The Luna Who Cannot Behave

Lana had survived the assassin's pursuit, she had survived the poisoned wine attempt, and had survived the shock of discovering that Cassian could hear her thoughts.

Apparently, none of that seem to matter.

She was now struggling with the Luna etiquette, which seemed like a suicide mission to her.

Valerie shook her head, disapprovingly.

“You are holding your spoon incorrectly, Isadora.”

Lana slowly looked at her.

“It’s only a spoon.. It has just one job, which is to take food to my mouth.”

She sighed.

“But you are somehow doing that job incorrectly.”

Lana looked down at the spoon in her hand.

She turned it around.

“Better?”

“No.” Valerie disagreed.

She turned it again.

“How about now?”

Valerie pressed her lips together.

“Just hold it naturally.”

She sighed.

“I was holding it naturally.”

Valerie shook her head.

“No.. You were holding it like a weapon.”

She shrugged.

“It could be a weapon for self defense.”

Valerie stared at her.

Lana smiled.

“You know i’m trying my best to do it rightly.”

“I know.” She admitted.

They were seated in a small sitting room beside the royal dining hall.

Several books had been placed on the table, along with cards showing various ceremonial positions, and greetings.

Lana had been informed that, as Luna, she needed to learn proper royal etiquette.

Apparently, being married to the Alpha meant she could no longer simply walk into rooms, wave at people, and hope for the best.

There were rules now.

Hundreds, and possibly thousands of them.

Lana began regretting her survival.

“Let's move to greetings.” Valerie said.

She stood.

“When meeting a senior council member, you incline your head slightly.”

Lana nodded.

“Like this?”

She bowed so deeply, that her hair nearly swept the floor.

Valerie grabbed her shoulder.

“No, that's way too much.”

She straightened.

“I thought you said respect was important.”

Valerie laughed despite herself.

“It is, Luna.. But you respected him with your entire body.”

She demonstrated.

“Like this.. A slight bow.”

Lana tried again.

This time, she barely moved.

Valerie breathed amusingly.

“Now, you look offended.”

She sighed.

“I’m trying to find the middle.”

Valerie chuckled.

“The middle is somewhere between worship, and insult.”

Then, she smiled.

“You'll get used to it, Isadora.. All you need is more practice.”

Lana hissed.

“I don't think my body was designed for royal behavior.”

Valerie chuckled softly.

“You're the Luna.. Your body needs to adapt to royal behavior, Isadora.”

She sighed.

“Unfortunately..”

Valerie shook her head.

“Let's try again.”

Lana practiced greetings for an hour, then she practiced walking, sitting, standing, walking while carrying something, standing while being watched, finally, sitting without accidentally placing her elbow on the table.

By the end of the lesson, she was exhausted.

“I would rather fight another assassin than go through etiqettes again..”

Valerie laughed.

“You can't fight assassins every day, because you're expected to look graceful.”

She scoffed.

“Weren't you told, of how graceful i looked while throwing chicken at an assassin?”

Valerie nearly choked.

“No, i wasn't told such.. I was told you screamed through the entire hallway.”

Lana frowned.

“That was part of the technique.”

Valerie shook her head.

“You're impossible, Isadora.”

She smiled.

Unfortunately, the training wasn't finished.

***

That very evening, Lana was expected to attend a small ceremonial gathering with Cassian.

Valerie helped her into a pale blue dress with silver embroidery.

Lana stared at herself in the mirror.

“This is beautiful.”

Valerie smiled.

“See?”

Then, she began adjusting the clothes uncomfortably.

“I can't breathe, Valerie.”

Valerie smiled.

“That's because you're wearing a corset.. You'll feel comfortable in less than an hour.”

Lana kept pulling, uncomfortably.

“No way, i'm taking this off.”

She struggled to loosen the corset, Valerie immediately stopped her.

“You can't take it off, Isadora.. It's traditional.”

She frowned.

“This tradition killing me, Valerie.. I'm too young to die over a corset.”

Valerie laughed.

Lana adjusted the sleeves.

“Do I really have to wear this?”

Valerie nodded.

“Yes, luna.”

“What if I trip?” She questioned.

Valerie's eyes widened.

“Please try not to trip or fall... Else, you embarrass not just yourself, but the entire pack.”

Lana frowned.

“Fine.”

They entered the ceremonial hall.

Cassian was already there.

He stood beside the council elders, dressed in another dark formal coat.

Lana looked at him.

'Of course.. Another ridiculous coat.'

She sighed mentally.

'Doesn't he have any better clothes in his closet, than these curtain-like coats?'

Cassian looked down at his coat, before moving his eyes toward her.

Lana immediately looked away.

She had forgotten he could hear her thoughts.

'Don't think about his coat.. It's none of your business.'

Cassian's mouth twitched.

Elias who stood nearby, noticed his expression.

“What's funny Alpha?”

“Nothing.” He replied.

Elias looked toward Lana, then at Cassian.

Finally, back at Lana.

Then, he smiled.

Lana walked forward carefully.

'Careful.. Careful.. Perfect!'

She reached the chairs arranged at the front of the hall.

There were several ceremonial seats.

She looked at them.

'This one looks comfortable.'

She glanced at the other

'Ugh!.. Way too uncomfortable.'

She shrugged lightly.

