What's Done In The Dark: The King's Concubine
Dear Diary 9
The tension in the house was felt by everybody. Not a single person in the mansion was happy about the arrival of the queen but other than Darien, no one had a say in matters. Arriving in the morning, Hotaru was escorted to her room along with all the servants she brought. But she was most unhappy to know she would not be staying in the same room as Darien and even more upset when she also realized her room was in the wing furthest from Darien. Angry, she demanded to see Darien but he did not grant her that request and made sure none of his guards allowed her anywhere near his room. She threw a fit but when she realized the servants were absolutely loyal to Darien and she wasn't going to get what she wanted, she calmed down and decided to investigate. She asked the servants' questions in regards to Serena, trying to disguise them so it would seem as if she was snooping but every question she asked was dodged. The servants would not speak, having been warned ahead of time to keep all matters relating to Darien and Serena absolutely secret from her.
Finally, she went to the kitchen where she found the person she most wanted to see.
"Who is the head cook here?" she asked. The servants all turned to her but when Lita's saw the queen; she felt fear for the first time.
"That would be me Your Majesty." She answered.
"I see. Step out with me for a minute." Hotaru ordered.
"Yes My Lady." Washing her hands of quickly, Lita hurried after the queen and silently the two of them walked down the stairs to where the servants' quarters were at. The silence unnerved Lita but she knew better than to talk, especially since the topic was rather secretive.
Maneuvering their way in and out of hallways and shadows, they approached a close door that housed an unused room. Lita took the key out and unlocked the door. The queen entered, Lita looked left and right, making sure no one saw them and quickly entered after the queen.
"Finally some privacy!" Hotaru stated. Lita just stood silently. "Well my little spy, nothing to report?"
"No My Queen. Nothing has changed since I sent you the letter." Lita replied. Forgive me Serena.
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing."
"So where is the girl?"
"I believe she rests in her room. She seemed rather ill yesterday." She lied.
And where is her room?"
"That I am not certain My Queen."
"What?!" Hotaru screeched. Lita was petrified. She didn't want to tell the queen Serena stayed in the same room as Darien; things would get ugly very fast. She was the queen's spy yes, but she had come to love Serena and found it very hard to loyal to Hotaru. Yet it didn't matter, she had already betrayed Serena with her letters to the queen. But was it possible to turn things around? To give Serena some fighting chance? She would try though, for the sake of maintaining her friendship with Serena.
"You're majesty, for some reason she is constantly changing rooms."
"Did you not take her breakfast to her this morning?" it was near noon when the meeting between the two of them took place.
"Yes My Lady but His Majesty requested I bring the food to his room so the two of them could have Breakfast together. I am certain by this time she has returned to her room." She hoped Hotaru would by her story.
He wouldn't have breakfast with me all because he was having it with that bitch!? Angered by the news, she did not question Lita further. She just stormed away and Lita drop to the floor in a breath of relief. She put her head in her hands, breathing in and out to calm her racing heart. What had she gotten herself involved in? She new she should not be provoking the queen but could she really sell Serena out like that? Besides the only reason Lita served the queen was because the queen had pro missed to reinstate her family back in the country. Several years ago, her entire family was exiled for a crime her father committed having to do with the palace finance. Having smuggled herself back in the country, she saved the queen from an assassination attempt through poisoning and that was how the little arrangement between the two had come to be. Countless times the queen had used her to spy on people. At first she had spied with all her heart thinking it was for the good of the country but after a while she began to notice a very odd and suspicious pattern. All those she had been sent to spy on were people who did not trip over themselves for Hotaru's sake; they were actually the backbone of the country.
At first she didn't know why Hotaru found a reason to jail, execute or control them but after she accidentally found out that little Prince Helios was not the late King Diamond's son and that the real father was the Temple priest, it all clicked. The people whom she spied, found information on and gave Hotaru a reason to jail, execute or control them all were people who had come to learn the truth of Helios birth and were determined to come to public with it. This was the kind of person the queen is, when something or someone displeased her, she would eliminate them without a second thought, with no mercy. Lita had kept working because those people she spied on also had activities that could break the kingdom so it was a win win situation for both her and Hotaru. Get rid of the bad people who would hurt the kingdom she loved so much while helping the queen cover her own treason. While she had not been happy about the later, she had her family to think about and so had said nothing.
