" This can't be happening!" A young woman with sandy
blonde hair paced back and forth in the throne room at Castle
Uranus. Seated behind her were the rest of the Uranian royals,
except for the crown princess.
" No one was supposed to go to the western half of
Titania, the dwarves are there and we don't know where their
allegiance lies. Those soldiers could have easily died. The
dwarves far out perform them and they have mages, powerful
mages."
" They're only soldiers Phoebe, barely more than
peasants." Chronus, the oldest said, he needed a good
smack upside the head.
" General Infrit was with these troops."
" So we'll promote someone else to his position, it's
no big deal." I scowled at him, this war was not going according
to plan. A voice blared from a screen at the side of the throne
room and General Infrit appeared. I didn't understand these
Mercurian inventions but they were quite useful. I walked to
the screen.
" General you have some explaining to do." I glared
at the screen.
" Princess we are inside a Dwarven stronghold, they
side with us." I was mildly surprised.
" General, you were told not to go to the west, you of
all people should know how dangerous it is."
" It was the fastest route to the capital, we needed to
know if they were on our die or not."
I was infuriated, how could he risk so much. These were
human lives he was toying with. I knew that Infrit wouldn't do
anything without his precious princess. She was around him
somewhere and I needed to knock some sense into her. I usually
find her decisions fairly reasonable but this is crazy, she
doesn't know what she's doing. I felt a pull to Titania's
west in my heart but my head keeps screaming at me to see the
dangers. I felt so much unease whenever my mind drifted to
Titania, I knew that something was wrong but I didn't know
whether it was something the army or the enemy was doing.
I wanted to ask him why Haruka directed him to go to Titania
but I dared not ask in front of my brothers and sisters.
They still thought she ran away from the 'stress of the job."
And they wouldn't know intuition if it bit them in the butt.
Like most Uranians they were blind to magic.
" I'm going to Titania." My siblings seemed to
contemplate this for a minute.
" Fine, go amuse yourself." Chronus said.
" Well thank you so much but I don't need your
permission."
" Yes, Phoebe dear, you do, mummy and daddy are of
power and with your dear twin sister gone we have more
power than you. I don't know why you bother interfering
with this you never do anything political, but now that you
are be aware that we... well I own you, but you may go,
enjoy yourself." He smirked and I left the throne room
glaring in his general direction.
I arrived on Titania within a few hours and
Infrit greeted me.
" Care to tell me where my sister is and why you
are here General?"
" I'm sorry milady but my loyalty is to her first,
I can't betray that trust. no one knows where she is, or
even who she is."
"You know I'll find her, she is my sister."
He shrugged at me then directed me to a room down the hall
where I was going to stay.
" General I wish to speak to the Elven mages and the
leader of this stronghold, maybe they know something about why
you are here since your being so uncooperative."
" Princess why did we come here?"
" That's not your place to ask *General*"
" You know that she will find you."
" Of course I do, I can't hide here forever. There is
nothing I can do on the surface. I don't hold power while
there is civil war. My stupid brother Chronus can overrule me
especially with his wide network of bribes."
" Go talk to Queen Serenity, she listens to you more
than your siblings, you're to be her daughters senshi."
" This war is pointless and she started it. She won't
listen to me she just wants one unified religion where everyone
gets along, she wants one set of laws. Most of the things she
talks about don't apply to us, we are so far away from the moon,
she can't control us; my brothers and sisters don't care at all.
All they want is to be in the Queen's court. That and more money."
" What can you do from here though."
" I don't know at least I feel like I'm doing something!
You know that at the palace I can be completely overruled. Especially
when the Generals of the palace district can be bribed into
complacency. They're all glad I don't have power."
" But you are a senshi, the queen gives you special privileges.
She'll listen to you before them."
" Not if I'm disagreeing with her, She doesn't know the history
of this planet, most Uranians don't even know it. We don't stand a chance
against the mystic moon. The moon won't accept lunar magic if the citizens
are opposed to the idea. It will either turn the planet into a desert or
an icicle. It controls the magical field allowing us to live. When
inhabitants came to the other planets lunar magic was tied into it but
not here. Besides that it took thousands of years for Tenousei to support
the mystic moon, It won't just realign. When we are all dead she will
finally realize."
