Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ All's Fair in Love and War ❯ Threats of Love ( Chapter 14 )

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

"All right Selenity, take a break," Diana said, and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder as she sat down, sweat glistening on her forehead.

In the week since Kino left, Diana had resumed Selenity's training. Since she turned 17, Selenity had been going through training sessions with her mother, learning how to use the Silver Crystal. Both women were frustrated beyond belief however, because Selenity could not get a connection between herself and the crystal. She had been trying for months now, but at best of times she could only get it to glow. Nothing more.

Selenity drank from the glass on the table. Her whole body ached, and her mind was one big headache. She had not practiced since she had been sick, and also for three weeks prior to that since she had been visiting Kino. Now her training was taking more energy out of her, but she was getting nowhere.

After a few moments, she got up and walked to the center of the room, and held the crystal in her hands. Diana came and walked around here. "Focus your thoughts," she instructed. Selenity closed her eyes, and focused all her thoughts and energy on the crystal. The entire universe seemed to be centered on the gem in her hands at that moment, and it began to rise from her hands until it was about five centimetres above her palms. "Good," Diana said, watching her daughter concentrating. "Now make it glow."

Selenity cleared her mind completely of everything, and pictured a soft, glowing light. She felt her muscles cramp and her brain scream at her to stop, but she pushed it all away, and focused on the light.

"Push the pain away, Selenity, you're letting it crowd your mind again," she heard her mothers voice say. She gritted her teeth and made herself feel numb, so that all pain went away, and brought her focus on the crystal again. She felt a thudding in the pit of her stomach, and blood rising to her face, but she refused to let that dominate her. She felt warmth seep from her core and down to her arms. "Yes, that's right…." her mother said gently, watching the crystal start to take on a glow. However, just as quickly as the glow started, it disappeared, and Selenity felt her legs shake. "Keep it up, you almost had it!" Her mother encouraged.

Selenity felt a stream of sweat running down her back, tickling her skin, but she refused to allow it to take her mind away. Her muscles all felt like coiled springs. She turned her mind into herself so that she was no longer aware of the outside world, and shed silent tears of pain in her mind. Kino, I wish you were here, she let her mind think, but quickly brought her mind back to the task she was working on. She sifted her hands a little so it looked like they were cupping the crystal more securely, cradling it in invisible power. A jolt ran through her mind, and she felt the crystal drop to her palms.

She opened her eyes, and looked down at the dormant stone in her hands. She sighed and looked up at her mother. She felt her bangs plastered to her forehead with sweat, so she moved to wipe them away.

Diana motioned for her daughter to sit again. "I think that's enough for today," Diana said. Selenity nodded. Diana had a smile on her face. "You were concentrating very hard today. You didn't even hear me talking just now, did you?"

Selenity looked at her and blinked. "No I didn't. What were you saying?"

Diana smiled. "Nothing too important. You made the crystal glow with a bright light for about three seconds, so I was encouraging you," Selenity blinked in surprise. "You must feel tired now though."

Selenity nodded her head. "Yes, I am." She drank again from the water sitting on the table in a glass. Diana handed her a wet cloth so Selenity could wipe her face off. Selenity accepted this happily, and flopped it onto her head.

Diana chuckled. "I'm so happy to see you well again," she commented. Selenity smiled from behind the cloth, and slowly took it off her head. "There is something that I need to talk to you about though, my dear."

Selenity nodded her head, her interest aroused. Diana sighed, and looked at her daughter softly and lovingly. "Have you given any thought to marriage?" she asked bluntly.

Selenity's eyebrows rose at the suddenness of the question. She felt the weight of the ring Kino had given her on her body beneath her dress. "Yes, somewhat. Why?" she asked.

Diana smiled gently. "There has been an offer made for your hand Selenity, a match that I very much approve of and have accepted."

Selenity felt her heart leap into her throat. An offer? "You do?" she asked a little hesitantly.

Diana nodded her head. "Yes, very much so. He is a good man, and I think that he can make you happy. I have already discussed things with his father. I should tell you that we have been planning this match since you were born, but we thought it best not to tell you when you were young since you were only children, and might have been repulsed by each other."

Selenity stared at her mother, surprised. "I-I don't know what to say to that," she said, a small grin on her face.

She noticed her mother chuckle. "You seem like you know who I am talking about already."

Selenity felt herself blush. "Well, he brought the subject up with me already, just before he left."

