Chapter 34: World Shaking
March 17, 8983 – March 18, 8983
Haruka had refused to be anywhere near her palace for more than a Solar week. As soon as Hikari's ship had landed on Oberon, the soon-to-be queen had grabbed some of her desert clothing and supplies, shoved them into a small pack, and walked south out of the capital. Some of the deepest, driest scrubland on Oberon stretched for hundreds of miles south, changing to true desert until it hit the Quartz mountains and the sheltered oasis there that supported a huge population of Uranians known as the Sxarthin, Desert Kin. Michiru had watched her wife leave in silence, knowing that Haruka would never survive a palace full of senshi, Queens, and War Queens furiously planning the most elaborate coronation Uranus had ever seen. Traditionally, the War Queens and the princess would gather in the throne room and exchange promises of loyalty before the princess took her crown, but that would prevent any of the hundreds of gathered Uranian and off-world nobles from celebrating Haruka's rise to power. The original intention was for the simple coronation to take place two days after Michiru's birthday, but technically it could take place any time within two weeks of the four-moon conjunction. Michiru had convinced the queens that they wanted an elaborate affair to welcome the new member of their circle, at least as elaborate as the Uranians would allow. Elaborate took time.
"Michiru, do you want to go after her?"
The Neptunian, wearing one of the simplest dresses that Makoto had ever seen, shook her head. She had been deep in thought, listening to the birds in Hikari's garden as she stared off into the distance. "She doesn't need me right now. She needs time alone to come to terms with everything that has happened in the past few weeks."
"She also needs to decide what kind of queen she will become," Hikari added, joining the two princesses on the spacious balcony overlooking her prized gardens. The wind was still, too early in the morning for the desert to be riled up, but the late afternoon sun tended to bring on the more violent weather. "Her mother was not comfortable with the demands of the court, but she never needed to be alone as much as Haruka does. I'm surprised that you understood enough to let her go." Hikari's voice was calm, no trace of accusation in her words, though Michiru knew her well enough not to expect any. Hikari was always impressed when a non-Uranian understood her people so well, especially her beloved queen's new wife.
Michiru was silent for a moment, knowing that Makoto was also eager to hear her answer. "At the breakfast the morning after my birthday, Haruka began to distance herself from us. It was barely noticeable at first, but eventually I realized that she was feeling trapped. Our mission . . . she focused her entire being on it, leaving no room for doubts that we would fail or for concern about the future. Once my mother accepted Haruka into our family and announced her identity to the gathered Royal Courts, my wife had no direction or purpose to drive her anymore. She began to have doubts, and I could not allow that. Haruka is not a person who can be allowed to doubt. She told me that her coronation was to be held on the first day of the conjunction, but I spoke with my mother and asked her to demand a much more elaborate celebration." Michiru giggled, her eyes sparking at the memory. "All of the other queens believed that it was truly her idea, so they capitulated immediately."
"You are Shousha's daughter, of that there is no mistake," Hikari replied wryly. "She was quite the manipulative princess in her youth."
"I think, for the first time in my life, that I can take that as a compliment." She paused, letting that comment hang in the air before speaking again. "I told Haruka that all I could hear in her soul was the scream of the winds of the Golden Expanse on Miranda and I couldn't think through the noise. She understood what I was trying to say, and she left. She told me to bring her back when she was done."
"How will you know?"
Michiru twisted her wrist and held out his planet crystal, a warm light pulsing in the aqua depths. "I will know. My crystal is drawn to hers, lets me hear her thoughts even so far away. It's becoming easier to understand her thoughts, and the images are nearly clear now. As soon as they are, my crystal will take me to her."
Makoto shrugged. "After only a few days in the company of this much titled royalty, I can see why she would want to run."
"So why didn't you?"
"Ami is helping with the coordination. If she didn't have someone to help her relax, she would probably drown all of the planners before we get to the coronation."
Hikari chuckled. "Kazeko's coronation was a fairly simple affair, but she was still going crazy during the preparations. I took her into the desert three days before she received her crown, and it calmed her down considerably. Haruka's sajink is much stronger, so she needs more time." Michiru nodded and returned her gaze to the gardens, tracing patterns on the railing with her perfectly manicured fingernail. Hikari noticed the action, recognizing it as an outlet for nervous energy, and tilted her head. "Something else is on your mind, Highness."
"I've asked you to call me Michiru. There is no reason for us to be so formal, mother of my new husband." Hikari chuckled at the joke, nodding in acceptance of the meaning behind it. "You are correct, however, that I have something on my mind." The War Queen turned to face Michiru and tilted her head, waiting patiently. "How does one get the titles of Kazemaru and Asachou?"
"Well, I can't say that was the question I was expecting."
"I know, but I am married to the woman who will in a few days be Queen of Uranus, and your people care about titles more than bloodlines or royalty. How can I hope to be accepted by your people if I never understand this facet of your civilization?"
"You'd be about on par with Koshu," Makoto quipped, grinning as Michiru shot Hikari a you-see-what-I-mean look.
"Well, I guess it would be best to start at the top. Kazemaru is not really a title in and of itself, but more of an aggregate, awarded once a person has achieved a number of other war titles. Most of them have to be titles from Uranus, but a small percentage of them must be accredited titles from other worlds. Pluto, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars all have a number of approved titles, but there are a few very rare instances where a title from some other world would be acceptable."
"Uranians compete fiercely in the Ganymede Invitational," Makoto added, thinking back to her own tournament so long ago. "Other than Jovians, who take the title more than seventy percent of the time, Uranians dominate entrants from other planets. There are some very prestigious war games on Mars, and a martial arts tournament on Pluto that I have attended but never had the honor of competing in. Hikari, one of your titles is from Pluto, is it not?"
"Yes, it is. I'm surprised that you know. Setsuna invited Kazeko, myself, Rikuriko, and Meika to compete multiple times over the course of a decade in the most prestigious of her martial arts tournaments, and each of us won the title Dark Sword of Charon. Haruka is not yet old enough to compete, since contestants must be into their fourth decade to be eligible to receive the invitation."
"How many titles does a person need to become Kazemaru?"
"It varies," Hikari replied, turning around and walking across the balcony. Movement sometimes helped her organize her thoughts. "Some titles carry more weight than others, so Champion of the Ganymede Invitational along with any two other off-world titles would be enough to satisfy the non-Uranian part. There are three assassins' guilds on Miranda that certify five titles each, but those are not as well-regarded as the two titles awarded by the Priests of the Silent Wind Temple during the war games that are held in our god's honor twice a year. As a matter of fact, the title Yamakami would be counted toward a Kazemaru consideration and would complete the entire Uranian requirement, whereas prestigious service in the name of the Moon during war would complete the off-world requirement. That is the only way to receive Kazemaru with fewer than four other titles. Kazeko won two titles during the fighting on Pluto decades ago, and all of her sister senshi were similarly honored."
