"Doctor?" Michiru hesitated but finally entered the light room. It smelt strange. Of all kinds of herbs and medicine.
"Princess Michiru!" The old man turned from a table and bowed deeply before her. "How can I help you?"
The young woman blushed, then she took a deep breath.
"I wanted to ask you if you have anything against my period. I got it yesterday and it hurts a lot." She smiled an unsure smile towards an old face.
"The wedding had been too exciting, hadn't it?" The doctor nodded and turned again towards his table. "I know that. It's now almost forty years that I married my wife and she was so excited that she got her period in our wedding night. Isn't always that nice to be a woman, is it?"
"Oh... " laughed Michiru and shook her head. "It's better than to lose the hair when getting older. And it's better than having a beard."
"You might be right." The doctor turned against towards her and gave her some herbs. "Just make a tea and drink it, then you'll feel better." Shortly he observed her but she didn't notice it. "By the way, the whole wedding party had been great. Can't remember the last time I had so much fun. And you looked happy, too, when you freed all the birds yesterday."
Michiru nodded and hold the herbs tighter in her hands.
"That was a nice tradition even Himme-chan seemed to enjoy."
"Hai, it was." Answered the doctor and watched her going. With a knowing smile on his old face.
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"Michi-chan?" The voice was full of sleep. It was already dark outside and Haruka wondered if she had slept the whole afternoon. She wanted to get up but groaned oppressed as the pain increased again inside her body.
"Hope you had nice dreams." There was a shadow next to the bed and Haruka felt how someone helped her up and pulled a pillow in her back to let her sit upright.
"Very nice dreams." Whispered the tall princess and groaned again. "Why don't you simply let an old woman die?"
Michiru giggled and lightened a candle next to the mattress. Haruka's face was pale but she grinned again. Shortly after the ceremony with the birds she felt ill and only wanted to lay down. Michiru knew why and she let her silently in peace.
"Don't lament so much, Ruka. You aren't the only women in this universe who has to handle with that women stuff."
Is the doctor right? Has she been so excited about the wedding? Or is it simply her time of the month?
But Michiru never noticed any pain before in Haruka's face. Even after she got to know about her wife's real gender.
"But I am the only woman who didn't need it. Never."
Haruka raised her eyebrows as a cup with hot steaming fluid was carefully pulled in her hands. It smelt of herbs. Healing herbs.
"Do you want to poison me?" she asked and looked again to a still smiling Michiru.
"No, but it shall alleviate your pain."
"I don't have any pain." Protested Haruka but drank some gulps. It tasted very sweet.
Guess Michiru did something else in the tea. Normally it's more bitter.
"Of course not. You're simply tired from all the singing on our wedding."
"Don't remember me." Groaned Haruka and leaned back after she emptied her cup.
"Did you know that they took some photos while we sung?" Michiru grinned while Haruka closed her eyes and groaned even louder although the pain decreased inside her belly.
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The guards turned their head a little bit as two laughing persons ran through the whole palace. During the past week they got used to it and one or two of the younger guards had to grin. The older ones only hold their sabres tighter and were silently glad that the prince finally found a nice princess and was obviously happy with her.
"This is my turban!" shouted Haruka while she chased the young woman through the long, light corridors.
"But I am fed up with wearing veils. They're always in my way!" giggled Michiru and jumped over a pillow. Then she turned to the left and pushed to door to their living room open. Hotaru laid in her cradle and slept deep and tight. It was noon and she was full and clean. She hold her toy bunny tight in her tiny arms and a small smile laid on her face while she dreamed innocent child's dreams.
"But this is MY turban. Do you want my head to get burned?"
"Don't worry, there's not so much to get burned."
"You little...!"
Michiru screamed as Haruka jumped and grabbed her. They both landed on different soft pillows.
"Can't simply steal my things." Declared Haruka and gasped hard for breath. It was very hot and to do sport with her bandage could be very exhausting time by time. "And a veil simply fits better to the rest of your clothes." Haruka smiled and looked shortly at the silky skirts Michiru was wearing.
"But the priests told us that we should share everything in our marriage."
"Do you want to share your noodles with me?"
Again Michiru giggled and wanted to escape. But Haruka hold her tighter and they lost the balance. They rolled from the pillows and landed on the soft carpet. The taller woman landed on the smaller princess and Michiru made a little, tortured sound.
"Did I hurt you?" Dark green eyes looked concerned into dreamy blue ones.
