Disclaimer: Sailor Moon does not belong to me. It belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and a great many wonderful people who, if they were so inclined, could make things very unpleasant for me. (However, they are all MUCH too generous and benevolent to do any such thing.) This is a work of fiction and while the original idea does not belong to me, this story does. Remember that, because if you don't, I'm sending the Senshi after you . . . . Hi, minna! The idea for this came to me a long time ago in a dream. However, I just recently decided to write this story, since I became rather inspired by Crystal Heart's "Masquerade". This has *nothing* to do with any of my other 'fics. (Part One of the Prequel to "Past Loves" *will* be out hopefully sometime soon. I'll be continuing "In Another Life: The Legend's Beginning" and am hoping to get started on a couple more of my 'fics. Thank you for your patience.) This story is set in an alternate universe, if it is not immediately apparent. Oh yes, please forgive me my thees and thous. This is for all of my dearest friends. Minna, you know who you are. And to Jay-chan, the best Oneechan anyone could ask for, for her *extraordinary* patience in waiting for her birthday 'fic, which I am STILL working on. ^^;;; * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~How many lives can one person live? In the case of some . . . the number is infinite.~ Fairy tales? Why of course they're real! Don't be silly, dear. They exist right there. Where? In your heart of course. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean that they're not true. Every story is as true as you want it to be . . . Hmmm? You want to hear a *true* fairy tale? All right then, this is a tale of a princess and her prince . . . No, you haven't heard this one before, I assure you. It's brand new, right off the top of my head. How can it be true then? Because it is . . . it is . . . It's true for me and it can be true for you too . . . if you let it. Now settle back and don't interrupt. This is a long one . . . This is a tale of a princess and her prince, and all of their friends too . . . And of the evil that descended upon their kingdoms and threatened their happiness . . . And of course, of the journeys that they had to make and the quests they had to go through to regain that happiness . . . Castles and Kingdoms by Fushigi Kismet Chapter One ~Introductions~ "What art thou waiting for?! Come over here!" a voice shouted, laughingly. Holding in her own laughter, Lady Immara galloped her horse over, amidst a flurry of green skirts. "Honestly, Your Highness, thou art so impatient! I'd think that a princess of Reyre would have more patience." The words were chiding, but her green eyes sparkled with laughter and good humor. The princess gazed back at her fellow noblewoman and second cousin, her eyes equally as bright and her face flushed, but with excitement, not shame. "Immie, thou doth get worse every day! Thou art beginning to sound like Monica!" "Ah, if thou wast anyone else, I would take great offense at that. However, thou *art* my cousin and my princess. Family is important to me, after all." He voice was soft as she said the last. The princess instantly sobered, all trace of laughter leaving her eyes. "I didn't mean to upset thee, dear. Please don't be sad. I *am* thy family now, remember?" Immara looked up and wiped a few stray tears from her eyes. "Thou art a dear friend and the closest that I'll ever get to a true sister. Thank thee, Serenity." Princess Serenity brushed her thanks aside. "Forget it. We're *family*, Immara. And don't thou forget that." Immara smiled. She smiled more when Serenity proclaimed, "Enough riding for the day! I've become bored. 'Tis time to head back to the castle, is it not?" "Yes, it seems so. However, I sense it is not boredom that calls thee home, dearest. Is it not the memory of the sweet chimes of dinner bell that harkens thee in haste to return?" Serenity frowned a little at her friend. "Now, don't go saying that *I* cannot skip a meal-ah, and easily too-from time to time. Thou makest me out to be some manner of gluttonous beast! Thy remarks are quite cruel." "'Tis not to be cruel, darling. 'Tis only . . . I've seen thee eat." "Ah!" Serenity cried sharply. "Thou hath hurt me to the quick. I shan't forgive you for that one . . . unless you race me to the forest gate!" She cried the last aloud as she dug her heels a little into her horse, and galloped off down the trail. "Serenity! Wait up! Thy races art never fair! Thou always gives thyself a head start! What would thy mother say?! Thou wilt hurt thyself, Serenity!" Immara exclaimed, riding quickly after her. Serenity laughed. "Thou soundst *just* like Monica!" Startled, she fumbled with the reigns and the horse faltered uncertainly in it's stride, stopping, as his rider yelled, wisps of auburn hair flying about her face, "I do NOT! Now, look . . . I've fallen behind! 