Chapter Ten
The Source of Universe's Strength and Courage
Ever since the day Charon had first come to stay in the Moon Kingdom the green-haired princess had come to dearly love the palace gardens which flourished with the flora of her home, the moon of Pluto.
Being amidst the flowers and plants of this wonderful place Charon felt as if she had a small piece of her homeworld here with her even though she now lived in the Moon Kingdom and so whilst the Charonian princess cherished the company of her dearest friends she did not feel homesick. The reason for this was that she was home here in the Moon Kingdom even though she had not been born there. Charon loved her garden with all her heart and she was rarely away from it.
That morning she was enjoying the company of her friends Princess Mercury and Princess Universe as well as Estrella who sat in her lap purring contentedly as the princess stroked the fur behind her ears the way the kitten always liked.
Mercury was kneeling in the soft Charonian grass while Universe was leaning against the trunk of a tree with her arms folded across her chest and her legs crossed. The three of them had all had their breakfasts and were feeling happy and full as the chatted pleasantly with one another.
Charon was just sitting on the bench stroking Estrella as she talked to Mercury who listened attentively to what the green-haired princess said. "...But of course it is only ever the most light footed of people who are cautious and quiet enough to be able to get close to a Seora without frightening the poor little things away." Charon concluded as
Mercury nodded thoughtfully, her expression thoughtful since until recently the only things that she had known about the nature and wildlife of Charon had been that which she had read from books and the blue-haired princess had not realized just how much better it was to hear about such things from somebody who had seen them for herself rather than reading about them from a dusty old book with over a thousand pages.
"Thank you very much Charon." Mercury sighed quietly as she pictured in her thoughts the animal that Charon had just described to her with such exquisite detail.
Charon smiled down pleasantly at the Mercurian and nodded her head. "It really is no problem! I am always happy to talk about the animals of my homeworld as you know Mercury! Now what was it that I was just about to say...oh yes!"
Charon looked over at Universe who had been looking up at the stars having lost interest in the Charonian's description of an animal which she had already seen for herself and been rather unimpressed by anyway. "How are you settling in now Universe?" she asked interestedly.
Universe gave her a careless glance as she reclined against the gnarled bark. "Ummm...well it's okay I guess!" she remarked as she played with a loose strand of her hair. "Not as bad as I thought it'd be when I first arrived."
Charon's pale blue eyes sparkled merrily as she laughed. "Oh really? Well I suppose that being with you isn't such a bad thing either!" she teased.
Universe smirked. "And you're an okay girl too at the end of the day I guess." she turned her head sideways to look down at Mercury appreciatively. "And YOU..." she said as she dropped onto her knees by the Mercurian's side. "...are a real sweetie!"
Mercury blushed attractively and gave her friend a shy smile. Universe gave her an overly girlish wink and laughed wickedly as Mercury's blush deepened and she looked at the ground.
"It must have been very different for you." Charon remarked suddenly.
Universe glanced over her shoulder at the Charonian. "What must have been?" she asked carelessly.
"I was talking about what it was like for you when you first came here Universe. You must have found it rather difficult to adjust." a teasing smile played at the corners of Charon's lips. "Quite different from living as a Star Raider I suppose!"
Universe laughed agreeably in response to this. "You bet your life it was!" she admitted. "I spent so much time wondering what the hell I was supposed to do when I first came! And the people here...god!"
"I suppose that you were so quiet when you first arrived because the people were so different from those you were used to?" Mercury wondered.
Universe grinned at her and nodded. "Ahhhh my Mercury! Always been able to see into my heart!" she teased and laughed as she made Mercury go pink again.
How she loved doing that to her!
"So tell me Universe…what do you find most especially different about this way of life?" Charon asked interestedly.
Universe looked carelessly at her but her eyes were startlingly all seriousness. "You really wanna know?" she asked quietly – her voice sounded hesitant as if she wanted to tell somebody about the way she felt about a certain thing but also felt reluctant to talk about it in case they laughed at her. "The fact that day or night there's never a sun in the sky here…I like that."
Mercury gave her a look of surprise. "Why?"
Universe looked at her and smiled partly wryly and partly thoughtful. "Guess you wouldn't understand…either of you." She remarked. "Before I spent every day of my life with the sun beating down on me. It was the first thing I saw when I woke up in the morning…it was almost like it followed me around, watching me and baking my brains. I know that you've lived in sunlight too Mercury but it really wasn't the same as me living in it. See, if you weren't underwater you could go indoors to get out of the sun. Me? I was stuck with the scorching heat and the glare until night fell…god that sucked!"
Mercury kept quiet as she thought about it – her home-world the planet Mercury was mostly made up of one huge ocean apart from the island where her Kingdom was based. Just as Universe had just said she had spent a lot of her time there swimming and discovering the mysteries of its depths and the ways of the creatures that dwelt deep in its fathoms. With a regretful sigh she remembered how resentful she had felt towards Queen Serenity when she had first been brought here to join her Court – she knew now that looking back on it she had not been fair but she had found true friends who had taken her mind away from the loss of her exploration of the ocean. The blue-haired princess was glad that everything had worked out so well – and she hoped that things would be fine for her friend Universe.
Raising her eyebrows Mercury noticed something about the purple-haired girl for the first time – lately something about Universe had been bothering her, not worrying her but nagging away at her mind. Until now she hadn't been able to put her finger on what it could be but now she realize what it was – Universes skin was no longer tanned! Universes face which had been faintly brown when she had first come had cleared and her complexion was now clearer and though not exactly fair her features were all the more attractive than ever.
Charon was silent too but more so than Mercury – the fact was that she hadn't been able to join in the conversation because she had never been under a sun in her whole life. Because the Moon Kingdom was the only other place she had ever been to other than her home the outer moon she had never felt the warmth of sunlight that Universe had just described and that made her feel strange…
What struck her particularly was that Universe had been beneath the suns of several worlds in several galaxies during her life – now Charon felt more enthralled by the purple-haired girl than ever and suddenly she felt an urge to get Universe talking about herself and the way she had once lived. Charon had been looking curiously at Universe as a question surfaced in her mind which she had been pondering for a while now but had never brought up yet.