But now she wondered if everything she had done was worth it. Wouldn't more people just suffer if the queen was allowed to always get her way? And how could she sit still for the throne to be handed to an illegitimate heir? Was it a wise idea to sit still and have the whole country live in ignorance? And Darien, he was so much better off without Hotaru and frankly, she had come to like the King as a friend and she believed he and Serena were best suited to each other. So now how could she turn things around? To make up for all she had done and the many people she had helped eliminated under false reason? Was it too late to do anything about it?
She got off the floor and exited the room, locking it behind her. She was so lost in her indecision that she almost walked passed a scene that was very much important to eaves drop on. Through the small window that led to the dungeon, she saw Mina and Hotaru talking. Her brows furrowed, were the two of them acquainted? Knowing where she stood, she could easily be spotted and she couldn't really hear what was going on, she softly walked away to a side of the dungeon where the wall was very thin. She was glad the dungeon guards were out on the field that day. She stood still and listened to the conversation.
"That is what Lita told me." The queen was saying.
"Ha! Don't trust anything coming out of the wench's mouth. She is very soft on Serena too." Mina said.
"I see, then what do you have to report?"
"Well for the past three days Serena has not once left Dar…the king's room. As we speak she is still there." Mina informed.
"Tell me, which room is her normal room?"
"There is no normal room for her. She has always stayed in the king's room."
"What?!"
"It's true your majesty. The king wanted her by his side and so arranged for her to share his room. That girl is trouble your majesty, you should eliminate her as soon as possible or she will create major complications for you." Mina said soothingly and Lita finally understood. She wasn't the only spy for Hotaru apparently. Something about Mina's soothing voice worried her, what was Mina planning, it was almost as if she was trying to make the queen do as she asked. What was Mina's role in all of this?
That wretch!
"Well I thank you." Hotaru said and walked away. Lita stayed silent and watch the queen rushed out and she knew she was headed to Darien's room. Things were really going to get ugly.
"I don't have to lift a finger. Hotaru will destroy Serena and I will destroy her and when Darien needs comfort I will be the one there for him. In time he will belong only to me and no one needs not know." Mina laughed maniacally. Disgust filled Lita to the brim. She walked back to the dungeon door and opened the door. Mina turned to her sharply.
"Very slick if I do say so myself." Lita said and Mina looked at her with wide eyes which soon turned to a deadly glare.
"I wonder, what will Darien do if she knew you were the one behind everything mm?" Lita continued.
"More importantly, what will Hotaru do when she learns not only have you slept with Darien before but you also did so merely three days ago? And that you are plotting to use her to gain him?"
"Hotaru will never believe you!"
"She may not believe me but she will believe Darien wouldn't she? And how cooperative will Darien be if he knew you were out to destroy the love of his life neh?" Mina glared and walked out of the dungeon. She smashed the door closed and quickly locked it from behind.
"He needs never to know. Have a pleasant life in this rat infested prison bitch!" Lita banged on the door, screaming for it to be opened but Mina was gone and there was no one around. She had a key but the dungeon could only be open from the outside. The guards were sure to return late at night but they might not go near the dungeon, they would most likely be too tired and will just go straight to bed.
I need to get to Darien! Someone please come find me! Realizing that if no one came she could really be stuck there for a long time. Because there were no prisoners in the dungeon, the guards didn't often come down there and only did so once in a while for check up. She could be stuck in there for a whole month with no food or water! And while she was stuck in there, what would be happening to Serena?
Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?
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While Hotaru rushed to Darien's room, Mina went to Lita's room and packed some of her things as if in a hurry and hid them under the bed before going up to the kitchen with a sad expression.
