Queen? Her?

7/22/2011

Sum: This is where things are about to get complicated.

AN: In the words of my favorite Doctor: "I am so, so, so, so very very sorry." I am starting a new story... HAHAH! We shall see how long this will last. I'm not sure if it'll even make it to 2 parts, but again, we shall see. I blame late nights and browsing. That's really the main thing though, I'll be looking at something completely non-related, and I'll have an idea for a story. There is no way to connect the dots that my brain leaps to, not really, but that's just me and that means some other twist for you to read about...hehe. I also have all these amazing ideas that never manage to make it to the page and then is completely forgotten... erg...

–

He brushed the hair out of her eyes as the blue gaze looked at him slightly put out and not a little bit angry. His tender action softened the gaze and it wasn't the first time that he was on the receiving end of that look. He would recognize those eyes anywhere, even if everything else about her changed.

"Do you think that you will always love me? Know me?" She asked softly.

He chuckled just as softly as she asked. "I've survived three major time-lines with you. If that wasn't enough to scare me away, nothing will."

"I wouldn't really call it all surviving." She chided softly.

"We did though. Through it all, I loved you. That is one thing that has not changed." Her eyes too, but that was a fluke, right? Even her hair changed every time. What he didn't know, was that his were the same way. His hair was the most extreme changes each time. Hell, it was lavender now.

"Yeah, but this time it's different, this time, it's my body that's changing. It's going to be a completely different shape, like an alien life-form."

"Honey, the first time I met you, you were a full-blooded alien life-form."

"I at least still looked human!" She wailed.

He couldn't help it, he start cracking up, laughing full, deep belly fulls of laughter. She looked up at him murderously and he had to calm himself before he collapsed on her. "There is nothing more human that what is about to happen."

"You don't know, I could grow another arm coming out of my stomach, or another ear in my face or..."

"It's not like you're regenerating." He rolled his eyes. "I really need to shoot Minako for allowing you to watch Doctor Who reruns. You were deranged enough as it was."

He received a fist to his gut that only knocked out some of his air.

"You're the one who fell for the alien." She hissed. "And I do regenerate and I am."

"So you do." He chuckled. "But I do too. And in your eyes, I was the alien." At her look he reevaluated what he'd just said. "Ok, fine, in your senshi's eyes, I was the alien. Truthfully though, there was a great alliance, and I wasn't part of it. One might think that I was inadequate. Probably certainly felt that way."

"You were inadequate." She threw into his face, pushing him so he no longer looked over her. "In oh so many ways." She sighed dramatically. "I should have just listened to all of them what they said that the world would end if I ever got involved with you. I just hadn't realized it was because you failed as a species."

His hands found her hips and pulled her on top of him, reversing their earlier positions, but it was a bit more intimate this way. "Shall I remind you just how adequate you found me all these times? The cause of your current freak out?"

"That's just the thing, crossing species boundaries! What if doing so implodes the universe?"

He sighed heavily and lifted his head so his forehead rested against hers. "I assure you, nothing is going to happen to the universe, you're not completely a different species, and even if you were, they've been intermixing for ages. Now, you're just pregnant, its not the end of the world. And I will always love you and I will love what is growing inside of you. Which will be a healthy bundle of joy, whatever it is. And if by some strange cosmological occurrence were to happen and you were to give birth to the strangest creature we've ever seen and in the process you've sprouted eight limbs and eyes, then maybe I'll just have to leave you then." At her gasp, he pressed his lips against hers to still her protests. "But I'll still love you. I'll have to go to find an expert on the matter so we can learn how to live with it, and be reassured that you won't try to eat me."

"If that's an insult to my eating habits, I assure you it's only because I'm pregnant-"

"You've been eating that way for as long as I can remember. Once that changes, I might have cause for worry." He cupped her cheek with his hand. "That eating habit is what allowed you to have an in with so many people, broke boundaries, would you really want it any other way?"

"I guess not." She mumbled softly. "I guess you're right." She settled down against his chest and let him hold her, just like she held him. "Thank you."

"Any time." He ran his hand through her silver hair. "Always." He promised heatedly. "Serenity."

