We Don't own Sailor Moon

"Will he wake?" Serena sat on the edge of Darien's bed watching his chest struggle to rise and fall. Amy looked at the blonde and sighed. Darien was not one to fall easily however the king had delivered a fatal blow and it shocked Amy that he was still breathing at all.

"I am sure that he will my queen, we must be patient." Amy cooed and watched Serena wilt. "Is there something that burdens you?" She had seen the worried look slowly creep over the beautiful woman and was now worried about her as well. A rap at the door caused Amy to rise, her body suddenly alert and ready for anyone who would harm her king and queen. "Yes?"

The door opened and Ilene stepped into the room her eyes fixed on her daughter. "I have come to speak with my daughter." The woman's voice was strong and held a hint of anger alerting Amy even further. "Do not look upon me as though I am your enemy. You have declared my daughter your queen however she is not. She is not wed to the king and so she is no more than my kin and a fallen princess. I demand to speak with her privately." Serena nodded, slowly and rose from the bed, then walked into the hall with her mother. "I have just spoken with the surgeon. He tells me you are with child." Her furious eyes bore into her daughter demanding to know if the statement was true.

"So I am mother. Does this displease you?" Serena had formed an accord with herself that she was no longer going to allow her mother to control her. Ilene was no more her keeper than Diamond had been. Ilene reddened and began to pace her long hair flaring behind her.

"This does not only displease me, this also disgraces you and our lineage. Are you certain of the father? Do you know which man's child you carry within you?" Ilene snapped angrily making Serena realize the gravity of the discovery. "Are you certain?"

"No… I am not." Serena whispered quietly and lowered her head. "I simply thought it to be Darien's I did not think… mother… what am I to do? What am I to say?" She almost begged her mother, something she had not planned to do when she woke from her slumber this day.

"There is nothing to say. Your fate is to carry the child and bare it to your king. He will know if the child is his. I warn you my child, if it is not his he will do away with it. If your child is Diamond's Darien will cast the child aside or he may kill it." Serena covered her mouth with her hands to prevent any cries of horror. "Do not be so taken aback. You knew the risks of bedding two men so close together."

"Mother! Diamond forced himself into my bed!" Serena cried drawing Hotaru into the hall to see what the disturbance was. Ilene eyed the girl and balled her fists. Hotaru had proven to be a burden, the girl was powerful and strong willed. "I so wish you would believe what I tell you."

"Is there something the matter my queen?" Hotaru smiled sweetly and looked at Ilene with as much malice as possible. "Does this woman disturb you?" The girl leaned on her staff using it as a support.

"She does, however this conversation is needed." Serena sighed realizing that her mother held no power here any longer. She was only an inhabitant of the castle; her judgment meant nothing.

"It matters not whose it is my dear. If it is of the wrong origin your king's duty is to rid it from this kingdom. I know this above many others." Ilene looked at the ground remembering her first born. It had been another's and Ken had murdered the infant and his father.

"What does she speak of my queen?" Hotaru looked at Serena with confusion writ in her eyes. It was clear this was an important conversation yet she knew nothing of the subject.

"I am… with child Hotaru." Serena sighed and watched the young girl's eyes light then pity wash over them. Hoatru knew of the deeds Diamond had forced upon her innocent queen. The group had coaxed it out of Mary without Darien's presence and the conversation had sickened them all. The horror of the situation had angered them and Trista forbade all from telling their leader. If Darien were to discover Diamond's sin he would have him resurrected and tortured mercilessly.

"I see. Do not worry my queen, I am sure it is King Darien's, infants are made of love, not lust." Hotaru smiled through her lie and watched as Ilene's eyes narrowed. "Your mother verses you in her own understanding of men and kings. She knows not of Darien's compassion and love for all people."

"You truly believe that the man laying in that room, the man who swore revenge on my husband… you believe that he would have mercy upon an infant that was not his own? You believe him to be so good however no man is good, they are all dangerous and evil. You will see." Ilene's words were not spoken out of anger, but of sadness. "No man truly loves his wife."

