And so, the night only expanded from there. Levana knew that she only had so long with the handsome young emperor, and she wanted to make it last, so even once he went back to his own planet, she would still have memories to hold dear.
The two of them first went to the highest tower of the palace, and walked about the parapet under the stars, just in time to catch the fireworks for the celebration. Then, she got a bit sillier, and talked Saito into taking off his shoes with her and sliding along the marble floors on the upper gallery, when none of the guards or watchmen were looking. Not only did he go along with it, he actually laughed and enjoyed it the whole time. Letting down the emperor façade for that short time was a great relief, to say the least.
She gave him a tour of the treasury and menagerie, showing him her newest, most darling pet ever—an exquisite arctic wolf named Lala. She was young—only six months old—and fairly small, still a cub. Levana was so happy when she had received her for her nineteenth birthday, squealing so much that she nearly damaged poor Lala's ears. Saito laughed at that story.
They had looked through the art gallery, filled with priceless artifacts, ice sculptures kept at a constant temperature, unmarked paintings. Everything original.
If that wasn't enough, they had even went to the clock tower and did something Levana had always wanted to do since she was little—and thought she might do with Channary—goofily move along with the little dolls that came out every hour. Saito seemed to be rather good at going through the mechanical motions. Better than her, at any rate. She honestly wondered if he had practiced back in New Beijing.
Overall, it was a wonderful night filled with fun and conversation, warmth and light.
Because God knows that Levana needed some in her life. It was a wonderfully sweet evening— that was about to turn extremely sour.
And as the clock chimed midnight, a lone shadow snuck past the disabled security systems, the shining glint of his gun barely concealed by the dark cloak he was wearing.
It was getting late by that point. Twelve o'clock had just rolled around, and Levana knew that they had to have been out there for at least a couple of hours. Surely, someone had to have noticed their absence.
She just hoped it wasn't her parents or worse—Channary.
She had to practically run back with Saito in order to return to the ballroom in time. Luckily, on arriving there, she was pleased to see things were still in full swing, although most of chocolate was gone. But whatever.
Just a minor detail.
They had snuck back in through the east entrance, the only one that remained unguarded. The hustling and festivities of the ballroom had not ceased, no one noticing the princess and the emperor's entrance. They laughed as they walked amongst the dancing nobles. They themselves joined in for another dance, Levana much more confident about her dancing abilities.
After the song ended, Saito excused himself to go and get a refreshment from the abundance of options served. Levana began to walk up to the awning, where her parents were most likely observing the gala. However, she froze in her tracks as she suddenly heard panicked screams and a mechanical sounding click. She broke out in a cold sweat as she slowly turned around.
She didn't understand what was happening, until she saw the glinting barrel of a gun.
It all happened so slowly, as if someone was taking time and stretching it out, making it last for what seemed like an eternity. Levana, acting on instinct, ducked and fell flat on her stomach, covering her head with her gloved hands, just as the first shot rang out. People were screaming and shoving, trying desperately to get away from the murderous gunman. She heard the guards' stomping feet as they raced towards the intruder—a shell—and knocked him out, sending his gun clattering across the floor.
Levana stayed on the ground for god knows how long before she finally found the energy to right herself, her head pounding from the sudden impact on the hard floor.
"MAMA! PAPA!" A shrill scream of pure anguish rose up from the crowd, drowning out all the shocked gasps and the cries of fear.
Levana's heart pounded, her blood running through her veins like molasses. She followed the flow of the crowd, towards the voice that continued to wail and scream. Gently, she pushed her way through the people, her stomach flip-flopping. The sight she came to made her want to hurl.
Both of her parents were lying on the marble floor, their limbs intertwined and in awkward positions. Their skin was a sickly greyish colour and their eyes were open, blank, unblinking. Lifeless. They had huge bullet wounds, blood pouring out and pooling all over the ballroom floor. Levana didn't even need to check their pulses.
They were dead. Her parents had been murdered, and oddly enough, she didn't feel sad, only shocked, if anything. She didn't feel like screaming or crying. She just felt hollow, indifferent—and it scared her.
(where is the pain where is the grief do I have no heart why am I not sad I want to be sad like everyone else)
Channary, on the other hand, was on her knees, cradling her dead father's head on her lap.
