It all felt too easy, Endymion and his men would be arriving on the Moon in a mere few days, a revolutionary event in itself. After untold many generations of Terran Kings all it took was Endymion's persistent letters and some rather spur of the moment advice by herself which just felt, convenient. Sure there was a power play here that was undeniable with Endymion's eagerness to join the Silver Alliance should he wield the Golden Crystal, swearing allegiance to the Moon Kingdom as all the others had. Power hungry as the motive was, Venus could not deny the brilliance of the move on her Queen's part. If everything went as planned, it would in fact be the strongest partnership Queen Serenity could have ever possibly made.
There was no clean way about it though, the moment Earth's people learned about the magic Endymion and the Four Kings harbored, rebellion was inevitable. And when they found out their Prince was in love with the Moon Princess? Anarchy. Dangerous to assume as it was, she figured Endymion would agree that it would be better to have the power on his side than to face the wrath of his people alone without it. Not to mention there was still their King to consider, poor heartsick broken man that he was, he still held the power until the Prince was crowned. Venus tapped her pen against her lip in thought, wincing at how casually she thought of it all. It was dangerous, it was all so incredibly dire- and yet there was no going back on it. Endymion had made up his mind, Serenity to in love, to eager to include everyone in their initiative of absolute peace.
Venus frowned at the thought Endymion might have to make those decisions one day. It was against her better judgment that she decided she liked the Terrans she'd met so far, it helped that Serenity had never been happier. Staring at the documents sprawled across her desk she wondered how she was going to do it all, let alone get all this work done before the Terrans arrived. She was too busy to dwell on it, with so many arrangements to make and security to plan for before they arrived it would simply have to wait until the outcome of this trip was decided. Then Venus could focus, and figure out next moves. Thus far she'd played this out so carefully, yet sometimes she wondered if things were going too well, or even if her Queen knew what was happening. Queen Serenity was certainly giving them full Moon Kingdom hospitality with a packed agenda over three days that involved a lot of luxury and very little business. She seemed eager, and almost as excited as the Princess that raised suspicion within her about what the Silver Queen knew, and wasn't sharing.
It was later in the morning than Venus was comfortable with seeing Serenity return from her errands to Earth, her eyes narrowing as Mars stopped in front of one of the hall mirrors to appraise herself, shifting her hair with purpose over a shoulder, not even noticing Venus and her impatient glare. Her arms folded over her chest, fingers drumming while she shifted to tap her foot on the polished marble floor to watch the strange behavior of her fiery friend.
"A bit late don't you think?" Mars jumped with a start, turning to glower at her while continuing to run her fingers through her hair nervously as though to conceal something. "At this hour someone could have easily seen she was absent."
"Trust me, I'm aware. It won't happen again." Mars gave a tired sigh, being a bit too timid for her liking. With a hardened stare Venus made the few steps forward to pull back the luminous black curtain of her hair from her pale neck to reveal some deepened red marks of her own.
"Mars!" She gasped, shifting the hair back in place to cover her. Her wide blue eyes met the shameful violet of her friend who flushed, taking a small step out of Venus's grasp. "Which one?"
"I don't know what happened.. I was fighting with him, I mean REALLY fighting, and he was being a passionate fool and the next thing I know..." Venus watched as Mars shivered beneath some memory, nearly sliding on the marble floors in her stilettos as she fell against the wall behind her. "Jadeite."
"I thought we were doing well to stay professional with Endymion's guard." Venus frowned, she could hear it in her exasperated sigh that it was far too late to save Mars from love's wrath. She only prayed there was no red fated link to tie her to him. That it was truly and isolated incident because it was completely out of character or Mars to bend to the will of some man, especially a Terran like Jadeite. She couldn't blame her, he was gorgeous as a Venusian and charming as a Martian, if not a bit on the crude side. Even then it was so unlike Mars to give into anyone, even herself. "I feel like you're grossly misunderstanding how grave this is!"
"I know...I'm sorry." Her deep violet eyes trailed to the floor in front of her, uneasing Venus further that she would be so fast to apologize. Mars was far too stubborn for that.
"Okay quit it, you aren't being yourself and it's creepy." Venus gestured wildly, pulling the raven haired warrior to her feet with a tight arm around her waist.
"Now who's being creepy." Mars bit with a suspicious glare at her golden counterpart. Venus giggled lightly and kissed her cheek, noting the hint of something manly mingling with her usual scent of incense and jasmine. Even she could recognize that scent as the mischievous Jadeite, and she'd only gotten close enough the once.
"Well now that it's happened, you know I need to know every detail."
"You are no Princess but a soldier of the most perverse! How does anyone see fit to call you a lady?" Mars pretended to be scandalized, turning Venus' laugh near villainous with her glare. She watched her friend's face fall, seeing enough unease in her wide violet stare to sober her, and Venus further became worried. Mars gave a small, dark laugh in her throat. "I'm afraid we woke their head General, Kunzite. He scared the life out of me, I thought a Lunar guard had followed and we'd been discovered. I almost summoned you."
"I wish you would have. I'm sure he was the perfect grump." Venus mused with a light squeeze around her waist with images of a sleepy Kunzite. Perhaps his hair was out of place for once, she often imagined he was so married to his duties he even slept in that uniform of his. Mars however, found no amusement in it.
"He was certainly not amused, more like a groggy lost child in the middle of the night. Even so, he was quite proper in introductions, I only hope Jadeite and I didn't... further keep him awake." Mars grew sheepish again, a betraying flush tinting her ears and cheeks while she refused to meet Venus' concerned stare.
"Do you love him?" She looked warily at the Martian as her cheeks flushed further, brows furrowing just so.
"I...I've only met him a few times. Absolutely not. We have our orders... it's forbidden and shouldn't have happened." Venus wanted to scoff, she'd done less compromising things and told herself this more times than she could count. It didn't make her curiosity any less severe. "It was a moment of passion, he's just not as bad as I thought he was and I lost myself for a moment." Mars sighed shakily, either sorrow or regret seeming to take hold of her. "You know I don't love him. I don't even know him."
