"Serena, you've been moping around for days. What is the matter?" Andrew asked his fiance.
"Andrew. I lost my ring." Serena admitted.
"Oh...well, I didn't even notice. I guess I could get you another one." Andrew said blinking a few times.
"I'm sorry, Andrew...but..." Serena said.
"I don't know what to do with you, Serena. It''s like everything I do displeases you, and now it seems worse than usual."
"Oh, Andrew, it's just that I...I'm"
"You miss him. Don't you?" Andrew asked.
"Miss who?" Serena asked dazely.
"That prince...uh, whatever his name was."
"Endymion."
"Yes, En_dy_mion. Or so he says."
"Then who is he?"
"I've been wondering that for years, ever since I've met him. Actually, he's been searching for himself...and I think in due course he found you instead."
"Do you know then where I can find him?"
"Serena, do you even know what you are doing?"
"Yes, I want to see him again."
"Do you think he'll want to see you? He even seemed to be in a hurry to leave you."
"He'll want me...you'll see."
"Go then if you want. But remember this. If he doesn't take you back before our wedding day. You will still be mine."
The Earl sent directions to the royal captain to sail Serena to Caspian. Serena arrived on her destination not knowing what to say to Endymion. She knocked on the door of the old castle.
"Yes?" Lita answered.
"I want to see Endymion, please." Serena said.
"Endymion? There is no Endymion here."
"No? Then who owns this castle?"
"Only the Count Darien Desmond."
"Darien?"
"Yes, ma'am. Does he know you?"
"I don't know. I must have the wrong place."
"Sorry about that. I hope you find who you are looking for."
Lita closed the door slowly.
"Who was that?" Ami asked.
"Oh, this woman."
"What did she want here?"
"Was looking for someone who doesn't live here."
"Oh."
Suddenly, the master appeared.
"What did she look like?" he asked softly.
"Well, she did appear angelic, somewhat."
Endymion grew silent.
"Did you want me to get her back here?"
"No, but if she comes back tell her to stay away."
"Oh...alright then."
When the master left, Lita asked Ami, "You think she was that princess he fell for?"
"Probably, but I'm sure he doesn't want to see her again."
Serena wondered through the town searching for answers to her many questions. Where Endymion was and why did the name, Darien seem familiar to her. Soon, she saw the temple on Cherry Hill.
"Hello, miss. May I ask you a question?" Serena asked the priestess.
"Yes, and let me guess ::she waves her hand:: you want to find someone or something."
"Yes. How did you know?" Serena asked astonishly.
"Well, all the tourists seem to ask me, and since you looked like one."
"Oh, well, I'm trying to find a man named Endymion."
"Oh,...him. Well, he's name is Darien Desmond. He lives in the old castle.
"What? Why does he have a different name?"
"Well, he found this scroll, and it vanished all his scars away, and then..."
"Hold on...Have you been drinking or something?"
Rei shrugged and said, "The bottom line is this man you are looking for is in deep trouble, and it's gonna get worse."
"Worse?" Serena asked.
"Yes, tonight's a full moon, and I suggest you stay away from him. Don't even think of going to that castle. So, anyway, you're session is over. Good bye. Have a nice day."
Rei walked back into the temple leaving the princess by herself again.
"No way am I going to stay away. I have to see him." Serena thought.
Count Desmond laid in bed that evening waiting for the curse of the scroll to transform his body. He called his servants in to oversee him to make sure he doesn't escape and harm anyone. Michel, Jed, Nicholas, and Zed tied him up to the bed so he couldn't move. Lita and Ami carried weapons in case the count would be so uncontrollable. Darien made them promise to kill him at once.
"I don't want to harm anyone. Zed start binding my arms." Darien ordered.
"Don't worry, Master. Everything is in order." Michel said.
Serena approached the castle once more and grabbed the rusty door knockers. Then she decided not to knock at all instead she thought it would be easier for her to see Darien if she snuck her way in.
To her luck, a nearby window was ajar. Serena slid her body in slowly not wanting to make any noise. She quickly noticed that no one was around because the lights were all out. Then she heard voices from upstairs. Serena approached the stairway cautiously. She saw a light flicker in a room. "They must be all in there." she thought to herself. Then she saw the horrible scene. A man was tied up on the bed. His eyes closed, and he breathed heavily. She saw an only window opened and the sky was cloudy. The other people in the room looked very concerned over him.
Serena moved closer to the door. "He's ill." she thought. Darien suddenly opened his eyes again. His blue eyes in dispair. The princess quickly recognized them. "Darien." she whispered.
