Hi everyone! Well, this is my first SM fanfic that I'm actually going to post. It's just a little story, about the royal family. *Sigh* I wish I had this kind of relationship with my mother. Anyways, the story was just in my head one particular day when I felt utterly depressed. The song Little One is mine too. Well, enough of my babbling and on with the story! Feedback would be great! (hint, hint)
-Hanna Grace
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, but the story totally is. Please don't sue! You won't be getting much money anyway, considering I am broke.

Little One
By: Hanna Grace

Queen Serenity stood on the palace steps, in the arms of her husband, King Endymion. The night sky above them glittered with lustrous, countless stars, and the gentle night breeze swirled around them. Nature really does know how to make a painful time more bearable.
"Must you really go?" questioned Serenity, with an adorable pout on her face.
"Oh love, you know I do," Endymion whispered to her, softly kissing her pouted lips. "But I can never leave you like that."
Serenity then smiled her bright, sunny smile, and once again, Endymion thanked the heavens above for sending him such a loving, understanding wife. All she had to do was smile, and Endymion's guilt of leaving her, and pain from the thought, lowered.
"I love you, so you better come back soon. As Queen, I order you to," Serenity playfully whispered to her husband, and received a deep, passionate kiss as a response.
"My dearest, I promised you something a long time ago, a promise I intend to keep. Whenever I leave like this, I promise, I will always come back. After all," he added with a playful hilt in his voice, "you know if I stay away from you too long, my withdrawal symptoms of your warmth, love and care become absolutely unbearable. He smiled, wrapping his arms tighter around his wife. "As soon as this meeting with the Alliances are over, I'll be here to hold you in my arms once more."
They kissed again, but before he could separate, Endymion felt tiny little hands tugging on his tuxedo. He pulled back from Serenity and looked down. There, in her adorable nightgown, stood his five-year-old daughter, Princess Serenity, rubbing her eyes.
"Daddy, is it time for you to go now?" she asked, still rubbing her eyes, her teddy bear tucked under her arm. Endymion picked her up, and cradled her in his arms. He smoothed out her ruffled hair, and whispered in her ear.
"Yes Princess, 'fraid so. Promise me you'll watch over Mommy while I'm gone okay? Don't worry, it'll only be for a week. I'll be back to tuck you into bed in no time okay?"
"Okay, bye daddy," but instead of wriggling out of her father's arms, Princess Serenity buried her face in the tuck of the King's shoulder and promptly fell asleep. Queen Serenity giggled, and sighed. It was her turn to thank the heavens above for blessing her with a perfect, loving family. She gently took her daughter from her husband's arms and with another kiss goodbye, she turned around and went back into the palace.
Once inside, the queen gently tucked in her daughter, and sat on the bed beside her. Queen Serenity ran her fingers through her daughter's pink hair, watching the princess sleep. Princess Serenity had grown up so much. 'It seemed that it was only yesterday she was wearing diapers' the queen reminisced. Mother and daughter did not separate, until a few hours before dawn, when Queen Serenity finished her reminiscing for the time being and made her way to her empty bedroom.

The week passed, with the Queen busy ruling Crystal Tokyo. However, the Princess was never alone, unless she asked to be. She had many friends to keep her company, and four particular women who tended her needs when her mother, or the many servants, could not. Each day of the week passed, with the princess spending each day with one of the legendary Sailor Scouts.
Monday, she had spent with Lady Amy, who told her stories from her many mythology books. The princess spent hours in the library whisked away from legend to legend, and did not emerge until Lady Amy informed her it was past her bedtime. Together, they walked up to the princess' room and Lady Amy tucked her in, afterwards retreating to her own chambers.
Tuesday was spent with Lady Mina. Throughout the day, the princess received an estimate of four make-overs, and Lady Mina about five. Mina chattered on and on about boys, warning the princess of the male population, and sharing her own interesting adventures concerning them. All the while, the princess compared the males Lady Mina knew with the boys she herself knew. The princess laughed, hardly believing the little boys she fought with were capable of making her feel the emotions Lady Mina described, but was whisked away anyway in the romance of Mina's stories.
Wednesday, the princess found herself in Lady Raye's apartments, in front of a great fire. Princess Serenity watched the fiery priestess performing one of her readings. The princess observed, entranced in the intense concentration required in the whole process. When she was done, Lady Raye and the princess talked about the queen when she was young, often exaggerating the younger Serena's most clumsy moments. The princess laughed hard, and was both amazed and proud of her now graceful and wise mother.
Thursday found the princess in the park with Lady Lita. The princess observed the older woman engaged in one of her workouts. Lita was no doubt the strongest fighter of the Scouts, though each Scout had her own strong point. Lita's was definitely the fighting. She was the warrior battle Scout, and was excellent at it. Lita told the princess stories about certain fights the Scouts had endured, the fights now of ancient times. The princess listened, fascinated at the idea of four teenagers saving the world. That night, the princess dreamt of being her own superhero, saving the world from all the evil.

