Chapter 9 cold

By this time, my mind is turmoil. I couldn't understand the change in my husband. Sufficed to say, he avoided me constantly after that day. He slept in the spare room of our suite and had dinner with his generals. Every night. Not that I was complaining…okay maybe I was complaining a little. Not even Seiya could pull me from my dark mood. Helios was still hiding in my head while we rounded up some of the nightmares. He claimed he needed time to cleanse Elysion before trying to cleanse the nightmares. Who am I to argue? The only thing is I had to keep his whereabouts hidden. Luckily, I was the one delegated to find him. I didn't have to keep sending anybody out on wild goose chases. Darien perplexed me. He even took up working in the hospital. I guess he remembered that I hated hospitals even more than Mina…

I watched from the shadows as he snuck into our room. I saw him look around as if he sensed me but I knew he couldn't. I had perfected the art of hiding from him. Apparently, all I needed was some time to myself. So now, he couldn't see that I was watching him. It was years now since our one and only battle. I was determined to test my skills against him again. I didn't necessarily want it to be now but I was prepared to do it. He sat on the bed after he removed his cape and sighed. She pounced. She realized in a second that she misjudged his reflexes.

"Trying to assassinate me?" he said. Grabbing her and rolling so she was pinned to the bed.

"No. Just trying to pin you down long enough to figure out what the hell is wrong with you."

"I'm the epitome of health." He said.

"That I can testify to." She said smirking. His eyes narrowed but she chuckled at the small tint that came to his face.

"Just leave me alone, woman."

"I've done that for the past few weeks." She used his weight to pull him down and rolled so that she was pinning him. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"Because I don't like you." He said glaring up at her.

"That was established a month into our dating relationship. You didn't avoid me then." She stopped talking to wrestle with him for dominance and maintained it. "What was that whole tender seduction for?" He looked away. Using a technique of his, she ground her pelvis into his and smiled smugly at his reaction. "I demand an answer."

"What are you hoping for? My profession of undying love?"

"Don't be cruel, Endymion." She said sadly. "I just want to know what you want from me." She said more forcefully.

"What I want is for you to be gone." He said just as cruelly.

"Then why didn't you let me die?" she asked simply.

"Did you try to kill yourself?" he said accusingly.

"Of course not. I have a responsibility." She eased up and he took the advantage to pin her.

"I'm done with this game. I don't know what you tried to do to me but I'm over it now. I've got it out of my system."

"You think I tried to brainwash you?" she asked. Serena laughed. "Hardly. So what was it I was trying to brainwash you into by the way?" he growled at her then looked away. He then climbed of her and Serena's eyes widened.

"Oooooh!" she smiled sadly. "You were worried about me. And you worried now that it might mean something more than that." She touched his shoulders. "Would it really be so bad to like me? I mean, we were friends in the beginning, weren't we?" she asked softly. He looked at her.

"I never liked you. Not even in the beginning. I was just biding time until I could get under your skirt." He said and Serena gasped

"I see. Well-" she climbed off the bed tripping on the hem of her gown before righting herself and getting her feet on the floor. "I'm glad I know now." She brushed at the wrinkles in her gown. She straightened her shoulders and walked away saying to him softly and coolly. "I would appreciate it if you didn't sleep here anymore." Then she was gone.

"Darien, take your time." Malachite said fending off the sword.

"Can you believe she said that to me?"

"I don't see why you still want to anyway. She hasn't produced an heir."

"Knowing her, she'd give me a girl." Darien cursed then shook his head. He knew better. Men determined the sex of the child.

"So how hard can it be to resist her?" Malachite said.

Darien stopped his attack and looked at Malachite. "Have you seen my wife?" Darien asked incredulously.

"She's no Venus." Malachite said matter-of-factly.

"Just for one second forget your infatuation with trying to possess Venus. Picture Serena. Legs for days, silky golden hair, amazing figure-"

"I get it. She surpasses the ideal woman." Malachite said. "Have you fallen for the brat?" A shoe collided with the back of his head and he growled.

"Take care how you talk about your queen when you think no one is listening. Some might construe it as treason. And you, Prince Darien, shouldn't entertain slanderous talk about your bride." Venus said. She walked up to them with a scolding glance. She retrieved her shoe then using Malachite as a balance returned it to her foot.

