Here is the fifth short story in the "Tales of the Moon Kingdom" series.
This story is from the Sailor Moon/Guardians Timeline, like all my
others, so the Dragonkin are very much in evidence. :)

Ja ne,
Greywolf

Author's Rating: PG


Special Thanks: "Tuxedo" Will Wolfshohl for editing, good ideas and
                comments, and providing me with Sailor Moon stories to
                enjoy! Thanks Will!

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Sailor Senshi and all terms, names etc.
            associated with the series are copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi
            and Kodansha.  The Guardians and everything pertaining to
            the Star Kingdoms are MINE!


                     Tales of the Moon Kingdom
                   Sailor Moon: Deadly Nightshade
                   By Eric `Greywolf' den Biesen
                         greywolf@eagle.ca


Princess Serenity sat in front of her mirror in her room brushing her
hair with a dreamy expression on her pretty face. A ball was scheduled
this evening and Endymion would be in attendance. The past three weeks
since the announced betrothal had been relatively quiet, the Dark
Kingdom concentrating on subduing the last pockets of resistance on the
Atlantean continent.

<Nothing we can do to help those poor people,> she thought sadly.  She
stared at her reflection pensively and sighed as she put her hair up in
its usual odango and ponytail arrangement. She smiled as she thought of
Endymion again. She could not stay sad with her love coming. <Oh
Endymion! I can't WAIT to see you!> she thought excitedly, <These last
three weeks felt like three YEARS without you!>

She heard a soft sound from her sitting room. "Aunt Maeribeth?" she
called, moving to her bedroom door, "Is that you? What's..." She never
finished her question as a taloned fist impacted with stunning force
against her jaw. Her vision exploded with stars, then, blackness.


Prince Endymion moved through the Palace halls towards Princess
Serenity's rooms. He smiled in anticipation. He couldn't WAIT to see her
again! He had asked the Queen for permission to escort his beloved to
the ball and she, smiling in understanding, granted it.

When he reached her door, he knocked softly. No answer. He knocked
again, hard enough to sting his knuckles. "Serenity!" he called, "Are
you ready yet?" Still no answer. He frowned in concern. He turned to a
guard posted just down the hall. "Has the Princess left her room?" The
guard shook his head and replied, "No, Your Highness, but she did say
that I was to admit you when you arrived."

Filled with a sense of foreboding, he slowly opened the door and walked
into the sitting room. He looked around alertly. "Serenity!" he called
loudly, "Where are you?" Something caught his eye, near the door to her
bedroom.  He moved over and bent down. A ribbon lying discarded on the
floor.  Nothing unusual about that in and of itself, yet, it seemed
strangely out of place.

Seeing something else nearby out of the corner of his eye, he turned to
see a small spot of red on the floor. <That looks like blood!> he
thought uneasily. He touched his finger to it. It was still slightly
wet. He put his finger to his mouth and a familiar salty metallic taste
filled it. <It IS blood!!> Truly horrified now, he rushed to the door.
"Guard! Get Her Majesty and Maeribeth!" he cried, "Get the Senshi as
well! Hurry! The Princess' life may depend on it!!" The Guard gave him
one startled look and, dropping his pike, ran for the Throne Room like a
world class sprinter.

He turned back to the room, his demeanor completely different. Now, as
he prowled through the sitting room, everything about him said
`predator'.  His keen hunter's eye missed nothing as he examined
anything and everything in minute detail, looking for clues. Spying
something by the window, he moved and knelt on the ground to examine his
find. A footprint, just barely visible, anyone else would likely have
missed it.  Endymion straightened, his heart thudded with dread, his
suspicions confirmed. The creature who made the print was not human.
Only one conclusion was possible...  The Dark Kingdom.

He turned at the sound of running footsteps as both Queen Serenity and
her Kin Sister burst into the room. "Endymion! What....?" the Queen
panted as she tried to catch her breath. "The Dark Kingdom has taken the
Princess!" he said bleakly indicating the non-human footprint. As the
Queen paled at the news, he pointed to the spot of blood. "I think they
hurt her as well if that bit of blood is hers!" He clenched his fists as
Maeribeth moved to the spot. She swallowed and chanted as she moved her
hands in circular motions over the red spot. As it glowed, she turned
ghost white. "It IS her blood!" she whispered, "Oh gods...Hatchling..."

"Where are the Senshi?!" Endymion demanded. Queen Serenity met his gaze,
her eyes bleak. "They are on their home planets visiting their
families!" Endymion looked grim at THAT news. "Then I must go after them
myself! There's no time to lose!" he stated, "My impression that they
went north. What's north of here?" "The Forest of Tranquillity," Queen
Serenity whispered, "If they've gone in there, we'll never find them!
That forest is an endless maze!" She thought of never seeing her beloved
daughter again.