Just as she uttered his name the clouds began to unveal the moon. It was bright and full. Then Darien felt the transformation beginning. He felt the scars coming back as he felt like a sharp object was cutting through his face. Blood trickled on the sheets. His hands were also getting slashed and blood was quickly drenching the ropes that tied him.
"Aaaaaah!" Darien cried.
His mouth opened as new sets of teeth grew. Sharp and menacing. He yelled in pain. His nails were growing extremely fast and it felt like someone was strangeling him as he gasped for breath.
Serena almost fainted at the sight of it all. Darien could not take the pain much longer as he struggled to break free from the ropes. He managed to pry his feet loose and began to undo tyings from his arms.
The count tried to claw the ropes as Ami and Lita both raised their weapons. Darien finally got an arm loose and Nicholas tried to hold him back, but Darien kicked him off. Lita saw what Darien did to Nicholas and raised her weapon ready to strike him.
The princess opened the door and stood in the way to protect the count.
"Stop!" she cried. "Don't you_dare_ hurt him!"
The servants all exchanged glances and wondered where she'd come from. Serena turned to face Darien and said, "D..Darien..it's me, Serena. Remember? I don't want you to get hurt like this. So, please, calm down." Darien looked at her gravely. His eyes burned into hers like he was trying to tell her something. Serena stretched out her hand and said, "Come on. You'll be okay."
Darien turned his eyes away from her and fled out of the window.
"Darien. No! Come back!"
But it was too late he had managed to climb down unharmed.
They searched all night 'till they finally found him in the woods, asleep. It was now morning and the count transformed back, but the scars were left on his skin.
He laid in another room as Serena bandaged his hands while he slept soundly. She carefully wiped the blood stains from his forehead. She smiled as he heard the soft sounds of his breathing.
Darien awoke to find Serena there by his side. "What areyou doing here?" he asked her.
"I want to see you again." she answered.
"Go home. I don't need you."
Serena's heart ached once more.
"You don't mean that, Darien. Now, close your eyes and get some rest."
Her voice seemed so tranquil and serene to Darien that he almost obeyed what she said, but he satt up once again and said, "I'm going to change again, and I can't promise you that you won't get hurt. Now please go home before something happens...before I do something that I would regret forever. I don't want to hurt..." his voice trailed off as Serena lovingly carressed his face as she traced his scars carefully.
Darien loved that warm feeling as her soft caring hand touched his face. Then he turned his head to give her a kiss on her palm. Serena's skin tingled. Then Darien whispered softly, "Please princess."
"Serena." she reminded him.
"Serena." he began. "You have to go."
Serena's eyes closed as Darien reached out to touch her face repeating what she had done to his. Then he traced her mouth with his fingers. He wanted more than anything to kiss her right now. He was closer to her now. He could feel her breath on his lips dulling the physical pain he was in. Darien closed his eyes as he moved closer to her lips that parted slowly.
Soon their was a knock on the door. They both opened their eyes annoyed by the disturbance.
"Who is it?" Darien asked.
"It's me, Rei the priestess. I bring you news."
"Come in." Darien answered.
Rei came in and saw Serena.
"Oh, so, you're still here."
"Yes." Serena answered.
"Good. Well, I have some good news for you, Count. But I wish for your audience alone."
Serena understood and quietly left the room.
"You see, all you have to do to banish the curse is confess your love for...her."
"But I can't." he said slowly.
"Why not?"
"She's engaged to my friend, Andrew."
"Oh...but I can see she loves you. And you love her."
Darien turned to face her.
"Your eyes now show a light. It has taken away the darkness before. Maybe even you must feel it, somehow."
Darien averted his eyes from her and said, "I don't deserve her."
Rei smiled and said, "Did you ever think that maybe she needs you?"
Darien gave a low laugh of disbelief.
"Why would she want someone like me? I'm ugly and hideous. She is quite the opposite-lovely and beautiful."
"Is that_all_ you think about? Beauty? What did you think attracted her to you most of all?"
Darien thought back when he was Endymion.
"My face and looks. I suppose."
"If that's all you think she was looking for then why did she come here?"
Darien was speechless.
"She loves me for me." he stated.
"Exactly, what I'm trying to say. Now, go, go, go away and tell her that you know, and that you want to spend your life with her."
Darien walked out of the room, and found a note on the floor. It read:
Darien,
I have been foolish to come here. I'm sorry to have caused you any sorrow or grief. Forget everything. Forget that we ever met. Let me be a faint memory to you.