'Twas a low blow, Princess." The Princess of Reyre smiled back, amused. "No, silly . . . 'twas quick thinking! Now . . . thou wilt just have to catch up!" * * * The two women raced past a band of weary men and horses at the forest gate, nearly colliding with the group of five men in front, but managing to direct her horse aside just in time. "Sorry!" Serenity cried, galloping past, her loose golden hair cascading behind her in a shower of sun-glinted gold. "Pardon!" Immara yelled, laughing, red-brown hair bouncing about her shoulders. "Princess! Wait up!" "Jadyrn," Endymion said quietly, his eyes on Serenity's slender figure riding off on her horse. "Yes?" his aide-de-camp, a lesser lord posing as his "Guardian," asked. "That girl . . . I wish to make her acquaintance." "As thou wishes, Sire." The man turned his gaze to look after the girl, a studied expression on his face beneath the blonde hair, and solemnity in his blue eyes. * * * "I won!" Serenity declared, as she and Immara reined in their horses in the palace courtyard in front of the stables. She dismounted and handed her horse over to a stable boy. "What dost thou mean?" Immara protested, dismounting and handing her horse to another stable boy. "I got here first!" "Ah-ah-ah," Serenity wagged her finger. "The race was to the forest gate and I won." "Only because there were all of those men there and I couldn't maneuver!" "Excuses, excuses. I'll race thee to dinner!" The princess gathered up her skirts and ran off towards the dining hall. "Serenity!" Immara groaned, then followed her errant princess. "Wait 'til I catch thee!" * * * The night was dark as the slow moving band of men reached the same castle that the princess and her cousin had reached hours ago. Endymion thought, disgruntled. He dismounted swiftly, tossing the mount's reins to Jadyrn who caught them expertly and flashed his prince a rare smile. "Tired, my Liege?" "Can you doubt it? Two weeks of riding . . . Who wouldn't be?" "Indeed." Jadyrn hid another smile as he tended to the horse, stroking his long dark nose. "There, there, Darius. Thou shalt be in a nice stall with some good hay and oats to bide thee by soon. If thou art a good horse, mayhap, I shalt bring thee a carrot later." The horse behind him whinnied in annoyance. Jadyrn turned, looking at the horse with an actual boyish smile and Endymion could almost think of Jadyrn as being his own age instead of seven years his senior. "No, I did not forget thee, Ravius. I shalt bring thee a carrot as well." The bay horse snorted and shook his head up and down vigorously, causing Endymion to smile. "Thou hast such a way with animals, Jadyrn. 'Tis a wonder thou art not Master of the Hunt." Jadyrn's eyes narrowed and he turned away. "'Twas not as though the position was not offered me by thy late father. I refused, of course. My duty is to guard thee and the animals can get along very well without me." The words "as thou cannot" were left unsaid. Instead, Endymion answered with a mild, "Indeed," to which Jadyrn made no reply, merely leading the two horses away. Endymion sighed in frustration as he watched his Guardian Lord go. "What's the matter with him?!" Nephrayn appeared behind him, clapping his prince lightly on his armored shoulder. "Seven years with him and thou still canst not understand the man, eh, Prince?" Endymion turned with a grimace. "Nay, not a bit. And thou? Dost thou understand him better?" Nephrayn shook his head reluctantly. "I fought in the wars with him. Two years together. We slept in the same tent, ate the same bread, fought the same battle, watching each other's backs as we went. The ground was hard, the food was hard, and the fighting was hard . . . and still, I know no more about him than thee." "Two years?" Endymion murmured. "Did the war change him much?" Here, Nephrayn frowned. "Hardly. He is the same hard, emotionless self that he ever was. If he has ever been different, then it was before I knew him." "Well, then we shall never know." Endymion threw his hands into the air. "Not so," Nephrayn interjected, wagging a finger at his prince. "Kunzyn knew him as a child. They lived in the same village when they were but lads. Kunzyn, of course, was called away to the wars two years before Jadyrn, so there are two years unaccounted for, but he, if anyone, will know the story." Endymion rolled his eyes. "I suppose that he will direct us to Zoyzer for the answers?" "Nay. Zoyzer knew only Kunzyn before we joined your service, Sire." "How dost thou KNOW all this?!" Endymion demanded. Nephrayn gestured vaguely. "The stars know everything." "And thou art an incurable gossip." "Well, that too . . ." Endymion looked exasperatedly at his Guardian Lord and gestured. "Hurry, or