Kuu awoke from his sleep, the open drapes on his bedroom window revealed the brightness of the morning sky. Heliodoro's face was nowhere to be found. Ahh.. it was just a dream. He turned to see his wife laying beside him, her green hair covered her closed eyes, and her mouth was in a slight frown. He rolled onto his back, and stared silently at the ceiling for a while. He sighed deeply and got out of bed. Kuu made his way across the bedroom to the vanity and took his medicine vial off the marble table, swallowing the bitter liquid. He placed the now empty vial back on the table and got himself showered and dressed before Azalea awoke from her slumber.

  He brushed his hair and put half of it up in a bun, leaving some resting against his neck. He wore a Black long sleeved shirt, held together by golden buttons down the middle of his torso, black pants, and black boots. He stretched and made his way to his queen's side.

  “Azalea, it's morning, time to wake up dear,” he shook her gently to wake her. Azalea opened her eyes and squinted at her husband.

  “Mmm,” she grunted, stretching. “Is it morning already?” Azalea lazily rolled on her side and looked up at Kuu tiredly. He laughed at her expression.

  “Yes, love,” He kissed her cheek and stood up. “I have to head downstairs before Mona wakes up to get her birthday present ready, take your time getting up.”

  He caressed her cheek then made his way out of their bedroom. The walk through the hall was a sight, the gray stone walls made the room a bit chilly, which is the reason he had fireplaces built into every room and hall in the castle. The royal blue drapes that covered the walls before were replaced as well, now with blue and green drapes with gold accents to resemble the alliance of the earth and moon. The pictures along the walls of the royal family were still visible except one, his father. He covered the portrait out of spite after the old king passed. He couldn't handle his cold dark stare haunting him as he walked to and from his bedroom.

  He entered the throne room and left the castle through the entrance. Entering the garden, he was hit with a wave of nostalgia of that night. The king frowned at the sight of the old fountain that sat in the middle of the courtyard, remembering his first love. He sighed and made his way to his dear servant and friend Jericho. Jericho smiled as he saw Kuu approach him.

  “My king! Good Morning! Everything is almost set up, Princess Mona is going to love the surprise!” Kuu smiled at his friend's words.

  “You think so?” Kuu asked, tilting his head with a grin. “She's been asking for this trip ever since she was ten, I think she's waited long enough.”

  “Of course! It's not everyday a sixteen year old girl gets a trip to the sun! I’m surprised you're okay with visiting an unknown planet, you're not good with new people, y’know,” Jericho nudged his friend, only joking. Kuu rolled his eyes.

  “Be careful how you talk to me, I'm still your king, I could easily make you sleep with the pigs if I wanted to,” He smiled to himself.

  “You wouldn't.”

  “…would you?” Jericho questioned, now this is not the outcome he thought of, he sweated nervously. Kuu did his best to fight off his laughter, but unfortunately he failed.

  “Oh, of course not! I'm just messing with you, you're so gullible it's hilarious!” He hit his friend upon his back and laughed loudly.

  Jericho glared and walked off, finishing the preparations for their trip. All their luggage was already in the ship, Kuu just needed to get Azalea and Mona on board so they could go.

  The sun… home of Heliodoro and his family. I haven't forgotten about him since that night. The words he said to me… Will he even remember them? Will he even be happy to see me? Kuu sighed as he made his way back inside the castle. As he walked, his footsteps echoed, filling the room around him. He put his hands to his ears, trying to shut the echoes out. I can’t be thinking about him anymore… I'm married, I have a child, and I can't be feeling like this. He hit a knight's arm, causing him to stumble backwards and open his eyes. The night fearfully bowed and apologized quickly. Kuu sighed and told him that it was alright, then continued his way to the dining room, to wait for his daughter and wife.

  The first one to arrive in the dining room was Queen Azalea who sat next to him at the dining table. She smiled sweetly at her husband.

