Chapter Seventeen
Lies My Mother Told Me
"I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. To Trish1573: I will tell you that Serena will find love again, this is a Serena/Darien story, and Luna and Artemis will still try to stop Elena. As far as the inner scouts getting Sailor Moon back, you'll find out later on in the story. The next few chapters covered the back story of Elena. So here's the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.
All over the world news outlets reported on the solar eclipse that was appearing that night. People walked the streets normally and continued on with their days as usual.
In a large flat in London, blood and dead bodies were splattered all over the floor and walls. Mason's body laid on the floor with a dagger stabbed through his heart.
Serena landed on the floor in a crouch position with a bloody sword in her hand dripping blood on the white floor. Elena stood at the other end. They charged towards one another.
They engaged in hand to hand combat. Serena was a micro mini black skirt with black heels and a high split white Elena wore a white pantsuit.
She caught Serena in a chokehold and said with a smile, "Serena, you're not going to win."
Serena said, "You're murdered my parents."
Elena said, "So you get your revenge by becoming a murderer. How poetic!" She tossed her against a wall. Serena bounced off the wall and fell to her knees.
Serena took out her transformation broach and said, "Go to hell, Elena" She held out transformation broach and yelled, "Moon Cosmic Power!" Nothing happened. Elena smirked. Serena yelled it out again. Serena asked worried to herself, "Why is it not working?"
Elena laughed and said, "Because a corrupt heart cannot yield the crystal."
Serena cried out then said, "I am not corrupt."
Elena laughed then said with a malice smile strutting towards Serena, "I am Sailor Moon, the champion of justice. In the name of the moon, I shall right wrong and triumph over evil. You went against your oath."
Serena said angrily, "What do you mean?"
Elena said, "You killed innocents."
Serena's eyes widen then said, "What do you mean?"
Elena laughed, "You didn't think I knew that Darien was a fake, my daughter is trying to double cross me, and Luna and Artemis are creating a resistance against me. I know everything little girl. You trusted the guy who took your virginity and lied to you about everything. I did not kill your parents or Mina or Darien's. It was fate that killed them. Nothing supernatural. It was their time. Seth is away at college. I could call him up if you like." Elena took out her cell phone and dialed a number. It started to ring and Serena heard Seth's voice on the other end.
Serena started to shake her head in denial. She cried out angrily, "You're a liar!"
Elena smiled and said, "You killed innocents. Mason, Mr. and Mrs. Williams, Anna…they were all innocents. Mason did not kill your parents. It was their time." Elena smirked.
Serena's eyes widen as the silver crystal floated towards Elena. She grabbed it with her hand and a white light illuminated the room.
Elena said warmly looking at the crystal in her hand, "It's been a long time my friend." She looked up at her niece who looked like she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Elena said, "You didn't always hate me as you do now, Serena. We were once close."
Serena looked at the bloody sword that had the blood of the innocent people that she had slain.
She screamed dropping the sword to the ground.
Elena let out a wicked laugh. Serena looked angrily at her aunt and charged towards her. She cried out angrily, "Liar!" The crescent moon appeared on Serena's forehead. A yellow light emitted from her moon symbol causing the room to shake and crumble.
Elena stared impassively at her niece. She then tossed the moon wand in the air causing time around them to slow down. Serena froze in a running position as everything faded to white around them.
Next, Serena fell backwards out of a window as glass shattered around. Elena looked out the window and gave a wicked smile. A black upside down crescent moon symbol appeared on her forehead. Her long golden hair turned black and her eyes turned from blue to black.
Serena opened her eyes and realized that she was in space surrounded by billions of stars. Her naked body was wrapped in red ribbons. She asked, "Am I dead? Where am I?"
Elena appeared next to her. She was wearing a white gown sleeveless gown and her long golden hair was styled in a messy rope braids with long golden curls down her back. The crescent moon symbol was on her forehead. She wore golden dangling crescent moon earrings and red lipstick. She looked like a beautiful young woman of twenty-two than a woman of thirty-six. She favored Mina, yet she looked more mature and beautiful.
Elena smiled at Serena and said, "No, you are not dead. Time has stopped. It is only right that you know your past."
Serena looked up amazed at the shooting stars in the sky as she transformed into Princess Serenity.
Mina sat on the floor of the small room by the nice warm fire as the orange and yellow flames created an orange glow throughout the room. Zack said he sat next to Mina looking at the warm fire dancing in the fireplace, "Several thousand years ago…."
Elena said looking at Serena, "Several thousand years ago before the Moon Kingdom was the destroyed; it was ruled by the powerful women of the moon dynasty for several thousand years. It was also referred to as Planet Lunaria, home of the Lunarian people. The Moon Kingdom was one of the few kingdoms in the galaxy that were led by women. There were hundreds of planets in the galaxy. Every planet was inhabited by people whom had their own rulers. Many men were upset that a line of women had this power attempted over millennium to overtake the Moon Family. Yet, the Moon was blessed by the First Ancestor, the first Lunarian and the creator of the White Moon Family's bloodline. Blessed by the First Ancestor, the Lunarian race remained undefeated and peace over the galaxy last for several years. The current queen at the time was Queen Helena, daughter of Serenity I and the great granddaughter of the First Ancestor. Helena was as beautiful as she was powerful and wise. She ruled the Moon Kingdom with her husband King Zeus at her side…
A man named Astraios stood on a space ship, which was actually a pirate ship that can travel through space. He stood on the deck and watched the billions of stars in space and smiled as he saw the most brilliant of the all. The glowing White Moon, where he was heading. He was looking forward to meeting the White Moon Queen Helena and getting the blessing of immortality like the Lunarians. The Lunarians were blessed with the power of long life and aged one year every one hundred Earth years. Many people of the different worlds hated the Lunarians and called them an abomination against God. Only recently within the last century, the creation of the space travel was created allowing people to travel to several worlds. Rich citizens from the Planet Earth, since only the rich could afford to travel, travelled to the different planets within their Solar System and started spreading the teachings and the belief of one true God, a monotheistic religion. This only spread more hatred of the Lunarians who lived long lives thanks to the blessings of the powers of the Silver Crystal. The rumor was that anyone who possessed the moon crystal will get eternal life and would be invincible amongst his enemies. At one time, the Lunarians happily travelled amongst the other worlds but stopped after they found themselves being murdered and tortured. Queen Helena ended space travel for the Lunarians. Therefore, anyone who wanted to meet her had to come into her kingdom.
