The followuing story is a love story about Luna and Artemis as their human
forms (I created a different look to their human looks then the real human
forms that were created by the creaters of Sailor Moon, so this part of the
story is mine) at the time when Queen Serenity ruled the moon.  This is a
dramatic love story with an errie twist.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I
loved writing it.  Let it be known that this story (and the description of
the human forms of Luna and Artemis) are mine, but the characters and the
setting belong to the creaters of Sailor Moon.  Now, sit back and smile,
because this story may be one of the most memorable stories that may ever
read.  I give you, the first fanfic Sailor Moon story I have ever written.
The two part story of, "A Love, Restored".  


                        "A Love, Restored"


    There was a ball going on that night in the moon palace where Queen
Serenity ruled her kingdom.  The ball was quite beautiful itself.  It
seemed to be even more beautiful every night in the kingdom.  The dancers
were mostly the ones who made it beautiful with their dresses and tuxedos
and the way they danced and talked about their peaceful lives.  Most of the
vivacious dancers wore masks to hide their identity to their partner or
maybe just to have fun and wear one for amusement.  The music was the most
important thing that kept all the balls in the kingdom alive.  It kept the
dancers happy and overjoyed every night.  But, on this one night, there was
one soul who felt lonely and not so happy.  
    She stood there, among the other dancing, happy spirits in a corner of 
the enormous bright, ivory, decorated ballroom that seemed to be lit by the
very moon itself.  Her melancholy face was beautifully pale like the moon
but healthy nevertheless.  Her mysterious crimson eyes lowered heavily with
weary, weary from the boredom the ball was giving her.  Her lips had color,
the color of violet which spoke the tongue of many years of wisdom.  Her
midnight blue hair flowed down below her waist with it’s shining radiance
in many lengths of layers.  She never did bother to put her hair in any
particular hairstyle, especially to her majesty’s royal balls.  She simply
let it flow down lavishly, without a care in the world.  Her dress was made
of dark blue silk which flowed down freely to her feet.  The dress was low
cut, and off the shoulder to bare her milky white shoulders.  The dress
fitted tightly around her delicate waist to show her elegant figure with
her formfitting sleeves that covered half the palm of her hand. This dress
was the dress she would always wear to every single ball she ever attended
to.  She felt that there was no reason to wear any other dress.  She made
the dress herself with patience and neatness.  Her dress was just a dress
she would only wear to the balls.  To her, a ball was just a boring event
that wasn’t meant for her.  To everyone else, a ball was a dream,
especially Queen Serenity’s balls which were held every single night.  It
was EXTREMELY mandatory for her to attend the queen’s balls every night.
She didn’t see reason why.  How could a ball be so important to Serenity?
She asked herself that question many times but her mind knew the answer.
Queen Serenity simply loved her royal balls, and she wanted her people to
be happy.
"Luna?"  The familiar, motherly, but young voice addressed.
The woman who was Luna, turned to her queen, Serenity.  
    Serenity was the image of the perfect queen for the moon.  Her face, 
like Luna’s, was beautifully pale, yet healthy, like the moon she 
represents. Her lips were pale, but yet there was a touch of pink to it. 
Her hair, unlike Luna’s blue hair, was a snowy gold and was put into a very unique,
but beautiful hairstyle that perhaps made the queen look even more younger
than she looks with it up in two very long, but limp ponytails, one on both
sides of her head that were attached to a tight bun that was pinned down
upon the queen’s royal head.  Pearls capped the buns, almost like a crown
on each. Upon her brow, was a golden circlet with a tiny golden crescent
moon in the center of her forehead.  Her eyes were kind and bright with
life with the beautiful color of blue that could have the power to look
into a person’s soul.  Her dress was white and very long and very slim with
it fitting tightly around the slim waist with golden embroidery along the
collar which was lined upon the bust, making it low cut.  The dress was
strapless and sleeveless with the skirt flowing down to her feet.  This was
the way the queen dressed every day and night, even before Luna was chosen
by Serenity to be her advisor.  On the day of her husband’s death, she wore
that very same gown and that circlet with the pearls around her buns.
Serenity never wore anything else, ever since.  It was her way to show that
she still loved her husband, and that she would never love another.  The
queen was tall, yes, and rather beautiful in everyone’s eyes.  A perfect
image of the moon.  
"Your highness?"  Luna responded respectfully and alertly.
"Luna, I’ve been meaning to speak to you about something important."  
Luna lightly smiled.  She always appreciated being the queen’s royal
advisor.  She loved the fact that the queen always counted on HER for
everything from decisions to advice.  It made her feel quite happy and
content that someone needed her for her knowledge.  
"Come, to the balcony."  Queen Serenity calmly said with a smile and lead
Luna through the crowd of dancers, across the ballroom to the double glass
doors of the balcony which have been set opened.  
    The balcony, fortunately, was empty with only Queen Serenity and Luna.
The balcony was round and white, as of everything else in the kingdom, made
out of white mortar.  The balcony walls were of mortared circles that
represented the moon.  From the balcony, Luna could see all the beautiful
stars in the sky, along with the beautiful planet earth in her sight.  
"Luna, as you know, my daughter, Serena, will be turning eight years old
within a few months of time."  The Queen said in her calm, pure voice. 
"Yes, indeed she’s going to grow up to become a lady soon.  The dear little
princess will be so beautiful and sweet."  Luna had always loved Serena
ever since she met her as a young baby.  For one thing, Serena captured her
heart within a second of sight and from her kindness and purity of a little
angel.  The other was that, she too, looked up to her to play or answer her
curious little questions only a dear child would ask.  
"Yes,"  Serenity looked up at the stars and the earth in the eternal night
sky.  "She’s growing up so fast…"
Silence grew as Serenity continued to stare out into the universe, with
Luna only to hear the faint music of the ball which flowed out from inside
the palace.  "I have been thinking about this for a while now.  Very
carefully."
Luna looked up at the queen, wondering what was on her mind.  
"I’ve received a message in my dreams from an evil force out in our
universe.  It told me that they were planning on taking the moon for
themselves."  
Luna suddenly felt very concerned.  She also felt the dread from Serenity’s
heart and knew exactly what she may be thinking.  If the dream really did
send the queen that sign then…  She must be thinking of putting Luna in
charge of preparing the soldiers for the upcoming battle and to start body
guarding Serena.
"Are you sure it wasn’t a dream?"  Luna asked, feeling a little nervous as
she stared at Serenity.
"Luna…  The dream was so real…"  Serenity lowered her head, turning to Luna
with a dreading look in her eyes.  "It was about my kingdom.  This evil
force who came up out of nowhere, and started a battle on the moon.  They
were destroying everything."  Serenity turned her head to the side, closing
her eyes as if in pain.  "The evil force had a queen.  Beryl was her name.
She took my daughter and killed her along with a young man in black."
"Serenity…"  Luna took a step forward, looking up at her, "I have a very
good guess that it just may have been a dream.  Serena’s not dead.  The
kingdom isn’t destroyed."  
Serenity looked over at Luna.  Luna could see the look in the queen’s eyes
that she wasn’t going to agree with Luna.  "I know, but I do not want to
take any chances."  Serenity looked out to the sky again, "I already lost
my dear husband.  I can’t afford to lose my dear daughter too.  I would
have nothing…"
Luna frowned.  She suddenly started to feel guilty, even though non of this
was her doing.  
"I’m not sure when they may attack, but I know that I want to make sure
that my daughter is safe and that my kingdom will be safe as well as strong."
"Yes, your majesty."  Luna decided to do what Serenity says, for her sake.  
