She was writhing and moaning where she lay on a bed with only a white sheet to cover her nakedness. His heart was suddenly filled with so much pain and heartache that he couldn't believe; and to think Justin almost came with them on this trip! He knew at once by looking at the way in which she looked at him with excited, agitated and yet distant eyes, that she was drugged.
"Oh, Selene." He walked over to her swiftly; for some reason that he couldn't understand, he had even felt like crying for seeing her looking like this, so helpless and confused.
"Darien." She moaned his name when he took her in his arms and started to comb his fingers in her hair.
"It's okay...I'm here." He comforted her and was slightly thrown of kilter when he felt her fingers begin to caress his body.
"Darien..." He muttered a curse as she began to place kisses along his neck; he was about to lift her in his arms and take her back to her room when he was certain her heard a noise. Without needing further warning he turned around and ducked quickly as a pan went flying over his head. He swung a hard kick sending his opponent flying to the floor; it was the man from earlier except he was not wearing as much as he had been previously and a very prominent tent formation could be seen in his half unzipped pants. With anger rising in his eyes he quickly grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall with a look that could kill.
"If you ever...touch her...again," He growled. "If you ever come within the same breathing space as her again...If I even have to look at you, or if she ever has to look at you...I WILL NOT HESISTATE TO KILL YOU!!!" He ended coldly as Nephlite walked in.
"Hey man, look, if you let me go, I'll let you have a piece of her too, both of you." Darien had never been so disgusted in his life; he immediately put on a fake smile.
"Really, the both of us." Darien queried with the raise of a brow; he nodded with a wide grin.
"Darien" Selene moaned once more; just hearing her voice and being brought back to the reality of her state, caused his anger to rise tenfold.
"You promise?" He smirked.
"Yeah man, just let me go." Her replied eagerly.
"Oh, all right." He allowed the man to fall and then turned to see Nephlite standing at the door awaiting orders. "But first things first." He added; before the man could blink he about faced and sent a punch reeling into his face causing him to fall unconscious. "Take him to the ship's jail, I'll deal with him fully later." He ended as he cracked his knuckles repeatedly before spitting on the man's prone body.
As soon as they left Darien turned towards Selene, her arms were out and waiting for him.
"Darien." She moaned. "I need you."
It isn't fair. He thought as he picked her up in his arms, sheet and all, and carried her to her room along with her clothes.
She was a mother with a son at home waiting for her and this had to happen. God, if he hadn't been there...and then what if she would have become pregnant or worse...that man could have had some disease or...he blocked those thoughts from his mind as he deposited her gently on the bed. He had saved her; she was safe.
Her arms came round his shoulders to embrace him as her lips began to plant passionate kisses all up and down his neck once more; he knew what this meant, he had to high tail it out of there fast before she made him lose control; he could never do this to her. Even though the Lord knows how much he wanted it.
He tried to pull away, she responded by kissing him fully on the lips and forcefully pulling him down onto the bed with her. He wanted to not respond, but it was so hard, especially when her fingers blindly found the buttons for his shirt and tore it open.
"No Selene...damnit...(moan)...no." She kissed up and down his chest, her fingers trailing here and there, touching him all over. He had to gather all the energy he could muster to push her away from him, and wasn't surprised when she reached out for him once more; he grabbed her wrists in one hand, she retaliated by arched her body towards him, the sheet slipping down some to give a tantalizing view.
He shut his eyes tightly, he knew that what he was about to do would be somewhat harsh, but he needed to keep an eye on her and at the same time make sure she didn't try come after him. He sighed as he pulled off his belt with his free hand and proceeded to fasten her hands to the railing. He would only do it until she felt asleep, he reasoned; then they would both be safe.
When her hands had been secured he arose from her bed and went straight for her suitcase; if he was going to survive this, she would have to have some clothes on.
When she was fully clothed in a long tee shirt and a pair of white socks, he retreated to the other side of the room where he attempted to ignore the sounds of her moaning and calling out to him.
When she had finally fallen asleep, he arose from his place by her desk and went to her, almost immediately removing her constraints. She looked better this way, innocent once again. He knew in the morning that she wouldn't remember a bit of the night's events and he was happy that was so, he would hate to know how she would react if she knew just how close to losing her humanity she had become.
