AN: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Chapter 1: We Were Soldiers…

"I'm quiet, you know
You make a first impression
I've found I'm scared to know
I'm always on your mind

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
You somehow find, you and I collide."

- Howie Day, Collide

Soldiers Quarters – near London

Turning down the radio with the latest reports of Ginzuberg's occupation by Nazi Germany, Captain Darien Shields sank the eight ball in the corner pocket, while his men looked on, downing pints of Guinness in the General's Club. They had been sent by the US Government to provide training and assist secret missions in conjunction with the British Royal Air Force.

"What do y'all think of Ginzu?" asked Jake. Jake was from a small town in Alabama. His honeyed accent combined with a shock of blond hair and blue eyes made him a favorite with ladies around the world.

"I wish there was something more we could do about it," answered Zach. Shorter than the rest of the group, the young man made up for his lack of physical strength with his importance to the group as a medic. His ability to save men in combat was legendary.

"Seriously, have you seen the Crown Princess? I can only imagine what Hitler has in store for her," commented Nick, rubbing an idle hand through his distinguishing mahongany hair.

"That's enough!" snapped Darien, his sapphire eyes flashing. Tall and dark, Darien cut an impressive figure in his dress uniform.

The men all exchanged a look. It was rare to see their Captain show emotion like this. He was known for being cool and even-tempered. That was part of the reason he was so highly ranked at such a young age.

"Come on, guys. It's been a long day. Let's head back to the barracks," said Malcolm, whose short blond hair was so light it appeared silver, and was Darien's second in command.

The five men had been a tight group for the past two years. Nick, Jake, and Zach had joined the services after their 18th birthdays and had flown through basic. Their scores were so high they were placed with Darien and Malcolm to form an elite group not officially attached to any particular branch of the military. They had traveled the world in their short time together, forming unquestionable allegiance to Captain Darien Shields.

Darien watched as his men left the room. They had basically signed their lives away by joining him. He hoped that after this crazy war was over they would all be able to return to normal lives in the States. Darien walked outside into the cool, moonless evening. He wasn't quite sure why the takeover of Ginzuberg was affecting him so strongly.

"Captain Shields, there will be no record of you should you or any of your men die in combat."

"I understand, sir."

"The US Government has come across some classified documents from Germany. It seems that Hitler believes there is some sort of super weapon in Ginzuberg. His attempt at occupying the country is based on some sort of legend that has been passed around Europe for the better part of 1,000 years."

"The supposed Ginzu diamond?"

His commanding officer was surprised, "Yes, Shields, how did you know about it?"

"Not sure exactly. Apparently, I had relatives that immigrated from Ginzuberg a few generations back. The story was one I heard growing up. I never really gave it any credit," he replied.

"We're not either. However, if such a weapon does exist, it doesn't need to be in the hands of a mad dictator."

"Yes, sir."

Darien decided to sleep on his decision of whether or not to inform his men of the real reason behind their current mission. He was met with a recurring dream he had started having since arriving in Europe, only this time it seemed so much more realistic. A young woman was in the shadows calling to him, pleading for help. Darien had almost reached her when he woke up. The handsome soldier wasn't the only one having strange dreams that evening.

Mia was lost. She didn't want to admit it, but she had no idea where she was. She was failing her country, her Princess, and herself... Mia started to cry and before long had sobbed herself to sleep. In her dream there was a man – a man she had never seen before, with platinum hair and impossibly broad soldiers. As much as she wanted to trust this dream man and beg for his aid, she couldn't. He faded into the shadows.

Darien quietly roused his men, "Come on, guys. We're going for a flight."

"Aww, come on, Dare, we just practiced our parachuting skills last week. It's such a hassle to pack up that thing once you've jumped," drawled Jake, yawning and stretching.

Darien ignored Jake's protests and stated, "Zach, pack up a full kit. Malcolm, see about getting provisions for a week at least. Nick, find us some civilian clothes to wear."

