Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Picking up right where we left off!

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Forever Betrothed

Chapter 9 - The Meeting

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Fear gripped her.

Serena stood frozen unsure of what to do.

Darien looked down at her, full of concern. But he had the hint of a smile. No! It can't be! Does he recognize me? He is a criminal! Artemis said he was captured! What do I do?

She looked behind her where the real Princess Minako stood. Mina's face was covered, except for her eyes that were studying Darien like a hawk. Seizing him up like he was a piece of meat.

She has no idea! He is here for her! For me! He must have sent the death threats!

I have to protect her. I've got to get Mina out of here!

"I…. I'm... " Words weren't flowing. Serena's eyes were wide. She gripped onto her skirt unsure of how to get Mina to leave.

"Princess Minako would you like to sit down?" Endymion gently placed his hand on her arm, trying to escort her to a chair, but she snatched it out from his touch.

"No!" That startled the Prince, his hand was still outstretched. Mina gave Serena the slightest little shove in her lower back, admonishing her actions. "I mean, n-no thank you Your Highness." She dropped into a low curtsy. Her heart was pounding in her chest out of fear. "If it is alright with you, I'd like to start over. Perhaps I could re-enter?" And alert Artemis!

Endymion let out a full laugh. He looked down at the exquisite creature before him. She was a Goddess incarnate, brought down from the heavens themselves. He thought so the minute she looked up at him. And yet, she reminded him so much of Serena. Especially tripping down the stairs... No, don't do that. You are starting to imagine her everywhere! Which was true. He imagined her around every corner and had to avoid the 5th floor entirely to try to keep her out of his head.

Yet here was her likeness right in front of him! He had heard of Princess Minako's beauty, but those rumors were vastly underrated. She was the daughter of Aphrodite, after all.

"No need Princess. Please rise." She did so, shakily. Endymion turned to the two men behind him. "Jadeite, would you please escort Princess Minako to her room. She has had quite the fall and needs a good rest."

A man with shorter, curly blonde hair stepped forward and bowed. "It would be my pleasure."

Endymion turned back to the beautiful Princess in front of him. He couldn't help but let his eyes flick down and take in her appearance once again. For a moment he imagined her in pure white and silver…

"General Jadeite is one of my personal guard, and will escort you to your room."

Endymion looked down at her with lustful eyes and Serena couldn't help but blush. Her fears gone for the briefest of moments.

He leaned in close to her, "You may try again at lunch, I'll send someone up at 12:00 o'clock sharp to escort you."

"I…" Serena could barely get out the first syllable in her refusal before being cut off.

"I won't take no for an answer." And he meant it. Endymion did not want to send her away, but the promise of a one-on-one meeting was certainly something to look forward to.

"Yes, thank you, Your Highness." She curtsied again and unlocked her eyes from his. The General offered his arm to her, and Serena took it. They set off down the corridor, Mina following close behind, and Serena stole a glance backwards. Darien was standing there watching her go. Does he know?

Endymion's heart was racing. He hadn't felt so instantly drawn to a woman since…. He sighed again, shaking his head. His thoughts had started to drift back to Serena yet again. Serena dripping from the spilled mop water. Serena in his arms after almost falling down the stairs...so close to him. Touching him.

Princess Minako had just rounded a corner, disappearing from his sight, and the spell was broken.

Announcing her Royal Highness, Princess Rei of Mars! *knock knock*

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They turned a corner and Serena visibly relaxed. She let out a quick sigh, thanking the Gods that she escaped. Jadeite let out a quick smirk.

"He has that effect on women."

"Does he my Lord? The Prince is always that way?"

"The Prince has been turning heads ever since I've known him, yet he hasn't turned his for anyone recently. Until now that is."

Serena blushed at the thought of Darien being attracted to her. Reminding herself of her situation, Serena knew she needed to pry more information out of this General.

"And how long has that been?"

"Oh, Prince Endymion and I go way back. We met when we were just kids."

"And he is an only child is that correct?"

Jadeite laughed. "As far as I know my lady"

"And he has always looked the same…?"

"Devilishly handsome? Unfortunately."

"And.."

"My my Princess, you are smitten aren't you?"

Serena blushed again. Mina rolled her eyes. She wasn't liking Serena's portrayal of her as a curious child.

"No, it's not that, it's..." They rounded the all too familiar corridor and were just outside of Princess Minako's room.

"Ah, here we are, this is the suite you will be staying in. If you have any troubles at all, pull on the rope near your bed. A servant has been assigned to you, and you'll find that all of your bags have already been brought up."

Jadeite bowed respectfully. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Princess?"

"N-no. No thank you. I'll be alright." And with that Serena turned the handle into the all too familiar room.

Jadeite waited until the door clicked close before casually strolling down the hallway whistling a tune absentmindedly. He was thinking of as many ways to delay his going back down to the Royal Greeting as he possibly could.

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"WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?!" Mina tore off her head scarf and flopped herself on the bed unceremoniously.

"None of that even remotely resembled what we had practiced! I mean, the trip was unfortunate, but then the stuttering, the SILENCE!? You could have said anything and you chose to say nothing?!"

"But Mina you don't understa-"

Serena was trying her best to interject, to no avail. Mina sat straight up.

"Thank the Goddess he invited you, no, ME to a private luncheon! And you should know, I am totally taking over as me again!"

"Mina you have to listen to-"

"I mean do you know how hard it was to stay silent while you stayed silent?"

