Obern and Arlyna Helianthas were favored in high regard by the royal family of Luna - mostly by Levana, as Kai wasn't one to favor Artemisians - and as such, they were very wealthy and respected by the entire city. Many a time, they would venture into the palace to visit a friend or attend a meeting. On one such occasion, they brought their eldest daughter with them.

Young Ilyzaelle didn't know quite what to think of the exotic menagerie and the sparkling gardens and the people she came across; snooty nobles and haughty thaumaturges and timid servants. Lyza's gift, unfortunately, was not progressing well, and she was embarrassed to show her face on the palace grounds among such prestigious company. Nevertheless, her parents had important things to do, and so she was left outside to entertain herself.

Little Lyza was quite lonely in those grandiose gardens among things that seemed too fine for her small hands to touch. The flowers were too elegant, the benches too polished, the fountains too sparkly. She felt like the tiniest caterpillar among a flock of ornate butterflies. Dwarfed. Out of place. Alone.

As Lyza was wandering, aimless and small in the winding maze that was the gardens, she was thinking. Thinking about how the flowers were strong, how they could not be broken even by her clumsy touch. The fountains were strong too, anchored to the ground by a steady foundation. And Lyza, too was strong in her own way. The wind could not just pick her up and blow her along on its endless journey.

A sudden blanket of comfort seemed to settle on Lyza's shoulders, smoothing her white-blonde hair with tender fingers. She was strong, though her gift was weak... or nonexistent. She could not be easily broken.

"Hello?"

Lyza jumped, almost losing her balance on the smooth rock she was traversing. She grabbed the lip of the fountain - she had circled back somehow - and met the wide, coppery eyes of a little boy.

He was tall and rather pale in Lyza's opinion, with unkempt auburn hair and angular features. If Lyza's mother had seen him, she would've sent him right back to his room to comb it. Lyza wondered if this boy had a mother. What was she like? Was she tall like him? Did her eyes gleam in the same way his did?

"Hi!" said Lyza, smiling.

"Hi!" he said, smiling just as brightly. "I'm Sid."

"I'm Lyza. Do you live here?"

He nodded. "Do you?"

She shook her head. "How do your eyes not get tired from looking at everything all day? If I lived here, I'd have to wear a veil like the queen so the shininess wouldn't blind me."

Sid suddenly looked puzzled, blinking as if he'd just realized. "I like it," he said simply.

"You do?"

He nodded. "You don't?"

"I do, but it's scary," she said, shivering. "So many things to break. Too much to see."

Sid still looked dumbfounded, but he nodded. "If you say so."

She smiled. "Do you want to play?"

"Play what?" he asked, a crease in his brow.

"You know! We can pretend!"

"Pretend what?"

"Don't you like to play?" she asked. Didn't everyone? She played all the time, even with her own parents, so serious and hardworking.

Something dawned on her, and her eyes widened. "Are there other kids at the palace?"

"Why would there be?" he asked, seeming to grow more confused by the second.

Lyza had to think about it. Maybe his parents were servants or guards, so he was forced to stay here. But then, there would be other children, if that was the case.

"I dunno." She shrugged. "Well, if you don't wanna play, we can just talk."

He nodded.

"What's it like living here?" asked Lyza, splashing her fingers idly in the fountain. She seemed to be the head of the conversation, as he was obviously still baffled and confused by something.

"It's fun," he said. "But I wish there were other kids in there."

"Oh," said Lyza. "Well, I think I'm glad I don't live there. I wouldn't wanna be a servant's daughter."

"Me neither," said Sid firmly.

What was he, then, if not some palace worker's child? Oh well. It didn't matter.

"The flowers are so pretty," said Lyza in wonder. She ran a reverent finger along the petal of a peony, smiling.

"Look," said Sid excitedly. Lyza turned and saw that he was holding a lily, gingerly pinching the stem between his fingers.

"Like Lyza!" he said, suddenly showing a remarkable likeness to Lyza's father whenever he made a new discovery.

"Oh, that's pretty," said Lyza, accepting the flower.

He nodded, and Lyza couldn't help but notice that he seemed to have three chief emotions: solemnity, curiosity and confusion.

