// Chapter 18 \\

My head hung heavily in respect and mourning as I gazed at the stone before me. White roses sprouted beside the cool grey marble where the name Jeong Yunho was inscribed in it. I'd come to his grave many times before.

I'd come in a dress of dark color and veil over my head. My silver wings would be tucked tightly behind my back from the small flight to the cliff edge where his grave was put, looking over the beauty of the glowing swamps in eternal night. It was always quiet, the only disturbance of sound peing the slight breeze of wind bristling the flowers. Sometimes I would disturb the peace to talk as I sat there, my sorrow in knowing it was an empty grave not conveyed through tears.

Today, I spared no such time.

I wore a dress, as always, but the colors were a vibrant aqua with green and lavender streaks stitching into the fabric paving the way for the small golden flakes and stars that scattered about the short, breezy skirt. The aqua and gold shoes I adorned were also different, appearing as sandal like accommodations which showed my lavender painted toe nails— this matched my finger nails. My eye shadow was a mix of that green found accentuating my dress and it was accompanied by a faint orange which appeared a few shades lighter than my tan skin. All this styling which appeared all too vibrant for the grave I was visiting— for all of Night Court, it was too vibrant. No, this vibrance only matched for the place I was going to after I visited Yunho's grave— it was meant for the visit to Eastern Court. That was also the reason my hair had been left out to catch those ocean breezes when we would arrive there— just as they were catching the slight night air breeze now.

Today was a quick little farewell.

A quick goodbye as I looked down to the grave of a companion I still dearly missed. A companion who'd been by my side through deception, love, and hate. A companion that I wished stood more of a chance against the cruel reality of a Taking, but I'd seen him die right before my eyes.

I took a sharp intake of breath to dismiss the memories of how this grave was placed here and, instead, looked down to my hand where a bouquet of silver, white, and golden flowers had been woven together. They appeared duller here on the cliffside without the glimmering shine of the life-giving stars above. I gazed at them for a moment longer before bending down before his grave and gently laying the bouquet in front of his name.

You will be missed. You will always and forever be dearly missed.

I stood once more, letting myself have another long intake of breath before I turned around, and let my silver wings sprout from my back to take off— to meet up with Hongjoong and Yeosang at the portal before we left for Eastern Court. However, that's when I also hesitated and decided to give myself one last look at the grave covered in roses, where the bouquet I placed now accompanied them. The petals of those flowers in that bouquet seemed to glimmer with a flicker of life as I gazed at them once more. Then, I turned around and took off.

I'd been afraid of replacing Jeong Yunho. I was afraid his memory would wash away— of all the good he had done and everything I ever took for granted. But it wouldn't. No, his memory would live on. If not known by everyone then at least known by me. And as his memory lived on, a new one would also begin for the place he left open. Left open and to be accommodated to whom I headed towards now.

I let my wings guide me in their flaps of silence as I flew up to the guard quarters. To the training rooms and mess hall where the guards spent most of their time. I flew through the albino white gardens straight into the entrance of those quarters, earning quite a few stares in my wake. I was only looking for one person who I knew would be in this place. I didn't waste my time as I began to walk while my wings disappeared into the silver scabbed scars in my back.

I walked briskly through those halls in search of her, hoping this would be where she was. Perhaps it was only one small check in with my offer to Elara Omal, but I still wished to find her and ask about it before I left to Eastern Court, despite how I knew Yeosang and Hongjoong were waiting ever so patiently for me.

Where was she?

I walked deeper into the halls. Having passed the mess halls and quite a few training rooms, I grew worried. Perhaps I wouldn't catch her before my leave. However, just when I doubted it most, I peered into another training room to find her small agile figure in a close battle with one that was much taller than her.

Both had their teeth gritting as they slashed. Elara, silver sword in hand, made a duck as a mace swung above her, missing her by a mere inch. She quickly recovered, however, made a rare move of bracing herself with her hands on the floor and she forced her feet up to kick the arm of the taller man who almost lost the mace he grasped in that hand. He didn't, although, only a bit of a bark of surprise in her action before he quickly moved to take advantage of it.

I walked into the room as I continued to watch their match. I walked in just as the taller man took advantage of Elara's position for that surprise attack. She was already moving to get upright once more but the taller man was fast to knock her down with his other hand. Elara didn't have time to dodge the blow, going down with a grunt and a clatter of her sword falling out of her hand. She was about to get up when a mace was put at her throat. Suddenly, silence flowed throughout the room with the heavy pants between the two before Elara let her head fall to the floor with a thud.

She'd lost.

The taller man seemed to smirk as a boast of his victory before he snickered, "Nice try, royal runt."

He then drew back his mace, holding out his other hand in offering to help her up.

To this, Elara grumbled, "You just got lucky, stone eyes." She got up then, not bothering to take his hand as she didn't know he'd offered it and moved to pick her blade up off of the floor.

"Manners, both of you," came a calm, cool, and collected voice. A voice that, when I turned to it, took all my concentration to keep myself calm at the blue chilling eyes that reminded me of someone else who was not the owner of these eyes. No, this man was not him.

He was albino, pale and tall with those royal dark blue eyes being his most stunning feature. His arms were folded in his royal blue guards uniform. He was one of the Knights, I realized. That's when I spotted another figure behind him. The lavender hair sent another jolt within me that I was quick to hide but he faced upwards with his dull grey eyes, confirming he wasn't who I thought him to be. He also wore a guards uniform. That was when I realized I was in the room of the four Knights of Night Court. The other two Knights had been sparring behind me.

