YAY!  Chapter five is finally out and ready for posting.
More questions to answer: one, yes I will be sending the
story out to other fic archives to post, (right now only
the Crystal Tokyo Library and the Usa and Mamo Archive 
is posting it).  This includes all the places online 
posting my other story, as well as A Sailor Moon Romance.  
I am waiting on sending it out to more than these two 
because I want to wait until it is done and then make 
any major changes according to what fans tell me.  YOUR 
E-MAILS ARE NEEDED AND WANTED!  I was overwhelmed by 
all of the mail I got with y'all asking, begging, and 
outright ordering me to finish chapter five as soon as 
possible.  I even got one death threat, (lol!).  So 
here, without further adu, is chapter five...  E-mail 
me, Ali, SlrUnico@aol.com to comment!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Weaving a Romance
CHAPTER 5: "Strangers in the Night"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Serena continued to sob, pitying herself and her predicament.  
Suddenly she heard a sound, and, gasping, turned to see 
who it was.  Her breath stopped.  "Darien!"
     Indeed, Darien was there at the entrance, watching 
her in the most confusing way, and looking harried.  
Serena was immediately embarrassed he had seen 
her crying, and attempted to wipe away the tears.  When 
she was done she glanced back at him.  "Wha...what are 
you doing here?"
     He was silent, still watching her.  Serena's heart 
hammered at her ribs.  What was he up to?  She tried 
hard to diagram the look in his eyes like it was a 
conversation she did not understand.  But whatever he 
felt he kept well hidden because she couldn't see.  
"Well?" she asked.
     "Should I ask why you're crying, princess?"  His 
voice was low and rough, sending chills down her spine 
and her stomach to do flips.
     "None of your beeswax," she said haughtily, though 
her heart wasn't in it.
     "You're crying because of something...and before I 
leave I intend to know why.  Or do you often burst into 
hysterical sobs for no apparent reason?"
     Serena narrowed her eyes as she stared at him.  It 
was nice to be able to show her true feelings in front of 
someone, but...dear Lord, did it HAVE to be Darien??  
How did he even know where she was?  How long HAD he 
been standing there??  If anyone was to be asking questions, 
she had more of a right than he did.  "I am NOT sobbing 
hysterically," she said icily.  "And for your information, 
oh mighty prince of the Earth, I don't recall saying that 
you had permission to even speak to me.  So go away."
     He refused to budge.  "Is the announcement true...
you are marrying?"
     "Yes.  To a wonderfully perfect gentlemen named Bruce, 
prince and heir to the throne of Lerence."  She watched 
his face temporarily change into something unreadable 
with satisfaction.  Now he knew that he wasn't the only 
hot shot man around here.  "And if you dare to try anything 
I will send him to put you in your place!!"
     Darien walked a step or two closer.  "Do you love him?"
     "Well!  Don't you skip right to the point...not one 
for subtlety, are you?"  No, she was crying inside.  No, 
I don't love him.  Isn't it plain from the look on my face 
that I do not...can not?  "Sir," Serena cried, trying to
sound outraged.  "That is certainly not the type of question 
that a man of your status should ask a lady of my status
in public like this!  I'm scandlized and refuse to answer - "
     "Do you love him?"  The words sounded more like he was 
ordering them then merely asking.
     "No."  Serena turned away again.  "No, damn you, I 
don't love him!  I'm just friends with Bruce, just 
friends, but I can't help it...the betrothal, and 
Mother is worried for my safety...and...and..."  She 
broke down in tears, her body trembling with sadness.  
"It's not there...the feeling's not there...."
     Darien took a half step forward, as if to run to 
her side.  But then he thought against it.  He had the 
answer he wanted.  She did not love this Bruce person....  
Perhaps then she could love...?     
     The thought was brushed from Darien's mind as quickly 
as it had entered.  I don't love her, he thought.  I'm 
simply feel sorry and concerned for her.  Pity, yes, 
that's it, mere pity.  Poor girl.
     He longed to touch her, caress her hair and tell 
her it would all be all right, in the name of pity of 
course, and for no other reason.  But he held back as 
all men should when confronted with that situation.  No 
matter what he would keep his distance.  Until she spoke again.
     "I thought," Serena sobbed to herself, as if she did not 
know Darien was listening, "I could love him, but I do 
not...it's impossible for me to...oh...I have to be strong 
for the Kingdom and for Mother.  I must have courage 
and see this through."  Her words brought forth another 
bout of tears, stronger than before.
     Darien could not stay away any longer.  He was at 
her side on the bench in a less than a second, holding 
her.  "Shhh..." he shushed her.  "Don't try to be brave 
anymore, Serena...you've been brave enough as it is...
shhhh...be quiet."