"No." Michiru's cheeky smile turned into something more tender.
Better I'll stand up right now.
Haruka felt how soft arms wrapped around her waist and hold her tight. Again she looked into deep blue eyes she had the feeling to drown in. In an endless ocean where she could be free. Like a bird. Like the wind...
They were now married for over a week and it was the best week Haruka could remember. After Haruka's period was over they did a lot together. Almost every day they went with Fluffy's help to the oasis and Michiru showed her baby dragon how to hear of her words – more or less. Mostly the small creature only heard of the sweets she hold in her hands than of her determined voice. Hotaru was happy and started slowly to crawl. Haruka knew that she would be very busy when the small child was old enough to walk and to run. To laugh happily at her parents who would certainly chase her with despair.
Almost every evening they visited their lake and after Michiru begged for about an hour Haruka was convinced and swam with her in the warm water. Not longer caring that the smaller princess could see her female outlines behind her wet shirt.
Almost every night they sit next to Hotaru's cradle and talked about different things. Soon they got to know a lot about each other. About the childhood, about their feelings.
And almost every midnight Haruka woke up and left her bed. To sneak under Michiru's blanket. To feel a warm body next to her freezing one. To know that she wasn't all alone any longer. That she had a best friend now.
A best friend...
Haruka raised her hands without noticing it. Tenderly she stroke through sea green curls. Michiru watched her in silence.
A best friend... Is that enough for me?
The taller princess swallowed hard as Michiru smiled loving up at her.
Is that enough for her?
Haruka took Michiru's face in her hands and bowed over her.
Is it right? Is it real?
Her heart already knew the answer, but her mind wasn't ready to admit it yet.
"Ruka?" whispered Michiru and frowned as she looked into dark green eyes full of fear and...
... and love?
The smaller princess closed her eyes and tightened the embracement as she felt those soft lips on her own. It remembered her of the kiss they shared shortly after the ceremony. It was the same tender touch, but at the same time it was completely different. Because now it was Haruka who kissed her with obviously a lot of feelings.
Is she kissing me? Or does she still think of Rumiko?
Two small tears ran down her cheeks while Michiru gave up her own feelings and returned the kiss passionately. Even if she was only a substitute for a dead girl, she couldn't fight her own feelings any longer.
Better to be a substitute than to be nothing...
Haruka's hands left her cheeks and stroke again through sea green curls.
She feels so damn good. I like it to kiss her.
The taller woman smiled as she felt how Michiru answered her kiss. Her heartbeat increased as she realised that the smaller princess didn't push her away. That she embraced her even tighter instead.
I... I
Admit that you love her! Since that very day she entered the throne room and wanted to become your wife you love her!
But Rumiko...
Rumiko is dead, but she's alive. And she obviously likes you a lot. Otherwise you'd lay now in some corner with burning cheeks.
Haruka let the kiss slowly end and looked into a blushed but tenderly smiling face. Automatically she smiled back.
She's so beautiful. My bride.
The taller woman swallowed hard.
My Michi-chan...
She opened her mouth to say those few words. To tell her about her feelings she didn't want to believe by herself. But her heart told her more than once that they were true.
I want you to become my real wife. I want to love you and I want you to love me in return. I...
She cleared her throat and saw again into deep blue eyes.
"I..."
At that moment there was a loud knock at the door.
"Please, god, not now..." whispered Haruka and buried her hot face in Michiru's shoulder.
But the gods didn't have any sympathy with her and so the knocking even increased.
"Better you'll go now. Certainly some politics." Said Michiru and took a deep breath. Her own voice sounded strange in her ears and her heart beat wildly against her chest. She squeezed the taller woman in her arms harder for some seconds, then she let go.
Haruka raised her head again and suddenly tears shimmered in green eyes that were a shade darker than normal.
"I... I mean... I ..." she stammered and blushed deeply.
"Don't worry, Ruka." Michiru gave her a quick kiss that was over before Haruka could react. "Go and rule the planet wise and fair."
"Hai..." The grin on Haruka's face was unsure as she came to her trembling feet and took her turban to put it over her messy hairs. Shortly she turned again to the still laying woman, but she couldn't decide what to tell her best. So she let it and finally left the room.
Michiru watched her in silence until the door was closed again. Then she rest her head again on the soft carpet, spread her arms over the warm ground and closed her eyes.
This kiss was so wonderful.
