THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF FRANCE CAME TO PERSUADE
HEERO BUT HE WOULD NOT BUDGE. " JUST REPENT BOY!" YELLED THE MINISTER. "
NO. I SHALL NOT REPENT." HEERO SAID. HE REFUSED TO REPENT. HE REFUSED TO
SAY HE REGRETTED SOMETHING HE DIDN'T. HE DIDN'T REGRET HIS CHILD, HE DIDN'T
REGRET SERENITY. HE DIDN'T REGRET ANYTHING HE DID.
THE MINISTER GROWLED. THE BOY WAS NOT REPENTING. HE WAS AS STUBBORN AS MULE. THE MINISTER TURNED TO THE ROYALS. "PRINCESS SERENITY, MAKE HIM REPENT." SERENITY TURNED TO HER FATHER.HE NODDED. SERENITY ROSE FROM HER SEAT AND CAME TO THE RAIL. " SIR HEERO, PLEASE REPENT FOR YOUR SINS." SERENITY SAID WITH STRAIN. HEERO SHOOK HIS HEAD. " REPENT FOR YOUR SINS AND YOU SHALL BE FORGIVIN!" HEERO SHOOK HIS HEAD AGAIN. " FOR HEAVENS SANITY AND MINE REPENT! REPENT PLEASE REPENT!" SERENITY SHOUTED. TEARS BEGAN TO SLIDE DOWN SERENITY'S FACE. HEERO SMILED. " I WILL NOT REPENT FOR I HAVE NOT SINNED. DO YOU THINK WE SINNED SERENITY? IF LOVING YOU WAS A SIN THEN I AM SCARED FOR LIFE. I HAVE SINNED IN THEIR EYES BUT WHAT ABOUT IN GOD'S EYES? SERENITY AND I HAVE CREATED SOMTHING SO BEAUTIFL AND WONDEROUS. I WILL NOT REPENT FOR THAT. I WILL REMEMBER THAT THE LAST DAYS WITH YOU, SERENITY, WERE HAPPY ONES. RAISE OUR CHILD WELL. I'LL WATCH YOU FROM HEAVEN." HEERO SAID TEARS THREATING TO FALL.
KING JUAQUEZ MOTIONED FOR HEERO TO BE TIED AND PUT ON A STOOL. THE STOOL WAS OLD AND WIGGLED UNDER HIM. THE UNDERTAKER WAS GOING TO PUT THE TRADITONAL BAG OVER HEERO'S HEAD WHEN HEERO SPOKE OUT. " I WANT TO SEE THE FACE OF MY LOVER AS I DIE.
" SERENITY SANK TO HER KNEES BESIDE THE RAIL. HER MOTHER, LADY AUGUSTA, AND SHA'RIE GATHERED NEXT TO HER FOR SUPPORT BUT WHEN THEY TRIED TO MOVE HER, ALL THEY PULLED WAS DEAD WEIGHT. TEARS STREAMED DOWN ALL THE WOMENS FACES AS THEY WATCHED HEERO WHISPER SOMETHING TO THE UNDERTAKER. THE UNDERTAKER NODDED AND PULLED OUT TWO OBJECTS; ONE WAS A BAG OF FRANCS.
HEERO MOVED HIS FACE IN HIS TIGHT ROPE JUST ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SEE SERENITY. HER EYES WERE SMALL AND FULL OF EMOTION. SHE HAD SEEN HANGINGS BEFORE, BUT THEY USUALLY DIDN'T INVOLVE HER. THE UNDERTAKER TAPPED HEERO'S SHOULDER. HEERO FACED HIM AS MUCH AS HE COULD WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF SERENITY. THE UNDERTAKER HELD A GLASS OF WINE TO HIS LIPS AND TOLD HIM TO DRINK IT ALL. HEERO SIPPED AT THE CUP UNTIL THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT. " THAT IS THE LAST DRINK YOU WILL EVER HAVE." SAID THE UNDERTAKER.
SCREAMS ERUPTED FROM SHA'RIE AS SHE TRIED TO GRAB A FLEEING FORM. SERENITY HAD ESCAPED THE CLUTCHES OF THE WOMEN AND HAD RAN TO THE STAGE AT EMINSE SPEED. SHE RAN THE STAGE STAIRS AND RAN TO HEERO. SHE STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HEERO AND CAREFULLY WRAPPED HER ARMS AROUND HEERO'S WAIST. HEERO WANTED SO MUCH TO HOLD HER BUT HIS HANDS WERE BOUND IN STRONG ROPE. SERENITY LIFTED HER FACE. HER EYES WERE SHINING WITH TEARS THAT WERE DARING TO FALL ONCE AGAIN. HEERO LEANED HIS HEAD DOWN AS MUCH AS HE COULD. HE MANAGED TO CAPTURE SERENITY'S LIPS IN WHAT WAS GOING TO BE THEIR LAST KISS. THE VILLAGERS BEGAN TO FEEL SORRY FOR THEIR PRINCESS AND MANY BEGAN TO WEEP FROM THE PASSION BEFORE THEM. HEERO BROKE THE KISS. HE DIDN'T WANT THAT BUT IN A WAY HE DID. HE DIDN'T WANT TO REMEBER HER IN TEARS, YET HE WOULD MISS HER KISSES.
DARIEN BEGAN TO PANIC. THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO SIT THERE LIKE A GOOD LITTLE GIRL AND WATCH HIM DIE NOT KISS HIM. HIS PLAN WAS BEING RUINED. HE WANTED THE THRONE OF FRANCE AND HE NEEDED HEERO OUT OF THE WAY. " KILL HIM NOW. HE TOLD HER TO DO THAT. KILL HIM NOW!"
KING JUAQUEZ LOOKED AT DARIEN. DARIEN SEEMED TO BE DEAD ON. ' DARIEN IS ALWAYS RIGHT.' HE THOUGHT. KING JUAQUEZ TOLD THE ENGLISH KNIGHTS TO RETIREVE SERENTIY AND TO SAY THEIR GOODBYES. THEY NODDED AND WALKED TO THE STAGE TO HEERO. " BYE MY FRIEND." SAID JOHNSON. " SEE YOU IN HEAVEN." SAID BRADLY IN A SOFT VOICE. " BE GOOD FOR GOD YOU OL' WINDBAG." SAID ELLIOTT HIS FACE BLOTHCY. " BYE MY FRIEND. WE'LL MISS YOU. DON'T FORGET US IN HEAVEN." SAID JAMES. SHA'RIE WADDLED UP TO HEERO WANTING TO SAY HER GOODBYES EVEN THOUGH THE KING DIDN'T SAY SHE COULD. " WOW, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY BYE." SHA'RIE BEGAN. " I MEAN, YOU TWO WERE DESTINED, I NEVER THOUGHT..." SHE SIGHED. " YOU WILL ALWAYS BE LIKE MY BROTHER, HEERO. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU." SHA'RIE TURNED BUT HEERO CALLED HER BACK. " WATCH OVER SERENTIY FOR ME." HE SAID. SHA'RIE NODDED WIPING AWAY STRAY TEARS. " DON'T STOP TALKING PROPERLY EITHER." HEERO ADDED IN A SEMI-PLAYFUL MANNER. HEERO LOOKED TO SERENITY. " LET GO." SERENITY CRIED AND BURIED HER HEAD IN HEERO'S CHEST. " LET GO, LOVE, I WILL BE FINE." HEERO SAID CANJOLINGLY. JAMES CAME FORWARD AND MADE SERENITY RELEASE HEERO. HE PUT HER OVER HIS SHOULDER AND CARRIED HER BACK, SERENITY'S ARMS FLAILING. HE SAT SERENITY GENTLY ON HER THRONE, HOLDING HER SHOULDERS TO KEEP HER THERE. " LEAVE HIM BE!" YELLED SEVERAL VILLAGERS. " DON'T KILL HIM! LEAVE HIM BE! HE IS JUST A MAN IN LOVE! LEAVE HIM!" SERENITY LOOKED OUT AMONG HER SUBJECTS. SHE WATCHED AS MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN CRIED FOR HEERO.
WIND BEGAN TO BLOW SIGNALING AN EARLY STORM. KING JUAQUEZ LIFTED HIS HAND. SERENITY AND LADY AUGUSTA STARTED TO SCREAM BUT JAMES AND PIERRE COVERED THEIR MOUTHS. THE UNDERTAKER PUT HIS FOOT ON THE STOOL AND BEGAN TO WIGGLE IT, LETTING HEERO KNOW TO TAKE HIS LAST BREATH. KING JUAQUEZ SLAMMED HIS HAND ON THE RAIL. THE UNDERTAKER PUSHED THE STOOL OUT FROM UNDER HEERO. HEERO FELL AND HIS LEGS FELL THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE GALLOW. HEERO STRUGGLED TO GET AS MUCH AIR AS HE COULD BUT THE ROPE HAD CUT OFF HIS WINDPIPE. HE KICKED, CHOKED, AND GAGGED AT THE SAME TIME AS AIR SEEPED OUT OF HIM. HEERO'S EYES BEGAN TO TURN RED FROM THE LACK OF OXYGEN. HEERO LOOKED AT SERENITY'S FACE. HE IMAGINED FOR A SECOND OF ALL THE THINGS THEY DID TOGETHER. CHOKING AND SPUTTERING CAME FROM HEERO AS HE STILL KICKED. A MINUTE PASSED, THEN ANOTHER, THEN ANOTHER. AFTER FIVE MINUTES HEERO'S BODY WAS SWINGING LIFELESS. NO AFTERMATH TWITCHING JUST DEAD. ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES PASSED. A DOCTOR CAME AND CHECKED HEERO'S PULSE AFTER THEY HAD CUT HIM DOWN. " DEAD!" HE ANNOUNCED.
QUEEN MARIANNETTE SAT WITH HER TEARS OF PAIN. NOTHING SO TRAGIC HAD EVER RACKED HER HEART. SHE TURNED TO SERENITY. SERENITY SAT THERE, HER EYES GLAZED OVER, HER FACE BLANK. JAMES STILL HAD HIS HAND OVER HER MOUTH. QUEEN MARRIANNETTE SHUDDERED. HER DAUGHTER JUST DIED ALONG WITH HEERO.
" AS TO FURTHER TORMENT SIR HEERO YUY'S BODY, WE WILL TIE HIM TO THE BACK OF HORSES TO BE DRAGGED OF TO THE CEMETERY." SAID DARIEN HAPPINESS IN HIS VOICE. AS PROMISED, MEN HITCHED HEERO'S BODY TO THE BACK OF HORSES. AFTER THAT WAS DONE, DARIEN SLAPPED THE HORSES REAR TO MAKE THEM MOVE WITH HEERO'S BODY DRAGGING LIFELESS BEHIND THEM.
SERENITY STOOD AS IF TO LEAVE. SHE TURNED AND SLAPPED HER FATHER HARD IN THE FACE LEAVING A RED MARK. " YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID DO YOU." SERENITY STATED. " YOU JUST KILLED MY FIANCEE. MY CHILD'S FATHER. YOU BASTARD." SERENITY TURNED TO DARIEN. HIS SMIRK CAME OFF HIS FACE. " YOU RAT BASTARD. YOU DIRTY LITTLE BASTARD." SERENITY STEPPED FOREWARD TO LEAVE. " GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY." SHE SNARLED TO DARIEN. SCARED, DARIEN MOVED ALLOWING SERENITY TO RETURN TO THE CASTLE ALONE AND DEAD. HEERO'S HANGING WAS AN EVENT FOR THE BOOKS AND WOULD NOT SOON BE FORGOTTEN OR THAT'S HOW SERENTIY HOPED IT WOULD BE. SERENITY LAID ON HER BACK PATTING HER STOMACH LIGHTLY. HER FATHER DID THE UNTHINKABLE. DID THE MEANEST OF MEAN. HE WAS A KILLER. COLD BLOODED KILLER. " I'M GOING TO GET BACK AT YOU THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW. THEN, FATHER, YOU WILL BE SORRY."
