Title: Chronicles of the Moon: Life of the Late Queen Serenity
By: AJ Martinez
Email: goodnightspoonhotmail.com
Rated: PG
Length: 8 pages
Started: 1/18/2004 12:51 PM
Finished: 6/19/2004 10:44 PM
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Any characters that you do not
recognize, however, are most likely my creations and I would prefer
that you not use them without first contacting me and working out the
details.
I should be studying for exams, but all I can think about is finishing
this fie. This is disgusting. I started this fie in May of 2002, and I
had actually written 20 or so pages of it before, but it was a
terrible first draft, not at all like what it's like right now, and
when the computer crashed it was actually a blessing in disguise. I
spent 9 months or so writing down ideas, and then I started writing in
2002. I can't believe it's been so long. I never thought that it would
be like this.
Oh well, enough of my prattling. This chapter is dedicated to my
cousin Daniella, who is still pregnant. (Yay!) I went to her baby
shower yesterday and she was just glowing. And to my grandparents, and
to Father Dan, who had surgery on his arm last week. It's his birthday
today.
Serenity was on the fourth floor of the palace. Having just
returned from the cathedral, she was still wearing her charcoal cloak.
What are you dawdling for? the Crystal demanded. Get it
over with.
"As usual," Serenity said, "Your opinion is unsolicited and
unwanted."
The Crystal said nothing more, and Serenity felt rather bad
about the way that she had spoken to it. Then she remembered the day
of the raid, and the way that the Crystal had attempted to invade her
consciousness. She was no longer sorry.
Approaching the first door on her right, Serenity scanned it
for Leon's crest, which would identify the chambers as belonging to
the Captain of the Guard, but it was not there. She walked on, looking
left and right, until she came to the proper door. She ran her fingers
across the crest carved into it, and then, trembling with anxiety and
anticipation, Serenity stepped up to it and pressed her ear to the
door, although she knew that, even should someone be in the chambers,
the walls and doors were constructed thickly enough to ensure privacy
for their inhabitants.
Hand shaking, Serenity reached for the door latch. The closer
her hand got, the harder it was for it to move forward. It was like a
reverse-magnet, and the air wavered as if from heat.
This had happened before. It had happened at the raid. It was
because of the Crystal, she knew; when it had attacked her it did
something to her, left something in her.
Pushing forward, Serenity finally grasped the latch, and there
was a clicking as the tumblers fell into place. Opening the door just
enough for to squeeze herself through, Serenity entered the chambers.
Although spacious and well decorated, they looked small and
plain to Serenity's eyes, even having seen the rooms at the cathedral.
It had not dawned on her that those living in the palace would have
such sparse accommodations...she knew, of course, that her own chambers
being more impressive was to be expected, but still.
The walls were a pale blue, and the wooden floor was covered
with many rugs, all a mix-match of colors. Large pictures decorated
the wall, one of the ocean and another of Leon's father, who had also
been Captain of the Guard. Smaller pictures, individual portraits of
family and friends, and some that looked as though they had come from
local artists. The bed was large, although smaller than her own, and
had drapes that could be pulled around it in the winter months to seal
in the warmth.
Speaking of Seals, she thought, as she spied a Tracker lying
on his bedside table. It was about six inches, as all were, and
ornately carved and painted. Cylinder shaped and thin, it had a stalk
coming up from the top with a knob attached. On the knob was his crest,
and Serenity knew that the knob, when touched to the back of the neck
or wrists of a person (usually a slave), would take a blood and tissue
sample. It would then immediately provide information on the person.
This was all available because of the Seals, which were a sort
of brand that slavers embedded into the wrists and necks of their
slaves. Without one, a Tracker would tell only the approximate age,
weight, gender, and appearance of a person, as well as whether or not
they were a member of any royal or noble family. By taking and reading
their DNA, it built a data-base by which to tell who should or should
not be in the palace, who worked where, and who was related to whom.
With a Seal, however, the Tracker would also tell the owner of the
slave. All a slaver had to do, should one of his slaves run away, was
make a report on it, and, should the slave be caught and the Tracker
used on him or her, it would note also that the slave was a runaway,
and was to be arrested.
Serenity could not recall a time without Seals and Trackers.
She had grown up thinking that they were used only to track and
identify criminals, to keep the people and rulers of the Moon safe,
but several candid talks with Annie now had her believing otherwise.
Time is of the essence, the Crystal reminded her.
Not knowing where to start, Serenity scanned the room once
again. She saw nothing that would lead her to believe that it housed
the blueprints. Probably hidden, she thought.
Walking up to the bedside table, Serenity paused for only an
instant before opening the top drawer. Hmmmm. A brush, a book, a
stylus, and a few letters. Closing the drawer, Serenity opened the
bottom cabinet and regarded its contents.
After several minutes of poking around, Serenity had found
nothing. Nothing in the bedside table, nothing in the armoire, nothing
in the dressers or in the wardrobe or underneath his bed. And time was
flying.
Perhaps he has them secreted in one of the many letters in
his bedside table, the Crystal suggested.
Serenity doubted this. There had been many scrolls in the top
drawer, but they were too small to be blueprints. She had correctly
assumed them to be letters, but now discouragement and frustration
goaded her to have a second look. Crossing the room to the bedside
table, she selected one, then stopped. Hidden by the scroll now in her
hand was another scroll, one with Raphael's signet seal on it.
