Ch. 3: Celebration of Diana

On the next day, the city streets of the capital, Selene, were lively. Everyone wore a smile on their face as the restaurants and food carts were jammed with customers. Like in the olden time, before the inventors and scientists of Mirai advanced all technology throughout the Starry Galaxy, building things like movie theaters, people watched street plays.

With all the fun activity taking place outside, some entered competitions that offered rewards. The children giggled and played in the streets while throwing flower petals in the air. The beautifully dressed street-dancers performed to the festival music.

Luna slept peacefully in her chambers inside the palace, dreaming about stuffing her mouth with different pastries when she felt her body be submerged in a tub full of hot water. She shot her straight awake as the smell of coconut invaded her nose. "What's going on?!" screeched the princess, spitting out water that had gotten into her mouth.

"Princess, you must undergo preparations to get ready for the festival!" said a pretty maid with big round eyes. Standing by the door, she allowed many more maids to follow her into the room. The group personally began bathing the princess, who pleaded that she could wash her own body.

"Princess, this was an order from the Royal Advisor to make you presentable!" said the calm voice of a different maid, this one with glasses and blue-hair worn in a side ponytail. She poured a bottle of vanilla-scented shampoo in Luna's hair.

"Lily, what type of hairstyle should we give the princess? Her regular style or something elaborate? You know, more trendy?" a third, excited maid with straight black hair and a pretty delicate face asked while scrubbing Luna's arm.

"We are already behind schedule, so her regular hairstyle will have to do. Now, shush and concentrate on bathing the princess. The Royal Designer will be here soon with the princess's dress," lightly scolded the maid who was working on Luna's hair.

"Lily, the jewelry for the princess has arrived, and the Royal Designer is about to throw a tantrum and is demanding the princess's presence." Delivering this message was a fourth maid who stuck her head into the room. Once her body was clean and smelling like coconut and vanilla, Luna found herself in a white fluffy robe and was presented before Madame Dia, who stood there proudly, ready to show off his newest creation.

"After a short amount of time, thirty-five coffee breaks, and an episode of The Glamorous and the Beautiful--by the way, fantastic drama! Totally team Edward--my newest creation is complete~!" After a dramatic pause, Madame Dia stepped aside as Keke removed the veil off the mannequin, thus issuing forth a word of praise from every maid in the room, including Luna, who gasped. 

Madame Dia's heart swelled with pride from their reactions. "Those eyes and sparkling expressions are what I live for! Now, princess, let's get you dressed~!" The maids roughly handled Luna after a clap of Madame Dia's hands. The poor girl felt tossed and turned in every direction as if she was a ragdoll.

'How does it take three hours just to get ready?' Luna exhaustingly asked herself after three hours of pure torture. The maids were currently in the middle of putting on the finishing touches when they finally spun her towards the full-body mirror.

"Wow, princess, you're practically dazzling~!" blushed the pretty brunette maid from before.

Luna agreed with this praise from one of the maids, unable to believe that the girl in the mirror was herself. "Is this me?" Luna skeptically asked herself as she always considered herself normal when it came to appearance, nothing compared to her cousin Mika, or even her other cousin, CeCe. 

"I can't believe this is me." Astounded by her reflection, Luna was an introvert who spent most of her time in her room, not shopping or making herself look pretty.

There were only a few times Luna had dressed up, and those were the special events she had to attend back when she lived on Solis, and she was forced to by her mother—seeing as large public events had always made Luna nervous. Luckily she didn't have to attend too many on Lunaris as Luna's father never forced it upon her unless it was essential.

The girl in the mirror was dolled up and adorned in fine amethyst jewelry. The dress she wore was short and airy, and in the royal colors of Lunaris, which were lavender and silver. Madame Dia adorned the bodice in silver ornate jewels and purple crystal gems that shimmered when the light hit them.

A large butterfly-shaped tulle bow was placed on the lower back of the dress, its long sparkling tails dragging across the floor. The maids kept Luna's usual hairstyle, puffball pigtails, but a pretty silver tiara decorated with pearls and an amethyst gem in the center was placed upon her head.

"Now, princess, you must go and be with your father for the opening ceremony. Now go, quickly escort the princess to her father's chambers!" ordered Madame Dia. Pushing Luna out of the room, the maids rushed her to her father's chambers.

Once the door leading to her father's chambers was open, the maids pushed Luna inside. She saw her father, ruler of Lunaris, standing in the center of his room looking sharp and regal in his white royal festival suit with silver ornamental moon designs on the lapel.

