Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its associated characters and canon belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha. The text of this creative work was written by Dejana Talis and is her exclusive property. Not to be used without permission. Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen | Chapter Sixteen | Epilogue Technology was, above all, a blessing. It was nice to have running water and musical instruments and communication screens that could send messages all the way to Pluto. She had to admit that. After all, her daring plan would be hopeless if it weren't for teleportation technology. However, from time to time Princess Serenity found herself wishing her mother had not built quite so advanced a society. Now, for instance. Even in the dead of the night, trying to sneak down a corridor unnoticed was rather difficult when the lights automatically turned on upon sensing her presence. Serenity had considered sticking to the servants' passages, but she would have had to disguise herself, and a stranger caught wandering the Moon Castle would have a far more difficult time escaping than a Princess. So, she had settled for hurrying from one doorway to the next as the light crystals flickered on and off above her, muscles poised to sprint into the nearest room at the slightest sound. So far, fate seemed to be on her side; the corridors were deserted. Despite her fear of being discovered, the thrill of danger pulsed through the Princess' veins, and she felt exhilarated. After all the oppression, all the bending to her mother and the needs of the Moon, Serenity was again acting on her own desires. Right now, that desire was to see her beloved Endymion again. For days after the stable hand's exile, Princess Serenity had remained in her chambers under the excuse of illness. That lie was not far from the truth. The young Princess had been bedridden, her sorrow so deep that it caused her physical pain, and she often cried so hard that she became violently ill. At times, it seemed she would literally die of heartbreak. This was far worse than the two-day separation that had followed the argument on the night the stable hand told her his true name. That time, there had at least been the dream of reconciliation. Now, Serenity and Endymion had been separated by force and nothing would ever be the same. There would be no more midnight meetings; no more earthlit rides to Selene's Blessing. At first, Serenity's pain was mainly a longing for companionship; an empty loneliness that settled around the Princess now that she no longer had the option of visiting her beloved stable hand. The Sailor Soldiers were there, of course, and they did their best to encourage Princess Serenity to confide in them from now on, but it was not the same. They could not give her the freedom to truly express herself, to be whatever she wished. They did not know the secrets of her soul and the desires of her heart. They were not her Endy. As her tears ran dry and she spent day after day lying listlessly in her bedroom, heedless of her guardians' entreaties to eat or get some fresh air, a different kind of loneliness began to set in. A deep, almost painful desire slowly consumed the Princess, a need that could not be ignored nor satisfied. She ached for Endymion's touch, to feel his lips on hers, his rough hands on her body. Her nights, when she was able to sleep, were filled with lustful dreams of desperate passion, sprung from a hunger nothing but physical love could sate. She had tasted the fruit of ecstasy and it was not a flavor that could easily be forgotten. And then there was the guilt. Serenity was haunted by the stricken expression that had been on Endymion's face as she left him to his fate. Thinking about it now made her sick to her stomach with regret. What foolishness, what idiocy to imagine they could still flee to Earth when her mother and the Sailor Soldiers knew about her secret love! If the Princess had only done what she had promised to do and ended the relationship for good instead of trying to escape with her beloved, Endymion would still be here on the Moon. Now he was a banished criminal, all because of Serenity's selfishness. She had not even fought for him when they were caught. Endymion had risked everything to be with her and she had abandoned him, bowing to the whims of her mother over the life and liberty of the man who loved her. The Sailor Soldiers could only watch helplessly as their Princess sank further into her depression. They all clung to the belief that time would heal Serenity's wounds and tried to interest the ailing woman in things that once delighted her. Only Sailor Venus seemed to believe there was more to the broken romance than a meaningless tryst. Of all the soldiers, Venus was the only one who never tried to pretend everything was normal and who never tried to force the Moon Princess to distract herself from her pain. Her eyes were always a mirror to Serenity's suffering. Finally, Princess Serenity simply couldn't take it anymore. Even if she had to marry the Earth Prince and become Queen, she needed Endymion in her life. She had to see him again, to feel his arms around her, to know that he was there for her even if they could not be together. Their forced parting had left jagged edges that could not be ignored or overcome by time. At the least, she had to tell him she had been wrong, to apologize for leaving him at her mother's mercy. And so, there she was, running through the corridors of the Moon Castle in the middle of the night like an intruder in her own home. Princess Serenity was the heir to all the majesty that surrounded her, but as long as she defied her mother's wishes, she was powerless, forced to creep about like a thief in the night. Bitterly, she resolved that such an oppressive system was not worth conforming to. After what seemed an endless journey, the Princess finally reached the teleportation chamber. Miraculously, she had not encountered a single person on her midnight journey. Heart pounding, Serenity carefully pushed open the door. Had her mother stationed guards there? The room was empty. Serenity breathed a sigh of relief and went inside, leaving the door ajar behind her. Apparently, the Queen did not expect her daughter to follow her beloved. The Princess stood still for a moment, her eyes roaming the blank marble walls. Endymion had been taken to this very room to be exiled to Earth. It was here that...it...had happened. Serenity's hand drifted to her throat and she caressed the side of her neck below her ear. None of the Sailor Soldiers would tell her what had happened to the stable hand, but she knew it had been something dreadful. The memory of the pain that had struck her own body still made her shudder with its force. Venus had left the Princess' chambers immediately to investigate and had returned...changed, somehow. Subdued. Beaten. The Moon Princess took a deep breath and turned back to the control panel set into the wall. At her touch on the flat crystal, the teleportation platform hummed to life, a bright column of light erupting from its center and flowing upward into the ceiling. The glow shone with every color of the rainbow, shifting and twisting like a kaleidoscope, awaiting the Princess' command to specify which planet it should link to. At the control panel, Serenity pressed the key combination for Earth. Nothing happened. Shaking out her trembling hands, Serenity steadied herself and entered the code again, more carefully this time. The system did not respond. The shaft of light over the teleportation platform remained stubbornly neutral, an indistinct swirl of all the planets' signature colors. Princess Serenity began to feel sick. Trying to remain calm, she pressed the control panel again and again to no avail, her breath becoming choked with restrained tears. This was the only barrier and the only gateway, and it would not open. Consumed by desperation, Serenity did not notice the door moving until a head of blonde hair appeared around its edge. She started guiltily, springing back from the wall and wiping the budding tears from the corners of her eyes as Sailor Venus stepped into the room. She faced the soldier boldly, trembling with many emotions, none of them regret. Serenity would not deny the truth of what she wanted to do. "The codes were changed that same night," Sailor Venus informed her in a quiet voice, her eyes downcast, veiled by long pale lashes below her gold tiara. "I am sorry." "Let me through," Serenity demanded in as firm a tone as she could manage, her fists clenched at her sides. "I have to see him." Slowly, the orange-suited soldier raised her head. Her blue eyes filled with pity as she took in the sight of her Princess, pale and shaking from weakness and illness yet as bold and determined as any monarch could ever be. Serenity had tried friendship, she had tried evoking sympathy, and now she tried strength. "I cannot." With those words, Sailor Venus swallowed a curse on her duty, her title, her oaths and the very structure of the Silver Alliance itself, a cruel world where the innocent yearnings of two hearts were denied by the hands of lifelong friends. In that moment, the bars slammed down around Serenity for good, the last hope of escape gone. She was trapped, a prisoner in marble and silver, a plaything of destiny doomed to always be controlled by others. Frustrated rage boiled up from her confined soul, the aching longing that plagued her day and night seething into anger. With a dreadful shudder, Princess Serenity screamed. All her restraint shattered. She wailed and shrieked, tears boiling down her cheeks as she fluttered between fury and despair. She beat her fists against the control panel, the walls, the floor. She howled in her agony as her soul cried out its ceaseless demand for the company of Endymion, a wrenching desire she could not sate. When her fingers began to tear at her own white dress and the lengths of silver hair at her sides, she felt several firm pairs of hands upon her. Despite her struggles, the four Sailor Soldiers wrestled the hysterical woman to her feet and held her arms tightly so she could not injure herself. Serenity writhed as if possessed by a demon, but the