Moon Song
Black Diamond:
I don't won Sailormoon. But it would be cool if I did:
Summery: The Earth and Moon kingdoms have been at war with one another for a long time. But things are about to change, for the moon princess and the earth prince agree to get married in order to end the war. But will a cold hearted princess learn to love a man who is in love with another woman. And will that man learn to love a woman who never shows any signs of emotions: Read Review and Find out.
I'm writing this in honor of Hawksong. Read it it's an awesome book. I read it five times. Also Midnight predator. and Shattered Mirror:
Chapter 11: Guests
They walked together, hand in hand to the palace entrance where they were met by their guests.
The four Kings were graying men, but it was clear that they were warriors born, strong in build and stronger in heart. Besides them were their families. Serena took in the joyful exchange of greeting between the Kings. She took note of how Darien seemed to familiar with most of them and seemed to be truly pleased with their arrival.
"This is my wife Serenity." Darien introduced her. She greeted them first in the ways of the Lunarians, but took note of their confused expressions.
She stopped, not certain what to do. She had seen many greetings here, most of the females who greeted her or Darien bowed…but that was not the Lunarian way, it actually goes against one of their most ancient traditions.
"Will you not greet us my lady. It is usually customary to bow to Royalty?" One of the women asked, she was a beautiful woman with hair the color of flames and wheat.
Serena looked at her, she raised her brow.
"My apologies, I did greet you, but in the ways of my people. What my dear husband has forgotten to mention is that I am his Lunarian wife Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. And I bow only to the Gods." Serena stated staring into the women's face with empty eyes. The other women became agitated and looked away. Several of the older women smiled and stared at Serena with something close to approval.
"Quite understandable. Forgive us for not recognizing your greeting." One of the older women stated. The Second King, Lea had a hold of her waist. Serena looked at the older woman and nodded.
"No need to. Shall we enter, it is after all dark and you must be exhausted." Serena said, she made a move to turn around, but Darien grabbed hold of her waist and planted a kiss on her forehead.
She had every intention of stumping on his toe, but they had guests.
"I think I really like your wife young King. Wish I had spotted her first for my dear son." The third King Joshua said taking his wife's hand and following Serena and Darien into the palace.
"Speaking of sons where is Malachite?" The Last King David looked around. His wife was walking besides him and behind them were seven young girls…all of them silent, but with wondering eyes. And all of them looked strikingly identical to Malachite…save for several differences here and there.
"He had some business to attend to." Darien stated darting his eyes away from the King's. The King nodded his head leaving it at that, but the Queen did not. She raised a brow at Endymion.
"You mean he is avoiding us." A statement not a question." That son of mine, does not even come to visits his own family after we came all this way." She shrugged and walked with her husband right besides her. And though her tone was sour, she was sporting a delicate smile on her face and her daughter muffled laughter behind her.
Darien and Serena escorted their guests directly to the dinning area, which was already prepared by the maids and squires whom Serena had had working.
Darien would not admit it now, but he was extremely relieved that things had worked out as they had. And more than that, he was grateful for Serena, grateful for her crafty mind, for her quick work and for the fact that she was not willing to fail him- despite the fact that they were enemies…err were enemies.
He took her hand firmly into his moments before they took their seats, everyone had been waiting for them to take their place first before they would, he squeezed her hand and delivered upon it a gentle kiss before releasing her at her designated seat at one end of the table, and then making his way to his seat at the other end of the table.
When he was standing across from her, and when he had her nod of approval he took his seat; at the same time she did. After they were both seated everyone else followed suite.
The dinner went by exceptionally well. The mild conversation around the dinner table was one of complete camaraderie. Which is to say, no one had yet brought up the topic about the End of the War and so forth.
Darien was caught up in several conversation with princesses, Queens- several trying to get him to be with their daughters or nieces, and Kings talking about business as usual. He was so caught up that he did not have time to capture Serena in a light conversation. Not that he could with her sitting so far across from him.
He managed to sneak a peek at her during his conversation with one of Malachite's sisters, only to catch her gaze. There was a look about her that was not the typical one he had been accustomed to.
Her mouth was full and she was trying to hide the lump in her cheeks. When their gazes met her face turned red and her lips went up in a wondrous smile. He could barely breath when he saw that. She was enjoying herself, or rather enjoying the meal.
He too smiled, unable to keep himself from doing so. She looked so guilty, yet so…so…
"So Darien, are you going to take part in the sword play?" Beryl asked, leaning over Darien. She smiled her beautiful emerald hair casting a sort of red halo around her face, making her emerald green eyes shine. Beryl truly looked like a faye creature with her exotic beauty.