"Are any of the other queens Kazemaru?"
"Setsuna is, but none of the others have requested a review, and even the queen of Pluto prefers that we never mention it in public. Your mother and Queen Serenity are both Asachou, however. That title is more common among off-worlders than Kazemaru."
"And Yamakami?"
Hikari shook her head ruefully. "You princesses are pretty much the only current holders of that title. I promise you that many more of my people will attempt that trek in the next few years in honor of our queen, her sisters, and her wife. They will recognize that title, Michiru, even if you have no other."
"What if I want the other two?"
Hikari reached out and cupped Michiru's face in one long-fingered hand, staring deep into the young princess's blue eyes. Makoto watched them, unsure what the War Queen hoped to see, but a moment later Hikari smiled, apparently satisfied. "I see that you truly do want them, so I will help you. Asachou will be easier, since your prowess in the arts is already well-documented on Neptune, so the only remaining requirement would be for you to perform before at least three War Queens. If they are moved by your expression of saliis, then you will be awarded the title. For Kazemaru, I can tell you that your title of Yamakami and your incredible performance in the choosing of the Sixth War Queen will be enough to cover the domestic titles requirement. You would need at least two off-world titles or an expression of great courage and sacrifice in service to the Moon in order to prove your sajink and be granted this title. I will look at our archives, but I believe that there is a title on Neptune that we have accepted before, and with your mastery of the blood rage, I believe that a championship rank in the Deimos or Phobos War Games would be your best bet for the remainder of the requirement."
"Or an actual war," Makoto murmured, remembering the image she had seen in the Deep Aqua Mirror on Saturn. Hikari had not been privy to that premonition, but the senshi worried about it daily.
"It will not come to that, Makoto," Michiru replied, turning to face her friend and taking her hand. "You need to believe that we will stop this darkness."
"I do," the Jovian replied, green eyes dark. "I just don't know how to stop worrying."
"Perhaps you have not been practicing your fighting skills enough this past week," Hikari replied, one eyebrow raised in a challenge. "All of my children are in town for the coronation, and I believe that three of them are in training for the Ganymede Invitational. They could use a champion's advice."
Makoto grinned, eyes flashing in acceptance. "It's been a while since a Uranian won. Let me see what assistance I can be." She turned to go, Hikari taking two steps before both turned back to Michiru.
"I'll stay here a little longer," the Neptunian replied, having returned to staring out toward the horizon and the desert oasis she could not see. "I think Ruka will be calling soon." The winds in her mind were nearly silent, and she could almost hear the whisper of her wife's thoughts. It was nearly time.
Haruka stood on the roof of the largest building in the Sxarthin settlement, emerald eyes turned toward the capital. She could feel Michiru's thoughts on her and she had for a week and a half, knowing that it was almost time to return to court and her impending coronation. Her time among the Desert Kin had calmed her soul more than she could have anticipated, and she almost felt like she was finally ready to take her place among her people for the first time in twenty-one years.
"Your time among us is ending." The leader of the desert people, his leathery skin darkened by the sun and dried by the sand, watched his princess with unblinking grey eyes, his protective goggles hanging around his neck and his gloves hooked in his belt. "Have you found your peace, princess?"
Haruka nodded, having learned to speak as little as possible in the past few days. The Sxarthin rarely spoke more than a few words at a time, relying on hand signals and their own instincts about the desert to survive. She wondered if they all had some latent telepathic abilities that allowed them to communicate in a manner akin to the link that the senshi had recently forged. "Michiru is calling."
"More than a week," he replied. He had known, without even needing to ask, what his princess was running from and that she had a wife in the city waiting for her to return. The Desert Kin kept up with current news and had watched the live feed of Michiru's birthday, amused by the deception that their princess had managed to execute so adroitly upon the queen of their sister Outer Planet. "When?"
"Tomorrow morning." It was time to return. The queens planned to have her coronation on the tenth day after the conjunction, and that date was fast approaching. She was going to have to show up, no matter how much she hated formal events, especially royal ones.
"You survived your wife's birthday." His unspoken words hung in the still air between them. You will survive this, too.
Haruka nodded, at once agreeing with his spoken words and accepting his unspoken ones. The trek through the desert had been easy for her after her experience trying to reach the Chime Cliffs, and she had not even used her powers once. She had used a simple tent at night to survive the bitter desert cold, walking through the day with the protection of her sand suit and goggles. She had filtered her water from the toxic sap of the cactus when her supply ran low, hunting desert reptiles to supplement her food bars. She felt stronger when she reached the oasis, her skin a few shades darker and her hair lighter, but her people had recognized her without the need for words. They fed her, gave her shelter, and left her alone to resolve the turmoil in her soul. It was the medicine that Michiru knew she needed.
"Tomorrow," she repeated, a note of finality in the word. She was ready to leave.
"I was worried you would miss your own coronation." The teasing voice had been whispering in her mind for days, Haruka spinning around as she realized that the words were no longer merely imagined. Michiru stood behind the pair, her planet crystal glowing in her palm, simple knee-length blue dress offering scant protection from the harsh conditions of the deep desert.
Haruka smiled, stepping forward and drawing the smaller woman into her arms. "You were waiting for me to decide."
"Of course."
"I plan to leave in the morning. Will you stay here tonight?" Michiru nodded, letting her crystal vanish as she glanced at Haruka's companion with a question in her eyes. "This is Akihiko, the leader of the Sxarthin. I believe that two of the hunting parties are due back tonight, so we should have a fine feast of traditional desert fare that will put to shame the Uranian delicacies that your mother included in your birthday celebration."
Akihiko chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Off-worlders cannot prepare true desert food. Come inside." With the sun setting, the wind would pick up as the temperature dropped. Night in the desert could be incredibly dangerous.
Haruka took Michiru's hand and led her off the roof, glad to have the sea siren back by her side. Michiru squeezed her hand in response to that thought, returning with one of her own. They are going to wonder where I went.
No, they won't. Our sisters will simply know and my war queens are wise enough not to question the actions of their queens. Michiru paused just noticeably at the word, having never thought of herself as equal to her wife in her peoples' eyes. Haruka led her into the room that she had been given, turning Michiru to face her. "Michi, they do not see you as beneath me. Despite your current royal title, they do not think of you as a princess. Remember, Uranus created the Consort position out of the reality that many warriors preferred to marry women who were their equal, preferred to have a Wife to stand beside them at all times. They see you as they saw Yuuka when she married Nao. You are my wife, my queen, my equal. My word may be final and my wishes Law, but I will never let them think of you as less than me."
Michiru felt a warm joy fill her at the words, an affirmation of her love for this tall blonde warrior. "Thank you," she managed, her voice choked by tears.
