Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Mage Princess ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

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

This is an extremely short chapter and I would like to apologize ahead
of time. I've been extremely busy moving my domain to a new host and
have not had time to write. On the other hand you should be happy
because chapter four will be extremely long. And very very emotional
with lots of action. So wait for it! Oh and Darien is in this chapter!
YAY! Now you get to find out where he's been... but still be confused
since I hate giving too much away at once... am I evil or what? ^___^

So here, finally, is the third chapter! I'm really enjoying writing
this story and am very happy that people are e-mailing me about it! If
I don't receive e-mails I don't feel inspired... I'm just weird that
way! ^^ I've gotten a lot of questions involving Hou ending up with
Serena or Endymion doing so. The number one question is whether or not
I know who she's going to end up with and the answer is yes. I know
who Serena is going to end up with. Will I tell you? No. That would
ruin the story. And there are various plot twists that you cannot see
at the moment that will make you doubt who Serena should end up with
even more. Also, I'm very happy that people are giving me advice! It's
nice to know that you care about my story enough to participate in it.
Just don't get angry with me if I don't exactly do what you had in
mind. The story is finished already (in my head) and, unless your idea
is SO good that I cannot pass it up in any way shape or form, there is
a very small chance that the storyline will be changed. Just wanted to
get that over with before I got any threatening e-mails! ~.^ Anyway
enjoy the story and, please, keep writing!

For all those interested: This series will probably be about 8 chapters
long. So expect more! ~.^

A few disclaimers: I don't own Sailor Moon... if I did I would be
publishing these stories because I would have enough money to do so...
I'm also an extremely poor college student who has to rely on her
scholarship to pay off the registration fees so don't sue me... you'll
get nothing out of it! One more thing: Washi is my character... Hou is
also my character and I guess that Kou is my character too since she is
so very different from Serenity ne? ~.^ Anyway I made all of them up so
don't steal any of them, okie? ^^

I guess it's on with the story!