     Serena clutched at Darien's body as if it were a 
life preserver in the middle of a swirling, storm ridden 
ocean.  She breathed in the scent of his cologne and 
felt comforted a fraction.  Everything that she had 
been feeling was now out in the open...and Darien 
didn't condemn her for her thoughts.  He was hugging 
her...!  Even if she could scarcely believe that this 
man, a man she had hated a few moments earlier with her 
very being, was now acting as something a little more 
than maybe a protective older brother, he was there now 
for her.  "Darien," she cried breathlessly against him, 
dying to get it all out of her system.  "I don't love 
him, what will I do?  I don't!"
     He hugged her as tightly as he could, wishing he 
could shut out the pain.  But that was impossible, and 
the embrace did seem to be soothing her.  Why do I feel 
so strange, he thought.  This cannot be love, it just 
cannot be!  But...Serena....
     They stayed like that for a long time.  No more 
words were said.  And all was suddenly understood.
     The invisible fates that decide the destinies of 
all our souls breathed out in silent relief.  They had 
led the young couple this far...now it was time for them 
to make choices of their own.
     And even though the coming night was clear and bright, 
no one alive could see the storm clouds that the prince 
and princess themselves had suddenly created head toward 
the castle over the horizon.


When Darien finally opened his eyes he saw Serena still 
in his arms and that the two of them were still seated 
on the marble bench...leaning against the vine covered 
wall of the garden.  
     The night sky had grown dark and starry around them, 
and all was quiet on the palace grounds.  It took his 
mind a moment to register that the two of them had stayed 
outside until later than planned.  "I must have dozed off," 
he murmured.       
     Serena was asleep, still gently entwined with his 
body, dried tears glittering like frozen star dust on her 
cheek.  His heart jumped momentarily but he brushed away 
the emotion, trying hard not to move suddenly in case he 
awoke the sleeping princess.  What should I do with her, 
he thought.  I can't very well stay here the night, someone 
will see us in the morning, or notice her absence if they 
have not already.  And I don't have the heart to...abandon...
her.  So, I'll take her to her room.
     At this Darien felt excited, but fretful.  If they 
were caught, what would others think?  He, Darien, 
carrying the betrothed Moon Princess in his arms to her 
bed room?  It would be a scandal, Serena would be 
shamed.  Still...there was no choice.
     As softly as he could, Darien rose and lifted her 
completely into his grasp.  She stirred only once, just 
to sink more deeply into his arms snuggled in a more 
comfortable position.  Carefully the prince walked out 
of the garden and across the lawn, trying as hard as he 
could to lessen the rustling of their clothes, namely 
Serena's gown.  Damnit, why did women have to wear such 
garments?  It made more noise than he had thought.  Why 
hadn't he ever noticed how noisy their dresses could be?  
Hugging her close to his body, Darien made his way to 
the hall and up the stairs as if he had done it all his 
life....
     After an endless flight of steps they were on the 
second floor where he assumed her room was.  There was 
no second chance though at guessing which door led to 
her chambers.  All it would take was one wrong choice 
and the occupant would blow his cover.
     Finally Darien found what appeared to be Serena's 
room.  The door was open slightly and the subtle smell 
of her perfume wavered out of the darkness.  For a 
moment he closed his eyes.  Yes, he knew that it was 
her room...he had visited it enough in his dreams to 
know it well, even if he had never seen it awake before.  
Deftly, he moved into her chambers and closed the door 
behind him.
     The dim light of the sky outside her window basked 
the room in a pale glow, enough so that he could 
faintly make out her bed and the other furniture.  As 
gently and as lovingly as possible, Darien laid Serena 
on the mattress.  Her white dress blended with the 
coverlet, while her hair's golden sheen stood out 
against the pillow, seeming as if she had been made to 
lie there.
     Something about the way the sleeping princess 
looked there on her bed, innocent and naive, stirred 
Prince Darien's heart.  He stood, entranced, watching 
over her, for a matter of minutes before she opened her eyes.
     He gasped but made no move as her eyes swept over 
him before returning to look at his face.  The two were 
silent as an emotion crept up from inside their souls 
that had been sparked since the day they first met...
something so strange but so familiar that they did not 
notice until it was too late.
     "Serena..." he gasped hoarsely.
     "Darien," she responded in the same tone.
     And then, fate took a hand and Darien swept her 
lightly into his arms and kissed her.  It surprised 
them both but before either could object the kiss grew 
deeper and more needing.  When he finally and reluctantly, 
let her go she had fallen back into a sleep almost as 
deep as Sleeping Beauty's, and just as magical.


Serena awoke early the next morning.  Birds were singing 
at the window where the first rays of sun were entering 
her room.  As she stretched her arms and yawned the princess 
noticed two things.  One, she was not under the covers 
but on top of the comforter.  And two, she was still in 
her dress from the day before rather than in her night clothes.
