16 - Surprise!

A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.

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Third Person's POV

"Now, Princess," Celia gently dropped Moon's hand to her lap to get the blindfold in her pocket. Moon is sitting by the fountain and Celia is standing in front of her.

"Please close your eyes. The Lord prepared a surprise for you," she smiled, hinting her excitement.

Moon looked at the blindfold she's holding and faked a smile.

"C-Can I just cover my eyes? What if...it ruined my makeup?"

She intertwined her sweating hands together.

Celia chuckled, "You'll be alright. I brought a kit with me to retouch your makeup later. Close your eyes,"

Moon gulped and was left no choice but to close her eyes. She was shaking, and she's doing her best to calm herself so Celia won't notice it. However, as soon as the fabric touched her skin, a gasp escaped from her mouth, followed by a series of haunting experiences.

"The Lord is so very handsome. He used to be so little and adorable. I remember when he used to pull my skirt and ask me silly questions because he's a very curious boy. Now, he's a young man. And completely smitten about you, Princess. I'm so happy for you. The Lord will be a good husband to you someday."

Celia noticed how Moon's face redden.

"H-Husband? Don't be ridiculous, Celia. I'm sure he's got high standards befitting his status and level. I'm just some loser."

Celia tied the blindfold. Not so tight, not so loose.

Her shaking hands elevated to trembling. She felt how her muscles tensed, cramping tight. The beat of her heart became erratic, so crazy that her breathing shortens.

"C-Celia... I'm scared... Please..."

"Princess? Princess, what's the matter?"

Moon covered her ears when she began hearing their voices.

"Don't touch me!" she cried when she cold fingertips landed on her skin.

"Princess, what's happening?" Celia began to panic. Moon just shoved her hand away when she tried to hold her by the shoulders. It's not just a simple panic attack. The fear she could sense from Moon is something else.

"Please, let me go! I want to go home! I don't like this anymore! I don't like this anymore!"

Moon pushed Celia, thinking that she was the monster that's going after her.

"I-I will call His Majesty and His Lordship! Please wait for me, Your Highness!"

Celia gathered herself and ran back to the Heart Palace. Meanwhile, Moon stand up, hugging her body and screaming, "Stay away!" as if something is lurking around her. And the more she stepped back, the closer she gets to the fountain. She duck down, forcing herself into the wall on the fountain. Thinking it was a corner, hoping that it she won't be found.

"No... No, I'm not here. I'm not here! Go away!"

Her tears wet the blindfold tied around her head. The shadows lurking around her are dancing and mocking, with their long tongues extending to her.

"Found 'yah!" The bigger shadow grinned with its clawed hands spreading wide before advancing to catch her.

A terrified scream broke from her throat when a pair of rough-feeling hands grabbed her arms.

Watts Xirquit removed the blindfold from her. He was frozen when he saw the pair of eyes that were looking at him widel. They were in different colors; distinguished colors that everyone would know once they see it themselves.

Her sclera remained black, emphasizing the colors of her irises like they are only nebulas in an empty universe.

Her tears washed away the melted contact lenses off her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. Once blown by the wind, her dried tears hardened and sparkled upon reflecting moonlight. They roll on the ground, shimmering.

He opened his palm below her face, catching her diamond tears. His lips gaped open with a wonderstruck expression written all over his place. In that moment, his fascination weighed more than his worry for the Princess. It was his first time to see the mythological diamond tears of a Warlock lady. He could only imagine it before based from the stories of his parents, Uncles, and Aunties, back when it's Empress Siofra who shed them. His Uncle Paris always boasted that he picked up some then sold them with the same people for research. And right now, he's seeing the real deal.

"M-My Lord...?" Moon murmured between her sobs.

The man went back to his self and kept the diamond tears in his clenching palms. He cupped her face, wiping her face gently with his gloved hand.

"Princess, w-what's wrong? I-I'm sorry---"

He shook his head, shaking off the exciting thoughts in his mind to focus on the lady's distressing state.

Moon bit her lips inward. She looked down.

"I-I got scared... The b-blindfold... I can't see a-anything. I-I'm scared."

A weight fell on the Young Lord's chest. It was guilt.

"I'm sorry. I should've asked you. The blindfold is for the surprise. I hope you forgive me," he sincerely apologized and looked for Wattroid.

Wattroid ran to them with his master's cloak. The Young Lord helped Moon to get back on her feet and wrapped the cloak around her shoulders.

