1. Rose Quartz

00. prologue

𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖑𝖚𝖓𝖆
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

𝗘 𝗜 𝗚 𝗛 𝗧 𝗘 𝗘 𝗡 𝗬 𝗘 𝗔 𝗥 𝗦 𝗔 𝗚 𝗢
second kingdom of imperia, the grand palace

It had been two days since the cries of newborn babies had filled the King and Queen's chambers, twin girls being produced from twenty hours of labour in the dipteral temple that sat at the centre of the heart of the kingdom, notoriously cast in the ethereal golden glow of the sunrise.

Queen Luna recovered still in her bed, cradling her babies as she carried out skin-to-skin-contact, one girl on her chest-who they'd named Aurora, born with a crescent on her wrist-and the other on their father-who they'd named Elara, born with a crescent on the back of her left shoulder. It only seemed fitting to continue the naming of celestial bodies and astronomy in the family.

King Ace had fallen asleep with their younger daughter asleep on top of him, the small newborn covered in a thin, woolly blanket that belonged to her mother. He had gifted her it out of the blue a few years prior during a particularly warm and sunny summer, simply because he had noticed how easily she became cold.

That had been the same summer he had proposed to her.

A knock sounded at the door, making Luna stir as she sat up, pulling her gown up and wrapping a shawl around herself and Aurora, who was tucked into her arms and yet still fast asleep, although she was sure she would be hungry soon. She stood carefully, walking to the door and pulling it open.

"It's time," the man in front of her said. He bore an uncanny resemblance to her with white-blonde hair and light golden brown eyes.

Her entire body froze.

"No," she breathed out, shaking her head. "No, it... it can't be. It's only been two days."

They still had more time. Of course they did. She had been promised at least two weeks, two weeks of spending time with her beautiful family before everything went to hell.

"And he will be here by the fifth. Do you really want to risk that?"

"No," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "I don't." As much as she didn't want to let what had to happen happen, she couldn't and wouldn't endanger her family. She blinked her tears back, swallowing the limp in her throat. "You go make the preparations. I will be there soon."

He nodded and left, and Luna shut the door behind her, a quiet sob leaving her as she forced herself to walk back to the bed. The tears wasted no time in spilling out and rolling down her cheeks, glistening in the early morning sun.

Everything was over before it had even begun.

A waking Ace looked at her, brows furrowing as he came to and realised what was happening. He sat up as quickly as he could with Elara on his chest, standing and setting her down in her cot instead, where Luna then placed Aurora before sitting back down.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, taking her hands in his. His thumb ran over her knuckles, a subconscious attempt to soothe her.

"I can't do this," she said, her voice shaking. She had dreaded every last one of those words, and felt like being sick now that she had said them. She sat down on the bed. "I have to go."