Chapter 1: Secrets are Revealed

"PRINCESS! WHERE ARE YOU?" Sailor Venus ran 
down the long hall of the palace, heading 
for the back veranda. At the end of the long
 passageway there was door leading outside, and 
she could see Princess Serenity just beyond it. 
The young girl turned to look towards Venus, her 
long, blonde pigtails twirled about her slender 
body. Her face looked panicked as she quickly 
pulled a Silver Crystal out of the front of her dress. 

"NOOOO! Princess, don't!" Venus yelled, 
flailing her arms. The Princess held the 
crystal over her head, and in a flash of golden 
light she disappeared. Venus stopped breathlessly 
when she reached the back veranda. She pounded her 
hand against the door way in frustration, then sighed 
in defeat. As a Sailor Soldier, it was her duty to 
watch over the princess and protect her. And as 
leader of the four inner soldiers, she certainly
 had the most responsibility. If the Queen ever 
found out that Venus was allowing her daughter, 
Serenity, to sneak away unattended to, she
 would surely be demoted. Sailor Mars strutted 
out onto the veranda with her arms crossed. 
She stood beside Venus, who was 
gazing at the blue marble floating in the 
sky, Earth. "She's gone again?" Mars asked, even 
though she already knew the answer. 
Venus nodded slowly. "Of course she's gone. 
She never listens to anything I say. I may 
be the same age as her, but I was appointed 
to be her guardian by the Queen herself," Venus 
looked at her dark haired friend, "I just wish 
she would understand, you know?"
Mars squinted her lavender eyes in thought. 
"Why don't you go to her chamber tonight and 
talk to her?" she suggested, "It might help to
 clear some things up. I know that the Princess
 can be rather flighty sometimes, but a heart
 to heart usually works."
"Yeah, that's great Mars. I'll go tonight."
The two girls stood silently, the moon air stood 
frighteningly still. They watched the clouds move 
across The Earth's blue green surface. After a few 
moments, the soldiers retreated into the palace.

Sailor Venus retired to her quarters after a long 
tiring day. She wearily removed her uniform, a 
white leotard adorned with an orange skirt and 
sailor collar and blue and yellow ribbons. She 
slipped into a comfortable peach nightgown made
 with the lightest silk. Sitting down in front 
of her elegant dresser mirror, she untied the 
red ribbon that held her hair up during the day.
  She brushed her waist-length blonde hair gently
 while gazing at her reflection. 
Venus was a pretty girl, she knew. She had a fair 
complexion, sparkling blue eyes and a dainty nose. 
She sighed thinking of all the attention that the 
Princess always received, all of the endless compliments
 on her beauty and grace. 'If only they knew her true
 self,' Venus thought to herself, 'the clumsy ditz that 
I know all to well. If only I were a Princess…' Venus 
stopped herself and straightened up in the mirror. She 
couldn't be jealous of Serenity, after all, it was her 
job to protect her. She was born a guardian while Serenity
 was born a Princess. It was destiny, and 
it could never be changed.
"I suppose I should go talk to her now," Venus said 
to herself. She replaced her hairbrush on her dresser
 and quickly tied her hair into a bun. Then she walked
to her door and stepped out in the hall. 
Her long, silky nightgown swirled quietly about her 
feet as she tiptoed to Princess Serenity's chamber. 
She turned around a couple corners, then approached 
Serenity's door. She opened it slowly, as to not wake
 her if she was sleeping. The soft light of candles 
filled the room as Venus peeked in through the crack 
of the door. Venus opened it wider until she could 
stick her whole head in, then…
"OH MY WORD!" Venus screamed as she flung open the 
door. Serenity looked up from her spot on her bed, 
her blue eyes huge with terror. The strange young 
man sitting next to her panicked as well, falling 
off the bed completely with a loud thump.
The three remained still, hyperventilating, until Serenity
 begged in a hushed voice, "Please, Venus, Mother can't 
know, she can't! I, I can explain. Please, just, please 
be quiet." Tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes,
 and she gripped at her lacey pink nightgown with clenched
 fists. The dark haired man was rolling about on the 
carpeted floor, desperately trying to get his shirt back on.

Venus took a couple deep breaths, walked to the bed
 and sat on the edge. "Serenity, what do you think 
you're doing? You know I'll be blamed for this.  
I can't let this go on…"
	Serenity grabbed Venus' hand 
tightly, "NO! Please, no. We aren't doing 
anything really bad, it's not what it seems, 
I know…" Serenity blushed at the thought, then 
continued, "but, we are in love, and I can't see
him when people are around."
	Venus sighed deeply, "Why is that?"
	Serenity blushed again. "Well, um, it's kinda, um, forbidden."
	Venus could have slapped herself. 
Of course, this is why she was sneaking away 
all the time, to see this 
man. This man who was obviously from Earth.
	The man watched Venus' reaction nervously, 
then stammered, "I am Prince Endymion, of Earth. I
 strongly oppose the revolt against the Moon, my 
four generals and I try to keep peace between our 
two kingdoms." He then rejoined Serenity and Venus 
on the bed. He slipped his arm around Serenity and
gazed at her in adoration. "We first saw each other
 when I came to the Moon trying to negotiate peace. I was unsuccessful…"
"But we found each other, and that's all that 
matters now." Serenity cut him off, looking into
 his eyes lovingly. Suddenly, she burst into a 
cascade of tears. She buried her face into 
Endymion's strong chest and wrapped her arms 
around his torso. He stroked her wavy blonde hair 
comfortingly. 
For a moment, Venus could feel a deep longing for 
someone to love and hold, but she quickly pushed
 that thought from her mind. This was serious. 
"So, do you plan on going on like this, playing 
hide-and-seek from your families?" she asked in a 
lightly sarcastic tone. 
Serenity looked up from her love, brushing tears 
from her soft cheeks. "Well, we don't know yet. We 
figure we can go on like this for now, after all, the 
conflict between Earth and the Moon shouldn't go on 
for much longer… am I right?" Serenity looked at Venus
 pleadingly, desperately wanting reassurance of peace.

Venus looked at the young Princess and her lover. She 
knew there was nothing that could ever keep them from 
each other. She stood up slowly and straightened her 
nightgown. "Just be careful. The threats from Earth 
still remain idle, so you should be safe for now. But
 if war breaks out, or if your mother finds out…"
"YES! We'll be very careful!" Serenity nodded 
enthusiastically, "We'll be good. I could never
live without my Endymion, I'd do anything!"
Venus took one last look at the two before leaving.
 I must be out of my mind letting them go on like 
this, she thought, but they look so peacefully in 
love. She walked to the door and opened it quietly.
 "I'll keep checking on you two. Understand that if
 anything happens I will have to take charge of this."
Serenity nodded again, even more intensely. She gripped
 onto Endymion's arm tightly. Venus smiled a little smile
 and shut the door behind her, until only a little crack 
of the door was open. From there she watched curiously as
 the couple kissed lovingly, holding their bodies close.