AN: Aaack I'm so sorry about the huge delay AGAIN! Shortly after I posted the last chapter, I got a new job, and they've been giving me 30-hour work weeks, so I got a little overwhelmed. But things have calmed down a bit, so *fingers crossed* I should have the next chapter up soon! Also, the timeline for when this story is ending is a little different than I originally thought. This is the last chapter before the finale, which will be in two chapters.
This chapter was also going to originally be in two chapters, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work, so it ended up as a super long chapter instead. Anyways, thanks, as always, to my reviewers: My Lunatic Crow, h34rt1lly, Moonprincess998, and gabeliz . castillocarin. While 4 reviews (3 for the last chapter) certainly isn't bad, I was getting some really awesome reviews for a little while. And, since this story is wrapping up so soon, it would mean a lot to me to hear from all of you reading this and go out with a bang. :)
Now, without further ado, chapter 26 of A Life Once Forgotten!
"War?' Serenity echoed. "But… but I thought things were going well! I thought…" She'd thought it was only a matter of time until she and Endymion could announce their relationship to the world and unite their two kingdoms. But war? Official war with Earth, no more talks of peace? That changed things.
"Hurry, I want you inside," Queen Serenity said. "From now on, you will have a guard with you at all times. As the crown princess, you make a vulnerable target for the enemy, and I'm not taking chances with your safety."
"Just… just give me a moment, alright?"
"Now, Serenity!"
"Please!" she begged "This attack was very recent, and on Earth. I'm not in any danger. Just give me a few more moments with my friends, to say a proper goodbye." Because if there was a war, that meant the Senshi would be sent to the front lines to defend their kingdom. It was part of their job, she'd always known that, and they had, too. But she couldn't bear it if she lost any of them. The mere thought of it made her shudder.
The Queen's face softened a little, and Serenity knew she'd understood. "Alright. You may have a few more minutes."
"Thank you," Serenity said. As the Queen walked back into the palace, everyone was silent, as no one was sure what to say. Finally, Serenity heard Endymion walk up behind her, and felt him place his arms around her.
She turned, burying her face in his chest. "I can't believe this is happening."
"Shh, it will be alright," he said, stroking her hair. "We'll find a way through this. I don't know what's going on, but I'll do everything in my power to stop this before a single drop of blood has been spilled, I promise."
She sniffed, drying her eyes on his shirt. "Here. Since…. Since we might not see each other again for awhile… or ever—" her breath hitched in her throat, and she had to take a minute to compose herself, while Endymion rubbed small circles on her back. "I want you to have this, so you have something to remember me by." She reached down the front of her dress and pulled out a golden, star-shaped locket.
"It's beautiful," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I will treasure it always."
She opened it up, and a beautiful, slightly melancholy tune began to play. "Whenever you're out there on the battlefield, and things seem lonely or hard or hopeless, just open this up, and think of me."
"I will," he said, crushing her against his body in a fierce hug. "And I swear to Kami, Serenity, I will come back to you. This war will pass, and we will still get our happy ending."
"I always knew this day was coming." Aphrodite's face was ashen as she stared blankly ahead. "I… what are we going to do?"
"Look at me." Kunzite gently grabbed her chin, and pulled her gaze towards him. "We just talked about this. I won't let anything come between us. Not ever."
"But… we're at war, Kunzite," she whispered. She stared up at him, unblinking, her eyes large and scared.
"I know," he said. "But what is war compared to the strength of our love? We've persevered through our planets being hostile, we've managed to be together despite everything being against us from the start. War is nothing."
"Don't ever leave me," she whispered fervently, grabbing a fistful of his shirt as she burrowed against his chest. "I couldn't bear it if I lost you, Kunzite."
"You won't," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. We'll make it through this, I promise."
She rested her head against his chest, listening to the sounds of his breathing, as he just held her, saying nothing. She wanted to hold on to this, she would need it in the coming days. This man was her anchor in the storm, he kept her safe from her own thoughts.
He kept her from just being Sailor Venus, fighter and leader of the Senshi. He reminded her that she was also Aphrodite, descendant of the famous Goddess of Love herself. He reminded her that she was Aphrodite, just a girl in love, nothing more and nothing less.
As long as she had him, she'd be okay.