"It is I who should thank you, my queen," Haruka returned, running her fingers through Michiru's aqua hair. "You saved me from the long, lonely road that my life had always been. I never knew there was another way to live until I landed on your beach. I can never repay you."
Michiru raised her left hand, the wedding scar on her palm drawing her wife's eyes. "You already have, my love."
"Setsuna, have you seen Michiru? She didn't come to supper last night."
The Plutonian, reading over the menu for Haruka's coronation feast, barely spared Shousha a glance before returning her attention to the servants clustered around her. She was at home in the warrior world's court, appreciating their quiet attention to detail and practical approach to all aspects of court life. "I haven't seen anyone, Shou. I have been too busy to even eat today, and I cannot say I have spared one thought for any of the princesses. Your daughter can take care of herself."
Koshu approached the pair at Setsuna's words, holding a small computer in one hand as holographic images of the various Uranian royal crowns floated in the air above it. "There are fifteen to choose from, Majesty. You're going to have to make a decision since my daughter is still missing and I cannot find her wife." With his Uranian title stripped, Koshu had accepted his place as Consort of the Queen's Mother in stride, deferring to the queen of his birth planet as befitted his new rank. Setsuna had never seen the man so relaxed, and she wondered if it had been a mistake to marry him into the Uranian Royal Court so long ago.
Setsuna turned to Shousha and waved her free hand at the duke. "Instead of worrying about your daughter, who has most likely returned to her wife's side, why don't you help Koshu choose the appropriate Crown Jewels for the occasion? And then you can speak with Asakaze about your dress since the seamstresses should be finished."
"I thought Asakaze was looking into the security arrangements."
"Rikuriko and Meika are doing that. I'm not sure what kind of security is needed for an event attended by ten War Queens, all of the senshi, and dozens of titled Lesser War Queens and their equally titled family members, but they said that arrangements are still not finalized. The good news is that Amami has finished the guest list and the order of events for the ceremony. The bad news is that I know you had some significant amount of input into that, so it will certainly be at least as many people as attended Michiru's birthday party and I doubt we have a venue large enough."
"Hikari is working on that," Shousha replied dismissively, "and she thinks that one of Ado's estates on the southern continent will be suitable. "The guest list is hardly a matter for concern since only the queens and senshi will be formally announced, but Laira has not finalized the list of performers yet. Besides the titled Uranians, there are dozens of artists from Uranus who were knighted on Neptune to consider and a handful of my own people who have won the title of Asachou who would appreciate the honor of performing for the new queen. There will not be enough time."
"There will only be one formal performance," Hikari announced, striding across the hall with that effortless loping gait that Uranians had perfected through millennia of leading ground-based warfare across multiple star systems. Laira was hot on her heels, a pad in her hand and a sparkle of joy in her bright green eyes. "We have had a request from a noble woman who wishes to gain a title, and we have granted that request."
"Haruka would want to see performances from multiple artists," Shousha argued, already thinking about the dozens of people from both worlds who would be disappointed that they could not perform.
"Haruka will not care if there is no ceremony at all, Majesty, so she certainly is not going to argue the finer points of the one we create to honor her," Hikari returned smartly. The War Queens, though usually dismissive of any royalty except their own, had made a special effort to use proper titles and honorifics for the visiting queens, probably at the direction of their own princess in a desperate hope to keep the peace during her absence. They would use the titles, but they would never back down or defer to any non-Uranian, and Setsuna did not expect that attitude to change. "We will allow any Asachou or similarly ranked foreign artist to perform as they wish before the coronation officially begins and at the reception after the event itself, but only one woman will play during it. Haruka will agree completely with my choice." There was a harsh finality in her voice that silenced any further arguments, not that she stayed long enough to hear any. With her announcement made, Hikari spun on one heel and left, Laira still at her back. That brusque attitude had given the Uranians their rough reputation, but Setsuna and Shousha were used to it and knew better than the chase after Hikari and argue her point. The decision was made.
Setsuna chuckled as she glanced over the menus in her hand at the images floating above Koshu's hand. "If only every decision could be made so easily. Shousha, can you take Koshu with you to see Asakaze? I think the two of you can make a choice of crowns that will please the queens and the Uranians."
Shousha nodded and strode off, Koshu following in her wake as Setsuna turned her attention back to the chef and her staff. Who knew that planning a coronation on a world that barely held marriage ceremonies would be so difficult?
Setsuna awoke with a start, amazed that anyone could sneak up on her after so many years and so many lifetimes of mortality. Haruka stood before the dark queen's bed, glancing at the sleeping silver-haired Lunarian taking up half of the space before turning and walking into the main chamber of the suite. Resisting the urge to sigh, Shousha slipped into a simple black dress and joined the Uranian, closing the bedroom doors to prevent her lover from waking. Haruka had taken a seat on the long couch, watching Setsuna with amused green eyes as the dark queen sat down in a chair opposite her. She looked different, her skin darkened by the desert sun and her hair lighter. There was a fire in her eyes that had been missing when she left, and it seemed that some time alone in the harsh environment of her world had done Haruka a world of good.
"I feel better," Haruka replied, reacting to the thoughts she could almost feel in Setsuna's mind. The Plutonian had not been part of the link that the senshi forged, but spending so much time around the princesses recently had helped her open up slightly.
"I was worried you would miss the coronation."
Haruka shook her head. "Michi knew I would return when I was ready. She came to me last night and brought me back this morning."
Setsuna glanced at the window, noting the faintest tinge of light on the horizon. She had heard that real sunrises, which could only be viewed on Earth, were spectacular, far beyond what an artificial sun over an atmosphere dome could manage, though few gods had seen it since their retreat to Olympus. It had been many thousands of years since she herself had visited the Earth for any extended period of time, so didn't quite remember if it was true. "I see that you are using that word in the strictest sense."
"The others will be awake in an hour or so. I was hoping we can hold the ceremony today instead of days from now." Before I lose my nerve. Setsuna heard the words clearly in her mind, knowing that Haruka had intentionally projected them.
Setsuna chuckled. "Of course you want to be difficult. You are lucky that your War Queens can anticipate your moves better than they ever could with Kazeko. They already told me yesterday that we should be prepared to move the ceremony up. Everything is ready to go today, as long as you are ready to be queen."
"I'm ready," Haruka grinned, the sword on her hip glowing as her mother agreed.
"Then go wake your servants. They are going to have their hands full with you this morning."
Setsuna hadn't lied. The instant she entered her suite, Haruka met Michiru and a flock of servants from Uranus and Neptune, most of whom she had never met. Her wife had taken a chair in one corner, letting three of the servants brush and style her aqua hair while another pair guided Haruka to her own chair and tried to decide what they could do to tame her blonde locks.
