Title: An Unsuitable Match
Part: 3
Author: W.bymeeh
Rating: PG
E-mail: jhyunl@aol.com
Website: http://members.tripod.com/jayhyun/sm/ 


*Author's Note: Chapter 3!  Wow!   
E-mail if you like it...please?  Thanks!  

*Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, so don't sue me!  I 
have nothing worth suing for anyways.  Also, the story in this 
form is mine, so please don't take it without permission!  
Thanks.  

			Chapter 3

	Darien held Serena close to him as they walked slowly 
through the garden.  He never wanted to let her go again, never 
wanted to be alone as he had been before.  It didn't matter to 
him that Serena was only a simple servant; with her, he felt 
whole again...a feeling that he hadn't had for a very long time.  
With her at his side, he felt he could conquer anything...all of 
his old ghosts and fears.  
  	He paused, and tilted her head to look up at him.  He could 
see the love in her brilliant blue eyes, but he could also 
detect...fear.  The recognition stabbed his heart, and he sought 
to reassure her that she would always be safe with him.  
	"Serena...now that you've had your confession, let me tell 
you mine."  Her eyes widened.  "I was supposed to meet a young 
lady this night, and dressed as this I had a message for her...  
That the young man whom her parents had arranged for her to meet 
was willing to marry her.  Unluckily for the young guard, he had 
fallen violently sick, and had begged me to woo you in his stead.  
And luckily for me, the one that I've been waiting for my entire 
life walked into the ballroom and headed straight for me."  
Something nagged at Darien, and suddenly he remembered that the 
moon princess was the one that he was intended to be with his 
entire life.  But she wasn't here, and Serena was...he banished 
the thought to the farthest corner of his mind.  Serena was here, 
she made him happy...she was definitely the one for him, he knew 
it.  And he loved her with his whole heart.  From the little girl 
she had been to the woman she was now, he treasured her.  
	"Darien..."  Serena's voice trailed to a whisper as she 
stared into his midnight-blue eyes.  
	"Let me finish.  I still remember you, a little girl from 
years ago who lit up my life for one night.  I'm so sorry that I 
let you leave me when you did...If I had only known, we could've 
gotten to know so much more about each other...but now, I refuse 
to waste any more time."  
	Serena looked up, startled.  'What could he mean?  I guess 
I'm not going to marry that guard anymore...'
	Darien grinned.  "You've got that right."  
	Shocked beyond belief, Serena mustered enough outrage to 
glare at him.  "How'd you do that?  How did you know-"
	"What you're thinking?  I don't know...suddenly your voice 
came into my mind, and I knew what you were thinking.  I have 
some telepathic powers as prince of the Earth, you see...and-"
	"Oh!  I had forgotten...Darien..."  Serena pulled away from 
him.  "I don't want this..."
	Darien suddenly went still.  "What don't you want, Serena?  
Me?  I think...that would be a lie.  I know you love me."  Darien 
held his breath, hoping his lie would prove to be true with her 
next words.  He hoped that she loved him...but he didn't know.  
He couldn't bring himself to probe her mind for that answer. 
	Serena opted to say nothing, and instead started walking 
off toward the palace. 
	'No, not this time!'  Darien took a hold of her arm and 
pulled her to him so that their faces were inches apart.
	"Say it...beloved."  Darien whispered.   
	Serena's control started to crack.  Here was the man who 
had invaded her dreams for the past five years, and just when she 
had been about to escape into a marriage to a man she didn't 
love, but who would take care of her...he came to her, forcing 
her to admit feelings she shouldn't have for the crown prince of 
the whole entire Earth!  
	Darien stared into her eyes, willing her to say it. 
	"I...I need you, Darien.  I want you...I love you..."  
Serena started to cry helplessly as Darien's arms came around her 
to hold her up.  
	"Serena, my darling, wonderful Serena...I'll take care of 
you...I'll protect you.  You don't ever have to be afraid of 
anyone or anything again.  You light up my life, Serena...I love 
you and I'm not ever going to let you go."  
	Serena, her eyes shiny from her tears, looked up at him in 
shock.  "But...but I'm just a lady-in-waiting...you're the 
prince, we can't possibly---"
	"Serena, Lady Beryl isn't worthy to polish your shoes.  
You're no ordinary servant...you are the queen of my heart, and I 
want you to be my queen of this earth as well."  Serena let out a 
gasp of surprise.  Darien continued to look down into her 
upturned face, his eyes showing his earnestness.
	"There's something you don't know about me, Darien...My 
parents...they...I don't know who my real parents are, I was 
adopted...I could be the daughter of...of...oh, I don't know---"
	"Serena, you are the one to whom my heart belongs, not your 
parents.  Please...Serena...how many more years are you going to 
make me suffer?"  
	Serena felt her heart wrench in pain as she remembered the 
four years she had spent thinking of him and trying to put his 
memory out of her mind.  At twelve years old, she had been too 
young to really be in love...but she had unconsciously saved her 
heart and her dreams for him until the day that she was old 
enough for them to come true...
	"That's this day, Serena..."  Darien whispered.  
	Serena smiled, a light happiness coming into her eyes, her 
body giddy with delight.  
	"Forever, Darien.  I want to be with you, always..."  

