Sunset on the Sun Palace

Chapter 6: The Plan

Selien

Selien had been in the night sky for several hours when he heard someone approaching.

At first he thought it might be Baham since they hadn't spoken in weeks. He didn't understand what was happening to him. Out of nowhere she had decided to stop talking to him and walked away without explanation. He tried several times to get closer, but she just avoided him again and again. Besides, what did she mean that the other Stars are right? That she's just a Star? Baham knows very well that she is more than that, that she is his confidante and his best friend. For him she is not just another Star.

"Why do you defend him so much, sister? Are you in love with him?" Her siblings said.

No, it can't be that...

The moment Selien turned around, hoping to see Baham, he was met by a complete stranger. Her hair was coppery and she wore green-toned clothing. Her face showed no kindness.

"You," she said coldly as he approached.

"Do I know you?"

"I am Ceres, goddess of agriculture. I assume you are the god of the Moon"

"Selien. Nice to meet you" he said as he extended his hand to Ceres. She didn't shake it.

"May I know what you want to achieve with Helia?" she asked angrily.

"I don't know what you mean" Selien answered nervously. "Listen, I still have an hour to go back to my Palace. Why don't you go over there and we can talk calmly? Besides, the presence of a goddess draws too much attention..."

"Okay". She agreed and then she left.

Selien did not understand what was happening. First, the Stars hinted that he was in love with Helia and now an angry goddess arrived in the middle of his journey to question him. He only hoped that once he returned to his palace, hopefully, Ceres had gotten lost on the way and hadn't arrived.

The Moon Palace was his home. It was quite similar to Helia's, the Sun Palace, but while that had warm and radiant colors, Selien's had all cold colors. His palace wasn't his favorite place in the universe, but it was at least mildly cozy.

When Selien walked through its gates, he found Ceres waiting for him. As soon as he saw it, his face hardened. It was obvious that she didn't like him. Another person on the list.

"We need to talk" said the goddess as she walked from one place to another.

Selien chose to sit down.

"Okay".

"What do you want with Helia? And don't pretend you don't know what i am talking about. I know very well that you are up to something".

"I'm not stretching anything, Ceres. She is the Sun and I am the Moon. Other than that, we don't have any kind of relationship".

"So how do you explain the fact that she feels you're watching her?"

"What do you mean with that?" Selien asked, still analyzing the goddess's words.

"She says that she feels a special gaze every sunset. An inhuman look. Also, she says she dreams every night with blue eyes. And you, god of the Moon, are the only divine being that has eyes of that color. Why so surprised?"

"Because Universe assured me that she would never know of my existence. That she could never see my face" answered Selien, while a smile was forming on his face. This meant something was up. A little bit of hope.

"I don't like this... If Universe told you that, it means that something is wrong. I'd better tell him..." and while the goddess got up, Selien held her arm. "What are you doing?"

"You have to help me!" he answered enthusiastically "This means that maybe I can have a chance with Helia".

"Why should I help you?"

"Because she's your friend, right? If she has been talking to you about me and if you are here it is for something. You have to help me. I swear I won't cause problems for any of you. I just want to have a chance to talk to her, without Universe finding out".

"Why do you need to talk to her so desperately?"

"It's strange to say it, but... I can't imagine a life without Helia. She lights up my days and my nights. She is my beginning and my end, my sunrise and my sunset. I love seeing her every day, as she goes around the world. I love to see her every sunset, when her last rays of heat illuminate the sky. I love seeing how her curls ruffle slightly when the wind blows. I love seeing the smile that forms on her lips every time she's dreaming. I love her simplicity and I love her radiance. I love her".

Ceres listened to him at all times as he spoke. With each word he said, her face softened until she closed her eyes and sighed. After several seconds that felt like hours, she answered.

"Okay, I'll help you" and while Ceres said those words, Selien couldn't help the emotion and hugged her.

"Thank you, you have no idea how grateful I am!" He told her excitedly as he picked her up and turned with her.

"Okay, put me down now!" She yelled, trying to sound angry. "I have a plan".

"What is it?" Selien asked, trying to concentrate.

"A ball. At the Sun Palace. Helia could organize you, and we would invite all the beings of the Universe, except humans of course".

"But doing that would mean that the Universe finds out..."

"You didn't let me finish. It wouldn't be just any kind of ball, it would be a masquerade ball. Universe said that Helia would never be able to see your face or know of your existence, but she already knows that you exist, but she doesn't know who you are exactly. If we all wore a mask, obviously including you, technically she wouldn't be seeing your face. It would only be enough for her to see your eyes" Ceres explained. "In a month it will be a year since the Creation, it could be the pretext to organize the ball. The ball would be at twilight, when it is neither night nor day. But you will need the help of someone who can replace you that night to drive your moon chariot".

It all sounded so easy, so perfect. He could ask Baham to help him with his chariot tonight, he could go to the Sun Palace and talk to Helia. But there was something wrong with Ceres's plan.

"I still don't understand how we would do so that Universe doesn't find out that I've abandoned my place to go with Helia to the ball".

"Universe spends most of his time sleeping. During the twilight, if you get someone who can cover you with the moon chariot, he won't notice" Ceres said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Universe will not be present for the ball"

Finally, after all this time, Selien's life was looking up. There was hope. Now he just had to go talk to Baham, talk about the situation between the two of them and then, when things were one hundred percent settled, he would tell her the plan.

Soon, he would be able to talk to Helia. Nothing could go wrong.