A Truth Among Lies By Etoile Mignon "In the end, everyone forgets someone." Chapter Three The Women on the Moon "For most of history, Anonymous was a woman." - Virginia Woolf By the sun set on the eventful day, the generals were still gathered out on the terraces. In effort to make themselves comfortable, they each pulled over a seat, although Kunzite was not using his. Their leader paced back and forth, his cape whipping with every turn. Nephrite looked altogether drained ever since he recounted the woman's vision, but he had been sipping on a dark red wine that was brought over an hour ago. Some color had been brought to his cheeks, but his eyes still looked as if he had been awake for days. Zoisite looked concerned, but altogether composed. He had already listed the things missing, revealed the key he found, and explained that he could not place the metalwork. Jadeite sat bent over, resting his elbows on his knees, which shook with eagerness. He knew that they must decide what direction to go before they took action, but he always grew impatient quickly. To calm himself, he poured himself a goblet of wine. Kunzite, now that he heard everything that had occurred, was trying to find the connection between all of it. Of course, the carving and the warning from the Sailor Soldiers both somehow involved the Theian princess. Although he still failed to figure out how Endymion had become involved with the Crown Princess of the Silver Millennium. Then, there were the strange key that Endymion also had hidden, Nephrite's shared vision, and the star-given word, none of which seemed connected to anything. "I can't believe he's wearing his Royal suit," Nephrite murmured. Jadeite scoffed. "Didn't think he'd be that stupid." "What he's wearing is now the least of our worries," Kunzite griped as he paced. "And you never saw her face?" Zoisite pried, clearly thinking of other things. Nephrite piqued, having already been asked a myriad of questions about the vision. He was sick of reliving his prince's death. "Who?" "The white-haired girl?" "No." "So, there's still a chance that it's not the princess. Perhaps it is some other Theian. Mostly all of them have white hair." "You don't think it's a coincidence that Endymion goes missing the same time as the princess? Of course it was her." Jadeite quipped, and then let his voice dropped. "We have to find them before she kills him." The others all let their eyes fall on him. Jadeite kept his head bowed, staring at the ground. When he finally did look up, he met each of their gazes with confusion. "What? That has to be what Nephrite was being warned about." "I didn't see her kill anyone, Jadeite." Nephrite said with darkness in his eyes. "Be careful; you're speaking dangerously." "You're joking," Jadeite snorted. "You saw her kneeling over Endymion with a knife in her hands!" "Actually, we still don't know for sure that it's the princess," Zoisite intervened. Jadeite threw him a cross look, but he was stopped before he could reply. "All right," Kunzite said as his pacing ceased for the moment. He looked at each of them individually, collecting the last of his thoughts. "We're not going to find out anymore by arguing, and lets not indulge any of the information. Our next decision is what we're going to do with everything. The next stage of the moon is only three days away, so the Sailor Soldiers are not leaving us much time before they start to take action. I'm not sure even the Moon Kingdom's protection oath can stop them from ravaging the earth." The truth of his words fell heavily on the generals. Nephrite gulped down more wine and rubbed his brow. Jadeite cast his gaze onto the stones below his feet. Kunzite, with his arms crossed, stared off into nothingness. Zoisite looked around inquisitively. "Do we tell Aethlius?" he asked. "I'm not sure," Kunzite looked over to him. "When I saw him this morning, he couldn't leave his bed. All of this might be too much for him, especially finding out that the Sailor Soldiers are after his son. I think it might be better to act on our own right now." "I say we don't tell him until we know exactly what's going on," Nephrite cast his vote. Jadeite nodded his support, and Kunzite mimicked him, settling the matter. Zoisite shifted uneasily in his seat but did not argue. "What about the Sailor Soldiers?" Jadeite asked, smacking his lips after a drink of wine. "Even if we do find Endymion in the next few days, I don't like their involvement in all of this." "I agree," Zoisite quickly concurred. "Is there anything we can do? There's no chance they're going to let this go." Nephrite remarked with chagrin. "As much as I loathe to admit this, I think there's only one way to go about this," Kunzite relented. "Like it or not, Earth's affairs are now intertwined with the Silver Millennium's. This is no longer just a search but a game of politics, and perhaps the best plan of action would be to send a message in return to Theia's queen." "Saying what? We have no idea where her princess is, much less our own prince?" Kunzite sensed the displeasure in Jadeite's voice and even shared it. "I think exactly that." He was not all that surprised by the three shocked faces that stared at him. "I know. I don't like it either, but I don't see any way we can hide Endymion's disappearance forever. Even if we do find him, it won't be on Earth. We're going to have to search in the kingdoms of the Silver Millennium, and I think it best if we have permission from the queen before we do so. Any unnecessary hindrances will only waste time in finding Endymion, and," he paused, taking a deep breath and swallowing hard. "well, since Nephrite's vision, I don't want to take any more time than need be." "If anyone can call off the Sailor Soldiers, its Theia's queen," Zoisite chirped. "True enough," Nephrite said, his head slightly swimming. "So we send a message in the morning, then." "No, I'm not sending any