CHAPTER FOUR

THE FADING STARS

Arthur got back at the palace, dressing as half Anne, half him, he was weeping hard until olive saw him. He was surprised as he rushed to him and hide him. He saw him weeping hard. He was confused, he was delighted when he was going out today. His heart scrunch up, seeing how sad he was. Though he did not know who did this to his young master, he will make sure he makes that person repay it. He clenched his fists, staring at his helpless young master...

In the evening, Anne and Arthur have changed back to their real self. Arthur was still having that Melancholy mood as he lay on his bed, weeping and dismissing everyone from his chamber. All he wants is to be alone. Anne signed she knew this is not the right time to tell him what has happened earlier, she sighed and stared at him before she left. He..... Is… SPECIAL. She left his chamber and headed to her chamber. That night she couldn't sleep, she was sad as she pounded on her mother's disgusted expression when she mentioned herself. She sighed, tears trickled down her face and she wiped them. She closed her eyes trying to forget everything until the darkness embraced her, and she fell asleep...

.....scared, alone, and weak… She stares at a figure in front of her.

" you are here? Thank you" she said relieved…

Then she stares at him trying to look at his face under his hood but all she saw was a bright silver eye. She sighed as he carried her in his arms.

" sleep, have a nice sleep." was all he said, and fall into a deep slumber, feeling safe.......

Anne opened her eyes widely and yeah, it was already morning. She smiled, she had a pleasant sleep tonight. She yawns and scratched her forehead, then she remembers her dream… She bit her lower lip. Is it real? Come to think of it, she has a good sleep, or did she dream of it because she wanted to have a good sleep? She signed. Yeah, that's what she said, confusing herself. And then all of a sudden, she looks around having the feeling that someone is staring at her, but she saw no one. She sighed, she must be going crazy. She sat on her bed, until Marina, her maid, came in to prepare her for the day....

Anne stares at her twin brother, he was looking dead.

" you tell her, don't you? " Anne asked, waiting for a reply.

Arthur sits well and stares at her,

" she likes me too!! " He said with reddened and swollen eyes.

"Then? " Anne asked, curious about what happened.

" She loved me as a noble child, but not as a prince! She doesn't… Want to see me again!!!" And with that, He burst into tears and Anne patted his back, knowing it wasn't easy for him.....

After some while, she explained all that their mother said including the fact that he is… SPECIAL, excluding what she asks about herself. Arthur was shocked as he finds it believes that it was true until a maid from her mother's chamber arrives and told him their mother wants to see him. He was shocked, and he dresses up, Anne help him with the make-up, so their mother won't know he has been crying. He stares at his twin sister. Her only weakness was their mother. He sighed and stare at her.

" Did you speak with her?". Arthur asked, referring to their mother and Anne nodded

" Yes, thanks to you" Anne replied and Arthur stood up, ready to leave

" I'm sorry Anne," he said, sadly

" for what?"

" just… " He didn't finish what he was saying and left.

Anne understand what he was trying to say. She sighed, it's not his fault that he is special and that their mother only cared for him. She sighed, trying to be strong as she left for her chamber.......

Arthur woke up early and dressed up. Today is the ritual, the rain ritual, after dressing up he stayed in his room until he is called upon. He, The king, and the prince with the guards and some chiefs followed to the shine......

As Arthur said, it rained and everyone was happy. King Zuni was fuming with anger. He needs to finish him before anyone finds out. He is going to clear any single obstacle either small or big…

That night he called Dakota to summon Hosa, it was time to finish everything once and for all. Dakota left as he was ordered and arrived with Hosa.

At Arthur's chamber, Anne stares at him,

" You are special. Whoa, it's nice to have a special brother" she smiled

" it finally rained," she said and Arthur sighed

"About Mona?" she asked and Arthur nodded.

" I saw her today when we are heading to the shine" He sighed and Anne pat his shoulder. " Come to think of it, I think you take over, father. You know, he shouldn't have been born as a prince but as an Astronomer, he knew everything through the stars or the moon. Come to think of it. I thought you are also one you knew when it will rain" Anne said, trying to make him talk, but he only nodded. She groans in frustration. Then Olive rushed in, smiling.

