I still don't know about the title. Change it or not? It's only to Union of Love
instead of Hate.

I've taken the 'Important Read' off so, the complainers, please resist from
repeating the same complaints over and over again okay? 

UNION OF HATE
Chapter 6
Sailor Galaxy

" Marriage license?"

Serena stared at Darien. He calmly looked back at her as if nothing was wrong.

" Yes. We need a marriage license to get married."

" Yes but..."

Serena grimaced as she thought about the fact that she didn't know what to say.
What Darien was saying made sense but so soon? Why couldn't he wait for oh say,
two years before they got married? There were things like really long
engagements. 

" Why are we getting married so early?"

Why did they have to get married at all? The question spun in Serena's mind and
she answered it as she always did. Because she didn't have a choice. Oh people
said that you always had a choice. But Serena didn't. Not in this case. If she
wanted to loose Diana, then she had a choice. But otherwise... no. 

Darien looked at her and watched the conflicting emotions flick across her face.
Confusion, dismay and finally resignation. 

Serena came to the decision she always came to when thinking about this topic
and she sighed.

" Do you know where we can get a marriage license from?"

Darien looked at her disbelievingly.

" I am not in the habit of blindly going to places, when I do not know where
they are." 

" You did rush off from the cafe. I thought you might have..."

Serena trailed off and Darien finished the sentence for her.

" Made an excuse? Lied? To get you alone?"

When Serena didn't say anything, Darien took her silent for an assent.

" Come. You presume too much."

Hot colour flooded her cheeks at Darien's mocking tone, and Serena silently
cursed her tongue. Now Darien would have the impression- a totally wrong
impression- that Serena thought that everything he did was to do with her. He
must think she was very arrogant. Trying to ignore Darien's amused gaze, Serena
tried to distract him.

" Can we get a marriage license just now? I mean, aren't we supposed to have
blood tests done?"

" That comes after we get the license."

" Yes but..."

Serena lifted one of her hands in an appealing gesture. She knew that she would
have to marry Darien so why was she trying to find excuses and reasons in an
attempt to delay what she was now beginning to think of as inevitable? Shouldn't
she just do it and get it over with? But no. 

She had always thought that she would marry for love. The love that her parents
had. Even though that love had killed them in the end, they'd had a happy life
which had been full of brightness and happiness. She wanted a life like that.
She wanted a love like that. But how could she have that with Darien?

Some people said that love could grow, if you nurtured it like a delicate
flower. But shouldn't there be a modicum of respect and liking in the base of a
marriage? Serena didn't like Darien. And she would never call him her role
model.

So maybe that was the reason why she was trying to delay the marriage. She
didn't want to make a mistake and jump into a marriage which might not bring any
contentment or gratification.

" But- you have to arrange a date and time don't you? And you haven't. So how is
it possible...?"

Darien looked at her for a few minutes and then nodded his dark head.

" I have a friend who is a judge. I told him about us and he agreed to supply us
a marriage license."

Serena's eyes widened at the fact that he had contacts as high as a judge.
Though why she was surprised she didn't know. He was rich. Of course he would
have friends like judges and- and Presidents for all she knew. But the way he
had said the sentence sank in, and her eyes narrowed as she regarded him with
suspicion. 

" You make it sound like he's doing you a favour."

Darien didn't say anything but continued to look at her out of expressionless
cerulean eyes. The dark depths showed nothing of what he was feeling and Serena
absentmindedly wished that she could do that. When she was feelings something,
she could never hide it. Everybody was able to tell of what she was feeling.

A flicker of... something appeared briefly in Darien's eyes. She frowned as she
saw the small smile which slashed his hard sensual mouth. It lasted only a
second and was gone before she could see it properly. When she still received no
answer, Serena turned to look out of the window, feeling a little disturbed
though she didn't know why. And suddenly, a thought struck her. Turning around
to fully face Darien, she saw him raise his eyebrows at her panicked face.

" We- we're not getting married now are we? I mean, straight after you get the
marriage license?"

Darien looked coolly back at her.

" I am not going to get the marriage license."

Serena frowned. What? Was she missing something here?

" You're not?"

He shook his head.

