(because I realized that I hadn't done this in the previous chapters: I do not own sailor moon. This story is the intellectual property of me, and I reserve the right to remove it at any time I see fit for any reason. Do not steal my story, it's not nice. And last but not least, please review.)

Chapter Five

Artemis pulled the cart to a stop raising his eyes to Andrew's surprised ones, his last words echoing in the air between them emphasized by the arrow shaft still vibrating in the seat next to him. He swung around toward where Nathaniel and Darien were looking back at them.

"We are under attack!" He called ducking as another arrow whispered past the top of his head.

Nathaniel sprung into action wheeling his destrier around and riding back to where Serena sat. Sach had backed up against her horse a low growl emerging from his throat as the sounds of men moving through the woods toward them greeted their ears. Nathaniel pulled his horse to a stop turning it sideways and drawing his sword with his good arm. He shot a concerned look at Artemis who had scrambled from the cart and was moving to Serena's other side.

Darien took up a position next to Nathaniel while Andrew positioned himself behind Serena's horse facing behind them. The stealthy movements of their attackers were barely perceptible except for Sach's low consistent growls, and the occasional snap of a twig under foot. The men tensed as the sounds grew louder their expressions grim, Darien traded his sword sliding it into the sheath built into his saddle for a long bow. He notched and arrow and took aim letting it fly in a gracefully arch toward the woods. The thrashing of the underbrush was louder now, and it was impossible to guess how many men were coming for them.

As Darien's arrow disappeared into the undergrowth a very feminine shriek lit the air around them followed by a thud. Then after a moment of silence laughter and curse words raunchy enough to make even Andrews ears tint red and glance toward Serena. Nathaniel and Darien exchanged a concerned look then in unspoken agreement Darien nudged his horse toward the tree he approached a flurry of movement occurred and he had to tighten his thighs on his mounts sides to keep from being unseated as a doe came romping out of the woods. It animal was followed by a disgruntled riderless horse, Darien glanced at the others before moving into the woods.

Sprawled on a hapless berry bush lay his cousin, the skirts to her gown were spread about her like the broken wings of a bird. Darien dismounted and quickly knelt at her side concern for his semi-conscious cousin shadowing his eyes.

"Luna?" He asked in a soft voice carefully removing her from the clinging vines of the bush, and into his arms.

"Darien, you may want to come out here." Andrew's voice came from the roadside laced with tension.

Darien emerged from the woods his cousin in his arms her long curly black hair draped over his arm trailing almost to the ground. He glanced at the chaos that greeted him, Sach had lowered himself growling deeply drool dripping from his sharp teeth as he stalked a new rider with his eyes. Artemis had drawn his sword and was staring up at another ride who had a hunting bow aimed at the younger mans chest. Nathaniel was pacing his horse from side to side trying to keep a third rider away from Serena.

The woman they struggled to protect sat regally on her mount facing straight ahead, only the deep lines around her mouth and the white knuckled grip on her reins betrayed her strain. Andrew looked toward Darien his eyes widening in shock, he quickly dismounted and hurried toward Darien ducking under the bow of another rider. He stared down into the face of the woman in Darien's arms.

"Is that Luna?" He asked in a shocked voice.

Darien nodded then looked toward the hostile cluster of people, his eyes searching the new comers. "Where is Malcolm de Wald?"

One of the new riders, the one who had leveled a arrow at Artemis's chest turned in his saddle. "Lord Darien?!" He asked in a shocked voice, a murmur went through the other riders and they lowered or sheathed their weapons.

"Aye. Where is the captain of my cousins guard?" He asked again walking to the cart and laying Luna gently onto the soft stack of bedding.

"Here," came a voice behind them.

Darien turned and frowned at the map with silver hair that fell in straight lines down his back to stop just above his waist. He was wearing a simple pounded silver breast plate over a thick leather jerkin. In his hand was the arrow Darien had shot into the woods, he moved with a feline grace across the distance separating them and handed Darien the arrow.