"It's okay. Yes it's forbidden, maybe it shouldn't have happened, but you can't be strong all the time. The heart knows what it wants better than we do most of the time. Regardless we really, REALLY need to stay professional with them, even when our hearts tell us otherwise. We are both tasked with the same job from opposite ends and we cannot guard properly or strategize if we are so deeply distracted." Mars nodded allowing Venus to hold her just a little bit tighter as they walked toward their rooms.
"My heart said no such thing. I am no Venusian, I need affection from no man." It didn't put her mind at ease. Venus felt sickened with intuition about this. Four of his guard to her four, all surrounded by fate and destiny...
"Or woman it seems." Venus winked, causing Mars' eyes to roll, head shaking in disbelief of the Venusian's antics. Typical as they were. "I NEED nothing from anyone. Venusians are resilient, and I pride myself on being more self sufficient. They choose love, I chose duty."
"You're married to it." Mars grumbled, glancing unamused and unconvinced at her leader. "From what I remember you chose nothing. You weren't offered the chance..."
"I would have chosen it anyway. This is too important Mars... to important to risk on beautiful men and primal urges." Mars blanched, glaring further as the point had been taken. "Besides it seems I will need to reiterate to Jupiter our stance with them also. She's been a bit more distracted of late as well." Her point further proven by a beautiful alto ringing out in song from behind the Jovian's door as she no doubt prepared herself for the day.
"I wouldn't worry so much about her. While I'm typically the more disciplined of us, I think Jupiter is more concerned with the more strict laws of her own planet. Her punishment would be vastly worse than ours." Venus gave a nod, kissing her friend gently when they finally stopped in front of the doors to the Mars' rooms. There was always something knowing in her eyes. She was no Pluto and yet her intuitions were uncanny. She fidgeted for a moment before her gloved hand found Venus' shoulder and her eyes hardened in an expression much more like herself. "Venus I must tell you... the fires spoke of a Pale Knight. At first I thought perhaps they spoke of Jadeite, some premonition. But I saw Kunzite and... just please do not let down your guard. Do not be careless."
"Why issue me such warnings? Did you see me in your visions?" Her lips tensed, brow raised in interest of course. Any new information could change the course of her whole mission, it didn't hurt to know any other details about this draw she felt toward the Terran General... for professional reasons.
"You know I must take great care in what I reveal about my visions. Just... watch your back." Venus scoffed with a seemingly carefree smile, when truly her stomach clenched into knots. It was true that when a Martian was as strong in their premonitions as Mars was that they were held to the same standards of Plutonians. Once a certain level of potency was reached they could be held under Martian laws as well as Plutonian, depending on the outcome, changing the course of a fixed event could mean death. Mars was the only Martian known to have such strength in her premonitions. Her psyche strong enough to alter the mind should she will it.
"General Kunzite is a gargoyle. He is however a powerful ally, we'd do well to stay on his good side if he has one." She tried to be reassuring, tucking the warning safely in her mind for later should she need it, blaming the sweat that broke out over her body on the immense heat from the fires behind the Martian's doors. "I'll keep it in mind, but it's advice for us all. If we stay professional and stick to our jobs, the only forbidden affair we'll need to concern ourselves with is between Serenity and Endymion, and my hopes are that it won't be forbidden too much longer."
Mars nodded, turning to disappear between the heat soaked room, flooding the hallway with heat in the process. Venus frowned, pretending she didn't see something pained in her soldier's face before the door closed. She placed a gloved hand on the carved wood once it shut. How she pitied, and envied her dearest friend, her heart heavy with half a mind to blast Jadeite next time she saw him. She prayed to her Mother for strength, knowing she'd have to find it in herself, she continued in her errand down the hallway. This visit had to go flawlessly, for so many reasons. Mars had only given her one more.
Venus wasn't immune to the tension that took over the entirety of the Moon Palace the day before their arrival. She had painstakingly seen to it that everything was in place for the duration of their stay which left her with a staggering small amount of duties to attend to. Their normal schedules would be interrupted of course, as she and her girls would have little time to study or train, and yet night shifts were still sadly a necessity. Seemingly the entire palace retired for the night almost directly after dinner, meaning for the first time in years she was left to deal with the chaos of her thoughts.
Crawling into bed, Venus couldn't help but ponder over everything about Kunzite, deciding to face the big silver elephant in her mind for any reason or way out of her infatuation with him before she'd face him in person. She never was good about being honest with herself under circumstances such as these, she avoided anything that might land her anywhere near the realms of love but Venus was attracted to him, she'd never be able to deny that in a million years. He was beautiful, the obvious first thing she'd noticed, and told herself more than she was proud that it was the extent of her draw to him. It had been easy to convince herself that it was beauty alone to draw her to Ryo, even that Venusian man to leave it for what it was, shallow as a puddle. Yet when she tried to do that with Kunzite she suddenly found herself drowning.
On the surface, the cold, stoic warlord was just a man. Not impervious to primal needs and wants as his reputation suggested. He certainly was not the warmest or most welcoming of people, but after spending perhaps more time than should have been allowed with him, Venus could see there was so much more beneath his stone shell. She frowned to herself when her chest seemed to tighten around her breath, why couldn't he just be the cold, rude, boring man she thought he was initially? Why did her curiosity get the better of her as it always did, forcing her to look deeper into someone she should by all rights never have known?
Venus shifted restlessly in the red satin of her sheets, frowning and refusing to gaze out the window at the planet she'd been denied of visiting for too many nights. She would have said it was for the best, if only Mars and Jupiter hadn't seemingly fallen prey to a similar fate as her Princess. Gods she hoped the fates were kind enough to not weave the red threads between them, and yet her intuition told her that her hopes would fall on deaf ears. As a divine incarnation of Aphrodite herself, it was probably the only intuition of hers she could trust.
