Author's Note:
Wow, folks. It's been a while. Feel free to skip and read the chapter and then come back to the Author's Note.
If anyone is still reading this (and I hope you are!), you are an amazing, wonderful person and I am so blessed to have a reader like you. Thank you for sticking with this story! I've had...a lot, happen in the last five years, health-wise and life-wise. It took me away from a lot of things, including writing. I'm hoping that now that my health seems to be much better, I can get back to writing.
And this story, as well as "Dark Paradise," have been in the back of my mind through all the craziness. This story will be getting an updated version of previous chapters shortly (not a ton of changes, just correcting some titles). I reread it, and you know how the writing bug is- you want to fix things you see!
Anyway, when all seems lost, I promise- I don't abandon stories. ;)
Back to the reviews: Special thanks to the ever wonderful Jaimesesshy, SailorPeridot, the Path of Supreme Conquest, skyisthelimit, Serendipidity's Tears, Lauren, Nobodies Perfect-Not Even You, and Raising Heart Set Up. I hope you guys are still reading (please still be reading because I live for your reviews and comments)!
To answer questions:
1. Queen Serenity (Princess Serenity's mother) is the ruler of the Moon Kingdom. The Moon Kingdom is the capital of the Empire of the Galaxy of Lactea (Milky Way). So while she doesn't rule the galaxy, she rules its capital, and this gives her family a bit of a bonus status over the other royals (it's the equivalent of the ruling family of Alpheratz, who are mentioned in previous chapters as Kikyo's cousins). She also gets extra kudos as the Moon Kingdom is head of the Federation.
2. I'm not sure how familiar you all are with Sailor Moon canon, and admittedly I am playing fast and loose with it (as well as the Inuyasha canon). But all I am saying is even if things seem rough now...there is a sequel for a reason. I like to think that while I love slow burn, there is also an eventual happy ending. But given SM canon...that ending might not be in the Silver Millennium. It might be later (like...the feudal or modern eras). Just keep that in mind.
Please feel free to send messages and questions! I love them! Also, I might cry of happiness if anyone makes fanart (I can't draw to save my life).
Thank you so, so, so very much for all your questions and support. Enjoy the chapter!
~ladykikyo1792
Chapter 28: Castle of Glass
Kagome sipped at the glass of wine that a Martian servant had handed to her. The day of Rei's wedding was warm and balmy, with a soothing breeze rustling the winds of the palm trees. Although Kagome had been acknowledged as a Martian priestess, she was here not as an officiant, but an honored guest. Lady Iwa, as the current High Priestess, would be marrying Rei and Emelec. Unlike Venusian and Solarian weddings, Martian weddings did not require female attendants for the bride. Rather, there was a single apprentice priestess who would discreetly adjust Rei's gown as necessary, and she was instead going to be escorted by the grand dukes of Mars. Consequently, Kagome was allowed to simply enjoy the proceedings (as best she could). She wore a light pink (in honor of Mars) dress of flowing silk, though in keeping with custom, her slippers had been taken away by servants upon arrival and she was barefoot. It fluttered in the wind, tickling her skin. She also wore her engagement jewelry from Sesshomaru, the blue and pink making a striking contrast against each other.
Kikyo stood next to her, wearing a dress of palest lilac and an amethyst necklace. Purple was a secondary color of Mars, and a primary color of her own galaxy. As such, it would be strange for her to wear red (in contrast, the Sun's colors were red, orange, and gold). The other princesses entered at different times, each approaching the pair in different ways.
Kikyo, as an imperial princess, received curtsies from almost everyone in attendance (technically, she outranked planetary kings and queens, though she was too polite to demand a curtsy of them. They merely exchanged nods). Kagome, as a royal princess, received curtsies from any non-royalty present. Of her closest friends, Princesses Serenity, Ami, and Minako weren't required to do anything upon meeting her. Each girl merely gave her a quick hug (and small curtsies to Kikyo, who raised them up and hugged them, much to their surprise).
Despite their surprise at Kikyo's distinct lack of formality, the princesses were more concerned with Rei.
"Kikyo and I haven't seen her," Kagome told the others, "Have you guys talked to her?"
"No, unfortunately," Ami sighed, "It's traditional for Martian royal brides to spend time before their ceremony alone." She frowned, clearly worried.
"I hope she's okay," Serenity fretted, wringing her hands together.
"I'm not sure how she's going to be okay," Minako noted darkly, "The love of her life left her and her mother's forcing her to marry someone else."
"You're in a similar situation," Kagome couldn't help but point out.
The Venusian shook her head, "Kunzite didn't leave me. He knows I have to do my duty, and he has to do his..." she trailed off, and for some reason unknown to Kagome, Serenity flushed with shame and looked away. Kikyo raised an eyebrow. She'd received word of the Sol System Federation's embargo on associating with the Kingdom of Earth, and she'd been suspicious of its origins. True, the Moon Kingdom- head of the Federation, and capital of the Lactean galaxy -had been facing accusations of assassinating Queen Equinity. However, the accusations had been in place for a few weeks now, and Queen Serenity had not made any effort to address the situation other than issue a statement denying her involvement. Kikyo understood why the Moon Queen had done so- the monarch was far more concerned with the machinations of the mysterious Dark Kingdom, as she should be; falsehoods from Earth, which was a young, backwater kingdom in comparison to the rest of the system, were far smaller problems that could be addressed at a later time. The Dark Kingdom, which threatened the entire Federation, and had already destroyed a Federation kingdom, was a critical issue. Earthan accusations were not, and Queen Serenity, well-aware of this, had only denied the accusations before focusing on the matter at hand.
So why, weeks afterward, did she completely forbid any and all contact with Earth? It made no sense, and while Kikyo herself had to put her efforts in rebuilding Andromeda and its political alliances, her inner politician was very, very curious.
And her instincts told her that Princess Serenity was somehow responsible, with negative consequences directly affecting Princess Venus.
However, before Kikyo could ask Kagome if she knew anything about it, they were approached by a young brunette woman garbed in a gown of deepest black with green of embroidery. She wore a small crown of emeralds.
"Mak-" Minako began, before correcting herself, "Your Majesty." The princesses, excluding Kikyo, curtsied. Kikyo nodded in Makoto's direction, sympathy filling her features.
"Guys, please," Makoto said weakly, "This isn't helping." She held her hands stiffly against the sides of her gown, clearly trying to keep from shaking.
"We didn't think it would, exactly," Minako replied forlornly, "but we can't do anything differently." Noting her friend's distress, she reached out for Makoto's hand, taking it in her own and giving it a squeeze.
Kagome whispered, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Makoto." News of the Rebellion on Jupiter had stunned the other planets, particularly so soon after the population's initial Uprising. Learning of the deaths of King Jove and Queen Juno had horrified the monarchs, both personally and as rulers. From all reports, it had sounded brutal. Apparently, Prince Kairos- now the new king of Jupiter -had discovered the bodies of his uncle and aunt in a hidden mining shift that served as a bunker for the Jupterian royals. With the assistance of some loyal members of the royal guard and Sailor Jupiter, the planet had been wrested back under Jupterian control. Kairos hadn't told Makoto of the grisly discovery until afterwards.
Makoto had obviously been grief-stricken, but had been compelled to assume the title of queen due to her bloodline. Kairos had been made king partially due to popular support and partially due to the fact that Prince Yuiichirou had disappeared in the Rebellion. No one was quite sure if he was dead or alive, and galactic empires and foreign royals were hardly vying for the chance to have their sons wed Makoto and assist Jupiter in its current state. There really was no one else to become king but Kairos. Kagome supposed the one consolation was that a formal coronation and wedding had been postponed. According to Sesshomaru, the bloody nature of the recent events had made it more prudent to keep any visions of excess on Jupiter to a minimum ("It would be preferable not to incite an angry populace again," he'd told her).
