Title: TO BRAVE THE DARKNESS

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon

Authors Notes: Alright everyone, here is my next story. A huge shout out goes to my beta reader for this story. BeeZ10. She's helping me make this story the best it can be. Angeliclin helped me so much with Legends of Love. She was awesome. I've written pretty much this whole story already and dumped the first half of it on poor Beez10, and now I'm already off on my next one so I'm probably going to rotate the stories between both of them. Who knows. It depends how far I get in my next story.

Hope you guys all like this one! I think the next one I do isn't going to be a period piece. I might take a wild shot at a modern day one.

Growing up outside of the Kingdom was considered next to impossible. The city itself was lush, green and vibrant, while just over the massive stone walls there was a barren wasteland of heat and desert. It was considered torture to be sent there, reserved for the most evil of criminals.

Serenity decided that she'd rather live out there then put up with her stepfather for another moment.

"I have had enough of this," he yelled angrily at her, his face red and his hands trembling. "You are old enough to understand the way things work."

"I understand that as a subject of this kingdom I have the right too…"

"You are my daughter and that means you have to do what I say."

Serenity crossed her arms. "So you're my father today?"

He glowered at her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It just means that you're only ever my father when you need me to do something. If my mother were alive she would hate you for the way you use me for your convenience."

"Then it's a good thing she died when she did."

Serenity forced herself not to react. She forced herself not to lunge forward and slap him. "You are not my father," she said slowly. "When you married my mother I was already four. Just because her unfortunate death landed me here does not mean I have to obey you."

"Then you are not welcome in my house."

"Finally," she said throwing up her arms. "I will leave the moment your guards step out of the way of the gate."

She could see the rage boil within him and knew what was coming next. He would never let her go. He hadn't yet because he knew she was of use to him.

"You are condemned to your rooms."

Serenity rolled her eyes. "At least it is peaceful there."

"You will do what I say. You will remember your place while my guests are here and you will act in a manner becoming of a woman of your stature."

"I will do whatever it takes to get you to let me go."

"If you cross me," he said moving close to her, using his height to try and intimidate her, "you will regret it. I will never let you just walk out of here. If ever you're gone, it'll be because you're walking with the criminals outside the city walls."

Serenity glared at him.

"My guests will be arriving before dinner. You will be dressed and ready to greet them."

Serenity turned around to walk away from him, not giving any sort of affirmation to the subject. She wouldn't promise him anything of the sort. She would do whatever she could to make life harder for him. The man was nothing but pure, stinking evil and she would be glad to see him publicly disgraced no matter what the ramifications to herself.

"Serenity," he said, stopping her.

She turned to face him, making it clear by her expression that she couldn't care less what he might say to her now.

"I have a plan for you Serenity, and no matter how hard you fight I will make sure the future comes about the way I imagine it. Fight me if you want, but at least this time stay cautious. It would anger me deeply if you were to be tainted."

Serenity looked at him confused. "Tainted?"

"Lord Endymion will be among my guests."

Surprise washed over her. "Lord Endymion."

"As I am not blind to your beauty, I know you will be a target for him. Perhaps keeping close to my guards while he is around is advisable."

Serenity found herself a little speechless. Not because her stepfather was showing a morsel of care for her, but more because he would invite a man like that into their home at all. Lord Endymion, who she had never met, had a reputation stronger and darker than most in history. He came from a family wealthier than the King himself, and much more treacherous. Endymion, like his father before him, took pleasure in other people's pain.

She walked out of the room, too flustered to really acknowledge her stepfather at all. Lord Endymion was coming to their house.

Despite her father's warning, if Lord Endymion saw and wanted her, there was nothing any of them might do to stop him. If he had his way, she would be ruined.

Back in her room, Serenity tried to picture the man capable of continuing on a reputation so black people were afraid of him. Her stepfather would probably have been unable to stop him from coming. Lord Endymion had a hand in almost every business venture in the Kingdom, and if it was a business party coming, Endymion may have invited himself.

Despite herself, she was unsure how to act.

"Are you alright Serenity?" Her maid asked.