  “Goodmorning darling, is everything ready for today?” The queen asked, Kuu looked at her, her blue eyes sparkled at him.

  “Yes my dear, everything is in order, after breakfast we will be heading to the kingdom of the sun, the royal family's guards will meet us at the docking and will escort us to our room. Then we will start making the preparations for her engagement with Prince Reyansh,” Kuu responded, describing what he planned. Azalea grinned wider, pleased to hear everything is set in place.

  “That's all and good, she was so excited to know what we were planning when I checked on her this morning! I hope she'll be extra happy when we tell her about her engagement…” Kuu nodded, hoping that as well.

  The doors of the dining room swung open, followed by Mona almost jogging towards her father. She wrapped her arms around his neck in an embrace. Kuu returned the hug and kissed his daughter's soft cheek.

  “Happy Birthday my love! I hope you're excited!” Kuu exclaimed happily. Mona nodded quickly, her toothy smile scrunching up her nose. Servants entered the room, bringing around plates of diced red potatoes from the palace gardens, cooked to a golden brown color, eggs sent from earth cooked and made into a scramble, bread made from the yeast that grew in the greenhouses located just outside of the moon, with a side of jelly made from the kingdoms signature moon berries, their white gleaming color and sour taste making them sought out for by planets everywhere.

  “Yes father!” She sat down on the other side of Kuu. “You have no idea! Tell me, what is it we are doing?!” She was practically jumping up and down in her seat

  .

  “First eat, then we will tell you,” Azalea placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, attempting to calm her. Mona took a deep breath and ate her food quickly. Kuu smiled softly and started eating as well. After breakfast, the family washed up and made their way to the courtyard. Kuu covered his daughter's eyes as they walked, he was smiling, excited for Mona's reaction. When they got on the ship Kuu buckled his daughter up in her seat, setting a brochure Azalea made in her hands. Azalea hooked her arm with Kuus, excited.

  “Okay sweet thing, open your eyes!” The queen was basically jumping with excitement, much like her daughter was before. Mona opened her eyes and gasped, grinning from ear to ear. She held the Brochure out in front of her and read through it.

  “A trip to the sun?! I’ll get to meet the royal family?! Oh my gods! Thank you!” She yelled in excitement and held out her hands for a hug, Azalea and Kuu embraced her once again.

  “I'm glad you like your surprise. We worked hard to set this up for you, we are staying for a week, so we'll have plenty of time to see everything,” Kuu explained gently, he didn't want her to be worried about seeing everything as quickly as possible. This was meant to be a vacation.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  ☆☆☆

  They arrived at the giant star hours later. Sun guards opened the door to their transporter and held it for their majesties. Kuu, followed by his wife and daughter, exited the aircraft, he looked around the area and took a breath. When they flew in, they entered a giant dome that protected the royal family and their subjects from the overbearing heat of the sun.

  Kuu looked around the area they were at, the floor was covered in a red carpet that laid over a golden colored tile floor. The walls were decorated with red and blue drapes with golden accents. A staircase sat on the other side of the room, leading in two opposite directions up to the next level of the castle. A portrait of the royal family sat on the wall that split the staircases, Heliodoro’s enchanting eyes loomed over Kuu, filling him with a familiar warmth he'd felt only once before.

  The guards bowed and led them to their rooms, saying that they were to meet the royal family for breakfast the next morning. Kuu stopped in the doorway before entering with his wife, fighting the urge to ask the question that has been burning into his mind. He turned and looked at the guard holding the door open.

  “Does King Heliodoro know that we're here?” The knight's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting a king to speak so directly towards him. He bowed quickly before replying.

  “Yes, your highness, My king and the queen have been told of your arrival,” Kuu smiled, deciding not to ask anything more.

  “Ahh alright, I was just making sure they wouldn't be surprised by our sudden arrival onto their planet.”

  The guard bowed once more before Kuu entered his quarters with his wife. The guard closed the door behind Kuu, curious of what the king meant by his question.

