"For Serenity's Sake"
By: Isis @}->--	
isis@moonkingdom.com
Rated: G
Disclaimers:  Please do not copy.
AN:  The meeting of a destined couple… the beginning to so much 
more.  Dedicated to the true couples of the world, do not forsake 
pure love for romance!


Chapter 2
@}->--


The deep blackness of the night could only be put out by the 
brightest of flames.  Though as Serenity began her decent of the 
Grand Hall's stairway she no longer felt the heaviness of the rain 
drops she had spent the last hour watching.

The torch stands stood regal and majestic, emitting buttered light 
about the mass of people below.  Her mother, whom now walked 
to her left, had warned her that this would be an event that would 
see the whole of the planet turned out for.  Indeed it seemed true.

She marveled at the extravagance and colors that floated past her.  
The throng of people spread and bulged around them as an 
honorary passage was cleared for the Queen of the Moon and her 
daughter's court.  Yet as they passed in a muted din she could feel 
all eyes turned to her and riveted to her movements, which were 
still labored by the unusual weight they carried.

Serenity mentally restrained herself from turning to catch their 
stares and instead placed up a polite smile for those who she could 
catch in her straight posture's focus.  Though inside she felt 
nothing but the turning of her stomach.

Even on their travel here she did not feel such fear at the prospect 
of meeting the prince as she did now.  Coming here, she had found 
many of her fears unfounded though she was still locked deeply 
within terror's talons.

They descended slowly and crossed the Grand Hall towards her 
left.  Men dressed gallantly in robes of state or partial dress-armor 
mutely clamored about with women groomed in flowing gowns of 
every shading of her imagination.  Though her and her mother 
were dressed in the royal white of the Moon Kingdom she saw few 
others robed in that composite color.

Their group came upon two brass doors standing open before 
them.  Was Serenity not of a subdued state of mind she would have 
gasped out right at the sight laid out before her.  The golden clad 
doors stood perhaps over two stories tall and were carved over on 
both sides with an entwined design of roses.

Held within them was the scene of the room beyond with its warm, 
bright light flooding out to them.  The floor within gleamed of 
white marble, polished to pristine beauty.  The walls were also of a 
white plaster, though little of it could be seen.

Stepping up to the doors she could see the room proper and 
realized that to dub this a room would be of the utmost 
understatement.  Surrounding her was fully half of one of the 
castle's turret towers.  They stood facing that last quarter of the 
round tower that peered into the courtyard at the heart of the palace 
as great panes of glass showed out into the rainy night in the 
gardens.

In the center of the floor was a square area larger than even the 
Grand Hall she had marveled at only hours before.  Sunk into the 
floor by perhaps six steps, the clearing likely served as the 
ballroom floor.  Around the sides of this stood tables and people 
awaiting the banquet.

Slightly off to the sides of the great square stood silent marble 
columns leading up to where balconies ran on either side of the 
room, a level over their heads.  Though, she noticed, the two 
balconies did not meet, but instead both came to meet the far wall 
of glass.  Free standing spiral staircases made from golden brass 
with inlaid marble steps made ascent possible towards the second 
floor.

So stunned was she that her mother nudged her arm, which was 
wrapped through her own, to call her attention to the page that was 
beginning their introduction to all assembled.  It was then that her 
bewildered eyes fell towards the far wall.

The focus of the room was placed on what she presumed to be the 
head table, laid out under the two double story windows.  Yet it 
was the group standing at the end of the ballroom floor, watching 
them, that took her heavy breath.  She immediately recognized the 
royal King and Queen of Earth, though her momentarily awe-
inspired loss of fright was dashed quickly upon seeing five young 
men standing with them.

The page read through the formalities of State and the queen glided 
down the steps to the floor below, with her daughter on her arm.  
Serenity studied the marble beneath her as she descended.  Each 
step was outlined in a swirled pattern of deep green and blue 
jasper; a small accent but one that strangely calmed her.

The beautiful green and blue orb that her home circled around was 
now beneath her feet.  Though the reasons were frightening for 
being here, this was still the place of her dreams.  She straightened 
herself to look up at the group she was approaching with a new 
excitement.  Could this be her dream?

