Uninvited
By Bashfulglowfly
The Ball celebrating the engagement of Princess Serenity of the Moon and Prince Endymion of the Earth was in full swing when Jadeite casually drifted to Kunzite's side. He spoke quietly. "North Gallery. Movement in the shadows."
Kunzite didn't look at the location but spoke just as quietly. "Investigate but be careful."
Affecting an affronted look, Jadeite replied loftily. "I am the epitome of careful."
Kunzite barely refrained from snorting. "You're involved with the Princess of Mars."
Jadeite's merry laugh came drifting back to him over the noise of the crowd.
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Jadeite moved slowly but purposely through the crowd. When he got out of the crowded ballroom, he maintained the pretense until he reached the stairs that led to the North Gallery. He used his hunting skills to silently climb the stairs and his powers of Illusion to hide him as he made his way to the area where he saw the movement.
He stopped and hid behind a column when he saw someone move in the shadows. Peering around it, he looked at his target. To his surprise, the person hiding was a young girl about 12-years-old. Her chin length hair was very dark against her pale skin. Jadeite's eyes narrowed as he tried to place her. He knew that most of the children in the castle were in the confines of their parents' rooms under the watchful eyes of trusted servants at this time of night. He used his inner eye and saw the Power that surrounded the girl. His eyes widened as he realized who she was.
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Phoebe jumped and gasped when she heard the quiet "Hello" behind her. She spun around to see a man she had never met standing before her. A man who radiated Power in a form she did not recognize…not that she'd ever been around many people with Power.
The man's golden hair glinted in the dim light as he bowed to her. "I am Jadeite, one of the Shitennou, Guardian of Prince Endymion of Earth and King of the Far East."
Phoebe clutched her skirts in sweaty hands and clumsily curtsied back. "I am Phoebe, Princess of Saturn."
"Pleased to meet you, your Highness." Jadeite stepped closer to her. "I believe that you have another title, don't you? Sailor Saturn."
Phoebe flushed. Being identified as Sailor Saturn made her uncomfortable. Many people were afraid of her, even members of her own family had been…when they'd been alive. "Yes." She said softly.
Jadeite moved to her side and looked over the railing to the crowd below. He looked down at her. "Why are you up here? Why aren't you down there with the other Senshi celebrating the engagement of your Princess?"
"I wasn't invited." Said Phoebe simply.
Jadeite's eyes narrowed. The guest list had been gone over quite thoroughly in meetings between the Senshi, the Shitennou and Palace Security. And he knew damned good and well that the young girl had been invited. He didn't know who told the girl that she wasn't invited but he knew just the person to inform of this little "misunderstanding".
"Well, let's rectify this mistake." He bowed to Phoebe again. "Your Highness, will you accompany me to the Engagement Ball of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion?"
Phoebe's eyes widened and she felt a giggle try and make it's way out of her throat. No one had ever spoken to her like that. She looked down and realized that she couldn't go. She choked back the tears as she spoke. "Thank you for your kind invitation but I'm afraid that I cannot attend."
Jadeite tilted his head and placed his hands on his hips. "Why not."
Phoebe gestured at the dress she wore. It was old and certainly not something a princess would wear to a Ball let alone an Engagement Ball.
"Ah!" said Jadeite. He grinned at her. "I can take care of that."
It was Phoebe's turn to tilt her head and stare. "How?"
Jadeite winked at her. "You will have to trust me!" He smiled as Phoebe's face bloomed with her own shy smile.
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"…of Saturn and Lord Jadeite of the Shitennou!"
Nike, Princess of Mars and Sailor Mars whirled at the half-heard announcement. Her black hair bristling, fists clenched. "I'll KILL him! And the slut he's with!" She started to move towards where she could see her lover standing.
She was yanked to a stop. She glared at Callisto, Princess of Jupiter and fellow Senshi, Sailor Jupiter. Angelia, Princess of Mercury and Sailor Mercury determinedly blocked her way. A voice murmured in her ear. "Before you make an ass of yourself, you might want to see exactly who Jadeite is with." Princess of Venus and Sailor Venus, Leader of the Senshi, Aphrodite's voice was amused but also carried a thread of warning.
Nike looked. She couldn't see who was with Jadeite but she could see that people were moving quickly aside. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully at that. Then she saw Jadeite approach Serenity and Endymion. The crowd backed away enough so that she could see.
She winced as she saw exactly who was clinging to Jadeite's arm. She was glad that her sisters had stopped her. It was obvious that the girl was very young and very scared.
The Inner Senshi watched as Serenity smiled brilliantly at the girl then hugged her. Endymion also smiled, although not as brightly, and bowed, speaking gently to her. Nike could see the Power that came from the girl. She could tell that the purple dress that the girl wore, while similar in cut to what the other Senshi wore, was pure Illusion. Jadeite's work. He was very good, she doubted that anyone other than the Queen, the Princess, the Prince, the Senshi or Shitennou could tell that the girl wasn't wearing a proper ball gown.
