Hey all!
How have you been! Finally a chapter out as promised on the first day of the month! And it's the 10th Chapter! WHOOOOOO! *Fedski does little victory dance* Anywhose. It's finally spring here! YAY! (FYI I live in the Southern Hemisphere if that's escaped anyone so far ;D ) So the weather's finally gotten rather warm now and I am sooooooooo happy to be out of winter… not that an Australian winter is anything like winter in the Northern Hemisphere, I think I'd freeze up there if I ever went in winter…. *brrrrrr*
Well, this chapter is a little…hmmm… Well I like it because this is how I view the characters at this certain point of time, but I feel I must give in advance a warning about Sailor Mercury's views. – YES! She's finally appeared! – Her views are quite feministic, and although I'm not really a feminist myself, I do believe in equal rights. So I realise there may be a few "What the heck are you saying Fedski?!" s after reading this chapter, but whatever. PM me or review and I'll explain what I mean / what's going on / why I chose to write what I wrote, if you didn't get it from reading this chapter ;) You'll also notice an inconsistency where I start referring to the Senshi, Andrew and Serena with their real names. This is because I want to differentiate thought and reality, if you will. Basically they still think of each other with their original names but speak their 'code names'. Cool? Ok. ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
Thanks to James Birdsong, catgirl505, LoveInTheBattleField, dori-tori, trish1573, AniLovesMe, Guest #1, and becca for reviewing as well as everyone who is following or has favourited me and/or this story! Cookies for all!
Serena: Yep. Sorry she took a long time to say her peace again.
Darien: *bows* We humble apologise for the wait. We will deal with her momentarily
*Sailor Moon binds Fedski with her tiara, stuffs a gag in her mouth. Darien puts fedski in a heshen sack*
Andrew: *Sitting coolly drinking tea* Please, enjoy this next chapter of 'A First Meeting' *Winks*
Chapter Ten: When Things Don't Work…
By Fedski
"-this simply will not do, your majesty." Lord Baldwell ended with a huff. His position on the Royal Council had made him complacent and now all he brought to the table was traditions and emotions, no sense whatsoever. Katsuhiko sighed silently, he was not raised to be a king and he really didn't wish to be so any longer. Filling in as Regent King until Endymion was of age had already tired him out and rather than sit through this boring meeting, he wanted to get back to his laboratory and continue with his many experiments. His thoughts were interrupted by his head advisor, Corinth coughing discreetly.
"Your Majesty, I think Lord Baldwell would like a…course of action to be taken to this issue he has presented."
He stared blankly at Corinth for a moment as he came back to himself. "And the situation would be…?" He felt all the eyes of the nobility present roll back into their heads as they silently smothered their cries of distress and anguish. Choosing to ignore them, he focused his attentions on Corinth and the answer he was expecting. He was tired enough of this as it was and sick to death about sitting in this council room with these gentlemen pretending to give a damn about the issues they discussed. He had not been raised to rule. His brother and Endymion's father, Takehiko, had been the one groomed for the thrown. Why, Takehiko had spent his whole schooling being prepared for the part, so why had they all assumed that he, the second son who had never endured all the training and education would be able to – or even care to – do as good a job as the former King had. It was sad and unfortunate, Takehiko's untimely death, especially considering that Endymion was only seventeen at the time. Thus, the burden of Kingship had fallen upon his shoulders and for these past three years he had been waiting anxiously for the day that Endymion would be fit to rule. And his wait would soon be over. In less than one month, Endymion would have his twentieth birthday and ascend the throne, becoming King of Tsuyoshi Chikyū and he would finally be allowed to return to his books and experiments and retreat from human interaction.