Astraios was not a rich man. He was simply a young man of twenty that dreamed of travelling the galaxies. Even though he was not a rich man, he was resourceful. He won his ticket in a game of poker, where he bluffed a couple of upper middle class men into believing that he had the upper hand. Before they realized that Astraios had bluffed them, he was already onboard the Space Ship Pluto leaving his home world of tiny planet Pluto with a chunk of their money.
Astraios was considered a handsome young man of twenty with fair hair and eyes the color of emerald. He was about six feet tall and had a slender, muscular physique from working many years of hard labor with his father and brothers.
Astraios listened as a woman said over the intercom, "Everyone please return to your seat, we will be a landing shortly in Crescent City, the capital city of the White Moon, ruled by Queen Helena and the Moon Family. "
Astraios took a deep breath and sighed with a big smile on his face as he clutched his duffle bag to his body and walked back inside the ship.
When he landed on the moon and exited the ship as a long bridge appeared out of nowhere and extended across a clear blue ocean to a port allowing them to cross over where they were welcome to the Moon Kingdom by a woman and man wearing white uniforms with the Crescent Moon crest embodied on their breast of their uniform.
Astraios showed them his boarding pass and looked amazed as he quickly adjusted to the atmosphere of the Moon.
When he walked in the Crescent City that was surrounded by tall buildings were men wore tunics and tights and boots and women sported the latest fashions in gowns made of the finest silks and pieces. The streets were cleaned and well-paved. The air smelled as fresh and the five seas of the Moon were as clear as a sunny day. He saw no signs of homeless people or people who looked poor or begging for food. There was no sickness, yet one could die of a mortal wound if they were not taken to the Healers in time. There were a few Lunarians with gifts. They were the Healers, Changers, and Seers. There were Healers who were blessed with the power to heal. Changers could transform in animals and some were employed as spies for the royal families. There were Seers who had to the power to see the past, present, and future. The Seers were usually rewarded with employment under the Moon Queen and were usually the ones that protected the Lunarian race from attack and also caused to Lunarians to win several battles and wars.
Queen Helena was described as a fair queen who treated her people like they were people. She charged them a low affordable tax and they were paid a monthly stipend for living on the Moon. There was no unemployment, no debt, and anyone who could work was able to work. Everyone seemed friendly and there was lively chatter amongst the crowd.
Yet, even though this was a good world led by a peaceful and fair queen, there were still those who broke the laws of the land. Stealing, perjury, killing, and adultery were against the law. Some people broke those laws and were quickly punished by the Queen. She did not believe in the death penalty and thought spending the rest of your long life in prison was a better punishment or you were exiled. If a person was exile, they will travelled to whatever planet the royal guards send them to and live the rest of their remaining life there and lose their immortality, aged yearly, and die like any other mortal with all the sicknesses and weaknesses of mortals.
Astraios walked into the Sunlight Inn ran by a woman who looked like she was in her forties with brown hair and brown eyes named Mary. She wore her hair in a messy bun and wore a brown dress that made her look dull. Mary smiled when she saw Astraios and said, "Welcome, traveler to Crescent City and the White Moon Kingdom. Let me show you to where you will be staying."
Mary said as he followed Astraios up the stairs, "So how long do you planning on staying?"
Astraios said, "I don't know, ma'am. I am looking for employment and a place to stay."
Mary asked, "Are you any good at housework and fixing things."
Astraios said, "Yes, ma'am, I always used to help my mother around the house and help my brothers and father fix things around our home like the roof, plumbing, cattle, and building a barn."
Mary said, "Where are you from, Astraios?"
Astraios said, "I'm from the Second Galaxy from a planet called Astro, but my family and I moved to the Milky Way Galaxy when I was a kid and I grew up on Pluto."
Mary said, "Well, that must have taken you almost a year to get here. What would possess you to leave your family and friends to come here?"
Astraios said with a smile, "I always wanted to travelled the world, ma'am. The White Moon always fascinated me and when the opportunity arises for me to visit it, I took it. It was worth it."
Mary smiled then said turning her head down to him for a second, "Well, if you need work. My husband is out of town travelling to the Crater City on business. He'll be gone for a couple of months. I need someone to help out in the kitchen and help do some fixing up while he is away. The pay is not great but I will be giving you room and board and a hot meal every day until he returns home."
Astraios said happily, "Thanks ma'am. That will be great!" He just landed on the Moon and he already had a job.
Mary smiled then said sternly, "Now, it's not permanent. It's only for a couple of months."
Astraios said happily, "That's just fine."
Mary said as they walked down a small hallway, "Now, I have rules young man. You are a pretty attractive fellow for your age, and I know some fair maidens will love to throw their handkerchiefs your way, if you catch my drift."
Astraios turned red then laughed nervously, "Yes, ma'am, I think I do." Astraios could not believe Mary had insinuated that there were loose Lunarian women. He became aroused wondering how heavenly it would feel to make love to a Lunarian woman. He had heard rumors from his schoolmates overhearing how their fathers and older brothers would talk about how making love to a Lunarian woman was almost like making love to an angel. Men have travelled from the ends of the universe to sample the wonders of the Lunarian women. He could only fathom where a man would go to taste their wonders.
Mary said sternly as she stopped in front of a door taking a metal key out of her apron and unlocking the door, "I don't want no hanky panky or any fooling around here. You got it?"
