Mini Royal Affairs 4:

Late Night Check

Neo-Queen Serenity stirred from her sleep and noticed two important details. One the clock read 2:35 a.m. Two she was alone in her bed. Curious of the location of her husband she rose from her bed, threw on a pink robe over her long white nightgown, and left her bedroom.

She moved to the four locations she knew she would find her King. WHen she found he wasn't checking in on either of their daughters, she moved to his study. Finding it empty, Serenity realized there was only one place he could be. She moved to the command center of the palace and found a familiar face sitting in front of the master computer for the castle.

"You know," Serenity began, a playful tone in her voice as she crossed her arms. "Usually when a wife finds their husband on a computer in the middle of the night they are looking at porn or messaging their mistress."

"Well good news," Endymion replied, not turning back to look at his wife. "I don't have a mistress and I'm not in the mood for porn. I'm just here trying to sate my endless paranoia."

"Checking the sensors and security system of the palace isn't paranoia," Serenity commented as she approached her husband. "You are concerned about our family."

"If it was just the palace sensors I could use my data crystal," Endymion chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "When I come down here to the main computer I'm checking the sensor and security reports for the entire planet."

"Oh Mamo-chan," Serenity sighed, running her nails up his neck. The act caused goosebumps to form on her husband's body. "You are going to worry yourself bald."

"Ounce of prevention Usako," Endymion shrugged, knowing he'd do it again in an instant.

"Would it help if I kept you company?" Serenity wondered, more than sure she knew how Endymion would respond.

"Always," Endymion answered, finally turning and flashing his wife a smile. Before he could refuse (as if he would) the Queen had taken a seat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Usako you know it takes me twice as long to do this with one hand as I have to make sure you are secure against me."

"Do you want me to get off?" Serenity hummed as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I didn't say that," Endymion replied, as one hand used the computer to search for danger and the other cradled his wife close.

Mini Royal Affairs 5:

Let them Dance

"I'm calm, I'm calm," Neo-Queen Serenity announced to herself as her eyes focused with deadly accuracy. "I'm absolutely fine."

The Queen's attention was fixated on her husband. More accurately it was focused on who he was dancing with, Princess was the first state dinner with the

monarch from Kinmoku in attendance since she had secretly blackmailed the King in hopes he would help father a child. Despite this blatant disrespectful act, it had been done in private and now everyone in the Royal Court had no choice but to greet the Princess with open arms to maintain the appearance that there was no rift in diplomatic relations. Nevertheless, the ruler of Kinmoku was doing everything in her power to monopolize the King's time. It seemed every moment the Endymion wasn't with Serenity or eating, Kakyuu was in the king's general area and it was making the queen's blood boil.

"How are you holding up?" Lady Jupiter asked, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. Knowing this evening would be difficult, the Sailor Senshi and their spouses had taken shifts being near the queen to give her moral support. She pushed a piece of cake in front of Serenity as Nephrite sat on the queen's opposite side. "Try some of the cake. It's one of the best batches the kitchen has ever produced."

"I'm fine. You know you're right, I will...," Serenity stopped her as noticed Kakyuu had pulled Endymion away from a group of ministers and into another dance. Serenity placed the fork she had been holding down without taking a bite of cake and let her hand drop out of sight next to Nephrite. "Nephrite, could you be a dear? My hand is throbbing from all the paperwork I've done today. Could you give me a massage?"

"Of course your majestEEEEEEE," Nephrite clenched his teeth as he stifled the scream. The moment his hand reached for Serenity's she grabbed his fingers and placed them in a constricting grip. The General did his best to act like his hand wasn't being crushed in a vice as he forced a smile. "So strong...how are you so strong?"

"Ren-chan," Lady Jupister cooed, as if comforting a child. "Please don't break my husband's hand."

"I can't take it," Serenity hissed, doing her best to not give away just how angry she was or how she was crushing Nephrite's hand in an effort to redirect her frustration. "That tramp is throwing herself at my husband. Yes he's deflecting but still I can't stand to see him out with her."

"So you're saying it bothers you when your spouse is with someone who has made their intentions known in the past?" Jupiter asked, still trying to remain calm.

"Yes!" Serenity snapped, focusing a distinct death glare at Kakyuu. In the moment, she didn't care if someone got footage of her and it became the focus of a news cycle. All she could think about was how Kakyuu kept trying to get her hands all over Endymion.

"My Queen," Jupiter sighed. "You danced with Seiya for years. The King had no choice but to sit back, watch, and respect you would make the right choice."

"I...I didn't," Serenity stammered, focusing her attention on Jupiter and then Nephrite trying to come up with an explanation about her past before. "Sure Seiya asked to dance with me often but Endymion wasn't upset."

"Y-yes he was. Him squeezing my hand in frustration was usually the outcome when you danced with Representative Kou...but somehow your grip is stronger," Nephrite groaned, sweat sliding down his neck as the pain did not decrease. "Can't feel my fingers."

A mental picture formed of a similar dinner. One with the King being flanked on both sides by Senshi and Shitennou while Seiya spun her around on the dance floor. Serenity had spurned all of Seiya's advances but she knew their intent and lost count of how many times she'd caught Seiya staring at her cleavage. She had played it off for so many centuries because she longed for the connection to her life before she ascended to the throne. At the same time, Serenity wasn't completely blind to her husband's dislike for the attention Seiya gave her and she knew she had played with her husband's heart on many occasions. Yet, it had led to such passionate and possessive love making she hadn't thought much of it and thought it was all a game they were all playing together.

The scandal with Seiya and the shapeshifter in her form had caused her to step back and look at her behavior. Her efforts to maintain a friendship had only resulted in those she held close to suffer. She still wondered if she had done enough to apologize to Endymion for the shame he shouldered all while doing everything in his power to help clear his wife's name. It was a painful reminder that despite being over a millennium old, she still could stand to grow as a monarch.

"You're right, I need to be the adult here and...," Serenity stopped herself as saw Kakyuu out of the corner of her eyes. The movement was slight but she recognized it immediately. The blouse tug, a pull out not a pull up of the material of the front of the dress which allowed for someone, especially someone as tall as the king to get an eye full of one's chest. It was a favorite of Serenity's which allowed her to flash her husband without anyone else recognizing unless they were staring intently when they were together. Kakyuu had just flashed Endymion her chest and had an absolute mischievous grin on her face as she met the queen's eyes, making it abundantly clear she was proud of what she had just done. "That's it! The bitch is dead!"

"MY QUEEN!" Jupiter and Nephrite screamed in unison as they worked to prevent Serenity from causing an intergalactic incident.