Date of Completion: 09/16/13

Bride of Pendorric - Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the book "Bride of Pendorric."

Author notes at bottom

...

Serenity looked at the frame in her hand for a long time before she would look at the man standing in front of her.

"This is my mother," she said confused at why he would have a portrait of her. She looked down at the painting once more and she would recognize a familiar signature in the corner. "Father," She said and she gently put the frame up so they could see the painting. "My parents were the ones that Mrs Baker was telling me about," she slowly put her hand up to her forehead the shock still running through her like a knife.

"Yes, Your mother was my only child," Polhorgan said with a sad frown on his face. The old man slowly moved back to his chair facing the chess board. "You are my grandchild," he said pressing his lips together in a narrow line. It seemed that he was trying to not get emotional about the portrait.

"But, I don't understand, why did you not tell me whom you were before?" she asked him. The old man fumbled a bit with his hands he was not used to this kind of conversation anymore.

"I wanted to make sure that you were a good person. I wanted you to come and meet me as just whom you were and not a long lost relative," he old man gently picked up the portrait of his daughter. "I was so upset when my daughter ran off and eloped with your father. I had wanted her to marry someone with more money." he choked back tears and coughed to cover it up. "I was cruel to her and I paid the price when I ignored her letters until they stopped coming."

"How long ago was that?" Serenity asked him softly.

"It was about 10 years ago, she mentioned that she was sick but I didn't know that she was that unwell." he said. "I received a letter about a year ago, when your father knew he was sick." he said.

"Father," Serenity said and she watched this man, her grandfather with curious eyes.

"Yes your father wrote of me of your mothers death, he spoke of how you his daughter was growing up to be a beautiful woman." he said and he coughed a bit leaning back in his chair. "I had not known of you in my own daughters letters." he said. "But I realized how bitter of a man I had been to her so I wished to reach out to you."

Serenity reached over the table and gently took his hand in hers, "Why did you not wish to send me a letter from yourself?" she asked him softly. The old man gripped her hand tightly.

"I was frightened, I didn't wish to get attached to you before I got to know you, that is why I asked Endymion to go and meet you first." he said. Serenity looked at him surprised and she paled a bit.

"You asked him to come and meet me?" she asked him softly, her body shook a bit. The old man nodded his head, he didn't seem to notice her distress with the news.

"He often traveled looking for ways to make money, they are struggling a bit in these modern times. Their father gambled away much of their fortune before he passed away," he said and he then looked at her concerned. "Did he not tell you of this?" he asked her. Serenity silently looked down at the chess pieces in front of her.

"No, I was unaware of this he made it out to seem that everything was fine," she said softly. She would pull her hand back and clasp them in front of her in worry. "He promised me that he wouldn't hide anything from me." She said tears forming in her eyes, she felt this great ache in her heart that seemed to be boring right through it.

"Serenity do not fret," Polhorgan said softly to her reaching for her face with a handkerchief to wipe the tears away. Serenity would nod her head slightly.

"You are right grandfather," she said and she rose slowly from the chair and she walked up to him and leaned down. "I am happy that you told me, I am blessed to have you in my life," she said happily her smile made the old man happy. "I wish to bring the twins over next time I come, they must know their great grandfather," she said with pride in her voice.

"Yes, it would be wonderful to have children in this old house once more," he said reaching for her hand grasping it tightly. "At least when you got married it brought you back to me," he said his old eyes misting before he put the handkerchief up to dab at them. "But I must rest now child, go home to your family, but promise you will call upon me in a day or so with those beautiful children of yours," he said.

Serenity laughed softly, "Yes of course I will," she said kissing his forehead. "I promise," She said and then after their final goodbyes she would leave from his house. Her heart was racing as she walked up to the stables. "Luna," She said as she saw the black mare walk up to her and gently nuzzle her arm. The horse seemed to know that something was bothering her and wanted to make her feel better.

