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DESERT DESTINY
Chapter 3
Sailor Galaxy

Darien looked down at the table as he spoke, aware of Aslum's regard. He 
didn't want any pity. He just wanted to find the person who had done this to 
his cousin and get revenge.

" I am sorry."

" Thank-you. Now to whom were you born?"

" I was born to Serenity and Tranquillity Yafisah. Father was a merchant and 
mother was a house wife."

" How did you end up being a Nomad?" 

Darien took up the questioning from Aslum.

" Well, father's business was failing and he needed money. So he sold me to a 
passing Nomad group and I have stayed with them for twelve years."

" Has anything like this ever happened to you before?"

" No. Never."

" Have you any recollection of Moon Crescents?"

" Uh, no."

" You do not sound so sure."

" I hardly remember anything from my childhood."

" I see. Thank-you very much for this."

Aslum shuffled some papers together and looked up again.

" You realise that you have to stay in the palace for safety?" 

" I suppose so. But what about Hamzah? He is my master and he will not let me 
go unless somebody pays him."

" Do not worry. That part is taken care of. Now if you do not mind, would you 
follow Rosina here to your chambers? She will be your hand maiden." 

Aslum could see that he concept of servants was new to the girl. Evidently, 
she had leaded a tough life. He gestured towards a pretty young girl who had 
just come in through a side door. She smiled shyly at Serena.

" Oh but really, I do not need special attention. I can take care of myself."

" You will do as asked, Serena. We have to keep you safe and we can not afford 
to have another murder on our hands." 

Darien told Serena in an emotionless voice.

She was taken aback. But then she remembered that they were taking care of her
and she must not appear ungrateful. 

'Yes but it is their job to keep their people safe.' 

'Of course but they can not look after every single person. People need to be
cautious themselves. So actually, I think their being very kind in looking 
after you.'

'That's because they need something from me. Details of the murder.'

" Thank-you your highness."

Serena got up out of her chair, made a curtsy to Darien, and followed Rosina 
towards her chamber.

Aslum watched her go with a frown on his face. Serena seemed very delicate and 
fragile. It was understandable, and he wouldn't ask her to go through this, 
but it was needed. She was the only witness to this hideous crime. She was the 
key to finding the murderer. They had to ask her. Interrogate her. They had to 
because they couldn't allow this tragedy to go unpunished. And it had to be 
solved soon. Or somebody else might die. 

And Aslum had a feeling that out of any-one else, it would be Serena. Serena 
Yafisah would be the next one to be murdered, if the murderer wasn't found. 
And found soon.

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

" I hope you will enjoy your stay here."

They were in Serena's room, two hours later, after Rosina had helped Serena 
with a bathe, helped her get dressed and done up her hair. Her silver locks 
were plaited carefully and they were tied to the side of her head, just above 
her ears. This gave the impression of a very large hoop of hair on either side 
of her head. Rosina had cleverly weaved flowers into her hair. It looked very 
elegant. More so with the dress.

Her dress really amazed her. It was made from the softest cotton Serena had 
ever felt. It was pale blue, the colour of her eyes. It was quite simple 
really, but that simplicity made it the most sophisticated dress Serena had 
ever seen. It fit her like a second skin and she was pleased with the effect. 
The skirt touched the floor but the top lifted enough so that blue court shoes 
peeped out. Serena was amazed by the effect. She knew that men found her 
pretty but this. She nearly looked beautiful.

" Thank-you. What about my dinner? Where do I have it?"

" I do not know. I will ask if you want me to."

" Please."

Serena watched as Rosina walked out of the door. She didn't really want to be
alone. Being alone meant that she would have to think. She didn't want to 
think. She didn't want to remember. But Serena couldn't stop herself. She had 
a niggling doubt at the back of her mind about the word Moon Crescent. She 
knew it. She had heard of it. But where, she did not know.

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

" Your dinner will be here soon, Milady." 

Rosina came in.

" Thank you. But please call me Serena."

" You are a Royal guest. I am a hand maiden. It would not be proper for me to 
call you by your name."

" Who says?"

" Etiquette."

" I am not really a guest here. I am just a Nomad. Do you not know?"

" I do but still....."

" Look. If you get into trouble, then I will take all the blame."

" You are most kind."

Serena smiled and shook her head.

" Not really. It is because if I do not have anybody to talk to, I will be 
bored."

" Were you lonely when you were with the Nomads?" 

Rosina was curious.

