Disclaimer and Notes
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Bored. That was what she felt. Princess Lucette Alemina Helene was bored with life, at a time that should have been the best years of her life. She was 22, a princess, the only daughter of King Luze and Queen Carina, the heir of the kingdom of Amora, born blessed with the glorious beauty of her mother and the brilliant wits of her father, along with a fortune and enviable station in life, she was one of the most sought-after women in the world: a woman whose beauty made princes and paupers alike dream and wonder, a woman whose immense dowry made their mouths water in greed. Her life was very easy, and she could do anything that she wanted to. But she was bored, tired of her existence and its shallowness and futility. She was but a porcelain doll, a figurehead and model for the kingdom. Never once, had she truly lived a life of her own, in which she could listen to no will but her own, in which she was a law unto herself. Perhaps it was selfish for her to think so, but she was just sick of it all.
So, during that night, she utilized all of the magical skills that she had secretly gathered during the past three years, and, disguised as a peasant girl in a rough brown jerkin and gray cloak, Lucette snuck towards the castle gate, and looked with trepidation behind her. Relieved that the guards had not noticed her, she blew a kiss towards her parents window before leaving her home to start a new life.
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Lucette traveled for the entire night. She had altered her aura so that she could not be tracked. By dawn, she was utterly exhausted, for she had used both teleportation and her two feet to go as far as she could. But she had done what she had set out to do and was satisfied: she had crossed the border of her old kingdom Amora. Almost dead from exhaustion, she looked for a place to rest her weary head. Up ahead, a solitary house stood against the sheltering woods and brilliant morning sky. Lucette's delft blue eyes lit up and she summoned enough strength to walk to the door.
It was bigger and more finely appointed than the cottage of a peasant, but certainly no residence of nobility. Lucette knocked timidly on the door. No one answered. Evidently, no one was home, Lucette pushed it open with her hand, and walked in. She found a bedchamber and immediately lay down. Whoever owned the house would be amply paid as soon as he or she returned, Lucette decided sleepily as she shut her tired eyes.
It seemed but seconds later when a gritty masculine voice woke her up, "Look here, who are you that you dare enter one's home without any permission?" Lucette's eyes flew open and she shrieked in terror. A tall, powerful man with silver-white hair stood over her, holding a gleaming silver sword at the base of her milk-white throat, a menacing glower on his otherwise handsome face.
Composing herself, Lucette reached a hand into the pocket of her rustic jerkin, extracted five gold coins, and offered them to the man with a curtsey and placating smile. "Good sir, I apologize for my impertinent intrusion, but I could not go any further. Please accept this meager reimbursement for your kind hospitality."
Instead of taking her proffered coins, the man narrowed his steel-gray eyes and looked her up and down. "Who are you? You bear the garb of a peasant, but your speech and bearing, among other things, prove that you are not of a rustic birth. I want to know who you are, and why you are here."
Lucette swallowed. This man was sharp! "I am Mina." She said, using a part of her middle name as an alias. "I ran away from my home in another nation to escape from a marriage with a man I did not love." It was somewhat true. She would have ended up betrothed to some stranger had she not run away. The man in front of her, having lowered his sword, raised an eyebrow.
"And, you are presumeably looking for your true love, perhaps some low- born lad whom your parents would not allow you to marry? Well, I do not think that he resides here, Miss Mina."
Mina shook her head. "No, I do not have anyone else. I am now alone in the world, but I simply could not stand my life at home any more, and I would rather live a life of my own and be poor than be rich and live like a porcelain doll in a glass case. Let us just leave it at that. Do not worry, they cannot come after me, so you need not worry that you will be arrested for harboring a fugitive." She reassured him. And it was true. Though they were of royal birth, her parents could not take her home as long as a citizen of a foreign country granted her refuge. "Good sir, do you know of any place I could stay, and find employment, perhaps?"
