DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of characters of Sailor Moon.

CHAPTER TWO

-Son of Elysion-

The five-tiered grand chandelier hung above the main dining hall shimmering in all its age-old grandeur as candlelight glinted off its golden arms. It had been specially crafted from the finest of gold ore and stone, and shipped across the sea as a gift to King Rhadamanthos, first ruler and king of Elysion. Gathering dust over the years, it bore witness to the first walk of every member of the royal family and heard every last breath when time no longer waited. It had known every cry and laughter that could still be heard through the tiny cracks of the palace walls. Like a silent guardian, it watched from above the comings and goings of its masters and tonight the newest of the lot gathered to dine beneath it, its hundred and one rose-scented candles bringing both light and warmth to them.

The royal dining table stood at thirty feet long. Its white marble top was cool to the touch and shone with the radiance of a mother of pearl. Supporting its weight were four sets of legs identically carved in a form of a bronze lion's paw. A feast was spread out across the table and Elysion's latest king, Endymion, son of Aethlios, sat at the end where his father and forefathers had sat before, clutching his skull cane possessively between his knees. His wife and queen, Serenity, sat at the other end. The silver shine of her hair bounced off the marble slab table top, creating a white moon-like glow around her. Her gaze was faraway and dreamy as she watched one of her maids serve her garden salad. Seated on her right was the younger replica of herself, except for the smooth golden locks that were bundled up high, a string of pearls wound around it. Princess Serena's blue eyes were down, watching her own fingers fiddle with the creases of her white dress that hung just below her knees.

Beside her was Lady Salacia, only daughter of King Aethlios's sister. Without having to bear the burden of the Elysion bloodline, she had the freedom to travel far and wide. She came upon a land where the people spoke with a different tongue and it was there where she was given the name Michiru. Throughout the years, she had learned the ways of a bard, then a dancer and finally a painter. Word came to her one day that the new Queen of Elysion was of child and needed a Lady of the House of Elysion to act as governess. She returned, leaving her hopes and dreams behind in that mysterious land which she had grown to love. It was through her that Serena learned how to paint, among many other things. "Call me Michiru," she had said to her.

Sitting directly across Serena was her father's younger sister and her aunt, Lady Berylia. Her hair fell over her back in thick spirals, screaming blood-red and Serena thought she looked beautiful in a deadly sort of way. An infamous tale has it that Serena's grandmother had bled to death while giving birth to Berylia and the blood soaked through the roots of her hair so deeply that it could not be washed away.

Never knowing a mother's love and always suffering under her father's scorn she grew to become a hard woman. She rarely smiled, which when she did was often forced and without any mirth. The father and daughter relationship was a constant whisper among palace servant-gossip: He blamed her for the queen's untimely death which was the reason for his scorn. But a deeper truth set within Serena after studying a portrait of the late Queen Kalykia. She was confident and elegant, her skin milk-white and her gaze sharp. One might mistake it be Lady Berylia sitting within the heavyset bronze frame if not for the hair, black as a raven's wing which King Endymion had inherited instead. Serena realized then in her own little way that King Aethlios only saw the face of his dead wife.

On the right of King Endymion sat Sir Malakhe, husband to Berylia. Malakhe appeared to be a man of little words, his snow-white hair falling across his face as he bent to whisper into Endymion's ear when there were words to be said. His eyes stood out from his dark and handsome face like a pair of electrifying blue lights that softened whenever he smiled. When Endymion became king, Malakhe took his father's place as the king's right-hand man which earned him the right to Lady Berylia's hand. Serena thought about the scar that stretched across one end of his torso to the other and remembered the story of how taking the end of an enemy's sword while protecting Endymion had also opened a doorway through Berylia's heart.

The fruit of Sir Malakhe and Lady Berylia's union sat between them. Adamas was a year younger than Serena. He had his father's hair and his mother's white skin and icy blue eyes. Even though they were cousins and practically grew up together, she wouldn't trust to be alone with him. She could never explain why Adamas gave her the chills. Perhaps it was the way he stared at her or the coldness of his presence whenever he was close to her. Serena was sure that he was eyeing on becoming Elysion's next king. But he was no heir of Elysion - thus making Serena Elysion's next rightful ruler - and she felt him detesting her for it. But tonight, she felt no such resentment from him. Her blue eyes danced from one Elysion to another until they fell upon Adamas.

