Firla flew over the bridge connecting the forest to the castle, clutching the pinkish-white mane of her Pegasus, Lil. She let out an exhilarated laugh as the magical creature slowed to a trot. She shook her windblown and tangled hair out of her face, still smiling. "We're back, Lil. Tomorrow's the big night- and one of my last nights at home." Firla slid off the saddle and led Lil by the reins to the pasture, "I won't put you inside yet. You deserve to enjoy the nice day. And it gives me a reason to come back later."
Behind her someone snickered, "You're talking to animals now? That's a new low for even you, Fyfy."
Firla frowned and turned around, facing the newcomer near the gate. It was her haughty cousin from Eraklyon, standing with her gloved hands on her green gowned hips, judgment in her eyes. "Hello to you too, Bee. I didn't know you had arrived already."
The girl flipped her vibrant red-orange hair over her shoulder, returned her hand to her hip, and smirked, "That's because you're too busy getting dirty while you traipse through the forest and ignore your duties as a princess. I don't understand why Queen Dafne allows you to do what you do. She should be keeping you inside and making sure you perform your required duties."
"It's because she's kind and understands that a teen girl needs some alone time, which I won't get it here, and that my duties will still be attended to in a timely manner. She's not a bitch like you are, Bee."
"Wow Fyfy. That's harsh for you. But I guess none of it matters since you won't be queen and no one notices the princess." Bee laughed once. "Anyway your presence is required in the throne room." Bee's voice took on a mocking tone as she turned to walk away, muttering "I don't know why they'd want you" to herself. She made her way over a small hill and disappeared from view.
Firla bit her lip and sighed, turning again to lean her forehead on Lil's neck. She breathed in the scent of Pegasus and listened to Lil's gently huffs of breath as she chewed on the grass around them. After a few moments she stood straight and patted the Pegasus's neck, "I'll be back soon." She smiled as Lil paused in her grass feast and snorted in response; Lil had obviously moved on in her list of things to do. Firla closed the gate to the pasture and half ran to the castle, her hair blowing out behind her.
"Princess dear, your clothes," An older maid picking herbs near the kitchen called to her as she approached the kitchen.
"Oh!" Firla stopped suddenly, nearly tripping on the small wires marking off a plot of vegetable plants. She thanked the maid after she caught her balance and snapped her fingers. Magical sparkles swirled around her outfit, changing them from a suit of riding gear into a frothy light pink and cream gown. Now in the appropriate attire, she rushed through the kitchen and down winding hallways to the throne room.
Once there she made a reflecting cloud appear and ran her fingers through her red-brown hair to undo all the knots and snarls caused by the several hours that she had spent with Lil that day. She brushed out her fringe with her fingers and smoothed any fly away pieces. She took the proffered tiara from a maid who had great insight and straightened it on her head, adjusting how her hair lay around it. When she decided she looked presentable enough to see her family she nodded to the guard to announce her.
She walked in and immediately surveyed the room. Her grandmother, Queen Dafne, sat on the ornate throne upon a raised platform in an elaborate gown of her signature gold. Next to her stood Firla's father and Dafne's son, Blaize, with his wife Maira. Both looked like the regal king and queen they would soon be. Firla's brothers, Jarrod and Brannon, stood in front of their parents, off of the platform. To the left of the throne were Blaize's cousin and her husband, with Bee and her brother. On the Queen's right was another older woman with almost grey hair pulled up, dressed in royal blues and darker pinks. A tall older man with smile lines and short blond hair stood behind her, one hand on her shoulder. This was the former King Sky and Queen Bloom of Eraklyon, Bee's grandparents. Another couple stood near them; the woman was another child of Bloom and Sky but Firla couldn't remember their names at the moment. She didn't see that part of the family very often at all.
Firla dropped into a low curtsey before anyone spoke.
"Hello, Firla. You've finally arrived." Her father greeted her, a hint of reprimand in his voice. Beside him, her mother nudged him gently and he frowned at her.
Her mother came forward, "Hello dear."
She hugged her mother before looking up at Dafne, "I am sorry for being late, Grandmother. I was tending to Lil." She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth; she hated disappointing her grandmother and she didn't want Bee to use any scolding as more fuel for her seemingly never-ending insults.
Bee snorted behind her and her brother shot her a glare out of the corner of his eye. He looked over at Firla and smiled then shook his head once.
At least one of them likes me, she thought.
"All is forgiven, my dear. The King and Queen of Eraklyon are still finishing up whatever businesses they have there and so have not yet arrived. I simply wanted us to all be together for a small amount of time before the chaos of tomorrow's events truly sets in. We're having many guests from several other planets join us in celebration and I suspect there will be very little family time after this afternoon for many reasons." Dafne motioned to the spot next to her, "Come Firla, tell me how Lil is doing."
Getting into the cool castle and escaping the incredible heat of her home planet was all Starlit could think of. She trailed behind her older sisters Delphine and Narcissia as they hurried through the castle "gardens".
