A Demon In Her View-

Part 2-

I heed not that my earthly lot

Hath little of earth in it-

That years of love have been forgot

In the hatred of a minute:-

I mourn not that the desolate

Are happier, sweet, than I,

But that you sorrow for my fate

Who am a passer by.

-To --, by Edgar Allan Poe

By now, everyone at Thymos knows that it is supremely unwise to upset the future Queen of Earth. Apparently, some people outside Thymos have not heard of my reputation of fury at those that upset me. I was somewhat...annoyed...when a courier came from my family's lands at Caer Sidi, bearing the news that my father had been injured in a skirmish along our lands. A local chieftain had begun to challenge my father's supremacy, and was fighting his rule. Upon receiving the letter from my mother, I had folded it calmly, (having mastered my fit thowing years ago) set it on the table, then gone straight to Gaia with a request to be transferred home at once. Gaia had looked at me thoughtfully, then agreed.

Endymion was indisposed at the time, having been sent to the Balkans some seven months back to bring a halt to the continuous outbursts of fighting in the region. Each of the groups involved seemed to eternally want to annihilate the other for some long lost reasoning I could never understand. He had taken his friends and advisors, his generals, along with him. Kunzite, Zoicite, Nephilte and Jadeite. They would fulfill their duties as his guards and advisors there, their first true test in the art of war. Over the last few years since my being named heiress, they spent more and more time with Endymion at the palace, and the five had become near to inseparable.

With Gaia's permission, I chose my own followers and advisors, namely, Kitsune and Swallow. Kitsune was an obvious choice, and had it not been for Endymion's argument that he did not need supervision, Kitsune would have been with him. As Mistress of Horse, Kitsune was a general in her own right, and one with great skills that I had seen over the years. Swallow had never quite grown out of her madness for men, but she was, in every other way, unbelievably sharp and level-headed. I valued her advice greatly, and she always brought me excellent information. I relied on her and her connections for knowledge about the Earth

Sphere.

So, it was with as little fuss as I could muster that I set out back to Caer Sidi with some two hundred soldiers. A small enough group to be mobile, but large enough to be reckoned with, in my opinion at least. I visited my parents briefly on my arrival, seeing my father. He was well, for having taken an arrow to his left shoulder. Part of the steel arrowhead had become embedded into his arm, and it had taken surgery to remove it. He was pale, but would be fine. That settled, I headed out to my first war.

For two months we skirted each other, striking, whirling, running, hiding. At last, I was able to force him out into the open, leaving false trails and allowing them to 'follow' us. I led the attack at dawn, my men behind me, following my commands. As was custom for battle, Kitsune led, while I remained behind, too valuable a person to be attacked directly. I watched the spectacle of death being waged before me from the hollow hillside, a center of slaughter as our two groups speared and gored and fought. I saw it myself, when the bowmen appeared. They began to rain down arrows on my men, my soldiers, who I was supposed to lead. The mistake was mine, for not taking into consideration their longbows. A mistake, that I corrected myself. Swallow was the only one to protest my entering the battlefield.

I had seen Kitsune fall. Her mount had reared at the last moment, taking the arrow into its chest. But in its fall, Kitsune had been thrown, and the thrashing mount had rolled over her. That, simply, made me angry. Angry at myself, for my mistake, and angry at the bowmen for shooting, and angry at their leader for trying to kill us, and angry at people in general, for their stupidity in waging war. My power of magic was not the same as Gaia's or Endymion's. I had no healing ability, nor could I see others minds. But the power of the illusion I could draw, creating images with my thoughts, and so I did. A vast army of ghosts came red eyed and furious behind me, screaming and wailing and terrifying. Before me, his men fled. The chieftain himself was a brave man. He lashed himself to a pillar of his home, sword raised to fight. He refused to run.

On his death, his widow, a beautiful woman with yellow hair, threw herself into his grave in mourning.

