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Queen Selenity thought that she would only feel absolute sorrow once in her life.

As she held her tiny daughter- only a few months’ old- she knew that she was destined to feel sorrow until the day she died.

She’d found herself in a hole of despair since her husband had been murdered a little over a month ago. King Apollo had lived long enough to know just how precious his daughter was before he was assassinated by men who wore nothing to be identified by. And they had left no clues as to why the king of Sol and Luna now lay buried instead of ruling by his wife’s side.

And so the Queen of both planets stood at a crossroads, one she knew she had to face alone.

She would have to be strong, at least for a little longer.

The princess in her arms was sleeping, which Selenity though would make things much easier. She wouldn’t have to look at her daughter’s eyes, the ones that were replicas of her now dead husband. She wouldn’t have to be reminded of how much she had failed her own child. And sweet little Serenity wouldn’t see the new ruler of the Silver Alliance weep when she handed the child over.

Her closest advisor, Luna, stood off to the side, giving mother and child time to say goodbye. The Mauan wasn’t sure if she agreed with the Queen, but the discussion had gone nowhere. Selenity kept insisting that hiding Serenity was the only option to protect her, while Luna thought the princess would be much better protected at home. In the end, the dark haired beauty gave in. Losing the only heir to the strongest alliance in the Galaxy was not something either woman was willing to risk if the other was wrong. She turned, watching as a few maids brought 2 trunks, which she assumed were packed with enough clothing to keep both baby and ward dressed until they were settled.

A throat cleared from behind Luna, causing the woman to turn. Artemis stood, and strong and steady as ever, with a distinct, selfish frown, and his wife stepped towards him. “We could stand here and argue, like I did with the Queen. But you know I will win.” She said, her cat-like eyes sad, offsetting her smile.

The deep sigh that came from Artemis made her wish that she could have left without seeing him. It made it harder to say goodbye to him. “Did you offer?” The question, like Artemis, was simple and direct. He tended to skip right to the heart of the matter.

She wanted to say no, to tell him that she didn’t have a choice but to go. But lying to him wasn’t an option. She wasn’t going to leave him with lies and deceit as his last memories of her, “Yes.”

“Why?”

The simple whispered word, said with such sadness, softened the fight in her. She stepped towards him, her arms settling onto the curl of his hips. “I didn’t have much of a choice. If Selenity is sending the princess anywhere, she’ll need to be protected. And sending an army to protect her isn’t an option.” Her hand rose to his cheek, the pad of her thumb softly tracing the curve of his cheek. “No one else will be able to teach her what she will need to one day be Queen. And the Queen didn’t leave me much of a choice but to offer. You know I have to do this.”

Artemis turned his head, so he could kiss the palm of her hand. He sighed once more, knowing there wasn’t much else to say at this point. Except to kiss his wife and pray to Selene that both she and the child she would be caring for would stay safe. His hands moved to her face, holding it like it was the most precious thing in the world. “You must know that I will be fairly lost without you.”

Luna laughed, unable to hide her amusement, “Yes, I know. And you must know that I will feel the same without you.“ She dreaded leaving him, knowing that it would be their first prolonged separation since they’d been married 5 years prior. And without knowing just how long she’d be gone, she couldn’t promise him that the time would go by quickly. For all she knew, it could take a decade or more before the Queen felt safe enough for the pair to return to their home. She knew that she could cry once she and the infant princess were settled. Right now, both her queen and her husband needed to see her strong. “This is my duty.” And her destiny, but she wasn’t going to tell him that.

Artemis pulled Luna in for a tight embrace, knowing that this was goodbye. There was no avoiding it. They had both pledge to give their lives for the King and Queen, swearing to honor and protect the Moon and its people. This was the true test of their loyalty. But that didn’t mean that he was happy with it. It meant that he would be losing his wife, giving her up to the Queen.

“Besides, with me gone, someone will need to help train the Senshi. Their mothers will teach them what I would have taught, but they’ll need you to help them work as a team. Without you, the princess’ guard will not be able to function.” Luna knew that with his years of military training, the 4 young princesses would become experts in as many different fighting styles as they were willing to learn.

The Mauan wanted to roll his eyes. The idea of training four very young, very different princesses had no appeal to him. But he would be the best man for the job, since the Mau people were highly versed in battle and hand to hand combat. He longed to take his wife back to their village for the evening, to be with their people one more time before they were separated. But doing that was impossible. Mau was only accessible half of the year by transporter, and the journey on horseback would take almost 2 weeks to make.

