The Forgotten Legend

Chapter 3
Growth

“Faster Amethyst. That speed’s going to get you killed.” Serenity says, swinging her sword above her head.

Amethyst flipped backwards and pulled her sword against her chest. “I’m not a child any longer, Mother. Fight me with your full strength,” she counters breathlessly.

Serenity smirks at her daughter, “You are not yet ready to take me on, and until you are, I’m not letting you go the Southern Palace. Let’s stop for now.” And with that, the elegant queen sheathes her sword, and waddles over to where a bench rests against a wall.

“How’s the baby, Mother?”

Serenity pats her very round stomach, and smiles at her other daughter, “She’s just fine, Amethyst. A little exercise doesn’t hurt her.”

Amethyst stretched her sore muscles, flexing her arms and legs. Quite a bit of time has passed, and under her great mother’s tutelage, she has started forming the lean body of the hunter her kind was born to be. At the age of only 329, Amethyst was still very young so she lived under her mother’s name and house.

She walked over to the edge of the arena where she and her mother spared daily, and watched some of the servants rush back and forth outside the palace grounds.

The great doors burst open, and the Queen’s captain of the guards came into the room. He bows in front of the pregnant woman resting on the bench.

“My Queen, there is a matter which needs your immediate attention. Queen Beryl has just appeared at the castle gates, requesting an audience with you.”

Serenity sighs and climbs to her feet, “Show her to the courts. Amethyst and I are going to change first; we’ll be there in 15 minutes.” Her Captain bows again and turns to leave. “Oh, and Daniel, make sure that a guard is posted near her. She may be a guest, but I don’t trust her alone.”

“Yes, my Queen.” And with that he left, leaving the doors open behind him.

“Well, Amethyst, I guess that we’re going to have to cut training short today. Now let’s go get ready. Beryl won’t wait long before she starts to get restless.”

“Why are we entertaining her Mother? All she does is manipulate people.”

Serenity paused as she opened the door to her room, beckoning her daughter inside with her. “She has the people of Earth on her side. We have to make sure that they are happy, and if Beryl is happy, her people are happy.”

“But Mother,” Amethyst says as she pulls a light lavender gown over head, “if she has the star seed of Earth, then we’re going to need her as an ally.”

Serenity pauses while pulling out a silver gown for herself. “I don’t think that she has the Earth star seed. I think that we would have felt it before now. Besides, anyone can have it, not just royalty.”

“So anyone with blood from the Earth can have it? Or is it just full blooded Earthlings?”

“You know, Amethyst, I’m not really sure if you have to be full blooded or not. I don’t think that the mingling of races from the other planets has happened before in this system.”

Serenity fixes her long silver locks into her unique style of buns and long pony tails. She motions to her daughter, “Come here and let me fix your hair.” Amethyst sits down in front of her mother, and takes her hair out of her pony tail. Serenity brushes Amethyst’s hair into a bun at the back of her head and braided a lock to twist around the outside of the bun to lock it in place. Serenity pets her daughter’s fluffy white ears on the top of her head, “I think that that we’re ready to entertain the Earth’s queen, don’t you think so, dear?”

“You know that I would rather face her in armor than in this,” she glances down at the gossamer fabric covering her body.
“Remember, that to face an enemy on the battlefield takes courage,” Serenity leans in, “but to meet them in the courts, is a feat of true bravery.” She holds her hand out, “Now, come on. We have an audience hold.”

Amethyst rushes to open the door for her mother, and falls in slightly behind her to the right, showing her deference to her mother’s status. Even though she looked about 14 years old, Amethyst knew that her mother was still leagues ahead of her. She wanted so badly to be presented in the demon courts, but realized that her mother was never going to give her consent until Amethyst proved herself worthy. Until that time, she would train herself to become the strongest. Being a hanyou would not stop her in her quest.

Her musings were halted as soon as the doors to the Great Hall were opened. The guards lining to hall came to attention on bowed to the two women as they entered. Queen Serenity lead the way to the two thrones on the dais at the end of the hall. Once seating herself, and turning to her daughter, she motions to the guards at the antechamber to show her guest in. As the doors open, Beryl strides in and sneers at the two women sitting elevated from her. She glides over and bows to the Queen above her, but pays Amethyst no heed. Amethyst lowers her eyes at Beryl, showing her disgust openly. Whispers start flying about Beryl’s lack of respect for the Princess and Heir, and Amethyst’s response.