The Mage Princess

CHAPTER THREE
By: Sailor Berkeley


* * ~ ~ Serena ~ ~ * *


I feel much better today. I wake up with a vague memory of that
moment Hou and I shared and put it out of my mind at once. It was nice,
actually more than nice, to share that with Hou, but it was not my life
and that was what was important. I faltered as I got out of bed. What
was important anyway? My heart whispered the name of Endymion to my
head and my mind retorted with a simple question: Why?
Why indeed. I don't know the answer myself. Why do I place such
importance, and so much of my heart, on this man that I had only met
twice? A man I haven't seen in eleven years and who probably has not
given me another thought?
I stand in front of the mirror and frown at the perfect face
that I see there. When did the change happen? When did I suddenly
become beautiful? And why hadn't it happened when I was thirteen and
had met the Prince of my dreams? A small sob escapes my throat and I
glare at the woman in the mirror. Why didn't you come sooner?
I turn around abruptly and walk to the closet on the other side
of the room. I take out Princess Serena's dress and stare at it. No,
today I must be Kou. So I put it back and close my eyes. I feel the
Houou spread its wings and the fire from them surrounds me and warms
my skin. It finally settles in the shape of a Mage robe around me and
the flame garment flares once more before leaving me clothed. I open
my eyes and look down at the red and gold garment with appreciation. I
love my robes. I love the feel of them and the way they warm me or
cool me as the temperature changes. The robes are a part of me so
they sense my feelings and become lighter or heavier as needed.
Feeling much better, I open the door and step out of my room,
not noticing, however, that there is someone on the floor.
"Ouch!" I look down and notice that I had just stepped on a
man's hand. I have not met this person before. He has long blonde hair,
a little wavy and probably a pain to get into that pony tail, and
soft green eyes, he is also tall and slim.
"I'm sorry, I had not noticed you there."
He clutches his hand and smiles up at me. His eyes light up and
he looks very handsome at that moment. "Quite alright. I knew you were
going to do that. It's my own fault, really, for not moving my hand."
"You knew?" I slit my eyes and reach my mind out to his. His
aura feels like wind and smells of cherry blossoms. Ah, now that's why
he knew. He was a Mirai. The future whispers secrets to him. "I see.
And what, pray tell, were you doing sitting in front of my door?"
"Guarding it. I gave one of your Senshi a couple of hours of
sleep and took her place here."
"They are taking turns guarding my door?"
"Of course. They are worried about you."
Yes, they would be worried about me. I feel bad, putting them
in this position. But the extent of my danger is not very large at the
moment. In fact, I have been in much greater danger and it's a good
thing none of the Senshi had ever been informed of it. I would not have
gotten where I am right now if they kept interfering for my safety.
"Well then, maybe we should get acquainted if you are going to
become my bodyguard for the next few hours. I'm High Mage Kou." I
extend my hand and he gets up to take it. For a moment I'm scared he
will kiss it or bow down to me. But he just shakes it and nods.
"Mirai Zoicite at your service."
"Well, Miraino, it has been a pleasure having you guard my door
but really, I must be going." I use the formal address since I have no
idea how good of a Mirai he is. Better safe than sorry, that's my
motto. Not all the time, my mind whispers to me. Shut up, I say back
before I realize I'm talking to myself.
"Zoicite is fine. And I'm to accompany you."
"You're what?"
"I'm to accompany you. And I'm under strict orders. If I don't
I'll get an earful... and probably some punishment that involves
excruciating pain." His eyes twinkle and I wonder just under whose
orders he is. He certainly did not seem to mind whatever punishment he
would receive, which meant that his superior was not very serious at
all about "excruciating pain."
"I'm sorry, Zoicite, I'm not used to having a babysitter around
and I do not plan to start now. I can take care of myself very well. It
is not necessary for you to accompany me anywhere, I have..."
"Gotten into trouble by yourself very easily before?"
I spin around and find myself face to face with Hou. The fire
he has given me rages for a moment before I quelch it, deciding to
focus on his horrible comment instead.
"I did not ask you! And I have no idea what you are talking
about. Anytime I get in trouble is because of you!"
"Because of me? Now that's a joke. Since when have I done
anything that got you in trouble?"
"Since forever! Since you were born! Since..." I'm just getting
started when a voice interrupts my flow of insults.
"Uh, excuse me?"
"WHAT?" Hou and I turn around at once and pounce down on the
Mirai standing there.
"Uh... uh... nevermind." He shakes his head before heading down
the hallway.
"Weren't you supposed to accompany me?" I ask, amazed that he
is leaving without any nagging.
"Well, yes, unless High Mage Hou appeared, and he has, so I'm
going." He keeps on walking and I glare at Hou, who is looking quite
pleased with himself. Oh, he's so frustrating! I stamp my foot down
hard and walk away quickly, hoping he doesn't follow me. I'm not that
lucky.
"Oh, no you don't. You're going to answer some questions! Like
why in the name of Angreemon did you use so much energy without my
help. And why..."
I whirl on him before he can say another word. "I am not a
child! I do not need your help everytime I cast a spell! Now, if you
don't mind, I would like to have some breakfast and walk out in the
gardens. Or am I not even allowed outside anymore?" I stop because he
starts laughing. He is laughing at me!
"Of course you are allowed outside..." His eyes twinkle at me
and his mouth curves up into a smile. "Just not by yourself."
"Argh!" I throw my hands up in the air and keep on walking. I
reach the breakfast room and throw myself into my chair as the other
people present look from my angry face to Hou's superior one and back
again.
"Everything alright?" My mother asks and I glare at her.
"No, everything is NOT alright. I do not need protection! I'm
not a child and I can go out without... HIM!" I wave my hand in his
general direction and notice that he is still smiling.
"Darling, you must realize that you have just gone through a
lot and High Mage Hou has graciously offered to protect you, and I have
agreed."
"You what? Mother, I..." She holds up her hand and I stop at
once. How could she still have that effect on me?
"Serena, you are very important to the Moon and I will not have
your life wasted. Now, let's all have a nice quiet meal and enjoy the
sunshine." I glare at Hou but obey my mother and keep quiet. His smile
is even more superior looking, if that is possible, and I resist the
urge to stick my tongue out at him. He always makes me feel like a
child and I know that we must seem like a couple of spoiled children,
which we probably are, but we work really well together. Which explains
the rivalry. I want to best him and he wants to best me. It has gone on
forever. It will go on forever. If he only... my thoughts are slowly
interrupted by my Mother's voice and I look to her and try to focus on
her words.
"...it isn't likely that he will be here soon. But you must be
prepared to meet him, dear. And make sure that you put on something
nice. He is going to arrive on a transport so please stay near the
docks. Oh and no magic around, please. You must be so tired already."
I sit there and gape at my mother. Who in the world is she
speaking of? She looks at my face and puts down the bread she was about
to eat to turn fully towards me.
"Serena Serenity, have you heard a single word I have said?" I
nod. I had heard what she had said; just not the first few sentences.
"Then who is coming today?" I stop and try to remember any bit of
information I could have heard in my subconscious, but my mind is a
blank. "I see you have not paid attention." She frowns at me and I
blush profusely. I dare not look at Hou since I know he must be
smirking at me. "So now that I have your attention, please listen." I
nod emphatically. I notice that I've been acting more and more like a
child since I have come here. Is that what happens when one is too near
their mother after a certain age? I must remember to stay away from my
mother when other people are present. My reputation as a Mage is slowly
deteriorating. "Prince Rupert Heron of Jupiter will be coming to the
Moon today and you will be a good hostess to him. He is a good match
for..."
At those words all of my earlier submission leaves me. My eyes
take on the look I know has intimidated many High Mages and my back
straightens. "Mother, I will not be looking for any 'matches' anytime
soon. I have already discussed this with you and I will not discuss it
again. I am not getting married anytime soon and I refuse to show
myself to some Prince in the hopes that he will be marrying me."
There, that was nice, compact and to the point. I turn back to
my plate and continue my meal but notice that the entire table is
silent. I hear a small giggle. I look up and notice that my friends,
who are sitting at the table with us, are trying to cover up their
smiles. I want to ask what I said that was so funny but am afraid that
I don't want to hear it.
"Well, dear Kou, I must say that I have never heard you so
completely wrong in my life. Not that I wouldn't agree with your mother
if she deemed it necessary for you to marry, but you should have let
her finish before you interrupted." I look at Hou and my eyes slit
slowly and they promise him slow torture the next time we meet.
"What he is trying to say, sweetie, is that I only meant that
the Prince is a good match for our theater. He has an artistic talent
and since the Moon Festival is coming soon he was asked to come and be
in charge of the theatrical entertainment."
I don't remember ever blushing to furiously. Ever in my entire
life. At that the giggles turned into full laughter and I heard Hou's
voice join their laughter. I clenched my fists and looked down at my
lap. Soon the table was silent again and I felt Ami's eyes on my head,
probably worried that they had been too horrible to me. My arms are
shaking as are my shoulders and I can barely control myself any longer.
Finally I look up, meet the eyes of the others at the table,
and let go. My laughter rings clear throughout the room and I laugh
until tears are falling and my sides are aching. Soon everyone joins in
and the whole table is laughing. I can feel the atmosphere in the room
change to a pleasant one and I feel happy. Being home is really doing
me lots of good.

