Watto's Junkyard: Domus Prime: Echoes of the Future - Chapter One
"Echoes of the future,
Remembered from the past.
Some familiar faces,
One love that will last.
In an ageless memory,
A tale of love and glory.
And yet at this beginning,
Blood will end the story."

Echoes of the Future


by Sailor Coruscant (kat_b7@yahoo.com)

"I can never recall how it all began. A chance word, perhaps, or a glance out at the moonlit sky. Either way, my life was never the same."

Chapter One

For him, at least, it all began late one night, as he wandered aimlessly the gardens of the Crystal Palace on Coruscant. He had managed to avoid his bodyguards for a time, and he had chosen to come here and try to find some peace of mind. He had never realised just how complicated Galactic politics could be until this morning when he had been allowed to watch the Queen holding court. The way she managed the many situations that everyone kept handing her was masterful, and although he had learnt much already, he realised that he would have to study the Queen for a long time if he was ever to equal her skill.

Prince Nazoru ran a hand through his dark brown hair, studying the night sky. The gardens were not very well lit, but there was enough distraction from the Palace that he was barely able to make out the star of his homeworld, Namida. A faint white spark of light in the sky, he missed his home more acutely than ever as he stood looking up at it.

Eventually he sat by the edge of the artfully created river, not really wanting to move, remembering his people, and the family he had left behind. He had spoken to his mother only two days earlier, to reassure her that he had arrived safely, and that the Queen had herself come to welcome him to Coruscant. The Queen was an old friend of his mother, Queen Chie, and they had known each other for many years, since his mother had served her time at the Palace as Sailor Namida.

And now it was her son's turn to serve at the Palace, although he had no Senshi powers. Because he was male, he could not access those powers that were his birthright. Perhaps one day, if he was lucky enough to have a daughter, she would take up the mantle of Sailor Namida, but until then, his world had to make do without a Senshi, although his mother could use the power still if necessary.

Prince Nazoru had some small power of his own, related to the latent Senshi abilities within him. He could sometimes hear what other people were thinking, and make them do as he wished them to. He occasionally had flashes of insight and sometimes, powerful visions, but more often than not brief glimpses of the future that allowed him to have quicker reflexes than most. He was a skilled fighter, and had been the best at the Temple on Mau when it came to training with a lightsaber.

A soft noise caused him to start, glancing behind him in surprise, reaching for his lightsaber instinctively. But the garden was silent again, save for the small noises of the river and the birds settling down for the night. He was just about to turn back to the river again when he heard the noise once more, and got to his feet. It had been very soft, almost muffled, and he was not certain what it was, but he took a few steps in the direction he thought it had come from.

He walked for a time through the seemingly deserted gardens, his hand constantly on the hilt of his 'saber, prepared to face whatever it was he might find. The night appeared to grow darker and more menacing, and for a brief moment his mother's vision about a forthcoming invasion came to his mind. But he could sense no one nearby, which meant that whoever he thought was here in the gardens with him was either shielded somehow, or more powerful than he, and both options worried him. He entertained the notion of calling the Palace Guards for an instant, but for all that he was a little unnerved, he had yet to find any evidence that anyone else was in the garden at all.

He rounded a corner and found a beautiful fountain before him, the waters sparkling silver in the reflected starlight, falling as the hair of an angelic sculpture which in some ways looked like the Queen. She had the same facial features, but the top of her hair was tied back in an unusual manner, so that it appeared to be a crown, while the rest of her hair flowed loosely down her back. On her forehead, a silvery tiara rested, over the place where the sigil for Coruscant would be, and she was dressed as a Sailor Senshi. From her back protruded wings, as delicate as a butterfly's, which looked so fragile that a tiny breeze would cause them to break. But in her eyes was a cold anger, so like ice that he shuddered. Although the Queen's eyes were usually serene, Prince Nazoru had yet to see them so empty, without any warmth at all, as though everything this Senshi had loved had been destroyed, and all that was left was her duty. Over the bow on her chest, a pretty locket rested, decorated with the Royal sigil, a circle within a heart.

Prince Nazoru realised after a minute of gazing upon the wondrous beauty of the statue that this must be Sailor Coruscant, the mythical Senshi who was the centre of a number of legends, but as far as anyone could tell, had never really existed. It was a popular story in many places around the Galaxy that if need was truly great, then Sailor Coruscant would appear to save them. But everyone knew that Coruscant had no need of a Senshi protector of its own, since there were always at least twenty-five Senshi stationed in the Palace serving their time as the Queen's bodyguards.