The men were too busy scurrying around to notice, but the words rang false in Darien's mouth. He wanted to protect them, to spare them from whatever torture might come their way if they knew the real reason for going into the country. Until it was absolutely necessary, they didn't need to know.

Queen Selena was appalled at the treatment she was receiving. They had quickly and rudely torn through the castle looking for any restricted or classified documents. The Queen repeated again and again they had nothing, they were a peace-loving nation. Her pleas did not stop the Nazi soldiers from tearing through her personal quarters. She had never been more humiliated.

Serena's court huddled around her, protecting the young princess, sending angered looks in the leering soldiers' direction.

Queen Selena had seen enough, and in German, she abruptly snapped to the soldiers, "Stop! There will be no further invasion of my personal property, castle, or country until I have spoken to your commanding officer. You may have taken over our country, but show some dignity."

Darien and his men had arranged a drop off with a trusted and talented British pilot they had befriended, Dan "Ace" Burite, close to the Ginzuberg border. Dan watched as the men loaded their equipment onto his plane. Attempting small talk, he asked in his accented voice, "So, do you gents need any info on the country?"

Darien hefted a pack on one broad shoulder and answered, "Sure thing. Tell us about our damsels in distress."

The young soldier didn't need a second invitation, "I'm sure you've been briefed on everything political, so I'll let you in on some of the gossip instead. To be sure, the Crown Princess Serena is very beautiful, but she also has four ladies in waiting…they were all born around the same time and have all grown up together. "

The men all shared a smile as Dan rambled on, listing of particular 'attributes' for each of the young royals. Being American, there was nothing close to the 'Royalty Hysteria' that went on in Europe. Most boys grew up hoping to be a famous ball player and girls all wanted to lead the life of the motion picture stars in Hollywood.

"There's been a rumor that Hitler plans to marry Princess Serena to a Nazi general in order to instigate German rule in the country. Furthermore, the Italians might be brought into marry the court," continued Dan.

"We'll make sure that doesn't happen," said Malcolm patting the young man on the back.

Dan turned to him and asked, "Malcolm…please. When I was first enlisted the royalty from Ginzuberg came to visit. I know this will sound rather silly, but I fell completely in love with Duchess Mia. Please make sure that she finds safety."

"If I see your woman, I'll bring her home to you," Malcolm grinned.

The last of the supplies were loaded. Their pilot started the plane. Dan hoped to get in and out, undetected by Nazi warplanes. He had a chosen a small, fast plane that would help complete the mission. Flying low, he was proud to be a part of something important.

Mia woke up shivering. After righting herself, she noted a plane overhead, flying low enough she could clearly hear its engines. There was no way of knowing if the plane was friendly or Nazi. Not wanting to find out, she mounted Morning Star and took off.

Above the forest, Darien gave the hand sign for the jump. Malcolm would be the first to jump, with Darien bringing up the rear.

Mia was galloping now; she had come across a clearing and was making use of the bright moonlight. Suddenly, Morning Star came to a dead halt. The mare refused to go a step further.

"What is it, girl?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Mia was knocked off her horse. She rolled to the ground – disoriented. All at once, she knew that she was simultaneously under a large blanket of some sort and that she was no longer alone. Whoever she had fallen on top of was much larger than she was, very muscular and probably weighed at least double her one hundred pounds.

Malcolm cursed his luck. How was it possible that he had landed on something - someone - in the middle of nowhere? They had picked this field because of its proximity to Ginzuberg and due to its nearness to a dense forest they could lose themselves in. however, maybe his luck wasn't all bad. He was pretty sure he had somehow run into a woman…with curves in all the right places.

Malcolm and Mia quickly scrambled off of each other and out from under the parachute. Malcolm handled the situation in a split second. He grabbed Mia and got her into a lock. If she was a spy, he would need her in one uninjured piece. Malcolm held Mia's hands with one of his and used his other hand to roughly, but quite thouroughly search her for any weapons or documents, trying to convince himself that he wasn't enjoying the process. Mia was beyond livid. She used every curse word in every language she knew.

