CHAPTER 1
[ ACT I ] Where the Sun watches [1]
・• ● •・
Traveling at terrifying speeds, a fleet of airships cut through the sky. In their wake, magical dust was scattered into the air, forming neat lines of ash behind them as if painting strokes in the sky.
Those ships were not only fast, but they were obscenely opulent. They were dripping in rare metals, ones so elusive that most people would toss them up to myth. And leading the charge of these magnificent machines was an ash black ship that was embellished with the crest of the royal family of Noc.
Inside, seated on velvet chairs and served with utmost respect were three very important people:
Prince Luciel,
Princess Estell,
And last but not least, the little Prince Stellatu.
They were the royals of Noc, traveling to the empire of the sun for diplomatic reasons.
Leaning back into the cushions of his chair, the little prince’s lips bent into a frown as his concentration and displeasure surfaced on his face. His turquoise eyes had long turned narrow, staring unblinking at his hands through his thick fan-like eyelashes. He wore black loungewear like his mother and father, making his pale skin even whiter in comparison that was devoid of any blemishes other than the mole under his eye. Snow White hair reached his chin, hugging his face that was puffed up with dissatisfaction.
He was visibly upset — how could he not be? He was losing, *hard*.
It was a dire situation— at least in the context of Macau.
The goal of the game was a simple one, get rid of all your cards, yet here he was, hardly able to hold his hand with all ten of his digits working in tandem. As if to run salt into his wound, as soon as he tried to adjust his grasp to get a better grip on his hands, a handful of spades, diamonds and clubs scattered onto the table with a loud floosh.
It was a comical sight, one that did not go under appreciated.
“Oh my, it is not going too well for you, is it?” Covering his slender lips with his thin fan of cards, a muffled, bell-like chuckle came out from the man opposite him, taking joy in his misfortune. His snake smile was wide, those pale cheeks of his shining with a nefarious glint, “You know what, I will grant you some pity, my little star. Let me pick up what you dropped and put it back in the pile. How about it?”
That taunting disgusted as pity went through one ear and out the other as Stalletu met the crescent eyes of his very own ‘kind’ father.
His almost identical turquoise, triangle pupiled eyes stared at stalletu inquisitively, waiting for him to snap or lash out so he could reap his amusement.
“No need, I will win without such things.” Stellatu said as he struggled to add the dropped cards into his pile, aiming a growing frown at his father.
“Hmmm,” his cold attitude had no effect on Luciel other than forcing a grin out of him, “suit yourself Fufufufu.”
With such provocation, the little Prince’s concentration increased tenfold, flipping though ideas as he struggled to save himself from this situation. Unable to think of anything useful however, Stalletu tightly shut his eyes. He then proceeded to place down a handful of ‘draw’ cards from his hand onto the board, embracing surrender as it came to him that even that much of a decrease did not seem to put a dent into his collection.
But he did not even have a chance to go out in style. Behind his closed eyelids, he heard shuffling as Luciel chirped out “Macau!”.
Opening his eyes, he saw that not only that his fathers ‘fan’ turned to a single card, but the draw cards he put as a last resort were turned against him.
It was a total loss.
“….” Stetallu inwardly bit his tongue, “I… concede.”
As soon as those syllables left his mouth, Luciel smirked at his son as he relished in victory and clapped his hand.
At his command, a small creature in a butler's uniform but itself on its tiptoes, reaching as far as it could with the chalk before dragging it downward. And so, another win was added to the tally of the son and fathers wins and losses.
“Fufufufu, I thought you wanted to win a favor out of me, Letu. I even lowered my bar to just 5 losses yet you are not making any progress! Dearie me...”
Stellatu moved his turquoise eyes onto the blackboard. So far, he was rocking a single win. As for the other side of the tally, well, ignorance is a form of bliss, there was no need to know.
Frustrated, Stellatu crossed his arms, “but dad, how am I *realistically* supposed to win if you keep cheating all the time.”
“Uhh… get better?” Shrugged Luciel.
“….Or can you not cheat instead? So this could be a *fair* and *just* match?”
“Overruled.” Tutted Luciel, tapping his finger on Stalletu’s gabella, “It is the core of any organism to use any means to survive and succeed. This is the creed I have always lived by, I would betray all my ancestors if I don’t put my all into everything I do. This game right here is no exception. And plus, cheating is my modus operandi, how could I betray my own way of life?”
Peeking at the scoreboard again, Stalletu’s eyebrows knotted as he burst out in complaint, “Aside from how questionable that is that you put such importance onto that… Can you at least ease up a bit on me? I’m your son, have some mercy.”