"your Highness, a letter came for you outside the palace.

Arthur sighed and collect it and opened it.....

" Mmm mmm..... My lord mmm your Highness… I want to tell you that...mmm, I would like to apologize for being like that earlier. I was scared that's why and I… I was scared that I won't be yours to make, and I will… I know you are a prince, you will marry a woman from a rich family but me… I don't worth you, but the more I push you away, the more I realized How much I love you. That's why I made up my mind and will give you an answer. I will wait for you under the tree we first met. I won't leave the rain until you come…

from Mona.......

Reading it finish, Anne and Arthur jumped up and run around the room, laughing and singing…

"Anne you will…."

"I understand" Arthur was saying when Anne interrupted. She knew their parent will come to his chamber tonight, and then she needs to disguise herself as him. Immediately, they swipe their cloth and Anne starts doing his make-up… Then, Their parents arrived, Olive was shocked, he was with them, smiling with all his face. He swallowed hard, he forgot that she has dismissed all the maids in Arthur's chambers as he has peeped into the letter. He caused all these, he should be punished. Their mother was shocked.

" What is going on here?" she asked, furious. (Arthur has worn Anne's cloth but has yet to roll down his hair, and he has half makeup on his face. Anne, on the other hand, has worn Arthur's cloth but has yet to also pack her hair and has to make up) They both went silent. Anne knew how much her mother was angry with her appearance in Arthur's Chamber.

"I…." Olive was saying when Arthur interrupted

" Mother I want to meet someone outside the palace, and I want her to disguise herself as me"

" what? Have you been doing this? Fooling me?"

" No mother, this is our first time," Arthur said immediately, knowing it will cause more trouble for her.

" Mother, please let me go"

" no, I won't! It's dangerous outside now that you have revealed yourself." she turned to Anne.

" You should go".

"Mum!"

" My lady!! " Arthur and Prince Eul shouted at once.

"What?" she snapped at them.

" I will go not as Arthur, but by myself. I will tell her what you wanted to say to her and tell her your reasons, and next time you will meet her" Anne said and tears blurred Arthur's vision. It's all because of him. This is happening because of him. He nodded and smiled at Anne.

" Thank you," he said and Anne left his chamber. Olive bowed,

" I will accompany her," He said, bowing and left. Arthur said and collapsed to the floor, starting at the door. 'This… Is … Happening…. All … Because … Of ..... Him' He moaned sadly.....

Outside Arthur's chamber…. Anne was walking in the rain, weeping and walking toward the palace gate when she felt shelter on her. She looked up and saw olive.

"It's okay, Your Highness"

She shifts back from the wooden umbrella.

" I'm okay, really I just want to be alone. So please go back" she said and left. Olive sighed, he knew what was going on. He turned away, heading back to Arthur's chamber......

Back at Arthur's chamber, prince Eul sighed, he knew his wife was behaving like this because of the prophecy she heard when she was pregnant. He feels bad for Anne, his daughter, he got the urge to follow her and comfort her as he always does, but earlier that day, he had seen one of their stars fading away. He sighed, confused, he had a problem recognizing their stars. He didn't know which one belonged to one. He groaned, if she owns the star that was fading, then he cannot do anything to stop the ill destiny, and if it was Arthur's he cannot do anything either. One of them will die tonight, but he didn't know whose, tears filled his eyes and he looked up to prevent it from falling, he feels bad for not recognizing it. He feels bad that he couldn't do that as their father. He stares at Arthur and his wife, who patted Arthur's back. As he thinks about this, he suddenly hears a massive noise from outside Arthur's chamber. He unleashed his sword immediately and opened the door to peep at what was happening. Tears trickled down his face and turned to Arthur, who also stood up after hearing the noise. He burst first into tears, the person to die tonight was not Anne, but him. So, the moonlight is not him? But Anne? His daughter. He went to Arthur and hugged him warmly, then he turned to his wife,

" They are here, make sure you take him to safety, I will fight them while you take him away. Pass the back door so they will think he is still here, huh? " Prince Eul said, and his wife nodded.

