8 - On That Tragic Evening…
"Good morning miss, may I take your order?" the young woman smiled as she opened her notepad.
"I'll have a fruit juice and a Caesar salad, easy on the dressing." Merula snapped her menu shut and handed it to the girl. The waitress noted the order, and then looked at her purple-haired customer again; this time more curiously.
"You have a really unusual accent, do you mind me asking where you're from?" Merula's dark eyes shone brilliantly as she responded:
"Sure, I'm from Japan." She flashed a toothy smile at the waitress. "Do you mind me saying that I think your accent is really cute?" the waitress looked down at her notepad again as she blushed.
"Thank you." She replied. "So, do you live around here? Your English is really good."
"Oh no, I live in Japan," Merula shook her head quickly. "It's my first time in England actually. I learnt English at school."
"Wow…you must've had great teachers! I did French at school and I think the only phrase I can say is 'je m'appelle Alice'!" the girl laughed.
"Bonjour, Alice. Je m'appelle Merula." The purple-haired girl stuck out her hand and Alice took it.
"Wow, you speak French too!" the waitress remarked, clearly impressed. The truth was she'd always had a knack for learning languages; her past journeys through the universe back in her huntress days had helped with that.
"Alice! Table six has been waiting for over five minutes now!" a voice called over.
"Oops, sorry!" Alice blushed. "Your order will be ready soon, it was nice to meet you, Merula, and I hope you have a wonderful time here in England!" She rushed off and Merula smiled.
"I'm sure I will." She murmured, and then gave a melancholy sigh as she looked out of the window. This long vacation she'd been taking had been getting more and more difficult to enjoy since the alien feelings she'd been getting had started. She looked down at her watch – it would be about 1am in Tokyo. She suddenly closed her eyes and shuddered as she heard the sound of a girl sobbing in her mind. The memory was coming back again…
x x x x x
…"It's my birthday, it's my birthday!" Princess Venus exclaimed delightedly as she spun around on her foot in the middle of the ballroom, her skirt and long, blonde hair fluttering around her as she went. "And everyone is here, Universe!" Princess Universe couldn't help but grin as the energetic birthday girl grabbed her by the shoulders and started pointing people out. "Look! There's Queen Serenity, Luna and Artemis with my mother – isn't she lovely? And there's Mars and Jupiter talking to the Reimo Guardian, and Mercury is with Lord Florizel!" her blue eyes flicked quickly around the room, hunting down more familiar faces. "Oh there's Estrella dancing with Serena and there's…oh." The princess's face fell suddenly. "There's Charon, all alone."
The Outer Moon Princess was sat in a shadowy corner with only her thoughts for company. She was biting her lower lip as if she were trying to stop herself from crying and her pale eyes shone with the misery that had been so familiar recently. Venus and Universe sighed in perfect unison as they regarded her with sombre expressions. "She cannot be sad, not on my birthday!" the blonde exclaimed. "Come, let's cheer her up."
"I doubt that we'll be able to do that, but I guess there's no harm in trying." Universe remarked, and with that the pair marched over to the depressed princess.
Universe knew that Charon didn't want to be at this party, she wanted to be in her room crying. However she didn't want to disappoint her friend on her special day and so had (somewhat reluctantly) agreed to attend.
"Hello Charon," Venus said gently as she sat next to Charon. "Why don't you come and dance?" Charon merely sighed and looked away.
"I know you are trying to cheer me up Venus, and I do appreciate your efforts, really, but I would prefer to be left alone." The green-haired princess told her, unable to look at her.
"Oh but Charon, it's my birthday!" the blonde exclaimed, disappointed at her friend's lack of enthusiasm. "You have plenty of time to be sad after tonight!" Universe cringed at Venus's tactlessness.
"Now Venus you're being selfish," She scolded the clearly over-excited princess. "But she's right Charon – not about her last comment, that was obviously Venus speaking before she thought about what she was saying – but you shouldn't be so sad. Come and have some fun with your friends!" she grabbed Charon's hands and tried to make her stand up, however the princess resisted strongly. Finally Charon did stand up, by herself, and pulled her hands away.
