Nervously Celesti placed her hand on her chest to calm her racing heart. The entire time she had prepared herself for this day she had remained calm. Yet now that it was the morning of she felt more and more frightened with every minute. Staring down at her clenched hand the ring the Soleil emperor had gifted her sat on her finger. Yet now it had not held those warm feelings it had given her before. She could just avoid wearing it but for some reason, she couldn't. Not because of old dead affections she once had for the emperor but because it symbolized her family. With the stones of both her parents and the silver doe engraved in it. She could use it more to remind herself of her home when she felt lonely. For this alone was she a bit grateful for the gift. Rather than the affection, she thought she carried.
Glancing up at her dresser mirror her heart raced slightly looking at her reflection. Dressed in a white soft silk lace halter dress. The dress ran down her slim body, framing her figure as it pooled around her feet. Starting a soft white on the top slowly dying into a deep sapphire color towards the bottom. On her upper arms, she wore silver armlets in the shape of the silver leaves from the silver tree. Her hair still placed into her night braid. With a sigh, she stared at her dark under eyes in despair. She had spent the whole night tossing and turning thinking over and over again how this day would end. Thinking over the hundred possible ways this would end, thinking of a way to avoid the original plot of how this day went.
It was already different from the original, in the original timeline, Juvel wasn't the one sent but a group of knight guards. Upon arriving in Soleil the emperor sent her to the queen's palace. Avoiding seeing her until the day of the wedding. The past Celesti had been stubborn and curious. Searching for him the night before the wedding. It was that night that she witnessed something that became the downfall towards her doom.
If she avoided going out that night remaining out of the emperor's sight. Her life would remain peaceful. It was only a year she would have to wait after. One year and she would be free. One year trapped inside the queen's palace until the heroine would arrive. Once the heroine had caught the emperor's attention Celesti would be free. Most importantly if she played her role correctly her family would remain safe, her home would remain flourishing. Her family.
With the soft sound of tapping on her bedroom door, Celesti's head snapped up. Clearing her throat as she pushed back the small tears that filled her eyes.
"Come in."
As the door creaked open a small smile was brought on her face as she watched her mother strolls into the room. Her mother held a gentle almost bittersweet expression on her face as she smiled at her oldest daughter.
"You look beautiful, you remind me so much of myself on my own departing day." Empress Titania smiled softly walking up behind her. With a gentle mother's touch, she placed her hand on Celesti's shoulders. Rubbing them softly as if she could sense the tension filling inside her daughter's mind and body.
"You know, I was just as nervous and scared as you were that day I left my tribe. It was truly a terrifying experience for me. All I had known back then was inside my tribe, to walk out of that life it felt as if a small piece of me was torn away. It was your father who helped ease the pain. And after having you and your siblings it felt like I had a strong warm home here in Celestia. This place became my home. Just as I know someday Soilel may become yours. I only wish you happiness, my sweet angel."
As she listened to her mother's sweet comforting words fresh tears filled Celesti's eyes.
Soleil would never be her home.