I was sitting on my couch, watching TV - or scrolling through my phone - and an idea hit me.
This is my first Sailor Moon fic; But I've loved Sailor Moon since I was a youngster!
Disclaimer: Of course, I do not own anything Sailor Moon.
Fic is completely AU.
500 years in the past:
"Prince Endymion, your grace." A tall man bowed before the boy prince.
The boy was not boy - he had the appearance of a strapping, young man. He was tall, lean; He had dark hair and dark eyes that seemed to glow through bits of hair that fell just over his forehead. When he smiled, everyone around him admired him - he was beautiful. Perfect skin; The tone of his voice was just as appealing, like a song that landed on ears. He was the boy prince of the great King Antony: King of the Vampires. And Endymion was a boy, because he had not yet broken one hundred years of age.
He had been seated at the corner of his bedroom window, one leg perched against the stone frame. His eyes were transfixed upon the moon, the entity that gave vampires their source of life and protection. While most vampires would pray to the moon and stars for luck, or strength, or small bits of fortune, Endymion had other prayers in mind. For he had taken the moon's light for granted all his life; having his father as the king, he had no need for prayers. He was looked upon as the highest of vampires, and vampires alike wished to know him, to see him - to be him. Perhaps he was the first vampire in the history of their existence to find the life dull.
That was, until recently.
"Your grace." The tall man spoke again, raising his head from his bow, "I need to speak to you, if I may."
"Go on, Kunzite." Endymion motioned the man with his hand, giving him the chance to say whatever message that tortured his tongue. Kunzite stood straight, the length of his long, white hair cascaded around his shoulders as he did. He kept one hand above his heart, and the other upon the hilt of his sword. His grey eyes peered at the Prince intently before he cleared his throat to begin, "Prince, I had urgent news."
"It isn't urgent, if it isn't the first words you speak." Endymion sighed as he spoke. His long, slender fingers drove through the strands of hair that tickled his skin, and pulled them back upon his head. He wanted to get back to his thoughts and prayers, and as much as he loved Kunzite - both his friend and guardian - he needed him to be done with whatever this was.
"It is of Lady Beryl... and the human Princess."
Endymion's eyes fell from the moon to look inside of his bedroom and at the vampire who protected him daily. He saw the fear and concern on the man's face, which normally, would never be there. Kunzite was Endymion's thoughts, his conscious; He was the voice of wisdom and reason amongst the four guardians appointed to the King's son. For him to look as he did, only meant the remaining of his news was riddled with dread.
"Princess Serenity?" Endymion needed to confirm this. Surely there were other princesses upon Earth.
"Yes, your grace." He said, "She was last seen with Lady Beryl."
"Go on with it, and? What has happened to them?"
"We haven't seen them return, and the humans in town have started to riot. They saw her leave with Lady Beryl, and have started accusing us vampires of treason."
Endymion, instantly, was full of worry and shock. He hopped down from his window, and grabbed his black jacket that hung at the far wall. He grabbed the only lit candle within his room, and hurried down the halls of his father's castle; Kunzite's footsteps were close behind, and just as urgent. They sped past the vampires who lurked the halls, staring outside the windows at the torches that made their way to the castle. Endymion had been so lost at the moon and within his own thoughts, he hadn't heard the noise outside. The sounds were distant, but with the senses of a vampire, he should have heard.
"What say my father?" Endymion asked, his breath shaky, as they hurried down the steps into the castle foyer.
"He is outside with my brother guardians, Your Grace, and with his other men. They are trying to find the women now."
The Prince sighed, "But the humans, how? How could they think such horrid things of us? When have we vampires ever..." his voice trailed off as he thought of the Lady Beryl, but refocused his thoughts to think of the matters at hand. The human girl, the Princess of the town in which they shared land with, was missing. If he or his father could not find her, there would be war. A war with the humans, and with himself. With himself, because his prayers to the moon, were prayers and hopeful blessings of his love for her. A vampire could not love a human girl, but he did. Somehow, he hoped, his feelings for the Princess Serenity were not the cause of this.
Outside, Kunzite had already prepared their horses. The white stallions stood ready, each with their hair a glow in the moon's light. Endymion mounted his without hesitation, and sped off without word of where to go from his guardian. He followed his senses. His heart. The light of the stars as his guidance, he rode through the woods towards the torch bearing horde - Somehow, in his heart, he knew it was where he needed to go.
"Unhand her!" A royal guard of the humans stood at the front of the large crowd. The guard, covered in iron mail and red cloth, stood in front of an even large man. A portly man. This man, with his silver beard and beady eyes, fought at the guard in front of him - he wanted to charge forward. He wanted to attack.
He, his guard, and the large crowd, stood in front of the gate that separated the town from the lands the vampires lived upon. On the adjacent side of the humans, were the crowd of vampires, not a robust or with means to attack. They stood as a cloud of defense with their King Antony and the guardian's of the golden kingdom. Blended with the yells from the crowd of humans, were the yells of the Vampire King and his men. Because between the two groups, standing firm on the stone path that lead to the gate, was the Lady Beryl. Her long red hair matched that of the gown she wore. Her orange toned eyes panned the heads of both crowds as she scanned ways for escape. She saw none, but needed to, for in her arms was a struggling, crying, Princess Serenity.
The human Princess extended her arms in the direction of her screaming father, but she could not break free. Beryl's arm was wrapped around her neck, and her other hand held a pointed, extended nail against the side of her neck. With each struggle, Serenity felt a prick of pain against her skin. It was only a matter a minutes - no, seconds - before Beryl broke blood and drank her dry. She felt this. She knew this. The silver stands of her long hair stuck to the tears of her red cheeks. Father, she pleaded silently, with her lips forming the word over and over again.