Kitsune's left leg was shattered, a spiral fracture. But according to the healers we had brought with for the battles, she would live, if with a slight limp. That lifted some worry from me. Worry is a strange thing. It presses against you, heavy and grave, weighing down your actions, making you think less, and distract you more. I was so cold when I sat down outside my camp, looking out over the night. The moon cradle was high in the stars, and its light gleamed on my sword, which I held in my lap, out of its sheath. There was still the slightest bit of dried blood on its point, and I could not help but fixate on it.

The men who fought with me...in their eyes I could see something new. Usually, it was a distant respect, for my title and future place. But now, there was no fear, and the respect seemed genuine. For the weeks we had fought together, I had come to know them, and they me. When I heard them speak of me, no longer it seemed to be in simple acknowledgment. I wasn't a part of them, but I was their leader, and they accepted me as such. Perhaps that was a good sign. I would need men like them in the future. Absently, I was aware of Swallow's presence behind me, waiting as she usually did. We remained like that for some time. She didn't talk, and I was glad of it. It would have only broken my thoughts. After some time of this, she told me, "Your dinner's ready. Cook brought it awhile ago."

"I'm coming."

So I stood and went and continued my life, having seen what blood does to a person's mind.

Slash.

Parry.

Clang.

Stab.

Leaning against the doorframe, I watched Endymion and Kunzite practice their swordplay, twisting around each other, searching for openings. Zoicite was

sitting under a tree, nose in book, legs sprawled out before him. Nephlite was beside him, standing, watching the practice as I was. Jadeite was flirting with a stablemaid, which I found astoundingly unsurprising. Kitsune was still recovering from her injury from the battles a couple months ago, and needed a crutch. I hadn't practiced much since her fall from the horse, and at her pressing, had decided to get some in. I had dressed simply, wearing a black blouse, loose and slightly off shoulder. A long, black skirt with an overlay of matching off beige fell to my calves. It was simple, practical, and (in my opinion at least) elegant. The sword Kitsune gave me ages ago (I had since grown into it) was at my hip.

I folded my arms and watched them fight. Endymion thrust forward, then feinted, coming back to block a slash from Kunzite. Endymion made a striking figure, I had to admit, watching him. The boyishness was gone, and he had become lean in the months of battle he had seen. Like me, he had been successful in his mission, retuning barely days after me. The sides had settled into a truce of sorts. Perhaps my goal had been more of a revenge, and his only to establish peace. Whichever way, we had both proven ourselves.

He concentrated so fully! Practicing outside often brought distractions, such as the groom who was now shouting some rude obscenities at the stablegirl for neglecting her duties. She scampered off, leaving Jadeite to face old Branch alone. (Not a thing I recommend. He's bossier than Kitsune.)

The match was very near to even, as I watched it. Endymion had the upper hand, I believed. I couldn't help but smile as he parried one of Kunzite's attacks neatly, turning it aside. I could see amusement at the fight, since it was only practice. After a moment, I caught myself smiling. I straightened it out. Me, grinning like a dolt at practice. How ridiculous.

Endymion won, as I expected he would. Clapping my hands, I stepped forward.

"Nice job. You too, Kunzite."

"Thank you, lady."

Endymion bowed politely, a little bit of sweat on his forehead. He wiped it off, and smiled faintly at me. "You have your sword. Ready to practice again? I heard what happened near Sidi."

I shrugged, trying to make it as though a small thing. "Kitsune will live. And I will punish anyone who tries to harm my friends or family."

He looked somewhat amused. "In the name of the Earth?"

It was almost a challenge. I set my hand on the hilt of my blade. "In the name of the Earth?" I laughed slightly. "Maybe. Duel?"

"You're on. It's been awhile."

"Excuse us, Kunzite."

He bowed, shaking his head. "Don't kill each other. I've seen both of you fight. I'd hate to have to break you two up."

I just grinned at him, "Oh, Kunzite, we're not children anymore," then, to Endymion, "First blood?"

He nodded.

