Guys! I couldn't wait until Friday to post the next chapter of my revision, so here it is! I am really excited about how this is going now! Once it gets closer to where I left off before, things will start to look similar, but there will still be changes. Does that make sense? Anyway, here's Chapter 2!
Chapter two: Falling Stars
"Andrew?" my voice was nothing more than a breath upon the still air. The tension in the room became so thick that I could have cut it with a knife. I longed to run into his arms, but my skepticism kept me locked in place.
"S-Serena?" the shaking of his voice and the disbelief in his eyes was all I needed to put my muscles into action.
I burst into an all out sprint, flying into my long lost brother's arms. I crashed into his body with all the force of a hurricane, wrapping my arms around his neck and molding my body to his.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and spun me in the air, holding tightly to me the entire time.
"Andrew, it's really you!" I cried.
"Of course it's me, silly girl. How? When?" He couldn't seem to form a coherent thought as he continued to hold me.
"Oh, Andy! I was so worried when you went away! I thought you'd died! I wanted to look for you for so long! I'm so happy you're alive!" I cried, emotion pouring from the very center of my soul. Hot tears poured from my eyes against my will, and I sobbed into my brother's chest. Never in a million years did I think I would see my brother again. After all the years I suffered without him in the village, then again on my own in the forest I always assumed we would never be together again. Yet here we were, by the work of some miracle I had my brother back.
Was this some dream? Would I wake up in the cottage by the canyon?
"Shh, Sere. I'm here, I'm alive," he broke our embrace and held me by the shoulders. "You're so much more grown up," he observed, wiping the tears from my face.
"We're twenty-one, Andy. Of course I'm grown up," I joked. It had been fourteen years since I saw him, so much had changed. I started to hyperventilate as the weight of my actions dawned on me all at once now that I was in my brother's arms. "I committed treason, Andy. They'll have my head if they ever find me," I said. Andrew pulled me back into the safety of his arms and let me sob. I was astounded at just how much had changed in my life in the past twenty-four hours.
"Serena, how did you manage to leave the village?" Andrew inquired, a hint of curiosity coloring his tone. I gazed into his jade eyes and took several deep breaths to compose myself before I told the tale of my escape.
"I left when I was fifteen. It wasn't easy; I can still hear Father's screams in my head. I don't really know how I made it out alive, but I did. The whole time, I was releasing dragons and other creatures from the traps our village set, and then destroying them. When I was out of their range, I started searching for more humans. I never found anyone. All the villages I found were destroyed, and I hadn't met anyone until I freed Luna yesterday."
"I never thought I'd see you again," Andy whispered into my hair. He stroked my hair as he held me, as if to reassure himself that his twin sister really was there and alive. I was both surprised and grateful that he remembered that the small gesture had always calmed me. I immediately felt like the weight of the world was no longer on my shoulders.
"Andy, what happened when they took you?" I asked, looking up into my brother's bright green eyes, wiping more tears from my face.
"I don't really know, Sere. I don't remember a thing. I've been working with Luna and Artemis since they found me. I've made so many friends here, Serena. These people don't judge me for where I came from, and I know they won't judge you. In fact, I know they'll love you, and you'll love them," he spoke so fast and excitedly that I had a hard time processing all of his information. Always the mercurial one of the two of us, he grew animated as he tried to tell me about everyone in one breath.
"Andy, slow down," I chuckled.
"Right, sorry," he replied sheepishly. I stepped out of his embrace and admired the man he had grown to be. He was no longer the scrawny kid that I remembered. He was nearly a head taller than me and I could tell that he was strong from the solid muscles I felt from our hug. He looked confident in himself and proud. Very proud. His eyes were the same, though. I don't think they could have ever changed. They weren't just windows to his soul; they bared everything he felt for the world to see. He was never able to keep his emotions from me, even as children. Now, as adults, I could tell that it hadn't changed. "I've missed you," he uttered and pulled me back for another tight hug.
"This is why I needed to bring you with me," Luna's voice broke the spell we were under. I pulled away from Andrew, took his hand in mine and walked back towards Luna.
"You knew who I was the whole time?" I asked softly, analyzing the expression on her face.
