Eternal Dream
"Time to wake up, Your Highness."
Princess Lady Serenity moaned, stubbornly keeping her eyes shut, and pulled her blanket over her head to block out the light from her bedside lamp. How could it possibly be morning? She had only just fallen asleep. "A few more minutes, Diana," she mumbled, wanting to get back to the wonderful dream she'd been having.
But her guardian cat didn't listen, the mattress dipping underneath Serenity as she sat down on the edge of the bed – Diana must have been in her human form, to exert so much weight – and gently pulled the blanket away from her face. "Serenity-sama, today's your wedding day, remember? We need to begin the preparations."
No, that didn't make sense. The wedding was already happening. She and Helios had just finished walking down the aisle to the altar…
Serenity's eyes fluttered open as Diana's words finally registered in her sleep-addled brain. Wait, it wasn't just a dream, was it?
Today was her real wedding day!
With a yawn, she sat up and smiled at Diana, who was indeed in her human form, already dressed for the day. "Good morning, Diana," Serenity said cheerfully. "I'm getting married today!"
Diana smiled back at her. "Yes, you are, Your Highness." She rose back to her feet and brought over a silver tray covered with some of Serenity's favorite breakfast foods, placing it over her legs. "There's much we need to do before the ceremony, so you mustn't take too long to eat," she warned, filling Serenity's cup.
The smell of fresh coffee tickled Serenity's nose, perking her up even more. "Oh, yes, coffee, please!" She accepted the cup with gratitude, not even bothering with her customary three spoonfuls of sugar before taking a sip and letting out a contented sigh. Though she had gone to bed far earlier than usual the night before, she'd been much too excited to sleep, only getting a few hours of rest."Ah, I needed that!"
Outside her window, it was not yet even daylight, the stars still twinkling in the night sky. A quick glance at the clock hanging on the wall above the fireplace confirmed it was only four o'clock in the morning. With the ceremony set to begin at sunrise in accordance with ancient Elysian tradition, everybody would be getting an early start to the day.
She wondered if Helios was already up as well, if he was just as happy and excited as she was. They had both waited a long time for this wedding to happen, dreaming of the day when they would finally be able to live together as husband and wife. With a wistful smile on her face, she twirled her pink diamond engagement ring around her finger, thinking of how lucky she was to have fallen in love with the man of her dreams, someone she considered both her dearest friend and soulmate.
"Your Highness? Serenity-sama?"
Serenity blinked. Judging by the look on Diana's face, she must have been calling her name for quite a while, a hand resting on her hip as she looked down at her barely touched breakfast.
"Serenity-sama, I told you, you don't have time to dawdle!" Diana lectured, sounding remarkably like her mother, Luna. "I've already drawn a bath for you."
"Oh, sorry!"
While Diana pinned up her hair and covered it with a shower cap so it wouldn't get wet in the tub, Serenity quickly stuffed her mouth with as many pancakes, strawberry muffins, and slices of bacon as she could manage without making herself sick. Truthfully, she wasn't all that hungry at the moment, far too excited to care about food, but the last thing she wanted was for her stomach to start growling in the middle of reciting her vows. She insisted on another cup of coffee, though, taking it with her into the bath against Diana's objections.
Her bridesmaids – her fellow Sailor Guardians – arrived in the middle of Serenity's bath, their muffled voices carrying through the door leading back to her bedroom. From the subdued sound of things, none of them were all too thrilled about the early wake-up call either, but they perked up when they found the carafe of remaining coffee, Pallas letting out a very clear "Coffee, coffee! Give me, give me!" that made Serenity almost spew out her own coffee as she fought back a giggle.
"Sounds like you're going to need to brew another pot," she told Diana.
Diana smiled, unfolding a large, fluffy towel and holding it out. "I'll start another in a couple of minutes," she promised. "For now, let's get you out of there and dried off."
Serenity sighed. Diana hadn't been kidding around when she said they were on a tight schedule. She had barely had any time to enjoy the soak, but she did what she was told, gulping down the rest of her coffee before standing and climbing out of the claw-foot tub.
Diana helped her dry off, then left to brew some more coffee for everybody.
Serenity changed into her lacy undergarments, a faint blush warming her cheeks as she imagined what Helios's reaction to the sexy lingerie would be later that night, and wrapped a silky pink robe around her body. Her dress had yet to arrive, but Setsuna, who was putting the finishing touches on the custom gown, had assured her last night that it would be finished and delivered on time.
Setsuna was cutting it rather close, though… Serenity would have liked to have seen the finished gown before her wedding day to make absolutely certain that the changes she requested were to her liking, but she supposed it was her fault for asking for such major alterations so close to the ceremony date in the first place.
Oh, I really hope the dress turns out okay, she thought, biting down on her bottom lip as she released her hair from Diana's pins. Serenity didn't have a back-up dress on hand if it turned out she didn't like the changes or the gown wasn't ready in time. In a pinch, she could perhaps ask to wear her mother's dress instead, but, though beautiful, it wasn't exactly her style, and there wouldn't be enough time for alterations before the ceremony was set to begin.
