Standard Disclaimer.
Chapter 4
"Oww...My head..." Serena moaned.
"Lady, do not worry," assured a thick Spanish accent that was distinctly female.
"What am I doing here?" Serena asked. Her mind blurred and became extremely painful when she tried to recall what happened.
"You are niece to..." the tall brunette paused, her brow furrowing, "to...to the Queen Mina of England. She has sent you here to France to meet King Diamond. You are England's ambassador...do you not recall?"
"Oh? Did she? Mina who?" a fuzzy picture of a smiling woman who looked uncannily like herself swam into Serena's head. "I mean, I can't really recall..."
"That is alright. Do not worry. You drank a little too much vinneer (pronounced vin-nee-eer) last night at the feast. Your memory will be fine in a few hours."
Serena was suddenly very skeptical. Something was wrong and something was very, very fishy. Her mind automatically replayed a colorful scene that featured women in beautiful gowns, men in dashing tuxedos, and a large amount of lively party music, but her heart most violently rejected what her mind told it. Her stomach lurched and Serena felt as if she wanted to throw up.
"Lady, you look a bit green. Do you need a trash can to throw up in? It must be the vinneer giving you a slight hangover."
Serena again pulled a strange face, but she quickly squashed any feelings of doubt. The tall brunette simply looked to nice and kind to be evil and lying.
"No, that's ok, I think I'll be fine Mrs…what's your name?"
"You may call me Lita."
Serena looked extremely quizzical. "Lita? No last name?"
"Well, if you must know. I am ALitañya III, heir to the throne of Spain and distant cousin of King Diamond. I like the name Lita much better." She blushed. "My...my childhood friend gave me the name."
"WOW! A REAL LIVE PRINCESS?!" Even in her current state of discomfort, Serena became extremely excited.
"Do not forget that you are too," Lita reminded sagely.
"I am? Wow...this vinneer must have really scrambled my brain. Is it alcohol?"
"Somewhat. It's synthetically made so it has the..." Lita paused, searching for the right word, "the same...stupefying effect and taste of spirits, but without any of the repercussions, like liver cancer, etcetera, etcetera. But, you still get hangovers and memory lapses."
"Oh…" Serena couldn't understand why they didn't take out the hangover part too. But, even stranger, Serena wondered why she had even touched the stuff in the first place. It was a vow of her never to get drunk…
"Chop, Chop, now." Lita chirped. "We must get you new clothes, etcetera, etcetera."
"Huh? Haven't I got any already?"
"Well, yes you do! Except…Except they are not fashionable! Do not upset the French, Lady. They are very fond and persnickety about dress and etiquette you must remember. You are here to smooth aggression between France and Great Britain, do you not remember?"
"Actually, I don't."
Lita just bit her lip.
* * *
"Was the task successful?" King Diamond asked.
"Yes, very. She's very much confused right now, but in a few hours her new memories will set in. You did let her sniff all the powder, correct?" A woman with dark blue hair wearing a starched white lab coat asked.
"Yes. In her sleep."
"Good."
"Oh, and her old memories are currently in that case over there," she added. "Lest she has some extraordinary power, she cannot regain them."
"Excellent. Can you put the memories on screen for me so that I may view them later this evening?"
"Of course, sir."
"Excellent job, Amy. I'll see to it that the Germans are not attacked anywhere in the near future. And you make a wonderful scientist, dear."
"Thank you," Amy accepted the compliment blushing.
Diamond waved his hand absentmindedly and left the room.
* * *
Serena was feeling much better by now. It was quite late in the afternoon, and the sun was almost setting. Lita and she had spent the whole day shopping, and both women were sitting at a sidewalk café quite exhausted. Much to her relief, Serena's memories had become sharper and much more believable. Yes, she remembered that she was the daughter of the Queen of England's sister and the second in line to the throne. It made much more sense now. And tonight she was going to a party! How delightful.
"Lita?"
"Mmm?"
"What should we wear to the party tonight?"
"Something interesting of course," Lita answered, sipping her coffee.
A sleek black craft rounded a distant corner and was slowly approaching the pair. Lita saw this and jabbed Serena motioning to the craft.
"Our ride is here."
* * *
"Zoicite, what are we going to do?" a frantic voice asked.
"I do not know, James, I do not know!"
"She's not here!"
"Duh, I can see that! I am not a fool," Zoicite remarked sarcastically pointing to Serena's bed.
"Shut up."
"No, you bloody American! You be quiet," Zoicite huffed in an arrogant but comical French accent.