Queen Serenity woke up Friday morning and sighed. The week had been so busy, and she simply could not wait until her husband arrived that night. She missed him terribly, and since he was not around to help her with Crystal Tokyo, she sorrowfully realized that she had not been spending as much time with her daughter as she had liked. With that thought, Queen Serenity made her way to her daughter's chambers. Just outside the princess' room, the queen heard sniffling and quiet sobbing. Concerned, she knocked on the door, and quietly entered. Inside, she found the princess; face buried in her sheets, crying her little heart out. Her own heart aching at the sight, Queen Serenity made her way to her daughter. As she sat down beside her on the bed, the princess looked up, and hurled herself into her mother's open arms. Deciding not to question right away since she already knew what was going on, the queen simply held her daughter in her arms, humming a soft tune. After a little while, the princess confessed, "Mommy, I miss Daddy." The simple, yet heartfelt statement confirmed Queen Serenity's suspicions. "I know sweetie, I know. I miss him too," mother comforted daughter. Still humming the tune, the queen decided to sing a song to comfort her daughter. Having heard this song many times since she was a tiny child, the princess recognized it to be her favourite lullaby.

Dry your tears little one.
Put your chin up and smile.
Don't you worry little one.
I'll be here all the while.

I know life can be hard sometimes,
It's just so easy to give up.
But in times like these,
Remember dear, remember…

Dry your tears little one.
Put your chin up and smile.
Don't you worry little one.
I'll be here all the while.

I'll be right here by your side,
When the world won't turn around.
I'll be next to you,
Comforting you, telling you…

Dry your tears little one.
Put your chin up and smile.
Don't you worry little one.
I'll be here all the while.

When no one seems to give a care
About anything you do.
Come to me. Talk to me.
I'll be waiting for you.

The world goes on,
Things change,
But I'll stay here.
By you side.

Dry your tears little one.
Put your chin up and smile.
Don't you worry little one.
I'll be here all the while.

Queen Serenity looked down at her daughter, cradled in her arms. The little princess had fallen asleep, dried tears on her cheeks. With the gentle, loving touch only a mother could perform, Queen Serenity wiped her daughter's cheeks and smoothed her tousled hair.

Exhausted, King Endymion entered his bedroom he shared with his wife. Surprised to find it empty at the early hours of nine o'clock on a Friday morning, the king hurriedly changed clothing and made his way to his daughter's chambers. Entering, King Endymion found his wife, with their daughter wrapped securely in her arms. Both were sound asleep. Smiling, the king sat down beside his wife and daughter. He was profoundly glad the meeting with the Alliances had finished early. Lying down on the bed, he wrapped his strong arms around the small figure of his beloved wife, and the even smaller figure of his daughter's. Together, the family of three slept, bound in each other's warm, caring arms.

AN: Like it? Hate it? Please e-mail me! My e-mail's hanna_grace@hotmail.com, I promise I'll write back! I'd really appreciate constructive criticism… or praises! ^_^;;; If you decide to flame me, be warned: I am really really sensitive about my writing, and the flames could be the cause of me giving up my biggest dream… (guilt trip much? But it's true!) Anyways, I hope you all liked it! Buh vye!

© Hanna Grace 2000