Serenity stared at it for several moments, her heart pounding
in her chest. Something told her that this was a turning point in her
life, that she was fine as she was, should leave the letter unopened,
keep her mind on the task at hand. But Serenity was holding the scroll
before she realized it, and running her fingers over the wax seal. It
had already been opened, and this made it easier for her to simply
unroll it and read.
Raphael's bold, crisp writing stared back at her, slightly
sloppy from the brandy that he had had in him, although Serenity did
not know this. It was a short letter, saying only that Leon should
post more guards around the arena on the last day of the festival, the
day of the raid.
This meant something to her, Serenity knew, but she couldn't
put a name to it. It explained how the guards had come upon them so
quickly, been so efficient. So it was on Raphael's order. But what was
this to her? As Crown-Prince, it was his right. He might have simply
been concerned for his subjects, worried that things might have gotten
out of hand on that night.
But why station them around the arena? Serenity wondered.
It was closed that day; why not send them where the people would be?
Maybe, the Crystal said, He knew.
"Knew?" Serenity asked, not fully comprehending. Then it hit
her, and her head began to spin. Knew? How could he? Has he been
following me? Have I been too obvious? "Oh nooooo..." she moaned,
falling onto Leon's bed. "What shall I do?"
Find the blueprints.
"What?" Serenity sat up. "Why? What point is there now, now
that he knows?"
You don't know that. He didn't implicate you in any way.
"His honor wouldn't allow him," Serenity quickly said.
Oh? the Crystal gave back. If that is so, then wouldn't his
honor have forced him to turn you in, once the raid went as planned
and on that night you were nowhere to be found? it paused, letting
the words sink in. Whatever he knows, he shan't tell; that much is
clear. He may not even know of your involvement.
Serenity held her breath. This seemed too much to hope for.
She was quiet for several minutes, thoughts buzzing through her head.
Finally she said, "Now to find those blueprints."
Behind the portrait. The one of the older man.
Serenity froze. "You knew?"
The Crystal said nothing.
"Answer me," Serenity demanded. "Answer me!"
When the Crystal remained mute, Serenity stalked over to the
portrait, needing to know. Pushing it away from the wall, she saw that
the blueprints were tacked to the back of it. Not being tall enough to
reach the uppermost tacks, Serenity touched her hand to them, hoping
for that power to come back, hoping to harness it. When nothing
happened, she frowned. This did not make sense. The Crystal was with
her, and it had worked on the night of the raid, when she had left the
Crystal in her chambers.
"Work," Serenity whispered. "Please work."
Still nothing happened, and Serenity became frustrated. She
could feel the power, swimming lazily through her blood stream, the
part of itself that the Crystal had left in her. She tried to focus on
it, bring it to the surface. The air began to waver.
"Work," Serenity whispered again. "Work!"
Suddenly the magnetism was there again, and then gone. The
blueprints remained in place a moment, then one corner fell. Soon they
were lying on the ground, and Serenity grabbed them quickly, rolled
them up, and made haste to the door. She was halfway to her chambers
when it occurred to her to wonder why, if the Crystal had known all
along where the blueprints were, it had been so adamant that she go
through the bedside table and read the letters.
Annie was worried. Partially for her own welfare, because the
princess should have begun her fitting over twenty minutes ago, but
was nowhere to be found, and partially for Serenity, because
everything was happening so fast. Also, Annie had found the willchide.
She had been with the royal family for many years. Her mother
had worked in the palace, and her grandmother before her, and as far
back in her line as she could recall. They had all tended to various
jobs, from cooking and cleaning to training the animals and looking
after the nobles. Annie's role, however, was especially plum, seeing
as she had been with the princess for so long; indeed, since Serenity
was a little girl. There hadn't been talk of any sort between them
until these last few months, and this was one of the things that
bothered Annie. How could a person change so much in such a short
time? She supposed that it might have something to do with Serenity's
naivete, and that, had the princess known the plight of slaves, she
would have done something years ago. Maybe she was just young and
looking for a cause.
A Cause.
This was another thing that had been weighing on her mind.
Although not a member, Annie knew well of the Cause, and of its lofty
leader. She had heard him described many ways; men spoke of him as
brilliant, generous, kind, haunted, and somewhat hard; a man who could
draw you in with his words alone. They spoke little of his handicap.
But it was the women's talk that worried her now.
Most of the women who had met the Lordship were cowed by him,
or sought to catch him for their own. They described him as
frightening and intense, coiled almost, like he would snap at any
moment. And sexual. That had been mentioned more than once. He had an
animalistic quality to him, and it translated to a sort of raw
sexuality that drew in some women like moths to a flame, while it
repulsed others.
Annie feared that Serenity was a member of the former.
For months now she had returned home from these visits with
flushed cheeks and hopped onto her bed, holding her kittens to her
breast and sort of looking off, her expression almost blank, but
colored with what Annie could only describe as serenity.
At this moment the door flew open, and Serenity skittered
inside, clutching something to herself underneath her charcoal robe.
"Annie!" Serenity cried, breathless. Talking a breath, she locked the
door and beamed at her servant. "I've got them."