She thought of grey eyes again, his sharp features and silver hair, telling herself perhaps she would take out her frustrations on one of the Venusian guard she'd borrowed from her armies as increased security during the Terran's visit. It would certainly prove a more interesting experience than the Lunar guard she'd previously occupied herself by. An idea that fell flat in favor of tossing and turning more with a frustrated groan, twisting in her sheets because something about it was just wrong now.
She gave a pitiful whimper at the memory of his fingertips so lightly trailing down her arms, the sheen of his skin beneath the open shirt he wore last she saw him. Suddenly those horrible words echoed in her mind. She was owned, a Venusian whore, unable to give, or feel affections for another because she was a slave. She was owned by her duties and had become enslaved by them, by love for a Princess accompanied by the deep want for something more. Venus growled, throwing the covers off of her in frustration, sitting up to greet the empty room.
"Professional indeed..." She murmured to herself, burrowing her fingers into the fringe around her eyes. Her mind had been rampant with Mars' warning, memories of gardens, when she swore he was going to kiss her, and that hot summer night in the fountain. All that seduction and all he wanted was to know her name. Venus rolled her eyes at herself, knowing she should have been far more concerned with whatever Endymion had planned for the following day, and if Serenity would behave well enough knowing the girl was potentially the world's worst liar. Especially when she was excited. She fell back against her pillows with a harsh sigh, allowing her sights to fall out the window toward the looming Earth with its slow swirling clouds that lulled her so slowly into a not so restful sleep.
It felt like no time at all, the hour unknown and early when four very anxious girls bombarded through her bedroom doors. Venus groaned, opening her eyes to the parade of girls holding colorful gowns, jewelry, and shoes. Each no doubt prepared to raid her makeup, or jewelry or whatever else they saw fit to borrow. Her room became noisy with chatter she couldn't be mad about, whispers of forbidden meetings and speculation about how the trip would go and what progress would be made. She lay there content for a moment just to watch them as they began peeling off night clothes to help each other into whatever dress they had chosen for the occasion. Venus allowed it to strip away the bitterness of her own thoughts from the night before, because who could possibly be discontented by a life beside these four beautiful, amazing girls?
"You're going to need to get your ass out of bed if you want to look even half decent." Mars peered over her shoulder knowingly, giving her a teasing wink while she adjusted the red dress she slipped into and reached for a hairbrush. Venus knew her own gold mane was no doubt a comical rats nest from all her tossing and turning, the bags under her eyes dark, and her pallor probably a bit paler than she would have liked. So she untangled herself from her sheets with a dangerous smirk, stopping to kiss Serenity softly on the lips, and lovingly pinch Mars on the behind in passing to her bathroom so she could retreat for damage control.
"I'll still look better than you Pyro." Venus winked with a giggle before she shut the door, dodging the cushion Mars threw before it could hit her. She allowed herself a quick shower to relieve her the dark circles under her eyes and to re-scent her hair and skin with the orange oils she loved, mingling with the sweet scent of honeysuckle she was obsessed with. The girls were all dressed of course, helping each other with jewelry and makeup and Venus was left stunned by how beautiful they all looked while she was dressed in nothing but her thin red satin robe. A room full of primping Goddesses.
Venus smiled silently to herself, only half listening to their chatter almost as if they were normal girls for a moment. Definitely not as though they were about to welcome three otherwise very forbidden alien men onto their planet. Half annoyed, Mars helped Venus dry her hair, making sure it lay straight and shimmering before she adorned the golden locks with her red ribbon. She smugly ate a cranberry- orange muffin Jupiter brought her for breakfast while Mars worked on perfecting the hair Venus was ever so proud of, reaching behind her to feed her friend grapes in exchange for not burning her hair with her magic.
Once satisfied, she quickly helped Jupiter into her gown, tying a rose colored sash around the waist of her forest green, quite modest Grecian dress of the same flowing fabric of most of her skirts. Along with her height, she was forever envious that the curled state of Jupiter's auburn hair was natural so any style she created was effortlessly glamorous. Goddess of Beauty or not, Venus was often jealous of many of the other girl's features. She was running sufficiently late, becoming distracted as was typical for her, she hurried to her own wardrobe then, in search of a gown that would impress- but not embarrass the more modest Terrans and her pure and honorable Queen. She chose a garment carefully, something elegant and more suited to her status. Something half warrior and half Princess, but still Venusian.
"Are you sure that's appropriate Venus?" Jupiter eyeballed her, eyebrows to her hairline like the rest of them when she emerged from her wardrobe in a pale gold silk garment with flowing sheer skirts that showed flashes of her legs through high slits when she walked, held up by matching sheer straps that flattered her now fuller chest and yet shockingly stayed somewhat modest in comparison to her other gowns. Uncomfortable as it was, the best part of the dress was a solid gold under bust corset that had detailed cutouts like lace that flickered in the light when she moved. It was a darker gold, settling just under her breasts to push them up slightly, paired with a matching darker gold pair of gladiator sandals that laced up to her knees.
"I think you look AMAZING!" Serenity gushed, rarely seeing Venus out of her uniform these days. Venus beamed at the girls, twirling in front of a mirror to appraise herself.
"I will choose to take that as a compliment Jupiter, and thank you Serenity- it's a very special day so it calls for a special dress, hm? Besides, someone has to outdo Mars, you look gorgeous!" She did too, it was always questioned if somehow their Martian soldier hadn't been born divinely. Her beauty was natural, but brought out by the red number she wore, emphasizing the crimson of her lips and cheeks and as always showcased a pair of legs Venus would have traded for in a heartbeat. "You ALL look gorgeous... " Venus beamed with sparkling eyes that danced among them excitedly. She moved to help Mercury finish getting ready, adding a touch of makeup and silver jewelry to bring out more of the beauty that she had, but she was always so modest about.
