When Darien returned from his tour of the Moon, he walked into the dining room, and froze. Was he seeing what he thought he was seeing? No, he thought. Those aren't the Generals talking to Serenity civilly. Not when they know what I do.
But it was.
He walked in slowly, his mouth hanging open, his brain trying to comprehend the unimaginable.
"Is there something wrong?" Serena asked him as he sat down between her and Nephlite.
"I... you... Nephlite..." he caught sight of a little girl with brown hair. "Who?"
"It's Kyrina!" Nephlite said joyously. "Her spirit came back."
Darien blinked and could finally see the resemblance between this girl and Nephlite's younger sister. He shook his head in amazement.
"I knew the Senshi could do great things, but this is beyond a miracle."
Smiles covered everyone's faces, and the fact that the very man that had just complimented Serena was her master, her love, her sorrow, escaped her mind for a time. They ate dinner joyfully over light conversation. They laughed every once in awhile, mostly whenever Kyrina said, "Nephy."
Dinner finished up and they departed from each other, waving their good-byes, and Nephlite gave Kyrina a kiss on the cheek.
"You're going to sleep near the Senshi tonight," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."
Kyrina nodded and returned the kiss. The Senshi went one way, while the Generals turned the other.
"Where's my room?" Kyrina asked as they passed door by door. Serena squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Just a couple halls away."
They turned twice more and reached Serenity's bedroom, which was connected to the each of the Senshi's and an extra one for special visitors.
"This is your room," Serena said pushing open the door. Kyrina gasped then ran straight for the Queen sized bed. She pushed herself up on top of it and began jumping happily.
"This- bed- is- so- big!" Kyrina said between leaps up and down. Serena laughed. The exact same thought had pushed through her mind every time she entered her bedroom when she was small. Jumping on it was regular habit.
Kyrina finally stopped jumping and plopped onto the velvet sheets. She smiled.
"The kids in the orphanage would never believe it. Me, Melanie, in a castle." She caught herself. "I'm Kyrina."
Serena frowned. "Two sets of memories is harder to sort through."
"Yeah. I guess I've been in a castle before on Earth, haven't I?" She rolled over and laid her cheek on her hands. "It's confusing."
"But you are happy with your brother aren't you? Having family?"
She nodded and smiled. "Family is wonderful! All those years without it, I can't believe I've finally found it!"
Serena looked away. Family.
"I'm sorry," Kyrina said. "I really am."
"It's," Serena said. "Even I do that. But right now I'm going to get some sleep. All this peace talk is taking the energy right out of me."
Kyrina nodded and slipped beneath the covers. Serena blew out the candle that had been burning by the bed and kissed Kyrina on the forehead.
"Good night, Rina."
"G'night your Highness."
"Call me Serena."
"Okay," Kyrina yawned. "Good night Serena."
Serena smiled and closed the door behind her. Her maternal instincts were taking over.
"I want a Kyrina," she said to her guardians.
They looked at her incredulously.
"A Princess?"
"I don't know if we could handle another one of you..."
"Oh be quiet!" Serena said jokingly. "I was just kidding around. At least for now."
But the thought pressed on her mind. A daughter to love would be wonderful. A happy laughing girl to fill the castle with warm sweetness.
But she'd need a King to love first.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"They're here!" Kyrina yelled as the doors of the castle opened to reveal a group of children looking, curious, yet cautious. Kyrina ran down to meet them and give them various hugs.
"It's great of you to invite the orphans here," Darien said to Serena.
"It's more for me than them. Having fifty Kyrinas running around here can lighten the mood a lot."
Darien laughed like only Serena could make him, and they started the tour, Serena in the front with Darien beside her, and Kyrina skipping merrily just behind her. Serena's guardians were gone for the day, taking a break on a beach near the Sea of Serenity.
Serena's throat was hoarse by the time she finally took them through almost half the palace and finally came to the dining room.
"This is the dining room," Serena explained as they stepped past the long table. Ooh's and ah's came from the children who were gawking at the glittering chandelier, and the soft chairs they couldn't help but touch. Serena took them back through the hall and then turned around.