     All of a sudden Serena remembered the events that had taken 
place the evening before.  Darien...in my room...holding
me...KISSING me!  She gasped.  "It had to have been a 
dream, I'm sure it was a - "
     Then she saw it.  Sitting perfectly and soundly on 
her dresser.
     A single red rose.
     As if in a trance Serena sat up and left the bed, 
walking slowly to the piece of furniture.  Once there 
she picked up the flower and studied it.  "Darien," he 
lips mouthed, but no sound surfaced.  The princess' mind
reeled.  "It wasn't a dream after all!  It was real and 
this is proof."  She did not know if she was supposed to
be happy or sad.  "What does this mean?"
     Any other young girl would have searched the room 
for a note to accompany a flower left by a man who had 
been in her room.  A letter of remorse, apology, love.
     But Serena didn't need any note.  The rose was enough.
     And with that she slumped into the vanity chair and wept.


Serena stayed in her room for a very long time, trying to 
sort out her emotions, and what had happened the night 
before.  Everything good in her wanted to scream with 
happiness that he loved her and that her feelings had 
not gone un-noticed.  But there was still the matter of 
Bruce.  As she sat in her chair, looking in the mirror, 
she felt like crying again before finding she had run 
out of tears.
     "First," she told her image, "I must figure out if 
Darien *does* love me or if he was just...just...."  But 
if he doesn't care for me, she thought, why did he kiss 
me?  Maybe it's a game of his or something, maybe he was
mocking me?  Still...no man could kiss like that and not
mean it.  She sighed.  "I'd better find out for sure just 
the same.
     "But then what do I do?  If Darien does love me...is 
our love powerful enough to stop a betrothal?  Would 
Mother and the king and queen of Lerence, let alone 
Bruce, understand?  Mother has to, she just has to!  Isn't 
a union with Earth what she's always wanted?  But she 
gave her word to Queen Estelle...so long ago...."  
Serena rose, feeling frustrated.  "I have to get out, 
have to do something, have to find Darien."  
     As quickly as she could, the Moon Princess dressed 
into one of her prettier dresses, fixed her hair, and 
applied a little makeup.  Then she noticed the rose still 
sitting on the vanity where she had put it.  Gently, 
Serena picked it up and holding it, went downstairs to 
find a vase.
     If anyone had seen her going down the stairs they 
would have noticed a change in her step, to complement 
the glow in her cheeks.  Anyone would have been able to 
tell that love had done that to her, had made her even 
more beautiful and more lively than imaginable.  Her 
hair, which was usually very perfect, (for the one thing
Serena prided herself on and took the most care of was 
her hair and its unique style)...each strand having 
always been in place, was just a little mussed up.  It 
no longer looked perfect, but it did look gorgeous and 
pure and living...the hair of a woman who has awoken for
the first time in her life and is so enlightened by love
for someone that she does not have time to worry about 
things like hair and such.
     Her steps down the stairs were rushed and bouncy.  
Serena's whole body jumped with each stair, as if she 
relished in the activity and yet could not wait to get 
down.
     The princess giggled as she ran down the hall, 
slowing to a walk every time she saw someone coming or 
reached an open door way she would have to go in front 
of.  No sense having the other people in the castle 
thinking that there was something wrong with her.  
     Suddenly, just before she had reached the servant's
quarters, her back stiffened and she knew someone was 
there, watching her.  Someone...  Serena started down 
the hall again, running this time without care that 
several maids were staring after her, until she was off 
the stone floor and on the thick green grass.  A few 
yards ahead was the gazebo.  And in it was Darien.
     "Darien!" she gasped, and ran to him.
     There he was, waiting for something, possibly her. 
He rose when he saw her coming and let her run into his 
arms.  Before he knew what he was doing he hugged her.  
"Serena," he murmured.  "I should apologize...last night..."
     She pulled away.  "Please, no apologies, I understand."
     "But you're betrothed!"
     "To a man I don't love," she responded bitterly.
     He was silent, staring at her.  Then his gaze 
sifted to the rose clasped in her hand and he relaxed.  
"The flower...you found it."
     "It's the prettiest I've ever seen," Serena declared.  
"And I've seen alot of roses."
     Darien smiled.  "You're so beautiful..."
     She blushed.
     "We have to talk, darling," he went on.  
     Serena couldn't believe the sound of the 
endearment... "darling".  "Say it again," she begged.
     Another smile played on his lips.  "What?"
     "Darling."
     "My darling," he replied, with more emotion than 
the first time, gathering her back up into his arms.  
"My darling Serena," he said again, dropping his voice 
to a husky whisper.  "You know," he whispered, "something 
very odd happened to me last night in your room, Serena."
     "What?"
     He held her tightly.  "I fell in love."