Nephlite half bowed when Darien entered the dark room with a somber look early that morning, when the sun had barely touched the sky.
"How is she?"
"Asleep." He replied as he took out some white bandaging tape and began to wrap them around his knuckles and hands; he looked to the seemingly empty room before turning back towards Nephlite. "You didn't touch him did you?" He asked contemptibly.
"No, but when I told him who you were, he visibly freaked." He chuckled. "I think he fell asleep in one of the darker corners of the room."
"Good...I need someplace to vent some frustration." He pulled his shirt over his head and placed it on a chair nearby before walking across the room to the still figure in the darkest corner. He loomed over him before bring his hand back to slap him hard across the face. "Wake up." He spat. The man's eyes fluttered opened just in time to have a punch aimed at his face. "I'm going to teach you the hard way...why you will never treat women that way again."
He was surprised to find her gone when he had returned to that room later after bathing and changing into a comfortable pair of clothes. Almost immediately he freaked, afraid that something had happened to her, but calmed down when he found her standing alone by the deck's railing. The wind was blowing through her hair, and he inwardly chuckled when he realized she was adorning a pair of jogging sweatpants and sweatshirt.
"Do you jog every morning?" He watched as she turned towards him with a vacant look before turning back towards the view of the ocean. "Something wrong?"
"I just...you ever just wake up and just feel lousy?" She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked down into the water. "I don't know...I just...I just don't feel good this morning."
"I know how that can be...did you eat anything this morning?"
"No...I couldn't sleep all that much, so I just got up, got dressed, and started jogging around deck."
"Oh...what do you say to joining me for breakfast this morning?"
"Looking like this?" She mused.
"Have you even bothered to look at what I'm wearing?" He chuckled as she turned towards him with her brow arched to assess his blue denim cut of jeans, white sweatshirt, and brown sandals.
"Well...guess you'll fit in..." She giggled lightly before continuing. "But I would rather settle for a light meal so that we can eat outside, the view her is breathtaking."
"I guess I could arrange for a picnic." He smiled. "It does feel rather nice out here...the breeze that's coming in is rather cool."
"Then I guess that settles it." She smiled.
She brought the blanket closer to her body with one hand, the other reaching into the basket for a warm croissant settled into her surroundings.
"You ever wish that you could just freeze frame an entire scene?" He murmured as spread some grape jelly across a piece of toast.
"Yeah...it almost seems so unreal." She sighed as she lay back somewhat, popping pieces of the croissant in her mouth. "So warm and yet cool at the same time...it's like a painting or something."
"Ya know, I have to admit, I really like being with you and I wish that you didn't have to go." Her head jerked towards him and recognized the seriousness in his words. Things were moving too fast; there was so much he didn't know about her. There were so many things that she could not tell, suffice to say, she felt that he deserved at least some of the truth.
"Darien-"She sighed as she looked away, trying to find the words with which she could tell him this.
"I know what you're going to say...you're going to say it's too soon right? That I couldn't possibly feel anything for you yet, but Selene...you, I don't know, you just make me, you make me feel...different." He nervously slipped his fingers through his hair as he turned away, trying to find the words to describe the way he felt. "And I really like your kid, and I want-"
"Wait, slow down...let me talk first, before you say anything." She replied. "I've been lying to you somewhat."
"Excuse me?" His eyes returned to her, looking at her disbelievingly.
"Remember when we first met?"
"Yes."
"Well, I really had not wanted to be bothered by you, or Malachite."
"You saw Malachite?" He asked incredulously.
"I'm not blind you know." She chuckled before continuing with a sigh. "Anyway, I tried to figure out a way to get you to leave me alone, so…" she stopped talking for a while wondering whether or not she should go through with this.
"So…?" he asked
"I started speaking my second language." She said quickly and winced waiting for the blow.
"I don't get it." He stated
"Try this one on for size." She said and then began speaking in English without her accent.
"I can speak English." His face dropped and he grew silent.
"So that woman you claimed to be the owner of the house, was, you?" She nodded silently.
"You mad at me?" Her eyes stared into his blank expression; the silence brooded for a while and he began to scare her before he shockingly busted out laughing.
"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" He asked with glowing eyes.
"And my name is Serena, not Selene." She finished.
