The fair High Prince of Mau sat on his throne atop the high dais, seated in
the center. In the past months he had acted as ruler in the absence of his
father. He was very handsome, his long white hair cascading down his back.
He had fairly white skin, and wore all white on this day. Normally he would
have chosen something less formal, but today was the day that the Queen of
the Moon from the Silver Millennium arrived. His normal, flirtatious smile
was gone, replaced by a stern frown as he cast an iron gaze around a court-
room. He would have been utterly happy to see the kind Moon Queen on normal
circumstances, but on this day, she was to be accompanied by the highest-
ranking Governess, who acted as Ambassador at this moment.
The last time Artimis had seen the Governess they had been children of ten, and she had been visiting the palace with her father, being trained in the ways of a Governess traveling. It had started out as a horrid meeting between the two when Artimis had spilled dark red wine on her dress, and later that day she poured a clear, slippery liquid on the marble floor, causing him to slip as he was being presented to the nobles.
Memories of a short, entirely to skinny girl with to much hair bunched on her head filled his mind and let him think of nothing else, as he was now being forced to meet her again.
~*~
Luna was utterly consumed by dread as the transporter took her closer and closer to that arrogant prince. Every couple of seconds she did something to fix her appearance, first smoothing the long yellow skirt of her dress, next checking to see that her front did not dip down to far. The yellow silk looked more like a watery sloth on her, rippling every time she moved. She adjusted the large purple ribbon tied around her waist, forming a large bow in the back. She leaned forward to check that the bow was not rumpled, leaning back again carefully and straightening the thin strap.
Seeing that she was being watch by the other occupants of the transporter, she folded her hands in her lap and let her back rest against the seat. Her slender body sat rigid against the comfortable seat, and soon she tapped her nails against the cushion.
Queen Serenity smiled, reaching over and taking Luna's hand in hers. She smiled reassuringly. "Luna, do not be so solemn. You are returning home, you must be overcome with joy."
Luna forced a small smile and nodded, returning her hand to her lap and staring out the window as they approached her home planet. I must remain calm. Luna told herself. 'Politeness and duty must be my only thoughts when I step foot on Mau.'
~*~
"They have arrived milord." A guard bowed before Artimis, not looking him in the eye as he spoke.
"Open the doors." Artimis commanded, and the guard hurried to do his bidding. Sunlight from the three suns streamed in, filling the great room the light and making the crystal chandeliers sparkle and cast rainbows on the walls. It gave the hall a magical appearance.
"Presenting the High Governess and Ambassador to the Moon." A guard announced, everyone in the room coming to attention and Artimis standing up as Luna walked into the room confident and sure, her gown flowing around her as she walked. When she came to the center of the room she kneeled until Artimis bent ever so slightly at the waist. Luna stood and continued walking, while Artimis made his way down the dais.
At the bottom, he waited for Luna. "Governess." He said in a tight, strained voice. Upon actually looking at her, he was taken aback. She was very beautiful now, not the small oddly shaped girl he remember. Without missing a beat, Artimis kissed her hand and Luna once again kneeled, this time only for a moment.
"My Prince." Luna said as she rose. She turned, and the two walked to the center of the room together.
"Her majesty, Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Ruler of the Silver Millennium." The guard announced.
Serenity walked into the room, the guards saluting and the nobles kneeling. She approached Luna and Artimis, smiling to Luna, who bowed her head, and to Artimis, who kissed her hand.
"This is Queen Serenity." Artimis announced, his voice strong and clear. So startled was Luna, that she chanced to look up.
"She is our honored guest, and will be treated as so. She shall have no less honor than I, and shall be looked upon as royalty, for that is what she is. She shall not be questioned unless so directed by me. This is my word, I have spoken." Artimis said in the timeless tradition.
"Hail Artimis, Prince of Mau." Was the response from the rest of the room.
"Shall we attend to business now, m'lady? Or do you wish to rest? You have had a long journey." Artimis asked in a low tone to Serenity.