Sensing a moment of slack, Mia dug her heel into Malcolm's foot as hard as she could, then elbowed him in the groin, and followed with a missed swipe of her nails on his sqaure jaw. He went down hard, but wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, took Mia with him.

They were, essentially, back where they started.

Malcolm growled in her ear, "You'd better start talking, angel."

Mia took a deep breath and looked directly into the eyes of her captor. She gasped. His short hair glinted platinum in the moonlight. His eyes, the color of steel, were familiar to her own cerulean blue ones. She felt this wasn't the first time they had met. Shaking the feeling off, she uttered softly, "I am lost."

Malcolm managed to hide his surprise better than Mia. Here, in the middle of a country he had never been to, in the middle of the night, in the middle of a war, was a woman he knew he had met before.

"Where are you trying to go?" he asked.

Mia struggled within herself. She wanted to trust this man; at the same time she felt an overwhelming fear that he would betray her.

Malcolm sensed her dilemma, and stated calmly, "Let me go first. I am American."

"American!" Once again, Mia cursed herself for being so open with her emotions.

"Yes. And…."

A cough made both Mia and Malcolm look up. At that moment, the rest of the men walked up. It took a lot of training for all of them not to burst into laughter. In front of them was quite a sight: their stoic Malcolm was in the middle of a parachute with a young woman on top of him, the moonlight pouring over them. Had they been anywhere else, it would seem that they had interrupted a romantic tryst.

Malcolm spoke up, "Gentlemen, may I present to you, Duchess Mia of Ginzuberg."

Mia looked sharply at Malcolm. How did he know who she was? Americans were so wrapped up in their own country; they usually didn't know anything about European royalty. On her confused look, he chuckled and said, "I met a fan of yours not too long ago."

Rather than continue to sit awkwardly, Malcolm stood up, dusted himself off and calmly offered Mia his hand. As if on a dance floor accepting a waltz, she gracefully took it. As he pulled her up, she was shaken with a very strong sense of déjà vu. Malcolm must have felt it too, because he held her hand for an extra moment. The feeling of his rough, large hand holding her small, delicate hand gave Mia chills up her back.

The men all looked incredulously at her. How had royalty of a supposed occupied country managed to not only escape Nazi soldiers, but also to meet at their exact drop point?

Darien immediately barked commands, "Jake, get this parachute out of the clearing and check for anyone who might have followed our Duchess. Nick, round up the horse, we may need her for transport. Zach, scout us a safe place ahead and report back to me. Malcolm and Mia, follow me, I don't like being out in the open like this."

The men quickly split up to complete their objectives. Malcolm guided Mia as Darien led the way out of the clearing. Mia didn't want to admit that she appreciated his large, comforting presence near her. As they walked through the forest, Malcolm breathed in her distinctive scent, and desperately tried to piece together how he knew her.

When Darien found an appropriate place, he stopped abruptly and turned around.

Mia broke away from Malcolm and asked, "May I ask exactly who you are and what your business is with me?"

"Sweetheart, give us a minute."

Mia rolled her eyes. How dare they treat her like this? As much as she tried to overhear Malcolm and Darien's conversation, there was nothing she could understand.

***

"I'm not even going to ask how that little scene back there happened, but do you think she's been followed?"

"No."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I don't even think she knows where she is. The country was attacked two days ago, if someone was tracking her they would have either captured her or caught up with her by now. Personally, I don't think they even know she has escaped," Malcolm told Darien.

"Anything else?"

"Well, you guys interrupted any interrogation I was about to accomplish," Malcolm grumbled.

"'Interrogation?' Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" The commanding officer laughed at Malcolm's obvious discomfort, and continued, "Fine, let's see if we can get any other information out of her."

"Yes, sir."

Although he wouldn't admit it, Malcolm was curious to get to know the young woman a bit better. Thus far, she had shown a fierce combination of bravery and spirit - unlike anyone he had ever met.

