A/N: Just a reminder to all interested, I am posting to my profile the summary of the next story I want to work on, provided that my muses are kind to me. So check it out! Disclaimer; I do not own Sailor Moon

Psyche, ever the optimist, was starting to feel slightly deflated. After all, it had taken her ages just to find Kunzite, and now she couldn't even get him to look at her. Of course, she had only greeted him once, to be polite. Her plan was to be as resplendent, as shimmering, as attractive as a butterfly hardly aware that a king named Kunzite existed. However, the strategy only worked when said king was looking.

The gentleman she was chatting with made an attempt at a joke, and Psyche laughed her pretty, silvery laugh while tossing her head to get an inconspicuous look at Kunzite. The silver king was talking to Nephrite and Juno, not aware of the wildly attractive Venusian princess just steps away from him. Too dejected to keep making idle talk, she excused herself from the conversation and moved to the fringes of the gathering. She was intensely frustrated, and tears were not far behind. Psyche cursed her habit of crying when angry and tried her best to look happy and unflustered.

"Why do you look like you're about to cry?"

Damn older brothers, Psyche thought.

"I doubt King Kunzite will be impressed with a sobbing, albeit very well-dressed, princess," Lucifer added, casting a speculative look over the object of Psyche's designs.

Double damn older brothers.

"Rambling on again, Lucifer?" Psyche asked, putting on her most brilliant smile. The Knight of Venus snorted and took another bite from his cracker and cheese delicacy.

"If you want to pretend that I have no idea why you've been staring at Kunzite all night, that's fine. But if I don't know, I can't help you."

"I don't need your help," Psyche said delicately, turning away. Lucifer shrugged and made to leave. "Wait!" she called out suddenly.

"Hm?" Lucifer cocked an eyebrow and looked very smug.

"Please…could you…you know?" she asked, looking over her shoulder to avoid seeing Lucifer's expression.

Lucifer did not say anything, but grabbed her elbow and made for where Kunzite was standing. So much for subtlety, thought Psyche as she was unceremoniously dragged across the floor, barely able to pull the hem of her dress out of the way.

"King Kunzite!" said Lucifer brightly when they reached the silver king. Psyche tried to straighten her dress without being obvious, and prayed that her hair was still in place. Kunzite regarded them coolly with argent eyes.

"Knight Lucifer." Psyche was watching Kunzite from under her eyelashes, wondering just what her brother was up to, when she felt two hands on the small of her back and then was pushed into Kunzite's chest.

"I see you have yet to dance with anyone. Allow me to offer my sister as your first partner." Lucifer said before quickly disappearing into the crowd of dancers. Psyche fumed; leave it to Lucifer to do something so idiotic, so bone-headed as to literally shove her into the arms of-

"I wasn't aware that on Venus it was acceptable to give away one's sister," Kunzite said, placing one hand on Psyche's waist, and catching her hand with the other. Psyche was so shocked that Lucifer's scheme had actually worked and the Kunzite was actually dancing with her that it took her some time to form a sentence.

"I am sorry for his behavior," she said finally. "I doubt you appreciate princesses being thrown at you like that."

"I just assumed that it was a point of foreign etiquette," he replied stoically. Though they moved to the music, their conversation stalled. Psyche frantically cast about for something to say.

"Are you enjoying your time on the Moon?" she asked, mentally chiding herself for asking such a boring, common question. Surely he had been asked that a million times already!

"It very beautiful," Kunzite said diplomatically. "But I am biased in favor of my home."

"I know exactly what you mean," Psyche said earnestly. "I love going home to Venus. I don't think I will ever find a place that I like as much as home."

"You spend most of your time here, though, if I am not mistaken," Kunzite said.

"Well, I have to," Psyche replied. "I'm a member of Queen Serenity's court, and my own queen mother requires my presence here."

"Your brother stays here, does he not?"

"Yes," Psyche conceded as she was expertly twirled by Kunzite's hand. "But I am my mother's heir, and Princess Serenity's guardian. Lucifer goes where he chooses, and I am not so fortunate in my freedom."

"I am sorry that your duty requires you to be away from your home," Kunzite said, with a note of sincerity beneath his cool tone. "I find it admirable that despite your youth, you are still so committed to your responsibilities."

"Surely you aren't so much older than I," Psyche said flirtatiously, her easy confidence returning. "You seem just as committed to your prince as I am to my princess."

"I serve the Imperial Throne of Earth by protecting its heir," Kunzite said with the ease of having repeated the phrase many times.

"I'm sure many women on Earth envy the share of your dedication that the prince receives," Psyche said, carefully probing into the king's more personal matters.

"Love affairs are not for me," he replied firmly. "They ruin the discipline of a good soldier, and are not a luxury that I can afford." Psyche delicately arched an eyebrow, but remained silent. The King of the North proved to himself to be a sort of man that she had never encountered before; what man eschewed women for duty? And yet, why would this man who so strongly denounced love affairs dance with her?

Puzzled, she finished her dance with him, vaguely wishing him a good evening and wandering away from the dance floor. Kunzite was a challenge that she was determined to win.