Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

The next morning, Glenda returned earlier than expected. She was so early they all woke up to the smell of her cooking breakfast. Glenda was a petite sweet elderly lady with grey hair that she always wore in a bun. She loved the Lord and she always wore dresses that she made for herself. She was the one who made Derrick and Katie and Darien's clothes.

When Serenity saw Glenda she smiled and greeted the woman, before she could even say her name, Derrick and Katie quickly told Glenda her name was Bunny much to Serenity's dislike. Glenda kept referring to her as Bunny and Darien laughed to himself as he took a bite of his biscuit. Serenity frowned at him as he smiled at her with amused eyes. She found herself grinning at him as he licked the honey off of his lips causing Serenity to blush.

They left that afternoon and Katie and Derrick cried as they said good-bye to their father. They hated every time that he went away because they feared that he may never come back like their mother. He kissed them softly on their cheeks and said that he would never leave them. He'll always find his way back home. Serenity and Glenda smiled at the scene. Darien and Serenity waved at Glenda and his children as they stood on the porch of the cottage waving back at them.

Darien had a leather backpack on his back with food, water, and other things that Glenda had prepared for him. They had walked ten miles and Serenity was already tired as she collapsed to her feet in an overdramatic manner causing Darien to roll his eyes.

Darien turned to her and said angrily, "Why do you always have to act like the damsel in distress!"

Serenity snapped, "Because I am a princess. Get used to it." Darien stared at her with a perplexed expression before bursting into laughter causing Serenity to laugh at herself.

Darien decided to rest there and traveled the next five miles to the town tomorrow. He sat on large rock that Serenity had collapsed at. He opened up his basket and took out a piece of bread that he broke in half and gave Serenity the other half. She thanked him as they sat quietly and ate the bread. He then let her drank a sip of water out of his water flask. She took a sip and he looked at her in astonishment when she gulped down all the water.

She looked at him in confusion and asked, "What?"

Darien snorted then shook his head as he closed his backpack placing it back on his back and began walking again. Serenity quickly got up and ran after her. It was almost sun set when they arrived in the next village.

The town was small with only a few villagers and it was quiet since it was almost night time. Darien and Serenity walked into an inn where there were people mingling with each other and drinking. Serenity looked around admiring the people dressed in strange clothes with furs and gowns she never seen. She lost Darien in the crowd and started to panic. She saw some unfriendly looking men smiling at her with toothless smiles. She started to back away. She gasped when she found someone grabbing her waist and pulling her down on their lap. She cried out for them to let her go. The man looked dirty and was missing his front teeth. His hand was red and dirty and had pieces of food in his beard. He said as he started to run his dirty hands all over her body as she weakly try to get away from him, "Wow, beautiful. You don't want to play rough with me. I'll show you a good time."

"We'll all show you a good time." Serenity gasped when she saw the two men she made eye contact with in front of her with the crotches very close to her face as she turned away from them as the guy who held her captive roughly grabbed her chin and tried to kiss him. Serenity grabbed his beer mug off the table and slammed it against his face. It shattered into pieces against his skull as he realized her groaning in pain and cursing her. Serenity tried to run off but one of the other men grabbed her.

One said, "Well do you think you are running off too?"

The other said, "Now, it's time we teach you some manners."

The man who held her captive was now holding his bloody skull with one hand and held his hand to slap her with the other. Serenity closed her eyes preparing for impact but it never came.

When she opened her eyes, a pissed off Darien was holding the man's arm. Darien said, "Enis, would you rather have a bloody skull or an amputated body part?" Enis frowned heatedly at Serenity as the other men released her and backed off.

One said remorsefully, "We sorry Darien. We did not know she was yours."

Enis dropped his hand and said, "Teach your bitch some manners before bad things happen to her."

Darien countered spitefully, "Why don't I teach you some manners outside with you ending up being maggot food?"

Enis frowned dropping his hand and walking off.

