AN: Okay, I'll be honest. I don't know how much writing I'll get done anymore. Teaching is an experience that sucks the energy right out of you, creative or otherwise. I promise I haven't actually forgotten about this story. I still want to finish it, to know their legend as much as the rest of you, and I'll try. But yeah, full disclosure, it's hard. I'm going to try.

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It seemed like nothing Endymion did could go right anymore.

Since returning home after the announcement that he was courting the Moon Princess, the prince was facing unprecedented opposition for practically any move he made as he worked through the exhausting business of preparing to take his place on the throne. His ideas, he was told, were juvenile, his principles were naïve, and he wasn't ready.

To be fair, he really hadn't thought he would be able to easily take up the crown. He had seen over the years how much time and effort his parents sank into ruling, how grueling it could be and how much they had to struggle to unite the people in their efforts. He'd expected long hours and a certain amount of opposition from the older, more traditional members of the court. He'd known many of them would object to his disdaining their daughters as a possible queen in order to pursue someone other.

He had not, however, expected resistance from his own parents.

Tarin and Rose did not outright reject his choice of bride, knowing it would only serve to cement his also couldn't risk offending Queen Serenity so soon after being allowed to join the Silver Alliance as they had wanted for years by declaring her adored daughter unfit to marry him. Instead, they had apparently decided to go the more traditional route and arrange a political marriage for him themselves.

"Endymion, this is Lady Beryl. She will be a good queen and a fine wife."

Endymion wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he was unexpectedly called to attend to his parents in one of the receiving rooms, but that certainly hadn't been it. Forcing back an instant rebuttal, the prince managed a tight smile and bowed.

"It's lovely to meet you, my lady."

"And you, Prince Endymion."

Carefully keeping his face neutral, he took the newcomer in. Beryl was, he supposed, not unattractive. She had long, fiery red hair cascading around her face in curls that complemented her almost translucently pale skin very nicely. Her silk gown was clearly of the most recent fashion, and she sat with the perfect poise of one raised since birth on lessons of etiquette and decorum, likely for the very reason that brought her before him. The girl had been raised to marry well and little else.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Lady Beryl. I do not think we have met."

The smile she gave him in return was as perfectly crafted as his own. "I am sad to say we have not, your highness. I have only recently arrived in Elysion, and this is the first social gathering I have attended since your return from the Moon Kingdom."

Queen Rose stood. "Endymion, do take the young lady for a stroll in the gardens. Your father and I wish to talk with Lord Jasper privately."

"Of course, Mother."

He offered Beryl his arm and very sternly reminded himself that yanking free the instant they were out of sight would grant him no favors. His parents, unaware of the bond committing him to Serenity, did not need to hear that their son would treat a lady so disgracefully. They certainly wouldn't want to hear that he was actively repelled by another woman's touch.

Upon reaching the gardens, Lady Beryl delicately tugged on his arm to turn him from his intended route. Blushing prettily and smiling up at him through her lashes, she said, "I have a small surprise I would like to show you, Prince Endymion. That is, if you do not mind."

He very much did but still had no good way to disengage from her safely. "Not at all."

Leading the way to a small knoll, Beryl showed him a picnic blanket set under the shade of a royal empress tree in bloom, filling the air with its perfume. Even Endymion could admit that it was a beautiful, romantic gesture, or would have been if it had been at all welcome. Nonetheless, he seated himself dutifully upon the blanket and unpacked the basket of treats that had been waiting, almost wishing one of his generals would appear with a problem that desperately needed his attention.

Beryl opened the wine herself and poured two glasses, extending one to the prince. He smiled his thanks and raised it in a toast before taking a sip.

Endymion hated himself a little for it, but he just could not focus on the woman sitting at his side. She meant well, he could tell, and she really was trying, but it was painfully dull. Beryl had never known the rest of the universe, would never have to cope with the burden of ruling, could not know what it was to be filled with power and forced to figure it out as she went. She was, on the most basic possible level, totally different from him. She liked him, wanted him to like her, but he knew in that moment that he would be lucky to achieve even a vague fondness. The gently bred Terran lady could never be more.

He felt absolutely despicable to do it, but he reached out mentally and brushed against the minds of his generals, asking for something, anything, that could call him away inoffensively. Most of them could only say that they had nothing important enough to require his attention, and he was sorely disappointed. Thankfully, Kunzite spoke up at a long beat and said he would be there shortly with the needed task.

The general appeared in the middle of an inconsequential story the lady was telling, bowing politely before locking gazes with his prince. "Your highness, I apologize for intruding, but Priest Helios is ready to meet with you regarding Challenge."

Surprised, Endymion sat up straighter. He knew what Challenge was, in a basic sense, but had not expected to hear it called to his attention so early. He'd never heard of a ruler being asked to face Challenge until they were in their majority, and he was still a year shy. He knew, too, that Kunzite wasn't lying to spare him an awkward afternoon. Helios was actually asking.

He hurriedly got to his feet. "I must beg your pardon, Lady Beryl, but this is urgent. Lord Kunzite, can you escort her ladyship back to the palace? I'll go immediately."

"Of course, Prince Endymion." He carefully helped the lady to her feet and returned the picnic spread to her basket with an absent gesture, which he then lifted for her. "My lady?"

Looking a little hurt, even a touch betrayed, Beryl bowed her head in compliance and silently swept away as Endymion turned his gaze toward the distant temple. Its glittering roofs could be seen over the trees, and it seemed to be calling to him. He took a step forward. Its golden facade felt like it was pulling him in, so he obliged, moving more and more quickly until he was approaching at a dead sprint.