Finally she voiced it as she was unable to hold it back any longer. "Universe...what were they like?" she remarked as she gazed intently at the brown eyed princess.
Universe looked at her once more over her shoulder. "Who's that?"
"The Star Raiders." Charon elaborated simply. "Did they treat you well? What was it like to live with them?"
Universe was surprised that Charon was asking her about her old group. Mercury gazed at her curiously. The blue-haired princess had often thought about her friends life before but she would never have dreamt of asking her about it. Charon's eyes were inquisitive as she gazed at Universe and waited for an answer.
Universe decided that there was no reason for her not to tell them about her past. "The Star Raiders?" she repeated carelessly as she tucked a strand of her violet hair behind her ear and then shrugged. "Oh they were..."
There was a pause followed by a long silence as she searched for the right words to describe her old comrades.
As Charon, Mercury and Estrella watched Universe, she floundered. "Weren't they nice to you Universe?" Mercury asked softly.
At this Universe could not help but laugh. "Mercury! 'Nice' isn't a word that's really applicable during a conversation about those guys!" she chuckled and shook her head in disbelief at the Mercurian's naiveté. "That word just isn't in their thick heads!"
"Well then what were they like?" Charon insisted. "Tell us Universe!"
Universe considered it for a few minutes. "Well they were..." she trailed off again as she contemplated how to describe her relationships with the other Raiders. "Well...they were pretty much okay to me I guess?" she settled for in the end.
"Were there any other females?" Mercury wondered as she gazed thoughtfully at Universe.
For some time she had had a private theory which she had never shared with anybody else but now saw an opportunity to test.
"Hell no!!" Universe laughed but her voice was quiet as she chuckled and thought about it. "I was the only girl in the group and as far as they were concerned I was more than enough!"
Mercury's eyes softened as her long held suspicion was confirmed. Just as she had thought Universe had grown up without ever having any friends of her own gender. She must have been a lonely little girl... Mercury thought as she gazed at Universe with tenderness in her eyes.
"So did you have any friends?" Charon inquired.
Universe nodded. "Sure I did! There was Grift - he wasn't so bad. He was a pretty funny guy." she stopped as she remembered something. "Oh yeah and he had a metal arm! Oh and he only had one eye too!"
As Estrella blinked in confusion as she tried to figure this out Charon's eyes widened in astonishment. "My goodness!! What happened?!" she exclaimed.
"He told me it was a bet." Universe responded.
"And he lost?" Charon asked as she gazed startled at the brown eyed girl.
"Apparently not. Grift said to me that he won - and that I should see the other guy!" Universe smirked as she recalled the memory. "Grift's a really great guy. I left him in charge when I came here."
"And who else was there?"
"Well there was old Steel-Eye. He was the leader of the group before I was and the guy who started the whole thing. He treated me okay and if it weren't for him then I wouldn't be here with you now!" Universe laughed again as she thought about it. "Close call! Now who else was there? Oh yeah and there was Dirk..."
The name froze on her lips and she suddenly pretended to cough so that she could stop talking.
Charon and Mercury both noticed the sudden hardening of her eyes at the same time.
Something had shaken Universe.
"What is it?" Mercury asked.
Universe shook her head and the faraway look that had drifted into her eyes departed and the awareness returned. "Nothing." she muttered quietly. "It...doesn't matter."
"No." Charon said with concern in her eyes as she leant closer to Universe. "Tell us what is troubling you Universe."
The defensiveness returned to Universe's eyes as she stepped away from the tree, crossed her legs and lowered her arms. Mercury rose to her feet and Charon also stood with Estrella in her arms. Charon and Mercury gazed at Universe who stared back at them both.
Universe narrowed her eyes.
Estrella felt a little frightened by the sudden tension in the atmosphere and did not say anything. The kitten wondered what the matter could be as she stayed quiet and looked at them all.
As they gazed at Universe both Mercury and Charon could feel her stubborn barrier that had surrounded her. "Universe..." Mercury's voice feel into a hushed whisper as she looked at her friend who had been so light-hearted and cheerful a moment ago but had now become so hard and cold.
"What is the matter?" Charon exclaimed. "What was Dirk like with you?"
Universe gave a low growl. "Don't miss much do you?" she snapped in a very dark voice.
"But what is wrong?" Mercury insisted feeling concerned for her friend.
"I don't want to talk about it." Universe snapped and with that reply she turned on her heel and made to stride out of the garden to be alone but as she began to walk away Charon quickly stepped to one side and stood directly in her path preventing her from leaving.
"No Universe, wait! You cannot begin to tell us about something and then just stop!" Charon told her sternly. "Now tell us the whole thing from beginning to end."
Universe's eyes narrowed further as they glittered darkly. "Get out of my way Charon." she ordered in a quiet voice. "NOW."
Charon stood her ground and did not move an inch. "No Universe." she refused firmly. "We are your friends and it is our duty to know what is upsetting you so that we can help you."
Universe gave the Charonian a dark scowl and did not respond. Then she stiffened as she felt a gentle hand coming to rest upon her shoulder.
"Universe...please let us help you." Mercury whispered as she looked up at her friend and her deep blue eyes sparkled.
Universe turned to look at Mercury and she was surprised to see that the Mercurian's eyes had become worried and that there was now a pleading look in them. As they stood gazing at each other neither of them noticed just how near their lips were to each others while their eyes met and held firm. And then Mercury released her breath in a short sharp rush and the moment which they had both shared was over.
Universe took one long deep breath and her lips parted slightly. Then she exhaled sharply and her heart started to beat at its usual rate once again. The strange thing was that she had not even realised that her heart had begun to beat faster until it returned to normal!
Mercury's voice was pleading as she spoke again. "Please Universe! Please let us help!" her eyes were as wide as those of a little child as she gazed at Universe. "We both care for you Charon and I..."
"Me too!" Estrella piped up not as she did not want to be left out.
"Yes you do Estrella. That is right." Charon gave the kitten a quick kiss on the back of her head before she looked at Universe again. "ALL of us care for you Universe." she told her firmly. "I do, Mercury does and so does Estrella. Why can you not simply accept it?"
Universe lowered her eyes as she felt overwhelmed by the caring look in Charon's pale eyes.
