A Mother's Gift
Months and months went by and Neo Queen Serenity was inconsolable. She had lost all contact with reality and simply rocked the cradle back and forth staring off into space. Nothing was getting through to her. Even King Endymion couldn't reach her. They had to force her to eat and drink. Her grief was so horrific that she was starting to lose weight and was little by little dying.
Eva entered her chamber carrying a plate full of all of her favorite foods. She even had a lot of sweets, but it looked grim. Neo Queen Serenity was on floor her exquisite dress hanging from her shriveling body. Her long golden hair was oily and messy and her tiara was hanging on the side of her face, it wasn't even sparkling anymore. She didn't even acknowledge that Eva had even entered the room.
The shorthaired redhead placed the food on the floor and rested a dainty hand on the Queen's shoulder. "Dear, Queen. You've got to eat. Look I even brought cheesecake! Please eat and look! A goblet full of hot chocolate! Yummy! It's such a nice day outside why don't you go and eat in the garden with King Endymion? I'm sure a twilight meal would really raise your spirits. I can even have the choir sing your favorite music!"
Neo Queen Serenity didn't say or move at all. She just kept rocking the cradle and looking blankly at the wall. She looked like a corpse with how much weight she had lost. In all of history never had anyone ever been this depressed. She was just so brokenhearted that she just wanted to depart this life, not even Endymion's love could save her from herself.
Eva tried yet again to make her talk by tickling her with a swan feather but even that didn't wake her from her trance. It seemed that Beryl had almost won, for if the Queen couldn't be saved, then Endymion would be certainly hers. It was just too depressing. Sighing in defeat she left the room with a look of deep saddens etch upon her delicate features.
Eva was back an hour later with the traders. One of them was holding a large golden and silver box. The other had with him a letter. Eva walked back over to the Queen and touched her again and this time she yanked at the Queen's golden hair. She forced the Queen to look at the traders.
"Dear, Queen, we bring you a gift from the Moon. You're mother, Queen Serenity; she sends you a gift and asks that you visit her soon. She made it very clear not to open the box and make sure to handle it with great care. She even wrapped it up herself," the kindly merchant said as he handed her the box.
At a snail's pace the brokenhearted sovereign took the box. She was wondering what her mother could've possibly sent her that required such careful protection. She opened the small chest and inside was a silver container. She took this out of the box and slowly lifted the lid and gasped.
Inside shimmering brightly was moon dust. Found only on the banks of the frozen lake and adoring it was small pebbles of alabaster. At long last the sadness that had gripped her so tightly and so long vanished as she hugged the precious gift close to her heart. Feeling her mother's love lifted the spell that had for so long darkened her heart. And at that moment more then anything she wished she could be with her mother on the moon once more.
"It's moon dust. Really moon dust and look! Alabaster stones and cats hair! Oh I had forgotten how beautiful the Moon is. And it's been so long since Luna has scolded me. I wonder if she and Artemus have had kittens yet. Oh, Mother!"
The doors opened and the shadowy silhouette of King Endymion stood in the archway. "Go to your mother, my beloved. But don't be gone too long. In a little while the spell will be broken and we can see each other. I ask only one thing. If someone should offer you a gift please promises me you won't accept it."
"I promise, Endymion."
In next to no time the young sovereign was in a caravan and was on the way home. She was bit by bit regaining her health as the journey took many days. But she was smiling and happy. She spent a lot of the time rereading her mother's letters and eating cheesecake. After a fortnight of travel they reached Harmony Bridge. At this point the traders let her drive the horses up the enchanted bridge. She let out a cry of delight when they reached the Moon at last. Waiting for her with open arms was her mother!
She leapt off the caravan and fell right into her mother's arms. Both of the young ladies laughed and hugged each other tightly. "Oh, Mother!"
"Oh, Serenity! How I've missed you! Come, come! There is a feast awaiting us. Please come on! Luna will you run ahead and tell the others that the Princess is home?"
"It shall be done, my lady," she bowed and started to race away but stopped. She then turned around and jumped into Princess Serenity's arms and purred. "It's so good to have you back, Princess Serenity. It's been so quiet since you left. I've missed hearing you fall over all the time. And we've missed your ice dancing. No one could possibly replace you! So it's so nice to have you home!"