"Them, princess?"
Serenity began making her way over to the bed, unclasping her
robe as she did so, letting it fall to the floor. "The blueprints."
Annie said nothing. She did not want to discourage her
princess from sharing things with her, but neither did she want to
encourage her to place herself in danger's path.
Still breathing heavily, Serenity rolled the blueprints up
and, groping underneath her bed for a moment, produced an empty, bone-
colored cylindrical tube. Shoving the blueprints inside, she sat back
on her legs, her chest rising and falling noticeably.
Remembering her duty, Annie jumped up. "You have a fitting,
princess, and you're already late."
Serenity looked up. "A fitting?"
"For the Peace ball."
"Ah." Serenity paused, pondering, as though she might refuse
to go, and then got up from the bed, kicking the blueprints underneath
it. She walked with Annie out of her chambers and down corridors, and
neither spoke. When they reached the seamstress' quarters, Annie
stepped in front of Serenity and got the door for her. With
resignation, Serenity walked into the chambers.
The seamstress' ward was large, and the ceiling was high.
There were several light fixtures, candles, and shades over lamps to
change the light's color; the seamstress kept them so that she could
observe how the light would flatter her creations at different
occasions (or otherwise). The whole room was white; not white marble
or alabaster, but plain white...it seemed to lack texture of any sort,
and there were no rugs. Mirrors lined every wall, and one hung from
the ceiling on a chain (also painted white) that could be lowered or
raised as the seamstress saw fit. White drapes hung, closing off one
section from another. This was the fitting section; once, Serenity had
been into the other sections, and the sudden color and variety had
hurt her eyes. Furs and chains and jewelry and fabrics had lined every
wall, and, in a smaller, more secluded area, sketches had littered a
table. Serenity had wished to stay there forever, and lose herself in
the billowing oceans of materials until they began to rub off on her
and make her warm and lively like them.
But that had been years ago. She had been nine, and her
governess had come sweeping in then and hurried her off to her Latin
lessons.
It was at that moment that a servant girl spotted her, and
within seconds Serenity was surrounded. Regardless that they had
measured her a thousand times over, the seamstress' helpers still
fluttered about Serenity, clucking to themselves and asking her to
please raise her arms higher, turn to the side, and stand perfectly
still. And Serenity did. She turned herself over to their ministrations
entirely, her breathing getting slower as her eyes almost closed.
Already the day had been trying for her, and at this point
nothing appealed to her more than the prospect of a hot soak in the
tub and the silken comfort of her bed sheets.
It wasn't until three days later that Serenity was able to
escape the confines of the palace, sneak through the city, and bring
the dungeon blueprints to Mea. Although he had not been expecting her
arrival, Mea set aside his strategies when she came into the room and
gave her his full attention, marred only by the thick locks of hair
that fell into his face, nearly covering his eyes.
Serenity was wearing her usual charcoal cloak, and he was
wearing his usual homespun, but he could see that she was tired. These
last few days had been trying ones for her, as lunar royalty continued
to pour in. Gossip and spies alike had confirmed that the first of the
interplanetary royalty was arriving tonight from Pluto, bringing with
them not only king, queen and servants, but a child as well. He
frowned slightly; Serenity should not be here, he knew. She was needed
at the palace, needed badly, but at the same time his heart was warmed
by the thought that the Cause was important enough to her that she
would shirk duties that she had been born to perform.
Not wishing to dwell on these thoughts, Mea sat back in his
chair and fluttered a hand at her to indicate that she should sit.
Once she had, he said, "I expect you have news."
"Yes, Mea, I do," Serenity replied habitually. From her cloak
she pulled the blueprints, placing them on the table between them,
closer to herself than Mea. She waited for him to reach for them.
Not in a pleasant mood, are we? Mea thought dryly, but didn't say
anything, instead reaching for the blueprints. He pulled then from
their binding and unrolled them, splaying them across the table.
Serenity watched as Mea studied the blueprints. She was exhausted.
Every morning she awoke and went to fittings, and then spent the rest
of the day assisting her royal mother in choosing dishes, decorations,
and entertainment for the ball. This was not the sort of thing that
she was used to, as such matters were usually handled by servants and
ministers, but this ball was far too important to trust into the hands
of someone hired. She remembered that morning, sitting with her
mother in the queen's gardens. They were working on the seating
arrangements.
"The Lady Tranquility has come," the queen said, "and is
already settled in guest chambers. I believe that she should be at the
same table as the duke and duchess of Zephyr." The queen paused for a
moment, glaring down at the list that she was making. "Oh, but that
will never do," she continued, "for look, there is still one spot on
that table that has yet to be filled."
"Haven't we any parties of one then, Mother?" Serenity asked.
The queen thought for a moment, then her eyes lit. "I had
nearly forgotten about Prince Kunzite!" she cried, writing his name
in. "Oh dear, Serenity, how long has it been since we last saw him?"
Not as long as you would imagine, Serenity thought gravely,
her cheeks burning as she remembered the raid, and the scene afterward
at the cathedral, where Mea had accused Beryl of working against him
and the Cause. It made sense to believe that Kunzite had been in on
the sabotage with her. Serenity was not looking forward to seeing him
again, but she had not time to ponder this, because her mother was
speaking again.
