Chapter 14 Continued:

Darien stayed awake for a long while into the night. He relished the feeling of holding Serena even as he battled with his body not to respond to her soft curves. His mind finally won some time in the early morning. After what had seemed an eternity, he finally fell asleep still holding the woman he had searched the world for twice over.

 



 



 



 

It took Serena and the twins nearly three weeks to adjust to their new life at the Royal Court. Darien was constantly occupied in meetings with the city delegates, the surrounding country governors, and their respective Ambassadors. Not to mention, the rebuilding of the planets also held much of his attention. With all the inner Senshi there at the Royal Palace to welcome Serena home and help her get readjusted, they were offered an even longer stay. Queen Augusta and King Damian announced a celebration ball to formally welcome Serena and the twins to the kingdom that would take place the following week. Following the ball would be the formal coronation of Darien and Serena's ascent to the throne. This would take place at the end of the month. King Damian felt it was finally time to step down and allow the people of earth to open their arms to Darien and Serena. Preparations and plans for decorations, food and music were already being made for the first event, as invitations were sent out.

 

In spite of the busy days for Darien, Serena always saw him at dinner and he always made the time to quietly play with the twins, laughing delightfully at their clever tactics. Ruark now would come easily to Darien, sometimes preferring to be in his company as opposed to his mama's. Rini always came to both without a fuss, offering a two-tooth smile to both parents. Their eyes would stray to one another during these peaceful times, and Serena could feel herself being completely engulfed within Darien's warm gaze.

 

Darien kept his promise not to touch her. Yet, Serena was finding it harder and harder to keep herself from touching him at night. She already recognized the deep feeling of love she felt for him; maybe it had always been there. She just couldn't remember, but she did understand what she was feeling, memory or no memory. Still, she found that she lacked the nerve to make the first move.

 

Spring was slowly giving way to the warmer, longer, lazy days of summer. It was late in the evening when Darien returned to their chambers to find Serena in the middle of disrobing for the evening. Her servant girl was laying out her night clothes on the bed, humming a tuneless song. He knew the twins were sound asleep, having peeked in on them on his way to his chambers. The day had been incredibly hot, making for a sultry and uncomfortably warm evening. Their balcony doors were open wide to the star-spangled night and he could hear the crickets singing to each other. He dismissed the servant quietly as Serena came around from behind the dressing cover. Her eyes widened in startlement to find him in the place of the servant.

 

"Darien!" she gasped out, surprised to find him in their chambers. She was usually in her nightgown before he arrived. She was wearing nothing, but her filmy, silk slip and undergarments.

 

"Don't stop on my account!" he chuckled as his gaze slowly went over her lovely curves that were apparent under the flimsy material. My, but she was a sight for sore eyes, he thought. His eyes began to strip her of her clothing, remembering how she looked in all her naked glory. Ah, but the pain of it all, he thought again as he was reminded of his body's responses to her beauty.

 

She reached for her silk robe on the bed, but he stilled her hand.

 

"No, please, don't ever hide your beauty, especially to me, love," he implored her. The tone of his voice was gentle, while at the same time, the strength underlying the words made it almost seem a command.

 

Slowly, she let go of the robe. Then she sat on one of the steps that led up to their bed. "It's very warm tonight, isn't it, Darien?" she said, trying to start a conversation and get her mind off thoughts of touching him, and being in his arms all night . . .

 

"I agree," he said, as he started to divest his clothing. "Perhaps, a dip in the freshwater pool would cool us both off?" he suggested lifting one dark brow sardonically.

 

"But I thought that . . . that the pool was strictly forbidden to wade in?" She wondered. Oh, that would be heaven, she thought.

 

"It would be, wouldn't it?" Darien said, interrupting her silent musing. He chuckled at her startled face when she realized that he had read her thoughts, again.

 

"Oh! Do you have to do that?" she said, exasperated with him as she flushed deeply.

 

"No, but I like doing it and to answer your question, yes it is forbidden. Father doesn't want the natural beauty of the freshwater pool to be inhabited by every soul in the Palace. But that hasn't stopped him or Augusta from swimming in it every so often," he said as he continued to undress.

 

"Are they there now?" she asked, becoming excited at the prospect of wading in the cool waters. She had seen the freshwater pool dozens of times as her and the Sailor Senshi strolled through the palace grounds and wondered what it would be like to swim in it.

 

"No and if we hurry, no one else will have the chance to claim it tonight," he grinned at her as he pulled his shirt off.

