The Lost Girl

Chapter Two

Luna's Perspective
    "You really want to know about me?" I asked.
   "Yes. Of course." He responded. "Tell me everything about you."
    I looked into his deep brown eyes. I smiled. I felt safe and comfortable. The sun shone down on us. The meadows were full of animals. I heard birds chirping. I grabbed my lover's hand.
    "Well, two years ago I ran away from the Diamond Kingdom. I had been raised for sixteen years in the captivity of my castle." I started.
    My memories started to appear as I opened my mouth. I had a terrible childhood that Skylar would probably describe as pleasant. I remembered watching our poor servants that were really slaves attend to us as mother and father were greedy for more money.
    "It's hard being a royal outcast." He replied.
    "It's better than being a royal." I responded.
    "What did you hate about it so much?" He said.
    "My fifth birthday." I responded quietly.
I plunged deep inside my head as I began to speak. I felt as if I were alone and everything else had melted away. I was transported back to feeling five years old.
    I had been lined up in the throne room with my twin sister Skylar. Peasants and royals from other kingdoms lined themselves out the door. I recognized even at five that the royals were lined up first. And my own people were last. I wondered why that was. I knew my questions weren't adored anymore. Two years ago they had been all over me asking why. I still wondered why. The royals handed us expensive jewelry and dresses. I had no real interest in these things. I smiled politely. Skylar ooed and awed over each new present. She had been born first. She was the heir to our kingdom. I wondered why I felt older as I watched the line slowly move.
    Eventually our friend, Prince James, showed himself in the line. He was carrying two small jewelry boxes. He checked them quickly and then handed one to me. One to Skylar. I opened the box. I expected it to be another necklace. Alas it was, but it was different. The necklace was quite plain. It had a silver chain and a silver moon shaped pendant. I pulled the necklace up and admired it. My name was Luna, so I was obsessed with the moon. I looked to see what Skylar had gotten. She had a similar necklace with a cloud pendant. I smiled brightly.
    "They're almost matching necklaces. Like us." I said.
    "But we're identical." Skylar replied.
    "The cloud was the closest symbol I could find to represent your name." James blushed.
    I could tell that he feared that he had failed Skylar. She looked confused as she gazed at me first, and then James.
    "Well thank you." She said politely.
    "Thank you." I said to him.
    He walked away stiffly. The line continued on. When it reached the peasants the jewelry and outfits stopped coming. They began to bring forth animals and children. My stomach sank.
    "Here. Princess Skylar and Princess Luna of the Diamond Kingdom, please accept my gift of my daughter Lily. She has been trained to be your maidservant. She is very humbly offering her services to you." A frail black woman said.
    She wore rags. She pushed forward a small frail girl that looked around our age. Lily was actually a little older, but I didn't know that at the time. She was awfully skinny. She was malnourished. I didn't know that word back then either. Lily went and stood beside the steps that Skylar and I stood upon. I glanced back at my father. The king sat upon his throne and smiled brightly at the woman. He waved her on. She nodded and turned away. I looked at Lily and saw tears fall from the corner of her eyes. I looked at Skylar and noticed that she was just eyeing the rest of the line. I never felt like I belonged with my family. I was too different. I didn't want gifts that couldn't be afforded to be given away.