She could tell that four of the young men were arranged behind the 
royal… yet one stood on par with the ruling couple.  Could this 
then be her betrothed, Endymion, prince of the Earth Kingdom, 
soon to be her wedded husband?

He stood tall, as tall as his father aside him, garbed in shinning 
light-armor.  Black complimented the silver metal encasing his 
shoulders, torso, and lower legs and feet.  A high collared jacket 
was placed over his breastplate ornamented with silver threading.  
A red lined black cape back dropped his soldier-like frame, and his 
mother's black hair crowned him more powerfully than gold or 
jewels.

Could this truly be the same man that she had heard speak from the 
shadows merely an hour before?  Though she had not meant to 
eavesdrop upon him and Minerva, she had taken the chance to 
leave her rooms and practice her over-burdened movements, when 
she had been roused by the head servant's voice.

Serenity had not managed a glimpse of him before this moment, 
though she imagined a softer man that could speak with gentleness 
as he did of Minerva's sister.  Was this the man she feared as a 
warlord?  He seemed to have commanding enough presence for it, 
yet she felt no hostility centered in him.  On closer appearances she 
saw him watching her as fixedly as she was him.

For reasons she could not explain she felt flushed upon walking 
into his countenance.  She did not meet eyes to his as her mother 
stopped before her peers and exchanged quiet words of greeting 
again.

It was King Odin that instead made the introduction for his son to 
the Queen.  Endymion took her hand and bowed formally to her, 
though Serenity could hear nothing through the beat of her heart 
within her own chest.  The Earth's king then turned to her and, 
with perhaps too hearty of a smile, spoke to her.

"Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, I am honored to finally 
unite you with your betrothed, my son Prince Endymion."  She 
carefully extended her hand to him when he offered his own and 
curtsied before him.  Yet as he took her hand within his grasp she 
felt an electric shock ripple through her.

She came up a bit startled as she looked at him bowing before her.  
Her gaze met directly with two of the most perfect, midnight blue 
eyes, looking softly back into hers.  As she rose he brought her 
hand to his lips in the slightest of kisses before returning to his 
straight height.  The princess found herself more than flushed as 
she stayed locked within his eyes.

"I am sorry that I was not able to great you earlier today, Princess, 
though nothing short of this flood would have taken me away."

Serenity smiled at his words, believing him without question.  "I 
am pleased to meet you as well, Prince Endymion."  He smiled 
back at her before she found herself tugged aside with her mother.

She slipped slowly to the side as the formalities were made for her 
four guardians.  Once the girls were named the other four men 
were ushered to the front and she became increasingly surprised 
that it was the prince who made their introductions to her court.

"I have the honor of presenting my own guardians and generals of 
the Earth's forces.  My high general, Kunzite."  A man of perfect 
stature stepped forward and bowed first to herself and her mother 
and then again to the assembled tutelaries.  More than shoulder 
length silver hair caped his face and tanned skin.  Brilliant crystal 
blue eyes traced over the group with the cool well-practiced grace 
of a professional protector… or assassin.

"My advisor and strategist, Nephrite."  The next in line stepped 
forward to repeat Kunzite's example.  Dark, waving brown hair 
dropped past his shoulders, though without the pristine demeanor 
of the former general, he also demanded a confident presence and 
measured eye to details.

"My third general is Zoicite, charged with matters of the law and 
affaires of state."  The man in question came forward and revealed 
shorter, light brown hair framing fair skin and accented by vivid 
green eyes.  Slightly smaller in stature than his predecessors there 
was something swift and shifty about him that made one wish to 
keep an eye focused on his movements.

"General Jadeite is the newest recruit to my court.  He acts as a 
historian and messenger."  Though the other three generals seemed 
impassive and formal in the women's sights, this general smiled 
flirtatiously about all of her guardians freely, catching each of their 
eyes as he bowed before them.  A gleam of mischief showed in his 
green eyes, and his short blond hair was swept away from his face 
with perfection.

The assembled group was certainly an imposing force to behold, 
though Serenity found herself more awe-inspired than frightened.  
The four guards stood clothed in dress armor much akin to their 
lord's, though each seemed liken to different colors and Kunzite 
was the only one to sport a cape of white and blue.

