Chapter Ten
Gloria
sat up, her head was aching. She glanced around and found herself in a kingdom
of what, to her, seemed to be gold. The houses were a shimmering yellow and
orange color but at the heart of them was a palace, smaller than the Crystal
Palace but big nonetheless.
Before
long people had gathered around Gloria. She looked at them, nervous. They
didn't know her here.
It
was a girl with a long orange dress and her red hair done up in a bun that
approached. She looked maybe sixteen.
"Who
are you little one?"
"I…I
need to see the queen."
The
girl nodded and took Gloria's hand. Together, they walked towards the palace
gates, past the guards and into the throne room.
*
* *
"My
Queen?"
Queen
Alina of Venus rose and gestured for her servant Maya to do the same. She was
over two thousand years old but still looked as if she were in her twenties
because as a queen of a planet she had eternal life and eternal youth. Just as
her daughter Princess Mina had eternal life and eternal youth as a princess of
a planet and as a Sailor Soldier.
But
her daughter had long since been lost. She had been on the Moon Kingdom when
Metallica attacked and had died. Queen Serenity had reincarnated all the senshi
but it was now the thirtieth century on earth and Queen Alina had no way of
knowing what had become of her daughter.
"Yes,
Maya?"
"My
Queen, there is a young girl who has arrived on Venus. Your servant, May is
escorting her to the Magellan Castle."
The
young girl, her blond hair tied back in a braid took a breath, "She wishes a
council with you, My Queen."
The
queen nodded, her thoughts on her own daughter. "How old is she?"
"She
has not told us, Your Majesty. We estimate her to be between eight and ten."
The
Queen nodded.
"Bring
her to me, but then leave us alone."
Maya
nodded and left.
Queen
Alina sat back and tried to decide on what this child would be like.
Unfortunately, unlike Mercury and Jupiter, Venus was not blessed with children.
There were few families that had children. Her kingdom had loved it when she
ahd given birth to princess Mina so many years ago.
Suddenly
the door opened and May walked in with a small child.
She
was clearly around nine years of age, with long orange hair and deep blue eyes.
She wore a green shirt with black slacks. Her hair had a large green bow in the
center of her head. Her eyes struck a nerve with Alina. They looked so much
like Mina's.
Gloria
bowed, as she knew that even though Queen Alina was her grandmother, she didn't
know it yet. She had to be nice if she wanted some help, which she was sure,
was here.
"Rise,
little one."
"Gloria,"
she said as she stood, "My name's Gloria."
She
spoke again. "I came for help, Queen Alina."
Alina
was taken aback. "How do you know my name, Gloria?"
"I…I…well,
I know your daughter, Princess Mina.."
"My
baby?!" the queen leapt up immediately. "How do you know my child?"
Gloria
smiled. "Because she's my mother."
The
queen stumbled. "Then, you…"
"Yes,"
Gloria replied, "I am a Princess and Scout of Venus. Once grown, I'll be Sailor
Cosmic Venus."
The
queen knelt to Gloria's level.
"Then,
you're…."
"Yes,
I'm your granddaughter."
*
* *
Crystal
Tokyo
"She
must have gone after Annika," Rini reasoned with her mother.
The
queen nodded.
"Amy?"
The
Scout of Mercury sighed, "No, she erased her aura from my computer and Ariel's
so we can't follow."
Mina
leapt up. "We can't just leave her and Annika unfound!"
Lita
grabbed Mina's shoulders, "Mina, calm down! We'll find them."
Rini
spoke up, "I could help."
Mina
shook her head, "No, your parents and Amy discussed it. You and the girls still
need to go to school. If a scout disappears and you stop going, people will put
two and two together and find out your identity. Raye already said that Annika
was sick to cover."
Rini
turned to her parents, "But I want to help!"
The
queen nodded. "I know you do Darling. You and the girls will help us when
you're off but Mina's right. We can't risk your identities being found out."
Rini
sighed, deeply.
But
she turned and grabbing her things, left with her father for school.
The
day went normal for her until lunch. She was worried.
"Hey,
Palace Brat!"
Rini
growled but turned.
"What
do you want Ejiro?"
"I
heard that one of your palace brat little sisters is sick. I bet she made
herself sick. Because that's the crybaby princess."
"Ejiro?"
"Yes?"
"Shut
the hell up."
"Ooo,
is the little Princess getting tense? Want to call the queen on me?"
Rini
looked him square in the face. "What part of 'Shut Up' don't you get?"
"If
you're so tough, princess, hit me. Make me shut up."
Rini
so wanted to. But she couldn't. Her parents would jump all over her, as would
the rest of the scouts. She was the Crown Princess and the eldest of the new
generation of scouts. She had to set the example. She took a breath and started
to walk off.
"That's
it, run away, Princess. I'll bet you couldn't fight me if you tried. I wouldn't
be surprised if your mommy shelters you so much you can't even dress on you
own. Stupid."
Rini
whirled around, "What?"
"That's
stupid, all you Palace Twerps are stupid. And your mother…"
"Don't
say it Ejiro." It was said in a dangerous voice. "Shut up!"
"As
I was saying, your mother doesn't know how to rule."
That
was Rini's breaking point. She adored her mother. And her mother was a good
ruler. Everyone told Rini that. And now her mother had to find two missing
girls, plus rule a whole kingdom, plus raise her. That struck a nerve and
Rini's temper control burst.
Rini
swung her fist with all the strength she had.
Ejiro's
nose broke on contact.