GoddessMoonLady
Chapter 9
Disclaimers:
GML: HEHE!
Darien: What's so funny?
GML: Chapter nine!
Darien: So?
GML: So! I'm two chapters away from the end!
Darien: Or you will be when you actually start this chapter.
GML: Oh. Good point. Don't own 'SM'! Naoko-sama does! Now to start!
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"Mina, remind me again why I agreed to this?" Darien drawled from where he was leaning against the wall as his cousin was sorting through bolts of fabric for a new dress. He had been convinced to escort Mina to the Ladies' Dress shop.
"I do believe it was because a young Lady, like myself, couldn't be seen wandering about the town alone." Mina batted her eyes playfully, "After all! Heaven knows what could happen! It is November after all!"
Darien rolled his eyes at her dramatics.
Mina grinned evilly, "Besides, the dress is a present for Serenity for Christmas."
"Ah, of course." Darien grinned at the thought of the beautiful Miss Serenity Saunders. His eyes darkened as he remembered how frightened he had been at the sight of her lying on the ground under the balcony. He shuttered.
Whispered voices drifted to him from his left. He turned and caught sight of three young Ladies gathered about, comparing fabrics and gossiping. He recognized Serenity's spoilt younger sister Melissa in a heart beat. Beryl and Ramilda accompanying her, as par usual.
He frowned at the devious expression on Melissa's face and tried to catch what they were saying.
"... It just isn't fair!" Melissa whined.
"Of course it isn't!" Ramilda nodded sympathetically.
"How could it have gone so wrong?" Beryl asked frowning.
"I don't know! I mean, I figured that when I pushed her over the rail, Mother and Father would be angry and deem her completely useless, and I'd be rid of her! But now!" Melissa's eyes flashed, "Now Mother is always bustling about her like a Mother Hen!"
Darien's eyes flared with anger. Melissa had pushed Serenity! She had nearly Killed her own sister!
"What about Darien?" Ramilda asked. Darien calmed himself to listen.
"I haven't seen him in days! Mother says he comes by, but I'm always away! If I did not know better, I'd say Mother planned that!" Melissa hissed, "But, I'll tell you one thing. He won't even consider Serenity as worth his time anymore. She's an invalid. Whatever interests he harbored will surely be gone by now." She smiled coldly, clearly sure of herself.
Darien snarled silently, before smoothing out his expression and glancing over at Mina. She was comparing a bolt of blue silk, and a bolt of white silk with a gold design. Making a decision he stepped into Melissa, Beryl, and Ramilda's line of site.
The three girls jumped clearly startled. Melissa's eyes widened when she saw the cold look on his face.
"Darien! Good day to you!" She called pleasantly, trying to cover her nervousness.
"Good day, indeed." He responded coldly, "Answer me true, Miss Melissa, did I hear you correctly?" He raised an eyebrow.
Melissa blinked at him innocently, "I don't know what you mean, Darien." She simpered.
"I believe you know perfectly well, what I mean. Did I not hear you, just now, claiming that you were the one that pushed Serenity off the balcony?" His voice was like chipped ice. He kept his voice polite, even though all he wanted was to slap the girl and force her to tell him the truth.
Melissa blinked, thinking fast. "What? Oh! That!" She gave a forced laugh, Ramilda and Beryl echoing her. "I was simply jesting, of course! I would never do something so horrid!"
Darien narrowed his eyes at her and nodded. She had all but confirmed it but it would do him no good to make such a scene here. "Very well, Good day, Miss Melissa." With that he turned and walked nonchalantly back over to Mina whom had chosen to use both fabrics, plus Sapphire blue see-through lace for the dress. She was choosing gold brocade trim and Sapphire blue jewels to decorate it as he joined her.
They left shortly after, Mina having told the woman exactly what she wished the dress to look like. Darien smiled, Serenity would look simply lovely in the dress. It would take a month to finish, due to all the intricate details Mina had wanted.
Serenity sat on her window seat reading the copy of 'A Tale of Two Cities' Darien had brought her on his last visit. The doctor just left after giving her a final check up. He had declared her healed and had said that she could finally get up and move about on her own again.
She had gotten quite the surprise when she had gone downstairs to fix lunch for her family only to have her Mother shoo her out of the kitchen, claiming that she was still recovering and shouldn't be straining herself.
"Serenity, lunch is ready." Ilene called from her doorway.
Serenity started and turned, "What?" She whispered.
Ilene smiled softly, her skirts rustling as she entered the room, "Lunch is ready. Are you hungry?" She took the book from Serenity, marking the page, and setting it down. "Here, Let me help you up. Your still week from all the bed rest."
Serenity allowed her mother to help her to stand and steady her when she swayed before gaining her balance. "I'll be fine from here, Mother."
"Are you certain?" Ilene asked concerned.
"Yes, Mother. I'm fine." Serenity kept her eyes down shyly.