She trusted Setsuna, though. If she promised to have the alterations finished in time, Serenity knew she would do everything in her power to keep that promise – and as the guardian of time, Setsuna certainly had enough power at her disposal to do so.
With one last look in the mirror to make certain she had taken out all the pins, Serenity returned to her bedroom where her friends were also in various stages of dress. Ceres had already changed into her pale pink gown and was sitting at the vanity, doing her make-up and muttering about the invisible dark circles underneath her eyes. Vesta, garbed only in her underwear, was assisting a cursing Juno into her own dress, while Pallas was still in her robe and pajamas, sitting on the bed and helping herself to the remainder of Serenity's breakfast. Hotaru, the only one fully dressed, greeted her with a warm hug.
"Excited about the big day?" she asked.
Serenity smiled. "You have no idea. I barely got any sleep at all last night."
"I'm so happy for you and Helios. We all are." She indicated the other girls, who nodded and murmured their agreement. "I hope today is everything you ever dreamed."
"Thank you, Hotaru-chan."
"Serenity, if you're ready, I can do your make-up," Ceres called from the vanity, where she had just finished applying her own make-up.
As the rest of the girls got back to their own preparations, Serenity switched places with Ceres at the vanity. "Any last-minute changes?" Ceres asked, grabbing Serenity's foundation and a round brush.
"No, just do it like you did before." They had done a trial run a few days ago so that Ceres would know exactly how she wanted her hair and make-up to be done.
While Ceres expertly applied Serenity's make-up, there was a knock on the door. Diana set down the carafe of coffee and answered it.
"Good morning, Diana. I have the princess's dress," Setsuna said, entering the room.
Serenity's eyes lit up when she saw the garment bag in Setsuna's arms in the reflection of the mirror. Finally! "Oh, let me see!" she said, waving Ceres's hand away so that she could stand.
Her heart pounded in a mixture of nerves and anticipation as Setsuna unzipped the black bag and pulled out the ballgown, holding it against her body so that Serenity could get the full effect.
Serenity brought a hand to her mouth as she took it all in, letting out a sigh of relief. It was even more beautiful than she remembered from her last fitting, with the lace appliques she had decided she didn't like after all removed from the off-the-shoulder collar and the bottom of the skirt now dip-dyed a pale pink to match the sash she planned to wear around her waist. The dye in particular had been a very last minute change – one that Setsuna had expressed some skepticism about when she had requested it a couple of days beforehand – but it had turned out exactly as Serenity envisioned.
"It's perfect, Puu!" she gushed, reaching out to touch the satiny fabric. "Absolutely perfect! I love it."
Setsuna exhaled. "I'm so glad."
"Put it on, put it on!" Vesta said. "We want to see you in it."
"Wait one moment!" Ceres ran over armed with a tube of lipstick, gliding the subtle pink shade over Serenity's lips before declaring her "Gorgeous!" "Now, you may change," Ceres said with an authoritative nod.
Permission granted, Serenity slid off her robe, handing it over to Juno, then held onto Setsuna's shoulders for balance as she stepped into the gown. Though she hadn't gained any noticeable weight since her final fitting, Serenity held her breath as Setsuna pulled it up, only releasing it once she was certain it still fit, all the measurements precise thanks to Setsuna's expert alterations. Setsuna fastened the row of tiny pearl buttons on the back, then wrapped the pale pink sash around Serenity's waist, tying it into a large bow right above where the gold-embroidered lace train began.
Even though she had been born a princess, Serenity felt even more like one than usual, if that was possible, unable to resist the urge to swish her full skirt around as her friends "ooh"-ed and "ahh"-ed over her gown. Juno, who dabbled in photography, pulled out her camera and started taking pictures, the others throwing out suggestions of various poses for her to do until Setsuna stepped in and reminded everybody that they still needed to finish getting dressed.
"There will be plenty of time for photos later," she said, smoothing away some non-existent wrinkles from the skirt of Serenity's dress. "Now, are you certain everything fits correctly? Is the hem too long? The bodice too tight?"
"Setsuna, you did an amazing job," Serenity assured her. "I still can't believe you designed and made this just for me."
Setsuna cupped Serenity's face in between her hands. "Of course I did, my Small Lady." She had long outgrown her childhood nickname, but Setsuna was one of the few people aside from her parents who got away with still calling her that. "I've been dreaming of making your wedding dress for as long as I can remember."
"Thank you. I absolutely love it."
As Serenity gave Setsuna a hug, there was another knock on the door. That time it was Vesta who answered, dropping into a proper curtsy when she saw who the new visitor was. Everybody else followed suit as Serenity's mother, the regal Neo-Queen Serenity, entered the room, looking gorgeous in a form-fitting gold satin gown.