Seated at the edge of the pool beneath the fountain was a girl, perhaps eighteen years of age, with long brown hair that fell gently to the ground, covering her face as she cried silently into her hands. She wore a stunning dress of deepest blue, which was extremely modest, despite the current fashion in the Palace, which was for girls to wear skirts that rivalled those of the Senshi, and tops that left little to the imagination. The girl's bare shoulders were all that he could see of her arms, the rest hidden by her hair, as was all of her face.

Unsure of what to do, Prince Nazoru took a few steps towards where she was sitting, not wanting to startle her, but at the same time wishing to comfort her. There was something about this girl that he could not place, as if even though he had never seen her before, he felt a connection to her. She was much younger than he and her tears evoked a sympathy in him that seemed to be something more than just concern for someone he had found crying alone in a garden late at night.

On the perfectly swept path, there was no twig to snap and alert her to his presence. He always walked lightly, rarely making a noise, generally preferring for people to not notice his arrival. This time was different. Prince Nazoru had no wish to frighten the girl; she seemed a vision to him, ready to disappear at the slightest intrusion on her grief.

But she did not seem to notice as he walked around her and sat down on the edge of the fountain. Despite his proximity, she did not look up, nor did she stop crying, letting out the occasional sob as control escaped her.

"Please", he said softly, his voice little more than a whisper, "do not cry."

She looked up sharply, realising that there was someone with her, and got to her feet immediately. Prince Nazoru knew that she was about to run off, and he did not want that, having received a brief glimpse of her face. The girl had very delicate features, but her eyes were rimmed with red from crying, her cheeks shone silver with the trails from her tears and what little make-up she had been wearing was smudged. What had caught his attention were her eyes, as blue as her dress, shining like sapphires despite the darkness around them. He did not want for her to leave, and caught her wrist in his hand as she moved to go.

"I am sorry", he said, as she turned back to look at him, and he was stunned at the depths in her eyes. A man could easily become lost in eyes like that. "I did not mean to disturb you."

For a long time she stood unmoving, her eyes locked on his, the gaze only broken as she blinked tears from her eyes. She still seemed hesitant to remain, and it seemed as though his hand moved without thought, bringing her fingers up to lightly brush his lips. "Please stay", he asked her, not looking away from her eyes.

He never knew what she saw as she looked back at him, but something there must have reassured her, for she gave a small nod and sat down again, sniffing slightly. He did not let go of her hand, and he sensed that she did not want him to. Not wanting to break the silence this time, he did not move, content to hold her delicate fingers in his, waiting for her to take the first step.

After a time her tears dried up, as though she had none remaining. Her chest was still heaving with the occasional sob, and she shuddered every now and then without control. He moved closer to her, and perhaps without realising what she was doing she rested her head against his shoulder.

The only sound in the garden came from the fountain, the falling water reminding him of her tears. The fringe of her hair hung down in front of her face, hiding her eyes and forehead from view.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" Her voice was a melodic whisper to the stars above them, shining brighter than he had ever seen them. He turned to her, not certain that he had heard correctly her question.

"If you tell me what the matter is, perhaps I can help." The offer was automatic; he truly wanted nothing more than for this girl to not look so dejected, as though she had no hope left.

"There is no way for you to help", her words were harsh, her eyes flashing with a spark of blue light that made them seem more real to him than all of her earlier tears. "Unless you can make me into an entirely new person, with no responsibilities and no duties." She snatched her hand away and rose, brushing at invisible spots on her dress angrily. "I thank you for your kindness, sir. I will disturb your evening no longer."

She started walking away from him. He stood up quickly, taking a few fast steps until he was walking alongside her, matching her pace. "I am not going to leave you alone until I at least know your name", he said evenly, but she only started to run, holding up the ends of her dress so that she would be able to escape him.

Prince Nazoru did not know why he chased her, only that he would not let this mystery girl run from his life without a proper introduction. She did not follow the set walkways in the garden, running through the maze-like paths instead, not looking behind her, her feet agilely missing the hidden tree roots and obstacles that slowed his pursuit. It occurred to him that she must know the gardens well to be able to traverse its inner passages so easily. He tripped and fell, cursing in an un-Princely display as he landed badly and crashed his knee into the ground. When he glanced up, she was gone from his sight, and he could no longer hear her footsteps. The garden was as still as it had been when he first arrived, the silence was all encompassing.

