Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! J I hate writers block, but if I get stuck for ideas feel free to put in your two cents. Yes this is most definitely a U/M fic I think the characters U/D have different personalities than they did in my other stories. Darien is still dark and dangerous though J . I'm bringing the senshis into the story this time. May be not all I don't know yet. There is also a lot of talk about jam in this chapter. So be prepared! Naoko Takeuchi owns SM not me. I wish I did but I don't, so I'm giving her due credit. Well, on with the story. One more thing I'm not sure what century this is in. Let's just say it was a time long, long, long ago. Dresses, pants, shirts, and the traditional Japanese wear are worn by my characters.
"How much money did she give you?" Mina asked Serena. Serena tossed the small leather pouch in her basket to Mina. "10 yen," Serena said. Mina stopped walking, and took one of the jams out of the basket. Serena stopped to look at her cousin. "What are you doing?" she asked when she saw Mina begin to unscrew the top to one of the strawberry jams. "Testing our product." Mina said digging her index into the thick jam before Serena could stop her. "Mina! We are supposed to be selling them, not eating them!" Serena yelled.
Mina stuck a big strawberry in her mouth. "I'll use my half of the money to buy back the jam." she said. Serena sighed heavily. Mina was why they always came up short when they brought back the money. Mina was a strawberry jam fiend. One time when they had both been eleven they had both eaten two jars out of her mothers pantry, and blamed it on the neighbors cat when the empty jars were discovered floating in the bottom of their well.
"Mina what if someone walks by and sees you eating jam out of a jar with your finger." Serena said. Mina sucked her finger loudly. "What are the chances of that happening baka. We're the only ones that take the back road to town anyways. We're-" Just then they heard the sound of horse hoofs behind them in the distance. Mina's eyes grew wide. "Help me get rid of this!" she said tossing the jar to Serena, as she began licking her fingers.
Serena smiled smugly and tossed the open jar back to Mina. She looked behind them at the carriage that was coming up quickly up the road. She squinted her eyes "Why look Mina, that looks allot like lord Andrew's carriage doesn't?" she said smiling. "What?!" Mina said as she began to wipe her hand down the side of her dress. Serena waited until the carriage was only a few feet away then she said, "You have jam all around your mouth. You better wipe it quickly before someone sees you. "
She was enjoying the scene, as Mina franticly began to wipe her mouth and lick the remnants of the sticky jam from her face . Moments later the carriage that belonged to lord Andrew came to a halt just beside them. Serena leaned close to Mina "What are the odds of someone being on the back road with us today huh?" she whispered innocently. Mina looked at her menacingly.
She was just about to say something completely fowl, when the window to the carriage opened. Serena's and Mina's hearts both jumped. They both plastered flawless smiles on their faces. "Good morning" ladies said the driver who tipped his hat towards them. Serena and Mina curtsied. There was a loud crack that came from Serena's knees. She blushed fiercely. She had never been good at curtsying, and things like that. She bumped into Mina when she tried to right herself. She was just grateful that she hadn't fallen.
Mina coughed with embarrassment, very aware of the gentleman who was watching them. "Where are you two ladies headed this fine morning?" Andrews deep voice said from inside the carriage. "We-" Serena and Mina said at the same time. Serena laughed nervously and spoke up. "We're headed to Juban milord. We're selling jam there today."
Serena cringed inwardly. Some how that sounded so stupid. "I see Mina has already helped herself to some." Andrew said with a smile. Mina looked puzzled until she saw the open jar of jam that lay in her basket. Her self esteem fell at least to pegs. "Would you ladies care for a ride? I'm headed to Juban myself." "Yes!" they said quickly. They both looked at each other in embarrassment. Andrew smiled at them and snapped his fingers.
Immediately his driver jumped down to open the door for Serena and Mina. He handed them in. Serena was last to get in. Before the driver could close the door for her, she pulled it shut catching the hem of her dress outside the door. She pulled at it and it ripped loudly. Mina's eye twitched. Serena laughed nervously. Andrew only smiled. He cleared his throat and instructed the driver to drive on. Serena and Mina were both quite as they looked down at their hands which seemed to be very interesting just then. Serena could feel Andrew's eyes on her. She refused to look up. For the past ten years lord Andrew had been Mina and Serena's biggest crush, but most of all Mina's. His father was the landlord of their home so he frequently visited to collect the rent.
He was the leading man in all her fantasies. When she and Mina where together they gushed about all the different ways they would flirt with him, and make him blush for once. She bit her lip wishing she had the courage to say something smart and enchanting.
"How much are they?" Serena jumped when she heard Andrew's voice. "What? Oh yes, well they're um..3 yen each. I'm not sure how much for the whole basket, but who would want the whole basket, I mean they are good enough for someone to want the whole basket, but for one it's-" "Ouch!" she shouted when she felt the hard toe of Mina's shoe kick her ankle.