The man thought for a while, then shook his head sadly. "I am sorry, Miss Mina, but I do not." He looked intently at the girl. She was a beauty all right, even in her rough dress. Her skin was the color of cream slightly tinted with rose at her cheeks. Silky golden hair peeked out from the edge of her gray cloak. Her sparkling eyes were blue as the sky and bright as sunlight. She had flashed a lovely smile his way, but now, her eyes were brimming over with real tears. He was a stoical man, but now, he felt his heart wrench at her genuine sorrow and worry. "Here, you may stay here for now."
"Oh, thank you!" Mina said, impulsively putting her hands on his broad shoulders and planting a butterfly kiss on his cheek. Blushing for her rashness she calmed herself and said, "I am sorry for that. But sir, what is your name and occupation?"
"I am Admiral Kunzite St. Claire, of the royal navy, at your service, Miss Mina." Kunzite bowed deeply. Mina smiled and curtseyed gracefully. "It is an honor to meet you, Admiral St. Claire."
"Call me Kunzite. Only my men and his royal majesty King Edward call me Admiral St. Claire." Kunzite said.
"If you will call me Mina." Mina said with a smile.
"Well, Mina, I am sorry, but I must go. We have training every day 'til noon. I will see you then." Kunzite said. Mina nodded.
"I understand. I will stay here. Fare you well, Kunzite." she said. He nodded at her and walked out, shutting the door behind him.
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Mina looked around her new dwelling. It was not dirty, but it was quite uncared for. Kunzite evidently did not have a wife or maid. With a determined look in her eyes, she set to work to tidy the house. She might as well earn her keep some way or another, since he could very well have thrown her out into the cold.
A scant two hours later, Mina sat down, tired but satisfied and proud of her handiwork. Every surface of the house was wiped to a shine. She had gone out to the woods and picked a bouquet of wild tiger lilies and ferns, and with her magic, had conjured up a cheerful yellow porcelain vase to put them in for a table centerpiece. The dingy walls were papered with cream-colored paper with a pattern of delicate fleurs-de-lys, then decorated with fine woodcuts of birds and nymphs and flowers. A steaming pot of beef stew, redolent of fragrant herbs and fresh vegetables simmered on the stove. A luscious salad of fresh greens and cold chicken sat on the table in a large glass bowl. A heavenly scent came from the oven, a mix of crisply baking bread and a golden-crusted strawberry pie. The windows were open, airing the house and letting the sunlight in.
When the food was done, Mina brewed a pot of tea, and just as the water boiled, the door opened and Kunzite walked in. He stopped and stared at his beautified house in amazement.
Mina walked out to greet him. "How do you like it? You must be hungry, Kunzite. I made us a nice light lunch." Kunzite, finally recovering his speech, said, "It is beautiful, but how in heaven did you do it all?"
Mina smiled widely. "I learnt magic."
Kunzite nodded. "We have sorcerers here, but they have never succeeded in their art. They are called alchemists, and spend their lives trying to turn iron to silver and copper to gold. They have never succeeded, and most people just laugh at them for wasting their time."
Mina said, "They are motivated by greed, that is why it does not work. But shall we have our repast before it cools?"
"We shall." Kunzite gave a rare smile. "Thank you for everything."
"You are welcome." Mina replied and took his arm as they walked to the table.
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The days passed peacefully this way. Every morning, Kunzite would wake up and leave at the sunrise, leaving his pretty houseguest peacefully sleeping in a guest bedchamber. Mina would wake up later, and at midmorning, would have something ready for Kunzite to eat for breakfast. He would stay for awhile, and talk with her. Then, he would leave, and Mina would explore the forest or the town, then return home to make something for lunch. Kunzite would come home at noon, and they would dine together. Then, he would leave for the afternoon, and Mina would keep house and amuse herself. About three hours later, Kunzite would come home, usually with something for her. They would talk about the events of the day, and later, make supper, eat together, and spend the evenings either in the woods to watch the moonrise or stay inside, and Mina would sing for him.
