PhantasyDreamer: New chapter here! Once again I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters, only my own. Well, I'm back with a new chapter. Took a long time but its here now. So enjoy and please tell me what you think. Chao.
The Forgotten Princess
Chapter 4: A New Life
Last time: On The Forgotten Princess
"Damien, my…my…dear, Serena…she's…gone…." Queen Serenity whispered lifting her hand to his face, "promise you'll take care of…"
With that she collapsed in his arms. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Darien and his parents cried over their friend who lay motionless in her husband's arms and over the loss of Serena, their princess.
The story continues…..
It was late in the cold afternoon when a young man was making his way home on the snowy field. He stopped as he noticed something floating on the icy cold water.
"Oh my, it's a girl!" he exclaimed pulling her out and checking her pulse.
To his great surprise her heart was pumping and she was breathing. He lifted her small body up and hurried home with her in his arms. It was a long walk there, almost a mile but luckily he made it there and the girl was still alive.
"Ilene!" he sprang into the house, "come quick!"
His pregnant wife rushed into the room to see a little girl lying on the bed.
"Where did you find her?"
"At the lake in the Moon Kingdom,"
"The poor child," she said rubbing Serena's forehead.
She took off her wet clothes and quickly wrapped a towel around her body. She observed the gold bracelet located on Serena's wrist that held her initials.
"Is her name on the bracelet?" asked Ken (her husband).
"No, but her initials is on it," she replied slipping it off and gazing at the S.M, "I guess we can name her Selena,"
"Yeah, from now on your name is Selena Tsukino," replied Ken speaking to the semi unconscious girl.
ELEVEN YEARS LATER
Serena (Selena) was standing by a lake looking at her reflection. The wind blew her hair vibrantly as she closed her eyes to mediate upon the scene. A boy came up to her screaming something. She didn't understand what he was saying until she opened her eyes and look straight at him.
"Princess Serena, you must come with me," the young man said who was in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I'm not a princess and my name is Selena," Serena (Selena) said pulling out of the young man's grasp.
A ten year old Darien stood in front of her pulling tightly on her hand. She tried to push him away but he was much stronger than he looked. He held her wrist strongly not wanting to let go.
"Please come with me to the palace," he whispered.
"But, I'm not a princess, besides what is your name young man?" asked Selena looking down at the small boy.
She was now eighteen years old and her features had changed rapidly. She wore a silver knee length dress that had a red shawl wrapped around her waist and her hair was in its regular meatball hair style.
"My name…my name is Dar…Darie," he started as if trying not to say it, "its Dar…"
"SELENA!"
"Ahh!" she screamed jumping out of bed, "WHAT IS IT!" she yelled panting.
"Selena, mom needs you right away!" cried Sammy her twelve year old brother.
"Well, why couldn't you tap me?" she asked angrily.
"I just felt like torturing you," he smirked running out of the room.
"Why you little…"
Serena rushed to get him but decided he didn't deserve it. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail while the remainder of her hair trailed to her knees. She made her way to the door but fell to her knee. She felt awfully sick as she remembered her dream.
'Who was that boy and what was he saying about me being a princess?' she thought.
"Selena!"
The voice of her mother pulled her out of her thoughts.
"I'm coming!" she shouted as she rushed into the kitchen.
AT THE PALACE
Prince Darien was in the Dinning room eating his wealthy breakfast. He was now twenty one years old and at the eligible age of marriage. He sat silently as he thought about his life as a prince; everything was good except for the fact that his best friend was dead other than that his life was pretty much fine.
"Darien, my darling," his mother made her way into the room interrupting his daydream.
"Yes, mother?"
"I have great news," she said with her face lit up touching her black bun.
"What, Serena's alive?" he asked with much sarcasm.
What else could his mother be talking about than his finding a bride? She had plagued him for years about finding another bride since Serena was clearing unable to fill the position. She watched him with a mysterious grin on her face.