 

She nodded in agreement as her gaze absently strayed to his chest.

 

He smiled mischievously at the thought of them swimming together in the cool waters. He was ready to set the wheels of his plan into motion.

 



 



 



 

The moonlight spilled its glorious array of luminous light to the warm night. The freshwater pool was deserted as Darien and Serena entered the area, quietly. Serena giggled like a schoolgirl as Darien led her to the edge of the pool. The pool floor was made up large boulders and smaller rocks worn smooth by water currents over the years. Various trees and bushes, neatly trimmed, surrounded the area, ensuring privacy. Large, exotic, potted plants were scattered about the pool area, creating a lounging atmosphere. At one end of the pool, a small waterfall spilled forth, churning the water and creating a gentle mist and dusting the nearby bushes and trees with small, silver droplets. The waterfall splashed quietly as the crickets continued to sing in the background of the night and lightning bugs blinked in and out like tiny golden stars.

 

"Darien!" Serena exclaimed as he took off the rest of his clothes in front of her. Her eyes went wide as she stared at his hard, naked body under the silvery moonlight.

 

"You don't really believe I would swim in clothes, do you?" he asked sarcastically, but grinned to soften the effect of his words. He negligently folded his arms as he waited for her to undress as if he didn't have a care in the world, indifferent to the fact that he was completely nude before her. She stood completely still, helpless but to let her eyes devour his incredible body. He stood there, patiently letting her take her fill of him. Oh, but he was glorious looking! Her gaze caressed the broad expanse of his chest, his narrow hips, and shamelessly followed the dark hairline that led to his groin. For long moments, her gaze wandered over his manhood; it was long and partly aroused to her searching gaze. Her gaze continued down, tracing his large thighs, long legs and then lifting her gaze back up to his face to find his lowered lids covering his blazing eyes. A sultry and knowing smile played on his lips.

 

"Do I pass your inspection, my love?" he asked, turning his body completely around in the moonlight for her. She hadn't glimpsed his buttocks earlier. She did now, noticing how sinew and hard they were. Shame, shame on you, Serena, you wicked girl, she thought to herself.

 

She was glad that it was dark, otherwise he would have seen how much her face resembled a ripe tomato. Serena was totally flustered and she could feel a familiar ache in the pit of her stomach, responding to the sight of his hard body. "You have a beautiful body, Darien," she uttered huskily, surprising herself and him with the bold comment. She wondered where that had come from.

 

"You better get in that water, before I go back on my word to you," Darien ordered her, his voice sounding rough.

 

She quickly undressed and Darien only had time to glance at her naked perfection for a brief moment before she jumped into the water. He quickly followed her, diving into the water, barely making a splash.

 

The water was as cool and refreshing as she expected it to be. Serena felt her body cool down from the turbulent heat that was burning within her as Darien surfaced beside her. She swam away from him, laughing out loud as he splashed water on her face. He shushed her, indicating that someone would hear them. She quickly stifled her laughter, only to be splashed again by Darien as his own hearty laughter rang throughout the palace grounds. His laughter was cut off to a gurgle as Serena dived underwater, grabbed his ankles, knocking him off balance and pulled him under the surface. She then swiftly swam away from him like a fleeing mermaid, surfacing on the other side of the water giggling at her cleverness, only to shriek out in laughter as Darien grabbed her foot and lifted her clear out of the water, tossing her down with a large splash.

 

They frolicked for some time in the water and after tiring of each others antics, proceeded just to drift about in the water or sit on one of the submerged boulders. Serena was floating on her back staring at moon. Again, she saw fleeting memories of her home. Some of them were sharper now as she saw her mother. Sad tears slipped from her eyes as she finally remembered her. She remembered standing in the Moon Palace beside her mother as her mother would gaze at the planet of Venus. Some said she had a lover there.

 

Venus, she remembered. She remembered her mother's soft voice humming a soft, hauntingly familiar tune as they sat on her bed, calmly combing Serena's long hair before they would retire for the night.

 

I love you, mother, Serena said to the moon. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you that before and now you're gone, she thought again, still staring her old home.

 

Suddenly, something underwater slithered along her back, startling her out her reverie. "Darien?!" she gasped out, looking around in the dark pool. She felt hands grab at her waist and she was pulled underwater. She came up spluttering loudly as Darien swam before her, grinning like the devil himself.

 

"You were looking far too sad in my company, Serena. I had to do something," he said innocently as he swam closer to her. "You were remembering your mother?" he asked softly.

