April 2002

Disclaimer: These character's aren't mine, but the story is..


Chapter 20



The waiting room was strangely empty for a Saturday morning as
Selenity, Darien, Francis, Martin and Charles stepped through the doors.
The receptionist looked up from her desk, her eyes widening as she
recognized the identities of several of them.

Charles stepped up t the desk, "Good Morning, miss. Dr. Mizuno
said that it would be possible for us to occupy a couple hours of her time
this morning. Tuskino Selenity is in for a pregnancy test, Chiba Darien
and the Duke of Elridge wish to have their blood tested. It has been put
forth that the two may be related."

The receptionist swallowed, her mouth dry. She blinked once before
starting to type furiously on her keyboard, "Certainly. Dr. Mizuno is in
the back waiting for the Princess. Once she is finished I will call the
two gentlemen. Is this all on the same bill?"

Charles nodded, glancing over his shoulder as Selenity sat between
her father and Darien, Martin sitting across from them. "Miss. The
doctor is waiting for you."

Selenity rose to her feet and gracefully walked across the office.
The receptionist stood and picked up a clipboard, smiling hesitantly at
the Princess. Selenity smiled easily at her, "I do not bite," she assured
her.

The receptionist caught Charles' chuckle as she led the Princess
into the back.

Francis looked from Martin to Darien, "Both of you stand."

They rose reluctantly as the King told them to stand side by side,
each looking at the other with murderous intent. "I know of your feud
over my daughter. I am sick of seeing it. Depending on the results of
her tests today, and your own, one of you will have her hand. I want this
feud to stop."

Martin stuck his nose in the air, "She is mine, she was promised to
me, I expect you to keep that promise."

The King's eyes hardened, "After the evidence my daughter has
given, Martin, you are lucky I am not stripping you of your title and
banishing you to the nether regions of the world. We will talk about this
later, once the results are in. If it is proven that the two of you are
related, what steps will you take to mend the rift?"

"None, sire."

He looked at Darien, raising an eyebrow. "None?"

Darien nodded, "If I am related to Martin it is only by blood. I
feel no kinship with him, I do not know him and I do not wish to know him.
I would just as soon kill him than look at him."

"The same is true for me, your majesty. The only reason we are
here today is by your orders... and by your demand that we cooperate.
Once this blood business is done, and it is proven this commoner is not my
brother, I will have nothing more to do with him unless he make a nuisance
of himself by following after my wife like a lost puppy dog."

"She's not yours yet," Darien rounded on Martin, his fists
clenched, "if I have my way, and when the test comes back negative, she
will never be yours."

Martin smirked, "We shall see."

The King stood and stepped between them, "Sit." he commanded
sharply.

They sat in their seats, facing each other and glaring. The king
looked from one to the other, "Neither of you will discuss my daughter's
fate until we have the results of her test. It will take several hours
for those results to come back, and it will take several days for your own
blood test results to come back. Until we have the results, you will sit
in silence. I will not tolerate anymore of this male posturing."

Martin inclined his head in acknowledgement. Darien mimicked his
movement and snatched a sports magazine off the waiting room table.


Selenity fidgeted as she waited for Amy to come back with her test
results. She'd had blood tests and urine tests done, and, on top of that,
a couple of strange devices poked at her abdomen. Amy had rolled her eyes
with a wink and told her there was a really good chance she wasn't
pregnant before disappearing. She checked the clock on the wall again.
From the sound of it both Darien and Martin had had their blood taken to
be tested. She'd heard Martin faint in the next room when Amy had pulled
out the needle. "Amy, where are you?" she muttered, seeing the hands
creeping towards 11am.

"I've got them!"

She looked up as her blue haired friend walked through the door,
smiling. "Good news, you're not pregnant. But then again, you knew
that."

Selenity smiled, jumping up to hug her friend tightly, "I know, but
I needed the proof. Thanks a lot Amy."

Amy smiled, hugging her back before stepping away. "Go ahead and
go back to your father and Darien, I'll be right there to explain the
results."

"Thanks Amy!"

Amy followed her out to the reception desk, stopping to shuffle
through a bunch of different papers before assembling some photocopies of
Selenity's test results. She turned and entered the waiting room, nodding
to the five. "Good morning, sorry to have kept you gentlemen waiting for
so long, but accuracy takes time. I am Dr. Mizuno. Selenity's test
results have come back negative."

Martin jumped to his feet with an incredulous, "WHAT?"

Dr. Mizuno glared at him, "Sit down, sir."

Martin glared right back at her, "I demand a second opinion."

"Sit down, Martin."

He finally sat as Francis made it a command.