"Come on Darien, I meant I've found a bride for you,"
"Mother, I do not wish to be married!" Darien blurted out as he slammed his hand on the table.
'What else could be better than being married?' he thought mockingly as he knew what his mother was going to say next.
"Darien, what else could be better than being married?"
"Mother, I don't want to get married, not now," he said getting up, "what if Serena is alive?"
"Don't be silly Darien, we all saw what happened," she whispered with a sad expression.
"I don't want to discuss this anymore!" he barked getting up and walking away.
"Darien, I don't care what you say you have to get married!"
Darien was steamed. How could his mother treat him like this? Try to force him to marry some girl he doesn't know and he still didn't get over his best friend's death. Didn't she know the pain he was feeling? After all those years of blaming himself for what happened, he couldn't bear to face another girl again. And although Serena and he said they didn't want to get married. Deep down inside Darien, on the other hand was just trying to get Serena to grow up. He rushed to his chambers and buried his head into his pillow.
"Serena, why did you have to leave me?" he asked crying silently as he sniffed back some tears.
AT SELENA'S HOUSE
"Selena, I need you to go to the town and get me some groceries," her mother said as she washed some dishes.
"Okay, I'm going," she said finishing her breakfast and putting on her extra clothes.
"And while you're going, take Sammy with you so he could help you with the load."
"Ahh, Mom, I can't stand Sammy getting in the way," she began but saw the stern look her mother was giving her, "okay, I guess, I can drag him with me,"
Her sarcastic remark made her brother cringe as she walked away with a mysterious grin. They both walked down the pathway, Selena ahead while Sammy followed closely behind. They walked slowly leaving their small house behind.
"Hurry up, slow poke!" she teased getting an angry growl from Sammy.
"I don't know why I had to come," he said mumbling.
"Ah, you have to be my servant," she taunted making him even angrier.
"You're right, besides you would be lost without me," he replied with a cocky grin.
Selena stopped suddenly as she saw something lurking in the woods. She tried to push the bad remark that her brother had just taunted her with, out of her head. The figure moved skillfully passing some tress on its way and blowing leaves everywhere.
"Sammy, why don't you check it out for me?" cried a scared Selena.
"Why don't you do it," he retorted, his flaky brown hair blowing in the wind as he looked intently into the woods.
They both continued to argue until they saw a couple of men surround them, threatening them with their knives. They came closer towards the children. Selena and Sammy screamed as they saw their fate.
IN THE GARDEN
Darien was outside in the garden practicing his swordsmanship. When his mother came running towards him. Her dark black shoulder length hair blowing in the wind and her eyes lit up with joy.
"Darien, I have some splendid news," she started making Darien frown, "your new bride – to- be will be here in 2 weeks!" Queen Adena squealed with joy.
"I don't care," he muttered.
"Your father and I have also, decided that you need a personal maid, that could assist your personal needs," she replied ignoring his response, "we're giving you the opportunity to select a young or middle age lady from the city, to be your maid."
Darien looked at his mother with mixed emotions, he knew he didn't like what she was putting him through but he figured it might be the only way to get over Serena.
"Okay, mother, I will do it,"
"Good, I will send out a declaration to each lady in the city eligible from age eighteen to forty two, to come to the screening area to enter," she said giving her son a peek on the cheek and then walking away.
Darien's friend Andrew came walking out of the palace at the same time. He passed the Queen, bowing to her and made his way towards Darien.
"Hey, Darien I heard the good news," he began teasing him, "you're going to get married,"
Darien gave him his 'I don't know' smile.
"Hey Andrew, have you ever felt that the one person that you were meant to be with, has been taking away from you and now, you don't know if you would ever find someone as good as the one you once loved."
"Well, no Darien, but the way you talk about this Serena, you must have really loved her," Andrew said seeing that just the mention of her name had lit up his friend's face.
