Title: To Sing A Song Of Things Once Past
Part One: Bevin*
Author: Anon Masako (sandryrose85@yahoo.com)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
~~~~~
The dew on the grass cooled my small feet and dampened the edges of my plain trousers. The weak early morning rays of sunlight, mixed with the fading moonlight, lightened my dark cream tunic, belted at the waist, to a silver color.
For a rare moment, I was engaged in a more serious type of thinking. On most days you would find me without a care in the world, laughing without abandon. But now at the young age of ten my mind was becoming more and more engaged in sober thinking.
Once more my burgundy eyes glanced at my dark green hair with distaste. It set me subtly apart from the other children of this planet, and showed me for what I really was: a strange child from a far off world, all the way at the end of the solar system. Not only was I a stranger, I was the Heir-In-Truth of that planet, and the adopted child of the royal couple of this one. Although I rarely met with a child to whom my planetage was an important matter, I still cast almost jealous glances at their hair of black and brown, red and blond, and eyes of blue, green, and brown. And now, it was also giving me a duty to which I wanted to make no claim on.
I was from Pluto, the planet on the outer-most edges of the solar system. My parents had been the king and queen of Pluto, and I was their only child. When I was four, my parents were assassinated by a few power-hungry distant cousins on my mother's side of the family.
It would have happened eventually, although I am now surprised that it was my mother's side to cause the ruckus. My mother's side, although insane, was nothing in comparison to my father's side of the family, who were abnormally cruel and greedy.
Thus, when my parents' bodies were discovered the morning after, having been murdered in their sleep, I was immediately packed up and sent to my parents' closest and dearest friends, my godparents- the royal family of earth.
There I met up with a veritable pack of playmates- the four year-old heir to the throne, Endymion; his younger brother Terrence, then three; and the baby princess Ayame, just barely out of the womb. Along with these children were Endy's future generals: Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Kunzite. They were all either four or five then, and what little memories I had of my parents quickly disappeared into the mists of Time, which I had little concept of at that age. Now, however, the burden that Time could be- and would be- was looming dreadfully above my small form, as I was about to take my first step into the world of a senshi.
Now I can remember my few years with my parents as if I were watching my early life as a separate figure; a spirit. I can remember walks in the park with my parents, who always smiled around me, even when they were engaged in an argument. Trips to the beaches of Charon were times of smiles and laughter, and I have fond memories of bedtime stories about princesses and princes, foreign kingdoms and magically jewels, and animals that talked, among other things that are glorious in a young child's mind.
Along with that particular set of memories come tangible feelings- the warmth of the roaring fire and down comforters in the winter, and the coolness of my sheets and the air coming from the open windows in the summer. But despite the season, the images of my mother and father reading the stories, with my giggles and my occasional comments interspersed, were a constant in my young life.
A particular set of memories haunt me, however...
~~~
What happened to the bird's pretty song? Bevin isn't singing this morning... she always sings in the morning...
The morning winter light felt hard on my young eyes as I struggled to free my small body from the thick, tangled blankets. Twist, tug, struggle... I let out a few small grunts and sighs as I tried to free myself.
With a final grunt, I popped out of the blankets, smiling victoriously. Scrambling out of the high bed, I dropped lightly to the floor, which, for once in my life, was freezing cold. Hopping from foot to foot on the cold tiles, I pondered the mystery of the freezing floor as well as the big mystery of my beloved bird not singing this morning. Finally I concluded that Bevin must have been too cold to get out of her bed this morning, and so had the servants who lit my bedroom fire.
For a moment I wondered if I should do as Bevin and the servants had done: stay in bed and sleep. But then I remembered that it was my job to wake Mama and Daddy up.
A true princess never goes back on her word. Mama's voice said from the back of my mind. And I had told Mama and Daddy that I would always come to wake them up every morning... I was their 'early bird,' after all.
Smiling, a hopped over to my dresser for a pair of socks to cover my feet- I didn't want them to get cold, after all. If my floor is freezing, then the hallways will be too.
