Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Lady of Love ❯ Preparations and a Journey ( Chapter 2 )

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Three weeks later…

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Minako stood at the docks of Erosa's capitol, Aphrodita, staring at the boat that would take her away from her beloved home, `L'Strella.' Her things had been loaded and the retinue that would escort her to Avalon was boarding.

King Endymion had agreed to allow her to keep two of her countrymen, while most of her servants would be from Avalon and under her future husband's direct authority. Minako had chosen quickly. Her governess, Lady Michiru, would stand as her chief lady-in-waiting and Haruka, her combat trainer, would stand as her bodyguard.

Though many had tried to dissuade her, Minako had insisted that she get to keep her white cat, Artemis. He'd been with her since she was thirteen, and had been a constant companion. She wouldn't give him up if her life depended on it.

"My Princess?"

Blocking her thoughts, Minako turned to Haruka, who was standing there with her hand clutching her sword. "Yes?"

"They are ready for you to board. Everything has been settled in, even Artemis is waiting for you."

Minako smiled weakly for her friend's benefit. It was obvious that everyone, especially Michiru and Haruka, were trying to cheer her in response to the fact that she had to leave her beloved island.

"Come then," Minako whispered, "Let's be off."

As Minako and Haruka boarded, they did not see Priestess Setsuna watching from the edge of the docks. Her slim form was hidden in the shadows of a large pile of crates, but she could still clearly see `L'Strela.'

As they cast aside their moorings and let out their sails, Setsuna whispered, "I'm sorry, Minako, I'm so sorry it had to be this way. None of you were supposed to be born at this time, but this is for your own good. Your next life will be far harder than this, but you will have a shred of hope instilled in your heart. But…"

`L'Strela' was gone now, sailing far away from Erosa and towards Avalon. Setsuna shook her head sadly, turned, and left the docks. She had a few things to complete before she returned to her post.

*****

Kunzite watched silently as the servants prepared the chambers. The Castle of Avalonia was rather state of the art and thus there wasn't much to do in the way of preparation.

The rooms were bright and airy, which should hopefully make the woman happy. He'd been told that she was a bit of a sunny girl, so hopefully she'd like the fact that the place had huge windows and a large balcony for the sun to shine through.

Nodding in approval to himself, Kunzite turned on his heal and left. He had a meeting with the other Generals and the King soon and he must prepare.

***

Three hours later, Kunzite had a headache.

Jadeite was nodding in agreement with the King's plans. "We don't have much choice. The Queen is Malagent's main target, and having her in Avalonia when it is the prime place to attack is suicide. We need to hide her, and the other women, someplace safe."

"But where," Zoisite demanded, rolling his eyes. He agreed, but he still didn't like being separated from his `water sprite,' Ami. "Just about every castle in Avalonia is open to attack and they're all prime targets."

Kunzite rubbed his temples. Everyone one of them had a point. Serenity was Malagent's main target, and there weren't that many places to keep her, and the other women, safe.

"What about Castle Alvara," Nephrite asked abruptly, looking up. He had been silent for most of the meeting, only confirming or denying specific questions.

The other four men turned to him with disbelief in their eyes.

"Are you crazy, Nephrite," demanded Zoisite. "That place is falling apart! The thrice-damned Valhalas built it when they first settled here! Hardly suitable for the Queen and the wives of the High Generals! The Council of Elders at Erosa won't sit still when they hear of it! Their Princess, their *heir,* being housed in a building that should be condemned! That's ~"

Kunzite silenced him by interjecting, "All those facts make it the perfect place to hide them, Zoisite. The place *is* falling apart, but it can be quietly repaired. Despite its age, the place was built on easily defensible ground. And it can be fixed up before the women are taken there. The Princess of Erosa will not arrive for at least another two weeks."

Pausing, he looked at his fellow generals and his liege, then continued.

"I suggest we use that time to our advantage."

*****

Moving quickly and quietly, Endymion managed to send out a message to several repairmen throughout the kingdom, telling them that if they wished to earn money for their families, then they should converge on Castle Alvara to help begin repairs.

What surprised the King were the replies. Almost a hundred men appeared, eager to help. With so many volunteers added to the men that had already been hired to do the job, it did not take long to have the basic castle functions rebuilt.

The men had finished the day the Princess of Erosa arrived in Avalon.

*****

Minako stared out at the place that was to be her new home, trying to disguise the horror in her soul. The city, Avalonia, was done in grays, blacks, and perhaps the occasional white. Where was all the color?

And the people. Heaven help her, the people. They stood there, their faces solemn, but curious at the same time. Their clothes fit right in with their surroundings; white, black, and gray.

`May Aphrodite's Chosen protect me,' she thought in growing consternation, `How can I survive amongst such seriousness?'

Still curious, she searched for the party that would meet her and take her to the Palace. Finally, she spotted them.

There were four of them, two men and two women. One man with long, curly blond hair and pale green eyes stood close to a young woman with a bluish tint to her hair and kind blue eyes.

