
      Dreams & Deceptions


      Author: aria


      Rated: NC17



      Prologue
      Serena Stanton stood on the white sun-bleached sand in her pale pink 
      bikini and stared at the undulating blue green water that teasingly lapped 
      at her toes. It certainly was beautiful. The sky couldnt be more clear or 
      blue. The sand and surf a true testament to natures majesty. She turned 
      her silvery grey eyes to the palm trees swaying in the fragrant breeze and 
      smiled. Perhaps she did the right thing by coming. She certainly did need 
      a vacation. Taking a deep breath she returned to her towel and lay down 
      preparing to do some more research.
      "Serena! Thats not work is it?"
      Serena looked up to see her best friend Lita Chatman coming toward her 
      with two drinks with umbrella perched on the rims like tiny birds.
      She sat up and took one. "Thanks. And no its not actually work. Its just 
      some research that I needed to do." Serena took a sip of the sweet drink. 
      "I figured I could get it out of the way since I was doing nothing."
      Lita rolled her brown eyes. "Look around you! Were in paradise and youre 
      busy with your nose stuck in a book." She waved her arms around her at all 
      the activity and people everywhere around them. It had taken Lita a week 
      to persuade Serena to take this vacation and she wasn't about to let her 
      waste it doing work. God knew she did enough of that at home. Lita pointed 
      a red nail at a small group of men. "Theyre cute. Why dont you go and 
      talk to them?"
      "Lita, you know Im not interested."
      Lita squealed excitedly. "Look! Theyre heading this way!"
      Serena took an exasperated breath and watched Lita run her fingers through 
      her mass of auburn curls and nibble seductively on her straw. Here we go. 
      Whenever she went anywhere with Lita it happened. Men would see them, come 
      over, and Lita would try and set her up with one of them. It was always 
      the same. Totally uninterested in the empty compliments that were coming, 
      Serena returned to her book.
      The three men approached. The stocky brunette acted as the spokesman for 
      the group. "Hi there. We were wondering if you ladies would like to join 
      us for a game of volleyball?" he spun to ball in his fingertip.
      Lita was up before the ball fell from his finger. "Sure. Itll be fun 
      wont it Sere?" she kicked her friend in the foot.
      Serena didnt even look up. "Id really rather finish reading this."
      Lita let out a frustrated breath. "Come on!" she hissed between her teeth. 
      Before Serena could say anything, Lita had her up on her feet and was 
      propelling her toward to net.
      The boys were already waiting Serena yanked her arm from Litas vicelike 
      grip. "If you try and set me up with one, I swear..."
      "Serena honey." Lita drawled. "You have no clue what to do with one even 
      if I did send him your way." and with that, she dragged her reluctant 
      friend to the net set up haphazardly on the beach.
      They played until the sun took on an orange hue and hung low on the 
      horizon and Serena was actually beginning to regret that it would soon be 
      too late to be playing. Tired out she and Lita flopped onto the sand.
      "Well you were right. It was fun." Serena brushed her silvery blond hair 
      out of her eyes.
      "Told you. Now if you would only listen to me about other things as well." 
      She wriggled her eyebrows at her long time friend.
      "You know I cant do things like that. It wouldnt be right. And what if 
      my father found out? Hed kill me." Lita knew what she was talking about. 
      She was the only person Serena had told her true identity. She often 
      wondered what people would do if they knew that Serena Stanton was really 
      Princess Serena Stansberg sole heir to the throne of the Kingdom of 
      Lidaria. She had come to Canada to try and lead a normal life before she 
      had to take on the duties of being a monarch. Serena managed to land 
      herself a job at Vivre Magazine as a columnist and things were going 
      great. She loved her life and didnt really want to be a ruler of a 
      country. At least not yet. To her it was something that she would do when 
      she was older and more mature. Much more mature. Of course the only person 
      Serena could tell was Lita. If she so much as mentioned giving up the 
      throne, her father would have a fit.