I skipped merrily to my parent's room, humming the song I always heard Bevin sing in the morning. Since Bevin was to cold to sing, I would do it for her.
I paused slightly as I passed a room near my parent's bedchamber. A variety of voices, all which seemed familiar, drifted out of the room. They seem upset, I thought with a frown. Then I smiled. I'll come back later and cheer them up.
When I reached the door to my parent's room, I bit my bottom lip slightly in a gesture my mama always uses when she's upset. Where are the guards? They're supposed to stand here and make sure I have fun trying to sneak in to see my parents. That's their job...
But maybe they're cold this morning too, like Bevin.
Grasping the handle of the huge doors, I pulled them open with a bit of trouble. Usually Stefan, my favorite guard, opens the door for me in the mornings. I'm getting to be a big girl now, I though with a bit of pride. Now I can open the door by myself.
I stepped inside the room, and immediately stopped. All over the room there were patches of damp red stuff. Eww! I thought as my socks gained a red hue after I stepped in a patch.
But then, looking at the stuff again, I decided that maybe Mama and Daddy were doing some redecorating. Maybe it's paint.
Humming again, I ran across the room and scrambled onto the high bed.
Shaking my Mama's shoulder gently, I wondered why they had the red stuff on them too. And they're not waking up... I thought, getting a bit distressed.
"Mama! Daddy! Time to get up!"
No response.
"Mama? Daddy?"
I was panicking now. I wanted my parents to sit up and hug me and tell me good morning and have breakfast with me...
Tears began running down my cheeks as I quit shaking her. My hands, nightgown, and socks were covered in the red stuff, and my parents were not waking up...
Footsteps from behind me.
I lifted my head and turned toward the doorway, where Stefan stood, grief etched in his facial features.
"Setsuna-hime," he said in a muffled tone. "Come with me."
I didn't want to be near the figures on the bed any longer. The birdsong I had been humming earlier sounded didn't sound cheerful anymore... I wanted to sleep, sleep as my parent's now slept...
I dropped to the floor from the bed and began walking toward Stefan, feeling tired. He lifted me into his arms, and I buried my face in his shoulder.
After a few tear filled minutes, a flash of pure light played at the corner of my eyes. Lifting my head, my worry faded as I watched a woman appear in the center of the light. How pretty... The pretty light was making my fears and worries go away, and the woman look nice. She had a slice of the silver moon on her forehead, and I began wishing that I had something like that.
The light disappeared, and I began feeling sad again as the woman drifted toward us. "Give me the child," she said in a soft voice, looking at me with sad eyes.
Stefan's huge arms relinquished me to the silver moon woman, who held me close. "Cry child," she whispered to me. "It will make you feel better."
So I cried. I cried until I fell asleep, drifting away.
~~~~
Soft... cool... gentle...Mama and Daddy asleep... why won't they wake up? Stroke... gentle hands...
Someone was stroking my forehead softly. I could hear a bird somewhere... Bevin was singing... But it's not morning anymore...
Two women talked in low, hushed tones near me. A whimper escaped from my throat as my eyes fluttered open. Two blurry figures sat beside me. The silver moon woman and Aunt Casseopeia...
"Setsuna?" Aunt Casseopeia whispered as she noticed my open eyes. "You'll be coming to Earth with myself and Uncle Cepheus, alright? You'll be Endy, Terrence, and Ayame's sister." She pulled my into a hug, stroking my hair.
Endy? A sudden blurry picture of dark hair and dark eyes flashed across my vision. Yes... Endy. I know him...
The silver moon woman rose and walked to a corner. "Casseopeia, get her away as soon as possible. The assassins are most likely-"
"The child, Serenity!" Aunt Casseopeia hissed, pulling me closer. "Not in front of the child!"
Why is Aunt Casseopeia so mad?
"You're trying to save an innocence that is already gone, Casseopeia," Serenity replied sadly. "Such memories she will now hold will never be erased."
