Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Decided Bride ❯ Mother and Daughter Heart to Heart ( Chapter 21 )

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

Serenity felt antsy. She had not seen Darien all day, and on top of that she was feeling rather uncomfortable at the moment. Her mother, General Malachite, Luna, Artemis, the Senshi and their parents, and she were having dinner together and enjoying each others company. They had been doing so for the past hour and a half. It was a situations she did not want to be in, since the General knew where she had been the previous night.
She found herself glancing at the General now and then, who would lean over to talk to Queen Selenity every so often. She had been nervous all day, thinking that at any moment he would mention that he had seen her at Motoki's tavern. So far, though, she had not received any evil glares from her mother.
"Princess, have you been able to practice the dance steps that Luna and I taught you?" Artemis asked, snapping Serenity from her thoughts.
She brought her attention to him, and smiled a little to herself. "Yes Artemis, I have." She didn't mention whom she had been practicing with.
Artemis nodded his head approvingly and looked to Luna. "I told you to have more confidence Luna," he said, amusement ringing from his voice,
Luna sighed. "I never said I didn't have confidence in her," she replied.
Serenity smiled at Luna. "Of course Luna."
Luna looked up at her and the women smiled at each other. Serenity knew that Luna knew her habits all too well. She had not cast aside her childhood long enough for Luna to quite accept her as being responsible and mature. She did notice the Princesses new habit of getting up early though, and paying more attention at lessons than she usually did.
Serenity let her gaze drift once again over all the people sitting around the table. Lita had joined in the conversation between Malachite and Selenity, Ami and Rei were discussing something, and the parents of the various planets were exchanging conversations with one another. Everyone seemed to be in good humour.
She looked out the nearest window. Only four days before he would come. She wanted to see Darien once more at least before she was to meet her intended.
Once dinner was finished and the tables cleared, the focus of the conversation moved to the music that was being played. Selenity looked over to Ami. "Ami has agreed to give us a display of the Mercurial dances," she said, a smile gracing her soft face. Everyone clapped and encouraged Ami as she got up and walked over to the open floor.
She had two thin rods in her hands, each about twenty centimetres long. Serenity could see her friend blushing as she stood and waited for the music to start up. Some of the candles were blown out to make the room dimmer. As the music began, water and bubbles started to shimmer at the ends of the rods. Ami began the dance, her movements as graceful as water, slow and flowing. Two twin ribbons of water and delicate bubbles came from the two rods, dissolving into nothing when they seemed about to fall from their suspension in the air. The streamers came around Ami like ribbons, accentuating her movements.
Everyone watched in silence as the princess floated around the room, surrounded by the shimmering water. The dance ended and everyone clapped. Ami returned to her seat, her cheeks pink with excitement and shyness.
Eventually the small party moved into one of the sitting rooms were a fire was already blazing and tea was being served. Serenity sat in a chair right next to the fire. Eventually, she noticed General Malachite come over and pull up a chair next to hers.
"My Lady," he said as she looked over to him, "I have not had the pleasure in having a conversation with you since the last time we….bumped into each other." He said this with laughter in his voice.
Serenity smiled at him. "I have not yet had the opportunity to take up your invitation of running into you again," she replied, wondering why he had come over to speak with her.
He smiled warmly at her. "The invitation still holds," he replied. They smiled, although Serenity was still tense. He leaned a little closer to her so that no one else would hear him speak. "I was rather surprised to see you last night," he murmured.
She looked at him, keeping her gaze cool. "Likewise General," she replied.
He looked into her cool gaze, not letting himself be affected by it. "You need not worry that anyone else will hear about whom I had a chance meeting with last night at the tavern," he said. "I do not wish to have your disfavour upon me so soon."
She smiled at him, although not knowing if she should be happy that he would not tell Selenity where she had been, or annoyed with him for treating her like a child who needed to hide something. Truth was, she did have something to hide, so she nodded her head.
"Thank you General. I can assure you though, I was not doing anything to put myself in danger."
Malachite nodded. "The thought never crossed my mind. I just found it peculiar that there was not an army of guards on the premises with you, so I assumed you wished to get out for an evening without the royal entourage following you everywhere you went." She heard him chuckle. "I know what it is like. Our prince has done the same thing on many occasions."
