Chapter One

Once upon a time

 “O you who know what we suffer here: do not forget us in your prayers.”

-Frank Herbert

 

            H e stood, pale watching his sister being consumed in

 the flames of anger.

            “Tranquillity, what are you doing?” Terrence cried out.

            Tranquillity stood, among fires of anger and hatred, her orignially

dark black hair now flaming, and her eyes originally a soft brown a now a

pale, hot red fury.  She was a tall shadow among the flames, and she

smirked at her brother, “I’m leaving, mastering a power you’ll never

possess.”

            “That’s because it is anger and hatred!  Tranquillity, I don’t know

what caused this feeling inside you, but I want you to let it go, please.  We

need you back at the palace.”  Terrence stood, his green eyes glowing in

fear, and his golden hair smothered to his brow.

      “I’m not coming back.  It was clear that when I said I was going to

be empress of the galaxy, the Lunarians did not believe my vow.”

            “That’s because it makes no sense.  We are a peaceful race.  We

don’t need to conquer other galaxies in order to live in concord.  Please,

Tranquillity, let it go, and let’s go home, and forget this silly notion.”

            “No, you don’t understand!  Don’t you see that it isn’t just that!”

Tranquillity cried.  “It’s you!  You are always so perfect, you know. 

That’s the way it’ll be.  You’re the handsome bright one, and I’m the dark

and scary one.  Terrence, you’ve always been “in the favor” one, and

that’s why you get the throne.”

            “That is not true!  We are twins, so we will share the throne.”

            “Isn’t your life already perfect enough?” Tranquillity snapped. 

“You married the Moon Princess, for crying out loud!”

            Terrence looked sadly at his sister, and looked grimly at his wife,

who was lying on the floor, unconscious.  She was beautiful, with that soft

pearl hair and those endless blue eyes, which were closed right now.  Her

delicate figure was strewn across the floor.  She was thrown down by his

sister, Tranquillity.

            Tranquillity was insane, and that was the only way to explain it,

since she started to carry around that strange staff of hers, obsessed with a

woman by the name of Metalia.  Terrence knew it wasn’t good.  And now,

as Serenity accidentally interrupted Tranquillity’s tryst with the strange

dark magical presence, Tranquility had flung out in rage and struck her

down.  She was consumed in a fury that was ready to destroy the universe

and everything worth living for if he did not stop her.  He needed to stop

her.

            Serenity could hear words at the back of her mind and pushed

herself out of unconsciousness.  As she opened her sapphire eyes slowly,

she saw her husband take a dagger out.

            “You wouldn’t…”  Tranquillity challenged her brother.  “You’re

bluffing.”

            “If I have to,” Terrence said, sadly.  “You aren’t yourself anymore,

Tranquillity.  I love you, and I know my sister; she is not this hate that is

consuming you right now.  I have to do this my wife’s life, and everyone’s

life.”  With that, he lifted the dagger, and whispered the words quietly.  “I

love you, Serenity.  Take care of yourself, and don’t forget me.”

            With that, he stabbed himself, and feel to the ground.

            At that instant, Tranquillity fell, falling to the ground, clutching her

heart, feeling her brother’s pain with him.  “Metalia, I have failed you!” 

she screamed in pain loudly.

            Now fully conscious, Serenity ran to her husband’s side. 

“Terrence, why?”

            “It had to be this way, Serenity.  If I didn’t, she’d be living now,

using that angry power to destroy everything we live for.”

            “But how?” she asked, confused, her eyes now tearful, and her lips

quivering.

            “We were twins, and when born, soul bonded.  When I died, she’d

die as well.  And when she died, I’d die as well.  It was going to end this

way any point of view.  She’d be killed, and I’d die as well, no matter how

far away I was.”

            “Terrence.”

            “I had to save what was left of my sister from Metalia, and I had to

save you.  I had to take care of the Earth.  As the king, it was my duty. 

Take care, Serenity.  I love you, and I know you are strong.  Please, fight

this anger that had killed my sister long before this, and conquer it for me,

for me and everything that is living.  I love you…” with that, he closed his

brown eyes, as Serenity cried into his chest.

            “Oh, Terrence, what am I going to do without you?”

            The tears came in large volume now, as a place in her heart

suddenly became very cold, and shattered into  thousand pieces, leaving

hallow empty darkness.

            Her diamond pendant glittered wildly as the air around her became

extremely thick.  Serenity caught her breath as the aura around her

husband suddenly became cold, but her pendant became warm.  “My

crystal…”

            She touched the crystal carefully and tearfully, feeling the warmth

and comfort the pure clear jewel provided her.

            “Serenity…”

            Serenity looked up to feel a darker presence in the room.  “Who is

there?”

            “Tranquillity wasn’t strong enough for my power, but you are. 

Why don’t you take the universe, Serenity?”

            “Isn’t it enough you took my husband, and my father, Metalia?”

            “No, daughter, I wish you to continue me legacy.”

            “What legacy?  There is no legacy.  Only pain, and suffering. 

Mother, oh mother!  You took everything away from me!”

            “You have been disobedient, daughter, and that is why.”

            “Mother, please, let go of your anger, and let go of your influence,

and let it all go.  Anger is not a way to live.”

            “Anger is the immortal way to live, and I will outlive you and

come to power in your heir.  Serenity.  It may not be now, and not

tomorrow, but I will conquer everything that you stand for, and make it a

world darker than the darkest night.  And smother you in it.”

 

            Serenity sat up in bed, with a sweat covering her forehead.

            She couldn’t keep remembering it.  She had to forget it.  She

touched her swollen belly.  Now eight months since her husband had

killed himself, she carried his child.

            The minute she started showing, she hid herself in the palace.  She

would NOT let Metalia steal her child.  Her child would be free.  No

matter what.

            Serenity clutched the silver imperium crystal in the palm of her

hand.  It gleamed in the moonlight, glittering with the love of her husband. 

He lived, still, in that crystal, and she kept her crystal close to her at all

times.

            She was going to protect herself.  “Luna?”

            “Serenity?”  the dark-haired pale-faced maiden entered the room.

            “Luna, I need your help.  Gather the guardians, and their newborn

children.  We are going to save them.”

 

            Lauryl Kingston sat in the moonlight, looking to the stars for an

answer.  *Why am I here?*

            At that moment, her husband, Edward, stepped up behind her, and

put his arms around her.

            “What’s going on, honey?”

            “I don’t know; the moon called me, I guess,” she smiled

mysteriously, putting a lock of her soft sea green hair behind her ear.

            Edward smiled, his blue eyes glowing in the moonlight.  His wife

was special, and he held her tightly in his grasp, kissing her cheek, and

lovingly caressing her pale white face.

            “You look so beautiful,” he whispered, as he kissed her cheek.

            “Well you look so handsome!” she replied, blushing.

            As they stood and held each other in the moonlight, they felt a

strange cold wind.  At that moment, she felt a knock on the door, and they

went to it, opening to find a little baby on the steps.

            She was sleeping.

            Underneath, there was a letter.

 

Please take my dear Serena, for I find that her life is in danger if she stays

with me.  Please raise her.  This basket she comes in is made out of gold,

and lined with silks and jewels.  That should cover her raising up and

education.  I beg of you to take her, for I don’t know what else to do.

 

            Lauryl blinked at the letter, and handed it to Edward.

            She stooped to move the basket, but found that it was indeed very

heavy, for it WAS gold, and pearls and gold and diamonds lined the

inside, and in the mattress for the baby was white silk and satin.  Instead of

bothering with those, she picked up the infinitely more precious child, and

held her.

