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Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of its characters. I simply use them to further the enjoyment of all.

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Minako went about the rest of the week as normally as she could. She attended the necessary meeting and conferences with the Queen of Earth, chit-chatted with Princess Serenity, and spent as much time as she could with Kunzite. The week was finally drawing to a close and Minako, for one, was glad. Their vacation officially started next week, meaning no meetings or conferences with heads of states, and she could use it. After all the stresses of royalty she needed a break.

She put a robe over her bathing suit and grabbed a towel, heading for the hot springs. It sounded so relaxing that Minako had to force herself not to run. Kunzite had said to meet him there and she couldn't wait to see what he had planned for the two of them.

She put up her hair, sticking it messily with pins to keep it off her neck, and was about to leave when she heard a knock on her door. She sighed in exasperation. She was going to be late and she hated wasting what little time that she had to spend with him. It seemed to be less and less as of late, as if fate herself were conspiring to keep them apart. Minako opened the door to see a messenger before her. He bowed low before presenting her with a sealed letter.

"M'lady this was sent from your mother and is to be opened immediately," he instructed, never rising from his bow. Minako waved him off before closing her door to read the letter. She sat down on her bed as she read.

Minako,

My darling, how are you enjoying your time with Princess Serenity and the other Senshi? We miss you dearly but look forward to your homecoming. I know you dread coming back because you love Serenity so much but I have news that will make you want to race home.

Your father and I have found you a husband. He is a Prince on Venus, of Manchester, and has eagerly paid your bride price. Of course we met him first; I wouldn't want you to be with someone I knew you would despise, but I am confident that you two will get along wonderfully. We can now secure the future of Venus.

I know that you will want to return home immediately but we insist that you stay. It has been so long since you have had the chance to visit not only with your fellow royalty but your long time friends. It will be quite a time before you will all meet once again. Please enjoy your stay and we will see you in a month's time.

Love You Always,

Mammy and Pappie

Minako's eyes began to fill with tears. They had already found her an acceptable suitor? But she was too young to marry. She knew then Venusians married young, her mother wasn't much older then she in fact, but it still seemed really early. She hadn't figured out a way to marry Kunzite yet and it was already time for her to marry another.

And then she remembered. Kunzite. She was supposed to meet him at the springs. How was she ever going to tell him? How was she ever going to explain what had happened? He would be just as, if not more, devastated then she. Minako flung herself face down onto the bed and began to sob. She was going to lose everything she loved all because she was a princess. Everything because of bloodline and prejudices. And there wasn't a thing she could do to stop it.

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Minako ended up being almost twenty minutes late for her meeting with Kunzite. It had taken her awhile to compose herself. She didn't want him to know how upset she was so she stopped her crying, erased all traces that she had and left to meet him. He was pacing the ground, a familiar trade mark of his, with a worried look blatantly written across his well chiseled features. He didn't notice her arrive and she had to clear her throat to get his attention.

"Minako-chan! Where have you been?" he asked, walking quickly over to her. "I've been worried sick about you. When you didn't show up I thought the worst." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her firmly. She smiled apologetically at him.

"I'm sorry, Kunzite. I had something detain me." She couldn't tell him, not yet. It would ruin their entire afternoon. But Kunzite pushed when she didn't elaborate.

"Are you going to tell me what it was?"

She refrained from screaming her frustration at the injustices of her life and, more calmly than she felt, answered, "Later, after we go for our swim. I've had a long day and could use some relaxation." She pulled off her robe and slid into the hot springs. The warm water enveloped her and she sighed in comfort. Her day might be going terribly but at least she was able to relaxed her tightly wound muscles. Kunzite slipped in with her and, seeing her obvious tenseness, began massaging her shoulders. He knew she was keeping something from him but he wasn't going to press anything. She'd tell him in her own time.

They sat in silence for a long while, in a companionable way. It was never uncomfortable between them, just relaxing and comforting. Sometimes the silence was exactly what they needed. Minako knew that she needed it anyways. She still wasn't sure how she was going to tell him. They had lived in the fantasy that her marriage was incredibly far off for so long that they hadn't realized how close it really had come. She knew the news would devastate him but she also knew that if she kept it from him and he found out some other way, not only would he be distraught, but also extremely hurt and mad that she had kept it from him.

Kunzite had been watching her features. Something was really troubling her but he couldn't have told what it was for the life of him. He hated when she kept things from him. It had caused them distress in the beginning of their relationship and, after the incident, had sworn not to keep anything from each other. Now she was doing the exact thing that they had promised they wouldn't. He leaned down and gently kissed her neck.

"Tell me what's bothering you. Please. It's killing me to see you so worried and upset," he murmured into her ear, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She sighed as she realized she had to tell him. It didn't matter if she did it now or later, the effect was going to be the same. Might as well get it over with.

"I got a letter from my parents today," she began, leaning into his warmth. Kunzite looked at her quizzically.

"Ok… so you got a letter from your parents. You get one every week don't you?"

"Yes but this one had some… news in it," she knew she was still being cryptic but she couldn't bear telling him. How do you explain to the person you love that you have to marry someone else?

"News? Bad news?"

"For my parents it was fabulous news. For you and I, it is terrible news," she finally said. Kunzite's eyes widened as he realized what news she was talking about.

"They've found you a husband haven't they?" he asked softly, hardly believing his own words. Minako looked down at the reflective water but nodded slowly.

"I got the news right before I came here. A messenger delivered it to me. I will be married when I go back home at the end of the month." Tears she thought that she had already shed started to gather in her eyes. She couldn't believe it was over. Their time together had passed so quickly.

"Minako, Minako, my love, please don't cry." He kissed her, over and over. "I can't stand to see you cry."

"How can I not? We can't be together anymore, Kunzite. This is it, we have to end it. By the end of the month I'll be married and there will be nothing that we can do about it." She turned, buried her face into his chest and sobbed harder. "I haven't even met him! They expect me to marry someone I've never seen before in my life. How can I when I have found the love of my life? How am I ever supposed to leave you?"

"You're not, just like I'm not supposed to leave you. I can't, I love you too much. But you forgot my promise."

"What promise?" she mumbled. He chuckled softly.

"Didn't I tell you that I'd find a way to marry you? I meant every word of it, Minako. I don't intend to lose you because I happen to be an Earth general. I don't care if I have to become a Venusian general to do it. I'll leave Earth if I have to."

She admired his ambitions but she knew of the things that her parents considered unsuitable about him, being from Earth still only ranked second on the list. "Kunzite, you know as well as I do that I can't marry any general, only royalty. And the prince of providence whatever seems to be the only suitable husband to my parents."

"I know the rules, Minako-chan. I know the stakes, just like you did when we got into this relationship. But just like you I can't control what I feel anymore then I can control a Venusian government."

"Wouldn't life be easier if you could? If you controlled our government you could get rid of this obscene law and allow us to marry," she said, daydreaming. Both knew how impossible that was. Changing Venusian law was one of the most excruciating processes ever, even for royalty. The Venusians were very set in their traditions.

"Minako, something tells me that if I were in control of your government I wouldn't have to get rid of the law because I would be suitable for marriage," he told her, an edge of hard humor to his voice. "But what ifs aren't going to help us."

"Then what is?"

"Oh my dear, Minako, if I knew that, I would be the happiest man in the world."

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Aww, it's so sad they can't be together! Anyways, on to the next chapter.