"It would seem that your arrow interrupted our hunt," Malcolm said a slight smile playing around the corners of his stern mouth.

"Hunt?" A soft musical voice asked and Darien turned surprised to find Serena at his elbow, her slender fingers buried in the stiff fur of Sach's neck.

Nathaniel who had sheathed his sword when the intruders had put their own away, slid from his saddle moving to stand behind Serena. He eyed the new man his eyes taking in the power emanating from the slender form, carried with a casual grace.

" 'twas one of your arrows that almost hit my younger brother, " He said nodding toward the arrow still stuck in the seat of the cart.

Malcolm ice blue eyes shifted to the vehicle and he saw the arrow, he turned back to the man bowing slightly. "I apologize. I had not realized that one of our arrows had missed its mark."

Serena cleared her throat softly, "I believe the lady in the cart is waking up." She said motioning with the hand that wasn't gripped in Sach's fur.

Artemis was the first to reach the back of the cart staring into startled sapphire eyes, "Are you okay mistress?" he asked softly helping her to sit upright.

Luna took the strangers hand rubbing at the back of her head, she stared into his green eyes almost as if she were falling into their emerald depths. It took her a moment more to realize that the man had spoken to her. "I am fine, a bit of a bruised dignity I suppose." She said laughing then wincing as the sound and movement hurt her head.

Artemis smiled at her, thinking she was one of the loveliest things he had even laid his eyes upon, aside from Serena of course. "Even the most practiced rider will take a fall every now and then." he assured her.

Darien leaned over the side of the cart looking at Luna a twinkle in his eyes, "Aye, but Luna should know better than most how to land properly."

Luna turned surprised eyes to Darien then lifted a hand and smacked him in the arm, "you are not one to talk Darien de Varray. I once saw you trip over air when a comely lass passed you."

When Darien flushed to the tips of his ears, the rest of the group laughed and Andrew nudged him out of the way with an elbow. He took Luna's hand in his bringing it to his lips, "You are as beautiful as ever Luna. Though your aim with a bow is as atrocious as ever, poor Artemis was almost skewered by your wild shot." He released her hand his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Luna took a swat at Andrew as well but he danced out of range stumbling into Malcolm who held the reins to Luna's horse. She pushed herself to the edge of the cart looking around noting, that beyond the handsome stranger that she had opened her eyes to find. There was another man with his arm in a sling hovering near a woman with honey colored hair, and rosy lips. She glanced at Darien an ebony brow raising in question at her cousin.

Darien cleared his throat, "Allow me to introduce you to my cousin." He said to Serena, Artemis and Nathaniel. "Lunara de Tournay."

"Please call me Luna, only my father insists on that horrible name." She said sliding from the edge of the cart and swaying slightly on her feet. She put a hand out to steady herself and came into contact with the warm cloth of the blonde strangers tunic.

Artemis smiled down at the woman, "I am Artemis de Grey. My brother Nathaniel de Grey and that is our friend Serena de Fortenberry."

Luna blushed slightly removing her hand from Artemis's chest and taking her reins from Malcolm's gloved hand. She noticed that the captain of her guard was staring speculatively at Serena and tilted her head to the side, she glanced at the woman who had regained her own mount easily and sat gracefully in the saddle. Upon further inspection she noticed that the woman's eyes were closed and thought it odd, though her father had raised her with too much respect to ask the reason.

Darien walked to where his mount stood at the edge of the woods, and swung into the saddle before guiding it back into the road. "We were escorting them to dunewald for the wedding. They are troubadours your father has invited to entertain us."

Luna guided her horse along side Dariens who was riding just in front of the man Nathaniel, the now larger group continued along the road toward the castle. She glanced back to see Artemis pull her arrow from the seat of the cart tucking it gently under the bench before snapping the reins, the cart lurched forward swaying with the easy gate of the horse pulling it. She turned forward again glancing at Darien from the corner of her eye, she noticed that he turned to look behind them often and followed his gaze.