Both discovered little things about each other. Mina discovered that, despite his crusty facade, Kunzite had a kind heart and was a considerate, well bred gentleman. To show his gratitude for her company and help, he would bring her small things to keep her amused during the hours of day when he was not at home: a golden canary in a rustic wooden cage, an easel and paints, books about history and mythology, a fine lyre. He was taciturn, but listened willingly and sympathetically to her, and treated her with courtesy and respect. Kunzite, on his part, discovered that, in spite of her fragile appearance, Mina was tough and clever, strong of will and heart, honest and sweet. She was charming enough to beguile a smile out of him at his most somber moments, yet had undergone a training in fighting as rigorous as his own. When they sparred, she could pin him as often as he could her. Her advice and speech were surprisingly wise, and she was always glad to help him with his problems with anything from mutinous men to faulty sails. And, she had the voice of an angel. When they were in the woods at twilight, she would sometimes sing, and, miraculously, songbirds: the lark and the thrush and the linnet and the robin would all fly out, and as she smiled, perch on her arms and shoulders.
One day, Kunzite came home in the afternoon with startling news. "Mina, his royal majesty is sending a fleet to the neighboring kingdom of Amora for a diplomatic mission. I will be the leader of that expedition. I will leave for Amora in a week."
Mina's eyes widened and she paled. "Kunzite, y-you are willing to keep me here, aren't you?"
"Until you find a permanent situation or marry." Kunzite replied. Mina grew frantic.
"Kunzite, listen to me, I NEED a citizen of this country to take me in, or I will be forced to return to my home and live in futility. PLEASE!" and she knelt at his feet, an action that would be considered taboo by a princess, but she was no longer Princess Lucette Alemina Helene, she was Mina, and he was her only friend. "I would rather you sold me into slavery!"
Kunzite was mystified, then remembered. She had told him that she was a citizen of Amora, and by Amoran law, she could stay as long as she was kept by a citizen of another kingdom. "All right. I will keep you at least until this journey is over with. Do not worry. Tommorrow night, the king is holding a ball at the royal palace. I am expected to attend. Would you have the goodness to go with me?"
"I would be honored, Kunzite." Mina declared sincerely. He was her only hope, and she was indebted to him for her freedom. Besides, he was the only man that she had ever known, with the exception of her father, whom she could trust with her heart, with the knowledge that she was more than just a pretty face or a bag of gold. "And thank you for granting me refuge. For that, I owe you."
Kunzite gave a light, "You are welcome." to her thanks, but remained perplexed. He wanted to know just who Mina actually was, and why did she escape from her home.
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The next day, Mina went to town to buy some fabric for a ball gown. She was dressed in a simple but elegant gown of flowing white linen, in the style of a Grecian goddess, with a girdle of crimson silk swathed around her slender waist and a matching ribbon in her luxuriant hair. She went into a shop with a light heart, and bought a bolt of pale yellow silk, a bolt of gold tulle, silk thread in several different colors and a spool of lace. Satisfied, she carried her purchases out, unaware that a man in the uniform of a naval lieutenant had his eyes glued to her form, staring at her with lust. He was about to follow in her footsteps, but she was soon lost in the crowd.
When Kunzite arrived at home in the afternoon, Mina was nowhere to be seen. "Mina? Are you at home?"
A voice could be heard from her room, as well as a soft rustling, "Just a moment, Kunzite. I will be out in a moment." Kunzite waited patiently at her door, and in a few minutes, Mina came out, and he gasped.
She had been beautiful even in the first moment he had seen her, asleep on his bed in a tattered brown jerkin, with unkempt hair and dark circles under her eyes. Now, her angelic, celestial beauty seemed to light up the room with a golden light. She was swathed in a delicate yet glorious gown of yellow silk, a raiment that reminded him of a dress of sunshine. It had a high waist, girdled in golden tulle, festoons of which decorated her skirts and the shoulder of her gown. Layers of white lace peeped out from under her skirt, and on her hands, she wore a pair of white gloves, embroidered with red rosebuds and trimmed with lace. She carried a mask of golden tulle, embroidered with roses and trimmed with ribbons of all colors. "Wow. You look stunning." was all he could choke out. Then, he gave her the red roses that he had bought, and, with a smile, she wove them into her hair. With a snap of her fingers, a necklace of opals and a pair of matching earrings finished her costume. Together, they departed for the ball.
