"Serenity." She opened her eyes, and gasped at what she saw. "Serenity, it took you long enough to wake up!"
"Sol?" She reached a shaking hand out toward his face. "Sol? Is that you?"
"Of course it is!" He chuckled softly and caught her hand. "Who else would be in our bedroom this early in the morning?"
"Oh, Sol! I had the most terrible dream! I dreamt that Haven had found us, that Minerva was a traitor, and that you died fighting them off!" She started crying in relief. Sol was alive.
He enveloped her in comforting hug when he saw how disturbed she was. "Shh....don't worry. I'd never leave you. . ."
Never leave you. . .
Never leave you. . .
"I'll never leave you, Lady Serenity. Shh. Quiet down now. I'll never leave you."
That was the wrong voice. It didn't sound like Sol at all. She slowly opened her eyes again.
"Good, that's right, quiet down. I won't leave you." A dark shape hovered over her, trying to comfort her, to quiet her down. She struggled to focus her eyes. Luna.
Sol really was dead.
Serenity was suddenly overcome by a wave of nausea as that horrible thought struck her, and she rolled away from Luna in her cold, empty bed and held her hands to her mouth. She closed her eyes and concentrated on holding her food in its proper place. [Sol!] her mind screamed while she tried to muffle her crying. [Sol!]
*****
Aphrodite quickly tied her robe shut as she heard cries coming from Serenity's room. Again. Every night for the past month she'd woken up either crying or screaming. Aphrodite shook her head. The price of love could be high. As she walked towards Serenity's door, she saw Luna stumble in, disheveled and tired, but worried.
Aphrodite was still amazed by Luna's amazing recovery. She'd been dead when Artemis had brought her to the infirmary, but he'd simply placed his hands on her small furry cat body, and she'd shimmered into the human form of Luna they'd all known before, and she'd slowly blinked her eyes open. Aphrodite still wanted to know how she'd done that. It could be a handy trick someday!
She followed Luna into Serenity's room just as Serenity woke up and realized everything had been just a dream. She saw Serenity turn away from Luna's comfort and begin to retch and cry at the same time. She hurried to her friend's side and pulled her out of bed to help her stumble to the bathroom. After a few minutes Serenity lifted her weary head and reached out for a glass of water. Aphrodite looked at her, and an amazing thought struck her. If what she suspected was right, it could force Serenity to push her sorrow aside enough to begin ruling again. She leaned in close to Serenity.
"This is the fourth night in a row you've been sick like this, Serenity. Do you think it could be morning sickness?"
"What?" Serenity was too tired to think clearly.
"Do you think you could be pregnant?"
Serenity just looked up at her, then she began to count on her fingers and mumble to herself. Suddenly she looked at Aphrodite again with something like shock in her eyes. "It just could be."
Aphrodite nodded. Serenity could hardly be said to be glowing with all of the mourning she'd been doing, but she did have a certain look about her. Aphrodite sighed. As the only midwife, she'd be staying here for a while longer.
*****
"This is unbelievable!" Zeus laughed with delight in the council room. After such a tragedy, we're all about to be parents!"
Aphrodite's hands cradled her growing stomach as she smiled at Zeus. "Your wife is pregnant too? Congratulations!"
Hermes leaned in to talk to Aphrodite. "How is Serenity?"
Aphrodite shook her head. "Her pregnancy's coming along fine, and she's better than she was, but. . ." She sighed. "She's still so depressed. I don't know what to do to bring her out of it."
"Maybe we can ask Luna what she thinks. She and Luna have become very close lately." Aphrodite nodded and stood up.
"That's a good idea, I'll go do that." She walked down echoing, empty corridors until she came to Luna's suite. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Then a bleary-eyed Artemis stuck his head out his door and blinked.
"Are you looking for Luna?" he inquired sleepily.
"Yes. Why are you such a mess?"
"Serenity was screaming in her sleep again. Luna was exhausted from the night before, so I tried to calm her down."
"She has to get over this! We need her! Who else could hold everyone together? All of us on the inner planets are close, but all of the outers except Zeus are drifting away. We need her back! Ever since Minerva's planet was blasted into that asteroid field we've had a difficult time maintaining contact with them!"
Artemis nodded in agreement. "I know, but I don't know what to do anymore. Maybe we need a crisis or something to force her to pull herself out of this melancholy." He shook his head and yawned.
"Do you know where Luna is?"
