Emerging Fates: Hope
by: Usa Serenity
Light flows.....softly at first, then stronger and brighter. Within
this light, one can see the possibilities of perfection and the all
too familiar poison of corruption.
Hope
In the very center of the universe there exists an impossibility. A
void, absent of light, but the birthplace of that very essence. The
few wise souls that have dared to venture there call it the
cauldron. Star seeds, souls in their purest form, are constantly
being formed in this vacuous spring of life. If you listen closely,
you can almost hear their song as they are flung from the womb
of creation to wherever they seem to be needed. Every so often,
a much brighter star seed is born. One which has more purity and
grace and wisdom than it's predecessors. And even more rarely
than that, the purest star seeds are born. These seeds are
eternal in their shine, and contain the combined wisdom of all the
higher beings that control the cauldron. With this great wisdom,
however, comes great risk of corruption. The seeds themselves
are pure, but whether they become purely good, or purely evil is
happenstance. There are those who will do anything to gain
control over one of these rare seeds, and those who would give
their very life to protect them. Our story begins with the birth of
one such seed.
"Just one more push, your majesty....we're almost there," the
young doctor said, stress tainting his voice. A nearby nurse
wiped his brow before the perspiration that had formed there
could run into his eyes.
The delivery was proving to be more complicated than he had
expected. At last, the infant was in his hands. Mucus and traces
of blood covered the pale, wrinkled baby.
"It's a girl..." he wrapped the newborn in a soft blanket. She did
not cry, only looked at him calmly with her crystal blue eyes. "I'm
sorry, the sigil is not there...," he trailed off as he handed the girl
child to her mother.
"My baby.....I'm so glad you're finally here..." the silver-haired
queen whispered to her daughter.
"The sigil will appear. I have seen it in my dreams." She spoke
more firmly to the doctor, who nodded once and gestured for the
nurse to take the baby.
The queen handed the infant over reluctantly, but not before
several assurances from the nurse that she would be returned.
Finally, convinced that her daughter would be with her again
soon, the queen slept.
The baby lay in a bassinet at the foot of the enormous state bed
where the queen slept. She was one week old today, and still no
evidence of a sigil. Solana Serenity was starting to worry that her
dream had somehow deceived her. She sat on the bed and
closed her eyes, trying to remember the vision.
She had been in this very room. She saw herself, swollen with
pregnancy, reading through some official papers while resting in
the bed. A flash of light and then....the baby. A beautiful
newborn girl now lay on the bed, dressed in the white robes of
the royal house of Serenity. An ethereal figure, ghostly in it's
appearance, appeared over the child. The figure turned her eyes
on the dream Solana and smiled so beautifully that tears coursed
down the queen's face. The figure touched one vaporous finger
to the infants forehead and a shining, crescent moon appeared
there, bathing the room with it's brilliant silver glow. The figure
once again turned her eyes on the queen, this time a deep
sadness rested there, before it faded, as did the dream. So, the
real Solana waited and worried.
The weeks turned into months, with no sign of the ethereal figure
from the dream or the sigil that should have adorned the young
princess's forehead. The people of the kingdom speculated and
the doubters made their opinions widely known.
"The royal line will end with our Queen..."
"The baby is not chosen by the fates to rule..."
"You know this means the destruction of our land..."
"I have heard a prophet talk of these events....the end is close at
hand..."
On and on it went, with fear and doubt spreading across the
kingdom. Solana tried to calm her people with speeches and
meetings and anything else she could think of, but to no avail.
The exodus had already begun. It started with only a few families
relocating to Earth or one of the other planets, then the trickle
turned into a stream, and the stream turned into a flood. People
were leaving as fast at the shuttles could carry them, and by the
time the princess had her second birthday, the population had
dwindled to a third of what it had been. Most of those who stayed
were either staff at the palace, or families of staff. Only a handful
of nobles dared to brave the unknown, those who were the most
loyal to the house of Serenity, and those who would gain by it's
demise.
"I believe you, Sola. I have known you many years, and have
never once heard you lie," the kindly voice was raspy with age,
but comforting to the queen.
"Thank you, Celeste. It does help to hear those words from you.
