03- Just like the Moon

She sat on the side of the bed humming an unknown tune while caressing the unruly brown locks of a young girl sleeping.

Seeing the child fast asleep she quietly left the room and walked back to her chambers.

That is until she found herself in front of Lester's office.

Debating herself whether or not it would be wise to ask him directly about her concerns, she still deserves to know the truth.

Before knocking she found her butler walking.

"Austin?" the brown haired girl asked in an unsure manner.

"Yes your highness?" He asked in a respectful tone.

"You know something I don't." She stated as the butler unknowingly flinch. "Mind telling me about it?"

"Yes. However I shouldn't be the one to tell you about it." He replied sternly.

She nodded in understanding before entering the office to ask Lester herself.

What better way to know the truth that to ask the one who knows it.

Outside Austin come across a maid who had been serving the family for years.

"You didn't tell her?" She asked quietly.

Obviously the servants knew about it yet decided it would be best if Lester would be the one who would tell her.

"I can't. Rather I couldn't." Austin replied in a low tone.

She only nodded and left.

After so many years, both had known the king and queen longer than any servants around.

The way all of them respected the two is also the way both had respected them.

Both of them are blessed with two children, the eldest being the age of 16 and the youngest at the age of 6.

They had been happily married for years already and had been ruling the country ever since the king was 14, he is now 34.

However, there's no such thing as a perfect fairy tale.

Although the country had prospered, the people loved them, blessed with two children, a single mistake took it all away.

Unknown to them, his death was only the beginning.

______________________________________________

"Lester?" She asked in a low voice as she closed the door behind her.

He hummed in response as he continued signing the documents in his desk.

"Heard that you have something to tell me. Can't you say it now?"

"Henry's dead." Lester replied in a monotone voice. Avoiding her gaze yet she could see no regret nor sympathy in his eyes.

She chuckled. "Our son is dead yet you didn't even tell me? Isn't that kind of sickening?" Her voice filled with mockery towards him.

"Andromeda. We all know he's gonna die either way this is all—"

"—inevitable, yes." Andromeda interjected. Her amber orbs filled with rage. "But it could be avoided, yet both of you didn't."

"We couldn't escape it either way." He replied in a cold tone not bothering to spare her even a glance.

"So you're telling me that the only solution to the problem is to face the problem itself head on?" Andromeda asked sarcastically.

"Precisely."

She scoffed. "Then why don't I go to see Celeste after all these years. Maybe I should have gotten rid of her years ago and none of this would have happened. Maybe our son might be alive!"

Andromeda yelled as her voice getting louder in every word she just said. She doesn't care if all the servants in the palace heard her raising her voice.

She doesn't care if anybody found her seething in anger.

"He's dead. That's all there is to it. Luna will be next in line for the throne."

"You want her to be the next queen?" She said in a low and dangerous tone.

"The future of the kingdom is in our hands now."

"She's six. She still haven't had a chance to be a child like normal kids her age. Are you gonna rob her childhood from her and prepare her for what? Be the next queen? Just for her to sit on the throne and look pretty?"

"I'm saying that she will need to prepare for the role."

"She won't be the queen until she prove herself be worthy of such title." Andromeda stated as she left Lester in a dazed in his office.

Who cares about Luna being the next in line. She's a kid.

She said all those words, knowing that she wouldn't let her child take the role that she's not suppose to play.

To Andromeda, she doesn't care about being the queen. She cares more about being a mother to her children.

She plays two different roles. Yet one is a lot more important than the other.

Before she was the queen of this country, she was a mother. A mother to a two children she loved. She won't hesitate to save her only child.

After all, she have to. Its her duty after all.

A duty she have to fulfill.

______________________________________________

"Do you have something to say Celeste?" The blue haired elf named Haine asked as he saw her deep in thoughts.

She shook her head and avoided his gaze, though he knew what exactly she was thinking.

He always see through her facade.

"There's no need for you to hide such things. I already know."