"I am sorry," She murmured, her pale eyes apologetic. "I just cannot face all of these people – I cannot pretend to be happy when…" she took a shaky breath and Universe noticed how the girl's bottom lip trembled. "…When I am so miserable!" a tear escaped from her right eye and slipped down her cheek. "I cannot stay here a moment longer. If anyone wishes to know where I am I will be in my garden and wish not to be disturbed by anyone." She turned away from her two friends and sighed. "I am sorry Venus, I have spoilt your special evening." With that she walked towards the large glass doors, which led to the palace grounds.
"Oh, Charon." Venus sighed. Universe put an arm around her shoulders.
"She just needs time." She advised, and the blonde princess nodded.
"I know, but it's been a month since Caliban disappeared…" Universe led her back to the edge of the dance floor.
"Do you really think that that's enough time for her to get over her fiancé?" she inquired.
"I guess not." Venus sighed again as Universe looked around the large room for something to take Venus's mind off what had just happened.
"Hey look, your mother's waving at us. Why don't you introduce me to her?" Venus's downcast blue eyes lit up again.
"Of course! I just know you are going to get along!" the birthday-girl grabbed her companion's hands and walked across the dance floor. "Mother!" she called out, and Universe couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's renewed eagerness. She knew that inside the blonde was still hurting over Charon's coldness but she was determined not to let it affect her birthday. "Mother dear! Oh, excuse me, Queen Serenity," the blonde curtsied quickly as she realised she'd interrupted what Serenity had been saying to the Queen of Venus. "I did not mean to be rude, but I would like to introduce Universe to my mother!" Serenity smiled and put her hands on Venus's shoulders.
"Well, it is your birthday, my dear. I expect you are very excited and so I forgive your interruption."
"My dear daughter is always excited." The Queen of Venus smiled, looking fondly at her daughter. "And always interrupts things, although never rudely. Why, even on the day she was born, she decided it would be best to enter the world in the middle of an important meeting." The two queens laughed gaily, and as they did neither they nor anyone else in the room noticed someone open the ballroom doors; someone who would, without a doubt, be a bigger interruption than Princess Venus could ever be in her life.
It was Princess Universe who first sensed the cold tension, which suddenly seemed to fill the room as the queens started to exchange tales of the births of their children. The purple-haired girl looked around the room when suddenly her eyes fell on the open entrance to the ballroom.
"What is wrong, Universe?" Venus exclaimed, noticing how she was staring behind her. Universe found that her throat was suddenly so dry that she couldn't speak, and so she pointed to indicate what she was looking at. Confused, the blonde princess turned her head, then gasped.
"Caliban!" she screamed joyfully, clapping her hands together.
Smash…Venus's exclamation caused Florizel, who was stood nearby with Princess Mercury, to drop his glass. He turned to stare at the blonde, just as everyone else (excluding Universe) had at her cry.
"Whatever do you mean, your Highness?" the chief adviser of Emperor Caius of Reimo demanded.
"I mean Caliban is here! Look, there!" she pointed to where the blonde prince was stood, his arms crossed over his chest and a rather stern look on his face.
"By the Stars of the Galaxy, it is him!" Xizor exclaimed.
"Prince Caliban, you have returned!" Serenity said joyfully.
"Charon, someone needs to inform her! Wherever is she?" Luna exclaimed.
"I know! Oh, this is the best birthday ever!" Venus dashed off through the same doors Charon had used just a few minutes before.
"Wait for me! Oh I just cannot wait to see her face!" Estrella exclaimed, following the princess quickly. The general reaction in the ballroom was a mixture of joy and disbelief, however Universe was feeling suspicious – there was something definitely amiss here…Caliban's serious face suddenly broke into a smile as he held out his arms and walked further into the room.
"Yes, it is true – I have returned." He announced. "I am sorry if I have caused you any worry…"
"Worry?! Of course we worried!" Florizel said severely. "Your mother has made herself sick with anxiety for your welfare! Explain yourself at once!" The man folded his arms across his chest, as Caliban looked to the floor in what the majority of the assembled group thought was shame.
"So, uncle was right…you are here." He murmured, and then snapped his head back up to point his finger directly at his father's advisor. "And why should I explain myself to a traitor like you?"
