One part of the Darania Sisters and the Stellar Queen of planet Draconis Prime, Queen Elara was known to have the fairest skins and blue eyes which shade matched no other in the entire galaxy. Wedded to the most powerful stellar kings of the Aurora Dynasty, King Euphor.

Draconis Prime stands at the midst of the God Realm Galaxy with eight other planets present in the God Realm. Each planet abundant in different resources, the galaxy flourishes with trade between the planets. With no planet or person similar like the other, the galaxy still had not seen a beauty like Elara Darania who originally belonged from Planet Lunaris. When she turned eighteen, every powerful family with the God Realm had proposed for her to be married into the family.

Prince Euphor had heard about the rumours of such beauty in Lunaris and had himself set off to the planet to observe. Euphor declared to marry Elara and they were wedded in Lunaris itself in a hasty ceremony which still was the most posh and abundant ceremony tying the knot between Draconis Prime and Lunaris. Soon after the happy couple departed to Draconis Prime with the fleet of over eighty thousand battle ships. The prince had sworn to keep anything at her feet and to do anything to make her happy. Soon the Prince became the King and still keeps his promises to his Queen.

Queen Elara emerged from the basement along with her assistant and made a beeline towards the upper floors of this palace. She almost forgot how big it is whilst hurrying to the royal balcony. When her room came into view she let a sigh of relief. Dutchess and her sister Aliana stood at the balcony overlooking the horizon. Draconis was a serene planet. As the only light giver in the galaxy, every aspect of its scene seemed to sparkle. The neons and the blues in full glory she saw the first batch of the Royal Army the RJZ1 march from the palace. Most of them consisted of genetically mutated cyborgs specifically trained for protection of the royal family equipped with grade-one ammunition.

The palace was spread over thousands of acres with the number of staff that could inhabitate a new planet entirely. Sometimes Aliana wondered how she ended up here. She was happy on Lunaris, she was content. If only him and her could stay there longer or just escape into the galaxy to an unknown realm. She remembered his touch like it was yesterday, the way her name rolled off his tongue. His voice was a melody for her but now it just is laced with torment. There is no love there but only duty.

Elara stood next to her now on the balcony looking at the sprawl. The march was ending that marked the beginning of the day’s tasks.

A sound reverberated from the garden. It filled Aliana with peace and Elara with dread. King Euphor was sat with his daughter, Princess Zara deep in between their game of chess. Zara had conceded her Queen that made her father laugh. Kind looked over to his daughter who did not seem crestfallen or happy in that matter.

“Are you okay daughter?”

Zara looked him straight in the eyes not comprehending what should be the reaction should he be giving him. She always faced with emotions like this. Where she was just a void inside. Can she feel anything at all? She was a human, no substance of cyborg in her but still showed no signs of having no emotions at all. She believed that she was worse than the robots, they had purpose she was just hollow.

Common Zara, do something she thought to herself and tapped into her mind, having a whole list of default responses she had mastered over the years.

She looked at her father and smiled at him.

“Well I believe I have lost”

“You will win one day if you practice hard my love” said her father whilst kissing her forehead.

Can she feel the love? Is she supposed to react?

She wiped the fake smile off her face and it was quickly replaced with a plain face which mimicked how she felt and that was nothing. The Queen, her mother and her aunt entered the garden beside her. She raised from her seat smiled again gave them a deep bow.

Queen Elara touched her shoulder as a cue for her to rise.

“Zara how are you this morning”

“I am fine” Zara answered while keeping her head low.

Queen Elara held her by her arm and made her sit on one of the chairs beside her. The Queen and the Dutchess commended her on her manners but she was aware that the news is going to be given to her

Designers and fitters were going to be coming to the castle for her fitting for the ball tonight. It was the event every citizen of Draconis looked forward to. With very exclusive invitations distributed among only the most prestigious families of the God Realm, it was always deemed as a night of glamour and splendor. The gala was live telecasted to every planet within the realm. Every citizen tuned in to watch the beautiful night. But this gala was especially different. The light of Draconis Prime lasts for a year and recharges on this particular day, which helped the entire realm with light, assisted in agriculture, and thus boomed trade. To celebrate this event the gala is hosted every year as a promise that the light of Draconis will never be extinguished and the Aurora Dynasty will flourish for the years to come. But this ball was especially different, the princesses of the kingdom had turned eighteen this year and were to meet suitors that will be travelling to Draconis. Princess Zara had graciously accepted but princess Nova have not shown any signs of interest to attend or take a suitor. Princess Nova was the only daughter to Dutchess Aliana. She was also raise with modesty and was also princess like. With graceful walks and even graceful smiled she was very popular among the lesser known sects as a kind and gentle princess. She had charmed the minds of many suitors and they had inquired about her whereabouts.

“Aliana, is it not such an honour to host the ball as a way to meet suitors for Zara and Nova!”

This comment was met with discomfort from both Aliana and Zara, but Zara had gotten much better at hiding her feelings and playing along the rules of a civil society. Aliana on the other hand shifted in her seat under the heated glance of her sister.

“Aliana it is a big deal and many from various planets will be arriving here. It is politically polite that the entire family be present to the ball to greet them, So what I mean to say is make sure Nova is pretty and present at the gala. You have given her too much freedom and now she needs to understand the workings of the world and not live in her world like a fantasy princess galavanting off to the gardens.”

Aliana only shook her head and a heavy feeling tugged at her heart.

A servant whispered into Elara’s eyes and her eyes sparkled.