messengers," Kunzite barked. The others were slightly taken back. "Almost no Terrans care for the Moon Kingdom as it is, thanks to that damn oath of protection." "That's because we don't need their damn protection," Jadeite snapped. "Well, if word got out that Endymion is running around the Silver Millennium with Theia's princess, it would cause riots across Earth's kingdom. Worse could happen if word that Terrans have been wandering around the Silver Millennium, outside our boundaries. We cannot risk interplanetary war." "Do you really think it would come to war, Kunzite?" Zoisite asked him with wide eyes. Kunzite gazed into Zoisite's eyes as he thought. Out of them all, Kunzite knew the political game the best and he was advisor to Endymion on more than one occasion. He nodded and continued quietly. "I'm afraid it could. Any word of riots against Theia on Earth could spark one of the other planets to feel compelled to keep our planet in check." His words dripped with dread. "So who are you going to send?" Nephrite drawled, looking inquisitively at Kunzite. "Well, the Sailor Soldiers came here themselves," he contemplated. "We're going to the moon, gentlemen." The petite frame of a silver-haired young woman stood almost glowing the darkness of the forest. Her hair was done into two buns on the top of her head but was so long that even the excess, in the form of two pigtails, cascaded down to her knees. She wore a white silk and chiffon gown with a golden lacework across her chest. Her cerulean eyes were stained with fright as they welled up with tears. Panic was marring her youthful face as she tried in vain to search through the thick vegetation of the woods around her. The trees were a strange and foreboding navy blue. No leaves were present, leaving all the boughs bare. A mesh of branches formed a canopy over her, so even the moonlight could not light her path. The ground beneath her feet was soft and saturated with liquid. Somewhere nearby, she could hear the crashing of waves. Loud thumps from an ambiguous direction signaled that she didn't have the time to rest any longer. With fresh breath in her lungs, she kicked off. Her bare feet sunk slightly into the cool, damp earth as she rushed off into the jungle. Stray branches snatched at her and pulled her hair; dirt kicked up on the trail of her gown. The path through the gnarled, twisting woodland was unclear and rough bark scraped her delicate porcelain skin as she brushed past. Her uneven breathing echoed in her ears as her heart leapt out of her chest. Behind her, the thumping grew louder, causing the ground to shake under her. It was not much longer when her tiny form spilled out with confusion onto a clearing with no visible exit but from where she entered. The trees pushed up against each other, and a latticework of branches seems to surround her. She froze with panic as the ground shook so severely she could barely stand. With great effort she traced the edge of the clearing, trying to squeeze through gaps in the flora and failing each time. The tree limbs were woven so tightly that even her small form could not get through. And soon, it was too late. With an earsplitting crackling, the part of the forest from which she came splintered into pieces. The shards of wood sprayed against her back, slicing her with what felt like hundreds of tiny blades. She dared to turn around, only to find a great hound standing among the shattered tree roots. It was almost three times her size, and pure black. Energy swirled around shackles above its paws, which were so large that they displaced earth rose up around each of them. Jagged black claws shot out from each foot, clinging to a mound of earth desperately. Its mouth was perpetually snarling, and with such large fangs, she could not picture it doing much else. Great pools of ugly yellow stared at her, void of any feeling other than rage. Around its thick neck, there was a great amount of fur, making its shoulders always look raised and ready to strike. The beast growled at her as her back pressed against a tree trunk, the fresh cuts screaming out against her. She could barely feel the pain as she began to shake with terror, fresh salty tears trailing down her face. With a frightening clank of the shackle, the beast took a forceful step forward and lowered its head to the girl. Saliva dripped out of its loose lips as it edged closer. Even with a good distance between them, she could feel the creature's hot breath spill over her. With a furious roar, the hound's head rose up and opened its jaw fearsomely wide. The low and sinister bellow sent a chill over her as her nails dug into the tree's bark behind her. As the beast took another step towards her, which covered such a great distance that it's snout was barely an arm's length from her, she began to whisper an ancient prayer of protection. It did nothing, not even remotely make her feel better. The beast inhaled, pulling the air from around her and capturing her scent. With a snickering exhale, the horrid sulfur-yellow eyes dilated and filled with excitement. The enormous jaws gaped open, ready to engulf her. Before they had the chance to chomp down on her, she heard someone whisper her name. It was low and distant, making her think it was one of the gods ready to welcome her. Then warmth filled her so quickly she had no time to think of what it was. It permeated her being so that she could do nothing but stand straight up with power, and the crescent moon shaped sigil in the middle of her forehead became burning hot. The beast lingered in her vision for but a second longer. Unexpectedly, her sigil exploded with a golden light. With speed and ease, it washed over her surroundings, eliminating the hound from sight and blinding her with its glow until it was all she could do not to shut her eyes. She could only see a white brightness that washed away everything else. Finally, she relented