combined strength of the warriors was more than enough to control one Lunarian. They could not, however, calm her. No soothing words had any effect on the anguished Princess and her cries echoed throughout the marble corridors as she was half-led, half-carried back toward her chambers. The soldiers could not say the only words that could cure Serenity. They could not tell her she would see her lover again. The journey to the Princess' rooms seemed to take an eternity. Frightened servants awakened by the noise peered cautiously out of doorways, but at the sight of the Sailor Soldiers, they immediately returned to their beds to lie awake and wonder. Sailor Venus gritted her teeth as she did her best to shield the wailing Moon Princess from view. It would be almost impossible to prevent rumors from spreading now. By the time they reached the guarded suite, Serenity's misery had dissolved into a burst of tears, a behavior far easier to manage. Sailor Mercury had her arm around the crystal-haired woman and was speaking to her in quiet, calming tones, and it seemed to be having an effect. Leaving the Princess in Mercury's capable hands, Venus lingered outside to collect her thoughts as the other three soldiers escorted their charge inside. Ignoring the sentries posted on either side of the large doors, the blonde sailor-suited soldier leaned back against a nearby wall, heaving a deep sigh. The chambers of the nobility were soundproof and the corridor was now silent, but Venus knew Princess Serenity was just beyond the marble still drowning in her misery. She shuddered with the force of Serenity's pain, its depth still sending shocks through her empathic senses despite the current distance between them. Venus knew what the unfortunate young woman was feeling far more intimately than anyone else; every time she laid her hands on the Moon Princess, a hollow and aching despair filled her heart. The unease Venus felt was made worse by the knowledge that loneliness and sadness were not the only feelings causing the turmoil in Serenity's soul. There was something else, a deeper, more primal need surging beneath the emotions, and it had been growing steadily stronger until it nearly burned the orange-suited soldier with its intensity. The Princess suffered from a desire for her lover in the truest sense of the word; she hungered not only for his company, but his body and the pleasures of the flesh. The awakening of her adult longings could only mean one thing. She had given herself, her entire self, to her Earth-born beloved. It was to be expected, really. Venus knew she should not have been surprised. Serenity was in love, true love, and she was an adult, perfectly capable of making her own choices about her body and its passions. Still, she had been such an innocent before - or had the potential for this flame been there all along, just waiting for a spark? If the Queen ever found out - "Venus." The blonde soldier was so severely startled by the unexpected voice that she felt as if her heart would stop, but she calmed herself as quickly as she could manage. Venus had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she had not even noticed the small entourage approaching, but judging by the firm, practiced, straight-backed stance of the door guards, there had been nothing sudden about it. Taking a deep breath, Sailor Venus turned to face Queen Serenity, the very last person she wished to talk to when she had just been thinking about the sexual exploits of the Princess. "My Queen." "How is she?" the monarch asked quietly. As she looked at the leader of the Sailor Soldiers, the Moon Queen's usual mask faded away, leaving an anxious and sorrowful mother terribly worried about the state of her child. Venus hesitated, uncertain of how honest the Queen wanted her to be. A brief, meaningful glance from Queen Serenity had the door guards and her own retinue retreating to a respectful distance. Completely honest, then. "Shattered," Sailor Venus admitted heavily, knowing that a couple who chose to unite their bodies could never truly be separated by force. "Were we too late?" the lavender-haired woman inquired apprehensively, her hands clasped tightly together as if she were trying to avoid wringing them. Venus nearly choked, her mind still focused on the physical yearnings that had been ignited within the Princess. How could she tell any mother that her child had taken that step, let alone the Moon Queen? "Was their love...true?" Serenity wondered aloud. Ah, so that was it. The Sailor Soldier disguised her heaved sigh of relief as the heavy exhalation of a weighty burden. Unfortunately, the answer to that question would be just as difficult for the Queen to accept as the physical nature of her daughter's relationship would have been. "From the moment they met, it was too late to separate them," Venus confessed quietly. "They are soulmates." The Queen stared at her for a long moment, unable to mask her disbelief and surprise. The blonde soldier hung her head, unable to tolerate the piercing eyes of her monarch as the truth was finally brought forward. "You cannot be serious," Serenity prompted. "In the garden, I laid my hands on them," Venus reminded her. "Their hearts beat as one, my Queen." "That is impossible," the Moon Queen scoffed dismissively. "She is Lunarian. Our pulse beats faster than the hearts of Earth-children." "I am aware of that, my Queen, but it is true," the soldier of emotion insisted, trying to keep her voice low enough not to be overheard by the nearby servants. "His pulse is slightly quicker than normal, hers slightly slower, both hearts compromising to meet the other. Against all odds, they are destined lovers, planned by the stars themselves. I am Venusian, my Queen. This sort of miraculous match is the stuff of our oldest legends." For the first time in quite a while, the lavender-haired woman did not know how to respond. It was unthinkable. Had destiny truly chosen her daughter as its pawn, to defy the Queen's own direction at every turn? If what Sailor Venus said was true, nothing in anyone's power could shatter Princess Serenity's love for that Earth-born servant, not even the Silver Crystal itself. Nevertheless, the Queen could not permit their romance to continue. Fate could not win this time. "You know my hands are tied in this matter," the Moon Queen said. Sailor Venus simply looked at her, sad blue eyes expressing more than words could say. True love was sacred to Venusians, and the breaking of a destined romance was a quite grievous sin. "The situation in this system is approaching the breaking point," Queen Serenity reminded her daughter's chief guardian, beginning a leisurely walk down the corridor. "Queen Elana is more than willing to share information, but I suspect she is ignorant of much that is happening within her own borders." "Artemis tells me the four generals of Earth have returned to the Golden City," Venus commented. Although the misery of the Princess was rapidly becoming a painful thorn in her side, she was eager to escape that line of conversation before the Queen could question her further. "Surely the military presence they have established will be able to restore order?" "Let us hope so," the Queen replied. "You have confidence in their abilities, Venus? Have you completed your study of the four men?" "Indeed." Struggling against the hint of color that rose to her cheeks, the blonde cleared her throat awkwardly. She had spent quite a bit more time than the Queen expected examining the profile of one Earth general in particular. "I have no objections to their taking up residence on the Moon," Venus rushed on hurriedly. "They are what are referred to as 'mages' on Earth, but even their strongest abilities should be no match for the Sailor Soldiers." "All right, then." If Queen Serenity noticed the woman's slight blush as she spoke of the Earth generals, she showed no sign, staring straight ahead as they strolled down the corridor with the monarch's attendants following at a distance. "Something is stirring on that planet, Venus; something dark that I cannot identify. The force that was spawned from the sun definitely struck Earth, but my informants have brought me no details thus far. Mercury is doing her best with Artemis' limited data. Have the other soldiers been briefed on the situation?" "We were awaiting your approval, my Queen." It was not only that. Since the night of the stable hand's exile, the supposed leader of the Sailor Soldiers had felt ill at ease around Jupiter and Mars. Even now, the memory of that dreadful night chilled her, the image of the sadistic scene she had interrupted sending shivers down Venus' spine. She was not eager to speak to anyone capable of wearing such a gleeful expression while causing someone pain. Oblivious to the orange-suited soldier's thoughts, Queen Serenity paused beside an open balcony, still pondering the mysterious solar activity. Her eyes swept the midnight landscape beyond the Moon Castle walls, from the gardens to the distant lights of the city; lights that represented civilization, life, countless people who depended on her to keep them safe from harm. How could she protect them from an enemy she did not understand? "You may explain matters to the Sailor Soldiers at your earliest convenience," the monarch said at last, turning to face Venus once more. "In the face of the unknown, it is best for all key players to be prepared." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ At sunrise, Sailor Jupiter met Mercury at the doors to Princess Serenity's chambers. Jupiter's eyes were dull with weariness from sitting watch all night, but she was still as awake and alert as it was possible to be under the circumstances. Even so, she was relieved to see her replacement had arrived on time. "Any change?" Mercury asked quietly, slipping into the sitting room. Jupiter shook her head. "She's been silent as death all night. Don't worry," the green-suited soldier added quickly as Mercury's eyes widened in horror. "I looked in on her a few times. She's only sleeping." "At least she's finally getting some rest." The blue-haired woman squeezed the books in her arms as if for reassurance. "I'm hoping to interest her in resuming her studies today." "Good luck." Sailor Jupiter headed for the door. "I'll see you at the meeting." When she was alone in the room, Sailor Mercury moved to the curtain that hid Serenity's bedroom from view and knocked lightly on the doorframe. "Princess? Are you awake?" Slowly, she pushed the chiffon drapery aside - and nearly dropped her books in shock. Serenity was not only awake, she was dressed and washed and nearly finished tying her hair into its usual buns. Seeing her visitor in the mirror on her dressing table, she turned around with a pleasant smile. "Ah, Mercury!" she exclaimed warmly. "Is it that time already?" "Princess!" the soldier burst out, unable to hide her surprise. "Are you all right?" "Yes, yes," Serenity replied, waving a hand dismissively. Seeing Mercury's expression, she added more somberly, "I was being dreadfully silly, wasn't I? Don't worry, Mercury. I've realized there's no sense in dwelling on things that cannot be changed. I have a long life ahead of me and I need to stop wasting it." Her eyes were sad for a moment, but soon brightened again. "Do me a favor, Mercury, and see that the Prince meets me for breakfast? I need to start spending more time with this man I'm going to marry!" Caught completely off-guard, the blue-suited soldier could do little more than stammer an assent and stumble away to obey. Serenity turned back to the mirror to finish tying her hair, her heart filled with the delight of once again having a goal to accomplish. She was a woman on a mission. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The juice was far too sweet. It stuck to Princess Serenity's lips and tongue like treacle, coating her throat until she could barely speak. Or was it nervousness that was making her words raspy? No, she could practically see tiny crystals floating about in the red liquid. What, had they used an entire sack of Jovian sugar cane? She was amazed the goblet had not been stained. "Enjoying your breakfast, Prince?" she asked with a smile as sweet as the repulsive juice in her hand. "It is excellent as always, Princess," was the reply. Clearly he was lying. Not even Earth-children could possibly find this syrup disguised as a beverage palatable. Serenity could easily have requested an alternative, but on this occasion the juice served as a convenient test. Prince Endymion was still a slave to the whims of the Moon, at least in front of the servants. Although he did not want this marriage, he would not do anything to jeopardize it. "I was thinking," Serenity said casually, "that I might ask Artemis to organize a hunt for you. I hear it's a pastime widely enjoyed on Earth and I'm sure several of the lords would love the opportunity to meet you." The Earth Prince glanced up and Serenity caught a wistful look in his eyes, but his gaze soon became cold and empty again. "Thank you, Princess," he said, returning to the plate of strange flat cakes he had added to the castle chef's repertoire, "but I would prefer to wait until my guardians can join me. It would not be the same without them." Serenity nodded as sympathetically as she could manage, but she could no longer allow herself to feel much pity for this man. When she tried to show understanding, his responses were as cruel and heartless as ever. There no longer seemed to be any point in trying to get through to the Prince. Besides, with what she was about to do, she could not afford to bring empathy into the equation. She had to focus on what she wanted, and it was not this Endymion. He was a means to an end now and nothing more. "It has been a while since you came to the Moon," she commented as she buttered a piece of bread. "Will your guardians be arriving soon?" "As soon as they are able," Prince Endymion said dismissively, immediately raising the goblet of over-sweetened juice to his lips. This the Princess noted with interest. His manner was altogether too casual. Clearly he knew something, but was not about to reveal it. Her diplomatic training cried out for further analysis, but she pushed the curiosity aside. She had more important concerns at the moment. "Well, you visit Earth often, do you not? I know it's not the same as having them here, but I trust that helps." She forced a gentle smile to her face and hurriedly set down her slice of bread as she realized she had nearly squeezed it flat. This was no time for nerves. It was the moment of truth, her chance to see if all her lessons had been truly learned. "When is your next visit planned?" Butterflies swarmed in Princess Serenity's stomach and threatened to leap up her throat. She swallowed them. It was just as she had practiced: wide, glassy eyes and a pleasant, innocent smile. It had worked on Sailor Mercury and it would work on this man as well. Confidence was the key. "Next week." The Prince was cutting his sentences short again, the usual sign that he was tired of Serenity's conversation. His plate was nearly empty; she had to make her move soon or lose the chance. Taking a slow breath, she forced herself to say the words before she could reconsider. "I would be pleased if you would invite me to accompany you," the Princess said, rather amazed that the words came out as smoothly as they did. It seemed she had some of her mother's skills after all. "I would like very much to see Earth." She tightened her grip on the dining utensils to prevent her hands from shaking as Prince Endymion stared at her for a moment, clearly caught off-guard. Now she would find out if he would choose the easy or the difficult path. Serenity had no doubt that he wanted nothing more than to refuse her, to keep the Golden Kingdom as his sanctuary of freedom from the unwanted betrothal, but could he deny the Princess of the Moon? Would he risk exposing his dislike of his fiance when several pairs of eyes and ears were focused on him, or argue that it was too dangerous, thus revealing whatever trouble was keeping his guardians on the planet? "I would not want to distract you from your duties," the Earth Prince said at last. His eyes had hardened; he had chosen a course of action. Serenity laughed gaily as she tried to determine what tactic he had selected. "Contrary to what you may believe," she said lightly, "a princess' time is seldom filled, even on the Moon. Not with anything important, anyway." She tried a mischievous smile, but the Prince's face remained as impassive as always. "Your days are filled enough that I see you less than my guardians, I daresay." So, once again this was his tactic, a plot that was now familiar to Serenity. Prince Endymion knew the Moon Princess had a kind heart and sought to distract her from her request by turning her thoughts into regrets. This time, however, Princess Serenity's smirk did not flicker, not even for a moment. There was a time when such words would have made her pause with guilt, but she knew better now. She had tried to befriend this man, had shown him nothing but kindness, and on more than one occasion he had shot down her gestures with scorn and clear refusals. Enough was enough. A more important man was waiting for Serenity, counting on her not to fail. Resolute action was her only chance to see her beloved again. It was time for more drastic steps. Princess Serenity raised the goblet of syrupy juice to her lips and drained the revolting draught. It took a few extra swallows to clear the thickness from her throat, but it had to be done. Sure enough, as soon as she set the chalice down upon the table one of the servant girls approached to refill it. Serenity's breath caught in her throat as the liquid poured into the goblet. Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest that it seemed the entire room could hear it. She tried to swallow but the storm of butterflies was too great. It was now or never. She kept her eyes locked on Prince Endymion's impassive face as her hand moved slightly and the chalice toppled over. Thick red liquid gushed over the tabletop. There was a gasp above Serenity's shoulder as the servant quickly pulled her pitcher of juice upright, but it had happened so suddenly that quite a bit of additional liquid poured out over the table. It spread over the Princess' plate and the bread board, swiftly soaking everything within reach. At the last moment, the Moon Princess remembered to leap out of her chair in feigned surprise, backing swiftly away from the table before the red juice began dripping over its edge. All would be ruined if she were hustled away to her rooms to change a stained dress. The rest of the attendants surged forward with cries of dismay and ready towels, descending upon the mess with the fervor of horrified embarrassment. Steeling her resolve, Princess Serenity glided smoothly to the other end of the table, where Prince Endymion sat now looking as if all four Sailor Soldiers were bearing down on him. She could not see her own face and indeed, she was glad of that, for she knew if she caught a glimpse of her own severe, determined expression she would be frightened by how much she resembled her mother. With all the servants busily soaking up puddles of liquified sugar and berating the poor girl holding the pitcher, the royal couple-to-be was quite forgotten for the moment. No eye even roamed in their direction as Princess Serenity leaned close to Prince Endymion's ear. He jolted away, as if frightened of what she might do, but the sturdy chair held him prisoner. "I want to go to Earth," she said in a smooth low voice. She clenched her fists at her sides to stop them shaking, the blood that was rushing in her ears nearly deafening. "You will take me there, or I will tell my mother that I wish to break our engagement." Obviously, this was an empty threat; Queen Serenity would drag her daughter to the ceremony personally if she had to, but Prince Endymion did not know that. One wide-eyed look of horror from the Earth Prince was all it took to confirm this fact. Before her shell could crack with sympathy, Princess Serenity turned away from him and distracted herself by rushing to defend the innocent servant girl from the harsh words of the head attendant. She was not yet so desperate from love that she would let a helpless young woman take the blame for something that was not at all her fault. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The official invitation was issued that very afternoon. Princess Serenity's plan was a success. Any guilt she may have felt over blackmailing the Earth Prince was soon erased by excitement. She was going to Earth. She had a chance to see Endymion again. All the politics that had locked Princess Serenity into an unwanted marriage now worked in her favor. Although her mother suspected Serenity had a hand in this invitation, she could not deny Prince Endymion's request without insulting the Golden Kingdom, unless she could provide an indisputable reason for the refusal. The Moon Queen was not about to reveal that her daughter had a secret lover or that that Moon Kingdom was aware of the unrest on Earth. Without those factors, Prince Endymion's request that his fiance visit his home planet was perfectly reasonable. There was no way around it. Fortunately for Queen Serenity, nobody would think it strange if all four of her daughter's guardians accompanied her on the trip. When the day of departure finally arrived, the Moon Princess could hardly contain herself. Exiled lover or no, the opportunity to travel to another world was a rare thrill indeed and she was so excited she could not help but fidget as she waited in the teleportation chamber. They had all assembled there: the four Sailor Soldiers, the Prince and Princess, and a small band of servants who were currently engaged in piling the royal couple's baggage on the teleportation platform. The servants would not be accompanying them on their trip; the travelers' needs would be met by the staff of the Golden Kingdom's royal palace. There was, however, one hidden addition to the party - a small white cat with a crescent moon on its forehead, crouched silently within a padded crate. Queen Serenity had come to see them off, or rather, to issue a final warning to her daughter. "Do not think I do not know what you are doing," she muttered beneath the hubbub of the Sailor Soldiers giving last-minute instructions to the various staff members under their command. Smiling innocently, the Princess began to move away, but her mother caught her by the elbow. "The soldiers will be at your side whenever possible," Queen Serenity said in a low, even voice, "and Artemis will have his eye on you at all other times. Do not get any foolish ideas." "Why, Mother, I'm sure I don't know what you mean," the Princess said brightly, putting on her sweetest smile. Elation at her first triumph over her mother had made her bold. Nothing could prevent her from going to Earth now. "I'll only be gone a few days, I'll be perfectly safe." Queen Serenity's eyes narrowed, but she could not speak freely in the presence of the servants and the Earth Prince, who stood waiting on the platform. "Do not forget your place, daughter," she said in a dangerous voice. The Princess tried to keep her expression neutral, as she had practiced, but her smile faltered. Never had the Queen looked at her the way she was now. This was more than disappointment. It was cold, bitter, angry determination. Her mouth was set in a firm thin line, her eyes devoid of any spark of warmth. This was the face of an enemy of war. Princess Serenity hurriedly looked away and stepped forward, but the look on her mother's face refused to fade from memory. It was undeniable now. The rift between them had become permanent. It was far too late to worry about such things, however. The Moon Princess shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to shake off the tension as she approached the teleportation platform, trying to concentrate instead on events at hand. She was going to Earth. For the first time, she would walk upon the planet in the Moon's sky and see its wonders with her own eyes. Forcing a serene smile back to her lips, she stepped up to the platform and took her place beside her fiance. Prince Endymion was not bothering to mask his expression. His features were caught between eager impatience and nervous dread. The Princess' elation was such that she could not bring herself to feel even a twinge of guilt. He was her ticket to Earth, and besides, he had taken up residence on her world; why should she not visit his? She kept her eyes locked on a point slightly to the left of her mother's face as the Sailor Soldiers assembled behind her on the platform. Even in her moment of triumph, she could not bring herself to meet those furious eyes again. A technician keyed in the proper code and a soft golden light rose around the group on the platform. Princess Serenity suppressed a giggle of childlike delight at the shimmering column now surrounding her, turning her pale skin a sweet bronze more like that of Earth-children. It was not as rich a tone as her beloved Endymion's, however. His smiling face with its deep shadowy eyes was the sole thing on her mind as the technician pressed the button that would send her to the planet of his origin. The light grew brighter, blindingly brighter, erasing Queen Serenity and everything else in the room with a vibrant, blazing flash. The Moon Princess felt as if she were being erased as well, her entire body being disintegrated by the light, her frantic pulse vanishing as even her heart dissolved into the nothingness of the void. There was no pain, but for one terrifying moment she did not exist. A beat later, reality came rushing back. The light vanished. Air rushed into Serenity's lungs as sensation was restored to arms and legs that had suddenly reformed into being. She breathed deeply, clenching and releasing her fists just for the sake of feeling her fingers again as she relished the pressure of the solid floor beneath her feet. It was dark, and not only due to the absence of the teleportation beam. Princess Serenity glanced around at walls of gray stone, devoid of windows and illuminated only by torches of open flame set in mounted holders. Colorful tapestries covered much of the gray, but compared to the white marble and light crystals of her mother's castle, it felt rather oppressive. The Moon Princess took a step forward - and stumbled as her foot did not lift as high from the ground as she had willed it to. Sailor Jupiter was at her side immediately, one arm wrapped securely around Serenity's waist to support her. "I'm afraid the Earth's gravity is stronger than that of the Moon," a voice explained. Looking up, Serenity discovered King Arton waiting to welcome them, accompanied by half a dozen servants. "I thank you for your hospitality," Princess Serenity said hurriedly, anxious not to offend the rulers of Earth. Although Lunarians were considered the superior race, she had no right to assume power over the monarchy of this world, nor did she wish to. Repulsive as their son might be, she had no quarrel with the King and Queen of the Golden Kingdom. Serenity dipped into a curtsy, but her limbs felt so heavy that Jupiter was obliged to lift her by the arm so she could rise again. The Princess' cheeks burned with embarrassment, but Arton seemed to have been expecting this. "It is our pleasure," he said smoothly, nodding to Serenity in return. Although he spoke in the plural, he was the only other member of the royal family present. Queen Elana was nowhere to be seen. Prince Endymion seemed to notice this as well. "Father," he said by way of a greeting as he stepped forward off the platform. The two men exchanged nods, but did not embrace. "Is Mother otherwise engaged?" The Earth King's dark eyes flickered over all of the visitors briefly before he returned his attention to his son. "I'm afraid Queen Elana is...not well." The pause was incredibly brief, barely a break in Arton's voice, but Serenity caught it. There was more to the Queen's absence than a mere illness. "There is no need for concern, my son," King Arton continued swiftly upon seeing the alarm in Prince Endymion's expression. "She is resting today, so it would be best if you did not visit her just now, but I am certain she will be fit to attend the ball this evening." "A ball!" Sailor Venus said brightly, smiling at Princess Serenity. "That sounds lovely." King Arton's serious expression became slightly warmer. "Indeed, we must properly welcome our visitors," the dark-haired ruler commented. "I will not have it said that high society is any less grand in the Golden Kingdom than it is in the Silver. In fact, you may find our nobility is more pompous, I daresay." All those present who were of high birth chuckled a bit at this. Now that she was chained to a partner who loathed to touch her, Serenity no longer found balls as enticing as she once had, but she forced herself to smile all the same. It would not do to insult the Golden Kingdom and seal off her ability to visit the Earth. "Christophe will show you to your rooms," King Arton announced, extending his arm to indicate a handsome young manservant in blue silk robes trimmed with gold. At this, the assembled servants hurried forward to gather up the luggage that was piled on the platform. Serenity was forced to lean heavily on Sailor Jupiter's arm as she walked toward the door, her back aching with the effort of holding herself upright. She noted with a twinge of jealousy that none of the Sailor Soldiers seemed affected, accustomed as they were to traveling among the worlds. At this rate, the ball that evening would be more of a chore than a pleasure, regardless of her fiance's attitude toward her. Perhaps the Earth Prince would be more inclined to dance with Serenity when the pressures of his home world's society were on him. Even so, she knew she would be looking for her own excuses to avoid spending more time with Prince Endymion than propriety required. He was not the reason she was here. Endymion. Her exiled lover had passed through this very room not long ago. In his absence, it seemed everything reminded Princess Serenity of the Earth-born stable hand. Even the dark hair and charcoal eyes of King Arton, oddly enough. Strange that she had not noticed the similarities between the two men before. Of course, her longing for Endymion was surely exaggerating whatever slight resemblance there might have been. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The Great Hall of the Golden Kingdom's palace surely rivaled that of the Moon Castle, at least in size. The walls were still dark stone, but above the tapestries tall windows stretched to the ceiling, letting in the freshness of the cool evening air. Fireplaces set into the walls gave off a warmth that balanced well with the breeze, keeping the room at a comfortably neutral temperature. For tonight's festivities, the hall had been decorated from top to bottom, gold and silver bunting lining everything from the buffet table to the high arches beneath the roof. Dancers from all the Earth's kingdoms filled the floor, skirts and suits of every color twirling in patterns that made the room resemble a whirling flower garden. Despite it all, Princess Serenity was bored. It wasn't from lack of dancing; King Arton's disapproving stare had pinned Prince Endymion to the dance floor until Serenity herself finally begged for a moment of rest. It was the entire situation, every detail of it. All the preparation and ceremony of formal occasions had once entranced the Moon Princess, but now she found it meaningless and tiresome. There was no peaceful solitude, no moment to relax. She had not even had a tour of the grounds yet. The entire afternoon had been spent on introductions and preparations for the ball in stuffy elegant rooms. Endymion had always thought her beautiful even without hours of primping. Now she leaned listlessly on one arm of her chair, trying to look content and dreaming of the following day when she might slip away and explore. It seemed Earth society regarded royalty as separate and unapproachable. Although plenty of nobles had crowded around to be introduced to her as she danced with the Prince, now that she was seated no one came near. She had given her fiance leave to go and converse with his father, who was seated in one of the twin thrones at the center of the dais. The Earth Prince had been scanning the room as if looking for someone and although he tried to hide his search, the jerking motions of his head had been getting on Serenity's nerves. At least in his absence she had some semblance of a moment's peace. The collage of swaying dancers was nearly hypnotizing, until a familiar orange and white uniform broke free of the crowd and headed in her direction. Sailor Venus was in full form this evening. As one of the Princess' guardians and an emissary of the Moon, she was determined to make the best possible impression, which to Venus meant plenty of the endearing pheromones her people were famous for. Even at a distance, Serenity could feel the glamour on the orange-suited soldier and had to chuckle as Venus disappointed several would-be dance partners on her way to the Princess' seat. It was rather unfair, setting a Venusian on an ignorant world unprepared for her charms. "I'd tone it down a bit if I were you, Venus," Serenity remarked in a low voice. "Break too many hearts and you'll have my first visit leaving a sour taste in the Golden Kingdom's mouth." She smirked a bit, but Venus' captivating smile was immediately replaced by a concerned expression. "Too much, do you think?" she asked seriously. "Don't worry so over the Earth's opinion of you," the Moon Princess said lightly. "You're from the Moon; they're grateful just to have you among them." Indeed, dressing Serenity for the ball had taken twice as long as necessary, being that the servants were utterly awed by her presence. "Besides, if you keep on like this you'll have marriage proposals lining up by midnight," the Princess teased. "Well, where's the harm in that?" the blonde challenged, the dazzling smile that captivated so many lighting up her face once more. "A lady needs to keep her options open. It's all for the good of Venus." She punctuated this statement with a flashy wink and a blown kiss in Princess Serenity's direction. The Princess smiled and laughed even as the shell of false happiness she wore inside cracked. Even the most minor flirtations had to be for the good of one's planet. Even those of a representative of the planet of love. Sailor Venus saw through the mask. Serenity could see the change in the soldier's eyes. It seemed her polished queen's demeanor needed more practice. "Hey, now," Venus said brightly, her cheery glow not fading for a moment. "What is this trip but a chance to be free and enjoy ourselves for a while? There are hundreds of new people to meet and new things to do! Let's take advantage of it!" "That's good advice," said a strange voice. A small group of uniformed men passed Venus and Serenity on the dais on their way to the King and Prince, but one of them had stopped just behind the orange-suited soldier. The soldier whom, at the first syllable from the man's mouth, had frozen as still as stone. Serenity stared up at Venus expectantly, but the blonde had gone absolutely stiff, her blue eyes distant and unblinking, her smile half-faded. After a moment the man cleared his throat. "I don't believe we've been introduced," he prompted. "Oh!" Sailor Venus blinked, the familiarity of protocol shaking her back into reality. Still, Serenity saw her take a deep breath and pull herself together before she turned to face the man for the first time. Was that a blush on the soldier's cheeks? "I am Sailor Venus, leader of Queen Serenity's Sailor Soldiers," the blonde rattled off, but her words were not quite smooth. She dipped her head respectfully to the man before extending her arm toward the crystal-haired woman seated beside her. "Allow me to present Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom." "I am pleased to make your acquaintance at last," the man said, bowing low before the Moon Princess in a polished swoop. "I am Kunzite, the Golden Kingdom's Middle-Eastern commander." "The pleasure is mine," Serenity said automatically, the ritual of words allowing her the freedom to focus her attention on Sailor Venus' strange behavior. The soldier seemed torn between trying to demurely look away from the Earth-born commander and being unable to tear her eyes from him. Serenity couldn't understand it. Kunzite was not bad-looking for an Earth man, with his long snowy hair and sharp gray uniform, but Venus had certainly seen better. It was not like her to be so easily thrown off form by a man. "I do hope you are enjoying yourself, Princess. I would hate for your first impression of Earth to be a poor one." The man's face seemed pleasant enough at first glance, with the hovering half-smile that played upon his lips, but Serenity recognized the eyes of a seasoned diplomat. Here was a man who cared foremost for his kingdom and his position in it, like everyone else with noble blood. She would treat him, then, how he expected to be treated. "No need to worry; the ball is lovely," the Moon Princess assured him with a practiced smile of her own. "I fear the gravity of Earth is a bit too much for me, however. I needed to rest for a while." Kunzite nodded understandingly. "I hear the Moon's gravity is so gentle, one can nearly fly from place to place," he commented. Serenity's response to this was a ripple of light laughter. "I'm afraid not, although that sounds delightful," the Princess said. "It is quite a bit lighter than Earth, enough so that I still notice the difference now. Here, even my hair is an uncomfortable weight," she bemoaned, lifting a stream of silver in one hand. Indeed, it was nearly giving her a headache. She understood now why no one on Earth had hair as long as hers. "I am sorry to hear that, Princess," Kunzite said politely. "I do hope you will be able to adjust." Serenity gave him another pleasant smile. "I'm sure I'll be fine after a little rest," she said brightly. "In the meantime, perhaps Sailor Venus would honor me with a dance." Kunzite turned toward the orange-suited soldier, who until now had been standing in uncharacteristically awkward silence. For a moment, Venus looked as if she had been punched in the stomach, but she recovered quickly. "Certainly," she said, inclining her head in a slight nod. "Serenity, won't you and the Prince accompany us?" "Perhaps later; I'm afraid I'm not up to more dancing right now," the Princess replied honestly. Her legs still felt as if bricks had been tied to them. "Well, I wouldn't want to leave the Princess here alone," Venus said then, a bit too casually for someone who should have been disappointed. She sounded almost relieved that Serenity had refused. "It's quite all right, I'll be fine on my own," the Moon Princess assured the orange-suited soldier, but even as she said the words she wished she hadn't. There was a smile on Sailor Venus' face but the eyes she had turned to Serenity were filled with a desperate panic. What was wrong? Did Venus know something dreadful about Kunzite that she had not shared with Serenity? The soldier was usually so smooth and in-control around men, but she was acting as timid and nervous as Sailor Mercury. Indeed, it was the blue-suited soldier's misfortune to approach the group at that very moment. Sailor Venus nearly pounced on the surprised woman, linking an arm through one of Mercury's before she had even greeted them. "Do you have a partner for my friend, Kunzite?" The general didn't miss a beat. "Of course. Kindly wait here a moment." With a slight bow to the Moon Princess, Kunzite turned and strolled off toward the men now clustered around the Earth King and Prince. "What was that all about?" Serenity asked as soon as the general was out of earshot. "Venus, are you all right?" "If you think I'm going to dance with some Earth-born stranger, you are sorely mistaken," Mercury added, folding her arms. "I'm sorry, Mercury!" The other women had never seen Venus so distressed. She fidgeted ceaselessly, wringing her hands. "I hoped I could dissuade him, but it seems he's more stubborn than I thought." Mercury's eyes narrowed. "I don't see the problem," the blue-suited soldier said, confused. "You've always been the most eager to explore relationships with the nobility of other worlds and the commanders of the Golden Kingdom certainly seem worth your notice. Besides, haven't you been investigating them for the Queen?" This was news to Princess Serenity, but after a brief moment of surprise, it made sense. These were the four guardians who were to join Prince Endymion on the Moon. Of course her mother would