He reached out with his other senses, trying to hear if she was anywhere nearby. But, remembering his earlier failure, he was not surprised to find that he could not find her. Leaning back against a tree, he sighed loudly in defeat. His eyes drifted upwards to the stars again, staring at Namida's star in acute longing. Everything here on Coruscant was so very strange, nothing made any sense to him. Not even his time on Mau had trained him for this, for odd late-night encounters in shadowed gardens with beautiful girls.

Prince Nazoru realised that he should probably seek out his bed, the following night was to be his formal welcome to the Palace, with the Queen holding a masked ball in his honour. He was not looking forward to the event, instead wishing that the Queen had decided to honour him with a quiet dinner in his rooms. But he had a duty to protect and study the Queen and her daughter, that included obeying her wishes, and he would never neglect his duty.

A soft laugh caused him to look across the little glade in surprise. Her face seemed whiter than earlier, but it was no doubt that she was amused with him. Leaning out from behind a tree trunk, her hair still fell in an unruly manner across her face, but she seemed more controlled as though she had hidden her feelings from everyone, herself included. "If I had known that it would be that easy to lose you in here, I would have stopped running a long time ago." She stepped out into the light, her hands on her hips.

"I am terribly sorry, my lady, but I fell and injured myself. I meant no disrespect to you." Prince Nazoru bowed more than a little mockingly, and although he knee was aching slightly he felt no real pain.

A frown crossed her face, and she walked over to him. "I did not know", she said, her voice losing its amusement, "are you all right?"

"If you will tell me your name, I am certain that all will be well again."

"You are a strange one", she said, more to herself than him. Biting her lower lip nervously, she looked up and met his gaze once more. He was much taller than she was but her eyes seemed to make up for that. Finally she sighed, and held out a hand for the customary greeting. "My name is Ama", she said lightly. There was something in her eyes that made him suspect she was not telling him the whole truth but he shrugged it off taking up her left hand, and instead of shaking it as she expected, kissed it again.

Prince Nazoru made a choice then. As he was becoming increasingly fond of the little brunette, he did not want her to flee again. And if she found out his proper rank, this would most likely happen, or at least she could start to act differently around him, which he would loathe. So, as he looked into her eyes, he found himself murmuring, "That is a lovely name, mine is Nazo." It should not be close enough to the Prince's name for her to recognise it.

She gave him a grateful curtsy. "I am honoured to meet you, Nazo."

Prince Nazoru smiled at Ama, guiding her over to a bench so that they could both sit. Her hair still fell irregularly across her face, but though he longed to brush it back to see her eyes without obstruction, he knew that it would be incredibly bad manners.

For a time, the silence between them was almost uncomfortable, but he could think of nothing to say. It was Ama who broke it in the end, smiling shyly and looking away.

"What were you doing out here before I came?" There was a musical quality to her voice, which sounded much younger than her manner suggested. Her words had a formal tonality to them, almost as if they had been rehearsed and she was only saying what was proper. He was almost offended by her distanced stance.

"I came here to see if I could see my home." His eyes drifted upwards to the stars again. Beyond the trees he could just see Namida. His thoughts were with his mother, and he was suddenly worried about her.

"Oh", Ama breathed, also gazing up, "Which one is it?"

He pointed to his star, and she stared at it almost longingly. "It is so pretty. What is its name?"

Prince Nazoru grinned at the girl, wagging one finger scoldingly. "You mean you don't know the name of every planet in the Galaxy? Tsk, tsk Ama, you should study harder." She blushed prettily, and he wondered why. As he looked at the star and spoke again his voice lost the teasing quality to be replaced by a wistful sound. "My home is called Namida."

Ama gasped, and he turned to her in shock, to see her eyes slightly widened. "What is it?" Prince Nazoru asked, worried that he might have given himself away.

But Ama gave a small shake of her head, looking away again. "I thought", she paused, her brow furrowed in thought for a moment, before she shrugged wryly. "Just remembering a piece of Palace gossip I heard."

Inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. "Tell me about Namida", she asked, and there was a slight overtone of command to her voice that surprised Prince Nazoru. Who was Ama anyway?

She picked a white blossom from the tree nearest them and he thought for a moment before beginning to speak. The heavily scented garden air was almost intoxicating.

"Namida is not like Coruscant at all. Although it is very beautiful here, everywhere there are many people; there is no space. There are very few parks here at all; it is all one immense city reaching out forever. My home is not at all like that."

