title: Elusive Thoughts | Chapter 2
rating: PG
author: Mir
email: incandescence@juno.com
website: http://cathedraldragon.tripod.com/sm/
disclaimer: Sailor Moon, et al. belongs to Naoko Takeuchi,
etc., etc., and so on and so forth ^_^. The other characters
belong to me...for whatever that's worth. I have no money
to speak of, so suing me will not make you rich. Yes, and
this story was inspired by Melanie Rawn's *Dragon Prince*.
Kudos to her, it's an excellent novel.
AN: I'm going to present chapter 2 in a slightly different
way. I think the plot lends itself to the first person rather
than third person so I'm going to do a 2d and a 2s section
(ie. parts chapter 2 from the point of view of Darien and
Serena). Good idea? Bad idea? Let me know what you
think :). Oh, and ## means note at end.
Here's the revision - no new scenes here, but I have made
some extensive grammatical changes. Yes, and I'm
changing to name of the Caucus. In all revisions, the Caucus
will be referred to as the Assembly.
*Chapter 2: Section 1d*
Most of my life I've chosen to travel incognito, barely brushing past
another, a ghost on its way to nowhere, searching under mountains for
gems of wisdom, but hoarding them all to myself. If I played, it was with
disinterest and lack of will to win. I dreamed visions of perfection, scenes
from a life free of troubles and complication, but I knew it wasn't for me.
There were things I had to do, things that needed to be done, things that
no one else would do for me....
I shielded my eyes as the sun rose gracefully over the horizon. I
hadn't realized I'd been sleeping in the saddle. The drifting sands of the
desert stretched out before me as far as I could see, merging with the
morning sun at the edge of the world. Daffyd snorted and stamped his
feet, and I reached down to pat his neck; one could always count on a
horse to be in a good mood early in the morning.
To a foreigner, traveling alone in the desert with only a small amount
of water would be dangerous, almost suicidal, but I'd been born in this land
of extremes and recognized landmarks without a second thought. Anyway,
I knew where I was going - I was going to the river.
Daffyd held his head high as we made our way across the sands. I'd
been neglecting him of late, I realized. But not intentionally - there was the
garden, the library, and all the hideously formal occasions that Kerri always
insisted I attend. She was forever hinting that I marry and produce an heir -
since she and Andrew hadn't been able to. And now...there would never be
one, no little bundle of energy to remind me of the sister so dear to my heart.
The speck of blue twisting across the sands grew distinctly as the
morning progressed, and I heard the river long before I came upon it. There
had always been something fascinating about the rushing current, and I used
to stand at the crossing for hours, enthralled by the novelty of so much water
in one place. The only way to cross it was by ferry, and the ferryman was
a quiet mousy type whom people tended to underestimate. I had too - until
I saw him waist-deep in the rushing water pulling flailing people out by their
jackets collars. That was years ago, back when I still knew him as Mister
Karos. Now I simply call him Jack.
Jack must have recognized me from afar because when I approached
he boathouse he was standing outside waving to me. It had been almost
eight months since I'd last ridden out to visit him, and I hoped that there
wouldn't be any awkwardness between us. I wouldn't pretend that Jack
could ever replace the father I'd lost those many years ago, but he was the
one I tended to run to when I was disturbed...unfortunately, his boathouse
was a fair distance away from the castle.
"Why milord Darien, it's been ages since I last saw you." He would
have reached out to take Daffyd's reins from me, but I stopped him with
a glance. People were always trying to do the littlest things for me - didn't
they realize that a guy likes a taste of independence every now and then?
"Yes, I'm sorry...things have been busy, to say the least." I hesitated
for a moment. "Kerri's fire, it doesn't change anything between us, Jack,
nothing." He hadn't called me by any sort of title since we'd first met all
those years ago. Back then I hadn't been slow to point out to him that I,
Darien, was a prince of the Desert. He'd laughed good-naturedly and
replied, 'Well, my Prince, it's a good thing you told me. I might have
dumped you in the river without realizing that I'd committed an act of
treason'. Now, his reversion back into formality bothered me more than
any report of military invasion could have.