Diana looked at her a little shocked. "He did? That is odd, we had agreed that we would not bring it up until you were feeling better."

Selenity shrugged. "I was feeling a little better."

"Well, I'm happy to see that you are taking this better than he did when he first learned of the arranged marriage." Diana said, relaxing a little in her chair.

Selenity looked at her, a little confused. "Better than he did? What do you mean?"

Diana shook her head. "Oh nothing. He was just upset that his father had not told him sooner, but don't worry, he is very happy with the match."

Selenity looked at her mother. "I know he is," she then blushed. "I'm happy about it too."

Diana beamed at her daughter. "I'm glad to hear that. We will have the wedding shortly after you turn eighteen. It's good that our planets are so close together."

Selenity blinked. "Mama, what are you talking about? Kino's planet is very far away."

Diana's mouth froze and dropped. "Why would I be talking about Kino's planet? I'm talking about Mars." Both women sat in silence, staring at each other, a flurry of thoughts going through their minds. "Selenity…why are you talking about Kino?" Diana finally asked calmly.

"I-I thought that was the offer you were talking about. He…he wants to marry me mama."

"You can't marry him!" Diana said. "You are promised to Mars!"

"What! No, I-I can't be. How could you not tell me this? I can't marry Mars, I love Kino!" Selenity felt herself close to tears.

Diana stared at her daughter, her back completely strait. "Selenity, you will marry Mars. If Kino has made any offers to you, and you have god forbid accepted, you can put those notions out of your mind."

"Why? Why can't I be with Kino? What is wrong with him?" Selenity shrieked, panic rising in her heart.

"There is nothing wrong with him. But think of your responsibilities Selenity."

"I know my responsibilities mother, to marry, produce children, and protect out people against any harm!" Selenity snapped.

Diana's mouth tightened. "Exactly. That's why you can't marry Kino. Think about it. He is the only son of Lord Takahashi. If you were to marry him, where do you think that you would live? Kino has to rule his kingdom, and you have to rule yours. You can't leave. If you are not here, the crystal would die, and thus the moon will die with it."

"We could live here!"

"Selenity are you listening to me? Kino can't leave his people either. There is no one to take his fathers throne except him. You have to stay here. Mars is close by and-"

"I will NOT marry Mars!" Selenity snapped, cutting her mother off.

Diana stiffened. "Watch your tongue Selenity, remember who you speak to," she snapped back. "You will marry Mars, and stay here. He is close enough that he can live here on the moon and rule his planet effectively, but still travel there and back easily if needs be."

"But mama-"

"No, I have heard enough. You will marry Mars. Or do you wish the moon to die off, because you know it will if the crystal dies."

"No, I don't want the moon to die."

"Then you have no choice. I don't want another war on my hands, and believe me my dear, Ares is under too much stress right now to accept a rejection without retaliation. It might not be severe, but his son needs a wife, and an heir. You need a husband and child as well, and you need that bond with someone in order to be able to use the Silver Crystal to its fullest strength, which you will need to do if our moon is ever in danger." Selenity stared at her mothers, tears forming in her eyes. Diana softened a little. "I know what it's like to be in love my dear, but you have to consider, is it worth the lives of all the people on the moon? We also have an obligation to help protect earth. Is it worth all those lives, lives of people who love each other just as much as you love him?"

Selenity shook her head. "No. It's not," she said sullenly, her voice monotone. Diana stood up.

"Go and get yourself cleaned up, and have a good night sleep. Ares and Mars are going to arrive tomorrow to discuss this marriage further, and I want you to be pleasant and well rested."

Selenity nodded her head, although her gaze was on the floor before her. She slowly got up, and went to her room, although how she got there she had no idea. A bath was already waiting for her, one that she sank into without even taking her clothes off. She stared silently at the wall before her, her eyes glazed over with pain. She could no longer feel her body, but her heart was pulsating.

I can't believe that mama would do something like this. Why didn't she tell me? Perhaps I would have kept myself from falling in love with another man if I had known I was already promised to someone. No, I don't think I could have stopped myself from falling in love with him. But at least I would not have gotten my hopes up. Now I have to break his heart. Can I survive it?

She felt her heart starting to break again, but then her mother's voice echoed through her head. If you are not here, the crystal would die, and thus the moon will die with it.

I can't let myself die. My people rely on me. I'm sorry Kino, I can't let them die. She brought her hands up to her face, and began to sob. "I'm so sorry!" she cried out, her voice echoing on the walls of the room.