Royal Longings

Cassandra grazed a strand of hair as she combed those blonde locks slowly and meticulously. She's going to get married, and worst, she doesn't even favor her betrothal. By pure coincidence, the sunflower haired princess overheard her mother's discussion with Queen Zindove and as soon as she heard her name and marriage in the same sentence she quickly fled to her room.

Her life would change drastically because of that! The more she thinks about it the more nauseous she gets. Cassandra sighed and plopped to the bed, hugging her silk pillow and diverting her attention to someone who's been bugging her mind for a while; the moment which they shared and in an instant, as if she didn't heard the word betrothal, her heart was set aflutter with that mere fleeting occasion that she wished would be hers forever.

How pathetic of her to think about it, she was going to get married, live a life of her own away from the castle and from her dearly beloved.... family. Everytime they meet, she would let her presence know to him, ask him things such as, "Why haven't you greeted me?" and "It's been a long time, have you missed me?" She would smile or nod with etiquette and grace but deep inside she's cheering herself on how brave she puts herself infront of him.

Time passed that she thought to have forgotten about him and the impact he gave her-but alas, her mind wandered of how she and Soren walked around the gardens of the castle to the streets of Mylinggr. It was a search mission but it was something worth cherishing for her. Although the princess stayed silent through the whole exploration and Soren asking her questions from time to time, she was this close to confessing her longtime admiration for him.

But...She would choose to admire him from afar; she cannot risk to lose it on something so buffering. Cassandra would constantly endure how girls would fawn over her prince, how admirers run up to him and gift him things she can concur within minutes and how they'd state to know him, those she can only laugh as she knows him alot compared to them.

Like the river encapsulating the moon's beauty, she would hold him dear in her heart until no more.

/////

"Masterrrrrr how much more should we stay here?" Xiuying languidly walked towards Adrianna's table and heaved a long sigh. She's a healer but getting cooped up in the station is a little suffocating for her age.

Adrianna, the strict and organized woman, took the liberty to arrange her medical books. Mid-day sun shone down her pale purple hair, visually silken smooth from a distance. Her long blue skirt shuffled as the woman's heels turned to address her apprentice.

"One more day Xiu, I'll have to constantly check Linthea's vitals as well as give her shots which I~ cannot do in your home" Xiuying understands that and giggled, looking at how serious her mentor is, humor seemed to have slipped from her mouth.

"Fineeee..."She drawled and played with a pencil she found lying on Adrianna's table, "I wonder where Soren is...Kale probably wandered off, haaahh those two always leaves me out"

Suddenly the door opened and Xiuying's expression turned apathetic after realizing who was behind the door, "Oh, it's you..." Adrianna covered her mouth to hide a chuckle at how her apprentice welcomed Yato who rolled his eyes at her cold greeting. He straightened his coat, tried to look intimidating and went past her, offering a report to Adrianna before going his way out. The master healer could hear his rants behind closed walls.

"I think I rubbed off too much of myself on you" She chuckled as she tugged the confines of the letter.

"I'm not easy to get master, he needs to know that"Xiuying crossed her arms together. "Oh, so you're testing him" Adrianna hummed whilst digesting the words written.

"Not really, I haven't set my eyes on him yet but it checks out. We'll see what he's willing to do" The purple haired woman nods at her apprentice's words keeping note of the word 'yet'. Indeed the perception of love is different for everyone though love is one that endures and stays for the comfort of both parties. That is.. almost everyone, She doesn't have time for such frivolous things.

"Hmp, that's so much unlike your personality child" Amidala chuckled before she stood up, crumpling the letters and throwing one in an operating fireplace.

"What was that?" Xiuying asked with concern, trying to peer from the sole surviving letter but Adrianna moved it away from her sight.

"Oh, just a little notice from the Department of Finance. You don't need to know the other child" Her tangerine colored eyes dulled at the latter's mention, "Want me to cook you something?" She switched to another topic.

"No thank you master, I will be going now"Xiuying smiled and gave a bow before walking outside the door.