Serenity looked at her. "Lord Endymion is coming to stay this week with the rest of my stepfathers party."

The maid went completely white, eyes wide. The look of fear was obvious. "You mustn't let him see you," she whispered.

Serenity nodded. "I understand as much."

Her maid was in front of her quickly, on her knees, gripping her hands so tightly it almost hurt. "My lady, you must convince your father to hide you while that man is in this house. If you sees you, he'll want you."

Serenity shook her head. "We don't know that."

"You are too beautiful to be ignored."

Serenity sighed. "As my stepfather likes it."

"It is one thing for your stepfather to use you to attract people to his business or look at you himself with his disgusting gaze, it is another to allow you in the same house as that man. You must hide yourself."

"What would happen?" Serenity asked. "If that man did ruin me?"

The maid looked confused by the question. "You mean, if he were to have his way and take you to his bed?"

Serenity nodded. "What would happen afterward?"

"You would be ruined."

"And what would that mean?"

"It would…it means…..my lady, it would mean that you would no longer be considered a lady of the highest class. Your very title would become meaningless and you would have no chance to marry well."

Serenity nodded, taking in the information calmly. "If I were no longer desirable to any person in the highest class of the kingdom, then perhaps my stepfather would no longer have a use for me."

Her maid looked ready to pass out, her fear was so strong. "You are not thinking of giving yourself to him."

Serenity shook her head, sighing wearily. "I am not." It was true, the thought was almost too much. She wanted to get away from her stepfather, but there were things she should not be willing to do to achieve that goal. Giving up her virtue to a man whose reputation was too black to even imagine was a step too drastic, even for her. "But I do have to get out of here," she said sadly.

"The guards at the gate are coming around," her maid said. "You are making progress with getting them to let you out. My friend the cook says they speak of you often, sometimes crudely, but in a manner which suggests they are starting to soften to your cause."

Serenity nodded. "Then we will keep trying. As soon as I can get out, I'll be gone."

The maid nodded, obviously relieved the Serenity didn't intend to go too far with her desire to leave. She walked over to the closet and started looking for a dress.

Serenity hated business parties like this. Her stepfather always gave these dinners so he could introduce his daughter to all the men who were looking for a wife, either for themselves or their sons. Of course, they were almost never permitted to marry her, but she was to show off for them, to draw them into her father's circle. It seemed oddly simple, but so far it had always worked. Her father had made a very large sum of money he would not have normally acquired because of her.

It wasn't that life here was awful; it was more that there wasn't a life here. Her stepfather kept her away from everything so that he could use her when he needed to lure someone in. She wasn't allowed to socialize outside his circle, which were all men and therefore not an option to make too strong a connection with. She wasn't permitted to attend balls or plays in case her beauty become adapted to.

It was true that she was beautiful, like her mother before her, but she was not willing to hide herself because her father wanted to use that for his own devices. Now she felt more distain for her looks than love. She almost wanted to curse her luck in appearance and wish for the freedom of being ugly.

Her stepfather had never really cared for her, as far as she knew. When he married her mother, he did it because he was attracted to her, not because he wanted a family. When her mother died, he had taken her into his family begrudgingly. Now, after four other wives and no other children, he had found a use for her.

"Your stepfather has sent over a few new gowns," her maid said coming back out of the closet.

Serenity sighed. "Of course he has."

A few hours later, dressed and ready for dinner, Serenity sat at the top of the stairs, resting her head on her hand, which rested on her knee. Her maid beside her looked through the banister to see the people coming through the front door.

"All men as usual," she said softly.

Serenity nodded, unsurprised by the news. Of course it was all men. It was always men. Her stepfather was afraid of what might happen if she found a woman whom she could befriend and confide in. His opinion was that women, on their own, were not as devious as when they came in pairs. Worst of all when they came in groups.

"Do you know what he looks like?"

"No," Serenity said. "He's not very old I don't think. I heard he's more dangerous than his father because he's not yet an older man. He's young and able to handle the stress of any situation."

"My word," the maid said breathlessly. "If he's a young man, then I don't know how he managed to already get the reputation he has."

