Crescent Shaped Soul - Amethyst of Deception

Chapter 9: A Starry Night

Days had passed in a blur after Luna had reunited with her family, everyone still tingling with exitement while getting used to the new everyday life. The younger twin sisters had quickly become inseparable, Celyne always dragging Luna off somewhere on a new adventure.
This night was no diffrent. The full moon was shining brightly in the sky, and Celyne looked out her window, Mister Purrington lay on the bottom bunk, purring as Luna stroked his back. Celyne had already gotten the medication to keep her cat allergy in check, it was refreshing. She adored Luna's kitten, he had warmed up to her rather quickly.
Luna soon noticed her sister's completative gaze outside, and asked with a curious head tilt, "What're you thinking about, Celyne?"
Celyne turned back to Luna, and smiling. "Just the stars. Say, Lune, how would you feel about climbing to the rooftop with me? I've snuck out there many times, and it's a nice little spot."
The other girl's eye's widened. There was no way Celyne would willingly do that. It was dangerous, and prohibited aswell probably. She frowned, responding, "No way, that's anything but safe!"
Her twin scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Then I suppose I'll stay up there alone!" With that, she opened the window, standing up and holding herself on the top of the windowframe, and with a few practiced steps, made her way to the remaining top, and sat down, looking beneath her as Luna looked up at her.
Luna pouted slightly, not wanting to give in, but also wanting to be next to her sister, to enjoy this moment with her. Alas, she gave in, and let Celyne help her up to where she was. Once sat securely, Luna looked at her shaking hand. It was quite a nervous moment for her, and she couldn't believe she broke the rules so carelessly.
But Celyne was already staring out into the cosmos, laid on her back, swinging her bent knee from left to right, humming softly to herself. Their necklaces were covered in some luminescent coat, both of them glowing faintly in the night.
She laid down next to her sister, and asked,"What constellation are you looking for, Celyne?"
Celyne turned to her, giggling, "Any I'd recognise. I know the big dipper, but that's about it."
"Hmmm...see that row of three stars there? That's Orion's Belt. Surely you must've heard of it?" Luna questioned, connecting the row of stars with her finger, helpjg her sister recognise it.
The darker haired girl nodded. "I've heard of that one! If you ask me, Orion's Belt is a big waist of space"
Luna quickly realised Celyne's pun, but couldn't surpress her smile as she lowered her hand, placing it back beneath her head as a makeshift pillow. "Terrible pun. Only three stars."
She looked over expectantly at her sister, seeing as Celyne did the same. They burst out laughing, to the point their sides were hurting, clutching their stomachs.
Eventually they settled back down, and Luna wiped a tear from her eye, "Oh, you're terrible, Celyne. My gosh, what did i get myself into"
Both sighed in contentment, and calmed down. It didn't take long until Celyne pointed at a bright star, asking curiously, "What's this one called?"
Luna followed her finger to the brightest star in the sky, and smiled with recognition. "That one is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. It belongs to the constellation Canis Mayor, the greater hound if i recall correctly."
"You're quite the smart one, aren't you? C'mon, what else have you got?" Celyne teased, playfully nudging Luna's side.
The other girl smiled at her teasing, responding, "It's nothing uncommon for astronomy being taught in Solaris, or rather the whole Neolin for that matter. Afterall-"
"-We live in the nation of the highest peaks, blessed by Atlas himself," Celyne finished her sister's sentence. She's heard that all too many times, knowing it by heart at this point. "He is said to have been weaved from fallen stars and gleaming hopes, moulding Neolin to his liking as he sits atop the furthest star, protecting us."
Luna blinked in surprise, "Well, would you look at that. But still, we both are the princesses of this Nation, it is only fair that we know of Atlas' burden he carries. Atleast in a metophorical sense. Like as if stars can watch over us."
The other girl nodded in agreement, keeping quiet as she turned back to the stars.
She continued, "Did you know, Cel, that our names are based off the moon?"
Celyne turned back to her, pondering a moment over her question, "I suppose so. I know that your name, Luna, means moon. But mine?"
Luna smiled at her, turning back to the sky, "Yours too. I'm guessing our mother took the name Selene as inspiration, changing just the spelling. Selene was the moon goddess in some ancient legends."
"Woah, I didn't know! That's so cool!" Celyne beamed with pride, laying down in her stomach and kicking her feet.
"It is, isn't it?" She searched for anything else that was of intest in the night sky, and connected a zigzag line for her sister, "Fo you recognise that one?"
"Should I? It looks like a W or M..."
Luna grumbled slightly, and launched into her explanation, though she had realised that Celyne was no linger listening, "That constellation is called Cassiopeia. She was the mother of Andromeda, like you know, the galaxy?"
The other twin nodded in acknowledgment, and hummed a "mmmhmm". Luna scoffed, and lay down the same way Celyne did, looking down at the city below. Technically they werent on the rooftop, it would be far too high, but on a sort of stop for maintence. It was safe enough that it wouldn't crash on them, so that gave Luna a twinge of comfort.
She remembered the white haired woman that had greeted them earlier. Such a hair color was rare to see, and she asked, "Cel, what was the name of this white haired woman, the Commissioner?"
Celyne looked back at her, replying, "Oh, you mean Kalliopa? She's a nice woman, she always gave me candy when I was little."
