A/N- Thank you to all who reviewed! I love you guys! I had expected to have this story out yesterday, but I wasn't able to do that. Some how I had managed to avoid getting sick all last year, but the cold finally hit me on Saturday. I took yesterday and today off from school, but yesterday was spent sleeping and hanging out with my horse so I could get fresh air… Luckily I'm all better now exceot for the occasional cough, but getting back into the swimming routine and school should cure that… well enough about me and onto your reviews!
ffgirlmoonie- thank you ! Hopefully you'll love this chapter too!
sailorSerena141- thanks and updating as fast as possible.
Anonymous- Sorry my soon wasn't the same as your soon! I'll be updating about this speed for the rest of the story!
koldy- thanx
Dertupio- thanks you! This chapter will hopefully be to your liking as well!
raye85- thanks! Updating as fast as possible right now…
Moon Titan- yes they all finally met and they are all still together in this chapter. There's just a lot of stuff going on with the characters.
MoonieB- here's some more! And there is D/S action, but I don't think the kind you want… that will be later.
sailorceb- updating as fast as I can! Thanks for the review!
At Castle Ceinlys-
"You better be hoping that you are joking." King Seamus said.
"Your highness, I wish I was as well, but I tell you nothing but the truth. Pirates raided the town and I knew a group of them. They came in looking for me and they knew Serenity was with me. They wanted to see her, but when we opened the door to her room she was gone along with Lady Amy and her hand maiden Lita." Diamond explained again.
"My daughter is missing?" Queen Selene asked running into the room. "Please tell me the messenger is wrong!"
"Unfortunately, no. Diamond here says she was gone before the pirates got to the room." King Seamus comforted his wife.
"And my daughter is with her, along with the servant girl they had befriended, Lita." Lord Alec, Amy's father said standing up.
"Prince Diamond, you still have the copy of the treaty right?" King Seamus asked looking back at Diamond.
"Yes sir, I kept it in the carriage with some of the heavier luggage I was not going to take into the hotel." Diamond explained.
"What would have happened if they had raided the carriage as well? The treaty would have been missing and they could be holding that for a price as well. Not only did you carelessly take care of my daughter and lose her, but you also did not watch the treaty carefully enough! Tell me, what were you doing that night that kept you so busy?" Seamus asked sitting down in his throne and holding his head in his hand.
"I would not like to discuss that." Diamond said.
"You have no right to decide what you will talk about and what you will not, but I have a feeling I know what it is anyways. I do not wish to have my wife's heart break anymore. Let me have the treaty." Seamus ordered.
Diamond nodded and signaled a servant over who carried the treaty. Diamond handed over the treaty with a bow then backed up once more. "Prince Diamond, I give you one more responsibility, and hopefully the last. Go back to your kingdom and explain to your father why this treaty will either be burned or on other terms. You will not be marrying my daughter." Seamus said.
King Seamus stood along with his wife and walked past Diamond closely followed by Lord Alec. They exited the room, but before the doors shut Lord Alec walked back in. "We expect you gone by tomorrow's eve. If you are still here the king is thinking about death since that might be the outcome of his daughter as well as mine." Lord Alec left and Diamond was once again swallowed into the large throne room.
After a few minute of standing in a stunned state Diamond signaled to his servants that were there and left the room. "Christopher, get the horses ready, we leave immediately." Diamond ordered. The servant only nodded and ran down to get the other servants and done.
oOoOoOo
In the Cabin
"So this is a nice little reunion." Serenity mumbled. "Hey, Rei do you have anything to drink? Something strong perhaps?"
"We do have some strong liquor, but will you be able to handle it?" Rei asked.
"My dad gave me some before so I believe I can." Serenity said.
"Follow me. Will you guys like some?" Rei asked looking at everyone. Every guy mumbled a yes or something close to that. Amy, Lita, and Mina declined and just asked for some wine.
Serenity and Rei left to get drinks and soon Lita was forced to pry herself from Nephrite's arms and check on the steaks that were still cooking. "Dinner is ready!" Ltia announced to the group. Everyone filed into the dining room where Rei, Serenity, and Lita had already placed all the drinks and food out on the table.
"Look none of the food is burnt." Jadeite announced. He started laughing, but a groan escaped his lips as Rei jabbed him in the elbow.
"You mean our hostesses are not the great cooks we believed them to be?" Lita asked as she laughed.
"Let's put it this way, this food is a welcomed change." Nephrite said as he enveloped Lita back into his arms.
Everyone sat down with Darien at one end and Serenity at the other. Amy and Lita sat next to Serenity on both sides. Zoicite sat next to Amy and Neph sat next to Lita. Rei sat next to Nephrite with Jadeite next to her. Mina sat across from Rei, next to Zoicite and with Malachite on her other side.
"So Darien, you say you had a little confrontation with Diamond? Though I doubt that anything having to do with Diamond would be little." Serenity said taking a bite of steak.
"Why would you say that?"
"This is Prince Diamond we are talking about. Everything he does has to be huge." Serenity answered. "I think the story would be entertaining though."
"Yes, well, we knew that Diamond would be at the village that day so we decided to drop by and say hi. When we got there he was with the chamber maid…" Darien began.
