The Adventures of a Lady

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon

Authors Notes: My Chapters are getting shorter and shorter,

so I'll try to make this one longer. It all depends

on when I start writing these things.

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"Serena, where have you been?" Raye demanded as she

walked into the part of the garden they had arranged to

meet. They all stopped suddenly and looked at her.

"Serena, what happened?" Amy asked in concern.

Serena was wide eyed and shaking.

"He kissed me," she said quietly.

"Who?"

"Darien?"

Serena nodded.

They all just looked at her in shock.

"Why would he kiss me?" She asked. "From the moment

I met him we've hated each other."

"Serena, I told them about your whole future thing."

Lita said looking away like she was in trouble. "I

thought I should explain it in case you started acting

weird again."

"That's how you knew me wasn't it?" Raye asked.

Serena nodded.

"But how is that possible?" Amy asked.

Serena forgot about Darien for the moment. "Okay,

I need to tell you what happened. The four of us, and

Mina, were friends in the future. We were the Sailor

Scouts, and we fought against evil to keep the world

safe. But in the day we were just people, and we had

all kinds of things going on in our lives. Mina had a

major crush on Andrew, and we all knew he liked her to.

Lita wanted to be a chief, and she was always trying out

new recipes and everything on us. Raye had to run the

temple because her grandfather was sick and Amy was always

studying to get better grades in school and become a

doctor one day. I was totally in love with Darien, who

was Andrews best friend and way to old for me. Plus he

never looked at me without making fun of me. He was

always putting me down and making me angry. The last

thing from that time I remember is being in a battle,

and then I woke up here."

They all looked at her strangely.

"Do you remember going home after the battle?" Amy

asked.

Serena looked at her in surprise. "No."

"What kind of monster were we fighting?" Raye asked.

Serena tried to remember, but the fight was blurry.

"It was nothing out of the ordinary. Some evil thing

that the nega-verse sent."

"Did we win?" Lita asked.

"I don't remember?"

"Serena, why would we be sent back here with no

memories?" Amy asked.

"I have memories?" Serena said.

"But why this time?"

Serena shrugged. "I thought about that this morning.

I think it might be some sort of test, like before we're

allowed to get to the next level there's something here

that we have to deal with."

"Like what?" Raye asked.

"I thought that maybe it had something to do with

becoming a Lady or something. This seems kind of extreme

but what else are women allowed to do her beside be

the perfect Lady?"

"But we already are ladies. You're the only one

who has your memory from your other life. We only know

what we're supposed to do in this life."

Serena nodded.

"Maybe it's a test in friendship?" Amy said.

"You mean are we close enough to believe that Serena

isn't insane?" Raye joked.

"We need to get Mina here," Serena said.

"She'll be back tomorrow," Lita answered.

Serena smiled at that. Then she turned to Amy.

"What exactly has happened in this time that may be of

note in the future?"

Amy thought about it. "I don't know."

"It wouldn't be something that's already happened,

it's got to be something that's going to happened,"

Raye said.

"Like what?" Lita asked.

"Serena?"

They all turned to see Serena's mother coming up

to them with a sad smile on her face. "It's nice to

see that you've made new friends darling, but I need

you to come with me now."

Serena looked at her friends confused, but then

followed her mother away from them.

"What's going on?" Amy asked.

Lita looked away sadly. "I found out this morning

that Serena is going to be married to Lord Walthum."

"What?!" Raye and Amy said together.

"But he's so old," Amy said.

"It's arranged," Lita said sighing. "Serena doesn't

have a choice in the matter. Her parents aren't happy

about it, but they have no choice. They are greatly

indebted to Lord Walthum, and he has chosen his payment."

"But that's not fair," Raye shouted.

"She's going to be pretty upset when she comes back."

Amy said. "We should be ready to comfort her."

Serena pushed open the doors with such force that they

crashed against the walls on either side. She knocked

down a servant that was in her way, but she didn't stop

walking. Tears streamed down her face, and her eyes were

so deadly angry that those who saw her shunned away.

