You Belong To Me
Chapter 2 – The Proposal
The sunlight managed to sneak in through a small open space in the curtain, falling on his Darien's beautiful black hair and smooth tan skin. He turned slightly, to keep the sunlight from his face but did not wake up. The woman he had found on his bed walked into the room, stopping for a few minutes to look at him before passing into the bathroom to turn the Jacuzzi on. She returned minutes later and pulled the curtains away from the glass sliding doors, letting sunshine stream into the room to bath it in its warm embrace. Darien moaned disapprovingly and though the woman felt bad about it, she knew that letting him sleep far too much into the day would do him no good. It was near the twelfth hour of the day and he had yet to break his fast and luncheon was drawing near. Eventually when it became apparent that the curtain was going to be let opened, Darien let his lids open and turned back to the sliding doors to glare at whom he thought was Lita but to his surprise and delight, the vision that greeted his sight was of the beautiful woman he had found on the his bed earlier. Her golden hair spilled down her back in waves and layers of golden waterfall. Her back was to him and from the side he could see a smile tilting her mouth. He stared at her for a minute before clearing his throat and gaining her attention.
"Oh My Lord, you finally decide to wake. I wondered what I would do if you would not wake."
"And what would you have done?" He asked with a raised brow and a smirk crossed her lips, making him gulp. She moved to him on the bed, running her fingers down the side of one cheek and leaning her lips to one of his ears.
"I'm sure you don't need to ask such a straight forward question." She teased with a giggle before sitting down with straight back and taking his huge hands into her own. She looked up at him with a warm, shy smile and unbeknown to him, he returned the smile.
"Your Bath has been drawn. Please cleanse yourself, I shall have breakfast delivered to the sitting room half hours time." She leaned closer to his face and kissed him lightly on the forehead before rising up and exiting the room. Her soft lips left a tingling sensation on his forehead and her show of warmth and concern for him touched him deeply, more so than he was willing to admit. He found himself so irresistibly attracted to her and this scared him greatly. He didn't know the girl, she could have many damaging reasons for her presence in his life, and he prayed she was not a preying woman looking for a rich husband for if she was he would be very disappointed. Not wanting to dwell on possibilities, he got up and into the bathroom. He emerged minutes latter dressed and ready to face the world. Making sure he looked good, he slipped out of his room to the sitting room and as promise, hot delicious looking food and a very appetizing aroma greeted him and also the woman. He looked to the viewing TV and saw she was watching some family drama.
"You like these dramas?" he asked and she shrugged her shoulders.
"There are lessons to be learned and wisdom to be gained in all things." She answered him and yet not the answer he expected. Darien sat before his food tray and with a quick prayer, he began eating, his manner so elegantly charming like the aristocrat he was.
"So what do you want of me Lady Serenity Lavender Nightingale?" He asked, his dream had given him a memory to the face of this woman before him though the face had definitely undergone plastic surgery. The girl of his past his dreams had revealed to him had been an ugly duckling and suddenly she had become a swan. It was one thing to believe in fairy tales when the ugly later becomes the beauty but this was reality and things weren't like that. Her ethereal beauty was just unnatural, only plastic surgery could have caused it.
"Please refrain from addressing me by such names." She said, her voice devoid of emotion.
"Oh? Then what name can I refer to you as?"
"Do not talk when you are eating." She advised instead and walked out the room. Serenity Lavender Nightingale, the last child of seven children of the duke of London, Sir Charles Ken Nightingale and London's legendary beauty Lady Selene Irene Nightingale and the black sheep of her family. She, like himself, had been rejected by society and family and had been disowned from her family's home when she had been a mere child of five. That was when his mother had brought her home to their small cottage house when he had been ten. They had known each other for only a few hours before things had gone out of hand. When the Chaos settled, he had lost sight of her. No, he hadn't even bothered to look for her. She had not been his main concern and even after his mother's death he had never bothered a thought for the girl he had met.