"I wish there was a flower that sounded like Sid," said Lyza, scanning the assortment to ensure she wasn't forgetting one. "Then I could give you one too."

The look on Sid's face surprised her; it was like she'd said the most outrageous, horrible thing in the world. "I don't want a flower," he said, sounding shocked by the very idea.

Lyza's eyes widened. "Why not?"

"'Cuz that would mean we're in love!" he said.

Lyza stepped back. "Oooh, gross!"

"Yeah," he said.

Lyza pondered this for a moment. There wouldn't be anything wrong with her keeping her own flower, because they hadn't exchanged them. Besides, what did it matter? No one would know who had given it to her. And even if they did, they wouldn't mind. It was only a lily.

"I think I'll keep mine anyway," she said decisively. "It's too pretty - but I don't love you," she added quickly.

He seemed to really smile for the first time since they'd met. "Okay."

...

"Oh, hi Ada!" The voice made Adalyn's skin crawl, but she turned around, slapping on a smile.

"Hi," she said uncertainly back, already knowing where this conversation would go. She was brave. She was confident. She was-

"Is your mother coming to pick you up?"

Ada shook her head. "I'm calling a hover. In fact, I've already called it, it's probably here by now-"

"Why not?" asked the girl. Amira Reynolds, an eighth grader with a gaggle of friends and a beautiful voice. She wasn't particularly pretty, but stars, did she pretend to be.

"Come again?"

"Why isn't your mum coming to pick you up?"

"She's working," she said slowly, dread pulsing through her. "It was great talking to you, but I-"

"And what about your dad?"

Ada resisted the urge to groan. Amira knew very well why her father wasn't coming. She just wanted to see her humiliated.

"He's dead," she said, trying to keep her tone flat.

"Oh, aces, I didn't know! I'm so sorry! Lenna, did you hear that?"

Ada's heart stammered. Of course, her friends just had to be here.

"No, what did she say?" said Lenna from behind her. Beside her was Lou and Zuri, and when they saw her, they waved like they were her long-lost sisters.

"Good afternoon to you!" sang Zuri. "What did you say?"

She took a breath. "I said my dad's dead."

They all covered their mouths in shock. "My condolences," murmured Lou. "Was this recent?"

"My hover is here," she said urgently. Ada had called no such hover, but she needed to get away or she might just start crying... or do something she might regret.

"Oh," said Lenna sadly. "Well, it was lovely talking to you, dear. We'll see you soon."

Ada nodded shakily and broke free from the circle, shoes pounding across the school's front walk. She was away. And it was the second Friday of the month. The circumstances seemed much brighter all of a sudden.

Once she'd put a good chunk of distance between her and... them, she dug out her portscreen. She was meeting her mother at the ice cream shop, and she certainly wasn't going to be late. The time her mother found for her was scarce, but when she did find it, it was always a treat.

The hover glided up in record time, smooth and fluid. Ada scanned her wrist absentmindedly, realizing that she'd be taking a sizable amount out of her allowance today; what with the ice cream and the fee for the hover. Never mind. She was going to spend the afternoon with her mother.

It seemed like ages before the hover finally hissed to a stop, but once it had, Ada practically rolled out, landing on her feet. The passive-aggressive jabs of the girls were forgotten, replaced with fresh excitement.

It wasn't that she didn't see her mother all the time, because she did see her. But most of her spare time was spent at her neighbor's house since her mother worked so much. Even when they did see each other, Terallyn was always thinking about something else. But every other Friday, her attention was on Ada and Ada alone.

"Hey, sweetie!"

Ada spun like a top, beaming. "Hey, Mum! How was your day?"

"It was good. Lots of patients, but I managed to get work off early."

Ada smiled. "I can see that. Let's go, then."

The ice cream shop was charming and chic, with a young woman to take orders instead of an android or a screen. The sweet smell of vanilla and chocolate caught Adalyn's nose, and she smiled. This was where she was happiest.

There were not many customers today, so it didn't take long before Ada and Terallyn were at the counter. Ada didn't have to check the list of flavors to know just what she wanted.

