Of the Stars

The Star Festival

6 months later
Asteria POV

I breathe heavily as I look around, I damn Sprite and her ability to disappear or be everywhere. Sprite is usually my sparring partner since we are both about the same size. Even though I'm a young adult I'm the size of an adolescent. Now Sprite is everywhere instead of nowhere, Whatcha gonna do? She signs to me, I smirk time to use the trick that's up my sleeve. With Sprites illusions there is some sort of glitch type thing, it's super fast, maybe half a second, anyone else would miss it, but without my other two senses my sight is good. I scan the room and focus on each Sprite. The only one without the glitch is to my right, without any warning I run at her. I use the hilt of my knife to hit her hand, making her drop her weapon. I kick her feet out from underneath her and hold both of our weapons close to her throat. I breathe heavily as Sprite looks at me with pride in her eyes, holding up her hands in surrender. She points behind me and I turn to see Druig clapping with a smirk on his face. Well done my Asteria, very well done! I simply roll my eyes and help Sprite up, I've had excellent teachers. These past few months have been interesting to say the least, not only am I now getting a proper education but I'm also being taught how to fight. Fight me my dear? Druig asks me, Why? He simply shrugs, Why not? I nod a bit, Give me five minutes to recover from fighting Sprite. Druig nods and Sprite brings me some water, Have you ever fought Druig before? she asks, I shake my head. No and I'm not sure how it will go. He refuses to use his power on me so it'll just be our strength. Sprite nods a bit, No offense but I think he's gonna win. I nod in agreement, So do I. Sprite points in Druigs direction, 5 minutes is up ladies. I inwardly sigh and grab my dagger, No going easy on me. Druig smirks, I wasn't planning on it. I roll my eyes and get into a defensive stance, Druig doing the same. I lunge forward, Druig predicts this and moves backward blocking my dagger with his blade. He moves to kick my feet out from under me, so I jump up and kick him in the stomach, sending him back several feet. Druig manages to catch his footing and swing his blade out towards me. The blade slices across my arm and it starts to bleed. I ignore the pain and continue the fight. After about three more minutes Druig has disarmed me and won. I hold my hands up in defeat and he helps me stand up. Gotta try harder, he tells me. I roll my eyes, It was my first time fighting you. And unlike fighting the others you don't use your powers so I can't find a weakness. Druig smirks, I have a weakness without my powers. I give him a curious look, Care to tell? I never thought you'd have a weakness. He shrugs, You'll find out one day, I'll leave you in suspense for now. I just shake my head and chug my water, I feel a searing pain in my arm and realized that Druig had touched my wound. Does it hurt? He asks me, No, I reply simply. He scrunches up his nose, You're a terrible liar. He untucks his training shirt and rips off a strip of cloth, he gently wraps it around my arm to stop the bleeding. I'll get Ajak, I shake my head at him, It's a minor injury. Before he can say anything else the girls come up to me, Come, Ajak tells me, It's time to get changed. I look at them all confused, Changed for what? Makkari smiles, It's a surprise! Thena butts in, Now come on! The girls drag me away and I get one last glance at Druig before I do, per usual he has a smirk on his face. The next two hours are spent getting dressed, doing hair, and doing makeup. When I'm finally allowed to look at myself in the mirror I'm astounded, I almost don't recognize myself. I'm wearing a black dress that sparkles with silver scattered throughout, looking like the night sky. My brown hair is curled and put it a simple high ponytail. Lastly the makeup, I've never worn makeup before. It's subtle and some stars are attached to my face. I turn and look at Makkari, who was fussing with the back of my dress. What on Ceres are we doing that requires me to be so dressed up? I hardly recognize myself! Makarri simply grins, You'll see soon. Makkari is dressed in a lovely red dress her natural hair flowing down her back. Thena looks like a goddess in gold and cream. Sprite looks like a woodland spirit in her green dress with forest accents. Ajaks look is simple but elegant. Lastly, Sersi looks like all the elements pulled into one and it's beautiful. Sersi approaches me and hands me a beautiful black mask decorated with stars, Put this on. I want to question it but I decide not to, I simply do as she asks. I look at my reflection and this time I don't recognize myself, the mask really pulled it together. The girls don their masks and we all link arms and walk together. We walk out of the palace gates and into the streets. Everyone is dressed up as nicely as us and wearing masks. Welcome to the Star Festival, Thena says. I open my mouth in shock, overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. Happy Birthday Asteria, Makkari signs to me. I look over at Sersi and see her smiling with tears in her eyes, We asked around and found out that todays your birthday, so we threw this festival since you love the stars so much. I excitedly hug each one of them and hold back the tears that are filling my eyes. Where are the boys? I ask. Sprite jumps up and down, That's the beauty of it! We don't know and they don't know where we are! Everyone here is wearing a mask but I'm also casting an illusion so you have to use your heart to find those you seek! I'm amazed at Sprites over the top illusion but I think it should be rather interesting. Shall we split up then? Ajak asks. We all nod and go in opposite directions, I stay where I am for a few moments trying to decide where to go and what to do. Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around to look at them. I'm greeted by a boy who is quite a bit taller than me (I'm only 5 foot), he is dressed in black as well but his mask is decorated with the moon. He motions to the tablet hanging at my waist and I nod and hand it to him.