He sighed now. The past really had a way of catching up with you didn't it? What had happened to her? Where had she been? Had her family taken her back and raised her into this beautiful lady? Is that why she had been on his bed? So many questions and no answers. But then if they had taken her back, why then had she denied her family name? He finished his morning meal and walked out to the kitchen, ringing a bell for whichever servant was available to clean up after him. He went in search of the woman and found her in the kitchen helping Lita prepare their afternoon meal. He stood at the door, watching both woman laugh and cook and a gentle glow of affection grew in the pit of his stomach. Without know he began engraving the woman's sparkling eyes and gentle laughter into his mind and heart. Lita finally spotted him.
"Make yourself useful and come help out." She called to him. Lita never spoke to him as if he was her master or in a status above her but rather like an older sister and sometimes like a mother. The woman smiled at him before turned her face quickly away back to what she had been doing. He walked closer to them, trying to judge where he would be more helpful.
"You're going to be our errand boy. So just stand out of our way unless we call for you to fetch something." Lita said strictly and nodded his assent. Darien moved to a comfortable chair far from the frantically working women and sat, watching them and waiting for when he would be useful.
"So, what can I call you as?" he asked the woman.
"Serena, my name is Serena Evalyne Calypso." She answered.
"Beautiful name."
"I know, I thought it up." She said proudly and Darien chuckled.
"So when do I get to hear your story?"
"Not now obviously as I am cooking."
"Lita can finish cooking, she always has."
"Patience young prince, a girl does not like to be rushed." For a few minutes she did not notice the sudden tense atmosphere created by her words. Then when she noticed Lita had totally stopped moving, she brought her face to Darien and found him glaring at her. He walked out of the kitchen with unsaid words.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked.
"Please, refrain from calling him prince. He rather wishes to not have any reminder of his status." Lita explained and Serena nodded his head in confusion but agreement. Two hours later, the foods had been prepared and tables set for food but because Darien had just eaten not so long ago, the food that needed to be refrigerated had been so until Darien was ready for his luncheon. Serena then went in search of Darien, finding him in his secluded rose garden.
"You are a man of many skills and talents and I admire you greatly for it." She said from behind him but earned n response.
"My apologies if I said something earlier to upset you My Lord."
"Darien."
"Yes My Lord?" she asked curiously.
"Call me Darien." He said again.
"As you wish, Darien." She said his name with a breathy husk that surprised him, as if this was the first time he was actually hearing his name.
"Will you talk to me now?" he asked.
"I suppose there is no point in delaying the inevitable. Please lets find a somewhere with less sunshine on our flesh, I am not so attuned to the sunlight as most." She requested and they removed themselves into the green house where Lita prepared for them ice tea to fight of the heat of the last days of summer.
"Lita, why don't you join us?" Serena asked the servant woman who was about to depart after delivering their drinks.
"I have to decline Serena; this is a choice for Darien alone." She said and removed herself silently. Serena sighed. For a minute they just enjoyed the cold drink.
"I am quite sure you are full of questions, and over time I will answer them but as for now I will tell you my reason for being here." With this said, she rouse to her feet and moved to Darien side and took his two hands before falling on her knees, her head bowed.
"Darien, Please marry me." She said.
"Pardon me, but I think I must have heard wrong." Darien said, trying to convince himself that he had actually heard her propose to him.
"Then I will say it again, Darien Endymion Shields, I, Serena Evalyne Calypso asks, no, begs you to marry me." she raised her head to lock eyes with him, making sure he knew how serious she really was but Darien shook her hands off.
"Are you sane woman?" he asked.
"I assure you Darien that I am very sane."
"You don't even know me." he accused bitterly. He had really thought she was different from other women, how stupid could he be.
"I know you are twenty and a half, I know roses are your pride and joy, I knew your mother before she died, I know you are the unplanned son of the king and a servant girl, I know you have been rejected by society and the royals, I know they seek to…"
"Enough!" Darien screamed. "Those are things well known by everyone in the United Kingdom." He sneered, walking around her.
"Darien, yes I may only know the basics but isn't marriage about learning about each other? For as long as I am with you I will be the best wife you could possibly have, I will be faithful and true, loyal unto dear a mask! Darien please, this is really important to me!" Serena pleaded.