"Tonight, I have made my decision alone on this."  Serenity turned to Luna,
looking into her eyes and said,
"I need another advisor."
Luna was crushed!  She had never felt so much hurt in her heart before.
She felt her heart beat in her stomach as she literately fell back onto the
wall of the balcony and uttered, very heartbroken,
"A-re you releasing me?"
Serenity’s eyes opened with unexpected surprise.  Luna could feel the
warmth of her eyes penetrate into her soul, calming it.  She stepped
forward towards Luna with her dress trailing back a little behind her as
Luna’s did as she walked,
"No…  Luna, I would NEVER release you.  You’ve always been there for me
whenever I needed help.  You know how important you are to me and my kingdom."
Luna immediately felt confused, but relief that Serenity wasn’t going to
let her go.  She placed her hand upon her heart, feeling it slow down,
"Thank you your majesty.  You scared the life out of me for a moment."
Serenity gently smiled and said, 
"Luna, what I meant by needing another advisor, is that I want there to be
TWO advisors, protecting me, my daughter, and the kingdom itself."
"Oh…"  Luna slightly looked down onto the balcony floor, feeling a tiny bit
hurt.  What was it?  Was she not capable of watching over the little
princess and the queen herself?
"Luna, I just think there should be two advisors.  It’s nothing about you." 
Luna smiled her knowledgeable smile and nodded in agreement,
"It’s a good decision your majesty."
"I’m glad you understand, Luna."  Serenity smiled.  
"That’s what I’m here for.  To help you make your decisions to your life."
Luna added with an assuring smile.


"Luna!"  The little princess cried with delight as she opened her little
arms and hugged Luna who knelt down before Serena to hug her in a friendly
embrace.  
The little princess, as always, looked very adorable that day on the moon.
Her hair, like her mother’s, was put up in two buns with a little pony tail
that reached down to her shoulders in curl.  The buns were capped with a
white ribbon that had been tied around each bun into a little bow with
strands of ribbon flowing down with her hair.  Unlike the queen’s, Serena’s
hair was of gold, with no trace of white anywhere.  Her face, quite unlike
the queen’s, was fair, but not pale at the least.  Her lips and cheeks were
rosy with a touch of innocence.  Her blue eyes were alive and bright very
much like Serenity’s.  That day, Serena was wearing a white dress that
flowed down to her feet with a touch of fluff.  Luna wasn’t quite sure what
the material of the dress was, but it felt soft, but smooth like silk.  The
dress was indeed very adorable with the round collar with a touch of golden
embroidery along the line of the collar and of the waistline of the dress
with puffy, round, short sleeves.  Serena was indeed, the most precious
image of the child of the moon.  
"Good morning, Serena."  Luna smiled, standing back on her feet.  
     Today, Luna was wearing her usual attire to her duties of the kingdom
with her white silk blouse with long, puffy sleeves that almost were
transparent with a dark blue tunic that showed her figure, but in a
business like manner.  On her tunic, on her left side was a golden crescent
moon pin which was pinned where her heart was.  The pin showed that she was
the queen’s advisor, but soon, unfortunate to her knowledge, there will be
two.  She also wore a slim, but free wool skirt with matched the color of
her tunic that reached down to her ankles where her light blue stocking
covered feet showed that she wore her dark blue low heeled shoes.  Her
hair, as always, was worn down, parted in the middle, with a little volume
in it as the many layers and lengths of hair which reached down below her
waist.  
"Good morning, Luna."  The sweet voice of the child princess was spoken.
"How are you this morning?"  Luna asked as she walked into Serena’s bedroom.  
    The bedroom was white with white carpeting on the floor of the fairly
large room.  There was a little single bed planted in the left corner of
the room which bared layers of white covers of different kinds and white
pillows with lace around the edges.  There was a large oval shaped window
with transparent white sheer curtains beside the bed with a little wooden
for Serena to sit upon and gaze out into the universe.  On the right corner
of the room across from the bed, stood a small wooden white bookshelf with
shelves of books and little china dolls of different kinds.  On the ceiling
in the center was a little crystal chandelier which sparkled brightly with
different colors of the rainbow.  Below the chandelier, on the floor, was a
white stand with a small model of a white and silver carousel.  It was
perhaps Serena’s most beloved toy to Luna’s knowledge. 
"I’m good, how are you Luna?"  The princess replied as she walked up to the
carousel.
"I’m the same, thank you."  Luna watched, as Serena picked up the silver
key from the stand which always was put there beside the carousel and
pushed it into the little white keyhole that was on the carousel.  
"How was the ball?"  Serena asked curiously as she began to wind up the key.
Serena always asked that question to Luna everyday and Luna would always
answer,
"Same as always."
"How can it be the same every night?"  Serena turned to Luna as the
beautiful music from the carousel began to play while the carousel began to
move.  The music from the carousel was a beautiful piece, but it wasn’t
Luna’s favorite type of music.  The carousel’s music was something you
could dance to when you were happy.  Luna didn’t like that type of music,
even though she wanted to be happy, and even though on the outside she
would smile, deep down inside her heart, she wasn’t very happy.  
"It’s always the same for me EVERY SINGLE night.  It’s just nothing special
to me."  Luna admitted.  "I know it will be special to you someday, Serena,
but balls have never been special to me, and it may never be special."
Serena took a few steps towards Luna and looked up at her curiously and
asked in her sweet, concerned voice,
"Why is it not special to you?"
"Well…"  Luna tried to get the right words in mind to try to explain to
Serena the most simplest way,  "You know how all the dancers have someone
to dance with?"
Serena nodded.
"I don’t have someone to dance with."
"You can dance with me!"  Serena cried happily as she reached up and
grabbed both of Luna’s hands and started to twirl around with her.
"Oh Serena!"  Serena always knew little things that could make Luna laugh
or smile.  They both laughed together as they twirled and danced with the
music.  Luna sometimes lead the dance and sometimes Serena lead it.  All
that Serena would do though was twirl.  Twirl, and Twirl, and Twirl again,
and again, and again, and again, and few times more, and then…
"You’re so tall Luna!"
"Me?!  Tall?"  Luna laughed.  "Your mother’s more taller then me."
"Are the dancers tall?" 
"Well, in your eyes, yes, they are."
"Do the ladies wear beautiful dresses?"
"Yes, they do."
"Do you wear a dress to the ball?"
"Yes, I do."
Serena soon stopped twirling and let go of Luna’s hands. She stood there
for a moment, perhaps thinking of another question to ask Luna,
"How come I never get to go to any of mommy’s balls?"
Luna sat down on her knees before Serena, looking up with sympathy in her
heart and said gently,
"You’re too young to be staying up at such a late hour."
Serena frowned with disappointment, it was obvious that the little princess
was looking for a different answer. 
"But,"  Luna said in hopes that the frown would turn into Serena’s cheerful
smile,  "When you get a LITTLE older, and when you are capable of staying
up late, your nights will be filled with dreams of dancing with a young man
that will perhaps sweep you off your feet and make the rest of your days
very happy."  Luna slightly smiled, but inside, she wished that was the
case for herself.
Serena face looked confused,
"I just want to dance with all the other dancers and wear a very pretty
dress."
Luna couldn’t help but laugh.  How can Serena think of love at such a very
young age?  Luna should have realized that before.  
"I want to dance just like the other dancers!"  Serena smiled as she began
to twirl around her room to the carousel’s music, giggling her heart out.
Luna sighed as she watched Serena dance.  She wished that her nights were
filled with dreams of happiness just like Serena’s will be.  