The sea princess took a deep breath.
I wish it would have been for me...
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"This is a letter from princess Ami and Minako of Mercury." Said the guard and handled her the crumbled paper. Haruka thanked him and read the few lines. And read them again. Over and over. And sat down in a chair. And covered her face with her suddenly icy hands.
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"A revolution on earth?" Michiru rocked her daughter gently in her arms. Hotaru slept again after she was full and had her head trustfully leaned against a warm chest.
"Hai. It's getting worse and worse. They fear that the revolution will take over to the moon and that our Silver Empire is threatened. Princess Serenity isn't safe there any longer and so the inner senshi took her against her mother's will and want to bring her in security." Answered Haruka and crossed excited the big room. Shortly she stood by the window and looked out to the burning desert. Then she turned around and made her way back to the door.
"Uranus is the best planet for her. You know your father and you know Himme-chan's grandparents. Setsuna has to guard that bloody portal so that she has no time to care for the princess." Haruka bit on her lower lip.
"And now you want to go to the moon?" asked Michiru and observed how the taller woman crossed the room again.
"No, but to Mercury. At the moment the princess is with the Mercury sisters. But the water planet's too near to the earth and..." Haruka sighed deeply as she remembered a pale Serenity at her wedding only one week ago.
"If you have to go then go. I'll wait here and tell the servants to look for some extra rooms for our guests." Michiru stood up and came over to her, still carrying her daughter in her arms.
"The flight will be okay. It's not that dangerous in the outer part of our galaxy. But... I am concerned about Serenity." Haruka shrugged helpless her shoulders. "She's in love with Endymion, Prince of earth. And now there's a big revolution and no one knows if it's safe enough for the prince to stay there. But he doesn't want to leave his home planet nor his people."
Michiru raised her head and looked into tired green eyes.
"His own people are against him and maybe he'll lose his planet during the next months."
What will happen to us when someone ever finds out that I am a girl? That Hotaru's isn't my real daughter? That I am not supposed to rule Uranus as a king?
"Go to Mercury and take the girls and Serenity to Uranus. Afterwards we'll talk to the queen and see if we can do something." Michiru smiled understanding.
"Maybe you're right..." whispered Haruka and finally turned from the huge window. From the burning desert. From her home planet.
"Of course I am right. I am your wife. Wives are always right when their husbands aren't sure." Smiled Michiru and blushed as she suddenly remembered the sweet kiss. Both glanced at each other in silence. Then there was again another knock at the door.
"Better I'll go now." Haruka reached inside her pocket and handled Michiru a small gift. It was wrapped not very skilfully but surely with a lot of love. "That's for you. I... actually I wanted to give it to you a little bit earlier, but I simply didn't find the right moment and... before I lose it." She smiled unsure. Then she embraced Michiru with Hotaru in her arms tenderly and hold her tight for some moments.
"Love you." She whispered quietly. Then she let go and was gone within the next second. Michiru hold the gift and her daughter tighter before she went into her knees and stared for a long time at the small package.
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Love you.
Again and again she heard the quiet words in her mind.
Love you.
Did she mean them? Or did she say them to Himme-chan in my arms?
Michiru sighed deeply while she sat down in the straw to feed a happy baby dragon. Still it drank a lot of milk, but she already tried to give him some carrots and some straw. The baby dragon sniffed shortly at the red vegetable, then it decided that the milk tasted better. And sweeter.
Love you.
Michiru fought hard against her tears. It was now over a week that Haruka left Uranus to go to Mercury. The first days had been okay. Michiru was busy with preparing the rooms for the guests and to thank some more people for all the presents they got for their wedding but couldn't open until now. But after the days flew by and she got now message from Mercury nor from her Ruka, she got more and more concerned.
What if she had an accident and no one took notice?
She bit on her lower lip as she let the dragon drink. After it was finished it laid its head in her lap and started to purr when she stroke behind its ears.
What if I'll never see her again? What if she's already dead and I didn't use my chance to tell her how much I like her...
Love you.
Michiru swallowed hard and reached under her silky clothes to look at the golden locket she found in Haruka's wrapped package. It shimmered in the fading daylight that fell though the open window in all colours of the rainbow. With trembling hands she opened it and looked at the picture inside. It showed herself how she hold a laughing Hotaru tight in her arms who tried to catch for flying birds. Haruka embraced them both and smiled happily over Michiru's shoulder.