I can't hear what she's saying...
"But Serenity... the crystal-"
I feel lost... their voices seem so far away...
"I can't use the crystal on a four year-old girl, Casseopeia, even if it would lessen her pain."
Mama... Daddy... Bevin... why aren't you singing?
"Look at her, Casseopeia. She is not existing in her present mind- she is, in her shock, traveling the well-worn roads of Time."
What's that gate ahead? Why do I suddenly feel rocks beneath my feet?
"Serenity!"
"I can do nothing. It is up to her whether she will come back to us or not."
A fork in the road... a Gate, or a bird's song...
"Can't we do anything, Serenity?"
Who is that at the big Gate? She looks like Mama...
"Setsuna. Follow the bird. Follow the song."
Mama...
"Follow the song."
"Nothing, Casseopeia. It is her decision."
A fork in the path...
"She's too young to make such a decision Serenity..."
"Follow the song."
"Not anymore, Casseopeia."
Bevin! Bevin, don't fly away from me!
A flash of light.
"A choice well made," the silver woman said, smiling at me.
"A road to early traveled," Aunt Casseopeia whispered sadly, kissing my forehead.
The Gate and the mysterious figure is gone, but Bevin is singing in the corner.
"I shall come for a visit in a few weeks," the silver woman said. "I shall bring my child and her senshi."
"You shall be well met, Serenity," Aunt Casseopeia replied, standing up.
"Vale."
"Vale."
The silver woman disappeared in a flash of light in the corner.
"Well, Setsuna," Aunt Casseopeia said, "Let's pack."
Aunt Casseopeia moved to the dresser and began placing outfits in a suitcase as I watched from the bed.
My nightgown had been replaced by a simple green dress. Without the red stuff.
I hopped down onto the now sun-warmed tiles and padded over to a small shelf.
A small, cheery face smiled at me from the top shelf.
Ophelia...Mama made me this doll and her clothes... gave her eyes like mine, and hair like mine... she said she also gave her my smile...
I hugged her to my chest. I could feel a small tear work it's way down my cheek, before splashing onto Ophelia's forehead with horrible slowness.
Aunt Casseopeia's packing my things, but there's no one to pack Ophelia's, I realized after a moment. So I have to do it.
I withdrew a small, empty box from another shelf and began folding Ophelia's things into it neatly.
Just play-clothes and a few nightgowns... wait, I have to pack your fancy gown too. Mama made it. Isn't it pretty Ophelia? It's a smooth lavender cloth and it has pretty jewels just like mine... Daddy always said we looked like twins when we wore our matching pretty gowns. There. You're packed. Wait, I should bring the story book too, shouldn't I? Yes I will.
There. We're ready.
"There, you're ready," Aunt Casseopeia said, appearing at my shoulder, a small case in her hand. "Let's go... home."
But home is here...
"Wait!" I spoke, finally. "Bevin." I pointed toward my small green bird's cage.
"Yes," Aunt Casseopeia replied, smiling a bit. "We'll bring Bevin."
~~~~
Dark blue eyes stared into mine. A grin ornamented his cheerful face.
Why is he so cheerful, Ophelia? I wondered, brushing my fingers across her hand-stitched face as I stood across from Endy. Why-
Birdsong, from the trees.
It sounds like Bevin. But birds always live in cages at home... we don't have enough to keep some outside.
"Are those... birds?" I asked shyly.
"Yep!" Endy said. "Come on, I'll show you!" His fingers curled around my hand, and he started pulling me toward the woods. "And after that, I'll take you to meet Terrence and Zoicite and Kunzite and Nephrite and Jadeite, and I'll even take you to meet Ayame, but all she does is cry and drool. She's boring."
My lips curled into a smile.
Maybe he's not so bad, Ophelia. Maybe I'll let him meet you. And maybe... maybe I'll introduce him to Bevin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The beginning.
*Bevin: A name meaning 'sweet melody.'
