OK, Epilogue Three, this time from Raye’s eyes! Hope you
enjoy it! Ja mata ne! My e-mail is still
sailoreuropa@geocities.com!
*
Time Honored
Epilogue Three ~ Mars
“Raye. RAYE!” I heard my mother yell. I glanced
towards my gilded door, to see her standing in the way,
tapping her foot impatiently, wearing a perturbed look on
her otherwise pretty face. “We’re going to be late. You
know how I hate that.” She said again, glaring at me.
“So?” I said laconically, pretending like my make-up
was the most important thing at the moment. I could hear
her laugh in spite of my disrespectful remark. I had a
wonderful relationship with my mother, but I’ll be the first
person to admit, I do tend to push my limits. And tonight I
thought I was in for it. However, I saw her smiling face
after I finished, and knew she was too happy to get mad.
She walked over, and pulled my hair back, smoothing it on
my back. She sighed, staring at my reflection.
“You are so beautiful, you know that Raye?” She said,
her face smiling kindly. I was taken aback for a second, not
used to this kind of openness. “You remind me so much of
myself when I was the Princess. You are so mature for 14.”
She sighed again, this time moving away from me and
sitting on my bed. “I wish you didn’t have to grow up so
quickly.”
“Please don’t tell me we’re going into one of those
mother-daughter “You’re growing up so fast” routines.” I
groaned, and she laughed gaily.
“No, nothing like that. I just think you had to mature
so fast, after your father died. I know you had to help me
out a lot more.” She said, her voice a little reminiscent. She
missed my father a lot, I knew. They fell in love, after their
arranged marriage, and had me, but they hadn’t met before
the wedding. It was just chance that they ended up loving
each other after the honeymoon. I also know she hadn’t
wanted to marry him, because of the arrangement, and that
was why I was aloud to marry whomever I chose, provided
he wasn’t already arranged, and he was a prince. I hadn’t
met anyone who fit that description just yet.
“Well, we better get going. We don’t want Serenity
getting upset.” She said, breaking my deep concentration. I
got up, groaning inwardly at the thought of going to the
Moon, just to see Serena and her future husband. Serena
alone was bad enough, but Serena with a guy? Now that
was hard to imagine.
I grabbed my wrap, and headed for the transport. I
stepped in, and in seconds we were among the smiling
people gathering on the palatial Moon grounds, milling
around, mingling. I felt a little better, noticing all the well
dressed royalty, knowing one day, I would be throwing one
of these parties myself. I smiled at the thought of me at the
head of the crowd, people gathering around me. I snapped
out of my fantasy, as I saw my mother headed towards
Queen Serenity, and Serena. I quickly bid my mother good-
bye, and went off on my own. I walked around the garden
hedges, careful not to snag my dress on the carefully carved
plants. I started getting a funny feeling like I was being
followed, and I turned around quickly. I saw no one,
however, except the entire family of Neptune, talking with
the family of Venus, with the exception of Mina. I searched
amongst them, thinking maybe he or she was hiding in the
throngs of people, when I caught a glimpse of what I was
guessing a Neptune Prince, glancing my way. I looked
down, hoping he didn’t notice me looking. I quickly ran
into the maze of hedges, to get away from my
embarrassment, when I found myself next to the west
entrance of the Ballroom.
“Guess I should go find my friends.” I said shrugging.
I entered the vaulted doorway, and was immediately
greeted by the sound of people laughing, and the faint smell
of champagne. I took in the convivial atmosphere as I
searched the crowds, looking for my friends. I was looking
around the east side when I heard my name belted out
behind me. I turned to see Lita waving, smiling at me. I
groaned and laughed, both at the same time, seeing Lita all
dressed up, and still bouncing off the walls like a kid.
“I think she forgets she’s a Princess sometimes.” I
muttered as I quickly strolled over to where her and Ami
were standing.
“Gee Lita, could you be a little more loud?” I said,
waving my hand at her, trying to get her to quiet down.
“How did you expect me to get your attention? Smoke
signals?” Lita replied, smirking. I giggled
“You seen Serena?” I asked, searching the crowd for
her familiar meatballs. Ami and Lita giggled at some
private joke that I seemed to miss, and shook their heads.
“Nope. Probably off meeting her prince charming.”
Ami started to laugh, but was cut off by a figure bumping
into her. Ami turned around, ready to apologize, when I
heard the familiar ringing of Mina’s voice rise.
“Hi! Seen Serena yet?” Ami and I shook our heads in
frustration.
