"The Diary of a Moon Princess"
Rated: T (14 +)
Genre: Romance
Chapter: 2
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. Fanfic belongs to Silver Carnation
Author's Input:
The second chapter focuses around the opening ceremony for the Festival of Ages. You should like this one if I write some good stuff… Please enjoy it, review if you want; I appreciate reviews but do not require them to continue my stories like some do, that's what makes me cool ;) jk lol

Enough talk; read!

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After everyone had arrived, Mother led us all into the palace for an amazing meal for lunch. It was nearly noon and the last time I had eaten was around six that morning (I had to get an early start to help Mama prepare for the visitors…) and my stomach was aching for food.

Everyone who had a palace of their own thought that it was the pure aura that the moon palace gave off with its pearl walls and crystal windows that gave it its own unique quality. But still it took their breath away.

The table that we would be feasting at was a long, birch wood table, crafted with intricately designed legs and sanded to absolute smoothness. The gold designs painted in various swirls and twists all over the table contrasted well against the white. All across the length of the table were already plates and bowls full of delicious food set out for us, a plate in front of each chair with wine glasses turned upside down and a cream colored napkin with gold embroidery folded up neatly inside the hollow.

Everyone took their places at the table, on the left sat the women, and on the right; the men. I sat at the end of the table opposite my mother and ironically, Prince Endymion sat in the seat across from me. He smiled at me as mother said a few words I failed to register before everyone began to fill their plates to the brim with hot, steaming pink ham and mashed potatoes and turkey, drenching the meal with thick brown gravy.

I upturned my wine glass and set it right side up on the table, removing the napkin and splaying it out on my lap. I filled my plate with food before Endymion spoke to me.

"Would you like some wine, Princess?"

"Yes, please, but not much." I replied.

I wasn't really going to have any, but it was polite to do so since he had offered. Endymion took my wine glass and filled it half way with a white-clear liquid pouring from a green bottle. Our fingers brushed eachother slightly as I took the glass from him and brought it to my lips. As soon as the liquid had entered my mouth I decided right then and there that I would NEVER for as long as I lived drink any of that wine again. It was very strong and burned going down my throat, and not in the pleasant sense I must say. I started to cough a little after swallowing it; it seemed hard to breathe a moment after as well for some reason. Endymion gave me a concerned glance but said nothing.

As the meal continued on, everyone went into pleasant conversation, everyone but me for some reason. I felt rather stupid being the only one not talking, even bone head Endymion was chatting away like some sort of gossiping old lady, I wonder if he even took a breath during his conversation… Ohh, but everyone was so pleased to see me…pfft…sure, like I'd believe that one again.

A moment later, I was torturing my slice of ham with my horrid knife skills when Endymion saved it by beginning to talk to me again.

"So, princess, I hear you are going to be doing a dance for the opening ceremony?"

"Um, yes, as a matter of fact, I am.." I spoke, keeping quiet the part about choosing a dancing partner for a waltz after I was finished with my own dance.

"I see," Said Endymion. He was holding the brim of his wine glass with his slender fingers and watching with a calm sort of gaze as the liquid inside swayed as he made small, invisible circles with the glass.

"I am surprised with you." I spoke firmly, getting oddly irritated and puzzled by his kindness to me that day.

Endymion stopped swirling his wine glass and flicked his gaze to meet mine, "Excuse me?"

"You have not made any comments about my hair in the entire hour you have been here, and you kissed my hand!"

Endymion starred at me with raised eyebrows. I had gone too far with my comments, I should have not been so rude to him, should not have stooped down too his level.

"Well, then, I won't do it again. I am sorry. And if you really wish, simply ask and I will come off with a remark about your hair, princess."

Something about his oddly calm voice made me shrink back in my seat. I continued to torture my ham.

As I went to reach for my wine glass to get rid of the horrid liquid, my hand accidentally bumped it instead and before I could grip the stem of it, it fell to the floor and shattered with a horrible sound that echoed off the walls. Everyone hushed and turned to stare at me.

I went to stand to clean it up but sat back down as Endymion motioned with his hand for me to say and spoke, "It is alright, I will clean it up, Princess."

Everyone quickly fell back into conversation as Endymion bent down and used his napkin to soak up the liquid. A moment later, I heard a sharp intake of breath and looked down to see Endymion crouched on the floor still, holding a wrist with one hand as crimson liquid surfaced in a thin line in the other, a shard of glass becoming visible in the red that washed over it.