            She was special.  There was something innocent and vulnerable. 

She couldn’t turn this child away.  She was too beautiful, to special.

            Edward silently looked at them.

            “So what do we do now?”  Lauryl asked.

            “I don’t know Lauryl.  She’s alone, but raising her could put us in

danger.”

            “But the mother obviously thought that she would be safe with us.”

            “That is true, and she is too delicate, and too special to you

already,” he smiled.  He leaned forward, and kissed the baby’s forehead.

            She simply yawned that small mouth and leaned back on Lauryl’s

shoulder.

            “Then we’ll raise her.”

 

            “Did you hear?”

            “What?”

            “Edward Kingston, the bookseller, is sending his DAUGHTER to

the Academy!”

            “Daughter?  As in a girl?”

            “I know, isn’t that scandalous?”

            “Very much so!”  the first woman said, as they separated, and

attempted to spread the news more.

            There had NEVER been a girl at the Academy.  The Academy was

strictly for the sons of rich men, and Edward Kingston was a mere

bookseller, and he was sending his DAUGHTER, the six-year-old who

asked too many questions.

            But as Serena carelessly, and even happily, clasped her father’s

hand lightly, and skipped along the road, Edward knew he was doing the

right thing.  The girl’s mother, whoever she was, would have wanted this

for her daughter.

            Serena danced about, aware of what the women said of her, but did

not really care.  Her mother had told her that those ladies didn’t really

know what they were talking about…in fact, as she termed it, what they

talked about was…

            “Daddy… I need to ask you something!”

            Edward bent down and let Serene whisper some words into his ear.

            “No, Serena, no matter how often Mommy uses that phrase, you

are not to use that to describe ANYTHING, you hear?” he said, sternly,

wanting laugh.

            “But Mommy said…”

            “That’s Mommy’s problem, and I’ll have to talk to her about it.”

            “All right Daddy.”

            She nodded her head, and Edward kissed her on the forehead as

they came to the front of the classroom.

            As she stepped in, she looked carefully around for a nice person to

sit with.  She knew that if he were mean, it wouldn’t matter, but if her

were nice, she could at least TALK a little.

            He sat in the corner.  A short blond child watching her, with jewel

blue eyes, twinkling.  His hair was a mussed, and for a duke’s child, he

didn’t look very harmful.

            She walked up to him, and whispered quietly, “Is this seat taken?”

            The eight-year-old was curious.  “Yeah, sure, my name’s Jed.”

            “Nice to meet you Jed!” Serena smiled.  “I’m Serena Kingston!”

            He had heard her name enough around the classroom already,

hearing the rumors and hisses.

            “I have a sister your age; her name’s Mina.  She looks a lot like

you.”

            “Really?  Everyone says that I don’t look like anybody!  They

don’t think I look like my Mommy and Daddy…”

            “I don’t exactly like my parents either, so don’t worry.  My mom

has brown hair and I have blond, but then again, my daddy has blond hair,

so I guess I DO look like my parents…”

            “All right, class, welcome to the new class.  Let’s take role and

start the classes.”

 

            “Your highness!”

            Darien turned form the window to the classroom teacher.

            “Yes?”

            “From what I hear, in the town of Polaris, they have let a girl into

the duke school.  What is your position of women getting an education? 

Two minutes.”

            Darien stood up, and yawned.  Eight years old, and in debating

class, and wanting to go outside, he did not want to do this speech,

especially on the first day of school.

            “I believe that educating a women could prove to be useful in her

intelligence, but useless in life.  Take my sister Raye, for example.  She’s

six years old.  She doesn’t need an education.  She’ll grow up, and

although education may help her act more intelligently, in the end, she’ll

marry some prince and live far away, and never apply Plato’s theorems or

anything such.”

            Raye wasn’t REALLY his sister, he reflected as he sat down.  She

was his cousin, the daughter of this dead uncle and aunt.  And not even a

true daughter, he’d heard his mother and her advisor talking of some gold

basket lined with rubies.  But nevertheless, he was to call her his sister.

            “That was not a full two minutes, but I see you got the point

across.  Thank you, your majesty.”

            “Your welcome,” he said, as he went back to looking out the

window, thinking of the fool girl that was sitting in some desk somewhere,

learning totally useless things.  What a waste.

 

            The fifteen-year-old was walking the fence with a book in her

hands, her golden hair in a braid from the nape of her neck to her waist. 

She wore a plain brown dress, and smiled, daydreaming as she looked out

of the book for a moment, to look at the sky.

            She then twirled around on the fence and smiled at the sunlight.

            “Serena!”

            “Coming mother!”  she yelled, as she simply hoped off the fence

and ran into the town, into the book shop.

            “We need your help.”

            Serena smiled at the next customer, to find another blond, better

dressed, in a pink dress, her blond hair combed neatly and some tied back

in a pink bow.  Serena wasn’t jealous of the girl’s better clothing or

appearance.  To her, dresses were a burden, to be worn in duty.  She hated

dresses.  Therefore, in her ideals, the simpler the dress, the better it was. 

She smiled and greeted her.  “Hello Mina, how are you?”

            Mina smiled back at Serena Kingston.  Serena was queer enough,

always reading and studying, and when not, doing boyish activity, riding a

horse ASTRIDE, and fencing with Jed.  But Serena was sweet, interesting

and fun, and that was why Mina liked her.

            “I came by to congratulate you.  Jed says that both you and he are

recommended to the prince’s guard.”

      “Yes, I’m excited.  I’m dreaming about the “what if”s right now.”

            “And the handsome prince!  I’d give MY life for him,” Mina

smiled.

            “I don’t know.  I don’t know what he looks like.  And I guess tt

doesn’t really matter  Personally, I think he’s a twit.  I’ve heard that when

he heard that a girl was on the list of candidates for the four who guard, he

laughed!”

            “So are you going to go there and teach him a lesson?”  Mina

smiled.  She loved to see Serena’s courage and intelligence take her over. 

It was such an inspiration.

            “Yes, I suppose.  What about you, Mina?  How are you these

days?”

            “Oh, great.  I’m attending finishing school in another month, and

then I’ll try to be one of Princess Raye’s ladies in waiting, so I’ll

eventually come to Terryl Manes as well, though finishing school will

probably take two years!”

            “I’m glad; you always wanted to be a lady in waiting!”

            “Serena, can I talk to you for a minute, alone?” Mina looked

around her, bending forward to the counter.

            Serena nodded her head, and they walked to a back room.  As

Serena closed the door behind her, she turned to Mina.  “What’s up?”

            “I wasn’t able to sleep last night, so I was sneaking down stairs for

a bite to eat.  I was passing my parent’s bedroom when I heard my father

say my name.”

            “What were they saying?”

            “Father mentioned a gold basket, lined with amber.  I don’t think

I’m their real daughter.”

            “So where could you come from?”

            “I don’t know, but when we go to Terryl Manes, I’m going to find

out.  I told you because I thought maybe you studied this kind of thing, of

maybe you could help me.”

            “I haven’t heard of any such baskets, but of course I’ll help you!”

            “And you are, under NO circumstances, to tell ANYONE about

this, do you understand, Serena?”

            “Promise by the name of Selene.”

            “Selene?  Who’s Selene?”

            “The Goddess of the Moon.  It’s an expression.  It’s like swearing

on the Moon, but I like vowing on the goddess’s word more.”

            “All right, well I have to go; Jed’s probably going to come looking

for me soon.”