Forgive me for falling in love with you,
Serena
Darien fell to his knees as tears began to form. He felt the familiar pain in his heart of losing someone much like where his father died but terribly more unbearable.
Nicholas saw the count on the floor. He put a hand on his shoulder.
"I need her." Darien said.
"Then go and get her."
Serena sailed back miserably to London. The Earl of France surprised to see her said, "You have come back."
"Yes." she answered in a sad monotone.
"What happened?" Andrew asked in the same tone as hers.
"Never mind. It's all past."
"Is it?"
Serena didn't answer.
"Too bad."
Just then the servant told Andrew that he was needed. Andrew silently left Serena to herself. Serena tried to think straight. Then two minutes later she heard the door behind her open and close.
"I've made up my mind." she began.
"I will marry you, and after that we'll have children and I'll try to be very happy with you. What do you think?"
Then a hand tenderly held her hand moving her closely.
"Just what I had in mind."
Serena recognized the familiar voice.
He continued, "And we'll have lots of them."
"Lots of what?" she asked swallowing.
"Children of course. And be very, very happy."
"What are you saying?" she asked as she turned to face Darien.
"You have made me complete, and I want you to also. I promise that I will hold you forever in my heart. If you have me, Serena."
Serena was enveloped in tears.
"Please, Serena. All my life I wanted people to accept me and think that I was handsome. But the night I met you even when in my appearance you...you showed me kindness that I've never felt before. You asked me to dance with you and you were not even afraid of me. I thought it was just a dream, so, I went on realizing that from then on it was and never more. But I wanted to see you, again, so. I took on that terrible spell and changed me to be more appealing to you. I thought maybe could see you again, but in a different face as a face maybe you could love."
"But don't you know that it wasn't just your appearance that I noticed? It was your gentleness, pureness...It was you. And behind those scars, I knew that there was truly a beautiful person full of life waiting to be..."
"Then do it Serena, my angel. I've finally found someone worth living for-please Serena, free me. I..love you."
All of a sudden, a terrible pain overflowed through his body that kn ocked him unconscious.
"Darien!" Serena screamed as she held his now frail body.
"Darien, don't go...I ..never got to tell you that...I love you, too. Darien! Darien."
Serena laid her head down on his chest and wept until she fell asleep.
She awakened to find her love no longer there in her arms just a pillow. She was lying on her bed. She sat up and called his name.
Just then Mina opened the door. Serena turned around to see if it ws him. "Darien? Is that..."
"Serena. Andrew wants to speak with you."
Serena, immediately followed Mina, but Mina told her to freshen up first.
"Andrew? What is it?" Serena asked.
"Serena. I've something to confess."
"Well, what is it?"
"You see, I am not who you think I am."
"What? What do you mean, Andrew?"
"I am not the Earl of France."
"You're not?"
"No. I'm the Count of Caspian."
"What? No! You're not. You are the..."
"I am the Earl of France." corrected a voice.
Serena turned to face the voice.
"Yes, it's true." answered Andrew.
"He is. You see we traded positions because he was not fit to be the Earl at the time. The people that lived with him said that he was suicidal and was not fit to do the work. Until he met you."
Darien turned around to face Serena.
"Darien, your face. Your hands. They've healed. How?" Serena said.
"You healed me. You see the curse was broken when I confessed my love for you."
"Did it hurt you again?"
"No, not this time."
"Ahem." Andrew said clearing his throat.
"There's one more significant thing that I forgot to mention-you two are very much engaged. Since you, Darien are the Earl and Serena, princess. So, I'll just let you two alone to discuss that since it will greatly affect your new lives together. So, excuse me." Andrew said leaving the room with a smile on his face.
"Darien, I would've married you before no matter what. Earl or not. I would have if you would've just asked me."
"I know, my love."
"I thought you had died and I though I'd never have the chance to tell you that..."
"Tell me what?" Darien asked smiling now.
"To tell you. How much I love you."
Darien walked closer to Serena, and she embraced him.
"I don't know what I could've done when I thought you were gone, forever."
Then Darien hushed her softly, "You will never lose me, again. Because I am yours for always."
Then Darien dried her tears away, and they kissed like two souls that have long awaited to be together-and they were.
The song above was sung by Englebert Humperdink. Some old guy. Anyways, I thought he didn't sing it right, but anyway. GUess what? I'm done!! I'm done! I'm done!! Thank you for reading it.