"This planning isn't as bad as you might think, Serenity," the
queen said, smoothing her dress. "I know that it is not something that
you are used to, or shall ever become used to, and that is because you
are the Crown-Princess of the High Kingdom of the Moon. I was not,
however, and whenever my parents--" the queen looked Serenity in the
eyes now, "your grandparents--held a ball, my mother and I planned
everything. We were assisted by servants and the like, of course, but
it was still something that we women did together. It was some of the
best times of my life." Her voice had grown soft as she finished, and
then she had smiled quickly and asked Serenity what she thought about
the decorations.
The sound of Mea clearing his throat brought the princess back
from her reverie, and she looked at him slowly, reluctantly. She had
spent more time with her mother in these past days than ever before,
and sometimes she found herself liking the woman, and it was an odd
feeling. She had always loved her mother, had never disliked her, but
now she felt as though she were getting to know her and was beginning
to feel a kinship with the queen.
"These aren't a copy, are they?" Mea asked.
Serenity frowned. "No," she answered. "They are not."
Mea nodded absentmindedly, then rolled them up. "That will
have to be remedied, princess. There is no telling when the captain
may feel the need to go over these, and should he discover them
missing, there'll be the devil to pay."
"So you want me to make copies and then return that one?"
Serenity asked, already feeling a weight settle on her. She didn't
have time to do this, and she knew it. Not without forsaking much-
needed sleep.
Mea nodded curtly. "Yes, please."
Serenity sighed. "I'm sorry. I cannot."
Mea blinked, but said nothing.
Serenity continued on, feeling ridiculously guilty for not
being able to do this. "I'm tired, Mea. Exhausted. Every waking moment
that I have is filled with something, and when I am not planning this
ball I am being briefed on it or on the other planets, or lunching
with some noble," as she went on, Serenity began to feel agitated at
feeling as though she needed to explain her reasoning to this
peasant. "In fact, I can't take another moment of it. I don't want
to hear the words 'Peace ball' breathed again for as long as I live.
I'm tired. Tired! Tired, tired, tired..." she laid her head down on
the table, arms folded underneath it to cushion her face. "I'm tired,"
she sniffed, the back of her throat beginning to ache as she forced
back tears. Hearing her voice break brought them on, hot and moist,
and she sniffed again, wetly.
Mea still sat on the other end of the table, but just barely.
He had never felt this way before, almost protective. At least, never
about another human being, a female. A princess. As he listened to her
hiccup and sniffle he wanted nothing more than to...to what? He had no
idea. He wanted to comfort her, maybe. But he only knew one way to
comfort, and he didn't think that she would be open to it.
"And Kunzite will be there."
Mea was out of his chair. "What?" he cried.
"I know, I know," Serenity raised tear-stained cheeks to look
him in the eyes. "I found out just this morning."
Mea remained on his feet. Thoughts went through his head, but
he knew that there was nothing that could be done about this
particular raider. He had not found out the man's true identity until
after the raid, when some intensive poking and spying had brought out
the truth, and he had been furious for several days that not only had
he been so completely taken, his trust in Beryl blinding him, but that
Serenity had recognized her fellow royalty and said nothing. He had
entertained thoughts of confronting her about it, but had not gone
through with them, knowing that no good could come of it.
He felt the same way now. He knew that action should be taken
against Kunzite, but he knew not of what sort, and knew that this was
also not the time to be concerned about vendetta. Regardless, anything
that he might come up with could not be carried out so close to the
day of the Peace Ball, the day of the raid.
By now Serenity had stopped crying, and she wiped her cheeks
self-consciously, not meeting his eyes. This was, in her eyes, an
unforgivable lapse. A few months ago Mea would have seen it as the
same, but today he just looked away, giving her some privacy. When he
believed that she was finished, he made his way to the door, pausing
as he reached her chair, halfway passing it.
"Let's get something in you, eh? It's nearly midday. We can
discuss further plans over some bread and stew."
Serenity got up gratefully, and was following Mea to the door
when he stopped, rummaging in his pockets, and then passed her a small
vial. "Two drops for a sound sleep, five to knock someone out for the
night, nine to assure that they never wake again."
Man, I thought I would never finish this chapter. You know what day it
is? June 19th! How bad is that? It took me five months and a day to
write this chapter. It's especially comical to me because in the
beginning of this chapter I dedicated it to my pregnant cousin
Daniella, and some two months ago she had her baby, a baby named
Micayla. I only saw a few pics, but she looks as typically weird as
most babies do. ;;
Anyway...so new of the past few months: Continued to get 4.0's on my
report cards (although I now sleep through class), got a boyfriend
that I love lots (our 3 month is coming up on June 27th), got a job
working at the library, met Baby Spice, and school's out. I'm still on
ASMR and LiveJournal, and my website address go there for my fics, quizzes, pics of me and my friends/family, and
my opinions on things. Also for a list of stupid things that I do
(Example: Ania: "What part of Mexico?" Me: "New Mexico!")
I don't know when the next one will be out, but hopefully soon,
because now it's summer and I have more time to write and read and be
myself.
Please feel free to email me at goodnightspoonhotmail.com or AIM me
at AJluvs2Bannoying. I love meeting new people, and feedback is a
girl's best friend. :p
Ciao!
