Hey guys!! I hope you enjoyed the previous chapter. I particularly liked it. Cause I made Darien into such a goo bastard...lol...sorry all you fans there. * sighs * he's just like that. Can't change him. And well, there aren't too many author notes here but umm...I HAVE ANOTHER STORY: AN UNLIKELY PAIR...it's my latest (out of two...wow...lol) and its not too far ahead but I think it has a good beginning :D . so...ONTO THE STORY!!!
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Durmis frowned at the messenger as he stuttered every word he uttered. "Speak properly man! I can barely understand a damn thing you're saying."
"Y-yes s-sir. Her Highness -"
"The royal Bitch?"
The messenger almost fainted. "S-sir! What i-if she h-h-heard you?"
He shrugged. "Can't be worse than what I had to do here. Keep talking." He listened carefully at her directions. Damn her. He wasn't a ball to be kicked anywhere she wanted him to go. How the hell was he supposed to go into the royal palace of earth? It was more heavily guarded than the Palace of the Moon. She thinks she can do anything, that big -
"S-sir?"
"What?" he snapped. The messenger jumped a little but he managed to squeak out. "She p-provided y-you a resume to g-get into the palace, sir."
Durmis let a string of curses out. "The royal Bitch thinks of everything doesn't she? Anyway, get away before anyone sees you. Don't make me mad."
The messenger gave a quick bow and ran out safely from the empty kitchen. It was night time so Durmis was pretty sure no one saw them.
~~~~~~
Serena yawned and slowly sat up in her bed. She was directly looking into the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy and her hair was a mess from tossing around too much. She slowly rose to ring for the maid.
"I suggest that you wait before you call up the maid, my dear."
Serena closed her eyes for a brief second before turning around and facing Darien.
"Go away, you bastard."
Darien's face froze. "Why? Are you still mad that I went with her and not with you? Why Serena, no need to be jealous. I'm sure you could have had someone else too. The guard outside seemed like a man you would like. He loves whores. Just enjoys-"
"What?" she whispered. She said louder this time," What did you say?"
Darien walked up to her and trailed his finger down her cheek. "It shouldn't be news to you. You should be the first person to know."
Darien managed not to groan at the sight of her. Even though her hair and eyes were a mess, she still looked as delectable as the previous night. Her nightgown was silky smooth, fitting to her every curve. Her skin was so smooth and perfect. He imagined holding her in his arms, playing with her breasts, smothering her with kisses- wait. What was he thinking? He lightly shook his head and looked down at Serena. She had moved away from his hand. He said coolly, "Why walk away? I'm only another man. It doesn't have to mean anything. I could be just a fuck to you, right?"
Serena's anger fueled from his words. "You bastard! I'm not a whore! How dare you! Get out of my room! Go away!" she hissed. She wanted to do his head in.
Darien plucked out a small vial from his pocket. "Of course. You're presence isn't too calming for me either. I just need to do one last thing. You know, to make you seem like a virgin."
Serena stared as he dabbed the red liquid from the vial onto the sheets. He stood back and looked at his work, nodding with satisfaction. "Yes, that looks exactly how a virgin would bleed. You wouldn't know though, would you Serena?"
"What is that?" she asked as calmly as she could. Darien turned towards the doors. "Chicken blood, of course."
Serena wanted to hit him. She wanted to bit and punch him. She wanted to kill him. But she couldn't move. Then, with all the nerve she had remaining, she calmly rang for the maid and sat patiently on her bed, a distance away from the blood.
~~~~~~
Gaea smiled as Serena walked towards the dining hall.
"My dear, do wait."
Serena turned around and gave a smile. "Of course, my High-"
"Gaea."
"...Gaea," Serena repeated, grinning.
Together they walked down the hallway, acknowledging the slight bows of the maids and servants. Before they turned around the corner to the room, Gaea asked, "Did it hurt my dear?"
Serena smiled, confused about what the queen was asking. "Excuse me?"
"Serena, there is no reason to be shy about it. It happens to every...newly wed woman. I hope he was gentle with you, me dear."
"...uhh?"
"My dear. Come of it. It wasn't pleasant for me either my first time, but then you get used to you're husband's touch."
Then it dawned on Serena. Her color faded a little, but the queen filed that away as shyness.
"N-no, Gaea, it didn't h-hurt too much." She ended with a huge, sparkling smile, hoping at she didn't see through her lie. Serena felt the devastating heartache again but this time, she ignored its beckoning to cry. She wasn't going to ever cry over him again. Never again.
Gaea gave a gentle smile. How beautiful her daughter-in-law was. She was proud to make her one of the Earth's royalty. Serena was dressed in a soft pink muslin with a simple design of flowers made by intricate white thread. Gaea gave Serena a comforting pat on the back and they walked into the dining hall. There was Darien, handsome as usual sat next to his father, who sat in the reigning chair at the end of the table. She noticed Gaea going around the table t sit next to her son. Serena was confused. Wasn't the queen supposed to be at the king's right hand side? And why didn't her husband draw out her chair for her? She then noticed the delicious bacon and toast and other hot food, losing all previous thoughts.
Serena almost ran towards dining table. She was starving from yesterday's exhaustion. She didn't notice the hem of her dress catching under her shoe, therefore flying over her feet to kiss the floor. She closed her eyes, expecting a big headache but instead a pair of firm hands gripped her by the shoulders, pulling her up. The disappointment was almost obvious when Serena noticed that it was one of the servants and not her husband, who looked perfectly fine chewing away on his food, as if he didn't even notice her embarrassment.
"Are you all right, my dear? You're not hurt are you?" came the concerned questions from the queen.