It took two hours for them to finish her hair, dress her in the finest gown her seamstresses had ever produced, do what little makeup Haruka would allow, and pick just the right jewelry for the occasion. In the absence of the vanished keystone, Haruka had chosen a topaz necklace that was carved with the symbol of her planet and set with gold, navy crystals accenting the main stone. She sat patiently as her servants wove strands of tiny navy beads into her feathery hair, possibly the first time in her life that she had allowed the decoration that was so popular among the royal women of other worlds, but they matched her dress so perfectly that she could not refuse.
Haruka glared at her wife as her servants painted her fingernails, something she had not allowed since she was a child, but Michiru just smiled as hers were also painted. Haruka grumbled at the decoration, knowing that her long gloves would cover her hands, but she knew better than to argue with the retinue of servants. At one point, the servants stopped their ministrations long enough for the princesses to eat breakfast, but then the primping resumed. When they were finally done, the two women stood in front of each other and examined the results. Michiru, despite her tall heels, still had to look up at her wife, who had been cajoled into wearing heels for possibly the first time in her life.
"Not the first time," Haruka murmured, glancing at her feet, "but it is certainly rare. Usually I wear heeled boots if I want a few extra inches."
"You're beautiful," Michiru murmured. "You should wear dresses more often. I love seeing you like this."
"I remember," Haruka replied, sending an image of their meeting on Titan to her wife. "I may not wear them in public much, but I will wear them for you."
The head servant cleared her throat, glancing at the time piece on the wall. "Majesty, we must go." Haruka offered her arm to Michiru, turning to follow the servants out of her suite. They paused for a moment as the servant placed a small tiara on each of their heads, princess crowns from Haruka's collection, to be replaced with queens' crowns during the coronation. With that complete, the servants led their charges to the teleport pad that linked the royal palace with Ado's mansion thousands of miles away.
Endou Ado's mansion was both huge and spacious, common for homes in the humid southern continent. Hundreds of nobles crowded the huge gathering hall, listening to music from the performers on the stage as they enjoyed a light brunch. A coronation on Uranus was an excuse for warriors to put away their weapons and meet as allies, letting them make plans and pacts under a banner of peace. Having witnessed first-hand the destruction that a group of angry war leaders could engender, Setsuna was pleased with the overall attitude in the hall.
Serenity, wearing the same elaborate crown that she had been given for her coronation, joined her lover near the side of the stage, offering her a plate of tiny pastries and a cup of some sweet nectar tea that Ado's estates brewed exclusively. "How does this compare to Michiru's party last week?"
"It's quieter, and there are a whole lot more swords." All of the Uranians were armed, most of them carrying blades that were nearly as elaborate as the Space Sword and many of them hundreds or thousands of years old. Decorated weapons were a symbol of power on the moons of Uranus, most certainly in honor of the talisman of their beloved queen. More than any other planet in the system, Uranians loved, honored, and emulated their senshi. "It seems like it is less organized, but just watch these women when their queen arrives and you will see a unity you could never imagine."
Rei, who had been mingling with a couple of Lesser War Queens, casually wandered across the room, greeting her mother and sister on the way. All of the queens' children had stayed with their mothers for the coronation, most of them hoping to find eligible partners among the Uranian nobles since they rarely had time to interact with them off of their home world. The Martian princess finally reached the two queens, an amused half-grin on her face. "I'm not used to seeing you in public together. This may be the first time in over three decades since it has happened."
Setsuna led the two women into a more secluded area of the hall, sipping her tea before speaking. "We can't exactly announce to the world that we have a history, but it is not uncommon for queens to spend time together at royal functions. And, as long as the queen returns to her own chamber at night, no one is the wiser."
"Not when you can teleport to her room and collect her with no one seeing," Rei replied, sipping her own tea. "I know that you can't be as open as we can, but this is the one world where no one will care."
"There is a greater danger than even the Prophecy of the Fall to be considered," Serenity replied, scanning the hall for her daughter as the trio spoke. The young princess was in the company of her prince and two of her senshi, currently Ami and Minako, though they would switch off with their partners throughout the day. They would never leave their princess alone. "Hopefully one day we will be able to tell you why."
A commotion near the door caught Setsuna's attention as a flock of servants dispersed into the crowd and started gathering the royals who would be part of the coronation. Setsuna, Queen Serenity, and Rei were herded to the stage, along with Princess Serenity, Endymion, and the rest of the senshi. The War Queens and the leaders of the Lesser War Queens lined up on either side of the stairs leading down from the stage, already knowing what part they would play. The rest of the planetary queens were already on stage, wearing the same amount of finery they had for Michiru's birthday and their own coronation crowns. The induction of a new woman into their elite band was a bigger event than the recognition of a new senshi, and certainly the biggest event that had been held on Uranus in nearly five decades.
Setsuna, letting a servant take her plate and empty glass, took a moment to admire her sister queens. Amami, normally reserved in simple skirts and pastel colors, had opted for a daring backless black gown with a layer of intricate dark blue lace covering the bodice, the layered skirts sweeping across the floor behind her. Her crown, set with deep blue sapphires from her world, was hung with strings of lapis lazuli that mingled with her dark hair. She wore enough jewelry around her neck, arms, and waist to be mistaken for a Venusian, all of it enhancing the delicacy of her dress. Asakaze, however, would not be outshone by anyone, and she had chosen a pale blue dress covered in golden filigree and diamonds from her world, chains of gold wrapped around her waist and heavy bracelets on her arms. Her crown was more delicate than the Mercurian's, filigreed gold holding golden diamonds and orange citrines around the symbol of her planet. She had also strung clear diamonds in her hair, tiny ones that were just enough to catch the light without weighing down her loose golden curls. Setsuna couldn't remember when that particular fashion had come into vogue, but she did enjoy the effect of tiny gemstones in jewel-colored hair.
Rikuriko joined the group waiting at the back of the stage, straightening her ruby-encrusted crown and checking her necklaces. She had chosen a light pink dress, the skirt split in front to reveal her gold-embroidered white underskirt and the bodice covered in some pale diamonds that looked suspiciously Venusian. Setsuna tilted her head at the Martian, noting the elbow-length pink gloves studded with diamonds and the golden diamonds threaded into her straight red hair. "Did you borrow one of Asa's dresses?"
Rikuriko shrugged dismissively. "She said it would go with my eyes."