Everyone in the room gasped in horror. Universe, who had just been wondering who Caliban's 'uncle' was, fixed her dark eyes on his and as she did she shuddered. His grey eyes were ablaze with hatred and anger as he glared at Florizel.
"What reason do you have to call me that?" Florizel questioned, and the youth simply laughed scornfully.
"What reason you ask? What reason?" he sneered. "I have every reason!"
"I think you should elaborate on your accusation, Caliban." Queen Serenity remarked, her voice steady. By now most of the crowd had noticed the strange glint in Caliban's eyes and were edging nervously to the edges of the room. The princesses, however, stood close to Queen Serenity, as did Captain Blackabar and the Royal Guards who were in attendance.
"This is not an accusation." The prince hissed, locking her eyes on the queen, which caused her daughter to move closer in a protective manner. "This is the cold, hard truth!" He switched his gaze back to Florizel, his grey eyes shining almost wildly. The advisor's companion for the evening, Adia, known to most as the current Reimo Guardian, stood slightly forward of her commander, her silver staff poised in case the clearly disturbed prince should attack. "This man here – if you can call him that-" Caliban continued, his hand indicated the accused man. "Is planning to overthrow the very man who trusts him so much that he would freely divulge all the State secrets of Reimo to him. That man is, of course, my beloved father, Emperor Caius." The crowd gasped in horror at the prince's revelation.
"That is preposterous!" Florizel yelled over the loud uttering of the crowd. "Who has filled your head with such nonsense?!"
"Caliban, I fear you are mistaken." Serenity said in a calm, dulcet tone. "Florizel would never do such a thing."
"What do you know?" Caliban spat as he drew his sword, and Universe narrowed her eyes at his insulting tone.
Suddenly a new voice called a halt to proceedings.
"Can this really be?" the soft voice exclaimed from behind the crowd. Universe felt like a rock had dropped into her stomach as she recognised it to be Charon's. They all turned to face the Outer Moon Princess, whose blue eyes were wide as she held onto Venus as if she were going to faint at any moment. "Is this a dream? Oh Venus, please tell me it isn't!" she stared at her friend hopefully, and the blonde beamed.
"No, it is no dream, Charon – he's really there!" Charon let out a gasp of joy and turned her head in order to gaze at her treasured fiancé, who was looking thoroughly annoyed at the interruption. However such was Charon's happiness that she was almost blind to reality. Universe didn't know how to react – she secretly hoped that the green-haired princess would be able to calm Caliban down, but a larger part of her had an awful feeling that many tears, and perhaps some blood (although she definitely didn't want this to be) would be shed before the end of the evening.
"Caliban? My love?" Charon continued, her hands now clasped together under her chin. "Oh, you will never be able to comprehend just how frightened I have been! However it all seems so distant now that I see you before me! Oh how I have hoped and prayed to the great spirits, which reside in the stars of Charon – I prayed they would find you and bring you back to me – and they have not failed me! We are together again at last." Tears glistened on her cheeks as she ran to him, her arms stretched out in preparation to embrace him…
And that was the moment Universe realised her worst thought was about to become reality.
Blood would be shed that night.
"Charon – NO!" she yelled, trying to stop her in time; but it was no use. The princess of the Outer Moon's eyes widened in horror as she saw the smile on Caliban's face – a smile that could only be described as purely evil. Swiftly he moved his sword and before Charon could stop herself her lower torso connected with the sharp, silver blade.
Several of the women in the room screamed and collapsed at the sight of the horrific scene. The men could hardly watch, as the blade seemed to sink into Charon's stomach, spilling her blood instantly, in slow motion. The princesses stood around Serenity, with the exception of Universe, stared speechlessly for a second before Mercury threw herself into Universe's arms and Jupiter and Mars held onto one another. Queen Serenity had to place one hand on Blackabar's shoulder for support whilst wrapping the other arm around her daughter, who had buried her head in her mother's chest. Venus's mother managed shakily to run over to embrace her own daughter, who was still stood at the glass doors, trembling with a face as white as driven snow. Estrella, who was still stood next to Venus, let out a loud sob then turned and ran back out into the palace grounds. Princess Universe, who had her arms around the sobbing Mercury, just stood staring as Caliban and Charon seemed to be frozen in time. Blood slowly trickled down the front of Charon's lilac dress, forming a pool around their feet. As the prince withdrew his sword the wounded girl closed her eyes as the blood started to flow at a quicker rate.
