GoddessMoonLady
Disclaimer:
GML: Damn... It's been so long since I've last seriously written something.
Darien::stares:: You're not kidding. About time too. I think that box was shrinking. ::rubs his neck::
GML::rolls eyes:: Anyways, I have a couple of disclaimers for this one. Naturally, I don't own Sailor Moon, I was just barrowing Serenity and Endymion. As for the fic idea it's self, that inspiration came from a short story I read yesterday: The Blood Like Wine By: Sarah A. Hoyt. It's on page 133 in the book: The best of Dreams of Decadence (Vampire stories and poems to keep you up till dawn) Edited by Angela Kessler. If you've never read this book, and You like Vampires: DO SO. Seriously. Also, I don't own the French Revolution (I wasn't even born yet! Duh!).
Darien You weren't kidding about the extra disclaimers.
GML: Yup! Oh! I should probably mention that this is the edited version. I wasn't too sure whether or not I should have left in the turning scene so I made two copies. Let me know which one you prefer and that will be the one I descide to keep up, unless you actually WANT them both to stay. Okay, enough of my jabbering! Read!
Side Note: All wirds in Italic are French (if you couldn't guess).
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The lone figure stood in the alley staring around at the familiar walls and cobbled street. It had been so long since she had last set foot here, and yet, even with the centuries that had passed, it was still the same. This place, nothing more then a small cramped alleyway, hidden between the large looming shapes of the buildings on either side, held so much meaning and so many memories. If she closed her eyes she could still smell the rank stench of the shit and garbage layered cobbles which the sun, blocked by the buildings, never touched; hear the sound of horses hooves as they pounded the street just beyond the entrance to the dark crevice; picture the people strolling or hussling down the crowded Parisian boulivard. Yes, two hundred and fourteen years had passed since that day, the last she had been here, but it was still so fresh in her memory, as though it had been but yesterday...
VvVvV
She strolled along the boulivard, gazing at the cramped stalls, overflowing with their many goods for sale. How she loved market day, there was always so much to see and do. She glanced over her shoulder to peek at her eldest sister, Sylvie, whom was perusing the stall just beside her own. She turned back to the stall once more to finger the lovely silk mouchoir on display. Her gaze was caught by a lovely royal purple one off to the far right of the stall and she moved over toward it for a better look.
The kerchief was a deep purple with red and blue dancing around the edges in a beautiful ornate design. She glanced up, sensing intent eyes upon her as she reached out her delicate hand to retrieve her prize from it's place and stopped, blinking. There, staring at her from not twenty feet away, was the most handsome young man she had ever set eyes upon. He couldn't be more then but a few years older then her own seventeen years; ninteen, perhaps? He had long, slightly curly black hair, drawn back with a deep blue silk ribbon that matched his breathetaking saphire blue eyes. He was standing next to another young man with soft golden hair and soft green eyes whom was peering at her curiously. She found herself unable to turn her gaze away from the dark young man even as she heard Sylvie inform her she was going to search for their other sisters, Danielle and Claudette.
She drew her hand slowly back to her breast as she stood, intranced. Suddenly the young man turned away, breaking their locked gaze, and gracefully slipped off into the throng of people. She didn't know why but she knew she had to follow him, had to know who he was.
She made haste after him before he was completely out of sight. She followed him down the boulivard and away from the market, her large, heavy skirts and corset hampering her and preventing her from running to catch him. She caught but a glimpse of him as he turned down a small alley off the main street and hastened to catch up.
She bustled into the alley and stopped as she reached the middle, her quary nowhere in sight. She stood, turing this way and that, her bossum heaving within the confines of her bodice with the effort expended, and her golden coilettes bouncing about her shoulders with every movement. It never occured to her the dangers she might have put herself in.
"Were you looking for something, ma cher?"
Startled, she whipped around. There he was, casually standing in the shadows as though they were still on the boulivard rather then within a cramped, dirty alleyway. She took a deep breathe to slow her pounding heart, not missing the way his eyes were drawn to her breasts as they were pushed up by the corset and tight bodice when she breathed, though he didn't try to hide his glance as his gaze returned to her silvery, sky blue eyes.
"You, why were you staring at me as you were?" She demanded as she boldly looked him in the eye.
"I was meerly looking, ma patite. Is that a crime?" He drawled smoothly, his voice deep, rich, and mysterious.
"You were more then meerly looking, Monsieur. You were blatantly staring. I would care to know why." She lifted her chin displaying her long, graceful neck, decorated with it's red lace choker, never once breaking eye contact. Her insides squirmed as a slow little smile spread across his sinfully perfect lips.
