Chapter 10 - Traitor
Raye stared at the paper blankly. Oh God, Raye screamed in her head, how did the Queen find this? How could she have known? The only person who knew where Raye kept that certificate was Mina, could Mina have betrayed her?
"I…I…I…" Raye stuttered not knowing what she could say and Queen Serenity stood up and poured herself and Raye a cup of tea, quite calmly. Raye looked up at the Queen, expecting the Queen to be angry with her but Queen Serneity was gazing at Raye, almost pityingly. Raye couldn't understand it. She and Heero had defied all law; they deserved to be punished for their disregard. It had always been that the parents chose the match for their children.
"Raye, my son is a dangerous man, you shouldn't have married him, I didn't want you involved, I didn't want you to get hurt," Queen Serneity said handing the cup of tea to Raye shaking her head sadly and Raye frowned. Hurt her? Heero?
"Heero isn't dangerous and he would never hurt me," Raye said surely putting the tea untouched on a nearby table giving the Queen her full attention and Queen Serenity closed her eyes. She had expected Raye wouldn't believe her.
"He is a heartless soldier Raye," Queen Serenity informed Raye coldly, eyes still shut, and Raye glared at the Queen defiantly as she retorted.
"Heero is what you made him."
"Exactly," Queen Serenity opened her clear blue eyes to stare into Raye's own, the gaze so powerful, it intimidated Raye until she had to look away.
"Why do you hate him so?" Raye asked meekly and Queen Serenity massaged her own forehead putting her cup down on a nearby table. This was not going to be easy. Queen Serenity had hid the truth from all of the Princesses and Princes for so long, just as her mother had done, and her mother before her. To tell the truth was to risk the whole Kingdom, it was to risk everything they had ever known. Yet Raye needed to be told what she had gotten herself into.
"What I am about to tell you Raye, you must tell no one, for this could change the course of history," Queen Serenity said taking a deep breath and when Raye nodded solemnly Queen Serneity continued, "As you are aware, although Endymion is male, he has the powers of his planet."
This was more a statement than a question and Raye had no idea as to where this conversation was headed.
"Yes but you told us that was because he wielded the Sword of Earth," Raye said following the conversation attentively and Queen Serenity nodded her head.
"The Sword of Earth enhances his true powers, in all honesty, Endymion has the powers of his planet without the Sword," with this revelation Raye became silent as she tried to comprehend what this revelation meant. Endymion had Planetary Powers. Endymion was male, and he had been born with Planetary Powers.
"I thought the Planetary Powers were passed down through woman only," Raye whispered, her voice shocked and Queen Serenity shook her head.
"It was a lie told to all of you at birth so that you would never question it," Queen Serenity informed her and Raye sat back in her chair as this overwhelming news consumed her.
That meant that the Power of the Planets was not passed down to the woman generation, it was passed down to all of the children, everything Raye had thought she had known about her history and her past, her ancestry was a lie.
"Endymion has planetary powers?" Raye repeated in shock and Queen Serenity nodded grimly, feeling a little less burdened now that someone else knew her secret, never mind it was a sixteen-year-old girl. Serenity knew the girl was intelligent for her age; Heero wouldn't have married her if she hadn't been.
"Yes but he has no idea."
"And the others? My brother? Heero?" Raye persisted her questioning and Queen Serneity looked away from her to gaze out of the window, her confession pouring out.
"They are the same, we let the men believe that the only power they glean is from using the Swords of the Planets, but in truth, they are all as strong without the Swords, they just don't know it yet, they were not taught as children to use their powers as you and the girls were taught, their powers lie dormant, waiting for a trigger to release it," Queen Serenity explained and Raye was so confused.
"Why not tell them?" Raye enquired and Queen Serenity had known this question was coming. It was the question Queen Serenity had asked her mother, so many years ago when she had first learned of the deception.
"Women must rule Raye, this has been the way of life here for eons, and for years we have kept the men at bay, protecting our right as rulers," Queen Serenity told Raye strongly, convinced she had done the right thing in keeping this information from everyone, but Raye couldn't understand.