AJ
By: AJ Martinez
Email: goodnightspoonhotmail.com
Rated: PG
Length: 8 pages
Started: 1/18/2004 12:51 PM
Finished: 6/19/2004 10:44 PM
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. Any characters that you do not
recognize, however, are most likely my creations and I would prefer
that you not use them without first contacting me and working out the
details.
I should be studying for exams, but all I can think about is finishing
this fie. This is disgusting. I started this fie in May of 2002, and I
had actually written 20 or so pages of it before, but it was a
terrible first draft, not at all like what it's like right now, and
when the computer crashed it was actually a blessing in disguise. I
spent 9 months or so writing down ideas, and then I started writing in
2002. I can't believe it's been so long. I never thought that it would
be like this.
Oh well, enough of my prattling. This chapter is dedicated to my
cousin Daniella, who is still pregnant. (Yay!) I went to her baby
shower yesterday and she was just glowing. And to my grandparents, and
to Father Dan, who had surgery on his arm last week. It's his birthday
today.
Serenity was on the fourth floor of the palace. Having just
returned from the cathedral, she was still wearing her charcoal cloak.
What are you dawdling for? the Crystal demanded. Get it
over with.
"As usual," Serenity said, "Your opinion is unsolicited and
unwanted."
The Crystal said nothing more, and Serenity felt rather bad
about the way that she had spoken to it. Then she remembered the day
of the raid, and the way that the Crystal had attempted to invade her
consciousness. She was no longer sorry.
Approaching the first door on her right, Serenity scanned it
for Leon's crest, which would identify the chambers as belonging to
the Captain of the Guard, but it was not there. She walked on, looking
left and right, until she came to the proper door. She ran her fingers
across the crest carved into it, and then, trembling with anxiety and
anticipation, Serenity stepped up to it and pressed her ear to the
door, although she knew that, even should someone be in the chambers,
the walls and doors were constructed thickly enough to ensure privacy
for their inhabitants.
Hand shaking, Serenity reached for the door latch. The closer
her hand got, the harder it was for it to move forward. It was like a
reverse-magnet, and the air wavered as if from heat.
This had happened before. It had happened at the raid. It was
because of the Crystal, she knew; when it had attacked her it did
something to her, left something in her.
Pushing forward, Serenity finally grasped the latch, and there
was a clicking as the tumblers fell into place. Opening the door just
enough for to squeeze herself through, Serenity entered the chambers.
Although spacious and well decorated, they looked small and
plain to Serenity's eyes, even having seen the rooms at the cathedral.
It had not dawned on her that those living in the palace would have
such sparse accommodations...she knew, of course, that her own chambers
being more impressive was to be expected, but still.
The walls were a pale blue, and the wooden floor was covered
with many rugs, all a mix-match of colors. Large pictures decorated
the wall, one of the ocean and another of Leon's father, who had also
been Captain of the Guard. Smaller pictures, individual portraits of
family and friends, and some that looked as though they had come from
local artists. The bed was large, although smaller than her own, and
had drapes that could be pulled around it in the winter months to seal
in the warmth.
Speaking of Seals, she thought, as she spied a Tracker lying
on his bedside table. It was about six inches, as all were, and
ornately carved and painted. Cylinder shaped and thin, it had a stalk
coming up from the top with a knob attached. On the knob was his crest,
and Serenity knew that the knob, when touched to the back of the neck
or wrists of a person (usually a slave), would take a blood and tissue
sample. It would then immediately provide information on the person.
This was all available because of the Seals, which were a sort
of brand that slavers embedded into the wrists and necks of their
slaves. Without one, a Tracker would tell only the approximate age,
weight, gender, and appearance of a person, as well as whether or not
they were a member of any royal or noble family. By taking and reading
their DNA, it built a data-base by which to tell who should or should
not be in the palace, who worked where, and who was related to whom.
With a Seal, however, the Tracker would also tell the owner of the
slave. All a slaver had to do, should one of his slaves run away, was
make a report on it, and, should the slave be caught and the Tracker
used on him or her, it would note also that the slave was a runaway,
and was to be arrested.
Serenity could not recall a time without Seals and Trackers.
She had grown up thinking that they were used only to track and
identify criminals, to keep the people and rulers of the Moon safe,
but several candid talks with Annie now had her believing otherwise.
Time is of the essence, the Crystal reminded her.
Not knowing where to start, Serenity scanned the room once
again. She saw nothing that would lead her to believe that it housed
the blueprints. Probably hidden, she thought.
Walking up to the bedside table, Serenity paused for only an
instant before opening the top drawer. Hmmmm. A brush, a book, a
stylus, and a few letters. Closing the drawer, Serenity opened the
bottom cabinet and regarded its contents.
After several minutes of poking around, Serenity had found
nothing. Nothing in the bedside table, nothing in the armoire, nothing
in the dressers or in the wardrobe or underneath his bed. And time was
flying.
Perhaps he has them secreted in one of the many letters in
his bedside table, the Crystal suggested.
Serenity doubted this. There had been many scrolls in the top
drawer, but they were too small to be blueprints. She had correctly
assumed them to be letters, but now discouragement and frustration
goaded her to have a second look. Crossing the room to the bedside
table, she selected one, then stopped. Hidden by the scroll now in her
hand was another scroll, one with Raphael's signet seal on it.
