Chapter two: The Mercurian King, Queen, and their daughter



The Queen of the Moon stood on the dais ready to introduce the Kings and Queens from the 'inner' planets.

"Queen Aphrodite and King Eros from Venus." She announced.

A woman in a very short yellow tube dress with flowing yellow hair, and a man in a white tuxedo with blonde hair walked into the room.

"Queen Athena and King Hermes from Mercury."

A woman in a modest long blue dress with long dark blue hair and a man with black hair in a light blue tuxedo entered the room.

"Queen Calisto and King Zeus from Jupiter."

A woman with bright green hair in a long green dress to match and a man with darker green hair in a green tuxedo entered the room.

"Queen Hestia and King Ares from Mars."

A woman with bright red hair in a red tube dress and a man with black hair in a red tuxedo entered the room.

After the introductions they were ushered into a side room.

"Ami, my beautiful daughter." Queen Athena embraced Ami.

"I missed you Mother." Ami said gently. "Where is my sister?"

Ami looked around and spied the small blue bassinet with the insignia of Mercury embroidered on the blanket.

Ami smiled as she walked the seven steps to the bassinet. Looking down at her two month old sister, who had been three months premature and had scarcely been three pounds when she was born, (the doctors had given the child an hour to live; the baby girl lasted twenty-four, and the doctors had released her), she figured the child a miracle.

She leaned over and picked her sister up.

"Hey Joanna." Ami whispered in the sleeping baby's ear. "I missed you."

She walked over to her father with the sleeping baby held close, Joanna resting on her shoulder.

"Hi Daddy." She gave him a one armed hug.

King Hermes smiled. "Hey Ames."

***

Zoisite watched Ami from a corner, debating when the right time was to ask her to the ball.

"I wonder who the child she is holding is?" he wondered to himself.

He decided to go find out.

The Mercurian princess watched in amazement as the twenty-one year old Zoisite approached her eight-teen year old self.

He bowed to her and kissed the back of her free hand on his way up. "Lady Mercury, I am Zoisite."

"Please, call me Ami." She smiled.

"Pardon my asking, but who is the child you are holding."

"Oh, this is my sleeping sister, Joanna."

Zoisite kissed the baby's small hand. "Pleased to meet you princess."

Ami giggled.

He suppressed a laugh. "She's beautiful." Then he added in a whisper that was barely audible. "But not near as beautiful as you."

She glanced at him in disbelief.

"Are you going to the ball with anyone?"

Ami shook her head.

"Would you mind going with me?"

"Does this answer your question?" She paused, biting her lower lip.

His smoky green eyes showed curiosity. "Does what answer my question?"

"This."

She kissed him gently on the lips, soft and quick, (although it lasted a little bit longer than she'd wanted it to), then brushed a stray stand of hair out of his eyes and tucked it behind his ear.

Ami's cheeks burned. She knew they'd never let her live this one down. She glanced around and saw the whole court staring at her:

The Vesuvians were smiling; Rei looked at her in horror and disbelief; Lita and Serenity were slack-jawed; as for the generals: Jadeite was on the verge of cracking up; Nephrite was in disbelief; and Malachite was a mix of horror, disbelief, and hysterics.

She heard her mom gasp behind her at the realization of what her daughter had just done.

Ami quickly put the baby back down in the bassinet, ran back to Zoisite, grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door.

A few moments later, the two found themselves in Ami's bedroom.

Ami quickly locked the door behind them, (she didn't want to have people asking her what THAT was about), and sat down on her bed.

Zoisite cocked an eyebrow. "Am I dreaming?"

"I'm afraid not." Ami was blunt, watching him pace around her spacious room.

Her adrenaline was rushing and her heart was pounding against her ribs; THAT was an experience she'd never forget… unless it happened again….

Zoisite walked over and sat on the bed next to her, he was tired of pacing, he'd been pacing for over five minutes.

***

Rei Looked at Serenity, Lita, and Mina in disbelief. "Did you just see that?"