"Well, in that case, Mademoiselle, I suppose you could call me a connaisseur of beauty and how could I help but stare when such a perfect example stands but twenty feet away?" He stepped forward as her delicately pale face flushed lightly at his flatery, her hand comming to rest upon her bossum.
"But forgive me, I seem to have misplaced my manners. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Endymion De'Bouclier." He bowed, low as he took her hand and placed a kiss upon the back. "Et vous, Mademoiselle?" She gasped lightly at the feel of his lips on her skin, a spark of pleasure shooting up her spine making the flush of her cheeks deepen.
"I am Serenity Valoir, the youngest daughter of Comte Valior." She curtsied, gracefully, never once removing her hand from where he still held it in his velvet gloved grasp.
"Enchante, Mademoiselle Valoir. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He smiled up at her mischieviously and, in that instant she knew, it had been love at first sight.
VvVvV
Serenity could remember many meetings in this alley. Each more pleasing then that last. Over the year they grew close. She learned many things about him, that he was British, born and raised in London, that his father had been a member of the house of Lords, that he had changed his name upon moving to france. They had their entrigues, stollen kisses, dodging her sisters, and her fathers guards, but it was more then that. Deeper. It was as though he was a part of her. A missing link in her soul. And how she needed him. Which is why it was all the harder when reality took it's toll.
VvVvV
Her boot heels clicked loudly on the cobblestones as she hurried along, the hood of her cheep, grey cloak pulled up to hide her golden curles. Taking a right onto the boulivard she skirted around the crowds of peasants rioting in the street. Lowering her head, she ducked into the familiar alleyway and out of sight of prying eyes. Not till she had reached the center of the alley did she lower her hood to reveal her face, drawn with strain brought on by worry and fear. She searched the shadows wearily, eyes flitting every which way as she waited. A lone figure stepped from the shadows off to her right causing her to jump with fright.
"Endymion!" She gasped and flung herself into his strong arms, clinging to his jacket for dear life. "I have missed you these past days."
"As have I, ma cher, as have I." He held her silently for a moment before gently holding her at arms length to take a good look at her. Gone were the exquisite brocade gown and jewels, the fancy cloak and delicate shoes, leaving but a middle class gosslin dress, fine, grey, woolin cloak, and sturdy boots. The only jewelry she still wore were the clips that held her delicate curls in place upon her head and a silver locket on a simple rope of black velvet resting at the base of her throat, a girft from himself for her eighteenth birthday.
The past year had been hard on them for not only did they have too meet in secret as her father would never permit their union, but her family was facing the ever looming threat from the rebelion. Her sisters, having already married, abandoned their father to flee with their new husbands to England, where the rebelion could not touch them. Serenity was the only one to stay behind.
"What is it? What is wrong?" Serenity demanded as she caught the hesitation in his gaze.
"Mon amour, The rebelion is getting worst by the day. I have procured passage on a ship to England and I want you to come with me." He could barely look her in the eyes. He felt as though he had lead in his stomache, already knowing what her answer would be.
"What?" Her face crumpled, "Endymion, you know I cannot. Father needs me, I can not leave him." Her chest was tight, but her resolve firm.
"It is too dangerous! It shall only be a matter of time till the rebelers are nocking down your door shouting "Aristo"! I don't want to see anything happen to you!" He was desperate, his normally smooth voice, strained.
"I know, but I can not just abandon my father. My sisters have all fled, I am the only one he has now. Please understand, bien-aime. If it was not for him, I would follow you in a heartbeat. But I cannot." Her voice was soft, pained, her eyes dark. He stood staring at her silently for a short time, seemingly weighing his words before he spoke.
"Then allow me to offer you something. I fear it will be no protection against Mademoiselle la Guilliotine. But it will help against other dangers at least." His voice was low, hestitant, as though he expected her to scream and flee or deny his request before she had even heard him out.
"What is it?" Serenity asked, taking a step closer to him and laying her hand against his firm chest. He refused to meet her eye for a moment, then locked their gazes as he became firm in his desision.
"Serenity, mon amour, what I offer is a priceless gift, but could also be considdered just as much a curse. I offer to make you immortal, a Vampyre." His eyes were solemn as he spoke. Her breathe caught in her throat. Vampyre. It was a word whispered in the shadows, but never spoken of directly.
"You?" It came out as a whisper, to which he nodded solemnly. She searched his gaze questioningly, almost afraid of what she would find there, only to find it hadn't changed. There was no monster hidden behind the warm, loving, familiar eyes. Merely the man she had come to cherish with all her heart.
