The regal queen turned her silvery eyes to stare out of the window of the surrey, envying the lush green land. It was so beautiful here in...what had her husband told her? Yes. Elysian.
Elysian. It sounded like something out of a pure dream.
She felt a hand rest on hers and turned to smile at her husband, Hyperion. They'd been invited to the beautiful land by Hyperion's colleague King Eros and his beautiful, benevolent, and purportedly magical wife, Queen Psyche.
However, like everyone else, they were taken on an ambiguous, cloaked surrey ride, the direction to Elysian's Golden Palace being very guarded.
"Look, Hyperion! It's simply beautiful."
King Hyperion turned his eyes to where his wife was pointing. "Yes, Golden Palace is quite beautiful, isn't?" He smiled. "It's enchanted. Most times, you can't see it – it's magically cloaked. Usually, King Eros entertains his guests in the embassy. But he said that we were special guests, and he wanted us to stay in his home."
Queen Serenity smiled. "How thoughtful of him."
The surrey bumped to a pleasant stop in front of the palace, and the footman helped the king and queen climb out. Queen Serenity stared once again at the magnificent palace. It really was superbly beautiful.
"My king, my queen," said a voice, and the two lowered their eyes to the doors.
There was no one there.
"Do not be frightened, your highnesses," said the guards at the door. "We are unseen guards. The king wishes us that way for surprise attackers. You may enter."
"Once inside, do not be afraid," said another guard's voice. "Some servants you may see, and some you may not. King Eros has decided to have friendly relations with you, and we are not required to be magically cloaked now."
Queen Serenity and King Hyperion exchanged a glance, and then stared back at the entrance to the palace. It was opening. The two of them walked into the circular great hall, looking around wonderingly.
The windows had stained glass patterns in them; the floor was encrusted with jewels. Everywhere, there were colors and lights and sparkles.
"Welcome to Golden Palace," they heard. This time it was a young voice, and they instinctively looked downwards. Walking towards them was a little boy with sunset eyes and cloud-colored hair, an impish smile lining his lips. "We've been waiting for you."
King Hyperion laughed, and Queen Serenity clapped her hands.
"Well delivered, Helios," said another voice, and the king and queen looked up to see another regal form approaching them. The tall man had jet-black hair streaked with silver and sparkling green eyes, tempered with a warm smile. He spread his arms. "I am King Eros. This is Helios, our young priest-in-training." He smiled warmly at the little boy, who cutely smiled back.
"And I am Queen Psyche," another voice said. Golden lights began dancing in the hall, and they slowly took the form of a shapely woman. They solidified into a regal female form, with long, wavy light blonde tresses and deep ocean blue eyes. "And this," she said, gesturing to her side, "is our son, Prince Endymion."
Queen Serenity looked down, and sure enough, there appeared a flurry of blue sparkles, and the little black-haired, blue-eyed boy was standing before her, smiling. He was very handsome, and it was apparent that he would be a even more handsome man when he grew older.
"Welcome to our home," Psyche said warmly.
Queen Serenity sighed pleasantly. The bedroom that she had been invited to stay in was bright and airy, and the bed was about as plushy and soft as a bed could be.
She almost wished she could stay there forever. Her home on the moon was beautiful, too, and quite comfortable, but this was a different kind of beauty. This was like heaven on Earth.
She giggled. Well, it certainly was a heaven on Earth.
She heard a swift clacking of heels behind her, and turned around. It wasn't Hyperion, she realized. The heels were skinny and light, more feminine.
Sure enough, Queen Psyche entered the room, her pale yellow hair swishing in after her.
"Queen Serenity," she said. Her voice was warm and friendly, but there was something else in it, too – a desperate air. Her eyes shifted around the room. "Is Hyperion here?"
"No," Serenity replied. "He's speaking with King Eros. I believe they've had drinks."
Psyche smiled quickly. "Good," she said. She stepped inside the room, closing the door behind her, and then turned to face Serenity, taking a deep breath.
"Serenity, I know we don't know each other very well, at all in fact, but I must ask you to do something for me," she said. "I asked Eros to invite you and your husband here. I need you to do something for me."
