A/N: Idecided that the Inner Senshi likely wouldn't have the same names during the Silver Millennium as they do in Japan. Here's a breakdown of who's who. Valentine Minako (chosen for obvious reason) Incandessa Rei (Incandescent or burning brightly) Thalia Ami (Greek Muse of Comedy--usually seen surrounded by books) Juno Makoto (Another name for Hera in Roman mythology) I love comments, critiques and criticisms, so please, send them my way! I sadly do not own any of the characters; they are all copyrighted by big, important people, the chief of whom is Naoko Takeuchi.
Under the Light of a Crescent Moon
by Shadowravyn
The prince and his entourage rode quietly through the forest, cloaks tightly clasped about their shoulders to protect against the falling rain. They went slowly, the rain had lasted a full week and the rich, fertile loam of the woodland was now little more than quagmire. No one wanted to risk a wild ride when it could result on a loss of life or limb for either man or beast. Although all five were close friends and companions, no one had broken the silence since they had first set out from the stables, earlier that morning. Prince Endymion had been in an uncharacteristically black mood for the past week, though understandably so. None of his Guardians really wanted to be out in the weather, cold, damp and miserable, but it was their duty to accompany the prince almost everywhere. So, when Endymion decided the dripping forest suited his despondent humor perfectly, at least one of them had to go along. In the end, they all agreed to accompany him; in hopes they could lighten his spirits.
"So, your princess has finally come to Earth, huh Endymion?" Jaedite asked casually, causing the other four to jump in surprise at the sudden noise after the long and utter stillness of their ride. Jaedite had only arrived back at the palace that morning, after a weeklong leave of absence to visit his family. Returning, he had been justifiably shocked to find the Queen of the Moon, Serenity, along with her daughter and their entire retinue visiting. There had been no advance word; although a visit like this must have been months in the planning. He sought out Kunzite, leader of the Guardians demanding to know why he hadn't been told of the impending visit of Queen Serenity. He had been told, quite caustically, that no one who attended the prince had been told, not even the most menial of servants who cleaned the prince's quarters. And that included Endymion himself. His parents thought that if his first encounter with the princess of the moon, who just happened to be his betrothed, was a complete and total surprise, he might meet her with an open-mind. What they had failed to take into account was their son's anger at being deceived. Indeed, the visit and his impending wedding were the two leading causes of his foul temper. Jaedite knew that, and even if he hadn't the angry glances the other three Guardians were shooting at him would have given it away, but he was determined to make the prince talk. Perhaps if he would at least vent his rage at the injustice of it all, he would be able to view his approaching marriage with equanimity. "Have you met with her yet?"
"No." Endymion's answer was spoken through clenched teeth. He then fell silent, refusing to elaborate, which in itself told Jaedite volumes about just how furious Endymion was.
"She's ill, Jaedite." Nephrite continued, his voice and face disapproving. He understood what Jaedite was trying to accomplish, and admired him for it, but thought Jaedite's was going about it all wrong. "She is not used to inclement weather and tripped in the mud, while alighting the ship to climb into the coach. She got soaked and chilled to the bone from the frigid rain and by the time they got to the castle, she had already caught a vicious cold."
"She was really gracious about it," Zoicite, interjected, brushing a straggling lock of long blond hair back behind his ear. "Most princesses would have thrown a royal tantrum about falling and getting sick, but she was pretty patient with the whole thing. Deprecating laugh, small joke about clumsiness and then she allowed herself to be hustled off to bed."
"Well why didn't they put a warming spell on the carriage while they were driving from the harbor to the palace? Or why didn't Their Majesties just have a weather-witch send the storm away for a while?" Jaedite queried. "Yikes!" A cold sheet of rainwater poured directly down his back. He wasn't sure, but he thought Endymion had turned away quickly with a small smile of satisfaction. While it could just have been a quirk of nature, he thought it was more along the lines of some petty vengeance on Endymion's behalf. Jaedite didn't mind, even if Endymion had caused it, it was good to see his friend smile again, no matter the reason. Besides, it wouldn't hurt him; he was from the northern mountains and it was much colder up there than it was down here in the southern lowlands, as Endymion well knew. Still, natural hardiness didn't stop the water from being damnably uncomfortable.
"Queen Serenity did put a warming spell of the carriage, but it seems the princess is rather delicate. They don't have weather on the Moon, if you remember Jaedite." Kunzite, the prince's cousin and oldest friend, answered coldly. He, like the prince, viewed the princess's visit and betrothal with unequivocal disdain. "And it was Queen Serenity herself who told Their Majesties not to have a weather-witch steer the rain away. She knows how much that messes up the local weather patterns and the kind of effect it can have if it's not done right. I suppose she doesn't believe we have competent weather-workers here on Earth."
"Oh, come off it, Kunzite!" Zoicite objected. "You know she doesn't think that at all. She just thinks that since the princess is going to spending half the time here on Earth, she might as well get used to the weather, right from the start, and the princess agreed. That bodes well for the future. At least she won't demand good weather every time she comes back to Earth. She's willing to try, you know? That should count for somethingZoicite, obviously, was willing to give the princess a chance.
"Not much." Endymion snorted. Just as obviously, he was not. To be fair, if they weren't being thrown together like this, Endymion would have been happy to make the princess's acquaintance and see if they were matrimonially compatible. And it wasn't that he hated the princess, either. Wished her a thousand miles away? Yes. Wished she were betrothed someone else completely? Certainly. But wished her dead, or something equally grievous? Not at all. He figured she was just as trapped as he, and sympathized with her. That did not mean he liked her, sympathy or not.
"Well, then you've at least seen her, then, right? I mean, if she wasn't rushed up to her chambers right away." Jaedite continued gamely on. He wasn't going to stop until he got something out of Endymion. Of course, at this rate, he was going to be pressing until the wedding actually occurred.
"No he didn't. The prince declined to show up for the official greeting." Nephrite answered, drawing a gasp of horror from Jaedite. To deliberately snub the princess and her entourage the like that could have led to a war in certain countries. "Neither did Kunzite. I believe the prince...ahem... forgot the moment after he was summoned." Nephrite continued, putting it as delicately as he could. "Of course, he later explained it to his somewhat irate parents that if they could forget to inform him of the Lunar entourage's incipient arrival until it became immediate, he could as easily forget to show up for it. Then he mentioned that a poor memory must be inheritable and left. There wasn't much that they could say to that."
Jaedite gawked at Endymion. "You actually did that? And got away with it? "
Finally Endymion deigned to respond, and, though grudging, there was hint of his normal good humor in his voice. "It wasn't so much got away with it as maneuvered my parents into a position where they had to let it go. They were fairly angry about it. By Hela, they still are. In the end, they ended up blessing the princess's illness. Everyone was so busy looking after her that they weren't checking to see who was where and if all the proper formalities were being observed. Mother hustled their retinue into rooms and bustled about calling for physicians and soup and the gods only know what else. The formal reception was canceled before it even began. I met the Queen that night at dinner, but the princess and her four ladies-in-waiting have yet to eat with the Court."
"They've decided to hold off the formal reception until the princess is better, along with the welcoming feast and ball. Everyone but the princess has had a tour of the Palace and the grounds, which Endymion was conveniently out riding for, but that's about it for entertainments so far." Nephrite added.
