Chapter Ten: Teach Me How to Be

Disclaimer: this is an adaptation and based loosely on Goong; I do not own the plot or the manhwa. I also do not own the sailor moon characters or any real locations, quotes, real fashion brands, real food or buildings that might appear in this story. I reserve the right however, to be creative with the characters.

Bliss...

When the flower was in place, Link studied it as if the plant were some elaborate masterpiece he wanted – no, needed – to get correct. When all was to his pleasing he gave a slight bow, looking up at her with mischief in his gaze.

"Why thank you," she said, patting him firmly on the head and liking his reaction of bemusement and shock as she winked.

Link straightened abruptly, dusted himself down, and finally brought a hand to rest on the crown of his head where hers once had been. "You need help finding the way out of here?" he asked, "I'm heading in for some business…I could take you?"

She considered the offer, but far from being finished here, Serena wanted to remain a while longer. "Go on without me," she told him, "I'll stumble around until I find my way out." Her voice took on a lower octave and she added, "Attend to your grand business affairs."

He laughed outright, and the sound was unlike any she had expected from someone like him. It came out short and in furious bursts, as if he didn't have the happiness nearly enough. Something in her then wanted to make that sound smooth, ironing down the kinks until he became accustomed to jokes and play; she said again with that deep voice, hoping to bring about another spurt of joy, "On with you, nave! My husband will have your head if you dilly dally. Enough with this poppycock!"

Nave; had she really said that? She hoped whoever had said first impressions were everything would be wrong in this regard; at the moment, Serena was not sure that hers was a very good one.

She would have hid her head in embarrassment, had this time hearing him laugh not been better. This time, he thrust his head back, grinning from ear to ear. It took several moments for him to compose himself and by that time they were both smiling sheepishly as if a secret lay tangible between them. Serena wondered if there were more intricacies; greater things in his regard she did not know – it seemed like it would be so – and she endeavoured to spend as much time as possible with this new friend until they each knew ample amount about the other. "Until next time," he said, dipping low in an old-fashioned show of courtesy and then sticking out his palm for her to take. When she did as much, he squeezed those fingers warm, smiling. "Your addition to this family will mean only great things, I can feel it."

"Let that assurance be enough!" she replied thoughtfully, "I'm just hoping not to fall down or trip over myself anytime soon; small blessings are all I really need." Sheepishly, Serena added, "Of course friends are necessary too, those can never be enough."

"Agreed." Link's tone was not as carefree as hers, "However, hope more for bigger blessings—large doses of good luck," as he told her this, his brow creased in concentration. "Between this house and the affairs of this family, finding good-will or favour should never be taken for any less of wonderment."

"Can you elaborate on that?" Serena asked, thinking that he was joking and playing up the eerie mystery of Column Estate, like Lita had been. "Are there trap doors to watch out for, ghosts I shouldn't befriend? Casper was going to be a favorite of mine. Please say I can keep him?"

Link was serious, and his next words told her all too clearly that she had been wrong. "I'd say to avoid rash decisions and the wrong people, but that is hardly possible," he advised, missing the joke completely. "Everything you do here is always under watch; not just by cameras, but by people determined to keep your actions in check as well."

"Well, we'll see," She said, shrugging off the solemn warning and taking only a pinch of it as truth. The Column's couldn't be that bad, could they? Why was he trying to scare her? "I'll be fine." Serena determined, straightening to her personally impressive height of almost five feet. She would not allow herself to be so easily scared away. There was a commitment made the day she became wife of Darien Column; one she had signed and sworn to keep. "I'll make the best of everything," she promised, "this place isn't home yet, but I'll make it the best substitute. This family will become mine; I will make sure of it." Those words settled and she knew they were said truly; meant with everything in her. There was no going back now. "I'm not leaving."

Though he remained tense, she refused to back down until finally he exhaled, shaking his head and long blonde locks along with it. Link was about to say something else, sceptical if by the looks of him, but stopped short when a maid came rushing up to them. She didn't look out of breath, and with a polite curtsy, she began speaking. "Your husband has sent for you, Mrs. Column; please follow me to the study—he wishes to discuss something with you."

Discuss something? "And he didn't tell you what the matter was?" she asked.

The maid looked positively scandalized, definitely fainter of heart than Lita. She clutched a thin hand to her chest. "I did not and would never assume to ask, miss."

