"You wish to see me, Lady Beryl?" Ferdinand, a tall young man with a dark hair and deep blue eyes, dressed in a black military uniform said to Beryl.
"Yes. I have something to discuss with you. In private." She said and signaled the servants to leave her chamber.
"What could be so important that Lady Beryl has to discuss with me in private?" Ferdinand asked because it was surely strange for any knight to be in a noble lady's chamber alone with her.
"It is indeed a serious matter. As a power knight of our kingdom, you must have worked alongside Prince Endymion's for many years. Am I correct?" Beryl asked.
"This is correct, Lady Beryl." Ferdinand answered.
"Have you noticed that Prince Endymion is acting differently?" Beryl asked.
Ferdinand recalled those days when all Endymion did was combat training with the Four Generals and studying about the Middle Kingdom and her people. Those days felt like a dream, long gone from the present. Since the official visit from the Moon's Queen, Serenity and her daughter, Princess Serenity, along with four sailor guardians, Endymion has never been like himself.
"If you may permit me to say so, I have some concerns about the Prince's sudden change of behavior." Ferdinand admitted.
"We all know that the Moon Kingdom is trying to evaluate to see if the Earth is fit to be a part of Silver Alliance. I feel uneasy about this sudden interest of the Moon on Earth. I fear what might happen to our people if the Lunarians' intention is malicious." Beryl said.
"I think we all share the same concern, Lady Beryl. But that is not a reason for you to be feared. The Generals, the Knights and Terran Guards will handle everything." Ferdinand said.
"I do not fear Lunarians attacking Earth. We have much stronger army than they do. Even without magic, we can outnumber them easily if there were to attack us. But I feel they will have a much more cunning move in mind." Beryl said.
"I do not comprehend what you are saying, Lady Beryl." Ferdinand said.
"Prince Endymion is in love with Princess Serenity." Beryl said.
Ferdinand looked perplexed when hearing this. Besides the Generals and himself, no one else is supposed to know about this. And Ferdinand only knows because he had to be their chaperon in place of Nephrite who had other urgent matters to attend to at that time.
"I don't know what you are talking about, Lady Beryl. I believe the relationship between the Prince and the Princess is strictly for interplanetary benefits." Ferdinand answered.
"I'm not blind, Ferdinand. Anyone who looks closely enough will see that Endymion is in love, with Serenity." Beryl continued.
Ferdinand has always feared this. How much longer will the prince be able to keep this secret anyway?
"I know you devote your life to Endymion and the Kingdom, and I admire you for that. But I hear that the Queen and the Princess Serenity can use the Silver Crystal to change people. I fear she will use it to turn the Prince against Earth." Beryl said.
Ferdinand, not being really close to Beryl, hesitated to tell her anything, but after hearing that she shares the same concern that he has been worrying about for so long, Beryl's words sparked his interest. He has been wanting to prevent the Prince and the Princess relationship but had no idea how. And the Generals are just as hopelessly in love as the Prince.
"What are you suggesting?" Ferdinand asked.
"I know a powerful sorceress from the forbidden south. If it really comes down to it, she will give us the power to protect Earth from the Moon." Beryl said.
"Does the King know about this?" Ferdinand asked.
"No! The King must not know of this!" Beryl yelled.
"The King places far too great a responsibility on Endymion. And the King trusts Queen Serenity too much. We must help from the sideline." Beryl continued.
Some glaring concerns crept into Ferdinand's mind. "Why do you trust me with this? What do you want me to do for you? You could have done all this by yourself without my help." Ferdinand asked.
"Just as I expected from the wisest Knight of the Middle Kingdom. The truth is besides the Generals, you are the only one close enough to see Endymion everyday. Endymion trusts you. You are like his brother." Beryl said.
The word "like his brother" stung his heart a little bit.
"You can keep an eye on him seeing if he was controlled by the Princess. If there's any sign, you let me know immediately." Beryl commanded.
"I'm not going to betray the Prince, Lady Beryl. If you think that I will, you are greatly mistaken." Ferdinand answered.
"I'm not asking you to betray him. We are looking out for Earth's best interest. You of all people should know how weak a man can be when he is in love. If you really are loyal to the Prince, you would help him any way you could, even if it means doing something that he didn't ask you to do." Beryl said.
Hearing that concerns he has been playing in his head over and over again spelt out so eloquently, Ferdinand decided to consider it.
"Very well. If I find anything alarming, I will report to you, Lady Beryl."
"I'm counting on you, Ferdinand. The Middle Kingdom is counting on you." Beryl said.
Ferdinand bowed slightly and then walked out of the chamber.
—
Ferdinand walked to the training ground and saw Endymion engaging in a hand-to-hand combat with Nephrite, while the other Generals were watching from the side. Ferdinand walked in just right before Nephrite beaten Endymion by the skin's of his teeth.
"You need more practice, your Highness." Ferdinand commented.
"Go easy on him, Ferdinand. His mind is not here today." Jadeite said.
