Hearts' Remedy
Chapter 20

Serena hurried along the path, with her bright pony tail flying behind her. She stopped for a moment and turned to stare at the brunette panting, as she caught up with her.

"Ser. Reen. Naa… Give it h-here."

Serena jumped back, holding a pouch close to her side. "I will. All you have to do is follow me to the field of daisies."

"Why?"

"Because you've been with me for a week since one whole month of slumber, Naru, and you still haven't opened up to the village that accepts you for who you are! I'm going to take you some place where you can talk. It's not fair that I share my whole life's story with you, while you hide the real you from me." Serena pouted.

"Alright," Naru sighed in defeat. "I'll follow you, but you have to give the seeds back first, Serena."

"What are they for?" Serena asked as she walked along the trail again.

"I'm going to plant a garden for Nora and the children," Naru murmured, clutching the pouch that Serena handed back to her.

"How grand, Naru! I want to help!"

Naru smiled at Serena when the sprightly girl turned her back to her again, walking lightly. Serena's arms swung merrily by her side with each step, and discharged an air of young vibrancy. She had never met someone as jovial as Serena. When she first woke to this strange world, the first person she saw was her and somehow she knew under that smile, she was safe. She was safe from pain, loneliness, and suffering, but not from loss. Serena reminded her of the sunlight, except one could look at her without blinking. When Naru was recuperating in her sleep, she had seen Serena countless times, holding out a hand to her. Every time, Serena would tilt her head to the side and smile, waiting and waiting.

Naru sometimes wished that she could be more like her, just to feel how it felt to be loved and wanted. She had noticed that the villagers treated her with respect and dignity. She could have been the queen if she wanted to be. As for the children in the orphanage, they couldn't have a better sister than Serena. She looked after them, played with them, and bonded with them in ways that Naru felt she was incapable of. They adored her games, her stories, and her presence in general. Her family coddled her. Naru had seen this, and avoided the family when they were together in one place. Their homeliness scared her and disheartened her in a way that she was afraid to see them together. She was afraid to let them know shared nothing similar to them.

"You, Girl, have too much on your mind. I'm going to show you what it means to be wild and free."

Naru shivered at the last word, 'free.' The concept of it startled her. She was never going to be used to this 'free.'

"Okay, we're here!" Serena cheered. Naru looked up and gazed over at the field of daisies that grew knee high.

Without another word, Serena charged in, twirling, jumping, singing, and dancing. After about a minute, Serena plopped into the earth and became hidden behind the tall flowering plants.

"Naru, come over!"

Naru hesitantly stepped into the field, ready to move toward the sound of Serena's voice.

"Feel the dirt in between your toes. Take off your shoes!"

Naru frowned. It was just the thing Serena would do, but Naru knew better. Going around barefooted was not feministic. Men would frown at the sight, but Serena was an exception. To anybody, Serena was just another part of nature, so it was not unusual to see her barefooted. Occasionally, she would be barefooted.

Naru slipped off her slippers and felt the warm dirt under her feet. It did feel good. Serena sat up to watch her solemnly. And soon, Naru joined her on the earth.

Whenever Serena looked at Naru, she could feel the void in her new friend. It was like opening a book with blank pages in them. Serena was ready to put a mark in it if that were possible, but she was not the type to force a mark. She would like to be able to write freely, just as much as she would like to have Naru feel more at home and at ease with everyone in the village, not just with her.

Serena could also read in Naru's usual comatose expression that she was hiding something painful from the world. It was like Naru had never woken up. The pain Naru suffered from was emotional, and if Serena knew what was the source of it she would have gone after it. No one should suffer the way Naru has. It was not right.

"Naru?" Serena and Naru lay in the flowers, watching the clouds above them float by. "My Mother, from where I come from, always told me to keep my feelings to myself, and put people in front of me first. Now, that I think about what she said, I wonder if it's possible to put my feelings and people in front of myself at the same time. It's silly not to feel, but worry and care for others. How could one work without the other?"

"You're right."

"I remember lots of things my Mother told me, but remember very few things she did with me. However, I do remember when I was ten; I picked flowers with her and my sister. The day was as perfect as this one," Serena's voice drifted off. "I remember her taking me out into the night when she had a bad dream and needed company. I started dancing for her under the moonlight and she called me her Little Moon Bunny…"

"Serena," the name coming from Naru, sounded like a moan of pain as if something broke inside her. "My mother is very much alive, but held captive by my old master."

Serena sat upright and looked at the girl, startled by this piece of news.

Naru clenched her eyes shut. "My father sold us to a man and my mother and I have been working for him for ten years since then."

Serena opened her mouth to speak, but Naru stopped her by abruptly turning away from her.

"I'm a runaway slave, not an orphan. When I had the chance my mother helped me get away, but she fell behind and…"

Serena looked at her and noticed the moisture gathering in Naru's eyes. The only action Serena could make in comfort was to hug her new found friend.

"N-Naru… I didn't know…"

"When you talk about your mother, I remember mine and feel like a worthless, useless, ungrateful child. What if she isn't alive anymore? What if my master punished her to the brink of death? Serena, I'm a horrible person."

"That's not true!" Serena stood up angrily. "That's. Not. True." She said again, stomping her foot for emphasis.

Naru had never seen Serena angry before. Her brow furrowed and her fists clenched. If she were a stranger, she might have frightened Naru. Anger revealed strength in Serena that made Naru twist to look up at her.