"So…" Enyo awkwardly shuffled her feet as Jadeite stared at the ground, seemingly unable to meet her eyes. Just a few short minutes ago, they'd been curled up together, and she'd felt like everything was perfect. But now, with this new revelation, she had no idea what to say or do, and it seemed like he was the same.
What was she supposed to say to someone she might never see again? Or, if she did, someone who might be on the other side of the battlefield? I'm sorry? I love you? I wish this wasn't happening? It all seemed so… hollow and meaningless. She didn't know how to tell him just how much he meant to her.
And even if she did… so much of their relationship was based on teasing and flinging insults back and forth before making out. Sure, they'd had their tender, sweet moments… she'd even told him that she loved him once. But she wasn't as comfortable in their relationship as she would have liked to be. She was never entirely sure how to act around him, and that deeply unsettled her.
"Something on your mind?"
Enyo looked up in surprise and found Jadeite looking at her, an unreadable expression on his face. She blew out a breath in frustration. "We were just told that our two planets are now at war, and since we are both honor-bound to fight for our homes, that means the next time we see each other—if we ever see each other again, that is—will be on opposite sides of the battlefield. So yes, Jadeite, of course I have something on my mind!"
"Sorry." He winced a little. "That was a stupid question. I just…" he trailed off, and Enyo raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "I want you to know that this doesn't change things for me." It came out all in a rush. "Well, of course it does. But what I mean is… I'm willing to fight for us, Enyo. This war… it doesn't have to mean the end of us. If you don't want it to."
"Why would I want that?" Enyo asked. "What could possibly make you think that I would want our relationship to end?"
Jadeite blushed and looked down. "I don't know. It's stupid, I know, just moments ago things were so perfect, but…"
"But?" Enyo prompted.
"But this isn't going to be easy," he said, glancing up and looking directly into her eyes. "Like you said, we're honor-bound to fight for our planets, and much as the thought pains me, there may come a day when you and I face down across the battlefield. I don't know… I wasn't sure entirely how you felt about me. About our relationship. I know things have been rocky between us in the past, and I wasn't sure how seriously you took this relationship."
Enyo was shaking her head before he even finished. "By Kami, you're even stupider than I thought. I love you. I love you, Jadeite. And this war terrifies me, because I can't lose you. I won't lose you, because you are the best thing that's ever happened to me, and if you think I'm not serious about this relationship… I don't even know what to say to that."
"Okay." Jadeite grinned, slow and broad. "Glad that's settled then… because now that I know exactly how you feel, I'm not letting go of you, of this relationship. I don't care how hard it will be, this war will not separate us. Not ever."
"You better not," Enyo said in response, grinning up at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. "Because I swear, if you don't come back to me, I will find you and I will end you."
Jadeite threw his head back and laughed. "Gods, you're perfect. How could I ever let you go? It's unthinkable."
"I can't believe this." Athena shook her head. "War? I…" she trailed off. She was confused and worried about the future, and a little scared, but most of all… she was mad. She was pissed.
Things with her and Nephrite had been going so perfectly, and she had had such high hopes for the future. Serenity and Endymion would go public with their relationship, and as the world came to accept it, she and Nephrite could go public with their relationship, too. They would get married, the two planets would exist in harmony, everything would be perfect. All right, so perhaps it wasn't an entirely realistic daydream, but she had genuinely believed things would be okay in the end.
But now there was a war, and she was boiling with fury. She wanted to fight it, to end it before it began, but she knew she couldn't stop something this big. And that made her angrier than anything. She hated being helpless.
"Athena?" Nephrite prompted, seeing her hands clench into fists by her side.
"I hate this," she said. "I hate how just when things are going so well this comes out of nowhere and just… ruins everything."
"It doesn't have to," Nephrite said. At Athena's disbelieving look, he continued. "Yes, this changes things, and not for the better. Of course it does. But… why let that ruin this beautiful thing we have?"
"How can we not?" she countered. "This isn't some minor hurdle; this is war, Nephrite. A war we will be fighting on opposite sides. How can you be so calm about this?"
"Remember what I told you when we first met?" he asked. "About reading the stars?" He waited until she nodded. "Throughout the millennia, there have been wars and star-crossed lovers. There have been bloody battles with tragic endings; there have been instances where true love prevails over all. What we're facing is nothing new. I don't know how our story will turn out, but I choose to live in the present, instead of worrying over what-ifs.