Oh he was waiting for that day. However, until then, he had to run the kingdom as best he could and right now, Lord Baldwell was concerned about the amount of 'accidents' occurring amongst the young ladies presently staying in Keiyaku Castle. Apparently, according to Lord-Fussy-Face, there were an unusual amount of small injuries happening amongst the young ladies. He rolled his eyes internally. This was nothing new. Every year, there would be these silly catfights happening between the ladies as they tried to scare away the competition. It was the same old thing. Why, he remembered when Takehiko was about to come of age, the same things happened then. The young ladies staying in the palace would often appear at the social gatherings with a bandaged hand or carefully concealed scratch. There were also the less obvious wars where outfits would be ruined or jewelry hidden. He was no stranger to all the tricks the young women employed to make the competition less desirable. So called 'friends' would backstab one another to look better in front of the prince. Sometimes, temporary alliances were formed by a few of the girls, to bully out some of the others. His point was, that this sort of unseemly behavior, although attempted to remain hidden, was always a part of the Tónne season and Lord Baldwell was being a fusspot because this year, his daughter Myriad, was one of the girls 'staying for the summer activities.'
He turned to face Baldwell. "Lord Baldwell, let me be frank." He was slightly pleased with the startled expression as he spoke directly to the old, balding man. "What exactly, has happened that is out of the ordinary? This type of behavior amongst the young girls always happens." He quickly continued as some of the advisors looked a bit affronted that he had spoken so openly about this issue. It had always been noted, but ignored, as if it didn't exist. After all, no one wanted to admit that the Queens of this country were often the ones who enforced these 'punishments'. "These little catfights are nothing new; in fact, they're almost expected by now. What exactly has happened that warrants my intervention?"
Lord Baldwell looked quite flustered as he fought to keep his calm. "Well…I uh-" The man spluttered in a dizzy.
He was saved by his good friend Duke Grimwall. "Your Majesty, there has been no such incident as of yet, however there seems to be a lot more 'accidents' than usual this year."
"Yes, yes, you've all told me that." Katsuhiko continued, liking how the council seemed to actually take him seriously for once. "What I want to know is, what do you expect me to do about it considering the nature of these…accidents?" He was met with an uncomfortable silence as the council realized the impossibility of their request. Really, how could the King intercede in these squabbles amongst the young ladies if they were – by social protocol – meant to remain ignored? In fact, it would be exceedingly embarrassing if the King of all people – regent or not – were to intercede in so petty a matter as a misplaced dress.
Noting that the council members realized their own foolishness, Katsuhiko finally relented offering them a small bone. "Tell the maids and serving staff to keep their eyes peeled and their ears open. They are to report any sort of misconduct to Corinth who will deal with it at his discretion. They are not to take sides with certain ladies or refrain from providing information, and if caught doing so shall receive a punishment for that alone." He paused to get a sense of how the council felt about this edict. Seeing that they were all seemingly in agreement he continued. "That should make us more aware of the issues at hand." And with that last sentence, he rose strongly from his seat exiting the stifling room to escape to his own personal haven.
People, especially nobles, were a chore.
She couldn't believe it. She really couldn't. She had resigned herself to the fact that even though she had returned to the planet where they met, she would never again have the opportunity to see him. Fate was so horribly cruel yet deliciously kind. It was a waterfall of emotions that rushed through her as she watched him, watching her. Her mind battled her heart, telling her that Motoki would be expecting her back very soon and that nothing would ever come from starting a relationship with this handsome man. Her heart though, seemed to have overtaken her eyes, not allowing them to look away from the striking young man who stood before her. In fact, all her senses refused to obey her mind and took to solely taking in the presence of the youth. Her ears held out for his deep breaths, her nose taking in his earthy smell and her fingers ached to once again hold that strong body closely to her own.
Yet her mind told her to stop.
And so she stood. Frozen. Waiting. Like a deer in the hunter's trap she just stopped…and stared. An eternity passed before he let out a shuddering sigh of…relief? And broke the spell by taking a step forward. One step. One step that seemed to call out to her legs and before she knew it, she found herself rushing to him, her legs carrying her swiftly to his side. He met her half way and caught her into his arms, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around before placing her down close to himself. The setting sun glowed brightly and shone through the leaves casting its shining approval on the young couple. Their arms wrapped around one another and she sighed softly in comfort as her nose buried into his chest, inhaling his soothing scent.