"Yes," she blushed, "but I didn't want to scare you with too much information upon just meeting you. Andrew asked for my help a long time ago, a request I couldn't deny him since he has been a great asset to us. So for years I tried to find you; I hadn't succeeded until you found me in that enchanted net," she explained. I met her in the middle of the room and regarded her with tear-filled eyes.
I embraced her and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Luna. I owe you a great debt for reuniting me with my brother—my best friend." I smiled brightly and released my hold on Luna, wiping the stray tears from my cheeks.
"No you don't, Serena. You owe me nothing. That being said, there are a few things you need to know," her tone became serious and my smile faded from my lips.
"Okay," I said cautiously, taking a few steps back.
"First things first, I am not just a dragon-shifter, I am queen of this realm. I rule alongside my husband, Artemis. And your brother is our prince."
I looked to Andrew, who stood quietly behind me, silently asking him to confirm what Luna had told me. He closed his eyes and nodded his head ever so slightly.
"Wow," I breathed. "That's amazing. It's definitely not the worst news that I could have been told," I joked.
"Well, I'm glad you took that news well," Luna replied. "Why don't we walk around the gardens and we can talk? I'm sure you have plenty of questions for me."
"I'd like that."
"Wait," Andy grabbed my arm as I started for the doors, but he pulled me back. "I just got my sister back, I'm not ready to leave her yet." There was a hint of desperation in his voice, and something else—fear, maybe?
"You can come with us, Andrew. I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now; I would hate to separate you after this reunion," Luna said.
"Thank you, Luna," Andrew smiled, relief written all over his face. They stared at each other for several seconds before Luna giggled and walked out the door.
Andrew and I followed closely behind her and out into the gardens. The smell was what hit me first; it reminded me of my cottage. Next I noticed the spread of hues all around me, from the tall trees, to the overflowing pots of varying kinds of flowers. Luna led us through the lush garden and back out into the courtyard, where I could observe all the different kinds of roses.
She sat down at a bench under a pergola covered in wisteria, giving Andrew and I a look that said we, too, should sit. We took the bench across from her and waited for her to begin.
"I'll answer any questions you have now, Serena. I'm sure you have many," she smirked knowingly at me.
"I want to know everything, where do I begin? How did you find Andrew?"
"I was in the Snowy Mountains just north of your village when I got word of a child with extraordinary abilities. I decided to prolong my visit and check out the town with the special child. When I got there I was stunned; he was a normal kid. His family had shunned him for being different, separating him from his twin sister. They were going to force him into exile when I told them I would take him."
I looked to Andrew for affirmation; the sadness I saw in his eyes was answer enough.
We spent several hours in the luxurious courtyard as she taught me about Asteria. Andrew stayed glued to my side the entire time; he must have been afraid—like I was—that if we left each other's sight, the other would disappear. Luna taught me about the history of Asteria and about the customs and courtesies that were known here, as well as a little bit of gossip that was floating around the city. She told me about her generals, four of them to be exact, and their wives. She told me about how she came to find Andrew when our village wanted us separated.
I learned all sorts of new things, and before I knew it, night had fallen and it was time to congregate for dinner. Luna led me to a set of chambers that she informed me would be mine. The suite was equipped with a fully functional bathroom that was bigger than any bathroom I'd ever seen. The floors and countertops were all made of the same gray-veined white marble as in the throne room. There was a large stand-in shower that was in the far corner, right across from a door that led to the toilet. In the very back of the large bathroom was a door that had a large closet inside.
I walked into the closet, turned on the light, and was greeted with rows upon rows of clothes. One side of the closet was dedicated to casual clothing for everyday wear, while the other wall had formal gowns and all the accessories that would go with them. Shoes of every kind imaginable were lined up neatly on racks on the floor and jewelry hung from frames on the walls.
There was a small table that had a chest on top of it; when I opened the chest I was amazed to see a selection of jewels. The piece that caught my eye immediately was the platinum tiara that was encrusted with diamonds. There was a large marquise shaped diamond in the center that was surrounded by sapphires and emeralds that twisted and swirled alternately around the diamond, making me thing of forest vines and ocean waves. Flanking the diamond were two round blood red rubies that sparkled like fire. Ringing the rubies were several small topazes. The rest of the tiara had intricate swirls and twists, all encrusted with diamonds. It was the most beautiful piece of art I'd ever seen.
I looked at Luna in disbelief; what could be the reason for me to have such a priceless tiara in my living quarters?
