Title: Irony and Happiness
Author: Usagi San
Email: chiba_serena@hotmail.com
Chapter: 5
AN: The long-awaited chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: don't own sailor moon…
"Ack!" with a little shriek, Serena pulled the thin blanket higher
up to her chin and clutched the edges as if her life depended on it.
Darien grimaced, immediately raising his eyes to the ceiling, forcing
himself to forget about the image he had just witnessed. What in the
name of heaven possessed him to come up here? So what if his dear
sweet grandmother looked at him with such disappointing eyes? So
what if guilt weighed on his shoulders like a ton of bricks? The chit
was annoying, and Darien was famed for not having any feelings.
For Serena, embarrassment passed quickly, replaced by anger. Eyes
flashing, she glared at him with contempt. "Have you come to yell
at me further?"
"No, contrary to what you might believe, I do not go out of my way to
win your disapproval. Actually," pausing, Darien ran a hand through
his ebony hair and let out a sigh, "I've come to apologize for my
inexcusable behavior earlier on. What I did was out of character and
now I am sincerely apologizing."
Serena studied Darien from beneath her thick lashes. Was this man
telling the truth? Should she believe him? Cautiously she asked,
"You aren't speaking falsely?"
A change came over Darien. Instead of always seeing an annoying
brat who was forever getting on his nerves and disrupting his
orderly life, Darien saw a beautiful young lady who just wanted
to belong. This innocent person in front of him completely enchanted
him, made him want to smile at her gently, afraid to scare her away.
He did just that. Smiled. Something he hadn't really done for so long.
"Why don't we start over? Get to know each other better? In fact,"
going on impulse, Darien made a suggestion. "why don't the two of
us go for a picnic down by the river side tomorrow in the morning?"
Serena looked at him, trying to find some hidden agenda in the suggestion.
Then, after a few seconds of mental debate, she nodded happily. It would
be fun, she had reasoned in her head. The fresh air and freedom would
do her good. And if Darien had really meant what he said about starting
over, then she would co-operate fully.
Darien nodded, pleased. Rising, he leaned over, and totally out of character,
placed a soft feathery kiss on Serena's forehead.
"Sleep well," he said gruffly, and left, closing the door gently behind
him.
Darien walked into his chamber and sat down on the side of his
four poster bed, brooding. He didn't know that a certain blond girl
had sat for a full hour, a silly little smile on her lips and slim finger
on her forehead, after he had gone, before finally nodding off into
dreamland.
Bright and early the next morning, Darien got dressed and gave orders
for the chef to prepare a picnic for two. After several minutes of
waiting for Serena to come out of her room, and not even seeing a
shadow of her, he became nervous, thinking up a dozen of excuses as to
how she wouldn't want to go to the picnic with him. He caught himself
just before tapping his fingers against his thigh as he sat on the stool in
the parlor. Appalled to find himself tense and anxious, he willed himself
to relax.
Serena was ready shortly after and descended the stairs to join Darien.
She was garbed in a simple yet pretty dress that suited her very much. A bright
smile on her face, she greeted Darien with a little "hello!" and stood
expectantly in front of him.
Darien held out an arm to Serena who placed her hand in the crook of the arm and together, they walked out of the mansion to a day sure to be filled with happiness.
"Oh Darien! This is so much fun!" Serena said as she walked in the shallow
river in her bare foot. The rippling waves came up to her calve, wetting the
hem of her skirt and teasing her stocking-clad legs. Darien walked beside
her, seeming to enjoy the day as much as she. Serena still can't believe that
this charming man walking beside her, free of all the tedious proper etiquettes,
was the same person who had lectured her on manners when she had still been
in bed sick. This complete change was amazing and so totally unpredictable.
"I am most glad that you are having fun Serena," Darien replied in his deep
voice. They walked in companionable silence along the river, like two young
people in the height of courtship, unaware of two pairs of murderous-filled
eyes spying behind the nearby bush.
"Oh the nerve of that girl!" the high-pitched voice huffed indignantly. "Walking
alone, without a chaperone! I am certain that Darien was forced to endure
her company out of politeness. Oh my poor dear!"
