Once in a Dream Part 10 --- Deja vu? By: Neo-Queen Serenity E-Mail: serenausako@hotmail.com webpage: http://crystaltokyo.cjb.net Queen Serenity hesitated into her daughter’s private chamber and dismissed her daughter’s lady in waiting Molly, so she could have some private talk with Serena. Serena was sitting on her chair in front of her dressing table, her face stared at her own reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were dull without its normal cheerfulness and color. She stared into space, her mind and soul else where. Serena had already noticed Queen Serenity’s entrance, but she chose to look at her mother in the mirror. She was dressed in her princess’s royal gown. It was made of pure white silk and had gold strands stitched with the silky material and decorated the border of her dress. It was considered a gown of elegance and royalty. Serena used to be so fond of this dress, but now it felt like a piece of unwanted, old skin. Her blonde hair were pinned up by Molly, using royal emerald combs and jewels that decorated her ears and neck, making her look much more stunning and beautiful than ever. Serena sat there, looking stunning, yet sad. Molly had helped her with her make up earlier before Queen Serenity had arrived. But tear beads kept falling from Serena’ s helpless blue sapphires, making little tear streams down her creamy cheeks and ruining Molly’s hard work. Molly tried to comfort her princess, but Serena didn’t want it right now, not when she was going to be engaged to a perfect stranger today! Molly signed and replaced Serena’s face powder over and over again. Queen Serenity inched toward her daughter, her steps hesitating. If it was some other time, she’d simply hug her daughter and tell her how stunning she looked. Now she couldn’t. "Are you ready Serena? The royal family of France had arrived 2 days ago. I know how you’re feeling going through all of these, I am not going to pretend I don’t know how are you holding up. But duty is duty. Brace yourself and follow it through." "I had made up my decision long ago. I’m-I’m coming." Serena followed her mother out, her steps heavy and dragging. A new destiny awaited her, a new life would soon begin... Serena stood outside the entrance to the throne room, her mind a total blank. No emotions or feelings were there what-so-ever. Tears were gone, she had cried them dry long enough, they died down; no more screams of hopelessness and anguish, she had done it numerous times. Serena stood there, waiting, waiting to meet a person she had never seen before, a person who would immediately become her future king. The deep and loud voice announced her entrance: "May I now present her Royal Highness Princess Serenity of England!" The doors swung open and Serena stepped in. She didn’t even look up, her eyes cast down low on the red carpeted floor, she didn’t care, she’s going to do her duty. Her pace were heavy and slow, her heart screamed for her to stop, to run away from here, to fling herself into Darien’s protective arms; her mind commanded her to go on, to fulfill her duty as princess of England. When Serena reached the end of the throne room, she looked up, to get a clear view of her future husband. The instant she looked up, her eyes widened and her mind screamed. In front her, there stood her beloved Darien! Darien, the Darien she cried for and reached out in her dreams, the Darien she vowed to love. Serena’s mind doubted if all this was just a mere daydream, her heart cheered in happiness and prayed that it was real. The man she ever loved stood right in front of her! Those mysterious deep ocean blue eyes, that midnight black hair, that curved lips, and that familiar angle of face. Staring at Serena, Darien was equally as shocked. She never told me she was the princess of England! Serena threw herself into Darien’s arms, her thin hands clutched his body, tightly, fearing he’d disappear as a hallucination. All confusion and astonishment were known to Darien at that moment, but he didn’t care, not when Serena was here with him. Serena didn’t care about how her mother or King and Queen of France would react to this, but the thought of Darien actually being prince of France was too much for her to bear. A warm hand collected her lowered face, long fingers tipped her chin. She was now gazing directly into his deep blue eyes. They were the deepest pair of ocean blue eyes she had ever stared into in her whole life. Two blue seas filled with nothing but love, love that belonged to her and her alone. Serena wanted nothing more but to swim in that blueness, to lose herself in them, showing so much love and warmth. Her own blue eyes locked with her beloved’s deep ones, Serena wished that he could stand here with him forever, through eternity... Tears forced it’s way up again, no matter how many times Serena had promised herself not to cry at the engagement ceremony, it couldn’t be helped. Pearl like beads rolled down her cheeks, but long, warm fingers stopped them for falling further. "Don’t cry Serena, you should be happy. If you feel you must, let your tears fall upon me, don’t allow them to disappear into nothingness, they’re too valuable and beautiful... Promise me right now that you will never leave me again...Marry me Serena..." Darien looked at Serena closely, his own eyes now quivering. Serena tried hard to control those little droplets that were now whirling in her eyes and nodded her head very hard, vowing to herself that she’d never leave him no matter what. Darien didn’t say anything, he simply gathered her tighter in his embrace and pressed his own forehead on top of her blonde hair. Serena sunk deeper against the warmth of his hard chest, a feeling of security and love filled her once chilled heart and soul. A single tear slid down between her blonde lashes, it rolled down her cheek and absorbed quickly by Darien’s white shirt. But she smiled, a tear of joy and happiness. THE END.