"Well, well, well, Serena, nice to meet you." He laughed, making her smile. "You know, if you lengthened your name, it would be Serenity." He stated and glanced into her startled face.
"Who…who's Serenity?" She queried. "Oh, she's the legendary Princess of the Moon." He paused. "Some of us believe that there is life on other planets. And that there is this legendary Princess of the Moon who will hold a lot of power when she comes into reign...Right now, it is a belief that that there's a kingdom on the moon that rules the universe...and the books say that the Princess is the most beautiful woman ever seen."
"The books?" She merely choked at his words.
"Yeah, a couple of years ago they made a startling discovery in Ancient Greece. These books appeared out of nowhere and they told the stories of the legends I speak of. We don't understand how they could have gotten there, and yet they were somehow preserved in the sand.".
"Do you believe in the legends…of the princess?" She whispered.
"Yes, I do...I don't know why either, but something in my heart tells me that it's true...I sometimes wonder what it would be like to meet someone with such power, such beauty." He paused. "The thing is, a long time ago, I fell in love with someone...and it's the oddest thing, because I feel as if I just woke up one day and she was torn away from me." He turned away from her, his body solemn. "I was in some kind of accident when they found me, I lost all memories of what she looked like and who she was. The doctor's thought it was kind of strange...I mean, how can you remember there being someone and yet not remember what they look like or even their name?" Sighing dejectedly, he continued. "I figure that maybe this woman, the princess that is, would someday help me find her...I mean she has power right, sure she can help me find what I have searched for all theses years." He turned and glanced at her, she had a questioning sardonic grin on her face. "What?"
"And to believe all this time I thought you were just a sourpuss." She replied as she hit him lightly on the shoulder; he chuckled deeply in response.
"Darien, if there's life on other planets," she suddenly change the mood to a more serious one. "and the Princess has so much power, why do you suppose they never contacted Earth?" She chewed thoughtfully on the last piece of bread before downing her drink.
"That's the same question that's been puzzling me, and I seriously don't get it." He breathed, placing his piece of toast back down on the blanket. "I've always thought of beings on other planets as being more advanced than us here on Earth." He paused for a moment and lightly scratched his chin. "You know it's funny, but we look in the telescopes everyday and we see the moon, but it looks blank as a slate. If there is a kingdom on the moon, why does it look inhabited?"
"Have you always been this deep Darien Wales?" she asked. "Why is it that you hide yourself behind that blanket of cold feelings. When you keep things to yourself; your feelings, ideas, beliefs: you will always feel cold inside." She paused. "But when you share what you have inside with another, beneath that blanket, like right now, you feel so much warmer." She turned to look at him and saw how intensely he was starring at her.
"Have you always been this beautiful, this serene?" He inquired with a smile on his face; she placed her head down and blushed before he took his hand from within the blanket, and with two fingers he tilted her chin up to him. "Whoever Princess Serenity is, she could have more beauty than a crystal sea, more grace than a swan, more splendor than the sunset on the horizon of the ocean, but her beauty will never, ever surpass yours." She was startled at the intensity of his words and could only watch mutely as he slowly began to close the gap between them. When they finally kissed, it ignited the fireworks that had been within the both of them. They kissed passionately, as if they would never see each other again, as if the world was going to end, as if no one else mattered but them. As they kissed, a lonely tear trickled down the side of Serena's face. Whirlwinds of thoughts swirled throughout her mind. She didn't want this to happen. He had fallen for her, she knew it, but she could never let herself feel the same way as he felt for her. She could never love another, she just couldn't do it anymore.
Don't worry Serena .She told herself. You're almost back to the Puerto Rican shoreline, when you get back the trip will be over. You'll go back to Savannah, and from there you, Mina and Justin will leave and exit form Darien and Malachite's lives. They'll never see you again, and you're positively sure that overtime they'll forget you guys ever existed. She suddenly released herself from the kiss and wiped the tear so that he could not see.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Darien, you don't know me at all. I can't allow this to continue." She replied.
"Why, when it feels so right? You can't deny that Serena." He countered.
"I-I did something unlawful when I was young, and for it I was punished. I'm...I'm so ashamed of myself." She rubbed her face with her hands repeatedly as she rocked back and forth.
