--Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine
arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the
grave. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the 
floods drown it.  BIBLE: SONG OF SOLOMON


"The Last Dance"
by Andrea Hui

     
     The bright, golden sun against the darkness of the 
surrounding universe took Princess Serena's breath away, 
lifting her soul. She couldn't remember the last time she 
enjoyed the sunset like she was at that very moment. The 
stillness and peace of the universe was still there, just 
barely. She could still feel the contentment before it 
would slip through her fingers.
     The lovely princess stood at the gates of the Moon 
Palace courtyard for just a little longer than usual, 
taking all of the sunset's beauty into her memory. She 
didn't want to lose anything. Memories were too precious 
to be taken for granted.
     The music in the background beckoned her to snap 
back to reality and attend her mother's grand ball. The 
mood was not at completely festive, however. Just yesterday, 
Queen Serenity had informed the people of the Moon that Queen 
Beryl was going to launch an attack any time soon. The party 
had been held today as a last ditch effort to keep some 
of the carefree happiness before the presence of Beryl.
     Princess Serena sighed heavily, and looked back at the
open door to the ballroom. The people were laughing and 
dancing, but the smiles were just masks of their true inner 
fear, the one brought on by the coming onslaught of Beryl.
     Serena decided to stay a while longer at the gates and
stare at the bluish white earth. It was so beautiful, that 
round planet. Wisps of white clashed with deep blues,
which looked magnificent when silhouetted against the sun. 
Serena  loved the planet Earth. She also loved Prince Darien 
of Earth.
     "The Moon revolves around the Earth," she said softly,
and leaned her cheek against the cool marble of the gate
pillar. The blue of Earth's waters reminded her of Darien's
intense blue eyes, the one she let herself swim in every time
he came to visit the Moon Palace. She loved him so much, and 
yearned to reach out and tell him exactly how she felt.
     She left the gates and wandered ahead into the royal
rose garden, where she was surrounded by millions of fully
bloomed, perfumed roses. When she was a child, she spent
hours sleeping by the thornless flowers, dreaming of her
prince coming to rescue her. These days, all she dreamed of
was Darien and his exquisite beauty compared to the roses
she lay by.
     The roses that day were more in bloom than they had ever
been in that summer season. Small roses and large roses were
arranged in arches, gardens, and around fountains. The way they
were laid out was absolutely stunning, a pleasing sight for 
sore eyes. Princess Serena slowly walked until she reached her 
favorite spot, a shaded bed of roses by the edge of the gardens.
     Serena lay down in the roses and drowned out the noises 
of the party, thinking of nothing but Darien's handsome tanned 
face, startling blue eyes, and comforting arms around her. She
pulled out a rose and held it close to her heart, wishing he
were there with her. The petals delicately touched her face like
lace and silk. The solar winds felt nice and cool in the warm 
sun as it brushed against her body, billowing her full skirt. 
     She closed her blue eyes pulled off a pink petal. "He 
loves me," she whispered into the wind. She lay the flower 
back on the ground, not wanting to pull another petal. She 
knew...the only important thing that mattered to her in that 
time and day was the love she felt for Darien, the love she
wanted to give with all her heart and soul.
     A slender woman stood at the gates of the rose garden,
her eyes scanning and finding the person she was looking
for. "Serena honey, what are you doing out here?" Queen
Serenity asked, bunching up her ivory dress in her fists
and running to Serena's side. She thought something was
wrong with her daughter, and took no time in rushing to
her aid.
     Serena's eyes fluttered open and she sat up. "I'm
fine, Mother," she said. "I'm just giving some time to myself
to think about things."
     Queen Serenity kneeled by her daughter on the roses.
"What are you thinking about, my love?" she asked, taking
Serena's hands into her own.
     Looking towards the Earth, she battled whether or not
to tell her mother about her intimate feelings for Prince
Darien. There was no choice. She would never keep anything
so important from her mother, the woman she had loved and
depended on since the day of her birth. The woman who would
pass the throne onto her if the Kingdom survived the coming
attack.
     "I'm in love with Prince Darien," Serena said simply,
picking up the rose she had earlier and twirling it around
in her fingers.
     No shock or surprise registered on her mother's face.