The other man had short looking hair that had to be the color of the sun and navy blue eyes that held a look of mischief in them. He stood with a woman of great dignity, her long midnight hair flowing down her back. Her eyes, which were violet, were riveted on Minako with surprising intensity. She stared at her for a moment before nodding and a wisp of a smile appeared.

`The lady with blue hair could only be Princess Ami of Merca. So the man next to her must be her husband, Lord Zoisite. And such intensity could only come from someone of Marsa; she must be Princess Rei. That leaves the young man next to her as Lord Jadeite.'

By now, `L'Stela' had docked and several sailors were lowering the gangplank so Minako could go ashore.

Straightening her shoulders, Minako made sure that Haruka and Michiru were nearby and slowly descended onto her new homeland.

All three nearly stumbled when they set foot on land for the first in nearly a month, but caught themselves. It most certainly wouldn't do for the people to get the impression the people of Erosa were clumsy.

As smoothly as she could, Minako walked to where her four escorts were waiting. Stopping, she performed a deep, courtly curtsy.

"My lords and ladies," she spoke aloud, "I am Minako l'Eros, Princess of Erosa. I am honored to make your acquaintances."

The four bowed and curtsied in return. The man who she thought to be Jadeite stepped forward and returned her greeting.

"Princess Minako l'Eros, as the representatives of King Endymion and Queen Serenity du Alon, and Lord Kunzite d'Ava, we welcome you. I am Lord Jadeite suWesa, third General to the King, and this is my wife, Lady Rei, Princess of Marsa."

Minako nodded politely to Rei, who smiled carefully back. Zoisite then stepped up.

"Your Highness, I am Lord Zoisite da'Souta, second General to the King." He stopped as his wife stepped up next to him, smiling a rather shyly. Zoisite looked down at her and Minako could see the adoring fondness in his eyes.

"And this is my wife, Lady Ami, Princess of Merca. We are all pleased to have you in our country. By your leave, we will escort you and your entourage to the palace where you will be introduced to the King, the Queen, Lords Kunzite and Nephrite, and Nephrite's wife, Makoto."

Nodding, she allowed them to lead her to a waiting carriage. When they spotted Michiru and Haruka, Minako hurriedly explained.

"The Lady Michiru is my chief lady-in-waiting. And this is Haruka Urana, my loyal bodyguard. Both go everywhere with me."

It was Rei who answered.

"Of course, Your Highness. They are more than welcome to come."

The trip was spent in polite silence. Minako stared out the windows, trying to take in as much as she could. Haruka watched everyone, minus Minako and Michiru, suspiciously.

When they arrived, Haruka jumped out first and looked about warily. Seeing nothing that could seem a threat, she helped Michiru and Minako out.

As Minako took the offered hand, she couldn't help but grin inwardly.

`I don't believe this. Me, acting like a lady! One would think I'd never trained to enter the Guardians!'

Zoisite and Jadeite helped their spouses out of the carriage, then led the group into the Palace.

Minako couldn't squash the relief as they passed through the hallways and up the winding staircases. The Palace of Avalonia was *very* colorful on the inside; a most definite improvement from the outside.

Jadeite, who had been leading the way, stopped in front of two large, ornate doors decorated with the seal of Avalon, a jeweled sword held up like a cross and a circle around it, meeting at the handle and at the tip.

The two doormen pushed the doors opened and Zoisite gestured for Minako to lead the way.

Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, Haruka and Michiru following a respectful distance behind.

Doing as the etiquette she'd been studying her entire trip here demanded, Minako stopped once inside the door to allow them to close.

While this was going on, she took the time to look over the people she was going to meet.

The two seated on the thrones were obviously the King and Queen of Avalon. Endymion had cobalt blue eyes that seemed kind, but firm, along with hair that seemed even darker than Rei's had been.

The Queen, Serenity, had gentle and compassionate silver eyes. Her hair was almost the exact same shade, done in the royal hairstyle of her homeland, Luna. Minako had heard stories of the female heir of the ancient country who had married the newly crowned King of Avalon. She'd heard the rumors that though the King's ministers and Serenity's father had arranged it, it had been a love match from the start.

`The rumors were interesting. I wonder if they were true,' Minako thought avidly.

Now it was time to move forward. In a stately walk that had been drove into her head by her tutors as a child, she made her way towards the thrones.

While walking, Minako inspected the man that stood beside the King's throne. What she saw nearly made her stop.

He was certainly a handsome man, with his off-white hair just below his shoulders. What made her start slightly were his eyes. They were a pale gray, and they were icy as could be.

Minako somehow knew that this man was Kunzite. It made sense. She'd seen that a man in a similar uniform standing off to the side with a woman with emerald eyes and chocolate hair. They had to be Lord Nephrite and his wife, Lady Makoto, Princess of Juna.

Fighting a shiver as she turned away from the man's frigid gaze, Minako gave a deep curtsy to the King and Queen.

When she was finished, she stood and waited for the King to begin.

*****