Astraios nodded then said, "Yes, Mrs. Mary I do."
Mary smiled then said, "Oh, you can stop with the miss and ma'am. It makes me feel so old. I may be two thousand years old, but I am not that old." Astraios figured that Mary was not a natural citizen of the Moon. She had to come here when she was in her late thirties or early forties and then was gifted with immortality.
Astraios laughed and said, "Yes, Mary."
Mary stood to the side as Astraios walked into his room. He smiled as he saw the nice little cozy room with a nice cozy full sized bed. A tan nightstand with a lamp on top of it next to two windows as the sun shined brightly through the thin white curtains. Next to the other window was a tan wardrobe. On the opposite side of the room was a desk and chair with a small lamp on the edge of it. There was a blue and tan large rug covering a good portion of the brilliant, shiny brown wooden oak floors.
Astraios turned to Mary and said, "This is just great. I love it."
Mary said as Astraios walked into the room, "I think you will be comfortable in your room. Outside you can see the heart of Crescent City, but in the distance, you can see…."
Astraios finished fascinated by the beauty of the city, "Serenity Sea…. It was named after Serenity I because it matched the brilliant blue of the women of the Moon family's eyes."
Mary said, "That is correct. You know your Lunarian history. If you get home at sunset, you will see serene scenery in the horizon. Sometimes, I feel like White Moon is heaven on Earth."
Mary walked in the room and said dropping the key in Astraios' hand and said, "Dinner is at six." She walked out allowing Astraios to enjoy the beautiful surroundings around him.
After dinner, Astraios walked through the busy and festive streets of Crescent City where people laughed and drank and were very merry. He saw jester and jugglers in the streets entertaining the crowds. Belly dancers blew fire from their mouths and fascinating men with their curves and sensual moves as their wives and girlfriends dragged them away. He saw street musicians entertaining large crowds as people tossed loose change in their hats on the ground. He looked stunned when he saw a man of large size being thrown out of a bar right in front of him. Violence in the peaceful Crescent City?
He was fascinated by it! He walked into the bar where he barely dodged an empty beer bottle being thrown his way.
A well-endowed woman was apparently upset that her husband was soliciting a private dancer. Everyone laughed as the man continuously dodged the woman's attacks as she threw food and bottles at her husband that shattered against the walls. The owner of the bar was very upset and yelled angrily at the woman before having two of his bouncers escort the woman and her husband out of his bar.
Astraios laughed as he tried to maneuver his way through the large crowd towards the bar. He constantly said excuse me as people carelessly pushed their way passed him. Astraios bumped into a man of large size and height. The man growled at Astraios causing him to gulp as the man pushed Astraios away from him causing him to move backwards. He collided into a young woman who fell backwards on the floor.
The young woman yelled upset as she landed on her bottom, "Hey, watch where you going, you dunce!"
Astraios turned around nervously as he quickly knelt down to help the young woman up. He felt a spark in his body and became still as he looked at the angry young woman before him. She was beautiful with long golden hair that she wore hanging down her back and over her shoulders in a messy rope braid and innocent, light blue eyes that looked as serene as the clearest sea. She had a red bow in back of her hair. She looked like a teenager around the age of sixteen or seventeen. She was wearing a brown dress but her perfect cleavage was on clear display as she breathed heavily and they moved back and forth in front of him. He knew that she was poor because only the upper class wore finer fabrics. There were poor, middle class, and rich people on the moon. The only difference was that the poor were able to make ends meet in the world and better themselves through education.
"So are you going to gawk at me all night or help me up, dimwit?"
Astraios quickly came out of his fascination with her beauty. He said a bit peeved as he helped her up, "Wow! For a beauty, you have an ugly personality."
The girl roughly pushed him away from him once she got on her feet. The girl placed her hands on her hips and stepped into his personal space. She stood on her tiptoes to reach his full height. She was so close to him that he had to restrain himself from kissing her.
She said coolly, "Maybe my personality would not be so unattractive to you, if you weren't such a clumsy imbecile."
Astraios smirked at her as he folded his arms across his brawn chest. Astraios said, "How unladylike of you to be this close to a man that is not your husband. Now, not only do you have an ugly personality, but you are unladylike to boost, and an ungrateful brat for not saying thanking you!"
The girl cut her eyes at him and said, "Stay away from me, dunce." Astraios heard a ruckus behind him and quickly turned around. He then turned his head back to find that golden beauty was now gone. He looked around for her but there was no trace of her. He looked down and saw the red bow on the ground.
He spent a good chunk of his money getting wasted and thinking about the blue-eyed goddess he met in the bar. He was so tipsy that he could not even walk straight as he sung a merry song that he used to sing with his father and brothers as they got wasted at the local pub Plutonium.
He walked the streets that night. Even though it was the earlier hours of the morning, the streets were still festive and packed. People travelled together in pairs and in groups while he walked alone.
He felt footsteps travelling behind him. He quickened his pace. He quickly turned around and saw that there were five men on his trail and they are looked rugged with unshaven beards and dirty clothes. Astraios started to walk faster and noticed a corner a few feet away from him. When he turned around the corner, he started to run through the crowd lightly pushing his way through as the five men chased after him.
He ran quickly through the markets and streets as everyone he touched looked confused as the men chased after him. Everything looked blurry to him.
His eyes widen when he came to a dead end. He cursed under his breath before slowly turning around to see the five men surrounding him. They looked at him with their smiles.
A big, robust man missing a tooth said, "You cheated our friend Antoine back home out of his ticket and his money. He owed us money and now you have to pay." He slowly took out a large butcher knife tucked between his beer belly and his belt and said with an evil grin, "I want my money back."
Astraios said holding his hands in front of him, "I mean no harm. I don't know what you are talking about."
Another man who was slim and scrawny tossed a golden coin towards him. Astraios caught the coin and looked at him. The man said, "Those coins are plutonian and marked. You used those golden coins to pay for your drinks."
