Hope you like this chapter!

DESERT DESTINY
Chapter 2
Sailor Galaxy

" Out of the way, people. Move. Do not panic." 

Aslum shouted at the teeming mass of hysterical and curious onlookers. Really,
he thought to himself, the rich knew their personal manners but when it came 
to an emergency they were as ignorant as babies.

He shoved his way through the crowd to fall on his knees by the body. Turning 
it over he sighed in relief as he noticed that this man had shocking white 
hair with horrified open purple eyes. He muttered a prayer under his breath 
and closed the man's eyes.

He gestured to the guards to take the body away from the place. When the job 
was done and he had told all the guests to go home, he looked at the girl who 
had found the body. She was beautiful there was no doubt about that. 

Her high cheekbones had the sort of bone structure many women would kill for.
Her deep aqua blue eyes were fringed with the thickest and longest dark 
eyelashes he had ever seen on any-one. Her full pouty mouth went well with her 
pinkish red lips that were now trembling in shock.

But her hair was the one thing that held his attention for longest. They were 
long, exceptionally long he could tell. They looked to be made of the sheerest 
silk of silver. The long strands of hair curled around her face that held the 
look of one in terror.

His face softened. Kneeling before her, he took one of her hands in both his 
own and he shook her slightly to bring her out of the trance she was in. 

" Are you all right?"

When she turned blank eyes towards him he shuddered. They were so terror 
stricken that even he felt as if it were the end of the world. He turned to 
the remaining guards and told one of them to take the lady to a room in the 
Palace. As the guard picked Serena up, for that was who she was, an old man 
stepped forward.

" Hey wait a minute. May I ask where you are taking my servant? I paid for her
and she's mine."

" She is a murder witness. It is clearly a job for the government to handle." 

Aslum spoke icily to the man. He knew there kind. Selfish, greedy men who 
would do anything for money.

" Aye that it is and I would gladly let you take her off my hand for she has 
caused me great despair but for the fact that she belongs to me and I can not 
let her go without a price."

Aslum sighed, disgusted,

" How much do you ask for, old man?"

The man named a price that was scandalous. Aslum refused. It wasn't that he 
couldn't pay it but because he could not let this be an example to others.

" That is too much I'm afraid. Surely a single nomad can not be worth that 
much?"

" Oh but she can. Many people have desired her. She has a remarkable voice and
talent for singing and dancing."

" You do realise that I really don't have to even pay for her don't you? She
is a native of this country and all the natives belong to the Sultan."

" All right. All right. If you want to be such a miser... but this is my final 
offer."

***********************************************************

Serena woke up with a start. She looked around her surroundings with shock.
The last thing she remembered was screaming for help when- but no, she would 
not think of that again. She could not think of that again. 

Serena carefully sat up and noticed that she was on a huge four postered bed.
The silk bedspread was the colour of deep blue sea water. Not that she had 
ever seen the sea before. But she had heard tales of its splendour. The bed-
posters were gold. She did not think that they were real gold but they sure 
looked like it. She shakily stood up on her feet. Her head snapped upwards, 
towards the door, as it opened.

" I trust you are feeling well?"

Mutely she nodded as she studied the man who had entered. He seemed middle 
aged and his robe was made of silk as far as Serena could tell. She was wary 
of him as he was a stranger but the kind look on his face replaced her 
uncertainty with sureness. Whoever he was, he did not seek to harm her or he 
surely would have done it long before now.

" Good. For I have a couple of questions to ask of you. I do hope you are in a 
position to answer them?"

" I- what kind of questions, kind sir?"

" Aslum will do, lady. About the murder. I require some information which only 
you can give me." 

At her wince, he added," As long as you feel well enough to do it."

" I- I think I can satisfy your questions. Though 'twould not be honest of me
to say that I am ready to talk about it, I figure that I should get it over 
with."

" Excellent. If you'll be kind enough to accompany me to the other members of 
the Private Circle I would be most grateful."

Serena followed Aslum out the door towards wherever he was taking her. She was
far too nervous to admire her surroundings as she walked behind Aslum. Upon 
reaching a large oak door, two guards opened the door to let Aslum in. They 
looked curiously at Serena as she passed but after the glare they received 
from Aslum, they bent their heads. 

Serena found herself in a hall that looked doubly big for the few people who 
were occupying it. The table was a long dining table. At the head, a young man
in his twenties sat. He stared at Serena as she entered the hall. She did not 
let her eyes rest on him for more than a few seconds and though she could not 
see him she could tell that he was engaged in a full survey of her, from her 
gleaming silver hair to her worn sandals. She found it disturbing but also 
oddly exciting.

Aslum beckoned her to sit on a chair directly opposite the young man whom she 
guessed was the Sultan. She did as bade.

" I am Darien the Sultan. I enquire your age?"

" Age?"

" Yes. It is usual for us to want to know the age of some-one so that things 
may be done according to that."

" I am twenty years old, my Lord."

" Ah. Well, I am sure you know what all this is about?"

" I have been told that it has to do with the mur- murder."

" And you understand that you being the only witness is very important in 
uncovering the facts?"

" I understand, your highness."

" Good. My advisor here, Aslum, will ask you the questions and I advise you 
not to lie."

Serena calmly nodded, outside coolly composed but inside a seeming, writhing 
mass of hysteria. She was going to have to say what she saw! She was going to 
have to tell them all!

Aslum was aware of what she might be feeling and he spoke in a kind voice.

" Are you ready, lady?"

" Yes." 

No! No! No! Serena screamed in her mind. I am not ready!

" Excellent. Now, you will have to start at the beginning."

