The Black Rose Curse

By Princess Serena Chapter 4

Hey! I'm back with Chapter 4! I finally got rid of my writer's block, and decided to sit down and write before I lose the paper I wrote my ideas on. ^_^ I thank you all so very, very much for reading this far and for any of you who have given me positive feed back and ideas. Enough of my rambling, on to the story!

Disclaimer: I am very sorry. I have forgotten to write my disclaimer in Chapter 3, so this will make up for it. I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters, manga, or anime show.

***

Serena sat on the counter, nibbling on a piece of bread Lita had given her earlier that evening. At the moment, it was 7:30 PM and the dinner was almost over. Lita was leaning against the counter Serena was sitting on, and they had been chatting through the whole dinner.

"So what's it like on Jupiter?" Serena asked, deeply interested on the subject of other planets.

"Oh, it's very nice. We have a flower there called the Jupal. It's an emerald green flower, and is only seen there. The royal gardens are covered in them," Lita replied, smiling.

"Oh! And tell me about the palace!" Serena exclaimed.

"The palace is amazing. For as long as I've lived there, I'm still discovering new things. A lot of it is green, since it is our planet color. The floors are made of beautiful pearl stone, with a tint of green."

"Oh! I would love to see it sometime! But, of course, I would never be able to. I'm too busy here."

"Maybe you can sometime," Lita replied, with a sparkle in her emerald eyes.

Serena's eyes lit up happily. "Really? I would love that!" She smiled happily.

Lita returned the smile, then looked down at her watch. "Well, we should send the rest of the servants out to clean up. They should be done eating by now."

Serena nodded. "Do you need me to go out with them?"

"I don't think so. I think we have enough people."

"Alright." The blonde smiled, and the brunette flashed her a smile as well.

Lita walked away from the counter and started rounding up the people to send out to collect the desert dishes. 'She's so calm,' Serena thought, 'and strong. She told me she's won several contests in fighting at her home on Jupiter, and she's an awesome cook. I can't imagine how she manages to fit in all her training in cooking, martial arts, and her school studies. It's so amazing. I don't think I would ever be able to do something like that.'

She stared at Lita as she continued to line up the servants. For the first time all night, Serena noticed her earrings. 'Oh! What pretty earrings! Pink roses! I would love to have a pair like them.' Lita sent the servants out, and the Jupitarian princess walked back over to Serena smiling.

"I like your earrings," Serena complimented.

"Oh! Thank you. I never wear any others," Lita replied. "I got them from my mother at birth, and got my ears pierced at 3. My mother wasn't sure if I should, but I wanted to wear them so badly."

"That's cool. I wish I had something to remember my birth, or even a clue to my mother. But, I guess this is how my life ended up, and I have to learn to accept that."

"I'm sorry it had to end up like this. I will try to help you as much as I can. I'll send out a notice on my planet asking if anyone had to give up their daughter on Earth."

"Thank you. I'd really appreciate that," she replied, smiling weakly.

***

"Mother," the prince complained, "She's been staring and smiling at me the whole night! Why'd you have to invite her?"

"Darien," the queen sighed and shook her head, her chestnut tresses bouncing around her shoulders. "She is a very nice girl. Just dance with her couple of times, and be nice to her. I'm sure you'll like her."

"Mother," Darien scowled.

"Darien," his father's deep voiced interfered. "Do as your mother says."

Darien looked down at his half-empty plate and sighed. "Yes, Father." The dark haired prince picked up his silver fork and stabbed his cherry pie. He looked up at the gold clock on the wall above his father's head and sighed. 'Two hours and thirty minutes left.' He sighed again.

The servants entered the dining hall from the kitchen and started to pick up the desert-filled plates. Darien craned his neck, looking for a certain golden-haired angel. Instead of finding her, his dark blue eyes landed on Lady Beryl. He groaned inwardly as she smiled at him. He politely returned the smile, but, of course, not out of his gratitude.

He returned to staring at the marble plate once he didn't find his angel, and then at the cherry oak table as his plate was removed from his placed. He glanced up at the crowd, seeing that they were starting to ascend from their seats at the table. He heard the orchestra start playing their music, and people begin to dance.

Darien sighed, seeing the Lady flash him a big smile, signalizing that she wanted to dance with him. He pretended not to see her, and stood up from his chair. As he walked away from the dinner table, he could hear his mom calling him back. He decided to pretend not to hear her as he made his way over to his blonde friend, Andrew, who was leaning against the wall, one arm propping him up as a girl leaned against the same wall, flirting with Andrew.

"Hey, Andy," Darien said to the flittering Andrew.

