Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Against All Odds ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Against All Odds

A Sailormoon Fanfiction
by dejanatalis@aol.com

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Chapter Four

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"Usagi-chan!"

The young woman groaned and shook her head, keeping her eyes closed. Someone was shaking her, but she was tired, so tired, and she wanted to sleep.

"Usagi-chan, please wake up! Onegai..." It was a girl's voice, and now it was choked with sobs. In the distance, someone screamed, and then there was an inhuman roar, like a nightmare come to life. Something shattered.

"Mako-chan!" the voice cried, and the insistent hands released the half-asleep woman's arms. Footsteps ran away from her.

Princess Serenity slowly opened her eyes. She blinked. She was looking up at the night sky, but the stars were faint and there was unnatural light everywhere. She was lying on a hard surface, and she was dreadfully cold. She felt...naked.

With a gasp, Serenity sat bolt upright. She was in the middle of a huge city of some kind, filled with enormous blocky buildings taller than anything she had ever seen. The ground she had been lying on was made of some sort of rock, but it was all one solid piece stretching as far as Serenity could see, beneath the entire city.

A chill, brisk wind stronger than any the Princess had felt before roared through the area, freezing her to the bone. She wrapped her arms around herself - and discovered white gloves covering her forearms and hands. Serenity looked down, and found only a bodysuit and an incredibly short skirt clothing her. She was dressed as a Sailor Soldier.

"What is this?!" Serenity cried out, flushing hot with embarrassment upon finding her legs were exposed to the world. Desperate for something, anything, to cover herself with, the confused Moon Princess reached back for her hair - and came up with handfuls of gold, blonde hair like spun sunshine. With a gasp of shock, she searched the crown of her head. There was strange jewelry in her hair, but it was still tied into the two buns that were customary for the line of Serenity, and it had the same texture and feel as before. It was her hair, but...different. The golden tresses were shorter as well; the twin streams of hair only reached Serenity's knees.

It wasn't only the hair that was different, either. As Princess Serenity struggled to her feet, she realized she felt strange. Younger, somehow. Her legs were shorter, and her breasts were smaller beneath the white bodysuit. Awkwardly, Serenity tried to pull the royal-blue skirt lower, but it stubbornly refused to cover more than her upper thighs.

A shriek distracted Serenity from her confusion and shame, and she turned toward the sound. An enormous monster was in the middle of the street, its hulking form twisting and writhing as it spread destruction in its wake. The young woman-turned-girl stared up at the fearsome creature, a mass of metal and flesh, her eyes wide with shock and terror. Nearby, a voice shouted a garbled phrase and a plume of flame surged toward the monster. It jumped aside, dodging the attack.

The four Sailor Soldiers were there, fighting the incarnation of nightmare. As the Princess watched, her friends and guardians launched one attack after another at the strange being, which roared in pain when they struck. Before her eyes, Sailor Venus leapt into the air and fired a beam of golden light into the creature's eye, landing gracefully with a triumphant smile on her face. Serenity's eyes filled with tears in spite of herself. She knew the monster was a danger and an enemy, but how could her friends take pleasure in causing pain?

Suddenly, the armored thing hunched over into a ball, and a hazy blue glow surged into life around it.

"It's going to fire again!" Sailor Mercury cried in alarm, staring at the screen of her palmtop computer. She and Mars ducked around a nearby block of metal, and Sailor Jupiter slipped behind a tall pole with wires sprouting from its top. Princess Serenity remained standing alone, exposed, stunned and confused.

"Sailor Moon! Look out!" Venus screamed from around the corner of a building.

Sailor...Moon?

The monster exploded. Or so it seemed at first. Countless shards of crystal materialized on its skin and burst outward in all directions, peppering the surrounding area with shrapnel. Serenity screamed and tried to dodge the approaching razor-sharp splinters, but her body felt sluggish and heavy in this alien city. Her legs seemed bulky and strange and she tripped over her own booted feet. The Princess collapsed on the ground, cringing in anticipation of the shards' onslaught, which was certain to tear her exposed skin apart.

Someone leapt in front of her, grunting with the shock of the landing. Serenity looked up. A tall man was standing between her and the monster, his black cloak draped over his arm and pulled across the front of his body to protect them both from the attack. The crisp midnight tuxedo he wore seemed to be made of ordinary cloth, but the crystal shards bounced off the cloak as harmlessly as if they were feathers. The suited man's back was to the young woman cowering at his feet, and she could not see his face.

After what seemed like ages, the monster's attack finally ceased and Serenity's rescuer lowered his cloak.

"I thank-" the Princess began, but the mysterious man charged toward the battle without a word or a glance in her direction.

"Fine time for a klutz attack, Sailor Moon!" Mars yelled as she emerged from her hiding place.

Sailor Moon... Did they mean Serenity? Her, a Sailor Soldier? What was this?

The battle resumed. The Moon Princess got to her feet and watched in mixed awe and horror as the four sailor-suited soldiers, joined by the stranger in the black tuxedo and top hat, attacked the monster from every angle with all manner of magic. Despite their superior numbers, the creature was proving to be incredibly resilient.

Gasping for breath, Sailor Mars stepped away from the fray for a moment. "What are you waiting for, baka?" she snapped in Serenity's direction. The Princess bristled momentarily. Friend or no, there was no cause for the violet-haired girl to treat her so.

"Finish it, Sailor Moon!" Jupiter cried, dodging a metallic arm that threatened to pound her into the pavement.

"I don't know how!" Serenity protested in a voice that was not quite her own, which whined even though that was not her intention. Also, that wasn't true. She did know what to do, although she had no idea how she knew. Her arm came up, and she was holding a scepter in her gloved hand. She looked at the monster and knew what she had to do...but how could she destroy a living thing, even if it was an enemy? How could she make the decision to end a life?

She couldn't do it. Hanging her head, Serenity tried to drop the scepter. It wouldn't fall. She tried with all her might, but her fingers would not open. The slim rod was stuck firmly to her hand. She resisted, but her arm waved, her body moved, and her throat shouted a strange phrase.

A flood of energy burst forth from the core of Princess Serenity's being and exploded from the scepter in her hand. Inside her, something sparkled and shone as the power flowed out of her soul. With a jolt, Serenity realized she had the Silver Crystal within her body, her mother's ultimate strength. She couldn't explain how she knew this, but she could not imagine power like this coming from any other source.

Glittering power surrounded the massive creature and it screamed its dying agony. The Princess could only watch numbly as a life was shredded by her own hand. The metallic body twisted and disintegrated - but something remained. Freed of the monster's possession, a young man slumped unconscious to the ground. Serenity had healed him, not destroyed him. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Sailor Mercury hurried to the victim's side to check on his health, and the other three soldiers approached their Princess.

"Are you all right?" Sailor Venus asked, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"Yeah, you were acting really weird for a while there," the green-suited Jupiter added.

SHE was acting strange? Princess Serenity studied her three soldiers, faces she had seen every day for most of her life. There was Sailor Venus, emergency double for the Princess and leader of the Sailor Soldiers, even more Serenity's twin now that the Princess' hair had changed from silver to gold. Beside her, the tall brunette Sailor Jupiter looked on, her hands resting on the green skirt that covered her hips. Mars' sharp tongue was strangely silent as she waited to be sure the Princess was all right. They were the same girls Serenity had always known...but their accents were strange when they spoke, and their eyes...their eyes held the dark, troubled look of warriors who had seen too much too young. Those were not the eyes of soldiers who lived in an era of peace.