" Of course. Well I- I had just finished my performance on stage and I was 
walking towards my tent to change when suddenly this- this, well the victim 
came towards me. I had never in my life seen him so I was surprised when he 
grabbed my arm. I- I..."

Serena covered her face with her shaking hands.

" Yes, please continue. It is better to get it over with." 

Aslum encouraged sympathetically.

" Well, I tried to shake him off but he kept his hold on me. I was scared that 
he might, well take advantage and-"

" -What gave you the idea that he would do that? Hardly anybody in this 
country is uncivilised." 

Darien spoke up his voice laced with cynical amusement.

Serena's temper flared.

" What was I supposed to think? That he wanted to sit down and talk politely? 
Or maybe that he would have the decency to at least act sympathetic as if I 
had just witnessed a murder? Or oh no! You are the Sultan! You can do anything
you want! Well listen to me, your highness, I do not care what you do to me 
but get this, I will tolerate no nonsense. I have just been through a trauma 
and I can not afford to have other people making jokes at my expense. 
Understand?"

Silence. Every-one was silent.

Aslum coughed and his voice came out just louder than a croak. 

He coughed again and spoke up.

" Well, that is interesting but if you do not mind, then maybe you should 
continue."

Darien was surprised. That slip of a girl didn't look the rebellious hot 
headed type. But she was. He was amused since no-one had ever spoken up to him
before. He was also amazed. Surely the girl knew what the consequences of her 
actions could be? Of course he would not allow anything to happen to her since 
she was interesting and obviously since she was an important factor in the 
case to uncover the truth about his cousin Diamond's murder, but the 
punishment could be dire. 

Serena was shaken. How could she have said that? How could she? He was the 
Sultan and she had just mocked him in front of the Private Circle. Surely she 
would be executed now. But the Sultan remained quiet and unshaken except for 
the self mocking look on his face. His face. Aaaahh. He was so handsome. High 
cheekbones. Deep blue eyes fringed with the thickest and longest eyelashes. 
Smart nose. Firm lips. Ebony coloured hair. 

Serena inwardly slapped herself. They were discussing a brutal murder that had 
just taken place and here she was admiring the Sultan's looks. She had better 
get herself back on track.

Aslum gaped inwardly. Heavens above. No-one had dared to speak like that to 
Darien before. No-one. That girl sure had nerve. He groaned silently to 
himself. What with the proceedings following the murder, he hadn't even asked 
the girl her name yet. Better do it now to break the tension.

" What is your name, lady?"

Serena started when she heard his voice.

" It is Serena Yafisah."

" Serena."

Serena jumped when she heard the Sultan say her name. It rolled off his tongue 
and had an appeal that she hadn't known it could have. The slow drawl that he 
used to say it, brought it to life that had her toes tingling. She was 
disturbed.

" Now, if you do not mind, may we proceed?" 

One of the advisors asked as he covered up a smirk at Serena's expense.

" Yes of course. As I was saying, I was frightened of the man. But now looking 
back, I can see that the man was terrified. He said to me the two words, Moon 
Crescent. When I asked him what he meant, this... other person leapt out of 
the shadows and killed him."

" Was this person a male or female?" 

Aslum gently asked after a pause.

" Well, I couldn't tell really. The figure was medium sized. He could have 
been a woman but whoever he was, he was strong."

" Was there any noticeable facial characteristic that you noticed?" 

An advisor tapped the table as he waited for the answer to his question.

" I- I......"

" You did see the person's face did you not?" 

Aslum was the one who smiled at Serena and gave her courage to go on.

" Yes I did. But I can not say."

" Why not?" 

This time Darien asked her a question. He had remained silent after Serena had 
snapped at him.

" It was very frightening."

" Please. The quicker you tell us, the quicker we will be able to get it over 
with." 

Aslum encouraged her gently as he shot a look towards Darien. The Sultan just
shrugged. No wonder she was loosing her cool Darien was being too 
unsympathetic. The poor girl.

" After the person had killed the-the victim, he took off his mask and I -I 
saw his face. It did not even resemble a face."

" How so?"

" Well, the whole of his face was a burnt mess. It was puckered brown. From 
his forehead to his chin, there was a scar. If I was told to take a guess, I 
would say that it was a sword scar."

" Ah. Well did the man say anything to you?" 

Darien prodded her again and this time ignored Aslum.

" He said... well he called me... he swore at me."

" Nothing else?"

" Nothing else."

" I see. Now we need some background information on you."

" Background information?"

" Family, relations, your past." 

Aslum knew that she was wondering why this was so. But the man who had been 
murdered was, or had been important. It was very crucial to find out anything 
they could, in anyway possible. Of course they would try to do the same for 
any other murdered person but... well...

" But why do you need this information?"

Aslum looked over at Darien and after receiving a nod from the young Sultan, 
he informed Serena about the reason.

" You must realise that as much as we believe your story, every-one at this 
time is a suspect. We have to take things carefully. We can not afford to be 
incautious."

" Oh. May I ask a question?"

" Go ahead." 

" Who was the victim?"

" He was my cousin Diamond." 

Serena was horrified. A member of royalty had been murdered? And in an area 
where there had been a lot of guards? If a murderer could get in and kill 
somebody in such a tight place, then why did everybody think that she would be safe in the palace? For all anybody knew, the murderer was capable of getting 
in, and killing the one woman who knew more about him then anyone else. The 
one woman being her. Serena Yafisah. Oh heavens! She was most probably going 
to be brutally murdered in her bed! And no-one could stop that from happening!


Where will the spark between Serena and Darien lead? Is it possible that a 
murderer can get in and kill Serena without anyone stopping him? And if it is,
what can be done to prevent it?

Sailor Galaxy

sailorprincessuk@yahoo.co.uk