A/N: Hi, lovely readers! This is my contribution for Mamo/Usa week 2020! So, I've decided to take all of the daily themes proposed by the lovely Antigone2 (Who is awesome and hosting it this year) and create a fic. I guess this would be considered canon-divergent? AU? I'm not entirely sure, but it is set loosely during the Makai tree arc. Except I've aged them up and made it so that the Dark Kingdom didn't reveal Serenity and Endymion. It's a bit of a mish-mash, to be honest, but I hope I've made it clear in the fic. If not, let me know!

Shout out to the loveliest Bae-ta, NinjetteTwitch, who listened patiently while I blurted out the outlines to all of the chapters in this fic, then lovingly beta-ed this regardless of the fact that she is currently going through her own stuff atm. Thank you, girl! HEART YOU!

Day one was SilMil, so here it is! A sort of Prologue?

Chapter 1 - Silver Millennium

In which the Prince discovers the Princess

Serenity could barely contain her anticipation, silken, blonde ribbons of hair slipping across her shoulders as she shifted from one foot to the other. Slender fingers fiddled with the sheer curtains that were currently her only obstruction to the view of a lush, vibrant landscape outside.

Earth was by far her favorite planet. She loved it even more than the cold, crystal caverns on Mercury, or the red-rocked canyons that looked like they were on fire as the sun set on Mars. She even loved it more than the polished, still perfection of the atmosphere on the moon of her own home.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about Earth called to her. The Terrans, and the land they cultivated, were so full of life, rooted in rich, earthy tones that took her breath away. Not to mention her fascination with the properties of the volatile oceans that could be still, calm, and then swell with violent riptides in the same breath.

Like the water that made up ninety percent of this planet, however, its people were just as unpredictable. Their leaders were often wary and borderline hostile. Especially because, though they were part of the interplanetary federation, they actively defied any invitation to join the Silver Millennium alliance.

Twice a year, all foreign dignitaries, monarchs, diplomats, Kings, and Queens met for an interplanetary summit. It was necessary, her mother had stated, that as sovereign over the entire Silver Millennium alliance, the Queen of the Lunarians was always to attend these meetings. It was imperative to keep lines of communication open, the political climate at a comfortable level, and maintain order within the vast array of people that she was to reign over someday.

A different monarch hosted every summit, and this was only the second time in her lifespan that Earth was selected to host due to their inhospitable views of Lunarians.

Still, despite what everyone said, Serenity adored Earth and the Terrans.

She'd always accompanied her mother, with her dutiful Senshi sisters in tow, to every planet that the summit had been held. However, this year was the first time that she would attend the conference standing by her mother's side.

The thought dimmed her excitement a little. Serenity worried her bottom lip between her teeth with all the implications of what that meant.

Not only was she taking on her training to be Queen in an official capacity, but it also meant that she needed to put an end to her clandestine, summit rendezvous with the handsome, dark-haired man that she'd been meeting with ever since he'd rescued her from a swirling sandstorm on Jupiter all those years ago.

They only ever met twice a year at the summits, premeditating their next meeting spot based on which planet the upcoming summit was to be held. She'd only missed meeting him once when Saturn experienced a natural disaster that uprooted their people and forced the next one to take place on Mercury mid-year, and last minute, instead.

She'd despaired, devastated that she'd never see him again. It was only by pure happenstance that she'd glimpsed him in the crowded market place, illuminated by a thousand glittering floating fairy lights overhead on the permanently darkened planet of Pluto the following year.

He'd whispered in her ear when he'd enveloped her in his arms, clearly just as relieved to see her as she was him, that maybe the time of keeping their identities to themselves was over? That perhaps, after all of these years, they should stop playing these guessing games and reveal who they were.

Serenity swallowed, her throat feeling constricted by the emotion elicited by that particular memory. She'd been tempted. So very tempted. But in the end, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him, even for their short interludes, and she would have if he'd known that she was the reigning Princess of the Silver millennium alliance.

So, it remained the way that it was; every year, twice a year, she met with the boy that grew into a man almost right before her eyes. Mired in mystery, he'd whispered his name in her ear on that fateful day on Jupiter, when they were just kids.

