A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
***
"Celia, are you sure it's not from King Liorei? Perhaps from Lord Watts? I don't know anyone who wears a mask. I have never acquainted myself with a masked man. Sounds...sketchy,"
It was the fourth time Moon asked the same thing to Celia as they stride together from the Diamond Palace to the Heart Palace.
Celia secretly wiped her tears and smiled at her, "He could be a secret admirer of yours. From the way he dressed, he's probably from a well-off family. A Noble, Your Highness. Maybe he will ask for you hand later? You're almost of age---"
"Celia!" Moon gasped from the horrendous thought.
"Please, nobody would ever think of marrying me. Everybody thinks I'm a monster. I don't even feel like going inside and celebrate my birthday with them. I'm just going because King Liorei is there and Lady Skadi, too. I don't want to be there..."
Moon looked down and watched how her feet walk while wearing yet another new pair of shoes. The luxuries she's wearing are nice, but she shouldn't get used to it. She deserved them only for today. A one-day miracle since it's her special day.
"I wish to see Lord Watts. I think he's here. I felt him. But he's probably with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess. I wish they will let me dance with him later. I wish they will let us talk. It's been so long..."
She sighed deeply before looking at the orange skies. The moons are already visible. She could never be as pretty as them. She felt like the insult to their beauty to be called the way they are called. Moon. The monster, Moon.
She brushed her uncomfortable eyes using her hands. Celia made her wear something in her eyes earlier and refused to tell her what they are. But what's nice about her eyes now is that the area of her vision isn't as wide as before where she could see every detail around her: from behind, top and bottom, and far front. Therefore, it's almost impossible to sneak on her unless she's in a helpless or hopeless state.
Moon noticed the strange stares she's receiving from the knights. They were gawking at her, stuttering when they suddenly greeted her. Another unusual thing because even the knights have no regards for who she is and only respect her when there are eyes other than their level.
"Moon the Princess is entering!" They announced upon her arrival by the staircase.
She stared at the first staircase and remembered how she met who she call 'Bad', Azarese. It was a truly humiliating experience for her to cry to the one who lent the body she's using. But what else can do when she's already reaching her limits? She can't seem to live on in this body. She's losing her wits. She wants them to switch. She wants to just become a ray of goodness in her heart once again and not as a personality. Dealing with people is a tough job. She can't do it properly when the past is haunting her innocent conscience while the present is tormenting her.
"Princess?" Celia called lowly when she noticed the tears welling in Moon's eyes.
"Celia, later when they asked for my wish, can I ask them to let me go?"
Celia was left dumbfounded with widening eyes.
Moon wiped her eyes and laughed it off. "I can't do that, can I? I can't leave this place. I can't give up yet. She's yet to give them the taste of their expired medicine."
She took the first step. Then another and another. She went on with her dignity and determination on her shoulders. Bad Azarese wants to see something happen to her. She want to prove something, so she must do her part as a puppet. She was only weak all these years because Bad Azarese never answered to her cries. But now, she's watching again in their domain. She even brought a friend with her. There's nothing for her to be afraid of anymore. There's nothing for her to fear. If they harmed her again, she can just call her and that's when hell will break loose.
"Dearil?" She heard them say when they saw her.
She thought they would ignore her like they always do and pretend that she's never there. But now, all wondering and shock eyes were on her. She could read their eyes who are refusing to believe something they're seeing. When she locked eyes with Watts Xirquit, he only smiled at her and looked away. That brought a different level of pain to her heart. A whole, long year sure changed both of them.
Her lips bear a weak smile before heaving a deep breath to get courage on walking down the aisle with her head low. She like it better when they're talking I'll about her than the usual deafening silence she's hearing. It's the worst. She felt like she's walking down to her final place---the guillotine. She feels guilty for nothing every step she make. Everyone's looking at her, but she know that they're not impressed about her hideous appearance.
"MOON!"
A man called from the 'commoners' table. She stopped and turned her head to him. The man smiled at her with his tearful eyes.
"You're beautiful, Moon!"
Such simple words, but they brought a tiny inch of hope in her heart.
"You're very pretty, Moon! But you look better with your horns! Happy birthday, Moon! Happy birthday!"
Moon's tears leaked.
"Thank you, everyone. Thank you..." she sobbed while bowing to them.