"Don't say that!"

"I-I'm sorry. I-I…" Naru covered her face.

"What for?" Serena asked. "Naru, you're being silly!"

"I-I am?"

"Yes!" Serena slapped her forehead incredulously. "Get up!"

Naru stood shakily to her feet, but Serena pushed her back down by the shoulder. Naru was surprised speechless and heard Serena yell, "Don't listen to me!"

"But, you said…"

Serena sighed, holding her by the shoulders. "You are your own master. You feel what you feel, you think what you think, and you do what you want. No one can tell you who you are. Right now you're making yourself something you are not over something that was not your fault."

"You make sense, yet your words are strangely arranged…" Naru stated simply.

"And?" Serena was eager for her to finish.

"I can't laugh because Mama isn't here with me."

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By candlelight Serena buried her face in the book she had in front of her. After an hour of reading she finally rubbed her eyes and groaned, closing the book with a snap.

"Artemis, can I ask you a question?"

Artemis got nearer to her until he was stretching over the top of her feet. "Yes?"

"What do you think of slavery?"

Artemis hissed as if the word burned his ears. "It's nothing," he finally answered.

"You are just like Luna, unreliable with simple facts. I don't need you to tell me anything because I've already read the History of Terra. Slavery is very old."

"Luna asked me not to discuss this with you."

"But Luna's not here… And apparently I know a lot about slavery now that I read about it. I'm ignorant no more!"

The cat sighed. He swiftly jumped onto her lap to get closer. His blue eyes bore into hers with so much intensity it drew the next words out of Serena's mouth with ease. "Don't worry, I won't tell Luna about what you say to me."

"Serena, it's not that. It's how hard it is for me to talk about things that are horrible."

"I'm not a child anymore, Artemis. I can handle it."

"That's what I tell Luna, but does she listen? Not at all," Artemis grumbled. "Can you handle gruesome knowledge?"

"Please… I've seen blood enough to drown this town!"

Artemis frowned at her. She gave him an apologetic look and he believed it was best to start off, then. "Slaves are nothing, but laborers under their masters. They eat when they are told to and work when they are told to. When they don't work, they are punished."

"By whip," Serena mumbled.

"Scars, pain, and malnourishment are imbursements for laziness."

"Why can't they at least give those poor people decent clothes?" Serena asked in frustration.

"Simply because they are slaves."

"Naru was a slave," Serena said. "That's why I found all those ugly scars on her back."

"I know."

"Naru has suffered much."

"I know."

"Her mother is still enslaved."

"I thought that would be the situation," Artemis said thoughtfully.

"And I'm going to save her," Serena said, getting up and bringing the cat with her.

Artemis started nodding, but stopped immediately after registering Serena's last sentence.

"What!" He nearly screamed.

"You heard. I'm going to save Naru's mother and Naru's coming with me."

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The brunette hunched over in the yard patted the dirt beneath her pink palms. Only once did she stop to wipe a sleeve at the perspiration rising from her brow since she started working on the garden. The sun, for once, felt good on her back.

"Naru!" Serena shouted, running towards her with a white cat in her arms.

Naru waved to the girl.

"Naru!" Serena smiled as she finally reached her. "I have great news!"

"Yes?"

Serena blinked blankly, looking at Naru's dirty palms. "Are you planting already?"

"Why, yes. I am so sorry I didn't wait for you. I decided to plant early."

"Oh, wonderful, so we can leave early."

"Leave? Where?"

"We're going on an adventure, Naru," Serena said, her smile growing more brilliant. "We're going to save your mother."

Naru gasped. "It is miles from here, Serena! It takes half a day on foot without stopping to get there!"

"Then we can be back in about two days."

"But, Serena, you're family would not permit it!"

"Who says they have to know where I'm going?" Serena stated slyly, eyebrows rising.

"No! I won't have you risk your life on my behalf! I will not join you. Do you know how dangerous it is for two girls to be out there by themselves?"

"Do not fret. Artemis will come with us."

Recalling the story of how a cat saved Serena from cut throat thieves, Naru was not appalled by the idea. Trying to find some other excuse Naru instead said, "And I suppose you have a plan devised up to trick the whole village into believing you're safe somewhere else."

A wicked grin broke across Serena's face. "Right."

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"I'll be gone for two days. Can you tell my parents I'm with you, helping the sick?"

Darien had been sitting around, sleeves rolled up, taking his break. He did not look like a prince at all. Sweat soaked his bangs and he was sitting on a stool behind the counter of Gor's cabin.

"Where will you be?" Darien asked.

"I'll be out of town, tending the sick in a village far from here."

Darien's eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

Serena pursed her lips. She could not lie to him if she expected him to cover for her, so she told him the truth.

After she told him the truth, Darien let out a long sigh. "Alright, I'll tell your parents that you're with me."

Serena beamed. "Thank you. I am indebted to you."

"So when are we leaving?"

"'We?'"

"Yes, we. I'm coming with you two," Darien said quietly.

"You can't! If anything ever happened to you your parents will have my head!"

"If anything happened to you on your frivolous journey, I would lose mine," Darien retorted.

"No!"

"You don't have much of a choice. If I stay, I'm telling your family the truth."

Serena moaned. This cursed prince was trying to get her in trouble through black mail!

Short and simple, straight forward, but I promise action in the next chapter.

Chapter 18 reloaded. Yeah I fixed the description of the billy goat.