It was truly extraordinary. Which made it impossible to resist her.
"I am not certain I will. I am still undecided as of now." She pouted, their conversation drew the attention of several of the dinner guests. They focused on me as if expecting something else.
As a warrior he usually took part in the tournaments, it was the only time he could act as a necklace as any other soldier. And it was always good to see who amongst his soldiers could top him. He was after all, born with a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left.
"Yes Darien…Do take part in this tournament, and maybe I shall allow one of my personal warriors to spar with you." Serena mocked, half serious. Darien stared at her, brow raised in challenge.
"Yes do give your girls permission to fight. I am sure I can give them some well needed pointers." Darien stated smiling openly at her. Serena rolled her eyes at his esteemed self confidence.
"Don't flatter yourself, my girls can more than handle you, just be grateful you will not need to face me." Serena said. That grin on his face only widened, he leaned in on the table folding his hands under his chin and regarding the warrior he had taken for wife with a sort of firry spark in the debts of his eyes.
"You can spar with me anytime you want. In fact I would love to spar with you, and I will gladly lose and let you take the mantle if that pleases you." His pun did not go unnoticed, and the dinner guests did not even attempt to fein ignorance at his statement. Their was a series of laughter and chuckling going around. Serena however, despite her best attempts could not prevent the fluttering of her stomach or the slight color that smeared her cheeks.
"I doubt you can handle it?" She replied earning her sounds of approval from the older women and the men at the table.
"By the Gods Darien, your wife is a treasure. Forget finding her for my son, now I wish I had found her for myself." Malachite's father stated earning him a playful glare from his wife.
"Really dear, I doubt you would know what to do with her." She said. Their daughters laughed as did the other queens. Serena herself held back a smile.
"As if I know what to do with you." He murmured pitifully.
"Yes well, she and her people have this philosophy which gives them privilege to say whatever comes to mind with no emotional attachment." Beryl said staring at Serena with a sarcastic smile about.
"Yes I have come to notice that many of your people do not portray their emotions, or emotions as we would. Those who do have a very narrow emotional range. Its even truer for those of your people who hold important posts. You are a bit different. Though you try to hide it, I can see of emotions at work in you." One of the Queens, Zoicite's mother Claris stated watching Serena intently.
"That is because Darien has been mentoring her." Beryl said again, her statement though true was meant as an insult to Serena and an insult it was.
"Yes…well, still that doesn't explain why you do not show emotions." One of the other females, the daughter of a provincial king said.
"Why do you show emotions?" Serena retorted. She looked at her with a quizzical frown.
"Well, because its the humane thing to do, and its normal." She replied.
Serena shook her head.
"Its only normal, because its been preconditioned in your society as the normal thing to do. And in mines lack of emotions has been preconditioned as the normal course of action." Serena said casting her gaze upon her meal.
There was utter silence throughout the table because what she said was true. Many of the people of earth had presumed that the Lunarian's lack of emotion is a strange and inhumane behavior. What most of them did not seem to comprehend is that the Lunarians were not human and to them the showing of emotions was abnormal.
"Yes, well thought you seem to think that is the best form of action, I personally believe that people who show each other their feelings are in a way trusting each other. Trusting each other at a far deeper level than simply doing trustful things." King Alec, Jediet's father stated taking a hold of his wife Juan's hand and kissing it.
"What do you mean by that?" Serena asked.
"Well, for instance if you were to cry in front of someone, then you are showing them your weaknesses and trusting with your care at your weakest. Most people presume tears are the ultimate sign of weakness, but anger is. When you trust someone enough to lose your temper, to lose your common sense around then you truly trust them. Because when you can truly trust another person to care for you at your worst, then you can trust them to care for your at all times." King David said. Serena stared at him, taking note at the smile that decorated his wife's face and the smiles on their children's faces.
"My wife thought me that." He finished turning to stare at her with a smile of his own.
"Yes well, men don't know much about understanding their own emotions. We women though emotional creatures have a depth of understanding and an insight that makes us indispensable to our race. They are the muscles, and we the brain and hearth." Queen Josephine said taking Serena's hand into hers and gently patted it on the back.
"Yes, you do have a point. I never saw it that way." Serena said nodding at Josephine with an empty smile.
"Yes well, I would still like to know how it came to be. Its quite an interesting case study really. We are so similar as creatures how is it that we developed such different behavioral patterns. Do you mind if I ask why?" Alice, King Lea's wife said looking over at her with sparkling eyes.