Serenity turned her face to him, glad that someone was finally giving her some willing information on Endymion. "Really? Have you had to cover up for him as well?" she asked, a smile on her face.
Malachite chuckled again and nodded his head. "Prince Endymion enjoys horseback riding, but he can't stand having an army following him each time he wants to go out for a ride. I have covered for my prince on several occasions."
Serenity laughed. At least she had one thing in common with him then. The mention of horses, though, brought her mind back to Darien, a subject she had been trying desperately to avoid all day.
The evening wore on, and Malachite offered no more information on Endymion. She wanted to ask questions, and did, but she always got very diplomatic, neutral answers in return. Eventually, everyone decided it was time to retire for the evening. The last left in the room were Serenity, her mother, and Malachite.
"I bid your Majesty and your Highness a pleasant sleep," he said as he bowed.
Queen Selenity smiled and inclined her head, and Serenity simply bowed her head. "Thank you General. We wish you the same." With that, Malachite left. Serenity looked to her mother.
"Serenity," the Queen said, "do you mind if we went for a walk in the garden together?" Queen Selenity looked at her daughter with a gentle softness Serenity could not refuse. She nodded her head and the two women headed outside.
The cool night air was refreshing, and Serenity enjoyed the crispness. She watched the earth as she and her mother started their stroll through the gardens. She looked over and noticed that her mother was also watching the earth.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Selenity asked her daughter.
Serenity brought her gaze back up to the earth and nodded her head. "Yes, it is," she replied quietly, then heard her mother sigh.
"Usagi, I want you to promise me no pranks this time," Selenity
said. Serenity brought her gaze down to her feet. "I promise mama," she said meekly.
The Queen looked down at her, surprised by the unexpected humility of her daughter. "I mean it Usagi. I've tolerated until now, but I won't stand for it this time."
Serenity nodded her head, surprising the Queen even more. "I promise that I'll try to like him mama. I'll get to know him." Serenity didn't know why, but she could feel the prickling of tears in her eyes. She looked back up at the shining orb above her. Suddenly, she felt her mothers arms around her, and was held in a tight embrace. She blinked in surprise as she put her arms around her mothers waist and buried her face in her shoulder.
"Oh my dear, you seem to have grown up over night," Selenity said, her voice so full of emotion that it touched Serenity's heart. The Queen pulled back a little and looked into her daughters eyes. "I am happy to hear you are willing to give him a chance."
Serenity nodded her head, knowing if she spoke she would not be able to hold the tears back. Selenity hugged her daughter tight again. After a few moments, Serenity pulled back, finally being able to speak. "Mama, would it…would it be alright if Mina stood in for me at the welcoming?" The Queen frowned a little at the request.
"I would really prefer if you were there yourself Usagi," she said.
Serenity gazed up at her with pleading eyes. "Please Mama. I won't do anything bad. I promise I'll be attentive to him at the ball and during his entire visit, but I really don't want to be at the greeting ceremonies."
Selenity watched her daughter as she pleaded with her, sensing that there was more to it then she was letting on. However, she knew also that it was not something childish. Slowly she nodded her head. "As long as Mina doesn't mind, I don't see why not."
Serenity put on a small smile. The two linked arms and started to walk back to the palace. Little did they know that they had been watched by two pairs of eyes.
"What do you think they were talking about?" Darien asked Malachite, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Who knows. Mother-daughter issues I suppose," he replied.
Darien smiled to himself, a sad sort of smile. "Only four more days now Malachite," Darien commented.
Malachite nodded. "Yes. Only four."
The two were silent for a while. Both were thinking the same thing. Only Four more days until the fate of Endymion and Serenity, of the earth and the moon, is sealed.
Serenity did not know that this was on the mind of the two men as she and her mother left the sanctuary of the garden and entered the palace. She would not see Darien for the next three days. He made sure she didn't.
On the morning of the earthlings arrival, she awoke with only about an hour of sleep behind her. He has avoided me for three days, was the first thought that came to her mind. The tears she had been crying all night came back.
Maybe it's for the best, She concluded. My heart would only break again if I saw him. She sighed.
It broke again anyway.

I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots.