Chapter 3
The trees danced in the wind, as the King walked along the path covered in stone. "It's been so long," he said to the person beside him. "Since I've visited. Tell me my dear how have you been?"
"Dreadful" the woman answered with a small smile. "My husband has been up in arms over the disturbance in the northern regions."
Apollo nodded in understanding "Having trouble with droughts again I take it" the Queen nods "Right, well I'll speak to my brother, Izanagi, he may be able to assist in some relief."
"Thank you Apollo. As much as we love the sun and its warm raise, it seems that its beams have an ill affect in the north." She smiles "though I know convincing his majesty Izanagi to back down his golden beams, will be somewhat of a challenge seeing as he does not care for my people…if there is anything I can do for you…to thank you for your generosity I will be happy to do so"
The King tapped the Queens hands affectionately "You are as kind as ever Gaia, thank you. All I ask for is a single red rose"
The Queen of Earth laughed "A red rose? My dear sweet King I will gladly give you a million roses."
Apollo shook his head "No, just one" he smiled "for my daughter. The one thing she has asked of me while I am away is to bring her back a single red rose."
"Ah so your wife knows that you are here visiting an old friend? I am more than positive she is not pleased"
"No, my Queen does not know that I am here."
"Then how does your daughter know? Please tell me you are not having that poor child lie to her mother about your where about. Even though Queen Serenity and I do not get alone…mostly because of my own reckless actions…it still does not warrant you having your own daughter lie for you"
Smiling down at the Queen, Apollo laughs, "Oh no you miss understand Gaia. I told my daughter and wife no lie. My mission is to visit with my brother; I just did not include my stopping to visit you."
"Then how does the young princess know?"
Apollo looks to the sky "She's a very clever girl Gaia there isn't much she doesn't figure out. It is rather annoying actually. But do not fret she will not tell her mother her suspicions."
Looking to her hands she whispered "how is your child? I am sure she is as gorgeous as her mother"
Apollo smiled proudly, "My precious moon beam is the spitting image of my beloved Queen."
"I do regret my actions against your wife and child…"the Earth Queen sighed sadly.
"We've been through this before my dear. You were frightened as you should have been. I hold no grudge against you. "
"Serenity does…oh how I miss her" the Queen of Earth knelt down lifting a single leaf into her hands "We were the best of friends growing up…always together, never leaving one another's side. How I loved visiting the moon…Tell me is it still as beautiful as it was years ago?"
"More so now that the princess is here" Apollo smiles "tell me Gaia how is your son? Is he growing to be as aggregate as his father?"
Gaia laughs "heavens no" she closes her hand over the leaf "he is actually a very gentle young man. Spends most his time in the rose gardens." She and the King begin to walk again. "In fact he spends his times staring up at your planet more then I care to say." This came out as a whisper.
"And your husband how does he feel about this?"
"He becomes angry, irate even. Threatens to lock him up in a tower with no windows." She signs shaking her head. "The two fight on and on…neither of them winning."
Apollo nods "I understand how you feel, Serenity and my wife do the same. My daughter dreams of your planet Gaia…she wishes more than anything to visit it."
At this the Queen frowned, "Have you told her yet?"
"No. She knows nothing about the prophecy…and Endymion does he know?"
"No. he does not." Gaia turned to her lifelong friend with worry "tell me Apollo are we doing the right thing?"
Sighing the King of the moon shakes his head gravely "I do not know Gaia only time will tell…"
Bidding goodbye, the Queen made her way back to the gardens by her chambers. "Who was that man mother?" a young fifteen-year-old teen asked curiously.
Gaia smiled "How long have you been there my son?"
Endymion shrugged, "hour's maybe" he looked back at the red roses, "I wanted to plant a few more. Now please answer me mother, who was that man?" he frowned a bit "please tell me you're not…seeing him…are you?"
The Queen could not help but laugh, "oh heavens no son, he was just an old friend I have not seen in a long time."
Endymion sighed in relief "I was worried" he smiled sheepishly.