Meika, leaning against one of the pillars along the back of the stage, nodded sharply. "She was right about that. I never thought pink would be a good color for you." Meika had chosen pastel colors for her dress, a light blue bodice fading to a gauzy green skirt and tall laced boots. Jovians did not tend to wear jewelry, but Meika had accented her heavy emerald-studded crown with a few simple golden chains around her wrists and neck, pale green peridots in her earrings to offset the light color of her eyes. Setsuna's dress was also unusually light compared to her normal wardrobe, the gentle maroon silk setting off her eyes. Her dress was strapless and tight from the bodice to her knees where it flared out into a ruffled lower skirt, just long enough in the back to brush the floor. Her dress only had a few gemstone embellishments, mostly along the top of the bodice and the waist, but she had chosen to wear a pair of gemstone necklaces gifted to her by Hades many thousands of years ago, each of them holding enough rare and colorful gemstones from his deep domain to buy a small moon. She kept her long, dark arms free, having chosen a single ring that bore her royal seal to accent the crown of black opals set atop her dark green hair. Her hand itched for her staff, but it would be impolitic to carry a talisman to another queen's world in peacetime.
Yumemi, in an effort to lighten the mood her world had found itself in with the threat of Sailor Saturn's rise, had chosen a loose, airy lavender dress with bright amethysts embroidered along the hem and pink sapphires sprinkled across the bodice. Her crown was heavier than the Plutonian's, the symbol of Saturn surrounded by dark amethysts and white opals. Shousha had chosen an aqua and emerald green dress cut in a style that had never been popular on her world, but the other queens recognized it as one that Kazeko had gifted her many years before her death. Shousha hadn't worn it since, but after her visit with her dead lover's spirit, it seemed that she was finally healing.
Queen Serenity stepped to the front of the stage as a commotion at the main doors silenced the room. Though she normally wore simple silver and white gowns, the queen had chosen a pearl-encrusted sleeveless bodice and shimmering lavender skirt threaded with silver and covered in silver diamonds that were only found on the Moon. She wore crystal heels that added nearly two inches to her height, though she was still not as tall as her dark lover. Her crown, formed from Lunarian diamonds and platinum filigree, sat easily upon her silver hair, which had been let loose from her usual style and threaded with strings of pearls. She wore more jewelry than most of the other queens, though it was expected of Lunarian nobility, especially for a coronation.
Her daughter's dress was similar, though young Serenity wore much smaller heels and she had chosen to keep her signature hairstyle. She wore a smaller crown and less jewelry than her mother, and there were fewer gems embroidered into her silky gown. Endymion, an official representative of Earth for the coronation, had chosen a blue suit so dark that it was nearly black and his customary black cloak with red lining. He wore many symbols of his rank, including his long sword and a number of medals marking his membership in certain prestigious Earth Orders. He had chosen not to wear a crown since most of the Silver Millennium nobility would not recognize it, but his bearing marked him as royal just as quickly.
The servants who had led the queens to the stage gathered around the musicians off to their right and quietly walked them toward the floor. The beautiful grand piano that one of the women had been using that morning sat silent, a collection of gem-encrusted stringed, wind, and percussion instruments resting on stands around it. Almost all of the performers that morning had been Uranian, so their instruments were impressive works of art in their own right. A few of the instruments were from off-world, conspicuous without gems and gold inlay, but the piano was the most impressive of all. Setsuna recognized it as the one that Kazeko had used to perform her Asachou concert many years earlier, each key hand-crafted from the pearlescent bones of a huge desert reptile and the ebony lid covered in gold inlay and thousands of gemstones from every planet in the system. It had belonged to the Uranian Queen for thousands of years, but it was only used for the most important of events. Setsuna found herself wondering if Haruka had ever played the instrument.
The commotion resolved itself into the Neptunian herald who had performed his duties so admirably for Shousha over a week before. Hikari had invited him to herald Haruka's coronation, and he had gladly accepted the honor. An aisle formed between the door and the dais, allowing him to join the queens on the stage. The four Inner Senshi raised their right hands to the ceiling as he approached, a planet crystal in each one as they called out their transformations. They had debated for hours the best way to honor Haruka's new rank, and in the end they decided to wear the uniform that showed their unity and sisterhood the best. Each of them had decided that the tiara in their senshi uniforms would be sufficient, though they were each wearing a small crown in their civilian forms.
The herald stopped at the front of the stage, turning to face the gathered nobles. He spoke into absolute silence, one that could only come from a trained warrior race accustomed to instantly obeying orders. Every pair of eyes rested on him as he raised his hands. "It is my great honor today to welcome you all to the Coronation of Haruka, daughter of Kazeko and Koshu, descendant of Nao the Conqueror, child of the High Duke of Umbriel. Today Haruka will take her rightful place as Queen of Uranus." Every Uranian man and woman drew a sword, holding it to the sky in response. Setsuna, who had seen these people and their ancestors march into battle for thousands of years, had never ceased to be amazed by their ability to move and respond in perfect sync.
"Her Majesty Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium will be conferring that honor today, and she is joined by Queen Amami of Mercury, Queen Asakaze of Venus, Queen Rikuriko of Mars, Queen Meika of Jupiter, Queen Yumemi of Saturn, Queen Shousha of Neptune, and Queen Setsuna of Pluto." Uranians were less impressed by heavy formality than Neptunians, but they did want to honor the royal visitors with a brief announcement of their names since they were all so important to their soon-to-be queen. "We are also joined by Princess Serenity of the Moon, Princess Ami of Mercury, Princess Minako of Venus, Princess Rei of Mars, Princess Makoto of Jupiter, and Prince Endymion of the Earth." There was a subtle shift in the mood at his name, eyes turning to the tall, black-haired man and wondering what part Earth had to play in these proceedings. The stares only lasted a moment as the guards at the other end of the aisle snapped to full attention and reached to open the two doors along the back wall of the hall.
Every Uranian turned to face the aisle and dropped to one knee, despite how difficult Setsuna would have believed that to be in such fine dresses and fitted suits. While the off-worlders were attempting to achieve the same stance, the Uranians all took their swords and held them in front of their chests, tip on the carpeted floor, and bowed their heads. It was a gesture of highest respect, offering a sword to the new queen, and the senshi debated for only a moment along their link before assuming a similar posture, though without the swords. Sailor Uranus was their ultimate leader in all matters that threatened the entire system, and they wanted her to know that they would respect and obey her. Glancing at Princess Serenity for a moment, Endymion assumed a similar position, kneeling behind Minako and Ami with his sword in his hand. It was almost too long for such a display, but he was taller than all of the senshi so it worked for him.
