Love Beyond Fate
By Scutter

I wrote this after reading Moonlight Midnight Glory, by Lady M. Harris.
The story inspired me as I was intrigued by the idea of a Darien who
was a little less elegant and noble than the one usually presented in
Sailor Moon, and though I know this is nothing like what happened in
the Silver Millennium, I thought it would be an interesting path to
explore. This is mostly mushy romantic stuff, so you have been warned.
I hope you enjoy it. This is rated PG. It has a few allusions, but
nothing else.

Note: This is not an original story line. I wrote it because I love the
characters, so don't get too hung up about it.

None of these characters are mine, they belong to whatever company/
companies made or own Sailor Moon. All the usual disclaimers apply,
etc.

                *****

Chapter 2
A Prince in Sheep's Clothing

Though he wasn't touching her, Darien could physically feel the woman
relaxing as their feet came off the marble steps and onto the cool
grass below. She sighed - it was more of an exhalation than a real
sigh - and turned to look up at the stars. He was watching her, her
profile clear against the lighted background, and he smiled as he saw
how happy she had suddenly become. It was so rare for royal women to
look so relaxed. The Prince found it refreshing.
Serena smiled to herself as she watched the sky, the irregular
scattering of stars was so beautiful. Then she felt the man watching
her. Turning to him, her smile deepened as he blushed faintly, and
looked away. <Who was he?> He turned away from her slightly, stepping
towards the nearby rose beds, bending to inhale their mysterious scent.
He had always loved roses. It seemed they smelled even sweeter here,
in this Moon garden, under the silvery stars.
Returning to the woman, he said, "I've never seen gardens like these
before. It's so beautiful."
Serena looked around. "I wish you could be here in Spring. Everything
blooms, like magic. It's even more beautiful than this."
<Ah, but perhaps I will be here in Spring.> Beyond a doubt, Darien was
enraptured with this woman. He could scarcely believe she was a
Princess, yet looking at her, her nobility was obvious, making the
truth undeniable, even as it was obvious how vibrant her spirit was.
Even her simple joy at the garden showed her fire, the energy with
which she lived almost desperately, clinging to every moment. <Such a
remarkable combination. And how lucky she is to have retained both
qualities. How lucky I am . . .>
But even while he was thinking of her in such terms, Serena was caught
in her own musings. He seemed serious, mature and considerate, but his
motions were almost playful. She found the boyishness pleasant, but
also disappointing, and she wondered why. <Because a Prince would not
have such qualities.> Though she didn't want to admit it, the voice in
her head was right. And try as she might, she couldn't keep herself
from thinking the truth - she was here, almost falling in love with a
complete stranger, while her intended husband was somewhere else - was
some *one* else. Oh, she could almost cry in frustration!
He sensed her mood, it seemed - hardly surprising, for she could
barely raise a smile to her lips when such thoughts were on her mind -
for he paused in their slow walk, and gently brushed a lock of hair
from her face.
"You seem pensive, my sweet. Let me guess. You are thinking of your
Prince?"
They had come further into the gardens that she had intended, but she
was reluctant to turn back.
"What makes you so sure you won't like him?"
Serena gasped at him. How had he known her thoughts so exactly?
Darien cringed at her shocked look, regretting his boldness. "Forgive
me, Princess. I have no right to ask such questions."
But Serena shook her head. "I . . . you may ask if you wish." She
frowned. "I've met several of the men from Earth's Court. They all
seem to be . . . very noble, and dignified, and controlled . . ."
"And boring," he finished for her.
She nodded. "They're all so caught up in being royal and showing off.
I'm afraid the Prince is going to be as arrogant as the rest of them."
The man laughed suddenly, and Serena looked up, surprised. Then she
realised what she had just said. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean you,
of course." He just smiled. "I mean it, you know. I've never had so
much fun as I did tonight. You're . . . very different."
The man nodded. "I understand, Princess. I'm not insulted, I assure
you."
Serena sighed. "The thing is, I don't just want to be Queen. I want to
live! I want to have excitement and adventures, not just royal balls
and diplomatic meetings. And I'm afraid that if I have to marry
someone who doesn't understand that I'll be trapped."
Darien's mouth twisted wryly. "Trapped in a cage of gold . . ." he
muttered.
Serena suddenly drew away from him, anger flaring in her eyes. "You
mock me, Sir!"
"No!" His eyes flared with pain suddenly. "Princess, no, I assure you.
I understand what you mean."
Serena was surprised by the genuine empathy in his eyes. Perhaps she
had been wrong about him. <Could he possibly be . . .?> But the look
was gone as quickly as it had come, and Serena was once again left
wondering.
He turned to her suddenly. "So tell me of these adventures you long to
have. What drives your imagination?"
Serena laughed softly. "Don't you think it strange that a Princess
should want adventures?"
It was his turn to laugh. "Do you really find the Palace so interesting
that it could keep you entertained forever? I think not!"
Serena blushed deeply, yet it was so relieving to have someone
understand her finally. "You are really quite remarkable," she said,
still hiding her blush. "Few people would humour me as you do. I don't
think I've ever met someone as . . . unconventional as you."