Luna slowly got back on her feet and looked over above Serena’s bedroom
door.  There was a white clock posted there against the white wall above
the door.  The clock had a golden crescent moon on the face with black
numbers and hands.  It was ten till nine in the morning.
"Well, come on, Serena.  It’s time for your studies."  Luna lend out her
hand to the little princess.
The princess suddenly stopped twirling as the music coincidentally died
down.  She looked up at Luna and frowned,
"Aww…  I don’t want to study!"
Luna smirked and motioned Serena to take her hand.  Serena reluctantly took
it and said,
"I want to dance all day to my carousel."
"The most important part of being a princess, is to make sure she gets her
education."  Luna replied as they opened Serena’s bedroom door and walked
on down the hall to the royal study.


    Hours went by while Serena was in the royal study, learning mathematics,
literature, and other such education.  During this time, Luna had some time
to herself in her bedroom of the castle.  
Her bedroom was almost about Serena’s size, only a tiny bit smaller.  Her
walls and her ceiling were painted dark blue.  Her floor was made with a
darker shade of blue smooth marble.  On the back wall in the center sat her
blue single bed, with a few covers over it and with only one large pillow
that matched with the covers.  On the right wall was a large oval window,
almost like Serena’s except the sheer curtains were blue.
Over to her left side of her room stood the most valuable thing she owned.
A black, elegant piano.  She would play it in her spare time.  She knew of
only one musical piano piece that she could play and always loved to play.
Moonlight Sonata.  She learned how to play it when she was a child.  As a
child, she thought that the music was just beautiful, but as she grew
older, and as she became Queen Serenity’s advisor, and as she started to
attend the royal balls, it began to grew into a different meaning for her.
It was beautiful, yes, but now it was beautiful, somber, and mysterious.
Whenever she played it now, she was in her own, heavenly world where the
sadness disappears and where she can dream.  
    Luna walked over to her piano, sitting down on the black stool as she did
so.  She looked down at the keys, the very beautiful keys that made her
dreamy world come alive.  These were the ingredients to her wishes, to her
hopes, and to her dreams.  These keys were probably one of the only things
that made her happy now.  With her delicate fingers and the piano’s musical
keys, nothing else in the world could make her even more happy.  Except…
She sighed and put her fingertips to the right keys for the song, and began
to play.  The most unique thing is that she can play this piece with her
eyes closed.  And that’s what she always did when she played the piano.
She closed her eyes so that she could feel the music flow deep inside her.
It was easier for her to dream that way.  The music began as a little flame
inside her, slowly burning away the depression.  It felt so good inside.
She could feel the warmth of the flame.  Slowly, it began to grow as her
fingers danced slowly, and gracefully along the keys.  This was what kept
her life going inside her heart.  Her music.  These moments in her life
were so perfect.  Nothing could be more perfect than this.  One thing
perhaps, but…  She kept her concentration on the music.  The music that she
hears in her dreams.  
    She slowly began to picture herself at the ball, wearing her usual blue
gown.  This ball was different from all the others.  At this ball, there
was a man there, dancing with her.  They danced to the sorrowful music.
She though she could feel him hold her in the most secure embrace.  His arm
held her tightly around her waist while his other hand held her hand.  His
hand felt warm, it was strange to think that she could feel the warmth of
his body against hers.  He stared into her eyes the whole time.  She wasn’t
sure what the color of his eyes were, but she knew that they must be
beautiful.  His eyes were the only thing she could see at this point.  The
man soon took his hand to her waist where his arm was and dipped her down
so low that she threw her arm over her head and felt the floor at her
fingertips.  She felt herself being raised up as they continued to dance.
They soon started to gracefully waltz.  She felt like she was apart of a
music box.  A porcelain music box of the man and herself, frozen in the
most graceful dance pose.  The music seemed it would go on forever.  Oh, if
only this could last forever.  That was perhaps, her only wish in life.  To
live her dreams.  Her dreams…  All of a sudden, she felt herself being
taken away from the man.  Like a strong wind, it blew her out of his
embrace with only her hand touching his.  Their bond was slowly breaking.
She tried to cry out to him, but no sound came out.  She didn’t want to let
go.  ‘Don’t let go’ she mouthed, but sadly, he did.  The music has died as
she slowly watched the man disappear in white light…
    Luna suddenly opened her eyes, her dreams have been corrupted by an
interruption.  Her fingers stopped dancing.  They couldn’t start dancing
again.  She looked over towards her bedroom door, in absent minded hopes
that it might have been the man in her dreams, but alas, one of the queen’s
servants was in his place.  She wanted to scream at the servant girl, to
tell her to go away, but she couldn’t.  Luna always felt that way whenever
she was interrupted.  She knew that this only meant more important business
from Queen Serenity. 
"Yes?"  Luna slowly rose from her stool, still staring at the girl, wanting
to strangle her in her mind, but managed herself to keep calm.
"Queen Serenity needs to see you."  The girl replied a little tautly.
Luna nodded to the girl, gesturing her that she was excused.  Luna stood
there, staring at the keys to her piano until she couldn’t hear the girl’s
footsteps anymore.  Luna clinched her fist in silent anger.  Who did she
thinks she is anyway?  Who the hell had the right to interrupt her date
with the mysterious dancer?  She wanted to break something, but she knew
that was just plain stupidity.  She didn’t want to leave him now, but it
was her duty to see to Queen Serenity’s every needs.  She downheartedly
left her room where her lonely piano stood.  
    The halls in the castle were white and gold.  The floor was made of golden
marble as of the ceiling above it with a few crystal chandeliers that
brightened the hallway.  The walls were covered with white paint and
painted portraits of the kingdom, and of the queen, her deceased husband,
and their little princess at different ages.  There were portraits of the
royal family together before Serenity’s husband died, portraits of the
castle, portraits of the moon kingdom, and surprisingly, a few portraits of
the moon itself.  There was one picture though, that always caught Luna’s
eye every time she passed it.  It was a portrait of a beautiful angel.  The
angel strangely had long black hair with beautiful blue eyes that went well
with her beautiful pale face.  She was wearing a white dress that almost
looked like a robe.  It reached down below her knees freely, with the waist
line a little below her waist, with a round collar, and was sleeveless.
She had wings, beautiful white feathered wings that opened up in flight in
her twirling pose.  Her arms reached up towards the heavens with her eyes
staring out into a space that no one would ever know.  
    Luna remembered the time, when she began working here years ago,  how she
used to stare at this picture during her spare hours and how one day, the
queen walked up to her and asked,
"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?"
The Luna from years ago, turned to her queen with a curious smile and asked,
"Who is she suppose to be?"
Queen Serenity looked at the portrait and answered with a smile,
"We believe this is the spirit of dance."
"I see…"
"This angel gives everyone the spirit of dancing which gives us happiness.
She’s very important to our kingdom."
"I never knew this."  Luna said in wonder.
Queen Serenity turned to Luna with her pure smile and said,
"She’s one of the reasons why I have my royal balls here."
    
Back in reality, Luna shook her head violently to get her mind back
together.  Her mission was to see to Queen Serenity’s needs, and all she
has been doing throughout that time was stare at a portrait!  She started
walking down the hall once more in haste.
After walking down a few halls and a flight of stairs, she finally reached
the ballroom, which was also the throne room. 
The room was enormous and white with a very, very high gold ceiling which
bares the biggest crystal chandelier in the kingdom that seems to be bigger
than the queen herself.  The walls were decorated with beautiful white
roses that seem to never die.  In front of Luna, across the room, was the
golden throne where Queen Serenity sat, waiting for Luna to walk up to her.
Luna began to walk on the royal white rug, towards the throne.  The floor
under it was gold, very beautifully polished to it’s beauty’s needs.
