"Serena!" Serena turned around and looked at her mother who was
holding tightly to her a slender dress. "This is for you when you see the
Emperor."
"Thank you mother," Serena took the dress and spread it out on her bed in the Emperor's Palace. She gingerly touched the padding on her cheek as she winced from the stinging. She didn't know how it could have happened but it did. Dilandau never touched her with the blade but it had done it to Escaflowne.
But she had bigger things to worry about; the wound was still bleeding.
"Your highness? May I come in?"
"Enter, Ukenyo." Serena turned to her new servant. The Emperor had provided well for her. Serena wondered if maybe the Emperor had a son. As the only one left of the heirs of the three alliance kingdoms: Asturia, Freid, and Fanelia, much was expected of her.
Ukenyo unzipped Serena's nightgown that she had been wearing and peeled the bandage from her face and replaced it then led her to a large metal tub. She pulled the cloth away from her shoulders and began washing her up and she scrubbed at the wound in her shoulder. It hurt Serena to move her arm and the wound was puffy.
"You shouldn't mess around with it, your highness." She dumped the cold water on Serena's head and she shivered.
"Why does it have to be so cold!"
"I'm sorry your highness."
"Yeah right," Serena muttered as she felt the servant yank at her hair and scrubbed the soap into her scalp.
"The blood has dried in your hair."
"Are you sure it isn't from you trying to yank my hair out of my scalp!" Serena growled as Ukenyo smiled apologetically.
Ukenyo finally finished with Serena's hair and picked up a piece of clothing and wrapped it around her and tightened the strings.
"Mind if I breathe?"
"Your highness, please." Serena sighed as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of the dress and let the servant do her hair. She thought back to earlier that day.
* * *
"You've done well Serena. But you seem distracted." Serena clenched her teeth as her father's sword bit into the skin on her arm. She charged towards her father but she was too late as her father's sword slid from his sweaty hands and the blade cut into her face.
Serena shook her head from the pain but blindly fought it off. The blood was dripping in her face and her eye hurt.
A hand grabbed her to calm her but it didn't help. She couldn't see, blinded by the blood.
* * *
Serena opened her eyes as the servant tied the dress tightly and she touched the scar by her eye. She would never see again out of one of her eyes. But that wasn't what mattered now.
Serena left the room, the train of her dress trailed behind her as she entered the throne room. Each of her parents stood on either side of her.
"Welcome to Avarno your highness."
"Thank you almighty one," Serena bowed low before the Emperor. Her heart pounded as his eyes looked through a craggy face.
"Come to me Fanelia."
Serena stood up and approached and his rough hand touched her face. "You were not meant to be Queen. You have a good heart and a strong passion but they will not be used for good."
Serena looked at him shocked but she didn't say anything.
"How about a casual dinner, and please bring your guests."
"Guests?" Hitomi echoed as she saw the nervous looks on the faces of her husband and daughter.
"Yes, the strangers from the Mystic Moon."
They all bowed but then decided that some training was due for.
* * *
"Ha! I beat you again!" Duke and Tristan were sitting on the ground with a bunch of cards between them. It was a lazy afternoon. Seto was sitting by the window looking out while Bakura, Yugi, and Kalina were talking. Serenity and Téa were outside and Joey was taking a nap on the nearby bed with Mokuba. They had already been in the city for several weeks when the Emperor had finally had time to meet Serena but now they had nothing to do as Varie laid on the shelf above Kaiba and playfully batted at his hair.
Everyone was taking a break from the training for the dinner, even Serena who was looking out the window longingly. Joey rolled over in his sleep and rubbed at the bruise on the side of his face. Kaiba grinned at the fact that Wheeler didn't get away with that act.
"What will it cost you if things get messed up."
Serena shook her head. "I don't know Seto. The Emperor does not think very highly of me but I hope he understands Gaia's need for a complete alliance."
"And if he doesn't?" Seto slid his arm around the queen's waist and pulled her closer to him.
"I don't know." Seto smiled down at her and then took her hand as he got up.
"Let's go for a walk."
* * *
"I wish we were still on earth, then I might have been able to help you."
"It's not money we need, it's military power. And I'm still worried about the Emperor told me."
"That you would only be used for evil?"
"Yes. He's very wise."
"But he's wrong this time." Seto grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. "I know he's wrong. When we go back I want you to come with me. Fanelia is gone and there's nothing for you here. I can give you anything you want."
Serena turned away from him. Everything was happening and she no longer knew how to deal with it.
She finally gave in and started to cry against Seto's shoulder as he ran his fingers through her long hair. "Serena, I promise to take care of you."
As she felt his lips touch her hair and face she jerked away. "My responsibility is to my people, Mr. Kaiba."
"Yeah, no wonder only knights are crazy enough to chase you type. All you care about is your people. Why can't you learn to live?"
She turned away from him and retreated.
* * *
Yugi took a long drink of the dark red liquid as he glanced around the fancy table and suddenly started feeling woozy.
