Venetian Moon: The Encounter
By: Bunniko
Disclaimer: I own no rights to Sailor Moon by Naoko-san or "Dangerous Beauty" of Regency Enterprises.
Summary: 16th century Venice. The Lunar Court is reincarnated in a Paradise of sorts.
Note: Due to the setting, the English names from the translated manga suit my needs best. (With the exceptions of the Generals. Their names, for clarification purposes only are:
Jedite – Jerome
Nephrite – Netheniel
Zoicite – Vincenzo
Malachite/Kunzite – Matteo.
I hope they capture some spirit of true Venetian names.)
"Venice, 1583 - the richest, most decadent city in Europe. Its women were treated as property – few even knew how to read.
But there were some who enjoyed a different fate . . ." ~ opening of "Dangerous Beauty"
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Mother Petrucho took a deep breath and walked down the stairs. When she reached the bottom step, she clapped her hands. Instantly, five heads swiveled in her direction. The girls rose up obediently and quickly found seats around the table. The twins sat next to each other, flanked by Lita and Raye. Amy rose, closing her book, and took her usual place beside Raye.
Mother Petrucho walked to the front of the long table and looked each girl in the face for a long moment. Then, she spoke. "Girls, I know that you are expecting to continue your education today, but first, we need to talk about something." She paused a moment as the girls glanced at each other, wide eyed. When they returned their attention to her, she continued. "As you girls know, our funds are running lower and lower. There is no money to buy you girls a suitable marriage. It is your turn to support this household. Today, you will begin training to enter the world of courtesans."
The girls' gasps filled the room. Five pairs of eyes stared at her in shock and horror. They were to well trained too protest audibly, but she had known them long enough to read what they were thinking. "The life of a courtesan is not as bad as you might think." she asserted. She turned to Amy first. "Courtesans are the only women allowed in libraries. In fact, a few have even managed to be published!"
Amy ducked her head, suddenly lost in thought as her dreams were mentioned.
She turned to Raye, "Courtesans are also outspoken. Indeed, some of the highest ranking men turn a careful ear to what a courtesan has to say." Turning to Lita, she noted, "You won't have to choose just one man as worthy of your attention. You can have a different companion each night." Then she looked at her youngest. "Successful courtesans wear only the best, eat only the best and are some of the most gorgeous women in the world."
Each of the girls looked at the table in front of her, blushes staining their pretty features. It was clear that they were all contemplating their options. Mother Petrucho had a little pity on them. "Go to your room girls. You have until supper to accustom yourselves to this. Tomorrow, we begin instruction." She swept from the room.
Amy and Raye rose first. They headed up the stairs quickly, to the common room the girls shared. Lita followed closely after them, the twins taking their time. Shortly after they arrived in the room, Raye announced that she wanted to think outside. The girls agreed, and they slipped out of the house. Using a few coins Amy had managed to save, they hired a cheap gondola and set out. Once they were in new territory, they tied up the gondola and began to discuss the future planned for them.
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Meanwhile, in a lavish home full of obvious signs of wealth but little love, five men had gathered. Darien Mancuso stood, looking out the window at the canal. His friends laughed and drank as they talked of the coming war with the Turks and the good fortune that the French King would lend them his aid. Netheniel Viscusi and Matteo Luccese argued possible strategies against the Turks, whilst Jerome Trentini and Vincenzo Treviso preferred to discuss the merits of their favorite courtesans.
Darien was watching a group of girls walking the canal. They seemed to be deep in discussion. He didn't know why he was watching them. They were obviously poor, their dresses, even from his distance, obviously out of date and worn. But something drew his eye. Perhaps it was the odd hairstyle one of the girls wore. It reminded him of a pair of meatballs! Just then, almost as if she had sensed his thoughts, she turned and looked up at him. He felt like he had been pole-axed.
Noticing his expression, his friends wandered over to the window. Grinning mischievously, they grabbed Darien's arm and dragged him downstairs, where they met the girls. Five bright-eyed curious faces swung in their direction. Darien cast an icy glance at his companions, but they ignored him. Jerome, the most flirtatious of the bunch, swept the girls a bow, before introducing himself. "Good eve, ladies. Sorry to startle you. We were just fancying a gondola ride before the sun sets. Would you do us the honor of joining us?"
The five watched curiously as all the color drained out of one of the girl's faces. The blondes exchanged glances. The dark-haired one spoke first. "Do you always presume that any female alone would fancy a gondola ride?" Her tone, fiery and superior, surprised them.
Jerome swept her another bow, this one slightly mocking. "Forgive me. I did not intend to imply that you are women of easy virtue. I just assumed you would enjoy sharing our amusements as we kill a lazy afternoon."
The young girl whose hair was so black it seemed almost blue spoke then, her voice shy. "Oh please, don't be upset. It's just that she doesn't have any manners." The raven beauty turned on her friend, whispering something that sounded a bit menacing and her companions laughed.
Jerome seemed slightly mollified, though it still stung to have been rejected in front of his friends. Indeed, they seemed highly amused. "At least, tell us your names, so that I know whom I have offended."