"Perchance, do you know her last name?"
"Huh? I think it was something with A...Arnolds...Asa...ah, Astrados!"
"That's most curious indeed," Luna whispered to herself. "Two stars, it's a cute last name. And her first name is that of a muse, how poetic does that sound?"
Celyne nodded, letting her arm slip down into the air, the wind swinging it back and forth gently, "Auntie Kalliopa is really pretty and sweet, just like uncle Aquilus."
"Auntie? is she our aunt? Is Aquilus married to her?" Luna questioned, clearly confused. She had aeen the bond between Aquilus and Sato, and it made her upset to think that Aquilus could have been so heartless.
"No, you misunderstand me. I call her auntie because she was always really caring. Not Aquils nor Kalliopa are married," the darker haired twin cleared up softly, looking up at her sister. "Marriage is gross anyways..."
Luna straightened her posture, and looked curiously at her. "You think so?"
"I guess so. I have yet to see anything prosperous come to fruition from the marriages around us. Any other questions?"
Her twin nodded apprehensively, her shoulders slumping again, though she hadn't realised it, "Actually, yes. You know how you and I are twins?"
"Yes, what about it?" Celyne replied, frowning slighty as if trying to gauge where Luna was headed with the question.
"And our mother and uncle are twins, such are our grandfather and great uncle, from what Sato had told me that a couple of days ago. You see where I'm headed with this? It couldn't possibly be pure chance that many previous generations have had twins. It's simply not possible from a biological perspective, or rather that the odds are too slim to recognise them." She muttered, fidgeting with her thumbs as she sat closer to the edge, letting her feet dangle off the platform.
"Noticed, have you?" Celyne giggled in response, "truth to be told, I don't know either. But mum is always on about some curse, you should see her study. It's filled to the brink with some threats and pictures, theories and text. Investigating this whole phenomenon is her pride and joy."
"A...Curse?" Luna's mind quickly jumped to Aelia, yet she didn't want to ruin this chance to make a new friend, didn't want to creep Celyne out, and decided to keep it to herself. She'd probably sound like she'd have a screw loose.
"Ya. A curse. I wouldn't be too concerned with it, I frankly don't believe it." The sentence faded into a yawn, and she streched, spine clicking in several places with the strech. "I'm tired, shall we head back down?"
The dark blonde twin shook her head, dispersing the thoughts, "Yes, we ought to by now. But you need to help me down."
"Pff, 'course. But you know, you'll need to learn how to get up and down here yourself someday," Celyne teased gently as she climed into the window, and as soon as she secured her position, she extended a hand to help Luna down.
Once her sister was back in their room, safe and sound, Celyne closed the window behind them, and settled into bed, giving Luna her kitten back. "Don't want to risk it, I still need to learn how to take the pills periodically."
The kitten was lifted back onto the other bed, and started kneading the blanket with small paws, "If there's cat hair on your bed, I highly doubt that it'd make much difference."
Celyne rolled her eyes at her sister, placed the medication in her mouth, and swallowed it with the help of a sip of water. Luna was the first one to climb into her new bed. Over the days, both of them had gotten used to the new arrangement, to the new routine. She had the upper bunk, while Celyne had the lower. They both slipped into their beds, nuzzling into their pillows.
"Should I turn off the light?"
"Yeah, would be ideal to sleep with the lights out, Luna, wouldn't you agree?"
"Oh shush you. Good night, Celyne."
"Teehee, nighty night!"
Luna clapped her hands, and the lights quickly faded out. It was a gig that Celyne convinced their uncle to install, much to both girl's amusement. Celyne was the first to drift off into slumber, while Luna kept tossing and turning. It wasn't unusual that she had trouble falling asleep, but this night, it felt weirder than the last times.
She simply chalked it up to the homesickness she had the past few hours. Atleast she prayed to the gods that it was that, though deep down she knew it wasn't just that.
"Soo, princess, how do you like this new life?"
Luna shivered, goosebumps making their way over her skin, "get away from me."
The spirit was not deterred, nor particularly impressed. She's heard Luna's protest dozens of times, it was nothing to her, "Oh but my little Luna, you would't be here without me, would you? You'd be stuck back in Solaris, in a rotting castle."
"Aelia, did you...did you influence father's death?" The princess was looking around her, panicked, even tbough she didn't know why. It's not like she'd be able to see a spirit anyway.
"Hmmm...Not directly. Buuuuut..." Aelia paused for suspense, "You'll get to avenge him soon enough!"
Luna groaned into her pillow, not believing the mischevious woman anymore, "Sure, whatever. Leave me alone. I want to sleep."
"Awhe...aren't you happy to hear me and my prophecies, Lunalulu?" Aelia responded, her sentence ending in a slight chuckle at the nickname she's made up for the princess.
The younger girl shook her head in her pillow, unsure if Aelia would even take notice of it. "Knock yourself out with your prophecies, but keep me out of it."
"You're a party pooper, princess."
Luna could imagine the spirit pouting, but it seemed like Aelia finally left her alone again. About time, anyways. The last time she talked with her was when she left her father's room, almost a month ago. But she turned around, trying to get the spirit's words out of her mind. Aelia was merely messing with her.
But one thing stuck with her, one thought she couldn't banish from her mind.
Revenge for her father.
(Words: 2084, total: 2958)