A Step To Far

Amneris:

It's so strange he doesn't show me

More affection than he needs

Almost formal, too respectful

Never takes romantic leads

There are times when I imagine

I'm not always on his mind

He's not thinking what I'm thinking

Always half a step behind

Radames:

I'm in every kind of trouble

Can't you tell? Just look at me

Half ecstatic, half dejected

All in all I'm all at sea

Easy terms I thought I wanted

Fill me now with chilling dread

You could never know the chaos

Of a life turned on its head

Aida:

I am certain that I love him

But a love can be misplaced

Have I compromised my people?

In my passion and my haste?

I could be his life companion

Anywhere but where we are

Am I leader? Am I traitor?

Did I take a step to far?

~Aida

The names in the song compared to the characters in this story are: Amneris-Rei, Radames-Endymion, Aida-Serenity.

This story is inspired by the musical Aida. It is a wonderful show and I highly recommend that everyone in the world see it. Tim Rice and Elton John are pure genius and this beautiful musical once again proves their talent.

All standard disclaimers for both Aida and Sailor Moon apply. I am simply sharing a love story here. Please don't sue.

Send all e-mail to ChibiJ77@yahoo.com.

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Every Story Is A Love Story

Act II

By: Chibi J

Rated: Probably G, it has like two minor swear words in it.

Edited by: Ssista (Leanne) She's the best!

All *'s are to indicate that the line is a directly quoted lyric from Aida. I don't feel that I should be allowed to lay any claim to the beautiful words.

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"Serenity? Are you here?" Endymion asked in a slight whisper as he looked around for the blonde that he had fallen in love with.

"Yes. I am here." Serenity replied in a soft and solemn voice. Endymion immediately picked up on the tone of her voice and knew that something was bothering her.

"Serenity, something troubles you. What is wrong?"

"Endymion, your people have captured my mo-, my queen." Serenity told him.

"I know. I have heard. She is to be executed in three days, the day after my wedding." Endymion replied in an even tone.

"How can you be so calm about this?!" Serenity yelled and began to pace around. "This is my queen. My people will have no chance if she dies!"

"I'm sorry, but this is a war. The Earthlings demand control of the moon and I am a captain of the King's armies."

Serenity opened her mouth to speak, but found that she could not form any words. She watched as Endymion walked towards her, as if to embrace her. Taking a step backwards, Serenity found that she could no longer stand to be in the man's presence and fled from him.

Endymion stood, watching Serenity run away from him. His thoughts were mixed and confused in his mind. What could he do? What should he do?

*~*

"This way." Motoki whispered to Serenity. She was dressed in a black cloak that covered her face. Motoki had bribed the guard to get he and Serenity in to see the queen.

"Mother." Serenity gasped. Her mother was in a small cell, not fit for any royalty, enemy or not.

"Serenity! I thought you were dead!" Selene declared, joyful to see her daughter alive and well.

"Mother, I am sorry that I betrayed your wishes. I should have never come to Earth. I..."

"My daughter, our mistakes are in the past. It is the future of our people that we must worry about now." Selene said in an attempt to calm her daughter.

"Motoki has come up with a plan. We will get you out of here in two days." Serenity informed her mother.

"Motoki?" Selene asked curiously. For some reason, the name struck a memory.

"Yes," Serenity stated and pulled Motoki towards her side. "His parents used to work in the palace. He was taken when he was just a young boy."

"Your majesty," Motoki said with a bow, "I have never lost my loyalty to the moon."

"Motoki, thank you." The queen said smiling. "So, please share this plan."

"In two days when the marriage is to commence for the princess and captain, all of the guards will be needed in the main halls. Only one guard will be at this gate. We can easily overthrow one man." Motoki ended with a grin.

"It sounds good, but how will we leave?" Selene asked, afraid that she would put a dent into Motoki's master plan.

"I have this medallion that Endymion gave me. He said that I could use it and anyone would do as I asked." Serenity said, pulling a medallion from inside her shirt.

"Endymion?" Selene asked.

"The Earthling captain that is to wed the princess." Motoki answered in a flat tone.

"And what relationship do you have with this Earthling?" Selene asked Serenity with a growl.

"Mother, he and I..."