Even then, his words were like velvet as he'd uttered the name Dimi, though he faltered in a way that she knew made it false. It hadn't mattered, and Dimi, whose parents were more than likely high-ranking diplomats attending the summits, too, became her obsession. Their whirlwind romance was inevitable.

She was drawn to Dimi like she was drawn to Earth. He was full of life and a raw magnetism that pulled her in and drowned any sense that she might have had otherwise.

How was she going to give that up?

Blinking back tears, Serenity stepped away from the window, her soft cloth slippers soundless on the glistening marble floor of the polished, carved beauty in the suite that she'd been temporarily assigned to share with her Senshi.

She'd confided and lamented endlessly with the girls, who were sworn by duty to protect her life, though really, their loyalty came from a place of love.

Though each girl had approached her dilemma with sympathy and their own brand of logic, they'd all unanimously agreed. She needed to end this thing now before she officially became her mother's shadow, molding her into all of the things that made her a princess, and grooming her to be the Queen that she secretly dreaded becoming, though she didn't dread it as much as she did her final meeting with Dimi.

She sniffled, curling her fingers into the white silk that ruched elegantly across her chest, trying fruitlessly to curb the ache of sorrow piercing her heart. Usually, time seemed to crawl by slowly before she was able to duck away, heart thumping with anticipation as she carefully navigated her way to where they'd agreed to meet. This time, though, time was moving quickly, too quickly, and she couldn't fathom that soon this would be over.

"Serenity?" The fretful Moon Princess started at the soft, dulcet tone of Aphrodite's voice. She swiveled around to face Sailor Venus, the orange-clad Senshi who was poised in the doorway. "I've distracted the guards. It's time for you to go now."

Serenity swallowed, nodding through a vision blurred with unshed tears, and Aphrodite tilted her head to the side, her expression pained, eyes glistening with compassion as she held out her hand, beckoning her forward.

Serenity stumbled, and Venus inhaled sharply, dashing forward to steady her. "Oh, Serenity," she breathed sadly, cradling the side of her face, expression fraught with sorrow as she swiped the gloved pad of her thumb to wipe away an errant tear. "I'm so sorry, but you know that this is for the best. You have responsibilities, and you can't afford to be distracted by romance."

She knew this; of course she knew this. Knowing didn't make it hurt any less, though, and she wished more than anything that she could have been someone else, anyone else. Just a girl, maybe a Terran, that could have been with someone like Dimi.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, then mustered her strength to push aside her sadness.

The corners of Aphrodite's lips curled up into a sad smile. "If I could take your place, if I could permanently decoy as the princess, you know that I would."

Again, Serenity nodded, so grateful for her friend. "I know," she whispered, the sound harsh, roughly edged with barely restrained emotion. "I'm ready. I know what I must do."

Aphrodite impulsively leaned forward, pulled her into a hug, and Serenity clenched her eyes shut and pulled strength from the embrace.

When they broke apart, she mustered all the determination and poise that had been hard-pressed into her disposition over the years. She was a flurry of silver as she pulled her coarse, wool-spun cloak more tightly around her shoulders and slipped out of the door and past Jupiter, who was distracting her personal guard.

She wished that the maelstrom of emotion in her heart would calm for a moment so that she could marvel at how incredibly green the grass was, or how wild and untamed the copse of cherry blossom trees were. Instead, she saw the deepening blue of the sky and was reminded of his eyes and how tonight would be the last time she'd be able to look into them.

oOo

Dimi had been the one to suggest this place, and Serenity hadn't opposed as she was not familiar with Earth or the area surrounding where the tedious, day-long conferences were being held. She wasn't sure if she was in the right place, but it was exactly as Dimi had described it, and for a moment, Serenity was utterly enthralled by her surroundings.

No place in the galaxy could possibly compare to the spectacular opulence that was this secret oasis of beauty.

Shaded by a towering canopy of trees dotted with purple flowers, mid-bloom, that perfumed the air, she waded through thickets of foliage, swept aside vines of ivy, stepped over moss-covered rocks until she stood at the very edge of a babbling brook.

The sound of the water swiftly churning was simultaneous with the birds' chirping, tiny creatures that she'd only ever seen on this planet with delicate bones that could spread feathered limbs to fly. They fascinated her.