we'll be late!" "Why hurry?" Nephrayn asked innocently. "We should enjoy the night air. We've already missed dinner." "And how dost thou know *that*?!" Endymion asked, pausing in his stride to glance back at the slightly taller man. "As I said before, the stars know all . . . and the torches for the dining hall seem to have been recently lighted and extinguished." Endymion groaned, hearing his stomach growl in protest. * * * The next morning, after an early breakfast, skipping the main meal with everyone . . . * * * The two of them casually strolled down the hallway, light filtering through the elaborate scaffolding covering the roof and making strange patterns on the tiled floor. Serenity's attention was captured by the light, and as she walked, she gazed absorbedly at the floor. After they had walked in silence for a time, she spoke up, still watching the floor (and incidentally, her steps). "Immara, I do not see why we must meet with these strangers." "Thou knowst perfectly well that it is required that we meet with them . . . it *is* proper etiquette . . ." Serenity sighed. "If thou doth say so. Still, I have ne'er heard of them before." Immara's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Thou must have . . . Dalayne is a center of much commerce. Its ports art well visited by traders. The kingdom itself is quite wealthy and of good standing and the Prince's reputation is not so little that thou wouldst not have heard of him. Think hard, Serenity. Hast thou not met him before now?" Serenity considered for a moment, then shook her head decidedly. "Nay, Immie, not a wit, not a word." "Surely he brought something to thy Royal Nameday celebration . . . ?" "I was but one year old. How am I to recall?! Besides, he would not have been of such a great age himself at the time. Mayhap the Kingdom of Dalayne neglected to send a messenger and gift?" the Princess suggested. "What dost thou say? Not send a messenger or gift? That would be adding insult to injury . . . Dalayne would not chance it. Kingdoms have gone to war for less." "Over a Nameday present?" Serenity asked, incredulously. "Thou canst not be serious." "Aye, indeed I am. No kingdom would accept such a slight . . . though, mayhap, Their Highnesses overlooked the transgression." Immara tapped her lips with her finger before her eyes lighted up and she turned to the Princess excitedly. "Perhaps the party from Dalayne has come to deliver thy present now! Thy sixteenth Nameday is in a bare fortnight. The gifts shall be revealed then . . . They must have realized the error of their ways and brought their offering just in time for the unveiling . . ." "Thou art *definitely* letting thy imagination run away with thee." Immara voiced a confused, "Huh?" just as Serenity swept past her. "It is simply some matter that Dalayne wishes to resolve with my father. Nothing more." "Hmmph!" Immara pouted. "Princess, thou art no fun today!" "I don't want to be fun. I don't want to think about the strangers. Thinking about all of this nonsense makes my head hurt. All I want to do is saddle up the horses and go for a nice ride in the country." "Princess, thou canst not simply ignore politics forever. Or thy duties, for that matter. Thou art the Princess of a vast kingdom. Thy people wilt depend on thee for guidance someday." "Someday," the Princess sighed. Her expression brightened. "But not today!" The brunette noblewoman could not keep from laughing. "What a silly girl thou art!" She bowed swiftly, her eyes shimmering with girlish delight. "Well, thou *didst* say that thou did find my company dull to-day, so I shall lighten things up for thee. Art thou up for a ride?" "Most certainly, Your Highness." A devilish expression appeared on Immara's face. "I'll race thee to the horses!" She took off. Serenity stared after her friend, displeasure written all over her face. "How odd. She seems to be taking after me . . . IMMIE!!!! WAIT!!!!!" * * * Serenity and Immara rode along the paths that they had worn down over the past several years. Beautiful green countryside surrounded them on all sides, gurgling streams, sunny green woods. Serenity shut her eyes and tilted her face up to the bright sunshine which shone down on her, strands of her hair shining like golden rivers. "Thou shalt not have this for long." Immara's expression grew bleak. "Whyever not?" Serenity asked innocently, opening her eyes. "One day soon, thy father shalt arrange a betrothal for thee and marry thee off." The young princess made a face. "How dreadful! Marry a man that I do not know? Never! I refuse!" "Thou canst not *refuse.* Thou art a princess . . . and princesses marry." "But must it be for convenience alone? For the alliances forged between two nations? Or can it be for love?" Serenity asked wistfully. "Thou knows the answer to that as well as I. No marriages for women of our rank arise from love. Politics rule our lives. 