"No!" Haruka yelled. "No! You... you can't do this!" Her eyes were wide, frantic, the prince standing above Michiru. Tears slipped down her lover's cheeks and Haruka felt her heart clench. "You can't."
The prince laughed and stood down. "And why can't I, sister?"
"Don't take Michiru's life. I... I challenge you. To a duel. If you win, you can have Michiru and the throne. I'll be dead anyway."
The prince looked to her, his eyes no longer light, but dark and clouded with greed and mischief. "The rest of my life without you? With the Princess Michiru by my side? No one there to stop me? Oh, sister, you make this far too easy. How could I not win?"
The guard unbound Haruka's hands and she stood. Her hand gripped for the Space Sword and she unsheathed it. Her brother took out a silver saber, grinning, cocky.
"After all, sister, I think we forget who got the real knight's training here. Your experience could not possibly rival mine in any way. Soon you shall be dead and I'll have my rightful princess all to myself. I'll have to make up some story, of course, to appease father. Perhaps how you went insane and brought the Rogue in to kill me. After slaying the city's king of thieves, I had to do battle with my own sister to defend my very life." Riushi laughed, throwing his arm over his eyes dramatically. "He'll believe every word."
"Every word of what?" The king asked as he came into the room, his eyes moving from Riushi to Haruka, then to Michiru, and finally to the headless body of the fallen Rogue. "What is going on here?" he demanded quickly.
"Father! It's Haruka! She's gone crazy!" Riushi sputtered, his voice a little higher, scared he had been caught.
The king turned his eyes to his daughter. "What have you done?"
"No!" Michiru yelled, sitting up, her cheek still red. "Riushi killed the Rogue and was about to kill me!" She slid her hood down to reveal her aqua hair fully. Haruka moved closer to her protectively.
"Ha! And why would I do that to my own beloved wife?" Riushi asked. "Why don't you ask them what they were about to do, father! They were running away, right, sister?"
Haruka snarled, her hand still clenching the Space Sword, knowing how easy it would be to end this right now, but Michiru's hand found her own as the girl stood. "King Uranus, you must understand. I do not love Prince Riushi. I love-,"
"Don't you speak a word, wretch!" Riushi dove at Michiru, his eyes blazing in anger.
Suddenly, Haruka felt the bond tugged at her. The invisible ribbon that held them together. Her arm swung up, the sword swishing past Michiru's hair and slicing across her brother's chest. The prince cried out and fell back.
"You see, father! She wounds me!" The prince exclaimed, thinking himself coy.
The king stared at them. "I have seen who wounds who, Riushi. I believe the princess of Neptune would not lie, for her blood forbids her to do so. Perhaps we have made the wrong decision. Guards-..."
The prince snarled and leapt again, this time his sword raised to cut Haruka. She again felt the golden bond, felt Uranus stirring inside her, as wild as the wind. She felt the hand of the very first Haruka, and every Haruka after her, guide her own hands. The Space Sword glowed.
Michiru felt her heart tighten as she watched Riushi leap at Haruka, his sword raised. The blonde didn't miss a beat, however, bringing up her glowing sword to block his. The prince moved to strike her and she blocked again, kicking him away. The king grabbed Michiru's arm to pull her to the side and out of danger as a sword's blade came dangerously close to her own abdomen.
The battle unfolded before them in a flurry of parries and blocks and counter-strikes. Despite Riushi's extensive training, sweat poured down his face and his battle cries became frustrated grunts. Haruka, meanwhile, moved as smooth as the wind. She was calm and silent, her eyes bright. Her hands moved swiftly, occasionally getting in the smooth cut to her brother's flesh. Blood splattered the marble floor.
At last, Riushi began to get more unfair and aggressive. He let out a wolfish laugh as he caught Haruka off guard and sliced her side. Haruka cried out and Michiru let out a whimper. The blonde fell back some, clutching the deep wound. Riushi grinned, his confidence rebuilding. He moved to strike his sister again.
Michiru slid the mirror from her cloak and quickly used it to reflect the light of the enormous lit globe overhead into Riushi's eyes. The prince blinked and staggered and Haruka took the chance Michiru had given her.
The blonde leapt up, grabbing her brother's shoulder. They stood for a moment, then Riushi let out a terrible gurgle, blood slipping from his lips onto Haruka's golden armor. Haruka pulled away and a gush of blood fell from the prince's side before he fell, his body twitching.