As she gazed at the grass she felt a lump rise in her throat as she told herself that she did not deserve their friendship, that their love for her was something that she had not earned, did not truly belong to her.
Universe kept telling herself this over and over again with increasing bitterness as she stared at the ground silently. "Oh no you don't." a calm voice said firmly as a pair of fingers were placed beneath her chin and lifted her head so that she was gazing at Charon again. "Now tell us what it is that is hurting you so much Universe. Please?"
Instinctively Universe glanced at Mercury who nodded encouragingly and returned her anxious look with a long and reassuring one. Then she just sighed and decided to go for it. She simply could not argue with both Charon's determination and Mercury's love.
Roll the dice girl, she told herself resignedly, and hope for luck better than you deserve.
With a deep long breath Universe looked at each of them, Mercury, Charon and Estrella who she had always seen as being just as equal as everybody else, and then blurted it out. "You guys when I was a Star Raider...when I was about eight years old..." her voice stuck in her throat at the very end of the sentence and then she managed to force the rest of the words out by saying it quickly. "...Dirk used to hit me."
There was a shocked silence. Mercury felt her entire body becoming cold as she stared at Universe in horror.
For several minutes Charon was speechless as she felt every lock of hair on her head...no in fact every hair on her body prickle and then stiffen as she realised just what Universe had told them. The Charonian felt sick to her stomach as she thought about it.
Mercury stared at Universe and her eyes were questioning. "He...hit you?" she had to struggle to use her voice and when she eventually was able to speak again she stammered shakily.
The Mercurian simply could not accept what Universe had just said to them or even begin to take it in.
"Yeah." Universe's face was calm and emotionless as she nodded. "Until I was roundabout fourteen, that is about one year ago."
Mercury gasped in horror as she stared at the purple-haired girl hardly able to believe that Universe was able to state such a thing so casually. "How...how can you say that so...calmly?" she exclaimed in a trembling voice.
Universe merely shrugged and her face was dark and bitter. "I kinda just got used to it." she said shortly.
Charon's face had gone pale for the blood had drained out of it as she tried to imagine what Universe had just told them had happened to her when she was little and failed. The Charonian simply was not capable of understanding something so horrible.
Mercury's face had already become white. "But...why?" the blue-haired princess whispered as she stared with widened eyes at the girl she had come to love like a sister over the past few months. "Why did he hurt you like that?"
Universe just gave another weary shrug, the truth was that she'd never been able to work out the reason for that one herself.
"I'm sorry Mercury but I don't know." she replied honestly. "But he always seemed to have some excuse though. And ever since then Dirk'd thrash me while we were alone together for some wrong or another every couple of weeks or so. But the thing is I can't remember ever doing anything to irritate him. Actually I'd hardly noticed him before..." Universe sighed heavily and then shook her head before she began to explain. "...The first time was when I was about eight. While we were all together one night and the guys were all drinking he grabbed me and tried to kiss me but I stabbed his leg with my knife. It was a really bad wound." there was a haunted and faraway look on her face as she spoke. "After that when I was alone he hit me for the first time. I can remember it perfectly...afterwards I was bleeding a lot and my head hurt. I...had some scratches on my hand too from when I fell and grabbed some thorns to try break my fall. After that it became a regular thing. I...just got used to it like I said." her eyes grew distant as she continued to remember. "One time he beat me with a stick…I can almost feel it even now. My back was covered with red stripes for a whole week and they stung like hell whenever I moved."
"Oh my…" Charon murmured softly shaking her head slowly in numb disbelief – she was dazed and her face wore a look of sickened horror as she tried to imagine how it must have been to have suffered what her friend had endured at that mans hands.
Mercury felt a stinging sensation behind her eyes as she stared at Universe in silence.
"So when did he stop?" Charon asked and her eyes were urgent as she stared at the purple-haired girl – somehow she felt that she simply had to know this. "Who made him leave you alone?"
Universe turned to look at her and Charon could see that there was an odd look on her face now. "Me Charon." She responded and from her voice Charon could tell that she was surprised that she had needed to ask. "Who else?"
"You?" Charon repeated – she realised that she herself couldn't understand why she had found Universe's reply so surprising. After all knowing her as well as she did shouldn't she have been expecting to hear that she herself had stood up to Dirk and ended the whole ordeal herself?
"That such a surprise kitten?" Universe smirked with genuine humour and Estrella's ears pricked up for a moment before she realised that the purple-haired Princess hadn't been talking to her.
"Well…" Charon stammered and blushed embarrassedly as she saw the look on Universe's face. "Not really…I can hardly believe that you would just let it go on without standing up for yourself. But when did you decide to do something about it and what made up your mind?"
Universe stared silently at her for a lone while and just as Charon, mercury and Estrella were thinking that she wouldn't answer she said very quietly, "He tried to steal something from me…something very important to me. I couldn't let him.
Mercury understood at once…Universe meant her bracelet. The one thing that she treasured – she could believe that Universe would fight to the death to protect it from anybody.
"From that day on he never laid a finger on me." Universe said eventually as she wrapped up her story. "I think he was shocked that I dared to fight him for…what he tried to take from me. But I could always feel his bitterness and resentment…they stayed there. We shared them…I could feel him watching me all the time. You know when I first came here one of the weirdest things that I felt was the fact that I couldn't feel him staring at me while my back was turned anymore."
"Didn't you tell any of the others?" Charon asked in a gentle voice.
"No. What would the good have been Charon?" Universe's voice was slightly scornful now. "They're a group of fighters. What would they have thought of me if I'd complained about being scared?"
"You were…afraid of him?" Charon exclaimed.
"I dunno…kinda I guess." Universe said with a shrug as she thought that her friends were now beginning to wander into a territory of questions she didn't have the answers to because she'd never figured them out for herself or because she had simply never even thought about the questions themselves at all.
The green-haired Princess stared at her in disbelief – she couldn't imagine Universe being afraid of anybody. "But..." Charon shook her head, what Universe had just told her was just wrong. "...he was one of the group and you were too! It is not the same as being hurt while fighting!"
"Isn't it?" Universe just gave the Charonian a strange bitter and tired look. "You'd be surprised Charon."
