AN: Okay, I have some reviews on the prologue so far, and since everybody is either too lazy to read or figure out what Mare Serenitatis is, I shall put it in here.
Mare Serenitatis (the "sea of serenity") is a lunar mare that sits just to the east of Mare Imbrium on Earth's moon. It is located within the Serenitatis basin, which is of the Nectarian epoch. The material surrounding the mare is of the Lower Imbrian epoch, while the mare material is of the Upper Imbrian epoch. The mare basalt covers a majority of the basin and overflows into Lacus Somniorum to the northeast. The most noticeable feature is the crater Posidonius on the northeast rim of the mare. The ring feature to the west of the mare is indistinct, except for Montes Haemus. Mare Serenitatis connects with Mare Tranquillitatis to the southeast and borders Mare Vaporum to the southwest. Mare Serenitatis is one example of a mascon, an anomalous gravitational region on the moon. "Mare Serenitatis" is Latin for "Sea of Serenity" (Sea of Peacefulness). In Sailor Moon, Mare Serenitatis was the former location of the Moon Kingdom.
I hope this clears it up for some people.
One other thing: I am doing the planet princess's names in Japanese, or rather what their planets are called in Japanese. If you wish for more information, then go to Moonlight Dreams and read a little.
SuiseiMercury
Kinsei: Venus
Chikyuu: Earth (no, this will not be used for the Earth prince's name. I just threw it in there for fun, learn some Japanese for god's sake!)
Kasei: Mars
Mokusei: Jupiter
Now in Moonlight Dreams, I used a different version of the outers names in order to come up with their princess names. I took what their names meant, and went from there. In this story, I'm not doing that. (Either because I've gotten very smart in my old age, or just because I'd rather be different, I don't know). I've found their actual planet names in Japanese.
Dosei: Saturn
Tenousei: Uranus
Kaiousei: Neptune
Meiousei: Pluto
Now if you noticed, the last three (Uranus, Neptune, & Pluto) are actual forms of their last names in the Japanese version of Sailor Moon. I am not making any of this up, and if you don't believe me, then go suft the web. Yes, I do research for my stories. And there is going to be a new word added to our little dictionary.
Luna: name for the people of the moon
I figured I needed to use something a little more me, rather than 'Moonie' or 'Lunation' to describe the people of the moon. And so there you go.
Earth & Moon: A Forbidden Romance
Chapter One
She sat, her silver hair long and undone, as she often did in the mornings. Watching the big, blue marble that hung in the sky. She could see it clear as day in the morning sunlight, moving about as it always did. She'd never been there, but oh how she longed to one day go. Picking up her golden brush, she began to brush her hair; still staring.
Not knowing that someone stared back.
"Princess?" a girl with short blue hair called out. She peeked her head in the door, her Mercurial symbol glowing softly on her forehead. A long navy skirt covered her legs, just as white shirt covered her chest, a dark blue vest on top. "We are going to be late, if you don't hurry."
"Yes, I'm coming," the princess responded. She stood to finish her hair, the long silky strands heavy to put up and falling to the ground. "Could you help me, Suisei? I seem to be having a problem with my hair."
Suisei chuckled as she stepped inside the room, walking over to where her princess stood and began to brush out the long strands. Rolling them into buns, she fasten them into place while letting the rest fall behind her. "You should get your hair cut, princess. Perhaps then it wouldn't be such a pain to put up."
"Perhaps, however you know as well as I do that if I cut my hair, it'll just grow back almost as fast. Remember when Kinsei tried cutting it that one time?" the princess replied.
"Yes, true enough," Suisei answered. She put the brush back on the glass table and stood back. "There. You're all done, princess."
Turning to look at Suisei, she asked, "How do I look? Think Mother will approve?"
"Aye, I think she will," Suisei said. She looked at the princess, the light cherry sundress, the hem going to just above her knee. The bodice slid off her shoulder, around her neck making a U shape neckline. She wore a golden necklace, the sapphire pink crescent moon shining brightly, around her swan-like neck, a pair of diamond earrings sparkled in her ears, and a pearl bracelet glittered around her wrist. On her feet were soft pink ballet slippers. The crescent moon glowed softly on her forehead.
They began to walk towards the marble doors. As they approached the door, the princess turned to look at Suisei, a frown on her face. "Do you think I'll have fun?" she asked, a hint of sadness coming into her voice.
