The Fairy and her Prince
By: Pretty Soldier Ghetto Brat
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon, so, that naturally means that I don't own the characters. So, leave me alone.
Hola, minna-san! Sorry for being so late, but I'm just so busy. Thank you once again for all the wonderful, beautiful reviews for both this fic and Buried Secrets. In BS, I'll explain everything next chapter. It'll be a while before I update BS again. I think that's all for now, but please read my notice at the end of the fic (when you are finished reading please!) cause I have some stuff to explain. So, read, enjoy and review! Ja!
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The next morning, the princess woke up bright and early. The sun shone on the dewdrops on the rose leaves and the birds sang sweet melodies. She remembered her pact to her human friend and sighed. Serena felt so guilty about hiding this from her mother, especially after she had been forbidden to. But, childish reasoning reigned. If he were really as evil as Queen Serenity made his kind out to be, he would've hurt her by now, right? Smiling in satisfaction with her reasoning, Serena got ready.
Now, unknowing to the young princess, her mother was standing outside her door, waiting for her daughter to emerge. Queen Serenity had calmed down greatly since the night before and was now ready to deal with the grave matter at hand.
"And where are we off to, dear?" The queen inquired as her daughter stepped out. Her pretty white dress, pure wings and golden hair gave her an angelic aura. But Serenity knew better.
"Uh…out to play!" she answered brightly, and started off again. Her mother wasn't finished yet, though.
"Play?" she asked, her voice masked in confusion. "Where?" Serena bit her lip.
"Uh…out by a pretty spring I found."
"Oh?" Serenity said genuinely baffled. She didn't know about any spring…
"Yeah!" and she was off again.
"Hold up," Serenity called gently. "I've never heard the others talk about this spring. As matter a fact, you never told me about it." Serena was scratching her hair.
"You see, mommy, they don't know about it…" she said softly and haltingly. Serenity's stomach rolled slightly. She had hoped that maybe Michelle was mistaken, but the way things were going…
"So, who do you play with?" she asked gently, trying to keep her nerves steady. The queen knew she wouldn't like what was coming up next. Serena looked down and scuffed the carpet gently. "Well?" she prompted.
"I play with a boy that I saw there," she said slowly and calculatedly. Serenity's heart dropped. Well, it was time to stop this little game.
"He's a human, am I right?" she asked softly, her voice not harboring any harsh undertones. Serena's head shot up as she gasped. "Right?"
"Mommy, he's the nicest human out of all of them! He's a great tag partner; a fast runner, even though I can catch him; he's fun and cool and he doesn't tease me and he said I'm one of his favoritest friends and…" she said, not missing a beat. Serenity quieted the girl.
"Okay, honey, I'm not saying that he's not a good friend. In fact, from what you said, he sounds like a wonderful soul," she said, to calm Serena, but she honestly felt this way. "But think about it this way. What if somebody comes looking for him and finds you there with him? Or if someone passes by and finds you? I don't want anything to happen to you, baby." But Serena shook her head adamantly.
"No Mommy!" she protested. "I'll hide, I'll go into petite form. Or better yet, Heero already said he won't let anyone hurt me! He'll make sure they don't hurt me!"
"Honey, he's a child like you are," Serenity reasoned calmly. "I don't doubt that he'll try his best, but he might not be able to help you. Then what? If anything happens to you, I'll be very sad and so will everyone else."
"But Mommy!!" Serena shouted, tears streaming down her face by now. Serenity felt tears springing to her own eyes and reached down to hug the young girl. She inhaled the smell of her hair deeply, spring water and roses filled her nose.
"I'm sorry, honey," she said softly. "Heero is a nice boy, but I don't trust his people. They'll harm you…" but Serena pulled out of her embrace, a look of hurt and anger on her face.
"I hate you!" she said tearfully, and with that, she ran away. Serenity felt tears coursing down her face.
"Serena!!" she called out desperately after the child, but Serena took flight instead. Serenity didn't have the energy to chase after her. She dropped to her knees and sniffled softly. A soft hand rested on her shoulder.
"Don't worry about her, Your Grace," Michelle said comfortingly. "She won't go against it." She nodded hastily, but she wasn't concerned about that. She knew she took something dear from her daughter. But, what use is pleasing her, if it will most likely harm her?
~*~
Serena flew blindly through the forest. How dear she take her friend from her? She was so mean. Serena knew what she heard about humans, but that was no excuse to put Heero in their batch too. He'd never hurt her, never ever. He swore it.
