Just some background info for those that haven't read the series. A thaumaturge is the queen's most honored counsellor/lapdog/errand runner who does anything she says. They're very powerful and are known to be power-hungry and inclined to control people. Regolith is moon rock that most buildings are made of. When it's in the form of dust, it can get in people's lungs and make them sick. Enjoy!
...
Head Thaumaturge Venus Castillo experienced a brief rush of deja vu as she stepped out onto the queen's balcony. Only three days ago, she'd come to this very balcony and witnessed Her Majesty in this very state. The queen was standing, supported by the railing, eyes wandering half-focused. She looked almost vulnerable in that moment, even with her lovely hair and smooth, polished skin and uncanny posture. Her glamour had aged with her - the most important thing about a glamour was to stay behind the fine line of believability - and she looked tired when she was not in the presence of her subjects.
"Your Majesty?" asked Venus, breaking the queen's dazed contemplation as she whirled.
"Ah, Venus, good afternoon," she said.
Venus nodded. "To you as well, My Queen. I do apologize for bothering you, but I've come to give you the update for the tradition I mentioned three days ago, The Selection. The one held in-"
"Yes, yes, child. Go on."
Venus stiffened. Child? She was twenty-five. She steadied her breath, resisting the angry urge that rose deep in her gut. If she displeased the queen, she wouldn't be hearing another insult from her. She definitely wouldn't be hearing flattery.
"We've been getting an alarming number of forms," said Venus. "Our cameras show that many of the Earthens are quite interested in this opportunity."
"Ah, very good," said Levana. "And what of the outer sectors?"
"That is a different matter. We've had significantly less forms from the outer sectors. The majority of applicants stem from the Capitol."
"Shame," said Levana. "I've already picked them out."
Venus suppressed a wince. It must've taken those poor aristocrats at least five minutes to fill out the forms, and most of it would go to waste. Oh well. Many of the capitol's beauties went to waste anyway, under the queen's rule.
Venus lifted an elegant brow. "Oh?"
Levana nodded. "Indeed. I'm sure you can predict them: mostly aristocrats from famed bloodlines, though I've added a few less promising young ladies to make it seem truly random."
Venus smiled approvingly. "How clever of you!"
Levana nodded. "I'm not quite sure what to do for the sectors. I don't understand my people sometimes; so fickle."
"Mmm."
"I suppose we could use intimidation. I could remove some guards from their palatial stations and send them out."
"Whatever My Queen sees fit," said Venus, dipping her eyes in a humble display of acceptance.
Her own guard was standing invisible by the sliding door, unmoving, eyes staring indifferently at the glass dome casting its protective shadow over Luna. To her knowledge, his thoughts were elsewhere and his attention diverted. Perhaps she could send him out into the sectors - it wasn't like he did her much good anyhow.
"As for the Earthens..." Levana tapped her chin with a perfectly shaped fingernail. "I'll be picking them too. Preferably pretty, though most of them will be eliminated on the first day, so I suppose I shouldn't bother.
"The Earthens don't have glamour at their disposal," said Venus, her voice wreathed in mock sympathy. "They'll be dwarfed and tormented by those lovely young Artemisians. You should be merciful and pick the prettiest ones."
Levana chuckled; a polite, dainty sound. "I suppose you're right. I wonder if I should choose from the higher-ups or the less fortunate?"
"A mix of both would be best, I think," said Venus. "A show of diversity."
Levana nodded. "Exactly."
Venus pressed her lips shut to block the laugh filling her throat. It was all a game. A joke. A topic of merriment.
Levana seemed to have as much disdain for Earthens as everyone else did. So why did she not take control of them? Why was her power over them so lax? Why did she allow Kaito's head advisor to be emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, instead of ruling it herself along with her husband?
It was confounding.
"Thank you for your suggestions, Venus," said Levana, and Venus wondered how long the queen had been speaking while she was entangled in her own musings. "I do wonder, though... who will handle all these girls? I'm sure they'll be wanting occasional parties and dress fittings, and they'll need extensive lessons."
Venus nodded. "Perhaps the hiring of a coordinator would be wise?"
Levana nodded. "Precisely." She paused, eyebrows creasing in her deliberation. "Come to think of it, you would be best for this position, Venus, seeing as you made the suggestion, and you seem to know a great amount about this ordeal as a whole."
Venus smiled warmly, her generosity as fake as the queen's innocent sincerity. "With all due respect, I am already your thaumaturge, Your Majesty. I don't believe I can handle both positions at once. Shall I start looking for potential candidates?"
Levana's hair twirled in the wind. "That would be lovely, Venus. I was only considering you because of your abundant knowledge of the subject. But I couldn't think of anyone better, as long as you let me do the interviewing and actual hiring."
