((Note: This is more of an AU/original works than a rewrite! So MANY and I mean MANY creative liberties were taken here! And it is still updating! I am not sure how many chapters it will have...))
ETA: as of 2025 KOTS is set to become an original work in it's own universe!
((Synopsis: After her father's untimely death, 17-year-old astronomer/apprentice Asha has never wanted anything to do with magic or wishes again. So while trying to get time off for her grandfather's hundredth birthday, Asha unfortunately finds herself in the last place she wanted to be; at the heart of a magical conspiracy that could spell ruin for Rosas. Desperate to take action, Asha unknowingly calls upon a powerful force, which leads to far more trouble and adventure than she could have ever dreamed of.))
((Huge thanks to @wings-of-sapphire for giving me this idea))
The Prologue
Chapter 1: The Regrets
Chapter 2: The Market
Chapter 3: The Meeting
Chapter 4: The Proposition
Chapter 5: The Blackbird
Chapter 6: The Well
Chapter 7: The Star
Chapter 8: The Key
Chapter 9: The Prince
Chapter 10: The Starling
Chapter 11: The Dream
Chapter 12: The Return
Chapter 13: The Worry
Chapter 14: The Plan
Chapter 15: The Antecedent
Chapter 16: The Problem
Chapter 17: The Disaster
Chapter 18: The Solution
Chapter 19: The Reunion
Chapter 20: The Accommodation
Chapter 21: The King
Chapter 22: The Reception
Chapter 23: The Library
Chapter 24: The Clock
Chapter 25: The Spark
Chapter 26: The Scroll Part 1
Chapter 27: The Scroll Part 2
Chapter 28: The Scroll Part 3
Chapter 29: The Tree
Chapter 30: The Date
Chapter 31: The Date pt 2
Chapter 32: The Gathering
Chapter 33: The Favor
Chapter 34: The Game
Chapter 35: The Bakery
Chapter 36: The Breaking Point
Chapter 37; The AfterShock
Chapter 38: The Asterius pt 1
Chapter 39: The Asterius pt 2
Chapter 40: The Festival
Chapter 41: Paint the town red
Chapter 42: The Conversation
Chapter 43: Waltz of Monsters
A03:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Character Design/Visuals: ((Bear with me because these updates will be SLOW))
Asha
I'll release character notes and stuff after
CELESTIAL COURTS/Star Mythos:
Alpha Stars:
The Celestial Courts:
PSA:
Since I’m pretty much making it an original work in its own universe now I am going to introduce the concept of
HARVESTERS
Special humans who have the ability to harness the energy (aether) of the world around them in order to achieve incredible feats! They have different levels of ‘potential’ that allow them to tap into various levels of energy.
Most people are born with some level of potentials! (It’s very rare to see someone who has zero level of it) and the higher levels are often denoted by strange eye colors (yellow, silver, pink, etc) and was also the way the king found his apprentices.
Being a harvester is also genetic too.
TLDR: KOTS is more alchemy/supernatural based and doesn’t really operate on the level/concept of magic.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
The clouds slowly moved towards each other, rippling at the edges as the distance between them closed. But no sooner had the process begun than the clouds dissipated, reforming the distance between them completely.
“Aaarrrggghhh!” The king snarled as the nearby objects trembled.
With a flick of the wrist, several books levitated toward him, landing on the nearby wooden book stand as he paced about the balcony.
“It’s like it’s just mocking me at this point!” He snapped, his eyes glued to the still decimated sky above.
“With all of the maintenance and reinforcement I put into this forcefield, no weapon, army, or entity on earth could even dream of touching it, yet this…thing…just tore it apart-” He shook his head, running his hands through his hair as his pace quickened.
“Why?! Why does it persist?! After everything I’ve done and accounted for- how could this have happened?” He yelled to the sky.
Carefully, he paused, running his fingers through his hair as he took in a deep breath, regaining what little was left of his composure. “Fine then! Have it your way!” he declared. “You may have won this round, but this victory means nothing! You all are nothing! Do you hear me?! Nothing!”
“Screaming into the midnight sky again?” A voice hummed from behind as the headmistress’s robed figure stepped out of the shadows. “You truly are an enigma, your highness-,”
“Ha ha, very funny,” he scoffed, before gesturing to the small dots shining behind the dark clouds. “And it’s not like those things up there can’t hear me. I’ve been mapping the course of their trajectory these past few days, and it’s unmistakable. They’re moving closer. And given the timing of a certain yet boldly unwanted guest, I doubt that could be coincidental.”
“Indeed,” the headmistress nodded. “Although speaking of coincidences, I do believe I have something that might lift your spirits.”
“Oh?” the king grinned, leaning against the balcony as he examined his staff. “Try me.”
Stepping forward, she withdrew a small scroll before unrolling it over the wooden book stand. Her finger grazed the surface of the kingdom’s map before landing on one spot. “We found it… Intel believes that the reason for your current predicament resides within Hamlet.
“Tch,” the king scoffed as his terse footsteps neared her side. “I figured as much…after all, there’s only one place in that town that thing could hide,” he sneered, leaning over the map.
“And coincidentally with the only person in this kingdom that would house that thing just to spite me.”
“You think Sabino hates you that much? Given his family history, He was never quite fond of them either.”
“I know, but I also know that that old man would sooner make a deal with the devil than help me.” He frowned, massaging his temples. “How he, of all people, would be able to have enough power to summon a star again is…baffling…”
“Perhaps it’s not as baffling as you think…after all he is-,”
“Was-,” the king corrected.
“The father of a royal astronomer…”
“Ha! Both you and I know that means nothing to anyone now. Any way of communication would’ve been decimated a long time ago…”
“I know, but…You don’t suppose the star they sent was Sirius, do you?”
“No,” he shook his head. “Sirius is many things- none of them good, I assure you, but being this bold was not one of them-,” he settled against the nearby wall with a sigh as he crossed his arms.
“You’re still figuring out its identity?”
“For the time being…I’d say I’ve narrowed down the list of names quite a bit…I have my suspicions, but none of them are to my liking.”
“Then…What do you propose we do?”
“As of now?” He hummed, rubbing his chin. “Observation would be the safest option…”
“Yet not the easiest,” the headmistress replied, watching as the king moved back to the telescope. “Intel says they will be at the fair.”
“Oh?” the king blinked. “I don’t remember inviting them.”
“That’s because you didn’t. We were told it was by the prince’s orders-,”
“Ignacio’s hmm?” The king smiled. “Interesting…very interesting…who would’ve guessed that he would’ve finally found a way to be useful, now of all times…Nevertheless, do what you can, as discreetly as you can.”
“Yes, my king,” she bowed, stepping back to disappear into the shadows.
She drew in one breath, then another, her hands carefully feeling the fabric on her forearm that she knew had not been there previously.
In fact, she was quite certain that the clothes that she was now wearing weren’t there either.
But coming to in strange dresses was arguably the least of her current problems as her hands began to feel around the cool ground. A laugh escaped her as she thought of the sheer absurdity of the entire dream.
One moment she’d been there witnessing something shocking about her father’s hidden past, and now she was in another dark place about to witness who knows what.
Her eyes widened as she saw a small flicker of light appear, her eyes trailing it across the dark tiles all the way to a distant door that had been left partially open.
“Oh thank goodness,” she muttered, carefully prying the door open as the soft glow of candlelight greeted her from the hallway on the other side of the door.
The dark stone pillars entwined with glowing vines that greeted her weren’t an unwelcome sight as she stepped further into the hallway, soaking in the feel of the gentle cool breeze, gently swaying the hallway’s curtains.
She paused, stopping in front of a nearby mirror as she’d caught sight of her reflection.
As she suspected, she was no longer in her simple nightgown. The white ballgown and pearls that adorned her were a far cry from the clothes she usually wore.
Even her hair was nicely done, adorned with a crown of beautiful white flowers with a long veil embroidered with stars attached.
To say her outfit was beautiful would’ve been an understatement and yet…
“It all feels so familiar?” She wondered aloud as her reflection thoughtfully glanced back at her. “Like I’ve seen it somewhere before… no,” she shook her head. “This is all a dream, a figment of my imagination. If anything, I should focus more on what’s happening in reality now, not my mind.”
She nodded, firmly turning away as she began to descend the hallway.
If she’d had to wager a guess on where she was- she would’ve concluded it to be a castle of sorts. But what praytell could inhabit said castle was not something she was keen on finding out.
