Title: Beautifully Terrifying

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon

Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it. I'm totally open to ideas and suggestions for this one, so let me know what you think. And please, point out mistakes. I know that I re-read every chapter, but I don't catch everything. If you tell me what mistakes I made, I'll change them.

Anyway, I haven't yet decided who will all be involved in this story, as far as the other girls are concerned. So keep reading, and let me know who you'd like to see.

Serenity sat with Luna, holding her tightly, feeling the older woman shake. With cold or fear, she couldn't tell.

When the sun set, and the darkness came back in, so did the chill of the night. Artemis wrapped his long coat around Luna, and Andrew sat close with Serenity, trying to keep them warm in their robes and night clothes.

It was a strange stillness. The forest around them hardly moved, and the people around the fires hardly spoke. What could be said? They had all be uprooted in minutes, and now sat around, wishing those that were not with them hadn't died.

Serenity shivered. She felt a little more calm. Not at peace, or hopeful, only calm. She was so thankful that Luna was still sitting beside her that she could hardly express it, and Andrew and Artemis as well. Andrew had lost his brother and father, and he said quietly beside her, saying nothing. She wanted to comfort him, but she hardly knew what to say.

"You should try and get some sleep," Artemis said softly. His eyes were so kind, looking at her as if he were a worried father. She nodded, but she knew sleep would never claim her.

"I'll try," she said in a weak voice.

Artemis touched her face gently, caressing it with his smooth, cool hands. She could tell that he was trying to make sure she was alright in his own way, but she couldn't bring herself to show him if she was. She could hardly feel at all.

"What will we do?" Luna asked in a frightened voice.

Artemis looked at her, and Serenity saw his eyes soften. "I'm not sure. But if we stay together, we can figure it out."

His voice was so calm, so sure. Serenity could feel how it affected the people around them, listening quietly. Artemis, with his mysterious past, had fought off one of the beasts. The people respected him.

"Get some sleep," he said smiling at Luna. "Tomorrow is a new day, and we can figure out what to do then."

Nobody moved, but that's because there was nowhere to go. They hunched around the fire together, hoping that sleep might take them, and that the morning would bring the revelation of a bad dream.

When the fires burned low, the people around Serenity slowly started to drift away into sleep. Luna slept against Artemis, letting his strong frame hold her as he leaned against a tree. Her delicate guardian looked pale and tired in the darkness, and Serenity wished they were safe and at home, in the little house she had all but grown up in. She pictured Luna in the garden she had so painstakingly nurtured every day, until it bloomed fresh and alive. She always had a smile on her beautiful face when she worked in her garden, pure and sweet.

Andrew slept beside her, his arm gently draped over her side. She could hear his soft breathing as he slept, and his warmth seemed to radiate off of him. She tried to get comfortable next to him, allowing him to warm her as she snuggled into his embrace, but she couldn't. She couldn't sleep, and she didn't feel tired. She felt afraid.

Around her the forest seemed to move in the darkness, but she couldn't see it. Every sound seemed to echo through the emptiness, and her heart beat would speed up whenever anyone moved. What if they were attacked? What if those monsters followed them? She couldn't sleep in her fear. It felt like there were eyes on her, watching her.

Serenity looked up at the hidden sky, wishing she could see the moon. She need a bit of light.

The stillness made her shiver.

The people around her had all fallen into exhaustion, fitfully. She was a little surprised that they had all let their guard down, but she wouldn't say anything. More than a few had simply passed out, as apposed to fallen asleep. And something told her that Artemis was somehow aware. His eyes closed over his pale eyes, but she couldn't imagine him still seeing.

She felt a chill go through her, making the air seem even colder, as if winter was sneaking up on them.

The world around her was almost deathly still.

She gently pushed Andrews arm off of her, making sure not to wake him. He moaned slightly in his sleep, and she stilled. When it seemed like he would stay in his dream world, she slowly stood up and looked around her.

Slowly, she made her way away from the firelight and towards their outer circle. The feeling of something watching her stayed with her, but there was nothing out there she could see. Her bare feet tiptoed over the cold dirt, and she longed for shoes to protect her. She looked back at Andrew and Luna, sleeping soundly in the night.

She took another step back, listening for any sound.