~I hate you!~ the voice came floating into her ears. Serena gasped as she realized the voice was her own. She had been so upset and angry, she didn't remember herself say those spiteful words…to her mother! Serena's heart tugged as she remembered her mother calling after her, now recognizing the desperate pain in her voice. Fresh tears threatened to form as she thought about the pain she probably put her mother through. She didn't hate her mother, far from it. Nobody occupied a greater place in her heart…and nobody but her occupied a greater place in her mothers'…Serena sat down on a branch and thought. Her mother never said anything about not trusting Heero, just his people. And for good reason. If the stories she heard about them were even slightly true…and she was probably right too. One of the evil humans may come along and capture her and do to her just what they did to the mer-people. Serena sighed. Okay, now she had a big apology to give to her mother. But she had to do something first. Serena flew from her perch and found her way to the spring. There from the bushes, she could see her friend waiting. He skipped some small pebbles along the water's surface, occasionally looking up at the sky with a sigh. Serena wanted to go to him and tell him why she couldn't be his friend anymore. But, she remembered the worst-case scenario her mother presented and decided to keep her distance.
"Goodbye, Heero," she whispered.
~*~
Heero glanced up at the sky again. If he was correct, it was around…the fourth hour in the morning*. He shrugged. He never paid attention when his teacher tried to educate him. But, back to pressing issues. Serena was late. He hoped that she didn't forget or loose her way. Or something worse, maybe she was hurt somewhere and he couldn't help her. Heero felt a great sense of duty to his fairy friend. She pleaded with him not to harm her, and he felt sort of responsible for her safety. If he only knew where she was, he could go and save her. But since he didn't, Heero decided to stay where he was, in case she was on her way. Sighing again, he picked up another rock and skipped it across. A stiff breeze blew across the spring, scattering leaves and other such things all over. He dusted them off him and picked up another rock. As he did, he saw something on the water's surface. A huge white blossom was floating its way down stream. For some reason beyond his comprehension, Heero felt compelled to pick it up. He reached forward want grabbed it carefully, trying not to damage it. He looked at the blossom with great interest, the pretty white petals blinding him and the pleasant smell intoxicating him. He blinked suddenly and looked up at the foliage above him.
"Serena?" he called out, but his reply was the shaking of the leaves as the wind blew by. Heero waited for a few more minutes, hoping to see some sign of movement. At the fifth hour, he sighed. Heero turned back and trekked through the forest. Never to return again.
~*~
Many years have passed since that faithful day. Serena never ventured out to the spring again, but she also never forgot the human friend she made. She thought of him every day; what he was doing, where he was going, how much he had changed since she last saw him. What stories would he have for her if they were to meet again? These questions stayed within her heart and anyone who didn't know the events many years ago wouldn't have thought anything of it. Now, Serena had a big day ahead of her. At sixteen, she was to meet her future husband. She heard he came from a distinguished fairy kingdom far from hers and he was a handsome young man. The marriage was nothing but a political union, almost every marriage was. So, she was now in her room, on the most important day of her life, absolutely miserable. And it wasn't because she missed Heero.
"Now, sit tall and straight, shoulders squared and wings tucked," Ami was reading from an ancient book she found on proper etiquette. She looked up from the book and said in an exasperated voice. "And for Kami's sake, sit with your legs closed!"
"You really should ask his opinion on the War of the Roses. Oh, no! The Battle at Hastings should really tell you what kind of man he is," Lita was trying to give advice on which topic she should discuss with the prince.
"Girl, I'm going to tell you once and only once," Rei said through gritted teeth. "Keep your head still!" the raven haired fairy was in charge of doing the princess' hair, and Serena's scalp cried for mercy.
"Or!" Mina said suddenly and excitedly. "Maybe he'll be this fine-looking warrior prince with platinum, silky hair and green eyes that cut at your soul…" she said with passionate emphasis. For the past hour, Mina had been giving every scenario possible concerning the prince and his appearance and character. Everyone's voice was muddled disaster. Mina's anxious voice drowned Ami's soft voice and Lita's charging pitch outweighed Rei's mutters. Serena felt her head being tugged every way by her best friend's hands and she swore her neck would break when she stopped.
"Tada!" Rei stepped back and admired her work. Serena's long hair was now done in two buns on the top of her head, with several golden locks trailing down and out of them to her ankles. A soft curled fringe brushed against her forehead. Serena looked at the mirror and gaped.