"It's yours," she answered my unspoken question.
"Mine? Why?" I asked incredulously.
Luna sighed and thought for a moment before answering my question. "I will explain everything in due time, Serena. But for now, just keep it locked in here."
I silently accepted her vague answer and placed the tiara back in the box.
Luna left me to change my clothes and waited for me outside the main door of my suite. I closely examined my new living quarters before I got dressed.
The wall opposite from the closet was floor to ceiling glass, with large French doors leading to a balcony. The bed was against the wall on my right, the headboard in the center of the wall. The bed itself was a four poster king sized bed with a flowing canopy. The bed was dressed with fluffy pink pillows and a soft down comforter. I had the urge to plop myself on the bed, but restrained as I needed to prepare for dinner.
There was a mahogany wardrobe on the left wall. I didn't have the time to inspect what was inside. On the other side of the door there was a desk made of the same wood as the rest of the room's furnishings. It was complete with some high tech things—things I didn't quite understand. Things that made me feel quite primitive despite the times.
I changed out of my black pants and black tank top and opted for a pale yellow sundress. The dress was soft against my hardened skin, made of some flowy material that swayed with every move I made. The bodice had a sweetheart neckline and no straps. It clung to my figure in all the right places, accentuating my bust and slim waist.
I paired the dress with a pair of white ballet flats and brushed my untamed hair, braiding it over my right shoulder. When I felt I was presentable enough, I met Luna on the other side of my bedroom door.
"Oh, Serena, you look stunning!" she cooed.
"You think this will be okay?" I asked, a little unsure of myself.
"You'll be the envy of all in the kingdom!" Luna exclaimed.
"If you say so," I mumbled. I followed closely behind her while she walked down the long hallway towards the dining hall. The walls on each side of me were decorated with paintings of every kind and more colorful tapestries, just like the ones in the throne room. I kept finding myself amazed at this new place.
Luna stopped before another set of double doors. Before she opened them, she turned to me, a look of amusement gracing her lovely features.
"Okay, Serena, ready for dinner?"
I fiddled with my braid and simply gazed at Luna, my nerves going haywire.
Luna winked at me. "Relax." She took my hand and opened the door to the dining room.
The first thing I noticed was the giant crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the high ceiling, sending shards of light onto every part of the open room. A long table sat in the middle of the room, right underneath the chandelier. There were large windows with the curtains open, allowing the light of the setting sun to enter the room, reflecting off of the crystals in the light fixture. The table was set with white China and silver flatware. It had a teal tablecloth with white lace overlay and a bouquet of blooming blue hydrangeas in the center.
There were fourteen settings around the table with several people already standing behind the backs of their chairs. Luna led me to the head of the table where she stopped and cleared her throat.
All eyes were on us.
"Everyone, this is Serena, Andrew's twin sister. Please treat her well and be kind. She has come a long way and has some adjusting to do, I expect everyone to be accommodating," Luna ordered with a sly look around at her subjects.
"Now, Serena, first and foremost, this is Artemis, King of Asteria," she motioned towards a tall man with long white hair and electric blue eyes. He wore a gray suit with a tie that matched his eyes.
King Artemis smiled kindly at me and greeted me formally, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Serena."
"The pleasure is all mine, sir," I replied, curtseying.
Luna proceeded to introduce the rest of the party present. A small woman with short black hair and large blue eyes named Amy was introduced to me next. Luna had said that she was the brains of the kingdom, along with her husband, Zoicite, who was across from Amy. He kept his long, dark blond hair in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He smiled warmly at our introduction with an obvious sparkle in his jade eyes.
Luna moved on to introduce me to Lita, a tall, Amazonian woman who Luna said came from a small tropical island far south in the ocean. She had shining chestnut hair that fell in elegant waves down her back and expressive emerald green eyes. Lita was married to Nephrite, a stoic man with the same chestnut hair, also falling in waves down his back. His brown eyes were masked of all emotion as he endured Luna's speech. He wore the same uniform as Zoicite, only his was trimmed in red.
Rei was a raven haired woman of my height. She had eyes the color of amethyst that were deeper than the abyss. Her hair was long and sleek, falling passed her waist. She looked at me as if there was something about me she didn't understand—and it made me uneasy. Jadeite sat across from Rei, his wife. Where she was dark and mysterious, Jadeite was light and open. He had light blond hair that fell messily into his sky blue eyes—eyes that shone with laughter.
