The morning Sun shines over the lake, bringing forth a new day.

I stretched my arms and got up from my bed, getting ready for this new day. With the stroke of a quill, I wrote off a day on my calendar, and went out to boil some water.

Serenity liked the nature of Earth very much. I've read many books about my planet, and I remembered that one day, I read about a very special drink named the "tea", or "tee" in my language. With dried leaves of tea plants infused into hot water, a new drink is made. People have described this particular drink as mind-refreshing, and scholarly. So today, I decide to make some tea for Serenity and myself, and let him taste this Earthly drink!

I added some dried tea leaves into the water in the kettle, to prepare the tea.

The Sun awakes Serenity from his sleep. The light of the sun shines on strands of his gorgeous golden hair, as he gets up from the mattress he summoned with magic last night. Having just awakened from his sleep, the moon prince greeted me in my language.

"Hyvää huomenta, Aurora."

Apparently, his hair was a mess when he had only woken up, reminiscent of disorganized threads.

I wouldn't mind, though. I like Serenity, regardless of how he may look like at different times. His presence gives me joy.

I asked, "Serenity, do you want to come with me to the lakeside?"

"Sure, Aurora!"

Serenity then combed his hair, and put on his silver hairpins. His hairpins glimmered under the sunlight, complementing the warm color of his golden hair.

As the tea is ready, I packed the kettle, the cups and the breadbasket, along with a folded sheet of linen tablecloth, onto a tray.

We walked along the lakeside path, and reached a table by the western shore, where we unfolded and laid down the tablecloth, and put the tray on top of it.

"So, Serenity, do you and your sisters often drink tea on the Moon?"

"I suppose so. We plant Lunarian tea plants around the Taurus Mountains."

Serenity then started to explain. I listened, while he cutely describes the process of making Lunarian tea to an Earthling, as if he is answering a question at his academy. "Upon each full moon, mages will extract water from the Lake of Dreams and blend them with Lunarian tea leaves. Then, with a magic spell, the tea is synthesized. It was said that those who drink Lunarian tea would have good dreams at night and feel more confident during the day."

I was impressed by his answer. "It sounds like, that the Moon Kingdom is a nation of magic. Even your tea is synthesized from spells!"

He smiled. "Yes. Magic is a part of the Lunarian daily life. It's surreal, considering that we are also highly advanced in technology. The Royal Lunarian Academy has had many scholars who researched about fusing Lunarian magic with technology. You know, mechanics, electronics, waves, et cetera..."

Amazed, I said, "Your kingdom's scholars must be really wise."

"You're right, Aurora," he sipped the tea. "But you know the reason why I went all the way across the sky to Earth?"

I responded, trying to repeat what he told the fairies last night, word for word. "You are amazed by the beauty of Earth's nature when you look out to the horizon on the Moon. The green trees and the seas, in particular."

"You sound like me!" Serenity seemed to have put the pieces together, and realized that I was copying him, word by word.

"And now, I can also say that Earth tea is another part of the way I like how natural the Earth is. It carries... a scent that is different from Lunarian tea. A natural scent, reminiscent of Terran vitality."

"It's good that you appreciate Earth tea!"

"But tell me, Serenity. I have always wondered about one thing."

"Yes?"

"You say that there are seas on the Moon and that you can plant Lunarian tea plants around the Taurus Mountains. The Moon seems to have a landscape of its own. What makes Earth, you know, more 'natural' than the Moon?"

"Uh..."

This question took Serenity some time to formulate an answer. He kept pondering, stroking his golden hair.

"Actually, before the first incarnation of my mother Selene built the Moon Kingdom, the Moon was a lifeless satellite that is made of only gray rocks. Then she set up the Eternity Main System, which created a giant dome covering the near side of the Moon, making it habitable with comfortable temperatures and seas of crystal-clear water. Despite that, the mountains are still essentially gray rocks, and the plants in my palace's flower garden are not native to the Moon anyway. They looked like plain decorations..."

Serenity took one more sip from his tea cup, and continued. "I looked up to Earth quite often from the Moon. Upon a New Moon, the near side of the Moon will be at night, but we'd be watching the Earth in daylight. Unlike the Moon, Earth has always had blue oceans and green forests, and I have always imagined the wildlife, the flora, the fauna there, going through millions of years of evolution..."

Seeing him mention "Flora" and "Fauna" somehow makes me want to laugh. I don't know if he intended it to be a double entendre for my fairies when he speaks about the natural life of Earth? But I held my laughter. Instead, I try to formulate a more "normal", more "princessly" reponse.

"You have a point, Serenity. Earth's wildlife is a wonder to behold. I would have preferred if I were raised in a castle, but growing up in this forest made me appreciate the life of Earth more."

"You're right, Aurora!"

I then wondered. If Serenity mentioned Lunarian tea leaves, where did it come from if the Moon has an artificial climate?

"But Serenity, I want to ask you one more thing."

"Yes, Aurora?"

I asked, "If the habitable dome is artificial, how did you Lunarians develop a Lunarian tea plant?"

Serenity pondered again, as if he is searching through his vast library of knowledge.

"According to history books I've read, Lunarian scientists have actually been to Earth to analyze its life. They analyzed the composition of a tea plant on Earth, and created a replica of a tea plant seed on the Moon. However, the scientists were commanded not to make contact with, or to be discovered by, Earthlings, and if they ever spot an Earth human, they should escape."

That's such a strange policy!

Puzzled, I asked, "May I ask why, Serenity?"

Pretending to be serious, he said, "The official explanation is that Lunarians are afraid of the complicated situations that will arise when they make contact with random Earthlings."

Then he changed his tone, his eyes shining. "But you're such a cool princess, I think you would get along well with my sisters, and hopefully, my mother will accept your presence on the Moon."

"She will, Serenity. I think she'd be surprised to see a princess of your age from another kingdom!"

I then took a sip from my tea cup. It was such a relaxing morning!