Note on Planet Names: Ten'ousei=Uranus; Kaiousei=Neptune; Meiousei=Pluto; Dosei=Saturn; Kasei=Mars; Suisei=Mercury; Mokusei=Jupiter; Kinsei=Venus ---------------------------------------------------------------------- She knocked on her daughter's door the next morning, intent on asking if Michiru had had anything to do with the storm. There was a rustling sound and the door was opened not by the young princess but by her duke friend, dressed in a long tunic but nothing more. Haruka looked up at the queen and bowed his head. At the cold fire in the queen's eyes, a totally irreverent thought crossed the blonde's mind: ‘Somehow I don't think that look in your eyes means you're happy to see me. I'm about to be throttled, aren't I?' Kazeko laughed. ‘Say that and you will be throttled. My lover does not tolerate humor well.' Her eyes were hard and calculating as she looked the duke over. "If you're going to sleep with her, you will marry her." "Majesty—" "No. Michiru will agree with me; you will be married and I expect it done in secret before her birthday so I can show you off. Go in there and be there when she wakes up. Tell her my order and I don't expect to see the two of you again until her birthday. Do you understand me?" "Yes, Your Majesty." Haruka bowed and returned to the room, closing the door behind him. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Haruka watched as Michiru opened her eyes, smiling at her lover. "Good morning, Haruka," she whispered. "You're up early." "Your mother decided to pay us a visit this morning." Haruka was more amused than annoyed; somehow it satisfied her no end for Shousha to catch her in bed with Michiru. "And?" "She has ordered me to marry you if I have the nerve to sleep with you. She probably thinks I could possibly get you pregnant." "We should tell her the truth." "No, I don't think so. After all, no one knows that I'm here." "But none of our priests would marry two noble women and you can't lie." "No, but I know a few good priests from Ten'ousei who would be happy to help me out so long as they are protected legally." "They would have to report the marriage to the rulers of the kingdom, and I know that your father will not be happy." She caught a glint in the blonde's eyes, and she frowned. "Okay, what? You have an idea, I know it. So, are you going to tell me this big plan or am I supposed to guess?" "There is one place where the Silver Millennium's rules hold no sway." "Where?" Haruka smiled as she handed Michiru a soft red dress and began to pack some of the princess's belongings. "Where else? The same place I found our errant Moon Princess when I visited her kingdom. Earth." "Earth?! Are you mad?! We aren't allowed down there!" "No, we aren't. And the princess of Uranus is not allowed to steal her henshin stick and the Space Sword and run away to Neptune. Princesses are not allowed to fall in love with each other and the Princess of the Moon is most definitely not allowed to fall in love with a Prince of Earth. Times are changing, Michiru, and we can change, too. Come with me to Earth; your mother will never find out." "What about when I'm queen and she expects grandchildren?" "She'll find out eventually, Michiru," Haruka conceded as she finished dressing, "but not now. Don't you love me?" Michiru smiled at the mischievous glint in Haruka's eyes. "Of course I love you." "And you did say that you wanted to stay together, no matter the laws." "Yes." "Then marry me, Michiru." Michiru looked at her lover, and she melted at the warmth in Haruka's emerald eyes. "You manipulative little . . . I don't know whether to hit you or kiss you." "Which one would mean ‘yes'?" "Would you like to come over and find out?" The light in Michiru's eyes was fierce, and Haruka knelt before the shorter woman, pouting. She grinned as she ran a hand up Michiru's bare leg, purring at the surprised gasp. "I have a better way to answer." "Haruka! You're a sexmaniac!" "I know, and I'm contagious." To prove her point, Haruka rose onto her knees and kissed the aqua-haired woman, her body pressing the smaller princess back onto the bed, long, slender fingers brushing across Michiru's breast and reaching for the clasps of the dress Michiru had only just slipped into. Images of what those fingers had done the night before flashed through Michiru's mind, and she grabbed the wandering hands and pushed the blonde away, panting slightly. Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Can I consider your tongue down my throat as a proposal? Because I warn you now, I don't let just anyone kiss me that way." Michiru blushed. "I didn't mean to . . . I'm sorry . . . my tongue just slipped in there." "Aren't you the little innocent? Okay, what's your answer?" Michiru smiled as she gestured for Haruka to lean closer until they were practically breathing the same air. "I love . . . my mother, and since she told us to marry, then I suppose I must." She laughed at the shocked expression on her lover's face, and she used the brief moment of confusion to push the blonde off her and escape. Haruka hit the floor and stared at her chuckling lover. "Why you little . . ." With a speed she had demonstrated while racing the wind on her home world and did not use in the bed—for which Michiru was grateful—Haruka jumped to her feet and pulled Michiru to the floor with her, pinning the smaller princess with her body. "Try again." "You have the most beautiful body, and no one could ask for a better lover . . . you're the best fighter in the Silver Millennium, you're the first person to outsmart my mother . . ." Haruka laid a finger across Michiru's lips. "That's not what I meant. Flattery will get you nowhere . . . however, a kiss and I'm all yours." Michiru smiled. "Aishiteru, Haruka. Of course I'll marry you." She leaned up as far as she could, and this kiss was full of gentle love, not passion. She knew that she and Haruka were meant to be, and she would show the world that, too. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Yoruno Kiyoshi never expected visitors, but he was always ready for one or two. So he was not terribly surprised when two guests entered his cathedral late one night as a gentle breeze whined at his doors. Kiyoshi, a Priest of the Order of the Winds of Ten'ousei, bowed to his visitors, awed at the rich dress the woman wore so elegantly and the brilliant jewels on the case of the man's sword. Nobles, then. "Welcome to Ten'ou no Utsukushii Uta Temple. I am Yoruno Kiyoshi, Priest of the Order—" "Of The Winds of Ten'ousei," the taller noble finished wryly. "I know very well whom you are, Kiyoshi-kun. I was hoping that you would remember me." Kiyoshi took a step back and gasped. "Haruka-san! Where have you been?" "On a trip, old friend. I'd like you to meet Kaiou Michiru, my girlfriend." Kiyoshi grinned as he bowed to Michiru, gesturing for the two to sit down by his fire. "I always knew you would go that way, Haruka-san. Aren't you a princess, too, Kaiou-san?" "Michiru, please. And yes, I am. Which is actually why we came." Haruka couldn't keep the smile off her face when Kiyoshi turned to face her, and the old priest guessed that the princess had something up her sleeve. "Kiyoshi-kun, when I disappeared, I went to Kasei, Mokusei, and the Moon to meet the other princesses and discover what I wanted to be. I was masquerading as a man to make my task easier and to keep anyone from guessing my true self, and I ended up on Kaiousei. Where I met Michiru. Her mother has ordered me, as a duke's son, to marry her daughter." Kiyoshi stared at the senshi, swallowing. "You must be joking." "No, I'm not. It's not illegal for women to marry women." "It is for nobles! Especially Senshi! Haruka-san, even if I did marry you two, I report every wedding to the king; that's the law." "Then we won't get married in the Kingdom of Uranus." "I would report to the reigning monarch, and none of them would allow this. Not even your friend Queen Meiou Setsuna." "Then we'll go somewhere the laws of the Silver Millennium do not apply." Kiyoshi sighed and leaned back. "Haruka-san, there is no such . . ." And he caught it. "No!" he exclaimed, jumping out of his chair. "Moons of Saturn, I will not go to Earth! It is forbidden." "That's what I told her," Michiru admitted, blushing slightly, "but Haruka never listens. She is a spirit into and of herself and rarely obeys. You might as well go along with her; she'll find a way to convince you eventually." Kiyoshi stared at the couple, caught. Should he help his friends or obey his king's laws? "I'll be the queen soon," Haruka pointed out. "Soon I'll be in charge and I won't punish you." Kiyoshi sat back down and sighed. "Don't I have a say in this?" Haruka shook her head, knowing she had one, and he sighed again. "Fine. But we'll need witnesses." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Makoto woke up at the soft knock on her door, moving carefully to avoid waking Ami. Their visitor had convinced them not to waste the few moments they had, and the two princesses had decided that there was no reason to ignore their love. They'd be apart soon enough. Makoto opened the door and found herself facing a priest, hair grayed by age and the winds of the planet he called home. His necklace marked him as a member of the Order of the Winds of Ten'ousei, but the princess did not recognize the symbol of his temple. "Yes?" "I have come to invite you and the princess of Suisei to the secret wedding of Princess Michiru of Kaiousei. She would like to have you two as witnesses." "Sure. How did you know that Ami was here?" The old priest shrugged. "I was told. If you do plan to attend, you should be on the Moon by tomorrow night, dressed for the occasion. A servant will direct you to the place of the actual wedding, to preserve Michiru-hime's privacy. You are asked not to speak to Queen Serenity prior to the marriage. In case you're wondering, you are friends with the groom. He specifically asked for you." Makoto nodded. "We'll come . . ." "Yoruno Kiyoshi," the man supplied, "Priest of the Order of the winds of Ten'ousei and Oshou of the Ten'ou no Utsukushii Uta Temple. Thank you for agreeing. I will see you there." The man bowed and left as Makoto returned to her room. "Who was that?" "A priest of Uranus inviting us to the wedding of Kaiou Michiru. I said we'd go." Ami shrugged, blue eyes shining in the faint light emanating from the nearest of Jupiter's moon. "I don't see any reason why not. It'll get us away from here and our parents might leave us alone for a while." "Ami-chan, they won't leave us alone until we are married. To dukes of their choosing, I might add. But this trip might give them something else to think about." Ami watched as Makoto slipped into bed beside her. "Who do you think Michiru-san is going to marry?" "I don't know. But we know him, apparently." "We'll find out soon enough. Good night, Mako-chan." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Hino Rei looked up from her sketch of the setting planet, annoyed that someone would dare to interrupt her contemplations. "Who is it?" "It's me, Rei-chan. There's a priest here from Ten'ousei who really wants to talk to us." Rei let Minako in, tilting her head at the short priest. "Yes?" "Greetings, princess. I am Yoruno Kiyoshi; Priest of the Order of the Winds of Ten'ousei, sole keeper of the Ten'ou no Utsukushii Uta Temple. I assume you are well acquainted with the fair Princess Michiru of Kaiousei?" "A fair assumption, Oshou. Why?" "Because she will be getting married tomorrow night to a man you apparently know quite well, and both would appreciate it if you two would do them the honor of attending." "You have quite a way with words, Oshou," Rei commented, laying down her brush. "Will you tell us who the groom is?" The old priest laughed, the lines on his face crinkling. "No, my princess, I cannot. But you will recognize him, I promise." "Where is the wedding?" Kiyoshi smiled. "Be on the Moon tomorrow night, dressed for the occasion; there will be a message for you with one of the servants on where you are to report for the actual ceremony. It is imperative that you do not speak to the Moon Queen prior to the wedding. The princess tells me that the henshin sticks you carry will move you from place to place. It should be no problem." "Then we will be there," Minako declared, bowing to the priest. "Tell Michiru-san and her groom that we will be there." Yoruno Kiyoshi bowed and left the two senshi alone again. Rei turned back to her painting, and Minako leaned over her shoulder. "Who is it for, Rei?" "You," the princess of Kasei replied, concentrating on the delicate brush strokes. "I wanted to give you something that would help you remember my world when you have to go home." Mina kissed Rei's cheek, feeling dampness there that matched the tears leaking from her blue eyes. "I don't want to leave you, Rei. You know how much I love you." "I know. But your father wants you home in two days, and this time he will accept no excuses. But you can look at this and remember watching Mars set. With me." Rei put down her brush and stood up, head hanging sadly. "I don't want you to go," she whispered, tears running down her cheeks. She looked up, and Mina wiped the moisture away. "I know. Moons of Mars, I know. It's never easy to lose someone you love. It is our curse, my Rei. It always has been and always will be." Mina pulled Rei into her arms and the senshi held each other, tears streaming down their cheeks. "I don't want to go." "Shh," Rei whispered, pulling back. "We won't always be apart. And we can still love each other forever." The two young princesses kissed, desperate to store up memories for the time they would no longer be together.
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