Princess Darkness was in a pensive mood. She mooned about the corridors leading to the Sailor Senshi's apartments. It was such a shame, she thought. The Senshi and Queen Serenity's personal guard, the Sailor Knights, could have integrated into a marvellous team, or at very least there could have been peace between them. But Eàryon... the leader of the Sailor Knights' enmity for the Senshi was becoming legendary around the palace. It looked as if no peace was possible.
The Princess stopped suddenly, glad that for the first time in her life she wasn't wearing the crystal slippers that rang with every step she took, filling the air around her with music. There were footsteps approaching, cautious ones, from the Senshi apartments. So soft, they were—it one had walked with a friend, and they were talking, that noise would have drowned out the footfalls, even if the conversation were in whispers.
Princess Darkness hid herself behind a pillar. The noises were coming from the corridor leading to the bedroom of Sailor Venus—maybe a relative, or else—
Princess Darkness' mouth hung loose with shock. It was Eàryon—Eàryon! The sworn enemy of the Sailor Senshi... the man who crept from Sailor Venus' apartment at this hour of the morning when no-one was about... the only one whom Princess Darkness thought she might one day have married.
She slipped from behind the pillar and returned to the spartan royal bedrooms with much to consider.
"Your Majesty," Eàryon bowed ceremonially before the triple throne, holding Queen Serenity and her two daughters, Serenity and Darkness. "Your Royal Highnesses."
"Our faithful general," the Queen smiled graciously. "What is it you require, my champion? Only say the word and it will be given to you."
"I ask a boon. But I must warn Your Majesty—it flies in the face of Silver Millennium custom and even law."
There was a murmur of interest from the assembled courtiers. Eàryon's deferential, almost hesitant attitude had already sparked some attention for the usually close-mouthed Knight.
"I ask Your Majesty," he paused, gathering his courage. "For the hand of Aino Minako, Sailor Venus, in marriage."
Eager to say the words, he had said them much louder than he had intended to. All the courtiers looked at the Knight, and of all the room only Princess Darkness and Queen Serenity did not appear surprised.
Queen Serenity smiled graciously again. "Of course. I have recently thought of ordering the ceremony, as I dislike over-enthusiastic fraternising between my elite guards." In the group of Sailor Senshi clustered near Princess Serenity's arm, Sailor Venus blushed furiously. The Queen inclined her head in assent. "I grant you permission, Sir Eàryon of the Sailor Knights, to enter an engagement with my daughter's loyal handmaiden, Sailor Ve—"
There was a commotion in the crowd of courtiers. Queen Serenity checked her words, frowning.
Tobias, Eàryon's best friend and second-in-command of the Sailor Knights, strode into the clearing before the throne.
"Queen Serenity!" the Knight of Mercury half-shouted, drawing surprised murmurs from the spellstruck courtiers. "Sailor Venus is betrothed to another, a marriage arranged from birth!"
The court exploded into chatter and whispers. Eàryon's face had gone completely pale at this revelation and he waved Tobias to his side. "Who—"
Queen Serenity spoke, cutting off his words. "In view of your haste, I will overlook your inappropriate speech." There was a silent pause. Everyone in the room hung on the exchange. "Pray tell me; who is Sailor Venus betrothed to?"
Tobias's words were clearly audible against the silent crowd. "To me, Your Majesty. Queen Serenity."
Eàryon caught his friend up as he strode to his apartments, his face a mask of blended pain and fury. "Why didn't you tell me that?" he growled at Tobias.
"I never knew it mattered. I only found out she was a Senshi three days ago," Tobias retorted, just as angry. "You didn't tell anyone about your little affair, so I had no reason to tell you. You don't trust your Knights, but that's no reason not to trust your best friend." He threw a seething look at Eàryon, then turned his gaze away in disgust. "And I won't cancel the wedding, either. Love is well and good, but we're Knights. We have to uphold the traditions and the law." He paused again. "Even if you expel me from the Knights, I will not waver. Princess Darkness loves you, why not choose her if you're so eager to marry?"
With that he stormed away, leaving Eàryon alone in the corridor.
"So this is what it's come to," Princess Serenity said sadly. "Tradition versus love, and either way one loses and friendship is broken."
'Yes," Queen Serenity answered her daughter. "This is one of the most difficult conflicts of interest to resolve. If you are to take over the Silver Millennium one day," she went on, speaking now to Princess Darkness, "then you will be called on to solve problems like this often. I will leave this difficulty to you in preparation for that day."
"Naniyo!?" Princess Darkness yelped, before she got a hold on herself. "Yes, Queen Serenity. May I ask others for help?"
The Moon Queen smiled at that. "Of course. You must never be too proud to ask for help. But remember this is your task, and although others may help you, the final decision, at the last, will be yours."
Eàryon sighed.
"Tobias, please understand. I realise how much the traditions of the Silver Millennium mean to you, but we're in love. The wedding won't be for years anyway, we're both too young yet."
Tobias's eyes softened a little. "I understand how you feel, Eàryon. But our duties have to overcome your petty feelings. Be serious, anyway; you would have gotten tired of her and moved on within a week."
Eàryon moved faster than anyone in the Silver Millennium, but Tobias was expecting his leader's instinctive lashing out. Tobias could see the relief and gratitude in Eàryon's eyes as they began to circle and rain blows on each other. They pounded like children with their fists, always careful not to draw their untouched swords. Finally, exhausted, they both collapsed on the floor, their bodies dripping sweat. Tobias laughed, but Eàryon's eyes were troubled.
"Queen Serenity," Princess Darkness bowed to her mother.