Their friend, most recently a princess, now a queen in mourning shook her head fiercely to rid her eyes of tears:
"Thank you, but please…can we talk about something else? Anything else? I really need to be distracted." All Makoto had dreamt of for days was how her parents had died without her there. How she hadn't saved them. How she'd failed them.
"Okay. Distraction," Minako said determinedly, looking throughout the crowd, "We can do that. Hmm, have you heard the rumors? They've stopped talking about Queen Ariesna and King Vulcan. Now they're onto Amarion."
Makoto raised an eyebrow, laughing weakly, "When are they not?"
As if summoned by their words, Amarion himself strode to the group of princesses, offering Makoto the barest of acceptable bows. Kagome could sense pity practically radiating from the Uranian prince. He clearly knew he had to be at his most charming behavior, and so had scraped by with the minimal bow he could to acknowledge Makoto's new rank.
"Believe me, I wish they'd leave me alone," Amarion muttered, "I keep getting letters proposing marriage to me. To me. And not just from princesses, either." He raised an eyebrow of his own, jerking his head toward a group of giggling noblewomen, "Seems they think dissolved engagements all around mean it's open season on me."
Serenity laughed, "Amarion, are you seriously complaining about female attention?" Despite the Moon Princess' apparent mirth, Kikyo couldn't help but notice that she gave Minako a wide berth, and the Venusian carefully avoided her cousin as well.
Michiru glided into view between the two girls, Haruka with her, naturally filling in the space. With a soft smile, Michiru admitted, "I think Amarion prefers to be the one pulling the strings, not have his own pulled. The puppet-master is getting yanked in all directions, and now he sees how it feels." Amarion scowled at her, clearly not enjoying being the butt of the joke, but when he realized it was having the desired effect on Makoto- who was actually showing her first real, timid smile of the day -he doubled down on it.
"Michiru, darling," Amarion pouted, "I thought you'd be more upset at our parting. After all, we'd been engaged for so long. Are you secretly glad to be rid of me, like Rei was Motoki?"
At this, Haruka was the one who scowled, but Michiru cut in before Haruka could say anything:
"Sadly, I don't think Motoki's ever gotten over it," Michiru gestured across the garden, where Motoki was sullenly accepting another beverage from a passing servant. By Kagome's count, this would be his third, and the wedding ceremony hadn't even started.
"He's certainly thirsty, isn't he?" Ami commented. Minako snorted with laughter, though she quickly covered it with a coughing fit.
Just then, Sesshomaru arrived to greet their group, "Your Imperial Highness, Your Royal Highness, Your Highnesses."
Outwardly, Kagome smiled at him, but inwardly, she queried, Where were you? I was starting to get nervous. She knew the likelihood of Sesshomaru getting injured was small, but recent events had made her jumpier than normal.
Checking the perimeter with the halfling, Sesshomaru replied, He is not satisfied with Martian security measures given what happened last time, and I agree. Somehow, even mentally, he sounded displeased by the thought he and Inuyasha agreed on anything.
Kagome frowned, her lips pursing, They lost quite a few of their reserves during the Extinction, and on the expedition to Saturn. I know a lot of recruits are still in training-
Sesshomaru granted Kagome the smallest shrug, Then this wedding needs to go forward, quickly, and Circinus should send support. The kingdom looks weak already-
Their mental conversation was interrupted by the blare of trumpets. The guests turned expectantly towards the gate from which Rei had emerged from her debut. Emelec emerged first, clad in shining red robes. He seemed excited, and he eagerly made his way around the Sacred Fire in the center of the garden three times. Lady Iwa nodded to him, and he fell to his knees in the sand.
Kagome was familiar with the Martian wedding rite, of course, though it was different to see it performed live rather than study it in texts with Kikyo and Rei.
How long ago that seems now, she thought, resisting the urge to fidget.
It's all right, Kagome, Kikyo thought, We'll study them again. We still have to be initiated, remember?
Kagome offered the Andromedan a smile, but didn't answer. Instead, the trumpets sounded again, and this time, Rei emerged. Kagome had been prepared to offer Rei mental support at what she was certain would be a time of agony, but instead, she was floored to see that Rei looked…stunning.
"Oh, my Mars!" she gasped, clutching Sesshomaru's hand, "She's beautiful!" It was true. Clad in an elaborate red gown studded with rubies, a Circinian style tiara hanging down in a V-shape over her forehead, she processed in carrying a bouquet composed of vines and arrows (Mars being the god of war, and arrows being her own chosen weapon as his priestess). Behind her, a junior priestess stayed in the shadows, adjusting her veil so it wouldn't wrinkle. Indeed, the rubies instead shown in the torchlight. As she made her way around the Sacred Fire, three times to face Emelec directly on the other side, the four Grand Dukes of Mars abruptly blocked her passage, using swords to keep her from the Circinian prince's view.
"Who are you to ask for the hand of Her Serene Highness, the Princess Rei of the House of Hino, Right and True Heiress of Mars, She Who Will be Queen?" demanded one of the Grand Dukes, voice fierce.
Rei recited the rite she knew well, "Who are you to ask for the hand of- um, me?" Rei laughed, eyes glowing in the torchlight, hurriedly correcting herself, "Princess Rei of Mars, She Who Will Be Queen?"
Smirking even as he knelt at her feet, Jedite replied, "I was once called Jedite of Earth-"
"No," Rei giggled, "That's wrong- you need to make four statements of what you'd do for me." She was trying to maintain a serious air, but it was difficult when she was so giddy. Jedite had returned to her, and now he wanted to get married. They were going to be married- if she did this right.
Jedite's smirk faded as he queried, "What kind of statements? Anything I want?" He was gradually learning about the Martian religion, but the wedding rite wasn't one the priests and priestesses had yet covered with him.
Rei explained, "Well, traditionally it's things like, honoring me in sickness and health, but I suppose you can change them if you want."
"Well then," the general swallowed, his normal arrogant swagger evaporating at the concept of what kind of vows he wanted to make to her. He stared at Rei, who had smuggled him into the Inner Sanctum of the Temple. She was dressed in her wedding finery, and somehow, impossibly, she looked even more beautiful than he remembered.
He couldn't fathom why he'd ever thought of leaving her.
Jedite looked at the wooden floor a moment, then raised his eyes to her, "I'm a man who will follow you anywhere. Any journey you make, no matter how far. Even across the stars. I will follow you in life, and after life as well, so you will never be alone."
Tears started to well up in Rei's eyes at his sentiment, so profoundly sincere, "Jedite-"
"Ssh, I'm not done. That was only the first one," Jedite winked at her, then grasped both her hands in his firmly as he vowed:
"I'm a man who will hold you above everything. You are my beginning and my ending, my first and last, so you will always be valued."
"I'm supposed to ask who you are again," Rei muttered, for once in her life speechless, "but I can't be aggressive with you looking at me like that." Raising her own eyes to the ceiling so the tears wouldn't spill over, she lifted him to his feet, barely suppressing a smile.
"Third," Jedite continued, "I'm a man who will keep you safe. I know you don't need me to do that…but I'm a man who will ensure not a hair falls from your head if you don't want it to. Body, mind, and heart," he cited three values of Mars, as he lightly kissed her forehead, her cheek, and her neck, "all are safe with me."
Rei, now almost disregarding the formality entirely, wrapped her arms around him, trembling slightly. Still, she managed to ask for the final time, "Who are you to ask for my hand?"
