Well, Minna-chan, here she is, as promised, the 6th chapter. There's a
little more Endy/Sere romance thrown in here, along with the plot (WOW!).
Big thanks as always to Sakura Girl, for beta-ing and to Rinoa (sorry I took
so long, I just found out my email is acting up. Grrr... did I mention I
miss my laptop?). Speaking of my laptop, a little update:

Turns out that, no, my hard drive didn't transfer to the jazz drive, because
the chord wasn't working right. That means, yes, all my stuff is trapped on
my laptop still. So, since Apple knew about this problem, but didn't warn
any of the clients, my lovely live in lawyer, Peter *grins*, called up their
legal department to have a little talk. He managed to work out an agreement.
Apple will email everyone with a iBook and tell them about the problem, and
they are paying half the money to retrieve my information. On Tuesday, Peter
went on a business trip and took the iBook with him, and mailed it to a
company called Drive Savers. Hopefully they can get my hard drive back.

Okay, now on with the story.....

The Will of Heaven 6/?
by Meredith Bronwen Mallory
mallorys-girl@cinci.rr.com
Rated PG-13 for language
----------------------------------------
Olympus, Earth
(Capital of the Terrain Empire)
Five am Earth Time

     "Begging your pardon, your majesty!" Rei cried, belatedly remembering
to bow, "But I have the most important news, it cannot wait! The fire has
shown me... the Moon Princess is alive!" Jaws dropped, and silence rushed
into the room, almost as loud as any sound. The Queen was the first to
recover, fanning herself with her hand as she struggled to grasp what the
young Priestess had said. King Cepheus and Prince Endymion just stared.
    "You mean to tell me," her voice was uncommonly quiet, "That Serenity
the fourth... did not die in the battle for the moon?" Rei must have been
trying to nod, for her head moved halfway through the gesture, when suddenly
the color fled from her cheeks and she pitched forward. The guards rushed
from their positions at the door, but Cassiopeia got there first, catching
the young woman and leading her gently to a seat. "Please bring Rei-san a
meal as well, I imagine she has not yet eaten this morning," she addressed
the guards. When they continued to stare, her usual impatient nature boiled
over, "Well, what are you waiting for?! Are you daft!? Go get the poor girl
some food!"
    "Yes, Ma'am," they said quickly, then hurried off to do her bidding. The
Royal Family watched expectantly while Rei took the time to catch her
breath, before pummeling her with questions.

    "The fire showed you that, the Moon Princess, Serenity, is alive?"
Cassiopeia probed gently when it once more became appropriate to do so.
    "Yes, my Queen," Rei replied, before taking another bite of her
breakfast. She hadn't had anything to eat since the night before; fasting
was required for mediation.
    "What exactly did you see?" Prince Endymion wanted to know.
    "Well," the Priestess took a deep breath, "I saw a young woman carrying
a bundle through the streets, a baby. She was running from the palace. Then
I saw the symbol of Moon Royalty, the star locket, and it rebuilt the ruins
of the palace. Then the was a figure, a woman, but I couldn't make out her
features. She came out of the palace and linked arms with Endymion. That was
it." All were silent for a moment, trying to digest the information. If the
Moon Princess was indeed alive, it could turn the whole solar system upside
down. One of the only reasons the Mineral Kingdom was able to maintain their
control over the Moon, was the fact that the rightful heir to the throne was
dead. For a while after the attack, Cassiopeia and a few other members of
other planetary royalty had proposed a counter attack to drive the Mineral
Kingdom off the moon, and return it to it's people. The action would have
been perfectly legal, after all, the Mineral Kingdom had directly violated
almost every rule in the charter by attacking the moon in the first place.
Unfortunately, other less bold monarchs had stressed that, if indeed they
did take back the moon, both it's potential rulers were dead, and it would
throw the whole planet into chaos. Well, the Earth Queen hadn't known what
to say to that, thus she and her supporters had been silenced. Years passed,
and the proposal was altogether forgotten.

    But *now*, Cassiopeia's eyes glittered, now there was hope. Joy leapt in
her heart, filling the void left by the death of her dear friend. If
Serenity III's daughter was alive, the Queen of Earth intended to embrace
her with open arms. (AN: Does anyone else see the irony here?)
    "What does the vision mean?" Cepheus' voice interupted the Queen's
elated thoughts. Three pairs of blue eyes looked on the Martian girl with
expectancy.
    "It means," Rei said intensely, voice rising with excitement, "That the
Princess is alive, that it will be she who finally drives the Mineral
Kingdom off the moon and back behind it's proper boarders. It also means,"
here she paused, looking directly at Endymion, "That it is her destiny to
marry the Prince of Earth." Had anyone actually been looking at the Prince
at the time, they would have seen the color flee from his cheeks, his eyes
taking on a new, protective hardness. But no one was looking, because, in
her excitement, Cassiopeia had all but leapt from her seat, her excited
words echoing in the hall.
    "It's like Serenity and I always planned! A marriage between our
children, to cement the tides between Moon and Earth!" she glanced between
Rei and Cepheus, who both nodded. "Oh, my husband, isn't this wonderful?" No
one noticed as the Prince paled further.
    "That it is my dear," Cepheus agreed, less enthusiastic, but still
pleased. His smile faded, though, and he began to stroke his beard
thoughtfully. "But how are we to find the Moon Princess. If she is still
alive, she must be very adapt at hiding. After all, if she was discovered,
no doubt Obsidian would have her killed."
    "That should be fairly easy," the Queen said, "We'll simply put out the
word that we are looking for the Princess. No doubt we'll get a lot of
pretenders and gold diggers, but in the end it should be fairly easy to
distinguish them from the real thing. Don't you agree, Rei-san?"
    "Oh, yes my Queen," the Martian priestess nodded, "I'll also be able to
read their aura, see if they are lying, as well as if they are of noble
descent." The Queen fairly beamed.
    "Rei-san, you are a great asset to the Kingdom, you are be commended,"
Cassiopeia said, patting the young girl on the shoulder. Her attention
swinging in another direction, the Queen smoothed her robes and turned to
the King.
    "And when we do find the Princess," she said, her voice having toned
down to the gentle, demure quality drilled into even noble woman since
birth, "She shall marry Endymion, as was Serenity and my greatest wish."
    "Of course, my dear," the King nodded.
    "Now, Endymion," Cassiopeia, turning to the man on whom the entire
conversation had been focused. It was a shame *he* hadn't been included,
"I'll need you too.." The silverware jumped as Endymion slammed his hand
down on the table.
    "You will excuse me, Mother," he said roughly, "I do not feel well."
Then, in a swirl of black cape, he retreated from them, leaving his mother
to stare after him open mouthed. Her son was rarely rude! One must try to be
a little understanding of the Queen and her situation; excitement had
over-ridden her normal maternal instincts, and now she could not sense what
troubled her son so.
    Turning to her husband with puzzled eyes, Cassiopeia asked, "Do you
think he's sick?"