"What did you do to my hair?!" she shrieked, stopping all talking. Rei gave a surprised, almost hurt look (almost). Then, her eyes narrowed. She stalked up to Serena, waving the brush in her face.
"Now you listen here," she said in a low but menacing tone. "I so didn't spend a week trying to figure out how to do this hairstyle perfectly and another hour and a half fixing it up. This is the latest hairdo out and you'd better like it!" Serena arched an eyebrow.
"Is that so?" she asked saucily.
"Yes." Serena looked back at the mirror ignoring Rei's murderous glare. Her reflection clashed greatly with the image she was used to seeing. Gone were the little dresses and undone face. She now wore an elegant white gown. It had cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline and an empire seam, which caused the dress to flow freely from her just under her bust to her ankles. Her face was laden with makeup such as blue eye shadow to bring out her eyes; an ivory-like foundation to give her face a super pale effect and her lips glittered with pink lip-gloss. Okay, she didn't mind the makeup and dress, but the hair…
"Couldn't you leave it down?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. Rei threw her hands up and rolled her eyes. Ami shook her head and explained.
"When you meet your betrothed, it's like crossing the threshold between childhood and adulthood. In the females' case, wearing the hair down is for children, while an elaborate hairstyle signifies maturity," Serena nodded, something about that seemed vaguely familiar.
"Oh, okay, I remember now," she nodded. Serena turned back to her reflection and sighed. Suddenly, the door opened and Michelle peeped in.
"He's here," she said simply and left. The girls began talking excitedly, sans Serena. Her stomach was doing flip-flops. What if she didn't like him, or him her? She began to bite her lip, but remembered the gloss, so she resorted to wringing her gloved hands.
"Well, lets' go!" Lita exclaimed, pushing them out. Serena closed her eyes. This was it. They walked on either side of the princess down the hall, to the throne room, chatting excitedly. But Serena was anything but excited. Scared as hell, yes; excited, maybe. The butterflies finished their rest as the guards opened the ornate double doors. Serena kept her head bowed, like Ami instructed earlier and walked up to the throne, hoping she wouldn't trip. The silver sandals ached her feet, as they were at least two sizes too small for her. She could hear her mother and the foreign prince chatting and her mother's polite laughter. Serena relaxed. If he could get along with her mother, he couldn't be all that bad.
"Serena!" Serenity called out as she walked up, her eyes fastened on the red carpet. "Let me introduce you to you future husband." Serena looked up and the butterflies charged again. The prince was…handsome, to say the least. He stood a full head taller than Serena and contrasted with her fair skin tone. He had an impassive look on his face, framed by dark midnight hair. And his eyes…they were a deep blue, like the ocean she once saw. And like…
"This is Prince Darien, from the kingdom of Vailus," Serenity said graciously. "Darien, this is my daughter, the Princess Serena." He was focused on her now, and she could feel his eyes cutting her soul. If she wasn't careful, he could unearth every last secret she had. Like she was trained to, Serena offered her hand. Darien bowed and kissed it as she curtseyed. She could practically feel the pride radiating from her mother.
"Okay," Serenity replied. "As the custom states, we leave you two alone to talk. Anything that happens in here cannot ever be discussed with any of us." She guided the girls out quietly and the doors closed. Serena took a deep breath. It was just she and the prince.
"How old are you?" he asked as he sauntered around her, looking the young princess up and down.
"S…sixteen," she answered shakily. Serena wasn't sure if she felt too comfortable with Darien inspecting her like she was a piece of meat. She let out her bated breath when he left her and moved over to one of the high vaulted windows.
"Are you sure you are sixteen?" he asked, giving her a suspicious glance. "You look fairly young to me." Serena licked her lips nervously. Something about him unnerved her.
"Y…yes, I am sixteen," she barely managed. With a grunt, Darien turned back to the window. The silence was torture for somebody as chatty as Serena. She remembered what Lita told her.
"Um, what do you think about the Battle of Hastings?" she asked gingerly. Darien gave a low chuckle that made her blood run cold.
"I think they should kill them all, take no prisoners," he said with a laugh. Serena gulped. Okay, she knew nada about this battle, but she was fairly sure that wasn't exactly a humanitarian response. What kind of man was her mother handing her over to?
"So what interests you, Selena?" he asked, before she could talk. Serena winced slightly at the fact he got her name wrong.