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Many men looked at Kunzite with envy when he entered, sharply dressed, with the most beautiful woman that they had ever seen clinging to his arm. Mina was beyond a doubt the belle of the ball, with graceful manners and a gracious smile for everyone. As soon as the music started, Mina found herself surrounded by a ring of men, all asking for a dance. Unsure of what to do, she took the hand of the nearest and together, they waltzed around the ballroom. She looked across the room for Kunzite. He was talking with the king, and had his back turned to her. She sighed, and another man cut in and waltzed her away.
Kunzite had finished talking with King Edward, and was looking for Mina among the dancers. Ah! There she was, dancing with...Kunzite's eyes became hard as ice and just as cold. She was dancing with that scoundrel, Lieutenant Jacob Craven. He tried to make his way through the crowd, but the ballroom was too crowded, and Craven and Mina were dancing farther and farther away.
Mina knew that she was in trouble as soon as she saw who held her. His eyes flickered like serpents' tongues, and his hands held her too close. He had the smell of liquor about him. Her eyes desperately scanned the ballroom. Damn! Where was Kunzite when she needed him? Her eyes lit up, he was making his way towards them.
But it was too late. The man had waltzed the two of them into a corner, and proceeded to rudely press his lips against her throat. Shaking him off with a look of disgust on her face, Mina called out, "Excuse me, sir, but you have no right to take such liberties."
The man's drunken eyes took on a lewd gleam. "Aw, little lady, yer too pretty to waste. Let's hev a look u'yuh." With that, he endeavored to grab the neckline of her gown, intent on tearing it. However, Mina was too fast for him, and the blade of her hand came down on his wrist just as he reached out. With a grunt of pain, he dropped his limp hand and shook it. "Why, damn ye li'l demon, how dare ye hit yer man!"
"You are not my man, and never shall be, you cad!" Mina spat at him. He gave a curse and lifted a hand to slap her. She dodged, and tripped him. As he stumbled, she brought her hand down onto the back of his neck and he fell onto the floor. She immediately put her foot down firmly onto the small of his back, pinning him down.
By that time, the ball had come to a stand still. When the lieutenant had uttered his first vociferous cry, the music had halted. Soon, the couples had stopped, and just as Kunzite finally shoved his way to where Mina was, she had hit the man and flattened him to the ground, her eyes blazing with outrage.
The hiatus in the dancing had alerted the king, and immediately, he also made his way to the scene. What he saw there was a furious Kunzite bawling out a man on the floor, who was pinned by an exquisitely beautiful girl who had her fists balled and a glare on her face. "What in heaven had happened here?" the king asked.
Mina looked up and saw a tall, crowned man staring at her and Kunzite in surprise. She immediately reverted from warrior maiden back to courtly lady, and curtseyed. "Your majesty, I am your humble servant, Mina. This man had endeavored to seclude me in this corner and take liberties of my person that I could not allow. In self-defense, I was forced to restrain him. In the skirmish that ensued, he ended up thus, and I apologize for upsetting this ball, but I could not do otherwise, for he had the intention of violating my person."
The king nodded, and asked Kunzite. "Admiral St. Claire, is this fair maiden an acquaintance of yours?"
Kunzite bowed. "I escorted her to your majesty's ball tonight."
"Very well. You may go, and take care of her. Though I must say," the king chuckled, "She seems very capable of taking care of herself. As for this drunken cad, he can consider himself demoted to ensign. The idea of trying to deflower a maiden in my palace! Well, what is everyone waiting for? Dance and make merry, my loyal subjects!"