“Did I stutter? Or are you deaf? Listen here Letu, I can spoil you till you become utterly useless in almost every other thing, but here is where I draw a line.” He said, his triangle shaped pupils in his gem like eyes narrowing. “And do you actually want that? Letu, do you truly want to beat me when I’m not at my best? Knowing that you only won because I let you win, instead of your own skill? While winning is important, in a case like this, is winning with honor not more important?”
Stellatu blew a raspberry, dramatically rolling his eyes, “What honor, aren’t you the one cheating?”
“For me that is an honorable act, as I do not see anything wrong with it. I’m showing my opponent full respect by not holding any punches. But for you, honor is being fair and just no? So what I'm talking about is your type of honor,” He then smiled, pushing forward his agenda, “or, do you want to change your ways to mine? It would be wonderful. Instead of complaining and whining all the time, why don’t you learn my trade and rise to my skill level. As my spawn, I will offer you my services for absolutely free, and then you won’t lose a single match ever again!”
Stellatu snorted after departing the idea for a bit, he was pushing this agenda again. “No, I want to win without resorting to such means.”
“Fufufufu, sure thing. But mark my words, you will come around one day Letu, you have still to learn that this world is unforgiving on the just.”
At this point, a deep turquoise haired woman who was lounging on a sofa a little bit away opened her blue painted lips. Her hair was the same shade of blue-green, dotted with a pattern of black similar to a cuttlefish. Those eyes of hers were long and droopy, holding a certain disgust and disappointment to the world that made it hard to look her in the eye.
She spoke slowly, with each syllable meticulously enunciated and full of authority. It was cold and dry, not as if she was casually conversing but as if she was announcing the emperor's next decree, “you two do what you want, but remember that doing such things in public would be *below* us.”
She reached out her claws for a platter filled with finger sized fairies trapped in a sticky honey glaze. Each of their faces was empty, full of despair and disconnected from reality as they lost their will to struggle. They were so exhausted both mentally and physically that they did not even scream as their tiny bodies were crushed and ripped apart under the woman’s fangs.
Chewing her meal finely, Estell brought a napkin to her bloodied lips as she tossed its wings away, “while I don’t mind in private, in the presence of others, I do not intend to raise someone who utilizes the techniques of the slum dwellers.”
Her words, while polite, were like knives.
The atmosphere in the room chilled for a bit, before the sound of cards being shuffled cut through it.
“Of course, my night,” Luciel gave Estell a fanged smile, unphased as he tilted his head warmly at the woman, “you need not worry about this, I never caused a problem I? So how could our little star cause you any issue..”
“While that is hardly true… Stellatu is indeed someone I could count on.” The lady nodded, going back to her business.
“I know right? Letu Is the best.” Nodded Luciel, “anyway, my honest star, do you want to play?”
Stalletu did not pay attention to their usual ‘banter’, “I don’t mind… as long as we play something different than this.”
“No problem.” Said Luciel.
Stalletu, concluding this, touched his belly. He had been feeling quite hungry for a while. It’s not like he wasn’t well fed or that there was nothing to eat here but…
Stellatu gazed at the pixies in honey, looking at their expressions as they looked back at his.
Just the thought of eating them made his stomach churn.
“I’m going to head out for a minute to get some fresh air. It’s getting a bit stuffy in here. I’ll be back in like an hour.” Said stalletu, being followed by his personal servant our of the room.
Both Luciel and Estell nodded in unison, not giving his exit much thought.
The little servant closing the door behind his master, they were met with the guard that was leaning against a wall nearby, polishing his very well shined sword with self satisfaction. In his mouth was a thin metal pipe that let out a thin trail of pleasant smelling smoke, dancing in the wake of the man’s breaths as he focused on his task. He had messy dark blue hair that was home to two black horns and was adorned in fine fine armor showing off his position: a high ranking warrior. Not only that, but he was standing watch all alone, showing his competence in the sole fact that he was tasked in guarding the royals all by himself.
Looking from left to right, Stellatu casually made his way to the man before whispering to him in a low voice, “sir Masahiko, is it ready?”
The man did not even look at the little Prince, nodding half-heartedly as he blew a large cloud of smoke into the air. ”It's done.”
It was a short reply, without an idiom of respect— clearly this was someone who looked down at a thing called manners.
“Really?” But Stellatu did not care much. Not offended by such nonchalance, he simply smiled as he ran off, “thanks a bunch!”
