Once Upon a ….. Sometime.

By Skyflame

Chapter 8

The next morning Darien awoke to find Serena's bed empty and he started to panic until he heard her voice say

"Darien, why are you so worried. I'm right here. Good morning my dear sweet prince, did you know that there is a great view from here." Darien turned to see Serena sitting on the window seat looking down at the gardens in her ball-dress from last night which he had not fully appreciated the night before, as his heart had lead the way.

It was a creamy color with flecks of gold through it and shimmering beads covered the bodice and skirt and it seemed to float around her like a filmy cloud. He thought it was one of the most beautiful memories he had of her as he remembered how she had looked last night as she came down the stairs and into his arms. Her train trailing behind her and beads that matched the dress on pins with the half crown of white rosebuds in her hair, that cascaded in ringlets down the back of her head with a few tendrils framing her perfect face and bright smile.

As Darien walked to her he said,

"My beautiful princess, I trust you slept well. Did you that you mean the world to me and I can't wait for us to start our life together and today, my dearest one, we need to discuss when we are going to get married and begin the preparations." Serena turned in his arms then and said

"Do you know how much I love you?" and putting his head on her shoulder and shaking it, she continued "I love you more than there are stars in the sky, or fish in the sea. I love you more than the size of the whole galaxy and my love for you will never go away, not even when I am gone. And I thank Selene most humbly for giving you to me as I asked her to do in hopes that she wouldn't disappoint me and she hasn't."

"What exactly did you say to Selene when you asked her for my love? Please my angel tell me exactly what you said," Darien asked gently and the confused young maiden answered,

"I said that I would give or do anything to know that you loved me. I told her that I would give my life for your love." When she looked up and saw his angry scowl she stepped out of his arms and said

"Darien, what have I done wrong, why are you so angry all of a sudden." Realizing that his anger was showing he quickly wiped it from his face and answered

"I'm sorry for scaring you my angel, I just remembered something that made me mad. I didn't mean to take it out on you. Forgive me" before kissing her until she forgot what it was she was forgiving him for this time.


Later on in the day when Serena had gone home, he returned to his chambers and began throwing things around, the noise causing his family to wonder what was going on. Amy was the only one brave enough to enter his chambers and as she entered Darien dropped to the floor releasing what he was about to throw and began weeping. His sister rushed to side and gathered him in her arms soothing him until he stopped weeping.

He told her that the reason he was so angry was because the girl he loved had prayed to Selene to let him love her. She had even said she would give up her life for his love and now she was going to die and there was nothing he could do. Amy had only one suggestion and that was to pray to Selene for what he wanted and hope that she took pity on him and his aching heart.

That night when everyone else was asleep Darien went out into the garden and knelt before the glowing moon, as he looked towards it and started asking Selene to take pity on him. He prayed that she would not take the one he loved away from him for he didn't know if he could live without her. He told her he had nothing to offer except his eternal gratitude and devotion to her if she would allow him and Serena to live happily and have a family who they could love and tell how glorious Selene was and what she had done for them.

It had been awhile when the young princess heard a familiar voice outside and looking out her window she saw her brother kneeling in the moonlight. Begging Selene not to take his love away from him. She felt a deep sorrow for the two wonderful young people who she loved that had only just found each other and were going to be separated before they really got a chance to live. Amy could see how much the news was tearing at Darien. He truly loved Serena with all his heart.

Knowing he couldn't tell her what was wrong or cry in front of her, in fears that she would refuse to marry him, thinking she was sparing him made it so much harder and he couldn't handle it. Amy had never seen him like this before, and knew he had now resorted to begging Selene not to take his love away from him. She saw her brother getting up and knowing that he had waited until everyone was asleep so it would be a secret she retreated back to her bed while her brother did the same.


When he had not shown his face by midday Amy decided that she would go to his chambers to check on him because it was extremely unusual for him not to be up by now, no matter how little sleep he had got the night before. When she got no reply to her knocks at his door she opened it and softly called

"Darien. Darien are you alright? Its midday and you hadn't come down so I've come to check on you. Is anything the matter?"

Hearing his sister's voice he sat up and rubbing his eyes said sleepily

"Ames, is that you?" patting the bed beside him telling her without words to come sit with him and talk. Amy jumped up onto his bed and said

"Yeah it's me. Are you sure everything is alright?" in a worried tone of voice.

"Well apart from the obvious, I guess I was really tired, I haven't slept much since I found out that Serena was the 'princess' I was in love with and slept even less since I found out I was going to lose her. Oh Ames what am I going to do?" Darien said with a pained look on his face.

Amy hugged him and answered,

"I don't know, there isn't much you can do. I'm going to miss her too, we have come to be good friends over the last few months and I can't imagine her not being there to talk to about anything and everything. I know you love her Darien, but so do I and I'm going to miss her too, just as Mina will." She finished by breaking into tears, Darien pulled his crying sister into his arms and as tears continued to flow down her face he hugged her.