"What's wrong Mina? And why is the queen so upset. And where is Lita? She hasn't returned since the queen asked to talk to her." One of the servants asked. Mina sniffed and covered her eyes, tears falling. All the servants stopped to watch her in concern.
"Mina, what's wrong?" the assistant cook asked, putting her hand around the sobbing girl.
"I… I saw Lita talking with the queen so I decided to listen."
"And?"
"She told the queen everything!" she wailed.
"What do you mean everything?" one of the other servants asked.
"You know, about Serena. I was so sad. Darien asked us not to and she goes and tells the queen. That's why the queen stormed out like that, when she found out that Serena had been staying in the king's room ever since she got here."
"Oh dear God!"
"Lita?!
"No! Lita would never!"
"So where is she now?" the assistant cook asked.
"I don't know but she might be going to the king's room."
"Lita?"
"No the queen."
"No, I mean where is Lita now?"
"I saw her go to her room." Mina sniffed.
"Lezzy, come with me. Elsie, go get Malcolm and the rest of you get back to work." The assistant cook said and the girl called Lezzy followed her out the kitchen. Mina sat there sniffling.
"Oh Mina, it will be ok." Another servant said as she sat by Mina and put her hands around her.
"But Lita? Impossible."
"I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover." The servants gossiped. Mina sat crying crocodile tears while inwardly, she gloated in her triumph.
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"She isn't here." Lezzy said when they arrived in the room.
"It looks as if she left in a rush."
"Yeah, like she just grabbed whatever she could. Do you think she is running way Martha?" Lezzy asked the assistant cook.
"Right now there is nothing else to think but that." They heard footsteps from behind them and they turned around to be met with the head of the guards, neatly dressed in his uniform.
"What is it Martha?" he asked in his bass voice.
"Lita has betrayed the king and now we think she is on the run."
"Betrayed how?"
"Remember that the king told us to keep absolute secret everything regarding Serena. Well Mina saw Lita and the queen talking and overheard their conversation. It seems the queen was upset to find out that Serena had been staying in the king's room so she rushed out and we think she is heading to the king's room. We came down here to talk to Mina but she isn't in her room where Mina had last seen her enter and it looks as if she grabbed whatever she could in other to flee." Martha explained and stepped aside for Malcolm to look in the room.
"Shit! We have to catch her!" he said, turning around quickly to be met by a panic looking guard.
"What is it Joshua?"
"The queen! She is demanding to see the king. We are holding her back physically but she is fighting us. We fear we might hurt her!"
"You fool! At all cost keep her away from the king's room. And send whatever guard you come across to me now!"
"Yes sir!" the guard rushed back out.
"You Ladies return to your duties, we have this under control."
"Yes sir." Lezzy said, being the first to walk away.
"What is it Martha?" Malcolm asked.
"I just can't believe it. Lita? This is so not in her nature. I mean she would never run away, she would stay and face the consequences! This is so not like her!" Martha said, still very much in doubt that Lita was capable of such a betrayal, especially since she was the closest person other than Darien to Serena.
"Martha, even the holiest of men fall."
"I know but this is Lita." Malcolm sighed, he didn't really want to believe that but with a witness and the evidence of speed in Lita's room, how else can one explain the circumstances? He pulled Martha in his arms.
"Whatever the case, we will get to the bottom of it." He said.
"Oh Malcolm."
"Now now, don't cry or you will ruin your pretty face." he said, running his fingers over her cheek before lowing his mouth to hers.
Lezzy who had come back to see what the hold up was stood in shock as she watched the two servants kissing. Who would ever have thought that those two had a secret affair going on right under their noses and they didn't even know! She quickly retreated to give them space, her heart beating fast with the excitement of new discovery.
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While one guard was sent to tell Malcolm the queen's violent demand to go to Darien's room, another was sent to tell Darien also. Looking at the time and realizing it was tea time, he decided he would have lunch in the dinning area since Serena was still sleeping. Dressing casually, he walked to where the guards were having a hard time with Hotaru.
