A/N- Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I was going to have the chapter up sooner, but I then had to go look at a college so I was gone for a couple days. Then I had a day or so of writer's block, but I'm back and writing! Thanks for all of the reviews! I love you guys!
Zoey89- Even though they were kind, they were still bad guys. Plus this does have a battle, actually right now, so some people are going to die.
Sunny38- She had to leave with some style.
serenity11287- Glad you liked it! I know it wasn't ASAP, but it was as fast as I could get it up.
vegetasprincess1- Well, you'll just have to see if she gets caught or not and what else happens… you can find out part of what happens now.
Silver Moon Goddess1- I'm glad you liked it!
Melody87- Happy to hear you lov it!
Lady Tristana Rogue- I'm guessing you're talking about Diamond…. Yes he is a dumb ass.
cosmoscrystal96- And you'll be happy to know that the reunion is in this chapter. Or at least one reunion before the final war.
Eternal Cosmic Sailor Saturn- Thanks for the review!
Butterfle- Yup, now to defeat Diamond…
Dertupio- It's always good when most people are almost completely safe… of course there's one last little piece of danger. Ok, war isn't little…
Serena and Tristan rushed through the forest as Diamond's men were running behind them. A hand jetted out from behind a tree and pulled Serena against it. Tristan barked at the intruder, but stopped when he saw pointed ears. "Lady Serena?" The person asked quietly. Serena looked up to see blue eyes and dark blonde hair surrounding a warrior's face.
"Nicolas?" Serena responded. The elf smiled, but signaled for her to be quiet. Some of the men who had followed Serena into the forest were approaching them. Nicolas let out a bird call. Before Serena could blink arrows flew out of the trees and bombarded the men. All of the men fell to the ground before any of them could draw their swords. Serena's mouth was open in astonishment at the elves' deadly accuracy.
"Now, Lady Serena, would you like to tell us what you were doing out here, running from men of the enemy with a dog?" Nicolas asked as he turned to Serena. Serena shut her mouth, but before she could answer someone else did for her.
"I am not a dog thank you. I am a werewolf." Tristan said as he came up behind Serena, as a man this time.
"Aw, Tristan, it is good to see you again. I did not notice you in wolf form. Ok, now, what were you two doing?" Nicolas asked.
"It's a long story. Is my mother near by?" Serena asked.
"She is heading towards King Darien's army. He's marching on Diamond's camp as we speak." Nicolas explained. "We need to get you to safety though."
"I'm sorry Nicolas, but I need to go." Serena said. "I need to get to Darien and let him know everything is ok and to let my mom see everything is fine… for the most part." Serena gave one more smile to Nicolas before running through the forest again. This time her eyes did not miss some of the elves that were hiding in the trees all around the forest. Tristan took the lead and ran towards where an open field lay.
"Darien's planning on attacking further up the valley, but the army is regrouping here. Darien should be here figuring out the last details of the attack with Charles and the other generals." Tristan explained. Serena nodded and followed him to the field. They quickly made it through the makeshift tents that had been set up to keep the men out of the sun. They stopped in front of Darien's tent where they could hear yelling.
"Is my daughter here or not?" Selene's voice asked. Serena could tell how mad she was and couldn't help repress the shiver that ran down her back. She had been on the receiving end of that tone one too many times and knew exactly how the recipient was feeling.
"I assure your daughter is fine." Darien's voice came. Serena smiled at hearing his voice and decided to save him from her mother's wrath. He would need all the energy he had fighting Diamond, not fighting her mother. She quickly smoothed back her hair and brushed off her dress.
"Mother, it is good to see you again." Serena exclaimed walking into the tent.
"Serena, why are you not back at the castle? I thought I told you to stay at the castle, you would be safer there!" Her mother instantly left her fight with Darien to start yelling at her daughter. Serena did not back down, but had to roll her eyes at her mother's usual outburst.
"I thought I would be safer here with Darien, his generals, and Charles. Who knows what could happen at the castle while every male who is able to fight is here." Serena replied. Serena opened her mouth to retort, but then thought about her daughter's logic.
"Fine, I am having a tent set up here. You will be saying with me so I can keep an eye on you." Serena smiled and nodded as her mother left Darien's tent. Darien let go of the breath he had been holding and smiled at the girl in front of him. When Serena was sure her mother wasn't coming back anytime soon she rushed over to Darien and wrapped her arms around him.
"Thank god you're back." Darien muttered into Serena's hair. Serena tightened her arms around Darien's broad chest and nestled her head under his chin.
"I was so scared sometimes. I thought I'd never see you again. Diamond… he… he was going to try and use me against you and then he was going to make me his queen. Darien I was so scared!" Serena let a few tears slip past her eyes. Darien just rubbed her back and muttered comforting things in her ears.
"Excuse me, King Darien, Diamonds troops are on their way!" Malachite exclaimed as he walked into the tent.
"I'm sorry, if I had stayed there you could have completed your surprise attack." Serena cried out.