"Thank you." He frowned, and if I had been looking closely I might
have noticed a slight blush to his cheeks, but I was preoccupied with
thoughts of the coronation and of Ariane's visit. The ferryman pulled my
mind back to the present with a soft cough. "Don't mean to pry, Darien,
but you look exhausted. Do you want to lie down inside and catch a wink
or two? Is anyone expecting you to be right back?" I didn't realize how
tired I was until he mentioned it.
"I left late last night...I think Andrew can cover for me until lunchtime.
He's done it before, you know." I slept, I'm not sure how long...and I
dreamed about the night my parents died. There's always been something
oddly mysterious about Crystal Castle, for as long as anyone can remember.
From the time my family line first held power over the Desert sands, the
castle has been the resting place of the most wondrous crystal. Slightly
larger than a fist, its transparent facets are an incandescent perfection of
glittering silver and deep shades of blue. It has a side for each living
member of the bloodline (in addition to the eight it always has for structural
integrity), and by some means it transforms whenever a member of the
family is born or dies. No one has ever admitted to ever witnessing the
change, but legend has that the crystal glows - casting an eerie light over
the entire basement of the castle. I knew when my parents and Kerri
passed on because the crystal transformed.
I think I would have slept well into the afternoon had I not been
awakened by a large commotion on the river. As I stumbled out into
the glaring midday sun I realized that it was more than a minor commotion,
it was a disaster. The ferry is normally guided across the river by a
thick rope that stretches from bank to bank. When I saw the broken
end of the line drifting downstream in the current, I feared for the safety
of Jack and his passengers.
There, about halfway across the river the ferry rocked dangerously
back and forth in the water's violent embrace. I watched as one of the
passengers leaned over the railing and was sick, hands clutching the
wooden beam as if her life depended on it - and in actuality, it probably
did. Standing on the shore, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness,
my only thought was Jack's safety. My feet carried me swiftly to the
water's edge, and before I realized what I was doing I had waded into
the river up to my knees.
I dug my boots into the soft mud and reached for the rope.
Catching it in my fingers, I struggled to maintain upright against the
rushing current and pulled, hard. I think I was hoping to pull the ferry
safely in to shore, but it was too far gone, and I found myself being
dragged underneath the ominous surface of the water, hands still
clutching the rope, legs flailing everywhere. The cold water sloshed
over my head, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I don't think I screamed -
I can't remember really, but when I came back to the surface I looked
frantically about, searching for the boat.
It was caught on a large rock some twenty feet up current, listing
precariously from side to side, and I could only imagine the beating the
passengers were getting inside. A loud crack sliced through the air,
reaching my ears over the angry rumble of the waters, and with increased
urgency I began moving toward the ferry, pulling myself hand over hand
up the rope. I had almost reached the side of the craft when a plank
shattered near my head throwing splinters in a wide radius.
I yelled, but Jack didn't answer; he was probably more intent on his
own survival than listening for the voices of people bobbing in the water.
If I'd looked over and seen how close to shore we were I wouldn't have
been nearly as frantic, but one doesn't consider such things in such dire
situations. As I'd predicted, the rest of the boat soon began to disintegrate,
unable to withstand the stress. I heard Jack scream "Everyone, swim for
shore!" and almost forgot to follow his advice myself.
He was the first to jump into the water, and when he saw me bobbing
at the end of the rope like a bloated fish his eyes widened in astonishment.
But he must have decided that there was no time to scold my stupidity, for
he immediately turned his attention back to his damaged craft and waited
expectantly. As it usually does, everything happened at once. Six people
deserted the boat in rapid secession and began swimming toward the shore
with varying degrees of success. At the moment, I didn't even notice that
they were all women.
I had made it about halfway back to shore when an arm stuck me
across the head. My ears were filled with an unearthly scream, and I
managed to grab a handful of fabric before the noise swept past me. I
pulled whomever I'd snagged in to my chest, our eyes met, and time
stopped.
- - - - - - - - - -
*Chapter 2: Section 2s*
When I arrived at the crossing I wasn't prepared for the wondrous
sight that awaited me. There was something beautiful in the rushing
violence of the river, a wonderful excitement that sent shivers racing
down my spine. Somehow, I knew that something was going to happen.
My first instinct was to look to Lady Ariane for support and explanation,
but her attention was focused on the ferryman. I only caught snippets
of the conversation - something about the waters being particularly
rough for this time of the year. Everything else, from when I stepped
onto the boat until I saw -him- was nothing but a blur.