"Well…" she said quietly. "I like singing and dancing and needlework. As well as talking to friends." Serena felt proud of her answer. He would probably be interested in her voice most of all…
"I guess that's good enough," he said nonchalantly, not even turning from the window. She frowned. He could at least show some interest. "Have you ever been outside of Lunaria, Selena?" he asked again. Serena seethed silently.
"My name is Serena," she said with a sweet smile that masked her scowl. "And yes, I have been to neighboring kingdoms."
"You've never been to my kingdom?" he asked, his voice unable to hide his obnoxious surprise.
"No, I haven't," she gritted her teeth. "Is something wrong with that, my prince?" she hoped the sarcasm wasn't too obvious.
"I guess not," he replied, not fazed by her tone. "I just hope you'll adjust quickly."
"I hope so too," Serena by now was fed up. Just five minutes with him and she was already repulsed by him. Maybe she could change her mother's mind about her marriage to him.
"That blonde haired girl that you came in with, what was her name?" he asked with obvious interest. Serena blinked at him. What was he doing asking about Mina, when he was marrying her?
"She's my friend," she said, emphasizing the 'friend'. "Her name is Minako."
"Minako…" he muttered lowly and nodded. Serena raised an eyebrow.
"Is there any particular reason, My Lord?" she asked as nicely as she could manage under the circumstances. Darien shrugged slightly, never facing her.
"Well, in Carthian*, it is a custom to have a wife and a mistress," he said almost impatiently. "I'm still looking." Serena's eyes bugged out. Oh, this was SO not going to work!
"Um, excuse me, Prince Darien," she said with a nervous chuckle. "I have to get a breath of fresh air." And before he could respond, Serena flew out the room. Darien watched her hasty exit.
"Huh," he grunted, amused. "You'd think she never heard of it." and he turned back to the window.
~*~
Serena flew as fast as she could from the palace, making sure she wasn't seen. That was totally unbelievable, how could he be so brazen? The bear thought of it…she shuddered despite the warm breeze. She shook her head. This marriage was a mistake, but she couldn't tell her mother what happened. She knew her mother would reconsider if she had ample reason to…unless she knew! Now THAT was unacceptable. Her mother would never do that to her. Bad enough she was marrying her off to some stranger, but a stranger that was fancying one of her friends? No way. She found her way to the spring she found as a child. She brushed aside the foliage and sat down by the water's edge. Serena gratefully took off the ridiculous sandals and immersed her pained feet into the cool water. She peered down at her reflection in the clear water and laughed. If Darien had only seen her without the makeup, he'd think he was marrying a nine-year-old! She splashed the aged girl in the water with her toes. Serena pulled the pins that Rei stuck in her head earlier and shook free her hair. It felt so good to have it free again.
"Mental note to self," she said to herself. "Never ever make Rei do my hair again!" and she laughed some more. After she calmed down, Serena sighed heavily. Now, more than ever she missed Heero. She wasn't in love with him or anything (hopefully) but the spring didn't seem the same without him. Serena closed her eyes and she could see the two of them splashing each other, their shrieks and laughter carrying off into the air. She could see him trying his best to reach her as she hovered teasingly over his head, but he really did try and he could jump well to boot! Serena giggled slightly as the images died down and she came back to reality. What was she going to do?
Okay, minna-san. Cool chapter, huh? Okay, I've got a few comments to make:
1. I know Rei comes across a bit…mean… yes, mean in the chapter. But don't worry; she is a very reliable friend, as you will see later on in this fic.
2. '…the fourth hour in the morning'. Okay, in these times, people use sundials and even looked to the sun to tell time. The sun rises at around six in the morning, so that would be the first morning hour; seven, the second morning hour, etc until we reach noon where we go to the first hour in the afternoon, twelve, etc.
3. Somebody, I think it was Serena Yuy, pointed out that I might have Queen Serenity slightly OOC. She is not prejudiced towards Heero, but towards his people. If you have probably witnessed what she had about a group of people you don't know anything really about, you would be a bit biased too.
4. Carthia. That is Darien's kingdom in this fic.
5. As for Serena's dress, think of the one she wore in the Moon Kingdom. That's the best way I remember to describe it.
Alright, that's it! Don't forget to review! Oh, and to you Digimon fans, if you like Ken, Miyako and Daisuke, I suggest you read Unmerited Torture by Demon Angel Fyre. She's on my faves list if anything and she has some GW stuff too. Read it!
