episode three — REAŘYS E STELLA after : The Phantom Menace
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Reařys e stella means Festival Of Stars. A huge festival celebrated from the time that first light set on the shores of Valérian — but even before that light, there were stars. The stars were used for everything, prophets, old stories told by parents to their children, navigation. Reařys e stella was a festival of goodluck, and new beginnings. The Valérian people had deemed it as the birth of the new star — or as others would say, the new year.
The citizens believed that this was a doorway into a different universe, a new light, a different path. They placed four beacons of fallen stars that had hardened up from hitting the atmosphere, each beacon representing individual futures. Unfortunately, you would not know that future until it had arrived. It was a terrible downside to such a beautiful tradition, but still, the Valérian people had faith in their gods.
Lillia sat in her chambers, the sun had finally set, and her handmaidens lightly brushed her loose curls, letting them adjust to her new hairstyle. Her hair stood fully out of her face, but two thick pieces were braided back, holding a pearly chain to decorate the dark curls. Lillia wore a traditional Valéri gown — which was obviously more fit for a young girl of her age. Lillia was excited to grow into the 'grown up gowns,' as she had said to Soteria once.
The dress was black, with a gold trim that cascaded down the chest, and overflowed onto the rest of her gown. Small trinkets hung from her waist band, making soft music when the wind hit them. A head-dress hung from her head, dangling a piece of the fallen stars above her forehead. Lillia Val'eaon cared much about her appearance, she believed it was not only your actions that rule an entire system, but how you put yourself to those who take your favor.
It was important that you present yourself with dignity and grace, especially as a princess. Traditional Valéri dresses were typically white with strong gold accents, but some came in black, or even a light blue.
"It is time for the festival, m'lady." Her handmaiden bowed, stepping away from her hair. Her handmaidens were fairly young, not as young as her, but they looked to be sixteen stars old, perhaps even older. Lillia smiled at her through the mirror, getting up and spinning to face her. The train of her dress getting caught slightly in the stool that she once sat in. "Beautiful." A voice chimed from the door, Lillia looked to see her father, Kier. She walked up to him with a smile on her face.
Kier cupped her face. "You are going to be an outstanding queen." He kissed her forehead, then patted her on the shoulder and hugged her. Kier had faith in his older daughters when they served, but somewhere in his heart, he knew that Lillia was born to rule. She always had an ambition to help those who needed it — to help stray animals, which eventually ended up in the palace as the "offical palace pets" Lillia had called them that, and Kier knew that it would take a village to force her to let them free.