"Why do I have to do this again?" Mercury was ringing her hands in front of her, eyes wide and scared. It would be her to retrieve the Terran party, her very first time on Earth.
"First of all..." Venus began, placing some strategic barrettes in her deep blue hair, "you're the least emotionally compromised besides myself, who is needed here by the way. Second of all, you are the most talented at the whole teleportation thing- you invented it or what not." She smiled brightly again, satisfied with her handiwork she gave the blue haired nymph a pat on the shoulder. "You'll do great! Just try not to gawk at the pretty men. You look STUNNING by the way!"
"You'd better tell Artemis not to leave my side..." Mercury groaned, hiding her face in her hands with a vibrant flush.
"Oh, he isn't going with you." Venus stated matter-of-factly, adjusting her red ribbon in the mirror, pleased with the hourglass silhouette her corset gave her. Like she needed much help in that department.
"WHAT!?" Her blue eyes were wide, and her breathing became labored in her anxiety.
"Oh relax, he'll be there with Luna to greet the Terran party. It's too much to teleport all three of you and bring six people back. Once you land on the front terrace the girls and I will join you as soon as the Prince and his consorts...adjust." Venus smiled again, ignoring the icy glare Mercury gave as she headed toward the door.
"Fine. Let's get this over with." She muttered, disappearing through the doors in a sweep of deep blue satin. Venus did well to hide her own anxiety, taking strategic deep breaths while she did final checks to make sure nothing was out of place on her girls, or any other arrangement that might go awry during their stay. She'd never seen him without the cover of a black Earthen night, wondering if his own silver countenance would merely blend in and become lost and faded by the silver daylight of their planet, or could he possibly grow more beautiful as the God she'd sworn he was? Venus shivered, reminding herself of the task at hand and prayed to whatever God would listen that Endymion studied her notes, and took her advice.
Venus thought she might throw up when Mercury sent the signal to her communicator. She gave her girls a last once over, making sure not a hair was out of place before they fell into formation and strode like the Goddesses they were toward the Palace main entrance. Venus set her jaw, lifting her chin to steel herself as they stepped out into the silver light of morning, still unprepared for the two Heavenly Kings and their Prince who stunned by Moonlight and devastated by the light of day. Sure, their complexions a bit pale due to the method of travel they'd never experienced, but they were flawed and radiant. So rough against the serene and too perfect surroundings and surreal all the same. Perfect as though they belonged there with something rugged that was utterly Terran.
Had the Queen herself not been present Venus knew it would have been an impossible task not to gawk at them. She was certain the Princess' poker face was nearly non existent during introductions when Endymion dropped to his knee before the Moon Goddess and her daughter. Queen Serenity had gushed over the Terran party, as enraptured by the men's beauty as they all were. It made her stomach churn, hoping that she was being sincere as it was sometimes hard to tell with the stalwart Queen and her beautiful coin-like silver eyes.
The Earthen Prince stood out perhaps the most in his black armor and red lined cape decorated with silver accents, blue eyes sparkling and embodying a midday midnight, smile perfect, dimpled and possibly the most charming she'd ever seen. He was soft, chiseled, and boyish all at once, solidifying her understanding that Princess Serenity hadn't stood any chance against him. Endymion was absolutely perfect. Zoisite was beautiful as she knew he was but his coloring all the richer in the light of day. The coppery blonde tones of his hair, the vibrant green of his eyes that were child like and darted around them with unabashed curiosity. He held youth in his favor, a lavish life it appeared despite the disheveled appearance of his curly hair that truly only added to his appeal, and the soft appearance of his skin. It may have been a matter of personal preference, but any preparation she'd done to face General Kunzite immediately fell in vain at first glimpse of him, the other two Earthen born men forgotten.
Thankfully introductions were swift, the Queen anxious to give Endymion a tour before their meeting. She skirted by, scarcely paying attention to what was being said for the effort it took for Venus not to gawk at the leader of Earth's armies. Kunzite's face was as she knew it would be, that silent mask of indifference that would have infuriated her had she not been so stricken by features she knew he'd possessed, but hadn't been able to fully appreciate them by the light of day. Venus could think of a thousand words to describe his utterly refined ruggedness, his elegant but crude beauty, but they all seemed to fall short. He was imperfectly perfect.
People of Lunar descent often had almost iridescent, white-silver hair that could almost appear lavender, but in the light his hair was a stark fine silver. Venus had a brief moment of jealousy that she thought his long silver locks might be nicer than her gold, and only longed to touch it more. Had his skin not been that slightly deeper bronze tone, he might have blended in a bit more but it did well to accent the pale shade of his grey eyes that were all the more potent beneath black lashes. His scars, scarcely visible really beneath the opened collar of his uniform even held a slight silver sheen to them, noting the one that split his silver brow, and a slight bump in his nose where it had probably been broken once. Venus could better appreciate the obvious power in his long limbs, the defined line of his body beneath his uniform, the fine shape of his mouth and strength of his jawline which she knew would be clenched. Where she thought he might merely blend into the backdrop of their pale Kingdom, he stood out. Venus found her heart pounding against her chest, that stiff gold corset becoming restricting beneath the weight of those grey eyes that she told herself once more certainly were not gorgeous.
Before she knew it, the royals had all left for their tour, leaving the girls to better acquaint themselves with the two Kings. Kunzite immediately went to introduce himself to Jupiter, then Mercury, without much charm but the air of a foreign dignitary. Professional. She did see some amusement in the quirk of his brow when he greeted Mars and thanked the Heavens that it was lost on her though she did have a mind to blush, keeping their greeting rather short.
