All for the Love of War
By MoonlightSonata87 and usagiusakochiba

Princess Serena of England finds her life dull and unfulfilling. When an
arrogant, handsome prince comes to sweep her off her feet she realizes that,
perhaps, the world is not as cherry as she thought. She tosses her crown
aside and decides to venture out into the world where she will meet a
determined group of people lead by the dashing Darien. Convinced she is a
peasant Darien takes her under his wing and soon romance blooms.

1

Sounds of footsteps echoed off of the solid stone walls as a noble maid ran
towards her mistress's rooms. It was the fourth time this season she'd been
tardy and, as a result, her mistress would be as well. This fact certainly
wouldn't please the king because this was a day of celebration. Yet another
suitor was to be entertained in the company of the princess and her
tardiness would certainly try patience's. The young brunette rushed through
the corridor until the princess's chambers' large wooden doors came into
view then she slowed her stead. Coming upon the firm obstacles she rapped
lightly in hopes that her mistress had not risen and was not aware of her
lateness. When there was no answer she slowly pushed the door into the
chamber and jumped when the petite blonde's blue eyes met hers. "M'Lady I
must apologize for my tardiness, I was requested to aid in the tending of
the gardens when the cock crowed and…"
"Mary, I forgive you. To be late to the morning victuals is of no stress to
me. His majesty is the one who demands my company. I on the other hand am
completely indifferent on the subject." The princess turned elegantly on her
heels and stepped over to one of the large wooden posts of her bed. "He
requests that I wear that fair gown on this day for the prince of France, I
admit, it is too chaste for my taste." The blonde smiled with her snow-white
teeth then blinked a few times when her maid hesitated. "Is there something
the matter?"
"No M'lady… but perhaps I was mislead when I concluded that you were
chaste…" The maid looked puzzled because she was not aware of any gentleman
in her mistress's company when she was alone.
"I assure you I am. That is not the point however. My father, the king wants
to portray me as a fragile doll, I certainly am not fractural… am I?"
"No M'lady, forgive me for ever doubting your honor." Mary then quickly
moved to acquire the elaborate gown and the accompanying robes. It was said
that Princess Serena of England was the fairest and most beautiful woman in
the entire world and to Mary this seemed accurate. Serena was in fact very
beautiful with her long, knee length golden locks that were always styled in
two buns with tails; her sparkling blue eyes were also an attribute of her
beauty, and the way her body was perfectly shaped could make anyone who set
their eyes on her weep. Truly Serena was a goddess trapped in a mortal body.
"Will you perhaps take a liking to this prince? I hear he is quite
handsome."
"I am not sure Mary, I believe it is a man's convictions, not his
appearance, that should sway a lady." Serena squeezed her eyes shut as Mary
pulled the laces of the firm corset, tight. Serena hated to be confined to a
corset, they were always so labor some to adorn and afterwards it was
difficult to move about in, however, this was the fashion and no princess
could be unfashionable, especially the Princess of England.
The two women emerged from Serena's chambers and walked briskly to the
dining hall where the king sat in his large wooden chair eating his morning
victuals. The queen sat calmly beside him delicately nibbling on a large
turkey leg. "You're tardy my daughter. Why did you terry so long?" The king
had a shortness about him as he spoke, often he would blink his brown eyes
so he could avoid speaking at all.
Serena observed her father in his lavishing robes and his large golden crown
and smiled. He was a handsome king, his long brown hair was always braided
neatly and his skin was very clean. Serena's mother was a beautiful woman
with long wavy black hair, she was a Greek and her features showed it. With
a flourish that had taken her sixteen years to prepare she flourished and
bowed politely. "I apologize father. I was unable to sleep last night and as
a result was tardy to rise."
"Very well. Sit. The prince of France will be here shortly and I'm sure he
will expect you to accompany him around the grounds." Serena nodded and sat
in her place to her father's left. The morning victual smelled wonderful as
the aromas of the freshly cooked ham and eggs wafted into her nose. She was
parched but was forbidden to eat and drink the way she would prefer, she had
to watch her slim waist after all; if she did not have a thin waist and
nicely shaped hips no man would be interested in taking her for his queen.
