Nellie looked out the circular window next to her through a small hole in the curtain. "We've arrived to Lucian territory."

I perked up and slowly did the same as Nellie. I wasn't sure if I could open the curtains completely or not. And I didn't want Jonah giving me a mouthful of insulting snaps because of it.

I'd never seen such surroundings.

The pavements were made of rocks with red undertones, and they were full of merchants selling bright urns, shiny trinkets, spices, detailed vases with aroma inside, colorful and golden veils, and many fabrics full of rich colors, such as red, purple, aqua, etc. White could only be worn by people who were part of the royalty. One stand was selling golden headbands, bangles, and earrings. Other one very elegant sandals, the one next to it precious stones. There was also a lot of food, delicious food. I hadn't eaten breakfast that day, so my stomach was grumbling in hunger as I eyed the glazed deserts, apples, pears, and other fruits I'd never seen before.

After I'd finished ogling the eye-catching merchandise, I shifted my gaze to the surroundings. Most buildings were made of clay bricks, and they all had tapering columns and dome-shaped windows. I could spot some palm trees here and there, but it wasn't until we got to the wealthier side of the land that they grew in abundance.

I'd only seen drawings of the Lucian Empire in books. They were beautiful. Not just on drawings, but in real life. Back in the Madrigal Kingdom, the architecture was less extravagant, more majestic and light. But in the Lucian Empire, it was both extravagant and majestic.

Tall and detailed buildings seemed to touch the cloudless sky with their dome-shaped roofs. The windows were also designed as a dome-shaped figure, and many arches decorated the bottom floor. Colorful mosaics ornamented the white walls, and people traveling on camels had decorated the animals with bangled robes.

The carriage came to a halt.

I felt a rush of emotions burst inside me. None were of happiness, though. Thanks to my observing, I hadn't even tried to develop the plan nagging in the back of my head.

The curtains were abruptly slid open. I found Jonah directly looking at me, coldness in his eyes. "Get her down. The Emperor will be waiting for her in the dinner room. He's got a feast prepared for her."

I looked down. Jonah left, and the servants got into motion. The four maids stood up, carrying baskets full of souvenirs from my kingdom. Nellie got out a pair of golden earrings and a white transparent veil with golden handwork.

"It is a new law that women must always hide their hair from the emperor unless they're his wife or family," she explained, pulling back my hair. With a twist, she wrapped the veil around my hair so it formed a ponytail. The veil was long enough to cover the ponytail and half of my back.

"Very well. Now, two maids, Reagan and Madison, her sister, will be walking behind you. I'll be walking in front of you, so you end up in the middle of us. Never look up unless the Emperor orders you to, and keep your hands in front of you," she told me. "Now, let's go."

She stepped out first, and I followed. Once I was outside, the sunlight hit my face. The weather felt hot and dry. Like Nellie said, the two maids appeared behind me. I looked down, and brought my hands forward. Once we began walking, I eyed my surroundings from the corner of my eyes. We were in the castle's front garden. Soldiers were lined up to each side, facing us. I was walking through a marbled pavement, but everything that surrounded it was beige sand and palm trees. We entered the palace through large, arched double-doors. Once inside, I noticed everything was made of marble, with tapered columns full of gold details. After a few minutes, Nellie stopped in front of a large door.

"Tell the Emperor we're here," she told one of the soldiers.

The soldier opened the door in front of us, and exclaimed, "The future Empress is here."

'Future exiled' would've been more appropriate.

I sucked in my breath, feeling my stomach revolt with nervousness.

Nellie bowed, and she stepped inside the room.

"Don't bow along," I heard Reagan whisper.

Once we were all inside of the room, the doors closed, and Nellie, Reagan, and Madison all bowed down to the Emperor. I didn't look up.

"Take your places," a powerful but young voice rang out.

Nellie, Reagan, and Madison sat on purple cushions by the side of the room.

"Look up."

Slowly, I raised my eyes. My mouth parted open. Once again, everything was made of marble. Different hues of purple made up the cushions and curtains, and in front of me, a low table was set. It was large, and decorated with palm leaves. On it, I could see watermelons, bananas, and oranges. There was honey inside different pots on the table, and dates all around the pots. Some bread slices with green spice, which I recognized as basil, were also abundant on the table. The porcelain plate in front of me was full of lamb meat and some other food that I'd never seen before in books. They all smelled and looked delicious, though.

The Emperor was the last thing I saw.

He was silently gazing at me, making his way toward me. Once he reached me, I sucked in my breath as he examined me closely.

"I've seen lovelier," he murmured. "But you're nice to look at. Seat."

I obeyed, and I found myself trembling as I sat on the set of cushions in front of my side.