We all look so happy. Just like a real family.
Suddenly tears burned in Michiru's blue eyes and she swallowed again. The picture was taken shortly after they freed the hundred birds. They didn't notice the photographer so the picture was real. Showed their feelings openly.
Love you.
It shows how much I love them. Both of them.
Two tears ran over pale cheeks.
And it shows that Ruka certainly loves someone, too. But not me. She only loves her Rumiko and whenever she holds me she thinks of her dead fiancée.
Quietly Michiru started to sob and the baby dragon crept automatically nearer. As if it knew what was wrong with the young woman who was its whole world. Who meant everything for the small creature.
I wish she would see me whenever she looks at me. I wish she would hold me whenever she embraces me. I wish she would kiss me whenever she forgets that this isn't a real marriage.
Michiru wiped away her tears and lowered her head. Then she embraced the still purring baby dragon harder. It didn't wince away. Instead it leaned it's head against her chest and pleated for more attention.
I wish she would love me the way I love her.
Michiru didn't know how it happened. But slowly during the weeks her feelings turned from fear into trust and friendship and finally into love. Whenever Haruka rescued her, hold her or simply comforted her she won another piece of her heart. Until it belonged to her, although the tall princess didn't know it.
After Haruka told her the truth that she was a girl and that she really loved Rumiko Michiru had been shocked, but her feelings stayed the same. They even grew stronger when she saw a sobbing Haruka and hold her tight while she cried. And after the tender kiss at their wedding ceremony she was suddenly sure that she loved the tomboy who had to be a king but wanted to be a queen.
But how shall I be a good wife when she doesn't love me in return?
Love you.
She meant Hotaru, didn't she?
And if she meant you? If she was talking to you and it was simply her way to declare you her love.
By looking away?
Michiru swallowed hard and leaned her head against the wooden walls and stroke again the baby dragon. One week now.
Hopefully she's healthy. Hopefully she'll be back soon. Hopefully she'll listen to me.
Michiru closed her burning eyes. She knew she had to talk to Haruka. Honestly and to live with the consequences.
You knew she would never love you before you married her. You knew all you could expect was friendship and security. You knew that she only looked for a mother for Hotaru. Not for a wife, not for a lover.
It wasn't planned to fall in love!
Michiru sighed deeply.
But it's better not to be loved in return than to be beaten down every day by a rude earl who doesn't need, who doesn't want, who doesn't know me at all.
Love you.
Michiru sobbed again quietly and was glad that there was no servant and no dragon breeder around who could have seen her cry.
Hai, I love you, Ruka. Even if it's in vain...
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The round cheeks were redden, the small forehead was hot. Too hot. Dark eyes sparkled feverish and Hotaru whimpered as Michiru changed carefully her clothes. The small body trembled and was covered with sweat.
"Darling?" whispered the young woman concerned and leaned her forehead against her daughter's one. "You've got fever, darling." She said and carried her carefully over to the bathroom to wash her. Hotaru's dark eyes widened as she felt the water around her shaking body and started desperately to scream. Tears shimmered in her eyes and wetted her burning face. Her fists were clenched but she was too tired to beat around her.
"Hush, honey. It's over in a second." Carefully Michiru dried her daughter, helped her in her nappies and in a soft, warm pyjama and laid her back into her cradle. Then she opened determined the door and looked around for a guard.
"Princess?" he asked and bowed deeply before her.
"Fetch the doc. I have to see him. Right now!" she said shortly and wanted to turn around.
"But he's in the capital right now. One of the lord's daughter broke her leg and complaints that the plastercast is too hot. So he won't be back before dusk."
Shortly Michiru looked out of the window. It was one hour past noon. Too much time till moonset.
"It's normal that plastercasts are too hot. My right arm had been broken when I was five. But it doesn't kill anyone. It's simply unpleasant. But high fever is for a small child very dangerous." Michiru took a deep breath. "Go and fetch the doc. It's alike what he says. I await him here in ten minutes and he doesn't dare to yell at you. This is my order and you only tell it to him."
She turned around and stepped again into the light room. Hotaru didn't really sleep. She only laid there and gasped hard for a high, fast breath. Her face was already covered again with sweat and to see those tears running over redden cheeks made Michiru's heart break. She sat down next to the cradle and tried to dry the face with a soft towel. Then she waited.
"Princess Michiru?" Exactly ten minutes later the doctor arrived. He was a little bit out of breath and looked really concerned.
