Chapter 3: The Difference Between Truth and Trust

Kiyoko turned slightly to her mother, not taking her eyes completely off of the stranger. Usagi looked totally dumbfounded by the woman standing in front of her. She turned her eyes back on the woman in white and addressed her, "What business do you have with the Queen Mother?"

The woman turned her gaze to Kiyoko, clearly trying to keep it friendly, "Queen Mother? Does that make you her daughter then?"

"It does," Kiyoko responded with a very formal tone. She heard her sister and Helios approaching from behind. Kiyoko would have to reward Endo for that. When the two of them came to stand with them, they took in the woman before them with shock. Kiyoko spoke again, "And this is my sister and Queen of Earth. It is she who bears the name Serenity now. So, please tell us who you are."

Laughing briefly, the woman responded, "Of course. Please excuse my manners. I have spent so much time alone that common curtesy is no longer my forte. I am Princess Botan of the White Moon Kingdom and your mother's younger sister." She bowed briefly and wait as everyone processed her words.

Serenity looked at her mother, "Mother, you have a sister? What is going on here? Is this woman telling the truth?"

Everyone else looked at Usagi as well and she blinked as she looked at Botan, "I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you are. I have no memory of you."

The woman, Botan, looked dejected at Usagi's words, but Kiyoko couldn't help but question her sincerity. Botan took everyone standing there in for a moment and then focused sharply on Setsuna. She spoke a bit more crisply to her, "Sailor Pluto, you know who I am, don't you?"

Setsuna responded in an even crisper and restrained voice, "Yes, Princess Botan, I know who you are." With resignation in her tone she turned to Usagi, knowing she had no choice here, "She is who she claims to be Usagi. Her name is Botan and she is your younger sister, by a year. She is the second daughter of the original Silver Millennium." There was the tiniest tightening in her lips as she finished her sentence and it seemed Kiyoko was the only one who picked up on it.

Regrettably, Usagi had not registered Setsuna's manners and stepped forward with her hand out, friendly as ever. She spoke to Botan, "Well, it must be true then. I am Queen Mother Serenity Usagi, but my family simply calls me Usagi these days."

Botan took Usagi's hand and pulled her into a hug, saying, "I am so glad that I finally found you, found my way back home. I have so much I want to know. I have waited for the chance to see you for so very long now!" Usagi slowly hugged her back. Too trusting.

Serenity, Chibi-Usa, stepped up and addressed Botan, "My name is Queen Serenity, as my sister said, I'd like to welcome you to the Crystal Palace." She looked back at Helios, "This is King Helios, my husband, he will be happy to stay with you and my mother as the two of you catch up, make yourself comfortable here. I am afraid I am in need of my sister and the others."

Helios nodded and approached Usagi and this Botan gingerly. He smiled when he spoke, "Why don't the three of us sit down and you two can get reacquainted." Then he took Usagi's hand and started walking toward the table. Botan followed silently.

Feeling satisfied for the moment, Serenity turned and walked back into the castle. Kiyoko, Seiya, and Setsuna following her. Once completely inside the castle she turned and faced the other three, focusing on Pluto, "What is going on? She's telling the truth?"

Again Setsuna spoke with a tight lipped expression, "Everything that she said is accurate you're Highness. She was born during the original Silver Millennium a year after your mother to that Queen Serenity."

Having picked up on the stressed way Setsuna was behaving, Kiyoko interjected, "What is it you are not telling us Setsuna? You know more than you are saying."

Looking genuinely regretful, Setsuna replied sternly, "I am afraid that is all that I can say you're Majesties." That use of formality by Setsuna only fed Kiyoko's concerns. There was more to this woman…. Her aunt she supposed…. And she would find out what it was.

Gently Seiya took her hand and told her telepathically, "I don't trust her either, but why isn't Pluto telling us what she knows?"

Kiyoko pursed her lips, but responded in thought, "Whatever else she knows, and the rules of time and space do not allow her to tell us. But what she isn't saying is speaking volumes." They gripped one another's hand tightly, so much for a relaxing honeymoon.

Calling Seiya and Kiyoko out of their telepathic conversation, Serenity addressed Kiyoko, "Sister, I am afraid I have to ask that the two of you go back and keep an eye on… everything. See if you can read anything from her. I am going to go and alert the others to what is going on. I am honestly surprised they haven't surfaced yet. Pluto, go and take over at the communication and surveillance room."

Poor Setsuna, she'd broken the rules so many times for Kiyoko's sister that sometimes Serenity became very upset when she didn't. But Kiyoko knew that she paid for each one of those transgressions, even having died before. However, Kiyoko had to focus on other things now. She spoke, "Seiya and I will keep watch, but let's make sure that we keep the children away from her until we know more."

Nodding, Serenity sighed as she replied, "Agreed Kiyoko. And thank you." With that she took off at a quick pace to find the others. Setsuna nodded, but didn't say anything as she started walking toward the duty given her by Serenity with sorrowful acquiescence.

Kiyoko and Seiya walked back out to the courtyard, holding hands but keeping their guard up. With her free hand she still carried her staff. As they approached they heard Usagi just chatting away. If Kiyoko was correct she was talking about her.

When they reached the group Botan looked up and confirmed as much, "Serenity, I mean Usagi. That will take some getting used to. Your mother was just telling me about your wedding. It sounds as if it were beautiful! I wish that I could've been there."

Why did her mother ramble when she was nervous? Kiyoko wasn't sure she wanted this woman, her long lost aunt that made Setsuna so anxious, to know about her personal life like that. But she put on the serene smile of royalty and replied, "It was incredibly beautiful, thank you. Seiya and I have been together for many years, we simply chose to finally make it official."

Seiya narrowed her eyes on Botan, still not having mastered that royal mask, "Yes, Princess Botan, I feel very privileged to have found the love of my life in Kiyoko."

Botan looked at her, amusement in her expression, "Well, there are occasions to get it right the second time around." There was a spark of tension building between Botan and Seiya.

Usagi felt it too and feared what could happen, so she attempted to diffuse the situation, "Botan, I told you that was a long time ago." She turned to Seiya, "I'm sorry, but well… things came up when I told her that I was your best man." Then Usagi tried with Botan again, "Seiya loves Kiyoko in a way that is so much deeper than the way that she loved me. Besides, that was over a millennia ago!"

Shifting her eyes from Seiya to Kiyoko, "Of course. It's not like anyone would pine for someone that long. They'd have to be very in love to do that."

Kiyoko definitely did not like Botan, she was very bold and had a sharp tongue. But its sting was not like Seiya's or Haruka's. However, she smiled, "Yes, they would. So, may I call you aunt Botan? I'd like to know more about you."

The tone in Botan's voice told Kiyoko that she knew Kiyoko didn't trust her, "Of course Kiyoko that would be wonderful. And I do hope we'll have time to get to know one another." Kiyoko tried to get a read on her emotions, her energy, anything. But she realized she was getting nothing from the woman. This made Kiyoko's distrust grow.

She stood there and listened as her mother continued chattering away, and from what Kiyoko sensed, she really wanted to trust Botan. But her mother wanted to see the good in everyone, it was one of her greatest merits as well as one of her greatest flaws.

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