–

Several months later, found Serenity alone in the gardens. She was having trouble even standing up, and that's the feat she was struggling with now. She had been correct, she had morphed into some strange non-human. Though he assured her time and time again that it wasn't true. Serenity knew better though. Endymion was just a sweet-talker and he was blinded by his love for her. Those rose-colored glasses he wore was really helpful at times, and others, she really wished he'd give her a straight answer.

She was as big as a blimp and even if she could see her feet past her protruding belly, she'd only see swollen feet and calves. Probably really shoddy nail-polish job on her toes too. She couldn't remember the last time she did them. She even avoided doing it on her fingernails as she was afraid of what the fumes would do.

She tried using her hand to act as a leverage and push her up. The feat was incredibly daunting and she still had another two months to go! She finally found a way to get herself to her feet. She had sent away the help that had been following her around everywhere she'd gone since she'd told Endymion that they were expecting.

Serenity had shaken them off for awhile, but over the months and the growth of her waist, they had gotten closer and closer until they were in her hair these last few weeks, almost quite literally. It had taken her many threats and pulling on the fact that she was their monarch to finally get them to leave her in peace for a short while. Now she almost regretted her actions, though it had been a nice respite. She could always call them back, but unfortunately when she did something, she did it with gusto. She'd sen them far, far away. Most of them would now have the day off to go home, but there were a few stubborn ones, who were more afraid of her husband than they were of her. Which really told her how she was perceived and was doing a pretty good job at tricking people on who was really the dangerous one. Those however she sent off with different missions, that required them to go far, far away.

There was now something that she was interested in, which dictated that she bother to get up before anyone could return to help her. One might be wondering where her senshi were, the ones that could never be seen away from her in the earlier years of the lifetime that she believed she was still in, but couldn't be sure. Now that was an interesting story... but that was beyond what she wanted for now. No, Ami had never left her side, Minako too. They though for different reasons. Minako because she was head guard and Ami because she was Chief of the Royal Medical Staff. There wasn't a higher prestige one could get these days, not that Ami needed, or wanted it. Though Ami's mother was finally out-done and even proud of her daughter, even giving grudging acceptance to who her friend was, that had never seemed like a wise choice through the early years. Serenity had figured that one out years before she'd ascended the throne, so she wasn't too annoyed by her friend's parent.

Ami stuck around because they were perfecting the most state-of-the-art facilities here, it was cutting edge of the medical community and it always allowed Ami a chance to learn more. That and she liked to take care of the royal family, they were after all, now her family.

The others, once finding out about her pregnancy had been trickling in one by one over the months since the announcement. Which given that they didn't announce it until second term, didn't give them a lot of time to prepare the move for next few months to a couple of years. Each would be there to lend support to the Queen, until which time, she could handle it on her own.

As Endymion said though, she wasn't the first to give birth to an intermixed species. Michiru and Haruka had flipped a coin on who would be the pregnant surrogate to the other's race. Haruka had lost and was inserted with a male's semen from Michiru's planet. Ami tried to give her more details, but Serenity really didn't want to know. She already knew too much. Though she had taken undue delight in seeing Haruka pregnant. She had been pretty sure that Haruka would have somehow tricked out the coin, to insure she wasn't the one to be impregnated. If they were to have another child, it would be the opposite, fair was fair after all.

The only difference though, was Serenity was supreme ruler of the solar system now, and having entered the caldron, wasn't really allowed a lot of flight time with people coming to her from all over the place to demand if they had seen this star-seed or that. She had been beginning to understand Galaxia's mentality by the time she'd learned of Haruka's pregnancy. It had taken enough of the edge off as she was found giggling uncontrollably at random moments.

Perhaps Pluto had foreseen this, and ensured that Haruka lost.

Serenity had not heard from Pluto in a long time. She wondered what happened to her time guardian. She had reinstated Pluto as a proper planet and struck the scientific discovery from the record, or at least until after Neo-Queen Serenity was dead. Then they could battle it out.

