Glossary
Charon: in Greek Mythology, he is the ferryman of Hades, the god of the Underworld, who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron
(The River) Styx: in Greek Mythology, it is a river that formed the boundary between Earth and the Underworld.
Elysian Fields: A concept of an otherworld in Greek Mythology; described as a land of perfect happiness reserved for the heroes whom the gods granted immortality, and later, for all who lived a righteous life
(Sources: Google/Wikipedia; Encyclopedia Britannica)
X
'To the Esteemed Members of Parliament,
'I have read your letter, and am sorry for not replying sooner, but I have thought about your words a lot.
'I understand that there are many things about me that make you worried about what type of ruler I'll be: I'm young; I have no experience about governing the Moon and its people. These are things I know are important. But even though I have these disadvantages, I have a duty to protect the people of The Moon and the kingdom. However, I know I cannot do that without you, and that's why I'm asking you to teach me. I want to learn about my responsibilities as ruler under your guidance and instruction. I think doing so will be beneficial for me until the day I am truly ready to assume my duty.
'I hope my proposal is something you can agree with and I look forward to hearing from you.
'Sincerely,
'Serena Tsukino'
Serena solemnly looked up from her sheet of paper and into the eyes of The Elders of the Moon. Her body was breaking out in a nervous sweat, and a part of her wished she had not worn the dress she had chosen; they all could probably see her knees knock together in nervousness through its lower sheer material. And the red lipstick that she wore made her feel like she had magnified her mouth two sizes.
But there had been a reason why she looked the way she did. And why she had asked for Luna and Prince Diamond to leave the room. This needed to be something she did on her own.
The elders exchanged looks between themselves, as if trying to decide how best to respond. "What…" one of the woman who wore a thick shawl with embroidered roses finally said, "what is that you have read to us just now?"
"It's the letter I want to send to Parliament."
Their faces showed unconcealed shock. A few even held their hands to their mouths. "But, but—" the same woman spoke out with her eyebrows raised, "we are still in the process of drafting a…proper response to Parliament. What have you written—well, it is very friendly and inviting, but—"
"But," another cut in, "it proposes something we do not believe is the best course of action for you. Parliament's letter was written to intrude—"
"I disagree."
"You disagree?!" They echoed.
Serena put her arms down so that they could fully see her face. The teenager stood taller, wanting to recapture the bravery and sureness she had felt when she had sat at Queen Serenity's old desk the afternoon before and wrote draft after draft. "I don't think it's crazy for Parliament to say that they don't trust me as a ruler. There hasn't been a ruler in so long; maybe they're scared because of that. And maybe I could rule without them, but they know the needs of the people. And they have created the laws the citizens of the Moon follow—people like me. I'm supposed to be the Moon's ruler, but I don't know the first place to start. I need them."
"…When was this…letter written?"
"Yesterday."
"Yesterday?!" The elders erupted in their usual chaos of speaking above one another: "How is it that this has happened in the past day?"…"Is this the reason for your lack of attendance?!"…"After all our hard work spending day after day to write this insipid—"…"But, we were told you were unwell yesterday!"
Aglecta, from her place on the other side of the table directly across from Serena, slammed her palms unto the table. The chatter in the room fell to abrupt silence, and the sixteen-year-old swore she heard the swish of the elder's green satin dress as she stood. The old woman looked every bit as severe as she had the day they had met for her first lesson in the very room they were in now; her lips were so pursed together, she looked like she had sucked on a lemon. If it weren't for her heart beating like crazy in her chest, the teen maybe would've even thought it was funny.
Her eyes narrowed. "And why is it you believe Parliament should get to know you—or teach you anything at all? What, exactly, is it you think we are incapable of showing you ourselves?"
"I am the protector of the Moon. That's why I'm here. That's what I want the people of the Moon to believe because it's the truth." She took a quick inhale of breath, remembering something she had read in her father's article about her during that previous day. "I am responsible for keeping the Moon safe, and I know that if people believe in me, I can do that."
"…That night," the first elder said. "When you were at Coronation. You said you were here to protect us, and you said the words again just now. What do you truly mean when you say 'protect the Moon?'" She didn't let Serena answer before gasping in surprise. "Is there a threat to the kingdom?"
