Authors note: This may be the last installment of this story. I don't feel like anyone's reading it so what's the point of posting it? Please drop a review to rebuild my faith in this project. I'm losing my ambition. Thanks.

~Thalia

Shikyo sat in her large room with the lights low. A canvas stood in front of her, empty. She raised a paintbrush to the white surface. She made a few elegant strokes, pulled her slender hand back to examine her work, then continued. She furrowed her brow, not being happy with what she saw. She quickly rose, her dark skirt rustling loudly. She turned off one of her many lamps that lite the room. She smothered back a strand of dark hair that had worked its way out of her bun. Her dark eyes concentrated on her canvas. The atmosphere contributed to her creativity. She liked to keep the lights low as she painted. And she must be alone. She could not stand it when people stood over her shoulder and watched her every move. No one ever really came into this room except her. It was deep within the Kingdom basement. The room had been empty but Shikyo turned it into her own personal art studio. Pictures hung on the walls and were piled upon each other on the floor. Most we landscape. Images she had burned into her mind. Images of the Martian geysers or the crowded villages on Uranus. But every once in a while she painted portraits. The ones her parents made her paint of kings and queens and nobles didn't count. Those touched up lifeless copies didn't show her creativity. She liked to paint people. Real people. A girl in the market picking up brass pieces from the gutter, hoping to exchange them for a scrap of food. Or an old women who sat in front of her house singing a tune no one has ever heard before. She kept the portraits here in her studio, never to see the light of day.

Shikyo heard a giggle outside her door. She didn't even have to wonder who it was. She already knew it was her promiscuous twin sister. She did wonder whom she was with. Was it the butlers Son? The cooks nephew? It could just have likely been the Stable Keepers daughter. Shikyo knew every dirty detail of her sisters sex life. She even knew of her bisexual tendencies. Even though her sister was only 16 years old. Seimei though, knew her sister would never tell anyone. Which is why the basement near her Shikyo's studio was one of Seimei's favorite spots. No one ever came here. No one would catch her. Shikyo heard another giggle and a soft moan. If anyone ever did become curious and come down her and saw Seimei their parents would be notified. And as the Queen and King of Venus, their parents could not afford to be light on Seimei. Or on Shikyo for not informing them. But it didn't matter. The more Seimei was scolded, the more rebellious she became. With all the responsibility that would be placed upon Seimei in a few years, Shikyo couldn't really blame her.

She took one last stroke on her canvas. She wasn't finished with her painting but she decided she had enough for today. If she was down there too long, someone might come looking for her. She packed up her paints and brushes, and headed for the door. She stepped out into the pitch-black hallway. She closed the door behind and made her way to the stairs trying to ignore her sister and who ever she was with. Shikyo felt her walk right past them, but they didn't acknowledge her presence and she didn't there's. She walked up the stairs normally as if she had heard nothing.

Shikyo hurried up the stairs that lead into the long hallway near the kitchen. She closed the door quickly behind her and rushed to her room. She slammed the door and collapsed on her large canopy bed. Her room was large, and richly decorated with marble floors and overstuffed chairs. She had everything she wanted. Everything a girl could ever ask for. But she still felt empty. She still felt oddly alone. She turned over to her side and raised her knees to her chin. She bit her lip to muffle the sounds but there was no stopping the tears from soaking into the pillow.

A bell ran in the distance. It was supper time. Seimei was sitting at her armoire, brushing blonde hair that was for once down straight. She began to twist and turn in up and placing it, or at least trying to, into the tight bun she always wore. He mother wouldn't be happy if she saw her doing this little bit of physical labor. They had servants to do these things. They had servants to do everything. They cooked her food, washed her clothes, bathed her, dressed her. The bell rang again as it usually did, signaling that she was late. Seimei's bedroom door opened slowly.

"Miss." said a voice. Seimei slowly turned her head towards the speaker. It was her personal servant, Halle. Besides from her twin sister, Halle probably knew her best. She was near Seimei's age, maybe a little younger. She was the typical Venetian beauty. Thick Dark brown hair that reached her jaw line, wide round ice blue eyes. A little short, but with a curvy figure. She wore the plain burnt orange knee length maids uniform with an ugly puffy burnt orange hat that she was constantly pulling from over her eyes.

"I know." Sighed Seimei. "I'm late. But please, ask me if I really care."

"I already know you don't" Halle said grinning. She slowly entered the room and stood behind Seimei. She began smoothing back some loose strand of Seimei blonde hair.

"You know, should really let me do this." Halle told her.

"I can do it myself." Seimei said Matter of factly, raising her chin as she did often. Mostly when she felt threatened. Halle chuckled.

"No you can't." She said. Seimei jerked her head out Halle's hands and began something back her hair herself.

Halle watched her with her head tilted a bit to the side.

"You know that isn't your dinner dress." She said looking Seimei up and down. She was still wearing the long simple pale yellow dress that she has worn for breakfast and lunch.

Seimei, still busy fiddling with her hair, looked at the bed where Halle has laid out a richly decorated sun colored gown. But she didn't respond. Halle sighed.

"Your Mother is planning on talking to you today at dinner." Said Halle,

She still didn't respond. Halle put her hands under Seimei chin, forcing her to look at her reflection. Seimei's hand fell into her lap. She turned and looked up at Halle. They stared into each other eyes for a few seconds, not needing to say anything to understand eachother. Seimei grabbed Halle around the waist and pressed her head onto her stomach. Halle placed her hand on the young girls head and held her close.

