A/N: Well, another one bites the dust! Just 5-6 more updates to go! Woo!

Sugar: *Laughs evilly* Be afraid. Be very afraid...

Rock Raider: We ain't goin' to Wonderland anytime soon, boi.

archivewriter3: Sorry, life got in the way.

Disclaimer: I do not claim the right to Star vs. the Forces of Evil or any of the characters that appear in the show. They belong to Disney and the show's creator, Daron Nefcy. I do, however, claim the right to the plot as well as any original characters that may appear in this fic, and would kindly ask you to inform me should you want to use anything from this fic in your own story. -jolleIQ

Beta read by ElleFreak.

Story cover by Luzz015. Be sure to check her out on DeviantArt!


Star vs. The Forces of Evil: Staring it up!

Chapter 11

Queen's Lament

It happened some years ago when Star was but an infant; in a time years before Mewni attained the title of the most powerful kingdom of the realms of magic; in the days of my youth, when the troubles of the world were yet foreign to me and I knew only the joys of being a young queen in training, precisely a year after I had received the royal magical wand from my mother, Cressida. Believe it or not, back in those days of bliss and beatitude, I knew not the bothers of the world and the web of politics surrounding the kingdom on a day-by-day basis. Back then, I was what one would call... happy. Had I known that the world I knew back then was about to shatter, maybe I would have acted differently, and perhaps sorrow could have been avoided.

But in order to fully understand the events that transpired, we first need to look even further into the past, to a time when I was but five years of age. It happened on a midsummer night, if I recall correctly, and it sent me spiralling down this path towards the abyss. Back in the days of my childish innocence, I wasn't allowed much freedom. I spent most of my days within the protection of the castle walls, although it seemed more like confinement than living. You may not be aware of this, but the royal daughters had little freedom until they reached a two-digit age; I can confirm that, and so can Star. But putting that aside, I was not allowed visitors or friends that weren't of noble blood, so the chances for meeting someone my age were scarce, and that's putting it mildly. I was lonely and longed for a friend.

Little did I know of the consequences of my selfish desire.

Listen, for I shan't repeat the tale.

This is my tale to tell.

Castle Mewni

With tower peaks tall enough to touch the sun and walls strong enough to fend off an entire army of invaders, the royal castle stood as the centrepiece of the Mewman kingdom, a true crown-jewel of power and awe-striking providence, one that had been harbouring their royal families for as long as the kingdom had stood, and would continue to do so for many generations to come, no doubt, for none dare challenge the might of the royal family and the Mewman army, led by none other than the king and queen themselves, along with the dozens of generals whose tactical prowess had withstood many a force.

But rather than being a bastion, the castle served primarily as a training ground for the royal daughters and future queens of the Butterfly lineage. The Mewmans had an odd custom of rulership, one over which they did not have full control. Be it a blessing or a curse brought down upon them by some otherworldly power, for as long as their records stood, not one queen had recorded the birth of more than a single child, no matter how strong the effort and none had been anything but a girl. Thus it had become a tradition that once the acting queen resigned from the position and her husband did the same, the princess would become the head-monarch and rule over Mewni with her sometimes-elected, sometimes-selected king.

For young Moon Butterfly, daughter of Queen Cressida Butterfly and King Neil Butterfly, those worries were approaching fast, much faster than she would have liked.

The youth of a princess was not as merry as depicted in the fairytales of old, where river nymphs hop about singing merry songs, and princess undergoes harsh endurance to prove their unyielding love to their beloveds. While the pampering by the servants and the luxury of residing in an enormous castle were true enough, the rest was filled with hard work, even at the youngest of years. Even now, young Moon was busily studying away, a book placed before her, and her mother by her side to help guide her through the difficult task of learning to read Mewman.

But the young princess wasn't that keen on studying at so late an hour, and she was making sure her mother was aware of that.

"But mum-"

"No buts, dear," Cressida replied, not at all angrily, but explanatorily. "You must learn to read and write properly so that you may become a proper Queen one day."

"But I'm only five, mum! I have many years to learn those things!"

