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	   	      Written by Avanla Mireille

Book Two, Chapter Two - "The Alliance"
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	The next week Serena was to attend a meeting the Alliance of
Nations was holding, and then a ball afterward. She had to leave that
very night to the far away city of Tor, where the Alliance's capital
was located. She took two wagons, one to carry all the clothes and
accessories, and one for herself, Setsuna and Mina.

	The wagon they rode in was luxurious, with a plush couch in
the back to sit on, and a small bed near the middle left side. A guard
sat on the far side by the door, for a safety precaution. Broc had
insisted when Serena had argued against it. This time both Broc and
Maxxel had stayed behind, and the captain of Broc's guard, Anthony 
Junao, lead the party along the national highway that connected the
vast continent.

	The three sat together on the floor in the back of the wagon,
just below the couch. There was not enough room for all of them, and 
since the floor was carpeted it didn't seem to matter. No matter what
it would be bumpy. The three played poker, a very unladylike thing to
do.

	"I think I'm finally getting the hang of this." Setsuna said,
laying down her royal flush. Mina and Serena stared at each other,
rolling their eyes.

	"Beginner's luck!" Mina shrugged. "Let's uh, do something else."

	"Like what?" Serena yawned. The wine she had been drinking had
taken some affect on her sharpness, and she looked over at Mina.

	'It took me an hour to finish that one glass, and Mina's already
on her third. I just simply don't have the stomach for this.' Serena
sighed. 

	"I say we go over the people of the Alliance." Setsuna proposed.

	"Aww, common.." Serena whined, throwing her head back.

	"The more the empress gets right, the more chocolate she shall
receive." Serena's head immediately snapped back into place, a coy
smile placed on her lips.

	"I love the way you think Setsuna." She said and both Mina and
Sestuna giggled. 

	"Start naming." Mina said.

	"Well, let's see." Serena said, bringing a finger to her chin.
"There's King Theodore and Queen Joylan of Sumark, King Davt and Lady
Tioa of Yamya, King Darson of Goldran, Prince Solan of Deline, Lord
Rubeus of Besunta, Queen Daphne of Pular, Lord Richard and Lady Caroline
of Haggart and the new empress of Erise, Empress Hotaru. Sumark, 
Goldran, Deline, and Besunta are all members of the Alliance, the rest,
Pular, Haggart, Erise and myself are nations invited to join the 
Alliance. I do believe I haven't forgotten anyone-Oh! The nation of
Viza, where the city of Tor is located. That is ruled by Emperor 
Balizar and Empress Rulyia."

	"Uh-uh." Setsuna wagged her pointer finger at Serena. "You have
forgotten another invitee I'm afraid. Try to remember, I'll give you
ten seconds." 

	"Well, umm." Serena bit her lip, closing her eyes in 
concentration.

	"Common Serena, his nation used to belong to the Alliance until
his father died. You can practically see him from where we live!" Mina
clued. 

	"Oh, oh, oh!" Serena crinkled her nose.

	"Times up! It's King Endy-"

	"King Endymion of Ielaque!" Serena finished before her. "Now 
where's my chocolate?"

	"I'm sorry your majesty, but you didn't get them all correct."
Setsuna smiled.
	
	"Setsuna!" Serena huffed. "I am empress, I demand chocolate."

	Setsuna laughed and stood up, reached into her handbag and
pulled out a tin container. "The cook prepared this for you before you
left. Here you go, majesty."

	Serena practically ripped it open and began stuffing the square
pieces of chocolate into her mouth. She sighed contentedly and closed
her eyes. She held out the box to the others and they took a few pieces.

	"Hmm, this is the life." Mina sighed.

	"Yes, sure is nice." Serena agreed.
	
	"Oh, back to the subject of King Endymion." Mina smiled slyly.
"I hear he is the most gorgeous man to live upon God's green earth!
Every one knows of him in the palace, and some have even seen him. I
can't wait to go to this meeting, and actually get a glimpse for 
myself!"