" wait father promise to come to me, promise you won't leave me alone"

" I promise," he said and Arthur left with his mother. He wiped his tears,

' we both going to die anyway, there is no need to leave one alone' he said and sighed. Earlier that day, he saw his star also fading away. He turned for the door, unleashing his sword. Getting out, he saw them… They are the same men who killed their father years ago. This was his brother's, private Army. He knew it, he would be greedy as always. He knew his brother more than anyone, and he would clear any obstacle. He bursts into humorless laughter and stares at the moon. ' What is the moon up to?' he wondered. He knew the moon gave Arthur the spiritual power to protect the moonlight. He smirked, 'then she, Anne would have met him by now and that means she would be safe', No need to worry. He stopped smiling and turned to them, ready to fight, and he charged at them, fighting with them. With all his might.

Olive was coming back to Arthur's chamber when he heard the noise. He quickly hides and starts peeping, he covered his mouth, weeping as he watched the king pass beside where he stayed with Dakota, his right-hand man, and Hosa.

As Prince Eul was fighting with all his might. He quickly saw the Army stopped, and he wondered what was going on. He turned back and saw his brother and the two men who were on the same night their father died. He smirked, he knew his brother knew all this all along, he thinks Arthur is the moonlight. Now he knew why the Moon do this way. He suddenly burst into laughter and everyone stares at him strangely before his brother, the king, joined him, walking closer to him. He stopped when he got to his front and moved his mouth near his ear,

"What did you think? It's surprising, isn't it?"

" Not at all. Did you think I didn't know you killed our father because of the throne?" Prince Eul said, smirking, and he watched as his brother, the king, burst into laughter

" whoa I'm impressed, my stupid brother has grown up huh," he said, patting his head hard.

Prince Eul shoves his brother's hand away angrily

" where is the moonlight? Answer me when I'm still nice"

Prince Eul burst into laughter

" you will have to go through me then," He said and unleash his sword.

" How dare you point the sword at the king! You have committed great treason! Hosa said why Dakota had already pointed it at his throat.

" search everywhere the moonlight must not escape" Dakota ordered, and the soldiers left.

King Zuni stared at his brother and smiled.

" greet our father for me, huh? Tell me I sent my greetings" king Zuni smirked and touched his brother's cheeks and left.

Dakota removed his sword and held it very well, trying to start a fight.

Prince Eul sighed and stared up at the moon,

' what is the moon up to?' he thought. He saw his fading star and sighed. ' He is going to die anyway, there is no need to try to waste his energy. He holds his sword and charges at Dakota, surrendering when he got there, making Dakota slash his chest and stomach. Then, he fell to the floor, blood coming out of his mouth… Seeing him this way. Dakota sighed and left to protect his master, the king.

Prince Eul smirked and stared at the moon.

'The Moon did well protecting this moonlight. ' He thought. Unlike the last moonlight, which was killed. The Moon did well protecting this moonlight.

Yeah, he knew they were planning this well, and they did a good job of deceiving everyone. He knew everything was very fishy on the night they were born. Both of them have half moons and it was hard to recognize the moonlight. Given both of the half moons, he knew they were up to something. He had rushed to Anne's chamber that day when Arthur dreamt, willing to see no moons in her as Arthur had started showing the power of the moonlight but both of them still share a moon. He was confused then, unknown to him that the moonlight used Arthur as bait to lure their attention from the moonlight. He now understands everything. The Moon did a good job protecting the moonlight. He coughs and blood spills on his face. Then Olive, who had been hiding rushed to him

" your highness" he was weeping,

" Listen, Olive, don't ever share what I was about to tell you with anyone, promise me that"

" I promise with my life"

" Anne…. Is... The… Moonlight" he said and olive sat on the floor, astonished, so, please take care of her. For now, she will be safe because she would have met him… So please leave the capital for now and come back for her later, they will be after you. And you are the only one I can trust."

" No, I'm not a coward. I will make sure to take care of you and save his highness too"

" Olive, look over there" Prince Eul struggles and points at the sky, olive looked up but didn't see anything.

