She who held the world

Chapter 2: The uninvited Guest(2)

A very faint, almost invisible ripple went through the crystal. It wasn't light, it wasn't color. It was just... silence. The noise in the entire hall stopped for one heartbeat.

But then, it went back to normal. The crystal remained clear, dull, and lifeless.

"Pfft!" Someone laughed.

"See? Nothing."

"She really is an empty shell."

"What a waste of space."

The laughter and insults came crashing down. Her family looked away in shame. The three Princes on the high seats watched with different expressions.

Kaelen frowned slightly, looking bored. "Useless indeed."

Lucien tilted his head, his red eyes narrowing. ‘Weird... why did I feel that fluctuation just now?’

Cyrus scoffed and turned his head away. "Pathetic."

Celestia withdrew her hand, bowed slightly, and turned to walk back to her corner. She was used to it. It didn't hurt anymore.

‘Mission accomplished,’ she thought. ‘Now leave me alone.’

But fate had other plans.

As the party went on, Celestia quietly slipped away. She couldn't stand the noise and the fake smiles. She walked out into the back garden, seeking the quietness of the nature.

The garden was vast, filled with ancient trees and blooming roses. She found a bench under a large willow tree and sat down, finally letting out a small breath.

"Much better," she whispered to herself.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze. Without the prying eyes, her face softened. She looked like a beautiful, fragile angel. Her silver hair danced in the wind, and her skin glowed softly under the moonlight.

She didn't realize that she was no longer suppressing her natural aura completely. Without her knowing, the grass around her feet grew greener, and the flowers bloomed twice as big just by being near her.

"You really shouldn't wander around alone, little lady."

A voice suddenly broke the silence. Smooth, deep, and laced with amusement.

Celestia’s eyes snapped open.

Standing under the shadow of a tree was Lucien Nightshade. He was holding a glass of wine, looking at her with that mysterious smile of his.

Celestia immediately tensed up and reverted to her 'dull' mode. She lowered her head and stuttered slightly. "I... I apologize... I will leave now."

She stood up quickly, wanting to run away. But Lucien moved faster than the eye could see. In a blink, he was standing right in front of her, blocking her path.

He leaned down, bringing his face close to hers. He was so tall that he towered over her completely. His red eyes bore into hers, trying to find something, anything.

"Leaving so soon?" he whispered, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "I saw you earlier, you know. In the hall."

Celestia froze. She kept her eyes on the ground. "I... I am useless... I don't belong there..."

"Useless?" Lucien chuckled, a low, dark sound. He reached out and slowly tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear. His fingers were cold, but his touch was strangely gentle.

"I don't think so," he said softly. "Most people would have broken down crying from that kind of humiliation. But you... you just stood there. Like you were watching a show."

His finger lightly traced her jawline, making her shiver.

"Tell me, little one... what are you really hiding?"

Celestia’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Is he suspecting me?’

She mustered all her acting skills and looked up at him with wide, innocent, empty eyes. "I... I don't understand..."

Lucien stared at her for a long moment. Searching. Analyzing.

Then, he suddenly pulled back and laughed, straightening up.

"Nothing. Forget it. You really are just a boring child, aren't you?" He waved his hand dismissively, but his eyes didn't look bored at all. "Go on then. Run along. But be careful... the garden is dark at night. There are monsters lurking around."

He turned away and disappeared into the shadows as if he was never there.

Celestia stood there alone, clutching her dress.

‘That man... he is dangerous,’ she thought, feeling a chill. ‘Way more dangerous than I thought.’

She didn't know that this encounter was just the beginning. And somewhere in the dark, two other pairs of eyes were also watching her.

The game had officially started.