'And you couldn't have warned me?!' Serena heard Rei yelling outside the door of another of her great halls. 'I looked like an idiot to the other scouts.'
'If I told you, you would have warned the Princess and who knows what could have happened to us!' Jadeite's voice fired back. 'Knowing that dramatic brat! She would have shot us down!'
'Don't you dare call her out of her name, don't you dare!' Rei yelled.
'Well if the damn shoe fits! She has to make everything so complicated! All she had to do was call us back! All you had to do was tell me!'
Serena knew she should have just stayed in her office. She should have just called for a servant, but no her leg decided to cramp and she just had to go for a walk, and now here she was listening to her best friend fight with a man she obviously cared deeply about, because of her. She couldn't just walk away.
'I have been over this again and again. She ordered me not too!' Rei justified.
'And I am asking you. Again. How does that excuse seem to work for you, but not for myself and the guards? You put her on such a high pedestal. I can at least admit my prince is stupid asshole?'
Serena couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
'She is more than just a princess to me, she is my best friend. I have known her since I was young.' Rei explained. 'Unlike your relationship to Darien.'
'Don't try to pretend like you know my relationship with Darien. Because we didn't play in the sandbox together or relationship is dirt? I can at least tell him when he is making a fool of himself. That is a true friendship.' Jadeite interrupted.
His words cut Serena deep. She thought back to all the times she put Rei in an awkward situation that could have cost her not just her job, but her title, and her life, in the name of "friendship."
'You have no idea what you are saying. She does put me and the scout first. In fact she was going to allow us a vacation so we can go visit you, before you decided to show up unannounced. It was actually us who protested because out of protection for her, the new guards were not ready.'
'Wait... wait a minute.' Jadeite stuttered. 'You were offered time off to come see me, and you turned it down...? Because the princess.'
'Above all else, my duty is to her.' Rei explained. 'The new guards are not ready.'
'What about the other scouts?' Jadeite questioned.
'She did mention us taking shifts, but we never got to that because you and your group interrupted us.'
'But the fact is you turned down the chance to spend time with me.' He said slow to process what was going on.
'My duty is to make sure she is safe. I can't do that when I am on another planet. And how many times have I heard you say those words?'
'When was the last time I said those words? Hmmm? Not since I've repeatedly asked you to marry me. Is she why you won't say yes?'
Serena's draw dropped. Cupping her mouth to muffle the sound of her gasp.
'Is this how it will always be? Me second?'
"Say no Rei, please say no." Serena whispered to herself. But she did not hear anything.
'Where would I fall into your life Rei? Where would our kids fall into you life? Do you ever see yourself having kids? Or would the need to always be ready to fight your princess's battles keep you from doing such?'
"Say something Rei, please." Serena quietly pleaded, but again nothing.
'I will take your silence as all the answers I need. Maybe Malachite and Mina are right, these types of relationships are destined to fail.'
Serena heard foot steps coming towards the door. She jumped behind a pillar, sucked in her breath and her stomach. She watched as the door opened and Jadeite came storming out. He went down the hall and took and left. She released her breath, dropped her head, and entered the hall. She looked to see Rei sitting in a chair, looking out a window, stoned faced.
The sound of her foot steps moving closer caused Rei to turn to see who it was.
"I had no idea..." She sighed. She stopped herself abruptly. The last thing she wanted to do was make this about her. How she did not know anything about her friends relationship. How she was so wrapped up in her own life that she did not notice the love that was forming before her.
Rei turned to look out the window again.
"He asked you to marry him." Serena quickly walking over and sitting down next to her. She put a comforting hand on hers. "And you said no?"
Rei cleared her voice. "I never said no. I just never answered the question."
"Rei why? He obviously loves you very much."
"No he doesn't." Rei quickly responded, sniffing back her tears.
"Rei, how you can say that? By the way he is acting, he is so in love with you." Serena explained.
Rei turned to Serena, sighed. "If he really loved me, then he would understand my duties and never think to make me choose."
