Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
Chapter 11: Worse Than Death
Maidens with rare beauty all over the land gathered at Artemis' sanctuary. Their laughter echoed into the night, as they sang and danced, ate and drank, eyes alight. They looked like fays, mischievous spirits dancing about, and their movements alive with gaiety.
Serena watched and she smiled, joining in the celebration. Every year ever since she was little, she had participated in these events. She wore a pale yellow dress, her hair in a braid, a silver band on her wrists.
"Hail Artemis!"
"To Artemis!"
"Hail!"
The chants have started. All eyes were towards the center at Artemis' royal chair. Soon, the goddess would grace them with her presence and bless them.
"To Artemis!" Serena joined in the chant.
All noises halted, everyone looked at her.
Uneasiness crept up her. Their eyes were blank, some were murmuring. At Artemis' chair a silver light shone and the goddess stood before them facing Serena. "You are not welcome here. Leave!" Artemis' voice was harsh and cold.
"Mother…I--"
"You are a stranger to me. Leave at once."
"Please forgive me." Serena rushed forward. The women, whose stares had become cold and unforgiving like Artemis, instantly blocked her.
"Turn your eyes away from him, foolish child. Look again. Do you want to live in this filthy earth? Do you trust him completely? You know the ways of men. Wives, mothers, daughters have come into this temple seeking refuge, have you learned nothing? His eyes will stray, his heart will waver and your heart shall break. He shall never understand your entire being."
Artemis raised a palm. "Leave." She spoke with finality.
Serena was thrown back, her eyes closed for a minute, when she opened them again she was underwater. Her legs were tied together, her hands tied at her back. Her lungs felt as though it was about to burst.
A figure moved in front of her. She recognized it immediately. "Darien!" Her mind screamed. She opened her mouth and made gargling noises trying to capture his attention.
He must've heard her, since he glanced back. Yet he swam faster and father away leaving her in the cold.
Though she was underwater, a crystal tear fell from her eyes.
She tasted that tear when she woke up.
"Dreams, just dreams playing tricks on me." Serena thought to herself sighing. "But don't your dreams always mean something?" Her voice whispered in her head.
She looked out the window and saw the sun shining brightly.
Darien. They had not seen each other for days now and she missed him. When she's not with him, she becomes more aware that she is all alone now.
At another room, Princess Mina was staring at her window as well.
Another day…another day… Make the pain, go awayShe chanted in her head.
At another part in the city, Rei paced.
"Rei." A man's hand was placed at her arm.
Before any thought could register, she jumped, frightened. But a quick second later she turned to him and scowled. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Jadeite frowned at her. "Are you afraid of me?"
Opening her mouth to speak, Rei realized that he saw her unconscious reaction. She closed her mouth and spoke instead half of the truth. "Yes, I am afraid." She stated calmly. "I am afraid of anyone sneaking up on me like that." She paused. "I am not afraid of you. But who knows?" She shrugged. "You might decide to turn me in and lock me in dungeon. After all… this is your territory."
His jaw clenched. "I won't."
"Who knows?" She murmured the words again and looked away.
He grabbed her arm and made her look at him. He caught her involuntary flinch. He released her then. "I won't hurt you." He touched her face. "Or turn you in." His other hand grabbed her hand. "I admire you. I respect you. I--" He noticed her trembling slightly but didn't mention it.
"Why?" She cut him off. "Why do you bother with me then if you wont turn me in?" She tried pushing him away. The unwanted tremors became more insistent whenever a male touched her. "Damn it. She cannot be weak." Rei thought.
"I care for you."
"Ha! You probably feel guilty for all that you've done. Well you deserve to be guilty. Now let me go." She commanded.
Without warning, he lowered his head to hers and kissed her.
Caught off guard, Rei felt lots of emotions all pleasant. But as his hands roamed her body, the unwanted fear she had been fighting got hold of her. Memories of being touched, violated…it clawed at her sharply. She bit him.
He made a sound of pain. Rei realized what she had done and murmured a broken apology. "I…I'm sorry." Tears ran down her eyes as she ran away.