"Must you be so loud and obnoxious in someone else's home? How unladylike." He said in a bored tone. As soon as they came face to face, Hotaru slapped him. The guards made an attempt to restrict her but Darien stopped them with a raised hand.
"Where is that bitch! Let me see her now!" she demanded angrily.
"And if I don't?"
"I will see her, whether you like it or not!" she said, trying to make her way past Darien.
"You don't seem to understand whose grounds you're on. Now she is very ill and needs her rest, please tone down your voice." He said calmly.
"I WILL SCREAM AS LOUDLY AS I WANT!" She screeched and Darien's eyes tightened. He snapped his fingers and pointed one at her. The guards moved forward at his command.
"Grab her and drag her to the living room."
"What!?" But the guards paid no attention to her. Doing as their master has commanded, two of them grabbed her and threw her over their necks and walked her to the living room amidst her screaming and threats of execution. Darien was thoroughly enjoying watching her screaming and wiggling like a hyena. Those who saw the scene watched it with blank face but as soon as they were out of eyesight they bust into fits of laughter.
When they entered the living room, Hotaru's three companions had different reaction to the scene. Michelle hid her face as she tried to suppress her own laughter, the unidentified male's jaw dropped and Trista stood shaking her head. The guards dropped the hyena queen in the couch none too gently and walked out of the room though she continued to scream at them, promising them eternity in hell.
"What the hell?!" the male of Hotaru's group yelled.
"Breath Amara, breath." Michelle said soothingly as she went and put her hand behind his back.
"Good afternoon Lady Trista, Lady Michelle and Lord Amara."
"Good Afternoon your majesty." The two ladies curtsied. Amara wasn't going to show that kind of respect but Michele dragged her down into a bow too.
He took the one person seat to make sure Hotaru did not sit by him. He clapped his hands and three servant ladies entered. They bowed.
"Some tea will be nice." Darien said.
"Yes your majesty." The three said together and left. After the tea was served, Hotaru decided she had had enough of the silence but before she could say anything, Malcolm entered the room.
"Yes Malcolm?"
"Sire, a moment of your time please?" the guard said and Darien sat the tea down before getting up. He walked to the guard and they left the living room.
"What is it Malcolm?" the guard told Darien about what Lita had done.
"Lita did this?" he asked doubtfully.
"Mina saw and heard her talking to the queen and the servants were present when the queen asked to speak with Lita privately."
"And you have no lead on her whereabouts?"
"We still search Your Majesty but we can't be sure if she is still within the mansion."
"Very well, just search the house and a mile radius around, if she is not found within the hour, stop the search."
"We could go further than a mile Sire."
"I know but do as I say."
"Yes Sire." The guard left and Darien returned to the living room.
"You seem troubled." Hotaru commented but he paid no attention to her. he was struck with a very unpleasant idea. He had betrayed Serena and the only real friend Serena had in the house had too, who then could Serena trust. The thought was unpleasant yet it would not go away.
"Darien?"
How will she react if she finds out?
"Darien?"
I don't want to see her cry again.
"DARIEN!"
"What!?" he snapped at her and Hotaru looked up startled. Darien sighed and run his fingers through his head.
"Raise your voice again at me and I'll…"
"Oh shut up! And what the hell do you want here in my house anyway?!" he demanded.
"What? A wife needs a reason to be able to see her husband?"
"Don't make me drag you out."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I?" he said, reminding her he had had her dragged just a few minutes ago and he could do it again.
"Your Majesty" Trista caught in. "We are here because of rumors we've been hearing and we wants to know the facts of it."
"Rumors about what?" Darien played dumb.
"About a girl you keep here in this house who is not your servant but rather your lover."
"Ahh, I see you have ears everywhere."
"Your Majesty, it is very wrong for a married king to be setting such an example for the kingdom. Everyone watches your movement, the royal is to uphold a strict and perfect mannerism and I'm afraid that your conduct goes against the morality of not just the royal household and our kingdom but of humanity." Trista said.