Part One: Bevin*
Author: Anon Masako (sandryrose85@yahoo.com)
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
~~~~~
The dew on the grass cooled my small feet and dampened the edges of my plain trousers. The weak early morning rays of sunlight, mixed with the fading moonlight, lightened my dark cream tunic, belted at the waist, to a silver color.
For a rare moment, I was engaged in a more serious type of thinking. On most days you would find me without a care in the world, laughing without abandon. But now at the young age of ten my mind was becoming more and more engaged in sober thinking.
Once more my burgundy eyes glanced at my dark green hair with distaste. It set me subtly apart from the other children of this planet, and showed me for what I really was: a strange child from a far off world, all the way at the end of the solar system. Not only was I a stranger, I was the Heir-In-Truth of that planet, and the adopted child of the royal couple of this one. Although I rarely met with a child to whom my planetage was an important matter, I still cast almost jealous glances at their hair of black and brown, red and blond, and eyes of blue, green, and brown. And now, it was also giving me a duty to which I wanted to make no claim on.
I was from Pluto, the planet on the outer-most edges of the solar system. My parents had been the king and queen of Pluto, and I was their only child. When I was four, my parents were assassinated by a few power-hungry distant cousins on my mother's side of the family.
It would have happened eventually, although I am now surprised that it was my mother's side to cause the ruckus. My mother's side, although insane, was nothing in comparison to my father's side of the family, who were abnormally cruel and greedy.
Thus, when my parents' bodies were discovered the morning after, having been murdered in their sleep, I was immediately packed up and sent to my parents' closest and dearest friends, my godparents- the royal family of earth.
There I met up with a veritable pack of playmates- the four year-old heir to the throne, Endymion; his younger brother Terrence, then three; and the baby princess Ayame, just barely out of the womb. Along with these children were Endy's future generals: Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Kunzite. They were all either four or five then, and what little memories I had of my parents quickly disappeared into the mists of Time, which I had little concept of at that age. Now, however, the burden that Time could be- and would be- was looming dreadfully above my small form, as I was about to take my first step into the world of a senshi.
Now I can remember my few years with my parents as if I were watching my early life as a separate figure; a spirit. I can remember walks in the park with my parents, who always smiled around me, even when they were engaged in an argument. Trips to the beaches of Charon were times of smiles and laughter, and I have fond memories of bedtime stories about princesses and princes, foreign kingdoms and magically jewels, and animals that talked, among other things that are glorious in a young child's mind.
Along with that particular set of memories come tangible feelings- the warmth of the roaring fire and down comforters in the winter, and the coolness of my sheets and the air coming from the open windows in the summer. But despite the season, the images of my mother and father reading the stories, with my giggles and my occasional comments interspersed, were a constant in my young life.
A particular set of memories haunt me, however...
~~~
What happened to the bird's pretty song? Bevin isn't singing this morning... she always sings in the morning...
The morning winter light felt hard on my young eyes as I struggled to free my small body from the thick, tangled blankets. Twist, tug, struggle... I let out a few small grunts and sighs as I tried to free myself.
With a final grunt, I popped out of the blankets, smiling victoriously. Scrambling out of the high bed, I dropped lightly to the floor, which, for once in my life, was freezing cold. Hopping from foot to foot on the cold tiles, I pondered the mystery of the freezing floor as well as the big mystery of my beloved bird not singing this morning. Finally I concluded that Bevin must have been too cold to get out of her bed this morning, and so had the servants who lit my bedroom fire.
For a moment I wondered if I should do as Bevin and the servants had done: stay in bed and sleep. But then I remembered that it was my job to wake Mama and Daddy up.
A true princess never goes back on her word. Mama's voice said from the back of my mind. And I had told Mama and Daddy that I would always come to wake them up every morning... I was their 'early bird,' after all.
Smiling, a hopped over to my dresser for a pair of socks to cover my feet- I didn't want them to get cold, after all. If my floor is freezing, then the hallways will be too.
