Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ All's Fair in Love and War ❯ Just Politics ( Chapter 31 )

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

Never had Kino felt this nervous and high strung. Sure, he had come close a few times, but never this bad. His feet fell upon the carpeted floor as he paced the room, back and forth, back and forth. The only sound echoing off the walls was the crackling of a cheerful fire in the hearth. Every so often he would stop in front of the door and look at it, expecting it to open at any moment, but it never did. Each time it remained motionless, and he would resume his pacing.

Down the hallway in their bedroom lay his wife. She had gone into labour four hours before, and Luna had kicked him out of the room, telling him to get some rest in the small lounge. He snorted as he thought of that. Rest…that was not happening, not while his wife was in pain and needed him. He was sure she needed him, he was absolutely convinced of it. He reached the door and was about to reach for the door handle, but paused. He had done this already twice, and each time Luna had chased him away from Selenity, saying that she needed peace, not a nervous husband worrying around her.

He clasped his hands behind his back again and resumed his pacing. A chuckle came from the sofa. "You were going to try again, weren't you?" Artemis had been with him in there the full four hours. Each time Kino had gone to Selenity Artemis had warned him Luna would not allow him into the room, but each time Kino had not listened.

Kino sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I want to be with her, Artemis. It's driving me crazy being here."

Artemis nodded, a teasing grin on his face. "I know, I've been watching you for a few hours now, remember? You really should try and rest a little though-" he was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Enter!" Kino called, all of his nerves on edge. The door opened and Luna stepped into the room. Kino could feel every single fibre in his body tense up.

"As much as I hate to do this," Luna said, a small smile on her face, "Selenity is asking for you. She won't listen to anything the doctor is saying, and she won't listen to me. Will yo-" she never got to finish her sentence as Kino ran by her and jogged down the hallway. He could hear her moans coming from the other side of the door and it nearly tore him apart. He swung open the door and rushed to Selenity's side. Her eyes were closed and there was a sheen of sweat on her forehead. He took her hand into his and wiped some of the hair from her forehead.

"Kino?" she whined and turned to face him, opening her eyes. They were glazed over with pain and unshed tears.

"Yeah, I'm here," he murmured, stroking her hand. She tightened her grip and sucked in a sharp breath. A small whimper came from her throat. He couldn't tear his eyes from her as he brought her hand to his lips, planting a rough kiss on it. For six more hours she lay there, sometimes resting, sometimes panting with pain. Kino was just relieved that he could be with her, and was no longer stick in the room down the hall. Luna had come back into the room soon after him. She had been busy giving Selenity water when she was thirsty and hot, extra covers when she was cold, and a cloth to wipe the sweat from her brow.

He could have stayed there forever, just trying to make her feel better. There was nothing that could have taken his attention away from her, nothing at all. At least that's what he believed, before he heard the cry of his child for the first time. Selenity's cry was drowned out by the infants wail, and Kino snapped his head in the direction of the sound. He couldn't see it, and Selenity's whimpers brought his gaze back down to her, but his attention was on the small life which he could not yet see.

"Tenshi," he whispered as she lay there, breathing deeply, lines of pain etched on her face. He didn't know what to do for a moment, whether to keep watching Selenity or try and see his child. The crying of both mother and child had stopped, and it seemed to Kino like no other sound filled the room.

"You have a daughter," he heard Luna whisper from behind him.

"Where is she?" he managed to ask hoarsely. Selenity was looking up now, not at him but at a point behind him. Kino heard the soft rustle of fabric and out of the corner of his eye saw Luna lowering a bundle to the tired Queen. The wad of pink blankets was nestled against Selenity's chest, but Kino couldn't bring himself to let go of her hand. Not yet. Selenity cradled the bundle in one arm, unable to move, think, or look away from the blankets. From the soft cloth could be seen a face, a tiny, heart shaped face. Soft downy locks of golden hair curled around the child's head, still slightly damp from the water Luna had used to clean her off.

Her. She was their daughter. Her eyes blinked open but closed right away, and Kino caught site of blue, pale blue, sky blue, the blue of topaz stones glittering in the sun; his blue. Refusing still to let go of Selenity, he brought one hand up to stroke his daughter's face while grasping Selenity's free hand firmly with the other.

