Author's Note: Hm... Don't think there's any new translations... But,
if you feel like asking me about anything that's confusing you, just e-mail
me at bardsenshi@hotmail.com.
Chapter Two
Serenity beamed as she saw Selena seated in a large, over-stuffed chair in the library. "Selena! Come on, there's a new ice-skating spot on Mercury I'm going to try! Come with me?"
All she got in response was a cold glare tossed her way as the younger girl exited the room. Dejectedly, the blonde sat down in the chair just vacated.
"Serenity?"
The girl looked up and gave a weak smile to her mother.
"Oh, Serenity... I know it hurts to see how she looks at you. But this is a pain that even I could not hope to heal, even with the Crystal's powers... But that is why, Serenity, that I have come to the decision to send your sister away for some time."
"What?! Mother, she loves it on the Moon, she would never leave!"
"She has already agreed, daughter, and tells me she is already packed. Now we only wait for the family she will stay with to come to take her."
Giving a saddened sigh, Serenity leaned back in the chair. "When will that be?"
"Tomorrow evening. She's going to a place to receive training so she may become a soldier, since she was not born with special powers like you."
"Oh, but Mother, she was!"
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
"I noticed something the night of my ceremony, before the ball. She had been sword fighting with Endymion, and he accidentally got her shoulder- "
"What?!"
"Be calm, Mother, I am not finished. She admitted to it hurting and bleeding a great deal at first. But after having a bandage on a couple of minutes, the blood and the pain were gone. All that was left was a small scar."
"Hmm... it seems your sister has the gift of healing... I wonder..." The queen turned to step just outside the doorway and stop a maid passing by. "Would you please fetch the Princess Selena and tell her I'm in the garden outside the library waiting for her?"
"Hai, your majesty."
The queen looked back to Serenity, who looked utterly confused. "Mother, nothing has grown in that garden since the goddess herself walked in it."
"Patience, you will see. Just watch out the window." And then the queen disappeared from the room, stepping into view through the window a moment later. When Selena found her mother, they talked briefly before the younger nodded her head. Still bewildered, Serenity watched as her mother pricked the young girl's finger, and let a drop of blood fall to the barren ground. For a long moment, nothing happened. But when something did, it made Serenity gasp with wonder.
At first, all that could be seen was a tiny flower lifting slowly from the ground. Then, with building speed, the garden continued to flourish. After a few moments the garden that had been bare was full of a strange vining plant that grew no where else. Lush emerald green leaves cast gentle shadows upon one another. Then, as Serenity continued to watch in awe, Selena stepped forward and peered closely at what appeared to be a budding flower. With something that resembled an expression she wore while laughing, she kissed the flower. Slowly it opened up to reveal four large, velvety petals shimmering with dewdrops. Vibrant dawn-like colors graced the petals, hinted with lavender. The slightly heart-shaped petals ended with points that looked in the four cardinal directions that were tipped in midnight blue.
Serenity sat in awe a few moments longer before standing and rushing out to see her mother and sister. She paused just outside the garden in enough time to see Queen Serenity kneel down to match Princess Selena's height.
"I had suspected this for a long time - ever since your birth. This garden has been bare and empty since the goddess Selene herself first created the world we live in. That is why I named you after her, more closely than past queens have dared for fear of being blasphemous. But now I know I was right to. Selena, you have the goddess Selena herself in you. You perhaps shall outlive us all - even this kingdom."
"What? Mother, what do you mean?"
"The goddess obviously has some purpose for you or she would not have blessed you in such a way. Perhaps it is one that cannot be carried out in your original life span. You are special, Selena. Far more than you will probably ever understand."
Serenity finally stepped forward, making her presence known. "That was wonderful. I've never seen anything like it."
Selena looked up and her smile fell. As she left the garden, the flowers and greenery began wilting and dying.
"Mother, what can I do? It seems she will never forgive me for what I cannot control."
"I know. Love is a mysterious thing. It gave me love with your father. When he died, I thought I might too. But I realized I had been left with you two to love, and I will for always. Selena only needs to find something to replace Endymion. It will come, in time, and you two will be sisters once more."
"If you say so, Mother..."
"Alright then. I have much to talk with your sister about, and I believe you have dinner with a certain prince."
"Oh! I had almost forgotten!"
Queen Serenity watched with a gentle smile on her lips as her daughter rushed away. Then she turned and looked once more at the dying garden. "This garden reliant on love will flourish one day as its mistress finds herself full of the emotion. But I fear that its time of abundance will be all too brief..." She lingered a moment longer before walking away, leaving behind a garden that held in its future some tumultuous times.