I am beginning to doubt myself. I have a hard time even recalling
the vision now, much less truly believing it." Solana looked at the
old, frail looking woman who sat across from her. She
remembered the now wispy, white hair that once shone with a
exotic mixture of black and gold. Celeste had been her mentor,
her confidante, the only adult she had trusted with her life, except
for her own mother, when she had been a child. The old healer
had practically raised Solana. And Solana was grateful that she
had stayed when her only son had gone to Earth many years
ago. The older woman had been a fixture in Solana's life that
she did not want to lose. Now she served in the role of unofficial
advisor to the Queen, and trusted nanny to the princess.
"Sola, you must believe in yourself. If you saw the sigil, it will be
there, you only have to be patient. The fates don't have a
timetable. They will appear when it is necessary," Celeste
smiled and was rewarded with a slight smile in return. She patted
the knee of her precious Sola and for a moment saw her as the
child she used to be.
Celeste walked to the small nursery where Princess Usagi
Serenity spent most of her day. The youngster had just woken up
from her nap and was fussing at the nurse that was trying to lift
her from the crib. Celeste moved in quickly and took the child
before her anger turned to tears, as usually happened in children
that age. Usagi grinned broadly at the site of her nanny, and
went to play happily when Celeste set her on the floor. With the
princess occupied with her blocks, Celeste began to daydream
about the days when Sola had played while she watched.
She took her position as a healer very seriously. It was an honor
to be appointed to the palace, and even more of one to be
assigned to the princess. Her son was not so honored. He
resented his mother's servitude to the house of Serenity from the
time he turned fifteen and was shunned by the daughter of a
noble and referred to as the 'healer's son.' He didn't even have
a gift to fall back on. Only the women in his family held the
healing power. As soon as he was of age, he insisted that he be
allowed to continue his education on Earth, where he wasn't
labeled. Celeste agreed reluctantly, and watch him board the
shuttle with great sadness. Letters from her son were rare, and
visits nonexistent, but he seemed to be happy, so Celeste took
comfort in that small detail. She had been shocked, but joyful,
when he returned suddenly with a wife in tow. Celeste grew
close to her daughter-in-law, and cheerfully spread the news
when the pregnancy was announced. After the birth, she would
often bring her beautiful dark haired granddaughter to the palace
where she watched over Princess Solana. As the years went by,
the two little girls, only three years apart, became fast friends.
Celeste received another shock several years later, this one not
so pleasant, when he son announced that he was taking his
family back to Earth. His father-in-law was a noble there, and he
wanted his daughter to grow up in the 'right class.'
Celeste was crushed, but not as much as the fifteen year old
princess, who was losing her best friend, her only friend that
didn't treat her like the royalty that she was.
This time, Celeste cried her tears at the palace, because
watching the shuttle take away her granddaughter was just too
painful. This time, her tears were shared by a princess who felt
the same way.
Her daydreaming mind was yanked from it's reverie by a cry from
her charge. The small princess was crouched on the floor with
her arms extended, mumbling under her breath. Beads of sweat
dotted her forehead and tears rolled down her chubby face. The
odd thing was, that through it all, she was smiling. Celeste
watched, mesmerized, as thin streams of silver light circled
around the princess and flowed out of the room. Usagi cried out
once more and a blinding light flared in the nursery. Celeste ran
frantically to the princess as soon as her eyesight was restored,
and found the girl passed out, curled up on her side. Soft snoring
sounds brought relief to the old healer, that was soon replaced by
awe as she spied the silver crescent moon shining on the young
girl's forehead.
The old healer gently lifted the young princess and carried her to
the ornate silver crib that stood in an alcove under an image of a
unicorn frozen in stained glass. Usagi didn't stir when her
coverlet was pulled up under her chubby chin, and she was
tucked in for what would turn out to be a very long nap. When
she was sure the little princess was snug and still sleeping
soundly, she went over to a small crystal panel set into the
nursery wall and spoke softly.
Solana raced into the room a few minutes later, smiling broadly.
"Are you sure? It is there?" she questioned.
"Yes Sola, I saw it with my own eyes. It's still visible if you care
to take a look."
Solana moved quietly towards the crib, and sighed with relief
when she saw the slight silver glow that was evident on her
daughter's forehead.
She returned to where Celeste was sitting and let herself
collapse into the soft cushions of the small sofa.
"I thought this day would never come," she said softly.
"And I told you the fates didn't have a timetable. Sola....there's
something you should know about how this all came about,"
Celeste's tone became serious as she met the queen's crystal
blue eyes.
Celeste told Solana what had happened, and watched the
confusion appear in the queen's eyes as she finished the story.
