Author: Dina
Title: The Rose
Chapter: Two
E-mail: nyaliss@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: *squuirms* I do not have any money. None. So please don't sue me.
I don't claim to own any of Sailor Moon. But I do admit to wishing I did...
Author's Notes: ... Cat got my tongue...
*screech* WAIT!!! Thanks for taking the time to read! ^-^
For all those who e-mailed me, thank you. I really appreciate the time you took and the fact
that you read the fic. It's a great honor.
In answer to the question of where to find "Gabriel's Angel", in the bookstore nearest you.
The title of the book is -A Gift of Love-. It is a collection of five Christmas short stories.
I hope you enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...Masks...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"No, absolutely not!" Venus said, a frown marring her beautiful brow.
"But Veeeeenuuuussss," the Sun said, sticking out his lower lip in what could
only be called a pout.
The Goddess of Love stared in utter fascination at the King of the firemaments
and shook her head. "Sol, will you let me handle this?" she asked gently.
"But, but... I have a great idea..." the lion-hearted began but Venus merely
shook her head.
"No," she told him firmly. "Last time you got an idea, we all ended getting
thrown out of Nike's home. It's not at all fun to have the Goddess of Victory
against you when you're trying to win an argument, you know."
"Is it my fault you accidentally dumped a bowl of soup on Mars?" the Sun asked
in complete innocence.
He was met by foreboding silence. "May I remind you that it was your idea...?"
she asked in a deceptively soft voice.
Sol said nothing.
Venus narrowed her eyes. "If you don't attend to your duties in five seconds I
am telling -her- where you are," she threatened.
Her. The Moon. The Sun let out a sound that sounded suspiciously like an urk and
gave her a dirty look. "Cheater," he mouthed.
She only inclined her head towards the direction she expected him to take. He
sighed and trudged off, dragging his feet all the way.
"Venus!" came the screech.
She jumped five feet into the air before gathering her wits and running towards
the cloud she called her own. Fate stood several feet away, pointing frantically
at the smiling Destiny that had, somehow, gotten Endymion and Serenity to
cooperate in order to twine Serena and Darien's path. Venus stopped dead on her
tracks. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered doing her job when everyone
else thought they could do it better. Destiny turned and looked over her
shoulder to give the goddess a sweet, reassuring smile. Venus relaxed and threw
her hands up in a mixture of exasperation and wry amusement. After all, who was
she to argue with destiny and fate?
***
"She's a gold digger."
Darien began to twitch, a tick frustrating his eyelid.
Raye looked up and unrepentantly met his eyes. "A gold digger," she repeated.
"Beryl is not a gold digger," her brother ground out.
"She is so," Raye retorted, violet eyes flashing.
Raye couldn't understant what her brother saw in the woman. True, Beryl was
beautiful in a cold, cruel kind of way that reminded Raye of a diamond-backed
snake. Her eyes had a predatory glint in them that sent shudders to dance up and
down the young woman's spine. She cursed the day Darien had met the woman and
gotten infatuated with her. Infatuated not in love. She was sure Darien knew the
difference... Or at least she hoped he did. She was aware that she wasn't making
matters any better by continually irritating her brother about the creepy
red-head, but she was more worried about what he would do if she didn't. What if
he actually went as far as marrying her? Heaven help them all. Beryl would suck
all the life out of Darien's eyes, she'd crush his dreams with her ambition, his
heart with her lies. She would destroy him. Raye couldn't let that happen. There
was more than one life at stake here, more than one heart. There were two.
***
Serena entered her small home and removed the scarf from head which managed to
keep the long locks of golden hair out of her face. She placed the empty basket
of flowers on the tiny table and padded into the only other room in the
apartment she and her father shared. She smiled when she found him sitting on
the bed, bent over his favorite and only book.
"Good evening papa," she said softly and went to embrace him when he looked up
and smiled at her.
He had gotten better over the years. He wasn't completely healthy, but he was
strong enough that he could handle odds and ends of jobs twice or thrice a week
that brought in extra money. She would much rather he didn't, but it helped him
somewhat. It gave him a reason to get up in the morning. It wasn't much, but he
was helping with the income and that, more than anything, made him happy.
"Good evening, Sere," he said before putting away the book. "How was your day?"
"Wonderful," she answered with a smile as she went about preparing dinner. "I
was able to sell all the flowers."
It was the first week of December. People were beginning to think of Christmas
and, as a result, were more open to spending their money. She had three
interesting customers today. A little of boy of about six buying his mama a
'pretty flower', an eccentric woman who bought each of her two kittens two
flowers , and a certain raven-haired young woman who simply snatched up her
almost empty basket, counted the remaining five roses, bought them, and swept
her up to the nearest cafe to grab a bite to eat. Serena had the sneaking
suspicion it was also to have someone to rant to, and rant she did...
::Flashback::
"He's being an idiot!" Raye cried over her coffee, almost knocking the waiter
over with the extremely dangerous way she waved her arms around. It brought to
mind, irresistably, a deranged windmill.
Serena sipped the coffee she had been given in serene amusement, visualizing the
steam coming out of her friend's ears. Ever since that night, seven years ago,
when a solem violet-eyed child had tied a ribbon in a painfully shy girl's
golden locks, they had been best friends, or as close to best friends as two
young women whose social status were as different as theirs. Raye was a pampered
daughter of a rich, well-to-do, loving family. Serena sold flowers every day in
order to buy bread for each meal she and her devoted father partook of. They
were as far away as the stars to the moon.
"Who's being an idiot?" she finally asked, aware that Raye would begin
strangling the unfortunate waiter if she remained silent any longer.
"My brother!" the other girl burst out.
Darien. The thought of the name brought a smile to Serena's lips. Nine years.
Had it been nine years already since she had first laid eyes on him? Nice years
of dreams and wishes and friendships and joy. It had become a tradition for
Serena, Raye, and Grandmere to meet every Christmas Eve. They would sit in the
grandmother's room and talk of everything and nothing. They delighted in giving
her gifts, a fact that always left her so speechless and grateful. She didn't
come empty handed either. She would come to the back door when everyone else was
asleep, a red rose in one hand and the little things she had been able to buy
with her saved up money for the year to give to the two women. Luna would sit on
her lap, purring and sometimes sleeping, but always guiding her to place the
rose beneath the Christmas tree, on top of a present meant for Darien. They had
been wonderful nine years. She'd watch Darien grow from a gentle-hearted boy to
a young man whose smile could melt a woman's bones. She'd watched him flirt with
girls, escort them to balls, woo them and wondered what it would be like to be
one of those young women. The thought made her ache, made her long... She had
promised, in what seemed an eternity ago, to be his angel. His guardian angel.
She doubted very much if guardian angels fell in love with their charges. It was
a secret she hugged close to her, treasuring it for however long she could
dream. She knew that one day Darien would fall in love himself and marry a lucky
woman. How she wished... She sighed, painfully aware of the cresent moon that
hung heavy around her neck. Wishes... Dreams...
"Why do you say that?" Serena prompted.
"Because he won't believe me when I say Beryl is a gold digger!" Raye all but
screeched.