"Mother, you are wrong, and jaded. Darien loves me, he truly does and simply because father may not have loved you… it does not mean that all men are like him." Serena almost felt like crying for her mother. The woman had been unloved her entire life and knew not what a loving man was like.

"No! He does not love you! You are beautiful, you are a prize to him and any man who looks upon you!" Ilene shouted making Hotaru move between the women defensively. "You need not protect my own daughter from me. I will not harm her."

"You have harmed her already." A deep voice came from behind the former queen making her turn to see Darien standing in the doorway to his chambers. He looked weak yet strong at the same time. The sight of his impressive frame horrified her. She had watched as King Kenneth had run a dagger through this man's heart and yet he stood before her, speaking to her. "Leave her be." He commanded and watched Ilene lower her eyes and bow slightly. "Never again will you compare me to your former husband, he was a murderer and a tyrant. If Serena is carrying Diamond's child and not my own it will matter not to me for she is my queen and I love every piece of her." Serena felt tears of happiness well in her eyes as he looked at her with a slight smile. He had heard the conversation and was obviously pleased with her news.

"Are you sincere in your words Darien?" Serena asked her love with a skeptic air. What man would accept another child as his own? Especially a king; an heir was important to a king with a throne to rule. "You would accept a child who was not of your own blood?"

"What crime would the child have committed? Such a thing is trivial Serena. A child is a child and no one would challenge my claim. Besides, this will be one child of many." He strolled to her gracefully as though he had never suffered an injury. His arms enveloped her just as the tears began to leak from her eyes.

"This is absurd! You will not marry my daughter! She will marry the man of my choice and he is not you dark prince." Ilene stormed at the man who had killed her husband. Kenneth had been a good king in her eyes. He had been kind to those who deserved kindness and the man currently holding her one and only daughter was not the type of man Serena deserved.

"I will marry no one other than Darien. He is no longer a prince mother. He is king of this land and you…" Serena's speech suddenly waivered and she could feel her legs turn to liquid beneath her. Ilene watched blankly as her daughter fainted into Darien's outstretched arms.

"Look at what you have done to my daughter. I am convinced that you are an evil man and hath bewitched her with black magic. Each of your companions kneels to the magic world and from what I have seen you have corrupted my daughter. The power that flowed from her and killed her father was not my daughter." Ilene straightened her back and looked fiercely into Darien's storming blue eyes. "You may not show your powers openly but you are a sorcerer, I can feel it in you."

"I have done nothing to your daughter but love her. You are the evil one here Ilene. You are like a poison in this place and I hereby banish you from the realm of this kingdom. Hotaru, remove her from my sight." Lightning flashed outside mimicking the flash of fury that ripped through Darien's body. The former queen before him was foolish to fight with him. Foolish to think she could prevent Serena from being happy.

"You see! Your art a sorcerer! The sky storms with your heart!" Ilene shouted as Hotaru roughly shoved her down the hallway. Darien gently scooped Serena into his arms and took her into the grand bedchamber where Amy rushed to her.

"What has surpassed? Was it the former queen who has befallen her?" Darien looked upon Serena and frowned. He was not sure if the cause was Ilene or something else. "Your majesty?"

"Call on Raye and Trista… I must demand their visions." Amy hesitated but did as her king asked. Raye and Trista walked to the room with questioning looks on their faces. Trista looked at her king with the look that spoke of knowledge beyond all years. "You know what I wish to ask of you?" He turned to her and she nodded her understanding.

"I will not look into the future for you my king. I apologize however, I cannot." Trista then turned and walked out of the room knowing that if she remained in the chamber she would be persuaded to tell the future. Raye remained, standing uneasily in his presence.

"Will you reject my wishes as well?" He asked sadly noting her worried look. She shook her head and sighed. "Then you will attempt a vision?" She nodded then, with a weak smile she turned her back to him and left the room to begin her visionary work. Darien sat next to his beloved and willed her to wake, he wanted her to be healthy and vibrant, not sickly. He frowned now concerned that the child within her may be what was draining her so vigorously. If he had to, he would choose her over a child, he could not loose her. "My Darling, only but a few moments ago you were fretting over my health but now I am the one to worry." He smiled and placed a hand on her forehead.