She walked determinedly out of the hallway, feeling

the rage within her choking her. She wanted to run, but

her pride wouldn't let her.

She saw her friends standing looking at her sadly, but

she didn't go towards them. She needed to get out. She

needed to breath again.

Darien took a step towards her, but Raye grabbed his

arm to hold him back. He looked back at them in surprise.

"It would be improper for you to go to her at this

moment," Amy said to him.

He looked at her confused. "What happened?" He asked.

"She is engaged," Lita said.

Darien looked like she had just punched him in the gut.

"What do you mean?"

"Serena's parents are indebted to Lord Walthum for

services paid a very long time ago. He would not take money

from them, and said that one day they would be able to repay

him in a much better way. A week ago, he chose Serena as

his prize, and they have no choice but to give her to him,"

Lita explained.

Darien looked back to Serena as she disappeared at the

end of the long hallway. He knew Lord Walthum. On older

man who treated women like they were expendable. He would

destroy her.

"Why did you kiss her?" Amy asked.

Darien turned around to look at them again. His eyes

were glimmering and his face sad. "Because I love her."

"But you've only just net her," Raye said.

"And yet I've loved her forever," Darien gently took

his hand away from their hold, and started walking away.

His back was no longer straight, and his stride was slow.

"She's right isn't she?" Raye said.

"I have a feeling she is," Amy answered.

"And Darien loved her didn't he?" Lita asked.

"I think that's obvious enough," Raye said.

Serena let the rain soak through her. She had to find

out why she had been sent back here before she had to marry

some guy she had never met. It had shocked her and she

wanted to laugh at the joke when her parents had told her,

but then she had remembered what time she was in. This sort

of thing happened all the time she knew, and she had no

choice.

She thought desperately about all the other tests she

had been through. She had defeated so many monsters that

this should be easy, but she felt like she was being

defeated and didn't even have a chance to fight. What had

happened during that last fight? Why had she been sent

back here?

She looked out across the land in front of her. She

was standing on the balcony connecting with her room

later that night, and it had started to rain. She had

to get ready and go to the ball soon, but she didn't feel

up to it. But what if her test was at the ball?

Serena sighed heavily and went into her bedroom where

Molly was waiting with her gown. She had to admit that it

was beautiful, but she didn't want to wear it.

It didn't take that long before she was ready, and

then she walked to meet her parents at the end of the long

hall where they were greeting more guests. She was

introduced to so many people, and some she recognized but

most she didn't. She didn't care either, not until she

was allowed to leave and go sit with her friends.

"He said that?" Mina asked as Serena came closer.

"Serena!" Raye went and hugged her tightly, and the

other girls followed.

"It's nice to see you again Mina. I hope your

honeymoon was pleasant."

"Never mind that, I want to know about this whole

affair of us being from the future."

Serena sighed. "I really don't want to talk about it

any more."

"But Serena, your only chance of getting out of this

marriage is to find out how to get back," Amy said.

"I know, but it's starting to look impossible. I

can't remember what went wrong in the fight, and I can't

see what being here has to do with anything."

"Serena, don't loose hope," Lita said.

"We'll beat this thing together," Raye said.

Serena smiled at them. "Thanks guys, but I'm

starting to loose hope. I would rather die than marry

this guy, and I'm starting to loose faith."

Before anyone could say anything, Serena noticed

something and her expression changed.

She looked at it like it had come out of nowhere.

Her gaze locked with it, and suddenly she felt like things

were beginning to come clearer.

"What are you looking at?" Mina asked.

"When we all first met, we didn't know who we were.

We thought we were just ordinary kids," Serena said.

"So?" Amy asked.

"How is that different now?"

"You know who you are," Lita said.

Serena shook her head. "I was the first to know

then as well, that's no different."

"So then what's different now?" Lita asked.

"Other than the time period," Raye said.

Serena smiled. "Nothings different now."

They all looked at her like she was insane or

something, and then she started walking away. They tried

to see what she had been seeing, but as far as they knew

she was looking at the crystal chandelier. They followed

her until they were in the gardens, and Serena finally

stopped.