Not that she cared. Mary stood close by her mistress and tended to her every
need. It was her duty to make sure the princess was well cared for and that
she was content.
After a while a messenger rushed into the room and whispered into the king's
confidant's ear. After the messenger was gone the confidant turned towards
his king and bowed. "Prince Diamond has arrived my liege… would you like me
to fetch him?" Serena's ears perked. Finally she would meet this prince, he
was the one she'd waited to meet, and he was the one who her father had the
most stock in.
"Yes, Robert, fetch him and offer some nourriture. We mustn't be selfish."
The king smiled and looked at his daughter with a broad grin. "This man is
worth having, my daughter." Serena smiled weakly at her father's brief
attempt at speaking French however Serena did know a little French and his
pronunciation of nourriture was mediocre at best.
Soon the grand dining room doors were pulled open to reveal a peculiar
looking young prince with white hair and fairly plain skin. He bowed low to
the ground with his white cape pulled around so it created a sort of draping
barrier in front of him. "Your majesty, I introduce to you Prince Diamond of
France." Robert smiled a toothy grin and waved his hand towards Diamond.
"Prince Diamond! How nice to finally meet you. Come, come my boy! Sit with
us, dine!" Diamond rose from his bow and threw his cape to his backside
revealing his elaborate white clothing. It was so pure of any soil that
Serena marveled at the sheer elegance. She noticed how he walked with
confidence to the table being very deliberate with his movements as he fixed
his grey eyes on her father.
"Thank you for allowing me the divine honor of laying eyes on your angelic
daughter." Diamond then turned to her and bowed slightly letting his chin
length hair fall forward. He was handsome, she certainly couldn't deny that
fact. "M'lady, you are a star in the dark night sky."
"I thank you for the compliment but nay, I am not as lovely as all that."
Serena couldn't help but blush slightly making her father smile with
approval. The king then called for the prince to sit at the table with them
once more and so Diamond sat and spoke with the small family and Robert.
"Your kingdom is beautiful your majesty, I have seen the lands, the only
eyesore is the peasantry. Truly they are a wretched bunch, do you have
difficulty taxing?" Diamond asked with interest making Serena wonder what
life was like outside of her safe castle walls. Were they not nearly as
grand as her life? She could hear her father's voice replying to the
question but she instead fixed her eyes on Diamond's attentive face thus
drowning the King's voice. "Ah, I see. It is a shame, you must know of
rebels then?" Serena suddenly snapped to attention now interested in the
conversation.
"Yes, there are groups of rebels still walking in my domain but they will
all soon be found and persecuted. The union was for the best and some people
do not understand the importance of the thing." Serena knitted her brow not
understanding how any person could not see the value in the union of the
kingdoms. Unless they were mad, it would be of slight concern to most.
"I have heard of one man in particular who is openly contesting you and
challenging your rule. They say he is intent on having your head." Diamond
sipped from a golden chalice unaware of how the King's face had turned a
deep red from anger.
"Who contests my rule? Who is after my kingdom?" Serena sat stiffly
attempting to avoid her father's angry eyes yet still pay attention to the
conversation. Whoever wanted to kill her father must be a dangerous rebel
indeed.
"I know not of his real identity, I know only that the people call him the
Crimson Rose Prince. He rides by black stallion and his armor is said to be
the most handsome of armors, his sword the strongest in the lands." Diamond
shrugged his shoulders and looked from the King to the Princess. "Do not
worry though, whoever this man is he is no match for true royalty, I shall
defend you and your family if he dares to come and challenge your throne."
"That is very admirable Prince Diamond, if my daughter should be so lucky as
to capture your heart, and you hers, I would be most in support of your
union." The King slapped the prince on the back and stood causing everyone
else to stand as well. "Come, let's all take a walk in the gardens, it is
collecting day and soon we will be reviewing the taxes, I should very much
like to walk with you before I work."