The only things grown there were grown by magic enchantments placed on them by the head cooks. That's how it was on most of Blue Star. Some places had lush, fertile lands shut the castle grounds was no such place. It was said that the land was once blessed by the Great Dragon himself but those blessings must have faded over the many centuries.
Being at school in its temperate climate for the past several months has caused Starlit to lose some of her immunity to intense heat- and the unbearable sense of imprisonment that came with being inside the castle walls.
"Star, hurry up! We're late for supper and you know Father deplores tardiness," Narcissia stopped and turned to chide her youngest sister and Delphine nodded in agreement.
Starlit rolled her eyes, "You're the one who held us up, Narcissia. All that hair combing you were doing."
"Father expects us to look our best," Delphine responded to her sister pointedly before spinning in a cloud of pale orange chiffon and entering the castle through huge glass planed doors decorated with small paintings.
Starlit ran her hands over her high ponytail. Deep down she knew it was just as sleek as always but she didn't want her father to be displeased with her if anything was out of place. She wanted her parents to be happy.
She followed after her sisters, enjoying the coolness of the stone that the castle was comprised of. Tapestries hung everywhere to keep as much heat as possible out. Wall sconces with glowing stars lit halls and rooms alike, giving off cheerful yellow glows that made it seem like the sun itself was inside the castle.
The three entered the dining hall and quietly took their seats while the king was focused on reading a letter. Narcissia sat across from the eldest, Andromeda, on their mother's side of the table; Delphine was across from Cygnus, one of the twins; Starlit sank down next to Cassiopeia and across from the only empty seat at the table, on her father's left side.
Starlit kept her mind from her banished sister sand where she may be. Instead, she thought of the smells of the meal being served.
Part of the way through supper Starlit's mother, Queen Solia, put down her utensils and cleared her throat to speak. "Girls, we have an announcement. We'll be going on a trip- as a family."
The seven princesses gasped and exchanged excited glances, except for Andromeda. She always got out of the castle, since she went on diplomatic visits with the King or Queen to prepare her to one day become queen. The others were only allowed out for schooling purposes at Alfea.
Solia went on, obviously fighting a smile, "Canopus, dear, why don't you tell them about the trip?"
Seven heads turned from their mother to their father, six with expectant looks on their young faces.
The King looked up from his food, surprised. He swallowed then cried, "What?"
"Tell them about our trip," repeated Solia, taking a sip of wine. "They seem excited to know."
"Come on, Daddy! Tell us!" Cassiopeia implored, looking over at Canopus.
He made a face at the Queen and then smiled at his youngest daughters before speaking, "The Royal Family of Domino has invited us to the coronation of their new King and Queen. We'll be leaving in the morning."
"In the morning?" Cygnus gasped, dropping her fork on her plate with a clang. "That gives us very little time to prepare! We should have new dresses for the occasion!"
Her twin, Carina, grabbed her glass to hide her snicker as her mother frowned at Cygnus and parted her lips to scold her daughter.
"Cy, calm down please. I'm sure you have something you can wear," Andromeda cut in, trying to soothe her sister. She smiled at her mother, "It's lovely that they invited other royals to join them in the celebration."
"Yes, indeed it is." Solia agreed. "Cygnus, we would have given you more time but it was a decision made today because the Royal Family of Domino vowed that it would be safe for us to go. We do not want to risk an attack from Hedera while we are away from the castle. But now that we know that our daughters will be safe, we thought it'd be a fun time."
Cygnus looked down, her cheeks colored red. Starlit knew how she hated to be scolded. She murmured a 'thank you' and went back to eating, choosing to be like her twin next to her and stay quiet.
Cassiopeia looked at their mother, "Why are they having a coronation? Did something happen to the Queen?"
Canopus spoke for his wife, "No, no, of course not. Queen Dafne is a very strong and healthy woman. She was once a great Nymph of Magix before becoming queen. She simply feels it is time for her son to rule and that she is growing too old to be a good queen who will make clear and definite decisions."
The girls nodded quietly, all thinking of the day their eldest sister was crowned Queen because their parents had grown too old. It was a strange thought to imagine the great Solia and Canopus as elderly and unable to guide their planet well. Especially with what was happening in many place on Blue Star.
"We leave early. Bring appropriate wear for the coronation and ball after. And make sure to bring your appetite, the cooks at Domino's Royal Palace are amazing," Canopus instructed after swallowing a bite of meat. "Represent Blue Star well, my daughters."
The seven of them nodded and bent their heads together, whispering excitedly about what they would pack and what dresses they should wear for the ball to impress any princes that might be there.
Carole let the tide wash over her feet and pull the sand out from under her. It was so nice to be home again, to smell the salt in the air and feel the water around her. There was a lake at Alfea but it was nothing like Callisto's ocean. She waded deeper into the water, feeling no resistance from the waves.