"Is that right. Preach on." Darien said sarcastically but realizing he wasn't going to take her seriously, she shut up.
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"I WILL SCREAM AS LOUDLY AS I WANT!"
This was the screech which woke Serena up. Startled, she sat up right on the bed and looked around. Noticing that noise were coming from the other side of the door, she quickly got up and rushed to the bedroom door and to the sitting room door just in time to see a very odd scene. A lady being carried over the shoulders of two men and Darien following behind at a luxurious pace.
Serena drew herself back in the sitting room and blinked.
What's going on?
She returned to the room to dress up since she showered already after breakfast and changed into a white pleated silk smooth skirt, a white dressy breezy top and white sandals with pearls lining the edges. She debated what to do with her hair and let it down, not having enough strength in her arms to hold it up as long as she needed to style it. She put on white shaped crescent moon earrings and glossed her lips with her tongue. Please with her appearance in the mirror, she made it slowly out of the room and down the hall, resting every few minutes since she wasn't fully recovered.
She finally reached the kitchen and saw everyone was busy cooking. She scanned the crowd but Lita was no where to be found.
"Um..Excuse me?" every action in the kitchen stopped as all turned to her.
"Oh Serena, how are you feeling?" Martha asked.
"I'm good. Thanks for asking. By the way, have you seen Lita?" she asked. The servants looked at each other helplessly.
"Serena…well the truth is we don't know where Lita is right now."
"huh? What do you mean?"
"She just up and disappeared. We're still looking for her though so when we find her we will let you know. For now why don't you rest up in your room?" Martha said warmly, not having the heart to tell Serena the truth.
"Why not just tell her the truth. It will make things a lot easier." Mina said coming from behind Serena. She stiffened at her voice, she hadn't forgotten that it was because of her that Darien had tried to brainwash her for three days.
"Mina!" there was a warning in Martha's voice.
"Fine, I'm just saying things will be a lot less difficult if she were in the know." Mina said and walked past Serena with not as much as a greeting.
"In the know about what?" Serena asked Martha looked away.
"Martha please? Tell me." Martha sighed.
"Serena, it is very complicated."
"Fine I will tell her. Queen Hotaru is here right now visiting HER HUSBAND. Any knowledge about you was supposed to be kept under wraps so the queen wouldn't find out, you know so Darien can protect you but it seems Lita was a spy for the queen and told her everything. Now she has run away." Mina said Martha of factly.
The queen is here?! Serena thought, petrified. And Lita has run away?
Serena was very confused but she did not miss the emphasis Mina put on 'her husband' nor did she miss the almost smug look on her face when she said the queen was here and the fact that she was calling the king 'Darien' with no title of respect.
"I don't get it." She said, unable to really understand what was being said. Mina sighed.
"I heard and saw her talking to the queen. I guess Darien didn't let the queen get close to you. She was very upset and marched straight to Darien's room."
So that woman who was being carried by the men was the queen!?
"Lita then run away knowing if it was found out that she gave the queen the information, she would be severely punished and she knew it was bound to come out anyway. Get it?" Mina rolled her eyes.
So Mina so Lita gossip to the queen about me and even without confirmation that she will be discovered, she ran away?
Serena looked up into Mina's eyes, trying to find another truth but her face was devoid of emotions. Serena could not believe it. Even if Lita had done as Mina said, it wasn't in her nature to run away, it just wasn't!
"I don't believe you." she said.
"Serena, it's the truth." Martha said.
"I don't believe it! Lita will never betray me like this!" she screamed, tears nearly blinding her.
"Go to her room then. Because she was in a hurry, she grabbed whatever she could get. And we've searched the entire house and the guards are still searching outside for her." Mina said haughtily. Serena looked at Martha for some assurance but only received a sympathetic look. She turned around made her way down the stairs to the servants' residence. Holding the walls as her breathing became labored, she made her to Lita's room and as was said, the room was a mess. Lita's room had always been cleaned. Her hair brush was gone so was the small music box, the picture frame of her family. Opening the drawers she saw that the closes were taken out with some hanging on the drawer doors. She opened the closet and found that only the servant uniform was left.