want to know every detail about them. "That's exactly the problem!" Venus protested, her eyes darting nervously in the direction of the men. "As I've been studying them, they've all become, well, familiar, to me, and... Kunzite... It would be awkward," she finished uneasily. Now it was Serenity's turn to be confused. "Wouldn't that make it easier?" she asked. Serenity leaned toward the soldiers and lowered her voice. "You've always said that men are easy to manipulate once you understand them," she added, blushing. Undeniably useful as Venus' power was, Serenity had never quite approved of the way the soldier coerced men who were practically strangers into doing her bidding. As the innocent Serenity had been a year ago, it had embarrassed her to witness it. Now that she had experienced love, she found herself mildly offended on behalf of the helpless males Venus so easily controlled. "Anyway, that glamour of yours-" "Won't work on him," Venus broke in. "Not on Kunzite. It just won't, I know it," she said quickly before her friends' puzzled glances could turn into questions. "Please don't send me out there alone with him, Mercury," she pleaded. A hint of her usual mischief returned to the blonde's blue eyes. "If he finds you a partner, you won't be able to refuse. It will reflect badly on the Moon Kingdom." "Yes, I suppose you're right about that," Mercury grumbled, glaring at her fellow soldier. "You are positively dangerous, and not only to men," she added in response to Venus' relieved grin of triumph. "If he steps on my feet even once, watch yourself around water from now on." "You may not need to worry, Mercury," the Moon Princess commented, glancing over at the Earth men crowded around the throne. "It seems they're no more eager to dance than you are." Indeed, even from a distance it was clear that Kunzite was having trouble convincing any of his fellow generals to partner the soldier in blue. The glances the Earth-born men were shooting at the women and their Princess were far from friendly. It was clear that the Earth's mistrust of the Moon Kingdom was not limited to the common citizenry. The only one not looking at the visitors with distain was King Arton, who smiled pleasantly at the women when he noticed them watching. He seemed to be at ease, enjoying the ball as much as any of the guests, but the second throne beside him was noticeably vacant. Despite what Arton had said upon their arrival, Queen Elana was not in attendance. Something was definitely amiss. Princess Serenity knew her mother would expect her to find out the secret, for the benefit of the Moon Kingdom. At this point, however, Serenity didn't care. The last thing she wanted to spend her visit doing was helping the woman who had separated her from her one true love. Her hands clenched into fists on the arms of her chair as she remembered that horrible night in the garden. The woman who was supposed to love her the most had caused her the most pain. The Moon Princess shook her head firmly. Now was not the time to dwell on such things. Kunzite was speaking intently to one of the other generals, a rather young man with long blond hair tied in a ponytail. The blond looked about to object, but the Earth King added a few words and the man finally nodded. "What's all this?" a familiar voice asked from Princess Serenity's elbow. She turned to discover the other two Sailor Soldiers had joined Venus and Mercury on the dais. Serenity set her jaw and her eyes grew cold. Since the day her beloved Endymion was banished to Earth, the Princess had not felt comfortable around Jupiter and Mars. Venus showed some understanding of her pain and Mercury just wanted her to be happy, but the other two women who had once been among Princess Serenity's best friends had become hardhearted strangers. Before all this began, she would never have imagined Sailor Mars might lay a hand on her in anger. Now she knew it was only her future crown that prevented Jupiter from doing the same. Still, the Moon Princess could not allow the people of Earth to notice the rift that had developed between her and two of her guardians. Although she maintained a resolute silence, a pleasant expression was fixed firmly to her face. "Don't tell me you're tired of dancing already, Venus!" Jupiter exclaimed incredulously. Despite her discomfort in the presence of the darker half of her team, Venus' face lit up upon seeing their numbers had now increased to four. Her triumph was short-lived as, anticipating her next move, Kunzite immediately convinced the remaining two Earth generals to join him. By the time Venus glanced back toward the men, all four were heading in her direction. A smug grin was tugging at Kunzite's face, and the skill with which the other generals were hiding their dismay would have won awards from Queen Serenity. "Princess, Sailor Soldiers, allow me to introduce my fellow commanders," Kunzite said smoothly, dipping into another elegant bow. "We would all be honored if you would join us for a dance." Serenity's trained ears caught the slight emphasis on the word "all," as well as the fleeting roll of the ponytailed man's eyes. Despite his hidden distaste for the visitors, the blond stepped briskly up to Mercury and offered her his arm. "Zoisite, European commander," he announced. "Might I have your name?" "Sailor Mercury." The soldier had to stifle a giggle. Surely everyone on the ten worlds could identify the legendary Sailor Soldiers by suit color alone. Clearly this attention to protocol was some sort of rebellion against the unwanted contact with Queen Serenity's warriors. Still, Mercury's cheeks reddened a bit as she slipped her arm through Zoisite's. She usually only danced when it could not be avoided; romance was not one of her main pursuits. Not openly, anyway. By contrast, Mars and Jupiter seemed all too eager to return to the dance floor, although the looks on their faces made it clear they viewed this as a task to be gotten over with. The two women pulled their partners down the steps of the dais before they could even introduce themselves. As Mercury and Zoisite followed, only Venus and Kunzite were left with the Moon Princess. "Are you sure you won't join us, Princess?" Kunzite asked. "I am certain Endymion won't object to another dance with his lovely fiance." A shiver ran through Serenity's body at the reminder of her unwanted engagement, but she forced herself to stay still, fighting the urge to bristle visibly. She felt her grip tighten on the arms of her chair. This was the first time she had heard the Earth Prince referred to without his title, which was a name that had previously been reserved for her true love. Kunzite was watching her. His face still held that pleasant half-smile, but his eyes were intense, studying her reaction. Serenity was instantly struck by the knowledge that this was a critical moment. She felt the familiar glassy smile roll over her face like a curtain, all the lessons of her upbringing returning to hand. "Quite sure," she said calmly, without a trace of unease in her voice or expression. "I'd like to rest a little while longer. Besides," she added, deciding to throw a playful twist and a slight smirk into her demeanor, "traditionally, it falls to the gentleman to ask the lady to dance, does it not?" Now the intent look in Kunzite's eyes was replaced by a twinkle. "Don't wait too long," he said lightly. "The Prince is actually quite shy." With a final polite nod, he turned and headed for the dance floor, leading Sailor Venus by the arm. Princess Serenity found herself desperately hoping whatever was troubling the blonde soldier wasn't clouding her judgment. It was obvious there was more to this encounter than met the eye. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It was all Venus could do to keep from trembling as Kunzite took one of her gloved hands in his and rested his other hand lightly on her waist. The musicians began a new song, and the pair slid into the crowd with barely a ripple, lost within moments among the sea of long skirts and fine suits. Venus felt Kunzite's gaze upon her and cursed the uniform she was bound to wear as a soldier. While practical in times of battle, the tight-fitting bodysuit left little to the imagination. At least she was granted the small blessing of the floor-length formal skirt. She stole a glance at her partner's face and immediately looked down again as a blush began to burn her cheeks. Kunzite was just as she had imagined him, smooth and sure of himself with feet that moved gracefully despite his heavy boots, and he looked exactly like the picture in the files on the desk in Venus' office back on the Moon. The picture which, instead of being neatly stored in a file drawer with the soldier's other documents, was kept near to hand on top of the desk. The picture that Venus had spent more time gazing at lately than she had ever spent on a report. The picture that had captivated her heart. It was so silly. She, the very soldier of love, caught up by such a frivolous infatuation! If her fellow Venusians knew of this they would have laughed until the sun fell from the sky. She didn't even understand what it was about the Earth general that enticed her so, but she could not deny the attraction. She knew every detail of that now-faded and creased picture, and here the image had come to life and was holding her in its arms. Its strong, muscular arms. Sailor Venus' blush smouldered with fresh intensity as thoughts of those arms in less innocent places filled her mind with fire. She tried to forget the identity of her partner, to make him blend in with the dozens of other men she had danced with only this evening and the hundreds she had flirted with in her lifetime. It was no use. Even with her eyes averted from Kunzite's face, she could still see the mane of long silvery hair that was so uniquely his trailing behind them as they spun across the dance floor, and now there was so much more to entice her. The warmth of his hand holding hers aloft, tangible even through the gloves they both wore. The pressure of his arm against her waist, gentle yet firm as he guided her expertly through the steps of the dance. The sound of his breath and the scent of a brisk wintry day that surrounded him. The