"Yes, maybe our story will end tragically, maybe everything will fall to pieces, and we will have loved and lost. But isn't that better than the alternative? There's also the chance that things won't turn out that way, that we will be among the lucky ones. But the point is, isn't it better to hope? Isn't it always better to hope for the best instead of assuming the worst? We still have each other, nothing has changed yet. Why give up before it's even started?"
Athena sucked in a deep breath. "I…" she trailed off, considering his words carefully. "You have a point." Things weren't looking good now, but their love was worth fighting for. He was worth fighting for.
"We can make it through this," he said. "We still have each other, and that's all we need."
She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder as he embraced her. She could see it so clearly now. The future was unknown, but the future was always unknown. She'd never forgive herself if she gave up on their relationship. She was a fighter after all, she'd rather go out in a blaze of gory fighting for them than quietly give up because things were hard. And when she put her mind to something, she rarely failed.
"War." The word left a bad taste in Metis' mouth. It was so harsh and unforgiving. War. She hated it. She hated the Moon Kingdom and the Earth Kingdom for their petty squabbles which had led to war, she hated that it would ruin the most wonderful thing she'd ever had—her relationship with Zoisite.
"Indeed." Zoisite's tone was grave. "I know things aren't looking good, but this doesn't change how I feel, Metis, or what I said earlier. I still want to spend the rest of my life with you."
But Metis was already shaking her head before he'd even gotten the words out. "The rest of your life? The rest of our lives have likely just been drastically shortened. The Earth Kingdom has an incredibly powerful military; we don't really stand a chance at beating them. But at the same time, Queen Serenity has the power of the Silver Crystal and all the other planets in the Silver Millennium at her side, so the battle will certainly not be easy.
"There will likely be extreme loss of life on both sides, and as members of the Senshi and the Shitennou we will be on the front lines, defending our respective kingdoms, so we will likely face each other in battle and be forced to make difficult decisions, so saying that you still want to spend the rest of your life with me is really quite unrealistic and I'm sure you intend for it to be reassuring, but—"
"Metis. Metis!" Zoisite cut her off, placing a finger at her lips. "Shh. Please, can't you hold out hope for us? Are things really that far gone?"
"Statistically speaking, yes. The odds of both of us surviving this war are… not favorable."
"Screw the statistics."
Metis blinked, not sure she'd heard Zoisite correctly.
"I'm talking about something more important than any of that—I'm talking about us, Metis. I'm talking about love." He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his chest. "Who needs statistics when we have each other? We can beat the odds, but only if we have faith in our relationship, in each other. Please. I can't do this without you."
"But..." Metis sighed. "You're right." She leaned her forehead against his, letting her actions speak for her, because she didn't trust her voice not to waver. She was so immensely grateful for this man. He wouldn't let her fall victim to logic and statistics, even when things looked grim. He reminded her of what was important—her love for him, and her determination for a happy ending. For the first time since the grim announcement, she felt hope blossom in her chest.
"But father, this is ridiculous!" Endymion argued. "Queen Serenity has always been a valued ally of ours. I know there have been recent uprisings here on Earth, but what happened to doing our best to stop them? What changed?"
"I'm sick of those meddling Lunarians!" the Terran king bellowed. "They think they're better than us, and they hold entirely too much power with that Silver Crystal. In order for the planets of the Silver Millennium to be fair and balanced, Queen Serenity and her kingdom cannot exist the way they are."
"But Queen Serenity has only ever used the power of the Silver Crystal to help!" He shook his head. "What's gotten into you, father? Just weeks ago you were condemning the rebellions and working with Queen Serenity to find a peaceful solution to the strife that has recently been plaguing us. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"I can see the truth now! We were all blindsided by the Queen's honeyed words, but no more. End of discussion! You are crown prince, Endymion, it's time you started to act like it."
"Fine," he said. "But I will not fight in a war I don't believe in. The Lunarians bear no ill will towards us, and despite the power of the Silver Crystal, our military is much stronger. To attack them would be a massacre, and I cannot do that in clear conscience."
"And how do you know these Lunarians so well?"