Astraios muttered something under his breath then said looking at the five men, "Well, I guess you're going to have to kill me, because I won these coins fair and square. It's not my fault that this Antoine character was stupid enough to bet his tickets and the money he owed you guys."
Another man said, "Let's kill this man then take what's ours." He took his sword out of his sheath and charged towards Astraios.
Astraios quickly took out his sword out of his sheathe. It was his father's sword that he used in the Great Planetary War twenty years ago. An evil warlord Arin wreaked havoc in this solar system. The planets came together under the leadership of Queen Helena and King Damien I, the Earth King. Together they fought, attacked, and defeated the great warlord Arin in the five year war.
When he told his father that he wanted to travel the universe, his father gave him this sword for good luck and taught him since he was a boy how to use it well.
Astraios engaged in a sword battle with the men. He used his sword and also kicked and threw a punch at one of the men when he had a chance. They were attacking him from all sides and as he backed up, he did his best to keep them from killing him.
Suddenly, they all looked scared and started to back up at something behind him. He slowly turned around and looked stunned when he saw a man wearing a green hooded cloak. He was wearing a green hood on his head and a tragic comedy mask covering his face. He wore a black tunic, tights, and tall boots underneath. On his back were a bow and a set of arrows.
One of the men cried out scared, "It's the Phantom Mask!" Astraios looked confused as the hooded man face turned in a happy comedy mask. He wondered what it was about this masked man that invoked fear in five grown men.
The Phantom Mask leaped over him and landed in front of the five men stopping them in their trail.
One of the men said scared, "Phantom Mask, this man has stolen money from us. We were only trying to get it back."
The Phantom Mask said in a deep voice, "It seems to me that you wanted to do more to this man than just get your money back. It's against the Lunarian Law to kill. In the name of the Moon, I must punish you."
The Phantom Mask engaged in hand to hand battle with the five, reluctant men. Astraios looked impressed at the man's skill as he effortless fought the five men. He tossed them, flipped them over and threw them about like they were nothing. In less than five minutes, the men were unconscious and piled on top of each other. The Phantom Mask slapped his hands together like he was wiping off dirt and slowly walked towards Astraios.
The Phantom Mask then said, "These men won't bother you anymore. But a word of advice, it is very uncommon for a man of a lower station to have that much money on him. Even though we live in a world with plentiful resources, there are those out there will always be greedy for more. Just be careful next time."
Astraios nodded as the Phantom Mask walked past him.
Astraios quickly turned around and asked, "Who are you?"
The Phantom Mask turned around as his comedy mask turned to a tragic face. He said in a deep voice, "I go by many names. Some call me the Phantom Mask. Others call me the Moon Phantom. Yet, whatever they call me, I am the protector the Moon. I bid you farewell."
Astraios cried out, "Wait-"The Moon Phantom leapt under into the air and vanished before Astraios' eyes.
Astraios said softly, "Thank you."
Over the next few days, he dressed as waiter wearing a white tunic and black tight with a black hat served the guest as the inn. After he served the guest, he fixed the hole in the roof that was causing one of the ceilings to leak when it rained. He then tended to the horses and milked the cows. Mary smiled at him.
He constantly thought about the blue-eyed goddess that he met at the bar. She was the most beautiful creature that he ever laid eyes on. He had met many pretty women throughout his twenty years, yet he never had one that crossed his mind after a day. There was something about her that smitten him. At night, he had wet dreams about her wondering how it would be to plow into her heavenly treasures.
He walked the sunny streets of the Crescent City and was stunned at how pack and crowded the streets were. He heard music and the royal trumpets blowing loudly a few blocks away. He asked a fellow merchant what was going on. They informed him that it was the suitors coming to try to win the prized hand of Princess Elena. Wealthy and powerful men, kings, and princes from different worlds bidding for the princess' hand in marriage. Any man who wins a moon princess' hands will be granted immortality, eternal youth, and ultimate power since the moon family was the most powerful family in all the galaxies thanks to the silver crystal. It was only rivaled by power of the Golden Crystal of the Earth King' s bloodline, yet many believed that the silver crystal was more powerful than Golden Crystal.
Astraios walked through the crowd buying a shiny, red apple for one of the street merchant and biting it as he walked through the crowd that looked happily as they saw the rich and powerful men paraded around town showing off their richest throwing chests of gold to the crowds and the citizens happily picked it up, flaunting their concubines in sexy outfits that pleased the men. Some rode on elephants while some rode on the finest bred horses. They were surrounded by their royal guards in red, brown, black, and purple coats. It was a very festive affair.
He heard that Princess Elena and her younger sister Selenity, two hundred years her junior, were the most beautiful women that man has ever laid eyes on. No man will ever say they were normal women. They were considered goddesses that had an angelic aura around them that fascinated mankind with one look. In Astraios' opinion, a man will be lucky just to have one of the sister's alone without everything else.
Everyone piled in the large amphitheater and happily looked down at the large field where the men had to prove they deserved Elena's hand. At the very top in the box seats, there were chairs for the queen and her family carved with the crescent moon symbol, yet they had not arrived yet. The ringside seats were already filled with the noble and wealthy Lunarian families. The blowing of the horns signified that royal family was about to enter.