"When the princess gets better, will you miss the reception again?" Jaedite asked curiously.
"I'd thought about," Endymion replied. "I really did. But I figured I owed the princess basic courtesy, considering she's just as much a prisoner of this farce as I am. Besides, that was a pretty childish reaction. I'm beyond petty tantrums like that." He grinned sardonically. "Well, I'm supposed to be, anyway."
"Not to mention, his father warned him quite forcefully about the consequences of another lapse of memory like that." Kunzite mentioned, winking at the others. "Let's just say it's better for Endymion to stay on the better side of the royal temper for a while."
"Well, there is that consideration too, I guess." Endymion conceded, then laughed. His Guardians laughed with him, as much in relief as amusement. It was good to have the old Endymion back. "I suppose we can turn back now," the prince continued, looking around at the dripping trees and the black mud that clung to their horses' legs and the bottoms of their boots. "Jaedite's decided I can't mope anymore and now that he's jollied me out of my rotten mood, I'm just no longer in the proper frame of mind to enjoy miserable surroundings. Sorry, guys," he said as Kunzite and Nephrite pretended to groan in disappointment, "but we're going back to the Palace. If we hurry, we might be able to squeeze in a warm bath before lunch. Hey wait!" Before he had finished speaking, his Guardians had turned and begun riding away as quickly as they dared in the soft, sticking muck. Grumbling about lousy friends, Endymion gently kicked his horse into a trot to catch up, and tried not to laugh.
"This is absolutely intolerable!" Princess Serenity huffed, wrapping her blanket more snugly about her shoulders. Then, fighting back a sneeze, "If I'd known it was going to be this unpleasant here, I never would've said no to the weather-witch. This's what I get for wanting the 'full experience' of Earth. See, I knew we had a reason for not having weather on the moon. So civilized people don't get sick-ACHOO!"
"Yes, it has nothing at all to do with the Moon's lack of atmospheric pressures or anything," the Mercurian Princess Thalia murmured behind her book.
The other three princesses giggled at Thalia's comment, hushed though it was, causing her to blush and Serenity to shoot her a dirty look. The five girls were holed up in the sitting room of Serenity's suite, a luxurious set of rooms both beautiful and warm. Long, thick curtains of deep mulberry velvet and the girls' lively chatter drowned out the omnipresent patter of rain against the large windows, while a cheerfully crackling fire and rich tapestries adorning the walls warded against the chill, which Serenity was very susceptible to. Of the five, only Serenity was ill. The others, growing up on planets where rain and other inclement weather were common, had developed a more effective immune system.
After sneezing five times in rapid succession, Serenity burst out, "I hate this! I'm achy and feverish, my chest hurts, my head hurts, my throat hurts, my eyes are constantly watering and I can't even breathe properly with this stupid, stuffy, sore nose!"
"You forgot to mention red in that description of your nose there, Serenity." Princess Incandessa of Mars was only too happy to point out to Serenity. "It's almost scarlet today. One more day of your cold and your nose'll match the drapes."
Deciding to ignore the unflattering comment, Serenity continued her tirade as if she had been uninterrupted. "Anyway...I'm tired of sneezing! I'm tired of rain! I'm tired of being miserable and, most of all; I'm tired of Earth! I want to go home! This stupid betrothal be damned!"
"My, this cold has certainly improved our dear princess's temper, hasn't it?" Incandessa remarked dryly.
"Tremendously." replied Juno, the grinning princess of Jupiter, at the same time Serenity snapped, "Well, you're the expert on rotten tempers, 'Dessa."
"Wait, yesterday wasn't she 'tired of the stupid climate, tired of soup, tired of foul-tasting medicines and tired of being the next thing to an invalid'?" piped up the Venusian princess, Valentine. Valentine was a wicked mimic and her comment had been delivered in a perfect imitation of Serenity, right down to the slight nasal wheeze. The other four laughed hysterically while Serenity glowered from the depths of her blanket.
"She was...still...tired...of Earth...though" Juno chimed in, breathless with giggles, which set them all off again. Serenity pretended to disregard them and glared out the window at the rain that was the cause of her current misery. The rain, of course, was ignoring her and continued to pour cheerfully down on the palace as it had for the past week.
Serenity's mood was a gray as the sky and a perfect match for Endymion's had either of them but known it. Or cared. While her regular disposition was as blithe and sunny as a perfect summer day, full of laughter and sweetness; the weather, her cold, and the constant teasing of her friends, which she usually handled with good grace, all conspired to make her sulky and irritable.
"What was it the day before that? Ah, yes, the weather, being cooped up, being bored, and, of course, Earth." Incandessa was saying.
"I wonder what she'll be tired of tomorrow?" Valentine mused. "The blankets, the tapestries and the glass they used for the window panes?"
"No, she'd rather be repetitive. Tomorrow it'll be about the wind, having head-aches, the temperature and orange juice," Juno snickered.
"And Earth! You can't forget Earth now!" Thalia reminded them all with an outburst of fresh laughter.
"How about being surrounded by a bunch of girls who think they're hyenas!" Serenity snarled. "I've gotten tired of that pretty quickly, you'd better believe me! Is that repetitive enough for you, Juno?"
Instead of being offended, they laughed all the more. "Temper, temper!" chortled Incandessa, holding her sides as she rolled one the thick carpet. "She's just living up to the name Serenity today!"
"What's a hyena?" Valentine asked curiously, inquisitiveness overcoming her laughter. She hadn't bothered learning about animals that only existed on Earth.
"A species of canine-like scavengers indigenous to the desert plains found in some regions of Earth. They make a kind of noise that sounds like particularly annoying laughter. The laughter is so obnoxious that it spawned the insult "laughing hyena" which our princess just used on us." Thalia answered.
"'Indigenous'? Thanks Princess Textbook," Valentine teased, her soft grin taking away the sting.
"If it's 'indigenous' to Earth, then how does Serenity know about them?" Incandessa snidely wondered aloud.
"I know lots of things, thank you very much!" Serenity protested angrily. "I probably know more than you do 'Dessa!" Serenity rode right over Incandessa's dismissive "Yeah, right." "And since I have to marry some stupid Terran prince, I decided that I should learn some stuff about Earth. Is that okay with you, Your Highness?"
It was right then that Juno realized that Serenity's flush wasn't just from fever and that she was no longer merely irritated, she was mad. She decided to change the subject and right quickly too. "Speaking of your prince, of whom you seem so fond, I saw him today," she announced, cutting off whatever smart remark Dessa had been about to make.
"Really, when?" Thalia, also noting Serenity's rising temper, quickly pounced on Juno's statement. The other three, curious about the mysterious, yet-to-be-seen prince, gave up arguing and teasing to listen closely.
"He and about four other fellows were out riding most of the morning, I guess. I saw them riding their horses into the stables around noon when I went back to my rooms to change for lunch. My dressing room window looks right out to the stables, fortunately high enough so no one can look in. They were pretty bedraggled looking, wet to the skin and all muddy. But underneath all the rain and mire their cloaks were warm velvet and their horses had gorgeous lines and powerful muscles. You could tell they were well-bred."