Serena leaned back in her seat. "H..He made you choose between me and him?" She asked.
"Well...he didn't actually say choose, but he kept making these plans, moving in together, vacations, family vacations... and let's be honest. Where would I find any time to do that in this job? At any time you may need me. At any time our planets can be attacked. At the drop of a ha-"
"And that is why I have other guards, Rei. That is why we are building a new army, so the burden does not fall on you four."
"They will not protect the way we can."
"They haven't had any opportunity too." Serena smirked. "And I am okay with that. I trust that you all trained them enough to know what to do."
Rei just shook her head.
"You know if I would have known, this would happen." Serena cleared her throat. "If I would have known me picking you to be my scouts would keep you all from being happy...I would have never done it." She started to tear up. "You guys always say above all else your duty to me, but above all else you guys are my friends and I would never want you to be miserable."
"I am not miserable Sere, I love my job." She forced a smile. "How many soldiers get to say they get to hang out with their friends all day. We battle and train here and there. We attend stupid meetings, but we have countless sleep overs, we have random wine nights, we gossip around the clock. Who else can say all that?"
"And I love that, but you need to be happy and find love too." Serena explained. "i cannot be the reason you do not have a happily ever after."
"You still believe in all that?" Rei asked teasing. "After the soap opera of a marriage you have been through?"
Serena bit her lower lip. Looked out the window. "It is not about what I believe for myself."
"If there was a way I could make all this easier for you."
"You can, by following your heart. Be with Jed. Marry Jed. Have babies. Be happy." Serena ordered.
"And what about you?" Rei simply.
"I will be okay, and it is not like you are leaving me forever. I know that if I need you I can call you. I am not firing you. You will always be one my scouts."
"Your favorite scout?" She tried to squeeze out of her.
Serena just shook her head. "I am not answering that."
"I am not quitting."
"That is something you and Jed can discuss, and whatever your choice is, make sure it is what is best for Rei and her happiness."
The clocked chimed. Serena looked at the time and back to Rei.
"You have another meeting?"
Serena just nodded.
"You know you can't keep avoiding him."
"Oh yes I can." Serena said getting up.
"And you know you have gigantic bed in your room, sleeping at your desk is bad for you back."
"Thanks mom." Serena teased walking away. "Please go find Jed and talk to him. If you are really not ready for marriage, then tell him. But don't say no because you think I need you more than he does."
Rei just nodded, despite the fact Serena was already out the door and could not see her.
The walk to her office did not take as long as it typically does. She found some joy in helping out Rei. But as quickly as she felt that joy, it went away, at the sight of Darien sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Her face went straight.
"Oh dear wife, don't be so excited to see me."
"Why are you here?" She snapped.
"Hello to you too." He said smug.
"Why are you here?" Her voice raised and became demanding.
"Well I thought I would be apart of the meeting." He straightened his notebook and set up his pen.
"Why?
"It is technically my kingdom too, I feel like as future King, I should be involved."
"Why must you make this all so difficult?" Serena asked getting to her side of the table.
"Me? You could have easily avoided all this, if you just called me back that night you found out the papers were not signed."
"And what would you have done?! Hmmm? The same damn thing you're dong no-"
"Hello Princess, I apologize for my tardiness. My last meeting..." Interrupted her. She turned to projection screen.
"No need to apologize at all." She smiled. "We can basically call it even from last weeks mix up."
"Nobody even noticed. You presented still so eloquently. And might I say you look just beautiful today."
Darien rolled his eyes. "If you could stop flirting with my wife that would be greatly appreciated." Darien stood up.
"Oh prince Darien, my apologies, Princess did not tell me you were joining."
"I didn't actually know he would be here." Serena explained annoyed.
"And would that change the way you flirt with my wife." Darien stared down the projection screen. If there was a way for him to jump through and strangle the prince on the other side, he would. "Let's get this meeting over with." He ordered sitting back down.