Mina was a spritely woman with long honey hair and cornflower blue eyes. She radiated love and joy. Kunzite, Mina's husband, was a quiet man with hard silver eyes and long silver hair. Luna said he was the head general but she didn't explain much else about him. In fact, Luna kept all of the introductions short and to the point.
Lastly, Luna turned to the seat to her left and introduced me to Darien. He was tall, probably pushing six foot two. He was muscular, too, from what I could tell from his broad chest through his perfectly tailored uniform. His ebony hair fell tousled into his endless cobalt eyes. My mouth went dry and my heart was racing again. Darien gently took my hand and placed a chaste kiss upon my knuckles. My heart pounded faster at his physical contact, my eyes locked on his. I felt the blush creep up on my cheeks as he slowly—almost reluctantly—released my hand.
"It's an honor to finally meet you, Serena," Darien said. Oh, if I thought there was something about him before with just his looks, there was something even more with his voice; it was velvety smooth, engulfing me in warmth.
Luna sat down at the head of the long table, Artemis at the other end. I sat to Luna's right while Darien sat across from me. I kept my eyes cast down either at my fidgeting hands or at the white China plate in my place setting. Andrew grasped my hand and squeezed it hard, forcing me to look him in the eyes. He was able to communicate silently to me that I needed to relax. I could almost hear his words in my head.
Dinner was served in three courses, each one better than the last. Especially the third course—dessert. It was a deliciously creamy and cold chocolate dish that had my mouth watering for more.
After dinner was finished and we were excused from the dining hall, Andrew took me on a long tour of the palace. Luna had gone to speak to her husband after being away for several days in search of me. I didn't mind her absence since I was content to be with my brother.
The castle was both a maze to navigate. There was the main hallway that surrounded the courtyard, but there were also smaller halls branching from the main one. I was positive that I would find myself lost in the castle on more than one occasion. When I voiced that concern of mine to Andy, he burst into a fit of contagious laughter. I wasn't sure how much time passed with us laughing, but eventually someone had walked up from behind us and cleared his throat.
"What's going on here?" The deep, masculine voice of Darien floated through the air and into my ears.
I turned to face him and smiled brightly. "Andy was just showing me around the castle."
He nodded his head, accepting my answer. "Would you like to join us, Darien?" Andrew offered.
"I'm afraid I can't, Luna actually sent me to find you two. She wants to see you in the throne room."
He offered me his arm as an invitation to escort me to the throne room. I looped my arm with his, my face feeling warm. "You're quite lovely when you blush, Serena," he said quietly enough so only I could hear.
His compliment only caused me to blush even more; I risked a glance at his face, gazing deeply into his beautiful midnight blue eyes. He stopped walking and faced me, his body just inches from mine. My heart threatened to beat right out of my chest; why did he have such an effect on me? It was as if every cell in my body, every nerve, was alight with fire when I was near him. This both excited me and confused me; how could I possibly feel such a powerful attraction to someone I met merely hours ago?
As I stared into his endless blue eyes, I knew that whatever was happening so quickly between us wasn't reversible. No, whatever this unseen power pushing us together was, it was obviously beyond Darien and I; it was something else entirely. I felt like I had known him all my life—like my purpose in life was to find him. I bit my bottom lip as I searched his eyes for all the answers I needed. Something told me, in the deepest parts of my soul, that he had the answers. He had the answers to my unspoken questions, but he also had the answers to things I wasn't ready to even ask myself.
"Serena," he whispered. My name on his lips did extraordinary things to me—my heart beat faster and louder, as if that were possible, and my thinking became hazy. He lightly stroked my cheek with the knuckles of his hand; the gesture was so gentle and soft, but it lit a blazing force in me at the same time. Fire trailed on my skin where he touched me. Oh, how I longed to figure this out.
"Hey, why'd you guys stop?" Andrew killed the small moment between Darien and I with his unexpected approach. I closed my eyes and inhaled a shaky breath; I felt like I had stayed underwater for too long without coming to the surface to breathe.
Darien promptly took a step back from me, simultaneously removing his hand from my face. The fire I felt with his gentle touch was extinguished as fast as it ignited. I opened my eyes at last and spared Darien one last glance before falling in step with Andrew, heading towards the throne room.
