Title: To Brave the Darkness
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon
Authors Notes: Hey everyone. Sorry for the slight delay. Here's another chapter for you all! Thank you for all the support, I really appreciate it. I'm glad everyone is liking this story so much.
I have two new stories in the works (after this one of course) and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. But one thing I'm going to do as well is go back and fix some of my earlier stories. I'm going to re-write Adventures of a Lady to fix the huge grammar and formatting mistakes there are. It turned out like that because I origionally posted on moon romance (dot) net which did that. I was to lazy to go back and fix it before I posted it. I'm also going to fix the spelling and grammar in Kingdom of treason. I think that story started my popularity here, and I want to give it some love.
Don't worry. It won't interfere with this story coming out. There are plenty of chapters on their way. Have a good one!
The opera was apparently a very big deal. Big enough that Raye had commissioned two gowns for them to wear and made sure there were enough maids around to do their hair and make them dazzle. By the time Serenity was done, she felt like a different person, which was not an accident.
She smiled at her reflection in her vanity. Her hair was curled to perfection and pinned up behind her with some hanging down. She had dark feathers and red roses beautifully crafted in. Her light pink dress hugged her tightly, and then flowed out around her, silky and shimmering. She felt like a princess.
"Excuse me my lady, but a guest has arrived," a servant bowed to her respectfully.
"Thank you, I will be right down," she said, hoping it was Mina. They were supposed to meet here before going, but it was early. Serenity couldn't wait to see her friends. She was so excited about this night that she could hardly contain herself. Even the threat of her father couldn't deter her spirits.
She made sure she hadn't forgotten any part of her appearance, and then skipped happily out of her room and down the stairs to the sitting room.
There, she stopped short.
Endymion turned to look at her, obviously expecting to see Raye. But when he saw her, and his eyes looked her up and down, his gaze shifted to that same amused and cocky smile she had seen the first time she had ever seen him.
She blushed, but kept her chin up. "Good evening Lord Endymion," she said with slight teasing in her voice. "To what do we owe this pleasure?" His stomach fluttered with nerves as she looked at him. He was just as devastatingly handsome as she remembered, and that was a dangerous thing.
"My lady Serenity," he said, his voice thick and low, "I had almost forgotten just how beautiful you are."
She smiled. "You are charming as usual. How was your business venture?"
"Very successful," he said in a dark voice while his eyes showed his meaning.
Serenity felt a little flutter of hurt at the words, but she forced herself to keep her eyes teasing and her smile easy. "I'm not sure saying I am happy for your success is entirely appropriate, but never the less, I am pleased your trip was everything you hoped it would be."
"Not everything," he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips to kiss. "I find my standards are risen because of my last conquest."
She quirked an eyebrow. "It was not my intention to affect your future satisfaction."
His smile was slow now, and soft. "I have missed you," he said, surprising her.
"You have?" She asked, losing her teasing tone completely.
"I have heard you've met with great success out here in the real world," he said kindly to her. "Lady Amy told me this morning that she was delighted with you."
Serenity didn't like the idea that he had been visiting Amy, but she couldn't imagine the shy beautiful girl would give herself away before marriage.
"I have found pleasure in my new friends."
"I'm glad to here it."
"Why have you stayed away?" She blurted out.
"I didn't realize you wanted me to come around."
"Don't do that Endymion. I think you and I have been through enough now to be able to speak openly with one another."
Endymion's smile faded, but he didn't look upset. He looked almost uncomfortable. "Your father sent me a letter a few days after I brought you here. He informed me that I had grievously affronted him with my actions against his fiancé."
Serenity froze. "His fiancé?"
"Apparently, as his ward, he was keeping you until you reached the age of maturity."
"But…" Serenity was almost speechless. "He intended to marry me?"
"Does that change things for you?"
"No!" She said immediately, and then took a breath. "I mean, no, it doesn't. I'm not…I don't want to…but he's always been a father to me."
"Not much of one by the sounds of it," Endymion said, worried. "Serenity, why were you so eager to get out of there?"
Serenity turned away from him.
"If he's in love with you, he may never stop searching for you."