"Are you sure that's what she said?" Solana asked incredulously.
"I'm positive," Celeste replied.
The events that led to the sigil being revealed were not disclosed
to anyone but the Queen and her closest advisors, and one detail
was kept from all but the Queen herself. A miracle, the true
prophecy, was what it was being hailed as by the people of the
Moon Kingdom. Celebrations went on for days, and feasts were
consumed in the princess's honor for weeks. Solana only felt
relief.
Some of those who had fled the Moon, returned, and soon, the
unease of the two previous years was forgotten. The kingdom
flourished, and the princess grew into a lovely girl. What she
lacked in grace, she made up for in kindness and compassion.
She wept with her mother at the death of her nanny, Celeste, and
held Solana's hand for comfort during the funeral. Whether it
was for her own comfort or her Mother's was only known between
the two. She felt a strange pull that drew her eyes to a striking
woman with long dark hair and a very handsome boy of about
fourteen during the service, and felt a wave of familiarity when
she met the boy's eyes, and could see he clearly felt the same.
She saw him mouth the words "silver girl?", and she felt dizzy
and out of breath. When she collapsed, Solana thought it was
only from grief, as she was not far from that state herself. As she
carried her daughter back towards the palace, a pair of midnight
blue eyes caught her gaze, and recognition tried to spark. The
dark haired woman to whom the eyes belonged seemed to feel
the same, and gave a delicate wave and a sad smile to Solana as
she passed.
"Who was that, Mother?" the boy asked.
"Just someone I used to know...." she replied pensively.
Usagi awoke in the dark. The dream had been unsettling, but not
unpleasant. She grabbed her diary that was always on the table
by her bed and began to record the dream on it's pages. It had
been her Mother that had first suggested that she write down her
dreams. It helped Usagi understand them better, but not
completely. As she struggled to describe the boy from her
dream, it struck her that she had seen this boy in real life. Just
this afternoon, at the funeral, to be exact. The same inky black
hair, the same deep blue eyes, but much younger than the man
in her dream. She was comforted by the fact that he was real,
and not just some figment of her imagination. She imagined them
dancing together, and flushed pink at the thought. Well, she
thought, that will have to wait. I won't even be allowed to go to
balls until I'm fourteen, and that's four years away. Usagi sighed
and lay down on her pillow, trying to go back to sleep.
While Usagi was dreaming about the dark haired boy, Solana
was kneeling at the crystal tower.
"Oh Celeste....I know it was her! I have missed her so much over
these years! And now that you've gone, she had no reason to
come back." Tears began to flow as the realization hit her. She
laid her cheek on the cold marble floor and cried like a child.
On Usagi's fourteenth birthday, she was ushered into her
mother's chambers by Luna, the mauian advisor that tutored her
on occasion.
"You needed to see me?" Usagi asked.
"Yes, today, you came of age." Solana took Usagi's hand and led
her over to a small sofa by the window. "Within the next two
years, you must choose a suitor to be your husband," Solana
inwardly smiled at the open mouthed shock on her daughter's
face. "But, that is not why I called you here. Today is also the
day that you learn about your birthright."
Usagi was still reeling from the first revelation. She was
speechless as her mother poured tea from delicate china pot into
equally delicate cups.
"Husband??"
"Yes, Usagi, but not today. Two years is a long time. I'm sure
you will have many suitors to choose from." Solana handed one
cup to Usagi and was amused by the girl's trembling hands.
Usagi somehow managed to compose herself and asked, "What
do you mean by birthright?"
"For many generations, the women in our royal line have had a
power. We are able to control a crystal, the ginziushou."
"Ginzuishou?" Usagi repeated.
"Ginziushou. It is very powerful, almost infinitely so, but it does
have a price. To use the full power almost always leads to the
death of the one who wields it. There is a legend of one of our
ancestors who could completely control the ginzuishou, and used
it to destroy a great enemy without giving her life, but that legend
is ancient. She is said now to watch over the birth of the souls of
all Serenity's," Solana paused to wipe a stray tear from her
daughter's cheek. Usagi's tears came unexpectedly, and both
were surprised at their appearance.
"Don't cry, my darling, it is only a legend," Solana continued to
brush the errant tears from Usagi's face.
"It sounds so lonely...." Usagi whispered.