Beryl. The name twisted inside her like a jagged knife. In Serena's eyes, Beryl
was beautiful, perfect, sophisticated, perfect. Perfect... She always came back
to that word. It seemed that Darien had the same thoughts. He usually went from
one girl to another, it was expected. He was a man, rich, and only twenty years
old. But Beryl was different. He seemed determined to keep her and never mind
that she was five years his senior. It terrified Serena that she would soon have
to let him go, but then she realized that he was never hers to begin with. That
hurt.
"Serena?" Raye asked, voice uncertain. "You okay?"
The other girl managed to summon up a tired smile. "Yes... Just thinking."
Raye's eyes grew shadowed, worried. She knew. Even though Serena thought she had
her feelings hidden and concealed, Raye still knew. The girl loved her brother
with a love that she couldn't begin to comprehend. It was a special kind of
love, this one, and Raye knew that if Darien was given the chance to see Serena
just once, to speak to her just once he would love her too. Serena wouldn't
break her brother's heart, she'd protect it. She wouldn't crush his dreams,
she'd nurture them, help him bring them into reality. She would bring so much
more color into Darien's life, so much more exuberance. Serena had that kind of
magic about her. It was a magic Darien had so desperately wanted to believe in
as a child but had almost forgotten. He needed it. He needed Serena.
"You have to help me, Sere," she said softly, almost desperately.
Serana looked startled. "How, Raye? You know I can't... I musn't...."
"He needn't know," Raye said.
"But... But why?" Serena's hands closed convulsively around the cup she held.
"He doesn't love her," Raye's words held a ring of conviction in them. Truth.
"You don't know that," the other whispered, staring into the lukewarm liquid
whose taste still lingered on her tongue.
"Yes, I do," was the counter. "She's dangerous for him."
"It's not for us to say..." Serena hesitated.
"She'll destroy him," Raye went on.
"You don't know that!"
Raye stared hard at her friend, eyes unreadable. "You won't destroy him."
Time stopped. Serena gasped as if she had just been slapped then punched in the
gut. Fear registered in her eyes and Raye immediately began to mentally curse
herself twenty times the fool.
"God, I'm sorry, Sere," she apologized, taking one of her friend's suddenly
freezing hands in her own. "I'm sorry..."
Serena's eyes clouded but she smiled bravely at the raven-haired girl and
squeezed her hands reassuringly. "I should have figured you'd know," she said
softly, swallowing back the urge to cry all over the other's immaculate blouse.
Raye nodded mutely and rose, pulling Serena along with her. She paid the waiter
and grabbed the basket before leading the way out the door. The air greeted them
with cool questing fingers. It was comforting, in an odd sort of way.
"You have to help me," Raye repeated, watching a couple walk past them hand in
hand.
"How?"
She started. She hadn't expected to hear that word. She turned to look at the
golden-haired girl next to her. Angel. It was of little wonder her brother had
called her that. His angel.
"I..." she began, uncertain.
Serena finished the sentence for her. "Don't know..."
Raye nodded mutely. "Just say you will. Please, Serena? Please?"
"It isn't-"
"For us to say, yes I know," Raye cut her off almost impatiently. "If he truly
loves her, nothing we do will stop him from going on to marry her."
"You really think he'll marry her?" Serena asked, prying her empty basket of
flowers from her friend's clutching fingers. She didn't even want to think of
what the answer to that question could be. She didn't want to know how Darien
really felt about Beryl in fear that he just might really, truly love the woman.
"Not if I can help it," Raye said through gritted teeth. "Say it Serena."
"I'll help you," she agreed with the creeping feeling what she was going to do
was wrong. Very wrong. God, she shouldn't even be sticking her nose in such
business. She felt like a scheming, good-for-nothing idiot.
Raye's smile was decidedly brighter. She moved to hug her friend.
Serena held up a hand to stop her. "Within reason," she said.
"Within reason," Raye echoed and finished the hug. She took a step back and
nodded. "I'll try to come back tomorrow or the next day. Thank you, Sere. Take
care!"
Serena waved as he friend turned on her heel and disappeared hurriedly into the
crowd. She stood there for several minutes. What had she gotten herself into?
::End Flashback::
Serena sighed and finished setting the table. Maybe she could talk to Raye later
tonight and tell her she'd changed her mind. Footsteps approached and a chair
scraped back against the floor.
"You're worried about something," her father's gentle voice broke through her
thoughts.
She jerked back into reality and smiled while shaking her head. "Just thinking."
"You've been thinking too much these days," he observed.
She sat down beside him and stared at the foot. "There are lots of things to
think about papa," she answered.
"Yes," he said, sensing she did not want to speak about it. "There are."
***
"Raye," Grandmere said. "You shouldn't meddle in your brother's affairs."
The girl threw her a puzzled look. "You approve of Beryl?" she asked,
incredelous.
"Nooooo..." Grandmere admitted uncomfortably. "I don't."
Raye's frown grew even more confused. "Then why-?"
"You're brother can take care of himself. He's grown and he knows how to deal
with women. He's not the defenseless pup you paint him out to be."
The look she received from her grand daughter frightened her. When Raye got that
mischievious light in her eyes everybody in the world would be better off
hiding. Preferably on the other side of the universe.
"Who said anything about taking care of him?" she asked. "What Darien needs is a
nice, beautiful, loving girl who'll take his mind off of Beryl and get the woman
away from him. He'll eventually get over her, but right now he's infatuated. She
won't let him go while her claws and fangs are still in him. That woman is a
hazard. She'll drag him to the altar before he knows what hit him."
Grandmere's eyes narrowed. Suspicion. "And do we have a girl in mind?" she asked
carefully.
Raye had her back turned and her arms inside her wardrobe, fishing out the
dresses she had never worn before. "Don't you think white would look lovely on
her?" she asked off-handedly. She had to hide a grin when she heard someone
choking behind her.
"Heaven help us," Grandmere gasped out.
***
Heaven help her. Serena gaped at her best friend, her mouth opening and closing
like a fish out of water.
"Serena, you need to breathe," Raye advised.
"I can't!" Serena finally fought out.
"You can't breathe?" Raye asked.
"No! I mean, I can't possibly do what you're asking me to," the other girl said
on a wheeze.
"Yes you can," Raye said, waving away all her friend's worries.
Serena stared at her friend. The woman was crazy. Insane. Had she been dropped
when she'd been birthed? A horrible thought dawned on her. What if Darien had
the same mental condition? She almost wailed.
"Serena, snap out of it," Raye commanded. "You will and you can do it. It's not
as if I'm asking you to run around my brother naked..." She pursed her lips
thoughtfully. "Though the idea does have merits..."
Serena turned red.
"Why can't you do it?" Raye sighed.
"Because I have morals, that's why!" she said shrilly.
Raye looked confused. "It's just a masked ball, Serena. Sure, it's a three day
event, but I'm only asking you to be there for one night and I assure you we
aren't going to be anything..." Serena looked suspiciously green. "What exactly
did you think I was asking you to do?"
The only response she got was a mutter.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I thought you were asking me to run around your brother naked..."
Raye fell backwards, laughing.
"It's not funny!" was the indigant protest.
"Hnnnnnn," was the choked answer.
"I'm leaving!" Serena declared and prepared to walk out of the cafe.
"Awww, sit down, Sere," Raye cajoled. "You still haven't said yes yet."