In summary, a few of her senshi were here with her already and more were on their way. Only those of her solar system seemed to care about her condition, and all was well with that. Everyone she had known in the previous lifeline, were long dead and buried. Nobody seemed to be bothered to even make friends, or enemies, with the Earth planet these days. All knew well enough to stay away, stories circulated about how the Queen was a barer of death for all who crossed her. Serenity wasn't pleased with that analogy, but she was content for the time being to let it pass. All who knew her, knew the truth, and if any other planet official had visited, they had left with a new appreciation for the strong, and kind and fair queen.

They loved her, but dared not cross her.

"Very Machiavellian of me, isn't it?" She asked her protruding belly. It gave her a slight kick in return and she rubbed the spot. "I have had to fight, I have had to result to that. I try not to result to death though." For it was the very last thing she wanted, and she tried peace so many times before. The only thing she wouldn't do, was lose. "I hope for you, it is the same."

There was a double kick and she hoped it was in agreement. She had never fit her name as well as she had these past few month, trying to give the baby all the calm it could. Endymion had been concerned at first with the new personality, but he'd warmed up to it quickly. Her eyes now though weren't on her belly or inward like they had been often enough. She reached out a hand and knew she shouldn't touch it, but it seemed innocent enough. There was a tiny rocking horse sitting on the baluster and it looked so cute. Serenity's fingers brushed it and then she heard a noise. She turned her head, and everything was different.

She was still in a garden, there were still benches, and there were still roses. All of that was still the same, and there was even a palace in the background. But the shape, placement and colors were all wrong. The style of the palace was no longer made of crystal, but of stone.

She did not recognize it. Then there were guards surrounding her, swords raised until they realized what they were facing. Almost all were lowered again. "Princess, you should not be out here. How did you find your way into this place?"

Princess? Her?

"Come now, let's get you inside and to a healer, to see if all is well." One of the guards went behind her and tried to steer her in the direction he wanted them to go. She didn't recognize him, and she knew all of the guards. She didn't know any of them.

She was resisting at first, but more out of shock than anything else. Another one lent his aid in steering Serenity towards the healer. Why hadn't they said Ami? Or even Mercury?

"Your highness." One of them stopped and turned towards a woman Serenity could barely place. The exact answer though was still out of grasp. She at least looked familiar. Everyone bowed towards the woman and Serenity didn't even try to curtsy.

"I know you are a princess, but that is rude." One of the men hissed out of the side of his mouth.

The woman waved them away. She came forward, her hair was the blondest Serenity had seen outside of her own. "I would like to take a walk with the princess, if you would." The men agreed and the woman's hand wrapped around Serenity's forearm. "Come dear." She led Serenity back the way that they had come.

When they were out of sight, the woman helped Serenity to sit. "I would wish your pardon. I have so many cousins that I can't keep track of them all. But to which family do you belong? I do not remember seeing you before." The woman touched the crown on Serenity's head. "Such a delicate thing. I can see where this is more of a fashion accessory than symbol of status. Some of the cousins do have a tendency to over-exaggerate their importance. I myself only wear one to important functions, and when I do, it is the largest in the room and most decadent."

Ah that was why the men thought she was a princess, for surely a queen would not be caught dead with a crown that was so tiny. Although... she could still have been a queen, right?

The woman was waiting patiently for a response and Serenity realized she had no idea how to answer. She didn't even know what family this Queen belonged to. She came up with an answer that might be the dumbest thing she'd ever said. "I hail from the Europa ancestry lines."

She picked Europa because of her hair. But she didn't know for sure if this time in the time line, whatever it may be, would still have the same type of genenoids and even if it did, she couldn't be completely positive that she was on Earth. She remembered vaguely Michiru mentioning an Europa galaxy too and a Europa solar system. Whoever had been naming things, sure got around.

The queen brightened at the words. "Oh, me too! I came from the area that's been renamed just recently. They call it England now. Where did you come from? Europa itself has hundreds of cousins."

"I come from Norway." The lies were coming off her now, but she had no idea what time she had found herself in. She might have stumbled across feudal Germany or something.

"Where is your husband?" The queen asked, looking around.

"What gave it away?" Serenity asked a bit cheeky.

