When Stars Align

Declared Missing

"Keyara have you seen Alexandria anywhere?"

Turning to face Giovanni in her satin robe, her face was set with an avocado face mask, a coconut hair mask, and a nail file in her hand she answered him bluntly. "No, why?"

"Holy flipping God, Key ! Is this some Virgo custom I don't know about?! Was there a section in the Virgo Customs Book that said food should be worn on the face and not in your mouth?!"

Rolling her eyes she looked at herself in the mirror and put the nail file down. Picking up the buffer, she continued the process. "Was there a section in the Capricorn book that said Princes were ignorant?"

"Woah Key, saucy much?" He closed the door behind him and lowered his voice. "Alexandria didn't come down for lunch. You know she never misses her meals."

"Yes, I'm quite aware. For all we know she could be swimming in the lake." She grabbed the bowl of mashed avocado and raised it to him. "Guacamole?"

"...I'm good, thanks."

Shrugging, Keyara places it back on the vanity and took out silver nail polish. "Was there anything else you needed?"

"Not really." Giovanni was already making himself comfortable on her couch. He had a special talent to be anywhere else but where he was supposed to be. He was a lot like his sister that way.

"Um.. uh... okay? Just make yourself at home... I guess?"

With a small laugh at the Lady's awkward expression, he looked at her face from the reflection of her vanity. By far, Keyara had the nicest room in the castle, though she wasn't even royalty. It was expected of a Virgian that owned more than half of the country's income. Even her robe was laced with semiprecious stones.

"Virgo only allows Queens to rule right? Why don't you try for the title? You're pretty enough...without all the food on your face and stuff."

"HAHA very funny ", she glared but her expression only made Giovanni laugh again. "I can't run for Queen. If I even thought of running, she would try to have me killed. I can feel it."

"Why's that?"

"The Virgo Queen feels threatened by my family. We're the main source of her income. If we wanted to, we could buy Virgo from her if we wanted to."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because she would never allow it. And if I gave her the idea that I wanted to take Virgo from her then I'd be marked for treason. If anything I'd have to wait for the next election to take place."

"And when's that?"

"Ten years from now", she sighed before blowing on her hand to dry the polish. "So I'm stuck here as you can see."

"Damn..."

The prince rose from his seat and walked towards her placing a hand on her shoulder. "Well I hope you get to have a very long stay here."

"Thanks...pal."

Shaking his head, he chuckled to himself before leaving her room to search for his sister elsewhere. If Keyara were Queen then she would make the perfect bride for him. Beautiful, rich, and womanly charms - it would've been perfect. But for now, he would need to look to court elsewhere. The Queen of Virgo won't marry and Taurus only has two sons. If there was going to be any steady alliance he would need to look outside the Earth Kingdoms, or get his sister to marry from Taurus.

"Great... If I were a savage sister, where would I be?"

If anything, he knew his sister wouldn't miss dinner. She would be home by then, he thought.

"My Prince?"

Turning around he saw one of the cleaning servants with an opened letter in her hand. He questioned what a servant would be doing with a royal letter, let alone an opened one.

"Can I assume you weren't the one who opened this?"

"No, not at all my prince", she feebly replied. Giovanni was rather intimidating to those who didn't know him well. He towered over her by at least another foot. "I overheard you looking for your sister and I found this in her room. It seems she's gone off to Aries."

"What?"

The servant gave him the letter and as he released a long sigh. "Dear sister, what have you gotten yourself into now?" Turning to the servant girl, he smiled warmly. "Your name, miss?"

"Donna...Donna Gretchel, my prince."

"Thank you, Miss Donna. I'll repay you greatly for this." And with those words he was off to meet Zackery at the stables.

When he arrived there, his brother was talking to the servants about whatever random conversation had came about. Unfortunately Giovanni showed up at an awkward time...

"So you're telling me", Zackery laughed, "that if you were a girl for a day, you'd sleep with every man in court? What if you're a virgin girl? What are you gonna do then, you slut!"

Clearing his throat, everyone turned around to look at Giovanni. "Sorry everyone, but me and my younger brother need to talk from man to man."

The servants quickly dispersed, leaving the two princes alone. Though not appreciative of his older brother killing the joyous conversation, he was curious as to what needed to be said between them. "This better be worth ending a very interesting conversation."

"Alexandria's missing. And I know where she's heading."

Passing him the letter, Zackery read the contents of it. "The Queen of Aries is allowing her to stay in her company for as long as she likes? How long is she planning on staying?"

"I don't know. But we both know how dangerous Aries can be if she went by herself. From the looks of it, she didn't tell anyone she was leaving. See what you can find from the horsemen. I need to come up with a way to buy Alexandria some time until we find her."

"I think it would be easier if we just tell father and mother that she's visiting a friend", Zackery frowned.

Giovanni slapped him on the back of the neck. "What friend? We barely talk to the other earth kingdoms, and Keyara is the only one she's friends with--" He stopped, his hazel eyes widening at a brilliant idea. "I got it!"

"Got what?"

"I'm going to need Keyara's help."