Ties That Bind

Chapter 37

The Fall

Author's Note: Hi everyone I hope all of you had a nice holiday and I want to thank all my readers for following along and also those that took the time to put in a review. I love to hear from all my readers so please continue to send your reviews and thoughts and let me know what you think. Thanks Mars Light

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon never did, never will Thank you!

Serena lied in bed still awake unable to fall asleep after the argument she had with Molly. She looked over to see Darien still sleeping soundly. She let out a deep sigh knowing she would not get any sleep this night and gently removed his arm from around her waist. He shifted for a moment feeling her loss of body heat and then turned over going back to sleep.

She looked down at the bed she used as a child, seeing him lying there half-dressed and heard Molly's voice echoing in her head asking is he your husband. She let out a long sigh knowing that things did not turn out as she had once fantasized her life would one day be.

She reached down to the floor and picked up her night dress that had been discarded there the night before by him. He had an expertise with his hands and mouth that he could set her on fire with just the slightest touch and as much as she tried to deny it she could not hide that he could give her enormous pleasure as he brought her over the edge again and again.

She was grateful that no one else had walked in on them throughout the night while she tried to hold in her screams from the pleasures he had given to her. She placed her hand down on her chest feeling where his mouth had been just a few hours earlier giving her multiple orgasms in various positions.

She looked back over to him on the bed seeing him lying there peacefully sleeping with his arm hanging over the pillow as he had done so with her a moment ago. She let out a deep breath knowing he was right whatever she did or wherever she would go. She would forever be his. He was her first and forever more.

She stood up from the bed and placed her night dress on over her head turning back seeing him still silently asleep she quietly stepped out of the room.

She walked down the steps slowly hearing the quietness echoing though out the house knowing the others would still be asleep in their own beds.

She walked over to the front door opening it seeing the sun just beginning to rise in the sky as it painted the sky in yellow, pink, and blue hues the start of a new day a new beginning.

She remembered growing up in this village as a child waking up early enjoying the quietness of the village before her aunt would awaken and make demands of her. She looked back in the inn seeing no one else had awaken yet and stepped outside closing the door behind her.

She walked slowly down the road seeing the baker beginning to open his shop smelling the delicious smell of freshly baked rolls and buns. The farmer pulling up his wagon full of vegetables and fruits to sell and the local tavern owner getting ready to close down after an evening's business.

She continued walking down the path and then stopped starring up at the place she had once called home everything she had become and is now was all due to this place. Hearing her aunt's voice in her head screaming at her you're not good enough, you'll never amount to anything, you'll be lucky to find any prospects at all

She reached down and picked up a small stone from the walk and through it as hard as she could at the house. It hit the structure and ricocheted off causing no damage landing down on the ground. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she screamed out in frustration.

She looked around seeing no one seemed to pay attention or care of her outburst, but then why would they. She let out a long sigh knowing what her life now consisted of. He would be awake soon and be expecting her to be there.

She slowly turned around and walked back towards the inn when she saw her father drunk come sauntering up the path. He was wobbling side to side while trying to keep his balance with a bottle still in his hand. She watched as he stumbled over a rock and fell to the ground.

She quickly rushed over to his side taking his arm trying to help him up to his feet saying kindly "here let me help you"

He got back on his feet as he brushed himself off saying "thank you" then looked up taking one look at her and roughly pushed her back as she stumbled backwards and fell down on her bottom with a thud.

He looked down at her with disgust saying "I don't need any help from you. You've done enough already leave me alone. Go back to whatever whore village you came from" as he spit down on her and continued walking-stumbling down the path.

Serena sat there in the dirt watching him walk away from her. She stood up to get back up onto her feet knowing after years of receiving verbal abuse she knew better then to let words get her down, but still it hurt leaving behind emotional scars that she kept well hidden. She wiped the dirt from her bottom still feeling the soreness below from the beating she received the other day and now this.

