A/N: Just a modest little story I was itching to finish. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon.


Biggest Kind of Small

Mamoru Shields was the youngest of all his siblings and as result, when his mother died at his tender age of seven, he got stuck with the dirty job: gardening. Now, it was difficult to get any long-lasting attention at all with 14 brothers and sisters, and his dad was always working, so the flowers in their small backyard eventually became his friends; his sanctuary.

Mamoru adored the Hyacinths and Lilacs and those pretty blue flowers that showed up at late April and early May with middles similar to that of the sun. He liked to water them and whisper secrets to their hidden ears and keep them in beautiful, straight neat rows. And during the winter, when the flowers have either gone into hibernation or have died, he spent his time looking over the big weeping willow right in the middle of the modest garden, caressing its aged, ancient roots and wondering what kinds of things the still-strong bark had gotten to see. He was always proud when he found the hiding spots of the little animals that lived in their backyard and discovered the special marks left by age.

Although he spent a lot of time with all the other flowers, his favorite were the roses. Whilst all the other flowers stood tall and their petals reached up to kiss the sky, the roses kept to themselves in the farthest corner; always late bloomers, never caring about their appearance. He enjoyed their perfume-like scent, so much smoother to his senses than the other smells he had experienced. They were the calm amongst all the other chipper flowers, and he missed them terribly during the harsh bitterness of the winter's cold.

One day while Mamoru was busy looking for any dead leaves, his sister skipped in. Her skin was pale and a-glow, unlike his softly-tanned milky-white complexion from spending all that time outdoors. "Mamo! Mamo! Dad came home and talked to John, who told Hope who told me that the Princess Serenity is looking for a man to wed! She has declared that she wants a man who can give her the biggest thing of all. The men who apply must be around age sixteen to nineteen, and must have their big things picked out by next week. You could totally do it! I mean, you're seventeen, sweet and sensitive, tall, handsome, strong…the girl would be blind to look past all that!"

Mamoru turned in his seat to face Hellen and wondered just how much of this news had gotten around the house by now. "One problem: I'm too poor to afford anything big to give." He added as an afterthought, "And shouldn't that Princess go and get married to some other Prince?"

Hellen smirked, a twinkle in her eye. "Pick out your favorite thing. You can never go wrong. Think about the honor!"

And that's exactly what Mamoru did. He thought, and thought, and thought, but there was nothing worth value of what he owned. The only thing other than his clothes that he had the pleasure of saying was his was the gardening equipment and that was nothing special.

The week passed by in a blur, and by the time it came to face the honorable Princess Serenity; Mamoru still had nothing to give. Once more he sat down and thought. What could he possible give, with the time running short? Certainly not a rake or shovel! And what would a princess need to do with a hose or a handful of seeds? Perhaps her gardeners would lighten at the gift, but surely not the Princess!

And then it came to him. The most special thing he held was the love of roses. If he dug them out carefully with the roots and all, and gave it to the princess explaining their value, she would surely be impressed!

But if she wasn't, he would be disturbing their resting place, which also wasn't that good. And was it worth all that? Just to marry someone he hadn't even met? And really, what chance did he have with the Princess, soon-to-be Queen, of the Kingdom?

Again he thought, but could not think of anything else that would make sense to give. They weren't a rich family, hardly had enough money to put bread on the table for everyone, so he couldn't just pop into a store and demand the most expensive jewelry.

At last he decided that the roses would have to do, and with dreaded caution he dug them up and carefully placed the bush into the red wagon prettily.

With one nervous farewell to his family, Mamoru finally set off and hoped that the future held light for him.

He walked for two hours, never stopping to take a rest, and once he got to the castle he was shocked to see a line of available men of all ages in a fat, disordered line leading to the castle.

Mamoru reluctantly joined the end of the line and within five minutes, at least fifty more stood behind him and at the most twenty had been rejected. One of the men, he noticed, had brought a carpet made up of hundreds of jewels, each one different, and each one unique. He stopped the guy and asked him if they were all real and was told that they were, in fact, pure.

"And she didn't want that?" he had asked, stricken with shock.

The man had shook his head soberly. "No, she said she wanted a man that could give her something everyone had to offer but didn't think of to give, big in size."

The man had left with his head bowed, and Mamoru looked back at his roses which now seemed pathetic. She wanted something bigger than a carpet of jewels, and yet here he was with a rose bush. He was sure, almost positive, that she would take one look at him and double over in laughter, pointing a finger and all. Maybe her guards would laugh, too

Hours passed and the line thinned. Some of the men, anxious as they were but without much patience and in need of food, had left; and most had stayed.

Mamoru was now 3 men down from the gorgeous Princess Serenity. She was just as everyone had described her to him so many times before and more; a goddess who's beauty was beyond explanation. Her delicately curled blond hair stood up in the oddest hair-style he had ever seen; her pale dress clung to her curves generously but, also, innocently; and her eyes were the most fantastic color of cerulean.

