Star-Crossed Lovers-Chapter Three

Twelve Years and Ten Months Later

"How do you like these pearls, Luna?" Princess Serena asked her mother's black cat advisor as she held up six pearls, trying to decide if these would be the ones to wear in her hair today.

Luna lay curled on the princess' bed atop a pink fleece pillow that matched the rest of Serena's large bedroom. The walls and bed covers were a pale fuchsia while the finely spun carpet was a shiny gold. Adorned on either side of the enormous French doors that led out onto the pearly white balcony were two large golden curtains.

"I think I like those the best, Your Majesty," the cat responded quietly.

However, Serena frowned, not believing that Luna was being sincere. The response had been dull, with hardly any enthusiasm at all. Perhaps the cat was tired and just wanted Serena to dress quickly, but the princess would have liked a nicer, more honest response so that she could be sure that they were the right pearls to wear. After all, she had to look her best today and certainly didn't want to give the other princesses the impression that she had a bad taste in style.

Today was the day that she was to meet the new Sailor Scouts, her four guardians, her ladies-in-waiting, who would have the mission to protect her for the rest of her life. Actually, to be technical, she was only meeting three for the first time. The fourth, and the leader of the Scouts, was her eighteen-year-old cousin, Mina, whom she already knew.

Deciding that it would probably be for the best to ignore Luna's opinion, Serena held the pearls up to the mirror to see if they matched her dress. She wore a long white gown with a gold border that went from her chest to her back. There was a row of pearls underneath her bust and a white bow that went around to her backside.

Yes, she decided after a moment, these will go well with the pearls on my dress. She gently combed her long blonde hair to the floor and then proceeded to tie it into her mother's signature hairstyle of pigtails and buns. She had always liked her mother's hair and had taken to copying her looks.

She pinned the pearls to the top of her head as a finishing touch; and apparently, she had finished dressing right on time, for as soon as she had finished her hair, there came a soft knock on her door. Luna's head popped up from the pillow to see who had knocked.

Serena gracefully glided off her vanity and toward the door. As she opened the door, she noticed Bethany, a brown-haired maiden of twenty-four, curtseying before her.

"Good day, Bethany," the princess said with a polite smile.

"Good day, Princess," the young woman responded. "Your mother would like you to meet her in the throne room."

"Yes, ma'am," was Serena's response. Her mother always told her to address an older man or woman, whether a servant, a peasant, or a royal, by saying " yes, sir" or "yes, ma'am". It was not only polite and respectful, but also gave a sign of humility.

Luna, having heard the conversation, hopped down from the bed and to the door.

"I'll escort her," the cat said smoothly. Of course, for the past five years that Luna had been an advisor, she had been escorting the princess everywhere, except at times when the Queen had given important affairs to manages or when Serena's governess, Eileen, was present.

"Of course," Bethany smiled. "I must prepare the other bedrooms for the princesses before they arrive."

With a firm good-bye, Bethany walked down the hall and into the farthest room on the left, which was to be Sailor Mercury's room.

Luna walked by Serena's side as the two of them made their way to the elegant throne room, their feet clattering lightly as they made contact with the marble floor.

The throne room also served as the ballroom, and happened to be the largest room in the palace. The entire room was made of marble with white walls that shimmered as the sunlight from the large windows hit them. The large crystal chandelier on the ceiling was the most expensive in the Galaxy. It was also the oldest, thought to have been purchased by King Alexandre, the first King of the Moon, almost one thousand years before.

Queen Serenity was sitting in a large gold throne with a velvet crimson interior on the opposite side of the room. Her other cat advisor, Artemis, a white cat with a crescent moon on his forehead, was sitting in the identical throne beside her. The Queen never seemed to mind, as that throne was always vacant and had no one else to fill it, except Serena, who rarely ever took the time to sit anywhere unless she had to dress.

The Queen smiled warmly at the sight of her daughter marching quietly into the room.

"You wanted to see me, Mother?" Serena asked after she had made her way over to the other side of the room. She mentally scolded herself immediately after having asked the question. Of course, she knew that her mother had wanted to see her.

"Yes, darling," her mother smiled, putting a slight emphasizes on the word "yes", as though she were annoyed with her daughter asking questions to which she already knew the answer. In all seriousness, Serena didn't blame her. She always had a habit of asking questions she didn't need to. It was more out of impulsivity than anything else. "The Sailors and their families will be here any moment."

Serena nodded, not knowing what to say. Would "ok" have been something appropriate to respond with? She had picked up a lot of lingo from Eileen that she was not sure was exactly proper.