Soon, Luna reached to the two small steps to the throne and kneeled down to
the queen in respect.
"You may rise."
Luna slowly stood back on her feet, looking at the queen and asked,
"You addressed me, your highness?"
"I did.  I need you to help me with a task tomorrow afternoon."
"Yes, your majesty."
"I thought all morning about how I will to choose our second advisor."
"Very good, your highness."  Inside though, Luna felt a slight pain in her
heart, but she ignored it.
"Starting tomorrow, I will call anyone who thinks he or she is qualified to
be my second advisor, to come to my palace personally and see me for an
audition."
Luna smiled slightly for a moment.  That was the same way Queen Serenity
chosen her as her advisor.  Luna could remember that very day of her
destiny those few years ago…


    That day on the moon was very beautiful, Luna walked into the palace,
feeling a little nervous about the audition.  She tried to dress as
seriously as she could with her white blouse, and her blue tunic and skirt
with her blue stockings and shoes.  She personally made the clothing with
her hands, she always seemed to sew her own clothing, she believed that it
would be special that way.  She stood there, beyond the doors to the throne
room, in the short line of the other contestants who were dreaming of
winning the queen’s trust.  The audition had been going on for about an
hour now.  She heard that the audition was made of three parts, but no one
exactly knew what they were.  That was certainly, the real reason why she
felt nervous.  Another reason was she never seen the queen of the moon
before.  She was afraid that when it was her turn to walk into the throne
room, that the queen’s looks would make her feel so nervous her teeth may
chatter and she would lose it.  Those were her two fears of the audition.  
"Hey Luna, are you nervous about this?"  A girl, a few years younger than
she at a teenage age, approached her from the line, losing her place.  She
seemed to not be nervous, in fact, she seemed like she didn’t care about
how things turn out from the audition at all.  She didn’t care that she
lost her place in line, even though it consisted of six people, from the
earlier twenty four.  Her face was fair, and bright from her cheery smile
that lit up her violet eyes.  Her fairly long, slightly curly hair, was
golden brown which was pulled up in two loose tails that was tied at her
neck.  She was wearing a white blouse with short puffy sleeves with a long
black skirt that reached down to her feet.  
"A little.  Clara, do you realize how much responsibly there is to being an
advisor?"  Luna, obviously knew she was in a serious mood, looked at
Clara’s face only to see her usual smile.  Clara and Luna had been friends
for about a couple of years, and Luna knew her better than anybody, and she
knew that Clara wasn’t going to take this audition seriously, especially
when she only wanted to come along just to see what the moon queen looks
like and just to see if Luna made it.
"Yes, and I’m not going to audition, because I know who’s going to be the
best advisor here."  
Luna didn’t want to know exactly who she had hopes for to winning if it was
someone else besides herself.
"You!"  Clara pointed to Luna, which made her smile.  Her nerves were
suddenly gone, because she suddenly realized that her friend was rooting
for her.
"Thank you, Clara.  You’re a true friend."
    Unknowingly, the doors to the throne room opened before Luna, who was
surprisingly next in line.  Time has gone by so fast that she didn’t know
that her turn was to come this quickly.  Luna looked out into the white
throne room, to find the beautiful Queen Serenity sitting patiently on the
throne, with her gentle smile.  Luna looked behind her to Clara who was
motioning her with her smile to go on.  Luna turned back to the room and
walked on down the white rug towards the throne.  The walk seemed to go on
forever, it seemed to last for miles, but she soon got there.  She kneeled
down as proper as she could for the queen when she approached the two
little steps to the throne.  
"You may rise."  The queen’s voice was so sweet and pure to Luna’s ears
that it made her mind feel calm and surprisingly relaxed as she rose on her
feet.  "What is your name?"
Luna tried to keep her eyes on the queen’s the whole time, hoping it would
make a connection,
"Luna Masson."  
"Luna…" Queen Serenity awed as she said her name.  "I love your name."
Luna slightly blushed, "Thank you."
"How old are you?"  
"twenty two, your majesty."
Serenity nodded with a smile, "Where do you come from?"
"The plant Mae." 
"Is it nice there?"
"Oh yes, it’s very lovely there this time of year."  Luna said with a pride
smile.
"Do you have a special talent?"  
"I can play, ‘Moonlight Sonata’, with my eyes closed."
The queen’s eyes looked intrigued,  "Can you play it for me?  There’s a
piano right over there."  Serenity pointed to her right of the throne where
a black elegant piano stood.  It was very beautiful to Luna’s eyes, she
practically fell for it inside, but she smiled and nodded as she walked
over towards the piano. 
    She sat down, quite happy and content as she set her fingers on the right
keys and closed her eyes.  She slowly began to play, keeping her eyes
closed and trying to put as much grace into the music as possible.  She
could feel her fingers dancing slowly and gracefully along the keys of the
piano.  
    In her mind, she imagined herself in forest, a dark, but very peaceful
forest where purple leaves flew in the wind around her.  She begun to twirl
around in the darkness with the purple leaves flying around her, it seemed
like everything around her was an art, a very exquisite art that only she
alone can see and touch.  She stopped twirling as she came upon a
shimmering, stunning silver lake.  She wondered how it felt to touch it.
She knelt down to touch it.  It felt surprisingly very warm.  She stood
back up and looked out into the water.  She could feel herself start
walking into the soothing silvery liquid.  It soothed her nerves.  It made
her feel like she was apart of it as the water soon reached her ankles, her
knees, her waist, her neck, and finally above her head.  Everything
underwater was silver and it sparkled brightly like diamonds.  She didn’t
panic, for she knew this water was just no ordinary water, it contained a
magical power.  The power to breath.  She could feel herself fly through
the water, so carefree.  So serene.  She began to swim, she felt the water
flow between her fingers and through her hair.  Everything was so peaceful
to her, so much longing to stay there.  She looked up to find a very bright
white light from the surface.  She reached out to it, wanting to touch it.
She felt her fingers reach through the surface, feeling the air embrace the
touch.  She wanted to get, to feel the embrace all around her body.  As if
knowing, she felt herself being pulled out of the water where only her feet
touched the water.  The beautiful white light surrounded her, embracing her
with it’s magical light.  
    The music slowly faded as her fingers slowly lifted from the keys.  Her
eyes slowly opened, feeling a little tired as if she really did just twirl
and swim through the water.  But that was all in her mind.  Her eyes
suddenly widened when she heard an applause.  She looked up gratefully at
the queen who was clapping for her wonderful performance.  She rose from
the stool, smiling proudly as she curtsied.  She walked over before the
throne once again, looking up at the queen with hope in her eyes.  
"Tell me, Luna.  What do you think the job of an advisor is?"  Queen
Serenity asked, looking down at Luna for an answer.  
Luna thought about that question for a moment, and finally found her
answer, "To make sure you make the right decisions for your life."
    And before she knew it, she was pronounced the royal advisor that day.  


"Luna?"
Luna shook her head violently once again to get her mind into focus,
remembering what she wanted to say,
"Splendid, your highness."
"I’m glad you agree.  I figured, that if I found you that way, I will find
someone else that’s special like you that way too."
Luna nodded in approval, blushing inside.  She still didn’t like the fact
that the queen was going to get ANOTHER advisor.  
"I want you to run the audition for me.  Ask them for their name, where
they came from, if they have any talents, and most importantly, what they
think the job of an advisor is.  After that, you look over to me, and if I
nod, I’ve chosen that person as the second advisor."
"Yes, your majesty."  Luna was glad that she could be apart of the
audition, but she still didn’t like the idea that the queen wanted another
advisor.  
