Roxy stood there, dazed. "What do you mean?" She was barely able to force the words past the building dryness in her throat. "How could he have died?' The adviser bowed his head respectfully. "Reports show that he fought the Monster and lost. Princess, this means that you must accept leadership soon or Ignation will take us over." Roxy nodded,dispersing any weakness. Tears would have to come later. "How soon can the crowning ceremony take place?"
"As early as tomorrow at two, my princess." The adviser said. Roxy nodded, looking at the gathered crowd of mourners. "I invite all of you to tell your neighbors about this tragedy and tell them that I will not rest until I have stopped this Monster." The crowd erupted into cheers and scattered to tell the great news. Roxy looked at the surprised faces of Lucina and Celest. Over the years, all of Roxy's family had died in one way or another, so Roxy had gotten good at hiding the tears that lurked behind her eyes. "Hey Celest. Tell Dame that she will get double the credits if she attends my coronation and walks with me to one place of my choosing. You and Dame are naturally invited, of course."
"Thank you for the invitation. I will have to talk to Dame before I can give you an answer though." Celest Replied. Roxy nodded, her golden hair and eyes sparkling in the sunshine. "I can wait here, if you would like."
"Thank you very much. I'll bring Dame out here." Celest said as she hurried to the cockpit and woke up Dame, telling her the recent events. Dame's eyes lit up like tow small bonfires at the mention of a doubled pay. "Tell her that we will attend and agree to her favor. For now, I am going to go take a power nap, so I don't fall asleep while she gets her crown." Finished speaking, Dame lurched toward her room, swaying back and forth before disappearing behind her door. Celest went to tell Roxy the good news. "Excellent!" Roxy said, her eyes gleaming. "I will expect you to be at the royal cathedral at 12:00 tomorrow. Since this is most likely your first time in Ainesgrove, I will send Lucina to guide you there."
"Thank you Roxy." Celest said, inclining her head respectfully. "Dame and I will be there."
"Wonderful." Roxy said, turning to leave. "I must prepare for the ceremony. See you there." Roxy hurried down the stairs, Lucina trailing behind her like a dark purple shadow. Celest walked over to the railing and looked out at the expansive rows of houses and businesses that made up the inner circle of Ainesgrove. Ainesgrove itself was made of three circles:The center holding the royal family, religion, and shopping districts, the middle holding the general public, and the outer circle, in which all the industry took place. Ainesgrove was defended by a mighty wall, constructed long before anyone could remember. Celest looked out at myriad shops and cafes that lined the slim streets of Ainesgrove. A dress shop caught Celest's eye and she reached down to her money pouch, secured by a strap to her waist. She looked at the contents, mentally counting the sum. She had enough for a dress or two and she always wanted to see Dame out of her leather smuggling gear with its thousands of pockets and into a dress. What better excuse to make her wear a dress than the Coronation of the Titania. Celest popped into the ship and quietly checked to see if Dame was still asleep, and there she was, still in her smuggling gear, flopped on the bed, sleeping as soundly as she had ever. Celest grinned as she ran down the stairs, her mind thinking of how Dame would react to having to wear a dress. Celest made her way to the dress store, humming the beginnings of a tune. She popped into the shop, oohing and ahhing at the assembled dresses. Dresses of every kind lined the shelves. Celest found her dress immediately. It was a sapphire blue with black linings. It had a small floral design around the top and had a free flowing A line. Celest giggled happily as she picked up the dress. She looked around the shop, hard pressed to choose a dress for Dame. Celest stayed for hours, mixing and matching dresses, trying to decide which one Dame would like, or at least tolerate. At last she found it;the perfect dress. It was a slim dress above the waist that slowly opened to a medium skirt, not too open, but enough that it wouldn't constrict Dame's movements. It was a light blue at the top, the color of a spring sky, and slowly shifted downwards to a much darker blue, the blue of the ocean depths, vast and mysterious. She picked it up, inspecting every detail, making sure the dress was right and that it would fit Dame. Two dragons, one gold and one silver, circled the dress, chasing each other, the blue changing to an ocean green around the bodies of the two dragons. After making sure that it would fit Dame, Celest grabbed it and headed toward the register. Moments later, Celest exited the shop, with her pockets a lot lighter than when she had entered the shop. It would be worth it to see Dame in a dress though. Celest looked at the dimming sky and thought that it was due time to return to the Lightchaser.
Dame waited at the door, hoping that Celest hadn't gotten herself into trouble. Celest had a knack for mischief in all its forms. Eventually, the figure of Celest in her bare feet and comfortable leather armor. She had a large bag at her side, and as Celest got closer, Dame realized what was inside the bag. "No. I don't care if it is the coronation of a queen, I am NOT wearing a dress.'
"Oh come on Dame. You will be the only one there who isn't dressed up." Celest said, a tinge of irritation in her voice
"That's fine by me." Dame said, slinking away from Celest as she walked in and set the dresses on the table.