"What are you getting out of all this?" he asked sarcastically.
"A husband."
"Then go ask someone else." He said, moving away but Serena blocked his path.
"Darien, I can't ask anyone else, it has to be you." she said softly.
"Do you even love me?" he asked
"This is not about matters of love. And besides, last I heard you didn't want a wife you could love either." Serena shot back.
"So you don't love me, I don't love you, I don't even know you and you think that we can make a future together where we will not live in regret?" he asked her, his words dripping with heavy sarcasm.
"Yes. I promise to do all in my power for you and in exchange you must do the same for me."
"mmm… interesting but then I have a clause of my own. If you are willing to agree to it, then I will agree to your marriage proposal."
"Very well, what is your condition?"
"If I tire of you, I will have the freedom to pursue other woman but you cannot have the freedom to pursue anyone other than me."
"Not a chance!" She shot back.
"Then I'm afraid your marriage proposal is rejected." He said with a smugness that grated on her nerves. She had heard that he was a cold bastard who cared only for himself, she had thought the rumor was exaggeration but facing him now with his cold mask on, she began to suspect that at least half the rumors were not false.
"I am worth more than a mistress with a cheating husband!" she argued.
"And I am worth more than an exiled duke's daughter with no standing in society wanting to marry me for her own person gains." He said coldly and Serena drew back. She had her reasons for why she had to marry Darien and though she didn't have feelings for him now, she had thought she could grow to love him. Now looking at him, she could only feel the rise of hate.
"You have up to tonight to give me your answer. Meet me at the courtyard by the tenth hour." Darien walked away, a smug smirk decorating his lips. Serena shook with suppressed fury. She needed Darien to marry her no matter the cost and he had said if he grew tired of her, she just had made sure he didn't. Besides if he cheats on her, she only had to put up with it for a year then she could get divorce and get a lot of money from the divorce to complete her project. With this decision firmly made, she awaited the coming of the night.
Darien spent the whole day thinking up on ideas on why she was so determined to marry him. Was it so she could regain her place back in her family? What drove her to such lengths? Soon the blue sky yielded to the dark expanse of the night sky and the moon teasingly floated to the surface. As he had instructed her to do, he walked down the path to the courtyard a little earlier than the designated time and enjoyed the harmony of his creation. The fountains and flowers he had spent a lot of money and building and growing it to what it was now. It was true he avoided women when he could but ever since the idea sat firmly in his brain to marry, he would bring a lady to his house in other to evaluate her ability to judge things and so he always brought them out to the garden at the back of the house for them to view his creations. They would marvel at it, proclaiming it to be beautiful and breathtaking, which it was, but they could never offer anything more than that. They had not the slightest clue as to what the fountains represented and thus he knew they would never know its value to him. He had so far brought near 50 women to his house for such a test and none had passed it.
He sighed thinking about the unfortunate circumstance he was in. he was beginning to think that finding a wife he could not love or be devoted to was a very easy affair though with Serena, he wasn't so sure. He knew it would be so easy to love her, to trust her, to give to her all she desired but if he was going to go that length, he expected the same length from her side but from her conduct, he could tell that it was impossible. Something drove her to the length of going to marry him, something other than love, and something that had to do with money, but what could she possibly want with his wealth? Had the king sent her in order that she might rub him of all his worth so he would return to him to become his puppet? He hated that idea more than anything else. He would never ascend the throne of the United Kingdom if it was the last thing he ever do.
"Beautiful flowers and fountains you have here." Her voice startled him. How as she able to move so soundless?
"It took me a lot of effort to create this paradise. I will live here for all my life and I hope to pass this home to my children." He answered honestly. Somehow with her, something drove him to honesty and openness.
"I can understand not wanting to move from her." She said softly, bending down to softly caress the petals of his roses. He watched her, saw the gentle but sad grimace on her face, and saw through her tough exterior she put on. He knew her name, her family background, and saw the little girl she had been but he knew nothing of the woman she was now. Who was she? Whom did she associate with? What was her class now? She carried herself with grace and elegance like a lady, spoke with intelligence like someone with many years of education though he wasn't privy to her educational background, she could cook, she was a breath taking sight and gentle, to put it plainly she as the perfect female for those with eyes, she could get anyone she wanted but why him? of course he knew he was worthy of every female in the world, but for someone as Serena to want him and no one else did baffle him a little.