"I told you I can't do it."
A frown. "Why not?"
"Because of my papa for one thing!"
"Oh," Raye smiled peacefully. "Don't worry. Grandmere is taking care of him
right now."
Blue eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Grandmere is in on this?" she squeaked.
"Hnnnnnn..." Raye said.
"What is 'hnnnnn' supposed to mean?" Serena demanded. "Never mind," this at
Raye's laughter. "I still can't do it."
"Why not?"
"I don't have anything to wear," she said exasperated.
"Who says?" Raye raised both eyebrows.
"What do you mean-?"
Raye shushed her with a wave of her hand. "If you ever want to know where your
papa is, you'll say yes."
Serena's jaw fell open. "What?"
"You heard me."
"You're not serious," was the incredelous squeak.
"Try me," Raye invited.
"This is blackmail!"
"Very good blackmail," Raye agreed.
"Seriously...?"
Laughter. "Oh, Sere... You know we won't hurt him. He's being taken care of.
Just say yes."
"No."
"No?"
"He'll find out..."
Raye knew who the he was. Darien. "It's a masked ball! You never have to appear
in public until they start!"
"But..."
"Say yes."
"N-"
"Not no, yes," Raye promted.
"Yes?" Serena asked, bewildered.
Raye's smile bloomed and she grabbed her best friend by the wrist and procceeded
to drag her out of the cafe. "Good. We start immediately!"
"But I-" Serena found herself talking to the closed door of a carriage. Funny
thing was, she was inside. Raye plopped down beside her with a smug smile.
"You're evil," she accused.
Raye's smile broadened and she giggled. "I know."
***
Darien smiled and stood, removing the gloves from his hands as he stared down at
his work in satifaction. Rose bushes lined up neatly to salute him in his own
little corner of the garden. He had been meaning to plant roses for a long time.
Red roses. He liked to think it was because he enjoyed the flowers for
themselves but that traitorous part of him merely chuckled and pointed out
mockingly that it was because they reminded him of that night seven Christmases
ago when he'd woken up from a fevered dream to find a golden girl leaning over
him to help him drink. The roses were from her. She had given him one before
leaving him again without a word.
What was she like now, he wondered. Beautiful, most likely. Perhaps even
married. The thought jarred him and twisted his gut into an unpleasant ball of
cold steel. He remembered her as a child, but common sense dictated that she was
now a woman grown. He had an image of her in his mind's eye. Taller now, he
imagined her to be, graceful, slim as a willow with long golden hair that
floated past the small of her back. Her hands were warm, delicately boned just
like the rest of her. Lovely, just like her eyes. Though the rest of her
features never quite got past the foggy stages of invention in his mind, her
eyes were always clear. They were blue. Sweet, laughing, gentle, tender...
Magical. Just like the roses she left for him every Christmas eve. He sighed and
rubbed the back of his neck restlessly and turned to go back inside the house.
He had preparations to make.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Who in the world is Beryl?" the Moon's indigant voice behind her made Venus
jump.
Second time today, the goddess thought.
"Someone get her out of the picture," the Queen said, obviously annoyed with the
red-haired woman.
Serenity turned away from the scene playing out below them and smiled sweetly at
the Moon. "We need her," she said.
"No you don't," Eurynome said frowning.
"Perhaps wine would be pleasing to the lady...?" Destiny asked relinquishing her
position to Fate.
The 'lady' turned to pin Venus with a look. "I do hope you'll take care of
this."
Venus smiled weakly. "Of course, Eury... Of course."
The Moon harrumphed then stalked off.
"Great mood she's in," Endymion commented without turning away from the events
below.
Venus frowned at the higher angel and scooted him out of the way so she could
sit.
"She has a point though," Serenity said. "How do we get rid of Beryl?"
Fate and Destiny giggled. "We won't have to," Fate said. "She'll get rid of
herself."
***
The ball was in full swing when Darien entered it with Beryl on his arm. He
stood stiff, the domino mask resting on his nose covering irritated midnight
eyes. He didn't like what Beryl was wearing. It left little to the imagination.
It fit her like a glove and emphasized her... endowments. He was under the
impression she had donned the purple feathered mask which matched her dress as
an afterthought. She was a handsome woman. Handsome because he could not quite
call her beautiful. He associated that word with his mother, his sister,
cousins, and his angel. Not Beryl. Her features were too strong, almost harsh.
Handsome it was then. He was under no illusion of what it was she was after.
Certainly not his heart, certainly his money. He would not, however, admit it in
front of his sister. It never once occured to him that he would be much better
off if he had.
***
"You look breathtaking," Raye gasped as she watched the lady's maid fasten the
silver mask over Serena's features. The girl wore a simple white dress made of
silk which flowed to the floor, clinging to her form as she moved. The first day
of three was the most informal. It was a simple introduction to the other guests
of their hosts, Mina and her husband Kael. It was the only part of the three days of
celebration which Serena could attend, because it was the only night where masks
were required and a must. That was not the original plan but Raye had pulled some
strings. There had to be some things to be said about having the hostess for your cousin.
"I think I'm going to trip," Serena said, sounding nauseated.
"Hush," Raye told her. "You won't trip. You look perfect." Serena's mass of hair
had been brushed to a burnished gold, half of it twisted into an intricate bun
made to shape like a rose. If Darien didn't get the hint, he deserved to marry
Beryl. She wore no other jewelry but the cresent moon studs on her ears. She
didn't need jewelry. The flashy things would have ruined the whole vision of
innocence she projected. Ethereal. That was the word.
"Easy for you to say," Serena commented. "You've been living in these things all
your life."
Raye laughed and adjusted her own dress, black where her friend's was white, her
hair pulled from her face where Serena's was left down. She cocked her head to
one side while her violet eyes studied the picture they made in the full length
mirror. Striking.
"I don't want to do this," Serena said seriously.
Raye touched her arm and shook her head gently. "Too late," she said. "Come on
Serena, time to go."
Serena allowed the other girl to take her by the elbow and lead her out the
guest room she had been installed in. They had arrived at the mansion that
morning and she, exhausted from all the rushed fittings and 'neccessities' Raye
had conducted, had collapsed into a deep sleep. She had been awoken by a maid
two hours before to begin the preparations. A long hot bath came first, then
dressing, then the hair, then the finishing touches. It struck her as ridiculous
that ladies spent all that time just to get dressed, but as she waited for the
footmen to open the door that led to the ballroom she wondered why they hadn't
taken longer.
Serena's first impression of the large room was light. Lots of it. Blinding
light that assaulted the senses with the help of glittering stones polished to
perfection dripping from women's ears and necks. She had never seen so much
color in her life. She had the unbalancing sensation of having been thrown into
a painting in which the painter had incorporated every shade of every color
conceivable by the human eye. It scared her witless. She didn't belong here, she
didn't fit in. This was insanity in its highest form. She wasn't aware of having
made a move to flee back out to the hallway until she felt the pressure of
Raye's fingers on her arm. Concerned violet eyes gazed back at her through the
simple ebony colored mask that obscured her friend's features.
"It's going to fine, Sere," Raye whispered, threading the other girl's arm
through hers and leading them inside.