Solana looked at her dispirited daughter and realized for the first
time the depth of Usagi's empathy. She rushed on to try to get
Usagi past the despair of the old legend, "It is time for you to
receive your part of the ginzuishou. It is a sacred time in our
family when a mother passes the ginzuishou to her daughter.
Hold out your hand." Solana lifted the fine silver chain that
always hung around her neck to reveal an intricate looking locket.
She opened it carefully and soft light flowed over them both.
Usagi's eyes widened at the sight of the ginzuishou. It looked
almost like a large diamond, faceted and glittering. Solana
waved her hand over the crystal and it rose up from the locket
and floated in the air.
"Now, close you eyes and concentrate," Solana said.
Usagi closed her eyes and felt a warm aura surround her. It was
over very quickly and when she opened her eyes, a locket on a
fine silver chain hung around her neck. She lifted it up and
opened it and smiled when she saw a smaller version of her
mother's ginzuishou.
"I hear it singing...," Usagi said, then her brow furrowed, "It's
looking for it's other half..."
"Yes, the ginzuishou has it's own song. Only the most powerful
of the Serenitys can hear it. I could only barely make it out. Is it
very clear to you?" Solana asked.
"Yes, it's.....sad.....lonely, but hopeful. Is this because you gave
part of it to me?" Usagi's empathetic nature once again had her
weeping.
"No, darling. Only the power was split. The crystal itself is really
just an illusion, an outward manifestation of the ginzuishou, which
has no form but pure, silver light. The other half the ginzuishou is
singing about is also part of an old legend. It is said that the
ginzuishou was once a braid of gold and silver light, and the
crystal that was manifested was like an infinity sign, gold on one
side, and silver on the other," Solana explained the mysterious
tale as her own mother had once told her.
"Is it true?" Usagi asked with the innocence on a child.
"No one knows for sure, I don't know that we ever will," Solana
replied.
Usagi was silent, but her thoughts were almost frantic in there
insistence that she had seen that gold and silver braid of light
before. Solana watched her intently, knowing with all her
motherly instincts that something was disturbing Usagi.
"It will be okay, Mother. I can hear the song very clearly. My
destiny is to complete the ginzuishou, and I think I've already
begun." Usagi smiled brilliantly at her mother, and Solana
embraced the young princess, someone knowing that time was
short for both of them.
by: Usa Serenity
Light flows.....softly at first, then stronger and brighter. Within
this light, one can see the possibilities of perfection and the all
too familiar poison of corruption.
Hope
In the very center of the universe there exists an impossibility. A
void, absent of light, but the birthplace of that very essence. The
few wise souls that have dared to venture there call it the
cauldron. Star seeds, souls in their purest form, are constantly
being formed in this vacuous spring of life. If you listen closely,
you can almost hear their song as they are flung from the womb
of creation to wherever they seem to be needed. Every so often,
a much brighter star seed is born. One which has more purity and
grace and wisdom than it's predecessors. And even more rarely
than that, the purest star seeds are born. These seeds are
eternal in their shine, and contain the combined wisdom of all the
higher beings that control the cauldron. With this great wisdom,
however, comes great risk of corruption. The seeds themselves
are pure, but whether they become purely good, or purely evil is
happenstance. There are those who will do anything to gain
control over one of these rare seeds, and those who would give
their very life to protect them. Our story begins with the birth of
one such seed.
"Just one more push, your majesty....we're almost there," the
young doctor said, stress tainting his voice. A nearby nurse
wiped his brow before the perspiration that had formed there
could run into his eyes.
The delivery was proving to be more complicated than he had
expected. At last, the infant was in his hands. Mucus and traces
of blood covered the pale, wrinkled baby.
"It's a girl..." he wrapped the newborn in a soft blanket. She did
not cry, only looked at him calmly with her crystal blue eyes. "I'm
sorry, the sigil is not there...," he trailed off as he handed the girl
child to her mother.
"My baby.....I'm so glad you're finally here..." the silver-haired
queen whispered to her daughter.
"The sigil will appear. I have seen it in my dreams." She spoke
more firmly to the doctor, who nodded once and gestured for the
nurse to take the baby.
The queen handed the infant over reluctantly, but not before
several assurances from the nurse that she would be returned.
Finally, convinced that her daughter would be with her again
soon, the queen slept.
The baby lay in a bassinet at the foot of the enormous state bed
where the queen slept. She was one week old today, and still no
evidence of a sigil. Solana Serenity was starting to worry that her
dream had somehow deceived her. She sat on the bed and
closed her eyes, trying to remember the vision.