Zoisite seemed hardly enraptured by anything but Mercury, insisting that she give him a tour, politely making sure she was okay with him asking questions because he had so many. It worried her brow some the way Mercury flushed of course, but smiled a little when she accepted. Even Venus had to admit he was hard to refuse being that Zoisite was a proper gentleman, a master diplomat if she'd ever seen one, and gorgeous to top it all. Mercury was perhaps the last of her girls not to fall victim to infatuation with one of Earth's Heavenly Kings, hoping her will was as strong as her mind. Venus released her own bated sigh, setting her blue eyes hard and raising her chin. As his equal, it was her duty to see to General Kunzite.
"Apologies for the rough transport General, I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance." She was amazed by his composure. Sure his eyes still drifted around him at their alien terrain, yet in measured moments she noted he observed her most of all. Perhaps no one else noticed something like longing in his grey stare, surely she fooled herself because as usual his face never gave away anything. It alarmed her however, that being so close to him made her long for the cover of night because she found herself not wanting to look at anything else but him. She wanted to observe the more minute details she'd missed from the distance between them, or things always hidden by darkness. Kunzite offered her a polite Elysian bow, face still indifferent with quite the act that they had indeed never met.
"The pleasure is mine Lady Venus, your hospitality is appreciated." Venus smiled, unable to keep the amusement from her face by the man of so few words. Artemis' green eyes narrowed in passing, lugging Kunzite's singular large bag along with him in wait for them to follow.
"May I show you to your rooms now? I'm sure you'd like to get some rest before our meeting within the hour." Kunzite was staring at her, something very present behind those grey eyes that further paled them, something lost in the white, silver, and gold atmosphere of the Moon Kingdom that made him fit in all the more. He offered his arm as a gentleman might, no one else knowing the familiarity of the motion when her own arm laced with his. Venus tried to ignore the vicious slamming of her heart in her ribcage, noting how even the muscle in his arm tensed at the contact.
"Yes, thank you." She didn't expect any further response from the General, gracing him with a smile before leading him behind Artemis through the foyer and into the main halls. There hadn't been any preparing for the anxiety she felt just by touching him like this so out in the open, finding it so hard to breathe because he was so forbidden and Gods she shouldn't want to touch him. It was such a normal action for a man to escort a lady, and yet to link arms and publicly walk with him felt like a scandal to even her beneath the blatant stares from the Lunar house staff and borrowed Venusian guard. She knew they were only curious, but there was something about this that made her feel exposed.
Venus fought her own nerves, becoming borderline furious at herself for being so uncomfortable. There was absolutely no reason Kunzite should make her nervous and yet in true Venus fashion she started chattering on like an idiot. As they walked, she pointed out the ballroom, explained the castle layout and the city behind it, even mentioned the few Mercurian libraries she so rarely frequented. She almost shot a crescent beam through her own head as they approached his room, two doors down from the large marble staircase that lead up to the Senshi's wing which she explained was where her own rooms were. This of course earned her that scolding look from Artemis, that fatherly one that she only got when he was telling her to behave. It caused her to backtrack and explain that these rooms the Terran party borrowed were so close for security measures, placing the legendary Senshi within range of both their highest regarded guests as well as the royal family.
"Here is your room General, I hope it is to your liking." Venus offered as they approached his door, painfully close to that stairwell to her rooms. This whole exchange proving far more exhausting to her already.
"I'm sure it will be remarkable." She swallowed, that half smile he gave her did nothing for her rattled nerves, internally damning that charming dimple in his cheek. She bit her lip, ignoring Artemis and the grumpy clear of his throat in passing, to seemingly get Kunzite to stop staring at her mouth. Venus re-straightened her posture and promptly stopped chewing her lip to try and relieve the General.
"Queen Serenity has insisted business take place today. I'm sure you received the agenda but the afternoon will be yours until this evening. We have arranged for dinner for everyone in the gardens later." Venus shifted nervously on her sandal clad feet, the beat of awkward silence thick between them under the watchful ears and eyes of Luna and Artemis who were dropping off the Earthen party's belongings. "Otherwise we meet in the conference room in an hour so you can get settled in the meantime. Please let us know at once if there is anything we can get for you."
"Thank you Lady Venus." Kunzite spoke calmly, taking her hand in his to place a soft kiss on the knuckles. He wore his gloves, but his lips to her skin shot electricity up her arm that seemed to spike throughout her body making her bite her bottom lip softly between her teeth. A bad habit she'd picked on since this all started with the growing purely Venusian tendencies she had to work through. That thick tension, that tangible thing between them she noticed that last time in the Earthen gardens had continued, and yet Kunzite still seemed so comfortable giving her such diplomatic affections with unwavering contact of his grey eyes to hers. She had to break away, he seemed to do the same with a slow step into the threshold of his room.
"General..." She found herself saying, the need to unravel the mystery of him pooling tension in her chest. He'd been ready to close the door behind him, his pale grey eyes intense on her in the dim light when he turned to answer her silently. " I hope this meeting goes well, for all our sakes" She smiled, a little hopeful, and turned to follow Artemis's footsteps as she heard the door click shut behind her.
As the hour drew close, she inhaled sharply, transforming into her uniform she walked on shaky legs to the conference room. Her hope was currently resting on Endymion that he was the Prince of Legend to unite them all, and that he had the sense to memorize and plot each point she'd given him. She stared down Endymion as he stepped into the room followed by Kunzite and the younger General called Zoisite. To his credit, the Prince was unflinching and overly confident as he had shown her he could be when it came to matters of business. That kind of arrogance is nothing new, a staple attribute of all Princes it seemed and yet Endymion had the diplomacy, charm, and skill to validate the otherwise less than appealing trait.