     Serena smiled sweetly.
     "...but now I wonder...if I hadn't been in love with 
you from the very, very start."  He lowered his face to 
hers and for a moment the world stood still in time, as 
the same rushing sound filled them both with a strange 
and new power that could only be one thing...a love so 
true that it bound them together body and soul and left 
them suspended in air together.
     Suddenly another person called out from the castle.  "Serena!"
     "Mother!" Serena yelped.  She was almost dizzy; the 
world had spun back into motion and left her breathless 
and terrified and unfulfilled all at the same time.  
"Oh no...." Reluctantly she tore herself from Darien.  
"You better go," she muttered.  "We're unchaperoned...
and I'm...well...she...oh!"
     He nodded, understanding.  Before she could protest
he kissed her quickly but firmly and gently on the lips.
Then he pulled away and looked into her eyes.  "Tonight...
we must talk...."
     She nodded.  "When...where?"
     "You'll know," he whispered, hearing the queen 
approaching.  "Farewell my princess."  And suddenly he 
was gone, one second dashing off as fast as if the 
devil himself were on his tail, and then vanishing 
behind the castle.
     Serena was still recovering from the sudden embrace
when her mother arrived at the gazebo.  "Dear," the 
queen said.  "Are you all right?  Dilcy said that she 
saw you racing down the hall at an alarming pace and 
wanted me to ask if anything was wrong...."
     "Yes, umm...fine, Mother.  I'm just a little 
tired- I mean," she started again, realizing that her 
being tired could not logically answer the question as 
to why she was running like the wind earlier, "I saw a 
bee," she finished lamely, "and I came out here to get 
away and I was...ummm...resting from the exhaustion of 
trying to get away."  The princess gasped at a sudden 
sound, much like a man's deep throated chuckle, awhile 
away and wondered if it was only her imagination or if 
Darien had stuck around behind the building to hear what
lame excuse she would dig up to feed her mother.  
     Serenity didn't seem to have heard anything, 
instead giving her daughter a concerned look.  "Well, 
even if you are just a little winded from the bee, maybe
you ought to lie down and rest.  You weren't yourself 
at all later yesterday, and the cook said you didn't 
come to dinner because you weren't feeling well.  Bruce 
was most concerned about you, you know."  She eyed Serena 
carefully.  "He does care very much for you, darling....
     "I know that you aren't terribly excited or thrilled 
with the prospect of a wedding, but I want you to keep 
in mind that everything always works out for the best, 
and that soon you will come to love Bruce the way he 
loves you.  Have you come to...to accept the wedding a 
little more, now that you have thought long and hard 
about it?"
     How am I supposed to "accept" it when I am in love 
with another man and he is in love with me??, Serena 
screamed inwardly at her mother.  But then she remembered 
her duty, and since she had nothing sure yet...."Yes, 
very, Mother.  I thought about it like you said and then
realized you were right, and that I really do kind of, 
umm...like Bruce...more than a friend.  In fact, it 
just might be love."  Oh please, please, Darien, be 
away from here already so you didn't have to hear that...
even though it's not true and you know it.
     The queen's eyes dropped downward and Serena then 
realized that she was still holding the rose that Darien
had sent her.  Stifling a gasp, she moved to hide the 
forbidden flower behind her, but it was too late, her 
mother had seen it.  "Dearest, where did you get that 
exquisite red rose?"
     "Ummmm...it came with a large bouquet, from some 
noble Moon family wishing me luck with the wedding." To 
cover her nervousness, she laughed.  "You wouldn't believe 
all of the flowers and plants and gifts I have been receiving...
my room would be a variable jungle if the maids hadn't 
been cleaning them out occasionally."  She stopped then, for 
fear that she was babbling.
     Serenity beamed, not even noticing the lie before 
her very eyes.  For awhile she had been extremely worried 
that the rushed wedding wasn't in her daughter's best 
interest.  She had taken into confidence the Queen of 
the Earth, who knew that the coming of Beryl was at hand, 
and had been soothed by Celia that it was the best thing
that Serena be gone from the galaxy when the war did 
come.  If something were to happen to the princess, 
Serenity knew she would never be able to live with herself.  
But in the slim chance that there was nothing to be 
afraid of, Serena would be stuck married to Bruce and 
no one was sure she loved him.  It was a chance, though,
that they would have to take.
     Now though she was almost wholly reassured that 
Serena would be fine.  
     If the queen had looked deeper, however, she would 
have seen that her daughter was not at all happy with 
the sudden change in her future, and that her heart 
would never belong to Bruce...but to another....


Serena couldn't contain herself.  "You'll know."  Those 
had been Darien's parting words of confidence, and she 
had faith that somehow she would figure out how to meet 
him without drawing attention to them.  So the rest of 
the day she spent on her toes, waiting for a sign.  