Emperor Ian was as handsome as people said he was. Just like the other Lucians, he had jet black hair, olive-colored skin, and a defined jaw. They looked better on him. However, his eyes were not chocolate brown. They were amber, and something about his face made him stand out. He looked strong, powerful, just like an Emperor.

Emperor Ian and the maids were the only ones in the room besides me. I noticed that the maids didn't have any food, though.

"They already ate," Ian simply stated, taking a bite from his bread.

I remained silent, and took one from the bowl. As I bit it, I realized it was also buttered. And delicious.

"What's your name?"

I gulped down my bite, bowing down. "Amy, your Imperial Majesty."

He smirked. "You're the first to address me correctly."

The maids smiled.

"How old are you?"

I did not look up at him. "Twenty."

"I heard you volunteered. Were you that eager to meet me?"

I did not know how to answer that. If I said no, he'd surely be mad. Luckily, I was quick for an answer. "Your Imperial Majesty, your name is always said among many with great compliments on your ruling ability-" Not exactly true, but they did praise his strong attitude. "And everybody would be eager to meet you." I decided to leave out the Molly part, since this Emperor is unpredictable.

"You don't seem so hollow-headed as the rest." Ian's smirk grew. "Do you read a lot of books?"

"Yes, Emperor."

He perked up at this. "Then, perhaps, you know some legends from different lands?"

I licked my lips. The idea in the back of my mind was nagging to be fully exposed. "I know enough if you wish to be entertained."

"I'd like that very much." To my surprise, his eyes were sparkling.

"Your Imperial Majesty, do you have an idea on what you'd like to listen?"

Ian sucked in his lips, narrowing his eyes pensively. "I've always been fascinated by magic."

I quickly racked my brain for any stories I've read, but it was all blank because of my nervousness. However, I could not keep him waiting. I nodded. "Yes, Emperor."

"I'll grant you the opportunity to make eye contact with me. Only when you narrate the story," he instructed. "Now, begin."

I looked up at him. As if on cue, millions of stories I'd read throughout my childhood came rushing to me. One particularly stood out. One that used to be my favorite. I remember enjoying it thoroughly when Grandma Grace told it to me. Thinking of my grandmother's kind eyes and sweet voice brought tears to my eyes, but I still managed to begin in a steady voice.

This story's land is unknown. Many people think its location is somewhere in the Janus Country, since the land's rich and beautiful description fits the country very well, but it has not been made official.

Our story starts with a boy in love. His name was Jake Rosenbloom, who worked as a market salesman in his town. He'd never known his parents. He had always been taken care of by a kind man, Fiske, who he lovingly called "pa".

Everyday, a lovely girl called Natalie walked into his family's store. And everyday, Jake fell more in love with her. Three years went by, and finding himself turning eighteen, he was finally in the appropriate age to ask the girl's hand in marriage. Though, Natalie didn't have such good effects on him. Being a superficial girl, she only cared about money and looks. Jake might've been handsome, but he did not have money. This made him change his point of view in everything. Soon, he was thinking that money would bring him happiness. A thought that would soon be vanished.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Fiske asked.

Jake stuffed the diamond ring that had belonged to Fiske's wife in his pocket. "I want to do this more than anything else in the world. For three years I've been-"

Fiske cut in, half-smiling. "I've heard enough about Natalie, son. You never stop talking about her."

Jake grinned.

Fiske motioned to the door of their small house. "Now, go get her!"

"I don't have to be told twice," he replied. Making sure his hair wasn't too messy, he ran out of the house and down the road. He lived in the outskirts of the land, and he couldn't be more resentful of that. While the sights were green and nice, he had always dreamed of living in the city. As if he belonged there.

Once he reached a pretty quaint house, he came to a halt. Taking in deep breaths, he couldn't contain the lovestruck smile forming in his lips. Gulping and nervous, he began to walk down the stone path that led to the cabin. Natalie's home. Her mother, Isabel, opened the door.

Isabel seemed surprised. "Where's the milk?"

Jake frowned. "Milk?"

"Yes, Natalie said she left to order buckets of milk," Isabel replied. "In fact, I found it kind of strange that she hadn't returned from such an easy task."

"Madame," Jake began. "We don't open on Sundays. Especially at night."

Isabel's unconcerned expression disappeared. "What are you saying?"

Jake smiled nervously. "We don't-"

"I don't want you to repeat yourself, boy," Isabel rudely snapped. "I'm telling you to go fetch that girl for me. She probably went to see that stupid boy, Kurt. The townspeople will go crazy when they see her with such a boy roaming in the streets, all by themselves! And at night! Humph! That idiot. If she wants to marry accodringly, then she can't be given the reputation of hanging around boys so carelessly..."

"Kurt?"