Serena felt like she was going to drown. Foolish, foolish girl. The thought kept
on repeating itself over and over and over again in her head until she had the
inkling that banging her skull against one of the beautifully wallpapered walls
would be the only cure.
"I can't dance," she hissed in panic.
Raye quirked an eyebrow and stopped, taking her gently by the shoulders. "Don't
tell all those times we spent together under Grandmere's tutelage didn't do any
good. She'll be crushed if she knew."
She'd forgotten about that. Serena cursed her friend's memory and grasped at
another straw, found it strong and true. "This is not my place," she said
slowly, sapphire eyes gazing back with an earnestness that was almost painful.
"Oh, Sere..."
"You know it isn't, Raye..."
Raye sighed and shook her head before tugging the other girl around so she could
see the occupants of the ballroom. "Look at them, Serena," she said seriously.
"You're worth all of them combined even with all their jewels and silks and the
paint on their face."
"But this is pretending to be something I'm not!" Serena protested for which she
received a sharp look.
"That is where you're mistaken," Raye said. "They are the ones who pretend. They
smile at each other with their lips but their eyes tear each other apart. The
pretend to be each other's friends but they are envious and viscious and they do
not hesitate to spread gossip about one of their own if it will further their
own interests. They're the pretenders, Sere. Fake from the tops of their heads
to the soles of their feet. You've never been anything but yourself. It doesn't
matter what you're wearing," she touched the shoulder of the white dress.
"You're still the same Serena inside. That's not pretending now, is it?"
"You're logic is-," Serena began.
"Solid," Raye interrupted before she could finish. "Come on, let's go find
somewhere to sit."
She's done it again, Serena's bewildered brain screeched. Sometimes it amazed
her how easily Raye could discard her fears. It wasn't that she was timid, she
was just cautious. She chuckled. Her father would never have described her as
cautious, but beside her raven-haired friend, she was a paragon of caution. Yeah
right.
"Sit," Raye urged, pushing her down gently on one of the cushioned armchairs
that were littered around the ballroom, usually standing only a few feet away
from the glass doors that led to the sweeping garden. Serena sat. "I'll be right
back. I'm going to go get us something to drink, hrmmm?" With those words, Raye
turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.
That was when the golden-haired young woman sighted the reason of her presence
in the ballroom. Darien. He stood not twenty feet away from her chair,
surrounded by a circle consisting of both males and females, discussing some
topic or another. She felt nervousness invade every nerve of her body. God, he
was standing so close and heaven, he was beautiful. She could only see his
strong, perfectly carved profile with its high aristocratic nose, flawless skin,
and perfectly sculpted lips that gave the impression of strength and sensuality
all at once. She knew that the eyes hidden by the white domino mask were a shade
of blue midnight kept to itself. He had a piercing gaze, one that went right
past the barriers and the mask right through the soul. Right now there was a
curious inquiry in that gaze and half-mocking amusement as well as a patronizing
smile on his tantalizing lips.
Serena blinked as a mortified flush tinted her cheeks pink when she realized
that he had felt her stare on him and had turned to look back at her. She
suddenly found herself the sole recipient of his gaze and attention and could
not have described a more horrifying experience in her life. Ironic since she
had dreamed of this time in countless nights. She did the only thing a young
woman in her position would have done, she stood up as gracefully as she could,
turned away, and vanished in the direction of the ballroom exit.
Darien frowned and, before his mind realized what his legs were doing, had set
off to follow the white-clad girl who moments before had seemed utterly
fascinated with his tie. With the usual sixth sense of every other person, he
had instictively turned to meet the eyes of someone whom he had felt had been
looking at him. He had to admit he was reduced to staring as well. She had
literally taken his breath away and had reduced his usually brilliant brain to
mush. Slushy, gooey, swooning mush. It was a feeling he welcomed. It was a
feeling he did not like. For one thing, he never swooned. For two things, he
never stared at a woman and he had never had to fight the overpowering urge to
pick her up and run far, far away with her. Heaven be merciful, he believed he
was half-ready to propose marriage and half-ready to kidnap her right then and
there. It was very disconcerting. If only he had known that somewhere, up where
the stars sang in chorus, one goddess and one Fate and one Destiny were rolling
on the clouds, clutching their sides with hysterical laughter at the sight of
one Darien getting a dose of his own medicine.
"Hey!" a very familliar voice protested as his arms automatically shot out to
save the female he had collided with from kissing the floor, beautifully tiled
though it was. "What's the hurry?"
Darien glanced down and blinked at a young woman who was obviously his sister.
"Two glasses of sherry?" he queried in spite of himself.
She nodded and turned towards the chair his lady had occupied before she had
fled. Wait a darn minute. His lady?
"Yeah. The other one is for my..." she trailed off. Blinked. "Friend?" She
directed her confused expression back towards her brother. "Where'd she go?" As
if she didn't have any idea.
"That's what I'm going to find out." Darien released his sister and, without
another word, stalked towards the direction Serena had taken leaving Raye
standing where he had left her with a grin splitting her face in two.
It was working! Joy, joy, joy, joy- Raye almost dropped the crystal glass on the
floor when someone grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. She found
herself blinking back into her brother's frowning face.
"Do you know her?" he demanded. To which his only answer was a wide-eyed,
bewildered stare. "Never mind," he muttered, impatient, before disappearing
again. He could have sworn he heard his sister's laughter chasing after him.
The ballroom doors opened to allow him into the well-lit hallway and shut firmly
behind him, muffling the music from inside and effectively changing the
atmosphere from suffocatingly festive to peacefully happy. He began walking
quickly to the end of the hallway and chanced to look up as he was about to turn
a corner to another hallway that led to the formal dining room. He didn't need
much more encouragement to go bounding up the stairs to the second floor than
the whisper of a white skirt disappearing through the library door.
The large, vaulted room with it's floor to ceiling bookshelves was quiet, the
air thick with anticipation. He turned a full three hundred and sixty degrees
and had just made up his mind to leave when he heard the sound of footsteps
coming and the raking jangle of drunken female laughter. For some reason that
even he, to this very day, could not explain, Darien was gripped by panic and
the fear of being discovered. One frantic look around showed him a promising
hiding place. He made a beeline for the small closet where the librarian kept
his staunch brown robes he used when he was working in the library. Where else
would he be working? He opened it, squeezed himself in just in time before the
couple stumbled into the seemingly abandoned library, and heard a distressed
squeak beside him.
He turned and found himself trapped in an agitated, summer blue gaze.
His own eyes widened and a single word left his lips, "You."
_______________________________________________________________________
More Author's Notes:
Hey look. I actually finished the second chapter. Yay! This was originally
suppose to be a one-parter but it didn't want to stay that way and it said that
if I insisted on making it a one-parter it wasn't going to get written. Yes, I
know, I am insane. o.O Wait, does anybody actually read this story? *dies* I am
horrible at details. I either don't do them or I blather on about them until the
neverending tomorrow. I only have one plea. Please e-mail me. Tell me what you
think. Good or bad. I would really appreciate it. Again, thank you for taking
the time to read. I can't say that last one enough.
Always,
Dina
Edited September 2002
((Yes I know that took a while. ;__; I promise the third chapter will be out next
week with some explanation of why I've been out so long.))