She was mumbling incoherent nonsense, the blood from his bullet wounds staining her pristine gown. Her brown eyes were open wide and she was so pale, her skin nearly translucent. Levana stepped up to her and attempted to put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Get away from me," Channary spat as she felt Levana's fingertips brush her shoulder.
Levana, despite her sister's radiating coldness, persisted. "Channary..."
"GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU IDIOT! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Channary screamed, tears running down her face. Levana recoiled, taken aback.
It was the first time that she had ever seen her sister cry.
Shock and confusion quickly turned to anger. "How is it my fault?!"
"That shot was meant for YOU! It was YOU who should have died, not them! You're worthless! No one would even CARE if you disappeared off the face of the moon!"
The confused tittering hushed, pushing the questions toward those in the back of the crowd who couldn't see what was happening but could no doubt feel the tension expanding around them. Everyone turned to the raging princess, who was too angry and mad on grief to notice their stares.
"That's NOT true! It was an accident, Channary!" Levana yelled back, a jolt of determination making her stand a little taller. She would not let Channary bring her down. Not then. Not there.
Channary stood up and wiped her eyes. Despite the tears running down her face, her makeup remained perfect, unsmudged. She laughed, half addressing the crowd, half addressing Levana.
(no please look away nothing to see here nothing to see)
"It is true, and you know it! You're nothing but a disgrace to our family name. As if anyone would want you! You can't even show your face in society without feeling like you don't belong. Let's face it, Levana, you'll never belong anywhere. You bring nothing but pain and misery to all. If you think you're worth anything, you're wrong! Look around you, how many people do you see that would stand up for you? None!" She came closer and ripped the gloves off Levana's hands, exposing her metal arm. Channary grimaced. "No one wants a filthy cyborg amongst them."
A gasp rose from the crowd. Levana could hear murmurs of shock and disgust, although it didn't surprise her. Everyone hated cyborgs. Everyone. It was a fact, but she wasn't ready to accept it.
(no I just want to be part of you don't laugh at me please don't laugh)
Levana cradled her metal arm to her chest. "No...you're wrong..."
"Stars, Levana! You can't even see the truth when it's standing right in front of you! Well, here it is: it would be so much better for everyone if you would just DIE!" Channary roared.
A wave of appalled gasps rose up from the crowd.
(die die you'd be better off dead no one loves you no one wants you DIE)
Levana backed away. "W-what?"
It took all of Levana's strength to keep herself from bursting into tears. Every one of Channary's words was like a knife stabbing into her, over and over again. It hurt. It hurt so much. Channary turned away, taking slow, shaking breaths, trying in vain to regain her composure.
Channary turned back to look at her sister. "Even death would be merciful," she sneered.
Levana turned around and raced behind the awning, not stopping until she slammed the ballroom door shut. The shocked and appalled faces of the crowd were all still looking at Channary, stunned by her outburst. She lifted her gaze up to them, seething. She felt their brainwaves, some strong, some weak, some tall, some deep. She twisted them all.
You want to leave. You want to go away.
The crowd immediately began to disperse.
Channary sighed. "Sybil?"
The head thaumaturge came to Channary's side instantly. "Yes, Your Highness?"
"The party is over. Have everyone sent home—for the Earthen, to their quarters—and close the gates."
"Of course, Princess. May I also offer my deepest condolences," Sybil lowered her head in respect, "over the death of your parents, our beloved monarchs. They will be greatly missed."
Channary gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you, Sybil."
"I can also assure you that the assassin will be punished accordingly. Perhaps a few days of bioelectric torture, followed by a painful execution."
Channary's sweet smile twisted into a demonic grin. "Good."
Sybil nodded and walked away to join the other thaumaturges, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
(you have to keep killin' em Channary dear they must all die they are a plague crush them under your shoe)
Channary let one last tear run down her cheek before wiping it away, her soul crushed by grief. Her parents were the only people that she had ever cared about. So out of all the guests at the gala, why did they have to be the ones to die?
"...to shun the moon..."
It should have been Levana.
She should have been the one to die.
"...and wait instead..."
To disappear.
Forever.
"...for sister's sunny day..."
After Channary's public outburst, the last thing Levana wanted was to be seen by another human being. She had raced to her all-too familiar bedroom, not even bothering to lock the door. She was sitting on the floor, her back against her bed, her knees tucked up to her chest. She had flung her tiara somewhere in the room, not even caring where it went.
Because to her, it was worthless. Just like herself.
