Moonlight
Usagi-chan
usagi@tuxedomask.com
Author Notes: I don't own any of the characters from Sailor Moon.
This is a nice story, I think. Kinda sappy though... ^_^ Enjoy!!
~~~
Serenity quietly walked into the stable. She slowly approached her horse,
Moonlight. The pure white horse nuzzled Serenity's hand.
"Moonlight! I've come to go riding with you!" Serenity told the horse. "The mean
Prince of Earth is supposed to be visiting tomorrow and I don't want to see him. Once he
comes, I won't be able to ride unless he wants to. Mother said I must entertain him."
Serenity sighed and began grooming her horse. It had been Luna's idea to allow the
Princess her own horse to alleviate stress. She used to spend hours grooming the other
horses but the stable hands had usually done it by the time she got there.
Putting the brush away, Serenity saddled up her horse and led her out of the
stable. She mounted and the horse cantered towards the woods.
"Oh Moonlight! Look at all the beautiful flowers!" Serenity smiled and breathed
deeply. "Sometimes, I wish I had someone special to share this all with. Someone who
loved horses and flowers. We could spend hours out here just being. It would be so
peaceful."
Serenity sighed and halted her horse. She stood in the saddle and reached up into
one of the trees for an apple. It was the only apple tree in the whole forest and as far
as she knew, no one else knew it was here. She broke the apple in half and fed it to
Moonlight. Than she got one for herself. Just s she bit into the crisp apple, she heard
her mother's voice in her head.
"Serenity! You need to come back now. I just got word that our Guests from Earth
are coming sooner than we expected. We need to prepare. Please hurry!"
"Yes, mother." Serenity replied before turning her horse and galloping towards the
stables.
Serenity sat in her room brushing her hair. Luna was on her bed, lecturing her.
"Do you know how to greet them?" Luna asked.
"Of course! I greet them the way I always greet people. I smile politely when
mother introduces me, step forward and curtsey." Serenity replied.
"Ok. I guess you are as prepared as you will be." Luna sighed. "Well, hurry up
now. They'll be here in ten minutes."
"Alright. I'm ready. Let's go." Serenity replied as she finished putting her
hair in its usual style. "I don't know if I want to spend the next three days in the
company of that awful prince though."
"Serenity! What an awful thing to say!" Luna scolded.
"Well, you did tell me always to tell the truth and I had to tell someone! I
figured better you than him."
"I guess. Now hold your tongue on the subject. Be polite and remember you are
representing your home." Luna reminded her charge.
"Of course. Well, here goes nothing." Serenity said as the guards opened the door
to the throne room for her. "Hello mother."
"Hello Serenity." Her mother replied, smiling warmly. "Oh it will be nice to see
Gaia again. We haven't seen each other since she married almost twenty years ago."
"Mmm..." Serenity replied, as the guards opened the doors again. This time the
senshi all walked in.
"Wow Serenity! You look like one gorgeous babe!" Sailorvenus told her,
laughing.
"Why thank you." Serenity relied, giggling. "So do you!"
The senshi took their places near the Princess just as one of the guards came in.
"Announcing King Orion, Queen Gaia and Prince Endymion." One guard announced as
the three entered the room, followed by four people in the same outfit.
"Hello." King Orion greeted Queen Serenity. They shook hands.
"Oh Serenity! It's been years!" Queen Gaia gushed as she hugged her dear friend.
"Too many years." agreed Queen Serenity.
"This is our son Prince Endymion." King Orion gestured to Endymion, who stepped
forward and bowed to the Queen.
"It's a pleasure." He said.
Queen Serenity smiled and nodded her head.
"These are his four guardians. Kunzite, Zoisite, Nephrite, and Jadeite." As each
name was spoken, one of the four stepped forward and bowed.
"This is my daughter Princess Serenity." Queen Serenity said. Princess Serenity
stepped forward and curtsied.
"These are her guardians. Sailorvenus, Sailorjupiter, Sailormars and
Sailormercury. Serenity, would you please show Endymion and his friends around the palace
please?"