Upon seeing Serenity in her wedding dress, her mother's eyes glistened with unshed tears, even as a huge smile lit up her face. "I can't believe you're finally getting married…" she said, gathering Serenity into a warm embrace. "My Small Lady is all grown up."
"Oh, Mama." Serenity brushed away a couple of tears of her own, taking care not to ruin Ceres's make-up job. "It's been over nine hundred years…"
"I know, I know! Your mama is being silly." She reached for Serenity's hands, squeezing them. "I think a part of me will always see you as that little girl you were for so long, but Papa and I are so happy to see that you've become the beautiful lady you always wanted to be, with your own wonderful love to stand by your side."
"Mama… Stop, you're going to make me cry!"
"Oh, no, that won't do!" Her mother grabbed a tissue from the box Hotaru held out to her, dabbing at a few stubborn tears that threatened to roll down Serenity's cheeks anyway. "There!" She turned toward the others. "Might I have a moment alone with my daughter?"
"Oh, but I haven't finished styling her hair, Your Majesty," Ceres said. "If I don't –"
"Don't worry. I will take over as her hairstylist. I have plenty of years of practice, after all!" The elder Serenity took the silver-plated brush from Ceres's hand and motioned for Serenity to sit back down at the vanity. "Besides, it's almost time for you all to head to the shrine. Luna will meet you there."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Everyone else present bowed to the queen, then left the room.
Coming up behind Serenity, her mother began brushing her long hair, separating it into two parts. "This brings back memories, doesn't it?" she asked. "It's been a long time since the last time I styled –" She paused, hiding a yawn behind her hand.
"I'm sorry for forcing you to wake up so early," Serenity said. There was little her mother loved more in life than sleeping, so she knew what a sacrifice it was for her to get out of bed so early.
"Nonsense! There will be plenty of time for sleeping later tonight. I'll be fine." She resumed styling Serenity's hair, twisting the two parts into her usual cone-shaped buns and pinning them in place. "It was so sweet of you to agree to having an Elysian-style wedding for Helios's sake."
"I knew it would mean a lot to him." Serenity's expression sombered, and for the first time that day, her smile faltered. "He doesn't talk about it much, but I can only imagine how terrible it was to witness the end of the Golden Kingdom."
"Yes, it was." Her mother sighed, no doubt thinking back to her own memories of the destruction of the Moon Kingdom in her former lifetime. "Papa appreciates it, too, although I do think he's a bit disappointed he won't be walking you down the aisle."
"I know, but it's Elysian tradition for the bride and groom to walk down the aisle together."
"Speaking of tradition…" Her mother set down the brush and pulled a flat velvet box out of subspace. "Here, for you."
"A present? What is it?" Serenity gasped as she pried open the box to reveal a strand of pale pink pearls inside. "Oh, they're gorgeous!" she breathed. "Thank you, Mama."
"I wore pearls on my wedding day, too." Smiling, her mother took the strand from the box and placed it around Serenity's neck. The shade of pink perfectly matched the sash on her dress. "I don't remember much of my past life on the moon, but according to Luna, it was a Lunarian tradition for the bride to wear a pearl necklace. Although you're having an Elysian wedding, I thought this would be a wonderful way to honor your Lunarian heritage as well."
Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Serenity ran her hand over the pearls. All she knew of the Moon Kingdom was the stories she had been told, but she loved the idea of continuing the tradition. "It would be an honor," she said as her mother placed her hands on her bared shoulders. "Thank you."
Sunrise was fast approaching.
Serenity, in her full bridal garb, and her mother headed to the pasture near the stables, where her father was already waiting for them, brushing Pegasus's pure white coat. King Endymion, who had traded his usual lavender tuxedo for an elegant black morning suit with gold accents, stopped what he was doing when he heard them approach, his breath catching at the back of his throat as he caught his first sight of Serenity.
"Good morning, Papa," she said, smiling at his reaction.
Endymion handed the brush over to a nearby attendant to finish Pegasus's grooming, then walked over to greet them, his eyes watery as he kissed Serenity's cheek. "You look beautiful, sweetheart," he said in a hoarse voice. "Just as stunning as your mother on our wedding day."
"Oh, Papa…" Serenity once again fought back her own tears as she threw herself in his arms. As much as she loved and admired her mother, at heart, she had always been more of a "Daddy's Girl".
He squeezed her tightly, fighting back a sniffle. "Helios is a lucky man," he said. "I hope he realizes that."
"No, I'm the lucky one," Serenity insisted. "Helios is the man of my dreams, and I can't wait to be his wife."
"You two really are made for each other." He sighed. "A part of me wishes you could stay my sweet little girl forever, but you have truly grown into a remarkable young lady, just as you always dreamed. I'm so proud of the woman you've become, and I wish you and Helios all the happiness in the world as you start a new life together as husband and wife."