Some thirty minutes later, they three said their good byes and screen shut off. Serena started to reorganize her notes, looking them over to make sure she did not miss anything.
"That meeting was pointless, 30 minutes of time just for him to make passes at you." Darien threw his pen down.
"Nobody really asked your opinion, did they?" Serena adjusted her seat, turned on the light so she could review the pile of things she needed to sign.
Darien just watched her. "You enjoyed it didn't you?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Admit it you did, that is why you don't cancel that waste of time. All this could have been sent in an email, and you choose to teleconference him?"
"I rally don't need to explain myself to you." Serene sat up straight. Clasped her hands together over her desk. "Considering your behavior. Up until you came back here, I thought we were divorced. You knew we weren't and what did you do?" She tilted her head. "Or I guess the right question is...who didn't you do?"
She just stared at him, looking back at her.
"I don't have time to deal with you, I have work to do. You can leave."
"Or, I can just sit here, until you're done. Because this conversation is not going away." He sat down, making himself comfortable.
"I am not argue with you. Do whatever you want. But don't bother me." She started to review a stack of papers, dragging her pen down line after line. "And if you get board, there are stack of magazines over there you can look over." She pointed to a small table across the room, with her pen.
Darien got up, confused to why she would tell him about those magazines. He walked over, still looking at her. She was not making any eye contact. She flipped one sheet over to see if there was anything on the she did not see anything. She moved it to the side and started to review the next page.
He turned his attention to the stack of magazines and the first thing he sees him with Beryl. It was an old picture, but the headline read. "Prince Darien's Hot Date with Lady Beryl, as Serena Sits Home on the Moon Crying." He threw that one to the side only to see another similar magazine, this time the heading read. "Another Children's Event and No Princess in Sight. Is There Trouble in Paradise? Or Maybe Another Women?" His blood started to boil. He picked up the third magazine to see "Princess Serena Struggling With First Pregnancy as Prince Darien Lives It Up On the Town." Then another one, "Serena Leaves Castle in Tears as the Prince Brings Countless Mistresses Home."He slammed it down.
"You know none of these are true!" He growled.
Serena looked up at him. Shrugged. And went back to her papers.
"You know damn well these are all a lie!" He swatted the pile on the ground accidentally hitting a phase next to them, knocking it on the ground, shattering it.
"Thats was a gift!" Serena popped up.
"From who?!" He yelled. "Your telecom lover?!"
"You need to leave!" She pointed at the door.
"Why because you know damn well those magazines are not true? But you purposely showed them to me to get under my skin?"
"I don't know they aren't true." Serena justified.
"Last time I checked Serena, you are not pregnant."
"Fine. One out of the hundreds that I have been sent. Why did you send them to me anyways? So I can see all that you are doing?"
"I did none of that, those pictures are all old!" He argued.
"Right... sounds like a likely excuse." She scoffed sat back in her desk, as a servant come running in.
"I heard a crash sire." I did not mean to interrupt. I just wanted to make sure all was alright." The servant bowed.
"Everything is fine, please clean up the glass, and escort the prince out." Serena ordered.
"You will clean the glass, but you will let me be, to speak with my wife." He said assertively.
The servant just looked at Serena awkwardly, then back to Darien. And Serena was washed with the image of all the times she put Rei in an situation like this. Her heart dropped. She simply nodded. "Just clean the mess please."
The servant nodded and did as told, as fast as she could.
"Serena, you know none of those stories are real."
"Something I was taught when I was really young Darien. There is always some truth in a lie. They got those stories from somewhere. They may be dramatized, but..." She just shrugged.
"Those were all old photos." He explained again. "I have not been with anyone! This entire time. All I was trying to do was get back here, which you blocked countless times. I would have been here way sooner had it not been for you."
"To do what Darien? This? You think I wanted to deal with all this?" Her eyes turned red with rage. "This is what I wanted to avoid. This isn't love. We have no idea how to talk to each other. We know nothing about each other. Darien, sign the damn papers, go back to being bachelor okay?"