"What's going on?" Mina asked.

Serena looked around them, then closed her eyes and

concentrated. Soon she held the silver imperial crystal

in her hand and the moon symbol on her head.

"Help them remember," she whispered, and white light

surrounded the four girls for a moment, and then it all

went dark again.

They looked at Serena, all in shock.

"Now what?" Raye asked.

Serena shrugged. "Actually that was as far as I

got."

They all looked at her.

"Oh good, now we have our memories but we're still

stuck here," Lita said.

"Now we have Amy back," Serena said.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked.

"What happened in this time period that is important

to the sailor scouts?" She asked.

They all looked at Amy.

Amy thought for a moment, and this time she had an

answer for them. "The nega verse came to earth and

made their base."

Serena looked at her surprised. "They did?"

"Yeah, they always had their eye on earth, but they

had never been able to come here until now. They came

when earth no longer had any way of defending itself. The

last of the royal family died a little while ago, and with

him the last defense."

"So we're supposed to stop them from settling here?"

Lita asked.

"But how are we supposed to do that?" Mina asked.

"We have to find out where they landed. They were

weak when they first came, and if we can defeat them now,

then maybe the future will be safe."

"Okay, this is just weird," Raye said. "Who sent us

here if all we can remember is fighting some monster?" But

as she asked this question her face fell, and she looked at

Serena sadly.

The other girls did the same thing.

"What?" Serena asked. "What happened?"

"We do remember the fight," Mina answered.

"What happened?" Serena asked.

There was a pause.

"You died," Raye answered.

Serena looked at them in surprise. "How did I die?"

"We don't know exactly. We were winning, and then

something came from behind us and hit you hard," Mina said.

"We were all so distracted that the monster we were

fighting killed an innocent bystander, and everything seemed

to spiral out of control," Raye said.

"When it seemed everything was lost, we came over to

you and then we all disappeared," Amy said.

"And the next thing that really made sense was when

you gave us all back out memories," Lita finished.

Serena was quiet as she took all this in. "So then

maybe we're here to save me," she said.

"That still doesn't explain who brought us here,"

Amy said.

"And why would Darien and Andrew be here as well, not

to mention my parents?" Serena asked.

"But not everything is the same, because I have a

father here, but he's not real," Lita said.

"And not to mention that I'm married to Andrew," Mina

said not looking to upset about that idea. "And Serena

is supposed to be getting married to someone."

"And Darien said he loved her."

Serena looked at Raye in shock when she said that.

"Darien said what?"

"He said that he loved you," Lita answered.

"But he doesn't know me," Serena said in confusion.

"Maybe he still has some of his memories as well,"

Mina said.

"But he always made fun of me before."

"That doesn't mean that he didn't love you, maybe he

just thought you were to young or something and didn't

know how to tell you," Amy said.

"So he was a total jerk to me?" Serena got angry.

"Serena, calm down. He was right at first. you were

to young for him. But that was a long time ago, maybe

this means that he's been trying to hide his feelings

because he thinks you hate him," Raye tried.

"I don't want to talk about Darien right now."

Serena crossed her arms.

"Well we have to talk about what we're going to do

right now," Lita said. "It's all well and good that we

know what we're supposed to do, but it might take awhile.

So for the time being, we should make sure we don't

stand out while we're here."

"Does that mean I have to put up with being engaged

to this old guy?" Serena made a disgusted face.

"Just hang in there Serena. Go kiss Darien every

once in awhile if you have to," Raye teased.

Serena blushed despite herself.

"By the way Serena, when you told us that he kissed

he you looked like you were in shock. If you like him

so much then why were you like that?" Mina asked.

Serena blushed again. "If you had been there you'd

know why. It was some kind of kiss."

The girls laughed at her teasingly, and they slowly

made their way back to the ball.

Despite the situation, Serena felt herself starting

to enjoy this. She had danced with a few people who had

asked her, and she laughed and joked with her friends.

She felt so much better now that she wasn't alone in all

this; she had her friends back to support her.

