Once in a Dream
Part 4 --- Who are you?
By: Neo-Queen Serenity
E-Mail: serenausako@hotmail.com
webpage: http://crystaltokyo.cjb.net


	Serena sat in her chair beside the fireplace.  She was all 
dressed up and ready to go.  Her thin hands were encased in a 
pair of white lace opera gloves that matched the rest of her dress.  
A fan, stitched with strands of silver and gold, rested on her lap.  
	
	Serena turned around to look at her own reflection in 
the full-length mirror.  She leaned her head on her elbow as she felt 
satisfied with her charming appearance.  

	A gentle knock came and the door to her room opened slightly. 
 
	"Serena?" Mina walked in with her evening dress 
on. A bright orange dress hugged her body,  and she looked as pretty 
as always. Serena thought the color suited her friend's complexionwell.

	The orange material fitted tightly against her pale, white skin.  
Her hair was pinned up on top of her head and tied with an orange 
scarf.  Two shining heart-shaped earrings made of pure gold tipped 
her earlobe.  Serena looked up with admiration and smiled warmly at Mina.  
" You look beautiful!  I think Charles will be very proud of you tonight." 
 
	Mina stepped closer and made a full turn in front of Serena, 
a circle of orange trailed around her delicate figure.  "Charles, Charles, 
Charles..."  

	She looked at her left hand lovingly.  On her fourth finger, 
a diamond wedding band rested on it that sealed her marriage to Charles 
for seven years.  Mina picked up the white mask resting on top of Serena's 
dressing table and handed it to her. 
 
	"Come on, Serena, put on your mask now.  The dance 
will start in just 10 minutes.  Charles asked me to escort down the 
queen of the night and his fair cousin." Serena giggled and adjusted
her mask.  After checking her appearance in the mirror once more, 
she followed Mina and stepped out of her room.

********

	Darien stood beside Charles and Ken by a grand dinning 
table.  He sipped some red wine from the crystal glass that he held 
by his gloved hand, and smiled to two of his friends beside him and
 the chatting crowd around him.  The Wales and Hudson family had 
arrived during early evening.  Few relatives of Charles and Mina 
were also present at the party.  Nearly 30 guests filled the grand ballroom. 
 