Charon just gazed at Universe for a few minutes as she began to see the purple-haired girl in a new light. Mercury simply stared at Universe unable to speak.
After a while Universe spoke again in a gentler voice. "I've begun to think that it was really just because he could. Spending every day of your life fighting, killing and struggling to stay alive does things to people you guys. Sometimes it can make them take pleasure out of hurting their own for the only reason being that they can."
"But...that's just horrible!" Charon exclaimed, appalled by Universe's casual acceptance of having had to live in such a way.
"I know Charon but unfortunately violence is just one of those things that gets addictive the more you resort to it. It's like a virus that takes you over and leaves no room for anything else but the need to inflict pain on others." Universe said quietly. "It's easy to forget what a sin is. Sometimes people forget what it is to do good or evil."
"But you didn't!" Charon pointed out.
Universe looked at the dark-haired princess with a look of tiredness in her eyes. "I'm not him." she said simply.
Mercury could bear it no more, with a heartbroken wail she flung herself against Universe and flung her arms around her.
As Mercury held her head against Universe's chest and sobbed uncontrollably in the purple-haired girl's arms Charon's eyes narrowed and were pale with anger. "I want to kill him!" she exclaimed furiously. "How could he...?!"
Universe who had her arms around Mercury, comforting her as she and her best friend cuddled looked up sharply at Charon as she said this. "No Charon you don't!" she replied sharply.
Charon broke off from her angry tirade and turned to stare at her in total disbelief. After the way she had become used to Universe acting she had not expected her to react like this to her anger at the thought of what Dirk had done to her. "But...!" she protested but Universe again cut her off before she could even get started.
"NO Charon!" she silenced her friend sternly. "Don't feel that way! Do you really think that seeing you like this makes me feel any better about what Dirk did to me?"
Charon's mouth had fallen open. "Universe...I..." she exclaimed indignantly.
"DO you Charon?!" Universe snapped as she glared at her.
Charon was silent for a long moment as she remained with her eyes locked with Universe's. But for once Universe did not give way and she instead held her ground. Then Charon gave a long sigh as she felt her anger die away even though it did not disappear and she knew that it never would. "No." she admitted as her shoulders sagged. "I do not suppose that you would."
"That's right." Universe replied softly as she looked into the Charonian's caring eyes and as she did her own eyes of brown fire said more than her words did. "Don't let what he did to me ruin your sweet personality. I don't want that. And he's not worth it." her eyes were glistening beautifully as she held Charon locked in her strong gaze. "And now...let it rest." she concluded softly. "Alright?"
Charon was left speechless by the proud light which shone in Universe's eyes and the severe and almost majestic determination which both merged together to make her voice steady and clear. She is almost beginning to sound like a real princess! She marvelled silently.
Then Universe suddenly grinned. "Besides...I never even paid attention to him!" she joked lying.
...But not quite...
"Very well Universe" Charon submitted with a nod and a tiny smile on her face. "It shall be as you say."
Universe looked at her suspiciously. "Are you taking the smeg?" she demanded.
"Would I do that Universe?" Charon wondered demurely and innocently.
"Yeah actually I think you would."
Mercury was sniffing as she hugged her arms tightly behind Universe's neck as though she were afraid she would run away. There was a peculiar expression in Universe's eyes as she held the other girl in her arms, a look which was almost unreadable. As she watched the two Charon realised something and as she did so she gave a silent gasp. Universe was holding Mercury the same way in which a boy would hold his lover!
Charon gasped quietly, so quietly that neither heard her as they embraced and her eyes widened. Could that emotion be...love?
Universe lowered her head so that her mouth was close to Mercury's ear and she spoke quietly to her. "Don't cry Mercury." she cooed softly as she held the younger girl in her protective embrace. "It's okay! I'm okay!"
Mercury looked up at Universe and her eyes were tearful. "Oh Universe..." she whispered and one of her tears trickled down her cheek. "It...it must have been so horrible for you..."
"It was Mercury." Universe's voice was gentle and comforting. "But it's okay now. It's really alright. Please...I don't want you to cry. Please?"
It was funny but she herself had never really thought much about Dirk's beatings of her before now, they'd just been one of those things that had happened to her in her life.
Mercury could not stop her lip from trembling. "Oh Universe! I had no idea! I cannot believe that you went through such a thing for all those years! Thank goodness you are with us now! You're safe now! I'm so glad. Promise me that you will stay here now where you will never have to fight or kill ever again! I cannot bear to think of anybody hurting you! Please, please promise me!"
Universe groaned and took Mercury into her arms again. "Okay. I promise. Of course I won't go anywhere you silly girl – if you're here then I want to stay forever. You're my anchor Mercury. And if you wanna cry then you cry. There's no one else to see but me, Charon and Estrella and none of us'll tell."
Charon remembered when those very words had been spoken by herself and she smiled. "Mercury is right Universe." she said and her voice was now very serious. "You know...you owe Queen Serenity a great deal."
Universe's eyes were clear as she looked at her over Mercury's shoulder. "I know." was all that she said. As Mercury hugged Universe tightly and wept for her, Universe could not help but feel that it was strange. Mercury was trying to comfort and protect her but really it was she who was comforting and protecting Mercury as she held her trembling friend close. Universe felt strangely calm...
Charon watched them both and her eyes were tender. "What would you do if you ever met him again Universe?" she asked gently.
The brown-eyed princess cast her eyes skyward and she sighed. "I don't know." she admitted honestly. "I don't know."
Estrella could no longer bear the tension in the air. The kitten had said nothing during all of this because she had not understood any of it at all. The kitten had never experienced violence during her very short life and so she had not understood any of what the three princesses had been talking about.
But as she had listened Estrella had known that it had been about something bad, something terrible and she now wanted it to go away. Jumping down from Charon's arms she ran into the middle of the garden between the girls. Here Estrella jumped into the air and landed on her hind legs."Look at me!" the kitten squealed as she walked around unsteadily on her hind paws. "Look at me!"
Universe, Charon and Mercury all looked at the kitten for a long moment. It was just what was needed to break the tension and the princesses all slowly but surely and with increasing merriness began to giggle and then laugh at Estrella's antics and all was right again.