Suisei smiled. She took the princess's hand, held it gently in hers. "Aye, I'm sure you will. Aren't you excited? This is the first time in twelve years the queen has allowed you to come with us. She's even allowed Earth's royal court to attend."
"Aye, very excited. Do you think something wonderful will happen? Do you think I'll met the prince?" the princess asked.
Suisei laughed. Her princess was just a bundle of questions, always wanting to know more about something. "Something wonderful always happens with you, Serenity. Now, come. Lets hurry before they leave without us."
"Aye," Serenity replied as the door clicked shut behind them. "Do you think everyone will be ready?"
This question made Suisei laughed even harder. "Princess, they were all waiting for you. Everyone is already in the gardens."
"Oh. Well, lets not disappoint them!"
He stared out his bedroom window, looking at the white marble that hung in the sky. In just under an hour he would be leaving his home world and traveling to that one. And he really didn't want to go. He didn't like traveling to another planets, it made him feel uneasy for some reason. He couldn't understand why his parents didn't just let one of his guardians go, like they did when he would run out on court proceedings and such. However, he'd made a promise to his mother and he would never go back on his word. Getting up from the chair he'd been sitting in, he took one last look at the white marble and sighed.
Gathering his cape around him, he fasten the button to his top shirt before moving his ebony hair from his cobalt eyes. He looked around, counting off a number of things he could rather be doing than attending some picnic on the moon. I really have no desire to meet these people, he said silently. However, Mother did mention that the queen was letting her daughter come. First time, in twelve years if memory serves me right. This should be interesting, at least to met her.
"Master!" a man with long silver hair yelled as he walked into the room. "What are you doing? Here it is, time for us to leave, and you, as usual, are staring at the damn planet that we are attending. Hurry up!"
"Yeah, yeah…" he murmured under his breath. "Look, I'm ready already. You didn't need to shout, Kunzite." He moved his arms out to show that he was dressed and ready to go. Not that he wanted to, of course. "Do you really want to attend this picnic, Kunzite?"
Kunzite raised an eyebrow. He knew what that meant. It meant the prince had made a promise. "Yes, and so do you," Kunzite replied. He walked towards the door, holding it open for his lord. "You really need to stop making promises to people, Endymion. Besides, I shall like to met her highness, the princess."
Endymion thought this over, and sighed. If Kunzite was curious about meeting the princess, then he should be too. But he wasn't, so that just went you how much he cared about what he should be doing. Not too much. "Why are we going again?" he asked his first general.
"You do this every year and every year, you have fun. I don't understand why you're complaining. Just hurry up so we won't be the last ones there, like every damn year," Kunzite said as he walked through the door, his silver hair whipping around his face. "And don't forget that this will be the first time, in the fourteen years we've been going, that we've met the princess. The last time you set eyes upon her, she was but 3 years old." The door closed behind him.
Endymion sighed. Kunzite was right, he had to admit it. It had been fourteen years since he'd seen the princess. The two years in between, he'd hadn't been able to attend the royal picnic (a illness had over taken him, making him unable to get out of bed), and by the time he'd been well enough to attend the function, she'd been locked up in her palace. Her mother had been worried, and Endymion guessed he understood why; but still… "Yes, I suppose I should like to met her, too," he said.
The rose gardens, with roses of every colors blooming, was packed. Every royal from every kingdom was gathered there, and Serenity was getting tired of meeting new people. Oh, she greeted them with her charming smile, but her attention nor her heart was in it. Her attention wasn't on her guests, although it should have been; no, her attention was on the roses themselves. Never, in her seventeen years, had she seen anything so beautiful. Wanting nothing more than to pick a few, she smiled and laughed her way through greetings, until the time came for it to be over with.
Smiling and wishing a get well greeting to Dosei, the princess of Saturn; she excused herself. Finding a spot that wasn't crowded with people was hard, but finally she did and lifting the hem of her dress, sat down in the dirt. She picked a red rose, the petals soft to the touch and the fragrance sweet smelling; inserted it into one of her buns. Intending to pick more, it was the movement of a shadow off to her right that caught her eye and made her pause.
"Halt! Who goes there?" she called out. "I have you know, you are trespassing on royal grounds!"
"My mistake, my lady. I was only looking around," came the reply from the trees. "Your gardens are lovely, but nothing compared to Earth's."
Serenity's interest picked up at the mention of the planet's name. "You've been to Earth?"