She had been in this very room. She saw herself, swollen with
pregnancy, reading through some official papers while resting in
the bed. A flash of light and then....the baby. A beautiful
newborn girl now lay on the bed, dressed in the white robes of
the royal house of Serenity. An ethereal figure, ghostly in it's
appearance, appeared over the child. The figure turned her eyes
on the dream Solana and smiled so beautifully that tears coursed
down the queen's face. The figure touched one vaporous finger
to the infants forehead and a shining, crescent moon appeared
there, bathing the room with it's brilliant silver glow. The figure
once again turned her eyes on the queen, this time a deep
sadness rested there, before it faded, as did the dream. So, the
real Solana waited and worried.
The weeks turned into months, with no sign of the ethereal figure
from the dream or the sigil that should have adorned the young
princess's forehead. The people of the kingdom speculated and
the doubters made their opinions widely known.
"The royal line will end with our Queen..."
"The baby is not chosen by the fates to rule..."
"You know this means the destruction of our land..."
"I have heard a prophet talk of these events....the end is close at
hand..."
On and on it went, with fear and doubt spreading across the
kingdom. Solana tried to calm her people with speeches and
meetings and anything else she could think of, but to no avail.
The exodus had already begun. It started with only a few families
relocating to Earth or one of the other planets, then the trickle
turned into a stream, and the stream turned into a flood. People
were leaving as fast at the shuttles could carry them, and by the
time the princess had her second birthday, the population had
dwindled to a third of what it had been. Most of those who stayed
were either staff at the palace, or families of staff. Only a handful
of nobles dared to brave the unknown, those who were the most
loyal to the house of Serenity, and those who would gain by it's
demise.
"I believe you, Sola. I have known you many years, and have
never once heard you lie," the kindly voice was raspy with age,
but comforting to the queen.
"Thank you, Celeste. It does help to hear those words from you.
I am beginning to doubt myself. I have a hard time even recalling
the vision now, much less truly believing it." Solana looked at the
old, frail looking woman who sat across from her. She
remembered the now wispy, white hair that once shone with a
exotic mixture of black and gold. Celeste had been her mentor,
her confidante, the only adult she had trusted with her life, except
for her own mother, when she had been a child. The old healer
had practically raised Solana. And Solana was grateful that she
had stayed when her only son had gone to Earth many years
ago. The older woman had been a fixture in Solana's life that
she did not want to lose. Now she served in the role of unofficial
advisor to the Queen, and trusted nanny to the princess.
"Sola, you must believe in yourself. If you saw the sigil, it will be
there, you only have to be patient. The fates don't have a
timetable. They will appear when it is necessary," Celeste
smiled and was rewarded with a slight smile in return. She patted
the knee of her precious Sola and for a moment saw her as the
child she used to be.
Celeste walked to the small nursery where Princess Usagi
Serenity spent most of her day. The youngster had just woken up
from her nap and was fussing at the nurse that was trying to lift
her from the crib. Celeste moved in quickly and took the child
before her anger turned to tears, as usually happened in children
that age. Usagi grinned broadly at the site of her nanny, and
went to play happily when Celeste set her on the floor. With the
princess occupied with her blocks, Celeste began to daydream
about the days when Sola had played while she watched.
She took her position as a healer very seriously. It was an honor
to be appointed to the palace, and even more of one to be
assigned to the princess. Her son was not so honored. He
resented his mother's servitude to the house of Serenity from the
time he turned fifteen and was shunned by the daughter of a
noble and referred to as the 'healer's son.' He didn't even have
a gift to fall back on. Only the women in his family held the
healing power. As soon as he was of age, he insisted that he be
allowed to continue his education on Earth, where he wasn't
labeled. Celeste agreed reluctantly, and watch him board the
shuttle with great sadness. Letters from her son were rare, and
visits nonexistent, but he seemed to be happy, so Celeste took
comfort in that small detail. She had been shocked, but joyful,
when he returned suddenly with a wife in tow. Celeste grew
close to her daughter-in-law, and cheerfully spread the news
when the pregnancy was announced. After the birth, she would
often bring her beautiful dark haired granddaughter to the palace
where she watched over Princess Solana. As the years went by,
the two little girls, only three years apart, became fast friends.