" 'twill be good to have them. Ami is not happy to be marrying Zachary O'Shea. I fear she fancied herself in love with one of fathers men-at-arms." she said glancing back to where Malcolm rode with Andrew talking in lowered voices.

Darien flicked his reins to dislodge a fly from his horse's neck, "Malcolm has never shown Amelia any interest. 'Tis a girlish fancy she holds, Sir Zachary is a good man."

Luna studied his profile, "You have met him then?"

Darien nodded his eyes focused on the rising curtain wall of dunewald in the distance,"He saved my life once."

The two cousins fell into a comfortable conversation about the family members they would encounter during the wedding and the week of festivities to follow.

Malcolm rode next to Andrew frowning just ahead of them at the woman that rode just a head of them. His eyes narrowed when the beast of a dog easily guided the horse around a hole in the middle of the road. Andrew had informed him that the woman was blind, but could not seem to make his brain believe it. However it was not her eye sight or lack there of, that concerned him. He had heard the name de Fortenberry, he could just not place where. They crested the rise before the keep and looked down into a lush valley where a sleepy village lay nestled almost at the foot of the curtain wall.

Their small caravan started down the rise and Malcolm looked around watching as villagers emerged from their homes or paused in their work in the fields to call greetings. He watched at Luna slid from her mount pausing to catch a small black haired child in her arms. He felt his eyes burn with helpless anger, the one time he hand been unable to protect her, had yielded one of the greatest treasures of the castle. He watched as Luna remounted settling the little girl in front of her on the saddle and waved to the older woman that had been watching the child.

The group continued through the village and up the short climb to the draw bridge of the keep. Malcolm waved to the guard in the gate house and the draw bridge lowered with a heavy thump, they started across the bridge the iron and wood portcullis groaning in protest as it was raised. People from the castle were pouring out of the keep or milling about in the outer bailey as they riders drew to a stop. Some of the women seeing Serena's 'pet' crossed themselves and looked heavenward as they pulled their curious children closer to their skirts.

Watching as Nathaniel de Grey assisted Serena from her mount Malcolm remember where he had heard the de Fortenberry name. He moved his mount forward sliding from the saddle and walked to Darien who stood watching with a pained expression as Nathaniel kissed Serena's forehead laughing softly at something she said. Malcolm studied his frown concern coating his normally icy eyes.

"Darien, I have a need to speak with you."

Darien turned from the painful scene and glanced at the taller man, "Of course a moment." He waved one of the servants milling about to him and instructed him to see about accommodations for the troupe of troubadours before turning back to Malcolm

"Come," He said and turned disappearing into one of the gate houses. He turned walking up the spiral staircase and emerged onto the curtain wall, he turned leaning his back again the parapets and studied his friend. "What do you wish to discuss with me?"

Malcolm studied his friend the gazed beyond toward the setting of the sun, "It had occurred to me that I had heard the name de Fortenberry before."

Darien nodded motioning with a hand for him to continue.

Malcolm took a deep breath, "Serena de Fortenberry is kin to the King. His first cousin to be exact."

Darien's face seemed frozen, Malcolm took a breath and continued. "There is more, she is believed to be dead. Murdered, along with two knights in her personal guard."

Darien's midnight eyes locked on Malcolm's pale ones, then he cursed very softly under his breath.

( I thought I should give you some definitions of some of the words I use in this story. As well as clarification of the characters thus far.

In sooth = In truth

'tis = it is

'twill = it will

naught = nothing (meaning it is nothing.)

destrier = war horse used by knights/nobility

Viol = one of the predecessors to a violin/viola

Lute = one of the predecessors to a guitar

Malcolm de Wald = Kunzite

Nathaniel de Grey = Nephrite

Amelia de Tournay = Ami

Lunara de Tournay = Luna

Zachary O'Shea = Zoicite

Sach = taken from the Scottish word sassenach meaning 'Englishman'

I hope this will help clarify any confusion that any of you may have had.)