At the blowing of the trumpet, everyone rose. Astraios followed along. An announcer said loudly in an intercom, "Welcome fellow citizens of the moon, I presented to you their royal highnesses Queen Helena and King Zeus of the Moon Kingdom…" The crowd erupted in cheers as the Queen and King walked out with their arms interlocked together. They waved at the crowd. Queen Helena looked very beautiful with long golden hair and striking blue eyes like Serenity Sea. She looked like she was forty years old without a wrinkle on her face even though she was over four thousand-years- old. She sported the royal Lunarian hairstyle of two long golden pigtails that made golden circles at her feet. The crescent symbol was on her forehead. She wore a long, strapless gown that showed off her slim and elegant form. Her husband was a ruggedly handsome and powerful built man who had been her king for two thousand years. He looked forty years old with a scar on his right cheek from a battle he fought in his youth. He had long golden hair with light blue eyes that he wore long and stopped at his chin, where he sported a neatly trimmed beard. On the crown on his head was a golden crown with the crescent moon symbol on the front of it. He was a powerful built man with large, muscular arms that he showed off in a black leather vest, tights, and tall black boots. The queen and king smiled lovely at one another as the king escorted his queen to her seat.
After the king and queen sat, the announcer then said, "And now I present to you all, our royal highness and our future queen Princess Elena and her royal highness, Princess Selenity…"
The princesses walked out. Elena wore her hair in a rope braid chignon while Princess Selenity sported the traditional long pigtails like her mother. Elena did not look happy as Princess Selenity beamed happily as she waved to the crowd. Elena wore a beautiful blue silk gown that matched her eyes while Princess Selenity wore a white gown. The crescent moon symbols were on their foreheads. They looked almost identical to one another but Elena looked more mature and regal at the age of seventeen or seventeen hundred years while Selenity looked beautiful yet still had baby fat and looked her age of fifteen or fifteen hundred-years-old.
Astraios gasped as he looked up at the ungrateful girl from the bar that haunted his dreams. She was Princess Elena, eldest daughter of Queen Helena and King Zeus and heir to the throne. He could not believe that she was the woman that night and why she was dressed below her station.
Princess Elena and Princess Selenity sat in their seat.
Princess Selenity said happily looking around at the packed stadium, "All this is for you sister."
Princess Elena said unenthused, "Yes, let them battle to find out who prize I shall be."
Princess Selenity said, "It is your duty as future queen Elena to marry."
Princess Elena said looking down at her suitors that came across the galaxies and worlds for her hand in marriage, "Yes, my duty to share my reign with these weak imbeciles."
"Elena, behave yourself and smile." Elena smiled as she heard her father's voice telepathically speaking to her. A small smile appeared in the corner of her lips as she looked at her father across them as her father looked smiling ahead at the crowd.
He stood up and said, "Welcome fellow Lunarians and guests on this festive occasion where we find out which one of these lucky gentlemen will win my beautiful daughter Elena's hand." He looked down at the men and said, "Each of you will be given three challenges. One will test your sense of accuracy. The other will test your strength and the final test will be a test of wisdom. Whoever wins shall win Elena's hand and become future King of the Moon. Let the battles begin."
Astraios watched Elena sat on her throne looking bored as with her elbow propped on the arm and her head tilted resting on her fist.
She watched as the ten brave men shot arrows at targets that were twenty to 240 yards away. A few missed the target all together receiving boos from the crowd and cheers received when a Prince Cantesse from the Planet Cantoid shot at one hundred yards away. A close follower was Lord William from the Planet Jupiter shot a target that was eighty feet away. Prince Cantesse was the winner of the first round. Followed by four other men. The rest of the men did not meet the required target range and were disqualified.
The second round was a test of strength. The ten men had to lift large boulders of rock and throw them long distances. Some of the rocks were extremely heavy. Ergon of Uranus who looked like a bodybuilder won the round causing the crowd to cheer while Astraios looked on sadly. At the end of these games, one of these lucky suitors will have the honor of being with her. Now, it was down to two other suitors along with the Prince Cantesse of Cantoid.
The third round was a test of wisdom. A small burning house appeared before them in the arena with the screams of women and children crying for help. The men looked confused along with the audience.
King Zeus rose from his throne and said, "This is a test of wisdom. In this burning house lies a family of four which represents your family. Your wife, your mother, and two children, a boy and a girl are in the burning building. You each will have one chance to save only one life. Choose wrong, you will lose the challenge. Choose wisely, and the hand of my daughter will be yours." King Zeus yelled loudly, "Let the games begin!" The crowd erupted in cheer.
Each of the three remaining men ran into the burning building. Two saved their sons before the burning house collapsed. Prince Cantesse saved his wife before the building collapsed. The crowd cheered as the bodies disappeared from the men's eyes along with the burning house.
Queen Helena asked them why did the pick the person they saved.
The first two men said, "He picked his son because his son could carry on his bloodline."
Queen Helena asked with a slight irritation in her voice causing her daughter Elena to smirk, "Are you saying your daughter is of no consequence?"
One of the men answered, "No, your majesty. I am simply saying that a daughter is not as important as a son. He is young and will grow up to a strong man. Women need a man in their life to take care of them since they are too fragile and simple-minded with the exception for your grace, your majesty…" Queen Helena smiled, "…. to handle the realities of life. In that sense your majesty, a son is more important than a female."
Queen Helena simply smiled. Elena and Selenity knew it was her fake diplomatic smile to someone she despised. She turned to Prince Canteese and smiled then asked, "And why did you choose your wife instead of your son, daughter, or mother?"
Prince Cantesse answered proudly looking at Princess Elena, "Because what would life be without love and beauty that surrounds it. A man marries his wife because she brings joy to his world. A man marries his wife because her beauty surpasses any other creature that he sees. To let her die such a horrific death will be bring only emptiness to his world. What would our lives be without a woman's love and affection?"
Queen Helena smiled then said, "Good answer my fellow contestant. I understand that in other worlds, women are treated as second class citizens sometimes they are considered as lowly as the servants their father and husbands owns or employs. Yet, in this kingdom, men and women are equal. A girl's life is just as important as a male's life not the simple minded damsels in the distress you portray them as according to your world King Dimes. Yet in this world your highness, I am king and my husband is queen."
She looked at all the men and said, "I am very happy for all of your participation but unfortunately you have all lost our final tests." There was a disruption in the crowd. "Will anyone else like to demonstrate the true accuracy, strength, and wisdom of a Lunarian?"