"I know, Serena. I've seen it in your eyes whenever he's here. 
I know that kind of young love..." she spoke quietly, her
thoughts fading back to sometime long ago.
     Serena stood up and brushed the grasses off her dress.
"I'm going into the ballroom, Mother. I want to remember all
the parties we have, especially this one."
     Queen Serenity's lips quivered, her eyes filling tears 
about to spill over. "Yes, Serena. Remember everything."
     Not being able to stand looking at her mother on the verge
of tears, Serena spun around and ran back into the courtyard
to the grand entrance of the ballroom.
     The party was in full swing. Serena stood at the door,
drinking in all the activity around her like she had never
been to such a party before. Waltzes were played by the
small orchestra in the corner. Men were dressed in the most 
appealing black tuxedos with white tuxedo masks, and some even 
wore long, flowing capes. The women were dressed in the finest
of silk, satin, lace, and velvet, each wearing something
expensive and different. Jewelry sparkled and the sparkles
of wine from the Moon Palace's winery seemed to accompany 
it.
     Princess Serena entered quietly, not wanting to draw 
any attention to herself. The last thing she wanted was 
people coming up to her and asking if her mother had any 
more news of the enemies. 
     The steps were taken slowly as she walked down the 
marble stairs. She looked down at her feet the entire 
time, sad because Prince Darien had to flee into hiding
yesterday after being seen by some of the Royal Guard. 
That was frightening for Serena because she knew Darien
was a good person and would never go against the Moon,
even though he was from the same planet Beryl came from.
Beryl's home was his home, that marvelous planet called 
Earth. But unfortunately on instinct, everybody else thought 
people of Earth were evil and plotting, and those people 
included her Prince Darien.
     A hand touched her wrist. "Princess, may I...have this
dance?" a familiar voice asked.
     Serena gasped and her eyes widened when she saw
his familiar face. Darien's. He was infallibly dressed
in a crisp black tuxedo, long cape, complete with a white
tuxedo mask. He smiled at her and bowed slightly, his hand 
still on hers. "Could be our last one," he added.
     He led her the last three steps down the stairway,
spinning her around like a top. Her dress flared out 
gracefully, brushing by the feet of the people standing
nearby. Several couples watched Serena as she placed her
small hand in Darien's palm. The guests smiled and marveled 
at the young love.
     "I'm so happy you came back," Serena said with a 
dreamy grin of joy on her face. Darien spun her around 
once and held her head close to his chest, brushing his 
lips against her soft hair.
     "I couldn't leave without having one last dance with
you," he said, looking down at her wistful eyes. "I'm afraid
all of this is going to change, Serena."
     People let the young couple have their way by clearing
the center of the ball room for them. With a flourish, Darien
let Serena spin out, her arms elegantly extended. She closed
her eyes and savored the feel of the wind quickly passing
through her hair.
     "This Beryl, she's more dangerous than I thought. The
whole universe is in danger," Darien said, not letting go
of the Princess's hand. He twirled her into his embrace,
and Serena looked into his face, searching for answers.
     "Even the Moon?" she asked worriedly.
     "Especially the Moon," he told her sadly. He dipped
her deeply, and she let gravity take her as her head almost
touched the floor. The party guests gasped and clapped their
hands at the expertise in dancing the couple displayed.
     "Beryl plans to take over the *whole* universe, and
to do that, she must first conquer the Moon," he said, and
twirled her around a few more times, watching as her gold
hair fluttered behind her in two long ponytails dangling
from two buns of silky fine hair. "You must prepare for the
worst, Serena."
     She held her face close to Darien's pristine white
dress shirt once again, her face grimacing in emotional
pain. She looked away, her eyes filling up with tears.
     Darien stroked her back, comforting her and preventing
the tears from falling. "Your mother knows I'm not a spy,"
he reassured her. Serena looked up for a brief moment, then
smiled and placed a hand on his chest. Darien continued. 
"She's asked me to stay and help defend the kingdom."
     Princess Serena finally felt safe knowing her true love
was going to be accepted on the Moon's side. She knew he would
save her and the Kingdom. But she was only covering up her
insecurity with the moment she was having with her Prince. 
He took away her fears as long as he was by her side.
     They danced for a while longer, each knowing that they
must enjoy life before time runs out. 