"It's nice to be home too. So what do you have planned for me?"
"After the feast we're going to have a grand ball, and then we are going skating. After that we are going to tell tales by the firelight. Then it's a snack and off to bed. We can also do anything your heart desire."
And for the first time in weeks the air was full of the laughter of Serenity. The banquet was amazing as they'd even a number of Earths food mixed in. There was even a huge strawberry chocolate cheesecake. Forgetting her manners she devoured it all like a little piggy, but this just made her mother laugh.
After everyone was stuffed full from all the wonderful food the ball began. It was a masquerade ball. It was so fairytale like. Though she longed to have Endymion to dance with she danced with numerous handsome young men. Though to be honest she did step on a lot of toes. She wasn't much of a dancer, but she blew everyone away when she skated. She never realized all these years on Earth how wonderful and amazing her homeland truly was. It made her wish that she could've the best of each world. That night just before going to bed she made a wish on a shooting star that this wish would come true.
After a few days had passed she began to open up about her feelings and woes of her life on Earth. She even confided with her mother how she long to just see Endymion's face. She never even seen his face in a painting for all traces of his human face had been removed. Even a sculpture of him as a baby in his mother's arms had been demolished for it was of his face.
Unable to let her daughter be in further anguish the Queen went to her jewelry box and pulled out a candle and a thin little stick. She gave them both to her daughter and told her how to use the tinderbox. "Here you go, Serenity. Just light the candle and sneak a quick look at him while he's dead to the world. Just one quick look and no-one will be any wiser."
And despite her promise the overwhelming urge to finally see her husband's face overshadow her promise and better judgment. She kissed and hugged her mother goodbye and left to return to Elysion.
All the way back to the Golden Kingdom she kept the candle and tinderbox hidden from view. She didn't want anyone to know what she was planning to do. Upon her return she was warmly greeted. She looked everywhere for Endymion to see him. But Eva told him he was gone on a mission and would be back very late in three days. So she wouldn't be able to put her plan into action.
For the next three days she spent making up for what her depression had interfered with. Everyone was very happy to see Neo Queen Serenity was back to her cheery and positively loving self. Still no-one knew her secret. Or that she was falling prey to temptation. Finally three days later Endymion returned. But it was well past midnight and his wife was already asleep. He was exhausted too so he went to his chamber and locked the door.
But Neo Queen Serenity wasn't asleep. As soon as she heard her husband come back she reached under her bed and wrenched up the loose stone. She then took the box out of its hiding place and took out the candle and lit it with the tinderbox. Taking a deep breath she gracefully and quietly crept from her bedroom and went down the corridor to her husband's room. She then took out a hairpin and began to pick the lock. It clicked open quietly and she slipped inside. Though half her body was screaming to turn back the other half was urging her forward.
Giving in to the temptation she crept at a snail's pace over to the bed. Taking a deep breath she moved the candle to his face. And for the first time ever she was seeing his face. He was most handsome with delicate features and his hair was black as night. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. All of a sudden the wax of the candle dripped onto his face and he woke with a start! He looked enraged and beastly something she never thought possible for him.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" he bellowed causing her to drop the candle onto the floor. She cowered in the corner and his ocean blue eyes became demonically possessed. He ripped off the sheets and screamed "DIDN'T YOU KNOW?! IN TWO MORE MONTHS THE CRUSE WOULD'VE BEEN LIFTED! NOW I'VE GOT TO GO MARRY BERYL!"
The light of the candle went out as he stepped on and he vanished into the night. Neo Queen Serenity fell to the floor crying when she realized what she had done to her beloved. "NO! HOW COULD I'VE BEEN SO FOOLISH!? ENDYMION!" she cried as the cold laughter of Beryl filled the darken chamber.
Watching from the corner was Queen Gaia and three little girls. Turning to face the full moon she let out a sigh. "Come, children. There's no reason for us to hide any longer. Come on we have to help your mother."
And with that the full moon disappeared behind the raging storm clouds. It completely was leaving the Golden Kingdom in darkness. The enchanting melodies of the night were completely overshadowed by the cold and merciless laughter of the evil witch Beryl. Her victory seemed to be close at hand. Could anyone save the Earth and Moon now?