Endymion smiled grimly. "I'm a hunter, Your Majesty," he reassured her,
"If anyone can find them, I can! I'm taking my horse. I'll never be able
to trail them with a flyer." With that, he ran from the room, heading
for the stables which held the two horses he had brought to the Moon.
One, Rose, was his gift to his love; the other, Apollo, a grand
stallion, was his own mount, brought so that he could ride with her. Now
he was overwhelmingly glad he had.


After removing the last of their weapons from the wreck, the Youma
Leader turned to the other six youma. "How long do we have until the
ship leaves?" he asked harshly. "About two hours, Sir," answered the one
holding the blanket wrapped Princess, "Why does Her Majesty want this
CHILD anyway?" The leader gave a chilling laugh, "Her Royal
Implacableness HATES this moon child for some reason and wants to KILL
her personally." He turned a vicious glance on their unconscious
captive. "I'd say that by the time Beryl is through with her, she'll be
begging for death!" He laughed again as he waved his warriors north,
into the forest.


Serenity turned to her Kin Sister. "What if he goes the wrong way?" she
asked worriedly. Maeribeth gave her sister a grim smile. "He won't. That
impression he got, was from their Soul Bond, which means that our
hatchling is still alive!" she pointed out, "However, Endymion is all
alone. He'll need help. We have no choice. You MUST summon HER!"

Serenity looked uneasy. "You KNOW I feel like a villain whenever I do!"
she said softly, "I feel I'm taking advantage of her!" Maeribeth shook
her head. "It's all part of the healing process, my Sister," she
explained, "A little revenge for the loss of her Life Mate and
Hatchlings keeps her going. I think, however, that THIS mission will see
her healing complete!" At Serenity's questioning look, the Soul Healer
continued, "You didn't see her face when our Hatchling was born. I did.
There was love and a desperate hope in her eyes. When you summon her,
tell her it's a Code Black emergency."

Now Serenity REALLY looked confused. "But, there IS no such thing!"
Maeribeth grinned. "I know, but I told her the Code Black meant dire
peril to the Princess, my Sister. Now summon her!" Serenity almost
laughed at Maeribeth's ploy. That would INDEED get her interest quickly.

Serenity closed her eyes and concentrated. <<Deadly Nightshade! I do
summon thee! We have a Code Black Emergency! Meet in the room of the
Princess with ALL speed!>>


Endymion reined in Apollo at sight of the wreckage. <An Atlantean
flyer!> he thought incredulously, <Who is stupid enough to try and fly
one of THOSE in the Moon's thinner air?!> He dismounted and moved around
the wreck, studying the ground carefully. The non-human footprints in
the dirt told him everything he needed to know. The kidnappers' trail
headed north into the Forest of Tranquillity exactly where he had
feared.  Endymion's lips thinned grimly.  Remounting Apollo, he headed
north towards the forest, following the trail he had found.


"The Senshi will return in a couple of hours, Serenity," Maeribeth
soothed her sister as the agitated Queen paced back and forth. "In a
couple of hours, it may be too late to go after them!" Serenity cried in
despair, "My child... my BABY is in the hands of those... those...
THINGS! Oh! Where is NIGHTSHADE?!"

"I am here, Majesty," a voice whispered from behind them. They turned in
shocked surprise as a dark form moved out of the shadows on the far side
of the room, and moved into the light. She was clad head to foot in
unrelieved black. Twin swords were strapped to her back. Bandoleers of
throwing daggers crossed her chest and dagger hilts protruded from her
boot tops. The silver dragon symbol on her forehead and the few silver
locks of hair that escaped her hood, were the only things proclaiming
her as Dragonkin.

Serenity met her eyes and was astounded. Usually, Nightshade's eyes were
silver ice, no feeling at all. Now, they were molten silver, hot with a
frightening fury. If she sent Nightshade after the kidnappers, the
kidnappers would die. Serenity was unconcerned about this, her only
concern the safe return of daughter.  "Nightshade," Serenity greeted
her, "My daughter has been kidnapped by Dark Kingdom operatives.  Prince
Endymion has went after them alone since the Senshi haven't yet
returned." Nightshade's only reaction was a silent snarl, but she nodded
at her Queen to continue.

"Endymion received information from his Soul Bond with my daughter
indicating they are headed north, into the Forest of Tranquillity.
Endymion needs help. This is far too dangerous for him to handle alone!"
Serenity fell silent and studied the dark Dragonkin.