Miss? No, she wasn't even going to get into that right then, but what could Darien want so suddenly? Not about to mull too lengthily on what either, she tiredly said, "Serena is fine."

And as expected, the maid again looked ready to faint. Shakily, she smoothed down the apron of her navy blue work dress, righting the puffy three quarter length sleeves before annotating, "Please, Mrs. Column, allow me to lead you to the study."

Serena said she would be right along, wondering if she had really lost herself in marrying a Column; the name which shook the employees to the bone. A part of her wished for familiar blue summer dresses, lemonade and the freedom to be just Serena; another dreaded that those days were forever far behind her.

"I'd better be going too." Link exhaled. "It is getting pretty late…"

"Right now?" she asked, studying him. It was just afternoon—he was leaving so soon. "When will I see you again?"

"In future, we'll meet on even better terms, when you are not so lost and I'm not as eager to instill fear," her husband's cousin promised. "I apologize for that, Serena," he looked ashamed, sounding truly remorseful.

Serena let the tense words spoken from before slide, smiling kindly at him. She was the worst when it came to keeping grudges, she could never hold onto them long enough. "I'd never grudge that against you." She promised, "I can't wait to seeing you again, Link, take care!"

Relieved, Link nodded. "Thank you. I'll be on my way."

"Goodbye," she called, watching him walk away. Thinking upon what a strange meeting that had been, she was starved to have more than that. He was an interesting person; someone Serena wanted to see again…and hopefully soon. When she was ready the maid led them in the opposite direction, along the cemented ground and up to a discreet door leading back into the mansion. Serena stalled before entering, looking back at the path and promising herself that she would come again for the gardens; there was peace here.

Why did she have foreboding that in the days to come finding just that, rest and quiet, might be the most difficult to do?

"This way, miss," the maid motioned for her to follow. She smiled timidly, constantly on guard that she stood an appropriate distance away, as if Serena had the plague. Only this disease was a variation of the usual deadly kind. One that if contracted a job could be lost.

Like I'm that sort of person! Serena fumed internally at Darien, the kindness back in their room long forgotten at this point. He had to be doing, or had to have done, something to scare his employees so. This is entirely his fault; she decided angrily, scaring people like some ogre and making me look bad! Sighing heavily and praying that the man – her husband – had a solidly good reason for all of this, Serena followed.

Later, in the study of Column Manor

(After squeezing through many secret doors)…

He had the gall to make her wait, and patience for him was running thin as a needle stick. The maid −her name Serena found was Miley after three hard attempts to get her to leave− had left her seated in a plush brown leather armchair twenty minutes ago. There was a tray, silver and pretty with designs along the ridges, along with refreshments: several danish and the little sausage rolls that looked uncannily like pigs in a blanket, just daintier. She'd had fifteen of each so far and two giant gulps of her iced tea – after adding about three squares of sugar to the drink, of course, because apparently the Seattleites' preferred to extract that little pleasure of sweetness out, leaving some bland alternative. Even besides that, Serena was still furious; it wasn't like she could be bought with food.

The nerve of Darien to think this was the case, otherwise he'd have been here sooner! There was already so much she had to discuss with him and the delay was not making matters better. When she got her hands on him….

When finally he entered, she heard his feet press lush carpet and her whole spine stiffened. Serena rose but did not turn to meet him. Instead, she crossed her arms tightly at her midsection. She gritted the next words hurriedly in annoyance, before he could offer some lame explanation, "Get a watch you jerk! And next time at least let someone know what you want before summoning me to sit around waiting for you! If I had known you would stand me up in a dusty old study, I certainly wouldn't have come."

"Is that so?" Somebody tsked and Serena spun round to see her mother-in-law, Shelly, look disapprovingly on at her, a rigidly silent Darien at her side. "This is why she needs training!" Shelly cried, "And to think you were previously keen on sending her out to the banquet without any. Good thing you came to your senses; we would have easily become this season's laughingstocks!"

"I'm not so awful," Serena interjected; she knew how to handle herself around people. "I could have managed."

"That is hardly believable. Perhaps you would have snapped at the guests as you just did to me?"

