Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ All's Fair in Love and War ❯ Love and War ( Chapter 17 )

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

The cool breeze ran it's fingers through the Queen's hair as she stared at the letter in her hands, her face giving no clues to the turmoil that was raging inside her. The sun was setting, thus causing the words on the page she was looking at to be difficult to read.

My Lady Aminiha,

It has been some time since I have been able to enjoy your company, and I must apologize now that I cannot deliver this message on my own. However, circumstances beyond my control have forced me to leave. As much as I was flattered by your proposal for marriage, I fear that I must decline your kind offer. As much as it pains me to do so, it would be unfair of me to step into such a union with you without having the same feelings that you have toward my own person.

I still recall the choice that you placed before me, that if it was not a wedding, it would be a war. I ask you to please reconsider the latter, since a war would only cause deeper pain between us than there already is. I feel deep remorse for bringing this pain upon you, but I assure you that a war is not something I wish to start. Therefore I would ask that you reconsider your desire for war, and allow there to be peace between our two nations.

Kinotsu.

She lowered the letter and gazed at the setting sun. If this is the way things are to be, Prince, then let it be war on you and your people. Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft padding of feet.

"Mama! Look!" Beryl came running out, her hair whipping around her face. She held out her hands, a small ball of dark energy in her palms, not big, but full of power.

Aminiha dropped down to one knee and looked at her daughter. "That's very good sweetheart. Very good." Beryl beamed at her mother's praise. "You're going to be able to do this on a larger scale very soon."

Beryl looked at her mother quizzically. "Why?"

Aminiha looked into her daughters eyes, and picked up the ball of dark energy, twirling it in her fingers. "We have to go and punish some people who have hurt mommy," she said coldly. Beryl stared at her mother, and slowly nodded her head. She knew what her mother meant.

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Lord Takahashi stood on the balcony, watching the sky. His brother stood next to him. "Prepare yourself," Lord Takahashi said, his words seemingly void of any emotion, "the war is about to start. I fear it is going to be long and hard."

His brother nodded his head, and stared at the sky as well.

The door to the balcony swung open. "My Lord," the man cried as he rushed out, "It has begun. Our eastern cities have just been attacked!"

Lord Takahashi sighed, as he turned to his brother. "Well, it is time. I just hope that Kino doesn't miss all the fun."

With that the two men left the balcony.

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Kino paced the room nervously. He had come strait to Venus' kingdom and was now waiting for her to come and greet him. Any delay in his trip to his Tenshi made him more anxious, but nevertheless, he was forced to wait. Finally, the door swung open, and Venus rushed in, followed closely by a few servants ready to take his things, as well as Aphrodite.

She came up to him and gave him a quick hug. "Thank goodness you've arrived. My messenger must have gotten to you quickly if you're already here."

Kino nodded his head. "I have a feeling that he went from you to me without stopping once. He looked like he had not slept in over a week, and smelled as if he had not bathed in the same amount of time."

Venus laughed. "I told him to go as fast as he could, so at least I see my orders were followed."

"Your letter arrived on the same day as Serenity's, and based on the dates of the two letters, you sent yours about four days after her. He must have really not slept," Kino pointed out.

Venus nodded her head, and then motioned for Kino to follow her and her mother. They reached a small library, and all of them took seats.

"I should give you my congratulations on your marriage, Venus. You will make him happy," Kino said as soon as they had settled down and servants began pouring them wine.

Venus smiled. "He is a very good man, and a good ruler as I have observed over the years. I am honoured to be his wife."

"Will he not be joining us?" Kino asked, noticing his absence.

Aphrodite was the one to answer him with a shake of her head. "No Kinotsu, he will not. This is a private matter, and he knew before he married my daughter that there were going to be meetings he would not be able to attend due to their….delicate nature."

Kino nodded his head, but chuckled in his mind. He could already hear Venus' voice inside his head, 'You know I cannot discuss the matters of the heart with another without their direct permission….' it was a line everyone knew too well. "Very well," Kino finally agreed.

As soon as the servants had left, he turned to Venus in his chair. "Now, please, give me the details of what is going on!" His voice was urgent and both Venus and Aphrodite could feel his tension.

Venus sighed. "Mostly everything that is going on was in the letter that I sent you. Selenity is being pressured into the marriage with Mars, and she can't call the wedding off just like that. I explained everything about the crystal."

Kino gave a somewhat frustrated sigh. "It would have been nice if they had talked to me. I would be more than happy to stay with Selenity on the moon."

Venus gave him a puzzled look. "But what if something was to happen to your father and you had to return to rule?" She asked.