Serenity glances over at her daughter, and turns back to the woman standing only slightly below her.
“I here that you requested an audience, and now that you are here, please state your request.” Queen Serenity addresses Beryl more formally than usual.

Beryl turns to face the queen in front of her, “As the Queen, and star seed holder of Earth, I propose a treaty.”

Queen Serenity considers a moment, “You propose something that you cannot deliver upon. You may have the love of the people of the Earth, but to be their true Queen, you must contain the star seed within you. I do not believe that you house that seed. You must prove to me that you are fit to rule before I will discuss any treaty with you.”

Beryl’s face turns up in a malicious smile, “I thought that you might need proof. I will comply with any and all tests that you may require to prove my worth in your eyes, but remember that I will always have the love of the people, and this Kingdom will not survive without the Earth and Moon working together in harmony.”

“That may be, but this Millennium Kingdom will live on,” she pats her very large belly, and the baby contained within it, “through this child, and the Heir that you so blatantly disrespected in my courts.” She waves Beryl out of her court, with no word on anything that Beryl had said.

Queen Beryl bowed slightly, and turned her back on the royal family sitting above her, and walked out the way she came in. The entire court gasps in complete surprise as Queen Serenity shakes with barely contained rage. As soon as the doors to the antechamber closed, she moved very quickly towards the main entrance. Amethyst got up and raced after her mother, not saying anything until after the doors closed.

“Mother, Mother! What happened in there?” Amethyst calls after her.

Queen Serenity stops, “We will talk about this in my room. Follow me.” And with that, she continues towards her room.

Amethyst walks after her mother, thinking about what had just happened.

‘I wonder what Mother was so upset about. I know that Beryl had disrespected all of us by turning her back on us, but there was something else too. I don’t believe that Queen Beryl has the Earth star seed, and I don’t think that Mother believed her either. But if Beryl doesn’t have it, then who does? Mother said that they couldn’t find it among the commoners, or the minor royalty. Could Beryl have it? Mother said that it usually appears in the royal families, and the King and Queen of Earth have a son, who couldn’t hold it, which is why Beryl has so much power. And if she truly does have the star seed, she has the right to rule over the current royal family. Could their son, have it? I thought that it couldn’t appear in males. Maybe I’ll ask Mother.’
Her thoughts lead her swiftly to her Mother’s room. Taking a deep breath she opens the door, and sees her mother sitting upon her bed, holding a bag. Her fingers ran over the worn embroidered leather edges. The Queen did not seem to notice her daughter standing right in front of her.

Without looking up, she speaks. “Come here, my daughter. With a looming enemy like Beryl, I think that it’s finally time that you learned about what you are.”

“What I am? What do you mean Mother? I already know that I’m a hanyou.”

Serenity looked up at her almost grown daughter standing before her. “I want you to know the history of our people. I have kept you sheltered from everything for far too long.” She sighs, “You that I am a Cloud Kitsune, and therefore you are half of what I am. But just because you are a hanyou, doesn’t mean that you are destined to be weaker than those who are full demon.”

“I know that already Mother. I’m going to become that strongest ever!”

“You were born to be strongest, with your father’s heritage.”

“Mother?”

Queen Serenity patted the open spot next to her, “Sit down next to me. I’m going to tell you a story that was told to me when you were born.

“When you were born, the doctor came and told me that I had had a girl. I was excited at the news, and when I looked to your father, I was surprised to find him passed out on the floor.” Serenity smiled wistfully at the memory. “When I asked him what was wrong, he looked at the doctor, back at me, and after a silent threat to the doctor, told me the scariest thing in my life.

‘If Frieza finds out about her, he’s going to kill her.’

Amethyst’s eyes widened at this. “Kill me….!” She whispered.

Serenity blinked her crystal blue eyes slowly at her daughter, “Yes, kill you. But let me finish and you’ll find out why. Your Father elaborated, and I wanted to hear more, but dreading the burden that that knowledge would bring.”

‘There is a legend, one from times long past. It tells of the birth of a girl to the royal family. This child would be the savior of her people. She would lead her world into a time of great prosperity and growth. Frieza is a being of great power; no one had ever dared to challenge him openly in over 300 years. And when Frieza learned of this great legend, he found the excuse he needed to start killing off the royal family, one princess at a time. Up until that point, Frieza was in a sort of treaty with the Saiyans. They were his solders, and he would not destroy their planet. Frieza was always looking for an edge upon the royal family, and as he started killing the girls, the Saiyans took action. They launched a doomed assault upon Frieza’s ship, almost destroying everything they sought to protect. So each time a girl child is born, she is to be brought before Frieza, and if he finds her too powerful, he will kill her without a thought. He would know of your birth, and when you were brought before him, you would be killed even without any examination.’