"When the Senshi return, send them after us," Nightshade finally said in
her hoarse whisper, "I go now to seek Endymion. Rest easy, My Queen. I
will bring My Princess and My Prince home safe. Our enemies, however,
will feel my fury!" With that said, there was a swirl of darkness and
she was gone.

Maeribeth turned to her sister with a mysterious smile. "I believe that
we have seen `Deadly Nightshade' for the LAST time!" she commented.
Serenity looked at her sister in shock. "You mean she'll die?!" she
gasped.  Maeribeth placed a calming hand on Serenity's shoulder. "In a
manner of speaking," she clarified, "When she returns, she will return
as Liliannath the Healer, her old self restored and all her wounds
healed!"


Endymion reined in Apollo and listened intently. Something was wrong.
He was deep in the forest, hot on the kidnappers' trail. This deep into
the forest, there should be sounds from the local wildlife. The forest,
however, was deathly silent. At a sound from above, he looked up just as
a dark form descended upon him from the forest canopy, knocking him from
Apollo's back.

Holding his opponent's dagger at bay, Endymion pulled a dagger from his
boot and drove it into his attacker's side. It gave an unearthly screech
and exploded into dust. Endymion leapt to his feet and drawing his sword
with his other hand, he put his back to a tree and took stock of his
situation.

Apollo was gone. Likely heading back to his stables in the Royal Palace.
Five of the strange non-human assassins surrounded him. <Five to one
odds with these creatures are NOT good odds!> he mused as he watched the
smooth and fast way they moved. He readied his sword as the creatures
moved swiftly to the attack. Three of the creatures exploded into dust
as bright daggers slashed into them from above. The other two stopped in
shock.  Endymion was no less shocked as a black clad stranger landed
beside him.

When she turned to award him a brief glance, he was even more shocked.
Dragonkin! <Oh wait,> he recalled, <Even on Earth we've heard of Deadly
Nightshade, the Dragonkin assassin!> "Think you can take one while I get
the other?" she asked calmly as she drew her two swords. Endymion
grinned fiercely and Nightshade actually grinned back. They attacked, so
swift were they, that the two youmas had barely enough time to ready a
defense.

Using sword and dagger, Endymion fought to get through the youma's
defenses.  When sword and dagger were fully engaged, he recalled
something his friend, Kunzite, had said, "When sword and dagger are
fully occupied," his teacher had told him, "You still have a weapon your
enemy does not expect, USE IT!" He grinned and lashed out with a foot,
sweeping his opponent's feet from beneath him.  The youma fell hard and
Endymion's blades followed, to make sure it stayed down. When the youma
was dusted, he turned to Nightshade, to see her watching him, her
opponent already history.

"Interesting technique, young Prince," she commented, "I think I'd like
to meet your teacher." Endymion laughed. "You likely would!" he said
wryly, "Kunzite is as unconventional as they come. He feels that the
body is also a weapon that shouldn't be ignored!" Nightshade nodded her
approval. "Your teacher is QUITE correct," she affirmed, "And now, let
us continue. We have your betrothed to rescue!" He nodded and finding
the trail, the two of them continued deeper into the forest.


Maeribeth looked to her sister in concern. Queen Serenity was TRYING to
hold her composure, but she was fighting a losing battle as a tear
trickled down her cheek. <<Eldara, the last ship has touched down and
the Senshi are on their way to the Palace,>> Avalon spoke into her mind.
She turned to her sister.  "Hold on, dear Serenity!" she soothed,
"Avalon just told me that the Senshi have returned!" Queen Serenity gave
a quick nod.  "Have them meet us here at once, Maeri," she whispered, "I
don't want anyone else to see me like this." Maeribeth gave her a look
full of compassion. <<Avalon, have the Senshi meet us in Princess
Serenity's chambers.>> At Avalon's acknowledgment, she turned to her
sister when an unexpected contact made her gasp.

<<Eldara! Nightshade here. Endymion and I have located a Dark Kingdom
base deep within the Forest.>> Serenity had turned at Maeribeth's gasp
and Maeribeth held up her hand to halt her questions as she maintained
the contact. <<Can you get the Princess out of there?>> she questioned.
<<I believe so. There is a ship here. I think that when it's ready to
take off, that the Princess will be placed onboard. We have about an
hour, I'll wager.  The Senshi and the Kin Wings must NOT attack until we
are clear! If the base is endangered, they will likely just KILL the
Princess! I'll let you know when we have her.>> With that, Nightshade's
presence in her mind was gone. As the Senshi and their teachers began to
file in, Maeribeth prepared to give them Nightshade's news. The waiting
part, she knew, would be the hardest thing to convince them of.


