I woke up back in Hikaru's home in 'my' bedroom, and realized it was
9:15. Overslept, as usual, but Lantis was waiting for me at Ten! I jumped
up, grabbed my clothes, (blue with a red, green, and purple border,)
tied my hair back in a matching ribbon, and ran out. This time, I got
there with no difficulties. I reached the courtyard, but then stopped
dead. Eagle and I were supposed to be mad at each other, and I was
about to do practice with him. Shrugging it off, (What could I do?) I ran
over to them. "Hi Sir Lantis, Eagle." They both looked at me, not saying
anything. I was confused. "What? Did I do something wrong?" I asked
suddenly nervous. Then I realized, to my horror, Lantis was crying! In his
own sort of way, he was tackling immense pain. Eagle, upon further
reflection, looked stunned. "What is it you two?" I began to panic.
Master Mage Clef ran up to me, grabbed my wrist. I couldn't figure out
what was going on.

"Master Mage Clef? What's...?"

"Not now. Come with me, Princess." Scared, I was dragged along by
him, leaving my new paralyzed friends behind.

In the throne room, Miss Umi hugged me, and her daughter and
husband trailed behind her. I was confused, but I knew, since I was a
princess, I had to keep my composure. "Miss Umi?" That made her cry
harder. "Miss Umi, what's the matter?" She just sobbed, and I looked
around for assistance. Master Mage Clef told us to sit around a table. I
looked around at the faces. Mastersmith Sierra, Master Mage Clef,
Hikaru, Umi, Ascot, Marina, and a few guards. Clef cleared his throat.

"Well, you have all heard the news, I suppose." I interrupted, carefully.

"Excuse me, sir, but no one has told me what's going on." His eyes
pierced my soul, even from across the table.

"Your parents were abducted upon arrival in Autozam by a group that...
doesn't want the allegiance. Cerina, they may be dead." My body
slumped down in my chair, but something inside me froze, ramrod
straight. I felt like suffocating. I just sat there, as Clef, with a concerned
look on his face, turned back to the group.

"We must prepare, as soon as possible, for Princess Cerina to take over
the throne, in case we receive word of... We must also decide where she
will and her brother will stay." I looked around. Where was Tomi?

"Where's my brother?" Clef looked startled I had interrupted him again.
"He's with Hikaru's children. He hasn't yet been told." Hikaru nodded
confirmation. I excused myself, and went to my room, where, after
crying, I fell asleep.

----

I woke up at midnight, and went out into the now-deserted courtyard. I
laid in the grass, and looked up at the stars. I didn't even notice when
Eagle came out and stretched out next to me. After a while, he spoke.

"It's a brilliant night, isn't it?" I could only nod. Before I knew it, he had
launched into describing constellations and their stories.

"-And there's Emeraude's tiara. They say it went up into the sky after her
wish was granted by the Magic Knights.-"

"Eagle? I hate to interrupt, but, I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"Which one is Autozam?" He paused for a minute, thinking.

"Well, tonight, it would be... exactly above us." He said, pointing to a
Celestial body right above our heads. "Cerina?" He asked uncertainly,
after I had stared up at it for a few minutes. I jerked out of it.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, about what I said earlier. And now, after this happened... It
was cruel, and untrue. Your parents wouldn't run away from you." I
looked up at the stars.

"Are you sure?" I saw his eyes widen. "What?"

"Are you sure? My parents... I don't know. I'm so confused." I cried,
realizing I was crying again. Eagle wrapped me up in a hug, followed by
Marina, who had just come outside to find me. In this fashion, all tangled
up in each other's arms, the world spun and spun, until it was not there
at all.

I held on to my friends not daring to open my eyes. Something told me
we had left Cephiro. I heard Marina next to me. "Oh, how beautiful..."
Eagle. "Cerina, open your eyes!" I opened my eyes, to find everywhere
around me dotted with stars. We stood up, slowly disentangling
ourselves. A vision of a woman with long midnight blue hair and a long,
flowing blue dress appeared in front of us.

"Children of the Magic Knights," She began. Her voice was like the
moon's song, lulling me to sleep. But I had never been so awake in my
life. "Children of the Magic Knights, it is time for you to take your first
test! Stars!" Three bolts of light appeared, knocking us all three different
ways. I woke again in complete darkness.

Off in the distance, I could see Marina, and on the other side, Eagle.
They drifted closer, and Marina spoke, but something seemed strange.

"Oh, how beautiful..." That was what she said before.

"What's so beautiful?" I asked. All I could see was darkness. Eagle spoke
next.

"Open your eyes, Cerina." In unison, they said, "The darkness is so
beautiful." My eyes widened. What? The darkness? The darkness was
cold, like a little girl, left alone, in the snow. I shook my head. Where did
that come from? I reached out to slap Marina, to bring her back to
reality. But as I did, I my hand swept right through her, and both she and
Eagle disappeared...

END CHAP. 4

---
This is all owned by CLAMP, 'cept the peeps I made up. (I feel the need
to say this again every four chapters or so.) Well, please tell me how you
like it. Miss Celestia Maxwell, I will be needing your assistance soon on
names! I'll email you and let you know! Thank you for all of the
supportive reviews!

~A. Potter