-Breakfast & a Broken Vase.
"Pluto, where is Princess Serena?" Queen Serenity inquired, while sitting at the royal breakfast table.
The Queen was treating her guests from the sun to an elegant feast for breakfast, however princess Serena never came down. Everyone was waiting for her to arrive so they may begin eating.
"I don't know Queen Serenity, would you like me to go find her, your Highness?" Pluto responded, bowing slightly.
"Yes, Yes, please do"
Pluto bowed once more and left the room.
Serenity looked at her guests. "I'm terribly sorry for the delay. Usually Serena is almost never late." Serenity smiled a nervous smile.
However,
while waiting for princess Serena, this gave Darien time to take a good look at the people around him.
At the head of the table was Queen Serenity. She was elegant and her motions were graceful. Her eyes were soft and kind, but also held a sort of hardness. Almost as if she had a hidden pain she was trying to conceal or push aside.
Prince Adonias- Prince Darien's Brother- sat to the Queen's right, but Darien already knew too much about his brother and would prefer not to examine him more closely. Instead he moved his eyes over the other guests at the table.
To the Queens left was an empty chair, where the ever-so-late princess was suppose to sit.
To the left of that sat a young girl about Serena's age Darien presumed. Her hair was long and black. She had a very stubborn air about her. Her eyes were a dark purple, they seemed to hold a hint of mischief.
To her left sat a green eyed brunette, she was pretty but had a rougher look about her. She looked slightly older that the other girls at the table.
To her left, at the end of the row sat a beautiful blue-eyed blonde. She had very long hair, though not as long as Serena's and the color was a little more bleached. She smiled flirtatiously. Darien quickly averted his eyes.
Switching his gaze to the other side of the table, he saw a rather odd looking girl sitting to his right. Oddly enough, it was a row consisting of Prince adonias, Darien, strange girl and THEN King Adonos. For the most perplexing reason this queer girl sat between Darien and his father. She was a very odd sight though. She had very short dark blue hair and sort of an awkward gangly look about her. It was a site Darien didn't want to look at for too long. So he came to the conclusion that staring at the empty bowl in front of him was the best idea.
Thankfully enough, Darien did not have to stare at the bowl very long. Soon enough the hall doors flew open and in walked Serena, her blonde pigtails flowing behind.
She walked very quickly towards the table, eyes fixated on the floor the entire time.
She sat down, still with a downward gaze.
"Serena" Queen Serenity softly, but sternly said.
Serena's eyes looked up at Serenity. "Yes mother?"
Darien's heart momentarily stopped.
Her eyes… for a split second, when she looked up, her eyes seemed to dance, and the color appeared to be even bluer than the sky itself.
"Serena dear," Serenity continued, startling Darien out of his gaze.
"Its awfully rude to keep our guests waiting."
"I'm sorry, mother." Serena apologized.
"Well now that Serena is here we may all eat."
Serenity motioned for the servers to enter. Immediately, bowls, plates, and glasses were filled with only the most delicious of foods. It was a feast for the eyes and mouth. However Serena noticed that there was one person who wasn't looking at the food.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Prince Darien gazing at her, a wry smile at the corner of his lips.
She blushed.
Then cursed herself for doing so.
Darien's smirk grew as a light pink color tinted Serena's cheeks-it was short lived.
"Princess Serena," Prince Adonias piped in.
And as Darien's brother began to speak, Darien's smile faded. He was once again solemn and expressionless.
"I am deeply honored to be so welcomed to your home. The Moon kingdom is a truly beautiful place."
"Thank you," Serena responded. "I'm glad you like it here."
Yes, Serena was full of crap.
But having grown up a princess, she knew what was appropriate to say and when to say it.
-
The meal carried on with a hitch.
Queen Serenity and King Adonos discussed political issues of the universe. While the girls carried on mindless chatter.
Serena just sort of listened to it all, catching bits and pieces of every little conversation.
Prince Adonias did the same, only occasionally adding input.
And Darien -wait, where was Darien? His chair was still in place but he was gone. Serena then came to a conclusion.
'He must have left while I was using that fork to fish that lemon seed out of my glass.'
-
It was a bright sunny day outside that morning. Birds were chirping, leaves were rustling and the smell of roses was in the air.
It was a perfect day to be outside.
Darien took a deep breath of the crisp clean air.
It was nice to be away from that dining room. To be outside were he didn't have to worry about conduct or how to properly address this person or that person. To not have to deal with the expectations of the being the King's son.
Darien was not a proud person, He didn't see himself as being better than anyone else. But his father….
Darien sighed and throw a rock into the small pond he sat beside.
He inhaled a deep breath and laid back onto the grass.
His eyes slowly shut and his worry's seemed to be melting away.
He felt a strange peace, and he began to fall asleep…
"What are you doing?"
Darien yelped and his eyes snapped open to see a pretty blonde princess leaning over him.