"I would like to rest, my dear." Serenity said kindly, like a mother to a son. "I am sure Luna as well would like to visit with you. She has missed her home greatly." Serenity ment to harm. How was she to know the tight, strenuous relationship between the two?
Luna's head jerked up and her eyes widened, and Artimis gave an inquisitive side-ways glance to Luna.
"My servant will show you to your rooms." Artimis told Serenity. "If there is anything you desire, do not hesitate to ask. You shall be denied nothing."
"Thank you." Serenity said, walking out of the room with Artimis' servant behind her.
"Would you like to see the gardens Governess? If I recall they were your favorite." Artimis asked, and Luna was not in her place to refuse in front of so many people, so she only nodded and was lead out on Artimis' arm. Once out in the garden, she was not so meek.
"The flowers grew well this year." Artimis told Luna needlessly. The flowers were not what interested Luna.
"I did not come here to see you." Luna said sharply. "I came because I am Governess and Ambassador. I have no wish to view the flowers, or anything else in the palace save the solitude of my rooms."
"Then I shall escort you to your rooms." Artimis turned.
"There is no need. I know where they are, do not trouble yourself." Luna revoked his offer.
"It is my princely duty." Artimis insisted, and in the end, he won out. They walked in silence, Artimis looking at Luna the entire way, studying her.
'She is beautiful!' He thought to himself. 'How is it that she became so? When I last saw here there was no hope for her to even be slightly pretty, and now look at her! It is a wonder.' Artimis continued to study Luna, getting to know every curve on her body. He came to realize that he had not taken his eyes off her since she came. She possessed a beauty far different from what he was used to, and a fiery temper to match it. He was intrigued by her. She held herself so aloof from him that it only made him want to get to know her more. I wanted to know everything about her, how her mind worked, and if she was truly as beautiful as she seemed, or if it was only an illusion somehow.
Luna kept giving fleeting glances upward to see the tall prince staring at her as he walked with her to her rooms. It made her uncomfortable the way he looked at her, his eyes feeling her out, trying to find all her secrets. She had heard of his past romances, and knew he was very experienced.
"If you wish to eat, there will be a formal dinner in the dinning hall." Artimis spoke.
Luna nodded in confirmation.
"Will you be joining us?" Artimis pursued.
"If Queen Serenity does then it is my duty." Luna replied, walking a bit faster. They arrived at the great double doors.
"Anything you desire is yours. In my palace you are held at the same level as I am. And I always get what I want." Artimis bent down and took Luna's hand, leaving a lingering kiss upon it. He looked up and grinned. "Always. Until tonight, m'lady, I leave you."
"Until tonight." Luna said in a tight voice, barely choking out the words before opening the door and slipping behind it, slamming it in Artimis' face and leaning against it for support.
"That arrogant jerk! Who does he think he is, talking to me in that manner?" She asked her reflection in the mirror as she absentmindedly smoothed her hair. "If he expects me to be like his little hussies then he's got another thing coming. I refuse to be followed like some hunters prey!" She glided around the room, checking to see that nothing had been changed since she was here last. Everything was as it should be, untouched since she had left for the Moon three years ago. 'Anything to get away from that bastard.' Luna thought.
She glided back to the closet where her dresses had been hung up, and began to finger through them, selecting a yellow gown made of silk like the one she wore. Silk was very favorite, it was so smooth. It was almost all she wore. This gown was tight until the waist, where an amethyst waistline created of jewel feel to one side of her hip. From there, the gown billowed out in yellow, it's many layers each laying on top of each other to give it a dazzling affect. Along with it Luna wore a amethyst necklace and bracelet around her right arm. Coming to the vanity, she sat down and let her hair tumble down past the seat of the chair. She began to hum softly without knowing it as she brushed her hair. She styled it in her favorite style, with two small buns on either side of her scalp and the rest of her wavy, purple hair cascading down her back.