"You and he are nothing!" Selene cut her off. "For the good of our people, you will never see that man again!"

*~*

"You called for me mother." Endymion asked as he entered into Beryl's chambers. "Princess, what are you doing here?"

"Well, Endymion, your mother was just explaining some of the plans that we have to take over the moon." Rei replied. She had been looking at several maps that indicated rebel camps and the attacks that had been planed in strategic places on the moon.

"Yes, she was curious as to what would happen now that we have captured the queen of the moon." Beryl replied with a sinister smile.

"After all, I am to be queen. I should know what is going on." Rei stated confidently. "However, I don't understand why this is all so necessary."

"Well my dear, the moon is rightfully ours. Where else do you think the fine jewelry you are wearing came from?" Beryl said with a laugh.

"Suddenly they're not so beautiful." Rei said sadly and removed the necklace she had been wearing. "I must be going now."

"It has been a pleasure princess." Beryl said with a bow. Rei left the room and shut the door behind her, leaving Endymion with his mother.

"You requested my presence?" Endymion asked, slightly disgusted by the act his mother had put on with the princess.

"Yes. I have heard of your affairs with the princess's handmaiden. You must end it now." Beryl said, without even looking up to her son.

"I see that your spies are as good as always. However, my affairs are no business of yours." Endymion replied nonchalantly.

"They are my business!" Beryl growled as she stood to face Endymion. "I have worked too hard to get you on the throne for you to throw it away on some tramp!"

"What have you done? Arranged a marriage. What terribly difficult work." Endymion said with a snarl. "I no longer care for the throne." Without a word of dismissal, Endymion stomped from the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Esmeraude." Beryl said into the apparently empty room.

"Yes my Lady." Esmeraude answered, stepping out of the shadows.

"My son will be king." Beryl said with a feral grin. "I will be damned if he does not sit on the throne after all I have done to get him there."

"Yes my Lady." Esmeraude replied dutifully.

"I want you to see that Serenity is no more. With her out of the way, nothing will stop Endymion from marrying the princess."

"Yes my Lady."

*~*

Serenity paced back and forth, wearing a small rut into the dirt ground of the slave camp. She heard a voice call her name and raced to meet with a young girl at the gate door. The young girl handed Serenity a note, before quickly racing away.

'I'm sorry for everything I've said and for anything I forgot to say too. When things get so complicated I stumble, at best, muddle through. I wish that our lives could be simple. I don't want the world, only you.

'Oh I wish I could tell you this face to face, but there's never the time, never the place. So this letter will have to do. I love you'

Serenity wiped a tear from her eye and held the letter to her chest. It hurt to know that the love she felt for Endymion could never be again.

"Serenity!" A deep voice yelled. Four guards entered into the camp with whips and chains in their hands.

Motoki quickly grabbed Serenity around the waist and pulled her to hide behind a group of people.

"We are here for Serenity." One of the men spoke. Serenity struggled in Motoki's grasp, but he refused to let go.

"Fine then." The soldier grumbled and grabbed a woman nearby. Serenity gasped when she saw that he had grabbed Makoto. "Serenity, show yourself now or she dies."

Serenity again squirmed in Motoki's grasp, to no avail.

"I am Serenity." A woman with shoulder length blonde hair said as she walked towards the men. They quickly grabbed her and pulled her out of the camp.

"Noooo!" Serenity cried out once Motoki finally let go his grasp on her. She fell to the ground and began to cry.

"My princess," Motoki began quietly, "You must know that we would all give our lives before we let them harm you. You are our only hope."

"I understand." Serenity replied grimly. She stood from the ground and began to walk out of the camp.

"Where are you going?" Motoki questioned her as she left. She did not reply, nor look back. "You're going to see him, aren't you? After all of this!"

"Motoki, you don't understand. You can't understand." Serenity answered and continued on her way.

"Your right princess. I don't understand. I thought I knew you. But I know now that I don't know you." Motoki said quietly to himself as he watched her head to the castle.

*~*

"Serenity!"

"Endymion!"

The two lovers ran to each other and met in a loving embrace. Endymion leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips.

"I thought that they had killed you." Endymion said with a sigh of relief.