"Which ones, the horses or the men," Thalia asked.
"The men of course, silly! Although the horses were gorgeous." Juno had a passionate love for horses; her family had bred the finest stock on all of Jupiter. "They had long silky manes and sturdy, graceful haunches—"
"Enough about the horses," Valentine said impatiently. "Tell us more about the guys! You said four besides the prince, right? Hmm, one for each of us then." A speculative gleam sparkled in her blue eyes and her lips curved into a predatory smile. "Were any of them cute?"
"Never mind that," Serenity brushed Valentine's question aside with a wave of her hand. "Could you tell which one of them was the prince? I'm supposed to be marrying him and I'd at least like to know what he looks like."
Juno shook her head regretfully. "No, sorry, Serenity. One of the grooms bowed and said 'Your Highness,' but with the rain and all I couldn't tell who he was bowing to and which one relied. But, they were all pretty cute! I mean, they were all wet and tired, but dry them off and clean them up...YOWZA! Two of them had blond hair, one's was short and the other's long, one had thick auburn hair, one had short black hair and one had pure white hair."
"Oh, he old. Never mind." Like Serenity, Valentine waved a hand, dismissing the white-haired one.
"Didn't you hear me just say they were all cute? I saw all of them and trust me, they weren't old. The white hair's just a fluke I guess."
"The Prince and his Guardians," Thalia murmured absently. Then, seeing the puzzled looks of her friends, she hastened to explain. "Don't you remember what Duke Anthrop was telling us our second day here?"
"Duke Anthrop? Who's he?" Serenity asked. "I didn't meet anyone the second day except servants and physicians."
"While you were sleeping from the medicine they gave you, we were briefly introduced to the King and Queen and then given a tour of the Palace. Duke Anthrop guided the tour. You didn't miss anything by not making his acquaintance, trust me." Dessa told her.
"Oh yeah, I remember Anthrop now!" Valentine burst out. "That oily, sneaky-looking guy who reminded me of a snake. I wanted to wash my hand after he bowed over it. 'My dear Princess Valentine, how wonderful it is to make your exquisite acquaintance. My heart utterly palpitates both from the honor and your legendarybeauty'" Valentine parroted Anthrop's unctuous and fawning tones, a moue of disgust of her face.
"Yes, yes, so he's nothing but a toady," Serenity said impatiently. "Go on Thalia. All of my books mentioned the Guardians, but they never went into detail."
Nodding, Thalia complied. "Well, the Guardians fill a role like ours, I believe. They protect the Prince and serve as advisors to him. As a matter of fact, the King's Advisors are his original Guardians. They have some powers, I think, nowhere near our magnitude because they're not channeling planetary mana, but formidable here on Earth. That's all I really know about them, apart from finding out that Guardianship is not hereditary and at least one of them is with the Prince at all times."
"All times?" Serenity gasped, cheeks a brilliant scarlet.
Thalia blushed too, inferring what Serenity was implying. "Not all times! Not when the Prince desires privacy, like to bathe or something." Embarrassed, Thalia didn't mention any other times the prince might desire privacy. "Then they're only close by."
Juno snorted and elbowed Valentine. "Looks like Serenity won't have to worry about an audience then." She missed Valentine's reply because a moment later the pillow Serenity flung struck Juno dead in the face.
"Nice aim, Princess." Thalia remarked, hiding a smile. She passed the brush resting on the small table beside her to Dessa, at the other girl's request.
"Thanks, Thalia. Also, Anthrop also mentioned that they didn't have a normal ranking. I mean, we're all princesses, but a Guardian can be a knight, an earl or even a peasant. I'm pretty sure Anthrop mentioned that one of Prince Endymion's Guardians is his first cousin. Once they assume Guardianship though, they become equal to everyone but the immediate Royal Family." Dessa added, brushing her long black hair. "Maybe the blondes are the Prince and his cousin. They'd probably look alike."
"Not necessarily." Juno disagreed, now sitting on the pillow Serenity had thrown at her. "My cousins and I look nothing alike. They all have black hair and brown eyes. They look more like 'Dessa than they do me, and she's from Mars! Besides, the two blondes have nothing in common besides their hair. There was no facial similarity, or anything."
"Oh, who cares about resemblances?" Valentine scoffed, a calculated grin on her face. "The important thing is that they're cute and eligible. Which one did you say was the cutest Juno?"
"Oh, I, uhh, didn't say.... I, err, really didn't get to see. I mean, they were all cute, but, uh, it was hard to judge which one was the, err, cutest. They didn't line up for comparisons or anything," Juno floundered. It went against her nature to lie, even tiny white lies, and she wasn't very good at it. But she didn't want Valentine to know she had thought the auburn-haired one was the most attractive. Valentine would be after him in seconds. After seeing him, Juno's only coherent thought had been "Wow! I hope he's not the Prince!"
They gossiped and speculated in the identity of the prince until the physician came in to give Serenity her nightly dose of willow-bark tea. "You're looking much better, Highness," he commented, peering intently at her. His gift of Healing made it possible to actually see the illness inside of her and its progression. Indeed, he could have Healed her with a touch and the barest exercise of his Gift, but he preferred to allow non-threatening illnesses and injuries Heal naturally. While in theory Serenity agreed with the practice, it was, after all, what the Healers on the Moon believed, she wished he could've made an exception in her case. She was heartily tired of being sick. "You'll be feeling better by morning, although I want you to stay here in your rooms at least another few days. You're still very weak and I don't want to run the risk of you catching another cold on top of this one."
Although she didn't like the idea of spending another three days cooped up in her rooms, she fervently agreed with the idea of staying healthy. Another bout of illness would likely drive her mad. Still, in the wake of yet another sneeze, "Your pardon doctor, but I don't feelany better. Are you sure that I will by tomorrow?" she asked plaintively.
The doctor laughed. "Trust me, young princess. You'll feel almost as good as new by the time you wake. And if you don't, I'll drink a double-dose of your vilest tasting medicine as punishment!" he promised with a wink making Serenity and the others giggle. They were very fond of the little, rotund Healer, with his ring of flyaway white hair around his bald head. "Now off to bed with you, young princess. And you four must run along. Her Highness needs her rest if she is to wake up and not prove me a liar." His face wrinkled around his glasses as he smiled at the girls. "So off with you as well," he said, herding the others out the door. In the hall, he gestured to waiting maids. "The Princess needs to be helped to bed, immediately," he ordered. "She's just had some willow-bark and will be falling asleep shortly. I'd like her in her bed before then, please."
One of the maids, a small, red-haired girl, bobbed a curtsey and went in to help Serenity to bed. The doctor turned to Serenity's companions and said, "I've had some dinner and tea sent to your rooms too, girls. I want you to drink your teas and go straight to bed. You've been with the princess for a week now and I don't want any of you catching colds." he shooed them on their way, even as they protested. "I don't want to hear it. I'm the doctor and in the sickroom, I reign supreme."