Jedite looked straight into her eyes and declared, "I am Jedite, one-time general, one-time fugitive, acolyte, bodyguard…a man who loves you with all that I have. Rei, I'm a man desperately, foolishly, in love with you…and I'll always be in love with you."
The Martian princess, totally forgetting the rest of the ceremony, pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. Two tears rolled down her cheeks as he kissed her with equal fervor, one hand snaking around her waist and the other supporting her neck.
They broke apart only at the sound of the Sacred Fire leaping towards the ceiling.
Chuckling, Jedite asked, "How'd I do?"
Shaking her head at his insolence, Rei gazed at him, "We completely ignored the rite, but lucky idiot that you are, Mars Ares approved," she gestured to the Fire, which had since settled back into its previous position.
At that, Jedite grinned, "I am the luckiest idiot that ever lived." Then he kissed her again.
"I am His Imperial Highness, Prince Emelec of the Empire of Circinus," Emelec declared. He was smiling at Rei from his position, though he was still obscured from her view.
The grand duke scoffed, "And what would you do for her? There are many princes."
Emelec, still kneeling, responded in the traditional manner Kagome, Kikyo, and Rei had studied, "I would be faithful to her. She would be my wife, and I would have no other woman beside me than her." Then he unsheathed his sword, parrying away the grand duke's. It wasn't a true duel, merely a portion of the ceremony, and as such, the grand duke stepped aside and took his place among the assembled crowd without complaint.
The second grand duke posed the question again: "Who are you to ask for the hand of Her Serene Highness, the Princess Rei of the House of Hino, Right and True Heiress of Mars, She Who Will be Queen?"
Again, Emelec responded, still kneeling, "I am His Imperial Highness, Prince Emelec of the Empire of Circinus. I would care for her in sickness and in health." The second grand duke nodded, and he parried away his sword.
The third grand duke inquired: "Who are you to ask for the hand of Her Serene Highness, the Princess Rei of the House of Hino, Right and True Heiress of Mars, She Who Will be Queen?"
"I am His Imperial Highness, Prince Emelec of the Empire of Circinus. I would share all my goods with her, and remain with her in wealth or poverty."
Kagome's eyes shifted from the groom to the bride, trying to sort through Rei's emotional state. She had expected many feelings from Rei today, but sheer happiness wasn't one of them. Was it really possible for Rei to have accepted the marriage willingly? To be thrilled about it? Kagome doubted it, but there Rei stood, happiness and- love -clear, distinct love emanating from her in waves. Kagome followed Rei's gaze, and in her direct line of sight- across the garden -she saw a familiar blond head meeting Rei's own eyes.
Jedite!?
You asked me to find him, and so I did, Sesshomaru's voice appeared in her mind. Kagome sensed he was amused at her surprise, and did her best not to be annoyed at him for his sense of self-satisfaction- the kind of self-satisfaction she was more used to sensing from Inuyasha. Watching her friend, Kagome instead tried to focus on how grateful she was that Sesshomaru cared enough to fetch the wayward Earthan general and return him to Rei. Obviously, that was the reason for Rei's sunny disposition.
When Emelec had completed his vows, Lady Iwa gestured for the him to stand up, and for the pair to face her:
"Emelec, you offer your hand as a son of Circinus, but it must be accepted as a son of Mars Ares," Lady Iwa intoned, "Do you vow also to protect the land of Mars Ares as if it were your own? To be His warrior?"
Emelec nodded, "I do."
Lady Iwa, severe as ever, nodded imperiously, "Very well. Your Serene Highness, do you accept Emelec's vows?"
Rei nodded, her shining eyes ostensibly meeting Emelec's- but actually finding Jedite's in the crowd behind the Circinian prince- "I do."
Iwa waved her hands over Rei's and Emelec's heads as she announced: "Then I beseech Mars Ares for his blessings on this union. May it be blessed and bountiful, full of happiness and children. I too beseech Mars Ares for his blessings on this couple as rulers. May you be just and fair, wise and good, in all your dealings with the people of Mars Ares," Iwa stepped aside, and indicated that Rei and Emelec approach the Sacred Fire. They stood so close to it that Kagome was certain Rei's veil would catch on fire if they stayed much longer- and yet, nothing happened.
The crowd was too polite to murmur, but Kagome caught her friends exchanging perturbed glances. This was clearly an unexpected turn of events, and no one knew quite what to do.
Serenity eventually mustered the courage to sidle up to to Kagome and whisper, "Is something wrong? Why isn't the Fire reacting?"
"I don't know," Kagome answered, her gut twisting with nervousness, "It's supposed to rise and acknowledge them as man and wife…but it's not," she gulped, "that only happens when Mars Ares refuses to recognize a marriage, but I don't know why…" she trailed off, noticing the sheen of sweat steadily growing brighter on Rei's brow.
Behind her, Kikyo sighed. The breath seemed a little too long, and a little too deep for Kagome's liking. Worried for her friend, she turned to check on her, hoping she wasn't ill- only to be stopped by the roar of relieved cheers from the crowd. The Sacred Fire had finally responded.
She whipped her back towards the main event, where a stoic Lady Iwa was declaring Emelec a Prince of Mars and that he and Rei were now man and wife. The crowd was clapping, Emelec and Rei kissed, and servants were making their way around the garden with fresh drinks for everyone.
Still, the Fire had seemed awfully late in reacting…
And then Kikyo had-
Kagome whirled to face Kikyo, mouth open in astonishment, but the Andromedan princess subtly shook her head.
Not now. Do not a say a word. We will speak later.
On Earth, Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoisite sat at a lone table in the Great Hall, sipping mugs of ale. They were away from their king, who was already in his rooms. The generals were working to save him, but still felt they could not fully trust him as his lucidity wavered. The last thing they wanted was for Beryl to realize their plan. As such, they'd started to meet secretly, ostensibly "drinking," though any laughing was long since gone. Nephrite was visibly dejected, Zoisite cold and frigid. Kunzite's face was impassive as he inquired:
"No results yet in your search?" Kunzite asked, "Endymion has been delaying Beryl as long as he can, but he can't hold out forever. The people won't let him."
Zoisite replied, "We've each been searching, Nephrite with Midoriko, and myself alone to avoid suspicion. We haven't yet found any evidence of Beryl's lie." His lips were set in a thin line.
"She has to be lying!" Nephrite raged, uttering a point they all knew, "Why would the Lunarians hurt the queen? They have everything they need! They don't need to strike us down! Even the thought is ludicrous-"
"And yet," Zoisite said dryly, signaling for Nephrite to lower his voice, "The idea is popular. There has been budding resentment for years. Some feel…" he choose his words carefully, "…angry that the Lunarians have so much, and refuse to help us. Indeed, those Earthans who know the truth of what happened at the Sun King's wedding see the queen's death as a petty retribution by the Lunarians for…our actions there."
"Murder seems a bit steep a response to a duel. And wouldn't it make mores sense for the Solarians to have killed Her Majesty, if this indeed is retribution?" Kunzite interjected, but Zoisite shrugged:
"Regardless, these are the rumors I'm hearing in the villages. Hostility against the Lunarians is at an all-time high, and it is growing against Federation royals as well. Meanwhile, Beryl remains even more popular. The more time that passes between the signing of her treaty with the demons without any attacks, the safer people feel. They're trusting her…and losing faith in His Majesty. We must take action if we are to remain in control."
Voice low with suspicion, Kunzite inquired, "What are you suggesting, Zoisite?"
The blond general merely smiled.