SEVERAL VILLAGE GIRLS WERE TALKING FEVERISHLY OVER THE EVENTS THE OTHER DAY. THEY SMILED WHEN IT WAS APPROPRIATE SIGHED WHEN IT WAS SAD. THE GIRLS WALKED BY THE GALLOWS AT A SLOW PACE. ONE OF THE GIRS TURNED AND WHEN SHE DID SHE SCREAMED. THE OTHER GIRLS TURNED TO HER. THEY SAW WHAT SHE HAD SEEN. NINE PEOPLE WERE HANGING, APPARENTLY DEAD. " THE PRINCESS! GIRLS COME! WE MUST TELL THE KING!" THE GIRLS IN A PANIC RAN TO THE CASTLE.
IT WASN'T MUCH LATER THAT NEWS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY OF FRANCE THAT THE PRINCESS, THE QUEEN, A SERVANT GIRL, HEERO'S PARENTS, AND THE ENGLISH KNIGHTS HAD HUNG THEMSELVES. KING JUAQUEZ WAS IN SHOCK. NOT ONLY WAS HEERO DEAD NOW, HIS FAMILY WAS ASWELL. KING JUAQUEZ CALLED FOR AN INSPECTOR ALTHOUGH HE KNEW WHY THEY DID IT. THE INSPECTOR ARRIVED, HIS BLONDE HAIR BLOWING IN THE WIND. HE WALKED BRISKLY TO THE KING AND BOWED DEEPLY. THE INSPECTOR TURNED TO LOOK AT THE NOW EMPTY GALLOWS. " TRAGIC. TRAGIC. SUICIDE MY KING. HORRIBLE. NOTHING I CAN DO. WELL MAYBE..." HE TRAILED OFF. " I'LL BE BACK. I NEED TO LOOK AT THE BODIES." THE INSPECTOR DISAPPEARED INTO THE CHURCH.
" MY KING, MY KING! SIRE, SIR HEERO YUY'S BODY IS MISSING SIRE! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!" CRIED THE UNDERTAKER AND HIS ASSISTANT. THE KING GROWLED. " FOOTPRINTS?" " NONE SIRE. IT'S AS IF HE VANISHED INTO THIN AIR." THEY HEARD LAUGHING BEHIND THEM. " DISAPPEARED? VANISHED? HE WENT NOWHERE! YOU PROBABLY MISPLACED HIS BODY, I KNOW I WOULD HAVE." SNEARED DARIEN. " SEARCH AGAIN. BODYS JUST DON'T GET UP AND WALK AWAY."
THE INSPECTOR CLOSED THE DOOR TO THE OPEN WAKE ROOM. HE WALKED UP TO THE PRINCESS AND SIGHED. "WHAT A WAY TO DIE. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE." HE WALKED UP TO THE PRINCESS. THE INSPECTOR LOOKED AROUND. HE THEN PLACED HIS HANDS ON EITHER SIDE OF HER FACE. AS IF BY MAGIC SERENITY AWOKE.SHE WAS SOON JOINED BY THE OTHERS. "HAVE A NICE SLEEP? I HOPE YOU DID." SAID HEERO AS HE PULLED OFF THE INSPECTOR WIG AND CLOTHES TO REVEAL A WHITE SHIRT WITH BLACK PANTS. " GOOD JOB WITH IMPERSONATING ME HEERO. YOU WERE GREAT." COMPLIMENTED THE REAL INSPECTOR. THE INSPECTOR HANDED EACH PERSON A MONK ROBE. THEY PULLED THEIR HOODS OVER THEIR HEADS AND PAIRED UP WITH SOMEONE. ALL TEN WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM HUMMING AS IF THEY HAD BEEN PRAYING. THEY WALKED THROUGH TOWN HUMMING AND WALKING IN STRIDES. THEY KEPT THEIR HEADS DOWN AND NEVER TALKED.THE ESCAPE HAD WORKED. ONCE OUTSIDE THE TOWN'S WALL THEY WERE ABLE TO TALK TO A MINIMUM. THEY HAD A LONG WAY TO WALK TO GET TO THE YUY MANSION BUT THEY KEPT LOW. LORD PIERRE DECIDED TO TALK. " I'M TIRED OF HUMMING." HE SAID LOUDLY. SERENITY STOPPED THE REST FOLLOWING. " SILENCE IS GOLDEN BROTHEREN." SHE HISSED. THEY BEGAN TO WALK ONCE AGAIN. TWO-MILES LATER BRADLEY DECIDED TO TRY HIS LUCK AT TALKING. " CAN WE STOP FOR SOME WINE?" HEERO STOPPED. " SILENCE IS GOLDEN MY BROTHEREN." HEERO SAID, REPEATING SERENITY'S WORDS. " NOT THAT MUCH FARTHER. JUST TWO MILES MORE." LADY AUGUSTA WHISPERED. " BUT I'M THIRSTY!" BRADLEY GROANED. SERENITY STOPPED. " DAMNIT BRADLEY. I SAID SILENCE IS GOLDEN BROTHEREN SO DAMNIT, SHUT THE HELL UP!" SERENITY SAID. " I LIKE HER." SAID AUGUSTA AND PIERRE IN UNISON. " NICE CHOICE SON, NICE CHOICE."
DARIEN SAT NEXT TO THE KING. HIS HEAD WAS DOWN. HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. HIS PLAN WAS FLAWLESS. IF IT WAS FLAWLESS, WHY WAS IN SHAMBLES? SERENITY WAS DEAD SLASH MISSING. SOON AFTER HEERO'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED MISSING, SERENITY AND THE OTHERS BODIES WERE MISSING. WERE PEOPLE PLAYING A JOKE? OR WAS HEERO, SERENITY AND THE OTHERS REALLY ALIVE, ROAMING THE STREET SLOWLY GATHERING AN ARMY. DARIEN SIGHED. HIS PLAN WAS RUINED. BUT HE STILL HAD ONE MORE PLAN. DARIEN RAISED FROM HIS SEAT AND HEADED TO HIS ROOM. HE SAT DOWN AND BROUGHT OUT A QUIL AND PARCHMENT. HE BEGAN TO WRITE THE WORDS, " WE ARE AT WAR AGAINST FRANCE."
THE EIGHT REACHED THE GATE. PIERRE WALKED TO THE GATE AND PLACED THE KEY INSIDE THE RUSTED GATE. IT CREAKED OPEN AND EVERYONE SLIPPED BY INTO THE COURTYARD OF THE MANSION. THE MANSION WAS A GREAT SIZE AND SERENITY HAD TO TIP HER HEAD BACK TO LOOK TO THE TOP. " COME INTO THE FOYER." PIERRE SAID. PATTING WAS HEARD IN THE EMPTY HALLS. " THIS IS YOUR HOME?" ASKED SERENITY. " THIS IS OUR HOME." HEERO SAID GENTLY CORRECTING HER. SERENITY SMILED AT HEERO. SHE YAWNED. " ARE YOU TIRED SERENITY?" HEERO ASKED. " YES." SHE SAID PUTTING A HAND OVER HER MOUTH AS SHE YAWNED AGAIN. " LET US GIVE HER A BATH." SAID SHA'RIE AND LADY AGUSTA. HEERO NODDED. " BESIDES, HEERO AND I NEED TO HAVE A TALK." SAID LORD PIERRE. PIERRE AND HEERO SAT IN THE STUDY. PIERRE WAS ASKING HEERO QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE HAD FAIRED IN ENGLAND AND HOW HE AND SERENITY ENDED UP IN THIS SITUATION. " FIRST THINGS FIRST. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT?" HEERO ASKED. " SHA'RIE LOCATED US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND TOLD US WHAT HAD HAPPEDED. THEN SHE SENT US A LETTER. THE LETTER WAS VERY DESCRIPTIVE OF THE FALSE HAINESS CRIMES THAT YOU COMMITED. ON TO OTHER THINGS. HOW DID YOU AND SERENITY GET INVOLED AS YOU BOTH DID?" HEERO SIGHED HEAVILY. "ONE NIGHT I HAD GONE TO SEE SERENITY BECAUSE I HADN'T SEEN HER ALL DAY LONG BECAUSE OF RAIN. I CAME IN HER ROOM LATE AT NIGHT WET TO THE MARROW. ONE THING LEAD TO ANOTHER." HEERO EXPLAINED HIS CHEEKS BECOMING SLIGHTLY PINK. PIERRE LAUGHED. "MY SON HAS FINALLY BECOME A MAN!"
LADY AUGUSTA AND SHA'RIE WERE HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES BATHING SERENITY. LADY AUGUSTA KEPT PATTING SERENITY'S GROWING STOMACH. " IT BETTER BE A GIRL. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF BOYS, MEN AND THEIR TROUBLE CAUSING LIVES." SERENITY GIGGLED. "NAH. HAS TO BE A BOY." SHA'RIE SAID RUBBING SERENITY'S BACK WITH HER HANDS. " HEERO WANTS TWINS. I WOULDN'T MIND IF WE HAVE TWINS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING. I ALWAYS WANTED A BIG FAMILY." SAID SERENITY. LADY AUGUSTA LAUGHED. " YOU WILL HAVE A LARGE FAMILY IF YOU KEEP UP WITH WHAT YOU BOTH ARE DOING." " HEY!" CRIED SERENITY AS SHE SPLASHED BOTH WOMEN WITH WATER.
" BULLSEYE!" " YOUR STILL OFF." " NO I'M NOT." " YEA YOU ARE." "DRAT." JOHNSON SLAMMED DOWN THE BOW. " NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY I STILL CAN'T MAKE A BULLSEYE." ELLIOTT CHUCKLED. " SERENITY AND HEERO CAN." "YEA WELL SERENITY GOT TRAINING FROM HEERO THATS WHY." JAMES LAUGHED. " SHE'S STILL BETTER THAN YOU EVEN WITHOUT TRAINING." JOHNSON GROWLED. " JAMES, ENCOURAGEMENT, ENCOURAGEMENT."
DARIEN HURRIED QUICKLY TO THE SHORE BY HORSE. HE HELD HIS MESSAGE FIRMLY IN HIS HAND. DARIEN SLOWED WHEN HE SAW A SMALL BOAT CONTAINING A ENGLISH PRIEST. THE PRIEST STEPPED OUT SLOWLY, HIS FACE ETCHED WITH WORRY. " MY FRIEND, I FEAR THE WORST." SAID DARIEN. " FRANCE HAS DECLARED WAR ON ENGLAND. THEY THINK IT IS MY FAULT FOR PRINCESS SERENITY'S SUICIDE. THEY BLAME ME." THE PRIEST STEPPED TO DARIEN. HE RESTED HIS OLD HAND ON DARIEN'S BROAD SHOULDER. " MY SON, I WILL GIVE THIS MESSAGE TO THE KING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE WILL COME WITH SEVERAL TROOPS TO DESTROY THIS UNHOLY PLACE." AS THE PRIEST'S BOAT SKIMMED THE WATER TO THE AWAITING SHIP, DARIEN SMIRKED. 'THIS IS PERFECT.' DARIEN THOUGHT.
SERENITY LAID IN HEERO'S ARMS. SHE TURNED JUST A LITTLE BIT, TRYING NOT TO WAKE THE SLEEPING HEERO. SHE TURNED ON HER SIDE LETTING OUT A HEAVY BREATH AS SHE DID SO. SHE PUT A HAND UNDER HER HEAD, TRYING TO MAKE HERSELF COMFORTABLE WHICH WAS VERY HARD TO DO. SHE WAS HUNGRY, TIRED, RESTLESS, AND SHE WANTED TO READ. SERENITY TURNED HER HEAD TO SEE HEERO. SHE DECIDED TO GET UP. FIRST SHE WIGGLED TILL SHE WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE BED. THEN WITH A GENTLE HAND, SHE MOVED HEERO'S ARM. TO MAKE SURE HE WAS GRASPING SOMETHING, SHE MOVED HER PILLOW TO HIS ARM. SHE STROKED HIS FACE. HEERO TOOK A DEEP BREATH IN HIS SLEEP AND PULLED THE PILLOW CLOSER TO HIM. WITH THAT DONE, SERENITY RAISED OUT OF BED. SHE SLIPPED ON HER ROBE AND SLIPPERS. SHE OPENED THE DOOR SILENTLY AND SLIPPED OUT.