As the waltz struck up again, Mina dashed into Kunzite's arms and he held her tightly. "I am so sorry, Mina, I should not have left you alone with that villain, I am so, so sorry."
Mina's face was buried in his chest, and her voice was muffled, but he could hear her words, "It is all right, Kunzite. You came and took my side. You yelled at him in spite of all the people watching. Were not you aware that all the people here were staring?"
Kunzite gently untucked her face from his chest and looked her deeply in the eyes, a rare, warm smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "Staring? Yes, indeed. But they were staring at your beauty, not my fury, Mina mine."
Mina was touched, and a tear spilled from her eye and made its way down her cheek. Kunzite gently wiped it away with a slightly calloused thumb, and Mina closed her eyes and leaned toward him. Understanding her message, Kunzite met her lips with his own and felt love coursing through his veins like a magic elixir. They parted for air, and to look into each other's eyes again, with a new understanding, before kissing again.
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Kunzite awoke to the wonderful sensation of being in love. It was a bewitched time, just a few minutes before dawn. He glanced over at Mina's sleeping form. She was still asleep, her long hair gleaming in the light of the setting moon. He looked at her lovely face, the eyes closed in repose. Smiling, he leaned over and gave her a light kiss on the lips. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him, love gleaming in her eyes. "Good morning, love." She stretched her arms and he held her in a warm embrace. "Well, this is a great way to wake up." She said softly. Then, she looked at him seriously. "Kunzite, I have a confession to make."
"All right, what is it?" Kunzite looked at her with concern.
"Do you remember when you told me yesterday about your trip to Amora, I became panicked? I want to tell you why."
"All right. Why did you become panicky all of the sudden?"
Mina stood up and closed her eyes. She chanted a few words, and all of the sudden, the room was filled with brilliant yellow light. When it cleared, Mina stood, but she was changed.
She wore a crown of golden hearts on her head, and carried a scepter of gold with a an opal-studded heart on the top. On her body, she wore a gown seemingly woven of golden sun beams. Kunzite gasped when he realized what it all meant.
Mina spoke. "I am Princess Lucette Alemina Helene of Amora. I ran away from my kingdom because I was sick of it all, and wanted to live a new life, in which I was free to do what I wanted, in which I was not on display for all to see, in which I would not be passed off with bags of gold to the highest bidder like an animal at auction. I ran away in hopes of finding life and love, and I found both with you, Kunzite."
But Kunzite's eyes were hard. "How could you deceive me? How could you, when I gave you a place to stay, when I gave you my friendship, and in the end, my love? How could you? I'd thought that you were made of more honorable stuff than that! I trusted you with my heart, with my life!"
Mina's heart snapped in two at his harsh words, and tears poured out of her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. "I-I did not want to deceive you, I-I had to have a new identity. Kunzite, please believe me! I love you more than Amora, more than all the riches in the world, more than life itself!"
"If you did, you would not have deceived me, YOUR HIGHNESS." Kunzite said coldly, emphasizing the last two words. "WELL, now I know for certain what love is NOT."
Mina, her eyes blinded by tears, ran out of his house and, in a flash of golden light, disappeared.
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Kunzite left fuming in the morning, but when he came back at dusk, the house was empty. Mina was gone. All of the things, the little knicknacks that he had bought her, were still there. The canary that he had given her sat in its cage, chirping forlornly, seeming to know that its mistress had left with a broken heart. Kunzite looked at the bird.
Its feathers were glistening like gold in the soft rays of the setting sun, and it sang a sad, sweet song. Kunzite felt rare tears flowing out of his eyes. Mina seemed to have left a bit of her soul in his house, in her beloved bird. The canary chirped on, seeming to reproach Kunzite for his coldness, his harshness. Kunzite buried his face in his hands, the image of Mina, her azure eyes overflowing with tears as she protested that she loved him, imprinted like a brand into his mind. He loved her, would always love her. Never in his twenty five years of life had he ever been able to say that he loved anyone with such intensity and devotion. He had been shocked by her confession, and then realized that if she was a princess, it was probably impossible for them to be together unless Mina kept up her charade. But Kunzite was not a man to live a lie, and in his heartbreak he had lashed out at her. Now, with a determined look in his eyes, he set out into the woods to look for her.