	A red-haired figure stared at the couple embracing in the 
moonlight from behind a pillar near the balcony stairs.  Lady 
Beryl seethed with jealousy.  'How dare she?  That snippity lady-
in-waiting...throwing herself at the prince when she knew very 
well that I am his intended!  UGH!  I've had to put up with that 
girl and her horrible attitude for too many years...tomorrow, I 
make sure that she causes no more problems for me!
 
	"Amy!  Raye!  Lita!  Princess Mina!  I can't believe it's 
been so long since I've seen you!"  Serena rushed into the arms 
of her friends as they all came together to embrace her.  
	Darien watched from the doorway, smiling at the sight of 
Serena, so happy to be with her friends again.  He slipped away, 
knowing that she had some catching up to do...and they would have 
the rest of their lives together.  
	"Serena!   Late again!  How long have you been here!  We've 
all been on the watch for you ever since your letter came!", Raye 
scolded with a smile on her face.  
	"Oooh, long story.  Lady Beryl was being a nightmare..."  
Serena, catching a flash of guilt on her friends' faces, 
quickly decided to give them the good news so they could be happy 
for her.  "But...don't worry about it!  You'll never guess who I 
fell in love with tonight!"  
	Four jaws dropped wide open.  They had all had crushes on 
members of the opposite sex before...but certainly had never 
fallen in love before.  Or, had someone fall in love with them, 
as Serena had experienced, the glow on her face clear.  
	Mina thought she had spotted her brother at the doorway, 
watching Serena...'Impossible', she thought.  Then a smile spread 
over her face.  'I'm going to have Serena as a sister!  Exactly 
what I've always wanted!'  
	"It's my brother, isn't it, Serena?"  Mina breathed slowly, 
watching Serena closely. 
	The jaws dropped lower.  
	"Close your mouths, wonderful friends...Yes, it's true.  I 
can't explain it, it's so peculiar how I feel.  It feels like 
I've been waiting my whole life for him...to be with him.  To 
take care of him, to be protected by him.  He's my life, my 
soul...and I knew this as soon as I saw him."  Serena sighed, 
hardly believing the turn of events her life had taken.  "You 
see, it started like this...five years ago..."  The girls leaned 
closer and sighed, with their own visions of romance dancing 
through their heads.  

***

	"Darien..."  Serena said nervously.  
	"Stop worrying, darling," Darien chided her.  "My parents 
are not tyrants, and they had told me a long time ago that I had 
the freedom to marry who I wanted to, since..."  He trailed off, 
remembering that he hadn't told her that he had been betrothed to 
someone who was supposed to have been his soul mate?  How would 
she feel about that?  At the moment, it might make her more 
insecure.  Whoever the moon princess was, he knew that the court 
magicians had been wrong.  Serena was his destined.  
	"Since...?"  Serena prompted, somehow knowing that Darien 
was hiding something from her.  
	"Since...they had married for love," Darien lied.  He would 
tell her some other time.  "Now, let's go meet them.  I've 
already told them about you, so be prepared."  
	Serena, her stomach fluttering nervously, pushed the 
nagging thought about Darien hiding something from her and leaned 
on Darien for support as they walked into the dining hall 
together.  
	
