Many many thanks to my beta readers, kovitlac and hiddenfirecracker for making my story even better
It was mid-afternoon, but it was dark. The smoke from the fires burning just beyond the horizon was darkening the sky.
The commander of the Terran Lords stood at his window, looking out over the destruction. The evil force that had invaded their planet was making alarming progress. He had been merciless in rooting out spies, and those who had gone over to the darkness, but somehow, even still, the enemy knew their plans. He wished that his spy network was that good.
At least it wasn't just Terra. Most of the other planets had also been attacked. He closed his eyes. The other planets could all use their environment to their advantage, but it seemed that their enemy was more suited to the Terran climate.
It made him wonder if the enemy had been after Terra all along. It certainly seemed like at the slightest resistance from the other planets, they had retreated.
He sighed inwardly. They were trapped in a vicious stalemate. The enemy would gain ground, his forces would beat it back, retaking what had been lost, but whenever his army tried to take an offensive, the enemy would just vanish.
If he hadn't seen it happen, he would not have believed it.
They were fighting big blocky creatures - stupid, but strong. Thanks to a timely arrival by another unit, the warriors under his command had given chase to the creatures. But moving with a speed that didn't match their bulk, the creatures had vanished, melted right into the ground.
It seemed that his enemy's base of operations was under the surface of the planet itself - and he had no idea how to strike into their home base.
He slammed his fist on the windowsill. The sorceress and her army of monsters and demons had a fortified place deep under ground and he couldn't touch them.
When the war had started, he had worried about his charge doing something foolish, like flinging himself into the heart of battle without thinking.
In retrospect, he should have known better.
The Prince still did things without thinking, but it wasn't the war that he was passionate about.
That was being uncharitable. The Prince was concerned about the safety of his people and his planet. But even such a minor thing as a war could not fully distract him from his Princess - the pale golden haired beauty from the Moon.
In a way it was good to have Endymion off "guarding" the Moon. It put the Prince out of immediate danger. On the other hand, it was putting more and more distance between the Prince and the land he was supposed to be caring for. True, they all knew it was just a short hop from Terra to the Moon, but that wasn't the point.
A soft knock on the door interrupted his introspection.
"Lord Kunzite?" One of the maids peeped her head into the room, "There is someone here to see you."
He regarded her. The girl was flushed, and there was a faint sparkle of awe in her eyes.
"Tell the Prince to come in."
Moments later, Prince Endymion entered the study.
"Your highness," he greeted him with a formal military bow.
"Kunzite-sensei," the young Prince returned.
"You have returned from the Moon I see," the Terran Lord said expressionlessly. But even he had to admit that for now, the young Prince was much safer on the Moon than he was on Terra.
"I have," Endymion said, "I wanted to see how you were doing - I heard that you were injured."
"I was foolish," Kunzite returned, "But I was only winded and bruised." He was not going to tell the Prince he had sprained his arm. "I returned home and focused on Healing."
"So you're fine now?" he asked.
The Terran Lord held back a smile. "I am, your highness."
"Good," the Prince said, "I would hate for anything to happen to you. I-"
The Prince let out a gasp, his hand going to his chest. "No!" he gasped, "Not again!"
"Terra is sick," Kunzite helped the young Prince to sit, "You're feeling it... "
After being away for so long, the Prince had forgotten to shield himself. The Royal family of Terra was gifted with earth sense, which made them good rulers. They felt what the land felt, for good or for ill.
His father, the king, suffered as well. He had been injured in battle - which was part of the reason why the Prince was back on Terra.
"I hate this..." the Prince whimpered.
Kunzite set his hands on the Prince's shoulders, sending warm power flowing into him. It calmed the boy's heart, soothing the pain. Color returned to the Prince's face.
"You mustn't forget to shield yourself," Kunzite murmured.
"I don't have to on the Moon," the Prince muttered.
Kunzite held his tongue. "Until we drive the evil away from our home, you must shield."
"I know, I know..."
"Good," Kunzite said with a nod, "Remember that."
"There are a lot of people on the Moon now," Endymion said.
Kunzite nodded. Most of the people on Terra that had the power to were either going to the Moon or sending their families there. He could see the logic in it - the Moon was the only place in the Alliance which had not been attacked, as far as he knew.
It was the most protected place in the Alliance; with children from all the neighboring planets being fostered there, all of the Alliance had a vested interest in keeping the Moon safe. Privately he wondered if anyone realized that all of those people on the Moon were providing a tempting target. He walked back over to the window and looked out. The wind had dispersed the smoke by now.
"We're all going to move there."
He turned to the Prince. "I'm sorry your highness, what?"
"We're all going to move to the Moon," Endymion repeated, "Father decided it will be safer."
"Oh," Kunzite said, "It will be good for you and your father to be away from the tainted power for a time."
"And you too."
The silver haired man blinked, nonplussed.
"You're coming to the Moon with us."
When Kunzite returned to his quarters later that evening he ignored the meal laid out for him. He was too furious to eat.
The King had summoned him and the other three Terran Lords to give them their newest orders. The war was too costly in land, power and lives. There were three types of people on Terra, the significant percent who had gone to the Moon, those that were still loyal to the King and had remained to help, and those who had defected. Kunzite's spy network had already told him that the enemy was cunning, convincing many people that the King and his court were betraying Terra. But in the few short weeks between his last reports, the number of defectors had nearly doubled.
The King had decided that he did not want the fighting to drag on for much longer - and so he had decreed that his household, and all those loyal were to accept Queen Serenity's offer of shelter – including the four Terran Lords and their troops.
For his part, the young Prince was delighted to move to the Moon.
Kunzite had protested of course. Perhaps the King should go to the Moon... his injuries would heal faster there, away from the tainted earth, but Kunzite and his forces were needed here. The King would have none of it. Like it or not, they were retreating to the Moon. Evacuating the planet. Running away.
He angrily paced back and forth, half wishing that one of those demons would appear right now so he could tear its head off with his bare hands.
The sound of his door creaking open made him whirl to face it. Who dared come in here when he was so angry?
"What do you want?" he snapped at the intruder.
"You stormed out of father's room," the Prince said softly, "I came to see what was wrong."
"I apologize, my Prince," Kunzite gave a bow.
"We're all going to the Moon Kingdom," Endymion said, "We'll be much safer there… So why are you so angry?"
He shook his head slightly.
"The Moon is the only safe place left," Endymion said, "And with everyone there to protect it, it will stay safe."
"We should defend our own home," Kunzite said, "You are the Prince of Terra, and we are the guardians of Terra. Not the Moon."
Endymion shook his head. "Terra is defeated. Father knows that. That is why we are going to the Moon."
"Giving up on our home."
"No," Endymion said, "That's not what father said. He said that if anything were to happen to any of you four, all would be lost. By going to the Moon, it keeps you safe."
He sighed. That was the one argument of the King's that he had not been able to counter and the Prince knew it.
"Besides," Endymion continued, "Then I will be with Serenity, and the other three will get to spend more time with the ladies of Serenity's court." He gave Kunzite a knowing grin, "Like the ambassador from Venus."
Kunzite sighed. He had escorted the Cytherean Princess to one ball on Terra a year and a half ago, and Endymion had decided that meant that Kunzite was in love with her.
"It won't be that bad," Endymion insisted, "You'll see. "