  Once the moon king entered his quarters along with his wife, he made his way over to the closet in the corner of the room and opened it. There was a mirror inside that hung elegantly on the wall, it was round and the rim was black. Kuu sighed and removed his shirt swiftly. He traced the seams on his tunic: it was his father’s. He hated it, but even if he wanted to get rid of it, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Kuu hung up his shirt on a hanger and knelt to the floor to dig through the chest that held his clothing. He found his sleepwear after a moment and changed before climbing into bed. Azalea turned to face her husband, already wearing her nightgown and hair up. Kuu faced her as well.

  “Are you alright dear?” The queen asked, worried for her husband. The fireplace crackled, warm orange light gleamed on his wifes face.

  “I’m alright my darling… Just tired,” Kuu whispered. Azalea hugged him closely, hoping to comfort him. After a while the two fell asleep, warm and safe in each other’s arms.

  ☆☆☆

  Kuu opened his eyes and found himself in a room full of people in flashy gowns and dark suits. He realized it was the night of the coronation, where he and Heliodoro met as children. He made his way across the ballroom floor, searching for the boy frantically. His father stood by the throne, glaring, watching Kuu with his haunting hawk-like eyes. The words of his mother's last plea before her death, was being repeated over and over again, echoing through the room.

  DON'T BE LIKE HIM

  Kuu cowered, he fell onto his knees and stared at the ground in fear, holding his arms over his head to protect himself. He heard footsteps approaching him as the music stopped suddenly just as the chorus of the melody was about to play. The footsteps kept getting louder and louder, until finally, the figure stopped.

  “Kuu…?” a familiar voice whispered in his ear.

  ☆☆☆

  Kuu awoke startled, shooting up in bed, his breath short and quick. He brought his legs to his chest and hid his face in his knees in order to muffle his sobs to not wake his sleeping wife. He thought the dreams of his mother were over with. Why did they have to come back now? Kuu missed her dearly, and he couldn't help but feel guilty for her death. He knew it was out of control… but he had to blame someone. Anyone.

  After a long while he felt himself calming down, his breaths grew slower and deeper. He lifted his head off his knees and wiped his eyes, moving his part of the blanket off him. Kuu got out of bed and left the room quietly, he wanted to go check how Mona was doing, to see if she was safe. Unfortunately he had no idea where her room was located. He ended up just blindly walking down the halls. Maybe he just wanted an excuse to leave the room.

  He felt numb, a familiar feeling he has gone through time and time again throughout his entire life. After a while walking, he realized the area he was in was unfamiliar. He took a staircase downstairs and sat himself on a nearby bench. His lungs burned, and he felt nauseous. Kuu closed his eyes and dug his palms into his sockets to relieve the pressure building up in his head. He remained there the rest of the night.

  ☆☆☆

  Azalea woke up that morning to find her husband missing. Curiously, she got up and glanced around the room. When she saw he was nowhere to be seen, she dressed herself and left her quarters quickly. Mona was approaching from the room down the hall as the queen closed the bedroom door.

  “Mother? What's wrong?” Mona asked, concerned by her mothers expression. Azalea bit her lip and waited for her daughter to reach her side.

  “I can't seem to find your father… I heard the bedroom door close late last night, so I'm thinking he may have left after another one of his nightmares…”

  Azalea led Mona down the hall as they spoke.

  “Ummm… I mean I can help you look, where do you think he would have gone?” Mona suggested, her father often was found in the courtyard at their castle in the middle of the night wandering in circles. Like his mind wasn't quite as sane as he was letting on.

  “I’m not so sure… none of us know our way around here yet,” Azalea cautioned, she didn't want them to get lost as well, the best course of action would be to let one of the guards know her husband was missing, and let them handle the problem.

  The queen grabbed her daughter's hand and made her way down the hallway and down the stairs. As she turned off the stairs to head towards the guards quarters, she spotted her husband laying on a nearby bench by the stairs. Azalea let out a heavy sigh of relief and let go of Mona. She approached her husband and knelt beside him, she shook him gently.