I quickly stood and touched Endymion's shoulder to gain his attention, "Come now, you should clean that."

He stood and left the Dining hall with me. Everyone was too engaged in conversation to notice. I sent a maid who stood just outside the door to fetch a bottle of peroxide, gauze, and a cloth.

"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." I said after the maid left.

"It is not your fault, I cut myself, so what." Endymion muttered bitterly.

"Had I not shattered the glass you would not have been cut." I threw back. Here we were once more, fighting like cat and dog.

Sighlence loomed over us like a dark cloud as we waited for the maid's return.

When she did return she set everything I had called for on the small stand near the doors. I excused her as I opened the bottle, wet the cloth with a little peroxide and turned to Endymion.

"I can do it on my own, thank you." Endymion spat.

"Don't be so stubborn!" I snapped, Endymion sighed in irritation.

I gripped his injured hand gently in mine and removed the shard of glass from his palm carefully before dabbing at the bloodied cut with the cloth.

"OWCH!" Endymion hissed.

"Oh, don't be such a child! It is only peroxide, it doesn't kill you!"

"Well, correct me if I am wrong, but I think I am the one having a cloth pressed into my hand as if in a desperate effort to kill me, not you. Why don't you go in their, cut yourself with glass, come back here and let me show you how it feels if you don't believe me!"

I sighed and muttered an apology but did not release the pressure applied to his hand in an effort to stop the bleeding. After a moment I finished by wrapping a strip of gauze around his hand and securing it in place.

"Princess; there were maids inside the dining hall…why did you not signal one of them to help me?"

"Because," I began, "I felt that being it was my fault you were hurt to begin with, it was my responsibility to take care of your hand.." Endymion had no reply.

Just as we had left the hall with nobody noticing, we entered the same way.

The day from then up until eight pm pretty much went on the same way.

At eight pm that night, it was time for my dance. I stood behind the curtain of the stage set up in the ball room as women applied makeup to my face and fixed my hair in a complicated series of twists and curls. I could hear my mother speaking just on the other side of the curtain but was not paying much attention to what she was saying because I was too busy trying to remember my dance; …spin, pose, bow, sway the head, open fan, close fan…

I was stressing myself out.

Suddenly Mother stopped talking and all the lights went out, I felt myself being shoved out onto the stage, everything black. Suddenly a spotlight flicked on revealing my appearance, I was going to look for Endymion in the crowd but the light blinded me and I found I could not. As the drums began, I began to move, rehearsing the steps in my head as I performed them; …spin, pose, bow, sway the head, open fan, close fan…

A few moments later I had finished with my fan open in front of my powder white face, my eyes revealed above the top of it, their blue color enhanced by the black painted around them. Everyone clapped and instead of the blinding spotlight, lights framing the stage flicked on.

As I receded behind the curtain once more, a woman scurried up to me and removed the black-blue robes from my shoulders to reveal a gorgeous glittering gown decked in pearls and sparkle. She handed me a mask to cover my eyes and removed the black wig from my hair to show my carefully styled locks of gold.

As I proceeded to make my way back through the curtains to the stage, I looked for Endymion through the mask I was given to cover my eyes, he was nowhere to be seen. I listened as my mother announced for any man to come to me for a dance. Several men stirred at the announcement, but strait in front of me, before the stairs all four generals of earth were laughing as they pushed forth a man to me. I heard sharp words of protest coming from whomever it was being forced to me. But the generals forced him to the stairs with one last great shove. The man stood up and straightened his jacket with an icy glare at the generals before stopping and turning around slowly to face me. A small smile graced his features as he extended an arm out to me, offering his hand. I placed my hand in his as he led me to the center of the ballroom. The lighting dimmed as a waltz began to play.

Neither of us talked as the waltz went on, our foot steps were all we were focused on.

One look into the eyes hidden behind that mask was all that I needed to know that it was Endymion. As soon as the waltz ended; Endymion turned and took his mask of as he disappeared into the crowd. I didn't even ask him to wait.

Instead of dancing with anyone else; I glided over to a table near the wall of the room, behind the single women and those that gained broken hearts that night and were being comforted by friends. Ah; the classic ballroom drama.

