Kunzite walked a brisk pace down the hall of the Earth Palace. Repairs were coming along smoothly, but there was still a lot of work to be done. The entire west half of the palace was still off limits, but slowly their home was returning to it's original appearance.

It had been just over a month since they had won the battle against Beryl and Metalia, although Kunzite had been forced into bed rest on the Moon for the first week. He had hated every minute of it. He would have much rather been helping in the search to find his Master's father. At least then he would have been able to take his mind off the events of the battle. Instead he had been forced to remember them, over and over. Zoisite's advice of "try to not think about it" wasn't particularly useful. What's the first thing one thinks of when they are told not to think of something?

Thankfully no one had brought up the experience he was eager to forget since he was allowed to return Earth. Everyone probably had assumed that it had been simple physical pain that Beryl had inflicted on them, but they couldn't have been more wrong. The mental anguish he had experienced had been many times worse that anything he had felt physically. Scenes had played out in his mind, some of his worse nightmares come to life, or at least felt like they had. Images of the other Tennou crushed under marble pillars, their lifeless eyes staring up at him. His own Master falling to the ground, his blood on Kunzite's own sword.

Kunzite stopped, raising his hand to the wall for support while he tried to once again suppress the memories. Every once in a while they would return to him without any provocation.

The footsteps behind him stopped and waited, all too familiar with what Kunzite was going through. Hesitantly, Kunzite glanced behind him, knowing that his moment of weakness had probably just triggered the same thing in Zoisite.

The other Tennou was forcing himself to keep his expression impassive, but his hands were curled into shaking fists at his sides. Kunzite closed his eyes and took a deep breath before continuing down the hall. The click of Zoisite's boots followed soon after. Once again, the moment had passed.

The Master's father, the late King Endymion, had been found shortly after Kunzite had returned from the Moon. It appeared that he had hidden himself in the basement of the palace where no one would find him. He had taken his own life, his hand still holding the hilt of his sword. In his other hand was a letter to his son.

The details of the King's death were not released to the public, it was simply stated that he had not survived the attack. Prince Endymion had taken the news rather well considering and had appeared strong for his people at the funeral.

It was now late morning, and preparations were currently underway for Endymion's coronation. The ceremony was to take place in the afternoon, but there was still a lot of work to be done. The two Tennou were on their way to greet the priest who would be preforming the ceremony. The same man had also crowned their Master's father many years ago.

Kunzite pushed open the doors and stepped outside. It was a warm and sunny day. Summer was just beginning. The flowers in the gardens were in full bloom, the birds chirped near by, a sharp contrast to the scenery not too long ago.

An old carriage pulled up to the gate. A rickety old thing that had probably seen better days, but fulfilled its purpose just the same. The driver jumped down, handing the reins over to one of the palace guards while he opened the door. Kunzite and Zoisite immediately stepped forward to assist the older priest down the carriage steps.

"Ah, thank you both," he said, once he had his feet firmly on the ground.

"I am Kunzite, this is Zoisite, we are two of Prince Endymion's Shitennou," Kunzite said, introducing the two of them.

The old priest nodded, "I know who you are, it was I who the late King asked to select his son's guardians. You've grown."

This caught both Tennou off guard, Kunzite glanced at Zoisite then back at the old man. He couldn't help but smile. "I hope you'll accept my apology for not remembering you, Yoshitera-sama."

"It is hardly your fault, you were only five at the time. Now, I believe we have a lot to do in a very short amount of time."

"Of course. Please come this way."

"Princess, please. If you don't hold still I am going to mess up your makeup."

"I can't help it, Venus, I'm so nervous."

Mercury couldn't help but chuckle. Since Metalia's defeat, life had become so much simpler. Hectic, but simple. It has been a long time since the Senshi leader's most pressing concern was the light pink lipstick she was attempting to apply to their Princess's lips.

At the time, Mercury herself was not entirely sure what had happened. Queen Serenity had stepped out and used the Ginzuishou. After Beryl had been hit by the Sailor Planet Attack, the Ginzuishou's light had absorbed Beryl. At this point, the light from the Ginzuishou had become almost unbearably bright. Mercury couldn't see anything, and when the light dimmed, Beryl, the youma army, and Metalia's presence were gone.

A few days passed while the Queen regathered her strength before Mercury decided to ask her what had happened.

"Your Majesty, I must ask, was Metalia destroyed?"

"No. To destroy Metalia would mean to destroy the Ginzuishou as well."

"So, then Metalia is still... alive somewhere?" Mercury hadn't been sure if 'alive' was the right word, but her meaning was understood none-the-less.

"Yes, though I do not know where. We can only hope that she remains dormant for a good long time."

"What of the woman, Beryl?"

The Queen's expression turned regretful for a moment. "She had been too far corrupted by Metalia's evil. There was nothing I could do for her."

So, Beryl had been destroyed and Metalia sealed away. The thought that Metalia still existed made Mercury nervous, but the Ginzuishou was a necessary power, so she could only hope that wherever Metalia was, she stayed there.