Laughter filled the unfamiliar voice. "Aye, that I have. Tis my home, my lady."
"Your home?" Serenity asked the darkness. "Who are you? Please, come into the light so that I may set eyes upon you."
"As you wish." A man standing about 6',2" stepped out into the clearing, into the late afternoon sunlight. His hair was black, ebony to say the least; his eyes blue, the color of the ocean on a clear summer day. He wore a pair of black pants, his boots coming up to mid-leg. His shirt was blue, and he had on a black top shirt over it; which a black/red cape was pinned to. A sword, the hilt having emeralds and rubies on it, hung at his side. He had no planetary symbol on his forehead, and as such Serenity knew he was of noble blood, just that he wasn't of royal blood.
"If Earth is your home, then what are you doing here?" she asked once he'd stepped completely out into the sunlight. She couldn't stop her heart from fluttering inside her breast as his deep blue eyes focused on her. She smiled shyly.
"Enjoying a nice picnic with friends," he replied. "And what is a woman of your beauty doing sitting in the dirt, picking flowers?"
Serenity blushed, her cheeks burning. "I was just picking these lovely flowers, tis all." She raised her eyes, looking at him. A image flashed into her mind, but was quickly gone again. "Who are you? What is your name? I feel as if I have met you before."
"My name? I shall ask of you the same thing. First tell me yours, my lady, so that I may address you by it; then you shall have mine."
"You are unlike anyone I have ever met before. Very well, you shall have my name. I am the Crown Princess of the Moon Kingdom, Mare Serenitatis, my name is Serenity," she said. Realizing she'd been sitting in the dirt still, she stood. This act made her blush even more as it dawned on her that while they'd been holding their conversation, she had been sitting; dress spread about her in an un-ladylike fashion.
"Tis very nice to have met you, your highness," he said. Bowing before her, he began to walk away; however he did it backwards, as not wanting to take his eyes off her. "I have very much enjoyed your kingdom, it is very beautiful… just as you are. However, I must bid you farewell, princess. I shall hope we met again."
"Wait! You never told me your name! How am I to find you, shall I ever visit your home?" Serenity cried out as he walked away from her.
Stopping, he turned around. There she stood, in the evening sunlight as the sun dipped behind the worlds, her soft skin glowing as if it were made of moonlight, her hair shining as if it were the stars in the skies, and a small smile on her lips, one held just for him; and he knew then that he would never seen anything more beautiful in his life, even if he lived for a hundreds of years. Smiling, he bowed his head a little; and said, "Endymion" just before he disappeared into the trees; leaving her standing there, staring after him.
"Please, Mother? You have been there numerous times, how come I cannot go?" Serenity asked.
The woman she was speaking to sighed. They had been having this conversation for the better part of two weeks, ever since the day of the picnic. It was starting to take a toll on her. "Because it is dangerous, my love. Your powers are not yet fully mature, and you are not from there. How would you get home, darling? What if someone saw you? I cannot come and save you should something happen," the woman replied. Her long lavender hair flowed back and forth as she paced the throne room, where this particle conversation was being held.
"I won't use any power, I promise. And I'll be fine, mother, really. I'm seventeen years old, I'm not a child anymore. You can't protect me, sheltered me forever," Serenity argued. "And should anything happen, I have the power to call for my guardians. Kinsei or Kasei would answer right away, I just know it. Please?"
Her mother sighed once more, her slender hand coming up to rub her temples. She knew it was useless to argue with her daughter. She'd just go with or without her permission, and then where would she be? Worrying about where her daughter was, that's where. And it's not as if she had a choice in the matter, really. In just a few weeks, Serenity would be going off to Earth for one week anyways. And she couldn't stop that, even if she wanted to. When had her child grown up?
"Why can't you wait until your birthday? You know, when you turn eighteen; you are granted one weeks time on Earth. Why can't you wait till then?" she asked.
Serenity walked over to her mother. "Because I wish to go today. Besides, Mother, I will only be gone for this one day. I shall return when the moon is high in the sky," she said placing a hand on her mother's shoulder. "Do not worry so, Mother. I shall be fine."
Knowing this day would come, her mother sighed and shook her head yes. And was surprised to feel her daughter's arms wrap around her. Hugging her back, she smiled in her soft silver hair. "Very well, you may go-"
"Oh thank you, Mother!"