Endymion turned to his black clad companion as she studied the guard
posts.  "Nightshade, why did you become an assassin?" he asked
curiously, "I never even knew that Dragonkin COULD be assassins!"
Without taking her eyes from the objects she was studying, she carefully
considered his question. For some strange reason, she WANTED him to
understand. "My family and I were vacationing on Earth," she finally
said. Endymion looked puzzled. As she continued her study of the enemy
base, "Yes, we DO vacation sometimes and Earth is a wild and lovely
world. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. A Dark Kingdom
raiding party caught us. We never even had time to change. They left me
for dead after....after...." She dropped her head into her hands as she
shook with suppressed sobs.  Endymion took her in his arms and just let
her grieve.

<Probably the first time she's actually grieved for them,> he thought
sadly.  "And then?" he asked gently. She looked up, her silver eyes full
of tears.  "When I recovered, I lived only to revenge myself on the Dark
Kingdom for the deaths of my Lifemate and my Hatchlings. Because my life
was poisoned by their horrible deaths, I took the name of the poison
known as `Deadly Nightshade' and became an assassin, my only targets
were of the Dark Kingdom. Now, I think my Eldara was right. Before, I
could never feel, like my emotions were locked in ice. Since my beloved
Princess was born, that ice seems to be thawing." She gave Endymion a
shaky smile of gratitude.  "Now let's try to get her out of there!"

They crouched at the base of the wall as the guard walked past. "We have
about five minutes before he returns," she whispered, "Let's go!"
Tossing a grapple over the wall, she clambered up the rope like a
squirrel.  Endymion followed quickly and throwing the rope down the
other side, they descended just as quickly. Nightshade shook the rope in
order to loosen the grapple hook and cursed under her breath. "What's
wrong?" Endymion whispered urgently. "Darn thing's caught!" she muttered
back, "It won't come loose!" She jerked the rope again, but the hook
held fast. Endymion looked further down the wall and his blood went
cold. "That guard's coming back!" At her companion's words, Nightshade
gave the rope a desperate tug and the hook came loose and hurtled
towards them. Endymion reached his hand out and just caught the hook
before it could fall to the ground and alert the guard.  They dove into
the shadows at the base of the wall and held their breaths as the guard
walked past. Oblivious to their presence, the guard continued on his
rounds as Endymion and Nightshade let out sighs of relief.

Finding what cover they could, the two warriors moved deeper into the
base.  When they reached a guarded building on the far side of the
base's landing pad, they dove for cover as the door opened and two youma
came out, followed by a man in a dark gray uniform. "You have done
well," the gray clad human stated, "The ship will be ready in about half
an hour. Until then, let no one near her `quarters'. Understood?" The
black clad youma assassins nodded and positioned themselves on each side
of the door as the human walked off towards the larger building at the
base's center.

"Great," Endymion muttered, "We know where she is. Now how do we get
past those two without rousing the whole bloody base?!" Nightshade took
off her pack and opening it, pulled two long narrow tubes from it.
Endymion recognized them. <Blow guns!> Putting on thick leather gloves,
she pulled out a small pouch and opened it to reveal the darts that the
blow guns fired. "Interesting. What poison do you use?" he asked as he
noticed the VERY careful way she was loading the weapons. She turned to
him and grinned.  "Addersting poison," she answered, her eyes filled
with amusement at the sudden consternation in his. The addersting was a
winged serpent native to the central highlands of Mars. There was NO
deadlier poison in the solar system. He took the weapon she handed him
with trepidation and she almost laughed at the expression on his face.
"You take the one on the right," she instructed. At his shaky nod, she
put the end of the gun to her mouth and aimed carefully. She fired and
her target jerked as the dart hit.  Her target dissolved into dust with
Endymion's following a second later.

They rushed to the door and hurriedly entered. Serenity lay on a cot at
the far side of the room. Endymion's eyes widened at the huge bloody
bruise on the side of her jaw. He rushed to her side as Nightshade
remained by the door. "Serenity!" he whispered as he stroked her
forehead gently.  Her eyes fluttered open. "Endymion?" She winced as her
jaw throbbed.  "They said Queen Beryl wanted to kill me," she whispered
hoarsely while trembling, "but that she would make me beg for death
first!" She gave a little sob of fright. "Hush, my love," he answered
softly, leaning down to gently kiss her mouth, "We're getting you out of
here!" She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her carefully.
They shared another tender kiss before he moved to the door to join
Nightshade.