“Alright, Asha,” she started, trying to distract herself from how lonely her footsteps sounded echoing down the hallway as she passed the flickering candleabras. “Tonight has given you a lot to think about. So it seems like the only reason I was able to summon the star was thanks to the coin Miss Isla gave me. Now I’m not sure why or how she had it, but given how she’d told me her husband was an astronomer, it might not be completely coincidental. I also know my father had one too, one that he apparently used to summon the wishing star of all beings, and may or may not be the reason why that star named Arcturus wants to kill me…or worse.”
She halted. “Wait a second…wasn’t Arcturus that star whose name was scratched out in the journal? But didn’t the king kill him in Miguel’s play? Yeah,” she slowly nodded. “They had a whole refrain for it and everything! It was so annoying,” she groaned.
“Wait…but if the king killed him…why did he have his name down on the list of suspected identities for Cepheus? Heck, even the prince had suspected Cepheus could have possibly been working as a proxy for Arcturus…which is crazy because those two never ever remotely agree on anything, yet they both seem to think that Arcturus is involved to a certain degree. Granted, that doesn’t make them right, as none of them know that I was the one who brought the star down, but… If what the king said was true, then Arcturus shouldn’t be mentioned at all… he should be… dead…”
She took one hesitant step after another as her mind remembered…how Cepheus had looked when talking about Arcturus.
But it made sense, didn’t it?
If Arcturus was a crimson star, then of course someone from the cerulean and golden court would dislike or fear him.
“Right,” Asha muttered, her eyes turning towards the nearby pair of open balcony doors. From here she could see the stars shimmering in the dark sky above. A sight that she no doubt would’ve appreciated under better circumstances.
But with everything weighing on her mind, she hardly noticed anything as she continued slowly making her way down the hall.
“So many things aren’t adding up… the conflicting timelines…Dad speaking about the astronomers becoming unpopular…which means that they were still around while I was alive, but if that’s the case…where did they go? How did they disappear? Dad and the wishing star spoke about the affliction and whatever was killing the forests…but if those issues haven’t been resolved then…”
“Asha-,”
“Cepheus?” She jolted as all ideas of caution and stealth left her mind. “Cepheus,” she called, looking around for him. “Where are you?”
Quietly she listened, awaiting the sound of any response.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been walking when she began to hear it, a faint hum in the distance that only grew louder as she crept towards it.
Music?
But…Where was it coming from?
Her eyes searched the hallway as she slowed, cautiously following the sound. As welcoming as the sound of music was, she could make no mistake- she was no longer alone, or perhaps she’d never been.
Carefully she peered around the wall into the ballroom ahead.
Figures, far taller than any normal human she’d ever encountered, were socializing in a ballroom filled to the brim with tall dark trees.
All of them were clad in black outfits and masks, which spoke of affluence as pearls and various precious stones adorned them, contrasting perfectly with the dark feathers of their outfits.
All of the women had long intricate veils attached to their headpieces of flowers and horns.
If Corvias and the other crows had been here, Asha would’ve dared to have thought that they’d been flattered by these outfits.
Outfits? No- Asha squinted as she saw one figure raise her fan; her glove shifted slightly, allowing some of the feathers beneath the fabric to show.
“The feathers are growing out of their skin,” Asha whispered, hiding behind the door, hopefully out of the attendees' sight. “They must be some sort of shifters…or maybe they’re stars…but if they’re stars, which court are they from?”
All star courts seemingly had a trend of wearing colors in accordance with their court- yet she couldn’t recall hearing about a court that would’ve worn pure black like…
Her voice trailed off as she took note of the strange silence, now occupying the once lively ballroom.
She wasn’t sure if it had been out of foolishness or sheer curiosity that had compelled her to peer back into the ballroom- but when she’d seen the faces of all the attendees staring back at her in silence, she knew the answer.
Crimson.
It was the only way she could’ve described the horrible color burning through the masks’ dark eye sockets as she helplessly stepped away.
Running away would’ve been pointless- if any of these beings were half as fast as Cepheus, then she knew it would take them less than a minute to get to her.
She gulped, feeling her grip on her dress tighten as she refused to break eye contact with the unmoving crowd.
Her father was right.
Stars don’t breathe, and she doubted they were blinking behind their masks. No wonder he’d find them so terrifying. No. She couldn’t be scared.
If serving nobility and royalty had taught her anything- it was to never make your fear known. Not when they’d eat you alive for it.
Drawing in a breath, she’d straightened herself, silently praying that she looked far braver than she felt as she took a step forward into the ballroom, then another.
To her surprise. The stars didn’t attack, nor did they make any effort to move. It was only when she neared that they began to move, parting around her as if no one dared to touch her.
As she’d neared, she’d come to discover several things about the observing stars. What she’d once mistaken for elaborate embroidery had been bones carefully placed and woven onto the stars’ clothing. Beneath the beautiful veils and flower crowns of several female stars, she could see the hints of horns and scales.
Why had this all felt familiar? She wondered as the strange sense of Déjà vu returned as the figures around her watched.
It couldn’t have been their outfits evoking the sense of familiarity- maybe it was hers?
Their eyes rested on her shoulders like weights as she approached the center of the room, catching sight of the three figures beneath a red Asterius.
She hadn’t known who they were, but there’d been something strange she’d felt about them as she approached, watching as one of the figures- a male one, who had lacked the crimson eyes- turned towards her.
Carefully, he reached towards her, slowly offering his hand as she stopped, catching sight of the chains that hung around his wrists and arms.
Oh.
Oh no.
No wonder it had all felt familiar- the outfit he was wearing now was nearly identical to the one she’d seen Felipe wear at the festival!
But if he was the Prince, did that mean…that she was Arabella?
How had this happened? Why now?!
She doubted she’d have wanted to know the answer if it involved being kidnapped by the crimson court or worse.
Nevertheless, she knew she had to play along for now if she wanted to wake up alive.
Trembling, she’d reached for his hand, carefully taking it as he turned to leave through the darkened forest.
She looked up as the shrouds above parted, allowing the faint light of twin scarlet moons to peer through.
“I’m not on Earth anymore, am I?” She whispered.
As expected, the prince didn’t answer, merely pausing before he stepped aside to reveal a river running before them. Several smooth rocks lay scattered along a path-like pattern across the river.
“We’re not going to cross this, are we?” She asked, her hand finally slipping from his. Silence was once again her only reply as he’d stepped forward, fearlessly planting his foot on a rock, before turning towards her.
Okay. So it seemed as if they were going to cross this.
She scowled, looking down at the river as she took a hesitant step back. She wasn’t sure how deep the river was or how strong the current was, but if the prince had expected her to cross, then what choice did she have?
Perhaps she could stay, but with the crimson ones so nearby, she doubted any of its members would take kindly to an act of defiance against their prince.
So that had only left her two options: go and possibly drown, or stay and get slaughtered.
And unfortunately for her, she knew which one she would be (foolishly) choosing that night.
She took a deep breath, muttering a prayer as she gathered her dress in her hands and carefully leapt forward.
Relief filled her as she felt the rock materialize beneath her foot, and quickly rebalanced herself as she looked up. Her eyes met the prince who was only a few rocks ahead, waiting and watching.
And so they continued, one step after another; she’d followed him. A pattern nearly formed as her mind tried to focus on anything else but her current situation.
She hadn’t expected the water to be so clear as she took another step, carefully planting her foot on the next rock.
Perhaps it had been her imagination, but the more she looked at the water below, the more she could make out the outline of figures lifelessly floating near the bottom of the river.
She hadn’t been brave enough to ask the prince who or what the said figures were as she took his outstretched hand once more.
If those chained people she and the wisp had seen crossing the fields earlier had been anything to go by, then she doubted she wanted to know what was happening in the waters below.
They’d nearly reached the other side when the water around her began to ripple. Her reflection unnaturally distorted and changed as she crouched near to look at it.
At first the only thing she could make out was the darkening of her clothes as her gown turned to a midnight black. Her eyes squinted as she saw something move, an arm carefully wrapping itself around her reflection. Her reflection had offered no resistance to it- seemingly unaware as the hands gently settled around her shoulders, the blurry outline of its upper body appearing.
Its eyes snapped open as silver irises surrounded by burning crimson stared back at her.