The bravery Serena felt faltered slightly. "I don't…" Her letter flapped as her fingertips touched her forehead. They dropped abruptly. "…I don't know if there is a threat exactly."
A tremor of panicked words burst from the others. The elder woman tried again. "But can you dete—"
"BE SILENT!" Aglecta yelled at the woman, quieting her. "Be silent!" Her beady eyes focused on Serena. "You cannot—could not—possibly know the words of which you speak! You speak of things beyond your understanding, and I will not sit here and listen to you be so bold! I will not allow you to speak lies to cover up how much you have proven to be a charlatan!
"If you are here to fulfill the needs of the kingdom, then you are here to guide us to the Silver Millennium Crystal. That is why you are here! That is why you are allowed behind these walls! Every day I have spent trying to get you to show even a shred of the power we believed the princess possessed at your age! I have—I have sat in this very room, and watched you fail over and over. How dare you pretend to have such power?! To speak as if you are suddenly capable of doing something that any member of the royal family could not accomplish without the Silver Millenn—"
"Stop telling me that I can't do anything!" The letter had dropped from her hand and fallen to the floor, but she didn't need it anymore. "You don't know! Stop…stop telling me I can't do stuff. None of you know what I can do; you haven't even tried. Everything that I know learned is because I've had to ask or…or be shown. I know I can protect the Moon, but I can't if I don't learn under the people who know the Moon. And that's not you!"
Her pale blue eyes locked with Aglecta's own fiery glare. She could see her as she was a century ago: the same angry, snappish woman—and then her vision…blurred.
The pain in her forehead felt like she had just experienced a blow, and the room started spinning. She had never felt this way before.
"…We…we understand your perspective and the frustration that is placed on you," the first elder said hesitantly, carefully. Her hand rose and made a motion for calm from both sides. "And maybe in using your letter as a guide, we can change our terms to make your request possible—"
"It's too late," Serena said woozily. "I…I wrote the letter twice. This one," she bent down to pick up the neglected sheet, "is a copy I wanted to keep and read to you." She took a deep breath and felt the world right itself once more. "The other one I had sent directly to Parliament earlier this morning. Artemis is delivering it for me, and he promised he wouldn't come back without their response. So," she said, looking at their stunned faces, "even though you disagree and don't want me to do anything, I'm going to do this anyway."
The sixteen-year-old girl bowed to them all with her hand over her heart, and wordlessly turned away from them, passing under the princess' image and smile as she left the room for the final time.
For the second time in twice as many hours, there were a series of knocks on Endymion's door.
"Diamond."
The Moon-born royal entered into the suite without awaiting permission and immediately ventured into the drawing room. His expression was tight with frustration and his fists were clenched, as if ready to scream at the top of his lungs. "Something has happened just now. At the meeting."
Endymion's panic for Serena was sudden—Have I already failed in my promise to protect her?—but schooled his face to betray nothing. He followed the familiar path to his drawing room and the adjacent dining area, watching as the man he had not seen in weeks pace back and forth before the sofa, running his fingers through his white hair.
"What has happened now with the esteemed Elders of the Moon?" he asked with the familiar ring of sarcasm.
"She," the Moon-born prince struggled to formulate the words and his fingers fumbled to unbutton his suit jacket, "she has written a letter or some such nonsense to Parliament saying—lessons on how to be a queen. On how to rule! She all but…stripped the elders of their titles! Aglecta is in a rage—has even threatened to punish Artemis for the role he has played in all of this. She refuses to listen to reason; it is taking everything for the others to calm her." He sat down on the couch and his expression was one of true frustration. "I do not understand what has happened," he murmured to himself.
"What do you mean?" Endymion asked. The prince of Earth picked up his solitary dining table chair and brought it before the wall of windows and across from the prince. His body hunched over in the seat, as if he were lying in wait.
"I mean, what has happened to lead her to act so brashly? So foolishly? To even write that letter?" Diamond's brow wrinkled. "…It is as if things have spiraled beyond my control. …Aglecta and a few of the other elders mentioned her saying that she is learned or being shown things that none of them have taught her. They do not know what that means."
The two men fell to quiet. The clouds outside passed along the back wall of the royal grounds, the sky phasing between brightness and shade as nimbus clouds blocked the sunlight. The fountain full of koi stood strong as always, a world unto itself.