Kunzite continued to shake his head in mock despair. He stepped away gallantly, folding his arms and watching us as we readied ourselves. It had been years since I'd faced him with a sword between us. I remembered our first duel. Well,

if you didn't count our play attack. I had lost my temper terribly, and had gone into a fit. Well, that wouldn't happen this time. I'd learned to master that, and channel it in more...constructive ways. With a small roar, I leapt forward after our initial bow of politeness, slicing down on what would have been a wicked blow. I knew I had to be cautious. We were working with live steel blades, not fencing foils with rounded tips. Endymion dodged, as I expected. I wouldn't have done that particular move if I knew he would be hit. I could have killed him. But instead I twirled around, my skirts petaling out around me. In the peripherals of my vision, I saw some spectators begin to assemble. It's not every day that the future King and future Queen try to beat each other up.

He stabbed, I parried, turning it aside. I watch the arms, usually, to see where the next attack will come. But with Endymion, I watched his eyes. He always showed what he was thinking in his eyes. No matter how distant he seemed outside, they did reflect his thoughts. A slash, and he spun out of the way. A stab, and I leapt back, knocking it aside. It was a strange dance we were doing, and I was loving it. I could see how he went from carelessly having fun to genuinely trying to defeat me. Oddly, I wasn't pulling out too many tricks yet. He was better than me. Why was he holding back?

His eyes...they went from a moderate, tranquil blue, to a darker and darker shade as I could see him begin to strain. Our swords screeched against each other as I flung up my blade at the last moment, trying not to be hit. The twisting scream of metal on metal was painful, and we both flinched at the recoil in our weapons. Seconds later, we returned to the fight. Such...handsome eyes....

"Endymion!" I heard a catcall, recognizing it instantly. Jadeite, of course, never ceasing to be the smartass. I'd heard his voice in my ears plenty of times. Now it was haranguing Endymion. "Endymion! Gonna let a girl whip you?" There was an 'umph'-ing sound, and I knew someone, probably Nephlite, had elbowed him in the stomach to shut him up.

There was one of those rare moments of clarity. I could see the river of time suddenly come to a frozen halt. Something important was happening now, perhaps a

small thing, but one that would have some importance. Endymion had not let Jadeite's big mouth distract him, and neither had I. But in that same instant, I saw a small, but distinct opening in Endymion's defense. It was his left side, exposed to a stab. It would take but an instant for me to reach out with my blade and slice neatly along, tearing his shirt, and cutting the skin just enough for a few droplets of blood to reach the surface.

But I didn't take it.

That was what surprised me, that my arm suddenly stopped working, and refused to move forward. Endymion saw my distraction, and took the opportunity to create his own attack, and neatly sliced along my shoulder. I winced as the blade sunk in, shallow though it was, and I stepped back. What on Earth had just happened?

The serious look on his face was gone, and the expression was now one of satisfaction and politeness. He offered me a hand. "Good match."

"Yes...excellent match. Thank you, Endymion."

I bowed politely, aware of eyes on me. I had lost, but I could have won. I did win. But I didn't. Because I couldn't take the strike. Why? Not Jadeite's smart mouth. I didn't care how Endymion looked in the eyes of his generals. They would follow him to the ends of the Earth, regardless of how our match ended. Then what? The only opinion I care about what that of Gaia, of Kitsune or Swallow. And myself, of course, but they weren't here, and I wanted to beat him. So this made absolutely no sense whatsoever. I bowed again. "Thank you...I should go..." Something important. Go do something important! "...visit Kitsune. She'll want to tell me how I wasn't careful enough with my defense. I've always been better at the offensive tactics. Farewell."

He bowed back politely, and looked a little worried. About me? No, don't be silly. He's curious why I'm being so polite about it. Something's wrong, oh, there is something wrong, and I don't like it one bit! In my mind I kept seeing that moment, when I could have struck, but didn't. I'd never beaten him, in the few times we'd faced each other, and the single opportunity I had to avenge myself, I couldn't do it. Why? Why? What was wrong with me?