"I will." The crowd looked stunned when Elena rose from her seat. She turned to her mother and said, "May I have your permission, your majesty?"
Queen Helena smiled then said with a nod, "You may my grace, but if you fail, you must marry any man that I choose for you."
Elena smirked then said, "I won't." Elena stood on the edge of the balcony and looked down at the arena that was hundreds of feet away from her. She leapt down shocking Astraios. She landed on her feet in a knelt position. The crowd looked amazed as Elena took the long bow and concentrated on the target two hundred and forty feet away slowly extending her long bow and closing one eye. When she released her arrow, it hit the bulls eye of the large target causing the crowd to erupt in cheer even Astraios. She then went to the boulders and picked up one that was larger than the one that of Ergon and threw it at a longer distance than his. The burning building appeared before her. She heard the screams of the family crying. Elena ran in the building and came out helping the elderly mother. The house disappeared.
With the elderly mother wrapped in her arms, Queen Helena asked, "Why did you choose the elderly mother? She is old and will be close to death soon."
Elena said looking the queen directly into the eyes, "Because a man can replace his wife with a new one, he can bear more children, but a man only has one mother. She cannot be replaced."
Queen Helena said standing up, "Well done, my daughter. This is the truth strength and wisdom of a Lunarian." The crowd erupted into a standing ovation as the elderly woman and the burning house vanished. Astraios applauded happily. Elena looked around and laughed and smiled happily as the crowd chanted her name.
One week later, Mary left out for a few minutes to pay a few bills. She left Astraios in charge of the inn. She was amazed as how much of a help he was and how quickly he learnt things. Astraios was in the back tidying up things in the kitchen when he heard the bell ring. He yelled stacking dishes in front of the cabinet, "I'll be out in a second!"
The bell rang again. Astraios cut his eyes at the now irritatingly, impatient guest. He walked through the hallway to the front desk and froze in his tracks. It was Elena. She was wearing her hair in a sided hair braid over her shoulders. The crescent moon symbol was not on her forehead and she wearing the plain brown dress he first saw her in.
He said softly, "You…"
Elena froze. She turned to him and looked relieved when she saw him. She asked confused, "I'm looking for my Aunt Mary. She owns this place. Do I know you?"
Astraios felt a slight twinge of hurt in his heart when she did not recognize him. He answered in a cold tone, "We bumped into each other at the bar one night. You called me a dunce. I called you an ungrateful brat. Then you disappeared on me."
Elena looked at him confused as if she was trying to recognize him. When she started to remember, a humorous smile appeared on her pink lips, "Oh yes, you're the idiot from the bar."
Astraios said, "Wow, very blunt."
She asked shaking her head then saying, "Is my aunt here?"
Astraios said stepping behind the desk, "She popped out for a few moments to pay her bills. She should be back soon. Excuse me." He walked away from her.
Elena quickly said, "Wait." Astraios stopped in his track and turned back to her. She asked, "Every Thursday, I come here to help her out. I could not last week because I had a previous engagement with my parents that I had to attend." She had a hint of displeasure in her voice. Last Thursday was the competition for her hand in marriage.
Elena said, "Anyway…she told me that she had a new tenant staying here and was helping out until Uncle Desmond returns." She held out her hand and said, "By the way, I am their niece Elena."
Astraios confused shook her hand and said, "I'm Astraios."
Elena smiled then said, "Nice to meet you."
Astraios asked, "So how is Mary your aunt? No offense, but you guys does not look alike."
Elena smiled then said, "She is my father's sister. She takes her looks after my late grandfather while my father takes his looks from my late grandmother."
There was a moment of awkward silence but Elena interrupted and asked, "So what do you want me to do?"
Astraios looked calm on the outside but inside he was freaking out. He was standing alone in a room with Princess Elena, the moon princess, and future queen of the moon. She was dressed in plain clothes and Mary, the one he worked for her aunt. She did not recognize him since he was nothing to her but a clumsy dim-witted person. She was so out of his league since he was only a poor farm boy from a small Planet Pluto. She was a beautiful goddess in her plain clothes.
Now, she stood before him looking at him waiting for him to tell her what to do. What he wanted to do to her will have him killed. Yet, he would die happily after tasting her wonders. Yet, he did not think she would like his answer.
Astraios finally answered, "You can start out by helping me prepare breakfast for our guests." She smiled.
That day, Elena helped Astraios with cleaning, serving the guest breakfast, tending to the horses and the fields. They had fun cleaning and evening engaged in a play sword fight with brooms where Elena got the better of him and flipped him over with the broom causing him to land on his bottom.
Astraios asked stunned as Elena helped him up, "How are you so good?"
Elena said, "My dad has been training me extensively since I was six-years-old."
Astraios said, "Remind me to never get on your bad side." Elena laughed as she rested her head on her broom stick.
Over the next few weeks, when Elena was not studying and going to her art and music lessons, she spent her time with Astraios. Sometimes, she helped him at the inn. Other times they walked around time. She even blushed when he automatically grabbed her hand while they walked in the forest talking. She frowned when she saw other fair maidens flirting with him.
In all her seventeen hundred years, no man had ever made her feel feelings like he did. She did not like her because even though they argued about various topics like war and politics. He teased her but he never tried to kiss her. He never showed any interest than that of a friend. One night they were in the woods, Elena had told her governess that she was spending the evening with her aunt and spent the night travelling through the woods with Astraios.
They came through a clear opening and Astraios was amazed when he saw a clear view of the Earth. Elena looked up at him as his emerald eyes were amazed at the beauty of the blue and green world. Astraios laid two blankets on the ground. One for Elena. The other for himself. They lied down on their back and looked at the Earth that looked so big and close to them. Astraios had one arm folded behind his head. He smiled as he found Elena cuddling her next to him as he wrapped his arm loosely around her waist.
Elena said with a smile, "It's beautiful. I'll always want to go there."