"Sorry to interrupt your visit with the lord's daughter, but suddenly she has high fever and I... I don't know what to do..." Michiru swallowed hard while he kneeled down next to the cradle and took the whimpering baby in his skinny arms. "I am feeling so helpless, doc. Please, help her."
He nodded and laid Hotaru carefully down on a huge pillow and stripped her pyjama. Then he reached into his bag to listen to the regular but hard heart breath.
"Did she freeze the last time? Because it's very dangerous for small children to live on Uranus. Outside it's very hot but in the underground it's too cold and then they get a flu or even worse." The doctor watched her over the rim of his glasses and saw how she got paler. How an angry expression appeared on her face and how her blue eyes started to sparkle in rage.
"I'll kill those priests! It's alike what Ruka says about them and those bloody traditions, but I'll surely kill them!" Michiru clenched her fists. "It's all their fault. Our wedding ceremony and the adoption took place in a huge church underground and all Himme-chan wore was some silky, too thin clothes. She froze like hell and it took me some minutes to convince those bloody priests to give me a warm pyjama for her!"
Ruka? Himme-chan?
The old doctor smiled a tender smile while he stroke over redden cheeks of a girl he helped to give birth to. Just like its father. Just like its grandfather who died ten years ago in a tragic accident.
"Don't do that, princess. Otherwise it would be very boring on Uranus without all those crazy priests." He giggled and took a bottle with a green fluid out of his bag. "Princess Hotaru has a small cold. Nothing to worry about. Just let her take this medicine and try to keep her fever down with a wet towel." Again he stroke over redden cheeks. "But this illness isn't dangerous."
"Not as dangerous as her real mother's illness?" asked Michiru after she took a deep breath. It was a topic she knew she would never talk openly about with Haruka. But she knew that the doctor had been there during Hotaru's birth. Maybe he'd tell her a little bit more and helped her to get a better picture about the woman who stole her Ruka's heart before she was able to fight for it.
"No." Suddenly the doctor looked very old. "Princess Rumiko had a weak heart. She always had. Prince Haruka knew that he had to play careful with her – even before his parents died. She was very fast out of breath and exhausted. Every doctor told her to be careful with her body and that she should wait to get a baby." Again he sighed deeply. "She was only eighteen when she got pregnant and all doctors wanted her to abort the child. I have to admit, I talked to her, too and wanted her to chose for her own life, not for the child. But Rumiko wanted this child to be born and so she suffered for nine months and died finally during Hotaru's birth." The doctor helped the baby again in her pyjama. "I have to admit that I didn't expect her to be able to give birth to our small princess. I believed that she would die a long time before the birth. But she fought hard until the end." The doctor gave Hotaru in Michiru's arms and put the bottle on the table.
"You're a bit like Rumiko, Michiru. You also fight for the ones you love. A normal nursemaid wouldn't have called me from the lord's daughter and a normal princess would have never shouted at the priests to get a warm pyjama for our princess during the adoption ceremony. You love this planet, although it only consists of desert and it's very hard to let anything grow in the hot sand. And you feel for the people here. You would never do anything to harm them. And you love our prince. Don't deny it, I can see it in your eyes. I've seen that look a lot in my long life. Between Haruka's parents, between my own children and my children's children. And now between the prince and you." Shortly he placed his bony hands on her shoulders.
"Haruka needs you. Maybe even more than she needed Rumiko. Please, princess Michiru, don't leave Haruka, what ever happens. She lost too many people in her young life."
Michiru swallowed hard and watched him in silence. Unable to say anything. Unable to move. Unable to react in any way.
"I'll be back in about an hour to see again after our princess. Try to give her the medicine. I know it's bitter, but it helps. And let her get some sleep. Sleep is the best medicine of all."
With those words he took his bag and left the room. Michiru could hear him talking to the guards until his steps vanished somewhere in the huge palace.
She lost too many people in her young life.
Michiru swallowed hard and suddenly knew why Haruka had been able to hide her female body for all those years.
She...
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She awoke by the noise of exciting dragons. They screamed loud and high. Michiru rose from her bed and rubbed her tired eyes. Hotaru laid in her cradle next to her and still slept. It was shortly before dawn and the girl would be hungry in about an hour. Until then she would enjoy her nice dreams.