"Thank you, Papa." She hugged him again, blinking back tears before finally pulling away. "So… Any last minute advice?" Serenity asked, giving her parents a sheepish smile. If anybody knew the secret to enjoying a long and happy marriage, it was her parents. They were still as much in love with each other as they were when she had traveled back in time and met them as Mamoru and Usagi.
Her father wrapped an arm around her mother's waist, kissing her on the temple. "Never take each other for granted," he said. "Even when you love each other, marriage can sometimes be hard work, so remember to let Helios know how much you love and appreciate him."
"And have fun with one another," her mother added. "No matter how busy you are, take at least a few moments to enjoy being with each other every day, whether that means taking a walk around the gardens, going out for a romantic dinner, or…" she brought a hand to the side of her mouth, lowering her voice to a stage whisper "...even spending a few extra minutes in bed."
"Usako!" Her father blushed at the last suggestion, the two Serenitys sharing a giggle at his expense.
By that time, the attendant had finished preparing Pegasus for flight. Serenity firmly patted the winged unicorn's neck as they approached, offering him the carrot the attendant handed her. "Hey, boy," she said. "You look pretty today, too." With his gold-plated saddle and bridle, he was dressed in his noble best. "Are you ready to meet Helios at the shrine?"
Pegasus neighed and nodded his head, the small plaits in his mane bouncing at the motion. Each braid had been tied with alternating pink and gold bows.
Serenity smiled. Touching her forehead to the stallion's, she whispered, "Me, too."
Her father helped her mount Pegasus, her mother smoothing down her skirts. When they were done, they said their final good-byes, then took each other's hands, their bodies disappearing in a flash of light as they teleported to the shrine.
As soon as Serenity saw the first rays of sun cresting over the horizon, she followed after them, taking to the skies with an exhilarating swoosh of feathers, and headed in the direction of Elysion's holy shrine.
She had flown over Elysion many times over the years, but never so early in the morning. Looking down at the expanse below them, Serenity smiled, taking in the beauty of the land. It truly was a world of dreams, the mix of more familiar plants and native flowers creating a paradise beyond imagination.
In almost no time at all, the shrine came into view, rising from the center of a large crystal-blue lake. One of the few remaining buildings that had survived the fall of the once-great Golden Kingdom, its unique octagonal shape and grand open archways made a majestic image against the backdrop of the sunrise.
She spotted a handful of people standing on the stairs leading to the entrance of the shrine and pointed them out. "There!"
Serenity tugged on the reins, signaling Pegasus to begin his descent. Pegasus flew downward and landed on the small patch of land to the right of the stairs. As soon as he touched down, her eyes searched for the man she was going to marry.
Her breath hitched at the back of her throat.
Helios stood at the bottom of the marble steps, waiting for her with Artemis in his human form by his side. Like her, he had kept his wedding attire a surprise, only revealing that he planned to wear a traditional Elysian groom's outfit instead of a tuxedo or some other kind of modern garment. His suit reminded her most closely of the Indian sherwani, consisting of a long white jacket and fitted pants. Golden embroidery decorated most of the jacket, save for the sleeves which only had some trim around the wrists, and braided gold cloth fasteners served as buttons. A pale pink sash was tied around his waist, a perfect match to her own. Setsuna had designed his clothes as well, bringing his recollection back to life, and Serenity appreciated that she had taken the time to coordinate their attire, despite their different styles. Dangling gold earrings accented with pink chalcedony and sandals completed the look.
Artemis lightly shoved Helios forward, breaking him from his dazed state.
"Maiden… You…" he breathed, staring up at her.
Serenity smiled, pleased by his reaction. "Will you help me down?"
"Y-Yes, of course." he stammered, and Serenity couldn't help but let out a faint giggle.
Helios walked over and placed his hands securely on her hips as he assisted her to the ground. With her poofy skirt, it was not the most graceful of dismounts, but Serenity hardly minded when she stumbled in her heels and ended up crashing into his chest.
He didn't seem to mind either, continuing to embrace her for far longer than necessary until Luna cleared her throat and they parted, allowing her to smooth out Serenity's dress and lace train. The strains of Michiru's violin and Haruka's piano began playing from inside the open-air shrine, signaling the beginning of the procession. They would only have a couple more minutes to themselves before it would be time for them to make their entrance.
"Maiden, I have no words for how beautiful you look," Helios said once Luna finished arranging Serenity's gown and gave them some privacy. His golden eyes shone with adoration, more brilliant than even the sun rising behind him on the horizon, as he caressed her cheek. "I've dreamed of this moment for so long, but I must say, you've surpassed all my expectations."
Serenity's cheeks warmed. "You look wonderful, too," she said, slowly running a palm over the silk fabric of his jacket. On closer inspection, she realized it was covered in a multitude of embroidered roses, similar to the pattern of her lace. "So, this is what grooms wore in the time of the Golden Kingdom?"
"Yes. There were some individual differences based on the groom's personality and the trends of the moment, but the basic look was the same. Setsuna did a remarkable job in recreating it."
"I love it. It suits you well."