King Odin smiled approvingly of the groups.  "Indeed, a better 
guardian court was not to be found."  Turning to Queen Selenity he 
took her hand a moment, "I believe both our charges shall be well 
looked after."  There was a nod of agreement from her mother as 
Serenity stole a glance over the eight warriors pledged to their 
protection, and somehow wondered why they should be in need of 
such.


The banquet passed quickly without Serenity's notice.  She felt 
excitement rush through her at every turn of events yet she 
contented herself with the act of simple resignation for those 
around her to see.  Chatting was kept to the minimum and she 
found herself idle most of the meal.  Idle except perhaps for her 
eyes.

The head table, laid out before her, was over laid with a white 
tablecloth and vases of beautiful flowers were arranged down it.  
One such vase sat in front of her, with blushed pink flowers 
overflowing from the crystal holding them.

Her mother had smiled at the arrangement as they were seated and 
explained quietly that on Earth at a formal gathering of such, the 
betrothed couple would be ornamented by pink roses.  At the 
mention of roses she took a closer inspection of the vase.

"Yet they do not look like our roses, how are they colored?" she 
asked, lightly brushing one with her hand.

"The soil and growth of many things are different here, Serenity.  
Flowers come in all colors and they may look or smell different 
from our own gardens.  You will find many variations." She had 
answered quietly.  "Roses are an important symbol, much the same 
as they are on the Moon, only here each color has separate 
meaning."

Serenity had turned to listen whole-heartedly to the explanation as 
her mother quietly continued.  "The light pink stands for joy, and 
hope for happiness, that is why a destined couple is presented with 
them."

She wondered how such implications could be given to a simple 
flower, yet as she cautiously eyed down the length of the table the 
only other vase of pink sat before the prince.  Only the three ruling 
members sat between them, and yet she somehow felt distanced 
from him.  But her wondering eyes had much else to entertain 
them.

The room, lights, colors, the people themselves, everything envied 
her imagination.  A happy cloud of dreaming fog blurred her vision 
and it soon became her leading guardian's job to keep her from 
nodding to sleep.  The blond woman from Venus began to banter 
with her over which of the prince's generals was the most fair and 
she soon found all of her court's members wrapped in the 
conversation.

Admittedly the princess felt a bit silly at the comments being 
spoken so close to their offending counterparts and though 
implored, she kept her tongue as to her thoughts of "her" prince.  
Somehow such things seemed displaced so near to her wedding.

The meal was soon finished and it was the musicians who 
occupied the crowd's attention.  Several songs were ended before 
she began to wonder why no one had yet taken the floor.  From the 
corner of her eye she saw the Earth's ruling couple rise and begin 
their way down the steps to the dance floor.

Serenity watched them a moment as the remainder of the room's 
inhabitants did also.  There seemed an unwritten rule that the 
ruling couple would begin the dance themselves before others 
could join.  It was a custom that showed much respect and 
devotion to king and queen, and something she had the impulse to 
ask her mother of, when she likewise saw the crowned prince stand 
from his place.

A sudden shock of terror ran the length of her spine as he came 
toward her.  She locked eyes with him as he approached and her 
heart found leave to jump to her throat so that its insistent beating 
could be heard louder by her ears.  The near silent, mocking 
exclamations from her four friends did not settle her either as they 
exclaimed over how proper it would be to have them on the floor 
together for the first dance.

With all flourish deemed necessary in such a formal setting, 
Endymion bowed to her and offered his hand.  "May I have the 
honor of a dance with you, Princess?"

She shakily smiled and nodded.  Her fears were more than founded 
as she extended her hand to his.  Serenity was still unrecovered 
from the unusual heaviness of her body on this strange planet.  Yet 
she took his hand and let him raise her to her feet.

The journey to the dance floor found her only thought to be of 
small prayers so that she did not stumble to her face in the 
presence of all assembled.  Imagine the entire planet's 
conversation centered over the klutz of a princess deemed to marry 
their prince!  Oh yes, the future heir of the System falling on her 
face with her first step off the Moon.

She managed to the floor gracefully and the prince stopped to face 
her, bowing graciously again as custom would have.  She curtsied 
also before him and bit her lip as she rose again feeling the strain 
in her legs growing.  Perhaps Lady Mar's suggestion to work with 
her guardians during their training exercises would be beneficial 
after all.  Not so much for self-protection, as her keeper had stated, 
but for simple upkeep of her body if her new position found her on 
this planet often.  Why did none of her advisors tell her these 
useful things before she landed in such a situation?

