Have you ever noticed in that in almost every series arc of "Sailor Moon", it's Mamoru who pushes Usagi away?  She then spends a great deal of plot time tying to win him back for what ever reason.  Mamoru has never really had any serious competition for the affections of the Moon Princess.  Here in chapter three, that's about to change.

Thanks ever so much to everyone who has taken the time to write!  It's so very nice to know that there are people actually reading my story.  You like, me you really like!  Let me know what you think about my work by writing me at Mearari@aol.com.  And be kind.  The good you do comes back to you, but bad karma is forever!

Special thanks go out to the exceptionally talented Masked Maiden for beta work with the story.  If you haven't read any of her tales do so.  You are in for a treat!  Thank you to Karyana, Princess of the Moon and all points south of Delaware, for permission to briefly use her brainchild, Lorilei.  The S'Eyre are my creation and I would have you ask my permission if you'd like to use them in a story.


STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon.  Sad isn't it?
 
"Royal Wedding"
A Sailor Moon story in more than three parts
By Meara
Chapter 3 - "The Unwelcome Guest" 
Or
"Don't Let The Gate Hit You Where The Dog Just Bit you"

Although both Mamoru and Usagi were simply exhausted, neither could drop off to sleep.  It could have been due to any number of problems that had arisen that day.  For one, the newly arrived Ambassador from the S'Eyre Imperium, one Prince Jameth by name, had taken it into his head that he was going to marry Usagi.  He'd arrived by a method of travel known as "a gate" with enough presents to fill a tractor trailer, determined to woo the lovely Queen of Earth.

Or could have been the excitement they both felt at the news that Usagi was pregnant with their first child.  Mamoru was somewhat reluctant to go through with the big, splashy ceremony he'd promised Usagi so that they could renew their wedding vows to each other in a public venue.  She kept assuring him that she'd be fine, but as always, he worried about her.  Heaven knew that he'd had many a sleepless night concerned for her well being before.

But most likely, it was the fact that, just as Setsuna had predicted, Jameth was standing under a full moon singing badly translated love songs under their bedroom window. The fledgling Ambassador seemed to be doing some sort of S'Eyre salute to Elvis Presly. He started with "Love Me Tender", proceeded to massacre "Heartbreak Hotel" (Instead of "hotel" he'd translated it as "hostel". Which was accurate enough when one considered how Mamoru felt about him.) and was currently crooning "Rock a Hula Baby" when Mamoru reached the limit of his endurance.  With a growl he flung aside the blankets on the large bed he and Usagi shared and marched toward the window.  The King was mumbling vague threats to the warbling Prince's life as he slammed it open.  A small gesture brought one of his mystical roses to his hand.  He drew it back with every intention of ending Jameth's fledgling career as a singing idol when Usagi intervened.

"Mamo-chan, no!"  she nearly shrieked, "He's an ambassador!  You can't kill him."

"I wasn't going to kill him, Usako.  Just hurt him some."  Mamoru was more than a little peeved at being denied.  "And what would you suggest I do, oh model of decorum?"

Usagi didn't even have to think twice.  She pointed at the table near the window.  "Use the vase the English Marquis gave us.  You always said it was in bad taste, so it's just the thing."

As Jameth lurched into the second verse, Mamoru grabbed the intended porcelain projectile and, forgetting diplomatic courtesy, flung the vase at the princeling's head. There was a crash, an alien curse word or two, and then blessed silence.  

The King of Earth gave the magic rose to his beloved as he climbed back into the bed.  "I suppose that only ends the problem for tonight." He sighed, snuggling up to Usagi.  "The morning is time enough to think of something more permanent.  Like poison."

Usagi's voice was all ready slurring as she dropped into sleep.  "That's okay.  I asked Luna to check him out and give us some options.  She'll think of something."
<<<<<>>>>>
Luna looked unhappy, the next morning, as she reported, "I'm afraid he's genuine. He really is an Ambassador from the S'Eyre. Somehow he got ahold of a copy of the ancient "Treaty of Selene" and read one of the sub paragraphs."
The name of the treaty rang a faint bell in Usagi's memory. "Is that a pact my mother signed in the last days of the Moon Kingdom? Some sort of mutual aide and defense accord, right?"
Luna nodded in agreement, "Exactly. The two empires had a number of common concerns and mutual borders. Who would have thought that anyone would have remembered a 2,000 year old treaty, never mind the details of it?"
Mamoru had retreated, at Usagi's request, to a large chair that faced the empty fireplace. He was sitting with arms folded, the picture of surpressed rage when he growled, "This Jameth person certainly seems to know a great deal about it."
"When this treaty was signed 2,000 years ago," Artemis looked chagrinned. "Your mother, the Queen and a High King of the S'Eyre by the same name as this one, Cryill, suggested that somewhere down the line, it would be a good idea for a Prince of the S'Eyre to marry a Princess of the Silver Millenium. This way the two empires would be united and insure the safety of both. Jameth seems to be taking that suggestion rather to heart."
Mamoru moved to the window overlooking the garden. He was wearing his black armor from his days as Prince Endymion of Earth. He looked quite formidable, which of course, was the impression he was trying to get across to Jameth. There was nothing like unrelieved black to make the fashion statement - "Screw with me and die!".
"Someone needs to have a little talk with the 'ambassador' before this goes any farther." A wicked smile formed on Mamoru's lips. "And I think I know just the right person for this job."
<<<<>>>>>