SERENITY ENTERED THE HALL THAT WAS LITE BY CANDLES. SHE WALKED TO A TABLE AND TOOK A CANDLE AND A CANDLE HOLDER. SHE LITE THE CANDLE WITH ANOTHER CANDLE AND STUCK IT INTO THE HOLDER. SHE WALKED DOWN SEVERAL CORRIDORS TILL SHE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY. SHE PUSHED OPEN THE HEAVY DOOR. ONCE INSIDE, SERENITY CLOSED THE DOOR. SERENITY LITE A LAMP. SHE WALKED THROUGH SEVERAL SHELVES OF BOOKS HOPING TO FIND THE RIGHT ONE. SHE FINGERED EACH BOOK LOOKING FOR A TITLE THAT WOULD CATCH HER EYE. SERENITY'S EYES LITE UP WHEN SHE SAW A BOOK THAT INTERESTED HER. " YUY FAMILY MEMORIES AND PORTRAITS." SERENITY PICKED UP THE BOOK AND TREKKED OVER TO A LOVE SEAT. SHE OPENED THE BOOK AND AUTOMATICALLY SMILED. A FAMILY PORTRAIT MET HER EYES. IN THE BACK STOOD WHO MUST HAVE BEEN HEERO'S GRANDFATHER. NEXT TO HIM STOOD HEERO'S GRANDMOTHER. THE SECOND LINE HELD HEERO'S TWO UNCLES AND THEIR WIVES. SERENITY PAUSED SO SHE COULD UNFOLD THE PAPER SO SHE COULD SEE THE WHOLE PORTRAIT. THE THIRD LINE HELD HEERO'S MOTHER AND FATHER WITH ANOTHER MAN WHO MUST HAVE BEEN HEERO'S OLDER BROTHER. THE LAST LINE HAD HEERO HIMSELF WITH TWO GIRLS, ONE OF WHOM LOOKED THE AGE OF TEN AND THE OTHER LOOKED THE AGE OF THREE. HEERO LOOKED THE AGE OF ELEVEN.
" NICE PICTURE." SERENITY SQUEAKED. SHE TURNED TO SEE LADY AUGUSTA IN HER NIGHT CLOTHES. LADY AUGUSTA ROUNDED THE SEAT TO SIT NEXT TO SERENITY." THAT'S HEERO'S OLDER BROTHER ALAN. THEN HIS TWO SISTERS, ALEXA WHO WAS NINE AND MARY, SHE WAS FIVE. THEY DIED WHEN HEERO WAS ELEVEN. ALAN, AND ALEXA OF YELLOW FEVER. MARY WAS TRAMPLED BY A COACH OF HORSES IN THE MARKET PLACE IN THE KINGDOM. HEERO WENT THROUGH A PERIOD WHERE HE WOULDN'T EAT OR TALK. IT KILLED HIM ON THE INSIDE. "LADY AUGUSTA PUT THE PICTURE IN IT'S RIGHTFULL PLACE. SHE FLIPPED THE PAGE. "THIS IS THE DAY WHEN WE SENT HEERO TO ENGLAND. HE WAS SO SAD. HE WAS SO SMALL. "SERENITY TURNED. " WHEN DID YOU SEND HEERO TO ENGLAND?" LADY AUGUSTA SIGHED. " YEARS AGO, WHEN HE WAS ELEVEN. A FEW DAYS AFTER MARY DIED. WE DECIDED THEN THAT HE HAD TO LEAVE AND GET AWAY FROM ALL THIS HORRIBLE MESS, YET WHEN HE MEETS YOU, HE GETS IN TROUBLE." LADY AUGUSTA SMILED. "HE MEETS YOU AND HE FINALLY COMES OUT OF HIS SHELL. YOU GIVE HIM HAPPINESS. HE COULDN'T BEAR TO DIE AND HAVE YOU LIVE ALONE. SO HE DEVISED THIS PLAN. MY SON IS VERY SMART AND STRATEGIC AS YOU HAVE ALREADY NOTICED." LADY AUGUSTA SMILED AGAIN. "EVERYTIME HEERO COMES HOME, HE ALWAYS GOES AND VISITS HIS BROTHER AND SISTERS. HE MISSES THEM SO. YOUR LOVE IS FILLING IN THOSE SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN EMPTY FOR SO LONG. I'M HAPPY THAT HE IS HAPPY."
SERENITY WALKED TO HER MOTHER'S ROOM. SHE KNOCKED TWICE THEN ENTERED. HER MOTHER SAT UP IN HER BED. SERENITY STOOD AT THE CLOSED DOOR. QUEEN MARIANETTE HELD OUT HER ARMS. SERENITY CLIMBED INTO BED NEXT TO HER MOTHER. QUEEN MARIANETTE PULLED UP THE COVERS ON BOTH OF THEM. " YOU USED TO CLIMB INTO BED WITH ME WHEN YOU WERE SCARED OR WORRIED. WHAT'S WRONG?" SERENITY GRINNED. " NOTHING. I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING IN THE LIBRARY. IT WAS HEERO'S FAMILY PORTRAIT. HE WAS ELEVEN WHEN IT WAS DONE. HE HAD A BROTHER AND TWO SISTERS. THEY ALL ARE DEAD. I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM." SERENITY SAID WHILE SNUGGLING CLOSER TO HER MOTHER. QUEEN MARIANETTE PUT A COMFORTINING ARM AROUND HER DAUGHTER. " DON'T WORRY, WE WILL ALL GET THROUGH IT ALL."
HEERO WOKE UP FROM HIS PEACEFUL SLEEP. HE LOOKED DOWN AT SERENITY'S PILLOW. HEERO BOLTED UPRIGHT. " SERENA? SERNEA WHERE ARE YOU?" HEERO GATHERED CLOTHES AND RAN OUT INTO THE HALL. HE PASSED BY A WINDOW. THE SUN WAS JUST NOW COMING UP. HEERO RAN DOWN TO THE KITCHEN ON THE SECOND FLOOR. HE RAN INTO SHA'RIE, LITERALLY. " OH SORRY SHA'RIE. I DIDN'T MEAN TO. HAVE YOU SEEN SERENITY?" SHA'RIE NODDED. " SHE'S OUTSIDE WAITING FOR YOU. THE KNIGHTS ASWELL. YOU CAN COME WITH ME; I'M GOING OUT THERE. THE QUEEN AND YOUR PARENTS ARE OUTSIDE TOO." SHA'RIE GIGGLED AT HEERO'S SHOCKED EXPRESSION BUT FOLLOWED HER NONE THE LESS.
HEERO WALKED OUTSIDE TO SEE SERENITY SITTING IN A FIELD PICKING FLOWERS LIKE A SMALL CHILD. HEERO PASSED SHA'RIE IN A RUN TO GET TO SERENITY. ONCE HE REACHED HER, HE SLOWED DOWN TO A WALK. HE SAT NEXT TO SERENITY. " WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" HEERO ASKED. SERENITY LOOKED UP AT HIM. SHE HANDED HALF OF THE FLOWERS TO HEERO. " HELP ME UP." SERENITY SAID. AS TOLD, HEERO HELPED SERENITY UP. SERENITY WHISTELED TO EVERYONE. THEY LOOKED UP AND BEGAN TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO HER. SERENITY TOOK HEERO'S FREE HAND AND LEAD HIM TO HIS OWN BROTHER AND SISTERS GRAVES. EVERYONE LINED UP IN A LINE BESIDE THEM, SIDE-BY-SIDE.
" PUT YOUR FLOWERS NEXT TO THE GRAVE."SERENITY SAID. HEERO LOOKED DOWN AT THE FLOWERS IN HIS HAND. HE NODDED. HEERO STEPPED FORWARD. HE PLACED HIS FLOWERS ON THE GRAVE AND STEPPED BACK. SERENITY STEPPED FORWARD AND DID THE SAME. ONCE EVERYONE HAD SET THEIR FLOWERS ON THE GRAVES THEY HEADED BACK TO THE MANSION. HEERO PULLED SERENITY ASIDE. " THANKS. I NEEDED THAT." HEERO STOPPED. " COME ON."
HEERO CLOSED THE DOOR TO HIS ROOM. SERENITY SAT ON THE BED IN HER USUAL POSITION, CROSSLEGGED. HEERO LAID NEXT OT HER, HIS HAND BEHIND HIS HEAD. " DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY DIED?" HEERO ASKED. " YOUR MOTHER TOLD ME." SERENITY SAID. " NO. I MEAN WHAT HAPPENED. I'LL BEGIN WITH MARY. MOTHER, FATHER, MARY, AND MYSELF WERE ALL IN THE KINGDOM MARKET. MARY AND I WERE PLAYING. THEN MOTHER WANTED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AND SHE TOLD ME TO WATCH MARY WHILE SHE WAS GONE. AFTER A WHILE, I GOT BORED WITH WATCHING MARY. I SAW A FRIEND OF MINE ACROSS THE WAY. I LEFT MARY ALONE TO SEE HIM. I CAME BACK WITH MY FRIEND'S SISTER SO SHE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH. IT WAS A VERY BIG MISTAKE. I LEFT. THE GIRL THEN STARTED TO FLIRT WITH SEVERAL GUYS AND SOON STARTED TO FORGET ABOUT MARY. MARY SAW ME HAVING FUN WITH MY FRIEND AND SHE WANTED TO COME OVER. SHE STARTED TO CROSS THE ROAD. A COACH THAT WAS BEING DRIVEN BY A DRUNKEN MAN WAS SPEEDING TOWARDS HER. I SAW IT COMING. PEOPLE STARTED YELLING ABOUT HER. I RAN AS FAST AS I COULD TO GET TO HER. THE LAST THING I REMEMBER BEFORE THAT HAPPENED WAS MARY SMILING AT ME THINKING I WAS COMING TO GET HER." HEERO ROLLED ON HIS SIDE. " IT WAS MY FAULT SHE DIED. IF I HAD JUST DONE WHAT MOTHER TOLD ME TO DO, MARY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE." HEERO STOPPED AND SNIFFED A FEW TIMES. SERENITY LAID NEXT TO HEERO. " IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT. IT WAS THAT BOY'S SISTER.YOU GAVE HER A RESPONIBILITY AND SHE DIDN'T DO IT."
HEERO ROLLED AROUND AND TOOK SERENITY INTO HIS ARMS. "ALAN AND ALEXA DIED OF YELLOW FEVER. MARY AND I WERE LUCKY. WE WERE SENT AWAY TO LIVE WITH MY UNCLE THOMAS AND HIS WIFE CLARA. ALEXA WAS GOING TO TURN ELEVEN THE NEXT WEEK. ALAN WAS FIFTEEN. HE HAD SO MUCH GOING FOR HIM. HE WANTED TO BECOME A KNIGHT OF THE FRENCH ORDER." SERENITY SIGHED A HEAVY SIGH. "THAT'S WHY YOU BECAME A KNIGHT." SERENITY COULD FEEL HEERO NODDING HIS HEAD. " HEERO, YOU HAD SO MUCH PAIN WHEN YOU WERE SUCH A SMALL BOY WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED. HEERO, I'M SO SORRY. I WISH I COULD MAKE UP FOR ALL THOSE YEARS THAT YOU WERE IN PAIN." SERENITY SNIFFLED AND ALMOST CRIED. " YOU ARE MAKING UP FOR IT. I HAVEN'T FELT ANYTING CLOSE TO WHAT I'M FEELING WITH YOU SINCE MARY DIED. FOR THE FIRST TIME I FEEL HAPPINESS. I THANK YOU FOR THAT."