"Ames I'm so sorry, I've been so selfish and thinking about how much I would miss her, that I forgot how much she means to everyone else."

After they had sat there in silence and hugged for awhile trying to dispel their sadness, Amy said

"Darien, we understand what you are going through and we know its going to be harder on you than on anyone, but it was hard on us to hear the news too. She has brought so much back into all our lives, I mean I've never seen mother so excited about getting to know someone before. The first thing she did after sending for Serena was to ask about her outfit and say 'Amy you don't think that this is too much for meeting her do you?' When I didn't answer she went and changed 3 more times before finally deciding she was ready to see your fiancée."

Hearing this Darien practically let out of bed and yelped

"What, you mean she's here, why didn't you tell me." While racing behind a screen to change and Amy just laughed and said

"Calm down when I came up she hadn't arrived yet so you don't have to race around like a headless chicken. I'll leave you now so you can change and I will send her up here to you when she has finished with mother, so I suggest that you clean up the mess you made of the room yesterday after she left. See you later big brother" and she slipped from the room.


Darien quickly changed before going out into his outer chamber and seeing what his sister had meant. He really had been angry when he had found out what his young maiden had told Selene and had made a real mess of his room so quickly set to putting it in order. He was just putting the last thing in place when he heard a knock at his door and raced to open it, and see his love standing there smiling at him. After letting her in he said

"Hello my bright angel, and how are you today?" before taking her hand and lifting it to his lips, she blushed and answered

"Perfectly well my prince, and you?"

"Oh so much better from seeing you and hearing you are well" he replied while a voice in his head yelled, But she's not all right and you know it, but she doesn't yet does she?, in a mocking tone. They sat and discussed when they wanted to get married and Darien made it clear he wanted it as soon as possible so they decided to get married in the middle of spring, and since winter was just starting it gave them just enough time to get it organized.

The couple then decided to take a walk in the garden before going to discuss the details with his family, because they needed to arrange everything quickly so it would be ready in time. As they walked Darien asked Serena how her meeting with the Queen had gone and was relieved when he heard nothing but compliments about her and that they got on really well. Just then Darien saw the doctor heading towards the Chateau and called to him before telling Serena that he would only be a moment and that she should go find Mina and Amy, Serena was puzzled but did what he asked anyway.


The doctor waited as the young prince came running towards him, and after catching his breath said,

"Doctor I have a question about the future princess's disease that has been bugging me and I hope you can answer. Will there be a lot of notice or pain involved for her when it actually takes over?" The doctor could see the pain in the young prince's eyes and said sadly

"I'm not too certain but from what I can tell, you will only have a couple of days notice at the most. She should feel no pain but she will get very weak in the last few days and during this time should mainly stay in bed, but I would advise you to ignore this medical suggestion and let her do anything she feels up to. It will be her last chance for these things so she should do the things that mean the most to her." Darien nodded and thanked him before racing off in the direction his fiancée had just taken.

The doctor could see the disease would be the end of them both because their spirits were so closely linked already, that neither could survive alone anymore. He was guessing that the only way they could sleep was to think that if they did it would be closer to seeing the other. The death of the future princess was going to be the downfall of the prince and cause great despair throughout the royal family and their kingdoms.


The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing all aspects of the wedding, which would take place in April. Darien threw his heart into the organizing to keep the young maidens disease off his mind and all those involved had an enjoyable time in the planning as well as the joking and laughing.

When Serena had gone home and Darien was talking to his mother about Serena, and silently pining for her when his mother caught his attention.

"Darien, don't you think Serena might be mad that you didn't tell her she was going to die when you found out? Especially since the rest of the family knows. When I was talking to her she seemed to be quite a sensitive person regarding the truth and she told me she never withheld anything from you. That she told you at the start that she wasn't a princess, when she could have pretended to be one to get your attention. I must say she is one of the sweetest, most caring people I've ever met, and you made a good choice. It is also perfect how she gets along with everyone so well, it still amazes me that she isn't really a princess as she acts as though she is one, without being the snob many princesses are, she reminds me a lot of Mina when I first met her. Her parents obviously brought her up well and taught her impeccable manners."

"I didn't really pick her mother, we were destined to be together, but I never thought how she would react to me delaying the news. I just don't want to lose her to say she won't marry me because she's sparing me pain. Mother I love her so much I don't want to lose her now, it will be hard enough later on" Darien replied.

"Don't you think she might feel she was tricked, I think you should tell her now so she has time to get used to the idea. Tell the others to put a hold on the wedding plans for now and send her a note to come here first thing in the morning and tell her the truth. She loves you, but you need to let her decide for herself what to do no matter how hard it may be on you. While you are going to lose her, she is going to lose everyone and all the experiences that come with life" the Queen stated before sending him off to do as she had said.


