Once Upon a ….. Sometime.
By Skyflame
Chapter TwelveSerena looked wistfully out the window and said,
"Look at all that beautiful snow it makes me want to just forget how I am supposed to act and go out and play in it. And since it is my birthday I think that I will do just that and I want all of you to come and join me. Trust me it will be fun" pushing them out the door and into the garden where they all worked together to make a giant snowman and when it was done they all stood back to admire what they had created.
Serena then bent down and threw a handful of fresh white snow at Raye, who shrieked and threw a handful back at Serena but accidentally hit Mina. Laughing Darien yelled
"Snowball Fight" and pulled Serena behind a tree while Chad & Raye, Ken & Lita and Amy & Mina also placed themselves behind obstacles before throwing snowballs at all enemy teams. The laughing and playing continued for hours and as the Queen watched out her window she could see all the happy young people acting like children without a care in the world. But she burst out laughing when Andrew walked into the middle of garden and was bombarded from four sides with snowballs.
"This means war" he laughed and scooped up a handful of snow and put it down his brothers back at which point everyone ran from their hiding spots and put snow down anyone and everyone's backs. When they all collapsed exhausted on the ground Andrew spoke up
"You know there was a reason I came out here before I was attacked by you lot. That wasn't fair how you all ganged up on me at once." Mina smiled and hugged her husband
"Don't worry darling, I'll protect you next time from everyone if you protect me while my brother is here in the summer."
Andrew looked at her with a worried look on his face, ignoring the others sitting around him and continued
"I'll have to do it sooner than that. That is what I came to tell you. Your family is coming to visit and should be here in a couple days. They sent a message saying they were leaving on the 14th and will be staying for Christmas, and it had just arrived when I came outside. Not that it wasn't fun, whose idea was it to play that game. I haven't played since Darien, Amy and I were kids."
When Andrew had begun talking about Mina's family coming Lita had diverted her gaze to Serena, who Darien had pulled protectively into his arms before answering,
"Serena did. It's her birthday today and she wanted to play in the snow and threw the first snowball at Raye. What is this about Mina's family visiting? I thought they only came to stay in the summer?" while hugging Serena tighter. Mina said
"Normally that is the only time that they come, but they must have some reason for wanting to spend Christmas with me. They haven't had Christmas with me since I married Andrew so I wonder what has changed now" at which point Raye who had been assessing the situation going around her and sensing what it was really about, spoke up
"Is anyone else getting cold. I'm freezing and the longer we sit here in the snow the wetter we are going to get. Serena are you sure that it is alright for you to be sitting around in the snow, we don't want you to get sick again especially before your party."
"I am getting kind of cold, perhaps we should go in," Amy said softly and with that everyone agreed and headed back to the Chateau except for Serena.
Darien was the only one who saw that Serena had headed further into the gardens, so telling the others that he would be in soon, followed the path Serena had made in the snow. Hearing the footsteps behind her she stopped but continued to stare straight ahead while tears formed in her eyes.
"What is wrong my love?" Darien whispered before she turned in his arms, and crying on his shoulder sobbed
"I hate this I want to tell her but I can't. She should know the truth already, but I promised Celeste so I can't tell her. Why does it have to be so hard? Did you know that Mina and our brother have never got along, but when I was there he was one of the sweetest guys I have met and I couldn't see why they didn't get along. Maybe what Celeste said was true, maybe Mina is pining for the missing part of herself and doesn't even know it. So subconsciously thinks Greg is trying to fill the gap so wont accept him, which is why he retaliates. I'm sorry for dumping all my problems on you, it's just hard to deal with sometimes but it will be over soon. We should probably go inside now, I'm starting to get cold."
"Just one thing first. I don't care that you unload all your problems on me. I love you and want to help you in anyway possible so if you need to talk just remember I am here for you." Darien stated, then as he pulled her towards the Chateau said,
"Now come inside before you really do get sick and miss you party as well as the surprise I have for you." Serena followed him with an inquisitive look on her face, but didn't say anything as they ran hand in hand like small children to the warmth of the house.