 

She nodded her head as she swam closer to him. Their bodies briefly touched underwater. She felt his hand slide along her buttocks to the curve of her smooth back, urging her even closer to him. She knew he could touch the bottom of the boulder underneath them, but she was too short so she continued to tread the water before him. On impulse she boldly put her hands around his shoulders for support as well as to rest her arms.

 

She watched as his eyes started to burn with an unmistakable fire, radiating its intense heat into her face. She could clearly see his eyes in the moonlight, but the sharp planes of his face were shadowed, making them even more pronounced in the night. Both of his hands now slowly moved up and down over her curves under the water as his gaze wandered from her face to her breasts. The full mounds floated like creamy crescents in the water, her nipples already hard and erect from the cool water. They teasingly brushed against his chest. Instinctively, she let her long legs wrap loosely around his slim hips.

 

"Ah God, Serena, do have any idea what you're doing to me?" Darien groaned huskily, as he was tortured by her proximity and afraid that, any moment, she would flee from him. It seemed as if he had waited forever for her to come this close, to finally have her accept him as her lover and husband.

 

"Yes, I do," she whispered back, as her hands gripped his wet skin. "I know I don't have my memory completely back, but I want this as much as you do," she said as their bodies now intimately touched.

 

He uttered something that was halfway between a growl and groan as his mouth came down on hers possessively. His arm tightened like a steel vise around her waist as he crushed her mouth in a soul-searing kiss. She felt again, that strange, creeping languor that had nothing to do with her mind or body as a burning heat erupted from the pit of her belly. Roused from its dormant slumber, the dragon of desire unsheathed its fiery talons and clasped them hard onto Serena's wildly out-of-control senses.

 

Her body trembled in anticipation as her arms encircled Darien's broad shoulders. Her fingers tangled in his wet hair as her head fell back, lost and trapped in her own world of desire. His hands roamed and explored her curves, familiarizing himself again with the charted map that only he'd been privy to. Her flat stomach grazed his hard manhood underwater and she heard him suck in his breath in startlement.

 

"Are you sure?" he asked her after a moment between the heated kisses, his deep gaze penetrating hers.

 

"Yes, Darien. Please, I don't want to wait any longer--" she gasped out as she felt his hands move over her again and again, caressing her soft flesh. His manhood inched slowly into her open channel, the warm softness of her encasing him like a velvet glove.

 

"Ah God, Serena, I didn't plan it to be here of all places!" he whispered and laughed huskily into her neck, his breath hot and sweet. He moved his hips slowly, gliding in and out of her heated flesh at an agonizing pace. Ah, but she was so tight that he wanted nothing more than to explode in her.

 

"What do you mean?" she asked as she tried to gather her haphazard thoughts together, to focus coherently on his words. She let her thighs tighten around his hips, enjoying the delicious torture of him sliding smoothly within her. Oh, but the feel of his body against hers and his arms around her was nothing short of heavenly bliss.

 

"Close your eyes, babe," Darien said as he enclosed her within his embrace.

 

She did as she was told and for a moment, everything went completely black. There was no sound, no breath of wind, just complete calmness and blackness. When she opened her eyes, she was startled to find that they were no longer in the freshwater pool, but back in their chambers. The candles burned low, crackling and sparking quietly. The balcony doors were still wide open, just as they had left it. The night crickets continued to sing in the palace courtyard and gardens.

 

They were lying on their bed; Darien was now on top of her, still buried within her. She stared into his face, now silhouetted by the candlelight, the moonlight spilling through the French doors and reflecting softly off the white marble. They were still wet, but neither of them noticed.

 

"This is how I planned it, envisioned it. With you here in my arms, buried so deeply in you that it hurts just thinking about it, exactly the way it feels right now. Not a dream, but reality," he whispered to her. "Love me, Serena. Can you do that? That's all I ask of you. Can you love me for what and who I am?" he asked, again. "Forever?" he prompted hoarsely.

 

"Forever," she whispered back and their lips met again in passionate kiss.

 

They made love throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning. When Serena fell into a deep, exhausted slumber, Darien continued to hold her in his arms. The soft, golden rays of the early morning sun peaked over the horizon, striking the morning dew that clung to the leaves of the surrounding trees, reflecting a thousand tiny rainbows as he continued to gaze at her sleeping face.

 

"I love you, Serena," he whispered into her hair, his large hands still caressing the tousled, silver curls, until he too, fell asleep.

 



 



 

Stay tuned for the final chapter, chapter 15 . . . Lady M. Harris.