Michiru reached her hand and carefully touched a now warm forehead. Warm, not hot. Shortly before dusk the doctor came back and they both watched over the small child almost the whole night until the fever decreased and the medicine did its job. The doctor told her something more about the time when the king and queen had been still alive and Haruka an innocent, happy child. After some hours she asked him if he knew about Haruka's real gender and he agreed. He helped her into this world and although all the other people seemed to forget that the wild tomboy was a girl, he remembered it. He was the only person on Uranus who knew it, because even a strong prince could be ill time by time. He kept silent and kept the secret in his heart, because he knew what it meant for his prince, for Uranus and all the people when someone found out about Haruka's real gender.
At midnight he left after he was sure that Hotaru was fine and that the girl wouldn't have any other fever attacks during the night. He promised to come back at moonrise.
There were excited voices under the dragons' screams.
"I can't believe that we're here again." Heard Michiru a well known voice of an always wild girl. Almost she could see those sparkling tears. "I can't wait to see the photos and..."
Shortly the sea princess made sure that Hotaru was safe and secure. Then she pulled a cape over her freezing body and ran out of the long corridors. Barefoot with messed hairs. The guards frowned as they saw they running by. But they didn't dare to say a word. She was going to be their future queen and they had no right to criticise her. Especially not after she cared so loving over their small princess during the last night. Of course they all knew it. The guard who fetched the doctor from a raging lord's daughter told them all in the evening when they took their meals and talked about the day.
The guards opened the huge portal and Michiru run down the steps of the big entrance door. She saw the dragon's coaches and several girls standing on the sandy ground talking excited to each other. She heard a silent sob and knew that it was Serenity who was crying.
"Michiru?" Minako turned around and looked with big eyes at the princess who looked very wild with her messed hairs and her naked feet. She only wore a almost transparent night dress she tried to cover with a white cape.
There was another one who turned around. Dark green eyes looked surprised as Michiru fell around Haruka's neck and pulled her closer.
"I am so glad to see that you're healthy, Ruka." Whispered Michiru and kissed the taller woman before Haruka even had the slightest chance to react. Automatically she embraced her in return and answered the kiss with another sweet one.
Is that real? Or am I still dreaming?
"Hey, that's what I call young love."
"Hai, being married just three weeks ago."
Ami and Minako giggled.
"I wish someone would welcome me this way when I return home." Sighed Makoto. "That's sooo romantic."
There was even more giggle and slowly Haruka and Michiru parted.
The sea princess raised her head and could see another two persons behind the Mercury sisters and the best cooks of this universe. It was Serenity who cried at someone's shoulder. At the shoulder of a tall woman with long black hairs and a long robe only priests used.
This must be Rei, Princess of Mars and senshi of the fire.
"They'll kill Endymion. I am sure. All his people are crazy!" sobbed Serenity and trembled even more in Rei's comforting embracement.
"Don't worry, we'll help you, Serenity." Whispered Michiru and stepped closer. Rei observed her for some seconds before she stretched her hand towards the smaller woman.
"Hi, I am Rei of Mars. And you must be Michiru of Uranus." She smiled an friendly and it seemed as if she didn't smile very often. "You must be the beauty our prince her talked about when Serenity didn't cry." She rolled her eyes and shook the crying girl in her arms.
"It's enough now, Serenity! You won't help him by just staying around and crying!" But Serenity only sobbed louder. Rei sighed deeply.
"I shouted at my mother when she didn't want to let me go."
"That was necessary, Serenity. She's an asshole!" said Rei determined and tried to free herself from Serenity's embracement but the girl hold her tight as if she was her only life line.
"But... but..."
Haruka took a deep breath while Ami looked very sad herself.
"It's okay, Serenity. Just let us go in my palace and have a nice breakfast. A warm cup of tea and the you'll lay down and get some sleep. You didn't sleep the whole journey and you must be exhausted. After that we'll talk about the revolution and what we're supposed to do. Okay?"
Serenity raised her head and tears sparkled in big blue eyes.
"Okay..." It was nothing more than a sob.
Slowly they all walked upstairs while servants took care for the giant dragons. To travel comfortable they needed at least two coaches. And it was better for a dragon not to carry more than four persons.
"Haruka?" Ami hold her back and automatically Michiru stopped, too. That was partly because she was curious what the so concerned looking senshi of the water had to tell her. And it was partly because Haruka hold her right hand determined tight.
"Hai?"
"I tried to contact Setsuna, but she didn't answer."
