Fallen Stars

Prologue

Chapter song "Back to the old house  - The Smiths"

"In the labyrinth of devotion,

                                sanity becomes the sacrifice."

"Miki, slow down; my new dress makes me slow."

You bent over, trying to catch your breath as Tsumiki ran ahead, twirling and laughing. "Come on, (y/n), I managed to lose Yuta so we can do what we want!" Tsumiki yelled back. Tsumiki, the crown princess of Delarus, was the troublemaker, as the village people called her, but you knew her as Miki, your best friend.

"Why are you always running off together, hmm?"

You shot straight up, slowly turning around, and came face to face with your older sister. "ShoSho! Um, nice to see you...?" you said with a shaky smile. Shoko looked over the two girls with an almost confused smile, Kanna at her side as they followed closely behind. "They must be up to something if running off so quickly," Kanna commented as she stood next to Shoko.

You looked over at the girl as if she had been one of the gods coming down to smite you for something you must've done in your past. "Lady Kanna, lovely to see you? And we had just planned to go to the gardens. Princess Tsumiki and I had just wished to stroll the gardens," you responded quickly as Tsumiki came back to your side, brushing her palms against her dark purple dress, a smile staying kind on the young princess's lips. "Lady Ieiri, Lady Kanna, it is lovely to see you both!" she exclaimed in a kind manner.

You always did wonder how she managed to be so kind to everyone, even if she had a hint of distaste for how they treated others in the islands surrounding the capital. Kanna smiled; it almost seemed annoying to you. "Princess Tsumiki, 'tis an honor to be in your presence on this fine day," Kanna remarked as Shoko nodded along with her friend's words. "I hope the day has been truly well for you, My lady." You watched Shoko say Tsumiki nodded kindly. "I hope the same for both of you, Lady Ieri. I do hope yours and (y/n)'s mother is well. I had heard she had been ill recently." You turned pale, staring wide-eyed at Shoko. "Shosho, what is she talking about? Is mother ill?" Shoko avoided eye contact, scratching her cheek. "Ehh, sorry, (y/n), I know you would've wanted to go, and you looked like you were enjoying yourself-" tears welled up in your eyes. "No, no, mother is much more important than enjoying myself!" you exclaimed, your heart feeling as if it had dropped to your stomach. You stood there in shock; Shoko looked uncomfortable at the newfound knowledge being spread.

"Father wanted to be the one to tell you, (y/n). You had not been meant to find out like this," she tried to assure, but it fell on deaf ears. You felt as if the rug had just been pulled from under you after she spoke. You shook your head; it felt as if you had shaken your hairpin right from your hair. Tsumiki looked undeniably guilty at revealing that accidentally. "Oh, (y/n), I apologize. I hadn't known Lord Zimir hadn't told you of your mother's illness. I must apologize in some way; this feels so horrible to have been the one to reveal such things with no true prior knowledge," Tsumiki tried to apologize; her voice almost seemed too much in the moment. You shook your head as you choked back the tears that threatened to fall. "It's not your fault, Miki. I know you didn't mean to; it was a mistake anyone could have made," you reassured her, giving a kind smile even in what felt like the worst moment for anyone in that second.