Title: Crystal Power
Author: AriallaZarinth
Chapter Five: First Born Heir (the Silver and Solar Crystals)
Email: crystalstarr89yahoo.com

Setsuna gazed upon the Ruler of the Alliance, Queen of the Moon Kingdom, Serenity holding her first born child, a daughter. The child had the ivory skin of her mother, but the burnished gold almost chestnut hair of her father covered her head in a light fuzz. The cold black marble eyes of Solaris also were inherited by the child, Marigana.

Serenity's soul seemed compatible with the Silver Crystal, but she already had enough power of her own. The child, the should-be Heir to the Silver Halo -- the device for harnessing the power of all the member planets and galaxies of the Alliance -- seemed to take after her father more than her mother. The marriage of Solaris, then Crown-Prince of the Sun, to Serenity, then Heir to the Moon Kingdom, was purely political; in fact, the two rarely saw each other. Only because of equally ingrained senses of duty could they produce an heir, so the gossip went.

The Silver Crystal should have been the choice for Serenity's daughter. Setsuna skipped a few years in time, watching the Queen hand the five-year-old to Solaris. He smiled down on her, and the resemblance between the two was shocking as she smiled back.

There was no other choice for this Crystal, was there? Serenity's blood called for the Silver Crystal, but, then again, Solaris' blood wanted only the Solar Crystal -- his line was more selective. Marigana, as the first born, would the Heir to the Silver Halo no matter what. That's the royal tradition; first born inherit the kingdom, second inherits the right to a good marriage. After that, well, perhaps being royal would earn them something in life, whether a good spouse or a nice payoff by enemies of the crown no one could say. Marigana's life scrolled haphazardly across the rippling doorway

Setsuna shivered, still feeling the slime on the mists from the intruder. There had been no follow up, nothing. Perhaps they believed her drained, or perhaps dead -- who knows if her package had reached its first senders at all? Her tired eyes flicked back to the detached scenes of life.

Setsuna wondered if this is how the Ultimate Creator felt when he watched his creations grow; isolated, alone, as if they weren't real.. or perhaps He wasn't?

Something caught her eye in the scrolling panorama of Marigana's life, who was that? Setsuna took control of the Time Gate again, stepping close, trying to decipher the pictures. Marigana had a baby sister? There was something about this girl, something special -- though why a second child should tug more on the threads of Time than a first Setsuna did not know.

The Senshi of Time was off on a personal visit to the baby, only Queen Serenity and... baby Serenity?

&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!

"Ruler," Pluto bowed to the moon queen who was gently rocking her second daughter back and forth in her arms.
"Sailor Pluto, what a surprise! What brings you from the Gate? Is there danger? Or is there a Crystal to be given?"
"You know more than most, Ruler," Pluto began, confused at Serenity's knowledge of Pluto's possible motivations.

"But I must know more than most, Gatekeeper, for if I didn't, how could I rule? Two wolves of the same skill and experience must run as equals, for if one desires to be superior to the other, he must first gain some knowledge that the other does not have, in order to properly guide and, if the need arises, best the one or ones beneath him."
"Or perhaps just gain the support of the bears in the wood, so if his equal should question the supposed authority, there would be muscle and ferocity behind his rule."
"That, Gatekeeper, is tyranny, not leadership. If a man cannot win power by being a better person, in feat or mental maturity, he enlists into the army, does he not? He earns a position for himself there, and much support by the army-men, and perhaps the subjects of the ruler. So if he whispers that the ruler is unfairly taxing, who is there to enforce the ruler's denial? Certainly not the army, for could it deny the truth of its hero's words? Thus the ruler is overthrown, and the so-called hero becomes a dictator, and now the people are taxed unfairly. Who is there to challenge him? A family, stripped of everything but their lives? Or perhaps a few graves, or ashes scattered about a town square. Who can say what would happen to a deposed royal?"
"Who can, or who will, Ruler?" Pluto did not let herself smirk, though the flavor of one was in her words.

"T'was a rhetorical question, Crystalbearer." A name seldom used towards Pluto, for Keeper of the Crystals usually took precedence over simply Crystalbearer -- which she was, Pluto reminded herself, unconsciously touching the Garnet around her neck. "Why are you here? Why are your eyes hungry on my baby?"

Sailor Pluto drew herself up, wrapping her years around her like a cloak of authority and wisdom, though her heart trembled at being matched against this woman.

"I have many duties, Keeper of the Halo," it was a mocking title. By all rights, Serenity wore the Halo, but her seldom use of its power was a spot for criticism, "and it wastes time to explain them."
"But, Time Senshi," Serenity smiled innocently, "don't you have eternity?"
"You do not, Ruler."
"Then speak."
"Please, Serenity, may I see the Silver Halo?"
"May I inquire as to why?"
"Assistance, but not in boosting power." Pluto's words were clipped and even. "The natures of some things as powerful as that, because of their seldom use, are hidden even to me."

Serenity placed her daughter in the crib, calling the royal nanny back into the room to watch the baby. As the Queen exited the room, an extra shadow trailed her.

&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!

Alone, Serenity was passed into the Chamber of the Halo without question. Once inside, Sailor Pluto dropped her cloak of darkness. Her eyes passed slowly over the room for the first time.

Runes of power were engraved in the walls, spiraling to the center of the ceiling where the culmination of power glowed slightly, waiting to be used. A pedestal waited underneath the Power. The Halo was nowhere in sight.

"Power down, Senshi." Serenity commanded quietly. This was her ultimate throne; here was her greatest crown. Pluto obeyed, touching the Garnet at her neck and murmuring simple words for the senshi power to retract into the Crystal. She still held her Staff. "You may not keep the Orb with you, Princess Sestuna." The mother of two chided her gently. Setsuna did not understand but she obeyed, tucking the Time Staff into its subspace pocket and sealing it off completely.