" we are destined to die tonight our lives end here. The three of us. Don't try to do anything. We will die tonight anyway." prince Eul holds Olive's hand,

"Please take care of my daughter" prince Eul removed his ring.

" sell this and leave the capital. Please" Olive burst into tears.

" Please forgive this coward servant for running away now. I will make sure to come back and avenge your death" Olive said and stood up, then he left. Prince Eul sighed.

" My daughter, may you live a long life and lift the curse from the earth…" That was what he said until his last breath…

At Arthur and his mother.

Arthur stared up beside his lifeless mother. He was fuming with anger. "How dare you!!!!."

King Zuni collects the sword from Dakota.

" Don't blame me, kid, blame your ancestors who made you the moonlight" king Zuni smirked and Arthur ran away.

" Kids are such trouble, huh? Get him back here" king Zuni said and Dakota and his men ran after him.

They arrived back with him.

" let's finish this once and for all" he unleashed his sword and stabbed him in his heart. Blood spspilledut from Arthur's mouth,

" you think you will be safe if you get rid of me? You are wrong, you rat! The moonlight witnessed your crime. Your sword wasn't just drenched in my blood. Wait and see, the moonlight will strangle you and end your life!" Arthur said as if being possessed, and King Zuni removed the sword, making him fall lifelessly to the floor. King Zuni clenched his fist. What he just said now is what the woman in his dreams always said. He was fuming with anger.

" your majesty, the rain is still falling, you will catch a cold if you continue like this!" King Zuni sighed after hearing what Dakota said

" Check on Anne, she needs to join her family"

Dakota bowed and left with his men

King Zuni left with Hosa

**********

Anne was walking sadly in the rain, she will soon be there, and then she saw something like a bright eye in the distance, she tried to remember where she saw that eye, and she moved closer… IT WAS THE SILVER EYE. So it was real? She moved closer to the eye and saw a tall figure in a good. The rain was falling, and the moon was full that night. She moved closer… It was indeed the same eye. She raised her hand to remove the hood, and she suddenly became weak, and she fell asleep, falling into his arms...

Dakota got to Anne's chamber and saw her sleeping. He unleashed his sword, trying to kill her when king Zuni stopped him.

" No need in killing her. I will go for what Hosa said, she is nothing anyway. I will just marry her off and gain power, by becoming in-law with the powerful village. He smiled. Hosa bowed,

" I'm deeply grateful, that you heed to what this lowly man said"

" it's okay"

"your majesty. She was under a spell! " Hosa said and looked at the king,

"A spell?"

"Yes, a sleeping spell? "

"Did you cast it? "

" Yes your majesty, I don't want her to serve as a..."

" You did well, I will reward you for this" King Zuni said

" Thank you for your boundless generosity, your Majesty" king Zuni smirked and left with Dakota and his man.

Hosa stared at Anne and smirked, then he moved to the backyard where no one can see him, and then all of a sudden, a spirit leave his body. He was surprised and looked at himself.

" what is wrong with him? Why is he here? " He was looking around when he saw that stunning thing, it was shining. He looked closely at it and it was the silver eye. He fell on the floor, shivering in fear

" The… The. Sliver… EY... "He couldn't finish the word when he realized his heart was not in his body again. It was in the hand of the sliver eye monster in front of him. He fell backward on the ground and died... He threw his heart to him and walked away. Before he left, he took a look again at Anne's chamber and left.

At the king's chambers,

Dakota whispered in his ear

" what? Hosa died?" He smirked. " "He is one a smart man, huh? I intend to kill him anyway. He knew everything about what happened tonight. I don't trust him". He burst into laughter.

" He is smart," king Zuni said and drank the bottle of wine in his hand.

" Go and sleep, it was a long night. We finally succeeded".

Dakota bowed and left.

King Zuni drank the wine, slowly, smiling,

"I told him I will clear any obstacles that clear my way, either big or small, and see. I succeeded. Two suns cannot be in the same sky. One has to leave for one. Hahaha, hahaha," He burst into laughter, sipping his wine gently into his mouth, with a smile beside the corner of his lips…