"Why not let our brother's protect us then? Surely if Wufei is the Prince of Mars and he holds planetary powers, if he uses the Sword of Mars…" Raye let the example drift away as Queen Serenity shook her head.
"His powers will far outway your own, he would be stronger than you, in a civil war between the two of you, with all the skills Wufei has, he would be able to kill you easily and take your throne, you are both equal in power, if you hold the Sword of Mars you will win, is he holds the Sword of Mars, he will win, this is why we choose Princes from other Planets as the protectors of each of the Princesses," Queen Serneity gave her the scenario and Raye shuddered.
"Wufei would never hurt me, I am his sister," Raye said surely but one look at Serenity's face made Raye doubt her own heart.
"I used to say the same thing of my brother, until this," Serenity pulled the back of her dress down to show Raye the puckered scars, from a battle long ago, "this is why I had to send Heero away, you know Heero Raye, he resents being born as nothing, with no destiny, just as my brother did, and Heero's curiosity will allow him to discover the truth and when he does, we will all be destroyed."
"You're lying," Raye said getting to her feet her shoulders shaking with indignation. Heero would never harm anyone. He was a loyal soldier. Raye couldn't believe that her whole life, all that she had believed in was one big lie to stop her brother from taking the throne. How many others knew of this? She wondered, how many people kept up this façade? Heero had been right to feel cheated out of his destiny; Queen Serenity had taken it away from him. Queen Serenity reached out and took Raye's hand, it felt ice cold.
"Your mother saw this Raye, long before she died she said to me that my son would be the first to discover our secrets, and the first to betray the kingdom in my eyes because of it, and eventually, he would lead Serena to her death," Serenity tried to hug Raye and comfort her but Raye pushed the Queen searching arms away from her forgetting it was the Queen she touched.
"No, Heero would never, he loves Serena as much as we do," Raye protested, tears starting to fall from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. She brushed them away, determined not to show weakness in front of Serenity. How could Queen Serenity say these things of her own son? Did she know him so little?
"I had to send him away Raye, can you understand that? I wanted to change the destiny that your mother foresaw, but Serena just had to go to the Earth and bring Heero back, now I fear there is nothing I can do to avoid this future," Serneity said, obviously distraught and Raye sniffed back her tears.
"I love Heero, I cannot believe he would do what my mother saw," Raye told the Queen who gave her a sad pitying smile.
"He will, and when that happens Raye you will need to choose sides, whether you will stay by the side of your husband, or by the side of your planet," Serenity gave her the ultimatum and Raye pursed her lips devastated by all that she had learnt.
"What about Jedite?" Raye enquired thinking of his cold eyes and Serenity looked over at the paper Raye held in her hands.
"You can't very well marry him when you are already married to Heero, Christine will have to marry him in your stead, I will leave it up to you to tell her the news, just remember what I have said, do not trust Heero, his destiny is to betray us all," Serenity warned, her voice dark with doom but Raye shook her head, not believing a word of it. Even if Queen Serneity didn't know Heero, Raye did and she knew he would never betray them. Never. Queen Serenity was wrong.
"I don't believe destiny is set in stone," Raye's strong voice spoke her mind and Serenity raised an eyebrow at the Princess of Mars, getting to her feet.
"We will see Raye, I am organizing for Heero to be sent to Pluto far away from the Moon, you can go with him, or you can stay and fulfill your duty to the throne, the choice is yours," Serenity stood and left the room, her skirts swishing as she went, leaving Raye with this difficult decision. Her heart or her duty. As soon as Queen Serenity was gone, Serena snuck out from the secret passageway behind the bookcase to bundle Raye into a tight hug. She and Raye had snuck around the castle's secret passages many times as children, but it wasn't a game anymore.
Serena had been hiding and had heard everything that her mother had said, about Heero, about their destiny, about the world they knew. Raye was so thankful she had someone else to share this burden with that she started to cry again.
"Raye, please don't cry," Serena whispered and Raye looked up at her.
"Serena, did you hear…?" Raye asked and Serena nodded, her face turning angry. Such a strange sight. In all her years as Serena's closest friend Raye had never seen her friend look so angry. The only time she had come close was the day the Princes and Princesses had met for the first time and Wufei ripped the head off Serena's favorite doll. And the time Duo ran by and pushed her into the fountain, not knowing that Endymion had just proposed to her at that moment in time, and that Serena was in the process of accepting when she was dunked. All those moments seemed to wane by the anger Serena held in her eyes now.