"Why?" she managed to whisper, before finally collapsing.
"Now, where were we?" Caliban said coolly, and Universe snapped back to reality in a flash. She clenched her fists as Mercury continued to sob bitterly into her front and felt a wave of anger wash over her. How could he act as if nothing had happened?! Mars was now on the floor, cradling Charon's limp body in her arms, not caring about the blood. She wasn't crying, in fact she looked perfectly calm as she brushed some loose strands of hair out of her injured friend's face. "Ah yes, sentencing. Now as you are aware Florizel the punishment for treason on Reimo is death…"
"There shall be no more bloodshed here!" Serenity suddenly announced furiously, handing her daughter over to Blackabar as she pushed forward. "If you wish to continue with this madness then do it on your own planet!" Caliban pointed his sword at her, the blade still red with Princess Charon's blood.
"If you were wise, my Queen, you would keep that mouth of yours firmly shut." He sneered, and that brought Universe right to the edge of her temper. Gently she pulled away from Mercury and went to stand at the very tip of the prince's sword.
"That's the second time you've been rude to Queen Serenity – I won't stand for it anymore." She announced, her dark eyes flashing, and Caliban spoke disdainfully:
"Oh look uncle, it's the Warrior-Princess!" There it was again – the word 'uncle'. Universe noticed the concerned look on Florizel's face.
"Ahhh, so it is." A childish voice chuckled from the entrance. The princesses and Queen Serenity all looked at one another as they recognised the voice. They turned almost simultaneously to face the figure of…
"Lucilius!" a woman near the door exclaimed almost hysterically.
"Lucilius!" Universe bellowed angrily.
"We should have known…" Queen Serenity murmured sadly.
"You sick bastard! Look at what you've done!" Jupiter managed to snap, albeit rather shakily. Lucilius merely laughed at them.
"Poor little Charon," he sighed mockingly, looking to where Mars was still holding Charon on her lap. "Someone once told me that falling in love is one of the deadliest things in the universe – I guess they were correct." Caliban sniggered at this comment, and that was enough for the princesses.
"How dare you set foot in my mother's Kingdom!" Princess Serena called out, her eyes burning with fury.
"You've brainwashed Caliban and turned him against us!" Mercury exclaimed through her tears. Suddenly Venus rushed forward, pushing her way past Blackabar to stand between Jupiter and Mercury.
"I HATE YOU!" she screamed, voicing the thought of the others. "You have forced Caliban to…" she couldn't bring herself to say the word 'kill' or 'murder'. "…Harm his true love and our friend!" She closed her eyes for a moment to take a deep breath, and then glared viciously at Lucilius. "You are the lowest scum of the universe. I know of evil warlords with more scruples than you'll ever have!" Despite the girls' impassioned outbursts Lucilius simply continued to laugh.
"I shall take that as a compliment, Venus…" he paused, then smiled hideously. "Oh, by the way, a happy birthday to you, Princess."
That pushed the blonde girl over the edge.
"Venus Crescent Beam!" she yelled, pointing her hands not at Lucilius but at Caliban's sword, sending it crashing to the floor.
"That's my girl." Universe heard Venus's mother remark proudly.
"I think it is time we punished these low-lives, mother." Princess Serena said wisely as she took her mother's hand.
"Never a truer word said." Serenity smiled at her daughter. "What do you think, girls?" the princesses all nodded and took each others' hands and Mars left Charon's side to join the circle. There was fear in Lucilius's eyes as an aura of light started to surround the circle.
"Caliban, it is time we left the party." He announced shakily.
"But uncle!" the prince started to protest.
"Do not question me!" Lucilius snapped as he ran like a coward.