------

    Prince Endymion stood in the rose garden, heedless of the falling rain.
It was, after all, flood season, and for months at a time, all it seemed to
do was rain. He enjoyed that rain now, let it roll down his body, taking
with it the rage that had paled him so. In it's place came a tumult of other
disturbing emotions. For some strange reason, Endymion fought off the
temptation to seek out Serenity. She was always so perceptive, somehow
sensing his burdens and helping him lay them out, and move on. But now she
would be busy, for it was day and she was no doubt helping Haruna with the
Queen's laundry. He would not have her undivided attention, as he so often
did at night. 

    Marry the Moon Princess? Marry a complete stranger he had never met,
didn't even know if he liked? How could anyone, especially his own Mother,
ask such a thing of him? Oh, Endymion knew that more often than not,
marriage was not for love, but for political gain. He understood that
perfectly, and yet, it never seemed like that would happen to him. He'd been
called an idealist, a dreamer and romantic, but truth be told, when he
married, he wanted it to be for love, nothing more, nothing less. The Prince
was convinced that only the deepest love would induce him to a state of
matrimony, but now he mother asked the impossible. And worst of all, he knew
he couldn't talk to her about it, she would never understand. Cassiopeia's
own marriage had been arranged by her parents, though she had been lucky,
eventually she and Cepheus had become friends. In most marriages, this was
not the case, as Endymion well knew. Suddenly, the rain could not take away
his rage, or his sorrow. The Priestess, Rei, spoke of destiny. Who was fate
to dictate who he should marry!?
    "My Prince," a voice piped up from behind. Endymion whirled around,
finding himself face to face with General Kunzite. "My Prince," the other
man repeated, "Princess Orion is waiting for you in the conservatory."
Endymion blanched. The Orion Royal Family had come to Earth for a diplomatic
tour, and Princess Orion would not cease chasing after him, despite his
repeated protests. A somewhat amusing thought crossed his mind; how would
Orion react when she found out about this whole deal with the Moon Princess?
    "Never mind that, Kunzite," Endymion said suddenly, "I would like to go
hunting," he needed to shoot at *something*, "Summon the other generals and
have them ready as soon as possible."
    "But...milord," Kunzite stuttered, "What about Princess Orion... you
appointments..."
    "Cancel them," he responded curtly.

----------------------------------------
Susa, the Moon
(Colony of the Mineral Kingdom)
Five am, Earth Time

    They say that in times of dire peril, sensory perception is heightened
to an almost unbearable level. Colors become bright and intense, smells are
overwhelming, the sound of a pin dropping is like an explosion. Saffir,
second in command of King Ulexite's army, expierenced exactly that as he
fought his way through the general chaos that reigned in the palace
corridors. It would seem he had not been the only one to get wind of the
King's death, and now every servant grabbed what little they owned and ran
for their lives. 
    "Excuse me!" he said as he pushed past another young woman, polite to a
fault.
    "Saffir-chan!" a feminine voice cried, moments before warm arms snaked
around his waist and a body clung to him.
    "Petz!" his own arms held her to him now, the young kitchen maid he'd
fallen so desperately in love with. "There you are," he said, "I've been
looking for you!"
    "And I you!" fawn brown eyes met with Saffir's, reflecting mutual panic
and fear. "The King..."
    "I know," he said simply, hands raising to cup her pretty face,
"Petz-chan, I want you to go down to the hall near the harem, you know where
that is, right?" Petz nodded, "Rubeus will be there, I want you to wait with
him, I'll be there as soon as possible."
    "But what about you?"
    "I have to warn Demando-oniisan," he replied quickly, already extracting
himself from her embrace. He hurried down the hall, not daring to look back.