Celeste raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes at him, "Then why did you ask?"

"Confirmation." He shrugged.

They both sat on the patio basking under the moonlight staring at the sky filled with stars.

She was wondering how vast this world truly is.

"No need for me to say anything." Celeste said out of the blue, staring at his turquoise eyes that sparkles like gem under the light.

Within that light, shadows follow behind.

"No one will listen anyway." She leaned on his shoulder letting herself be comfortable towards him.

Haine hummed in response listening in every word she is saying.

In fact, he should. She is that person who would often hide their true feelings.

"Sometimes I wonder what would life be like if he was alive." Celeste muttered with a sorrowful look.

He knew what she meant, yet it would be better if he won't say anything.

Haine hugged her tightly, so tightly that he felt like she was going to slip away from his grasp.

"It's not your fault. I should have been there." She said in a low voice knowing that the blue-haired male blamed himself for his death.

His breath hitched. "I could have saved him."

"There's no use thinking about the past." Celeste whispered.

"I wonder how those two are feeling right now." Haine asked randomly, still holding her tightly in his arms.

Celeste thought for a moment before answering, "Lester wouldn't probably cared. Andromeda might be in denial, still not believing that he is dead and Luna.... I think both of them have no courage to tell the child, they might have to lie yet no lie lasts forever."

"She's going to be the queen one day." He commented.

Celeste chuckled, "Probably. Knowing Andromeda she is quite strict about her child's upbringing."

"Yeah.. And I really don't want to see her in this lifetime." Haine said in a sarcastic manner.

Celeste pulled away from the hug and hit Haine on his head. "Does that mean you will met up with her on your next life?"

He laughed nervously. "No use escaping my fate now."

"I agree. Even if we don't want to." She trailed off and stared at the moon covered by the clouds yet its brightness can be seen.

"Destiny seemed to put us in the same time at the same place."

Both couldn't argue with that. This is their third life now. Yet both of them still find their way towards one another.

"Celeste?" She hummed in response as she turned around to be meet by a pair of turquoise eyes. "Do you have a wish?"

She shook her head. "No. I think its quite ridiculous. Even if I do have one it wouldn't come true anyway."

A soft smile crept onto his face as he nodded in understanding.

"Well. I kinda wish sometimes to be just like you." Haine said in a tone full of respect.

Her eyes widen at what he said. Why would he yearn to be like her one day?

"You have this kind of aura that put me and the others at ease. Around you all of us felt safe. You are also very strong and kind at the same time.

Ever since then, I kinda wish to be just like you.

Someone that others can look up to."

'No. Please don't. It's not worth it. Don't make the same mistakes as I did and regret it later on.' Celeste thought to herself.

She opened her mouth to say something in response yet no word came out of her mouth.

Shaking her head a little she gave him a smile. A fake one. "I'm sure your dream will come true."

Haine nodded and bid her goodnight. She only nodded and watched him disappear from his sight. Just like the others.

He yearned to be just like her, yet she know that it will never happen.

How could he become her when she doesn't know what she is anymore.

Emotions.

Is something she disposed the moment her light died.

Ever since she was born, she was surrounded by darkness.

Her roses blooms from the vines she created.

The flowers are quite beautiful which is why she decided to put thorns around it.

Just like her.

Many would complement her beauty, yet it was all mere facade.

No one did hear her voice,

no one listen to the words she wanted to say.

She would always spend her nights staring at the moon for hours, feeling the darkness surrounds her.

During the darkest times, she let her demons took over.

They were the part of her.

A fragment of who she is.

Her demons know who she truly is yet didn't bother to tell her about it.

She has to discover it on her own.

Then she will found her true self.

Just like the moon,

Surrounded by darkness yet it shone brightly and filled with light.

Just like the moon,

She hid her other self without knowing it.

Just like the moon,

She is quite beautiful yet unreachable.

Just like the moon,

She'll never see the daylight.