Despair suddenly hit her and she lowered herself to the floor and cried. She laid on the carpeted floor and coiled herself up into a ball as she cried. But when she rubbed her hands over her eyes to clear the cloudiness, she saw under the bed a plastic bag. She blinked and drew the bag out. Opening it she found Lita's things, the music box, the family picture, clothes, and the hair brush and so on. If Lita was on the run, why would she leave all that behind? More importantly, why would she pack it up and hid it under the bed?
Did she hide it so she could sneak back in to get it? Wouldn't that mean that she was still in the house just hiding? She sat up straighter and began to think.
If I were in Lita's situation, where could I possibly hide and not be found even by the dozen guards or more who would be searching for me? A place no one will think to look. A place that isn't used often or has not been used for a while. A place that is dark. It can't be any escape places, a place I have a key for. A place that is not a room because all the rooms will be checked…all the rooms will be checked…all the rooms will…THE DUNGEON!
It was the one place no one would bother with! Excited with hope, Serena rushed to the dungeon door but found it locked. Her hope disappeared. The dungeon could only be open from the outside; Lita wouldn't be stupid enough to trap herself there
"Oh Lita, where are you." she said pounding her hand in disappointment on the door. Sighing, she straightened up to leave only to see Lita's wide eyes staring at her from the dungeon. The suddenness of it startled her so much that she tripped and landed her buttocks on the floor.
"Ouch." She said to her smarting bottom. She got up quickly and rushed closer to the door.
"Lita! Lita can you hear me?!" she screamed. Lita pointed at something.
"What?" Serena asked, not understanding. Lita sighed and tried again. She pointed to the side of the wall and cupping her hand behind the ear; she pressed it against the glass window and pointed at the wall again. Serena blinked and walked to where Lita was pointing. There was a small hallway around the corner and she wasn't sure where to go. But Lita's pounding on the wall she heard and rushed to it.
"Lita."
"Thank God you found me!" She said breathlessly.
"What are you doing in there?"
"Mina trapped me in here!" Serena heard real anger in her voice and somehow she did not doubt that Lita was innocent.
"Who has a key to the dungeon?"
"There's only four people with a key set to everywhere in the house. Myself, Darien, Malcolm and Mina."
"I see, wait here for me to get the key."
"Ok. And Serena?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"Sure." She left, rushing upstairs but came to a stop. Malcolm would be out of the house if they were still searching for Lita, and if Mina was behind Lita being locked up in the dungeon then it would be better to not let on that she knew where Lita was. She needed to get Darien's key but where was he?
"Excuse me, but where is Darien?" she asked the nearest servant.
"He is in the living room but you best not go there. He is with the queen." The servant answered.
"Oh, thank you."
"You're welcome." She began walking away but stopped. What was she doing!? Was she always going to run away every time the queen was present? Besides, Darien's mind control was that she would always want to spend every minute with him, regardless of who was present and most important of all, Darien and the queen could take all day in the living room. Could she really leave Lita to stay in the dungeon all that time?
No, she had to see Darien. No matter the consequences.
Taking in a deep breath, she approached the living room. Before she entered, she gave herself a moment to breathe in and out.
Time to face the Lion.
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"You're majesty; I cannot believe that you are a man capable of bluntly hurting someone. Do you know that your actions are hurting the queen?" Michelle asked.
"She can be hurt? Last I checked, she had no heart." Darien replied snidely.
"Darien!" Hotaru said.
"If you came here to preach to me about right and wrongs, then I will tell you now that your preaching falls on death ears. I want you out of this house by noon tomorrow or I will throw you out.
"You dare threaten me?" Hotaru asked incredulously.
"I have kept Reino out of the house since he still wants to take a bite out of you. He will be back by noon tomorrow and I will not stop him from doing as he likes." Hotaru's eyes opened wide in fear. She had grown very fearful of all kind of animals on for legs and big ever since the first time Reino tried to kill her on her wedding day with Diamond.