A sharp snap caught her attention as she screamed, feeling herself falter before suddenly straightening. Her eyes darted around before settling on the prince. He was now standing beside her, his form still as he held her close.
His gaze never left her face as she stammered, pointing to the water, “t-the water! I saw something in it! See!”
Slowly they both looked down. She held her breath, expecting to see something, anything awful, only to spot-
“What?” She blinked, her normal reflection staring back. “No, I’m not crazy! I’m not! Something was there! I swear! It was!”
The prince merely stepped off, casting a simple glance over his shoulder as she sighed.
“Coming!” She called, if only to placate him, before she continued.
Her eyes never left her feet as the other side of the river grew closer and closer.
Unsurprisingly, no sooner had she reached the other side than did the star hold out his hand once more.
He’d held her hand a bit firmer before, she’d noted as they’d moved through the forest again. But she supposed she couldn’t blame him. She was so frightened by the reflection that she would’ve fallen in had he not been next to her, and who knows what would’ve happened to her then.
But that line of thinking only brought her to an uncomfortable truth; a crimson star, the enemy of her father and his entire legacy, had saved her life.
But why?
Maybe he hadn’t wanted to let go of her just yet- maybe he’d wanted her to die by his own hands and nothing else, she thought as she’d felt herself tremble.
Curiosity quickly melted into dread as they moved further into the darker woods. The gray light overhead dimmed and scattered as she stepped over the branches and shrubbery.
His hand gently tugged her towards the direction of a clearing beneath another Asterius. Several dark colored birds emerged from its upper branches, scattering into the shrouded sky above as their calls echoed through the silence.
“If you’re going to kill me,” she started, unable to keep the waver out of her voice as she lowered her gaze. Silence filled her ears as she took one step after another before kneeling on the ground. Her hands crossed over her chest. “All I ask is that you spare my family. Please.”
This was it. Any second now he’ll move to strike the killing blow and-
She gasped. Nearly startling as a hand slipped through her hair, gently tracing the tips of its claw along the edge of her jaw before settling beneath her chin, lifting her head.
Unlike the star she’d known who’d only ever been warm- his hands felt shockingly cold, even through the fabric of his gloves.
She glanced towards him, only to be met with the sight of the mask’s hollow eyes staring down at her.
Everything about this seemed gentle, too gentle for these circumstances, as she felt his hand drop from beneath her chin.
Cautiously she’d taken a step back, and then another. Her gaze never leaving his as he’d stood there motionless to the ever-growing distance she’d created between them.
Maybe…maybe she could run away? No, this place was probably crawling with crimson stars, ones she doubted would be as gentle or passive.
So what could she do?
The question remained unanswered as the star before her moved.
She couldn’t describe the sound that escaped her as his hand moved, far faster than her mind could, grabbing her and pulling her towards him, eliminating the carefully created distance she’d put between them.
How had he-
The scream died in her throat as she felt his hands wrap around her, holding her firmly. All but hurried backwards from him.
She hadn’t realized that she hadn’t been breathing until she’d felt him lean down, his mask close to her ear as she felt his grip resting on her backside tighten.
“Don’t.”
It was the only word he’d said as she took in one breath then another.
She didn’t know how long she’d been standing there, shakily breathing until she realized that her father was right.
Stars didn’t breathe.
But that hadn’t been the worst discovery she’d made as her eyes landed on the Asterius’s bark. The shadows, or what had appeared to once be shadows, had materialized into claws, carefully scraping alongside the Asterius’s bark, leaving thin trails in its wake. Red liquid swelled and flowed from the bark’s scratches as a face materialized in the shade of the Asterius.
A strange sound filled the air as she couldn’t stop herself from shaking.
“Asha,” the star spoke again. She braved a look upwards, noting that he was watching something, or…someone. “Asha.”
“Close your eyes. Think of somewhere else, and it’ll all be over.”
Easier said than done, but with the figure slinking out from the darkness, she felt more than encouraged to at least try.
She took in one breath- then another and then closed her eyes. For a moment she’d thought she’d felt a passing wind, but with all that was happening she wasn’t sure what was real or what she had been imagining.
Think of somewhere else.
Somewhere else, huh. There was only one other place she wanted to be right now.
Her eyes opened as she felt his grip on her slacken before withdrawing.
“My bedroom?” She started, looking around for any familiar sign of Valentino. “Am I awake now?” She asked, catching sight of herself in her broken mirror.
“No, not quite,” she murmured, her grip tightening on her dress skirt. She was still wearing this dress, so she must’ve still been asleep.
From behind her, she could spot the star’s dark figure. Oh…he was still here too? She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised, seeing as he was the reason she was here now.
He shifted, cutting her voice off as his body seemed to shudder.
“Are you…are you okay?” She asked as he leaned his body against the door and slowly pried the lower half of his mask from his face.
“I’m fine,” he replied. His posture said otherwise as he drew in a deep breath.
Why he was lying was beyond her- after all, it wasn’t as if she, the most powerless human, could do anything against a star of all beings. But she supposed she should still be grateful- he had, after all, somehow, someway saved her.
“Is that blood?” She squinted at the red liquid trailing from his mouth down his chin.
He paused, almost as if mulling over the question before he straightened himself. “It’s not my blood,” he smoothly corrected as she felt her concern partially melt into annoyance.
“Why am I not surprised?” She replied, turning to face her bed. Nothing in this dream made sense anyway.
Not the sprite, not the star, and especially not the things she’d seen or heard. A part of her had wished that this was all a dream, some feverish concoction of her mind, but another part had a sinking feeling that maybe there was some reality to all this.
“The one court,” the star’s voice came from beside her, interrupting her thoughts.
“What?” She snapped, partially turning as she felt her back almost collide with him. She hadn’t hit him that hard, but he’d felt as concrete as the stone door she’d nearly run into earlier.
“Of course you’d come across and draw the attention of the one court capable of killing someone in their dreams…”
“The one what?” She repeated, immediately backing away a few steps.
But unlike before, he seemed intent on closing the distance. Silently moving as she watched, his fingers grew into claws, and his feathers appeared before quickly reversing as he shuddered once more and straightened himself.
“What? What are you doing?!” She snapped, feeling the back of her legs hit her bed, effectively cornering her.
The Prince didn’t reply, merely standing over her as she looked past him and to the door.
She wondered if she could bolt past him, but the thought of facing whatever lay on the other side of that door was more than enough to keep her in her place before he continued speaking.
“You weren’t supposed to be here-,” his hand rested over his mask, shifting it enough as he began to lean forward.
“Whoa- whoa hold on!” She cried, collapsing back onto the bed as the prince’s weight settled on top of her.
This was it. She’d been foolish to forget that beyond their beauty, stars were above all else dangerous, and now she was going to pay the price for her folly one way or another.
“Dinner!” She cried, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt him shift above her.
He stopped. “What?”
“I said if you’re going to pin me down on a bed like this, the least you could do is give me dinner first!” Confusion filled her at the sound of laughter- no, not just laughter…Cepheus’s laughter as he carefully peeled himself off of her. “You-!” She started, sitting up. “I outta kill you for this!”
He stopped laughing as he carelessly tossed his mask from his face. The mask was soundlessly swallowed by the floor as he replied: “Fair enough.”
“Fair enough?! Fair enough!!” She indignantly repeated, forcing herself to her feet as she angrily stepped towards him. “Why are you dressed like the prince from Waltz of Monsters? Was that the crimson court back there?! If so, why were you with them?! How were you with them?! How did I get here? Did you have anything to do-,”
“Whoa whoa whoa,” he held up his hands in a surrendering gesture as he took a step back. “Okay, first of all, it’s great to see you too.”
“Oh no you don’t-,” she pointed towards him. “You are not changing the subject! Not this time! Do you hear me?! You are going to answer my questions!”
“Yes, yes, I hear you,” the star nodded with a less-than-happy expression. “But one question at a time, please. But to start, yes, it really is me. Corvias told me that you’d fallen…ill.”
“So…you came back?”
“Yes.”
“From Amala’s?”
“Yes.”
“You’re in my bedroom right now?”
“I am…”He blinked. “Why do you sound so shocked? Did you not expect me to return?” He asked as her hand lowered.
No…not really…” she confessed. “I don't know why I thought that you wouldn’t…it’s just…That with everything that’s been happening to me lately, it feels like I just haven’t had a minute to just sit down and clear my head.”