"No, I would never…"

"Enough." Her mother-in-law interrupted. Her words were harsh and in them buzzed conviction as well as determination that without her guidance, Serena really would run the Column name to shambles, and it was her duty to stop that from happening. "Although I realize that you are still in the process of recovering, lessons begin tomorrow."

Serena felt her jaw drop in amazement. "You can't make me go," she breathed. "Not if I don't want to."

"No?" Shelly smiled slyly, looking conspiratorially from her to Darien. "I'm certain he can," she stated. "Darien, son, you see the merit in having her instructed, do you not? Family honour and upholding pride comes first."

And she was threat to that? Was she so embarrassing that they needed to polish her first—like some showpiece? Serena waited for him to say something and contradict his mother, but Darien just stood there, the only sign that he was hearing any of this being his tightly clenched fists on either side of him.

He looked at her finally, some unreadable message burning in the complex blues of his eyes, so dark now with emotion that they looked a striking indigo. His decision was simply said, "Do as my mother asks, Serenity. This is for your good as well as ours."

"It doesn't feel that way!" she shot back, actually trembling with fury and shock. Why was this so surprising and, why had I thought he'd say anything different? Maybe all along all Darien Column really was, was an over-glorified mommy's boy. "Coward," she murmured low enough for it to catch his ears. Louder to her mother-in-law she asked, "Where do I have to be and when?"

Shelly's grin was both triumphant and appreciative. "Nine, and at a room a maid should show you over to. Dress appropriately."

"As in what?" she gritted back. "Slacks, a dress?"

"Slacks, along with a modest blouse, flat decent shoes. Tie your hair back and come prepared to learn."

Serena bit her tongue, keeping her focus on Darien as not to completely snap. Serenity now… she channelled. I need to keep calm.

"Until tomorrow, then," Shelly declared, smiling once at her as if to say it wasn't her fault she had gotten her way, and then grinning at her son the same way someone might regard an accomplice. "Son?" she asked, now at the door and holding part of it open. She was waiting for Darien to accompany her.

"I'm staying back a while," he replied, "go on without me."

Frowning shortly, Shelley's thinly threaded brows knitted with disapproval and Serena felt as though the woman might actually insist he come along now. She seemed to have that much control over him. But the lines at her forehead quickly eased and she shrugged prettily. There was no hesitation after that. She left them alone in the office, shutting the door with a click behind her.

"I can explain," he started when they were alone. "Don't hate me so quickly, I have my reasons for doing this."

"And I have my reasons not to believe you!" Serena fumed, "How dare you; first scare everyone and then decide what I'll be doing with my life? That was not part of the deal."

"Marriage is no 'deal,' Serenity," he said gravely. "I'm taking the best decision—in this particular case, for your benefit!"

She scoffed, "Is, 'Serena' really all that hard to get? And don't think about what benefits me, I can handle that!" she paced back and forth from one wall to the next trying to organize the jumbled thoughts in her mind, looking for his motivation in all of this. "So what's in it for you?"

His lips crooked a little to the side, "You mean besides knowing that my wife could weather any public situation, coming out flawless in all questions asked?"

"Don't call me that."

"What?"

"Your wife, Serenity, any name other than that will do. 'Serena' or 'Ren', those are what people close to me know I go by, Darien."

The man smirked, "Why, yes, I doknow my name, thank you." He grinned devilishly, all traces of remorse completely abandoned. He took a step closer. "Whether I choose Ren," he said slowly, "or Serena…it doesn't change what you are to me, my wife."

Serena would never be proud of what happened next, she shivered. Not outwardly but at her very core and as if he'd touched her, but the man was still now advancing. Taking a step back she tried for distance between them, "I can't believe you just did that to me," she said grappling for any traces left of her anger. "Without my permission…do I embarrass you?"

"Never." He took her firmly by the shoulders, made her look up at him. "You are no embarrassment," he said again.

"Then what's the need for all this training?" Serena swallowed, "I never knew that marriage to you would be some beauty pageant; saying what's right, acting properly, I'm not sure if I can do that."

Gently he took her hand in his, offering a reassuring squeeze, one she never would have expected from him. "Try," he encouraged. "Be ready tomorrow and be there."

"You really are a monster," she breathed.

"What did you mean by that?" Darien asked. He didn't look offend, amused a little, but definitely confused.