" No. From now on, I will not do anything- alone. It will be both of us doing
everything from now on. So we will get the marriage license. Not me."

Serena just looked at him. He was determined to put them together. In one
category. It was alarming when she thought about it. His persistence on them
getting married and being bound by the church immediately. She'd have thought
that he would have tried to postpone the marriage for as long as he could. His
determination was kind of strange considering the fact that Serena wasn't 'his
favourite person.'

But then, he must want to secure Diana into his custody as fast as he could. He
might be afraid that Serena might do something that would take Diana away from
him. But if she was married to him and ran away with the baby, it would be no
problem to get them back because Diana would be half Darien's. Legally anyway
which was what seemed to matter a lot nowadays. 

Serena sighed and came out of her reverie to the discovery that Darien had been
watching her the whole time with a small smile on his face. She didn't know what
the smile meant but it was as if his thoughts were giving him great
satisfaction.

' He has reason to be satisfied. He is getting what he wants. Diana.'

" Don't we need things for a marriage license? Passport, birth certificate."

Darien lounged back in his seat and shrugged with one shoulder.

" We have all we need to get a license. And you can stop finding excuses to
delay the inevitable. We are getting married. The sooner the better in my
opinion."

Serena let out a little snort and turned her face towards the window, away from
Darien before mumbling under her breath.

" Your opinion isn't worth anything, anyway."

She didn't know if her voice reached Darien but maybe it did because he chuckled
a little as if her remark had amused him.

' And it would have too.'

Serena scowled darkly.

' He doesn't care about what others think. That's what makes him so
successful... at anything.'

And wasn't that the truth! Look at the way he had introduced Serena as his
fiancée. There were many people who were probably making fun of him. After all,
being who he was, a multi-millionaire, Serena knew that he had been expected to
marry some-one on the same level as him. And even though Serena wasn't poor, she
wouldn't be considered rich either. Which made her an unfitting wife for Darien. 

Maybe that was a good thing though. This way, she might not be expected to do
what wives usually did with and for their husbands. Like having sex. Serena was
lucky this was a marriage for convenience. Because there was no way she was
sleeping with Darien. No way. They weren't going to have a relationship like
that. Theirs would be a hands off relationship. Nothing more. And that was
good... so why was Serena a little disappointed? As if she wanted a more
intimate relationship?

But no. It couldn't be. She wasn't ready for that with Darien. And she never
would be either. 

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

" Let us go."

Serena sighed wearily as Darien grabbed her arm and propelled her along behind
him. She was more mentally tired than physically. Who knew that getting a
license could take so much effort? But then, maybe for lovers, it wasn't an
experience like that. They might look forward to it. They obviously looked
forward to being together. But not Serena. This license was the final nail in
her coffin. Sure she wasn't married to Darien yet. But she was well on the way
there. Well on the way to giving a man who she didn't like, total control of her
life.

Of course he wasn't going to keep her like a slave. She wouldn't tolerate him
acting chauvinistic with her. She would have her own life. But in the eyes of
the law, she was his wife. And as far as she knew, even today in the families of
the rich and famous, husbands had more power over their wives than the wives had
over their husbands.

Considering all that, maybe she should clear any misunderstanding. After all
they shouldn't begin their marriage with any confusion between them. Huh! What a
laugh. Like their marriage was going to be perfect. As if they weren't going to
face any problems. 

" Darien?"

He might not have heard her with the way he was hurrying towards the limo
because he didn't answer her. Or maybe he chose to ignore her. Either way,
Serena let herself be dragged behind him towards the limo. They'd have a chance
to talk inside. 

Slamming the door behind himself, Darien leaned his head back against the seat
and closing his eyes, let out a sigh of relief. Serena eyed him curiously. He
looked harassed. But what could have changed between the court house after they
had gotton their license to the walk to the limo? Nobody had stopped to talk to
them and as far as Serena knew, nothing drastic had changed. Except for the fact
that they had gotton their license. Nothing much had happened. 

Yeah right! Maybe Darien was feeling the full incredulity of what had happened.
But didn't that usually come after marriage? Or was it before? She certainly
didn't know. She'd never been married before. Or been invited to a wedding which
had been a marriage of convenience. 