She was so enamored with how the setting sun sent slivers of orange and gold through the leaves, illuminating the water in such a beautiful way, that she didn't hear him approach until his arms encircled her waist. He gently pulled her towards him, and she went willingly, until her back was flush against his chest. The fabric of her cloak bunching up against his tunic.

Instantly, she felt safe, comfortable, and she couldn't help but melt against him, eyelids fluttering shut with an involuntary soft sigh of relief. She was practically trembling when his lips brushed across the shell of her ear, his palms sweeping through the opening of her cloak, bunching the silken fabric of her dress as they settled on her abdomen.

"Do you know, I think I've figured it out," he whispered huskily against her ear, his warm breath fanning across her cheek, rustling the soft baby curls that lined her temple. "You're definitely Venusian."

She chuckled breathily, leaning her head back into the hollow of his collarbone, curling her fingers around his. This was bliss, and for a moment, she forgot that she was here to say goodbye.

"Oh, yeah?" she replied, her voice trembling as he tilted his head and brushed his lips across the curve of her jaw. "What makes you think that?"

When he laughed, the sound low and husky, her knees practically buckled as his roving hands crept upwards, exploring the curves of her waist before he firmly gripped her hips and twisted her around to face him.

She inhaled sharply, heart fluttering, pulse quickening at the shockingly intense look in pools of cobalt blue that were currently consuming her. His gaze hungrily swept over her face as if he was a man dying of thirst, lost in the brimstone sand desert on Mars, and she was the only water in sight.

He cradled the side of her face, the pad of his thumb tracing the edge of her cheekbone. She hoped that he couldn't see the ivory-colored makeup that Mercury had carefully applied to the moon crescent symbol on her forehead. It had appeared overnight, marking the beginning of what would be her ability to wield the Silver Crystal and become the Queen she didn't want to be.

"I've heard Venusians are notorious for their abundance of breathtaking blondes," he replied, the corners of his lips quirked up into that teasing, adorable smirk that made her heart skip a beat. "I can most definitely imagine that you are one of the many Venusian cousins related to the Princess of love."

She could tell by his doting expression that he wasn't serious. He didn't honestly think she was Venusian, and this was a guessing game that they always played. Still, it only reminded her that her golden blonde hair would inevitably start to fade, glimmer into the staple Silver color of the Moon heiress. It wrenched her heart so painfully that she had to turn away so that he wouldn't see the tears welling in her eyes.

She heard him inhale sharply behind her as she stepped out of his embrace and closer to the edge of the water. The bright, vibrant oranges, reds, and the glimmering gold that had reflected off of its surface only moments ago began to fade as the world seemed to dim, bathed in the darkness of dusk, as the rising luminescent glow of her Kingdom began to cut through the leaves.

She crossed slender arms across her chest, chilled suddenly, as she tilted her face up and fixed her gaze on the moonlight above. "You never know, Dimi," she whispered, her voice resonating above the sound of the rushing water. "I might be Terran, and this might be my planet."

He was silent for a moment following her whispered, wistful statement, and she felt the air shift behind her when he took a step closer. "You're not Terran, Ren," he replied, a confused edge laced into his tone. "I know that you aren't."

She didn't question how he could possibly know that for sure, because she knew, suddenly, that he was Terran. It only made sense that he would reside on the planet that she loved most in this entire galaxy.

"I wish that I was," she rasped, brokenhearted, the words spilling from quivering lips without a second thought. "I love this planet. It's so beautiful."

For a couple of moments, they didn't speak, and Serenity felt the tension shifting between them. When she risked turning, cloak, and silk rustling around her, he was watching her, eyes glinting in the moonlight, lips pressed into a firm, determined line.

"What if…" he faltered, squared his shoulders, and cleared his throat. His expression was vulnerable, filled with desperation when his gaze met hers. "What if I told you I was Terran, and I was asking you if you would stay here. With me."

Serenity's breath caught in her throat, and she froze, paralyzed by his confession because she wanted that. She wanted to stay here with him so badly it hurt. She couldn't, though. Somewhere, in the depths of the cosmos, from the literal cauldron of life, she'd been plucked and hand-chosen to be the Princess that she was.

She didn't have a choice. She'd never had a choice, and these secret meetings were just an illusion of free will that she didn't actually possess.

"Oh, Goddess," she choked. "Dimi, I can't. I just can't."