"You drive a hard bargain but I have come too far to turn back now." She said finally and stood up, facing him head on.
"So I assume you accept my condition?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, he was the master of disguise and he could easily pretend the love sick fool or the cold indifferent man he had been labeled as.
"Yes, I do accept your condition though I like it not. I see no reason to seek comfort with another when you have me at you beck and call." She answered wit ha sigh.
"Do I? Do I really have you at my beck and call?" he challenged her but she merely looked away. "What drives you to this end Lady?"
"We all live to accomplish something in our lives, I have a purpose and that I will go all ends to make sure it is fulfilled." She answered him seriously.
"Oh, then what is this purpose you risk everything for?" he asked with honest curiosity. There was more to this woman and he was beginning to suspect that it would take him his life time to figure her out, if that was possible.
She did not answer him, only moved to the center of the diamond ring where the crescent moon with the flower stone sat. this was the only fountain unnamed yet so beautifully created.
"Why do you name this fountain?" she asked him instead.
"Because that is its purpose." He answered.
"I do not comprehend." She admitted.
"And I do not plan to entertain you with explanation if you keep on eluding my questions." He answered and she looked away.
"She is lonely though. With nothing to identify her by, she is rather lonesome even with her lover by her side." This she said referring to the crimson rose at the heat of the fountain. Her inquisition marveled him. Did she know?
"What do you connote?" he asked, trying to hold back the hope that had suddenly pregnant his heart. None of the females or males he had brought to his house had ever understood that particular fountain's purpose. None knew what it represented and none said what he had been hoping for a long time to hear. That had been his plan, the female who could identify it would be his bride, yet every try had yielded empty and disheartening results. Did Serena know? And if she did how or who had told her? The secret behind the symbolistic fountains was a bed time story his mother used to tell him when he was little, and that particular mythical story was unfound in any of the Mythological knowledge in the world for he had researched it. So he assumed his mother had made up that story yet he hoped that someone other than himself knew the story.
"The Story of the moon princess and her earth prince lover and their affair that would forever change the universe they knew as. And their faithful friends and guardians that stood by their side to the very end. Such a beautifully tragic tale of love and lost, of life and death, of hope and despair, of true love found at last in the chaos of jealousy, envy and destruction." She said softly and his heart shouted in joy. She knew, she knew the true tale that was hidden from the world! Tears unbiddenly came to his eyes as he remembered his mother's words.
*Son heed my words, when you find the girl with the knowledge of the lost civilization of the Silver Millennium, then you would have met the only girl in the world who could show you what true love is. Do not let a girl like that elude your hands, for with her will you experience such profound love and joy that little people in the world enjoys.*
These words her mother had uttered the night that had yielded into the bloody day floated back into his consciousness. Was it worth it to take the risk of allowing this woman in his life? Was he ready for a life time commitment? Most importantly, was she strong enough to fight against the royalty of the United Kingdom when they learned of his decision to marry a girl with no title and a background as an exiled female of society? Did she have any fortunes to back up her name and her position as his wife? He knew if he asked for it, his brother's would be willing to help him but they were puppets to the throne, how far would they ne willing to go against their father for his sake?
"I see you know the story of Serenity and Endymion." He said and she stood up giving him a shocked look that did well in portraying her surprise that he knew of the story but then her face softened.
"Yes, that story…it may just be a story but I believe that it can be relieved. Well the love part of Serenity and Endymion." This she said gazing at him but he turned away from her patronizing eyes.
"There is no place for a life of piece for Serenity and Endymion. Their story is a full package with its tragic ending."
"Then if I was Serenity, I would not regret living that life again if only I can spend a few more minutes in the arms of he who loved me above all." Serena answered softly.
"Yes, but not of her whom you love." Endymion said.
"Like you said, it is a package deal."
"Yes but you are willing to admit his feelings to suit you but not yours." She said nothing after that.