"No, another sacrificed herself for me." Serenity said sadly. The two sat on a nearby bench, looking into each other's eyes. Serenity sighed.

"I am here to tell you we can never meet again. Simple really, isn't it? A word or two and then a lifetime of not knowing where or how or why or when you think of me or speak of me and wonder what befell the someone you once loved so long ago, so well.*"

"I was given paradise for a day to only have it taken away." Endymion said with a sigh. "I don't want to lose you."

"You must marry the princess Endymion. You can help my people." Serenity pleaded with him.

"You are all I'll ever want but this I am denied. Sometimes in my darkest thoughts I wish I'd never learned what it is to be in love and have that love returned.*" Endymion said and then reached down to kiss his love one last time.

Serenity turned without another word and walked away from Endymion. He watched her as she walked away and then turned to head in the other direction.

Rei stepped out from behind the stone gate where she had been through their entire conversation. She stared at Endymion's retreating back and sighed. She sat down on the bench and wiped away the single tear that fell from her eye.

"I know the truth and it haunts me. I learned it a little too late. I know the truth and it mock me. I know the truth and it shocks me. I learned it all a little too late.*"

*~*

Rei approached the podium where her king and fiancé stood. The wedding occurred and ended. The ceremony would be complete with a kiss. Endymion bent to pick up Rei's veil. Her face, beautiful but sad, was revealed to him. He bent to kiss her.

"Sir! Selene has escaped!" A guard said as he ran into the room was being held. Endymion immediately cursed and ran from the room.

Quickly running to the docks, Endymion found Serenity and Motoki helping to lower Selene into a small boat.

"Stop!" He demanded of the people in front of him.

"Daughter, hurry!" Selene demanded, knowing whom the man was. Endymion gasped at the realization that Serenity was the princess of the moon. His face quickly turned to stone.

"So that's why you wanted me to marry her! So you could help your mothers escape!"

"No Endymion. That's not it." Serenity cried to him. Motoki jumped from the boat and ran to Serenity's side.

"You must go now!" Motoki demanded.

"No, not yet." Serenity said calmly. She took Endymion's hand into hers and looked deep into his eyes. "I didn't want this. All I have every wanted was you. But my people need me."

Endymion smiled down at Serenity knowing that she did love him. He began to lean down to kiss her when a voice intruded.

"No one will be leaving." Beryl said with a growl. She took out a sword and slashed out at Serenity. Serenity began to scream as she was pushed out of the way and the sword imbedded itself into Motoki's stomach.

"Motoki!" Serenity yelled as she leaped to grab Motoki as he began to fall to the ground.

Endymion lunged forward and grabbed the sword from Beryl and stuck her with the hilt,

rendering her unconscious. Esmeraude ran to attack Endymion with her own sword, but he quickly defended himself and ran her through with the sword he had stolen from Beryl.

"Motoki." Serenity cried to her fallen friend. Endymion quickly joined by her side to look at his most faithful servant and friend.

"It has been a pleasure serving both of you." Motoki said quietly. His eyes closed and his head rolled to the side. Serenity continued to cry as Endymion stood. Voices of soldiers could be heard in the distance. He quickly ran towards Selene, who had been watching everything from the boat.

"I will always take care of her." Endymion said quickly. Selene nodded her head as Endymion swung his sword to cut the rope that held her to the dock. The boat quickly took off with the roaring current. In a matter of no time, Serenity could no longer see her mother. Soon, she thought, she will find our allies and be safe.

"Endymion!" Rei yelled as she approached the docks with her father behind her. She found him with his arms wrapped around Serenity, two dead and one unconscious body.

*~*

"Please Endymion. You need only deny having anything to do with Selene's escape and you will be free." Rei pleaded with Endymion, tears falling freely from her eyes.

"I am sorry my princess. I love her and cannot abandon her." Endymion said with a smile. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be what you wanted of me."

Rei sighed and walked away from Endymion. She heard the cell door close behind her as she made her way to Serenity's cell. A guard opened the door, allowing Rei to see Serenity's crumpled body on the floor. Rei's tears were still flowing as she dropped to her knees next to the girl.

"You were like a sister to me." Rei stated sadly, causing Serenity to look up to her. "No one understood me like you did. Princess, thank you for the strength you gave me."