Knowing Darien's resources anything and everything had 
the potential to hold a secret of some sort, a code, a 
picture, a message.
     The Inner princesses, who had come back from their 
home planets for a few days visit with Serena at the 
request of her mother, noticed a change in Serena ever 
since that morning.  No one could put her finger on it, 
however.  Mostly they attributed it to her being in love 
with Bruce.  Only one did not believe that was so....
     Raye confronted Serena in the hall later in the 
afternoon.  The other girls had gone off on a flower 
hunting expedition in Chase Medow, a hill where abundant
wild plants grew.  "Serena," she called after the blond
princess who was on her way up to her chambers.  "Wait!"
     Serena stopped on command, turned, and faced Raye.  
"What's wrong?"
     Raye, out of breath, put a hand on her friend's 
arm.  "Serena...that's what I wanted to ask you.  Are 
you hiding something from me?"
     "Hiding something?  I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
     "Cut the bull Serena," Raye snapped.  "Look, I've 
known you since we were both in diapers, I can tell when
something's up...and now something is definatly UP!  So 
spill."
     Serena considered telling the other princess her 
secret.  "Oh Raye, I -" she started.  "I..."
     Raye waited patiently for the answer.  "Yes?"
     "I...well, I just...I'm..."
     "Yes??"
     Serena sighed.  "Nothing.  I'm just a little concerned 
about the wedding, I don't know that much about Bruce 
you know, I feel as if I hardly know him, and it scares 
me that I'm going to marry a guy I don't understand."
     Raye was watching her with an earnest disbelief.  "Is 
that it?" she asked suspiciously.
     Oh let her believe what she wants, Serena's mind 
replied.  "Yeah."
     The princess of Mars looked Serena up and down 
skeptically, then nodded and flounced off leaving her 
friend standing alone.


Raye didn't look back at Serena as she swiftly turned 
back into the castle.  "Does she honestly think she can 
throw that lame excuse at me and that it will put my 
feelings to rest?" she muttered.  "Well, she has another
think coming then."  The dark haired girl walked up the 
stairs and in no time reached her room.  "I know I 
promised not to do this ever to you, Serena," Raye 
murmured as she opened the door and stepped in, locking 
it behind her.  "But this is for your own good -- you 
should have told me the truth when I asked you."
     She went to the closet and flung the door there 
open, to reveal the innocent looking dresses and other 
clothing on the hangers.  But under them, hidden among 
the shoes, was a large and heavy box, unlabled and 
indiscreet, Raye hoped, dragging it out into the light 
of the room.
     Once done, she opened the flaps of the box and 
peered inside where there were an assortment of small 
bowls, candles, incense and other holy scrolls.  
Carefully but swiftly, Raye removed many of the items 
and set them up on the floor in front of the largest of 
the box's contents -- a huge ceramic bowl.  She placed 
the sticks of incense inside it and proceeded to start 
a small controlled fire within the confinement of the 
dish.
     Raye had long ago made the promise to herself and 
to the other princesses that when she learned the 
ancient and mysterious art of fire reading and fortunes 
she would not peep into their lives unless there was a 
dire and serious reason.  It was quite frankly invading 
their privacy, and she knew that Serena wouldn't like 
what she was about to do one bit.  But she should have 
told me herself, Raye thought.  I gave her that chance.  
I need to know what the problem is, maybe I can help.  
After all, we're best friends.
     The fire soon began to crackle intently, the 
powerful scent of the incense floating all over the 
room.  Raye picked up a leather pouch and sprinkled it's
contents -- a light powder -- into the bowl, causing the
flames to shoot up with new energy.  Then she began to 
chant softly under her breath, secret and ancient codes 
which held the power of the future.
     "Oh great fire," she began after the chanting was 
over.  "I beg and beseech you to show me what is troubling 
my friend, the Moon Princess, Serena.  In the name of Mars, 
I plead, show me how to help!"
     The flames jumped up and licked the air, but to 
Raye's surprise did not show one thing.  "What??" she 
gasped.  "This is impossible...why won't it project an 
image for me??  Great fire, PLEASE, tell me what's wrong
with Serena!!!"
     Still, the result was nothing at all.  The princess
of Mars banged her fists on the floor in frustration.  
"This isn't fair," she muttered.  "It didn't work...."  
Then she thought for the first time that perhaps nothing
was the matter with Serena.  "Maybe I'm just imagining 
things -- if the fire didn't show it, then maybe I'm 
overreacting."
     Raye turned away for just a moment in thought.  As 
she did, an image was projected in the fire of Serena 
and Darien at the gazebo, hugging.  Then, right before 
she reeled back to look at the flames, it disappeared.


"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream!  I 
know you the gleam in your eye is so familiar a gleam...!!  