Her protests were valiant ones and Cressida couldn't help but smile and chuckle heartily. The patted her daughter on the head and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Oh, my sweet, precious Mona, how I wish I could spare you these burdens, but alas, doing so would spark an outrage among the royal court. You are so young and already so bright, and yet such burdens are placed upon your shoulders. I will always be here to ease those burdens and help you however I may, but in return, I need to ask the same cooperation from you. There will come a time when you will be allowed to toss these burdens aside and truly enjoy yourself, but until the time is ripe for such antics, do play along, alright?"

Moon frowned but nodded begrudgingly.

"May I at least take today off, mum? I really don't want to learn these things right now..."

Cressida smiled and nodded.

"Of course, my dear. But tomorrow, we will continue with your reading and writing skills, alright?"

"Yes, mum."

"Promise me you'll at least finish reading this page by yourself," Cressida said commandingly, yes lovingly, pointing at the open book.

Moon sighed. "Yes, I promise, mum."

Cressida smiled warmly and hugged her daughter.

"Don't say up too late. I love you, Mona."

"I love you, too, mum."

With a peck on the cheek and another soft hug, Cressida stood up and left the young princess by herself. Moon frowned and gazed at the open book, and spoke, frowning, "Th- thEE, um, F-I-err-R-Z- no, I mean S! And then, uhm, T-TEE- first tr- tr... The first tr... argh!"

The book slammed against the wall audibly, and the young princess slumped in her chair, assuming a not-at-all noble posture.

"This is so boring!" her whiny voice complained. She stood up and gazed out the window, and on the edge of her vision, with narrowed eyes, she spotted children playing in the streets, illuminated by the light of a sole lantern. They were covered with filth and mud and wore clothing that was made of the roughest and most uncomfortable of fabrics, but they looked as though they were having the time of their lives chasing each other around in the muddy streets.

"Why can't I ever go outside and play with other children!"

For as long as she could remember, the castle walls had been her only playground, and there weren't many toys to play with aside from books, and the only people she came regularly into contact with were the teachers that kept piling up study material for her to chew her way through while dying from boredom. It sucked."When I have a daughter, I'll let her have all the fun she wants!" she mumbled, making a personal vow, after which she sighed and walked over to her bed, whereupon she fell face-first unto the soft covers and rolled onto her back. Gazing at the ceiling tapestry that was a depiction of herself in her royal attire, sitting neatly on a luxurious chair with her small crown placed atop of her tiny head, she spoke, "I just wish for a friend..."

This wasn't the first time such a wish was uttered by her lips. How she longed for someone she could relate to; someone with whom she could spend countless nights staying up late, telling scary stories and giggling as the other person shivered from mortal terror; someone her age; someone who could understand her and allow her to be a normal child for once.

Moon sighed, grabbed a pillow, and hugged it tightly as she wallowed in sadness, there amid the red glow of her room.

She froze.

Wait, red glow?

The young princess looked about in alarm. The entire room was bathed in an ominous red light. No matter where she looked, the glow was everywhere. Panic-stricken, she threw the pillow aside and dashed for the door.

Locked.

She tried and tried pulling on the handle, but didn't so much as budge.

After the initial panic wore off, Moon turned around and fearfully darted her eyes from one end of the room to the other in an attempt to find some logical explanation for the red glow. Her eyes soon arrived at the source; her window. The small princess took several tiny steps until she reached the window shelf, then carefully climbed onto it and looked at the sky. Oddly enough, there was nothing there. Normal blackness, normal stars, normal Moon. She turned her head around and looked inside her room, and it was no longer bathed in red. Yet upon climbing off the window, the red glow returned.

She arched an eyebrow and again looked out the window, whereupon she received an answer; the Moon was glowing blood red. She climbed upon the windowsill again, and the Moon returned to its usual colour, and it turned red as soon as she climbed back into her room.

"What's going on?" she wondered aloud. Magic, perhaps? Cressida never mentioned anything about the Moon turning red at random and only being visible from the inside of her room!