"I would think princesses would know better than to throw a shoe someone." Malachite ground out.

"You forget I am a Venusian princess and we Venusians are known for strange social graces. But I am completely serious about your choice of words when describing my queen. I wouldn't hesitate to delete anyone who is disloyal to the crown."

"I am not loyal to her crown."

"So you are a traitor. Like your king." She said looking between the two men. "I hope Nephrite and Zoicite have more sense than this." She said contemplatively. "Decide quickly, my king and general, whose side you are on. Because when Queen Beryl decides to attack the kingdom again, she will die. Along with her minions." She turned and strode out leaving to the two men.

They simmered for a while before Malachite said. "Are you going to answer me?"

"I am not in love her." He said.

"Good. Though I wish you would put Beryl out of your mind also. She's no good."

"Don't talk about her. She-she was corrupted."

"She's evil. And we both know that you can't save her."

"Why? Why can't I save her?"

"We tried that. It didn't work. She is crazy. If she were just a regular Terran, it would be fine. We could just lock her away. Maybe cure her eventually. But she is a mage corrupted by the powers of darkness. Her mind is lost to us. Serena's purifying light will obliterate her."

"I know. Doesn't mean I can't wish I could save her."

"Much like the queen wishes you could love her?"

"Why do you say a thing like that?"

"We both know she does but I suspect that much like your hope is dying, so is hers." Malachite said.

"You've gone mushy on me." Darien complained.

"But logical. Let's go clean up and get something to eat."

Serena was in the park watching the children play when one came up to her and gave her a flower. "Thank you." She replied delighted. Serena fished through her pocket and came up with a trinket and handed to the little girl. Her eyes lit up and she looked to her mother for approval. Joy filled her when she was granted permission to take it.

"She's precious." Serena said to the woman.

"Your majesty." She woman said bowing.

"No need for that. Just call me Serena."

"My name is Lyra. My daughter is Kira."

"I hope to have one as beautiful as your daughter."

"Combine your looks with the kings, how can she be anything else?"

"Indeed." Serena said sadly.

"Are you okay?"

"Just missing my own mother. She lives in another town. I haven't seen her in years. Being queen can be isolating. Not that I'm complaining I mean-" the woman placed a comforting hand on hers and smiled.

"Every girl can miss her mother now and then. I miss mine when she's away. And she lives next door. Imagine how sad you must feel." She said sympathetically. "You should try and visit her soon."

"I should, shouldn't I? Maybe spend a few days. Maybe see my brother too. But that's after we get rid of the nightmares."

"I'm glad for you and your senshi. I was a little hesitant after that incident years ago but I know it must have been something terrible to cause such a violent reaction. You're a good woman and a good queen. The king is lucky to have you."

"Thank you." She looked at her watch and gasped. "I'm late." Then she smiled. "I haven't been late for anything since high school. You think anybody would mind if I run through the street like I use to so I can make it on time?"

"I'm sure many would smile at seeing something normal. Go for it." Lyra said. "Maybe I can see you here again."

"I'd like that. Maybe you could visit at the palace also?" she asked.

"Really?" Lyra said touched.

"Of course. Kira would love it." She said. "Come anytime."

I'll just jump ahead in the story because it gets pretty- what's the word- normal after this. We fell into a routine of rounding up nightmares. Darien and I barely spoke to each other. I grew colder by the day. It's hard to see your sparkly personality dying and not stop it. Can't stop it. But that was my life. Small bouts of joy followed by storms of sadness. The years of Darien claiming this planet, the palace, everything as his had taken it toll. I no longer considered this place my home. I sensed the same sadness in Mina. However, after every storm, there is a sunny day waiting to smile at us. But the reality of that is more storms lurk waiting to smite the sun and its warm joy…

"I said yes." Ami said hyperventilating. Serena and the girls were trying to calm the Mercurian genius. A few weeks ago, Greg had proposed. Today she accepted then promptly ran away.

"And then you ran away?" Lita asked.

"I didn't know what to do. Zoicite was making an angry beeline for us and I panicked." She wailed. "I hope Greg is okay."

"He can take care of himself." Serena said. "Taiki will make sure he's fine too." She added to help calm her.

"Do you want to marry Greg?"