Mina shook her head. "Yes, Rei, we all saw it." She shot them all a sly grin. "You know what this means, right? Ami has her FIRST boyfriend!"

"Uh, Mina, aren't you forgetting Sir Tyler from earth?" Rei asked the hyper blonde.

"Oh, yeah. Um, well… Ami has her FIRST kiss!"

They all burst out laughing.

***

The King and Queen of Mercury looked at Queen Serenity.

"You know she's destined to be with him." The Queen of the Moon said regally.

Hermes nodded his head. "But he's three years OLDER than her. I was that age before; I know what goes on inside their heads, I…."

Athena elbowed him in the side. "Yes, dear, but you are three years older than ME. And damnit all, but our daughter is going to have what is right for her, and if the General Zoisite is right for her, then she can have him." Athena glared at her husband. "Right honey?"

"Yes, dear, you are absolutely correct." Hermes winced.

***

Zoisite's cheeks turned crimson for a brief moment as he realized what Ami had done. "Did you actually kiss me?"

She nodded, her cheeks burning once more.

"Damn. You kiss good."

She looked at him, confused. "What?"

"You kiss good, I said it once already."

Ami cleared her throat. "You are… are my… m-my first… f-first k-kiss…."

Zoisite went slack-jawed. "Are you serious?"

"Mmm-hmm."

He leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips, soft and slow.

Ami reflexively threaded her fingers through his hair, trying her best to make the moment last forever. The adrenaline rush of doing something that she had seen others do was rewarding, but it was different with Zoisite, something in the kiss made it seem more than right.

Several minutes later, the kiss was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes." Ami said.

"Lady Mercury, It's Luna, the Queen has sent word that you are to wear your royal dress to the ball." Luna hesitated. "And General, your prince has sent word that you are to wear you royal attire to the ball."

"Thanks Luna." Ami and Zoisite mumbled together.

After Luna's steps had faded, Zoisite gave Ami an "I'll-see-you-in-a –few- minutes" kiss and left.

Ami went to the antagonizing task of putting her royal dress on.

***

"So you actually kissed her?" Jadeite asked, eager to get an answer.

Malachite shook his head. "Leave the love-sick school-boy to himself, Jade."

"But we wanna know, Mal." Nephrite chimed in, looking pleadingly up at their leader.

"Even if you wanted to know so bad it would kill you, I wouldn't tell YOU, Neph; now Jade and Mal on the other hand might be able to beg it out of me, but as for the moment… you'll just have to keep waiting." Zoisite grinned.

"Come on, Z, tell us." Jade's pleading smile was hysterical.

"Guys, it's time for the ball, we'll discuss the matter LATER." Mal was tired of seeing Neph and Jade on their hands-and-knees pleading, although it was a terribly funny scene.

After a Thanks look at Mal, Zoisite headed out the door to go get his date.

A knock reverberated through the room and Ami was immediately at the door to get it,; she knew who it was.

"Shall we?" Zoisite held his arm out, gentleman style.

"We shall." Ami smiled, taking his arm.

***

"I can't believe the nerve of that girl!" The ebony haired Martian Princess raved.

"Calm down, Rei!" Serenity said. "I personally didn't think Ames had it in her."

"But isn't it wonderful though? Ames has someone she can love." Mina said dreamily. "Who are y'all going to the ball with?"

Rei frowned in disgust, although her eyes betrayed her sincere look of repulsion. "That horrible man, Jadeite, ugh."

Lita laughed. "I'm going with Nephrite."

"I'm going with the tall, big, strong, hunk Malachite." Mina sighed a laugh. "We all know who YOU are going with Sere."

The four eight-teen year olds busted into laughter just as a knock came on the door.

"Who is it?" The four asked in unison amidst their giggles.

"Malachite, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Prince Endymon." It was Malachite's voice.

The door opened slowly and the four girls stepped out.

With a click the door shut behind them and the girls with their respectful escorts headed to the ballroom.