None of Endymion's generals were willing to speak first when he walked into the private meeting room the next afternoon to meet with them. They knew things had royally backfired.

Endymion pounded his fist on the table. "My father thinks I'm an idiot. The worst part is that he may be right! Artemis used the offense I created to negotiate massively in his favor! Among other things, my father had to concede he had to give more power to Artemis when it came to controlling Silford. The losses in tax levies alone will be a massive blow to us. On top of that, he changed the line of succession.

Zoisite blanched, "I'm sorry, Sire."

"No, don't," Endymion said, shaking his head. "I'm mad at myself, not you. I pushed you all to come up with a plan. I'm just glad I hadn't gotten the chance to challenge her virginity like I originally wanted to. That would have been even worse. This mess is all of my making."

"She's pretty," Jadeite pointed out.

"And how is that helpful?" Kunzite snapped.

Jadeite answered, "He's going to have to marry her. The contract is signed and marked with the king's seal. I figured we should start pointing out her good qualities."

Endymion sighed and flopped down on the nearest chair. "I never said she possessed any bad qualities. The sole problem lies in the fact that I am forced to marry her."

Zoisite watched without saying anything. He hadn't miscalculated when he brought up the idea of testing Serena. He knew it would offend Artemis. As a result, he expected the Duke to storm out in anger.

He frowned at the carpet, ignoring the conversation flowing around him. He couldn't figure out why he failed. Everything he knew about the Duke told him he would never have condescended to forgive such an offense issued to his niece. So why did he?

He figured it meant he was missing some bit of information. Something that pointed to Artemis needing this marriage to happen, only he couldn't fathom what that would be.

"Men are idiots," Minako hissed petulantly as she adjusted Serenity's dress for dinner.

"All men?" Serenity pressed, amused by her friend's anger on her behalf. "I thought you respected my uncle, at least."

"You know what I mean! Young men," she amended. "Or men of Terra —all men of Terra! That's what I mean! Well, except your uncle..."

"I love you too," Serenity replied, knowing where Minako's anger stemmed from. "It was an insulting thing for him to ask. But think Minako, think what it means."

"That he believes you're not educated enough?!"

"No. He might not even think that. It proves he's trying to stop the marriage, and I don't even blame him. But think about what it means for me," Serenity said, smiling.

"That you'll pass easily!? I know that."

"Yes, but more. It allows me to show him how much training I've had and how much I know. What happens in the Terrarian court when I show him up at his own game? I will pass every test with flying colors."

That got Minako to smile wide. "You get to prove you're smarter than him and his men, and it would all be his own doing!"

"Exactly."

As Diana strolled through the courtyard, she was frowning. Prince Endymion insulted her cousin, which didn't sit right with her. Her dear father had used that to his advantage and negotiated quite a lot in his favor, but she still held a grudge. She hated watching her father swallow his pride, even when it gave him an advantage.

Serenity had been everything she had been quietly wishing for when she arrived a bit over two years ago. As an only child, she was happy but lonely. Then, her cousin showed up and brought joy with her. She was kind and intelligent and didn't mind Diana following her around and looking up to her. She finally had a woman more her age that she could emulate.

Now that she was fourteen, she had Serenity to show her how to behave even more than her mother, a married woman, could. And then that "stupid prince Endymion" insulted her. She was not pleased.

She paused her walk when she saw a beautiful garden full of big fat roses. She hated them. They were the national flower of Terra, so that meant, in her mind, that they sided with her enemy, the Prince.

"Have they offended you?"

She looked up to her left sharply, glaring at the man who had asked her the ridiculous question. "Don't be ludicrous. They're just flowers."

"You were scowling at them," the man replied.

She rolled her eyes. "And what of it?!"

"My name is Melvin. And you are…?"

She gave him a curious look. He dressed as a courtier but didn't follow social conventions since he spoke to her alone. "Offended."

"What?" He asked, puzzled

"Is it the practice for all Terranean men to be offensive?" She didn't care that she was being rude. She was mad and lashing out.

"All?"

"You're just like your Prince."

He scowled at her and said, "Watch your tongue! You're in his palace!"

"No, this palace belongs to the King, not your stupid Prince."

"How dare you!" He huffed in furry.

"That is quite enough," Andrew said, walking up to his brother.

"She dared to mock Endymion," Melvin objected. He was happy to tattle on her so the King could punish her.

Andrew shook his head. "You don't know who you're talking to." He bowed formally and said, "It is an honor to meet you, Lady Diana. Please forgive my brother. He idolizes the Prince and didn't realize who he was talking to."

"Lady Diana?" Melvin asked.

"She is Duke Artemis' daughter, and now, second in line as heir to the kingdom until Endymion and Serenity have children."

Melvin flushed in deep embarrassment. "I'm sorry, your Ladyship."

Diana was glad she had been practicing emulating Serenity's composure. Her now being second in the line for succession in the kingdom was most definitely news to her. Knowing he negotiated to change the succession plan took the sting away from her father's wounded pride. She even felt that maybe the "stupid prince" wasn't so bad after all.

Artemis whispered teasingly into Luna's ear. "If I were a vicious man, I would ensure Endymion met with a deadly accident."

"Bite your tongue," she admonished, chuckling. "You're in the palace right now."

"Which was why I whispered," he retorted.

"I must admit, I considered it for half a second. That would protect… you know who." She was too afraid to speak Serenity's real name.

"It wouldn't. The King would control who Diana married, and then a different kingdom would become the alliance's focus."

"Not that he knows about…" she whispered, "what kingdom he's aligning with now."

Artemis pulled his wife close and said, "It wouldn't work anyway. He already believes I killed my younger brother to protect my title."

"You didn't!"

He shrugged, "Look at it from his standpoint. My much beloved younger brother disappeared, and I became the Duke. Then, his daughter showed up years later in my care. What would you think happened?"

"A secret marriage to a foreign Queen sounds far-fetched," she teased.

"Exactly."

Luna frowned and said, "It gives him more control over our family now that Diana is in line for the throne."

"Or so he thinks," Artemis said in an amused tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Luna, think. Can anyone control those two? I just put two of the three strongest women in the world in high positions of power in the Kingdom of Terra. And don't forget, the third is already Duchess, she has a lot of power too."

Blushing, she jibed, "Sure. Make the women do all the dirty work for you."

"You say that, but you know me. I am a man who prospers because I understand and value the strengths of those around me. You three women are my secret weapons."

"And what's your goal?"

"We are fighting for our niece's life and liberty. We are fighting for her survival. Demande cannot get his hands on her."