Throne of stolen stars

Capítulo 1

Ballard is the land of ancient gods. Those who, after the battle of the stars, offered their war-torn bodies to establish our people. That is why not only the ground we walk upon is built upon the fallen body of the great Leviathan Ball, hence the name of my kingdom, but our lineage is also sacred, chosen by the celestial beings whose blood was spilled and can only be mixed among families with origins from the stars.

Ícaris and I grew up together with a arranged marriage since before our conception, not only for the political possibilities it would bring in the future, but also because it was meant to be. Like two drops spilled from the same cup, we are infinitely compatible, which facilitated the closeness of our bond. He is not only my betrothed by right but also my best friend, my confidant, and the person I would entrust my life to.

We met because, as part of the marriage arrangement, he was raised in Ball Palace, where we attended our classes together. Over time, we started sharing our lunches and free time... until we turned 15, which was when the court demanded the start of courtship. Once a week, we had to organize "dates" to flirt, awkwardly monitored by a court member to ensure no sexual union took place before marriage, as "a union is impure if it does not conceive fruit in the woman's womb."

Conservative nonsense, if you ask me... because since I was 15, almost 16, we would secretly escape to our cabin with the sole purpose of enjoying passionate nights.

It has been a couple of weeks since he returned to Erast, the land of the Titaness of the Stars, his homeland where our sacred union would be celebrated. During his absence on military campaigns, I took on the task of organizing every detail of the wedding, or well... in theory, I should have organized every detail of the wedding... but the truth is, unlike my father, who has an exquisite taste for art, music, and events, I am not skilled in those areas. So, to calm my anxiety and nervousness about finally uniting my soul with Ícaris, as it should be provided, I focused on studying while others took care of the wedding.

I spent days and nights studying the political situation in Erast to understand how Ícaris's kingdom worked, as marrying him would make him the king of Ballard and me the second general of Erast. No pressure, Ellen, not only will you be crowned, but you will also hold a new position in a foreign land...

Anyway, this morning won't be different from the others since Ícaris left. Like every morning, I found a glass of sparkling water next to my vanity, ready to start the day with energy. However, for some reason, I chose not to drink it this morning.

I rang the bell in my room, calling the royal servants to prepare my bath and bring fruit toast for breakfast in my chamber. Meanwhile, after a brief review of my library, I selected an article about the denial of voluntary participation in Erast's military campaigns by their emperor.

Once I finished reading the article, I prepared to shower with the golden water in my bathtub while the maids tidied my room and cleared away the dirty dishes from breakfast and dinner. They left and would return when summoned.

Having a makeup artist and stylist in the palace was normal, but it took a lot of negotiation with my mother to allow me to learn about makeup and styling. Spending two or three hours a day sitting in front of my mirror, listening to music on my digital record player, and turning my face into a canvas provided me with a moment of peace and self-contemplation that I cannot describe.

Feeling euphoric today, knowing that in two days we would depart for Erast to celebrate my wedding, and that Ícaris would come to Ballard in two days to take me with him to his homeland, I decided to wear a green jumpsuit from my wardrobe. It gave the illusion of being a vine that embraced my body, delicately covering my hips and abdomen. I also adorned my eyes with green powder, extending from the inner corner to the cheekbones, accentuated with golden dots resembling dew, which contrasted perfectly with my dark skin, while the green brought out the brown in my iris.