     Pushing his way through the mob, the young blue haired guard made his
way towards his brother's chambers. Without even bothering to knock, he
threw the door open.
    "Demando! Oniisan! We must hurry the..." the words died in Saffir's
throat without warning. In a blur of black, green and white, two naked
bodies scrambled to cover themselves under the dark sheets of the bed.
Demando and Esmerude stared at the intruder, like two guilty children caught
with their hands in the cookie jar. After a few moments of silence, Demando
cleared his throat and pushed the hair away from his eyes.
    "H-hai, Saffir-otoutosan, what is it?" he asked. Gulping, Saffir ran a
hand through his blue hair.
    "Oniisan, the King... the king is dead!" he finished, eyes wild with
fear, for shock had soon given way to memory and panic. Time was groaning
short.
    "Shimatta!" Demando cursed violently, "Of all the nights for the bastard
to die..." he stopped there, obviously knowing there was no time to pursue
that thought. "Alright, Saffir, I assume Rubeus has everything ready?"
    "He'll meet us down by the entrance to the catacombs," Saffir said, "we
should be able to get out from there, but with such little notice, I don't
know how much money or food he was able to acquire."
    "It matters not," Demando said, "Go now! We'll be right with you." He
didn't need to say it, Saffir was already moving, the door slamming behind
him.

    Not a second later, Demando was up and searching for his clothing. He
couldn't wear his uniform, he would be recognized immediately, so he donned
the peasants clothing he'd procured for just such an emergency. He and
Rubeus had not taken the King's ill health lightly, almost the moment they'd
discovered his immanent death, plans had been made for their eventual
escape. Now Demando wished they'd had more time to prepare. With much
annoyance, he looked up to see Esmerude still in bed, staring at the door,
mouth agape.
    "Baka woman! Get moving," he barked, "I don't think you fancy a visit to
the incinerator, and I am sorely tempted to leave you!" That was all it
took, Esmerude was nothing but a green blur, collecting her scattered
articles of clothing. Perhaps it was cruel of him to take his anger out on
her, after all, he was just as much to blame as he, and maybe, considering
the situation, he should have been more understanding. But Demando was one
who could not tolerate failure, and right now he was combating his own.
    "What about my things?" Esmerude whined.
    "You'll have to leave them," the guard replied tersely, grabbing for his
sword, while she busied herself with buttoning her cloak.
    "But-"
    "Kami-sama, Esmerude," Demando said with disgust, "You would have us all
die for want of your trinkets!" Well, that shut her up, and together they
rushed out into the hallway, moving against the general tide of people as
they hurried to meet their friends.  Demando cursed again when the mob of
sobbing women and children did not part quickly enough for his liking.
    "Move it ALONG!" he shouted, pushing some stranger.
    "Wanna come over here and say that?" a low, female voice asked in a most
threatening tone. Demando did a double take. There, pressed against him by
the crowd, was none other than the tomboy Haruka, aqua haired Michiru
clutched protectively to her side. "Ah.. gomen, Demando-sama," Haruka said,
realizing who she'd just threatened.
    "Haruka-san, what are you doing?"
    "What does it look like?" the blond asked impatiently, "Trying to get
outa here before they turn us into crispy critters!" Michiru blanched.
    "Ruka-chan," said the aqua haired girl, "We should hide. There's no way
we'll ever get through this crowd." Sorrow and fear flickered in the brown
eyes of her companion, but the tomboy fought it down.
    "Michi-" she began.
    "Never mind," Demando said, pulling them both aside, along with
Esmerude, when they reached the corridor that would lead them to the
catacombs, "Come with us. I know a way out." He could see the surprise in
all three pairs of eyes that fastened on him. He was rarely one to do favors
or give charity, but... these two girls were Serenity's friends. Dare he
hope, his friends as well?
    "Arigato, Demando-sama," Michiru said. Then, a scream pierced the air,
and another, and another, and another, until they came at such quick
intervals that the overall effect was one long wail of terror.
    "What the hell?" Haruka swore.

    Being closest to the corner, she peered around her, and whatever she saw
made her breath catch in her throat. "Bloody bitch," she turned back to the
rest of her party, "Looks like Obsidian got a little premature on us. She
was ready for this."
    "Did you honestly think Ulexite died of a seizure?" Esmerude scoffed. Of
course, no one in the Kingdom had believed it, not with a blood thirsty
Queen like Obsidian itching to take the throne for herself. Now, it would
seem their Queen had also anticipated the general panic that would result
from her husband's death. While all Ulexite's guards were to be liquidated
along with the rest of his possessions, it appeared that Obsidian had her
own army ready. Glancing back into the crowd, Haruka saw the new guards
rounding the people up like cattle, prodding them with spears when they did
not move fast enough.
    "We've gotta get out of here," she said.
    "You're telling me," Demando muttered as he lead them down the twisted
maze of hallways and stair cases, making sure no one followed them.

    The catacombs beneath the palace hadn't been cleaned for centuries, but
that didn't mean they weren't used. They had served as crypts and torture
chambers, even shrines for dark gods forbidden to be worshiped, and now they
would aid Demando and his small band in their escape. Lighting a small
torch, the white haired guard lead them down one of the tunnels. Towards the
end, Rubeus' flaming red hair gave away the rest of their party.
    "Took you long enough," Rubeus complained.
    "We had a little delay," Demando explained as he handed his friend the
keys that would allow them to continue their journey.
    "Yeah," the other guard said with a leer, "Saffir said som'thin like
that." Indignant, Esmerude swapped at him with her hand, ignoring Petz's
sniffles as she clung to Saffir.
    "Alright, *children*," Demando said tiredly, "Come on, this all very
entertaining, but I don't fancy being ashes anytime soon." Once again, their
peril became real to them all, and silently they followed the captain down
the narrow, twisting caves. It seemed like they would never reach the end,
but eventually, a small, bluish point of light appeared, the portal to the
outside world, and their freedom. Freedom, that was a hard word to grasp.
For Demando, it meant shrugging off his years of service to a tyrant, it was
a chance to start over from scratch. To Saffir, it meant being able to marry
the woman he loved, to touch her without fear of retribution from his King.
Haruka could almost taste it, for both her and Michiru, it meant being able
to recognize their feelings. To Esmerude and Rubeus it meant nothing. They
had, and always would be, slaves to the physical; money, drinking and sex.
Their freedom from Ulexite meant only that the title of master would change
hands, nothing else.