Darien turned towards Serenity and shook his head at her. Darien asked her, "Do you just attract trouble?"

Darien grabbed her hand bringing a jolt of energy through her body. Butterflies started to flutter in her stomach. She glanced at him as he led her upstairs and she realized that he was not as hideous as she thought he was at first.

Serenity started to blush as she saw that they were heading towards a floor with bedroom as he saw men taking loose women inside of them. She wondered if Darien….

Darien said interrupting her thoughts, "Don't even get any ideas. I booked us a two bedroom for tonight. We'll be in Elysian in a few weeks."

Serenity gasped. Was he telepathic? Darien laughed suddenly.

He then said, "And another thing… do not look a man in the eyes around here. They interpret it as you wanting to have sex with them. These men are warriors and are far away from their homes when they see a women they go crazy."

Serenity gasped, "Darien, are we in a whore house?"

Darien laughed, "If that's your way of saying we are in a motel." She frowned at her as he gave her a cunning smile. He laughed as he opened the door to their room gesturing for her to go in. When she walked in they were in a mundane room with two small beds separated by a table with a lantern in between. Darien closed the door and locked it behind them. He stood behind her and leaned over her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Is it beneath your standards, princess?"

Serenity started to breathe heavily as she felt heat rising through her body and said, "It's acceptable." She then looked down when she felt something furry brush against her feet. She looked down and screamed as she jumped into Darien's arms catching him off guard when she saw a fat rat running beside her and scarily ran under one of the beds. Darien laughed as Serenity's arms clung tightly around his neck nearly choking him.

He said ebulliently, "Lunch!"

She looked at him stupidly. He laughed and said jokingly, "I'm kidding."

They started arguing about who was going to sleep in what bed since Serenity was afraid the rat would crawl on the bed and attack her. After much arguing after the washed themselves off, somehow, Darien found himself lying in bed with Serenity wrapped in his arms facing him as she rested peacefully next to him. He soon fell asleep after her with his head resting on the pillow.

The next morning Serenity woke up and smiled as she saw Darien resting peacefully next to her. She softly ran her hands through his long black hair. He groaned as he slowly started to awaken and looked at a beautiful angel resting on his pillow next to him.

He said with a warm smile, "Now, I can get used to waking up like this." She laughed at him. They freshen up and walked downstairs in the den to get breakfast before they checked out. Serenity saw the same three men who assaulted her last night. When she walked passed them with Darien holding her hand, the man bowed their heads avoiding Darien's gaze. She became curious as to why men would be imitated by Darien.

After they ate breakfast, Darien checked out and they walked across town to a local tradesman who sold horses. Serenity admired the beautiful horses that came in all colors and sizes.

Darien asked as they looked at the different horses through the stable, "So do you want a little pony or to share a horse if you do not know how to ride?"

Serenity arched her eyebrow and said proudly, "Darien, I have been riding bareback since before you were even a thought in your parents' minds."

Darien smirked then said, "So do you riding sideways like some little princess?"

Serenity said, "No, I do not, and I want that horse." It was a white horse and a bit wild.

Darien asked skeptical, "Now, how are you going to get home if you break your pretty little neck? That one is a little bit too wild for you."

Serenity said, "We'll see."

Darien smiled then said, "As you wish, milady."

Serenity asked, "Shields, one day you are going to call me by my real name."

Darien said wittily, "Whatever you say, Bunny Rabbit."

Serenity frowned at him as he leaned off the stable and went to the tradesman and brought the white horse that Serenity wanted and Darien brought himself a strong big brown horse.

The tradesman and Darien watched as Serenity gently stroked the white horse that rejected her at first and started moving frantically. She grabbed its reins and started to sing a strange yet beautiful melody calming the horse down. She stroked the horse for a minute then mounted the horse and started trotting around the stable on it. Once Serenity felt the horse was comfortable with her, she started to ride the horse faster and raced out of the stable on it. Darien and the tradesman looked impressed. Darien thanked the tradesman than mounted his horse and raced after her.