Serenity thought about all the times her stepfather had told her she was his, never to be touched by another. She thought of how angry he got when the men he brought to the house paid more than a usual amount of attention to her. She had thought he didn't want her to marry because he wanted to continue using her, but this made things different. This made things much more difficult.
It horrified her to learn what the man she had lived with for years was capable of. If all this were true, then it was a wonder he hadn't taken action sooner. She had been of an age to marry for some time now.
"I'm sorry to bring you distress."
She was distressed. She had hoped that time away from him would change things, but it hadn't. Even out here, he was keeping her in a cage. She had to secure her future.
"Would it be possible to marry without his consent?" She asked.
Endymion immediately moved around so she was facing him again, his eyes stormy. He looked almost angry at her for even considering it. "I will not allow it Serenity. You will not find someone to marry just to escape him. You risked everything to find a true and free life and you're not going to turn on that now."
"If I found someone who would allow me to continue being free it wouldn't be like a cage."
"Absolutely not, I won't allow it."
Serenity crossed her arms and glared at him. "Who are you to make decisions for me?"
"Serenity, you're not…"
"I think I've proven that there isn't anything I wouldn't do at this point to be rid of him. If I have to marry, then I will. I'll ask the girls to help me find someone who will not cage me."
Endymion looked furious. His eyes blazed at her and she could see the muscles in his jaw clench.
She stood her ground against him.
"Endymion!" Raye said excitedly when she walked into the room, looking stunningly glorious in a deep red dress with her black hair curled and pinned behind her. "What are you doing here?"
Serenity watched Endymion mask the anger he'd felt a moment before and smile at Raye, looking for all the world like nothing was bothering him.
"I wanted to grace you with my presence of course."
"Well you're just in time," Raye said. "We're going to the Opera with the girls."
Endymion grinned. "I do like spending time with ladies."
Serenity wanted to object. She didn't want him coming with them. She didn't want him anywhere near her. He couldn't stop her from securing her new found freedom. She didn't want his help anymore. She hadn't traded one cage for another.
"Are you alright Serenity?" Raye asked her in concern.
Serenity tried to shake away all her anger and smile, but she knew she wasn't as good at masking her emotions as Endymion was. "I'm perfectly fine," she said pointedly at Endymion. "I have everything under control."
Raye gave her a dubious look. "Right, well Mina and Lita should be here soon. Amy had to cancel on us, so we have an extra ticket for Endymion anyway."
"How lucky," Endymion said.
"Endymion, you know the rules," Raye said seriously to him.
He held up his hand as if vowing his loyalty. "I remember Raye. Your friends are off limits."
"And that includes Serenity now," Raye said.
Serenity was startled by that. "Isn't it a little late for that?"
Endymion grinned at that and Raye hit him. "Stop that. It's not too late to stop it from happening again. Just because you made that particular mistake already, doesn't mean you're doomed to be one of his toys. Now come on, I think I hear them arriving. We can meet them outside."
Raye hurried out the door, leaving Serenity and Endymion to follow.
He took her hand, which was polite when leading a lady to the carriage, and leaned in to whisper to her.
"If ever you want to make that particular mistake again…"
"Not a chance," she hissed back, and then hurried to go ahead of him.
Serenity found her excitement again when they arrived. There were so many people, all dressed in their finest, walking about and gossiping as if this was a ball and they were all already into the wine. The level of excitement and pleasure was almost intoxicating.
"I love the Opera!" Mina gushed for the tenth time, practically vibrating.
The whole group of them was getting very appreciative looks and Serenity felt a little like she was on display, but in a pleasing way. Men and women of all ages were coming to be introduced to Raye's visiting cousin. Serenity found herself almost overwhelmed with all the attention.
With the attention, came the fear that someone here would know her. That fear came plummeting through her when she looked up to see one of the men who had been a guest at her stepfathers home the night she left.
It was the older man, whose name she didn't remember, and he smiled affectionately at her as he came boldly up.
"I have to say, I am happy to see you lady Serenity."
Serenity nodded, trying to stay calm.
He seemed to understand immediately; especially with the look Endymion gave him. "Do not fear," he whispered to her. "I will not betray your secret. You may depend on me."