She took a deep breath and let it out thinking it best to head back to the inn where he would expect them to soon continue up to the manor so she could continue with her duties, her servitude. She walked down the path. Keeping her eyes straight ahead when she heard someone yell out "hey sweet heart you looking for a good time"

She looked to the side to see three men standing near a building all looking like they had stayed at the tavern until well past closing time. She felt uncomfortable in their presence and continued walking faster when another yelled out to her "what's your hurry we just want to talk and get to know each other better"

She quickly walked faster past them wrapping her arms around herself protectively, when she heard footsteps following her. She picked up speed to almost a run and quickly went and hid behind the large old oak tree she remembered climbing with Molly as children.

She sat behind the tree and waited catching her breath knowing whoever the owner of the footsteps had passed. She turned around and looked up at the giant oak tree in front of her closing her eyes remembering her youth hearing her and Molly's voices while climbing this old tree and hung from the branches. While they discussed who their future husbands would someday be.

She had wanted someone that would listen and understand her. Who would respect her for being smart and polite and would not feel threatened by her education. Molly would laugh and tell her there is no such man, but still she lived in the fairytale hoping, until the day came she woke up and faced a cold hard reality. Now she was nothing more than a whore and men would only see her as such.

She put her hand down on the initials carved into the tree stump by couples who were in love once and she wondered if they ever found there happily ever after. She grabbed onto one of the tree branches and pulled herself up hanging from the tree limb playfully thinking of laughter and easier times, then reached out grabbing onto another branch.

She looked all the way up the tree at the maze of branches seeing no end in sight and in that moment made her decision using her arms and legs. She climbed higher and higher until she was almost at the very top of the tree then looked out onto the rest of the village. The morning sun was now high up in the sky waking everyone up for the day seeing the village come alive below. She sighed knowing the tranquility wouldn't last her moment was gone.

She started to slowly climb down the tree limb by limb, she didn't remember as a child it being this difficult. Carefully watching her step and taking her time, she held onto the trunk of the tree with one arm while holding onto the branches with the other. She looked down seeing she was almost at the bottom and loosened her arm around the tree trunk and went to put her foot on a lower branch when the branch snapped in half.

She frantically tried to hold onto the branch above her having no footing, seeing the weak branch starting to bend in half unable to support her weight she started to fall hitting another branch on the way down she let out a frightened scream, but never hit the ground as she landed with a thud.

She looked up surprised she didn't land down in the dirt, instead she landed in someone else's arms. Then turned to see a man with emerald green eyes and sandy blonde hair, he was muscular and just saved her. She looked up at his handsome face feeling at a loss for words telling him "thank you"

He looked down at the beautiful woman he was now holding in his arms, who was wearing nothing more than a thin see through shift and who also had the bluest eyes he had ever seen he smiled at his stroke of luck telling her "your welcome, but is there a name to go with my damsel in distress"

Serena blushed being held this close to his body telling him "my name is Serena" He nodded his head pleased wanting to know all he can about this girl telling her "my names Kevin"

Serena looked up to his handsome face feeling his strong arms holding her close and protectively. She stopped herself from her fantasy realizing if HE ever saw her like this. She shuddered just thinking about what would be and told Kevin "please put me down"

Kevin nodded his head regretfully telling her "as you wish" slowly helping her down to her feet. She went to stand up ready to thank him for his assistance, but found she had a hard time putting weight onto her right foot as she hobbled closer holding onto the tree for balance.

Kevin looked to her concerned seeing how she kept her wait off the one foot stating "you're hurt"

Serena held onto the tree feeling her ankle throbbing she shook her head telling him "it's not so bad"

Kevin shook his head not believing her, seeing how she was keeping herself guarded away from him saying "come sit down over here"

Serena looked over seeing a large rock not far away knowing it would be best to sit for a second until the throbbing stopped, she slowly hobbled over and Kevin put out his arm to help her balance as she hopped on her good leg over to the large rock and sat while he picked up her foot and put it up onto his knee examining it slowly.