The herald moved off the stage until he was needed again as Haruka stepped through the double doors and began her journey across the golden carpet. She had chosen a stunning form-fitting dress of dark navy blue with thousands of golden threads woven through the fabric and shining in the light. She wore a silken cord around her waist to hold the Space Sword, the cord decorated with golden citrines and dark navy-blue sapphires that were only found on her home world. She had chosen to wear a pair of heels that were very close in color to the navy boots she wore as a senshi and a pair of long, white satin gloves that reached almost to her shoulders, each of them embroidered with dozens of symbols created with a rainbow of hundreds of tiny gemstones. Setsuna recognized many of the symbols as the images for each of the titles that Haruka had earned, include Kazemaru, and there was a strange feathery navy and gold flower on the left wrist that the dark queen struggled to place. Her crimson eyes widened as she realized that it could only be the symbol of a Yamakami, the rare few who had managed to reach the Chime Cliffs on Miranda where Uranus had hidden until she and Psyche's twin children had found the exiled god. Haruka knew the instant that the Plutonian placed that title, offering her fellow senshi a rueful half-grin. Of course she had earned that title; Nao's planet crystal had been hidden there. Glancing at the other senshi, Setsuna could see the thought pass through their link from Haruka, each of them nodding at the dark queen. All of them were Yamakami, a title so prestigious that it carriers would be ranked among the Uranian nobility even with no other accolades to their names.
Haruka wore a simple golden circlet with a single gold diamond in the center, the symbol of her place as a princess, the crown she had brought to "trade in". Her servants had managed to paint her eyelids with a beautiful gold powder, darker lines above her lashes giving her a slightly more dangerous expression than the one she normally affected. Her eyelashes, already long and dark without the need for any assistance, sparkled with golden glitter in the lights of the halls, a fashion trend that was only popular on Uranus, among these women who mixed war and arts so well that often there was no distinction between the two. Haruka was the epitome of that belief, able to show her strength even while clothed in the most beautiful dress she had ever worn. Gold glitter also decorated her collarbone and threads of gold were tied onto some of the strands of her hair to match the faint touch of gold on her lips, offsetting the navy gemstones woven into those wild locks. The only jewelry she allowed herself beyond the tiny golden hoops in her ears was a topaz necklace that was carved with the symbol of her planet and set with gold, navy crystals accenting the main stone, that had been much beloved by Kazeko, hanging from a delicate golden chain around her neck.
Setsuna glanced at Shousha, seeing in the Neptunian's eyes a reflection of her own thought. Haruka was as beautiful as her mother, despite her best efforts to eschew that facet of her personality. Never had the line of Uranus produced a child who could so perfectly balance on the edge of sa'usikha. This woman was the daughter of Uranus even more than Nao had been, the most perfect avatar her lineage had ever created. Setsuna allowed herself a moment to consider each of the senshi in turn, seeing in them the ultimate traits valued by their gods, the final and most desperately desired result of each planet's centuries-long breeding program.
Ami was brilliant, her mind moving faster than Hermes himself with his enchanted sandals, holding more Scholarships than her previous incarnation had attempted. Minako was beautiful, a siren to rival golden Aphrodite, but with a deep capacity for love that few believed a god could express. Rei was a deadly warrior, with an instinct for blood that had even surprised Ares, but her deadly insanity could be tempered by the fires of her world. Makoto was a fierce Amazon warrior princess deeply tied to the trees of her home world, with a power that could rival even the great Zeus and a military acumen to challenge his daughter Athena. Haruka was the most perfect avatar of Uranus that Setsuna had ever known, having lived with each of that soul's predecessors, and it was clear from the way her people responded to her presence that she would be the greatest queen that her planet had ever known. Michiru embodied her god and his wife both in her beauty and warrior strength, a power that Setsuna had witnessed first-hand during the choosing of the Sixth War Queen. If only half of the reports from Neptune were true, Michiru was a greater musician than Yuuka had been, and her power of premonition rivaled any the gods had ever seen.
As Setsuna thought of the Neptunian, Michiru entered the room behind her wife, light to Haruka's dark, intensely feminine, but only a fool would mistake that delicate beauty for weakness. Among the women of Uranus, most especially among those who had seen her fight in the challenge for the Sixth War Queen seat, there were no longer any fools. Her dress was a waterfall of lace and silk, colored in more shades of light blue, aqua, and light green than Setsuna could name. The bodice held her chest tightly before flaring out at the hips, colored in the pale sky blue seen only in the skies of Earth and covered in very fine white lace studded with light blue celestite chips. The gauzy top layers of her skirt shone with silvery threads along the hems, the lowest layer a medium ocean blue and the top layer the same aqua color as her hair. She easily wore enough jewelry to make up for Haruka's conservative choice, with lapis lazulis, aquamarines, sapphires, peridots, sea colored diamonds, and pale emeralds vying for dominance on chains around her neck, wrists, and waist. Some of them even hung in her wavy aqua hair from under her simple silver tiara with its navy-blue diamond in the center. She followed a few steps behind Haruka, as much a part of this coronation process as the blonde Uranian, her eyes nearly sapphire in the lights of the great hall.
Haruka reached the foot of the stage, pausing to nod to her War Queens. They had knelt, five on each side, along the stairs with their blades held before them, but they did not bow their heads as the lower nobles had done. They watched their beloved princess with eyes every shade of the rainbow and she returned their gazes, silently thanking them for their support and loyalty. She ascended the stairs and reached the stage, stopping to greet her fellow senshi. She took each of their gloved hands in turn, meeting their eyes as silent messages passed between them, Michiru smiling as she echoed her wife's actions. The senshi stood as their partners passed, supporting her in silence. The pair approached the gathered queens, Haruka bowing as Michiru dropped to a curtsy.
Serenity smiled and gestured for the pair to rise, waiting for the other queens to spread to either side before raising her hands. At the gesture, all of the Uranians rose and sheathed their swords in near-perfect unison, the sound of ringing steel filling the hall. As silence fell again, Queen Serenity began the ceremony.
"Warriors and Artists, I welcome you to Uranus for the coronation of your new queen." The ceremonial greetings on the desert world always included a reference to the dual nature of the Uranian soul, and Setsuna had always been intently fascinated by the various greetings used throughout the system. "It has been two decades since we lost Kazeko, a good and dear friend to myself and her sister queens, but her daughter has grown into a fine woman, a warrior and artist without measure, and has earned her place among the Uranian people. Kazemaru, Yamakami, and Champion of the Ganymede Invitational are only some of the prestigious titles that Haruka has won, bringing honor to her family and her people."
Haruka raised her arms to the ceiling, facing her people as she proudly displayed her many titles to her people. They stomped their feet in unison, silently offering their support as their princess lowered her arms and turned back to the High Queen. Serenity gestured for Endou Ado to join her on the stage, the First War Queen carrying a pillow that cradled the heavy Miranda Prime Crown of Uranus, an artistic golden circlet with filigreed sockets holding hundreds of tiny golden and navy stones, a single navy diamond in the center with deep golden striations. The huge stone, nearly the size of the queen's palm, was known as the Song of the Storm, and it was the oldest known gemstone in the Silver Millennium. It was said to have been formed from a drop of Uranus's blood when Zeus attacked him, and Setsuna was reasonably certain that the origin was true, though it had happened before her birth. Aphrodite had once told her of a lovely stone found by one of the first Uranian queens, a blue stone with Uranus's gold in its heart, that was just as old as the Goddess of Love herself.