"I am fine," Princess Serenity assured them, blushing as she recalled her unusual state of undress, "but what is happening? Where are we?"

Even as she asked the question, she somehow knew the answer. There were tall trees on the street corners, their branches waving in the chill, brisk wind, and the soil, where it showed, was brown. Earth. What were they doing on Earth?

To confirm her theory, Serenity raised her head and searched the night sky for the Moon, eager to see her home from the planet's surface. There, hanging above one of the rectangular structures that towered overhead...

At first, the brilliant white light of the silver Moon nearly blinded her, but after a moment, Serenity's eyes adjusted, and she was able to study the full Moon properly. It was beautiful, shining its bright pure light down upon its Princess, its outline a perfect, unbroken circle. Serenity drank in the silver shine as it poured down around her, blue eyes opened wide to search every white and dark outline on its face...

A cold, sick feeling settled within the sailor-suited girl's stomach. During her studies, Serenity had seen images of the Moon as viewed from Earth. The planet's sole satellite was white, yes, and it glowed with a silver light...but the images did not match with this reality. Where was the great atmospheric dome over the main city, shimmering with the blue-green tint of life? Even from this distance it should have been visible, like a bead of glass upon the white surface hanging above. The expansive seas, also, seemed darker than they should be, more like shadows than rolling bodies of water. It was almost as if...the entire Moon were...dead.

In that moment, Serenity knew. She had the Silver Crystal, her mother's Silver Crystal, thriving within her own body because the Moon Kingdom was gone. Ruined. Dead. Her home, her history, her heritage, had been reduced to a pile of rubble on a lifeless rock, her mother and her people along with it.

Princess Serenity screamed. She stared up at the dead white disk shining in the sky, breathed the cold air of Earth and screamed and screamed until her throat was raw with agony. The horror of what she was seeing overwhelmed her. She pressed her gloved hands to her mouth but the screams kept coming, forcing her pain past her fingers until she could barely breathe. Serenity quaked on her feet with the effort, her eyes locked on the empty shell of the Moon, its light like ice on her skin. She wanted to look away, but could not, and always there were the screams, again and again until the sound was ringing in her head...

Strong hands gripped Serenity by the arms and whirled her around, forcing her gaze away from the rock that was once her home. The tall man held her tightly, staring down at her from beneath the black top hat he wore.

"Usa-ko! What's wrong? Usa-ko!"

His voice was filled with fear and his hands shook where they held her. Usa-ko... Serenity did not understand the strange words, yet they filled her heart with a warmth unlike anything she had ever felt before. This man truly cared for her, truly feared for her safety. The cold nausea born of the knowledge of the Moon's demise still sat like ice in Serenity's stomach, but somehow, she knew she could bear the pain as long as this man was there to hold her in his arms.

She looked up at him, her chest heaving in the aftermath of her passionate outburst. The wind still blew against Serenity's bare legs, but the presence of the tuxedoed man warmed her. She breathed and caught the faint scent of roses emanating from his clothing - no, from the man himself.

His eyes were covered by a white mask. His very presence felt familiar to Serenity, but the mask covered that which she most desired to see. She wanted, she needed, to see this man's face. With trembling fingers, Serenity reached up, her gloved hand hovering close to the thin mask that shone white even in the shadows beneath the brim of his hat...


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"Princess! Princess, please wake up!" a voice pleaded.

Serenity grunted and her eyes opened. Her personal attendant was bending over her, the girl's red hair loose and in disarray. Serenity blinked, disoriented. She was warm, but she couldn't move. Looking around in a brief moment of panic, she realized she was lying in her comfortable bed, the sheets tightly wrapped around her, fingers gripping the covers until her knuckles lost all color. A dream. It had only been a dream. That man, though, she had almost seen his face...

"Why did you wake me?" Serenity asked crossly, struggling to untangle the sheets that bound her.

"You were...screaming... Oh, Princess, I'm sorry!" the red-haired servant cried, fumbling with the tangled covers of the bed in an effort to assist her mistress. "I was afraid; I didn't know what to do!"

"It's all right, Adele," Serenity said absently, finally flinging the blankets away from her body. "Go and tell the others I am ready to rise." With a swift nod, the short girl hurried out of the room to fetch the rest of the Princess' attendants.

As she waited, Serenity stretched out on her bed and tried to hold on to the details of her dream. That man... Without even seeing his face, she had felt so safe and secure in his presence. Somehow, she had known he was a man who cared about her as a woman, not as a Princess. A man who...loved her. As long as he was there, she had felt she could face anything, even the destruction of her kingdom.

Serenity shuddered at the memory of the bone-white corpse of the Moon hanging in Earth's sky, and of herself, trapped against her will in the role of a Sailor Soldier. She squeezed her eyes shut. It had only been a dream. Only a bad dream.


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Later that morning, Princess Serenity and her mother escorted their visitors back to the teleportation chamber for their return to Earth. A small delegation of Lunarian scientists and diplomats were traveling with them, to study the progress the Golden Kingdom had made since all contact had ceased between the two worlds. Prince Endymion was going as well, to finish settling the affairs of his life. In a few weeks, he and his four guardians would return to the Moon to make it their permanent home.

If the Earth Prince was excited to return to the planet of his birth, he showed no sign of it. Their parting was similar to their meeting; a simple kiss on the hand served as Prince Endymion's farewell to his fiance. Along with her mother, the four Sailor Soldiers, and Luna, Princess Serenity said her goodbyes to the delegation from Earth and the departing representatives of the Moon.

Throughout it all, Luna seemed to stand as far from the Princess as decorum allowed. Although Serenity tried to catch the black-haired woman's eye several times, Luna would not meet her gaze. She was wearing her usual bright yellow dress, but there was no sunshine in her face.

Even in the crowded room, Luna seemed small and lonely without Artemis by her side. Sailor Venus did as well, for that matter. Absently, Serenity wondered where the platinum-haired man was. It was unlike him to miss any important occasion, especially if Luna was going to be there.

At last, the assembled travelers lined up and faced the teleportation platform, the lower-ranking members of the party arranging baggage on their shoulders and backs. Princess Serenity received a kiss on the hand from her future father-in-law and a brief embrace from Queen Elana in farewell, but Prince Endymion's only final message was a short stiff bow.

A technician pressed a button on the wall panel, and the color of the shimmering column of light that rose from the platform shifted from silver to a soft gold, signifying a successful link with Earth. The departing people marched forward in a procession, climbing onto the platform a few at a time. As soon as they stood fully on the illuminated stone, the travelers vanished in a shimmer of gold light. Soon, they were all gone.

Princess Serenity sagged slightly as she breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, at least for a while, her life could go back to normal. For a precious few weeks, she would be free of Prince Endymion's disheartening presence. The assembled Sailor Soldiers and attendants began to file out of the room, the Princess and the Queen among them.

"Princess," Sailor Mercury called from behind the royal pair. The silver-haired girl sighed and slowed to a stop. Of course; her daily lessons with the blue-haired scholar.

"Wait, Mercury." It was her mother's voice. The Princess turned around to see the graceful monarch approaching her. "With your leave, I'd like to take Serenity under my wing today. Now that she is officially engaged, I think it's time she began training for her role as Queen."

"Of course, my Queen," Mercury replied with a polite bow. The four Sailor Soldiers left the room, leaving only the white-robed royals and the Queen's attendants, including Luna.