Three days later Serena was visiting Darien at the Chateau when a carriage containing King Tristian, Queen Celeste and Prince Gregory arrived. She had to restrain herself so she wouldn't race out and hug them that would give away that she knew them, Darien was the only one in the Chateau that knew her secret and no one else could know yet. She would just have to be introduced as Darien's fiancée until Celeste had a chance to talk to Mina and then Serena could acknowledge her family like she had in the short time she was in the kingdom of Sapphire Coast.
As they headed down to the hall where all the rest of the family was already gathered to greet Mina's family, Darien could sense the unease in Serena as well as the disappointment that she couldn't greet her newly found brother and parents as she wished to. The yearning for the moment she would be able to have a heart to heart with her twin was almost more then she could bear. But she had to wait and pretend that this was the first time she had met these people, and it hurt her inside because she felt that honesty was so important.
After the rest of the family had said hello to the guests, as they had got to know each other very well when Mina and Andrew had met, Mina introduced Serena.
"Mother, Father, I'd like to introduce you to Darien's fiancée, Serena. They are getting married in April but Serena has already become an important part of the family" at this point Serena curtsied and looked up at her birth parents with anguish in her eyes at having to hide the truth while they watched her with love in theirs.
"It is an honor to meet you, your majesties. Mina has been telling me all about you and I must say that you must be exceptional parents to raise someone as wonderful and caring as Mina is. We were surprised when we heard that you were coming since you normally only visit in the summer."
"What a totally enchanting young lady you are Serena. Prince Darien I am thrilled beyond words at what a fine choice you have made and strongly support the match. When we decided to visit we had hoped that we would be introduced to your fiancée since everyone seems to be talking about her, but the reason we came was because we missed our daughter so decided we would come and spend Christmas with her." Darien nodded and Celeste saw the knowing look in his eyes, as he understood fully both what they were and weren't saying.
"Now I hope you don't think us rude but it has been a long trip and we were hoping we could be shown to our rooms to rest for awhile, then Mina you and I will have to catch up on what has been happening. Please excuse us" Celeste finished saying as Mina nodded and led them to their rooms while King Tristian silently smiled at Serena before following his wife.
With the King and Queen's disappearance Andrew went to attend to some business and Amy headed for the library where she spend a lot of her time due to her inquisitive nature and thirst for knowledge, leaving Queen Ariana, Serena and Darien standing in the hall. Ariana looked at the two of them and said
"Celeste is acting a little strange today. I wonder if something is there is something on her mind or is she really is just tired? But I won't bore you, so both of you go off and do something fun" before sweeping from the room.
Serena looked at Darien and asked,
"Snow?" he smiled at her and agreed,
"Snow" as they ran outside to play in the snow, laughing like children.
While Amy was reading in the library she heard the door open behind her, as she turned she had expected to see one of her brothers or Serena, but instead found Prince Greg had just entered the room. She had met Greg at the events surrounding Andrew and Mina's wedding but they hadn't got to know each other as they were both shy and there hadn't been any real point as they were both young. Amy blushed as she looked at the prince and said,
"Hello Prince Greg were you looking for someone or did you happen to loose your way?"
"Actually I was looking for a book on Legends and Mythology, many people find that kind of thing boring, but it is actually very interesting"
Amy stared at him in disbelief
"Really. You are interested in those sorts of things too, no one else is around here except for maybe Serena, but she has had her mind on other things lately so hasn't had the time to discuss them with me. I had no idea that you would be interested in the same things I am." Blushing Amy turned back to the shelves she had been looking at when he came in and told him that the books on those topics was where she was looking.
Greg watched Princess Amy as she searched the shelves. He was surprised at how he hadn't noticed how pretty she was with her short blue-black hair and cobalt eyes. Now it seemed that they had similar interests and the trip wouldn't be as bad as he thought even though it wouldn't be as bad as usual as Serena was here.
"Princess Amy, I know we don't know each other very well, but maybe we could be friends. I'd love if you would share your thoughts on the legends and myths you have read and any other topics that are of interest to you. I'd like to have someone to talk to and spend time with while I am here. I kind of feel left out because Mina and I don't get along very well and she is always off with Andrew and I am guessing that Darien and Serena are going to be disappearing all the time."
"I know how you feel, sometimes I feel alone myself, even though they try not to exclude me. I would be happy to have your company and would love if you would also share your opinions with me on some of the legends you have read. And please just call me Amy"
"Alright I will, as long as you will call me Greg."