" Princess, I'm sure the queen is smart enough to know the
consequences. All she wants is unity for our kingdoms it's the first time
Uranians have had diplomacy with the moon. She will realize that Uranian
magic has a different base than the other planets. The Plutonians are left
to their own devices because they have the same problems as we do.
They derive their power from the time stream and that is not something the
even the queen can mess with."
" The queen cannot affect the time stream even if she wanted to and
they have a total population of five hundred. They don't make a big difference
to Lunar economy. At castle Uranus alone we employ more than two thousand.
Tenousei has a populous of more than a billion. That is a lot of people
with special treatment 'against' Utopia."
" So you're giving up milady."
" I'd rather die than leave this planet to those bigots on
parliament hill"
"Being a low rank troop in the army isn't going to help you. Go to
the queen or at least to the other imperials, If two side with you power
will be in your hands, The citizens trust you more than your brothers
and sisters. Prince Iapetus will feel the changes and he will try to fix
them. Go to the Titanian council, they don't want war, they will willingly
cooperate."
" I need to make allies here first."
" You can't make allies if they don't know who you are."
"They will know soon enough."
" When is soon milady."
" Don't speak to me like that, my decisions are my own. I do not
need to justify them to you General."
" You have more impact on t he surface, you already have allies.
There is to much risk here. What if you get killed there is a war going
on princess."
" General that will be all." I turned and left. I left the
infirmary for the temporary barracks for Uranian soldiers from the
surface. They finally let me out of the damned hospital.
" Tenou." The captain called for me, great just what I need
to top of my day, this insolent bastard of high birth.
" That was quite a brave thing to do, saving the General like
that, but don't expect to get any special treatment."
" Of course not sir." I wanted to get away. I outrank you bastard.
" Princess Phoebe from castle Uranus has come. I expect you to be
in attendance, just because you played hero and got hurt doesn't mean you're
excused from affairs. The princess specified to me that all should be in
attendance."
" And don't pull any of your snotty crap Tenou, the princess will
have you rectify your actions, I don't want to hold that embarrassment."
" Yes sir." Asshole.
Well it turns out I didn't show up like a good little soldier.
I pretended to be 'sick' I don't know where Phoebe's allegiance lies,
as I'm sure I've mentioned we weren't' very close.
We got along fine and she usually sided with me but I cannot
remember ever having an actual conversation with my own twin sister.
She spoke to me when she had to, for her official duties, but I was
basically alone at my post with no one to really confide in.
I know General Infrit is loyal to me and my crown but it's his
job, anyone will be loyal if you pay them enough. Besides he wants
to get out of the stupid politics as much as I do, we could've been
friends but being heir to the throne got in the way; I was alone.
The decisions I make are my own, the advisors assigned to me I
can't trust. I'm only sixteen I don't know what I'm doing, but I
have to help somehow, anyhow.
I guess that is why I joined the army, I felt like I was
actually playing a part, doing my share, not sending out orders to
deaf ears and were massacred In a twisted game of telephone to serve
an ulterior purpose by officials looking for a buck. I sighed trying
to sleep in my hospital bed.
I dozed off only to be woken by the sound of a metal against metal.
I sat upright listening.
"She has to be here somewhere." I heard a gruff muffled voice. I
stood up, a sharp pain emanating from my temple, and made my way to the
window. The thick glass was covered with metal bars, I couldn't get out.
I heard someone opening the lock of the door, I was trapped. How could I
have been so stupid, the first thing I usually do is look for ways to get
out. How could I have been so stupid.
Three men pried open t he door and pushed me into the bed. A hand
passed over my forehead and I could feel my insignia burning beneath my
skin giving off an eerie light.
"So you thought you thought you could run away princess." These
were my brother Chronus' spies. They violently pulled me out of the
hospital ward and I felt myself being shoved into the back of a caravan.