Queen Serenity led her daughter to the heart of the Moon Castle, down corridors the Princess rarely set foot in. Soon they reached an area that even the young heir to the Moon had never entered. There were no guards here, and the Queen's attendants rushed forward to open a set of doors inlaid with silver carvings. The group stepped through into a small, comfortable room furnished with simple chairs and sofas; a waiting room of some kind. The doors at the other end of the chamber were made of solid marble, with the image of a jewel emblazoned over the center in polished silver.

Here was where the attendants would be left behind. The assembled servants, who were the Queen's most trusted personal assistants, had obviously been to this place before; they filed into the room and seated themselves without waiting for instructions. Queen Serenity crossed to the marble doors and placed the palm of her hand flat against the gem emblem. Without a sound, the heavy slabs of marble slowly opened outward. Sunlight streamed in.

The Queen beckoned to her daughter, and Princess Serenity followed her mother through the doorway, Luna close behind them. As she crossed the threshold, the Princess' shoes landed in soft grass. They had entered a courtyard at the heart of the Moon Castle, an area open to the dark sky but completely enclosed by walls, cloistered in the embrace of the castle itself.

A few steps across the grass brought the three women onto a smooth tiled surface. In the center of the courtyard stood a small building supported by pillars of marble, with a silver door encrusted with carvings. Princess Serenity looked up, her eyes wide with wonder. Sprouting from the roof of the little temple was a tall crystal spire that climbed toward the sky, the sun sparkling on its smooth curves.

"The Crystal Tower," the young Princess breathed. She had always wondered about this place since she first saw the peak of the tower peering over the domes and roofs of her mother's castle.

"Yes," the Queen confirmed as she approached the entrance to the small structure surrounding the crystal's base. "The tower of prayer." At the door, she turned back to face her daughter and advisor. "I will enter first. Wait here, Serenity, until I call you." The Princess nodded solemnly in agreement.

Her mother pressed her hand to the silver gate, and the ornate door swung open. The interior of the building was completely dark. Queen Serenity stepped inside, and the entrance closed behind her, waiting just long enough to avoid catching her long streams of lavender hair.

Princess Serenity and Luna were left alone in the enclosed courtyard. The younger woman stole a glance at the dark-haired advisor and bit her lip, staring at the tiled floor beneath them. Luna's face was downcast and her eyes roamed everywhere but near her Princess. Her fingers twitched nervously over the cloth of her yellow dress. Serenity cleared her throat softly, her heart uneasy with regret.

"Where is Artemis today?" she asked conversationally.

"Artemis is bound to the royal family of Venus, not to that of the Moon," Luna answered briefly. "He is not permitted in this place."

"He was not in the teleportation chamber this morning, either," Princess Serenity pressed, unwilling to fall into silence again.

Luna sighed heavily, briefly closing her eyes in frustration. "Artemis has been sent on a mission," she muttered curtly, "a mission that does not concern you."

A hot blush rushed to Serenity's cheeks, and she hung her head, crestfallen. She knew this sharp-tongued voice. It was the voice Luna had used when the Princess was unruly as a child, when she needed to remind Serenity that Luna was her mother's advisor before she was the Princess' friend. It was her business tone. Serenity had truly hurt her.

"Luna, I..." Serenity trailed off, staring down at her hands. "Luna, I'm sorry. I was upset. I didn't mean those things I said. You are my friend. I mean, I want you to be my friend." After a pause, the Princess took a deep breath and timidly looked up at the older woman. To her relief, Luna was smiling, and the light had returned to her eyes.

"I am your friend, Moonbeam. I will always be your friend." The two women embraced, the warmth of their bodies banishing the chill of ill will. "Thank you," Luna whispered into the ear of her Princess.

"I am glad you two were able to resolve your conflict." Luna and Princess Serenity drew apart, startled, and turned to see the Queen standing in the open doorway of the small temple, a warm smile on her face. For a moment, the Princess bristled with indignance; her mother knew of the previous day's argument. Even her private conversations with Luna went straight to her mother's ear. She had little time to be upset, however, as the Queen called her forward.

"The Crystal Tower," the serene monarch began, "is a relic of the past. Through the tower of prayer, our voices can reach the Ancients." She looked at her daughter, her eyes serious and solemn. "This is a place open only to the line of Serenity. Only the reigning Queen may speak to the Ancients. You must never allow any other to enter the temple, Serenity; not even the Sailor Soldiers or Luna. Not even your own daughter, until she is ready. To do so would have serious consequences for our world, even destroy it. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mother." Princess Serenity nodded unsteadily, quaking with nervous excitement. She was about to enter a place where only her mother had ever set foot, a special place for those of her blood. At the same time, a shiver of fear rolled through her body at the seriousness of the situation. What would she encounter within the temple? The Princess steeled her resolve. She would show her mother that she was indeed mature enough to be trusted with this responsibility.

Queen Serenity smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling in a way that reminded her daughter of incidents during her childhood days when she accomplished small advances that made her mother proud.

"All right, Serenity," the elegant woman said in the smooth voice the Princess loved. "Now, someday it will be your responsibility to pray for the safety of the Moon, but this transition can not be rushed. For today, please stand back against the wall and observe only. The Crystal Tower must become accustomed to your presence before it will accept your prayers."

The Princess listened intently, the butterflies in her stomach stirring up into a real frenzy.

"The contents of this room will be easier to explain once you have seen them for yourself," her mother continued, indicating the temple with a wave of her pale arm. "Unfortunately, we must not speak aloud within the temple, and it is the only place where we as royalty can truly be alone. Hold your questions until after we have left this sanctuary and I will do my best to answer them."

Her daughter nodded slowly, her blue eyes so wide they seemed to reflect the entire sky. At last, Queen Serenity turned and headed back into the darkness within the temple. The Princess followed close behind, resisting the urge to cling to her mother's skirts like a child.

At first, all was shadow, as dark as the Moon when the sun and the Earth had both fled the skies. As soon as the silver door closed behind mother and daughter, the darkness lifted in waves like heavy curtains. A blast of white light filled the temple and the Princess flung an arm in front of her eyes, biting her tongue to keep from crying out in surprise.

The inside of the structure was a simple round room, the tiled floor bare from wall to wall. At the center, the Crystal Tower rose from the dusty surface of the Moon itself, so thick at its base that all four Sailor Soldiers together could barely have embraced it. The smooth spire glowed from within with a soft white light, which was still dazzling even after Princess Serenity's eyes had adjusted.

Heeding her mother's instructions, the Moon Princess stepped to the side of the entrance and backed up against the temple wall, breathing rapidly with apprehension. The Queen approached the root of the tower and knelt on the hard tile floor, arranging her form-fitting white dress around her legs. Clasping her hands in front of her chest, the ruler of the Moon bowed her head and fell into complete silent stillness.

The Princess held her breath in anticipation. She stood perfectly motionless for what seemed a long time, her eyes soaking in the soft white glow of the Crystal Tower. Just as she began to grow tired of standing in one place, the room brightened. The heart of the semi-transparent stone began to glow brilliantly with a pure light that pulsed, throbbed, then steadied, throwing the Queen's shadow sharp against the floor.

The light was brighter than midday sunshine, yet the Princess felt no need to hide her eyes. A warm, comforting wave rolled over her and her body tingled from her fingertips to her toes. In that moment, she felt more at peace than she had ever been.

