Okay, this is my second fan fic to date, and it's a
romance between Princess Serena and Prince Darien.
Those are my fave kind of stories. Anyway, this is MY
definition of how they met and fell in love during the
Silver Millenium. Of course, they don't realize their
love right away...but that comes later. Right now this
story is in bits and pieces on my hard drive, and I
have to connect all of them together. I REALLY need
reader e-mails! Unlike the first story I wrote I'll
be sending this in chapters to the web pages currently
posting my work. I think it builds the suspense.
Hopefully it will also keep readers coming back to the
web master's page!
On a quick note, this IS during the Silver
Millenium. It IS a romance. I use DIC names for the
Inners and Japanese for the Outer Princesses, (who
don't appear that often). NONE of my own characters
are in this either...except I made up Darien's parents,
King Aaron and Queen Celia. This WILL be a long-ish
fic, but hopefully a good one. I used spell check,
but some words might have slipped by, Ooops! I hope
you like it though! E-mail SlrUnico@aol.com to
comment!
This story is dedicated to my sister, Rebeca, who
put up with all of the drafts of this she had to read.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"WEAVING A ROMANCE"
CHAPTER 1 - First Meeting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mother, you CAN'T make me!"
Princess Serena sat on her bed with a sigh as she
looked at her mother, the queen, who was standing
before her. A pout was on the girl's face. "I don't
want to 'make friends' with the Earth people. Nothing
good will come out of it. Why can't we just leave them
alone so they leave US alone? Earth is so...corrupt."
Serenity sighed. "Serena, as the princess of our
kingdom you WILL go to the council meeting. And I'm
not happy with your tone of voice. The people of
Earth are as just and as kind as we are. I'm friends
with Queen Celia and the king. Their planet is not
bad at all."
"If they're so great, why did we break it off
with them in the first place?"
"I have told you a thousand times. The king and
queens of both kingdoms before us thought it best that
the Earth and Moon remain separate for a time so the
two could develop their own distinct traditions and
cultures. But we never 'broke' it off with them; I
have been communicating with Queen Celia and the king
for ever since they rose to power. And I have visited
the planet before."
Serena knew she was fighting a losing battle.
But she relished in lost causes, and swept back to
arms. "I have heard that Earth is such a vast planet
the king and queen cannot rule over all of it. There
are barbarians and everything!"
She was a little surprised at her mother's
reaction, because the queen laughed. "Oh, Serena!
Wherever did you hear that?"
"Raye and the others," she responded grudgingly.
"For goodness sakes, there might be a few wild
tribes here and there but the king and queen rule over
all and every Earth person respects that. Jupiter and
the other outer planets, save Pluto, are even more
immense in size and you don't see their rulers bowing
before barbarians."
"I guess not."
"Besides that, there are appointed generals who
rule just under the royal family and they take care of
the provinces."
Serena toyed with the blanket's edge, letting her
finger tips feel the smooth and heavy cloth. "So I
have to go."
"Right." Serenity nodded her affirmation and
shook her finger at Serena. "Don't be late. Remember,
the council hall in just ten minutes. The king, queen,
and their son from Earth will be there. All right?"
"Okay." Serena's response was less than thrilled
sounding.
The queen moved to the door, rapped at the side
with her hand, and said, "Move girls, I'm coming out
now." There were soft gasps and the rustle of cloth
at the queen's command. She opened the door, gave her
daughter an encouraging smile, and left the room,
leaving the entrance open.
After a few moments Serena called in a defeated
voice, "She's gone."
Almost immediately four girls, with laughing faces
and bright eyes, dressed to the nines in pretty
dresses, entered the bedroom and closed the door
behind them. "Mom heard you," the princess informed
them. "She knew you were there."
Princess Raye, daughter of the rulers of Mars
flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat next to
Serena on the bed. "Yeah yeah. We could barely hear
your conversation, for all the good hiding did us.
What did she tell you?"
Princess Amy from Mercury's face was flushed. "I
knew we would get caught," she said, shooting a
disproving glance at Raye.
Serena giggled in spite of her mood. "It's okay,
Aims, she was pretty amused. And to answer your
question, Raye, I still have to go."
"Didn't you feed her the information about the
barbarians?" Raye asked, confused. "I thought for
sure that would get her."
Princess Mina of Venus agreed. "Yup, your mom
cares about stuff like that."
Serena sighed. "Yes, and she laughed at it."
Raye blushed furiously. "Why?"
"She said that it wasn't true. Next time I wanna
get out of a council meeting make sure to get me
something more reliable."
"Hey, at least I tried! I didn't see YOU coming
up with any ideas!"