	"And I hear he has a fine looking line of generals too." 
Setsuna added. "One of them will surely be there, maybe I can find 
myself with him."

	"Well, what about me?" Serena pouted. "With whom am I 
going to socialize with, Lord Rubeus?"

	"I heard he is quite a looker-" Setsuna began.
	
	"Oh please." Serena waved her hand. "I'd rather be shot with
a scolding hot arrow."
	
	"Be careful what you say Serena." Mina warned. "You never know
these days."

	"Yes." Serena sighed, looking up out the window. "How true."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

	Serena slowly walked through the entrance to the Assembly Room,
nervously gazing behind her at her ladies. They smiled at her and she
smiled back, then turned around. All eyes seemed glued on her entrance,
and she gulped back her fear and strode in confidently. She wore a 
deep velvet purple gown that hugged her slim figure. It fanned out at
the bottom and trailed only slightly behind. Her hair was elegantly 
formed about her head in braids and loops, and two veils hung from two
balls on either side of her head. A golden crown rested on her head,
with two amethysts resting parallel of each other, and small diamonds 
circling them. She was absolutely gorgeous, and caught the eye of every
single prince, king, emperor, lord, and servant in the room, and some 
jealous eyes from the women. 

	A servant cautiously walked up to her and led her to her seat.
As she sat down Mina came up quickly and tapped her on her shoulder.

	"That's him Serena! The one in the skins! King Endymion!" She
said excitedly, pointing at a man leaning up against the wall. Serena
lifted her eyes and gazed at her unknown neighbor. They were right, he
was absolutely gorgeous. His hair was long, collecting at his shoulders
in thick black waves. A goatee rested around his mouth, and his 
side burns continued down his jaw in thin straight lines. His
cheekbones were set high, his face squarish. Roguishly handsome, Serena
would put it. 

	He looked like a bloody barbarian in the animal skin outfit he
wore, with a huge knife at his side. She couldn't get a good look at
his eyes, since they were far apart, but they almost looked black.
And they were--staring right at her! Serena gasped as she realized 
he was returning her stare and blushed, immediately turning away. 

	Endymion smiled crookedly at the woman who had been blatantly
staring at him, a small chuckle emanating from the back of his throat.

	"And what is his highness chuckling about?" Someone asked from
his side. Endymion looked over to see his second in command, High General
Nephlite Dublar. He was older than Endymion by two years, with
chestnut brown hair passed his shoulders and friendly hazel eyes. Apart
from Endymion's first in command, High General Kunzite Rochetia, 
Nephlite was his next best friend. The two were closer in age, and had
often played together as children. 

	"Oh, a maiden has caught my eye, or I should say she had her
eye on me." Endymion answered. 

	"Many a-women have their eyes set on you." Nephlite rolled his
own eyes. "What's so special about this one?" Endymion looked back at 
Serena to see her talking with a woman beside her. There was something
about her, something-something almost familiar.

	"I don't know yet." Endymion muttered. "But I plan to find out."

	They addressed everyone at the meeting and were about to sit
down when the doors were thrown open. Two huge guards dressed in red
uniforms surrounded a small girl. She had to be around thirteen or
fourteen, with short black hair cut to her chin. A red, gold and black
headdress went around her head like a fan, with two golden balls hanging
from chains on the ends. A deep scarlet gown hid her figure, dragging
around her feet and covering her hands. Her deep violet eyes were cold,
detached. 

	"Ah, Empress Hotaru. Better late than never I say." The 
head of the Alliance chuckled. "Please take your seat by Empress Serena."
She walked over slowly and one of the guards pulled out her seat for 
her. Serena smiled kindly at her, only to get an unemotional stare.

