Chapter Nine

Serena casually ran a hand through Sach's fur, freeing her other from Darien's hold. She remained silent lost in her thoughts. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously trying to figure out if she could trust the man beside her. She wanted someone she could trust that wasn't Nathaniel or Artemis, she closed her eyes as her mind whirled around. The story of how she had lost her sight was not so secret, just a very sad memory.

Darien shifted where he sat as he watched her, her teeth were ravaging her poor lip, he could see a drop of blood forming where they had torn the tender skin. He hadn't meant to upset her, but for some reason he needed to know more about this woman. He sighed when it seemed like she would remain quiet and made to rise.

"'tis funny, one never realizes how important something is until they lose it." she finally said softly, her eyes once more open and searching his face.

Darien paused and settled beside her again listening to her words, "I suppose you are right."

"I lost my sight the year I turned twelve. My mother had taken me to a may fair, you know where they have the ribbon poles and the flower wreaths?" Serena paused pulling her legs to her chest and smoothing her skirts over her legs. "I was so excited, I had only been to one other fair when I was very small. My father was very protective of my mother and I," a wistful smile crossed her face. "My mother had made me a new dress of pale blue silk with silver threading, I felt much like the little princess my parents had always made me out to be."

Darien plucked a blade of grass and put it between his teeth leaning back on his elbows as he listened trying to picture Serena as a child. "I have been to a may fair before. 'Twas a interesting sight, the man that fostered me owned three of the villages near his keep and was obligated to make an appearance at the peasants celebration."

Serena nodded and rested her chin on her bent knees, "My mother was not of noble birth. We were visiting her relatives, my aunt Aurora and cousins. While mother and Aunt Aurora had been talking together my cousins and I ran off through the fair. Somehow we had left the safety of the village green and ended up in a scary part of town. " Her eyes darkened with the memory turning them the blue of deep water in the ocean. "Some men abducted us, and tried to run away. My mother saw us and tried to rescue us, the building that we were in caught fire. I am not sure how, it was along time ago." Her fingers tightened in Sach's fur, her teeth began to worry at her bottom lip again.

Without thinking Darien reached out and placed a finger on it freeing it from her teeth, "You are bleeding." he said wiping the small drop of blood and bringing it to his lips licking it from his finger.

Serena froze a moment at his actions then continued her story, "The men ran from the burning building. But, the thatch roof had caught fire by that point and mother and I were trapped. My mother had already gotten my cousins to safety. My mother threw me from the building, but the roof collapsed on her burying her in the flaming rumbled." Tears weld up in her eyes and fell unheeded to her cheeks. "When I ran toward the building to help her, sparks from the flames landed on me burning my eyes and face. Still I searched for her unable to see until my father and Aunt found me trying to pull her body from the flames."

Darien watched as the woman beside him cried without making a sound, the silvery tears making tracks down her pale cheeks. If he looked closely he could see small scars on her face and around her eyes. Instead of disfiguring they were charming like pale freckles. He wanted nothing more to than to take her into his arms and try to comfort her, but he knew instinctively that she wouldn't allow him to.

"I lost consciousness after that, when I awoke I was in my own room. But try as I might I could not 'open' my eyes. " She laughed humorlessly to herself, "What I did not know was that my eyes were open. I just could not see any longer when I found out I went into rages, I would try to claw my eyes out. They were useless after all, papa had to have my hands tied to my bed so I would not harm myself further. All the while he cried for the loss of my mother, and the loss of my sight." Serena lifted her chin from her knees and lifted a hand wiping the tears from her cheeks, she held her hand out as if she could see the moisture on her fingers. "Papa never cried, but he did after that for a long time. He blamed himself for the accident, for allowing mother and I to leave without him."

Darien gave into impulse and captured her slender hand in his calloused ones clasping it tightly, "He could not of known what would happen." He said feeling for the small woman beside him.

Serena tried to pull her hand from Darien's but when he didn't release it gave up her fingers clutching unconsciously at his. "Nay, he could not of known. But after that I was guarded even inside the castle, Nathaniel and Artemis my constant companions. Not that I minded, they were my best friends despite being five years older than me."

Darien attempted to squash the thread of jealousy that ran through him at the mention of the brothers de Grey. He had no reason and no right to be jealous of the other men, he had just met Serena a few days ago. Though his curiosity got the better of him and he asked, "How did the three of you end up together?"

Serena smile in bittersweet memory, "Papa and their father were childhood friends. They had fostered at the same keep as children and fought together many times since. My father stood up for Daryl de Grey at his wedding and a few years after Daryl stood at my fathers side. The keep that Daryl held for the king on the marcher lands was attacked by the welsh, and razed. A servant escaped with Nathaniel and Artemis in the chaos and brought them to ros..." Serena paused biting her tongue on the name of her home. "Brought them home to us, I was only three at the time. They were welcomed into the family like the sons my father and mother did not have. And eventually were fostered by him to become knights of upstanding worth."

