Two Worlds

At the castle, Luna was walking Serenity to her mother\'s bedroom. Serenity, now bathed and changed, was wearing a light blue dress. Almost similar to her white one, but this looked more light a night gown. Serenity didn\'t know what to expect. It was the first time she had been seen like this, and coming out of the forest, at night?!

\"Oh my...\"

Luna, who was walking in front of her, turned to reassure her.

\"Princess Serenity, all will be well. You needn\'t worry about a thing. After all, you are going to see your mother. She is very lenient with you and you have done no wrong.\"

Serenity looked at Luna with disturbing eyes.

\"No wrong?\"

Luna turned around.

\"Well, at least in my eyes you haven\'t.\"

Luna had a smile; Serenity just shrugged her shoulders and continued to follow.

They walked past a couple of the white halls, and many doors, which were white and outlined in gold. The floor was of pearl marble, the pillars holding the ceiling were made of a mix of gold and silver marble, and the drapes hanging from windows were silver and gold. There was a room at the end of the hall. The doors were white, and outlined with small gold leaves. In the middle of the two doors was a golden crescent moon. Luna cracked the door open, just a little though. She nodded her head and opened it for Serenity. Serenity took a big gulp, a deep breath, in and out, and walked in. Luna smiled and closed the door.
The room was white and black. The carpet was pure white, and so were the blankets and comforter of the double-king sized bed. The room was outlined in black marble. Her dresser and night stand were also made of marble, and outlined in black. In the whole room, there was one large humongous window. It was outlined with green marbled vines, and gold marbled roses. At the top, a crescent moon. Serenity walked to the window. She could see a beautiful view of the kingdom. Outside the window, was a balcony. But she dare not go outside, not in a time like this. Since her mother\'s room was at the third floor of the castle, serenity could see the moon, as if she could just reach out and touch it. Her mother came out of a room, what seemed to be a bathroom. Her hair was damped and she had a long white robe. Serenity immediately turned around and greeted her mother.

\"Good evening mother...you wanted to see me?\"

Queen Selenity walked to her huge dresser, sat down on her vanity chair, and picked up a silver brush. She looked at Serenity in the reflection of the mirror.

\"Brush my hair?\"

Serenity walked to her mother, took the comb and started to brush. Her mother, being around her mid forty\'s, had incredibly long hair. She had never cut it in her life. But she never looked her age. She looked like she was a good age of twenty five, the most. She was a bit taller than Serenity, and her hair was a silvery white. Her eyes were lighter than Serenity\'s, and she, like Serenity, had fair, soft skin. Serenity was so nervous; she tried not to tangle her mother\'s hair.

\"Ouch!\"

Serenity gasped and apologized immediately.

\"I\'m sorry mother! I didn\'t mean to! I-\"

\"Serenity...\"

Serenity froze. Her mother calmly took the brush and started to brush her tangle out.

\"It’s alright child, you needn\'t be so nervous. Now, take a deep breath and calm down.\"

Serenity did as she was told, but didn\'t feel any better. After brushing the tangle out, Queen Selenity walked over to her bed, she took off the robe and had a silver nightgown. It was thin strapped; it was made of silk, and very long. She looked stunning. Serenity wasn\'t surprised, she knew of how beautiful her mother was, and hoped that one day when she would be queen; she could have her mother\'s looks. Her mother sat at the edge of her bed and motioned for Serenity.

\"Serenity, come and sit with me.\"

Serenity walked to her mother\'s bed and sat next to her. Her mother looked at her eyes, and began to speak.

\"What\'s wrong dear? Are you alright?\"

\"Yes, why would you ask such a question?\"

\"Well, maybe because you came from the forest, in rags, and appeared as if you had come from some kind of battle.\"

The Queen giggled, but Serenity didn\'t find it as amusing. The Queen stopped and looked directly at her daughter.

\"Did one of those...vampires try to hurt you?\" Serenity quickly faced her mother.