Mina was teasing me about the last time we crossed the river.
We were all younger then, barely more than seven or eight, and Lady
Ariane had insisted that Rei attend her cousin's wedding. "I can't believe
you were sick! The water was like crushed velvet - all soft and flat,"
she joked, punching me in the ribs.
I rolled my eyes, cheeks pale, and gripped the railing until my
knuckles were white. "Easy for you to say. You were practically
born on the water." I closed my eyes, intent that, this time, I'd keep
my breakfast.
I remember I was falling, falling endlessly and wondering why
everything was so cold and wet- and then the world suddenly stopped
spinning, and I opened my eyes. It was a moment out of my dreams;
I knew those eyes, those endlessly deep pools of blue that had kept me
awake night after night - and I forgot to breathe until a hand roughly
slapped my back. When he touched me, little sparks of fire swept
though my veins, and I somehow wondered whether he too felt the
flames.
I must have fainted, for when I opened my eyes again I was
sprawled breathlessly upon the ground, water lapping quietly at my feet.
The sun beat down warmly upon my back, and I felt as though I could
lie peacefully with my head in the mud forever. But then, my tranquil
stupor was interrupted by an obnoxiously loud noise I recognized as
Rei's voice. "Ugh, ick! I can't remember the last time I threw up."
I sighed, thinking how sad it was that nice moments were so
ephemeral, then turned my head, expecting to see Rei - but instead
beheld a head of hauntingly familiar black hair. My heart skipped a
beat, and I held my breath as he rolled onto his stomach and pressed
into a kneeling position. He shook his head as if trying to clear the
river water from his ears. I felt a light hand touch my shoulder then
fingers swept the hair from my eyes. "Are...are you all right?" a voice
inquired.
When I looked up at him in response he jerked his fingers
away from my cheek in surprise and embarrassment, and I exhaled
softly. Not caring that I was half-covered in mud, I caught his hand
before it disappeared. "I think so-" My voice was a pale whisper of
its usual self, but I sat up and scooted closer to him. His arm fell
across my shoulders, and I leaned against his chest, crying softly.
"Shhh, it's all right, we're all okay, safe on land," he muttered.
"Damn it, Darien! What the Hell were you thinking? Are you
completely and utterly out of your mind? If you'd gone and gotten
yourself killed in that act of empty-headed foolishness...why, I'd throttle
you right here and now if they wouldn't hang me for treason - "
'Darien?' I thought to myself. 'His name's Darien?' Then the
rest of the fiery accusation sunk in, and my heart flipped. 'Hung for
treason? He must be someone important. I bet he has herds of girls
fawning after him. He'd never see anything in a girl like me.'
Nonetheless, I decided to take full advantage of our current position
and snuggled up against him.
He lifted his head and would have turned to confront the
interrupter (whose voice I'd now identified as that belonging to Lady
Ariane), but I grabbed his arm to hold his attention - and was startled
to see blood oozing beneath my fingers. "You're bleeding." He
looked as if he was as surprised as I, and then shrugged, a smile
creeping across his face. "Thanks... I hadn't noticed." There was
warmth in his eyes, warmth that I wanted so badly to be love. He
was the one whom Lady Ariane promised would love me!
I tore off a strip from the bottom of my dress, now ruined by
mud and water, and wrapped it around his arm while he mumbled to
himself. "I must have cut it on some rock or something. It's strange I
don't remember. Ariane's going to kill me...." Then with unexpected
abruptness he gripped my arm, his eyes drilling into mine. Something
had happened when Lady Ariane spoke, something inside his mind,
and the stern gravity of his expression - so different from his gentle
smile of moments before - frightened me.
"I'm sorry, I don't even know your name, but there's something
I have to tell you." He spoke in a rush, words tumbling out of his mouth
in a jumble. "You know why you're here, and so do I. Ariane expects
us to marry. Further, she expects it to happen soon. But it can't. Not
yet." His eyes were the deepest of blue, and I drowned myself in them.
"Please believe me when I tell you I will marry you and no other woman.
I knew it from the time Ariane conjured your face with the moonlight.