The physician's prediction did prove true the following morning. Serenity awoke feeling refreshed, healthy and her good humor completely restored. To make things even better, the sun was out and shone brightly, as if to make up for all the days it had been covered by dismal gray clouds. With a delighted yell, she leapt up from her sumptuous bed, pillows and blankets flying everywhere, and ran to the window to peer out at the brilliantly colorful gardens. They were absolutely gorgeous! Serenity had never seen anything like the flowers that bloomed in such vivid, kaleidoscopic splendor. It was like a rainbow had fallen from the sky and come to Earth. Her wide, blue eyes sparkled in the reflected sun and she smiled at the loveliness around her. The Lunar Gardens were beautiful, of course, long, elegant blossoms with a most intoxicating scent. But their colors were nothing compared to these: crimson and gold, cobalt and deepest violet.
"Enjoying the view, my daughter?" came a rich voice from the doorway behind Serenity. She spun around; long, pale hair and silken nightgown swirling about her.
"Mother!" Serenity cried and flung herself at the woman in front of her. Mother and daughter were very close, closer than sisters, almost. It had been just the two of them since Serenity's birth; she had no recollection of the man who had sired her. She knew he was alive somewhere, and that he was raising a son, her brother, to rule after him as Queen Serenity was with her, but she had no interest in meeting him or her sibling. She was content with her mother's love and guidance and had never felt as if she were lacking anything. "Mother, I've missed you! Why haven't you come to see me?"
"I have, my love. I've come and watched over you every night since we arrived. Unfortunately, my days have been very hectic, what with meeting with the nobility, making plans for the future, figuring how to handle Endymion..." Queen Serenity replied, holding her daughter close.
"What do you mean, handle Endymion? Have you met him?" Serenity was insatiably curious about him. They were supposed to wed and she didn't even have the most basic information about him.
"No, darling, I have yet to meet the lad, although I have seen him at dinner. But between Court Etiquette and the sheer number of people vying for my attention, I haven't had a chance to even get introduced. And Endymion...is...not... pleased, shall we say, with your betrothal." Serenity had the feeling her mother was choosing her words very carefully. "It's not you, darling, just that he did not have a choice in the matter. He is idealistic and was hoping to fall in love and marry, like in stories."
Serenity's mouth twisted. "I can't blame him for that. I did too," she whispered softly.
Soft or not, Queen Serenity heard her daughter. "Serenity, look at me." She rose and paced to the window before turning back to her daughter. Her silk gown shimmered in the light and the crescent moon on her forehead blazed a pure, molten gold. Her crescent scepter appeared before her, the Ginzuishou, bigger, brighter and more valuable than any diamond, sparkled radiantly. The Queen had made the transition from beloved mother to regal monarch and her daughter curtsied low, acknowledging the change. "I know of your romantic dreams and soft heart, beloved namesake." Queen Serenity pronounced in stately tones. "How could I not, have you not confided them in me since you were small? I know of your trepidation in meeting and joining with this prince of Earth, his ways are foreign to us and you fear a life barren and empty of love. But, my daughter, my only heir, did you truly think that I would not take into consideration your hopes, you dreams, your thoughts and feelings, when I betrothed you to this man? True, you were only a babe when the betrothal was made, and he was only a boy, but I looked into your hearts and I saw the traces of your future selves within them. Still, I made sure to let these Terrans know that the betrothal was not binding until the words of marriage are spoken. At any time, if I believe that you will be unhappy with this man, I need only to speak and you will be released. Endymion's parents have the same right and privilege. Since none of us have invoked that privilege, don't you believe that we believe that the two of you will be happy together? Endymion's parents love him as much as I love you. We would never want for you two to be locked together in hate. I swear to you, if you or Endymion do not believe that your lives together will be happy ones, you merely need to say the words and all shall be undone. If I have horribly misjudged you both, and the gods know that is a possibility, you are not without options.
"And there is this, my love. You know your father and I are married, although he rules his kingdom, as I rule the Moon. Our marriage to each other is one solely of convenience; and that bond does not preclude either of us from looking for love. The only reason that we are still technically wed is because neither of us has found a lasting commitment with another. A marriage of convenience is made for two things: children and alliances. Even if one of us should dissolve the marriage, we would still have our children and we would still have the alliance. This is an acceptable and honorable solution for the two of you as well, do you choose to marry. One day you will be Queen of the Moon and he shall be King of Atlantis, here on Earth. If there is no love tie between the two of you, there is no reason the two of you need to stay together. Provide him with an heir and make sure he provides you with one, and that will be the end of it all. There is no reason you will not be able to wed for love one day; hopefully it will be with Endymion, but, if it is not, you will still be free."
Serenity bowed her head, "Thank you Mother. I wish to do my duty to both you and the Kingdom, but I wish to follow my heart as well. I will make an effort to love Prince Endymion, because it will make you happy, but I am glad you told me this." With a few strides, Queen Serenity embraced her daughter tightly, scepter disappearing and the mark on her forehead dimming.
"Oh, my daughter, I love you so," she said, kissing her daughter's own crescent moon. "But don't try to love Endymion for my sake. Try to love him for your own. There is much to admire in him, and much passion, below the surface. I do not believe your marriage to him will be an unhappy one, my love, unless you two allow it to become one." Kissing her daughter on the forehead again, Serenity straightened. "I must go. I have to meet with King Horus and Queen Demeter once again and before them, I must communicate with Luna and tell her everything is running smoothly. She will have sensed me summoning the Ginzuishou" Luna, Queen Serenity's talking feline advisor, was a worrier and quite certain that unless she talked to the Queen at least three times a day, everything would collapse. "I'm pleased to be able to tell her that you are looking much better, my dear. She was getting quite worried about you."
"Mother, Luna worries about everything. " Serenity complained, rolling her eyes and making her mother laugh.
"I know darling, but that's what makes her a good advisor. She may worry me to death, but at least I know she won't miss anything." With that, Serenity swept out of the room, leaving only a lingering scent of lilies behind her.
The next three days passed quickly, now that Serenity's cold had finally departed; she was again filled with her customary good humor and avid curiosity. She asked for and obtained permission from the physician to leave her rooms and visit the Royal Library of Atlantis, and did so every day. While not as large as either the Great Mercurian Library or the Lunar Library, the Atlantian Library was still immense, and renowned throughout the solar system for its tomes of learning. It was a wonderful place to both to talk to some of the sages and philosophers that congregated there and to borrow a few books for some light reading before she retired for the night. Serenity was not the scholar Thalia was, and usually only read when her tutors demanded it, but she found the books about Terran fairy tales and myths fascinating. It gave her quite an interesting peek into the culture she was marrying into.
On the third and final day of her confinement she was wandering through the stacks, alone, when she met her first Terran, apart from the doctor and the ever-present gaggle of maids. Thalia had gotten involved in a fascinating conversation about the mathematics of the universe, and Serenity saw no reason to drag her away from it, just to look around for something to read. Thalia's companion, a handsome young man with long, blond hair was just as involved as the Mercurian princess when it came to incomprehensible numbers and equations. Smiling slightly, Serenity had slipped away, leaving them both oblivious to her absence. She hadn't been at all involved in the conversation anyway, had done no more than nod at the gentleman and listen for a moment, before setting off into the stacks. Her romantic heart was already wondering about the identity of the handsome scholar, she had never seen Thalia to be so fascinated, even in similar conversations with some of the older, less-comely scholars.