SHA'RIE AND JAMES LEANED AGAINST THE DOOR WHEN HEERO TOLD SERNEITY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AS A CHILD. SHA'RIE WAS IN TEARS. SHE NEVER HEARD SOMETHING SO TOUCHING YET SO SAD. JAMES GATHERED SHA'RIE IN HIS ARMS; HE SLOWLY STROKED HER BLACK HAIR. " BE HAPPY. HEERO HAS FINALLY OPENED UP TO SOMEONE."
DARIEN CAME INTO THE DINING HALL. IT WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR A FEW MAIDS AND COOKS. DARIEN WALKED OUT. AS HE WAS GOING TO ROUND THE CORNER, HE HEARD THE SERVENT TALKING. " I THINK THE KNIGHT DESERVED TO BE WITH THE PRINCESS. THEY ARE SO PERFECT TOGETHER." SAID A GRUFF VOICE OF A COOK. " YES, I HOPE THEY GET AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE." AGREED A LITTLE MAID. DARIEN GROWLED. AFTER A MINUTE OF SCOWLS, HE SMIRKED. ' THE LETTER MUST BE IN MY FATHER'S HANDS.'
A MESSANGER RAN INTO THE THRONE ROOM OF KING STEPHEN OF ENGLAND. KING STEPHEN LOOKED SUPRISED OF THE SUDDEN INTRUSION. " A MESSAGE FORM FRANCE FROM PRINCE DARIEN." SAID THE OUT OF BREATH MESSANGER. THE KING TOOK THE LETTER AND TORE IT OPEN. HIS EYES WIDENED WITH ANGER. " RALLY THE TROOPS! FRANCE WANTS A WAR, THEY CAN GET A WAR! I WANT SOLDIERS ON EVERY H.M.S. THAT THEY CAN FIT MEN ONTO! NOW!"
"PAPER LORD PIERRE YUY! URGENT THAT EVERYONE IN FRANCE GETS ONE!" YELLED A LITTLE BOY. LORD PIERRE CAME OUT OF THE MANSION. THE BOY GAVE PIERRE A PAPER THEN RAN OFF TO GIVE MORE PEOPLE THE IMPORTANT NEWS. PIERRE OPENED THE FOLDED PAPER. HE READ IT SLOWLY. HIS EYES WIDENED. " AUGUSTA!"
" FRANCE AT WAR WITH ENGLAND? WHY?" SERNITY ASKED. "MASON WANTS THE THRONE TO FRANCE. THE ONLY WAY OF DOING THAT IS..." HEERO TRAILED OFF." TO GET RID OF ANYONE WHO STOOD IN THE WAY OF SERENITY. " JAMES FINISHED. " THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO GET RID OF HEERO. AND ANYONE WHO WOULD FIND OUT HIS PLAN." SAID SHA'RIE. " THAT'S WHY HE LIED. THAT'S WHY HE PANICED WHEN HE THOUGHT HIS PLAN WAS GOING TO BE EXPOSED." SAID JOHNSON. " RAT BASTARD." SERENITY SAID UNDER HER BREATH. " I HAVE AN IDEA. WHILE THE ENGLISH TROOPS ARE ON THEIR WAY, WE GO BACK AND START TO RALLY CITIZENS THAT WE SEE ON THE WAY. WE TRAIN THEM TO KILL. WE WILL PROVE ENGLAND WRONG." SAID SERENITY WITH DETERMINATION. "WHEN DO WE LEAVE?" HEERO ASKED. " TONIGHT. DEAD OF NIGHT. SHA'RIE, GET THE CLOAKS, HEERO, MOTHER, GATHER FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY. AUGUSTA, PIERRE GATHER WEAPONS. HEERO WHEN YOUR DONE WITH THE FOOD, YOU HELP WITH WEAPONS. KNIGHTS, SEND LETTERS BY BIRDS ABOUT HOUSING. THE BIRDS WILL KNOW HOW TO GET THERE, I HOPE. TELL THEM HOW MANY OF US THERE ARE." SERENITY SAID GIVING INSTRUCTIONS. " WHAT WILL YOU DO?" HEERO ASKED. " I WILL FIRST GO THROWUP THEN I WILL GET CLOTHES. PACK SMALL, ONLY THINGS YOU CAN CARRY. ONCE WE ARE DONE WITH OUR PARTS, START HIDING THINGS. SILVERWARE, VASES, PLATES, EVERYTHING. WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS PLACE LOOK LIKE IT HAS BEEN ABANDONED AND RAVAGED. HOP TO IT!"
" ARE WE READY?" SERENITY ASKED. " YES." CHORUSED EIGHT VOICES. SERENITY NODDED AND SURVEYED THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF THE MANSION. IT CERTAINLY LOOKED ABANDONED. CURTAINS WERE SHREDDED AND SOME DISHES WERE BROKEN ON THE GROUND. YES, IT LOOKED ABANDONED. " LET'S GET GOING."
THE GROUP WALKED IN A BLOB INSTEAD OF TWO PARALLEL LINES. THEY TALKED LIGHTLY, STRAINING THEIR EARS TO HEAR ANY UNUSUAL SOUNDS. THEY WALKED UNTIL THEY CAME TOWN CALLED CINNA. THEY WALKED UP TO THE GATE AND KNOCKED FOUR TIMES IN A CERTAIN MANNER. THE GATE CREEPED OPEN. " PASSWORD." "REBELLION." THE VOICE HESITATED. " PROOF THAT WHO YOU SAY YOU SAY YOU ARE." SERENITY STUCK HER HAND INTO THE GATE TO SHOW THE ROYAL RING. "COME IN."
THE GROUP ENTERED THE GATES. ALL OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE WERE GATHERED INTO THE TOWN SQUARE. THE ELDER OF THE VILLAGE CAME TO A STAGE. " SHE CLAIMS TO BE PRINCESS SERENITY. THE PRINCESS WHO WILL LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST ENGLAND. COME HERE CHILD." SERENITY LEFT THE GROUP TO THE STAGE. " IF YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE, YOU MUST HAVE THE ROYAL BIRTHMARK. CHILD, LIFT YOUR SKIRTS TO SHOW YOUR HIP." SERENITY LIFTED HER SKIRTS AS SHE WAS TOLD. MANY PEOPLE GASPED. SERENITY HAD A SMALL CRESTENT MOON ON HER SKIN. YOU COULD NOT TELL IF IT HAD BEEN BURNED ONTO HER SKIN, OR THAT SHE HAD BEEN BORN THAT WAY.
ALL OF THE TOWN PROCEEDED TO GET DOWN ON THEIR KNEES AND PUT THEIR HEADS DOWN ON THE GROUND. SERENITY SMILED TO THE GASPING PEOPLE. " PLEASE STAND. WE JUST WANT A FAVOR." A TOWNSWOMAN STEPPED FORWARD. " SERENITY, WHAT IS IT? WE ARE YOUR LOYAL SERVANTS." SERENITY SMILED AT THE WOMAN. " WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO ROOM." THE WOMAN'S EYES SHINNED. " OF COARSE. I WILL ROOM YOU. THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE INN. COME WITH ME." SERENITY SMILED KINDLY AT THE SMALL WOMAN. SHE STEPPED DOWN FROM THE STAGE AND PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE GROUP TO THE "CINNA INN".
"I HOPE THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM." QUEEN MARIANNETT SAID. " OH NO PROBLEM. WHEN WE RECIEVED WORD OF YOUR ARRIVAL, I TIDIED UP THE PLACE. BY THE WAY, MY NAME FELICIA. FELICIA KAEDENCE BORDEUX." THE WOMAN BOWED DEEPLY. " HOW MANY TOWNS KNOW OF OUR IDEA?" HEERO ASKED. FELICIA SET HER BAG OF GROCERIES ON THE TABLE. " OH, ALL THE TOWNS IN FRANCE. EVERSENSE THE PROCLAMATION OF WAR, EVERYONE'S BEEN WAITING ON A LETTER FROM THEIR PRINCESS. THEY KNEW YOU WEREN'T DEAD. THEY REALIZED THAT AND MANY TOWNS HAVE BEGAN TRAINING." JAMES CHUCKLED. " NEWS TRAVELS FAST." HE SAID. LORD PIERRE NODDED IN AGREEMENT. " TO BE HONEST, IT'S ABOUT TIME. EVERYONE WAS WAITING ON A MOVE FROM THE KING BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE BUT WHAT SHIT. BUT ATLEAST WE HAVE A LEADER- YOU PRINCESS SERENITY." SERENITY BLUSHED. " IT'S NOTHING REALLY. NOTHING AT ALL."
FELICIA WALKED TO A SMALLER TABLE AND GRABBED A ROLLED UP NEWSPAPER. " YOU SHOULD READ THIS." HEERO TOOK THE PAPER AND BEGAN TO READ THE PAPER ALOUD. " ATTENTION ALL CITIZENS OF FRANCE. IT HAS RECENTLY COME TO THE KING THAT THE BRITISH SOILDERS WILL BE ROOMING IN FRENCH CITIZENS HOUSES. THERE IS NOT A CHOICE IN THIS MATTER. ALL TOWNMEETINGS MUST NOW BE CANCLLED. THERE WILL BE ATLEAST FIVE BRITISH SOILDERS FOR EVERY HOUSE. EVERYONE WILL ATTEND CHURCH PROMPTLY AT TEN IN THE MORNING. NO MORE RELIGIOUS PREACHING AFTER ELEVEN. CURFEW WILL BE AT NINE IN THE EVENING. ANY PERSON OR PERSONS FOUND WANDERING THE STREETS AFTER CURFEW WILL BE PUNISHED.IF THESE DEMANDS ARE NOT MET, THAT PERSON OR PERSONS WILL BE PUNISHED SEVERLY, STATED BY THE KING." HEERO STOPPED READING. " WHAT THE HELL? FRANCE HAS SUDDENLY TURNED INTO A PRISON."SAID LORD PIERRE. " WHY ARE THEY PUTTING BRTISH SOLDIERS IN FRENCH HOUSES? THIS IS WAR NOT A VACATION PLACE." PIERRE ASKED IN ALMOST UNCONTROLABLE RAGE. FELEICIA LAUGHED DRYLY. " IT GETS WORSE. IF WE DON'T FOLLOW BRITISH RULES WHILE THE SOLDIERS ARE HERE, WE ARE IMMIDIATLY SENT TO THE GALLOWS. WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THEY TELL US. IF THEY WANT BEER, GIVE 'EM BEER. IF THEY WANT YOUR SHIRT, GIVE IT TO 'EM. IF THEY WANT SEX, DAMNIT LADIES, YOU BETTER STRIP." SAID FELICIA.
SERENITYS KNUCKLES WENT WHITE. " FELICIA, GO TO EVERY HOUSE IN THE TOWN. TELL THEM TO GO TO SLEEP NOW. TRAINING BEGINS AT MIDNIGHT." SHA'RIE LOOKED AT SERENITY. " MIDNIGHT?" SHE ASKED. "YES MIDNIGHT. DEFEATING THE BRITISH WILL TAKE TRAINING.TRAINING REQUIRES SACRIFICES. WE WILL SPEND EVERY MINUTE TRAINING. IF YOU AREN'T TRAINING, YOU ARE TEACHING ANOTHER THE MOVES. SHA'RIE, AUGUSTA, GO WITH HER." THE THREE WOMEN NODDED AND LEFT INTO THE NIGHT. " I'M NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT." SAID SERENITY.
Dun dun dun! So whaddaya think? I hope you like it. SilverSayian: I wrote this for myself and my friends. That's why its in capitals. Don't worry, that will be over soon. Thanx for the review! Jupiter Angel: Thanx for the review! Hope you like the chapter Moon Smurf: Next chapter wont be in capitals. I hope that makes it easier for you. Thanx for the review!