"I offer you the Pendant of Elix, which had been in my family for generations," the man before him said, holding up an ancient necklace.

Mamoru fingered the handle of his brown wagon, once again looking at the peaceful roses that now seemed to droop from the sudden disturbance.

'I am sorry," the Princess spoke, her tone tired and bored, yet somehow soft, "but I cannot accept your generous gift. Thank you, but I am not interested."

When the man turned to leave, the princess stood up. "I will call it a night. Please come back tomorrow if you must."

Mamoru heard someone say, "But you can't! Take one more person, please!"

The Princess cast her glance at him, her left eyebrow raised. It was then that he realized that it was he who had spoken.

"What is your name, good sir?" she asked, sitting back down on her rocky chair. I noticed her flinch and couldn't blame her; the chair was pure rock.

"My name is Mamoru Shields. Please pardon my rude outburst but please, take just one more person."

The King and Queen, who sat on either side of the princess, looked over at her. They were anxious to retire, he could tell, but he had already spoken and could do nothing about it.

She studied him for a long time before a gentle smile graced her features and she nodded. "Fine, I will allow one more person. What have you to give?"

"A rose bush," he replied, bowing and pushing the roses forward.

"A… rose bush?'

"Yes."

"Nothing more than a rose bush?"

"Nothing more."

"Is there something special about it?"

He could hear the amusement in her tone. All these great gifts had been flung her way and all of a sudden… a rose bush. "To me, yes. This is my favorite rose bush. To you, I doubt it has any value."

"Is there nothing more you have?"

"One more thing," he murmured, lifting his head to look at her. Seeing that her attention was still fixed, he continued, "I am poor and I cannot afford much, but I can give you one thing that I believe is of greater value than a rose bush and may be higher a price than gold or crystal."

"Oh?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yes. I will give you my love, if you give me your hand in marriage."

He waited, head bowing again. The room was hushed, and the chattering man had paused, all watching him and waiting for her reply.

Princess Serenity stood, her frame not that tall but still overpowering, and slowly made her way towards him. Once she was close enough, she put her hand on his hair. It was a soft touch, but still he felt some sense of electricity run through his veins. He felt her hand slightly twitch, but otherwise she stayed planted. "Tell me, Mamoru, why do you think you are worthy of my love?"

Mamoru frowned. He had not expected this question. He took a moment to think before once more lifting his head to meet her gaze. "I do not, your Highness."

She studied him before another smile graced her features. "Stand," she whispered. He stood. Serenity then turned to her people, or those who were still present, and gestured to him. "Bow now for this is going to be your new King."

There were gasps and murmurs, but Mamoru believed that his shock was much greater than anyone else's.

"But your Grace," one voice remarked from the crowd, "he only had a rose bush to offer. What about all those other men who had greater things of value?"

The Princess's smile never faltered. "I was not impressed with the rose bush. I was impressed with the biggest thing he chanced to offer: his love."

Another rouse of murmurs filled the room before the Princess lifted her hand to silence. "Why, pray tell, is no one bowing?"

That was all the prompting it took. The men, one by one, fell to their knee's and fell quiet. Mamoru, though, ignored all of them. He turned to the Princess.

"You really want to marry me?"

"As long as you wish to marry me," she said, nodding.

Mamoru's face lightened and he grabbed the princess by the waist, lifting her and twirling her around before pulling her at arms length. Her eyes were twinkling with mirth. "You have made me the happiest man alive."

"And you have given me what I wanted."

The next day Serenity and Mamoru took the castle's horses back to his small cottage. When they got there, Mamoru helped Serenity off the grand white horse and walked, head held high, to the door, knocking on it. He just knew that his family would be proud and wished his mother was there.

Hellen answered the door, Hope, Daisy and Lilly behind her. When the four girls saw the Princess, they all gasped and bowed.

"What a charming family. Are you the only boy?" Serenity asked, patting their shoulders. They each stood when they've been tapped.

"I wish. I have fourteen siblings; five have moved out. The house is pretty full."

"I'll get the rest of them," Hope murmured, curtsying before her mad dash around the small home.

Serenity smirked and entered the house, followed by an ecstatic Mamoru.

The father appeared, cheeks red and eyes wide, led by a very excited Hope. John, Daniel, Ken, Joan, and Joon followed after. All but Hellen bowed.

"I told you that you wouldn't go wrong if you picked something that you liked! Now you and Princess Serenity are off to wed, I bet," Hellen exclaimed, hugging her younger brother.

Serenity smiled at the family. "Please," she said, "Serenity is the name only strangers use. I will soon be part of you family - and what a glorious family it is. Call me Usagi."

Mamoru and the Princess were wed three months from that day, and Mamoru never stopped loving her. He, instead, seemed to love her all the more with every glance and touch. To this day, he swears it was love at first sight, and Serenity sits by and watches, happily holding her husband's hand.

The End

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