"Why do you look like you're trying to figure out the secrets of the universe?" Andy asked me, glancing in my direction out of the corner of his eye. My face flushed at his question.
"You and I need to have a chat when we are done with Luna," I stated a little harshly.
"Whoa, Sere, why the sudden attitude change? What did Darien do to you?"
"He did nothing, Andy," I softened my tone. "You and I just need to talk. For one, it's been fourteen years since I've seen you last and this day has been overwhelming. I need to talk to you, you're my brother, and I need some answers."
Andy took me by my elbow and stopped our trek. "You know I'll answer any questions you have, but we can talk all you want tomorrow, after you've rested. You always were mercurial when you were tired, even as a kid," he snickered.
I crossed my arms in a childish display of defiance, contorting my face into one of anger and irritation. Andrew chuckled at my antics and shook his head. "Come on, Serena, Luna is waiting."
We stopped outside the throne room doors, Darien close behind us. Luna sat in the smaller of the two thrones next to Artemis. They were a sight to behold that was for sure. Luna looked every part the queen she was—she held her head high, her face masked with stoicism and wisdom. Artemis was her total opposite, sitting casually in his throne, passing loving glances to his wife. A smile pulled at the corners of my mouth at the spectacle. Luna, who was so bubbly and carefree just yesterday and earlier today, was different right then. I wanted so bad to see her without the hard look in her eyes. Why was she sitting so still?
"Thank you, Darien, for bringing them to us," she began. She looked Andrew and me over for a few moments, and for the first time since saving her I felt nervous in her presence.
"Serena, don't look so nervous!" Luna exclaimed. Her eyes suddenly lit with her usual happiness. Had I imagined the stressed look in her eyes? "I just wanted to thank you for coming with me today. I just know you'll love it here, and Andrew is just so happy to have you back," she smiled. "Please, I encourage you to get to know the castle, as well as its inhabitants. I think you'll find them rather interesting. Tomorrow we have a busy day; we will be going to the city markets. It is supposed to be rather warm so dress accordingly." Luna stood from her throne and approached Andrew and me.
Luna's eyes seemed to shine with all the sparkle of the night sky. Her smile was just as bright. "Oh, Serena, thank you," she said, stroking my cheek and drawing me into a tight hug.
I returned her embrace and asked, "Why are you thanking me?"
"Oh, silly girl. I thank you for being here. Now go, have a wonderful night and sleep well, my dear," she released her hold on me and dismissed Andrew, Darien, and me. With one last glance in her direction, I smiled and left the throne room, Darien on my left and Andrew to my right, my arms hooked through theirs, smiling like there wasn't a care in the world.
Andrew took the lead and walked ahead of Darien and me, wishing us a good night. I felt Darien place his other hand upon mine as it rested in the crook of his arm. I smiled and blushed, raising my gaze to meet his. He smiled. I broke eye contact and watched as he led us through a set of double doors, out into the courtyard. The first thing I noticed was the stars in the sky. I had thought them to be so beautiful in the meadow of night lilies, but this sight was extraordinary.
There were more stars than I had ever seen; filling the void of outer space so perfectly. They seemed to sparkle brighter than ever in this place. My face was filled with wonder and amazement, and then Darien released my arm, taking my hand instead.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" he whispered. I tore my eyes from the spectacle above me to look into his deep blue eyes.
Every time I looked into those ocean colored depths, my heart seemed to beat as fast as possible and I was lost to any rational thought. He took my breath away.
"Yes, it is beautiful," I smiled
Darien swept a lock of stray hair behind my ear. I heard a thundering in my ears, which I quickly realized must have been my heart pounding loudly. The reactions I seemed to have to Darien were strange and foreign to me, but not completely unwelcome. He rested his palm against my cheek, his skin warm against my own.
"Darien…" I breathed.
He closed his eyes and removed his hand from my face. "Look, Serena," he pointed to the midnight sky. "They're falling." I thought I heard a hint of double meaning in his words, but chose not to dwell on it.
I followed his gesture and watched, for the very first time in my life, the stars fall from the sky. I stared at the raining stars for quite a while before I sank into the lush grass, lying on my back to watch them more comfortably. Darien lay down on the grass next to me; we stayed there for hours, watching the falling stars and not saying a word.