"He's waiting to see his Princess tonight." Zoicite said.
"Again? Don't you think it's a little too much. We can't keep this a secret for long if you meet the Princess almost every night." Ferdinand asked Endymion.
"It's not just me. These guys want to see their girls too, you know." Endymion said and gazing at the four Generals.
"Let get something straight. I don't have 'my girl' on the Moon. I just have a colleague with whom I enjoy discussing things from time to time." Jadeite said.
"And have heated arguments all the time." Zoicite commented.
"So what? We are both passionate about things." Jadeite said.
"About things or about each other?". Nephrite asked while letting out his hair that had been tied up for the combat training.
"Regardless, Mars is going to accompany the Princess tonight. We will discuss spiritual practices of Earth and Moon and learn from each other." Jadeite explained.
"That's so romantic. You are a lady-killer, Jadeite." Zoicite said in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh yeah, like playing chess is a library is so romantic." Jadeite fought back.
"It is for me and Mercury." Zoicite smiled smugly.
"Don't worry Ferdinand. We'll keep an eye on this matter and make sure no one knows about it." Kunzite said.
"You'd better. If our people know that the Head General has befriended the Moon Kingdom's head guardian, people are going to get suspicious about your loyalty and devotion to Earth." Ferdinand said to Kunzite.
"Oh I forgot to tell you. Last night Mercury brought this along for me to give you. It's from Jupiter." Zoicite said.
"And you waited half a day to tell me that?" Nephrite said while snatching the box out of Zoicite's hand.
Nephrite opened it. "Cookies! That's so sweet of her." Nephrite said.
Ferdinand rolled his eyes at the sight of his fellow warriors and the Prince being in love with Lunarians. Maybe it's right for him to concern after all.
—
"It's time." Beryl said to Ferdinand.
"The Prince is far too long gone. And the Moon is getting ready to attack us at any moment. We have to move first before they can do anything." Beryl said.
"What is your plan, Lady Beryl?" Ferdinand asked.
"I need you to get ahold of the Generals. Right now they are no doubts on the moon's side. But they are also a powerful force that we cannot afford to lose if we were to win over the Moon Kingdom. You have to get them back on our side." Beryl said.
"And how can I do that?" Ferdinand asked.
"Matallia, the sorceress, knows how to get them back on our side. I just need your little help." Beryl said.
"Lady Beryl, at this point, I will do anything I can to help defend the Earth." Ferdinand said.
"You deserve better, Ferdinand. You are the most loyal warrior to Earth. I don't know how the King and the Prince overlooked you. You should have been the head General instead of Kunzite." Beryl said.
"Your words flatter me, Lady Beryl. All my life, I only want to be of service to my home planet. I will let nothing and no one get in my way." Ferdinand said.
"Not even my brother." Ferdinand mumbled to himself.
—
Stood before the Moon Palace was Beryl, the Generals and Ferdinand, followed by thousands of armed Terrans. Beryl was full of power that Metallia gave her. The Generals were more than ready to fight, with their piercing looks that could kill anyone. The looks that none of the senshi has seen before. That terrifying look of warrior hungry for blood and battle.
But before the Terran army could do anything, Endymion stood between the his own army and the Moon Palace.
"Get out of the way, Endymion. Do you care about the Moon more than the Earth now?" Ferdinand yelled.
"Lanarians have no ill intention toward people of Earth. We have to stop this." Endymion said.
"Endymion, can't you see that the Princess is using you and turning you against your home planet?" Ferdinand said.
Endymion moved to protect Serenity. He stood tall and pulled out a sword.
"Get out of the way, Endymion." Ferdinand yelled.
But before anything happened, Beryl swords aiming at Serenity had been drawn. Endymion used his body to protect the woman he loved.
"No Endymion!" Ferdinand yelled out as this horrific scene unfolding before his eyes. He was trying his best to spare the Prince, but Endymion was too strong for Metallia to control him, unlike his Generals. Ferdinand already made a decision that if it had come down to choose between saving the Earth and his Prince, he would have to choose his home planet first.
Ferdinand, however, didn't prepare for the death of his Prince to be the first thing unfolded in the battle. This sent him into a full rage and he started killing any Lunarians guards he could lay his sword on.
The battle had officially began. One by one the shitennou were taken down, along with the three senshi. Ferdinand managed to survive through all the Lunarians' attacks, although with several severe wounds all over his body. Ferdinand got to the Palace and saw the Queen being distraught by the death of her daughter.
This is my chance to end this chaos. Ferdinand thought and ran quickly, aiming his sword at the Queen.
"Venus Love Me Chain."
Venus's chain took the sword out of Ferdinand's hand. Ferdinand, not preparing for a sudden attack, lost his balance and fell.
"Venus Crescent Beam"
The beam went right through his heart. Before losing consciousness, Ferdinand vowed "I will never let this happen again. NEVER." Then he lost the last of his breath and life force.
—
AN. Not a lot of senshi x shitennou in this one. More of them to come soon.