and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she stared up at the palest blue sky she had ever seen. It took her a moment to realize that arms were holding her. She was being embraced. The two forms clung to each other on a small white blanket in an endless field of the darkest grass. The pasture traveled on without interruption for miles under the vast sky. The silky winds washed over the meadow with incredible speed, cooling the refreshing air to a gentle spring's chill. She pulled out of his arms, her face still wet with tears as she searched for his. He did not let her too far away from him, keeping their faces dangerously close. The male figure stared back at her with deep onyx eyes full of worry. His black hair fell onto his forehead in soft spikes, which slightly tousled by winds. He had a strong but smooth jaw, and he was down to a white tunic and black trousers. The jacket of his uniform was around her shoulders. One arm was still wrapped around her waist, holding her close, and he brought up his other hand to wipe away tears from her cheek. "Are you all right?" he asked unsettled as he searched her eyes. Feeling secure, she nodded and smiled without effort. Her grin procured a smile from him, which seemed to assure him of her safety although the concern did not leave his eyes. He gently laid a kiss on her crescent moon sigil before letting his gaze fall on her again. "I'm sorry," he said. "It was the dream again?" "You shouldn't be the one apologizing," she said bashfully as she shied away from him. "I'm sorry you could not stay on Earth." At this, he laughed heartily. Her blue eyes widened with shock. When he finished, he leaned back wearing a pleasant grin. "We could spend all day apologizing to each other, but that wouldn't do much of anything." He closed his eyes; the day wasn't bright because all sunlight was filtered through a misty fog of shimmering clouds, but it had an ethereal glow to everything. "I am sorry that I could not be with you on the moon. I would've gladly stayed with you every night if I could've, but my people would never approve." Her cheeks flushed with color. "I'm afraid mine would not either." She pulled the jacket with red piping tighter around her shoulders as she stole a glance at him; the sight of his strong form bathed in the light made her smile. His eyes closed as the wind whipped around him, stirring his hair and rustling his tunic. His long legs were stretched out next to her, wrapped in black pants that were lined with white. He had removed his boots and his armor as well as three weapons, which lay in a collection beside the pair of her flat slippers. She was glad it was him who was protecting her. Glancing up at the sky with the strange clouds that shimmered, she thought aloud. "Endymion," she said, a childlike wonder in her voice. "Do you think our kingdoms will ever be able to understand each other? Like we do?" The Crown Prince of Earth stole a glance at her, watching her long silver pigtails wave in the strong breeze. She was beautiful. "I don't know. Perhaps one day." "I hope so," she said almost before he finished, her eyes sparkling with optimism. Even if some would call her na‹ve, he thought she had high hopes and a beautiful dream. There was no harm in wishing everyone would work together. "Then we shall make it happen." She turned with pleasant surprise to face him. With a broad girlish smile, she threw her arms around him, knocking out his own from under him, and causing both to fall onto the blanket. She laid her head on his chest, as he looked down with a gentle laugh. "Thank you," she said, cuddling into his side as he wrapped an arm around her. Resting his head down on his other hand, a wave of surprise washed over him. "What are you thanking me for? I haven't done anything yet." "I know," she said, but explained no further. Instead she rested a hand across his chest, her fingers gently playing with the fabric, and pulled the fallen jacket back over her shoulder. The formless clouds continued their endless shifting above the two, eddying constantly in the planet's winds. Neither of them had felt anything like this wind. There was no wind on the moon, so she was always conscious of it. He had felt gale force winds, but these were much different. They were faster than anything he'd felt but more gentle than he thought possible. They basked in the strange new feeling of the wind, content in the limitless pasture of the foreign world. "Endymion," she whispered. "The clouds on Earth aren't like this." "No," he replied. "These swirl far too much." "Yes." Then, after a moment, he spoke again. "One day, we can lay out under Earth's sky like this and stare up forever." Zoisite had never teleported before, and in truth, he was quite nervous about it as he followed the other three into the circular building. Kunzite had gotten them through the cluster of guards from almost every planet quick enough, even though he refused to answer when they demanded to know the four generals' destination. It took some persuading, but they had reached Earth's Teleport without having to reveal their journey's end was Theia. Zoisite was personally hoping for a battle to distract him from the knot in his stomach about the method of travel. The four generals waltzed into the room but were no longer dressed in Imperial Guard uniforms, which was only for work they undertook while upon Earth's surface. Because they were traveling beyond their own borders, they were now clad in Earthen Gold Kingdom armor. All of them wore identical tunics, which was white with gold piping forming three small lines down the middle and two sides of their chests. Each one wore a brown cape attached by epaulettes, with navy lining. Around each one of their torsos were three belts; one was wrapped around the very waist, while the other two were worn diagonally crossing beneath it. The belts held various weapons of choice, but all were armed with shining