Serenity smiled, seeing his sincerity. "I am here visiting my cousin," she said, giving him her story. "It is probable that I will stay with her for the foreseeable future."
He smiled. "I am glad to hear it. Are you enjoying your stay here?"
"I am," she said.
"And are you enjoying all the company?" He said, glancing distastefully at Endymion.
Serenity couldn't help but laugh at that. "Some of the company I appear with tonight are not part of my usual party."
"That is good news indeed."
Serenity could see that he still considered her a possible match and she was not upset about it. He was older than she was, but not by too much. Certainly younger than her stepfather. And he had with him the added bonus of knowing something of her past. He would be able to both understand and possibly help her.
"I trust you left my stepfather well?"
"Not at all," he said mischievously. "Your departure left him in some kind of frenzy. He sent us all away immediately without finishing our business deal."
"Really?" She asked surprised. "And were you upset at leaving?"
"Not in the least. Part of the deal included the opportunity to court you, and with that bonus gone, the business was no different then one might find elsewhere."
"He actually offered me as part of the deal?"
"From what I hear, that is not uncommon."
"It's not, I'm just surprised he said it so matter-of-factly. I assumed the business deal was talked about, and then my arrival added a personal endeavor. He never told me what he was actually intending."
"And to think all along he was keeping you for his wife."
Serenity looked at him surprised. "You know that as well?"
"It became obvious when he started yelling about his fiancé being unfaithful to him."
"Oh dear," she said, letting an idea form slightly in her mind. "I don't suppose you would be against with talking about that particular bit of information?"
He looked at her confused. "What bit?"
"The bit about him marrying his daughter."
"You wish for people to know that?"
"I am in a position now where my life does not have to be connected with his. People here don't know me as the person I was when I was there. I have my stepfather to thank for that. He never let me associate with anyone, so my disguise is complete. I wouldn't mind a little security in keeping my distance from him should I want to, and people thinking him a disgrace is not something I would mind harming me at all."
He smiled. "There are other types of security you could find."
The way he said it made it obvious he was speaking of marriage. So Serenity blushed accordingly, and pretended to be flattered by the idea.
"I would have to find someone willing to help me."
"I'm sure there is someone more than willing."
Serenity smiled, biting her lip. "I should very much hope so."
Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm, hard.
"It's time we found out seats," Endymion said pleasantly enough to the man in front of her. "I'm sure you need to find the rest of your party."
The man nodded, obviously a little intimidated by Endymion. "You're right, I'm sure. It was a pleasure speaking with you again my lady."
"The pleasure is all mine," Serenity said sweetly, flinching at Endymion's hold on her arm.
As soon as the man walked away, she turned on him. "What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?" He demanded.
"I'm talking to a friend."
"You were prowling for a husband."
"I was not prowling," she said, trying to pull away from him. "And even if I was, you don't have a say in the matter."
He glared at her for a moment, and then abruptly let her go. "Raye and the rest of the ladies are in the booth already. I suggest you join them."
"I will do what I..."
"Give my excuses," he interrupted her. "I've lost my taste for opera."
She was startled then. "You're leaving?"
"Goodnight, lady Serenity."
Serenity was shocked to see him turn around and walk quickly away, disappearing through the front doors and into the night. She stared after him, confused and frustrated at the infuriating man. Who was he to suggest anything of her? Who was he to even care? Just because he had helped her escape didn't mean she owed him anything.
She hurried up to the booth where her friends were waiting for her.
"Who was that you were talking to?" Mina asked happily.
Serenity smiled. "A friend of my father's who I trust not to give away my secret. He was always very pleasant to me, and I'm glad I might get to renew that friendship."
Raye gave her a worried glance, but Serenity smiled at her.
"You seemed very happy to see him," Lita observed.
"I was," Serenity said. "I hope to see more of him."
"Is this a possible husband?" Mina asked excitedly.
Serenity shrugged. "I am not opposed to the idea."
"He seemed older than you," Raye said with a look that wasn't entirely happy for her. "Are you sure it's wise to think of marriage right away?"
"I think it wise to do anything in my power to secure my future."