"I'll have strawberry, please," she said warmly.

Terallyn ordered her own cone, and they went off to pick toppings. Once their cones had been adorned with sprinkles, caramel and - of course - a cherry, they went to an uninhabited table to eat. The pink swirls were the best thing Ada had ever tasted, but she savored each bite. This was partly because this ice cream was a rare delicacy, but mostly because she wanted to spend more time with her mother.

"How was your day at school?" asked Terallyn.

Ada thought about telling her mother, but decided against it. There wasn't much she could do about the bullying, and there was no need to trouble her unnecessarily. She was already working hard.

"Good," she said.

"That's good," said Terallyn, taking the paper off her cone.

"Mum?" said Ada, desperate for a change of subject. She didn't want to talk about unpleasant encounters and honeyed smiles.

"Yes?"

"Do you think fairytales are real?"

She pressed her lips together. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering. You know, like the second era net dramas. With the princes and knights and dragons and happily ever afters?"

The second era had always fascinated Ada to no end. She didn't know what was so enthralling about it, but she could sit for hours, reading accounts on her portscreen of daring adventures and damsels that were saved and villains that were always defeated. There was something magical about it, and something fleeting, too. She knew they weren't real. But she hoped that, to some degree, stories like them existed. After all, those tales had to come from somewhere, right?

Terallyn laughed. "Where did this come from?"

"Oh, I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I haven't gotten around to telling you. But you know what I mean; beautiful princesses and true love and... and wishes on stars! And I don't mean to say that those stories specifically are real, I just hoped - I just..."

Her words cut off abruptly as she saw the wistful smile on her mother's face.

"Keep dreaming, Adalyn. Don't let go of that dream. You might need it someday."

Ada knew her mother wasn't the best at parenting, that she could hardly find time for her daughter... but those few sentences were the most special, real, heartfelt things Ada had ever heard. Her mother approved of her dream. And, though she might not be able to admit it, she thought those stories were real, too.

...

The ocean waves made the most beautiful music. It was lulling; the swell and recede pattern that never ended. The surety of the rhythm. The knowledge that, even if the world was in turmoil, the ocean would never go away.

Zaire Princew danced to the music of the waves, feeling free in her floating gown and the open air around her and the rush as she twirled and dipped. She let that freedom overtake her, melting into nature's raw melody.

"Hey Zaire!"

Zaire stopped twirling, narrowly avoiding a face plant into the sand. Jaxon was waving at her, running toward her. She grinned.

"Hey!" she yelled back.

"There's something you might wanna see on the newsfeeds," he said, breathless and excited.

She laughed. "If you say so. Have you proposed yet?"

He looked taken aback, but only for a moment before he laughed. "Not yet."

She threw up her hands. "When?" Lissa and Jaxon had been dating for a while, and he had hinted at proposing for the last month.

He chuckled. "Soon. Come with me."

She sighed and followed him across the beach, toward their little apartment. The little pink building was certainly not special - then again, nothing in Cape Town was. And yet, both were her home.

The little community lie just beside the docks, and though it did not attract much attention, it was beautiful. Everyone knew everyone in the bustling little village full of color. Zaire especially was close with many, since she was so bubbly and outgoing.

It wasn't long before they had arrived at the little apartment chock-full with both memories and people. Baby Malaika, Lissa and Anan, Zaire's best friend. It didn't seem like many, but since the apartment was so cramped, the amount felt much greater.

Their apartment was small, with a kitchen, a little sitting room and a few bedrooms. Memories and murals had filled the space over the years. It was tiny and battered, and it looked like a crazed decorator had gotten ahold of it - but Zaire loved it.

"Mali!" Zaire yelled as she ran into the room, smile bright as ever. It had become something of a permanent feature, her smile, though it didn't feel forced at all. These were her kind of people. Well - everyone was her kind of people, but these were some of her favorites. "Mali, come here."

The baby, unfortunately, was captivated by a string of beads and elicited no response. Zaire ran over and scooped up her niece, twirling her around and around. Mali squealed and giggled. Zaire pulled the string of beads from Malaika's mouth, since she was fairly positive they were a choking hazard, and examined them.