"Yes, it is absolutely horrific that the girl should impose upon his lordship
after all that he has done to save her from that road." A second, more mature
voice joined in.
"Mama, she should pay for this. We have to ruin her and drive her out of here
forever! It's the least that we can do for Darien!" The first voice and the second
voice mingled together to plot the fate of the girl who did nothing wrong
except enjoy the company of the man that was so sought after by so many
young women.
After a thoroughly enjoyable day, Serena retired to her room full of energy. She
recalled the morning with Darien as she sat on her bed. After the walk in the
river, they had set up a blanket underneath a towering tree and had ate the
delicious food prepared for them. During the meal, Serena had gotten to
know more about Darien, about his childhood. It turned out that Darien
was a mistreated and lonely boy at a young age. Because he was expected
to inherit his father's title as Earl of Lemmen, Darien had been trained
at a young age to accept responsibility. When other boys his age had been
out having fun, he had been in his father's study, doing arithmetic and
practicing his penmanship. Even when the he had some time to himself,
none of the other children had wanted to play with him because he was
too serious, taught to behave and unused to easy affection and humor.
He had been dubbed "that strange boy" throughout his adolescence and
no amount of time had changed that.
But Serena resolved to fill his life with laughter, to make up for the loneliness
that was such a big part of his childhood. She would see that he have
some fun and not be so "stuffy".
Another thought suddenly intruded into her mind. Her mother! Oh how her
mother must be frantic with worry for her now! She must somehow get
word to her mother that she was safe and alive! Getting up, Serena opened
the drawers of her desk and got out some pen and ink and settled down
to write a letter of comfort to her mother.
Well, done this chapter! It's a little longer than the previous one, which I hope
will make most of you readers happy! Please, again, email/review me! I was going
to take a much longer time to write this when I got an email telling me how
much the story has been enjoyed and reread. So I decided to post this chapter
earlier. See? Just a few seconds, that's all it takes to drop a line in the review
box! I look forward to hearing from you!
Until next time,
Usagi San
Author: Usagi San
Email: chiba_serena@hotmail.com
Chapter: 5
AN: The long-awaited chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: don't own sailor moon…
"Ack!" with a little shriek, Serena pulled the thin blanket higher
up to her chin and clutched the edges as if her life depended on it.
Darien grimaced, immediately raising his eyes to the ceiling, forcing
himself to forget about the image he had just witnessed. What in the
name of heaven possessed him to come up here? So what if his dear
sweet grandmother looked at him with such disappointing eyes? So
what if guilt weighed on his shoulders like a ton of bricks? The chit
was annoying, and Darien was famed for not having any feelings.
For Serena, embarrassment passed quickly, replaced by anger. Eyes
flashing, she glared at him with contempt. "Have you come to yell
at me further?"
"No, contrary to what you might believe, I do not go out of my way to
win your disapproval. Actually," pausing, Darien ran a hand through
his ebony hair and let out a sigh, "I've come to apologize for my
inexcusable behavior earlier on. What I did was out of character and
now I am sincerely apologizing."
Serena studied Darien from beneath her thick lashes. Was this man
telling the truth? Should she believe him? Cautiously she asked,
"You aren't speaking falsely?"
A change came over Darien. Instead of always seeing an annoying
brat who was forever getting on his nerves and disrupting his
orderly life, Darien saw a beautiful young lady who just wanted
to belong. This innocent person in front of him completely enchanted
him, made him want to smile at her gently, afraid to scare her away.
He did just that. Smiled. Something he hadn't really done for so long.
"Why don't we start over? Get to know each other better? In fact,"
going on impulse, Darien made a suggestion. "why don't the two of
us go for a picnic down by the river side tomorrow in the morning?"
Serena looked at him, trying to find some hidden agenda in the suggestion.
Then, after a few seconds of mental debate, she nodded happily. It would
be fun, she had reasoned in her head. The fresh air and freedom would
do her good. And if Darien had really meant what he said about starting
over, then she would co-operate fully.