	Darien, himself, was subjected as the prince of the night.  
Every lady's eyes were focused on him, unable to tear away from 
that handsome face. Young and naïve girls looked at him with 
starry eyes and thoughtful fantasies.  Few attempted to invite 
him for a short waltz or start a conversation with him but 
all got turned down coldly by their stone-hearted "prince".  
	Some ladies' companions and partners at the dance 
looked at Darien with daggers in their eyes. 
	Darien was dressed in a black suit and a shirt made of 
flowing white silk.  A pair of highly polished black dress shoes 
made him stood firm and rigid on the floor. A white silk cloth 
folded neatly in shape of triangle was placed neatly in the 
pocket of his black tuxedo.   His midnight dark hair was combed 
neatly, few strands of silky black that fell from his forehead 
brushed against his deep ocean blue eyes, and made him seem 
even more intriguing and mysterious.  
	He had a plain white mask on, though it covered none
of his handsome features.  His lips were pressed firmly together and 
curved into a mischievous smirk.  A straight and shapely nose finished 
the rest of his facial structure.  
	Darien stood there straight and proud, his whole 
appearance made his features more irritating and irresistible... At 
least most ladies thought so.
	Ken tapped Darien lightly on the shoulder and teased, 
"Darien?  In case you haven't notice, every lady in the room seems to 
agree that you're the prince of the night.  It occurred to me that you are
not interested in any of them.  What's the matter with you tonight?  
Who are you waiting for?" Ken finished and eyed Charles with a 
chuckle.  Both knowing but pretended to tag along with the charade, 
unbeknownst to Darien. 	He looked at him and shrugged his broad shoulder.   
"It's none of my concern." He then picked up a red rose 
from the crystal vase on the table.  He inhaled the sweet 
scent lightly before placing it neatly in his tuxedo pocket beside 
the white cloth.  	He suddenly felt Ken nudge him at the elbow.  He 
rolled his eyes impatiently and looked to the direction Ken was 
pointing to and was greatly amazed when a nearly unreal image of two 
fairies walking down the steps of the great circular staircase filled his 
blue eyes.  Two beautiful young women walked hand in hand  
gracefully down.  One was covered in orange, the other in pure white 
silk.  Smiles and tenderness were all displayed on those youthful faces.  
	Ken eyed Darien with a grin across his face, "What a 
beautiful princess.  I say you should go and court her with all your 
charms, or else I suppose you are too late since you're not 
the only man here."  Ken hinted secretly at Darien's surprised 
facial expression who looked around him to notice other men in 
the room were greatly impressed by Serena's beauty as well.  *********
	Serena sat on a chair beside the dinning table, a glass half 
filled with red wine in her gloved hand.  Her eyes wondered around 
the ballroom while sipping her wine slowly.  
	Mina had gone off to greet Charles; Ami and Rei were
dancing with Greg and Chad; and Lita smile contentedly in Ken's deep 
embrace, his lips pressed against her soft temple in a lover's fashion while 
whispering sweet and loving words to her delicate ears which cause Lita 
to blush and giggle; and Molly was nowhere to be seen.  
	Serena smiled at whirling, happy couples around the ballroom, 
sharing their happiness and joy.  Unexpectedly, a woman dressed in 
lavender silk materialized by her side.  
	"Your Highness-" she blurted happily.  
	"No, Alice, not here!  Not everyone here knows who I am." 
Serena frowned to stop her. 	"But-"  	"No buts, Alice."  
	"Why won't people ever leave me alone.  Your highness, 
your highness, and your highness!  I am not yours and not high 
anything.  I am Serena, S-e-r-e-n-a." Serena ordered impatiently.  
	Alice was a countess of England, her father had been a great 
hunting companion to Serena's own father.  All have changed after 
his sudden death when Serena was no more than 10 years old.  Alice 
herself was a childhood friend of Serena, cheerful, happy, and always 
willing to share her princess's problems.
	She was 2 years older than Serena and was recently engaged to 
a Spanish Count last month.  It was thought to be a marriage of happiness 
and wealth, Serena was happy for her.  
	Again, unexpectedly, a hand tapped her shoulder gently.  
Startled, Serena jerked around and instantly found herself 
staring into a pair of mysterious deep blue eyes, the deepest 
pair she'd ever stared into in her entire life.  Her white dress 
whirled along her turning body, making a vision of white lace and silk.  
Her lips parted lightly, startled by their awesome beauty.  A hue of rosy 
pink grazed her cheeks as Serena gazed at the man who gazed at her with
obvious admiration.  
	He was a tall handsome young man at 6 feet. He offered Serena 
his hand.  "My lady, would you care to give me the pleasure and honor 
of dancing with you?" He was polite and courteous. 	Serena blushed.  
	Unable to tear herself from the spell of those piercing blue 
eyes, she whispered softly, "I'd love to, my lord." 
	The man led her to the dance floor and they danced together 
with other couples on the marble floor.  Serena looked around to see 
envious eyes filled with jealousy focused on the finest couple in the 
crowd.   Men stared with envy at the beauty dancing in Darien's arms, 
while young ladies looked on with great longing at Serena's handsome 
dance partner.  Eight pairs of smiling and friendly eyes settled on them 
from different parts of the room.  
	Smiling, Ken gave Lita a reassuring kiss on the forehead.  
"They made it.  How about you stop worrying and show me your best move?"  
	Lita sunk deeper into her fiancée's protective embrace, 
smiling and wishing her cousin good luck.  
	Darien and Serena were having a wonderful time in the 
presence of each other.  They were enjoying everyone else's 
attention in the room and others' longing stares.   Both unaware 
of each other's true identity and of their vows to despise and feel  
disgust for each other.  
	He tried in vain to guess who she was but failed miserably, only
feeling somewhat familiar with her bright, jewel eyes.
	She did the same, but with no success.  
	Serena and Darien stood in front of each other's very 
own eyes, unknowing that he or she was actually the person 
they vowed to hate and despise.  It didn't matter at all under those
attentive and admiring gaze, nothing truly mattered.  
	Serena was experiencing the greatest time she ever had 
since birth.  This mysterious stranger made her feel light and full, 
her heart danced with her moving pace, and her body whirled under 
his lead.  If someone was to point out that she was dancing in paradise,
she'd have believed them.
	He was a good dancer, Serena concluded when she lowered
her body and he dipped forward. She was known to be a good dancer 
in the palace; in fact, the best, but she hasn't seen anyone equally as
good or amazing to be with.  	When she whirled and danced in his arms, she felt 
protected and loved.  Problems, complains, curses, and sadness were 
all thrown to the back of her mind, completely forgotten and 
vanished, only happiness and tenderness existed at that moment. 
	It was a weird feeling, she didn't even know who the man 
behind the white mask really was.  But somehow her heart told her 
this handsome stranger was special, very special, as if she has some 
kind of bond connected to him, as if her entire life depended on him.
	As for Darien, time seemed to fly by quickly when you enjoy it to 
your heart's content.  He was greatly amazed by this beautiful 
and charming girl in front of him.  
	Young, beautiful, interesting, and full of energy, the perfect 
girl every man ever wanted and wished to have. 
	As midnight approached, the dance drew to an end.  
Revelations must take place...  	Charles and Mina announced the end of the ball 
and asked their single guests to take off their dance partner's 
mask.  Mina threw Charles a knowing smile and nodded 
toward the place where Darien and Serena stood.  
	Darien took the red rose he had placed in his suit 
pocket earlier and placed it gently in Serena's blonde hair,
 weaving it in with the other delicate red petals.  
	He scooped her face tenderly between his warm 
fingers and leaned down to give her a smooth kiss on the lip.  
Serena was caught off guard, but when he deepened it, she
couldn't help but kiss him back.  Time lingered...
  	It was the most wonderful feeling in the world, 
Serena thought silently as she felt like she was going to melt under 
his kiss, and its warmness devoured her whole being.  
	His lips tasted like wine and honey.  She felt secure and 
protected when Darien slid his hand to her back gently, holding her
tighter against him with tenderness. 
	He broke the kiss and  slowly removed Serena's 
white mask as she did the same to his.  
	At the same time, their friends gathered around 
the two, mischievous smiles spread across expectant faces.   
 	Startled, Serena looked up to see Darien's blue 
eyes filled with the same surprise and astonishment.  
	"You are..." they both gasped.


To be continued...