"Be sure to come tomorrow at noon."
"Yes, your highness."
"You are dismissed."
Luna smiled slightly, bowing to Queen Serenity once more as she turned and
walked out of the throne room.


"Peter, the cow, the magic harp, the chicken who laid the golden eggs, and
Peter’s mother lived happily, ever after.  That’s the end of the story."
Serena, who was lying in bed with her long, sleeveless pink cotton night
gown, looked up at Luna with a child’s wish in her eyes, "Luna?  Please
tell me another story."
"Serena, it’s past your bedtime…"  Luna started to feel tired and wanted to
go back to playing her piano just one more time that night, after the
nightly ball ends.  She sat on Serena’s bedside, looking at the dear little
princess with one wish in mind.  To make her go to sleep. 
"But, I want to hear a different story.  A story about dancing."  Serena’s
voice seemed to sound tired, but it seemed that Serena was willing not to
go to sleep, unless Luna told her just one more story.  
Luna sighed wearily, she didn’t feel like telling Serena another story, but
he knew that was the only thing left to do.
"One more story, then it’s bedtime.  No BUTS…"
Serena nodded happily with her cheerful smile while sinking a little deeper
into her covers, trying to get comfortable.  Luna reached down to the foot
of the bed, and pulled up one of Serena’s white fluffy teddy bears.  She
handed it to Serena, in hopes that it would help her fall asleep.  Serena
hugged the bear lovingly in her arms as Luna looked up to her ceiling,
trying to think of another story.  She looked back down at the princess who
waited for her to begin telling a story.  A story about a ball.
"Once upon a time."  Luna began with a smile.  "There lived a girl by the
name of Cinderella."  
    Time has past as Luna took her time, trying to tell the story as
creatively as she could, but by the middle of the story, she realized that
the little princess was asleep, gripping onto a little white teddy bear.
Luna smiled, finally the little princess was asleep, perhaps dreaming of
dancing in one of her mother’s royal balls.  Luna reached over to the
princess’s forehead, pulling a strand of her bang hair out of her face.  No
other child could look as heavenly as Serena in sleep.


    Late that night, after the ball, as Luna pulled on her string strapped,
square cut, beautifully waist sheer violet nightgown which flowed down to
her feet, she thought about the audition tomorrow.  Who would Serenity
choose?  She didn’t know, and at this point, she didn’t quite care so much.
She looked over at her piano, knowing that after she played her song once
tonight, she will go to bed.  Luna walked over to the piano, with her gown
flowing slightly behind her, and took her seat.  She looked down at the
keys, placing her fingertips to the right ones to play her song of sorrow.
She slowly closed her eyes, and began to play.
    She could see herself, standing there in her nightgown in a place of
darkness, the only light that she could see was the silver fog which rolled
in at her bare feet.  She looked down, feeling the chill of the fog sweep
over her as the music played in the background.  She needed warmth, someone
to hold on to her to shield her from the cold.  She closed her eyes,
crossing her arms as she put her hands on her shoulders in sadness, in
wonder of where her dream man could be.  Her question was soon answered,
when his warm arm wrapped around her midsection, pulling her close to him
in a very loving embrace.  She leaned her head against his chest, feeling
her forehead rest against his neck as she let her arms go, lying them
against her sides.  Her eyes opened, staring out into an oblivion as she
felt herself being pulled around, where she could face him.  His eyes were
there again, crystal clear, the rest of his body was a shadow, but she
could certainly feel it.  His right hand took her left as his left wrapped
securely around her waist.  She rest her head back against his chest again
with her right hand holding a grip of her nightgown so she wouldn’t trip
over it.  She closed her eyes as they slowly began to dance.  They slowly
waltzed at first, around in the fog.  Luna couldn’t feel the cold anymore.
It was gone, thanks to the dancing stranger.  After awhile, they stopped
waltzing, and just slow danced together.  She sighed happily, wanting this
to last forever.  She wanted to be taken away from the cruel depression of
reality.  She opened her eyes.  Everything was going in slow motion.  She
lifted her head to look into his eyes.  His eyes showed no emotion, no
expression.  She wondered what he may be thinking as they swayed with the
music.  He wasn’t quite looking at her, he seemed to be staring off into
space.  She opened her mouth to speak, but once again, no words flowed out.
She lowered her head in a sudden despair.  Will she ever be able to speak
to him?  She wanted to speak to him so badly.  She wanted to know who
exactly he was.  Everything was silent, except for the music she was
playing in reality.  She suddenly had a wanting to dance with him in
ballet.  He let go of her, except for the hand which was holding her
left’s.  She tiptoed around him, still holding his hand, staring into his
eyes.  It was like a trance, she couldn’t keep her eyes off of him. She
stopped walking, standing there with her left hand still in his right.  She
still stared at him as she raised her right leg up, straight in a line,
slightly above her waist with her toes pointing as she raised her right arm
out gracefully.  She held it up, for a few moments, steady with grace.
Still in slow motion, she slowly lowered her leg along with her right arm,
in front of her left leg, still with her right foot’s toes pointing.  His
hand let go of hers as she tiptoed backwards, away from him.  She looked up
as she stopped.  She looked over at the man.  His arms were reaching out
for her.  She slowly began to run to him.  He seemed so far away, so very
far away.  She felt herself getting close to him as she leaped into the
air, her gown and her blue hair flowing violently, but slowly behind her.
She landed into his arms, which held her up with one hand around her waist
and the other around her thigh.  She felt secure as she raised her arms
towards the heavens, looking up at them as they twirled around.  Very
slowly as they slowly stopped twirling she lowered her legs to the misty
floor.  His hand which took her thigh now took her upper back along with
his another at her waist.  She was facing him now, with her arms limped
over on her sides.  She felt a little weak, but happy that he was holding
her there.  She closed her eyes, lowering her head back.  She felt she was
dead, and that he was an angel, taking her soul to the heavens.  She felt
her somehow, lifeless body being lowered to the floor.  The coldness of the
misty fog surrounded her, he wasn’t holding her anymore.  Even though her
eyes was closed, she could feel the man slowly walking away from her, as
the last two beats of the song played, and faded out…
    Luna opened her eyes.  Her fingers stopped dancing on the keys.  The
musical piece was finished with no interruptions.  There was only silence
as she sadly stood up from the stool, stilling looking down at the keys.
He left her there, to die…  She closed her eyes, trying to get it out of
her hand.  He didn’t leave her there, it was just part of the dance.  She
left her sight from the keys to her blue bed.  She walked exhaustedly
towards it, knowing now that tomorrow was to be a big day for her.  She
fell into the soft, sinking bed on her back.  She couldn’t move, she just
laid there, on the covers.  She stared up at her ceiling, wishing that her
dancing angel would come.  She sighed longingly as she slowly lowered in
eyes in a deep, peaceful sleep.  


    The doors to the throne room were about to open up any moment.  Luna stood
beside the throne with a white scroll in her right hand.  She wore her
usual serious attire which was the blue tunic, the long skirt that matched,
and so on.  Luna stared at the large double doors,  wondering what kind of
people would want to be advisors.  She looked over behind her at the single
golden door.  Luna wondered when the queen would walk out.  She wanted to
get this done already and try to get use to the idea, that there may be
someone that could replace her…  How could anyone replace Luna?  Queen
Serenity even said that Luna would never be released.  
    The door behind suddenly opened.  Serenity calmly walked out, shutting the
door behind her.  Luna was about to get down on her knees in respect for
the queen, when Serenity suddenly said,
"You need not to kneel down to me now."