"You know what you have to do." Halle said softly. It was a simple statement that held so much power over Seimei. Seimei hugged her tightly then stood up slowly. She faced Halle.

"I do know. But I can't." She leaned in, kissing Halle softly on the lips. Halle pushed her back, not looking Seimei in the face so wouldn't have to she the desperation in Seimei's eyes.

"You know those men mean nothing to me." Seimei said quickly. "You know all I want is you. You know that." Halle blushed a bit, still not looking up.

"No, I don't know." She whispered. Seimei kissed her again, pressing her lips hard against Halle's. She could feel Halle trying to push her away, yet pulling her closer at the same time. The Bell rang again, more frantic this time. Halle broke away and caught her breath.

"You must go now." She told Seimei, though it seemed that she was talking to the marble floor. Seimei looked at her blankly, then nodded.

"I guess I've kept them waiting long enough." She sighed.

Halle turned her back and watched through the mirror as Seimei walked out of the room without looking back.

Seimei walked slowly down into the dining hall. Everyone was already seated at the round oak table. Including her mother, Queen Saisho, her father, King Ate, her sister, and her older brother, Shuushi.

"It's about time you arrived." Shuushi said to her coldly. His ice blue eyes were always cold when they fell upon his eldest daughter. He was sitting to the right of Shikyo, who stared at Seimei blankly like she always did.

"I'm glad you decided to join us." Said her mother. She was a strange mixture of young and old and showed signs of beauty long past. Her brown eyes were surrounded by deep lines, and her thick curly brown hair that fell over her shoulders was halfway gray. Her father pretended not to notice as his elder daughter took her place between him and Shikyo. He was a tall man, who was going bald. Shikyo had obviously inherited his dead eyes. Everyone was seated, and the servants served the first course. They began eating in silence. No one had much to say to anyone. But Seimei knew it was coming. She knew exactly what her mother had to say. Queen Saisho cleared her throat.

"Did Halle do you hair?" She said eyeing the unruly strands. "She didn't do a very good job, I must say. And what happen to the dress I told her to dress you in? That girl works less everyday."

This wasn't really what Seimei was expecting. She eyed her mother curiously wondering why she was beating around this bush like this. She wish she would just come out and say it.

"It's not her fault. I did it myself." Seimei said, like it was a normal everyday thing. Shuushi sniffed at that statement and Seimei shot him a dirty look. Queen Saisho didn't bother to look up from her food.

"We have servants to do those things for us." She said sipping on her soup.

"I know, mother." She said blandly. "We have servents to do everything."

"And You should be gratefull." The Queen spat at her. "They do it so you don't have too."

"I know this, Mother." Seimei responded, still with no emotion in her voice. "I'm suprised you don't have them chewing my fucking food." She added

Her mother gasped.

"How dare you speak to your mother that way!" Her father roared at her and jumped to his feet, turning pink in the face. Seimei heard Shuushi stifling his laughter.

"Its okay, honey." Queen Saisho said to Ate. She smiled weakly at him as put a hand on his , calming him down a bit. He sat, still glaring at across the table. Her mother was looking flushed and refused to look over at Seimei. She folded her hands in her lap and spoke again.

"Well, since you're already in a mood I guess I can get to the point."

Here it comes.

"You know the rules of our kingdom." She continued. "Eldest daughter must marry by 18 and take over the throne. "

The main course was served. Seimei stared at her plate of roast meat and vegetables, already seething.

"What if I don't?" Seimei said. She was pushing the limit now.

"You will." Her mother said. "You need to start looking for a nice man to marry. Your father and me have compiled a list of available Noble men from around the galaxy-"

Seimei threw her fork down which clanged loudly as it collided with the china. Shikyo jumped. Seimei looked up at her mother, her blue eyes wide and angry.

"I will not have my life decided for me." She snapped. Her mother stared at her coldly.

"And I will not have my daughter whoring around and disgracing our family."

Seimei and Queen Saisho locked eyes. Seimei was steaming with anger. Shikyo looked up from her plate for the first time. She saw the anger in her sister's eyes. She knew that her mother had gone to far this time. Saisho continued eating.

"You will settle down." She said. "You will find a husband. You will be Queen."

The table was silent as everyone continued to eat. Seimei sat still. Her eyes still fixed on her mother who was carefully avoiding her stare. Her fists were clenched at her sides. She was feeling wild and reckless. She didn't know what to do but she wanted to do something. She looked at her sister, who was playing with her food looking grim. But Seimei's gaze caught her attention. Shikyo looked up and gave Seimei her all to familiar blank stare. But it flickered a bit. Then faltered completely. A look of pure sadness erupted upon her face. Her eyes pleaded with Seimei. Begging her. But as quickly as it came, it left again. Shikyo had looked away.

Seimei looked down at her hands. She wanted to say something. She wanted to pick her plate and hurl every piece of food at her mother while calling her all kinds of awful names. But kept control of herself because she knew what she had to do. Not so much for the prosperity of the Venetian people or her mother. But for her sister. If she didn't become Queen, her sister would. Shikyo was too fragile for such a responsibility. The pressure would break her in half. And she had to do it for Halle. Halle looked up to Seimei. She loved Halle more then anything. Halle wanted to see Seimei become better then who she was now. She had to become better for Halle.. She had to do what was right for the two people she cared about the most. Seimei unclenched her fists and watched the blood rush back into her white palms. She calmly raised her head and smiled oddly at everyone sitting at the table even though none of them were looking at her. She picked up her fork, straightened her back and began to eat. The rest of the dinner was spent in silence.