As she began to stand, she came across a thin gold bracelet with the symbol of Mau carved in to it, and encrusted with amethysts all the way around. To the inhabitants of Mau, it clearly marked her status as Governess and guest in the palace. She slipped it, bringing it all the way up to the mid- section of the top of her arm as was the fashion on Mau. She gave herself quiet a few once-overs in the mirror, not really sure what she was looking for or why, and was satisfied that she look presentable. Sitting on her bed, she bunched up her skirts to slip soft, noiseless heals on her feet. The shoes themselves were a dark purple, made so the heal would be noiseless. Luna liked this, she could glide into a room and not be noticed until she wished that way.
She let her skirts down, standing up and preparing to leave for dinner, hoping that Serenity would be there to accompany her in the presence of the High Prince. Just as she was ready to open the door, there was a knock. It startled Luna so that she backed up and tripped over the edge of a rub, and plopped down very hard. At that moment, the door opened, and who should it be but the High Prince himself.
Artimis opened the door, and was rather shocked to see what he saw. There was his highest standing Governess, sprawled on the floor like a child, with a look of utter surprise and shock on her face. When she saw Artimis staring at her, she quickly stood up and straightened her skirt, becoming very uncomfortable in the presence of the one she hated, seeing her in a moment of weakness.
"I came to escort you to the dining hall if you still wish to join us." Artimis offered, trying to stand princely and calm, when all he wanted to do was laugh at the surprised look he had gotten when he walked in.
"I could have found it by myself." Luna told him sharply, not the least bit pleased at being found to have a vulnerable side.
"Queen Serenity is already there, she was beginning to wonder if you had gotten lost." Artimis explained. "I offered to come check on you and bring you to the dinning hall."
"You could have sent a guard." Luna pointed out, back to him and head held high. She hadn't the slightest intention of being escorted to the dinning hall by the likes of him.
Artimis thought for a moment. It was true, in all other cases he would have sent a guard to fetch the missing person. But this was different. What to say to Luna though?
"You should have sent a guard." Luna said in the silence under her breath, but the haughty remark was not lost on the High Prince.
"Perhaps. But I thought it my duty to the Queen to show that I was not helpless." Artimis told her, edging just a bit closer now.
"Oh, such a brave and gallant prince, to go through your own palace to fetch a young maid such as myself, who could have found her way with her eyes blindfolded. I am sure she will think higher of you now." Luna said sarcastically, not liking the fact that they were in her room, alone, with the door shut at all.
"Perhaps. But what would you have had me say?" Artimis challenged, still edging closer.
Luna snorted in response, no real answer coming to her mind at the moment. It was true, if he had done anything less than offer to come get her himself then he would have seemed either lazy or arrogant. 'Not that he isn't.' Luna told herself. 'But he does not want appear so in front of another person of royal blood like himself. He thinks that he can put on a mask of being a true gentleman? Queen Serenity will see through that soon enough.' Luna smiled to herself at the thought of her queen seeing through the, as far as she was concerned, arrogant, stuck-up, lazy, good-for- nothing, Prince.
In the silence, Artimis had been edging slowly close to Luna, and now the was very close. He reached out a grabbed her shoulder, effectively swinging her around to face him. "We must return to the dinning hall. We have stayed to long already. I am sure you do not want your reputation to be tainted, m'lady." Artimis gave her a hard, meaningful glare as what he ment to say dawned upon Luna.
"Let us go with hast then, m'lord, before you are missed to greatly." Luna stepped toward the door, opening it and walking out very fast, Artimis walking slower with long strides, calm and cool and under control, which was more than he could say for the young lady ahead of him, who seemed to think that if they did not get to the dinning hall that instant something terrible would happen.
Luna burst into the dinning hall thankfully and hurried to her seat as fast as she could without looking unladylike.
"Luna, my friend, Artimis and I were beginning to worry. What kept you?" Serenity asked.
"I was in the garden admiring the flowers. I lost the time somewhere." Luna explained in a loud voice so that others would overhear and she would not be tainted in rumor with that awful creation that dared to call himself a Prince.