"Don't go thanking me as of yet, my love. There are some rules that you must obey. In order not to be seen, keep your hair hidden at all times; Earthlings do not have hair the color of yours so young. Wear you cloak, keep yourself hidden, and do not speak to another soul. When the moon is high in the sky, come back. If you fail to do this, then you will be stuck there until the next full moon; which is a month in Earth time. If something-"
"But nothing will happen-"
"IF something should happen, you are to send word to me. And to find the Earth Palace. There, the king and queen will take care of you until I can come and bring you back home. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mother," Serenity said before she hugged her mother one more time and ran from the room.
Her high heels clicking on the marble floor, she ran to her chambers and threw open her doors. Going to the large oak closets that sat adjacent to her bed, she rummaged though them until she found her cloak. Pinning it around her throat, she tucked her long silver pigtails into the hood and wrapped the rest around her body. She went to her vanity, and pushing a button under her drawer; a small opening popped up. Reaching inside, she pulled out a golden ring.
The ring had been given to her by her father before he'd died. And never having reason to use it before, she put it in her special place. The ring itself was made of gold and metals from all nine planets, something her father treasured beyond all else. It was made for travel between the Earth and Moon, however Serenity knew to this day that it had never been used. She could never understand why her father had given her the ring.
"With this ring, you can travel to any place on Earth. Be careful of how it is used, my darling. Remember, Serenity, that a person can't be whole until they find true love. Your destiny lays on Earth, go and find it."
"What could have Daddy meant?" Serenity mumbled to herself. Not wanting to waste another minute, she shrugged the question from her mind and set herself ready to travel. Holding the cloak around her, she mummer these words:
"Ring of gold, ring of light, transport thee out of sight,
To the planet that hangs in the sky, blue and bright,
Keep thee safe from danger, from fright,
Onward now, take flight!"
In a blinding flash of light, she was gone.
He laid there, on a boulder in the middle of the woods, miles away from the palace. His dark hair covered his dark eyes as he stared up into the summer sky, his mind playing the same scene over and over again. He'd come there to think, had been coming there for years, ever since he was little. Not that he needed to come out to the middle of the forest that lay west to his palace to think, it was just more quite than his home was. And besides, anytime to drive his guardians crazy was well worth the tongue lashing he was sure to get once he made his way back.
He just couldn't seem to get her out of his mind. The way her long silver hair played in the sunlight, turning hundreds if not thousands of different colors. Or the way her eyes seem to be looking into his soul, seeing all his secrets, all his pain, all his happiness for the first time. She was unlike any other princess he'd ever met, and that was saying a lot. But the main question that had been plaguing his mind was why didn't she know who he was? She hadn't recognized by him by sight, for the expression on her face showed she hadn't known who he was. And even him speaking his name hadn't given her clue. Had she truly forgotten him? The thought disturbed him, deeply.
And then the next question he was asking himself was why didn't you introduce yourself as she had? Why hadn't he just come out and say he was the Crown Prince of Earth? Because you wanted to know, the little voice inside his head said simply. You wanted to know if she was only playing or if she truly did not know who you were, while everyone else did. Because everyone else had known who he was, had they not addressed him as such? "Hello, Prince Endymion", "And how are you, your highness?", and more and more unfeeling greetings from people he only saw but once a year.
But it was seeing her, sitting there in the dirt, playing with roses that had caught his attention. He knew who she was, and was at odds as to why she would be sitting there, her dress getting all dirty, weaving roses throughout her hair. He hadn't meant to get caught watching her., hadn't meant to let himself get caught up in her. But one look at her, and he knew all was lost. Maybe it was the fact that she was sitting in the dirt that had caught his attention, for no other princess he knew would have done such a thing.
Sleeping wasn't helping any either, for every time he closed his eyes; there she was. All pale, dirty, and looking as if she were the moonlight itself. He felt as if he was going insane. "Maybe I am insane, for wanting something so beautiful," he said to the leaves above him. They moved back and forth in the summer breeze as if answering him. "Why can't I get her out of my head?" He put his hands on his head, feeling as if she was there with him.
"No! Please, let go!" a voice sounded throughout the woods.
Endymion shot up, his eyes looking about him for the owner and finding no one. "Someone needs help," he said as he stood and started off in the direction of the scream.