The Source of Universe's Strength and Courage
Ever since the day Charon had first come to stay in the Moon Kingdom the green-haired princess had come to dearly love the palace gardens which flourished with the flora of her home, the moon of Pluto.
Being amidst the flowers and plants of this wonderful place Charon felt as if she had a small piece of her homeworld here with her even though she now lived in the Moon Kingdom and so whilst the Charonian princess cherished the company of her dearest friends she did not feel homesick. The reason for this was that she was home here in the Moon Kingdom even though she had not been born there. Charon loved her garden with all her heart and she was rarely away from it.
That morning she was enjoying the company of her friends Princess Mercury and Princess Universe as well as Estrella who sat in her lap purring contentedly as the princess stroked the fur behind her ears the way the kitten always liked.
Mercury was kneeling in the soft Charonian grass while Universe was leaning against the trunk of a tree with her arms folded across her chest and her legs crossed. The three of them had all had their breakfasts and were feeling happy and full as the chatted pleasantly with one another.
Charon was just sitting on the bench stroking Estrella as she talked to Mercury who listened attentively to what the green-haired princess said. "...But of course it is only ever the most light footed of people who are cautious and quiet enough to be able to get close to a Seora without frightening the poor little things away." Charon concluded as
Mercury nodded thoughtfully, her expression thoughtful since until recently the only things that she had known about the nature and wildlife of Charon had been that which she had read from books and the blue-haired princess had not realized just how much better it was to hear about such things from somebody who had seen them for herself rather than reading about them from a dusty old book with over a thousand pages.
"Thank you very much Charon." Mercury sighed quietly as she pictured in her thoughts the animal that Charon had just described to her with such exquisite detail.
Charon smiled down pleasantly at the Mercurian and nodded her head. "It really is no problem! I am always happy to talk about the animals of my homeworld as you know Mercury! Now what was it that I was just about to say...oh yes!"
Charon looked over at Universe who had been looking up at the stars having lost interest in the Charonian's description of an animal which she had already seen for herself and been rather unimpressed by anyway. "How are you settling in now Universe?" she asked interestedly.
Universe gave her a careless glance as she reclined against the gnarled bark. "Ummm...well it's okay I guess!" she remarked as she played with a loose strand of her hair. "Not as bad as I thought it'd be when I first arrived."
Charon's pale blue eyes sparkled merrily as she laughed. "Oh really? Well I suppose that being with you isn't such a bad thing either!" she teased.
Universe smirked. "And you're an okay girl too at the end of the day I guess." she turned her head sideways to look down at Mercury appreciatively. "And YOU..." she said as she dropped onto her knees by the Mercurian's side. "...are a real sweetie!"
Mercury blushed attractively and gave her friend a shy smile. Universe gave her an overly girlish wink and laughed wickedly as Mercury's blush deepened and she looked at the ground.
"It must have been very different for you." Charon remarked suddenly.
Universe glanced over her shoulder at the Charonian. "What must have been?" she asked carelessly.
"I was talking about what it was like for you when you first came here Universe. You must have found it rather difficult to adjust." a teasing smile played at the corners of Charon's lips. "Quite different from living as a Star Raider I suppose!"
Universe laughed agreeably in response to this. "You bet your life it was!" she admitted. "I spent so much time wondering what the hell I was supposed to do when I first came! And the people here...god!"
"I suppose that you were so quiet when you first arrived because the people were so different from those you were used to?" Mercury wondered.
Universe grinned at her and nodded. "Ahhhh my Mercury! Always been able to see into my heart!" she teased and laughed as she made Mercury go pink again.
How she loved doing that to her!
"So tell me Universe…what do you find most especially different about this way of life?" Charon asked interestedly.
Universe looked carelessly at her but her eyes were startlingly all seriousness. "You really wanna know?" she asked quietly – her voice sounded hesitant as if she wanted to tell somebody about the way she felt about a certain thing but also felt reluctant to talk about it in case they laughed at her. "The fact that day or night there's never a sun in the sky here…I like that."
Mercury gave her a look of surprise. "Why?"
Universe looked at her and smiled partly wryly and partly thoughtful. "Guess you wouldn't understand…either of you." She remarked. "Before I spent every day of my life with the sun beating down on me. It was the first thing I saw when I woke up in the morning…it was almost like it followed me around, watching me and baking my brains. I know that you've lived in sunlight too Mercury but it really wasn't the same as me living in it. See, if you weren't underwater you could go indoors to get out of the sun. Me? I was stuck with the scorching heat and the glare until night fell…god that sucked!"
Mercury kept quiet as she thought about it – her home-world the planet Mercury was mostly made up of one huge ocean apart from the island where her Kingdom was based. Just as Universe had just said she had spent a lot of her time there swimming and discovering the mysteries of its depths and the ways of the creatures that dwelt deep in its fathoms. With a regretful sigh she remembered how resentful she had felt towards Queen Serenity when she had first been brought here to join her Court – she knew now that looking back on it she had not been fair but she had found true friends who had taken her mind away from the loss of her exploration of the ocean. The blue-haired princess was glad that everything had worked out so well – and she hoped that things would be fine for her friend Universe.
Raising her eyebrows Mercury noticed something about the purple-haired girl for the first time – lately something about Universe had been bothering her, not worrying her but nagging away at her mind. Until now she hadn't been able to put her finger on what it could be but now she realize what it was – Universes skin was no longer tanned! Universes face which had been faintly brown when she had first come had cleared and her complexion was now clearer and though not exactly fair her features were all the more attractive than ever.
Charon was silent too but more so than Mercury – the fact was that she hadn't been able to join in the conversation because she had never been under a sun in her whole life. Because the Moon Kingdom was the only other place she had ever been to other than her home the outer moon she had never felt the warmth of sunlight that Universe had just described and that made her feel strange…
What struck her particularly was that Universe had been beneath the suns of several worlds in several galaxies during her life – now Charon felt more enthralled by the purple-haired girl than ever and suddenly she felt an urge to get Universe talking about herself and the way she had once lived. Charon had been looking curiously at Universe as a question surfaced in her mind which she had been pondering for a while now but had never brought up yet.
