The Black Phoenix

Chapter Ten: The First Heir

Quickly, like that morning, like many times before that, Caelestis was whisked away. 

First, she was surrounded by the knights-guard—

Then, she was in an imperial car, alone—

Her d.Eye was ringing, messages were pouring in, but she couldn't access anything, she was blocked from using it, even answering her own mother—

She was at the palace, escorted inside—

Briskly taken to her quarters—

The knights-guard closed her doors, leaving her alone in the entry of the First Heirs apartments.

Caelestis stared, standing in place for several minutes. Then, she threw off her d.Eye—useless to her now—clattering on the marble floors. She made her way to her library and sat on the sofa facing a main HoloScreen and watched the news until her wardrobe team came to ready her for the memorial reception and dinner that night. 

Under her father's orders, no one spoke to her. Caelestis did not try. When she was young, it had felt as though the world was against her. Now she knew most of the world were only puppets answering to her father, whether they wanted to or not. Any fear or anger she had towards the attendants or guards had turned into a pity. It wasn't their fault. 

Caelestis would be dressed in the brightest jewels and finest materials, because at the end of it all, it would reflect poorly upon her father to punish her out right. The consequences of her actions today would be large and she was sure she could not predict them, either. 

She just didn't care.

When it was time, she was escorted to the throne room where her family sat on the dais in their respective places. She took her place at her father's right, her siblings sat to their mother's left. No one looked at her, no one spoke. 

Caelestis sat alone, like a glittering star, in peace.