"No."
The sound of the door opened, Malachite came prancing in.
"I am sorry, your majesties, one of the servants told me about sound of broken glass, I needed to check up." He explained.
"We are fine, can you please escort him out. I have so much work to do."
A voice cleared behind the two gentleman.
Darien rolled his eyes. He was tired of being interrupted.
"I am sorry your majesty, I just wanted to check if you were going to be joining the group in the main dining hall."
Serena just shook her head. "Though I had intentions too, I am now too far behind, I will eat in here while I work."
The servant nodded. And was gone, only to be replaced by Lita, within seconds.
"I swear if someone else comes through that door..." Darien rubbed his temples.
"You will what play boy?" Lita challenged. "I came to check on Serena, I heard about broken glass and needed to make sure she was okay."
"Lita I am just trying to speak to my wife."
"Oh those tabloids have done enough talking for you."
"NONE OF THOSE STORIES ARE REAL!" Darien yelled. "Malachite explain to them please!"
"Serena," He took one step towards here but stopped at the sight of Lita's fists. "None of those stories are true. They are all just to get people wondering so they buy the magazine and they make money. Darien has been so in love with you, since you a were teen."
"We didn't even know each other, and that is where our marriage went wrong. Two people trying to build a life with no foundation."
"Correction. I have known everything about you. You never noticed me."
Serena looked at him confused.
"I remember the first day I knew you were the one for me."
Malachite nodded and chuckled. Then quickly composed himself.
"You and your scouts were drinking in the corner of the ballroom. You were obviously underaged. And you must have been nervous about the speech you were about to give. All the events I attended and you were there, I'd never actually seen you speak."
Lita looked at Serena. Serena remembered this day.
"You were so drunk, your face was so red, Lita helped push you up. But you got up there and you gave an amazing speech about the children's education and we needed to do better about the education of all the planets to bring peace. You talked about how if you were not a princess you would be teacher. The way you handled yourself. You completed the speech. Took a few pictures."
"Then ran to bathroom to throw up." Lita completed.
"Well we didn't know that part, we thought she had to pee." Malachite corrected.
"You were in a light blue dress. Your hair in waves with a side pin." Darien sighed. "I wanted to dance with you so bad that night."
"And every other time we saw you." Malachite added.
"But someone always beat me to it."
"He wanted to kill them every time." Malachite interjected.
"I never saw you." Serena folded her arms.
"And why would you? All those noble princes and all the generals, who was I? The prince of Earth. No significant powers. I can make roses bloom, but other than that I am just Prince Darien, living in my parents palace. I would have never been the man you deserved."
"And you are trying so hard to be right now, aren't you?" Lita asked sarcastically taking a step towards Serena. "All those tabloids, every single one, none of them paints the picture of a man in love."
"You know what Lita, you are right. Those old photos, of me trying to find someone who could hold a candle to her, were a lot of wasted nights. Nobody compared to her."
"So instead of just talking to her, you tried to find a clone?" Lita asked disgusted. "I knew I didn't care much for you. It took you how many one night stands to realize she is one of a kind?"
"Lita." Serena whispered.
"What? Is this supposed to be some sort of love confession?"
"No!" Darien shouted. "I am just trying to prove my point. I know who you are, this was not some blind I am going to get married to get more land and power okay? And my dear I know more about you than you know."
"That sounds creepy." Lita acknowledged, bobbing her head.
"Maybe we should leave the two be Lita, they are obviously okay." Malachite calmly expressed.
"I think I am going to stay here." Lita went to sit down. "Call your dear prince out on some more BS." She smirked.
"Lita...this conversation is done. I am not going to fall for his words okay? I did that once. I will do it again. I need to work and everyone here is overwhelming me." She turned to Malachite. "Please get him out."
Malachite looked at Darien.
"You touch me, you're dead."
"You bug her, you're dead."Lita mocked.
"Nobody is dying, everyone just please leave."