Serenity gasped when her back hit the coldness of the gate, and she spun around in fear, only to realize what she had touched. She couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh as she willed her heart to slow its frantic pace. For a moment she had thought something was out there, but it was only the iron gate keeping them out of the manor. She stepped back towards the gate, grabbing the bars and peering towards the dark house. She could hardly make it out at all. The shadows gripped so tightly to the place that it seemed distorted.

The grounds within the walls were shrouded with darkness, so she couldn't make it out at all. She squinted, trying to see if there was anything moving out there.

And then she saw him.

If she hadn't immediately frozen in fear, she would have screamed.

He stood so still, he couldn't be real. Just inside the gate, no more then two feet away from her, looking at her so intently she could only shake.

"What are you doing here?"

His voice was smooth and rich, and dark like the night. It moved across her, caressing her.

He stepped towards her and she couldn't move. Her eyes were on his, trapped in his stormy gaze.

"What are you doing here?" He repeated, his voice low.

Serenity tried to swallow, feeling his presence surround her in a thick cloud of cold air. A man, seeping out from the shadows themselves, standing so close to her she could feel his breath. Her hands gripped the cold bars tightly, and the cold seemed to waft from the man himself. His black hair disappeared into the darkness, and his tall thin frame moved like water.

"We were attacked," she whispered. "We ran. We ran for hours, and this is where we ended up."

"You're not welcome here," he said not listening to her story.

Serenity felt like he had hit her. His eyes were so cold, so unfeeling.

"Please," she begged, feeling the tears start to fall from her eyes. "Please, we have nowhere else to go. My family is here. I have nobody else. We just need shelter for a few days, so we can figure out how to get our homes back."

She could see him study her, his strong jaw muscles clenching, moving the shadows on his face so that he seemed even more angular and menacing than he had seconds before. His eyes picked up the glint of the firelight, and his tall lean frame seemed to blend with the shadows.

"Please," she whispered.

"Serenity?"

He seemed to vanish in the air, not moving before suddenly being gone as Andrew walked up to her, worry written clearly across his handsome face. He looked through the gates where she had been staring.

"I saw someone," she said in a breathless voice. "A man."

He looked surprised. "What? Where?"

Serenity turned back to gaze into the shadows. There was nothing there.

"I don't see anyone."

"He was there," she said. "I asked him to let us in. He said no."

She heard Andrew sigh, and then felt his warm hands on her shoulders, lightly pulling her away from the gate and into his embrace.

"You're tired," he whispered soothingly into her hair, kissing her temple lightly. "You're worried about your family and you wish there was someone there to help us so in your exhaustion, you thought you saw him. Just try to relax. Tomorrow, we'll build something to get us over the gate and then we'll be fine."

"I saw him Andrew, I know I did. He had blue eyes and black hair. He seemed to….." people were watching her, awake from the commotion. "He seemed to appear from the shadows."

"Come on," he pulled her back towards the fire where everyone waited.

"I saw him," she said to Luna and Artemis firmly.

"We're all tried," Luna said kindly, her eyes tired and yet still loving.

Serenity allowed Andrew to keep her in his embrace, holding her against the cold of the night. She knew that he didn't believe her, but she knew she had seen someone. She let her gaze go back to the gate, where not even the shadows moved. She had seen him, she knew it. She could still see those blue eyes, cold and unfeeling. She could still feel his breath on her, and his presence around her.

In the shadows, she could feel him.

She kept her eyes on the inky blackness just past the gates, refusing to let her gaze waver. He was there, she knew it.

Serenity was jolted awake by a startled yell.

The morning crashed on her, gray and moist and completely hostile. Someone grabbed her and hoisted her up, and then she was pushed behind as she focused tried to focus her tired mind on the commotion happening right in front of the gate. She breathed out in confusion as she saw four men, none of them the man she had seen last night, standing on the other side of the gate, still and unmoving. They looked like statues.

"What's going on?" She felt someone's hand hold hers so tightly that it nearly hurt.

"They were simply standing there," Luna said with a quiver in her voice. "When we woke up, they were just standing there."

Serenity felt crushed in the crowd of women who were being pushed together behind the men who stood at the ready. She could see Artemis at the forefront with his flowing white hair and his still, calm eyes.