He couldn't believe he had found her. After weeks of searching, coming up naught, he had finally found his angel. She looked even more beautiful than he could recollect. The sunset shining on her golden locks brought them to life, making her seem like Aphrodite herself, hair spun from gold, fit for a goddess. Her alabaster skin, smooth and without blemish had been highlighted by the light, allowing him to see the soft peach blush that came across her face in his presence. Unable to withstand being apart any longer, he took a step forward and was rewarded for his bravery when she rushed to his side. He too moved forward and caught her in his arms like a precious jewel, never wanting to let her go again. As she laid her head on his chest, his heart felt unbelievably full. This was not just content. This was happiness. He gave her a gentle squeeze as he thought about how happy he was right now in this moment.
He couldn't help but feel as though fate had brought them together again today. He had been praying, hoping, wishing for weeks, waiting for a sign, a glimpse of her, anything. And now, here she stood, right before him in his arms. The spell that kept him silent wore off and he breathed in relief uttering the words he had wanted to say for what seemed like years. "I'm glad I found you."
She heard him whisper to her hair and she couldn't help the pleased smile and light blush that came across her face. She was so at ease in this moment, it felt so right to be in his arms, to be here with him. She found she could only hum in agreement and rest her head further onto his comfortably broad chest.
It was when the sun finally dipped low enough in the sky that it was almost hidden completely from view that she realized that she could not stay in this moment forever. That in turn made her realize that Motoki would be coming in search of her any minute as she was already late on her return. She pulled away from the young man in sadness. "I must go." She softly murmured.
His arms tightened around her, a sense of panic once again overriding his system. This was not how this meeting was supposed to be. He had pictured it many times since he decided to carry out his search. He was supposed to find news of her through his generals then make his way over to her house and request a moment alone with her. The household would be in a tizzy with the unannounced arrival of the Prince and flustered, the Lord of the manor would acquiesce to his request and he would be led into the parlor where his mystery maiden sat. At his arrival she would stand and he would bow deeply to her, like in their first meeting. As he rose again he would move forward declaring his passionate love before bending down on one knee and asking for her hand. She would be stunned, unable to process things so quickly, but would soon overcome that and blushingly? Tearfully? But definitely happily agree and he would present her with an engagement ring. That fantasy was being shaken with the words coming from her mouth at this current moment.
"No-" he heard himself utter and saw a shocked expression come across her face before it was quickly replaced with an understanding look.
"My family will be looking for me soon." She explained, "I'm already late. I must go." She looked into his eyes, willing him to understand.
Her eyes were deep, emotions swirling within their sapphire depths, and he could see that she truly did not wish to go. However, he could also see the need to return that she was telling him about. With a silent sight he brushed her bangs away from her forehead, planting a sweet kiss on the pastel skin. His lips seemed to melt into silken ivory, her skin being the softest thing he'd ever felt.
Serenity melted into his kiss before reality once again came screaming at her. With the thought that she would cherish this kiss, she smiled up at him sweetly gliding away from the safe haven of his arms and towards the direction of her home. Just as she reaching the edge of the clearing she heard him call out. "Your name! Please, I beg you give me your name."
A slightly heartbroken expression flickered across her face for no more than a second as she realized he would never know her true name. This man with whom she felt so much of a connection would only know half of herself but on reflection, she found she didn't care, it was enough to be known. "It's Serena." She called sweetly, before she vanished into the surround woods.
Endymion sighed softly from the afterglow of being in her presence. He looked at the spot where she had left him seeing a small white cloth left behind. He made his way over and picked it up, it was a ladies handkerchief, small and simple yet so elegantly hers. He brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly.
"Serena…" he murmured.
The education system of this planet was appalling. Well, that was from a Mercurian's point of view, yet she was sure, several of the educational institutions of this planet would be utterly lacking even by normal Galaxy Imperium Standards or G.I.S. The fact that education was limited to the upper class as well as the sexist gender differentiation was absolutely shocking. Oh yes, the higher class, young women of this planet were allowed to be educated, however that did not mean they received the same education as men. Politics, economics, business studies, the sciences, these were all that men and only men learnt. At least, that was through the system. Women too could educate themselves on these issues, but it was a solely self taught study possibly assisted by a few close male friends or relatives. But a woman seeking education from the state for these subjects? Ha! She'd be laughed right out of the bloody institution.