Andrew looks up at Darien and smiled. He stood up strait and put his arm down at his side. "Hey, Darien. I'd like you to meet Lady Jessica. She lives in the Ontovar's house in the northern part of this kingdom."

"Pleased to meet you, my prince," the girl replied, pulling her periwinkle dress out to curtsy. The girl had light brown hair and deep brown eyes.

'Yep, this is the kind of girl Andrew would go for,' Darien thought. "Please to meet you as well, Lady Jessica." He bowed respectfully.

Andrew leaned toward his friend and whispered in his ear, "Don't steal my girl, Darien."

Darien glanced over at the girl as she smiled at him. Darien grinned slightly, the turned to Andrew. "Well, I'll leave you two alone to talk about what you were talking about earlier." He bowed. "Sir Andrew, Lady Jessica."

He walked away and sighed. 'So, now I've got to put up with Lady Beryl, right?' He asked himself? He sighs for about the billionth time that night, and walked around, greeting the other guests.

As he left the fourth guest, Darien ran into his mother. "Oh! Mother!"

"Darien! Lady Beryl is very desolate. She thinks that you are avoiding her."

"I am," Darien replied smartly.

"Darien!" His mother replied angrily. "I demand you to go over there," she pointed to where the Lady stood, "and ask her for a dance! Right now, young man!" Her brown eyes were fixed on her son filled with anger.

Darien avoided his mother's eyes. "Fine," he gave in. He sighed and walked over to Lady Beryl, dreading every step on the marble floor.

"Lady Beryl," the prince said, in his most charming voice. He took her hand and bowed, kissing his lightly. "May I have this dance?"

"But of course, my prince," she replied happily, curtsying.

Darien forced a smile onto his face, and took the Lady's hand and led her to the dance floor where all the other couples were dancing. He held his right hand on her waist firmly, and his left hand held hers. She rested her left hand on his shoulder.

Darien groaned inwardly as the Lady smiled flirtatiously at him. He plastered a grin on his face, not wanting to be dancing with this girl.

"I was beginning to think that you did not want to talk to me," she said sadly. "I was thinking that you were avoiding me. But if you were, you wouldn't be dancing with me, now would you?" Her blood red lips curved upward.

"Um.yeah, I guess," he replied, the grin still adoring his features. 'I wouldn't be dancing with you if my mother hadn't forced me to.'

He continued to dance with Lady Beryl, avoiding her dark eyes as much as possible. Once the dance ended, he let go of her waist and hand and bowed. "Thank you for giving me the pleasure of dancing with you, Lady Beryl. Now, since it is my princely duty, I must go and greet the guests I have not."

She curtsied politely. "Thank you for asking me, Prince Endymion. I do hope we will be able to dance again, my prince." She rose up, smiling her usual flirtatious smile.

"Yes, that would be nice," he replied, not really meaning it. He flashed her a smile, then turned on his heel and headed toward Andrew and his little "friend."

As he approached them, Jessica smiled and Andrew furrowed his eyebrows, confused of what she was smiling about. He turned to see his dear friend walking toward him.

"Hello, Lady Jessica. So nice to meet you again. Could you excuse Andrew and me for a quick moment?" He asked and pulled his friend away.

"Darien! What are you doing? I was doing just fine with Jessica until you had to but in!" Andrew scowled.

"Andrew, I need your help. That girl, Lady Beryl," Darien pointed to the girl with long auburn hair in a dark blue dress, and continued, "she keeps trying to flirt with me. My mother wants me to dance with her all night, and I can't do that! She freaks me out. She so cold." He shivered.

His friend sighed. "Look, if you're that desperate, just say you don't feel well and leave."

"My mother would never accept that. Believe me, I've tried."

Andrew sighed again. "Well, I don't know what to tell-" He was cut off when he saw a man walk up to Jessica and kiss her on the cheek. "Hey! What are you doing?!" he screamed at the man.

"Oh! Andrew!" Jessica replied to his reaction. "This is my fiancé, Peter." Jessica smiled, then turned to Peter. "Peter, I'd like you to meet my friend, Andrew."

"Nice to meet you, Sir Andrew," he said and help out his hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Sir Peter," he replied coldly and shook his hand.

"Well, Jessica, I think we should be going," Peter said as he turned to his love.

"Yes, I am very tired." She turned to Andrew. "It was nice meeting you. I hope to see you again!" she exclaimed and smiled. She linked arms with her fiancé, and strolled away from a shocked Andrew.

Darien pulled his hand away from his mouth and started laughing hysterically. Andrew glared at the prince. "Shut up!" he screamed and slapped his laughing friend on the back.

Darien started coughing, but then returned to laughing. "If you don't shut up now," Darien's blonde friend threatened, "then I won't help you avoid your little friend. What was her name? Lady Beryl." Andrew crossed his arms and smiled victoriously.

