001

A S H L E N E

…

…

Life here in the small world of Stell is breathtaking.

Breathtakingly boring. At least, not for men.

I'm giddying with excitement on my round reading couch, an open book on my folded knees takes me out from my dull reality. I don't have to wait until chapter 30 for the main couple to kiss! 

"Ashlene, until when are you going to fantasize over fictional people?" my dear older sister asks. She's been braiding my hair behind and rolling it up into a bun before she clips the hair veil sewed with gold beads. 

"I believe in one word most people don't, Tikka." I glance at her over my shoulder. "Forever."

"Oh, please, you're an adult now."

"I skipped adulting stage." 

"Nonsense." She floats in front of me, tiptoeing above the floor. 

She offers me a hand, I take it, and lifts me up to float with her. Now our glittering veil dress floats majestically in our every motion. Mine is gray. 

"Look at you," she caresses my hair, "your thick and soft hair can tempt anyone to touch it," she presses my cheeks between her palms, "your ash color eyes can lure hearts, even cuter with your baby face," then she glides her hands on my arms, "fair skin unspotted from hives, tiny waist and hourglass hips, your shape will surely shape the mood of any man. You're gonna make lots of babies," she teasingly taps her fingers on my chest, "healthy little ones as healthy as your busts."

I swiped her hands away. "Okay! Enough with this evaluation. I am not enlisting for a baby maker job." With one smooth leap, I float higher up to the top of my bookshelf and place my book there. "And I don't like my hips!" I added. I pushed myself through the shelf and floated downward at a plodding rate. 

"Sis, it is our duty as a woman. Our population is dire and we are in need of prosperity for strength and civilization," she insists. While I hop and spin around the room with my graceful dress. "Aren't you insulted? You are the only virgin I know in our city. Even an eighteen-year-old young woman was impregnated five times already. And you're twenty-four! Untouched!"

"What makes our race worth an increase?" I wipe the curtain sideward for a perfect view of Earth from our dark sky. "We are only humans just like those who live there." 

"Our ancestors left Earth because there were wars everywhere. That world was so incomplete. We are safe here." 

"Why do we have to inherit their grudges? Do we really have to anchor our beliefs against that world just by their own analysis?" 

Tikka closes the curtain immediately and seals my lips with her fingers. "Don't say that out loud! That's dishonoring our ancestors!" she whispered in a growl. 

How can I be grateful for freeing us from prison to another prison to dwell in? Or was it because those books set my mind free? From here, Earth is so colorful, full of life and comfort. Even at the darkest hour, the Earth shines. It can ease the pressure in me just by looking at it… afar. 

We've been living in this world for a century now. I read that humans on Earth age, but all of us who live here in Stell don't age too much. They tag this small world safe despite it being inhabitable, we were only able to live because of the intelligence of some men who invented technologies for convenience. 

Just the vacuum underneath the whole ground to put at least 1/6th of the Earth's gravity. That makes things fixed and movements more comfortable. But that's what makes us unique. Every richness, even the gold and so-called nature, is artificial. Wealth is defined by the dynasty that originated from the pioneers. But due to the lack of population, Stell's civilization is nothing compared to Earth.

Yet every house or mansions, roads, city, market, sources of meat, water and oxygen are provided mysteriously. Of course it's impossible to build life in an inhabitable world just by intelligence alone, even this small world itself is a mystery. 

Tikka gently presses my hands and asks, "What makes you so in love on Earth? We've only been there once, and Stell is with you all these years."

I gave her a genuine smile, the smile I can only do whenever I thought of him. I leap and float to my drawer and get a round rubber, squishy enough for squeezing. "Look at this." I pushed the ball to her and it floated towards her. 

"A stress ball?"

"Remember how frustrated I was when we visited Beaumont castle? It was my first time on Earth. I can't even walk there due to the gravity shock! I was found vulnerable for abduction and I was imprisoned in the dark, alone and scared from an unknown world. But he came to save me, a valiant knight at a young age. He gave me that ball to relieve my stress! And he helped me walk for the very first time."

I slid my fingers on the spines of my books here on their shelf, then stopped on a spine that has an embossed word of 'Prince.' 

"He's so brave. Skilled. Charming. Inside and out. I can never forget his kindness, of how heroic he was. But he lives on Earth."

"Is he a prince?" 

"Yes. Prince Almidoron of Beaumont." 

"Oh, Ashlene… you are so in love just by hearing your story." She took my hand and the ball to squeeze it together. "Now I understand why your root is so deep that not any whirlwinds can suppress it. I thought you just wanted to stay a virgin." 