The prince of Earth turned back to the white-haired man sitting on the couch. "She is so well liked amongst the other royals. If it were not for these talks, they would still be begging for her company. And the staff is a bunch of…" he paused to form the humor in his voice, "gossipy maids. Has no one thought that she may have overheard something?" He said lowly. "If that were the case, it would be impossible to find the culprit—if one does exist."
"But… If she felt unsure or worried about things—her education towards becoming queen—she could have found me. I am here for that purpose. I told her of my loyalty. She could have trusted in my confidentiality."
"…How could she be so certain?"
Diamond's gaze had shifted from the floor to Endymion's face. His eyes narrowed. "What?"
"You are known by association to the Moon Elders. You stand for them; you speak on their behalf when prompted. And though you deny it, you are able to have Aglecta's ear. In fact, despite your protests, you have always seemed truly capable of doing so."
The air changed with the prince's words and the humorless, accusatory way he uttered them. Diamond's glare became tense and as mistrustful as the last time they had held conversation. Endymion felt as if the memory that plagued him with its withholding of answers had come to life before him: he was staring into the eyes of an enemy; the feeling of hatred was growing in the pit of his stomach. "…What would you, or anyone here in the palace, consider necessary to keep hidden from her?" He spoke as if he already he knew the answer.
Their gazes held.
The question would remain unanswered.
Diamond stood and began to straighten his clothing. "I must go back and see if the elders have calmed now."
The two walked to the door and the Moon royal left the space without further acknowledgement to the guest that lived there.
A fortnight had not yet passed before The Queen of the Moon's health turned for the absolute worst. The blemish on her skin had grown over her left shoulder and back and breast; breathing and moving had become painful. Not even the view of the royal grounds from her bedroom balcony comforted her. She was confined to her bed; everything she did, from drinking to to turning herself over in bed to relieving herself, had to be done with assistance. The physician made it clear that her life would end when the sickness reached her heart.
As her mother's only child, she was to be the one to carry out all the rites of mourning: discarding her own fancy dresses and adornments for plain white garbs and bare feet; the carrying around and constant blessing of the two gold coins that would be placed over her mother's eyes to pay the ferryman of death, Charon, for her passage along the River Styx, and eventual entry into the Elysian Fields. Each moment she was granted to see her mother and watch her be doted upon by Luna and the other handmaidens ended with her tears.
She wanted to be by her mother's side at all times, but the Elders of the Moon denied her that comfort and solitude. In their collective mind, it was best to indoctrinate her to various duties in her mother's stead—things that she would have to understand and practice the utmost decorum when performing as ascending ruler. She was to attend those purposeless meetings they used to peacock their self-importance to one another. Venus, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter were kept from the meetings and directed to stand in the adjacent hallway with the rest of the royal guard. And Artemis, who was more than knowledgeable of her mother's notes and ideas and always patiently explained things to her, was relieved of his duties as scribe.
There were so many changes taking place all at once, and as the days passed, Serenity felt her ire for the wizened, wrinkled royals grow and sour in a new way it had not before. Especially towards Aglecta. The elder's countenance was always foul and snappish, but it seemed to have worsened without cause or explanation or reason. Without her mother's presence to dispel the tension and strife The Buzzard Woman seemed bent on causing, she was able to be boisterous and combative without reproach. The rest of the elders bowed in supplication when confronted with her ferocity.
Serenity quickly learned what that meant for her:
"Our concern at this time lies with the handling of the crystal. It is still important for you to fully learn its secrets and utilize its power, a power that has held the kingdom—the universe—in balance and peace for eons. There is not a kingdom that does not desire it, and with your mother's waning health, it has the potential to slip from our grasp." Her fingers curled slowly and then clenched into a fist. "Its possession is your birthright, but there is no doubt that you do not yet have the capability to handle and control such a thing. Our kingdom's strength is centered on you keeping the crystal safe, but your inexperience keeps the Moon dependent on the other planets.
"We, of course, cannot teach you everything you need to know about the crystal, but that is an endeavor we must undertake in the days after your mother finally finds her peace. We have decided to invoke an act of regency for the benefit of the royal family. As such, one of us will assume the role of your sole guardian and diplomatic liaison: overseeing your education of the Silver Millennium Crystal; speaking to dignitaries from the other planets about interstellar politics and the like.
