Chapter 1: First Impressions
Hotaru strutted down the stares with as much dignity as possible. She'd arrived on Andromata that morning. And it was just in time too; the festivities were beginning. People of all sorts, all races, were arriving. Most were gathered in the ballroom or in dining room.
Looking as regal and dignified as possible, Hotaru made her way down the spiral staircase that led to the ballroom. People filled the room with laughter and soft chattering. "It's beautiful." Hotaru commented to herself.
Candles lit the room and gave it an earthly and romantic glow. Five tables lined the walls filled with food and drink. Pillars stood against one wall, opening the room to the twin moons and stars of the night sky. It was a spectacular place.
"Ah, mi'lady." A voice said as she reached the bottom of the stairs, "It's a pleasure to see you." Hotaru turned to see Lord Vincent Millay, the Lord of Castleton, one of the moons that orbited Andromata. He took her hand and kissed it lightly. "I am so glad you could make it."
"Thank you, Lord Millay." She tried to pull her hand away but the slimy man didn't want to let it go. Oh yes, Hotaru disliked this man immensely. He was married to five women and would add her readily to the list; if she let him. Which she wasn't about to do.
"But the pleasures all mine, Queen Hotaru." She felt like puking when he kissed her hand again. Finally she ripped free of his grip and excused herself as politely as possible.
Hurrying away, Hotaru bumped into someone. A pair of cold black eyes stared down at her in disgust. "Watch where you're going." He growled and pushed her away.
"Well I never." Hotaru huffed when he was out of hearing range.
"You hav to exuse dada." A small voice said. A hand was tugging on the hem of her dress. "He can be a meani." Hotaru peered down at a pair of big blue eyes. "I'm Yui. And mi dada ain't happsi today."
"That's okay." The cute little child looked at her with a huge smile. Yui looked about five, with shoulder length black hair, big blue eyes, rosy pink cheeks, and pouty lips. All in all, Hotaru though, Yui was the cutest little child she'd ever seen.
"Thankies." Yui murmured then went skipping off in the direction her daddy had gone.
"Isn't she a darling?" A woman came up to Hotaru. "I'm Sally McBride. King Wufei's advisor. Yui is such a darling child. She's such a sweetie." The woman had golden hair twisted in two braids. She was tall and quite boyish, but with subtle feminine grace.
"I'm Hotaru Monroe."
"Of Saturn?" Sally asked.
"Hai. I mean yes." Hotaru laughed softly. "So that child was King Wufei's?"
"Ah. Yes." Sally chuckled, "It's an amazing feet to see her and then see them. They're so totally different. It's a surprise, but he loves her very much."
Hotaru nodded, "What about her mother?"
"Dead." Sally sighed, "Wufie married out of necessity, though he liked her very much. They were friends, but they weren't in love. She died a day after Yui was born." Hotaru nodded dumbly. "If you'll excuse me?" Sally nodded and walked away to join a conversation with a few other women.
Hotaru watched every one talking and laughing. It was such a cheery atmosphere, yet she felt anything but cheerful. "I wonder why?" She said sarcastically. The thought of Wufei looking down at her with those piercing black eyes, Yui giving her a huge smile, what Sally had told her. She suddenly felt lonely and cold.
Him. She thought fiercely. It was all his fault! Hotaru swore under her breath and went to seek out he evil man who'd already ruined her night.
A maid gave her a lead; he was supposedly in his room. So, not giving a second thought to it, she marched right down the halls and up the stairs to his room. No one was around and that gave her more confidence in the moment of fire she was feeling.
With a sift motion she banged on the door and it swung open before her and he stood there looking down at her. Words ripped from her lips as he watched her. It took two seconds for the man to react.
Hotaru found the words dieing on her lips as he...
Hotaru strutted down the stares with as much dignity as possible. She'd arrived on Andromata that morning. And it was just in time too; the festivities were beginning. People of all sorts, all races, were arriving. Most were gathered in the ballroom or in dining room.
Looking as regal and dignified as possible, Hotaru made her way down the spiral staircase that led to the ballroom. People filled the room with laughter and soft chattering. "It's beautiful." Hotaru commented to herself.
Candles lit the room and gave it an earthly and romantic glow. Five tables lined the walls filled with food and drink. Pillars stood against one wall, opening the room to the twin moons and stars of the night sky. It was a spectacular place.
"Ah, mi'lady." A voice said as she reached the bottom of the stairs, "It's a pleasure to see you." Hotaru turned to see Lord Vincent Millay, the Lord of Castleton, one of the moons that orbited Andromata. He took her hand and kissed it lightly. "I am so glad you could make it."
"Thank you, Lord Millay." She tried to pull her hand away but the slimy man didn't want to let it go. Oh yes, Hotaru disliked this man immensely. He was married to five women and would add her readily to the list; if she let him. Which she wasn't about to do.
"But the pleasures all mine, Queen Hotaru." She felt like puking when he kissed her hand again. Finally she ripped free of his grip and excused herself as politely as possible.
Hurrying away, Hotaru bumped into someone. A pair of cold black eyes stared down at her in disgust. "Watch where you're going." He growled and pushed her away.
"Well I never." Hotaru huffed when he was out of hearing range.
"You hav to exuse dada." A small voice said. A hand was tugging on the hem of her dress. "He can be a meani." Hotaru peered down at a pair of big blue eyes. "I'm Yui. And mi dada ain't happsi today."
"That's okay." The cute little child looked at her with a huge smile. Yui looked about five, with shoulder length black hair, big blue eyes, rosy pink cheeks, and pouty lips. All in all, Hotaru though, Yui was the cutest little child she'd ever seen.
"Thankies." Yui murmured then went skipping off in the direction her daddy had gone.
"Isn't she a darling?" A woman came up to Hotaru. "I'm Sally McBride. King Wufei's advisor. Yui is such a darling child. She's such a sweetie." The woman had golden hair twisted in two braids. She was tall and quite boyish, but with subtle feminine grace.
"I'm Hotaru Monroe."
"Of Saturn?" Sally asked.
"Hai. I mean yes." Hotaru laughed softly. "So that child was King Wufei's?"
"Ah. Yes." Sally chuckled, "It's an amazing feet to see her and then see them. They're so totally different. It's a surprise, but he loves her very much."
Hotaru nodded, "What about her mother?"
"Dead." Sally sighed, "Wufie married out of necessity, though he liked her very much. They were friends, but they weren't in love. She died a day after Yui was born." Hotaru nodded dumbly. "If you'll excuse me?" Sally nodded and walked away to join a conversation with a few other women.
Hotaru watched every one talking and laughing. It was such a cheery atmosphere, yet she felt anything but cheerful. "I wonder why?" She said sarcastically. The thought of Wufei looking down at her with those piercing black eyes, Yui giving her a huge smile, what Sally had told her. She suddenly felt lonely and cold.
Him. She thought fiercely. It was all his fault! Hotaru swore under her breath and went to seek out he evil man who'd already ruined her night.
A maid gave her a lead; he was supposedly in his room. So, not giving a second thought to it, she marched right down the halls and up the stairs to his room. No one was around and that gave her more confidence in the moment of fire she was feeling.
With a sift motion she banged on the door and it swung open before her and he stood there looking down at her. Words ripped from her lips as he watched her. It took two seconds for the man to react.
Hotaru found the words dieing on her lips as he...