"I have an announcement." Artimis said, standing, and the entire room became completely silent. "In honor of the arrival of Queen Serenity and other royalties who have not yet arrived, there will be a ball two nights from tonight. Any who wish to attend are invited, save the servants and guards on duty. Royalty will be introduced upon that night. This is my word, I have spoken."
"Hail Artimis, Prince of Mau." Was the response again.
Luna said it only half-heartedly. She did not despise balls, but this one she detested. The other Ambassadors would be free to enjoy themselves, but as Governess, she would be called upon to dance with every male who asked her, no matter how many times, and would be expected to take everything gracefully and politely. On Mau, since only one child was ever born to the royal family, the three highest-standing Governors (and Governesses) acted as heirs to the royal throne should something happen to the Prince or Princess. As it was, Luna was the highest-standing Governess on Mau. Which ment, she would have to spend the entire night with Artimis unless one of them was dancing. Silently she ate her food, listening to the conversations around her. The most interesting was Serenity's and Artimis', who were talking about their future plans for the negotiations that were about to take place.
"If all goes well, the treaty should be signed by the end." Artimis said. He glanced down the table at Luna, who sat on the other side of Serenity. "But let us talk of other things, the negotiations will happen when they happen."
"I could not agree more." Serenity nodded, turning to Luna. "Is Mau just as your remembered it my dear?" The elderly queen always called those she cared about "my dear" or "my darling" when she spoke to them.
"Not one thing has changed." Luna said in an upset voice, giving a cold, hard stare to Artimis before standing up. "I am tired, I think I will retire for the night. Your majesties." Luna bowed her head to Serenity and Artimis, turning rather quickly and walking matter-of-factly out of the hall.
"Oh dear, now what could have gotten her so upset?" Serenity fretted. "I should think she would be happy to be home." She turned to face Artimis, a questioning look on her face as if he should know the answer.
"She must be stressed from the long journey." Artimis reassured his guest. "I am sure she will be fine on the morrow. As it is, I am rather tired as well. Good night, your majesty." Artimis stood.
"Oh, no need for formalities between us my dear. Good night, my child, sleep well." Serenity stood and embraced Artimis, her long-time friend.
"Good night." Artimis smiled at her motherly embrace. 'She must be a wonderful mother to the Moon Princess.'
The last time Artimis had seen the Governess they had been children of ten, and she had been visiting the palace with her father, being trained in the ways of a Governess traveling. It had started out as a horrid meeting between the two when Artimis had spilled dark red wine on her dress, and later that day she poured a clear, slippery liquid on the marble floor, causing him to slip as he was being presented to the nobles.
Memories of a short, entirely to skinny girl with to much hair bunched on her head filled his mind and let him think of nothing else, as he was now being forced to meet her again.
~*~
Luna was utterly consumed by dread as the transporter took her closer and closer to that arrogant prince. Every couple of seconds she did something to fix her appearance, first smoothing the long yellow skirt of her dress, next checking to see that her front did not dip down to far. The yellow silk looked more like a watery sloth on her, rippling every time she moved. She adjusted the large purple ribbon tied around her waist, forming a large bow in the back. She leaned forward to check that the bow was not rumpled, leaning back again carefully and straightening the thin strap.
Seeing that she was being watch by the other occupants of the transporter, she folded her hands in her lap and let her back rest against the seat. Her slender body sat rigid against the comfortable seat, and soon she tapped her nails against the cushion.
Queen Serenity smiled, reaching over and taking Luna's hand in hers. She smiled reassuringly. "Luna, do not be so solemn. You are returning home, you must be overcome with joy."
Luna forced a small smile and nodded, returning her hand to her lap and staring out the window as they approached her home planet. I must remain calm. Luna told herself. 'Politeness and duty must be my only thoughts when I step foot on Mau.'
~*~
"They have arrived milord." A guard bowed before Artimis, not looking him in the eye as he spoke.