By: Pretty Soldier Ghetto Brat
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon, so, that naturally means that I don't own the characters. So, leave me alone.
Hola, minna-san! Sorry for being so late, but I'm just so busy. Thank you once again for all the wonderful, beautiful reviews for both this fic and Buried Secrets. In BS, I'll explain everything next chapter. It'll be a while before I update BS again. I think that's all for now, but please read my notice at the end of the fic (when you are finished reading please!) cause I have some stuff to explain. So, read, enjoy and review! Ja!
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The next morning, the princess woke up bright and early. The sun shone on the dewdrops on the rose leaves and the birds sang sweet melodies. She remembered her pact to her human friend and sighed. Serena felt so guilty about hiding this from her mother, especially after she had been forbidden to. But, childish reasoning reigned. If he were really as evil as Queen Serenity made his kind out to be, he would've hurt her by now, right? Smiling in satisfaction with her reasoning, Serena got ready.
Now, unknowing to the young princess, her mother was standing outside her door, waiting for her daughter to emerge. Queen Serenity had calmed down greatly since the night before and was now ready to deal with the grave matter at hand.
"And where are we off to, dear?" The queen inquired as her daughter stepped out. Her pretty white dress, pure wings and golden hair gave her an angelic aura. But Serenity knew better.
"Uh…out to play!" she answered brightly, and started off again. Her mother wasn't finished yet, though.
"Play?" she asked, her voice masked in confusion. "Where?" Serena bit her lip.
"Uh…out by a pretty spring I found."
"Oh?" Serenity said genuinely baffled. She didn't know about any spring…
"Yeah!" and she was off again.
"Hold up," Serenity called gently. "I've never heard the others talk about this spring. As matter a fact, you never told me about it." Serena was scratching her hair.
"You see, mommy, they don't know about it…" she said softly and haltingly. Serenity's stomach rolled slightly. She had hoped that maybe Michelle was mistaken, but the way things were going…
"So, who do you play with?" she asked gently, trying to keep her nerves steady. The queen knew she wouldn't like what was coming up next. Serena looked down and scuffed the carpet gently. "Well?" she prompted.
"I play with a boy that I saw there," she said slowly and calculatedly. Serenity's heart dropped. Well, it was time to stop this little game.
"He's a human, am I right?" she asked softly, her voice not harboring any harsh undertones. Serena's head shot up as she gasped. "Right?"
"Mommy, he's the nicest human out of all of them! He's a great tag partner; a fast runner, even though I can catch him; he's fun and cool and he doesn't tease me and he said I'm one of his favoritest friends and…" she said, not missing a beat. Serenity quieted the girl.
"Okay, honey, I'm not saying that he's not a good friend. In fact, from what you said, he sounds like a wonderful soul," she said, to calm Serena, but she honestly felt this way. "But think about it this way. What if somebody comes looking for him and finds you there with him? Or if someone passes by and finds you? I don't want anything to happen to you, baby." But Serena shook her head adamantly.
"No Mommy!" she protested. "I'll hide, I'll go into petite form. Or better yet, Heero already said he won't let anyone hurt me! He'll make sure they don't hurt me!"
"Honey, he's a child like you are," Serenity reasoned calmly. "I don't doubt that he'll try his best, but he might not be able to help you. Then what? If anything happens to you, I'll be very sad and so will everyone else."
"But Mommy!!" Serena shouted, tears streaming down her face by now. Serenity felt tears springing to her own eyes and reached down to hug the young girl. She inhaled the smell of her hair deeply, spring water and roses filled her nose.
"I'm sorry, honey," she said softly. "Heero is a nice boy, but I don't trust his people. They'll harm you…" but Serena pulled out of her embrace, a look of hurt and anger on her face.
"I hate you!" she said tearfully, and with that, she ran away. Serenity felt tears coursing down her face.
"Serena!!" she called out desperately after the child, but Serena took flight instead. Serenity didn't have the energy to chase after her. She dropped to her knees and sniffled softly. A soft hand rested on her shoulder.
"Don't worry about her, Your Grace," Michelle said comfortingly. "She won't go against it." She nodded hastily, but she wasn't concerned about that. She knew she took something dear from her daughter. But, what use is pleasing her, if it will most likely harm her?
~*~
Serena flew blindly through the forest. How dear she take her friend from her? She was so mean. Serena knew what she heard about humans, but that was no excuse to put Heero in their batch too. He'd never hurt her, never ever. He swore it.