"I don't care what" he began
"No Darien listen." She interrupted him. "I can't, I can't love another, I won't love another, I can only love him, I'm sorry, but I will wait until he returns for me."
"Serena, I can't believe you are waiting after some jerk that left you str-". Whack!
"Stop it!" she interrupted after she slapped him hard on the cheek. "Don't ever talk of him in that way. He loved me, and loves me still." She yelled. "I can feel it, and I know he still searches for me." She turned away as the tears came once more. "You know what Darien, you truly disgust me. What about the love you so recently spoke of? Would you truly so quickly betray her love by giving into another?!" She said coldly. "Hmph, I guess then that truly never really was love was it, or maybe, maybe that girl doesn't exist. Maybe she's some fictional character you made up so that you can get me to soften up to you. Pretty little Serena all vulnerable and no place to go!" She stood up angrily, the blanket dropping from her shoulders.
"That's not true" He refuted as he stood to face her.
"You know, even if she is real, I pity the girl that FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU!" He watched silently, his body immobile, as he watched her run away.
"Serena, what happened out there?!" Mina exclaimed to her silent friend on the plane.
"Excuse me ma'am, but you're going to have to lower your voice just a little." The stewardess arose from her bent position before continuing.
"First of all, you come back and he knows you speak English, and that your name is Serena." She began in a voice barely above a whisper. "And second, you guys are worse off than you were before you went on the trip. At least, when you were arguing, you were talking to each other." For a while it was quiet. "Well..." She pleaded.
"All I can say is that he loves me for the wrong reasons."
"Does it really matter when it comes to love why you even love?"
"It does when I have to chose between the love of man that surpasses everything I've ever dreamed, and the love of a stranger."
3 months later
As time grew on Darien's heart grew cold and he blocked his heart towards loving again. And with time he became a restless man in every aspect of his manner, except when he dealt with his people. If there was anything about his kingdom that was never disputed, it was the fact that he was well respected by all, and even loved by some.
He sat in his conference room along with his generals. It was there that they met and discussed any matters concerning the areas in which they governed. Malachite governed the Northern Lands, Zoycite the South, Jedite the West, and Nephlite the East. There were other lesser kings around Earth who ruled certain lands, and they reported to Darien's guards, who in turn reported to him
"That's it, none of you has anything disturbing to report?" Darien inquired with disturbingly haunted eyes.
.
"No Endymion, for some reason the lands are rather peaceful around this time of year." Zoycite replied as he swindled his chair a bit to follow the path of his pacing.
"It's going to be a boring couple of days indeed." He mumbled. "No one has anything necessary for my interference?" The room remained quiet as he slumped into his chair and stared out the window.
"Endymion, although this has no bearing on matters that concern the people of my region, this may interest you." Malachite interceded.
"Proceed."
"Well, you and the rest of us are very aware of the archaeological dig that is under way in Greece." Malachite began and they all nodded in response.
"That's where they found the books containing the legends of Selene." Zoycite commented.
"Well, it seems that they have made a new discovery. Although they did not comment on how significant it was, they requested our presence in Athens in three days at noon."
"Why did you not tell me sooner?" Darien exclaimed before turning relaxed eyes to each of them. "Is everyone certain that in their regions that no grave matter of strict importance is about?" They all nodded. "All right then, prepare for our departure to Athens, Greece."
After preparing the palace for his absence, and getting all matters situated, Darien and his generals departed for Athens. With Darien's private jet, they reached there in not time of course. When they arrived the well-known archeologist, Dr. Mento, greeted them. When they approached the camp ground, the people bowed down and Darien immediately spoke up.
"No need for formalities now, I got enough of that back home." He smirked and became somewhat agitated when the people didn't budge. "Next man that bows shall have his head cut off where he stands." He finished with a smile and watched with amusement as the people quickly stood. "Now, show me what you have discovered." When he said this everyone scurried about as Dr. Mento approached them once more.
Darien glanced around at his surroundings and became absent of the fact that Dr. Mento was speaking with his generals. All he could see that was worth anything was a pile of treasure that was off to the side with one man standing guard. Sure, he had plenty of wealth and treasure, what was so special about what they recently found?