	"So we'll start the meeting immediately, now that everyone
is here." He said. "And afterward we shall have a banquet to honor our
guests. First round of business..."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

	The meeting went on sluggishly slow, Serena being asked some
mindless questions every once in awhile. It seemed pointless to her,
nothing seemed to get done. There were wars going on even in the 
Alliance! 

	'Ridiculous, really.' Serena shook her head, biting a piece of
tea cake.

	"Setsuna, I'm going to go to the restroom." Serena said.

	"Do you wish me to go with you?" Setsuna asked, but Serena
rolled her eyes.

	"I needn't someone to assist me, I'm a grown up now." She 
smirked and retreated down the hall. 'Honestly, why must women go in
pairs to the bathroom?'

	On her way back to the banquet hall, Serena came across voices,
which emanated from a nearby room. They were hesitant whispers, and
Serena had a bad feeling about them. So she snuck up to the door, which
was slightly open a crack, and listened.

	"...all you have to do. Pour the liquid into the Empress'
drink and carry it out and make sure she gets it." A voice said, and 
Serena's eyes went wide. 

	'Are they talking about ME?' She wondered.

	"But what if I get caught? Where should I go?" Asked the second
voice. 

	"No one will suspect you. You'll run into here and change, and
run back into the room when she falls over, and say you saw two men
running out the back and away on horses. We'll be off the hook." The
first man said. "Once Hotaru is dead, it won't be hard to conquer
Alvediaca. Both of them are inexperienced."

	'So they're after Hotaru! We'll see about that.' Serena narrowed
her eyes.

	"Alright, let's move out.' Said the first, and they both moved
to the door. Serena backed up and ran down the hall a bit. She turned
around and started walking calmly in the middle of the hall, to make
it look like she was just passing by. The door swung open, and Lord
Rubeus of Besunta came striding out. His green eyes fell upon Serena
and he stopped midstep.

	"Em-Empress Serena." He stuttered, and the man behind him
almost slammed into his back. "What a pleasant surprise. I've been
meaning to talk to you all night."
	
	"Really?" Serena raised an eyebrow. "On what?"

	"I wanted to congratulate you." Rubeus answered, recovering
quickly. He grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly. "For your victory
over Rosmund. I tried to overthrow him, but alas, did not succeed."

	"Yes, and I wish to thank you for trying." Serena smiled. 

	"Shall we?" Rubeus held up his arm, flipping a piece of his
red hair out of the way. Serena intertwined her arm with his, and they
walked down the hall together.



	"A toast," The Emperor of Viza announced. "To honor our guests."

	Serena looked expectantly as the man who was associated with
Rubeus carried the drinks with another wine barer. He carried one in
his hand, which she suspected was the poisoned one. He walked over to
Serena and she reached out for the one in his hand. He pulled back,
shaking his head.

	"Have one of these, majesty." He stuttered, his eyes evidently
hiding something.

	"Why, is there something special about the one you're holding?"
Serena raised an eyebrow, and he gulped.

	"Uh-no, it's just that-" 

	"Well, then give it to me." She pushed out her hand again. 
He sighed nervously, gulping again. Reluctantly he handed it to her, 
and distributed the others quickly, then ran over to Rubeus.
Serena watched out of the corner of his eye, as he delivered the news.
Rubeus looked at him incredulously, then to Serena.

	"A toast then." The emperor raised his glass, and everyone
drank. Rubeus and his servant watched, as Serena pretended to take a 
sip. She started walking toward Rubeus, a sly smile on her lips.

	"And I wish to make a toast." She announced, and every eye
turned to Rubeus and her. "That Alvediaca and Besunta shall live in
peace together." She raised her glass to his lips, for the Toast of
Peace, where they were supposed to switch glasses as a sign of 
friendship. Rubeus looked down into the cup's murky red color, seeing
his life flash in its surface.

	"Will you not drink from my peace cup?" He gulped, looking back
up into Serena's glowing eyes. He threw down his own glass and it 
shattered on the floor, the wine spilling out like blood on the white
surface. He ran out of the room, his servant not far behind. 

