Author's Note: Thank you everyone so much for the kind comments! Hope you're loving this story :) If you want to read another enemies-to-lovers, check out my recently completed fic, Cruelty! It's Dimande x Usa without all the gross SA stuff :)
Moon Kingdom, Silver Millennium
Serenity brushed her hair as she stared out her window.
From this point of view, she could see the Earth perfectly. She liked that her window faced that way, it gave her every excuse to stare at the blue planet for hours on end as she pretended to do her lessons or as she got ready for bed. Ever since meeting Endymion in the garden at her party, she was possessed with the thought of visiting him one day on that planet.
But for now, she only had her imagination to keep her busy. She palmed at her silky blonde hair, running the sterling silver brush mindlessly over the same chunk of hair.
If she had only known who he was when she first saw him, she might've not ventured out to the water. It didn't even occur to her that he might be roaming around all on his own. In fact, it didn't occur to her that he might even be there at all. In the many years she had lived at the castle, she had only met Prince Endymion once when he was only 12, and at that age he was pig-headed and raucous. Since then, the king (when he did visit) came on his own.
So when she saw a handsome young man out by the lake, her first thought wasn't that it was Endymion. Quite the opposite. No one had mentioned to her that the prince would be joining his father, then again people often "forgot" to mention the goings on of the castle to Serenity. Everyone, including her mother, liked to feign ignorance to their treatment of her, as if she were some sort of doll too fragile to understand the real world. If she was going to rule this place, she needed some experience.
A handsome stranger in the garden caught her eye, and instead of cowering like a perfect princess overly concerned with manners and protocol, she slipped out a side door to join him. Being the princess and all, she rarely had a chance to talk to strangers one-on-one. Especially boys.
A chaperone was always two steps behind her, or if she was lucky, two steps ahead. She had just come out in society and while she thought it a few more years until she settled down, she never expected that she could fall so hard this fast.
Everyone always made love seem like some sort of elaborate spectacle. Two people meet (with the necessary attendants), they discuss something boring like the color of the walls or the quality of the food, they meet again and then their families come together. Both the girl and boy are examined like prized livestock up for slaughter. Each hair is combed perfectly, each outfit steamed and fluffed.
And then an agreement is made. And then, eventually, they fall in love.
So imagine her surprise when a few moments alone along an enchanted lake made her feel as if her body was weightless and leaden at the same time. His eyes sparkled like the stars, his smile made warmth pull from all directions of her body. Late at night, she lay in her bed, tossing and turning, imagining him kissing her and running his fingers down her bare navel.
When his attendant said Endymion's name, she didn't believe it. What were the odds?
It had been weeks since she had last seen him in real life, but not in her dreams. During the waking hours, she tried to hide the dazed expression of forlorn love that now tortured her every single day. Nothing got past her Sailor Guardians, though. Especially not this.
"Daydreaming again, are we?" Venus walked into the room with a tea tray. Wafts of black tea billowed in the air as she set it down and poured the two each a cup. Serenity didn't leave the window, instead sighing and leaning up against the frame.
"Not daydreaming, just thinking."
"Is there a big difference?" Venus scooped a sugar cube from a porcelain container and plopped it into her cup. "I know you're picturing yourself kissing Endymion, you don't need to be shy."
Serenity scoffed but smiled, putting her hairbrush down and joining Venus at the small table. She poured a splash of milk in her piping hot tea, added a cube of sugar, and spun her spoon as she sighed.
"Is it wrong to want to be kissed?" She rested her cheek in her hand. "And it's not as if I love him or anything, it's just that I wish I could capture the way he made me feel and drink it until I die."
"Ah, yes," Venus smiled. "Nothing dramatic at all."
The two sipped their tea and Serenity felt something else simmer between them. Venus regularly visited the princess in her chamber, but something about this felt strange. Call it a sixth sense: Serenity felt like there was something Venus was waiting to tell her. She eyed her friend with suspicion.
"So, what brings you here this evening?"