La de da da da la da dee de!"
     The singer's voice echoed down the hall and wavered
into the conservatory where generals Malachite, Neflite, 
and Zoicite were sitting.  Zoicite was covering his ears
with the throw pillow.  "Make him stop!" he whined to 
the other three generals.  "Make it stop, haven't we 
suffered enough???"
     Malachite looked over at him and sighed.  "I know, 
first that scene at breakfast yesterday, and now this.  
What is with that guy's mood swings, huh?"  He turned to
Neflite.  "What do you make of it Nef?  I mean, you must
have a theory, you're so full of that psychological junk
...Nef?"
     Neflite did not respond, and simply continued to 
draw lines on the map on the desk he was sitting at.
     "NEFLITE??" prompted Malachite.
     Still no answer.
     "Maybe he's gone deaf," quipped Zoicite.  "From 
Prince Phantom of the Opera's little concert."
     Malachite shot him a dark look.  "Don't try to be 
humorous, Zoi.  It doesn't become you...Nef!" he began 
again, turning back to the brown haired general.  "Answer, 
you oaf!"
     Jedite chose than moment to enter the room.  "Morning," 
he greeted them.  Then he gestured outside.  "I've 
always said we needed to have chamber music after breakfast. 
Helps the stomach digest and all that.  Why hello, Mal," he said, 
looking at his friend, "aren't we looking cheerful this 
morning!"
     Malachite, breathing in and out heavily, pointed to
Neflite.  "In a moment I'm gonna box his ears.  He won't
answer, for crying out loud, he won't answer me when I 
call!"
     Jedite laughed and strode over to Neflite, then 
tapped his shoulder.  Neflite looked up at him and 
reached over to his ears, withdrawing from them two 
small cotton balls.  "Yeah?"
     "What were you wearing those for??" exclaimed 
Malachite.
     "Dar's singing was getting to me.  How in the 
world am I supposed to graph out the new canal through 
Belzar with him cajoling throughout the castle?"
      As if on cue, Darien leaped into the room in a 
single step.  "Gooood afternoon, boys," he sang out.  
"And how is everyone today?"
     Malachite chose not to mince words.  "What the 
hell is up with your mood swings, Darien??"
     Darien smiled a quirky smile and remained silent.
     "Well??" Malachite prompted.
     "Is it a crime for a man to be in a good mood?" 
asked the prince in an innocent voice.
     "Noooo..." mused Zoicite.  "But yesterday...at 
breakfast...you were, sort of, I dunno...warped.  And 
now suddenly you're all happy-go-lucky.  Are you on 
drugs or something?"
     Darien laughed.  "Yeah, I'm high..."
     Jedite inhaled sharply.
     "...high on love."
     He let out his breath.  "Well then, who is the 
lucky girl this time, old boy?"
     Darien chuckled again.  "Can't say...sorry, pal."
     "Awww...c'mon," coaxed Zoicite.  "I betcha it's some 
real beaut you want all to yourself."
     "Very selfish of you," remarked Neflite, looking up
from his maps.  "Let me see if I can guess...is it...hmmmm
...the Duchess of Montecore?  the Marquise of Phillan?  
the Princess of Urbania?  Come on, Dar, am I even lukewarm?"
     Darien shook his head loftily.  "No, no, and no.  
Not even close.  The beauty of those three cannot compare 
to the beauty of the one I hold dear."  His words took on a 
poet's ring.  "She of the gold spun hair created from 
the sun itself, she of the blue eyes that peer into the 
far, far corners of my soul and can see all that I desire 
her to see, she of the red lips that kiss mine so longingly, 
so searchingly.  Her words are sweet as honeyed sugar, 
and her voice as clear and as cool as a lapping spring.  
The knowledge she possesses, no matter how naive, is of 
great lengths.  I can only wish for those of you around 
me to find such happiness in their own lives as I have 
found with her."
     The generals' mouths were all hanging open.
     "Alas, I cannot reveal her to you as of yet," Darien 
finished in a lament.  Then he stopped speaking as if 
singing a serenade.  "So, anyone care to take a few more
stabs at it?"
     "What I don't get," Malachite said, "is why you 
won't tell us who she is.  If she's so lovely, you'd 
think that you'd want to brag about it."
     Darien held up a hand.  "You'll know when the time 
is right."
     "I know!" said Jedite, excited.  "You can't tell us 
because...because...her parents don't approve of you!  
And you're keeping your romance a secret!  Am I right?"
     Darien bit his lip.  "No, not even close."
     "Oh."  Jedite pondered for awhile, then his eyes 
lit up.  "Ahhh...maybe she's not as pretty as you say..."
     "She is MORE beautiful than I can describe."
     "Have we seen her?" Zoicite interjected.
     Darien paused for a moment before he nodded.  "Yes."
