Destined to be Together
Chapter 2
Darien looked up as someone had entered the sitting room. 'Could that really be her?' Darien went over to help Serenity with the tray even as he heard a small gasp from Laura. 'I really need to teach her how to help others...'
"Excuse me miss, but you seem to be having some trouble, do you need any help?"
"Uhh-"
"No she doesn't need any help, Serenity is my best servant, she can handle anything, just come back over here and chat with us." Gisselle said before Serenity could say anything.
"Serenity" Darien whispered. He heard that name before, but couldn't place a name with the face. Just like those blue eyes on Melissa. 'Who could they possibly belong to?'
"Yes Darien come back over so that we can talk some more. Serenity can handle everything on her own." Laura said with some ice in her voice directed to Serenity.
Darien nodded his head and glanced back at Serenity one more time as she walked out of the room. He wanted to see her face, but she kept her back at him the entire time she was in the room.


"Oh Ruth, I can't go back in there, I just humiliated myself in front of the prince and his family. Ms. Gisselle will never forgive me and Miss Laura seems ready to kill me." Serenity cried to her friend.
"It can't be that bad, what happened in there?"
Serenity rushed out everything from the beginning. The beginning being when she first met Darien in the marketplace. "Ruth, I can't go back in there, he will surely see my face and remember me from the marketplace as Melissa."
"Serenity don't worry. I'll take care of everything you have to do, I only have a few more things to do anyway. Would you finish them for me?"
"Yes, of course. Thanks Ruth, you are the best!"
Serenity and Ruth discussed each others chores quickly and then went on with them. Serenity finished Ruth's chores in no time. All she had to do was wash the dishes from earlier that day. She went to watch what was happening in the sitting room.

"So Prince Darien, what made you become interested in my Laura?" Gisselle asked.
"Oh, I never even told my parents that story yet. Well, here goes." Everyone's attention was all on Darien as he started the story. Laura sat with a huge self-satisfied smile on her face. "I'm sure you all know how I refused to marry just to marry. I was only in love once and that was with a girl I never knew. I met her in the marketplace about four months ago. She said her name was Melissa and that she was from here."
"Here? You mean here as in the Walker Estate?" Jessica interrupted. Darien nodded. "But there's no Melissa here, not even a servant named Melissa."
"Yes, I know that. I learned all that from Laura. After spending some time with Laura I began to think I had been played a fool by this Melissa. It hurt me to think that the girl I loved, the first girl I loved, would do that to me. I know she didn't know that I loved her and she probably didn't love me either, but still. So anyway, I began to enjoy the time I spent with Laura. I started sending for her more and more and before I knew it, she became someone special to me. I loved her and I knew I loved her. So I'm actually glad that I met the girl in the marketplace, for who knows how I would have met Laura." Darien smiled and held Laura's hand.
"That really is sweet about you and Laura. If only I knew who this Melissa was, I would see that she get punished for what she's done, well except for the good outcome of it. You all wait in here, while Jessica, Laura, and I, go to check and see if dinner's ready." Gisselle said.
"Oh mother, do I really have to come out with you?" Laura whined.
"Of course dear." Gisselle said with just enough anger in her voice to get Laura to obey.
Serenity heard them coming to the door, so she quickly moved over to the side where she couldn't be seen.
"Laura did you hear what the prince said? The rumor in the marketplace is probably true and you are that girl!"
Laura just smiled. "Yes, mother, I know. I can't believe it!"
"Why do I have to be out here listening to this. I don't even see what the prince sees in you. He probably knows who this Melissa is anyway but he just wants to break your heart." Jessica said with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
"Oh shut up Jessica, you're just jealous that Darien has fallen in love with me and not you. I would've thought my own sister would be proud of me, but I see I was wrong." Laura retorted.
"Girls stop we have to make sure dinner's ready ok?"
"Yes mother."

"Darien did you hear the name of that servant?" Queen Celeste asked.