"I heard, and I am just as upset as you, I had no idea, I am not going to allow mother to send Heero away," Serena said firmly and Raye clung to her friend for strength.
"I think this is bigger than the both of us, your mother thinks she is protecting you, that if Heero finds out that he has Planetary Powers he will let the power go to his head, but you and I know Heero, he wouldn't hurt either of us," Raye said looking into Serena's eyes and Serena nodded.
"I know that."
"Where is he? I have to talk to him," Raye stood up brushing away her tears, trying to be strong. She didn't know what she would tell Heero but she just had to be with him right now, she needed his strong arms around her. She needed him.
"I think he went back to his chamber," Serena replied and Raye smiled at her thankfully.
"I have to go," Raye said dashing into the passage behind the bookcase and Serena watched her friend's departing back.
"Good luck," Serena whispered, then she made up her mind and went to look for her mother.
Heero was pacing around his chamber. He was worried about Raye. He wanted so much to talk to her, to explain to her why he had done what he did. But she hadn't wanted to listen to him. She had left him, just like his mother had. If only it didn't hurt so much. In his frustration he grabbed his plain chair and smashed it against the nearest wall. Someone giggling in his doorway startled him and he turned around in surprise.
"Heero, you seem to be in quite a mood," Relena commented lightly, walking into his chamber looking around, taking in the dreariness of it. It was clean, and bare of any warmth, the only thing that seemed homey was the sheets on his bed, red silk, probably a gift from Raye.
"Princess Relena, what are you doing in my room?" Heero asked raising an eyebrow at her, and Relena laughed lightly.
"Just coming to see if you are all right, I mean your wife has just been ordered to marry another man," Relena said her eyes glinting with a strange light.
Heero wasn't quite sure he trusted the way Relena was smiling. She seemed so different, so strange, so unlike the happy, peaceful Relena he had known.
"That won't happen, we will go to my mother," Heero said surely and Relena's eyes narrowed with contempt.
"You think your mother will help you both out of this predicament? I highly doubt that," Relena harped on what she knew Heero already doubted and Heero hated the way she was seeing into his thoughts.
"And you have a better idea?" Heero enquired or her and Relena sat down on his bed, crossing her legs primly.
"To stop the wedding, you must stop your mother, its because of her these weddings are taking place, if she weren't around…" Relena let the sentence fade away, smiling evilly.
"What are you saying?" Heero asked raising an eyebrow at her, showing nothing of what he thought on his emotionless face.
"I am saying we attack the Moon, too long have we remained under their spell, its time we stood on our own two feet and take back what is rightfully ours, the whole of the Silver Millennium," Relena said gleefully coming to stand in front of Heero, her hands reaching for his but Heero stepped out of her grasp.
"You are asking me to betray my Kingdom?" Heero asked of her not quite believing it and Relena nodded grinning.
"For the woman you love," she said mockingly and Heero's face didn't change.
"And Serena, and the other princesses and princes?" Heero asked of their safety and Relena returned to her seat on Heero's bed.
"We will let them live," she assured him and Heero's interest was peaked, wondering whom in the kingdom would help Relena with this plan.
"We?"
"The Generals and I," Relena informed him and Heero stared at her beautiful face, his ice blue eyes boring into hers.
"I cannot help you Relena, I cannot betray the Moon Kingdom," Heero declined her offer and Relena shrugged her shoulders getting up.
"Very well, and call me Beryl," Relena said to him walking to the door, and in the doorway she stopped to add spitefully, "Heero, if you tell anyone of this conversation I will have them killed."
"You aren't Relena," Heero said gruffly and Relena chuckled.
