamed just before she and Artemis joined the others. The cats were the last to go.
Her body weak from the loss of energy, the queen collapsed on the altar. There was only one more thing to do. It was time to say goodbye. Goodbye, my darling Serenity. I hope you finally find peace with the one you love. That is my dream for you. I love you, my angel. Goodbye…
MOON COSMIC POWER!
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: If this story seems familiar, that is because this is actually arewrite of an earlier story called The Legend of the Golden Millennium, whichwas to be the beginning of a Sailor Sun/Zodiacs epic. Since I decided not to continue that story due to time restraints, I rewrote the first chapter as an AR Silver Millennium fic. You probably noticed the story didn't exactly follow canon, although I did try to stay as close as possible to the ideas given in the anime and manga without ruining the original plot of TLOTGM.