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Disclaimer: I do not own any Sailor Moon characters

Chapter 3: Dancing Into an Engagement

Serenity felt a slap against her rear as Rei zipped up her dress completely, "Fidgeting will get you no where."

She turned around and stuck her tongue out at her scout before examining the dress. It was form fitting at the bodice and then flowed out in a mermaid like organza fabric bottom. She had on a pair of gold earrings and few matching bangles on her wrist. Her lips pouted at her reflection while her friends tended to their own make-up, hair, and other knick-knacks.

"You all look beautiful."

The women looked up to find Queen Serenity at the door. She gestured for the scouts to get out the room and leave her alone with her daughter. The two women stood in front of one another, almost identical except for the different dresses and the fact that the queen looked like she had about three-hundred years worth of wisdom in her eyes. The princess was still learning and still growing.

"You will dazzle them," the queen said softly, rubbing her daughter's bare shoulder.

"I hope so," she said as she smoothed out her skirt of any invisible wrinkles. "I'm nervous Mother."

"I know you are," she replied. "You'll do fine though. The prince is probably just as nervous as you are."

"Some how I can't see that being true," Serenity shrugged.

"You'll do me proud either way."

"Is there any topic that's taboo tonight?"

Her mother pursed her glossy pink lips for a moment thinking about it and came up with the surprising answer, "No, I think not."

"I can talk about training? I can talk about fighting? I don't have to be a complete lady?" she beamed.

"I'm only asking for you to be yourself … and be polite."

The two were interrupted by a glove handed knock from Mina as she announced, "They're ready for you."

"Come."

Queen Serenity grabbed onto her daughter's hand and led the way out of the bedroom. They followed the scouts down a wide, empty hallway. Most of the aristocratic guests from around the planet and even a few higher ups from the moon were already in the ballroom, waiting their arrival. Serenity took a deep breath as they approached the large double doors and placed on her famous formal face right as the entrance opened up for them.

Endymion wasn't listening to what his inner circle was saying as they waited around in the crowded ballroom for the royal court of the moon to enter. He was too busy thinking about how the pesky princess had known who he was. She was tricky. She was conniving. She was intriguing. She was … entering the ballroom?! He straightened up in his tuxedo and quickly joined up with his parents to greet them. His father was this large man with a flat stomach, a bulging chest, and muscles practically bursting out of every which way. His beard pulled everything together, the thick black rug showcasing his bright pearly smile for everyone. It was a way for people to read his lips and take notice of what he was saying when he said it. His mother on the other hand was this slender, slight woman with deep violet, curly hair. Her beautiful tendrils framed her face well and bounced down a little ways past her chest. She looked like she could be broken when hugging her husband, but she had secret strength that no one else could see unless under her wrath. Needless to say, the family was beautiful, strong, and fearless of anything.

They definitely contrasted with the mother and daughter duo who had just walked in. The couple looked alike, but if one was to stare them, they would know that the queen was older and the princess was … well immature. The younger of the two was blushing slightly, but she still had this determination on her face, trying to be on the same level as her mother. Queen Serenity didn't have to try though; she had an ease about her, but she was much like the Earth queen where she didn't need to constantly expose her strength to people in order to make them scared of her. She just had that aura. The princess on the other hand still had to learn how to tone it down.

The king reached out and shook hands with the queen and princess, "It's a pleasure to see you Queen Serenity. And your daughter is simply breath taking."

"The pleasure is all mine to be greeted by you King Cronus and your lovely wife Queen Rhea," she replied smoothly. She nodded to Prince Endymion, "I would like to introduce you to my daughter, Princess Serenity."

The two younger royals bowed and curtsied to one another. Serenity held back the urge to wink at him by keeping her gaze tilted toward the floor and then quickly moved it up to the king and queen as she introduced herself formally.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, next in session of the royal throne. My inner circle of guardians are as follows," she stated. Each girl stepped forward as the princess introduced them, "Leader of Sailor Scouts is Sailor Venus, Princess of Venus and also known as Lady Mina. Next in line is Sailor Mars, Princess of Mars, known as Lady Rei. Sailor Mercury, Princess of Mercury, known as Lady Ami. And finally we have Sailor Jupiter, Princess of Jupiter, known as Lady Lita."

Endymion smirked as he stepped forward and bowed to her, "I am Prince Endymion of the Golden Kingdom of the Earth. My inner circle of guards are as follows: Major General Kunzite, Lieutenant Jadeite, Corporal Zoisite and Corporal Nephrite." They all bowed in unison to the scouts who in turn curtsied to them.

"Shall we have a dance of the two young ones?!" boomed the king.

Endymion almost jumped at thought as he tried to protest, "Father, I—"

"That would be a lovely idea," Queen Serenity replied.

"Mother!"

She turned to her daughter and whispered quickly in her ear, "I said be polite, did I not?"