"She's probably in the garden. She said the silverberry bush was about to bloom for the first time, and the flowers are all coming out. It must finally be spring on this planet. The seasons move slowly."
Aphrodite nodded and started turning to go to the garden when Charon suddenly popped into existence in front of Artemis' door. He leapt back with a shocked yelp and missed his footing to sprawl on the floor. Charon dismissed his antics with little more than a distracted look. "Aphrodite! Hurry! Ares' wife is having contractions! We need you on his planet!"
Without another word Aphrodite took her hand and they shimmered out of the palace.
*****
Charon tried to keep her footing after taking Aphrodite to Ares' planet, but the stabbing pain up her back made her knees fold up under her. Aphrodite turned to help her, but she weakly waved her off with vague comments about being tired, and the blond haired woman nodded and ran to help with the labor. Charon kept her breaths shallow and short as she thought about what this meant. It had only happened a couple of times before. One was during that horrible fight with the Haven ships when she had to teleport more than two people, and the other was when. . .when she had tried to carry someone else while she was pregnant!
She put her hands over her belly and wondered. Could it be? That would make sense, since she was already carrying two people every time she jumped while pregnant. Aphrodite would have made it seem like three to her magic. That must be the explanation. She waited about an hour for the pain to fade a little, then jumped back to Pluto to tell her husband the wonderful news.
*****
Hades answered the insistently beeping communicator. Chronos' face appeared on the screen. "The delivery was quick--Ares has a new daughter named Mars. In keeping with our new tradition, his planet has now been named the same." Hades nodded and smiled.
"That's wonderful news, Chronos. Have you heard anything new about Lady Serenity?"
Chronos was about to say something when Pluto suddenly ran into the room. "Daddy! Daddy! I wanna play a game!" Hades reached down to pick up his dark-skinned daughter and playfully batted at her dark green hair. He'd always wondered a bit at his daughter's dark complexion--his was so very pale, and Charon wasn't much darker. Pluto's skin looked almost as dark as Chronos'. Hades looked up to apologize for the interruption, only to catch a very strange look on Chronos' face. He was staring at Pluto as if seeing her for the first time, and the girl was staring back at him just as intently. Hades' stopped breathing for a second as an unthinkable thought struck him. He carefully examined both his daughter and Chronos. Reddish-purple eyes, dark skin, green hair. . .
It was true. Hades' mind spun in confusion for a split second. How could Charon do this to him? How could Chronos--
Suddenly Charon popped into the room. "Husband!" she cried happily. "I have wonderful news! I think I'm pregn--" She stopped suddenly, seeing the blank look in Hades' eyes, then she saw who was on the screen, staring at her daughter, and she realized what the men had both discovered. She brought shaking hands to her face. "No! N-no!" Without a word of explanation or apology she teleported out again.
Hades gave one black look to Chronos. "You're a dead man, Chronos," was all he said as he reached forward to cut off communication.
*****
Artemis decided it was time to get up, or he'd never get to sleep again that night. He finished getting dressed and wandered the palace in search of breakfast--or lunch, as the case may be. He finally found the kitchen and snatched a few loaves of bread and a glass of wine, then made his way toward the gardens. Maybe together, he and Luna could come up with a way to get Serenity out of her depressed state.
He slowly stepped into the garden and sniffed the flowery scent-laden air. It was so beautiful out today! The weather was warm, the flowers were coming out, the pastel plants were growing. . . He came to the center of the garden and found Luna watching the silverberry tree. She looked up as he walked into the grove and smiled at him.
"Hi, Artemis. What brings you out here?"
He offered her some of his bread and sat on the graceful stone bench next to her. She gratefully accepted and began to eat as he answered. "I'm worried about Lady Serenity. She's not getting any better, and I was wondering if we could come up with a possible solution to her depression."
"I can't think of anything," Luna began, and then Charon appeared out of thin air, right in front of Artemis again. He jumped backward over the bench and glared at her over it, breathing heavily.
"Do you have to do that to me all the time?" he cried. "I don't think my poor heart can take much more!" He stood up and began to wipe at his shirt. "And look, you made me spill all over myself!"
Charon ignored him again and grabbed Luna by the front of her dress. "Where's Serenity?"
Luna grappled with the desperate woman, trying to free herself. Finally she pulled free with a loud rip. The lace inset on her dress had been torn right off. She looked back up at Charon. "What'd you go and do that for? Serenity's not feeling well. She's probably in her room."
"I need to see her!" Charon took the torn piece of lace and twisted it nervously in her hands. "It's an emergency!"