"I told you so, I win." Serenity exclaimed looking at Amy.
"I didn't know, maybe he would change since he was engaged." Amy shot back.
"Amy, this is Diamond we're talking back. He's been with most of the maids at every castle he's gone to, except Lita of course. She was smart enough to hit him in a private spot." Serenity turned to look at her friend. Lita blushed while all the guys cringed knowing where Serenity was talking about. "Anyways, go on Captain."
"Well, we went through his room and found some of our things mixed with his so we took back what as ours and Diamond donated other objects. We had also been given the information Princess Serenity and two other women were with him. So we decided to go see you, but when he finally got the door open we were greeted with an empty room." Darien explained. "Now it is your turn Princess."
"I didn't want to marry Diamond so we ran away. It's as simple as that." Serenity said. "You said you were looking for us as well. What were you going to do if we were there?"
"We're pirates Princess. Most of our actions are spontaneous." Darien said with a smile.
"I'm sure you are." Serenity muttered. "What are we going to do about room arrangements?"
"I usually sleep with Malachite and Rei sleeps with Jadeite. We've never had this problem before…" Mina looked down in concentration.
"Lita and I can share my room." Nephrite offered.
"I can share my room with Amy. I mean we'll probably be up all night talking about books and comparing what we know." Zoicite said. Amy blushed and looked down at her plate.
"So that leaves Serenity and Darien." Rei answered.
"I'll sleep on the sofa if I can just have a blanket. I'm sorry, but I'm just not that comfortable that close to males." Serenity said looking Darien.
"No, I'll sleep on the sofa. It isn't proper for a princess to sleep on a settee." Darien returned.
"Ya well I'm not your usual princess, now am I?" Serenity asked.
"You certainly are not. Drinking hard liquor, helping others serve. What happened to the selfish one minded princesses that used to roam these lands?" Darien asked as he started laughing.
"I followed my father more than my mother if you must know. I'm just as stubborn and can fight and ride horses just as well as any male for that matter. If it wasn't for my mother I'd be in the army!"
"I'm sorry Princess, but did I offend you?"
"You most certainly did! I can't believe you compared me to those…. Those… pigs!"
"I'm sorry, but I have only known you for what? Half an hour? Maybe and hour at the most." Darien defended himself.
"You are the most… the most…" Serenity tripped over her words.
"The most what? Did your father not teach you how to talk?" Darien asked.
"Do NOT offend my father!"
"Both of you quiet!" Rei finally interjected standing up.
"Uh o, you two are in trouble." Jadeite muttered.
"Be quiet dear." Rei looked down at him.
"Yes honey." Jadeite seemed to sink down into his chair more.
"Since you two are the only ones who do not get along. You will share Darien's room! One of you can sleep on the floor or both of you can share the bed, but you will share a room." Rei ordered.
"But…" Serena whined.
"No buts! It will happen and if you try to leave I'll lock the door." Rei looked down at Serenity.
Serenity just grumbled and folded her hands over her chest. Darien just sat their surprised at Rei's outburst and decision. "Fine." Serenity mumbled.
"Fine." Darien mumbled
"Good, now can we finish our dinner with a civilized conversation?" Rei asked looking at Serenity and Darien.
"Of course." Serenity said with a smile and turned to talk to Lita.
"Sure." Darien said.
For the rest of their dinner the group didn't have anyone raise their voice. Jadeite would get an occasional stab in his side from Rei when one of his jokes wasn't funny, but other than that no one really fought.
After dinner everyone retired back into the main sitting room to sit and continue their conversations. On their way there Serenity stopped Amy and pulled her into the kitchen where Lita was finishing the frosting on a cake.
"You baked that in the minute we were going from one room to the other?" Amy asked in disbelief.
"Of course not, it was cooking while we were having dinner. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you two know about it now… Just don't go telling everyone." Lita warned more that suggested.
"Why would we do a thing like that? It will come at a price though." Serenity said with an evil smile.
Amy and Lita both rolled their eyes and looked at each other. "Yes you can have the bowl of frosting once I'm done." Lita said as she turned back to her cake.
"Why did you bring me in here Serenity? Zoicite and I were having a nice conversation on this new theory of constellations and other planets." Amy asked.
"Sorry to break your scientific conference Ames. Something was bothering me though out dinner though. Captain Darien reminds me of someone. I can't place my finger on it, but there's someone…" Serenity whispered. "I usually get along with people really well… well, except Diamond for obvious reasons, but still!" Serenity huffed.
"I know what you're talking about Serenity, but I can't help. If we can't remember who it is it means that the person was from pretty far back in our lives. So that means Lita wouldn't know since she has only been working at the castle a couple years." Amy reasoned.
"Why are you so logical? That's like the only thing that really bothers me about you. You're never confused! You always have some way to explain things!" Serenity groaned.
"Yes well, maybe if you use your brain more often you could do the same thing. If you're talking about things you learn from texts, maybe you shouldn't have used your tutoring lessons as nap times between fighting practices." Amy shot back.
"Alright alright, you got me." Serenity acknowledged. "Are you done with that yet?" Serenity asked turning her attention to Lita.