***

The men quickly reassembled. They lit a very small fire. As Malcolm was actually the best at interrogation, he would ask most of the questions, with Daren jumping in once in awhile to act as the "good cop." When it came to women, most would respond to Darien's charms when faced with Malcolm's gruff questioning techniques.

Mia glanced at each of the men as they got the camp ready. She knew these men were from the military. Even though they were dressed inconspicuously in plain clothes, there was no way Americans fell out of the sky with matching haircuts and total precision. Fortunately, Queen Selena had trained Serena and her court for any political situation. Mia knew she could trust her letter to only Captain Darien Shields. She was glad that Malcolm had missed the letter in his original search. She was keeping it under her brassiere against her skin.

Poking a stick in the fire, Malcolm asked casually, "So, you're from Ginzuberg?"

"You've already stated that to everyone. Can I ask your surname, Malcolm? If that is your real name." Mia replied in a bored tone, completely unintimidated.

"I assure you, it's my given name, and there is no need for my last name right now," he barked, angry and irritated he had not been able to set the tone of the conversation.

Darien, sensing his friend's change in temper, jumped in, replying suavely, "Duchess, please excuse Malcolm. Can I ask what you are doing so far from your country and castle in the middle of the night?"

Mia looked at Darien, taking in his broad shoulders, dark hair, and sapphire blue eyes, and refused to fall to his charms. She answered, "I could ask you the same thing. We are very far from Manhattan."

Malcolm was angry, and uncharacteristically let his emotions get control of him, asking, "We're asking the questions here, sweetheart. Listen, your attitude and beauty might work with your little swains back in your fairy court, but this is reality. Do I need to remind you that you are in the middle of nowhere with four strange men. How about you start answering our questions and not worry so much about why we're here?"

Mia looked towards Darien for support, but he would not acknowledge her. She was on her own. Finally, she responded, "I…was separated from a riding party. I must have gotten turned around."

"Duchess…you do realize you are over 20 miles from your country's border?" Malcolm demanded.

"No. I didn't actually. Silly me."

"So, it would come as no surprise to you that your country has been invaded by the Germans?" Malcolm yelled, startled that some slip of a woman had been able to reach his emotions.

Mia's eyes glistened, but she answered, "No, I did not know that."

The men looked at the young woman in front of them. Even in a raggedy cloak and with hair that had obviously been cut recently, she had a noble air.

Shooting a warning look in Malcolm's direction, Darien said gently, "We're sorry to inform you, but it was taken over two nights ago. Are you sure that you were separated from your group?"

"Yes, but I can obviously not return to my country," Mia answered, hanging her head and trying to not let her tears fall.

"I would advise against it," Darien told her.

In a voice barely above a whsiper, Mia requested, "I would ask escort to an American Embassy then."

Darien considered what she was asking. They actually could use her help once they were in Ginzuberg. The duchesses surrounding the Princess were said to be completely loyal to her... However, he could not give away the mission they were on.

Malcolm studied the blonde in front of him. She was hiding something, but what? He decided to try and catch her off guard, "What's your next move? Why the American Embassy?"

Mia swallowed and answered carefully, she did not want to betray her orders from the Queen, "I would like to make a plea on behalf of my government to yours, to save my Queen and her daughter."

"What do you think?" asked Malcolm, doubt lacing his question.

After considering the situation for a few moments, he directed, "Malcolm, at daybreak you will escort Duchess Mia safely to the closest American Embassy. There is nothing we can do for her, but perhaps the diplomats can."

Malcolm and Mia looked at Darien in shock, but his look told them not to question his orders.

Inside the castle, Queen Selena could not sleep. Her private locked from the outside and guarded by soldiers. Drawing her dressing gown close around her shoulders, she sat up and went over to the remains of her former private library. Carefully putting the ruined books back in order, she reached for the last of the tomes, when her hands lovingly caressed a worn leather cover. It was obviously quite old, dog-eared and had been the favorite bedtime story of many generations of little princesses.