They reflected their thoughts in the silence thereafter, wondering what the other was feeling and how things would work out for them.
"You drew my bath for me last night and this morning did you not?" he asked her and the unexpected question threw her of guard.
"Yes?"
"Thank you. Lita always draw my bath to a precise temperature with no change in it whether morning or night. I don't really mind but yours had a temperature that relieved my aches. So thank you." he said, looking up at the big full moon grazing their cheeks with its translucent rays.
"Your welcome." She answered, staring to the moon too. Finally Darien turned to her and seeing the seriousness on his face she faced him.
"Do you know the adversary and trails you will have to overcome in other to be my wife?" he questioned her and she smiled as if unconcerned.
"I am well aware of all the obstacles in my way. I am confident of my ability to prevail and rise victorious but in other for that to happen I seek your help loyalty to me but most importantly your trust. Women have the ability to turn a man against his female partner using all sorts of method. I will not accept you trusting the words of another female over mine own except when I have given you cause to doubt me. At least while I fight for the right to become your bride, I ask that you trust me above all." she said and bowed her head. She had come knowing that her life would be in danger in her struggle to become his wife but for him and for them, her purpose, she was willing to face death and hell to become his wife. She was not above using dirty means to gain her victory.
"I see you already have ideas on what this battle will be. Very well as you request you have my trust and loyalty and faithfulness unless you give me reason otherwise, but as such I too must attain the very things you seek of me." he said and she nodded.
"There will be things I will not be able to tell you when you want to know but with patience you will know me for all that I am in time." She said and he nodded. She was being reasonable.
"Very well, then let me do the honors. Darien said and moved in front of her, taking her left hand and holding her right cheeks gently. He knelt on one knee and locked eyes with her. "Serena Evalyne Calypso, I, Darien Endymion Shields asks for your hand in marriage. We go into this married knowing very little of each other but let us live through it learning of our weakness and strengths, and accepting the traits that makes us who we are. Besides, I have no need to cheat on you so long as you are true to me." he said, ending the last part with a wink. Serena laughed lightly and tears pulled at her eyes to which she tried to rub away. She didn't want to be getting all emotional and letting him see just how weak she really was.
"I humbly and genuinely accept your proposal My Lord Darien." She said warmly with a smile and Darien smiled back. He leaned up to her surprise and kissed her. He stood up, folding her body to his own and deepening the kiss. She wove her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, their tongues dancing in exhalation for a union they were both hesitant about yet needed so much. They broke out from the kiss but went straight back into it, unable to help themselves. Lita watched them with a happy smile for a few minutes before returning back to the kitchen to plan a celebration even to welcome the soon to be Mrs. Shield.
Their kiss deepened, their bodies twisting to feel more of each other. Darien gently lay her down on the soft cushioned bench sitting near the bed of flowers and laid on her, watching his weight so to not crush her. She felt so warm and good and he kisses tasted like strawberry and sunshine, so addicting. Her rubbed his hands gently down her sides as his lips worked around her facers, ears and neck before diving back into her mouth. She moaned his name as he did hers, her hands grasping at him with gentle urgency. For so long she had denied herself the feel of men because of her past but Darien's touch though urgent was gently and passionate, warm and left lingering sensations down her spine. Her soul suddenly fell light and for the brief moment forgot her worries, forgot everything even herself as she indulged in Darien's warm embrace.
"Darien!" A strong husky voice called out to him. Serena could not access whether it was male or female and Darien groaned.
"Who is that?" she asked curiously.
"Amara, my secretary." He answered before rising from her and sitting up. He run his hands through his hair and gazed at her as she flushed underneath his hot gaze. He gently grazed her cheeks with his left back hand.
"You're beautiful you know." He said before he caught himself, making Serena blush madly. She twisted her face a little away and he use one finger to bring her eyes back to his one. Then gently he lifted her up and placed her on his lap before kissing her again. His body wasn't done feeling her warmth and it craved insistently for more.
"Darien you get your self here right now do you hear me?!" Amara's voice came again, this time closer and louder and much more menacing.