Venus cleared her throat and smoothed down a piece of her long, blonde hair.
"Well," she curled the hair in between two of her fingers. "Your mother wanted me to come talk to you about a mission we're going on in a few days, one that you're not permitted to join us on."
Serenity knew it. That feeling floating in the air was anxiousness and shame. The Sailor Scouts went on missions alone all the time, and every once in a while if she begged hard enough, Queen Serenity would let her daughter go, too. The scouts, on the other hand, always wanted her to join, and felt guilty going on without her. Never had there been a time where preemptively she was told no.
"And what is this mission for?" She tried to act disinterested, but Venus saw right through her.
"It's to the Earth Kingdom." There it was. "We want to continue peace talks with King Endymion and his court because things didn't go as planned at the ball."
Serenity was always in the dark. How did her mother expect her to rule if everything that went on in the walls of these castles was kept private from her? For months, there had been whispers about this conflict with the Earth Kingdom, and if it wasn't for her tendency to eavesdrop and spy, she might've never figured out exactly why.
Even now she couldn't figure it out. It seemed simple to her. Queen Serenity held the Silver Millennium Crystal, which had the power to destroy the entire universe. It also had the power of prosperity if used in the right hands. The Earth Kingdom was scared of this and wanted reassurance Queen Serenity was on their side. Why not just sign a treaty and be done with it?
There was another factor here that she wasn't able to figure out, some small detail which gave everyone such pause.
"Your mother is going, as are the Sailor Scouts," Venus continued. "But you need to stay here."
"For what reason?" Usagi frowned. "Why can't I go? What is so secretive that I cannot be privy to?"
"It's complicated." Venus' shoulders sank as she fixated on her cup.
"So explain it to me." Serenity's eyes bore holes into Venus. The guardian avoided her gaze.
"We have reason to believe there's a malevolent force forming on Earth," Venus said softly, in almost a whisper. "We've picked up its dark energy in bits and pieces, discontentedness of the heart, plans to usurp the king, nothing too concrete. But in the past few weeks, it's gotten worse."
"Worse?" Serenity had heard about small uprisings, things the king assured her mother were isolated incidents. If something else had happened–if darker powers were at play–was the king lying to them?
"Yes," Venus said, her voice alarmingly serious. "Before it was small concerns–plots so insignificant that dark energy in the universe was at its normal levels. But now there's an explosion. Something is poisoning the minds of the Earth Kingdom, and I fear it might be coming from the crown."
Darkness had fallen on the Moon Kingdom many years ago, before Serenity or her mother were even born, and the tales of suffering cast a long lasting shadow. Children were taught at a young age what darkness, if unchecked, could do, and Serenity had profound respect for the Silver Millennium Crystal because of it.
In her mother's hand, the Silver Millennium Crystal was protecting from evil. She didn't even want to think what would happen if it ever fell into someone else's clutches.
"So you see why this is a bit of a sensitive issue," Venus said. "And why it might be best for you to stay home, in case things don't go as smoothly as we hope."
"But maybe I can help." Serenity wanted to help her kingdom prosper in any way she could. She wanted to be of use, not sit at home as others did the hard work.
"I think it's noble that you want to, I really do, but for now, it's best to just stay out of the way." Venus smiled as politely as she could. "And with you lusting after Endymion the way you have, I'm not sure it would be safe to take you there for a whole different reason."
Serenity laughed incredulously, but was unable to hide. Venus saw through it. "I just think he's cute, that's all! Don't go running to the dressmaker for a wedding gown just yet."
Venus shifted uncomfortably and Serenity feared what she had to say next. Of all her Sailor Guardians, Venus was balanced in her silly playfulness and her allegiance to duty. When the lighthearted friend started shifting into the no-nonsense guardian, the conversation usually took a far too serious tone.
"I don't mean this to sound hurtful," Venus said quietly. It started out exactly as Serenity thought it might. "But I just don't think that Endymion is the right one for you."