His eyes were feeding on a new prey.

Serena followed his gaze. It fell upon a tuft of hair as black as a raven's wing and stayed. The head suddenly shot up and for a split second, her father's face stared back at her. She blinked. Then her father's face was gone and instead she was staring at a younger man. He smiled and she looked away, face flushed.

He had arrived knocking on Elysion's gates, claiming to be a true son of Elysion. After being invited inside, he had begun his tale of how a certain prince, accompanied by his four guardians had stumbled upon a certain village where the prince stole the heart of a certain maiden. After the passing of three consecutive new moons, the prince and his guardians left the village, claiming it was for the sake of war. The prince promised to return for the maiden, leaving her a token of his word: a crystal pendant. Over the next six months, with the testament of their union growing in her womb, she waited for his return.

Her child emerged and grew and she saw that he had his father's eyes and hair. "Your father is the prince of Elysion and he's coming back for us," she had told him. He believed her and together they waited. Because words flew like leaves in the autumn wind, from mouth to ear and ear to mouth, it became known to them that the prince had taken a bride. They had ruled as king and queen of Elysion for over a decade and they had a child whose hair shone like the morning sun.

Heartbroken, the boy listened helplessly as his mother moaned in her sleep. Before she died with the prince's betrayal wrenched deeply in her heart, his name escaped from her dying lips like a poisonous fume. "Go to Elysion and reclaim your place as the rightful heir of Endymion…"

And that he did, with his mother's crystal pendant worn around his neck.

King Endymion had listened intently, his face taut and emotionless but his mind was like a spider stuck in its own web. He could not remember the maiden's name but he remembered the nights he had with her. He was travelling with his four guardians, looking for a tower. They came upon a village where they decided to rest. Tired and sore from the journey, the pretty maiden aiding by his side had been kind, her comfort reminding him of his own mother. Her lips and body were as inviting as sweet honey, which took his mind away for awhile. Then he left, for he was young and the shrewdness of kings ran thick in his veins. He never expected the maiden to wait for him for he had been told that women of the common land were filled with greed and knew no loyalty. He believed that she would eventually forget and move on. If I only knew, I would have…

He looked at the younger man whose hair had been long and dark as a raven's wing. A son, he thought. I've got a son. And that was all that mattered. Yes, you may stay, he had declared without any further thought.

"Are you out of your bloody mind!" Lady Berylia had screamed, her fiery hair screaming along with her in mad fury.

"Calm down, Sister."

"Don't tell me to calm down! Just look what came knocking on our gates because YOU couldn't calm that HOG of yours down! Oh, my stupid, stupid brother! You stupid, stupid fool!" Berylia wailed and beat on Endymion's chest.

"Yes I was a stupid, stupid fool!" Endymion boomed, losing his cool. "But as king of Elysion, I must right my wrongs. If Darion says who he is, then he is who he says he is. Until proven otherwise, he must be accepted as a son of Elysion."

"But he's half a whore! You're tarnishing the bloodline!"

"Mind your tongue Sister!"

"This is bloody treachery!"

Lady Berylia had fled back into her room and refused to come out for dinner until Sir Malakhe had no choice but to coax her.

"Berylia my love, please. King Endymion realizes his mistake and he sincerely wishes to make up for it. If you truly care for your brother you would watch his back, wouldn't you? You would see with your own eyes if this Darion is truly who he said he is, if he is worthy to be called a son of Elysion. And if he is, don't you see what this means?"

Lady Berylia looked at her husband, the harshness gone from her eyes. She nodded.

"This means the name of Elysion continues. Only sons of Elysion descent can carry on the family name."

"Yes, my love. You're absolutely right. So what if his mother was a common woman. It doesn't matter as long as his father is king. Darion's arrival is truly a gift!"

"What of Adamas? He's…"

"Our son is a fool! He has disrespected the Elysion family, YOUR family long enough. He fancies himself the next king of Elysion? He may have Elysion blood but he's not the son of a king. Unfortunately for him, he holds the same destiny as I and it's high time he get it in his head and put himself in some better use. My father and forefathers have served as right-hand men to the kings of Elysion since the first rule and God forbid the legacy that they have worked so hard for should end at my time because of our son's arrogance."