Gently he moved her to a respectful distance and began to twill her 
about the room as his parents were also doing.  She was carefully 
counting each movement and only realized that she was watching 
her feet when she heard him speak softly to her hair.  "I believe I 
would find it an insult if you find your shoes more interesting than 
I?"

She looked up at him a bit startled for being interrupted and 
succeeded in stumbling over her hem.  She tripped but recovered 
quickly due to the balance that the prince provided for her, and 
with a small circle placed strategically into their dance steps, he 
also covered beautifully.  Although nothing that he could do would 
keep the bright blush from possessing her checks.

"Forgive me.  I did not mean to throw you off balance."

There was a slightly amused humor that she heard in his voice and 
Serenity did not appreciate it.  "It is not your fault, I have been off 
balance since I arrived here.  I am not use to such gravity," she 
mumbled to make her excuse.  It would serve her no good to have 
her husband thinking of her as an unruly adolescent.

She instead began to take in the views of the dance floor, the wall, 
anything but the man she was moving about with.  Others had now 
begun to take the floor and as the next song began they continued 
whirling about.  "I had forgotten about that in all of this.  Has this 
been your first trip away from home?"

She looked up at him again.  There were very few that referred to 
their seat of power as "home" even when speaking with the Royal 
Family.  "Yes.  I should have been more prepared for this, but I 
never took to heart the differences that I would find."

"You must be all but overwhelmed."  There was genuine concern 
centered in his eyes and she began to relax in his embrace.  She 
nodded and again set her mind to take in this man that she was 
destined to marry.

He looked away absently a moment, locked in memory it seemed.  
"I have forgotten how different the Moon is from us.  I remember 
little of it, but while there I found myself checking to see if I was 
floating or not."

She looked up at him a bit shocked; when had he ventured to the 
Moon?  "You have visited?" she asked spontaneously.

He smiled at her a bit and chuckled lightly before nodding.  "Once, 
when I was still very small.  I do not remember much else.  Only 
the feeling I suppose.  It is like nowhere else."

Serenity felt pride touch her as his words did.  There were always 
compliments from those who visited her home, yet his casual 
sentence brought more emotion to her then all of those carefully 
crafted compliments combine.  "Thank you," she said quietly 
studying the silver threading on his jacket.

"Princess?" he asked.  She again looked up to his much taller 
height and felt her head swim a bit.  "Are you all right?"

"I am sorry," she said quickly.  "This is wearing on me horribly."  
Indeed she felt a bit light headed and her body was weighted now 
more than ever.

Strategically he waltzed them to the side of the floor and escorted 
her to the head table again, careful to supply her with an arm lest 
she need the balance.  They found that both of their courts had 
taken the dance floor as well.  Even her mother was enjoying the 
festivities on the arm of one of the Earth's High Council.  She 
could not help but feel a touch self-conscious as she could sense 
half the eyes in the room turn to them as he helped her into her seat 
again.

"I would not concern yourself much over what the court thinks.  
They are notorious for finding something to gossip over no matter 
what the situation."  She looked up at his comment, smiling 
appreciatively.

"I am sorry for being so bewildered."

He slid into what had been her mother's seat and lounged next to 
her for the time.  "Do not be.  In truth I wondered if you would 
even be here."  She looked at him oddly a moment before he 
smiled at her.  "Princesses normally are not above barricading 
themselves in their quarters when confronted by something they 
are angered at."

For the first time since they met she smiled whole-heartedly at the 
young man before her.  Light heartedness reflected in his words, 
and she felt herself growing more comfortable with him here.  
There was an ease between them.  "And who is to say that I was 
angered over this?"

He placed his arm over the back of his chair and leaned his head on 
his hand, gazing at her.  "And do you consider this an appropriate 
wedding plan?"

Serenity crossed her arms in her lap and watched them.  "I do not 
know how appropriate this is, yet I am well aware of my station."

There was a pause during which she was reminded of several 
dozen fears that still clung tightly to her heart and pried at her 
mind.  She felt him lean towards her a bit a whisper quietly, "Are 
you normally this submissive or have you simply given up hope?"

