The Lunar court was in a frenzy of activity as the Palace of Aktaion prepared for what some were calling the greatest event of the Silver Millennium and the crown jewel of the Queen's Silver Peace. During the Day of Days, as a poet christened it (though the events and festivities were sure to last longer than a single day), the son of the Earth Emperor would sign to the Silver Alliance in the presence of the Lunar court and all the young guardians of the solar system. Never before had the Moon seen a gathering of so much royalty at one time and never before had a peace agreement with all of the worlds as signatories been created.
The Silver Alliance was Queen Serenity's legacy to the Solar System, a carefully crafted partnership of eight planets and the moon that sought to end the world wars of earlier times. The only planet that remained outside of the Alliance was Earth, whom some viewed as the outsider planet. Without magic and unlike the other worlds, Earth had kept to itself. ..until now, of course.
"There is a philosopher from Mercury who is calling it the 'End of History'," Princess Cyllene said thoughtfully, pushing a piece of blue hair off of her forehead, "because the history of the great world wars will be ended with the joining of Earth to the Silver Alliance."
"I wonder what it'll be like," her companion asked dreamily, nearly running into a harried page moving in the opposite direction. They were aimlessly wandering the halls of the great palace, shooed from every place they tried to settle in as the staff made ready for the momentous occasion. Lost in the shuffle, they were left on their own to try to stay out of the way.
"Wonderful, I think," replied Cyllene enthusiastically. "It'll be an unprecedented peace, an alliance unlike anyone has ever seen! Perhaps we will be able to create a great body of shared knowledge, with scholars from every court in the solar system contributing!"
"'Lene, you dear!" Princess Serenity exclaimed with a giggle. She flounced in front of Cyllene and dipped into a mock curtsy. "I meant, what will it be like with the Terran prince here?" The Mercurian heir looked somewhat crestfallen.
"I've heard he is quite handsome," Serenity cajoled, elbowing her conservative friend. "As is his guard."
"The only one I was interested in meeting was the scholar Argos, but he was detained on Earth." Cyllene replied primly. Serenity wrinkled her nose, and then took her friend's arm with a giggle. The princess' good cheer and bubbly air did not match the somber paintings that watched the two girls wander down the Hall of Portraits.
"Well, we'll see when they arrive this afternoon how handsome Prince Endymion and his Earth court are. Do you know when Nike is getting here?"
"I'm not sure. I think the Martian party was supposed to be arriving soon. They may even be here now."
"And Psyche and Juno?"
"Really, Serenity, I haven't memorized everyone's itineraries!" exclaimed Cyllene with exasperation. "I'm sure everyone will be here in time for the arrival of the delegation." Cyllene straightened her skirt and was about to lead Serenity to the Scholar's Pavilion (if they had a few spare moments, why not spend them in a lecture on inter-world politics?) when the moon princess seized her arm in an iron grip with a slightly manic air.
"To the guest wing!" Serenity cried, pulling a hapless Cyllene with her through the heart of the Lunar palace to seek out their friends.