Serenity stared at it for several moments, her heart pounding
in her chest. Something told her that this was a turning point in her
life, that she was fine as she was, should leave the letter unopened,
keep her mind on the task at hand. But Serenity was holding the scroll
before she realized it, and running her fingers over the wax seal. It
had already been opened, and this made it easier for her to simply
unroll it and read.
Raphael's bold, crisp writing stared back at her, slightly
sloppy from the brandy that he had had in him, although Serenity did
not know this. It was a short letter, saying only that Leon should
post more guards around the arena on the last day of the festival, the
day of the raid.
This meant something to her, Serenity knew, but she couldn't
put a name to it. It explained how the guards had come upon them so
quickly, been so efficient. So it was on Raphael's order. But what was
this to her? As Crown-Prince, it was his right. He might have simply
been concerned for his subjects, worried that things might have gotten
out of hand on that night.
But why station them around the arena? Serenity wondered.
It was closed that day; why not send them where the people would be?
Maybe, the Crystal said, He knew.
"Knew?" Serenity asked, not fully comprehending. Then it hit
her, and her head began to spin. Knew? How could he? Has he been
following me? Have I been too obvious? "Oh nooooo..." she moaned,
falling onto Leon's bed. "What shall I do?"
Find the blueprints.
"What?" Serenity sat up. "Why? What point is there now, now
that he knows?"
You don't know that. He didn't implicate you in any way.
"His honor wouldn't allow him," Serenity quickly said.
Oh? the Crystal gave back. If that is so, then wouldn't his
honor have forced him to turn you in, once the raid went as planned
and on that night you were nowhere to be found? it paused, letting
the words sink in. Whatever he knows, he shan't tell; that much is
clear. He may not even know of your involvement.
Serenity held her breath. This seemed too much to hope for.
She was quiet for several minutes, thoughts buzzing through her head.
Finally she said, "Now to find those blueprints."
Behind the portrait. The one of the older man.
Serenity froze. "You knew?"
The Crystal said nothing.
"Answer me," Serenity demanded. "Answer me!"
When the Crystal remained mute, Serenity stalked over to the
portrait, needing to know. Pushing it away from the wall, she saw that
the blueprints were tacked to the back of it. Not being tall enough to
reach the uppermost tacks, Serenity touched her hand to them, hoping
for that power to come back, hoping to harness it. When nothing
happened, she frowned. This did not make sense. The Crystal was with
her, and it had worked on the night of the raid, when she had left the
Crystal in her chambers.
"Work," Serenity whispered. "Please work."
Still nothing happened, and Serenity became frustrated. She
could feel the power, swimming lazily through her blood stream, the
part of itself that the Crystal had left in her. She tried to focus on
it, bring it to the surface. The air began to waver.
"Work," Serenity whispered again. "Work!"
Suddenly the magnetism was there again, and then gone. The
blueprints remained in place a moment, then one corner fell. Soon they
were lying on the ground, and Serenity grabbed them quickly, rolled
them up, and made haste to the door. She was halfway to her chambers
when it occurred to her to wonder why, if the Crystal had known all
along where the blueprints were, it had been so adamant that she go
through the bedside table and read the letters.
Annie was worried. Partially for her own welfare, because the
princess should have begun her fitting over twenty minutes ago, but
was nowhere to be found, and partially for Serenity, because
everything was happening so fast. Also, Annie had found the willchide.
She had been with the royal family for many years. Her mother
had worked in the palace, and her grandmother before her, and as far
back in her line as she could recall. They had all tended to various
jobs, from cooking and cleaning to training the animals and looking
after the nobles. Annie's role, however, was especially plum, seeing
as she had been with the princess for so long; indeed, since Serenity
was a little girl. There hadn't been talk of any sort between them
until these last few months, and this was one of the things that
bothered Annie. How could a person change so much in such a short
time? She supposed that it might have something to do with Serenity's
naivete, and that, had the princess known the plight of slaves, she
would have done something years ago. Maybe she was just young and
looking for a cause.
A Cause.
This was another thing that had been weighing on her mind.
Although not a member, Annie knew well of the Cause, and of its lofty
leader. She had heard him described many ways; men spoke of him as
brilliant, generous, kind, haunted, and somewhat hard; a man who could
draw you in with his words alone. They spoke little of his handicap.
But it was the women's talk that worried her now.
Most of the women who had met the Lordship were cowed by him,
or sought to catch him for their own. They described him as
frightening and intense, coiled almost, like he would snap at any
moment. And sexual. That had been mentioned more than once. He had an
animalistic quality to him, and it translated to a sort of raw
sexuality that drew in some women like moths to a flame, while it
repulsed others.
Annie feared that Serenity was a member of the former.
For months now she had returned home from these visits with
flushed cheeks and hopped onto her bed, holding her kittens to her
breast and sort of looking off, her expression almost blank, but
colored with what Annie could only describe as serenity.
At this moment the door flew open, and Serenity skittered
inside, clutching something to herself underneath her charcoal robe.
"Annie!" Serenity cried, breathless. Talking a breath, she locked the
door and beamed at her servant. "I've got them."
"Them, princess?"