She pushed her toward the prince who was forced to lead her out to the dance floor that was completely cleared for them. The already seemingly nervous couple stepped into position and started to dance the moment the music hit their ear. For once as she was dancing, she didn't feel like she had to be the one to guide the male counterpart. Endymion was a fairly well practiced at the waltz unlike most young aristocrats.

"So how did you know who I was today?" he asked.

"I heard from the scouts that you were tall, dark and handsome," she shrugged.

"That's a good half of the guys here," he scoffed.

"They also told me that your eyes change color," Serenity explained. "You are a child of royalty Endymion … you carry yourself much differently than any servant around here."

They danced for a little longer and then he said, "You know, I received a painting of you a few days ago."

"I heard," she replied lazily. "I had to sit for three hours while they painted that thing."

He studied her face for a little while and wondered how the painter missed the best part of her; her sparkle. Endymion had to remember to send out an official notice to Kunzite about removing that artist from the royal court. His eyes traveled over her features while her attention was on the other people gawking at them. He could feel her boredom emanate from her and he gripped her closer to him, making her gasp.

"Watch it," she snapped, her awareness now back on him.

"We're dancing. We're supposed to be close," he smiled devilishly.

"Don't get any ideas, buddy."

"You know we're engaged, right?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Why are you so resistant to marriage?"

"I'm not in love with you, that's why!" she said restlessly in a hushed tone.

"Marriage is nothing more than a contract," Endymion said curtly. "It's a simple way to connect our two large worlds together and form one super power."

"And why would I want to do that? It's not like we're in any danger—"

"Yet!"

"So it's like a protective insurance against the possibility of being attacked?" she asked, not holding back the incredulous expression on her face. "Why can't we just sign a treaty?"

"My parents explained to me that a treaty can be broken due to emotions where as a marriage is built stronger and harder to break because of emotions," he answered. "I'm fairly certain that our marriage will be the strongest in the galaxy."

"Even more so than your parents? Or mine?" she pressed as she arched an eyebrow.

"Yes," he said as a matter of fact.

"You're so confident."

"Is that a compliment?"

"It can be taken as one," she smiled. "But considering how you can so easily slip into arrogance, I can turn it into an insult."

"You want to challenge everyone and everything, don't you? Do you have something to prove?"

She stopped dancing when the music ended and pulled away from his grasp. As she curtsied to him, she said, "If I did have something to prove, I wouldn't tell you about it."

She turned around and left him on his own. Endymion was soon joined by his generals who were all asking what their discussion was about on the dance floor. He skirted around the questions and instead went to the dinner lay out to get some much needed food and a stiff drink.

Serenity washed her hands in the glistening, gold adorned bathroom as her scouts waited for her to answer the unnerving, prodding questions they had laid out. She was trying to avoid it at all costs, but they could clearly see that she liked toying with the prince which meant she was most likely destined to be married to him. She snarled at her reflection in front of her and then flicked water droplets on the glass before turning to her friends.

"Do you think my mother will make me marry him?" she asked.

"You obviously aren't going to slit your wrists over the act," Rei replied, "so I think there's a fair chance that the plan will commence soon."

"I just don't want to be forced to love someone."

"No one said you had to love him," Ami quipped.

"Marriage shouldn't be played with like a deal," Mina growled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"At least someone agrees with me," Serenity sighed.

Lita placed an open palm on the edge of one of the empty stalls as she asked, "Would it really be that bad living here?"

"What makes you think I would have to live here?"

"He's the man, he has more power and precedence over you," Lita answered.

Serenity slammed her fist against the counter top and complained, "See this is why I hate the idea of marriage! I don't want to be erased! I don't want to be known through my husband's accomplishments. I want to fight, I want to battle, I want to make well known decisions!"

"Then prove it!" Rei replied. "Take this as an opportunity to show that you won't be like other wives!"

"Live up to your mother's name!" Mina chimed in.

"Manipulate this marriage to your advantage," Ami said as they started to walk out of the bathroom and back to the ballroom.

Serenity casually walked up to her mother and whispered in her ear that she wanted to get married to Endymion after all. She nodded and said that they would discuss it more tomorrow. With that, she felt a sense of accomplishment. She strolled over to Endymion confidently and dragged him back out to the dance floor, making him grip tightly onto her body. His eyebrows shot up into his forehead with surprise.

"We're getting married," she stated simply. "Get used to this."

"I-I'm sorry … what?"

"I told my mother I want to get married."

"Change of mind or heart?"

"Change of soul," she answered.

She placed her head against his chest and listened to his beating heart. He was getting anxious. This made her smile broadly. She was excited to change the role of what a royal wife of the earth would be allowed to do and how much control she had over policies. She was smarter and stronger than anyone had any knowledge of. Hopefully her ego wouldn't cloud her judgment too much. She did have something to prove to the universe and now it was time.

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