"Well, I hope I don't offend. And as for humouring you, I do no such
thing. I, too, dream of life outside the . . . Court." He stopped
suddenly. He had almost said Palace, not Court. <I'm going to have to
be more careful. You're playing a dangerous game here, Darien.> "Tell
me of your dreams, Serena."
The Princess stammered slightly. She had never even admitted such
thoughts before, and now to speak of them in detail? - and yet it
would be so liberating . . . Feeling bolder, she began. "I long to
travel, to see the world as it really is, not through the bars of the
Palace gates. I want to ride horses through the forest, with the
breeze all around me. I want to swim naked in forgotten rivers, to
bathe in the oceans, to stand on the edge of the world, with the wind
in my hair and scream to the whole planet how free I am. I want to
listen to the world sing as the sun rises over the fields. I want to
be a part of it all." She had become quite flushed as she spoke, her
eyes glittered and she was breathing faster. As she spoke, she could
almost feel the soft breeze she spoke of, smell the mysterious scents
of a world enraptured with itself.
Darien blinked, overwhelmed by the transformation of the woman before
him. She had gone from a dignified lady to being almost child-like,
giggling in the fervid excitement of her dreams. He had listened in
raptures, not only to her words but to the genuine warmth in her voice,
which he had not heard before.
She noticed his amazed expression, and her smile fell, a blush
crossing her cheeks. "You must think me foolish."
His gaze remained fixed on her, his eyes intense. "Never. Your visions
have such clarity. You must promise me, Princess," he took her hand,
"promise me that you will make them a reality one day."
But she looked away, refusing to answer him, and he thought he
glimpsed tears through the blackness, quivering in her lashes.
Shaking her head, she pulled away from him, allowing her fingers to
caress the thorns of a rose. Keeping her voice steady, she asked,
"What do you dream of?"
Darien could feel her longing almost physically, and he desperately
desired to touch her, to hold her close and comfort her, but was
afraid she would pull away from such a indiscreet gesture. "I long to
see the world, to meet people who are new and can teach me of things
I've never imagined. I once met a band of gipsies in the forest. Their
stories stayed in my mind for days.  I long to spend more time in such
company, to know something outside of the narrow people of the Court."
"You don't spend much time around the Palace, do you."
Darien felt surprise for what must have been the fifth time that night.
"As a matter of fact, no," he replied. "How did you know?"
"Court life has a way of crushing such fantasies. If you stay here
long enough, it becomes easy to forget all about them."
Unthinking, he placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him.
"And yet you have managed to evade being captured." He looked at her
with eyes that touched her deep inside, and was momentarily stunned
when she returned his gaze.
Suddenly realising their situation, shocked by their intimacy, he drew
his hands away, a frown furrowing his forehead. "Tell me," he said
suddenly, his voice becoming colder. "When you do return to your
Prince, and if he is . . . as you fear him to be," Darien was choosing
his words very carefully, "would you still marry him?"
Serena desperately tried to gather her thoughts. She realised the
inappropriateness of their situation, and tried to recover from the
almost regrettable warmth she was feeling. <How fortunate that he has
more discretion than I do.> She thought carefully about the question.
Though she could not explain why, she felt that a lot depended on her
answer, and so she tried to give him the most complete explanation she
could. "I . . . I would. As much as I want to marry for love, I feel I
have a deeper obligation to my people. The Earth, despite what you may
understand it to be, is a source of great power. It could be a powerful
ally . . . or a frightening enemy. It is my duty to protect my people,
and so I would ensure an alliance to the Earth for their sake." She had
been looking at the ground, but now she looked up at him, silently
imploring him to understand. This was probably not the answer he
wanted, and it frightened her slightly how much she wanted to please
him. But to her surprise, he looked at her with none of the
disappointment she had expected.
"You are . . . a truly noble spirit," he said quietly. The strength of
his admiration was clear. He had not expected such a wise answer, and
he was almost ashamed to admit how much he had been depending on it to
find out if she was a worthy wife, to see if she would accept the
brief glimpse of freedom he was offering her in himself, tonight. It
had not been a fair question, yet she had treated it as one. "I can
see why your people love you with such genuine care." He looked down.
"I hope he deserves you, Serena."
She took his hand suddenly. "Please. I want you to understand. I've
enjoyed tonight, I truly have, but you must understand why I
can't . . . why *we* can't . . ."
Darien gently placed a finger over her lips. "Ssh, Princess. I
understand. And I wouldn't dream of keeping you from your duty." He
lifted her hand to his lips, brushing her skin softly with them.
"Goodnight Princess."
As he turned to leave, the sorrow in his eyes was evident, and as
Serena watched him vanish into the blackness, his dark hair and pale
eyes becoming nothing more than a memory, she felt her heart would
surely break, so great was the loss she felt.

That's it for chapter 2. Three is coming soon. E-mail me, comments,
criticism, suggestions, it's all welcome.
d-boy@intercoast.com.au