"Just make sure he loves you," Mina said. "That's the most important thing."
"You have to be careful," Lita said protectively. "You're very beautiful, and that sometimes attracts the worst sort of men. Be sure he's not just looking for a trophy on his arm."
Serenity couldn't help but think of Endymion. That's what she was too him, another trophy. Only this time nobody knew of them except a very select few. She wasn't one that he could openly brag about.
Not that she had ever heard him brag.
"How many women do you think Endymion has…" She wasn't really sure how to finish the sentence.
"Had sex with?" Lita asked bluntly.
Serenity colored.
"More than what's respectable," Raye said with a shrug, "less than the rumors say."
"What makes you care about Endymion?" Mina asked. "You're not considering him as well are you? Because that's not a realistic option. I don't think Endymion will ever get married."
"He might marry," Lita said, "but he wouldn't be able to be faithful to her."
Serenity sighed.
"Spoken like two girls who don't know him at all," Raye said edgily.
Serenity looked at her. Her friend looked protective and serious, but not overly angry at the conversation.
"Come on Raye," Lita said. "You know better than all of us that he's not to be trusted. I know of at least ten ladies in my acquaintance he's ruined and that's just the ones I know about. There's no telling how many managed to keep it quiet and get past it."
"He would have come after us if you had not forbid it," Mina said.
"I'm not saying he hasn't earned his reputation," Raye said, "but Endymion is not like his father. I think that he'll meet someone he loves, and everything else will just stop."
"That is a romantic hope," Lita said.
"There's nothing wrong with romance," Mina said. "Raye's right, we shouldn't give up on him. If he's looking for love than we should help him find it."
"Oh dear," Lita said with a sigh.
"Mina, I don't think helping Endymion find women is a good idea," Raye said.
"But you're right. Just because he's bad now, doesn't mean he doesn't deserve happiness."
"I think the point is that he can change if he wants to," Serenity said, "But that doesn't mean he will."
"He will," Raye said. "He's just lost right now."
"He seems pretty confident to me," Serenity argued.
"You've run away from the things in life that threatened you Serenity," Raye said. "I think you are very brave for trying to set things right, but Endymion didn't have that luxury. He was raised by a man who taught him everything he needed to know to be a predator. And then he watched his seemingly happy father parade around and make a mess of the lives of young ladies with zero penalties. When he was finally old enough to see the error of his ways, he was already consumed with that lifestyle. He doesn't want to always be regarded the way he is. I've seen him tire of it time and time again."
"It's not easy to change," Serenity said, "but it's also completely achievable."
"I don't understand why you're so angry at him after he helped you," Raye said.
"I don't see how you can defend a man you have to warn to stay away from your friends and watch destroy the lives of others," Serenity argued.
By this point, Mina and Lita were just watching them in confusion.
"You act like you know him so well, and yet your sheltered little life only allowed you to hear rumors of him. The only exposure you've had to him has been to your benefit. You've made up your mind with other peoples' opinions."
"I have plenty of reasons why my opinion of him is my own."
"He told me he brought you here from your father's."
"Then he didn't tell you everything did he?"
By this time Raye was angry enough that she wasn't aware of the people around her. The opera hadn't started, and nobody else was listening, but Mina and Lita were.
"You're not the only person that's ever slept with him," Raye hissed.
Mina and Lita gasped.
"I'm the only one he ever forced," she shot back, feeling the prickled of tears.
Raye looked startled at that. "He raped you?"
"He made it perfectly clear that I had no other choice."
"But…." Raye seemed genuinely concerned at this. "You told me it was your choice to go to him."
"That was the first night. I never told you about the second night because there was nothing to tell that I wanted anyone to hear. I saw exactly what kind of man he can be when he's angry."
"I'm so confused," Mina whispered to herself. "I thought Serenity is Raye's cousin."
Lita shushed her, but it was already too late.
Serenity sat back, angry and upset.
"Is that why you're so mad at him?" Raye asked, a little softer.
"He obviously thinks I owe him something," Serenity said. "I haven't seen him in two weeks, and suddenly he's back, trying to tell me what to do and how I should act."
"I'm sure he's just trying to…"
"He's not," Serenity cut her off.