Endymion looked up directly into his father's eyes. "These past several months, I've been sneaking off to the Moon. That's why I've been shirking my duties. I know it's illegal, and I know my duties to this kingdom should come first, but father, I'm in love. I've fallen in love with Serenity, the crown princess, so I'm begging you, please. Don't do this. It's not too late to make amends with Queen Serenity, to finally end the rebellion once and for all and resume full diplomatic relations with the Moon."
"This… this is an outrage!" the king said. "That Lunarian princess has corrupted you, you're clearly not yourself. Don't you see? This is why we must stop the Lunarians. They're witches, Endymion! Witches! They use the power of the Silver Crystal to hypnotize and seduce people, and I will not tolerate it any longer!"
Endymion sighed. "I wish I could make you see the truth, but it is clear that you are the one who has been hypnotized, by some other power. This isn't like you." And with that, he walked out of the room.
Serenity sat in the drawing room, her fingers absentmindedly working on a tapestry while her mind wandered. Weeks had passed since the Shitennou and the Senshi had said their goodbyes in the courtyard of the Lunarian Palace. Since then, they had gone their separate ways.
The Senshi were all off fighting, but while they frequently returned to the Palace to receive orders and defend the Palace as needed, there was no word from the Shitennou. Serenity had no way of knowing how Endymion was doing or even if… she stopped that thought short. He was still alive, she knew it. And the war hadn't been particularly bloody yet; there were blessedly few causalities. There was no reason for her to be so concerned.
She sighed, looking out the big stained glass windows that looked over the courtyard. The heavy curtains were partially drawn to keep heat in, but she could see enough outside to see that it was snowing. Ever since the first snowfall, winter had come in full force, and it was harsh this year. Snow had mounded up on all the surfaces, and a fierce wind bit into her skin every time she stepped outside.
"That's a lovely design you're working on, Princess."
Serenity sighed again and tried not to make a face as she turned back to her work. Kaiya was sweet; it wasn't her fault that with the Senshi gone, she was Serenity's main companion and lady-in-waiting. And it certainly wasn't her fault that Serenity was stuck here working on tapestries while everyone she loved was off fighting.
"Thank you," she said, trying to force a smile to her face. "Yours is lovely, too."
"Is everything alright, Princess?" Kaiya asked. "You seem… troubled."
"It's nothing," Serenity said. There was an awkward moment of silence, and she bit her lip. How much should she tell Kaiya? She had already trusted the girl to not run off to Queen Serenity when she'd told her to leave her room unguarded for the night of her wedding to Endymion. And while she hadn't told her why, Kaiya was smart. Serenity was sure she had at least an inkling of what Serenity had done.
"Look, Kaiya…" Serenity trailed off.
"It's alright," the girl said with a small smile. "You don't have to say anything, I know I'm just a lady-in-waiting."
"It has nothing to do with that," Serenity protested. "It's just… I don't want to put you in an awkward position. You're my lady-in-waiting, but you still answer to Queen Serenity. And there are things that my mother can't know about, not yet. I want to tell you, I really do, but I don't want you to be torn between loyalty to me and loyalty to my mother. It's not fair to you to do that."
Kaiya pursed her lips. "It's very kind of you to say that, Princess. But I'm not torn about my loyalty. Queen Serenity may be my employer, and a fair and just ruler, but my job is to tend to you, and that includes any emotional problems you might be dealing with. I know I'm not your friend, but I want to help. If you want to tell me, of course." The last bit came out in a rush and she hastily ducked her head, trying to hide the blush that spread across her face.
"Thank you, Kaiya," Serenity placed a hand over her lady-in-waiting's. "Your loyalty and friendship means so much to me. I…" she trailed off. Even with Kaiya's assurances, she still hesitated to tell her what was going on. But she wanted to. She needed to get this off her chest, and she trusted Kaiya. "Do you remember that night many weeks ago, when I asked you to leave me alone for the night?"
Kaiya nodded her head slowly.
"The truth is… well, it's complicated. It's kind of a long story, actually. You know how for so long I dreamed of going to Earth? Well, with the tension between our planets, it didn't seem possible, so several months ago; I snuck off to Earth on my own. I never intended for it to be anything more than a brief visit, to see the beautiful planet with my own eyes just once. But… I met someone during that visit."
