Original: So I know I have several stories that I'm in the middle of, but this one has been in the back of my mind for months and I need to get it out! I need to play it out, so here it is! I hope you like it.

I am also looking for a Beta Reader for all my stories. If anyone is interested, please let me know!

Edit: I've finally got a firm plot, outlined and everything! Yay! Working on new chapters, but editing the old ones first. Enjoy!

Fallen

By: Meghan McLaws

Prologue

Queen Selenity thought that she would only feel absolute sorrow once in her life.

As she held her tiny daughter- only a few months' old- she knew that she was destined to feel sorrow until the day she died.

She'd found herself in a hole of despair since her husband had been murdered a little over a month ago. King Apollo had lived long enough to know just how precious his daughter was before he was assassinated by men who wore nothing to be identified by. And they had left no clues as to why the king of both Sol and Luna lay buried instead of ruling by his wife's side.

And so the Queen of both planets stood at a crossroads, one she knew she had to face alone.

She would have to be strong, at least for a little longer.

The princess in her arms was sleeping, which Selenity though would make things much easier. She wouldn't have to look at her daughter's eyes, the ones that were replicas of her now dead husband. She wouldn't have to be reminded of how much she had failed her child. And sweet little Serenity wouldn't see the new ruler of the Silver Alliance weep when she handed the child over.

Her closest advisor, Luna, stood off to the side, giving mother and child time to say goodbye. The Maun wasn't sure if she agreed with the Queen, but the discussion had gone nowhere. Selenity kept insisting that hiding Serenity was the only option to protect her, while Luna thought the princess would be much better protected at home. In the end, the dark haired beauty gave in. Losing the only heir to the strongest alliance in the Galaxy was not something either woman was willing to risk if the other was wrong. She turned, watching as a few maids brought 2 trunks, which she assumed were packed with enough clothing to keep both baby and ward dressed until they were settled.

A throat cleared from behind Luna and the woman turned. Artemis stood, as strong and steady as ever, with a distinct, selfish frown. She stepped towards him, "We could stand here and argue, like I did with the Queen. But you know I will win." She said, her cat-like eyes sad, offsetting her smile.

The deep sigh that came from Artemis made her wish that she could have left without seeing him. It made it harder to say goodbye to him. "Did you offer?" The question, like Artemis, was simple and direct. He tended to skip right to the heart of the matter.

She wanted to say no, to tell him that she didn't have a choice but to go. But lying to him wasn't an option. She wasn't going to leave him with lies and deceit as his last memories of her, "Yes."

"Why?"

The simple whispered word, said with such sadness, softened the fight in her. She stepped towards him, her arms settling onto the curve of his hips. "I didn't have much of a choice. If Selenity is sending the princess anywhere, she'll need to be protected. And sending an army to protect her isn't an option." Her hand rose to his cheek, the pad of her thumb softly tracing the lines of his cheek. "No one else will be able to teach her what she will need to one day be Queen. And the Queen didn't leave me much of a choice but to offer. You know I have to do this."

Artemis turned his head, so he could kiss the palm of her hand. He sighed once more, knowing there wasn't much else to say at this point. Except to kiss his wife and pray to Selene that both she and the child she would be caring for would stay safe. His hands moved to her face, holding it like it was the most precious thing in the world. "You must know that I will be fairly lost without you."

Luna laughed, unable to hide her amusement, "Yes, I know. And you must know that I will feel the same without you." She dreaded leaving him, knowing that it would be their first separation since they'd been married 5 years prior. And without knowing just how long she'd be gone, she couldn't promise him that the time would go by quickly. For all she knew, it could take a decade or more before the Queen felt safe enough for the pair to return to their home. She knew that she could cry once she and the infant princess were settled. Right now, both her queen and her husband needed to see her strong. "This is my duty." And her destiny, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

Artemis pulled Luna in for a tight embrace, knowing that this was goodbye. There was no avoiding it. They had both pledged to give their lives for the King and Queen, swearing to honor and protect the Moon and its people. This was the true test of their loyalty. But that didn't mean that he was happy with it. It meant that he would be losing his wife, giving her up to the Queen.

"Besides, with me gone, someone will need to help train the Senshi. Their mothers will teach them what I would have taught, but they'll need you to help them work as a team. Without you, the princess' guard will not be able to function." Luna knew that with his years of military training, the 4 young princesses would become experts in as many different fighting styles as they were willing to learn.

The Maun wanted to roll his eyes. The idea of training four very young, very different princesses had no appeal to him. But he would be the best man for the job, since the Mau people were highly versed in battle and hand to hand combat.

"Luna." The pale haired queen said, bringing the two lovers out of their solitude. "We don't have much time." Transportation between Terra and Luna was only possible at the high of the rising moon, and Selenity did not think another night on the Moon would be safe for the little princess.

The couple silently said goodbye, the kiss between the two desperate, full of longing and regret. Had they known that they'd be parting, they might have spent the past few days with each other, rather than trying to help rebuild the kingdom after the loss of its king. Luna stepped back from her husband, hoping that the look in her eyes explained everything she couldn't say.

The Queen kissed the top of the infant's head, muttering the ancient language of Selene, channeling the Silver Crystal into her lips. When she pulled back, the once bright crescent moon that adorned the princess's forehead was gone, to hide the identity of the babe. Luna's forehead burned for a moment before it too was free of the symbol. The cat-like features that identified her as a Lunarian Maun were also gone; leaving the advisor looking more like a Terran than she ever thought could be possible. The Queen gently placed the baby in Luna's arms, moving to fetch a small envelope off the table. "This is for Queen Ehlana. She'll know what to do with you once you get there. And she'll be able to hide this from her husband. King Verrin will never be able to get over his prejudice of Luna to allow the princess to take refuge." The heathens of Luna would never be welcomed on the Christian Terra, no matter whose life was in danger. As far as King Verrin was concerned, the less contact he had with the satellite planet, the better.

Time seemed to speed up for the two women and before either knew it, it was time. And yet Princess Serenity stayed silent in the advisor's arms, blissfully unaware of the hundreds of different feelings that seemed to thicken the air of the Queen's private chambers. The ceremony began silently, the 2 large trunks on either side of the Maun. Artemis (who refused to leave until Luna was gone) stood in the back of the room, his eyes fixed on his wife's with such intensity that Luna almost had to look away. As the Queen voice rose, Luna could feel the pull of the Crystal. And still, even as the pair faded into the bright light that enveloped the room, the princess still slept.

When the light faded, Luna and the babe were gone. Selenity could do nothing more than collapse onto her knees, her strength drained from her body and her only reason for continuing on what felt like a hostile planet. Her soft sobs were intermingled with prayers to Selene, begging the Goddess to protect the heir to the Crystal. Artemis, controlling his emotions, dropped to the Queen's side, allowing the woman to release all her pent up sadness and anger. The Maun felt it best to let the Queen openly express the feelings they were both experiencing. Luna, precious to both of them, would be greatly missed. And now, the burden on the woman was great. The princess would have to survive- to stay protected until it was time for her return.

Princess Serenity would be the Galaxy's only hope for peace.