THE MINISTER GROWLED. THE BOY WAS NOT REPENTING. HE WAS AS STUBBORN AS MULE. THE MINISTER TURNED TO THE ROYALS. "PRINCESS SERENITY, MAKE HIM REPENT." SERENITY TURNED TO HER FATHER.HE NODDED. SERENITY ROSE FROM HER SEAT AND CAME TO THE RAIL. " SIR HEERO, PLEASE REPENT FOR YOUR SINS." SERENITY SAID WITH STRAIN. HEERO SHOOK HIS HEAD. " REPENT FOR YOUR SINS AND YOU SHALL BE FORGIVIN!" HEERO SHOOK HIS HEAD AGAIN. " FOR HEAVENS SANITY AND MINE REPENT! REPENT PLEASE REPENT!" SERENITY SHOUTED. TEARS BEGAN TO SLIDE DOWN SERENITY'S FACE. HEERO SMILED. " I WILL NOT REPENT FOR I HAVE NOT SINNED. DO YOU THINK WE SINNED SERENITY? IF LOVING YOU WAS A SIN THEN I AM SCARED FOR LIFE. I HAVE SINNED IN THEIR EYES BUT WHAT ABOUT IN GOD'S EYES? SERENITY AND I HAVE CREATED SOMTHING SO BEAUTIFL AND WONDEROUS. I WILL NOT REPENT FOR THAT. I WILL REMEMBER THAT THE LAST DAYS WITH YOU, SERENITY, WERE HAPPY ONES. RAISE OUR CHILD WELL. I'LL WATCH YOU FROM HEAVEN." HEERO SAID TEARS THREATING TO FALL.
KING JUAQUEZ MOTIONED FOR HEERO TO BE TIED AND PUT ON A STOOL. THE STOOL WAS OLD AND WIGGLED UNDER HIM. THE UNDERTAKER WAS GOING TO PUT THE TRADITONAL BAG OVER HEERO'S HEAD WHEN HEERO SPOKE OUT. " I WANT TO SEE THE FACE OF MY LOVER AS I DIE.
" SERENITY SANK TO HER KNEES BESIDE THE RAIL. HER MOTHER, LADY AUGUSTA, AND SHA'RIE GATHERED NEXT TO HER FOR SUPPORT BUT WHEN THEY TRIED TO MOVE HER, ALL THEY PULLED WAS DEAD WEIGHT. TEARS STREAMED DOWN ALL THE WOMENS FACES AS THEY WATCHED HEERO WHISPER SOMETHING TO THE UNDERTAKER. THE UNDERTAKER NODDED AND PULLED OUT TWO OBJECTS; ONE WAS A BAG OF FRANCS.
HEERO MOVED HIS FACE IN HIS TIGHT ROPE JUST ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SEE SERENITY. HER EYES WERE SMALL AND FULL OF EMOTION. SHE HAD SEEN HANGINGS BEFORE, BUT THEY USUALLY DIDN'T INVOLVE HER. THE UNDERTAKER TAPPED HEERO'S SHOULDER. HEERO FACED HIM AS MUCH AS HE COULD WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF SERENITY. THE UNDERTAKER HELD A GLASS OF WINE TO HIS LIPS AND TOLD HIM TO DRINK IT ALL. HEERO SIPPED AT THE CUP UNTIL THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT. " THAT IS THE LAST DRINK YOU WILL EVER HAVE." SAID THE UNDERTAKER.
SCREAMS ERUPTED FROM SHA'RIE AS SHE TRIED TO GRAB A FLEEING FORM. SERENITY HAD ESCAPED THE CLUTCHES OF THE WOMEN AND HAD RAN TO THE STAGE AT EMINSE SPEED. SHE RAN THE STAGE STAIRS AND RAN TO HEERO. SHE STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF HEERO AND CAREFULLY WRAPPED HER ARMS AROUND HEERO'S WAIST. HEERO WANTED SO MUCH TO HOLD HER BUT HIS HANDS WERE BOUND IN STRONG ROPE. SERENITY LIFTED HER FACE. HER EYES WERE SHINING WITH TEARS THAT WERE DARING TO FALL ONCE AGAIN. HEERO LEANED HIS HEAD DOWN AS MUCH AS HE COULD. HE MANAGED TO CAPTURE SERENITY'S LIPS IN WHAT WAS GOING TO BE THEIR LAST KISS. THE VILLAGERS BEGAN TO FEEL SORRY FOR THEIR PRINCESS AND MANY BEGAN TO WEEP FROM THE PASSION BEFORE THEM. HEERO BROKE THE KISS. HE DIDN'T WANT THAT BUT IN A WAY HE DID. HE DIDN'T WANT TO REMEBER HER IN TEARS, YET HE WOULD MISS HER KISSES.
DARIEN BEGAN TO PANIC. THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO SIT THERE LIKE A GOOD LITTLE GIRL AND WATCH HIM DIE NOT KISS HIM. HIS PLAN WAS BEING RUINED. HE WANTED THE THRONE OF FRANCE AND HE NEEDED HEERO OUT OF THE WAY. " KILL HIM NOW. HE TOLD HER TO DO THAT. KILL HIM NOW!"
KING JUAQUEZ LOOKED AT DARIEN. DARIEN SEEMED TO BE DEAD ON. ' DARIEN IS ALWAYS RIGHT.' HE THOUGHT. KING JUAQUEZ TOLD THE ENGLISH KNIGHTS TO RETIREVE SERENTIY AND TO SAY THEIR GOODBYES. THEY NODDED AND WALKED TO THE STAGE TO HEERO. " BYE MY FRIEND." SAID JOHNSON. " SEE YOU IN HEAVEN." SAID BRADLY IN A SOFT VOICE. " BE GOOD FOR GOD YOU OL' WINDBAG." SAID ELLIOTT HIS FACE BLOTHCY. " BYE MY FRIEND. WE'LL MISS YOU. DON'T FORGET US IN HEAVEN." SAID JAMES. SHA'RIE WADDLED UP TO HEERO WANTING TO SAY HER GOODBYES EVEN THOUGH THE KING DIDN'T SAY SHE COULD. " WOW, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY BYE." SHA'RIE BEGAN. " I MEAN, YOU TWO WERE DESTINED, I NEVER THOUGHT..." SHE SIGHED. " YOU WILL ALWAYS BE LIKE MY BROTHER, HEERO. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU." SHA'RIE TURNED BUT HEERO CALLED HER BACK. " WATCH OVER SERENTIY FOR ME." HE SAID. SHA'RIE NODDED WIPING AWAY STRAY TEARS. " DON'T STOP TALKING PROPERLY EITHER." HEERO ADDED IN A SEMI-PLAYFUL MANNER. HEERO LOOKED TO SERENITY. " LET GO." SERENITY CRIED AND BURIED HER HEAD IN HEERO'S CHEST. " LET GO, LOVE, I WILL BE FINE." HEERO SAID CANJOLINGLY. JAMES CAME FORWARD AND MADE SERENITY RELEASE HEERO. HE PUT HER OVER HIS SHOULDER AND CARRIED HER BACK, SERENITY'S ARMS FLAILING. HE SAT SERENITY GENTLY ON HER THRONE, HOLDING HER SHOULDERS TO KEEP HER THERE. " LEAVE HIM BE!" YELLED SEVERAL VILLAGERS. " DON'T KILL HIM! LEAVE HIM BE! HE IS JUST A MAN IN LOVE! LEAVE HIM!" SERENITY LOOKED OUT AMONG HER SUBJECTS. SHE WATCHED AS MANY WOMEN AND CHILDREN CRIED FOR HEERO.
WIND BEGAN TO BLOW SIGNALING AN EARLY STORM. KING JUAQUEZ LIFTED HIS HAND. SERENITY AND LADY AUGUSTA STARTED TO SCREAM BUT JAMES AND PIERRE COVERED THEIR MOUTHS. THE UNDERTAKER PUT HIS FOOT ON THE STOOL AND BEGAN TO WIGGLE IT, LETTING HEERO KNOW TO TAKE HIS LAST BREATH. KING JUAQUEZ SLAMMED HIS HAND ON THE RAIL. THE UNDERTAKER PUSHED THE STOOL OUT FROM UNDER HEERO. HEERO FELL AND HIS LEGS FELL THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE GALLOW. HEERO STRUGGLED TO GET AS MUCH AIR AS HE COULD BUT THE ROPE HAD CUT OFF HIS WINDPIPE. HE KICKED, CHOKED, AND GAGGED AT THE SAME TIME AS AIR SEEPED OUT OF HIM. HEERO'S EYES BEGAN TO TURN RED FROM THE LACK OF OXYGEN. HEERO LOOKED AT SERENITY'S FACE. HE IMAGINED FOR A SECOND OF ALL THE THINGS THEY DID TOGETHER. CHOKING AND SPUTTERING CAME FROM HEERO AS HE STILL KICKED. A MINUTE PASSED, THEN ANOTHER, THEN ANOTHER. AFTER FIVE MINUTES HEERO'S BODY WAS SWINGING LIFELESS. NO AFTERMATH TWITCHING JUST DEAD. ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES PASSED. A DOCTOR CAME AND CHECKED HEERO'S PULSE AFTER THEY HAD CUT HIM DOWN. " DEAD!" HE ANNOUNCED.
QUEEN MARIANNETTE SAT WITH HER TEARS OF PAIN. NOTHING SO TRAGIC HAD EVER RACKED HER HEART. SHE TURNED TO SERENITY. SERENITY SAT THERE, HER EYES GLAZED OVER, HER FACE BLANK. JAMES STILL HAD HIS HAND OVER HER MOUTH. QUEEN MARRIANNETTE SHUDDERED. HER DAUGHTER JUST DIED ALONG WITH HEERO.
" AS TO FURTHER TORMENT SIR HEERO YUY'S BODY, WE WILL TIE HIM TO THE BACK OF HORSES TO BE DRAGGED OF TO THE CEMETERY." SAID DARIEN HAPPINESS IN HIS VOICE. AS PROMISED, MEN HITCHED HEERO'S BODY TO THE BACK OF HORSES. AFTER THAT WAS DONE, DARIEN SLAPPED THE HORSES REAR TO MAKE THEM MOVE WITH HEERO'S BODY DRAGGING LIFELESS BEHIND THEM.
SERENITY STOOD AS IF TO LEAVE. SHE TURNED AND SLAPPED HER FATHER HARD IN THE FACE LEAVING A RED MARK. " YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU JUST DID DO YOU." SERENITY STATED. " YOU JUST KILLED MY FIANCEE. MY CHILD'S FATHER. YOU BASTARD." SERENITY TURNED TO DARIEN. HIS SMIRK CAME OFF HIS FACE. " YOU RAT BASTARD. YOU DIRTY LITTLE BASTARD." SERENITY STEPPED FOREWARD TO LEAVE. " GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY." SHE SNARLED TO DARIEN. SCARED, DARIEN MOVED ALLOWING SERENITY TO RETURN TO THE CASTLE ALONE AND DEAD. HEERO'S HANGING WAS AN EVENT FOR THE BOOKS AND WOULD NOT SOON BE FORGOTTEN OR THAT'S HOW SERENTIY HOPED IT WOULD BE. SERENITY LAID ON HER BACK PATTING HER STOMACH LIGHTLY. HER FATHER DID THE UNTHINKABLE. DID THE MEANEST OF MEAN. HE WAS A KILLER. COLD BLOODED KILLER. " I'M GOING TO GET BACK AT YOU THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW. THEN, FATHER, YOU WILL BE SORRY."
