[. pandora's box. ]
Prologue
The Silver Millennium.
A time of peace, prosperity, good will towards men and women.
The utopia that had created this all, the lunar kingdom, ruled under the youthful queen Selenity lay out before the Senshi Espien. Dark orbs of raw sienna stared in vain at the kingdom, trying to find perhaps a flaw in the perfection. Thin digits, the colour of cream rested 'pon the petal pink flesh of the young woman's lips and a sigh escaped, the hot breath tickling her fair skin. The kingdom was perfect itself, without the airs of universal happiness.
Whomever the architect had been, Espien wished to get his name, all the angles were placed in the correct spots, the sheen of the sun off of the side of the building created a glare that danced along the side of the castle. There was something almost heavenly about the palace, and something angelic about those whom were ruled by this family.
A peace, a clarity, that Espien would never understand.
Espien was a woman of work, of pain, and back aching times that'd never leave her memories, marred by all that'd happened to her. She was not a plain woman, anything, no matter how simple, seem extravagant on her sinuous form. She was all angles in the face, except for her button nose and high rounded cheek bones. By no stretch of the imagination was she a woman of grand height, barely reaching five foot four inches. Her hair and eyes were bright raw sienna, not another colour breaking through the simple glaze of hue.
Within arms, well worn by time and battle, Espien adjusted a package, letting it rest against her breast. A small coo came from within the snow white fabric, the nose of a babe peeked it's way through the fabric.
"Sh… S'alright child… I'll find you someone who can actually raise you… Not someone who'll mess up your life as she's done with her own…" Lips moved, yet the voice seemed to not belong to Espien, it was too deep, too rough, yet still feminine, the voice of a wise woman.
It seemed like forever and a day before Espien had finally reached the atrium of the palace, the babe still wrapped in linen, rested against her bosom, sleeping soundly. It was the sound of twinkling bells that broke the elder Senshi from staring off into space outside of a window located within the room.
"Sailor Espien, Senshi of destiny… How good to see you…" A young woman leant within the doorway smiled at the other, the young woman was pretty, not exotically, just the angelic sort, white-blonde hair, more white than blonde, soft blue almost lavender optics, and a more golden cream shell of skin. "I thought you would never return to the palace… I am glad to have you bac-"
The deep voice of the Senshi of destiny cut the angel off mid-sentence, "I am not here for my own pleasures… I can not partake in them… Never… Yet my daughter…" A silence filled the room as the Queen watched the woman take a deep breath, "Must partake in them… She must not know the pain I have…"
"Espy, when did you have a child… You are not even married…"
"I am married… To the Knight of the Sun… We have been married for many years Selenity. Yet we are rarely together, we each have our own duties, and it'd be hard for anyone to fathom our relationship…" Shifting the young child within her arms, Espien leant forward, "She will be taken care of here… Raise her as a warrior, a maid if you must… But I must never have her found out… I do not wish her to be used against me in some sick plot someday…"
"A ploy to control destiny. I understand. I shall take her… Yet, Espien with your bloods mixed, do you not think her a Senshi?"
"If she is, that is for you to find out. Destiny is calling me. I have been gone from my post for too long. Please raise my Keikan well…" With a turn of her left foot, Espien began to pass Selenity.
"Keikan? We shall keep that name for her…" Lifting the babe from the dark haired woman's grasp, the soft spoken angelic female cocked her head to one side, "You know she is a Senshi… A powerful one at that… As soon as I felt her skin against mine I could feel her powers…"
Silence filled the air once more and Espien turned to face Selenity, their noses almost brushing, "I know. I just do not wish the same ill fate upon her, that I have had," with that said, the woman took off in a flurry of ivory robes, disappearing back into the solar system.
Lavender eyes met those of almost crimson, raw sienna optics, the baby was watching her, "Your mommy will be back someday child… Do you understand? You are a Senshi. She wishes to protect you. Here you will be protected from all that she has to fight against. All she has to guard. Keikan-Chan, you shall be raised here, as whatever you wish to be… Just I shall not try and replace your mother with a false one. I know better than that. You are bright like she is… I can see it in your eyes. You seem to know more than you let on."
A soft coo escaped Keikan's baby lips, and she snuggled into the queen's arms.