Sesshomaru did his best to escort Kagome around the reception. Kagome had been comfortable, of course- these people were, after all, her friends -but something had clearly caught her attention at the conclusion of Rei's wedding. Sesshomaru wasn't sure what exactly- he wasn't surprised to see Jedite present, and was pleased to see the ex-general had made what he perceived to be the correct choice -but as it was nothing actively harming Kagome, he decided he'd let it slide. Splitting his attention between keeping an eye on his fiancee and fulfilling his duties as an ambassador, he made his way through countless asinine conversations.
Still, when Kagome's father approached the couple, Sesshomaru immediately directed all his attention to King Savitr. Sesshomaru did not like many Sol System humans, as a rule. The exceptions thus far appeared to be Kagome and Savitr himself. The king had been gracious to him when he'd asked for Kagome's hand, and Sesshomaru wouldn't forget that- not with the way everyone else treated him.
"Your Majesty," Sesshomaru bowed to the king, "It's good to see you." He didn't smile- those were almost exclusively reserved for Kagome -but his voice wasn't stoic. Instead, it was almost warm.
"And you as well," King Savitr replied, smiling wide enough for both of the men, "Kagome, has he been treating you well?" Dressed in his cloth of gold, he looked resplendent, and more than a few royals and nobles had complimented him.
Kagome blushed, "Of course, Father. You know that. You have someone ask me every day, if you can't yourself." If Savitr himself couldn't visit with her personally, he sent an adviser of his to inquire whether Sesshomaru was making her happy. Kagome had to admit, it was embarrassing, but she also found it endearing.
King Savitr shrugged, continuing to smile at her, "Like any father, I just want my daughter to be happy. Have you thought about your wedding much? I understand you have more options than most."
Kagome's heart began to beat rapidly in her chest. Of course she'd thought about her wedding. She'd agonized over dress designs, trying to sketch out what she thought would look appropriate, scrutinizing materials as each country assembled them. She'd perused the Andromedan marriage rite and reviewed the Solarian and Martian. Then she'd even managed to hijack a book from Andromeda's library on a recent visit detailing a history of the wedding of InuTaisho and Erinna. It was the closest thing she would get to a description of what a wedding in the Old Moon Kingdom would have been like. She dared not ask Erinna herself, lest she enflame hopes in the demoness she'd wanted to extinguish, and of course she dared not ask her friends- because the last thing they needed was to wonder if Kagome's own loyalties were shifting. If Kagome was actually considering a future where someone would see her as princess of the Moon Kingdom.
Of course she wasn't, she reassured herself, and that was why she'd returned the book quickly.
Still, Kagome was trying to cobble together a ceremony honoring each culture. It was much harder than she'd expected it to be- but she couldn't deny enjoying it.
"Yes, Father," Kagome enthused, "I've been doing a lot of research. I want to include Solarian traditions, but I'd like to honor Andromeda too-"
"As would I," King Savitr replied gamely, "Kagome, perhaps you should ask your friends for help. I'd like to speak to Sesshomaru alone for a moment. Only good things, my dear," he assured her, seeing Kagome's nervous glance.
Kagome recognized the command in the suggestion, curtsied, and went to chat with the princesses, trying to stamp down her worry as she tried to keep an eye on her father and her fiancé.
Sesshomaru, for his part, inclined his head towards King Savitr. He had shifted back into politician mode, emotionless externally, but inwardly curious what the king wanted to discuss without Kagome present.
Savitr looked at the Sacred Fire for a moment, perhaps trying to gather himself before he spoke. He said, "I'd like to give you a gift on the occasion of your engagement."
Somewhat puzzled by the direction this conversation was going in (and why Kagome couldn't stay), Sesshomaru responded smoothly, "The greatest gift you could give me, you already have, Your Majesty: Kagome's hand in marriage."
King Savitr chuckled, "I see why Kikyuri favors you as an ambassador," his voice growing more serious, he gestured for Sesshomaru to come close. Even more out of sorts by this development- Sesshomaru did not like being close to anyone except Kagome, he complied with the king's request and leaned in. For once, his graceful body language was somewhat awkward, given that he was so unfamiliar with this nearness.
Speaking so softly Sesshomaru knew he would have been unable to hear him without his demon senses, the Sun King admitted, "I cannot restore the title of your birth, "but I can acknowledge you as a prince again."
At Sesshomaru's slightly confused look, only barely making its way into his ambassador's mask, Savitr smiled, "When you marry Kagome, legally, she becomes Lady Kagome of the Empire of Andromeda, Princess of the Sun, Princess and Priestess of the Flaming God. She loses her royal style. I think this is inappropriate for you and her. Therefore, if you are amenable, on your marriage, I would like to grant you a princely title," Savitr cleared his throat, "'His Highness, Prince Sesshomaru, Husband of the 47th Daughter of the Sun, and Lord Ambassador of the Empire of Andromeda, and my daughter will be Her Serene Highness Princess Kagome, Princess and Priestess of the Flaming God, 47th Daughter of the Sun, Wife of the Lord Ambassador and Lady of the Empire of Andromeda."
Sesshomaru was silent for a long moment, considering the implications. At first, he thought he'd heard incorrectly- though of course, it was impossible for him to hear incorrectly. Daiyoukai hearing did not allow for such errors.
"Your Majesty," Sesshomaru said slowly, "I am…grateful for your consideration, but I must ask if you realize what this could mean." Public chaos, at a maximum, some intense temper tantrums from other royals, at a minimum.
Savitr nodded, "I'm fully aware of the potential ramifications," the king crossed his arms behind his back, "but I have had my advisors do some research. From what they've told me…your mother never gave up your princely status. She abdicated in her name, and your father's name, but not yours. Please don't take this as an endorsement to start a full-blow revolution; it's not," he looked at the demon sternly, "What it is, is an attempt to honor the man who makes my daughter happy. If I grant you the title- a Solarian title -the Federation cannot object. It's not granted by them, but by me. As I am not a member, I do not have to follow their rules," the Sun King smiled again. At his statement, Sesshomaru felt his respect for the king increase. It was a masterful political solution, one that any ambassador would be proud of.
Coming to the conclusion of his offer, Savitr added, "Kagome has fought hard to be recognized for her worth, and she has recognized you for yours. I respect my daughter's judgment. What do you say?"
Sesshomaru bowed again, "Thank you, Your Majesty. It would be an honor." This time, a true smile appeared on his face.
Flames ravaged the village, straw roofs catching fire and quickly making homes into small infernos. People shouted in surprise, the shouts quickly morphing into screams of terror as they ran outside their homes to escape. Looking at the night sky, horror seized the villagers as they stared at a group of fire demons flying above them.
"What in Gaia's name?" a woman gasped.
"What of the treaty!?" her neighbor held a hand over her heart.
"We were to be safe!" a man insisted.
"Quick, run!" another insisted.
As panicking people ran for the safety of the Earthan castle, Endymion was already riding through the main road on his stallion, one squadron of soldiers at his heels, another at Kunzite's.
"Hurry!" the king commanded, confident and in his element, "Alastair, you evacuate these people to our fortress! Hematite, you use your men to put out the fires! Kalunite, you're with me! We will slay them!" He urged his charger on, another soldier following him at a distance. For his part, Kunzite looked at the fire demons, then turned his horse in the opposite direction.
"General, what are your orders?" an Earthan captain barked, surprised to see Kunzite turn away from the fray.
"Do what you can to assist Alastair and Kalunite. Protect our king at all costs," the white-haired general said dismissively. He doubted Endymion truly needed protection from these demons, but he would be careful.
Ignoring the captain's protests, Kunzite guided his horse in the poorly lit rear of the village. It was just on the border of the forest, but with enough space that it still remained outside of Beryl's special boundaries. He slid off his horse, then drew his sword. Quietly, carefully, he made his way down the path, searching firmly for something that looked out of the ordinary. Something- anything out of place.
