Moonflower- A Lunar Chronicles Fanfiction

Chapter 10

Cynthia nodded at the guests in the ballroom and then at the orchestra. The conductor struck up a light waltz and the other guests in the room returned to the dance floor.
But the boy remained.
He was definitely a sight. His dirty blonde hair was messy and shiny as if it had been styled but carelessness allowed to tangle and stray. He stood with pin-straight posture, hands at his sides as if reporting to his commander, but even at full height Cynthia was taller than him by almost an inch in her heels. He wore a joking smirk and a gleam of mischief lingered in his eyes. There was something achingly familiar about him, but Cynthia could not place her finger on it.
"What?" The boy spoke again, startling Cynthia back to the present. "I leave for Air Force Academy for four years and suddenly you can't recognize me?"
A beat.
Then Cynthia gasped and then flung herself at the boy. He was no stranger.
"Leo! Last time I saw you you where barely over five foot, couldn't grow a beard for the life of you, and had just had your hair cropped. How would you have expected me to recognize you?"
Leo Thorne, Cynthia's closest childhood friend and recent seventeen year-old graduate of pilot school, laughed along with the princess.
"I don't blame you Thia, I barely recognized you myself. Maybe I should be more formal now that you're a full-on princess,"
Cynthia smirked as the pilot finally bowed. "Your Royal Highness Princess Cynthia Peony would you do me the honor of joining me for the next dance?"
The princess pulled her gold skirt to the side and curtsied deeply. "Perhaps good sir, but how can I be sure you come from a good family?"
"He absolutely does not. I would stay away from that one Thia," said a chuckling voice from behind her. Cynthia turned and grinned.
Captain Carswell Thorne, a man who could have been mistaken for an older version of his son but for a missing finger and more than a gleam of mischief in his eye, stood with his arm around a petite whisp of a woman with a shining smile. Cress ran to Cynthia and wrapped her in a hug.
"Happy Birthday Thia!" She gushed. "You look stunning tonight. You're practically already a queen."
"I guess you've seen we finally decided to bring our son again," Thorne commented. "We tried to send him away for five years but they sent him back to us in four! Something about having great virtue and being a hard worker? He certainly did not get those attributes from me."
"His commander also said he was an excellent pilot which you also cannot claim," Cress threw at him with a grin.
Thorne gave her an offended gasp. "I believe you owe me a dance for that Mrs. Thorne. Happy Birthday Princess."
The couple glided off to the dance floor leaving Cynthia and Leo alone again. Leo extended his hand and Cynthia took it shaking her head.
"I sure hope they taught you how to dance at the Academy. I never threw a ball for our birthday parties," she taunted as they walked out to the dance floor.
"You might be surprised how extensive Academy training is Your Highness," Leo shot back as the music shifted into the next dance. It was much more lively than the waltz before, and Cynthia genuinely worried her friend would be unable to keep up, but he jumped right into it. His timing was perfect and before long he was leading her through the steps with a graceful and almost professional talent. Cynthia had to admit, though only to herself, that she was impressed.
"So you have virtue and hard work ethic? I never would have guessed," Cynthia teased as they danced.
To her surprise Leo blushed slightly, "There's something so great about the structure of the Academy. I loved it Thia. I loved boot camp and training sessions and lifting and eventually flying. I finally found my calling at the Academy, and I worked and worked until they wouldn't let me train anymore. Dad's really proud and mom is too, but I think Dad is more excited. He likes that we share the same passion."
He was smiling now, and Cynthia felt the smallest flutter in her heart at seeing her friend so passionate about something. He had found his place in the world, and she couldn't be more proud.
The music changed again, this time a much slower dance. Many couples left the ballroom floor for the refreshments table, but Cynthia and Leo remained.
"What about you Thia? How's the Eastern Commonwealth?" Leo asked as they glided into the next dance. Cynthia could see a small line of wealthy and incredibly boring nobles' sons waiting for their turn to dance. Cynthia sighed and ignored them.
"The Commonwealth is fine. Right now they're obsessed with me. It seems I've come to the perfect age for all the feeds to report my every move."
Leo spotted the line as well. Then he laughed. "I've seen you pictured with every single one of those guys on the feeds. The way you look at the line tells me every single one of those stories was a made-up article."
Cynthia nodded. "I mean, I guess it's good they seem to be fine with me being the first Crown Princess in our history, but it's as if every bit of my personal life must be shaped into this fairytale for the press. I wish I could just step out of the spotlight for a couple weeks and travel around the world. And not to visit embassies and dignitaries, but to meet people and see all the natural marvels."
Leo nodded. Understanding registered on his face and Cynthia couldn't believe she had told him all of that. It was as if their four years apart had had no affect on their relationship.
The song ended and Cynthia looked at the ever growing line peeking at her from the other side of the dance floor.
"I should probably..." She nodded toward the nobles' sons.
"That's probably a good idea. If you danced with me all night what would the press have to say? 'Family Friend Leo Thorne Steals the Poor Princess from Her Adoring Suitors' doesn't have a good ring to it."
"Thanks for understanding," Cynthia said with an eye-roll. Then she paused. "I guess this is good bye for a while Leo. You probably have a good position in the Air Force now that you've graduated,"
"Don't worry Princess. If you ever need me I can be over here in six hours at the most," Leo told her before giving her a playful bow. "Happy Birthday Thia."
He gave her one last roguish grin before fading back into the crowded ballroom. For the first time since she had descended the grand staircase Cynthia was alone.

A/N: Okay so sorry I've been missing in action this past month. Life got strangely busy for summer, and unfortunately it's only getting busier for me. I'm going to try really hard (though I will unfortunately probably not succeed) to write several chapters ahead this week so I can give you at least one chapter a week even if I'm out of town. We'll see how this goes. I'm planning an actual plot for Cynthia's story as well as a chapter or two from the old Rampion crew's point of view and maybe even one from Leo's. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading as always.

-Theresa