"Of course, mother." Serenity smiled and gestured for them to follow her. The
senshi followed and they left the throne room through a side door.
"Perhaps we should each accompany someone else around the palace. Groups this big
are harder to tour with. I'm sure each of you has something in common with one of my
friends, so you can go directly to that area." Serenity spoke to Endymion's protectors.
"That is an excellent idea." Kunzite agreed. "What are your various interests?"
"I like the library and information center." Sailormercury replied.
"Good! I will go with you." Zoisite smiled and the two left.
"And what about you?" Nephrite asked Sailorjupiter.
"The kitchen." She replied. Nephrite nodded and the two left together.
"I'm into religion and must be getting to my temple." Sailormars said.
"I will accompany you then." Jadeite said as Sailormars led the way to her shrine.
"I guess that leaves you and me." Kunzite told Sailorvenus.
"I guess." Sailorvenus replied. "Princess, will you be ok?"
"Of course. Prince Endymion and I will be fine." Serenity assured her.
"Ok. See you later!" Sailorvenus waved as she and Kunzite left.
"Where would you like to go?" Serenity asked Endymion.
"I don't suppose you would like to go to the stables, would you? I adore horses."
Endymion told her. Serenity's eye's lit up.
"Oh really! I have a beautiful mare named Moonlight." Serenity smiled and led the
way to the stables.
"We have a black stallion named Midnight. I think the two of you will get along."
Serenity told Endymion. She led the way to a stall near the back. A huge black beast was
in there. Serenity opened the door without any hesitation and stepped in. The horse
reared and Endymion grabbed Serenity around the waist, pulled her out and shut the door as
fast as he could.
"Are you nuts! You could have been killed!" He cried.
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"That horse was going to trample you." He replied.
"No he wasn't. He always greets me that way." Serenity told him, realizing that
Endymion was still holding her around the waist. "I would have been perfectly fine."
She pulled away and turned to a different stall. She opened the door and went in.
Endymion followed her.
"This is Moonlight." She said, patting the beautiful white mare. Endymion could tell it
was a spirited horse that adored her master.
"You have a way with horses."
"I adore them." Serenity replied, as her horse nuzzled her hand.
"I can see it's mutual." Endymion said quietly.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing." Endymion replied. Serenity smiled.
"Is there somewhere else you wanted to go?" She asked.
"No, that's ok." He said. He was enjoying just watching her with her horse.
"Maybe we can go for a ride. Not in this though." She said looking at her dress.
Endymion laughed.
"No, I don't think your mother would appreciate that."
"I can go get changed into my riding clothes, and you into yours, and we'll meet back here
in ten minutes, ok?" Serenity asked.
"You think you can be ready in ten minutes?"
"I know I can." Serenity replied leaving the stable. "If you follow this path and then
turn left, you will reach the guest quarters. Follow the path back, after."
"Got it!" Endymion nodded as he took off. Serenity was not far behind him.
By the time Endymion had returned, Serenity was there in white riding breeches with a
white riding jacket. She had her horse saddled and bridled and was just finishing up
with the saddle on Midnight.
"You expect me to ride that thing?" Endymion asked, gesturing to Midnight.
"If you don't want to, I will." Serenity replied.
"Aren't you afraid of him?" Endymion asked.
"Of course not! He's as gentle as a kitten." Serenity replied as she handed Moonlight's
reign's to Endymion. She quickly got into the saddle of Midnight and Endymion marveled
at her agility.
"Is there a certain path we are going to take?" Endymion asked as he got into Moonlight's
saddle.
"Yes. Moonlight knows the way." Serenity replied as she sent her horse galloping away.
Endymion quickly followed with Moonlight.
As they entered the forest, Serenity began going off the path. Moonlight followed as if
she knew exactly where Serenity was planning on leading them. Serenity slowed her horse to
a walk. She led him up to a tree and stopped him. Carefully she stood up and reached
into the tree. She grabbed some apples and tossed two at Endymion.
