We are all Lost Stars ---A Zodiac Story---

Chapter 3

"Princess Lilliana!" Ashley quickly bowed on one knee. She hadn't expected to see the only princess of the surface but could anyone expect a princess to be here in the woods. 

"It's fine, raise your head," she said, obviously uncomfortable as she turned to glance at the others.

Once, Ashley did she saw that Sebastian and Grace shocked and confused. Even the two boys of the drowned seemed bewildered. 

"You're a princess?" Sebastian was the first to talk as he gave her a look. Then it was Ashley's turn to be confused. "You didn't know? She's the second child of the King and Queen of the surface, her brother the first and the heir to the throne," Ashley explained. 

It seemed that the information was new to everyone and they all looked at Lilliana wanting an explanation. "I... I didn't want you- all of you.. to find out," She said as her lip trembled. She started to fidget with her shirt, refusing to meet everyone's gazes. 

Seeing her panic, Sebastian put up a big smile. "Well, you must have your reasons! Everyone has their secrets after all," Trying to lift her spirits. She seemed a bit calmer after that and met their stares. Spencer still looked suspicious but said nothing. 

"How come you didn't know?" Ashley asked. She thought that was something everything had to know as her stupid father drilled the information in her head. There was always punishment if she hadn't memorized everything.  

"Us commoners or well, people who aren't nobles aren't educated to know the king and queen's children. We only find out at the coronation when the whole land is invited to see the next king," Sebastian made gestures with his hands as he explained. 

"Ah," She didn't know that.

"Well, that was quite the shock but we should get back to our objective," Chase reminded everyone.

"Now that we found the Aries sign, we have the Libra, Virgo, Pisces, Taurus, Capricorn, Aquarius signs left to find," Chase summarized as Spencer nodded. Sebastian pulled out a map and spread it on the ground as everyone gathered to look at it. 

Ashley sat down to get a closer look at the map but noticed that the map was were missing a few places. "That's not where Clybrook is," Ashley said as she pointed at the map. "That's where Mapole village is, Clybrook is more to the left," Chase quickly pulled out a pen and fixed the map. 

"Any idea where we're off to now?" 

"We could go try to find one of the Earth signs. I heard that there's a passage that can take us to the land below near tremonto" Lilliana suggested. 

"That's a little far. Maybe we could go to Akatoki. It's not that far from here and I've seen some of the people from the land below around that area," They all agreed to Ashley's idea and decided that Akatoki would be their next destination. 

"Ashley, shouldn't you go and say goodbye to any relatives? Everyone has some connections and it would be weird if you left without saying goodbye," Grace asked as she turned to her. Ashley flinched a bit as she had cringed at the thought of her father returning home only to see that she was gone. She knew he'd be furious, but she couldn't return there. She was afraid she would never break free if she returned to say goodbye. 

"It's fine. There's no need to go back," Some of her new acquaintances shared a few glances but decided not to question her, which she was thankful for. "Alright then, if we don't have any more problems, let's go," Spencer spoke up first with Chase packing the map.

"Shouldn't we at least introduce ourselves to our new member? I mean we're all practically strangers to her!" Sebastian smiled brightly. "We can introduce ourselves along the way. For now, we need to keep moving!" Spencer insisted as he went ahead. Chase following his lead as they both looked at the map.