(they're all laughing at you in there and Channary finds it funny they all find it funny)
For so long she would just suck it up, and she hadn't had a crying jag for a while now. But then, she just spent a while bawling her eyes out, wallowing in a pool of hurt and hurt and even more hurt.
And self-loathing. And self-pity.
She had probably thrown herself the biggest pity party in the history of pity parties.
(mommy daddy why do you hate me make them stop I hate it I hate you I hate them)
"Princess?"
Levana jumped a bit. Her head swivelled to the voice and she saw—much to her embarrassment—Saito standing in the doorway, holding the door halfway open.
"May I come in?"
Levana wiped her tears away, knowing full well that she probably looked like a raccoon. "Be my guest," she whimpered.
He came in and seated himself on the floor next to her. She scooted a bit farther away from him, as if just being beside her would make him sick.
"I'm..." he cleared his throat, "I'm sorry about your parents."
Levana sniffed.
(bang bang mommy and daddy I'm not sad you should've been wary of guns and shells)
She let out a shaky sigh, trying not to cry in front of him. "T-thank you.""How did you even find me?" Levana asked after a moment.
"Well, for one, I asked the guards where your room was. I could also," he ran a hand through his hair, "hear you crying."
Levana flushed, looking at the ground, the walls, anywhere else but at him.
(cry-baby Leva-na, cry-baby Leva-na)
"Oh," she deadpanned.
Saito paled, running a finger down her cheek. "What is that?"
Levana immediately tensed. "What?"
"Is that..." his eyes widened, "a scar?"
Levana blanched. She forgot that she had taken down her glamour, making her scars visible for everyone to see. The one that Saito saw was the biggest and most gruesome of all of them, that ran from above her ear and ran down her neck, all the way to her collarbone.
(stay still little sister this won't hurt a bit you'll be so much prettier afterwards)
She lowered her head, feeling tears of shame pool in her eyes. "Don't look at it."
"But..." he gasped, "how did you get this?"
Levana snapped her head up, tears running down her face. "Channary did it, okay? She made me scar my own face when I was five. Are you done interrogating me?"
Saito's jaw dropped. "Your sister did this?"
(no Channary please stop it hurts I don't want to play face-carving)
Levana scoffed. "It actually surprises you, after what you just saw out there? What did you honestly expect? That she and I talk to each other like that, that it's normal? Ha! That's hilarious!"
Saito frowned. "Okay, calm down. I didn't mean to offend you in any way."
Levana glared at him.
His gaze softened. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
Levana turned away from him. "It doesn't matter," she muttered.
"Yes, it does." Saito surprised her by grabbing onto her metal wrist, holding it tightly. He looked at her straight in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Levana opened her mouth, but her words snagged in her throat. She wanted to refute Channary's claim, to call her a liar. But what would that get her? He could clearly see the metal monstrosity, her non-present gloves making it stick out like a sore thumb.
(I'm sorry I know I disgust you I disgust everyone I just wanted you to like me I'm sorry)
She opened her mouth again, unsure what she was going to say until the faint words came to her. "I didn't know how."
His eyes softened, little wrinkles forming in their corners. "I would have understood."
Almost imperceptibly, he inched closer, and Levana found her elbow crawling up his shoulder in a way that felt impossibly natural. Still, he did not back away. Did not shudder or tense.
He knew, but he wasn't disgusted? He would still touch her? Somehow, unbelievably, he still even, maybe, liked her?
(I'm a liar I'm sorry I'm a liar)
"It's just," she started, running her tongue across her lips, "it isn't something I like to talk about. I haven't told anyone who…who…" she hiccuped.
Saito looked at her, expectantly awaiting her answer.
Levana hung her head. "I didn't want you know how much of a freak I really am. How hideous I am. Because then, you would have hated me. And I didn't want to spend another night," she sniffed, "alone."
"Levana—"
"And don't tell me that I'm actually," Levana put her fingers in the air, folding them to make quotation marks, "beautiful. Because I'm not."
She found that she was shaking, sure that he would push her away at any moment. But he didn't. He did not pull away. Did not grimace.
"You're right, Levana. You're not beautiful."
She frowned, looking at the ground, at her hideous metal hand.
No need to rub it in.
He smiled, lifting her chin up with his fingers, making her look at him. "You're gorgeous."
A tingle tittered down her spine at how he was studying her, almost in childish awe, at how he was so close, at how he was still holding her wrist.