The hours flew by like seconds, and before long, it was midnight, and the moon was high in the sky. Kunzite had gone through the entire forest, to no avail. There was no sign of Mina anywhere. Kunzite looked up to the heavens, a look of anguish on his face, and uttered a prayer to the heavens. Please, let Mina return!
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Mina went back to Amora. Her parents, exuberant that she was back, did not question her whereabouts immediately. However, when she, pale and listless, skipped breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days in a row, Queen Carina grew concerned. The blonde, green-eyed queen walked up to her daughter's room and pushed open the door.
Lucette sat inside, her face turned to the window. She held a sketchpad in one hand, a pencil in the other. Carina snuck up to her daughter and caught a glimpse of her picture before Lucette, realizing her presence, hastily hid the picture under her pillow.
Carina had seen the face of a young man, with sharp features and pale, shoulder-length hair. She put a gentle hand on Lucette's shoulder and faced her daughter. "Angel, what is wrong?"
Lucette, her face pale except for the countless tearstains, shook her head. Carina took the picture out from under her daughter's pillow and looked at it. "He is very handsome. Is he in your heart?"
Lucette burst into tears at those words, and Carina tenderly held her daughter to her heart as she wept. When Lucette had finally calmed down, Carina gave her a loving but penetrating look. "Ah, so that is what is the matter. You love this man, do you not?"
Lucette nodded, her shoulders shaking with the ceaseless sobs. Carina read the whole story in her daughter's countenance. "Correct me is I am wrong, but you ran away because you wanted to be free. You ended up somewhere very far from here, and this man took you in, and treated you with kindness and respect, and befriended you for you, not for your fortune, since you were disguised as a friendless waif. Gradually, you two fell in love, deeply and passionately in love. Then, you told him about your birth, and he was so shocked that he didn't know how to respond, and in his shock, said things that hurt you. You became heartbroken, and came home to heal." Lucette nodded. Carina looked at her only daughter with a mixture of joy and sadness.
"Baby, I want you to be happy. Whoever this man is, if he gives you joy and love, you may marry him. But you will never be able to do that unless you find him. Who is he?"
Lucette stared at her mother, then, with a grateful smile, gave Queen Carina a loving embrace. "He is Admiral Kunzite St. Claire of the royal navy of Ailand." she told her mother. Queen Carina's velvety green eyes widened. "He is from Ailand? Is he the admiral of the Aurora fleet?"
Lucette looked at her mother in surprise. "Why, yes. How did you know?"
"I did not know, honey, but if he is, he will be here tommorrow. Ailand wants to extend diplomatic relations with us, and he will be here to represent his nation."
All of the sudden, Lucette remembered. Yes, indeed, Kunzite mentioned this trip on the day of the ball. After hugging her mother, Lucette was finally able to fall asleep for the first time in three days.
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Kunzite wearily ordered the crew to set sail for Amora. The men, seeing the dangerous scowl on his face, did as he told without a word. The seas were calm and fair, and Kunzite felt its salty breeze caressing his tanned face, and heard the sad, melancholy calls of petrels and seagulls, seeming to echo the call in his heart.
He would have given the world to turn back time. His beautiful, sweet, beloved Mina was gone. He had spent the days as if in a dream, and the nights searching for her, to no avail. If only he had not been so harsh that day! She was but trying to tell him the truth, because she loved him! He could still see her tears, hear her voice, and he could feel a tear sliding down his cheek.