The Prince opened up by discussing his own vision of peace and how it correlated directly with the Silver Millennium and it's goals. What they had to gain by easing the Terran planet into their alliance and even how they might achieve it without upsetting the already skeptical people of his planet and Alliance members. Endymion strongly advised that as future King of the Terran world itself he was very much open to magic, and that he is visited in dreams by a strange creature urging him to grow it and embrace the Golden Crystal's power. Now the Queen looked skeptical of course, she could see it in the way her lips tensed just oh so slightly. Venus only kept her head down, the light scratch of her pen against the paper she took notes on sounding almost too loud for her to make sure the Prince touched on all the points she had given him, relieved when she knew he had.
Venus felt it throughout Endymion's opening, his eyes burning her from just down the table and yet it didn't fail to make her heart leap into her throat when she lifted her head to meet them. He was sly, cautious it seemed, because he looked away quickly, pale eyes going back down to his own paper and Venus lost track of what Endymion was saying. This happened a few more times where their eyes would meet and she was met with a certain thrill when his eyes lingered, locked to hers just long enough to be safe. She found he utilized his hair to hide his eyes sometimes, it was typically so neatly tucked behind his shoulders and yet he'd allow it to fall forward just enough when he leaned over his own paper to write. It was unusual because she didn't know many others who wrote using their left hand.
Kunzite was better spoken than his usual two or three word responses allowed her to think. He stood, pacing calmly back and forth behind Endymion in an engaging manner while he described his experience as a battle worn King of his own lands and how he shifted and formed the Golden Army of Earth into what it was today. He stepped toward the Queen who watched him with unhidden amusement and appeared to be as enthralled with Kunzite as she was, not that Venus would admit it in a thousand years. He placed an outline of his training regimens and battle experience in front of the Queen. It told them all he was as brutal in that regard as his reputation suggested, and even acknowledged the nature of his methods. He was harsh but in the throes of war there is no room for compassion which was why he avoided war at all costs.
Queen Serenity was clearly impressed because Kunzite's lands were notorious for being a bit less civilized and this man transitioned from his war and training experience and tactics to the many wars he stopped before they had a chance to begin. Venus found herself staring wide eyed at him, impressed herself the way he talked in manners that suggested he might live up to his titles as a Knight of Purity and Affection where his demeanor and reputations had suggested quite the opposite. He was a far more skilled diplomat and economic master than herself, only seeming a little uncomfortable when he mapped out in detail the achievements he'd made in his own lands before he was even fit to be called a man. Venus noted the briefest of eye contacts between Endymion and Kunzite when he went to reclaim his seat at Queen Serenity's grateful nod, allowing Zoisite to take his turn.
The younger boy, no older than herself really, had even Queen Serenity trying to keep her jaw from hitting the table. Venus felt like she was sitting in on a Mercurian lecture when he began to speak so elegantly, and in words she could scarcely keep up with but wrote them down anyway so she could make Mercury explain them to her later. Zoisite was brilliant, aristocratic, and elegant, and yet as the hours continued Venus found herself getting restless. She'd later blame a pretty pair of grey eyes for her lack of focus, even if she didn't understand the majority of what was being said in the first place. It became a proverbial obstacle course to avoid his eyes, or not to watch as his brows furrowed and his lips pursed just so as he wrote.
Endymion was talking now, in closing of their meeting, when Venus finally came back to her own senses that didn't involve daydreaming. She joined the land of the living just as Endymion proposed that perhaps a joining of their Kingdoms through marriage would help to solidify Earth's place beside the Moon, and in doing so combine crystal power as they were meant to all along. Venus felt her jaw hit the table and noted that Queen Serenity was no better off. This was all to be explored perhaps when he was better equipped to actually find and wield the crystal but a viable option regardless. Venus fought the urge to not picture Serenity's wedding. The Queen seemed impressed, her eyes were nothing but calculating if not a little giddy even herself.
She knew she'd have to stay behind for debriefing, but stood by the door as Zoisite and Kunzite were escorted out by Artemis. Her breath caught, feeling the back of his gloved hand brush hers in passing and she wondered for the briefest of moments if it was on purpose. Venus almost giggled at the disdain on her Guardian's face when Kunzite, being the diplomat he was, tried to speak with him. She had lectured Artemis prior to their arrival that he was to be accommodating to their guests, no matter how he felt about Earth's people, pleased to see he was at least attempting to be kind before she shut the door to the hallway.
"I think I underestimated their ability." Venus admitted softly when the doors shut and she could speak freely with the Queen. Something she dreaded since she wanted nothing more than to leave the conference room after being cooped up for so long.
"It would seem." Serenity began, her lips quirked and she looked almost amused. "What do you think he meant by merger of Kingdoms? I admit it's an appealing offer if Endymion gains the strength he needs to wield the Golden Crystal, though he'll have to find it first. It will take a great deal of training though I can feel it. He has power, more so than I initially thought. A Terran with an even playing field against us is a bit... unsettling but I'm curious of your thoughts." Venus glanced at her notes, she hadn't needed to take them, but she needed to choose words wisely as she always did in the presence of her Queen who intimidated her more now that she'd broken more than one of the old laws, and now worked backward to solidify her decisions.
"I have seen Endymion interact with Serenity today. Even in their first meeting he seems to be drawn to her, not that I can think of a man alive who could resist her charms, but perhaps he is thinking of a future with her. He is of marrying age in the Terran world, and would be seeking the next Queen for Earth." Venus cleared her throat, her blue eyes cast down to her fingers as she fiddled with the pen in her gloved hands. "They do seem rather compatible. Perhaps he would like to court her."
"How compatible Venus?" The Queen's smile was sly and she shifted toward her ever so slightly in her chair. She couldn't help but see young Serenity in the moment and shivered. "I quite like Endymion, if things go well I would consider their union the strongest bond our Kingdoms could ask for." She exhaled, smoothing out the hem of her uniform skirt in realization that she was clutching at it like a lifeline. Her Queen knew something, she had to.
"What are your hopes for Serenity my Queen?" Venus asked, running a gloved hand over the cold surface of the table. Her stomach sank slowly in hopes to appeal to the old Goddess as a mother.