"She's one of us." Nike said. She thought quickly. The only one of the Senshi who had not made an appearance was…"Saturn."
"Yes." Said Angelia. "I wonder why it took so long for her to come. And the fact that Jadeite is using one of his Illusions on her…"
Aphrodite's eyes narrowed as she spotted someone who didn't hide his displeasure at the appearance of the Princess of Saturn as well as he thought he had. "Yes, I wonder as well." She spotted Serenity's gesture. "Serenity wants us."
The Inner Senshi moved through the crowd to the side of their Princess, Neptune and Uranus approached from another direction. Serenity was holding Saturn's hand while Endymion rested a hand on her shoulder. "Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Phoebe, Princess of Saturn and Sailor Saturn."
Phoebe blushed at the greetings and was able to respond without stammering, much to her relief.
Endymion winked at his beloved then bowed to Phoebe. "Your highness, may I have the pleasure of this dance?"
Phoebe's purple eyes were wide with shock. No one had ever wanted to dance with her before! She wasn't quite sure if she could dance properly. And to dance with Princess Serenity's fiancé!
Serenity smiled sweetly. "Go, enjoy yourself!"
Phoebe turned to Prince Endymion and curtsied. "Thank you, your highness. I would love to dance with you." Endymion smiled, took her hand and escorted her to the dance floor.
"She believes that she was not invited." Said Jadeite into the keen ear of Aphrodite as he passed by her, escorting Nike to the dance floor.
Kunzite raised an eyebrow at the fierce flare of anger coming from his own beloved lady.
She smiled brilliantly at him. "I know I promised you this dance but there is something that I have to take care of. Senshi business." He could see the flash of temper in her blue eyes.
Kunzite raised her hand to his lips. "There will be other dances, Aphrodite."
She twinkled at him. "Especially the dance after the ball?" She laughed as he raised a silver eyebrow at her. She turned and flounced off, arrowing towards her target.
The Ambassador of Saturn bowed low as she approached. Aphrodite smiled brilliantly at those surrounding the man and spoke in her most flighty manner "Oh I hope that you will all excuse me! But I must have this dance with the Ambassador! I simply don't know what I shall do if you refuse me!" She was all fluttering blue eyes, hands and dress.
The Ambassador couldn't refuse her. Not when she outranked him, so he led her to the dance floor. As they began to dance, Aphrodite gazed into his eyes and let the mask slip from her own. Her smile never left her lips and her tone was pleasant but her words hard. "Do not speak one word. I know what you did. Phoebe is the Princess of Saturn, and due to Plague that took her family, will be the Queen of Saturn once she reaches her majority. She is also Sailor Saturn, one of the Guardians of Princess Serenity. As the future Queen of Venus, I do not appreciate you trying to shut out another future Queen. As the Leader of the Senshi, I like your attempt to isolate my Sister even less.
"YOU are not the guardian of the Princess of Saturn. You are not even on her regency council. You have no rights over her in any way, shape or form. The Regency Council of Saturn will hear of this, so I doubt very much you will keep your position for much longer. And, further more, Princess Phoebe will not be spending another night anywhere near you. She will be moved to the rooms that are her right as Sailor Saturn.
Aphrodite glared at the Ambassador as he tried to speak. "I told you to keep silent. If you are going to protest that she is too young to be by herself, keep in mind that my other Sisters and I were by ourselves in this Castle when we were just five years of age. But, she is due our protection and there will be loyal servants of the Moon who will watch over her this night and for however long is needed.
At that, she released the Ambassador's hands and left him standing alone in the middle of the dance floor.
She smiled as she approached the others just in time to see Kunzite lead Phoebe out for the next dance. The young girl was glowing at the attention. Callisto wrapped her arm around Aphrodite's waist. "The Shitennou are all going to dance with her." She grinned at Aphrodite. "They were arguing over who got to dance with her first. Neph threatened to duel for the honor!" Aphrodite laughed with her. "After that, I think she'll be ready to retire. It's going to be rather late for her."
"Good, I want her to enjoy herself."
Nike approached her other side. "Angelia has gone to get people to ready Phoebe's rooms and send others to bring her belongings from the Saturn Ambassadorial suite."
"Read my mind, did you."
"Zoicite read your lips, actually." Callisto grinned. "I'm surprised the bastard hasn't bled out."
Aphrodite laughed. And the women watched as their youngest sister danced. And promised themselves that Phoebe never again would be uninvited.
THE END
I got the idea for this from a piece of fan art on Deviant Art by nagoyamonkey-smg titled "Uninvited" gallery/#/d5pmg8i