Title: The Rose
Chapter: Two
E-mail: nyaliss@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: *squuirms* I do not have any money. None. So please don't sue me.
I don't claim to own any of Sailor Moon. But I do admit to wishing I did...
Author's Notes: ... Cat got my tongue...
*screech* WAIT!!! Thanks for taking the time to read! ^-^
For all those who e-mailed me, thank you. I really appreciate the time you took and the fact
that you read the fic. It's a great honor.
In answer to the question of where to find "Gabriel's Angel", in the bookstore nearest you.
The title of the book is -A Gift of Love-. It is a collection of five Christmas short stories.
I hope you enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...Masks...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"No, absolutely not!" Venus said, a frown marring her beautiful brow.
"But Veeeeenuuuussss," the Sun said, sticking out his lower lip in what could
only be called a pout.
The Goddess of Love stared in utter fascination at the King of the firemaments
and shook her head. "Sol, will you let me handle this?" she asked gently.
"But, but... I have a great idea..." the lion-hearted began but Venus merely
shook her head.
"No," she told him firmly. "Last time you got an idea, we all ended getting
thrown out of Nike's home. It's not at all fun to have the Goddess of Victory
against you when you're trying to win an argument, you know."
"Is it my fault you accidentally dumped a bowl of soup on Mars?" the Sun asked
in complete innocence.
He was met by foreboding silence. "May I remind you that it was your idea...?"
she asked in a deceptively soft voice.
Sol said nothing.
Venus narrowed her eyes. "If you don't attend to your duties in five seconds I
am telling -her- where you are," she threatened.
Her. The Moon. The Sun let out a sound that sounded suspiciously like an urk and
gave her a dirty look. "Cheater," he mouthed.
She only inclined her head towards the direction she expected him to take. He
sighed and trudged off, dragging his feet all the way.
"Venus!" came the screech.
She jumped five feet into the air before gathering her wits and running towards
the cloud she called her own. Fate stood several feet away, pointing frantically
at the smiling Destiny that had, somehow, gotten Endymion and Serenity to
cooperate in order to twine Serena and Darien's path. Venus stopped dead on her
tracks. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered doing her job when everyone
else thought they could do it better. Destiny turned and looked over her
shoulder to give the goddess a sweet, reassuring smile. Venus relaxed and threw
her hands up in a mixture of exasperation and wry amusement. After all, who was
she to argue with destiny and fate?
***
"She's a gold digger."
Darien began to twitch, a tick frustrating his eyelid.
Raye looked up and unrepentantly met his eyes. "A gold digger," she repeated.
"Beryl is not a gold digger," her brother ground out.
"She is so," Raye retorted, violet eyes flashing.
Raye couldn't understant what her brother saw in the woman. True, Beryl was
beautiful in a cold, cruel kind of way that reminded Raye of a diamond-backed
snake. Her eyes had a predatory glint in them that sent shudders to dance up and
down the young woman's spine. She cursed the day Darien had met the woman and
gotten infatuated with her. Infatuated not in love. She was sure Darien knew the
difference... Or at least she hoped he did. She was aware that she wasn't making
matters any better by continually irritating her brother about the creepy
red-head, but she was more worried about what he would do if she didn't. What if
he actually went as far as marrying her? Heaven help them all. Beryl would suck
all the life out of Darien's eyes, she'd crush his dreams with her ambition, his
heart with her lies. She would destroy him. Raye couldn't let that happen. There
was more than one life at stake here, more than one heart. There were two.
***
Serena entered her small home and removed the scarf from head which managed to
keep the long locks of golden hair out of her face. She placed the empty basket
of flowers on the tiny table and padded into the only other room in the
apartment she and her father shared. She smiled when she found him sitting on
the bed, bent over his favorite and only book.
"Good evening papa," she said softly and went to embrace him when he looked up
and smiled at her.
He had gotten better over the years. He wasn't completely healthy, but he was
strong enough that he could handle odds and ends of jobs twice or thrice a week
that brought in extra money. She would much rather he didn't, but it helped him
somewhat. It gave him a reason to get up in the morning. It wasn't much, but he
was helping with the income and that, more than anything, made him happy.
"Good evening, Sere," he said before putting away the book. "How was your day?"
"Wonderful," she answered with a smile as she went about preparing dinner. "I
was able to sell all the flowers."
It was the first week of December. People were beginning to think of Christmas
and, as a result, were more open to spending their money. She had three
interesting customers today. A little of boy of about six buying his mama a
'pretty flower', an eccentric woman who bought each of her two kittens two
flowers , and a certain raven-haired young woman who simply snatched up her
almost empty basket, counted the remaining five roses, bought them, and swept
her up to the nearest cafe to grab a bite to eat. Serena had the sneaking
suspicion it was also to have someone to rant to, and rant she did...
::Flashback::
"He's being an idiot!" Raye cried over her coffee, almost knocking the waiter
over with the extremely dangerous way she waved her arms around. It brought to
mind, irresistably, a deranged windmill.
Serena sipped the coffee she had been given in serene amusement, visualizing the
steam coming out of her friend's ears. Ever since that night, seven years ago,
when a solem violet-eyed child had tied a ribbon in a painfully shy girl's
golden locks, they had been best friends, or as close to best friends as two
young women whose social status were as different as theirs. Raye was a pampered
daughter of a rich, well-to-do, loving family. Serena sold flowers every day in
order to buy bread for each meal she and her devoted father partook of. They
were as far away as the stars to the moon.
"Who's being an idiot?" she finally asked, aware that Raye would begin
strangling the unfortunate waiter if she remained silent any longer.
"My brother!" the other girl burst out.
Darien. The thought of the name brought a smile to Serena's lips. Nine years.
Had it been nine years already since she had first laid eyes on him? Nice years
of dreams and wishes and friendships and joy. It had become a tradition for
Serena, Raye, and Grandmere to meet every Christmas Eve. They would sit in the
grandmother's room and talk of everything and nothing. They delighted in giving
her gifts, a fact that always left her so speechless and grateful. She didn't
come empty handed either. She would come to the back door when everyone else was
asleep, a red rose in one hand and the little things she had been able to buy
with her saved up money for the year to give to the two women. Luna would sit on
her lap, purring and sometimes sleeping, but always guiding her to place the
rose beneath the Christmas tree, on top of a present meant for Darien. They had
been wonderful nine years. She'd watch Darien grow from a gentle-hearted boy to
a young man whose smile could melt a woman's bones. She'd watched him flirt with
girls, escort them to balls, woo them and wondered what it would be like to be
one of those young women. The thought made her ache, made her long... She had
promised, in what seemed an eternity ago, to be his angel. His guardian angel.
She doubted very much if guardian angels fell in love with their charges. It was
a secret she hugged close to her, treasuring it for however long she could
dream. She knew that one day Darien would fall in love himself and marry a lucky
woman. How she wished... She sighed, painfully aware of the cresent moon that
hung heavy around her neck. Wishes... Dreams...
"Why do you say that?" Serena prompted.
"Because he won't believe me when I say Beryl is a gold digger!" Raye all but
screeched.