"Dear god, not at the dinner table honey. Wait for your scientific inquiries until later…much later, if possible." King Lea said staring at his wife with a worried expression.
"No, it is fine I can answer…It is quite simple. We Lunarians believe that emotions place you at risk of causing harm. Emotions cloud ones judgement and therefore provides with the potential danger of inappropriately using our powers. And believe me when I say we are a powerful race." Serena said staring at Beryl with those last words to place her in check. Beryl just met her gaze with a fierce one of her own.
" So, you refuse to show emotions because you fear loosing control over your powers?" Alice said, Serena nodded.
"Doesn't that reflect upon a weakness. You are not strong enough to control your powers when you are not in control of your emotions so instead of learning, you block out all emotions." Darien said staring at her with an unreadable expression. Serena returned his poker face with her own stoic expression.
"No, it is just a way we have chosen to learn to control those powers. And because of our choice we are magically more powerful than you and yours." Serena said, her statement- and the fact that she did not see the Earth people as her people did not sit well with many of the tables inhabitants and many of the guests could not stifle their concern- caused several brows to go up in inquiry.
"Ehh! That's right, isn't yours a female dominant culture. That's also another thing that has fascinated me, Its interesting how your Silver Alliance is one under the control of a female monarchial system and power descends through the matriarch system while ours is through the patriarch system. Why is that?" Alice asked against.
"Well; I suppose its similar to why your people give men power here. In the Silver Alliance the females are for the most part the strongest, however unlike you we do not just measure physical strength but all forms of it. And besides the Alliance doesn't limit the descent of power on gender, the powers chooses their hosts. Leadership in the Alliance comes to those whom our ancestors deem worthy. That is why we test all of our candidates." Serena said giving Darien a swift deadly look before returning her gaze back to Alice.
"So you had to fight for your position as Queen?" Alicia asked. Serena shook her head.
"I did not, the role choose me. Besides there is no one in the alliance who would dare challenge me for the throne." Serena statement was said in a matter of fact tone that yielded to do form of arrogance. It was a truth one that she took no undeserving pride from.
"So confident in your own abilities. If you are the strongest in your kingdom, why not face off with the strongest in our kingdom. It will provide us with the perfect show of who amongst you is the strongest and not to mention the intertwinement we will derive fro it." Beryl said a cruel grin etched on her face. Serena stared at her for a moment thinking, not conscious of the analytical look Darien cast her way.
"Hmm. Why not. What harm could there be in a quick spar." Serena offered. The satisfaction radiating off of Beryl was palpable. The rest of the table had fallen under a sort of deadly silence that made Serena look around curious as to why everyone looked so stern all of a sudden.
"Did you hear that Darien. She accepts the challenge to fight you." Beryl turned towards him so fast her red waves whipped around her as if some invisible wind had picked them up and was skittering them all around her beautiful face.
Darien did not respond, he just continued to stare at her cooly and uncertain as to why he was behaving in such a manner she returned the blunt stare.
After several more failed attempts to coarse a response from Darien, Beryl gave up and closed her mouth. The rest of the meal commenced with deadly silence. Everyone seemed anxious to be gone from the site. Darien's sudden cold demean did not go unnoticed to the table's occupants. Everyone but Serena seemed privy to some unspoken knowledge.
After dinner everyone retired to the ballroom where a series of entertainments had been prepared for the guests- usually there would have been a formal Ball held in honor of the guests to welcome the them. , but it had been such a short notice, all Serena could manage was this; not that this was any small thing. She had trained Marian Fire dancers hired to perform a Dragon's Ballad, one of the senshi's Amy had found her a Crystal Whisper who specialized in crystal magic and illusions, to top that off, she had managed to get several traveling entertainers, musicians and even the Senshi's to perform. It wasn't much- not by her standards, but it would have to do.
The Crystal whisper had just finished his performance, and it was time for the Senshis to come up. They were going to perform and ancient court performance- a fight, or rather a spar. But it would both showcase their strength and their cunning.
When they arrived on stage, they formed groups of two, Amy and Lita on one side, Mina and Raye on the other. Amy would face of against Raye and Lita against Amy, their elements would be rendered practically useless against each other, therefore they would have to rely on more than just that.
Half way through the battle/performance Serena could see Kind David and Lea practically off their seats their attention fully drawn to the battle. She surveyed the guests of honor and all of them seemed to be focusing on the battle furiously so.
When Lita's long foot slammed into Mina's head-sending the other girl crashing into the floor, Serena could hear the startled gasps around her.