"We have been told to give you assistance."

The man who spoke had hair so light, it was almost white. Not luminous like Artemis, but white enough that Serenity couldn't help but wonder at the resemblance. Until now, Artemis had been the only person she had ever met with that particular color.

They were all dressed in the same amour, black and shining. It wasn't sleek like the armor of an army, but polished and versatile, as if they were meant to run in them and move to swiftly for men.

"If you would gather your things, we will open the gates and you may come into the manor," the one with short blond hair said.

"Do not go anywhere except the main floor," the first one said again.

"Set up your areas of refuge within the gates and stay quite," the blond said.

"If you fail to remain where you are asked to stay, and nowhere else, you will be shown off of the grounds."

Serenity felt a chill wash over her as she looked at them, so stiff and yet smooth. Their eyes gazed steadily ahead, all intent on the same subject. The slight breeze seemed to hit them all at once, slightly ruffling their hair in identical time. It was eerie, like she was looking at ghosts.

"You will close the gates once we are all safely inside?" Artemis asked.

Serenity couldn't imagine how he was able to keep his voice so strong and smooth, as if this were any other day of the week. His back was straight, and his posture perfect, as it always was.

"You will be kept safe within these walls until you find a way to return to your village. Once you leave, you will never be allowed to return."

For a moment nobody moved. Truthfully, nobody was really sure what was going on. They all believed the place was abandoned, even though Serenity had said she saw someone. Now they were looking at her, wondering what she had seen.

"Open the gates," the one with long brown hair said, his green eyes blazing.

The four men stayed perfectly still as the gates creaked before gently sliding open without the assistance of man.

The people who were huddled there gave cries of alarm as the gates creaked and squealed, echoing through the woods and disturbing the wildlife.

When the gates were open, nobody moved.

Serenity watched Artemis carefully. She could almost see him calculating their chances of safety. His eyes stared intensity at the men in front of him. Their form was perfect, straight, angular. All four men seemed chiseled from stone, perfect.

"We mean you no harm."

Artemis and Andrew walked forward, in through the gates and into the confines of those great metal walls. Slowly, the people followed, collecting their few things as they did. Their horses were grabbed, walking a little timidly through the gate.

As soon as they passed that line, the cold came in. It was like the property had a different climate from the rest of the forest, and Serenity shivered as her breath came out suddenly visible in little clouds of moisture. She clung to Luna, feeling her tremble beside her as the group made their way towards the manor.

The four men walked in front of them, smoothly and calmly until they reached the front doors, which opened seemingly on their own with a great groan, as if they had been asleep.

The crowded in, hearing the squeal of the gates close.

"Leave the horses outside. They will be cared for."

Serenity looked back at Onyx who stood taller than the other horses, gazing at her, as if trying to tell her something. But his stature was calm, telling her not to worry. When the doors of the manor closed, cutting off her view from him, she felt trapped.

The air was stale, as if never used.

The light was so dim it was hard to see.

The lobby was huge. They could perhaps fit their whole village inside this room and be comfortable enough.

"Set up places to sleep," the white haired man talked, looking at Artemis who he had obviously deemed our leader. "When you are settled, food will be brought. You will not go up the stairs or through any doors. This is the room you have been given, and no other. If you require anything further, you will speak to us directly, nobody else."

"Are there other people here?" Andrew asked.

The four men looked at him, moving at exactly the same time as if they were all part of the same being. It sent chills through the room.

"My name is Kunzite," the white haired man said. "This is Nephrite, Zoicite and Jedeite. Those are the only names you need to know."

They turned around and walked up the stairs, disappearing around the corner.

The manor became almost deathly silent.

Serenity could here her heart beat in her ears as Andrew looked back at her, giving her a soft comforting smile.

Artemis faced them all, standing tall and proud.

"Spread out," he ordered softly. "Find a place to spend a night or two. Once we're settled we'll talk about what we're going to do. For now, just try not to panic. For the moment we're safe."

He walked towards Serenity and Luna, taking Luna's hand comfortingly.

"I suppose we owe you an apology Serenity," he said smiling softly. "It seems you did in fact see someone last night."

Serenity nodded.

"Which one?" Andrew asked, standing close to her.

"It wasn't one of those four," she said softly. "He was taller, with black hair and blue eyes."