"Well I'm sure my hopes align with what Aphrodite always wanted for you. It's what any Mother wants for her child. It's only very often that a Mother doesn't get her wishes." The words stung Venus in ways she wasn't prepared for. Her fate was hers and she'd owned it with a grace not many others would have taken to. She made her own freedom of course, and was horrible at following orders, but she was only an eighteen year old girl- she also wanted love, and not only the love of her Princess, or a Mother, and knew it simply wasn't to be. Venusian or not, everyone wants to meet their other half, a soul that speaks to them in ways no one else can, or ever will. Everyone wants to be loved completely.
"My Mother would want me to meet my perfect match. Someone that challenges me as much as they adore me. Someone that makes me stronger and shows me all of the affection that a wife should know. A love that echoes through the ages. A soulmate." The chain around her waist felt heavier as she spoke her piece in muttering tones and wanted to leave the conference room that felt smaller without the other five bodies occupying it.
"Is that what Endymion would be for Serenity?" The Queen's voice was gentle, and yet she questioned its sincerity for a moment. Venus bit her lip, eyes hard focused on a speck of gold in the marble table.
"Yes." She whispered before she meant to. All she could see was that neon red thread between them. Iron straight and perfect as love was never intended to be.
"Then I shall allow the ban on Terran access be lifted for only members of the Silver Alliance. I don't expect anyone to really jump at the chance, but there will be strict and enforced restrictions. Permission will be required both ways. If Terran royalty wishes to visit here it is to be with my permission and they are to remain guarded. Likewise for Silver Millennium diplomats. Under Terran permission and with guard can they visit. I think that is a strong first step. I will require to see the skill of the Golden Army's head General Kunzite- depending on that, it may do you some good to train with him and perhaps have the girls train with them as well. You are all very skilled but most have never seen real combat in hand to hand and the man was very modest about his achievements. King Adrian's detailed reports on Kunzite were impressive by even our standards. Endymion and his Shitennou are well known by even the Alliance, though no one has ever seen them until now." The Queen scrawled this out on a parchment and handed it off to Artemis to be written and proposed to the Terran Prince the following morning. All the while she stared at Serenity with wide blue eyes, lips slightly parted in disbelief. "Venus."
"Yes My Queen?" She paused, having stood slowly to leave, the look on Queen Serenity's face alarmed her.
"As things stand now, it will not go well for Endymion and Serenity to see each other. I leave it in your hands to see to it that their relationship remains diplomatic." Venus swallowed hard, issuing a nod she wasn't convinced was confident enough. Perhaps she should have taken this as a warning- but it was already far too late.
Venus moved to kiss her Queen's cheek and bid her good afternoon. It was a tiny step forward, but a larger step than had been taken in hundreds of years. The hall seemed empty when she finally emerged, the light of day already softening into the later hours of the afternoon. Venus was only mildly disappointed that Kunzite or Endymion hadn't lingered longer to hear the news. Her expression softened when she got closer to the guest wing just below the Senshi's wing to see the younger soldier Zoisite leaning on a railing above one of the hall balconies. He was beautiful, almost feminine in his younger years with the most unique green eyes she'd ever seen on a mortal man. He looked lost and entranced and fascinated all at once, this shifted to shocked or afraid when she approached him.
"You were most impressive in that meeting General, you speak like a Mercurian." She grinned and he swallowed hard but nodded politely despite his clear nerves. She remembered the first time she had left her own planet, how everything was so interesting and terrifying.
"Thank you Lady Venus, I'm hoping we plead our case well. The partnership between our planets means a great deal to our Prince, which I believe you know. We were always meant to work together, it seems like we may finally have our chance." His fingers nervously wound into the curls at the end of his long ponytail he had draped over his shoulder, a very shiny coppery blonde shade.
"Please, you may simply call me Venus. There are those who might argue that I am no lady." Zoisite flushed at this and looked away with a light cough into his fist. "May I help you find something General? You appeared lost."
"I um...I was told that there was a Mercurian library here. I was hoping to see it." His feigned calm was easily told as he shifted his eyes just slightly again at her smile. Venus wondered if he was of the few that would have a harder time looking at her than others. She placed a gloved hand on his shoulder, noting how the muscle tensed beneath her touch.
"Of course, it's just up the stairs passed the Senshi's wing at the end of the hall. Would you like for me to show you? Mercury is in there now working but she would be delighted by the company of another intellect." His gentle green eyes, the color of his planet's grass seemed to light up at the mention of her comrade and Venus's stomach clenched just slightly. Another potential pairing. They had been striking together, Zoisite as the Terran lands and Mercury as their wide blue seas...
"Is it alright for me to be in your wing? I don't want to intrude My Lady." Zoisite seemed to relax some and she almost laughed at his formality, almost teased him as she did Jadeite once more reminding him that she was no lady, but thought better of it. Venus linked her arm through his, causing him to tense up considerably, his eyes shifting nervously around as though the very act would scandalize him. She giggled lightly and began to drag him down the hall.
"I was going to my rooms anyway, I'll happily escort you General." Venus found him adorable the way his charm disintegrated beneath her touch and he turned into a nervous younger boy. She wondered if he was close to her age and assumed he was by his youth compared to General Kunzite. Zoisite was curious about everything, and once he relaxed enough began to ask her a multitude of questions about her planet's own physics and structure, or the compounds of the sparkling dust outside and the crystal fruit he saw hanging from trees and if it was edible. She laughed, deciding that she might like Zoisite very much. He was surprisingly easy to talk to, and probably the first person she'd met with a curiosity that matched her very own.