Serenity shrugged. "Wealth buys you almost anything."

Voices could be heard from below, and Serenity heard her father making excuses for her absence.

She smiled. Obviously he had promised them all her presence and he would be furious that she wasn't greeting his guests. He wanted them more than willing to speak to him right away about business. She didn't always understand why men were more willing to do business when they saw her, but she assumed it was some shallow thought of lust and desire that clouded their judgment. Men were so easy to predict when they were infatuated.

"When are you going to go down?"

Serenity shrugged. "When I'm ready."

"I'm not sure which one he is. They're mostly young men this time, all handsome and all obviously wealthy. Seven of them in all, and only one who looks old enough to have a full-grown son. It cannot be him."

Serenity leaned back, stretching her feet out in front of her and letting her shoulders rest on the step above her. It was dark in the house, except for where their guests were permitted, so she wasn't worried about being seen.

She waited.

It was only a matter of time.

More time actually, then she expected.

"I will not stand for this girl," her stepfather said angrily as he all but stomped up the stairs to where he knew she was sitting.

She smiled at him. "How is your dinner party going?"

"Get up!" He said grabbing her arm as her maid scurried away. He hoisted her to her feet, hurting her shoulder. "I am sick of your childish antics. You will obey me or I will make your life something miserable."

Serenity pulled away from him. "You've already succeeded."

"You have no idea how hard I can make things for you," he spat at her. "If you don't get down there this instant, our relationship will become abusive."

She glared at him. "You wouldn't touch me."

"You are not truly my daughter," he said in a deathly angry voice. "There are things I could do to you, which I have refrained from doing, that will make you yearn for the life you have now."

His words actually frightened her. She was used to his yelling and promising pain, but he had never threatened to do something like that to her before. What exactly did he mean? Was he talking of raping her? He was her stepfather.

Serenity clenched her hands tightly at her sides.

"Tonight is very important," he hissed. "The men down there, if convinced, will make it possible for my business to move along without me. We will be rich and I will no longer have to work. And if you screw this up for me, I promise you that you will regret it."

She was actually afraid of the look in his eyes.

"At least you are dressed," he said looking her over carelessly.

She nodded, a little flustered.

"Come now," he ordered, turning around and walking down the stairs.

Serenity followed quietly, finding herself in a situation more desperate than all the others. It was one thing to be used for her stepfather's gain and wish for a different life. It was another thing all together to be afraid, every day, of the man who was supposed to be your guardian.

Would he really harm her in that way? The look in his eyes said he would.

Serenity shivered as she walked into the dinning room where everyone was already sitting.

"My apologies for my daughter's late entrance," her stepfather said with a smile that looked charming. "Gentlemen, this is the lady Serenity."

Serenity sat down without really looking at any of them, and she could tell by her stepfather's gruff breath that he didn't approve. So she looked up, gave a little smile, and then looked back at her plate.

"You have a very beautiful daughter," one of the men complimented her stepfather.

"Thank you," he said without tact. "I am very proud of my Serenity."

Serenity looked up and around the table. Seven men, six in their twenties it seemed, and one older, perhaps her fathers age. They were all handsome enough, and smiled at her charmingly. It was all usual. They all had the usual look of instant infatuation. All but one.

Serenity usually glanced around, picked one or two she thought might be slightly interesting, and tried to get as much conversation out of it is she could to sate her hunger for social interaction at least until the next dinner party. But this time, the man sitting at the end of the table, made her immediately freeze in her spot.

She couldn't seem to look away from him. The bluest eyes she had ever seen, gazing at her with a darkness that seemed to swirl from deep within him. His handsome face held a deeply amused look, and his glossy black hair drifted just slightly into his eyes.

She knew who he was immediately. There was only one person she could think of who might so openly look at her like that.

"I hope our business affairs do not bore you."

Serenity snapped her gaze away from Lord Endymion to look at the young man just across from her. He was plain next to Endymion. Brown hair and a charming smile, but not really handsome features. Only a second ago she had thought them all handsome.