The whimper that bubbled up her throat and spilled from parted pink lips tore through the quiet of the small clearing. Her vision blurred, and the tears that slid down her cheeks only multiplied when she glimpsed the way his expression crumpled with the devastation she'd unwittingly caused him.

"Ren," he rasped, framing her face, calloused palms rough, and comforting against the smoothness of her cheeks. "Why not? I don't care who your parents are, or what planet you come from. If you stay, I can make this work." He leaned forward, pressed his forehead against hers, brushing his lips across the bridge of her nose. "Please, Ren," he pleaded in between butterfly kisses across the tops of tear-stained cheeks.

For one final moment, Serenity gave in to what she wanted so badly it was thrumming through the blood in her veins. With everything she possessed, her love for him, her desperation, the vibrating broken pieces of her heart, she propelled herself forward, curled her arms around his neck and crushed her lips against his.

She wasn't sure who moaned; it could have been her; it could have been him. All that mattered was that her mouth was molded perfectly to his and when he deepened their kiss, tongues tangling, his fingers roughly gripping her thigh, hoisting it around the sharp edge of his hip, she couldn't breathe, she was drowning.

It took every ounce of willpower that she possessed to tear away from him, lips swollen, hair mussed, eyes wild, and filled with tears of grief.

"I'm so sorry," she choked, heart wrenching at the way his eyes widened, lips parting on a sharp intake of breath because he knew. He knew that she was saying goodbye. "I love you, but I can't see you again."

He reached out as if to pull her into his arms, but she'd already swirled out of his embrace. "Wait, Ren—"

She didn't let him finish. She couldn't. Instead, heart in her throat, her soul in tattered ruins, she fled. More graceful and swift than she'd ever managed, the oasis a fading blur that disappeared just as quickly as the beacon of hope in her heart that only shone brightly when she was with him.

oOo

As a general rule, Lunarians were typically less strict about their wardrobes. Serenity couldn't even fathom burying herself in yards of material, covering her body from her chin to her toes. She was eternally grateful that Lunarians preferred lightweight fabrics like silk and chiffon, and while on the Moon, she never would have considered her choice of attire immodest, here, on Earth, she had to admit. She looked positively scandalous.

Her Senshi, in the short pleated skirts of their sailor fukus, even more so. Serenity didn't miss the narrow-eyed looks of shock, and in some cases, disgust from the Terrans that crowded around the pathway that led to the hall in which the first conference would be held.

Serenity had never felt ashamed before, but her cheeks flushed, and she couldn't help the way her trembling fingers tugged on her bodice, pulling it up higher.

Her mother stopped, halting the procession, tapered fingers lightly settling on Serenity's hand to still her fretful movement. Her eyes widened, breath in her throat, when she met her mother's lavender-tinged gaze, with a wide-eyed, confused look of her own.

The Queen smiled; her expression softened in a reassuring way that made Serenity exhale some of the tension corded into her shoulders.

"Serenity," she chided gently. "You relinquish your self-agency when you let the actions or perceptions of others determine your self-worth. Stand tall, stop fiddling with your gown, and remember to remind yourself that you do not owe an ounce of your self-esteem to anyone we encounter today."

Serenity straightened, tilted her chin up, and nodded curtly. Her mother was right. She was going to be a Queen. She was going to lead and guide these people into what she hoped would be another long era of peace one day. There was no room for her insecurities.

The procession continued, and she blinked, hands clasped together tightly as they stepped into the dimly lit archway that swept up into majestic vaulted ceilings and welcomed them into a carefully arranged room with a diverse and vast array of people.

The conversation in the hall quieted the instant that they entered.

Serenity was accustomed to this. She'd witnessed the impact the Lunarians carried proudly when they entered a room. Her Senshi, a part of an elite group of warriors with the ability to wield the gifts of elemental powers from their respective planets, was a sight to behold on their own. Still, she couldn't help but wish that she didn't feel so suffocated by the burden that the glistening moon insignia on her forehead carried.

Serenity sucked in a shuddering, nervous breath, forcing one foot in front of the other, inwardly repeating her mother's words in her head. She was a princess. She had responsibilities. She could do this.

So why, then, was her heart racing, her palms sweaty, while everything in her resisted attending this meeting because she just couldn't accept her role with the grateful deference that was expected of her?