    				~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



     Later that night, Serena and Darien stood at the balcony
of her room, watching the pinkish purple gasses of the universe
and the pinpoints of the faraway stars move in black space. 
The Earth was darker now, but it was still very mystical and 
opalescent. The both of them stood facing each other, shadowed 
by the soft light of the dimming sun.
     They had been at the royal ball for about two hours 
before the attention got to them, forcing them to leave 
the crowds before they were hounded upon. Serena led him 
up to her majestic room, showing him everything that she 
owned and hoping that he would show some sign of interest 
in her personal belongings. He seemed genuinely curious 
in  everything he had to say by the way he smiled and nodded 
his head when she spoke.
     The Sea of Serenity reflected the little wisps of
sun that remained. The dark rocky shores surrounding the
waters seemed out of place when compared with the crystalline
sea. The night was tranquil and nothing could spoil the one 
moment when Serena and Darien's eyes locked with one another, 
their attention span limited to the tiny distance between them. 
Darien took off his tuxedo mask and slipped it into a pocket in 
his trousers, revealing his heart-stopping blue eyes.
     "Darien," Serena said, her voice beginning to break. She
was thinking about Queen Beryl and she knew he was thinking the
same thing. "I cannot believe this is happening!"
      Prince Darien's eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed.
"Queen Beryl is relentless and she will destroy absolutely 
everything that is in her way to get exactly what she wants,"
Darien informed Serena, his voice angered and determined. "I'll 
fight as hard as I can..."
     Serena's eyes shimmered with tears. She nodded for him
to go on. "But you must know..." he said, taking her hand, "I 
might not...come back. I just hope you know how much you mean
to me."
     He said it. He *did* love her. "I do," she said sincerely.
     "You're in my heart, always," he told her, his voice
still controlled.
     "And you will always be in mine," she responded. And 
finally, for the first time since the day they met when they
were children, they kissed. Their kiss was the one of souls
combining, of lovers finding their way back to each other
after a millennium of separation. They found each other.
     She felt nothing but her heart beating for him and
his for her; she saw nothing but his face as he concentrated
on bringing her his love; she tasted nothing but his lips;
she heard nothing but the sound of gentle waves crashing 
against the walls of the Moon Palace below the balcony. 
     His lips crushed hers desperately, needing all that
she could give him. She poured her soul into his body,
unable to let herself free of his embrace. She felt her
heart flutter up into her throat when he pressed her
small body up against his larger, wonderfully muscular 
one.
     "Mmmnnn....Darien," she said, smiling when his
lips nuzzled her neck. 
     Suddenly, he let go of her and pushed her away with 
his palm. It would have been a harsh motion if she hadn't 
loved him so much. He wiped his mouth with the back of his 
hand, a look of shame crossing his face, flushing it with 
a dark shade of red.
     "I'm so sorry, Princess Serena," he told her,
looking away. "I shouldn't have done that. I do not 
want to hurt you."
     For several moments, all was still. Even the sea
didn't move with its usual long, lapping waves. Serena
looked at his back, watching as it rose up and down with
his ragged breaths. She didn't know what to say.
     "I must go," he told her, and started towards the
open balcony door. He only walked a few steps before
Serena ran to him and grabbed his arm tightly. "Don't,
please!" she pleaded, the tears she had been holding in
for the past few minutes spilling over. 
     His mood changed into anger. "I don't want to hurt
you!" he cried, flinging his arm free of hers. Serena
fell to her knees and sobbed at his feet, almost appearing
like a pathetic child except for the fact that her 
crying was quiet and sensual, like a woman's.
     Darien immediately softened up and dropped to her
side. "Shh..don't cry, Serena," he told her, patting her
back. "I didn't mean to make you cry. It's just...I'm 
afraid I might hurt you if I don't get out of here..."
     "Hurt me?" she asked in a surprised tone. "You would
never hurt me. I know it...because I love you so much."
     Darien sucked in a breath when he saw the look in the 
young princess's violently consuming blue eyes. They trapped
him entirely, imprisoning him. Her skin was tinted a dewy 
blue from the starlights that filled the night universe. 
He couldn't help but reach out and touch her face where the 
tears had left a small wet trail. 
     She was so beautiful. Darien's heartbeat was furiously
echoing in his head, a dull, throbbing ache he had never
felt before in his entire life. He wanted to take her into his 
arms and love her like there was nothing left in the world. 
Her mouth was soft and small, opened up a little because she
had a hard time breathing and choking on her tears at the same
time. She held out her hand to him, silently pleading to him.
     Darien loved her.
     He didn't give her any time to react, because the next
thing she knew, his lips were back on hers again, his kisses
hungry and wild. Serena didn't know what to do. She was 
a total blank slate. She let him crush her, and she loved
it. It was a feeling she had never experienced, and it 
totally exhilarated her.
     Do minds touch? Serena wondered. She swore she could
feel Darien's need for her. At that moment, she sensed the
turbulent spin of his thoughts and feelings, relishing
in the heat that his desire brought on.
     His hands began to caress her waist urgently, getting
stuck in the tight sash that pulled her skirt tight. He
silently cursed and separated the kiss. "Oh my god," Darien
breathed, shaking his head in denial.
     "What, Darien?" Serena asked faintly, still overwhelmed
by the flames of passion.
     "Why am I doing this? You are too young for me. You 
are only thirteen, and I am nineteen! This is wrong," he
told her, standing up. He held his hands over his crotch,
which bulged a bit. Serena blushed when she noticed it, but
quickly gathered herself together.
     "Young?!?" she cried incredulously. "There is not
a time nor a place that is too young or too old for love,
Darien! If you love me, you will stay here with me."