“Everyone could tell that you were powerful. Your father practically died when he saw your golden hair and emerald colored eyes. He told me that Super Saiyans were rumored to have golden hair and green eyes. And to be born a Super Saiyan, I’d say says a lot about your power. I told your father that I didn’t think that you were a Super Saiyan, first that you were only half Saiyan, and that you could look like anything, if our DNA mixed naturally to form you.

“The day of your birth was about to be the day of your death. I told him no. We weren’t even supposed to be able to conceive a child, with how different our races were, but have a child we did. I held you in my arms, petting the fuzz on your head that would become those cute little ears of yours. I told your father that I would protect my first child with my life; that Frieza would have to go through me first to get to you.”

Amethyst stared at her mother with rapt attention. “What happened? Did you take me before Frieza?”

Serenity took a deep breath, “Yes.” Glancing over at the horrified look on her daughter’s face, she quickly elaborated. “I had to Amethyst. It was tradition. Frieza looked at every child born. Even though I was an outsider, I was not immune from this custom. However, your father and I talked it over and we decided to hide the fact that you were a hanyou from Frieza.”

Amethyst frowned, “How is that possible? It’s obvious that I am a hanyou. If Frieza is as intelligent as you say he is, wouldn’t he have realized it?”

Queen Serenity smiled knowingly at her daughter, “Yes, Frieza is amazingly intelligent, but, remember, I came from a different dimension. I was a unique creature on Planet Vegeta, and who’s to say that I wasn’t pregnant when I arrived?”

Amethyst’s eyes lit up with understanding, “You’re right, Mother. Who’s to say that I didn’t look like you?”

Queen Serenity’s eye’s hardened suddenly, “We almost didn’t get away with it, so don’t feel so lucky. Frieza felt your power and since you looked like the fabled Super Saiyan, he almost killed before I could say anything. Remember, you don’t look like me, or like your Father.”

Looking down, and brushing a loose tendril of golden hair out of her eyes, Amethyst looked intently at her hands. “Why don’t I look like you or Father?” she whispered.

Pulling her daughter into her arms, “I don’t know, dear. You look, and act like, you. Don’t worry, everyone is here for a reason, you just haven’t discovered yours yet.”

A loud knock at the door disturbed the small moment between mother and daughter. Queen Serenity picked herself up off the bed, “Who’s there?”

Daniel opens the door, bowing, “It’s me, my Queen. I’m sorry for disturbing you, however, I need to inform you that Queen Beryl has left for Earth, but she left you something that I think you need to see.”

Serenity turns to her daughter, and picks up the soft covered, worn leather bag she had been holding earlier. Handing her the pack, she whispers, “Open this and understand. This was all I had when I was delivered to your father’s planet.” She lowers her voice even more, almost to the point where Amethyst couldn’t hear her, “I won’t ever go back to that place, so this is all you’ll ever have of that place.”

Straitening her dress, Queen Serenity nods to Daniel, and leaves the room quietly, Daniel closing the door behind him. Amethyst runs her left hand over the supple leather the bag was made up of. Opening the clasp holding it closed, she begins to remove the few items it contains. Pulling out a beautiful kimono, she holds it close feeling the silk slide along her hands. “Beautiful,” she whispers.

The kimono was the most beautiful shade of red. Rich, deep, vibrant and entrancing, the red looked like fresh blood had spilled all over the fabric and had never dried. Embroidered on the back of the gown was a sunset. However the sun itself is what caught Amethyst’s attention. It was not a real sun, but a symbol of one, a symbol that was a replica of the one on her forehead. “What is this symbol? Why is it here,” she whispers, running her fingers over the design. “And.…” she reaches up and touches her forehead, “…here.”

Putting her thoughts aside, she reached in and pulls out the next item, a delicate golden crown. But the most unusual crown Amethyst had ever seen. Simple in the front, but turning it around, Amethyst gasped, the back was an elaborate mix of colors, seeming to emanate from the metal itself. There was even room for her ears on the top. Amethyst frowned at this, because these openings in the top seemed to have the sole purpose of leaving room for her ears, not her mothers. “Was this made for me, or did Mother really wear this?”