"Yes mother, I remember that name from somewhere, but I just can't place where. Remember what I said about Melissa? Well, she had these blue eyes that I've seen before and I know I could never forget. I just don't remember where I've seen them at."
"Oh Darien, don't worry you'll remember all this when it's time. Are you sure you only fell in love once?" King Darius asked his son with a smile.
"Yes father. I'm sure I've only been in love once."
"I think you've been in love before, but just don't remember it because it was so long ago." Celeste said softly.
"What do you mean mother, surely I would remember something as strong as being in love."
"Or how about bits and pieces of it. I remember a time when you were about nine or ten. There was this girl about 4 years younger than you that would always visit the palace. You two would always play together and it was said by my mother that the girl you played with as a child would be the one you would marry. That girl had silvery-blue eyes." Celeste explained hoping that her son would remember something.
"The same color eyes as Melissa's." Darien gasped out.
"No Darien, only two people have those eyes and one of them is no longer alive. I know who Melissa is, but I can't tell you, that's for you to discover, that is if my mother was right about you."
"Mother, why do you keep saying that your mother told you stuff? What does she have to do with now?"
"Darien, I can't believe you don't remember, my mother had the gift of knowing who someone's soul mate was. She knew that not everyone finds their soul mate, but are still able to be happy with the one they have. I never asked her to help out with myself or even tell me what would happen with you. I feel that your love is someone you have to discover on your own, not go by what someone else says or knows, no matter how smart they are or what gift they have. One day she saw you playing with your childhood friend. You two were best friends, the girl with the silvery-blue eyes. My mother gets this vision or feeling or something, whatever it is, it causes her to lose her breath and sometimes even faint, that's how strong it is. She fainted when she saw the two of you together and was out for a few hours. When she woke, she told me everything. I already knew that she had these powers, but I never had actually been around her when she saw or felt something. She told me that the girl with the silvery-blue eyes was your soul mate, but she also told me not to get involved because your case was so... so different from any other she had seen." Celeste finally took a breath.
"Mother, as much as I want to believe you, I just can't. It doesn't make any sense and anyway, I'm perfectly happy with Laura right now. I feel that she could even be the one I marry. Why would you wait so long to tell me all this anyway?"
"I waited because I didn't want to become involved. I shouldn't have said anything to you about this anyway. One thing my mother always told me was that even though everyone has a soul mate, they may not belong together, and if they really do, they will find each other. So if you really are happy with Laura then I wish you well, but if you really do belong with the silvery-blue eyed girl, then you two will be together, no one can stop that."
"Like I said before mother, I'm happy with Laura at the moment and you did say that not everyone finds their soul mate and are still happy with the one they have." Darien reasoned.
"But Darien, you've already found yours, you just don't remember!" Celeste persisted very close to frustration.
"Celeste, don't worry, Darien can handle his own. We've been there for him and we always will be. Don't forget, you didn't listen to your mother at first, but in the end who was right?" Darius said to calm his wife.
Celeste gave her husband a knowing smile, "I'll never forget how I felt when she told me you were my soul mate. We hated each other so much that we couldn't even be in the same room without arguing, but in the end mother was right and look how we've turned out."
"Mother are you serious, you and father didn't like each other?"
"Well, I always liked him, in fact I loved him at first sight-"
"And I too loved your mother at first site, it's just that we had-"
"Too many differences and always wanted to outdo the other. I think at times we-"
"Purposely disagreed just to get on the other's nerves." King Darius finished as the two laughed together in remembrance. "Darien don't worry about what your mother thinks, she's just looking out for you."
Darien shook his head as the Walker family came into the room. "Dinner is ready to be served, so you can just follow us in and the servants will seat you." Jessica said.
Everyone moved to follow her out to the dining room. Laura made her way over to Darien and grabbed his hand with a smile. Serenity, though unseen, saw everything. She heard Darien's story of his first love and how she had led him to Laura. Unable to contain her tears of what she had just learned, Serenity ran to her room and cried herself to sleep. Serenity woke just before Darien and his family left and went to watch them leave. She wished she would've stayed asleep because what she saw broke her heart.