I was sitting at that table for a good half hour or close to it when I heard female laughter. I looked over at the staircase of the ballroom and was surprised to see one of the Generals of earth, General Kunzite, kissing the neck of one of my best friends, Minako-Chan; a wine glass held in each of their hands. Minako laughed loudly and leaned against the column near the foot of the stair case; tilting her head to provide better access for the silver haired General as he continued to devour her neck. I watched as he slipped the free hand not holding his wine glass down her side, slowly traveling behind and then down past her lower back, my eyes widened briefly before I turned my head away from the sight in sheer embarrassment. Never had I seen a lady allow that to happen to her in public before…

A waitress dressed in a sort of tuxedo-style uniform came over to me with a tray of martini glasses.

"Would you like a glass, Ma'am?" She asked politely with a smile. She was gorgeous, with brunette hair tied back into a tight bun at the base of the neck and her face painted so elegantly with soft colors.

"Mm..What is it?" I questioned.

"It is simply water, Miss. Or would you prefer wine instead?"

"Oh, no, that is fine, the water will do thank you." I spoke, carefully taking a glass from her tray and watching as she continued to the next booth.

I sipped the water, it tasted pleasantly of lemon, which made sense being that a lemon was secured on the side of the glass.

"May I have the honor of a dance with you, fair lady?"

I looked up from my temporary daze to see that a young man was standing next to me, about two years older than myself, dressed in a dark purple satin suit. He wore no mask, but a light smile graced his features. It was Minako-Chan's brother, John. He had blue eyes and sandy brown hair, his mouth curved slightly upward as he extended his hand to me.

"But of course, kind sir." I muttered as I placed my small hand into his.

He led us to the dance floor and placed his hand at my waist and another hand took my own. I didn't really wish to dance with him. His hands were cold and his chest, when I rested my head against it, was too hard…I could only think of one deep, blue eyed, dark haired man at that time, the one who was not here. The one who didn't even watch my dance as I had hoped...

John said something about "Minako" and "no self respect" but I never heard what he was saying truly, I was off in my own dreams where a faceless man with black hair and a golden heart swept me off my feet and kissed me passionately, telling me over and over that he loved me as he held me the way General Kunzite held Minako earlier. What an embarrassing thought to have, and stupid as well. But that would never happen anyway, this is the real world, not some romance story for fourteen year olds to loose themselves in. Minako was drunk as was the General; that was the only reason for him devouring her neck and feeling her up I had guessed. The dance ended in what seemed like mere seconds and we broke apart, I kindly excused myself as I walked away and then ran outside once out of view of John. I needed fresh air; it was hot as blazes in there.

"Princess? Is that you?"

I was taking a deep gulp of the chilly night air as I heard a familiar male voice.

I turned my head to see Endymion sitting on the edge of the stone wall leading into the gardens, watching the stars twinkle in the sky.

"Yes, it is…What are you doing out here?" I inquired as I removed my mask for the strong breeze that passed by and whip my face with cool air.

"Relieving stress you might call it. Something about the stars calms me.."

I looked at him with questioning eyes before seating myself beside him on the stone wall, a whisper of space between us, "What is troubling you so?"

Endymion gave a fake laugh, "Nothing I should discuss."

"I see…" I whispered. It was an odd sort of connection between the two of us, just sitting and star gazing together.

After a moment of uncomfortable sighlence I felt like I wasn't meant to be there; so I stood. But before I could take even two steps further, he blurted out, "My girlfriend broke up with me yesterday..Not much of a loss, however."

I have a simple "Ah.." of understanding.

I took my place back on the wall, "Did you see my dance, Endymion?"

"Yes, you were gorgeous, very well performed!" He said with a smile.

It was midnight before the palace was empty and everyone was on their way. Endymion and I walked through the ballroom together to make our way up to my bedroom chambers, passing couples making out against walls much like Minako and Kunzite had.

It was late and Endymion and I were the last people to return to our rooms.

"It…was nice talking to you Prince Endymion.." I whispered faintly as I gave a slight bow. Being clumsy like I had been all day, I tripped from the tiredness overwhelming me and stumbled into Endymions arms.

"Uh…I…Forgive me…" I stuttered, pulling from his inviting embrace.

"Do not worry about it." He said with a smile before we bade each other good night and slipped into the rooms assigned to us.

I undressed and got into my night gown before slipping into the squishy, warm comfort of my bed, my mind buzzing from just the memory of Endymion's smile. Why did I feel like this? Was someone else taking over me? Someone who didn't know the mean, cruel side of Endymion? Had to be…