Darien shut his mouth. "O-ok. Will you really help me?"

"Yeah, if you stop laughing."

"Ok, ok. I stopped."

Andrew sighed. "Alright. Now, we have to think of a plan. When your mother, father, or Lady Beryl come near you, walk away."

Darien nodded. "Alright."

"And you didn't think about that before?" Andrew asked sarcastically.

Darien glared at his friend. "Well, I've got a lot of things on my mind right now?"

"Like what? Or is it who?" Andrew asked his friend, eyeing him suspiciously, but playfully at the same time.

The prince's face tinted a light crimson as he replied, "No."

"Right." Andrew rolled his eyes.

"Ok, look. There's this girl and she's really nice and sweet," he admitted.

"Ok. So, why don't you tell your mother? Maybe she'll let you date her and stop shoving girls into your face."

"Well, see, there's a problem," Darien said and stared at the floor.

"And that would be." the blonde urged on, moving his hand in a circle to get out what Darien was saying.

"Well, she's kinda. a. a servant." He bit his lip.

"Ooh. And your parents wouldn't accept that?"

The raven-head prince shook his head. "Nope." He looked up. "That's what I hate. My parents want me to marry a noble, but I don't want to!"

"So let me get this strait," his best friend said putting one finger to his chin, thinking. "You like this servant girl, but you're afraid to tell your parents because you think they wouldn't approve?"

Darien nodded solemnly, ducking his head.

Andrew smiled mischievously. "Well, they don't have to know she's a servant girl."

Darien looked up and at his friend cautiously. "What do you have in mind?"

Andrew looked around to make sure no one was listening, then back to the prince. "Here's my plan."

***

Serena leaned against a cabinet, still sitting on the counter. Her eye lids were slowly drooping over her cerulean eyes.

Lita stopped talking to a man and saw Serena. She walked over a tapped her on the shoulder. "Serena?"

Serena jumped up and off the counter, landing on the floor. She looked up. "Yeah?"

Lita laughed and helped her up. "You don't have to stay here. You can go to bed, you know."

Serena yawned and stretched her arms over her head. She shook her head, her hair bouncing on top of her head. "No, it's ok. I want to stay here." She smiled weakly.

Lita sighed. "If you want to, I guess."

The blonde smiled. "Yep! I want to! And look." She walked over to a counter with no cabinet to lean on. "No I have nothing to lean on, so I can't fall asleep!" She smiled happily.

The brunette laughed. "You're something else, Serena."

Serena blinked. "I think that's a compliment."

Lita laughed again. "Believe me, it is."

***

Darien frowned. "But what if she's caught? She'd be lying to the King and Queen. If she is caught, she could either be sentenced to the dungeons for life, or killed! I don't want that to happen."

"Don't worry," his best friend assured him. "She won't get caught. We'll just have her avoid the King and Queen in the castle, which won't be hard to do."

Darien shook his head. "I don't think so. I really don't want to. I mean, passing her off as a lady when she's not? I mean. I think she should be, but she's not. And I don't want to put her in any danger."

Andrew crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "Party pooper," he muttered disappointedly.

The prince sighed and raked his fingers through his dark hair. "Look, if it makes you happy, then I'll try it once or twice, but that's it! And I might just ask my mom if I could let her come. But I'd have to find an excuse or something for her to come, like a reason for her to come," he suggested. "I just have to find something to let her come. Like, a talent or something. Ya know?"

Andrew's eyes brightened up. "Does she play an instrument? If not, you can get someone to privately teach her or something. Your mother loves entertainment, right?"

Darien nodded. "She loves music. Of course, she can't do anything herself music related for her life," he joked. "But she loves to watch other people."

Andrew agreed. "Yeah, I've seen the way she looks at the musicians when they play. It's really funny some of the times." He chuckled at the thought.

Darien sighed. "The problem is, will she do it, or if she does have a musical talent. But I'm sure she does. She pretty much perfect." Darien stared off into space thinking about Serena, the goddess of. the universe, probably.

Andrew shook his head pitifully and slapped his hand of his daydreaming friend, waking him from his trance. "Dar, if I didn't know better, I think that girl had melted the layer of ice around your heart, and has gotten you to start falling for her."

***

Phew. Chapter 4 done. Hope it's no too short. I'm saving the next part for the next chapter. I just have to find time to start writing it. ^_^' I have a big project due on June 2nd, and I've barley started it. *sigh* I also have a French and math final towards the middle of June. It's so hard to fit all these things in. *sighs* Can't wait till summer. Until then...

Luv ya all, ¤~Sere~¤