“Luna.” The pale haired queen said, bringing the two lovers out of their own solitude. “We don’t have much time. “ Transportation between Terra and Luna was only possible at the high of the rising moon, and Selenity did not think another night on the Moon would be safe for the little princess.

The couple silently said goodbye, the kiss between the two desperate, full of longing and regret. Had they known that they’d be parting, they might have spent the past few days with each other, rather than trying to help rebuild the kingdom after the loss of its king. Luna stepped back from her husband, hoping that the look in her eye explained everything she couldn’t say.

The Queen kissed the top of the infant’s head, muttering the ancient language of Selene, channeling the Ginzuishou into the kiss. When she pulled back, the once bright crescent moon that adorned the princess’s forehead was gone, to hide the identity of the babe. Luna’s own forehead burned for a moment before it too was free of the symbol. The cat-like features that identified her as a Lunarian Mauan were also gone; leaving the advisor looking more like a Terran than she ever thought could be possible. The Queen gently placed the baby in Luna’s arms, moving to fetch a small envelope off the table. “This is for Queen Ehlana. She’ll know what to do with you once you get there. And she’ll be able to hide this from her husband. King Verrin will never be able to get over his prejudice of Luna to allow the princess to take refuge. “ The heathens of Luna would never be welcomed on the Christian Terra, no matter who’s life was in danger. As far as King Verrin was concerned, the less contact he had with the satellite planet, the better.

Time seemed to speed up for the two women and before either knew it, it was time. And yet Princess Serenity stayed silent in the advisor’s arms, blissfully unaware of how hundreds of different feelings seemed to thicken the air of the Queen’s private chambers. The ceremony began silently, the 2 large trunks on either side of the Mauan filled with the things they would need to get them settled. Artemis (who refused to leave until Luna was gone) stood in the back of the room, his eyes fixed on his wife’s with such intensity that Luna almost had to look away. As the Queen voice rose, Luna could feel the pull of the Ginzuishou. And still, even as the pair faded into the bright light that enveloped the room, the princess still slept.

When the light faded, Luna and the babe were gone. Selenity could do nothing more but collapse onto her knees, her strength drained from her body and her only reason for continuing on now on a hostile planet. Her soft sobs were intermingled with prayers to Selene, begging the Goddess to protect the heir to the Ginzuishou. Artemis, controlling his emotions, dropped to the Queen’s side, allowing the woman to release all her pent up sadness and anger. The Mauan felt it best to let the Queen openly express the feelings they were both feeling. Luna, precious to both of them, would be greatly missed. And now, the burden on the woman was great. The princess would have to survive- to stay protected until it was time for her return.

Princess Serenity would be the Galaxy’s only hope for peace.

I like this so far. Keep it coming!

Brit-chan wrote:

I like this so far. Keep it coming!

Thanks! I'm almost finished with the first chapter, which I hope to post in the next day or two.

Awesome! I'm excited to see more of the world you're creating!

Luna, who was now going by Lady Layla, watched the young princess run around the royal gardens, the toddler giggling as she danced through the flowers. Serenity didn’t seem to have a care in the world as she moved through the roses, which made her guardian smile. The girl hadn’t experienced any ill effects of the sudden move, but Luna didn’t think that she would have. The child didn’t even know who her mother was, which made the Mauan utterly sad. But she knew that as the child started asking questions; Luna would be prepared to answer them with as much truth as she could. But the Queen had made Luna agree- Princess Serenity was in no way to learn who she truly was until the Queen saw it fit.

Luna didn’t agree with this, but she would do as her Queen said.

The princess, who had been going by Semine since her arrival, had taken to Terra quite well. The fact that she had been so young had been beneficial for that. After 4 years of being on the planet, the child was thriving, not knowing any other way of life besides this one. For now, the older woman knew that it was for the best.

The girl was currently dressed in a lovely blue dress, almost the same color as her eyes. Her hair wasn’t in the traditional Lunarian buns but hanging freely, down to the bottom of her back. As often as the guardian had tried to tie it back, the little girl’s hands pulled the ribbons out. And she had done the same thing today, the ribbons tied around her wrists instead of keeping the white blond hair out of the child’s face. The little girl’s feet were also bare. Trying to keep the little girl proper was a job in and of its self.

Serenity was a good distance away from her guardian, the only true mother figure she’d ever known. She had pulled off her little slippers as soon as her feet hit the damp grass. Her favorite part of the day was the short time after lunch, where she and her dark haired warden spent an hour enjoying the sunshine before they returned to their small little home to continue the education the child needed. The Lunarian princess didn’t think it was needed, but she wasn’t really in a place to argue. Instead she made the most out of every chance she got to explore the royal gardens. To her, it was a fairy’s palace, each turn taking her to a new area she’d never seen.