Imperial Long Swords. They had black pants, which were covered up to the knee by armored boots. The uniform itself was barely visible thanks to shining silver armor with delicate carvings of earthen symbols; each wore breastplates, as well as arm and leg armor. They sounded rather clunky as they entered the Teleport. Kunzite immediately walked over to the destination disk, turning it to the carved symbol of the moon. He was the only one accustomed to the cape; a slight smirk crossed his face as the others kept fiddling with the piece of fabric. Above his Imperial hung his favored gladius, while he was also armed with a scimitar from his homeland on the opposite hip. After the dial was set to the crescent symbol, he turned to glance at his men. Nephrite was frighteningly still. He was still quite upset that his bladed quarterstaff could not be easily access from under his cape; his mood was ruined after a few practice attempts before they left. In its stead, he armed himself with an extra long sword from the armory. Besides his staff, Nephrite was most comfortable with the long sword. Jadeite was adjusting his broadsword, which hung under his Imperial. There were no qualms on his face, just confusion on his tangled sheaths. Lastly, Kunzite found Zoisite nervously letting his eyes roam the silvery room. He held one of his elbows close to his side as he rocked back and forth on his heels. The youngest of the generals was easily spotted. His Imperial and sabre were clearly visible at his side, both ornate and flashy, and a ribbon of fine green fabric tied the man's hair into a low ponytail. Despite his nerves, the general always put on his best appearance. Kunzite stepped to the reddish blonde's side. "Relax," Kunzite said quietly so only the two could hear, resting his hand on Zoisite's shoulder. "You'll be fine." Zoisite's face was shocked for a moment, before it calmed and looked at Kunzite thankfully. Kunzite nodded subtly and rounded around him, walking forward to the edge of the glowing ring in the center. "As you know," he said, rousing the attention of his men. "our teleport is linked with specific bases on each planet. They will know that we are Terrans and that we are not supposed to be there. As such, I don't know what to expect when we get there, so let's be prepared for anything." With a wave over his shoulder, he turned and motioned for the three to follow. The four generals stepped into the glowing ring and the building immediately reacted. Zoisite clenched his jaw and looked warily at the ceiling. He could hear it somehow gathering unseen energy, felt the ring at his feet grow warm as it brightened. Fighting a wave of anxious nausea, he swallowed hard. Kunzite gave him a reassuring look as Zoisite's vision was engulfed in a white light as the teleport initiated. The strange sensation of teleporting was nothing like he expected. It felt as if he was being stretched out; his body felt very thin and lucid. Only by willing himself did he remain on his feet. There was a violent few seconds of vertigo, where all sense of direction was lost in the bright light. He knew nothing of where he was during the brief time when he could see nothing, but he kept his composure by sheer will power, and soon enough, his body returned to normal and the vertigo passed. With the brightness fading, Zoisite was unsure if they had even teleported at all. The room that appeared was strikingly similar to the room they left. Only when the light subsided to a faint glowing ring at his feet did he realize they were now on the moon, because he caught sight of several very large and sharp poleaxes aiming straight for them. The guards who held them were wearing strange white uniforms. They had long tunics, almost reaching their knees, with large slits on each side. Loose trousers were worn over boots, and on the left wrist, each wore a beaded gold bracelet. Their white hair was done up in a clear Theian style, a singular bun on the crowns of their heads. One of them shouted in poor Terranian dialect. "Identify yourselves!" Nephrite and Kunzite exchanged a glance. "We are the Four Generals of the Crown Prince of Earth," Kunzite proclaimed. "We request an audience with your Queen." Nephrite quickly translated to the Theian guard, whose eyes darted between the two speakers. After a short deliberation, the poleaxes were raised and allowed the four men to step out of the Teleport. The guard spoke to Nephrite, keeping his eyes cautiously on Kunzite. As he finished, Nephrite explained that they were to follow him. Kunzite nodded to the guard, and the man turned to exit. As they fell into pace behind him, four more guards gathered at their side. "So we are granted an escort," Jadeite murmured. "How lavish." As the doors opened, they were struck with a view of the entire Theian Palace. With a huge dome in the center, it hovered in front of them with a deserving sense of pride. There was a great expanse of the building, stretching on both sides as far as they could see. Every inch of the milky white stone that it was built of shimmered as if it knew that new eyes were gazing on it. The path they walked on stretched out for a long distance ahead of them. It was lined by trickling waterways, creating a calmer noise than the four general's armor clunking as they strode. Glancing behind, Zoisite saw their home planet hung in the sky, large and peaceful. Starlight was the only source of light, but it illuminated the gray moon with an ethereal glow. They walked on for a while in their standard formation. Kunzite took the lead, flanked behind him by Zoisite and Jadeite, and Nephrite watched the rear. Although they were the aliens on this planet, none of the generals trusted Theian guards enough to believe that they would not attack them. After all, it was five against four. Nonetheless, they all distrusted each other equally, and nine sets of eyes glanced around anticipating the other group