Kino shrugged his shoulders. "Easy. I would simply abdicate the throne." He almost chuckled at the surprised looks of Venus and Aphrodite. "Father would not mind too much I don't think. He likes his brother a lot, and since he is next in line after me, he would get the throne. He already has two sons, one of them a little older and the other a little younger than I, so he has heirs secured. It would not be a very big problem. Father has no quarrels with his brother, so it would not matter to him that he got the throne, as long as I gave it willingly."

Venus nodded her head thoughtfully. "That's good to know. Perhaps we can bargain with that," she then shifted her gaze up to Kino. "Are you very angry with her that she sent you her letter?"

Kino stared at the floor for a moment, and then shook his head. "No, not angry. Not even really hurt. Just a little frustrated. It's not even her that I am frustrated with, but rather the whole situation frustrates me." Venus and Aphrodite nodded in understanding, since they were finding the situation rather annoying themselves. Kino looked at them thoughtfully. "Does Mars want to go through with this, or is he being pressured just as she?"

"As far as I know, he agrees with the arrangement of his own free will," Venus replied.

"Does he love her though?" he asked, a hint of irritation in his voice at the very thought of another man loving Selenity.

Venus shrugged her shoulders, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Kino, you know that I can't discuss the issues of the heart with another-" Kino cut her off, holding up his hands in defeat.

'I know, I know, '…without their direct permission," he finished for her, giving a sigh.

Venus giggled. "That's why mom is here. Don't forget that she is Queen."

Kino's face lit up as he looked at the Queen. She smiled. "I don't like doing it, but I can, and this is a situation where I think it won't hurt. Mars does not love Selenity in the way that you do Kinotsu. He has….affection for her, and… … lust-" Aphrodite paused as she watched Kino visibly tense at her last word, "-although on a minor scale. But not love. Do not fear that he will try to claim her on that basis. I fear however that his other feelings are strong enough that he will not let her go easily."

Kino nodded. The three lapsed into their own thoughts for a while. They would be going to the moon the next day, as would Jupiter and his wife, Mercury, Mars, Helen and Paris. Of course, Diana had 'forgotten' to invite Kino as well, but he would come with Venus and her husband. Tomorrow he would see Selenity, and go and talk to Diana.

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T he mood was calm and quiet in the room. Selenity smiled at Helen, whom she was having a conversation with. Helen was beaming, her hand resting on her stomach. Hera was sitting next to Helen, her own posture now much smaller since the birth of her and Jupiter's second son.

"You should be making the prediction Helen. Men can't guess what the child will be very well," Hera exclaimed, laughing.

Jupiter caught the comment and looked over to his wife. "That's not fair, Hera. I was making an educated guess, and with regards to probability, there was a better chance it would be a girl than a boy."

Hera laughed, and Helen glanced over to Paris. "Well, Paris seems to think it will be a boy, and I tend to agree with him, although I would love a little girl."

Selenity smiled, and then glanced over to Mars. He was sitting there, talking to Paris and Mercury. Jupiter was sitting with them too, but his attention was on the three women. She gave a sigh. I wonder if Mars will want me to start producing children straight away or not. I'm not sure if I want a child too soon. The room was filled with laughter that made everyone feel happy, except for Selenity. Her heart was still wallowing in pain.

The door opened, and Selenity was glad to see her brother and Venus walk in. She stood and walked over to them. Her brother enveloped her in a hug, before going and joining the other men. Venus linked arms with Selenity as they walked to the seating area where all the women were.

"It's good to see you again. How are you feeling?" Venus asked, her voice not even hinting at the secret she had.

Selenity shrugged her shoulders, but kept her fake smiled on her face. "You can read my heart Venus. You don't even need to ask."

Venus chuckled, and leaned over slightly so that she could whisper in Selenity's ear. "Well, we brought along something that might cheer you up," she teased.

Selenity raised her eyebrow. "Oh really, and what would that be?" she asked.

Venus shrugged her shoulders. "You'll see. It's a surprise. You're mother is…..evaluating it right now."

Selenity looked at Venus curiously. "Evaluating it?" she asked, feeling rather confused.

Venus nodded, but said no more, as they reached the women. "Helen, congratulations!" Venus said, focusing her attention on Helen now, who was once again beaming.

"Thank you Venus. We're really excited about this….." Venus nodded, and sat down, leaving all of Selenity's questions unanswered.