     He was humiliated beyond belief. Here he was standing
in front of a small *child*--almost--and he wanted her 
like a man wanted a woman. More, even. The love he felt
but didn't confess was so strong, he didn't know what 
would happen to him if he didn't throw her down on the
floor and make love to her until the end of time.
     "I love you," he blurted out. "I love you more than
anything I've ever laid my eyes on. I love you more than I
love my family. I love you--more than life itself."
     He leaned down and scooped her up into his arms,
surprised at how light as a feather she was. Her hands
clasped his neck, delicately touching him, sending shivers
down his spine. 
     Serena was blissfully happy. Never did she love Darien
as she loved him now. She looked up at his flushed face as
he quickly walked into her bedroom with her in his arms
like a baby. She pecked him on the neck, and inhaled his
scent for a moment. He smelled clean and sweet, unlike 
the men who slaved in the limestone quarry down at the other 
end of the Moon who could be dectected from at least twelve
feet away. He was different from other men. He had a 
softness about him, like a vulnerable child, but he also 
had that hard look that made him a courageous hero.
     Darien dropped Serena onto her satin sheets and 
proceeded with lighting a few glowing candles outside the
draping canopy. Serena's shadows played on the walls as she 
crawled into the center of her bed, the light of the 
candles outlining her slim figure through the canopy.
     She heard Darien drop his cape, and saw his tall
body move fluidly as he took off his sleek tuxedo and
dress shirt. She knew what was coming in a few moments, 
and greatly anticipated it. Her mother had told Serena all 
about lovers in the fairy tales she had so cleverly spun 
for her daughter each night before she went to bed. Serena 
always imagined Darien as the gallant Prince who stole her 
heart, and she was the stealing beauty who took his. Now she 
had him all to herself, and the precious few days or hours 
they had left were for one purpose only; to confess the love 
from each of their hearts.
     In a few moments, Darien opened the canopy and crawled
inside beside Serena. In the dark blue light, he reached out
and took hold of her hand, leading it to his smooth chest
above his heart. "I want you to know, Serena, I don't want
to hurt you in any way. If you want me to stop, just tell
me. I will never hurt you, never..."
     "I know, Darien, I know. No talk. Just come here and
feel my heart..."
     She took his hand and the both of them were touching
each others' hearts, feeling the strong beat of love and
yearning. Their eyes met again, but this time the sparks
flew. Even though it was dark, the shine of their souls
were visible through their eyes, which were the windows.
     Serena shifted a little bit, her dress draping over
Darien's black trousers. She took care in remembering all
the little details about Darien's splendid chest. Her
fingers traced over his collarbone first, then ventured
down the smooth skin of his pectorals. His muscles weren't
profound, but were still refined like they were made out
of quicksilver. He must have been the masterpiece God 
intended for all men in the universe.
     They sat facing each other as Serena explored his
chest for a bit. He smiled when she touched his small
belly-button, remembering how ticklish he used to be
when he was a child. He needed to recall everything.
     Serena suddenly pushed him down with her palms, which
were tiny compared to his chest. She lay heavily on 
top of his body, her small breasts pressing against his
stomach. Darien looked down at her when she rested her
cheek against his hot skin. He took one long ponytail 
in his hand and ran his fingers through the glorious
hair. 
     "I don't ever want this to end," Serena said into
his chest. "I want to be with you forever."
     "And I, you," he responded, closing his eyes and 
swallowing with difficulty. It was very hard to comprehend
what was going to happen soon. His world was uplifted in
those past minutes, but all that would be taken away when
Beryl attacked. It was only a matter of time, and time was
very precious.
     Darien opened his eyes and got them adjusted to the
dark light so he could see Serena clearly. He reached down 
and touched her shoulder, slipping his fingers under her 
puffball sleeves and drawing them down. Her shoulders were 
velvety to the touch, smooth and creamy like milk. She turned 
her head and looked at him, her face pure and innocent, her 
breath warm against his skin.
     His fingers wandered down further until they reached
the gold hemline of her dress. His right hand found the 
tiny clasps on the side and undid them, one by one, and
his other hand untied the sash on her back, which wasn't
as hard to do as he had thought. In a matter of moments,
her entire dress was opened up. Serena shimmied out of the
pile of ivory and tossed it over the side of her large bed.
She knelt up between Darien's legs, her hands resting on
his firm thighs.
     Serena was half-naked in all her glory, only dressed in 
her frilly panties and enhancing brassiere. The light of the
candles bounced off the soft curves of her developing bosom
and her gorgeous pair of legs. 
     Darien sat up a little against the pillows and touched
her panties. He had never seen anything so fascinating before.
The fabric was so girlishly pretty, with ornaments like tiny 
frills, laces, and ribbons, almost enough to make him feel 
his sweet tooth. His eyes wandered up to her pair of blooming 
breasts, small, yet proportioned for a girl her size. Minute 
pearls lined the edge of the lace-covered fabric of the brassiere, catching the light of the candles. All of it was too brilliant 
to touch!
     "You're so lovely," he commented, unable to take his
eyes off her lingerie. Serena reached out and took both his 
hands, leading them to her petite waist. His fingers spread
and dove into the waistband of her cute panties, and with
lightning speed, cupped her buttocks, kneading them in his
palms. She felt so soft and warm in his hands.
     "Ummm..." Serena moaned, tossing her head to her side
and putting her hands behind her. Her hands joined Darien's
in rubbing circular patterns on her skin. It was too much,
and she finally lost balance and tipped over, knocking him
into the pillow with her.
     Both of them laughed lightly, Darien the louder of the
two. "Oh, Darien. I'm so happy here with you," she sighed,
slithering up a little to meet his face. Both their hands