"Almost…. Yes, now I'm done with the frosting." Ita said with a smile. She picked up the bowl and a spoon and gave them to Serenity. Serenity immediately started attacking the bowl with her tongue making Amy and Lita laugh.
"Darien was right about one thing though, you don't act like a typical princess." Lita laughed. Serenity spared a moment from her precious bowl of icing to stick a chocolate covered tongue out at Lita. "When you're done come out, but make sure you clean your face."
Serenity just nodded as she finished off the bowl. Amy and Lita walked out of the kitchen to find everyone in the living room.
"More food?" Mina asked. Her eyes focused on the chocolate cake that Lita was bringing out.
"I love to cook so what can I say?" Lita asked.
"Same recipe as you used when you were at your parent's farm right?" Nephrite asked slinking an arm around Lita.
"Of course, nothing has changed." Lita giggled.
"You guys are worse than the double M's." Zoicite groaned. Everyone started laughing except for Mina and Malachite who were glaring at everyone.
"Is all the cake gone yet?" Serenity asked walking out of the kitchen.
"What took you so long? Trip and fall into the sink?" Darien asked.
Serenity glared at him, but before she could open her mouth to make a come back Rei interjected. "No, it looks like she was cleaning the frosting bowl."
"What? How? How did you know that? I cleaned my face!" Serenity stammered.
"You missed a little bit dear." Rei said pointing to a spot on her cheek. Serenity gasped before taking a cloth and rubbing the spot until she was sure that no evidence was left.
"Well, since everyone is here I guess we can serve now." Lita said as she stopped laughing from the outburst between Serenity, Rei, and Darien.
For the rest of the evening everyone acted civil together. Mina, Serenity, Rei, and Lita were in their own world talking about fashion and gossip Mina and Rei had heard during their trip to Triste. Zoicite and Amy were talking about, as Serenity would call it, the scientific stuff that was only spoken in the scientific tongue that only scientists could understand (Serenity doesn't like science). Darien and the rest of the guys were talking about where they would head next and if they would do something with Princess Serenity since she took out the thrill of the chase when they found her here.
"Well, I'm tired, I'm going to bed." Lita announced as she stood up.
"Me too!" Nephrite quickly agreed. He took Lita's hand and walked her down the hall to "their" room. Rei and Jadeite soon followed along with Amy and Zoicite. Eventually Mina and Malachite also retired for the night.
"They left me with the devil himself." Serenity mumbled.
"Ah, but I am in the presence of an angel." Darien said with a smile.
"Turning to flattery now I see. What do you want? The bed, it's yours, just give me a blanket and I'll sleep on the ground." Serenity said.
"No, you can have the bed. I'm just trying to be nice."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know the devil could be nice."
"How about this, at least for tonight, why don't we both be nice to each other?" Darien suggested.
"I believe I can handle that." Serenity answered.
"Well then my lady, may I escort you to the bedroom?" Darien asked holding out his hand to the princess in front of him.
"You make it sound as though we were newly weds, but yes. Just don't get any ideas." Serenity said accepting is hand.
Serenity and Darien walked down the hallway in silence, not an awkward silence, but a comfortable one. When they reached the room Darien opened the door and let Serenity enter first.
"Darien, you wouldn't mind turning around while I change into something more comfortable for sleeping in?" Serenity asked. Darien just nodded his head and turned around.
"Thank you, you can turn around again." Serenity said. When Darien turned around he found Serenity in an over-sized men's shirt. He was stunned at first that she would wear something that only covered to just below her knees to bed, but then he reminded himself that she was not an ordinary princess.
"Darien, since we've been friendly for the past five minutes, why don't we share the bed? You on your side and me on mine?" Serenity suggested.
"That sounds fine to me." Darien answered biting back a rude comment to finish that sentence. Darien unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it on the floor carelessly. When he turned around he found Serenity staring, but she quickly turned away with a blush staining her cheeks.
What's wrong with me? Serenity thought. I'm acting as though I've known this man for ages and have a crush on him! Get over it girl… just calm down…
Serenity turned to Darien when she noticed him getting into the bed with her. What she didn't realize was when she was talking to herself Darien and changed into a looser pair of pants. Again her cheeks reddened with the thought of him changing in the same room as her.
"Now remember Princess, you stay on your side and I'll stay on mine." Darien said with a smile.
"I would be wise to follow your own words Captain." Serenity shot back.
Darien just smiled as he relaxed into the bed and shut his eyes. Serenity turned to her side and closed her eyes, beckoning sleep to come faster than it had ever had before. Soon Serenity was asleep, but the pirate next to her was not. As he looked over to Serenity he couldn't help, but think that there was something oddly familiar with the small girl that currently lay asleep next to him.
"You can think about it tomorrow Dare." He mumbled to himself. "Right now it is time to get some sleep. Tomorrow we decide what to do with everything that has happened." With that the captain fell asleep next to the princess, welcoming the onslaught of darkness sleep had to offer.
A/N- I thought it might be good to see Diamond and the King and Queen again. The King and Queen won't be around for a while, but Diamond will be coming back within the next couple of chapters…
Let me know what you guys thought! Thanks!