            “Bye, Mina.”

            “Love ya, Serena!”

            Serena smiled as Mina walked out of the shop.  *So tall, so perfect,

so beautiful.  She’d make one PERFECT princess, but I know she’ll the be

the paragon of ladies in waiting!*

            She smiled as she dreamed of being the perfect guard.

 

            Lauryl smiled as she looked at the sleeping form in the moonlight.

            She looked golden, that silky hair brushing and gliding over her

pillow, her long lashes fluttering her cheeks, while her creamy pale face

was brilliantly ivory in the moonlight.  On her soft pink lips was a smile

that expressed the desires and dreams of a little princess.

            “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Edward whispered to her as he joined

her at the doorway to Serena’s room.

            “I can’t believe our luck.  She ended up on OUR doorstep, no one

else’s, and she’s so perfect and ambitious and sweet.”

            “I think she’ll be a great guard.  I don’t care what they say about

her not acting like a lady, because if she acted any less, she couldn’t be our

daughter.”

            Lauryl hugged her husband, thinking the same thing.  “I only hope

that she doesn’t change too much when she goes away.  And I hope it

doesn’t get TOO quiet around here.”

 

            “You have come here because you have been deemed the top of

your classes in your districts.  You are all here with one goal in mind; to

protect the prince.  You may make it as high as the four who guard, but for

you other, you will find satisfying jobs as well, as being a castle guard.”

            Serena didn’t want to be a castle guard.  She wanted to be one of

the four who guard.  She wanted to be the prince’s bodyguard, just to

show everyone who was laughing at her that a girl did have reason to get

an education.

            The four who guard was the most exclusive group in the kingdom. 

They were four of the best people in the world, who advised the prince,

and also guarded him.  One had to be athletic, smart, and extremely patient

to get through all the training that would occur in the next months.

            She was born to be a guard, and she was born for success.  She

studied hard to make it pay off, and some day, Serena would find herself

the head of the four, the strongest woman and person on Earth.  It was

above any other goal any other person could have.

            But for now, while she was still only fifteen, and in training, she

still had to prove herself to her superiors.  Serena tightened up the golden

ponytail, and prepared to lance.

 

            “The final examinations have been through, and here it is; the five

who remain the selection are as follows, from the lowest score to the

highest: Jedyte McLullun, Nephlyte Borsche, Zoicyte Shanning, Kunzyte

Clendon, and Serena Kingston,” the head examiner said, standing by as

Darien shot at a target with his bow and arrow.  As he said the last name,

the prince’s concentration was ruined, and the arrow he had been aiming

flew off and missed the target by several yards.

            “There’s a GIRL in the final five?  How’d she even get in the

selection process in the first place?” Darien rolled his eyes.

            “Your highness, Serena Kingston has proved herself more than

worthy, and has proved some of your toughest examiners wrong.  There

are some instructors and testers believing she should be your head of the

four.”

            “Ha!  I don’t think so.  This is a man’s work.  Take someone else,”

said Darien, aiming again, and hitting the mark, bulls eye.

 

            “He screwed me over!”  the blond eighteen-year-old was very mad. 

“I got the highest mark in the examination in history, and sociology!  I

vanquished everyone in that pitiful fight they called a joust tournament,

and I fenced everyone to the ground!  I should be in there!”  Sernea hit the

wall with a fist, leaving a small dent.

            The other four in the quarters looked up, when the door swung

open, and a furious young woman entered and started screaming with a

paper in her hand.

            They were her friends, comrades who trained with her, the four

who came to be her best opponents, and most understanding friends.

            Jed was her friend since the first day of school, and he understood

everything she felt, because they were almost siblings.

            Neph, her partner in fencing, and he was good, but she transcended

his performance, and achieved perfection.  Neph simply admitted a good

adversary and became her friend.

            Zoy was her intellectual equal.  They talked of Plato and Socrates

as they jousted and exchanged books from the first day of training.  He

was an excellent archer to add to his talents, and Serena learned how to

perfect her skills from him, though she took his methods and worked more

with them, and managed to get better than him.

            Kunz was the tallest and most scary one.  He was her rival, but he

was also understanding.  Also as intelligent as his friends, he was rather

cold in trainings, though he was considerably better off training.  He

admitted Serena a worthy opponent the minute he saw her, but would not

accept defeat until she had him down on the floor, with a sword to his

throat.

            Zoicyte looked at her sympathetically.  “You’ve worked hard,

Sere.  You SHOULD be in there.  I don’t know why…”

            “Oh, I know, all right.  I know exactly who’s crossed my off and

replaced me with Melvin Getting.  Melvin can’t even pick up a sword; it’s

too heavy for him.  You know that; remember, that’s why he uses that

little dagger!”

            “Who do you think pushed you off the list?” Nephlyte asked,

patiently.

            “His highness himself.  The instructor told me I was a sure pick,

the leader in the points, and that I could even make head of the four!  But

the choices had to pass through two people, the queen and her son, the

prince.  Seeing that the queen has already invited me to tea with Mina and

her daughter for the past MONTH, and has encouraged me to keep up my

training.  SHE couldn’t have screwed it.  It’s gotta be his Highness.  Now

if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got someone to tear apart, limb by limb.”

            “Sere!  Watch out, you may get in trouble…” Jed said after her.

      His warning went unheard, as Jed silently smiled and wished he’d

be there when Sere gave the prince a piece of her mind, and perhaps a bit

of her fist as well.

 

            Darien circled his teacher, with his fencing sword set in position

and he came forward, touching the point to his instructor’s chest armor.

            Sweat made his black hair cling to his forehead, as his face was

slightly smudged with dirt form the floor, and from his earlier expedition

outside, when he had tried to jump a brook with a reluctant horse.  The

horse jumped the brook.  Darien made the mud puddle at the bank. 

However dirty and sweaty he was, he was also tall, and twenty, and

therefore naturally dignified.

            “Good mark, sire.”

            No sooner had the sound died when the door to his desk room was

thrown open, and a very angry person entered the room.

            It was hard to tell she was a young woman.  She was so covered in

dirt and small cuts and bruises hat Darien had thought it was one of those

high-strung boys that always got into trouble.  However, as he saw the

curve of her face, the still graceful curve of her neck, he distinguished that

this was a young woman.  She could not have been more than fifteen, with

that pale face.  Her hair was pulled back into a low, mangled ponytail.  Her

eyes were blue and bright with fire.

            “And who are you?” he asked, tiredly.

            She wasn’t amused.

            She wasn’t bowing.  Some respect.  “If you are not aware of who I

am…”

            “I know who you are.  You are the lowest being of this entire

planet.  You took away my chance to make something of myself!”

            She came forward, taking a fence sword from the table at the side,

where they were all laid out, as she walked to him.

            “You’re going to regret that, whoever you are.”

            “I never do things I regret,” she said, as she sent her sword

forward.

            Darien was a good swordsman, but he was surprised and not

trained to fight in such massive combat.  In three clever, fluid strokes, he

was disarmed, and she approached him, and punched him on his lip.

            Darien put a hand to his lip, and felt blood.  “Woman!  What are

you doing here?”

            Serena stood, panting.  She bowed.  “Serena Kingston, sire,” she

said, putting the sword in front of her, point up, and then whipping to her

side in yet another fluid stroke.

            He looked amazed, at her.  She was a jungle girl!  Dressed in

PANTS, not only ragged pants, but extremely dirty ones, and her form was

totally hidden by her large filthy shirt.  Her face was coated with a gleam

of sweat, and smudged slightly with dirt, and a small bruise at her temple. 