They were one of her creations, probably made recently. Zaire and Lissa were both fabric and jewelry makers, and selling them made for a reliable business. Not only did they love to do it, but it also reminded them of their mother who had done the same job.

"Sit still for a minute and watch the newsfeed," chided Anan, but she was grinning.

Zaire chuckled. "I never sit still. What's the big deal?"

"Maybe look at the screen, then you would know? Just an idea," said Jaxon.

"Alright, alright, I'll watch," said Zaire, ever the peacemaker. Besides that, she was a little curious.

She turned her attention to their faded old netscreen, which was currently showing a South African representative speaking at a press conference.

"The Lunar prince is holding a Selection in the grand city of Artemisia. This is a new tradition, but a clever one. Thirty-five young girls will be Selected from all across Luna and Earth to be brought into the Capitol and presented to Prince Obsidian. The Selection will last over the span of a couple months, and after a series of eliminations, His Royal Highness will choose his queen. Forms have already been commed, and all women between seventeen and twenty-one years old are invited to fill them out."

"Mute," said Zaire, and the representative droned on, though now it was noiselessly.

"That's really weird," she said, fighting laughter. "Who even invented this? I bet it was some sadistic Lunar who liked the idea of-"

"Shhh," said Anan, shaking her head. "I don't know what you were going to say, but I don't think I want to."

"Really? Because I can tell you," said Zaire, grinning at her friend.

"You should enter, Zaire."

Her attention snapped to Jaxon. His smile was growing bigger as he settled on the idea.

"Me?" The whole ordeal was pretty ridiculous, but her entering? That was suggesting a whole other level of unpleasant.

First of all, she'd be surrounded by Lunars. Though her hatred had lessened over the years thanks to Jaxon turning out to be an actually decent guy, she still felt uncomfortable with the very mention. A Lunar had stolen her sisters from her. A Lunar had tricked her. A Lunar had taken advantage of her kindness.

"It's a good idea!" said Jaxon. "Remind me: how many times have you left Cape Town?"

"Zero," she said. "But I can think of a whole lot of better places to go."

"And you'll get to meet the prince. He might actually be a cool guy."

Zaire laughed. "Since when has that been a possibility?"

"You might find love," said Lissa, a glint in her eyes.

The whole room laughed at that, Zaire's own laugh ringing the loudest, with Mali clapping her hands and squealing as if to join in the joviality. Never had she settled on one guy for two long. She didn't even know if she wanted to get married or have kids.

"It's not that crazy of an idea," said Jaxon. "You like people. You can meet thirty-something new ones."

Zaire sighed. Why not? It wasn't like any harm could come out of it. It could be a great story to tell her kids, and she'd get a chance to meet Luna's next queen - if she got in.

"I'll enter," she said, bouncing Mali on her knee.

"Holy spades, that was quick," said Lissa.

Zaire smiled. She was prone to impulses and sudden changes of mind that usually led to unknown outcomes. But something felt different about this. This was so much bigger than choosing the ripest dragon fruit from a bunch or the lightest dress from a closet. This was about leaving her hometown and digging up memories she might not be ready to face yet.

This was... astronomical.

All puns aside, it would be big, if she got in. But maybe it was time. Time to meet new people and explore the world. Time for something... unusual.

"You good, Zaire?" You're never this quiet," said Anan, scooting a little closer to her friend.

"You better not be rethinking your decision, because if you are-" said Lissa.

"No, I'm fine," said Zaire, smirking. "Over the moon, in fact."

...

Yes, thank you, thank you very much :) Jk jk that was a terrible pun but I love them so I have to try at least. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What did you think of Lyza, Ada and Zaire? I hope I did them justice, and if for any reason I messed something up, please tell me! I won't be mad, pinky promise. And, just so you know, Lyza has no bias whatsoever. Sid and her are both different people now, and they're starting fresh. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Thank you so much for all your reviews, and my lovely betas! Y'all are the best cheerleaders a girl could ask for. See you soon!

Oh, and P.S! (You knew there was gonna be one... sorry...) Ada doesn't have a fairytale inspiration, so don't go looking for one lol. Thanks!