When they moved further into the cavernous stone hall, all that she wanted to do was stop and marvel at the fascinating details carved into the towering stone pillars that lined the walls, or indulge in the strange but divine smelling assortment of puff-like pastries lining cloth-covered wooden tables. Or even try the plate of strange food that looked like tiny green trees, the only thing on the table that was left untouched.

Why was it that all she wanted to do was peel her gown down to her silk shift, shed the gold trappings that clearly marked her for a princess, and flee from this hall and into Dimi's waiting arms?

She swallowed, the thought of Dimi still fresh and painfully raw in her mind as she forced herself back to the present, pressing aside the pain that welled automatically in the form of tears in the corners of her eyes.

She blinked them back quickly, surprised that she still had tears left after she'd spent the night and the early hours of the morning, curled up in Aphrodite's arms, shedding them.

She composed herself quickly and forcibly continued onward with her mother. As was customary, the Lunarians were to greet their gracious hosts first. Or, in this case, their not so gracious and silently resentful hosts, as their party pressed past the Venusian and Pluto diplomats towards the raised dais in which currently housed the King, Queen and crowned Prince of Earth.

In hindsight, Serenity should have known that her break from Dimi was going to be much more complicated than a broken heart. She'd already gathered that she would never recover from having loved and lost him, but when she tilted her chin up, still inwardly lamenting her losses, there was nothing on this Earth that could have prepared her to come face to face with him in the middle of this crowded hall.

She froze, her heart skipping a painful beat in disbelief when their eyes locked. The expression on his face was just as stunned and confused as hers.

She parted her lips on a sharp intake of breath, any words that she might have said tangling up on her tongue and sticking to the roof of her mouth in what could have been almost comical if not for her current predicament.

It took a moment before it fully registered that Dimi, her secret lover, the man she'd been meeting under cover of secret identities and a multitude of disguises for years, was, in fact, the Prince of Earth.

Her lips went numb, her heart stopped, and it felt like she could hear the blood rushing hotly in her ears. She barely caught the King's introduction or the way his ice-cold eyes condescendingly swept over her mother, then her, with a barely restrained snarl on thin lips.

Serenity's eyes widened because it occurred to her, quite suddenly and painfully, that the Terrans hated the Lunarians. Oh, Goddess. The Terrans, and by extension, Dimi, had been raised to hate the Lunarians.

When her gaze swept back onto Dimi, he seemed to have recovered because his expression was guarded, his gaze averted as he stood proudly, and stoically beside his father and mother, who could barely contain their unfettered resentment.

In every single version that she'd imagined perhaps seeing Dimi again, this hadn't even crossed into the potential realm of possibilities. She clearly wasn't as practiced in hiding her emotions as Dimi seemed to be — or had the King introduced him as Endymion? This became evident when her mother cleared her throat, and Mercury nudged her from behind.

She froze, her eyes frantically flitting from her mother's expectant gaze, the Terran King and Queen's sneering expressions, and Dimi, who was looking through her, giving absolutely nothing away.

Had they said something? Oh, Goddess, had she missed something?

In preparation to attend this summit, she'd spent hours practicing and learning the proper etiquette in dealing with the Terrans in an official capacity. Her mother had stressed that the Terrans, given their hostility, were to be handled with the utmost care in order to maintain a modicum of peace and civility. This summit, in particular, marked a very important moment. Not only would the Terrans be hosting, but tentative discussions, in which they were potentially going to welcome Earth under the protection and laws governed by the Silver Millennium alliance, were to be broached at this conference.

She'd been so prepared for this. So confident that she wouldn't fail.

She'd practiced her greeting, her curtsy, and all of the complex talking points that would highlight the intelligence and benefits of joining the Lunarians until her throat felt raw from speaking.

How could it be, in all of the galaxies, that she would fall in love with the one person that would have the ability to make her forget all of that? The one person that could not and would not ever belong to her? Then to have to meet him here, under these circumstances with the knowledge that now that he knew what she was, who she was, he would more than likely hate her for it?

She opened her mouth, choking on her words, practically trembling in her despair at the disconcerting thought.

It was Dimi, in the end, who rescued her from that terrifying, heart-wrenching moment as he, in an unprecedented act in the history of angry Terran monarchs, took a step down from the dais to stand in front of her.

