Betrothed Chapter 9
Rating: PG-13
Author: Patch
E-mail: patchkhan1@hotmail.com

	Queen Serenity stood looking out into the city. She
smiled as she recalled the conversation she had had with her
daughter.
	Serena had been so vibrant as she spoke of her
love for Darien. It had made her so happy to see that things
were working out. She knew her daughter would be taken
care of.
	All of a sudden the doors burst open and she
whirled around to face a panicked Darien and Raye.
	"Your Highness, she knows," Raye burst out, tears
beginning to fall from her eyes.
	"Would you happen to know where she is?"
Darien asked.
	"W-What's going on? What are you two talking
about?" But deep down a feeling of dread began to form.
	"Serena knows about the betrothal, she knows it
never occurred."
	"Oh Goddess of the Moon," her shoulders sagged
and her face fell. "How did she find out?"
	"We don't know!" Raye cried, "She had left the
training room to go meet someone and when she came back
she knew! Whoever she had gone to see must have told her!"
	"But that's not important right now, Serena ran
away after confronting us and now we can't find her. She
thinks I don't love her," his voice went hoarse, "and I've got
to tell her that's not true!"
	"Have you checked all her favorite places?"
	"We have, the others are all searching for her and
we've notified the guards but do you know of any place where
she might have gone?"
	"No, no! This can't be happening and Raye you
know Serena won't be found until she wants to be found. That's
her way and now...oh God," the Queen collapsed but Darien
caught her.	"She'll never forgive us!" she sobbed, "Oh God,
she probably feels we've betrayed her in the most horrible
way."
	Darien looked over to Raye who nodded and
came forward to help him.
	"Come Your Highness, why don't you lie down
while we continue looking for her."
	"No! I'll help you. After all, this is partly my fault
also.  I've got to reassure her that this...this wasn't a plan to
deceive her in any way!"

	A little while later, the Queen entered her
daughter's old room quietly. Everything had been left just
the way it was on the day Serena had gotten married. She
walked over to the vanity and smiled as she picked up a
hair clip that had a little rabbit on it. She clutched it tightly
to her chest and looked upwards, trying not to let the tears
fall.
	"Tell me why."
	She gasped and swung around to face her
daughter who stood leaning against a bedpost.
	"Serena! Where have you been? Do you know
that everyone's looking for you?"
	"I know Mother, let them look, it really doesn't
matter to me."
	"How can you say that? They're all out there, your
best friends, your husband, frantically searching for you! God,
you should see Darien, his eyes have a wild look, he needs
you Serena."
	"I don't care."
	"Serenity of the Moon, how dare you have such a
selfish attitude!"
	"How dare I? Don't I have some justification in
acting a little selfish? After all, weren't you all just a bit selfish,
not bothering to tell me anything, leaving me out in the dark,
hoping that I would never find out."
	"Serena, I know you're upset..."
	"That is an understatement Mother. You have no
idea how I feel. You don't care about how I feel."
	"You know that's not true!"
	"Oh really?"
	"Just stop it Serena! Listen carefully, I will tell you
why it had to happen this way and you may take it any way
you like. You may think we have deceived you or betrayed
you, believe whatever you want to believe but first you will
listen to what I have to say.
	"5 months before your engagement I was
informed by the Sailor Scout of Time & Space that the
galaxy was and still is in a very tumultuous position. There
are wars occurring even as we speak in the far reaches of
our Solar System. In order to protect the Moon,
something had to be done. An alliance had to be made, a
solid and strong alliance. We are already in league with the
other planets, as you know, but it was still not enough. We
needed Earth by our side because this particular planet
held, and still holds a great power that only few know
about but none that can understand (AN: I'm making all
of this up as you can see). Something as common as a
treaty would not have been enough for treaties can be
broken. However, joining the two ruling families was
something solid, something that could be relied upon."
	Serena had listened quietly all this time, yet
emotions flashed across her eyes. "But why not tell me?" she
asked, pointing to herself, "Why couldn't you have included me
in any of this? I might have understood the situation."
	"You have said it yourself, you *might* have, but
what if you didn't? Understand Serena, that I never meant to
hurt you in anyway and believe me when I say that I love you
but I know you, my daughter. I know that you would have
never agreed to a marriage. Never."
  	"And how would you know?" Serena whispered.
	"Because I would have done the same exact thing.
Even if I had to repeat the situation over and over, I would
never comply."
	Serena stared at her mother for a moment and then
sank to the floor in tears. "Oh Mother, how do I know if he
loves me?" she sobbed, "He could have been pretending all this
time, feeling obligated to show me some affection." Anguish
laced her voice as she said, "I think I would rather die than
know that he never loved me to begin with. I would rather
die."
	The Queen only smiled and knelt down, bringing
Serena to her. "Serena, think back to all the times you have
shared with Darien. Even though it has only been a short
while, think of the many memories you two have already
made. Do you really believe, deep inside of you, that those
feelings he shared with you were all a sham? Can you
honestly say that he holds nothing for you?"
	Serena looked at her mother with renewed hope
shiningin her eyes.
	"Let me assure you of this Serena, the love
between you is somewhat of a miracle, it is extraordinary,
don't let it go now."

