Disclaimer: All I own is really, really bad habit of updating late.
Key
"Speaking"
'Thoughts'
Setting/Time Lapse
(AN: Author's Notes)
Chapter 18
Moon Place, Silver Millennium Era
A wave of relief washed over Serenity as she reached her mother's chambers. Safety and refuge were sure to be beyond the tall, majestic doors. She reached out a small hand to push open the only thing standing between her and her mother's comfort, but paused for a moment, fingers mere centimeters from brushing against the smooth surface of the doors. Her blue eyes shining brightly despite the lack of moonlight, the little princess carefully studied the carvings that were made into the wall. To any uneducated in the ancient Lunarian script, the door appeared to be covered with nothing but intelligible, yet beautiful, scribbles. Although she was not every tutor's dream student, Serenity could easily read the ancient text. Her eyes scanned the words written on the door, pausing near the bottom right corner.
She had never been able to read those words. Not because they were scratched out, or sloppily written. She had never been sure why she couldn't read it, no matter how hard she tried. Once, she had asked her mother what it said. The queen had explained that she didn't know what it said either. In fact, no one had been able to read it for a millennia, through which no accounts on what it said, if any had every existed, had survived.
But now… They shimmered under the moonlight, looking newer than everything else on the door. And their meaning was clear to the eyes that looked upon them. The small princess stood up on her tiptoes, leaning closer towards the door, eyes wide with anticipation as she prepared to finally read those mysterious words.
And then, the sound of Luna's voice tore her attention away from the door, and the words engraved upon it. She walked forward, leaning against the door, her ear pressed against its surface as she struggled to hear the conversation going on inside.
"… And the risks this will pose to you! How could you even consider-" Luna said frantically, all formalities abandoned, despite the fact that she was talking to the Queen of one of the most powerful kingdoms in the Silver Alliance.
"He was my husband, Luna. He was your king. He was my precious Serenity's father. He did this for a reason, and I trust his judgment," the calm, soothing voice of her mother rang out, laced with a tone that hinted the subject should simply be dropped.
However, when Luna got started, almost nothing could stop her.
"My Queen! Yes, King Apollo (AN: Your author currently has the creativity of a spoon, because she is too busy beating herself up over her late updating habit. Please, deal with the uncreative name. Thank you.) was all of those things, but have you forgotten what else he was?! He may have the king, the princess's father, and your husband, but he was also the keeper of-"
"It wasn't his fault!" Queen Serenity's voice, normally very soft and smooth, had suddenly taken on a drastic rise in pitch, and had cracked during her outburst. The sound of something fragile, most likely made of glass, being knocked over and shattering on the floor accompanied the sound of her exclamation, having been knocked over when she had suddenly jumped up to her feet.
The little princess was about to run into the room and reveal herself when a firm hand was placed on her shoulder.
Author's Notes
This chapter was disgustingly short. And took forever to put up. For that, I am ashamed. I feel lower than scum. I feel like I have let my wonderful reviewers, who have been so patient with me and my horrible habit of updating late, down. That's why the second I send this in, I'm going to open a blank document and start on the next chapter. And I'm not going to stop writing until I get half of what is left of this flashback typed up.
My new year's resolution: to get off my lazy behind and start updating a story at least once every one or two weeks. If I fail to keep this resolution, may I be whacked to death by my reviewers with a wet noodle.