Venus pretended to preen under the sugary flattery. "Her Majesty is too kind," she said. "Of course. You're judgment is far fairer than mine."
"Mmm," hummed Levana, sounding quite a lot like Venus had earlier; bored and demure at once.
"Have a nice afternoon, Your Majesty." Venus turned, beckoned her guard, and was almost to the door before Levana's saccharine voice filled her ears.
"Venus?"
"Yes?" she asked, finding it easy to hide her annoyance. She'd had years of practice.
"Has there been an increase in rebellion on Earth?"
"Not that I know of," said Venus. "Just the same harmless protestors."
"Ah. Let me know if they need to be... oppressed. Do enjoy your day."
"I will, My Queen."
Levana turned back to her pondering of the lake, and Venus lingered by the door. Her thoughts were dizzy, reeling. But they soon crystalized into irritation.
She served her queen. They all served their queen. They all lived under her reign. Except for the Earthens, the only people that deserved it.
Venus could think of many people better to grace the throne; nobles with excellent leadership skills and ambassadors with excellent connections and even guards with excellent looks...
But that couldn't happen. She had to sit and serve and live in this sheltered, pleasurable paradise with the knowledge that she could rule better, that so many people could...
It wasn't her place to criticize. Her Majesty's rule was always just and understandable. Her Majesty was beautiful, kind, amazingly powerful. Her Majesty must've been blessed by Artemis herself.
Venus shook off the manipulation, cheeks flaming red. Was the woman a mind reader? Her queen must've been more aware than she'd realized. She'd looked so distracted, gazing at the water.
"I trust you'll be leaving soon," said Levana, the tiniest shard of coldness slipping through her lullaby-sweet veneer.
Venus nodded. "Of-of course, My Queen. I was only-"
"Goodbye, Venus," said Levana. "I hope you remember that unsavory thoughts are not welcome in the court. Next time, I may not be so generous."
"Of course," she said again, hand on the door. "I will see to the preparations."
"Splendid," said Levana. "Just splendid."
...
"I trust you'll keep everything you heard a secret," said Venus as they left the balcony, her sweet, worshipful tone all but vanishing.
Sir Remi Stellar gave a nod, a brief crack in his glass-smooth composure.
Venus smiled. "Good. You're dismissed for dinner. I'll be in my room, though you must be nearby at all times."
Remi clicked his heels, already letting his spine loosen and his muscles ease. As he marched away down the hall, Venus held up a hand.
"On second thought, Sir Stellar - I'm sure you've heard about the unwillingness to enter in the sectors."
He nodded again.
"Why don't you take a shuttle and... provide some incentive?"
Remi would've laughed, had his face not been frozen in perpetual neutrality. Was she serious? Him? He wouldn't be able to intimidate a speck of regolith dust with his slight build and passive gaze and soft-spoken manner.
The guards laughed at him most of the time. He was the little guard, the shy guard, the misplaced guard. He was sure everyone on the court was astounded that he was given the position of Thaumaturge Castillo's most honored guard. Most of them were jealous. His personality type didn't have a place in Artemisia.
He was cute though, so that was a bonus.
And... the only reason he was still a guard in the first place.
Maybe she was going to fire him, sending him off to the sector, then asking if he'd stay there. That was probably it. Not that he was complaining at all.
"Of course, Thaumaturge Castillo," he said.
"Thank you, Sir Stellar. I can always trust you."
He wasn't sure that was quite true, but he nodded all the same. "When should I return?"
"Oh, I don't know. Once they've obliged."
What did she expect him to do? Yell at them? Force them to fill out forms?
He clicked his heels... again. "Of course, Mistress Castillo."
She gave an approving nod, and he hurried off down the extravagant hallway.
"Oh, Sir Stellar?"
What was it with these people? Did they never know when to stop talking?
He turned back, giving a respectful lower of his head. "Yes, Thaumaturge Castillo?"
"Don't talk to your family. You have a tendency to stray when you see them, and I know you'd be there for hours, catching up with your former friends and whatnot. Your only task is to speak with those eligible for the Selection."
He nodded a fourth time, his annoyance becoming sticky and thick around him, threatening to seep through his detached expression. Who was she to tell him what to do?
His mistress. The woman he was sworn to protect.
"Goodbye, Sir Stellar."
He turned away, finally leaving her presence without being intercepted.
Venus had unwittingly given Remi the opportunity he'd been seeking since Monday. He wasn't going to follow her orders, obviously. There was something much more vital he had in mind.
The shuttle system was a complicated maze of hot air, tired workers and the hiss of vehicles taking off through the tunnels. Remi made his way to Port B, bay 13, and greeted a fellow guard who was passing by.
