The podium seemed to fall, a glass case enclosing her the minute she started her decent. Down through the first floor, the walls lined with various tropical fish in tanks and straight underground. Panic gripped her as it paused before shooting sideways and then back up again.
Up and up Celeste went, rising quickly through the ground before she resurfaced through crowds of people all cheering fo her arrival. The glass case twisted back down around her to disappear under the podium that was rising through the air, at least twenty meters above everyone else.
On the podium she felt no fear of falling off; which ever way she leant, the ground beneath her did as if she was standing on a platform balanced on water. The only way off would be jumping.
She looked down to see the emergency button, a bright silver at the edge of the podium which could easily be kicked if you got to scared but adrenaline was pumping through her veins and the cheering bought a smile to her face.
She threw her tanned hand up with a laugh drowned out by the increase of screams as she waved to the people, her people. Everyone here had faith in the twelve kings and queens, faith that they would save humanity and make everything better and Celeste couldn't help but feel bad knowing that no matter how much hope was placed into them, they couldn't do anything.
But she still smiled, she still waved, just happy to see the smiling faces and hear the positive chanting. It was useless trying to detect faces in the crowd; it sugred constantly, thousands of tiny faces peering up all trying to catch a glimpse. Cameras flashed from every which direction and she turned slight to wave at those behind her as well, even if her platform was rotating slightly.
Her time would be up soon enough, and surely a small buzzer sounded and the platform began to sink, the glass dome rising around her again to protect her from the crowd surging, reaching out to touch their light of hope.
Back through the same path, the underground only lasting a moment before she was back up in a different room. Everyone who had already been and presented themselves were lying around as if it were a lazy Sunday afternoon with shirts unbotton and shoes kicked off. Obviously the formalities were over and Celeste was happy to run a hand through her pristine hair and pry off the silver bracelet wrapped around her delicate wrist, placing it to the side. With the amount of money she now had it was so obviously replacable.
Christa was sitting in the corner by the window, tears streaming down her cheek and hands trembling uncontrollably as she stared out at the crowds now captivated by Hayden who seemed to be having the time of his life.
Celeste didn't waste time getting over to Christa, already getting comforted by Mei.
'I can't do this,' the small blonde girl said, trying her hardest to control her breathing as she turned her eyes to the approaching Celeste, though directing her words at Mei. 'I'm not cut out to be a queen!'
Celeste had decided long ago that she would try, even if others weren't. Judging Annie's deathly comments and the sheer amount falseness, she would try her hardest to stop anyone bad from getting to the throne.
'Christa,' the Australian said rather forcefully as she knelt down beside the sobbing girl. 'Listen to me and listen to me well. You're scared? Don't be. What's really holding you back? Is it yourself, or the fear that everyone in here is going to judge you? Everyone out there, they love you, they love all of us and its way to early for them to start judging; but everyone in here? They only care about themselves don't you see? Anything for power, even if it means killing someone.'
Christa looked up with shining eyes, wiping the tears away impatiently and trying to control her trembling lips. 'It's alright,' Celeste reassured before standing and turning as Hayden exited the podium which had risen in the middle of the room once more, the boisterous boy laughing and giving everyone in the room a bow.
Eyes narrowing, Celeste could only death glare him though he didn't seem to notice. Turning her attention back to the girl who was slowly calming down, Celeste settled down and waited it out.
Once everyone had returned, laughter and chatter now the only thing heard in the room apart from the screaming and cheering coming from outside. Once everyone had finished, the same servant entered and dismissed everyone.
There was no hurry to leave, but unlike last time Celeste was first out of the door in search of Noah whom she found quite quickly. They embraced quickly, her hands gripping onto the back of his shirt as if her life depended on it. 'I just want to go home,' she whispered quietly, burying her face in his chest.