There were hushed whispers that rippled throughout the room, a discontented tension settling in the air, and she didn't need to look at her mother to know that the perfectly smooth alabaster skin of her brow was currently creased into a disapproving frown.

Regardless, Serenity's gaze remained locked with Endymion's, and there wasn't a hint of the warmth that she was accustomed to seeing reflected in his expression every time they'd met. The only movement that gave away any modicum of emotion was in the subtle way he momentarily lifted his eyes to glance at the Moon symbol that was now permanently etched into her forehead.

Her heart broke, and she valiantly fought back her tears when he bowed in a respectful, polite, and utterly distant manner. When he lifted his head again, his eyes fixed onto hers, the intensity in them took her breath away.

"Welcome to Earth, Princess Serenity."

It was only a moment, and only five whispered words, but Serenity was devastated by the betrayal she was sure she heard laced in them.

When he stepped back onto the dais to stand beside his parents, it was as if the world resumed around her. The proverbial bubble that had belonged to Dimi and Ren permanently popped, leaving her bereft, lungs twisted up in her chest and unable to focus on anything else that preceded that horrible, heartbreaking moment.

She hadn't even responded, probably broken a hundred rules rooted in tradition, and more than likely managed to further enrage the high-ranking Terrans that were watching them.

It was only when Venus pulled her away to follow after her mother, who'd probably covered for her with the poise and elegance she was renowned for, that Serenity finally snapped out of her daze.

"What was that?" Venus hissed in her ear. "Are you all right?"

She could only shake her head, tendrils of hair whipping across her face with the movement in response. When they reached their designated seats, beautiful pieces with detailed silver designs etched into the silver backrests; she finally risked glancing up at her mother.

Serenity fought back the urge to grimace when their eyes met, and hers were filled with cool concern. She only graced her with a momentary glance before flicking her gaze to Venus, who stood tensely by her side.

"Venus, please escort my daughter from the room." Serenity flinched, swallowing past the lump of emotion in her throat at the harshly edged tone in her voice. When her mother's eyes slid back onto her, Serenity could clearly see the reproach in them this time. "Serenity, go and collect yourself. When you return, I expect that you will do your utmost to present yourself in a manner that is befitting the Princess that you are."

Serenity nodded, still unable to speak, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Just as she turned away, Venus comfortingly grasping her wrist, her mother stopped her, carefully scrutinizing her face.

"Later, when this is over, you will explain to me what it is that transpired back there."

With another nod, her cheeks burning hotly, she let Venus tug her through the crowd whose hushed, reproachful whispers slid over her. She was humiliated enough that she kept her gaze downcast, her steps hurried as Venus carved a path for her, harshly threatening to whip through some guards that stood in their path with her love chain if they did not step aside now.

She only realized that she'd forgotten to breathe when Venus led her onto a private terrace with a view she would have marveled at if not for the devastation currently rippling through her like the riptides of the oceans she so admired.

"What happened back there, Sere?" Venus demanded, running gloved hands over Serenity's arms, brows knit as she swept her eyes over her in consternation. Probably looking for some type of injury or defect that would have caused her to ruin everything that the Lunarians had worked so hard for in one single, ill-fated moment.

It was starting to register now, the reality of what had just transpired finally settling, and Serenity gasped out loud, unable to suppress it as her fingers flew to her chest, fabric twisting in her clenched fist as she tried to wrap her head around what she'd done, what she'd lost, and what she was going to do now.

She swallowed, vision blurred with tears when she met Venus's stunned gaze. "Can I…" she croaked, halting to lick her lips that suddenly felt as dry as her throat that was currently constricted with pain. "Aphrodite, can I just have a moment alone, please?"

Venus frowned, hesitant, and Serenity inhaled sharply, wiping away the tears that finally slid from her eyes.

"Please," she pleaded. "Just a moment."

Venus's expression fell, softening with sympathy before she relented, nodding in acquiescence. "All right, Sere," she agreed. "Only for a moment. I'll be just inside."

Serenity nodded, not bothering to watch her retreat as she swiveled around, dashing towards the white limestone balustrade that was the only barrier that prevented a twenty foot fall into sweeping, awe-inspiring rose gardens.