He seemed to realize it at the same time. His expression changed suddenly, and she knew he wasn't looking at her metal arm or the scars running down her face. He was looking at her.
"She's wrong. She doesn't know anything. There are people out there who would miss you if you were gone."
"Who? Who could ever miss someone like me?" she asked incredulously.
"I would."
She sniffed. "What?"
Saito didn't answer, only looking deep into her charcoal eyes.
"Levana?"
"Mmm?"
"Just to be clear, you're not using your mind powers on me right now, are you?"
She blinked. "Of course not."
"Just checking."
Then, he slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders and kissed her. She tensed up, eyes wide, caught off guard. The princess stayed like that for a moment, not knowing what to do, never having been kissed before.
After a few seconds, though, she melted into the kiss, her lips pressing back onto his, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hot tingles coursed through her body, surprising and scary but not unpleasant, surging like electricity through her veins. Her heart warmed and melted, all memories of earlier momentarily forgotten.
They stayed in a lip-lock until they were—quite rudely, I might add—interrupted by a certain someone loudly clearing their throat.
They broke apart, both their faces flushed from the kissing and their embarrassment. Rikan was standing in the doorway, glaring at both of them, his hands crossed over his chest.
"Saito, what do you think you are doing?" he snapped. Saito rose to his feet, looking at his brother in the eyes. Levana stood as well, putting her glamour back up full force.
"It's none of your business, Rikan. What do you want?"
He huffed. "I just came to tell you that Torin has scheduled an early departure back to New Beijing, so you'd better come back to the room and get packed."
Saito raised an eyebrow. "Why leave so early?"
"To give the royal family a chance to," Rikan eyed Levana with contempt, "grieve."
Saito grit his teeth. "Thank you for telling me. I'll be with you in a moment."
"Don't be too long." Rikan said before leaving, glaring at Levana the whole time. She glared right back.
Letting out a sigh, Saito redirected his attention to Levana.
She gave him a sad smile. "It's a shame that you have to leave so soon."
"Well, it doesn't mean that we'll never see each other again."
"I hope so."
Saito dug something out of his pocket, a metallic grey chip the size of a fingernail. He held it out to her, its silver polish shimmering in the light.
Levana looked at it with curiosity. "What is that?"
"It's a D-COMM chip. So that we can keep in touch."
"Aren't there netlinks for that?"
"Yes, but those are monitored by the government. This way, we can talk without anyone listening in on our conversations," he smirked, "including Channary."
She smiled in return, about to take the chip from him, when he pulled back a bit.
"On one condition."
She quirked a slender eyebrow. "And what condition is that?"
He smiled. "That there are to be no more secrets between us."
Levana's breath caught in her throat. No secrets. No lies.
Well, just one. She thought she might have been a tiny bit—okay, no—a lot in love with him. But there was no way she could tell him that. Not then, anyway.
Levana cleared her throat, flustered. "You have yourself a deal."
He smiled and gave her the chip. She put it on her desk, taking care not to lose it amidst all the junk on it. He pulled her in for one last kiss, making her smile and blush, before pulling away and saying goodbye.
Even after he left, Levana just stood there, blushing and grinning like an idiot. At the sound of gasping, she turned her head to see Akiho standing beside her, her sensor flashing.
"That was...the emperor...he..." The android let out an inhuman squeal. "EMPEROR SAITO ACTUALLY KISSED YOU!"
"Yeah," Levana sighed dreamily. "I know."
"I am so jealous right now. I mean, Emperor Saito!" Akiho raised an arm to her forehead. "Check my fans, I think I'm overheating."
Levana giggled, wiping away the mascara smudges beneath her eyes. "Really?"
Akiho didn't even seem to hear her. "I knew it! I knew you liked him too! I can't believe you actually met him! That he actually kissed you! It's not fair. Did I mention how much I hate you?"
Levana rolled her eyes. "Not yet."
"Well, I do. Sort of. Okay, I don't. I'm just being a jealous android."
"Well, that's a relief," Levana said, tucking a few stray curls behind her ear. She looked over at the gleaming chip, still blushing profusely, her lips tingling where he had kissed her. Her first kiss. Not even aware of her actions, a metal finger came up and felt her swollen lip.
A small smile spread across her face. She was looking forward to speaking to him again.
My dear Emperor Saito...