Wind Runner and the Dragon Senshi
Title: Wind Runner and the Dragon Senshi
Author: kazeko
Show: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Alternate Reality
Series: no, alternate reality
Multipart: yes
Rating: R
Couples: Usagi/Mamoru, Haruka/Michiru, Makoto/Nephlyte, Ami/Zoicite, Rei/Jadeite, Minako/Kunzite, Setsuna/Ailan(I love this pair!)
Time: The time of horses, knights, kings, and palaces. Alternate reality, though, so it really doesn't matter. Haruka&Michiru are 25ish, Setsuna&Ailan are 40's, Hotaru is 7, Chibiusa is almost 3, Minako/Ami/Makoto are 21, Rei&Usagi are 20, Mamoru is 23, the generals are 25, Seiya/Taiki/Yaten are 23
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko, as does the senshi concept.
Disclaimer 2: As with so many of my other fics, I own the world and non-Takeuchi characters. Please ask before use.
Chapter 7: Unexpected Reunion
The entire camp was awake by the time the flight of Dragons landed in the mountains. Haruka jumped off Sadaine's back and helped the princess dismount, Hotaru and Michiru just behind them. The rest of the senshi dismounted, letting their Dragons return to the heights, the Kou triplets joining their older sister. "Haruka-onee-san?"
"Don't call me that, Seiya-san. Call me just Haruka. What do you want?" She still was not comfortable with the Kou triplets being her younger sisters, but as long as she kept them at a distance, she wouldn't have to deal with that.
"Haruka-kun, I thought you did not ride Dragons anymore."
"I don't," she growled, turning to leave. "But some calls even the unbound cannot refuse. This was one."
"Unbound," Usagi whispered. "You're Wind Runner!" Usagi turned to Michiru, seeing the truth of her words in the older woman's sapphire eyes. "And you must be Sea Siren. I remember you."
Haruka glanced at the princess, sighing before she walked away. "The queen will come for us. Lamirah is no longer safe. As soon as the sun sets, we move." Michiru and little Hotaru followed the Leader of the Wind Runners as her lieutenants gathered around her, ready to prepare the camp for evacuation.
"Usagi!!" Minako, Rei, Ami, and Makoto dashed forward and embraced the princess, laughing and cheering at her freedom. The four generals stood back, knowing better than to interfere, as the Kou triplets followed their sister. The three strange Dragon Senshi stood to the side, waiting for something, faces still hooded.
"Usako!"
The senshi moved back from the princess as Prince Endymion sprinted through the camp, pulling his fiancée into his arms. "Mamo-chan," she whispered, arms wrapped around his neck. "I missed you so much."
Mamoru wiped the tears off her face, stepping back. "Are you okay, Usako? Did she hurt you?"
Usagi bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. "Mamo-chan, there's something I need to tell you."
"Papa?"
Usagi's head shot up at the soft word, blue eyes wide as a little pink-haired girl walked out of the nearest tent, red eyes fastened on the blonde. Usagi slipped out of Mamoru's arms and knelt down, scooping the child into her embrace. "Chibiusa," she breathed. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"Mama!" Chibiusa threw her tiny arms around the princess's neck and closed her eyes, falling asleep, feeling safe and secure for the first time in her life. Usagi stood up and turned to face her family and fiancé, knowing what they would ask.
"Why did you give her away, Usako? Why did you lie to me?"
"I had to," she whispered, hanging her head.
"It was because you didn't want her to get in trouble for being the bastard child of the princess, right Usagi?" Rei's purple eyes were hopeful as she offered her twin an 'out'.
Usagi shook her head, and Minako tried. "Did someone take her from you?"
"No."
"It wasn't blackmail or anything, was it?"
"No, Mako-chan."
Ami touched her cousin's arm, silencing the green-haired woman. "Why don't you tell us what happened, Usagi?"
The blonde looked at the child sleeping peacefully in her arms, and a smile stole across her face. "When I found out that I was pregnant, I was so scared. How could I let such a thing happen before I was even married? When I told my mother, she scolded me, but then she smiled and said she was happy that I was giving her a grandchild. Father gave me a big hug and said that it would be alright, that I would be alright. I didn't believe any of it until Mamo-chan said that he was happy. I had considered going to a midwife and terminating the pregnancy, but Mamo-chan made me see how stupid that was.
"And the pregnancy was just fine, but you can't understand what it's like to have a little life rowing inside you. They depend on you for everything—for food, for safety, and for love. Especially royal children, since we have abnormally strong telepathic powers. I could sense them, towards the end, and I knew there was something wrong." She paused to clam herself. "You see, I considered killing them. They knew already that I didn't love them. So something went wrong. Terribly wrong."
"They? Usako?"
"There were twins, Mamo-chan," she whispered, closing her eyes. In her mind, she was there again, her parents helping her, the midwife chanting. "Chibiusa was born first, and she was so beautiful. Mother said that she'd be a great queen one day. But then I had another contraction, and her brother was born." She looked up, tears streaking her cheeks, voice shaking. Unnoticed by the senshi, Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru had returned. Even the aloof Wind Runner's eyes were filled with tears. "He was already dead."
"Oh god," Rei whispered, covering her face with her hand. Mamoru moved forward and wrapped his arms around Usagi, lending her what support he could. Minako shook her head, unable to believe her half-sister, and Makoto clenched her fists, wishing there was something she could pound to make her cousin's son come back. Ami felt Zoicite wrap his arms around her waist, and she leaned back, stifling her sobs.
"After that I couldn't risk Chibiusa. Because of me, her brother died, and I had to make sure she was safe. So Mother and Father went away, promising to find a good orphanage for her. A few days later, I went back to the palace and told you that she died." Unable to hold her tears, Usagi sobbed into Mamoru's tunic, his arms the only thing that kept her standing. He swallowed, regaining his composure before speaking.