"If you accept, ma cher, you will remain ever as you are now, young, strong, beautiful. There are drawbacks, of course, sensitivity to sunlight, fatal should you linger in it longer then a few hours, nocturnal habits, and most of all, the need to feed on blood, though only once every two days." He watched her eyes as she took all of this in, weighing her options carefully. Finally she met his gaze squarely, her mind made up. She gave a delicate nod of acquiescence and he felt his heart lighten slightly.
"Come with me." He whispered, reaching forward to once more cover her curls, with the gray woolin hood. He took her hand and lead her from the alley, back onto the boulivard, past the crowd of rowdy peasants, and down another side street. Down several side streets they travelled, Endymion leading the way and Serenity following silently without hesitation. He led her to his richly decorated suite of appartments, hidden deep within the streets of Paris. There, on his silken sheets and goose down filled pillows, they made love for the first time, as he drew the life giving blood from her veins allowing her to drink from him in turn.
Just after sunset, Serenity left his home to make her way back to her father's side. His words echoing her ears: "We shall meet again, Cher, of that I can promise. One day we shall be togther for the rest of eternity." By sunrise, Endymion was gone.
VvVvV
Serenity opened her eyes to gaze around the alley once more. She had been eighteen the year Endymion set sail for England and she had resolutely stayed behind. It was hard without him; Her new existance a constant reminder of his absence. But she remained ever resolute. She and her father managed to go unnoticed for a year before anyone caught on. The year: 1794.
VvVvV
"Father, quickly. We mustn't dally should someone noctice." Serenity whispered urgently as she took her father's arm and lead him through the filthy back street. It had finally happened. The rebels had finally come to their home for her father. Luckily she had spotted them from the entrance before they ever reached the house and had managed to collect her father and flee their estate through the servants quarters just as the front doors were forced open.
They hussled through the dark streets with their hoods drawn up to hide their faces, making for the docks in hopes of buying their way onto a ship set for England. Serenity's gaze flicked every which way as her senses were on high alert for danger. They had to cross the packed boulevard du temple to reach the shipping docks. With a deep breathe they checked their hoods and started across, skirting around the edge of the crowd, and praying that no one would notice them.
Her father's gasp was the only warning she had before he tripped over a large paving stone tore up from the road and fell, his hood flying back leaving him exposed to the crowd. Immediately cries of "Aristo! Aristo!" wrent the air. Serenity quickly rushed back to my father's side, taking his arm and helping him to his feet in an attempt to flee, but it was too late. They were caught.
An officer of the people grasped Serenity's father roughly by the arm as another grasped her own. The crowd around them were possitively monsterous, raising their voices in anger. Shouting death threats and demands at the two captors. Serenity gazed around them in fear.
Lord Valoir straitened himself resolutely as he took in Serenity's frightened face. He knew he had to protect his youngest child at all costs. She had too much to live for; Someone to live for. Yes, he knew all about her young man, Endymion Du'Bouclier, including things she did not. He had kept an eye on the young man after he learned of his reputation as a rake, prepared to do anything needed to keep his child safe. Needless to say he had been surprised as Endymion seemingly changed his ways. He no longer courted woman for his own pleasure, seemingly loosing interest in the hordes of woman he had procured. The only conclusion he could draw was that the young man truly cared for his daughter.
Taking a deep breathe he did the only thing he could think of that would spare his child, "Do with me as you wish, but I refuse to die alongside this whore." He puffed up his chest in indignation, as though offended at the very suggestion. He caught Serenity's shocked and hurt eyes. Praying she would understand and forgive him.
"Whore?" One of the guards enquired doubtfully. His eyes flicking back and forth between the Lord and Serenity.
"She is meerly a prostitute I had hired for the night. Do as you wish with me, but I demand it be nowhere near the traitorous little Salope. She garantees me freedom and safety and instead leads me strait into the hands of devils!" He sneered at her, his eyes proclaiming his shame and sorrow.
Serenity gasped as the man holding her glanced down at her, taking in her disheveled appearence, and proceeded to carelessly toss her aside as they dragged her father away down the street. Tears filled her eyes as she was left alone, no longer of consequence, in the middle of the boulivard. Trembling she forced herself to her feet and followed the crowd. Staying at the back, she watched in sickening horror as a rope was tyed about her fathers throat and the crate, on which he was standing, was kicked out from benieth his feet. A loud snap as the rope was pulled taught echoed loudly over the screams and cheers of the peasanst to her sensitive ears. She stood still, numbly watching he father's limp body sway from it's rope. Closing her eyes she forced herself to turn away from the grusome sight and continue on toward the boat dock, the last of her family's fortune tucked safely within her skirts.
