Beyond the Stars

Chapter 2: Welcome to Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia? What the heck is Cassiopeia? Why am I here? Nonetheless, whatever the reason or weird scenario happening right now, I need to go home. I'm sure my mother is very worried about me now. I tried asking everyone passing my direction about Quezon City, Manila but some of them gave me a look insinuating that I'm crazy or what. Some just ignore my questions. Okay, people are rude here. Is this the feeling every saleslady or salesman gets whenever I just pass through them whenever they offer me their products I'm not interested in? Well to those salesladies, I'm sorry, this is the wrong time for karma to happen because I need to go home right now.

It's my birthday, I'm supposed to be having a small party with my parents. I haven't even eaten anything yet. I do not know what to do. I just sat there in the corner since I'm exhausted from asking questions to strangers that they don't even answer. The moment I sat, I saw a lake. I'm exhausted but I'm dehydrated and I needed to freshen up.

As I went near the lake, I noticed that the water is clear, I can even see my reflection without difficulty. There's no such thing in Manila. Maybe all of this is a dream and if I wake up, this perfect world wouldn't exist anymore. To make things worthwhile, I dipped my toe in the lake and slowly started to swim and enjoy myself. The water here is so clean, I can easily tell that I can drink straight from here without worrying if I'll be poisoned or what.

But then I remembered that I don't know how to swim and drowned. Now I know, this isn't a dream, I should've swum peacefully if it was. I tried to scream, shout, swim my way up but I failed. This is it. This is the end of me. I accepted the fact that after a few minutes I'll be dead but then I felt someone lift my body out of the lake.

"Thank you sir" I shyly said to the man who saved my life. He has this strong and intimidating figure that looks like he could kill. He was along with four other men who just have the same vibes as the one I thanked just now.

I didn't realize that they were with an old woman who also has this strong figure who's wearing a gown and a crown. Are these four men her bodyguards?

"Pay respect to the-" the woman cut the statement which the men were supposed to say. "iha aren't you supposed to fix yourself? It's the first day of school in Therondia" what? Recently, I just found out about Cassiopeia and now there's a new word to learn?

"uhh.. because I-" she cut me off because she told me to come with her and so I did. My mother once said 'Don't talk to strangers' but I couldn't say no because she's so intimidating and I don't even know the people and the directions here. This isn't the best time to complain.

We went to a mansion, I think it's an understatement to call this place a mansion, this place is huge I could call it a castle. There is a red carpet leading towards the big gate and the guards standing beside it side-by-side. As they saw us walking towards them, they bowed and chanted the same words.  "Reyna Mirikit" Reyna? That means queen! It's impossible that they are referring it to me which means that the woman I am with now is a queen!

Her bodyguards accompanied me towards a room. It has a big bed and a big walk-in-closet with variety of clothes! The queen chose what outfit I would wear and told me to change and asked the guards to accompany me to their school. Man! Why do I need to study again?

I don't have any choice but just to change clothes. After I changed, I don't know why but I was tempted to look around the room. This room is gigantic! It has the same size as our house in Manila. I can tell that this room is always to be taken care of. It is tidy and organized, but I know for sure that this isn't the queen's room because I know that she's not that stupid to let a stranger in her room.