I giggle with her. Consecutive knocks on the door sounded before the voice of the butler on the other side of the door, "Princess! An esteemed missive awaits your attention!"

I exchange glances with Tikka and it seems she's aware of this. "Come in." 

The butler then opened the door and greeted "Greetings, Princesses. This is a message from Larkspur for your highness." He's with a maid behind him bearing a small box. 

"Too classy," I commented and took the letter. There's a picture of a man that looks like a 40-year-old hunk in a formal suit! He wrote:

'Your worth is far greater than five Bugatti Chirons or ten Mega Mansions. I can promise to dress you in gold everyday.'

— Harrison Larkspur

What on Stell!? Even his penmanship is so billionaire! 

"And also a gift for you," the butler presents the small box, with elegance. It contains a key. At first I thought that this is the key for 5 Bugatti Chirons and 10 Mega Mansions but something better for the likes of me. 

"A whole library building!?" I realized it when I read the message on the keychain. Larkspur is not a well-known family but Harrison's wealth is something worth my family's attention. His unique proposal, and his gift which is right on the button of my interest speaks something. "Is he a stalker?" 

"Perhaps he's not the type of suitor who guesses. Why don't you give him a chance?" Tikka pleaded like this is going to be the best decision in my life. I look at the picture again. Then I squeeze the stress ball for a minute before declaring my decision.

♛♛♛

All the maids preparing me are in haste; they put out the most sparkling hair veil, emollient gown that matches my eyes, and finest make-up. Instead of smelling the perfume they spray on me, I smell something fishy. 

After all the preparations, I know I should be presenting myself to the prince but I've been floating to and fro alone inside my room. The butler knocks, "Princess! The prince and his noble family have been waiting at the grand hall! Pray, may we inquire as to the cause of this delay?" 

"Why is his whole family here? I only approved his courtship, not a marriage proposal that demands the blessings of the royal blood!"

 "Princess, i-it would behoove us to graciously receive them in order to clear any unfortunate m-misunderstandings that may have arisen." 

I fold my arms, glaring intently at the closed door as I listen to him on the other side. "Let me talk to my sister first." 

"The princess is also at the grand ha—"

"Privately!"

"Right away." 

Leaping upward and gradually descending. I repeat it a few times while waiting for Tikka. She caught me swinging on my room's chandelier. "Ashlene! We've been waiting for you!"

"What is the meaning of this?" I leaped down in front of her. "Yes, I accepted the prince to present himself to me. He should be the one to impress me today but why am I the one impressing him and his family!? Why should I rush to meet him? Won't he be respectful enough to wait? Do I really have to dress up like this on our first date!? All that's missing is a bouquet and wedding ring!"

"You were arranged to be married to Prince Harrison. His Majesty did it," she answered directly to the point that I wanted to hear and hated to know. 

"I KNEW IT!" I screamed from the bottom of my throat! 

"Don't be stubborn! You are neglecting your duty for so long!"

"Tikka, I understand I have everything I need here. They gave me everything except my rights as a woman! What are we? An accessory of a man along his many collections? We don't have the privilege to marry who we want! The only lesson laid for us is how to be a wife and a mother and the moral way not to be competitive with our husband's other wives! Sis, this is not the kind of love that I want."

"Marriage and bearing children is our obligation, not a romance, Ashlene." Her voice cracked. "In fact, romance is a crime in our world for it only produces loyalty and slackens our prosperity or causes disputations among wives. And you, reading these romantic books is already a transgression." Tears welled up in her eyes so she blinked tight and swiped the tears away. I watch its drop slowly descend to the floor.

"You are a transgressor too," I uttered composedly. There's pain in her wet eyes, avoiding my glance which speaks the truth. I'd rather die a virgin than regret the next 70 years of my life… like my dear sister. "Send the Larkspurs home." 

"If you'll excuse me," a voice of a stranger tamed us, "It would be an honor to discuss with a woman of wisdom about how I can meet her standards." Tikka left the door open, that's how this old hunk man cooled down the fire in this room as he entered. 

His suit hugs his physique tight. His neat beard and pushed back hair, powerful posture which emphasized his tallness, and his gentleman smile can melt any grown-ass woman. Perfection is before my eyes, as if I suddenly entered the world of fictional books. His presence alone is already a billionaire that every woman would beg to have by their side! The picture lied! He's way more handsome in person!

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Prince Harrison of Larkspur." He reached my hand and politely kissed it. The sensation of his lips on my hand calmed the storm within.

"Tikka…" I said, my eyes still locked on the prince, "disregard what I said."