"Open the doors." Artimis commanded, and the guard hurried to do his bidding. Sunlight from the three suns streamed in, filling the great room the light and making the crystal chandeliers sparkle and cast rainbows on the walls. It gave the hall a magical appearance.
"Presenting the High Governess and Ambassador to the Moon." A guard announced, everyone in the room coming to attention and Artimis standing up as Luna walked into the room confident and sure, her gown flowing around her as she walked. When she came to the center of the room she kneeled until Artimis bent ever so slightly at the waist. Luna stood and continued walking, while Artimis made his way down the dais.
At the bottom, he waited for Luna. "Governess." He said in a tight, strained voice. Upon actually looking at her, he was taken aback. She was very beautiful now, not the small oddly shaped girl he remember. Without missing a beat, Artimis kissed her hand and Luna once again kneeled, this time only for a moment.
"My Prince." Luna said as she rose. She turned, and the two walked to the center of the room together.
"Her majesty, Queen Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, Ruler of the Silver Millennium." The guard announced.
Serenity walked into the room, the guards saluting and the nobles kneeling. She approached Luna and Artimis, smiling to Luna, who bowed her head, and to Artimis, who kissed her hand.
"This is Queen Serenity." Artimis announced, his voice strong and clear. So startled was Luna, that she chanced to look up.
"She is our honored guest, and will be treated as so. She shall have no less honor than I, and shall be looked upon as royalty, for that is what she is. She shall not be questioned unless so directed by me. This is my word, I have spoken." Artimis said in the timeless tradition.
"Hail Artimis, Prince of Mau." Was the response from the rest of the room.
"Shall we attend to business now, m'lady? Or do you wish to rest? You have had a long journey." Artimis asked in a low tone to Serenity.
"I would like to rest, my dear." Serenity said kindly, like a mother to a son. "I am sure Luna as well would like to visit with you. She has missed her home greatly." Serenity ment to harm. How was she to know the tight, strenuous relationship between the two?
Luna's head jerked up and her eyes widened, and Artimis gave an inquisitive side-ways glance to Luna.
"My servant will show you to your rooms." Artimis told Serenity. "If there is anything you desire, do not hesitate to ask. You shall be denied nothing."
"Thank you." Serenity said, walking out of the room with Artimis' servant behind her.
"Would you like to see the gardens Governess? If I recall they were your favorite." Artimis asked, and Luna was not in her place to refuse in front of so many people, so she only nodded and was lead out on Artimis' arm. Once out in the garden, she was not so meek.
"The flowers grew well this year." Artimis told Luna needlessly. The flowers were not what interested Luna.
"I did not come here to see you." Luna said sharply. "I came because I am Governess and Ambassador. I have no wish to view the flowers, or anything else in the palace save the solitude of my rooms."
"Then I shall escort you to your rooms." Artimis turned.
"There is no need. I know where they are, do not trouble yourself." Luna revoked his offer.
"It is my princely duty." Artimis insisted, and in the end, he won out. They walked in silence, Artimis looking at Luna the entire way, studying her.
'She is beautiful!' He thought to himself. 'How is it that she became so? When I last saw here there was no hope for her to even be slightly pretty, and now look at her! It is a wonder.' Artimis continued to study Luna, getting to know every curve on her body. He came to realize that he had not taken his eyes off her since she came. She possessed a beauty far different from what he was used to, and a fiery temper to match it. He was intrigued by her. She held herself so aloof from him that it only made him want to get to know her more. I wanted to know everything about her, how her mind worked, and if she was truly as beautiful as she seemed, or if it was only an illusion somehow.
Luna kept giving fleeting glances upward to see the tall prince staring at her as he walked with her to her rooms. It made her uncomfortable the way he looked at her, his eyes feeling her out, trying to find all her secrets. She had heard of his past romances, and knew he was very experienced.
"If you wish to eat, there will be a formal dinner in the dinning hall." Artimis spoke.
Luna nodded in confirmation.
"Will you be joining us?" Artimis pursued.