	King Alexander and Queen Helen were astonished.  'She's his 
intended?  She doesn't look the part of a lady-in-waiting!  
Perhaps they're better suited than we originally thought...'  
	Serena stood, head held up proudly next to Darien.  She was 
dressed in one of her best, a made-over blue silk dress that 
flattered her slender curves and brought out the brilliant blue 
of her eyes.  Her hair glimmered with a golden light of its own, 
and there was an air of grace around her that would make her 
stand out in any crowd.  
	"Mother, father, I'd like you to meet Serena, my 
intended..."  Darien smiled with pride at Serena, and then gave a 
look at his parents that just dared them to cross him on this 
subject.  
	Both of his parents groaned inwardly.  The gardener's 
daughter?  Still, they had never seen Darien so happy.  They 
knew, deep down, that he had been greatly hurt when he had found 
out of the early death of his betrothed...especially since they 
had filled his ears with tales of how the moon princess was to be 
his only love for his entire life, and so on.  And he had such a 
burden to carry.  This girl, like a bright flower, could indeed 
lighten his duties.  And she already seemed to of.  
	The King and Queen communicated silently.  They wouldn't 
challenge their son on this...he could be horrifyingly stubborn 
and difficult at times...and he did, after all, have a right to 
his own bride.  Better her than that social climber, Lady Beryl.  
And besides, a wife might settle him down...
	"Welcome, Serena...sit down, please."  And Serena felt at 
ease at the words of the Queen, and at the smile on the King's 
face. 

	"That went better than I thought it would," Serena said to 
Darien, who smiled tenderly back at her.  "Although it might have 
been partially caused by that glare you gave your parents when 
you thought I wasn't looking."  The two were out wandering in the 
bright sunlight of the gardens now.  
	Darien looked down at her in surprise.  Serena shrugged, 
looking adorable with mischieviousness lighting up her eyes.  She 
giggled, and attempted to run, but Darien quickly grabbed her to 
him and muttered, "Playing games, Serena?"   
	He was about to kiss her when Serena pulled away and asked 
suddenly, "What did your parents mean by your being needed to go 
the moon?  What does that have to do with us?"
	Darien sighed.  He hadn't been pleased but had realized it 
was necessary when his parents had announced that he had to visit 
the moon before any marriage preparations could begin.  
	"Well, Serena...there was this Moon Princess.  She was born 
about the same time that you were, seventeen years ago.  When I 
was five and she was just an infant, we were bethrothed because 
the court magicians foretold that we were meant to be together 
forever, or some silly stuff like that."  Darien tried to keep a 
flippant air, as if the prophecy meant nothing to him.  "However, 
a little while after the betrothal, there was a great attack on 
the moon by dark forces, and Queen Serenity, mother of the 
princess, died using all of her powers.  The sailor soldiers, who 
were the destined guardians of the princess, disappeared, and so 
did the infant princess.  They were all gone, and no one's known 
what's become of them.  They weren't found after the attack, but 
there had been a great explosion in the wing of the palace where 
the babies were.  However, they weren't declared officially dead.  
Recently, some man named Amiro has declared himself the last 
surviving leader of the Silver Millennium, which was what the dynasty 
that was destroyed was called.  He's searching for the princess of the 
Moon and the other planets, claiming that they're still alive.  It's 
my own opinion that he's doing it as an act because he wants to 
rebuild the Moon Kingdom and claim control for himself.  
	Darien paused, looking down into Serena's face and giving 
her a reassuring squeeze.  "But, the princess wasn't declared dead.  
Anyhow, that's why *you* are coming with me to the moon.  I'm going 
to be released from that silly betrothal, and marry you, beloved."  
Darien traced the curvature of her face with a finger, trying to 
hide from her the pain he had gone through at the loss of the one 
who he had been told would be his true love.  
	Serena felt pain in her heart.  No matter how he tried to 
deny it, she knew that this princess had meant a lot to him.  But 
she knew he loved her...should she try to make him confess to a 
love that he had held so long ago?  No, she would not do that, no 
matter how much it hurt her, that she was not the foretold 
princess.  She was with him now, that was enough.  
	"I can hardly wait, love..."  Serena trailed off as 
Darien's face came closer to hers, and she smiled at him, her 
eyes shining, and he wondered what he had done to deserve such 
happiness.   

**************



w. bymeeh
jhyunl@aol.com
http://members.tripod.com/jayhyun/sm/