Serenity stared at the queen. "What is it?" she asked.
Queen Psyche sighed and looked down at her stomach. She placed a hand on it. "I'm pregnant," she said.
Serenity's eyes widened. "Really?" She smiled brightly. "Congratulations!" She had been trying to get pregnant for some time now, but for some reason, she wasn't able to. It was devastating, and she felt a pang of jealousy for Psyche.
"It's a wonderful thing," said Psyche wistfully. "I really wish...I could carry the babies."
Serenity cocked her head to the side. "Why can't you?"
"Because..." The queen looked away, biting her lip. "I'm going to die, Serenity."
Serenity's eyes widened. "What? But...you can't know that." She softened. "You look so healthy, Psyche."
"That's not it," Queen Psyche said. "I can't explain it, and even if I could, you wouldn't understand. I...I know things. It is a gift and a curse." She looked back down at her stomach. "I know I am going to die, but it is not my babies' destiny to die. They must live. There is a purpose for them." She looked up at Serenity. "And this is where my favor comes in."
Serenity listened.
"I...I want you to carry my babies for me. To have my babies for me."
Serenity's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "You want me to...what?"
"Carry my babies for me," she said. "The men must not know...you and I must be the only ones to know. I will give them to you, magically. You must lay with Hyperion tonight, and he will think they are his children. I have not told Eros that I am pregnant again, and he won't know."
"Psyche..."
"Please, Serenity," she said. "If you do this for me, I will give you something in return."
Serenity looked to the ceiling. She wondered what the Elysian queen could possibly give in return for such a favor.
"What would that be?"
Psyche took one of her hands from behind her back. Between her index finger and thumb was a small silver crystal. "It is not just a bauble," she said, noticing Serenity's skeptical look. "It is called the Mystical Silver Crystal. You may use it's great power in times of distress for your kingdom. And...after you have completed my favor..." She smiled. "It will also grant you one wish."
"One wish?" Serenity raised her eyebrows. "Any wish I want?"
"Anything."
Serenity thought, then cocked a head to the side. "I will do it," she said.
A smile sprung to Psyche's face. "Oh, thank you, Serenity," she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Serenity's neck. "Thank you so much. I will be forever indebted to you." She took a deep breath, and stepped back. "Are you ready?"
"You're going to do it now?"
"I must. After you leave Elysian, I won't get another chance. And I have already prepared myself...for the loss. I can't live with them another day, or I will kill myself with despair." She looked down at her flat stomach again with misty eyes. "Are you ready?"
Serenity nodded. "I'm ready," she said.
Psyche took a deep breath and held her hand to one side. A warm light overtook her, and a light wind seemed to rush around her, ruffling her hair and her gown.
When she opened her eyes, two orbs of light were swirling over her hand – one amber in color, the other aqua.
"These are my daughters," she said, smiling. "Twins."
"Twins," Serenity breathed.
The queen held her hand towards Queen Serenity, and the moon queen stared solemnly at the two glowing lights over the earth queen's hand. Queen Psyche seemed to be staring intently at them, too. Suddenly something in her prodded them forward, and they glided, awkwardly – like two baby birds learning to fly – across the room towards Serenity's body.
She felt them enter her as a warm feeling overtook her, and as suddenly as it began, it was over.
Queen Psyched looked down at her empty stomach, eyes misty. Then she looked back up at the moon queen.
"Thank you, Serenity," she whispered.
"Goodbye, King Eros, Queen Psyche," Queen Serenity said. "Thank you so much for allowing us to stay here. It was beautiful."
"I hope you both had a good time," Psyche replied pleasantly.
"Yes, we did," King Hyperion said, shooting a look at his wife. She blushed, and Eros and Psyche chuckled.
Psyche moved towards Serenity to hug her goodbye. As she pulled away from her, she paused just long enough to whisper in her ear. "Be careful what you wish for. It will undeniably come true."
Serenity nodded, fingering the small silver crystal that now hung around her neck.
Serenity looked happily at the twin cribs lying next to each other. Her beautiful twin daughters lay in them. Diana and Trivia she'd named them, after the two other goddesses of the triple moon aspect. Diana had wispy light blond hair that resembled her mother's, while Trivia had her mother's eyes, the deep blue of Earth's oceans.