“I know…” he spoke so softly, “So much has happened to you these past few hours. Some of which is my fault…”
Her gaze slightly lifted as she felt the bed depress under the new weight next to her. “What do you mean?”
He stared at the floor, as if trying to determine something before he lowly spoke. “It seems like there’s another star in Rosas.”
“Really?” Asha breathed. “Do you think they’re the reason why I’m sleeping like this?”
“Yes…your sleep is unnatural. But you needn’t worry,” Cepheus smiled. “They won’t be able to do anything to you after tonight.”
“But what if they need help? What if there’s something they’re trying to tell me, Cepheus? The things I’ve seen in this dream can’t be a coincidence- I mean, the conversations between my father and…” she halted mid-step. “Wait…Cepheus, have you heard of a star named Earendal?”
His smile vanished. “Yes,” he slowly nodded. “I have.”
“Who was she?”
“Earendal is the name of the wishing star.” “Why do you ask?”
“Oh…oh my gosh…” She stood up, pressing her fingers against her temples as she began to pace. The pieces all connecting. “It all makes sense now…why my Dad was so scared…why Arcturus would hunt him down…why Arcturus would want to kill me…oh my gosh…”
“Your father summoned Earendel?” Cepheus called from behind her. The way he’d said it had been…simple enough, yet there was something in his voice that had brought her to a complete halt.
For a moment, a part of her had contemplated lying to him, but if what he’d said was true about another star being in Rosas, then the time for lies and secrets would do no good for neither of them, not when so much was at stake.
“I…I think so? I don’t know why, but I think he did it with the same kind of coin I used to summon you, and Arcturus wants to kill him for it…was Arcturus out there?”
“No,” he shook his head. “Thankfully not this time.”
“What about Earendel?”
“What about her?”
“I know that this is personal, so you…you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. Is she the wishing star you were close to? The one who told you about humans? ”
The silence that followed was long, or perhaps it just felt long as she wasn’t used to seeing him so still. “Yes,” he finally answered.
“I…I’m sorry…”
“I didn’t know there were multiple wishing stars-,”
“Not precisely. In theory, while every star has the potential and capabilities to grant a wish, there is only one wishing star capable of granting wishes regardless of politics, court desires, and whatnot. It’s not an inherited position per se. The wishing star is born, not made. There’s usually one per era- but they’re all connected.”
“Oh…” she fidgeted. “But if this era’s wishing star is a cerulean star, then why is a crimson star of all beings so angry at her absence?”
“Politics,” he replied after a beat. “Because the wishing star can theoretically be born from any court; their position is uniquely exempted from politics. Unlike other stars who are drawn to certain wishes depending on what kind of star they are, the wishing star is exempt from that. She has indiscriminately immense power to grant any wish. Which makes them unique.”
“Unique? But I thought every star had that power to grant every wish?”
“Ehhh,” he frowned. “Theoretically yes, but usually said stars try to stick to the kinds of wishes that attract their court.
“Do you think he’s still after my family? Or me?”
“It’s a possibility…” he sighed, closing his eyes as he lay against the bed.
“Who is Arcturus anyway?”
“That isn’t really something you should discuss in a dream like this one, for that matter. But the answer to that question can range from any to everything. Tyrant, guardian, protector, murderer. It’s all a matter of perspective.
“ Is he the Nocturnes?”
“No, that’s Polaris. Polaris is the reigning Nocturnes.”
“Oh…are they related to each other?”
“Unfortunately….” he turned, rolling onto his side to face her.
“What?” She frowned at him.
“I said…” he drew in a breath. “That this is my fault. I should’ve protected you better.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” she spoke with a small smile. This was most certainly not fine. But she’d rather lie than have the both of them be miserable.
Unfortunately for her, the star hadn’t looked convinced. “How is this fine?”
“Well,” she started. “It’s given me a lot to think about…earlier maybe I was too quick to internalize everything that I think I projected it all unfairly onto my Dad without thinking things through…it was as if I was thinking that he saw me the way I see me, instead of how he used to see me.”
“What do you mean?”
She looked away. “My Dad loved me. He loved me both before and after he found out I’d never be talented in the way most would expect me to be. He didn’t think any less of me, or was ashamed of me. …Yet I couldn’t remember any of that earlier…” she paused, letting the silence linger as she rested the side of her face in her palm, before she drew in another deep breath.
“You think I would’ve avoided that mistake…being his daughter and all, I’m supposed to know him better than anyone…but with everything I see and know, now I feel like I don’t know anything about him. It’s like I was only on the outskirts of my dad's life…And I know it’s unreasonable…” she confessed. “But I guess I’ve just always been on the outskirts of things. Like I can never fit in no matter how hard I try…I mean, look at you- you’re a complete outsider, but you’ve managed to fit in with everyone better in a few days than I ever could despite living here my entire life.”
A small part of her hadn’t expected the star to remain silent. Was he listening? Thinking?
She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
She sighed. “It’s shameful… this kingdom was my dad’s work, his legacy…yet I’ve always felt like more of an outsider in it than anywhere else, and maybe I was always one…”
“How?” His fingers gently grazed the back of her arm as the bed shifted beneath his weight. He was probably fully facing her now. “Isn’t Rosa’s the only place you’ve ever known?”
“It is, but…that doesn’t mean it’s always felt like home,” she couldn’t stop her voice from wavering. “When I was younger, I used to think that people in the courts didn’t like me because I was only half Rosarían. So half of me didn’t have the history or connection that they did. I wasn’t one of them. Not completely.”
“If it’s of any consolation,” he spoke gently. “I know what you mean…”
“Being from two different courts- having historical records of your grandparents constantly trying to kill each other-,”
“What?”
The corners of his lips twitched as he sighed before continuing, “-not many knew what to make of me as well. It always felt like I was on the outskirts as well. Always too much yet too little- fitting in isn’t much of an option.”
“I’m sorry…”
“What for? I’ve gotten over it-,”
“So? It shouldn’t have happened at all! So what if you came from two different courts?! What you are isn’t who you are!! You’re so much more than that!”
“Really?” He blinked, but whether it had been in surprise at her words or her fuming, she couldn’t tell,
“Of course, really!” She huffed. “How dare they-,”
A slow grin came to his face. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were angrier about what happened to me than yourself.”
“How couldn’t I be?” She huffed. “It’s bad enough knowing you grew up alone as a baby star in the nebulous nursery. Then you had to go through those gruesome trials. It’s awful!”
Maybe that’s why he’d been the star to answer her wish. Maybe they really did understand each other.
“Were things any different with your family?”
She hadn’t expected him to answer; maybe that’s why his reply had startled her so. “…not particularly.”
His voice had been perfectly even, not betraying any hint or trace of emotion as she felt the pit in her stomach deepen. He was opening up to console her; perhaps she shouldn’t pry-
“Go on,” his voice interrupted her thoughts. “I know you want to ask something, so go ahead.”
“Are…you sure? I don’t want to be invasive.”
“Yes, but I’d rather you be curious than dispirited, so go ahead. Ask away.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you mean it? You’re awfully dodgy with questions-,”
“Not this time,” he replied with a smile as he crossed his hands beneath his head. “Think of it as a penance for me.”
Penance was a bit severe, but it wasn’t like he was exactly forthcoming…She pursed her lips, turning to face him with a huff. “Fine then, since you insist - I know of your father, but what of your mother?”
“My mother?” He repeated, as his smile dissipated. “What about her?”
“You never talk about her, so I was just curious…Is she still alive?”
He blinked, “yes…she’s…very much alive…”
“Why the hesitation? Do you know her? Who is she? Did she name you?”
“Asha-,” the star whined.
“You said you preferred me to be curious than dispirited!”
“I know, but still, why can’t we talk about something pleasant?”
Something pleasant? Hmm, it was unfortunate that he considered the topic of both of his parents anything but pleasant.
Admittedly, a part of her had felt bad. Sure, they were from different worlds and experienced everything, but at least she’d have the love and support of her family. Ceph had had-…none of that apparently.
“Asha,” he spoke, drawing his attention back to her. The smile on his face not reaching his eyes as he continued, “I’m going to need you to take whatever assumption you have about the relations between my family and me- and go for the worst one.”
“The worst one? No, no, I’m not going to make assumptions about people, er entities I haven’t met. That’s unethical and hypocritical!”
“Is it now? Even with my permission? It’s not as if you’d be too far off from the truth anyway…” his gaze returned to the ceiling. Soft blues, indigo, and purples endlessly swimming in his eyes before he closed them.