“No, sorry Mina.” Ami answered, a slight sigh in her
voice. I leaned my head to the side, in an effort to relax my
mind, when I heard Ami start to shriek something. *Gee,
and she’s the mature one?* I thought, ready to elbow her to
quiet down.
“Everyone! There she is!” Ami said, causing me to
stop my elbow, and look in the direction she was gazing
towards. I saw her dancing gracefully with a very attractive
man. I titled my head to the side, trying to figure what he
saw in her. He was around his early twenties, and he looked
very mature. *So what does he see in a meatball head like
Serena?* I asked myself.
“I was right! She’s already in love, I can tell!” Lita
giggled, covering her mouth. I could see what she meant.
Serena had a glazed look over her face, and was absorbing
every word he uttered. Oddly enough, he seemed to be
doing the same with her. *Go figure...* I thought again,
rolling my eyes. I suddenly noticed an older man leading
Serena’s partner away, and Serena walking in the other
direction, after kissing a bewildered Moon Princess on the
cheek. I was about to speak another remark, when Mina
started barking orders.
“Follow her!” Mina said, pointing towards Serena who
was walking through a small sitting room to the left of the
immense entryway. We all walked quickly after her,
preparing all our questions ahead of time. Lita threw the
curtain back when we approached, catching Serena by
surprise.
“Serena! Is that him?” Lita exclaimed excitedly as we
entered the room. She glanced up, trying very hard to look
bored. It wasn’t working.
“Yes...” She replied, her voice ringing.
“Oh, you lucky girl you! He is so gorgeous! Wow, you
get all the good ones!” Mina screeched, rather annoyingly,
and sat beside her. Mina sat there, trying very hard to be
calm. I sighed, knowing Serena was only doing this to keep
us guessing. Not being able to take it anymore, Mina finally
exploded.
“How old is her? Is he nice? Does he have a brother?”
Mina asked excitedly. I glanced at Lita, and we both
snickered, and rolled our eyes. *Vintage Mina questions.* I
thought, laughing inwardly.
“He’s 20, I believe, yes, and I don’t know. Maybe.”
She shrugged. I groaned. She didn’t know how stupid she
looked, trying to sound bored. It was something she never
was. I waited, unable to take the silence much longer.
*Maybe she really _is_ maturing...* I thought, trying to
assess her reaction. I tried to count to seconds it took for
her to burst.
“I’M IN LOVE!” She screamed. *Bingo.” I thought
smugly. “He is sooo handsome!” she said, sighing and
leaning back on the bench, causing her to fall to the ground,
with her feet still up in the air. I laughed to myself, thinking
how like Serena it was to lighten an otherwise silent mood.
“I can’t wait till the wedding.” She swooned. I
laughed, out loud this time, unable to keep it bottled up.
“You just met him, don’t you think that’s a little
premature?” I asked, smirking slightly.
“No, we’re arranged. Whether he likes it or not, we’re
getting married.” She said, pointing her nose upwards. I
started cracking up her last statement. The others were all
laughing hysterically along with me, I noticed, much to
Serena’s puzzlement. She seemed to be going over her last
words, when she finally realized what she had just said. “Of
course, he does like it. I can tell.” She said, in a rather futile
attempt to cover her mistake.
“I hope my husbands as wonderful as yours, Serena.”
Ami said, trying to hold in a blush.
“Who are you betrothed to, Ami?” Lita asked.
“The eldest son from Pluto.” Ami replied, blushing
even more.
“Oooh, my mother said they have handsome kids.”
Mina said, swooning. I rolled my eyes, at her useless
knowledge of the other Kingdoms. *You’d think she would
keep up with more important topics, like war.* I thought.
*Instead, she keeps tabs on the attractiveness of the other
Kingdoms children.*
“You would know something like that, Mina.” I said,
rolling my eyes. I could Ami nodding slightly, and I was
taken aback at her reaction. She was never one to chide her
friends habits. I grinned. That was my job.
“My mother was good friends with their father!” She
said, defensively, and it reminded me of Serena’s tone of
voice a few minutes back. I laughed inwardly, thinking how
appropriate that they were best friends. *Simple minds,
simple pleasures* I thought.
“Who’s _your_ fiancee, Raye?” Lita asked, changing
the subject.