'Tis a sad fact, but a true one." "But I have ne'er thought of marrying a man I do not love . . . let alone marrying at all!" Immara was a bit surprised by this. Surely the princess had considered the future . . . "Hast thou never thought of marriage?" "Scarcely." That was not entirely true. She had heard of her parents speaking of it three nights before . . . She had been walking down the hallway when she had passed the slightly open door to her father's study. Overhearing voices, she had stopped to investigate, peeking through the door. Her mother and father were arguing. "Lucent," her mother exclaimed, "I do not see why this is necessary. She's just a child!" "Girls younger than she are married! Sere is old enough to wed, Selenity. Thou knows that as well as I." "But, how can we force her into this marriage? Why can't we just wait and let her meet someone . . . fall in love?" "Marriage is not about love. It is about politics. Thou didst not love me when thou married me and thou dost not love me now." "It is true." Selenity's voice was high and quiet. "That is not to say that I am not proud of having such a beautiful and accomplished wife . . . Selenity. But . . . thou dost not love me." "But, I love my daughter!" "She is our daughter and I decide what's best for her." "Why thou? Why not me? I'm her mother!" "And I'm her father! Selenity . . . please, thou knowst what lies ahead. I just . . . I just want Sere to be protected. I just want her to stay out of danger. She needs someone there to take care of her." "She can take care of herself! Why, there's not a man in the kingdom that can outride her." "Riding's not good enough. She can't fight, and fighting's what's needed. I only want the best for her." Selenity turned away. "Why? Why can't thou just leave her be? She's happy! What more is there to want for her? What more can we do? Why can't she stay my little girl forever? Why can't she stay safe here?" "Because she can't, Selenity. Because she can't." Serenity had left then, as her mother sobbed and her father watched impassively. "Marriage," Serenity declared, "is a terrible institution." Immara simply shook her head, smiling. "Not so terrible, Serenity. One day . . . thou shalt see the truth of the matter." Serenity rolled her eyes. "Never, Immie," she vowed. "The day I decide to marry is the day I learn to fly!" "Love oft times makes people feel like they have been indulging in flight." Serenity shot Immara a *look*. "And how wouldst *thou* know?" Immara shut her mouth abruptly and blushed, eliciting a giggle from her princess. She sent her horse racing with a touch of the reins and a gentle kick. "Not one word to you, Your Highness. Not one word." "Come now, Immara, tell me!" Serenity cried, urging her own steed forward. They rode, friendly banter being tossed about between them, until Serenity finally caught up and gave in to her friend's obstinance. * * * Serenity arrived home. Immara was called off to other duties so the princess decided to visit her gardens. While crossing a courtyard, she stopped short. The armored man leaned casually against the wall, twirling a dark red rose in his fingers. "I am Crown Prince Endymion of Dalayne." Serenity stared bemused for a moment that he had answered her unasked question, then curtsied elegantly and said with a charmingly enchanting smile, "I remember thee! I passed thee on my ride last night. I am terribly sorry about that. I was in quite a hurry and did not see thee and thy party." "'Tis quite all right." Endymion straightened and bowed swiftly, presenting the rose to Serenity. She took it with another smile. "Thou art quite gallant, Lord Prince." "How else should one act in the presence of a lady?" "Oh! Where have my manners flown to? I have not introduced myself. I am Crown Princess Serenity of Reyre." He caught her hand and brushed his lips across it. "I know." His intense dark blue eyes met her amused bright blue ones, as she said, pulling away her hand, "Doth thee now?" "I do." "Then I shalt see thee tonight at the ball, Lord Prince of Dalayne." "Even so, Lady Princess of Reyre. Do save me a dance, my lady." He bowed and bent over her hand again. "Mayhap, I will. Mayhap, I won't. We shall see." "That we shall." Once more he kissed her hand, then let it go, pressing the rose into it. "Mayhap . . . one," she whispered, hastening away. Endymion allowed a brief smile to cross his face, his dark blue eyes sparkling with barely contained amusement. His midnight blue eyes stared after her, filled with an aching longing to run up to her and hold her fast to him, never letting go. To be continued . . . Short, I know, but the best I could do without giving away too much plot. Trust me . . . this is *not* your ordinary love story. At least, I hope not. ^_^