"Did I...spoil everything? Was I... I'm sorry for being dramatic. I didn't mean to..." Moon looked down, right hand squeezing her left arm.

The Young Lord gasped.

"No! Why would you think---You're not being dramatic. Your feelings are valid and you don't need to hold them back when I'm around, because I'll be here to support you. Help you. Princess, never have I ever thought that you are being dramatic. Truth is, you've been bottling everything all this time."

Tears welled in her eyes once again.

"Thank you... You are very kind."

The Young Lord pulled her gently for a compassionate embrace.

The Young Lord's family stopped by the staircase when they saw what he did. They decided to follow him and Celia, leaving the Imperial Family behind. They followed him as his family. Though their minds are being flooded by thoughts, the scene that welcomed them made it go blank for a second.

"My Wattsy is in love with Moon?" Lady Elektra sniffled, riding her eldest brother's back.

"Get off of me, Elektra. You're heavy, believe me."

"That's not a nice thing to say to a lady," Grand Duke Voltage said to his son while his eyes are locked on his youngest.

Watts Xirquit placed his hesitating hand on her head, gently brushing her soft hair.

"We can get to the surprise later once you're calm and fine. Wattroid, get her a glass of water, please. Thank you."

"Wattroid is on the way. And you're welcome, Master!"

Wattroid casually walked back to the Palace. He beamed a smile at his Master's family before passing them by to get what he was ordered to. On the other hand, the two sat by the ledge of the fountain.

"May I hold your hand?"

The Young Lord asked, shocking the Princess.

"P-Pardon? My hand?"

He smiled and nodded, "Well, I read that holding someone's hand will help the other to calm down."

It was a lie. He just wanted to hold her.

"I-Is that so? But I'm f-fine now..." Moon looked away with a blush on her cheeks.

The Young Lord lightly scratched his head with an awkward smile. He failed.

"But if I told you that I just wanted to hold your hand, would you let me?"

Moon's heart skipped a beat. She looked back at him and flinched when she found how intensely he's watching her. His blue eyes are full of hope.

"O-Okay... But please be careful... My claws are p-poisonous..."

Both their cheeks and ears burned red. They even looked away at the same time as their hands travel to seek for each other. When their pinky fingers touched, they felt bolts of feelings run down their spines.

"W-What in the K-Drama am I seeing!" Lady Elektra squealed and tweaked her brother's hair here and there.

"Elektra---! Can you not!?" Lord Ohms groaned.

"T-Thank you. If you feel uncomfortable, please tell me so I can let go," the Young Lord said and cleared his throat.

"N-Not at all! I'm not feeling uncomfortable at all! P-Please don't let me go..."

Both of them covered their red faces with their other hand.

Lord Ohms looked at his parents to see their reaction. As usual, their father is solid with an unreadable blank expression on his face. On the other hand, their mother is smiling while cheering for her son silently.

"Moon is stealing my Wattsycakes from me! He's my baby~ Naur~ My babycakes!" Lady Elektra sobbed dry tears on his brother's shoulder and locked his neck in her arms.

"Elek---ack! Stop!" He pinched her leg and she cried out in pain. In return, she bit his neck hard. Hurt, Lord Ohms bent over and pulled his sister to the front by her hair to forcefully get her off of him.

"Ouch! Dad, Ohms did it again!" The Lady cried while lying on the stairs.

The Grand Duke looked down on her, then massaged his temples by the sight. It gave him an instant deja vu, something he often sees before. The Lady indeed is the xerox copy of her mother.

"What a headache. Send her somewhere, Dad. Tsk."

Lord Spikes sighed first before helping his sister.

Wattroid came with a pitcher of cold water and served Moon a glass. Moon thanked him with a smile and accepted the glass of water. The Young Lord sent Wattroid signals, so the moment Moon returned the glass to him, he went back to put the pitcher and glass back before proceeding to the surprise.

"Moon, will you find it scary if I were to cover your eyes? For the surprise."

Moon blinked in innocence.

"H-Hmm? O-Oh, I guess not. I am comfortable with H-His Lordship..."

Once again, their cheeks burned red and looked away.

"Ah, what lovebirds!" King Liorei poetically entranced and stopped by the Xirquits. Skadi Eira went on, walking down the stair with Princess Lorreign following her. She is holding her tray of food, taking chances to get close to her future stepmother.