"Jeez, you don't have to freak out." She huffed. Straightening her posture and crossing her arms.
"You startled me…" He mumbled, sitting up.
"What were you dreaming about?" Serena asked, sitting down next to him.
"Huh?"
"Don't give me that. You were smiling in your sleep."
"Was I."
"Stop avoiding the question. You were probably dreaming about some girl back on your 'sun planet'"
Darien chuckled.
"What's so funny!"
"Sounds to me princess, like your jealous."
"I swear Darien," Serena grunted, jumping up. "You always have to turn everything around!" Serena huffed at him.
He looked away from her. "I'm sorry Serena, Just sit back down…please?"
With a quiet "Hmph!" Serena sat down.
It was a silent moment.
"By the way, I wasn't dreaming about any girl."
"Then what were you dreaming about?"
"Nothing really, Just enjoying the silence I guess."
"Okay, that settles it. Your weird"
"What makes you say that?"
"Well what's so great about silence?"
"Your different from me Serena. You live a different life. You have choices, freedom."
"Yeah right, Its not like YOUR father is forcing you to marry a complete stranger."
"Despite that Serena, your mother loves you, you have a beautiful life here. Your free."
"I still don't understand why you say your life is so bad."
"Just trust me Serena, your very fortunate to be where you are in the world."
"And I wasn't Jealous."
"Sure"
-
Slam!
The text book slammed shut.
Serenity rubbed her temples and sighed.
'I just can't seem to concentrate as well as I use to.' She thought to herself, resting her hand on the small reading table to her right.
"Tired, Serenity?" A booming voice echoed through the library.
"Adonos." She breathed.
"You look distraught." He smoothly said walking towards Serenity.
"I'm just a little tired." She responded, smiling politely.
He began stepping closer to the chair were Serenity sat. He spoke as he walked.
"My dear Serenity, of course you are writhed with stress. Ruling a kingdom all alone, with no one for you to lean on."
He walked behind her chair and stopped.
"No king to be strong for your people."
He placed his hands on her bare shoulders.
"No man to comfort you at night."
Serenity immediately rose from her chair and began to exit the room.
"I'm terribly sorry, King Adonos, but I have things to attend to."
The library door slammed shut behind her.
King Adonos, gave a low growl and slammed his fist on the back of the chair.
It echoed through the library.
-
Smash! A large porcelain vase crashed to the floor.
Sailor Pluto rushed into Serena's bed chambers. "Princess Serena! Princess Serena are you alright?" She exclaimed upon entering the room.
Serena sat on her bed, surrounded with pillows, and a broken vase lay on the floor.
"Serena, what happened?"
Serena scowled.
"I hate that boy, Pluto."
"Are you speaking of Prince Darien again, my lady?" Pluto inquired, taking a seat on Serena's bed.
"Who else would I be speaking of!" She exclaimed.
"What happened Serena?"
"Oh! I was trying to be friendly, I really was, but then-OH!"
-flashback-
"May I ask you something, Princess?"
"I suppose, what would you like to ask me?"
"Why is it that your such a brat?"
"Excuse me! What did you just call me?"
"I didn't call you anything. I asked you why you are something, that you most obviously are."
Serena stood up in a rage.
"You have no right to speak to me like that!"
"Well I asked you if I could."
"Uh!"
Smack!
Her hand collided with his cheek.
"What the bloody was that for?"
"You, Prince Darien. Are a snake." She pouted, brushing the dirt off her dress. "I was trying my best to be nice to you and you had to go and say something so dreadfully cruel."
"I was just being honest."
"Honest? Honest! Oh!" Serena screeched at him.
"Well it is true isn't it?"
She let out one last "Uh!" and stomped away.
-End flashback-
"And so that brings me to where I am now." Serena finished.
"And the vase?" Pluto prodded.
"Well it was on a very wobbly stand you see and well, it really was an accident, and um, well I was very upset and well, I threw my shoe across the room and it hit the vase and the rest is history."
"No Serena, the vase was history. One hundred years to be exact." Pluto firmly stated.
"Sorry." Serena whimpered looking up at Pluto with the saddest eyes she could muster.
Pluto sighed.
"Serena, please stop gallivanting off after Prince Darien, he's not your betrothed."
"Pluto, I'm not gallivanting after anyone."
"Even so. You need to put Prince Darien out of your mind and concentrate on Prince Adonias."
"Yes, Pluto."
"Now you be a good dear and run off and find Princess Raye, she's been looking for you."
Serena nodded, jumped out of bed, collected her shoe off the floor, slipped it on, and scurried out of the room.
Pluto heard her pattering feet as she ran down the hall.
The sound of Serena's feet slowly faded, as did Pluto's calm expression.
It faded into one of dread.
'For the sake of this kingdom. I only hope what I have prophesized never comes about.'