"What of Serenity?"

"She's…" Malakhe paused, anger subsided. "You know..."

Berylia nodded.

Malakhe cupped Berylia's hands, about to say more when a long shadow caught the corner of his eye.

"Sir Malakhe? Lady Berylia? Dinner is served."

"Come dine with us my love. For me."

Lady Berylia sighed. "Alright."

Harp music tinkled and glided within the walls of the dinner hall, accompanied by the light clinks of silverware and wine glasses. A glass sat in the palm of Lady Berylia's hand, twirling its contents before she brought it up to her lips. Serena shivered as she watched the deep red fluid disappear through her lips, leaving it ruby stained before it was licked away. Serena thought she looked dangerously like a blood-drinking demoness.

"So, Darion," Berylia began. "Tell us more about yourself." There was a playful ring to her voice and a twinkling in her eye that said she had drunk too fast.

Darion looked at the woman with writhing blood-red locks, the wariness in his eyes hidden by the dark bangs of his hair. He sensed everyone's eyes on him, waiting for his response. He put down his fork and knife, glistening with steak juice, fiddled with the base of his wine glass and replied, "My mother was Ioulia Aspida, the proud daughter of Damianos Aspida. It was he, Damianos, who raised me and made me the man I am today."

Lady Berylia's brow furrowed. "Damianos? Where have I heard that name before?"

A small knowing smile spread across Darion's lips as he told her. Endymion's eyes grew wide at the revelation. Berylia lightly touched her lips which were parted in a silent gasp. Malakhe shot up from his seat which screeched defiantly as it was pushed backwards. His electric blue eyes sparked with fury. But underneath that rage, Serena sensed a hidden fear. "This is getting interesting," whispered her ocean-haired governess.

"Die! Endymion!" A murderous cry thundered towards them. Endymion turned and could hardly react and draw out his sword as he watched the swift swing of a blade coming down towards him, its sharp edge glinted with a deadly light.

"I, Damianos will avenge my daughter!"

He heard flesh and robes rip among the course of chaos. He saw a splatter of blood on the earth and for a moment he thought it was his own. Then he noticed the silhouette figure towering over him. As it fell forward, he caught a glimpse of white hair. Malakhe! he thought and rushed to grab his falling guardian. Something warm and wet poured against his clutching hands as he ordered the rest of his guardians to capture the attacker.

"Bring me his hand!"

"The poison from the blade that severed his hand reached his heart before sundown," Darion said.

"Are you here to seek revenge?" King Endymion asked with dry lips. In his mind, he was replaying the moment when his white haired guardian took the blow in his place.

Darion raised an eyebrow. "Revenge? What sort of ending would I accomplish if I were to seek revenge? My mother is dead, my grandfather poisoned, his corpse missing a hand. I have no relatives, no friends to welcome my return. I have left the place that I used to call home. So tell me where can I return to after I seek my revenge? No, I am not here to seek revenge but justice. Do you not think that I deserve a better life now after the years you put me through, Father?"

A dark silent chill befell the dining table when Darion mouthed the word Father and a heavy cloud brewed in Endymion's mind. Not long later did he realise he had been gripping his skull-cane with so much force, his right hand knuckles grew red. He relaxed his hand, allowing the sensation of pins and needles to rouse him from the deep tremors that were starting to grow within him. He looked at Darion and smiled, "of course you do, Son."

A pang hit Serena in the chest. Did she just imagine the endearment in her father's voice when he said the word son? She forked the last bit of her salad and chewed greatly on the greens. As she got up to take leave from the dining table in a hasty manner, a plate slipped off the smooth table cloth and caused a great shattering on the floor. Serena's cheeks went hot with embarrassment as the whole room went silent to watch her, as if each one was waiting for the next foolish move she was about to make. Even the blue-haired harpist had stopped and looked at the princess's direction.

"Oh Serena, why are you such a klutz, hmm?"

And Serena turned away without a curtsy or a word of apology and no one except her governess and long lost half-brother saw a trail of tears fall like precious pearls in her wake.