“My parents weren’t together. I..It’s complicated. ” his lips pressed into a thin line.
A queasy space made its way into her stomach as she frowned. She wished she knew the right thing to say. The exact words that would make him feel better- but as her mind went blank, the only thing she could do was blurt out his name as she staggered to her feet. “Cepheus-,”
“Hmm?”
“If I ask you this question, you need to promise you won’t laugh…”
“Alright?”
“I know you’re talking about wanting to protect me better, but…”
“But?” He repeated, sitting up.
She cleared her throat. “But what else could you do? You’re always physically present and whatnot.”
“I wasn’t this time He retorted, his voice strangely cold. “That’s why they were able to pull you into this.”
“But that’s only because I asked you to leave for Amala’s grandmother’s sake. So it technically isn’t even your fault…how is her grandmother doing?”
“Her grandmother is fine.”
“Well, given that it’s more or less been decided that I’ll be leaving Rosas, my question is, what if... could I? Maybe? Please? become your astronomer?”
The silence that followed felt…loud…and wrong.
“My…astronomer?” He repeated.
“Y-yeah, if you want! I mean I can’t force you or anything, but from what we’ve seen, even the crimson court had to respect the order's power- but I…I understand if you don’t want me to be your astronomer…” Oh, what was she doing?! Tying herself down in service to another person of power just because they were nice to her?!
Maybe her Saba was right- where was her self-respect?
“Never mind-,” she started, trying to ignore how the room seemed to tilt and spin as she stepped away. But she never made it far as she felt something gently, albeit firmly, grasp her wrist.
“No no, it’s fine! I-,” his words faltered as his gaze fell to her wrists. “Asha, you’re burning with fever.”
“No, I’m fine!”
“You’re sick.” His eyes narrowed.
“Don’t bring Corvias into this…and don’t change the subject either!” She demanded, with far more power than she knew she had.
And yet for whatever it was worth, the star seemingly allowed it as his eyes refocused on her, and with a simple gesture she felt herself be pulled into his grasp.
He looked down at her before softly speaking, lMy hesitation has nothing to do with you… It’s more about me.”
“You?” She repeated.
“Yes…I..I just don't want you to regret it if you were to become my astronomer…”
“How would I regret it? We’re friends, Cepheus-,” she sighed, closing her eyes.
“I know, but the relationship between an astronomer and a star is completely different…I…I’m only going to disappoint you just as I have everyone else.”
“Disappoint me?”
“What if I’m not the person you want me to be? What if I’m something far worse? What would you do, Asha?”
“I wouldn’t do anything,” she answered.
“Oh?”
“We didn't become friends because you just so happened to be this perfect person. We became friends because despite all of our differences and disagreements…we could accept and understand each other. People form relationships with each other not because they’re who the other wants to be but because they can find middle ground to accept each other regardless of flaws and differences.”
Maybe she was just hallucinating, but she swore she could’ve heard laughter as she felt something cool rest against the side of her face.
“What are you laughing for?” She grumbled, clumsily rubbing her eye. “I didn’t say anything funny-,”
“You didn’t,” he agreed, his voice strangely echoing despite their proximity. “I’m just surprised that’s all.”
“What the heck is a being who breaks the laws of science for fun, surprised over?”
“You.”
She’d scowled, placing a hand on her face to gingerly massage her temples.
Gently, she felt something- maybe him- tilt her head to the side, where his figure loomed above her.
When had he gotten above her? No, or maybe she’d always been beneath him?
“There’s a lot about you I don’t understand,” his voice echoed, as she winced.
“Oh?” It was hard to see him as her vision blurred and the objects in the room melded together. Her grip on the bed loosened as she felt herself slip, before coming to a gentle halt. His fingers tapped lightly on her arm as his eyes appeared above.
“At times…You and I aren’t so different…How could you be so passionate about my suffering yet so despondent about your own?”
“I….I don’t follow…are you complaining that I’m angrier about your pain than my own?”
“No.” He was holding her as if she were his, and as if she’d simply slip away the minute he ceased to do so. “I only ask because how you act defies a law of nature…”
“A law of nature?” she blinked, as he leaned down, holding a clawed finger over her.
“It’s only instinctual that when an animal...is exposed to something that brings them pain…threatens their wellbeing, that they do everything in their power to remedy the situation…You, however, seem more or less resigned to your suffering.”
“It’s not resignation…For better or for worse, I’ve been living like this for years. I’m more or less used to this, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one on this planet who lives like this…but the things you’ve been through…I just don’t understand why anyone would make a child suffer like that.”
“My suffering made me stronger… it gave me purpose.”
“Did it? Because it all just seems unfathomable to me…”
“Unfathomable but not meaningless. Nothing you’ve endured has made you better. Everything they’ve done to you has only been to bring you closer to ruin.”
She scowled, her fists tightening as she snapped, “Oh yeah? And what pray tell is your purpose exactly? You’re just a peasant star granting wishes, remember? Nothing in that job description justifies you throwing yourself into an oceanic hell unless you're granting the wishes of an evil tyrant or something!”
It took her a moment to realize that the faint vibration she felt was a byproduct of his laughter as his eyes brightened.
She couldn’t understand what he was saying in that moment or if he’d even been talking to her at all.
This was a dream. It had to have been. Maybe even A nightmare. There was no way Cepheus could be holding her or talking like this.
It just didn’t make sense. But as quickly as it had all started, it ended as she’d felt herself come to with a start- her lungs gasping for air as she felt her nightgown cling to her.
Her gown, jewelry, veils- all of it was gone, vanished as if it had never existed to begin with. And maybe it hadn’t, but if that was gone then-
Trembling, her hand reached out- clutching the sheets, her hair, everything as her eyes searched the room. A sob of relief nearly escaped her as she spotted Valentino’s sleeping form next to the foot of her bed.
Oh, thank goodness. Valentino was back. But if he was back then, that must’ve meant that she was awake, right?
All of those scenes of those chained people in the field, of the conversation between her father and the king, then her father and Earendel, and the crimson court.
All of that had been a dream, right?
Yes. It was a dream.
A wonderful, horrible dream.
That she suspected was far closer to reality than she would’ve liked.
Slowly, the bed had creaked beneath her weight as she’d risen to her feet, careful to not wake up Valentino or any of the sleeping crows that had come into view.
Ah, they were still here? It had made sense given how Cepheus had said they’d gone to fetch him upon discovering her asleep. She just hadn’t expected to see them stick around. But if they’d wanted sleep after the night they’d had, who was she to bother them?
Her eyes settled on the smaller yet familiar figure of her birds huddled together, sleeping peacefully on her windowsill as she placed a hand over her heart.
Had her birds come to check on her, too? Even after she’d miserably failed to protect them? Yet here they were in her room.
She would have to bring them something nice from Banquo, something that she hoped would be enough to make it up to them.
She'd nearly made it a few feet away from the bed when she heard a small noise.
She wasn't sure if it had been a whistle or her imagination, but upon hearing it for a second and third time, she was in no mood to take any chances as she'd quickly reached beneath her bed and grabbed her falchion.
aiming its blade as she slowly began to move towards the source of the sound, which fortunately hadn't taken her too long to find, as she'd spotted it on the ground.
“Cepheus?” she whispered without thinking as she lowered the blade. She hadn’t expected to see his sleeping form lying on the ground, nor had she expected to learn that he snored.
Half of his body had been obscured by the blanket, as His hair, which was looking noticeably longer, was splayed out around him as he haphazardly slept (was he sleeping?) against the pillow. Her lips curved at the sight of a small red fabric that covered his face.
Had he kept the little blanket she'd knitted for him? Better yet, he actually used it?
She couldn't stop herself from quietly giggling as she stepped over him.
A passing gust of wind greeted her as she reached towards the window, surprised to see that it was still open.
Ah, he and the others must've entered through the window, she thought as she pulled back the curtains. From this distance, she could see the outline of the village's lights flickering in the distance as well as the faint shroud of the castle that sat so far away.
The same castle she'd seen the wisp point to, as she'd shivered against the incoming cool breeze.
“I’ll find you,” she whispered to the night sky. “And I’ll make things right.”
It hadn’t taken her long to realize that the promise she’d made would be anything but easy.
It had all started after she’d sat at her window, taking in the cool midnight breeze as she’d pulled the old astronomer's journal from her satchel.