"My princess, you always had that strength. You will be a great ruler." Serenity said with a smile.

"I'm sorry that I cannot allow you to go unpunished." Rei said quietly. She then stood and left Serenity.

*~*

"You have both been accused of treason and will be given the sentence of death. Beryl's plans have been discovered and her punishment has been taken care of." The king stated in a hoarse, but firm, voice.

"Your highness. I wish to make a request on behalf of the condemned." Rei spoke from her father's side.

"Speak daughter, for the time for punishment is at hand."

"I wish that Endymion and Serenity be allowed to share a tomb." Rei said with confidence.

"You wish to show them mercy in their last hours after they have betrayed our kingdom?" The king asked with shock. "I do not agree."

"Father, your body is weak with poison. You will be dead in a fortnight and I will be queen. This is a command, not a request. I need to be allowed to rule." Rei replied with a power of control in her voice. The king simply nodded his head to acknowledge her desire.

*~*

"Buried alive." Serenity said with a sigh.

"There are worse ways to go." Endymion said, trying to comfort his love.

"At least I have you with me." She said as she felt around to find him in the dark tomb they were sharing.

"My love." Endymion said as he enveloped her into his arms. "They'll be no ties of time and space to bind us.*"

"And no horizon we shall not pursue. We'll leave the world's misfortunes far behind us and I will put my faith and trust in you.*"

Endymion leaned in and kissed Serenity full on the lips. "I love you, Serenity. I will always find you."

"I love you, Endymion. I will never stop looking for you."

*~*

"From deep within a tomb, a gentle light still shone, showing me my path. As I ascended to the throne, certain in my heart, that ancient wars must cease. The lovers' death gave birth to a reign of peace.*"

Rei looked out of the window of her chambers towards the monument of the dead. She, like her people, believed in new life, rebirth. She new that the two lovers would meet again and live a life of happiness.

She departed from her chambers and headed towards the throne room. She entered and all in the room bowed. Her sights were set on one woman, whom she walked to immediately. Standing in front of the woman, Rei dropped to one knee.

"My dear?" The woman questioned Rei as they both came again to their full height.

"I owe you much respect." Rei said with a slight tone of despair.

"My dear, we cannot control the past. We must look towards the future."

"Queen Selene, thank you." Rei said with a smile.

"Queen Rei, thank you. Our peace was brought on by you." Selene replied with a happy smile.

"No, my Queen, we owe this to them." Rei responded. Selene nodded her head and grabbed Rei in a fierce hug.

*~*

"To your left, you will see the weapons that were part of the war between the Earth and the Moon. Feel free to look around." A tour guide said as he stepped to the side of the exhibit.

A young woman with long blonde hair and clear blue eyes looked at the exhibits in the room. The war of the Earth and the Moon had always fascinated her. She wandered away from the weapons display towards a mannequin with elaborate gowns.

"The Queen Rei, who brought peace to the war." She read to herself from the plaque on the display case.

On the other side of the room, a gentleman with dark hair and dark blue eyes was looking at a model of a ship. "Men often set to sail, leaving their families for months at a time." He read the inscription.

The young woman continued around the display of the woman and came to another large display.

The man walked away from the model of the ship towards a large display in the center of the room.

"This tomb is a replica of the typical burial tomb." The man and woman read in unison.

The woman looked up and her eyes met with the man's eyes. Unable to move from their position, the two people never heard the tour guide and other people leave the room.

"Hello." The man spoke gently, afraid to scare off the beautiful woman in front of him.

"Hello." She replied, uncertain of the feeling that was rising from deep in her stomach.

"My name is Mamoru. Mamoru Endymion Chiba. May I have the honor of your name?" He asked as he reached out to take her hand.

Not refusing, she placed her hand into his and took another step forward. "Usagi. Usagi Serenity Tsukino." She said with a shy smile.

Although he would later question why he did it, Mamoru bent down and placed his lips to Usagi's. They parted after a short moment, leaving both breathless and speechless.

"I promised that I would never stop looking for you."

*~*

"And their story and my journey and the lesson they provide, draw their strength and inspiration from a love that never dies.*"

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The End.