"Thank you, sire. These are Selenity's test results. I did
several on urine samples, blood samples and I also took the liberty of
using the ultrasound machine in my office on her abdomen. She is not
pregnant. If she were she would be a few months a long and the tests
results would have been obvious. To me, it is obvious she has been
menstruating for the past several months with no break in that cycle.
Selenity has mentioned it being irregular, but that is not uncommon in
cases such as these. If you'd like to look over my report, sire, and her
test results, perhaps run a few calculations of your own over mine..."

Francis held up his hand, "It will not be necessary, Dr. Mizuno.
Thank you. When will you have the results on their blood tests?" he waved
a hand at Martin and Darien.

Dr. Mizuno handed Selenity's file to her father, "Five work days. I
don't have the equipment to do those tests myself so I have to send them
away. Thursday or Friday of next week is my best guess."

Francis nodded, standing up. He extended a hand, which the doctor
shook, "Thank you again, Dr. Mizuno. You will of course contact me when
their results are in?"

She nodded, "As soon as I know, sire. Good day to you."

The King nodded to her and turned to leave. Charles slipped out to
hold the door and get the car. Martin was close on Francis ' heels,
whispering furiously about the results having been tampered with. Darien
extended his hand to Selenity, who took it, and turned to Amy, "Thanks."

She shrugged, "Just doing my job, Darien. The results were very
compelling though; it's quite obvious she's not pregnant. Take care of
her."

Darien slid his arm around Selenity's shoulders, smiling down at
her, "That's my intention. See you later, Amy."

She waved to them both and turned back towards her receptionist.

Selenity hugged him, "One down and one to go."

He chuckled, "Five days. What do you suppose we can do for a
week?"

She smiled, "Announce our intentions at press conferences and on
talk shows?"

He laughed as he led her out of the office and down to the
limousine. They slid into the back and fell silent as Charles pulled away
from the curb. Martin sat across from them, glowering, his eyes speaking
of his hatred for them both. The King was quietly going through
Selenity's test results.

Several minutes later they dropped Martin at his hotel, the King
stepping out behind him and telling Charles to come back in a half hour.
Charles nodded his understanding as Martin and Francis entered the hotel,
and then turned to look back at Darien and Selenity, "Where too, miss? I
assume you want to celebrate?"

She laughed, nodding, "I would! Is Andrew at the arcade today?"

"He should be. If you don't mind, I'd like to take you home to
meet my parents."

Her eyes widened, "But... oh, Andrew's parents."

He nodded, grinning, "I call them mom and dad. Mom said she wanted
to meet you when I went to see her a couple of weeks ago."

Selenity smiled shyly, "Alright."

Darien hugged her and quickly gave Charles the address for his
foster parent's house.


"Darien! And is this that lovely young woman you speak so fondly
of. Come in, my dear. Aren't you just a vision!"

Selenity blinked as a woman not much bigger than she enveloped her
in a warm hug. Her blonde hair turning silver, her eyes speaking of love
and warmth, Selenity instantly liked Darien's foster mother. "You must be
Mae."

"Indeed, Selenity."

Selenity smiled, amused, as she was ushered into a comfortable
living room and pushed onto the couch. Darien sat next to her, laying an
arm across the back of the couch behind her shoulders. Mae bustled about
them, getting them each a glass of lemonade before sitting across from
them, "I'm so thrilled Darien has finally brought you home to meet us,
Selenity darling."

Selenity smiled, "Thank you. I must admit I didn't know if he ever
would. He has not mentioned it before."

Darien shrugged, squirming under Mae's inquiring look, "I've had a
lot of things on my mind. To be honest I wasn't sure if you'd want to
meet Mae and Bill."

"Not meet them? Endymion, do you have a screw loose?"

Mae blinked, "You know his first name?"

Selenity blushed, "Yes. Drew told me a while back. He said Darien
was very touchy about his first name, but because mine was so unique I
could probably appreciate it."

Mae laughed softly, "Well said, dear. My Andrew is quite
observant. It's a shame he and Rita can't be married sooner. She wants
one of those huge weddings but they have to work hard to be able to afford
it."

"I wanted to thank them for being so nice to me," Selenity glanced
at Darien, "I don't suppose either of you know where they want to go for
their honeymoon?"

Mae smiled, "Darling, we won't let you pay for it."

"You don't have much of a choice," she countered, grinning, "I
already have the money put aside for them to do anything they want. I
just need to know when I should be making reservations for and where."

Mae chuckled, "You're all heart, darling. I'm sorry Bill isn't
here, he rushed off to find some new plant seeds. Had we known you were
coming..."

"Sorry, mom, it was a little spur of the moment."

Mae shrugged it away, "Relax, Darien. Your father will be home in a
couple of hours. You'll just have to come back."

Selenity nodded, "For certain. But, back to the question of Drew's
honeymoon...?"

"Cayman islands." Mae glanced at Darien, who nodded, "Drew and Rita
are huge diving fans, not that you'd know it from looking at them, but
they want to take a kind of scuba honeymoon."