“I believe the designers are here already, let us proceed and get the fittings done, I still have endless matters to look into before the ball begins.

A two got up after the queen and made a beeline towards the dressing room.

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A dressing room was a big room sprawling the entire floor with wardrobes worth of dresses that could dress all the maids of the God Realm. A pedestal stood in the middle and a large mirror with silver lining stood in the exact front of it.

Where people stood in front of adorned with beautiful dresses but Zara could not think of a worse way to spend her time. She did not feel pretty, she was not beautiful, she just did not feel anything at all.

The designer stepped forward and pulled in the most beautiful designs some fabrics earned gasps from even the Stellar Queen herself. A fabric that mimics the light of the Draconis, bejeweled with an array of blue and clear diamonds that gave an illusion of the entire galaxy sprawled on the body of the lady that would wear this dress.

Aliana took the fabric and placed it on the shoulder of Zara. Queen Elara approved that this was the fabric for Zara, her blue eyes twinkled, and would look like the most beautiful princess in the whole galaxy. Zara held the fabric and gave it to the designer to make a dress of before the ball. The approval of both her mother and aunt made her decision more easy. The faster the fitting was over the quicker she would return to her chambers. The designer now pulled up a screen over the mirror that was equipped with a million dress shapes and styles. You just have to stand in front of the mirror and it reflected an image with the dress placed over you.

“My royal queens, I have worked very hard on the designs and made them such that no other dress will be similar to any other dress in the entire world”

Queen Elara was very happy about the declaration but Zara felt no enthusiasm. Zara stepped in front of the mirror and looked at various dresses which earned only snorts and disapproval from the Queen. Please get this over with she thought to herself and a dress appeared in front of the screen. The most beautiful dress shape and the prettiest bodice. The train saw no end and with the fabric that they chose the dress would make her look like a goddess, but the sleeves. The dress had no sleeves.

“NO” exclaimed Zara earning surprise from both her mother and Aunt.

“I mean, it is not polite for a princess to show skin is it” she stuttered.

“I only want to skin to my husband” She whispered into the air. The Queen looked coyly at her and smirked which made her believe that her quick thinking had worked. She let out a sign when a dress with sleeves touching her wrists had been chosen.

“I love this dress, it is gorgeous”

She smiled and looked at her entourage.

“I want to have a look at my jewelry drawer to wear with the dress, I'm so excited, Mother may I please rush back to my chambers at once to tend to that”

“Of course my love, I will get the dress sent to you within an hour, please rest up we have a long night ahead of us.”

Zara thanked and bowed to no one in particular and ran until she reached her quarters.

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Dutchess Aliana soon retired after Queen Elara and chose a simple dress to seem dressed for the occasion but also not loud to take the attention away from Zara. Queen Elara on the other hand had chosen a dress that a queen would wear. The most extravagant and gorgeous gown that anyone would lay eyes on, or was she just so beautiful that she could be dressed in rags and still look incredible?

Aliana reached Nova’s quarters and knocked loudly. Nova was looking through her balcony with a telescope towards a certain ship that had gained her interest. The knock made her jump and quickly hid her telescope under her bed.

“Yes, come in!” She declared and bowed low as she saw her mother walk in.

“Nove go get your fittings done from the designer,” Aliana said with authority. Nova was surprised at the tone but listened to her anyway.

“Mother, I have not yet made up my mind about taking a husband this year” Her face fell when she realized even her own mother could not understand her but more so she had prior engagements in the night.

“Nova, please. Why are you so set to embarrass me in front of the Queen?”

“The Queen is also your sister, mother, how long are you going to listen to her and make me do things that I do not want to do” As the words left her mouth Nova knew that she had crossed a line. Her heart hurt to see her mother like this.

Aliana looked at the balcony and a tear slipped from her eyes. She often saw herself scrammed between her duty and her love for her daughter but she wanted Nova to go as far as she could. Draconis was not a place for her.

“Nova, if you do not want to go I understand child. I will speak with Elara”

As Aliana was deciding to exit the room, Nova rushed past her and gave her a hug.

“I will go, Mother, not for finding a husband but for you, and promise that I will be able to leave if I get overwhelmed within the array of men.”

Aliana smiled, and peace spread in her mind that she had raised a good one.

“I love you dear one”

Aliana left and Nova ran to the dressers. She looked at the designer and ordered him to make her a dress no matter the fabric or style just make her a dress before the ceremony but the designer was surprised to hear only one requirement of the dress that it needed to have a detachable skirt.

The designer could not fathom such a request but did not dare to question a royal princess.

“Of course princess, I will get the dress delivered to you once it is ready.”

Nova was satisfied and needed to think fast how should she pass on the message to Andrew?

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Zara’s room reminded her of herself. All the chandeliers and colorful walls but from the inside were hollow and empty. She had not made that room hers. No paintings hanged on it, no forms of board games or screens were present in the room. I was just simply empty. Zara liked it this way.

As she lay on the bed with only a robe which had a stained sleeve. Stained with blood.

She looked at her hands. Multiple scars and gashes that she had inflicted on herself.

“You are the only thing I can feel, Pain” she whispered into the abyss. It made her feel something when the scar caused an emotion.

Why can't she cry?

Was she human?

What torment is this where the only thing she could feel was pain?

She could not hate nor love, nor feel sad or happy simply just exist.

It was years that she just existed without feeling anything. But could she continue?

“Husband is not what I need you know,” she said to no one in particular.

“I just need to leave”