"If Queen Serenity does then it is my duty." Luna replied, walking a bit faster. They arrived at the great double doors.
"Anything you desire is yours. In my palace you are held at the same level as I am. And I always get what I want." Artimis bent down and took Luna's hand, leaving a lingering kiss upon it. He looked up and grinned. "Always. Until tonight, m'lady, I leave you."
"Until tonight." Luna said in a tight voice, barely choking out the words before opening the door and slipping behind it, slamming it in Artimis' face and leaning against it for support.
"That arrogant jerk! Who does he think he is, talking to me in that manner?" She asked her reflection in the mirror as she absentmindedly smoothed her hair. "If he expects me to be like his little hussies then he's got another thing coming. I refuse to be followed like some hunters prey!" She glided around the room, checking to see that nothing had been changed since she was here last. Everything was as it should be, untouched since she had left for the Moon three years ago. 'Anything to get away from that bastard.' Luna thought.
She glided back to the closet where her dresses had been hung up, and began to finger through them, selecting a yellow gown made of silk like the one she wore. Silk was very favorite, it was so smooth. It was almost all she wore. This gown was tight until the waist, where an amethyst waistline created of jewel feel to one side of her hip. From there, the gown billowed out in yellow, it's many layers each laying on top of each other to give it a dazzling affect. Along with it Luna wore a amethyst necklace and bracelet around her right arm. Coming to the vanity, she sat down and let her hair tumble down past the seat of the chair. She began to hum softly without knowing it as she brushed her hair. She styled it in her favorite style, with two small buns on either side of her scalp and the rest of her wavy, purple hair cascading down her back.
As she began to stand, she came across a thin gold bracelet with the symbol of Mau carved in to it, and encrusted with amethysts all the way around. To the inhabitants of Mau, it clearly marked her status as Governess and guest in the palace. She slipped it, bringing it all the way up to the mid- section of the top of her arm as was the fashion on Mau. She gave herself quiet a few once-overs in the mirror, not really sure what she was looking for or why, and was satisfied that she look presentable. Sitting on her bed, she bunched up her skirts to slip soft, noiseless heals on her feet. The shoes themselves were a dark purple, made so the heal would be noiseless. Luna liked this, she could glide into a room and not be noticed until she wished that way.
She let her skirts down, standing up and preparing to leave for dinner, hoping that Serenity would be there to accompany her in the presence of the High Prince. Just as she was ready to open the door, there was a knock. It startled Luna so that she backed up and tripped over the edge of a rub, and plopped down very hard. At that moment, the door opened, and who should it be but the High Prince himself.
Artimis opened the door, and was rather shocked to see what he saw. There was his highest standing Governess, sprawled on the floor like a child, with a look of utter surprise and shock on her face. When she saw Artimis staring at her, she quickly stood up and straightened her skirt, becoming very uncomfortable in the presence of the one she hated, seeing her in a moment of weakness.
"I came to escort you to the dining hall if you still wish to join us." Artimis offered, trying to stand princely and calm, when all he wanted to do was laugh at the surprised look he had gotten when he walked in.
"I could have found it by myself." Luna told him sharply, not the least bit pleased at being found to have a vulnerable side.
"Queen Serenity is already there, she was beginning to wonder if you had gotten lost." Artimis explained. "I offered to come check on you and bring you to the dinning hall."
"You could have sent a guard." Luna pointed out, back to him and head held high. She hadn't the slightest intention of being escorted to the dinning hall by the likes of him.
Artimis thought for a moment. It was true, in all other cases he would have sent a guard to fetch the missing person. But this was different. What to say to Luna though?
"You should have sent a guard." Luna said in the silence under her breath, but the haughty remark was not lost on the High Prince.
"Perhaps. But I thought it my duty to the Queen to show that I was not helpless." Artimis told her, edging just a bit closer now.
"Oh, such a brave and gallant prince, to go through your own palace to fetch a young maid such as myself, who could have found her way with her eyes blindfolded. I am sure she will think higher of you now." Luna said sarcastically, not liking the fact that they were in her room, alone, with the door shut at all.