We seem to be a matching set. The moon and stars. I smile at his observation, I suppose you're right you can't have one without the other. This makes him smile. You seem a bit lost, I shrug in response, I've never been to an event like this before. He hands me back the tablet, Let me be your guide then Princess Star, when I look back up he's bowed slightly. I can't help but blush a bit, It would be my honor Prince Moon, I sign taking a small bow. Even though he doesn't know what I've said he takes my hand and tucks it into the crook of his arm. He guides me toward a stall of foods, Hungry for anything in particular? I think for a moment, How about we both try a new food and new activity tonight? The handsome prince nods, Challenge accepted. He gives me a smirk and drags me towards the end of the food stalls, the stall he stops at is amazing. I observe the different designs of hardened candy art on sticks. There are intricate different animals, I smile and pick up a stick with a turtle. The handsome prince says something to the vendor and the vendor nods walking away. I give him a look and he hands me the tablet. Let me show you how it's done. I shake my head a bit, Just please don't burn yourself. He reaches out and grabs a ladle dipping into a pot of amber sugar. He quickly spreads it out into the table, after a few long moments of him moving around the sugar he lets out a frustrated huff. Okay, I have to be honest. I've never done this before, but it looks so easy! I laugh a bit, You've never done this before? I couldn't tell. I write with a smirk, he rolls his eyes. I look around and see the vendor standing nearby, I go over to him and hand him my tablet. Could you teach us how to do this? He smiles and nods going back to the table with me. For the next hour we spend time learning sugar art, at the end we've each made a halfway decent piece. I hand mine to the boy, it's a fairly simple moon but still looks okay. He smiles brightly and hands me his, funnily enough he had made me a star. It wasn't perfect looking but I loved it. I thank the vendor and we begin on our way. What now? he writes. I look around at all of the different food stalls, biting into the sugar creation in my hand. I smile when I see a stall that seems to have food from where I come from. I point over to it and grab the boys hand walking over, it's even better when I realize I actually know the vendor. She smiles happily and gives me a big hug, she steps back and takes in my appearance. Her gaze saddens and she takes my hand, opening it to show the scar on my palm. I simply shrug it off and join her in cooking, I motion for the prince to sit down. I get lost in being with my old friend and making something familiar that I forgot he was there. I look up and catch him staring at me with a smirk, then I realize that I recognize that smirk. I put it aside for the moment and dish up the food. It's a simple dish of beans and rice but it's long been a favorite of mine. I place a bowl in front of the prince and help my friend clean up, but she shoos me away. She wiggles her eyebrows at me, He's cute, she signs to me, And he seems interested. I roll my eyes and sit next to him, and without much hesitation I dive in and finish my portion within a few minutes. You seem very comfortable cooking. I nod a bit, I grew up around the kitchens and learned how to cook, it became one of my duties. The prince nods, Tell me about where you're from, about growing up. I nod a bit and begin to talk using my hands. I grew up in a province named Proserpina, harvest flourishes during the spring and summers. It gets rather cold during winter. We bordered the forest, we were always told it was dangerous. However I always loved it, I spent most of my free time there. Growing up.... I rub my hands together nervously, Go on, he writes. I smile a bit, the fact that he could understand my signing and that smirk I'm 99% sure it's Druig. I've just never opened up to anyone like this, it makes me nervous. As a toddler I was found by a creek in the forest. I don't know how long I was there before I was found, I think I was abandoned because I can't hear and I can't speak. The master at the time was a kind elderly man, he took me in, treated me like a granddaughter. Then when I was 6 he passed away, his son took over and that's when I truly became a slave. I feel something wet on my face and the prince reaches out and wipes the tears that had fallen onto my face. He begins to write on the tablet and I collect myself. I look around to find something to do, something to lighten the mood and to make sure he doesn't ask questions. I see a crowd dancing, he hands me back the tablet. I don't bother to look at it and take his hand. Dance, I sign to him pointing in the direction of the crowd. The look on his face changes and he shakes his head, I take my tablet and