	It was dark by the time Darien entered the
bedroom. He closed the door and let his eyes adjust to the
darkness. He hadn't found her and people were still looking.
Kunzite had told him to take a break and had reassured him
that if anything new came up they would immediately send
for him.
	But she should have been found by now, a voice
told him. He held up his left hand, the hand that held a piece
of her dress. They had found it in the middle of the gardens,
snagged on one of the bushes.
	Where had she gone?
	Queen Serenity was right when she said Serena
wouldn't be found until she wanted to be found. It had been
too many hours already.
	He strode to the armoire and opened the top
drawer, pulling something out. He then walked out into the
balcony and opened the hand that held what he had pulled
out and inspected it in the light of the stars.
	It was a locket, a beautiful one at that. It had
been given to him a long time ago by the gardener who
was in charge of the rose gardens at the Earth palace.

*Flashback*
	"What's that you're holding, Charlie?" a ten-year-
old Prince asked.
	"This, my boy, is a very special locket that I am
giving to you," Charlie bent down on his knees so that he was
at eye level with Darien, "Keep it safe and protect it. You
won't understand it's true meaning now but later on in life,
when you meet the one that holds your heart, you will see this
locket's true power. Only then will your ears cherish its sweet
song."
	"Are you talking about girls? Yuck, I will never
like girls, they're too proper for me!"
*End Flashback*

	The one that holds your heart. He understood that
now but he had yet to see this 'power' that Charlie had talked
about. The thing had probably lost its 'power' after so long
but he had still intended to give it to Serena. Only she was
worthy of it.
	But now, would he even be able to give the locket
to her? Would he see her face light up as he presented her
with it? Would he hear her whisper 'I love you' as she brushed
her lips against his?
	"Oh God," he whispered, as he clutched the locket
tightly and slid down to the ground. His face was covered by a
shadow, yet a tear glittered in the darkness as it traced its way
down his cheek.
	"I won't lose you," he whispered, "I swear I won't,
I won't." He bowed his head and rested it against a raised knee
as another tear followed the trail of the first.
	A swish of cloth alerted him but before he could
react, cold fingers had raised his chin and he stared into the
eyes of his princess kneeling on her knees before him.
	Questions flew through his mind as he stared at her
with disbelief. Where did she come from? How come I didn't
see her? Where has she been? Does she love me? Oh God,
can she love me, even after all this?
	"You're crying," she stated quietly and then smiled,
confusing him completely. He watched as she lowered her face
to his and then seconds later he felt her lips on his cheek as she
kissed his tears.
	He inhaled sharply and slowly brought up a hand
to touch her silky hair. "Serena?" he croaked.
	"That would be me," she said, looking into his
eyes.
	In one sudden movement he pulled her to him and
hugged her tightly, not saying anything. She held onto him just
as tightly and understood he needed this. Needed the
reassurance that she was okay. She needed it too.
	"God, Serena, where have you been? I love you, I
love you so much, I can't survive without you. I'm so sorry you
had to learn about the betrothal, God, I wanted to tell you but
I was so afraid. I don't want to lose you Serena, I love you,
please can you forgive me? I don't think I can live if-"
	She put a finger on his lips to stop him and then
brushed back his bangs. "I love you too," she whispered.
	"How, why? I mean, I would never forgive myself
if I were you."
	"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm still very upset and
it's not an easy thing for me to forgive.  It will take me some
time before I'll be able to fully understand why you all did
what you did but I think I've come out of all this just a
little bit older and a little bit wiser. I don't want there to be
any strife between us Darien...I don't think I could bear
that," she finished, her throat hoarse with tears.
	"Neither could I, love," and he pulled her against
him once more and kissed her deeply. He realized he still held
the locket and broke away.
	She looked at him with a question in her eyes,
disappointed that he would end their kiss so quickly.
	He smiled and brought out his hand, opening it
so that the locket lay in his palm.
	"Serena, on Earth we have a tradition and I
know I'm a little late with it, but I would still like to give this
to you. On the wedding day, the groom presents his bride
with a ring that seals their love for each other. I don't have a
ring but I do have this, a locket that's very special to me."
	"It's beautiful," she breathed taking it from him and
looking at it. She touched it and all of a sudden it sprung
open. A beautiful melody filled the air causing tears to pool
at her eyes. "How sweet," she looked at Darien who had
his mouth open. "What's wrong?"
	"It's never played music before," and it was
then that he remembered. "The locket's true power," he
whispered.
	"What?"
	"It's never played before because supposedly
I've never found the one that was meant for me. Now that
it's playing..."
	"We were meant for each other," Serena said,
caressing his lips. "I love you Darien."
	"And I you, Serena."
	She snuggled up to him and they sat together
for some time until Darien realized he had yet to call of the
search.
	He pulled her up and as they walked out of their
room he asked her how she had found out.
	Her eyes dimmed as she remembered, "Lady
Carissa decided it would be best I knew," she gasped as she
suddenly remember what the woman had told her, "Darien!
She had drugged your mother and that's how she knew. She
has to be stopped!"
	Darien was speechless to say the least, but then
his eyes burned with fire as he spoke. "She will pay for that.
I'll make sure of it."
	"Oh love, do let me go at her first. I'd love to
challenge her to a sword match."
	"Of course."