Haruka took a deep breath.
"I know. I know."
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The sky clouded during the day and a small sandstorm rushed over the desert. It got earlier dark and cold outside. But in the underground it was silent. There nothing could be heard from the storm. And the water was still warm. Pleasant warm.
She laid there at the flat side of the lake and enjoyed the warm element playing with her body. Her hairs were already wet but she didn't care about them.
It's so wonderful peaceful here.
She smiled and spread her arms while she leaned herself against the rim. Her eyes were closed and she simply let her mind drift away.
No wonder she loves it to be here. Almost every day.
She didn't hear the steps coming nearer. Nor did she see a tender smile on a slightly redden face.
She looks beautiful.
Michiru watched her Ruka for some more minutes. The taller girl only wore her shirt. It was wet and her female outlines could be seen under it. The expression was relaxed and the whole princess looked satisfied with the world and the universe.
"May I join you?" asked Michiru and giggled as she saw how Haruka opened her eyes. Now dreamy looking eyes. There was a small voice of drops falling on the surface as the tall woman raised her hands to rub her tired eyes.
Did she sleep?
Dark green eyes looked up to her, then she nodded.
"'course. This is your lake, my sea goddess." She whispered and smiled a dreamy smile. It froze as Michiru stripped her white cape and stepped closer to the rim of the deep side. She didn't wear a swimming suit and Haruka swallowed as she looked at the naked body in the dimmed planet's light. Sea green hairs fell over small shoulders and Haruka could see something sparkling between well formed breasts. It was a golden locket.
The next moment Michiru made a dive into the water and some waves surrounded Haruka who sat upright in the water and watched how a shadow dove through the warm water towards her. She winced as Michiru returned to the surface just a few inches away.
"Do you only want to lay around so lazy or do you want to swim with me?" teased the smaller princess and threw some drops into the air as she always did. Again a rainbow shimmered in the planet's light.
"Hey, I had a long journey." Growled Haruka and smiled. Then she followed her Michiru until they reached the middle of the lake. It got harder and harder, because her shirt was too heavy to swim properly. But she didn't complain. She had no swimsuit nor did she have any other clothes. Women clothes.
"Thanks again that you cared for Hotaru. The doc told me how you ordered him away from the lord's daughter. What a pity that I wasn't around to see the guard's face." Haruka almost crashed against Michiru who stopped with a sudden.
"I am glad that Himme-chan's fine again. I was really concerned about her when she had high fever." Michiru turned around and grabbed for Haruka who almost drown because of her long shirt. "And I was very concerned as the days passed by and there was no sign from you. No letter, no message."
Haruka gasped for breath over the surface.
"We didn't have enough time. It was so busy on Mercury. The queen arrived there and wanted to take Serenity back to the moon but Mina-chan's and Ami-chan's parents didn't let her go. Well, then I arrived on the planet and shortly after me Rei and Makoto. Then there was a really nasty argument with the queen and after that we simply took Serenity and left to go to Uranus. There had been a bad weather around the Saturn so that we had to stop for some days on Jimmy's moon. Gomen, I didn't want to scare you, but it's very hard to send a message when there's a bad snowstorm on Saturn." Again Haruka gasped for breath. "And the sea was very wild at Neptune, too. But now I am here again and we're all healthy."
Michiru nodded and opened some buttons.
Haruka swallowed hard and almost disappeared under the surface.
"The next time, take another shirt to take a bath. This one will kill you if you don't pay attention." Whispered Michiru and opened some more buttons until she was able to strip the heavy, wet cloth. It sunk quickly and disappeared out of sight.
"Well..." answered Haruka and blushed slightly. Automatically she crossed her arms before her naked chest and swallowed again.
And now?
"Don't worry, I brought enough towels with me to give you my cape when we'll return to the palace later." Michiru smiled and swam over to Haruka who winced away. She couldn't help but stared at Michiru's naked body in the crystal clear water.
"You're beautiful..." she whispered, not being aware of saying those words aloud.
Does she really mean it?
Michiru frowned, then she smiled again.
"Arigato. But you're beautiful, too."
Haruka blinked, then she shook her head and her wet strands pasted in her redden face.
"Don't be kidding. I know that it's not a perfect body." Haruka swallowed hard as Michiru embraced her suddenly. They both gasped as they felt each other's body on their naked flesh.