It took Darien a good minute to catch up with Serenity who was riding the white horse as fast as the wind quickly jumping over large hurdles as Darien quickly yelled out squeezing his firm calves causing the horse to go faster to catch up with her. Serenity came to a small cliff and the white horse easily jumped over it. Serenity looked behind her and saw Darien far behind and began to laugh as she turned back around.

Serenity said, "Whoa girl" as the horse came to a halt as Serenity held its reins. Serenity stood on top of a large mountain and was amazed when she saw the vast landscape; tall green forest and beautiful ocean in the distance as she waited for to Darien catch up with her after a few minutes and stopped next to her.

Serenity asked in amazement looking at the scenery, "Wow, this is beautiful. What is it called?"

Darien said buoyantly, "The Atlantic Ocean. We have to cross it in order to get to the New World. Elysian is floating over it. There is a town a good twenty miles down and then we could board a ship to take us there. It'll take us a few weeks."

Serenity asked him impressed as she looked at the beautiful scenery, "Darien, you sounded so sure of yourself."

Darien said assertively closing the topic, "I just know." He then kicked his legs causing the horse to move forward as it began to race down the hill into the forest. Serenity looked down at Darien for a second as he raced down the hill and knew he was not telling her something as a perplexed look appear on her face. She then followed after him as she trotted along on her horse.

When they finally made it down to the small marine town, Serenity was exhausted and so was her horse. They had been riding hard for hours. Darien and Serenity pulled up into the small fishing town and tied up their horses to a rack.

Darien said to Serenity as she brought the horses to a tub of water so that the horses could drink and rest, "Serenity, I am going to go find a place for us to stay tonight. Do you think you can stay out of trouble for a little bit?"

Serenity looked at Darien like he was a fool. She made sound weird sounds as she stroked her horse that was drinking water. The white horse quickly lifted its head and turned her head towards Darien soaking him with water. Darien looked like a wet dog as Serenity giggled. Darien frowned at her with a menacing look in his eyes.

She laughed, "I'm sure I can manage, Dare."

Darien stormed off as Serenity stroked the horses. When he returned a few minutes later, he had booked them a two-bedroom in an inn. He had a feeling that if he booked separate rooms with Serenity's bad luck would have them in trouble again. He ran off again to make arrangements for them to depart by boat the following day.

While Serenity freshened up in their room, Darien sat in the pub downstairs drinking a pint of beer with some of the captains for a journey to the new world. Most of them thought he was nuts because they knew that the world was flat, and they did not want to fall off the edge of the world. Darien groaned in agony as he found himself faulting in bribing a captain to take him to new world.

Darien then finally lucked up and found a captain who was willing to take a chance of the man that the whole town thought was nuts. His name was Captain Hawkback and he had long brown hair which he wore in a braid down his back and long nicely trimmed brown beard. He had a long scar underneath his right eye and he dressed in all black.

Darien promised Captain Hawkback a chest full of gold if he took him to the new world. They were to depart at daybreak tomorrow morning. Captain Hawkback looked passed Darien at something that left him mesmerized along with the rest of the men in the bar. Darien slowly turned around and his jar dropped when he saw Serenity emerged from down the stairs wearing her hair pinned up in a French twist and she was wearing an elegant blue gown. As the men stared at her, she searched the room until her eyes landed on Darien's. She smiled happily when she saw him.

Darien excused himself from Captain Hawkback, who smiled and said, "You got quite a beauty with you."

Serenity hastily walked up to Darien oblivious to the other men in the room admiring her and led him out of the den. She asked as she wrapped her arms around his arm, "Do I look normal?"

Darien asked stupidly, "Normal?"

Serenity said, "Like one of your people."

She stopped in front of him. When he just stared at her, she laughed and said, "Darien, you're silly! Come on. I want to go dancing."