"You silly horse." She whispered and she rested her head against the horses for a moment to collect herself. She noticed that Luna was already saddled, and she looked around her to see the stable boy wave at her. "Thank you," She said and she would nod her head to him before climbing up into the saddle to to back to Pendorric.

...

Serenity had a sleepless night, not from the children, the twins were actually sleeping through the night now. It was because after she arrived back hom she was told that her husband had gone on a urgent appointment in town. "I wonder what he has to do," she whispered softly and she would rise in the middle of the night lighting a lamp to have a bit of light as she watched her children sleep.

She had wanted to discuss about her grandfather with him and the fact he had been sent to find out about her for him. "I wonder if he married me because of that," she whispered softly. Doubt started to play in her mind telling her that he had married her only because of her rich grandfather.

She shook her head, no, Endymion was not that kind of man. He hadn't even accepted the dowry her father had offered him. She looked over at the side table of their bed, the only thing they had taken from her father studio after he left was the statue that had brought them together.

"Bride..." she heard outside of her door, a flickering light seemed to be moving outside in the hall. Serenity froze, the hair on the back of her neck stood up as her heart started to race. Slowly she rose to her feet, her arms wrapping the robe tighter around her.

"Who is there?" she asked moving slowly to the door way, her long hair following her in the light like an eerie wave of gold. Serenity hesitated as she reached for the door knob and opened the door.

The hallway was empty when she opened the door the flickering light was from one of the wall lanterns that was used to help navigate down the hall in the dark of the night.

"You are the next bride," she heard from down the hallway, Serenity gasped and she held her hand to her chest in fright. Quickly she moved to follow where the voice was coming from. She started out in a fast walk but then she heard, "Bride, You are the bride," it seemed to be coming from all directions. In a panic the young mother quickly ran down the hallway, her eyes darting around trying to find where it was.

"Where are you," She cried out in fear and frustration.

"Here bride, here," the voice said to the left of her. Serenity turned and found herself facing the large portrait of a woman. The woman in the blue dress and dark hair, Barbarina. Serenity screamed and backed up quickly, her steps moving fast against the floor. She would feel herself against the banister, the wood against her back but then it was not there.

It seemed to happen in slow motion, one moment she was falling backwards, the sound of wood splitting rang in her ears. The scream of a child, it was one of surprise and fear. Then she felt herself pulled but it was pulled forward. Her eyes widened as she felt herself hit the wooden floor.

Then it was over, she was sprawled on the balcony and not on the floor below where Barbarina had died. Her heart racing, tears flowing down her face as she slowly pulled herself up from the floor.

"What... what happened," she whispered her hands shaking as she looked down where she had fallen, it was then she saw the child, the one she feared, Hyson. Serenity scooted back quickly from her. "You, did you do this to me?" she said pressing her lips together tightly.

"No, the bride did it," Hyson said, her eyes wide, Serenity could see the fear dancing in the dark orbs.

"The bride, I am tired of hearing about the bride," Serenity sobbed. "I don't believe in ghosts," she said. Hyson lifted her hand up towards the banister.

"What about that?" she said. Serenity looked over to where she was pointing and she gasped. There was a section missing, it had just been the new part that had fallen away. Serenity felt like she was going to faint but she saw the child with tears in her eyes.

"I..." Serenity said not sure what to say at the childs genuine concern for her. "Why are you up so late?" she asked the girl, she heard the large clock in the main foyer chime 2 times. Hyson looked away from her, the child seemed hesitant to speak with her.

"I heard something," she said and she looked up at the painting of her dead grand mother. "I thought it might be granny," she said. Serenity pressed her lips together tightly and she remembered when she was her age that her mother had died and it comforted her to remember that she was around even if pretending.

"I heard something to but I don't think it was your grandmother," she said. She didn't want to tell the child that she had thought the ghost could be real as well. Looking back at the broken banister she realized that the child had saved her life.

"Thank you," she said softly to her and she reached out and gently stroked the girls hair. Hyson looked at Serenity in surprise.

"Don't you hate me?" she asked her tilting her head a bit like a curious cat. Serenity was shocked by what she said.