I skipped merrily to my parent's room, humming the song I always heard Bevin sing in the morning. Since Bevin was to cold to sing, I would do it for her.
I paused slightly as I passed a room near my parent's bedchamber. A variety of voices, all which seemed familiar, drifted out of the room. They seem upset, I thought with a frown. Then I smiled. I'll come back later and cheer them up.
When I reached the door to my parent's room, I bit my bottom lip slightly in a gesture my mama always uses when she's upset. Where are the guards? They're supposed to stand here and make sure I have fun trying to sneak in to see my parents. That's their job...
But maybe they're cold this morning too, like Bevin.
Grasping the handle of the huge doors, I pulled them open with a bit of trouble. Usually Stefan, my favorite guard, opens the door for me in the mornings. I'm getting to be a big girl now, I though with a bit of pride. Now I can open the door by myself.
I stepped inside the room, and immediately stopped. All over the room there were patches of damp red stuff. Eww! I thought as my socks gained a red hue after I stepped in a patch.
But then, looking at the stuff again, I decided that maybe Mama and Daddy were doing some redecorating. Maybe it's paint.
Humming again, I ran across the room and scrambled onto the high bed.
Shaking my Mama's shoulder gently, I wondered why they had the red stuff on them too. And they're not waking up... I thought, getting a bit distressed.
"Mama! Daddy! Time to get up!"
No response.
"Mama? Daddy?"
I was panicking now. I wanted my parents to sit up and hug me and tell me good morning and have breakfast with me...
Tears began running down my cheeks as I quit shaking her. My hands, nightgown, and socks were covered in the red stuff, and my parents were not waking up...
Footsteps from behind me.
I lifted my head and turned toward the doorway, where Stefan stood, grief etched in his facial features.
"Setsuna-hime," he said in a muffled tone. "Come with me."
I didn't want to be near the figures on the bed any longer. The birdsong I had been humming earlier sounded didn't sound cheerful anymore... I wanted to sleep, sleep as my parent's now slept...
I dropped to the floor from the bed and began walking toward Stefan, feeling tired. He lifted me into his arms, and I buried my face in his shoulder.
After a few tear filled minutes, a flash of pure light played at the corner of my eyes. Lifting my head, my worry faded as I watched a woman appear in the center of the light. How pretty... The pretty light was making my fears and worries go away, and the woman look nice. She had a slice of the silver moon on her forehead, and I began wishing that I had something like that.
The light disappeared, and I began feeling sad again as the woman drifted toward us. "Give me the child," she said in a soft voice, looking at me with sad eyes.
Stefan's huge arms relinquished me to the silver moon woman, who held me close. "Cry child," she whispered to me. "It will make you feel better."
So I cried. I cried until I fell asleep, drifting away.
~~~~
Soft... cool... gentle...Mama and Daddy asleep... why won't they wake up? Stroke... gentle hands...
Someone was stroking my forehead softly. I could hear a bird somewhere... Bevin was singing... But it's not morning anymore...
Two women talked in low, hushed tones near me. A whimper escaped from my throat as my eyes fluttered open. Two blurry figures sat beside me. The silver moon woman and Aunt Casseopeia...
"Setsuna?" Aunt Casseopeia whispered as she noticed my open eyes. "You'll be coming to Earth with myself and Uncle Cepheus, alright? You'll be Endy, Terrence, and Ayame's sister." She pulled my into a hug, stroking my hair.
Endy? A sudden blurry picture of dark hair and dark eyes flashed across my vision. Yes... Endy. I know him...
The silver moon woman rose and walked to a corner. "Casseopeia, get her away as soon as possible. The assassins are most likely-"
"The child, Serenity!" Aunt Casseopeia hissed, pulling me closer. "Not in front of the child!"
Why is Aunt Casseopeia so mad?
"You're trying to save an innocence that is already gone, Casseopeia," Serenity replied sadly. "Such memories she will now hold will never be erased."
