Beyond the Stars

Chapter One

     The sun rose, as it always had, directly in Leo's window. The first morning light was always her wakeup call, and today was no different. She got dressed, golden gown falling in an elegant pouf behind her. She placed the twisted, golden crown atop her head and walked out her door feeling more confident then she had in days. Her parents were soon to be arranging a meeting of the kingdoms once more, so a few members of Lunarium would be arriving earlier. However, the East Kingdom of the Skies had denied two of their members early entry to her kingdom. She hoped Libra would be able to come... She pushed her doubts aside, and was escorted by the guards to the Throne Room. Her parents were away yet again, leaving her to run a kingdom on her own. Alone. With no instructions. No matter, Leo had always found ways to do things her way. She took a deep breath, before calling 

     "Open the doors, please!" 

Villiagers rushed inwards like a school of panicked sardines, with the overwhelming force of stress that urgent, frantic people always carry around. She began answering questions, while ignoring advances by the creepy men who seemed determined to get their asses kicked. Hours passed slower than a slug in molasses. Leo felt like talking to friends, or trying on some more dazzling outfits, as anything was better than this. Until, at last, her guards came to escort her to the palace gates. She anxiously peered into the car while trying to look elegant still. Her family had told her since she was young that appearing neat and tidy was the future queen's duty. She remembered her father telling her at her eight birthday that if she kept making decisions on her own she would never get a king to run the kingdom with. The doors opened to the carriage, and to Leo's great delight Libra stepped out! 

     "Libra!! Hey!" She yelled, before remembering to compose herself. He grinned back to her and gave a polite nod to her guards. They escorted the pair back inside, but not before Libra's driver lectured them on the "proper meals for our esteemed prince" and how they should be extremely cautious about leaving such important members of the royal families alone at all. Libra stuck his tongue out at the carriage as the horses pulled it away. They raced to her room, and burst through the door in a flurry of giggles. Leo launched herself onto her bed, before turning and asking

     "So! What's up with you??"

He smiled, staring at the ground. 

     "Well... I'm happy we're all going to meet again. Everyone from the kingdoms, I mean. The last time we saw each other was when we were still at war. It'll be nice. I heard there are new people going to be here though." Leo nodded. She hoped she'd like them all, but sometimes people were downright snotty, especially when they were royal. Luckily Libra wasn't like that. Libra had always been different, always been her best friend. They had written many letters to each other throughout the years, and he'd been her only source of comfort for a while. They settled down on her bed, lying next to each other for the first time since they were five. There was a special thing about best friends, a feeling of peace and belonging that nobody else can make you feel. She felt her eyelids close, and once they did she knew she couldn't open them again. 

     She awoke once more to someone shaking her shoulder. She didn't want to get up though, so she simply ignored it. This proved to be a mistake when she felt a sharp sting on her cheek. 

     "Hey!!" She jolted upwards to see Libra staring at his hand like it just killed his newborn son

     "I didn't actually mean to do that, sorry-" He muttered ashamedly. She laughed awkwardly, before getting up again. He stopped her though, via grabbing her wrist. "Your parents are back. You ready to go out there?" She rolled her eyes and pulled away. Her parents weren't that  scary. Well, unless you asked them to go outside the castle walls. No matter. She walked into the main hall, where her parents were awaiting her with cold gazes.

     "Hello, Daughter." Her mother said, lifting her hand in the weird way famous people wave. Her father just nodded in her direction, his golden eyes piercing into her own. She curtsied, before taking her place on her throne. Libra just stood there, kind of leaning against the wall. He was clearly uncomfortable, and kept shuffling his feet and her parents were doing nothing but make it more awkward. Leo felt time crawling by again, and she was just about to fall asleep when the doors burst open, and two figures ran in. They were followed by quite a lot of yelling and father stood, pulling his knife out of his pocket.

     "INTRUDERS! STOP!"