From Then, To Now, 'Til Later
Chapter 5: The Beginning of the End of the Moon Kingdom
By: AutumnHime
Silvery gray light, the natural illumination the moon itself cast upwards, created shadows around the imposing green-gray barrier of thorny vines. The night was cool and still. No winds stirred a single leaf or petal of the moon-rose bush under which Princess Serenity, heir to the Moon Kingdom, beloved of the God of War Ares, betrothed of Prince Endymion of Earth, and lately betrayed by her own mother, curled in an attempt to find refuge. Her golden hair fell around her, shielding her from the dark night, but it could not shield her from her dark thoughts and the pain twisting in her heart.
Mother, oh mother why? Is the alliance with earth so important to you? Have you forgotten love? Why would you sacrifice me to the monster. Am I really so unloved? Knives of self-doubt and unworth stabbed at the diminutive girl.
She clasped her head in her hands in an effort to make the vile thoughts leave. They refused.
Footsteps crunched on the gravel in front of the large bush. "Serenity?" a husky voice called, compelling her to answer.
She ignored the compulsion. Yet, moments later, a hard, warm body settled next to her, impossibly fitting his large body into the small space. The fact that he had found her didn't suprise Serenity. After all, the God of War should have some tracking skills, given the importance it could have in a war.
Serenity curled into her love's warmth, seeking solace from her pain. A heavy cloak settled around her dew-dampened and thorn-torn dress. Heero's hands gently stroked her hair, which had fallen from their pristine court-dress buns.
After a few moments, he spoke. "Serenity, everything will be alright. You'll see."
The confused and frustrated princess didn't speak; she merely burrowed further, firecely shaking her had in a negative reply.
Sword calloused hands rested upon her shoulders. "Sere-chan, look at me." The blue-eyed warlord waited until his blue-eyed princess looked up. He shook her a little. "Everything will be alright! I promise Serenity Selene Magdalena d'Luna. Trust me. Your mother will eventually realize her mistakes, and she'll undo the banishing."
"You do not understand, Heero. Mother...how could she do this? Does not she love me, or Quatre anymore? Why would she say such awful things? I have never lied a day in my life, and she thinks that I would accuse someone who was innocent of as serious a crime as rape? This is not the mother I know!" Serenity shook her head sharply again and threw her arms around Heero as if never to let him go.
Heero stroked her back and hair again without paying attention. The Tsuki no Hime's words...and that strange flicker of light in the Queen's eyes... Where were Luna and Artemis? They never missed a court session...but they hadn't been in the throne room. It seemed insane to even think it, but could the Queen...no...maybe?
"Heero? Heero?" Serenity called. She then froze and drew back into herself as she saw the look in his eyes. Tundras would have been warmer than the amount of feeling in his eyes. "Heero? Ares? No..." she backed away slowly, shivering and shaking, hoping to any friendly spirits or deities out there that the nightmare would soon end. "Not you, too, Heero? What have I done to be so reviled?" the Princess of the Moon who would fight to her last breath and beyond if a friend was in trouble turned tail and ran as hard as she could, hoping to escape the terrible rage in the God of War's eyes.
To late to check her flight, Heero returned to the present from his inner thinking. "Serenity...SERENITY wait!" He shouted after her, stretching his arm out as if to plead. The black covered arm then dropped heavily to his side as he saw two blond streamers of hair disappear past the fountain gate. "I'll make it up to her later." Heero decided. "Her safety first; and then her happiness."
He turned, picking up his fallen cloak and swirling it around his shoulders once more. Ares re-emerged. "Six days and counting."
*SHENLONG, NANASHI, APOLLO, SHINIGAMI! Stop sleeping, we have work to do!* Ares' mind-voice exploded over the link that the five Planetary Princes shared.
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This is a very short chapter. I needed something to show that Heero had begun to get the picture. Next chapter: The banishing of the Princes or What's happened to Serenity?