\"No! Mother, why would you think of such a thought?\"

\"Then please explain to me why you were out there at this time of night.\"
Serenity looked down and mumbled.
\"Uh...at this time of...night? Well, you see...um...\"

The Queen grabbed Serenity\'s hand and leaned forward.

\"Darling, you know you can tell me anything. I will not judge you.\"

Serenity thought to herself. Should she really tell her what really happened? About her love with Prince Endymion? Well, ex love. Should she tell her that she would sneak out at late hours to see him? Worse, that he is heir to the Dark Kingdom!? No, she couldn\'t.

\"To tell you the truth mother, I have been having strange dreams about the lake in the forest.\"

\"The lake in the forest? That is almost in the middle of the forest.\"

\"Yes, well, I wanted to know what it meant, so I had to go see what was there. To find out why I have been having these weird dreams.\"

\"Serenity, you realize traveling this late, vampires could\'ve been there. They could\'ve gotten to you and hurt you! Or worse, capture you and turn you as one of their own!\"

\"Yes mother I\'m aware of that, but no one was there. And this is my first time out. I didn\'t want to worry you. I didn\'t even go far; I got scared and turned back. But I kind of went the wrong way at first, and got my dress torn with tree twigs, bushes, and I tripped over a tree stump. That\'s why I have these small scrapes. Believe me, nothing harmed me.\"

Queen Selenity let out a sigh and hugged her daughter. Serenity hugged her mother back and gave a warm sigh. The Queen then gave her daughter a kiss on her crescent moon, which glittered afterwards.

\"Darling, I don\'t know what I would do if anything were to happen to you. You are my strength, to rule the way I do. You not being here would devastate me.\"

Serenity then remembered what Endymion had said,:...your mother will be devastated...no will power to rule....kingdom will be vulnerable....it will lead to a great fall.: Serenity shook that thought out of her mind. She loved her mother, and she felt warm every time she hugged her like that. She then turned to her mother.

\"Mother? Why are you so concerned with our people going into the forest at night? There is really no threat.\"

Selenity looked down and put her hand on her stomach. She gave a small sigh and her eyes began to water.

\"It was a long time ago. I was already nine months pregnant with you, and I desperately wanted to go for a walk. The stars were out, the wind was cool, and the moonlight was everywhere. Your father....\"

Selenity\'s eyes wept, she brushed them off and smiled, still looking down at the carpet.

\"He did not want me to go, since we had just arrived here and the place was new. Besides, we didn\'t know too much about the vampire race yet. We didn\'t go too far, but we walked along. During our walk, we had a disturbing conversation. He had just received word that the Queen of the Dark World, Queen Galena, was killed by one of our people, a bandit. The man who shot her down came rushing back to our kingdom and your father banished him. We wanted no trouble with our neighbors, and it seems the bandit had just caused turmoil. He said that it might lead to war. I asked him that, maybe if we explain ourselves that it was all a grand mistake. But he said the king was furious and would not listen to our pleas. That\'s when we heard a noise in the woods. We turned all ways and continued our walk. Then... out of nowhere a vampire dodged out of the shadows towards us. Your father struck out his sword in defense and sliced him in half. We ran as fast as we could back to the palace, but I was pregnant, so I.... I slowed us down. Eventually a group of vampires caught up to us and surrounded us. They made threats to cut...cut me open and take you. They wanted to kill me because I was queen, eye for an eye. But your father convinced them to take him instead. He begged me to run for my life and dare not to look back. I couldn\'t leave him! I was pregnant with his child, and to be alone, without him...I couldn\'t bare it! One of the vampires slashed his face, not killing him, but for me to see. Your father told me to run, surprisingly, so did the vampires. They said that I should run, or else I would see him tortured. So they allowed us to have one last kiss. And he slowly whispered to me, \"She will be beautiful as you, name her Serenity...\". So then I ran, holding my stomach. As I ran, I......I could hear him screaming..it was so horrible. Once I reached the gates...I collapsed. Luna and Artemis were the first to see me. They ran to my aid and asked were your father was. I was screaming in horror...\"he\'s in the forest! They\'re murdering him! Please save him before it’s too late!!\". Artemis took a rally of soldiers and went into the forest. As they helped me inside the palace, I got contraptions, and began to give birth. The surgeon told me I would have complications due to me being in tremendous shock and all the running. But in the end I pulled through, and had a beautiful baby princess.\"

Serenity smiled warmly when she said that.