They rode in silence and I felt myself being magically pulled back to
Tenousei. A few hours later I saw the castle rising in front of me.
The three men pulled me into the throne room where my brother
sat.
" What should we do with her you highness." I scoffed.
" Leave her." The men walked away. Chronus looked at me. " Well
don't you look ...common."
" What do you want Chronus?"
" You insolent brat, I just saved your ass, the queen isn't
very pleased with the rebellion and will be here in a few hours. She
would be suspicious if you aren't here. When she leaves tomorrow I'll
deal with you. I own you sister dear or would you rather me show how
you parade around as a soldier, a boy, to Queen Serenity or Mother?
You will do as I say." Chronus smirked.
" Asshole," I felt my teeth grinding a foul taste had risen
in my mouth. He stood from the throne and dramatically walked towards
me. The next thing I knew the back of his hand swept over my cheek and
I felt a searing pain.
" I have more power than you Miranda, you are no longer invincible.
You are over."
For the first time in my life I felt sick to my stomach, I knew
he was right. I was no longer high crown princess, I hadn't bribed
people into following me and now my voice meant nothing. Chronus was
going to ruin Tenousei and inadvertently Serenity would help.
I went to my chambers where servants were waiting to 'prepare'
me for the queens visit. I walked in and my maids were aghast. I saw
myself in the mirror. Dirt darkened my once platinum locks which stuck
up at strange angles. I was bleeding on my right cheek where Chronus' ring
had punctured my skin. My face once pale and sunless was darker and smeared
with mud. My clothes were dirty and wrinkled. Cuts showed on my exposed
arms. My maids were shocked at how this travesty had once been the crown
princess and soon they dumped me in a scalding bath and I was being scrubbed
from head to toe with servants muttering how filthy I was.
Soon they were arguing about what I was going to wear. My body
was more toned due to my training and I refused to be stuffed into a corset.
Finally they dressed me in a swanky dark blue dressed and to my annoyance
tied a ribbon around my neck. I scowled, I felt as if I was someone's dog.
Before I could protest on my attire someone came in to tell me that the
queen had arrived.
blonde hair paced back and forth in the throne room at Castle
Uranus. Seated behind her were the rest of the Uranian royals,
except for the crown princess.
" No one was supposed to go to the western half of
Titania, the dwarves are there and we don't know where their
allegiance lies. Those soldiers could have easily died. The
dwarves far out perform them and they have mages, powerful
mages."
" They're only soldiers Phoebe, barely more than
peasants." Chronus, the oldest said, he needed a good
smack upside the head.
" General Infrit was with these troops."
" So we'll promote someone else to his position, it's
no big deal." I scowled at him, this war was not going according
to plan. A voice blared from a screen at the side of the throne
room and General Infrit appeared. I didn't understand these
Mercurian inventions but they were quite useful. I walked to
the screen.
" General you have some explaining to do." I glared
at the screen.
" Princess we are inside a Dwarven stronghold, they
side with us." I was mildly surprised.
" General, you were told not to go to the west, you of
all people should know how dangerous it is."
" It was the fastest route to the capital, we needed to
know if they were on our die or not."
I was infuriated, how could he risk so much. These were
human lives he was toying with. I knew that Infrit wouldn't do
anything without his precious princess. She was around him
somewhere and I needed to knock some sense into her. I usually
find her decisions fairly reasonable but this is crazy, she
doesn't know what she's doing. I felt a pull to Titania's
west in my heart but my head keeps screaming at me to see the
dangers. I felt so much unease whenever my mind drifted to
Titania, I knew that something was wrong but I didn't know
whether it was something the army or the enemy was doing.
I wanted to ask him why Haruka directed him to go to Titania
but I dared not ask in front of my brothers and sisters.
They still thought she ran away from the 'stress of the job."
And they wouldn't know intuition if it bit them in the butt.
Like most Uranians they were blind to magic.
" I'm going to Titania." My siblings seemed to
contemplate this for a minute.
" Fine, go amuse yourself." Chronus said.
" Well thank you so much but I don't need your
permission."