She dragged him to pub where she saw people dancing inside of. They raced in a local pub and walked inside as people started to dance.

Darien and Serenity stood on the wall and once she caught on to the steps. She tried to pull Darien off of the wall which was like trying to move a stubborn bull. He would not bulge. Serenity frowned then said, "Fine! I'll dance with someone else then!"

Darien said stubbornly with his arms crossed, "Fine Bunny Rabbit! We should be resting anyway."

Serenity said angrily, "You're such a bore, Darien!"

Darien said, "And you're such a spoiled ungrateful brat. The world does not revolve around you Bunny and no one has to dance to the beat of your drum."

Serenity cried upset, "You are insufferable, Darien Shields!"

Darien shrugged his shoulders and yelled, "Maybe you should take another look in the mirror Buns and see who the excruciating one really is!" Serenity's mouth gaped open in revulsion.

Serenity stormed off and she was upset at Darien for an entire minute before she started dancing dance after dance from one man to the next. She laughed and she enjoyed as they twirled her around and placed their hands on her tiny waist. Darien felt a twinge of jealousy when one of the men started to lift her up by her tiny waist and spin her around causing her to laugh. He was an attractive tall young fellow with a slim built and dirty blonde hair. As the man started to lowered her down, Serenity's eyes started to lowered as they stared at each other as if they were about to kiss.

Serenity grasped when she found herself being lift over someone's shoulders and being carried out of the pub while everyone laughed as she kicked and screamed. She kicked and screamed until Darien tossed her on her bed like a rag doll and then went to lock the door.

Serenity frowned at him angrily as she charged towards him. She was stunned when she found herself being turned around and thrown slightly against the back of the door. He had her hands pinned up over her head with one hand while he pinned her against the door with his chest pressing against hers as she stared at him with irritated eyes and her breasts heaved up and down. She felt something poking in her stomach.

She looked down and blushed. He then used his free hand and lifted her chin up to meet his gaze.

Darien finally said throatily, "It is taking all my willpower not to throw you down and take away your innocence, princess. You're too beautiful and naïve for your own good."

Darien watched as her eyes started to turn from irritated to lustful. She leaned forwards towards his lips.

Darien asked abruptly, "Is this what you want princess?"

Serenity asked lustfully, "What if I did?"

He brought his lips down towards hers as she closed her eyes. When she did not feel her lips on his, she opened her eyes to see him looking down at her with a twinkle in his eyes and a charming smile on his lips that were inches away from hers. He said tenderly, "Good night, princess."

And with that, he walked away. She watched with stupor as he sat on the bed taking off his boots. She watched as he took off his shirt and then went to bed snoring. She frowned at him. She hated Darien Shields.

The next day, Darien stood on deck of Captain Hawkback's ship, Spanish Rose. Darien paced nervously as he stood on the ship. When he woke up that morning, Serenity was gone. He asked one of the hostess at the inn where they stayed if she had seen her, but she had not. Maybe he had been to forwarded with her and frightened her with his boldness? Maybe she ran off with the guy at the pub last night? And why the hell was he gone out of the way to help her anyhow. "Because you care for her, "a strange voice told him.

Captain Hawkback turned to Darien and asked, "It's either now or never lad. It's time for me to sail. Either we are going to go on your crazy adventure or I am going to go with my crew and get some booty in the South of France."

As Darien was about to speak, a young boy started racing towards the ship with astonishing speed. He was wearing black shirt, pants and black boots and was racing extremely fast on a white horse that looked like Serenity's. The boy quickly rode the horse up to the battle the boarding plank and boarded the ship to the pirates' dismay. The boy then hopped off the horse and stood in front of Captain Hawkback and Darien. He bowed before them before lifting his hat off and revealing himself to be Serenity. Darien and Captain Hawkback was dumbfounded as a cascade of golden curls cascading down to the small of the back.

Darien asked stunned, "You cut your hair?"