  “Kuu?”

  Silence.

  “Kuu? Wake up, you can't sleep here,” Azalea whispered quickly, hoping he'd wake up quick and sit up, this was embarrassing. Kuu stirred and opened his eyes, but he did not move. Mona sat at his feet.

  “Dad, are you okay..? You don't look so good…” She stared at him, his eyes looked dull and lifeless, his hair was a mess, and he looked as if he was somewhere else. Kuu did not react to his daughter's presence or words. Azalea sighed and grabbed her husband's hand and helped him sit up. She watched as Kuu stood up slowly and wobbly, she then led him upstairs. Mona followed quickly, wondering what was wrong, concerned for her fathers health. As they approached their quarters, Azalea turned towards her daughter.

  “Darling please go back to your room and wait for a guard to come get you, if we are not outside our room by then, head to breakfast without us, okay?” Azalea opened the door and helped Kuu inside.

  “But what's wrong with father? Is he going to be okay?!” Mona asked, alarmed with how fast her mother was ushering her to leave. The door closed with no response to her question. Mona did as she was told and went back to her room.

  Azalea brought Kuu to the bed and sat him down. It wasn't the first time this happened. When this last happened it was about two months ago, he didn't talk to anyone that day, just sat in his room staring at the wall. But he couldn't do that today. They had to go to breakfast to meet the king and queen. Azalea helped her husband get dressed. She took off his bed shirt, revealing mysterious small black splotches across his chest. Unfortunately, She didn't have time to worry about it, the marks weren't that big anyways, it should be fine.. Azalea got him dressed and started brushing through his hair.

  “Azalea…?” Kuu finally whispered. Azalea's eyes widened.

  “Yes?” She spoke softly towards him.

  “...Is it time for breakfast?” He looked up at her, his eyes looked much better, he seemed more himself now.

  “Almost dear, I just needed to brush your hair and put your crown on, can you do that part by yourself?” She was more than willing to do it for him, he just had to say the word.

  “It's fine, I can do it…,” He replied, rubbing his eyes. Azalea handed him the brush and left for the bathroom. Kuu slowly finished brushing through his white hair and stood up, his joints ached. He then made the slow journey over to the vanity his crown sat upon. He picked up the crown and placed it on his head, deciding to leave his hair down. The two exited the bedroom and followed a guard to the dining room. Their daughter sat next to Prince Reyansh who sat beside his father King Heliodoro. Queen Cordelia sat on the other side of the table next to Heliodoro, Kuu followed the guard to her side and sat in his seat after pulling Azalea's chair out and sitting her down. Azalea sat beside Queen Cordelia and Kuu sat beside his wife. Kuu looked up at Heliodoro who was distracted with a piece of paper, he read it with such focused eyes, it made Kuu blush.

  They were finally reunited. But he could tell something was off. Heliodoro looked up from the scroll and locked eyes with him.

  “Good Morning Your Highnesses, I hope your stay has been comfortable so far?” Kuu nodded hesitantly. What is going on? Why is he acting so normal? Queen Azalea looked at her husband and frowned at his loss of words. She knew all about her husband's past with the sun king.

  “It has been wonderful my king, we have no complaints,” She forces a smile and bows her head, Mona follows her mothers example. Heliodoro nods, still eyeing Kuu suspiciously. Kuu stared horrified at his lap, lost in his thoughts:

  He doesn't remember does he?

  He wouldn't be looking at you like that if he did, now would he?

  Stop! It’s been years! Of course he doesn't remember.

  But you do? Maybe you weren't as important to him as you thought you were.

  STOP!

  You know I'm right. I'm your father, I'm always right.

  No you're not. Get out of my head.

  Oh be quiet you insolent child, you are my pawn, my greatest creation. You don't get to tell me what to do.