Ama was listening attentively, her eyes still on the stars above them seemed almost to be filled with tears. Without realising what she was doing, she pulled each individual petal from the blossom, letting them fall to her feet. Normally he would have viewed such a destructive action with distaste, but there was something in her manner that stopped him.

"Namida only has one city, where the Queen lives in a very small palace. Away from the city are many wild lands, some of which have never been surveyed or explored. There are deep oceans, and at the North Pole there is a frozen wasteland where nothing lives. What is left of the planet is farming land. Namida's population is made up of rural people who would hate to live in a place like Coruscant. They believe that they are bound to the land that they work."

He paused to try and think of a way to explain such a quiet life to a girl who had obviously lived in the city all of her life. She discarded the empty stem of the blossom she had been playing with, reaching up to start on another without thought.

"Are you bound to Namida as well?" Ama asked hesitantly as he paused.

Prince Nazoru looked at her, startled by her words, to see something like understanding in her eyes.

He gave a low chuckle. "I am more tied to Namida than anyone save the Queen. It is my home, my world, and my life. Does that make any sense to you at all, Ama?"

Ama nodded. "I understand." He could see in her face that she did. "How long until you must go home again?"

"Are you that eager to be rid of me?" She blushed again, looking away. Reaching one hand to her chin, he made her turn back, barely brushing her skin. He was surprised as what felt like an electric shock passed through him at that gentle touch. "I will be here for a time", he said to her, trying to make her look up at him. But her eyes refused to meet his still.

"I am glad", she breathed, and was about to say more, when a cry from the far side of the gardens distracted them both, causing him to start.

"Your Highness", the voice called, and although Prince Nazoru did not recognise the female voice, he was immediately aware of his surroundings and rank again. Ama had shot to her feet, looking more than a little worried.

"It is late", she said to him, her eyes darting around expectantly for the source of the voice, a trace of terror in the usually calm blue. "I must go." Ama gave him a quick curtsy and turned to leave, one hand holding up the end of her skirt so that she would not trip.

"Ama", Prince Nazoru said, almost frantic that she would leave him, even as he knew that he should also go, "when will I see you again?"

Ama stopped at the edge of the glade to stare at him for a moment in silence. She bit her lip nervously, glancing back over her shoulder. "Tomorrow night", she said finally, "by the fountain at ten o'clock. I will try to be there, but I can make no promises."

Before he could reply she was gone, fled into the night.

For a moment Prince Nazoru had doubted that she had ever existed, so quick had been her passage into his life. Perhaps Ama had been nothing more than a figment of his imagination. But as he looked down at his feet, a pile of small white flower petals told his otherwise, bringing a smile to his face.

Bending down, he picked up a number of them in his hand, smelling their sweet scent and trying to remember all that she had said to him.

Slowly he walked from the garden to seek out whomever had been searching for him, then to find his bed.

The next morning dawned sunny and clear, and Prince Nazoru awoke late to find a message that the Queen wished to speak with him. He felt well-rested, having spent the night dreaming of a brown-haired angel with strikingly blue eyes who sat and listened to him as he talked of his home to her. When she spoke with him, it was to tell him secrets that he could not remember upon waking, but he knew that she was not upset to find out that he was a Prince. As the last traces of the dream left him, all Prince Nazoru could remember were blue eyes shining with true affection for him.

He longed to see Ama again, to hear the sound of her voice, though he did not know why. He had known her for a little over an hour the previous night, and yet he could not stop thinking of her. He realised as he sat thinking of all that had been said between them that she had told him nothing about herself, he had no idea what her role was in the Palace or where she could be found during the day.

He wondered not for the first time about all that she had been hiding from him. On a small table beside his bed rested a number of petals from a white blossom, and they filled his room with a sweet scent that reminded him of Ama. There was something about her, something special, and he intended to find out the secret behind this riddle.

As Prince Nazoru showered and prepared to meet the Queen, he suddenly remembered the masked ball that was to be held in his honour this night. With horror he realised that he would not be able to sneak away to the gardens at ten to meet Ama, and his thoughts were very much darkened. He only hoped that she would forgive him, for though he thought long trying to think of a way to escape early from the ball, he knew that he would not be able to meet her. When Prince Nazoru left his rooms to attend his audience with the Queen, though his thoughts were on what she might expect of him, his heart remained with Ama, wishing for her forgiveness.

The Queen's small audience chamber was larger than the entire throne room in the palace on Namida. It had a high ceiling and large windows along one of the walls, and though Prince Nazoru could not see the view they overlooked, he had no doubts about it being breathtaking. A number of ornate pillars were spaced along the opposite wall, but the throne at the far end that looked both amazingly heavy and uncomfortable dominated the room.