Serenity had just rounded a corner, idly perusing the shelves when faint movement on the opposite end of the row caught her attention. There, with a thick novel open in front of him, sat a youthful man, several years older than Serenity herself. His face was obscured by the book itself, and all Serenity could make out was a shock of thick, ebon-black hair above a slightly tanned forehead. His hands were long and lean, as were his legs, although both appeared to be well-muscled. His clothing was rough: a white lawn shirt, with ties at the cuffs, a pair of deep, forest green breeches, and a pair of calf-high leather boots. Oddly enough, she felt a deep, sharp thrill shoot throughout her body at the sight of the faceless stranger. The feeling was so intense, so unexpected, it shook up her composure for a moment, unsure what had cause the quickened pace of her breathing and the accelerated beating of her heart. All but ignorant in the ways of man and maid, Serenity mistakenly blamed either a lingering touch of illness, or perhaps a heretofore-unnoticed side effect of her medications, completely unaware she had been touched by the first stirrings of desire. All she knew was that the sight of the man before her made her feel...unbalanced. Blushing, she turned her attention back to the books ahead of her, and studiously tried to ignore him.
It took Endymion a few moments longer to notice the young girl who had joined him in the stacks. Lowering his book, he slowly studied her; she was new to the Court and thus, unfamiliar. Some scholar's daughter, perhaps. He did not pause to consider if she were part of the Moon Kingdom's retinue, she was far too well dressed for a servant and, at least in his acquaintance, no princess would ever be seen in a library. Indeed, he had once remarked to Nephrite that all of the well-bred Terran ladies, except for his mother, seemed to have an aversion to all books that did not have to do with fashion and manners. The maiden before him was actively searching for a good read, he watched her pick up several novels, glance them over briefly, then continue on, still searching.
She stood in profile to him, giving him a chance to look her up and down without attracting her notice. She was very beautiful, with pale, lustrous skin and a hint of rosy color staining her cheeks. Her shining hair was caught back in a long braid that flowed down her back in a waterfall of molten silver-blond. He'd seen hair like that before, the memory nagged at him, but he couldn't quite place it. The lavender gown she was wearing was silk, he could tell that by the way it glided about her whenever she moved. It hung to the floor in fluid waves, but the sleeves and bodice clung to her, demurely showing graceful lines and sweet curves. The girl was shorter than he, probably coming no higher than his chin, but she was no child. The blush of womanhood was upon her, and Endymion felt his body prepare to respond. Ruthlessly, he exerted his iron control and crushed the small kernel of lust before it had a chance to grow and blossom. His bride, as unwelcome as she may have been, was here, and he would not dishonor her by taking lovers here in the Palace itself.
Still, that did not preclude him from making friends. And he never said anything about dalliances outside of the Palace.
"Hello," he said, voice low and husky. Startled, the girl whirled around; nearly dropping the book she had just pulled from the shelf. Endymion idly noticed that her only adornment was a teardrop-shaped amethyst, hung on a silver chain threaded through her hair that rested in the middle of her forehead. She was just as exquisite as her profile suggested: delicate bones, flawless features, a delectable rosebud mouth, and the most magnificent silver-blue eyes he had ever seen, framed by long, golden lashes. Renewing his resolve against desire, he gave her a lazy smile as he rose and bowed courteously. "I'm sorry; I did not mean to startle you."
Serenity quickly overcame both her surprise and the loss of breath she felt when he smiled. Now that the book was at his side, she realized just he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Beautiful aside, there was nothing remotely feminine about him, he was wonderfully, ruggedly male, truly a man just coming into his prime. His eyes were deep, rich cobalt, like the sky just after moonset, and his generous lips were full and shapely. Standing, she could see the strength in him, both by the breadth of his shoulders and the subtle muscles of his arms and chest. His waist was narrow and his legs long and he radiated an aura of charismatic masculinity. Serenity felt her knees go a little weak.
"Hello," she replied, graciously extending one slender hand. "I hope my poking around didn't disturb you."
"Not at all," Endymion assured her, gently clasping her hand and bowing over it, brushing the back with his lips. He liked her voice, just as much as he had liked the rest of her; it was musical and sweet, golden. Her skin was soft, he noted, and well cared for, and smelled of cherry blossoms. It seemed almost everything about her was especially designed to capture and bewitch his senses. "It is just that here in Atlantis, no man may ignore a beautiful woman. Particularly if she is a traveler to our fair country, like I do believe you are."
Serenity giggled at his courtly mannerisms, so at odds with his dress. The sound rippled through Endymion, causing gooseflesh to break out on his arms. "You are right, sir," Serenity said, still smiling. "I am new to Atlantis, although it will probably become my new home." She thought back to her mother's promise, "If all goes as expected, anyway," she continued.
"Then let us pray it goes as expected then," Endymion laughed. "Atlantis will be all the more beautiful for your charming presence." He paused for a minute, "My, that was a little over the top, wasn't it?" he asked ruefully, hearing just how pompous he sounded. The girl's amused expression certainly agreed. "So where are you from, then? Illyandor?" he guessed, remembering that Illyandor was famous for their pale beauties.
Shaking her head, "No, I am not from Earth," Serenity replied. "This is actually my first trip here."
"Enjoying it?"
"Much more now than previously, thank you."
He took that to mean she was enjoying much more now than before she had met him. Ladies of his acquaintance were always saying politely flirtatious things like that. "Glad to hear it. Are you perhaps a scholar, wishing to explore the delights one can find here in the Royal Library?" Endymion could not completely mask the innuendo that crept into his voice, but she seemed too innocent to catch it.
"Me? A scholar?" She laughed a little at the thought. "No, I'm definitely not a scholar. I'm here with one though." Serenity meant that she was in the Library with a scholar, not that she had traveled to Earth with one, but Endymion did not know that.
"Truly? Your father, or a brother, perchance?" he pressed, interested.
"No, my father is...elsewhere, and I have no siblings."
Endymion noted the hesitation when she was speaking of the whereabouts of her father, and wondered at the cause. Perhaps she was not as innocent as she seemed. "Some other companion then? Your husband, maybe?" He was disturbed to realize just how distressing the thought of a husband or lover to this pale girl was.
Her reply calmed him somewhat, "No, I am not married yet, thank goodness. I left my companion discussing the order of the universe with another. She is a typical Mercurian, Thalia is." She grinned wryly. "I am most certainly not, as they lost me directly after the introduction. Are you a scholar?"
Relieved, Endymion smiled roguishly. "No, I am not, though, like you, one of my companions is. I am a prince," he announced grandiosely.
Sure he was teasing, Serenity laughed impishly. "Of course you are. All the princes I know go around attired in leather and lawn, shunning velvets and damasks."
"I'm in disguise," he jokingly confided. "And you've known so many princes?"
Unaware he thought her to be nothing more than a well-born Mercurian, Serenity answered airily, "Hundreds and thousands." Remembering most of the snobbish and priggish princes of the blood she had met; "You're quite the improvement. You, at least, have a sense of humor."
Before Endymion could respond, he was forestalled by another girl's voice drifting over the stacks. "I know you're in there daydreaming, you wanderer!"