Once she was far enough out she let out her breath and sank under the water, waiting a moment for her underwater breathing to set in before swimming deeper into the water, kicking languidly. She knew her parents might want her at home, but they would be busy with their advisors preparing for the departure to Domino in the morning and wouldn't notice if she wasn't gone too long.
She swam with a pod of dolphins for some time, joining them in their games to keep her mind off her parents and how they had greeted her when she arrived home- with an obstacle course to prove she was learning at Alfea. An obstacle course she blew through and shocked her parents in the process.
Two of the dolphins followed her back to the shallows when she finally forced herself to leave the water. She petted them gently and then watched them swim back to their pod. She turned once they disappeared from view and made her way to shore where she dried off quickly. She gathered up her towel and bag and rushed up the beach towards the tunnel that led into the castle.
Once inside the castle she practically ran to her room, where her handmaid Sera was laying out a dress. Sera looked up, brushing hair from her eyes. "I hope this dress is okay for tea?"
Carole moved closer and nodded without looking at the dress, "Of course. Can you tell my mother and father that I will be there right away? I, uh, need to change quickly."
Sera nodded, looking at the floor. "I shall go now." She curtseyed and backed out of the room, closing the doors after her.
Carole hung up her fluffy towel in her bathroom and rung out her hair. It would never dry in time so she twisted it into a high bun and fluffed her bangs. She tossed her swimsuit into the bath tub and changed into the long, dark blue mermaid style gown Sera had chosen. She put on her tiara, made sure it was perfectly straight and left her room.
She entered the dining hall, quietly closed the door behind her, and made her way to the table. Her parents, the King Cy and Queen Tania of Callisto, were already seated. Her sisters were nowhere to be seen.
Her mother looked up from her seat and smiled. "Hello, dear. Clara is in her lessons and Crystal is visiting friends. It's just us tonight."
"Hello. I hope I find you in good spirits."
Her father looked up from the papers he was reading and smiled, "Yes, of course. We hope you are found the same, even though we were unable to see you. We were busy making sure everything was arranged so that the castle would run smoothly while we were away at the coronation of Domino's new king and queen."
Carole dropped sugar cubes into her tea and nodded, "That's fine, Father. I went to the ocean today after I finished some homework anyway."
Her mother smiled, "We can tell, love. Your hair is still dripping a bit." She leaned forward and wiped a drip off of her daughter's cheek.
Carole's heart dropped as she touched a hand to her hair and felt just how wet it truly is. "Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to come to tea like this…"
Her mother laughed, ignoring her father's disapproving look. "That's perfectly okay. It happens. I remember being young and always wanting to be in the water after returning home from…" Her mother trailed off and nibbled on a tea sandwich. "Anyway, you made it to tea and that's what matters. It's important of us to spend time together."
The King nodded his agreement, "Just try to be home earlier next time."
"Of course, Father. I apologize."
The Queen motioned for a servant to refill the tea-pot before speaking, "So are you ready to leave in the morning, Carole? We'll be leaving very early so we can get there and have time to settle before the ceremonies begin."
She nodded, chewing a bite of sandwich before answering. "I have my things packed already. The seamstresses were even able to make me something new to wear for the coronation and ball, it's a lovely creation."
Her mother smiled, "Our seamstresses are indeed very talented with what they do. I'm glad you are pleased with your new dress. Did you request anything for your return to school as well? I do believe you're returning to… there right after the celebration, yes?"
Carole's father muttered something the two women did not catch and they both chose to simply pretend he said nothing. He was very touchy on the subject of Carole's schooling and given the chance he would go off on the ways Beta Academy was superior to Alfea. Sometimes, Carole worried her determination would dissolve and she would give into her parents' demands; she was thankful that her mother wasn't as pushy about it.
"Yes. I asked Sera to pack my bags after we left and send them ahead to the school, with anything the seamstresses were able to finish. I did ask them to make me a couple new outfits and a dress for the party in a couple weeks," Carole told her parents. "Alfea puts on a little party for the students about half-way through the year. Redfountain students are invited as well and it's held in the main courtyard. It's supposed to be a lot of fun."
Her mother patted her hand kindly, "It sounds like you're enjoying your time there. We're proud of your progress so far and are sure that it will continue."
Carole nodded eagerly at her mother, trying to hide the fact that her father said nothing had really hurt her. She swallowed the tightness in her throat. "It will surely continue, Mother. And I am glad that I was able to make you proud. That will continue as well."
Her father put down his papers in a huff. "Tania, I need to go talk to the guards who will be on rotation tomorrow. I don't think I'll make it to dinner." He turned to his daughter, still frowning, "Carole, I will see you and your sisters in the morning. I expect you there on time and without wet hair." He turned and left the room.
"He'll get used to the thought of you at Alfea soon, you'll see," Tania murmured to her middle daughter. "He just needs time to see how well you fit there." She patted Carole's hand.
Carole simply stared into her cup of tea and sighed.