With his suit, he wore a lavender color tie. Draped proudly over his shoulder was a dark violet cape, the inside dotted with stars as if one was staring at a starry galaxy. His lavender hair and beard, which had turned silverish from age, were neatly combed and styled for this grand occasion. Staring at his reflection in the mirror with a serious expression, a series of coughs caught him off guard.

Rushing over to his side, Luna worriedly asked if he was okay, to which he replied, "I'm fine; don't worry about me. It's just a cold, but look at you! Sweet Pea, you look stunning!" her father reassured her, making sure to hide his blood stained hand as Luna blushed from her father's praise and felt bashful.

"Thanks, Dad, you also look sharp!" Luna was too busy staring at the ground to see her father wiping his hand, quickly discarding the evidence.

"Don't I always?" Straightening his jacket, the Ruler of Lunaris cockily struck a pose that got a laugh out of his daughter. "Now, let's go and greet the guests! We're on a schedule, and I don't want Mika on my case." Luna found it funny that her father detested Mika's nagging.

Sticking close to her father's side, the two traveled through the corridors of the palace. Floating majestically and radiantly at the core of the capital of Lunaris were the snowy white walls of the palace. From afar, citizens could see the orange light sparkling from the castle rooms as a sparkle of blue light beamed from skyscraper towers stationed with knights in white uniforms. They were on high alert, just in case anything happened.

Stepping out onto the expansive white balcony that overlooked the entire imperial garden, clutching her father's arms, Luna could see the dazzling sight of nobles dressed in their exquisite clothes. Each one had an air of sophistication, conversing with each other while holding a glass of champagne in their hands as they stood or sat at tables. The massive garden itself was beautiful and in full bloom with lavender roses. Floating in random areas were glowing white lanterns as a joyous atmosphere covered the entire capital.

"Nobles of Lunaris and honored guests, today we celebrate Serenity, Lunaris' first ruler and the Great Star Divinus of the Moon. Without her leadership, Lunaris would not even exist, which is why we honor her on this day so that we will never forget her love and devotion to its people! So that we will live up to her expectations and keep her in our hearts. Now go and enjoy yourselves!"

He ended his short speech as the large crowd applauded him. Luna hid in his shadow from the beginning to the end, content with just watching her father be the ruler that Lunaris needed. Unlike her, who could not live up to her father's fame and rulership. Inside the royal ballroom, Luna could see nobles and dignitaries from different realms chatting with her father. Standing silently against the wall with no one to accompany her, Luna held a sparkling glass of champagne in her hand.

Bringing up the glass to take a sip, Luna saw how across from her stood Mika, who looked beautiful as ever in her royal purple dress that clung to each of her curves. A wall of handsome bachelors surrounded Mika, but the Royal Advisor of Lunaris appeared bored as each one was desperate to get a dance from her.

"That girl was born with a bright future from the minute she exited the womb. No one on this planet can measure up to her." Standing next to Luna was Madame Dia, looking stunning and fashionable as always, only this time he was wearing an over-elaborate sparkling pink dress with a large ribbon hat on his head.

"I know, right. Mika is beautiful, smart, and highly respected. Next to her, I'm nothing." Luna gloomily stared at her reflection in the half-empty champagne glass.

"Now, who told you to wallow in self-pity? Stop trying to compare yourself to Mika and just be you," said Madame Dia, snagging a glass of champagne for himself when he saw a waiter walking with a tray full.

"But there's nothing special about me. You heard the rumors people say about me." Unlike Mika, who was born special, Luna only had a princess's title to her name. There was nothing outstanding about her, so of course, people would ignore or dismiss her presence.

"And? Honey, ignore those people! I, and KeKe, know that you are a kind and sweet girl. You have a good heart, but you have to grow up. So stop being a caterpillar and blossom into the butterfly you're destined to be. No one is holding you back, my dear. Your life is in your own hands." Madame Dia said these words of wisdom before leaving Luna's side. Exiting the ballroom, and outside on the balcony, Luna thought over his words, only to remember the speech Mika once gave her.

"Ah, why does growing up have to be so hard? Things were much easier when I was a kid," sighed Luna, the twinkling stars of Lunaris reflecting in her eyes. "Sometimes, I wish I was born a commoner rather than a princess. Being a royal is just too much work." Luna swallowed the last bit of her champagne and slumped over the rail of the balcony.

Luna was aware that many people had grand expectations for her, including her father, but why couldn't they just see that there was nothing special about her? Lost deep within her own thoughts, Luna was only brought back to reality when the voice of a man spoke.

"A statement I fully agree with you on." Standing back tall on her feet, the rich and seductive tone of his voice caused Luna's heart to skip a beat.