    Surprisingly, their escape went off without a hitch. True to his word
(for once) Rubeus had arranged for a horse and cart to be ready for them,
stocked with as much money and supplies as he could find with such short
notice. After much debate, Haruka and Michiru were allowed to come with
them, piling in the back with Esmerude, Saffir and Petz. But just because
they were outside the palace gates didn't mean they were home free yet. No
doubt a few others had escaped as well, and Obsidian's guards would be
everywhere, trying to track them down. The ancient law stated that all the
King's possessions must be burnt, *all* of them. No one was allowed to slip
through the cracks.
    "Look for a house with the symbol of Selene on it," Saffir suggested.
    "Why?" Demando asked. The name Selene struck a chord with him, it was
she who had granted his prayer for Serenity's safety, it was she who ensured
that Demando's angel would not be here to see this day. She would not be
kindling for Ulexite's funeral pyre. Serenity; he loved her like every
terribly flawed man loves a good woman, with all the burning intensity of
his nature, seeking from her not only love, but redemption as well. In her
he saw all the good qualities he could never possess, in her he sought to
recapture the innocence that was once his.  Saffir's words broke through his
revere, perhaps it was merciful, thinking of Serenity made him long for her.
    "They're the only religion that won't bow to the monarchy. If anyone
will help us hide until we can get out of the city, they can," the blue
haired guard explained.
    "I knew there was some reason I let you come along, kid," Rubeus said as
he steered the cart down another back road. Suddenly, the perpetual twilight
that passed for Lunar daytime lit up like a day on Earth. Every head turned
to see a great flame rising in the distance, flanked by the hulk of the
Mineral Palace. The Incinerator.
    "Kami-sama," Michiru breathed. Yes, Demando thought, that's right, God
help us all.

--------------------
Olympus, Earth
(Capital of the Terrain Empire)
Noon Earth Time

    Serenity folded the napkin over one last time before placing it on the
tea tray. Gently she took the delicate china tea cups and set them on the
golden server along with the other utensils.
    "Someday," she said to no one in particular, "I hope to have a tea set
as fine as this one." The gruff cook merely grunted, praying the young woman
no mind. The fickle scullery maids shot the golden girl withering looks, but
Serenity had learned to ignore them. Their opinion no longer mattered to
her. Besides, *wouldn't* it be lovely if she and Endymion could drink their
tea from elegant cups like these, instead of her plain wooden ones? Serenity
nearly smacked herself up the head, she was being silly. She had so, so much
to be thankful for, and here she was dreaming of tea cups.
    "What am I to do with myself?" she muttered as she took hold of the
tray, balancing it carefully so as not to spill.
    "Get'n out of my kitchen might be a nice start," the cook barked, giving
the young girl a sharp little kick in the foot. Serenity yanked the offended
body part back and shot the older woman a withering glance.
    "Asking politely might be a nice start too," and then she swept from the
room like a princess, head held high. She refused to let them hurt her
feelings by being unkind and indifferent. She had friends, Endymion, Ami,
Minako, and Makoto, she didn't need them. Then Serenity's caring nature
kicked in, and she wondered what she had done to offend them so. Was it that
she was a forgiener? No, it couldn't be, Minako was also a Lunarian. With a
sigh, she shoved those dismal thoughts to the back of her mind as she came
to the door of the Queen's parlor. Inside, Cassiopeia was entertaining
Kohoutek, queen of the Orion belt. From long practice, Serenity knew to
enter without knocking, to be seen and not heard.

    She did just that, setting the tray down on a small table and serving
the two queens their tea, allowing them to correct her for personal
preferences. They were talking about the same thing they'd been discussing
an hour ago; the Moon Princess. Serenity really wasn't paying attention.
Like most royal chit-chat, it honestly failed to capture her attention;
who'd worn what to which ball seemed awfully trivial.
    "...but how will you weed out the imposters?" Kohoutek inquired politely
as she took the cup and saucer from Serenity. After lifting the tea to her
lips, she made a slight face and turned to the servant, "Two more lumps of
sugar, dear," she said, before returning to the previous conversation
without missing a beat.
    "Our head Priestess, Rei, will be able to read their auras and see
whether or not they are lying," Cassiopeia explained.
    "I must tell you, my dear, I am most relieved to hear this news,"
Orion's queen went on, "I have despised the Mineral Kingdom for ages. I was
saying to my husband just the other day what pagans they are."
    "I agree completely, Kohoutek," the Earth Queen said, "By the way,
speaking of the Mineral Kingdom, have you heard King Ulexite died last
night?" Serenity dropped the sugar cup she'd been holding, and the dainty
china fell to the marble floor, shattered. Casseopia turned her head, blue
eyes filling with disgust. "Honestly, Serenity!" she said impatiently,
"Can't you even pour sugar without dropping something?!"
    "I'm sorry, your majesty, I'll be more careful," the apology slipped
from Serenity's lips without a thought. She'd long since learned the right
words to placate the Queen. Inside, the servant was shaking. If the King was
dead, that would mean... that would mean... "My Queen, my I be excused?" she
asked, surprised by the effort it took just to push those few words out.
Cassiopeia looked surprised, before her blue eyes narrowed and she nodded.
    "I suppose," she paused for a moment, and Serenity held her breath,
"Yes, I will have no need of you for quite some time. Just clean up this
mess, and remember to be back in time to help me prepare for this evening's
festivities."
    "Yes, ma'am." She never saw the little flicker of worry that passed
through Cassiopeia's eyes, only to be stomped out.