\"The birth and your father was too much for me, so they gave me something that would put me to sleep. When I awoke the next morning, Luna and Artemis were in my room. Luna\'s eyes....were pink and puffy, as if she was crying. Artemis had tears slowly coming down his face. Something I thought I would never see. I slowly sat up and...I knew something was terribly wrong. I took deep breaths and calmed myself. Artemis began to tell me everything. \"We found him....but...he....was in shreds. The cavalry is out right now...cleaning him.\" Tears filled my eyes but I didn\'t let them fall. Instead I swallowed my pain and ordered Artemis to take me to where he was. He disagreed and argued, but I gave him a strict order. I told Luna to nurse you while I was gone. I hadn\'t even seen you yet. All I knew was that I gave birth to a girl, and that was it. As I was in the forest, flashbacks of me running out, raced in my mind. I saw the Calvary in a circle. Artemis yelled at them for not starting to clean yet. But I told them not too. I wanted to see...to see what I ran from. As everyone made way, I reached the middle and stared in shock. There was...blood...everywhere...\"

Selenity squeezed her nightgown and began to weep softly.

\"He had been...torn apart...limb from limb..it looked like a massacre. The trees were stained with his blood, and his body was scattered in the area. I couldn\'t understand, how someone could do this....I could no longer take the sight. I fell to my knees crying frantically. Artemis pulled me out of the forest and helped me back to the palace. I couldn\'t believe what had happened. The nature of those...those animals!! They chose to murder him...he took the blame for something that was not our fault!! Those murdering bastards! Damn them all to hell! To hell for what they did!!! I will never forgive them for what they have done! While I was giving birth, he...he was torn apart! And to think I used to feel sorry for them...it’s an unthinkable feeling. That is why I am scared of that horrid place. I can\'t stand to even look at it! That is why I hate the vampires so much. For not giving us the opportunity to explain and taking a life that wasn\'t theirs for the taking.\"

Selenity looked at her daughter. Serenity was in shock. Her eyes wide open, and her mind full of things. Selenity grabbed her daughter’s hands and knelt in front of her.

\"My darling, do you understand me now?\"

Serenity had tears in her eyes. She hugged her mother tightly.

\"Yes, mother. I understand everything now.\"

\"Good, now go to bed, we can talk about it in the afternoon.\"

\"The afternoon?\"

\"Why yes, it\'ll be sunrise soon and we haven\'t gotten the slightest bit of sleep. Now go my daughter, and good night.\"

\"Good night.\"

Serenity left the room and headed back towards her room. She slowly made her way back, passing by the halls, and into her room, it was at the end of the large hallway. Serenity closed the door behind her, let her hair completely loose, and sat on her bed. Next to her bed was a window, it wasn\'t as big. She looked out the window. There she could see the kingdom and a bit of the forest. She glanced at the forest. She didn\'t know what to make of it anymore. Before, all she could do was stare into the forest, because she knew Endymion was there waiting for her. Waiting for them to be together. But hearing about her father\'s death, she never got to know the man. She grew angry, and had hatred towards the forest. Endymion confessed his lies to her there. She was fooled by him, every time they met...in the forest. Her father, was killed in the forest out of hatred. For something he did not even commit. She never thought of vampires, as monsters. At least not until tonight.

\"How could they...?\"

She tried to imagine Endymion shredding a person, and liking it. But she couldn\'t. Like she couldn\'t imagine him telling her all his lies. Serenity started to cry on her pillow.