	"I knew that woman was bad news from the very
beginning," Kunzite said, pacing the room, "There are still
some guards left, I'll put them on alert and send out some
more. We'll find her."
	"I have every confidence that you will Kunzite,"
Darien said.
	The group had gathered in the throne room to
discuss the matter of Carissa and things were returning to a
somewhat normal state again.
	"Serena, I'll make you whatever your heart desires
if you would just return to your old self again," Lita said,
putting a hand on her shoulder.
	Serena was sitting on the steps to the royal seats,
the Scouts sitting all around her. She looked at her friend and
smiled slightly.
	"Thanks Lita, but you know it's not easy for me.
I wonder even now, if you all would have ever told me. It
hurts to know that you didn't trust me."
	"It wasn't a matter of trust, Serena, it was a
matter of protecting you," Amy said, "We know about the
troubles in our galaxy and we had to make sure that you
would be safeguarded from any kind of danger. We had
every intention of telling you."
	"When? When I was with child?"
	"No, oh Serena, never like that. When you fully
realized that you and Darien were destined for each other,"
Mina answered.
	And when Serena raised her eyes, there stood
her destined one, holding out his hand for her to take. She
smiled shyly and took his hand and they walked away his
arm around her waist and her head resting against his
shoulder. The Scouts watched after them, smiles on their
faces, satisfied that their Princess would be cherished
forever.
	"It's all so romantic isn't it? They have such a
wonderful story to tell their grandchildren." Amy said,
sighing.
	The other Scouts looked at her with interest.
	"Wow Amy, didn't think you were the romantic
type. I thought you were more into the straightforward stuff,
not the mysteries of love," Raye said, winking.
	"Well, when she has a man like me by her side,
miracles are bound to happen," Zoicite said, grinning
mischievously, the Generals joining the Scouts on the steps.
	Amy blushed and everyone laughed as they saw
her hit Zoicite on the arm lightly.
	"You know what?" Mina said, settling into
Kunzite's arms.
	"What?" they all asked.
	"We've all got stories to tell."

~*~*TheEnd*~*~
Well, what did you guys think? This, I think, will be the
last time I write such a long fic. I take forever doing so!
Did you know, I started writing this from the middle, and
then I went back to start from the beginning. Can you
guess what chapter I started first? Even better can you
guess what scene? Now, I also need you guys to help me,
should I write an epilogue? I'm not sure. Help me people!
Oh and don't worry, I will be writing stories for the Scouts
and Generals too, (that ending is just asking for it) just not
yet.
Thanks all for reading this, now don't forget to write me!
Bye bye
patch:-)(-:
patchkhan1@hotmail.com