But there are things I must do before we can marry. Some of them
may hurt you, and for that I'm sorry - but my sister is dead. I'm the
ruling prince, and what a prince must do the man often regrets. I must
show everyone what manner of prince I intend to be. I'll explain it all to
you once there's time, and I hope you're the kind of woman who can
understand such things. If you're not you'll have to learn. But I wouldn't
do them if they weren't necessary for our life together. I want to live in
peace, not at the point of a sword. Do you understand?" ##
I nodded. I didn't know what else to do. His words were the
last I would have expected. My breath caught in my throat, but I was
eventually able to stammer out, "My...my name's Serena." His eyes, for
a moment, sparked in nervous excitement, but I saw him suppress it with
ruthless proficiency.
"Ariane will want me to welcome you in a way that fits a royal
bride, but I can't - not until after the Assembly. Can you trust me,
Serena?" My heart went out to this man, this stranger, whom I felt I
knew almost as well as I knew myself. I returned his gaze and replied
with complete honesty, "I already owe you my life. I only wish I could
return the favor." His eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment, then he
tilted his head to the side and replied in a faraway tone, "You will Serena...
someday you will." But I had no time to ponder the implications of his
statement, for Lady Ariane was then upon us, and I had other, more
immediate, worries to deal with.
*end of Chapter 2*
- - - - - - - - - -
C'est fini...goodness, I think I've had enough water to last me a while.
Memories of *Titanic* rushing though my mind - oh no, it's that horrible
movie again! Someone please put me out of my misery. *sigh*, just
when you think you're safe that obnoxious theme song comes back to
haunt you. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. More's coming -
some time ^_^. Oh, and if you're confused (about the crystal, about
the Caucus, about anything) just email me, and I'd be more than happy
to explain. But it should all become clearer as the plot progresses,
anyway....
- Mir (12.03.00. ~ revised ~ 02.22.01)
- - - - - - - - - -
## - yes, it's wonderful, yes it's straight out of Rawn's book. No I won't ever
do this again, but I couldn't resist. I promise that everything else is in my own
words, from my own imagination - but Rohan's speech (or at least the part of
it that I used) is so...Darien, that I couldn't see myself writing anything near to
it. Yes, I feel terrible, but oh, life is so short ^_^.
.
rating: PG
author: Mir
email: incandescence@juno.com
website: http://cathedraldragon.tripod.com/sm/
disclaimer: Sailor Moon, et al. belongs to Naoko Takeuchi,
etc., etc., and so on and so forth ^_^. The other characters
belong to me...for whatever that's worth. I have no money
to speak of, so suing me will not make you rich. Yes, and
this story was inspired by Melanie Rawn's *Dragon Prince*.
Kudos to her, it's an excellent novel.
AN: I'm going to present chapter 2 in a slightly different
way. I think the plot lends itself to the first person rather
than third person so I'm going to do a 2d and a 2s section
(ie. parts chapter 2 from the point of view of Darien and
Serena). Good idea? Bad idea? Let me know what you
think :). Oh, and ## means note at end.
Here's the revision - no new scenes here, but I have made
some extensive grammatical changes. Yes, and I'm
changing to name of the Caucus. In all revisions, the Caucus
will be referred to as the Assembly.
*Chapter 2: Section 1d*
Most of my life I've chosen to travel incognito, barely brushing past
another, a ghost on its way to nowhere, searching under mountains for
gems of wisdom, but hoarding them all to myself. If I played, it was with
disinterest and lack of will to win. I dreamed visions of perfection, scenes
from a life free of troubles and complication, but I knew it wasn't for me.
There were things I had to do, things that needed to be done, things that
no one else would do for me....
I shielded my eyes as the sun rose gracefully over the horizon. I
hadn't realized I'd been sleeping in the saddle. The drifting sands of the
desert stretched out before me as far as I could see, merging with the
morning sun at the edge of the world. Daffyd snorted and stamped his
feet, and I reached down to pat his neck; one could always count on a
horse to be in a good mood early in the morning.
To a foreigner, traveling alone in the desert with only a small amount
of water would be dangerous, almost suicidal, but I'd been born in this land
of extremes and recognized landmarks without a second thought. Anyway,
I knew where I was going - I was going to the river.