"Who?" Kaiya's eyes lit up with curiosity. But then she seemed to remember her manners, so she politely turned her attention back to the tapestry they were working on. But Serenity knew she was still listening eagerly.
"The Prince of Earth. Endymion." Kaiya stifled a gasp, and Serenity smiled. It felt so good to share it. "Anyways, things… escalated from there. We fell in love. But we knew that we couldn't have any sort of real relationship, not with the way things currently are between our planets. So… we married that night. Secretly, of course. And I know you said you wouldn't, but please, Queen Serenity can't know about any of this. I'll tell my mother when the time is right, but… that's not right now."
"I understand," Kaiya said, smiling. "And…. Thank you for telling me. I like knowing what's going on."
"So… what's going on in your love life?" Serenity teased. Kaiya blushed, and opened her mouth to respond, when Queen Serenity walked in through the door.
"Your Majesty!" Kaiya stammered, hurrying to her feet and dropping into a deep curtsy.
"Serenity, walk with me a moment?"
"Certainly, mother." Serenity stood, brushing off her skirts, and followed her mother out the door.
"How are you holding up?" Queen Serenity asked. "I'm sure this war can't be easy on you, what with the Senshi frequently out fighting, and all the extra security."
"I do understand, though" she said. "But of course I wish it wasn't the case…"
The Queen smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure. We all wish the conflict with Earth could have been settled without bloodshed. But on a brighter note, your lessons seem to be going well. That tapestry you and Kaiya were working on is quite lovely."
"Thank you," Serenity said, and then she paused. For a while now, she'd wanted to ask her mother about learning to fight. She was so tired of being cooped up while her friends were out fighting. She was tired of embroidery and music lessons and history lessons; she wanted to fight for her kingdom. She wanted to make a difference in the world.
"Is something on your mind?" Queen Serenity asked.
"Yes, actually." Serenity bit her lip. "I was wondering… well, I was hoping I could learn to fight."
"Fight?" Queen Serenity echoed. "But whatever for? I assure you, despite the war with Earth, there's no need for you to ever have to fight."
"But why?" Serenity asked. "I can't just sit around embroidering tapestries and practicing the harp while everyone I love is off fighting. I want to do something."
"Your lessons are a very important part of helping raise you as a lady, and even more, a princess. You need to be cultured, so you can successfully navigate court, and present yourself properly."
"Aren't the Senshi princesses, too?" Serenity argued. "Aren't they supposed to be cultured so they can navigate court? And yet they fight."
"That's different." The Queen shook her head. "From birth, they were chosen to be an elite team of warriors. Part of their job is to protect you, so you don't ever need to fight."
"But if I'm to be queen someday, shouldn't I learn how to fight? Shouldn't I know how to protect my kingdom?"
"When you ascend the throne, you will take control of the Silver Crystal, and that is the only power you will ever need. But even then, you shouldn't have much of a need to use it as a weapon. As queen, you will never be on the front lines of battle. Honestly, Serenity, what's gotten into you? I've never heard you talk like this before."
"I don't know." Serenity sighed. "I guess I just hate feeling useless."
"Well, I can think of something which might change that," the Queen smiled. "It's what I wanted to talk to you about. Come, let's chat in my chambers."
They were nearly at the Queen's quarters anyways, so they arrived shortly. The Queen led Serenity into her antechamber, dismissing the maid who was cleaning up.
"Sit. Make yourself comfortable." The Queen settled into one of the many plush cushions surrounding the low table in the center of the room, and patted the cushion next to her, inviting Serenity to do the same.
Serenity sat, carefully arranging her many skirts so they wouldn't get tangled up in her legs. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't have a good feeling about this.
"There's going to be a ball in five days time," Queen Serenity said.
"A ball? But… we're at war."
"Which is precisely why we're going to have a ball. The public needs something to lift their spirits, to remind them to keep hope, even when things are grim. It's perfect timing, too, as midwinter approaches. We will celebrate turning a new leaf, both in the seasons and in this war."
"Okay," Serenity said warily. "So… what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
The Queen didn't answer for a moment. "Right now, we're weak. I have to be honest with you, Serenity. The war isn't going well. The other planets in the Silver Millennium have offered some support, but they ultimately remain neutral. If we're going to win this war, we need a strong ally, one who will fight with us. That's why I needed to talk to you."
"I'm not sure I understand…" Serenity said, but she had a sinking feeling in her gut that she did understand.
"The best way to secure a strong alliance is through marriage." The Queen shook her head. "I'm sorry to have to do this to you; I wish you could marry for love. But we need this is we're going to win this war. I'll give you until the ball; perhaps with five days you can find someone you at least care about, someone who isn't a complete stranger. Aligning ourselves with any of the planets would be extremely beneficial, so there are many young men available. But if you cannot find a suitable match before then, I will choose one for you, to be announced the night of the ball. And you will go through with the marriage this time."
Serenity was speechless. She couldn't breathe, could barely think, all she could do was stare blankly at her mother. Ice flooded her veins, and she suddenly felt like she was free-falling through space, with no idea how or where to land. She couldn't marry someone else! She just… couldn't.
Enyo scanned the battlefield. The body of a fallen Terran soldier lay at her feet, and she winced. It was one thing to kill the occasional monster, but actual people… it took some adjusting to. With one last look at the corpse at her feet, she notched an arrow on her bow, and carefully set out, her eyes darting about for any sign of a pending attack.
"Enyo!"
She whirled around to the sound of her voice, ready to shoot whomever it was. She was about to let an arrow fly when she recognized the voice, and a moment later, the person it was attached to. "Jadeite?"
"Don't shoot!" he hastily threw his hands up in the air.
Reluctantly, she lowered her bow, but she didn't completely put it away. "We're on opposite sides, Jadeite. You shouldn't be here."
"Actually, we're not." At her puzzled look, he continued. "You see, Endymion refused to fight for a cause he didn't believe in. He thinks something strange is going on with the Terrans, so he joined the side of the Moon. We all did. We're on the same side, Enyo."
Enyo dropped her bow and flung herself at him. "God, I was so worried about you! I thought maybe you were dead, or if you weren't, that I'd have to kill you…"
"Hey, it's okay," he said, wrapping an arm around her shaking shoulders. "We're fine."
No sooner had the words left his mouth when a burst of dark energy exploded barely a foot from where they were embracing. Jadeite swore under his breath. A group of Terran soldiers were nearly upon them, and another blast of dark energy was fast approaching.
"Look out!" Jadeite shoved Enyo to the ground. The dark energy exploded exactly where they'd been standing before.
"Fire Soul!" Enyo shouted, scrambling to her feet. The flames erupted from her fingers and formed a wall between her and Jadeite and the incoming army. Still, it didn't seem to do much good, as groups of soldiers barreled through the wall of flame, and she cursed.
"Enyo."
"I need support!" she yelled at Jadeite. "We need to hold them off for as long as we can. We stand a better chance at defeating them when they're far off like this, close-combat isn't favorable for us."
"Enyo."
"Are you listening to me?" she asked as she sent out another gout of flame. "I can't do this alone!"
"Enyo."
"What?" she snapped. "What is it that's more important than surviving this battle?"
"If we make it out of this alive… will you marry me?"
She stared at him in shock for a second, and then slapped him hard across the face. "You idiot!"
"Um… can I count that as a maybe?" Jadeite asked, wincing and rubbing his cheek.
"You utter, absolute idiot!" she fumed. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for you to ask me that? I've seen all our friends getting happily engaged, and you just sit there like a big silent idiot, and I've been questioning whether I should ask you, or if you're just not that into the relationship, and you ask me now? We're likely about to die Jadeite! How am I supposed to enjoy an engagement when I know we probably won't survive the hour?"
"Sorry?" he grinned sheepishly. But a moment later, he was entirely somber. "I really am sorry, Enyo. I didn't know you'd been waiting or that you were upset that I hadn't asked yet. The truth is, I was going to ask you earlier, but… I chickened out. I'm not used to… this." He waved his hand about between them. "Us. I've always been the joker, the guy who cracks lame jokes and flirts with women but avoids serious relationships at all costs.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Enyo. But when I first realized that… it terrified me. I'm not used to feeling that strongly about anyone, and the more I realized how much I loved you, the more it terrified me that you might say no. You have to understand, in all the relationships I've been in, I'm the one who does the leaving. I'm the one who's afraid of commitment, who runs at the first sign of seriousness. I was terrified by the depth of my own feelings, and I was terrified you'd say no. But I never meant to hurt you, or cause you to doubt my feelings."