     "All right then.  It shouldn't be that hard to 
figure out who this mystery girl is."
     "Then..." Jedite smoothly concluded, "you've gotten
her pregnant.  That's it, she's pregnant with your son 
and that's why you can't tell us."
     Darien stared at him with a withering look.  "Oh 
please, that would be something you'd do."
     Neflite winced.  "Ouch, right where it hurts."
     Malachite grunted and slumped into a chair.  "All I
have to say, if anyone wants my opinion -- "
     "We don't," interrupted Zoicite.
     "...is that this girl isn't as great as Darien says
she is and that's why he won't reveal her identity.  Or 
maybe there is no girl at all.  Or still more, perhaps 
she does not return his love.  What do you say to THAT, Dar?"
     Darien smiled a knowing smile and departed.
     

Serena spent the rest of the day looking for the sign that 
Darien had promised.  And when she wasn't searching, she 
was day dreaming in her room of their encounter earlier, 
of his words to her, and of their stolen kisses.  She 
blushed in the middle of lunch thinking about it, and had 
caused a spark of interest among the other princesses, 
especially Raye.
     I can't believe he was right under my nose the 
entire time, she thought.  All along the man I have 
waited for all my life turned out to be Darien.  And I 
never knew it.  Or maybe I did, and I just hadn't admitted 
it to myself until now.  Oh, love is so wonderful!
     She dared not mention anything to her mother about 
it.  If the subject were to come up she planned to pretend 
as if she still hated Darien, as hard as that would be 
from now on, and then in the meantime think of some way 
to break the news to her gently.  After all, she was 
engaged to Bruce, and that could produce some problems, 
especially with Queen Estelle.
     What if, Serena thought with a panicking feeling, 
what if Darien and I cannot stop the wedding to Bruce 
from taking place?  What if I'm forced to marry him 
otherwise??  Oh, that's too terrible to think about!!  
     Her mind began to spin.  She saw herself, several 
years from now, brushing her hair at a vanity inside the
castle.  But it wasn't HER castle -- it was the one on 
Lerence.  The woman in her head was crying to herself 
softly, as if she did not want someone to hear her.  
"Oh Darien," she said in a little voice, looking around 
the room.  "Oh Darien, I wish that you were here..."
     The scene slipped up to reveal Darien, a few years 
older himself, snoring in bed as he slept with another 
woman.  Serena could not make up her mind if he was married 
to the woman with him, who looked a little older than 
herself, or if it was just some meaningless date.  Her 
heart ached either way as the scene left her head.
     Mother says that in time I will learn to love Bruce, 
Serena continued, but he's more like a brother to me...a
brother I haven't seen since I was seven.  The cruelest 
punishment in the world, she concluded, would be having 
to marry a man that you don't love, especially when the 
man you DO love you are kept from seeing.  "Why is life 
so unfair," she pouted to herself while wandering down 
the hall to the rose garden.
     At the sight of the rose hedges her heart leapt.  
This is where we discovered our love, she said silently,
brushing the silk like petals of the red rose nearest to
her with her finger tips.  What a lovely place to start 
a romance.  It's just like out of a fairy tale.
     She sat among the fragrance of her beloved flowers 
on the marble bench at the start of the rose hedge maze 
and closed her eyes, savoring the moment.  When she did 
open them she found that she had turned her head toward 
something most unusual.
     On one of the bushes a flash of white could be seen
peeking out of the red and green hues, looking very out 
of place and alien.  "What?" she said aloud, puzzled.  
"What is a white rose doing in the thick of a red rose 
bush?"  
     White roses were not uncommon to the Moon Kingdom, 
but they *were* to the palace rose garden, which was 
made up of only the most purest of red roses.  As each 
color meant something, white petals indicated secrecy 
and mystery.  This bit of knowledge mystified Serena 
more and more until she finally had the sense to arise 
and step forwards towards the foreign flower.
     Once there she carefully took hold of the white 
rose and pulled slightly.  It came loose easily.
     It was then that Serena discovered there was a thin, 
tan piece of paper carefully rolled around the stem.  
Excited, she unraveled the paper, smoothed it out, and 
read what was written there.  The words were in an 
elegant scrawl, and formed a poem that Serena had never 
heard before:
Heart of the Rose:
     Behold, the fairest face of
     All is yours!
     Look for the red rose at the
     Cat's hour
     Only then will it sail into the
     Night's place of secrecy 
     Yours...it is yours!!

"What is mine?" asked Serena in a mutter.  "What is this
puzzle supposed to mean, Darien, I can't make heads or 
tails out of it...must be a code.  I wish I knew what he
meant is mine.  'Cat's hour'.  Hour is time, so maybe 
that is some kind of clue as to when he is coming."  