Beryl. The name twisted inside her like a jagged knife. In Serena's eyes, Beryl
was beautiful, perfect, sophisticated, perfect. Perfect... She always came back
to that word. It seemed that Darien had the same thoughts. He usually went from
one girl to another, it was expected. He was a man, rich, and only twenty years
old. But Beryl was different. He seemed determined to keep her and never mind
that she was five years his senior. It terrified Serena that she would soon have
to let him go, but then she realized that he was never hers to begin with. That
hurt.
"Serena?" Raye asked, voice uncertain. "You okay?"
The other girl managed to summon up a tired smile. "Yes... Just thinking."
Raye's eyes grew shadowed, worried. She knew. Even though Serena thought she had
her feelings hidden and concealed, Raye still knew. The girl loved her brother
with a love that she couldn't begin to comprehend. It was a special kind of
love, this one, and Raye knew that if Darien was given the chance to see Serena
just once, to speak to her just once he would love her too. Serena wouldn't
break her brother's heart, she'd protect it. She wouldn't crush his dreams,
she'd nurture them, help him bring them into reality. She would bring so much
more color into Darien's life, so much more exuberance. Serena had that kind of
magic about her. It was a magic Darien had so desperately wanted to believe in
as a child but had almost forgotten. He needed it. He needed Serena.
"You have to help me, Sere," she said softly, almost desperately.
Serana looked startled. "How, Raye? You know I can't... I musn't...."
"He needn't know," Raye said.
"But... But why?" Serena's hands closed convulsively around the cup she held.
"He doesn't love her," Raye's words held a ring of conviction in them. Truth.
"You don't know that," the other whispered, staring into the lukewarm liquid
whose taste still lingered on her tongue.
"Yes, I do," was the counter. "She's dangerous for him."
"It's not for us to say..." Serena hesitated.
"She'll destroy him," Raye went on.
"You don't know that!"
Raye stared hard at her friend, eyes unreadable. "You won't destroy him."
Time stopped. Serena gasped as if she had just been slapped then punched in the
gut. Fear registered in her eyes and Raye immediately began to mentally curse
herself twenty times the fool.
"God, I'm sorry, Sere," she apologized, taking one of her friend's suddenly
freezing hands in her own. "I'm sorry..."
Serena's eyes clouded but she smiled bravely at the raven-haired girl and
squeezed her hands reassuringly. "I should have figured you'd know," she said
softly, swallowing back the urge to cry all over the other's immaculate blouse.
Raye nodded mutely and rose, pulling Serena along with her. She paid the waiter
and grabbed the basket before leading the way out the door. The air greeted them
with cool questing fingers. It was comforting, in an odd sort of way.
"You have to help me," Raye repeated, watching a couple walk past them hand in
hand.
"How?"
She started. She hadn't expected to hear that word. She turned to look at the
golden-haired girl next to her. Angel. It was of little wonder her brother had
called her that. His angel.
"I..." she began, uncertain.
Serena finished the sentence for her. "Don't know..."
Raye nodded mutely. "Just say you will. Please, Serena? Please?"
"It isn't-"
"For us to say, yes I know," Raye cut her off almost impatiently. "If he truly
loves her, nothing we do will stop him from going on to marry her."
"You really think he'll marry her?" Serena asked, prying her empty basket of
flowers from her friend's clutching fingers. She didn't even want to think of
what the answer to that question could be. She didn't want to know how Darien
really felt about Beryl in fear that he just might really, truly love the woman.
"Not if I can help it," Raye said through gritted teeth. "Say it Serena."
"I'll help you," she agreed with the creeping feeling what she was going to do
was wrong. Very wrong. God, she shouldn't even be sticking her nose in such
business. She felt like a scheming, good-for-nothing idiot.
Raye's smile was decidedly brighter. She moved to hug her friend.
Serena held up a hand to stop her. "Within reason," she said.
"Within reason," Raye echoed and finished the hug. She took a step back and
nodded. "I'll try to come back tomorrow or the next day. Thank you, Sere. Take
care!"
Serena waved as he friend turned on her heel and disappeared hurriedly into the
crowd. She stood there for several minutes. What had she gotten herself into?
::End Flashback::
Serena sighed and finished setting the table. Maybe she could talk to Raye later
tonight and tell her she'd changed her mind. Footsteps approached and a chair
scraped back against the floor.
"You're worried about something," her father's gentle voice broke through her
thoughts.
She jerked back into reality and smiled while shaking her head. "Just thinking."
"You've been thinking too much these days," he observed.
She sat down beside him and stared at the foot. "There are lots of things to
think about papa," she answered.
"Yes," he said, sensing she did not want to speak about it. "There are."
***
"Raye," Grandmere said. "You shouldn't meddle in your brother's affairs."
The girl threw her a puzzled look. "You approve of Beryl?" she asked,
incredelous.
"Nooooo..." Grandmere admitted uncomfortably. "I don't."
Raye's frown grew even more confused. "Then why-?"
"You're brother can take care of himself. He's grown and he knows how to deal
with women. He's not the defenseless pup you paint him out to be."
The look she received from her grand daughter frightened her. When Raye got that
mischievious light in her eyes everybody in the world would be better off
hiding. Preferably on the other side of the universe.
"Who said anything about taking care of him?" she asked. "What Darien needs is a
nice, beautiful, loving girl who'll take his mind off of Beryl and get the woman
away from him. He'll eventually get over her, but right now he's infatuated. She
won't let him go while her claws and fangs are still in him. That woman is a
hazard. She'll drag him to the altar before he knows what hit him."
Grandmere's eyes narrowed. Suspicion. "And do we have a girl in mind?" she asked
carefully.
Raye had her back turned and her arms inside her wardrobe, fishing out the
dresses she had never worn before. "Don't you think white would look lovely on
her?" she asked off-handedly. She had to hide a grin when she heard someone
choking behind her.
"Heaven help us," Grandmere gasped out.
***
Heaven help her. Serena gaped at her best friend, her mouth opening and closing
like a fish out of water.
"Serena, you need to breathe," Raye advised.
"I can't!" Serena finally fought out.
"You can't breathe?" Raye asked.
"No! I mean, I can't possibly do what you're asking me to," the other girl said
on a wheeze.
"Yes you can," Raye said, waving away all her friend's worries.
Serena stared at her friend. The woman was crazy. Insane. Had she been dropped
when she'd been birthed? A horrible thought dawned on her. What if Darien had
the same mental condition? She almost wailed.
"Serena, snap out of it," Raye commanded. "You will and you can do it. It's not
as if I'm asking you to run around my brother naked..." She pursed her lips
thoughtfully. "Though the idea does have merits..."
Serena turned red.
"Why can't you do it?" Raye sighed.
"Because I have morals, that's why!" she said shrilly.
Raye looked confused. "It's just a masked ball, Serena. Sure, it's a three day
event, but I'm only asking you to be there for one night and I assure you we
aren't going to be anything..." Serena looked suspiciously green. "What exactly
did you think I was asking you to do?"
The only response she got was a mutter.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I thought you were asking me to run around your brother naked..."
Raye fell backwards, laughing.
"It's not funny!" was the indigant protest.
"Hnnnnnn," was the choked answer.
"I'm leaving!" Serena declared and prepared to walk out of the cafe.
"Awww, sit down, Sere," Raye cajoled. "You still haven't said yes yet."