"Surely it can wait unti--"
"You don't understand !" Charon wailed. "I had an affair with--with Chronos ! Pluto's his child, and Hades j-just f-f-f-found out !" She began to shake and cry. "They'll kill each other! They'll kill each other, and then what will I do?!"
Luna gave Artemis a commanding look, then moved in to comfort the shaking woman. Artemis took off for Serenity's quarters. He really wished that they didn't need to have something so drastic happen, but at the very least it might help pull Serenity out of her slump.
*****
Artemis ran to Serenity's quarters, but she wasn't there. He dashed off to the council room in the hopes that the inner planet nobles hadn't scattered to their ships yet to go visit Ares, his wife and his new daughter. He arrived, out of breath, to see Hermes and Zeus and Serenity all quietly talking around the almost empty council table. He stumbled to Serenity's side and stopped, gasping, in front of her. Hermes and Zeus looked up at him in surprise and annoyance, but Serenity smiled sweetly at him.
"What is it, Artemis?"
"Charon just teleported into the garden, Lady Serenity, and she says--well--she says. . ." Artemis cleared his throat uncomfortably, then rushed forward, deciding to get such disturbing news out as quickly as possible. "She says she cheated on Hades with Chronos and that Hades just found out-" Hermes and Zeus leapt to their feet with startled cries, but Serenity just nodded.
"I had guessed that was what she had done, but I never asked." She shook her head slowly. "How could she be so foolish?" She bowed her head.
Artemis hesitantly reached out to touch her. "Serenity, you're the only one with enough power to stop this from blowing up in our faces."
"Ever since Minerva and her planet were both destroyed the outers have been drifting farther from us, Serenity, politically as well as physically. None of us have any influence over them anymore." Hermes murmured in agreement.
She sighed and raised her head. Artemis thought he heard her mutter her husband's name under her breath, then she stood up resolutely and began to walk out of the room. The three men took off after her. "Where are you going, Serenity?" Zeus called out. Serenity didn't even slow her pace or turn her head, but eventually she answered.
"Artemis said that Charon was in the garden. I'm going to have to stop this now, before they actually have a chance to start fighting. Charon's the only one that can move fast enough. I have to get her to transport me there."
Zeus smiled proudly. "I knew you'd be strong enough to help us when things really got bad, Serenity. Hermes here didn't think you'd ever get over losing Sol." He boisterously slapped an embarrassed Hermes on the back. Serenity's eyes darkened a bit at the mention of her husband's name, but she smiled weakly.
"I'm glad you had so much faith in me, Zeus. I'm afraid I myself would have had Hermes opinion, but I guess I'm stronger than I thought. . ." She trailed off to a whisper, then shook her head and began to stroll purposefully off toward the garden.
Zeus turned to Hermes. "We should follow along in our ships. We may not get there as fast, but maybe we can provide her with some backup."
"That sounds like a good idea. Let's go!" They ran off leaving Artemis alone in the corridor. He decided to go to the garden, since he and Luna couldn't do anything else.
*****
Charon knelt on the floor of Chronos' palace, groaning with pain, but Serenity stepped away from her without more than a concerned glance. She had something more important to attend to, and she couldn't help being angry at Charon for bringing this trouble on them. She strode down the main corridor and pulled Ginzuishou out as she neared the door to his main chamber. She reached out and knocked.
"Who is it?" Chronos' voice sounded angry and unsure.
"It's Serenity. Open up. Now." She put the crack of authority into her voice, something she rarely bothered with. The door opened almost immediately.
"How--how much do you know?" he asked as he stepped back to let her in.
She swept in. "Everything. You had an affair with Charon awhile ago, though I think it's been over for a time. Pluto is your daughter. And now Hades knows about it and is probably going to kill you."
"No, he won't. I was just preparing to travel back and fix this mess--"
" I FORBIT IT !" Her voice echoed back and forth in the stone chamber, and Chronos froze, shocked by her outburst. "I will not let you adjust the time stream for your own benefit!" She held up her fist to reveal that she was holding Ginzuishou. "I will use any means necessary to prevent it, Chronos. Any means."
Chronos recovered enough to draw himself up to his full height. "Does that mean you're taking Hades' side? Are you going to allow him to--"
Serenity didn't even bother to respond to that. Instead she just gave him such a rage-filled look that he quickly closed his mouth and turned to walk to his chair and sit down in front of the fire. Serenity walked up next to him and stood over him, looking down. "I'm not going to take sides," she began softly. "I need both of you. I'm quite angry at you and Charon for causing this situation, but I will prevent you from using your power, and I will prevent Hades from using his. I will not tolerate infighting."