----

"Are you searching for someone miss?" Xiuying inquired behind a young woman who's hair resembled that of a cotton candy. The woman turned revealing heterochromic eyes of cerulean blue and pale green. She held a bundle of fabrics only for Xiuying to realize she was holding a baby instead.

"My goodness! I didn't see you there...You see-" The woman rambled but dismissed her predicament when the young girl tilted her head.

"Ah..it was nothing, I'm new to this kingdom so I got lost" She reasoned, hugging the baby protectively close to her chest.

"I'm Hae-Woon..vagrant from Derfes" Hae Woon gave a smile as she extended her free hand.

"Xiuying Seiju, please to meet you"Xiuying returned the gesture. She noticed how the woman's reaction changed upon the mention of her last name.

"Would you allow me to lead you around Miss Hae-Woon?" The brown haired girl suggested to which the other woman politely declined.

It was the first time Xiuying saw someone angelic other than her dearest mother and in an instant she took a liking to Hae-Woon and the baby she's carrying.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere!" She jolts at the sound of Soren's voice behind them, so out of breath and worried.

"Where have you been brother? It was I who's been looking for you!"Xiuying turned to address her brother with a pouting face but when she called for Hae-Woon, she was nowhere in sight.

"Who were you looking for?"

"What...?"She made sure it wasn't her hallucination and craned her head to look for the flamingo haired woman,"...Nothing"

"Soren, wait up!" Another voice called them, a voice soft sounding; free of problems...Gabriel Tal Mino. Autumn haired, bright smile, semi-shoulder length hair wearing a mahogany red shirt underneath a capelet of lighter color. His style accented with a dark reddish brown fabric tucked under his belt that swung with the wind's breath together with his other embellishments.

Although Xiuying was pleased he took his mind off avenging their sister alone, she did not plan to be ignored at this very moment.

"Wait Xiuying...can I borrow your brother a bit?" Gabriel gave Xiuying a headpat to which she cannot disagree with. Gabriel was like another older sibling to her and the two bonded countless times when Soren and Linthea were away.

"Uhm... sure!" Xiuying beamed, the man caressed her hair happily and pulled Soren farther away from the girl. Unbeknownst to them, Xiuying can still hear them hushing behind.

"Okay...so I might have a little predicament" the autumn haired man started. Soren deadpanned, he already knows where this is going..maybe. Gabriel may be capricious but not at all times. They can only laugh at his misfits which would turn into a persiflage others could misinterpret as a fight.

"What is it?"The dark brown haired man's brows furrowed at the seriousness of the situation or at least he tried to put up his best behaviour choosing to rebel on his instincts at his best friend's words.

"You know I used to say.... I like the Death Wind as a joke but now I don't think it's a joke anymore!" Gabriel said in exasperation that even Xiuying putting half her hearing in their conversation flinched and slightly turned around.

Soren guffawed that made some eyes direct their way. Alarmed for their other colleagues to pry, Gabriel shushed him, resorting to cover his mouth when he stayed adamant.

"Come on! Help me out here!" Gabriel shouts, flustered as more people stopped to look at what they were doing, Xiuying also took a step forward to them. The blazing heat of the afternoon sun shone down, thankfully they were already under a canopy of a tall tree adorning the premises of the Stellarium.

"Ha! You dug your own grave my friend, all that's left is for us"Soren referred to the newly arrived Calyx with a smug face, "To push you in it"

"Gaahh you two are useless!" The autumn haired man exasperatedly flung his hands up. Calyx von Vyrien, one in their brotherhood, the deep ocean blue haired man who kept half of his long hair on a high ponytail. He wore almost similar to Soren's clothing but his open coat was tied around his waist with a belt.

"What are you doing here?"Gabriel inquired defensively, "You heard nothing!"

"You're soren the conversation that I was by your side halfway through" Soren and Gabriel looked at him dumbfounded by his 'joke'. Xiuying in front of them discarded her annoyance and giggled at the said statement while Gabriel found it hard to believe that this guy actually had a crush on their bestfriend's sister.