"It appears your Queen is missing," the Emperor mussed. Seto looked at the ground. It was true Serena had disappeared. Kalina was hitting Yugi on the back as he started hiccupping and Bakura just shook his head and tried not to laugh but with little success. When he didn't stop and then fell over everyone laughed. As soon as the royals had left Yugi got up on the table and started singing and doing a tap dance until Téa joined him. Suddenly something was wrong. Varie jumped up on the table as a huge light came down and everything began to break apart.
* * *
'I need to get rid of their leader or else it will all end.' Serena turned back towards the road but she heard a rumble. She saw a huge column of light towards the capital and then ran towards it but was stopped by the cracking of the ground. She narrowed her eyes and let her wings tear out of her back as she lifted off the ground but the shock wave caught her and when she next opened her eyes she was on the ground in a strange place. The sun was shinning in the sky but the Mystic Moon was nowhere to be seen. Her arm was beginning to hurt even more and the wound had grown bigger.
She tried to push herself up but the blood that dripped from all over her body was making her weak.
"I sure hope Escaflowne wasn't destroyed. If it was I'm going to be in a world of pain."
"You don't look like you're in the greatest shape now." Serena swiveled on her side as she faced up a blond man with really spiky hair. He was holding a golden rod in front of her as she reached back for the sword hilt.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Marik Ishtar and I'll save you only if you aid me."
"I don't need your help." Serena saw the dagger and blocked it with the blade of her sword but it was a close one.
"Yes you do. You're wounded and I have use for you."
"Not on your life," Serena snarled but she needed some serious help if she was going to survive.
"I'm here to help," he said as his rod began glowing and suddenly Serena felt her wounds healing.
Serena got to her feet and moved her arm. It was painless to move it. She touched her face and she could see her hand in front of her left side of her face. She could actually see out of that eye.
She rolled her shoulder lightly and moved her sword with an ease that she could never remember. She rounded it around and then stopped as she put her sword back. "Why did you do that?"
"I need your help."
* * *
"Ow! My head!" They were all standing in KaibaCorp trying to figure out some way to hide the catgirl. Yugi was complaining and Seto put down a large bucket of ice cold water and Joey dunked Yugi's head in it.
"Hey! Hey!" Yugi swung at Joey furiously but he just put his hand out and the small teenager couldn't manage to hit him.
Yugi sat down and Varie began petting his head.
"Will you quit that?"
Varie silently nodded and then started crying and then crawled on the couch and started crying as she curled up next to Joey. "They're all gone. Gaia is gone!"
Mokuba sat there and pet Varie's tail. "Are you going to be okay Varie?"
"Yeah," she sniffed. "I think so."
"Thank you mother," Serena took the dress and spread it out on her bed in the Emperor's Palace. She gingerly touched the padding on her cheek as she winced from the stinging. She didn't know how it could have happened but it did. Dilandau never touched her with the blade but it had done it to Escaflowne.
But she had bigger things to worry about; the wound was still bleeding.
"Your highness? May I come in?"
"Enter, Ukenyo." Serena turned to her new servant. The Emperor had provided well for her. Serena wondered if maybe the Emperor had a son. As the only one left of the heirs of the three alliance kingdoms: Asturia, Freid, and Fanelia, much was expected of her.
Ukenyo unzipped Serena's nightgown that she had been wearing and peeled the bandage from her face and replaced it then led her to a large metal tub. She pulled the cloth away from her shoulders and began washing her up and she scrubbed at the wound in her shoulder. It hurt Serena to move her arm and the wound was puffy.
"You shouldn't mess around with it, your highness." She dumped the cold water on Serena's head and she shivered.
"Why does it have to be so cold!"
"I'm sorry your highness."
"Yeah right," Serena muttered as she felt the servant yank at her hair and scrubbed the soap into her scalp.
"The blood has dried in your hair."
"Are you sure it isn't from you trying to yank my hair out of my scalp!" Serena growled as Ukenyo smiled apologetically.
Ukenyo finally finished with Serena's hair and picked up a piece of clothing and wrapped it around her and tightened the strings.
"Mind if I breathe?"
"Your highness, please." Serena sighed as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of the dress and let the servant do her hair. She thought back to earlier that day.
* * *
"You've done well Serena. But you seem distracted." Serena clenched her teeth as her father's sword bit into the skin on her arm. She charged towards her father but she was too late as her father's sword slid from his sweaty hands and the blade cut into her face.
Serena shook her head from the pain but blindly fought it off. The blood was dripping in her face and her eye hurt.
A hand grabbed her to calm her but it didn't help. She couldn't see, blinded by the blood.
* * *
Serena opened her eyes as the servant tied the dress tightly and she touched the scar by her eye. She would never see again out of one of her eyes. But that wasn't what mattered now.
Serena left the room, the train of her dress trailed behind her as she entered the throne room. Each of her parents stood on either side of her.
"Welcome to Avarno your highness."
"Thank you almighty one," Serena bowed low before the Emperor. Her heart pounded as his eyes looked through a craggy face.
"Come to me Fanelia."