Etiquette, Needlework, Household management, Music and the Arts, these were the subjects that women were educated in within this society. Forget equal opportunity, women weren't even thought to have the same brain capacity as men.
It may have been funny, she thought, reflecting on her hidden thoughts, the ferocity with which she was offended when researching the structure of education on this planet. She rarely got worked up over anything, choosing instead to take an analytic approach to things and figure out what thought pattern had lead the other to come to their conclusion. However, one thing this Mercurian took seriously was education and more importantly the right for every individual to receive and partake in gaining an education. After all, as Queen Serenity I had said, 'A poor lifestyle is bred from ignorance, education breeds enlightenment which breeds understanding. Understanding is the foundation on which we build our relationships, our values and our lives.'
The Mercurian Senshi had never forgotten those words that had been uttered to her on her first day of school at the Mercurian Based Lunar System Education Facility. That school had taught her many things and although she had kept up her study like a true Mercurian with extra lessons with tutors on weekends and after school, those words told to her by her kindergarten teacher had stuck with her for life. Queen Serenity I was an immensely intelligent woman. The unification of the Milky Way Galaxy had occurred under her rule, by her own hand. If she could trust anyone, she believed that that woman was wholly reliable.
So to learn that this planet felt so strongly about the inferiority of the female mind, she found herself truly angry. She had been expecting it, knowing the information she had come across from her research on the Moon, however she found herself truly shocked at the skill set she was supposed to be learned on and the methods she was supposed to employ in teaching the young princess in hiding.
Unlike the other Senshi, Mercury was supposed to establish herself in town first before appearing at the Rutherford manor as Serena's tutor. She now found that this was near impossible for her to accomplish. The materials she was to teach, she herself had little understanding of and most of the subjects were merely activities to keep women occupied rather than serve as knowledgeable aids to the kingdom. In her week alone she had tried to grasp the social customs of this planet, learning what classified as acceptable, impolite and downright disgraceful and yet she still felt that she was no further in her mission than before.
Last night she had sent an old fashion signal to the moon which used as little magic as possible and a lot of archery skill. She had waited nearly four hours, but in the wee hours of the morning she had received her reply from Queen Serenity II allowing her to proceed with her new plan.
And that's how she found herself here, outside Rutherford manor, dressed in a commoner's faded blue dress, a small pack her only belongings. Her short blue-black hair was mostly hidden by a simple handkerchief she wore as a head-scarf and her feet were covered by old worn boots. She was grateful that Lord Artemis had set up a working women's dorm as an extension of his own house. Having created the Rutherford Dormitory for boys and being commended on its success, Lord Artemis had decided to trial a women's dorm that was managed in the same way. The problem he encountered though, was that no landlord wanted the responsibility of a primarily female household, all possible applicants refused on the grounds that they could not guarantee the safety of these young women. This in fact was an issue, the city was not necessarily safe at night however, Lord Artemis believed that the main reasoning for their reluctance was the thought that society would think it indecent for many young attractive women rooming in a house with a male landlord. In an attempt to still trial these women's dormitories, Lord Artemis and Lady Luna opened the Northern quarters of their manor to a few young women attempting to gain work in the city. And this is why the Mercurian Senshi had made her way to this household.
A few seconds passed after she gently knocked on the door. A butler clad in black answered the door beckoning her in as she stated her business. Showing her to the Northern Parlor he bade her sit and rest as he informed the master and mistress of the house of her presence. Another few minutes passed in silence as she awaited the return of the butler and her soon to be landlords.
The door opened silently on its newly oiled hinges and the young Mercurian stood up in respect for the entering nobles, the butler introducing them by their respective titles. "Lord and Lady Rutherford." He said giving enough time for a polite pause before he introduced the waiting lady. "A Miss Amy Mizuno." He continued and with a grand bow he exited the room. Lady Rutherford took her place gracefully on the plush loveseat near the bay window and Lord Rutherford motioned for Amy to resume her seat as he sat opposite the young lady in the centre of the room.