Luna obeyed and did not knelt.  She turned back towards the double doors
which were far away from them across the room.  Serenity took her time to
sit down on the golden throne, and announced,
"The audition shall now begin.  "Open the doors."  
A servant, who was standing by the double doors, reached over to one of the
doors and opened it a tiny crack.  The servant was now talking to the
people behind the door, telling them rules such as knelt or bowing to the
queen and other such things.  Luna stared at the doors, hoping that no one
who would qualify for the job, would be there.  The servant opened the door
a little more, letting the first contestant in.  A plump woman with short
red hair entered.  She appeared to be nervous as she slowly walked on the
rug towards the steps to the throne.  Her long, long sleeved green dress
reached down to her ankles, showing her black granny boots.   She, to Luna,
seemed like she was just an insecure person, just wanting a job.  The woman
stood there for a moment before she realized that she was suppose to bow or
knelt.  She kneeled down, almost falling.
"You may rise."
The woman rose, almost tripping as Luna carefully opened the scroll which
listed what she was to ask each contestant.  Luna looked through the black
ink written list carefully before she looked back at the woman who looked
up in hope with her green eyes, and asked in her serious tone of voice,
"What is your name?"
"Alisa Williams."  The young, but nervous voice answered.
"How old are you?"  Luna knew that the woman she was seeing before her
would not be picked as an advisor.  
"Twenty."  Alisa seemed to keep on looking at the queen, perhaps wondering
if she would hire her. 
"Where do you come from?"
"Jupiter."
"Such a large planet."  The queen added with her smile, looking down at Alisa.
Luna looked back down at the list, and looked back up at Alisa and asked,
"Do you have a special talent?"
"I can sing."
"Can you sing for us?"  Serenity asked kindly.
"I only know one song."
"It’s all right, go ahead."  The queen smiled.
Alisa nodded with a smile and straightened her back, obviously trying to
look proper.  She looked up at the ceiling as she held her hands together
in front of her chest and began to sing,
"Hhhhooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwww dooooooooooooo yyooooooooooou maarry a
very, very, very, very rich man!  Very, very, very, rich man!!!"
The voice was not pleasing to Luna’s ears.  In fact, it gave her a slight
discomfort in her head as Alisa continued to sing.  Luna raised her left
hand to her left ear, trying to close it somehow without letting the woman
notice that it was annoying her.  Luna looked behind her at Serenity who
was motioning her that Alisa was not the choice in mind to hire and to not
continue.  Luna turned back to the woman, who stopped singing and stared at
Luna.  Luna smiled and said, pointing to the door behind her,
"Please go through that door."
The woman, curious now, walked over to the door, opened it, walking in as
she closed it behind her. There would be a servant there to guide them out
of the palace.  It was the exit for all the people who would fail.


     The day was long for Luna.  Lots of people have come so far and failed.
Luna was getting a little irritated and a little exhausted, standing there,
asking those questions which were starting to annoy her.  She knew, after
looking over at the queen a few times, that she was getting impatient too,
but tried to show her patience on the outside.  Luna sighed as she heard
the double doors open again.  She didn’t want to look at the contestants
walk down the rug anymore, it annoyed her too much.  She just stared at her
scroll, reviewing the list as if she forgotten them already.  She wished
that the remanding contestants would give up and go home, leaving her the
job of being the ONLY advisor for the queen of the moon.  Luna suddenly
couldn’t help but just look at the person who may have been knelling by
now.  She took her sight from her scroll to the contestant who was indeed
knelling.  It was a young man who was kneeling with such dignity that Luna
had never seen before.  She rolled her scroll, and held it in her hands as
she continued to examine him, very carefully.  
"You may rise."  
He rose with his fair, kind, and happy looking face up to Serenity.  He
stood tall, like his knelt, with dignity.  His hair, which reached down to
his upper back in a low ponytail, was almost white, but there was a touch
of gold in it.  His lips were curled, as if permanently in a small smile.
A smile which showed a certain trust.  His eyes, were surprisingly a very
dark blue, but seemed to have a certain light to it.  On his left ear, was
a gold ball earring, which seemed to show a certain kind of courage, which
shined in the light.  He was wearing a white, long, loosed sleeved skirt; a
light brown vest that looked almost strangely like Luna’s blue tunic,
except his was short and hers was long; a pair of loose pants that matched
with his vest; and a pair of brown knee length combat boots.  He was VERY
handsome to Luna’s eyes.  She suddenly knew that there may be a chance for
him.
Luna slightly shook her head, but not hard enough where anyone could notice
it.  She corrected her throat slightly, to make sure it was clear and asked,
"What is your name?
The man looked over at Luna, his eyes fixing into hers and answered with a
smile,
"Artimis."  His voice was young and quite pleasant.  It seemed to match his
looks and his smile.
"Your last…?"  
"I have no last name."
Luna stood there, looking at him, uncertain whether to go on or to ask him
why he didn’t have a last name.  She felt too tired to raise anymore
questions and went on,
"How old are you?"
"Twenty seven."  He looked and sounded more younger then he really was.
"Where are you from?"
"The beautiful planet, Mae."  His eyes never kept off of Luna’s and Luna
couldn’t keep her sight away from his.  It was a nice thing to find that
someone from her home planet came.  She turned her mind back to the
questions once again,
"Do you have a special talent?" 
He smiled and answered confidently, 
"I can make people happy."
Luna stood there for a moment, but then looked over at the queen who was
smiling.  She seemed not to be impatient anymore.  She started to like him.
Luna turned back to Artimis and asked,
"What is the most important job that an advisor should do?"
Artimis knelt down before Luna, looking up into her eyes, still smiling as
he answered with confidence in his voice,
"To make sure that everyone’s happy."
Luna closed her eyes in a sudden pain in her heart.  She knew that he would
be chosen now.  She didn’t want to look over at the queen.  She didn’t want
to see her nodding.  Luna dreadfully opened her eyes and slowly turned to
the queen.  Serenity was nodding.
Luna turned back to Artimis, who was still kneeling.  She didn’t want to
speak.  She didn’t want to pronounce it, but she had to.  With another
sigh, she said,
"Congratulations.  You are the second, royal advisor…"


    How dare of him to show up at the audition!  How dare he ever dare himself
to come!  That was filling Luna’s mind as Artimis was walking with her down
a hallway of the palace.  It was her job now to introduce him to certain
people in the palace and to show him everything. 
"This is the hallway where you’ll be staying."  Luna walked up to the fifth
white door on her right and opened it.  His room, was unfortunately, two
rooms away from hers, except hers was on the left side of the hall.  The
room was about the size of hers, with blank white walls, ceiling, and
floor.  There was a white door on the right wall.  "You will be able to
decorate it of course, and tomorrow, you will be able to go back to Mae and
gather your things to move in." 
"May I see your room?"  Artimis’s eyes were on Luna the whole time.  She
didn’t quite mind it, but she was in a very serious mood and when she was
serious, she won’t fool around and she would stick to her job.  But, it was
a simple request.
"All right, but you can’t touch anything inside."
"Yes ma’am."  Artimis slowly said, smiling.  The way he said that was a
little funny to Luna, but outside she wasn’t laughing as she walked down
the hall to her door on the other wall.  She opened it and left it open as
she walked inside, with Artimis following behind her.  
"I take it, your into blues."  Artimis said as he looked around the room.
"Well, it’s my favorite color…"
"It’s a beautiful color."