Serenity bit her lip. Poor Queen Psyche. It was odd how she knew her fate even then, but it was quite true – a few months before Trivia and Diana had been born, she had been killed in a surprise attack on Elysian by an enemy kingdom that had been building hostilities with the kingdom all along. It was sad how she had died, but she had gone down fighting with all the magic in her. Her husband and young son were left to fend for themselves.
She didn't even get to meet her two beautiful daughters.
Now, Serenity had to care for them herself.
She looked down. The small silver crystal still lay against her chest, always inside her clothes. She didn't want to answer Hyperion's questions about where it came from. He was still none the wiser – he believed that Trivia and Diana were truly his daughters, from his seed.
There was the matter of the wish.
Serenity undid the clasp that kept the crystal around her neck and held it between her palms. It was so small, so innocuous-looking. How could this small silver crystal have universal power within it? The only indication that something was different about it was the warmth it emitted – a warmth not unlike body heat.
The girls were born. The crystal was accessible to her now. She could make her wish, as she pleased.
Queen Serenity smiled as she rolled the crystal between her hands, enjoying its heat. She closed her eyes and raised her chin towards the ceiling.
"I wish..."
She took a deep breath. This was truly a monumental moment. From the moment Psyche had placed the silver crystal in her grasp, she had known exactly what she would wish for.
"I wish that I could have the most beautiful baby girl in all the universe!"
"Queen Serenity!"
Serenity drew back when she heard the voice, her breath heavy.
She remembered that voice.
Into the parlor burst the haggard form of King Eros, surprising the young maids who had been prepared to enter the room. He staggered forward, heaving, and finally regained his breath and balance and stood to his full height, facing the queen.
"King Eros."
"Yes," he said. "I see you remember me." He stared silently at her.
"Is there something you wanted, Eros?" Queen Serenity asked, placing a hand on her chest, trying to stay her pounding heart.
"I need my daughters."
Queen Serenity's heart caught in her throat, and she swallowed. "I don't know what you mean."
"I believe you do." He tossed something towards the moon queen.
She bent down to pick it up. It was two things, actually – two rolled up pieces of paper. She picked them up and unrolled one.
" 'My dearest daughter Trivia' –"
She gasped as she read, then dropped the scroll, violently throwing the other to the floor.
"Two scrolls – addressed to my twin daughters," King Eros said. "I didn't believe it when I read it. But Psyche can foresee things, and when she...died as she wrote in the letter – she wrote those shortly before she went, you know. They're dated. Well, when I realized that she died exactly as she wrote in the letters, I realized this was for real. And I came to you."
"You can't," Serenity said, gasping for air. "You can't just take them from me! They think—" She lowered her voice, looking about her fretfully. "They think I'm their mother."
"I know," said Eros. "And I have Endymion, which is enough for a father to raise on his own. But I don't want to take them from you. And trust me, I won't tell them anything differently from what they already know." He breathed deeply. "I need them."
"Need them for what?"
"They're..." King Eros pointed to the scrolls at Serenity's feet. "They're warriors. When we open the scrolls, nothing is there. When they open them, however...their henshin wands will appear. They're magic-wielding warriors, Serenity...they can help their homeland!"
Serenity shook her head violently.
"What...are you okay, Serenity?"
"I'm fine!" she exclaimed. "You can't take Trivia and Diana! They're...they're only eleven! They can't wield magic properly. They can't."
"Please, Serenity!" Eros took another step towards Queen Serenity. "I've already approached your husband about sending Lunar fighting forces to help us. He said he would! They won't be fighting alone, and not much. I will make sure—"
"No!" Queen Serenity shook her head more, her silver ponytails flying about her head. "No. You can't make eleven-year-olds fight."
"I'm their father!"
"Would you have them die as your wife did?!"
She didn't mean to say it, and the moment it was out of her mouth, she regretted it, clapping her hands over her mouth. But it was too late; it was said, and Eros's face was already crumbling.
Then he shook his head, and his face set. His eyes were stony when he regarded Queen Serenity again.
"You scorn the prophecy. You will regret this!"