Common sense told her to return to her bed. After all, she had a big day waiting ahead of her.
But she couldn’t have just drifted off to sleep- not when she’d had research to do.
Yet for all her efforts she’d come up short. Yes, a part of her had expected the search to be unfulfilling as she’d remembered the various scratch marks and blotting of Arcturus’s name from the journal, but that couldn’t explain why the information on the celestial courts was so lacking.
The journal had many chapters dedicated to the cerulean and silver courts, often sketching in detail the various court members and locations.
But then there’d been the chapter on the crimson ones. No calling it a chapter was far too generous, as it had only amounted to this:
‘The crimson ones.
They tend to remain amongst themselves, seldom, if ever, seeking the company of others.
Despite being stars, they all lack the warmth of their contemporaries. Despite the passion and rage that attract them, their touch is ice cold.
Okay- why anyone would want to touch a crimson star of all things was beyond her, but that hadn’t explained why the book, which had always been so instructive in nature, had failed to go into more detail. Yet in this instance, the chapter that should’ve been dedicated to the crimson ones contained more blank pages than anything else.
Had it been because the chapter for the crimson ones had been placed near the end of the journal?
No. Surely the author would’ve wanted their reader to be well versed in the intricacies of one of, if not the most violent, courts, wouldn’t they?
Yet all that had been mentioned was the crimson ones having cold skin. Seriously, that was all the author could talk about, the nocturnes? What about Polaris? Antares? Maybe even Betelgeuse?
Ugh….
“Chirp!”
She whirled around, her blade nearly glowing silver as she pointed it towards the source of the sound. “Anka?” She whispered as the now much smaller Phoenix blinked at her.
A sigh escaped her as she lowered her blade, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. “Good God, Ankaa, don’t scare me like that-,”
“Chirp!” The Phoenix chick replied, tilting her head ever so slightly as she gazed back at Asha. Then she straightened herself, rustling her feathers as if she’d never given the moment a second thought before spreading her wings.
A small yelp escaped Asha as the Phoenix neared, quickly soaring around her before comfortably planting herself on the wick of a candle seated on her desk.
She wasn’t sure whether or not this was Ankaa’s way of apologizing, but if it was, she’d take it.
“Thanks, Ankaa.” She smiled.
Wait- she squinted at the journal beneath her.
“Wait, Ankaa- illuminate this again for me, right here-,” she pointed to the blank page.
It was the diagram of a single eye- its sclera a deep scarlet as the iris was a bright silver. It was strange- it had only been a drawing, yet it had almost felt like the eye was staring at her.
Surely that wasn’t the case, right?
“The royal crimson eye…” she murmured. Only revealed under the flames of a Phoenix… "But why hide it in plain sight?”
There’d been no answer to her question as she continued flipping through the journal, disappointed to see that even under the Phoenix’s flame, the other pages were still empty. All she’d found had been half-written sentences that had read more like a poem or song than anything else.
She sighed, slumping as she placed her head in her hand. “Come on, Dad,” she begged. “Please tell me you at least have something-,”
Unfortunately for her, just like the astronomer’s journal, her father had nothing.
“Seriously?” she muttered, flipping through the pages. “How could you not have the tiniest bit of intel on the one court that poses the biggest threat to you!”
“Asha?” The voice was so soft she’d nearly missed it the first time until it came again, accompanied by a gentle knock. “Asha, are you awake?”
“Shh!” she hissed to the unbothered phoenix chick still nestled on top of her candle wick as she stood up. “That’s my mom!”
“Chirp.”
“Asha?”
“Yes, Mom,” she finally answered, turning to face the door. “I’m awake…” She hadn’t shared the phoenix’s apathetic sentiments as she cautiously approached the door. “Please,” she prayed. “Don’t let my Mom come in.”
“Oh okay…Your grandfather had tried to talk to you earlier, but he’d said you were sleeping very hard….Have you…have you been eating properly?”
“I’m fine, Mom. I work in a castle, remember? I might not be able to do much, but eating three meals is the least I can do.”
“Asha…” her mother’s voice replied as the books slid from her grasp, and she winced.
“This isn’t about what you can and can’t do-,”
“Isn’t it?” “If I could do everything my colleagues and employer could, then these assassins wouldn’t be a problem. We wouldn’t need to flee. We wouldn’t need to hide elsewhere. You and Saba wouldn’t need to yell at me-”
“We shouldn’t have yelled at you,” her mother interjected. The quietness in her voice brought her hand to a pause. “And I’m sorry we did…but you must understand you shouldn’t have kept such a thing from us. If you’re in trouble, then we deserve to know. You are my daughter. What do you think I would’ve done if something horrible had happened to you or Cepheus? How do you think that would’ve made me feel?-,”
“I don’t know!” She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the muffled voices she could hear. “I don’t know anything! Not about Dad, my family, or even the kingdom he put so much time into building! I thought my Saba loved me, but all I do is bring him shame!” she cried, as her voice cracked.
“Asha, don’t say that-,”
“But it’s true, isn’t it? Look at everything else the other apprentices can bring to their families, things that we’ll never get, all because I can’t do anything they can. How is that not shameful?”
“Is this what being at that castle has taught you? That you have to be like that to be accepted?”
“I-,”
“All those years? Is this why you never came home? Because you thought we were ashamed of you? That we didn’t love you?”
“What does love have to do with this?”
“Asha, we’re your family. We’ll always love and support you no matter who you are or what you do. It never mattered to your father and me whether or not you had powers, so why should it matter to you?”
“Because what good am I to a society where I can’t even properly play a role that’s expected of me? No one else in Rosas is like me, Mama. I’m a flaw…an outlier.”
“No,” her mother firmly replied. “If after five years of work and effort, all this kingdom can see is your failures-then it’s this kingdom that’s failing you. Not vice versa.”
“This was a kingdom my father helped build-,”
“And yet he wanted nothing to do with it near the final days of his time here… I never told you this, but shortly before your father had come home that…horrible night…we’d been making plans to leave. I’d been conversing with your uncle for the arrangement, and we nearly had everything settled to leave, but that became impossible when he…”
What? Her…her father had wanted to leave? But hadn’t he promised the wishing star he’d helped her? What about the other astronomers?
She might not have known a lot about him or that particular facet of his life, but if there’d been one thing consistent about her father, it was that he never made his promises lightly.
Something must’ve happened.
“Do you know why he wanted to leave?”
“He didn’t go very deep into the specifics but…from what I could gather…he had a falling out with the king.”
“...What?”
“I’m not sure if there was any reconciliation or guilt on the king’s end, but the queen always did try to send doctors here to see your father. Doctors and gifts that your father refused until it was too late…I shouldn’t have let you work in the castle…not if I’d known it would’ve brought you so much anguish…but at the time, I thought you were just grieving like we were. Like your father would whenever he lost someone close to him as well. Or maybe you just didn’t want to be around the house anymore, given how quiet it had become. I couldn’t blame you.”
“I’m sorry Asha…I’ve failed you.”
“No, you haven’t!…I’m glad you let me get the apprenticeship…I wanted to learn the truth. I wanted to see that part of my father…and maybe you and Saba don’t think it’s worth it…and maybe it wasn’t… but some good will come out of this, Mama. I promise.”
“Alright,” her mother finally answered politely. She probably wasn’t convinced. Not that Asha could blame her. The situation was fairly bleak, wasn’t it? What good could actually come out of this?
Sure, Asha could set things right with the star, but that probably wouldn’t change anything. In fact, it would probably make everything worse. People would probably regard her as a traitor, and she’d seen what the people were willing to do to traitors. She shuddered, remembering the anger of the crowd approaching her grandfather and what they would’ve done had it not been for Cepheus.
Cepheus…Goodness what would people think if they knew she’d hid him or worse maybe even li-
“No,” she snapped, abruptly cutting off the thought. “We are not going there?”
“Hmm?” Her mom’s voice called from the other side of the door. “Did you say something?”
“Oh yeah! I was just, um, talking about how we have to go to the fair tomorrow, which is…a super far place. Very far. We’ll probably have to leave early.”
She didn’t know if it was out of mercy or complacency that her mother hadn’t questioned her any further, as she’d simply replied with “Fair point…alright then. I’ll see you in the morning. Rest well, Asha.”
“You too, Mama,” she replied, as her mother’s footsteps began to fade. “You too…”
She’d nearly reseated herself around her desk when she heard it.
