author: Ann Lovedrew email: sailor_beauty15@yahoo.com rating: PG 13 title: Blood and Moonlight part: BOOK 1 - TALES OF THE PAST : Chapter 3 Disclaimer: No, I don't own Sailor Moon or the notion of "vampire" but this story is mine and I'd like to keep it this way! AN: I know! Another 3 months and I'm sorry but this is pretty long so I hope you'll enjoy! Read and tell me what you think! Have fun! Oh, I do have an editor - Loki - who will free me of editing! Cookies for him! For L.A.S... For LOKI... BOOK 1 - TALES OF THE PAST : Chapter 3 Serene. There are very few places on this ever so changing planet that may still be considered untouched, peaucefull, a mirror of how nature wanted Earth to look before humans decided to interfeer. Cities took over fields and mountains alike, changing the landscape from a lush green to a sea of black and gray and, where they could not live, they built factories that would farther rob nature of what was hers. At the sight of such chaos I'd think that Mother Earth is twisting and turning in disappointment and anger, trying to comprehend what is beyond a kind soul - money. As humans advance and slowly discover more and more, the thirst for power begins to drive more and more people into doing reckless and selfish acts. So much of humanity itself is getting lost in this process of evolution. But sadly, everyone fails to realize that all this is merely a tehnological evolution that is hiding an involution of each and every human. With every person hurt, with every object stolen, with every lie told with every action that benefits just one out of 6 billion inhabitants, the world grows closer and closer to its downfall. Don't misunderstand me; I perhaps, more than others, can truly appreciate the progress humans have made in such a short time. I've seen the good and the bad only to find myself more puzzled than I was at the beginning. It seems the more I know, the less I understand and for me, having arrived at this conclusion pains me greatly. I will fight, yes, perhaps against my very nature, as people seem to do every day. And maybe -- just maybe -- I'll succeed in pushing the barrier a little farther back. If there's one thing I've learnt from you, it is that you never know unless you try... The first thing that comes to mind, as I sit at my desk in this cold room, empty of all emotion, is the Amareni Gardens. They were my little piece of heaven, my serene hideaway where I was no longer a princess and no longer belonged to the world. It was my shelter from reality and I found comfort in the hours I spent there, losing myself in the ocean of green, floating on an ever so fragile sweet scent that filled my lungs, seeming to capture my very soul as I released a long languid breath. I would lose contact with my humanity and simply hover above the ground with such ease. One could be forgiven for thinking this my true form, my being, becoming one with the heart of the garden, and for a few hours, I felt free. And I loved it. I don't think there are words to describe the connection I felt with that place, for ever since I took my first steps as a child, I have had an affinity with this place and if I were mortal, it probably would have followed me to the day I died. In an odd sense, I had in a way died, but it wasn't a physical death, rather, a transformation. But I lost something far more precious and this, I found unbearably painful, I wonder if it has changed me for the rest of eternity -- whatever that might be like. Few things could reach me whenever I spent my afternoons there; lying on the soft grass and enjoying the shadow of a nearby tree while a gentle breeze moved its curtain of leaves from one side to the other, allowing me to catch a glimpse of the clear blue sky. I kept my eyes closed, allowing myself to concentrate on other matters I cannot recall. It may have been one of those foolish mortal things teenage girls might entertain on a lazy summers's afternoon. The details long forgotten, but the image that haunted my mind back then could be clearly seen -- a pair of big icy -blue eyes that stared back at me with searing hatred, so powerful, I felt myself disintegrating under their weight. I felt extremely uneasy, and to this day, the thought of those mesmerizing blue eyes having recognized and disliked me has left me feeling stone cold. Nothing felt too silly at that moment. Possibly, I would have continued pondering the immortality of my soul under that judgmental gaze if I hadn't heard something. At first, I thought it only the wind playing tricks on my young ears, but when I heard it the second time, my eyes snapped open in less than a second. Time itself seemed to freeze around me as my body tensed. I waited for the sound, my chest starting to ache from the lack of air; the trees swayed in the wind, sending me clear fragments of the same noise I heard earlier. I assumed a sitting position and stood up in a state of doubt. It couldn't have been what I thought it had. The low melodic sound of a horn was heard once more and I couldn't deny the fact that it existed and that it was resonating throughout the garden. Reluctantly, I got up and slowly exited the garden as my feet moved along the main road, leaving my beloved sanctuary behind me as my pace quickened. Pure curiosity replaced doubt as I approached the town. I followed the hypnotizing sound, finding my way through the labyrinth of narrow streets. I was looking at nothing in particular until I saw a speck of red out of the corner of my eye. "Serenity..." the wind seemed to chant. I immediately made a 180 degrees turn and froze as my eyes met with a pair of bright emerald ones. They seemed to have locked me in place, leaving me with a confused gaze that lingered on the person in front of me. The crimson hood fell back revealing a cascade of bright red the likes I had never seen. I felt my heart skip a beat as I looked at the woman. A smirk played upon her lips, as she seemed to enjoy the effect she had on me. I wanted to scream but I couldn't even open my mouth. The woman tilted her head to one side and pressed a finger to her lips now forming a demonic grin. Everything seemed to move at great speed around us, leaving only the redhead and myself frozen