Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon manga or anime. I also did not write most of the ceremony.
A/N:Enjoy!
The night before, I absolutely couldn't sleep.
It didn't really help that the next day, I would be going to my home, on a supposed ball of hot gas and could possibly incinerate me. But, the worst part was that the voices had started.
You're letting her discover this on her own! I regret that day that I drank the gifted wine from you! The woman's voice echoed in my ear.
You were becoming a nuisance. How would I raise a strong, willful heir if her mother kept softening her? The man's voice came.
"What?" I whispered out loud.
I've been trying to cushion you dear, but if he wants me not to be soft, fine! Arien, I'm your mother. The man's voice is your father. He's the one who poisoned me.
SILENCE! My father's voice echoed, and I cried out in pain from its loudness.
Why would you do that? I asked. You truly are a monster, aren't you?
I won't have my own daughter calling me a monster! I did what was best for you.
By shielding me from the rest of the world? You learn from your mistakes. I never got to learn because you wouldn't let me!
The voices went silent.
You cower because it's true? You're just a coward. That was the last thing I thought before finally drifting off.
"This is crazy." Sailor Mars breathed next to me.
"Shut up." I said through my smile. Endyran laughed and pulled me close. The priest on Mars coughed.
"We haven't quite gotten to that part yet." He said timidly. I could tell he was afraid of me. But, then again, anyone who wasn't royalty mostly was.
"Then let's hurry and get there." Endyran said, his famous smirk spreading across his face.
"V-very well." The priest stammered. "Let us begin." He cleared his throat. "Crown Princess Arien and Crown Prince Endyran, today you celebrate one of life's greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, as you join together in vows of marriage." Endyran and I started saying vows together, and laughed quietly as each of us remembered who was to go first. He suddenly stared at me tenderly, yet more serious than I had ever seen him before.
"Whatever lays ahead, good or bad, we will face together. Distance may test us for a time, and time may try us. But if we look to each other first, we will always see a friend. Arien, look to me for all the days to come; today I take my place as your husband." I stopped the tears coming to my eyes. This would be the last time I'd see him for a while. I'd discovered my father's plot to capture me.
He knew I was "vacationing" in Mars. What he didn't know was that we'd rushed a wedding ceremony, with our sole witness being Sailor Mars, my 'fire sister'. So, after making many arrangements, which included threatening the priest, there we were, getting married.
"Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again." I said, blinking back more tears as his face lit up into a full blown smile. "I look forward with great joy to spending the rest of my
life with you, caring for you, nurturing you, being there for you in all life has for us, and I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live."
'That may not be long if your father finds out.' He joked in his head. My smile disappeared.
'That's not funny.'
"Now, both of you have rings. Exchange them as a sign of your love and commitment." I took my ring from the pillow on a pedestal in front of us. It was a gold band; representing the Sun. Lying next to it was a silver ring with an average-sized diamond inset to represent the contrast we both had.
"What have I to give you? The promise to take you as my only love from this day forward, to stand by your side, to listen when you speak, to comfort you when you cry, and to join your laughter with my own. Take this ring, and be my husband." I slid the ring onto his finger, squeezing his hand. He took the remaining ring of the pillow, and took my hand.
"I give myself to you in marriage and vow to be your husband all the days of our lives. I give you my hands and take your hands in mine as a symbol and pledge of our uniting in one flesh. I give you my love, the outpouring of my heart, as a symbol and pledge of our uniting in one spirit." He paused, bringing my hand to his face and kissing my palm, eyes closed. He opened them for all to see that sea of jade. "I give you this ring from out of my worldly goods as a symbol and pledge of our uniting as one family." A solitary tear brimmed over. He brushed it away with his hand.
"Crown Princess Arien and Crown Prince Endyran, just as two very different threads woven in opposite directions can form a beautiful tapestry, so can your two lives merge together to form a very beautiful marriage. To make your marriage work will take love. Love should be the core of your marriage, love is the reason you are here. But it also will take trust - to know in your hearts you want the best for each other. It will take dedication - to stay open to one another; to learn and to grow together even when this is not always so easy to do. It will take faith - to always be willing to go forward to tomorrow, never really knowing what tomorrow will bring. And it will take commitment - to hold true to the journey you both now pledge to share together." The priest said, a bit of confidence found. "This couple will now exchange roses to symbolize the love they share with each other." We each took a white rose from the pillow, disregarding the traditional red ones; there was nothing traditional about our marriage.
"This rose is my promise to you. I promise to be faithful to you, to love you unconditionally, to be supportive in every way, and to cherish you as my wife." Endyran recited the line. I repeated what he had said, and the priest spoke again.
"Crown Princess Arien and Crown Prince Endyran, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife. Congratulations, you may kiss your bride." My smile widened as he leaned in to kiss me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he grabbed my waist and gave me one of the most passionate kisses we'd ever shared. Sailor Mars feigned disgust.
"Get a room!" she laughed.
"The Queen has fallen ill, dear." A maid was explaining to me. I had to be four or five then.
"What's wrong with Mommy?" I asked.
"She's just eaten the wrong thing." My father replied gruffly. The maid rushed over to him, and curtsied.
"Your Majesty. The doctor, he says she will not get better." She told him in a hushed voice. I could still hear, even if her intention was for me not to.
"I want to see her!" I demanded. "Now!" I was angry that she'd tried to keep something like that away.
"I don't think—." She started, but Father interrupted.
"Come." He said, walking out the door. We walked down a long corridor in silence, until I finally spoke.
"Father," I started, "What will happen if Mommy dies?" I asked. I was starting to cry.
"I will have none of that!" he snapped. "You will not cry when there's nothing to cry about. If your mother dies, life will go on."
"How can you say that?" I asked.
"The whole empire will not cease to exist if the Queen dies. There will still be things to do."
I pondered this, absorbing the information, until we got to her bedroom.
"Mommy!" I cried, running to her and grabbing her hand. She smiled, her dark curly hair splayed around her tired, angelic face.
"Hello, darling." She said weakly. "Look at how you've grown."
"Mommy, you can't die, you can't!" I shouted, burying my face into her chest. She smoothed my head.
"Shh, shh. Mommy will be alright. I'll always be here for you. Remember that." She closed her eyes.
"Mommy?" I called.
She didn't answer.
"Mommy!" I screamed. "Wake up, wake up! No! You have to wake up…."
"Youko, you have to wake up. What's wrong? You're crying." Katsumi shook me, catapulting me out of the dream.
"What? Who's Youko?" Then I remembered the name I was given in this life. "Oh. Right."
"Oh, Right?" she asked incredulously. "Youko, you can talk to me, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, Katsumi, it's just…a lot's changed. I, uh, I have to meet everyone for the trip."
"Yes. The trip." She replied as if just remembering. "Where did you say you were going?"
"The beach. We're going to the beach." I lied smoothly.
A/N:Was it sweet? I really hope so! I didn't write any of the vows or ceremony, because I know my own limits. But I did find a website that had all these vows and wedding ceremonies. I did try to pick good ones, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review!