"Darien, I never knew you to me so cold." Hotaru said softly, sincerely hurt.
"Well you can't always be warm when people walk over you, use you, abuse you and throw you away now can you?" he said bitterly and Hotaru looked at him sadly. She knew then that he would never forget, he could never forget her betrayal.
"Darien?" A soft, musical voice came from the door, cutting Hotaru off from whatever she was about to say. All heads turned toward the door when an uncertain Serena stood holding the door. The four in the room were even more chocked at the speed and promptness Darien rose up with to rush to Serena's side. They watched with disbelief as he picked her up into his arms and walked back inside to a two people couch. He sat her on the seat and squatted in front of her.
"Rena, are you ok? Should you be walking about? You're not well to be walking about like that. You should be sleeping." He said worriedly. He ran his hand gently down her cheeks, completely forgetting that she had an audience.
"I'm fine, don't worry so much. But, I need your help."
"Anything."
"I need a key to the dungeon." Darien blinked.
"What for?" he asked.
"Just trust me, it's important." He stared at her before sighing.
"Very well, I will call Mina and..."
"No!"
"Huh?" Serena shook her head.
"I need your key. Then call Mina to wait for me here in the living room with you." she said.
"Is there something you're not telling me?"
"Mmm…on the contrary, give the key to Martha to go open the dungeon and have one of your guards bring Mina in. Make sure she doesn't escape."
"Serena, what is going on?" he asked instead.
"Do you trust me?" Serena asked.
"Yes." She smiled.
"Then please don't ask questions because I really don't know myself."
"Alright but I want full explanation later." He said with a pout and she giggled.
"Ok."
"Promise?" he said, bringing his face close to hers.
"Pinky promise." She said with a smile as she held her pinky out. He wound his pinky around her.
"If you break your promise, you have to go a day completely in the nude and you can't stay in the room either!"
"What?!" Serena screamed and he laughed, walking way to go get his key. Serena sighed and laid her head against the arm rest before remembering she had and audience and sat back up promptly.
"I'm so sorry Your Majesty." She said quickly, standing up to curtsy but the action landed her on the floor and she held her stomach, pain shooting through her limbs. She gasped for breath, every pump of air cause her body to move with pain.
"Are you okay?" Trista said, coming up behind her and helping her back on the couch.
"I'm sorry to be so much trouble." She gasped out and put her head on the arm rest.
"Are you ok?" Trista asked again.
"Yes, please give me a minute." Serena said as she tried to relax her body. She hadn't realized how much her body was enduring just by walking. The other four in the room watched her with various emotions. When they first saw her, they had all thought 'angel' in their head. But once the initial reaction passed and Darien left, the thoughts were not in sync anymore. Trista had been very surprised at Darien's playful manner with Serena. It had been a long time since she saw such a carefree Darien and she had given up hope that he could return to being the boy that he was. Looking at Serena, she understood that only a true angel could restore Darien's shattered heart.
Michelle's impression of Serena wasn't that far off from Trista's though she pitied Serena. In her mind, someone apparently as sick, soft and weak like Serena could never fight the war Hotaru would raise on her. Looking at how Serena and Darien were conversing, she saw real love from both their faces. The two loved each other very much but Hotaru loved Darien just as strongly. Looking at Serena then back at Hotaru, she could not help but compare them as light and dark, the question was who would win. As it was, it seemed the dark was much stronger than the light and for the first time, Michelle pitied Serena.
Amara was completely at a loss of words. It was true that beauty wise Serena far out shined Hotaru but Darien had chosen such a weak girl over Hotaru!? Did he want her killed? No wonder he had sheltered her, this war will be like taking candy from a baby!
