Prince Hayate walked briskly through the halls of the palace toward Prince Kazu's office, not passing very many people but returning the quick head bows of a few people he did come across. Within a few moments, he neared his destination and could hear raised voices beyond the door. Before he could knock, it opened in front of him and out came three palace guards and a seething grizzled-looking man with an eyepatch. Kazu and a fourth guard bearing a higher ranking than the last three came up to the door.
"Make sure he gathers everything that's his and escort him fully off of the palace grounds," Kazu said. "And make sure patrols know to watch for anything funny."
"Yes sir," the guard said, giving a quick salute and leaving.
"What was that?" Hayate asked after watching the scene unfold.
"My idiot of a head trainer," Kazu said, also watching them walk down the hall. "As of today, he's no longer head trainer. Or in the service of the queen. I was ready to demote and keep him on a constant state of night patrols, but his big mouth had other ideas."
"What's up, rocks-for-brains?" came a new voice, belonging to their sister, Princess Misaki, who had also come to the door."
"Space, heat-breath," Hayate responded. "You want to get something to eat?"
"Sure," Misaki said. "That hearing made me annoyed and hungry."
"I'm game if I have the time," Kazu said, looking behind him.
"You're free until your 4 o'clock," came Lucinda's voice from further inside the room.
"Great. I'll see you there in a few hours," Kazu said, closing his door.
"What've you been up to?" Kazu asked his brother as the trio began walking down the halls.
"Usual things with the asteroids," Hayate responded. "A couple of the sensors had to be replaced and one of bigger ones collided with an outpost. Need to clean up and replace it."
"Need any of my men to help?"
"I should have enough on my crews to keep a steady workflow between three shifts, but I'll let you know if I do. Oh," he continued quickly. "I also told… them… about the… thing."
"Why would you do that?" asked Misaki in an irked tone. "You really might have rocks for brains."
"Maybe not," Kazu replied. "Might help to have two more heads giving thought to it. Or at least keeping an eye out."
The three made some room as they passed Princess Mercury and Princess Serenity walking the opposite way, nodding their heads in respect to Serenity.
"… just got back from going up those mountains. Said she might have been the coldest she'd been in a long time…," Mercury could be heard saying while they passed.
Hayate paused and looked down. He looked back at the princesses walking away.
"Hey, space case!" called Kazu, breaking Hayate's thought. He looked up and saw his two siblings a little further ahead and jogged to catch up with them.
###
"This is the tavern you wanted to take me to? You sure know how to show a princess a good time."
The Princess of Venus and a white-haired man in a blue-grey uniform stood just inside the doorway of a smallish tavern, the walls lined with tables and a few scattered people populating the bar.
"It may not look like much," responded the man. "But like I told you on the way here, the food is some of the best I've ever had outside the palace."
"We'll see," Venus said, scanning the room again. "I'll grab a place to sit. You know what I like."
"Okay," he replied, walking up to the bar.
"What'll you have, Kunzite?" the bartender asked as he came closer.
"To drink, I'll have a bottle of brandy and the princess will have… you have any Venusian ale?" he asked.
"Sold my last bottle yesterday, getting a new shipment in a few days."
"A spritz then," Kunzite said. "Foodwise, let's have a smaller version of that spread you gave the four of us last month. Enough for two."
"Sure," the bartender said, producing the bottle of brandy and started making the other drink.
"Got an off day, I see," came a voice beside him belonging to a scraggly man with a rat's nest for hair and a messy beard.
"What do you want, Duke," asked Kunzite.
"Nothing," Duke said, drinking from a bottle. "Just glad you can find time to enjoy yourself while not minding the prince. Or that brat of his."
"Her name is Princess Serenity, Duke," Kunzite said. "You'll remember that when you speak to me of her. Or I'll carve out your tongue."
"Thought you didn't like her."
"Well… Not the biggest fan… she's got her moments. But she loves my prince. And he loves her. I'm loyal to him. You see where this math is going?"
"Whatever," Duke responded. "You heard about Prince Kazu relieving his head trainer of duty? Word is one of the new recruits died sparring."
"Preposterous," Kunzite said, as the bartender put down the finished drink.
"Which part?" Duke asked.
"The death. I know Kazu. If that trainer really did cause someone to die, Kazu wouldn't just be relieving him. He'd be using his head as target practice. Now," he said, picking up the drink and turning toward the table Venus was at. "If you'll excuse me."
"You got any spicy gossip?" Duke asked before the man could leave.
"Yeah," he said, walking away. "Not for you though."
###
Beryl strode up the stone steps that had become all-too familiar to her in recent months. Reaching the top, she once again knelt.
"I like your progress, Beryl," Metallia said. "A good pace, but not too obvious to draw attention. But I have a new task for you while you continue your efforts."
"What is it?"
"Among the people you've turned, or maybe even look for candidates as you sway hearts and minds, seek out those you feel to be the best. The fastest, the strongest, the wisest, the most cunning, the most agile, the calmest, the angriest… you get the picture… and set them aside for me."
"Yes, Metallia," Beryl responded.
###
Kazu sat on the railing of the balcony of his room, nearly empty wine glass in one hand, back against the wall, one leg resting on the railing and the other dangling off. He stared out at the stars.
Serene… he thought, taking a sip. It's always just so peaceful this time of night… he watched the trail of a comet enter the atmosphere of the Earth and become a falling star. I wonder what future generations will think of this era.
His contemplation was interrupted by a loud grinding noise inside the room, occasionally rising and falling in volume but maintaining a constant roar. He looked inside and gave a quiet, barely audible chuckle.
Need to make sure the history books document just how much like a wild animal Jup's snoring is though… I gotta to hear it, they get to know about it.
He finished the rest of the glass and swung his leg over back onto the balcony. He stood and walked back into the room, sitting the glass down on a small table by the window, which he closed, and walked over to the bed. As he slid in, the snoring wound down and ceased while he moved over and embraced the woman he loved.