      "Serena. Youre father would never find out. I wont tell him and I know 
      you wont. So whats there to worry about?"
      "Let's see. Reporters, photographers..." Serena let out a sigh. "Maybe 
      youre right. Maybe Im worrying about nothing. Still, you know Im not 
      interested in a fling. Theyre just so...so cheap."
      Lita laughed, attracting the attention of the men with its lyrical sound. 
      "How would you know? Youve never had one!"
      Serena laughed too. It was true. She had made it a habit never to give men 
      the time of day. He life was complicated enough as it was without throwing 
      a man into the mix.
      The stocky brunette appeared at their side again. "You hungry? The guys 
      and I are heading to the restaurant if youd like to join us." He pointed 
      at the crowded open-air restaurant on the beach. He gave them a charming 
      smile as if to convince the girls to join them.
      Lita looked over at Serena who nodded. "Sure!" They quickly gathered their 
      things shaking the sand out of their towels before sticking them in their 
      bags.
      Serena wrapped a colourful sarong around her; its translucent length 
      barely obscuring her long legs. She put her sunglasses on her head and 
      picked up her bag. "Im ready."
      "Lets go!" Lita stuck her arm through Serenas and they walked up to the 
      noisy restaurant.
      By some miracle they managed to find a table that fit all five of them. 
      Serena loved the noisy friendly ambience. She picked up the menu and 
      started scanning it when a loud twittering came from her bag. Lita gave 
      her a look that read dont answer it but Serena ignored her and dug 
      through her bag and fished it out. "Serena Stanton."
      A deep voice greeted, "Serena dear."
      Serena bristled at the sound of her father's deep, authoritative voice. It 
      wasnt that she didnt like him; it was just that whenever he called her 
      lately it had something to do with her duty to the country. "Hi dad. How 
      are you doing?" she knew he hated it when she called him dad. She could 
      almost feel see his brows furrow and his lips tighten.
      "Serena dear. We need to talk. How soon can you come home?" It wasnt a 
      request.
      Serena got up and looked over at Lita with an apologetic expression. She 
      wandered out of the restaurant so she could talk to him without having to 
      shout. "I cant just drop everything and leave dad. I have 
      responsibilities."
      "And what of your responsibility to the people of your country? I dont 
      know what possessed you to get a job anyways. Its absolutely ridiculous a 
      princess such as yourself slaving away at a meaningless magazine."
      Taking a calming breath, Serena willed herself not to hang up. "I like my 
      job dad."
      His voice boomed even over the tiny cell phone. "I did not call to have 
      that argument again. I need you to come home now!"
      "Fine Ill be there as soon as I can."
      "Where are you? Ill send the plane."
      "Thats ok Ill find my own way home. See you soon." She hung up before he 
      could argue. Fuming she walked back in and found her way back to the 
      table. "Sorry Lita Ive got to go."
      Lita recognized that look. She just had a conversation with her father and 
      from the expression on her face it wasnt good. "Ok, just give me a call 
      if you need to talk or whatever." She squeezed Serena's clenched hand.
      "Thanks Ill be back for work. I hope." She waved at the boys and left.
      ----
      A long plane ride later, Serena arrived at Lidaria international airport. 
      As usual her father sent his limousine and bodyguards.
      "Princess." The two large men dressed in black suits bowed low.
      Knowing it wouldnt do any good to ask them not to she allowed them to 
      lead her to the car. Soon the ornate 18th century palace was in view. 
      Serena sighed. Home.
      The long car took a wide turn into the drive and headed to the front 
      entrance. The rows of windows embedded in the yellowing stone glinted in 
      the sunlight as they rounded the large fountain in the centre of the 
      courtyard. At the entrance she could see her father waiting for her.
      The car stopped and the driver opened the door for her and extended a 
      helping hand. Taking it, Serena stepped out and walked to the door. "Hello 
      father." She curtsied. "Well Im here. What did you want?"