"I hear that you are looking for boarding Miss Mizuno." Lord Artemis said as he sat down.
The bluenette nodded once in agreement, "Yes, although there are not many respectable places in this city."
Lord Artemis hummed in agreement as a soft knock came from the outer doors before two serving staff came in with tea and an assortment of pastries. After serving all present they once again left the room as silently as they had came. "I take it then that you have work lined up for you if you are looking for permanent accommodation in the city?"
Once again Amy nodded to his question placing her cup on her saucer. "Yes, I have recently acquired a position as a maid at the palace. However, there are no boarding positions still vacant and the surrounding area is most unsuitable for myself alone at night. After some research, I have found that the palace offers a complimentary economy coach ride to workers living in the out skirting towns, the Hasegawa region is one of the areas included and seems by far the safest location to live."
Lord Artemis let a pleased smile unfurl on his lips as he took the praise for what it was. He had tried hard to make the land given to him by the state to be the safest and most prosperous place to live. And slowly his dedication and efforts were seeing results and more importantly, the palace was beginning to as well. "Well, Miss Mizuno, the conditions for living here are quite simple. Ten percent of your pay will be taken as rent every month. In return, we provide you with room and board. Rules are quite simple. We ask you respect all staff working in this manor. As a member of serving staff yourself, I expect you have similar values in how you like to be treated, I will not tolerate disrespect to my serving staff. Likewise, I expect you to respect all other occupants of this manor, especially my family. Also, please refrain from inviting guests over unless having already requested permission. Please observe the curfew rules and return before the set time. Any further questions can be answered by our Butler, Tanaka, he is very well organized and a very good teacher."
Another hour passed as the Lord and Lady gently interrogated the young woman about her plans for the city and work and as the latest pot of tea was being whisked away by serving staff, the young lady of the house flounced her way in. She had heard from Motoki that Ami had arrived and had been so excited to go and see the young woman. First her surprise meeting with the handsome young man yesterday and now Ami's arrival. However Andrew had told her it would be highly unusual for a young lady of higher birth to go and greet a boarder especially since it was a matter her parents should be handling. He had told her to wait an hour before making her way downstairs to meet once again with her Mercurian Senshi. As she entered the room, Lord and Lady Rutherford stood and exited telling their butler that no one was to enter the Northern Parlor for the rest of the day. Used to the Rutherford's often strange yet harmless requests, he quickly informed the personnel and continued on with his duties.
Once the door had closed behind them, Serenity jumped at her friend, enveloping her in a humongous hug. The blue haired Senshi returned the gesture before parting from her princess and giving her a broad smile. "Look at you…" she teased softly, tugging gently at the ridiculous outfit the blonde had on. Serenity groaned and rolled her eyes. She knew she looked ridiculous, but this was one of the dresses that were often worn by these Earthen women and even though she felt it made her look like a cream puff, she couldn't constantly wear the few less frilly, lacy and puffy dresses that her wardrobe held. Lady Rutherford, sensing her dislike for the statement dresses, had offered to have a tailor come within the week and that day could not come soon enough for the young lady. Until then she was stuck looking like a Jupiterean dessert.
"I know," She grouched, "But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do." The bluenette let out a small giggle and joined her princess as she sat down on the soft settee. "It's so good to see you Amy." She said smiling happily at her comrade.
"Likewise." The Mercurian answered honestly. She had missed the close camaraderie with her friends and hoped that they were all doing well. Hours passed as the two friends talked filling in each other about their happenings and interesting news, Serenity making sure not to mention or give any hints about her secret meeting with the handsome young man yesterday afternoon. Soon Serenity felt it time to leave and sadly parted with her friend. Even though they would be in the same house, as first planned, this new turn of events made interaction between the two a little more delicate. True, no one would say a word against her if she were to befriend the young boarder, yet still people would talk about it.
Returning to her quarters Serenity pondered this fact. Would that necessarily be a bad thing? Having people talk about the young mistress befriending the commoner? She decided no. It just might do the people of Earth good if they realise how equal people really are.
Well there you have it folks! Chapter 10 what did you think? I hope you liked it!
Posted on September 1st 2013.