It must have been the weather. It was a cool fall morning, the night's rain still loitering along the gravel roads of the smaller city causing its streets to be home of muddy puddles in the craters of the road. As any normal person would do, look both ways before crossing a busy street, and Tsukino Usagi did just that. But, inevitably, a curvy road and a horse galloping too quickly is never a good combination and is a waiting disaster. As Usagi made it halfway across the filthy street, the said horse stopped short, turning towards the dog jogging at its side, thus making the dog trip the horse. And as a final result, the rider had fallen off into a deep puddle nearby. Usagi's eyes widened in horror as her morning's errands had gone to waste as the eggs lay broken and the fish fell onto the ground. And as the man landed in the puddle, it splashed onto her skirts drenching them from the knee downward. What an idiot! Furious at the man who almost ran over her, she turned her attention back towards him as the entire street sat still. "Why in seven hells where you doing in the middle of the street, are you mad?"

Putting on a fake smile, Usagi finally spoke to break the silence. "Sir, I hope you are not hurt from your fall…should I have known you needed the entire street I would have waited for you to pass." The man, finally stood from the puddle, wiping his face with the only dry part of his sleeve and glared at Usagi. She took a sharp breath as she gazed upon the man who had fallen off his horse. His eyes where a pleasant blue and hair dark as midnight… or was that the mud that had clumped in his hair? He had a slight tan with a lean build, from what it looked like; he had done a lot of work outside. Not letting her smile falter she watched as the man turn away towards his horse. "You stupid animal, get your ass over here before I wring your neck." The horse finally calmed down to his master's touch and Usagi looked on with sympathy for the animal. Finally the man settled his horse and looked down upon her once more with dark and cold eyes. "Watch where you are going next time woman, Good day." Usagi watched as he and his dog round the next corner before gathering what was left of the fish from her morning's spending. At least this can be saved. Mother Kou will be none too pleased.

She had reached the front of her cottage a few moments later, carrying the soiled fish within her basket. Mother Kou opened the door only to gasp at Usagi's appearance. "Child, what happened? Did you fall again?" Usagi shook her head at her mother-in-law as she stepped inside and shut the door behind her. "No… but I saved the fish, just rinse it well before you cook it." Usagi said as she handed the basket over to Mother Kou. She watched as the older woman walked away, her once dark brown hair now had much grey and her eyes where always tired. Usagi began to discard her wet dress as Mother Kou re-entered the room to help her. "Was it the mailmen again? I swear…those irresponsible carriers." Usagi smiled at the woman's comment as she felt the weight of the wet dress fall to the floor and she gracefully stepped out of its center. "No, it was not the mailman mother. Come; let us hope we won't have another burnt supper. Though Ne-chan is getting better at cooking, she has a tendency to forget where she is." Mother Kou shook her head as she bent down to gather Usagi's skirts and placed them in a wooden tub. "Usagi, how much did my silk weaving bring us?" Usagi's face paled as she gave the few coins to her mother in law. "This is it? I worked so long on it too!" Mrs. Kou's kind eyes took on a cold demeanor as she thought of the woman who bought it. "It is not worth-." Mrs. Kou interrupted her with a finger pointed at Usagi. "It is not worth much until it is placed in a kimono or obi or even in tapestries!" Both women fell silent as they smelt the fish cook in the kitchen by the young girl they had taken in.

"I believe I am going to take up a job." Mother Kou gasped and looked about the room as if to look for anyone who may have heard. "Are you mad? Women do not work. We will cut back on something. It is a shame Seyia did not leave us more to live upon." Usagi shook her head and placed her hand upon her mother in law's own small wrinkled hands. "We've already given up all meat besides fish, and we only eat that twice a week. The three of us have not bought a dress in over two years… would you rather us be naked as the day we where born and die of starvation?" Mother Kou hesitated in her response but Usagi did not hear her. Seyia was a good man, who had worked hard for the money that he earned. His late father had landed the family name deep within debt so, when nothing else would work, Seyia sold the family home and moved into a smaller cottage. It was five years later he left Usagi on her own with his mother to fend for themselves. Usagi's thoughts where interrupted as Ne-chan entered the room, her dark hair looking a rat's nest. "Supper is ready." Smiling, Usagi stood from her seat and walked by Mrs. Kou towards the kitchen only pausing to say the last word. "So it is settled, I am to find a job on the morrow."

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Kunzite stood in the study where his Earl sat engrossed with the papers scattered about the desk he leaned upon. Looking about the room, Kunzite noted it was dark and gloomy inside the study even with the sun shinning brightly through the large windows which opened onto the landscape of the property. Hearing the writing stop, Kunzite turned his attention back to the Earl before bowing his head slightly. "Sir, I have terrible news. It seems that your secretary, Kunio, had to head to his hometown. The family seems to have contracted a fever highly contagious that he said even the family cat has." The Earl looked at him with a perfectly shaped eyebrow and stood up from his chair. The Earl was indeed an intimidating man, who stood taller than most people with the typical dark hair but strange blue eyes. "The family cat you say?" Kunzite nodded but quickly ducked as the man hurled a pot towards his head. After a moment, Kunzite opened his eyes once more to see his master glaring at him. "You have found a replacement?"

"Er…well…I-I-I I have looked long and hard for someone who has the right education and mannerisms to work under you. And in this small town its-." Kunzite, looking into his employer's eyes noted that he was becoming annoyed at him. Sighing in defeat Kunzite shook his head. "No, sir, I have not found a replacement." The Earl crossed his arms as he looked pointedly at the smaller man. "I need someone to transcribe the meeting I have in four weeks. And I need someone who can last for more than a week. You have until the dawn of the day after tomorrow to find someone. You are dismissed." Kunzite bowed low to him before walking out as silently as he had come in.

The Earl, Darien, finished his reports and poured himself a small glass of brandy as he stood from his chair. His legs had grown stiff a few hours back, but he could not put down the paper work that had to be done. Taking a sip of the dark brown liquid he walked towards the large windows and leaned against the pane. This had been the second secretary to leave within the protection of the night. He was not a bad man, just had a fiery temper that his secretary needed to know how to deal with. Most of the men he had employed where mere mice compared to the typical man. Smiling Darien took another sip of his brandy as his thoughts went to the woman in the road earlier that day.

He did not miss her sarcastic reply as he asked her why she was in the road. Hell if any of the men his assistant had hired where like her, they would have stayed more than a week. Thinking of his estate, he sighed taking the last sip of brandy and sat the glass on a side table nearby. This had been a happy place once, besides this year, he had not been here for almost a decade. His entire family had caught a terrible disease and had died within the month leaving him the only survivor. His godfather had come to raise him away from the family home. Now that he was back, the house had been well taken care of for some of the servants had stayed. But even with how well kept the place was, it was dark and gloomy compared to the happiness this place once held.

He planned on bringing his new bride here- not that he had anyone in mind- but when he did, he wanted his new family to life here. But it seemed that not one woman wanted to be around him long enough to consider courtship, was it his cold demeanor? Was it the lone scar that was from his eye down to his jaw? Whatever the reason, he needed to find a bride soon… perhaps the man Kunzite hires will know of respectable women? Darien turned from the window and blew the lamp upon his desk out and picked up the smaller candle and walked out the study. It was too late to think such thoughts… it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Let me know if i should continue on with this story on fanfiction or not. R&R