"Until your regent decides that you are truly ready to become Queen of the Moon, your coronation is on hold."
Serenity, powerless under the gaze of the elder's eyes and smug smile, could do nothing more than leave the room. Even as she went through the rest of the afternoon, she could not find the words to describe the tumult of feelings within her. Her senshi remained unconvinced that she was fine despite her assurances.
Now, hours later, she was heading towards the archway where she had arranged to meet Endymion. He had made the decision to stay behind after his men and delegates left for Earth, but the other royals' reception of his presence had changed with her mother's waning health. He was now seen as an intruder, and she could not endure the looks and whispers around them, so this structure had become their private meeting place. His kind voice, his warm embrace, his obliging her with kisses whenever she asked—he made her forget what was wrong, and her love for him had deepened more in response.
"Your Royal Highness," a voice broke through her thoughts.
Serenity looked up to see Diamond emerging from her intended destination. His purple eyes were accentuated by his tie and shirt of the exact color. She had not seen him since the night in the drawing room—as least, she did not believe so. It was as if he had suddenly materialized from thin air.
Panic suddenly gripped her. Still, she moved forward towards Endymion. But as their paths finally crossed, she felt a cool touch around the crook of her arm. The young princess looked up to see the royal staring down at her. No words left his lips, but she could feel his grip tighten ever so slightly. His eyes bore into hers; there were words unspoken on his lips.
Serenity pushed away him to free herself.
He let her go, and continued on his way.
She felt it necessary to rub away his touch and did not stop until finally approaching Endymion. His back rested against one of the pillars and he was straightening the sleeves his armor.
"What has happened? …Did Diamond—"
"I am fine." He said quickly, voice was thick with aggravation. His hand clasped hers and brought her near to kiss her forehead. They stayed that way for a few moments, until she could feel his calm. The look in his eyes was stormy; he did not speak for a moment. "…I overheard rumors about the elders' decision."
Thoughts of her encounter with Diamond fled her mind and her brow wrinkled with frustration. "…So everyone in the palace is aware."
He mustered a tight smile. "Gossip tends to spread quickly among your staff and, in effect, to everyone else. It may take some time before something new captures their attention."
"They truly do not think I am yet capable of ruling… And," she said, admitting to the thoughts that had been plaguing her, "and I am not."
"That is not true. You are as capable as you believe yourself to be."
"No." Serenity shook her head. "The crystal has a power that I only encountered once and…I have never forgotten how it made me feel. It is…so great, and I do need to learn how to handle it, but I do not trust them." She stared out to the rest of the grounds, sadness and anger and fear waging war inside her. "Aglecta will manipulate the others into giving her the responsibility. If she becomes my regent, there is no telling how she will abuse the power… And she is such a bully, the others would not oppose her when those moments occured…"
"To declare regency is a very controversial decision, even on Earth. There have been plenty of examples of regents keeping their power well past the ascending ruler's suitable age. She may isolate you from any supporters both within or outside your kingdom."
"Mars and Venus and Jupiter and Mercury…she would make them leave. And you would be kept away as well."
He gave her a solemn look. He did not have to agree with her words to make them true.
Serenity's hand gripped his. "Endymion, what can I do?"
"You need an ally. An ally that you can trust and will be powerful enough to counter the elders' plans."
"I only trust the girls and…and you."
"…If you trust me, then marry me."
Her eyes widened. "…What?"
"Serenity, you are the most important person to me in the universe. I love you. I want to be with you for as long as I can draw breath and my heart beats in my chest. I want to be able to protect you from anyone who would want to hurt you and be the one who you seek to keep you safe." He fell to one knee before her. "I want you to marry me because I want you beside me always. I promise you that you not only find happiness with me, but the freedom to be the leader I know you are destined to be." His thumb ran across her fingers. "Will you marry me?"
She stared into his handsome face. And she nodded. "Yes. …I will marry you."
A/N: Sailor Moon borrows a lot from Greek and Roman Mythology, so it only seemed right for Serenity to undergo some of the funeral rites reflecting of that time.
The beginning with Serena and the end scene with Serenity are basically the reasons why this chapter took so long. Serena's scene basically stayed true to the rough draft; Serenity's however did have a change from what I first intended.