Chapter One
She was surrounded by the genius of millennia, but all she could focus on was an easel and paint set in the centre of the room. It called out to her, 'Sit, paint, and let your tears out in art.' She did sit, and she did paint. Out of the colours, like Venus from the sea, came the image of a comforting guardian angel, a dark-featured man with golden wings and a beautiful glow. She involuntarily reached out to touch her creation. But when she touched the paper, a bright light appeared, half-blinding her. She fell backwards and shaded her eyes. A man-sized shadow blocked the light as it died down. Gratiana dashed unnoticed behind a stature for a hidden look at the male stranger. His features were clearly Roman with his straight nose, strong chin, and pale, sensual lips. He had long lashed a few shades darker than the metallic orange-highlighted ebony hair that lay in mussed curls on his forehead. Under his close-fitting top and pants rippled strong, hard muscles covered in a healthy tan. When she caught his eyes, she was met by the indescribably aqua colour that seemed to liquefy in his eyes' depth. Entranced, they walked toward each other. Gratiana reached out her hand to touch the man's arm, to validate his reality. He carefully traced the side of her face with his fingertips. They seemed under a spell. "Who are you? Where am I?" he asked, whispering. The spell broke its hold on Gratiana. "You're in the East Hall of the Promised Palace. My name is Gratiana," she explained. "I am Prince Lucient of the Crystal Forest. Wait," he stuttered, "Promised Palace. Am I .am I dead?" Gratiana took his hand and placed it over her own heart. "No more than I am," she told him. Lucient stared hard at her, particularly her sunset hair. "Who did you say you were again?" he asked incredulously. "Gratiana, daughter of Serenity and Endymion," she recited, confused yet proud. "The legendary soldier," he gasped. "The prophecy." "What are you talking about?" She demanded. "You don't know? Oh, of course she doesn't know," he said, answering his own question. "Nice to meet you, Miss Gratiana." "A pleasure to have your acquaintance, Prince Lucient," she returned formally. A waltz magically started playing on a phonograph nearby. Lucient extended his arm to Gratiana. "Shall we dance, or will we occupy ourselves with pleasantries all day?" Gratiana was put off by his arrogance, but she smiled coyly and put her hand in his. For a moment, their dire situation was forgotten as they let themselves be swept away to the tune of Elise. The music led them to a small bedroom with a four-poster bed and a comfortable sofa. The phonograph slowed to a mysterious stop and the couple collapsed onto the sofa laughing. "Will you show me the rest of the palace?" Lucient asked, turning to Gratiana. "I." she stuttered, "Mother told me to stay here. She said that Chaos was coming. We're locked in." Lucient gasped softly. 'She's Galaxia,' he thought. 'So that's how she was protected from Chaos.but how am I to get home from here? Will my magic work?' "Come home with me," Lucient offered. "Can you get home from here?" she asked. "I can try." Gratiana pondered for a moment before blurting out, "Let's go," and stood up. Lucient took her right hand with his left and pulled a wooden wand from thin air. He traced the air in front of him with a Latin phrase, which glowed and then dissipated, along with Lucient and Gratiana.
She was surrounded by the genius of millennia, but all she could focus on was an easel and paint set in the centre of the room. It called out to her, 'Sit, paint, and let your tears out in art.' She did sit, and she did paint. Out of the colours, like Venus from the sea, came the image of a comforting guardian angel, a dark-featured man with golden wings and a beautiful glow. She involuntarily reached out to touch her creation. But when she touched the paper, a bright light appeared, half-blinding her. She fell backwards and shaded her eyes. A man-sized shadow blocked the light as it died down. Gratiana dashed unnoticed behind a stature for a hidden look at the male stranger. His features were clearly Roman with his straight nose, strong chin, and pale, sensual lips. He had long lashed a few shades darker than the metallic orange-highlighted ebony hair that lay in mussed curls on his forehead. Under his close-fitting top and pants rippled strong, hard muscles covered in a healthy tan. When she caught his eyes, she was met by the indescribably aqua colour that seemed to liquefy in his eyes' depth. Entranced, they walked toward each other. Gratiana reached out her hand to touch the man's arm, to validate his reality. He carefully traced the side of her face with his fingertips. They seemed under a spell. "Who are you? Where am I?" he asked, whispering. The spell broke its hold on Gratiana. "You're in the East Hall of the Promised Palace. My name is Gratiana," she explained. "I am Prince Lucient of the Crystal Forest. Wait," he stuttered, "Promised Palace. Am I .am I dead?" Gratiana took his hand and placed it over her own heart. "No more than I am," she told him. Lucient stared hard at her, particularly her sunset hair. "Who did you say you were again?" he asked incredulously. "Gratiana, daughter of Serenity and Endymion," she recited, confused yet proud. "The legendary soldier," he gasped. "The prophecy." "What are you talking about?" She demanded. "You don't know? Oh, of course she doesn't know," he said, answering his own question. "Nice to meet you, Miss Gratiana." "A pleasure to have your acquaintance, Prince Lucient," she returned formally. A waltz magically started playing on a phonograph nearby. Lucient extended his arm to Gratiana. "Shall we dance, or will we occupy ourselves with pleasantries all day?" Gratiana was put off by his arrogance, but she smiled coyly and put her hand in his. For a moment, their dire situation was forgotten as they let themselves be swept away to the tune of Elise. The music led them to a small bedroom with a four-poster bed and a comfortable sofa. The phonograph slowed to a mysterious stop and the couple collapsed onto the sofa laughing. "Will you show me the rest of the palace?" Lucient asked, turning to Gratiana. "I." she stuttered, "Mother told me to stay here. She said that Chaos was coming. We're locked in." Lucient gasped softly. 'She's Galaxia,' he thought. 'So that's how she was protected from Chaos.but how am I to get home from here? Will my magic work?' "Come home with me," Lucient offered. "Can you get home from here?" she asked. "I can try." Gratiana pondered for a moment before blurting out, "Let's go," and stood up. Lucient took her right hand with his left and pulled a wooden wand from thin air. He traced the air in front of him with a Latin phrase, which glowed and then dissipated, along with Lucient and Gratiana.