Above the throne hung a tapestry, depicting some battle scene. He did not know enough about the history of Coruscant to recognise it, but he knew that the female warrior at the focus of the design was Sailor Coruscant. What surprised Prince Nazoru about the image was that in the tapestry, Sailor Coruscant was wielding the Crystal Staff, which everyone knew belonged to the Queen.

The Queen was not holding it at the moment, but Prince Nazoru knew that it would not be far from her person. The Queen was dressed in a formal gown of stunning white that was decorated with a number of ribbons and offset by the darkness of her hair. A silver tiara rested on the top of the Queen's hair, which flowed loosely down below her knees, yet still seemed orderly. It was an unusual colour, so dark as to almost be black, but in the morning sunlight let into the room by the windows it was revealed to be a very dark green. The Queen's face was serious, almost grave, but there was a youthful twinkle to her blue eyes that reassured Prince Nazoru, though he was still fairly nervous.

To the right of the Queen stood a young woman whom Prince Nazoru assumed was Palomene. Dressed in the long white robes preferred by the Guardians, the High Priestess of their order was an imposing figure, her features stern. Her hair was tied in an unusual manner that made her human form seem more like her other, with two pointed buns on the side of her head, and the rest hanging loosely. Despite her position as Sailor Mau, it was the sigil of Coruscant that shone on Palomene's forehead, a visible reminder to all whom saw it of her bond to the Queen and her daughter.

It was often whispered around the Temple on Mau that Palomene was not only a fierce warrior and the most powerful of all the Guardians, but that she was also a prophet, who could see the future and what lay hidden in the hearts of those who came before the Queen as Prince Nazoru did now. Palomene had done nothing to dispel these rumours, and he wondered how much of them were true.

On the other side of the Queen stood her chief adviser, Kako Shinwa, a man of about forty years whose hair was starting to grey slightly. It was tied back in a neat ponytail that stretched just past his shoulders. Kako Shinwa's dark eyes seemed to hide many secrets from the Prince, and his manner suggested that he had no intention of ever sharing them. The man was dressed in off-white robes, covered by a simple brown cloak, and he wore a lightsaber at his belt. It was obvious that although Kako Shinwa was the Queen's adviser, he was also one of her protectors, and a dedicated one at that.

"I am glad to have finally had a chance to speak with you, Nazoru", the Queen said softly, her words unexpectedly gentle, "I am only sorry that my daughter is not also here to greet you."

Prince Nazoru was not at all sure that he was sorry to have missed out on the chance to meet the young Princess. From what he had heard during both his time on Mau and since his arrival on Coruscant, the Princess was a spoilt, wilful child, who often disobeying her teachers and avoiding study. She was loud and clumsy, not at all suited to her rank, and if it were not for her rank she would be the laughing stock of the Palace. Her only friends were a number of her Senshi bodyguards and the only people she respected were her mother, Kako Shinwa and Palomene.

He would no doubt be forced to meet and quite possibly dance with the Princess this night, and he was not necessarily looking forward to it. His thoughts were still on Ama, and he found himself wishing that she would be at the masked ball. But he knew that he should not have any hope of it, though he would try to sneak away to the gardens during the night.

Prince Nazoru made a polite reply, and the Queen sighed, a little sadly. "I have known your mother for many years", she said, "Chie is a good woman, one of my closest friends. I only wish that she had more time to spend with us on Coruscant, for I have sorely missed her company."

"She often speaks of you, my Queen", Prince Nazoru replied, wondering at the purpose of this meeting. "Have you had any news of her?"

The Queen nodded. "She sent me a message this morning, telling me to be wary." The Queen looked a little confused, as though she did not understand what such a message could mean. "Do you know why she would say such a thing?"

Thinking of his mother's vision, Prince Nazoru was suddenly worried. His mother would not have spoken to the Queen unless she was truly certain that what she had foreseen would come to pass, did this mean that the invasion was now a certainty? Before they had parted, his mother had also told him that she had seen a death in the Royal family, and until last night the Prince's own dreams had been filled with images of blood and destruction. It was strange how the chance meeting between him and Ama had banished the nightmares, if only for one night.

Remembering the Queen's question, Prince Nazoru flushed at his discourtesy. He spoke softly, not wanting to startle the Queen. "My mother has had a number of visions lately of an invasion force headed towards Coruscant."