Her arms were covered in dirt as well, and there were some bruises there

are well.

            “So you’re the silly girl.”

            Serena gripped the sword some more, “What did you call me?”

            Darien motioned for his guards.

            They came forward, but with bruises and mangled armor

themselves.  It was evident that she had already had her share of fun with

them.

            “Serena!  I’m so sorry.  I didn’t know until…” the Queen had

entered.

            Serena immediately saw her, and showing true respect, fell onto

one knee, and put her forehead to the hilt of the sword in front of her.

            “You may rise.”

            “Mother, this…this…savage…” Darien began.

            “This young lady is more than qualified for the four who guard, but

you chose to omit her from the list, Darien.  Why?” she cut him off.

            Darien was stunned; his pther was not even taking his side, and

was obviously blind.  “Look at her!  She looks like a savage!  She punched

me!  She ACTS like one.”

            “Miss Kingston, did you punch my son?”

            “I am afraid so, your majesty.  I let my emotions get the better of

me.”

            “You should have at least punched him harder.”

            “Mother!”

            Serena cracked a pure brilliant smile.  “Yes, I should have, your

majesty, but I underestimated his natural strength.”

            “A careful flaw which you will have to improve, I suppose.”

            “Of course.”

            “Well, if what my son says IS true, what are we to do?”

            “I don’t know, your highness.  I was very upset I didn’t make the

cut, though I KNOW I deserved it more than any who did make it.”

            “I am NOT taking her into the four, let alone final five,” he stated.

            “Then would you like to join my daughter Raye’s ladies in waiting,

as her guard?”

            Serena knew from the somewhat sad look on her face, that the

queen could not offer more.

            “All right, your highness.”

            “Then I’m afraid you’ll have to go through some more training.”

            “All right,” Serena said.  After the tortures of the training for the

four who guard, nothing could be harder.

            “You must attend finishing school.”

            “WHAT?”

 

            Serena warily came into her first day of finishing school in her

only clean and respectable dress, a light blue thing her mother had sewn a

few months back and mailed her.

            It was plain, like her usual dresses.  It wasn’t even a dress.  There

was a blue shirt, and a flowing skirt.  Some of the others there snickered,

but Serena didn’t really care.  She really just wanted to go back to Terryl

Manes and take her duty, or at least beat the prince up again.

            She didn’t care WHAT Mina had said when they were fifteen; the

prince was far from handsome, and he was rude and inconsiderate and she

was right; he was a twit.  What kind of pompous brat did he think he was, 

taking away her chance at fulfillment in life just because she was a girl. 

She really just wanted to punch him and take him and throw him to the

ground and knock him until he was unconscious.

            But no, instead, here she was, sitting, and correcting her sitting

posture, and learning how to make tea while Jed and them all were all

probably doing something fun, like polishing swords or practicing archery.

            She didn’t even WANT to learn how the cook and dance and

stitch.  She’d never apply those skills anyhow.  And what did she care

about the rules of courtship?  It wasn’t as if she wanted to marry someone. 

She just liked competing with men, nothing else.  She couldn’t imagine

herslf looking shyly out of her eyelashes to look beseechingly into

ANYONE’S eyes.  Zoy would be laughing at her now; she had learned all

of Aristotle’s theorems, but still had to learn the rules of dinner topics.

            However, there were some interesting people in her class.  There

was that shining-eyed girl in the front, with the short blue hair.  She

looked very intelligent, and possessed a certain knowing posture.  Serena

knew that she could probably make easy friends with her if they just

started talking about some topic or another.

            And there was the girl who sat two seats away from her; the tall

study-looking one.  She looked athletic, and probably understood her need

to run free out of doors, uninhibited by long skirt hems and in the freedom

of pants.  Her auburn hair tumbled down her shoulders from a green clip in

her hair, which clipped back only some hair.  Her face was pale, her chin

pointed, and her eyes were emeralds of excitement.  Serena caught her eye,

and they smiled.

            Sighing, she got back to her penmanship lesson once more, and

tried to make her letters as elegant and curvy as possible.

            She preferred the simple block print she had used since childhood. 

This handwriting thing was far from writing.  It was an art.  She hated this.

            She looked out the window, into the fancy garden, where lay some

thirty parasols on the bench, waiting for their lesson in walking in extrme

brightness which was scheduled for later that day.

 

Dear Mom and Dad,

            This place is driving me nuts.  I need a book, and none of those

light sappy fairy tale things we read.  Send me Plato, and send me

something new and exciting, because this place is SO boring.

            I miss you much.  I never realized how much I missed you until I

got here.  I suppose when I was in Terryl Manes, I at least was myself, and

therefore carried your memory, but here, well, everything is so

professional and so impersonal.  There is no feeling here, no emotion.  “A

lady must at all times hide her true feelings and act as society would

expect her to,” as Madam Kilbourne says.

            I have already had to talk to her many times in the past few months

I have been here.  My friend Lita and I do too much activity and are so

active that we are “indecent”.  Mother, we’ve only been outside and raced

a few times, and that is far from indecent.

            Madam Kilbourne is also very upset at my choice of topics for

stimulating conversation.  It seems that the only person who ever keeps up

in my conversation is Amy, because the other girls seem to have no idea

what we are talking about.  I thought EVERYONE read the Republic; it’s

an important piece of literature, and Madam Kilbourne said that we were

not to discuss politics.  I told her that not discussing politics was

impossible, for everything led to politics, but she just said I was being

impertinent, and left it at that.

            She says that a lot to me when I ask her questions.  She won’t

explain why I have to wear these weird stocking things when no one sees

my legs anyhow, and she won’t tell me why the lace on a parasol is

necessary, only that it is, and she won’t tell me why I still have to stitch

these annoying flowers on every article of clothing I own, even though I

hate wearing clothes with flowers on them.  She won’t even explain to me

why women must ride sidesaddle if they are trying to make riding safer for

us; I think it is far easier to fall off a horse when one is one sidesaddle than

astride, but Madam Kilbourne will not argue that.

            She has even despised my reading taste.  She caught me reading

Aeschylus the other day and threatened to take it away if she ever saw it

again.  I tried to explain to her that it was really quite an interesting play

written to criticize our society, but she said that ladies don’t criticize

anything but the weather.  To that I answered, “Then the weather around

here is very bad.”

            But realistically, I believe Madam is a lot nicer to me than she

should be.  She has excused me from learning dance.  I think part of the

reason is because she doesn’t want to teach  me all two hundred of those

steps that I will undoubtedly spend an hour on for each one; you know that

I have no grace in such an awkward thing.  From what I’ve observed

though, it is a lot like fencing, only the hands are taken and instead of

going around each other in a circle, you form shapes.  So in the event I

have to dance, I think I’ll be fine.

            There seems to be a lot of emphasis on marriage and courtship in

Madam’s lessons.  She assumes that all the ladies present will become rich

housewives, and marry rich lords.  I once told her that it was assuming too

much when she taught me how to sew my wedding clothes, but she simply

scoffed at me, and said that I will find myself getting married someday. 

However, she guarantees that she will be at my wedding, and that

whomever I marry will be a very tolerant person, as well as special, for she

says I have high standards in marriage.  I told her I had none.  She just

insisted that I did.  So I decided to let her believe that there was hope for

me, but we know that it is hopeless to try to marry me off; it is as

impossible as the Moon Queen claiming I am her daughter, for we know

I’d be a horrible princess, and I hardly have the grace for it, and tolerance,

and we all know that I am YOUR child, and not the moon queen’s.  But

who knows, the lady is kind of spacey…

            But I digress again.  My stitchery is all right, Madam says, only

she says that my stitches, though are strong and efficient, show no graceful

pattern, nor sense of style.  I told her that I didn’t need any style, where I

was going.  But she always likes arguing with me.