"For me it's perfect." Whispered Michiru and her blue eyes shimmered. "You're perfect." The next moment she grabbed Haruka harder and pulled her down with her. Under the surface. Into the water. Into a calm, still world only they knew right now. Only they shared with each other.
Haruka's eyes grew wide and she hold her breath. She saw Michiru right beside her. A blurred shadow.
What is she doing now?
The taller woman knew that she would soon need new breath. But at the same time she knew that her Michi-chan would never let her drown.
The embracement tightened and the next moment she felt soft lips on her own. She repeated the embracement and returned the kiss with all her feelings. With all the love she had to admit the longer she knew the smaller princess.
She's not like Rumiko. She's Michiru. My Michi-chan. And I love her the way she is...
Her breath got rare and she knew that she would need to return to the surface. But the water was so warm and the soft body next to her, she would have never given up this for anything else.
Michiru let go, but took her face in her hands the next moment. Haruka's eyes grew wide as warm air was blew in her mouth. In her lungs to let her stay a little bit longer in this ocean of peace.
Deep blue eyes looked directly into dark green ones.
The next moment they returned towards the surface and both took a deep breath.
"How..." gasped Haruka and stroke some wet strands out of her eyes. "How could you do that?"
"Remember, I am born on Neptune. I am a daughter of the sea and I can hold my breath for a longer time than you can." Michiru smiled a tender smile. "I am able to swim with the fishes like you're able to lead your dragons high in the sky."
Haruka nodded, still a little bit dizzy from the kiss.
"I wanted to thank you for your gift." Said the smaller princess and hold the jewellery over the surface. Drops ran over gold and sparkled mysteriously.
Just like mysterious as her eyes...
"Oh, if that's your way to thank for just a small gift, then you'll get every day something you like." Teased Haruka still out of breath. "What do you want tomorrow?"
Now or never!
Michiru swam towards her and embraced her again. But this time she didn't pull her under the surface. This time she simply hold her tight and cared that both of them kept over the shaking water.
"You!" was all Michiru said before she kissed the tall woman again.
First Haruka returned the sweet touch, but then she interrupted it and looked deep into shinning blue eyes.
"Are... are you sure?" she asked and saw how the smile on Michiru's smile froze. "I mean, I am not the perfect husband and there're a lot of people outside who are..."
"I love you."
It was nothing more than a whisper but Haruka heard those three silent words. She raised her eyebrows and saw suddenly tears running down over now pale cheeks.
She really means it...
Haruka swallowed hard and took Michiru's hand and they swam back to the flat side of the lake. Silence surrounded them that was partly broken by Michiru's desperate sobs. The tall princess let her sit down on the sandy underground and kneeled before her.
"I know... I know that I am not Rumiko and I know..." sobbed Michiru and tried to cover her face with her shaking hands. But Haruka hold her back and took her face in her hands. Tenderly she wiped away those bitter tears and forced her to look straight into her green eyes. They were a shade darker than normal. And for the first time Michiru looked into them they were filled with love.
It can't be... can it?
"No, you aren't Rumiko. You are my Michi-chan." Whispered Haruka and smiled loving down into a pale face. "You're a little bit like Rumiko but at the same time you're a complete different person, Michi-chan." The tall woman took a deep breath. She knew that it was hard to talk about feelings. Especially for her. But she knew that this was maybe her only chance to say that she loved someone – and to be loved in return.
"I'll never forget Rumiko. She was my best friend while I grew up. But you're my best friend now, Michi-chan. I wanna grow up with you. I wanna become old and take care for Himme-chan and someday for our grandchildren." There was a pause of silence but Michiru didn't interrupt the taller princess. She wasn't able to. All she could do was to stare in green eyes and to listen to that tender, low voice.
"I love you, Michi-chan. For the person you are. I love YOU. You who cared so much about Himme-chan. You who didn't push me away when you found out that I am a girl. You who comforted me each time I was sad or feeling ill." Haruka smiled unsure. "I love you, Michi-chan, who kisses me so loving."
With those words she leaned forward and kissed her again with all her feelings. Michiru wrapped her arms around the naked waist and pulled her closer. Still their legs were covered with warm water and the small planet's light shone down at them.
"You mean it honestly, don't you?" asked Michiru after their kiss ended slowly. Haruka grinned wolfish, then she nodded.
"Of course. You're my wife. Why should I lie to you?"
My wife.
Both of them stared long in each other's eyes before they shared another long kiss.
It lasted the whole night.
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