SEVERAL VILLAGE GIRLS WERE TALKING FEVERISHLY OVER THE EVENTS THE OTHER DAY. THEY SMILED WHEN IT WAS APPROPRIATE SIGHED WHEN IT WAS SAD. THE GIRLS WALKED BY THE GALLOWS AT A SLOW PACE. ONE OF THE GIRS TURNED AND WHEN SHE DID SHE SCREAMED. THE OTHER GIRLS TURNED TO HER. THEY SAW WHAT SHE HAD SEEN. NINE PEOPLE WERE HANGING, APPARENTLY DEAD. " THE PRINCESS! GIRLS COME! WE MUST TELL THE KING!" THE GIRLS IN A PANIC RAN TO THE CASTLE.
IT WASN'T MUCH LATER THAT NEWS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY OF FRANCE THAT THE PRINCESS, THE QUEEN, A SERVANT GIRL, HEERO'S PARENTS, AND THE ENGLISH KNIGHTS HAD HUNG THEMSELVES. KING JUAQUEZ WAS IN SHOCK. NOT ONLY WAS HEERO DEAD NOW, HIS FAMILY WAS ASWELL. KING JUAQUEZ CALLED FOR AN INSPECTOR ALTHOUGH HE KNEW WHY THEY DID IT. THE INSPECTOR ARRIVED, HIS BLONDE HAIR BLOWING IN THE WIND. HE WALKED BRISKLY TO THE KING AND BOWED DEEPLY. THE INSPECTOR TURNED TO LOOK AT THE NOW EMPTY GALLOWS. " TRAGIC. TRAGIC. SUICIDE MY KING. HORRIBLE. NOTHING I CAN DO. WELL MAYBE..." HE TRAILED OFF. " I'LL BE BACK. I NEED TO LOOK AT THE BODIES." THE INSPECTOR DISAPPEARED INTO THE CHURCH.
" MY KING, MY KING! SIRE, SIR HEERO YUY'S BODY IS MISSING SIRE! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!" CRIED THE UNDERTAKER AND HIS ASSISTANT. THE KING GROWLED. " FOOTPRINTS?" " NONE SIRE. IT'S AS IF HE VANISHED INTO THIN AIR." THEY HEARD LAUGHING BEHIND THEM. " DISAPPEARED? VANISHED? HE WENT NOWHERE! YOU PROBABLY MISPLACED HIS BODY, I KNOW I WOULD HAVE." SNEARED DARIEN. " SEARCH AGAIN. BODYS JUST DON'T GET UP AND WALK AWAY."
THE INSPECTOR CLOSED THE DOOR TO THE OPEN WAKE ROOM. HE WALKED UP TO THE PRINCESS AND SIGHED. "WHAT A WAY TO DIE. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE." HE WALKED UP TO THE PRINCESS. THE INSPECTOR LOOKED AROUND. HE THEN PLACED HIS HANDS ON EITHER SIDE OF HER FACE. AS IF BY MAGIC SERENITY AWOKE.SHE WAS SOON JOINED BY THE OTHERS. "HAVE A NICE SLEEP? I HOPE YOU DID." SAID HEERO AS HE PULLED OFF THE INSPECTOR WIG AND CLOTHES TO REVEAL A WHITE SHIRT WITH BLACK PANTS. " GOOD JOB WITH IMPERSONATING ME HEERO. YOU WERE GREAT." COMPLIMENTED THE REAL INSPECTOR. THE INSPECTOR HANDED EACH PERSON A MONK ROBE. THEY PULLED THEIR HOODS OVER THEIR HEADS AND PAIRED UP WITH SOMEONE. ALL TEN WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM HUMMING AS IF THEY HAD BEEN PRAYING. THEY WALKED THROUGH TOWN HUMMING AND WALKING IN STRIDES. THEY KEPT THEIR HEADS DOWN AND NEVER TALKED.THE ESCAPE HAD WORKED. ONCE OUTSIDE THE TOWN'S WALL THEY WERE ABLE TO TALK TO A MINIMUM. THEY HAD A LONG WAY TO WALK TO GET TO THE YUY MANSION BUT THEY KEPT LOW. LORD PIERRE DECIDED TO TALK. " I'M TIRED OF HUMMING." HE SAID LOUDLY. SERENITY STOPPED THE REST FOLLOWING. " SILENCE IS GOLDEN BROTHEREN." SHE HISSED. THEY BEGAN TO WALK ONCE AGAIN. TWO-MILES LATER BRADLEY DECIDED TO TRY HIS LUCK AT TALKING. " CAN WE STOP FOR SOME WINE?" HEERO STOPPED. " SILENCE IS GOLDEN MY BROTHEREN." HEERO SAID, REPEATING SERENITY'S WORDS. " NOT THAT MUCH FARTHER. JUST TWO MILES MORE." LADY AUGUSTA WHISPERED. " BUT I'M THIRSTY!" BRADLEY GROANED. SERENITY STOPPED. " DAMNIT BRADLEY. I SAID SILENCE IS GOLDEN BROTHEREN SO DAMNIT, SHUT THE HELL UP!" SERENITY SAID. " I LIKE HER." SAID AUGUSTA AND PIERRE IN UNISON. " NICE CHOICE SON, NICE CHOICE."
DARIEN SAT NEXT TO THE KING. HIS HEAD WAS DOWN. HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. HIS PLAN WAS FLAWLESS. IF IT WAS FLAWLESS, WHY WAS IN SHAMBLES? SERENITY WAS DEAD SLASH MISSING. SOON AFTER HEERO'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED MISSING, SERENITY AND THE OTHERS BODIES WERE MISSING. WERE PEOPLE PLAYING A JOKE? OR WAS HEERO, SERENITY AND THE OTHERS REALLY ALIVE, ROAMING THE STREET SLOWLY GATHERING AN ARMY. DARIEN SIGHED. HIS PLAN WAS RUINED. BUT HE STILL HAD ONE MORE PLAN. DARIEN RAISED FROM HIS SEAT AND HEADED TO HIS ROOM. HE SAT DOWN AND BROUGHT OUT A QUIL AND PARCHMENT. HE BEGAN TO WRITE THE WORDS, " WE ARE AT WAR AGAINST FRANCE."
THE EIGHT REACHED THE GATE. PIERRE WALKED TO THE GATE AND PLACED THE KEY INSIDE THE RUSTED GATE. IT CREAKED OPEN AND EVERYONE SLIPPED BY INTO THE COURTYARD OF THE MANSION. THE MANSION WAS A GREAT SIZE AND SERENITY HAD TO TIP HER HEAD BACK TO LOOK TO THE TOP. " COME INTO THE FOYER." PIERRE SAID. PATTING WAS HEARD IN THE EMPTY HALLS. " THIS IS YOUR HOME?" ASKED SERENITY. " THIS IS OUR HOME." HEERO SAID GENTLY CORRECTING HER. SERENITY SMILED AT HEERO. SHE YAWNED. " ARE YOU TIRED SERENITY?" HEERO ASKED. " YES." SHE SAID PUTTING A HAND OVER HER MOUTH AS SHE YAWNED AGAIN. " LET US GIVE HER A BATH." SAID SHA'RIE AND LADY AGUSTA. HEERO NODDED. " BESIDES, HEERO AND I NEED TO HAVE A TALK." SAID LORD PIERRE. PIERRE AND HEERO SAT IN THE STUDY. PIERRE WAS ASKING HEERO QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE HAD FAIRED IN ENGLAND AND HOW HE AND SERENITY ENDED UP IN THIS SITUATION. " FIRST THINGS FIRST. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT?" HEERO ASKED. " SHA'RIE LOCATED US IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND TOLD US WHAT HAD HAPPEDED. THEN SHE SENT US A LETTER. THE LETTER WAS VERY DESCRIPTIVE OF THE FALSE HAINESS CRIMES THAT YOU COMMITED. ON TO OTHER THINGS. HOW DID YOU AND SERENITY GET INVOLED AS YOU BOTH DID?" HEERO SIGHED HEAVILY. "ONE NIGHT I HAD GONE TO SEE SERENITY BECAUSE I HADN'T SEEN HER ALL DAY LONG BECAUSE OF RAIN. I CAME IN HER ROOM LATE AT NIGHT WET TO THE MARROW. ONE THING LEAD TO ANOTHER." HEERO EXPLAINED HIS CHEEKS BECOMING SLIGHTLY PINK. PIERRE LAUGHED. "MY SON HAS FINALLY BECOME A MAN!"
LADY AUGUSTA AND SHA'RIE WERE HAVING THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES BATHING SERENITY. LADY AUGUSTA KEPT PATTING SERENITY'S GROWING STOMACH. " IT BETTER BE A GIRL. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF BOYS, MEN AND THEIR TROUBLE CAUSING LIVES." SERENITY GIGGLED. "NAH. HAS TO BE A BOY." SHA'RIE SAID RUBBING SERENITY'S BACK WITH HER HANDS. " HEERO WANTS TWINS. I WOULDN'T MIND IF WE HAVE TWINS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING. I ALWAYS WANTED A BIG FAMILY." SAID SERENITY. LADY AUGUSTA LAUGHED. " YOU WILL HAVE A LARGE FAMILY IF YOU KEEP UP WITH WHAT YOU BOTH ARE DOING." " HEY!" CRIED SERENITY AS SHE SPLASHED BOTH WOMEN WITH WATER.
" BULLSEYE!" " YOUR STILL OFF." " NO I'M NOT." " YEA YOU ARE." "DRAT." JOHNSON SLAMMED DOWN THE BOW. " NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY I STILL CAN'T MAKE A BULLSEYE." ELLIOTT CHUCKLED. " SERENITY AND HEERO CAN." "YEA WELL SERENITY GOT TRAINING FROM HEERO THATS WHY." JAMES LAUGHED. " SHE'S STILL BETTER THAN YOU EVEN WITHOUT TRAINING." JOHNSON GROWLED. " JAMES, ENCOURAGEMENT, ENCOURAGEMENT."
DARIEN HURRIED QUICKLY TO THE SHORE BY HORSE. HE HELD HIS MESSAGE FIRMLY IN HIS HAND. DARIEN SLOWED WHEN HE SAW A SMALL BOAT CONTAINING A ENGLISH PRIEST. THE PRIEST STEPPED OUT SLOWLY, HIS FACE ETCHED WITH WORRY. " MY FRIEND, I FEAR THE WORST." SAID DARIEN. " FRANCE HAS DECLARED WAR ON ENGLAND. THEY THINK IT IS MY FAULT FOR PRINCESS SERENITY'S SUICIDE. THEY BLAME ME." THE PRIEST STEPPED TO DARIEN. HE RESTED HIS OLD HAND ON DARIEN'S BROAD SHOULDER. " MY SON, I WILL GIVE THIS MESSAGE TO THE KING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE WILL COME WITH SEVERAL TROOPS TO DESTROY THIS UNHOLY PLACE." AS THE PRIEST'S BOAT SKIMMED THE WATER TO THE AWAITING SHIP, DARIEN SMIRKED. 'THIS IS PERFECT.' DARIEN THOUGHT.
SERENITY LAID IN HEERO'S ARMS. SHE TURNED JUST A LITTLE BIT, TRYING NOT TO WAKE THE SLEEPING HEERO. SHE TURNED ON HER SIDE LETTING OUT A HEAVY BREATH AS SHE DID SO. SHE PUT A HAND UNDER HER HEAD, TRYING TO MAKE HERSELF COMFORTABLE WHICH WAS VERY HARD TO DO. SHE WAS HUNGRY, TIRED, RESTLESS, AND SHE WANTED TO READ. SERENITY TURNED HER HEAD TO SEE HEERO. SHE DECIDED TO GET UP. FIRST SHE WIGGLED TILL SHE WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE BED. THEN WITH A GENTLE HAND, SHE MOVED HEERO'S ARM. TO MAKE SURE HE WAS GRASPING SOMETHING, SHE MOVED HER PILLOW TO HIS ARM. SHE STROKED HIS FACE. HEERO TOOK A DEEP BREATH IN HIS SLEEP AND PULLED THE PILLOW CLOSER TO HIM. WITH THAT DONE, SERENITY RAISED OUT OF BED. SHE SLIPPED ON HER ROBE AND SLIPPERS. SHE OPENED THE DOOR SILENTLY AND SLIPPED OUT.