And she could watch Darien. He danced with other

Ladies and sometimes with her friends, and he seemed like

he was having a good time. She couldn't help but fall

in love with him again; he was just so good looking. His

eyes lit up when he laughed, and his smile was so charming.

Darien and Andrew were together allot, laughing and

joking like they always had. He seemed so relaxed around

his friend, and Serena liked him like that.

He looked over at her and their eyes locked. Serena

quickly looked away, guilty at having been caught looking

at him.

"Would you like to dance?"

Serena smiled before looking up at him. "I'd love to."

She and Darien took the floor and the music began.

Serena realized that Darien might never show her his

feelings, so she should be happy with being allowed so

close to him right now.

Darien looked down at her, amused at how she was

looking up at him with something like mischief in her eyes.

"Why do you look at me like that?" He asked without

taking his eyes off her.

"Like what?" She asked.

"Your eyes are laughing at me," he whispered in her

ear.

Serena giggled gently and just shrugged her shoulders

gently. "Maybe you amuse me."

Darien laughed. "You seem happy."

"I am happy," she answered.

"Even though you are now engaged?"

Serena could tell that it was a test question. He

wanted to find out if she felt anything for him, and if he

had any chance.

She smiled up at him. "I'm not thinking about that

right now."

Her answer was cryptic, and he liked it.

"Why are you so different from everyone Serena?"

She looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"You seem like you don't belong here."

Serena smiled. "Maybe I don't."

"That's what makes you interesting."

"I hate to interrupt Serena, but I think you should

come here for a moment," Raye came up to them suddenly.

"What is it Raye?" Serena asked.

Raye looked guilty. "Lord Walthum has just arrived,

and he would like to meet you."

Serena sighed in defeat, and Darien's eyes hardened.

Only Serena could feel that he took her hand tightly in

his. She smiled up at him. "Don't worry, I'm not going

to marry him. I don't care what it takes, I'm not going

to."

Darien just looked at her with concern in his eyes.

She squeezed his hand gently, and slowly walked away with

Raye towards what would be her futures doom if she stayed

here.

Lord Walthum was an old, greasy, disgusting man who

sneered at her and looked at her in a way that only

suggested one thing. Serena hated him instantly.

She was forced to sit and dance with him for the rest

of the evening, and she could feel Darien's eyes on her

almost the whole night. It comforted her, but she felt

that if this man saw Darien looking at her, he would in

some way take it out on her.

The end of the night couldn't come soon enough, and

Serena left as soon as possible and went to her room.

She sent Molly away so that she could change herself,

and she sat in front of her mirror looking at her

reflection. She wasn't angry, just sort of tired. She

still had hope now that she knew she wasn't alone, and

she liked how she felt. It was like while everything was

so obviously wrong, for the first time there were some

things that were right.

She sat there writing in her Diary for awhile, and

then changed into her nightgown. She also put on a very

thick rich white robe that made her feel like a princess.

It was really late and the candles in her room were

starting to get short when she heard a soft knocking at her

door. She was sort of surprised, and wondered who it might

be.

She went over and opened the door, and then leaned

against it and looked at him amused.

"You know you're not supposed to open your door this

late at night, you never know who it might be."

Serena smiled. "What do you want Darien?"

Darien was leaning casually against the door frame

with his black suit jacket hanging on his arm, his white

shirt unbuttoned at the top and his hands in his pockets.

His silky black hair hung over his laughing blue eyes

and he looked at her with some very obvious emotions.

"I was thinking that I would like to see you again."

He answered.

"Well now you have," Serena felt so comfortable with

him like this for some reason. "Goodnight." She started

closing the door, but he stepped forward and stopped her.

He stood over her, so close. His eyes didn't change,

and Serena smiled up at him teasingly.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

Darien kissed her.

Serena let him for a moment, but then took a step back

before he could deepen it. She took another step back

into the room, inviting him with her eyes.

Darien's smile and looked at her amused, and then

he walked into the room, closing the door behind him and

making sure it locked.