            Madam has also helped me tremendously with my swearing habits. 

Mother, I have to say that you have to work on yours, for it seems that all

the words you use are unacceptable here, though I have heard Madam use

them when she thinks I am not listening.  She also thinks that sometimes,

my vocabulary gets TOO dignified.  There really is no pleasing that

woman.

            Overall, the “cleansing” of my social spirit is coming along fine. 

Madam is very pleased with the progress I have been making.  I only make

that progress because I know that if I don’t understand and get it now, I’ll

have to stay in this prison much longer, and we don’t want that.  I can’t

wait to go back to Terryl Manes and run around in pants again; I don’t

care if the prince and the society frowns down upon it; I will do it, and I

will do whatever I want when I am turned loose.

            I hope to complete this torture within the next nine months.  If I am

not out of here by then, I will have a potential of dying of sheer horror

here.  The days are just too long, and the work too tedious.  I don’t think

I’ve ever been more exhausted in my life every night, not even when I was

first learning how to fence and ride.  (I hate learning again here; and this

way is so odd.  I hate sidesaddle.  I always feel like I’m going to fall down

flat on my face because the fabric of the skirts they give us is of this

slippery material and it’s easy to fall off the polished saddles this way.  I

have already fallen three times, and my nose was bloody once when I hit a

tree on the fall.)

            I miss you very much.  Send my regards to the neighbors, and tell

the McLulluns I am proud that Jed made it to the four.  I only wish I were

there as well, rather than here.

 

Much Love to you both,

Your loving daughter,

Serena

 

            She walked the fence with two books, one on her head, and another

in her hands, as she read it.

            “Miss Kingston!”

            “What?”  she looked up, as the book did not move an inch.

            “You are nineteen, and a lady, not three and a little boy!”

            “Sorry,” she said meekly, hopping down from the fence.

            Her posture was naturally excellent, it was simple to keep posture,

for she had done so unconsciously for many years while she trained.

            “What would you like me to do now, Madam Kilbourne?”

            “You are strange mix, Miss Kingston.  You now have perfect

posture, perfect manners, and everything about your natural ability now is

lady like.  But when you dress in SUCH you are a hoyden!”

            “Um…sorry Madam.”

            “Well, today, you are going to finish your course.  You will go and

be fitted for some dresses and such.  In the past year, you have shocked me

more than I have ever been, but I think you have learned all that I can

possibly teach you, so I’m letting you go in a month, when everything for

your departure to go back to Terryl Manes.”

            “Really?”

            “Yes, really.  You have made a dramatic improvement in your

social mannerisms.”

            “Thank you!” she smiled, turning to go inside.

            “But wait, Miss Kingston.”

            Serena turned.  “Yes, Madam.”

            “I want you to know that I think you are my greatest

accomplishment, but I think that you yourself should be proud of who you

are.  Though you came with the manner of a hoyden, you have shown

yourself to be a very charming and intelligent young lady, and I am glad

that my teachings has not killed that whit and charm, as well that eternal

energy you seem to possess.  I admit, it has been difficult, but over all, a

very stimulating year for me.  I only wish you luck in your future

endeavors.  I consider you one of my prize pupils.”

            Serena’s smiled was brilliant.  “REALLY?”

            “Good luck, Miss Kingston.”

            “Thank you, very much!” Serena smiled, as she turned, and broke

into a full joyous run.

            “Trot, my dear!  Don’t run!”

            She was out of  hearing range.  Madam Kilbourne sighed.  *The

girl’s got charm and whit, and she knew French even before she got here. 

She may be a little too smart, but I think she’ll be all right.*

 

            “Did you hear?”

            “Hear what?”  Nephlyte asked Jedyte.

            “I was talking with a miad, and she said that Serena’s back from

finishing school, and she’s going to join them.”

            “So soon?” mused Prince Darien.  “It’s only been a year!” he said

as he checked the calendar on the wall.

            “Mina said that she’s back, and she’s all dressed up and hasn’t

looked better, so ‘fashionable and pretty’ were her exact words.  I thought

she was fine the way she was.”

            Darien did not say a word to that statement.

            The four were chosen, Jedyte, Nephlyte, Zoicyte and Kunzyte all

stayed around in their office, and Darien had visited them this afternoon

with a proposition in mind.  But this news was interesting.  The Amazon

woman was back.

            Suddenly, a firm, but very gentle knock was heard at that door. 

Not wanting to be bothered by his mother, whom he thought the knock

was from, Darien went into a far corner in the shadows as the guard got

back into the desks, and tried to look busy.

      “Come in,” Kunzyte said, professionally.

            “Do you think you could fool someone who’s been there before?”

she smiled.  “Yeah right, hard at work!”

            “Serena!  WOAH!” Jed said.  “NICE GETUP!”

            Darien was in a corner and had no view of the door, but he heard

every word clearly.  Her voice was different, elegant, and feminine!  He

was curious as to her appearance, but decided to remain hidden anyway;

he didn’t want to deal with HER; knowing her lack of respect, she might

punch him again.

            “Nice to see you again!  Mina wrote me saying that you four made

it.  I happy for you!”  she smiled.

            The men were still dazed.  Serena was beautiful.  Her golden hair

was pulled up and shining, some stray coils wandering down gently to

frame her face.  She wore pink silk dress which accented her womanly

figure, which was previously overlooked.

            Kunzyte got his speech first.  “Nice to see you again, Serena.  It’s

been a while.”

            “Yes it has,” she said, shaking his hand, and as he tried to kiss her

hand, she withdrew her hand and smiled.  “It’s not necessary.”

            “And how are you?”

            “Fine.  There were some very wonderful ladies at the finishing

school.  Two were to train to be a lady in waiting to princess Raye as well. 

One’s name is Amy, and she’s pretty educated.  She went to school in her

childhood, but stopped going recently when that idiot Darien put out that

decree that women were to attend only finishing school.  She led her

classes.  She deserved more.  The other was very fun, Lady Lita.  She was

an orphan, and no one knows where she’s from, but she came with a gold

basket lined with emeralds, so we all thought she was some lost princess! 

Oh it was so much fun to make up stories about her past.  Lita, Amy and I

had such fun.  And Lita is just as much a tomboy as me.  We had horse

races, and scared Madam Kilbourne out of her WITS when we both rode

astride!”  she laughed.  Secretly, she placed that memory of the basket

with Mina’s memory of the basket, and planned to have a discussion with

both girls present.

            Zoicyte looked at her eyes carefully, and said, “You’ve changed.”

            “You all have changed too, only not as drastically; I just had a

longer way to go.”

            “Serena, sorry about…”

            “It’s all right.  I think it’s better this way.  I guess it was time I

learned to look like a woman.  Besides, Raye’s letting me keep up my

studies, so I’ll still be able to write papers of protest to Dumb Darien’s

proposals.”

            Darien was gritting his teeth.

            Jed laughed.  “How’s my sister?  We may be in the same castle,

but the only times I hear form her are through letters; I haven’t seen since

we arrived!”

            “Oh, Jed.”

            “It’s okay though.”