Serenity began making her way over to the bed, unclasping her
robe as she did so, letting it fall to the floor. "The blueprints."
Annie said nothing. She did not want to discourage her
princess from sharing things with her, but neither did she want to
encourage her to place herself in danger's path.
Still breathing heavily, Serenity rolled the blueprints up
and, groping underneath her bed for a moment, produced an empty, bone-
colored cylindrical tube. Shoving the blueprints inside, she sat back
on her legs, her chest rising and falling noticeably.
Remembering her duty, Annie jumped up. "You have a fitting,
princess, and you're already late."
Serenity looked up. "A fitting?"
"For the Peace ball."
"Ah." Serenity paused, pondering, as though she might refuse
to go, and then got up from the bed, kicking the blueprints underneath
it. She walked with Annie out of her chambers and down corridors, and
neither spoke. When they reached the seamstress' quarters, Annie
stepped in front of Serenity and got the door for her. With
resignation, Serenity walked into the chambers.
The seamstress' ward was large, and the ceiling was high.
There were several light fixtures, candles, and shades over lamps to
change the light's color; the seamstress kept them so that she could
observe how the light would flatter her creations at different
occasions (or otherwise). The whole room was white; not white marble
or alabaster, but plain white...it seemed to lack texture of any sort,
and there were no rugs. Mirrors lined every wall, and one hung from
the ceiling on a chain (also painted white) that could be lowered or
raised as the seamstress saw fit. White drapes hung, closing off one
section from another. This was the fitting section; once, Serenity had
been into the other sections, and the sudden color and variety had
hurt her eyes. Furs and chains and jewelry and fabrics had lined every
wall, and, in a smaller, more secluded area, sketches had littered a
table. Serenity had wished to stay there forever, and lose herself in
the billowing oceans of materials until they began to rub off on her
and make her warm and lively like them.
But that had been years ago. She had been nine, and her
governess had come sweeping in then and hurried her off to her Latin
lessons.
It was at that moment that a servant girl spotted her, and
within seconds Serenity was surrounded. Regardless that they had
measured her a thousand times over, the seamstress' helpers still
fluttered about Serenity, clucking to themselves and asking her to
please raise her arms higher, turn to the side, and stand perfectly
still. And Serenity did. She turned herself over to their ministrations
entirely, her breathing getting slower as her eyes almost closed.
Already the day had been trying for her, and at this point
nothing appealed to her more than the prospect of a hot soak in the
tub and the silken comfort of her bed sheets.
It wasn't until three days later that Serenity was able to
escape the confines of the palace, sneak through the city, and bring
the dungeon blueprints to Mea. Although he had not been expecting her
arrival, Mea set aside his strategies when she came into the room and
gave her his full attention, marred only by the thick locks of hair
that fell into his face, nearly covering his eyes.
Serenity was wearing her usual charcoal cloak, and he was
wearing his usual homespun, but he could see that she was tired. These
last few days had been trying ones for her, as lunar royalty continued
to pour in. Gossip and spies alike had confirmed that the first of the
interplanetary royalty was arriving tonight from Pluto, bringing with
them not only king, queen and servants, but a child as well. He
frowned slightly; Serenity should not be here, he knew. She was needed
at the palace, needed badly, but at the same time his heart was warmed
by the thought that the Cause was important enough to her that she
would shirk duties that she had been born to perform.
Not wishing to dwell on these thoughts, Mea sat back in his
chair and fluttered a hand at her to indicate that she should sit.
Once she had, he said, "I expect you have news."
"Yes, Mea, I do," Serenity replied habitually. From her cloak
she pulled the blueprints, placing them on the table between them,
closer to herself than Mea. She waited for him to reach for them.
Not in a pleasant mood, are we? Mea thought dryly, but didn't say
anything, instead reaching for the blueprints. He pulled then from
their binding and unrolled them, splaying them across the table.
Serenity watched as Mea studied the blueprints. She was exhausted.
Every morning she awoke and went to fittings, and then spent the rest
of the day assisting her royal mother in choosing dishes, decorations,
and entertainment for the ball. This was not the sort of thing that
she was used to, as such matters were usually handled by servants and
ministers, but this ball was far too important to trust into the hands
of someone hired. She remembered that morning, sitting with her
mother in the queen's gardens. They were working on the seating
arrangements.
"The Lady Tranquility has come," the queen said, "and is
already settled in guest chambers. I believe that she should be at the
same table as the duke and duchess of Zephyr." The queen paused for a
moment, glaring down at the list that she was making. "Oh, but that
will never do," she continued, "for look, there is still one spot on
that table that has yet to be filled."
"Haven't we any parties of one then, Mother?" Serenity asked.
The queen thought for a moment, then her eyes lit. "I had
nearly forgotten about Prince Kunzite!" she cried, writing his name
in. "Oh dear, Serenity, how long has it been since we last saw him?"
Not as long as you would imagine, Serenity thought gravely,
her cheeks burning as she remembered the raid, and the scene afterward
at the cathedral, where Mea had accused Beryl of working against him
and the Cause. It made sense to believe that Kunzite had been in on
the sabotage with her. Serenity was not looking forward to seeing him
again, but she had not time to ponder this, because her mother was
speaking again.