"Princess Darkness," the Queen acknowledged. "How is your progress on Sir Eàryon and Tobias's predicament?" That was the question the whole palace was dying to ask the royal peacemaker. Now, in the Queen's lavish apartments, none of the busybody courtiers could hear.
"Not well." Princess Darkness sighed heavily. "It has come to blows. One of my pages glanced in their dojo to see the Knights at each other's throats, and – Oh, Mother!" she cried suddenly, tears filling her dusky eyes. Queen Serenity took the Princess in her arms and kissed her softly as she cried out her wasted love for the Sailor Knight's leader on her mother's shoulder, her tears darkening the white satin they hit. "I know what I must do," she said in a muffled voice. "It remains only to find the courage to have it done."
None of the three monarchs was optimistic to see Eàryon entering the Moon Court the next day. Walking heavily, as if pulled by duty against a deplorable act, he was fully armed and wore his silvered platinum breastplate. The courtiers watched, mesmerised, as he strode into the area reserved for those addressing the Queen. The current speaker, a merchant babbling about trade restrictions, was too caught up in his talk of wealth to notice the Knight's entry.
"And so, Your Majesty, Queen Serenity, the lifting of these bans would be advanta—"
Eàryon tapped him on the lips with a finger. "Excuse me."
"What?" the merchant demanded, irritated at being interrupted.
"Shut up," Eàryon replied evenly. "Your time is up. I will not draw my sword in the presence of Queen Serenity, but do not make me force you."
The merchant quailed, pale-faced, and retreated hurriedly. Eàryon stepped forward as if nothing had happened and bowed deeply before the triple throne.
"Your Majesty. Your Royal Highnesses."
"Our beloved champion," Queen Serenity replied in an amused voice, indulging her general. "How can I aid you this day?"
"I fear you cannot aid me, Your Majesty, nor can any other." Eàryon made a sick face. "I come to lay before you a challenge to my fellow Sailor Knight, Tobias, in a duel for the hand of Sailor Venus."
"Naniyo?" Princess Serenity and Darkness yelped in unison. Queen Serenity cast a stern look at them.
"We will withdraw momentarily. You will have your duel on Our return." The courtiers rose to their feet, and Eàryon knelt as the royal family retired to a back room to confer.
My daughter has been lax, Queen Serenity thought, unable to keep the smile from her face. I will clear this quickly.
Tobias leant down to his ankles, stretching his legs within their silver greaves. It was a futile gesture, he knew. Eàryon was a legend, and Queen Serenity had ordered the duel to the death, to ensure they did not trifle with the life of one of Princess Serenity's handmaidens.
To the death. And he would die.
Tobias stalked forward, his blade flickering like a snake. He met his leader's eyes, and nodded.
Duty.
At the arm of the throne, there was commotion. Sailor Jupiter had her arms wrapped around Sailor Venus, using her superior size and strength to stop the blonde girl throwing herself between the two. The Sailor Senshi were entranced, watching the deadly dance the two Knights wove.
Sailor Mercury snapped. She stepped behind the others and darted forward—
And stopped, narrowly avoiding falling. Princess Serenity had reacted as fast as any Sailor Knight, grabbing the Senshi's arm. "Hold!" the Princess whispered fiercely. "It is not your place! Remember my mother's plan!"
Ami nodded, angry with herself for losing control. As for Sailor Mars, the cold face she projected was not even slightly mirrored within her heart. Her thoughts were a tumult as the Knight's breathing deepened and the clash of starlight-and-unicorn-horn blades grew more frantic. Why did they not intercede? It was too much. She stood up, unable to bear it any longer, and ran to the cleared space that had been marked out for the two duellists.
The Senshi gasped as one as Rei sprang from behind Tobias and clutched at Eàryon's sword. She screamed piercingly as the edge cut her hands, and her blood ran down the blade. Tobias, furious at the interruption to such a serious affair, grabbed hold of Sailor Mars and pressed his sword to her throat.
Then he saw her face.
And she saw his.
The pair stared at each other for a long while in silence, Tobias's blade absently lowering, missing the scabbard at his waist and clattering unnoticed to the floor. Sailor Mars could barely breathe, and the entire court watched to see what would happen next.
Suddenly self-aware, Tobias glanced at the throne, around at the assembled courtiers, and back to Rei's adoring face. Finally, he turned to Eàryon, and gave half a smile.
"We have to move with the times, right..?" Eàryon nodded, looked amused, as Tobias went on. "I never really liked having an arranged marriage anyway."
The courtiers broke into cheers then as Tobias kissed Rei, and Sailor Venus was at last released to run to Eàryon's side.
Queen Serenity smiled. The sense of triumph in the air was palpable... until he turned to Princess Darkness.
The agent of love and destiny, Princess Darkness was crying bright tears. She collapsed into her mother's arms and wept uncontrollably for years of wasted love.
Sailor Pluto pursed her lips. So the anxiety between Tobias and Eàryon had been resolved, in a way not even she had expected. She idly wondered whether the other Senshi would become involved with the remaining Knights, but quickly discarded the idea.
Her thoughts turned to Princess Darkness. The poor, lonely Princess... she had come second again. Always overshadowed by her sister Serenity and now, in the one competition she had truly wanted to win... she had come second best to a handmaiden. Not even a noble, but she had won Eàryon's heart nonetheless.
Sailor Pluto shook her head. It couldn't be helped. The lonely Sailor Senshi yawned hugely and stretched out to sleep, throwing here long, long hair over herself like a blanket. What would come, would come. Tragic as Princess Darkness' story was, the outcome was joyous one, and Setsuna looked forward to watching the new couples.
The great Door of Time closed on the palace scene, and Sailor Pluto slipped into a deep and dreamless sleep.