1 Chapter 2: Late Arrivals

Lita put the finishing touches on her hair then stepped back from the full- length mirror to admire herself. Lita was the tallest girl in the group so Lita wanted to avoid wearing any high heels or else she would tower over the boys and intimidate them. Lita had decided to wear green sandals to avoid the problem and had also decided to wear a green dress that came to her calves. The neckline was straight and coming from the neckline was two strips of material and they joined at the choker on her neck. On the choker was a sign of Jupiter and in her earlobes were two green rings on either side. On her upper left arm was a painted green copper snake that wound around her arm. Lita's hair was done in a crown of curls on top of her head with green ribbons weaving through her hair. Lita thought she looked pretty and hoped the boys would think so too. She couldn't wait to meet her friends for although she seemed like the tight-lipped person in the group she really missed her friends and was looking forward to seeing them. In her mirror Lita saw her mother enter the room and Lita turned to show her mother what she was wearing.

"Lita, you look stunning," Queen Litanya said softly staring at Lita.

"Thank you momma," Lita replied before running to hug her mother who looked just as pretty as Lita. She too wore a dress that came to her calves but Litanya's dress had a split up the back and the colour was a sea foam colour while Lita's was a jade green. Litanya also wore matching sandals and in her ears were two dangling earrings. Litanya's hair was half up half down, cut to her shoulder blades and she had green leaves woven through it. They looked like a pair of strong Amazon women and they were. Both had a lot of heartache to contend with as they had lost the one man who meant the world to them in the same battle that King David died in. King Litenburg was a kind man and many missed him when he died. Litanya had tried her hardest to make sure Litenburg's last wish would come true, to make sure his daughter became the best she could be and to forever be happy and Litanya was doing fine so far but she missed her husband desperately.

"Come momma, a party awaits," Lita, declared and both smiled at each other, excited as schoolgirls they ran to the teleporting room.

Princess Rei smiled as her two guardians entered her room arguing about anything and everything.

"You two really are like a married couple you know," Rei told her guardians and both gave her an annoyed look. Rei's two guardians were a very special pair of guardians because both had the power to turn themselves into any winged creature they desired and although there were many animals to choose from the two guardians, named Phoebe and Dimitrius, preferred to take on the form of crows for they believed crows to be the life giving, life taking creatures of destiny and they were so sleek and beautiful that Phoebe and Dimitrius admired them very much. In their human form Phoebe was a slender girl with dark skin, bright red eyes and silky elbow length silvery hair. Tonight she was dressed in a flowing dress of silver with matching gloves. Her hair was out from its usual side plaits and lay softly at the sides of her face. She looked stunning and had a bright red carnation on her hip. Dimitrius looked exactly the same as Phoebe except he was male so his hair was short and his skin was slightly darker. Dimitrius wore a silver tuxedo and looked very smart. He even had a silver earring in his left ear with another looped through the first. That was a sign from one changeling to another that the changeling wearing the ring was taken. Phoebe also wore the earrings but hers were in both ears. Phoebe and Dimitrius had made what was known as a lovelink. It was a very important bonding between changelings, which was what Phoebe, and Dimitrius were. It was sort of like marriage only it went deeper and could never be broken because the two who were joined could never hate each other ever again. The lovelink was made by the touching of lips between two changelings and Phoebe and Dimitrius had done it once a few days ago when they were both in a crazy, daring mood and suddenly they were linked. Neither regretted it as both liked each other but it was still all so very new to them and they still enjoyed play arguing with each other all the time just for fun. As well as the lovelink with each other Phoebe and Dimitrius had also formed the siblinglink with Rei and Darien, which meant they had accepted Rei and Darien as their brother and sister and part of their family so the four were very close although it had only been the three of them for the past few years since Darien was on Earth.

"In actuality we are sister," Phoebe replied and Rei frowned in confusion before understanding lit up her beautiful face.

"Oh that's right, I keep forgetting you two lovelinked just a few days ago," Rei replied laughing as her two guardians' looked at each other and blushed heartily.

"Don't remind me," Dimitrius jokingly and received a punch from Phoebe for his efforts.

"Horrible thing," she scolded him affectionately before unceremoniously kicking him out of the room.

"We have things to discuss little sister," Phoebe told Rei seriously and Rei looked grave as she sat down onto her bed. Phoebe paced the room before sitting on a chair beside Rei's bed.

"Your mother wanted me to tell you before it happened so you can be prepared," Phoebe began before Rei interrupted her with a million questions at a time.

"Prepared? For what? Is something going to happen?" Rei asked these questions all at one time and Phoebe rolled her eyes upwards before answering.

"If you would let me finish maybe I can tell you," Phoebe scolded and Rei looked down at her quilt covers.

"Sorry," Rei said then waited impatiently for Phoebe to tell what she knew.

"Your mother said she sensed something bad was going to happen to the Silver Millennium, she fears it may even be destroyed, she just wanted you to be prepared for when it does happen," Phoebe finished and Rei sat in silence for a few moments questions running through her mind.

"You mean, all this will be gone soon, no more Silver Millennium?" Rei asked her arms and her eyes wide in wonder as she gazed about. No, she thought shaking her head, it couldn't be true; her life wouldn't be there anymore.