Setsuna had been not entirely surprise when the call came from the King. Since her mother had been a Princess of the S'Eyre, she was technically at least, a member of the Royal House of Cordae. Which, coincidentally, was the same house Jameth hailed from. The S'Eyre revered their elders and Setsuna was far and away the eldest member of that royal house.  The truth be told, she had socks that were not only older than Jameth, but had more innate common sense than the vapid prince.

Sailor Pluto had stayed in contact with her mother's people all through the long years as she waited for Serenity and the Senshi to be reborn. In fact, her status as Keeper of the Gate of Time gave her a reputation that bordered on the legendary. Most of the time, she tried to play down that aspect.  It was hard to hold a conversation with someone who considered you a cultural icon. Today, however, she milked it for all it was worth.
Jameth had been in the sitting room of spacious ambassadorial apartments he'd been given when a portal opened with a thundering whoosh. Intense silver light filled the room. As it faded Setsuna, Princess of Pluto, Senshi of the Silver Millenium, Princess of the House of Cordae and Keeper of the Gate of Time stood before him. She held her Staff of Time in her right hand as power played about her exquisite form. 
"Jameth, son of Maivelle and Groven" her voice seemed to echo through eternity, "I have come to tell you to cease and desist your suit of Queen Serenity." The light faded to normal as she added, "You are really ticking off the King of Earth. If you don't stop here and now, you could wind up eating all your meals through a straw for the rest of your life."

Jameth, dressed in a white morning coat (again, complete with tails)and powder blue shirt and short pants. His carefully coordinating white stockings glared from polished sliver shoes. He had been busily attempting to translate a love song he'd found from the late 20th century. The title seemed fine, "My Heart Will Go On", but the concept was eluding him. How could an internal organ possibly go anywhere? He pushed to sheet music to one side as Pluto spoke to him and stumbled to his feet.
"But why?" he protested petulantly, even as he gave a short bow "It was the wish of both the High King and the Moon Kingdom's Queen that one of the People would marry a Princess of the Silver Millenium. And Serenity is the last princess of that dynasty." He was very pleased with his own logic. Ever since Jameth had found a copy of that ancient document in his Mother's library, he'd become fascinated with the story of the Moon Kingdom. Princess Serenity seemed to call to him across the years. When the High King had announced that she and her warriors had awakened, he simply knew that he must go to Earth and make her his wife. Jameth had called in every favor, pulled every string, and lobbied the High King relentlessly in order to get the post as Ambassador to Earth. He wasn't about to let anything get in the way of his most cherished dream. Not even the esteemed Gate Keeper of Time!
Setsuna could see that she wasn't getting through to the love sick lothario. So she did the very last thing expected of a legend. With flowing movements she strode over to where Jameth stood. She whacked him on the head once, mussing his carefully done hair with that venerable relic of two millennium, the Timestaff. "Because she's all ready married, you twit."
Poor Jameth's most cherished dream shattered about him like a plate glass window in a baseball factory.  "Married?" he began lamely.  "Married before witnesses on holy ground?"  This couldn't be happening to him!
Damn, thought Setsuna, why couldn't Mamoru and Usagi have done it the traditional way the first time? "Yes" replied the Senshi of Pluto in a noncommittal tone, "Duly married in front of witnesses."
Jameth had not spent his entire life at a Royal court for nothing, He knew how to read between the lines and figure out what was not being said. "But not on holy ground." He said. "They are not married in the eyes of the Master of Life, therefore my suit may continue."
Sailor Pluto sighed inwardly. She'd hoped not to have use the information she possessed but it seemed there was no other way to get Jameth to back off. "The Queen is pregnant." She stated gravely.
"How wonderful!" exclaimed the smitten S'Eyre. "This is proof of her fertility. We can have a child that could someday rule both empires!"
"She's pregnant" repeated Setsuna through clenched teeth, "by the King."
Jameth gave a dismissive wave of his ring bedecked hand as he turned back to his music, "Then the King of Earth will have something to remember her by when she marries me. Thank you for your information, it will be most useful as I woo her."
The temptation to throttle the overdressed popinjay was almost overwhelming. As she opened a portal to the time corridor Setsuna entertained fantasies of dropping the upper class twit down a dry well. She indulged herself in a showy, dramatic exit instead.
Raising the Timestaff high she summoned a mystic wind as the room flooded with arcane light. "Heed me, son of the House of Cordae! The Queen of Earth is not for you!" Letting the words echo through the chamber she stepped through the portal and snapped it shut behind her.
Lorilei, twin and soulmate to Setsuna watched her sister stomp by her without a word. The look on the Gatekeeper's face said it all.
"Went about as you expected, eh?" It was more a statement on Lorilei's part than a question.
Setsuna plunked down into her favorite chair. When she realized that she was going to have to spend a great deal of time in the corridor of eternity, she'd done the only reasonable thing. Collecting all sorts of furnishings, art works and books from many different periods, Setsuna set them up in a sort of "library". She may have been the Senshi of Time, but that didn't mean she had stand constantly while she protected the gate of time. 