Serenity lifted the crown as Haruka drew the Space Sword, holding it parallel to the ground in front of her as her eyes met Serenity's. "My Sword is yours, Queen of the Silver Millennium and holder of the ginzuishou," she intoned in Lunarian, "but these people are mine and I claim my crown through Rite of Title." Uranian Queens, no matter their birth, could never rule their people without earning at least one of the Great Three titles, Kazemaru, Asachou, or Yamakami, and the Rite of Title was Haruka's public declaration that she had earned the right to rule her people. She could have demanded the title at any time after winning the Ganymede Invitational in 8979 and earning her Kazemaru title, but the child had not been ready to declare herself before her people. After spending time with her fellow senshi, after being reunited with Princess Serenity whom she hadn't seen in fourteen years, and after marrying the Neptunian siren standing two steps behind her on the stage, Haruka was finally ready to be Queen. Setsuna felt a tear form in the corner of her eye at the majesty of Kazeko's daughter who carried the soul of Uranus's beloved child.
"I give the people of Uranus to you freely, Haruka the Windrunner, but they must accept your rule on their own." Haruka turned to her people and raised her sword into the air, knowing that the Uranian nobles understood the meaning of the High Queen's words even if they did not speak Lunarian. Every one of them drew a small knife or dagger in their right hand and touched it to their left palm, cutting just enough to allow a few drops of blood to well up before sheathing their blades. Unlike the knives used in marriage ceremonies, these blades were coated in a salve that would speed healing, most of the wounds closing after only two or three drops of blood had oozed out. They stood there, silent, offering their blood to Haruka, and she nodded as returned her sword to her waist and pulled a tiny dagger out of the top of her left glove from a sheath that Setsuna had not even noticed.
Dear Gods, she's as bad as Rei, Setsuna thought, knowing instantly that the senshi had somehow heard her, all eyes flicking to the dark queen for a second. Haruka also cut a tiny line across her palm through her glove, showing her blood to her people in response to their offering. Non-Uranian nobles rarely attended Uranian coronations for this reason, since the bloodletting rituals they adored were seen as reckless and barbaric on the other worlds. Haruka turned back to Queen Serenity, freezing at a movement from her sister senshi as they all turned to her with tiny daggers in their hands, weapons that should not be part of a senshi's uniform. Silently, four pairs of eyes meeting Haruka's shocked grey-green gaze impassively, each young woman offered a few drops of blood to their leader. They didn't say anything, watching with supportive smiles as tears welled up in the corner of the blonde Uranian's eyes. She had not expected that, especially from her more pacifistic sisters. Michiru, having already bonded herself to Haruka through a much more intimate blood offering, reached out to touch the taller woman's arm, conveying all of her love and support in that one simple gesture.
Queen Serenity smiled as Haruka turned back to her, holding the crown high above her head. Though taller than her own golden-haired child, the queen was still nowhere near Haruka's rather impressive height, so the Uranian gracefully fell into a kneeling position before her. "I see the loyalty and love of your people, Haruka daughter of Kazeko, child of the High Duke of Umbriel. I see, too, the love of your fellow senshi and their promise to you, as the leader of the Outer Senshi, to lead them. Tell me, child, are you prepared to be queen of these people?"
"I am already their Queen," Haruka replied smoothly, her voice strong and certain. "I have been for some time, but I only just realized it myself. I am now finally ready to rule them as they deserve."
"Then, as High Queen of the Silver Millennium, I do hereby crown you Queen Haruka the First, Empress of Oberon, High Duke of Umbriel, High Priestess of the Silent Night Temple, and Lord of Miranda. All hail Queen Haruka the First!" Princess Serenity stepped forward and removed Haruka's princess tiara, placing it on Ado's pillow as her mother settled the larger crown on the Uranian's blonde head.
"All Hail Queen Haruka!"
Haruka stood and faced her people, unable to keep the tears from her eyes as she took her place at last as their rightful Queen. Raising her hands for silence, she gestured for Fourth Ono Hikari to approach the queens, carrying another heavily embroidered pillow with the second oldest Uranian crown settled on top. It was only slightly smaller than the crown Haruka had chosen for herself, wrought with white gold and small dark navy sapphires, a large, round golden diamond in the center. Though not as old as the Queen's Crown, it was well known to the nobles as the crown that Yuuka had worn as Nao's wife, the last time that a second queen had been acknowledged on the desert worlds. Haruka took the beautiful crown in her hands and turned to Michiru, remembering herself as Nao facing Yuuka on just such a day three thousand years earlier.
"I have no fancy words for you, and we have no specific ritual to accept a second queen, but I have the power to name you my Queen-Wife, second only to me on the Moons of Uranus, with the titles of Second Empress of Oberon, High Duchess of Umbriel, Priestess of the Silent Night, and Lady of Miranda to match my own. Michi, my heart, will you accept a place beside me as my queen?"
"Always, my dearest love." Michiru smiled through her own tears as Serenity removed her princess tiara to make a place for the white gold crown Haruka was offering. As she crowned her wife, Haruka knew that Michiru's last fears of having a true place on Uranus were gone. Her people would never see Michiru as a consort or only as Haruka's wife, but as her equal and beloved partner, the saliis to Haruka's sajink, as the completion of her soul. The people of Uranus would here and forever only know Michiru as Queen.
The other queens surrounded the pair, congratulating them and admiring the crowns that Koshu had chosen for them to wear. The senshi dropped their transformations and joined the pair, admiring their beautiful dresses and crowns, each of them secretly thinking of the day that they would become queens themselves. Each of the princesses had worn deceptively simple white dresses with bodices embroidered in the colors of their planets with matching gemstones, gems also sparkling on the hems of their long skirts. They wore varying amounts of jewelry and crowns from their own worlds, colored diamonds sparkling in their hair. They had done everything possible to match, wanting to provide a united and supporting front for their fellow senshi. Michiru slipped away from her wife and headed for the musician half of the stage, the War Queens joining Haruka as silence took the hall once more.
Michiru reached the ornate grand piano and held out her hand, watching as an opalescent white-wood violin decorated with tiny aquamarines appeared. The bow, crafted from the same beautiful white wood, appeared in her other hand, Michiru raising the instrument to her chin. The senshi exchanged confused glances as they recognized the violin from their trip to Amphitrite's cave, but they had no idea what the Neptunian was doing and her mind was closed to them. Shousha took a half-step forward, remembering what Hikari had said while they were planning the coronation, but she had never imagined that her own daughter would be the one performing for the Asachou title. Setsuna placed a hand on the Neptunian's arm, warning her not to interfere, all eyes turning to the aqua-haired siren. Haruka was also staring at her wife, having never imagined that Michiru would seek this title at her coronation.