"Land, ho!" A sailor's call broke his reverie. He immediately put his eye to the telescope and sure enough, in the distance, he could see the verdant shores of Amora. Soon, the fleet docked at the wharf, and Kunzite stepped off his ship. A crisp young man with long white hair and sharp ice-blue eyes, with a medallion of state on his chest, stood there waiting at the door of a white, gold-trimmed coach, with full livery. When he saw Kunzite, he strode over, and said coolly, "Greetings, Admiral. I am Artemis, chief advisor to his and her imperial majesties. The king has sent this coach to take you to the castle. If you please, come with me." With those words, Artemis took Kunzite to the coach, and it drove off toward the castle.
When he arrived, he was immediately shown to a nicely furnished room, and as soon as he had organized his belongings, was taken to the throne room. He walked to the dais and bowed to the tall, pacific, benevolent-looking man with a head of curly dark blond hair and, Kunzite gasped to see, sky-blue eyes exactly like Mina's, seated on a golden throne beside a fair, smiling lady with flaxen ringlets and calm green eyes. "Your majesties, I am your humble servant, Admiral Kunzite St. Claire of the Aurora fleet of Ailand."
King Luze nodded. "You may rise, Admiral St. Claire. Amora is as eager as Ailand in establishing a more unified alliance between the two nations. Our kingdom is more than willing to establish this state of concord and peace, the only stipulations being that travel and trade between the two nations will not be impeded under any circumstance except in the case of harboring criminals or the transport of contraband materials. Is that all right with your kingdom?"
Kunzite looked at the king in surprise. The terms were much more than he had expected. In most such agreements, there was land annexation, payment of tribute taxes, or other such negotiable trade items involved. The king seemed to remember something all of the sudden. "Oh, yes. I believe that there is one more thing in question, concerning you, Admiral. Guards, Artemis, you are all dismissed for half an hour."
The guards, followed by Artemis, exited the throne room and closed the door behind them. Kunzite grew worried. What was this all about? The king all of a sudden stepped down from the throne and walked toward a golden bellpull. A moment later, three silvery chimes sounded somewhere far off. Meanwhile, Queen Carina beckoned Kunzite to come closer, until he was but a pace from the golden thrones. King Luze looked at the young man in front of him closely but kindly, and said, "Admiral, you have been rather sleepless of late, have you not? Your eyes have dark circles under them, and you look listless. Are you all right?"
Kunzite looked at the royal couple, uncertain of what they were getting at, but decided to answer honestly. "Yes, I am fine. I just have not slept a great deal for the past week."
The queen looked at Kunzite quizzically, "Had the prospect of this trip kept you up o'nights?"
"N-no, your majesty."
"Oh, then, if you do not mind, has anything happened to you lately? Did you lose something of value, perhaps?" The king asked, a look of worry on his face.
Kunzite looked down. "You might say that, I suppose."
The queen looked at Kunzite with concern plainly etched on her gorgeous face. "If there is anything that we can do to help you recover this priceless thing of yours, please tell me. I would like to see everyone here happy."
Kunzite shook his head. "I thank your majesties for your kindly concern and sympathy, but I do not think th ---"
At that moment, the doors of the throne room opened, and a bell-like, beloved voice sounded. "Papa, you called for me?"
Kunzite swivelled around violently at the sweet sound. At the door, in a lovely, flowing dress of gold, her glossy tresses bound with a red ribbon and crowned with a delicate tiara of golden hearts, was Mina, otherwise known as Princess Lucette Alemina Helene. Her wedgewood blue eyes widened when she saw Kunzite there, right in front of her, and she froze, as did he. Both saw that they had become thinner, but the lovelight in their eyes had not dimmed at all. With a cry of joy, Mina, all her royal regalness forgotten, ran towards her lover, tears of happiness flowing down her cheeks. Kunzite, his own cheeks wet, held out his arms and caught her in a close embrace. Wholly oblivious to the king and queen, the young man and woman held each other, frantically whispering apologies and words of love into each other's hair and ears. Deeply, lovingly, they kissed, the whole world around them forgotten. For what was anything else compared to this glorious illumination, the knowledge of the only thing in life that lasts to eternity and beyond, also known as love?
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~Fin~
