Prologue: Prophecy
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Sergius tore through his cramped study like a Jovian thunderstorm, pulling books off shelves and rifling through thick stacks of paper that towered precariously on a small, rickety desk. He paused to hastily wipe the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, trying -- in vain -- to calm himself. It was unbelievable. The moment at hand was finally here, and he could find absolutely none of the paperwork he had so meticulously kept over the years.
Outside the room, he could hear the clamor of palace guards and Lunarian politicians as they shouted to each other, swept up in the fervor of gossip and good news.
"The queen's finally given birth," one of them said.
"Aye, and I hear it's a girl-child too," another added.
"Imagine that!" someone else chimed in. "A princess at last!"
Realizing that he still had something to find, Sergius flew back into action. To his relief, he was soon rewarded, and he cleared off his desk in one impatient swoop. Smoothing out the papers, he studied the carefully calculated charts of celestial bodies and the notes scribbled in their margins. He flipped through a few more pages; blanched when he saw the most recent that he had composed.
There was no mistaking it. First the births of the others, and now this?
His hands trembling, Sergius quickly rolled the charts into loose, sloppy scrolls. As a royal cleric and astronomer, it was his sworn duty to tell the queen as soon as possible. He ran to his door; paused in front of it to wipe his brow again.
Sergius then burst free from his study, flinging himself into the herd of people making their way toward the throne room. With little regard for manners or propriety, he pushed himself along, his urgency continuing to mount as he got closer to his queen. At last, the familiar towering doors of the chamber appeared and he barreled through them, ignoring the stinging pain in his shoulder and the shouts of guards behind him.
"My Queen!" he yelled, charging into the throne room and nearly losing his footing on the slick marble floor. Lunarian dignitaries turned toward him in shock, appalled by his outburst and lack of protocol.
Sergius paid them no heed, continuing his reckless charge until he reached the dais where the Queen sat. "The Princess!" he gasped, letting his scrolls -- his very life's work -- tumble from his grip as he stared at the newborn in unadulterated awe and terror. "She -- it has been foretold!" Incapable of further speech, the cleric collapsed, prostrating himself in front of his current and future rulers.
Royal guards on either side of the queen exchanged glances, taking a step toward the man who huddled in a quivering mass on the floor. But the queen waved them off, a serene smile on her ethereal face.
"I already know, noble monk," she said, her voice soothing and appreciative. "She is special indeed."
Sergius's head bolted up; he grasped uselessly at his papers as mouth opened and closed. "But -- My Queen -- "
Deciding they had had enough of his impudence, the palace guards moved menacingly toward the astronomer. Heedless of the danger, Sergius continued to gather his scrolls, mumbling feverishly to himself. When each of his arms was seized in a powerful hold, he cried out, struggling and twisting in helpless desperation. The guards hauled him out of the room, much to the relief of the dignitaries that had watched the exchange in horrified disbelief.
The queen, enchanted with her child, paid the scuffle no mind. "Artemis," she called.
A silver-haired youth emerged from the shadows of the throne room, clasping a hand to his chest and bowing deeply. "My Lady," he acknowledged with reverence.
She smiled at the loyal retainer, for she would miss his faithfulness. "You are to head to Venus at once," she ordered. "The queen and her daughter await."
"As Her Majesty wishes," he replied, whiskers sprouting from his cheeks and his pupils narrowing into slits. Within moments, there was only a small, white feline where a boy had once stood. The cat melted into the throng, navigating gracefully through the tangle of admirers and well-wishers.
"Your Majesty!" a young girl shouted, darting up to the queen breathlessly and with her eyes shining in excitement. She took a moment to smooth her robes and compose herself before continuing, clearly embarrassed by her own outburst. "The people demand to see their princess," she said, unable to keep the eagerness from trickling back into her voice.
The queen chuckled at her enthusiasm, standing from the throne and cradling the sleeping infant in a firm but gentle hold. "So it shall be done, Luna."
As the girl ran ahead, the queen looked once again at her daughter, tracing her porcelain face with a delicate fingertip. "Little one," she whispered. "You will be heiress to the Moon like none has ever been before."
~*~
A/N: Well, hello . This is the first Sailor Moon story I've uploaded and the first story I've uploaded, period, in five years. Theogony has been a pet project of mine for quite some time and I finally got around to writing some parts that were fit for consumption, so to speak. I'm excited to finally publish this and I hope it will provide me with more inspiration as I continue to work. Thanks for reading.