Tugging on the cloak, she heaved a huge sigh, puffing out her bangs for her hair had come undone of its style and lay about her in a tangle mess, and could feel the tears start to well up in her eyes. Laying on the ground, Serenity had managed to get her right foot caught in what seemed to be some kind of animal trap; although she had yet to see any creatures of any kind about. She hadn't even seen the trap, all she knew was that she had been walking and then the next thing that happened was feeling pain run up through her leg. And it seemed that no matter how hard she tried to free herself, the trap just wouldn't let her go. Her ankle hurt beyond anything she had ever felt, and she could feel herself start to panic.
"Please, let me go!" she cried as she tugged even harder. Giving it one last tug, she heard her cloak rip and saw the blood that covered the lower half of her dress, near her feet. "Oh, please… just let me go…"
When Endymion found her, this was the scene he saw. He stopped short and stared. That's the princess, he said silently. What is she doing on Earth? He watched as she tugged harder on her cloak, and was shocked to see blood on her ankle when the cloak gave way. It was then he saw she was stuck in a trap. Approaching her, he called out to her.
"Princess Serenity?" he said as he neared her.
Serenity glanced up, tears showing on her pale cheeks as she cried out, "Oh thank goddess! Endymion…" More tears fell from her cerulean eyes. "Please help… this thing won't let go!"
Endymion nodded his head as he bent down, and pulling her cloak away, saw the damage the trap had done to her ankle. It was red, bleeding, and raw. She had cuts going all the way around her entire foot, from her toes to the back of her ankle, about 3-4 inches deep. Opening the trap, he pulled her ankle free and watched as she yank it to her and started sobbing harder.
The pain was unbearable, never in her life had she felt anything like this. And she had no idea how to stop the bleeding. Not knowing what else to do, she began to try to stand. When her right foot touched ground, she went to take a step and the it buckled right from underneath her. She fell. Trying it once more, the tears falling faster from the pain, she fell as her ankle was unable to support her weight. Endymion caught her before she fell forward on her face.
"I'm sorry, princess; but you're not going to be able to walk on that for awhile," he said to her.
"What?" Serenity cried. "What? No… I have to leave when the moon is high in the sky, and in order for me to leave I have to stand." She pushed away from Endymion, trying once again to stand on her own. And once more failing to do so. Catching her, he sat her down on a nearby log and covered her up with her cloak.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why must you leave when the moon is high?" Endymion asked.
"Because, otherwise I won't be able to leave for a whole month," she stated matter-of-factly, as if she were explaining something to a child. "And if something should happen, then I'm to go to the Earth Palace, wherever that is, and see the king and queen."
"Okay, to the Earth Palace it is, then," replied Endymion. He stood up, and bending over at the waist, picked Serenity up.
"Wait! What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" Serenity cried out as she struggle against him.
"To the palace."
She stopped struggling and looked up at him. "The palace?"
"Aye."
"Please, don't take me to the palace. I have never met the king and queen, nor their son; and would not want them to see me this way. Besides, I am not to show myself to Earthlings, nor speak to them," Serenity said as she pushed her hair back under the hood.
"I'm sorry, your highness, but I'm taking you to the palace. They have some of the best doctors around these parts there, and I can't take care of you myself. Your wounds are too deep. And don't worry about meeting the king or queen, you won't even be seeing them," Endymion said, then her last comment made him stop. He looked down at her. "If you aren't suppose to show yourself to Earthlings, or even speak to them; why are you doing so with me?"
"Because I know you."
He continued to stare down at her. Her cerulean eyes wide, tears hovering just on the edge, and once again he felt as if his soul were being stared at. "Princess, why are you on Earth?"
His question had caught her off guard, making her stumble for the right words as which to answer with. "Oh… Um… Because you had said that it was beautiful, and I had wanted to see for myself just how beautiful. You were right, by the way. Earth is truly gorgeous. More so than the moon," she said looking around. She wasn't about to tell him the truth, that she'd come looking for him. She had wanted to know more about him, and more about Earth. But if her mother knew that was the reason, then she would have never allowed the visit. Luna and Earthlings were forbidden to be romantically involved, because the Luna's had a longer life-span than that of an average human. They would live hundreds of years longer.
Somehow Endymion didn't think this was the reason why, but he didn't say anything more about it. "Okay, well, let me get you to the palace so we can get your ankle looked at; then you can be on your way home."
"Aye, but I think I can get home on my own; thank you very much."
"As you wish."