Seeing his attire, Serenity almost wished she had decided to wear a traditional Elysian wedding dress to match him, but Helios didn't seem disappointed at all in her choice of gown, unable to take his eyes off of her.
"I know I've already told you a thousand times, but thank you again for agreeing to hold the ceremony in the Elysian tradition," he said softly, bringing his hands to the sides of her face. "The Golden Kingdom is long gone, but it means so much to me that we're able to resurrect at least a small part of it in this way."
"I'm happy to do it," Serenity said, staring up into his beautiful eyes. "You've already made so many of my dreams come true, though you've asked for so little in return. This is the least I could do to thank you for all that you have given me."
"Serenity..."
Luna once again cleared her throat, placing a gentle hand on Serenity's shoulder. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's time, Your Highness."
"Thanks, Luna," Serenity said, reaching for Helios's hand and threading her fingers with his. "Ready?"
Smiling, Helios brought the back of her hand to his lips for a kiss. "I've been ready for an eternity."
Hand-in-hand, they made their way up the stairs to the shrine's entrance, Serenity's lace train trailing behind her.
Ahead of them, Diana had almost reached the altar, where Hotaru and her other bridesmaids stood off to the side, waiting in a diagonal formation. According to Helios, there had been no bridesmaids in traditional Elysian wedding ceremonies, but it was one of the few concessions in breaking from custom Serenity had asked for, along with wearing her more modern wedding gown. She couldn't imagine getting married without her best friends by her side, and Helios had been more than happy to agree to the idea.
The altar itself consisted of a wooden platform with poles positioned at each corner and a small rectangular table covered with a gold silk tablecloth. Ribbons of pink, gold, and white wrapped around each of the poles, and garlands of red roses bridged the poles together, forming a floral canopy. Rei, despite being a Shinto priestess, had agreed to perform the ceremony for them and stood underneath the canopy, garbed in crimson robes. She was flanked on both sides by Eos and Aurora, the Maenads, who wore Grecian-style gowns similar to their usual attire except made of golden silk. Diana, as Keeper of the Rings, stepped onto the altar as well, taking her place at the back right pole.
A long golden runner stretched the length of the aisle, the two hundred or so guests rising to their feet as the music changed.
Unfortunately, there were no recordings of Elysian music, not even old sheet music. Helios and the Maenads had only remembered a couple of bars of the traditional processional song, so Michiru had composed a new piece for an Elysian lyre inspired by the parts of the melody they had recalled. Serenity silently worried it wasn't quite the same, but seeing her husband-to-be's glassy eyes, she could tell he was touched by the gesture, and she squeezed his fingers, resting her head against his shoulder in silent comfort.
A few seconds later, Luna handed Serenity her bouquet of red roses and gave the signal for them to begin their trek down the aisle. Serenity mentally prayed that she wouldn't trip and fall in her higher-than-normal heels, embarrassing herself in front of so many people, but she needn't had worried. Holding on tight to Helios's hand, he served as her rock and her guide as they walked down the aisle, their guests bowing their heads in reverence as they passed by.
When they finally reached the end of the aisle, Serenity handed her bouquet over to Hotaru, then stepped up to join Helios on the altar. They stood facing Rei, Serenity on the left and Helios on the right.
"Good morning," Rei said once the guests had retaken their seats. "What a beautiful day to join these two souls – Princess Lady Serenity and Priest Helios – in the eternal dream of matrimony. When Helios and Small Lady – forgive me, Lady Serenity –" she quickly corrected "– first approached me with the idea of being the officiant for their wedding, I was honored but humbled at being given the task of reviving a ceremony long forgotten, lost to the annals of time. It was not a duty I accepted lightly, but for the sake of these two people who we all love so dearly, I hope I'm able to live up to the trust they've put in me. Now, let us bow our heads and pray."
The first part of the ceremony consisted mostly of prayers, blessings, and readings from the Tome of Terraya, the holy book of the ancient Terran religion. Inside the programs that had been handed out, Helios had translated the selected readings into Japanese for easier comprehension by their guests, but the prayers and blessings remained untouched, Helios and the Maenads mouthing along as Rei carefully sounded out the once-familiar Terran words.
After Eos and Aurora led everyone in a traditional Terran song, again arranged by Michiru with the lyrics phonetically transcribed by Helios so that their guests could sing along if they would like, it was time for the "crowning" of the bride and groom.
Rei asked Serenity and Helios to turn facing each other, Helios raising his hands in front of his chest. Serenity did the same, mirroring him and placing her palms against his. They shared a private smile as the Maenads gathered matching wreaths of vibrant sunflowers and came to stand behind each of them.
"Sunflowers were considered sacred to the god Solarius, ruler of the sun and Terraya's faithful and beloved husband," Rei said. "It is said that when he proposed to her, instead of a ring, Solarius presented the goddess with a wreath of everlasting sunflowers, which she wore on her brow from that day forward. Thus, the crowning of sunflower wreaths became a symbol of marriage, an important part of the wedding ceremony. Eos, Aurora?"