There! Bags of flour piled behind the houses…and yet no rear doors. Strange, then, that they would be stored here. It would be inordinately difficult to access the flour, if one truly needed. Tracking the movement of the fire demons with his gaze, he made his way for the second to last piles of flour. Then he pulled the bags aside.
"Kunzite!" Nephrite gasped in shock, his face turning white. He scrambled to his feet, tossing the contraption in his hands to Zoisite, who deftly continued to maneuver both the control Nephrite had thrown him, and an additional control in his hands. Just as Kunzite had thought, with each move of Zoisite's fingers, the fire "demons" circled and swept towards the houses.
"You idiots!" Kunzite seethed, "How can you do this? Do you realize what you're doing? This is terrorism! You could lose your heads for this!" Seeing red, he shoved Nephrite aside, yanking a control away from Zoisite and smashing it beneath his boot. There was a whine, and snap, and suddenly one of the fire "demons" disappeared. The Earthan soldiers cheered, thinking they had vanquished one demon.
"What I am doing," Zoisite said calmly, "is what needs to be done to protect our king. Minimal damage, maximum reward. He can rebuild this village, with our help, in a few days-"
Kunzite backhanded him across the face, "And if one person dies, you'll have broken your oaths!" Zoisite lifted one hand to his cheek, but ignored the stinging pain, quickly returning his fingers to control the other "demon."
"No one's going to die," Nephrite attempted to interject and diffuse the situation, but Kunzite raised a hand to quiet him:
"If you want to live, Nephrite, you will shut your mouth. I know you're not responsible for this. You don't have the cunning for it, frankly. But you would support a friend, if you thought the friend had a good reason for this insanity," the general practically spat before turning to his compatriot and commanding, "Zoisite, stop this madness immediately!"
"Or what?" Zoisite challenged Kunzite for the first time, "If I stop before Endymion 'slays' the demon, he loses. He can't afford to lose! If he slays the demons, he shows he's capable of protecting Earth and its people- and it exposes Beryl as being unable to do so! You don't have to like fighting dirty, Kunzite, but you know my assessment's accurate." He turned away from his commander, sending the 'demon' in a downward arc towards a different roof to light it aflame.
"This isn't fighting," Kunzite retorted, voice full of disgust, "this is cheating. What happens if the king 'slays the demon,'" he repeated Zoisite's phrase with utmost condescension, "and the villagers discover it's not a demon at all, but rather a contraption of yours?" He crossed his arms, struggling not to strangle both of his friends.
Far too smugly for Kunzite's liking, Zoisite answered, "They're rigged with self-destruct mechanisms to explode if anyone comes too close. No evidence, except of Endymion being brave. Though if we're all missing in the current chaos," he mused, dancing blue eyes meeting Kunzite's infuriated silver, "Things will look odd."
A churning feeling in his stomach, Nephrite reached a hand towards Kunzite, "Kunzite…I don't like it either, but Zoisite's right-"
"Nephrite, I told you to be quiet," Kunzite practically hissed. He grabbed Nephrite by the shirt collar, "You are going to come with me and put on the performance of your life. And Zoisite…Gaia damn it, if you pull a stunt like this again without authorization, I will not save you. I'll report you to Endymion myself!" With that, he dragged Nephrite onto his horse, and the two rushed back into the village.
Cheerily, Zoisite called after them: "And the only reason you're not doing it now is because you have to admit I'm brilliant."
Kunzite refused to dignify that answer with a response.
Kikyo was wishing Rei her congratulations, Inuyasha at her side, when the half-demon suddenly went rigid. Surprised by her lover's rapid change in demeanor (he hadn't been thrilled to be at the wedding, particularly given what he perceived as poor security, but he'd been tolerating it), Kikyo inquired gently, "Inuyasha, what is it?" Rei, meanwhile, signaled for a servant to bring them more drinks, and was chattering away to Minako, who also stood with their group.
"Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, practically gagging on the name, "He's- he's-"
"He's what?" Kikyo spun around, trying to catch a glimpse of the white-haired demon herself.
"He's smiling," Inuyasha managed to finish the utterance, completely astonished, "and Kagome isn't next to him. He's smiling on his own."
Kikyo dropped her champagne glass in the garden, where thankfully, the sand kept it from shattering and causing a scene. As a general rule, Sesshomaru did not typically smile around the Federation royalty. Let alone a true, wide, smile as he was currently displaying. This was sometimes excepted when in Kagome's company, but Inuyasha was correct- Kagome herself was currently speaking with Michiru, Haruka, and Amarion, attempting to shield Amarion from the attentions of Princess Hikari and Princess Kako.
Quickly, Kikyo ascertained that he did not appear to be under any spell. It did appear strange on his features, but…
"He seems all right, Inuyasha," Kikyo mused, accepting a new glass of champagne from the servant Rei had summoned.
"Kikyo, he's smiling," Inuyasha repeated. From his tone, he was dumbfounded- and clearly suspicious.
The Andromedan shrugged, "Just because he doesn't smile at you doesn't mean he's incapable of it, Inuyasha. Maybe all the weddings recently have made him start thinking about his." For her part, she smiled at Inuyasha, who glared at her.
"You and I both know that the reason for these weddings isn't a joke," Inuyasha said darkly, crossing his arms. It was rare he was surly with his lover, but he found her cavalier attitude towards such a bizarre turn of events somewhat frustrating.
"I never said it was, Inuyasha," Kikyo responded, smile fading, "but is it such a bad thing to see Sesshomaru smile?"
All Inuyasha said was, "Hn."
Kikyo rolled her eyes.
Later that evening, Kagome stepped out of the Teleporation Chamber in Andromeda, Sesshomaru at her side. As in the Moon Kingdom, now that they were engaged, there was no fuss if she stayed overnight- though servants ensured she slept in an adjoining chamber, and not his bed. She was somewhat satisfied that Alpheratz was slowly being rebuilt. An architect had proudly pronounced it 45% habitable at the current rate, though Kagome knew this wasn't enough for Kikyo. Still, it was a start.
"Tonight went…fairly well," Kagome commented as Sesshomaru opened the door to his apartments, "No youma, no Dark Kingdom, no political intrigue." Kicking off her shoes, she gratefully made her way to a loveseat that she had picked out. Kikyo, much to Sesshomaru's annoyance, had pointed out that Kagome would be sharing his apartments soon, and had begun to help her "shop" for furniture. Sesshomaru was looking forward to having Kagome with him permanently (his inner youkai could barely control its excitement), but he failed to see what that had to do with a squishy loveseat.
Kagome sunk into the ivory chair, patting the space beside her. Removing his armor, Sesshomaru picked her up, sat himself down in the chair, and settled her across his lap.
"Comfortable?" Kagome teased, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Indeed," Sesshomaru responded aloud, as his inner youkai answered, Very! He hurriedly squashed it down, focusing on this little human who had wound her way into his heart.
He decided, begrudgingly, he would keep the love seat.
Letting one hand stroke Kagome's hair as she closed her eyes, Sesshomaru murmured, "I am afraid I have to contradict you, Kagome. There were no youma, true, and no Dark Kingdom, either, but there was some political intrigue this evening. Started by your father, no less."