Darien stored the information in the back of his mind, he already knew from Malcolm who Serena was. But not why she was traveling as a troubadour, he opened his mouth to ask more questions then closed it when she stood brushing grass from her skirts. She turned her head back toward the keep and tilted it to the side as if she could hear something he could not. She glanced down at Sach who was standing tensely at her side and nodded at the animal.

"We should return to the keep, Nathaniel and Artemis will be looking for me." She said to Darien, then without waiting for him turned and started walking back the way they had come.

Darien stood and followed her, catching up easily and fell into step along side her. Serena glanced around nervously her eyes seeming to scan the forest around them, she increased her pace once they emerged from the trees. Darien frowned looking behind them and scanning for danger, he cursed the fact that the only weapon he carried with him was a dagger in his belt.

As the pair crossed the draw bridge he saw Artemis and Nathaniel saddling their mounts and the cart that carried their belongings hitched to Artemis's horse. Nathaniel turned then and hurried toward them his green eyes dark with concern and other emotions that Darien couldn't decipher.

"Serena! I thought we agreed that you would never go anywhere without Artemis or I." He said grasping Serena by her shoulders and shaking her a little.

Serena freed herself from Nathaniel's hold and lifted a hand unerringly to his cheek, "I was with Darien de Varray. And the child Diana was to inform you where I had gone."

Nathaniel frowned and glanced over his shoulder to where Artemis stood, he shook his head. "I saw the child a moment ago but she did not mention she had seen Serena." Artemis said simply.

"I had Sach with me as well, you know that he would allow no harm to come to me." Serena said her hand dropping from Nathaniel's face and settling into the fur of the wolf's neck. "Why have you packed our belongings?" She asked hearing the jingle of the harnesses.

"We are leaving, now." Nathaniel said taking Serena's hand and guiding her to her mount.

Serena frowned but heard the underlying tension in Nathaniel's voice and followed without comment. She allowed him to boost her into her saddle and accepted the reins from Artemis who patted her thigh distractedly.

Darien watched as the troubadour's mounted their animals a frown darkening his face, why were they leaving so suddenly? The had seemed to be enjoying the wedding festivities, had something happened? He remembered Serena's nervousness in the forest and his frown deepened.

Luna stepped forward holding Diana in her arms and stared at Artemis who had seated him in the cart. She lifted a hand to her and smiled happily when the man caught it in his and brought it to his mouth kissing it softly. He did the same to Diana to giggled and wiped it on her skirt. Artemis leaned from his seat whispering something in Luna's ear that had her blushing and nodding. She stepped back from the cart as Nathaniel signaled them to move out over the draw bridge.

"Lady Serena, I hope you will come visit with us again!" Diana called in her sweet childish voice.

Serena twisted in her saddled and waved toward the child, "I promise I will." she called back then disappeared under the portcullis.

Long after the cart driven by Artemis disappeared through the gate, Darien stared after the group. He saw Malcolm and Andrew staring after them as well and made his way to his two friends.

"Is there any reason you can think of that they departed as fast as they did?" He asked looking once more at the now lowered portcullis.

"Nay, Artemis was in the great hall. And Nathaniel on the curtain wall when they made the decision, Artemis had found his brother and spoke with him. Shortly after they had collected their belongings and spoken apologies to your uncle before leaving." Andrew said.

Malcolm frowned his icy eyes dark in thought, "There has to be a reason for their actions."

Almost in answer to the guard captain's words trumpets heralded the arrival of another party of travelers. The three men looked at each other then hurried to one of the gatehouses emerging onto the curtain wall. In the distance they could see dust kicked up around a regiment of soldiers, the afternoon sun glinting off the metal of their armor and weapons. The three men watched as the procession grew closer, Darien squinting into the sun as he tried to make out the flag they carried.

"A rose twined with a serpent," Malcolm said making out the flag before the other two.

"I do not know the crest," Andrew said the normally smiling knight frowning as the riders drew up in front of the castle.

Darien stared down at the group of at least a hundred men, "Nor do I." He said and ordered the drawbridge to be raised.

A man with black armor and blonde hair sat at the fore of the men, his midnight colored destrier prancing nervously under him. He looked up at the men accessing their worth with flat violet eyes, before settling on Darien.

"I am Jared de Wolfton, I am searching for my sister." The blonde said from below the wall.

(Word Definition time:

Fostered = When a young man leaves his home to learn the ways of becoming a knight. Often starting as a page for the night he is sent to.

Curtain wall = the outside wall protecting a castle or fortress.

Portcullis = the wood and metal spiked gate seen in most medieval movies that secures the castle from attack.

Thatch = a mixture of straw, twigs and mud that make up the roofs of the out buildings.

Other Notes: I do not own Sailormoon, I do however own the idea for this story and any characters that cannot be found in the sailor moon universe. If you have any questions on the words I use in my chapters please ask me and I will define them. I try to remember all the words I use that I haven't defined yet but it's hard for me to remember. And yay for two chapters in one day. -cheers- I would like to thank everyone for commenting on my story it makes me want to write more.)