Ilene eyed her for a moment, "All right. I'll go let Melissa know about lunch. She is dusting your father's study." She ran her fingers through Serenity's hair, which was loose and falling about her shoulders, before turning and continuing down the hall to Keneth's upstairs study.
Another surprising change, it turned out that Melissa would now be doing half of Serenity's chores. She had been certain that once she was healed things would return to the way they were before her fall, but they weren't. Her parents genuinely seemed to change. Her Father had started bringing her books history books he had found while in town while her Mother seemed to gain some new fascination with her hair. Ilene was forever trying to style it using jeweled hair clips and exclaiming over how pretty she looked.
Serenity slowly made her way down the hall to the stairs. She took a deep breathe and started to descend them slowly. She could hear her Mother bustling about in the Dining room from here. Her Father entered the hall from the Parlor with the local paper in hand.
"There you are, Serenity, dear! Here, let me escort you to the Dining room." Keneth smiled at her, offering her his arm. She smiled shyly in return and took it gratefully. She was still week and could use the help.
After Lunch, Serenity settled on a Window seat in the Dining room to stair out into the snow covered gardens. It was like a Winter wonderland. Absolutely breathtaking. Her attention was drawn toward the front hall as the front bell rang. She heard Melissa hurrying to the door to answer it.
Melissa pulled the door open and her face lit up, "Darien!"
Darien nodded, Miss Melissa. Is Miss Serenity about?" He enquired in the same cold, polite voice had had used earlier that day in the Dress shop.
"Why would you wha-"
"Melissa? Who is at- Oh! Good Afternoon, Darien!" Ilene greeted as she entered the front hall and interrupting Melissa. "What brings you out this way?" She smiled, she knew precisely why he was here.
"Mrs. Saunders," Darien nodded smiling pleasantly, "I thought I would come by and see how Miss Serenity is fairing. I saw the doctor just as I was leaving town and he said she would be up and about today."
Ilene smiled, "She is indeed. She is in the Dining room, I do declare, that girl has quite a fondness for window seats! Please, come sit down and I'll fetch her." She ushered him into the Parlor and her took a seat on the duvet with Melissa following them in, looking absolutely livid.
"Why on Earth would you want to see Serenity for? You should be here to see me!" Melissa exclaimed after her mother left the room.
"Actually, Miss Melissa, I have a confession to make. I stopped coming to see You after that day you were away at the Circus and I had that little talk with Serenity. She was wonderful company, and I have been coming to speak with her ever since." Darien smirked mentally as a scandalized expression crossed Melissa's face.
"You what?" Melissa shrieked.
"I have been coming to see Serenity, not you." Darien repeated calmly, becoming more and more amused by the minute. "I figured it was about time I admitted the truth as it just wouldn't be proper for me to continue to allow you to think otherwise."
Melissa opened her mouth to snap at him as his gaze shifted from her and he stood. "Miss Serenity! You are looking well."
Serenity smiled at him from where she stood beside her Mother in the doorway, "Darien, What are you doing here?"
"I heard from the doctor that you were much recovered and decided to drop by to see for myself." He bowed as she came closer, taking her hand and kissing it.
Serenity blushed, "Well, as you can see I am fine. I am pleased to see you, I do hope Melissa wasn't causing you any undo stress?" She enquired, clearly as amused by this situation as he was.
"Not at all! I was simply straitening out a few misconceptions, the lady seemed to hold." He smiled charmingly.
"Melissa, come. Let us give your sister some privacy." Ilene called sternly as she motioned for Melissa to leave, "I will be just in the other room."
"Thank you, Mother." Serenity called as Ilene left.
"Of course, dear." Ilene answered smiling. She took a seat in the dining room taking out her needle point, listening to the quiet conversation between her eldest daughter and the charming young man she had become quite fond of.
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GML: Well? What do you think::smirk: Melissa got busted::snicker:
Darien: Why didn't I just out her in this chapter?
GML: Because, that would have been a waste! Just you wait, everyone will find out the truth soon.
Darien: You're really excited about this.
GML::grin: Of course I am! I only have chapter 10 and the Epilogue to do and this is finished::does little happy dance:
Darien::rolls eyes:
GML::grin: Ok, what did you think::smirk: And this is just the start of Melissa's fall from grace. OH! I can't wait to describe the dress Mina and Darien are having made for Serenity! I actually got the idea from a Barbie doll dress. Yes, I do still have Barbies, and yes I am 19. Sue me. I LOVE the doll clothes::glare: That's where I get the outfits my fic characters wear!
Darien: Ooook.
GML: Shut up. Anyways, if I can find my camera I'll see if I can get a picture up of it. It's really pretty!
Darien: Enough of the dress already! Just end this!
GML: Ok, ok... crabby pants... anywayz, Like it? Say so::grin: REVIEW!