"Zang, you look as cold as a Taker—" but Elara cut herself off as she turned around from picking up her sword. The taller man did so as well and they both knew who they were looking at— as I met their gazes. Elara cleared her throat before she bowed, the taller man and the other two men that were behind me following suit, "Star of Night Court, I... didn't realize you were here."

I smiled, trying to shake off my discomfort of the eyes prior, "You're quite alright, I'm the one intruding. You all may rise." They all did so, waiting expectantly for what I had to say, "Elara, I came to speak with you. Private if that is alright."

Elara paused for a moment before she nodded her head, sheathing her sword, "Of course," Elara then turned to her three companions, the black-haired, white-haired, and lavender, "Idari, Zang, Rollonf."

The three of them nodded before Elara made her exit, following me to the otherside of the room and leaving the three remaining Knights to talk. We walked out of range for them to hear as we came to a corner of the room no one else was in. It was just the two of us now and I didn't waste time with my words as I knew Yeosang and Hongjoong were waiting for me. I turned to the shorter woman who immediately stopped when I did.

"Have you thought about my offer of being Captain of the Guard?" I asked in a low whisper to Elara.

Elara paused for a moment before she too responded in a low whisper, "I have."

She closed her mouth then before she gave a slight sheepish grin, "I- well, I'd be honored to be Captain of the Guard."

I returned the smile that I knew she obviously couldn't see. Elara Omal's courage and strength would always be something I found admirable.

"I am glad you accept my offer," I spoke formally, "Your accession will be formally announced and celebrated in three days— after I've returned here to my Court."

Elara furrowed her brows then as her smile faded, "You're— um— Star, with all due respect, I have not heard about your leave."

"I know," I responded as I fiddled with the cuffed ends of my shirt, I gave a convincing smile which did little to help convince Elara as it did the surrounding audience. What did convince her was the alibi Yeosang, Hongjoong, and I had agreed on before our leave, "A small leisurely visit to Eastern Court with the High Monarchs of Spring and Southern Court— Yeosang and Hongjoong."

Elara hesitated before she nodded her head in understanding, "Lupine and Shine, yes... shall I—"

"There is no need to accompany me for this trip," I answered her question before she could fully ask. Yeosang had said the less people knowing, the better, so we agreed not to have our highest ranking guard or court members accompanying us— it would only be the three of us entering that Court.

Elara seemed truly puzzled by this, telling from her facial expression. How her foggy eyes narrowed and her head tilted as if to question her High Monarch's orders. To her defense, the commands I'd given her were unheard of unless something secretive was happening— which it was— and I could only imagine what her thoughts of me were right now.

But Elara didn't go on to question me. She rolled back her shoulders and, with that, let her face become a complexion of neutrality as she gave a slight bow, "Understood. I shall await your arrival back to Night Court in three days time," she added a small smile at the end as she said, "Enjoy the warm sees, fair Lady of the Night."

I couldn't help but smile and laugh a bit at the remark— the respectable yet unheard of title and the lilt in her voice to accompany the saying. I nodded to her as I gave my own farewell, "I shall see you then, Elara Omal, to be Captain of the Night Court."

I heard her own righteous and uplifting laugh as I turned and left that training room. Before I left that sector of my palace and went out into the Night sky beyond my palace— before I made my way over to the portal area of the palace that would take us to Eastern Court— where I saw an auburn and pink figure waiting for me below.

Yeosang and Hongjoong both spotted my figure descending towards them.

Yeosang had dressed himself in aqua and green attire, just like me. Small buttons of rose gold roses lined his vest. Hongjoong wore a lavender suit and jacket with bronze buttons of tropical leaves. We were matching and it wasn't unintentional. It had been a habit the three of us had done whenever we'd travel to other Courts together when we were younger. It was something the three of us found fun and took as a certain joke between the three of us. However, today it wasn't done out of mere traditions and jokes, it was mostly done so we wouldn't look as suspicious going to Eastern Court with no excuse but to pay a little visit.

Both of them shared an equal complexion of seriousness as I landed there beside them. The three of us knew this was a serious matter and we all stayed silent.

Yeosang and I didn't leave out an ounce of information when we'd contacted Hongjoong. He knew as much as Yeosang told me and we all knew the plan we had for figuring out what exactly we were looking for. We planned to lie low— keep things simple and to casually ask around about certain things. A plan that would certainly take awhile, but it was a plan that would safely not alert anyone who might know to what we were doing.This was a plan that would certainly take more than three days, but we had to start from somewhere.

This was much unlike what we'd told Ray of Eastern Court— Jo Leeyon— which was that we planned to have a small leisurely visit to her Court for old times sake. The uncertainty of whether she truly believed us seemed slim as she offered to greet us at the portal when we crossed through.

The portal that opened as I slowly stepped forward to Yeosang and Hongjoong who waited expectantly. We all stood and looked at the portal for a moment before we all shared a glance with each other. I first looked to Hongjoong who bit his lip before he gave a fast reassuring nod as his grey-blue eyes shimmered. Then I looked to Yeosang, who gave a slow nod back to me with calculating cyan eyes. We all looked forward then, about to head through the portal.

To Eastern Court. To the fate that laid beyond. To the secrets we'd unveil.

Something in me knew that as we walked through that portal, we'd certainly find it in this world of sea. I could feel an old connection waiting here for us— for me. And, for a moment, my heart pattered in a bit of uncertainty as it was a reminder to a time that was even before Dawn Court. A time of cruel truth. A time of answer.

REMEMBER:​​​​​​

1. Smack dat butiful star

2. Leave a comment talkin abt dis tea

3. Share dis tea induced book with yo fwends

WHY? Because I appreciate it 🥺

\\ See u in the next chapter! \\