After sending the message to Serena, Darien didn't get much sleep because he was worrying about what his love would say. Little did he know that Serena was also unable to sleep through worrying about why Darien had sent word for her to come in the morning, she was scared he was going to tell didn't really want to marry her and that he had found someone else. After a lot of worrying they both finally fell asleep but woke early and with worry on their faces got ready to see one another.

When they saw each other they both stated,

"Whatever is the matter?" at exactly the same time, which caused them to begin laughing. When they stopped Darien took Serena out into the garden and when they were sitting on a bench he turned to face her.

"Serena I have something to tell you and I hope you won't be to angry and remember that I love you and still want to marry you no matter what, and I hope that you will still agree to marry me after I tell you this."

Darien saw some relief mixed in with the confusion on the young maiden's face and so he continued

"The night of the ball I found out that you have a extremely rare disease. It could strike anytime in the next 5 years and will be fatal with only a maximum of a few days notice." He saw the horror on her face and pulled her into his arms while they both wept and he whispered

"I'm so sorry my love. I don't know how I will survive without you, I only wish there was something I could do. I love you no matter what though alright."

They stayed like that for what seemed like forever before Serena sat up and after wiping her eyes she asked

"Who knows?" without looking into her eyes he said quietly

"All of my family, Lady Raye, Lady Lita and whoever your mother has told." Then the anger hit her as he knew it would for he had been the same, and she yelled

"Darien, why didn't you tell me when you found out? How long were you going to wait before telling me, because there must have been some factor that made you tell me now, when you had already waited."

Knowing she wanted answers he said,

"Please forgive me Serena. There were two reasons I didn't want to tell you, one being that I didn't you to have to go through the pain, but the main one was I didn't want you to refuse to marry me now because you think it will spare me pain later. Because it won't it will only cause more pain. The reason you know now is because my mother pointed out how I couldn't make you wait to know because it is your life. I was going to tell you soon after we were married. Please, please forgive me my angel. I know it was selfish but I love you and didn't want to lose you before I had to" falling to his knees before her, with pain and anguish showing in his eyes.

Seeing how upset he was calmed her down and she said,

"I know Darien I love you too. With all my heart, but I have the right to decide what I want to do with what I have left of my life. But no matter what I will still love you always. I will try to be as quick as possible in making my decision. Now will you do one thing for me" as he looked up into her eyes seeing her love mixed with pain and confusion, she continued,

"Get up off the ground and kiss me." Smiling at her he answered

"Whatever you say my angelic princess" before granting her request.


Later that afternoon Serena went to the duchess's chambers to talk to her as they had quickly become friends after their first meeting, and Serena knew she could talk to her about anything and everything just as if they were sisters. As Serena walked towards her, Mina could see that she was hurting inside so she said

"My dear friend, whatever is the matter?" and Serena just answered,

"Darien told me. Oh what am I going to do now? I have so much still to do, and if I'm alive after 5 years does that mean I have nothing left to worry about. I'm so confused and don't think I can marry Darien now, because even though he says if I don't marry him he will be in more pain than if I do. I just don't know what to do."

Serena had been pacing the whole time she was speaking, but when she stopped she dropped onto a chair and Mina reached for her hand and said

"I'm not sure about the details of your sickness, but about Darien. It's your decision in the end of course but I need to tell you that the night he found out he was a mess and has been ever since. He spent most of the night after you fell by your side, with only a short break. He really loves you and can't stand the thought of losing you. His first thought was that you would refuse to marry him that's why he didn't tell you at the beginning. He needs you and you need him, I can see it in your eyes."

"In my opinion you two should get to have as much time together as possible if you are going to lose one another, and the only way to do that is to get married, then you can spend all day, everyday together. The two of you belong together and it hurts me to think that both of you will lose the one you love, for if I lost my love I'm not sure what I would do. But also everyone else will miss you, we love you and you have brought happiness and laughter back into our lives and you will never be forgotten by this family, whether you marry Darien or not. Anyway don't make a decision now, think about it awhile because its very important as it is the rest of your life."

Serena then got up and went and hugged Mina before saying

"Thank you I will think about it. I'm going to go home now, but I love you Mina and thank you for always being here for me" and with that raced off home. When Darien came looking for Serena there was more sadness in his eyes and she told him that Serena had gone home to think about things. But then as he turned to leave she continued by saying

"I'm proud of you Darien, it took guts to tell her. If I know Serena as well as I think I do, you won't have to be so miserable. But I promise nothing for she may change her mind. If she does refuse to marry you, don't stop loving her because that could cause more injury to her heart and speed up the disease, as depression does that." Nodding Darien quietly left the room with the hope from Mina's words blazing in his eyes.