She reached beside her and placing the Timestaff into a handcrafted rack made just for it, she grumbled unhappily. "How can any blood descendent of ours, no matter how far removed, be so infernally stupid! He refuses to accept the marriage as legal because it wasn't done in a church!"
Lorilei simply shrugged her shoulders. "Then there's really only one thing to do."
"Drop Jameth down a dry well?" asked Setsuna hopefully, as the increasingly pleasant fantasy popped once again into her head.
"No, sorry Suna, you'll have to find another place to vent your dislike of him. What I meant was that when Usagi and Mamoru renew their vows, they should do it in a high profile, place. Like the St. Peter's basilica or Westminster Abbey. Some big, stone, gargoyle infested, flying buttressed church. That'll be the holy ground needed to make Jameth get the message." Lorilei gave a smile as if she'd just solved the entire problem. 

The normally prim and proper Senshi of Time slumped in the overstuffed chair. "If he keeps on the way he's been going, Mamoru will solve our problem by killing him long before that happens."
 
<<<<<>>>>>
 
Usagi was ever so pleased. It finally seemed as if her morning (and afternoon and occasionally night) sickness was beginning to subside. Her appetite was back to it's normal, ravenous self and she'd acquired the glow that only expectant mother's seem to have. Mamoru had arisen much earlier to handle the Kingdom's business, so that Usagi could sleep in a little. She yawned and stretched herself out on the large bed with a sigh of pure bliss.
As she did so, her hand came in contact with a rose on the bed beside her. She smiled and took the flower in her hand, taking a moment to inhale the delicate, exotic perfume Mamoru's roses always produced. Usagi's beloved husband had promised to give her a rose a day while they awaited the birth of their child. Being magical in nature, they never wilted or faded. By the time the baby was born, she would have nine crystal vases full of them. 
 
"This way" Mamoru had told her, "We will be able to show our little one how we counted the very days until we would be able to hold her."
Usagi smiled again and got up to put the flower in the second vase on her dressing table. She was just starting to brush out her very long hair when a knock on the door interrupted her train of thought.
"I beg your Majesty's pardon." came the voice of Gordon MacLaren. Very few guards were actually allowed in the private living apartments of the King and Queen. As Sargent at Arms he was in charge of those privileged few. "It seems someone left a wee present for you this morning." There was amusement in his voice as he spoke. It was a joy to see how truly the King and Queen loved each other. "I'll leave it outside the door, so you open it at your leisure."
Usagi could barely restrain herself as she counted slowly to 100, just to be sure that MacLaren would be gone. Like a child on Christmas morning she bolted for the door and flung it open. There, on the carpet, was a medium sized, silver velvet box. Usagi grabbed it. She used her hip to push the door closed even as she launched herself across the room and back onto the bed. As she opened the gift a gasp escaped her.
Inside the box resting on silver satin was a necklace. It had at its center a diamond the size of a plum, surrounded by black pearls. It was connected to smaller diamonds, each encased in a circle of white gold, by softly glowing white pearls. A card was in the box and she read it. The calligraphy had been done by a master and in romantic brushstrokes it read:
"This is necklace is known as 'the Eye of the Moon'. It is only fitting that it should be worn by the jewel of the Moon Kingdom."

Tears filled her eyes as the door opened to reveal Mamoru. She leapt off the bed and ran to his arms. "Oh Mamo-chan it's so beautiful! I've never had anything like it before!"
Mamoru hugged her back, but was puzzled. "The rose?"
"No" said Usagi as she pulled away to look at him. "The necklace! Where did you find it?"
"Usagi, "Mamoru began hesitantly, "I didn't send you any necklace. What are talking about?"
She pulled him over to the bed. "This one, silly. Who else would have..." her voice trailed off as she realized just who had sent the jewelry. "..Oh."
Mamoru leaned over and picked up diamonds to inspect them. They were flawless and worth a planet, he decided. 
"But I love your rose much better!" said Usagi with a little too much enthusiasm.
The King of Earth's hand curled around the precious stones until his knuckles turned white. The S'Eyre prince had fired the opening salvo in a competition for Usagi's affections. In his years as Tuxedo Kamen, he had learned many things - Loyalty, dedication, perseverance, but more importantly, he had learned the art of strategy, of how to play the game.
And Chiba Mamoru always played to win.
 
Next: Chapter Four - "Queen of Hearts". Or "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better."