She look at Andrew who seemed to be very interested in what she was saying. " They're three yen each." she said again. Andrew nodded his head. "I would like to buy the whole basket in fact." he said taking a roll of money out of his pocket. Serena's mouth dropped open. "You want to buy the whole basket? That's allot of jam-" "Serena he said he wanted the whole basket right? So give him the basket!" Mina interrupted. Serena blushed nervously. When ever she was around Andrew she became so nervous and rambled complete nonsense. Mina was no better, she clammed up and hardly said anything. At school Mina was the queen bee with all the boys, but with Andrew she never knew what to say.
Serena handed the basket over to Andrew. She looked down at the jams rather than at him. "Thank you." Andrew said as he reached over to take the basket from her. Serena jumped when she felt his fingers come in contact with hers. He slipped the roll of money between her fingers. Andrew smiled knowingly when he saw the faint color that ran up Serena's neck. He slide his fingers down hers before taking the basket from her. Serena jerked her hands back quickly, and folded them in her lap. Mina kept quiet, but she had seen everything. Serena's heart was thundering in her chest. Had she just imagined that? Had she really just felt his fingers caress hers. She could feel her ears turning pink from the mere thought of Andrew caressing anything on her.
Andrew watched with great amusement as Serena's ears colored, and she fidgeted in her seat. He loved teasing them. It was obvious that they both liked him, and he loved to play around with them. Serena was the most fun, because she wore her expressions on her sleeve. He glanced over at Mina who was looking out of the window. Her profile was breath taking. Her long blond hair fell loosely around her cascading to her waist to form a puddle around her on the royal blue seat. She was the one he'd always wanted. He had loved her for the longest time. He'd first met her as a young boy reluctantly accompanying his father to collect rent.
He saw her first standing barefoot in the door way of her house, hair flowing behind her like burning gold. Her blue eyes met his, and he hadn't known yet but he had fallen in love with her. He made frequent visits to their home hoping he would see her. Had it been any other girl he desired he would have already made his intentions known, but he was afraid he'd frighten her away. Non of them ever objected to him either, they were always more than willing to enter his bed or what ever the case might be.
He had seen her around the village with a legion of young men following her. She taunted them with tosses of her hair and fluttering lashes. She and Serena were all his grooms men in the stables talked about. With him she was so reserved and seemed to pay him no attention. He sometimes wondered if she like him at all. He would wait for her though, he had others on reserve ready for him, and if she took to long he'd have to take matters into his own hands. Suddenly as if the power of his gaze had drawn her eyes she looked in his direction. There eyes met for a moment, then she quickly turned to staring outside the window.
Andrew's heart began to beat a little faster. He loved the rush that she gave him. The pink color that flushed her cheeks had already betrayed her feelings. 'Look away now my love, but next time I won't let you' he thought to himself. Serena bit her lip continuously as she ran the scene with Andrew over again in her head. He had stared adoringly into her eyes. He had then slipped the money between her fingers. Yes! Yes! Then he ran his fingers seductively down hers. Hadn't he smiled to? She was sure he had.
"Serena are you hot?" Andrew said. "What!?" Serena said nearly biting her lip off. "You seem flustered." he said. He reached his cool hand out to touch her forehead. "Your face is all flushed." he said wiping away the damp hair from that had fallen into her face from her cheeks. Serena stared into Andrew's eyes. She couldn't think of anything to say if her life depended on it. Mina turned to look at Andrew and Serena. Her eyes widened. 'They' re only inches away from each other.' she thought. In reality they were two feet apart. Out of malfunctioning emotions (a.k.a jealousy) Mina stuck her head out the window and ordered the driver to stop.
The carriage came to an abrupt stop causing Andrew to fall back into hit seat. Mina smiled brightly. "Looks like we're already here." she said more to Serena the Andrew. Serena looked at Mina in a daze. Not waiting for the driver, Mina reached over her to open the carriage door. " Thank you very much lord Andrew for accommodating my cousin and I." Mina said pushing Serena outside. Before Mina could completely leave the carriage Andrew reached out and grabbed her hand. Mina swung around in surprise.
Andrew held her gaze not allowing her to look away. Mina watched with wide eyes as Andrew bent to kiss her knuckles. Her knees went weak, and it took all she had to keep her from falling. His lips touched her flesh, send shivers up and down her spine when his tongue lightly grazed her. " It was a pleasure having two lovely young ladies accompanying me." he said holding on to her hand a bit longer than necessary. He let go of Mina's hand, and closed the door. "Drive on." he said, then he was gone.
Well that's the end of chapter two. I hoped you liked it. Chapter three is when We meet the vamps! It should be very interesting to see how relationships change, develop, and form.