“Any time.” huffed Masahiko as his cheeks reddened a bit at the gratitude.
It didn’t take long for Stellatu to sneak into the kitchen.
His mother was quite strict on eating so he and his father devised this way of getting under her radar. Stellatu felt bad about lying about it to her but he really felt starved all the time. It was not that he did not get enough food, but the stuff Estell put on the menu was too high class for his taste, not to mention a lot of times— like those glazed fairies— severely ‘unethical’.
Stellatu dragged his serpent tongue across his two rows of sharp teeth. Due to his character, he did not like the cuisine of Noc too much. It was full of raw meat, blood and cruelty— very suited for the carnivorous diet of a Moroii— but not very much for him.
He couldn’t bear to hurt a fly, let alone eat a living thing.
Stellatu sighed, if his mother knew he held such thoughts, he would never hear the end of it.
Finishing up his pre-made meal like a thief, Stellatu quickly made it back to Masahiko.
“Umm, do I have anything on my face? Ah, did I stay out too long? Oh no, don’t tell me I smell like oil.” It always stressed him out whenever he came back from such ventures, afterall he was doing something bad. He never got into trouble for anything, if he got into trouble at his age he thought he would go into cardiac arrest.
Masahiko stared at him quietly for a solid few seconds.
Before Stellatu panicked, he spoke.
“No.” He said, before grabbing the Stellatu by the back of his neck like a cat and flipping him in the opposite direction, “rather… go also have some dessert while you’re at it.”
“?” Stalletu pursed his lips, his body loose under the other man’s hold, “what do you mean.”
Masahiko frowned, trying to come up with a better excuse, “I contacted a servant after you left, he is making you your favorite dessert so…..”
But before he could finish, a muffled but audible voice slipped from under the door. It was not a scream, not a shout, the voice was not even raised, but the anger in it was clearly felt by the two outside. And to Stellatu, even though he could hear mere snippets, it was especially chilling.
“…..Take that off this instant, Muł. I will not have you do this today…..”
“…..I will do whatever I please my night…,”
“….You can do as you please at castle Lune………. Since you do not socialize with the nobles, I have to— but if you do this how could I possibly do this job.”
“….With your personality, I’m surprised they would want to talk to you…..”
“Oh attacking me now…… Do not forget our agreement, Muł,”
“….” There was a silence, “you wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“While me and you don’t have many overlapping traits, there is one thing we share….. Our principles are incredibly thin — We will do whatever it takes to get the results we want,”
Not wanting to hear anymore than that, Stellatu forced open the door, practically storming in. His face was expressionless, intent of absolutely not acknowledging the tension in the room as he sat himself down. In fact, he came in so suddenly that Luciel who was in the middle of applying product to his skin flinched, forming a wet gash of black all across his face.
“…..” there was a few moments after that as Luciel did his best to correct it but only ended up smearing it more onto his face. He hen gave up, sitting down with a ear to ear smile as if nothing happened. ”you're back so soon my little star! I haven’t set it up yet, so if you don’t mind, hang out with your mother for a bit while to finish.”
Once he returned, the atmosphere between his mother and father returned to normal, as if there was nothing wrong between them. Stellatu too did not say anything to ruin this normalcy, he was complicit in it, preferring to live in ignorance rather than addressing it.
‘It was all fine,’ he told himself.
But even with such assurance, Stalletu did not miss how his father was not looking at him when he spoke. Rather, his narrowed eyes were boring straight into Estell, trying to resolve this conflict silently. And Estell was looking straight back at him. She mouthed something to Luciel taking a honeyed Fairy in between her teeth as she did so.
Soon, a wordless agreement was established, as Estell smiled and called Stellatu over, asking him to sit on the sofa with her.
With their sons attention somewhere else, While showing no signs of annoyance on the surface, Luciel wiped off his makeup and took off his earrings. He also put his hair back and soon his previously playful and frivolous image was replaced by something more neat. It was a few adjustments but the dandy looking man transformed into a neat looking gentleman— still stylish, but perhaps boring.
But— he definitely was upset. Nothing could say it more than him sneakily adding vodka to his cup of chilled water, something he did not realize Stellatu could catch from the corner of his peripheral vision.
And like so began their trip to the empire of the sun.
・•・•・•・•・
A pretty rats afterword:
#why the marriage is in shambles#
Luci: Oh just so you know, it's very muggy outside. You ought to be careful my night.
Estell: …
Estell: in the name of the dame, if I step outside and all of our mugs are on the front lawn...
Luci: *Sips coffee from bowl*