Finally she voiced it as she was unable to hold it back any longer. "Universe...what were they like?" she remarked as she gazed intently at the brown eyed princess.
Universe looked at her once more over her shoulder. "Who's that?"
"The Star Raiders." Charon elaborated simply. "Did they treat you well? What was it like to live with them?"
Universe was surprised that Charon was asking her about her old group. Mercury gazed at her curiously. The blue-haired princess had often thought about her friends life before but she would never have dreamt of asking her about it. Charon's eyes were inquisitive as she gazed at Universe and waited for an answer.
Universe decided that there was no reason for her not to tell them about her past. "The Star Raiders?" she repeated carelessly as she tucked a strand of her violet hair behind her ear and then shrugged. "Oh they were..."
There was a pause followed by a long silence as she searched for the right words to describe her old comrades.
As Charon, Mercury and Estrella watched Universe, she floundered. "Weren't they nice to you Universe?" Mercury asked softly.
At this Universe could not help but laugh. "Mercury! 'Nice' isn't a word that's really applicable during a conversation about those guys!" she chuckled and shook her head in disbelief at the Mercurian's naiveté. "That word just isn't in their thick heads!"
"Well then what were they like?" Charon insisted. "Tell us Universe!"
Universe considered it for a few minutes. "Well they were..." she trailed off again as she contemplated how to describe her relationships with the other Raiders. "Well...they were pretty much okay to me I guess?" she settled for in the end.
"Were there any other females?" Mercury wondered as she gazed thoughtfully at Universe.
For some time she had had a private theory which she had never shared with anybody else but now saw an opportunity to test.
"Hell no!!" Universe laughed but her voice was quiet as she chuckled and thought about it. "I was the only girl in the group and as far as they were concerned I was more than enough!"
Mercury's eyes softened as her long held suspicion was confirmed. Just as she had thought Universe had grown up without ever having any friends of her own gender. She must have been a lonely little girl... Mercury thought as she gazed at Universe with tenderness in her eyes.
"So did you have any friends?" Charon inquired.
Universe nodded. "Sure I did! There was Grift - he wasn't so bad. He was a pretty funny guy." she stopped as she remembered something. "Oh yeah and he had a metal arm! Oh and he only had one eye too!"
As Estrella blinked in confusion as she tried to figure this out Charon's eyes widened in astonishment. "My goodness!! What happened?!" she exclaimed.
"He told me it was a bet." Universe responded.
"And he lost?" Charon asked as she gazed startled at the brown eyed girl.
"Apparently not. Grift said to me that he won - and that I should see the other guy!" Universe smirked as she recalled the memory. "Grift's a really great guy. I left him in charge when I came here."
"And who else was there?"
"Well there was old Steel-Eye. He was the leader of the group before I was and the guy who started the whole thing. He treated me okay and if it weren't for him then I wouldn't be here with you now!" Universe laughed again as she thought about it. "Close call! Now who else was there? Oh yeah and there was Dirk..."
The name froze on her lips and she suddenly pretended to cough so that she could stop talking.
Charon and Mercury both noticed the sudden hardening of her eyes at the same time.
Something had shaken Universe.
"What is it?" Mercury asked.
Universe shook her head and the faraway look that had drifted into her eyes departed and the awareness returned. "Nothing." she muttered quietly. "It...doesn't matter."
"No." Charon said with concern in her eyes as she leant closer to Universe. "Tell us what is troubling you Universe."
The defensiveness returned to Universe's eyes as she stepped away from the tree, crossed her legs and lowered her arms. Mercury rose to her feet and Charon also stood with Estrella in her arms. Charon and Mercury gazed at Universe who stared back at them both.
Universe narrowed her eyes.
Estrella felt a little frightened by the sudden tension in the atmosphere and did not say anything. The kitten wondered what the matter could be as she stayed quiet and looked at them all.
As they gazed at Universe both Mercury and Charon could feel her stubborn barrier that had surrounded her. "Universe..." Mercury's voice feel into a hushed whisper as she looked at her friend who had been so light-hearted and cheerful a moment ago but had now become so hard and cold.
"What is the matter?" Charon exclaimed. "What was Dirk like with you?"
Universe gave a low growl. "Don't miss much do you?" she snapped in a very dark voice.
"But what is wrong?" Mercury insisted feeling concerned for her friend.
"I don't want to talk about it." Universe snapped and with that reply she turned on her heel and made to stride out of the garden to be alone but as she began to walk away Charon quickly stepped to one side and stood directly in her path preventing her from leaving.
"No Universe, wait! You cannot begin to tell us about something and then just stop!" Charon told her sternly. "Now tell us the whole thing from beginning to end."
Universe's eyes narrowed further as they glittered darkly. "Get out of my way Charon." she ordered in a quiet voice. "NOW."
Charon stood her ground and did not move an inch. "No Universe." she refused firmly. "We are your friends and it is our duty to know what is upsetting you so that we can help you."
Universe gave the Charonian a dark scowl and did not respond. Then she stiffened as she felt a gentle hand coming to rest upon her shoulder.
"Universe...please let us help you." Mercury whispered as she looked up at her friend and her deep blue eyes sparkled.
Universe turned to look at Mercury and she was surprised to see that the Mercurian's eyes had become worried and that there was now a pleading look in them. As they stood gazing at each other neither of them noticed just how near their lips were to each others while their eyes met and held firm. And then Mercury released her breath in a short sharp rush and the moment which they had both shared was over.
Universe took one long deep breath and her lips parted slightly. Then she exhaled sharply and her heart started to beat at its usual rate once again. The strange thing was that she had not even realised that her heart had begun to beat faster until it returned to normal!
Mercury's voice was pleading as she spoke again. "Please Universe! Please let us help!" her eyes were as wide as those of a little child as she gazed at Universe. "We both care for you Charon and I..."
"Me too!" Estrella piped up not as she did not want to be left out.
"Yes you do Estrella. That is right." Charon gave the kitten a quick kiss on the back of her head before she looked at Universe again. "ALL of us care for you Universe." she told her firmly. "I do, Mercury does and so does Estrella. Why can you not simply accept it?"
Universe lowered her eyes as she felt overwhelmed by the caring look in Charon's pale eyes.