The jealousy was eating at her, plus, the realization that her freedom was once more taken away from her. Willing to share some of the pain, Princess Mina knocked on Serena's door.
"She has no right going after your man. No right to be happy. No right to be free." Eris' voice whispered in Mina's ear at Mina's own voice. Images that never happened began to take shape. Serena kissing Kunzite… Serena laughing at her…
"Come in."
Mina entered, a hollow smile in place. "Good day."
Serena stood at the sight of her visitor and smiled.
"Look, she treats you like an equal. As though she is actually somebody! She doesn't show you the proper courtesies." At this Mina frowned inwardly but held on to her smile.
"I hope you are having a pleasant stay here at the castle." Mina began sitting at an available chair. "I'm glad that they gave you one of the best chambers here. I hear you saved my betrothed's life." She spoke chattily. "I am ever so grateful."
"Your betrothed?" Serena blinked.
"Endymion. We're going to get married soon, probably in a few weeks. Darien's at my native country now, to pay the proper respects to my parents." Delivering her little message, Mina planned to leave, but Eris had a few more messages in mind.
"I…didn't know Darien was betrothed." Serena swallowed, her eyes looking at the window. "He…I…we had a…" She didn't know how to say this.
"I know that you were a prisoner before. The spoils of war, as one of my brothers call it when they're on a crusade…" She made a small laughing sound as though understanding Serena's dilemma. "You and my betrothed had a relationship. I understand. We can still be friends." She took Serena's hand in hers. "Why we can still be friends. I wouldn't mind if he keeps you as a mistress."
Mina stood up and moved to the door. She paused and looked back. "True, our marriage is a political match, yet I do care for Endymion's well being. I hope you can also be a godmother to our first born." She brightened. "Wouldn't it be such a craze? Me allowing my husband to take on a mistress, and making her our godmother at that!" She chuckled at herself. "Good day." She smiled and left.
The tears didn't come for now only a denial in her heart. The world was silent. This cannot be true.
"Darien, my love. Is this true? Are our morals so different that you hurt me unconsciously? I love you. Did you ever love me? You said so. But was it your heart who said it, or your needs?"
Walking outside, Serena ran unsure. She bumped into Kunzite along the way.
"Kunzite, where is Dar-, his Highness the Prince?" Serena asked wanting to be sure.
Kunzite was once more reminded by his own unrequited love. He responded automatically not asking why. "At Princess' Mina's home country." He answered looking depressed.
Her heart sank. Worst conclusions formed at Serena's mind. "I see." She whispered turning away. This time the tears came before she can help it. Not caring who might see, Serena ran.
At her window, Mina watched. For a moment she felt guilty and horrible. But once more Eris' whispered words into her mind that set her face into a malicious smile.
For a couple of days nobody noticed Serena's absence. When they did begin to notice, Darien had come back. But Eris had planned it perfectly. She came masquerading as Serena, telling discreetly a lowly peasant here, a tavern maid there that she has gone off somewhere, never to return.
Thinking that everything was going to go perfectly as she had planned, Eris relaxed.
Locating one of Aphrodite's temples weren't hard to find, it seems that everyone didn't want to anger the beautiful goddess by neglecting her. Standing in front of one of Aphrodite's stone replica, Serena voiced out her pain.
"We've never been outright enemies Aphrodite, but why do you hate me so?" Serena cried, at her knees in front of the statue. "Why? Why? Why?"
A hand touched her hair lightly. When Serena looked up, the goddess of love and beauty was kneeling beside her. "I am not your enemy Serenity. You know I had promised to not to meddle on forbidden love affairs anymore." Then, she added under breath. "Apart from Zeus' occasional liaisons."
"Come child, let us talk."
At Aphrodite's realm, they were fed and pampered. Serena's heart was too distraught to feel any loss that she would have to give up her freedom and rights as a goddess.
"Love hurts." Serena whispered. "Death doesn't compare."