to attack first. When they finally reached the palace, they were escorted in through grand silver doors embossed with the eight stages of the moon. Inside, they found themselves in a grand foyer, with simple chairs and settees lining the area. One wall was complete glass, opening up to a courtyard void of foliage but littered with pools and ponds. A great tapestry hung on the opposite wall depicting the Theian palace on the moon with the Earth hanging behind it. With a word from the guard and a translation from Nephrite, they were told to wait in the room. Only the guard they spoke to left, and the other four guards stepped away and blocked each exit. For the moment, the generals remained alone in the center of the foyer. As they waited, Kunzite took Zoisite aside, seemingly to admire the view of a courtyard. Clasping his hands behind his back, Kunzite said lowly. "How was the teleport?" "Better than expected," Zoisite admitted. "Though I'm not sure what I was expecting." Kunzite almost laughed. "Good. I'm glad you're all right." He walked away without another word, leaving Zoisite with a small grin. Nephrite quickly approached his leader, stopping him where he stood. He leaned in close as he murmured. "You have thought what you are going to say to her?" "I have," Kunzite replied dryly and tried to walk away. Nephrite stepped into his path again. "Are you sure about this?" "Yes, I am sure." Kunzite did not even flinch as he stared into Nephrite's glaring eyes. "We are admitting ignorance of our own prince, Kunzite," the dark general was trying to contain his volume while still emphasizing his point. "Not to mention meeting with the Queen of a Kingdom which we are not supposed to be in contact with. You know how this is going to make Earth look, how it's going to make Aethlius look, and we haven't even told him about this." "I do know," Kunzite's icy glare narrowed. "I appreciate your concern, but as your leader, I expect your support." "Don't pull that card. Jadeite would follow you straight into hell, and you can order Zoisite around like a puppy, but not me. As second in command, I can second-guess every thing you do." "Trust me, Nephrite," Kunzite was not pleading; he was giving an order. His voice was sharp and precise. "Aethlius will not be made to look like a fool; do not doubt my respect or my love for our King - it is the same as yours. If everything goes as I've planned, he will not even know we have spoken with Theia's queen." Both men were silent as they stared into the gaze of the other. Nephrite did not want to back down, still fearing for his King's reputation, but he did trust Kunzite. With a deep breath, he relaxed his stance and bowed his head to his leader. Kunzite nodded. In truth, he was appreciative of Nephrite; every leader needed someone to second- guess them honestly. Nephrite's ferocious emotions were bold enough to make sure that Kunzite never acted without considering every possible situation, a clear indicator why Nephrite was directly under him. Nephrite opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of a door shutting from behind. He then received a silencing look from Kunzite, who indicated with a nod to the other end of the room. Nephrite followed Kunzite's gaze to one of the doors under the tapestry. An unfamiliar Sailor Soldier had entered the room and was now talking to one of the guards. It was too low for Nephrite to hear anything to translate, and he was not skilled enough to read lips. The female wore the orange color of Venus, with a navy blue bow on her chest and a yellow one on the small of her back. On her feet were heeled shoes with a strap around her ankle. Wrapped several times around her waist, almost as decoration, was a golden chain with heart-shaped links. It seemed to hold onto her on its own, and its tarnish was still shimmering but was clearly faded from use. Her long, thick hair looked like spun gold with a thin black ribbon tied into a bow on the crown of her head. Deep gold eyes were concentrated and strictly focused as she conversed with the guard. With a sharp glance, her gaze fell on the four generals. With a last comment to the guard, she strode over. The clicking of her heels echoed loudly in the grand foyer for a long time as she crossed the great expanse of the room. All four of the generals were now looking at her. Kunzite stepped forward towards her as the other three fell into formation behind him. The Scout of Venus did not seem bothered by their realigning, and as she neared, her eyes filled with anger. Once she was close, Kunzite bowed. He didn't think she deserved it, but inside the walls of the Silver Millennium's head palace, he was not going to chance any sign of disrespect. To his surprise, she bowed slightly to him as well. Like protocol, he waited for her to speak first, but he did have to wait long. "Where is my princess?" she inquired as soon as she rose in an almost perfect Terranian accent. "I have come to discuss her location with your queen," Kunzite said calmly. The answer did not seem to satisfy her. Venus looked him over, as well as the other three. "Other than men who are not supposed to be here, who are you?" "We are the Four Generals to the Crown Prince of Earth." Even though he didn't show it, holding her gaze without a weapon between them made him extremely uncomfortable. She was obviously younger than he was and much shorter, but he was aware of the legendary power that Scouts held. If they had to do battle, he was confident he could hold his own, but wasn't sure which of them would be the victor. "General," the word was pure mimicry of Kunzite's pronunciation, obviously new to her, but spoken with ease. "I am the leader of the princess' guard. If you wish to discuss her location, you can do so with me." Her boldness made Jadeite shift in the background, but he knew better than to speak. "I'd prefer to speak with the queen," Kunzite stated dryly. Venus