Steps to Take
Chapter 1: Garnet
Only Serenity seemed to notice shift in the air, a brief flash that upset the peaceful scene. She automatically looked to her advisor, knowing that the guardian would have an answer.
Setsuna's eyes were closed, her brow furrowed as if in concentration, lips tugged down into a slight frown.
"What am I doing here?" A faint whisper through the overwhelming noise of the crowd pierced through the time guardian's concentration. "I don't like this place."
By the soft upturn of Setsuna's frown, Queen Serenity deemed it safe enough to continue as if nothing had upset the balance of serenity that had resettled itself, albeit a bit forced.
She was startled when a firm hand rested itself on her shoulder and turned surprised grey eyes to those of timeless garnet. Serenity found herself sinking into their depths.
"Mars is here." The Queen.
"Please send a servant to collect her." Had they always been so entrancing?
Setsuna nodded, pivoted on her heeled boot, and in a flurry of emerald, was gone.
Serenity sank back into her throne, ignoring the strange looks she received from the others in the room. "And so it begins."
Rei had never been cold before; she'd never experienced this kind of cold on Mars. On her home planet, in the shelter of the temple, it had always been warm and a haven for her spirit.
The Moon was cold, lifeless, and reeked of bitterness.
She'd arrived a few hours earlier, scouting the town square market located just outside the castle gates. The Moon Palace was certainly a sight to behold, constructed of opaque crystals that gleamed blue and pink tones in the light of the Earth above. Unlike the harsh beauty of Mars, it was a cold, soothing kind of beauty.
A girl, dressed in the white linen robes of a palace servant turned her way. So my time for exploring is over.
Violet eyes took note of how people hurried out of the way of the palace servant or purposely stopped her to mutter something rude or spit at her face. The girl kept her eyes down, her red hair obscuring her face.
As the servant girl approached, Rei collected her thoughts and once again prepared her mental barriers, each more carefully set than the next.
"Princess Mars," the girl's voice was soft, frail, "I've come by order of Lady Setsuna to guide you to Queen Serenity as one of her guardians. If you would follow me."
Rei grunted an affirmative and in a few easy strides had surpassed the servant, headed in the direction of the shining palace.
She ignored the girl's protests behind her.
This place disgusts me.
When she arrived in the throne room, Queen Serenity was waiting for her. To her right, on a smaller throne of crystal, sat a girl who seemed to be a few years younger than Rei herself. The Princess. To the Queen's left, cloaked in shadows, was a tall garnet-eyed woman. Rei couldn't make out anything but the solemn red eyes observing her from the darkness behind the throne. She could barely make out the sounds of her relaxed, even breathing.
"Princess Mars," Queen Serenity rose from her throne and stepped daintily from the raised platform of the royal family, "It is a pleasure to finally have you here, it seems you are the first to arrive."
"Pleasure, Your Majesty," was the simple reply.
"We have much to discuss, Rei."
As they talked, not once did those garnet eyes lose focus on her.