            “You really should talk your cruel master into letting you come out

and play.  Raye’s a great pal.  A true princess.  She’s sometimes crabby,

and I admit, we DO fight quite some bit over some silly issues; especially

over her brother; she likes him, I don’t, of course, but overall, she’s a great

person.  I like her.  She’s also smart, which is definitely a step up from the

usual brainless twit.  You see, she had no education but what her mother

taught her, which was a lot, and yet, she’s more open-minded and smarter

than her brother, who led his classes and went to the best schools.”

            The four guards were nervous.  They hoped Darien didn’t hear

that.

            “Well, I have to return; I have to prepare Raye’s ensemble for

tonight; her majesty is having a ball in honor of my return, and the joining

of two more ladies, to complete Raye’s circle of ladies!  Are you coming?”

            “We hope,” Kunzyte said, thoughtfully.

            As she left, she turned, and said thoughtfully to the walls, “The

coast is clear again, your highness.”

            She turned again, and left.

            As Darien came out, furious, the guards smiled.  “Once a guard,

always a guard,” Kunzyte laughed.

 

            “What took you, slowpoke?” Mina smiled as Serena entered the

room with a white basket with red roses, golden tigerlilies, blue irises,

green ivy, and white lilies.

            “Four really hot gentlemen, whom all worship me!” Serena

laughed.  “I picked some flowers for our hair, and I saw your brother and

my friends from the training for the four.  They look well.”

            “I wouldn’t know,” Mina said.  “I haven’t seen the four who guard

yet, and I haven’t seen my brother since I arrived at the castle two years

ago!”

            “Oh!  I feel so bad about that!”

            “But I’ll see him tonight!”

            “So what are we exactly celebrating tonight?”

            “The arrival of the final three ladies in waiting of Princess Raye,

and her twentieth birthday, but there is going to be some very handsome

men there tonight,” Mina smiled.

            “You know I don’t really care about THOSE things.  But for sake

in interest, I’ll ask; who?  I know those four guards going to get

themselves a fan club tonight; they really are some handsome young man

now, now that they aren’t covered in sweat, hard work, and dirt.”

            “I was talking about his majesty the Prince,” Mina blushed.

            “You’re joking.  He wasn’t that handsome when I saw him.”

            “He was covered in sweat and you hit him; I think that makes

anyone look bad,” Lita pointed out.  “I think someone’s going to fall in

love tonight,” she said, in a sing-song voice with a hint of tease.

            “Such a pompous dork cannot grow to be a handsome prince of

dreams.”

            “Yes, he can, and he has,” said Raye, from the other room, “And

you’ll see for yourself tonight.”

            “I guess I COULD admit he could actually become handsome, but

he’s still got a long way to go even then.  Either way, he’s still got less

kindness than a tree stump.”

            “Why, what does a tree stump have?” Mina smiled.

            “The kindness of letting people sit on it,” Amy replied for Serena,

shoving a dress into her hands, and taking the basket out of them.  We

appreciate the flowers, but the ball is in an hour, and you still have to fix

your hair and get into the dress and the corset and the other things.  We

still have to get Raye in her dress.  You should wear this tonight.  It came

in the suitcase, and I think you’d look STUNNING in it.”

            Serena frowned.  “You already looked through my LUGGAGE? 

Come on, you guys!”

            “Well, someone HAD to put your stuff away, and you were out…”

            “Yeah, right,” Serena rolled her eyes as she walked to her corner of

the large room, her bed.

            The four ladies-in-waiting of her majesty Princess Raye of Lire

shared a large rectangular room, each with a corner and a bed.  It didn’t

give much privacy, but then again, the girls rarely kept anything from each

other anyway.

            Raye’s room was connected by a door, and it was usually open, for

there was no reason for it to be closed.

            “Well, what are you waiting for?  DRESS!!!” Lita commanded her.

            “Yes Madam Kilbourne,” Serena said sweetly.

            Lita shook her head and dragged a dress out of her armoire.

            “The flowers?  Which is whose?” Amy asked.

            Serena took her blouse off.  “The irises are for you, the tigers for

Mina, the ivy for Lita, the roses for Raye, and I THINK I’ll use the white

lilies.”

            “Good choices,” Mina smiled, as she grabbed her bunch off the

basket.  “They’re beautiful!”

            “I always loved flowers.  The real thing, not stitching them.  My

predilection for flowers was the only girlish part of me before I went into

the Factory.”

            “That is NOT what we call Madam Kilbourne’s finishing school,”

Amy scolded.

            “Well, it WAS a factory!  Enter Serena, girl who wore really bad

pants, exit Miss Serena, lady with-umph!-tights!”  As she struggled to get

them on.

            They laughed.

 

            Laughter ceased when they wandered the corridors down to the

ballroom.  Serena said she’d join them later, and so, they went ahead.

            Serena was still having problems with the whole lady thing.  She

had to show up tonight.  There was absolutely no other alternative. 

They’d notice if she didn’t come.  She was one of the guests of honor.  But

she REALLY didn’t want to go.

            She looked the part of a princess, though she was only a lady in

waiting.  Her dress was white velvet on the sleeveless bodice, with silver

embroidery at the bodice, and from below her breast, pure white

shimmering satin, which flowed closely to her figure and long shapely

legs to her feet, where she wore white satin high-heels.  She wore a small

silver tiara, a silly ornament the girls had placed in her hair, while tucking

in the white irises in the folds of her golden pinned-up braids.  There were

still some loose golden tendrils, and they framed her face.  She wore silver

balls for earrings, and a necklace out of intricate silver filigree which

covered the bare front of her to the low neckline over her dress.  She

wondered why Amy thought the dress was so pretty.  The cut of the dress

and the way it was made accented her womanly curves, and there was a

long, tall slit in the skirt that showed off her legs, which were surprisingly

feminine and gorgeous!  She was scared.  She looked like a LADY of

reputation, one of appeal, one that men might want to dance with, and yet,

she didn’t know how to dance!

            Here she was, a damsel in TRUE distress.  She knew the time

would come when she’d have to go to a ball, but she was going to play “I

feel ill” and stay behind, and hopefully have that excuse eternally; she

could form an allergy for balls.  But she couldn’t play the game now; she

got back, and everyone knew she was just fine.

            She opened her door quietly, and walked out, wondering where the

ballroom was in the first place.

            “Serena!  There you are!” Jed smiled.  “Kunzite sent me to guide

you.  He noticed you didn’t come in with all the other ladies.”

            “Yeah.”

            “You’re looking NICE.  What’s wrong?”

            “Nothing’s wrong.”

            “I’ve known you since you were six; you’re practically my sister! 

I can tell when something’s wrong.”

            “I…”

            “What?”

            “I feel ill.”

            “Other than your lack of color, you look fine.”

            “I think I left my fan in my room.”

            “It’s in your hands,” as he opened it for her, showing off the white

lace with silver roses Serena had stitched in herself.  “FANCY!  Geez,

Sere, you went up in the world!”

            “Don’t remind me.  Look, Jed, I don’t expect to be asked, but

whatever you do, you will NOT let anyone dance with me, got that clear?”

            “Sure, Sere, if that’ll make you feel better!”  he said.

            “All right,” Serena breathed.  “Lead the way, Jed.”

            He wore a general’s uniform, and Serena envied him.  She wanted

one of those too.  She wanted to wear that gray outfit, with the sash across

his chest, displaying those medals, most importantly, the one with the gold

crown in the emerald background, the one that said that he was one of the

four who guard.