" Yes, Phoebe dear, you do, mummy and daddy are of
power and with your dear twin sister gone we have more
power than you. I don't know why you bother interfering
with this you never do anything political, but now that you
are be aware that we... well I own you, but you may go,
enjoy yourself." He smirked and I left the throne room
glaring in his general direction.
I arrived on Titania within a few hours and
Infrit greeted me.
" Care to tell me where my sister is and why you
are here General?"
" I'm sorry milady but my loyalty is to her first,
I can't betray that trust. no one knows where she is, or
even who she is."
"You know I'll find her, she is my sister."
He shrugged at me then directed me to a room down the hall
where I was going to stay.
" General I wish to speak to the Elven mages and the
leader of this stronghold, maybe they know something about why
you are here since your being so uncooperative."
" Princess why did we come here?"
" That's not your place to ask *General*"
" You know that she will find you."
" Of course I do, I can't hide here forever. There is
nothing I can do on the surface. I don't hold power while
there is civil war. My stupid brother Chronus can overrule me
especially with his wide network of bribes."
" Go talk to Queen Serenity, she listens to you more
than your siblings, you're to be her daughters senshi."
" This war is pointless and she started it. She won't
listen to me she just wants one unified religion where everyone
gets along, she wants one set of laws. Most of the things she
talks about don't apply to us, we are so far away from the moon,
she can't control us; my brothers and sisters don't care at all.
All they want is to be in the Queen's court. That and more money."
" What can you do from here though."
" I don't know at least I feel like I'm doing something!
You know that at the palace I can be completely overruled. Especially
when the Generals of the palace district can be bribed into
complacency. They're all glad I don't have power."
" But you are a senshi, the queen gives you special privileges.
She'll listen to you before them."
" Not if I'm disagreeing with her, She doesn't know the history
of this planet, most Uranians don't even know it. We don't stand a chance
against the mystic moon. The moon won't accept lunar magic if the citizens
are opposed to the idea. It will either turn the planet into a desert or
an icicle. It controls the magical field allowing us to live. When
inhabitants came to the other planets lunar magic was tied into it but
not here. Besides that it took thousands of years for Tenousei to support
the mystic moon, It won't just realign. When we are all dead she will
finally realize."
" Princess, I'm sure the queen is smart enough to know the
consequences. All she wants is unity for our kingdoms it's the first time
Uranians have had diplomacy with the moon. She will realize that Uranian
magic has a different base than the other planets. The Plutonians are left
to their own devices because they have the same problems as we do.
They derive their power from the time stream and that is not something the
even the queen can mess with."
" The queen cannot affect the time stream even if she wanted to and
they have a total population of five hundred. They don't make a big difference
to Lunar economy. At castle Uranus alone we employ more than two thousand.
Tenousei has a populous of more than a billion. That is a lot of people
with special treatment 'against' Utopia."
" So you're giving up milady."
" I'd rather die than leave this planet to those bigots on
parliament hill"
"Being a low rank troop in the army isn't going to help you. Go to
the queen or at least to the other imperials, If two side with you power
will be in your hands, The citizens trust you more than your brothers
and sisters. Prince Iapetus will feel the changes and he will try to fix
them. Go to the Titanian council, they don't want war, they will willingly
cooperate."
" I need to make allies here first."
" You can't make allies if they don't know who you are."
"They will know soon enough."
" When is soon milady."
" Don't speak to me like that, my decisions are my own. I do not
need to justify them to you General."
" You have more impact on t he surface, you already have allies.
There is to much risk here. What if you get killed there is a war going
on princess."
" General that will be all." I turned and left. I left the
infirmary for the temporary barracks for Uranian soldiers from the
surface. They finally let me out of the damned hospital.
" Tenou." The captain called for me, great just what I need
to top of my day, this insolent bastard of high birth.
" That was quite a brave thing to do, saving the General like
that, but don't expect to get any special treatment."
" Of course not sir." I wanted to get away. I outrank you bastard.
" Princess Phoebe from castle Uranus has come. I expect you to be
in attendance, just because you played hero and got hurt doesn't mean you're
excused from affairs. The princess specified to me that all should be in
attendance."