Mercury looked up at the pair as they entered her library, her face immediately turning a shade of pink at the sight of her companion. The very second that Venus unlaced her arm from Zoisite's she fell forgotten and the young King went immediately into endless questions about what she was working on. Even though the muscles in her stomach clenched with unease, she gave the blue haired Guardian a wink and shut the doors when she left the room. Decidedly nothing was going to get her down today, she felt victorious and stopped only briefly by her room where Artemis stood waiting for her to kiss his cheek and tell him she was going to the markets for a stroll. Her spirits were high and she barged into Mars' room to grab her favorite shopping partner, dragging the raven haired girl into the afternoon. It seemed even the ever temperamental Martian was in a good mood.
Mars wanted a new amulet for the party the next evening, red jewels to compliment the deep violet gown she intended to wear which didn't surprise her much. Princess or not, Mars fell into negotiations on a piece she wanted at the jeweler's tent, the poor Lunarian man sweating under the pressure. 'He must be new' Venus thought to herself with amusement. Venus herself didn't wear much jewelry and she really didn't give much thought to her attire for the following evening. The fading afternoon light had all the jewels glistening and yet when her eyes darted over them she found little inspiration for what she might wear, resolved that she'd just have to manage with what she already had.
She found herself on the opposite side, the cases full of more ornamental pieces suited for men. Brooches, sword hilts, belt buckles, all things she had no use for. Mars' voice still carried over the crowd, she glanced across the tent with an amused smile and pity toward the vendor who was sweating under the added pressure. It was the best jewelry vendor on the Moon, full of only royalty and the highest level dignitaries. They were all used to the Martian's antics by now.
"Ah, Lady Venus you grace us with your beauty once more." Her eyes shifted up to an older gentleman, handsome for his older age as all Lunarian's are since they scarcely aged at all. The only thing that was telling was his eyes and the manner in which he spoke. She smiled warmly and clasped her hands in front of her.
"I pale in comparison to your wares you old flirt." She giggled "Apologies for Mars, she is very concerned with getting exactly what she wants. As usual."
"We all know how she is." He laughed with a backward glance at the scene she was causing and leaned forward slightly to whisper. "I'm just glad she didn't come back here. Speaking of, what brings you back to this corner of the shop today? Browsing or does the lady Venus admire someone?"
Her face fell stunned but only for a second and she laughed it off until the light seemed to catch something in the case enough to grab her attention and her breath halted. She'd always had luck with gifts but there was something unsettling about this discovery.
"Um... no... I admire no one currently." She swallowed and licked her lips, stepping forward to the case. "We have guests in the Palace, I was thinking of a gift for one of the dignitaries." The shop keep followed her eyes, she hadn't stopped staring and he smiled, stroking the goatee with a hand before he stepped over to them.
"Would you like to see these? They've been collecting dust in this case for far too long. Beautiful pieces but aren't the fashion of the Silver Millennium... something about the stones." He pulled the item from the case and set it in front of her. They were intricate and perfect. With a hurried glance to Mars who was completing her purchase she nodded to the shopkeeper.
"I'll take them." Venus began fishing the coin out of her bag hastily, the merchant watched in shocked that she hadn't bothered to negotiate the price, but she shoved the box with the items in it into her bag and shot the merchant a wink for his speedy and discrete sale, speaking her appreciation in exaggerated diplomatic tone. "As always good sir, I thank you."
"Come back to us soon Lady Venus, your presence always seems to give other's appreciation for the more beautiful things in life." He bowed, his long white ponytail falling over the shoulder of his finely tailored shirt. She giggled and let him kiss her hand.
"I wouldn't dream of going to another jeweler. You always have exactly what I need." Mars was there to drag her away now, interrupting her beaming smile at the man who grew visibly more nervous by the pushy raven haired girl. She linked arms with Venus, supplying a small wave to the man before pulling her out into the crowded streets.
"You didn't find anything?" Her deep violet eyes were wide, near suspicious when Venus waved her off.
"Not today... they have plenty but I'm not sure what I'm even wearing tomorrow." She lifted her head, glancing at the Sun disappearing behind the Earth casting shadows on the streets. "I have so many unworn jewels, I'm sure I'll find something."
"Well that shopkeep must have been new. I usually get better service there..."
"Perhaps because those who know you already know to bow to your every whim." Venus giggled, making Mars scoff with a roll of her eye. The girl was the best shopper Venus knew, having walked away with new shoes, jewelry, and a new ceremonial robe for fire reading all for a price that should have been illegal. "We should return to the castle. Wouldn't want to be late for dinner."
"Anxious to see that General again?" Her brow raised and Venus struggled to remain confident.
"Anxious to not be late, and yes I am anxious to see them all. I did promise Zoisite I'd answer questions, though I'm not sure what he's expecting.."
"You should leave that to Mercury, I've heard you in lessons. Unless he has questions about military matters, love, or matters better left to the bedroom I think you should spare him the rambling. " Mars smirked in amusement, earning a distasteful face from Venus who nudged her in the ribs.
"Rude! You're right though, I heard him speak in that meeting and he's just about as eloquent as Mercury. I would probably make a fool of myself.." Mars squeezed her arm affectionately, leaning her head against hers as they walked.
"You always underestimate yourself. You know I don't find you foolish, you have more brains than half the Alliance. You're faster to act, sometimes too rash and careless, but I think even my Father envies your tactics." Venus smiled, turning her head to kiss the top of her raven head. "Maybe you can't explain teleportation, or the complexities of our own atmosphere, or even the magic that holds the Palace of Magellan above Venus... but you're brilliant in your own way. They saw to that, didn't they? You know just what you need to."
"Perhaps... or perhaps I know nothing at all..." Venus sighed, smiling contently as they strolled back toward the gates. She could basically hear Mars roll her eyes, but like a mantra in her head, Venus told herself that this was enough. The love of her friends, her Princess, even her Queen and Guardian. Even as they all fell into tiny realms of their own love, forbidden as it may be it was her task to make it not so. Her task to see the Silver Millennium united so that Serenity could marry her Prince, and perhaps ... perhaps in the end it could change more...
Please... just let this be enough.