The autumn haired man took out a small notebook and crossed a line on the pad with a headline: One horrible joke, one drink.

"It's not funny?" Calyx scratched the back of his neck, "Anyway-"

"Gab! There you are!" A shrill honeyed voice called out from above revealing Amanda with her brown hair dancing with the wind of the hot sunny day.

She ran down to the trio where Xiuying showed her displeasure and walked towards her brother, holding onto the sleeve of his coat. Amanda backhugged Gabriel with a full smile.

"Lets go?"She invited, "Our mission is waiting~"

"Oh! so that's why Calyx is here" Gabriel finally came to a realization with von Vyrien nodding to support his thought.

"Oh! You guys, we have to go now~"The brown haired girl waved Soren and Xiuying goodbye as they dragged Gabriel with them.

"Tell Té to wake up soon okayy!"Amanda's voice faded as they descended the stairs. Xiuying went on her way to the building's entrance with Soren following suit.

"Well, that's enough interaction.... Where have you been big brother?" She turned to face her brother with a demonic aura and when Soren failed to reply, "You always leave me alone!" The young girl finally uttered with vehement emotions.

"Xiuying..."Soren's face dropped. Has it always been this way? He stepped a little closer to his sister and hugged her and his sister flinching signaled that she wasn't expecting the gesture of apology"I'm sorry Xiu...for leaving you alone, this won't happen again". Out of all three, Xiuying had the most issues in abandonment. She's constantly afraid that people would leave her in such a vulnerable state just like their parents did. Soren winced painstakingly, for one second he forgot, he was negligent of her feelings. He made no attempts for an excuse...and vowed to be better than today.

"*Sigh* Tsk, next time...tell me where you're going okay? I'll definitely be angry if you repeat this again big brother" Xiuying pouts, she can't stay mad at him. She tries to understand his responsibilities to the family and to the countries he swore to protect. She really does.

Soren smiled. She clearly got it all from their mother. He broke the hug and held out his pinky to hers.

"Promise?"

"I swear"

"Soren! Your sister's finally awake!"

----

Bishop eats the pawn but is killed by the opposing Knight, two women sat on the table with unknown liquor served by their side by horned handmaidens. Yoreno paused to look at the board before gracefully taking a cup of reddish violet solution and sipping it half-way.

"I can't win against you, your Majesty," Her adversary in the game spoke. Shiyara, the Demon Queen's right hand stood up from her chair while Queen Yoreno chuckled, "Don't be modest Shiyara... we've only just begun" the white haired demoness laid her half-scaled cheek on her waiting hand and looked at the ember haired one with a half-lidded smile.

As if the Dark Arc is taking a break that two foreign guests of the circle played a game of chess unbothered by the chaos going on behind doors.

A loud roar alerted the court that ticked a pawn off the table. "My Queen," A lowly servant handed Yureno a device which she pressed and a holographic image of the woman she despised most appeared.

Amara Darhone. The traitorous princesss, Harbinger of Sorrow and a geomancer; fellow member of the circle closest to the leader known for her infamous genocide plan and eradicating methods and let's just say, in their case, birds of the same feather doesn't flock together.

"What is it now Darhone" Queen Yoreno addressed the fairly old woman who's hand on her hips. If there's anyone who can tick the Queen off, Amara's your best bet.

"Discipline your son properly! I can't have him messing around with my plans" Amara spoke about the Queen's precious son with a tone she doesn't like.

"If you don't like my son in your ... missions, why ask for his aid?"

"Where is he now?"

"Typical Amara. Hmp, I'm in a good mood right now, be thankful... Ajax is in Jadetown...." Silent followed and she took it as cue to return to her tranquility.

"That's it, have a nice day, 'Princess' Amara" The Queen gave a sly smile and bowed, cutting the call before Amara screamed her ears off.

The demoness laughed from the reaction she caused, putting a hand over her mouth to hide her mirth.

"Ayaaa, that old hag is as predictable as ever"

----

Trivia: Calyx rarely jokes and when he does, Gabriel takes a drink of Coronas' famed liquor.