Followed by the older but lower-ranked girl, Serenity moved over to a pool of silver. She smoothly knelt in front of it, once again imitated by Setsuna. Words slithered across the walls as her right fingers upset the smooth silver. Setsuna gasped softly when the ruler's hand came out, slender digits coated in a slightly solid silvery substance. Her own ancient voice repeated the words as Serenity painted runes across the princess' forehead. Her entire right hand dipped into the pool as she rose, alone, to trace certain runes on the walls, the only entryway, and the pedestal. The words twisted and twined, becoming something Setsuna couldn't have repeated if she had tried.

The Power and the silver-lined Runes beat with the Queen's voice, brighter and brighter until the light at the pinnacle of the domed ceiling was too much for Chronos' daughter to bear, and she closed her eyes, refusing to cower to the ground. The Runes on her forehead protected her, absorbing the light that would have surely burned her to the bone.

When she could open her eyes again, Serenity was no longer simply Queen of the Moon. She shone intensely, but only looking at her could one's eyes bear that light. Above her head in a purely..Silver..light blazed a ring: the Silver Halo. Serenity herself had changed. Her eyes mirrored the pool of silver she had drawn the Runes from; her once white hair now had the semi-solid semi-liquid quality of the silver. A Terran asked if it invaded her being, but Setsuna said it was the Halo's Power solidified into Serenity's physical matter.

"Halo-Queen," Setsuna croaked, pressing her forehead to the ground before rising to her knees again, "would bringing a Crystal or perhaps two be fatal here?"
"Which Crystals, Keeper? You know them better than I."
"Halo-Queen," Again she bowed, "the Silver and Solar, to see how they would react to the Halo."
"I am not ready for the Silver, Keeper. I do not wish to have that much power here with me, for the Silver Crystal is like a droplet of my Halo Power. The Solar Crystal may not come into this room under pain of death to you all!" She took a deep breath, "And possibly my death too."
"Halo-Queen," She had not groveled like this ever, but it was required, "will it be the Princess Marigana who takes the Halo after you?"
"I fear not. Marigana is my first-born, and ancient code requires me to give her my all, but she will take her father's kingdom. His blood flows more strongly in her, which delights him. He did not think we would have another daughter -- two daughters together, two daughters alone! -- so he lay with me again to gain a son. My blood is in Serenity, she carries my name, and my magic, and my kingdom. The Halo will not have Marigana."
"Halo-Queen," She prayed the Runes wouldn't rub off onto the floor, though she knew that was a silly prayer, "my duty here is done."
"Close your eyes, Keeper, but do not lower your head."

Within ten Terran minutes, Setsuna was holding her Time Key, gazing at the remaining Crystals deep in her Mists.

&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!&!

"Greetings to you, Queen Serenity, King Solaris, and the Princesses Marigana and Serenity." The shadows materialized into a suited Senshi in front of the waiting family, a few years after Setsuna's memorable visit. "I am Sailor Pluto, Keeper of the Crystals. This is my decree: to Princess Marigana, daughter of Solaris, I bequeath the Solar Crystal and with it the right to her father's kingdom on the Sun, but none of the right to her mother's kingdoms, either on the Moon or her standing in the Alliance." Solaris almost growled in fury as he watched the brusque bonding ceremony of Marigana and her Crystal. "Also, to Princess Serenity, daughter of Serenity, I bequeath the Silver Crystal, a 'droplet' of the Silver Halo, and the right to her mother's kingdoms, including her rule of the Moon, her command of the Alliance, and her ability and right to wear the Silver Halo." The second bonding was as straightforward. "This will all be done as I say, and none can contest. I am Sailor Pluto, Keeper of the Crystals, Senshi of Time." With that she left, allowing the royal family no words.

"Serenity!" Solaris snapped at his consort, "Did you know of this? Our firstborn inherits the kingdom, all of it!"
"Solaris, what can I do? She carries the blessings of the gods themselves, who are we to protest? Marigana has your kingdom; she has your blood dominant, not mine."
"Goodbye, Serenity. I will see you at the next Convene. Perhaps you will see my daughter then, and perhaps not." He placed his hands on Marigana's shoulders, steering the girl out of the reception room just as she learned to put away her Crystal. Serenity stared longingly after her eldest child, a whispered blessing going with her.

"Mama?" Little Serenity's voice rose in wonder, "How pretty it shines!"
"Come, Sere'y, put it away. The other princesses are coming today, don't you remember?"
"Oh yes! But where did Daddy and Marigana go? Shouldn't they be here? They are to become Marigana's court, aren't they?"
"Did you listen to what the lady said before she gave you that Crystal?" Serenity asked softly, kneeling in front of her daughter.
"I...I was listening, honest! I just don't remember..or, or understand!" Sere'y blushed.
"That was Sailor Pluto. She's one of my advisors,"
"Like Luna and Artemis?"
"Yes, like Luna and Artemis. As you know, your father and I have two separate kingdoms, so what you would inherit and what Marigana would inherit wasn't quite clear. We couldn't decide on our own, so Sailor Pluto made the decision for us. She's a lot older than your father and me,"
"And you should always listen to your elders?" Sere'y chimed in helpfully.
"That's right. She gave Marigana a special Crystal like yours to help her rule your father's kingdom, and she gave you that Crystal to help you rule mine. The Princesses will be your court, not your sister's." She paused, "Now then, we have to get ready, and Mama has to talk to Luna."

Sere'y – like the other child Crystalbearers before her -- put away the Crystal reflexively, and then she followed her Mother to her bedchamber, away from the parlor where the royal family had been visiting earlier.