Star barely is able to catch her breath. The right corset certainly is helping matter, she wishes she had her wand do she could magic it away. But she can't and her breathing is growing more and more labored. She feels herself starts to hyperventilate. She stands straight and takes a deep breath, slowly moving forward so shes gripping the ledge.
Tilting her head back to gaze at the dark sky she takes another deep breath, trying to calm herself.
Marco is here. On Mewni. He was standing in front of her.
Fresh tears flow as a sob is ripped from her throat with a strangled cry.
This time she lets the tears flow. After 3 long years of pent up emotion, she finally cries.
Cries for all her regrets and heartaches.
This time she feels.
"Star?!" Janna cries as she watches her friend race off, looking on the verge of a breakdown. A guard at the door briefly stops her before letting her go out the door. Tom is stunned. This isn't quite what he thought would happen.
"Star!" Marco cries, fighting his way through the crowd(which has gathered), watching as a guard grabs Star by the arm. She yells and he lets her go. "Star!" He calls again, finally making it to the door.
As he attempts to go through he's stopped by the same guard.
"Sorry, no."
Marco narrows his eyes(finally someone he's eye level with).
"Let me through." He glared.
"No." The guard glares back, placing his spear in Marco's path.. Brown eyes and pale orange ones meet in an angry staring contest.
Suddenly Marco throws a punch to his jaw.
"What the Underworld!" The guard reels back. Before Marco can squeeze past him the guard punches him in the stomach.
"What the hell!" Marco wheezes, "dude let me through!"
"Leave Star alone!" The guard snarls. Marco snarls back, tempted to throw another punch.
"No, let me through!" The guard keeps his look of fury.
"I said no! Now quit it before I arrest you for harassing the Princess! You're the whole reason she ran off in tears in the first place!" He scowls.
"Please I need to see her!" Marco's gone from angry to begging, "You don't understand. I just- I need to see her. I haven't seen her in years." Marco's ready to drop to his knees.
The guard softens slightly.
"Do you wish to cause her harm?"
"No! If anything I want to make sure she's ok!"
"Fine, but-" the guard hesitates, "give her a minute."
Marco nods, grateful. He slips out the door.
The crowd is silent for a moment before Queen Moon calls out.
"Please, keep enjoying the festivities!"
She finally feels like she can breathe again, though her shoulders are still shuddering with each inhale.
It barely registers that the balcony door has opened until she hears it softly close.
"Star?" A soft voice says. She doesn't turn around.
"Star?" he says again, almost hesitantly. He can see her shoulders bouncing. Keeping her back to him she asks
"Why are you here?" And she can't help the bitter tone in her voice.
"I came to see you Star."
"Why?"
"Why? I don't know. Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell me goodbye? Why didn't you ever contact me?" Tears spring to Marco's eyes.
"You know why I left." She mutters.
"Ah yes,
Dear Marco,"
With that she whirls around.
"Is that-?"
"Yes."
She snatches her letter from him.
"You read it?! Why didn't you reply?" She glances at the later, it's time worn now, the creases extra deep. She could see a tiny hole forming in the middle from being folded and unfolded.
"Because I was confused Star! And hurt! I had no idea if you hated me or not! I didn't even read the letter right away, I couldn't! I was too upset!"
"Didn't seem too upset if you were kissing Jackie in the kitchen later." She said flatly.
"What? How could you possibleh know that? Unless-" he abruptly stopped, looking at her. "you came back?"
"I wanted to say goodbye."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because Marco! When I was in your front yard I was very prepared to march into the house and give you all a proper goodbye." She bit her lip before continuing, "but then I saw-I saw your parents on the couch, sobbing. Sobbing Marco. Mom Diaz was rocking back and forth. They were upset! And I felt horrible because I DID THAT TO THEM!" more tears began to streak down her cheeks;her hearts were broken, "and then I went around to the back hoping to see you. And you were I the kitchen kissing Jackie, crying. And when you pulled away from her and hugged her you looked so angry and hurt that I thought you'd never want to see me again!" She took a deep breath, "so no I didn't come in. I left. My heart was broken so I threw myself into queen training and finding Glossaryk in facet I-" she caught herself before she could reveal her plan for that night. "I couldn't think about how I had acted. How I left things." She finished quietly.
Marco was silent before reaching out and gently wiping a tear from a broken heart. Her makeup was worn off she she looked like a mess. Mascara streaming down her face, dark circles under her red eyes. And yet he still thought she was beautiful.
"Star, I could never want to not see you again. Why do you think I came tonight? I've missed you so much." He whispered, "all I've had these past 3 years are memories and that letter. And no I didn't read it right away but when I did, it affected me greatly."