"Oh, that's Thalia; it must be time to go." Spinning around in a lavender whirl, Serenity called over her shoulder, "It was a pleasure meeting you sir, but I must run! Perhaps we will meet here again, sometime. Good-bye!"
She was out of sight before Endymion could even form a reply. Still, her parting words had sounded like an assignation, so not all was lost. It took him a moment to realize that he did not even know the mystery girl's name. Still, if she was a scholar's companion, she would be here often, and it would not be too difficult to find her. Then he remembered something much less pleasant. His mother had told him that the princess was feeling much better and would be formally presented on the morrow. Instantly, his mood soured. Once the feeble little thing was up and about, he'd be expected to dance attendance upon her until the very day of the blasted wedding. Who knew how long the scholar would be staying, what if he missed meeting her again just because he was devoting all of his free time to an insipid princess who couldn't even alight from a barge without falling on her face?
Endymion walked out of the stacks and over to where Zoicite sat at a table, going over a sheet of paper with a great number of calculations scrawled across it. "These can't be right," he was muttering to himself, "I mean, she was barely 16..." Endymion snapped his fingers directly in front of Zoicite's face, thereby breaking the other man's pleasant reverie.
"C'mon," Endymion said curtly, angered at the prospect of never seeing his beautiful mystery girl again, all because of a nuisance princess. "I'm ready to go. I could use a workout." Zoicite saw the thunderclouds on his prince's face and started wondering hurriedly if he could convince Kunzite or Jaedite to be the sparring partner. He didn't enjoy battling the demonically talented Endymion at the best of times, and he currently had more important issues on his mind, like the fascinating, brilliant Mercurian scholar he had just met...
Queen Serenity stifled a sigh and carefully schooled her face into a pleasant mask that gave away no hint of her growing impatience. She was being led on yet another impromptu tour of Atlantis, this time sightseeing the wharves and quays in the vicinity of the coastal capital city, Triton. Atlantis was a very large island, well over a thousand kilometers wide and perhaps twice as long, which meant there were a lot of wharves and quays to be seen. Of course, the tour did avoid the actual trading docks, of course. As a visiting monarch, the Atlantians figured she would be offended by the sight of honest workers, and made sure that she only got to see the docks that belonged to the dishonest sluggards...err, that was, the ones that belonged to the hereditary Atlantian nobility. Queen Serenity struggled to keep her traitorous mouth from quirking upwards in an ironic and irreverent grin; someone might notice and then start wondering if she were really paying attention.
To be honest, she was just as happy that they had deigned to skip over the common docks in the riding tour of the city. She had been there once, and that had been more than enough. Not that she had anything against the merchant and working class, but these Terrans hadn't seemed to grasp the Lunar knack of...well...aroma-control. The wharves in the city itself were a riot of sight, sound and scent. Sailors swearing and carousing, tradesmen hawking their wares, children everywhere, dashing about underfoot, screaming and laughing and causing as much mischief and havoc as they could. Queen Serenity allowed her composure to melt long enough to smile fondly at the scene; the common folk were the true lifeblood of any country. Then the smell had hit her. It was the rank, fetid odor associated with the sea-going poor: sweat, dead and rotting fish, stale drink, vomit and urine, intermingled with the effluvia of garbage thrown into the ocean with the morning tides, brought back in the evening to the houses from whence it came. She had recoiled, gagging, from the overpowering stench of it all, bringing up a perfumed handkerchief to her nose and riding by looking like a paler, silvered version of any spoiled Terran noble. Riding by, Queen Serenity had thought of her daughter and pitied her; the princess had been raised around Lunar wharves; they were, like everything on the Moon kept neat, and clean and beautiful, whether noble or common. These would come as quite a shock to the young girl and her sensitive nose, but overseeing every aspect of Atlantis, including the unpleasant ones, would be her daughter's duty as queen. Well, it would be her duty until both heirs were secured, if the children decided to go that route.
That thought made Queen Serenity remember the bargain she had made with her daughter. Technically, she had breached propriety by promising her daughter freedom before she had mentioned it to Endymion's parents, but she honestly didn't care. Princess Serenity's happiness was far more important to her mother than any betrothal agreement. Fortunately, Demeter and Horus had not been offended; they understood the wisdom behind such a vow; after all how could they not? They only had to look to the pinched fury on their beloved son's face. Still, it was a good thing that all three monarchs were such good friends, almost anywhere else, even with rulers as easy-going as the Atlantians were, such a move would have been tantamount to war.
A raised voice somewhere ahead of her in the delegation brought Queen Serenity's thoughts to her current trial; the unnecessary tour she was embarked upon. Of course, the majority of activities that had been provided for her and her entourage were unnecessary, and, although her time could have been spent much more pleasantly and usefully elsewhere, she felt honor-bound to attend each of the spuriously planned events. If the rest of her entourage was to be subjected to them, she would as well, after all, had the princess not fallen ill, this entire farce could have been avoided. Serenity blamed herself for her daughter's illness, she had known that her daughter would marry Endymion since the girl was an infant, she should have allowed the girl more exposure to planets with weather to build up her immune system. But keeping her daughter safe had been, and still was to tell the truth, far more important than preparing her for a life she might never lead.
But now those safety measures had brought about quite an annoyance. No one wanted to start upon the previously planned round of activities until the princess was well again, and, as such, there had been a mad scramble to keep the entire Moon Kingdom delegation entertained. The first night they had arrived, Demeter and Serenity had had a quiet chuckle watching all the court functionaries panic as they hastily concocted some form of welcoming party that would honor the entourage, but not eat into the resources set aside for the intended recreations. So, for the past week, Queen Serenity and diverse other Lunar nobles had dealt with honorary degrees by the heads of the Atlantian University, improvised concerts by several visiting musicians who hadn't been deemed important enough for the original activities, and tours, tours and more tours of Atlantian places of interest, all guided by the corpulent Duke Anthrop, whom Queen Serenity positively detested. It was bad enough being led about like a ninny, worse to be shown places she had visited many times in her youth and knew better than the escorts, and worse still for that escort to be one of the few people Serenity actively disliked. The gods were obviously punishing her for something--too bad she didn't know what it was.
Indulgently, she allowed herself a brief smile; it was a good thing her daughter was healthy and able to take up her role as center of attention this evening; they were really scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as activities went. One more day and Serenity expected to be lead on tours of the criminal element of Atlantis. Still, with the graciousness and regal bearing born and bred into every Lunar Queen since the dawn of the Silver Millennium, she tranquilly acquiesced to every suggestion and played the proper guest; stifling her impatience and ooh-ing and ahh-ing over every minor detail.
"And this, Majesty, is a true Atlantian craft," Anthrop held forth pompously, his chest jutting out like one of those cheeky little red-breasted birds she had seen singing in the gardens, looking for all the world as if they were the reigning kings of the galaxy. Serenity smothered a grin, picturing the arrogant little duke as a robin, determined to hang on to usual demure expression. It was difficult though; she really just could not stand the obese Duke Anthrop. He was too oily, too eager to please. He smiled often, but that smile never reached his dull, snake-like eyes, which lay flat and hooded beneath his heavy brows. Still, her personal feelings had to be pushed aside; diplomacy must be adhered to at all times.
