Chapter Eight-

"Stella, don't you dare walk away from me!" A voice echoed through the corridor accompanied by the sound of clicking heels against the tile flooring before a set of heavy doors slammed shut breaking the sound barrier.

From the other side of the large wooden doors, Stella stood with her back against the smooth surface as her eyes scanned the room for something to block the path from her mother. Her expression deadpanned as once more her less than stellar sense of direction had led her into the west wing's -less formal- dining hall. "Crap," was all she could muster under her breath as she eyed the maze of boxes and clothed items before her. Hide and seek had always been her lese favorite childhood game…

Just as Stella took one step forward, she found the door thrust open and herself against the floor- and nowhere to run. With a nervous laugh, the blonde felt her face grow warm as she peeked through her bangs to see the figure before her. "Mother…" she began in a weak voice, only to be stopped by a single raised hand and arched brow.

"Spare me pleasantries. I know full well you do not care about my time away or your grandfather's heath. I saw the headline of you running around that music festival in Melody-in- that...that lingerie!" Queen Luna waved her hands around, and tiny sparks of energy shot off left and right as the emotions dashed across her face. Anger, disappointment and even guilt.

It was only then, as Stella started to raise herself from the floor did Luna notice what her daughter was wearing- or how little she was in a tiny, barely there bathing suite. If one could call the thin pieces of bright orange fabric that. "For the love of the Flame, where is your sense of decency?"

Stella puffed up her cheeks that still emitted warmth as she put her hands on her hips. "This is how teenagers dress now, and it's from a Solarian designer- cousin Etta. Though helping the family was a good thing."

For a moment, Luna opened her mouth to speak only to struggle to find the words. Her fingers made their way to her temples, "Honestly…"

A small smile dashed across Stella's face as she started to casually head towards the door. Just as she was about to break into a sprint with the door only a few inches away it closed before her. "Not even a nice try."

With a groan, Stella turned on her heels to face her mother. "Okay, I'll dress more modestly. Will that suffice? I need to get some sun in before the overcast this afternoon." At the back of her mind, the teen pleaded that her mother would simply make some remark about something or another- not that she would listen - and get back to whatever her mother did and away from her until dinner.

Yet that wasn't the case as her mother snapped her fingers and two chairs appeared before the two females. Smoothing her long skirt, Luna perched herself with elegance as she motioned for her daughter to do the same. With an eye roll, Stella read the room and understood that she wasn't getting back to her tan anytime soon. Groaning, the blonde teen obeyed as she flopped down and crossed her arms.

"Drop the attitude young lady. I am aware I have been away from the castle, a lot more than what I would prefer I will admit-"

"And here I assumed you were wanting to get away from daddy and his concubines?"

The moment the dig had slipped through Stella's lips tension filled the air. It took only a moment for the words to replay in Stella's mind before she realized just what she had done. With no gall, she trembled some as she kept her head down doing all she could to avert her gaze from her mother as she attempted to push her chair away. A feat with no avail as the wooden antique squealed with each movement.

There was no point to try and apologize, or even a moment to attempt to configure one as the next thing Stella knew her mother slapped her across the face. The sound rang in the teen's ears as she was too stunned to move.

"I raised you better than this, Stella. I expect more of you than what I see now, a frivolous disgrace. I am telling you now, and only once to shape up and clean up your image." Luna paused as she watched her daughter's fingers trace over the site on injury. For a moment, the woman drew back as she took in the weight of her actions. Though she bit on her lip, she didn't let her expression or voice waver. "It took a lot on mine and your grandparent's behalf, but you have been accepted back into Alfea for the coming year. We put a lot on the line for this- one single misstep and the consequences will be as infinite as Omega. Consider this your one-and final chance."