Immediately, Kagome's eyes snapped open, "What do you mean? What'd he say to you, Sesshomaru? Oh, he promised me it wouldn't be anything bad-"
The demon took one of her hands in his, gently rubbing his thumb on her hand to calm her down:
"It is not bad, Kagome. Not for me. In fact…it's incredible," Sesshomaru admitted. He looked briefly at the wall in his chambers, where he kept a single picture of himself and his father. It was the one lone personal touch of his he had permitted in his apartments in Andromeda- the rest of his effects remaining in the demon enclave on Mars. The young, white-haired dog demon in the picture was so happy and innocent, proudly toting one of those very swords while his father- King of the Moon Kingdom -had one hand on his shoulder indulgently. It wasn't an official portrait- those had mostly been destroyed -but Sesshomaru treasured it.
He hadn't truly realized how gaping the wound was when his princely title wasn't used. Not until Savitr had offered to give him it back.
Or a version of it, anyway.
He wondered what the child in the picture would think of him now. This was hardly the future he'd imagined for himself. Though, he supposed, he had originally been destined for a human mate.
Fate, Sesshomaru concluded, had a way of playing games.
Turning around to see the picture herself, Kagome looked back and forth from the picture to Sesshomaru:
"What is it? Sesshomaru…please tell me. I can't take any more bad news," she admitted.
Startled by her confession, the demon immediately switched his gaze to her. Meeting her brown eyes with his own gold, he tried to say as calmly as possible:
"Your father offered me a princely title."
Kagome was struck silent for a moment. Her mouth dropped open, Sesshomaru taking a moment to examine her dainty pink lips as they were widened in surprise.
He hoped she didn't wear an ostentatious lip color for their wedding. He loved her lip color-
"He- Sesshomaru, he- how? What did you say to him?" Kagome finally gasped out, shifting her position again. Sesshomaru struggled to stay focused on the topic of the conversation, his inner youkai extremely thrilled Kagome was on his lap and very interested in getting her to move more. Again, he shoved it down.
"He offered to make me a prince of the Sun as an engagement present. He felt that you taking the title of lady when we get married and not being a princess anymore was unsuitable. He also wanted to honor me."
"He's giving you your title back?" Kagome gaped at him, her brain still unable to process this.
Mars Ares, can't I have one party without a secret going on? One normal party? she thought to herself, somewhat hysterically.
"Well, not my title," Sesshomaru clarified, "he cannot make me a prince of the Moon Kingdom, but he can make them call me a prince again. I accepted," taking in Kagome's shock, the demon raised an eyebrow, "do you want me to refuse?"
"No!" the Solarian replied instantly, "Of course not! This is- this is wonderful! I'm so happy for you, Sesshomaru!" Kagome leaned in and kissed him quickly, Sesshomaru's arms wrapping around her waist as he held her close, "He couldn't have done better if he tried! When is he going to announce it?"
The demon shrugged and smiled, "I thought it best to leave that to his discretion. Though we will have to inform my mother, and the Empress."
At that, Kagome groaned and buried her head in his shoulder.
Another confrontation with Erinna? Just what she needed to start her day with tomorrow.
"What?" Beryl practically shrieked at the guards. This was the last thing she needed right now.
"You're to be confined to your rooms," the captain replied sternly, "for the time being. As a safety measure."
Laughing in disbelief at the absurdity of such a statement, Beryl showed them her opal engagement ring, "Do you know who I am? I am the king's fiancee! I brokered a truce between the demons and us! I demand to speak to His Majesty immediately!" Had she not been trying to improve her own etiquette, she likely would have stomped her foot as Serenity had- the wretch -in Jedite's trial.
The guards exchanged a stony look, "We apologize, milady. But we need to follow orders-"
"Whose safety is it, exactly, hmm? Who am I in danger from? Not demons, surely?" Beryl inquired, hands on her hips. She knew it couldn't be that- her Great Ruler wouldn't allow for that-
Clearly annoyed with her histrionics, the deputy placed his hands on his hips and replied, "There was a demon attack on a village earlier last night. Flaming demons that flew through the sky. It seems your treaty wasn't followed. So for everyone's safety, you are confined to your quarters." He began to push the door closed, but the girl pushed back, sneaking her fingers in between the door and the jamb.
Beryl cocked her head, "No one else is confined though, are they? So why me?" baring her teeth, she asked, "Are you scared of me?"
The captain rolled his eyes, "Of course not, milady." He pushed a pressure point on her fingers, and as Beryl yelped in surprise and pain, drawing her fingers inside, he slammed the door in her face.
This, Beryl thought, This will not do.
Completely infuriated, she strode towards her mirror. Rubbing her stinging fingers together, she moved her palm to the side of her iron mirror until she drew blood. As the blood dripped down the metalwork, she knelt before the mirror and murmured:
"Metallia, Great One, I call upon You. Take me to the Dark Kingdom. I need Your guidance. I need Your eyes. I need Your support. Take me to the Dark Kingdom, take me back-"
This time, it seemed, the goddess was much more amenable to Beryl's requests. Smoke curled out from the mirror, the glass disappeared, and Beryl eagerly stepped through.
She felt no fear this time. Instead, she smiled at her fellow Chosen as they murmured greetings to her in the darkness. She looked for her Great Ruler, but it seemed Metallia had not yet materialized. Though Beryl knew She was present.
Accordingly, Beryl whispered fervently, "Metallia, Greatly Lady, lend me Your Wisdom. I ask for Your aid."
"Beryl…." a disembodied voice floated around her, "Tell me, daughter, what troubles you."
"You promised me Endymion," Beryl implored her, "but I'm losing him. He knows me only when I'm at his side. Otherwise, Serenity still occupies his thoughts. His advisors conspire to replace me! They want another to rule Earth! Someone with an army!"
"You have an army, my child. The demons of Earth answer to you," Metallia hissed, the sound somehow snakelike and comforting all at once- coiling and curling around her heart.
"No, they don't, Great Ruler," the red-haired girl insisted, determined to say her piece, "There was an attack tonight, on a village, and now I'm under house arrest-"
"Beryl, do not forget who you are. None can confine you without my permission. Remember me, and you shall be able to go where you will. Use the power I gifted you, and use it wisely," the goddess soothed, "However, let us learn more…" The disembodied voice floated away, and Beryl did her best to swallow her tears and listen as the goddess questioned the horde in the Dark Kingdom:
"All who hail from Earth, stand before me now. I need your eyes," Metallia commanded. To Beryl's shock, a massive group emerged from the crowd. Thousands. There had to be thousands, to her guesstimate.
How had she not met them before? At least one, she had to have met…all the humans lived in a limited error on Earth
Suddenly, they began to jerk in the air, swung back and forth by an invisible force. Some screamed, their limbs contorting in various directions, and Beryl realized why:
She's plunging through their memories, having them relive them so she can see.
If this was possession, it hardly looked as comfortable as Mohaka made it sound.
After twenty minutes, Metallia hissed with satisfaction. Finally, summoning enough energy to pull her shadow self together, she stood nearly fifty feet tall. Beckoning a black, transparent finger, she pulled a man forward.
"You," the goddess rasped, "Explain yourself! My children are not to betray each other!"
Immediately, Beryl rushed forward and gasped as she eyed the blond man on the ground:
"Zoisite!?"
"Your Imperial Majesty," Sesshomaru began smoothly with an impeccable bow, "May I introduce my fiancee, Her Serene Highness Princess Kagome Kiori, Priestess and Princess of the Flaming God, 47th Daughter of the Sun?" Swallowing a lump in her throat, Kagome approached the crystal throne upon which Empress Kikyuri sat. The woman was as regally attired as ever, draped in a violet down trimmed with amethysts of varying shades. It seemed someone had convinced her to remove her crown made of Eternal Diamonds, however, in these times of austerity. She had replaced it with a tiara of double layered diamonds and amethysts.