"Perhaps. But what would you have had me say?" Artimis challenged, still edging closer.
Luna snorted in response, no real answer coming to her mind at the moment. It was true, if he had done anything less than offer to come get her himself then he would have seemed either lazy or arrogant. 'Not that he isn't.' Luna told herself. 'But he does not want appear so in front of another person of royal blood like himself. He thinks that he can put on a mask of being a true gentleman? Queen Serenity will see through that soon enough.' Luna smiled to herself at the thought of her queen seeing through the, as far as she was concerned, arrogant, stuck-up, lazy, good-for- nothing, Prince.
In the silence, Artimis had been edging slowly close to Luna, and now the was very close. He reached out a grabbed her shoulder, effectively swinging her around to face him. "We must return to the dinning hall. We have stayed to long already. I am sure you do not want your reputation to be tainted, m'lady." Artimis gave her a hard, meaningful glare as what he ment to say dawned upon Luna.
"Let us go with hast then, m'lord, before you are missed to greatly." Luna stepped toward the door, opening it and walking out very fast, Artimis walking slower with long strides, calm and cool and under control, which was more than he could say for the young lady ahead of him, who seemed to think that if they did not get to the dinning hall that instant something terrible would happen.
Luna burst into the dinning hall thankfully and hurried to her seat as fast as she could without looking unladylike.
"Luna, my friend, Artimis and I were beginning to worry. What kept you?" Serenity asked.
"I was in the garden admiring the flowers. I lost the time somewhere." Luna explained in a loud voice so that others would overhear and she would not be tainted in rumor with that awful creation that dared to call himself a Prince.
"I have an announcement." Artimis said, standing, and the entire room became completely silent. "In honor of the arrival of Queen Serenity and other royalties who have not yet arrived, there will be a ball two nights from tonight. Any who wish to attend are invited, save the servants and guards on duty. Royalty will be introduced upon that night. This is my word, I have spoken."
"Hail Artimis, Prince of Mau." Was the response again.
Luna said it only half-heartedly. She did not despise balls, but this one she detested. The other Ambassadors would be free to enjoy themselves, but as Governess, she would be called upon to dance with every male who asked her, no matter how many times, and would be expected to take everything gracefully and politely. On Mau, since only one child was ever born to the royal family, the three highest-standing Governors (and Governesses) acted as heirs to the royal throne should something happen to the Prince or Princess. As it was, Luna was the highest-standing Governess on Mau. Which ment, she would have to spend the entire night with Artimis unless one of them was dancing. Silently she ate her food, listening to the conversations around her. The most interesting was Serenity's and Artimis', who were talking about their future plans for the negotiations that were about to take place.
"If all goes well, the treaty should be signed by the end." Artimis said. He glanced down the table at Luna, who sat on the other side of Serenity. "But let us talk of other things, the negotiations will happen when they happen."
"I could not agree more." Serenity nodded, turning to Luna. "Is Mau just as your remembered it my dear?" The elderly queen always called those she cared about "my dear" or "my darling" when she spoke to them.
"Not one thing has changed." Luna said in an upset voice, giving a cold, hard stare to Artimis before standing up. "I am tired, I think I will retire for the night. Your majesties." Luna bowed her head to Serenity and Artimis, turning rather quickly and walking matter-of-factly out of the hall.
"Oh dear, now what could have gotten her so upset?" Serenity fretted. "I should think she would be happy to be home." She turned to face Artimis, a questioning look on her face as if he should know the answer.
"She must be stressed from the long journey." Artimis reassured his guest. "I am sure she will be fine on the morrow. As it is, I am rather tired as well. Good night, your majesty." Artimis stood.
"Oh, no need for formalities between us my dear. Good night, my child, sleep well." Serenity stood and embraced Artimis, her long-time friend.
"Good night." Artimis smiled at her motherly embrace. 'She must be a wonderful mother to the Moon Princess.'