"Speak up child," added the king.
Serena gave a smile to the servant and graciously thanked him, and as elegantly as she could, she walked over and waited over her chair. "I'm fine. Sorry" she grinned, watching Darien from the corners of her eyes. Darien still didn't notice her. Damien cleared his throat rather loudly. Darien, while looking annoyed, rose to pull back the chair for Serena. When he was about to grip her chair, Serena beckoned a footman nearby and he eagerly pulled it for her, while eyeing the prince nervously. Proudly, Serena sat down and said, " I'm sorry Darien for disturbing you. That's why I asked him to perform the task, you understand."
She smiled brightly as Darien's eyes darkened. Good, he was getting ticked off. Exactly what she wanted.
"A footman is to perform the task of you're husband?"
Serena lightly waved away his question. "Oh well, my dear. It's all one and the same. I suppose you should finish you're tarts before they get cold, sweetie."
He calmly shrugged and slowly turned around and steadily walked back the distance to his chair. That damned chit. He wanted to laugh at her stupid revenge. His eyes darkened at the thought of kissing her hard, punishing her for her little, pathetic acts. His arms roaming on her body, down to- No. He will not think of that anymore.
The rest of breakfast continued with small talk and silence. Serena happily the jam on her toast, humming to herself. For some perverse reason, the sight of an angry husband cheered her up. Maybe it was because she already wanted to kick him in the balls. She took a big bit and chewed dreamily.
~~~~~~
The guard frowned at the man standing in front of the gates. "I didn't know they were hiring," he muttered, scanning the recommendation from his last owner who was apparently a rich woman. He gave a sharp nod to the men behind him to open the strong and heavy brass gates.
The servant muttered a small thanks as he received his application and moved down the path. The guard stopped him.
"Where do you think you're going? You have to go around the main path to the right and there you will see a small back door. Knock on there and show them your paper."
Durmis wanted to snarl. The past few days haven't been filled with joy for him. Washing dishes and sweeping floors wasn't exactly his idea of ecstatic happiness. The path around the palace was very long and he gritted his teeth to prevent from cursing. He stolidly walked off the path and stomped to the right. He quickly took a scan of his surroundings. The walls were high with spikes and sharp wire woven at the top, making it impossible for anyone to cross over. Also, at every thirty or so feet was a guard, apparently well trained from his rough face and ridged posture. The bows and swords they held were in the best conditions. Durmis continued to the door and knocked. It seemed to have been made of wood with a metal slide between. He was duly impressed. The door opened with a loud creak.
~~~~~~~
Serena sighed as she looked at her painting. There wasn't enough red, she frowned tilting her head sideways. As she added paint to her picture of the sunset, she reminisced about the past few days. They were the most unpleasant days she'd ever had. Darien, every night, as a routine, had a different woman appear at the door at night, each prettier than the other and in the morning he would come in to taunt her.
~~~~~~
"Leave me alone, Darien," she sighed, tired. Last night, she had stayed awake all through the dark hours, her heart refusing to rest. This time, the girl had red hair, as red as blood. Her eyes were of exotic green and she had an bountiful bosom. Serena felt a twang of jealous but she pushed it aside.
She wanted to yell at him, beat him until he bled for all the injustice he was doing to her. But she couldn't. Every time she looked at his face, she always saw coldness but also a touch of long,, unshed pain and starving for something. And she forgot all her anger. She just couldn't stand up to him.
Darien brought the woman inside. He went behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She giggled, oblivious to Serena's presence and her pain.
"Serena, did you look at her breasts? Did you compare hers to yours? "
Serena clenched her fists and looked down. She couldn't take this. Why was he doing this to her? She wanted to cry but there was nothing left to shed. She felt empty all over, a deep aching rumbling inside.
"Do you see her beautiful red lips? And compared them to your pale, lifeless ones?"
"Go away Darien. Leave me alone, damn you...just go away with your whore."
Darien raised an eyebrow. "And you're saying this? Why, Serena, are you jealous? Is she competition to you, my dear? Who will get the most men? Who will be most wanted? Hmm...I wonder.."
Serena raised her eyes towards him, raw with pain and she didn't even care to hide it, receiving another taunt from him.
"Are you really hurt? Have you ever heard that life isn't fair?"
He kissed the woman on her neck all the while looking at his wife. He sucked on her throat, a trail of lusty sighing coming from her. Serena forced herself to watch. She wasn't going to show that she was a coward. She wasn't going to give in.
Darien led his night-stand to the door and shut it behind him.
~~~~~~
Why did he call her a whore? A slut? Why did he push those words into his face? Was it because of her act? No, it can't be for one day, she had realized that he has seen through her disguise. Then why was he taking his anger out on her?
Serena finally had decided that she wouldn't tolerate anymore of his torturing. Every night he would come into her room, pretending to sleep and when the palace became silent, he would take his lady of the night to his door, which was conveniently located next door. Normally, at this time the guards were shifting positions so it was hard for them to concentrate for anyone moving, for they thought it was just another guard in the distance.
She closed her eyes for a while, thinking of all her good times with the other princesses, her mother, Felix, and her love for life. Oh Felix, she murmured. How I wish you were here with me. I ache for all of you, my friends. And mother, I will always love you, no matter what happens. Who could have known my destiny, my fate.
Serena opened her eyes. Was this to be her life? Was this what was written down for her? Did she have to live everyday in absolute agony and faked happiness? She shook her head and looked at her painting. She smiled truly for the first time in days. It was beautiful in her eyes. The colors reflected each other, giving deeper meaning to the picture. Then she signed the bottom.
"S. M. Felix"