-----

    Skirts flying, Serenity ran down the long hall leading to the Shrine of
Aries. Her heart beat so quickly it threatened to spring from her breast,
but she barely noticed. All she could focus on was the fact that her friends
were in danger; Haruka, Michiru, Naru, Hotaru, Cere, Juan, Palla, *Demando*.
They were lost to her, hundreds of thousands of miles away on the Moon, and
there was nothing she could do to help them, save pray. The Shrine was empty
when she entered, painted walls flickering with the glow from the sacred
fire. Eyes closed, Serenity sank to her knees and prayed. In reality, she
had never been one for mediation, indeed, she'd had trouble sitting still
for long periods of time, until she had come to the harem. Now, in what
would no doubt be an hour of need for so many of her friends, Serenity sat
still for some immeasurable period of time. When had Ulexite died, she
wondered. How many of her friends had escaped the wrath of the
incinerator... how many were dead? How much time passed, Serenity would
never know, a minute or a millennium? It didn't seem to matter.
    "Who are you!?" a defensive voice asked from behind. This broke the
slight trance Serenity had placed herself in, and she whirled around to face
one slightly angry Martian priestess.

    Rei had come to the Shrine expecting it to be empty, as she had left it.
Instead she found a young woman crouched before the sacred fire, head bent
down in prayer. In the dim light, it looked as though she had been crying.
The Priestess took in her plain clothing, a simple, blue cotton dress,
somewhat elaborate hairstyle and innocent, upturned face. She looked like a
puppy, afraid it might be swatted for being found under foot.
    "Who are you!?" she asked, surprised that anyone had come to this place.
After all, the servants and guards all kept Rei at arms length, both her
mystery and her temper were legendary. While she might have been powerful
and gifted, she was also very lonely.
    "M-my name is Serenity," <The infamous concubine?> Rei's mind laughed.
Lord, what rubbish that was. Heaven knew the kitchen maids loved their
gossip, but this was just a bit too far out for the fiery priestess to
believe. *This* girl was supposed to be the seductress who'd stolen the
Prince's virginity? <I think not.> "I'm terribly sorry if I'm not allowed to
be here. It's just, I needed to pray and, well, this seemed as good a place
as any...."
    "Don't worry about it," Rei said, helping the young woman to her feet.
Their hands touched, and for a moment, a bright, glorious light engulfed
Rei's sight. It came on so suddenly that at first the Priestess gasped for
breath, fulling over powered. But then, gradually, her good sense returned
to her, and she realized she was reading this girl's aura! It was strange,
normally the Martian woman had to delve deeply, sometimes even go into a
trance in order to find the bright chord that was a persons aura. And yet
here was this girl, with such bright, golden purity running just bellow the
surface. There was something else there too, something Rei couldn't quite
grasp, but sensed the importance of. It was like an under current, something
precious, to be revealed, but only at the right time.
    "Thank you," Serenity removed her hand, and the vision faded. "You...
you probably don't want to be bothered, I'll just be going."
    "So soon!?" Rei whirled around as the other girl passed her. It had been
ages since she'd talked to someone as simply Rei, not Priestess of Aries.
She really was very lonely, whether or not she wanted to admit it, and
besides, there was something about this girl...
    "I have to meet my friends for lunch," she said, "But you could join us,
if you like?" The Martian woman was taken aback, she was not one who
received social invitations on a regular basis, she never even went to
parties in the servants quarters, though that was mostly because it was
thought to be beneath a priestess status. The ones she did receive she
rarely accepted, why should any of the change now...
    "I'd love to," Rei said.

----

    Minako, Ami and Makoto were already waiting for them when Serenity and
Rei arrived. They sat on the stone steps of the training center, stretched
languidly like cats in the sun, their meager lunches in their laps. The rain
had stopped, though only for a little while, and it seemed like everything
on Earth was trying to get a few hours of dry living in.
    "Konichiha, Serenity-chan!" Makoto greeted the golden girl, offering her
a piece of rye bread.
    "Hello, Minna-cha," Serenity smiled, taking a seat beside Ami. Rei stood
off to the side, unsure of what to do with herself.  Oddly enough, it was
only her pride that kept her from taking a seat, not the usual awkwardness
she felt around strangers. "This is Rei, she's a priestess." The other's
lifted their eyes to meet with the stranger's, offering several variations
of 'nice to meet you, Rei'. "Rei," Serenity went on, "This is my friend,
Ami.."
    "Servant," Ami corrected with a pink tint to her cheeks.
    "Friend," Serenity was inflexible, "That's Minako, she's from the Moon
as well, and Makoto, Captain of the Queen's guard."  Rei nodded, they'd all
heard of each other, at some point in time, but they had never sought each
other out. Within each of Serenity's friends, the priestess sensed a
different aura, like the colors of the rainbow, they should have clashed,
but they didn't. There was something about Serenity herself, that golden
glow and hidden tide, that drew them all, these four girls who were such
polar opposites, together. For the first time in her life, Rei felt as
though her purpose was ready to be filled, that standing here on the marble
steps, with these four other girls, at last she was complete. Rei sat down.