"Truly," she asked, feigning interest. "How can you tell them apart from the ships of other countries?" Queen Serenity smiled charmingly at her escort or Atlantian nobles and diplomats. "I'm sure it's obvious to any natural-born Atlantian, I do hope you'll excuse my Lunar ignorance." Her self-deprecating tone brought smiles to everyone's face...except Anthrop's. How odd. He was usually the first to laugh at any of her jokes, to ingratiatingly ooze "How droll, Majesty."
As Anthrop droned on, pontificating about the differences in the shapes of the hulls between Atlantian ships and foreign ones, Serenity kept up her pleasant mask, smiling sweetly and nodding slightly. However, behind that mask her mind was working furiously. There was something about Anthrop's behavior that was sending warning signals screaming up and down her nerves. He was sweating profusely, for one thing, although the day itself was cool. Granted, he was a grossly fat little man, she quite pitied his poor, wheezing horse, but even his weight could not account for it. The man was literally dripping; every few moments he would wipe his face with a handkerchief that, as Queen Serenity noted with distaste, had become a dirty gray and transparent from use. His eyes were darting back and forth, never staying in one place to often and never, she observed suspiciously, looking at her. Even his mode of speech was off; he was speaking much faster than his usual wont, stumbling over his words and losing his train of thought quite frequently. He spoke in hurried, clipped tones, instead of luxuriating in the sound of his own voice.
Yes, something was dreadfully amiss. Serenity narrowed her eyes minutely, her instincts said something was going to happen and that Anthrop knew exactly what it was. And, due to his current behavior towards her, whatever was going to happen was going to be bad.
"A-A perfect example to illustrate these differences, M-Majesty," Anthrop continued, voice shaking and eyes averted, "is the ship at bay to out left, the one with the crimson banners. I'm sure if we go over, the captain would only be too glad to give a tour of his ship to Your Majesty, so you may truly see the contrast between and Atlantian design and…another's."
Was it her imagination or had a sly smile flickered over Anthrop's pudgy face? She thought not; her very bones were shrilling "danger!" Refusing to even acknowledge the ship's existence, Serenity shook her head slightly, "Perhaps not today, my Lord Duke. It is getting rather late in the morning and now that my daughter has regained her health, thanks to the talents of your most wonderful physician, the long-delayed formal presentation will take place tonight. There is much to do to prepare."
As she had expected, Anthrop did not accept her demurral. "But surely, Majesty, we have a moment? Beauty such as you share with your lovely daughter needs no time for preparation." Hastily he groped for another excuse. "Just a few more minutes, I'm quite certain the noble passengers aboard the ship would be delighted...and, uhh... honoredto meet the regally wondrous Queen Serenity of the Moon."
"Thank you, but no." she allowed a hint of ice to creep into her voice. "I would prefer to return to the palace. Immediately."
"Look, they're disembarking," a young Atlantian noblewoman noted, pointing to the ship. "My, there are an awful lot of them aren't there? And heavily armed too, by the looks of them."
For the first time, Serenity actually turned and looked at the foreign craft. It was made from wood so dark it appeared black. The sails, like the banners, were of scarlet silk, decorated with strange, occult symbols that Serenity did not understand but feared all the same. She knew what invocations for demons looked like, even if she could not read them. This was no ordinary ship, but one sanctified to death and blood. Observing the ship, Serenity felt her knees go weak.
Descending the gangplank and heading towards their group was a column of soldiers dressed in a strange black armor, heavily decorated with spikes and gruesome designs. Like the girl had said, they were far more heavily armed than any peaceful escort Serenity had ever seen. Which, obviously meant, they were not here for any peaceful purpose. Leading them, riding a magnificent bay stallion, was a woman with long, wild-looking red hair. She would have been beautiful, were it not for the savagery in her cold green eyes and the hint of cruelty about her full lips.
It was as the feral woman approached them, riding a bit ahead of her troops, that Serenity discovered she could not move. She struggled against the invisible bonds, drawing the woman's eyes to her. Strengthened by demon-magic, sister, a low, sultry voice whispered in her head. Too much for paltry little Lunar magic of yours.
I am no sister of yours Serenity snapped, answering the same way. Think you my parents would defile themselves with beasts so?
Green eyes flashed with anger. I will remember this effrontery, Serenity of the Moon!
Silver-blue met them with contempt. As will I, Sorceress.
By the time the two had finished their silent exchange, the column of soldiers had reached the small huddle of Atlantian nobles. With preternatural senses, Serenity noticed that the entire wharf was deserted, but for their two slowly converging groups. Indeed Anthrop had planned this well.
There was no doubt in her mind that Anthrop had proved traitor. She could see his jowls quivering in barely suppressed delight, the stink of betrayal emanating from his very pores. Queen Serenity grit her immobile teeth behind her unmoving lips as she watched Anthrop toady to the cruel-faced woman, whom he obviously knew very well. As the other woman reached their party, the scheming little Duke pushed his way in front of Serenity and made a full obeisance to her, his fat stomach almost caressing the ground. "Queen Beryl, You August Majesty, I lay prostrate before you, as your true and loyal servant." A hint of avarice entered his oily voice. "I am most joyous to have aided you in your plot to trap the Lunar Queen. And, as a lowly servant, I am content in the knowledge to have simply helped you--though I am sure that your tangent and material rewards will simply stop my heart." He knelt before her, leaning forward to kiss her stirruped foot; but Beryl disdainfully drew her horse back a few paces. Anthrop, overbalanced by his great bulk, toppled over ungainly, his lips pressed against the cold cobblestones. Beryl's vicious, mocking laughter sent chills up Serenity's spine.
"So, you're expecting a reward, are you?" The other woman asked, her voice as smooth and sweet as honey.
Anthrop struggled to get up and retain some hold onto his strained dignity, but his weak arms would not easily support his body. "Of course not, dread Queen, I would not presume to dare such a thing. After all, what better reward than the joy I receive simply by serving you and the joy of your magnificent presence--"
"Be silent, worm, unless I give you leave to speak. Your servile cringing make me want to retch." All of the false warmth had vanished from Beryl's voice like a wisp of vapor upon a window. "You wished for a reward to stop your heart? Well, why shouldn't I grant that to my loyal servant? It is a bit melodramatic and rather trite, but since you did ask, I can only grant your desire." The malicious humor that had sparkled in her eyes fled away and was replaced by icy cruelty. "You speak of loyalty Anthrop? You are a traitor, a traitor to your king and your people. How could I ever trust one such as you, after you've played false the country that succored you since you first drew breath?"
"Your Majesty, please! I would never betray you! I am yours, body and soul, believe me!" Anthrop cried, mewling in fear.
"I know you are, Anthrop." That deadly warmth and concern was in her voice again, and Anthrop blanched to hear it. "I know you're mine, and it is for this very reason that you ought to stop whining now. I own you, and I may do with you as I please." Beryl gestured with her right hand, her long nails flashing like ruby talons in the warm spring sunlight.As she did so, Anthrop sprang to his feet, bound by more of her demonic magic. While the other woman was occupied, Serenity began to test her bonds; perhaps while Beryl's attention was divided, the magical bindings would loosen. But no, they held fast. Serenity had to grudgingly admire the red-haired witch's skill. To hold so many people captive while still dealing with Anthrop spoke of phenomenal technical control. And a tiny, vengeful part of her mind cheered as Beryl forced Anthrop to caper about like a performing monkey.