"Well, you have two options. You can wear the dress or you can stay on the Lightchaser and not collect those four million crowns." Celest said, her tone tough and unyielding. Dame gave Celest a sour look as she was handed her dress. "This is the only time I will ever wear a dress." Dame said, her tone as acidic as poison. "I know. That's why I got you a really good dress." Celest turned and went to her room, calling back to Dame "Hang it up so it isn't all wrinkly tomorrow!" Dame went inside her room and carefully put the dress on one of her hangers, grumbling all the while. Celest called that she was going to sleep and the soft thump of Celest flopping on her bed confirmed this statement. Dame sat on her bed, her body still quite awake. This is why Dame hated to drink caffeine; the effects lasted too long for her tastes. Dame decided to take a walk. She had checked a map of Ainesgrove, and there was a street that led straight to the Fae forest. Dame could afford the fresh air as well. Dame hurried down the stairs and through the crowds that flocked to the main thoroughfares during night time. Finally, after what seemed like a decade, Dame reached the edge of the Fae forest. Dame had calculated that she had about three minutes to enjoy the forest before she had to return to her ship and wake up on time for the coronation. As her last minute drained away and she started to head back, Dame saw a pair of sable brown eyes, gleaming in the foliage. Dame blinked, and as soon as she had opened her eyes, those brown eyes had disappeared. Dame shrugged the thought away, the Fae forest was known to be magical at night. Dame soon returned to the Lightchaser and, after making sure everything was ready for tomorrow, fell asleep on her bed.
Dame woke up to the picturesque sunrise that graced Ainesgrove. It wasn't a Soraj sunrise, by anyone's standards, but it was good enough. Dame looked at the clock that sat on the right of her bed, on a small table. The clock read 1:30. Dame gave a sigh as she hurried and prepared herself for the coronation. Then came the part she was really not looking forward to:wearing the dress. After getting herself into the dress, a feat that required Celest's help, Dame walked outside, Celest right next to her in her dress. Dame had to admit that wearing a dress wasn't as bad as she had thought it would have been, but then she hadn't been expecting much. Lucina was there, her purple eyes matching her dark purple armor perfectly. Lucina had chosen a slightly more decorative cloak for the occasion, but other than that, she was dressed the same as the day they had first met her. Lucina gave a low whistle as the two smugglers walked to her. "Well don't you two look fancy. I guess it's time to go. The duo nodded, following Lucina to a grand cathedral where crowds had gathered outside. Lucina led them around to the back entrance and up the stairs to a balcony that command a perfect view of Roxy's adviser, a sparkling golden crown in a case, resting in his hands. The buzzing crowd quieted down as Roxy appeared. She was a dazzling sight with her golden hair, threaded with emeralds and sapphires. Her dress was long, white gown with gold gilding, rubies and diamonds sewn into the skirt. Roxy walked down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest. As she knelt and went through the ritual questions and had the crown placed on her head, she felt all the pent up emotion that had been building since her father's death. A few treacherous tears fell down her face and spilled onto the red carpet before she could compose herself. "Citizens of the Faedom!" The adviser shouted at the crowd, "I give you your new Titania:Roxy Galen!' The crowd erupted into joyous shouts and some even started singing. Roxy stood up and quieted the cheering crowd with a raised hand. "I am sure," Roxy started, "that you are all aware that I have a plan to stop the Monster that killed my father. All I need is two people, and those are Celest Micheals and Dame." Celest and Dame stood up and were led by Lucina to Roxy's side. Roxy continued her speech, "I will be in the Fae forest, looking for the Monster. If I am not back in three days time, then I am dead." Roxy turned and left down the long hallway that she had entered, Dame and Celest following her. Roxy continued, the crowd following her all the way to the edge of the Fae forest. Roxy plunged into the forest, Dame and Celest following somewhat reluctantly. They spent hours wandering the vast forest, until the heard several loud thuds. Despite the loudness of the thuds and the way they shook the earth, the birds in the trees seemed not to notice. Then the Monster appeared, its vast frame brushing the branches of nearby trees. It turned its fiercely glowing jade eyes to look at the three. "How kind of you to come to me." The Monster said, its voice rumbling with amusement. Roxy looked up at the Monster, and said, "Why are you killing us all?" The Monster knelt down before the Titania and replied "I am the last king of Daemia. Our country, a country of untamed science, is ravaged by a plague. I am the only one who doesn't have the plague. It is my duty to see the Faedom in flames." Roxy gazed at the Monster, hoping that her plan would work. "YOu don't have to do this. You can still help us."
"Where was the Faedom when Daemia was being invaded by Ignation?" The Monster countered. Roxy looked up at him, her golden eyes making contact with the Monster's green ones. "I don't want this war to continue. I want peace, and I think the first step towards peace." The Monster looked at her, and then laughed. It was a deep laugh, booming in the magical atmosphere of the Fae forest. "You want peace? There will only be peace when Ignation is razed to the ground, and for that to happen, the Faedom must burn."
"No it doesn't. I don't know what you've gone through or what you have suffered at Ignation's hands, but I can promise you that you have better chances of taking out Ignation if you, as the representative of Daemia, ally with the Faedom." The Monster looked away from Roxy and turned his gaze to Dame. "I will leave the decision to this one. In my current state, my anger would cloud a clear decision." Dame stumbled back, awe and shock taking over her mind. Why her? "I...I think that you should accept Roxy's offer. She makes a valid point." The Monster rumbled unhappily, "I hoped you would say different, but it seems my gamble backfired." The Monster gave a groan and the vines and trunks that made him started to decay, the Monster's form falling apart, piece by piece. Eventually a young man, he looked just as old as Dame, appeared. Or it would have been a man, if not for how inhuman he looked. His arms and legs were the same as the Monster, albeit smaller. He was shirtless, but he did have dirt stained pants that were cut off at the knees. His hair was a deep earth brown, just like his eyes. He smiled at Dame as he said, "I guess I'm joining you."