"Only that your moods are unpredictable, you change the way you act in minutes!" Serena flustered, "I feel like I barely know you and can hardly keep up."

"Want to get to know me better?" his brow cocked questioningly, "I don't know if you could handle all there is to find, Odango."

She slanted her head agitatedly to the side, waiting for him to realize his mistake; she would not correct him again.

"Serena…" he brought his lips down to her ear, teasingly, "Lessons start tomorrow and early…don't be late."

As if! The rusty taste of blood spread along her tongue and pain radiated in waves, aftereffect of teeth having gripped them in a hard bite; his devastating and tantalizing heat at her ear made her spontaneously grip at anything. Seeing the foolishness of that action and mouth throbbing, Serena focussed on remaining still, summoning enough voice to say, "Is there anything else you expect from me?" because she'd rather know now than later.

Darien smirked, replying as if it was the most trivial question in the world and he alone held the solution. His eyes clouded over with intensity, "Stay away from my cousin," he told her carefully, tracing her face with a finger that burned the skin it touched in scorching trails. She forced herself not to shiver as he tilted with a powerful hand her chin, but was almost certain he would kiss her and burning a little for him to indulge.

What is wrong with me…? Here she was accusing him of having unreliable mood swings when hers were just as turbulent. Was a part of her actually anticipating the brush of his lips again? It happened once, their kiss at the wedding, and the result had been her fainting…was she truly ready for him now?

"Be good to me." Darien shifted so that his breath hovered a little from her mouth, eyes hard with resolve. "I'm a little possessive," he confided, "Sharing was never my thing, and in case you haven't noticed I'm not all that willing to share you with him."

Shakily she found her voice, "I'm not yours."

"And you aren't his, either," he reminded so cocky and full of himself. And yet there was uncertainty in the way he regarded her, as if asking deep down are you really mine?

She had just the answer for him. "I won't stay away from Link," she said, "I like him and he's a friend, you have nothing to worry about." Ignoring the sceptic expression he shot her however, she stood her ground, even though the back of her throat was dry as a dessert. "I'll be there," Serena managed striking for compromise, "I'll go to the lessons."

"Fine," Darien conceded. "One out of two isn't bad; I'll keep working on the other one." Both satisfied and relieved; his smile hit her with full force as the man still playing with his fingers along her cheekbone looked all that and more.

Carefully he let go, pulling away and Serena stifled a sigh of disappointment. At what, she wasn't sure, at his distance, or something more?

"Until the next time?" it wasn't a question and abruptly crossing the space from where he was to the door in seconds, he didn't wait for her to answer. Darien Column was gone suddenly as he had come, leaving her scrambling in his wake, trying to make sense of everything.

That man…Serena wanted to feel angry, burning for the fury which first accompanied her on the journey to this room. All the burn she knew however was heat along the lines of where he had touched; the quickening of her heart telling that all that had really happened. He almost kissed her, she realized, which was stupid to overthink when they had touched lips before, but something had changed. Something so small and devastatingly there it took her a moment to realize, until she got it. This time was different, because moments ago she'd wanted him to close the space between them, even more than at their wedding.

Does this make me a masochist, or sadist? Serena sank back into her chair, feeling none of the softness there. At least she'd learned something about herself; she was firstly glutton for punishment, and secondly, hungry for Darien Column's kiss.

Life is Bliss…

A.N. (Author's Note): Three (basic) Facts: I love my sister, I love God and I love my readers. Thank you, SoujaGurl for beta-ing even though you had an exam to study for and happening the next day (how great is this girl?) and a VERY huge thanks to my readers because you guys make this all worthwhile. I very much appreciate the feedback and thank you all for loving this story. Review. I love talking to all of you and hearing your opinions. Stay tuned for the next chapter, where Serena gets a little Column spin on etiquette training; I'd like for any suggestions/requests on what could happen. I'm eager for any help.

P.S. Please do not run around kissing random strangers or doing anything else with people you know only a little just for the heck of it! I realize this chappie is a bit steamy, some of you requested a little more romance, but as was made clear, Darien and Serena are a married couple. You're smart people, don't do anything stupid. That is all. Oh and just in case some were wondering, there will never be lemon-fiction from me; I just can't write that way and it isn't for me.

Yay, or nay? Can't wait to find out. Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks, Y'all!

Xx, Analynn