"Beryl!" King Antony bellowed, "Unhand the girl, and return to the castle!"
Beryl shot her king an angry, tear infused face. He could see the rage within her eyes. She twirled to face her king, with the whimpering serenity in her arms. "I refuse!" She yelled. "I refuse, I refuse, I refuse..." Her yelled gradually decreased to that of a whisper, and she said it twice more against Serenity's ear before whispering, "I refuse, for why should you be the one to have what it is I want..."
"I do not understand." Serenity cried, "You said we were to be friends."
The Princess' hands pulled at Beryl's arm. She could feel her chest grow heavy as breathing only grew harder. She could not die here.
"You foolish girl," Beryl laughed as she tightened her hold, "I never would have thought you could be tricked so easily."
Serenity felt her vision grow dim. She pulled harder against Beryl's grasp, but she was no match for the vampire's strength. She coughed as she cried, and closed her blue eyes. She thought back to that early morning, before the sun had rose completely in the sky. Rather than be woken by her ladies in waiting, she was greeted by a gentle kiss of her love. She could picture his face, his dark eyes, his warm smile as he told her 'Good Morning, Serenity.' He told her he would fetch for her later in the day, he had something of importance to tell her. She simply thought it was Beryl he sent. She was wrong; She would never see him again. "Endy...mion." She gasped.
"What did you say, girl?" Beryl hissed, pulling Serenity up by her neck alone. The crowds - both humans and vampires - gasped at the shrill cry that escaped the princess. Her feet no longer touched the ground. Her dress flowed loosely in the wind as Beryl held her up in the air. She could not breathe, she could not think. And she thought she heard her name.
"How dare you say his name? No human addresses the prince so easily!" Beryl pushed the tips of her nails into the Princess' neck. Tears fell down from her orange eyes as she stared at the human girl in her hands. She could squeeze her fingers, just once, and break life from the girl. How easy would it be? Then, all her problems would be resolved. There would be no more distractions. There would be no more interference. Everything would return to normal.
"Serenity!" It was not just the princess who heard her name; Beryl heard it as well. She turned towards the woods. She could hear the galloping feet of horses - two horses. And that voice, she knew that voice.
Through the trees, seated upon his white horse, was Prince Endymion. Next to him, and only seconds behind, was Kunzite; he, too, was seated on his white horse. The two rode to the crowd without pause, and ignored the pleas from both vampires and humans alike. Endymion had his eyes on Beryl and Serenity, and needed the free the Princess he loved. With Kunzite by his side, they jumped down from their horses and started on foot, but when Serenity cried out again, Endymion stopped in his tracks. He could feel his vampire blood boil and his sense rage to a standard he never unleashed them, but he couldn't. He could endanger her more than she already was. "Beryl, please, unhand her. Put her down and return her to her father."
There was a glimmer of hope in Beryl's eyes. Her bright lips turned up ever so slightly, and a gentle smile graced her face. She mouthed his name - Endymion - silently, and in that moment, the Prince believed he had reached her. He extended his hands towards her, motioning her to come to him. Without words, he mouthed to her - Please, let her go. This, his plea for Serenity, broke the smile on Beryl's face. Her lips plummeted down, and the tears dried within her eyes. The orange within them turned blood red. "You give me a plea? A plea, for a human girl?"
"Lady Beryl." Kunzite stepped forward, with his sword ready to be swung if need be, "Obey the Prince. It is within your duty-"
A blood curdling laugh escaped Beryl. The sound of it echoed in everyone's ears. King Antony yelled for his son, because he knew that laugh. It was the same laugh the vampire who created Beryl made before he went insane. And the same laugh he gave before he was executed. "Endymion!"
The Prince looked at his father. The second his eyes left Beryl, he heard an unnatural crunch. Cries and yells emerged from the human crowd. Endymion felt his heart stop. He whipped his head back around, just as the body of Serenity hit the stone ground. Her lifeless face was turned to his; The light in her blue eyes, gone. He could no longer hear the sweet beating of her heart. Time stood still as he walked towards her body. He cradled her head in his lap, pushing aside her silver hair. His finger traced the silver crystal brooch attached to her dress. He felt the tears in his eyes.
"Your grace, we must go!" Kunzite pulled at the collar of his jacket. Endymion would not move. He cried, caressing the warmth of the Princess' cheeks before the went cold. Why, why would Beryl do such a thing?
"Your grace!" Kunzite pulled again at Endymion, with all his might, forcing the Prince to a stand against his will. He forced him to look ahead, to look a Beryl. The cries and yells from the humans were not of rage, but of fear. They were under attack. Beryl ripped and pulled at the necks of the innocent, drenching her clothes in warm blood. Her laugh echoed over the screams. On the King's side, he and his guardians ran forward to stop her, but found themselves under the force of newly turned vampires.
"Endymion!" Kunzite yelled, "We must leave! Please, Your Grace!"
Endymion looked at the fight, and up at the guardian who vowed to protect his life. Behind him, he saw his three other guardians: Jadiete, Nephrite, and Zoisite. They each waited for orders, but knew what it was to be. It only needed to be said verbally.
"I cannot simply leave her..." Endymion said as Kunzite pulled him from her body; He fought for a moment, and found that only the brooch was in his grasp. Kunzite had dragged him away, back towards their horses. He stared down at his fingers, down at the crystal in his hand. This would be the last piece he had of her, of his Darling Serenity. He couldn't fathom the thought as he mind went white; he had just seen her that morning! He was to ask for her hand in marriage! And now, that was gone.
"Prince, we must leave. Your father will take care of it from here." Jadiete said as they each road off on their horses. They did not turn for the castle, but instead road past it.
Endymion should have looked back, but didn't. He road with his guardians, away from the battle. Their job was to protect him, order given by their King. If only they had known, they would never see their king again.