Astraios asked looking at the beautiful world, "Why haven't you?"
Elena said, "Because my mother forbids. Ever since travelling Lunarians started getting murdered, she outlawed travelling to protect Lunarians. Any Lunarian that left this world would not be killed but banished from the Moon forever."
Astraios said, "That's harsh."
Elena said with a sigh, "I know, yet it's my mother's law. Soon visitors will be banished from travelling here also. The Lunarians are a peaceful people with a zero crime rate. Most of the criminals are people who not Lunarians are causing the problems."
Astraios said, "Then why do she allow foreigners to live in this world, and why the moon princess must married a king or prince if she is more powerful than them?"
Elena said, "It is to keep the peace. We are a peaceful people blessed with long life. Yet, other people feared that. They fear what they do not understand and envy and despise us at the same time. A Lunarian queen marries a mortal in order to keep the peace. Even though we are all powerful and practically gods, power is not always everything and even the most powerful can be overtaken by mortals. We married mortal rulers in order to preserve the peace and allow them to know that we see them as our equals not servants."
Astraios asked causing Elena to stiffen, "Why doesn't Princess Elena want to get marry? She did not seem too happy the other day with men fighting for her hand in marriage."
Elena smiled then said, "She's not your typical princess. She is not the damsel in distress. She doesn't wait for a prince to come and save her. She saves herself. She does not want to be treated like a prize to be won. She knows that she could rule this kingdom on her own and should marry when and who she wants to. She just wants to live her life on her own terms."
Astraios said, "I see nothing wrong with that."
Elena smiled as they fell asleep under the stars and the Earth.
Elena found herself thinking about Astraios more often. She barely paid attention to her instructors as she lazily smiled as the air felt fresher and the sky was sunnier. Selenity smiled goofily at her big sister. Luna, her governess was a beautiful, young Lunarian woman of eighteen hundred years. Luna was hired as Elena's governess and she was also one of Elena's dearest friends. She was also a Changer and transformed into a black cat with purple eyes and went on missions to spy for her mother for possible threats along with fellow Changer Artemis. In her human form, Luna had long midnight blue hair with odango styled bun on each side, blue eyes, and the crescent symbol on her forehead. She was a few inches shorter than Elena and had a slim body like a dance r with a tiny waist. She made had been small but she was currently kicking Elena's butt as they battled as they battle with staffs.
Elena flipped backwards several times to avoid Luna's powerful blows but Luna was too fast and tripped Elena causing her to fall on her back. She groaned in pain.
Luna twirled the stick in her hand then pounded it upright on the floor and said angrily, "Elena, where is your head today? You are horrible and have no focus. This is not fit for a future queen."
Elena groaned angrily as she rubbed her sore bottom. Luna and her Aunt Mary never treated her or addressed her as a princess. At times like these, she wished Luna would. The only time Luna addressed her as a princess was in public or in the presence of her parents. But alone, her warrior training left her sore.
At the same time, she realized that is why she was fond of Luna and her Aunt Mary because they treated her like she was normal and not a princess.
Elena sat up then said, "Sorry, Luna. Just out of it."
Luna asked sharply, "Are you out of it because you're not focus? Elena, you have been neglecting your princess duties, your studies are horrible, and you are unfocused in your training. The only time you seemed to be happy is on Thursdays when you go to your aunt. If you do not get back on track, I will have no choice but to report your strange behavior to the queen."
Elena said scared, "Please don't Luna. I am just been off lately. I promised I will do better."
Luna said, "You have one week or I shall report your behavior to your mother."
Elena nodded as Luna walked off.
Elena happily strolled through the town looking forward to the time that she will meet Astraios. She walked into the inn. She notices that her Aunt Mary was out a lot and that gave her a lot of time to spend with Astraios. She ranged the bell twice but there was no respond. She slowly walked up the stairs. Everything was quite. She wanted to go to the Solar Circus today with Astraios since they were in town for the weekend. Everyone was out for the day. She knew that her aunt or Astraios had to be there. The inn was empty.
She then walked outside to the stables where she heard strange sounds in the distance. Another part of her gifts besides telepathy and mind controls was super hearing. She had the ability to hear things the average ear could not hear.
She slowly opened the door and looked numb when she heard strange sounds coming from one of the stall. She slowly walked towards the sound and saw Astraios naked on top of a busty blunette sucking her big breast as he pounded inside of her body. She cried out loudly as he pounded faster into her. The girl cried out his name in pleasure. Elena turned on her heel and ran off. She did not stop running until she was in the forest and collided with a tree hugged it as she broke down in tears. She cried for two days over him and missed the circus. She later found out through her aunt that the girl's name was Amanda and they had been dating for a couple of weeks. He took Amanda to the circus and won her a nice teddy bear.
Elena stopped visiting her aunt. Her heart became cold and her studies started to improve and Luna stopped complaining about her training. Elena placed a happy façade on as she acted like the perfect princess like her sister Selenity and entertained the guests. She even pleased her mother as she mingled with a couple of potential suitors. She liked one named Lucifer, the new King of the Planet Venus, and ally of the Moon. He was very handsome with long golden hair that stopped in the middle of his back and light blue eyes. He was tall, well-built and very funny and charming. He liked her very much.
He started to court Elena and she found herself liking her very much as they walked in the forest together and went horseback riding. He even invited her to visit the fiery Planet Venus with him as he described how beautiful it was with its beautiful sunset and sunrise, thousands volcanoes, and six mountainous regions. The thought fascinated her. The thought of finally leaving the moon fascinated her.