I returned straight to my rooms. Obviously, I was ill. I put away my sword on its rack, displaying it neatly, then sat on the sofa. I sat for a minute, not thinking, then went to my bookshelves. I searched for a moment, then found a fascinating book on old legends. I sat down again. Supposedly, there is a legend that four young women of the Amazon became soldiers, and were sent to sleep on the solar asteroids, to await a princess of the Earth. How odd.

There were other legends as well. About a lone woman who guarded time, but it was forbidden and death to see her face. Any who saw her would be killed by a whispered scream. A whispered scream? How could a scream be whispered?

Or the tale of a woman who came from distant stars, traveling the universe, only to turn the worlds she found into dead planets where ice smothered all living things. No hate or rage or violence, but no love or kindness either.

There were stories, of demons who stole the dreams of children, locking them away into caskets of nightmares, or a tale of a flower blossom that was banished for draining the strength of those who came close to it. Prophecies of the future, of a holy chalice of pure power, of the search for it. Of Kings and Queens and beauties and beasts. Of people changed because of the powers hidden within them and those that desired the power they owned. I lost myself in these fairy tales, escaping the problem that I could not seem to answer.

Why did I hesitate? Why did I not strike? But look! More tales! Of witches of the moon and power that only those with a planet to protect them may call upon. Did I have such power? I was the future Queen. I should. Power of my star, the Earth.

I buried myself, and barely heard Swallow come in later, wondering where I had vanished to. I snapped irritably at her when she tried to coax me away, but for some reason I was latched onto the book of fairy tales more than ever before. I shouldn't have snapped at her, but I wanted my privacy. She left some food at my door. So, it was dinnertime yet again. I ate and read. How long had it been since I spent hours at the histories? I remembered loving to read them when I was little. What had happened? Life, I supposed. But still. I fell asleep on my bed, the book under my cheek, dreaming about cursed stones and evil demons threatening my world.

"They're coming here?"

Endymion and I were both beyond belief. I had been summoned from duties about the palace (a dreadfully boring meeting) to the side of the Queen. Endymion had as well, and we had met in the corridor outside Gaia's study, each of us sharing

a worried look. It was infinitely strange for Gaia to call us away from anything, and to summon us both could mean a disaster. And a disaster it was.

"You will treat them with proper respect, Endymion," Gaia was telling him for

his small outburst. Not that I blamed him. I was ready to begin shouting myself, but amazingly I had been too stunned to speak. "The Moon has never harmed us, nor do they have any reason to."

"But..." he was spluttering, "they claim to be gods! You would sit and make a peace treaty with such..." Obviously, words were beginning to fail him, as well. "...such...."

"Arrogant, self-centered aliens?" I provided bemusedly. Endymion's losing his tongue and my sense of humor were beginning to win out over shock. Don't get me wrong, I agreed fully.

"Alanna! You will treat them with every kindness, as will you, Endymion!" Gaia set her quill into the inkblot on her desk, and returned to her papers. "A courier came from the Moon this morning. Queen Serenity has accepted my invitation to a peace council."

"This is wrong, Mother. We've never needed the Moon Kingdom before...."

"Nor do we now," Gaia reminded him, gently, but firmly. She sighed, pushing a stray lock of emerald hair out of her violet eyes. She looked tired, suddenly, and I became aware of how very mortal she was. She was getting older. And as I searched more carefully, I saw tiny strands of whiteness in her hair, threads of snow in the

moss. Then she confirmed my thoughts. "Endymion, alanna. I've been in the last stages of my life since your declaration as heiress and Crown Prince. I want to see this world safe and settled when I pass into my next life. The Moon is our nearest neighbor. If we cannot make peace with them, how are we to expand in future generations?"

I snorted. "Expand where? They've taken every planet in the system. Mercury and Mars are terraformed completely. They have castles of their own, Marina and Phobos Deimos. I've been brought word Venus is in its final stages. The solar mirrors to deflect heat and radiation...."