"I hope you had a good evening with my family tonight Darien." Laura said sincerely.
"I did Laura, thank you for having us over. Dinner was great. I'm sure my parents like you. Tell your family goodnight for me and let your mother know that I did enjoy myself." Darien replied politely. There was a short awkward silence before Darien pulled Laura close and gave her a long and sweet kiss.
Laura savored the moment and silently congratulated herself for finally getting the prince to kiss her. Darien broke the kiss, "Thanks again for a great night Laura, I must be going now. Goodnight." Darien placed a quick kiss on Laura's cheek before leaving to his carriage.
"Goodnight Darien" Laura said smiling. She was another step closer to becoming his wife, as long as that Melissa doesn't show up again. Laura overheard Darien mention silvery-blue eyes to his parents and she immediately knew who had silvery-blue eyes. There was only one person and that one person was in fact living at Walker Estate, but not for long. 'Serenity will be gone before she can even try to be Melissa again.' As Laura was walking away from the door, she heard the shuffling of a dress that wasn't her own and knew she was being watched by someone. She knew exactly who that someone was but pretended to hear nothing.

"Serenity!"
"Serenity!"
Serenity heard her name being screamed, but refused to answer the calls. She wasn't in the mood to go down and be annoyed by the Walker Trio.
"Serenity, open up, it's me Ruth."
Serenity opened the door to her friend and smiled. Her smile immediately faded when she saw Ruth's troubled look. "Ruth what's wrong?"
"Oh Serenity, I don't know if it's true or not, but I overheard the other servants saying that Ms. Gisselle was sending you away." Ruth said quickly.
"What? Sending me away? What did I do? Where is she sending me to?" Serenity demanded.
"We don't know, but when I asked Charles, he said that it was because I did your chores last night. You remember, serving the royal family and all." Ruth explained. "Come on whether this is true or not, I need to show you the dresses your mother left for you. At least you can take them with you."
Ruth pulled Serenity up before she could reply and took her up to the attic. "We're lucky that the Walker trio never come up here for anything. We're even more lucky that we can't be heard below, but just to be sure, walk softly." Ruth walked over to a glazed wooden chest and pulled a key from a hidden pocket in her dress. "This is the chest where you're mother's clothing is. Here," Ruth said giving Serenity the key. "You open it, everything in there are your belongings now."
Serenity took the key, knelt down, and slowly opened the chest. "Everything in here is beautiful. All the dresses. Too bad they are moving me out, I won't even get the chance to try and sneak to a ball at the palace." Serenity said as she sifted through the chest to examine everything it contained. It not only had beautiful dresses, but delicate undergarments that looked as though they were sewn with great care with the most beautiful fabrics. Serenity's hands fell upon a small wooden box. When she opened it she found a small, folded note.
~To my dearest daughter,
If you are reading this, it means that you are
at least 16. I hope you lead a happy life and I
wish you even more great things to come. I hope
that you will enjoy the garments I have left to
you and wear them with pride. In this box are
some jewelry that's been passed down generation
by generation to the first born daughter. Please
continue this tradition and keep them safe. Don't
forget that I love you!
Serenity's eyes teared up as read her mother's short and simple note. 'If only she knew how my life was. Who knows how it's going to be? Maybe it does have some great things coming.' Serenity folded the note and placed it beside her on the floor. She held up the diamond necklace to show Ruth and smiled softly. "Who would have thought I had such beautiful things."
"It really is beautiful Serenity, what else is in there?" Ruth asked with anticipation.
"Oh wow, these are beautiful. Here's a gold chain with a small diamond ring. I hope I will really get a chance to wear all of this." Serenity said excitedly. "Oh my goodness, Ruth look at this!" Serenity held up a diamond tiara. "Isn't it beautiful, it looks fit for a princess."