For the time being, she would be keeping her distance from Layla at all possible. Lady Layla meant that she would be wearing shoes and being proper. Being proper was boring. No, she wanted to enjoy being as wild and free as she could. And that only seemed to happen among the roses.

The princess, who didn’t know she was a princess, tended not to pay attention. She had better things to do than watch where she was going. All she cared about was that she was seeing everything. Missing anything wasn’t an option. So she didn’t see the group of boys playing in the same garden she was in. Nor did she realize that she was going to run one of them.

The collision was minor, the small girl hitting the older boy square in his stomach with her head. The force of the hit, however, sent the petite four year old to her rump.

“They’re already falling at your feet, Endymion.”

Serenity looked up from her position on the ground, more shocked about the sudden change rather than in any pain from the fall. The boy she’d run into was quite a bit taller than she was, surrounded by 3 other boys, all laughing. Her big eyes blinked a few times, deciding whether or not the boys were teasing her. Should she burst
into tears? Get angry? She didn’t have time to think, the boy she’d run into bending down to her level, a sly little grin on his face.

She couldn’t tell how old the boy was; only knowing that he was older than she was. His face was kind as he offered her a hand. “You should really watch where you’re going.” She frowned as she took his hand, allowing him to help her up. She cleaned off the back of her dress before she looked at him, unsure what she should be exactly.

Should she be mad that he bumped into her? Embarrassed that she bumped into him? Enraged at the boys behind him, who were possibly teasing her? Scared that these boys might hurt her?

She didn’t have time to be any of these things, in crossing her arms in front of her, as if challenging the boy in front of her to say anything else.

And it was all he could do to hold back his laughter. This little one was a spitfire, and she looked like one too. Her
light blue eyes were dancing, the girl not injured from her fall. He smiled a little, looking back to the boys to see their own opinions. All three seemed highly amused by the situation. Even Kunzite, stoic at 11, seemed to find the little girl entertaining.

The little girl didn’t bow her head, oblivious to who she’d just run into. Instead, she smiled, “Maybe you shouldn’t stand at the edge of the bushes.” She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, clearly amused at her own comeback.

Endymion’s slim black eyebrow rose slightly as the boys behind him let out a roar of laughter. She was a silly little thing, and once again, he smiled. “Well, you might be right about that.” He said as he bent down to her level. “You’re Lady Layla’s daughter, aren’t you?” He asked, vaguely remembering seeing the dark beauty with the little child.

The pixie in front of him nodded, her hands dropping to the folds in her skirts. “I’m not supposed to talk to people I don’t know without Mother.” She said, her eyes drifting down to the gathered skirts in her hands. Her words were spoken clearly, the little girl well taught. The small girl looked back up at him and smiled, “But you’re the Queen’s son, so I think it’s okay.” She giggled again, causing the smile on Endymion’s face to brighten a little more. This little sprite wasn’t afraid of the boys as the other girls in court were.

Endymion turned to the three other boys, all whom wore smiles on their faces. The girl was infectious, and even the oldest, the stone-faced Kunzite, had a closed-mouth grin. Endymion couldn’t remember ever seeing the pale haired boy smile. He would have to remember to tease him about it later.

Semine giggled again, already disappearing behind the roses before any of the boys could question her further. The boys kept laughing, wondering if the encounter with the little one had been real, or if she was a fairy in disguise.

Semine tried to remember that day, how she had accidentally made friends with the four boys. She had heard the story so many different times from so many different people that it was almost as if she did remember. But she had been so young- too young to actually recall the events.

Her first vivid memory of the friendship happened 2 years after the meeting, when the 5^th and final boy was brought to the Terran Castle from the eastern providence, his home the country of India. Jadeite was fair haired, his skin a surprising mixture of light and dark. But his eyes were by far his most striking feature. The blue
hovered between a teal and cobalt, seemingly dependent on light alone. He didn’t look like his predecessor, whose olive skin and dark eyes were distinctively Asian. Instead, the 7 year old’s blond hair curled atop his head.

The arrival was somewhat of a ceremony, the entire population of the castle waiting by the gates. The young prince was dressed in his formal armor, shifting from side to side to try and find a comfortable position with the added, unusual weight. The three Shitennou stood slightly behind him, also dressed in the formal armor of their station. And standing directly next to the prince were King Verrin and Queen Ehlana, heads topped with the crown jewels of Terra.

