After that, the once curious, shy child turned sharp. Rebellious. Violent.
She cursed, threw things, had servants punished for the smallest of mistakes.
Astra screamed, threw things, cursed. Not because she was wicked. But because that was the only time people looked at her.
And even then—only in fear.
The servants did their jobs out of dread. Not loyalty. Not kindness. Because if they didn't, a porcelain vase might fly at their heads. Or worse, Astra might lash out with cruel precision.
Because she had no other weapon.
Fear had become her armor.
Rage, her blade.
Had she been meek, had she cried quietly in a corner, she would've been crushed. Eaten alive by the noble's hunger for weakness.
But instead, she survived.
The servants obeyed her every word. Out of fear, yes—but at least she was not ignored or looked down upon.
Even if she was labeled arrogant, selfish, and willful, it was because of these traits that she survived and refused to be trampled by anyone.
Fear became the survival method of a child.
—
The preparation began in earnest.
Wardrobes were ransacked. Fabrics flew across couches, hairpins gleamed like scattered stars across the table, and the girls moved with the intensity of a whirlwind. Excitement crackled in the air like static
"She should wear sapphire," Melinda suggested, eyes sharp. "It brings out the sharpness in her eyes."
Lora shook her head. "Gold embroidery will make her glow like true nobility."
Cassia clapped her hands together. "Why not both? A sapphire dress with golden thread… and those shoes with the crystal flowers on them…"
Ella chimed in, smiling slightly. "I think black or white would be good too. After all, our princess is so beautiful that she'll shine no matter what she wears."
Lily practically danced across the room, lifting dresses to Astra's face, squealing every few seconds.
Astra watched them bickering over color palettes and fabrics with a strange warmth blooming inside her chest.
It was new. Quiet. Like sunlight under cold water.
She sat with Shadow curled lazily in her lap, brushing her fingers through his soft black fur. Her eyes followed the others, buzzing around her like guardian bees.
"They're going to give me a headache before the banquet even starts…" she murmured to Shadow.
Shadow purred in reply.
And still, she did not stop them.
Because despite everything, their energy warmed the room.
The fire in Cassia and Lily's eyes only grew brighter.
"This banquet… we'll make them regret ever ignoring her," Cassia declared, fists clenched.
"We'll make the palace burn with envy," Lily added, teeth flashing in a grin.
And Astra, still petting her cat, gave a long, resigned sigh.
The countdown to the banquet had begun.
[Flashback ~ A Few Years Ago]
A three old Astra stood silently outside the grand doors of the Empress's chamber. Her tiny fingers clutched a small wooden toy soldier—something she had picked out herself. A gift for her mother.
She had waited there for hours.
The corridor was cold, the palace silent, and still—she stood, hopeful.
But the doors never opened.
Instead, a maid stepped out, her tone clipped and cold.
"Her Majesty doesn't wish to see anyone."
Not even her daughter.
Astra's tiny hands tightened around the toy soldier. She was turned away, each of her step echoing in the empty hall.
That night, she threw the toy into the fireplace with tears streaming down her face.
And didn't look back.
And...
Now, the seven-year-old her sat quietly on the couch, calm and composed. Around her, the girls fluttered like butterflies, preparing her for a banquet she had never imagined she would be invited to.
But she is no longer that abandoned child outside her mother's door.
She no longer cares about the so-called mother's affection anymore.
...
Soon, It was the day of the birthday banquet.
The Day of the Banquet – Early Morning
The sun hadn't yet risen fully when Cassia and the others burst into Astra's room, bright-eyed and brimming with excitement.
They came armed with many neatly folded fabrics, brushes, and ribbons. Lora opened the curtains wide, letting golden morning light spill into the room.
Blanketed in warmth and sleep, Astra rubbed her eyes, blinking at the sudden invasion.
Her voice dragged itself out, nasal and thick with drowsiness.
"The banquet starts in the evening… why are you waking me when even the rooster's still asleep?"
Cassia put her hands on her hips, looking as serious as a commander preparing for battle.
"Because we have to start early if we want you to be the most breathtaking person in that hall."
"Seriously?" Astra mumbled, half-asleep, tugging the blanket over her head.
"Get up quickly, Your Highness. We need to prepare you. Hurry!"
Astra groaned and pulled the covers tighter around herself.
"I'm not getting up."
But Cassia was merciless. She reached out, tugged the cover away and gently pulled Astra upright—leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
Astra, still half-asleep, blinked blearily, her soft curls tumbling in disarray around her face.
"You're cruel… I shouldn't have accepted that invitation," she murmured, voice thick with sleep and reluctant amusement.
"Too late. Let's begin."
At that moment, Melinda appeared at the door, balancing a tray with warm tea and honeyed rolls.
"First, let her eat something," she said calmly. "She'll need strength to survive what's coming."
Lora chuckled from across the room. "And by what's coming, she means Cassia in full chambermaid mode."
Cassia shot her a look. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
She was already rifling through the gowns laid out across the room like an artist facing a blank canvas.
Sapphire blue. Black. White.
Each fabric shimmered under the light, chosen with painstaking care the night before.
"We'll start with a bath," Cassia declared. "Then your dress, then hair. We don't have a minute to waste."
Astra stared at the scene blankly. "I feel like a doll being prepared for display…"
Ella, brushing through strands of ribbons and hairpins, looked up with a smile.
"A very important doll. One who's about to show the entire palace what true elegance looks like."
"We've narrowed it down to five dresses," Lily added, holding two up to Astra's shoulders. "But we may need to try all of them. Just in case."
"You all act like I'm getting married, not attending a banquet."
"With how radiant you'll look," Lily said thoughtfully, "people might start proposing."
"Please. I haven't even eaten yet."
"There's no time," Cassia replied immediately. "Eat later."
Astra let out a long suffering sigh.
Cassia gently guided Astra to the chair by the vanity while the others swarmed the room like a cheerful storm.
Ribbons, pins, brushes, and fabric seemed to fly in all directions, each girl handling a task with the intensity of a sacred ritual.
"Sit," Cassia said gently. "Let us make a goddess out of you."
"No thanks. I'm fine as a mortal."
"Too late," Lily said sweetly. "You belong to us now."
Astra closed her eyes in defeat.
"Fine. Let's get it over with."
Astra sighed, finally relenting, allowing them to work their magic.