Kagome supposed the tiara was more "simple," if she had to rate them. She swept a deep curtsy, almost to the floor, for once thanking Lady Crotchford for her training. Kagome had seen Empress Kikyuri before, at her father's wedding, but they had never been introduced.
Still, despite Kikyuri's undeniable beauty, all Kagome could wonder was how this beauty thought she was all-knowing, and yet somehow didn't see how her selfishness was hurting her daughter.
I would suggest not asking that, Sesshomaru's voice appeared in her mind, a gentle warning.
I know.
Aloud, Kagome stated, "It's an honor to meet Your Imperial Majesty." She curtsied again, well-aware that for once, her imperial curtsies had been flawless. Kagome raised her head slightly, daring to meet Kikyuri's gaze with her own. The empress' violet eyes glittered with indecipherable emotions Kagome couldn't name. She sensed confusion, bitterness, longing, wistfulness, pride, and anger? None seemed to go together, and none seemed to be primary over the others.
Even using her priestess powers, Kagome didn't quite know what to make of her.
After a long pause, the Empress said, "So, you are the girl I have heard so much about." Kagome wasn't sure whether it was a compliment or not, and though she started to ask, Sesshomaru again warned:
Do not fall for it, Kagome. You cannot. An ambassador's wife tells people what they want to hear.
What does she want to hear about me? Kagome thought forlornly. She knew precious little about Kikyuri's thoughts on her, if the Andromedan empress had any at all. At that moment, Kikyo stepped towards Kagome and embraced her, giving her an excuse to step up out of her curtsy.
She will want to know you are loyal, and intelligent, and that most of all, you will not challenge her power, Kikyo thought.
Me? Challenge her? I can't! Kagome protested.
Not directly, no, Kikyo agreed, but your words are more powerful than you realize. You should look up the statistics for the Saturn Recovery Effort afterwards. Galaxies light years away have pledged funding, science, and military efforts to help. That is all because of you.
Out loud, Kikyo smiled serenely and greeted her as if their mental conversation had never happened, "Kagome! It is wonderful to see you. Lady Mother," she curtsied to address her mother directly, "You remember Kagome from my stories, of course? She is one of the Three Priestesses of Mars Ares-"
"-and the daughter of the Sun King," Kikyuri murmured, resting her chin on her hand, examining Kagome from head to toe.
"Yes," Kagome swallowed, remembering Kikyo's advice, "but I understand my duties when Sesshomaru and I wed. I look forward to serving Andromeda with him, in my capacity as an ambassador's wife." She pushed her lips into an approximation of a smile.
The empress continued to stare at her silently. Erinna, seated on a smaller throne beside her (the empress had remained unaware that Erinna briefly controlled her mind in the Andromeda Crisis, and Kikyo, Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha had all agreed it was in their best interest to keep Kikyuri ignorant of that detail), interjected, "I agree, Your Imperial Majesty, she will need assistance with her wardrobe, but we can provide that. You should see the progress on her wedding dress! It is something. In either case, despite her appearance, Kagome is actually quite resourceful, particularly in the way she handles her interviews-"
At last, Empress Kikyuri riposted, "She gave away my power. Tell me, Kagome, how can you possibly serve Andromeda when your new idea for a government crippled its empress?"
"Lady mother!" Kikyo admonished, shocked. Even Erinna looked a bit taken aback by Kikyuri's boldness, though she said nothing. Sesshomaru frowned, and seemed about to defend her when Kagome snapped:
"I might have crippled your power, but I saved your head! Without me, you'd be dead, and you wouldn't have a chance at controlling a rock, never mind an empire!" Her breathing began to increase in time with her rage, and her fists curled into balls at her sides.
KAGOME! Sesshomaru's voice thundered in her head, Too much. Do not overplay your hand with Kikyuri. Tell her what she wants to hear-
"I'm sorry for my outburst, Your Majesty," the Solarian said through clenched teeth, "but you should be grateful for me! You should be grateful for what I did! And I did that even before I was engaged! I had a love for this galaxy even before I had a ring on my finger! What better servant could you ask for than one who saved it when she had nothing to gain from it?"
The empress cocked her head, and replied, "One with better manners."
"Manners can be taught, Your Majesty," Erinna pointed out, and while the demoness was ostensibly defending her, Kagome could sense the waves of disapproval wafting off her.
"That is true," Kikyuri acknowledged, "and despite the bluntness of your statement, your point has some merit. You did fight for Andromeda when you had nothing to gain, and you should be rewarded."
This time, the empress turned to Sesshomaru, "I received a message from King Savitr this morning. It is your intention to accept the title, yes?"
Sesshomaru nodded, but Erinna leaned forward in her throne, for once confused.
"What title? Forgive my interruption, Your Imperial Majesty," Erinna amended, "I am just so surprised." The dog demoness narrowed her eyes at her son, who ignored her.
"Erinna, darling, didn't you know? Your son has impressed Savitr. It appears he intends to make Sesshomaru a prince of the Sun Kingdom."
"They'd call him a prince again?"
If Kagome didn't know any better, she could have sworn that that sparkle in Erinna's left eye was a tear. But since she doubted the dog demoness was capable of crying, it had to be a trick of the light.
"Indeed. Sesshomaru would be a prince inside Federation borders once more. Of course, he always was," Kikyuri mused, "which leaves me with an interesting conundrum. You see, I cannot have a royal king outdo me."
Do you have any idea what she's talking about? Kagome thought frantically to Kikyo and Sesshomaru.
No, she is not normally so invested in besting a rival, and all due respect Kagome, but I have never heard her mention your father as a rival before, Kikyo responded.
Something to do with imperial rank, Sesshomaru theorized, An empress outranks a king. If she wants to reward you, she has to outdo his gift. I am not sure what she can do, though. She cannot make you a princess of Andromeda, the peace here is so delicate already.
Inuyasha, the only one of their quartet excluded from the mental conversation, merely muttered, "Hn," and rolled his eyes in the corner. He hated politics, and while he didn't participate in them himself, he'd spent enough time around politicians to realize when a game was afoot- and there was now.
"A royal king cannot possibly outdo you, however gracious his intent," Sesshomaru said firmly.
Feeling slightly traitorous to her father, Kagome muttered, "Of course not."
"Consequently, I believe it is time we change how you are all addressed here. We must acknowledge Savitr's gift, and I will give one of my own. As such," Kikyuri raised her voice, gesturing to a court scribe in the corner to begin writing an edict, "It is by imperial command that from the time of your engagement onwards, and following your wedding, you, Lord Sesshomaru, shall be formally titled as follows: His Royal Highness, Prince Sesshomaru of the Old Moon Kingdom and Sun Kingdom, Husband of the 47th Daughter of the Sun, Lord Ambassador of the Empire of Andromeda. And you, Kagome, shall be formally titled as follows: Her Royal Highness, Princess Kagome of the Old Moon Kingdom and Sun Kingdom, Princess and Priestess of the Flaming God, 47th Daughter of the Sun, Lady of the Empire of Andromeda."
Kagome pinched herself. She had to be dreaming. "Her Royal Highness" was the style accorded to princes and princesses of a galaxy's capital- like Serenity. Other planetary royals used the style of "Her Highness." Even her father hadn't offered Sesshomaru that. What Kikyuri was doing was indicating she would address them as they would have been had Sesshomaru's family never lost the Moon Kingdom.
And by commanding her entire galaxy do it…
It might not be true inside Lactea, and most especially Federation borders, but Kagome couldn't help but recall what Inuyasha had told her before: "It's not a question of whether you want to be king and queen, or whether you could be, but whether you should be." Kikyuri's pronouncement would spread, and likely the universe would start to call her some variation of that.