" I was surrounded by people but I still felt lonely." 

Serena looked at her hands, thinking that Rosina would probably just think her 
queer for saying that. Everybody thought that you couldn't be lonely when you 
had people all around you. They were wrong.

" Ah. Of course." 

Rosina nodded as though she understood. Serena raised an eyebrow.

" Of course?"

" Yes. It is obvious why you feel alone."

" So, why do I feel alone?" 

Serena was curious. Even she didn't really know. She had always felt that 
something was missing. At first, she had thought it was the parental love but 
then, as she grew older, more mature, she had figured out that her parents 
hadn't really loved her and she must be missing something else. But she didn't 
know that that something else was.

" You have something missing from your life." 

" And that something would be.....?"

" Well, I do not know. But it is something special. Something that you have 
not had before." 

" I do not know." 

Serena shook her head.

" Maybe riches?" 

Rosina started to guess.

" No. I do not care much for money as long as I make mine honestly and I am 
happy." 

Serena was firm. She knew that money never made you happy. All it did was make 
you comfortable but it didn't buy happiness. Love. Respect.

" How about friends?"

" I had some when I was with the Nomads." 

Serena made a face.

" Were they female?"

" Yes."

" Oh, then it can not be that."

Serena could see that Rosina was disappointed.

" What is missing from your life?" 

She decided to question Rosina. The girl's face fell.

" I had everything."

" Had?" 

What did Rosina mean by that?

" Yes. My Aunt Diana - she died a few days ago." 

Rosina turned her head away and made a pretence of brushing the skirts of her 
dress. Bt Serena saw the revealing tears in her eyes..

" Oh. I am sorry. You- seem to have been close. Is- she the one missing from 
your life?"

" Yes. Grown-up supervision."

" You do not have parents?" 

Serena knew that even though some parents were alive, to their children, they 
were dead. But maybe that wasn't the case with Rosina.

" No. I am an orphan. I have one sister."

" You must miss them too." 

Serena paused before continuing again.

" In a way I know how you feel."

" You do?" 

Rosina's voice was disbelieving.

" Yes. I was sold to the Nomads when I was very young."

Rosina's mouth fell open.

" Your parents sold you? What is their name?"

" Yes. Tranquillity and Serenity Yafisah sold me."

" Tranquillity and Serenity Yafisah?" 

Rosina repeated. Serena nodded mutely.

" And you have forgiven them?" 

Rosina seemed very stunned. It was as if she hadn't thought that parents could 
do that..

" Yes. Life only comes once. There is no point in wasting it on hate and 
anger."

" But these are strong emotions and motivate us into doing things."

" Look what happened to Diamond. Whoever the murderer was, had to be angry and 
in hate with Diamond. And the result is one life has gone and another is on 
the line."

" It is?"

" When they catch the murderer, his sentence is going to be death."

Rosina shivered.

" That is horrible."

" Yes but it is what he deserves."

" Yes."

Rosina hesitated.

" My Aunt, she did not die but she was murdered."

Serena's eyes widened.

" But you said that she had died."

Rosina shook her head.

" Murdered."

" Did they find the murderer?"

Rosina sighed.

" No."

" Maybe she was not murdered but she committed suicide?"

" No. She still had a lot of things to do. I was very close and I would have 
known."

" Are they still looking for the murderer then?"

" No." 

Rosina shook her head and her brow furrowed as if she was very angry and 
wished not to show it.

" What? That's not fair."

" I know. But they did try and could not find any clue whatsoever."

" Do you or your sister know anything abut why it happened?"

Rosina's eyes widened momentarily and she went white. She quickly composed 
herself.

" Of course not. We- I do not know why that happened."

Serena knew Rosina was lying but decided not to push her. Rosina would tell in
 her own time.

" Well, alright. But be careful okay? I do not want anything to happen to you."

Rosina smiled.

" Nothing will happen to me Serena I should go now. Your dinner is here."

She stood up.

" I will see you tomorrow, no?"

Rosina nodded.

" Yes. Tomorrow. You will see me tomorrow." 

With a last smile, Rosina went out the door, shutting it quietly behind her. 
Serena sat staring after her long after she had left. There was something 
peculiar going on and she would find out what it was.


What really happened to Diana Ibnam? Are the two murders connected? And does 
Rosina know something crucial but is afraid of telling it to somebody?

Sailor Galaxy

sailorprincessuk@yahoo.co.uk