were out of her panties now, and instead intertwined.
     "I couldn't be happier," he responded, planting his
lips on hers. Again, they kissed, with Darien more in control.
Serena didn't really know what to do, but she expected Darien
to teach her everything. Clouds totally covered her mind, 
and she was unable to think for herself. She became numb and
limp under Darien's expert kissing, her fingers involuntarily
grasping his thick, midnight-black hair.
     Serena was aware of Darien's hardness pressing against
her left thigh. It felt hard and awkward, but excited her 
beyond words. Her desire changed from dreamy to desperate
in a flash, her movements no longer unconscious and timid. 
She writhed above him and guided his hands, one to her 
breast and the other behind her, where he undid the shell
clasp that held the brassiere together. Using one hand, he 
slid the lacy shoulder straps off, slipping them down past 
her shoulders and arms. 
     Darien rolled Serena off him and lay beside her. 
He leisurely slid the brassiere further down, brushing 
the light fabric against the tips of her already hard
coral-pink nipples. She shivered against him. 
     He wondered if he could go through with it. He was
basically making love to a young child, and he couldn't
drive that thought out of his mind, no matter how much
he wanted her. They looked awkward, with Serena being 
such a tiny girl and Darien almost a full-grown man.
He was painfully aware of his erection, but couldn't 
stop whatever was going to happen between them. It was
now or never, and he couldn't afford to wait.
     "What is it, Darien?" Serena asked, reaching out
to touch his strong, pointy chin. 
     "I don't feel like I should be doing this now," he
told her. "Only if we had more time, Serena. Only if we
had more time."
     "Darien, we have each other, right now, right this
second. Do not let the memories go away. Let us make them
so we shall remember for the rest of eternity," Serena
said, caressing his face with the pads of her fingertips.
     "You're right," he agreed, trying to block out the
thoughts of their age and size. He took her wrist and led
it down to the waistband of his drawstring trousers. She
unlaced the string and tugged downward, pulling the waist
to his knees. He kicked the rest of it off and tossed it
to the footboard of the bed. 
     When Serena looked down, she gasped at the bulge
on Darien's underwear, and at the enormity of it. She 
would've been afraid if her desires weren't so extreme.
"Does it hurt?" she asked, touching the roundness, then
pulling back.
     Darien didn't know what to say. She wasn't his first
lover, but his second. He remembered when he was only a
boy of fifteen, there had been a stunning woman who had
taught him everything, but never said her name. He didn't
love that woman; he just found her fascinatingly pretty. 
She had the longest dark green hair...
     "Darien," Serena said, drawing him back to the real
world. "Did you hear what I said?"
     He smiled at the innocence in the way she spoke
about the subject. He shook his head and proceeded in
taking a nipple into his lips. Serena cried out loud
and wrapped her hands around his head, drawing him 
closer. "Oh my," she gasped, her mouth hanging at the
feelings his sucking brought.
     She was a fine delicacy, just as he expected, and 
more. She tasted sweet, like ripe grapes. His tongue licked
her breasts all over, running over her taut nipples more 
than several times. She was so sweet and delicious.
     "Darien," she cried out, shaking. She had to take a 
moment to pull her hair back, but she was quick about it.
His tongue glided over her ribcage and then over her 
torso, not taking too long lingering in any one particular
spot. She whimpered when he kissed her mound through her
panties.
     With ease, she separated her legs further, allowing
him access to her most private, tender parts. Only her
mother had touched her there for hygienic purposes when 
she was little. She was slightly apprehensive about someone 
else's touch, but held herself back. That place would bring 
her the most pleasure imaginable.
     He hooked his thumbs onto the string of lace that
held the panties at her hips. The little bows could be 
undone! He smiled and stuck out the tip of his tongue
as he concentrated on untying the impossible ribbons.
     "Darien!" she laughed, stroking his ears. 
     "This is wonderful," he cried, laughing. 
     Serena sighed and leaned back as Darien tried to
figure out how to untie the tiny lace. When he finished
one side, he went to the other. His breath was penetrating
and hot on her already-moist crotch.
     He peeled off the panties from the front and pulled 
the rest of it out from under her. She was glistening in
the light, her sweet, musky scent enveloping his senses.
He took a cautious lick, sampling her. She tasted so 
wonderfully pleasant and flowery.
     Serena let out a moan and breathed deeply. Her body
was hot and cold at the same time. All her life, she had
dreamed of this moment, and now it had to come at the 
worst of times for the universe. She felt ashamed that 
she was experiencing such pleasure at a time of depression,
but knew that she had to keep going on. The universe could
wait for them.
     A rush of heat washed over her when Darien slipped
a firm finger inside her tightened insides. She was very
lubricated already, a few droplets running down the crack
of her buttocks and onto the satin sheets. Erotic lust
pulsated through her, and she knew nobody else could 
feel the way she felt. In one strangled gasp, her muscles
locked and the power surged through her like a ship in
full throttle.
     It was amazing. She wondered how long she could stay
in libido before she came back to reality. It seemed like
forever, a blackness and then a bright, blinding whiteness
that took over her sight. The experience was heavenly.
     Just as soon as the heat died down, the fire started
building up again. Serena heard the rustle of clothing as
Darien took of his underwear and pushed it down to the foot 
of the bed.
     "Darien," Serena moaned, her voice groggy from the
sensations that still took over her mind. She leaned forward
and caught sight of his beautiful manhood. It stood up from
a patch of dark hair, sparkling a bit at the very tip. She
reached out and touched it with the pad of her pinky, 
surprised at how hot he was.
     He clenched his teeth and held her hand to his penis,
closing her fingers over it. It felt hot and dry in her
hands, much like a fever. It looked so big to her, but she 