in place like marble statues designed to stand the test of time. Her eyes shimmered, and for a moment -- it might never have happened -- I could see Hell through a dark window. My blood ran cold and I struggled to fight back the sensation of nausea as the smell of sulfur filled my nostrils. I felt myself ready to collapse and shut my eyes, repeating a prayer. As I opened them again I could see everything go fast forward, including the woman. In a matter of seconds I could feel myself regaining control of my body and I fell to my knees, breathing heavily. The horn echoed once more through my ears and I shakely got up and continued to walk through empty streets and abandoned shops. I finally saw a mass of people ahead and started walking faster and faster until I reached them. The sound was now louder than ever as I made my way through the front. Only then did I realize that I was walking towards the harbour. I glanced around only to see flowers upon flowers that decorated the otherwise boring dock. My eyes were then drawn to a huge ship anchored there. It was hard not to observe and appreciate its solid gold plating encrusted with diamonds and other precious stones, these forming complex patterns upon the polished mahogany deck. On the front was a silver lion's head with huge sapphires for eyes. It seemed alive as it appeared every now and again from behind the fluttering curtain of white sails. My eyes staring -- focusing on the ship for a few seconds before they turned towards my father and Damien. They stood proud at the end of a carpet of white and pink rose petals, turning now and again to Arahmon and another 6 guards flanking them. I saw my father nod every now and again before turning back to the ship. His eyes had a spark of victory within them and he seemed content with how proceedings were moving along -- though I had no real idea of what was happening. Damien contrasted with Ehlon as his eyes were darkened with sadness and a hint of hatred. His head bowed and he seemed to be studying the gravel far too carefully to be interested in the events unfolding around him. I think he might have been able to write an essay about the portion of ground at his feet because it certainly seemed to hold his interest more than anything else did at that moment. I sighed and my eyes moved from one figure to another until they finally came to rest upon a girl with long blonde hair standing with her fists clenched and dark-blue eyes burning dangerously. She stared relentlessly at Damien, but he did all he could to avoid eye contact, though her intense glare could hardly go unnoticed. I shook my head as I tried to make sense of the situation, but nothing came. The horn made one last lengthy melodious sound before silence fell. 'Who could be coming? Who could spark such a reaction from the people?' I thought but my questions were answered in a matter of seconds. A figure appeared and quickly descended the ramp before moving towards King Ehlon and came to an abrupt stop and took a small bow before straightening once more. He pushed his white hair back from his face and brushed a hand over his light-blue toga, trying to straighten out a crease that didn't exist. He took out a rolled parchment and gave it to my father, who nodded as a smile played upon his lips. The man maintained his serious demeanor and hit the ground three times with his long wooden rod. A chorus of flutes suddenly began playing and another figure appeared. This time, this individual didn't immediately descend. Everyone's eyes fixed upon the woman standing upon the threshold. Her graceful body and presence commanding awe and respect as she kept her head up and glanced at the ground with sapphire-blue eyes. Her dark-brown hair fell in waves to her waist, adorning her porcelain white skin and caressing her bare arms. She wore a dark blue dress that complimented her physique, falling naturally over her curves and stopped a little below her knees. Her expression of indifference hadn't change in the slightest as she slowly descended, accompanied by the chorus and the clinking of her jewelry. She moved with such ease that she seemed not earth- bound -- more like a figure from mythology, once discarded, but now returning to prominence. She stopped in front of Ehlon and silence covered the dock once more. The rod hit the ground three more times as the old man cleared his throat. "This is Princess Helena of Aristin, a favorite of Athena and a descendant from Aphrodite, with an innocence and pureness that Hera would wish herself to possess. Our Fair Lady has come to enchant you with her presence and fulfil a purpose for herself here this day!" Three more knocks were heard before everything grew silent once more. Helena extended her hand and Ehlon took it, planting a soft kiss on the back of it. "Welcome home!" he said and grinned as the princess nodded and gave him a small smile. The crowd broke into applause and Helena turned to wave at them as they approached one by one to lay flowers at her feet. The last to approach was Damien. He knelt before her and offered his red rose to the princess. She looked down at him and their eyes met for a moment before she extended her hand once more and he took it as he stood up, his gaze never leaving hers for an instant. I could feel my heart grow suddenly heavy as I looked at my brother's mesmerized expression. I turned to Minako who now stood alone. Her eyes, like mine, taking in the scene before her, her eyes glittering with tears spilling over and streaming down her cheeks as she watched the man she loved leaving with another woman amongst the cheers and applause of most people on Menihatos. She was pale, pain embedded in her fragile features. She looked once more in his direction before turning and running away. I watched her leave, but didn't dare follow. There was nothing I could say or do to ease her pain. I looked once more at the imposing outline of the ship of which, in an instant, had fallen from admiration and respect to contempt in my eyes. Turning around, I ran along a different road towards the palace. It was going to be interesting. **** The palace was usually a quiet place if you didn't take into account the behaviour of an extremely drunk