Darien exhaled again loudly and that drew Serena's attention to his face. And
his long column of throat. The bronze skin. The stubble on his cheeks and chin.
In portrait, Darien was an incredibly handsome man. But he was handsome full on
too. She had noticed that, of course she had but she'd chosen not to register
that fact before. But it seemed as if Darien wasn't used to being ignored. And
his looks were in the same category. Always attracting attention. Maybe it would
have been better if he was butt ugly. 

" Darien?"

His head turned slowly towards her and she blinked at the pleased look she saw
in his eyes. 

" Yes?"

" We have to talk."

He sat up in a fluid movement.

" I know. But not now."

" Now Darien. We have to discuss things."

He raised his eyebrows.

" Are you really so eager to marry me that whatever you have to say can not wait
for later?"

I scowled as hot colour invaded my cheeks. Nobody could win an argument with
Darien. That's why he was such a brilliant businessman. He tore everything to
shreds. Not using his teeth but his mind. And his mouth. His mouth. Now that
could be used for a lot of other things beside talking. Like kissing. Caressing.
Licking. 

Serena was jolted out of her thoughts when the limo stopped with a jerk. She
focused on Darien and saw that he was looking very amused as if... as if he knew
what she had been thinking of. But no! That couldn't be. Fate wouldn't be so
cruel. 

Serena ignored her burning face and attempted to draw his attention to something
else. The argument zone. A place where she felt comfortable. Well, more
comfortable that being in the lust zone. With Darien. 

" We have to talk. This is serious okay? Nothing to joke about."

" I am not joking. I am taking this very seriously. But you do not seem in the
state to carry out conversation like the type that you are suggesting."

Serena sat forward in her seat. 

" And what state am I in?"

Darien gestured his hand through the air and turned his head away.

" It is obvious that you do not want this marriage. You are going to take your
anger out in the form of an argument. But be warned that I will not oblige you."

Serena sat back in her seat and crossed her arms. She then sighed and uncrossed
them as she realised what a childish gesture that was. Looking outside at the
passing cars traffic, she thought about where her life was going. A marriage
with a man who thought that she always looked for a fight. A man who used time
for his own conveniences. A man who used everything for his own conveniences.
But she had to do it. For Diana. Her body slumped back in her seat as she
realised that. She would have to forget her own needs. Diana was the one who
mattered now. No-one else. Not even herself.

Serena jumped as she felt a hand on her arm. Turning her head around, she
inhaled sharply and her eyes widened as she found that during her contemplation,
Darien had moved closer to her. Just inches away. Why hadn't she heard him move?
Probably because she'd been daydreaming out the window. More like self pitying
out the window. 

" Darien?"

Serena frowned up at him and he smiled softly at her look of uncertainty. 

" Really. You have said my name so many times that I might begin to think that
you can not stop yourself from saying it."

Serena blinked and then lowered her lashes to hide her eyes. Somehow, she wasn't
exactly feeling the shock at his statement. It was as if... she agreed with him.
But of course not. She didn't. It was ridiculous. That's what made her toss her
head slightly and answer him tartly. 

" I have to find some way to attract your attention, seeing the way in which you
persist to ignore me."

" Hell is it not? Being ignored. But if you want to attract my attention, I can
think of many other ways to do it. Ways more enjoyable than speaking."

Serena stared at him for a while and when she understood what his remark meant,
more colour infused her cheeks. God, couldn't the man say one sentence without
sexual innuendo featuring in it? 

" I don't think so. But we do have to talk. About when the wedding is and what
will happen afterwards."

Darien tilted his head to study her face with intent eyes. And the amusement
disappeared out of his face, leaving it expressionless. But his eyes weren't
blank. Instead, they held an intent look as if he was really studying her to see
what her reaction would be.

" The wedding is already arranged. It will be held tomorrow."


Why did Darien breathe a sigh of relief after coming out of the court? Will
there marriage be more than a convenience? Why did Darien arrange the marriage
for the next day?

Sailor Galaxy

sailorprincessuk@yahoo.co.uk 
 
Hope you like this chapter!