"I told you I can't do it."
A frown. "Why not?"
"Because of my papa for one thing!"
"Oh," Raye smiled peacefully. "Don't worry. Grandmere is taking care of him
right now."
Blue eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Grandmere is in on this?" she squeaked.
"Hnnnnnn..." Raye said.
"What is 'hnnnnn' supposed to mean?" Serena demanded. "Never mind," this at
Raye's laughter. "I still can't do it."
"Why not?"
"I don't have anything to wear," she said exasperated.
"Who says?" Raye raised both eyebrows.
"What do you mean-?"
Raye shushed her with a wave of her hand. "If you ever want to know where your
papa is, you'll say yes."
Serena's jaw fell open. "What?"
"You heard me."
"You're not serious," was the incredelous squeak.
"Try me," Raye invited.
"This is blackmail!"
"Very good blackmail," Raye agreed.
"Seriously...?"
Laughter. "Oh, Sere... You know we won't hurt him. He's being taken care of.
Just say yes."
"No."
"No?"
"He'll find out..."
Raye knew who the he was. Darien. "It's a masked ball! You never have to appear
in public until they start!"
"But..."
"Say yes."
"N-"
"Not no, yes," Raye promted.
"Yes?" Serena asked, bewildered.
Raye's smile bloomed and she grabbed her best friend by the wrist and procceeded
to drag her out of the cafe. "Good. We start immediately!"
"But I-" Serena found herself talking to the closed door of a carriage. Funny
thing was, she was inside. Raye plopped down beside her with a smug smile.
"You're evil," she accused.
Raye's smile broadened and she giggled. "I know."
***
Darien smiled and stood, removing the gloves from his hands as he stared down at
his work in satifaction. Rose bushes lined up neatly to salute him in his own
little corner of the garden. He had been meaning to plant roses for a long time.
Red roses. He liked to think it was because he enjoyed the flowers for
themselves but that traitorous part of him merely chuckled and pointed out
mockingly that it was because they reminded him of that night seven Christmases
ago when he'd woken up from a fevered dream to find a golden girl leaning over
him to help him drink. The roses were from her. She had given him one before
leaving him again without a word.
What was she like now, he wondered. Beautiful, most likely. Perhaps even
married. The thought jarred him and twisted his gut into an unpleasant ball of
cold steel. He remembered her as a child, but common sense dictated that she was
now a woman grown. He had an image of her in his mind's eye. Taller now, he
imagined her to be, graceful, slim as a willow with long golden hair that
floated past the small of her back. Her hands were warm, delicately boned just
like the rest of her. Lovely, just like her eyes. Though the rest of her
features never quite got past the foggy stages of invention in his mind, her
eyes were always clear. They were blue. Sweet, laughing, gentle, tender...
Magical. Just like the roses she left for him every Christmas eve. He sighed and
rubbed the back of his neck restlessly and turned to go back inside the house.
He had preparations to make.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Who in the world is Beryl?" the Moon's indigant voice behind her made Venus
jump.
Second time today, the goddess thought.
"Someone get her out of the picture," the Queen said, obviously annoyed with the
red-haired woman.
Serenity turned away from the scene playing out below them and smiled sweetly at
the Moon. "We need her," she said.
"No you don't," Eurynome said frowning.
"Perhaps wine would be pleasing to the lady...?" Destiny asked relinquishing her
position to Fate.
The 'lady' turned to pin Venus with a look. "I do hope you'll take care of
this."
Venus smiled weakly. "Of course, Eury... Of course."
The Moon harrumphed then stalked off.
"Great mood she's in," Endymion commented without turning away from the events
below.
Venus frowned at the higher angel and scooted him out of the way so she could
sit.
"She has a point though," Serenity said. "How do we get rid of Beryl?"
Fate and Destiny giggled. "We won't have to," Fate said. "She'll get rid of
herself."
***
The ball was in full swing when Darien entered it with Beryl on his arm. He
stood stiff, the domino mask resting on his nose covering irritated midnight
eyes. He didn't like what Beryl was wearing. It left little to the imagination.
It fit her like a glove and emphasized her... endowments. He was under the
impression she had donned the purple feathered mask which matched her dress as
an afterthought. She was a handsome woman. Handsome because he could not quite
call her beautiful. He associated that word with his mother, his sister,
cousins, and his angel. Not Beryl. Her features were too strong, almost harsh.
Handsome it was then. He was under no illusion of what it was she was after.
Certainly not his heart, certainly his money. He would not, however, admit it in
front of his sister. It never once occured to him that he would be much better
off if he had.
***
"You look breathtaking," Raye gasped as she watched the lady's maid fasten the
silver mask over Serena's features. The girl wore a simple white dress made of
silk which flowed to the floor, clinging to her form as she moved. The first day
of three was the most informal. It was a simple introduction to the other guests
of their hosts, Mina and her husband Kael. It was the only part of the three days of
celebration which Serena could attend, because it was the only night where masks
were required and a must. That was not the original plan but Raye had pulled some
strings. There had to be some things to be said about having the hostess for your cousin.
"I think I'm going to trip," Serena said, sounding nauseated.
"Hush," Raye told her. "You won't trip. You look perfect." Serena's mass of hair
had been brushed to a burnished gold, half of it twisted into an intricate bun
made to shape like a rose. If Darien didn't get the hint, he deserved to marry
Beryl. She wore no other jewelry but the cresent moon studs on her ears. She
didn't need jewelry. The flashy things would have ruined the whole vision of
innocence she projected. Ethereal. That was the word.
"Easy for you to say," Serena commented. "You've been living in these things all
your life."
Raye laughed and adjusted her own dress, black where her friend's was white, her
hair pulled from her face where Serena's was left down. She cocked her head to
one side while her violet eyes studied the picture they made in the full length
mirror. Striking.
"I don't want to do this," Serena said seriously.
Raye touched her arm and shook her head gently. "Too late," she said. "Come on
Serena, time to go."
Serena allowed the other girl to take her by the elbow and lead her out the
guest room she had been installed in. They had arrived at the mansion that
morning and she, exhausted from all the rushed fittings and 'neccessities' Raye
had conducted, had collapsed into a deep sleep. She had been awoken by a maid
two hours before to begin the preparations. A long hot bath came first, then
dressing, then the hair, then the finishing touches. It struck her as ridiculous
that ladies spent all that time just to get dressed, but as she waited for the
footmen to open the door that led to the ballroom she wondered why they hadn't
taken longer.
Serena's first impression of the large room was light. Lots of it. Blinding
light that assaulted the senses with the help of glittering stones polished to
perfection dripping from women's ears and necks. She had never seen so much
color in her life. She had the unbalancing sensation of having been thrown into
a painting in which the painter had incorporated every shade of every color
conceivable by the human eye. It scared her witless. She didn't belong here, she
didn't fit in. This was insanity in its highest form. She wasn't aware of having
made a move to flee back out to the hallway until she felt the pressure of
Raye's fingers on her arm. Concerned violet eyes gazed back at her through the
simple ebony colored mask that obscured her friend's features.
"It's going to fine, Sere," Raye whispered, threading the other girl's arm
through hers and leading them inside.