~I hate you!~ the voice came floating into her ears. Serena gasped as she realized the voice was her own. She had been so upset and angry, she didn't remember herself say those spiteful words…to her mother! Serena's heart tugged as she remembered her mother calling after her, now recognizing the desperate pain in her voice. Fresh tears threatened to form as she thought about the pain she probably put her mother through. She didn't hate her mother, far from it. Nobody occupied a greater place in her heart…and nobody but her occupied a greater place in her mothers'…Serena sat down on a branch and thought. Her mother never said anything about not trusting Heero, just his people. And for good reason. If the stories she heard about them were even slightly true…and she was probably right too. One of the evil humans may come along and capture her and do to her just what they did to the mer-people. Serena sighed. Okay, now she had a big apology to give to her mother. But she had to do something first. Serena flew from her perch and found her way to the spring. There from the bushes, she could see her friend waiting. He skipped some small pebbles along the water's surface, occasionally looking up at the sky with a sigh. Serena wanted to go to him and tell him why she couldn't be his friend anymore. But, she remembered the worst-case scenario her mother presented and decided to keep her distance.
"Goodbye, Heero," she whispered.
~*~
Heero glanced up at the sky again. If he was correct, it was around…the fourth hour in the morning*. He shrugged. He never paid attention when his teacher tried to educate him. But, back to pressing issues. Serena was late. He hoped that she didn't forget or loose her way. Or something worse, maybe she was hurt somewhere and he couldn't help her. Heero felt a great sense of duty to his fairy friend. She pleaded with him not to harm her, and he felt sort of responsible for her safety. If he only knew where she was, he could go and save her. But since he didn't, Heero decided to stay where he was, in case she was on her way. Sighing again, he picked up another rock and skipped it across. A stiff breeze blew across the spring, scattering leaves and other such things all over. He dusted them off him and picked up another rock. As he did, he saw something on the water's surface. A huge white blossom was floating its way down stream. For some reason beyond his comprehension, Heero felt compelled to pick it up. He reached forward want grabbed it carefully, trying not to damage it. He looked at the blossom with great interest, the pretty white petals blinding him and the pleasant smell intoxicating him. He blinked suddenly and looked up at the foliage above him.
"Serena?" he called out, but his reply was the shaking of the leaves as the wind blew by. Heero waited for a few more minutes, hoping to see some sign of movement. At the fifth hour, he sighed. Heero turned back and trekked through the forest. Never to return again.
~*~
Many years have passed since that faithful day. Serena never ventured out to the spring again, but she also never forgot the human friend she made. She thought of him every day; what he was doing, where he was going, how much he had changed since she last saw him. What stories would he have for her if they were to meet again? These questions stayed within her heart and anyone who didn't know the events many years ago wouldn't have thought anything of it. Now, Serena had a big day ahead of her. At sixteen, she was to meet her future husband. She heard he came from a distinguished fairy kingdom far from hers and he was a handsome young man. The marriage was nothing but a political union, almost every marriage was. So, she was now in her room, on the most important day of her life, absolutely miserable. And it wasn't because she missed Heero.
"Now, sit tall and straight, shoulders squared and wings tucked," Ami was reading from an ancient book she found on proper etiquette. She looked up from the book and said in an exasperated voice. "And for Kami's sake, sit with your legs closed!"
"You really should ask his opinion on the War of the Roses. Oh, no! The Battle at Hastings should really tell you what kind of man he is," Lita was trying to give advice on which topic she should discuss with the prince.
"Girl, I'm going to tell you once and only once," Rei said through gritted teeth. "Keep your head still!" the raven haired fairy was in charge of doing the princess' hair, and Serena's scalp cried for mercy.
"Or!" Mina said suddenly and excitedly. "Maybe he'll be this fine-looking warrior prince with platinum, silky hair and green eyes that cut at your soul…" she said with passionate emphasis. For the past hour, Mina had been giving every scenario possible concerning the prince and his appearance and character. Everyone's voice was muddled disaster. Mina's anxious voice drowned Ami's soft voice and Lita's charging pitch outweighed Rei's mutters. Serena felt her head being tugged every way by her best friend's hands and she swore her neck would break when she stopped.
"Tada!" Rei stepped back and admired her work. Serena's long hair was now done in two buns on the top of her head, with several golden locks trailing down and out of them to her ankles. A soft curled fringe brushed against her forehead. Serena looked at the mirror and gaped.