Darien nodded, pleased. Rising, he leaned over, and totally out of character,
placed a soft feathery kiss on Serena's forehead.
"Sleep well," he said gruffly, and left, closing the door gently behind
him.
Darien walked into his chamber and sat down on the side of his
four poster bed, brooding. He didn't know that a certain blond girl
had sat for a full hour, a silly little smile on her lips and slim finger
on her forehead, after he had gone, before finally nodding off into
dreamland.
Bright and early the next morning, Darien got dressed and gave orders
for the chef to prepare a picnic for two. After several minutes of
waiting for Serena to come out of her room, and not even seeing a
shadow of her, he became nervous, thinking up a dozen of excuses as to
how she wouldn't want to go to the picnic with him. He caught himself
just before tapping his fingers against his thigh as he sat on the stool in
the parlor. Appalled to find himself tense and anxious, he willed himself
to relax.
Serena was ready shortly after and descended the stairs to join Darien.
She was garbed in a simple yet pretty dress that suited her very much. A bright
smile on her face, she greeted Darien with a little "hello!" and stood
expectantly in front of him.
Darien held out an arm to Serena who placed her hand in the crook of the arm and together, they walked out of the mansion to a day sure to be filled with happiness.
"Oh Darien! This is so much fun!" Serena said as she walked in the shallow
river in her bare foot. The rippling waves came up to her calve, wetting the
hem of her skirt and teasing her stocking-clad legs. Darien walked beside
her, seeming to enjoy the day as much as she. Serena still can't believe that
this charming man walking beside her, free of all the tedious proper etiquettes,
was the same person who had lectured her on manners when she had still been
in bed sick. This complete change was amazing and so totally unpredictable.
"I am most glad that you are having fun Serena," Darien replied in his deep
voice. They walked in companionable silence along the river, like two young
people in the height of courtship, unaware of two pairs of murderous-filled
eyes spying behind the nearby bush.
"Oh the nerve of that girl!" the high-pitched voice huffed indignantly. "Walking
alone, without a chaperone! I am certain that Darien was forced to endure
her company out of politeness. Oh my poor dear!"
"Yes, it is absolutely horrific that the girl should impose upon his lordship
after all that he has done to save her from that road." A second, more mature
voice joined in.
"Mama, she should pay for this. We have to ruin her and drive her out of here
forever! It's the least that we can do for Darien!" The first voice and the second
voice mingled together to plot the fate of the girl who did nothing wrong
except enjoy the company of the man that was so sought after by so many
young women.
After a thoroughly enjoyable day, Serena retired to her room full of energy. She
recalled the morning with Darien as she sat on her bed. After the walk in the
river, they had set up a blanket underneath a towering tree and had ate the
delicious food prepared for them. During the meal, Serena had gotten to
know more about Darien, about his childhood. It turned out that Darien
was a mistreated and lonely boy at a young age. Because he was expected
to inherit his father's title as Earl of Lemmen, Darien had been trained
at a young age to accept responsibility. When other boys his age had been
out having fun, he had been in his father's study, doing arithmetic and
practicing his penmanship. Even when the he had some time to himself,
none of the other children had wanted to play with him because he was
too serious, taught to behave and unused to easy affection and humor.
He had been dubbed "that strange boy" throughout his adolescence and
no amount of time had changed that.
But Serena resolved to fill his life with laughter, to make up for the loneliness
that was such a big part of his childhood. She would see that he have
some fun and not be so "stuffy".
Another thought suddenly intruded into her mind. Her mother! Oh how her
mother must be frantic with worry for her now! She must somehow get
word to her mother that she was safe and alive! Getting up, Serena opened
the drawers of her desk and got out some pen and ink and settled down
to write a letter of comfort to her mother.
Well, done this chapter! It's a little longer than the previous one, which I hope
will make most of you readers happy! Please, again, email/review me! I was going
to take a much longer time to write this when I got an email telling me how
much the story has been enjoyed and reread. So I decided to post this chapter
earlier. See? Just a few seconds, that's all it takes to drop a line in the review
box! I look forward to hearing from you!
Until next time,
Usagi San