scowled at him with distaste. Her bangs fell in front of her eyes as she lowered her brow, and Kunzite thought he saw the hint of wetness in her eyes. With a sudden jerk, she looked back up at him with a renewed dignity. "My duty is to protect my princess. Your prince has impeded my ability to do so by taking her. I cannot forgive this; I must find her. I will find her, General, even if I must scour your planet to do so." Her deep eyes burned with a sincerity that robbed Kunzite of words although he could not look away from her. She did not need any response, however, and turned away. The clicking of her heels echoed loudly again as she marched across the room. Kunzite watched her leave, her golden hair swaying with every step. Even with her poise, he empathized with her frustration. If she had come to speak with Aethlius, he would've done exactly what she had. Yet she was so young. As she exited by slamming the door, he pitied her. "I hope our audience with the queen goes better than that did," Jadeite quipped. Once announced, Selenity, Queen of The Moon Kingdom Theia and Crown Ruler of the Silver Millennium, had entered her throne room with an unexpected calm. Even though she was smiling, anyone could see that her lavender eyes were marred with unspoken worry. She wore her hair in two buns on each side of her head, the long excess falling down past her knees. Dangling gold and silver earring fell from her ears, but otherwise she wore no jewelry. Her face was full of beauty and youth despite her age, and her crescent moon sigil on her forehead was still vividly shimmering. She was dressed in a ritual silver gown that flowed over her feet, making it seem as if she was gliding up to her throne. The throne room itself was a long hall. The floor and walls were shimmering in the starlight that cascaded in from the completely open ceiling. Columns of what looked like marble lined the promenade that approached the tall platform where the Queen's throne sat. Many steps raised the throne above the rest of the room, and the throne itself seemed to be made of blown glass. It sparkled like crystal, but was made of smooth edges and intricate curves. There were no decorations to rob the Queen of any attention. At the bottom of the steps up to the throne, four Sailor Soldiers stood posed at attention. Sitting on her throne looking out on the empty hall, she could see two of her guards at the far end, guarding two large silver doors. They awaited her signal to open them and let her meet the generals of the man who had taken her daughter. Inside, she did not know whether to feel fury or hope, so she reached out to another. "Sailor Venus," she spoke in Theian. Her voice was not that of a ruler, but of a mother. The blonde Scout at the base of the steps turned around and fell to one knee, bowing her head. Selenity smiled. "Aphrodite," she called again. At the mention of her given name, Venus looked up with wide eyes. It wasn't a shock that the Queen used her name, but that she used it in the throne room. There were distinct protocols when it came to how and when the Scouts could shed their soldier identity; this was not one of those times. "You have spoken with them?" "Briefly, my Queen," she answered in perfect Theian. Selenity held Venus' eyes for a moment, and Venus could feel her Queen's reliance on her as a Scout. "Do they know where my daughter is?" "They would not tell me." Venus wished she knew herself. "Very well," the Queen sighed. She raised her open palm to signal the guards, and immediately, they began to slowly open the large gateway. Once they were open, another one of her guard stepped over the threshold and bowed to his Queen immediately. With a large voice, he announced the four generals in Theian. One by one, when their name was spoken, the four generals walked forward. They were announced and entered in order of rank, which placed Kunzite first. Nephrite followed, then Zoisite, trailed by Jadeite. Following prior instructions, they traveled about two-thirds into the room until they came upon a large crescent marking laid into the pattern of the floor. Once there, they bowed to the Queen on one knee and waited. "Rise," Selenity uttered in perfect Terranian. Her voice was smooth and calm, more regal than before. When the men obeyed, she took a moment to look over them as they stood in a line before her. Compared to the standard white hair and pale skin of the Theian people, each one of these Terrans looked comparatively different. The clanking of their armor did not go unnoticed, and neither did their numerous weapons. "Why so armed, generals? Have you come to make war?" It did not appear in her voice, but she was worried that these four men carried a threat from their prince and was anticipating having to defend themselves. What other message would come in such numbers? Nephrite shut his eyes, nervous for Kunzite's reply. "Selenity Queen, the Terrans do not wish to make war," Kunzite stated quickly. "Excuse our weapons, but we are on an important quest that may put us in great danger." "Even being here puts you in danger," Selenity replied. "But I pray the stars protect you." "Thank you, your highness." Kunzite recognized it as red tape of intergalactic politics, which made his brow narrow. If he was going to stop the formalities from hindering this conversation, he had to do it soon. "Your quest has taken you here?" This was his chance. "Selenity Queen, I have a humble request. It is my wish to not hide anything from you, but I'm afraid there are ears in this room that I must hide things from. In order to speak without constraint, I hope your guard's presence can be spared for a moment." As soon as he finished, he bowed his head and placed a hand on his chest. Kunzite knew how audacious it was to ask such a thing, heard the appalled silence fall over them all. As he stared at the ground, he could feel not only the other generals', but numerous