Chapter Three
Celine looked at the newsstands, looking particularly at the tabloids, and sighed. All of the covers were covered with pictures featuring Seiya and herself. Lady Celine lands herself a member of Three Lights, Seiya has melted the ice around Ogasawara heir's heart, or something similar was in bold just above their heads. Deciding not to read about herself in the news, she continued on with her walk around town.
For the better part of the last three months, the Moon Princess and the Starlights had been formulating a plan. The Three Lights would reunite, knowing the Earth Scouts would know that they are who their princess had called upon to protect her. When questioned about the Moon Princess's whereabouts they would simply tell them that they had been sworn to secrecy but that she was and would remain safe. Meanwhile, Lady Celine would get a better footing in her new life, and more media attention, holding and attending several charity balls, all of which the Three Lights where conveniently also attending. After several long conversations at the balls, Seiya and Celine would then decide to go on several discreet dates before announcing their relationship to the public, effectively inserting the princess into the Starlights life without raising anyone's attention. Of course, this plan could not guarantee the scouts would not accuse her of being their princess, but with everyone believing the life the Moon Crystal had created, they would never get the proof they needed to confirm it and with Celine pretending not to know what they would be talking about and acting as if she thought they were crazy, and the Starlights also saying that she wasn't who they were looking for, they would have no choice but continue their search. It cut Celine deeply to lie to her scouts, her most trusted friends, but she would not risk their future, or her future daughter, to ease that pain. She knew what she was doing was for them all, for all the people of the planet she had always held so dear, without Crystal Tokyo Earth would perish and without the confidence and maturity she has yet to accomplish Crystal Tokyo would not come to pass. Knowing this, she quickly and carefully crossed the busy street and entered they café where the scouts and her prince sat at their usual table discussing their strategy to question her.
Sending a quick text asking Seiya to please hurry, she took a table for two as far from the group as she could praying unanswered prayers that Seiya would get there before one of them decided to try to talk to her.
It would be Darien that would confront her, figuring Serena would take one look at her future husband and reveal herself to him and everything would go back to normal. Celine had just ordered a green tea and a slice of apple pie and pulled out a crossword book when he sat in the seat across from her.
"It is very rude of you to assume that the seat you have taken is not already taken or perhaps that I would enjoy a stranger's company. I can assure the seat is taken, he is just running a bit late and I never enjoy the company of anyone I have not been formally introduced to," Celine stated not looking up from her current crossword.
"Stop pretending you don't know who I am and look at me Serena," Darien demanded without any pretense. "The Scouts and I are sorry for how we have treated you but you should have at least come to me before disappearing like that."
Celine set down her pencil, closed her book and looked her destined husband straight in the eye, her heart aching to tell him what he wanted to hear but knowing that she couldn't. "It is quite impossible to pretend to not know someone when one does not know someone else, which, I can assure you, is the case at the present moment. I will not pretend to know you or what you are talking about but if this is how you treated this Serena person then I am not in the least surprised she choose to leave you. Now, please vacate that seat, my boyfriend should be arriving shortly."
There was a pause in the conversation as the pie was placed in front of Celine and the waitress moved to her next costumers. "Serena, I know it's you, just come home, if not for the scouts or for me then for Rini."
Celine was about to blow her cover, when Seiya, who heard what Darien had just said, spoke from behind Darien.
"I believe you are in my seat, Darien, and I don't believe dumpling would like you using her daughter to try to get her out of hiding, especially since you are talking to someone who has no clue who you are talking about."
"You know him, Seiya?" Celine asked, relieved that he had gotten there in time.
"Yes, Short Cake, I'm afraid I do. Taiki, Yaten, and I helped his girlfriend and their friends with a situation a few years back. Several months ago his girlfriend, who they have been mistreating for a while now, came to us and asked us to help her disappear, desperate to get away and finish maturing without their influence. Knowing she had probably come to us they have been watching the women in our life rather closely. I'm sorry you got sucked into this." Turning towards Darien Seiya continued. "I understand you are desperate to find her but I will not allow you to harass my girlfriend. You and I both know how much Serena cherished her long golden hair and she would never change it for any reason. I cannot and will not tell you where she is but I can tell you that she loves and misses you with every breath she takes. She will return only when she is ready, you must trust that she and Trista know what they are doing. Now, if you don't mind, I would like you to return to your group so that Lady Celine and I can enjoy our slice of pie.
Once Seiya was in his seat and Darien was safely out of ear shot, Seiya was able to relax a bit more.
"That was close," she said softly as he took a bite of the pie and Celine took a sip of her tea.
"You're telling me," she replied just as softly staring longingly at the now empty corner booth by the window.