"Mercury, is something wrong?"

The blue haired Senshi suddenly realized that in becoming lost in her thoughts, she had stopped brushing the Princess's hair. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about something," she apologized, putting the brush down to begin braiding the Princess's hair.

"It wouldn't happen to be about a certain someone, or someones, would it?" Jupiter asked, standing nearby with some small pink flowers that were going to be added to the Princess's hair. The taller Senshi seemed to have taken an interest in Mercury's love life, or so she called it.

"No," Mercury said, trying to hide a blush, "it's not that." The Senshi and the Shitennou has seen more of each other in the past month than they had in all the time before the battle. According to Jupiter, two of Endymion's guardians had taken an interest in her, but Mercury herself couldn't see it. Regardless, she couldn't help think about the two men, Nephrite and Kunzite.

In the case of Nephrite, Mercury couldn't imagine him to be at all attracted to her. It seemed as though he was always fuming about one thing or an other. When Mercury did try to talk to him, he would become so quiet and in the end would simply walk away in a huff.

Kunzite, on the other hand, was very easy to talk to. He had a kind smile and always seemed to take an interest in what she wanted to talk about. Of the Shitennou, he was the one Mercury considered herself closest to, but there was certainly nothing romantic between them, was there?

"But now it is."

Once again, Mercury looked over at the smiling Senshi of Thunder, then back at her unfinished braid. Jupiter handed the flowers to Mercury and took over finishing Serenity's hair. "Sorry."

"Mercury," Mars spoke up, "I don't think it's a good idea for any of us to be romantically involved with the Shitennou, or any Earth men for that matter."

"Oh, I'm not!" Mercury protested quickly.

Jupiter frowned slightly, "oh, come on now Mars, I don't think it's that bad."

"Venus, you agree with me, don't you?"

There was a long pause that Mercury took note of. She was fairly certain that in the last month, Venus' original opinion of the Shitennou had changed significantly. "I think we should still be more concerned with our Princess than with our personal lives."

"I am right here, Venus," Serenity said, "and I think that if Mercury wants to start courting one of the Shitennou, she should." The Princess then turned quickly to face Mercury, almost resulting in a smear of eyeliner across her forehead. "Who are you thinking of?" she asked excitedly.

"It's nothing, really."

Endymion paced nervously in his chambers, mumbling the speech he had prepared over and over. He only had a few minutes left to make sure everything was right. It wasn't the coronation ceremony that he was nervous about, it was his first announcement as King.

For the time being he was alone. Jadeite and Nephrite were seeing to the guests while Zoisite and Kunzite assisted the priest, Yoshitera.

"I want to introduce... no. I would like to introduce..." A knock at Endymion's door startled the King-to-be. He realized that his hands were shaking and held one in the other to try and calm them. "Come in."

It was Nephrite who opened the door. "Master, it's time."

Endymion nodded and looked at himself in the mirror once more. "Serenity and the Senshi?" he asked quietly.

"Ready and waiting."

Taking a deep breath, the Prince turned and joined his guardians, all four were waiting in the hall. "What if... What if they don't... like her?"

"Master, it's not as if this announcement is coming unexpected," Kunzite said as he lead the way to the throne room.

"I know," Endymion replied, "but after everything that's happened."

"Everything will be fine, Master," Jadeite added, trying to reassure the Prince as well. "It won't be too long before you are the King, after all."

"Just because I'm about to be King doesn't mean I will get to have my own way all the time, Jadeite."

The Shitennou got him to the doors where he would wait to make his grand entrance. They themselves would be expected inside before the ceremony began. Words wishing the Prince luck were said and he was soon left alone.

It would only be a few minutes wait, but the time suddenly began to drag for Endymion. He worried about the speech he had prepared, he worried about his people's reaction to it, and he worried about even being half as good a king as his father was.

His father. Endymion had been the only one to read the contents of the letter his father had left for him. He had considered himself a failure for letting the Earth fall as it had and he had decided that should Metalia be defeated, it should his son who ruled, not him.

'It was my fault all this happened, not his,' Endymion thought to himself, and not for the first time. 'How could he expect me to be a better king?'

The doors were opened on schedule and he stepped into the throne room. Every person in the room stood and bowed their head as he passed them. Various nobility and other well-off citizens that Endymion didn't particularly care for. He was much more concerned with those that had suffered greatly during the war.

His father's crown sat in it's glass case, embodying everything that he feared about being King. He would only have to wear the crown for part of the day, then he planned on locking it away for the rest of his rule. While his father did wear the crown on special occasions, Prince Endymion had no such desire, nor would he be required to.

His Shitennou stood to the left of the throne, in order of rank. They too bowed as he approached. So much formality, Endymion hated it.

He took his place in front of the throne. To its right was set a smaller seat, though just as plush. In less than two months it would be replaced with a chair to match his own, but protocols, which he had been advised by many not to break, stated that Serenity would have to wait until she too was allowed such regal seating.

