Disclaimer: All characters of the Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena) manga, show or movie belong to Chiho Saito and not me. Some characters do belong to me though. Also, this is a sort of after-story of a fanfiction I read called "Captain of the Guard". It's set in the near and then later future of the end of that fic, and it's about Utena and Anthy's kid, Dios. If you wanna know where I got the idea for this story, read "Captain of the Guard".

Princes, Old and New

"Center your sight," instructed Utena, helping her small daughter hold the larger bow in her little hands. "There you go. Now try."

Dios aimed, centering herself as her father told her. She released the weight on the bow and cried out at the bowstring struck her bare forearm.

"Owwieeee! Father, the bow hit me!"

Utena crouched down and scooped her little six year old daughter. "Ohh, it's sorry. It didn't mean to. Here, let father see the bruise. See? Not so bad. And look, look at the target, Dios!"

Dios looked and let out a cute little gasp of delight. Her arrow had come very close to hitting the bullseye. She sprang from Utena's arms and ran forward, touching the arrow, as if making sure it were real.

"Father, father! I almost got it! Do you see father? Do you see it?"

Utena laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Yes, I see it, little one. You're going to become a fine archer someday, Dios."

Dios turned, sudden curiosity shining in her big green eyes. They were just like Anthy's. Dios furrowed her little brow and puckered her lips a bit like children often did when they were thinking big thoughts.

"Father? Where did my name come from? Yuki says it came from a prince named Dios. She says Uncle Miki told her. Is that true, father? Did you name me after a prince?"

Utena's smile became wistful as she thought back to all the adventures with the sword of Dios and the spirit of Dios that still resided within that sword. It had lead to meeting the Princess of Ohtori, Anthy Ohtori, falling in love with her, and through many adventures of their own married her. With the aid of magic Anthy and Utena mixed their bloodlines and in nine months, Anthy bore their dusky skinned, pink haird daughter, Dios.

"Yes, it's true, sweetheart. He's a very noble and wise prince, indeed. Would you like to meet him?"

Dios let out a little gasp and nodded."Oh yes, yes please, father!"

Utena grinned, a gentle love warming her clear blue eyes. "Then retrieve your arrows and we'll go." Dios nodded and pulled free the arrows in the target before replacing them in the quiver and walking up to her father, smiling.

"I got them, father. Can we go meet the prince now?" asked Dios, so eager, so very much like a child.

Sometimes though, Utena had to remember that Dios really was still a child. She had a claravoyance to the world that most adults never got, and if she was only six and already shooting bulls eyes...Well, it made Utena wonder what Dios would be like as an adult.

"Yes, let's get on, then. Prince Dios has been waiting a long time to meet you."

"Yaayy! Come on, father, hurry!" said Dios, grinning and tugging Utena along by the hand. "Let's go, father, let's go!" she cried, showing her childish impatience.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Give me a moment, Dios!"

Dios stopped and turned, pouting up at her father before she was scooped up into the air by a tall orange haired woman. Dios squealed, squirming against the woman. She laughed, tickling Dios and holding her tight as Utena strode up.

"Hey! Uncle Juri, lemme go! Lemme go!" squealed Dios, laughing hard.

"Say uncle!" Juri said. "Say uncle and I'll put you down," she said, laughing at how Dios squirmed around, now upside-down with her shirt falling into her face, exposing her bronze chest and stomach. Dios looked up and saw her way out. She stilled herself before cocking her legs and kicking upward, her soft soled shoes ramming hard into Juri's chin, snapping her head back and making her release Dios, who dropped, landed on her hands, then fell back onto her feet to see Juri holding her face, one eye shut in pain. Utena was next to her, examining the bruise.

"My God that girl has a good kick!" said Juri, shaking her head to clear it. "Are you sure she's only six?"

"Yes, I'm sure," came Utena's reply as she turned to Dios, her eyes like ice. "Dios, come here."

Dios walked forward, head bowed, thumbs twiddling in fear. "Yes, father?" she asked, voice soft.

Utena looked down at her daughter and sighed, crouching down and cupping her chin and tilting it up.