Daffyd held his head high as we made our way across the sands. I'd
been neglecting him of late, I realized. But not intentionally - there was the
garden, the library, and all the hideously formal occasions that Kerri always
insisted I attend. She was forever hinting that I marry and produce an heir -
since she and Andrew hadn't been able to. And now...there would never be
one, no little bundle of energy to remind me of the sister so dear to my heart.
The speck of blue twisting across the sands grew distinctly as the
morning progressed, and I heard the river long before I came upon it. There
had always been something fascinating about the rushing current, and I used
to stand at the crossing for hours, enthralled by the novelty of so much water
in one place. The only way to cross it was by ferry, and the ferryman was
a quiet mousy type whom people tended to underestimate. I had too - until
I saw him waist-deep in the rushing water pulling flailing people out by their
jackets collars. That was years ago, back when I still knew him as Mister
Karos. Now I simply call him Jack.
Jack must have recognized me from afar because when I approached
he boathouse he was standing outside waving to me. It had been almost
eight months since I'd last ridden out to visit him, and I hoped that there
wouldn't be any awkwardness between us. I wouldn't pretend that Jack
could ever replace the father I'd lost those many years ago, but he was the
one I tended to run to when I was disturbed...unfortunately, his boathouse
was a fair distance away from the castle.
"Why milord Darien, it's been ages since I last saw you." He would
have reached out to take Daffyd's reins from me, but I stopped him with
a glance. People were always trying to do the littlest things for me - didn't
they realize that a guy likes a taste of independence every now and then?
"Yes, I'm sorry...things have been busy, to say the least." I hesitated
for a moment. "Kerri's fire, it doesn't change anything between us, Jack,
nothing." He hadn't called me by any sort of title since we'd first met all
those years ago. Back then I hadn't been slow to point out to him that I,
Darien, was a prince of the Desert. He'd laughed good-naturedly and
replied, 'Well, my Prince, it's a good thing you told me. I might have
dumped you in the river without realizing that I'd committed an act of
treason'. Now, his reversion back into formality bothered me more than
any report of military invasion could have.
"Thank you." He frowned, and if I had been looking closely I might
have noticed a slight blush to his cheeks, but I was preoccupied with
thoughts of the coronation and of Ariane's visit. The ferryman pulled my
mind back to the present with a soft cough. "Don't mean to pry, Darien,
but you look exhausted. Do you want to lie down inside and catch a wink
or two? Is anyone expecting you to be right back?" I didn't realize how
tired I was until he mentioned it.
"I left late last night...I think Andrew can cover for me until lunchtime.
He's done it before, you know." I slept, I'm not sure how long...and I
dreamed about the night my parents died. There's always been something
oddly mysterious about Crystal Castle, for as long as anyone can remember.
From the time my family line first held power over the Desert sands, the
castle has been the resting place of the most wondrous crystal. Slightly
larger than a fist, its transparent facets are an incandescent perfection of
glittering silver and deep shades of blue. It has a side for each living
member of the bloodline (in addition to the eight it always has for structural
integrity), and by some means it transforms whenever a member of the
family is born or dies. No one has ever admitted to ever witnessing the
change, but legend has that the crystal glows - casting an eerie light over
the entire basement of the castle. I knew when my parents and Kerri
passed on because the crystal transformed.
I think I would have slept well into the afternoon had I not been
awakened by a large commotion on the river. As I stumbled out into
the glaring midday sun I realized that it was more than a minor commotion,
it was a disaster. The ferry is normally guided across the river by a
thick rope that stretches from bank to bank. When I saw the broken
end of the line drifting downstream in the current, I feared for the safety
of Jack and his passengers.
There, about halfway across the river the ferry rocked dangerously
back and forth in the water's violent embrace. I watched as one of the
passengers leaned over the railing and was sick, hands clutching the
wooden beam as if her life depended on it - and in actuality, it probably
did. Standing on the shore, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness,
my only thought was Jack's safety. My feet carried me swiftly to the
water's edge, and before I realized what I was doing I had waded into
the river up to my knees.
I dug my boots into the soft mud and reached for the rope.
Catching it in my fingers, I struggled to maintain upright against the
rushing current and pulled, hard. I think I was hoping to pull the ferry
safely in to shore, but it was too far gone, and I found myself being
dragged underneath the ominous surface of the water, hands still
clutching the rope, legs flailing everywhere. The cold water sloshed
over my head, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I don't think I screamed -
I can't remember really, but when I came back to the surface I looked
frantically about, searching for the boat.