He dropped his coat on the ground as he put his arm

around her waist and pulled her to him as he kissed her

passionately.

Serena kissed him back. She could feel what he

wanted, but she couldn't let him in right now. This was

really mean of her, leading him on, but she couldn't help

it. She liked the idea that Darien wanted her, and she

was afraid that she would never feel it again.

She gently pushed herself out of his embrace and

took a few steps back.

"Why are you always walking away from me?" He asked

knowing full well that she was teasing him.

"If I don't walk away from you then I might give in

to you." She sat at her mirror again and looked at her

reflection. She saw Darien walk up behind her.

"Is that such a bad thing?" He asked kissing her

neck and running his hands across her shoulders.

Serena shivered after a moment and it made Darien

smile. He could tell that she wanted him, but she

wasn't going to let him in tonight. He liked a challenge.

"You know this is highly improper." Serena said

when he kissed her neck again.

"You're the one who opened your door," he teased

her.

Serena got up and walked towards the door again ready

to open it again to let him out, but he caught up to her

and spun her around right before she could. He pressed

her against the door and kissed her again, this time

putting more force into it. His kisses were becoming

harder, and she liked the desire coming from him. This

situation was definitely going to far, but Serena really

couldn't find herself having a problem with that.

Serena pulled his shirt out of his pants and over his

head, and then threw it to the floor.

Things probably would have gotten really out of hand

from there if they hadn't heard a loud noise coming from

outside Serena's balcony.

Serena used this distraction to push him away from

her and walk away from him again, but the smile never

left her face.

Darien watched her walk by him in amusement. It was

strange to him why she would let him go so far. Most

Ladies weren't like that, but he couldn't complain. She

was going to marry a man that she would never love

anyway, so it wasn't like he was hurting her.

"I think you should go," Serena already knew what the

sound had been.

Darien leaned against the door. "Oh really?"

Serena looked back at him and smiled seductively.

"Yes, I think you should."

He walked towards her slowly and Serena just watched

him come. "I disagree." He kissed her again, softly,

teasing her.

Serena stepped out of his embrace was mischief in

her eyes. "Well I guess it's a good thing you have no

say in the matter." She pushed him towards the door.

"Don't forget your shirt," she whispered into his ear,

and then again walked away from him.

Darien watched her for a moment, and then slowly

picked up his shirt. His eyes were laughing again, and

his desire for her wasn't gone, but he did what she

asked. He would see her again soon enough.

When the door was closed, Serena walked out onto

the balcony. "What are you guys doing here?" She

asked her friends that were all looking at her with

teasing smiles on their faces.

"When I said you could kiss him, I didn't mean go

that far," Raye said with her arms crossed.

"You are quite the little flirt," Mina teased.

Serena smiled. "It's not like I'm fourteen anymore,

I'm allowed to do whatever I want."

"And you sure are," Lita said.

"What would have happened if we weren't here?" Amy

asked amused.

Serena just blushed at this.

"Alright, back to business. We think we found out

where the nega creeps around going to land, so all we

need to do is find a way to get our powers before then."

"What do you mean?" Serena asked.

"We don't have our transformation sticks, so we

can't become the sailor scouts and fight these guys,"

Lita answered.

Serena thought about it. "Maybe there's a way I

can get you guys to transform with the crystal."

"That's what we were hoping," Raye said.

"But it's not exactly like we can practice," Amy

said.

"So it's up to me to turn us all on the day without

really know if I can do it right?" Serena asked them

knowingly. "Fine, I'll do all the work then."

They laughed at her.

"I didn't think you would take it so easily," Raye

answered.

"I'm not exactly all tense at the moment," Serena

said easily.

"Exactly the opposite I would guess," Mina said.

"Alright you guys, get out of here before someone

sees you," Serena said. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

Serena went to bed with a smile on her face and she

has some very Darien involved dreams.

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End of Chapter four

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I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can. It shouldn't be more than a day or

two. I can get my thoughts on the page pretty quickly so hopefully we'll get to

the bottom of this story before anyone looses interest.

Feedback is always very welcome.