"I shouldn't have to! I'm royalty!"
"SO AM I!!!"
"Calm down!" barked Princess Lita, the brown
haired beauty of planet Jupiter. "Geez, you two fight
like scorpions!"
Serena groaned and crossed her arms. "She started
it."
"I DID NOT!" spat Raye.
"DID TOO!"
"NOT!"
"TOO!"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" yelled Lita, covering
her ears. "Who gives a care anymore?? Be quiet
already."
Serena and Raye both grudgingly nodded and stopped
talking.
"Look on the bright side," cheered Mina. "I heard
the prince was totally hot."
"Have you ever seen him?" challenged Lita.
Mina shook her head. "Not exactly, but I have
heard rumors, and I might have seen a picture...maybe...
a long, long time ago, of course." She looked flustered
and sweatdropped. "You know good and well, Lita, that
only the elders and the scribes of the Moon know
anything worth saying about the Earth."
"He's supposed to be really smart," Amy informed
them, heading off the coming argument between Lita and
Mina. "One of the most intelligent men of our time.
Maybe if you and he reach an understanding then he
could influence your studies."
"I can see it now," said Mina, starry eyed.
"'Prince of the Earth and Princess of the Moon Fall in
Love and Unite their Kingdoms for Always'! Oh, it
would be just like a fairy tale Serena! A beautiful
wedding, with you in a dazzling white bride's gown, and
he in a goregous tuxedo...walking down the aisle..."
Raye and Amy sighed blissfully, engaged in the
day dream.
Lita snickered. "Or maybe they'll elope! Defy
their parents and go off to some distant planet to have
lots and lots of babies and live peacefully in love and
happiness."
"Hello, are you guys dumb or something?" Serena
waved a hand in front of Lita's face. "I just made it
known that I don't even approve of this 'get together'
with Earth, and you four have practically packed me up
and sent me off on my honeymoon with that stupid
prince! I am NOT out to marry him or even LIKE him, no
matter if he's the cutest guy I've ever seen, or," she
added, shooting a look at Amy, "the smartest. Get that
straight right this second!!"
"But Serena," complained Raye. "You've worn out
all the boys from the Moon."
"Yeah," added Lita. "You have to find the right
guy sometime."
"Well if I do I'm positive it won't be Mr. Prince
of Earth." Serena stood and examined herself in the
vanity mirror. "You know," she said softly. "I do
have dreams about my future husband."
"You've told us," said Raye wearily. "He's tall,
dark, mysterious, and - "
"Devestatingly handsome," giggled Mina, falling
onto the other side of the bed dramaticly. The other
girls erupted into peals of laughter.
"Laugh all you want," chided Serena, heading
towards the door. "But he'll be the perfect guy and
he'll have you ALL drooling!"
"I'm sure he will be," soothed Lita. "Just keep
praying."
"AND dreaming," Raye added on. "Because men like
that are hard to come by."
"He's out there," said Serena confidently. "It's
just a matter of finding the right planet." She left
them to digest her words and flounced out the door,
swinging it shut behind her.
Serena walked downstairs trying to gather her wits
about her. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to
say to the royal family of Earth, and that worried her.
The princess was positive the conversation shouldn't
include the weather, or the latest fashions on their
planet. "Maybe current events," she said aloud.
The air smelled sweet as it usually did on days
when something special, like a party, was planned to
happen. The birds were chirping and the clouds were
bright with the sunshine. Serena could even hear from
a distance the soft splashing of the fountain in her
garden. She inhaled the fragrance of magnolias,
supposedly imported from some place on Earth, and
closed her eyes as she did so.
Suddenly her slippered foot caught on a loose
stone. With a cry the princess tried to regain her
balance, but could not, and she felt herself falling
forward. Her eyes remained closed as she cried out and
braced herself involuntarily for the hard and
inevitable crash.
But it didn't happen. Instead she fell into
something warm, and supportive. Another person!
Serena gasped and jumped back to her feet, away from
her rescuer. When her eyes opened she gasped. She was
staring into the face of one of the most handsome men
she had ever seen. His dark hair was styled in a way
that made it look neat, but unkempt and wild. His eyes
were dark blue, piercing at her like he could see
through her. The man's skin was tanned and he had a
rugged look to his whole self that made him seem...
right...and with it. Not nervous like a few of the
boys she knew got when confronted with a girl.
The man, too, had a voice. "Whoa, you need to
watch it next time." His words were cutting and cocky,
she didn't like that at all.
Hurriedly Serena tried to apologize. "Look, I'm
really sorry, there was a loose stone and-"
"I saw you from way off, you had your eyes closed.