------

    "I have a bit of dilemma, Sere-chan," Endymion said to his friend later
that evening. They lay on their sides, leaning against their elbows,
opposite one another before the roaring fire.
    "What would that be?" Serenity asked as she filled her cup with tea,
then did the same for his. The Prince drank in her movements, so simple, and
yet he could not get enough of her.
    "I was approached today by two of the soldiers in my army, both of them
claiming to be married to the same woman," he said. Serenity handed him his
cup, sitting back and looking at him with interest. Behind that pretty face,
there was a diplomat's mind developing, even Cassiopeia could see that,
though she never said anything about it. The Prince was not entirely sure
what had prompted him to do so, but he took extra care to ensure that his
mother would never discover his late night meetings with his golden girl.
Though Serenity was definitely more than beautiful, Endymion appreciated her
quick wit and talented mind as well, so refreshing in a woman of his day and
age. Their bond had grown so much during recent weeks, to the point where
they trusted one another completely. Beyond the simple wooden doors of
Serenity's quarters, the real world lay in wait, but within- within was
their own world, for just the two of them. Nothing else mattered when the
sun sat bellow the horizon and freed them to come together, if only for a
few hours.
    "Isn't that illegal?" Serenity asked.
    "Indeed it is. I looked into it, and sure enough, somehow this woman had
managed to get by the local authorities. Now each man wants me to declare
their marriage the proper one, and annul the other," he sighed, "I'm not
quite sure what to do, both their claims are honest."
    "Tell me of their temperaments? " the young woman asked. After raising a
curious eyebrow, Endymion nodded, scooting closer.
    "Well, one is by far the most brash in my service, the other is more
tempered."
    "I think this woman must be a shrew," Serenity made a face, it was not
in her nature to be unkind. The Prince merely laughed at her sentiments.
    "That she is," he said. A few minutes passed in silence, with Serenity
watching the fire, and Endymion watching her. At last she said;
    "Endorse this woman's marriage to the brash man, if she is a shrew, she
would dominate the meeker man." Endymion nodded, it was good, sound
judgement, but somehow he couldn't keep his mind on the conversation at
hand. The faceless Moon Princess had been hanging over his head all day, and
he was about ready to snap. All day, it seemed, he'd been waiting to come to
Serenity, to tell her how betrayed he felt, and yet now the words couldn't
seem to escape his lips.

    "Tell me, Serenity," he said suddenly, "Do you believe in destiny?" The
golden girl raised her blue eyes to meet his, sympathy in their depths.
Maybe it was the way he said it, or maybe it was just the way she was so apt
at reading his emotions, but the Prince swore she knew what was the matter
before he even told her.
    "Is there something bothering you, Endymion?"
    "Hai," he said bitterly, "The Priestess, Rei, had a vision. It is
supposedly my destiny to marry the Moon Princess." He found himself
searching her expression for a hint of betray, or pain, though he couldn't
fathom why. All he found etched on that china face of her's was compassion,
and it touched him deeply.
    "Come here," she said, rising to her feet. Endymion did the same,
following her as she made her way over to the window. They stood so close he
could feel her body heat, and suddenly wondered what it might be like to
take her in his arms. Would she be surprised, push him away, or would she
stare up at him innocently, lips half parted, just waiting to be kissed?
What would she do if he gave into this bubble of warmth rising within him,
and brought his lips to hers as he had done in so many of his dreams?
Moreover, would she taste as sweet as he imagined? He had half a mind to
test that theory. On the heels of those thoughts came disbelief. Was he
really thinking these things about Serenity, his closest friend and
confidant!? <I'm just trying to escape the Moon Princess.> he thought with
determination. Still, this was the closest they'd been to touching since
he'd first met her.  He'd always made sure to treat her with courtesy, make
sure it was clear that he wanted her friendship, not her body. And yet, he
found now that he wanted to touch her.
    "Endymion," Serenity spoke softly, drawing him away from his disturbing
thoughts. 
    "Gomen," he said sheepishly.
    "Don't worry about it," she turned her face towards the stars.

    "When I was in the harem," she began softly, "I had a lot of time for
thinking. There's really not much else to do during endless beauty
treatments. I used to wonder why I'd been so unfortunate as to be brought
there, what I'd done to deserve such a thing," she turned back to Endymion,
her blue gaze meeting his head on, steady, "I think I understand now.
Destiny is where you're going in life, but there are different roads to
take, and you control your destiny, not the other way around. Sometimes it
seems like everything's crazy and you're not in control but... you are.
Maybe you're meant to be a partner to this Moon Princess, in a political
way, or maybe you're meant to be friends," Serenity's gaze drifted down to
where the Prince's hand gripped the edge of the railing. Slowly, she raised
her own hand, and Endymion waited patiently, knowing she had to make this
choice for herself. Then, as though she knew if she waited another moment,
she would loose her nerve, Serenity took her hand and placed it over his. He
found it to be warm and soft. "Besides," she said softly, "If I hadn't been
taken to the harem, I would never have been sent to Earth, and then I would
never have met you." It was like those few words broke a dam in him, letting
loose everything in one overwhelming tsunami of emotion. Without a moments
hesitation, or warning, Endymion drew Serenity near and engulfed her in an
embrace. She was stiff for all of three seconds, before her body relaxed and
she lay her head in the curve of his shoulder. He let his hand wander into
her golden mane, the other arm securely around her waist.
    "Arigato, Serenity-chan," he whispered, his voice husky with emotion,
"What would I do without you?"