Her blue gaze plunged into the heart of the Crystal Tower, diving into the light, and the Moon Princess was able to discern the source of the power - a shimmering jewel, every facet symmetrical and perfect, shining brightly from the center of the spire of crystal. Surely this was the root of the power of the Moon, the legendary Silver Crystal. The Princess had often heard about the ancient stone that was her mother's greatest strength, but she had never before laid eyes upon it. She had, however, felt its power. The warm, tingling energy in this room felt exactly the same as what she had experienced in her strange dream.

After a moment, the light dimmed and the Silver Crystal returned to being an indiscernible part of the enormous Crystal Tower. Queen Serenity rose from the floor and led the way out of the temple, darkness descending around them as the silver door opened once again. The Princess stepped back into the open courtyard, the sunshine seeming dim and cold compared to what she had just experienced. Luna was wandering slowly around the area, aware that the royal women would need a moment of privacy.

"That...was the Silver Crystal?" the Moon Princess asked, looking up at the lavender-haired woman.

"Yes. That is the source of all the Moon Kingdom has become," her mother confirmed. "It is our only relic of the Ancients and an item of power so great it has few limits. The Silver Crystal," the Queen explained, "reads your wish, your deepest, most sincere desire, and makes it happen. Every day I pray for the safety and security of the Moon Kingdom and the means to protect its people, and the Silver Crystal grants my wish. When you are Queen, Serenity, that duty will fall to you."

"And the Crystal Tower?" the Princess inquired, her head swimming with the magnitude of what she had just learned.

"The tower acts both as protection for the Silver Crystal and as an amplifier for its power," the Moon Queen replied. "The Silver Crystal itself contains great energy, but it must be combined with an amplifier of some kind before it can release that power. In a pinch, your own body may serve as its temple." At this, the graceful woman's eyes became deadly serious as she met her daughter's bright blue gaze. "However, the Silver Crystal draws on all energy that surrounds it when it is active. If you become its amplifier, my child, you may also become its sacrifice. Never use the Silver Crystal with your own hands unless there is no alternative. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mother." A chill swept through the Princess' body. If it came to that, would she be strong enough to give her life for her kingdom, for her people? That was the measure of a true Queen.

Queen Serenity nodded in satisfaction. "Then, that is enough for today. You will have daily lessons with me from now on, until you have mastered all the secrets of the Moon Kingdom."

Together, mother and daughter crossed the courtyard back to the double doors that separated them from the Moon Castle, Luna joining them on the ribbon of grass. The Queen again pressed her palm to the doors and they opened, allowing the three women to reenter the waiting room. The attendants inside rose from their chairs to rejoin their mistress.

Suddenly, as the white-robed monarch glided across the room, her glass shoe caught the fraying fringe of a worn patch of carpet and the Queen pitched forward. Before her daughter could even cry out, one of the servants was already rushing toward the lavender-haired ruler, flinging out an arm in front of the older woman. Queen Serenity seized the offered limb and was able to steady herself.

"See that this carpet is repaired!" Luna snapped to one of the other attendants, who nodded and rushed from the room. "Are you all right, my Queen?" the dark-haired woman asked anxiously.

"Yes, Luna, I am fine." The Moon Queen looked a bit shaken, but turned to the servant who had broken her fall. "Thank you, Sala." Removing a jeweled bracelet from her wrist, Queen Serenity dropped it into the hands of the tall rose-haired attendant, who thanked her profusely.

"Always reward those who go beyond the call of duty for you, my dear," the Queen advised her daughter. "A good ruler ensures that her subjects know they are appreciated."


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After the events of the morning, the rest of Princess Serenity's day settled back into a familiar routine. She completed her usual lessons with Sailor Mercury and entertained a few visiting diplomats, fitting in lunch and dinner along the way. At last, evening fell and Serenity was able to retire to her rooms. After dismissing her personal attendant with the excuse that she wanted to learn to prepare herself for bed - a married woman would need such a skill, after all - the Princess once again found herself alone on her balcony, staring out over the reflecting pool and pondering the day's events.

At last, she had seen the infamous Silver Crystal, the stone that made it possible for the entire Moon Kingdom to exist, the jewel that had created life on a dead, dusty rock. She had also learned one of the Silver Crystal's dark secrets: to use its power firsthand could mean death for the wielder.

A small breeze swept across the balcony, and Princess Serenity shivered more violently than the slight draft warranted. Would her mother ever be called upon to use the Silver Crystal's ultimate power? Obviously, the current Queen was prepared to do so if necessary, but Princess Serenity did not feel as confident. What if she were faced with that situation herself? Would she be able to willingly sacrifice her life?

The young woman looked out over the castle grounds. She knew that out there, beyond the clear water and colorful flowers sparkling in the earthlight, lay an entire city - no, an entire world, depending on its rulers for survival. Those people were able to sleep at night due to their belief that Serenity would someday protect them as her mother did. Could she live up to their expectations? Would she fail her people?

The cloud of melancholy was so thick around Serenity that she almost did not notice the rustling of the bushes below her balcony. As she turned to look down, a dark shape darted out from the leaves and rushed to the corner where the balcony met the castle wall. The Princess almost screamed before she remembered.

"Endou!" she exclaimed in a whisper, hurrying to the side of the balcony to peer down at the dark-haired stable hand. He smiled shyly up at her, his charcoal eyes shining in the earthlight. He held a length of slender rope in his tanned hands. Serenity leaned over the rail eagerly. A visit with Endou was the perfect thing to take her mind off the heavy responsibilities that faced her.

Suddenly, she straightened up. By visiting the Princess secretly, this Earth-child was putting his liberty on the line. Surely that was an act above and beyond the call of duty.

"Just a moment!" Serenity rushed back into her chambers, her white dress flying out behind her. Inside, she looked around her bedroom frantically. What trinket could she give this young man as a reward for his service?

Her fingers strayed to the bracelet of orange beads around her wrist. She should probably have told the stable hand to keep it in the first place; perhaps if she gave it to him now...but the memory brought a faint smile to Serenity's pale face. He had come all this way just to return the bracelet to her, had brought it to her personally...had touched it with his own hands...

Why was she thinking that way? The young Princess blushed furiously and shook her head to clear it. Still, she wanted to keep the bracelet as her own memento. Something else...

Scurrying over to her dressing-table, Serenity opened a drawer and lifted out a gold, star-shaped locket. Yes, this would do nicely. It was both valuable and unique, yet Serenity had amassed so many trinkets over the years that no one but herself would notice its absence. Besides, she recalled darkly, there was now no hope that the locket would ever work properly. She slipped the smooth object into a hidden pocket of her dress and dashed back out onto the balcony.

"Thank you for coming," Serenity said, leaning against the rail to look down at her visitor. "The castle may be large, but it feels like a prison sometimes."

"It is my pleasure, Princess," Endymion replied. What was he doing here? Again? If he were found here, nothing could save him. He looked up at the young Lunarian bending over the rail, her silver hair pooling on the creamy marble, her pale face bathed in her own shadow. She truly seemed happy to see him, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The smile of her rosy lips, the sparkle in her sapphire eyes, made Endymion feel lighter as well. He had no regrets.

"Let's get you down from there...if you still wish it, that is."

"I do." Kneeling close to the railing, Serenity slipped her arms through the marble posts to catch the end of the rope as Endymion tossed it up to her. Following the young man's instructions, the Princess wrapped the rope around one of the railing's supports, letting both ends dangle toward the ground. Despite her efforts to appear brave, the young woman trembled as she climbed over the edge and slipped her foot into a loop Endymion had tied in the rope. As Serenity clung to the cord, the stable hand gently lowered her to the ground. Once again, the Lunarian Princess and the Earth-born stable hand stood face to face.