After breakfast, I walk out towards the gardens and Ami joins
me. She is looking especially beautiful today. Her blue hair frames her
face perfectly and her eyes are lit up. She has a constant rosiness to
her cheeks and she feels almost bubbly. I had never seen Ami bubbly
before. This was definitely a change.
She smiles at me and we sit down next to the Mercurian Water
Fountain. This is Ami's favorite place. When the four Princesses came
to the Moon to live and protect me, four fountains had been built to
keep the girls from being homesick too much. Ami's fountain was made
of water, Rei's was of fire, Lita's was of clouds and lightning, and
Mina's was of light.
I always considered it a priviledge to be invited to this place
with Ami. The water would respond to her and she would play with it. It
was beautiful to watch and everyday it was different.
Today she reaches her hand in and the water ripples slowly out
into concentric circles. She picks her hand up and the water follows,
making a pillar of water. She lets it go and it hovers in the air,
waiting for her next command. Soon the pillar of water starts turning
and other smaller balls of water surround it and make a small dance.
Not a drop of water falls. All of a sudden the pillar in the middle
becomes oval and something is rising out of it. A miniature Phoenix
made out of water peeks out of its "egg" and slowly comes out. It
spreads its wings and slowly comes flying towards me. Its beak, cold as
ice, pecks me on the cheek before it flies back to its discarded egg.
Then Ami lets go of the water and it rushes down to the
fountain at incredible speed before stopping and joining the fountain.
Not a single splash was heard. I let go of the breath I had not
realized I was holding.
"Ami, that was beautiful. You are so much better at this than
you used to be. Your concentration is absolutely amazing."
She blushes slowly at my compliment and I know that she can do
better. This was just a game for her. My admiration for her skills
grows and I know that, if needed, she could command water and ice to do
whatever she wished of it - and that included killing.
"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. I..." She stops and looks
away. I know she needs to tell me something.
"Whatever it is you can tell me, Ami. We're friends, right?" I
put my hand on her arm and she looks at me, her eyes shows me all the
answer I need to my question. We are more than friends. We are sisters.
That's what her eyes tell me.
"Have you met Zoicite?"
I'm a little taken aback at the question. I was not expecting
it. "Oh... yes, I have. The Miraino."
She nods. "What did you think of him?"
"Well, I did not really get to talk to him but he seemed like
a very good person. Honorable."
"I'm glad you think so." She looks so happy that I smile. "I
really don't know how to say this, but..."
"Does this have something to do with your rings?"
She looks surprised. "Oh! I didn't know you had noticed."
"Of course I noticed, Ami. You are my friend afterall. I was
just waiting for you to say something."
She clutches the three silver bands on her first finger and
smiles. "I'm to be married to Zoicite in two months."
"Oh, Ami, that's wonderful!" I give her a large hug and feel
so happy for her. At the same time, my heart squeezes in pain. For a
moment I wish that I had never been born with the Phoenix and that I
had been a normal Princess who would one day be able to marry the love
of her life without being a High Mage. But then the Houou raises his
eyes to me and their normal ruby color is almost grey. His head droops
and he feels sick. My mental hand reaches to him and I hug him, my arms
turning hot as fire as I hold onto him and he is happy once again. As
am I.
I feel a coldness seep into this sacred place and look around
to see what could be causing it. There, trying to get into the barrier
is a small Ice Penguin. I take myself out of my magic and look at Ami
and notice that I had been hugging her all along. I let go and her eyes
smile at me, their blue are the same color as the Ice Penguin's eyes.
"Ami, I didn't know you were not Noohane. You have wings! Why
didn't you tell me?"
She blushes and looks away, towards her fountain. "I just found
out myself a couple of months ago. Aipen showed himself to me then. I
never thought much about it since Penguins cannot fly... I'm still a
Noohane, right?"
I shake my head emphatically. She most definitely was not. Only
Winged Magic could get as far as that Ice Penguin did. "You are Winged.
Which is why your magic has increased. Why your concentration is so
sharp."
"I wasn't sure whether he was real or not. Aipen just showed up
one day and it felt to me like he had always been there, but I just had
never noticed. I probably make no sense to you."
"On the contrary, you make perfect sense. That was how I found
Houou. He was just there one day, as if he had always been there but I
had been too busy to notice."
"It doesn't really change anything, though. I'm not planning on
becoming a High Mage anytime soon and I don't want to announce it to
the Universe either. I'm happy being Sailor Mercury when I need to use
my magic. And Princess Ami Maia uses Aipen when she needs him."
I nod but am a little disappointed. If Ami had decided to go to
Angreemon and announce her Wings she would have been the first Ice
Penguin. Penguins were usually flightless but, somehow, Ami's Aipen had
managed to grow Wings. Then again, hadn't I just wished to be a little
more normal? Ami deserved her happiness and if not announcing her Wings
would make her happy who am I to say otherwise?
"Well, now that that's over with, we still need to talk about
the wedding. You are to be my Bridesmaid and..." I smile and listen to
Ami's excited talk. She seems like a girl again. And I like the girl I
see in front of me.