For a moment nobody said anything. Mina and Lita watched them with wide eyes as the crowd stayed quieted and the music swelled around them. She had not told Mina and Lita everything because she didn't want them to have to get involved in keeping her whole secret. But now they would have a million questions. She wanted to enjoy the opera, and she hated that she had just had her first fight with the person who had been nothing but kind to her.
When the singers came out on the performance began, she tried to concentrate on it. It was beautiful. The costumes, the music and the emotion. It was all beautiful.
Serenity found herself calming down, feeling selfish for her outburst. In truth, she owed a lot to Endymion. She owed him everything she was now, and she felt bad for immediately thinking the worst of him.
She sighed and leaned towards Raye, unsurprised when Mina and Lita leaned in too.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'm angry with him and I shouldn't take it out on you."
Raye nodded, keeping her voice to a whisper. "What else happened?"
"My stepfather is telling people that his fiancé is missing."
Raye looked at her surprised. "Fiancé?"
Serenity nodded. "Endymion came to tell me and I immediately knew that I had to take further action to protect myself. I told him I would have to find a husband, someone who I could trust who wouldn't cage me. He got angry and we fought. That's why he's not here right now."
Raye nodded. "Are you serious about finding a husband?"
"I am," Serenity said. "I wish I could have the luxury of waiting to fall in love, but I don't. I refuse to go back there."
"But love is the most important thing," Mina whispered.
Serenity couldn't help but smile at that. "For me, it's not."
Mina looked very disturbed by that, but she didn't say anything more.
"I should apologize to him, shouldn't I?" Serenity said.
Raye nodded. "I think maybe you should. He did help you after all."
Serenity sighed. "Will you go with me to see him?"
"Of course," Raye said.
For another few moments, they sat in silence, watching the Opera.
"So…are we allowed to hear the whole story now?" Lita whispered.
Raye nodded. "You can trust them."
"I know I can," Serenity said. "I just liked being someone else for a while, that's all."
So she told them, quietly, everything they didn't know. Their expressions went from shock to disgust, and back to worry and happiness at her escape. Really, they knew a lot of the details. They knew she had escaped from her fathers and was staying with Raye. Mina seemed to really thing she was her cousin, but that was besides the point. The only thing they hadn't known was everything with Endymion, and the gruesome details of her stepfathers mind. After everything, the only part they seemed genuinely stuck on was the fact that she had slept with Endymion.
"You actually went to him and offered yourself?" Mina asked. "Just like that?"
Serenity nodded. "He was actually really sweet. He didn't push me and he made sure I wasn't in a lot of pain. He said he's not interested in being with women if they just lie there and hate themselves. He likes them to put the effort into it."
"That's commendable in a very turned around disgusting sort of way," Lita said.
Serenity smiled. "Seriously though, it wasn't bad. In fact, I would go as far as saying I really enjoyed it. I didn't feel used or cast aside, and he even went as far as telling me what I could expect the next morning in terms of pain. If the situation wasn't what it was, I would say he was every bit a gentleman."
"And now he's jealous you're flirting with possible husbands?" Mina asked.
"He's not jealous," Serenity argued.
"Then why was he angry?" Lita asked.
"I have no idea," Serenity said honestly. She really didn't. She didn't know anything about him, not really, but that wasn't entirely her fault. He just seemed to show up, create chaos, and then leave. Apparently that was what he was good at.
She thought about the first night they had spent together. He really had been sweet and intoxicating, and completely consuming. She had thought her first time would be nothing too pleasurable, but he had proven her wrong. He had made her feel things she had thought herself incapable of feeling.
And in a way he was right. If she married right away, she would be giving up something she had worked very hard to achieve. But being married didn't mean she would be trapped again. She simply had to find the right person.
The Opera was beautiful. As soon as she had explained matters to the girls and decided to go and see Endymion the following day, she was able to sit back and truly enjoy it. The music was breathtaking, and the story exciting. There was so much passion it almost made her blush to continue watching.
By the time she got home that night, she was exhausted and happy. No matter what her situation, she was free to choose her next course of action.
End of Chapter Six! Please Review!