"With all my heart." She said. "I thought for a while that I wanted Zoicite but it's always been Greg. When Lita made me do that visualization, I knew who it was that I wanted to be at the end of that aisle. I knew it was Greg."

"So what's the problem?" Mina asked.

"Mina, I don't know how to deal with all this. I'm book smart. Greg and I haven't even-"

"Seriously?" Lita said. "Wow."

"I'm a virgin." She said.

"Wow." Lita said again. Serena took Ami's face in her hands.

"I'm hardly one to give marital advice given my situation but I recognize love when I see it. You love him and he loves you. He makes you happy. He makes you blush and tingle-" she laughed when Ami blushed. "You two will be happy or we will hurt him." Serena joked. "You're doing the best thing for you. Zoicite missed out on a great girl but Greg knows what he has."

"Not to remind you of something painful but-" she swallowed. "It took Darien's unfair treatment of you to see that we didn't need to settle and I wish you could choose Seiya."

"Me too." Serena said the tears spilling. "I'm glad you girls get to choose. And I dearly wish I could have chosen Seiya." She looked at her Senshi. "I wish all of you happiness. If it is with the generals, so be it. If not, so be it also. I love you girls." Serena looked longingly at Rei's sleeping daughter – Reina. Rei was due to give birth soon. Ami had made that even more exciting by saying she heard two heartbeats. Jadeite fainted. Rei looked up to find Serena staring sadly and smiled sympathetically. "I've got to go back to the palace. I'll see you all at the Crown Arcade later for ice-cream."

"Okay." They all said and Serena walked out.

"Now, we need to get you back to Greg so he can breathe a sigh of relief at your acceptance. Maybe he can get a kiss out of it this time." Mina said. Ami groaned and they left together. Lita helped Rei get her daughter home.

"Serena…"

"What?" Serena said unhappily. She was hoping for a dreamless sleep. But that was too much to ask with Helios living in her head.

"It is time for me to come out. Elysion is clean. The nightmares can come home now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. With Elysion cleansed, we can finally wake up those other people."

"Good because I need a dreamless night. At least one."

"As you wish."

"So when are we doing this?"

"We need the outer and inner senshi here. As well as the king and his generals. Pluto will do the rest."

"Okay. I'll tell her-"

"She already knows."

"You're in contact with Pluto?"

"Yes. You must inform the others. Let Neptune and Uranus know that Saturn needs to be present. Her dreams are especially important to this process."

"So when?"

"In the morning. Daybreak."

"Why so early?" Serena whined.

"I need a small amount of light . Daylight is to much and night is not enough."

"Fine. I'll wake up now and tell everybody."

Serena stirred and got out her communicator. The senshi made their way to the main hall as well as the generals. Darien and Serena followed and they waited for the outer senshi to arrive.

"So what's this about? And why couldn't it wait until the sun was up?" Venus said.

"I have found Helios." Serena announced. "He has been hiding my dreams. I found out when I almost drowned."

"And you didn't tell us?" this came from Malachite.

"Keeping his discovery a secret was vital to his safety. Now that he has finished cleansing Elysion, he is ready to come out and take the nightmares home." She said not intimidated by the general whatsoever. In fact, she was too sleepy to be anything by calm. A flash of light signaled the arrival of the outer senshi.

"Are we ready?" Pluto asked.

"Yes. What do we do?"

"Serena, you need to stand in the centre. Hold Hotaru. Your senshi will form a circle around you. Both the inner and outer. The generals and Darien will then stand around us. I will do the rest." They shuffled until they had done what Pluto asked. Pluto raised her staff and a bolt of light hit Serena and Hotaru. Her crescent lit up and after a few minutes of blinding light, a winged figure was seen hovering above the group. The light eventually disappeared and the horse landed.

"Friends." He said. He then transformed into a boy with a gold horn on his head.

"Helios." Pluto said. "Are you ready to rerun to Elysion."

"Yes. But I need to leave everyone with a means of getting there if needs be." He handed out keys to all of them and gave them instructions. "This will get you in if you are not asleep. Once asleep, only an invitation from me can get you in." They all nodded.

"Let's go."

"The nightmares have already been removed from this realm. All of them. The people are now awake. I will make sure this never happens again." With that, they disappeared.

"Now, can we go back to bed?" Mina asked.

"Yes. We can." Serena said. They all left to catch a few more minutes of sleep before facing the new day.