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Diana sat in her chair, and motioned for Kino to take a seat across the table from her. He inclined his head in thanks, and sat down after she had. Diana had been rather surprised when she had gone to greet her son and his new wife to find the young Prince with them as well. She had not wanted him to come, since she now knew the bond he had with Selenity. However now that he was here, there was not much that she could do. She had expected him to go with her son and Venus to the room where Selenity and everyone else was, but was rather surprised when he had asked if he could speak with her in private.

She had led him to her small study just off from the throne room, and then had dismissed the servants. Now the man was sitting across from her, a rather serious expression on his face. "Well Prince, what did you wish to discuss with me," she asked, already knowing what the subject was going to be.

"I wish to speak with you about your daughter," he said, more bluntly than she had expected.

"My daughter is doing fine, thank you for your concern. She is to be wed soon," she said, feeling no need to try and be gentle with him, so she repaid bluntness with bluntness. She noticed him clench his jaw a little, but he remained calm.

"Yes, I have heard about that. That is why I am here. I am worried about the Princess," he said, and clasped his hand in his lap. "My Queen, I do not know how much Selenity has told you, but I will tell you now that I have deep feelings for your daughter, and I know she reciprocates those feelings. I was rather shocked to hear that she was to marry another man."

Diana raised her eyebrows, once again surprised by his bluntness. Well, at least I won't have to spend an hour just trying to get on the subject through formalities, she thought to herself. "I am aware of the feelings that you and my daughter share. However, Mars has feelings for her as well, and she has been promised to him since her birth. Surely you must understand that I cannot break such an arrangement."

"I do not understand why you cannot break such an arrangement if it means she will be unhappy," he replied coolly.

Diana studied him. "I believe that Selenity can be happy with Mars, if she gives him a chance."

"He does not love her. She does not love him. If you do not believe me, you can ask Aphrodite. She is not going to be happy with a man she does not love when she loves another. You know her well enough to know this," Kino said, not breaking his gaze with her, a look of stubbornness on him.

Diana was about to snap at him, but something in his eyes stopped her. Was it possible that Kino, the young Prince who's was the epitome of calmness and mellowness, had a hint of tears in his eyes? She watched him. She knew that he did not lust for her daughter, and she could sense his love for her. She sighed. "Kinotsu, I want my daughter to be happy. But I can't let her marry you. She needs to stay here, for the sake of the Crystal and her people, and you are the only heir to your father's throne. Without her, the crystal and our people will die."

Kino nodded his head slightly. "I know, Venus already filled me in on the details regarding that issue. That is why I came here, because I feel like you have misjudged me somewhat. If it is a matter of Selenity staying here, I would be more than willing to stay here, and live here. I know that you think that I need to take my fathers throne if anything should happen to him, but it is not so. If it came down to that, I would abdicate, and my uncle would take the throne."

"A throne is not something that should be thrown away so rashly, Kinotsu," Diana pointed out.

Kino nodded. "True, but neither should love," he replied without hesitation. There was a moment of silence. Then Kino continued. "My Lady, if I knew for certain that Selenity would be happy with Mars, I would not be sitting here. I would be back home, and I would leave Selenity to be happy with Mars. But I know that she will not be happy, and that is something that I can't allow to continue. Just like you, I want her to be happy. If it meant me leaving right now, I would. However, I know that her life with Mars will only bring her pain and sorrow, and longing for something that she cannot have."

Diana sighed. "Kinotsu, I know you love my daughter. Nevertheless, I cannot break the agreement with Ares easily, at least not without war. He wants a wife for his son, and you know how he is when something is promised to him. I am a woman of my word, and I will not go back on a promise that I have given. I am sorry."

Kino nodded, although it was more of an acknowledgment of the statement rather than agreement. "Is there nothing that I can do to change your mind?" He asked. Diana nodded her head sadly.

"I'm afraid not. As long as Serenity is alive and able to marry Mars, she will marry him." There was silence again. Diana finally stood up. "Do not let it get you depressed Kino. Selenity will manage, and she will be happy. Please feel free to stay with everyone else. I know you and Selenity are good friends, so after today I will leave it up to her as to how much time she wishes to spend with you. All I ask of you is that you do not do anything that both of you will regret." There was a warning tone in her last statement, but Kino knew she was being sincere. He got up to, and after bowing to the Queen, he left the room, and headed to where he knew everyone else would be.

Diana stood for a moment, before she walked over to the window and gazed out. She honestly felt bad for the two, and if it were not for Mars and Ares, she would have been more than happy to allow Kino to take Selenity as his wife, if he were to stay and abdicate his throne as he said he would. However, as she had told him, she was a woman of her word, and would not break a promise. As long as Selenity could, she would marry Mars.

Little did she know that Kino had really taken those words to heart.