"Dios, why did you kick Juri?" asked Utena, making sure her voice stayed soft so as not to frighten her.

Dios sniffled and looked into her fathers eyes. "She grabbed me, wouldn't let go. I did what you told me to do if anyone grabbed me."

She wiped her nose and sniffled again. Utena sighed.

"It's good that you remembered that, but you should only do that if someone you don't know grabs you. All right?"

Dios nodded and whimpered. "I'm sorry, father, I really am."

"I know that sweetie, but it's not me you have to apologize to. Go say you're sorry to your Uncle Juri."

Dios toddled over and put her arms out so Juri would pick her up. She did so and Dios wrapped her little arms around her slender neck.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Juri. I won't kick you when you grab me anymore." Then she gently kissed Juri's cheek.

"Awww," she said, hugging the little girl tight. "It's all right, darling. That was a great kick! You're going to be very strong, just like your father, and wise, like your mother."

"That's right, and...wait...are you saying I'm not wise?"

Juri laughed before she noticed that Utena had that playful look in her eyes.

"Uh oh," she said before taking off, swinging Dios across her back and making sure she had good hold of her neck. Utena was right on their heels. Dios squealed and laughed as Juri carried her off towards the palace. "Faster, faster!"

Juri obeyed until she felt Dios be torn from her back by Utena, who held her tight as she passed Juri by, easily losing her. Dios giggled and clung to her father as she stopped. "Father won, father won, she won again!" Juri came up and bent over, hands on knees, catching her breath. "How is it that you always beat me...?"

Utena just grinned, adjusting Dios on her hip. "From my mercenary days. I applied for elite training. I had to constantly wear leather armor that was weighted down, plus a heavy chainmail shirt and a plate helmet. Pushups, laps, sit ups, chin ups, pull ups. All wearing that. Made me faster and stronger than a lot of others. Now when I run laps, I wear my weighted leather boots, gloves, and chestpiece. Helps me keep in shape."

Juri just shook her head and sighed beginning to walk back up to the palace with them. "So where are you two off to now?" she asked, glancing around.

"We're going to get Anthy and take our little one to meet the Prince...and would you please stop looking around like we're about to be ambushed?"

Juri shrugged. "Just doing my job, Highness. If I remember correctly, it used to be your job?"

Utena laughed. "Yes, yes indeed."

Dios looked up at her, curious. "What was your job before you were King, father?"

"Well," she said, "I was Guard Captain for the westward palace, which was the private residence of the Princess at the time. That's how I met your mother, Princess Anthy Ohtori. We fell in love, and then her father, your grandfather, died, leaving her to be Queen of Ohtori."

"That's also how your Aunt Shiori and I met," said Juri. "Your father introduced us when she called Shiori in for a favor. Shiori liked being her so much that she wanted to stay here as court magician instead of teaching at a magic academy."

"Or maybe I just liked being with you so much," said Shiori as she strode out from between some trees from the forest off to their right. They all jumped at her sudden appearence, but Juri broke into a wide grin.

"Shiori!" she cried. "You're back!" She swept Shiori up into her arms, swinging her around once before pulling her close and kissing her.

Dios giggled at them, then held her arms out to Shiori. "Auntie, Shiori!"

Shiori laughed and picked Dios up, pressing her lips to her cheek and blowing, making a large fart-like sound that mixed with Dios' high squeals of laughter.

"Oh, it's so good to be back! How is my favorite student? You've just finished with an archery lesson, I see?"

Dios nodded. "Yup! And I've been doing real good, even when you was gone!"

Shiori smiled and cuddled her student. "Good! Always supervised, I hope?"

Dios nodded again and gave a big grin, proud of herself.

"Very good. I wouldn't want you to get hurt while studying magic."

"MAGIC!"

They all jumped at Utena's sudden explosion. Dios winced. Oops.

"You've been teaching her magic without my permission! You know how dangerous it can be, Shiori! Why would you teach her without my permission?"

"What? I told Dios to ask you for me, because I was too busy at the time!"