Reaching in one more time, Amethyst pulls out the next item, a short wand. It was about a foot long and made of a metal that Amethyst had never seen. Silver in color with decorations in precious stones, the wand was topped with… nothing. Amethyst looked at it in confusion, where was the top to the wand? There seemed to be a depression where… something would fit. Unsure of its use, Amethyst puts it gently aside.

Looking into the bag, she spies something near the bottom, the last thing in the bag. Pulling it out, tears formed in her eyes. Here in her hands, Amethyst was holding a small painting of her family. Smiling, she brushed her fingertips across the face of her mother, noting the smile of pure happiness on her mother’s face. Passing her eyes along the painting, she stares a long time at the man standing behind her mother. “Father…” she whispers. King Vegeta looked composed, but anybody could see the happiness and joy that was just under the surface; his brown eyes shown, bright and shining. His large pointy hair sticking up like usual. Amethyst only had short, fuzzy memories of her Father, never a picture. She turned and smiled at the little girl who sat on her Mother’s lap. Long golden hair, and shining emerald colored eyes, Amethyst was looking at herself. ‘So young…’ she thought. Frowning, she looked at the 4th person who was pictured. ‘Who is that?’ He looked exactly like her Father, only about 40 years younger. And then, like a tidal wave, it hit her. “Frère…. Oh, Brother, how could I have forgotten about you?” Hugging the small painting to her chest, she spies something written on the back.

‘To my dearest Serene. You are always in my heart, beloved Daughter. Love Father’

“Serene…? But my name is Amethyst. Isn’t it?” Amethyst thinks back, trying to remember why her father called her something different. The memory came to her, slowly at first, then with full clarity, as if it was yesterday.

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‘Father, Father, wait up. FATHER!’ A young Amethyst yelled down the hallway.
The tall man turned around and caught the child in his arms, “Now Serene, what did I tell you about calling me that while we were out?”
The child looked away, embarrassment coloring her cheeks, “Sorry, Your Majesty, I couldn’t help myself.”
The man smiled down at her, and leaned over and whispered, “Do not be sorry, my bright one. You will always be my one and only beloved Daughter. Never doubt my love, ok?”
The child looked up and gave her Father a large, happy smile. “Ok, Papa, I won’t. And I promise to be more careful.”
King Vegeta put her down, kissing her on the head. “That’s my girl. Now, go and find your Mother, you shouldn’t be away from her for very long.”
“Yes, Papa.”….
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“Yes, Papa.” Opening her eyes, Serene found herself on her Mother’s bed, not in her Father’s palace. Tears fell down her cheeks while Serene remembered memories, scents, sights, and sounds from her childhood, which she didn’t even realize that she had forgotten.

“Am I a Saiyan?” she asked herself. Shaking her head, “No, I’m not a true Saiyan, but I’m not a true demon either, like Mother is. So what am I?”

Grabbing the kimono off of the bed, she removes the gauzy gossamer gown that she had gotten used to wearing. Slipping the silk over her skin, she realized that she felt, almost at home in this fabric, in this outfit. Securing the golden obi around her waist, Serene realized that this felt, somehow natural.

“Maybe to discover what I am, I need to first discover where I belong.” Turning to look at herself in the mirror, she grabbed the crown off of the bed, placing it on her head. Poking her cute, fuzzy white ears through the openings in the top, she didn’t even recognize herself. She looked demon, but then again, she looked somehow other than that, something different, something more than just her Mother or Father. She was Serene, not Amethyst, not Princess, just plain Serene. She understands that now. Grabbing the worn leather pack that started this transformation, she packs the small painting of her family and the incomplete wand that was in there, and swung it on her back. Stepping out of her Mother’s room, she follows the hall down towards the main doors. Her Mother said that she was not ready to travel to the Southern Lands. Maybe Amethyst wasn’t, but Serene is. And it is Serene who takes these first steps toward her own future. Next stop, the Southern Lands.

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Thanks to everyone for reading this story, and sorry that I haven’t updated in so long. Don’t worry, I haven’t died, yet. Just all this moving and changing jobs, equals lots of stress, so I haven’t been writing in a while.
Please read and review, trust me, everything will make sense soon. I just need to develop Serene and then onto the main story.
Thanks to all!
~Sailor Earth >^^<