Serenity had landed quite close to the man, close enough that she had to tilt her head upward to see his face. He was dressed all in black, but it was the dusky deep gray of inexpensive roughly-woven cloth. He seemed to have a perfect tan, and his hair was tossed and disheveled as if he had been running. Looking at his face, the Princess noticed a few very faint scars, memorials to a lifetime of work.

In her daily life, Princess Serenity encountered a great number of people, all of them with smooth, delicate skin and elegant, expensive clothing. This man was unique to her, his alien lifestyle an enigma. There was something about this rough-skinned, rugged man that, somewhere deep within her heart, the pampered Princess found quite attractive.

Endymion was struck silent by the situation, standing so close to the heir to the Moon for the third day in a row. For a long moment he gazed down at the pale, crystal-haired woman, whose cheeks flushed slightly under his watch. She was so beautiful, with her alabaster skin and pure white dress, that she nearly shone. The young man's brow furrowed. In fact, the Princess shone too brightly.

"Do you not have anything...well, darker, to wear?" he whispered awkwardly.

Serenity bristled, her cheeks flooding with red. "How many options do you think I have?" she hissed. "Do you not have anything more formal to wear?"

"Fair enough," Endymion admitted, abruptly conscious of his worn and patched clothing. "I apologize." He reached up to his throat and unclasped his cloak, holding the length of dark brown cloth out to his companion. "If you don't mind, Princess," he muttered, "it will be easiest if we are able to blend with the shadows."

Serenity reached out and took the cloak tentatively. The rough fibers were harsher than any cloth she had ever before touched and she wondered how anyone could bear such coarse fabric against their skin.

"Are you ashamed of me, Endou?" she teased as she wrapped the cloak around her body, trying to ignore the prickling on her bare shoulders and arms.

"Not at all," the dark-haired man replied softly, "but you sparkle like the stars, Princess, and we will be seen." Both of the young people's hearts skipped a beat. What had he just said?

The Princess carefully lifted the hood of the cloak and settled it over the buns on her head, completely covering her shimmering colorless hair. Satisfied, Endymion led the way into the nearby bushes. Behind the hedge, they skirted the garden wall and, after narrowly avoiding a few guards, the pair stole into the labyrinth that was the Royal Gardens.

As the stable hand wound his way through garden after garden, Serenity was secretly impressed by his knowledge of the layout of the grounds. How much time must he have spent the previous night finding his way to her balcony?

As she hurried to keep up with Endymion's longer stride, a flash of white cloth escaped from beneath the cloak, and Serenity quickly wrapped it tighter around herself. The Princess had to admit the rough cloak was warm and effectively kept out the night chill. The cloth smelled only faintly of horses; obviously the young man was careful to keep it clean. There was another scent embedded in the fabric, a sweeter, velvet scent that was familiar...

Roses. Princess Serenity nearly stopped short in her tracks. The stable hand's cloak smelled of roses. Impossible. The only roses on the Moon grew in the castle gardens, and this cloak would've had to be in the presence of the flowers quite often before it would absorb the fragrance. Yet, there it was.

After what seemed an eternity of panicked flight to Endymion, the two of them finally reached the overgrown gardener's entrance and slipped outside. As Serenity pulled the door closed behind them, the stable hand slumped against the wall, gasping for breath. They were safe. The servants of the Moon Castle were permitted to roam the outer grounds as they wished; as long as nobody recognized the Princess, the two young people would be undisturbed.

Serenity tilted her head back and drank the starlight into her eyes, breathing deeply of the night air. She was outside. Although the outer wall still separated her from the city, she was freer than she had ever been, away from the demands of her station. With a small whoop of delight, the Princess leapt out of the shadow of the wall and into the full earthlight, the lush grass brushing against her ankles. She felt liberated, safe from the public's ever-present prying eye. Throwing out her arms, the young woman began to spin in a circle, laughing. As she whirled, the brown cowl slid off her head and her liquid-diamond hair caught the light of the evening.

At first, Endymion feared he had made a dreadful mistake and the Princess had gone quite mad. After a moment, however, he recognized the joy in her voice and realized she was simply as relieved as he that they had escaped without incident. The stable hand chuckled as he watched her from his place against the wall. Beneath the elegant clothing and years of training, Serenity was a young woman like any other.

As the cloak's hood slipped back and revealed Serenity's ecstatic face, Endymion stood still for an instant, captivated by her beauty. Great Selene, she was gorgeous when she smiled, her entire face alight and her blue eyes sparkling as she twirled in the blue-tinted earthlight, her hair shining like molten crystal. Endymion shook himself. She would soon draw attention to herself this way. He rushed toward the gleeful Princess, who stopped spinning as he approached.

"Someone will see us," he muttered, carefully reaching around the girl to pull her hood back up so it covered her hair. Serenity laughed, but she calmed down and tugged the cowl forward until it hung over the golden crescent-moon mark on her forehead. Both of them still felt a bit lighter as they began to walk together along the garden wall. As usual, Endymion searched his mind for words. What should he say to a woman he wished to befriend?

"How was your day?" he asked hesitantly, cringing inwardly in anticipation of her reaction. To his relief, the Princess didn't seem bothered by his casual question.

"The usual," she sighed, staring down at the ground. "Lessons, diplomacy, that sort of thing. I started some special lessons with my mother today, but other than that..." She shrugged beneath the brown fabric.

"I heard the Royal Family of Earth left for home today, your betrothed among them," Endymion commented, narrowing his eyes. "Is that not out of the ordinary?"

Serenity did not look up. "I hardly know Prince Endymion," she muttered bitterly. "I do not know him enough to miss him. Perhaps, someday...but not now." She cleared her throat before raising her head, painting a warm smile back on her lips. "And your day, Endou?"

The stable hand chuckled. "The usual," he echoed gaily. "My life is certainly more boring than yours, Princess."

"No," Serenity objected, looking up at the tanned man. Her eyes were wide with honest curiosity. "I would like to hear about your lifestyle. Please." Endymion could not resist her beautiful cerulean gaze.

They strolled together beneath the shining Earth, their feet brushing through the grass. The dark-haired man explained every aspect of the stables he could think of, from the smallest task to the most arduous labor. He could not believe how attentively the Princess was hanging on his every word, only glancing away from him occasionally to make sure there were no obstructions in her path. No one had ever shown such an interest in his painfully ordinary life before.

The young Princess noted absently how relaxed she felt in the stable hand's presence. He was speaking about everyday things, a normal day's work for him, and yet she felt as if there were nothing she would rather do than listen to him. At that moment, she realized how much she had been craving an ordinary conversation.

Why couldn't she have moments like this with her fiance? Both men were Earth-born, around the same age, similar in many ways. Why was this one so open and friendly and the other so cold and bitter? Serenity's eyes strayed back to the thick grass below her feet, and her hand lifted to play with the blue jewel at her throat. She had to spend the rest of her life with that stoic, unfeeling statue of a man, who refused to even become her friend. If only Prince Endymion would welcome a conversation as trivial as this, just occasionally, so she would know there was a heart beneath his black-robed exterior. That would have been enough.

Beside her, Endymion's voice slowly trailed off as he watched Princess Serenity with concern. Once again, all the light and life had drained out of the young woman, all the sparkle that amazed the stable hand so much. He recalled glumly that she seemed to withdraw into herself at any mention of her fiance, or love. Endymion had not mentioned either of these subjects, but from the way Serenity was toying with her engagement pendant he suspected she was thinking about the Earth Prince again.

