Beryl walked into the hidden chamber furious.
"I did not summon you…" the malicious voice bellowed.
"I did not give you permission to kill Serenity." The usually timid Beryl held no fear and would not back down. "She is more useful alive. She can be trained in battle. She can harness the power of the steals that hold us here." Life times seemed to pass as the voice didn't respond. Beryl was starting to lose her hold on the anger and if that went, the fear would over take her and Metalia would win.
"You dare challenge me?" Metalia could tell that her hold on Beryl was failing. What had changed? That girl! Serenity your little brat is as powerful as you are, Metalia thought. Visions of when Queen Serenity first sealed her away in this dark kingdom. She had worked hard to rebuild her kingdom; she even gave her body, her life for the kingdom…
"SERENITY FOCUS!" Kunzite yelled. Morga had once again nailed the small girl in the stomach sending her flying.
"Master Kunzite, allow me to finish this worthless girl once and for all. She is not worth your noble teach…" Kunzite clutched Morga by the throat, lifting her into the air cutting her sentence off. Never in his life had he felt so much fury. Morga was struggling against his hand, air couldn't get into her lungs.
"You will do no such thing. She is a favorite of Beryl's." His voice was so harsh it surprised even him. When did he become so protective of the platinum angel? Wait, when did he think of her as an angel? "That's enough practice for today. Morga as the winner of the challenge you will accompany Jadeite to Earth for a mission. You have proven yourself worthly." Morga smiled and bowed low to Kunzite.
Morga raised her eyes towards Kunzite, he had said she was worthy; she would become a strong warrior. She would become one of Queen Beryl's favorites. The one thing she couldn't understand is how Beryl could favor a warrior so weak. The girl had no powers, seamed easily wounded, and her appearance! That pale skin, her weak arms and legs, how Serenity could be a favorite of the Queen still infuriated Morga to no end. The sounds of all her classmate leaving the area made Morga stir from her thoughts to find Kunzite kneeling over the wounded girl. "Can't hold your own again Serenity? Guess you'll just have to wait for all the rest of us to die before you get your chance to serve Beryl!"
Piercing pain was all that Morga felt. "Enough. That is Queen Beryl to you." Through the fury and anger Morga wheeled around to find Beryl standing in the royal balcony. "I have seen you disrespect General Kunzite enough. You have won the challenge, now go prepare with General Jadeite. Remember that should you fail, do not return." The other trainees that seemed to enjoy the show vanished at the appearance of their Queen. Morga rushed out, afraid of earning the ire of a powerful woman.
Kunzite turned back from the scene and offered a hand to the small girl. Serenity tentatively grabbed it as his hand hauled her up to her feet. Unsure and unsteady Serenity balanced herself on the wall behind her it was nice to not have to hold up all her weight. "Kunzite-sama when will I ever be of use to the Kingdom?" Her voice was hoarse from hours of the tournament, but held something else of which Kunzite was unsure of.
"You are still young. You have only been in training for a few years now. Many of the other warriors have been trained since birth." His voice was tender, and caring. He cared about the girl. She had wiggled her way into the lives of all the Generals. But why it was tender was concerning him. He was the lead general of the Negaverse, it was his job to train the recruits to fight for the Kingdom. Then again, it was never his wish nor Beryl's that Serenity be trained in the same manor. Beryl soon appeared over Kunzite's shoulder.
"Why do you still insist on hurting yourself child?" Beryl questioned. Serenity's eyes widen at the sudden intrusion. Kunzite fell down to one knee before his Queen.
"I need to find my place." Serenity's voice faltered.
"Your place is as the Dark Kingdom's Princess," Kunzite said raising his eyes to meet with Serenity's. She was as stubborn as Beryl. If he didn't know better, he would swear they were mother and daughter. Serenity signed and looked down at her feet. The young 14 year-old girl just couldn't win. It was a few years ago that she stormed into Beryl's private chamber's and demanded to be trained. She was tired of the teasing from her peers. She was at the time, in training to become a priestess of Metalia.
Few knew Serenity had blood ties to Beryl, only that she was in Beryl's favor, and that is what got Serenity teased. 'How could Beryl favor a weakling, not even fit to be trained!' 'Hey look it's the porcelain statue that Beryl favors!' Serenity had regular private training with each of the Lead Generals of the Negaverse, and it caused her nothing but trouble. "Kunzite-sama, please no one would ever respect me as a leader. I can't even regularly get past the first few matches of the tournaments to go to Earth."
"And you will never be allowed to leave this place! Honestly Serenity! I can't believe you talked me into letting you train with the normal warriors! You are to be named my heir!" Beryl cried out. Her heart was breaking at the thought of her child leaving the safety of the darkness. Visions flashed before Beryl's eyes of Serenity being hurt by those annoying Senshi; of Serenity being backstabbed by the other warriors, and even worse… Serenity finding out who she really was,
"My Queen!" Serenity rose to her feet, adrenalin filling her veins, fire burning greatly in her eyes. Beryl could never deny the girl anything with that look in her eyes. "You never had any intention of letting me help gather energy did you?" Beryl's eyes left Serenity's unable to make the contact any more. Serenity knew within that motion that Beryl had lied, she was never going to go Earth side. She was never going to get the teasing to end. So she ran. She ran to the farthest tower, to Her tower, to her room. She always liked it there any way! The air seemed lighter, she always felt better up there, like she could breath. Whenever she was in the main areas of the Kingdom she always felt drained, like something was eating away at her energy.
Kunzite rose and placed a hand on his Queen's shoulder, a gesture that would only ever be done when they were alone. "She will never give up. She is a warrior to the end."
"Yes, but I watched her performance. She is still too slow. The Senshi would eat alive or worse." The mother inside her wanted nothing more than to lock Serenity in that tower.
"And you know why! She doesn't yet understand that she was born of the light, not the darkness. You know damn well that she is stronger than anyone else in this force if Metalia would stop draining her!" This was the one subject that fueled Kunzite's anger. Metalia was gaining power and energy off of the weakening girl. It was this act that had nearly killed the young girl a year or so after she was brought to the Kingdom.
"You dare disrespect our leader?" Beryl may be able to stand up to former self, but for Kunzite to risk it.
"Queen Beryl I have served under you for centuries. I served as the commander of your Armies. I serve as a bed warmer when you wish it. But I will not let a weapon that can defend our enemies be so easily squandered away because some formless creature desires revenge." Kunzite knew he was greatly out of line, and should anyone have been there, it would have been his head, but at this stage in the invasion Beryl and Metalia couldn't afford to kill him.