As he stepped closer the guard stepped aside, and that's when he saw it. The most beautiful sword he had ever laid his eyes upon. The hilt was made of pure silver, while the handle was made of solid gold. To the untrained eye, this would look like an ordinary sword, but Darien knew better. It was expertly made. Every groove, curve, and line was done to make the sword sharper, lighter, and easier to handle. It was magnificent.
I don't think the archeologist will mind if I take this back to the palace. He thought as he began to pull the sword with little effort out of the side of a stone it seemed to be wedged in. Just as the sword was almost out, he heard a blood-curdling scream.
"M'Lord noooooo!" Dr. Mento screamed. It was too late; Darien had already pulled the sword from its place and suddenly had this overwhelming feeling that he was becoming one with it. "Oh, Selene!" Dr. Mento exclaimed as he almost fainted.
"What, I don't see what's so dangerous about this sword." He wielded it in his hands, captivated by the way in which the sun gleamed off its surface.
"M'Lord," Dr. Mento began, a slight quiver to his voice. "For days we have been trying to pull the sword out of it's place. But, if anyone dared, they were electrocuted."
"You expect me to believe that the same sword, that I pulled out of the stone with little effort, electrocuted the lives of those who tried before me?" The doctor nodded.
"It would seem, Endymion." Malachite began. "That the sword has chosen you as its owner."
"Are you now telling me that this inanimate object has life?" He arched his brow in amusement.
"Precisely." Malachite replied as suddenly the ground began to shake. They all backed away from the treasure, which seemed to be the source of the problem. The ground suddenly opened up and swallowed the precious gems and stones that lay above it and suddenly a great cloud erupted from the huge crack in the ground, obscuring their vision. When the cloud cleared up, before them stood a man in gleaming silver armor covering everything up to his neck; the headpiece was seemingly in the shape of a falcon. On the crest of his armor was a golden moon insignia.
"Don't be afraid." He began. "Allow me to ease the tense between us." He placed two fingers on the emblem and said the words: "Falcon Mode, disengage." Immediately a bright light flashed and they covered their eyes. When they opened their eyes once more, before them stood a man with long brown hair pulled to the back, in a white uniform. Diagonally, from shoulder to waist, was a golden sash covered in medals. "I am Galen, Captain of the Royal Moon Guard, Protector of the Moon Kingdom, and Ambassador of the Alliance of the Silver Millennium. I have come to greet the keeper of the silver saber."
"Silver saber?" Darien asked while approaching him cautiously. "You mean this thing." Darien said waving the sword around as if it were a toy.
"Silly human, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Galen warned. Darien arched his eyebrow as he swung the sword one more time; he jumped in shock as lightning flew from it towards the sky sending him back a bit. Galen laughed at their bewildered faces. "I have come to give you the challenge of the century, King Endymion of Earth." Galen stated.
"Challenge me?" Darien asked. "And how do you know my name?"
"We've been watching you and your planet, King Endymion of Earth, for a millennium." Galen replied. Darien narrowed his eyes at Galen in a questioningly manner.
"Who's been watching me?" Darien asked.
"Why, the Queen of the Universe herself, Queen Serenity." He replied.
"What of this challenge?"
"You've been chosen, King Endymion of Earth." Galen replied.
"Chosen, chosen for what?" Malachite asked.
"Just as protective as ever." Galen addressed him. "Malachite, Captain of the Earth Kingdom Guard, governor of the Northern Lands, and advisor to Endymion, the King of Earth. It's nice to finally meet you face to face."
"If that man says Endymion, King of Earth one more time, I think I'll throw up." Jedite mumbled to Zoycite, who immediately smiled, trying his hardest not to laugh.
"If it makes you uncomfortable Jedite, then I'll simply address him as Endymion." Galen chuckled and Nephlite joined in merriment. "Nice to see you are on my side, Nephlite." They were a little pensive of the fact that he knew their names, and it also seemed as if he knew them as well.
"That's great, but what of this challenge?" Darien inquired. "And what have I been chosen for?"
"You, Endymion, have been chosen as the semi ruler of the next millennium. The Crystal Millennium, to be exact." He replied.
"Excuse me?" Darien inquired. "The next ruler of what?"
"Why the universe of course, beside your queen that is." Galen replied.
"My Queen?"
"Why the ever so lovely, elegant and eternal; Princess Serenity the Second." Galen replied with a smile.