Surely you would have seen the stone if you had had
them opened. Pay more attention in the future."
By now the princess was seething. Who did this
man think he was, talking to her in such a
contradicting tone...HER, the MOON PRINCESS?? "I
apologized!"
"And I gave you some good advice. Unfortunately
for the two of us you probably won't use it and I can't
do a thing with your, 'apology'."
"I think you are one of the most ill-bred,
snobbish men I have ever met in my life!"
"There are a few choice things I'd like to call
you myself but I'm too much of a gentlemen to use
them." His eyes swept over her in a way that made her
feel two rushing feelings at once. The first was
madness, anger that he could make her feel so
childish. The second was a calm and safe feeling, that
she had never felt before. Quickly, however, the first
was swallowing the latter.
Serena picked an imagined piece of dirt off her
dress. "Good day to you, 'sir'." She spoke the last
word in the same way she might say "scum." Then the
princess of the Moon, trying hard to make sure she
maintained some dignity, brushed past him and down
another hall. It would be a longer route to the council
meeting, but at least it took her well out of HIS way.
If Serena had looked behind her she would have
seen the man watching her retreat with a look in his
eyes that clearly was identified as intrigued and maybe
almost respectful. He stood there for a long time,
until after she out of sight. Then he shook his head
and walked onward.
Serena was not a happy person by the time she reached
the council hall. First was the matter of she had
forgotten her princess' tiara and had to go back to her
room to get it. Then there was the fact that every
second more she spent thinking about the man she had
met made her even more mystified and spitting mad at
him.
She paced in front of the hall, trying to get her
list of things to talk about with the king and queen
and their son in her head. When Serena felt she was
composed enough to enter, she put the tiara on her
head and placed a hand on the door, determined to not
think about the stranger any more. Still, one last
thought creeped into her mind which she totally agreed
with. "I hope I never see him again as long as I
live."
She opened the door and the trumpeter inside,
receiving his cue, raised the trumpet to his lips and
blew a short regal tune. The royal announcer stepped
back and said in a loud, clear voice, "Announcing her
royal highness, Princess Serena of the Moon Kingdom,
daughter of her majesty Queen Serenity of the Moon
Kingdom!"
Serena smiled what Mina called her, "princess
smile" and curtsied before the couple she presumed to
be the king and queen, and her mother. Then she
turned to sit in her chair...and gasped aloud. The
man she had met was right next to her seat. She gaped
and pointed. "You! You're the...the..."
The man smiled his cocky smile and bowed to her.
"Prince Darien of the Earth."
Never in all her life had Serena been more shocked
and embarrassed, and she did not shrink from displaying
her feelings to the rest of the room...
"Serena," her mother said in a controlled voice.
"Why don't you sit down?"
Serena nodded dumbly and went to take her seat
next to Darien. To her surprise he got out of his own
chair and helped her into hers. Against her will she
murmured a "thank you", and accepted it. When Darien
was seated again the adults began to start up a
conversation about world politics, which it seemed
neither of the younger members of the two courts were
interested in.
"Surprised, princess?" Darien whispered to her.
"I should say so!" retorted Serena in a low
voice. "Why didn't you say you were a prince, the
prince of the Earth?!"
"Why didn't you say you were the princess?"
"I assumed everyone knew who I was. Besides that
you never asked."
She could have sworn she heard him chuckle deeply
in his throat, but before she could be sure he had
stopped. "I take it you're still rather hostile
toward me, Serena, oh, may I call you Serena?"
"Yes I am and yes you may."
"Well, I don't know why you're mad at me, after
all you took the liberty of falling on me. Now, I'm
used to women falling for me, but not *on* me."
Serena stiffened and felt the now familiar feeling
of anger all over again. Was it going to become a
habit whenever she talked to this prince? "I didn't
ask you to catch me, Darien. And I consider that
comment about the women most inappropriate to be said
in front of a lady. Oh, and for your information I
have every right to be mad. After all, you insulted
me!"
Darien laughed for real at that remark. "And I
suppose that bit about being ill-bred and snobbish
doesn't qualify to be an insult?"
By now their voices had risen to a considerable
decibel, both unaware of how loud they were talking.
"Your tone was degrading!" she snapped.
"You never answered my question about being ill-
bred and snobbish."
"I thought it was rhetorical, and it doesn't even
dignify an answer!"
The king and queens were looking at the two young
people with disdain and wariness. Serenity said for
Serena to lower her voice, but by then neither could
hear. Something would have to be done, that was clear
from the looks on the monarchs' faces.