As she gazed at the grass she felt a lump rise in her throat as she told herself that she did not deserve their friendship, that their love for her was something that she had not earned, did not truly belong to her.
Universe kept telling herself this over and over again with increasing bitterness as she stared at the ground silently. "Oh no you don't." a calm voice said firmly as a pair of fingers were placed beneath her chin and lifted her head so that she was gazing at Charon again. "Now tell us what it is that is hurting you so much Universe. Please?"
Instinctively Universe glanced at Mercury who nodded encouragingly and returned her anxious look with a long and reassuring one. Then she just sighed and decided to go for it. She simply could not argue with both Charon's determination and Mercury's love.
Roll the dice girl, she told herself resignedly, and hope for luck better than you deserve.
With a deep long breath Universe looked at each of them, Mercury, Charon and Estrella who she had always seen as being just as equal as everybody else, and then blurted it out. "You guys when I was a Star Raider...when I was about eight years old..." her voice stuck in her throat at the very end of the sentence and then she managed to force the rest of the words out by saying it quickly. "...Dirk used to hit me."
There was a shocked silence. Mercury felt her entire body becoming cold as she stared at Universe in horror.
For several minutes Charon was speechless as she felt every lock of hair on her head...no in fact every hair on her body prickle and then stiffen as she realised just what Universe had told them. The Charonian felt sick to her stomach as she thought about it.
Mercury stared at Universe and her eyes were questioning. "He...hit you?" she had to struggle to use her voice and when she eventually was able to speak again she stammered shakily.
The Mercurian simply could not accept what Universe had just said to them or even begin to take it in.
"Yeah." Universe's face was calm and emotionless as she nodded. "Until I was roundabout fourteen, that is about one year ago."
Mercury gasped in horror as she stared at the purple-haired girl hardly able to believe that Universe was able to state such a thing so casually. "How...how can you say that so...calmly?" she exclaimed in a trembling voice.
Universe merely shrugged and her face was dark and bitter. "I kinda just got used to it." she said shortly.
Charon's face had gone pale for the blood had drained out of it as she tried to imagine what Universe had just told them had happened to her when she was little and failed. The Charonian simply was not capable of understanding something so horrible.
Mercury's face had already become white. "But...why?" the blue-haired princess whispered as she stared with widened eyes at the girl she had come to love like a sister over the past few months. "Why did he hurt you like that?"
Universe just gave another weary shrug, the truth was that she'd never been able to work out the reason for that one herself.
"I'm sorry Mercury but I don't know." she replied honestly. "But he always seemed to have some excuse though. And ever since then Dirk'd thrash me while we were alone together for some wrong or another every couple of weeks or so. But the thing is I can't remember ever doing anything to irritate him. Actually I'd hardly noticed him before..." Universe sighed heavily and then shook her head before she began to explain. "...The first time was when I was about eight. While we were all together one night and the guys were all drinking he grabbed me and tried to kiss me but I stabbed his leg with my knife. It was a really bad wound." there was a haunted and faraway look on her face as she spoke. "After that when I was alone he hit me for the first time. I can remember it perfectly...afterwards I was bleeding a lot and my head hurt. I...had some scratches on my hand too from when I fell and grabbed some thorns to try break my fall. After that it became a regular thing. I...just got used to it like I said." her eyes grew distant as she continued to remember. "One time he beat me with a stick…I can almost feel it even now. My back was covered with red stripes for a whole week and they stung like hell whenever I moved."
"Oh my…" Charon murmured softly shaking her head slowly in numb disbelief – she was dazed and her face wore a look of sickened horror as she tried to imagine how it must have been to have suffered what her friend had endured at that mans hands.
Mercury felt a stinging sensation behind her eyes as she stared at Universe in silence.
"So when did he stop?" Charon asked and her eyes were urgent as she stared at the purple-haired girl – somehow she felt that she simply had to know this. "Who made him leave you alone?"
Universe turned to look at her and Charon could see that there was an odd look on her face now. "Me Charon." She responded and from her voice Charon could tell that she was surprised that she had needed to ask. "Who else?"
"You?" Charon repeated – she realised that she herself couldn't understand why she had found Universe's reply so surprising. After all knowing her as well as she did shouldn't she have been expecting to hear that she herself had stood up to Dirk and ended the whole ordeal herself?
"That such a surprise kitten?" Universe smirked with genuine humour and Estrella's ears pricked up for a moment before she realised that the purple-haired Princess hadn't been talking to her.
"Well…" Charon stammered and blushed embarrassedly as she saw the look on Universe's face. "Not really…I can hardly believe that you would just let it go on without standing up for yourself. But when did you decide to do something about it and what made up your mind?"
Universe stared silently at her for a lone while and just as Charon, mercury and Estrella were thinking that she wouldn't answer she said very quietly, "He tried to steal something from me…something very important to me. I couldn't let him.
Mercury understood at once…Universe meant her bracelet. The one thing that she treasured – she could believe that Universe would fight to the death to protect it from anybody.
"From that day on he never laid a finger on me." Universe said eventually as she wrapped up her story. "I think he was shocked that I dared to fight him for…what he tried to take from me. But I could always feel his bitterness and resentment…they stayed there. We shared them…I could feel him watching me all the time. You know when I first came here one of the weirdest things that I felt was the fact that I couldn't feel him staring at me while my back was turned anymore."
"Didn't you tell any of the others?" Charon asked in a gentle voice.
"No. What would the good have been Charon?" Universe's voice was slightly scornful now. "They're a group of fighters. What would they have thought of me if I'd complained about being scared?"
"You were…afraid of him?" Charon exclaimed.
"I dunno…kinda I guess." Universe said with a shrug as she thought that her friends were now beginning to wander into a territory of questions she didn't have the answers to because she'd never figured them out for herself or because she had simply never even thought about the questions themselves at all.
The green-haired Princess stared at her in disbelief – she couldn't imagine Universe being afraid of anybody. "But..." Charon shook her head, what Universe had just told her was just wrong. "...he was one of the group and you were too! It is not the same as being hurt while fighting!"
"Isn't it?" Universe just gave the Charonian a strange bitter and tired look. "You'd be surprised Charon."
