♛♡♛

they who understand each other deeply,

are bound to betray each other’s trust

trust

noun / trəst /

firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something

Years went through and by, and the two shining stars grew up into their own individuals. Deneb, who succumbed in her illness each day, and Altair, who strayed further and further from the right path. Oh, what worse outcome could happen?

Indeed, such outcome was not one that anyone wished for. But, again, reality is but a fraudulent one, and she dictate the route for the mortal beings beneath her, for the sake of nothing but her laughs and giggles.

But, oh, but, the younger star was not as heartless as people made her. She loved her sister; oh, she was tied to her. Their fates synched, after all. So, a fool she was, it was easy for her to feel sympathy towards the sickly older star.

As per usual, younger star still loved to adventure, and then coming back to report to older star. Nothing different, right? Except, older star began to pity herself. Yes, it is fair for her to feel bad about herself and to want to talk to someone else about her worries, but, younger star thought that her complaining and whining frequented more than when they were kids. Though, she would patiently listen to her sister’s worries, still, without saying anything mean. After all, she wouldn’t understand what the older star went through all her life.

Until, one day, a bitter truth slipped from the older star’s mouth.

“I will die in five years,” the older star said bitterly.

Younger star’s heart fell; nothing but disbelief and denial occupied her heart. “There is no way...” she managed, as though by voicing out her disbelief, older star would laugh it off and tell her that it was a sick joke she came up with.

However, older star did not say anything else! She remained silent, with nothing but a hollow and bitter smile plastered on her weak face.

Realizing the seriousness of her words, younger star could not help but felt an immense sympathy. “What it is that you truly desire?” she asked, taking older star’s cold hand into hers.

The sorrowful smile did not leave older star’s face as she admitted, “I desire to live my life the way I want to, without all these duties as an heir of Zelinda. Oh, truly, I... wish to marry Cygnus and begin a life with him, just the two of us.”

Younger star knew how much her sister loved dear friend, and she knew how much dear friend loved older star. Tragic, however, that they could not be together simply due to their statuses.

At that moment, younger star swore that older star would spend her last years to the fullest, and that she would stand in as her in such duties that burdened her throughout her short years of life.

She had known of older star’s duties for so long, but she turned a blind eye. They do not concern a nobody like me, she thought to herself. However, now that she decided to take on her duties, she was bound to experience the struggle older star was supposed to go through.

Sure, one cannot change overnight, and it took her one full year of training and hard work to even convince their parents to let older star’s duties to befall onto her, and to let older star live her last moments freely.

And, fortunately, the older star could finally shine the brightest.

“Thank you, Altair,” older star said, with the brightest smile on her face that made all the struggles worthwhile, as she gazed at the newly acquired engagement ring that dear friend gave her. “It is all thanks to you that I could live the way I desire, and I cannot thank you enough.”

“Do not feel indebted to me, Deneb,” she returned the smile as sincere as she could. “You are my most precious sister, and I will do anything for you.”

Indeed, she felt happy for Deneb, but it did not ease her struggle. To be ridiculed for her decision, to bear with strict training to ‘reform’ her into a ladylike version of herself, to throw away everything she loved before, and to lose a friend; she sacrificed so much of her that a part of her died inside. Oh, how terrible.

Yet, she did that out of love and respect. That was how ‘altruistic’ she was—or thought she was.

However, indeed, the journey was hard. Every single task drained her more and more; even walking down the corridor seemed difficult, and she hated every second of it.

She thought, at first, how difficult could it be? And when she experienced it, everything felt like a nightmare. She thought she could handle all of it, as she had no one she loved like how Deneb loved Cygnus. But, perhaps, it was not as simple as loving someone.

It was a sacrifice, and a bloody one at that.

reality is but a trickster,

playing and mocking on one’s soul as though a puppet

of altruist.