"What about Jackie?" She murmured. He gave her a sad smile.
"Star, the night I read that letter we broke up. We got back together again but we broke up again too. I didn't want to be with her." Star was shocked. He broke things off with Jackie?
"H-how soon did you read that letter?"
"About 6 months after you left." Star was silent.
"You missed me?" She asked softly. He nodded.
"You have no idea."
"Why? After how I left things? I yelled at you, I didn't get to apologize."
"You were right to yell. I was a jerk that night. But why would I miss you?" She nodded.
"I'll show you why." He grinned. Before Star could comprehend the situation Marco had one hand on her back and one cupping her chin.
His lips almost touched hers when the doors were thrown open.
"Star!" Saturn had a sword at the ready.
Marco had leapt back from Star and was now glowering at the guard(who he was satisfied to see was sporting a bruise on his jaw. Years of karate training and picking up boxing paid off).
"Saturn!" Star exclaimed.
"Princess are you alright? I grew concerned when I heard shouting and then nothing."
"Dude you were listening?" Marco exclaimed.
"Please like I'd leave my future queen alone with a stranger?Especially one who got violent with me?" Saturn scoffed.
Star's eyes widened.
"You punched him?"
"Dont't worry about it Star. I'll be escorting him out of here."
"Saturn-"
Marco took in the way this guard, Saturn, had draped his arm around Star. The way he referred to her by her first name.
"I see, that's why you're so upset I'm here. You've moved on. No wonder you're mad I read that letter. Didn't want to be reminded."
"What?! Marco! That's not true! Saturn's a good friend, best friend. I've known him for years, he's the Captain of the guard and my own personal guard, it's his job to protect me. He's like a brother."
"Its fine Star. It has been awhile after all. I guess I'll go now. No need for him to escort me anywhere." He sneered at Saturn and stormed off the balcony, angrily blinking away tears.
Star was shocked that she had any tears even left to cry. And yet here she was, sobbing again on the balcony. Saturn had his arms around her still.
"Shh, shh. It's ok." She shoved him away.
"No it's not!", Star corrected her posture and glared at her guard,"Captain Saturn Ring Cosmel as your Princess I order you to LEAVE ME ALONE!" With that she too stormed off the balcony.
Her anger was short lived and soon she was crying again as she ran, heartbroken once again, towards her room. Tears blurred her vision but she was still able to grab her wand, magicing off her dress and that ridiculous corset.
She took a huge gulp of air. The black spots that had been hovering in the corners of her eyes instantly faded as soon as she could breathe right.
Too upset to magic the rest, she slowly undid her elaborate hair. Taking gemstone after gemstone out the pieces fell to her shoulder blades. Finally she yanked her tiara off and gently placed it in the safe.
Reaching under her bed she grabbed the knapsack she had stored there earlier, along with the clothes.
Pulling on the black leggings and long sleeve she wrestled her hair into an elastic band. The knapsack went both on her shoulders and buckled around her waist.
She took a look at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. She forced herself to stop crying.
Her eyes were red and glassy, skin flushed and dull. Black mascara clung to her under eyes. The hearts on her cheeks were dark and still broken.
She nodded at her reflection. Her knuckles tightened on her wand as she stepped out on to her own personal balcony.
This was it. After 3 years of research and planning tonight she would find Ludo and bring Glossaryk home. And after she had her spell book she planned to find a way to rid herself of this heartache forever.
Using a levitation spell she hopped off the balcony, from her 5th story window, and floated down, careful to avoid the ballroom windows on the 3rd story. The minute her black booted feet hit the ground she was off. Quietly she snuck past the guards on duty, heading directly for the Northern corn fields.
Where she knew suspicious activity had been taking place.
She knew, that's where she'd find her enemy.
Marco had stormed back to the ballroom, intent on finding Janna and Tim and demanding to go home.
However the party was still in full swing and he immediately got caught up in a dance with some butterfly girl. She gazed at him with thick lashes and fluttered her giant green wings. Marco politely bore the dance before partners switched and he could race off.
He was fuming. After at least 45 minutes of searching, Tom and Janna were nowhere to be found.
He groaned inwardly, of course! He hoped they hadn't snuck off somewhere, or worse accidentally left him behind. That had actually happened twice now.
He was contemplating stealing a pair of dimensional scissors when suddenly that annoying Saturn burst into the room.
"THE PRINCESS IS MISSING!"
Pandemonium began.
Marco felt like an icy fist grabbed his stomach and heart. Star was missing?
Hey guys, sorry it took me awhile to update, was trying to make this chapter a good one!