He had never experienced it himself, of course, but Endymion had been around enough amorous couples to know that no woman should be saddened by the thought of her betrothed. With a sinking feeling, he watched the beautiful young woman, an entire kingdom's hope for the future, drowning in a hopeless sorrow born of an event even now being celebrated by her people.

He had to say something. As a stable hand, he was the last person in the entire solar system who had the right to ask the Princess personal questions, but the Lunarian beside him was also a woman with feelings like any other. He could not stand idly by and watch her suffer, no matter the consequences.

"You don't want to marry him, do you."

It was far more a statement than a question. Serenity jerked her head up and stared at the tanned man incredulously. How dare he say such a thing, a lowly servant like him? She was outraged...and embarrassed. Was it truly that obvious?

Her eyes aflame beneath the edge of the brown hood, the Princess opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind - and stopped short. Although he surely could see her fury, he simply watched her patiently, his face creased with concern. Serenity looked into Endymion's soft charcoal eyes and saw nothing but gentle sympathy. She sagged, defeated, all her anger vanishing. She could not punish him for being smart enough to notice what not even her dearest friends could see.

And, since he had asked...why not tell him? At first, Serenity recoiled at the thought, but really, what would be the harm? As a stable hand, there was no chance he would tell her secret to anyone in the castle, and if he mentioned it to his fellow servants, surely they would not believe him. Yes, he was a citizen of her kingdom, and thus he probably wanted to see his Princess successfully wedded to the Prince of Earth...but he had asked.

"You are right," she whispered, hanging her head again. "I don't want to marry him. I... He..." Serenity's voice broke, and she felt tears stinging the corners of her eyes. She bit her lip and clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. No. She would not cry in front of this man.

"Why not?" Endymion asked gently, carefully keeping the expression of caring concern on his face. It was as he had feared. This lovely, blossoming young flower was about to be trapped forever in an unwanted marriage. Serenity did not respond. Without a word, she turned away from him and continued walking along their path.

"I apologize, Princess," Endymion said, hurrying to catch up with her. "Your reasons are your own." He sighed. "I can not say I know how you feel, but the life of a servant is not without the pressures of class." Somewhere at the back of his mind, Endymion realized his steps were automatically leading them toward the stables; the complex was just around the next corner of the wall.

"Everyone keeps telling me I should be with Misa," the young man explained. "We've been friends since we were children. She's beautiful, kind, and talented. As a stable hand I could not hope for a better match. But I do not love her."

The similarities between their situations slipped past Princess Serenity as a minor detail caught her attention.

"This Misa, she is a woman? And yet you are friends?" She stared at Endymion as if he had suddenly announced he was a long-lost Prince.

"Well, yes," the stable hand replied, returning the puzzled look. As they reached the side entrance to the stables, he pushed the door open and peered into the dimly-lit interior. It was empty, save for the horses. Without conscious thought, he opened the door further to allow the Princess to step through. "Should we not be?"

Serenity crossed the threshold into the warm stable, looking around curiously. She had often been riding, of course, but the horses had been brought up to the castle for her. She had never seen where the beasts were housed. Luminous crystals set in the walls gave off just enough light to see by, and the Princess could make out the shapes of stalls and pens in the darkness. The air was punctuated by the occasional sound as the animals shifted and snorted in their sleep or stamped restlessly in their stalls. The stable was kept quite clean and smelled more of fresh hay than the beasts who dwelt there.

This was the work-animals section of the stables. Endymion instinctively led Serenity past the shared pens toward the area where the higher-breed beasts were kept. He knew exactly where the royal family's horses were quartered.

"I have never been permitted to befriend any males," the Princess said, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the animals. "I had assumed that was a rule common to all children on the Moon."

The stable hand looked at her oddly. "I have never heard of such a rule, nor met anyone who was bound by it," he replied. As they passed through a door, the large pens where several animals slept together gave way to neat, well-kept individual stalls. These horses had names and specific owners and handlers. Serenity was silent for a while. Was she the only one in her kingdom whose social life was so restricted?

At the far end of the complex, they entered a small, more private stable, with the crest of Serenity etched in silver on the door. When Endymion opened this room, the Princess discovered a dozen familiar faces.

"Moonshine! Star of Neptune!" The young woman greeted all the horses by name, many of which awakened to return the greeting with tosses of their heads. The full range of Sol system breeds was represented here in the royal family's private collection.

Closing the door behind them, Endymion smiled with pleasure. "I did not know you were so familiar with your horses, Princess," he commented.

"You didn't know I cared for my own garden, either," Serenity pointed out, reaching over the gate of a stall to caress the nose of the most treasured of the black stallions. "There is much you do not know about me, Endou."

"I always thought the nobility was too busy with more important matters to give much thought to lesser forms of life," Endymion remarked with a sly smirk pricking at the corner of his mouth as he wandered the small stable, admiring the magnificent beasts. Serenity returned the smirk, shooting him a sideways glance.

"I always thought Earth-children were greedy, untrustworthy, and cruel." They grinned at one another across the room.

Serenity was beginning to feel uncomfortably warm. She wanted to remove the rough brown cloak, or at least lower the hood, but she didn't dare. Someone might walk in on them at any moment. The Princess was outside the castle, but its walls still bound her. She looked up at the slender jet-black nose of the stallion beside her, its chocolate eyes whispering of freedom. She had already come this far...

"Let's go out for a ride."

"What? But, Princess..."

The cloaked young woman half-turned around, her blue eyes peeking out at Endymion from beneath the rough brown hood. For an instant, her eyes changed and the stable hand found himself gazing into dark cerulean pools of utter despair. Serenity's entire expression was cold and dead, her true suffering showing through, all masks removed. Endymion shivered from his head to his toes as the cage of the Princess showed clearly for the first time. His heart wailed with sorrow within his chest.

He never wanted to see her look like that again.

"All right," Endymion said quietly, his tongue numb in his mouth. Instantly, Princess Serenity's entire face lit up, banishing all traces of the bitter hopelessness that had reigned there a moment before. The mask had returned - but now, Endymion knew it was a mask.

"I will ride Starry Night," Serenity said brightly, turning away to unlock the latch of the black stallion's pen. What had she just done? What was she thinking, showing her pain to this man? Was she that desperate for an escape, no matter how temporary? "You may choose any of the others, Endou - except for Crystalis, only my mother is permitted to ride her."

"Oh, no, I couldn't," Endymion stammered, staring around at all the high-bred majestic creatures surrounding him. "With your leave, I'd feel far more comfortable on one of the common horses kept for guests." The Princess gave a small nod and he ducked back through the door into the main stables. He soon found a creamy brown gelding that was awake and energetic.

Although he had done this countless times before, Endymion's hands shook as he saddled the Lunarian horse. A ride with the Princess...what was he getting into? Did she intend to flee the city? What would he do then? The stable hand hurried back to the smaller room, gelding in tow - and found Princess Serenity ready and waiting astride the inky-black stallion. The horse was properly saddled, all the fastenings secure, and the Princess had carefully tucked her dress around her legs and arranged the cloak to cover it. For a long moment Endymion just stared, openmouthed, and Serenity's eyes filled with laughter.

"I have learned some useful skills in my training, Endou," she explained with a giggle. "I told you, there is much you do not know about me."


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


A short while later, the two of them were riding through the training fields adjacent to the castle grounds, safely separated from the shining marble structures by a few rows of trees and bushes set to divide the land. On this side of the castle, the edge of the city's atmospheric dome was especially close. The grounds between that barrier and the castle wall were reserved for military drills and the training and exercise of the beasts.