And just then, the light faded away. The young princess looked about herself; all was back to normal. She climbed upon the windowsill and gazed inside; normal.

"Hmm..." she mused, rubbing her chin, then shrugged. Whatever that was, it was gone, and it left behind not a single trace.

A sudden drowsiness overtook her.

Moon hopped off the windowsill and made for her bed, tucking herself in and yawning aloud. As she lay in the warmth of her bedsheets, her eyes half-lidded, she heard a giggling, and her eyes shot open in alarm. She sat upright, her gaze drifted from one end of the room to the other. It was far too dark to make anything out, so she reached for the switch of her magic-fueled lamp and illuminated the dark room.

More giggling.

"Hello? Who's there?" When no response came, she added with childish impatience. "Come out here right now!"

Despite her best efforts to sound bold and unafraid, her stuttering and high-pitched voice ruined the whole illusion she was trying to create. She swallowed, audibly, frightened as more giggles resounded within her room. Her eyes were darting from left to right as she tried calming herself down.

"Don't be afraid, Mona. This is a dream! Yes! Just a dream... You... fell asleep at the desk! Yes! You fell asleep and soon you'll wake up any moment now to the warm rays of the sun, and you'll find that there is absolutely nobody else in here besides-"

"Yourself?"

"Ah-!"

The girlish shriek was cut short as the young princess fell from the bed and hit the floor, pulling with her the bed sheets that conveniently softened her landing and prevented any form of injury, only leaving her a bit sore.

"Should have seen that one coming..." the young princess grumbled, righting herself. "So much for courage and pride..."

"You'll get there, young Mona. In time."

Moon gathered her courage and looked ahead. Before her eyes was a spirit of sorts, partially transparent, with no fixed shape or form, glowing faintly purple.

"Who... Who are you?"

The spirit edged closer to the young princess, speaking merrily.

"I am a spirit of the spirit realm, and I've been sent to answer your pleas."

Scratching her head, Moon arched an eyebrow at the girl.

"My please?"

"Ha-ha! No, silly, your pleas. Well, your plea, if we wish to be technical about it." The spirit entwined itself around Moon and what appeared to be its head floated mere inches away from the young princess' face. "I've heard your wishes and have come to be your friend!"

"My... friend...?"

Moon's voice, a mixture of alarm and awe. This was strange. While she didn't know much about spirits, her mother kept stressing one thing.

"Spirits are not to be trusted under any circumstances." After a moment of silence, Moon covered her mouth with both hands. She definitely should not have said that in front of a spirit; who knows what manner of vengeance the spirit may seek when angered.

None, as it turned out. It merely giggled, amused.

"Oh, a wise mother. But she neglected to mention to you that this rule applied only towards certain types of spirits. I am not one of those."

"So you're a friendly spirit?"

"Indeed, child. Most friendly, so you have nothing to worry about."

Nothing at all...

Moon scratched her head, lost in thought. One the one hand, this spirit didn't seem evil or threatening, and finally having a real friend would be an awesome experience. On the other hand, she didn't know this spirit that well, and as much as she wanted to trust her, she couldn't do so fully.

Not yet, at least.

"Tell you what," began Moon, choosing the more diplomatic approach. "I'll let you stay here with me for a few days, and if you don't cause any trouble, you can stay for good!"

"An excellent suggestion, my young princess," replied the spirit in a satisfied tone. "But," the spirit continued, "In order for me to fully materialise in your realm and grant your wish, a contract must be signed. A contract in the form of blood."

"Blood?"

"Yes. Your blood." The spirit giggled at Moon's wide-eyed reaction. "Oh, don't worry, it's not a lot of blood. Simply cut your finger and allow me to consume a few droplets, and I shall be at your side from there on out, so long as you'll want me. What say you, young Mona?"

Moon thought deeply about this. A contract in blood. Those didn't tend to end well. But then again, those were normally made by demons, not spirits, so she supposed there was no harm. And besides, how much harm could a single drop of blood cause, right?

"Ok! I'll do it!" The princess declared cheerfully and ran to her table to retrieve something.

