Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon
Serenity. Serenity, are you listening to me?"
Blinking, Princess Serenity snapped to attention. She had been adminiring the beautiful blue planet known as Earth. "Hmn? Sorry mother, you were saying?"
Sighing, Queen Serenity shook her head. "You must learn to pay more attention; you'll never learn anything by day-dreaming." She turned to stand in front of her daughter. "It'll soon be time for you to take a Prince and with him you must be ready to take on my role of protecting Earth."
"Mother...why can't people from the Moon Kingdom go to Earth?"
"Because it's forbidden, just like it's forbidden for the people of Earth to come to the Moon Kingdom."
"Why?" Serenity looked passed her mother to the blue sphere behind her. "It looks so pretty and peaceful."
"The King of Earth and I couldn't agree on some issues. We learned to agree to disagree. Our duty is to protect the Earth from anything trying to disrupt the peace, but they don't see us as protectors." She turned, looking at the planet. "They grew jealous of the power the moon gives us and our long life span; so to protect ourselves from any waging war, the King and I agreed to ban all travel between the two Kingdoms." With a sigh she turned back to her daughter. "Come along, we have much to do. There are lessons to be learned, the royal Court to attend and training to become Queen."
Sighing, Serenity followed behind her mother. 'I wish I could see Earth for myself instead of living in a mirror on the moon...'
"I'm not marrying her!" Prince Endymion protested. "She's not even a Princess of Earth."
"Which is exactly my point! Earth has no Princess because you refuse to marry," the King of Earth rubbed his forehead. "Endymion, you're my only child-I want to see you happy; at least meet with her-you don't even know what she looks like."
"No father. I refuse to marry just so you can further your political ambition with the rest of the Solar System." Endymion turned and stared at the blinding brightness of the Moon. 'If they protect the people of Earth, then how come they can't protect me from my own father's ideals?' Sighing, he spoke aloud. "If you truly care about my happiness, then let me choose my own Princess-at a Mask, tomorrow night." With that, he headed out into his rose garden.
The King-although shocked from the manner his son had spoken to him-was delighted his son was going to choose a bride at long last. 'It's a good thing I didn't make official wedding plans-that boy is certainly head-strong.' He rubbed his hands together in glee.
"Tomorrow night," he announced to the Court. "There will be a Mask-the Prince will choose his bride, I want invitations sent to EVERY available Princess in the Galaxy."
Outside Prince Endymion sat on a stone bench and sighed. He couldn't understand why his father wanted him to marry so quickly or why he had arranged his hand in marriage to a Princess he had never met.
"It sounds like your father has just announced something big," Kunzite observed, stepping away from the terrace leading into the throne room.
Endymion put his head in the palms of his hands. "Yeah...wedding plans."
"Really? Tell us, which Courtier or Commoner are you going to make a Princess?"
"No. My father wanted an arranged marriage with a Princess from another Kingdom, but we came to a compromise."
"Somehow, I get the feeling I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear," Zoicite chirped up as he stood next to Kunzite.
"I'm going to host a Mask. Basically I choose a Princess to be my bride and my father gets to further his political ambitions.
Zoicite's laughter rang out. "Let me get this straight. Your father wanted you to marry a complete stranger, only for you to end up choosing a complete stranger as your bride? Do you have a few screws loose in that brain of yours? Don't you know Beryl is totally in love with you?"
"She's just a Courtier not a Princess. Sure, we've grown up together, but I don't love her...she's like a kid sister."
"And how do you plan to choose a Princess to your liking if you can't see her face?" Jadeite asked. He had been listening in on the coversation as he stood guard just meters away from the Prince.
"I know the fates will guide me to the right one-when I see her, I'll know."
The sound of a stone moving caught his attention.
The four Generals didn't miss it either. Nephrite moved in front of Endymion, ready to protect him. Endymion stepped aside, shaking his head at Nephrite; something told him they weren't in danger.
Drawing in her breath, Serenity looked at Luna for help. She hadn't seen the stone before it was too late.
"Your hood Serenity, put it up," Luna whispered as she dashed behind Serenity, hiding under the baby-pink cloak. "There's no time to run away."
Nodding, Serenity pulled up the hood of her cloak, letting most of the material shield her face.
"Leave me," she heard the Prince say to his four Generals.
"He has four protectors just like me," Serenity whispered down to Luna, making the observation. "He's so handsome; I wonder what his name is."
The endless silence seemed eternal to the Princess. Her heart began thumping hard and fast. She held her breath, waiting to be caught and thrown at the mercy of Earth's Court.
"You can come out now," Prince Endymion finally spoke up as he leaned again the pillar the Princess was hiding behind.
Princess Serenity stayed put.
"I promise I won't bite and if you come out now, I won't throw you at my father's feet."
Drawing in a shakey breath, Princess Serenity stepped out of her hiding place and found herself a good foot shorter than the Prince. 'Look down,' she told herself. 'If he sees my crescent moon mark...' she couldn't complete the thought, she didn't know what happened to the people who disobeyed the law between the two Kingdoms.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Serenity stayed silent.
"Are you mute?"
She shook her head.
"Then will you at least look at me? I may be the Prince of Earth, but there's nothing in the laws to say you can't look at me."
Keeping her head down, Serenity fought the urge to look up into his eyes, to see what color they were.
Frustrated, Endymion tucked two fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him.
"How did you get into my rose garden?"
Gasping, Serenity tried to pull away, she felt sure her mark was exposed, but she found herself frozen to the spot. "I...I..." She stammered, her eyes looking anywhere but at him. "I...like roses..." she sighed as her eyes accidentally caught sight of his. They were the same shade of blue as Earth seen from the Moon.
"I saw it from the lake; I'm sorry, I didn't know it was yours," she lied. She had seen Prince Endymion on her viewing screen. Deciding he was the most handsome man Earth had to offer, she had talked Luna into descending to Earth with her so she could meet him or at the very least see him for real.
"Well it is..." his voice trailed off to nothing more than a murmur. 'There's something strange about her,' he decided, feeling as though he wanted to pull down her hood and see who she really was. 'Her eyes, I want to see them...' and he found her candy-pink coated lips shinning with gloss beckoning him to take a taste. 'I've never felt like this before...to have a girl stand so close to me, yet she seems so far away...there's just something that makes me want to protect her...'
A gentle breeze picked up, catching her cherries scented perfume.
Endymion breathed it in. "Tell me your name," he requested in a soft voice as one hand idly reached up for her hood to bring it down.
Fear stabbed at her heart. 'Don't...please...don't...' she silently begged him.
She was relieved when they were interrupted.
"Your highness, the Queen requests your presence," a Courtier politely interrupted with a smile reserved only for him.
"Thank you Beryl. Tell mother I'll be in momentarily."
Serenity took the opportunity to flee; with Luna in her hands, she ran to the lake.
Seeing his mystery girl escape, Endymion called out after her. "Come to the Mask tomorrow night!" It was pointless to run after her. 'Tomorrow, I won't let you get away so easily.'
Serenity didn't make a gesture of acknowledgement.
Turning, Endymion looked at Beryl. Her expression changed from spite toward the other woman to a bright smile. "A Mask sounds like fun."
"Don't get any ideas Beryl. It's for Princesses only-by invitation." He pushed pass her and into the throne room.
Snubbed, Beryl couldn't believe what Endymion had just said, they had grown up together and now she was treated like nothing but a simple servant. 'It's that girl!' she silently hissed. 'It's all because of her!'