With a nod from Rei, the Maenads stepped forward and placed the wreaths on top of Serenity's and Helios's heads. Aurora had little trouble with Helios's wreath, but Serenity's coned buns made it difficult for Eos to set the wreath in place without it threatening to fall off at even the slightest movement of her head – something Serenity wished she had considered before deciding to wear her hair in her usual style. A few guests, led by Pallas and Juno, chuckled after the third time the wreath started to slide off her head, Eos catching it just in time, and even Serenity and Helios barely held back their own laughter, the two of them pressing their lips together tightly as they continued staring at each other.
"Here!"
Taking pity on poor Eos, who was doing her best to appear composed despite the growing flush on her usually pale cheeks, Minako jumped up from her seat in the front row next to the queen and handed her a few bobby pins that she pulled from her intricate updo. Eos bowed in gratitude, then used the pins to set the wreath in place. Serenity briefly shook her head when she finished as a test, pleased that the wreath finally stayed where it belonged.
"Thank you, Minako," Rei said, the guardian of love taking an exaggerated bow as everyone clapped in appreciation of her aid.
Clearing her throat, Rei continued on with the ceremony. "With the crowning completed, the bride and groom will now exchange their vows." She turned first to face Helios. "Do you, Priest Helios, choose Princess Lady Serenity as your dear and cherished wife? Will you promise to be faithful to her, to love her with all your heart, all your body, and all your soul for the rest of your earthly days?"
"Yes, that is my eternal dream," Helios answered, his eyes, so full of love and adoration, never leaving Serenity's.
Rei asked the same of Serenity. "Do you, Princess Lady Serenity, choose Priest Helios as your dear and cherished husband? Will you promise to be faithful to him, to love him with all your heart, all your body, and all your soul for the rest of your earthly days?"
"Yes, that is my eternal dream," she vowed, never more certain of anything in her entire life.
Once the vows were completed, the sunflower wreaths were removed from their heads, Eos taking extra care not to ruin Serenity's hairstyle as she took out the pins holding it in place. They were then each handed a pure white candle, which Rei lit with her own pyrokinetic powers.
"I ask you two now to use your candles to light this torch as a symbol of your love for one another," Rei said, holding forth an intricately-carved wooden stave topped with burlap fabric.
With a nod exchanged between them, Serenity and Helios touched the wicks of their lighted candles to the stave at the same time, the burlap cackling and igniting into a larger flame. Rei took the stave in both her hands and held it high above her head, her voice clear and beautiful as she recited a short Terran chant. Loosely translated, the words meant something along the lines of "May the Goddess keep this flame burning forever in the hearts of these two lovers."
When she finished, Rei motioned for Diana, the Keeper of the Rings, to come forward as Aurora took possession of the stave, placing it in a spot of honor, and Eos collected the smaller candles. Diana moved from her spot against the pole and kneeled to the right of Rei, holding a red satin pillow above her bowed head.
Placed on top of the pillow were two rings. They were both made out of rare Elysian gold and featured a beautiful engraved rose-motif design that extended fully around the bands. Rei placed a hand palm-down over the rings and recited a short blessing in Terran before taking the rings and handing them over to Helios and Serenity.
Serenity received the larger, thicker band, the ring cool and heavy in her hand.
"Repeat after me, Your Highness," Rei said. "This ring is a symbol of my eternal promise to you. Accept it, and know that I am yours and you are mine, forevermore."
Serenity took Helios's left hand and repeated Rei's words in a shaky voice, barely holding back tears of happiness as she slipped the band onto his ring finger. Helios did the same, the smaller, thinner band a perfect fit. He squeezed her fingers, reluctant to let go even as Eos and Aurora walked over to a small table on the left side of the altar and poured some water into an antique golden chalice that reminded Serenity of her mother's Holy Grail.
"This chalice was one of the few items that survived the destruction of the Golden Kingdom," Rei informed the guests once Aurora handed it over to her. "According to Helios, it was used during the weddings of countless royals, including that of Prince Endymion's parents, King Aurelian and Queen Demetria. Inside has been poured water from the lake surrounding this shrine, said to be the purest on the planet. To take a sip of the holy water from the same shared cup was said to purify the happy couple's bodies and seal the marriage bond. Helios, Lady Serenity, if you will?"
Rei handed the chalice first to Helios, who finally released his hold on Serenity's fingers to take the cup with both hands. He inhaled a soft breath, gazing upon the chalice with open reverence. It had a few nicks here and there, a couple of small round-cut diamonds missing from the decorative band near the lip of the cup, but it was still in remarkably good condition considering its age. With a prayer upon his lips, he brought the chalice to his mouth and drank of the water it contained before handing it to Serenity.
Serenity took the utmost care with it as well, treating the chalice as the treasure it was as she did the same. The water ran smooth down her throat as she took a long sip, cool and refreshing. She had never drank anything more delicious, no wine or champagne able to compare to the water's absolute purity.