            But she was glad her four pals form the trainings got in.  If she

didn’t make it, she wanted them.  They were qualified (maybe not as

qualified as her, but…) and honest.  The Prince, however undeserving he

may be, had the best of the best, except for her, of course.

            As they entered the room, Serena gripped Jed’s arm.

            Jed felt it, and said quietly, “Want to give back some of my

circulation?”

            “Oh!  Sorry,” Serena mumbled, as she let go of his hand altogether. 

She took her fan and fanned herself lightly as she followed Jed to his

colleagues, her friends.

            “So you came!  Stunning,” Nephlyte smiled.

            “Yeah, shut up.  What’s up here?”

            “Nothing much.  Zoy’s got a crush on your friend over there, the

blue-haired one.”

            “Ames?  Oh, she’s oodles of intelligence.  She’s so sweet too. 

You’ve got to meet her.  I’ll introduce you!”

            Serena took Zoy’s hand in hers, which were encased in elbow-

length white satin gloves, and dragged her across the room to her friends,

who stood near the throne, as Raye, all glossed in red silk, with her hair up

and red roses crowning, bowed to her guests.

            “Ames!  I want you to meet someone.  Amy Milner, this is Zoicyte

Shanning.”

            “Nice to meet you,” Amy blushed as she curtseyed.

            “The pleasure is all mine,” Zoicyte smiled as he kissed her hand.

            Amy blushed, and turned to Serena, confused.

            “I think you two should dance.”

            “Umm…care to?” Zoy whispered.

            “Sure!” Amy smiled, as she offered him her hand.

            Serena smiled as they walked off.

            Raye at that moment, had escaped her mother for a moment.

            “What is that HOTTIE you came in her with?”

            “Jed?  He’s Mina’s brother, Jedyte.  Known him since I started

going to school.”

            “Well…”

            “Raye!”  Serena heard Darien’s impatient voice.  Not really

interested, she didn’t bother trying to see what he looked like.

            “Well, duty calls.  I’m talking to you LATER!” she smiled to

Serena.

            “What about the one with the long hair?”

            “Kunz or Neph?”

            “The one with the brown long hair,” Lita sighed.  “He looks like

my old boyfriend.”

            “Your old boyfriend?”

            “He dumped me because all I had was the gold basket and the

emeralds, and he married the richest girl in our town.”

            “How shallow.”

            “Well, can you introduce me?” Lita asked, checking him out.  She

caught his eye, and Serena noticed a flash go in and out of his eyes, as they

sparkled, so brightly she could see them even though they were across the

room.

            “I don’t think you need intros, but come on.”

            She took her hand, and dragged her across, and Mina, not wanting

to be lonely, went with them.

            “Lita, this is Nephlyte.  Nephlyte, this is Lita.”

            They merely stared at each other.  Lita smiled and said, “Hello.”

            Her voice was as smooth as polished wood, Nephlyte thought. 

“Good evening,” he offered his arm.  She took it, and followed him out

into the gardens.

            “How are you, sis?  What’s been going on?” Jed asked Mina.

            “I’m pretty well.  You know, the usual lady-in-waiting thing.  I got

a letter from mom and dad not long ago.”

            “You didn’t tell me that!”  Serena smiled.  “How’s everything back

at home?  I wanted to visit before I came back here, but I couldn’t manage

it.  I DID write my parents, though, and they haven’t written yet.”

            “Mom says the book place is fine, and the whole town is proud of

you, me and Serena!”

            “Yeah, I’ll bet!”  Jed smiled.

            “Oh!  Looks like Raye’s being forced to dance the first dance with

her brother!” Mina frowned.

            Serena looked.

            And looked again.

            The Prince was a hottie.  He was tall, dark, and handsome, and

though he just exhaled an air of pure snobbery, Serena was impressed.  He

looked very handsome.  That pronunciation of the chin, the stature of the

man himself, and his nice clothes of a black formal tunic over black pants

and black boots, with a black cloak, with blood-red lining.  A sword hung

at his hips, which Serena noted, looked pretty nice.  She suddenly

frowned.  She was NOT thinking that the prince had a great butt.  No, by

no means, she was far from that.  She cleared her mind of the prince, and

said, “We’ve got to help her.”

            “Such a pretty damsel in distress,” Jed said, uninterested,

sarcastically.  Serena knew that Jed had as much respect for the princess as

she had for the prince.

            “Jed, we should save her.  Yeah, I suppose it IS our duty, I’m her

lady-in-waiting, after all.  Will you excuse us, Mina and Kunz?  I’m sure

you can find SOMETHING to talk about.”

            “Yeah, we’ve got a princess to save,” Jed said, rolling his eyes.

            Mina, being left alone with Kunzyte, was not really crazy about

that idea.  She was relieved when another young man approached her for a

dance.  She smiled, consenting, as the young man swept her into the

dancing crowd.

 

            Meanwhile, Serena was whispering to Jed.  “I know I can’t dance. 

I’m sorry I’m stepping on your feet, but we’ve GOT to save Raye.”

            “What is there to save from?  Darien’s a nice brother!”

            “But…but he’s mean!”

            “YOU say he’s mean.  And why me?  Kunz was there!  I heard

Princess Raye’s a BRAT!”

            “No, she isn’t, she’s really sweet.  Just keep your mind open.”

            “This from the girl who won’t open her mind about the prince.”

            “Look, just do as I say, okay?” as she deliberately put the heel of

her high heels into the back of the prince’s ankle.

            “Oh I’m so sorry!” she said, trying hard to sound apologetic.

            Darien was feeling pain, but not admitting it.  HERE was a

woman!  There was a great womanly figure in that bodice, the white

throat, her pale shoulders, the curve her cleavage made in the low cut of

the dress, the way the dress clung to that great stunning figure of five

ten…she was hot, and not only beautiful, but gorgeous.

            “Sere!”  Raye smiled at her friend.

            “Raye,” she curtsied.  “Your highness,” she mumbled, curtseying

slightly.  *He’s got a pretty strong back ankle if he’s talking THAT!*

            “Darien, this is one of my newest ladies in waiting,

Serena Kingston.”

            His smile was falling quickly to match Serena’s fake one as well. 

This beautiful stunning creature with the body to die for was that pale

lanky kid he had been punched by a year ago.

            “Well, Jed and I were just dancing,” Serena started.

            “If you call it that,” Jed whispered.

            Serena put the heel gently into his toe.  He felt slight pain, and

started smile  “And I guess I guided her right into you, I’m sorry your

highness!”

            “Yes, well, seeing that I’m new at this,” Serena continued, looking

to Jed, making sure no loose comment would come from his lips.  He was

straining.  “Jed just LOVES to dance, and me, well, I just was being nice,

but I think I’ll let you and Raye dance.  Raye, Jedyte, Jedyte, Raye.”

            “Nice to meet you,” Jed said, bowing and kissing Raye’s hand.

            Raye blushed and smiled at Serena, who winked at her.

            Darien saw the exchange.

            Serena then turned on her heel and started to walk away.

            “But Serena!” Raye called after her.  “Who are you going to dance

with?”

            “I think I’m going to walk off and WATCH the festivities for the

evening.  I just told you that I’m new to this,” Serena blushed, admitting

failure at something.  “I just learned how at finishing school,” she

continued, lying through her teeth.

            “Dance with Darien,” Raye smiled.  “He’s a good leader, and

you’ll get used to dancing easily if you dance with him.”

            “Oh no, I couldn’t impose on his highness’s dancing, so I’ll leave.”