"It's not your fault, Usako," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "Women lose children all the time. He was just weak, that's all."
"Weak? Your son?" She shook her head. "If he was weak it was because of me."
"No, Usako. You're the strongest woman I know. You gave up your only child so she could have a better life. She's perfectly fine, even if her brother didn't make it."
Usagi pulled her daughter close, closing her eyes. "Now I almost wish . . . I wish things had been different. If I hadn't been so scared, if I hadn't considered aborting them, he might still be here."
"Usako, listen to me." Mamoru caught Usagi's chin in his hand and tilted her face up. "You didn't do anything wrong. There's no way your actions could have killed our son. You saved Chibiusa, didn't you? And I'm more to blame than you are. When you told me that you were considering going to the midwife, for an instant, I wanted you to. I was not ready, and I didn't think you were, either. Afterwards I felt so guilty that I had even considered killing my own child that I went to the mountains with you. When it came close to time for Chibiusa's birth, I kinda' panicked a little. I didn't want you to see how scared I was, so I left. Maybe if I had been by your side, if I had stayed with you, he might still be here."
"Mamo-chan . . ."
"See? It's not your fault. Children need two parents, and I should never have left you to take care of Chibiusa alone. Don't blame yourself, okay? It's not like Chibiusa can never have a brother now, and it's not like I'm ever leaving you again. From now on, my family takes precedence over my kingdom."
Usagi smiled as Mamoru embraced her again. "Mamo-chan, aishiteru."
"Aishiteru, Usako."
As the four senshi gathered around their princess, Haruka glanced at Michiru and stalked away, wishing that she did not have to propagate so many secrets to protect her daughter. Michiru followed, leaving the senshi, princess, prince, and generals alone.
"Usagi?"
"Come in, Rei."
The redhead entered the tent, smiling at her twin and niece. Mamoru and his generals were helping Haruka get the camp ready to move, and Usagi and Chibiusa were resting. The princess was stretched out on her hammock, daughter nestled safely in her arms. "Are you okay, Usagi?"
The blonde nodded. "I wish I had been able to tell someone earlier," she whispered. "You or Minako. I just couldn't tell Mamo-chan."
"I know," she whispered, sitting on the chair beside her sister. "Why did you decide to tell him now?"
"Because he found Chibiusa."
Rei shook her head. "I know you better than that, Usagi. You were going to tell him before she even entered the picture. Why? And don't lie to me, please."
Usagi sighed and took Rei's hand. "Clear your mind," she whispered as she placed her sister's hand on her belly. "Listen."
The Fire Senshi gasped, purple eyes flying open. "Usagi!"
She rolled her eyes and smiled. "I know. I don't think it was that much of an accident, though. Mamo-chan has been spending more and more time with me in Lamirah since my pregnancy. It made Beryl's takeover a little easier to bear. She kicked him out for good five months ago. I haven't seen him since."
"I can't believe you're pregnant again! You're still not married and you're still not queen! Usagi, what am I going to do with you?"
The princess laughed. "I don't know. But I wanted to make sure that this pregnancy goes smoothly and both children make it."
"I also can't believe that it's twins. The Serenity line is noted for the lack of siblings. There are almost never two princess and there hasn't been a prince for hundreds of years. Why now, I wonder?"
"If you think about it, times are changing. Mother and Beryl are sisters, and you and I are twins. Chibiusa was a twin, but it seems that her destiny is to merely be the oldest child. These two will make three royal children."
"Now I see why the Dragons were so eager to get you out of there. Beryl would never tolerate your children."
Usagi winced, pulling Chibiusa closer. "I know," she whispered. "She found out, just before Wind Runner saved me. I've had morning sickness so bad this time around, and it must have alerted her. Wind Runner saved my life, Rei."
"Call her Haruka. She gets upset if you mention her Dragon Senshi past. She had it bad, losing her dragon. They were bound for seventeen years, after all."
"I know. She was the best Dragon Senshi ever. Mother envied her skills sometimes."
"Usako?"
"I'm in here, Mamo-chan." Rei and Usagi looked up as the prince entered, smiling.
"Usako, why did you suddenly decide to tell me about Chibiusa?"
Usagi smiled as her fiancé took a seat. "Mamo-chan, there's a reason the Dragons called the senshi so suddenly. They knew that Chibiusa isn't going to be an only child for very long."
His blue eyes widened, and his eyes flew to Usagi's belly. "You don't mean . . ."
"I really do, Mamo-chan. And this time I won't send our child away."
"It's about time."
Mamoru and Rei were on their feet in an instant, the prince with his sword drawn and the princess in a defensive posture. Just inside the doorway stood the three strangers from the rescue, faces hidden in shadow. The leader, who had spoken, glanced at the woman on her right, who dropped her hood. Usagi smiled, standing, as she recognized Kinmoku Yuriko, Queen Kakyuu of the third Kingdom, Kamiret. Usagi had met the queen many times, but for the first time she recognized a resemblance between Yuriko and her blonde half-sister. She glanced at Rei, and the Fire Senshi nodded. Minako was the daughter of the Queen of Kamiret.
The woman on the leader's other side removed her hood, and Usagi squealed in delight, a sound echoed by the others' gasps. The silver-haired woman smiled, the purple eyes her younger daughter had inherited dancing with delight. "Hello Usagi, Rei. I missed you both very much."
"Mother," Rei breathed, hands falling. "I thought you died."
"No, but I and your father had to go away. His little glamour trick was failing, and it would take too long to create another. My husband Hiroshi died the day Chibiusa was born, and his real self joined me in Kamiret. Usagi, Rei, meet the person who was your 'father' and King of Lamirah."
The leader dropped her hood.
TBC
