Author's Note: I thought a name guide might be useful. I feel like they're all pretty easy to figure out, but you never know :) Thanks to sailorashes for the first review!
Nike: Rei
Juno: Makoto
Psyche: Minako
Cyllene: Ami
The Martian princess made a face at the Jovian princess and quickly turned to face front again, lest some older courtier took it upon themselves to frown disapprovingly at her. Nike was bored and she knew that Princess Juno shared her dislike of pageantry and ceremony. The entire palace it seemed had assembled outside on the Silver Fields to greet the barge carrying the Earth emissaries. The barge had arrived on time without complications and was sitting peacefully on the silver-green grass, its hull shining dully in the sunlight. The only problem lay in that the people within were taking their sweet time emerging.
"I am tired of staring at it," whispered Nike to Juno.
"I think we're the only ones. No one else looks bothered," Juno replied. Nike surveyed the people waiting on the ground; she, along with Queen Serenity, the other guardians waited beneath a white silk marquee. The Queen and the ladies from the outer system looked perfectly composed and serene, not at all bothered by the fact that the Terrans had yet to come out. Cyllene looked straight ahead, almost as composed as the older ladies of the court, although her mouth occasionally twitched with a smile at the whispered words between Serenity and Psyche. Nike felt fidgety.
She was about to whisper to Juno a scathing comment about the poor manners of the Terran party when the door to the barge hissed open and dropped to the ground. The assembly of royals and courtiers fell silent as Terrans began to emerge. First out, squinting in the strong light of day, was a reedy looking man wearing a chain of office around his neck and official-looking emerald-green robes. Following this show of good-will and trust was a troop of guards in ceremonial dress.
With a critical eye, Nike scanned their armor, and judged it to be useless for real battle. The showy metals sparkled in the sunlight, fulfilling their only use. After the guards was a group of four young men, all in similar gray livery.
"Handsome," whispered Juno in admiration. Nike silently agreed; they were definitely an attractive bunch. Finally, a solitary young man stepped out into the light. One hand thrown up carelessly to block the sun from his eyes, he strode confidently down the gangplank. Nike felt a little breathless; the Earth prince was possibly the most handsome man she had ever seen. His hair was ebony, much like her own, but his eyes were a dark and fathomless blue, very different from Nike's stormy violet. His skin was bronzed from sun exposure and he was tall, very tall.
Queen Serenity had risen from her chair and left the marquee to personally greet the emissaries at the foot of their ship. Nike glanced at her friends; Princess Serenity seemed utterly fixated on the Terrans, though Psyche was at her side giggling and elbowing her. Cyllene actually seemed interested in what the Queen was saying to her guests and appeared to be straining to hear over the ruckus the Venusian princess was making in the background. Juno was blushing and throwing looks to the four young men who stood at the Prince's shoulder.
"Our friends have paid us the highest honor of joining our alliance," said Queen Serenity introducing the Terran emissaries to the assembled royalty of the solar system as she led them to the marquee. "Now we are complete and now we are all joined together in a Silver Alliance as bright and as promising as its own name. I humbly beg you all to welcome them as I have welcomed them.
"Ambassador Cadmus," here stepped forward the reedy man, who bowed jerkily,
"The Four Kings of Earth," the four young men bowed, each graceful and confident before the Lunar court,
"And the Emissary from the Court of Terra, the son of Emperor Oranos, Prince Endymion."
"Oh, my," breathed Juno as the prince bowed before the court.
"I wish there were more men like him on Mars," Nike whispered back as the Queen began introducing the ladies beneath the marquee. When Nike's named was called, she sank into a curtsy and flashed a dazzling smile as she rose. She was somewhat disappointed with the Prince's passing nod, but noticed that a golden haired king was returning her smile. She turned her up her nose and stalked back to her place next to Juno, too proud to accept attentions from anyone but the Prince of Earth.
When Princess Serenity's name was called, Endymion pulled a red rose out of the air with a flourish of his hand and presented it to the Lunar princess. The court murmured amongst itself; the Terrans were known in the solar system for the very small, almost negligible amount of magic on their world. To see a Terran able to perform magic (though it was more gimmicky than impressive) was akin to watching a horse paint a portrait.
"For the daughter of our most gracious hostess, a small token of my gratitude," he said. Serenity blushed from her neck up to her hairline when she accepted the rose, shyly thanking the prince while looking up at him from under her lashes. Nike felt her stomach sink; had the Lunar princess already won the Prince's attentions? They had only seen each other for a measly five minutes!
She straightened her shoulders and shook her hair. She was a warrior princess of Mars, not some love-sick fool! Besides, the prince had only given Serenity a rose because her mother was hosting him and his party. With this comforting thought, she braced herself for another hour of boredom in the form of speeches and introductions.