It was caught on a large rock some twenty feet up current, listing
precariously from side to side, and I could only imagine the beating the
passengers were getting inside. A loud crack sliced through the air,
reaching my ears over the angry rumble of the waters, and with increased
urgency I began moving toward the ferry, pulling myself hand over hand
up the rope. I had almost reached the side of the craft when a plank
shattered near my head throwing splinters in a wide radius.
I yelled, but Jack didn't answer; he was probably more intent on his
own survival than listening for the voices of people bobbing in the water.
If I'd looked over and seen how close to shore we were I wouldn't have
been nearly as frantic, but one doesn't consider such things in such dire
situations. As I'd predicted, the rest of the boat soon began to disintegrate,
unable to withstand the stress. I heard Jack scream "Everyone, swim for
shore!" and almost forgot to follow his advice myself.
He was the first to jump into the water, and when he saw me bobbing
at the end of the rope like a bloated fish his eyes widened in astonishment.
But he must have decided that there was no time to scold my stupidity, for
he immediately turned his attention back to his damaged craft and waited
expectantly. As it usually does, everything happened at once. Six people
deserted the boat in rapid secession and began swimming toward the shore
with varying degrees of success. At the moment, I didn't even notice that
they were all women.
I had made it about halfway back to shore when an arm stuck me
across the head. My ears were filled with an unearthly scream, and I
managed to grab a handful of fabric before the noise swept past me. I
pulled whomever I'd snagged in to my chest, our eyes met, and time
stopped.
- - - - - - - - - -
*Chapter 2: Section 2s*
When I arrived at the crossing I wasn't prepared for the wondrous
sight that awaited me. There was something beautiful in the rushing
violence of the river, a wonderful excitement that sent shivers racing
down my spine. Somehow, I knew that something was going to happen.
My first instinct was to look to Lady Ariane for support and explanation,
but her attention was focused on the ferryman. I only caught snippets
of the conversation - something about the waters being particularly
rough for this time of the year. Everything else, from when I stepped
onto the boat until I saw -him- was nothing but a blur.
Mina was teasing me about the last time we crossed the river.
We were all younger then, barely more than seven or eight, and Lady
Ariane had insisted that Rei attend her cousin's wedding. "I can't believe
you were sick! The water was like crushed velvet - all soft and flat,"
she joked, punching me in the ribs.
I rolled my eyes, cheeks pale, and gripped the railing until my
knuckles were white. "Easy for you to say. You were practically
born on the water." I closed my eyes, intent that, this time, I'd keep
my breakfast.
I remember I was falling, falling endlessly and wondering why
everything was so cold and wet- and then the world suddenly stopped
spinning, and I opened my eyes. It was a moment out of my dreams;
I knew those eyes, those endlessly deep pools of blue that had kept me
awake night after night - and I forgot to breathe until a hand roughly
slapped my back. When he touched me, little sparks of fire swept
though my veins, and I somehow wondered whether he too felt the
flames.
I must have fainted, for when I opened my eyes again I was
sprawled breathlessly upon the ground, water lapping quietly at my feet.
The sun beat down warmly upon my back, and I felt as though I could
lie peacefully with my head in the mud forever. But then, my tranquil
stupor was interrupted by an obnoxiously loud noise I recognized as
Rei's voice. "Ugh, ick! I can't remember the last time I threw up."
I sighed, thinking how sad it was that nice moments were so
ephemeral, then turned my head, expecting to see Rei - but instead
beheld a head of hauntingly familiar black hair. My heart skipped a
beat, and I held my breath as he rolled onto his stomach and pressed
into a kneeling position. He shook his head as if trying to clear the
river water from his ears. I felt a light hand touch my shoulder then
fingers swept the hair from my eyes. "Are...are you all right?" a voice
inquired.
When I looked up at him in response he jerked his fingers
away from my cheek in surprise and embarrassment, and I exhaled
softly. Not caring that I was half-covered in mud, I caught his hand
before it disappeared. "I think so-" My voice was a pale whisper of
its usual self, but I sat up and scooted closer to him. His arm fell
across my shoulders, and I leaned against his chest, crying softly.
