Chapter 24

Return to Earth

Mina felt goosebumps crawling along her arm as she entered the transportation room. She felt her nerves grow more unsteady as her feet carried her forward. Prince Fabian was to accompany her to Venus and return with her at the week's end. The thought alone made her uneasy. She didn't know anything about Fabian. She had never said more than a few words to him despite the fact they shared every meal together in the dining hall. Fabian was withdrawn and sullen, a stark contrast to Mina's bubbly personality. He never sat around the princess and her sailor scouts but rather preferred to dine with the knights and guards. Now she was to spend an entire week with him?

Mina huffed as she ruffled her golden yellow skirts, making sure they fell just right. The silk was light as a feather and flowed with every step she took. Her long golden hair was intricately braided and pinned up beneath her tiara. She wore a pair of simple diamond earrings with a matching necklace that laid just perfectly between her slender shoulders.

"Princess Mina." Fabian said as he bowed to her.

Mina did a double take. He wore his usual black tunic and pants beneath his royal blue cape but what struck her was the rest of him. A chain of office hung across his broad shoulders and his jet-black hair was neatly combed and styled. His sword was at his hip and his boots were freshly polished. His bright green eyes took in her for a moment as she curtsied politely before him.

"Prince Fabian, thank you for joining me." Mina stated, thinly disguising her surprise at his appearance. He was stunningly handsome when he was groomed. The last time she had seen Fabian his clothes had been disheveled, his hair ruffled and wild, and a scraggly beard was prominent on his face. Now he looked like an entirely new man and his eyes were locked right on hers sending a shiver up her spine.

"It is my pleasure." Fabian stated as he gestured to the transportation room. "Shall we?"

"Umm… yes." Mina stammered as his hand found the small of her back and guided her into the snug room.

As soon as Fabian closed the door the room began to hum and light up. Mina reached for Fabian's hands. As soon as their hands locked the room disappeared, melting away to darkness before reforming.

The door opened again but this time the Moon Palace hall wasn't in the background, instead there was a quaint library, dark and dusty.

"Welcome home princess!" A voice greeted Mina as Fabian helped her out.

Mina squealed as she hugged an aging woman, appearing to be around seventy. "Lady Cara, this is Prince Fabian of Charon, he is my escort for this visit home." Mina stated.

"You are quite handsome Prince Fabian!" Lady Cara smirked as Mina's cheeks flushed a bright red. "I see why the princess had brought you. You know, I've been telling her father she needs to find a nice boy—"

"Forgive her, Lady Cara was my nurse when I was a child, she thinks she can say… anything…Lady Cara, we are not a couple." Mina said with a glare at her nurse who only continued to beam.

"Delighted to meet you." Prince Fabian grinned as he watched Mina's expression change again. "I'm sure you have plenty of stories to share about the princess."

"Too bad we need to leave." Mina said quickly as she took Fabian's hand and dragged him towards the door. "Daddy is out hunting. We should go find him."

"I'll find you later!" Lady Cara shouted with a wave as Mina and Fabian slipped outside.

Two horses waited just outside, saddled and ready to go, held by one farm hand who bowed respectfully to Mina. "Princess, two horses as you requested."

"Thank you, Marshall." Mina smiled as she went to the white mare. She fondly nuzzled the horse who whined at her touch. "I've missed you Lady."

"Your father is hunting in the northern forest." Marshall stated as he guided the other horse to Fabian who nodded in gratitude. "About a half hour past the stream."

"Are you ready?" Mina asked Fabian as she mounted her horse with ease and took the reins in her hands. She wasn't sitting side-saddle. Her golden skirts were hiked up, revealing her slender legs.

Fabian's eyebrows lifted in surprise. He had never known a lady to ride like that much less a princess. "Lead the way princess." He grinned.

"Just Mina." Mina stated as Lady took off, galloping towards the woods.

"Good luck." Marshall remarked to Fabian as he turned away to resume his duties.

Fabian's eyebrows quirked again but he took off after Mina, his black horse galloping hard to catch up.