"Serenity don't forget, at one time you were a princess and you would have been wearing this had nothing bad ever happened. Be sure none of the Walker trio see you with any of this. I guess you're lucky you're mother kept it all in a lead chest, probably so that no one would look in here for anything of value. That's very smart. The Walker Trio will just think it's your regular wardrobe."
"I know Ruth. Do you think we'll be able to sneak this down sometime today?"
"Ummm.... I think so. I overheard that sometime today the Walker trio would be going out to do something, so at that time, we should be able to get one of the males to bring it down. Put everything back carefully, we may be being missed by the nice family." Ruth said sarcastically. Serenity quietly laughed and put everything away carefully.


"Serenity where have you been?" Gisselle demanded.
"Oh I'm sorry, I was in my room." Serenity half-lied.
"I checked your room and you weren't there, where were you?"
"You must have come when I went to the bathroom. I'm sorry."
"Hmmm... ok. Well anyway, I want you to pack all of your belongings and be ready to leave by dusk. You are being moved to the neighboring kingdom to be the personal servant to the king and queen's five daughters. I bet you won't be slacking off there, you will be severely punished there if you do. I was very linient on you and I see that that has done no good."
"What do you mean I'm being moved? I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't slack off. If you are talking about last night, that's because I didn't feel to well and I didn't want to pass on anything to the royal family."
"I don't believe you Serenity. I know you were just getting out of your work so you could either spy on the royal family while they were visiting or to ruin Laura's big night. I'm sure of it. Laura told me what you told her." Gisselle angrily said.
"I didn't say anything to Miss Laura last night. The only time I saw her was when I was helping her get ready and when I brought in the coffee in the sitting room. Actually I did say something to Miss Laura, I was trying to find out who the guests were. I had never been informed of who they were and still didn't know until I brought in the coffee. I never even had a chance to really speak with Miss Laura because we all were so busy." Serenity recalled on the brink of tears. She already was informed that the servants suspected she was being moved out, but it still hurt to learn it was true especially when she was accused of doing false things.
"Don't try that with me Serenity. Laura told me everything that you had told her when she had excused herself from the dinner table last night. She said that you stopped her to let her know that her wonderful evening wouldn't end as well as she hoped. She told me that you were going to sabotage the queen's dress and that you would be sure she was humiliated in front of the prince. She said you were going to steal all of our jewels and other valuables including our money and run away. Well, I see that the stuff about the queen and messing up Laura's night was just an empty threat, but I will see that you don't even have a chance to rethink stealing from me. I can't believe that I was so nice to you. I let you do so much too. What a shame." Gisselle practically yelled at Serenity.
"All of that is lies! They're all lies! I can't believe you believe any of that. I'm glad I'm leaving this rotten place. I can't stand any of you and I won't miss any of it. I wonder why you kept me here so long anyway. I'm sure I'll live a much better life in Cartel anyway!" Serenity started crying while she was yelling back.
"If you can't stand it here, then why are you crying?"
Serenity had no answer to that she just continued to cry. "Exactly my point. Be ready by dusk. I should be back by then, I'm taking the girls out somewhere. Whatever is not at the door by the time I arrive will be left. Understood?"
Serenity barely nodded her head and ran from the room. 'I can't believe I just acted like that. I'm only giving her what she wants. Oh well, I really don't care. I'm only going to miss the other servants, especially Ruth, and the prince. Why should I miss the prince?' Serenity packed her things with that question in mind trying to reason with herself that she wouldn't miss the prince, but couldn't force herself not to miss him. She told Ruth about where she was going and said that she would try to keep in touch through letters. They got Anthony and Henry to move the chest to the front door. Serenity was able to carry her smaller chest to the door herself and waited there for Gisselle to return. Finally Gisselle returned with the girls who snickered when they saw Serenity waiting to leave. Serenity just waited for Gisselle to direct her to the carriage that would take her to Cartel. She cried silently as the carriage took her farther and farther away from Winnorrow and closer and closer to Cartel, her new home.