"Who would've known that there's a fine man inside Wattroid? Ah, I do. He told me." He laughed, trying to get on the nerves of the Xirquits.

He then looked at them with a vicious smirk, "The boy trusts me more than they trust you now. You may gain his trust someday, but know that it'll never be the same. Turns out that boy is as vengeful as his Uncle Max. Scary." We're his last words to the family before he strut to join the group by the fountain.

Their jaws clenched as seriousness dominated their faces.

"Elektra," the Grand Duchess called, "Dig whatever you can dig about Sun. Leave Moon to me. I'll do the job. And Spike, keep an eye on Sun's knight. I'm pissed."

Grand Duke Voltage noticed how tight she's clenching her fists, so he hold them to loosen them. He kissed her tears before she turn around to sob in his chest.

"My baby boy is mad at me. I can't bear it. I missed him so much and I can't even hug him."

He tapped her back and kissed her head.

"We'll be alright. You know him, he's stubborn but he'll give in. Let's not bother them right now. I'll talk to him tomorrow," the Grand Duke assured and kissed his wife again.

Lord Ohms watched his parents silently.

"What are you staring at? Jealous? Find your own wife," the Grand Duke haughtily remarked, and his son rolled his eyes on him.

Going back, the Young Lord guide the Princess in the middle while covering her eyes.

"I'd count 10 down to 1. Open your eyes when I told you to, alright?" He whispered on her ear in his low voice. The Princess gulped and obediently nodded her head.

"I'll be here. I'll let you go now. Don't be scared, Princess. I am here."

He slowly removed his hands off her face and walked back.

Prince Maxigaufeas slammed his hands on the table when he couldn't bear the air that's suffocating him inside the Hall.

"Ah, I'm so curious about what he's gonna do. I don't want to play pretend with you. C'mon, Thirdy. Let's see what he's up to."

He looked back to Princess Eowyne and gave her a wink before leaving with his best friend. They locked each other's arms on their shoulders and whistled on their way out the door.

"Same. Let's go. This party is spoiled and boring now. Come, Queen of my heart, body and soul," Emperor Maxism agreed and asked the hand of his wife.

Empress Clastigaufeas glared at her husband, but he took her hand anyways.

"Me too. Please excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty. I'll leave my gifts to the Princesses to my Dad. Thank you for having me," Viscountess Givenchy's daughter excused and left.

After her were Moon's supporters. The Young Lord noticed that people are coming with curiosity. He shook them off and prepared himself.

"Wattroid, situation?" He asked as he open a magic circle over their heads.

The magic circle is a brilliant blue. Like his eyes.

The magic circle slowly pushed a giant balloon with Moon's drawn chibi face out of it. The Ancients were in awe, laughing at Moon's cute face.

A long string fell; the other end is tied on the balloon into a ribbon.

"Ready, Master!" Wattroid replied in his position.

"Good. I'm going to count now. Moon, are you ready?"

Moon nodded.

"Y-Yes! I'm ready!"

The Earthlings gathered outside, waiting for what's about to happen next.

And the countdown began, "10... 9..."

The Young Lord flicked his fingers. On the first flick, the orchestra he hired was summoned by the right side of the fountain. They are waiting for the his signal to play the piece he composed himself.

"...8... 7... 6..."

On the second flick, his subordinate, with a camera, was summoned on the left side of the fountain. Everybody's eyes squinted on the thing he's holding. He set the metallic thing in the air like a bird while his hands are holding a remote control. It's something the Ancients have never seen before. But the Earthlings? They were covering their gaping mouths.

"5... 4... 3..."

He flicked his fingers again and his three secretaries were summoned between Moon and the fountain. They were holding and hiding something in the gap between then.

"2... And 1..."

He breathe in deeply, preparing himself for the third flick of his finger.

"Moon, open your eyes."

And she does.

That's when he flicked his fingers.

Moon jumped in surprise when something loud shoot the sky. When it reached a point, the night sky became more alive when the fireworks burst in riots of colors, the same time the orchestra played the symphony the Young Lord composed himself with all his heart.

It was the first time. The very first fireworks show in Cosmo-Vale.

Those inside their homes ran outside to watch it play over them. Their hopeful eyes reflected every second of it, their breaths taken by how majestic it is. And just like Moon, they didn't realized that tears are rolling down their cheeks because of how beautiful the fireworks are. A core memory unlocked and will never be forgotten.