Twenty minutes later the two of them found the stream. Their horses had eased to a slow walk as the afternoon sun began to sink behind heavy clouds.

"Venus is … different." Fabian remarked as he noted the large mountains around them, taller than those on the Moon and Charon. The forest was made up of golden and orange leaved trees, not the rich green found on the Moon and Earth.

"My planet is unique." Mina stated as she looked around them fondly. She had missed home dearly. This trip back couldn't have come at a better time. Mina had never been away from home longer than a week and after two months of training the days were tougher and tougher to get through.

"Charon is cold and dark." Fabian commented. "The warmth on the Moon and Venus is a nice change."

"Even though we've both been in the palace for the last few months I feel like I don't know anything about you. You're so withdrawn for a prince." Mina commented.

"I keep to myself. As you can imagine I'm trying not to tamper with an already delicate relationship between the Moon and Charon." Fabian stated with a shrug. "I apologize if my demeaner doesn't radiate friendliness. I have nothing against you or the other princesses."

Mina chuckled as the wind began to pick up, ruffling the edge of her skirts. "No, you never exactly presented yourself as friendly, but I never tried to get to know you. I think you can provide some valuable information. You were part of Princess Serena's protection before we came, right?"

A vein on the side of Fabian's forehead bulged slightly as she spoke. She knew she was entering dangerous waters but still, Serena had been reluctant to talk about the Shadow Warriors. How else was Mina going to get any information? Fabian could be the key to figuring out what went wrong.

"Yes." He admitted as his gaze went to the trail before them. "I spent many months with Princess Serena as part of her personal guard. There were several attempts made on her life but we were able to stop all of them."

"What happened?' Mina pressed as she guided her horse a little closer to Fabian's. "Why are you only one left?"

Fabian hesitated as his grip tightened on the reins. He appeared to be mentally battling with himself, carefully evaluating his next words. "I am not supposed to talk about what my team did however know that our only priority was to protect the princess, and we succeeded in that respect."

"But?" Mina said, pressing even more.

"But my brother's affections got the best of him. He and the princess fell in love. Queen Serenity found out and didn't approve. Our team was replaced, my brother was banished, and I became the representative of Charon to the Moon." Fabian's voice was shaking as if he still harbored a deep resentment of the past events that had led him to where he was now.

"Serena and Nikko?" Mina questioned, hardly daring that the heir to Charon had been romantically involved with the princess of the Moon. Serena hadn't said anything about Nikko to her team. How had she not shared this important information with them?

"Yes, their relationship didn't last long before he was banished but Nikko loved the princess very much." Fabian explained. "And now she's all but forgotten him with Endymion around." He didn't sound bitter but rather seemed to pity his brother.

"Endymion is pretty dreamy." Mina stated with a sigh but quickly regretted her words. "Not that Nikko isn't… even though I've only met him once…"

Fabian shrugged though a smile began to tug at the corner of his mouth. "It's none of my business." He said as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "Serena and Nikko have their own problems. I'm more concerned about my kingdom. I haven't heard from anyone in the past few months. My letters to my brother and father haven't been returned. I've even written to the captain of the guard and nothing."

"Serena mentioned you wanted to go to Charon but couldn't get there from the Moon." Mina said as she glanced around them to make sure they were alone. "There's a transportation hub in the city at the top of the mountains just ahead. You can get to Charon from there."

"I'm not leaving you alone out here." Fabian stated with a shake of his head. "Even if this is your kingdom, it's dangerous for any woman to be alone."

"I'm not any woman." Mina stated. "I am a princess but I am also a sailor scout. I can protect myself."

Fabian smiled, pleased with her answer. "I am entirely confident anyone attempting to threaten you would find themselves in more danger but still, I would be no gentleman if I left you alone."

Mina looked before them towards the mountains and to the right where the forest continued, where her father most likely was still with his hunting party. Her absence would be noticed but not for many hours. "No, I'll do something better Fabian, I'll go with you. Perhaps it will be you that will need protection."

Fabian's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Mina stated confidently with a smile. "I've never been to Charon, I'd like to see your home."

Fabian nodded, returning her grin. "Let's do it."