"Yes, I know." Aphrodite spoke sympathetically. "I know the full extent of my power and I know how to use it. However, I did not make this happen. You must understand. You defied Fate when you fell in love, much more to a human. I hear you're no longer a virgin."
Serena blushed when she realized where the topic was leading. Undaunted, Aphrodite continued, "Well, certainly Artemis never talked to you about such things, but did you like it?" She prompted. "I can teach you some things." She spoke sipping casually at her goblet.
Torn whether she wanted to laugh or cry Serena remained silent.
"It seems I've distressed you."
Serena looked at the goddess straight in the eye and with a voice barely above a whisper, "What kind of things?"
"Where is she?" Darien asked the litter of servants in front of him. He was in a foul mood. Mina's parents wouldn't hear of breaking off the engagement. 'One heir is as good as the other,' they say. Serena can't be gone. He had been missing her like hell.
"I spoke to her myself m'lord. She stayed at the inn for one night before she went out of the city." The tavern maid spoke coming forward. Her voice cracked nervous knowing she was delivering bad news.
"I don't believe you." Darien spoke his voice hard. "Find her."
Mina was listening at the background. Her conscience bothered her. She returned to the sanctuary of her room before she could reveal her hand on Serena's disappearance.
A week has passed and still Darien was insistently looking. He couldn't get over the fact that she said nothing to him. He almost convinced himself that she was abducted. If there hadn't been any witnesses, he would've believed it completely. All of his time was consumed on locating her that he didn't even notice that his parents were gleefully preparing his wedding.
Mina noticed it however.
It was the eve of her wedding. She was sitting in front of her bureau, idly combing her hair yet her hand was shaking with tension. Kunzite hadn't spoken or talked to her for days now and when he did he was always polite that she wanted to kill him.
Breathing heavily, Mina stared at her bed. She wished that she could sleep and never wake up in the morning. She doused the candle and began to settle beneath the covers. When suddenly, she heard a noise.
Certain that another presence was in the room with her, she planned to scream. A hand covered her mouth before she could.
"Mina." It was Kunzite's voice, determined and full of purpose.
"I love you. Though I am betraying my country for this, I cannot let you wed." He spoke, his face inches above hers that she could see his eyes. He slowly took his hand off her mouth.
She didn't even know that she was crying. His thumb wiped away each tear. They kissed hungrily missing each other. But Kunzite broke away before things went on further.
"Time is ticking. We need to flee this night." Kunzite whispered to her. "Take what you need and we'll be off."
"Wait…Darien…" Knowing that Kunzite loved her, knowing that he chose her above his country, made Mina realize that she had been petty and selfish and cruel to Serena. She vowed to se things right.
"Don't tell me you love him?" Kunzite asked harshly, stepping away from her arms.
Mina reached out to him and hugged him against her hard, "No…no…only you. I love you an no one else." At this Kunzite relaxed.
"I have to tell him something." She squeezed his hand. "Please it's important."
"There are forces against you Serenity. Yes, your love is forbidden. But Eris' is making it more difficult. She is determined to have a seat of her own at Olympus." Aphrodite warned her.
"Eris? I thought she was a friend."
"The goddess of discord?" Aphrodite made a disapproving sound. "Other gods do not interfere when a god does whatever he wants to mortals. Unless the consequences are dire, like Apollo's rage, we aren't bothered. Nations rise; nations fall, what is a life to us? Whether it's a life of a king, a queen, a princess, or a prince."
"She means to kill him." Serena spoke with realization. She stood abruptly. "I have to protect him."
Aphrodite hid her smile, but it could be heard in her voice. "Then this must be true love. You cannot doubt it. It's quite beautiful. I couldn't have formed a bond more everlasting." Aphrodite stood.
"Remember to be careful. You're no longer a goddess. But I shall grant you help, once. Only once. Then I cannot help you." Aphrodite advised. Their surroundings changed and now they were at a path leading to Pegasus Castle. Serena had passed it when she was leaving.
"Thank you."
Author's notes: I noticed that Serena's been getting a lot of dreams. But it's one of the ways that the gods can communicate with her. Review.