Selenity grinned, "The scuba diving is amazing down there. Sure, I
can do that. I've got connections you know."

Mae laughed, "You're all heart, sweetheart. So what brings you
here? Other than the obvious."

Darien squeezed Selenity's shoulders, "This morning gave us the
ammunition needed to break Selenity's betrothal. As soon as we can, we're
going to be announcing our engagement to the press."

Mae's eyes widened, "You're getting married! Oh, Darien, darling,
that's wonderful!"

He smiled as she came around and bent down to hug him. He stood
and she squeezed him tightly. "I'm happy for you, for both of you."

Selenity stood and Mae enveloped her in a tight hug. "How long
have the two of you been engaged now?"

Selenity held up the ring Darien had given her over a month ago and
Mae nodded as she examined it. "He proposed about a month ago. August
1st."

"It's lovely, dear, absolutely lovely. Can you stay for lunch? I
was just about to make something."

Darien shook his head, "Regrettably no. We have to get Selenity
home. Her father said something about wishing to speak to the both of
us."

Mae nodded, "Well, alright, I'll eat by myself. Do you think you
could both escape and come for dinner tomorrow night?"

Selenity nodded, "I would like that very much."

"I don't see why not. What time, and what should I bring?"

Mae's eye's sparkled, "Some of those roses of yours young man...
and a bottle of your finest. I'll have Rita and Drew bring the salad."

Darien grinned, "Done and done."

"And me?"

"You're a guest, darling. Bring yourself."

Mae hugged Selenity and Darien before they turned to leave. "Six
o'clock!"

Darien waved his acknowledgement as they ducked into the limo.
Selenity sank into his arms as it pulled away from the curb and smiled.
Dinner with Darien, and his parents would be interesting.


Francis turned to look at Martin as they entered the privacy of
Martin's hotel room. "You will stop this foolishness, Martin. The
results, if you care to look for yourself, are very conclusive. You have
lied about my daughter to me in order to get her as your own and I
believed you. It makes me wonder what else you have lied about and how
much I can trust you now."

Martin whirled on him, "She is mine. You promised her to my
parents when she was born, you cannot deny that!"

"You are right. Your parents and I signed a contract. When they
died it was my choice to honor that contract. I am now choosing to revoke
it. My word is law, you must accept it."

"This is an outrage! I have spent years anticipating, planning,
for the day Selenity and I would finally be married, I want no woman but
her."

"You cannot have her. While I was gone I took the liberty of
looking in on your estate. Before they recognized me, the women cowered
away as if they were expecting to be hit or something. Tell me, Martin,
have you ever struck my daughter?"

"She deserved it, sire." Martin told him haughtily, "She dared to
challenge me on something that was none of her business."

"You mean her future welfare?"

"Indeed. As if I would deign to allow a woman to try and tell me
how I should live my life."

Francis looked at Martin with hard eyes, "You will not come near my
daughter again. I have taken this past month to check in on your
activities, and to visit each of your estates. You do not have an heir to
your title. You do not have a wife, nor prospects for a wife. After the
press conference regarding the annulling of your betrothal to Selenity,
and, should one be necessary to announce the finding of your younger
brother, you will leave this place. Should you harass my daughter in any
way, I will strip you of your title, lands and fortune. You will be
exiled to an area of my choice. This is my decree; this is what I
command. Do you understand?"

Martin swallowed hard, "Understood, your Majesty."

"Offer me a drink. Now that this business is concluded, what plans
do you have for the future of your estate now that you will be the most
sought after bachelor on the planet?"

Martin tried to calm himself. He was seeing red, his heart racing,
his fist clenched with fury. He didn't want to think about the future
unless he could be King. He swallowed his pride, "I do not know yet,
sire. I was not expecting this outcome."

"I see.


"Would it be alright if I were to excuse myself from your company
and retire for the evening to plan that uncertain future, sire?"

"Certainly. Remember my warning, Martin."

Martin inclined his head as the King stood and left. He rounded on
the nearest object to him and slammed his fist into a glass case. It
shattered, sending glass flying everywhere. How dare she! How dare she
demand to break her betrothal to him! The little slut. One man just
wasn't enough for her, she had to nail some commoner, some young man who
could never be related to him. He smiled slightly. Well, if nothing else
her eye was sharp. He and Darien could certainly pass for brothers, even
if they weren't. Perhaps a part of her went for the tall, dark and
handsome. He nodded, feeling better for breaking the case, feeling more
forgiving. He would accept this defeat for now, until the press
conference, until he could get together his facts. When the day came to
address the press, be it tomorrow or a week from now, he would have a lot
of information to give them. Information that would ensure Selenity would
be his bride.



Author's Note: Comments, Questions, Suggestions, flames... all go to

Jademax@hotmail.com

Unless of course you'd like to write a review!

Thanks for reading!

Jade_Max