Chapter 11 - Masked

"Princess Solange is probably as bad as Prince Aster," Kanemi fumed. "Can't either of them see how obvious it is that we're asking for trouble. The Prince is at least new at ruling, but Solange should know better than to send her daughter into danger!"

"At least Princess Solange is sending your sister to keep an eye on Princess Eos," Hotaru said, eyeing the stack of papers Kanemi slammed against the table to illustrate her point. "Is that a script I see? I thought you said you we're doing any work related stuff until this was all over."

"It gives me something to do between battles." Kanemi replied. "Why, do you want to read it?"

Hotaru shook her head. "Oh no, I have my hands full being the 'Angel of Death' to want to be as famous as the great K-chan!"

"Oh, cut that out," Kanemi said.

****

Daniella's frame of thought was very similiar to her sister's as she lounged in her stateroom of the transport that would take her and Princess Eos to Stella City. She was surprised that Princess Solange had convinced her to go, Daniella wasn't really much for public appearances.

"But Daniella, if, Heaven forbid, Aurora becomes Tabbach Sun and dies, Eos must survive. Fate as been cruel to the spare heirs of the Lines!"

Daniella couldn't argue with that. Minako had drilled the virtues of duty to the Sol System and maintaining the Lines into both her daughters for as long as either could remember. Even if she wasn't of any of the Lines, Daniella couldn't go against that deeply ingrained instinct now just because the heads of the two Millennia were careless. Still, she wanted to stay and see if Daniel was going to be all right, but Eleanor shooed her away everytime she tried to check up on him.

****

"Prince Aster is out of his bloody mind," Adair said under her breath as she and Donovan floated of the dance floor. "He's asking for one of those Elemental senshi to swoop in and wreak havoc. It's the last thing he needs with his mother gone."

"That's why we're here, sister dearest," Donovan replied. "The Star senshi are among the most powerful in the Universe, and three out of four are here."

"At least Anastacia had the sense to stay home," Adair growled. She caught sight of Princess Patricia coming her way. "No, not now," she hissed under her breath.

"Adair, darling, you look beautiful," Patricia said, eyeing the sleeveless deep red dress Adair wore. It was conservative enough in the front, going all the way up to her neck. But the back was spectacular, plunging all the way down her back. It had a train too, with a golden lion embroidered in gold on it. It was an impressive enough dress for a companion of the Infanta of the Winter Throne, but not impressive enough to overshadow her.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Adair said. "Oh, look, isn't that Princess Eos arriving with the Lady Daniella?" she added, catching sight of the two of them being welcomed by Prince Aster and Tristan. Her companion's heads whipped in that direction, and Adair caught them both flushing, but for different reasons. She deduced that Patricia was probably fuming over Eos's over the top cloth-of-gold dress, while Donovan was probably smitten with the Lady Daniella, who was dressed in her usual black

"I must be introduced to them," Patricia said, barely masking the sheer envy in her voice. "Donovan, if you'd escort me?"

Donovan shot his sister a pained glance, but she shook her head. "Go on, brother dear. I'll find a new dance partner."

****

"Tell me again how we were able to sneak through the barrier around the Sol System and the Golden Crystal's barrier around Earth," Cynthia said from her perch on Shizuki's shoulder.

"Yes, do tell," Electra said coolly to the intruder in the dark cloak. "No one can enter Elysion without permission."

Shizuki froze at the sound of the familiar voice, with all the haughtiness Electra'd had years ago when she'd crashed Shizuki's coronation. She pulled back her hood, and Electra gasped.

"I think your sheilds wouldn't make much of a fuss over me," Shizuki replied.

****

"That's an interesting dress, Princess," Tristan said and Amalia, who'd been watching the dancing couples float across the floor, nearly spilled her drink.

"Thank you," she replied. "Father said it was his cousin's."

"I'm surprised it hasn't caused a stir," he said, looking over the black tuxedo styled dress. He'd nearly had a heart attack when he saw her walk in wearing that. So many memories... "You have her eyes."

"Father has them too," Amalia said. "Look, I think that lady wants to dance with you," she said, gesturing to a woman in a deep violet dress, her mask all but obscuring her face.

****

Solange sighed as she took her odango down for the night. She was beginning to see the first strands of white, though her fair hair kept them hidden to the casual glance. Her mother's curse wasn't content with taking away her childhood, now it was stealing away her best years. Or maybe it was the stress. All those years of trying to find Shizuki or her heir gone to waste. The Line of the Moon was dead, and she'd reduced her Line to mere guardians of a throne that would remain empty.

Solange looked critically up at her reflection. She'd been told countless times that she had an uncanny resemblance to her cousin, the first Neo Queen of Crystal Tokyo. She'd always said it was mere coincidence, the blue eyes of her mother and the blonde hair of her father. Mere coincidence, she couldn't be of that Line, she was Solana's only daughter. Or, at least, she thought so. One never knew everything Solana was thinking or everything she'd ever done. But with the Line of the Moon apparently dead...

Solange shook her head. Entertaining those kind of thoughts made her as bad as her mother.

****

"Don't look so shocked," Isabel whispered into Tristan's ear. "People will stare."

"You're supposed to be dead," he stammered, almost tripping over her feet.

"Oh, a lot of things that aren't supposed to be happening are happening," she said airly. "What's the matter with a little rising from the grave?"

"What do you want?" he asked, dipping her.

"I need you to keep a look out for me on certain things, and I know you'll keep the fact that I'm back in action to yourself," she said, all the humor gone from her voice. "Someone has royally screwed with the way things should have happened."

He shivered at her tone, recognizing it all too well. But he knew her anger wasn't directed at him. "Tell me more."

Meanwhile, across the dance floor, Prince Aster was deep in conversation with his cousin, Princess Eos.

"I believe that there is a way to bring Shizuki back, cousin," she said. "And with your help, I think we can do it."

"Really?" he asked.

"Come on, I'll show you," she said, taking him by the hand and leading him away.

Unknown to the two royals, both Daniella and Donovan, who'd been totally absorbed in one another just moments before, caught sight of them leaving and followed, Adair on their heels.

****

Aurora sat up in bed, gasping an all too familiar face looking down intently at her..

"You must run, you'll be safe enough on Nemesis with the others," Solana said, handing her granddaughter a small velvet pouch. Aurora took it, feeling the round jewel conscealed inside. "And if the time does come, you'll know the words to say."