Chronos just nodded, lost in thought, his eyes on the flames. There was another knock on Chronos' chamber door, and he looked up with panic in his eyes. Serenity strode over to answer it, holding Ginzuishou tightly in her hand. As she neared the door Chronos rose to his feet and stepped up close behind her. Serenity pulled open the door, and Chronos gripped his Garnet Rod, ready for anything.
Charon stumbled in, as if she'd been leaning on the door. Her eyes were red and tears fell down her face, mingling with the sweat that stood out on her face. She tripped as she came into the room, and Chronos dropped his staff with a metallic clatter as he moved in to catch her. "What's wrong?" he asked her, worried.
"I-I'm pregnant, and since Serenity is too, I was carrying four of us here. Even with power from Ginzuishou. . ." She groaned softly and collapsed in his arms. Just then Hades strode in behind her.
"You! You don't even have the decency to hide what you've been doing anymore! Is that it?" His eyes seemed to catch fire, and he began to walk purposefully forward, but Serenity interposed herself between Hades and Chronos.
"Stop!" She again held up her hand, only this time Ginzuishou was pulsing with a threatening light. "I will not allow you to do this!"
"But Serenity! Don't you know what my wife and this man have done?"
"Of course I know. I've known for a long time. But I cannot allow you to destroy either of them or this planet because of it. I have to look past the fact that you have been wronged. I need you both too much to allow anything to happen to you." She stepped up to Hades and put a cool hand--the one that wasn't holding Ginzuishou--on Hades' forearm. "I know you are the one who has been wronged, but I can't allow you to exact revenge. I need your solemn oath that you won't harm either of them. I won't allow them to do anything to you either."
Hades didn't say anything at first, then he turned to face his wife and Chronos. "How long? How long have you been. . ."
Charon looked wearily up at him. "I stopped before Pluto was even born. I couldn't do it anymore, no matter how I felt--" She pushed herself off Chronos' chest and made her way toward him. "I love you, Hades, and I'm so very sorry." She held her arms out toward him, but he turned away.
"Get away from me," he growled angrily.
"But, Hades, I'm pregnant again."
"Whose is it this time?"
"Hades!" Charon brought shocked hands up to her mouth. "Yours!"
"I don't believe you. I don't ever want to see you again. Stay with you lover if he'll still have you. I want nothing to do with you." Hades glanced at Serenity. "I'll do nothing more to either of them." He walked out of the chamber.
"Hades! Hades! Wait!" Charon took off after him, but she couldn't run in her condition, and fell to the stone floor with a thud. "Hades. . ." She put her face in her arms and began to cry. Chronos quickly made his way to Charon's side, knelt next to her, and began to soothe her.
Now that the crisis was over Serenity's face went pale and waxy, and she began to stumble toward the entrance to Chronos' palace. Just as she made it to the door Hermes and Zeus burst into the room, with Aphrodite, Gaia and Ares close behind. Serenity collapsed against Zeus' chest. "I knew you'd follow me here," she smiled faintly. "You should have trusted me, but I'm glad you're here. Bring me to your ship, please. I need to get back to my planet now."
"Why the rush, Serenity?" Aphrodite asked, curious.
"Because, I'm about to have my baby."
*****
Serenity's voice was worn out from her cries of pain, so she lay back and gasped quietly. She'd been carried off the ship while in labor at her own insistence, so her daughter could be born on her planet, and hopefully receive the planet crystal. It had been a long and hard labor, and it was finally over. She wearily lifted her head just as Luna reached out to wipe the sweat off her face. "I-is the baby all right?" Aphrodite looked up at her with a wide smile.
"The baby's fine. Just a minute, let me wrap her up."
"A girl? I have a daughter?"
"Here you go, Serenity."
Serenity reached out for the wrapped bundle, and pulled back the corner of the blanket that covered her new daughter's face. She began to cry in disappointment. Her daughter's eyes were blue, like her own. She'd hoped her daughter would have Sol's wonderful amber eyes, but they were sapphire instead. Then she pulled the corner of the blanket back farther off her daughter's head, and her tears turned from sorrow to joy, because on her daughter's head rested one lock of hair, a bright, glorious gold, yellow as the sun. She leaned forward and gave her daughter a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Welcome to the universe, little Serenity."