Michiru began to play into the silence, a light, happy tune that Haruka remembered from her time on Neptune, something written to honor Dionysus. The tune faded into one of the epic ballads written about the old queens, the music swirling through the hall and drawing the listeners in as the song continued. Uranians were a practical people and they needed no official announcement to know Michiru's goal. A few of them were glancing at the War Queens to see if the song moved them, but most had their full attention on their new queen standing in front of the piano. She continued to play, moving into a song about Zeus's rise to power with his brothers and sisters, her eyes meeting Haruka as she reached the final chords.
Haruka instantly knew what her wife wanted, what song she had chosen to play next for the gathered War Queens, but it could not be played by a violin alone. Michiru's mind was still closed to her, but Haruka headed toward the piano anyway. Taking a seat on the padded bench, she rested her long fingers on the pearlescent keys and reached for the first notes of The Last Betrayal, smiling as her wife's violin joined her. The song was actually much longer than the short stanza that the pair had sung in Amphitrite's cave, that verse having been added by Nao and Yuuka to a song originally titled The Senshi Heart. The song touched on the powers and lives of the original senshi, moving through each of the generations that held the powerful souls birthed by the gods, the souls of the true avatars. The last few verses were about Nao, Yuuka, and their fellow senshi, having been added at the end of the original song. The full song was only known on the moons of Uranus and Neptune, though the first few verses were famous throughout the rest of the system due to Taichen Laira's Asachou-winning movie Winds of Uranus. Haruka sang each of the verses alone, but as she finished the penultimate verse, Michiru dropped her violin and closed her eyes. Together, with only the piano for accompaniment, Haruka and Michiru began to sing that mournful final verse.
"Is it the blowing lilac wind that beckons us?
Or is it the violin among the misty waters?
Dreams, in this troubled, frivolous world
Bloom with a single cut from a flower's sword"
It was a farewell to Nao and Yuuka, a recognition of both their intertwined souls and that terrible final choice that they had made three thousand years earlier. The symbolism was most poignant to the Uranian and Neptunian listener, losing a great deal of meaning when translated to any other tongue from the artistic language of Titania. The lilac wind was a common symbol applied to the Queen of Uranus by the natives of Titania, and they used misty waters for the Queen of Neptune. Titanians considered dreams to be a Uranian's window to the future, with the conflicting imagery of troubled and frivolous pointing at the death of their queens in service to a terrible choice. The final line referenced the hope of a new future, one that could reverse the loss of the planet crystals and the darkness that had descended on the royal houses in the tumultuous years that followed.
As the final note of the song faded, Haruka stood up from the piano, joining her wife as they both bowed to the assembled War Queens. A shuffling silence had filled the hall, the Uranians' inability to stand at their normally perfect military-still speaking to how moved they had been by the performance. They all turned to their War Queens, hoping to see the same reaction among those powerful women, and they were shocked to see tears in their eyes. Tears from the most powerful and most disciplined warriors of the Silver Millennium, from a people not given to crying for the most practical of reasons. Tears prevented them from seeing their enemy, from judging danger, and, in a holdover from the time when most Uranians lived in the desert or dry and harsh scrubland, tears were a waste of water. The War Queens offered tears to their newly crowned queens.
The other queens and princesses moved closer together, wiping moisture from their own eyes as they silently urged the War Queens to judge the performance positively. If they could see the women's eyes, they would know that they had nothing to worry about. The War Queens had been moved beyond the capacity for words, Hikari stepping forward and taking the position of speaker. Ado, Sanae, and Hiroko were unable to speak through the lumps in their throat, but Hikari had always been more in control of her emotions than her superiors on the council. Wiping the tears from her own golden eyes, Haruka's cousin smiled at the two performers.
"When I agreed to allow only one performer during the coronation itself, I knew that Michiru, child of the Seas of Triton, would not disappoint us. I and the other War Queens have heard of her prowess with dozens of musical instruments, but few Uranians other than Taichen Laira have ever heard her play. And, of course, no Uranian has ever heard Queen Haruka's prowess on the piano, though we have long suspected. Today we have had both desires satisfied, and with a song so deeply ingrained in our cultural memory that few can ever perform it to our satisfaction. I speak for my fellow War Queens when I tell you that we are honored to award the title of Asachou to both of you."
The hall erupted into cheers, the people calling the names of their queens and surging forward in an attempt to show their support. The queens and princesses moved forward to surround the pair, Michiru as calm as ever as she accepted the accolades, while Haruka's expression was one of shock. She had not considered the ramifications of her performance, having only desired to aid her wife with that final song, but a gentle chuckle in the back of her mind indicated that it had been Michiru's plan all along.
So that is why you closed your mind to us.
I could not let you hear what I planned, Ruka, or you would have refused. You were not performing for your people just then, you were performing for me alone, and that is what won you the title. I knew it would.
Why? You would have achieved it on your own merits even if I did not play that song with you. If you had chosen Light of Uranus, Kiurani's Blood, or Uranus the Two-Sided God, they would have been moved.
Michiru glanced over Rei's shoulder at her wife, still smiling and thanking the other senshi for their support as she continued the silent conversation. I did not want the title if you did not also win it. It was important for me to show your people that I respect their customs and can claim the throne by your side through the Rite of Title, but it was equally important that my mother and aunt to see you today, for them to tell everyone on my world of your prowess so that no Neptunian will ever doubt your ability to rule them. Today I became second queen to you on Uranus, but one day you will be second queen to me on Neptune and I will make sure that my people love you as much I do. Today it was important for you to show my people that you have an artist's heart, despite your warrior's hands.
Haruka stepped towards her wife as Rei moved aside, placing one gloved hand on the Neptunian's cheek. "A warrior's hands, huh?" She was smiling, her eyes green again and free of shock or worry, showing through her teasing reply that she accepted what her wife had done and appreciated it, though she didn't have the words to thank her.
Michiru, as always, understood. "Don't worry, Haruka," Michiru replied gently, taking Haruka's free right hand in her own and twining her fingers with the blonde's. "I like your hands."
AN: For anyone who remembers the original fic before this massive overhaul, this was pretty much the last big scene before the finale. I haven't decided if this fic will follow the same pattern, but the story is certainly drawing to a close. Once we reach the end and you see what I have in store for Setsuna (seriously, it will be nothing like the original ending and you are never going to guess), I will be doing a hopefully minor touch-up of "Kazeko" and merging it with this story as the part 2 (it's currently only 50k, and I think that it will still be less than 100k when I am done with it). The full story will be called "The Last Sacrifice" with part 1 "The End of the Silver Millennium" and part 2 "Kazeko". I think it will make for a more complete story with a happier ending than part 1 is going to have, and it will give "Kazeko" all of the backstory that it needs. Next chapter hopefully out in a month or so.