A/N: This is it! Thanks to everyone who read this, and everyone who read this AND commented with nice things. Where would I be without readers? I hope you enjoyed this story, and keep your peepers out for more fanfiction from me in the future. Cheers!

It was hard to read a letter when one's hands trembled like dead leaves in a breeze.

"To her Honored Highness Queen Serenity of the Moon, to the Most Friendly Queens and Kings of the Silver Alliance, to the noblemen and noblewomen of the Solar System.

"Earth is failing. Emperor Oranos, may his name be remembered for eternity, was slain by rebels while defending his palace and his Empress, the honorable Lady Thetis.

"The rebels, who fight under the banner of Metallia, who spread their cursed message and infernal darkness wherever they step, control most of Earth. They claim to fight in the name of Every Man, for the humans who do not live as the honored royalty of the Solar System, for the humans who do not know the glorious magic of our Universe.

"The Four Kings…"

Here, Cyllene's voice faltered.

"The Four Kings have abandoned the memory of their Emperor and have turned traitors, defecting from their honorable Prince to carry the flag of Metallia and serve as generals under Metallia's Prophet, Beryl. They declare war against the Silver Alliance, against Queen Serenity and against all who follow her."

A painful pause before Cyllene could continue.

"Prince Endymion lives on and fights Metallia's Infection with a small band of Royalists, the Terrans loyal to Emperor Oranos and the Empire of Earth. May the Universe smile on his endeavors, may he succeed in restoring peace and order to Earth.

"I caution all members of the Silver Alliance, do not take this incident lightly. Metallia does not seek to control Earth, she seeks to destroy all the Solar System with her dark stain. Earth will fall without you, Alliance, and when she does, Metallia will look to you next. Her evil spreads quickly, without obstacle. This is not Earth's problem, but everyone's.

"Stop the deluge now, or I fear that all will know the flood."

"Signed in good health by Cadmus, Terran Ambassador to the Moon and to the Silver Alliance."

Though Cyllene hailed from the world of ice, she had never felt such a frozen cold in her heart as she did in that moment, for who now could coax her out of her fears?

Serenity sat pale and drained, terror for her Prince clearly written on her strained features and sorrow for her friends clouding her eyes.

Nike was absolutely still, as unmoving as a statue of marble, so that none may know that in her inside heart she screamed for the treason of Jadeite.

Juno wept silently, her head on her arms, unable to understand how one so warm and so kind as Nephrite might be turned to the side of a murderess.

Tears trailed down Psyche's face as well as she imagined the fierce loyalty of her own king and how Metallia might have broken it

"We are soldiers," Nike said suddenly, her eyes alight with fiery fury. "We are soldiers charged with the protection of Princess Serenity, and we will fight no matter what."

"We will turn our hearts over," Juno said, raising her head with a hardened expression on our face.

"We will know and love only our duty," added Psyche fiercely.

"We will lay down our lives if we are called to," Cyllene said, putting aside Cadmus' devastating letter.

The camaraderie between the four princesses was supercharged with their shared sorrow, betrayal and anger. At their center was Princess Serenity, the one thing left they had to fight for. They would no longer be princesses, for princesses danced at balls and fell in love. Soldiers did not love but their charges, flirted only with death and promised themselves to no one except for the one they guarded.

Soldiers did not have broken hearts.