The unmistakable yet quiet rustling from the ground below her window made her breath hitch.
Two figures stepped into view, neither of them adorning the familiar red colored robes or attire of the assassins. Perhaps they’d been messengers? It was a possibility, but she’d doubted their presence at this hour could’ve been for any good reason.
Slowly, one man raised a candle, whispering in hushed tones before they paused, looking at another pair of distant yet shaking bushes, before they parted, revealing the figure of her grandfather.
“Still talking to trees at this hour, Sabino?” One teased, ever so slightly lowering his candle.
“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not,” he replied, not sounding the least bit amused, as he adjusted his grip on his cane. “What does it mean to you this time?”
“Easy there, Sabino,” the other man replied, placing his hands up in a placating gesture. “We mean no harm! We just came to deliver the news-,”
“Not royal news, I hope,” her grandfather scoffed as he neared. “Heaven knows they just can’t leave us alone!”
“No,” the man replied. Asha hadn’t missed the way his face had slightly hardened. “It’s local news.”
The other man nodded, briefly leaning towards him, “Blood was found in the town square beneath the old wilted tree-,”
“Blood?” Her grandfather repeated as Asha felt her heart stop.
“Lots of it. I’m not sure if some wild animal got mauled in town square or what, but whatever it was was enough for Lady Allard to declare an immediate emergency, bidding all families to stay indoors until tomorrow morning came and they’d conducted their official investigation. I don’t know if she’s sent any word of this to the king-,”
Blood? Beneath the old wilted tree? That couldn’t have been a coincidence. No, it was a sign. It must be.
She could scarcely keep herself still as the questions began to invade her mind.
What if it had been the assassins wreaking havoc?! What if someone had gotten killed? What if the blood was from them attacking Cepheus?! What if-
“Oh, why bother?! It’s not like it would change anything anyway,” her grandfather angrily mumbled, bringing her attention back to the present as he hobbled past the pair. “The king wasn’t needed to fix the night’s earlier problems, so I doubt he’ll be needed now.”
“But this is something else entirely…” the messenger protested. “It wouldn't be an entirely bad thing to inform him.”
“Even then, it’s strange, isn’t it? Another weird thing happening in such a short span of time…it can’t be a coincidence anymore, could it?” The man turned to her grandfather, who’d stepped onto the porch. “Does it remind you of-,”
“You tell me,” her grandfather mumbled, “although I admit I’m not particularly curious to find out… so you’d all best be taking shelter.” Her grandfather turned, glancing at the two men for a moment before he shook his head. “Keep lingering out here, and you’ll probably come face to face with something worse than any wild animal roaming around these parts-,”
“Like?”
“Allard.”
“Fair point,” the messenger conceded as he nodded to his companion. “Alright then we’ll see you in the morning-,”
Oh God. What was happening?! What if someone had died, or worse?!
“Asha?”
Her mind had barely registered the sound of her name before she’d turned, pinning its source against the wall as she aimed her blade.
“Cepheus?”
He blinked, looking from her to the sword and then back to her. “Yeah, it’s me.”
“Oh my gosh,” she groaned, releasing her hold on him as she lowered the sword. “You almost lost your life sneaking up on me!”
“In my defense,” he replied, slowly looking from her to the sword as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “There are worse ways to die.”
“That’s…a really weird defense,” She frowned, dropping the sword.
“But am I wrong?”
“No, you’re not wrong, but that doesn’t make you right either!” She snapped and crossed her arms. “What are you doing sneaking up on me like that when I have assassins after me?!”
“I was making sure you were safe,” he answered with something akin to finality.
“Safe?” She repeated, her eyes briefly examining him as she asked. “Did you get back home safely? Did you see anything weird?”
“Nope,” he shook his head as a pillow flew into his hands. “Not that I know of. Hamlet’s a very sleepy town.”
“Well it wasn’t tonight…apparently someone or something got attacked near the town square.”
“Really?” He patted the pillow before turning to her with a worried expression. “That’s awful! Are they okay?”
“I don’t know but apparently there was enough blood to spook the officials into declaring a curfew-,”
“Hmm,” the star thoughtfully hummed before dropping the pillow. “When I was out, people were still on the streets. Maybe the attack happened after I returned.”
“Maybe,” she repeated, watching him carefully. “How long has it been since you returned?”
“A few hours at the least.”
“A few hours?” She glanced from him to the pile of pillows and blankets lying carelessly on the floor. “Are you seriously sleeping on the floor?”
“Yes.”
“Ugh, don’t tell me you’ve been sleeping there since you returned from Amala’s!” Silence. “Why aren’t you talking?”
“Because you told me not to tell you-,”
“Oh my goodness.”
“Cepheus, you’re a guest you shouldn’t be sleeping on the floor.-,”
“Well, where else should I have slept? In the bed next to you?”
“…If you wanted to-,”
He took a step back, blinking in surprise. “Whoa, are you inviting me to your bed? You?”
“Uhh, wait a min-,”
“Oh Asha,” He gasped, placing his hand over his heart. “I’m not sure how I should feel about this-,”
“The word inviting is doing a lot of heavy lifting here…but anywhere is better than having you sleep on the floor like an animal!”
She’d half expected him to answer with some joyfully provoking retort, yet all that had followed was… nothing.
Huh, he was being silent. That was weird….
She paused, looking away as her hand clumsily scratched her cheek. Maybe he was traumatized by the sleep mishap? She couldn’t blame him if that was the case. Hmm, maybe making a joke hadn’t been that wise of a decision…
“What’s that?” he’d asked, finally speaking as he looked past her and to her desk.
“Nothing.”
“Really?” he repeated, looking from her to the desk, before he pointed to the pile of books. “Because that doesn’t look like nothing to me-,”
“I know. I was just talking about the qualitative research I (or lack thereof) have been trying to do with these.”
“You’re doing research?” he asked, lifting a brow as Ankaa chirped and took her place on his shoulder. “At this hour? Asha, you’re going to be exhausted tomorrow.-”
“Yes, but…..It’s a bit safer than sleeping, don’t you think?”
“Good point,” he conceded as her father’s book levitated towards him. “But you should at least try to rest before daylight.”
“I know…Honestly, so far, all this research has amounted to nothing. Which is weird because you’d think that if the crimson ones were so powerful and so feared, then surely someone, anyone, would’ve had something to say about them and Arcturus- yet neither journal has anything substantial!”
“Hmm,” Cepheus hummed, his eyes casually looking over the pages before he shut the book. “How are you feeling?”
“Who?! Me?!” She repeated, pointing to herself as he nodded, a smile now making its way to his face. “Uh ah I um, I’m fine! I’m great! I’m okay…I’m most definitely awake now, yeah… She hummed, looking away. “What about you? How are you doing?”
“Honestly? I don’t know. Tonight has given me a lot to think about.”
“A lot of good things I hope-,”
“Sure, you could say that.” he smiled as he seated himself back on the floor.
The conversation nearly lapsed into silence before she cleared her throat. “I..I don’t know if you remember what was going on in my dreams…but I’m sorry if I might’ve come off rude.”
“Rude?” he blinked. “You were rude to me?”
“I… never mind, I was probably just dreaming,” she shook her head, shelving that line of thought away for now. “But do you really have to sleep on the floor? Your room isn’t that far from mine-,”
“Yes. I’ve already messed up once tonight regarding your safety. I don’t intend for there to be any repeats. Not if we won’t be as lucky as you were tonight…if a crimson star had done this to you, there’d be no guarantee that you’d ever be able to wake up again. Even if they didn’t kill you, their powers are terrible enough that they could keep you asleep forever…” he groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “I suppose it would be Sleeping Beauty all over again.”
“But you’re a cerulean star, right? Couldn’t you just counteract it?”
“It depends on whether I could catch it early enough. The later I am, the harder it gets.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Crimson Star's powers are unique in the sense that when any person or being uses their power, a stream of consciousness usually has to direct and guide it to ensure it works. It’s just a general rule, but the crimson ones are different. When they use their power, they don’t have to do it consciously. It can be an entirely self-automated thing, and depending on the strength of the star, it can go on for practically forever, gaining strength and sentience if possible.”
“But shouldn’t a cerulean star be able to counteract it?”
“They can- but it’s like how you deal with sickness- the earlier you treat it, the less long-lasting consequences there will be.”