On the other side of the king were his own Shitennou, or at least most of them. Magnetite stood next to the king, his dark skin almost the same color as the dark lightweight armor he wore. Everything about the man was dark, including his short hair. The simple breastplate and wrist bracers matched that of young Kunzite’s, the formal armor for the Eastern Shitennou. Calcite stood next to him, his green eyes surveying the horizon, patient as always. The dark green, almost black of his breastplate made his usually light green eyes appear almost as black as his calf plates. Adamite was the only shitennou who had anything truly distinctive about his armor. He wore bright red and black plaid tartan across his breastplate, covering his heart as was in the tradition of his own region. His bright red hair stood out as well as his thick, almost unintelligible accent. The fourth, Hematite, had
ridden to the docks to meet the ship with the young boy on it. It was almost like a mirror, past and future looking forward to the present.

Semine, not caring much for the formality of the whole event, was busying looking across the courtyard to the rose garden, where she and the boys had taken to meeting every afternoon. Her hands were grasping onto the soft lavender silks of her dress, the simple desire to run off and enjoy the sunshine of the afternoon consumed her. It took everything in her not to kick off the white satin shoes and get her feet dirty.

The boy arrived moments later, riding side by side with Hematite in nearly identical suits of light armor, the two looking like they were from opposite sides of the planet and not from the same region. Semine took one look at the two and focused her eyes back on the garden, the ceremony lost on her.

Hours later, when pomp and circumstance was over, Semine met the boys in their garden, her feet and hair in their usual state of freedom. While most young boys would be annoyed with a 6 year old girl as a shadow, these 5 enjoyed her company. She asked plenty of questions, like most children did, but she didn’t insist on throwing herself into whatever game the boys might be playing. She was more content watching them interact, not needing to be included. When she was included, she played whatever role the assigned her.

The boys had all changed out of their formal armor, now wearing plain clothes meant to play in. Semine, never shy, waved brightly when the boys came into sight, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet as they joined her in their usual spot. A petite hand fell to her mouth, trying to stifle the giggles that were seeping out between her fingers. Kunzite, always serious, greeted her with a smile and raised eyebrow, while Zoisite couldn’t help but laugh as well. He might not have known what she’d been laughing at, but her bells of laughter were contagious to the boy.

Jadeite just looked confused. Why would boys, destined to be the most powerful men on the planet, play with this wisp of a girl? Yet here they were, Nephrite swinging the small blond in a large circle, then set her back down, her giggled no longer concealed behind her hands. Endymion rolled his eyes a little, but that didn’t stop him from ruffling the long curling locks of her hair.

Semine stopped in front of Jadeite suddenly, the giggles slowly coming under control. “Jadeite, this is Semine. Her mother is one of my mother’s advisors. Semine, meet Jadeite, the last of the Shitennou to join us.” Endymion said with a fond smile as he watched the two, so close in age, meet. Being a proper lady, Semine picked up her skirts and gave a polite curtsy. But all properness went away when another giggle escaped her lips. “Don’t mind all the giggling. She tends to live in her own world half the time.”

“Hey, I do not.” She said, her hands dropping to her hips.

Kunzite laughed, the sound a little strange coming from him, “Lying doesn’t get you anything, you know. He’ll find out on his own soon enough.” He said, clapping the youngest general on his back.

She pouted, her arms crossed. The expression sent the rest into laughter, even Jadeite smiled at the imp. She stuck her tongue out at them, but she was unable to stay mad at them for long. In moments, she was giggling again, her hands falling to her sides.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be able to play today.” Nephrite said with a smile, knowing that the small girl would miss their usual play dates. “We have to meet with the Shitennou this afternoon.” He bent down to her level, “But things will be back to normal tomorrow.”

She couldn’t hide her disappointment, but she nodded, understanding. “I will see you at dinner?” The boy nodded to the small girl, grinning when her own face brightened into a smile. It wouldn’t be playing, like usual, but it would be grown up conversation and maybe some music. Perhaps she would be able to convince one of the boys to dance with her, like all the adults would be.

She didn’t wait for one of them to say anything as she ran off, back to Layla, who would be anxious to get the little girl cleaned up and ready for the royal event.

I really like this! I like the world you are enjoying, and it's easy to tell this the Sailor Moon world, but also partially your own. Also, the idea of a perpetually giggling child Serenity seems to work so well for her. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Me too. Please keep posting more as you write it!

Aww~, this first chapter is adorable. I know it promises darker features in the future judging from your synopsis, but I just loved how you portrayed the characters when they're so young. It's just too cute. ^^

And I'm looking forward to seeing more of this story.

I also look forward to seeing more of this story. One of my favorite Sailor Moon characters is Luna. It is a pity that such few fan fiction includes her as a major character. Thank you for including her! She truly is a valuable character.