"MINAKO!" Serena shouted. It startled Mina enough for her to acknowledge the person she was talking at.

"What?"

"You have to listen to me. You are in great danger! That wasn't the Prince! That was Darien!"

"What? No. What?" Serena was shaking her head 'yes' furiously.

"That. Was. Darien. We have to warn Artemis right away! I think this is a trap!"

"You have got to be joking! Artemis said that your Darien fellow was captured. Plus, he'd have to have one hell of disguise to impersonate the Prince in front of all those people." Mina was waving her hand behind her as she stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

"But that is just it! He wasn't covering up his face or anything! The men knew him to be the Prince." Serena sat down on the bed. "Maybe he has been impersonating him for a long time. We have to speak to Artemis about this. He has to know that Darien escaped and is impersonating the Prince. And that we have to search for Prince Endymion's true whereabouts."

Mina poked her head out from the bathroom. She raised her index finger, "What if that really is the Prince and he just so happens to look a lot like your Darien."

"Not a lot like, exactly like! If it were two men, they would practically be twins!" Serena was getting up and heading to the pull cord to call a servant into the room.

"You mean like us?" That stopped Serena in her tracks. Mina had a point and Serena knew it. It wasn't so impossible that Endymion had a body double on staff, just like Princess Minako had Serena.

"You see! Maybe Darien is the Prince's body double gone rogue. Now that Darien's gone, it is just Endymion" Mina had come fully out of the bathroom dressed in a simple, yet elegant gown, fit for the Princess she was. Serena took that to be a cue to change into the outfit Mina was just wearing.

Serena marched into the bathroom and started peeling off the yellow dress and golden adornments. She was actually glad to be out of it.

"I really don't think you should go on this luncheon until we've figured out what is going on. It isn't safe." Serena said through the bathroom door.

"Honestly Serena you are as bad as Artemis! It will be fine. Artemis said Darien was locked up, and I trust him. When he puts away a criminal, you never see him again."

Serena paused. Her hand slightly touching her parted lips, thinking of her almost kiss to Darien. She shook her head, attempting to shake the image out of her mind.

So then the Prince must really look like Darien. And now I will never be rid of him.

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The Moon Kingdom.

Queen Gaia stood in the doorway to the Crystal Chamber. She was informed that Queen Selenity was unable to leave the chamber to meet with her, and that Gaia must come to see her instead.

Gaia had never been permitted to enter the Crystal Chamber before, and she stilled herself before crossing the threshold of the door.

The Crystal Chamber was housed deep below the Moon Kingdom, in the exact center of the castle. The crystal veins ran deep throughout the Moon, but the temple was built along the thickest channel of crystal and rock. The doorway to the chamber was but the first flight of stairs downward, spiraling down to the depths. Along the walls were white glowing scones, giving off just enough light to see the steps in front of her.

Gaia started down another flight of steps, the air getting colder the further she went. After while, the stairs ended at a silver archway, holding up the strong stone around it. Inside, Gaia could make out a silver haired figure kneeling in front of the base of a pillar glowing with white light.

"Queen Gaia, my friend, it is good of you to come. Please, come in closer, I have something to show you." Selenity's voice had a musical quality to it, though she seemed weak.

"Queen Selenity." Gaia curtsied and then entered. When she reached the pillar, she could feel a wave of warmth wash over her body briefly. It prickled her skin to go back to the chilling air of the chamber, yet the warmth returned again and again. It was pulsing like the rhythm of a heart, emitting from the pillar itself.

"It's my Serenity."

At those words Gaia stopped in her tracks. She should not have been surprised that the Moon Queen would bring up her lost daughter again but she had hoped they could have a greeting not shadowed in grief.

"Selenity, please, Lets not."

"No, you must listen! Her heart. It's her heart. Can't you feel it?" Queen Selenity rose gracefully, though even standing was a struggle for the weakened Queen. She placed her hand directly on the pillar and a growing light rose from the base of the tower. When the silvery white light hit the center of the tower it erupted from all sides, casting it's light out in a single wave. This happened over and over again, mimicking the pulsing warmth Gaia was feeling moments before.

"It's her heart. Her heart!"

Gaia's eyes grew wide. The pulse. The warmth. The tower was showing Princess Serenity's heart beat, and Queen Selenity was using her power to make it visible.

Suddenly the warmth cut out. Queen Selenity screamed and crumpled to the floor just as the Crystal Chamber went dark and cold once again.

"Selenity!" Gaia rushed over and cradled the Queen's head. "Selenity can you hear me?" Gaia took her pulse, which was faint, but still there. Selenity's hand grabbed at Gaia's with as much strength as she could muster.

"Gaia. It's.. her.. heart…she is so...scared. I can feel it" Those words used up all of the energy she had left and Queen Selenity drifted out of consciousness. A single tear cascaded down the Queen's cheek, though it wasn't visible in the darkness.

Queen Gaia was left alone, still reassuring herself that the Queen was alive, just exhausted.

"Luna! Please come quickly!" She shouted into the darkness, hoping her message would be heard.

Waiting for the guards to come, Queen Gaia was left with one thought that would change everything,

The Princess is still alive.

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A/N: Thank you all for being so patient! I hope you had a wonderful New Year.

Major shout out to all of my latest reviewers:

The-Rogue-Girl, Kasienda, LoveInTheBattleField, Elendrhys, dreamsatnight, ashiri-sama, GraphicsChyk, marigouldtheflower, SaphireShimmer, CrownPandora, and JemDragon84 !