The sky was clear and the Earth was shining brightly, pouring down just enough light to see by in the absence of the Moon Castle's glow. Princess Serenity had never felt so free in all her life. She had been riding many times, but always in the company of soldiers where slow and steady was the rule. Lazy processions through the Upper Quarter were no comparison to a swift gallop, the muscular steed below her moving in leaps and bounds as the ground flew away beneath its pounding hooves.

As they passed through a small grove of trees, Serenity glanced back at the stable hand riding just behind her. She had been amazed by how quickly the guards at the west gate had let them pass when the young man gave the excuse of these horses being restless and needing exercise. He was a mere stable hand, and an Earth-child besides, yet Serenity had seen such respect in the guards' eyes when they looked at him. They obviously trusted his judgment, at least when it came to horses, and had not even questioned the presence or identity of the cloaked servant riding alongside him. Watching the tanned man's expert handling of his mount, it was obvious that his skills were no ruse.

Endymion threw his head back, reveling in the feeling of the wind rushing through his short hair. True winds blew quite rarely on the Moon, yet he always felt more at home, somehow, when a brisk breeze was sweeping past his cheeks. He leaned with the rhythmic rocking motion of the beast beneath him, the speed sending a ripple of excitement through his body.

A peal of joyous laughter drew Endymion's attention and he lowered his head to glance at the Princess. The heir to the Moon had pushed back the hood of the dark cloak, and her platinum streams of hair were flying behind her, rippling in the wind and shining in the earthlight. Serenity's face was alight in rapt ecstasy as her horse bounded across the turf.

After securing his grip on the reins, Endymion urged his mount forward until he drew even with the black stallion. Noticing him out of the corner of her eye, Serenity, in turn, edged her steed forward, a grin spreading across her face. The stable hand kicked the tan gelding into a run. The Moon Princess did the same. The race was on.

"Do you think you can best the training of the Moon's most accomplished experts?" Serenity called out as the black stallion dodged a boulder in her path.

"I've been working with horses all my life!" the Earth-child shouted back between verbal commands to his own mount. "I know them better than anyone!" The Lunarian horse was a young one, but agile and strong.

"A Princess never loses to a commoner!" Serenity joked, heading for a handful of trees clustered on the field. Her heart was racing along with the horse's pounding hooves, her hair nearly whipping her in the face as she glanced back to check her opponent's position. The stable hand was truly a magnificent rider, his entire body moving in rhythm with the lightfooted steed. Dark hair tossed about by the wind, loose shirt rippling around his muscular form, he leaned forward as he enticed his horse to keep up with her.

"A Princess never rides as if legions of enemies were chasing her, either!" Endymion teased, his eyes never leaving the crystal-haired goddess ahead of him. The rough cloak had come untucked from her legs and was streaming behind her, exposing the white dress that became nearly luminescent in the blue-green earthlight. With the inky-black stallion flowing beneath her like a living shadow, the pale woman almost seemed to be flying.

"Is it not healthy to bend the rules on occasion?" In a very unladylike gesture, Serenity stuck out her tongue at her companion. Endymion chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief as they passed beneath the branches of the cluster of trees.

Suddenly, the Earth-born stable hand tensed with fear. A wave of inexplicable terror seized his body and made his heart skip a beat. At about the same moment, there was a screamed whinny from the black stallion and a shriek from Princess Serenity. The charcoal horse took off like a shot, wresting the reins from the young woman's hands. Endymion passed the tree just in time to see a creature of some kind, its identity concealed by shadow, retreat into the leaves.

"SERENITY!" he yelled out at the top of his lungs as she was carried away from him.

The royal stallion was spooked beyond all control. It bolted wildly across the fields, its body soon glistening with sweat. Holding on to the saddle for dear life, Serenity felt like she would be shaken to pieces. With every jarring strike of the hooves, her teeth rattled in her mouth and her neck nearly threatened to snap. In a desperate move she leaned forward and managed to snatch up the reins from the beast's neck. She pulled with all her might and shouted with all her voice, but it was no use. Adrenaline was fully in control of the stallion's mind now.

Endymion cursed repeatedly as he urged forth every bit of speed that could be had from the brown gelding. Serenity was riding one of the prized black stallions, the most powerful horses in the Moon, perhaps in the entire Sol system. He would never be able to catch up to her.

Then, he saw it. The faint shimmer in the air, beyond which no grass grew and the surface of the Moon was as white as bone. The border, the edge of the atmospheric dome. The boundary between greenery and dust was crisp, clear, and sudden, but Endymion knew the horse would not recognize the barely-noticeable waver in the air as a sign of danger. He also knew the transparent dome was as solid as a marble wall.

Through the shaking, jumping world surrounding Serenity's eyes, the Princess noticed it too. The edge was close, too close; the stallion would collide with it in a matter of minutes. The foul taste of vomit burned her throat as her heart was whipped up into a panicked frenzy. Which would be worse; to crash into the barrier or the hard ground?

Throwing her head back, Serenity cast a terrified glance at the stable hand. She was beyond screaming, but through the haze of fear she could still see him clearly. He rode like the wind through the earthlight, seeming to nearly become one with the gelding beneath him, his clothing and hair torn back by the air. He urged his steed onward with his voice and every motion of his body, intent in his pursuit, face set in determination.

Somehow, she knew just by looking at him that the consequences of harming a Princess were furthest from his mind. She was a person in need, and he was set on rescuing her. At the same time there was something else, the need to save someone who was...special to him...

It was no use. The gelding was tiring and the stallion was still gathering speed. A deep futile despair began to settle within Endymion as he watched Serenity drawing away from him, heading for her death at an incredible speed. In desperation, he flung a hand out in front of him and put everything he had, his entire mind and soul, into one commanding cry of the horse's name.

"Starry Night! STOP!"

To his surprise, the runaway stallion actually tossed its head and slowed, its frantic paces calming ever so slightly. The difference was small, but it was enough. Endymion's mount drew even with the jet-black horse, and he edged it as close to the stallion's side as he dared.

Without waiting for instructions, the Princess stretched toward him with both arms, her face consumed by panic. The stable hand was grateful for all his years of lifting hay bales as he caught her by the arms and pulled her across to him, to safety. She felt light as a feather, and she shook like a leaf against his chest as the fear released itself in sobbing and tears. The contact between them, once again, was powerful. It destroyed all of Serenity's barriers and threatened to move Endymion to tears as well, but there were more important matters at hand.

Reaching out again, Endymion caught the reins of the panicked stallion and, with the gelding's remaining strength to assist, managed to calm the animal enough to avoid disaster. He released his hold and the now-docile horse trotted gracefully to a stop. Reining in his own mount, Endymion lowered Princess Serenity to the ground and then dismounted himself.

No sooner had his feet touched the grass than the crystal-haired Princess was once again in his arms, clinging to his shirt as she buried her face in his chest. Endymion's shirt soon became soaked with her tears as he held her securely, as relieved as she that Serenity was safe. Their panic and fear gradually drained away as they stood there together, forgetting all differences of class and blood as they struggled to calm the pounding of their hearts.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Once they had rested, Endymion and Serenity headed back toward the castle grounds at a casual gallop. Endymion's palms were sweating where he held the reins of the black stallion. It was important to the beast's training that it be ridden again immediately, but the Princess had been too frightened to ride either horse alone. Endymion's heart was once again racing as he tried unsuccessfully to ignore the slender arms wrapped around his waist.