"And my favorite place, the garden," she said and pushed the doors open. The children streamed past her to look at the flowers in bloom all around and to smell the beautiful scented air. They ran down the paths, laughing happily and chasing each other. Serena sat on a stone bench and watched them play tag while she made a crown of lilies. A small red headed girl ran by and Serena placed it on her head.
"I'm a Queen now too!" she told the other girls excitedly. The boys ignored them, and kept playing their game of tag. The girls all begged for crowns and Darien came out of nowhere with one of roses, all the thorns clipped away.
"This crown is for only the most beautiful Queen," he said to the girls in a hushed whisper. They all looked at the crown anxiously. Their eyes were practically glazed over in the fantasy of being a Rose Queen with a handsome king to sweep them off their feet. Serena watched him with interest as he teased the girls. His smile was warm, like that of a father's really.
But suddenly he stood, the girls looking completely disappointed as he did. Serena watched, holding her breath, as he came to her and set the crown gently upon her head.
"I think I've found her," he said too quietly for the girls to hear, but loud enough for Serena to make out his words. She met his eyes tentatively, knowing very well how lost she'd get lost in them. But she didn't care at the moment. Just to meet them again, deep and dark like pools of night. To be with him, to let him sweep her away from reality just as he'd done before.
"That's not fair!" the girls groaned. "She's already a Queen!"
Darien broke eye contact and turned to the girls, smiling again.
"What can I say? She's stolen my heart," his eyes fell on the girl with the crown of lilies. "But who's this?" He stepped through the crowd of girls to the Lily Queen. "Oh, beautiful Lily Queen, may I have this dance?"
The girl blushed and nodded. She took Darien's outstretched hand and stood on the toes of his boots, but she still could not reach his shoulders. Serena smiled as the girl blushed even more, her eyes starry and dreamy.
They finished dancing and Darien kneeled down. The Lily Queen looked at him, bit her lip nervously, then quickly kissed him on the cheek, and ran away. The other girls followed close behind to hear how it felt and then they would all fall into daydreams where Darien would dance with them all for hours.
Darien stood up and held his hand out to the smiling Serena, who was also daydreaming and remembering.
"May I have this dance, milady?" he
asked. He waited apprehensively for her answer.
"Of course, good sir," she said and took his hand, strong and comforting. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders, and held his hand in hers. He put his hand on her waist, and it was surprisingly warm through the layers of her dress. She looked in his eyes again and a shiver went down her spine. The solemn stare meeting hers was earth shaking. They gently rocked back and forth to imaginary violin music, heard only by themselves, and supplied by their hearts.
Serena knew as she let him hold her within his arms that she could not let him go again, could not leave him in the dust again. She would not be her mother; she would be a new type of Queen. The type that did not rely solely upon herself, but also upon the people she loved. She had to realize that her loved ones would not be taken away for she would protect them like her mother had protected her.
At some time, their dance ended, but still she was in his arms. She hugged him then pulled away.
"Do you remember the first day we met?" she asked, walking slowly down the twisting garden paths, disappearing behind the vines like the ever illusive beauty she was. She was like light. You could not contain her, could not control her. She blessed what she wished with her light, and left the rest to darkness. He was sick of standing in shadows.
"How could I forget it? You were so rebellious, so angry, so..."
"Scared?" she laughed. "You terrified me. You were kind. I'd forgotten what that was."
She disappeared further into the garden, where no child had ever come. Serena disappeared behind a stone wall, and when he saw her again she had opened a secret door.
"You scared me as well," he said following her behind walls of secrecy. "I did not know what I felt. I never felt about anyone what I felt- feel about you."
"Not yet," she said. "Don't say it yet."
"Say what?"
"Everything you're feeling," she whispered. She watched him with his strong grace. He stepped towards her and all she wanted in the world at the moment was him. She wanted the taste of his lips, the feel of his breath on her neck, the warmth of his skin, the experience of her body melting into his.
"But-" he began, wanting to tell her everything. This was it, the moment he would promise her the world and give it to her on a silver platter.
"The kids are waiting," she interrupted him, brushing past him toward the garden door. "We need to go back."
And the light disappeared again.