"What did you do to my hair?!" she shrieked, stopping all talking. Rei gave a surprised, almost hurt look (almost). Then, her eyes narrowed. She stalked up to Serena, waving the brush in her face.
"Now you listen here," she said in a low but menacing tone. "I so didn't spend a week trying to figure out how to do this hairstyle perfectly and another hour and a half fixing it up. This is the latest hairdo out and you'd better like it!" Serena arched an eyebrow.
"Is that so?" she asked saucily.
"Yes." Serena looked back at the mirror ignoring Rei's murderous glare. Her reflection clashed greatly with the image she was used to seeing. Gone were the little dresses and undone face. She now wore an elegant white gown. It had cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline and an empire seam, which caused the dress to flow freely from her just under her bust to her ankles. Her face was laden with makeup such as blue eye shadow to bring out her eyes; an ivory-like foundation to give her face a super pale effect and her lips glittered with pink lip-gloss. Okay, she didn't mind the makeup and dress, but the hair…
"Couldn't you leave it down?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. Rei threw her hands up and rolled her eyes. Ami shook her head and explained.
"When you meet your betrothed, it's like crossing the threshold between childhood and adulthood. In the females' case, wearing the hair down is for children, while an elaborate hairstyle signifies maturity," Serena nodded, something about that seemed vaguely familiar.
"Oh, okay, I remember now," she nodded. Serena turned back to her reflection and sighed. Suddenly, the door opened and Michelle peeped in.
"He's here," she said simply and left. The girls began talking excitedly, sans Serena. Her stomach was doing flip-flops. What if she didn't like him, or him her? She began to bite her lip, but remembered the gloss, so she resorted to wringing her gloved hands.
"Well, lets' go!" Lita exclaimed, pushing them out. Serena closed her eyes. This was it. They walked on either side of the princess down the hall, to the throne room, chatting excitedly. But Serena was anything but excited. Scared as hell, yes; excited, maybe. The butterflies finished their rest as the guards opened the ornate double doors. Serena kept her head bowed, like Ami instructed earlier and walked up to the throne, hoping she wouldn't trip. The silver sandals ached her feet, as they were at least two sizes too small for her. She could hear her mother and the foreign prince chatting and her mother's polite laughter. Serena relaxed. If he could get along with her mother, he couldn't be all that bad.
"Serena!" Serenity called out as she walked up, her eyes fastened on the red carpet. "Let me introduce you to you future husband." Serena looked up and the butterflies charged again. The prince was…handsome, to say the least. He stood a full head taller than Serena and contrasted with her fair skin tone. He had an impassive look on his face, framed by dark midnight hair. And his eyes…they were a deep blue, like the ocean she once saw. And like…
"This is Prince Darien, from the kingdom of Vailus," Serenity said graciously. "Darien, this is my daughter, the Princess Serena." He was focused on her now, and she could feel his eyes cutting her soul. If she wasn't careful, he could unearth every last secret she had. Like she was trained to, Serena offered her hand. Darien bowed and kissed it as she curtseyed. She could practically feel the pride radiating from her mother.
"Okay," Serenity replied. "As the custom states, we leave you two alone to talk. Anything that happens in here cannot ever be discussed with any of us." She guided the girls out quietly and the doors closed. Serena took a deep breath. It was just she and the prince.
"How old are you?" he asked as he sauntered around her, looking the young princess up and down.
"S…sixteen," she answered shakily. Serena wasn't sure if she felt too comfortable with Darien inspecting her like she was a piece of meat. She let out her bated breath when he left her and moved over to one of the high vaulted windows.
"Are you sure you are sixteen?" he asked, giving her a suspicious glance. "You look fairly young to me." Serena licked her lips nervously. Something about him unnerved her.
"Y…yes, I am sixteen," she barely managed. With a grunt, Darien turned back to the window. The silence was torture for somebody as chatty as Serena. She remembered what Lita told her.
"Um, what do you think about the Battle of Hastings?" she asked gingerly. Darien gave a low chuckle that made her blood run cold.
"I think they should kill them all, take no prisoners," he said with a laugh. Serena gulped. Okay, she knew nada about this battle, but she was fairly sure that wasn't exactly a humanitarian response. What kind of man was her mother handing her over to?
"So what interests you, Selena?" he asked, before she could talk. Serena winced slightly at the fact he got her name wrong.