"Ah, look who it is?" crowed the guard, Sir Jade. "Did she finally fire you?"
The words might've been teasing, if Sir Jade and him had been friends.
They were not.
Remi laughed jovially. "Not this time," he said. "Just off to do a little work in the sectors."
"Ah. Well, good luck," said Sir Jade. The words bounced off Remi's solid barrier of protection, meaningless.
He gave a slightly uncomfortable smile before turning and hurrying off to a shuttle. He stepped inside and pressed his finger against the designated pad, recording his fingerprint.
"Welcome, Remi Stellar, personal guard of Head Thaumaturge Venus Castillo. What is your destination?" Good stars, why did the titles have to be so illustrious? The Artemisians did love a show.
"Sector AG-7," he said.
No. He was not going to be visiting a hundred sectors and cowing the citizens into submission. He had a very specific area in mind.
The shuttle pulled to a stop at the Agricultural Sector's underground dock.
"Thank you for using Artemisia Shuttles. Please enjoy your stay," said the same voice from earlier.
Oh, he definitely would.
The doors breezed open and Remi stepped out onto the platform, a large number seven stamped above it. As he remembered, the platform was dull and unremarkable, not at all sharing the limelight of the Capitol.
He ascended the steps and the gleam of artificial daylight flashed in his eyes. He blinked once, but kept walking. He donned his helmet to complete the charade of patrolling guard.
The sector was far from vibrant, but it was definitely better than some of the others - waste salvage and regolith mining and the grungier, sadder districts. He was always overwhelmed at the 'organized chaos' feel of the sector, but he'd gotten used to it years ago. This was his childhood home, after all.
Unlike many of the other sectors, this one was full of color. The entire sector was built like a huge greenhouse beneath the dome. The considerate royalty had given the workers all they required; a heating system, soil just begging to be turned and all the animals and plants that needed tending. There were people everywhere. They clutched scythes, trowels or reins, sowing and reaping and herding and plowing. Remi passed cows in pure whites, strawberries in juicy reds, wheat in gentle golds and people in crisp greens and downcast browns.
He wove through the thick crowd, sticking to the edges so as not to be too bothersome and avoiding sharp objects. People cast him terrified looks and hurried aside, assuming him to be just another guard. Just another one of the queen's minions.
The thick swathes of grain, tractors and tired eyes were thinning as he neared the center of the sector. A mill stood towering to his right, swarming with toiling citizens, all decked in earthy, verdant colors.
He winced. These were the same kind of people that inhabited Artemisia, the same race. Completely equal. And yet, Artemisia flaunted their power and hid beneath the dome and lived freely. None but the thaumaturges and guards did a bit of work.
Well, that wasn't quite true. They did have to work to keep that cursed glamour up all the time, and to party that much. It must tire them out dreadfully. On the other hand, the task of the servants, guards, soldiers and thaumaturges was to keep the royal family happy. To keep Her Majesty happy.
What a pathetic excuse the royal family was. A tyrant of a queen, a weak young King Consort, and the prince; sickly and tyrannical in tandem. A Levana wannabe.
It made him sick.
The sounds of ringing metal and cutting grass and sharp orders faded, though the crisp smell still remained. The mill was far behind him, and he now stood among a cluster of squat little houses. They were all uniform, neat and orderly... and incredibly drab.
Remi kept walking, knowing right where his house was. It was still ramshackle and decrepit, lacking any sort of paint or polish. He knew his mother set out sprigs of lavender and mint in the house for fragrance, but that was the extent. His family sampled none of the lavish Capitol fare.
He stopped at the window, peering inside, and grimacing as he was met with Soleil's blue eyes - much like his own. His toddler sister was too young to work in the fields, so she stayed home all day. It was sickening.
Soleil pressed her face against the window, eyes rounding. She couldn't see his face beneath the helmet, and was staring at him with a mix of curiosity terror. He turned away with great effort. There was no point in staying. He did have somewhere to be, and Venus was right.
He tended to linger with his family too long.
His breath caught a little as he walked away, thinking of Soleil, so lonely and bored in the barren cottage all day. Thinking of his brother who had always had a flare for the dramatic and an acting aspiration. He could've been that, had he been born in the right place.
But no. His brother's gift was weak. Like Remi's.
The sad little building passed from view, and Remi focused on his objectives. He wasn't here for a reprimanding of the civilians, nor a wistful glance at his family's residence. He was here for a meeting.
The tinkling of chimes rang out through the sector. The lovely Lunar anthem quickly followed, and Remi grinned. He was right on time.
An even robotic voice announced that it was curfew; the end of the workday. Remi eyed the crowd, knowing he could spot the people he was seeking easily enough.