was conscious of the fact that she had never seen one before 
and had nothing to compare it to. She was absolutely certain 
that nobody was as beautiful as Darien.
     "I love the way it feels," she said, then leaned back
down. Her hands left his penis and instead clasped around 
his neck as he lowered himself. He was sweating now, his
need for her very obvious. 
     Serena's knees were propped up, and Darien used his
palms to separate her legs further. At first, she was
hesitant, but then she let her legs split wide apart. The 
smooth head of his penis brushed against her soft petals.
     They were face to face, and his face was locked in
a cross between torture and passion. He almost appeared to
be in pain. "Darien, I have loved you my entire life," Serena
told him, speaking into his face.
     "I've loved you since the beginning of time," he 
echoed. Using two fingers to spread her plump lips apart,
he began to slide his rigid member into her tight, tiny 
opening. Serena cried out in suprised pain, shocked by the 
his width. She felt like she was going to split in two, and
he had hardly done anything yet.
     "I'm so sorry!" he cried, sliding out quickly. "I
don't want to hurt you, Serena." He held his erection
on one hand and covered the top of it it with the other.
     Serena shook her head. "I am fine, Darien! Please,
make love to me," she said affectionately. "You will
never hurt me."
     Darien seriously considered stopping there, but then
thought back to all the little walls he had broken down
to get even this far. It was too late to stop now. 
     "This is going to hurt because you're so small," he
told her, spreading her lips apart again. She was so moist,
her juices leaked onto his fingers as he guided his shaft
back inside her channel.
     Serena bore the pain, clenching her teeth and closing
her eyes. She spread her legs wider to allow more leniency
as Darien pushed forward, millimeter by millimeter. He found
it difficult to slide into her, but her muscles pinched his
penis so tightly, he wanted to just thrust with all his 
strength.
     "Uh!" Serena cried, shutting her eyes tight and keeping
a silent scream to herself. Darien supported Serena up by
placing his arms under her back. He kissed her soft, sweating
neck when he was halfway in to ease the pain. He knew from 
the start it wasn't a good idea because she was in pain at
that moment, but decided to push on. He tilted upward a 
little and looked down at her heaving chest.
     A sudden flash of pleasure hit Serena when Darien 
nuzzled her faint cleavage. His breath was warm against
her moistened skin as he kissed her fine little breasts,
taking long licks on each nipple. Her body shuddered as
another orgasm hit her unexpectedly.
     Even though her body was frozen, Darien pushed himself
further inside her, being drawn in by the tight, involuntary
squeezes she made. He felt snug inside her body, like they
fit with one another. He pushed until he reached the 
small membrane that prevented him from going further.
     He took a look at Serena and noticed that she was
crying. Immediately, he began to draw out. "No," she said,
pulling him closer to her.
     "If you hurt, please tell me. I don't want to give 
you any pain," he said gently. Instead of replying, Serena
wiggled under him forcefully and bore down on him, breaking
her own virginity. She cried out once, her head burying into
her pillow to muffle her sobs. "It feels so wonderful,
Darien!" she cried out. 
     He was certainly confused by her behavior, but dismissed
it because she was a virgin and didn't know what to expect.
Her love channel tightened even more, and he experimented 
with different variations of thrusts until he was able to begin 
a steady, slowly escalating rhythm inside of her.
     Darien gasped at the way Serena grasped him with her 
womanhood. The sexual drive he felt encouraged him to 
slide in forcefully and pull back; he did this again and
again until the bed shook with his efforts. Serena cried
out from under him, both a mixture of pain and pleasure.
     Like a wave, their bodies moved up and down, Darien
giving power and Serena receiving it. She screamed his
name over and over, occasionally kissing his lips to 
keep herself from alerting the people outside who were
attending the ball that still went on into the night.
     The pounding that had begun in Darien's mind became
a siren as he lost track of everything he had ever known.
He was drowned in the sensations of real love; he was making
love to the girl--woman--he had loved for such a long time.
He shouted several times, sometimes in emotional pain and
sometimes in pure lust. 
     The strokes quickened more, even when Darien began
to show signs of fatigue. He couldn't disappoint her, 
especially on a night when the both of them knew that
it could be their last one alive. Each time he buried
himself inside her, she gave a small whimper of delight,
but as time waned on, her whimpers became screams. She
opened her mouth wide, breath escaping her lungs in
huge gulps.
     All of this was too much for Serena. She came again,
spasming so much she lost her mind. She screamed again, 
her teeth clamping onto Darien's shoulders as she sobbed. 
The whirling in her body was a hurricane, nothing like she 
had ever known. 
     Her love was so genuine and sublime Darien almost cried
when he saw her face as she orgasmed again. He kissed her
lips and gave a muffled shout when he felt himself explode
inside of her, his beautiful seed drenching her already-wet
insides. In that instant, their souls combined into one, 
inseparable for thousands of centuries to come.
     The experience of making love to Serena was unlike
anything Darien had ever dreamed. He loved her so much,
it was almost unbearable to leave her side now. He
needed her, and she needed him. 
     Everything was silent after their simultaneous climaxes.
Serena's breath was reduced to small gasps as she fought for
a way to breathe after such a consuming orgasm. Darien lay
heavily on top of Serena, his muscles unable to function
correctly. He was so tired, emotionally and physically drained.
     Neither of them knew how much time had passed. They lay
in each other's arms, listening to the waves of the Sea of
Serenity and the winds that came into Serena's room, flickering
the fire of the candles and blowing the canopies of her bed.
     They slept, and both of them knew their love for each
other was true, and the bond that kept them together would
always be unbreakable, no matter what stood in their way.