“My mother had originally arranged me to someone
from Neptune, but she told me I didn’t have to.” I
answered, sounding slightly bored. I thought back to earlier
in the evening, and the attractive boy I was caught staring
at. I blushed slightly, hoping no one noticed my desperate
show of emotion. I knew that I never really showed how I
really felt, and my friends thought I was thick skinned or
something. I sighed at the thought. I really wasn’t. But I
hated the thought of people seeing me vulnerable, when I
was overcome by emotion. “It’s not like I’ve met him or
anything, so maybe I will end up marrying him.” I added,
for effect. I sounded laconic, but in my heart, I was truly
hoping I would fall as deeply in love with someone as
Serena had. I never really had ever been loved like that.
And I could feel the loss burning a hole right through my
sole.
“Who’s that with your man, Serena?” I asked, after
glancing out the curtains to see a beautiful woman talking
intimately with her fiancee. Serena’s head bolted up, her
eyes firing right along with it. I could swear there was
steam coming out of it.
“Who does that hussy think she is?” She bellowed,
putting her hands on her hips. Once again, I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t know, but she seems to have Dariens
complete attention.” Lita added, her face twitching slightly
upward. I could see tears fill up in her eyes, and her lip
quivered, and I covered my ears, knowing what was next.
“She can’t have him! He’s mine!” She wailed, tears
pouring like rain from her blue eyes. I uncovered my ears,
and I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her. But only a
little.
“SSH! People are starting to look!” Lita hushed,
covering her mouth hastily. Serena sniffled, and climbed
off the floor. Her gaze hardened, and she set out towards
the pair laughing together. We all got quiet, and watched
our friend walk towards her future husband. As he noticed
her, his eyes lit up, heaven knows why. Darien introduced
the two, and the older woman flushed slightly, and said a
somewhat embarrassed good-bye. Serena seemed to shoot
daggers at her as she exited the scene. We all stared at the
two, alone now.
“Can you make out what he’s saying?” Mina asked,
squinting. I tried leaning closer to the doorway, trying
desperately trying to read their lips.
“We need to get closer!” I cried, frustrated.
“Gee, you’d almost think you cared about her, Raye.”
Lita said sarcastically. I ignored her, not knowing whether
to deny it or confirm it. I turned back to the two figures in
the middle of the ballroom. Serena’s eyes were watering,
and he said something to her, making her blush furiously.
She answered back, and he put his hand under her chin.
“HE’S GONNA KISS HER!” Lita screeched
excitedly. I leaned in closely, almost loosing my balance.
We all watched in silence as the two met in a tender kiss.
The only sound was Mina softly counting how long the two
embraced. I laughed slightly, know that if she hadn’t done
it, I would have. The clock finally struck twelve, startling
the couple, causing them to break apart, somewhat
unwillingly.
“Wow! 2 and a half minutes!” Mina said, after the two
had stopped. *You’d think they’d have to come up to
breath sometime!* I thought, *Then again, there’s enough
air in Serena’s head for the both of them!* I stifled a giggle.
Dariens father lead Darien away, leaving a completely
bewildered Moon Princess in the middle of the floor alone.
She finally snapped out of it, and started towards the
immense marble staircase. Lita and Mina both jumped up
to follow her, and Ami quickly grabbed the back of their
dresses, holding them back.
“No you don’t! Let her be alone right now. She
doesn’t need us making fun of her right now.” She said,
receiving threatening glares from Mina in turn. I watched as
Serena disappeared behind the corner at the top of the
stairs.
“I better go, my mother is probably ready to go.” I
sighed. I picked my dress up off the floor, and headed
toward the pack of Queens from the other Kingdoms. She
smiled when she noticed me coming nearer.
“Did you have a good time, Raye?’ She asked. I
nodded.
“Yes, Serena should be very happy, if her life goes
half as well as tonight.” I answered.
“Life rarely goes as smoothly as one would hope.” She
sighed. I knew this was another reference to my late father.
I sighed along with her. A year ago, I hoped she wouldn’t
be so depressed all the time. And she had improved a lot.
But there were times when she was so horribly blue, I
couldn’t stand to be around her. And she was right.
Because of the death of him, I had to grow up very fast, and
there were times when I would give anything to be as
carefree as Mina or as flippant as Serena, but I realize how
totally ignorant to the wars and economic pressures and
disease they are. I knew one day, they would wake up and
see how bad some of the kingdoms are, and would be
forced to mature. I sighed in spite of it all. I look at myself
and compare my image to that of Serena, and wonder who
is really worse off.
________________________________________________
Third one done! E-mail me with comments or donations!
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