Enyo crushed her mouth against his, keeping him from saying anything else. The kiss was short, given the coming threat, but she poured all her passion and feelings into it. They both parted a little breathless.
"Give me the ring."
"What?"
"The ring," Enyo repeated. "If you're proposing, do it right."
He smiled and pulled two rings out of his pocket. The first, his family ring, a heavy silver ring inlaid with small jewels in the shape of a star. The second was an intricate gold band set with rubies and fire opals.
"Oh!" she gave a small gasp as he slipped the two rings onto her finger.
"I love you," he said.
She grinned at him as she slid her hand into his, and he gave it a small squeeze. "Let's do this." Hand-in-hand, they turned back to the incoming soldiers, ready to fight for their future.
Serenity sat in the chapel, her head bowed in prayer. It had been three days now since her mother had announced that she had to find someone to marry before the ball—or else have the choice made for her. She lifted her head to gaze out the window. It was an unseasonably warm day, and outside, the snow was thawing, leaving the ground dirty and wet. She sighed, and tried to turn her attention back to her prayers.
"Please, give me guidance!" she begged, hoping that maybe the strength of her ancestors would help her find her way. What was she supposed to do? She was already married to Endymion, she couldn't change that. And more importantly, she wouldn't change that. But could she tell her mother?
She'd been planning on telling Queen Serenity some day, of course. But she'd planned on telling her when things were good—once the war was over, when Earth and the Moon had reached some kind of peace treaty. Not now, when things were worse than ever. But… did she have a choice? If she didn't tell her mother, she would be married off to some count or prince in only two days.
"Is something troubling you, Serenity?"
"Luna!" Serenity cried as she turned around to find the black cat. "Oh, you are the perfect person to talk to."
"What's on your mind?"
Serenity nervously chewed on her lower lip. Luna had always supported her, but… how would she react to Serenity's secret wedding to Endymion? She hated the thought that Luna might disapprove. "I…. a lot has happened since we last had time to really talk."
"Then tell me," Luna said. "I have time."
"Well, you see… ImarriedEndymion." The words came out in a rush and she grinned sheepishly.
"You what?" Luna shook her head. "Serenity… this isn't something to be taken lightly, it could have very serious consequences."
"I know that!" Serenity sighed. "But what was I supposed to do? I love him, Luna, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. After my almost-marriage to Tatsuhiro-sama, we both decided it would be best to get married now so nothing can come between us in the future."
"Well, it's not exactly something I can talk you out of, as you've already done it." Luna sighed. "Since you've already married him, what are you coming to me about? What's troubling you?"
"My mother just informed me that if I don't choose someone to marry by the upcoming ball, she will choose for me." Serenity looked at her hands, trying to hide the tears that began to gather in her eyes. "Luna, what am I supposed to do? I'm already married to Endymion. I was going to tell my mother someday, of course, but… I figured she'd take it better if I waited until things were stable between our planets. How am I supposed to tell her now?"
"Just be honest with her," Luna said. "You made a choice, secretly marrying Endymion, knowing your mother wouldn't approve. Knowing that it could negatively affect the entire kingdom. Now you need to live with that choice, and be open and honest about it with Queen Serenity."
"You're right." Serenity hung her head. "I… I suppose I don't really have a choice, do I?"
"No, you don't." Luna's voice was firm, but still gentle. "She's your mother, Serenity, and she loves you. Keep that in mind. She might not be accepting of your choice now, but she will come around."
"Okay then," Serenity said, sniffing a little as she wiped away her tears and gave Luna a small smile. "I guess there's no point in putting it off any longer, then. Thank you, Luna."
And with that she stood, squaring her shoulders, ready to face her mother. She could do this. She had to do this.
"Yes, I'm aware that our resources are stretched thin with the war," the Queen was saying as Serenity walked into the throne room. "But I will not leave the villages of the Moon defenseless! If the Terrans bring the war here, the outlying villages will be most at risk, and I refuse to sit here and watch my people burn. I don't care what it takes, I want extra defenses in our villages now."
"Yes, my Queen, I will see to it." One of the Queen's many advisors, a thin man named Shiro, hastily bowed and walked off.
"Serenity." The Queen's voice was weary. "What brings you here?"