				~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



     Two cats ran down into the ballroom, alerting the
partygoers who were still dancing and drinking wine.
      "We're under attack, under attack!" Luna cried, running 
ahead of Artemis, her white-furred companion. Shouts of concern 
and denial echoed throughout the ballroom. 
     "Get ready for battle!" Artemis cried. "We need 
everybody we can get to fight! Quickly, to the armories!"
     The roar from the first wave of Earth's attack 
could be heard. It would only be a matter of minutes
before the attack would reach the Moon. 

			


				~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




     
     "What's that?" Darien murmured, forcing his eyes to 
open and focus. He took a glance outside, then almost 
jumped out of bed. 
     "Darien!" Serena cried, startled and fully awakened.
"What is it?!?"
     He parted the canopies further and nodded his head
out towards the balcony window. Serena crawled up to his
naked body and looked with him. She screamed.
     The wave of attackers looked like a dust storm, but
the monster above them was the most ominous of all. It
roared like hell, and black arms rose above its red-eyed
"head," threatening to rain down its onslaught. 
     "I have to go fight," Darien said urgently, searching
at the foot of the bed for his trousers. 
     "Don't leave me!" Serena pleaded, placing a hand on
his back. Both of them were still fuzzy from lovemaking,
and Darien was visibly too exhausted to fight. "Please,
you need to rest!" she tried again.
     "No, Serena! I must protect the Moon Kingdom!" he
cried, pulling on his underwear and trousers. He climbed
out of her bed and found the rest of his clothing, 
hastily piling them on his body. His hair was tousled and
his face still flushed.
     Serena stood up, facing him. Her eyes brimmed with
tears, but she knew she had to let him go. "If I come back,
all is well with the Kingdom," he told her. "And if I don't...
bury a rose in my memory."
     "No!" she cried. "No, this cannot be happening! Not
now, oh god, not now..." She was sobbing uncontrollably. 
Darien gave her one final embrace, unable to bring himself
to give her a kiss good-bye. He ran out of her bedroom
as fast as he could.