King Liorei smiled while clapping his hands louder and harder, so does the masked Young Lord. Moon continued her walk with her head held up and a cheerful smile. She made a brief pause to face the table where her allies are gathered. King Liorei was astounded when Moon curtsy to him.
"Thank you for being kind to me, Your Majesty. Thank you for looking after me all this time. Know that had I not have you, then I don't know what I would have become." And she lowered her curtsy more until her knee is already touching the ground.
King Liorei's heart warmed up as he smiled at the girl he raised with tears in his eyes.
"I just did what I must. I'm your father and you're my daughter. You're my daughter, Moon."
Moon's widening eyes reflected King Liorei's compassionate and loving face. She straightened her back with her tears streaming down her face.
She gave her sincerest and widest smile to him.
"Hmm! I'm so grateful to have you by my side, Daddy Liorei!"
Princess Lorreign laughed before taking the napkin to wipe her father's tears.
"It's worth the wait, Moon. It feels like the first time I heard your sister call me that. Makes me so emotional,"
"You're such a softie, Dad. Fine, I'll accept Moon. But I want a younger sibling, a baby! A demi-god, maybe?" The cheeky Princess giggled.
Moon chuckled and bowed once again to excuse herself. She continued her walk down the aisle, ignoring the stares of the Pure and Impure Nobles she confidently passed by. She stopped in front of Empress Siofra who looked at her from head to toe.
"You look---" The Empress didn't get to finish her words when Moon turn away to go to her throne. It certainly didn't made King LIFE happy, but Empress Siofra hold his hand before he could say something painful to the Princess.
"How rude. She didn't even paid the Empress respects, but King Liorei!?" Prince Fiery fussed.
"What to expect? She's his 'daughter'. Heh, probably got his bold guts," Prince Zephyrus added while shaking his head in disappointment.
Moon only ignored them and waved her hand to the people who are calling her name at the back. Just a gesture and it them so happy.
~~~
"It's tense around here, isn't it? Why not entertain ourselves before the main course of tonight's event? May we call Prince Maxigaufeas and Lord Thirdy for their awesome intermission number!" The MC announced in high spirits. A stage expanded in the aisle.
Prince Maxigaufeas and Lord Thirdy climbed to the stage, oozing with confidence and self-esteem. The guests, specifically the ladies and women, made some noise. Their fathers were very proud from the attention their sons are getting.
"So, Your Highness and My Lord, what is your performance about?" the MC asked.
The two looked at each other and passed the mic, fighting who will answer the question.
"Just tell him what we're going to do!"
Lord Thirdy pushed the mic back to the Prince, "But it's your idea!? You tell it? You're a Prince!"
"Our status has nothing to do with this! Just---get the mic!"
Empress Clastigaufeas sighed hopelessly while Duchess Maxine is widening her eyes at her son. Their little bickering shed some light and broke the gloomy atmosphere clouding over them.
"Ugh, fine! We're going to sing!" Lord Thirdy whined in defeat before getting his guitar from his space storage.
Prince Maxigaufeas took his out too and strum the strings loudly, "Yeah, boy! I'm a rockstar!" And he played it while randomly placing his fingers on it.
"Your Highness, you don't know how to play that, do you?" The MC awkwardly questioned.
"Hey, do you think I don't have talent!? My Dad's very good in fingering---"
Lord Thirdy shove the microphone in his mouth.
"A guitar! He meant doing finger techniques on a guitar! Haha! My friend's a bit stupid, isn't he?" He saved, though lame, before stepping on his foot and warned in a whisper, "Please don't embarrass us."
"If that song is not good, I'll kick you both out, I'm warning you," King LIFE. The boys flinched.
"Don't go falling head over feels for us when you heard our talent, Your Majesty," the two teased in sync while waving their eyebrows at him. The audience laughed while it pissed the King off.
Prince Maxigaufeas cleared his throat. "Well, this song is solely for my girl---"
Lord Thirdy nudged him with disgust, "What 'my girl'? She already said 'yes' to you? Princess Eowyne, you'd take someone like him as your boyfriend?"
Princess Eowyne smirked, "Can't deem him worthy enough. Work harder, Vernignac."
"Ooohh!" Lord Thirdy teased and laughed right on his friend's face.
"Delusional!" He added.
Prince Maxigaufeas's face turn red.