The priest, Yoshitera, then stepped forward, nodding politely to Endymion before going into a long speech. Endymion tried to pay attention, but it was truly difficult. He just wanted this to be over with as quickly as possible.

Next came the pledge, which he could have recited from memory, but was allowed to repeat after Yoshitera.

"... and I swear that I shall protect the Earth until my dying breath."

The elderly priest then nodded to the four Tennou, who stepped forward and approached the crown. Traditionally, only the priest performing the coronation and the King himself were permitted to touch the crown, but the Shitennou would be allowed a role.

Jadeite and Nephrite stepped up to the case and held their hands towards the glass casing. Slowly the cover lifted from the pedestal, and the two Tennou guided it to the floor, or so it would appear to anyone observing. Zoisite was actually the one using his telekinetic abilities, as none of the other three trusted in their abilities to be as precise.

Zoisite and Kunzite stepped up next to handle the crown itself. It floated between their hands as 'they' guided it to Yoshitera. There was no actual contact with the crown, so the priest would be satisfied.

Finished with their part of the ceremony, the four guardians returned to their places and Yoshitera turned to face Endymion once more. Knowing that it was that time, the Prince knelt in front of the priest on one knee.

"It is with great pleasure, that I am now able to crown you King of Earth."

Endymion held his breath as the rather heavy ornament was placed on his head. "May you be as good a king as your father was."

'That's what I'm worried about,' Endymion couldn't help but think. He slowly rose from the floor and everyone else then knelt themselves. It was strange to see so many people showing such subservience to him. Looking to his left, he saw that his Tennou had also fallen to one knee. 'I really hope that I don't have to get used to this.'

The newly crowned King let out the breath he had been holding before speaking. "Please, everyone rise."

Slowly, much too slowly for Endymion's liking, his court rose. Giving a tentative look to his left again, he saw his Tennou giving him nods, silently telling him to continue with what he was about to say.

"As..." Endymion paused and cleared his throat nervously before starting over. "As my first act as King, there is someone I wish to introduce to you all..."

"But I want to see what is going on!"

While she tried not to, Venus was losing patience with her charge. She had explained several times that Serenity could not enter the throne room until the appropriate time.

"Princess, just a little bit longer," Mercury offered softly. "I'm sure it won't be long now."

"Do you think he's officially King yet?" the Princess asked as she fidgeted outside the main doors. Suddenly, worry filled Serenity's face. "Oh no. What if they don't like me!"

"They'll like you, Princess," Jupiter offered, with a bit of a chuckle. "Don't worry."

"But... after everything that's happened..."

"Are you ready?" one of the attendants asked.

Venus quickly glanced over her fellow Senshi and the Princess, who appeared nervous, but nodded confidently. "We're ready."

The doors opened and suddenly everyone in the room turned and faced the new arrivals. "... Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium and future Queen of Earth."

The Princess stepped forward after Endymion finished the introduction and Venus and the other Senshi followed behind her. The Princess walked down the centre aisle slowly and carefully, as if afraid she would trip. Her gloved hands clasped tightly together in front of her.

Venus looked around as they traveled to the other end of the Throne Room. The guests were politely bowing to them, and none seemed terribly upset by their presence. When they reached the throne, the Shitennou as well bowed their heads for a moment and Endymion offered the Princess his arm. Venus then lead the Senshi so that they stood to the right of Sererity's seat, with Venus closest to her.

Endymion guided the Princess to her seat, then slowly sat on the throne himself. Venus' gaze landed past the new king however and on his second guardian. Zoisite, like the other Tennou, stood at attention until the king was seated, then he allowed himself a more relaxed stance.

It was Zoisite that Venus knew best of the Shitennou. The Princess and Endymion had put them jointly in charge of the music that would be played for the wedding and the party afterwards. Venus hadn't been aware that the Tennou had any musical talent, and it seemed as though the same was true vise versa. As a special request, the future bride and groom had also asked that the guardians themselves perform the song that would be their first dance. It was quite a grand request, but one that both Venus and Zoisite had agreed too.

The Princess had always loved Venus' singing voice, often asking her to sing one of her favourite songs. While this had been easy enough to do, the thought of singing in front of so many people, and at such an important event did make the Senshi of Love and Beauty rather nervous.

Zoisite, she had learned, played a wide range of instruments, but his personal favourite was the piano. She played some piano herself, but her skill was nothing compared to his. Playing that instrument seemed to come as naturally to him as breathing did to anyone else.

When she realized that she had been staring at the white haired man for several minutes, Venus quickly turned and looked at the rest of the room. Many members of the nobility were bringing forth issues of concern to the new king. Many of the villages and cities on Earth had suffered varying degrees of damage and reconstruction would be needed.

Venus felt that such things would bore the young Princess, but to Venus' surprise, Serenity appeared to be rather interested in what Endymion was saying and doing. Maybe the thought of being Queen of Earth in two months had instilled a sudden sense of responsibility in the Princess.

Venus looked back over at the Shitennou and found, to her surprise, that Zoisite had been looking at her. He nodded to her before quickly finding something else to occupy his attention.