"Oh, it's the dashing young guard!" The voice made him jump - it was teasing, so unlike everyone he crossed paths with in Artemisia - and whipped around.
A tall, smirking girl with her red hair tied back in a bun met his gaze. Pangea, the leader of the resistance.
"How could you tell?" he asked, motioning toward the residential area as if he was a guard herding an unruly citizen.
"Because you're short," she said, grinning. "And skinny. And-"
"Stop," he said, though his tone was laced with laughter.
"I don't know how you do that training and still manage to look like a-"
"It's called being naturally slight," he said, cutting her off again. "Now go back to your home, peasant."
She threw back her head in an over-exaggerated guffaw. "Are you nobility now?"
He shook his head. "But I've been sent to round up any strays."
"I see, I see." She looked utterly amused. "Well then, Sir Stellar, come along. You can escort me back to my... residence."
They weren't at all going to her residence, but Remi followed her. Soon they were immersed in the dingy houses. Dirty and haggard, the civilians came pouring into the area, gladly returning to their own homes. Once they had thinned sufficiently, their group of green-clad comrades were easily distinguished. Remi, disguised as he was, waved them over and stood tall.
"The workday is over. Return to your homes."
Seeing that Remi had it under control, the guards that had come to manhandle the citizens dispersed. This was their strategy; recruiting or fashioning guards that could distract the others. The idea was clever, and it had worked so far.
The group continued down the street, and Gea spoke in a hushed voice, a look of submission easily scrawled on her face. "Find anything?"
"The Selected are being picked out by the queen; a lot of them already have. Venus sent me to intimidate the sectors into applying." Since Remi was quiet by nature, it didn't take much effort to deliver his report in a low whisper.
"Wonderful," said a young man with smoldering blue eyes.
A guard passed, and Remi shooed the man who had spoken away. He lowered his head and started retreating, muttering apologies. When the enemy guard had turned away, the rebel returned.
"Anything else?" asked Meridian, a co-leader of sorts along with Gea.
"Not really. I think one of you should enter, though. More than one; as many as we can get."
"That's what we were thinking," said Meridian. "Gea said she would enter."
The two girls shared an emotional look, but it passed quickly. "That's right," said Gea. "I don't suppose you could save me a spot?"
Remi chuckled ruefully. "That's... hilarious. You know I'm the most hated guard at the palace?"
"Yeah," said Gea, smirking again. "But you're one of our most valued members, so at least that means something."
He was the least-liked person in Artemisia, but with these misfits, he was the star pupil. Priceless.
"Well, my mission has succeeded," he said. "I got someone to fill out a form."
"Congratulations," drawled Gea. "You can go now. Good to see you." She punched him on the arm. "And I'll see you soon!"
He chuckled. She was way too confident for her own good.
Bidding a discreet farewell to the revolutionaries, Remi walked away, back toward the shuttle tunnels. Time to return obediently to his cage.
Remi was overcome by his own embarrassment as he left the bustling sector. He hadn't done much at all to help the rebellion. He was ridiculed at court. His family needed him, his thaumaturge needed him, his resistance needed him... He'd failed at all three today.
Not a reliable lapdog, not a valuable spy, not a good brother or son.
Then what? Who was he?
He was a citizen of Luna, belonging to sector AG-7 and... the queen. He was a guard, albeit a pathetic one. He was...
He was a member of the revolution determined to take the queen off her high horse, even if their lives paid for it. He was an Artemisian now, with connections and sources, though if Gea became a Selected, she'd have that too.
But he was alive, for now. He was smart, having found a way to meet with the group periodically. That was... something, at least.
Something unique. Something of worth. At least, in the eyes of the rebels. In the eyes of his comrades and the people of the sector. He was not valued by the queen or the nobles or the guards or the thaumaturges... but maybe it was a good thing.
It was good enough for him, at least.
...
And here is chapter four! It was a blast to write, I hope you enjoyed it. My other chapter ended up being a little on the late side so you get a quick update - I started writing it a few days ago. So what did you think of our Selected (Gea), Venus, the resistance and Remi? I know that wasn't an official intro for Gea, but we did get to see a bit about her. And, just a little heads-up to start thinking about what these girls were inspired by, because there's going to be some contests soon! There was a lot of info in this one, so I hope it wasn't too overwhelming. If I can keep this schedule up, you'll get a chapter on Tuesday! You guys seemed to like the intros, so we'll get some of those. Thanks so much for the reviewers, the submitters, the peeps on Discord, the betas and LOTS of other people.
Oh, and I have a very random question for you! If your Selected, by chance, writes in a journal or diary, could you let me know, by Discord or PM? It's for something coming up, and I'd love to know. Thanks so much! Have a great day!
