I turn and hit my DND code for my door after it closes. I turn, wiping tears from my face before plopping face down onto my bed. I pull a pillow from the head and bury my face in it, hoping to stifle my sobs. This can't be happening. Not now. Not after we fought so hard. He has to be dead. It can't be HIM. it's not possible.

I flop over onto my back, still holding the pillow against me. I close my eyes and word on controlling my breathing. I have to get ahold of my emotions. I'm soon to be queen. But the images won't fade from my mind. An entire city alight in flames. The charred bodies of innocents young and old, animals, all in the wrong place at the wrong time. We never saw the invaders. Found out by accident that these people were slaughtered. Keith forbade me from going with them. Said that my safety was paramount. I try to argue, but the others steadfastly agreed. I was not to go on this mission. Even Blue refused me. I feel so useless. I fought with them before. Why won't they let me now? What has changed?

I sit up and walk to my window and look out over the lake to the clouds in the far distance. Only difference is I know it's not really clouds, but the smoke from the wreckage of the Polluxian warship. The only one that managed to escape. The haggard faces of the few survivors of the wreckage was nothing compared to the news they brought. The vids made even Keith speechless. No one knows how we didn't know about this. Were the ships cloaked? Did they jam the communications before attacking? The image of my younger cousin, Bandor, the last of his name. A reluctant king who died so violently, his head at the steps leading to the throne he was going to, surely to give orders. His body sprawled out of the steps between where his head lay and the throne he was surely trying to reach. I choke back a sob, even as my eyes well with tears at the sight that will be forever ingrained into my memory.

But what of Romelle? Was she in the city? If so, why have we not heard of her either being captured or of her demise? My heart leaps at this thought. Perhaps by some miracle she is safe? I dare not hope too hard as fate has not been kind to any of us. If this attack was indeed Lotor Sincline, then no one will rest until he is sufficiently dead and cast into the fire as we watch his corpse reduced to ash. It has been sometime since I have had such vile thoughts, but he always had a way to make me get in touch with my darker thoughts. I hated that about him. How even in death these dark thoughts come to the forefront of my mind.

The sun is sinking lower as last bit slides ever so slowly below the silver pool of water, casting various shades of red, orange and purple as it disappears completely. I look towards the south asa movement catches my eye. They have returned. Beams from the four lions haul what's left of the wreckage. On horses below I see maybe fifteen people followed by those on litters. Survivors. I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding before inhaling and exhaling a few times to calm myself. I must prepare to meet these heroes. I must welcome them and offer sanctuary to these people of my cousin.

Forcing myself to turn for the terrible sight slowly approaching the castle, I go to appraise myself in my mirror. My dress is wrinkled, my face red and splotchy. I go to my door and unlock it and there stands Sera. Waiting patiently. She knew when I would need her. She steps inside after giving a curtsey, and leading me to my dressing room, she immediately begins the task of undoing the many buttons of my dress that run from nape to tailbone. Without a word, we go through this routine. She dresses me, brushes my hair, chooses which tiara I will wear and passes me a cold damp cloth to wash my face. Before I can fully wrap my mind around it, I am dressed in a pants suit the same shade of blue as my eyes, my hair is pulled up and back in a clip. The tiara is simple, but elegant, a few jewels make out the crest of my family, otherwise it is white gold. She puts some gloss on my lips and a bit of rose to my cheeks and we hear the horns announcing the arrival. She gives my hand a gentle squeeze and I steel myself as I take the elevator down to where Coran awaits my arrival. He greets me with a nod of approval as he offers his arm to escort me out to the front lawn of the castle, where I shall see first hand just how bad things are on Pollux. And with any luck, some good news of my last cousin, Romelle.