"I... I've made a decision," she said, trying not to let her voice shake. "Regarding the ball. And who I'm to marry."
"Excellent!" Queen Serenity smiled. "I'm so glad you've found someone. I know it's still far from ideal, but it's much better this way, rather than me choosing someone for you. Now… who is it you intend to make the future King of Luna?"
Serenity took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Prince Endymion, the crown prince of Earth."
The Queen laughed. "Serenity, please be serious. There are many things to be done, and I don't have time for this right now. Did you find someone to marry or not?"
"I am serious, mother. I intend to marry Prince Endymion."
"Serenity…" the Queen shook her head. "Surely you realize how impossible that is. We're at war! You cannot marry the heir to a kingdom who is currently launching a full-out attack on us. You know that. There are plenty of eligible men out there, but the Prince of Earth is not one of them."
"Perhaps I should be clearer." Serenity squared her shoulders and looked her mother directly in the eyes. "I don't just intend to marry Endymion. I already did."
"You… you what?" Queen Serenity shook her head. "Surely you can't be serious."
"I am very serious. I'm sorry it has to be like this, mother, but I can't help it. I'm in love with Endymion, and I cannot marry anyone else, because we are already wed."
"Serenity, do you have any idea of the damage you have caused?" The Queen thundered. "We are at war, Serenity. War with the very kingdom you have aligned yourself with. And perhaps the only thing that could save us is a strong alliance with one of the other kingdoms, but you have ruined that. You may have just caused irrevocable damage to this kingdom, and do you even care? Or are you too preoccupied with your schoolgirl crush?"
The words stung, but Serenity kept her head held high. "Of course I care, mother. Do you honestly think this was some spur-of-the-moment decision? Where do you think I've been these past several months? For almost a year now, I've been sneaking off to Earth. It started because I wanted to see the planet, but no one would let me. But I fell in love. From the moment I saw Endymion, I knew he was unlike anyone I'd ever met.
"And for months I agonized over it, torn between my love for him, and my love for this kingdom. I hated deceiving you, but what choice did I have? I knew if you found out, you'd tear us apart in an instant. That is why we wed in secret, so no one could ever tear us apart, so neither of us would be forced into marriage with someone else. I am truly sorry for not telling you, and I am truly sorry if it causes damage to this kingdom, I never intended that. But I will not apologize for my actions, and I have faith that someday, when this war has passed, the marriage between myself and Endymion will only make our two kingdoms stronger, together."
"Just… just go," the Queen said, slumping back into the throne. "I can't even stand to look at you right now. There is too much to be done to repair the damage you've caused."
"My Queen! My Queen!"
"What is it?" Queen Serenity snapped at the messenger who was running up towards the throne. "I don't have time for this interruption."
"Begging your pardon, my Queen," the man said, tripping over himself in an effort to bow. "But you're going to want to read this." He extended a roll of parchment, marked with the silver seal of the Lunarian general.
The Queen tore open the seal, her eyes narrowing as she quickly scanned the letter. "This... I can believe this!" she breathed. The roll of parchment fell from her hand.
"What is it?" Serenity asked, reaching for the letter.
"Read it. See for yourself what the kingdom you love so much has done."
"What? Who?" Serenity questioned, but she grabbed the letter and began to read.
Your Majesty,
We have just received a message from the Terrans. They call for your resignation and imprisonment, for crimes against the Silver Millennium. They have promised that if you resign peacefully, and allow the Moon Kingdom to be incorporated into the Terran Kingdom, they will end this war, with no further bloodshed.
If not, they have threatened to take the war here, to Luna. I fear this is not an empty threat. We have spotted unusually strong activity in the temporal space surrounding Luna's atmosphere. Despite our attempts to shut it down, the signal remains strong, and it is obvious that there is only one answer for what is causing it.
The Terrans have found a way to break through our defenses and set up multiple teleports to Luna. We are of course working overtime to shut them down, but I fear we may not succeed. I leave the decision as to what to do in your capable hands.
Goddess save you, Your Majesty.
- General Hiroyoshi
"I..." the words dried up in Serenity's mouth. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to show them that the Queens of Luna do not respond well to threats, and we do not give in easily. If they want to come here, we'll be prepared."
AN: Pretty please review! :)