other eyes bearing down on him. It felt like forever as he waited for a response. Selenity watched the white-haired man with his head bowed carefully. Even in the moments that followed, he did not raise his head. From his reverence, she knew that he was understood clearly what he was asking of the Queen of the Silver Millennium; this meant his request was born of necessity, not malice. Regardless, she took no chances. "My guard will leave, but the Sailor Soldiers will stay." With a raise of her hand, she waved the white clad soldiers at every exit to leave. The Scouts did not move, but the one clad in the vivid green of Jupiter scowled fiercely with dislike. Kunzite knew they would not take a step farther than outside the threshold, but the doors were shut and he could ask for no more. Even the presence of the Sailor Soldiers was unwanted, and he could feel Mars glaring at him from her post at the base of the steps. She remembered him and Jadeite, apparently. "Thank you, Selenity Queen," he offered a full bow to show how grateful he was. "Enough," the Queen's voice was different. She was still a ruler, but she now spoke without a formal air, expressing herself openly. "I have done as you asked, which was no small request. Lowering my guard for trespassers would not be done if it weren't for my daughter's absence. What have you to tell me, General Kunzite? Where has your prince taken her?" The blunt question was expected by Kunzite, whose gaze remained steadily on the Queen. Nephrite's gaze turned to his leader, as did the four Sailor Soldiers. Jadeite watched the Scouts with apprehension, still uneasy with their presence. Zoisite hung his head, refusing to look at anyone as Kunzite answered. "We do not know," he said, the frustration audible in his voice. "Because of another task from our King, we have been away for many years. We received word but two days ago that the Prince himself had gone missing. It seems he has fled Earth." The shock filled the room. Zoisite held his breath, waiting for a response. It did not come quickly. The four Scouts reacted subtly, but each differently. Mercury's eyes shut in defeat. Venus wore a distinct unbelieving look, while Jupiter tensed her whole form, clenching her jaw. Mars' head shot up, her anger noticeably taking over her. Seeing this, Jadeite's eyes fell on her as his fists clenched; he readied himself for an attack. Selenity's reaction was the least noticeable, but Kunzite saw it because his eyes did not leave hers. She made no change of position and did not lose her poise. Instead, her eyes welled up with pity as they traveled across the four generals before back to Kunzite. "I can see why you wished to keep this private." The solemn response from their Queen seemed to steady the Scouts. "Yes," Kunzite spoke again. He, too, had relinquished formality. "We had only begun our search when we received your message." A quick glance towards Mars and Mercury proved fruitless; Mercury's eyes remained shut and Mars had met Jadeite's gaze. "Until then, we did not know of your daughter's disappearance at all. "We've come here without our King's knowledge to inform you of our quest to find Prince Endymion. Not only earthen guards but other planets' have guarded our Teleport, and Endymion has not returned to Earth. We must search the kingdoms of the Silver Millennium, and we must ask your assistance and permission in doing so." The Queen could read the humility on Kunzite's face. The meeting had taken a completely different meaning than she had expected, and she could feel nothing but pity for these four men at the moment. "Are you insane?" Mars shouted abruptly. She had stepped forward out of stance, shocking everyone in the room. "You four Terrans are going to tromp around the Silver Millennium that forbids your presence? You drew your weapons at the first sight of Sailor Soldiers! How will you act in other kingdoms?" Nephrite exploded, his voice staccato and blunt. "At least we're looking for our prince. What the hell are you four doing about any of this? A sad excuse for protective soldiers. Your job ends as soon as she's out of your sight." "How dare you!" Mars cried. "Be careful, Nephrite," Jadeite remarked slyly. "She might be forced to fight in those shoes. We don't want her to break a heel." Mars's violet eyes flew to the shorthaired blonde as she began to march forward, stomping her heels. Her cheeks flushed with color as Martian curses were uttered under her breath. "Mars!" Venus' voice boomed, immediately grabbing her partner in red to hold her back. "How predictable." Jadeite sneered at her as she was forced to compose herself and slip into line. "And you wonder why I drew my weapon at the sight of you." "Enough, Jadeite," Kunzite barked, stopping his general from crossing a line that he teetered dangerously close to. They did not come here to insult the Sailor Soldiers. Jadeite met his gaze with a shrug of his shoulders. Selenity's heart sank as she watched the interaction. These generals were ordered soldiers, but they were still Terran men. They still mocked as they fought, attacked those they deemed unworthy, and she could read the confidence in their stances. Before her, she found the prime example of why Theians and Terrans might never get along. "Yes. Enough." The despair in the Queen's voice pulled everyone's attention. "I did not send the Scouts to find Serenity because we were under the impression she was on Earth with Endymion. Clearly," her eyes turned to Jadeite. "Terrans do not care for the Scout's presence, so I had hoped the message would persuade Endymion to bring her back without incident. Now that they are both missing, everything has changed." Selenity took a deep breath, returning her eyes to Kunzite. "I cannot grant you the access you seek, General. The kingdoms of the Silver Millennium are bound by a common peace, but still independently ruled. People of Earth are forbidden from each of