“I know, but…well…what if the star that had been showing me those dreams was in trouble, Cepheus? What if they really needed my help?”
“There’s no guarantee that what they’re showing you is the truth.”
“True, but I think it was. I mean it appeared to me as a whisp, I’m sure of it, and when I followed it-,”
“You followed a whisp?! Asha, that’s like fantasy 101 on the things you shouldn’t do.”
“I know, I know, but listen, it was a blue wisp, and the memory it showed me of Earendel was only one that she and my father solely experienced. Maybe the star in trouble is Earendel, and maybe she’s the one reaching out to me! But…what if she’s trapped out there, or worse, than I have to help it-,”
“No… If it was Earendel, then why wouldn’t she have reached out to me? Wouldn’t it have made more sense for her to give me the message? I would’ve thought that she of all beings would know to trust me…”
Her hand had found its way to his shoulder before giving him something akin to a gentle squeeze. “She probably does trust you, but Cepheus the king is looking for you. If you go walking into that castle right now, I’m almost certain he’ll have a trap waiting for you. Maybe she’s just trying to protect you, Cepheus.”
“Maybe,” he sighed, not looking the least bit happy. “But are you sure this is what you want? Because once you do this, there’s no going back. Not for you, nor your family or your people.”
“I know…But I just can’t sit idly by while someone may be out there suffering. I know that it’s stupid and will undoubtedly age poorly, and I might lose everything but…” She took a deep breath, turning to face the window. “Maybe this can lead to something good…”
“What do you mean?”
“…Everything we’ve been taught about stars is questionable at best, and I just know that if they gave you and your people a chance…then maybe things would be different.”
“You’re sounding very optimistic, Asha.”
She shook her head, stepping back. “It’s not optimism, Cepheus…the people of Rosas are good, and they deserve to know the truth.”
“The truth can only take you so far, and even then it can be completely ignored if inconvenient.”
“I thought you wanted the order restored-,”
“I do.”
“Then why do you sound so pessimistic? You almost sound like…me?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he replied, his smile somewhat crooked yet nevertheless amused. It was a far cry from how he’d sounded in her dreams…
“Nevertheless, it’s not a matter of pessimism,” he spoke, his voice sounding strangely firm as he fixed his eyes upon her and leaned against the wall. “You saw how the citizens, your hometown citizens, reacted to even the slightest bit of criticism lobbied your…monarch’s way. Now imagine how they’d feel if you went ahead to prove that their monarch was nothing more than a liar or a sham of a protector. Do you think they’d take kindly to it?”
“I…” Her voice faltered. What was she supposed to say? That he was wrong despite all evidence to the contrary?
His expression softened. “I’m sorry, Asha. I wasn’t lying when I told you that I’d restore the order if it was within my power… but nothing about the order is worth restoring if it comes at the cost of your safety and well-being.”
“What about you, though?”
“What about me?”
“What if protecting me meant you had to risk it all against Arcturus and his court? You can’t do that-,”
“I could-,”
“But why should you?!”
“Because we’re friends, Asha. And you know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do within my power to make you happy. You mean a lot to me.”
“No…” She shook her head as she stepped back. “You can’t just say that-,”
“Why not? You always tell me how I should be honest with you-,”
“I know, but…not like this. I..I didn’t want this…”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just…How am I supposed to live with myself if you got hurt because of me? Or worse?!”
“Just try not to take it personally?” He smiled.
Oh, so now he wanted to joke? “Cepheus, I’m being serious here-,”
“I know….and I’m sorry…I know it doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things,” he started as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “But I am being serious when I say that you mean a lot to me- even if it's not in the way you want it to be, you’ll always be the one who matters the most to me. You are my top priority.”
But she wasn’t his only priority, was she? She said nothing as another tear escaped, blurring her vision.
Maybe if she’d been braver, maybe she would’ve fought back. She would’ve argued- if not out of anger, then out of confusion.
Had he truly meant it? Or was this all just a consequence of the laws that bonded them together?
She sighed, feeling herself relent as he wiped more tears from her eyes.
But what if he had meant every word that he said? She knew it was a slim possibility and yet…
What a cruel thing to say to someone you weren’t or maybe couldn’t love…
“If you go this far for someone you don’t even love, then I’d hate to see what you’d do when romance is involved.”
“Oh, please,” He laughed, the sound far more pleasant than she wanted to admit as he smiled and teasingly waved at her. “You almost make me sound like a force of nature.”
“Aren’t you a force of nature? You bypass the rules and order of it a lot.”
“Yes, but even then I have my limitations. I mean, look at me. Do you really think that if I were an all-powerful being, I’d look like this?”
“I…I don’t follow…that’s not exactly your real form, right?”
“Yes, but…” his voice trailed off as the sound of the bell tower echoed from the window.
“That’s not the midnight bell, is it?”
“No, the midnight bell was three hours ago.” The room settled into silence as they turned from the window once more.
“Three hours ago?!” She had been trapped in that dream for at least three hours?! She suppressed a shudder, trying not to think of the lost time as the star placed his hand on her shoulder.
“You should get some rest, Asha…I’ll see you in the morning…if you need anything, just let me know”
“Alright,” she nodded, casting one faint glance towards her desk. “Thanks.”
it's me again with another descendants ask 😱 shocking i know
do you plan to reduce the main cast (like you did with asha's 7 friends in wish) to just red, chloe, pink, max, hazel and luis, or do you plan for the useless ones (feels harsh to say this but thats what they were lmao) robbie, felix and the smees to have more of a role?
😂😂😂Thanks for the asks- and ngl I appreciate this when I was borderline on the fence rethinking making the fanfic- I think I might go ahead bc it’s kinda divorced from the original- like a lot.
But to answer your question- yes! I actually do plan on keeping everyone- shocking I know- a part of me just wanted to cut them but in the story those characters have a B side plot with King Charming (Chloe’s Dad) as they try to infiltrate the castle to save the imprisoned rescuers/wonderland creatures who refused to side with Maddox.
heey i like the fact that your ideas are different from the original!! i think you're very creative and the changes you make are so interesting!!
WAITTT A B PLOT WITH KING CHARMING SOUNDS REALLY FUN ACTUALLY!! will it be more of a comedic relief type of plot or will it be similar in tone to the main one? would be funny if while the main guys get the existencial crisis special the others are in wacky hijicks with the king (i laughed at the teacup gag can u tell)
Aw thank you! And Honestly both I too loved that tea cup scene and it’s definitely gonna happen again here😭 I think it’s like 60% wacky hijinks and 40% serious/development stuff
it's me again with another descendants ask 😱 shocking i know
do you plan to reduce the main cast (like you did with asha's 7 friends in wish) to just red, chloe, pink, max, hazel and luis, or do you plan for the useless ones (feels harsh to say this but thats what they were lmao) robbie, felix and the smees to have more of a role?
😂😂😂Thanks for the asks- and ngl I appreciate this when I was borderline on the fence rethinking making the fanfic- I think I might go ahead bc it’s kinda divorced from the original- like a lot.
But to answer your question- yes! I actually do plan on keeping everyone- shocking I know- a part of me just wanted to cut them but in the story those characters have a B side plot with King Charming (Chloe’s Dad) as they try to infiltrate the castle to save the imprisoned rescuers/wonderland creatures who refused to side with Maddox.
Two things absolutely changed my life as a writer. You ready?
One- Your characters can be bad people, they can do bad things. There doesn't have to be a reason or a moral. You can make them bad if you want to. No other reason needed.
Two- it doesn't have to be good, it just needs to be written. On my last book i literally wrote the words "dumbest version" on the top of the page because I had seen some advice to do that. It changed everything. I stopped trying to make it perfect, I just tried to make it. Period. Full stop. You can edit bad writing. You can't edit a blank page.
And honestly? Defiance is the best writing I've ever done. All because I let my characters be bad and I gave myself the freedom to write it badly.
Gotta make @yurikalonesome crash out one more time
“If you don’t mind me asking…What do you think of Arcturus specifically?”
“Ah Arcturus? It’s said that due to being one of the brighter stars in the sky that many people see him as a guardian of sorts- sometimes to other lands, galaxies, or even the afterlife.”
Yikes.
Amala smiled, watching the children pass. “But I have heard that he’s a rather self indulgent being, seemingly taking in great pleasure in human craft and amusement. Hence why he’s always involved in so many celebrations.”