Serenity smiled and said, "Yes, it was kind of freakishly long. My mother will definitely be upset with me. But do you like it?"

Darien found himself grabbing a piece of her hair and softly running a strand of her golden locks through his fingers. He nodded. She smiled.

Captain Hawkback said, "Since you are both here, let's sail off." He started arguing his crew around and soon they were sailing away from the village and on their way to the New World where the city of Elysian lied.

They had been on the ship for a few weeks and had barely spoken two words to teach other. Darien spent most of his time talking with Captain Hawkback and giving him directions on where to go. Serenity was surprisingly helpfully to the crew as she knew a lot about sailing. She also helped prepared the meals and cleaned up the deck after rainfall or a heavy storm. She quickly started to grow on the crew and the Captain.

Darien simply looked at her perplexed. On night Serenity was standing on the deck with her hands folded on the rails. She looked at the moon with an expressionless emotion on her face. Darien watched her from a distance.

She asked unexpectedly, "Why are you rushing to get rid of me?"

Darien looked stunned wondering if she was talking to him or the moon.

She said not looking, "I am talking to you, Darien Shields."

Darien wondered if she telepathic.

Darien slowly walked next to her looking at the endless ocean with the reflection of the moon on it.

Serenity asked, "Why don't you care for me, Darien? Why are you pushing me away? We have been on this ship for weeks and we barely spoken."

Darien answered honestly, "I don't know."

Serenity said turning to him with emotional eyes, "Yes, you do know Darien."

Darien said, "I don't know."

Serenity demanded angrily, "Darien!"

Darien yelled angrily, "Because I'm afraid!"

She looked at him stunned then asked, "Why? Why are you afraid?"

Darien said, "Because I don't think I am good enough for anything. I know I am a good father and a good warrior even a good worker but that's on my own terms. It's not like I have to be in charge of great responsibility. My entire life I have always done what was necessary but never what I wanted. For the first time in my life, I can do what I want and not worry about the needs and desires of others. I know that is selfish, but my life has always been in service to others."

Serenity asked confused, "But what does that have to do with the way you treat me?"

Darien said, "Serenity, I am a waste of time. I am not someone that you want to fall in love with or form a serious attachment too. All I can promise you is a good time in bed. I have been with so many women and I have broken all of their hearts, because they wanted my love and I could not give it to them. Even my late wife, I loved her dearly but I never been in love. I can't love Serenity. I can't make you happy. All I can do is to make sure that you safely get home so that you can find someone who makes you happy."

Serenity asked looking up at the sky, "How do you know?"

Darien stared at her as the wind blew through her beautiful golden locks and asked, "How do I know what?"

Serenity turned to him and stated, "That you cannot make me happy or any other woman and that you cannot love. It's an untrue statement because I've seen first handedly how much you love your children. You simply have not found your soul mate yet." Darien felt a tiny jolt of energy as Serenity placed one of her delicate hands on his arm as she turned to him with passionate eyes. "She's out there Darien, but you have to open your heart to find her. You have to let this thick wall you built around yourself and when Uno brings her into her life, you will be ready for her."

Darien stared at her with a captivated expression on his face as he stared at the innocent angel in front of him. His heart started beating rapidly as her hand left his hand and slowly reached up and touched his chest where his heart was. She closed her eyes and listening happily to sound of his heart beating like a beautiful melody.

Before Darien knew it, his eyes started to darkened. She slowly opened his eyes as she started into his deep blue eyes that looked enchanted with desire for her. She blushed. He placed his hand on the small of her back and pulling her closing to his body. She looked at him with innocent eyes as he descended his head towards hers. He placed his hands underneath her chin as he tilted her head upwards as she looked at him with sensitive eyes. When his lips were inches away from hers, Darien stopped. He said softly, "I think I already found her, and her name is sweet Serenity." He then pressed his lips against hers and held her in her arms as they shared their first kiss under the full moon.