(Versions of) Tangled Stars

Version 2 chapter 3

Chapter 3

    They ended up eating dinner with the entire town. Gliseaetta suppsed it wasn't that weird since the people of the town made weapons and supplies for free so the least they could do was feed them. She was squished between Azura and Suki, right across from Lucial and Liam who were at the edge of the table. The town wasn't as large as she had thought, or maybe some people at different times or at home, but it was still very crammed.

     Xylie and Azura must have spread word about her being "Lady" Line because many people pointed and stared at her. She wanted to crawl under her seat and die, but then Azura took her hand in hers. It was a natural, normal  action but somehow made her heart beat faster.

    The dinner was served with many serving plates on the table, but they practically had to duel to get anything. Lucial, who sat across from Suki, only picked at her food. Gliseaetta found this strange, especially since Xylie had told them it was all fresh from the garden and free. She guessed it was something that happened when they were gone, she had to remember to ask her about it later. Liam never did tell them what happened, it seemed as though Xylie was  the one controlling the conversation.

    Gliseaetta smushed her mash potatoes and Azura flinched, she had forgotten she was still holding her hand under the table and let go. Xylie continued questioning Liam, Suki and Lucial, "Do you like farming, how about sword fighting? Building? Ever flown a spaceship or anything like that?" She demanded.

    Not many of them answered, mainly because they still didn't know much about themselves and Gliseaetta wondered if they ever would. Lucial apparently did like things to do with swords, or knifes at least, Gliseaetta assumed based on the one she always had attached to her waist. Suki was clearly into building and crafts, that was clear to everyone. Yet, Liam didn't seem to have any clue what he was good at or even interested in. Gliseatta presumed that none of them really knew what they liked, but it just seemed to come to them naturally. Except, Gliseaetta knew she didn't like any of the things they told her she was, mainly that she was a leader. She laughed at the thought of herself leading a town, much less an entire kingdom.

    Liam eventually spoke up, "What do you guys never look for lost people or something?" He asked.

    Xylie's expression turned to that of the old woman Gliseaetta had bumped into at the Arvon, she took a sip of her drink, "We would normally send out a search party, but the forests have been forbidden for more than a hundred years." She started to gather her utensils onto her plate and stand up, "Which is why we never found…" she gestured at the four of them.

    Liam crossed his arms, "Whatever. Can we still look for him?"  He asked. Gliseaetta felt a little bad for him, though she didn't understand why he cared so much.

    "I just want to make sure my friends are safe. You guys are my family now. Er… I mean since like we all woke up with no memory. I guess it feels like you've been with me my whole life and I want to protect that." He explained, not looking up from his dinner plate, which he hadn't seemed to have touched.

    Gliseaetta looked in the direction where Marco had run off and sighed, wondering where he might be. Though she realized that he was probably mad at them. She just hoped  he was okay, she didn't want to think about why the forest had been banned in the first place. Looking back at Xylie, she seemed more worried than intimidating. She suddenly wanted to know what the problems they had been facing were, even though she bitterly knew she couldn't help. She was still going on about what jobs the others would be best at and was trying with Liam.

    "What about me?" Gliseaetta quietly asked, regretting it as soon as it came out of her mouth. However, she really did want to help them and she really wanted to know what Xylie meant by this "Lady Lune" business.

    Some people ended  their conversations and everyone slowly became quiet. Xylie cleared her throat and stood up, "Gliseaetta Lune, you are the new leader of this town." She announced.

    Gliseaetta burst out laughing. Me? A ruler? She thought.  It seemed too real and too fast now. She had run away from them seventy years ago, they couldn't expect to have her back and ready  to lead. Didn't they have a ruler already? Why didn't they have a ruler? She wondered, not for the first them. She couldn't get Suki to listen to her, much less an entire kingdom. No leader could ever have had an offspring so bad at ruling than her.Gliseaetta realized everyone was staring at her, there was no other laughter.

    She stopped her laughter with a cough, "Um what?" maybe she hadn't heard her correctly.

    "Your family was the family who built this town, we owe it to them no matter what to have their daughter be our ruler. It would truly be an honor."

    She put her hands in her face, so it was official. This was a nightmare. She had to rule everyone. She slowly moved her head up and saw Azura staring down at her in concern, then up at Lucial. She expected the girl to look at her with envy, instead shock froze her face. She wished that she could change places with her, but she knew she couldn't.

    Gliseaetta stared at her empty plate and nodded miserably, "Okay, can we talk about this later?" She asked. Xylie agreed and the conversations came back as if nothing had happened, even though everything had.

    Lam, who had been staring off into the distance, suddenly excused himself in a hurry from the table. Gliseaetta bitterly wished she could follow and then Suki flung her mashed potatoes at someone.

    "How old are you, five?" She asked, but it was short lived as the girl nodded.

      Suki frowned, "Do you think they liked me?" She asked after a few seconds.

    Gliseaetta was caught off guard but it was good to finally change the subject, "Who, the other children?" She asked.

    The girl shook her head and Gliseaetta's heart sank. The forest had been forbidden before they all were frozen, and she had been a child.

    "I know your parents must have loved you, probably. You were probably an only child and they were rulers so they could give you everything. The way everyone talks about them…" she trailed off and Gliseaetta hugged her as she sat in her lap.

    Suki cried into her shirt and Gliseaetta stroked her hair and whispered, "I don't think we'll ever know if they loved you, but it doesn't matter now. I-I think everything is going to be okay." She tried to sound upbeat, but didn't know how.

    Suki faced her, "Are you sure?" She asked between whimpers.

    Gliseaetta took a deep breath and glanced toward Azura who nodded, "Yes Suki! I am the ruler of this town now, we are going to be safe." She promised. This made Suki relax and fall asleep.

     Little did Gliseaetta know how wrong that was, how everything was just about to go downhill. Azura put a hand on Gliseaetta's shoulder, "You know we're always here to help you, whenever you need it." She told Gliseaetta, but she didn't respond. Right at that moment, she just wanted to hold Suki like the little sister she never had. She finally felt connected to the town. She knew her words to Suki were as true as they could be.

    A fast panting startled them and woke Suki. Liam came back, and he looked as if he'd seen a ghost.