* * ~ ~ Darien ~ ~ * *



I don't know how long I had laid there staring at the ceiling.
It must have been at least two hours. The shadows had moved and the sun
was setting. I sigh and get out of my bed. My bed... this was not "my"
bed. I have been traveling for so long now that I almost don't remember
what my bed actually feels like. What home is like. Maybe I should go
back. See my family. My mother. My... No I was not going to think of
her. Not tonight. My wife would not like that at all.
My smile is sarcastic as I put on my tux. Wife was really a
horrible word for that woman. I hated her yet I was bound to her. For
life. Because of a stupid mistake and some persuasion. I shook my head.
Perhaps I should think of her. That would certainly make Beryl very
upset with me. Maybe then she would let go of this "marriage." I doubt
it. But it's nice to hope.
I open the doors and look out to see where exactly I am. I
can't even keep these planets straight anymore. How long had I been
here? Good question. I see the large amount of red everywhere and
realize I must be in Mars. I hated Mars. Horrible place for a vacation.
If this could be considered a vacation... which it most definitely was
not.
"Dearest! I have been looking for you everywhere!" I cringe as
Beryl approaches me. She is a very beautiful woman. Beautiful but cold.
Her eyes are cold. Like ice. Like she is not there and her face is just
a mask. Too perfect, lacking normal flaws.
"Beryl." I don't bother pretending anymore. Why does it matter
anyway? I don't care if people know I hate my wife. I want them to know
I hate her. She hates it when I do that. Which is exactly why I'm
always doing it.
Her eyes narrow as she slips her hand through my arm and we
walk down the hallway. "What are we doing here? Another one of your
research projects?" I don't know why I bother asking. She wouldn't tell
me anyway.
"None of your business, but soon we'll be leaving. We are going
to the Moon." I stop mid-step. My heart is beating and my palms feel
clammy. The Moon. The only place I dreaded going to. And yet I felt
compelled to return to. The place where she lived. The girl of my
dreams. My only love. "What's the matter, dearest? Perhaps you are
forgetting our marriage vows? Maybe I should..."
"No, Beryl. I'm not forgetting the vows we made, I won't ever
forget them. And you better not forget your part of it."
"Do I ever?" She plasters on a fake smile as we walk into the
dining hall and I pass faces I don't care to remember. I know they are
whispering about what a beautiful couple we make. How her face is
perfect and mine ruggedly handsome. And I want to go into a rage. I
want to destroy this place. Set it on fire. And watch it all burn. With
Beryl screaming in it. The thought brings a smile to my face.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again, I'm so sorry this chapter is so short... I know people have
been getting impatient but trust me when I say that the next chapter is
worth waiting for! Please tell me if you enjoyed reading this chapter!
I love getting e-mails! E-mail me at cfmc@uclink4.berkeley.edu with
your thoughts!