SERENITY ENTERED THE HALL THAT WAS LITE BY CANDLES. SHE WALKED TO A TABLE AND TOOK A CANDLE AND A CANDLE HOLDER. SHE LITE THE CANDLE WITH ANOTHER CANDLE AND STUCK IT INTO THE HOLDER. SHE WALKED DOWN SEVERAL CORRIDORS TILL SHE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE LIBRARY. SHE PUSHED OPEN THE HEAVY DOOR. ONCE INSIDE, SERENITY CLOSED THE DOOR. SERENITY LITE A LAMP. SHE WALKED THROUGH SEVERAL SHELVES OF BOOKS HOPING TO FIND THE RIGHT ONE. SHE FINGERED EACH BOOK LOOKING FOR A TITLE THAT WOULD CATCH HER EYE. SERENITY'S EYES LITE UP WHEN SHE SAW A BOOK THAT INTERESTED HER. " YUY FAMILY MEMORIES AND PORTRAITS." SERENITY PICKED UP THE BOOK AND TREKKED OVER TO A LOVE SEAT. SHE OPENED THE BOOK AND AUTOMATICALLY SMILED. A FAMILY PORTRAIT MET HER EYES. IN THE BACK STOOD WHO MUST HAVE BEEN HEERO'S GRANDFATHER. NEXT TO HIM STOOD HEERO'S GRANDMOTHER. THE SECOND LINE HELD HEERO'S TWO UNCLES AND THEIR WIVES. SERENITY PAUSED SO SHE COULD UNFOLD THE PAPER SO SHE COULD SEE THE WHOLE PORTRAIT. THE THIRD LINE HELD HEERO'S MOTHER AND FATHER WITH ANOTHER MAN WHO MUST HAVE BEEN HEERO'S OLDER BROTHER. THE LAST LINE HAD HEERO HIMSELF WITH TWO GIRLS, ONE OF WHOM LOOKED THE AGE OF TEN AND THE OTHER LOOKED THE AGE OF THREE. HEERO LOOKED THE AGE OF ELEVEN.
" NICE PICTURE." SERENITY SQUEAKED. SHE TURNED TO SEE LADY AUGUSTA IN HER NIGHT CLOTHES. LADY AUGUSTA ROUNDED THE SEAT TO SIT NEXT TO SERENITY." THAT'S HEERO'S OLDER BROTHER ALAN. THEN HIS TWO SISTERS, ALEXA WHO WAS NINE AND MARY, SHE WAS FIVE. THEY DIED WHEN HEERO WAS ELEVEN. ALAN, AND ALEXA OF YELLOW FEVER. MARY WAS TRAMPLED BY A COACH OF HORSES IN THE MARKET PLACE IN THE KINGDOM. HEERO WENT THROUGH A PERIOD WHERE HE WOULDN'T EAT OR TALK. IT KILLED HIM ON THE INSIDE. "LADY AUGUSTA PUT THE PICTURE IN IT'S RIGHTFULL PLACE. SHE FLIPPED THE PAGE. "THIS IS THE DAY WHEN WE SENT HEERO TO ENGLAND. HE WAS SO SAD. HE WAS SO SMALL. "SERENITY TURNED. " WHEN DID YOU SEND HEERO TO ENGLAND?" LADY AUGUSTA SIGHED. " YEARS AGO, WHEN HE WAS ELEVEN. A FEW DAYS AFTER MARY DIED. WE DECIDED THEN THAT HE HAD TO LEAVE AND GET AWAY FROM ALL THIS HORRIBLE MESS, YET WHEN HE MEETS YOU, HE GETS IN TROUBLE." LADY AUGUSTA SMILED. "HE MEETS YOU AND HE FINALLY COMES OUT OF HIS SHELL. YOU GIVE HIM HAPPINESS. HE COULDN'T BEAR TO DIE AND HAVE YOU LIVE ALONE. SO HE DEVISED THIS PLAN. MY SON IS VERY SMART AND STRATEGIC AS YOU HAVE ALREADY NOTICED." LADY AUGUSTA SMILED AGAIN. "EVERYTIME HEERO COMES HOME, HE ALWAYS GOES AND VISITS HIS BROTHER AND SISTERS. HE MISSES THEM SO. YOUR LOVE IS FILLING IN THOSE SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN EMPTY FOR SO LONG. I'M HAPPY THAT HE IS HAPPY."
SERENITY WALKED TO HER MOTHER'S ROOM. SHE KNOCKED TWICE THEN ENTERED. HER MOTHER SAT UP IN HER BED. SERENITY STOOD AT THE CLOSED DOOR. QUEEN MARIANETTE HELD OUT HER ARMS. SERENITY CLIMBED INTO BED NEXT TO HER MOTHER. QUEEN MARIANETTE PULLED UP THE COVERS ON BOTH OF THEM. " YOU USED TO CLIMB INTO BED WITH ME WHEN YOU WERE SCARED OR WORRIED. WHAT'S WRONG?" SERENITY GRINNED. " NOTHING. I WAS LOOKING AT SOMETHING IN THE LIBRARY. IT WAS HEERO'S FAMILY PORTRAIT. HE WAS ELEVEN WHEN IT WAS DONE. HE HAD A BROTHER AND TWO SISTERS. THEY ALL ARE DEAD. I FEEL SO BAD FOR HIM." SERENITY SAID WHILE SNUGGLING CLOSER TO HER MOTHER. QUEEN MARIANETTE PUT A COMFORTINING ARM AROUND HER DAUGHTER. " DON'T WORRY, WE WILL ALL GET THROUGH IT ALL."
HEERO WOKE UP FROM HIS PEACEFUL SLEEP. HE LOOKED DOWN AT SERENITY'S PILLOW. HEERO BOLTED UPRIGHT. " SERENA? SERNEA WHERE ARE YOU?" HEERO GATHERED CLOTHES AND RAN OUT INTO THE HALL. HE PASSED BY A WINDOW. THE SUN WAS JUST NOW COMING UP. HEERO RAN DOWN TO THE KITCHEN ON THE SECOND FLOOR. HE RAN INTO SHA'RIE, LITERALLY. " OH SORRY SHA'RIE. I DIDN'T MEAN TO. HAVE YOU SEEN SERENITY?" SHA'RIE NODDED. " SHE'S OUTSIDE WAITING FOR YOU. THE KNIGHTS ASWELL. YOU CAN COME WITH ME; I'M GOING OUT THERE. THE QUEEN AND YOUR PARENTS ARE OUTSIDE TOO." SHA'RIE GIGGLED AT HEERO'S SHOCKED EXPRESSION BUT FOLLOWED HER NONE THE LESS.
HEERO WALKED OUTSIDE TO SEE SERENITY SITTING IN A FIELD PICKING FLOWERS LIKE A SMALL CHILD. HEERO PASSED SHA'RIE IN A RUN TO GET TO SERENITY. ONCE HE REACHED HER, HE SLOWED DOWN TO A WALK. HE SAT NEXT TO SERENITY. " WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" HEERO ASKED. SERENITY LOOKED UP AT HIM. SHE HANDED HALF OF THE FLOWERS TO HEERO. " HELP ME UP." SERENITY SAID. AS TOLD, HEERO HELPED SERENITY UP. SERENITY WHISTELED TO EVERYONE. THEY LOOKED UP AND BEGAN TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO HER. SERENITY TOOK HEERO'S FREE HAND AND LEAD HIM TO HIS OWN BROTHER AND SISTERS GRAVES. EVERYONE LINED UP IN A LINE BESIDE THEM, SIDE-BY-SIDE.
" PUT YOUR FLOWERS NEXT TO THE GRAVE."SERENITY SAID. HEERO LOOKED DOWN AT THE FLOWERS IN HIS HAND. HE NODDED. HEERO STEPPED FORWARD. HE PLACED HIS FLOWERS ON THE GRAVE AND STEPPED BACK. SERENITY STEPPED FORWARD AND DID THE SAME. ONCE EVERYONE HAD SET THEIR FLOWERS ON THE GRAVES THEY HEADED BACK TO THE MANSION. HEERO PULLED SERENITY ASIDE. " THANKS. I NEEDED THAT." HEERO STOPPED. " COME ON."
HEERO CLOSED THE DOOR TO HIS ROOM. SERENITY SAT ON THE BED IN HER USUAL POSITION, CROSSLEGGED. HEERO LAID NEXT OT HER, HIS HAND BEHIND HIS HEAD. " DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY DIED?" HEERO ASKED. " YOUR MOTHER TOLD ME." SERENITY SAID. " NO. I MEAN WHAT HAPPENED. I'LL BEGIN WITH MARY. MOTHER, FATHER, MARY, AND MYSELF WERE ALL IN THE KINGDOM MARKET. MARY AND I WERE PLAYING. THEN MOTHER WANTED TO LOOK AT SOMETHING AND SHE TOLD ME TO WATCH MARY WHILE SHE WAS GONE. AFTER A WHILE, I GOT BORED WITH WATCHING MARY. I SAW A FRIEND OF MINE ACROSS THE WAY. I LEFT MARY ALONE TO SEE HIM. I CAME BACK WITH MY FRIEND'S SISTER SO SHE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH. IT WAS A VERY BIG MISTAKE. I LEFT. THE GIRL THEN STARTED TO FLIRT WITH SEVERAL GUYS AND SOON STARTED TO FORGET ABOUT MARY. MARY SAW ME HAVING FUN WITH MY FRIEND AND SHE WANTED TO COME OVER. SHE STARTED TO CROSS THE ROAD. A COACH THAT WAS BEING DRIVEN BY A DRUNKEN MAN WAS SPEEDING TOWARDS HER. I SAW IT COMING. PEOPLE STARTED YELLING ABOUT HER. I RAN AS FAST AS I COULD TO GET TO HER. THE LAST THING I REMEMBER BEFORE THAT HAPPENED WAS MARY SMILING AT ME THINKING I WAS COMING TO GET HER." HEERO ROLLED ON HIS SIDE. " IT WAS MY FAULT SHE DIED. IF I HAD JUST DONE WHAT MOTHER TOLD ME TO DO, MARY WOULD STILL BE ALIVE." HEERO STOPPED AND SNIFFED A FEW TIMES. SERENITY LAID NEXT TO HEERO. " IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT. IT WAS THAT BOY'S SISTER.YOU GAVE HER A RESPONIBILITY AND SHE DIDN'T DO IT."
HEERO ROLLED AROUND AND TOOK SERENITY INTO HIS ARMS. "ALAN AND ALEXA DIED OF YELLOW FEVER. MARY AND I WERE LUCKY. WE WERE SENT AWAY TO LIVE WITH MY UNCLE THOMAS AND HIS WIFE CLARA. ALEXA WAS GOING TO TURN ELEVEN THE NEXT WEEK. ALAN WAS FIFTEEN. HE HAD SO MUCH GOING FOR HIM. HE WANTED TO BECOME A KNIGHT OF THE FRENCH ORDER." SERENITY SIGHED A HEAVY SIGH. "THAT'S WHY YOU BECAME A KNIGHT." SERENITY COULD FEEL HEERO NODDING HIS HEAD. " HEERO, YOU HAD SO MUCH PAIN WHEN YOU WERE SUCH A SMALL BOY WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED. HEERO, I'M SO SORRY. I WISH I COULD MAKE UP FOR ALL THOSE YEARS THAT YOU WERE IN PAIN." SERENITY SNIFFLED AND ALMOST CRIED. " YOU ARE MAKING UP FOR IT. I HAVEN'T FELT ANYTING CLOSE TO WHAT I'M FEELING WITH YOU SINCE MARY DIED. FOR THE FIRST TIME I FEEL HAPPINESS. I THANK YOU FOR THAT."