"When should we let them back in, Aaron?", Queen Celia
of Earth asked her husband, gesturing at the door
leading to the hall.
The king grunted. "When that boy learns some
manners."
"It wasn't all Darien's fault," reminded
Serenity. "My daughter played more than a minor role
in that scene a few moments ago. By the way, I do
apologize for her behavior towards him, it was most
embarrassing."
"Children will be children," quoted Celia.
"But he's a young man!" exploded Aaron. "What
will this say about the Earth and Moon Kingdom
relations??"
Serenity laughed. "Ah, well, I don't think it's
as serious as all that Aaron."
"Yet."
"Well, things will get better between the two...
in time."
Celia sighed. "I'm afraid Darien was against this
reunion between our two kingdoms right from the start
and that he's taking it out on Serena."
Serenity nodded. "Yes, Serena was the same way
about our decision."
"Does she know about Beryl?" asked Celia with a
frown.
"Oh no." Serenity shook her head firmly. "No,
none of the Inner Princesses have and especially not
Serena. My daughter doesn't believe that world
politics are necessary to her life."
The two women laughed and even King Aaron cracked
a smile. "But really, ladies," he continued. "This is
serious business here. Beryl's been causing even more
trouble back home lately, stirring up revolts and
brawls in the streets with her oh-so-subtle ways. And
now that we've announced our reunion...
"Yes." Serenity looked out into the distance.
"I'm very afraid for our futures. Suddenly our perfect
and ideal world doesn't seem safe anymore. But more
than that I'm terrified for Serena."
"How so?" asked Aaron with a puzzled expression.
"The coming war is inevitable. I don't want to
keep the truth from her any longer. If something
happens to me, she'll have to assume the throne. And
if something happens to her..." The queen's eyes
filled with tears. "I've got to get her away from
here as soon as possible."
Serena fought the urge to spit, as she had seen Lita do
when she was upset, if no one was watching. Her fists
were curled up into balls as if she were ready to belt
anyone in her way. "Now look what you did, Darien!"
she snapped.
"What I did?" he asked angrily. "I don't believe
your nerve! To embarrass me in front of your mother,
and my parents!"
"Hey, you were on the other side of that scene in
there, bucko. You humiliated me!!"
"Something which, oddly enough, I don't regret!"
Serena sighed and slumped onto the wooden bench.
"I have never ever been kicked out of a council meeting
before," she said more to herself than to Darien.
"I was mortified! Did you see the look on the
announcer's face?"
"He looked like he was about ready to ring up that
gossip vine."
"Oh, don't worry, the way news like that travels
around the Moon it'll be tomorrow's headlines.
'Beautiful Princess Embarressed to Pieces when the
Horrid Prince from a Barbaric Planet Attempts to Ruin
her Social Life." She moaned. "Raye and the others
are going to flip."
Darien snorted. "I prefer this one: 'Esteemed
Prince of Earth Humiliated and Spun Out of Control by
Conniving Princess of a Pitiful Kingdom not Worthy to
Negotiate with Earth'. Try THAT on for size."
Serena looked at him. "You're a royal pain."
"Same to you." He growled. "I never lose control
like that, never ever. I'm Prince Darien, always with
it. What are you doing to me?"
"You've brought some traits of mine to light that
aren't pleasant either."
"Oh really, I thought you were always like that."
"Don't EVEN, Darien!"
The two were in silence for a very long time,
each thinking their own thoughts about the other.
Serena was sure that there was something about Darien
she didn't quite get, that wasn't out in the open.
She wasn't positive she liked that, but then again
what did she like about this prince? Nothing. It
didn't even matter to her that he was decent
looking...all right, handsome. That did not make up
for his attitude.
Darien watched Serena with his cool gaze while she
studied him. He had to admit that she was one of the
more prettier girls he had seen in his life - and he
had seen lots of women. Her long golden hair and her
dazzling blue eyes that he would bet matched his own.
Everything about the princess before him said
"innocent" and "naive". But then again, there was
something in her that said she knew just as much and
maybe more than him in certain matters.
Deep within both the tiny spark that had flared
when they met in the hall glowed brighter than before
without their knowing...shining with an emotion so
great only they might come to understand.
~~~~~~End of Chapter~~~~~~
Coming in chapter two...Serena and Darien are not
getting along well, and this is only furthered in
their meeting at the ball celebrating the reunion of
the Earth and Moon...plus, the Inner Princesses and
the generals of the Earth share their thoughts on the
mutual dislike binding their two friends. E-mail
SlrUnico@aol.com to commment...PLEASE!
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