"No need my love, no need. Nevertheless, to be safe please do not say a word to your father. You know how possessive he is"
Endymion nodded, "would you like to join me in the kitchen mother? I hear cook has new pastries he wanted us to try."
"Sounds lovely my love."
Later that day on the moon:
"You will not win this time majesty" the now 12 year old princes laughed at her father's irritation
"You know how much I detest that title when it comes from my own Childs lips"
"of course I do, it brings great joy to my heart to see you so...exasperated majesty" she smirked as she held her sword with her right hand pointing it at her father "now please tell me you're in good health majesty, I wouldn't want to hurt such an old man"
The King charged at his daughter only to be blocked by her sword "you have the grace and beauty of your mother"
"but the mouth and brilliance of my father" serenity finished as she pushed the king away their swords clashing together till finally serenity knocked her father to the ground her sword at his throat "now that was far too easy father, is your age really giving you such trouble?"
"You are a retched little princess" he smiled proudly as she stepped away extending her hand for him to take "but I couldn't be more proud moon beam"
"thank you papa" the princess beamed as her father stood dusting off his dirt covered clothes "so tell me papa, how was your mission?"
"It went rather well."
"And my uncle is he in good health?" she asked taking a drink from her bottle.
Apollo did the same, "he is as healthy as a horse my love."
"Still stubborn I take it"
"More now that he's older. However, I have to say the Sun kingdom has not looked better. He is a brilliant ruler."
"As are you father"
"Flattery my dear will get you everything you ask for" the king laughed pulling out a red rose from his vest "I do mean everything"
Serenity smiled in excitement "I knew it!" she beamed "how was it? Was it as beautiful as your last visit? Did you meet any of the people? Were they as friendly as you say they are? Did you get to see the oceans? Or how about the trees, were they dancing in the winds? Oh please papa please tell me everything, don't leave out a single detail!"
Apollo laughed at his daughter's enthusiasm. "First things first love, you must promise not to tell your mother, she would be most upset"
Serenity laughed "upset isn't the proper word father, she would be beyond that. In fact I believe she would kick you out of your own bed if she were to find out."
"Then we have an understanding?"
"Yes. As long as you promise to tell me everything"
Smiling the King began to tell his tale. Serenity sat silently listening to every word that came from her father's lips. Her eyes dancing with interest.
Sitting in her room, she stared at her cousin through her mirror as the senshi of Venus brushed her long silver blond hair. "One day I will visit Earth"
Sighing, Venus shook her head. "Not this again"
"Honestly Serenity you say this every night" Mars hissed leaning her head back in her seat. "Your dream is far too big"
"It's against the law" Mercury added
"Then I'll have to change that law when I am Queen" Serenity shrugged. "Then we can all visit such an amazing planet" she smiled up at her cousin "and I'll finally get to see these seasons"
Venus giggled as she finished her princess's hair. "Then when you are Queen, we will stand by you as you enter the Earth and see these seasons, you speak of them so often that I fear I might be egger to see them as well"
"Don't encourage her Venus" Jupiter laughed, "you know how her mind works."
Venus walked over to a chair by the fire place. "It's okay to dream Jupiter. "
"I fear it's not just a dream for our princess…but reality" Mars said pointing to their princess who now stood outside her bedroom staring up at the bright blue, green and brown planet. "my heart fears this reality…"
A couple nights past, and soon the Queen and King of the Moon were wrapped in another argument.
"I do not want her near my daughter!"
"How dare you give me orders; she is my child too Apollo!"
"Then act like it serenity!" the King yelled "that vile creature is not to come near our daughter do you understand?!" Apollo grabbed his wife by her shoulders his eyes pleading with her "Serenity, love since the day we married I have treated you as my equal in every way…You know as well as I that a Queen is second to her King…that the King has the power and the Queen's primary job is to provide the king legitimate heirs, attend social events and please her husband…" he took a breath "I never once treated you in such a manner…though many around us find it strange" he rubbed her cheek with his hand. "But…for the sake of our child I am taking control of the situation as your King and Husband." Queen Serenity's eyes widened "She is not to come anywhere near the princess."