When she had her fill, Serenity handed the almost empty chalice back to Rei, who in turn gave it to Eos. Eos placed the cup safely back on the table before returning to her position to the right of Rei.
"With the exchange of vows and rings and the sharing of the Cup of Matrimony to partake of holy water, the eternal bond of marriage has thus been sealed in the eyes of Mother Earth," Rei announced. "I proudly present to you Helios and Lady Serenity, who shall henceforth be known as husband and wife. May their lives bring forth many blessings and their love be a forever dream full of happiness and joy! You may celebrate your union with a kiss from each other."
As the gathered guests cheered and applauded the proclamation, Helios cupped Serenity's face in between his hands and brought his soft lips to press against the moon sigil on her forehead. Since kissing on the mouth in public had not been considered proper during the time of the Golden Kingdom, Elysian brides and grooms traditionally exchanged kisses on each other's brow instead. For a brief moment, Serenity considered breaking from tradition, wanting nothing more than to kiss her new husband until he was breathless, but she restrained herself, rising on her toes to bridge the small height difference between them and plant a chaste kiss over the sacred stone on his forehead that marked him as the high priest of Elysion.
When Serenity and Helios reached for each other's hands and turned to face their guests, Haruka and Michiru once again took up their instruments and began playing a new arrangement of Mendelssohn's traditional "Wedding March" mixed with parts of the Elysian processional song. Serenity took back her bouquet from a smiling, tearful Hotaru, then they made their way back up the aisle, basking in the joy of finally being husband and wife.
Following the ceremony, the king and queen hosted the reception in the expansive gardens of the restored Golden Palace.
Serenity arrived at the reception wearing a different gown, a surprise gift also designed by Setsuna. She had accessorized the romantic lace sheath dress with the same pink sash she had worn with her ceremony dress, adding a beautiful pearl and diamond tiara her parents had given her to her hairstyle.
A mix of both ancient and more modern traditions, the party was an all-day celebration. They played old Elysian games, danced and sang karaoke, and ate plenty of delicious food, consisting of the bride's and groom's personal favorites.
Serenity was enjoying her second slice of wedding cake – baked and decorated with love by Makoto – and chatting with her grandmother, Ikuko, when someone came up behind her, placing a pair of warm hands on her arms.
"Forgive the interruption, but mind if I steal away my wife for a few moments?" Helios asked, Serenity smiling as she craned her neck to look up at him. Ever since the ceremony, they had been peppering their conversations with "wife" and "husband", the words having yet to lose their thrill.
Her grandmother chuckled. "Steal away!" she said. "Here, I'll take that plate for you if you're done."
Serenity quickly finished off the last bite of the delicious strawberry cake covered with buttercream icing, then handed the plate over to her grandmother, thanking her for taking care of it.
Helios took Serenity by the hand, guiding her through the labyrinthine gardens. Though she wanted to ask where they were going, she decided to let him surprise her. She had a fairly good idea of their destination anyway, her suspicions confirmed when they arrived at a secluded little garden nook, decorated with only a stone bench and a multitude of pink roses. The majority of people would likely pass it by without a second look, finding nothing particularly noteworthy about the spot, but it would always hold a special place in Serenity's heart, as it was where Helios had gotten down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage.
Smiling, Serenity joined her husband on the bench and rested her head on his shoulder. They were still holding hands, Helios rubbing his thumb over Serenity's wedding band.
"So, is there a reason why you 'stole' me away?" she asked.
"Not especially." Helios brought the back of her hand to his lips for a kiss. "I just wanted to enjoy a few minutes alone with my lovely wife."
"It has been a whirlwind of a day, hasn't it?"
Between taking formal pictures, personally greeting all two hundred of their guests, and participating in all the festivities, they had barely had a chance to catch their breaths since the end of the ceremony. Serenity didn't mind it so much, accustomed to being in the public eye as the crown princess, but Helios had lived for centuries with only Eos and Aurora by his side for company. With his more introverted personality, being in the presence of large crowds for a long period of time tended to wear him out.
"Did you enjoy it?" he asked. "I know this wasn't quite the wedding you probably had in mind when I proposed here a year ago..."
"No, it was even better," she assured him. "The ceremony was beautiful, and I loved honoring our shared Elysian heritage in such a special way. I wouldn't have changed a thing."
"Not even the wreath that wouldn't stay on your head?"
Serenity laughed, touching one of the conical buns that had caused so much trouble during the crowning. "Okay, maybe one thing. Wearing my hair in my usual style probably wasn't the best decision in hindsight."
"I'm glad you did, though." Helios reached for one of her pigtails, bringing some of the pink tresses to his mouth for a kiss. "Don't get me wrong. You would look beautiful with any hairstyle, but I'm of the opinion that the buns suit you best."
"Is that so?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.