Hotaru was bristling with jealousy and suppressed anger. It was almost as if all the time, she was still in denial that Darien loved someone else. But seeing the two of them together, his gentleness towards her, his playful manner, his laughter and jokes, all that she hadn't seen for such a long time finally drove home that she had lost Darien to a mere servant girl! So what if she wasn't the damsel in distress type? Did Darien hate her so much that he had to find someone so totally opposite of her? To find this breakable doll?
You think you can push me out of his heart? We'll just see about that!
She got up from the bed and walk over to Serena, towering over her. Trista looked from Serena to Hotaru, not knowing what to expect. With respect fro Hotaru, Serena sat up from her resting place.
"You, what is your name?" she asked.
"Serena Your Majesty."
"What is your relationship with MY HUSBAND?"
Serena sighed. What was she to say?
"Truly I wish I knew myself." she answered.
"Why do you stick around my husband?" Hotaru asked.
"I do not understand your majesty." Hotaru knelt to come face to face with her.
"Then let's put it this way. You are an eye sore; I want you out of this house!" Hotaru snapped.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect I did not come here off my own accord, neither can I leave on my own."
"So if I gave you permission, a carriage and bags of money, you will leave my husband alone and return to where you came from then?" Serena sighed again. Why did people, rich people in particular think that money solved all problems?
"My Lady, I wish it was that simple."
"I will give you everything you want if you just leave my husband alone."
"I cannot leave here without his permission. You could give me everything but he could take everything away. Until he gives me permission of his own accord to leave, I cannot do so or he will just come after me again." Hotaru was silent for a minute, her face distorted in fury.
"What did you just say?" she asked calmly.
"Your Majesty?"
"He will come after you again?! Just who the hell do you think you are!? Do you think my husband will chase you around, do you think you're worth it?!" Hotaru screamed.
"Your Majesty, I only speak the truth of what I know."
"You insolent wench!" before anyone could stop her, Hotaru's hand flattened across Serena's cheek, nearly sending her to the other side of the seat.
And this was the scene Darien walked upon.
"How dare you." he hissed, seeing Serena holding her body as her who frame shook with pain and tears fell from her eyes. Hotaru turned around to Darien and flipped her short hair.
"She wouldn't do as I asked so I had to teach her a lesson." She said indignantly.
Darien slowly approached Serena and took her face in her hands. He wanted to cry at the hand print on her cheek and the blood on her lip which she must have bit from the impact. Fury like none other consumed his very soul and the madness Serena had seen earlier resurrected. His movements were quick, so quick that no one saw it coming, not even Serena. The next thing they knew, Hotaru was smacked to the floor. Slow to reaction from their shock gave Darien another chance to kick Hotaru at her rib. It was the sound of cracking bones made the shell shocked audience move fast. Forgetting her pain, Serena quickly rushed to Darien and held him from behind with Trista's help as Amara rushed to an unconscious Hotaru and picked her up and moved several feet away from Darien. From the open door, Mina stood in shock and repulsion watching the scene. This was the man that she was willing to kill for? Even the guard behind her was shocked. Noticing this, Mina turned to flee but came face to face with Lita who smirked at her. Lita was taller and stronger than her; there was no way she was going to let her escape. Looking back at the scene, she knew her fate was sealed.
"Darien, Darien please! That's enough! Please you're scaring me." Serena's loud sobbing finally broke through his foggy mind and returned his attention back to reality. He looked at the unconscious Hotaru, saw how Amara and Michelle crowded around her and then looked back to those who were holding him and knew what he had done but strangely he felt no guilt or remorse. It only confirmed what he had always known. Turning around, he embraced her tightly.
"See Serena, without you I will become nothing short of a monster." And the honesty of his words was an echo of truth in all their minds. Without Serena, Darien would be a very deadly monster. Serena finally realized the gravity of his need for her and it scared the life out of her.
She knew she was trapped in something only God could help her out of.
She passed out.
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Read and Review.
I know this chapter is a bit odd and some of you might find it too dark but please keep reading and review. This story will soon come to a close though right now i am at a writer's block so give me some ideas. i do have some idea how to proceed but i would still like to hear from you. Thank you.^^