"Are you enjoying the show, Serenity?" Beryl crooned to her captive spectator. "No? Then I'll have to come up with something else for your entertainment." Queen Serenity felt her heart clench with a dreadful premonition; whatever Beryl had in store for Anthrop would not be pleasant. Her spiteful amusement vanished and pity filled her heart. Concentrating, she began to fight against Beryl's spell, not trying to break it, but to circumvent it instead. "Let me show you all how far my ownership goes." Beryl raised her palm skyward and Anthrop fell bonelessly to the ground.
Then she closed her fist.
Anthrop's agonized shrieks filled the air, his entire body writhing about in pain. His screams continued unabated for several minutes, while Beryl sat serenely upon her horse and watched, a small smile playing on her thin lips. Finally tiring of the spectacle, she slammed her fist into her other palm in one sharp motion. Anthrop's body convulsed sharply, his back arching so far they could all hear his spine snap. Blood spurted from his nose, mouth and ears, and, as Anthrop's lifeless body slumped to the ground, his eyes as well.
"That was fun, wasn't it?" Beryl asked gleefully. "See? I am a kindly queen; I gave him what he wanted—a reward that stopped his heart." Gesturing idly to her troops, she commanded, "Remove this carcass from my sight." Two of her soldiers, their faces covered by fantastic helms with demonic features, stepped forward and lifted the large corpse with ease. With callous disregard for anything approaching dignity, they heaved Anthrop's splayed body off the edge of the dock. Serenity could not suppress her relief as the dark waters closed over Anthrop's tormented face, frozen forever into a grim rictus of death.
The Lunar Queen's horror provided the last, necessary impetus to help her bypass Beryl's spell. It was a complex piece of magic, one that had not only bound her body, but her mind and magic as well. Still, Serenity was nothing if not subtle. Instead of destroying the magical shackles that held her captive, she had worn away at them; creating a small 'hole' just large enough for her to call the Ginzuishou.
It was possible that Beryl would have even noticed something as insignificant as that, but the sorceress was still posturing on her horse and making petty speeches for her assembled hostages. As powerful as she may have been, she was still gauche enough to parade around like any two-bit villain in a children's play. For all her skill and talent, Beryl had the soul of a charlatan.
Serenity was grateful that Beryl's spell held her face immobile when the cold, reassuring weight of the Ginzuishou fell into her cupped hand. It was difficult enough to keep the satisfaction from sparkling in the depths of her sapphire eyes as the smirking, over-confident sorceress cantered towards her. She itched to wipe that expression off of the young woman's face by showing Beryl just how quickly the tables had turned, but she forced herself to bide her time. After all, Queen Serenity was proud of her self-control; a virtue the immature Beryl had yet to master.
"My oh my, how far the oh-so regal Queen of the Moon has fallen!" Beryl mocked as she reigned in her chestnut bay. Her mouth twisted and bitter wrath infused her face as she glared at the beautiful Lunar Queen who held herself with her customary stately bearing even when captive. "You dared to come here and wed your filthy brat to one of the oldest, purest, most noble blood-lines on all of Earth. Did you honestly think no one would rise up in outrage against this defilement? You should have stayed locked in your pretty, silver birdcage up there on the Moon, instead of trying to trap Prince Endymion in your grasping clutches." For a moment, Beryl's face cleared and took on an exalted, almost holy expression. When she spoke Endymion's name there was a touch of reverence in her voice. Then that moment passed and Beryl was once again filled with rage and hate. "I didn't care about the Moon and your foolish, idealistic Silver Millennium. I was content with merely uniting all of Earth under the joint rule of Endymion and myself. But for you to step in and interfere with my plans is intolerable! I will kill you and Metallia will feast on your soul!" By this time, Beryl's voice had risen to a shriek and she had lost any coherency over what she was saying, consumed by her own infuriated rant. She continued to spew her warped rhetoric, unaware that her main prisoner had actually tuned her out.
Serenity's attention had been caught by the name Metallia; the very word seemed to flavor the air with the taste of decay and corruption. She shuddered away from the name and tried to remember where she had heard the name before, a reason for the images of blood and death magic, of horrors and war-torn planets that appeared in her mind's eye. That single word frightened her more than all of Beryl's grandiose speeches and spells.
SMACK!!!!
Beryl's hand dropped back to her side, and her familiar, teasingly vicious smile was back in place. Serenity's eyes shot blue fire at the sorceress as her cheek bloomed with blood roses. Even while silently cursing the red-haired demoness, Serenity ruefully thanked her foresight--and her lucky stars as well--for not heeding her first impulse and breaking Beryl's spell completely. Had she been free and mobile, her head would have rocked back from the force of the blow and perhaps even fallen from her horse. Even now, her neck muscles screamed in pain, almost as loudly as her cheek.
"You will listen to me when I speak to you!" the sorceress snarled. "Have you yet to comprehend that I am in control? You are as nothing and I hold the power!" Serenity decided that the time had come to show Beryl that she was not as helpless as she appeared. With a thought, she snapped the spell that ensnared them all. The vestiges of the spell flew back to Beryl, like a rubber band pulled to its maximum length and then released. But a broken and rebounding spell did not just smart like the sting of a rubber band; it hurt. The stronger the sorcery, the more painful it was. And Beryl's spell had been very strong indeed. The flame-haired queen howled; sounding more like a scalded cat than a powerful enchantress.
Seizing the opportunity, Serenity wheeled her horse and spurred it into a gallop towards the Atlantian palace. "To me!" she yelled at the confused group of nobles milling behind her, "She won't be incapacitated for long!" Tapping into the awesome power of the Ginzuishou, she laid a simple trap-spell for Beryl's soldiers, causing the soles of their boots to stick to the ground beneath them. It wasn't very impressive; but it served its threefold purpose: to target the enemy and not any of her mounted escorts, it was insignificant enough not to cause any major or lasting pain when Beryl broke the spell and it didn't force her to use too much of the Ginzuishou's power. To use the gem too much was to court death; it depleted her own personal lifeforce so much that she would lack the energy to keep her heart beating.
They pounded down the streets of Triton; the sound of hooves striking cobblestones was drowned out by the clash of metal against metal and the shrieking of townsfolk. It seemed Beryl had lead an entire contingent of soldiers to Atlantis and then unleashed them upon the city. Everywhere they looked, people were immersed in battle, fighting with whatever weapon came first to hand. Even the children were engaged, swarming the legs of enemy soldiers and attacking them with stones and small knives. Serenity's heart ached to help the beleaguered citizens, but her duty demanded she return to the Palace, to her daughter.
With that in mind, she concentrated and again drew on the powers of the Ginzuishou to create a bright blue bubble around her entourage. It protected them from the assaults of the enemy and cleared a path for them through the crowds by the simple expedient of pushing everything out of the way of their flying horses. They continued their frantic pace towards the center of the city and Serenity prayed that she was not yet too late.