Starrlings 1: House of Fire

chapter 15

L U M I

In the morning, Lumi stood on the deck of the ship to watch the white cliffs of New Hamilton. She'd read about them, and now she was seeing them for the first time. From the ocean, the cliffs shot up hundreds of meters above the sea level, white as snow, like a wall preventing their approach towards the city.

The cliffs stretched for miles, but eventually the waterfall came into view. As they approached the falls, it started to rain, although the sky was blue. Then Lumi realised it wasn't rain, but the spray of the magnificent falls, which reached them even though they were so far away. They were the Onodarra Falls, and they plunged from the height of the white cliffs and down to the ocean below.

All along the cliffs, Lumi could see structures jutting out towards the ocean, shining in the sunlight. A rainbow of light spread across the view up towards the city, and Lumi couldn't help but be in awe of this beautiful place.

Their ship continued around the cape for another few hours, and finally docked at the port town in the late morning. Lumi dutifully followed Tai and their envoy into waiting carriages. They were met by officials riding lions, and a carriage draped in two flags - the flag of Lombardia, and that of the Stargen Union.

Lumi felt a tremor of reservation at seeing the flag of the Stargen Union, which had ended her father's life, and ended the Fire War.

Lumi stood silently while Tai took the lead, greeting the Lombardian delegates who'd been sent to collect them. They were all well-dressed men. Lumi's sole experience with men had been her father.

As she stood quietly, waiting to be invited into the awaiting carriage, a strong gust of wind blew in off the ocean, forcing Lumi to clutch at her travelling coat.

Everyone in the delegation looked up as a screech pierced through the air above them. A dark shadow blot filled the sky and Lumi ducked out of the way as something huge swooped down towards her, shrieking as it did.

The giant bird landed amongst the blustering gust. It was a falcon, as big as any tiger Lumi had ever seen, with a huge wingspan that it showed off with a final beat of its wings as it landed. From the giant falcon's back, a young man landed gracefully.

The Lombardian delegates with the lions immediately bowed low, and Lumi recognised that this was Prince Raphael of Lombardia.

Her betrothed.

He was tall and dark-haired, with a warm complexion and a brilliant smile, and he beamed first at his bowing delegates as he walked through them, towards where Lumi was standing awkwardly behind her brother.

Tai straightened his shoulders, trying in vain to appear taller than Raphael.

"Princess Lumiko," Raphael said, with a grin, ignoring Tai and looking straight into Lumi's eyes, in a way that made her feel exposed. She lowered her gaze.

"And you must be Taikku," Raphael said, beaming at Tai, with seemingly no care that Tai was glaring daggers at Raphael.

"I'm Prince Raphael of the Air Starrlings, heir to the throne of Lombardia," he said.

"Sir," the man who had been in charge before the prince showed up stepped forward. "We're here to escort the prince and princess to the school. We didn't expect you to join us."

"Not to worry, Rogers," Raphael said with a grin and a wave of his hand, that sent a gust of wind towards the man, Rogers, and sending his cap flying. Rogers grabbed at his hat desperately, and then turned back to his prince.

But Raphael was already looking at Lumi, with an outstretched hand.

The hand emerged from a tightly cuffed sleeve, of a dark dress shirt. His shoulders were patched with gold embroidery in the shape of two suns.