"The ring for one." The queen was teasing her back and was not mentioning the elephant in the room quite yet. "So, husband?" She seemed like she was waiting for Serenity's husband to pop out and scare the two of them.

"He's not here, I'm here by myself."

"When did you get here?" The queen sounded shocked, but she asked another question altogether.

"Not too long ago."

"Have you been shown to your rooms yet? Where is your baggage? How did you get here?"

"My baggage?" Serenity hadn't thought of all these things, she hadn't thought of anything. She hadn't exactly planned any of this, and experience dictated that keeping her true identity a secret until she could figure out whether or not they were a danger to her. Usually she would just barge in and admit who she was without being asked, and get stares because no one knew who she was. There was always the off chance they did, and that's when she got into trouble. But this time it was more than just her at risk. She understood, finally, why so many had been elusive. At least though, there were no enemy attacks that she was aware of, and didn't have to transform and be nice in one form and mean in the other. If there was an attack, she would just tell them the truth. She was too pregnant to play those kinds of games.

"Yes, the luggage that a princess such as yourself would need, especially traveling so far. Did you take carriages to the shore, and then by boat?"

Serenity would have tripped, had she been walking still. Where exactly was she? When? Mainland Europe? The British Isles? Sweden? Where? Somehow she'd need to get her answers but she couldn't directly ask her questions. "Oh. Yes, about that. There were two boats. One got lost at sea and wrecked, the survivors managed to get word. But there on that boat was my luggage. I'm afraid I don't have any."

"A light traveler!" The Queen laughed, infinitely pleased. "You would do well with my son. Thank heavens you are already taken. And heavens are you! Even pregnant I'm sure he would have chased you, you are too beautiful for words. But he will respect the fact that you are attached."

"There are many unmarried pregnant women here?"

"No, but he might have been hoping that your husband was on that second boat." The Queen, while in her mid fifties, was still gorgeous. Her son, would probably take after her. She was also infectious. "As it is, there are way too many women here chasing after him. Not all are distant relatives. He has to choose one soon and marry her. I do fear though that he's already chosen and is not telling us only so he can make us fret."

Serenity's lips quirked up at this description. It sounded like another prince she had known. Hell, it sounded like all princes. It even described Minako! "I will be wary around him then."

"Will your husband be meeting up with you then?"

"I can't see how. But stranger things have happened. He will be very busy until the time that I return home, which I can be sure at that point, I will have a proper greeting and undivided attention for quite some time." Serenity shared a smile and a wink with the other woman.

"In your condition?" She sounded scandalized.

"Maybe not in quite the same way as when I've returned from other trips." Serenity reluctantly agreed. So apparently is was before the twenty-first century, where women pregnant were allowed, even encourage to have sex in their pregnancy. She had hoped that maybe she landed in the future. Despite all logic.

Besides, who knew if she'd even make it home?

That was a daunting thought, and she'd rather not think of it. In the meantime, she needed to come up with some good stories, and quick, and then stick with them. Then the Queen grinned again. "Oh you do have a way with your words. Is this your first language?"

It was only then that Serenity realized that they were speaking Endymion's native tongue. Not his most recent one, but his original native tongue. Oh dear. Serenity now knew about what time line she had landed in. This language had ended with their deaths. So that was the absolute latest that she could have arrived, and it might even be centuries before that. Millenniums, Eons even. He had taught her the language in that first time line, when they were sneaking around behind everyone's back, and she had taught him hers. She had adapted to his faster than he had adapted to her. It was strange concept, seeing as how he had infinite languages he spoke on his own planet, but she had learned the other planets' as well. To be fair, Lunarian was the most difficult language to pick up in most galaxies.

It was also why it was so funny that she was horrible at English as Usagi. Hell, even her own native Japanese in that lifetime was only fluent in the oral, reading and writing she had failed at. Even listening was difficult, because she had to actually sit and listen.

"Ok then, I will inform your servants on where to go in town to pick you up a few new gowns and other things you may need."

