As the Empire Began to Fall

And you can sleep in a coffin but the past ain't through with you

There was water filling her lungs, tearing them apart at the seams. Her throat burned and her eyes watered, bright splotches of color dancing across her eyes like she was in a concert. She kicked her feet, trying to swim upwards, but when she angeled her head, she realized there seemed no end to the water. Everything was the same dark blue, bordering on black. All the water was bitterly cold and salty. Her chest convulsed, and she opened her mouth involuntarily and swallowed gulps of the brine, heaving and coughing as her vision went dark—

"Rise and shine, beautiful!" A pillow smashed into her face. 

"What the fuck?" Star groaned. She rolled over in the bed, which was huge, soft, and unlike anything Star had ever laid in. She dragged the blanket over her head, engulfing herself in darkness once more. "Go away. Let me sleep." 

Glori jumped in the bed with her, sliding her hands under the covers and digging her long fingers into Star's ribs, making her squeal. She forgot Glori knew she was dreadfully ticklish. 

"No can do," Glori said, sounding entirely unapologetic. "You've been sleeping for twelve hours, and your presence is requested somewhere." 

"Where?" 

"I dunno. The person didn't stay around for me to ask." 

Jude trailed into the room, already dressed in a deep brown dress and black leather shoes. Her hair was done up in a ponytail, swinging behind as she walked through the door that connected Star and Glori's room. "The boys are getting dressed. Jaz just came to tell me that his closet was huge. He said it was bigger than his room." She walked over to Star's closet. Or what Star assumed was her closet. After Arlen had introduced them to their new living quarters, Star had wasted no time before collapsing on her bed. She spent the next several hours sobbing, so much so that her silk pillowcase was still stained with tears. 

"What color do you wanna wear?" Jude asked, opening the closet. "They've got everything. It makes me wonder if they have these clothes just lying around or if they were expecting you. You should ask." 

"Uh... I don't know?" Star said. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Blue or green." 

"Okay." 

While Jude was picking, Star got up to go and brush her teeth. Her bare feet touched decorative, cold tiles, and she instinctively dug her toes into the grooves. A porcelain bathtub sat in the corner and the sink was large, large enough that she could sit in it if she really tried. The handles were constructed with heavy crystals that dug into the soft skin of her palm when she twisted them, and the toothbrush she grabbed was wooden and heavy. 

"I found a dress!" Jude announced right when Star was finished brushing her teeth. When Star exited the bathroom, Jude held a navy blue, long-sleeved dress against her chest. It looked soft and partially shiny in the soft golden light peeking in through the huge windows on the walls. She thrust it upon Star before retreating back to the closet to try and find Star some shoes. 

Star had undressed in front of Glori and Jude numerous times before, so she wasn't shy about stripping off the dress she had worn yesterday and then slipping the new one over her head. It snagged over her shoulders. 

"Shit," Star said, her arms straight up in the air as she tried to shimmy the dress down her body. Glori stepped forward, grabbing the scrunched-up fabric by the waist and pulling it down. It slipped down her shoulders, but once against stopped on her chest. 

"Jesus," Glori said. "Hey, Jude! Can you find a bigger dress around the chest? It won't fit over her boobs." 

Jude stuck her head out of the closet. "That was one of the biggest ones I could find," she admitted sheepishly.