"S-Shut up! You dare make fun of me, when Miss President rejected you three times in a row!? At least I'm courting Princess Eowyne. What about you, loser?" There's no way he will back down, so he will pour vinegar on his friend's healing wound to open it again.
Marchioness Givenchy smiled as she drink her champagne, while her husband immediately hugged his mentioned daughter who's sitting beside him, trying to not get attention.
"H-How dare you!? Well, at least I'm not like you who flirts with another girl behind her back! I'm loyal to Miss President!"
Prince Maxigaufeas's eyes widened and instantly felt Princess Eowyne's sharp stares on his back.
"W-What!" He gritted his teeth, "Oh yeah, you are!? But who's the one who dated another girl right after getting rejected!?"
"So, you admit you're a flirt!?"
"And you admit you're a cheater!"
Their mothers stand up to get their sons on the stage by pulling them away by their ears. Emperor Maxism's boisterous laughter was the loudest, followed by Duke Paris's.
"Haah~ Boys. They get along so well like us!" Duke Paris shook his head.
"Thirdy took after you the most. Such a player," the Emperor laughed, which sounded wrong to Duke Paris's ears.
"Excuse me? Me, a player? Ohohoho, I think you mistook me as yourself?"
Emperor Maxism's volume lowered and furrowed his eyebrows at his best-friend.
"What do you mean, bro? You certainly led a life of a player."
Duke Paris smiled at him, "Please, I led an honest life like Volt. On the other hand, you don't. You have a very naughty and wild past, Max. Don't come clean."
"How dare you!?"
Before their talk turn into a fight, their wives came back with their sons, still pulling their ears, to get their husbands and pull theirs, too.
"Excuse us. We'll teach these dogs some manners," they said before taking them somewhere isolated and dark.
"HELPPP---!" Were the last word they heard from the four before they vanished in the dark.
Princess Eowyne sighed while massaging her temples, "That's why I can't trust him. His roots are thick," she said.
Sun chuckled and looked at her, "But isn't he a good guy? Brother Maxi may be like that, but he's such a man. He will be a good husband to you!"
"I'd only believe that if only he wasn't like that."
When the four returned with the Duchess and Empress, their eyes were swollen and red. They went back to their seats, behaved and obedient to the matriarch of their family. Prince Claxiord could only click his tongue and shake his head while feeling sorry to his father and brother.
The celebration went on as they expected it to be. Moon avoided to cross paths with the Earthlings and Nobles, entertaining and engaging with her genuine supporters. The crowd is divided into tiny groups, with Moon's having the least, in number and in status.
"ATTENTION! THE POPE HAS ARRIVED!"
The shocking announcement got them returning to their seats. They didn't expect that the Pope will humor them with his holy presence. The royals were not in a good terms since. In Warlock Empire, the Church ranked fourth in the hierarchy of power and authority, when during the early times, they are above every empire's shiny crowns. The Church even become more hostile when the aliens or Earthlings walked on their world and mess with things however they want.
The Holy Knights marched to the aisle with the Commander leading them. In the center stood the divine Pope, one of the longest living Ancient, and behind him are some of his high-ranking priests.
The regal Pope is easily recognized. He's wearing his precious Mitte headdress over his head. He is born with a a black hair color, but when he manifested his Holy Magic, it became completely white. The creation of the world is embroidered in his chasuble, while his alb have the patterns of the stars. Even the head of his crozier is in the shape of a star, since it is what they are made of.
The first Ancients were made from stars.
His eyes wander, amused to the amount of luxuries the Imperial Family invested for this celebration. Though he understand how much the Warlocks value their women, but everything seems excessive for him.
Until his eyes enlarged when they caught something. So, he put his feet together to look down on the woman with a sky-blue hair and ring on her head. Skadi Eira turned to meet his gaze when she felt it digging through her from behind. The Pope was taken aback and the Earthlings didn't let that slide.
"What? Do you know me?" Skadi Eira probed lazily.
The Pope regained his composure and went on, keeping his thoughts about her at the back of his head for the time being.
The Holy Knights dispersed, but the Commander only stepped aside to assure the Pope's safety.
Empress Siofra smiled when they faced.
"Thank you for coming, Your Holiness."
The youthful Pope concealed his hostily and reflected it as a half-hearted benevolence.
"I won't be long. I only came here to bless the Princesses to uphold the relationship we established with our Empress Orithyia."