They all looked at Dios. Double oops.

Shiori gave her a stern look. "Dios, did you not tell your parents about studying magic?"

Dios gulped and shook her head.

"Why not?" asked Utena.

"Because you keep telling me I'm too young! But Shiori says I'm just the right age to begin training!"

Utena glanced at Shiori, who nodded. "She is the perfect age level to beging learning. What I want to know is who was watching her while she studied."

Juri cleared her throat and raised her hand a little.

"Juri!" Utena cried. "I'm sorry! She told me she had permission!"

Shiori glared at Dios. "Dios, you knew that you were supposed to get permission from your mother and father before I started teaching you."

Utena sighed. "It's all right. It's too late now. How long have you been teaching her?"

Shiori shurgged. "A few months? She's become quite good at floating things since I last saw her."

"So that's why we keep finding the cookie jar empty..."

Dios hated it when the grown-ups talked about her as if she wasn't there. It made her feel small. Well...smaller than she was, anyway. They went on talking a bit while walking up to the castle, and Dios hid her face in Shiori's violet hair. She had always liked how it had smelled, especially right after she got back from a trip. Like herbs and mosses. She could tell why Uncle Juri loved her. She was nice and sweet and able to do magic, which was beautiful and wonderful all on it's own.

The guard opened the big door for them with a fist clapped to her heart in salute. They walked a ways until Shiori put Dios down when she spotted Anthy. Dios ran forward, her little legs propelling her toward her mother as fast as possible. "Mother, mother!"

Anthy knelt down and scooped Dios into her arms. "Dios! Is your lesson finally over?"

Dios nodded and nuzzled her face into her mothers shoulder, feeling soft strands of purple hair brush against her face. She loved how her mommy's hair smelled, too. Like a whole field of roses. "Uh,huh, uh huh! And father is taking us all to see Dios!"

Anthy's face broke into a big grin. "Really?"

Utena walked up and gave Anthy a quick kiss. "Mmhm. I thought she would like to meet him."

Anthy smiled as she saw Juri and Shiori walk up behind Utena, holding hands. "Shiori, you're back. It's good to see you."

Shiori smiled as Anthy went to her and kissed her cheek. "It's good to be back, Majesty."

Dios smiled and cuddled her mother's neck before she gulped again.

"I was wondering if we could begin to teach Dios magic, soon."

Shiori blushe and cleared her throat. "Yes...well...may we discuss that later?"

Utena grinned at Anthy's bewildered look. She leaned in and murmured in her ear, "I'll tell you later."

Anthy nodded and they continued to walk to the royal bedchambers, where Anthy and Utena slept, but also where Utena hid away the sword of Dios. Utena was going to entrust the blade to Dios when she grew to be fourteen.

Tsuwabuki snapped to attention when he saw them all turn the corner. A few years had passed since the battle with Akio, and then the battle against another vengeful spirit, Mikage. Now Mitsuru Tsuwabuki was sixteen, and an even finer guard than he was before. He clapped a fist to his heart to the adults, and stuck his tounge out at Dios. She did the same to him and they both grinned before Anthy carried Dios into the room.

Utena knelt before a chest and used her fingertip to unlock it. Shiori had keyed the lock with magic so that only Utena or one of her descendants could open it. From the chest, Utena pulled a scarlet silk cloth. She unwound it to reveal a jeweled sword hilt. Dios' eyes went wide as Utena revealed a sheathed sword of Dios. She pulled the sword free and smiled at it. "Dios...there's somone who would like to meet you."

A light shone around Utena and the sword, and then a ghostly figure emerged and stood among them. He was dark of skin and light of hair, just like Dios herself, except her hair was a very light pink, and his was very light purple.

He bowed low to the mall. "It is good to see you all again. And who is this, who wishes to meet me?"

Dios became shy as her mother brought her forward. Anthy brushed some of Dios' long pink hair away from her face so Dios could see her better. He smiled, and she wasn't so shy anymore. From that moment on, Dios knew that she wasn't going to be a princess anymore...she was going to be a Prince.