The only sound in the room was Haruka's harsh breathing. The sword fell from her fingers with a loud crash and she turned to Michiru. The aqua haired princess let out a sob and ran to her, hugging her closely. Haruka's arms wrapped around her, holding her, shocked at first, and soon relaxing.
"I'm so sorry, father," Haruka said, her eyes downcast as she stood in front of the king of Uranus.
"No, I am sorry, my daughter. Due to the legacy of my family, I became selfish and self centered. Because of this I believed Riushi would be a good match for the throne and our allies. I did not realize he had slipped so far."
"It's... all my fault."
"No. This has gone on for years. I should have declared him mad a few years ago. You see, Haruka, two years ago there was a murder of a servant girl in the palace. While he swore he hasn't done it since, I know he has. I wanted to look past it, but I should have realized it had gotten out of hand. I am the one who is sorry."
Haruka looked to him, astonished. Beside her, Michiru smiled, placing her hand on Haruka's arm. The blonde smiled, then laughed and hugged her father tightly.
"Perhaps a little to the left," Michiru said, amused as Haruka grunted and moved the painting to the left. "Mmn, no perhaps not. Move it back."
The blonde yelled in exasperation and glared to her lover. Michiru merely giggled and moved to kiss her. "All right, it's fine there, I suppose."
"You know, for a queen, you sure are cruel," Haruka muttered, earning her a smack on the arm from the aqua haired beauty.
"I am not cruel. If you want cruel, you'll have to see what I'm planning tonight," she purred coyly.
There was a cough behind them and they both turned to see the former king of Uranus standing in the entrance to the huge royal bedroom. "Am I interrupting?"
Haruka blushed and chuckled, leaving the painting alone. "No, father, what is it?"
"Queen Serenity would like to speak to you both. Because I am no longer king," he chuckled. "I am not permitted to hear what she has to say."
Haruka smiled and moved to hug her father, who instead stopped the blonde to fix the crown on her head before hugging her. The former king then turned to Michiru and hugged her as well.
Michiru smiled softly, though sadly. "If you regret giving up your throne, sire," she began, but the king silenced her.
"Nonsense, Michiru. It gives me time to work on my sand golf. So much more challenging than the golf on earth. It seems just in time for my next game," he chuckled and left.
"My lady?" Haruka asked and offered her arm. Michiru took it and leaned up to kiss her queen. They walked to the throne room together, the large screen coming down to relay the moon queen's message.
Michiru sat at Haruka's feet on the throne as the message blinked on. Queen Serenity's lovely face appeared, a sad smile in her eyes. Michiru frowned, her heart beginning to ache.
"My queens," the silver-haired woman began. "I would like to first congratulate you on your recent inauguration. I regret I could not be there. Unfortunately, there was a matter very pressing on Earth I had to attend to. As you know, the telescopes on Earth are far superior to any in this planetary realm. It seems King Endymion found something very worrisome. There appears to be something swallowing stars. It is many years off at the moment, but the threat is imminent. I fear if it becomes visible to the people they may revolt in panic. I urge you both to keep the peace as efficiently as possible. Of course, then I consider who I am speaking to," she smiled. "You two can do anything, I am sure of it. Good luck. I will transmit any other information I receive."
The broadcast switched off and Michiru looked to her hands, worry in her eyes. She considered the vision she had the first time she'd ever kissed Haruka. Her heart clenched. How many years did the queen mean?
Behind her, Haruka growled and got up, leaving quickly. The blonde slammed the door on her way out. Michiru blinked in surprise and got up, following her.
She found the blonde sitting by her brother's gravestone and frowned, moving to her. "Haruka... she said years...," Michiru started.
Haruka looked to her, sadness in her grey eyes. "It's been 2 years, Michiru. Two years since Riushi died. I thought you and I were only here to make sure someone like him didn't get the throne. I thought things would be fine now!" The blonde queen punched the grass with a growl.
Michiru frowned and moved to her, sitting beside her. She pulled her love into her arms, kissing her hair. She thought of her vision, knowing full well it may not even have been her own. This silence, the spreading Chaos, could happen anytime. She pulled Haruka closer.
"Whatever it is, Haruka, we'll face it together. If it happens during our time, we will help conquer it. I can do anything, as long as you're by my side."