Serena was also restless. Like her mother, the trouble and pain of her people was weighing heavily on her countenance. The Crown Princess silently got out of bed and joined her mother, comforted by the musty leather smell of the books.

Selena turned around to see her young daughter. Thinking of happier days, she asked, "Serena, do you remember when you were little, and you made me read this book to you every night?"

Serena nodded, "Yes, it was fairytale that took place on the moon."

"You could never get enough of it."

Sensing Serena's absence, the other duchesses had woken up and joined mother and daughter. Amy, the petite and short-haired Duchess, didn't want to interrupt, but obviously had something she wanted to share.

"Yes, Amy?" the Queen asked.

"I'm sure this is hardly a conversation to be having given our current circumstances, but before the war started, I had begun doing research on some very old documents from the Ginzuberg archives. It seems when the country first began there was a legend associated with it. In my studies, I was able to put together a story. The story was familiar to me, but I could never figure out exactly where I had heard it before. Hearing you talk about the fairytale brought back the memory for me. This may sound crazy, but I think the story is somehow related to our country."

Lita, tall and beautiful brunette with a riot of brunette curls, replied, "But that sounds ridiculous. How can a story about the moon have anything to do with our country?"

Selena shook her head, "I don't think it's that far off. My mother told me before she passed away that the maternal line of this country was incredibly strong and should it be necessary was capable of extreme power. There would be an object of power that would appear and help save the country."

Rae, a violet-eyed, raven haired siren asked, "Had your mother ever actually seen this object?"

Selena shook her head, "No."

They were all quiet for a moment.

Serena broke the silence and shouted, "The Imperial Silver Crystal!"

Everyone looked at the Princess, doubt clearly written on their faces.

"That's the only thing it could be!" Serena insisted.

Selena looked at Amy and questioned, "Are you sure this legend and the fairytale are the same thing?"

Amy nodded, "I wasn't entirely sure until now. The scary thing is, I don't think we're alone with this information. This myth has been passed along through many countries."

Serena spoke up, "You don't think that's what Hitler is really after, do you?"

Amy looked at everyone seriously, "That's exactly what I'm afraid of. If I may?"

The young duchess began flipping through the book, searching for clues to the connection between past and present.

Rae spoke up, "What I don't understand is how an object from the Moon would find its way to Earth. Why our country? What is different about our people?"

The Silver Millennium was coming to an end. The Moon Kingdom, peaceful and beautiful in its reign of over 1,000 years, was in its final minutes. As the Senshi bravely fought Beryl's Generals, who were once their betrothed, Queen Selenity gathered together some of her remaining people. The Queen's strength was withering…as her power was directly connected to her planet's. A leader until the end, Selenity commanded, "Trusted Lunarians, you must try and make your way on Earth. There is no hope for you here."

"Your Majesty, what shall we do?"

Selenity looked over her scared people, "Do not forget the story that has happened here today. Pass it along through generations. Even though your numbers are small, we are a powerful people that will not see our end today."

Selenity searched the crowd, "Molly?"

A young woman stepped forward.

Selenity touched the young girl's forehead. Molly was jolted with an intense energy.

"Rise, Molly…you will lead these people to a better future. Protect our way of life."

Selenity waved her wand and all of the people except Molly and two trusted members of the Royal Guard were transported to Earth.

"Molly, what I'm about to tell you can only be passed to your daughter. And then to her daughter. You are now the future of the Selene matriarchal line. There is a power within you and in all of your line, should a great enemy ever threaten you or your people, an intense energy will be yours to command. Keep this information safe and protect the remaining Lunarians."

Molly had tears streaming down her face as she nodded, and was transported to Earth.

The Queen continued, "I have chosen you both to complete another important task for me."

"Anything, your Highness."

"I entrust both of you with the responsibility of transporting our weapons to earth. This is a necessity and an honor. When the battle ends, collect what you can and find a safe place among the Terrans. Although I do not wish it, these weapons may one day see battle again."

"Understood, my lady."