    Serenity closed her eyes and smiled in Endymion's embrace. She knew she
should have been frightened, should have drawn back, but he was just so...
warm. Like a blanket resting around her shoulders, the night chill could no
longer reach her, and she felt safe. The feel of his hand in her hair
tickled just slightly, but it was pleasant all the same. She'd only ever
been in man's arms once before, and it hadn't been at all like this.
Demando's embrace had been somewhat threatening, like she would be
smothered, or engulfed. His arms hadn't made her want to melt. The clock in
the outer hall chimed loudly, proclaiming to the world that it was indeed 1
am, and it jolted the two friends from their comfort.
    "Gomen, Serenity, it's late," Endymion said as he pulled away. She
merely nodded and showed him to the door.

-------

    Once in the safety of his own rooms, Endymion lay down in bed and stared
at the ceiling. What had possessed him to take hold of Serenity like that?
For all he could have known, she might have pulled away, been angry with
him. 
    <But she wasn't,> he was reminded. No, she'd wrapped her own arms around
him, holding onto him, as he'd held onto her, an anchor amidst this sea of
uncertainty. He could still feel her warmth, as though she was still wrapped
around him, and not on the other side of the palace, no doubt having retired
to her own rest. <Tomorrow,> his mind whispered as he rolled over and closed
his eyes. Yes, he would see her again, tomorrow, and the day after that, and
the day after that. Serenity was his constant.

-------

    What just happened here? Serenity wondered as she sat before the fire.
There were some pretty strange feelings churning in her stomach, her heart
seemed to be dancing. What could this be? She remembered her days in the
harem, laying out in the garden with her friends, always under the watchful
eye of the guards. She remembered their voices, hushed whispers as they laid
on their sides, talking about true love, marriage, and other things they, as
concubines, were no longer entitled feel. A few of the girls had been
wrenched from men they loved, and brought with them all their somewhat
limited knowledge of romance. Over educated, but with little experience,
they speculated on everything from sex to simple kissing, knowing they would
never be free of the king. But now...
    <I'm too tired to think about this,> Serenity thought decisively. She
was treading on the edge of the truth, but she wasn't sure she would like
what she found. Putting out the fire, Serenity emptied the cups and moved
towards the bedchamber. She said a prayer for her friends on the moon before
going to sleep.

-----------------------
Two Weeks Later
-----------------------
Susa, the Moon
(Colony of the Mineral Kingdom)
Two am.

    In the end it had not been a Selene household that had given shelter to
Demando and the others, but an abandoned barn on the edge of town. Esmerude
complained bitterly, saying that to sleep in hay was beneath her station,
but Rubeus threatened to smack her around, and she wisely shut up about it.
Their meager supplies lasted only a few days with the added mouths of Haruka
and Michiru to feed, but after a while Demando and Saffir found that, in the
midday hours, when the streets were crowded, it was easy to go begging and
not be suspect. A week and a half passed, yet still Obsidian's guards
patrolled the streets, looking for escapees from Ulexite's reign. It was
obvious the Queen wanted to cement her power, and letting someone as
important as Demando escape the incinerator was not a good way to go about
that.

    Oh, but she was a tyrant, their Queen, she'd learned from the best.
Originally from Nemesis, Obsidian was quick to implament the laws that had
worked best in controlling her homeland; outrageous taxes, an early curfew,
and plenty of harsh penalties for minor crimes. That panic which had so
gripped the capital the night of Ulexite's death was not misplaced, the
Lunarians had known they were in for it, and boy, were they right.

    Now Demando crept to the roof of the barn, dark cloak billowing around
him, hiding the former Captain from prying eyes. He would take this hours
watch, and then, at last, they would leave. He and Rubeus had finally found
a safe way out of the city, without alerting the guards, and he feared if
they waited more than a few days, the opportunity would be lost. The Earth
rose in the distance, reminding Demando of his new purpose in life. As soon
as they made it to a safe city, he would get work, and start saving up to
buy Serenity back. The idea had come to him late one night, when he had
crouched on the roof, much like he did now, staring at the blue/green orb
and cursing it for taking his angel. But, if he could only get enough money,
perhaps he could send for her on Earth, convince the Prince that the money
was worth more then her services. It was a hope Demando clung to, all the
lonely nights he spent dreaming of Serenity. Twice now Esmerude had tried to
come to his 'bed', and each time he resisted her; he would not fail again.
He would kill to get Serenity back, if he had to.

    Climbing down from his precarious perch, Demando stood at the entrance
to the barn. Though his shadow spilled into the barn, they did not notice
him, and he suddenly felt invisible. A sense of loss filled him, unlike any
he had ever known. <You are in love with a dream> some truthful part of him
spoke, in reference to Serenity.
    <No,> he said, <She is real. More real than I.> And yet, there it was,
as he gazed on his friends, like the apex of a mountain, when you stand at
the top, look down below, and wonder why you went to all that trouble to
climb. How was it that he had never really seen these people before? Rubeus
and Esmerude were having a fight, but Demando could tell, just by the way
they were leaned towards each other, that they were lovers. That knowledge
hurt him somehow, yet he should have known Esmerude slept around. Haruka and
Michiru were sitting in the dirt, playing some child's game with a bunch of
pebbles, just to pass the time. Haruka's hand brushed Michiru's, and they
gazes met. The Captain understood now that, yes, they loved one another, and
everyone around them pretended not to notice. Saffir sat in the corner, with
Petz in his lap, they're hushed tones speaking volumes their words could
not. <Will I ever have that closeness with anyone?> Demando wondered. He
stomped that thought out, of course he would! He would buy Serenity back,
and they would be together, they would have that closeness he longed for.