"She is her Aunt and my sister! How could you be so heartless?!"
"Heartless?! Serenity Nehelenia wants nothing more than your crown, why will you not see this?!"
"I know my sister has her issues, she just needs someone to show her the light" Queen Serenity pleaded
"this is what I fear for our child" Apollo shook his head "she may have my mouth but she has your heart"
"why should that worry you?!"
The King sadly looked to his hand as he held on to the doorknob "Because it will be her downfall" with that said the King exited the throne room, leaving his wife speech less.
The senshi sat laughing at one another in the kitchen when the King entered. All the girls stood, their smiles vanishing quickly. "Majesty is everything alright?" Venus asked quickly.
"The Queen would like to invite Nehelenia to the palace." The girls gasped in shock and protest.
"But she's ruthless and cruel!" Jupiter yelled, "She scared the princess with her stories years ago! Serenity cried every night for three full moons!"
"I know Jupiter, but this is the will of my Wife."
Mars walked up, "with all due respect my King isn't there something we can do?"
"I've already told the Queen that her sister is not to be allowed near the princess. However knowing my wife and that damn forgiving heart of hers, she's going to do what she wants and invite that snake to the palace anyway."
"You want us to be by the princess at all times then?"
"Yes Venus. Do not leave her side."
"Yes your majesty" the four bowed as the King exited the kitchen.
"I believe it's time we call upon the outers to pay a visit." The group nodded as Venus did just that.
Staring out his window, Apollo frowned as the air grew colder and the moon grew darker. He knew just by the temperature that his wife had done what he asked her not to do.
"So Serenity where is my niece?" Nehelenia asked as she took a seat beside her sister. The two were the complete opposite of one another, Serenity was everything good and pure. Her hair bright silver, her skin a beautiful pearl and dress a crisp white.
Nehelenia however was Dark, her lavender black hair, tan skin and dark dress, everything dark and uninviting.
"She will not be joining us," The Queen of the white moon announced
Nehelenia scuffled at this "what do you mean won't be joining us?! I haven't seen my niece in years, this is because of that husband of yours isn't it?!"
"He's worried is all sister, please calm down"
"Worried about what?! She is my niece and I want to see her!"
Serenity stood shaking her head "Sister pleases. After what happened the last time, I have to agree with him. I must respect him and his wishes he is my husband."
"What happened the last time?! For the love of Selene Serenity, there were harmless ghost stories. The same stories mother told you and I many years ago."
"You tried to trap her in one of those mirrors," Serenity hissed "Lucky for you my husband only knew about the stories…though I suspect he knows more happened that night…"
"So what if he did! I apologized for it. Honestly Serenity if you're going to let your husband rule over your life then he will be you're down fall"
Serenity sighed, "Can we not have this conversation, I wanted your visit to be pleasant. Besides with Apollo and Serenity out for the time being it will give us a chance to catch up"
"Catch up? What? you wish to know how my life has been since I was forced to rule over the darkness?" Nehelenia glared at her sister "it's cold, there is no happiness there, nothing grows nothing lives. It's just unforgiving darkness."
"Mother said that you possessed the power to control that darkness that you and I had a duty to keep our world balanced."
The dark moon queen laughed "duty, please Serenity. Mother always favored you. She loved you more than me because you inherited that crystal of hers!"
"Mother loved you all the same sister, besides one of us had to inherit the crystal it so happed to choose me, you have to understand it's only rational."
"Rational?!" the dark haired woman yelled standing from her chair, "what is rational about ruling the darkness?! If it were not for you and that brat of yours, I would be taking over the throne! The white moon would be mine not hers!"
"Sister please"
"Don't sister me Serenity, I know about this prophecy and I cannot wait for it to come foreseen! And when it does I'll be there to pick up the pieces not you or that precious little imp you call a princess." With that said the dark moon Queen vanished.