Celeste received another shock several years later, this one not
so pleasant, when he son announced that he was taking his
family back to Earth. His father-in-law was a noble there, and he
wanted his daughter to grow up in the 'right class.'
Celeste was crushed, but not as much as the fifteen year old
princess, who was losing her best friend, her only friend that
didn't treat her like the royalty that she was.
This time, Celeste cried her tears at the palace, because
watching the shuttle take away her granddaughter was just too
painful. This time, her tears were shared by a princess who felt
the same way.
Her daydreaming mind was yanked from it's reverie by a cry from
her charge. The small princess was crouched on the floor with
her arms extended, mumbling under her breath. Beads of sweat
dotted her forehead and tears rolled down her chubby face. The
odd thing was, that through it all, she was smiling. Celeste
watched, mesmerized, as thin streams of silver light circled
around the princess and flowed out of the room. Usagi cried out
once more and a blinding light flared in the nursery. Celeste ran
frantically to the princess as soon as her eyesight was restored,
and found the girl passed out, curled up on her side. Soft snoring
sounds brought relief to the old healer, that was soon replaced by
awe as she spied the silver crescent moon shining on the young
girl's forehead.
The old healer gently lifted the young princess and carried her to
the ornate silver crib that stood in an alcove under an image of a
unicorn frozen in stained glass. Usagi didn't stir when her
coverlet was pulled up under her chubby chin, and she was
tucked in for what would turn out to be a very long nap. When
she was sure the little princess was snug and still sleeping
soundly, she went over to a small crystal panel set into the
nursery wall and spoke softly.
Solana raced into the room a few minutes later, smiling broadly.
"Are you sure? It is there?" she questioned.
"Yes Sola, I saw it with my own eyes. It's still visible if you care
to take a look."
Solana moved quietly towards the crib, and sighed with relief
when she saw the slight silver glow that was evident on her
daughter's forehead.
She returned to where Celeste was sitting and let herself
collapse into the soft cushions of the small sofa.
"I thought this day would never come," she said softly.
"And I told you the fates didn't have a timetable. Sola....there's
something you should know about how this all came about,"
Celeste's tone became serious as she met the queen's crystal
blue eyes.
Celeste told Solana what had happened, and watched the
confusion appear in the queen's eyes as she finished the story.
"Are you sure that's what she said?" Solana asked incredulously.
"I'm positive," Celeste replied.
The events that led to the sigil being revealed were not disclosed
to anyone but the Queen and her closest advisors, and one detail
was kept from all but the Queen herself. A miracle, the true
prophecy, was what it was being hailed as by the people of the
Moon Kingdom. Celebrations went on for days, and feasts were
consumed in the princess's honor for weeks. Solana only felt
relief.
Some of those who had fled the Moon, returned, and soon, the
unease of the two previous years was forgotten. The kingdom
flourished, and the princess grew into a lovely girl. What she
lacked in grace, she made up for in kindness and compassion.
She wept with her mother at the death of her nanny, Celeste, and
held Solana's hand for comfort during the funeral. Whether it
was for her own comfort or her Mother's was only known between
the two. She felt a strange pull that drew her eyes to a striking
woman with long dark hair and a very handsome boy of about
fourteen during the service, and felt a wave of familiarity when
she met the boy's eyes, and could see he clearly felt the same.
She saw him mouth the words "silver girl?", and she felt dizzy
and out of breath. When she collapsed, Solana thought it was
only from grief, as she was not far from that state herself. As she
carried her daughter back towards the palace, a pair of midnight
blue eyes caught her gaze, and recognition tried to spark. The
dark haired woman to whom the eyes belonged seemed to feel
the same, and gave a delicate wave and a sad smile to Solana as
she passed.
"Who was that, Mother?" the boy asked.
"Just someone I used to know...." she replied pensively.
Usagi awoke in the dark. The dream had been unsettling, but not
unpleasant. She grabbed her diary that was always on the table
by her bed and began to record the dream on it's pages. It had
been her Mother that had first suggested that she write down her
dreams. It helped Usagi understand them better, but not
completely. As she struggled to describe the boy from her
dream, it struck her that she had seen this boy in real life. Just
this afternoon, at the funeral, to be exact. The same inky black
hair, the same deep blue eyes, but much younger than the man
in her dream. She was comforted by the fact that he was real,
and not just some figment of her imagination. She imagined them
dancing together, and flushed pink at the thought. Well, she
thought, that will have to wait. I won't even be allowed to go to
balls until I'm fourteen, and that's four years away. Usagi sighed
and lay down on her pillow, trying to go back to sleep.