It was odd how the charcoal horse seemed to carry itself a bit taller than usual as it gaily galloped along, beautiful in all its grace. The tall stallion had even knelt down on the turf to allow Endymion to mount after he had removed the saddle so both of them could ride together. It seemed proud, somehow, to be carrying the stable hand upon its back.

For his part, Endymion was nothing but nervous. The elegant black stallion was taller and stronger than any beast he had ever been astride, and the warmth of the Princess' body pressing up against his back was sending tingles up and down his spine.

"Are you all right, Princess?" Endymion practically croaked, desperate to break the silence.

Serenity opened her eyes to escape from the half-trance that had claimed her. The rocking motion of the horse was soothing, and she was enveloped by an incredible, calming sense of safety. She looked up at the back of the head of the man sitting in front of her. Even from behind, he was still so handsome, his short dark hair drifting in the wind like the mane of the majestic stallion beneath him. Despite the ordeal she had just endured, she felt perfectly secure. As long as he was there, nothing could harm her.

"Back there," she said quietly, "when Starry Night bolted, you called me 'Serenity.'"

Endymion's blood ran cold. Such a careless mistake. She would never forgive him for forgetting his place. With one foolish word, he had destroyed everyth-

"I liked that," the Princess continued. "Please, do not go back to using my title. We are friends, are we not? I would like you to address me as my friends do. My name, not my position."

"As you wish...Serenity." Endymion almost couldn't believe it. He had succeeded. They had become friends. He sat a bit higher on the royal stallion's broad back, breathing a satisfied sigh.

Behind him, Serenity also sighed contentedly as the grass rolled away beneath the horse's hooves. The stable hand's body was so firm and strong beneath her arms, unlike so many pampered courtiers, yet it was still as warm, his blood as hot as any noble birth could give him. Closing her eyes, the Princess leaned against the young man's back, resting her cheek between his shoulder blades. Her heart pounded with the boldness of such an act, but she didn't care. He was her hero, her savior.

For a moment, her eyes flew open again in surprise. It wasn't just the cloak. The man himself smelled of roses.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


After returning the horses to the stables, Endymion and Serenity strolled together along the edges of the castle grounds, too wound up by the night's experiences to part yet. Now it was Serenity's turn to lead, and they followed a tiled walkway along the edge of a wide reflecting pool. As usual, the waters were perfectly clear and still, catching a flawless mirror image of the Moon Castle rising over the other end of the pool. The towers of the castle seemed a soft blue under the night sky, elegant beneath the full Earth hanging above it.

Stopping beside the rail that lined the edge of the walkway, Serenity turned to face the tanned stable hand. Now was as good a time as any. "I have a gift for you, Endou," she said, reaching into her hidden pocket to retrieve the locket.

"That is not necessary, Serenity," Endymion protested, but she placed the gold star-shaped object in his hand. It was about the size of his palm, with five rounded points, and it was lighter than its appearance betrayed. Endymion's curiosity got the best of him, and he carefully opened the circular cover at the center of the star.

A lovely, lilting melody filled the air as the round crystal disk under the cover began to sparkle and shine, the locket coming to life. Within the crystal, a crescent moon shape rotated in a circle in time with the tinkling music. Endymion smiled faintly. A music box like this would bring more money than he had ever dreamed of, but he would not even consider selling it.

Serenity choked on a gasp as the soft melody issued forth from the golden star. It was impossible...but the locket couldn't lie. To cover her half-cry of shock, the Princess giggled lightly, but she could not prevent the blush from rising in her cheeks.

"Thank you for saving me, Endou," she said softly.

"It is reward enough to see you safe," Endymion replied honestly. His arm rose on its own and his hand extended to caress Serenity's rosy cheek. Their flesh tingled where skin met skin, waves of warmth radiating through Serenity's face and down Endymion's arm as the calming tones of the music box surrounded them. The Princess and the stable hand gazed into one another's eyes, both of them seeing a tenderness they would never have expected to find there.

A soft roll of thunder broke the spell and Endymion abruptly pulled his hand away. Princess Serenity looked up at the sky and discovered it had become filled with dark billowing clouds. The bright Earth was hidden and all the stars were obscured.

"The rain!" she realized. "I forgot it was scheduled for tonight! There isn't much time!" The pair of them took off running for the gardens, racing against the gathering storm.


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Later, the Moon Princess was back in her chambers, safe in her own rooms. She had made it inside just before the rain began to fall. The rope and cloak had been concealed in the back of a drawer in her dressing-table for future use. As far as she could tell, nobody had noticed her absence. She was safe...but her heart would not stop pounding. Serenity sat down at her dressing-table, staring at her own pale face in the mirror through the darkness as the rain roared down around the castle.

The golden star had come alive in the stable hand's palm. That locket had been a gift from the Queen of Venus when Serenity was a child; she knew its legend. The music box would only play when the locket was given to its owner's true love.

It couldn't be. She was a Princess, engaged to the Prince of Earth. She could not be in love with a common stable hand. It had to be a simple infatuation with the man who had saved her life. Yet, what was this warmth in the core of her being when she thought about him, the rush in her blood when she imagined his dark hair and deep, engulfing eyes? What was this tingling in her cheek where his rough hand had so gently touched her? She felt so free, so liberated, when she was with him; as if she could be anyone, do anything she wanted to do, and he would approve as long as she was happy.

Was this what love was?

She touched the thin chain encircling her neck with a trembling hand and hissed through her teeth. The skin was still sensitive there. Even though her fiance was on another planet, he continued to injure her through the pendant that bound her to him. Numbly, the Princess seized the chain in both hands. Slowly, mechanically, she raised it off her throat and over her head. Surely she was not expected to endure physical suffering from the symbol of her engagement. The Prince was on Earth, and she would put the pendant on again in the morning; no one would ever know. Her hands shook as she laid the stone on the dressing table.

Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Serenity untied the buns of hair at the top of her head and removed her earrings, as the servants usually did while preparing her for bed. Next, her hand moved to the bracelet of orange beads around her wrist. Her fingers tingled as she touched it, the same tingle she felt when her secret visitor brushed his skin against hers, and a perfect image of his tanned face and sparkling eyes rose in her mind. The beads were cool and smooth, harmless.

Princess Serenity climbed into her four-poster bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin, drifting into sleep to the sound of the rain pounding against her marble balcony. Her engagement pendant lay across the room on her dressing-table. The circle of round orange beads remained around her wrist.


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Endymion rushed inside his hut and slammed the door behind him, water pooling on the floor beneath his steps. Light thunder rolled through the sky, and the air outside hissed with the life-giving downpour of water. He leaned back against the panels of the door and stared into the darkness of his meager home, breathing heavily from his run through the rain. The gold star locket pressed into his palm within his secure grip.

What was happening to him? He only wanted friendship with the Princess, a chance to prove himself and gain opportunities beyond his station. What was this heat in his body, still lingering from the feeling of Serenity's arms around him? The need that he felt in her presence, the need to prove his worth, went far beyond what he had originally intended. He felt as if his entire life and everything he had worked for had been building toward these moments, this relationship. What were these feelings budding inside him?


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End of Chapter Four

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"Against All Odds" fanfiction copyright 2004 by dejanatalis@aol.com
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its associated characters and canon belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha. The text of this creative work was created by dejanatalis@aol.com and is her exclusive property. Not to be used without permission. Sailor Moon Says: Don't steal! ^.^