"Well…" she said quietly. "I like singing and dancing and needlework. As well as talking to friends." Serena felt proud of her answer. He would probably be interested in her voice most of all…
"I guess that's good enough," he said nonchalantly, not even turning from the window. She frowned. He could at least show some interest. "Have you ever been outside of Lunaria, Selena?" he asked again. Serena seethed silently.
"My name is Serena," she said with a sweet smile that masked her scowl. "And yes, I have been to neighboring kingdoms."
"You've never been to my kingdom?" he asked, his voice unable to hide his obnoxious surprise.
"No, I haven't," she gritted her teeth. "Is something wrong with that, my prince?" she hoped the sarcasm wasn't too obvious.
"I guess not," he replied, not fazed by her tone. "I just hope you'll adjust quickly."
"I hope so too," Serena by now was fed up. Just five minutes with him and she was already repulsed by him. Maybe she could change her mother's mind about her marriage to him.
"That blonde haired girl that you came in with, what was her name?" he asked with obvious interest. Serena blinked at him. What was he doing asking about Mina, when he was marrying her?
"She's my friend," she said, emphasizing the 'friend'. "Her name is Minako."
"Minako…" he muttered lowly and nodded. Serena raised an eyebrow.
"Is there any particular reason, My Lord?" she asked as nicely as she could manage under the circumstances. Darien shrugged slightly, never facing her.
"Well, in Carthian*, it is a custom to have a wife and a mistress," he said almost impatiently. "I'm still looking." Serena's eyes bugged out. Oh, this was SO not going to work!
"Um, excuse me, Prince Darien," she said with a nervous chuckle. "I have to get a breath of fresh air." And before he could respond, Serena flew out the room. Darien watched her hasty exit.
"Huh," he grunted, amused. "You'd think she never heard of it." and he turned back to the window.
~*~
Serena flew as fast as she could from the palace, making sure she wasn't seen. That was totally unbelievable, how could he be so brazen? The bear thought of it…she shuddered despite the warm breeze. She shook her head. This marriage was a mistake, but she couldn't tell her mother what happened. She knew her mother would reconsider if she had ample reason to…unless she knew! Now THAT was unacceptable. Her mother would never do that to her. Bad enough she was marrying her off to some stranger, but a stranger that was fancying one of her friends? No way. She found her way to the spring she found as a child. She brushed aside the foliage and sat down by the water's edge. Serena gratefully took off the ridiculous sandals and immersed her pained feet into the cool water. She peered down at her reflection in the clear water and laughed. If Darien had only seen her without the makeup, he'd think he was marrying a nine-year-old! She splashed the aged girl in the water with her toes. Serena pulled the pins that Rei stuck in her head earlier and shook free her hair. It felt so good to have it free again.
"Mental note to self," she said to herself. "Never ever make Rei do my hair again!" and she laughed some more. After she calmed down, Serena sighed heavily. Now, more than ever she missed Heero. She wasn't in love with him or anything (hopefully) but the spring didn't seem the same without him. Serena closed her eyes and she could see the two of them splashing each other, their shrieks and laughter carrying off into the air. She could see him trying his best to reach her as she hovered teasingly over his head, but he really did try and he could jump well to boot! Serena giggled slightly as the images died down and she came back to reality. What was she going to do?
Okay, minna-san. Cool chapter, huh? Okay, I've got a few comments to make:
1. I know Rei comes across a bit…mean… yes, mean in the chapter. But don't worry; she is a very reliable friend, as you will see later on in this fic.
2. '…the fourth hour in the morning'. Okay, in these times, people use sundials and even looked to the sun to tell time. The sun rises at around six in the morning, so that would be the first morning hour; seven, the second morning hour, etc until we reach noon where we go to the first hour in the afternoon, twelve, etc.
3. Somebody, I think it was Serena Yuy, pointed out that I might have Queen Serenity slightly OOC. She is not prejudiced towards Heero, but towards his people. If you have probably witnessed what she had about a group of people you don't know anything really about, you would be a bit biased too.
4. Carthia. That is Darien's kingdom in this fic.
5. As for Serena's dress, think of the one she wore in the Moon Kingdom. That's the best way I remember to describe it.
Alright, that's it! Don't forget to review! Oh, and to you Digimon fans, if you like Ken, Miyako and Daisuke, I suggest you read Unmerited Torture by Demon Angel Fyre. She's on my faves list if anything and she has some GW stuff too. Read it!