For some reason an image of a little black kitten with a
yellow ribbon came to mind.  It was a picture from one 
of her favorite fairy tale stories, of a young Moon cat 
who was given a magical ribbon by...oh, she couldn't 
remember exactly who, but the point was that she had gotten 
the ribbon and used it each night to...to..."Turn into a
human at midnight, to steal away to her human boyfriend's 
home to be with him!"
     Midnight was the key!  Clever, Darien, she thought 
with a smirk.  The prince had done well, anyone who might 
accidentally see the poem would not be able to understand 
what it meant.  Serena was quite pleased with herself for 
coming up with the answer, when she realized there had 
to be another part to the whole plan missing...where.
     "Midnight, where at, though?"  Her blue eyes skimmed 
the poem three times: first frantically, then carefully, 
and then once more with idolizing intimacy, tearing apart 
each word with her hands and looking at each letter bit 
by bit.  But the end result was nothing.
     "I wish I was Amy," Serena said in frustration.  
Amy always had a knack for these things.  Her mind traveled 
back in time to their childhood.  When Mina, Lita, Raye 
and Serena were romping around the palace grounds on treasure 
hunts or flower gathering expeditions, Amy always stayed 
in the gazebo, intently working with crossword and sentence 
puzzles that her father, King Orion had given her.  Once
in awhile the blue haired little girl would try to get 
Serena interested in such games.
     "See?"  Her memory spoke in Amy's childish but proper 
voice, making her sound wise beyond her years and at the 
same time wondrously young.  "Look carefully Serena, what 
do you see?"
     "Nothing.  I can't find the word."  Now her mind 
was speaking in a younger version of her own voice.  "Please," 
it begged, "let's go with Mina and the others to catch 
those turtle doves in the field.  It must be such fun 
and we're missing it!"
     "Wait, first find the word.  It's very simple, Serena.  
You're not looking hard enough.  You're only looking from 
side to side...you need to look up and down...up and down..."  
The Amy voice became harsher and more realistic, waking 
Serena from her memory, though it continued to speak.  
"LOOK, Serena, up and DOWN!  UP and down!!  UP and DOWN!"
     Unconsciously, Serena obeyed, moving her eyes up and 
down the poem rather than reading it.  And there was her
answer!!!  "I don't believe it!" she cried out, not wanting 
to say the place aloud for fear of it disappearing before 
her strict and taut gaze.  "No way!  It was right there 
in front of me.  The whole time!  Thanks Aims, your advice 
helped."
     On her way back into the castle, she caught sight 
of the princess of Mercury sitting in the gazebo, bending 
down over something in her lap.  Serena sucked in her 
breath and detoured away from the stairs leading up to 
her room.  She instead, crept up to Amy and looked over 
her shoulder.
     Her friend turned around to find Serena standing 
there.  With a soft smile, she patted the place next to 
her.  "Want to sit down, Serena, and help me with this 
crossword?  I just bought this book in town, and its a 
bit more difficult than I anticipated.  Would you assist
me with it?"  Hopeful blue eyes stared into a pair the 
same shade and glistened in the sun.
     "Sure," said Serena, walking fully into the gazebo 
and taking a seat.  Together the two worked on the puzzle, 
two twin hunch backed girls, thinking together as the 
sun shone on them.  And somewhere, far far away, or perhaps 
not so far away as one might think...maybe just as close
as a memory of friendship, two children's voices rang 
out:
     "See?  I knew you could do it!!"
     "I found a word, I really, really did!!"
     "I knew you could.  Now, how about those turtledoves..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whew!  The End...for now.  I know, I know, I know, it 
wasn't a cliffhanger there at the end either.  But there's 
still something for y'all to do while I am preparing the
next chapter.  Notice Serena didn't say where she would 
be meeting Darien that night.  Ah ha!  I did that on 
PURPOSE!  The answer is hidden in the poem...it's nothing 
big...maybe you spotted it the first time around.  Follow 
Amy's clues.  If you are still stuck and are dying to 
know e-mail me.  Heck, e-mail me even if you do know the
answer!
     Whoops, one more thing I forgot to note.  The song 
that Darien is singing right before he talks to the 
generals -- it's a couple of lines from the song "Once
Upon A Dream" from Disney's "Sleeping Beauty".
     NEXT TIME, IN CHAPTER 6: Darien and Serena's first 
arranged secret meeting.  What will happen?  Does Raye 
really know what's going on?  What do the Inners have to
say about all of this?  And...I don't know if this scene 
will take place in this coming chapter, but Darien will 
take into confidence one of the four generals, spilling 
his guts about his secret romance.  In turn, this now-unknown 
general will give Darien some advice that will change 
the rest of the story.  All this and much much more in:
     CHAPTER 6: "Defying the World"
~~~Ali~~~ (SlrUnico@aol.com)