Serena felt like she was going to drown. Foolish, foolish girl. The thought kept
on repeating itself over and over and over again in her head until she had the
inkling that banging her skull against one of the beautifully wallpapered walls
would be the only cure.
"I can't dance," she hissed in panic.
Raye quirked an eyebrow and stopped, taking her gently by the shoulders. "Don't
tell all those times we spent together under Grandmere's tutelage didn't do any
good. She'll be crushed if she knew."
She'd forgotten about that. Serena cursed her friend's memory and grasped at
another straw, found it strong and true. "This is not my place," she said
slowly, sapphire eyes gazing back with an earnestness that was almost painful.
"Oh, Sere..."
"You know it isn't, Raye..."
Raye sighed and shook her head before tugging the other girl around so she could
see the occupants of the ballroom. "Look at them, Serena," she said seriously.
"You're worth all of them combined even with all their jewels and silks and the
paint on their face."
"But this is pretending to be something I'm not!" Serena protested for which she
received a sharp look.
"That is where you're mistaken," Raye said. "They are the ones who pretend. They
smile at each other with their lips but their eyes tear each other apart. The
pretend to be each other's friends but they are envious and viscious and they do
not hesitate to spread gossip about one of their own if it will further their
own interests. They're the pretenders, Sere. Fake from the tops of their heads
to the soles of their feet. You've never been anything but yourself. It doesn't
matter what you're wearing," she touched the shoulder of the white dress.
"You're still the same Serena inside. That's not pretending now, is it?"
"You're logic is-," Serena began.
"Solid," Raye interrupted before she could finish. "Come on, let's go find
somewhere to sit."
She's done it again, Serena's bewildered brain screeched. Sometimes it amazed
her how easily Raye could discard her fears. It wasn't that she was timid, she
was just cautious. She chuckled. Her father would never have described her as
cautious, but beside her raven-haired friend, she was a paragon of caution. Yeah
right.
"Sit," Raye urged, pushing her down gently on one of the cushioned armchairs
that were littered around the ballroom, usually standing only a few feet away
from the glass doors that led to the sweeping garden. Serena sat. "I'll be right
back. I'm going to go get us something to drink, hrmmm?" With those words, Raye
turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.
That was when the golden-haired young woman sighted the reason of her presence
in the ballroom. Darien. He stood not twenty feet away from her chair,
surrounded by a circle consisting of both males and females, discussing some
topic or another. She felt nervousness invade every nerve of her body. God, he
was standing so close and heaven, he was beautiful. She could only see his
strong, perfectly carved profile with its high aristocratic nose, flawless skin,
and perfectly sculpted lips that gave the impression of strength and sensuality
all at once. She knew that the eyes hidden by the white domino mask were a shade
of blue midnight kept to itself. He had a piercing gaze, one that went right
past the barriers and the mask right through the soul. Right now there was a
curious inquiry in that gaze and half-mocking amusement as well as a patronizing
smile on his tantalizing lips.
Serena blinked as a mortified flush tinted her cheeks pink when she realized
that he had felt her stare on him and had turned to look back at her. She
suddenly found herself the sole recipient of his gaze and attention and could
not have described a more horrifying experience in her life. Ironic since she
had dreamed of this time in countless nights. She did the only thing a young
woman in her position would have done, she stood up as gracefully as she could,
turned away, and vanished in the direction of the ballroom exit.
Darien frowned and, before his mind realized what his legs were doing, had set
off to follow the white-clad girl who moments before had seemed utterly
fascinated with his tie. With the usual sixth sense of every other person, he
had instictively turned to meet the eyes of someone whom he had felt had been
looking at him. He had to admit he was reduced to staring as well. She had
literally taken his breath away and had reduced his usually brilliant brain to
mush. Slushy, gooey, swooning mush. It was a feeling he welcomed. It was a
feeling he did not like. For one thing, he never swooned. For two things, he
never stared at a woman and he had never had to fight the overpowering urge to
pick her up and run far, far away with her. Heaven be merciful, he believed he
was half-ready to propose marriage and half-ready to kidnap her right then and
there. It was very disconcerting. If only he had known that somewhere, up where
the stars sang in chorus, one goddess and one Fate and one Destiny were rolling
on the clouds, clutching their sides with hysterical laughter at the sight of
one Darien getting a dose of his own medicine.
"Hey!" a very familliar voice protested as his arms automatically shot out to
save the female he had collided with from kissing the floor, beautifully tiled
though it was. "What's the hurry?"
Darien glanced down and blinked at a young woman who was obviously his sister.
"Two glasses of sherry?" he queried in spite of himself.
She nodded and turned towards the chair his lady had occupied before she had
fled. Wait a darn minute. His lady?
"Yeah. The other one is for my..." she trailed off. Blinked. "Friend?" She
directed her confused expression back towards her brother. "Where'd she go?" As
if she didn't have any idea.
"That's what I'm going to find out." Darien released his sister and, without
another word, stalked towards the direction Serena had taken leaving Raye
standing where he had left her with a grin splitting her face in two.
It was working! Joy, joy, joy, joy- Raye almost dropped the crystal glass on the
floor when someone grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. She found
herself blinking back into her brother's frowning face.
"Do you know her?" he demanded. To which his only answer was a wide-eyed,
bewildered stare. "Never mind," he muttered, impatient, before disappearing
again. He could have sworn he heard his sister's laughter chasing after him.
The ballroom doors opened to allow him into the well-lit hallway and shut firmly
behind him, muffling the music from inside and effectively changing the
atmosphere from suffocatingly festive to peacefully happy. He began walking
quickly to the end of the hallway and chanced to look up as he was about to turn
a corner to another hallway that led to the formal dining room. He didn't need
much more encouragement to go bounding up the stairs to the second floor than
the whisper of a white skirt disappearing through the library door.
The large, vaulted room with it's floor to ceiling bookshelves was quiet, the
air thick with anticipation. He turned a full three hundred and sixty degrees
and had just made up his mind to leave when he heard the sound of footsteps
coming and the raking jangle of drunken female laughter. For some reason that
even he, to this very day, could not explain, Darien was gripped by panic and
the fear of being discovered. One frantic look around showed him a promising
hiding place. He made a beeline for the small closet where the librarian kept
his staunch brown robes he used when he was working in the library. Where else
would he be working? He opened it, squeezed himself in just in time before the
couple stumbled into the seemingly abandoned library, and heard a distressed
squeak beside him.
He turned and found himself trapped in an agitated, summer blue gaze.
His own eyes widened and a single word left his lips, "You."
_______________________________________________________________________
More Author's Notes:
Hey look. I actually finished the second chapter. Yay! This was originally
suppose to be a one-parter but it didn't want to stay that way and it said that
if I insisted on making it a one-parter it wasn't going to get written. Yes, I
know, I am insane. o.O Wait, does anybody actually read this story? *dies* I am
horrible at details. I either don't do them or I blather on about them until the
neverending tomorrow. I only have one plea. Please e-mail me. Tell me what you
think. Good or bad. I would really appreciate it. Again, thank you for taking
the time to read. I can't say that last one enough.
Always,
Dina
Edited September 2002
((Yes I know that took a while. ;__; I promise the third chapter will be out next
week with some explanation of why I've been out so long.))