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"What do we do now?" Lita asked as she paced the armory. The generals had rushed down to the lower levels of the palace after Serena had been taken and told the scouts what had just happened. Darien had gone to Earth after Serena. Now everyone was sitting in a stunned silence.

"Serena has just left one dangerous enemy for another." Amy stated as she looked at Zoisite.

"Queen Raven is more unpredictable than Nikko." Luna stated. "I'd say this threat is greater."

"How do we get her back?" Mina asked out loud. "She's on Earth, we are here."

"We go home." Amara said as she stood and wiped her hands off on her pants. "It's time we went home. Mina, you still have the hook up at the news station right?"

"Yes." Mina said slowly as she perked her brow. "What are you getting at?"

Amara's smile grew. "Grab your phone and make a call. We need to address the people of Tokyo and get them out of harm's way. Then we need to deliver a message."

"Won't that reveal our identities?" Michelle inquired softly.

Amara nodded slowly but turned to face the rest of the scouts whose expressions ranged from terror to silent agreement. "It's time we came out of hiding. Our secrets are what is giving our enemy power. We can't give them anymore advantages. They already have Sailor Moon and we've all but lost Pluto and Darien. Now we play the rest of this game on our terms."

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Serena groaned as she felt something hard and cold pressing onto her cheek. Her head was pounding, the pain radiated into her neck and to her already tense shoulders. She groaned again as she attempted to get up. Her hands gripped the cold stone floor as she attempted to push herself up but the ground seemed to move beneath her fingers and her elbows shook, threatening to collapse under her weight.

"I'd stay down if I were you." Femi's light voice said.

Serena felt everything come rushing back to her. Femi had taken her off the Moon. She was her prisoner her and was no doubt back on Earth.

"Femi, what do you want?" Serena said as she managed to pull herself to a sitting position. She opened her eyes to see she was in a dark room. One torch alongside the far left wall illuminated a barren room with a pallet on the floor, some ten feet from her, a bench alongside the opposite wall, and nothing else.

Femi approached from the darkness, her heels clicking loudly against the stone floor. She was dressed in a bright red sleeveless romper. She wore matching red stilettos that wrapped around her slender calves like gladiator sandals. Her long white blond hair was curled and hung in loose ringlets around her shoulders.

"I see you've taken to Earth fashion." Serena commented as Femi squatted before her. "How do you go to the bathroom in that thing anyway?"

"Keep joking little princess. You'll need the relief soon enough." Femi replied with a cruel smile. "You know what's coming, you know who is coming… laugh all you can now. Soon all you'll have is tears… tears and blood and memories of your dead friends."

"What did Queen Raven promise you? Jewels? Money? Kunzite?" Serena asked, her expression unwavering. She refused to let Femi see the effect of her words. "Because her promises are all lies. She doesn't work with others, and she doesn't share power."

"Silly girl." Femi laughed. "I don't want power. I have my price and soon it will be paid. Things are looking up for me finally. Working for you was nothing but a bitter disappointment. Queen Raven is a true leader."

The door behind Femi rattled and Fabian came into view.

Serena felt her heart skip a beat as he regarded her for a moment before turning to Femi. "She wants to see her. Get her to her feet and clean her up."

Ten minutes later Serena was being escorted down a winding hallway, just as dim and dark as her cell had been. Femi held one arm while Fabian held the other. She had been changed from her violet dress to her traditional white gown of the moon. Her hair had been parted and pulled into two buns with the remaining length of her hair falling from the buns. She felt her heart rate climb as they entered a stained-glass hall. The floor was full of color as sunlight trickled through the class creating a mosaic on the floor. Before her was a large platform holding a single black throne. Queen Raven sat perched there, clad in a deep emerald gown. Her hair was up, pinned beneath her heavy golden crown. She did not smile as Serena entered but remained seated, her expression seemingly vacant.

"Princess Serena of the Moon Kingdom." Fabian stated as he forced Serena into a curtsy. He and Femi left Serena's side, taking a few steps back so that she could approach the queen.