Luna smiled slightly, but lost it as she realized that Artimis was getting
close to her piano.  Luna quickly rushed over to the piano, and shield the
keys as Artimis walked up to it.  He smirked as Luna said strongly,
"This is my most PRECIOUS possession.  If you so much as touch it, I’ll…"
"Hey, hey!"  Artimis raised his hands up in a sort of jesting defense, "I
wouldn’t hurt your PRECIOUS piano."
Luna gave a little trust to him and walked over beside it, giving him view
of the keys,
"This piano was given to me by Queen Serenity herself."
"She must be very generous."
Luna nodded in agreement,
"When she heard me playing it, she gave it to me.  It used to stand in the
throne room."
"She must be very kind."
"Oh, you’ll grow to love her.  She’s a very wonderful queen with A LOT of
heart."
"I bet."  His smile couldn’t seem to go away.  
They stood in a slight moment of silence before he asked, 
"May I hear you play?"
Luna shook her head, even though inside she really wanted to sit down and
play her beautiful, mournful piece,
"Not today.  I have to introduce you to one more person and then we have to
go to dinner."
"Awww…"  He smirked with his sarcasm as he walked over to Luna.
Luna motioned him to follow her as she walked out of her room,
"Her room is down this hall."
"Who is HER?"  His voice seemed interested.
"The princess."
"There’s a princess!?"  He sounded intrigued and shocked as well as they
walked together down the hall.  Luna knew what may be going through his
mind and said, 
"She’s going on eight in a few more months."
"Well, the dear little princess is growing up!"  His voice didn’t sound
disappointed with the fact that she was many years younger then he was.  "I
bet she’s beautiful, just like her mother."
"Yes, she certainly is."  Luna stopped and reached for the princess
Serena’s bedroom door, opening it as she did so.
"Luna!"  She heard the sweet princess’s voice cry happily.
Luna smiled as she walked into the room and sat down on her knees, opening
her arms out to her as Serena ran to her, hugging her tightly.  The
princess was wearing a pink dress today, pretty much like the dress she
wore the other day with beautiful pink ribbon in her hair.
Luna hugged her gently back with a smile of gratitude on her face,
"Serena, I want you to meet someone that just joined our palace."  Luna let
go of Serena as she stood back up, motioning Artimis to get down on his
knees.   Artimis smiled at Luna as he slowly kneeled down before the
princess and said, 
"I’m pleased to meet you, dear princess."  And with that smile of his, he
lightly took Serena’s little hand and kissed it.
Serena giggled,
"Your so nice!"
"This is Artimis, our new SECOND advisor for our palace."  Luna looked down
at Artimis as he rose up, and bowed as she introduced him, "Artimis, this
is Princess Serena."  
With that, Serena smiled adorably and curtsied to Artimis,
"I’m pleased to meet you too, Artimis."
"Well good, I finally finished showing you the ENTIRE palace."  Luna gave a
slight sigh of relief, now it was time for them to go to dinner, "We must
be off to dinner now."  With that she lend her hand out to Serena, and was
about to ask her to take it, but unfortunately, Serena took Artimis’s
before Luna said anything.  Artimis and Serena grinned at each other.  They
were becoming friends already.  Luna frowned.  This was the first time Luna
was going to go to dinner, empty handed.



    They sat down at the long rectangular dinner table together.  All was
quiet except for Artimis and princess Serena who were talking about what
the moon may be made up.  Serenity, who was sitting at the end of the
table, smiled as she watched them talk.  She must be very happy about
Artimis.  Serena, was sitting beside her mother on the right side of the
table who was also sitting beside Artimis.  Luna, sat across from Serena
and Artimis, felling a little left out of everything about the dinner.  
The dinner table was covered with a long white table cloth with golden
embroidery at the edges.  Luna looked down pitifully at her large golden
plate which consisted of bits of salmon.  She didn’t feel very hungry.  In
fact, she never would eat a lot of food.  She tried not to get too much so
that she wouldn’t grow to be fat.  She fiddled her food with her golden
fork, thinking about her new fears.  She began to worry that Artimis might
replace her.  She was afraid that Queen Serenity and the princess may like
Artimis better than Luna.  Luna looked up, glancing over at them, chatting
about things that she wasn’t paying attention to.  She, without knowing,
dropped her fork onto her plate, covering her forehead with her hand.
"Is there anything wrong, Luna?"  She heard the queen ask, concerned.
"I have a headache."  Luna lied, feeling depressed.
"I just hate headaches."  Artimis cut in.
"So do I."  Serena added.  "I hope you get better, Luna."
Luna let her hand fall to the table lightly, looking up at them.  She
didn’t feel like she belonged at the dinner table at the moment.  She
turned to Serenity and asked politely, 
"May I be excused?"
"In a moment.  I need to do something first before we all leave to get
ready for the ball tonight."  Serenity stood up from her golden chair, she
seemed to be holding something in her hands.  "Artimis, please rise."
Artimis, rose from his seat, looking over at the queen with curiosity in
his eyes.  Serena looked up at him, including Luna.
"Artimis,"  Serenity showed the golden crescent moon pin which were in her
hands.  "I would like to give you this pin, on behalf of the kingdom."
This was the same way Luna got her pin.  She looked down at hers.  She
reached up and lightly touched it with her finger.  The pin represented a
lot of things to her.  It represented her goals which she had achieved, her
title, her devotion to the moon, her hard work which she performed as best
as she could every day, her life…  She drew on the edges of her pin with
her fingertip, wondering if the pin may mean anything to Artimis.  
"This pin represents your duty as an advisor.  I hope you will not take
this job lightly."  Serenity smiled, "I know by the look in your eyes and
with your smile that you will take it with pride and honor."
Artimis smiled with pride as he took the pin from Serenity’s hand.  Luna
watched, in fear and sadness as he pined it onto the left side of his vest,
where his heart was.  Serena, beamed as she began to clap for him.  Artimis
bowed, probably feeling very proud of himself.  Luna clapped along with
Serena, not wanting to seem rude. 
"Now, off with you all!  We have an hour to get ready for the ball tonight.
Artimis, do you remember the way to the throne room which we will have our
ball?"  Serenity turned to Artimis.
"Yes, your highness."  He smiled.
"Good.  Then everyone is excused."
Everyone left to their rooms in a rush to get ready for the ball, except
for Luna who kept her pace, she wasn’t excited about the ball as she was
every other night.  It was just going to be boring, and stupid to her.  To
her, another boring ball was another boring, heartless night.


    The beautiful dancing of the music played into the night, as the souls of
the ball began to dance.  Everyone was happy, except, once again, for Luna.
She stood, once again, in her blue silk, off the shoulder slim gown.  Her
hair, as always, was worn down, in layers, not cared for any hair style.
Luna was standing beside the queen who was sitting in her throne,
entertained as she watched her people dance.  
Luna’s eyes were in her mind.  She was thinking of the dancing stranger
from her dreams.  The way they danced together.  The way he would make her
happy, washing all the pain and sorrow away.  She thought downheartedly how
that man would never appear in reality.  In her dreams, he’s her life.  In
reality, he’s dead, making her life seem like it was dead as well.  She
felt the pain in her heart coming back to her and raised her  right hand to
it, clinching the air as it rested against her chest, as if it was helping.
But it wasn’t.  She felt that pretending to squeeze the pain out of her
heart would perhaps make it go away.  But it didn’t.