It had been weeks since Astraios saw Elena. He even asked her Aunt Mary about Elena but her aunt said that she must have been really busy. He missed hanging out with Elena and always looked forward to spending time with her. He knew that it was only a matter of time before things would end between them but he still wanted to see her. He had started a fling with a bar maid named Amanda. He became tired of having wet dreams about Elena and not being able to have his release. He knew realistically that Elena was out of his league. So he found himself sleeping with Amanda. Even though Amanda was very well-endowed and attractive, he could not get aroused with her unless he fantasized about Elena. It was Elena's face, body, and lips he saw when Amanda pleased him. It was Elena's breast that he sucked. It was Elena's on her knees pleasing him with that sharp mouth of hers. It was Elena's body that he was entering and it was her lips that he kissed.
He was at Amanda's small cottage one night. She lied naked in the small bed next to him. He looked at her body then quietly grabbed his clothes and snuck out. He walked through the empty streets that night. His clothes and hair was disheveled. He was frustrated and upset. He knew why. Throughout the city, rumors circulated that Elena was now being courted by the handsome and powerful king from the Planet Venus. It was circulated that it would be days for the wedding would be announced and weeks before a marriage between Venus and the Moon. It was all everyone would talk about. Everyone was so excited that there was going to be a royal wedding. That Elena finally found a suitor that made her happy. They talked about how perfect they looked together and how beautiful their children would be it.
Being with Amanda that night did not satisfy his frustration. Even Mary saw a difference in his usual easygoing demeanor. When she questioned him about it, he would say in an irritated voice that he was fine.
He walked the streets drunk as he walked from side to side trying to mask his pain for Elena with alcohol since sex did not work. He did not notice that a man with a black cross tattoo on his hand was walking behind him with a sharp knife. He felt a tap on his shoulders. He turned around to wince in pain as a man thrust a knife in his stomach then took it out. Astraios folded over holding his wound and fell on his knees before falling on his side on the dirty ground. The man stole Astraios' money then walked off as Astraios bled to death and soon lost consciousness.
Elena sat in her vanity chair in her bedroom laughing as Luna sat on the floor, and Selenity lied on her stomach in her Elena's canopy bed. Elena's room was a spacious white room with a large queen sized bed surrounded by white sheets. Across her room, she had a white vanity dresser and a tall floor length mirror that her mistress Charisma used to dressed her. In another corner, she had a built in walk in closet that held her dresses and gowns.
Selenity said happily, "I cannot believe you are marrying Lucifer. He is such a cutie." King Lucifer returned back to Planet Venus a few days ago to handle a potential threat in his world. He kissed her fair hand good-bye then left boarding his spacecraft back to Planet Venus.
Elena laughed then said, "I am not marrying him."
Luna said with a smirked grabbing Elena's attention, "Yeah right Elena, in all my years of knowing you, I have never seen a man grabbed your fancy as much as Lucifer has. I thought at first there was someone one else. I guess I was wrong."
Elena stopped laughing when she thought of Astraios. It amazed her that she had not thought about him in weeks. How could she have been so crazy over a boy and now she was one step from happiness with another that union would also please her mother?
She smiled as she decided in her head to pay her aunt a visit.
On that fellow Thursday, she rang the bell to the inn. This time her aunt came to the desk looking very distressed. Elena looked worried then asked, "What is the manner, Aunt Mary?"
Mary answered upset, "It's Astraios…"
Elena blurted out worried, "What is it? What is wrong with him? Did something happen?"
Mary said flustered, "He was stabbed and mugged a couple of nights ago with a dirty knife. His wound is infected with a deadly disease. He has been in and out of consciousness for the last couple of days. I fear he will meet Death soon."
Elena's eyes widen in shock of hearing that Astraios was dying.
She raced up the stairs and said out loud in panic, "Where are the healers? Can't you send him to the hospital?"
Mary said loudly after she chased after her niece, "The healers are out of town on duty for the queen. The hospital said that his wounds were too deep, the infection has spread throughout his body and there was nothing they could do to help him. The only thing we could do is to make him comfortable. I already set arrangement to send his body back to Pluto."
Elena burst into Astraios' room. He was looked so weak and fragile as he was half naked and his body was covered in sweat. He had a large bandage wrapped around his stomach. He could not even turn his head. Elena rushed to Astraios covering his body with hers as tears gushed down her cheeks. She cried his name.
Astraios said weakly, "Elena…"
Elena cried, "Astraios….please don't die …I need you…I…" Astraios shakily raised his hand to her face. He barely touched her face. Mary stood in the doorway and watched as tears rolled down her cheeks as she covered her mouth with her hand watching them.
He gave her a small smile then said choking violently, "I can die happily …now that I saw the face of my angel."
Elena turned her head to see the Angel of Death appeared dressed in all black and carrying a large scythe. He slowly floated across the floor towards Astraios' hand that slowly dropped. His arm dropped and his eyes closed. Elena's eyes widen as she saw Astraios' soul slowly rising from his body.
Elena cried out angrily, "No!" She turned to Death and said angrily, "You will take him Death but not today."
Mary cried out to Elena, "Elena, you can't. You cannot expose yourself."
Elena said crying with a smile as a golden aura surrounded her and the crescent moon appeared on her forehead, "I have to…"
Mary cried out, "Elena, you cannot…"
Elena said with a smile, "I have to…because I love him." She descended her head towards him and closed her eyes. She pressed her lips against his. A golden aura started to surround his body. His soul started to descend back into his body. Mary watched as Death vanished. Astraios' wound slowly started to disappear. His normal glow started to appear and he regained his strength.
Mary gasped when she started to see movement in his eyes as they slowly started to open. Elena slowly started to raise her head until their faces were inches apart. Mary smiled then walked away.
Astraios looked into Elena's blue eyes that were red from crying. She was still crying with a smile on her face. Her tears dripped on him. He said softly, "Hey!"
Elena smiled then said, "Hey!"
Astraios said with a smile, "You are actually crying for me."
Elena said, "I guess you grew on me."
Astraios raised his hand to wipe away her tears then slowly traced her crescent moon with his finger.
He asked, "So you are the moon princess."
Elena said smiling, "Yes, I am the moon princess."