those planets as well, not just our moon. Even my word cannot ease your search. I'm afraid I must insist that the Sailor Soldiers go in your stead." The four Scouts pulled themselves up, strengthening to their Queen's order. Kunzite was obviously annoyed by this. "You cannot ask us to give up our search. He is our prince, and we have a quest to find him. If you will not assist us, we will continue unaided." At this, it was the generals' turn to stand taller. "What is this to you, some kind of game?" Jupiter disputed. "You cannot possibly think you'd ever find them before we would. Go home and let us take care of this." "With all due respect, Sailor Jupiter," Kunzite snarled. "I would prefer my prince never be found at all than be at the hands of Sailor Soldiers." "What are you implying, General?" Selenity's voice rose. "Only that these Scouts owe Prince Endymion no allegiance. They would have no reason to treat him as anything more than their princess' captor and outlaw. I cannot risk that." Selenity understood, but raised a brow at him. "If I gave you my word he would not be harmed?" "I'd prefer," Kunzite spoke with a clenched jaw, "if my generals and I could find our Prince ourselves, ensuring his safety and fulfilling the wishes of our King." "The legend of Terran stubbornness proves true, then. It seems I cannot convince you to leave this in the hands of the Sailor Soldiers." Selenity offered a smile full of sadness. "But I cannot leave my daughter's fate in your hands either." Kunzite nodded, his icy blue eyes full of comprehension. He had only one suggestion left, but did not want to succumb to it so he didn't speak. He didn't have to. Venus spoke for him. "I shall go with them." All eyes turned to her, agape with astonishment. The blonde was ignorant of this as she whipped around and fell to one knee in front of her Queen. "Let me go with them, Selenity Queen. I can ensure the Princess' safe return." Selenity herself was taken back. "Venus, are you sure?" "I am." Before Kunzite could protest, Jupiter turned around and bowed as well. "I will go as well." Soon enough, the other two Scouts were bowing and offering their services. Selenity was gazing down at the four with a motherly smile. Even the Terrans could sense that she cared for these four like her own daughters. "I cannot send you with them, Sailor Soldiers, but I was going to send you after my daughter regardless. You have my blessing to leave and my faith that you will find my daughter." The Queen looked back up at the generals. "You came here for assistance, Generals. This is Theia's offer: my daughter's guardians, the Sailor Soldiers, will aid you in your quest." As she spoke, the four Scouts rose and faced the generals, empowered by their own mission. Kunzite looked at his other generals, all of which look displeased. Nephrite was scowling as he shook his head defiantly. Jadeite rolled his eyes, and huffed with rage at the thought of being accompanied by teenage girls. Zoisite looked so shocked that he might start laughing at the absurdity of it all. Kunzite shared all of their sentiments. "This is ridiculous," Zoisite said, barely containing his laughter. "Are eight of us expected to waltz around the Silver Millennium looking for missing royals without gathering any attention? If Endymion does not want to be found, any word of our presence will send him off running again." "Pardon me," Mercury spoke up for the first time, full of thought. "But having us as escorts would make getting around without unwanted questions much easier. In all probability, your quest would go undisturbed and perhaps unnoticed if we were with you." "Escorts?" Nephrite's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the taste of that word. "And with us around, you probably won't have to do anything besides take your Prince home once we find them." Jupiter was full of arrogance, her hands falling on her hips confidently. Venus stepped forward, her head held high with a commander's air. "Enough of this bickering. None of us like this, but we all want their safe return. If we all cooperate, we can find our prince and princess quicker than either team alone." "Fine," Kunzite said, ending any more arguments from his generals. He could feel their disapproving eyes, but did not pay them any mind. Instead, he continued to look at Venus. Selenity seemed pleased as Kunzite acquiesced to the suggestion. She took on her royal air as she stood, speaking loudly. "It is settled. I trust in all of you to return Princess Serenity safely. Any thing you need from Theia will be provided for you without restraint." Immediately, the Scouts fell to their knees. Kunzite bowed to show his appreciation, and reluctantly the other three repeated his action. They all remained bowed as Selenity made her exit, slipping out silently through the private passage from which she entered. As the door to the throne room shut, she let out a great sigh. Waiting for her in the passage were two tall forms. One was a male with straight white hair, a bit paler than Kunzite's, so it was almost transparent. He was fully clad white; a silk tunic and loose trousers over flats. The other was a female in a yellow gown, with black hair cascading down almost to the floor in loose curls. On the top of her head were two small buns, an apparent fashion of Theia. They both wore the crescent symbol on their forehead and a worried look at the Queen. "That went well," the man said, crossing his arms over his chest. "So you two were listening. I'd hoped as much." Selenity walked forward and the two fell in step beside her. After a few brief steps, she turned back to the closed door behind them. A beautiful worry stained her face. The two stepped closer to her, and the black haired woman placed a loving hand around her shoulders. Selenity looked to the woman's face. "Luna, am I doing the right thing? Do you think they will find my Serenity?" Luna did not answer.