Selena braced herself and went outside. In front of her, on the Palace steps, was a moment that would burn in her memory for eternity.

Endymion was doing his best to defend Serenity against the growing forces. Before Selenity could cry out, the Terran prince was struck with a blow that ripped through him. He was dead before he hit the ground. Serenity's screams rang across the battlefield. Everyone paused; they had never heard such a heartbreaking sound. Serenity looked at her lover's body, then her gaze shifted to the sword that Venus had been trying to use to defend her. Selenity cried out and began running to her daughter. Selenity had almost reached the Princess when the young woman lifted the great Sword of the Moon and plunged it into her breast. Serenity immediately fell to the ground next to her beloved.

Selenity's body began to glow, "I won't let it end like this."

Selenity placed the Imperial Silver Crystal into the Moon Crescent Wand. The Queen shone the healing light over the carnage in front of her.

"I felt this love affair would end sadly. A love between the Earth and the Moon could never be. I'll seal it away...that demon and this Moon...and give you to the future! This time...you'll be born on the same planet and you'll find happiness there."

Thus, Queen Selenity of the Moon Kingdom ended her life and the time of the Silver Millennium came to a close.

Amy continued looking through the book and paused on a page. There was a picture featuring the beautiful Moon Princess and her equally stunning court. Amy traced her hand over the figures. The smiling girls were dressed in strange costumes. The men appeared to be in a military costume of some kind. Everyone looked very exceedingly happy.

Rae caught a glimpse of the page. She grabbed it out of Amy's hands, "Don't you see?"

Amy, who was never one to miss anything, asked, "See what?"

Rae queried again, this time to everyone, "Don't you see how familiar those girls are?"

Serena exploded, "It's all of you! You're the girls in the picture!"

Lita looked at Rae and Serena skeptically and questioned, "How can you be so sure?"

Selena studied the picture. "I have no doubt that these women are somehow related to you."

Lita scanned the picture and said, "Then, who are the cute guys with us?"

Malcolm couldn't believe what Darien was ordering him to do. What would cause his normally level-headed friend to give him such a ridiculous assignment?

Mia was not exactly thrilled by his orders either. Batting her eyes prettily, she pleaded, "But, sir, what about you? Couldn't you escort me?"

Darien ignored her attempts, and replied, "Sorry, Duchess, I have to stay with the men and complete our mission. However, perhaps you can help us somehow? Is there anything you can tell us about your castle or the friends you left behind that might be able to help us get to them faster?"

"And why is it you want to help our country? What could possibly be in it for the Americans? What are you looking for?" Mia asked, protective of all she cherished.

Malcolm, already angry, hissed sharply at Mia, "We're here, endangering our lives, and you dare question our reasons? In case you missed it, we're here to help you!"

Mia politely gave Malcolm the silent treatment and flashed him the V sign.

Darien, amazed that Mia was able to pick up on what his men had not, replied slowly, "The other European countries are busy defending their own people. We know that Hitler has specific intentions for your country."

Mia thought a moment. These men had to be a better option than the Nazi scum that had already invaded her country, and until she was able to connect with Captain Shields, they were her best option. She replied, "Fine, there is a secret entrance to the castle from the stables. In the west wing of the stables in the fourth stall there is a secret door that leads up into the castle. You will come out in the kitchens."

"What can we tell your Queen?" asked Nick. "How will she trust us?"

"Tell her you spoke with me. Let her know I have continued to the American Embassy. Tell her I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

"How should we let your friends know we are not enemies?" questioned Jake.

Mia thought a moment.

Late one evening after a ball that had been given on Serena's honor, the girls found themselves chatting about the events of the dance. They had all worn themselves out dancing and flirting with the toast of European royalty. The topic never strayed far from their favorite subject – men. Each girl was discussing what was most important to her in a potential mate.

Love-crazy Lita started the conversation, "You know, I just have this image in my mind. He's taller than me, with long brown hair. For some reason, he's in the military, because there's no way I can resist a man in uniform. And handsome, devastatingly handsome."