    Luna slowly walked down the steps that led to the throne, unnoticed.  She
blended in with the dancing crowd as she secretly slid through to the doors
of the balcony.  The balcony was empty, and silent except for the faint
echoes of the music of the nightly ball.  Luna slowly walked up to the wall
of the balcony, staring out into the universe.  For a moment, she wondered
what Serenity was thinking whenever she stared out at the stars and the
planets.  To Luna’s guess, it was of her husband who was dead.  Luna always
pitied Serenity for losing her husband at such a young age.  That was one
of the reasons why Serenity chose an advisor.  If she didn’t have one, or
any nevertheless, she would be alone to her decisions, unable to make them
easily without any advice or comments.  Luna turned her thoughts back to
the man in her dreams.  Her hand clinched tightly, feeling the imaginable
pain in her heart grow.  She missed him so much.  How could she ever live
her life without knowing who he was.  Her life would perish without her
piano, for she sadly knew it was her only way to him.  
    She rose her head up slightly to the universe, closing her eyes in a
longing for peace of the pain which still grew in her heart, keeping her
right hand fisted against her heart as her left arm rested down to her
side.  She suddenly had a feeling to cry, but the tears wouldn’t appear.
Perhaps, it was because she always thought that crying showed weakness and
that she wanted to be strong, not  a weakling. Luna didn’t cry.  She
couldn’t cry.  For she knew that she was too strong to show any weakness.
"Luna?"
The voice was familiar, and it was concerned with amity in his voice.  Luna
opened her eyes as she lowered her head, turning behind to the young man
who spoke.  It was Artimis.  
    He was dressed, still with his golden ivory hair in a low ponytail, in a
light brown, long sleeved tuxedo jacket with a tail which reached down
below his thighs with a white ruffled, turtle necked skirt worn under the
jacket.  His pants matched with his jacket, with his brown combat boots
worn over them to his knee.  He looked, VERY handsome.  Luna wondered if
such a beautiful creature could take away her title.  
"Artimis?"  Luna responded softly, but strongly.
"What’s wrong?  You look…  Miserable."  As he walked towards her, his face
clearly showed, for once that it was concerned for her.  His deep, dark
blue eyes were fixed to hers, as if, trying to see the answer to his
question. 
"Nothing…  Nothing at all."  
Artimis walked up to Luna, taking her clinched right hand off her chest,
and loosened her hand, making it open for him to hold gently in his warm,
securing hands.  Luna looked up at him, wondering if maybe he did have some
sense and kindness after all.  She somehow, didn’t even mind that he was
holding her hand. 
"There seems to be something wrong, to me."
She lowered her head slightly, looking over at the side.  Luna tried to
think.  What could she say?
"I hate balls."  Luna said plainly.  It was all she could think of.
"Why?  They seem to be wonderful.  This is the first time I’ve ever really
been to one."  He sounded, almost reassuring, but it didn’t change her mind
about her dislikes for the balls.
Luna turned her sight back to him, rising her head up to look at his eyes,
"They will probably be wonderful for you.  Balls have never been fun to me."
"Why?"
Luna suddenly felt trust in Artimis.  She began to feel comfortable,
talking to him,
"I haven’t danced for six years."
"I know how you feel.  I haven’t danced in years myself.  But it shouldn’t
make you unhappy."
"I have a right to be depressed."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
They stood in silence, listening to the faint music.  Luna wondered what
Artimis may be thinking as he stared into her eyes once more, still holding
her hand in his hands.  His touch, calmed her a little, but she was still
unhappy.  Suddenly, Artimis took Luna’s right hand delicately into his
left, and walked over to her right side, where their arms lowered down to
their sides except for the ones with their hands embracing.  Artimis raised
his arm, with his hand holding hers, up, slightly in front of them as he
turned his head to Luna who looked over at him as he said,
"I’m going to change that right.  Walk in with me."
Luna, who had no choice, slowly walked beside him as they entered the
ballroom, through the crowd towards the middle of the room.  
The music, which was beginning to play, was beautiful and graceful.  The
dancers around them were dancing slowly but happily as Artimis and Luna
stopped in the middle of the room.  Luna stood there, uncertain what to do
before Artimis, still holding her hand in his, walked slowly around in
front of her.  His grip on her hand was firm, but soft and warm.  She
suddenly knew what he was doing.  He was getting her to dance, and it was
working.  She went along with him, for the joy of it.  He was obviously
trying to cheer her up, and so, she accepted it.  Artimis smiled as he let
go of Luna’s hand and bowed to her, keeping his eyes on hers.  Luna, taking
a grip of her gown in her right hand, curtsied back to Artimis, not being
able to take her eyes off of his.  Artimis, still with his friendly smile
on his face, lend out his left hand to her and said,
"Dance with me, Luna?"
Luna nodded with a small smile as she gave him her hand.  Artimis came
close to her and whispered softly in her ear,
"Just follow my lead and you’ll have nothing to worry about."
Luna smiled as he stepped back from her, with her hand still in his.  For
the first time in several years, she will dance again.  
Artimis carefully started to walk around in a circle, still holding her
left in his left.  Luna slowly started to walk around in a circle.  She
kept her whole sight on him, watching his every move.  It seemed like they
were like the hands of a clock.  Artimis, for one moment, would be at six,
while Luna would be at twelve.  As they walked around, staring at each
other, Luna would be at three with Artimis at nine.  Artimis twelve, Luna
six, and so on round counter clockwise.  Artimis stopped and motioned Luna
to put her left arm around his neck.  Luna came close to him, slowly
wrapping her left arm around his neck as she looked over at his right,
which was gripping her right hand, slightly letting her grip her gown so
that she wouldn’t trip.  She left his other arm wrap securely around her
slim waist.  Their different eyes met, and stayed as they began to slowly
waltz.  They waltzed gracefully, but slowly with the music as they
continued to stare into each others eyes.  Artimis’s eyes seemed to light
up as she said,
"You’re a wonderful dancer."
"And so are you."  He smiled.
"And you haven’t danced in years?"
"Not till now."
"I’m very surprised."  Luna smirked.
"I’m surprised with you too.  You seem like you’ve been dancing for years."
In her dreams, it was true.
"So, is this the reason why you were sad back there at the balcony?"
Artimis asked, concerned as they continued to waltz, "Because no one else
wanted to dance with you?"
"Yes."  
"Well, you don’t need to be sad now."  Artimis smiled as he gripped her
hand a little more tightly.  "I offer myself to you now whenever you want
to dance."
He was so kind.  So very, very kind.  Luna felt like she wanted to cry
after she felt badly of him.  She felt her tears blur her vision and, as if
trying to hide it, buried her face into his shoulder and said, 
"I’m so sorry…"
"For what?"  She felt his hand let go of hers as he reached up to raise her
head up, feeling her tears moist her eyes as she looked into his.
"When you were chosen as the other advisor, I got a little jealous."  Luna
admitted, trying to hold her tears back.  "I didn’t want you here, but…"
"I want to be your friend, Luna."  Artimis smiled as he softly wiped her
tears away with his hand as they still danced.  
"You do?"  Luna sniffled, trying to calm down.
"Yeah, since we’re working together.  I would rather work with someone I
would get along with rather than the terrible opposite."
"I thought you would hate me…  For the way I treated you before dinner."
"It takes a lot more then that to get me to hate anybody.  Besides, I’m not
really the kind of person who would WANT to hate."
"I can see that, your always smiling!"  Luna smiled brightly, happy that
she has a new friend.
Artimis took his hand and held her chin with his fingers gazing at her face
as he did so,
"Do you know that’s one of the first times I’ve ever seen you smile?"
Luna laughed lightly at Artimis’s comment,
"Your right about one thing!"
"What?"  Artimis asked, curious.  
"You do have a talent of making people happy."
Artimis smiled gently as they continued to dance throughout the rest of the
evening.  They became very good friends that night, but what they didn’t
know was that someone else was watching them and had good intention to ruin
the friendship…