"No, I am Beryl, Relena just gave me her body to use for my own desires, she was so devastated by your wedding to the Princess of Mars that her body was weak enough to allow me access, at first she fought me, but now, she has no control, I am in charge now, and I will rule the Silver Millennium with your help or without it," the being inside Relena came to float above Relena's head and Heero felt terribly for the Princess of the Earth. Relena didn't deserve this. He hoped she was still alive in there, and he promised himself then and there he would save Relena. On earth, when Heero had been a child, Relena had been the only person who was kind to him. She brought him sweets from the kitchen, she sang him songs to make him sleep, she was like his childhood friend, although he had never told her that, but he didn't need to, Relena already knew. He looked on her as he would a little sister.
"I will stop you," Heero told Beryl glaring hatefully at her and Beryl chuckled loudly.
"You are nothing prince with no powers except for the sword that you wield, you can't stop me, no one can," Beryl disappeared inside Relena and Relena gave a chilling laugh before walking from the room only to bump into Raye who had been just about to enter.
They regarded each other and Raye shuddered at the look in Relena's eyes and her heart knew; this wasn't Relena. This, woman, scared Raye. Relena leant forward to whisper in Raye's ear.
"You should be scared Raye," Relena hissed, then giving another laugh she disappeared down the hallway and Raye turned and ran into Heero's waiting arms, never having been so unnerved before. How had Relena known what she had been thinking?
She stayed in Heero's arms for a long while until he finally pulled away, his blue eyes looking so concerned. Not the eyes of a traitor as Queen Serenity had claimed he was.
"Heero…" Raye breathed and Heero's heart jumped in his chest at the look Raye was giving him. One of smoldering passion and love.
"Raye…" Heero whispered as their lips met and they kissed desperately.
"Your mother just told me some horrible things," Raye pulled away as she began speaking and Heero took her hand and led her to the bed, sitting her down.
"Come here my love, and tell me," Heero invited her his voice calm and Raye took a deep breath relaying all that Serneity had told her. Heero contemplated sharing what he knew of Relena, but from what she said, he didn't want Raye involved, he was her protector after all. Raye had finally talked herself to sleep and Heero knew what he had to do. There was only one person who could stand up to Relena and win. His mother.
Heero strode into his mother's chambers unannounced and Queen Serenity glared at him icily for his impudence.
"Mother, I have something to report," Heero said to her, saluting and Queen Serenity raised an eyebrow at him.
"Then do so."
"Princess Relena is not herself, there is something called Beryl living inside of her, she wants to destroy the Moon," Heero informed his mother, and Queen Serenity gestured him over to the map of the galaxy where Queen Serenity and her court officials planned strategies for any wars that would take place. There were pieces everywhere, the symbol of the earth facing off against the symbol of the moon and all the other planets.
"Relena has just declared war on the Moon, she and the Generals have fled to Earth to recover their armies and then they are coming here," Queen Serenity told her son and Heero looked over at his mother. It sounded like Queen Serneity didn't even care that something was taking control of Relena. From the look of the strategy, they were going to obliterate the earthlings.
"Listen to me mother, it is not Relena, its Beryl," Heero told her again, this time more forcefully and Queen Serenity gave him a patronizing smile, ice cold of emotion.
"I know you are fond of the Princess of Earth Heero but making up stories will not save her, we will destroy her as we have destroyed all imminent threats to the Moon," Queen Serenity said cruelly and Heero glared at her.
"You aren't listening to me," he said gruffly and Queen Serenity stared him down.
"No Heero, you aren't listening to me, Relena may have been your friend, but now she is your enemy and you will destroy her as I command it, do you understand?"
Heero remained silent, just staring up at his mother, who raised an eyebrow and repeated,
"Do you understand?"
"You may have given up on Relena, but I haven't," Heero spat at her running from the room and Queen Serenity gave up on him, returning to the strategy at hand.
A few minutes later a young page came running into her chamber, breathless.
"Your majesty, your son has just teleported to the Earth," the page informed Queen Serneity who let out a growl of frustration. No, this couldn't be happening. Raye's mother's vision was coming to pass.
"The traitor! Let the warrant be out, Heero is to be killed on sight for being a traitor to the crown," Queen Serenity screamed and the page nodded and ran off to do the Queen's bidding.
AN: wow that was bloody long. I hate being in the Silver Millennium; I want to go back to normal time. Which is why I am really rushing what's happening, as you can tell. Enjoy!