"She looks so calm and peaceful," Selenity murmured, stroking Kino's hand with her thumb.

Kino nodded, not capable of tearing his eyes away from the treasure in his Tenshi's arms. "Calm and peaceful…. No Tenshi, she is much more," he said, and swallowed hard. "She's the very personification of serenity."

"Serenity," the fatigued Queen whispered. "You're right."

Kino finally tore his eyes from the tiny bundle and planted a kiss on his wife's temple. Neither of them were paying any attention to Luna or the Doctor who were still cleaning up. They were in their own little world of bliss, and nothing that could destroy it at that moment.


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"So it's a daughter," the Dark Queen muttered, trying not to look too displeased with the news. Mars strolled next to her through the galleries of her planet, admiring the artwork.

"Yes," he replied, "I received news of it just before I left to come here."

Aminiha nodded. When she had heard they had a child together she had been angry, angry that they had a new source of happiness. The anger subsided when she considered that now she had something new to hurt them with, but the question was how. The Moon Queen possessed some sort of power that her army could not stand against, and she didn't want to risk turning to the dark powers of the Negaverse without being sure that they would help her defeat Kinotsu and Selenity. She had invited Mars for a visit in hopes of finding out what that power was at least, so that she could at least begin forming a plan.

"How is your own daughter, Rei, doing?" she asked for the sake of protocol.

The smallest smile tugged on Mars' lips. "She is fine. I brought her here with me, along with a nurse who is caring for her. I didn't want to leave her behind for so long." He chuckled then, "I hope I'm not appearing too sentimental and soft."

Aminiha chuckled as well. "No, not at all. Do not forget that I too have a daughter, so I know what it is like. Children are our most precious gifts."

Mars nodded as he studied a painting. "Yes, I agree with you completely."

An idea formed in Aminiha's mind. "I love my daughter dearly. I hate feeling so helpless to protect her though."

Mars looked at the Queen curiously. "Helpless to protect her? Why should you feel that way?"

She sighed. "I have no army to speak of, my Lord Mars. Everything was wiped out in the last battle I encountered," she avoided saying which one it was, although they both knew which battle she was speaking of. "Even if I was to rebuild my armies," she continued," I still would not stand a chance against the Moon people with the power that they possess."

Mars stared thoughtfully at the painting. "I don't think you have much to worry about, My Lady," he said slowly. "I highly doubt that they would attack you all the way out here."

Aminiha sighed again. "I would not be worried if they had not already indicated a want for…revenge, I suppose you could say."

"Revenge?" Mars inquired "Why would they want revenge?"

"Do not forget, Lord Mars, that Queen Diana is dead, and they blame me for her death."

Mars rubbed his chin. "I still do not think that they would attack you for that."

"Not even to protect their own daughter?"

The question hit a sensitive nerve in Mars, and Aminiha could see her words taking effect on him. "How would they be protecting her if they came up against you?" he asked.

Aminiha tried hard not to smile. "Because I am unpredictable in their eyes," she said. "They did not think I would attack Kinotsu's kingdom and destroy it, and they did not expect that I would then go after them and their whole solar system. They knew you had a treaty with me, so they were not expecting me to go after the Earth. To my enemies I am unpredictable, and they fear I will attack them again, as soon as I can."

She could see Mars digesting her words. "You have time enough to rebuild your armies sufficiently," he said finally. "And if they were ever to come here, you and I still have a treaty, and I would come to aid your Ladyship. Sele-The Queen of the Moon does not have the power to destroy you anytime soon."

"Oh?" Aminiha prodded. "I saw the power of the Moon with my own eyes."

Mars snorted. "Queen Diana had the power of the Moon," he said, his voice harsh and cold. "Selenity has not yet been able to harness the power of the Silver Crystal yet."

"You have lost me my Lord," Aminiha said cautiously. "The Silver Crystal?"

Mars nodded and looked at her. "Yes, the Imperium Silver Crystal. It is the key to the power of the Moon, the power that you witnessed before. Queen Diana was training Princess Selenity on how to use the power, but she has not yet found a way to use the crystal."