"You can give one to Moonlight." Serenity said before reaching up into the tree again.
Suddenly, a rabbit hopped out and startled Midnight. The large stallion reared and sent
Serenity flying backwards. She screamed. Thinking fast, Endymion maneuvered his horse
and caught her.
"Are you alright?" Endymion asked her.
"I… I think so. I should be. I only hit you." She replied, giggling.
"I think maybe you aren't… Did you hit your head?"
"I'm a little dazed." She told him.
"We'd better get you back to the palace."
"No! Let's stay here for awhile. We can tie the horses to the tree and sit for a
while. I'll feel better soon. There's a brook over there and we can go sit near it."
Serenity told him.
"Alright." Endymion relented. He hopped down from his horse, with her still in
his arms. He carried her over and gently set her down near the water.
"You didn't have to do that. I can walk!" She giggled again.
"I know, but I want to be on the safe side." Endymion told her as he sat down next
to her.
" I hate all the formality involved in being a Princess."
"I know what you mean. I have to small politely and bow every time I'm introduced
to anyone!"
"Exactly! I mean, sure I've never met you before but who cares what impression I
leave? I'm not that important in the grand scheme of things." Serenity exclaimed.
"I think you are." Endymion said quietly.
"What?" She asked.
"I think you are very important." He told her. "Do you believe in love at first
sight?"
"I'm not sure. I think that only happens when you find your soulmate." She
replied. "You love each other no matter what. Rank and position doesn't matter. Nor
does it matter if you even know the person! When the soulmate principle happens, nothing
can prevent the two from being together. Not even death."
"How would you know if you had found your soulmate?" Endymion asked.
"You just know, I guess." Serenity replied as she reached over and picked a handful
of clovers. "Moonlight likes these."
"Most horses do. I'm not letting you ride the crazed horse back to the stables,
you know."
"You think you can stop me?" Serenity asked, in genuine surprise.
"Yes."
Serenity began laughing. She looked at Endymion and burst out laughing again.
"You know our parents want us to get married to seal the alliance between our
planets, don't you?" Serenity asked.
"Of course. Who doesn't know?" Endymion replied.
"Well, if I was accidentally killed on Midnight as you seem to think I will be,
than you wouldn't be forced into this marriage." Serenity explained.
"What if I want to be in this marriage?" Endymion asked softly.
"Are you serious?" Serenity asked.
"Yes."
"You barely know me. Why would you want to marry me?" Serenity asked as she
turned away to face the brook.
"You said that it doesn't matter whether or not we know each other if we are
soulmates." Endymion replied.
"Yeah, but I didn't say anything about us being soulmates."
"We are though. Can't you feel that tugging? Something is trying to get you to
look in my eyes and you are fighting it." Endymion told her. "I didn't. Serenity, I love
you!"
Serenity turned back in surprise. This time she did look into his eyes, and then
she fell into his arms and began crying.
"So many people have said those words before and none of them meant it. You do!
I can tell. Oh Endymion!"
Endymion held her and let her cry herself out.
"Oh I'm so sorry. If it had been anyone but you I wouldn't have…. But it was
you. The YOU. My soulmate, my flying companion. The one who is always there to pick me
up when I fall down, and love me when I am stupid. Endymion, my love." Serenity buried
her face in his chest and let herself be held. After a while, Endymion spoke.
"I suppose we had better get back to the palace before they send the guards out
looking for us."
"I suppose so, but how will we get back if I'm not to ride Midnight. If I can't,
then you can't." Serenity told him, with a pout.
"You look so cute when you do that!" He told her as he turned to her and kissed
her. Serenity's eye's shot wide open before she closed them and put her arms around him.
Suddenly a voice shouted.
"There they are!" It was Sailorvenus.
"Endymion! What are you doing?" demanded Kunzite.
"Kissing." Sailorvenus replied, giggling, as she grabbed Kunzite's arm and pulled
him away. "Leave them alone."
The kissing couple barely noticed.
~~~
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