Chapter Two
Serenity beamed as she saw Selena seated in a large, over-stuffed chair in the library. "Selena! Come on, there's a new ice-skating spot on Mercury I'm going to try! Come with me?"
All she got in response was a cold glare tossed her way as the younger girl exited the room. Dejectedly, the blonde sat down in the chair just vacated.
"Serenity?"
The girl looked up and gave a weak smile to her mother.
"Oh, Serenity... I know it hurts to see how she looks at you. But this is a pain that even I could not hope to heal, even with the Crystal's powers... But that is why, Serenity, that I have come to the decision to send your sister away for some time."
"What?! Mother, she loves it on the Moon, she would never leave!"
"She has already agreed, daughter, and tells me she is already packed. Now we only wait for the family she will stay with to come to take her."
Giving a saddened sigh, Serenity leaned back in the chair. "When will that be?"
"Tomorrow evening. She's going to a place to receive training so she may become a soldier, since she was not born with special powers like you."
"Oh, but Mother, she was!"
"Oh? What makes you say that?"
"I noticed something the night of my ceremony, before the ball. She had been sword fighting with Endymion, and he accidentally got her shoulder- "
"What?!"
"Be calm, Mother, I am not finished. She admitted to it hurting and bleeding a great deal at first. But after having a bandage on a couple of minutes, the blood and the pain were gone. All that was left was a small scar."
"Hmm... it seems your sister has the gift of healing... I wonder..." The queen turned to step just outside the doorway and stop a maid passing by. "Would you please fetch the Princess Selena and tell her I'm in the garden outside the library waiting for her?"
"Hai, your majesty."
The queen looked back to Serenity, who looked utterly confused. "Mother, nothing has grown in that garden since the goddess herself walked in it."
"Patience, you will see. Just watch out the window." And then the queen disappeared from the room, stepping into view through the window a moment later. When Selena found her mother, they talked briefly before the younger nodded her head. Still bewildered, Serenity watched as her mother pricked the young girl's finger, and let a drop of blood fall to the barren ground. For a long moment, nothing happened. But when something did, it made Serenity gasp with wonder.
At first, all that could be seen was a tiny flower lifting slowly from the ground. Then, with building speed, the garden continued to flourish. After a few moments the garden that had been bare was full of a strange vining plant that grew no where else. Lush emerald green leaves cast gentle shadows upon one another. Then, as Serenity continued to watch in awe, Selena stepped forward and peered closely at what appeared to be a budding flower. With something that resembled an expression she wore while laughing, she kissed the flower. Slowly it opened up to reveal four large, velvety petals shimmering with dewdrops. Vibrant dawn-like colors graced the petals, hinted with lavender. The slightly heart-shaped petals ended with points that looked in the four cardinal directions that were tipped in midnight blue.
Serenity sat in awe a few moments longer before standing and rushing out to see her mother and sister. She paused just outside the garden in enough time to see Queen Serenity kneel down to match Princess Selena's height.
"I had suspected this for a long time - ever since your birth. This garden has been bare and empty since the goddess Selene herself first created the world we live in. That is why I named you after her, more closely than past queens have dared for fear of being blasphemous. But now I know I was right to. Selena, you have the goddess Selena herself in you. You perhaps shall outlive us all - even this kingdom."
"What? Mother, what do you mean?"
"The goddess obviously has some purpose for you or she would not have blessed you in such a way. Perhaps it is one that cannot be carried out in your original life span. You are special, Selena. Far more than you will probably ever understand."
Serenity finally stepped forward, making her presence known. "That was wonderful. I've never seen anything like it."
Selena looked up and her smile fell. As she left the garden, the flowers and greenery began wilting and dying.
"Mother, what can I do? It seems she will never forgive me for what I cannot control."
"I know. Love is a mysterious thing. It gave me love with your father. When he died, I thought I might too. But I realized I had been left with you two to love, and I will for always. Selena only needs to find something to replace Endymion. It will come, in time, and you two will be sisters once more."
"If you say so, Mother..."
"Alright then. I have much to talk with your sister about, and I believe you have dinner with a certain prince."
"Oh! I had almost forgotten!"
Queen Serenity watched with a gentle smile on her lips as her daughter rushed away. Then she turned and looked once more at the dying garden. "This garden reliant on love will flourish one day as its mistress finds herself full of the emotion. But I fear that its time of abundance will be all too brief..." She lingered a moment longer before walking away, leaving behind a garden that held in its future some tumultuous times.