Serena said nothing but narrowed her eyes, glaring at Queen Raven, the woman who had started the series of events that had wreaked havoc on her life in the Silver Millennium and now again in her new life.

Queen Raven stood and descended the platform, her dress lazily swishing around her ankles as she moved. Serena didn't flinch as she circled her, touching her shoulders, her arms, and flicking the ends of her hair. "I never understood what my son saw in you." Raven stated as she continued to circle her like a predator circling his cornered prey. "You're barely pretty, you're short, spoiled and entitled just like the rest of your family. The Earth could do so much better for its next queen. How could I allow you to be that person?"

Serena bit her lip to keep from snapping back. She wasn't sure what Raven was about to do. She could only hope to keep her talking long enough to find an escape.

"I could kill you now but that would be too easy. You wouldn't suffer as I had and that I cannot tolerate." She said with a cruel sneer. "I was going to allow Nikko to keep you as I destroyed your precious team, but that simpering fool couldn't even do that. I have no use for people who don't serve a purpose."

Serena whipped her head around to look Queen Raven in the eye. "What did you do to him?"

"Oh!" Raven grinned with delight as she saw Serena's eyes widen. "Still have a thing for him do we? Even after all he did to you? You know it is a shame, he did actually love you before I got my hands on him. It's too bad. He won't be bothering you anymore."

Fabian visibly fidgeted behind Serena as she felt her hands began to grow numb. She could feel the dark energy burning in her hands, building and building. She lashed out, gripping Queen Raven's neck as she screamed in alarm. Her eyes bulged in shock as Serena blasted her back against the wall, her hands shaking with dark energy.

Queen Raven fell against the wall but was quickly back on her feet, seemingly unscathed. She extended her hand towards Serena who screamed as she felt her feet leave the ground. She could feel an invisible hand squeezing her throat, cutting off her air supply. Her slippered feet kicked through the air, reaching for the floor that was a foot beneath her.

Raven's dark eyes turned a deep red as she laughed. "Keep fighting princess! You'll only die that much quicker. I was planning on keeping you around, but now you're just going to be a pest. I will still enjoy watching the life leaving your body still."

Serena felt her limbs growing weaker and weaker as her vision grew cloudy. This was how she was going to die. She couldn't let it end like this. There was so much more she needed to do. People depended on her. Mina, Lita, Raye, Amy, Luna and Artemis, Darien, Blake… These were all people that were important to her. People she wasn't ready to leave yet. As her eyes began to roll back she felt herself fall to the ground.

She weakly lifted her head to see Nikko, glistening with sweat, his sword held to Queen Raven's throat. Femi and Fabian were just feet from him, carefully holding back as Queen Raven held out her hands, urging them to keep still.

"Prince Nikko." Queen Raven said carefully. "You're alive."

"I don't die so easily." Nikko stated. He was covered with bruises and cuts but his grip on his sword was firm.

Serena weakly attempted to get to her feet, still gasping for air as the color in her face slowly returned.

"I warned you to leave Serena alone." Nikko continued as he pressed the blade closer to Raven's throat. Sweat trickled down his face but his expression remained hard. "Once you tried to kill me I knew you'd come for her and bring her here. Your promises to stay away were nothing but lies. I see that now. You only work for yourself. I would be doing the world a favor by killing you now."

"I gave you life." Queen Raven stated as her expression hardened. "I didn't need to bring you back, but I did. I gave you another chance. A chance you were robbed of during the Silver Millennium!"

"You brought me back to do your bidding. You never intended to keep your promise." Nikko spat as he pressed the blade harder against her throat. "Any last words Raven?"

"Yes… I won't make that mistake again." Raven explained as she pushed Nikko back and shot forth a beam of dark energy. The energy cut through his torso, tearing through his flesh and during his skin a dull gray.

Serena's jaw dropped as she watched Nikko fall to the ground, gasping for air. He glanced at her as blood filled his mouth. "Run!" He mouthed before collapsing.

Serena stood, immobile as Femi screamed. Fabian ran forward and grabbed Serena's hand, pulling her down the winding hallway as Queen Raven's cruel laughter rang through the hall.