“Naturally.. Isadora here, chooses the comfortable one.”

She sat.

Suddenly, there was silence.

She looked around, everyone was staring at her.

Even valerie's face, had gone pale.

She frowned.

“What's the matter?”

An elder cleared his throat.

“Luna, you are sitting in the Alpha's ceremonial chair.”

Lana looked beneath herself, then at Cassian.

Then, back at the chair.

“Oh..”

She stood so quickly that her dress nearly tangled around her feet.

“I already knew that.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow.

“You knew?”

She nodded proudly.

He looked at her.

“Then, why did you sit there?”

“I was testing it.” She replied, casually.

“Testing it?” Cassian repeated.

“Yes.”

Lana nodded seriously.

“It looked comfortable.. So, i decided to test it.”

Elias turned away, clearly trying not to laugh.

Cassian's eyes held unmistakable amusement.

She pointed at him.

“Don't you dare.”

“I said nothing.” He defended.

Lana frowned.

“Your face did.”

Cassian looked almost pleased.

Lana moved to the correct chair.

An elderly council member approached her.

He bowed.

“Luna Isadora.”

She smiled.

“Greetings, Grandpa.”

The entire room went silent.

Valerie closed her eyes.

Elias's shoulders began shaking.

Cassian stared with his eyes widened.

The elder slowly lifted his head.

“Grand... what?”

Lana realized her mistake.

She wanted to disappear.

“I mean..”

She cleared her throat.

“Elder.. Elder Grandpa.”

Elias finally broke.

He laughed loudly, Lana glared at him.

“This is your fault.”

“How?” He question, trying hard to contain his laughter.

She frowned.

“You're making me nervous.”

The elder looked deeply offended.

Cassian finally spoke.

“Luna.”

Lana turned toward him, completely embarrassed.

“Perhaps, simply 'Elder' would be sufficient.” He corrected.

She nodded.

“Alright.”

The elder muttered something beneath his breath.

Lana smiled apologetically.

“I'm sorry, Grandpa.”

Valerie covered her mouth, while Cassian looked away.

Lana could tell he was laughing.

'Heartless statue.. I hope you laugh your heart off your body.'

He heard it.

His lips twitched.

The ceremony eventually continued.

Lana tried extremely hard, to behave appropriately

She stood when everyone stood, bowed when everyone bowed, smiled when everyone smiled, and even managed to remain silent for almost five entire minutes.

Then, the procession began.

Valerie had warned her to walk slowly.

She did.

'One step.. Two step..Three step..'

Then, the hem of her dress caught beneath her shoe.

She stumbled.

'Oh.. Crap!'

Her arms flew outward, but then, she recovered before falling.

Suddenly, the hall went silent again.

Cassian watched from several feet away.

He could have helped, but he didn't.

Because, he found the situation rather entertaining.

Lana straightened her dress with as much dignity as she could gather.

'This is embarrassing.'

She looked at Cassian, he was watching her.

'You heartless statue.. I hope you remain that way until the universe, or perhaps the moon goddess takes your soul away.'

Cassian nearly smiled.

She stared, angrily.

“You stood here watching, you couldn't even help.”

He shrugged lightly.

“I believed you had it under control.”

Lana's eyes narrowed.

“I almost died.”

“But you didn't.” He said.

Lana glared at him.

He was deliberately provoking her, she could see it now.

He knew exactly how irritated she was becoming.

But, he was enjoying it.

***

The ceremony finally ended, after mid-night.

As Lana walked beside Cassian afterward, he spoke quietly.

“You seemed grateful for my statue-like presence.”

She stopped.

Her eyes widened.

“You heard that?”

Cassian looked at her.

“You seem to forget, I hear everything.”

She hissed.

“You're impossible.”

He smiled.

“So I've been told.”

Lana folded her arms.

“You could have warned me about the chair.”

“You should have known which chair was yours.” He said.

She sighed.

“You could have at least warned me about Grandpa.”

Cassian chuckled.

“He is Elder Marcus, Isadora.. Not your grandpa.”

Lana frowned.

“I know.”

He stared at her.

“Do you?.. And, you called him Grandpa?”

She sighed.

“It was a mistake.. I was nervous.”

Cassian chuckled.

“Perhaps, a memorable one.”

Lana glared at him.

“You're enjoying this.”

“Very much.” He admitted.

She frowned.

“Horrible, heartless, monster.. That's what you're.”

Cassian's expression remained calm.

“And yet, you keep arguing with this horrible.. heartless, monster.”

“That's because you keep annoying me.” She admitted.

He shrugged.

“Perhaps..”

Lana stared with her mouth open, then stopped.

He was smiling.

And it was a genuine, and amused smile.

She stared at him for a moment.

Something strange drifted through her chest.

She quickly looked away.

“Don't smile like that.. It makes you look less terrifying.”

“Is that a problem?” He questioned.

“Yes.” Lana replied.

He laughed.

“Why?”

She sighed.

“Because, I can't be properly annoyed with you, if you keep smiling.”

Cassian chuckled.

Lana immediately regretted speaking.

She turned away.

'This is dangerous.'

'When did arguing with him started becoming fun.'

She looked at him again.

He raised an eyebrow.

Lana tried not to smile, but failed.

That was when she realized that she was starting to enjoy arguing with him.