He ran his hand up and down from her ankle to her knee. Serena sat there watching where he put his hands and felt a tightness rising in her chest until he finally stopped moving his hands and shook his head telling her "I'm no doctor, but I don't believe it's broken, possibly a bad sprain though"

Serena sat there with her foot up on his knee and his hands on her ankle, while she wore nothing, but her shift she shook her head telling him "I should be getting back. I have others that will be wondering where I have gone off too"

Kevin gently placed her leg down to the ground hearing her polite way of telling him she wasn't interested he nodded his head telling her "of course let me help you" and put out both of his hands to help her up.

Serena looked at his open arms and knew she shouldn't take them, but could use the additional assistance she held onto his offered hands and got back up onto her feet and told him "I can take it from here thank you again"

Kevin stood with his arms wrapped around her shaking his head telling her "I will not leave you alone here injured what kind of gentleman would I be"

Serena looked up to him nervous an actual gentleman she had forgotten they existed, but if Darien saw him he would be a dead gentleman and so could she. She shook her head repeating "really that is not necessary I can take it from here"

She began to take a step forward, but wobbled around trying to keep her balance when she felt him come over and put his arm around her, helping her keep her balance he walked with her changing the subject to something less dire asking "may I ask what made you think of climbing the tree in the first place"

Serena blushed not really sure why she did it telling him "it seemed to be a good idea at the time" Kevin laughed helping to escort her the rest of the way to the front door of the inn pleased to know he had somewhere he could come calling on her again asking "is this where you are staying?"

She nodded her head replying "yes I am staying with friends" then looked up seeing the smile and glimmer in his eyes appreciative of her answer, knowing she had let him come much to close already she told him quickly "thank you very much for your assistance it was appreciated, but I should be going inside"

To her horror Kevin did not let go of her arm telling her politely "let me help you inside" she couldn't take the chance of letting Darien see Kevin even if he did have the best of intentions she shook her head telling him "I can manage thank you again. I should be going inside now"

Kevin stood there holding onto her arm smiling not having any idea of the danger he was putting them both in he told her "nonsense you are injured let me help you. I don't mind in fact I am enjoying the company"

Serena stood there with her mouth open trying to find a reason to object when the next thing she knew he opened the door wide from them and helped her walk inside with his arm around her waist.

Mrs. Sawyer turned around at the sound of the door opening seeing Serena hobble in the door with a strange man holding onto her and immediately ran over asking concerned "Serena are you alright"

Serena looked to her, but didn't get the chance to answer seeing how Kevin did first saying "she'll be fine, but she may have twisted her ankle. She should probably stay off it for a little while"

Mrs. Sawyer quickly pulled out a chair from a nearby table telling her "yes please sit down Serena"

Kevin carefully led her over to the chair and Serena took the seat with a quick survey around the room, she sighed with relief glad to know Darien was still not awake yet she continued to tell Kevin "really I can take it from here, but thank you"

Mrs. Sawyer unfortunately would not make it that easy she looked to Kevin asking him "how did this happen?"

Serena knew now was not the time to start a full conversation and was about to answer, when Kevin placed his hand down on her leg saying "she lost her balance and fell from an old tree branch. I was lucky enough to be there to catch her"

Mrs. Sawyer looked to Kevin gratefully, then back at Serena with a motherly scolding telling her "Serena you could have been badly injured. How many times have I warned you and Molly about climbing that old tree? It is a good thing this young man was there to help you"

Serena nodded her head seeing the proud look in Kevin's eyes telling Mrs. Sawyer "yes it was but" when she lost her voice hearing Darien come walking down the steps.

He walked down a few steps to the main level overhearing a conversation in the room, then his eyes locked on another man standing beside Serena with his hand on one of her legs. His voice became dangerously calm he walked down the last of the steps and turned to Serena telling her "wasn't it good he happened to be there to break your fall, how very convenient for you"