Five months 29 days until wedding day
Usagi
Reika clasped her hands together as she stepped back. "You look lovely."
Usagi smiled, the dress was almost identical to the one she wore to the royal ball. All of the cream-colored items were replaced with gold ones and the dress was a dark pink. "Thank you. You've done a wonderful job." Looking in the mirror, she said. "Especially on my hair." Her long hair was in a bun with a few curls of varying lengths framing her face.
Reika beamed. "Why thank you. From now I will be your personal maid. We'll have to talk sometime."
Usagi said. "Talk?" She wondered what she wanted to talk about.
Reika nodded. "Just you and me."
Usagi had her back to the door and didn't see Prince Diamond quietly enter. He startled her when he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. "You're quite the sight to see my love." Usagi blushed as he kissed her cheek. He asked. "What are you two up to?"
Reika said. "Setting a date for some one-on-one talk between us. Later today perhaps?" Prince Diamond nodded. Usagi didn't like the look they shared. Were they up to something? She needed to stay on her toes.
He said. "It is time for the announcement. Reika, wait here until she returns." Reika nodded and they left the room. He led Usagi down a corridor and into the ballroom with the balcony overlooking the front gates. Maids rushed about, getting their tasks done. None of them spoke to her nor did they glance at her. It was almost as if she were invisible or maybe they weren't looking at her because they feared the Prince. She wondered if the rumors about him were true. Looking around, she still didn't see Diana. She thought she had seen her when Prince Diamond asked her to be his bride but wasn't sure. He stopped walking. "Your mind seems to be elsewhere."
Usagi stiffened. She couldn't let him know where her thoughts had been. Looking down, she fiddled with her dress. "I'm nervous."
Prince Diamond stepped in front of her and lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Don't be. They will love you. I will gesture for you to step onto the balcony when it is time." She watched him walk toward the balcony and wondered how people were going to take the news of what day he chose for the wedding day. She clenched her fists, fighting the tears threatening to fall. She couldn't let him know how much it hurt to have that day for the wedding. Taking a deep breath, she quickly composed herself. She couldn't ruin this for him. Once this announcement was over, she would find Diana. Usagi smiled. Yes, she would find Diana and figure a way out of this.
In the crowd, a young woman stood. Her blue eyes glared at him. She hated the Prince and the only reason she was there was to find a way to hurt him. It was easy getting near the palace and she discreetly observed their security, creating a plan as she listened to him speak, the King and Queen standing on either side of him.
"My beloved citizens, yesterday I chose a woman to be my bride. It brings me great joy to introduce her to you today. We have chosen a date for our wedding…"
The young woman wondered how easy it would be to scale the walls. Probably not easy, but did the palace need another gardener? She would have to touch up on her gardening knowledge before inquiring. Wait, what day did he just say the wedding was going to be on? Her eyes widened as the crowd around her murmured. How dare he!
"...it is a day of great tragedy. My intent is not to disrespect the dead, but to give us a reason to smile again on that day. Now, without further ado, I present my bride."
As the crowd murmured, she smirked as she looked at his future wife. Prince Diamond would not escape this time and she knew exactly how she was going to get him.
With his part of the announcement finished, he went back into the ballroom to his bride-to-be. Prince Diamond bowed as he lifted her hand. "May I have this dance?" Usagi giggled. There wasn't music playing, but they danced anyway. He spun her around with one hand grasping hers and the other around her waist. He smiled. "It seems you've taken lessons."
Usagi nodded. "When I was young."
He tilted his head. "Not recently?"
She shook her head as he spun her around again. "No. It's been several years."
Prince Diamond said. "Well, you're very good. Very graceful and elegant. I don't know how I will be able to keep my hands off of you until our wedding night." Usagi blushed and he chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll keep my hands to myself… for now."
A guard approached them. "Prince, the audience you requested is in." Usagi looked confused as they stopped dancing. Who did he request an audience with and did it concern her?
Prince Diamond smiled at her then kissed her on the cheek. "I must go. There are matters I need to tend to."
As he walked away, Queen Eros approached her. "I have never seen him so happy." Gesturing to the side corridor, she said. "Come, let us walk. There are things I wish to discuss with you while the King is still speaking to the people about other matters." Usagi followed the Queen, and as they walked down the corridor with a guard nearby, the Queen asked. "Are you falling for him?"
Usagi stopped walking. Was this a trick question? She hesitated, but then confidently nodded. "It's very sudden, but yes, I think I am falling for him. He's been very kind to me and he is quite the gentleman."
Queen Eros sighed, facing her. "Miss Usagi, I am quite aware of the rumors about him. It is unfortunate I can confirm some of them. I heard what he said to you while dancing. Please refrain from producing an heir before the wedding." Usagi blushed a bright red. The Queen said. "He's madly in love and I've seen the way he looks at you. He may say he'll wait, but if you let him, he will pounce on you."
Usagi slowly nodded. She knew he would, but why was the Queen telling her this? Breathing deeply, she asked. "Why are you telling me this? Which rumors are true?"
Queen Eros looked out the window, with a look on her face Usagi couldn't quite figure out. "I'll tell you some other time. Tomorrow perhaps? I'll tell you everything you need to know."
Usagi nodded. "Tomorrow then."
Prince Diamond entered his office, dismissing the guard and closing the door behind him. "You have done a wonderful job on the garden. I hope you will continue to do a good job for the next few months."
The maid bowed. "I'm glad you approve."
Prince Diamond said. "You were Queen Selene's right-hand weren't you, Diana?"
She nodded. "Yes."
He smiled. "Yes, I remember. I'm so glad I managed to save you in time from those bandits." Sighing, he said. "It is quite dreadful how they brutally attacked you and Queen Selene. This year marks the eighth anniversary of her passing. If only I had arrived sooner, then maybe I could have saved the Queen too." He took a sip of wine. "You have been a faithful servant since that day. However, because of your connection to my bride and the unfortunate circumstances that brought you here, I ask you to stay away from Usagi until after the wedding."
Diana bowed. "Yes, Prince, I understand."
Crossing his legs, he leaned back in his chair, with a sparkle in his eyes. "One more thing before you go. I wish for you to be her personal maid on our wedding day. It will be quite cruel of me to deny you to help her get ready for the big day."
Diana bowed again. "As you wish my Prince." He dismissed her, saying something about needing to meet with his physician for lunch and she refrained from slamming the door on her way out. She wanted to slap that smile off his face as he recited the story the public was told. She was certain the only reason he had spared her was so he could gloat about finding and marrying the Princess they had tried so hard to hide. She took a deep breath and reminded herself of Queen Selene's words when she had questioned her about the decision to fake Serenity's death and dissolve the Northern Kingdom.
"Prince Diamond will rise to power one day and become more dangerous than ever. Any land with the title of Kingdom will be seen as a major threat. With Serenity and our title of Kingdom gone, he should have no reason to attack us immediately or think of us as a threat. If we remain patient and discreetly prepare, we will catch him off-guard. The day will come when this kingdom is reclaimed and Serenity is brought home."
Later that day, somewhere deep in the woods of the Northern Territory
A young man with sandy blond hair clenched his fists as he got word of when Prince Diamond scheduled the wedding. Breathing like a raging bull, he said. "How dare he." Looking at General Asanuma, he glared. "When the time comes, he's mine."
AN: These two people are by no means the only ones wishing to personally kill Prince Diamond. His list of sins is quite long. *Points to a scroll near the ceiling, the width of the wall, and the diameter of twenty area rugs. In 6pt font.*