Note on Planet Names: Ten'ousei=Uranus; Kaiousei=Neptune; Meiousei=Pluto; Dosei=Saturn; Kasei=Mars; Suisei=Mercury; Mokusei=Jupiter; Kinsei=Venus ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "It's not safe, Endymion! My laws and yours both forbid it." "Serenity, I don't care. I'll be with you until I die." "It'll be far too soon," Serenity cried, tears soaking the prince's cape. He held her, not caring about the future, as a gentle breeze skirted the flowers all around them. "It'll be much sooner if your mother catches you." The lovers turned at the sound, Endymion pushing Serenity behind him and drawing his sword in one swift motion. His opponent also stood with sword drawn. "Only a warning, Prince of Earth. I thought it would be best if I came to fetch the princess myself before her mother discovers her hiding-place." Endymion glared at the shorter man, pulling his sword back. "You are?" "Urakaze Haruka of Uranus, Prince Endymion," the blonde introduced himself. "I went to the Moon Palace to visit the young princess all warriors of the Silver Millennium are bound to protect, only to discover that she had disappeared. My last conversation with the mysterious Queen of Meiousei led me to believe that I would find her here. You know, princess, it is not safe to reveal the moon mark on your head on this planet. Your prince may love you but others do not." Haruka sheathed his gleaming sword, and Serenity couldn't help but notice the bright and beautiful stones adorning the case. She didn't know the man, but he seemed decent and he honestly seemed to want her to be with Endymion. Besides, he was willing to hide her secret from her mother. "Haruka-kun, is my mother really looking for me?" "Yes, Highness, and I fear that it is my fault. If I had not come, intent on meeting you, she perhaps would not have noticed your absence for quite some time." "It's alright. Endymion, it's time for me to go. I will see you again." Serenity kissed her boyfriend one last time before joining Haruka. The duke's son bowed his head to the tall, black-haired, blue-eyed prince, a little surprised when Endymion bowed back. Haruka placed his hand on Serenity's shoulder and used the crystal in his other hand to return to the Moon. The servant in the transportation room looked the other way, supportive of his princess no matter what she did. Haruka led the princess to the throne room, where a very grateful silver-haired queen embraced her only child and heir. "I found her, Majesty," Haruka began, head bowed in respect. "She wandered into the city and I found her in the market, sampling some of that delicious candy from my home." Queen Serenity placed her hands on her hips and glared at her daughter. "You're not supposed to go into the city unescorted," she scolded. "What if you had gotten hurt?" "I'm sorry," young Serenity whispered. "I'll take an escort from now on." "Take Urakaze-san here; he seems to be responsible and I know from the princesses of Kinsei, Kasei, Mokusei, and Suisei that he is a fine fighter." "Yes, mother." "Good. Haruka-kun, I'm busy right now, but Serenity will show you around the palace and the grounds. She'll also find you a room. I hope you enjoy your stay here." "A guest of the Moon Queen and Princess? There is no greater honor, Majesty." Serenity bowed slightly and left, remarking to her daughter on the way that Haruka would make a fine husband for a young princess. Serenity ignored her mother's words. Haruka followed Serenity into the gardens, wondering at the sadness in the princess's blue eyes. "What's wrong, Koneko-chan? Why are you sad?" Serenity smiled at the nickname, more amused because her advisor was a cat. "You know as well as I do, Haruka-kun, that any and all contact between the citizens of the Moon and Earth is strictly forbidden, yet we have monitors to watch their civilizations grow and develop. If we have monitors that show me the wonderful planet and the wonderful men on the planet, why am I not allowed to speak to them? I love him so very much, and he is the man I would choose to be my king, but he was born down there and I was born up here." "I remember," Haruka whispered, the image of that tiny gold-haired infant entering her mind. "What?" "Nothing. Princess, the Curse of the Senshi is to lose what you love, and it always has been. We—you—are not meant to be happy; it is the cross we bear for the sake of our kingdoms and subjects." "I'll never be a Senshi, Haruka-kun; not if my mother has anything to say about it. She will never let me be Sailor Moon and I don't think I want to be. If I was just a commoner, a peasant I could go to Earth and be with Endymion forever." "You'll be a Senshi when your mother dies; many of the other princesses have taken up their henshin sticks and their mothers still live." "I do not want that life. I didn't ask to be princess, but the crown fits so I have to wear it!" She composed herself, silencing her rude outburst. "I don't want to be queen unless I can have Endymion." "We all have our sacrifices to make," Haruka whispered, understanding some of the girl's words and sensing in the back of her heart that her mother knew exactly how the Moon Princess felt. "It's getting late, princess; I'm sure your mother will be looking for you at the table." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Haruka nodded at the servant standing beside Princess Serenity's door before entering. The white-gowned young woman was sitting on her bed, hands folded sedately in her lap. Haruka sat in a nearby chair and waited. "We received a message today from Ten'ousei saying that the princess and her Space Sword have gone missing," Serenity began, not even needing to look up at her guest. "If you're going to disguise yourself as a man, I suggest you pick a new name." "How did you know?" "Dukes' sons do not go down to Earth to find one stray princess, nor would Setsuna-san bother to speak to them about anything not concerning the area they specifically ruled. You also said that you remembered my birth, and only royals were invited to attend. The general public of the Moon didn't see me for a month, and the gentry of the other planets had to wait until my first birthday. Besides, I saw the sword you used, and I watched the glow change with your words and not the sun. Only the Space Sword is so attuned to her wielders. Besides, you referred to the Curse of the Senshi as only a victim would. Why are you here, Haruka-san?" Haruka leaned back and pulled her sword into her hands. "I'm old enough to be the Queen of Ten'ousei, but Father has never trained me to rule or even bothered with suitors like all of the other kings are doing. I've never transformed into Sailor Uranus and this trip is the first time I've actually held the Space Sword, rightly mine by birth. I can't stay in the palace my father lives in if he's never going to let me go out on my own. I wanted to meet my partners and learn why the Senshi are such a strong, unified force, and I've found more than I wished." "You've been to Phobos Deimos Castle and Io Castle; that leaves Dosei and Kaiousei." "I had not planned on visiting Dosei, but Kaiousei is my next stop. I remember seeing Michiru once, on the day after your birthday, and I wanted to see who she's become." "I wish you luck. I'm going down to Earth tomorrow, if you'd like to accompany me." Haruka stood and bowed, assuming her masculine role once more. "Urakaze Haruka is your personal guard and escort, princess. I will be there." "By the way, where did you learn to fight as you do?" "My father never has time for me. I learned everything I could about fighting because I needed something to do and I guess I was drawn to it. It will help me if I ever transform into Sailor Uranus." Serenity stretched out on her bed, pulling the blanket up to her waist. Haruka smiled at the younger girl and felt a sudden protective urge. "Do you want me to sing you to sleep, Koneko-chan?" "That would be nice." In her mind, Haruka heard the music she had composed so many planets, princesses, and lessons ago, and for the first time she put words to the music. Smiling, she sang to the princess she had promised to protect so long ago, letting her heart speak through her music. "Utsukushii," Serenity sighed as she fell asleep. *~*~*~*~*~*~* "Yes, Haruka-kun?" "Majesty, I'm wondering why Serenity has never transformed into Sailor Moon or seen the Mystical Silver Crystal." Serenity nodded for the fighter to take a seat. "The last battle with Queen Metallia's slaves should keep our galaxy safe for a long time; I anticipate nothing but peace in our future." "Majesty, as much as I want to believe you, I must be skeptical. What of Shousha-sama and her Aqua Mirror? Have you asked Hino Akaneiro and Rikuriko about their recent dreams? Has Meiou Setsuna come for a visit?" Haruka knew that the answers to all of her questions would be negative. "No, Haruka-kun. Shousha-san tells me that the mirror no longer responds to her, which is why she will give her henshin stick to her daughter soon. Akane-kun and Rikuriko-san can see nothing in the future, and I haven't spoken to Setsu-chan in a long time." A look of pain and longing crossed the queen's features, and Haruka's mind flew back to the letter she read on Mokusei. Perhaps the words had been directed not at her king, whom she had only briefly mourned, but her oldest senshi. Most of the oldest gentry affirmed that Serenity and Setsuna had been inseparable as princesses, lovers maybe, but the instant Serenity's mother died, Pluto vanished from the Moon forever—even from the Silver Millennium for a year or so. Perhaps she was mourning the loss of her love? The brief strain of thought took only a moment to spin to their conclusion, and Haruka stored them away for future considerations, not missing a beat in their conversation. "The Guardian of Time and Space does not disappear without reason, and ‘nothing' to the rulers of Kasei means literally nothingness. Majesty, your daughter is not ready for what is coming. You must let me train her." Serenity stood up, fear in her eyes. She opened her right hand, and the Mystical Silver Crystal appeared. "It's not easy being Sailor Moon, or the Princess of the Moon for that matter. If there is no war now, there is no reason for her to know how to fight." Haruka, incensed at the queen's words, shot to her feet. "Are you mad? Do you want your only daughter to die? Serenity will not survive the coming battle if you do nothing!" "Who are you to tell me how to raise my child?" "The one who knows with whom Serenity's falling in love and can feel tragedy in the winds! She will die; we all will die if you do nothing! By Uranus and all of her attendant moons, you are so stubborn! I can't stay here and watch you let your daughter perish for your own stupid stubborn pride! Tell her that I've left." Haruka, no longer caring if the queen knew her identity, jerked out her henshin stick and clenched her fist around its base, accessing its power to teleport far away—she didn't care where. Serenity would die and her mother would do nothing! Serenity stared at the spot Haruka had so recently occupied. "What was that?" "Mother?" Young Serenity entered the room, eyes searching. "Where's Haruka-san?" "He left." "You chased her away? Mother, she's one of us; she's a Senshi!" "She? Ten'ou Haruka? The Missing Ten'ousei Princess? Why didn't you tell me?" "She wanted to keep it secret. Mother, she's only trying to help." Serenity turned away from her mother, but the taller woman touched her arm. "Who have you been going to see?"
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