"Now, I would like you to sit," the Queen told her daughter gently and gesturing to the throne in which Artemis sat. He hopped off obediently to stand next to Luna.

Serena took the offered seat. It was very comfortable, much more so than the last time she remembered sitting in it. Then again, that had been ages ago, so her memory might have been a little bit out of touch.

Five minutes later, the doors opened again and in walked four guards with trumpets that were blown. In pursuit of the guards were the four royal families.

As the guards read their names allowed, Serena tried her hardest to memorize which name went with which face. The first royal couple was King Matthew and Queen Olivia of Mercury. Both were tall and lean. Matthew's hair was cropped and dark brown, while Olivia's was curly, shoulder length and blue. Behind them, came their sixteen-year-old son, Matthew, Jr., heir to the throne, a burly boy with his mother's blue hair and a soldier-like appearance. Behind him, came his seven-year-old sister, Eva. She was small with wavy brown hair tied in a white bow that matched her dress. Further back behind her, the elder sister, Amy, aged thirteen, was to be Sailor Mercury. She had short blue hair and eyes and dress to match, along with the blue Mercury symbol that gleamed on her forehead. A smile shown brightly on her face, giving Serena the impression that they were going to be good friends.

The second royal family was that of Jupiter. King Richard was large, but handsome, with sandy hair and dark eyes. He had a full beard that gave Serena the idea that he hadn't shaved in years. His wife, Queen Jacqueline, had long brown hair, green eyes and high cheekbones, much like those of the Mongoloids of Earth. Behind her came Lita, the new Sailor Jupiter. She was a seventeen-year-old girl with her mother's brown hair and green eyes. The symbol of Jupiter glowed green upon her forehead, illuminating her long green dress. Behind her, came her fourteen-year-old twin brothers, Mark and Thomas. They were identical in every way, shape, and form, even down to the green eyes and brown hair.

The third family made up of Serena's relatives, the Venusian family. Her uncle, King Joshua was tall and athletic long graying auburn hair and goatee, while her aunt, Queen Marianna had long blonde hair and blue eyes like Serena, but not a single strand of gray. Her eldest daughter, Mina had the same hair and eyes. The orange symbol of Venus shown brightly on her forehead. She wore an orange dress made of silk and lace. Behind her was her ten-year-old sister, Alysona, who was the spitting image of her cousin, sister and mother.

The fourth and final family was the Martian royals. King Theodore and Queen Eleanor were tall, lean, and raven-haired. The heir to the throne, twenty-two-year-old Brandon, was as tall as his father. He had raven hair like both his parents and finely chiseled features. His fifteen-year-old sister, Raye, was to be Sailor Mars. She looked remarkably like her brother, as though they could have been fraternal twins. The only difference, apart from her long hair and his short, was his smile and her snooty sneer. Serena was not very impressed with her. Friends, they would not be.

"New Sailors align," one of the guards, a short burly one with a moustache, ordered. All four princesses stepped out from the line in which they had been in and came forward to stand in front of the thrones. "Each of you will come forward one at a time to be given your Sailor Pen by Queen Serenity."

Serena watched as her mother stepped off her thrown gracefully to stand in front of the girls. The guard cleared his throat and said, "Princess Mina Dianna Catherine Louisa."

Mina stepped forward and bowed in front of the Moon Queen. It was then that Serena noticed that her mother held in her hand a shiny sword with a golden hand, encrusted with what looked like rubies and sapphires.

"Mina Dianna Catherine Louisa, Princess of Venus," the Queen began, "do you vow to protect my daughter, Serenity Julia Margaret Anna, Princess of the Moon Kingdom, as long as she lives or as long as you live?"

Serena pursed her lips to keep from giggling. What her mother was saying sounded much like a marriage vow.

"Yes, I do," Mina responded, still in a bowing position.

With her answer, Queen Serenity touched each of Mina's shoulders with the sword.

"You may rise, Princess Venus."

As Mina rose, Serenity gave her a small gold pen with the Venus symbol on top of it.

"You are now Sailor Venus until you are no longer to fulfill your duties or until they are no longer needed."

With that, Mina was now given the authority to be the Leader of the Sailor Scouts.

One by one, each of the princesses was given her pen and pronounced a Sailor. Now, Serena had to try and make friends with all of them, and that, it seemed, would not be so easy.

End Note: Hi guys. I'm sorry this chapter was so short, but I wanted to get it posted before school tomorrow. I hope you liked it. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME REVIEWS!!! I only have one so far. Please give me more!!

Merci,

Amélie