"I would be honored your majesty." Diamond nodded and held his hand out to
help Serena stand. "Will you be joining us princess?" Serena smiled and
nodded, captivated by the twinkle in his icy grey eyes, Diamond was
charming, and chivalrous. Everything a young lady could wish for and her
father favored him.
The four walked through the garden, every chance Diamond had he inquired to
Serena various questions of interest. The King and Queen smiled with the
knowledge that soon the pair would be set to be wed and their daughter would
be in good hands. "When you said that the peasantry was a wretched bunch
what did you mean?" Serena asked the man whose arm she held properly.
"I mean to say princess that they are a sorry and dirty bunch of people.
They live in their own filth and have no prosperity for betterment. They
expect the royals to help them out of their distasteful lives." Diamond
almost sneered. "It is nice in the country, the landowners are a pleasant
bunch." Serena smiled and looked at the beautiful garden in front of her
wondering what Diamond's palace looked like. He was French and so it should
be the grandest of places, she'd heard tales of the grandeur of it all.
"Prince Diamond, please, come and join me for business, I will show you our
riches." The King held out his arm in a broad gesture then turned when
Diamond nodded and kissed the back of Serena's hand. After the men had left
the queen rushed to her daughter and hugged her tight to her bosom praising
the young man who seemed to be the perfect match.
"My darling daughter, Prince Diamond is charming is he not? He's French and
as such you would have all of the latest fashions, the best of everything.
He's handsome as well, oh, my dear, he is ideal I am sure you shall be
married by the new moon." Serena smiled at the thought but was saddened at
the thought of it. She would have to leave her home, travel to France and
learn the language, beautiful but so difficult. She had only experienced the
confines of her castle… she'd never been out into her very own kingdom. "Are
you excited to be a bride my dearest?"
"I am mother, he does seem to be a pleasant man, and he does favor me so."
The queen nodded and held her daughter tightly once again to reassure her in
some small way that she would be his bride.
"Oh, this truly is wonderful! We should make certain you have bridal wear."
The queen put her daughter at arms length and admired her. "You are such a
beauty it would be a shame to hide it… yes, we must have bridal underclothes
made."
"Underclothes? Mother, why would I need to have different underclothes?"
Serena attempted to not understand he mother's words despite the fact that
she knew what her mother was alluding to. As a bride it would be her
responsibility to please her husband and the thought of consummating a
marriage frightened her.
"You are not so chaste that you do not know about the duties of a wife are
you Serena?" Queen Ilene frowned, she didn't want to have to explain the
workings of a marriage to her daughter. She had hoped that such an average
woman as Mary would explain such things. It was part of the duties of a
noble maid to educate her mistress in these areas of life for the princess
was to remain chaste until wed, her maid had the freedom to be as bedded as
she would like.
"I know a parcel mother." Serena blushed and looked at the ground. "I don't
know if I can perform those duties mother. They don't sound pleasant or even
decent." Ilene smiled, she'd felt the same way so many years ago yet she'd
gone through with it, terrified and alone. Her daughter would be no
different.
"You will do what is required of you my darling. I know this of you." The
queen smiled and held her daughter's hand. "You will be happy with him, I
can see it in his eyes, he is very witty and seemingly wise beyond his
years."
"Thank you mother, you always know how to cheer me when I am saddened."
Serena sighed and followed her mother to the seamstress who would make her
her new underclothes.

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The King sat atop his strong brown stallion and looked over the crowd of
people giving their taxes, most looking saddened and desperate, Diamond had
been correct, they were a sorry bunch. "You see Prince Diamond, we don't
have too terribly much trouble taxing. The people are sensible." He smiled
at the now armored prince sitting atop his white horse. The King couldn't
help but smile at the boy, his white and silver armor glittering in the
sunlight. "Do you intend my daughter?"