Forcing her breakfast to stay in her stomach, Kagome demurred, "Your Imperial Majesty, that's an- that's an honor-"
"I am glad to see you have found your manners," Kikyuri observed dryly.
"-but won't this cause…problems?" Kagome hazarded delicately, "Forgive me, but is the title yours to give?"
Kikyuri shrugged, "An empress outranks a king. I told you, I will not have a king outdo me. In my borders, I can tell people to call you whatever I wish. I was under the impression you would prefer royalty to frog, but I can amend that arrangement. And if you are so concerned about whether it is my title to give," Kikyuri turned her friend, eyes sparkling, "Erinna, do you have any objections to me styling them thus?"
Erinna's own eyes gleamed with triumph, "None whatsoever."
A victorious smile spreading across her face, Kikyuri settled back in her throne, "Congratulations. Enjoy my gift to you."
Sesshomaru looked to Kagome, and she realized grimly she had no choice. She approached the dais and kissed the empress' hand, and he did the same.
"Forgive my deception, Lady Beryl," Zoisite wheezed, getting to his feet, "but it was necessary for my own reward from our Great Ruler." He did his best to stand straight and tall, military posture clipped.
"Explain yourself, Zoisite," Metallia commanded, and the general bowed to the goddess.
"They were becoming suspicious, Great Ruler. Ever since Neptune, Princess Haruka has made sure I have a target painted on my back on Federation worlds. Those rumors, of course, spread to Earth. For my own safety- and my own promised reward, Great Ruler -I had to reassure them of my loyalty. I had to do something drastic to ensure Endymion kept the throne," his eyes slid to Beryl's, "I don't think you realize, my lady, but the situation on Earth is tenuous. A bit more pulling and the throne is yours. They would have pushed Endymion off, just to keep you, and," his eyes returned to Metallia's glowing ones, "if that happened, my own reward would be compromised. I apologize for any distress I may have caused, but please be aware I have been extraordinarily careful. There were no demons involved. The treaty was not violated. Look into my heart, my mind, my memories, Great Ruler," he knelt on one knee before Metallia, "You will see the truth."
Metallia didn't answer, instead sending her shadow self into Zoisite's body. He shouted and seized up, his body dropping the floor. Beryl scrambled backwards, trying not to get her gown tangled in his splaying limbs.
Just as quickly as it happened, however, it was over. The general stopped moving, instead struggling to regain his breath. The shadows emerged from his mouth, assembling into the vague shape of a woman.
"He tells the truth," Metallia pronounced, "I ask you try not to work against each other again. Work with each other. There is no reason you both cannot have your rewards."
Zoisite managed to get himself to a standing position and nodded, "As you wish, Great Ruler."
The goddess did not bother with a farewell before disappearing into the air.
The general began to disappear into the crowd, completely ignoring Beryl. Simultaneously shocked and furious, Beryl strode after him, shoving her fellow Chosen aside in her haste to get to him.
"Zoisite! Zoisite! Zoisite!" Beryl finally seized the back of his uniform, "Tell me! How long have you been working for Metallia? What have you been doing?"
"All in due time, milady," Zoisite replied, "I will tell you more as you use your powers more. As you grow in trust with the goddess, so my trust will grow in you."
"No!" Beryl insisted, frustrated, "You don't get away with that! You at least need to- let me know what She promised you! So I don't…you heard Her. There's no reason we can't both win. Let me know what She promised, and I'll keep away from whatever it is you're trying to get."
"Your Majesty," Zoisite sunk into a flawless bow in the hall of Mercury's throne room, "Thank you for meeting with me today."
Queen Salacity eyed him warily and disdainfully, as if he were an insect who might run off with some of the crown jewels. Zoisite was absolutely certain she'd squish him with her blue high heels if she could, but the Mercurian queen was at least playing civil. She'd granted him the audience as a representative of Earth- and an acknowledgement of Queen Serenity's recognition of Earth, giving them honorary membership in the Federation.
Admittedly, his visit had nothing to do with his prince, but there had been no reason to alert Queen Salacity of that prior to their audience.
"Speak, General of Earth. I have other meetings to attend today, and my time is precious," the queen replied, drumming her fingers against one of the arm rests of her throne.
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Zoisite bowed again, "As you know, I accompany His Highness Prince Endymion when he visits Federation worlds. I had the honor of meeting your daughter, Her Highness Princess Ami, on one of these visits. Since then…" he trailed off, unsure how to delicately phrase his heart's desire, "I have received the privilege to get to know her. She is intelligent, and beautiful, and kind, and gracious, and-" he collected himself, realizing that listing Ami's wonderful attributes was unlikely to help his cause, "I would be eternally grateful for the opportunity to court her."
Queen Salacity laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. Zoisite flinched slightly. He hadn't exactly expected an enthusiastic response, but he had hoped more for disagreement (which he could counter with debate) rather than outright laughter.
"You," the Mercurian queen made it sound like an accusation, "think yourself worthy to court my daughter? A princess of Mercury?"
Zoisite bowed again, admitting, "I know no one could ever be worthy of Her Highness, but I promise you, Your Majesty, I would do my utmost to try and be worthy of her." His heart was slowly cracking in his chest, the crack widening with every laugh from the queen.
"You aren't worthy to breathe the same air as her, Earthan, never mind court her," Queen Salacity sneered, her pretty face contorting.
"Your Majesty, I know it is…unusual for a general to approach a royal, but it is not entirely unheard of, especially as Her Highness is not heir to the throne. She is not in the direct line of succession, unlike His Highness, Prince Ryo. She is not otherwise betrothed. I have a fortune and lands, on Earth, and I know it is not like what she could receive here, but I would strive all my days to give her what she deserves. Her Highness and I…we," Zoisite sucked in a breath, "We get along quite well, Your Majesty. I believe ours would be a love match. And I know Earth would be honored to have Ami live there, as I would be honored to have her as my wife. Only if she agreed, of course…" he lapsed into silence as Salacity burst into laughter again.
"Of course Earth would be honored to have her. You'd get much out of the match, but we would receive nothing! And what kind of mother would I be, sending my daughter to a dirty, demon-infested planet?" Queen Salacity taunted, "She'd be taking care of all of you! Absolutely not. My daughter is a princess of royal blood," the Mercurian queen sniffed haughtily, "And you? You are a nobody, and nothing you can do will ever prove yourself good enough for my daughter. I'd rather die than let you court her. Now, get out of my sight."
Swallowing his pride, his anger, and his pain, Zoisite bowed once more, "Thank you for your time, Your Majesty."
Salacity only laughed.
Over the next several months, Zoisite had sent all manner of inventions to Mercury, medicines of his own make, beautiful creations in water to resemble Ami's image. He sent them by courier directly to Queen Salacity, again asking for permission. Over and over. He never dared approach Ami himself, hoping against hope that the queen would relent and allow him a chance at a real marriage with the princess.
Each time, Salacity gave him no reply, until finally one day he received a blue scroll. In fine script was written:
'You were born no one, and you will die no one. You will never be worthy of her. I would rather she be dead than with you. If you send me anything else, it shall be destroyed.'
It wasn't signed, but Zoisite knew well enough who had sent it. Later that night, in his quarters, he'd stared at the scroll over and over again until he'd memorized the hateful words. Then he threw the scroll into the fire in his chambers, watching as the flames licked the scroll until it turned to ash.
"As I said, all in due time, Beryl," Zoisite murmured, bringing himself back to the present, "All in due time."
Author's Note:
I hope you liked it! I hope I will have some more free time now! I would love messages and reviews! Thank you so much for reading!
~ladykikyo1792