Mina however, recovered immediately and sent a retaliatory kick straight into Lita's stomach. The blow knocked the breath out of Mina, she cough and there was a slight red taint on her lips. She was about to launch when Mina used her magic to bind her in place.
Lita struggled, but to no avail. After what seemed like enough time struggling Serena raised her hand. Mina released Lita who managed to straightened herself.
They saluted then moved away- Lita holding onto her stomach and limping- to let Raye and Amy finish their battle.
They too finished their fight soon enough with Amy coming out victorious. Raye had delivered a kick to her back sending her doubling. But that had provided Amy with a chance to use her powers to trap Raye.
There was a healer to the side who helped the girls with their wounds.
The was silent for a good amount of time after they finished fighting. Serena looked around concerned. She was about to clap when one silent clap from besides her caused a tidal wave of clapping.
She turned to stare at Darien who was besides her- he just looked ahead at where the girls had been fighting moments ago. She looked at the floor as well, not at all sure why he was so focused on it.
She did not have time to think about it either, because the musicians came in and began to play a soft mellow song. To lighten the mood.
Darien rose to his feet, took her hand and stepped into the center of the room with her at hand.
They were the only ones on the floor. And for a second she thought about going back, of pulling away. But his grip on her hand was painful. His knuckles were white from the force of his grip. Her eye twitched, but she did not draw any attention to them.
The song that played was a waltz.
Darien pulled her close, his hands clamped onto the small of her back and pulled her as close as her stomach could possibly allow.
The tips of her breasts grazed him with each step their took, boiling up her insides.
"Can you loosen your grip." Serena murmured when they were close enough. He looked at her, but did not comply.
Sighing, Serena attempted to pull away, but he did not give her a chance to. He forced his lips down on hers.
Their audience- the guests their families and a good number of the palace inhabitants- applauded or voiced their approval.
When he pulled away, Serena could not see that familiar satisfied or cocky look about him. In fact he looked worst than he did when Beryl had mentioned her fighting him.
"Will you?" He asked.
"Will I what?" Serena added confused. He spun her around
"Will you fight. Me. Will you really fight me?" He asked again. Serena stopped taking note of the strange tone of his voice and the malice in his gaze.
"Yes. I would." Serena said. The song ended and Darien stopped dancing, turned towards the audience with Serena to his side. He held their joined hands upwards and his other hand out. The claps resonated throughout the ballroom. Everyone applauded.
When the applause ended and the music commenced again. Darien released her to the crowd and made his way to the dais.
Serena couldn't help but feel as if he were brooding…or sulking. And surprisingly that did not sit well with her.
She was about to go demand what was wrong with him when a figure appeared in front of her.
Aieg'a. A dear friend and a comrade at arms.
"Will you honor me with a dance your highness. Its been too long since we were in each other's company." Serena nodded taking his offered hand and coming into the dance floor with him.
He was rather kind. Telling her about what was taking place in the Alliance and about old times in general.
Serena found herself strangely comforted by his presence. Sure she had the senshis to keep her company, but most of their interactions revolved around business or training. They rarely had enough time to do the later, let alone sit around and just chat.
So this little chat session with Aieg'a- though on the dance floor- was quite refreshing.
After her dance and Aieg'a took leave of her, Serena was bombarded with more dance requests from both mortal men and men from the Alliance. Several of the kings even requested dancing with her. But unlike the other mortal men- who were either silent or attempted to flatter her- they simply tried to make her laugh. And if she was asked to, Serena would have admitted that they came really close to making her laugh. She did smile, widely at some of them.
The song had just finished and Serena couldn't stand through another dance, she wanted to seriously get off the floor before someone else came forward requesting a dance.
Where was Darien when one needed him?' Serena thought as she tried to avoid potential dance partners. She spotted him seated on his 'kingly' chair shaking his head at a young women who most have requested a dance. She curtsied and walked away.
Serena was almost to the steps leading to her own seat when a figure intercepted her. She almost sighed her disappointment but somehow managed to quill it long enough to accept his offer to dance. When she looked up, she saw Darien and he was staring at her mercilessly.
He knew.
He could clearly see that she was tired. That she did not want to dance.
But he was not going to step in and help her.
Someone, despite knowing better, Serena was saddened by the concept.
He did not care.
And the knowledge burned a hole in her.
She kept her eyes locked with his until the cro wed of bodies dithered her line of vision cutting her off from him.
This is the fist chapter I'm updating from my college dorm room. YAHOOOO! I will try my best to keep updating, but with school work and jobs it might be a while before I update. So please…please…juts be patient with me.