            “No, Sere,” Jed smiled wickedly.  Here was his revenge.  “You

dance with Darien, it’s only fair.  We don’t want him to be without a

partner.”

            Serena grumbled, as Darien looked for any other lady to ask.  They

all seemed taken at the moment.  And the beauty of his partner called to

him very appealingly, though he didn’t really like the character.

            “I think I’ll leave,” Serena said.

            “Dance with him,” Jed said, taken her arm, and shoving her into

Darien.  He them faked a sweet smile to Raye and said, “Shall we?”

            Darien stood for minute confused at the woman in front of him, but

got his bearings; he had to dance with her, and admire her, even IF she

was a witch underneath.

            As they started off, Serena felt her hands being taken and put into

correct position as Darien started to guide her along.

            On purpose, she stepped on his toe.

            He cringed inside.

            He didn’t appear to notice.  Serena was frustrated.

            After a few more failed attempts, she gave up and followed the

prince’s lead.  Surprisingly, she found she could dance well, and she found

that dancing well was fun, even IF you didn’t like your partner.

            Darien kept her in check, but kept his eyes elsewhere.  She was

beautiful, but she was Serena Kingston, the girl who dared punch him.

            The finishing school had done WONDERS, he conceded.  She

WAS pretty.  She was more than pretty, she was a goddess now; she was

Venus personified.

            As they waltzed about the room, Serena thought that he was a good

dancer, even IF he was a bad prince, and horrible person.  And his

shoulders were VERY broad, and she felt the firm muscle through the

shirt.

            She wondered if Kunz was this good at dancing.  That way, she

could dance and even enjoy her company.  Kunz was just lounging around,

doing nothing.  He needed something to do.

            It didn’t really occur to her that she was dancing with the most

handsome man in the room.  It should have.  She should have seen every

other girl, looking at her with envious eyes, and she should have seen the

admiration every old gossip cat had as they swept by them.  But she didn’t

notice.  She noticed his crooked sword belt, his missing button on his

sleeve of the tunic, and his unpolished boots.

            And she noticed that his face, though, almost perfect, was not. 

There was a small dent in his cheek.  No, that was a dimple.  Well, his

eyes weren’t prefect.  No, they were glowing and everything.  And why

did he have that dumb look of pleasure on his face anyway?  She knew he

didn’t like her company.

            He was enjoying the fact that his mother was smiling at him.  That

meant that his mother would leave him alone tonight.  But inside his mind,

it also meant that Serena was part of that smile, and he had to make sure

his mother thought they were together throughout the evening.  He hated

the way his mother had favorites, and he hated her most treasured one,

even if she was pretty.

            So he kept her dancing all evening.  She deserved it.  And besides,

dancing was the only way to keep her in his company, and his mother’s

smile up.  Ever since he’d dropped Kingston from the list, his mother was

always nagging him.  Maybe dancing with her would get his mother off

his case.  And also, Kingston was strong, she proved it before, and he had

more prowess in dancing than she did; he could prove to her also that she

needed stamina that she didn’t have to keep up with him.

            She kept up with him, though, and it wore him out on the inside,

however stolid he was on the outside.  He had to admit, she had more

strength than others, to along with that beautiful face, and great body. 

Even the most sweet-gazed admirer he had could have danced with him so

long, even IF she was in love with him.

            And here was a girl, who didn’t even like him, dancing with him in

cold silence!

            *But she had to train herself to a certain athletic level,* he thought. 

*I guess it shows that her training DID pay off in a little way.  But she’ll

never have to apply what she learned in school, foolish girl.*

            She was furious.  She didn’t like dancing with him, but didn’t say

anything.  She wasn’t going to let him win by telling him she couldn’t take

his crap.  She was going to show him.  But she WAS getting a little

tired…

 

            Serena smiled as Amy waltzed lightly in her room in a silent

melody, dazed.

            Lita was on her bed, taking off her stockings, saying how Neph

had to be the most boring partner she ever had.

            Mina was mulling over some hot guy who DIDN’T ask her to

dance.

            Raye was in the next room, sitting at a mirror and dressing table,

taking the pins out of her hair, with a fury.  She was mad, Serena could

tell, and Serena decided that Raye would be the most interesting company

tonight.

            She walked into Raye’s room, still all dressed up, and took a brush

from Raye’s table and started to brush the princess’s hair.  “He was dork,

wasn’t he?”

            “Totally cold.”

            “You deserved that after what you did to me.”

            “What did I do?” Raye asked, feigning innocence.

            “Oh, don’t act stupid.  You KNOW I didn’t want to dance with

your retard brother.”

            “He’s not a retard.”

            “With looks like that, one only wished it came with a brain to

match!”

            “Yeah, you have your opinion and I have mine.  Darien’s plenty

smart.”

            “Then I might say that Jed’s not a cold person; he’s warm and

loving.”

            “Yeah, right,” the princess rolled her eyes.  “Next time I ask you

for an intro, remind me of this, and I’ll come back to reality.”

            Serena smiled, and hugged her friend.  “We don’t need those jerks

anyway.”

            “Yeah, now go to bed, Sere.  We’ve got a visit from the Queen of

the Moon next month.”

            “Queen Serenity?  As in that mooney lady I read about in history

class with the weirdo hair do and strange sad eyes?”

            “Serena, she’s beautiful.  She’s also a sorceress, so unless you want

to be a toad, I’d be nice.  Besides, where’s your sentimental side?  Her

husband, King Terrence killed himself to save her from his sister.”

            “Ah, the strange soul bond…this magic stuff gives me the eebie

jeebies.”

            “Serena…”

            “I know, I know.  So why are we talking about a visit that’s a

month away?”

            “It’s her first visit, and I want to present all my ladies in waiting in

white dresses with gold embroidery they stitched themselves.  That means

we’re going to go shopping for some pretty white fabric and pure gold

thread in town tomorrow.”

            “You know I hate stitching.”

            “You know I don’t care,” she teased.

            “Raye-“

            “Do you suppose the legend is true?”  Raye said, changing the

subject while wandering to the window.

            “What legend?”

            “The one about the sleeping moon princess, somewhere among us,

down here on Earth?”

            “No, not really.  It’s just a legend started by some drunk poet one

night.  And besides, why is she among us, and not up there with her

mooney mother, with the mooney royal family hairstyle herself?”

            “I think there’s a mad witch out to get her, and her mother wanted

to protect her.  I think she’s sleeping, somewhere, in the echoing caverns

of some distant shore.”

            “Or she’s never been born.  The Queen only had one husband, and

King Terrance died a long time ago…”

            “Twenty one years ago, which means that the moon princess could

be just as old as we are…”

            “The queen never looked pregnant…”

            “Because she stayed in that moon palace for a whole year without

coming out…”

            “But the servants never reported it…”

            “That’s because the servants don’t remember anything from that

time.  They’ve been brainwashed, don’t you see?”

            “You think too much about this.  Next thing you know, you’ll say

that there are other courts in the universe, other than the moon, which we

don’t know about, and they’re in on this thing too.”

            “Actually…”

            “Good night, princess,” she said, turning down Raye’s bed sheets,

and passing her on her way to the door.  “May you wake up more practical

than you are now.”

            “Good night Sere.  I hope you see that life is just a really long fairy

tale…”

            “If it is, then I’d be one of the four who guard, but I’m happy here

anyways.”

            “You’ll see.  That princess will wake one day, and she’ll be so

beautiful, she’ll dazzle us all into a beautiful world…”

            “Good night, Raye,” Serena firmly shut the door.

 

Continued in the Next Section…