White Horse
Chapter Two
In a cavern deep in the bowels of the Earth…
"Spinel, tell me how are things above?" asked a regally-dressed man as he sat upon a throne of granite.
From the shadows, a lilting voice replied. "Just as you planned, Lord Jasper. And no one even suspects a thing." A young lady stepped out and sat upon the arm of the throne. "Don't you worry about a thing." she coaxed, running her fingers through his blood-red hair. "Those sailors will pay for trapping us down here. Soon, we will be able to roam freely and you will rule this planet." she blew the words into his ear.
"And you will rule by my side, as queen." he promised her, taking her hand and laying kisses upon it. "Mi amore." Gently, he pulled her onto his lap.
**********
It was a place where time cannot move forward. A place where one can enter, but can rarely ever leave upon arrival. The world of the dead, or spirits deemed unworthy of rebirth, spirits not yet ready to be reborn in the living world for one reason or another.
He was the latter. The ones who usually make such decisions had given him the choice of being reborn. He had chosen to stay as he was. They might believe he was worthy of being reborn, but he on the other hand. He deserved nothing but eternal damnation in the ninth level of Hell. He had allowed his entire family to be killed over a grudge he'd had. He had foolishly followed the ramblings of a monster. He had loved and yet when he was rebuffed, he had turned to the actions of a five year old, taking what he wanted despite the consequences. He had nearly caused the destruction of the entire world, and with it, his beautiful goddess. How he'd loved her and yet, how he had hurt her. And when he had died, she had held him, crying for him, begging him to stay. He deserved hell, and if they wouldn't give it to him, then he would not allow himself to be reborn. He would lay here until the end of the universe, so that he would never forget the things that he had done.
"You shouldn't keep punishing yourself like this, Prince Diamond." came a sweet, elderly voice as in a twinkling light, a lovely fairy appeared. She had long silver hair up in the dumplings that he remembered from his goddess.
Diamond did not sit up and only closed his eyes. How dare this sprite intrude on his self-loathing.
"Prince Diamond, I come to bring you a gift. I am Queen Serenity, the mother of Princess Serenity who will one day be Neo-Queen Serenity. I have seen into your heart and I know that you are truly worthy of the gift I wish to give you."
"I am not worthy of anything but your hatred. Please, leave me alone."
"But Diamond, my daughter, she needs your help. The Earth is in trouble and she will need you for she can no longer depend on Endymion."
Diamond opened his eyes and looked at her. "Why not?"
"I am unable to divulge that, however, for those same reasons, I have disinherited him. He may be the King of Earth, as is his birthright, but our kingdoms will never be combined."
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Would you like another chance to win the heart of the only one you've ever loved?" she asked him.
Diamond looked away. "Can it really be possible? After what I've done, surely I don't deserve such a chance."
"Please, Diamond." Queen Serenity said holding out her hand. "Say you will take it. If you wish you can think of it as atoning for what you think you need to atone for. If you don't take it, if you won't go to her side, I fear the worst will happen to her. The future could be destroyed, she could be destroyed."
Diamond gasped, realizing she was right. Could he really do that to the woman he loved? Queen Serenity was giving him a chance to live again and go to her and if she was right, it would be killing her to refuse. "I can't let that happen. She's too kind, too good, with such a big heart that cries for even the darkest of men. If she were to be killed…no. Very well. I will take what you give."
Queen Serenity smiled and whistled. In a flash of golden light, Helios, whom he knew to be the guardian of Elysium, stood beside her. "Helios, will you be so kind as to escort our friend to the Earth?"
"It would be my honor, Queen Serenity." Helios faded to become a handsome white pegasus with a golden horn. "Mount Prince Diamond. When we reach the Earth, you will be alive once more."
Diamond walked forward and mounted the pegasus. "Thank you Queen Serenity. Your gift will not be wasted."
She nodded. "I know you won't. You will be good for her and I know you will be a good stepfather to my granddaughter."
"I am ready." he told Helios. As Helios took off, he did a double-take. "STEPFATHER!"
AN: End of chapter 2. We see a little exposition into the plot. And just so you know, NO, Darien has not been brainwashed. Darien would have cheated on Serena whether or not Spinel (Gina) had been there. She simply was there with the sole purpose of seducing him. He chose to have the affair. That's why Serenity has selected Diamond for Serena's protector.