King Ehlon. Even so, it was mostly covered by darkness save for its few windows -- nothing else out of the ordinary about it except its size. By the time I managed to build up the courage to return to the castle, I almost had a hard time recognizing it. There was a light at every window, and the noise resounding from it could easily be heard up to a distance of two miles. I looked at it aghast, before deciding to go inside. As I entered the main hall, the noise intensified significantly and, as I looked in the neighbouring rooms, I saw dozens -- if not hundreds -- of people all dressed in their best clothes, talking and drinking to the beat of our traditional music. It most certainly was a pretty big party. I unwillingly walked towards the music. I tentatively entered the room and looked around. My eyes fell upon the throne where Ehlon sat. He was turned to one side, whispering something to the old man, who earlier had heralded the arrival of the beautiful Helena, laughing loudly, and taking a sip of wine every now and again. Next to him, Damien who was deep in conversation with Helena. The two ignored the chaos surrounding them, having only eyes for each other. That would have been a touching scene if only I hadn't seen Minako's reaction earlier. It was painfully obvious that Damien was falling for the beautiful Helena and there was nothing to be done about it. I don't doubt that if I had approached and asked if he was aware of the state Minako was in he would have looked at me with a dazed expression and said something like: "I don't know a Minako!" before turning his attention to the princess's sapphire gaze in which he seemed to be drowning. I shook my head and wanted to leave, but King Ehlon suddenly got up and crossed the floor to stand in the middle of the chamber. He grinned stupidly before motioning for the music to stop and demanded everyone be quiet. All eyes turned towards the drunk king, as he cleared his throat before beginning. "I just hope you're all having a wonderful time..." A round of applause erupted and he nodded before gesturing for the crowd to be silent once again. "I want to welcome once more the fair Helena, who's beauty makes every goddess jealous... Stand up, daughter!" he commanded and Helena rose gracefully and bowed as the crowd clapped their respect and admiration. Ehlon smiled in satisfaction before continuing his speech. "We are very blessed to have her here with us this night. Every father wants his son to find a wonderful young lady that shall do him justice and a king is no different. I'm proud to say my son, Prince Damien, has found such a one to which he can give his heart. There is nothing that would make me happier than seeing this young couple start their life together!" The crowd cheered and brought their hands together once more and waited for the King to take another mouthful of wine before continuing his speech. He signaled for my brother and the princess to join him. "So, it's with great joy that I announce the wedding of my son to beautiful Helena! It will take place a week from today and you're all invited to take part and share in my happiness! Long live Damien and Helena!" he said raising his glass. The crowd applauded and cheered as everyone in turn raised a glass of wine and repeated in unison: "Long live Damien and Helena!" before emptying their glasses. Damien and Helena both smiled and nodded a "thank you". *** A lone figure stood in the shadows and smiled with cruel satisfaction as she looked from the scene in the room to a blonde sitting on the cold marble staircase. The girl was now trembling uncontrollably. She remained seated for a moment longer before jumping to her feet and running up the stairs. Everything was happening, as she had wanted it. The day was a success, but it wasn't the victory she truly wanted. She would have to wait a little longer for that, but being patient was well worth it when weighed against its grand purpose. "She will be pleased...," she hissed and disappeared. *** Darkness and silence. Those were the words that best described that part of the island. A dark silhouette walked along the road, turning every now and again to look back over its shoulder towards the illuminated castle. He shook his head and turned his attention to the stone road once more, as he continued on his way. It was a long way, but then again, nothing was really far enough away when it came to putting distance between yourself and Ehlon. He might not be all that smart, but he was surrounded by a few powerful and clever men that would hunt you down and kill you before you'd even realized what had happened to you. He continued his journey, putting a greater distance between himself and the city. After stepping from the road into a clearing, he came to a sudden stop and looked around. He heard footsteps approaching, saw a hint of light and quickly walked towards it. He became aware of several loud sounds and turned only to see 8 crimson hooded figures surrounding him. "I'd suggest you don't move!" a cold voice echoed in the darkness. "And I'd suggest you stop putting on a show and start recognizing your familiars!" the man responded. "What proof do you have that you share any connection with us?" the first voice questioned. A smug smile played on the man's lips as he took out a piece of leather and threw it towards the speaker. "Is that good enough for you? Or do I need a poem to get in?" Silence enveloped the assembly before a torch was lit. "How did you come by this?" the cold voice enquired. "Let's just say I have a way of finding out about the things that might interest and benefit me!" the man responded and watched as the torchbearer approached him. His eyes glittered menacingly back at the hooded figure, who seemed ready to take a step back. "You're...," the hooded figure said in a trembling voice. "I know perfectly well who I am. No need to remind me!" "Then what do you want here?" "Well, I know a good cause when I see one! My motives are my own! Take my help or leave it!" Everyone fell silent once more. "What information do you have?" "The 'guardian angel' has arrived!" he said seriously and pushed his long gray hair back while a smiled played on his lips. He liked being a winner.