"Yes…"
His fingers releasing their grasp on her hair, Helios brought his hand to cradle the side of her face, his thumb gently brushing over her cheek. Serenity sighed and leaned into his touch, her heart overwhelmed with love and happiness.
"There's one other thing I might have changed..."
"Oh? What's that, my maiden – no, my wife?"
She brushed her lips against the inside of his wrist. "I would have liked to have properly kissed my husband at the end of the ceremony," she admitted.
Helios's eyes widened in surprise, but then he smiled, moving his hand so that he was cupping her chin, lifting it slightly so that Serenity was looking up at him with lidded eyes. "Do you want to know a secret?" he asked in a near whisper, tracing the outline of her bottom lip with his thumb.
"What is it?" she asked in an equally soft voice, although she already had a good idea what the secret may be.
"I wanted to do the same."
Well, there was nothing stopping them now. The two of them drew closer, their lips nearly touching when...
"Oh, I'm sorry!"
Ami bowed in apology as Serenity and Helios reluctantly broke apart. "I didn't mean – Forgive the intrusion, but Luna has been looking for you, Your Highness," she informed them. "It's time for the bouquet toss."
"Go ahead." Helios kissed Serenity chastely on the cheek. "I'll have you all to myself soon enough."
She smiled. "Indeed, you will, husband," she said, leaning to the side and bringing her mouth next to his ear as she whispered, "and I plan to make it a night neither of us will ever forget."
His cheeks turned almost the same exact color as her sash. Laughing, she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along with her as they followed Ami back to the center of the garden where the festivities were finally winding down. Luna stood in front of the main fountain, calling for all the unmarried women who wanted to participate in the time-honored tradition to gather in a group.
As she joined Luna by the fountain, Serenity searched the crowd for one face in particular. Hotaru had been dating Serenity's Uncle Shingo for the past several years, and as far as she was concerned, it was high time they made it official. She located Hotaru standing near the left edge of the group that had formed. Diana handed her a simplified version of her rose bouquet, and Serenity turned around, tossing the bouquet over her shoulder in Hotaru's general direction.
She whirled back around just in time to see the roses land straight into a stunned Hotaru's arms. Serenity clapped and cheered with everyone else, laughing when her mother cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted to her brother, "You better put a ring on it, Shingo!"
With the bouquet toss completed and the sun beginning to set, it was time for the reception to end. Luna once again called for the guests to gather, telling them to form two long lines, lining the way back to the Golden Palace. Everyone had been given a small pouch filled with rose petals, opening them up in preparation as Michiru began playing a festive piece on her violin.
At the beginning of the line, Serenity and Helios thanked her parents for throwing them such a wonderful party and said their goodbyes. Then, smiling, they reached for each other's hand and walked down the makeshift aisle, waving to their guests as they were showered with a rain of red, pink, and white petals, another Elysian tradition.
When they reached the steps to the Golden Palace, Helios unexpectedly swooped Serenity in his arms and spun her around, finally giving her the kiss that Ami had interrupted in the gardens. A loud cheer rose up from the crowd, and Serenity laughed, delighted, as he carried her up the stairs to the entrance and over the threshold. Two guards in uniform closed the heavy doors behind them, bowing and taking their leave to give the newlyweds some privacy.
Once they were gone, Helios gently set her back down on the marble floors, Serenity wrapping her arms around his neck. As they stared deeply into each other's eyes, her heartbeat began to quicken, excited by the promise of what the rest of the night held. Helios had wanted to wait until they were properly wed before consummating their love, but if the heated look in his golden eyes was any indication, he was just as eager as she was to begin their long-awaited honeymoon.
"Serenity…" he said in a low voice, his hands coming to rest upon her hips. He visibly swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down his neck. "My maiden…"
She shook her head. Serenity had long treasured the special term of endearment, given to her so long ago, but now that they were married, she had little interest in remaining a maiden, in name or in deed. "Your wife," she corrected, brushing her lips against his in a teasing kiss that made Helios's cheeks go flush.
Serenity fought back the urge to giggle, amused as always by how easy he was to fluster. Instead, she reached for his hands and took a step back toward the grand staircase that led up to her – their – suite. "Come. Let's go to bed, husband."
She didn't have to ask twice.
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Written for the "Drops of Moonlight" anniversary fanzine. Special thanks to my beta, Clover Cubed! Also, thank you to FloraOne, whose story "I Pledge Myself To You" inspired me to write this fic.
In case it wasn't obvious, many of the ceremony's rituals made allusions to the (Eastern) elements. The torch represented "fire", the chalice represented "water", the sunflower crowns represented "wood/earth", and the gold rings represented "metal". I also got the idea of the rings being made out of Elysian gold from the tradition in the British Royal Family of wearing wedding rings made of Welsh gold. Inspiration for Serenity's ceremony gown was taken from Maison Signore's Odessa-DT dress with a few changes.
If you would like to read about their proposal, check out "(Im)perfect Proposal", and I wrote about their honeymoon in "Forevermore".
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