Prologue - Dusk Darkening

"He hasn't had these nightmares for such a long time," Queen Minako de Kinsei said as Princess Eleanor de Elysion was escorted into the bedchamber where Daniel tossed and turned furiously in his sleep.

"Not since since right after the beginning of the Dusk Millennium," Eleanor said, placing one hand on the Golden Crystal that hung around her neck, and the other atop his forehead.

She found herself in a hospital room. It was obvious that no one could see the Earth Princess, because no one so much as spared a glance at her, notable as she seemed in her royal clothing.

"That's it, no more children for me," the woman in the bed said, her voice familiar. Rightfully so, for her last appearance on Earth was etched in Eleanor's mind forever. "I don't think I can handle any more, Danny."

"You look like you're having trouble handling those two," he replied warmly as she balanced the two dark haired children in her arms.

"It's the same dream from before," Eleanor said, lifting her hand. "Do you know what might have triggered it?"

Minako shook her head. "If Daniella were home, I'd expect it to be her. She's the closest thing to a daughter he has. But she's been studying at Nova Coimbra University, and Renée says he hasn't stopped there for a while."

"Well, I can ease his pain for now, but I will not take the dream from him. It's there for a reason," Eleanor replied, and Daniel was surrounded by a soft golden aura. His tossing and turning stopped as his sleep was made peaceful once more.

"Thank you, Eleanor. He's dealt with enough as it is, your talents are invaluable." Minako said, leading the Earth Princess to a balcony overlooking the barren Venusian landscape.

"We are never given a greater burden than we can bear," Eleanor replied before her form blurred into a brown pegasus. With a final nod to Venus's queen, she stretched out her great wings and took off into the thick clouds.

****

"Finally escaped from their royal clutches?" Donovan Summers said as she opened the door to Amalia Neves. Princess Amalia Neves de Lusitania, if you wanted to be formal, but Amalia wasn't a big fan of formality.

"Are you kidding?" Anastacia Oliveira said, grinning almost maliciously. "The last thing our dear Infanta Patricia wants is for her little sister to be around the Imperial Prince."

"Cut it out guys," Amalia said, plopping down on the couch. "I just needed to get away for a bit, that's all. You guys don't know how lucky you are, not having bodyguards and retainers trailing you all the damn time."

"Poor little Princess," Anastacia said, holding up two tops for Amalia's inspection. "Don't know what should I wear for the show tonight. Which do you prefer: the black halter with the magenta rhinestones, or the magenta tube top with silver glitter?"

"Don't you own anything that doesn't sparkle?" Donovan asked, neatening up the scattered sheet music around the piano.

"And don't you own anything that isn't black?" she shot back goodnaturedly.

"I'm sorry if I want people to take us seriously," he said.

"We're a band, Donnie, not morticians," she replied, and looked back over at Amalia. "Well?"

"Take the tube top, but let me borrow the halter," Amalia said.

****

"Are you all right, Solange?" Queen Utako de Mokusei asked, noticing the all but uncrowned ruler of the Dusk Millennium falling asleep in the middle of the report Utako was reading her.

"I'm sorry, Utako, I really am," Solange said to her grand vizier. "I just can't seem to concentrate today. What were you saying again?"

"Sensors on Charon Castle have noticed some odd discrepanciesa few light years away from the furthest point of Pluto's orbit. Princess Sarah is requesting premission to investigate it."

"She shouldn't need to ask. It is the duty of the Outer senshi to protect the system from outside dangers," Solange said. And it's the duty of the Inner senshi to protect their princess. Only they don't have one anymore, do they? she thought rather bitterly. "If there's nothing else that needs my attention, I'd really like to rest now, Utako."

"No, I think I can take care of the rest," Utako said. "You rest now, okay?"

****

"Lady Isabel!" Sailormau said, her silver ringlets bouncing around her head as she rushed into the the quarters of the Zero Star's Silver Lady. "Please, come quick! Sailorcucoon has sighted something within the Galaxy Cauldron!"

Isabel set down the scoll she'd been looking over with more force than she really ought to have. "Please, though it's wrong for me to be asking this, but don't let it be her," she whispered to herself as the young senshi led her to the Cauldron.

"Our hopes not withstanding," Galaxia said as Sailorcucoon handed her a baby wrapped in a silver blanket,"She has arrived."