"We shall conclude this later." Caliban sneered at Florizel as he picked up his sword and hurriedly followed Lucilius. The Royal Guards, led by Blackabar, took chase whilst the princesses and Serenity stopped concentrating and immediately went to the seemingly lifeless body of Charon.
Carefully Universe placed her head to Charon's chest and listened. Her eyes widened in amazement as she heard it – the faint beating of Charon's heart.
"She's still alive!" she exclaimed loudly, and everyone gasped. "Barely though, we need to get her to a doctor."
"Mercury, please fetch the Royal Physician quickly." Serenity ordered the girl, who nodded and ran off quickly. The queen of the Moon then turned to Xizor, Luna and Artemis. "Will you please lead the guests into another room, please? I think they have had enough excitement for one evening."
"Certainly, Your Majesty." Xizor bowed and the cats nodded gravely before going to attend to their task. Soon the room was much emptier.
"I think I'm going to be sick…" Jupiter suddenly announced, and Universe noticed how drained her face was. Suddenly she dashed out of the room and out into the gardens, followed by a concerned Princess Serena. Mars watched in silence as Universe managed to tear a large piece of her skirt to use to hold over the wound to try and stem the bleeding.
"It's a miracle…she should be dead by now." The purple-haired girl murmured, then looked up at Mars curiously. "Do you by any chance have anything to do with this?" Mars's eyes were calm as she managed to speak up for the first time since the incident:
"Before she collapsed she communicated to me – she asked me to help her, and so since then all I've been able to do is tell her to concentrate on nothing but living." She took a shaky breath and Universe noticed for the first time that there were tears in her black eyes. "But now she's getting weaker by the second; I don't think she will be able to hold on for much longer!" she finally broke down, and Queen Serenity wrapped her arms around her.
"I must go and inform Emperor Caius…" Florizel spoke up, looking as if he'd just woken up from a terrible nightmare. Queen Serenity nodded in agreement.
"Yes, you must. Afterwards would you and Adia please join me in my private chamber? We should talk about this." She added gravely.
"Of course, your Highness." Florizel bowed deeply, then looked at Charon's limp body. "I am truly sorry for what has happened."
"It is not your fault, Florizel." Serenity murmured. "Now please, go." With that command the adviser and Adia left the ballroom, passing Princess Mercury as she rushed in with the Royal Physician.
"My goodness, it is more horrific than you described." He muttered, his face pale. Princess Universe got up and let the doctor do his job. She placed an arm around Mercury and looked at her with concern written all over her face.
"Are you alright?" she inquired, and Mercury waved her hand dismissively.
"I am fine – it is Charon you should be concerned about, not me." She remarked rather sharply, and then sighed. "Look at Venus." She whispered, and Universe realised she'd not thought of how the blonde princess must be coping. She walked over to where Venus was stood, staring at the huge tables that were covered in her birthday presents. Her mother was stood a little distance behind her, just letting her be.
"Venus?" Universe spoke up, cautiously placing a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"None of these presents mean anything to me." The blonde responded, her voice emotionless. "Even the beautiful blue parrot you gave me seems grey to my eyes." She turned to look at Universe, tears rolling down her cheeks freely. "She must live! I refuse to let her go!" She threw herself into the taller girl's arms. "I always said that if anything should happen to any of you…I should surely die as well." She managed to whisper, before closing her eyes, allowing her sobs to echo around the room…
x x x x x
…It was these sobs, the sobs of the broken Princess Venus, that haunted Merula's memories of that night most of all. Thankfully for them all Charon survived against all odds, but she was never the same afterwards. She shuddered and recalled the terrible months that had followed…she saw the smoking ashes of the destroyed Charonian Ice Blossoms; Charon's blank eyes; the bottle of poison that she held, poised at her lips…if they had arrived a moment later, she would have been dead. Merula tried to shake the thought of what life might have been like if that had happened and poked at her salad, which had arrived halfway through her reverie. She found herself wondering what Charon would be like now, if she had not died on that tragic final night of the Moon Kingdom. Would she have been a goody-two-shoes Scout, helping the Inner Scouts to save the world every other day? Merula smiled. Of course she would have. That was the kind of person Charon had been…she dropped her fork onto the table.
That was the kind of person she had been, back then.