"Yeah,"
"Cheer up Darien, just give this new princess a chance, who knows she may turn out to be a splendid girl,"
"I guess your right," Darien said reluctantly as he looked to the sky.
IN THE FOREST
Selena and Sammy watched as the thieves tried to take away their money. Selena hid behind her brother. They wanted to run but were afraid they might get hurt.
"Give us all your money!" the guy demanded.
"We don't have any," Selena lied not wanting to give in.
"I said give it to us or we'll take your little brother away," he said pointing his knife at Sammy.
"Selena, do something!" Sammy screamed.
"I don't know…." Selena started.
She looked up to see a young girl jump out of a tree with her long hair trailing behind her. She moved swiftly as she knocked out each of the thieves one by one. Selena and Sammy watched in amazement at the way she cornered each of them with her stick and slammed them down with little strength. After she knocked out all of them, she walked up to Selena and Sammy.
"Thank you very much for helping us!" Selena chanted.
"Hi, my name is Lita," she said with a huge smile.
"Oh, I'm Selena Tsukino, nice to meet you," Selena said shaking her hand, "and this is my brother, Sammy."
She gave him a friendly smile. She had light brown hair that was held in a high ponytail while the extra layer of hair rests on her shoulder. Sammy shook her hand as well and asked Lita if she had any transportation to help carry them to the town square. Luckily for them she did and they hopped aboard and headed straight towards the town.
The carriage stopped, letting both of them off.
"Bye and thanks a lot!" screamed Selena.
"No, problem!" she yelled back.
Sammy walked into the grocery store to check out the items on his mother's list while Selena trailed slowly behind. She saw a poster of the princes' search for a maid. The poster had beautiful decorations and colors however; it did not contain his picture or his name just the word 'Prince.' Two ladies were up in the front talking loudly about the exciting event.
"Diane, I got in, I'm a finalist!" the plump lady shouted, "I got the pink slip, which identifies me as a finalist!"
"Oh, my, that's great!" Diane replied, "I'm sure my daughter would be willing to serve the prince, and maybe they could get married," she said dreamily.
"Don't bet your life on it, he's royalty," the plump lady said placing her slip on the counter, "besides, I think I would be a better maid, I could whip that boy into shape."
"Oh, really, Laurel stop dreaming," Diane smiled hideously.
'I would never like to serve that prince, I've heard he's a stuck up selfish brat,' thought Selena hastily as she placed the items on the counter.
"Here you go, miss," Diane said giving Selena her change and accidentally putting the pink slip into her bag.
Sammy and Selena left the store and headed for home. On their way, Selena was silent thinking of a certain prince.
'I wonder what he looks like,' she thought gazing at the trees.
"Selena are you okay?" asked Sammy looking worried.
"I'm okay,"
"Hey, what's this?" he asked looking at a pink slip in his bag.
"Let me see that!" Selena yelled starting to read the paper.
It read: CONGRADULATIONS ON PASSING THE DRAWING ARENA. THIS SLIP QUALIFIES YOU TO ENTER THE PALACE. UPON ENTRY YOU WILL BE TESTED AND QUESTIONED TO SEE IF YOU ARE CAPABLE OF BEING A GOOD AND SUCCESSFUL SERVANT. NOTE THIS IS SLIP IS ONLY VALID FOR TOMMORROW.
"So are you going?" asked Sammy looking at her.
"I don't know, besides who wants to serve that stuck up brat anyway?" she asked herself.
"Maybe a stuck up sister!" he said with a grin and running as fast as he could.
"Come back her Sammy!" she yelled as she too ran ahead to catch up to him.
BACK AT THE STORE
"Where is it?" Laurel asked herself.
"I don't know, didn't you place it on the counter," Diane said touching her cheek, "oh no the girl must have it."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Laurel as she slapped her fist on the table, "my life is over!"
So what do you think! Hope you like it and please review! Thanks to all of you who reviewed. Your comments were truly appreciated.
PhantasyDreamer