write on it. We said we'd both try something new tonight. I love dancing, come dance with me. He looks a bit annoyed but agrees, letting me drag him along behind him. We are thrown into a crowd around a large bonfire. I lose him and find myself in between Sprite and someone else, we all laugh and dance around the fire in a circle. I catch glimpses of him from across the fire, and I was right. The moon prince is Druig, and despite hating dancing he's smiling and enjoying himself. I look to my left and realize that I'm looking at Kingo, I drop his and Sprites hands, Kingo!!! He smiles excitedly and hugs me, Dance with me beautiful Asteria! I nod a bit and he lets me know that the music is for a lively folk dance. The two of us are close to the fire and are dancing, Kingo spins me in and out letting me twirl around the fire. I'm caught in someone's arms again and I assume it's Kingo but I look up and see Druig smiling down at me. I smile back up at him, he takes my tablet once again, Come with me. I nod and let him lead me away from the crowds, he takes us inside and up to the roof. The roof is just as decorated as the village below was, the stars were beautiful. Druig holds out his hand and I take it, he pulls me close to him and places my arms on his shoulders and his hands on my waist. I give him a look, he holds up the tablet. Try this new dance with me. I simply nod and lay my cheek on his chest, we stay that way slowly swaying to unheard music. After a while I look up at him and see him smiling at me, he lets go of me and grabs the tablet. I shake my head a bit, You can drop the act, I know it's you Druig. His smirk returns to his face, When did you realize? I smile, I had an inkling at the beans and rice stall but it was confirmed when we were dancing around the fire. When did you realize it was me? He looks away and sways me around a bit, I kinda knew who you were from the start. I might've gotten Makkari to slip what you would be wearing. I roll my eyes, The whole point of the illusion was to use your heart to find your people. Druig simply shrugs, Either way I knew it was you the moment I saw you. I smile and reach up, tussling his hair. You cut your hair. Druig smirks, You're the one who said that my hair wasn't doing me any favors. I grin, You finally figured out what I told you just before you began learning. Druig smiles proudly, It looks good, I tell him. Druig smiles and lets me go, Close your eyes. I nod and do as he instructs, I feel something cool settle on my neck and Druig taps my shoulder. I open my eyes and look down, Druig had placed a silver necklace with stars on it around my neck. I hold back tears, You know this is the first gift I've ever gotten? I smile up at Druig, whose face was mere inches away from mine. My beautiful, beautiful Asteria, he signs to me. My breath hitches and I let him get closer to me until our noses brush together. I try to push down the butterflies in my stomach away but I can't help it. Just as something was about to happen Druig suddenly pulls away and looks down at the festival. I follow his gaze and see several large creatures tearing up stalls and hurting people. I get Druigs attention, Deviants? I ask. Druig nods grimly, I want you to go inside. Don't come out until I get you alright? I nod hesitantly and he jumps off the roof landing gracefully on the ground, people around him run off to safe places and he pulls out his weapon. I shake my head, I can't just sit around. I run inside and into the training room, I grab my throwing knives and a dagger. My resolve hardens and I rush outside, almost immediately I'm greeted by a deviant, granted a smaller one. My training kicks in and I jump on its back, I stab it in the back and let gravity do its work by sliding down its back. The creature thrashes but I hang on, the final blow is when I slit its throat. I run towards the destruction and help others along the way, directing them towards safety. I see Druig, Mekkari, and Sprite fighting a rather large deviant. I hold back and watch, as I watch them fight I realize that the monster has a weak spot between its arm and stomach. It's hard to reach but not impossible. The monster throws my three friends flying into various stalls and buildings. Then it seems to sniff the air before turning to face me. It comes running at me full speed, I look around trying to find a way to lead it towards the forest. If I were in the forest I'd have a chance of winning but no such luck. Instead I jump up and end up eye level with the monster, I throw two of my knives and take out the monster's eyes. I smile, happy with myself. That's when I notice three other large monsters had surrounded me, I look around suddenly, afraid. I see Druig running toward me, the others not far behind him. The last thing I remember is a deviant lunging toward me before the world goes dark.