	Serena huffed and turned to look at the silent audience. She
threw her own glass to the floor, and the room jumped again.

	"I think I have made up my mind on joining the Alliance."
Serena shook her head and walked toward the entranceway, her ladies
close behind. Serena turned back around suddenly, eyeing the emperor. 
"My answer is no. And I suggest that anyone else even considering to
join, decline as well. Especially you, Hotaru. Please, come with me."

	Hotaru looked up at Serena and then the crowd. She nodded in
assent and walked up to Serena. The two countries left side by side,
making more enemies than friends that day. King Endymion watched from
his corner of the room. He was leaned up against the corner, his arms
crossed and his one leg over the other. He smiled as Serena left the
room, and a bustle of noise followed. He then looked down at the floor,
to see that the trail of wine they both had spilled flowed down to
the entrance, where they had both left. 

	'Blood follows them.' He thought, looking back up to the 
entrance. '....much blood.'

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

	Hotaru and Serena rode together in Serena's wagon, and Serena
had managed to kick the guard out of the wagon for some private 
time. The two empresses sat on the bed, while Setsuna and Mina sat on
the couch.

	"What happened in there Serena?" Mina finally asked, for they
didn't have a chance to talk. 

	"Oh, someone tried to kill an empress by poisoning her drink."
Serena raised the drink she had in her hand and looked into it, quickly
replacing it in her lap. 

	"It was Rubeus wasn't it?" Mina said.

	"How observant of you, Mina." Mina huffed, and Serena smiled
sadly, casting a look at Hotaru. "But it wasn't for me."

	"Who was it for?" Setsuna asked.

	"It was for me." Hotaru returned Serena's gaze. 

	"But why would he?" Setsuna questioned.

	"He's been pressuring me since I started my reign, sending
troops close to my borders." Hotaru sighed, shaking her head. "You
saved my life."

	"I did it because I wished us to be friends. We are very much
alike." Serena grinned.

	"We will be more than friend your highness, we shall be allies."
Hotaru smiled, putting out her hand. Serena reached out and grabbed
it. Suddenly the wagon jolted to a stop, and shouting could be 
heard from outside. 

	"Now what?" Serena rolled her eyes and led the party outside.
Serena looked to find the soldiers huddled up ahead, one with his
crossbow ready. Once Serena reached the group she gasped at the little
tiger hissing up at the soldiers. It was a pure white Alvediacian Tiger
with piercing angry blue eyes. Serena put her hand on top the crossbow,
lowering it. "No need for that. I'll be right back." 

	Serena ran to her wagon and a few seconds later came back with
her glass of warm milk. She poured it into a bowl she carried in her
other hand, and slowly walked up to the frightened animal. It backed
away a little, and Serena began to coo quietly. 

	"It's alright little one, I'm not going to hurt you." Serena
said quietly. She was only a few feet away from it, and placed the
bowl down in front of her. She dipped her finger tip into the bowl and
held it in front of the cat's nose. It sniffed at it a moment and with
gaining confidence licked her fingertip. Serena surpressed a giggle
as she felt its rough tongue. She dipped her finger in again and held
it a little further away, so it had to walk closer. It followed her up
to the bowl, and after a couple tries she got it to drink out of the
bowl. Ten minutes later she had the little cat playing with her
bracelet, as the soldiers watched on in amazement.

	"How does she do it?" Anthony Junao asked Mina. Mina smiled,
shaking her head.

	"Who knows." She replied.

	"Um, your majesty, I think we should be going now." Anthony
proposed. "But I don't think taking the little guy with us is a good 
idea."

	Serena stood up, holding the little cat in her arms as it 
purred contentedly.

	"First of all, it's a little girl, and of course she's coming
with us." Serena stated and walked back to her wagon. "Common then,
let's get moving!"

	Anthony shook his head, thinking about what Broc would say
when they got back.


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