"Splendid." The spirit whispered to itself, evidently very satisfied with the outcome.

Young Moon soon returned carrying a small, jewel-adorned dagger.

"My mother always says that I should be prepared to defend myself."

"Leaving a five-year-old alone in the room with a dagger... That's mother of the year material if I've ever seen it..."

Moon laughed heartily at the spirit's comment and proceeded to make the smallest of cuts on her index finger.

"Is that enough?"

"Plenty," replied the spirit and floated what Moon guessed was its head to her finger, then somehow nibbled on the open wound. It was an odd, tingling sensation, as though a group on ants were crawling on her skin. After a few droplets were consumed, the spirit pulled back and was encased in a blinding, bright light with the intensity of the sun at its zenith. Moon was forced to look away and shut her eyes and opened them only once the light had vanished.

Opening her eyes, she couldn't help but gasp at the sight.

It was like looking at a mirror. The spirit had assumed her form, only with a purple dress and two spade marks on its cheeks. But more importantly.

"Oh! So you are a lady spirit!"

The spirit smiled.

"Indeed. Although I must say," she said drearily. "This mortal body is a bit too small for my taste. And it seems so... fragile... But I suppose it will grow in time."

Moon laughed at the comment.

"My mom says I'll be a very strong and tall woman when I grow up!" Moon declared cheerfully and took a few steps towards her new friend. Upon taking her hand, she noticed something odd and put a hand to her cheek only to feel an odd warmth radiating from it. She turned her head towards the large mirror mounted on her wall and saw that her diamonds were glowing with a bright, blue light. She then turned to face the spirit and saw that its cheeks, too, were glowing of a purple colour.

"What's going on?" she asked curiously and let go of the spirit's hand. As soon as she did so, both of their cheek marks ceased shining.

"You act as an anchor keeping my form stable in this world," the spirit explained. "I've tapped into your pool of magic in order to fully manifest myself. Hence our likeliness in appearance, although even I did not account that a mere physical contact would cause our magic to show. Most intriguing."

Moon's eyes widened. "Hey! I never said you could do that!"

"'Twas necessary," the spirit declared, calmly. "But fear not, you'll remain unaffected entirely. Think of it as splitting a piece of bread in two, except that the bread still stays whole. We both get to keep the entirety of it, only that mine is reliant on yours."

"Oh..." It was best to simply nod and act as though one understood such a bizarre explanation. "So... I get to keep all my magic?"

"Quite so."

"Oh. Then I guess it's fine," Moon concluded, shrugging it off as she saw no real reason for concern. The spirit-girl smiled.

"I'm glad we got this sorted out. I think we'll have lots of fun together, Mona."

"Just call me Moon." It was at that moment that the princess realised something. "Oh, I never caught wind of your name."

The spirit-turned-girl smiled a pleasant smile and replied in kind.

"My name cannot be uttered by mere mortals. Just call me.. Diana."

And thus began our relationship; she was the friend I'd always longed for, and I was the source of magical energy she needed. It was a contract: my magic for her company. Henceforth, we spent our days together in secrecy, for I knew my mother would have gotten angry with me had she discovered my foolish actions. When I was preoccupied with my courtly duties and lectures, she would stay in my room and wait for me so that we may play and converse. When I was asleep, she would watch over me until I wake, and whenever I was sad or moody, she would comfort me with her presence and disperse the rain clouds to bring forth the sunshine. And when my studies were going poorly, she would sit beside me and teach me more about the magical arts for she was skilled in them unlike any I'd ever seen. Before too long, I had become reliant on her for every aspect of my courtly life, and I enjoyed her companionship immensely.

Was it friendship? Perhaps, or perhaps not. It was a contract, but could the said contract be seen as friendship?

I often wondered about that, but so long as I had someone to talk to and enjoy my time with, it mattered not what it was. I was happy, and that's all that mattered to me.

But I didn't realise at the time that a temporary leisure is a hard bargain for the hardships that follow it.

To be continued...


Well, that's all for now! 'Till next time!

Bye!