     
				~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




     It was only half an hour later when Serena felt the
vibrations of the Moon Palace being brought down. She was
dressed in her party gown again, for the sake of modesty.
She hurried out to her balcony and silently stared as
the pieces of the Moon Kingdom flew around her. 
     A reddish light floated in front of her, taking shape
of a voluptuous, purple-lipped, red-haired woman. Her skin
was a ghastly pallor, and her eyes the most frightening
red. Serena brought a hand to her mouth and gasped. 
     The evil spoke. "Well, if it isn't the little 
Moon Princess!" she cried in a raspy voice. Her fangs
gleamed mischievously when she smiled. "All dressed up
and nowhere to go...except Oblivion!!!"
     Serena knew it was Queen Beryl. The evil witch 
pounced forward, her sharp nails angled to rip out 
Serena's jugular. 
     Losing all hope, Serena just placed her arm above
her head, waiting for death to take her. She could 
feel Beryl's nails touching her head, but something stopped
the witch from digging in. A rose had pierced the hand
of Queen Beryl, causing her to scream in agony and float 
backwards.
     "Who are you?!?" she shouted at the figure whom
the rose originated from.
     Serena felt a glimmer of hope when she saw Darien.
He was clothed in his battle armor, with craggy foot armor
and shoulder plates. Obviously, it was her deceased father's 
armor, probably given to Darien by Queen Serenity who had 
thought the prince was worthy of such an honor. 
     He stood proudly, his throwing arm extended forward.
"I am Prince Darien, sworn to defend the Moon Kingdom 
against evil like you!" he shouted. He walked to Serena 
and covered her with his cape. Serena peeked over the top
of his arm at the evil woman.
     Queen Beryl shot him an interested look. "Prince Darien?
From Earth? I've heard of you. You present great promise," 
she recalled, hearing rumors of the Prince of Earth. "Well,
I can see why she'd hang on to you," she said, pointing 
to Serena who huddled closer to Darien, "but you're wasting
your time with this twit. Why don't you taste the joy of
winning, Darien? We can rule the universe together," she
said, her voice reduced to an slashing whisper.
     "Thanks but no thanks! Why would I want to join forces
with a snake like you?!?" he spat. "All twisted and ugly and
full of bitterness."
     Queen Beryl was furious, her eyes narrowing to tiny,
psychotic slits. "Nobody talks to Queen Beryl like that!"
she screamed, and waved forth her hand. The shadow demon
which had vaporized the Moon Kingdom came forward, laughing
maniacally. It was huge, covering most of the Moon's area.
     A green ball of energy intensified in its hands and
shot down at the couple that stood on the balcony.
     "AHHH!!!!!!" both of them screamed. For a second,
the green light blinded them, but when the light
vanished, Darien was so far away from Serena. He was
floating above the balcony, but Serena was still on
ground, reaching out. 
     Serena's eyes widened. "Darien, what is happening?!?"
she screamed, running to the edge of the balcony.
     "Run, Serena, just run!" Darien cried, trying
to point away with his hand, which refused to follow his
mind's command. 
     "No, Darien! I want to be with you!" she screamed,
jumping off the balcony. 
     "NO, SERENA, YOU CAN'T!!!! SERENA, DON'T!!" 
     The force left over from the first shot of energy 
made her float in the air as she tried with all her might 
to reach Darien's outstretched hand. 
     "AGHHHHHHH!!!!!" the both of them screamed again. 
	"Darien!!!!"
	"Serena!!!!"
	Serena willed herself to 'swim' up to touch Darien. 
The few seconds it took to get to Darien seemed like a 
whole lifetime. 
     Serena's life flashed before her eyes when she 
touched her fingers to Darien. He grasped her hand, 
and they gave each other intense stares, sharing their
lives in one moment. The happy times, the sad, and 
everything in between was shared between them in that 
moment. What was missing was the times they *should*
have spent together instead of Darien having to 
flee from the Moon because of the fact that he was
from Earth.

	Life wasn't fair to them.

     Nothing took away the love they felt for each
other in that one second. The universe was silent, so
silent that the both of them could hear the beating
of their hearts, just barely. Their souls melded into one
being, forever sealed in promise.
     The energy was gathered in the hands of that
shadow monster once more. Neither Darien nor Serena
saw the power being summed up. They knew it was over.
     "AHHHH!!!"
     That was their final cry as the last ball of 
fatal energy took their lives. One last thought escaped
Darien's mind and fell into Serena's...

'By all that is sacred, I shall find you again, my love...'

     Serena heard Darien's mind cry out to her as the last
flickers of life went dimmed like a candle, into nothingness.

'Apart in life, my sweet...together...in death.'

     



The End.






Tissue Break! (except for you macho guys)







NOTE: Yes, I know I've been away for a while (occupied with 
school!). I know some of you out there are REALLY waiting for 
parts to the other stories I'm writing. They will come, I've 
already written out the complete plot to them. Now I just have 
to find some time to write them! ^_^

Special thanks to my good friends,
Luna and Artemis             Tim Nolan
vbaa85a@prodigy.com          nomad@cyberverse.com
for caring about me and giving me a good kick in the ass when
I need it!

And to 
Aqua Illusion - for letting me be there for her. 
MercAqua@aol.com (plus she knows when I don't apply grammar).

And of course to Naoko Takeuchi, who'd either love or hate
my story.

All rights go to Toei Animation, Bandai, and Dic-heads. Most
of the "dance" dialogue was taken from "The Past Returns,"
episode 39.