Charon just gazed at Universe for a few minutes as she began to see the purple-haired girl in a new light. Mercury simply stared at Universe unable to speak.
After a while Universe spoke again in a gentler voice. "I've begun to think that it was really just because he could. Spending every day of your life fighting, killing and struggling to stay alive does things to people you guys. Sometimes it can make them take pleasure out of hurting their own for the only reason being that they can."
"But...that's just horrible!" Charon exclaimed, appalled by Universe's casual acceptance of having had to live in such a way.
"I know Charon but unfortunately violence is just one of those things that gets addictive the more you resort to it. It's like a virus that takes you over and leaves no room for anything else but the need to inflict pain on others." Universe said quietly. "It's easy to forget what a sin is. Sometimes people forget what it is to do good or evil."
"But you didn't!" Charon pointed out.
Universe looked at the dark-haired princess with a look of tiredness in her eyes. "I'm not him." she said simply.
Mercury could bear it no more, with a heartbroken wail she flung herself against Universe and flung her arms around her.
As Mercury held her head against Universe's chest and sobbed uncontrollably in the purple-haired girl's arms Charon's eyes narrowed and were pale with anger. "I want to kill him!" she exclaimed furiously. "How could he...?!"
Universe who had her arms around Mercury, comforting her as she and her best friend cuddled looked up sharply at Charon as she said this. "No Charon you don't!" she replied sharply.
Charon broke off from her angry tirade and turned to stare at her in total disbelief. After the way she had become used to Universe acting she had not expected her to react like this to her anger at the thought of what Dirk had done to her. "But...!" she protested but Universe again cut her off before she could even get started.
"NO Charon!" she silenced her friend sternly. "Don't feel that way! Do you really think that seeing you like this makes me feel any better about what Dirk did to me?"
Charon's mouth had fallen open. "Universe...I..." she exclaimed indignantly.
"DO you Charon?!" Universe snapped as she glared at her.
Charon was silent for a long moment as she remained with her eyes locked with Universe's. But for once Universe did not give way and she instead held her ground. Then Charon gave a long sigh as she felt her anger die away even though it did not disappear and she knew that it never would. "No." she admitted as her shoulders sagged. "I do not suppose that you would."
"That's right." Universe replied softly as she looked into the Charonian's caring eyes and as she did her own eyes of brown fire said more than her words did. "Don't let what he did to me ruin your sweet personality. I don't want that. And he's not worth it." her eyes were glistening beautifully as she held Charon locked in her strong gaze. "And now...let it rest." she concluded softly. "Alright?"
Charon was left speechless by the proud light which shone in Universe's eyes and the severe and almost majestic determination which both merged together to make her voice steady and clear. She is almost beginning to sound like a real princess! She marvelled silently.
Then Universe suddenly grinned. "Besides...I never even paid attention to him!" she joked lying.
...But not quite...
"Very well Universe" Charon submitted with a nod and a tiny smile on her face. "It shall be as you say."
Universe looked at her suspiciously. "Are you taking the smeg?" she demanded.
"Would I do that Universe?" Charon wondered demurely and innocently.
"Yeah actually I think you would."
Mercury was sniffing as she hugged her arms tightly behind Universe's neck as though she were afraid she would run away. There was a peculiar expression in Universe's eyes as she held the other girl in her arms, a look which was almost unreadable. As she watched the two Charon realised something and as she did so she gave a silent gasp. Universe was holding Mercury the same way in which a boy would hold his lover!
Charon gasped quietly, so quietly that neither heard her as they embraced and her eyes widened. Could that emotion be...love?
Universe lowered her head so that her mouth was close to Mercury's ear and she spoke quietly to her. "Don't cry Mercury." she cooed softly as she held the younger girl in her protective embrace. "It's okay! I'm okay!"
Mercury looked up at Universe and her eyes were tearful. "Oh Universe..." she whispered and one of her tears trickled down her cheek. "It...it must have been so horrible for you..."
"It was Mercury." Universe's voice was gentle and comforting. "But it's okay now. It's really alright. Please...I don't want you to cry. Please?"
It was funny but she herself had never really thought much about Dirk's beatings of her before now, they'd just been one of those things that had happened to her in her life.
Mercury could not stop her lip from trembling. "Oh Universe! I had no idea! I cannot believe that you went through such a thing for all those years! Thank goodness you are with us now! You're safe now! I'm so glad. Promise me that you will stay here now where you will never have to fight or kill ever again! I cannot bear to think of anybody hurting you! Please, please promise me!"
Universe groaned and took Mercury into her arms again. "Okay. I promise. Of course I won't go anywhere you silly girl – if you're here then I want to stay forever. You're my anchor Mercury. And if you wanna cry then you cry. There's no one else to see but me, Charon and Estrella and none of us'll tell."
Charon remembered when those very words had been spoken by herself and she smiled. "Mercury is right Universe." she said and her voice was now very serious. "You know...you owe Queen Serenity a great deal."
Universe's eyes were clear as she looked at her over Mercury's shoulder. "I know." was all that she said. As Mercury hugged Universe tightly and wept for her, Universe could not help but feel that it was strange. Mercury was trying to comfort and protect her but really it was she who was comforting and protecting Mercury as she held her trembling friend close. Universe felt strangely calm...
Charon watched them both and her eyes were tender. "What would you do if you ever met him again Universe?" she asked gently.
The brown-eyed princess cast her eyes skyward and she sighed. "I don't know." she admitted honestly. "I don't know."
Estrella could no longer bear the tension in the air. The kitten had said nothing during all of this because she had not understood any of it at all. The kitten had never experienced violence during her very short life and so she had not understood any of what the three princesses had been talking about.
But as she had listened Estrella had known that it had been about something bad, something terrible and she now wanted it to go away. Jumping down from Charon's arms she ran into the middle of the garden between the girls. Here Estrella jumped into the air and landed on her hind legs."Look at me!" the kitten squealed as she walked around unsteadily on her hind paws. "Look at me!"
Universe, Charon and Mercury all looked at the kitten for a long moment. It was just what was needed to break the tension and the princesses all slowly but surely and with increasing merriness began to giggle and then laugh at Estrella's antics and all was right again.