This felt impossibly unbearable, and she would have done anything at that moment to change her fate; to become nobody. Goddess, What she wouldn't give to be a normal Terran girl. Someone that might have caught Dimi's eye, whose soul was so much more than the crowned prince that had stood so terrifyingly regal on the dais with his resentful parents.

She inhaled, curled her fingers around the smooth, cool to the touch, railing, leaning into it, eyes clenched shut, shoulders slumped miserably as she desperately tried to ground herself.

She could do this. She could.

She wasn't sure how she caught the sound of rustling fabric behind her, given how incredibly lost she was in her tortured thoughts, but she exhaled, sighing with resignation.

"Aphrodite, please," Serenity pleaded. "Can I have a bit longer? I promise I'll only be a moment more."

When her friend didn't respond, Serenity's eyelids fluttered open, her brow knit into a frown as she slowly lifted her head. It was unlike Aphrodite to remain silent, and she twirled around, confused, then froze when it was not her orange-clad Senshi standing on the terrace with her, but Dimi instead.

He would have had to leave the hall filled with all of the leaders and diplomats of the galaxy only moments after she had. There was no way that would have gone unnoticed, and if she were the careful, poised, perfect Princess that she tried so hard to be, she would have considered that. At that moment, though, it didn't even cross her mind.

Because Dimi was beautiful, he was so beautiful it hurt. Every time that they'd met, he'd worn the tunics popular on Mars, or the tightly cinched suits that protected the people from Jupiter's nauseous gases. She'd never seen him like this, garbed in black plated Terran armor, the thick, heavy-looking fabric of a black cape sweeping over his broad, squared shoulders.

It was as if she was seeing him in a different light. He was the Prince. He'd been taught to hate her. She'd been taught to be wary of him, and dear Goddess, none of that mattered.

She loved him even more. She would never stop, and she'd been a fool to think that there was any possibility that she could.

Her knees buckled, and she fell back, clutching at the balustrade to steady herself, and then to support her weight.

"Dimi," she rasped, heartbroken, desperate. Could he ever forgive her for what she was? "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I should have—" she choked, heart thumping erratically in the cavity of her chest. "You have to know if I could be anyone else—"

She was lost, blurting out the poorly crafted apology, when he interrupted her by striding forward, quickly closing the gap between them, the intensity in his stare overwhelming as he halted barely inches from her.

She sucked in a breath when he leaned forward, one hand curling over hers on the railing, caging her in. It was a cage she would gladly remain trapped in forever.

She blinked, confused, her lashes laced with tears when he wordlessly lifted his hand, and with all of the tenderness in the world, traced the moon symbol on her forehead with the tip of his index finger.

"Ren," he whispered, his tone edged with a harshness that could only be elicited by the intensity of his emotions that were mirrored perfectly in her. "Princess Serenity."

She whimpered, the sound involuntary, because he didn't say it with the accusing, angry tone that she'd imagined so painfully in her head. He'd whispered her name with a reverence that made her legs quake and sent shivers rolling down her spine.

When his gaze slid from the symbol on her head to meet hers, she could have sobbed with relief. There wasn't hatred burning in the deep, bottomless pools of his eyes. It was something else. It was something so achingly deep and tender she couldn't breathe.

"It doesn't matter, Ren," he rasped brokenly. "I don't care. I want to be yours. Please."

It was these words that broke through the final barrier that she'd kept up so valiantly—shielding herself to protect all of the things bred into her that she didn't want to be. She didn't want to be the Queen, or the Princess, or anything else. She didn't want the Moon Kingdom. She wanted Dimi.

She thought nothing of the consequences, and neither did he when she curled her arms around his neck and slanted her lips across his with a desperation that was deeply rooted into the core of her soul. He was like a man possessed with his need for her as he tore at her dress, palming her thighs, hoisting her onto the railing so that she could comfortably cradle his hips between them without breaking their kiss.

This was the first moment that ended it all. Toppled the empire that everyone had spent so much time trying to protect. There was no way that they could have taken it back, and even when Venus stepped back onto that terrace to retrieve her, gasping in disbelief, she couldn't pull away from him.

She would never be able to pull away from him again. At that moment, she realized without an ounce of fear that her fate didn't belong to the cosmos. It would forever be intertwined with his. The fact that she was a Princess was irrelevant. She was just a woman. Just Serenity. And they were meant to be together forever.

oOo