"Don't worry. Part of war is adjusting to surprise changes." Darien said with a smile. "Now go see your mother. I want you to stay here while we fight. I'll have someone stay with you while we're fighting."
"But Darien! I want to help! I don't want to leave you!" Serena whined. She wrapped her arms around him tighter and buried her face in his chest.
"Serena, please." Darien pleaded quietly. "I don't want you to get hurt and almost everyone who goes into battle does come out with some scratch. Please go see your mother." Serena sniffled, but nodded. Darien gave her a smile and led her outside the tent. "Daniel! Samuel! Please take Serena to her mother's tent. Stay there and make sure nothing happens to either of them."
"Yes sir." The two said in unison. Serena gave Darien one last sad smile and a quick kiss before walking with the two guards to her mother's tent.
When Serena arrived at Selene's tent she found her mother sitting on the make shift bed looking at her hands and listening to what was going on around them. Serena quietly walked over to her mother and sat down next to her legs. She gently rested her head on her mother's knees. Selene slowly started to stroke her daughter's hair, occasionally fingering out a tangle. As the minutes wore on the silence became more and more tense before Selene started talking. "We used to do this when you were little. We'd just find somewhere, anywhere to sit down and rest. I'd stroke your hair or brush it and we would just talk about everything that had been going on."
"I remember those days. They were so relaxing." Serena whispered. Again the silence covered the mother and daughter.
"You really love him don't you?" Selene whispered after a few minutes.
"I already told you, with all my heart." Serena whispered. "Mom, I know you don't like him because he's human. What if Dad had been human? Would you have married him? Would grandma and grandpa approve?"
"I might not be in love with him like you are, but I do understand Darien's motives in this war. He wants to protect his people, not expand. If your father had been human… I probably would have been doing the same thing you are now. I do not know if my parents would have approved, but I know that I will approve of this relationship. I may not love him like a son now, but I believe I will grow into it." Selene said. Serena immediately picked her head up and looked into her mother's silver blue eyes.
"Really? You'd approve of u being together?" Serena asked.
"Of course. Plus we might not be able to hide forever. It would be nice to have somewhere to go."
"Mother!" Serena laughed.
"Really, I'm just find with it. My only requirement; have your wedding in the forest. I want your father and brother to be there."
"Even though we haven't discussed that. I will have my wedding in the forest." Serena smiled.
As Serena and her mother talked back at the camp Darien had mounted his horse along with Malachite and was charging toward the battle. He could already smell the putrid stench of the dying soldiers that were all around them. The yelling and groaning was the next thing that the group rammed into. When they finally saw the battle they found both sides evenly matched, but Darien's eyes soon caught more men coming from Diamond's camp.
"Darien, we're going to need more reinforcements!" Jadeite yelled as he fought off two attackers.
"I know, but I can't really leave right now! I'm a little busy!" Darien yelled back. An owl's hoot distracted Darien for a second and he watched a white owl fly over the battle field. "Molly." Darien whispered to himself. He quickly brought his attention back to the battle and hoped that Molly would get some more men to help with the battle.
"The forest! Stay away from the forest!" One of Diamond's men yelled. Darien threw his attacker off of him and watched as men who ventured next to the forest were shot down. Even as Diamond's men (and some of Darien's) scrambled away from the forest the arrows still flew out and caught them running away. Soon an army of elves appeared, making the battle field erupt in a murmur that had never come from a battle field before. The two armies separated and the elves walked over to Darien's side of the battle field.
"For those of us who died in your persecution! For those of us who were forced to hide deeper within the forest! We fight for King Darien and Lady Serena!" The apparent leader of the elves said once the army, or at least most of it, had emerged. Darien's men cheered as Diamond's men tried to salvage the rest of the confidence and strength to finish the war.
"And today we end this war and the persecutions!" Darien yelled.
"We can end the war Darien, but not the persecutions. For I will win and I will kill off all those who are not human!" Diamond laughed as he emerged from his men. His armor was still shining and bloodless and his sword still gleamed with the last layer of polish.
"So sure, Diamond? Don't get cocky, you can make mistakes." Darien grinned. He gripped his sword, looked at his men and gave a smile. "Attack!" Once more the battle ensued. Diamond and Darien went straight at each other, blind to all of the other soldiers who were fighting near them. This battle was not for them, this battle was between the kings.
"Serena! Lady Selene! The elves have entered the battle!" Molly said as she landed. Daniel and Samuel came running in after seeing Molly half transformed run into the tent. "The battle is reaching its climax! Diamond had just left his camp and was heading towards the battle field when I left!"
"Mother, can I go?" Serena pleaded.
"Why in the world would you want to go to the battle field?" Selene asked.
"So I can watch over and protect Darien. Please, I'll stay in the trees and won't be seen! Please?" Serena begged. She watched her mother with her big blue eyes which were repeating her question for her.
"Alright. Molly, stay with her."