His question plagued her a moment and she did not raise her eyes 
to look at him.  Had she now resigned herself so completely to this 
placement?  What choice did she have?  In essence, what choice 
did either of them possess?

She felt him place a finger under her chin and raise it to look at 
him.  There was again, the same light shock that she noticed when 
they met.  His touch was soothing to her mind and she wondered at 
it.  Yet she gazed up into his eyes, still a respective distance away, 
and found nothing but concern.

"Please tell me Princess, what are your feelings of this match?"

"I am resigned to this mating," she whispered the same words that 
she had spoken to her mother less than a sun's journey ago.

"And yet?" he pushed.

"And yet," she stammered a bit, searching for words.  "And yet, I 
have hope for the out come of our marriage.  It is the last hope that 
I hold on to," she confided.  Her voice was nothing but a murmur 
but the prince seemed to hear.  He nodded silently and dropped his 
hand from her chin again seemingly digesting her words.

"I too have hope for us, Princess.  Again, if nothing else can be 
hoped for."

She studied his face a moment before asking, "Then you were not 
inclined to this marriage?"

He chuckled a bit at her and nodded again.  "I have trouble with 
the time frame we are running on."

"Indeed," she agreed, "I suppose this way they keep us from 
running away."

He smiled honestly at her speech and secretly took her hand, which 
lay beneath the table's coverings.  "I promise I will not run if you 
promise also."

She smiled warmingly and nodded easily.  She again felt herself 
calm and dwell on the peace that they could come to this night.  It 
was then that Serenity noticed her hand in his once more.  Was it 
only her imaginings or did his touch truly have an affect on her?  
She thought of it a moment and looked up to find him absently 
watching the dancers on the floor.  Contemplating his profile she 
began to wonder as she remembered the slight shocks that she had 
found herself subject to this evening.

Catching her gaze he looked at her a bit quizativly.  "Princess?"

"Forgive me," she looked down to her lap and slid her hand out of 
his, careful to notice the difference in feel.  Minusculy she felt the 
slightest force leave her as if some magnetic field was broken from 
around her.  What kind of sorcery was this?

"No, forgive me, Princess."  She looked up to stare into his deep 
blue eyes.  "As yet, I am not use to you."

"What do you mean?"

He smiled at her inquisition.  "To tell you that means that I have to 
explain myself."  Serenity simply waited for him to continue so he 
began in a low voice suited for her ears alone.

"Much as your guardians take special powers from their home 
planets, as I know, I too have certain gifts.  They are ones that have 
not been seen within my line here on Earth for many years, so 
information is roughly sketched, but my powers come from the 
senses of this planet.  I have the gift of psychometry, through my 
hands I can mentally sense anything I touch."

She involuntarily looked towards his hand, which was again 
propping up his chin, before meeting his eyes again.  "Was that 
what I felt when you took my hand?  This mental probe of yours 
attempting to 'feel' me?"

The prince's eyes blinked back at her words as though thrown off 
of his well practiced guard.  Silently he shook his head and a small 
smile crept at the corner of his mouth.  The princess found herself 
becoming much more uncomfortable with each quick breath she 
drew until he spoke.

"Please Princess, you need not think harshly of me.  It is true that 
my powers may be used to look through any person who I could 
bring within my touch but I have never found reason or morality 
enough to do so."  He again smiled quietly as he gazed down at 
her.  "Most, even within these walls, do not know of my power.  I 
have no intention of making it public knowledge without sufficient 
justification as to the panic it would cause among my Councils.  In 
truth, close to no one has ever felt my touch directly."

Serenity wondered at his words.  "You say then that no one else 
feels as I did when we touched?"

"Not many, Princess.  My mother was the first to see my power 
when I was a child.  My father, also, felt it as did my four 
guardians, though outside of them, few else have seen it."

"Then you say," she paused looking instead at the pink roses still 
settled on the table's top, "that I have felt something that most of 
your own planet do not?"

"Indeed it would seem as such," he said attempting to look into her 
eyes as much as she would allow.  "Though I am not much 
surprised.  I am told that your own gifts may even rival your 
mother's."