"I do your majesty, she is everything any man could ever hope for." Diamond
nodded and noticed a peculiar man standing in the corner of the square
leaning against a cobbled wall with a blank face.
"Yes my boy however, not every man is worthy of my daughter, she is a beauty
is she not?" The King smiled and followed Diamond's line of sight to the man
in the corner. He was dressed darkly, and his black hair cut shortly so it
barely reached his eyebrows. The King had difficulty seeing him so far away
but he looked like a rather malicious character. Suddenly the feeling of
hands on his leg made the King look down to see a young lady looking up at
him, her dirt crusted hands clinging to the blue silver armor.
"Your majesty, please, do not tax my father, he is old, and almost blind… a
simple man trying to continue his blacksmithing… please sir! I will come and
work in the castle if you wish in return." The King's face twisted in
disgust as he kicked the girl off of him thus animating the character in the
corner.
"Your father will pay the taxes just as everyone else pays, you wretched
girl, what makes you think I would want a filthy peasant like you in my
domain?" He was about to withdraw his sword when the dark figure from the
corner grabbed the girl on the cobbled ground and put her behind him glaring
defiantly with his deep blue eyes. "Stay out of this boy."
"I will not let you strike a woman, especially a child who is trying to aid
her father. Do you have no respect for your own people?" Up close the King
could see the perfection in the man's face and body, he was, strongly built
and had a perfectly shaped face, far more handsome than any man he'd ever
seen before, even Diamond. "Here are your taxes." The man threw a few golden
coins at him, enough to pay the taxes of all the people in the square. "Now
leave these people in peace."
"Do not talk to your King like that." Diamond glared and pulled his horse
forward so as to protect the King from the angry man who only sneered at the
comment. Diamond watched as he delicately ran his hand through his black
locks and looked up allowing the sun to illuminate his face and revealing
his handsomeness.
"He is not my King. He is a tyrant." The man then turned his back to Diamond
and began to herd the group of people away from the two men on horseback and
the accompanying guards. "You have what you came for now go back to your
stone walls."
"How dare you!" Diamond dismounted and began to advance on the dark haired
man when a tall male looking woman stepped up holding a sword to his throat
threatening to slice him if he took another step to the black haired man.
Diamond looked at her then noticed there were other people glaring at him
with their hands near weapons including a dark haired woman with a bow and
arrow that would prove to be fatal if she so chose. "This is not over, I
will most likely marry the princess and be your King soon so you would do
well to relinquish your anger."
"I will hold on to my anger thank you Prince Diamond. I wonder if the
princess would have you if she knew the horrible atrocities you have
committed amongst your own people… of course, perhaps she would, you are
like her father whom is a monster himself." The man smiled and nodded to the
blonde manlike woman making her press her sword into him further making him
retreat to his horse. The guards stood uselessly staring at the sight before
them.
"Very well, we will go, come along my future son." The King motioned for
Diamond to mount and follow him to the castle. "This man will pay for his
disobedience later." Diamond nodded and glared at the man vowing to make him
pay. After they were gone the woman with the sword sheathed it and glared at
the dark haired man.
"Do not start with me Amarah." He held up his hand and turned to the young
girl the King had kicked so violently. "Are you all right miss?" She blushed
and looked at her father who had a concerned look on his face.
"Yes… I am fine, thank you so very much for paying the taxes for all of us.
Who do we thank for such kindness?" She waited for him to respond while his
group gathered behind him, it was a large group of eleven people, eight
women and three men each one looking fierce in their own way, a young woman
rushed up to him and held up a pouch that was full of golden coins.
"I am the Crimson Rose Prince. Here." He took the pouch from the girl and
handed it to the blind blacksmith. "My friend here is an excellent thief,
she managed to take this from the guards. Take it with my promise to look
out for you." He smiled revealing his white teeth and then began to walk
into an alleyway.
"Show off." Amarah rolled her eyes and looked at him with a smirk. The group
laughed making him smile once again. "Of course, all in a days work."