VvVvV
She had caught the last ship setting sail that night, spending every Franc she had to secure her passage to England where she sought out her sister Sylvie and her husband Luis in London. She stayed with them for a few years, long enough to thoroughly search London for any sign of Endymion, then moved on. She remained in England for near on ninty years, before traveling to other countries, Ireland, Spain, Italy, to continue her search. Finally, in 1902, she arrived to America. She first lived in New York City, before moving to New Orleans, where she felt more at home as it was as close to being in France as one could get without actually returning there. She remained there from 1965 up untill just three days ago when she could resist the call of home no longer. So here she was in 2007, exactly two hundred and fourteen years later, right back where it had all started. Needless to say she had been a bit startled when she had arived to find that, with the exception of the small, wrought iron gates at either end, the alley was exactly the same as it had been the night they said goodbye.
Even though the alley remained the same, a lot else had changed. She had changed. Gone were the bouncing golden curls, replaced by long, pin strait silver hair that she had gained durring the nineteenth century. Her eyes were still the same silvery, sky blue but older, wiser, less innocent. She no longer wore dresses, instead prefering the modern Goth look: a long black trenchcoat over a stylish black corset with silver designs, black leather pants that flair out from the knee to cover heavy, chunky heeled, knee high black combat boots with large buckles climbing up her legs, and large bolts through the soles that clicked on the pavement as she walked. Over the centuries even her name had changed to suit the times, starting with Serenity, then shortening to Serena in the nineteenth cetury, to Sera in the twentieth. But no matter what she whent by in the mortal world, she was still Serenity to the other vampires. Her sisters had all long since died, their descendants scattered over the world. She was alone. Perhaps that was why she was called back here to this place.
"Were you looking for something, ma cher?"
A lone figure stepped from the shadows off to her right. Serenity froze as a wave of deja'vu rolled over her. Slowly, she turned to face the figure standing half in and half out of the shadows. Had her heart been beating she was certain it would have stopped as her eyes settled on the face for which she had been searching for over two hundred years. Jet black hair, now cropped short, hung over saphire blue eyes that were staring at her just as intently as she stared at them. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words stuck in her throat. She closed her mouth, wet her lips, swallowed then tried again.
"Endymion?" The name came out in a breathy whisper, as tears pooled in her eyes, nearly making it impossible for her to see him.
That oh, so famliar mischevious little smile slid across is still sinfully perfect lips, "My name, Mademoiselle, is Darien, Darien Shields. And you are?" He offered with a little bow.
Serenity chocked back a small laugh and offered a playful curtsie of her own, " I, monsieur, am Sera, Sera Valient." She stood strait, staring at him for a moment before her little smile crumpled and her tears escaped her hold, pouring down her cheeks as she flung herself into his familiar arms. She clung to his midnight blue shirt and black jacket for dear life as she allowed herself to cry as she hadn't since her father's hanging.
"Oh, ma cher, my beautiful bien-aime. How I have longed for this day." He ran his fingers through her long hair, exaulting in the feel of the silky strands slipping between his fingers. "I have searched for you for so long, ma petite, and now you're here and we can at last be together." She nodded, unable to speak as she kept her face burried in his shirt absorbing his scent. Her heart lighter then it had been since the night she left his suite, a newly born vampire. He let her cry for a short time before drawing back and drying her tears with a smile.
"Come, precious, we have much to catch up on." He took her hand and lead her away from their alley and back towards the little suite where she had been reborn. In that instatnt as she held his hand and watched the shadows of Paris play along his handsome features, she knew. All the years of loneliness, all the fear she had felt, was worth it. Worth this, worth him. She was finally truely home.
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GML: Whoop! I'm back::sigh:: I was almost afraid I had lost my touch for a time there.
Darien: You were seriously worried about that?
GML: Well, yeah. It's been so long since I've been truly inspired, I almost thought I had lost my love of writing, but nope. It's still here. You have no idea how relieved I am.
Darien: I'll bet. Now you can put your nose to the grind stone and finish your other fics.
GML: Hush you! I told everyone already, all of that info is on the wrong computer with no way to get it! So untill I can get a $45!!!! transfer cable, they'll just have to deal. Now, about this fic. I started writting this in my head at work this morning and actually managed to have it stick all day! Originally it was going to be a much longer story with a few more characters thrown in (a few elder vampires, and a shit load of Fledglings) but I descided they were taking away from the story line and that it was best left in it's One-shot form. Originally I wasn't too crazy about the ending, but after comming back to this, I descided I do like it after all. Anyways, let me know what you think, Ne? Especilly give you're opinions and suggestions on the ending. Ta for now!
REVIEW!!!