Mia, never shy to share her feeling on this particular subject, spoke up next, "I like the tall military thing, Lita, but I also see incredibly broad shoulders, rock hard muscles, gray eyes, and flowing hair like mine."

All the other girls cracked up. Mia innocently responded, "What? This is my fantasy! He can have flowing hair if he wants to. Oh, and definitely older than me."

Rae had no trouble conjuring up her dream man, "Well, mine has got to have a sense of humor."

Serena said not quite under her breath, "To be able to put with your quick temper."

Rae scowled, "I heard that Princess. So what? I want him to adore me and put up with all my moods. I want a man who's not going to back down." Rae considered another moment. "I wouldn't mind a blonde either."

Next in the circle was Amy. It was no surprise shy Amy was keeping silent on the subject. She was much more comfortable with her books and studies. Boys were just a distraction.

Lita threw a pillow across the room, "Come on, Ames! Tell us about your man."

Amy spoke steadily, as if she had been considering this subject for a while, "Well, I don't need him to tower over me. I just want him to be intelligent. That's all."

Serena smiled, "What does he look like, Amy?"

Amy, refusing to look up, said, "I wouldn't complain if he had blonde hair and has blue eyes."

The girls all cracked up again. Mia poked Serena, "Come on, Princess, tell us what your Prince Charming is like!"

Serena giggled, "Well, I want him to be tall."

Rae laughed, "That shouldn't be too tough – everyone is taller than you."

Serena, in a most un-Princess like way, stuck her tongue out at Rae, but it was true. The Princess was barely five feet tall. Her large blue eyes seem to take up most of her face. Her delicate features made her look even younger than her 16 years.

"Ok, ok, what else does this dream man look like?" asked Lita.

"He's got dark hair to contrast with my light hair and blue, blue eyes... More importantly, I could never have a man that would not be a Prince to my people. So he needs to have some sort of leadership ability and a deep love of humanity. I don't want him to be after my money or title."

Amy spoke up, "That's a lot of qualities for one man to have, Serena."

"I know, but he's out there!"

The girls all sat back and thought about their dream men.

Rae spoke up, "You know, we should have a code in case we actually spot our men. Just a word to let the other girls know."

A word suddenly flashed through Mia's mind, she blurted out, "Shitennou!"

Everyone turned to look at the blonde duchess like she was crazy.

Lita said, "That sounds like a made up word."

Serena said, yawning, "Shitennou. Well, it will have to do for now. Come on, let's get some sleep!"

"Tell them, Duchess Mia said these are your Shitennou."

"Shitennou?" Darien was confused.

"Yes, they will know what it means," Mia insisted.

"Okay, it's time to get some sleep. We have a busy couple of days ahead of us," Darien ordered.

***

Before too long, it was dawn. Darien roused everyone, "Malcolm, you and Mia will take the horse. It's imperative that you get Mia to safety as soon as possible. Zach, Jake, and Nick will come with me. We should be less than a day's journey."

Mia and Malcolm locked eyes with each other in the early morning light, both eager to see what the other looked like without the night's darkness. Although neither would admit, they both liked what they saw. Mia could see the strong muscles pulling undeneath the rough shirt Malcolm wore, his gunmetal eyes glinting at her. This was a man who wouldn't back down, fall to her charms, and blush when she looked in his direction. This was a challenge, and try as she might, it was an attraction she could not deny.

Malcolm stared back at the tiny blonde...she couldn't be much older than seventeen, but was already coming into her own as a great beauty. No amount of dirt, grubby clothes, and chopped hair could take away from her lovely pale skin, generous lips, and deep blue eyes. Plus, there was the sneaking suspicion that he knew her from somewhere.

Without a further thought, Mia was boosted up on Morning Star and Malcolm climbed up behind her. There was no way for two people to ride a horse without being in extreme close contact and for two people who didn't want to be particularly near each other, it was going to be a long ride. Darien smacked Morning Star's rump and sent them galloping in the opposite direction he and his men would be heading.