The Queen did not meet his gaze. "The power of truth seeing has always been strong in those of Namida", she said quietly to herself, a frown creasing her perfect brow. Then she looked at the Prince, smiling so beautifully that Prince Nazoru doubted that he had ever seen her worried at all. "If such a force exists, we will have no trouble repelling it," the Queen spoke with great certainty. "Even though they have not been called upon to use their powers for war in many generations, the Senshi are well trained. I have no doubts in their ability to protect us." A small smile crossed Palomene's stern face.

Prince Nazoru bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty."

The Queen stood and walked over to one of the windows. Palomene and Kako Shinwa remained by her throne, but at a signal from the Queen Prince Nazoru walked over to join her.

Below them stretched the gardens, though they looked small from this distance. He could barely make out the statue of Sailor Coruscant at the centre. To his surprise he realised that he could almost smell the white blossoms Ama had been playing with the previous night.

"Have you had a chance to visit my gardens yet?" The Queen asked her questions without turning away from the view, a slight tightness around her eyes the only sign that she was deep in thought. Prince Nazoru smiled slightly, remembering.

"I took a walk in them last night, Your Majesty", he answered, the tears of a young woman fresh in his mind, "they are very beautiful, I suspect you must spend a lot of time thinking in there. It is very serene."

The Queen gave a curt nod of her head, and for a long time there was silence in the room. Her next question took Prince Nazoru completely by surprise. "How old are you, Nazoru?"

He blinked, having no idea why she would ask such a thing. "I am twenty-eight", he answered.

In surprise the Queen turned to him, starting at him in such as manner for such a time as to make him incredibly uncomfortable. Even in his role as a Prince on Namida Nazoru had never known such intense scrutiny. "I had not thought you so old to look at you", the Queen's stance was almost offended with him, "Where have all the years gone to?"

"It would take a wiser man than I to answer that question", he said, smiling lightly. The Queen gave him a brief shake of her head, causing her hair to swish past her dress in a youthful manner.

"Well", she said finally after another long silence, "I have other audiences to hold this morning, and you no doubt have other duties to fulfil. We shall speak again tonight, Nazoru." The Queen's manner was dismissive, and he took the hint, bowing deeply.

"I shall look forward to it, Your Majesty", he said, walking from the room with quiet dignity. Prince Nazoru did not as yet have any set duties in the Palace, and so decided to seek out the gardens in the hope of seeing Ama again.

For a long time after he left there was no sound in the Queen's audience room, as she stared out of the window to the garden below. "Have I done the right thing?" she asked of no on in particular.

Coming up behind her, Kako put a comforting hand on each of the Queen's shoulders. "Your daughter is old enough to make her own mistakes now", he said, "and you cannot keep her a child forever. One day she will be Queen, and she must be prepared for that."

"But what if Chie is right, and there is an invasion coming?" The Queen's voice was suddenly weary, and she looked much older than her years.

Kako turned her around, and made her look into his eyes. "Then it will be just as you have told the Prince. The Senshi will protect us all, we will be safe with them fighting for us. Do not forget that we also have the normal soldiers as well. There is no danger we cannot face."

The Queen turned away from him, to look up at the tapestry above the throne. "Guardian Coruscant, watch over us all", she whispered in prayer. She called the Crystal Staff to her hands from the place where she kept it, seeking comfort in the coolness of its touch. She found her calm once more, knowing that she should have confidence in her Senshi, and in her daughter.

"Do you think I worry too much about my daughter?" The words were directed at Kako, who shook his head.

"You do as every mother should. One day she will understand that you only did as you must, for tradition and for the Kingdom." His voice was so calm and reasonable, the Queen knew she should believe it.

She shook her head, shaking off the compulsion to agree with him. "I wish you would not attempt to do that", she said to Kako, "I have always been able to know when you try to force your will upon mine. It is a great disrespect to me that you do."

"I meant no offence, Your Majesty", he said to her, smiling, "I only sought to give you peace of mind."

"Then train my daughter to see that it is her destiny and her duty to do as I have asked her." There was a sadness to the Queen's voice, and she found herself close to tears.

"The Princess will be a good Queen one day", he said to the Queen, "she is too full of love for the world to be otherwise. She will accept her duty with good grace, do not attempt to force it upon her."

"I just want for her to be happy. All this talk of duty and invasions terrifies me."

"You have already done all that you can at this time", the man's voice was soft and calming to the worried Queen.

"Palomene", the Queen turned to her silent companion, "will you watch over my daughter for me?"

The Guardian bowed low. "Of course, Your Majesty."