Leading the way, Nightshade moved back to where they had entered. She
seethed with fury at her Princess' injury and longed to heal it, but
they had to leave before they were discovered. "HALT! WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?!" They turned sharply to see a youma behind them. Its eyes
widened at seeing Serenity in Endymion's arms. Flame streamed from
Nightshade's hands, burning the creature to ash in mid-shout. As shouts
of alarm sprung up from all over the base, Nightshade pushed Endymion
towards the wall. "Hurry!" she cried, "Or they'll cut us off!"

On reaching the wall, Nightshade looked back and cursed viciously.
"They'll reach us before we can climb!"  She looked to be in the grip of
an internal struggle. <I said I never would again!> she argued with
herself. <Yes and you said you wouldn't use your powers either, and you
did!> her conscience answered, <It's DO or DIE!>

She turned to look at Endymion and he was astonished to see her crying.
She shimmered and a twenty five foot Dragonkin appeared where she had
stood. "Get on!" she whispered hoarsely. "But...." he started.  "I know
a Kin Bond with a creature like me is not welcome, but it's the only
way," she said tonelessly, her eyes anguished. He nodded, but before he
mounted, he kissed her snout. "You are NO monster, Sis!" he whispered,
"Forgive yourself. Everyone else never blamed you!" He mounted
carefully, holding his Princess in his arms as Nightshade gave a mighty
sob at his understanding words. Beating her wings, she rose into the air
with her precious passengers. Energy bolts blasted past them as the
guards opened fire. Nightshade dodged and twisted as she desperately
struggled to gain altitude.

<<NOW, ELDARA!!>> Nightshade screamed mentally, <<WE'RE CLEAR!!>> With
the popping sound of displaced air, the Kin Wings appeared over the base
as Nightshade winged past them. Unleashing streams of flame, the Wings
descended on the base like avenging angels. The main gates blew in,
blasted from their hinges by lightning, announcing the arrival of the
Senshi.  Nightshade flew on, leaving the battle for the doomed base
behind as she rushed to get her passengers to safety.


Endymion walked through the halls of the Palace and entered Serenity's
chambers. With an anxious Queen Serenity trailing, he entered her room
and placed his beloved carefully on her bed. "Should we call a healer?"
Queen Serenity asked as she looked worriedly at her daughter's bloody
face. "No need," a voice whispered from the door, and Maeribeth smiled
joyfully at the person who entered. Endymion turned to look, and his jaw
dropped incredulously. A Dragonkin stood in the doorway. She was petite,
only around five feet tall. She wore the ankle length white dress and
half cape of a healer. The silver piping on the hem denoted her as a
healer of physical injuries. Her hair was silver and curly, cut in a
short bob similar to Mercury's. Keeping her eyes away from Endymion, she
moved to the bed.

Princess Serenity looked at her and smiled painfully. "Hi, Lily!" she
said, wincing at the pain. "Hi, Poppet," Nightshade replied, smiling
affectionately at her friend. She reached out a hand and stroked it
gently alone Serenity's jaw. Under her ministering fingers, wounds
caused by talons closed and the dreadful bruise faded until it was gone.
She leaned over to kiss the Princess on her forehead, smiled and hurried
from the room.

Endymion closed his mouth and looked after her, troubled. He glanced at
his Princess. "Your Kin Sister needs you, my love," she stated, "Go to
her." Endymion looked searchingly at his Princess and smiled. He leaned
over to kiss her then turned and headed after Nightshade as a tearful
Queen Serenity moved to fuss over her only child while Maeribeth watched
over them with a smile.

He found her in Serenity's sitting room, arms crossed as she looked out
the window. "Lily?" he asked. She turned and he was not surprised to see
she was weeping silently. "My real name is Liliannath," she whispered,
"But that's a mouthful for a small child to say. She called me Lily and
it stuck. She never knew what I really was." Endymion walked over and
tipped her chin up to look into her troubled eyes. "She DOES know that
you were Nightshade," he corrected, "Just now, she told me that my KIN
SISTER needed me. She would only have known THAT if she knew who you had
been." She turned away with a sob. "Lily," he said desperately, "Forgive
yourself! No one else blames you for your need to avenge your family AND
I DON'T EITHER!"

She looked back at him uncertainly. "You don't?" she asked doubtfully.
"Of course not, Little Sister!" he stated urgently. She gave a tearful
laugh. "I'm older than YOU, Brother!" Endymion grinned. "In years,
maybe," he retorted playfully, "But in everything else, you ARE my
little sister.  I return to Earth in a few days and YOU'RE coming with
me to meet my family." His loving smile urged her acceptance and under
that brotherly affection, her uncertain smile became a real one.

The End.