"I believe so and please do not tell anyone, your mother told only me, not even Dimitrius knows," Phoebe pleaded and Rei nodded absently not really paying attention. She couldn't get used to the fact that her childhood would soon be destroyed by…something.

Rei ran to hug Phoebe who opened her arms wide to accept Rei into her arms.

"Maybe your mother is wrong and everything will be fine," Phoebe tried to whisper comfortingly but neither was comforted for both knew that Queen Reiya had never been wrong about any of her visions.

"Do not worry sister, it will not be soon but it will happen, so forget about it and enjoy yourself tonight," Phoebe implored and Rei smiled at her warily.

"I shall believe in what you said and I will pray that this evil will never come," Rei declared and the two sisters hugged again.

"Can I come back in now?" a timid voice asked from the door and Dimitrius stuck his head in and both the girls smiled at him.

"Of course dopey," Phoebe invited him and Dimitrius entered the room holding a big box with a wide smile on his handsome mischievous face.

"What's in the box?" asked the naturally curious Rei and Dimitrius said nothing just handed her the box. Rei opened it then squealed at what she saw. Inside was a silk red dress that had a Japanese design. It had flower patterns all over it and had a high neckline that was black along the edges. The top part crossed over and was held into place by buttons of rolled material. It was a long dress and on the side was a split up to her thigh. It was a dress that Japanese woman wore on Earth and Rei had always wanted one.

"Oh Dimitrius, I love it, where in the galaxy did you get it?" Rei asked picking the dress up and pressing it to her body softly liking the smooth feel.

"That dress came courtesy of your brother and he said he hoped you would be wearing it tonight," Dimitrius read from a note before handing it to Rei to examine for herself.

"I most certainly will," Rei replied then rushed to the bathroom to put the dress on. When she emerged Phoebe and Dimitrius were astounded at the change. Rei looked like a young lady instead of a blossoming sixteen-year- old girl.

"My lady, if I were not already tied down I would right here, right now ask for your hand in marriage," Dimitrius declared valiantly causing Rei to laugh shakily. She was nervous about being in the dress. It made her feel different, perhaps daring and she felt like singing to the whole universe how good she felt. Phoebe quickly scolded her counterpart for his foolishness before turning to Rei and scrutinising her knee length ebony black hair wondering what style would flatter the dress and Rei's face but more importantly, Rei's most precious beauty, her violet eyes.

"I think I know what to do with your hair," Phoebe said and sat Rei before her then worked on her hair for about ten minutes.

"There," she said and stepped back. Phoebe and curled Rei's hair with a curling iron and then caught up the curls in a crown above Rei's head leaving some curls running down onto Rei's face.

"Oh Phoebe, you are wonderful," Rei praised her and Dimitrius nodded in agreement as he put an arm around his partners shoulders.

"Marvellous," was all he could say for the sight of Rei like that was quite breathtaking.

"Hmmm…. I have the perfect thing for your hair Rei," said Rei's mother walking into the room holding a hair clip with flowers and golden beads coming from it. Queen Reiya walked to her daughter and put the clip into Rei's hair on the side so the beads dangled onto Rei's cheek.

"Mother thank you, I don't think I could be happier," Rei replied before thinking, I could be much happier, if only my father and brother were here to see me. Rei's father King Darren and her twin brother Prince Darien were considered the royalty of Earth and therefore couldn't live on Mars with Reiya and Rei. They all missed each other desperately but Reiya and Darren had learned to communicate through their minds and were teaching Darien and Rei to do so but they weren't quite perfect at it yet. Reiya also knew that Rei had inherited her psychic powers and Reiya was positive that Rei would be the most powerful physic ever with the right training so Reiya had asked her father to train Rei and was doing so but Rei only wanted to have fun and was easily distracted so Rei wasn't that good at using her powers yet because she would play truant with her lessons and practise times to go swimming or shopping with her friends. Reiya didn't mind knowing Rei was still a child but soon, very soon, Rei would need what she had inside. Rei and Darien hadn't seen each other since they were fourteen and Rei missed him greatly and he missed her. They wrote often and told each other what was going on but both longed for the day when they could be reunited together again. Rei turned to look at her mother who had thought the same as Rei and had frowned. Rei thought her mother looked gorgeous. Even though her mother was thirty-two she looked as though she was a girl of twenty- five. You could mistake Reiya and Rei for sisters. Reiya had the same long black hair and sparking violet eyes. Tonight Rei's mother wore a dress of deep purple velvet looking very majestic. King Darren had sent it to her and it was in medieval style, a style that the earth people had let go of long ago.

"You look beautiful mother," Rei said hugging her mother who hugged her back just as tightly. The two really were like sisters and acted like them too always talking to late at night about boys Rei liked and whom Reiya thought would be the best guy for Rei to marry.

"As do you sweetheart," Reiya replied lovingly to her child who looked just like Reiya did when she was younger.

"I hate to break it up but I think we are going to be late," said Dimitrius tapping his silver watch at the mother and daughter who squealed simultaneously.

"We have to go," they cried out in unison and the three figures wearing dresses lifted their dresses high and ran full speed towards the teleporting room.

"I am such a lucky guy to have three ladies in my capable hands, somebody must like me," Dimitrius said looking to the ceiling then blowing a kiss before running after his three running ladies.