"My word is final," Gaia looked sadly at us. "I am disappointed that my heirs do not share in my vision for the future. But I believe that-"

In a moment of shock, I watched Endymion do something unbelievable. He turned away and left the room, in the middle of his Mother's words. I couldn't help but suck in my breath. Endymion practically worshipped his Mother. I turned in time to see a wince of pain cross her face. This was costing her so much to do. I knew as well as she did that the people would not necessarily be for this. The Moon watched us, spied and observed, claiming to protect us. Nonsense. We had never seen or heard of any threat we could not manage, and our power of technology was near equal theirs, and our magic equally, if not more, strong. We were a planet. They were a satellite. What energy could they draw that we could not surpass?

"Will you join him, then, alanna?"

I unfolded my arms, frowning. I respected Gaia, and in the years she had been Queen, her poor decisions were infinitely few and far between. But Endymion would be my husband, and it would be for me to rule. Patience is one of the best things one can possess. I had little of it, and despite my dislike of the Moon people and their ways, I had not seen them face to face as of yet. I wanted more time to consider this. "I don't know," I admitted reluctantly. "For now I won't oppose you, my Queen, but I will not approve either."

She sighed, standing. "If that is the best I may do, I pray that this goes well, and that your mind will be changed." After a moment, she turned away, waving a hand over an open glow to dim it. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you, my Queen."

I left, heading towards the temple in the gardens. I smiled at little Helios, who was running amuck to the flower beds, Lilith and Sybil, the shrine maidens, not far away, one always with an eye on him. He was so very young, and they cared for him as much as they cared for the temple. I smiled in acknowledgment at them, and entered the hall of the gods. The fire was crackling evenly, sending slight trains of smoke into the ceiling. The gods on the walls did not seem so mysterious by the daylight of the solar, and seemed far more friendly. I bent down at the altar, watching the flames. I never could quite make out shapes from within, but it was good to still the mind and think.

The Moon. The satellite that orbited our star, our world. Generations ago, as recorded in legend, great winged starships flew into our system, past the great gas giants outside the asteroid belt, past red Mars, cold and barren. Our world already occupied, they did not try to take it. Since they did not, I wondered, perhaps their intentions were not to conquer us. However, they spread like disease through the other worlds, laying claim to their wilds. We were weaker then, with less technology added to our magic. But still, they too were weaker, and fewer in number. We outnumbered them greatly. We were many...they were few. Perhaps that was the reason for their not attacking. But still, their numbers were growing.

I blinked, clearing my eyes of the glaze of the stare. Still, there were certain things that could not be changed. They called themselves gods, and that was blasphemy. This was our system of planets, and they laid claim without our consent or approval. We shall see. Trade could be good between our worlds. I frowned. The Moon and their strange powers. The Queen Serenity, who would be my...opponent? Hm. Well, regardless of Gaia's wishes for a treaty....it could be useful to know who I would face in the future. And...didn't Swallow once mention that Serenity had a child? A girl...yes, a girl. I didn't remember her name...Who knew? Well, if the Queen's name was Serenity, maybe it was Tranquility or something like that. How wonderfully creative that would be. Why would an immortal need a child? That didn't make any sense. Whatever. Regardless of how this treaty works out, I will at least get a good look at the Moon Queen and her court.

So I decided. I would support...reluctantly...Gaia's invitation, but ensure that word was carried into the proper gossip mills (through Swallow, of course) that it was only to keep an eye on the Moon and their plans. If there was even a hint of violence from them, I would strike. The Earth would not attack the Moon first. That would be wrong, and we were not supposed to be the ones in the wrong. But wariness never hurt anyone, and I had a good following behind me since the battles at Caer Sidi, mostly soldiers who served me. I looked at the fire. I don't know. It had become a habit to watch it. I liked the way it shifted. The sea did the same, powerful and endless, pounding away at the beaches. But the fire...there was something hypnotic about it. I stepped away, making a small blessing for any wisdom imparted into my mind, and left the temple.

And so the Moon Kingdom came.