knowledge that if she looked up she would see the face that so often filled her dreams. All she could think about was how that hair might look hanging over her, how those hands might feel against her bare flesh, how his breath might sound when quickened with passion, and wish she could be pressed tightly against him rather than held at arm's length as she was now. "Come now, milady," said the voice whose tone felt as familiar as Queen Serenity's even though Venus had only heard it for the first time tonight. "We will both be residents of the Moon soon enough. Let's not be uneasy with one another." The blonde soldier's stomach twisted. What sort of first impression was she making? She took a deep breath and forced herself to look up as Kunzite steered her around another swaying couple. Fortunately for Venus, the Earth general chose that moment to sweep her into a graceful dip, efficiently saving her from the embarrassment of stumbling as her knees weakened and her heart fluttered. Great Selene, he was beautiful. Impulsively, her grip on Kunzite's hand and shoulder tightened as the low dip placed her totally at his mercy. He had her completely off balance, not merely in the physical sense, and it was a most uncomfortable feeling. "Careful, milord," she murmured, a wry grin spreading across her face. "Do not forget yourself. We have only just met." "Ah, now there is the Sailor Venus I've heard so much about," the white-haired general remarked with a smile. He pulled her upright again. "The last thing I was expecting upon meeting you was timidity." "And what exactly were you expecting?" Venus asked, welcoming the familiarity of wordplay. He was just a man; just another man to be learned and controlled... ...just a man who turned her heart to butter... "It is said the leader of the Sailor Soldiers can enchant a man with a glance." The teasing smirk played across Kunzite's lips like the trilling notes of the musicians. "I don't feel enchanted yet, milady." "As I said, milord, we have only just met." Kunzite spun her out at arm's length, and Venus felt her heart spin as well. She felt so light it seemed as if the sheet of blonde hair flying out around her would carry her off into the sky. She had never imagined it would be like this. She tried desperately to keep her feet on the ground, silently urging herself to continue the conversation as a distraction from the reality of these hands and those eyes... "We will have plenty of time to get to know one another," Kunzite commented, pulling the blonde soldier back into his arms. "Our monarchs will be married soon. Where the Prince goes, I am there. I assume it is the same for you and your Princess." Venus nodded, but the dedication in his words struck her as strange given recent circumstances. The reason for the separation of Prince Endymion from his guardians must have been very serious indeed. "You will be joining him soon, then?" she inquired, carefully matching his steps with her own. "We have all been wondering at the delay." She couldn't prevent the electric thrill that rolled through her body at the thought of being able to see Kunzite every day. With that kind of time, even without glamour it wouldn't be long before he was hers. "Yes, our business here is nearly concluded." Venus opened her mouth to ask what that business might be, but Kunzite swung her around in a wide arc that took her breath away. "I do hope Endymion is not too lonely in our absence," the general remarked. "I trust the traditions of the Moon Kingdom do allow him to pass time with his fiance?" "Of course," Sailor Venus answered. "They may see each other as often as they like." "And Endymion does take advantage of the opportunity, does he not?" Kunzite tugged the soldier close, and for a long moment they stared at one another, pausing in their dance. The snowy-haired general's eyes had become piercing and intense. Venus felt as if she were being interrogated by the Queen, as if Kunzite were memorizing every detail of her face, studying her reaction. Her expression must have changed, as his visage suddenly softened and he began to lead her in the steps of the dance again. "As I mentioned earlier, he is shy," the man said by way of an explanation. "Unfortunately, my duties keep me elsewhere most of the time," Venus said evasively. "I do not monitor the Princess' appointments." The casual look was back on Kunzite's face, but that brief intense moment had gotten under her skin, and her entire body crawled with the disturbance. "Oh? And what duties might those be, to keep you from your Princess' side?" Venus nearly dropped his hand as it all fell into place. His determination to dance with her and the Earth King's encouragement. The way he questioned her and changed the subject if she asked any questions of her own. He was investigating her and the Moon Kingdom, just as Venus had been investigating the Earth generals, and he was succeeding. Until a moment ago, she would have told Kunzite anything. It was he who had enchanted her. Venus had accepted this dance for love. Kunzite had proposed it for information. She felt the glamour bubble up inside her, rising like a wave to envelop and bury the sudden stabs of hurt and embarrassment. A fresh glow brightened her skin as the ancient Venusian magnetism hit the surface, the sparkle in her eyes and blonde tresses nearly as blatant as the twinkle of the stars. Sailor Venus would not be beaten at her own game. As Kunzite spun her around in a twirl, the orange-suited soldier let the glamour take over, its pheromonal magic smoothing her movements into supernatural grace. When she turned to face her partner then, she knew Kunzite's were not the only eyes focused on her. The indignant grumbles of the women dancing nearby confirmed this. Kunzite blinked. For the briefest of moments, his steps faltered. Then he shook his head slightly and the playful smirk returned to his face. Venus had been right; somehow he was able to overcome Venusian glamour. No matter. Now that she was on to him, Kunzite would get no further information from her. Once this dance was over, she would not grant him another opportunity. As they danced across the room, the blonde soldier shining with allure, one of the male faces that turned in her direction was Zoisite's. Sailor Mercury had to hide a smile as her dance partner's attention fixed itself fully on Venus as she passed by. Mercury could not blame him for his rudeness; she knew the power of her fellow soldier's glamour well enough to recognize when Venus had turned on the heat full blast. Besides, she did not mind the respite from the shallow and awkward conversation that always resulted when two strangers were thrown together. Fortunately, Zoisite had turned out to be an acceptable dancer; Mercury found herself free to let her mind wander as the Earth-born general guided her smoothly across the dance floor. She busied herself with analyzing the previous night's utility usage statistics until Venus and Kunzite had passed and Zoisite's mind was his own again. At least the man had some sense of propriety. The face that turned back to Sailor Mercury wore a confused and apologetic smile. It was clear that Zoisite had no idea what had possessed him and he was intent on making amends. "May I ask your thoughts, milady?" It was a familiar question, an often-used icebreaker in polite society. Although Earth was isolated, its nobility certainly seemed educated in the ways of the Silver Alliance. Of course, the experience of dozens of balls had taught Mercury that honesty was not always the best policy. Noblemen were interested in forging contracts, not detailed design specs for the latest triple-phase beam generator. "I was just admiring the decorators' efforts," the blue-suited soldier said, a neutral but conversation-sparking response that had served her well in the past. To her surprise, Zoisite looked disappointed. "I was told yours was the finest mind in the Solar System," he said. "Are those the thoughts that occupy the Moon Kingdom's legendary genius?" Sailor Mercury found herself both flattered and offended by the general's brash comments. She was overcome by an irresistible compulsion to prove herself. Obviously, her private thoughts were none of Zoisite's concern, but if she indeed had a reputation for intelligence, ruining that would damage the image of the Moon Kingdom. Besides, she had to wipe the smug grin off Zoisite's face. "If you must know," Mercury said curtly, "I was going over recent utility data for the Moon's main cities and recompiling it with the previous month's measurements." Again to her surprise, Zoisite's face lit up, and he nodded knowingly. "Ah, the new circular crystal bridging technology?" he asked eagerly. "How are the tests going? I've meant to ask you how you've overcome the instabilities in the positioning matrix." The blue-haired Mercurian blinked, impressed despite herself. "Diamond-wire stabilizers," she found herself explaining. Perhaps not all Earth people were the fools she had been led to believe. Perhaps, like herself, the blond general had been reluctant to dance for fear of another mind-numbing exercise in posturing. Perhaps this encounter would not be an annoyance after all. In fact... "I have a question of my own if I may, milord," she said. "A few weeks ago we noted with much interest the path of an unusual comet that appeared to be of solar origin. Unfortunately, it was a Day of Shadow and we could not follow its full trajectory. Do you know anything about it?" she asked casually, carefully keeping the details vague. Zoisite's face changed. It was a brief flash, a fleeting shadow of unease that vanished as soon as it came, but Sailor Mercury caught it. The Golden Kingdom knew of the comet, that was certain. "Nephrite would know more about such a thing than I," the blond man said smoothly, having restored a pleasant smile to his face. "His eyes are always on the sky, while mine are in books. Unfortunately, it seems we will have to discuss it later. Nephrite is occupied at the moment." Indeed, he was. At that moment, the man known as Nephrite was at the opposite side of the hall with Sailor Jupiter in his arms. To the few guests present who did not know them, the pair seemed almost like relations