She forced herself to smile. "I am used to my stepfathers business affairs happening at dinner," she said as calmly as she could. "I am no longer bored by the subject."

"It is a wonder I have not seen you around," another man said.

"It is not beneficial for me to be seen in public," she said without thinking.

Her stepfather glared at her.

Serenity felt her heart leap a little, and then anger set in.

It was so sudden. One moment she was slightly afraid, and more than a little flustered, and the next she was so angry she could cuss. How dare he threaten to rape her. How dare he even think about using something like that against her. She was not part of his property. He might be able to dictate certain aspects of her life, but he was not allowed to touch her.

Instead of turning her anger on him, she looked at the table of men, giving them her most winning and charming smile. "I'm sorry, I am of course the rudest of creatures. I have not asked any of you to be introduced to me. It does not matter of course, because once you've joined business ventures with my stepfather you will hardly ever see me again, but I would like to know at least for proprieties sake."

Her stepfather laughed, but she could hear an edge to his voice. "My daughter is angry with me I fear, and not doing a very good job of hiding it."

Serenity glanced at Endymion, who she could feel looking at her. He hadn't said anything yet, and that amused look hadn't yet left his face. He was watching her curiously.

The other men seemed eager to speak to her.

"It is perfectly excusable," the older man said, smiling at her. "What are you to accuse him of lady Serenity?"

Serenity felt her fathers warning without looking at him. She held her head high and never faltered. "He threatened a great punishment if I do not perform to his satisfaction tonight."

"That's enough Serenity," her stepfather hissed.

She finally looked at him. "May I be excused? I think my continued presence here is not likely to help your cause."

He just glared at her.

Serenity stood up, smiled at the table, glanced once more at the man sitting at the end of the table who was taking a drink from his wine, still smiling if no longer looking at her, and then walked out of the room as confidently as possible.

As soon as she was out of sight, she nearly collapsed.

What had she just done?

Serenity tried to focus on breathing. Her heart was beating in her chest, almost hurting her with it's furious attempt to get out. She felt a little faint.

But she wasn't sorry she had done it.

She quickly made her way up to her room, knowing she would have to get ready for the wrath of her stepfather. She wasn't sure if he would fulfill his threat, but he would definitely be angry with her. Her only hope was that he would wait until the end of the week, when his guests were gone.

But she heard him coming when she was only halfway up the stairs.

Glancing back at him, she could see his anger swirl around him. Fear gripped her and she quickly turned away to hurry up the stairs.

"You can't get away from me girl," he growled, coming after her.

Serenity hurried to the end of the hall, throwing her bedroom door open and trying to barricade herself in her room.

He was too fast.

Before she could close the door, he pushed against it, flinging her down to the floor with the momentum.

She looked up at him, scurrying herself away, afraid of him.

"How dare you," he snarled, reaching down to grab her arm and pull her painfully up to him. "How dare you make a fool of me." Before she could blink he had hit her, hard, sending her back onto the ground, holding a hand to her face while tears threatened to spill down her face. "You are not to leave this room for any reason other than to entertain my guests during the day. Your maid will not be allowed to come to you. You will return here very night and wait for me until the end of the week. Then, you will see just how serious I am."

His meaning was clear.

"You wouldn't dare," she said breathlessly.

His smile was menacing. "Wouldn't I?"

She could see in his eyes that he would. But to prove his point he grabbed her again, and this time picked her up and threw her back onto her bed.

Serenity screamed as he came after her, ripping at her dress. He grabbed her hair, yanking it painfully back and roughly biting her neck. She pleaded with him to stop.

"It's too late Serenity," he said angrily. "You wanted to defy me and now you will experience the consequences. If you leave this room, I will inform my guards to tie you down. I have certainly waited long enough for you. If you are in fact grown up enough to fight back, then you are grown up enough to start fulfilling your actual purpose."

Serenity was thrown back onto the bed and suddenly found herself free of him.

She watched, tears falling down her cheeks and anger boiling within her, as he walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

The only thing she could think about at all was that she would never let that man touch her, even if she had to die to stop it.

End of Chapter one! Review please!

Chapter two will be out soon hopefully!