"This planning isn't as bad as you might think, Serenity," the
queen said, smoothing her dress. "I know that it is not something that
you are used to, or shall ever become used to, and that is because you
are the Crown-Princess of the High Kingdom of the Moon. I was not,
however, and whenever my parents--" the queen looked Serenity in the
eyes now, "your grandparents--held a ball, my mother and I planned
everything. We were assisted by servants and the like, of course, but
it was still something that we women did together. It was some of the
best times of my life." Her voice had grown soft as she finished, and
then she had smiled quickly and asked Serenity what she thought about
the decorations.
The sound of Mea clearing his throat brought the princess back
from her reverie, and she looked at him slowly, reluctantly. She had
spent more time with her mother in these past days than ever before,
and sometimes she found herself liking the woman, and it was an odd
feeling. She had always loved her mother, had never disliked her, but
now she felt as though she were getting to know her and was beginning
to feel a kinship with the queen.
"These aren't a copy, are they?" Mea asked.
Serenity frowned. "No," she answered. "They are not."
Mea nodded absentmindedly, then rolled them up. "That will
have to be remedied, princess. There is no telling when the captain
may feel the need to go over these, and should he discover them
missing, there'll be the devil to pay."
"So you want me to make copies and then return that one?"
Serenity asked, already feeling a weight settle on her. She didn't
have time to do this, and she knew it. Not without forsaking much-
needed sleep.
Mea nodded curtly. "Yes, please."
Serenity sighed. "I'm sorry. I cannot."
Mea blinked, but said nothing.
Serenity continued on, feeling ridiculously guilty for not
being able to do this. "I'm tired, Mea. Exhausted. Every waking moment
that I have is filled with something, and when I am not planning this
ball I am being briefed on it or on the other planets, or lunching
with some noble," as she went on, Serenity began to feel agitated at
feeling as though she needed to explain her reasoning to this
peasant. "In fact, I can't take another moment of it. I don't want
to hear the words 'Peace ball' breathed again for as long as I live.
I'm tired. Tired! Tired, tired, tired..." she laid her head down on
the table, arms folded underneath it to cushion her face. "I'm tired,"
she sniffed, the back of her throat beginning to ache as she forced
back tears. Hearing her voice break brought them on, hot and moist,
and she sniffed again, wetly.
Mea still sat on the other end of the table, but just barely.
He had never felt this way before, almost protective. At least, never
about another human being, a female. A princess. As he listened to her
hiccup and sniffle he wanted nothing more than to...to what? He had no
idea. He wanted to comfort her, maybe. But he only knew one way to
comfort, and he didn't think that she would be open to it.
"And Kunzite will be there."
Mea was out of his chair. "What?" he cried.
"I know, I know," Serenity raised tear-stained cheeks to look
him in the eyes. "I found out just this morning."
Mea remained on his feet. Thoughts went through his head, but
he knew that there was nothing that could be done about this
particular raider. He had not found out the man's true identity until
after the raid, when some intensive poking and spying had brought out
the truth, and he had been furious for several days that not only had
he been so completely taken, his trust in Beryl blinding him, but that
Serenity had recognized her fellow royalty and said nothing. He had
entertained thoughts of confronting her about it, but had not gone
through with them, knowing that no good could come of it.
He felt the same way now. He knew that action should be taken
against Kunzite, but he knew not of what sort, and knew that this was
also not the time to be concerned about vendetta. Regardless, anything
that he might come up with could not be carried out so close to the
day of the Peace Ball, the day of the raid.
By now Serenity had stopped crying, and she wiped her cheeks
self-consciously, not meeting his eyes. This was, in her eyes, an
unforgivable lapse. A few months ago Mea would have seen it as the
same, but today he just looked away, giving her some privacy. When he
believed that she was finished, he made his way to the door, pausing
as he reached her chair, halfway passing it.
"Let's get something in you, eh? It's nearly midday. We can
discuss further plans over some bread and stew."
Serenity got up gratefully, and was following Mea to the door
when he stopped, rummaging in his pockets, and then passed her a small
vial. "Two drops for a sound sleep, five to knock someone out for the
night, nine to assure that they never wake again."
Man, I thought I would never finish this chapter. You know what day it
is? June 19th! How bad is that? It took me five months and a day to
write this chapter. It's especially comical to me because in the
beginning of this chapter I dedicated it to my pregnant cousin
Daniella, and some two months ago she had her baby, a baby named
Micayla. I only saw a few pics, but she looks as typically weird as
most babies do. ;;
Anyway...so new of the past few months: Continued to get 4.0's on my
report cards (although I now sleep through class), got a boyfriend
that I love lots (our 3 month is coming up on June 27th), got a job
working at the library, met Baby Spice, and school's out. I'm still on
ASMR and LiveJournal, and my website address go there for my fics, quizzes, pics of me and my friends/family, and
my opinions on things. Also for a list of stupid things that I do
(Example: Ania: "What part of Mexico?" Me: "New Mexico!")
I don't know when the next one will be out, but hopefully soon,
because now it's summer and I have more time to write and read and be
myself.
Please feel free to email me at goodnightspoonhotmail.com or AIM me
at AJluvs2Bannoying. I love meeting new people, and feedback is a
girl's best friend. :p
Ciao!
AJ