with their similar lengths of wavy chestnut-brown hair, Jupiter's tied in its usual neat ponytail while Nephrite's hung loose to his shoulders. Although they had known each other for only a few minutes, the green-suited Jovian had to admit she was rather impressed with her Earth-born partner thus far. While Jupiter enjoyed the company of men as much as Sailor Venus did, she was far more at home among soldiers and knights than the stiff pampered suits of the noble classes. Balls were often a painful torture as the men who partnered her found themselves unsure how best to treat a warrior often taller than they were. There was always the awkwardness, the hesitant hands, the inevitable joke of whether or not Jupiter would prefer to lead. Nephrite, however, had done none of those things. To begin with, he was slightly the taller of the pair, a detail that pleased Sailor Jupiter greatly. He held her with proper confident firmness, a drastic contrast to the countless men who had touched her as if they feared she might break their arms. He treated her like a lady, leading her smoothly through the dance unafraid to try a few flashy moves, and his eyes never wandered as if seeking an escape. For an Earth-child, Nephrite was surprisingly refined. "Tell me about your home world," the general suggested, gradually guiding Sailor Jupiter toward the front of the room. His voice had the tone of a dreamer, fluid and airy yet smooth and even. "I have never been to another planet and I have long wondered about the world that shines so brightly in our night sky despite its distance." "You can see Jupiter from Earth?" As soon as she said the words, the soldier silently scolded herself for her ignorance. If a planet could be seen from the Moon, of course it was visible on Earth. "Oh, yes," Nephrite replied. If he had noticed her mistake, he kept it to himself. "With telescopes, we are able to view all the planets, but as king of the worlds, Jupiter is visible to the naked eye. What is it like there?" "Stormy," the Jovian replied with a brief chuckle as Nephrite swung her around in a gentle arc. "That about sums it up. Queen Lysithea's terraforming keeps things under control, but just barely. Jupiter is a wild planet that doesn't much like to be tamed. If it weren't for us, the entire planet would be one gigantic storm before long." Her eyes grew distant as images of her birthplace rose in her mind. How long had it been since she last visited home? "With the terraforming, most of Jupiter is covered with thick forests," the soldier continued. Nephrite's attention was still fully focused on her. Either he was a talented actor or he was genuinely interested in what she had to say. Sailor Jupiter was in delightfully unfamiliar territory with this man. "Under the high winds and constant storms, only the toughest plants survive. Our trees are tall and strong, unlike the wispy things on the Moon." Nephrite nodded at this. "Yes, I have heard that Jovian wood burns cleaner and longer than any other in the solar system." He glanced over at the nearby wall, where a team of servants was busily adding logs to each of the fireplaces warming the Great Hall. "Perhaps when the Prince and Princess are married, trade can be established between our worlds." "I would be happy to assist with the negotiations if need be," Sailor Jupiter found herself saying. As Nephrite twirled her toward the dais, she smiled at the brown-haired general. Earth-born though he was, Jupiter would not mind seeing more of this man. A short distance away, the fourth blind pairing was not getting along quite as well. Sailor Mars was not yet sure what to make of the man who had introduced himself as Jadeite. He seemed nice enough, with an enthusiastic spark that enticed her, and she flirted with him as she would with any other man, but there was something strange about him that she could not identify. A sense of something awry lurked beneath the surface of that smile. As the general spun Mars around in a brief twirl, she took advantage of the opportunity to casually brush her free hand against the red brooch that was fastened to her waist. Then, when she touched Jadeite's shoulder again, she felt it, clear as day. The man was filled with a fierce dedication to his planet, a worldly loyalty stronger than any Mars had felt before. Her eyes narrowed. What was wrong with that? It was perfectly normal for a general of the Golden Kingdom to feel that way. What was it about Jadeite's passion for the Earth that set Sailor Mars' teeth on edge? "Something troubling you, milady?" Intense eyes within a corona of short blond hair searched the Sailor Soldier's face. Mars tried to set aside her concerns for later study, but the sense of wrongness continued to lurk just beneath her skin. "Not at all," she said, pasting a smile to her face. "So, tell me about your role as Far-Eastern commander." "Oh, it's nothing interesting," Jadeite said lightly. He pulled Mars close as they swayed together. Their steps were not as crisp as those of the more formal couples dancing around them. "Just supervising troop movements, resolving minor disputes in the region, that sort of thing." There was that intense gaze again, focused on Mars' own eyes. "Are all Martians as beautiful as you, milady?" "You overstep your bounds, milord," Mars chastised him, pulling away to a more respectable distance, but she could not prevent her pulse from quickening slightly at the flattery. She did not need Venusian glamour to turn the head of a man. Her back straightened, and her chin lifted automatically. "I apologize, milady." Jadeite's hand was firm against the red-suited soldier's hip and before she knew it, Mars was just as close to him as before, her eyes lost in his. "For all the elegant balls, it is still rare to dance with someone as lovely as you." "You flatter me, milord," the soldier murmured truthfully. And she had expected Earth men to be rude! Surely someone this gracious and well-mannered could not be hiding dark secrets. Still, the strange feeling Jadeite gave her refused to go away. Could her instincts be wrong? Unless... "Your eyes are like the sky after the best sunsets," the blond general said, gazing at her as if enraptured. He was certainly laying it on thick now. Too thick. He was trying to distract her from whatever it was that had her on edge. Mars' mind cleared as if a wintry blast had hit her. Jadeite knew about her Martian talents, knew about his own secret, and was using flattery to prevent her from discovering it. Her eyes hardened and her mind worked furiously, examining every angle of what it was she felt as she resisted the urge to growl. Treacherous Earth-children! "Something is troubling you," Jadeite insisted. He seemed to have gathered that his plan was failing; he allowed Sailor Mars to pull back from him, and they resumed dancing as formally as the rest of the guests. "Share it with me. Perhaps I can help." It was too late for such an offer. The red-suited soldier continued the dance as if forced to at knifepoint, watching Jadeite warily as her every thought struggled to unravel his mystery. Frustration soon claimed her as the blond general proved impossible to read no matter how hard she focused. There was an allure about Jadeite that put her off-balance, a magnetism that she did not understand yet fell helplessly victim to. Every time Mars' inner eye seemed to be getting close to a revelation, she was thrown back into the abyss of confusion by a twinkle in his eye, or a touch of his hand, or a word from his lips. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Left alone on the dais, a growing temptation was beginning to build within Princess Serenity. Her four guardians were absorbed in dancing with the four generals of Earth and she had been left to her own devices. Those of the soldiers who were not lost completely to her sight in the crowd were only rarely glancing in Serenity's direction. Perhaps if she moved quickly, she might be able to- "Princess." Swallowing her sigh of disappointment, Serenity turned and looked up at the face of her fiance, who had moved to stand beside her. "Would you care to dance?" His hand was held out toward her, but he was still standing as stiffly as he always did, his face frozen in the emotionless expression he had worn on the night of their engagement. Serenity's quick glance to Prince Endymion's side discovered King Arton watching them intently. Apparently, the Earth King had decided it was high time his son paid more attention to his fiance. The window of opportunity was closed. There was no reason not to commit herself to one more dance. Soon they were all blended in with the assorted nobles and dignitaries, five couples serving as a diverse example of the unity that was soon to take place between the Earth and the Moon. Unnoticed in the shadows of a corner, Artemis watched the proceedings, his long white tail twitching from side to side. His attention was focused, not on the matches between the worlds, but on the rest of the guests who watched the pairs with interest as they passed by. On some faces he found smiles, but on a disturbing many he found disapproval. Even with the demonstration of the Earth's commanders dancing with the Sailor Soldiers, distrust and wariness were still rampant among the nobility of the Golden Kingdom. It was clear that Princess Serenity, daughter of the goddess though she was, was still thought to be an unfit match for the Earth's Prince Endymion. Several of the guests present looked at the Moon Princess as if she were a malicious temptress come to steal their future ruler away. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ At the back of the Great Hall, unseen even by Artemis, a shadowed figure peered out from behind a pillar and focused on Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion as they danced stiffly across the room. This Earth-born observer was filled not with disapproval and annoyance, but pure cold fury. Eyes burning with anger and pain glared at the Moon Princess, hatred consuming all else as a pair of thin lips curved into a confident smirk and a low voice uttered a cold resolution. "He will never be yours." Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen | Chapter Sixteen | Epilogue