Wonderland Is A State Of Mind

Chapter 11

 Unlike the tearful night before, Celeste seemed to glow with relief from the weight lifted off her chest. The Earthens visit was done, and now all she had to do was attend the annual Peace Ball in Autumn and her treaty with Earth would be secured for another year. Sitting atop her silver throne, the Queen looked positively radiant in quite an unconventional way. An extravagant dress resembling that of a brilliant red rose jutted out from her slender hips and cascaded in large petals around her. Live roses adorned the corset and vines of thorns entangled her arms, covering the spirling gold designs burned into the skin. If she were to move in the wrong way, the thorns would surely stab her dainty arms but she didn't seem to care.

The Queen's court had somehow transformed overnight and she was overjoyed. After a late-night conversation with Hale and a meeting or two, Celeste had decided to make some changes to her palace starting with her throne room. Feeling bad for the servants of the castle, they now had much more freedom. She thought it was not fair that simply because of their social class, they had to miss out on things anyone should be entitled to. They were treated by some as just meant to be seen and not heard, something that Celeste was for a lot of her life. Having been formed by the rich, the old rules of Lunaria were not always kind to those less fortunate.

So now, as her court had gathered, the bland colours of rules and regulations were replaced with eye-catching individuality, bringing life to the palace. The traditional white and gold robes worn by the advisors had been replaced by wild dresses and ensembles. The guards lining the room's walls had various symbols painted onto their faces and armour. From Celeste's throne, they looked like living cards.

Ceres, the young scarlet-haired advisor, looked as if she were on fire. Glittering shards sticking out of her eyelashes so that they danced like blazing flames.

One man had adorned himself in what appeared to be a long white fur coat, matching the rest of him as he now appeared to have hair and skin so pale, it looked as if he had dove into a pool of bleach. A large bronze pocket watch and chain lay flat in his palm.

Standing beside the Queen's throne, even Hale had abandoned his usual look to a much more eccentric style. A rugged coat and a peculiar hat replaced his normal dress shirt and suit jacket.

Glancing around her court, Celeste was touched. Her closest companions, advisors, maids, guards, all had decided to change their styles so that her dream of Wonderland was achieved. They found themselves enjoying their new looks as well, finding them much more comfortable and exciting. When she had begun changing her looks, everyone else had soon changed with her.

Now as the grand doors opened to reveal the last hoard of Earthens looking disgustedly around the room, the Queen leaned her head on her hand and tiredly greeted the group, her voice although bored was commanding.

"Good morning, how can we assist you before your departure?" Celeste asked, choosing to ignore their horrible manners and ignorance when in the presence of royalty. They strode right up to her throne, gaining several looks of repugnance from the advisors.

Bowing, President Deacon Edwards spoke up from the group. The middle-aged woman who Celeste recognized to be Governor Bethany Wilson, nudged him.

"Your majesty, our shuttle has broken down and we would like to request the use of one of your ships for our return to Earth." He asked, shifting his weight nervously between legs.

"Of course," She agreed, "Lord Rahl, please assist our guests in their departure and put them on ship #147." One of the advisors came forward and gave instructions into his earpiece. After hesitating for what seemed like an eternity, the President walked towards the Queen's throne and awkwardly tried to present a pile of documents to the girl.

"Before we leave, we've been asked by the other leaders to gain your signature on these forms. We have decided to move forward with the next step of the Nebula Expansion, this means bringing more of Earth's population to Lunaria to increase the human population here. And we have um...come to a conclusion that it's not just the population that needs to be humanized. The line of rulers on Lunaria have been Lunarians or hybrids for years; no humans have ruled since some of the first generations. Our research shows that has led to some conflict. I'm sure you are familiar with Interstellar Sickness, it affects hybrid children and seeing as hybrids are often the heirs to the throne, this has caused a lot of problems. We would like to instate a policy of sorts, kind of like an exchange between Earth and Lunaria. In a matter of months, we can have a new ruler prepared to govern Lunaria, someone who won't be affected by Interstellar Sickness like many Queens in the past have been. One of our humans can rule again, just like they were meant to. This is your duty to Earth," setting the forms onto her lap he continued, "since you were not set to be Queen anyways, you should be thanking us! Now you're free to live your life the way you want, without the responsibility of Queen! I think it is in your best interests as Queen to agree to this."

Celeste froze, processing the information. Hale looked indignant and many of the advisors murmured amongst themselves.

"It is not in neither my, nor my peoples best interests to put a measly Earthen on my throne just so your planet can have control over us!" She spat, feeling hurt and betrayed. "Get out of my sight before I have you put to work in the Lunarian mines!" She bit her lip, tears threatening to spill from her delicate amethyst eyes.

"My Queen can very easily have your transportation revoked, leaving you stranded." Hale shook his head in disbelief, gazing up at Celeste in admiration. "If I were her I wouldn't even let you leave this room, so you should be thanking us."

"I've decided," Celeste began, "that you and your planet are a waste of time. Therefore Lunaria will be dissolving the peace treaty, effective immediately. And... if you ever step foot on my planet again, it will be off with your head!" She finished, gaining a series of nods of approval from her court.

"You would be nothing without us," Deacon shot, "It's only a matter of time before you realize that!"

Gaining confirmation from the loading dock, Lord Auguste Rahl came towards the Earthens with a few guards. "Queen Celestia has authorized your departure, I suggest you leave now before you cause any more lasting damage." Lord Rahl warned, ushering them out the door. On the way out though, the Earthens muttered a series of threats and remarks, one voice rising above the rest.

"You were right, President Deacon. She's insane just like her mother was. If we were smart we would have taken her out along with the Queen," Governor Wilson mumbled loudly, "She's mad! The Queen doesn't care about her people's best interests anyway. She's cruel and heartless just like the rest of them."

"Bethany, careful." The President said, a look of concern and warning spreading across his grim features.

At that moment the Queen glanced up from the Earthens contract in her lap and fixed a withering glare onto the woman. Throwing the papers in the air, the sheets fluttered down around her as she rose from her throne. Though the thorns of her dress pricked into her bare arms, she hardly noticed the warm trickle of blood. Furious, she charged towards the girl. Digging her long red nails into the woman, she had Governor Wilson pinned to the ground in a few seconds flat. Luckily, Hale responded quickly and heaved Celeste off the ground, restraining her tightly. After a momentary fit of rage and thrashing, she stopped fighting. An unhinged look came to her face as she spoke to the governor who was still laying on the ground in pure terror and shock.

"Mad you say?" A deranged cackle burst from her ruby lips. "Sweetie, we're all mad here! Now if there was nothing else you wanted, I suggest leaving before I change my mind about letting you go."

"Y-yes your Majesty." The woman scampered off the ground and quickly left the room, President Deacon and the rest of their entourage following closely.

Once they had left, Celeste called one of her advisors over. A pretty woman with honey-blonde curls tied in pink bows came forwards and bowed, her pale pink gown fluttering behind her.

"Yes my Queen?" she smiled.

"Lady Lovelynd, please make the announcement." She sighed, watching as a gong-like signal sounded, closely followed by a notification appearing on a nearby screen. INTERPLANETARY ALERT: PEACE TREATY BETWEEN EARTH AND LUNARIA ABOLISHED, MORE NEWS TO COME!!