"You needn't do that." Serenity was still struggling to come up with a way to get the queen to not question her station here too greatly. It was just her luck, arriving in the royal gardens and running into the queen before she could make things work out. "I shall go in to town myself and have a look around. If something interests me, I shall buy it." Serenity stumbled over that last part after she said it, realizing she couldn't buy anything. She didn't have any money.

The queen must have noticed her looking a little green. "Are you all right, dear? Don't tell me that the ship with the luggage was also the one that held the money?"

"Then I won't tell you that." Serenity responded. "But do not worry yourself, I shall be fine. I was taught exactly what to do in this situation. No she wasn't. But it had happened before.

The Queen was standing up. "No need for any of that. I shall send my gowns to your room from my own pregnancy, I'm afraid they will be outdated, but they shall have to do until we can settle upon you another wardrobe." The Queen held out a hand and helped Serenity stand. "Now then, we shall find you a room."

"Why are you being so kind?" Serenity asked, not sure if she should draw attention onto that fact.

The queen smiled kindly. "You are a sweet child, pregnant and down on your luck. You are family, no matter how distant, I am a kind queen and it's such a relief to have family come to this event that is not only after the crown."

"How do you know I'm not secretly thinking of ways to kill my husband after securing the crown for myself?" Serenity's eyes were mischievous and nothing more.

"Because, no man who would bestow a ring like that upon a finger as delicate as yours, is anything other than madly in love with the woman he bestows it upon. Besides, even your crown in understated. You wear the ring because he wants you to, not that it is what you would have chosen."

Serenity just stared at the Queen for a long time. "How did-"

"My lovely child, I am the Queen, I know these things."

Serenity wished she could say something like that, but she may have been Queen for about 200 years now, but she didn't know these things yet. "How old is your son?" It was a risky question to ask, but considering that the Queen already thought that Serenity wasn't here for the boy, it was a safe question, probably having agreed to the invite, because her cousin had sent it out and she deemed to come for a change. She could always say she didn't read the fine print.

"Twenty-one." Ah that explained it then, time for marriage. Preferably to a girl who was eighteen or twenty-one herself, or would be by the time they married, a little older was ok too.

The two Queens walked together down the path and towards the castle. Only one was aware of the true status of both of them, and they were equals but in different ways.

–

As Serenity said goodbye to her newest friend, a woman who could have been her own mother, she couldn't help but think of her as an older sister. She wasn't sure how often she would see the kind queen, but the personality of the woman reassured her of one thing, that she was definitely way back in time, before Endymion's own parents were even a possibility.

Serenity had been taught of the Earth lineage, not to the extent that it seemed to spread out around the world, but of the royalty. Endymion had told her of his parents, and there were no positives, other than the fact that they were his parents and had treated him well. His grandparents were no better. He had never known his one set, but the other on the side of royalty had one survive great-grandmother and she was an old bat who was a nasty piece of work.

She could be as far back as five or six generations if not more. It seemed to be a peaceful time, with the only conflict being who got to marry the prince. It reminded her of her own suitors. Some of which were her cousins as well. She had thought it because the Moon's population was smaller and she had to marry them or look outside the bloodlines.

With a hitch in her top lip, she placed a hand on her belly. Oh she'd done that all right. Just not the planets they had deemed acceptable.

Serenity was now trapped though, she could go wonder the palace and finally see the Earth's castle or sleep. She couldn't go back to the garden, she had been caught there too many times today already. She didn't really want to wonder and have to explain herself or try to find her way back again. But she didn't really want to stay here either. But she was tired, and everything was finally catching up to her that she was trapped in a time long before anyone knew the way to the Moon. She had no Calvary coming, and even if she did, it would forever alter the way of history. It would be better if she were to keep quiet and figure this all out on her own. She didn't want anything to mess with her future, she liked how it turned out.

So with that thought settling it, she sank onto the bed and found it to me the softest thing ever. She curled up onto her side and let the fatigue be taken away from her. She would need all the rest she could get.

–

EAN: So... I've gotten into this story, and I like it! You all, I hope are a little confused. Which would make me happy, because then I'm doing it right. At the same time though, if you've already figured out the twist, eh, it wasn't hidden hard enough and really, its kind of impossible to do so. Do you guys like it? Good? Bad? Ugly?