Empress Siofra smiled through his venom.
"Indeed, how very noble of the Church."
The Pope scoffed and examined the Princesses from Sun to Moon.
"I see that the abomination you're growing learned how to blend with us. Though it doesn't hide what she is. But anyway,"
Moon looked down and swallowed his insult. King Liorei felt bad for her, while the masked Young Lord balled his fists.
"I expect one of them at least is the next God?"
"You will be the first to know about that matter, Your Holiness. I believe you are in a rush. His Holiness is a very occupied person after all."
The Pope sneered at the Empress brazen attitude and prepared himself for the ritual. The servants organized the altar and placed the cushion where the Princesses will kneel onto below the Pope. They thought the ritual won't happen anymore. They're relieved that the Pope arrived even before the last minute.
The ritual involves the Princesses receiving blessings from the Pope. Normally, one has to offer a great price to receive a Pope's divine blessing. The main purpose of blessing is to awaken one's magic, bring them long-lasting luck and protection, and receive favors from the Deities. The blessed becomes closer to the Deities, they said. There were even chances that one may manifest another kind of ability. Relating the situation to the Crown Prince of Axeore Empire, it is said that when he was blessed, he acquired the ability to grant even the impossible wishes.
"Don't be afraid, my love. You will be fine," the Empress assured as she lead her daughter to the Pope. Sun hold her hand tightly before kneeling on the cushion and clasped her hand together.
The Pope chanted the sacred blessing in their ancient tongue or their first language. A warm magic circle expanded below them. It is emitting such holy light, which are transferring to Sun's body. A star symbol light up on Sun's forehead, glowing brighter and brighter as the blessing surge through her.
The Pope look into her core essence before placing his palm on her head.
"May the Deities favor you with their divine blessing."
King LIFE placed his arm around his anxious wife.
"Rise and show your new self, Sun!"
Sun stand up, eyes still closed and hands still clasped together. She turned around to face the people. And when she opened her eyes at the same time she opened her hands, the four elemental magic manifested around her.
"Elemental! A-Amazing! Our sister's so cool!!!" Prince Fiery cheered while clapping his hands. Sun couldn't believe the elements that are playing around her.
Fire, wind, water, and earth.
The elements are still weak that's why they vanished, too.
"M-Mom, did you see that!? I have powers like my brothers!" Sun sobbed while looking at her hands.
The Pope stared at her maliciously because of what he saw in her. Her core essence is---
"Next," he said, so Princess Eowyne went down to her knees in front of him.
After the enchantment, Princess Eowyne cemented her reputation as a strong Empress candidate by showing off her stronger and richer abilities. Though without the Warlock's Creation Bloodline, Grand Duke Bruce's efforts didn't go to waste when she became the first one to have the ability of 'Steal', an ability where steal one's ability completely and leave them powerless. However, it was unstable that's why she can't utilize her ability properly, and there are certain requirement that must be met for it to be active. But now that she has received the Pope's blessing, she could feel the abnormal flow of essence surging through her.
Her face flushed red and lost her balance, but Prince Maxigaufeas reacted faster than others and caught her in his arms.
"You're only allowed to fall on me, Princess," the Prince flirted before carrying her. The Princess mother rush to their side as he bring her to her throne.
"My Eowyne! What's happening to my daughter? She's burning hot!"
"Yes, she's very hot," the Prince smirked but he became serious anyway as he feel her forehead.
The Princess pushed his hand away.
"I'm...fine. It's because of my essence. Its flowing abnormally---" She moaned when her head pounded like crazy.
"L-Let me help!" Princess Aurora volunteer. Prince Izaac led his wife near them and watch his wife carry out her duties as a healer. She only balanced the flow of Princess Eowyne's essence and cool her fever down.
"Thank you, Your Highness. I'm feeling better now," the cold Princess thanked. Princess Aurora only smiled at her brightly before going back to their table.
"Are you sure? Your health comes first. We can leave---"
"Mother," the Princess cut her off, "I'm fine. Please be at ease. I prioritize my health as well over things as trivial as this event."
Therefore, her mother had no choice but to believe her. Prince Maxigaufeas kissed the back of her hand.
"Be well, Your Highness. I'll be keeping my eye on you," he said with such flirtatious smile before walking back to his family.
The Princess can't help but try to hide her fondness for the playful Prince.