James threw his hands up in the air, smacking his head against the wall in frustration. What had he done to deserve such a stupid partner? It was just great that Zoicite was a prudish French man who happened to hate all Americans. Unfortunately, James' loud head banging had set of a few guards stationed around the room.
"Hey! What's going on in there?" A gruff voice asked
"No one is supposed to be in there!" another gruff voice prompted.
"Look at what you did, you stupid American!" Zoicite looked disgusted. "You…you potato!" a gleam of pride entered Zoicite' eyes for picking such a wonderful insult. He had read it somewhere.
"O…k…" James sobered. "We've got to hide!"
The door burst open with a huge BANG.
The guards paused and looked around the room. Satisfied that no one was there, they left.
Under the bed, Zoicite smacked James on the head.
"Ow! I resent that! Hey, buddy I just saved our asses!"
"You stupid American! How fuzzy-headed are you…you spinach?! Look at my new suit!" Zoicite looked ready to cry. "It is ruined. We could have hid somewhere else!" He pulled at his immaculate ponytail, horrified that a few hairs were sticking out.
James smirked. "Where?"
Zoicite sputtered. "Be…quiet. You made me forget."
"Sure."
"Can we leave now?"
"One moment." James listened intently for any footsteps and nodded that it was alright for them to leave.
They leapt out of the window and landed soundlessly like cats.
They weren't aware that a figure above had seen their supposedly sly movements.
* * *
A hand rapped gently outside of Serena's door.
"Come in," Serena called.
Diamond strolled casually into the room, not looking anywhere in particular.
"Lita, I say, how…" Serena abruptly stopped talking as she turned around and froze.
Diamond's eyes met Serena's; his gaze dropped, and his eyes bugged out.
A ringing silence was heard.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Serena screamed, attempting to cover up her body. She had been getting ready for the party, and was currently standing in her underwear.
Diamond had the courtesy to blush and turned around. "I'm sorry."
"Um…I guess you're forgiven. I thought you were Lita!" Serena quickly rambled as she bashfully ran around the room searching for her robe. Finding it, she hastily picked it up and slipped it on.
"You can turn around now. I'm decent," she informed the man.
Diamond blushed again and cleared his throat, "Well, let me introduce myself. I am King Diamond. And you, my breathtaking woman, are Serena, correct?" He inched closer to her, took her hand into his, and kissed it.
"Yes," Serena replied dreamily. He looked very handsome. Not a day over twenty-seven. She wondered how he could be king at such a young age. Her heart fluttered as she thought she would melt at his compliments.
"May I ask you something?" King Diamond tentitavely asked.
"Shoot."
"May I be your escort tonight? Nothing would please me as much as being the date of such an exquisite creature as yourself," Diamond pleaded lightly, his pearly teeth twinkling.
"Of…of course," Serena stuttered.
"Meet me in my office down the hallway eight doors to your left, alright, dear?"
Her heart fluttered at his endearing title for her. "Yes…" Serena blushed.
An hour later Serena was found scrambling to finish powdering and primping. Not wanting to be late, Serena flew out the door and barreled down the hallway.
CRASH.
Great, she thought, wonderful time to get a klutz attack.
Looking up, she met with the most startling and beatiful pair of green eyes she had ever seen. The man currently standing before her reminded her of someone she knew, and someone she felt many...emotion for? Serena became confused again. She couldn't place him anywhere in her memory.
She felt disconcerted for a full thirty seconds, and neither of them spoke.
"Who are you?" Serena asked.
James nearly died. She didn't recognize him? What was going on? After fighting with his emotions for a hectic minute, James decided to play along. Something was definitely amiss.
Serena waved her hands in front of the man's face.
Suddenly, the man held out his right hand, grinning charmingly.
She nearly fell over at the handsome sight he made, with his piercing green eyes, pearly teeth, and shiny black hair sparkling back at her.
"I'm James. Nice to meet you Serena," just as her name slipped out of his mouth, James nearly smacked himself. Way to go, Mr. Smooth.
"Hi…hey! How did you know my name?" Serena asked, puzzled.
"I heard about you," James half-lied.
"Oh, ok! Maybe I'll see you later then," Serena shook his hand and continued running down the corridor.
She missed the mixed look of hurt, sadness, and regret flash across the man's face.
"Serena…" James whispered. "Why don't you remember me…?" he questioned the air, his voice fading out.
Five million miles away, in outer space, a figure lay dormant in a space pod currently hurtling towards earth.
The war was surely escalating, but HE could and would save them all.
Lucky bastards didn't even know how lucky they were.
Thanks for reading…please review?
Copyright, weepingmask (weepingmask@yahoo.com) 2002