Move On

She focused her eyes on the clear running water, watching it trickle through her fingers and mingle with the tears that were still steadily dropping onto her palms. Lifting her face to the mirror before her, she regarded her features.

Blonde hair that was once shiny and voluminous now hung raggedly about her shoulders, her bangs sticking out at strange angles above her forehead. The usually sparkling sapphire blue eyes set into her pretty face were worry-ridden, red rivulets of pain and heartbreak running through the once-smooth whites. They were also wet. Her skin was pallid and white, and the orange sigil of Venus was glowing, persistently, on her forehead, making her look even more out-of-place on this moon than she normally did.

She banged her fist on the sink. How was it that emotion could totally destroy a person this way?

It had been weeks since the attack, the betrayal. Weeks! And yet she could not release herself from her anguish. Her heart continued to hold her hostage, tormenting her with memories, visions, the past...

Love, she scoffed to herself, splashing her face with the water to drown her dreams, to wake herself up. How was it that the avatar of love and beauty had so much trouble with the complex thing herself? It was such a stupid thing, an emotion not to be trusted. The heart really was treacherous; it bit the hand that fed it, and would turn on one in a second. For when one thought that they were secure and safe in its inlay, it rose up and struck its master.

Her mind wandered, unwillingly, to the times when love had her firmly within its grip. His smoky grey eyes had been so loving and caring, his arms around her so affectionate and warm, his words sweet nothings and loving caresses that held promises of a long future and eternal happiness. He had put her on a pedestal, and there she had stood, allowing herself to be his trophy piece, his pride and joy...his greatest accomplishment.

Accomplishment?

Minako resented herself for that. She was no one's accomplishment, a feather in no one's hat. She was the Senshi of Venus, the leader of the Inner Court, the most powerful warrior this side of Saturn. And yet...she'd allowed herself to become overcome by her own element.

The attack had, indeed, been a surprise. Suspicion had flared for weeks that the Earthians were up to no good, and that there was a strong force of sorcery growing on the blue and green planet beneath. Rumors that some of the Earth's own leadership was going along with the power that was forming. But Minako had forced it out of her mind. How could it be that her sweet, kind lover, strong and unrelenting, could succumb to the power of any sorceress? He was strong in magic and physical power himself. Why would anyone take advantage of him? How?

Until, of course, the Earthian army had attacked the moon. Rushing into battle, the Lunarian coat of arms decorating her sword and her senshi uniform blazing in all its splendor, she had rushed in the forefront as a general in the Lunarian army. Cut down Earthian soldiers. Sent others to death sentences. Ruthless.

Except when she came to face to face with her lover.

His eyes had been steely then. It was clear that his feelings for her had changed. He was apathetic, murderous even, as he lunged towards her with sword drawn, menacing her with cold words. She shouted epithets, pleaded for him to leave the Earthian army and this cold queen Beryl and return to the moon, to her. He laughed, his voice cold and hard. Leave? But Beryl was his mistress, and he her servant. He would not leave. He would do her bidding, and would destroy the Moon as she ordered.

And her.

She had only narrowly escaped that battle. Alive, barely. And her brain wracked her with excuses. He was under mind control; his feelings were still the same. His magic had gone haywire; he still loved her. He did not mean what he said. He did not want to leave her. He did not want to fight with Beryl against the Moon Kingdom. He had not killed her court's subjects. He had not played with her for information. He had not used her to dupe the kingdom...

But deep down inside, she knew that she did not know. And could not tell for certain.

The tears were flowing faster now, and the line between faucet and teardrop was blurred. Minako reached and turned off the spigot, not bothering with the water anymore, content to simply lay in her bed. She allowed her mind to wander to the past briefly, to think of happier times, when she laid her head in Kunzite's lap and he smiled at her, and everything was all right.

Then she opened her eyes. Times were not like that now. She had to wake up, and defend her kingdom.

She had to move on...