Chapter 4 - Set In Stone

Serenity looked over to the young man who was smiling at her and then at her mother, who was smiling at him. She pushed herself back and looked at them all. Anger was rising within her, how could they do this? it was stupid, rude, and above all, discrimanating! Who says she even wanted to get married? She stood still, her feet seemed glued to the marble floor, she couldn't move for all the emotions running through her veins.

She was feeling to much, it felt like she would brake down . . .

"Serenity?" Her mother asked, Serenity blinked, watching the boy who slowely walked into the hall, followed by his servents. She looked at her mother.

"How could you do this?" she hissed.

"I beg your pardon?" She gasped, her mouth hung open a little. Lately, she did not have a clue what happened to her daughter, she wouldn't accsept the rules nor follow them and she thought it right to act like this?

"I don't even know this- person-" Serenity looked away, gritting her teeth, she knew how rude she was being and how bad this would be for her or her family's reputation.

Her mother sighed and took hold of her daughter by the arm. "I wonder, would you excuse us for a minute Duke?" she asked. The boy nodded, his eyes fixed on Serenity, it seemed he had no problem with the arrangement . . .Her mother, holding her by the arm, walked with Serenity into the parlor which led off from the hall.

Once inside, she let go off Serenity and flung her against the wall. Serenity looked up in suprise. "M-" she began, unable to understand why her mother was doing this.

"How dare you?" her mother hissed, her face came right up to her daughter's. "We do everything perants are required too, give you food, shelter . . . you know your place Serenity. i don't expect you to deny it or rebel against it. you will do as your told."

There was a pause as Lady Wheeler backed away and sighed. "Do you understand how rude you were in there?" she asked, not expecting Serenity to answer. "I want you to come back when you have accsepted there is nothing you can do and leaned to deal with that fact, i thought i told you this a long time ago Serenity."

Her mother looked down sadly and turned away, "But ma-ma . . ." Serenity cried, standing up striaght from where she had been thrown against the wall. her mother turned around and looked at her daughter. "Serenity" she said, her voice warm and this time more gently but still as serious. "it is arranged, set in stone, and there is nothing you can do about it" Serenity could tell her mother was right, but still, sympathy lingerd in her voice. Then she turned and left.

Serenity looked at her arm, which had turned a shade of red from where she had been grasped. she put her hand over it and looked around. she still had not taken in all that had happened, she was to be married? she always knew this day would come with her being a woman, but she didn't want it, never mind want it to come so soon . . . she didn't knwo what to do. A tear rolled down her cheek, for the first time in a very long while.

She forced a smile, watching herself in the widnow and then made her way back into the hall.

"So, you have dechided to join us then?" Her mother asked. she and the boy were now talking closely.

Serenity nodded, not wanting to talk unless the wrong words escaped her.

"Hello" the boy said, kind of 'sweetly'. her turned to her and looked at her. "So your Serenity, i see, for once, My father has made a good desicion . . ."

'WHAT THE HELL SI THAT S'POSED TO MEAN?!' Serenity thought to herself, her thoughts reflected in her face as she turn a dark shade of red. she still didn't want to say anything . . . it was suprising she stopped ehrself at that point.

"I'm Duke Duke Devlin" he bowed slightyl, expecting her too as well, or at least curtsy, btu she stood looking at him. "So . . . Er . . . S-serenity, what . . .erm, what sort of hobbies do you have?" at this point, and at this point alone, for no particular reason, she snapped.

"Why don't you ask my perants? i'm sure they'd know. they knwo best for me, and afterall, control me!" she couldn't hold it no longer, and ran before she began to cry which would be uterly hummiliating. She ran, half expecting someone to stop her, but no one did, she just ran, up the stairs and too her room.

Duke looked baffled and turned to hsi butler, "Was it something i said?" he asked, smugly.

*~*~*

Serenity heard her door open several minutes later, oh wonderful she thought, her mother coming for another lecture, or her father to come for a good old beeting . . . the one person she wasn't expecting ti be was Joey, who sat on the end end of her bed as she turned to look at him.

"Hey, what's the matter?" He began, and then paused. "Oh Serenity, i'm sorry about earlier- i didn't mean it, i didn't realise, what i said-" but before he could finish, she threw herself over him, crying into the mud-stained shoulder pad of his robe. Joey looked down at her puzzled. "I said i was sorry . . ." he cried.

"It's not that" She sniffed, lookign up and backing off. "It's . . . it's . . . i can;t do it!" and she birst into tears again, as far as she could remeber, this was the most she had ever cried.

"Calm down sis" he said, as he brought her in and embraced her, "What is it?"

"It's that guy down there. the Duke . . . i don't even knwo his name, i;ve forgotten it . . . i don't know anything about him . . . i don't like him . . . i don' want to marry him!" This had not been soemthing Joey had been expecting. He thought his little sister was slightly too young to get married, he himself only had a girlfriend and he was older . . .

He looked down at her, he watched her cry and witnessed her inocence, her deniel, he saw all she had ever wanted and this wans't it.

"Please Joey" she sighed, turning away, "i just want to be alone" He got up and watched her cy, for once it wasn'tm his fault but he didn't help thinking maybe it could be, in some strange way? He closed the door as he left, even upon walking along the corridor he heard her crying. he hated his siter upset for no reason, the girl that wanted to be so different . . . and how could she be? When no one wished anything different? Well, he did . . .

A/N: sorry for any mistakes but my computer is going annoying ^_^ also, my spell check isn't working and i am not the best at spelling and grammer. i'm saying sorry now anyway, so please no flames about that! Hoep your liking it . . . please review.