Lita found her voice. "I suppose you could at least introduce yourselves as well?" she queried feistily, noticing that the brown-haired man was quite attractive.
Jerome ran his hand through his short blond hair, a sure sign of confusion. "But of course. I am Jerome. This is Netheniel, Matteo, Vincenzo and Darien." Each man nodded as his name was mentioned. Jerome pointedly left off their last names, as they were all descended from fairly powerful families. He didn't want the girls to flee in utter shock that they were speaking to men so far about their station. And he found himself strangely curious about them, especially the raven-haired girl who had challenged him.
Her purple eyes serious, she studied the men in front of her. She could sense that there was more to them than they let on, but she felt that they were all right. She introduced herself, knowing her bubbly friends would introduce themselves as well. "I'm Raye." she said simply, noting the way Jerome seemed to be memorizing her.
The shy young girl spoke up next, speaking rather softly, "I'm Amy." Vincenzo watched her closely, and she fought a blush as well as the temptation to look down.
The feisty one stood up to her full height, and she was rather tall. "I'm Lita." She noticed that the man she'd been admiring, Netheniel, kept his eyes on hers.
Mina tossed her long blond hair and went first, as she was the older of the twins. "I'm Mina." Matteo's eyes were drawn to her hair as she flipped it, somehow feeling as if he had seen her do that somewhere else. He frowned in thought.
The girl with the odd hairstyle was last. She smiled brightly, and announced, "I'm Bunny." All five men swiveled their attention to her. Her smile faltered a bit as they stared at her. "What?" she demanded.
Darien spoke first, disbelief in his eyes, "Your name is Bunny?"
"Yeah. What of it?" she challenged, driven on by the coldness in his eyes, the mockery in his voice.
Darien shook his head. "What parent would name their child 'Bunny'?" he demanded.
"Hmph, shows what you know. My friends call me Bunny. You may call me Serena." Her temper flashed in her eyes and she turned to leave.
The gondola they had rented was right in front of her and she would have had no problems if Lita, at that moment, hadn't given vent to her fear. "Bunny, no!" she cried out, trying to stop her from entering the thing that frightened her. She grasped Bunny's arm, but not fully. Bunny's forward momentum slid her arm out of Lita's grasp, but Lita's force knocked her off balance. Bunny let out a short cry as she fell, smacking her head against the boat's side. Lita moaned, her face pale.
Amy leapt into action. Quickly, she was in the boat, lifting up the unconscious girl's head. Blood streamed from a cut above her hairline. Lita whimpered as Raye pulled her aside. Amy placed her hand against Bunny's mouth and nose, noting a shallow intake of air. "She's breathing." she reported to Mina, who was staring down at her sister in horror and fear.
Mina dutifully turned away from her sister and knelt in front of Lita. "She's breathing, Lit, it's okay." Raye shook her head. Lita only moaned, eyes glassy.
"She's not with us."
Mina muttered something softly. "Do you think the nightmares will return, then?"
"Lord, I hope not." Rei muttered fervently.
The five men stood there awkwardly, not certain what to do. Darien reacted first. He stepped into the gondola and lifted the girl into his arms, brushing Amy easily aside. Amy began to protest, but he ignored her, turning his attention to Vincenzo. "Vin, take this girl and find a doctor." Vin nodded and got in the gondola with Amy.
Amy protested. "But we can't . . . I mean . . ." she blushed under the stares of five men.
It was Mina who spoke up, her voice tinged with concern over her sister and her friend, but with an odd touch of pride. "We can't afford a doctor." she stated.
Darien grimaced in annoyance. Like he hadn't already surmised that. However, he read the pride in the girls and knew they wouldn't accept his charity. "It was my fault she got hurt. It's my responsibility. Don't worry about it." He hated to take the blame, but how else could he get them to agree to allow him to foot the bill. And dammit, he cared about this odd girl for some reason. Something inside him wouldn't let her risk infection.
Four pairs of wide eyes looked at him, making him very uncomfortable. Mina found her voice first. "Thank you," she said simply, the tears she had been fighting appearing in her eyes. She had been around long enough to know that her sister's injury could be serious, even fatal.
Tears were not something he could deal with. "Don't mention it." he muttered. He turned to enter his house, then turned back. "Netheniel, you bring Lita inside. Matteo, escort Mina to their home to inform their mother of what's occurring. Jerome and Raye, come with me." Each man nodded.
Amy and Vincenzo headed off for a doctor. Matteo called for another gondola and he and a nervous Mina set out for Mother Petrucho's home. Jerome and Raye entered the house behind Darien.
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End Part One
Author's Notes:
1. No, this is not a crossover. This is a historical drama, set in the time frame that "Dangerous Beauty" is also set in. For those of you that don't know, "Dangerous Beauty" is based on a real courtesan.
- This storyline works within the set storyline. It explores possible lives of the senshi as they head towards their final incarnation. It is very much a work in progress. Please feel free to give me input, especially your thoughts so far.