"Yes, some fool who has promised her to take her to the city with him so he can put up a tool shop there. How can a tool shop be prosperous in the first place? Especially in the city, where there are-"

Jake never got to listen to Isabel's full rant. He was already running toward the center of the town, where he knew Kurt usually hung out. He knew very well who that boy was. He was the son of some bookshop owner. He had more money than Jake, and had been bragging to everybody of how he was going to move out of that 'stupid little hole' they knew as home and make it big in the city. He also had a huge amount of luck with girls. Though, with his arrogance, Jake usually found himself wondering why.

He finally reached the center, and asking around, he found out that Natalie and Kurt were heading to the observatory prairie, a small mountain from where you could see the entire land from a distance.

Jake knew very well where that was. It was the place in which he was planning to take Natalie that night to ask for her hand in marriage.

His eyes darkened as he began running again, this time faster. Once he finally reached the spot, he felt a pang in his heart as he spotted Natalie and Kurt sharing a light kiss.

"What are you doing?" he blurted out.

Natalie jumped. Once she realized it was Jake, though, she smirked. "Kissing. Why do you care?"

"Don't you know already, dear?" Kurt asked, mischievously smiling. "He's smitten with you."

"It's not hard to do so with my looks," Natalie smugly added, flipping a strand of her glossy black hair behind her shoulder.

"Do us a favor and leave, will you?" Kurt asked, frowning.

Jake reamined frozen in place.

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Shoo."

Jake still didn't move.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Fine, if you want to solve this the hard way." Kurt stood up, retrieving a sword from his belt. "I'll still win, anyways."

Natalie smiled, pretending to feel pity for Jake. "Please, Kurt. He's too poor to have a sword of his own."

"Oh, that's right! You do a living by selling dairy products," Kurt reminded himself sarcastically. "What. A. Pity."

Jake scowled. "I may sell dairy products, but at least I'm a gentleman."

Natalie and Kurt cackled.

"Please," Natalie said, smiling. "Will you just leave? Give up, okay? You're not worthy of me. My beauty was meant for a man with a bright future, like Kurt. You, on the other hand, are just a boy destined to own a shop."

Jake shook his head. "But at least I really care for you. I might not have all the money in the world, or a bright future, but I'm willing to do anything for you."

Natalie raised an eyebrow. "You don't even have a sword. Could you even protect me?"

Jake remained silent, not knowing what to answer.

Kurt shrugged. "Tough luck, chap. Just go, would you? We were in the middle of something."

Jake was about to answer, but Natalie gasped. She pointed at the sky, smiling in excitement. "It's a shooting star! A shooting star! Oh my God, I've always wanted to see one! Isn't this so romantic, Kurt? I think we're meant to be..."

An idea settled in his head.

Jake carefully watched where it landed, and once he calculated where that could be, turned to look at Natalie with a hopeful smile. "Natalie, I care for you immensely-"

"Oh, here he goes again," Kurt murmured.

"-so much that I'll bring you that shooting star," Jake proposed.

Kurt frowned.

Natalie perked up at this. "Really?"

Jake nodded.

Natalie grinned. "Shooting stars are considered beautiful just like I am. It would be a perfect charm for a chain I own!"

"Then I'll bring it to you," Jake promised.

Natalie smiled. "Okay."

"If I bring it to you-"

"I cannot promise anything," Natalie cut in. "But I will consider your feelings if you do."

Jake grinned.

"What?" Kurt exclaimed.

"I'll be back with a star, I promise!" Jake said, before running off.

"I think I should stop for now," I said.

Ian frowned. "What? Why? The story hasn't even begun!"

"You Imperial Majesty, tomorrow, I'll be leaving for a tiring and long journey," I explained, setting my plan in motion. As I told the story, I'd finally developed an idea that had great chances of working.

I would see if I would work right in that instant. Ian's reply held the key to what would happen to me.

Ian seemed to think about it. "You're right..."

I sucked in my breath. I needed this to work.

"Servant, bring me some paper and pen!" Ian ordered, sternly.

Nellie jumped up and did as told.

Once the materials were brought to Ian, he began writing. "The exile will be postponed for the day after tomorrow."

I sighed, relieved.

"Show up in this room at the same hour that you did today," he finished. He handed the paper to Nellie. "This order makes it official. Servant, give this to the court."

My plan had worked.

I'm not sure if you guys noticed that the summary slightly changed? It used to say 'King Jake', but now it only says Jake. That's because I changed the story Amy was going to tell. I was going to make it up, but I thought it'd be nicer to have her tell a modified version of Stardust.

I haven't read the book, but I saw the movie, and I absolutely loved it. However, I will change some things. But the main idea might still be there.

Thank you for reading :)