    Just now, Rubeus turned, and noticed Demando for the first time. An
eyebrow raised in question, and the young man knew his emotions must have
played out on his face.
    "See anything?" the red-head asked, referring to the threat of
Obsidian's guards.
    'Yes, I saw something, but not any guards,' Demando thought, 'I see all
of you.'

----------

    A few hours later, the group arrived safely outside the capital city.
They stood on the beach of the Sea of Selenity, the peaceful waters
stretching out forever, like a pane of glass. To the south, the beach road
would take it's travelers to the city of Sappho, and to the North, was
Parsa. One of the cart horses had been unharnessed for Haruka and Michiru's
use; this was where they parted ways.
    "You're lucky, you know," Demando said to Haruka as he helped her saddle
up the horse. For a moment, the woman looked at him in confusion, but then
sudden comprehension poured into her features and she smiled. Her brown eyes
darted over to gaze on the aqua-haired girl standing a few feet away,
dividing up the supplies with Esmerude.
    "I know," Haruka said, "Sometimes I think I'm the luckiest girl on the
Moon." Demando nodded solemnly. Turning, she called out; "Come on,
Michi-chan, we gotta go!" Michiru nodded, gathering their things and
allowing Demando to help her up into the saddle. Haruka took a seat behind
her, and, with no more than a curt wave to their former traveling
companions, the tomboy gave the horse a sharp kick. Silently, Demando
watched them go.

---------

    Her soul was twisted beyond recognition. Had she ever possessed one
shred of human compassion, you would not have known it. Beryl, daughter of
King Ulexite of the Mineral Kingdom, and Queen Obsidian of Nemesis, was most
displeased. She sat in what had once been her nursery, the walls painted
with scenes of death and destruction, so untypical of a child's room. But
this was what Beryl had grown up with, all that she had known. She came here
now, not because she wanted to reminisce, but because it was located
directly bellow her mother's chambers. The Princess was angry, she had
awaited her father's death eagerly, longing to become part of the process,
hold some power of her own. For all her mother's pretty promises of 'us',
one thing had become painfully clear to Beryl; there had never been an 'us'
for Obsidian, only a selfish 'me'.  She felt betrayed, but she would not let
go of what little power she had, so she crept down here to listen in on her
mother's conferences with the guards, hoarding information as others might
gold. 

    Now, in this shadow strewn land of memories, Beryl listened, and was
disgusted. As it turned out, it wasn't a "conference" her mother was having,
but a sexual liaison with the new captain of the guard. The Mineral Princess
snorted, she should have known. Her mother was as perverted as her father.
Though it wouldn't be said for many centuries, the saying; 'absolute power
corrupts absolutely' certainly fit the bill now.
    <When I become Queen,> Beryl thought, <I will be better than that. I
will be feared and respected, and I shall truly have all the power I want
then! I will not be like Mother or Father. There is only one man I want.>
Childishly, she smiled. Yes, she was focused, she kept her eyes on the
prize. In this case, that prize was Endymion, the handsome Terrain Prince.
With him by her side, Beryl believed herself capable of any destruction.

    But what to do about Obsidian? Quickly, Beryl fled her old bedchamber,
walking the short familiar route to the catacombs, where the shrine of the
dark goddess, Metallia, awaited her. She'd first walked this stone cavern at
the age of five, her half sister Quartz in tow. Quartz had been the
lovechild of Ulexite and one of his many mistresses, raised with Beryl by
the same Nanny. As children, the two of them would roam the mazes beneath
the palace, searching for adventure. It had been then, when poking around a
deserted hallway by herself, Beryl had first heard the faintest whispers of
Metallia. 
    'Feed the fire, feed the fire', the dark goddess had said. Curious,
Beryl had followed the whispers to their source, and abandoned shrine. The
raw, dark energy had washed over the five year old with surprising force,
though Metallia was quite weak from years of neglect. Like a stranger
offering candy, the goddess spoke to Beryl of power, how wonderful it was to
have it, and how it could be used against others. The child's yellow eyes
shone bright, for her mother Obsidion was a paradox, often something the
Princess with possessive love one day, and practically abandoning her the
next. Here was Metallia, a constant, offering Beryl power and control, two
things that, even as a child, she yearned for, but had never possessed. But
first, the goddess had said, the Princess would need to give human
sacrifice, if she wanted Metallia's help. Eagerly, the child asked what to
do, anything for her new 'friend'. Quartz had been Beryl's first offering.
    
    Kneeling before Metallia, Beryl bowed her head and waited for the
goddess' attention. In her mind, she heard Metallia's urgent whispers. There
was impatience coloring her tone, she was hungry. There was question as
well.
    "It is my mother, Goddess," said the Princess. She need not say more,
Metallia understood. Beryl cocked her head, listening as the whispers came
more quickly, powerful in their desire. "Yes," she nodded, her tone
zombie-like, "yes, I understand." She reached for the ceremonial knife she
had used so many times before, to kill. "I understand perfectly."

----

    That night, a figure clothed in green and black made it's way towards
the Queen's chambers, moving along the shadows. The candles in the hall
seemed to dim, as though even the light shunned her. Quietly, she slipped
inside, and if someone had pressed their ear to the door just then, they
would have heard the screams and protests of a frantic mother. Minutes
later, the figure emerged, bloody dagger clutched in her hand as she wiped
the red liquid on her cloak.
    "It is done, Metallia," said she, "I hope you understand, Mother. I make
my own destiny."

-----------
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
EMAIL IS GOOD! (Hehehehe)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Alas, the wheel turns, but the hamster is dead.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
There is a theory, which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what
the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be
replaced by something, even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another, which states that this has already happened.

                            -Douglas Adams