I can't hear what she's saying...
"But Serenity... the crystal-"
I feel lost... their voices seem so far away...
"I can't use the crystal on a four year-old girl, Casseopeia, even if it would lessen her pain."
Mama... Daddy... Bevin... why aren't you singing?
"Look at her, Casseopeia. She is not existing in her present mind- she is, in her shock, traveling the well-worn roads of Time."
What's that gate ahead? Why do I suddenly feel rocks beneath my feet?
"Serenity!"
"I can do nothing. It is up to her whether she will come back to us or not."
A fork in the road... a Gate, or a bird's song...
"Can't we do anything, Serenity?"
Who is that at the big Gate? She looks like Mama...
"Setsuna. Follow the bird. Follow the song."
Mama...
"Follow the song."
"Nothing, Casseopeia. It is her decision."
A fork in the path...
"She's too young to make such a decision Serenity..."
"Follow the song."
"Not anymore, Casseopeia."
Bevin! Bevin, don't fly away from me!
A flash of light.
"A choice well made," the silver woman said, smiling at me.
"A road to early traveled," Aunt Casseopeia whispered sadly, kissing my forehead.
The Gate and the mysterious figure is gone, but Bevin is singing in the corner.
"I shall come for a visit in a few weeks," the silver woman said. "I shall bring my child and her senshi."
"You shall be well met, Serenity," Aunt Casseopeia replied, standing up.
"Vale."
"Vale."
The silver woman disappeared in a flash of light in the corner.
"Well, Setsuna," Aunt Casseopeia said, "Let's pack."
Aunt Casseopeia moved to the dresser and began placing outfits in a suitcase as I watched from the bed.
My nightgown had been replaced by a simple green dress. Without the red stuff.
I hopped down onto the now sun-warmed tiles and padded over to a small shelf.
A small, cheery face smiled at me from the top shelf.
Ophelia...Mama made me this doll and her clothes... gave her eyes like mine, and hair like mine... she said she also gave her my smile...
I hugged her to my chest. I could feel a small tear work it's way down my cheek, before splashing onto Ophelia's forehead with horrible slowness.
Aunt Casseopeia's packing my things, but there's no one to pack Ophelia's, I realized after a moment. So I have to do it.
I withdrew a small, empty box from another shelf and began folding Ophelia's things into it neatly.
Just play-clothes and a few nightgowns... wait, I have to pack your fancy gown too. Mama made it. Isn't it pretty Ophelia? It's a smooth lavender cloth and it has pretty jewels just like mine... Daddy always said we looked like twins when we wore our matching pretty gowns. There. You're packed. Wait, I should bring the story book too, shouldn't I? Yes I will.
There. We're ready.
"There, you're ready," Aunt Casseopeia said, appearing at my shoulder, a small case in her hand. "Let's go... home."
But home is here...
"Wait!" I spoke, finally. "Bevin." I pointed toward my small green bird's cage.
"Yes," Aunt Casseopeia replied, smiling a bit. "We'll bring Bevin."
~~~~
Dark blue eyes stared into mine. A grin ornamented his cheerful face.
Why is he so cheerful, Ophelia? I wondered, brushing my fingers across her hand-stitched face as I stood across from Endy. Why-
Birdsong, from the trees.
It sounds like Bevin. But birds always live in cages at home... we don't have enough to keep some outside.
"Are those... birds?" I asked shyly.
"Yep!" Endy said. "Come on, I'll show you!" His fingers curled around my hand, and he started pulling me toward the woods. "And after that, I'll take you to meet Terrence and Zoicite and Kunzite and Nephrite and Jadeite, and I'll even take you to meet Ayame, but all she does is cry and drool. She's boring."
My lips curled into a smile.
Maybe he's not so bad, Ophelia. Maybe I'll let him meet you. And maybe... maybe I'll introduce him to Bevin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The beginning.
*Bevin: A name meaning 'sweet melody.'