"Shhh, it's all right, we're all okay, safe on land," he muttered.
"Damn it, Darien! What the Hell were you thinking? Are you
completely and utterly out of your mind? If you'd gone and gotten
yourself killed in that act of empty-headed foolishness...why, I'd throttle
you right here and now if they wouldn't hang me for treason - "
'Darien?' I thought to myself. 'His name's Darien?' Then the
rest of the fiery accusation sunk in, and my heart flipped. 'Hung for
treason? He must be someone important. I bet he has herds of girls
fawning after him. He'd never see anything in a girl like me.'
Nonetheless, I decided to take full advantage of our current position
and snuggled up against him.
He lifted his head and would have turned to confront the
interrupter (whose voice I'd now identified as that belonging to Lady
Ariane), but I grabbed his arm to hold his attention - and was startled
to see blood oozing beneath my fingers. "You're bleeding." He
looked as if he was as surprised as I, and then shrugged, a smile
creeping across his face. "Thanks... I hadn't noticed." There was
warmth in his eyes, warmth that I wanted so badly to be love. He
was the one whom Lady Ariane promised would love me!
I tore off a strip from the bottom of my dress, now ruined by
mud and water, and wrapped it around his arm while he mumbled to
himself. "I must have cut it on some rock or something. It's strange I
don't remember. Ariane's going to kill me...." Then with unexpected
abruptness he gripped my arm, his eyes drilling into mine. Something
had happened when Lady Ariane spoke, something inside his mind,
and the stern gravity of his expression - so different from his gentle
smile of moments before - frightened me.
"I'm sorry, I don't even know your name, but there's something
I have to tell you." He spoke in a rush, words tumbling out of his mouth
in a jumble. "You know why you're here, and so do I. Ariane expects
us to marry. Further, she expects it to happen soon. But it can't. Not
yet." His eyes were the deepest of blue, and I drowned myself in them.
"Please believe me when I tell you I will marry you and no other woman.
I knew it from the time Ariane conjured your face with the moonlight.
But there are things I must do before we can marry. Some of them
may hurt you, and for that I'm sorry - but my sister is dead. I'm the
ruling prince, and what a prince must do the man often regrets. I must
show everyone what manner of prince I intend to be. I'll explain it all to
you once there's time, and I hope you're the kind of woman who can
understand such things. If you're not you'll have to learn. But I wouldn't
do them if they weren't necessary for our life together. I want to live in
peace, not at the point of a sword. Do you understand?" ##
I nodded. I didn't know what else to do. His words were the
last I would have expected. My breath caught in my throat, but I was
eventually able to stammer out, "My...my name's Serena." His eyes, for
a moment, sparked in nervous excitement, but I saw him suppress it with
ruthless proficiency.
"Ariane will want me to welcome you in a way that fits a royal
bride, but I can't - not until after the Assembly. Can you trust me,
Serena?" My heart went out to this man, this stranger, whom I felt I
knew almost as well as I knew myself. I returned his gaze and replied
with complete honesty, "I already owe you my life. I only wish I could
return the favor." His eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment, then he
tilted his head to the side and replied in a faraway tone, "You will Serena...
someday you will." But I had no time to ponder the implications of his
statement, for Lady Ariane was then upon us, and I had other, more
immediate, worries to deal with.
*end of Chapter 2*
- - - - - - - - - -
C'est fini...goodness, I think I've had enough water to last me a while.
Memories of *Titanic* rushing though my mind - oh no, it's that horrible
movie again! Someone please put me out of my misery. *sigh*, just
when you think you're safe that obnoxious theme song comes back to
haunt you. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. More's coming -
some time ^_^. Oh, and if you're confused (about the crystal, about
the Caucus, about anything) just email me, and I'd be more than happy
to explain. But it should all become clearer as the plot progresses,
anyway....
- Mir (12.03.00. ~ revised ~ 02.22.01)
- - - - - - - - - -
## - yes, it's wonderful, yes it's straight out of Rawn's book. No I won't ever
do this again, but I couldn't resist. I promise that everything else is in my own
words, from my own imagination - but Rohan's speech (or at least the part of
it that I used) is so...Darien, that I couldn't see myself writing anything near to
it. Yes, I feel terrible, but oh, life is so short ^_^.
.