While Usagi was dreaming about the dark haired boy, Solana
was kneeling at the crystal tower.
"Oh Celeste....I know it was her! I have missed her so much over
these years! And now that you've gone, she had no reason to
come back." Tears began to flow as the realization hit her. She
laid her cheek on the cold marble floor and cried like a child.
On Usagi's fourteenth birthday, she was ushered into her
mother's chambers by Luna, the mauian advisor that tutored her
on occasion.
"You needed to see me?" Usagi asked.
"Yes, today, you came of age." Solana took Usagi's hand and led
her over to a small sofa by the window. "Within the next two
years, you must choose a suitor to be your husband," Solana
inwardly smiled at the open mouthed shock on her daughter's
face. "But, that is not why I called you here. Today is also the
day that you learn about your birthright."
Usagi was still reeling from the first revelation. She was
speechless as her mother poured tea from delicate china pot into
equally delicate cups.
"Husband??"
"Yes, Usagi, but not today. Two years is a long time. I'm sure
you will have many suitors to choose from." Solana handed one
cup to Usagi and was amused by the girl's trembling hands.
Usagi somehow managed to compose herself and asked, "What
do you mean by birthright?"
"For many generations, the women in our royal line have had a
power. We are able to control a crystal, the ginziushou."
"Ginzuishou?" Usagi repeated.
"Ginziushou. It is very powerful, almost infinitely so, but it does
have a price. To use the full power almost always leads to the
death of the one who wields it. There is a legend of one of our
ancestors who could completely control the ginzuishou, and used
it to destroy a great enemy without giving her life, but that legend
is ancient. She is said now to watch over the birth of the souls of
all Serenity's," Solana paused to wipe a stray tear from her
daughter's cheek. Usagi's tears came unexpectedly, and both
were surprised at their appearance.
"Don't cry, my darling, it is only a legend," Solana continued to
brush the errant tears from Usagi's face.
"It sounds so lonely...." Usagi whispered.
Solana looked at her dispirited daughter and realized for the first
time the depth of Usagi's empathy. She rushed on to try to get
Usagi past the despair of the old legend, "It is time for you to
receive your part of the ginzuishou. It is a sacred time in our
family when a mother passes the ginzuishou to her daughter.
Hold out your hand." Solana lifted the fine silver chain that
always hung around her neck to reveal an intricate looking locket.
She opened it carefully and soft light flowed over them both.
Usagi's eyes widened at the sight of the ginzuishou. It looked
almost like a large diamond, faceted and glittering. Solana
waved her hand over the crystal and it rose up from the locket
and floated in the air.
"Now, close you eyes and concentrate," Solana said.
Usagi closed her eyes and felt a warm aura surround her. It was
over very quickly and when she opened her eyes, a locket on a
fine silver chain hung around her neck. She lifted it up and
opened it and smiled when she saw a smaller version of her
mother's ginzuishou.
"I hear it singing...," Usagi said, then her brow furrowed, "It's
looking for it's other half..."
"Yes, the ginzuishou has it's own song. Only the most powerful
of the Serenitys can hear it. I could only barely make it out. Is it
very clear to you?" Solana asked.
"Yes, it's.....sad.....lonely, but hopeful. Is this because you gave
part of it to me?" Usagi's empathetic nature once again had her
weeping.
"No, darling. Only the power was split. The crystal itself is really
just an illusion, an outward manifestation of the ginzuishou, which
has no form but pure, silver light. The other half the ginzuishou is
singing about is also part of an old legend. It is said that the
ginzuishou was once a braid of gold and silver light, and the
crystal that was manifested was like an infinity sign, gold on one
side, and silver on the other," Solana explained the mysterious
tale as her own mother had once told her.
"Is it true?" Usagi asked with the innocence on a child.
"No one knows for sure, I don't know that we ever will," Solana
replied.
Usagi was silent, but her thoughts were almost frantic in there
insistence that she had seen that gold and silver braid of light
before. Solana watched her intently, knowing with all her
motherly instincts that something was disturbing Usagi.
"It will be okay, Mother. I can hear the song very clearly. My
destiny is to complete the ginzuishou, and I think I've already
begun." Usagi smiled brilliantly at her mother, and Solana
embraced the young princess, someone knowing that time was
short for both of them.