Serena stood up and approached and his rough hand touched her face. "You were not meant to be Queen. You have a good heart and a strong passion but they will not be used for good."
Serena looked at him shocked but she didn't say anything.
"How about a casual dinner, and please bring your guests."
"Guests?" Hitomi echoed as she saw the nervous looks on the faces of her husband and daughter.
"Yes, the strangers from the Mystic Moon."
They all bowed but then decided that some training was due for.
* * *
"Ha! I beat you again!" Duke and Tristan were sitting on the ground with a bunch of cards between them. It was a lazy afternoon. Seto was sitting by the window looking out while Bakura, Yugi, and Kalina were talking. Serenity and Téa were outside and Joey was taking a nap on the nearby bed with Mokuba. They had already been in the city for several weeks when the Emperor had finally had time to meet Serena but now they had nothing to do as Varie laid on the shelf above Kaiba and playfully batted at his hair.
Everyone was taking a break from the training for the dinner, even Serena who was looking out the window longingly. Joey rolled over in his sleep and rubbed at the bruise on the side of his face. Kaiba grinned at the fact that Wheeler didn't get away with that act.
"What will it cost you if things get messed up."
Serena shook her head. "I don't know Seto. The Emperor does not think very highly of me but I hope he understands Gaia's need for a complete alliance."
"And if he doesn't?" Seto slid his arm around the queen's waist and pulled her closer to him.
"I don't know." Seto smiled down at her and then took her hand as he got up.
"Let's go for a walk."
* * *
"I wish we were still on earth, then I might have been able to help you."
"It's not money we need, it's military power. And I'm still worried about the Emperor told me."
"That you would only be used for evil?"
"Yes. He's very wise."
"But he's wrong this time." Seto grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. "I know he's wrong. When we go back I want you to come with me. Fanelia is gone and there's nothing for you here. I can give you anything you want."
Serena turned away from him. Everything was happening and she no longer knew how to deal with it.
She finally gave in and started to cry against Seto's shoulder as he ran his fingers through her long hair. "Serena, I promise to take care of you."
As she felt his lips touch her hair and face she jerked away. "My responsibility is to my people, Mr. Kaiba."
"Yeah, no wonder only knights are crazy enough to chase you type. All you care about is your people. Why can't you learn to live?"
She turned away from him and retreated.
* * *
Yugi took a long drink of the dark red liquid as he glanced around the fancy table and suddenly started feeling woozy.
"It appears your Queen is missing," the Emperor mussed. Seto looked at the ground. It was true Serena had disappeared. Kalina was hitting Yugi on the back as he started hiccupping and Bakura just shook his head and tried not to laugh but with little success. When he didn't stop and then fell over everyone laughed. As soon as the royals had left Yugi got up on the table and started singing and doing a tap dance until Téa joined him. Suddenly something was wrong. Varie jumped up on the table as a huge light came down and everything began to break apart.
* * *
'I need to get rid of their leader or else it will all end.' Serena turned back towards the road but she heard a rumble. She saw a huge column of light towards the capital and then ran towards it but was stopped by the cracking of the ground. She narrowed her eyes and let her wings tear out of her back as she lifted off the ground but the shock wave caught her and when she next opened her eyes she was on the ground in a strange place. The sun was shinning in the sky but the Mystic Moon was nowhere to be seen. Her arm was beginning to hurt even more and the wound had grown bigger.
She tried to push herself up but the blood that dripped from all over her body was making her weak.
"I sure hope Escaflowne wasn't destroyed. If it was I'm going to be in a world of pain."
"You don't look like you're in the greatest shape now." Serena swiveled on her side as she faced up a blond man with really spiky hair. He was holding a golden rod in front of her as she reached back for the sword hilt.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Marik Ishtar and I'll save you only if you aid me."
"I don't need your help." Serena saw the dagger and blocked it with the blade of her sword but it was a close one.
"Yes you do. You're wounded and I have use for you."
"Not on your life," Serena snarled but she needed some serious help if she was going to survive.
"I'm here to help," he said as his rod began glowing and suddenly Serena felt her wounds healing.
Serena got to her feet and moved her arm. It was painless to move it. She touched her face and she could see her hand in front of her left side of her face. She could actually see out of that eye.
She rolled her shoulder lightly and moved her sword with an ease that she could never remember. She rounded it around and then stopped as she put her sword back. "Why did you do that?"
"I need your help."
* * *
"Ow! My head!" They were all standing in KaibaCorp trying to figure out some way to hide the catgirl. Yugi was complaining and Seto put down a large bucket of ice cold water and Joey dunked Yugi's head in it.
"Hey! Hey!" Yugi swung at Joey furiously but he just put his hand out and the small teenager couldn't manage to hit him.
Yugi sat down and Varie began petting his head.
"Will you quit that?"
Varie silently nodded and then started crying and then crawled on the couch and started crying as she curled up next to Joey. "They're all gone. Gaia is gone!"
Mokuba sat there and pet Varie's tail. "Are you going to be okay Varie?"
"Yeah," she sniffed. "I think so."