Dazzling arrays of reds, blues, greens, and their mixes painted the skies, and they bet the Deities in Heaven were watching, too. Each successive explosion seemed to compete with the last, creating a mesmerizing dance of lights. Golden sparkles rained down like celestial confetti, and trails of silver streaked across the sky like shooting stars. The resounding booms echoed through the air, vibrating in the chests of the onlookers.

The fireworks took on a life of their own, blossoming into intricate shapes and patterns. It even created Moon's chibi face. Giant flowers unfurled in the sky, their petals shimmering with a kaleidoscope of colors. Glittering comets streaked upwards, leaving trails of incandescent stardust in their wake.

It was a sensory overload, a spectacle of pleasure, a celebration of beauty and chaos that left the spectators breathless, their eyes wide with wonder.

King Liorei drifted his stares at the sky blue woman beside him, and couldn't help but laugh at the stupefied reaction he saw all over her face. When she heard him, she frowned at him.

The fading echoes of the grand finale lingered in the air, and as the last embers of light twinkled out, the crowd erupted into applause. The night had been transformed into a canvas of dreams, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still, enchanted by the ephemeral magic of the fireworks.

The orchestra played on even when after the last fireworks ended. Watts Xirquit walked to Moon's side and turned her around to face him. Her diamond tears are falling once again, and she's unaware of what her tears have become. Her lips are trembling, helplessly speechless in front of him.

He wore a genuine, soft smile on his lips and held her hand to pass the string to her. He then enclosed her hand in his hands.

"Moon," he called with his shaking breath.

He wiped his eyes when a tear fell from it.

Slowly, anticipation was built in the air.

He let out a laugh and hold her hand tighter.

"I don't know when it began. When I saw you that day, a heavy responsibility fell on my shoulders. It felt like what I saw was a sin. I know I will be damned if I let the whole world know, but I tried. At first, I wanted to be your friend. I wanted to be your ally. But then, during that year... I... I've been... That year..."

He gasped for air and solidified the strength on his weakening knees.

"There is no second where I am not thinking of you. I drowned myself in work, school, and business just to forget about you and forget how long I have to wait just to see you again. My feelings... My feelings of friendship for you grew into something... I-I am sorry. I shouldn't be feeling this but I can't help it. Moon---no, Azarese Elyzena..."

Moon's eyes widened from the name he called her.

"What should I do? It's growing each day. I want you. I need you. I've done everything I can just to be worthy. All of this just to deserve yo, but who am I fooling, though? These things will never be enough. You are a Princess. This is not me. I am not like this. You did this to me. You bewitched me. You completely enslaved my soul. Every time you will look at me, smile at me---don't you know how much it means to me? Don't you know how much I want to squeeze you in my arms, pull the most expensive ring, and marry you right there? I want you to only see me. Will it be too much to ask?"

He let her hand go and stepped back, covering his face in shame.

"At first, you were like a sister to me. Then, you've become a friend. Only a year and so much have happened to me. I don't understand anymore. I'm a grown man and you... You were just a child and I---! No, I swear that I've never seen you that way before. Ah, I'm so conflicted. I swear, I'm not a creepy person. I'm not a creepy person, Princess. That year made me feel so lonely and I realized that I... I..."

He loosened his tie and turned around to breathe. Moon just stood there, listening as her tears continue to stream. She want to squeeze her heart for racing insanely. It was so loud that she could hear it throb in her ears.

His eyes landed on King Liorei who's smiling at him. Then, he received an approving nod from her father, gaving him courage to say the words he's afraid to tell her.

He wiped his tears and faced Moon again.

"I love you, Holy Azarese Elyzena Warlock."

And there, another set of fireworks exploded in the sky the same time she felt her heart burst. Cupid played his part and made her pull the string. The balloon opening of the balloon opened, and rose petals and confetti showered over them. She watch them fall on her, opening her palms to catch them.

She lost balance from all that has happened, but the Young Lord was quick to pull her back to his arms.

She doesn't know what to react. All that she could hear were the loud fireworks display and the beating of her heart. Yet, his voice saying her name keeps on replaying inside her head over, and over, and over again. It was pure bliss.

Finally, two of his secretaries run on both sides, while the third remain in the middle. There, the tarpaulin with a question was revealed for her to answer.

"Princess, may I court you?"