SHA'RIE AND JAMES LEANED AGAINST THE DOOR WHEN HEERO TOLD SERNEITY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AS A CHILD. SHA'RIE WAS IN TEARS. SHE NEVER HEARD SOMETHING SO TOUCHING YET SO SAD. JAMES GATHERED SHA'RIE IN HIS ARMS; HE SLOWLY STROKED HER BLACK HAIR. " BE HAPPY. HEERO HAS FINALLY OPENED UP TO SOMEONE."
DARIEN CAME INTO THE DINING HALL. IT WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR A FEW MAIDS AND COOKS. DARIEN WALKED OUT. AS HE WAS GOING TO ROUND THE CORNER, HE HEARD THE SERVENT TALKING. " I THINK THE KNIGHT DESERVED TO BE WITH THE PRINCESS. THEY ARE SO PERFECT TOGETHER." SAID A GRUFF VOICE OF A COOK. " YES, I HOPE THEY GET AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE." AGREED A LITTLE MAID. DARIEN GROWLED. AFTER A MINUTE OF SCOWLS, HE SMIRKED. ' THE LETTER MUST BE IN MY FATHER'S HANDS.'
A MESSANGER RAN INTO THE THRONE ROOM OF KING STEPHEN OF ENGLAND. KING STEPHEN LOOKED SUPRISED OF THE SUDDEN INTRUSION. " A MESSAGE FORM FRANCE FROM PRINCE DARIEN." SAID THE OUT OF BREATH MESSANGER. THE KING TOOK THE LETTER AND TORE IT OPEN. HIS EYES WIDENED WITH ANGER. " RALLY THE TROOPS! FRANCE WANTS A WAR, THEY CAN GET A WAR! I WANT SOLDIERS ON EVERY H.M.S. THAT THEY CAN FIT MEN ONTO! NOW!"
"PAPER LORD PIERRE YUY! URGENT THAT EVERYONE IN FRANCE GETS ONE!" YELLED A LITTLE BOY. LORD PIERRE CAME OUT OF THE MANSION. THE BOY GAVE PIERRE A PAPER THEN RAN OFF TO GIVE MORE PEOPLE THE IMPORTANT NEWS. PIERRE OPENED THE FOLDED PAPER. HE READ IT SLOWLY. HIS EYES WIDENED. " AUGUSTA!"
" FRANCE AT WAR WITH ENGLAND? WHY?" SERNITY ASKED. "MASON WANTS THE THRONE TO FRANCE. THE ONLY WAY OF DOING THAT IS..." HEERO TRAILED OFF." TO GET RID OF ANYONE WHO STOOD IN THE WAY OF SERENITY. " JAMES FINISHED. " THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO GET RID OF HEERO. AND ANYONE WHO WOULD FIND OUT HIS PLAN." SAID SHA'RIE. " THAT'S WHY HE LIED. THAT'S WHY HE PANICED WHEN HE THOUGHT HIS PLAN WAS GOING TO BE EXPOSED." SAID JOHNSON. " RAT BASTARD." SERENITY SAID UNDER HER BREATH. " I HAVE AN IDEA. WHILE THE ENGLISH TROOPS ARE ON THEIR WAY, WE GO BACK AND START TO RALLY CITIZENS THAT WE SEE ON THE WAY. WE TRAIN THEM TO KILL. WE WILL PROVE ENGLAND WRONG." SAID SERENITY WITH DETERMINATION. "WHEN DO WE LEAVE?" HEERO ASKED. " TONIGHT. DEAD OF NIGHT. SHA'RIE, GET THE CLOAKS, HEERO, MOTHER, GATHER FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY. AUGUSTA, PIERRE GATHER WEAPONS. HEERO WHEN YOUR DONE WITH THE FOOD, YOU HELP WITH WEAPONS. KNIGHTS, SEND LETTERS BY BIRDS ABOUT HOUSING. THE BIRDS WILL KNOW HOW TO GET THERE, I HOPE. TELL THEM HOW MANY OF US THERE ARE." SERENITY SAID GIVING INSTRUCTIONS. " WHAT WILL YOU DO?" HEERO ASKED. " I WILL FIRST GO THROWUP THEN I WILL GET CLOTHES. PACK SMALL, ONLY THINGS YOU CAN CARRY. ONCE WE ARE DONE WITH OUR PARTS, START HIDING THINGS. SILVERWARE, VASES, PLATES, EVERYTHING. WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS PLACE LOOK LIKE IT HAS BEEN ABANDONED AND RAVAGED. HOP TO IT!"
" ARE WE READY?" SERENITY ASKED. " YES." CHORUSED EIGHT VOICES. SERENITY NODDED AND SURVEYED THE BOTTOM FLOOR OF THE MANSION. IT CERTAINLY LOOKED ABANDONED. CURTAINS WERE SHREDDED AND SOME DISHES WERE BROKEN ON THE GROUND. YES, IT LOOKED ABANDONED. " LET'S GET GOING."
THE GROUP WALKED IN A BLOB INSTEAD OF TWO PARALLEL LINES. THEY TALKED LIGHTLY, STRAINING THEIR EARS TO HEAR ANY UNUSUAL SOUNDS. THEY WALKED UNTIL THEY CAME TOWN CALLED CINNA. THEY WALKED UP TO THE GATE AND KNOCKED FOUR TIMES IN A CERTAIN MANNER. THE GATE CREEPED OPEN. " PASSWORD." "REBELLION." THE VOICE HESITATED. " PROOF THAT WHO YOU SAY YOU SAY YOU ARE." SERENITY STUCK HER HAND INTO THE GATE TO SHOW THE ROYAL RING. "COME IN."
THE GROUP ENTERED THE GATES. ALL OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE WERE GATHERED INTO THE TOWN SQUARE. THE ELDER OF THE VILLAGE CAME TO A STAGE. " SHE CLAIMS TO BE PRINCESS SERENITY. THE PRINCESS WHO WILL LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST ENGLAND. COME HERE CHILD." SERENITY LEFT THE GROUP TO THE STAGE. " IF YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE, YOU MUST HAVE THE ROYAL BIRTHMARK. CHILD, LIFT YOUR SKIRTS TO SHOW YOUR HIP." SERENITY LIFTED HER SKIRTS AS SHE WAS TOLD. MANY PEOPLE GASPED. SERENITY HAD A SMALL CRESTENT MOON ON HER SKIN. YOU COULD NOT TELL IF IT HAD BEEN BURNED ONTO HER SKIN, OR THAT SHE HAD BEEN BORN THAT WAY.
ALL OF THE TOWN PROCEEDED TO GET DOWN ON THEIR KNEES AND PUT THEIR HEADS DOWN ON THE GROUND. SERENITY SMILED TO THE GASPING PEOPLE. " PLEASE STAND. WE JUST WANT A FAVOR." A TOWNSWOMAN STEPPED FORWARD. " SERENITY, WHAT IS IT? WE ARE YOUR LOYAL SERVANTS." SERENITY SMILED AT THE WOMAN. " WE ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO ROOM." THE WOMAN'S EYES SHINNED. " OF COARSE. I WILL ROOM YOU. THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE INN. COME WITH ME." SERENITY SMILED KINDLY AT THE SMALL WOMAN. SHE STEPPED DOWN FROM THE STAGE AND PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE GROUP TO THE "CINNA INN".
"I HOPE THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM." QUEEN MARIANNETT SAID. " OH NO PROBLEM. WHEN WE RECIEVED WORD OF YOUR ARRIVAL, I TIDIED UP THE PLACE. BY THE WAY, MY NAME FELICIA. FELICIA KAEDENCE BORDEUX." THE WOMAN BOWED DEEPLY. " HOW MANY TOWNS KNOW OF OUR IDEA?" HEERO ASKED. FELICIA SET HER BAG OF GROCERIES ON THE TABLE. " OH, ALL THE TOWNS IN FRANCE. EVERSENSE THE PROCLAMATION OF WAR, EVERYONE'S BEEN WAITING ON A LETTER FROM THEIR PRINCESS. THEY KNEW YOU WEREN'T DEAD. THEY REALIZED THAT AND MANY TOWNS HAVE BEGAN TRAINING." JAMES CHUCKLED. " NEWS TRAVELS FAST." HE SAID. LORD PIERRE NODDED IN AGREEMENT. " TO BE HONEST, IT'S ABOUT TIME. EVERYONE WAS WAITING ON A MOVE FROM THE KING BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE BUT WHAT SHIT. BUT ATLEAST WE HAVE A LEADER- YOU PRINCESS SERENITY." SERENITY BLUSHED. " IT'S NOTHING REALLY. NOTHING AT ALL."
FELICIA WALKED TO A SMALLER TABLE AND GRABBED A ROLLED UP NEWSPAPER. " YOU SHOULD READ THIS." HEERO TOOK THE PAPER AND BEGAN TO READ THE PAPER ALOUD. " ATTENTION ALL CITIZENS OF FRANCE. IT HAS RECENTLY COME TO THE KING THAT THE BRITISH SOILDERS WILL BE ROOMING IN FRENCH CITIZENS HOUSES. THERE IS NOT A CHOICE IN THIS MATTER. ALL TOWNMEETINGS MUST NOW BE CANCLLED. THERE WILL BE ATLEAST FIVE BRITISH SOILDERS FOR EVERY HOUSE. EVERYONE WILL ATTEND CHURCH PROMPTLY AT TEN IN THE MORNING. NO MORE RELIGIOUS PREACHING AFTER ELEVEN. CURFEW WILL BE AT NINE IN THE EVENING. ANY PERSON OR PERSONS FOUND WANDERING THE STREETS AFTER CURFEW WILL BE PUNISHED.IF THESE DEMANDS ARE NOT MET, THAT PERSON OR PERSONS WILL BE PUNISHED SEVERLY, STATED BY THE KING." HEERO STOPPED READING. " WHAT THE HELL? FRANCE HAS SUDDENLY TURNED INTO A PRISON."SAID LORD PIERRE. " WHY ARE THEY PUTTING BRTISH SOLDIERS IN FRENCH HOUSES? THIS IS WAR NOT A VACATION PLACE." PIERRE ASKED IN ALMOST UNCONTROLABLE RAGE. FELEICIA LAUGHED DRYLY. " IT GETS WORSE. IF WE DON'T FOLLOW BRITISH RULES WHILE THE SOLDIERS ARE HERE, WE ARE IMMIDIATLY SENT TO THE GALLOWS. WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THEY TELL US. IF THEY WANT BEER, GIVE 'EM BEER. IF THEY WANT YOUR SHIRT, GIVE IT TO 'EM. IF THEY WANT SEX, DAMNIT LADIES, YOU BETTER STRIP." SAID FELICIA.
SERENITYS KNUCKLES WENT WHITE. " FELICIA, GO TO EVERY HOUSE IN THE TOWN. TELL THEM TO GO TO SLEEP NOW. TRAINING BEGINS AT MIDNIGHT." SHA'RIE LOOKED AT SERENITY. " MIDNIGHT?" SHE ASKED. "YES MIDNIGHT. DEFEATING THE BRITISH WILL TAKE TRAINING.TRAINING REQUIRES SACRIFICES. WE WILL SPEND EVERY MINUTE TRAINING. IF YOU AREN'T TRAINING, YOU ARE TEACHING ANOTHER THE MOVES. SHA'RIE, AUGUSTA, GO WITH HER." THE THREE WOMEN NODDED AND LEFT INTO THE NIGHT. " I'M NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT." SAID SERENITY.
Dun dun dun! So whaddaya think? I hope you like it. SilverSayian: I wrote this for myself and my friends. That's why its in capitals. Don't worry, that will be over soon. Thanx for the review! Jupiter Angel: Thanx for the review! Hope you like the chapter Moon Smurf: Next chapter wont be in capitals. I hope that makes it easier for you. Thanx for the review!