      "Is that any way to greet your father?" he kissed both cheeks and led her 
      in. "You are always in such a hurry. Come you must be hungry." He quickly 
      ushered his daughter into the massive construct of stone and glass.
      "Dad, Id rather you just told me whats going on. I have to get back for 
      work."
      Reginald Stansberg scowled. "Come with me."
      Serena followed her father to his study. He sat down on a leather chair 
      and motioned for her to do the same. "It has come to my attention that you 
      are nearly twenty five years of age now."
      "Yes in seven months. Its still quite a ways off. Is this why you called 
      me here? To talk about my birthday?" Serena prayed that it wouldn't be 
      another ball. She didn't want to be spending her twenty fifth gritting her 
      teeth and holding a false smile while everyone fawned all over her.
      "Yes and no. Dont you think that you should start thinking about settling 
      down? Im sure you are having a wonderful time at your job. But its time 
      you started thinking about a husband and family." He looked completely 
      serious.
      Serena couldnt stop herself from gawking at her father. Married? Her? 
      Now? Her father didnt give her a chance to reply and continued to talk.
      "We havent told you this, but when you were four your mother and I 
      betrothed you to the son of the neighbouring king, Gustav. And I think now 
      would be an appropriate time to get married."
      Bristling with anger Serena stood up. "I will not marry some man I have 
      never even met, father!"
      "Serena, you must do it in the best interest of our kingdom! A union 
      between out nations would be beneficial. Think of your countrymen, 
Serena."
      "And what about me? What about love?" her fists shook at her sides. Serena 
      had always dreamed of falling head over heels in love with someone. She 
      wanted romance. The thrill of a first kiss, gentle looks and loving 
      caresses. Not to marry some man who could be completely wrong for her. Not 
      to mention someone who could be in love with someone else.
      "Love?" he scoffed. "You dont need love. You are to be a monarch. You 
      need to be married, and soon." Reginald slammed his fist into the desk. 
      "Listen to me for once Serena!"
      "No! I wont do it!" Whirling on her heel, Serena strode back down the 
      hall toward the entrance. She could hear her father follow her out into 
      the hall.
      "Serena!"
      The roar caused a cascade of shudders to skitter down her spine but she 
      kept going anyway. Gathering up all her courage, she channelled it into 
      keeping her knees from failing.
      "Guards! Stop her!"
      Several large men stepped in front of her to impede her progress though 
      none actually touched her.
      Pulling herself up to her full 5"6 Serena glared at the men as menacingly 
      as she could and did something she had never done before. Order someone 
      around. "Get out of my way!" since she knew they couldnt do anything to 
      her, she ran past them and to the limo. "Take me to the airport!" Tears 
      running down her cheeks she could see the blurry image of her father at 
      the door shouting at her.
      Serena had never been a fathers dream child, always running off and doing 
      as she pleased. Her tutors hated how she was always late if she bother 
      turning up at all. But this was by far the worst thing she had ever done. 
      Sobs wracking her, Serena leaned back on the leather seats and let the 
      tears fall. He would never forgive her for this. Shed probably just given 
      up her right to the throne. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she 
      looked at the phone. Should she call him? Maybe turn around and go back to 
      discuss it? Serena shook her head. No it would be better to let him cool 
      down first and then try. He would be less likely to force her into 
      anything then.
      Shivering a little, Serena imagined what kind of man she was betrothed to. 
      Of all he royal men she had ever met, she had still to like even one. She 
      found them all to be arrogant, egoistic jerks that cared only for 
      themselves and what they could get from others. Money, women and fast 
      cars. It was like a mantra with them. The thought of being stuck with a 
      man like that was just revolting.
      Maybe if she found a man she loved she could convince her father to break 
      the engagement. That idea held more promise. She could get Lita to help 
      her find suitable candidates and...Serena laughed out loud. She was making 
      it sound like she was looking for someone to walk her dog, not a lifelong 
      mate. Well, whatever she did, shed have to do it fast.