"Grant Me the Serenity"
by Beverly Alliss
beverly@magicalgirls.net
http://eternal.dreamhost.com/fanfics/gmtser.txt

The young Princess steps out into the setting sunlight. In the dimming 
light, her hair silver hair glows like two rivers of spun gold. The sapphire 
eyes look up and out, shining and sparkling with the glitter of life and 
love. 

Slipping quietly back inside, she moves like flowing water along the 
corridor, smiling, almost laughing. No one sees her white form move down 
the hall like a ghost. 

Finally reaching her destination, the angel Princess opens the door to a 
great hall. Light spills out into the dark hallway, illuminating the 
already glowing figure standing there. Everyone in the room turns to watch 
as the vision of light steps into the room. 

She enters the room, head bowed slightly, hiding her eyes. The crowd parts 
as she enters, floating past each person, leaving behind only the image 
of starbright hair and the scent of gardenias and lilies. 

Stepping up to the regal woman at the head of the room, seated on the 
throne, the Princess drops a low curtsy, silver hair pooling beside her as 
her head bows low. The Queen, she could be called no other, smiles 
appreciatively and nods, approval glowing in her eyes. 

With that, the silver child looks up, beaming. Music begins to play, and a 
handsome young man approaches the Princess, holding out a hand. His dark 
hair shines like the wing of a raven, and his blue eyes disgrace the blue 
of the ocean as seen from the stars. The offered hand is taken by the 
Princess, and the Prince sweeps her gracefully onto the floor of the hall. 

What they do could not be called a dance. It?s more than that. The pair 
flies across the floor, gliding, flowing, not unlike a pair of swans on a 
pond. The gauzy dress of the Princess swirls and billows about her and her 
young Prince, making the pair of them look like angels in flight. 

The music quickens, and others join the pair on the floor, though none can 
hold a candle to their bright presence. They are the bright star of light 
in the room. The silver Queen looks on, pleased. 

The night grows on and late, and the dancers begin to trickle out of the 
hall in pairs. The royal couple however still dances, the night has just 
begun for them. Later still, and the pair are still entranced in their own 
world. 

They dance to the music of two hearts beating furiously for one another, 
two hearts madly in love. It is the music that never stops. It is a song 
that many have danced to, and it never dies. 

The Queen watches silently, hidden. She will not disturb this moment. The 
pair stops their dance, gazing into each other?s eyes in rapture. There is 
nothing else in the world for them at this moment. 

The Prince gently places a finger under the delicate chin of his Princess, 
tilting her face up to his. Her rosy lips part slightly, in expectation. 

"God, grant me the serenity.. Grant me thee, Serenity?" 

And then their lips are pressed together, the answer to the question. 

The hidden Queen, smiles and turns away, leaving the couple to themselves. 
But her eyes shimmer brightly with tears of joy.. and sorrow. One drops. 
But it does not splash on the floor as most tears. 

It stops at heart level with the Queen. Shining brightly, the tear, shed of 
love, grows and hardens into a crystal. A Silver Crystal. 

The Queen plucks the shining object from before her, looking at it closely. 
Its many facets wink and flash back at her, foretelling of its great power. 
Closing her hand around the precious object, she brings it to her breast, 
holding it near the love from which it was born. 

"God, grant me the serenity..." 

~~~ 

Do you like this? This is my first independent story. The line, "grant me 
the serenity," comes from the Serenity Prayer, which goes like this: 

God grant me the
Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and
Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him 
forever in the next.

(Yes, it is a Christian prayer, and I proudly am one.)

I?ve seen all of the Senshi and their companions, each in their own way, 
take this prayer into effect. Especially Queen Serenity, as I imagine she 
begins the prayer. The world would be a much nicer place if we all could 
do so. 

This story is dedicated to Fushigi Kismet, who, in my opinion, has earned 
the title of sensei, and of course to Serenity and Endymion/Usagi and 
Mamoru, who exist in all people who have fallen in love. Arigato. 

Thanks, as always, go out to my bestest, Ami-chan, who?s always there, and 
who puts up with being a partner in crime and fanfiction. Is there a 
difference? O.o 

Other notes: 

The Princess Serenity in this one is from the manga. I like her manga 
silver hair better. ^.^ 

I started writing this when I heard a pretty jazz song by Marion Meadows 
called "Wonderland." It made me think of the Moon Palace at dusk. Other 
songs, mostly piano solos by Sandy Owen, finished it. 

I barely changed anything from the original version, because this was 
written in a moment of utmost inspiration, and I didn?t want to mess it up 
later. 

I hope someone else cries at this, because I am for some reason. ^.^;;