There was a rising of one eyebrow as she detected a slight tease 
behind the prince's words.  Could this highly praised lord of such 
an "untamed" planet be capable in small words of jest?  Either way 
the words brought a light pink rush to her checks.  "Do not believe 
the rumors, I am no match to my mother's abilities."

She did not raise her chin with her reply and there was a moment's 
pause as the two sat deafly listening to the music floating over 
them.  "Forgive me, Princess.  I did not mean to touch an 
uncomfort in you."

Again, for some reason, Serenity was inclined to take his words as 
truth.  Perhaps she was being too trusting of this man she had only 
met, yet she sensed no ill will from him; had no reason to suspect 
him.  Though she was not the part of the pair who could sense 
other so well.

"Might I ask something of you?" she questioned, attempting to 
desperately escape the former subject.

"Anything you desire, Princess," he answered formally.

Once more she relaxed the tense lump in her throat.  "If you do not 
directly sense someone with your power, what can you feel?"

Serenity was taken slightly aback as he smiled easily at her.  "I had 
believed it would be a challenge to tell you of this, yet you seem 
curious enough to understand me."

She blinked a few times not understanding him.  "What do you 
mean?"

"Most would find the thought disconcerting at the least.  I would 
say that most of those again would not trust their own minds while 
in my presence," he explained.

She nodded, understanding her own uneasiness as something more 
since this conversation began.  "I can see how many would find 
themselves intimidated."

"Unfortunately it is true."  There was a close to defeated sigh 
inside his voice but he gazed down easily at her.  "Yet to answer 
your question, I can sense vaguely a person's mood or emotions if 
they are strong.  I can also give or take away from those emotions 
by offering my own thought, though this is not usually a conscious 
effort."

She gazed at him stilly a moment before gathering her question.  
"Is that the calmness that I have felt with you this evening?"

Again she caught the flicker in his eyes as though surprise claimed 
him for the barest of moments.  "You intrigue me, Princess.  My 
attempts at such things are normally much too subtle for even my 
guardians to notice."  He gazed at her studyingly a moment, "Does 
it bother you?  I truly mean no harm or interference by it.  In truth, 
this night I have set this to calm myself more than it was to have 
any affect over you.  I rarely use it, though tonight we have both 
been walking a broken bridge."

"It is a frightening power you hold," she carefully admitted.

"Please do not fear it, once I become use to your presence my 
senses become immune to you, so to speak."

"Immune?"  He nodded quietly as they noticed Mina, Lady Venus, 
wave to them slightly as she whizzed by between the arms of the 
high general Kunzite.  They both smiled at the pair as they 
promenaded onward.  Spirits raised again they turned back to each 
other.  And though the princess could feel herself being drug down 
more by fatigue, her curiosity would not let her loose her 
perception of reality.

"I hardly notice it when I am within my own circle.  They are 
familiar and nearly unreadable unless I concentrate on them," he 
continued, though looked at her a bit oddly.  "Princess?"

"Yes?"

"Are you all right?"

In truth she was bordering on exhaustion and she again felt a touch 
lightheaded by her surroundings.  "Yes, simply tired is all."

"I do know that these festivities get long."  She silently agreed and 
again watched the couples turning and moving about the floor.  
The lighting had been dimmed as the music had come up and small 
lamps shining down from the second floor balconies made for a 
romantic atmosphere.  She truly wished that she could enjoy this 
more.

"This is truly a beautiful place," she mused more to herself than 
anyone.  "I never imagined my dream was true."  The happy fog 
that she found herself in cleared slightly as she felt Endymion 
nudge her on the arm.

"I am afraid to warn you of what might happen should you have 
that dream in the flower vase in front of you."

She blinked a few times to bring the pink roses back into focus as 
the pillowy mist lifted from her completely.  "Oh," she mumbled.  
"I am in danger of falling asleep on the table!"

She heard him chuckle and turned to give him a rather unamused 
look.  He took it in stride and slowly rose to his feet, offering her 
his hand once more.  "I do believe that your escape has been 
planned."

She looked at him confused, not truly wanting to be helped to her 
feet again.  He looked over her head and nodded to someone 
entering behind her.  "Queen Selenity, Council Bob." *

Serenity started and let herself be carried t