Aminiha once again had to restrain herself from smiling triumphantly. "I fear for my daughter's life," she whispered urgently, forcing some tears into her eyes. "If the young Queen were to learn how to use the power of the crystal, then they would come to destroy me. Not you nor I could stop her. They would not show mercy just because you were by my side as an ally. Don't you think?" Mars didn't reply to her words. "After all," she continued, "they already betrayed you once."

She knew she had him as he slowly nodded his head. "Yes," he answered, "they did." Aminiha bit back a laugh of pleasure, happy that things would finally start going her way.

"And what would happen to your daughter if they managed to defeat us? Do you really think they would show her compassion, you who sided with their greatest enemy? They know you are on the right side, they you are justly furious with them. But they are afraid, Mars. They fear you, as they fear me."

Mars glanced back at the painting before him. It was a field of flowers swaying in the wind, a small girl running in their midst. He wanted that for Rei. "What do you wish to do then, My Lady?" he asked.

She smiled a little finally. "I wish to put a stop to them before they can hurt anyone else. They have already hurt me, they have hurt you, and most of all they have hurt Rei."

"How have they hurt Rei?"

"Think about it," she cooed. "If Selenity had married you, you would have a child, and a mother for that child. Selenity denied your daughter the right of a mother."

Mars sighed. "I do not blame her for the death of Nerio," he said. "But I see your logic in everything else. I am at your services my Lady, whatever you wish to do.

The Dark Queen smiled. "Excellent," she said briskly. "I will need some time though to renew my forces though." Mars nodded, but said nothing. He felt like he had made a pact with the Devil, but he felt he was doing so justly. For Rei's sake. They would never harm her. No one would.


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For the first time, cerulean eyes had met midnight eyes that day. Helen and Paris had come to visit and see the new child of the moon. Helen, of course, had gone into "awww" mode, meaning she couldn't help expressing how sweet and adorable the little Princess looked. Selenity was pleased that her friend had been able to come visit so quickly. It had been only two weeks since the birth, and Serenity was as healthy and happy as any child could be.

Selenity had lain Serenity in a crib in the library they were all sitting in. Endymion had been sitting at his mothers feet, playing with some blocks they had brought along for him.

"You and Kino really outdid yourselves," Helen teased. Both Kino and Selenity blushed.

"We tried our best," Kino replied with a somewhat silly grin on his face.

"Kino!" Selenity said sharply, but couldn't suppress the giggle that followed. " At least she has your eyes."

Paris chuckled. "It looks like Endy is going to verify that claim for himself," he said, nodding his head in the direction of the crib.

Endymion had abandoned his blocks and was slowly teetering towards the small crib. He reached it and placed his hands on the low frame, and leaned over the crib. His gaze remained locked on the sleeping Princess, then he turned his head slightly to look at his mother. "Mama," he said slowly. "Pri-cess?" he asked, softly.

Helen nodded her head. "Yes, that's the Princess," she said.

Endymion looked back down at the sleeping child. Before anyone knew what he was doing he stood up on his tip toes and leaned over, planting a simple, childish kiss on Serenity's forehead. He then pulled back, ignoring the gawking parents, innocence radiating off his young face. Serenity stirred and opened her eyes, and her gaze fell upon the boy leaning over her. No one moved, no one made a sound as the two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

Suddenly Serenity's face scrunched up and a wail pierced the silent room. Endymion jumped back from the crib, a bewildered look on his face. He was so shocked that tears formed in his eyes, and he began to cry too.

The four parents stared at the scene before them for a brief moment, before they burst out laughing. Selenity and Helen got up and went to collect their crying children.

"Well,I suppose it is safe to say that romance is not blossoming early between those two," Paris said once he managed to stop laughing.

Kino was still chuckling. "I never thought my daughter would be so picky."

They all laughed again. "I think it's time we put the children to bed," Selenity suggested. "As well as ourselves."

Helen and Paris agreed. They said their goodnights, and the two mothers carried their sniffling young ones out of the room.