Serenity rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and sinking back into her chair as she pouted. "Yes, yes, I've heard it all before, the Earth Kingdom and the Moon Kingdom don't–"
"Mix, exactly, yes." Venus interjected. "There are so many sensitivities around the relationship between the two, and now with this new issue arising, I don't want you breaking your own heart for a love that can't exist. It's fun to daydream about and it's nice to imagine falling in love with a handsome boy, but at the end of the day you need better self preservation."
Serenity didn't want that. She wanted the blistering love, the wholly consuming feeling of Endymion's lips on hers, the promise of spending the rest of her life with someone that made her skin feel on fire. Pandora was out of the box. Endymion was the one she wanted. And while she might never get the chance to actually pursue it, she at least wanted to see him one more time. Maybe kissing him just once would get him out of her system, she reasoned.
But even she knew better than that. Kissing him would mean loving him for the rest of her life, no matter what the cost. Maybe it was better if she just stayed home.
"I know," Serenity finally relented. Venus relaxed at her response. "It's just fun to think about, that's all. A handsome prince in a far off castle."
A playful smile spread across Serenity's face as she stood up. She grabbed Venus' hands and pulled her in a dancing position. The two began waltzing around the room. Giggling, they danced, exaggerating their twirls so their skirts swung out in every direction.
"A knight in shining armor," Serenity said in a singsong voice, twirling Venus around. "A love story for the ages!"
Serenity let go and Venus fell onto the large four poster bed. Together, they laughed and caught their breath. Even though Serenity was smiling, Venus knew she was secretly disappointed. The princess wanted to find true love–she deserved it–but why did she have to fall for the one man in this entire universe she couldn't have?
Venus was the guardian of love. She understood it better than most. Sometimes love is a slow and mournful burn, passion built on years of understanding and trust. But sometimes it is a wildfire roaring out of control, a series of chemical reactions that create an entirely new state of consciousness.
Each has its own merit, but the love that bites is the worst kind. It's addictive and unpredictable. That kind of love can make people do crazy things.
Venus bid her friend goodnight with a hug. Taking the tray of empty tea cups, she headed toward the door before Serenity stopped her.
"Venus, can you do me a favor?"
She dutifully nodded her head. Before she spoke she fiddled with her thumbs and tried to muster the courage to speak.
"When you go to Earth, can you bring a bouquet of roses, just for me? You can tell Endymion–the whole court, actually–that it's a kind gesture."
Roses were Serenity's favorite. Venus nodded her head. It was a request she would be happy to fulfill. If the two star-crossed lovers could never be together in real life, what harm would a simple flower do? And besides, while roses were romantic, giving one to the entire court might be seen as a kind and cordial gesture to everyone, not just the handsome prince.
As she walked down the corridor of the palace, Venus thought to herself that all of this might be the beginning of a huge shift. Bad things aside, Serenity and the guardians were all getting older. And with age came more responsibilities. They were going to experience love, possibly starting families if Serenity allowed it. On the horizon sat a slew of possibilities, futures so bright that Venus felt her heart race a little in anticipation.
The stalemate with Earth would resolve, the darkness would be rooted out and vanquished, and life in the Moon Kingdom would continue on for thousands of years under the shining light of Serenity and the Silver Millennium Crystal.
Her foot caught under a rug and the tray went flying, smashing the china all over the marbled floor. A nearby servant came to help, but Venus was already on the ground. As she lifted herself up, and tried sweeping the shattered pieces of porcelain into her hand and back on the tray. One jagged shard sliced into her, and while it wasn't deep, it was right on the fleshy part of her palm.
Blood spilled onto the floor. Venus grabbed a napkin and pressed down, watching the crimson red bloom against the white fabric.
She was a clumsy girl sometimes. Everyone knew that. But as she watched the sanguine liquid seep each fiber, each stitch becoming consumed by it, her heart raced for a different reason. Omens came in many forms. Why did this feel like one of them?
"Are you alright?" The servant pulled up Venus and inspected her hand.
"I'm alright…" She felt a little light headed. "I'm alright."