"Amara calm down. Darien is with someone at the moment." Lita said with a strained voice. Obviously she was holding on to the Amara character.
"Who is the Bitch this time?" Amara demanded
Darien broke the kiss and sighed.
"We better answer." Serena said. She felt disappointed too but she wasn't' sure she could stop their make out session from progressing down the road of no return if they didn't stop now. Darien looked at her, saw the naked need she was trying to suppress and hugged her.
"We have a life time together. No need to rush." He said and she hugged him back before they stood up, hearing the approaching foot steps. Darien grabbed Serena's hand firmly in his and walked to meet the coming or stampeding footsteps.
Coming face to face, Darien raised his brow at the fuming woman while Serena looked at her curiously. For a minute she had mistake Amara for male but a shift in the wind had pressed her shirt close to her body, revealing the shape of her breast. Amara assessed Darien and then the woman beside him. Something was out of order. Whenever Darien saw a woman, he always asked her to come over his house but this time he had not. Secondly whenever Darien was with a woman, when she called out to him he would answer immediately but this time too he had not and had taken his time to meet her. He was also grasping the hand of the woman tightly in his own, his face did not reflect the bored look that said, get rid of this woman, nor did it show the tired or strain look of having to keep a smile on his face. In fact he looked relaxed with… tousled hair? Amara clenched her teeth, so he had found another whore to bed.
Darien had a history of bedding the women whom he didn't find boring but did not make the cut to be his wife. Obviously she had arrived at the right time to make sure Darien did not sleep with this new conquest. Looking at the woman by his side however gave her pause. The woman was beautiful, with floor reaching curly blond her and bright blue eyes and lips that was evidence of a passionate kiss. And her figure would give Aphrodite a run for her money so she could understand why Darien would want to bed her but she won't allow it. She had nightmares of Darien impregnating some girl and leading to a whole lot of trouble. She had been Darien's best friend if Lita was removed from the equation for a long time. Together they had built for Darien the comfort he indulged in now and she loved him as only one can when the love is not romantically involved, she would not sit there and let some pretty face and long legs vixen ruin Darien's life for him.
"Who are you?!" she barked at Serena.
"Please call me Serena My Lady." Serena answered politely. She did not like the tone Amara had used with her but she would be polite for now unless the other woman took things too far. Amara on the other hand was stunned by the girl, she did not cower like the other females Darien had been with and the glint in her eyes most definitely told of her displeasure to how she was spoken to.
"Serena, meet Amara Ten'ou, my personal secretary and one of few people I trust." Darien introduced, watching in amusement Amara's reflections of thoughts on his new woman. Somehow he knew Amara would not be able to scare Serena off.
"Pleased to meet you Lady Ten'ou." Serena said with a respectful curtsy. Amara blinked at this and shook her head.
"Yeah, pleased to meet you too though lay off the Lady when you refer to me." she said grouchily.
"As you wish Ten…"
"Amara"
"Amara then." The two woman stared at each other, Amara trying to access what Serena was thinking and Serena blocking all her thoughts from her face.
"Amara I have great news for you today." Darien said, giving the other woman a hug. Amara looked at him suspiciously. Darien did not give hugs, when he did was when he wanted something done for him that was impossible to be done but for the hug they would try anyways.
"What is it now?" She asked suspiciously.
"Oh nothing. Now let's remove ourselves indoors. Amara what are you doing here? You didn't even call that you are coming." Darien said as they walked toward the mansion.
"For the past 10 years we've been working, you never miss work without giving me a call and that is rare occasions. Today you did not show up, call me or pick up your cell when I called ten times! There was so much to do because of your absence that now is the only time I have available to come check up on you!" She accused him.
"Sorry, a lot happened today." Darien apologized.
"I bet." She mumbled, casting a quick glance at Serena who pretended she didn't see it. They sat around a small table in front of a tall and wide glass window facing the front yard.
"So what news did you have for me?" she asked.
"Well, this beautiful lady by my side is to become my bride." He said with a happy smile. If the news itself was not so unexpected and shocking, then the happiness to which Darien used in addressing it and the glowing affection in his eyes was the cause of what happened next.
Amara fainted.
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