"There are more of them?" Luna asked breathlessly.

"I don't think he's one of those guards," Serenity said. "He wasn't wearing the armor."

"Serenity, you're so pale," Luna said taking her face softly in her hands. "Come with me, we'll sit down and you can rest. We'll be safe here," she said wrapping her in her motherly embrace.

Serenity followed Luna towards the bottom of the stairs where they sat together, desperately holding on to one another for support. Andrew and Artemis watched them for a moment, before turning to make sure the other people were safe and calm. Serenity watched them for a few minutes, feeling numb.

"Are you alright?"

Serenity looked at Luna, tearing her gaze away from the people sprawled out around the room. She nodded, not really feeling anything. She knew she should be hungry, but she wasn't. She wasn't anything. She wasn't afraid, she wasn't cold and she could hardly tell what she was thinking let alone feeling.

"Is this a dream?" She finally whispered.

"I wish it were," Luna said softly. "I had hoped you and I would never again be on the run, but it seems fate is cruel."

Serenity sighed. "I do not blame you, for either time we had to leave Luna. Don't worry about how I might deal with this. Artemis is here, and it seems he has taken it upon himself to lead us. I feel safer, with him at our front."

"His nobility is starting to show."

Serenity looked at her, momentarily distracted. "Nobility?"

"Do you remember when Artemis came to the village?"

Serenity nodded. "I thought he was a ghost. His pale skin and white hair. He floated through town, hardly even noticing the blood dripping down his arm. He must have been seriously wounded."

"He never told anyone his story, but I'm sure he was a rich man somewhere," Luna said. "I can't think of another person of our acquaintance who speaks as educated as he does or move as gracefully. I'm sure he has a past that is perhaps more prestigious than ours, but for whatever reason, he has decided to abandon it as we did."

It made sense. Even Serenity had wondered at it, but hearing Luna say it as she watched Artemis move through the crowd tall and proud, it simply made sense.

"Are we really going to be alright?"

"I don't know," Luna said honestly.

True to their word, Kunzite and his guards came back with enough food to feed them all, setting it out on silver platters in a line down the room. It was simple, bread and cheese, with water and some wine to drink. Just enough to give them sustenance and feel calmer about their predicament. Families huddled together, crying for those lost. Children didn't play together, they just held tightly to their parents. Nobody really moved. The whole day seemed to pass in a stunned silence.

Serenity watched Artemis gather those necessary to discuss what should be done, and they sat together in a circle, speaking in low voices. She wanted to go home, back to her little house Luna had raised her in. She wanted to sit in the lower field, basking in the sunlight with Onyx. But she knew, despite how hard she tried to ignore it, that her life was changed once again and she had to say goodbye to those dreams.

A cool gust brushed passed her, and she turned around to look up the dark staircase.

She felt like she was moving into an empty void. The shadows were so dark the blackness was almost complete. She squinted, trying to see any form in the shadows.

She felt her heart stop when she caught a glint.

It was unmistakably someone's eye.

Her mind raced back to the man she had met the night before, and wondered why he would linger so implicitly in the shadows. She knew it was him. She could feel his presence and it frightened her, the same cold and intense feeling he had been surrounded by the first time she had seen him.

She wanted to talk to him again, but she was afraid of those emotionless eyes. He had obviously been the reason for the guards coming to the gate. Was he the master of this manor? Had he ordered his guards to act? She was desperately curious about him.

"Serenity?"

She looked back at Luna who was watching her carefully. "Do you see something?"

"No," she lied, hating immediately that she had lied to Luna for no reason.

"Get some sleep," Luna said softly. "Most have already fallen asleep, and the men meeting will talk late into the night."

Serenity nodded, curling up in Andrew's coat he had given her. She knew she wouldn't sleep. She could still feel him, watching her, watching them. She couldn't stop thinking about him and his blue eyes. She thought of him as she drifted off, unaware that her body was slowly shutting down, still convinced that she wouldn't sleep.

End of Chapter Two!

Sorry, this chapter didn't achieve much except getting into the manor, but the next chapter will have more to it. This is shaping up to be a pretty long story, so I hope you're ready for it. I've already started the next chapter, so I'll try to get it out by the end of the week.

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!