" And don't pull any of your snotty crap Tenou, the princess will
have you rectify your actions, I don't want to hold that embarrassment."
" Yes sir." Asshole.
Well it turns out I didn't show up like a good little soldier.
I pretended to be 'sick' I don't know where Phoebe's allegiance lies,
as I'm sure I've mentioned we weren't' very close.
We got along fine and she usually sided with me but I cannot
remember ever having an actual conversation with my own twin sister.
She spoke to me when she had to, for her official duties, but I was
basically alone at my post with no one to really confide in.
I know General Infrit is loyal to me and my crown but it's his
job, anyone will be loyal if you pay them enough. Besides he wants
to get out of the stupid politics as much as I do, we could've been
friends but being heir to the throne got in the way; I was alone.
The decisions I make are my own, the advisors assigned to me I
can't trust. I'm only sixteen I don't know what I'm doing, but I
have to help somehow, anyhow.
I guess that is why I joined the army, I felt like I was
actually playing a part, doing my share, not sending out orders to
deaf ears and were massacred In a twisted game of telephone to serve
an ulterior purpose by officials looking for a buck. I sighed trying
to sleep in my hospital bed.
I dozed off only to be woken by the sound of a metal against metal.
I sat upright listening.
"She has to be here somewhere." I heard a gruff muffled voice. I
stood up, a sharp pain emanating from my temple, and made my way to the
window. The thick glass was covered with metal bars, I couldn't get out.
I heard someone opening the lock of the door, I was trapped. How could I
have been so stupid, the first thing I usually do is look for ways to get
out. How could I have been so stupid.
Three men pried open t he door and pushed me into the bed. A hand
passed over my forehead and I could feel my insignia burning beneath my
skin giving off an eerie light.
"So you thought you thought you could run away princess." These
were my brother Chronus' spies. They violently pulled me out of the
hospital ward and I felt myself being shoved into the back of a caravan.
They rode in silence and I felt myself being magically pulled back to
Tenousei. A few hours later I saw the castle rising in front of me.
The three men pulled me into the throne room where my brother
sat.
" What should we do with her you highness." I scoffed.
" Leave her." The men walked away. Chronus looked at me. " Well
don't you look ...common."
" What do you want Chronus?"
" You insolent brat, I just saved your ass, the queen isn't
very pleased with the rebellion and will be here in a few hours. She
would be suspicious if you aren't here. When she leaves tomorrow I'll
deal with you. I own you sister dear or would you rather me show how
you parade around as a soldier, a boy, to Queen Serenity or Mother?
You will do as I say." Chronus smirked.
" Asshole," I felt my teeth grinding a foul taste had risen
in my mouth. He stood from the throne and dramatically walked towards
me. The next thing I knew the back of his hand swept over my cheek and
I felt a searing pain.
" I have more power than you Miranda, you are no longer invincible.
You are over."
For the first time in my life I felt sick to my stomach, I knew
he was right. I was no longer high crown princess, I hadn't bribed
people into following me and now my voice meant nothing. Chronus was
going to ruin Tenousei and inadvertently Serenity would help.
I went to my chambers where servants were waiting to 'prepare'
me for the queens visit. I walked in and my maids were aghast. I saw
myself in the mirror. Dirt darkened my once platinum locks which stuck
up at strange angles. I was bleeding on my right cheek where Chronus' ring
had punctured my skin. My face once pale and sunless was darker and smeared
with mud. My clothes were dirty and wrinkled. Cuts showed on my exposed
arms. My maids were shocked at how this travesty had once been the crown
princess and soon they dumped me in a scalding bath and I was being scrubbed
from head to toe with servants muttering how filthy I was.
Soon they were arguing about what I was going to wear. My body
was more toned due to my training and I refused to be stuffed into a corset.
Finally they dressed me in a swanky dark blue dressed and to my annoyance
tied a ribbon around my neck. I scowled, I felt as if I was someone's dog.
Before I could protest on my attire someone came in to tell me that the
queen had arrived.