Elysion Temple was carved from the same golden-hued marble as the palace, though of course the castle was far more ornamented. Instead, the temple was a largely open structure of columns, with only a small portion of the space fully contained. Endymion felt strangely energized even after running so far, and he could feel magic pulsing through the land around him. It seemed to pass strength into him until he almost thought he could feel the lives of everyone touching his island. He frowned. He had always been connected to the earth and its people, but he'd never felt it to such an extent.

Helios' voice issued from within. "Please enter, Prince Endymion. It is time."

The prince let his hand brush against the columns as he obeyed the directions, moving through the vast space of the main sanctuary to a smaller sanctum concealed further in. The stone felt alive, in a way, and it seemed to be telling him something he couldn't quite make out.

Helios was seated cross-legged on the floor of the small chamber, his back to a small fire. The room was otherwise bare. The priest gestured to the space before him, and Endymion obligingly sat.

"You are surprised to be called, I know."

The prince took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Yes, and no. As soon as Kunzite told me, it was like the temple itself was calling. I can feel more than ever before."

"You know you are our Master, the most powerful man on the planet. The crystal knows this as well."

"The crystal?" Endymion repeated. "I thought it slept. It's never responded to a ruler before according to my tutors."

The priest nodded. "The Golden Crystal has remained unresponsive for more generations than our records contain, yet now it begins to stir. Challenge will not be the formality of other generations, Master. The crystal is ready to test you in truth."

Endymion swallowed hard. Challenge was something he'd known about for years, had prepared for, but it was with the acknowledgement that no one expected him to succeed, that no other king had managed. To hear that his Challenge would be real was something out of a nightmare, perhaps, an impossible daunting task he felt utterly unprepared for.

"How will it work?" he asked finally.

"Challenge will remain the same," Helios said. "There will be the tournament to choose your opponent, and you will battle that champion with strength, wits, and magic. Challenge does not demand that you defeat your opponent, merely that you demonstrate that you are worthy of the Golden Crystal and its power."

"How could I be worthy if I don't win, Helios?"

The priest hummed softly. "Master, did you fear Challenge prior to today?"

"No… Not really, anyway. It was just a ritual, one of the tasks that will lead to my taking the throne."

"That has not changed, Prince Endymion. You are not obligated to receive the crystal in order to be crowned."

"But the crystal is calling me. Early, even. That makes it real."

"Challenge has always been real. If anything, you should take heart in the crystal's summons. It would seem that our planet already believes you could be worthy." He rose, resting a hand on the prince's shoulder. "As is tradition, you will have three weeks to prepare."

Endymion nodded, numb, and trudged home.

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"What do I do?!" the prince demanded loudly. He was pacing their shared living quarters and looked a breath away from tearing his hair out in frustration.

The four generals exchanged bemused looks. They didn't think they'd ever seen him so worked up before, even when he was trying to court his beloved princess.

"Do about what, pray tell?" Zoisite enquired.

"Challenge! I have three weeks and I have no idea what to do!"

Jadeite scoffed. "Endy, you've been training for this your entire life. What does it matter if there's a date set?"

"It's not that simple, Jade! The crystal is waking up. It thinks it'll be me! I was never prepared for that! No one ever mentioned it was even a possibility."

Nephrite came very close to pointing out that the prince's magic, all of their magic, was the only real indicator anyone should have needed but resisted the urge. "Endymion, stop. Jade is right; you've always been preparing for this. Take a moment to breathe."

"I can't take a moment! I don't have a moment to spare!"

Jadeite leaned toward Kunzite. "Should we have Zoisite knock him out or something? He's going to hurt himself at this rate."

The eldest general gave him a quelling look before getting to his feet. "Prince Endymion, please sit down." Endymion started to protest, but Kunzite didn't give him a chance, firmly pressing him down into the nearest chair. "Jadeite and Nephrite have both already pointed out that your preparations have been in motion for a very long time, and they are absolutely correct. And yes, knowing the date does accelerate our timetable a little, but I am quite sure you will be ready when that day comes. I will book you more time in the practice fields and ask Hyperion to make himself available regularly until then."

"Kunz–"

"Endymion. Enough. Here is what we will do. Zoisite will bring you a sleeping draught, and you will sleep, as you have expended quite enough energy in your panic. In the morning, I will join you in the training ring and we will evaluate your performance to determine which areas you should concentrate your efforts on. Master Hyperion will do the same in the afternoon with your magic. I will also have your tutors pull accounts of previous Challenges for your evening studies, and all of us will join your training in turn, as we will need to be prepared as well."

Jadeite tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair, then shook his head. "I'll train, but I'm not Challenging."

Endymion frowned. "I thought we agreed you all would."

The fourth Shitennou tilted his head, mouthing something they couldn't make out, then shook his head again. "No. I'll be on guard that day. I'm not meant to Challenge."

Nephrite gave him a strange look, but the others elected to simply take him at his word.

Kunzite nodded. "Very well. I am glad, in a way. It is a comfort to know that one of us will still be ready to protect you should anything happen."

"But–"

"No, Endymion." He gestured to Zoisite, who vanished and reappeared moments later with a goblet. The younger man passed it to his leader, who then pressed it into the prince's hands. "Take the potion and go to bed. We will deal with everything else in the morning."

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AN: This is part one. I'll try to have part 2 up soon. Please be patient with me, and as always, please let me know what you think. Even if it's a kick in the rear to get to work. Till next time!