"No, you just startled me when we first met, it has been a trying time since I got here," She said. Hyson nodded her head.

"Granny is lonely," She said with a bit of a frown, "But I don't want you to be a bride like her," she said. "I like having you here, you make uncle Endymion happy." she said. Serenity pressed her lips together and she pulled the girl into a hug.

"Thank you Hyson, that means a lot to me," She said resting her head against the girls hair. Hyson seemed hesitant for a moment but then she wrapped her arms around Serenity returning the hug. "Come, it is late but I don't think I will sleep much come back to my room with me and you can hold one of the babies they will be hungry soon." She said. Hyson's eyes lit up when she said that.

"Really?" she whispered softly. Serenity nodded her head and as if on cue she would hear a soft crying coming from her chambers.

"Come," She said to the girl and she slowly stood up and helped Hyson to her feet. The girl smiled at her for the first time truly and the pair walked back to Serenity's room together.

...

The morning seemed to come quickly as she watched the sunrise. Hyson was asleep with her head in her lap, the child had fallen asleep almost as soon as they had gotten the babies back to sleep. Serenity looked at the girl sleeping in her arms. She was a beautiful child, she seemed to take after her grandmother more than her mother with her looks, it was almost enchanting.

Serenity had not dared to go back to sleep, she feared if she did then that stranger that she heard would come back. But it had been quite after that and she just watched her children and neice with cautious eyes. It was hard for her to believe that she had been afraid of a mere child. She had seen how gentle she had been with her twins and it set her heart at ease.

"Serenity?!" a anxious voice called from the hallway, Serenity recognized it as her sister in law, gently she put Hyson's head on a pillow and she got up and walked to her door. Opening it she would startle Erin as she was ready to knock at the door. "Oh, thank goodness," she whispered softly. "I saw the banister and I got worried," She said. "What happened?" she asked her

"I couldn't sleep with out Endymion last night and I took a walk. When I was in the inner balcony I tripped and fell landed against the banister, Hyson," She stepped aside so Erin could see her daughter sleeping on her bed. "Saved me from falling over," she said.

"Really," Erin said surprised that her shy daughter had done something that different. "I am glad both of you are ok." she said. Serenity smiled and she pulled the robe tighter around her body. "I guess we should ge ready for breakfast," she laughed softly. Erin walked into Serenitys room and she gently roused her daughter. "Hyson," she said.

"Mama," the child said as she rubbed her eyes sitting up. Erin sat down on the bed and gently pulled her daughter into a hug. "You are a hero I hear," she said. Hyson blushed a bit and nodded her head. "I am proud of you," She said. "But come we need to get ready for the day we will see Serenity at breakfast," She said standing up taking her daughter's hand and leading her from the room.

Serenity let out a soft sigh and she moved into her changing room and she pulled her robe off and changed into a soft dress quickly. She knew her children would not be asleep much longer. She pulled her hair back behind her shoulders and examined her appearance, there were dark circles under her eyes but she looked better than she did the night before.

"God I look horrible," She said with a soft laugh, after she shook her head once more she moved to her children as they made cooing noises waking up. Smiling Serenity reached in for her son first, "Good morning little one," she said kissing his hair softly. The boy cooed and reached for his mothers hair wrapping his fingers in it, "Now don't you take after your sister my boy," She said getting him ready for the day. After she was finished with him she turned to her daughter. Celestial was watching her mother with wide eyes sucking her thumb, "Well aren't you quite this morning," she said picking her up. After a few minutes both children were whimpering for their breakfast.

"Yes mama is going," She said picking up one child in each arm and making her way down to the breakfast table. It would be a lively one with tales of the night before and how Hyson had finally opened up to someone new in the family.

...

End Chapter 10

Author Notes: All I have to say is wow, I am again working on this. I don't mean for the chapter to be short but I want to get something out. I appreciate all the reviews and encouragement over the years. As this is my first fanfiction I would like to finish it. I would expect a few more chapters before that though.

Look for the next chapter soon.

If you liked the story please review. :)