Chapter 1
Eighteen years ago, the beloved Queen Rosalina Rosier fell terribly ill, while pregnant with her second child. Healers from all over the globe travelled to Corona to assist the kindred Queen, however, nothing worked.
Except for the myth of the flower.
Many, many moons ago, a spark of sundust fell onto the earth's surface, as the soil absorbed the speck, a beautiful flower spurted, glowing as bright as the sun. There was an old folks tale, told all across Corona that this little flower could save anything, and heal the unhealable. The kingdom of Corona agreed that if there was one person worthy of the mythical sun flower, it was their beautiful queen, and her unborn princess.
Villagers and soldiers set out to search for this flower, desperate for a cure- and they finally found it.
Queen Rosalina Rosier was healed, and gave birth to the most perfect baby girl, Pandora.
However, where there is power and love, there was also jealousy. One night, mere weeks after the sweet baby was born, she was taken by a horrid witch; lost, never to be seen again by anybody of Corona.
Desperate for their princess, the king, queen, and the small Prince Evan of two years old lit lanterns with the citizens of Corona as they cast them into the night sky on the night of the little Princess's birthday, in hopes that the lost princess would return someday.
♡♡♡♡
"This is a story, that starts with the sun," the storyteller told the children gathered around him, nodding eagerly for him to continue.
"It's a story of bullshit," Lily muttered, storming past them, Severus following shortly behind her, struggling to keep up. He was a waste of time- Severus was. Lily had known him since they were small children at the local orphanage, when he latched onto her like a parasite.
She could never seem to get rid of him or his obnoxious opinions anymore.
"Well, if it is true- I'm glad that somebody stole the Princess. Who knows what could have been in the flower? She could have been dangerous. She could have destroyed our kingdom," his naselly voice said from behind her. Lily rolled her eyes.
"It's not real, there's no thing as a 'magic flower', Sev, be realistic here. And even if it was true, which it isn't, but hypothetically, then it wouldn't be the Princess's fault. She didn't choose to consume the 'magical flower'. That was the queen's decision, she shouldn't be deprived of basic human freedom for something her mother chose." Severus fell into silence behind her, clearing not agreeing with her statement. Lily couldn't find it in her to care, though. "Anyway, why are we even discussing this? I have places to be."
She picked up her pace, the heels of her brown boots clicking softly against the cobblestone as she wove through the shaded alleyway, hoping Severus would take the hint for once, and just leave.
"I'll keep lookout!" He said, jogging to keep up with her, greasy strands of his matted black hair falling into his eyes. He was terrible at this- at least when Lily was commiting a crime, she ensured to disguise herself, tying her long auburn locks out of her face, covering her head with a hood, and the lower part of her face with a mask.
Plus, was it truly a crime when there was good intentions?
"I can look after myself, Snape," she sighed, turning a corner.
"Come on, Lily, don't be that way, you'll need me," he pressed, continuing to follow her.
"And why's that?" She answered, humouring him.
"Well, because, I'm a man, you see-" he began, but didn't get the chance to finish before Lily had him held up against the stone wall of the Palace grounds by the collar of his cloak.
"You're a fucking pussy and you know it. I'm ten times stronger and smarter than you, Severus, get that in your greasy head." She let go of him, fuming and removed the thrush and plants from an abandoned entry in the Palace Wall. Severus groaned behind her.
"You're a snobby bitch, and you know it."
Lily turned to face him, green eyes flaring. She was so done with this sick bastard, and his passive aggressive comments- always playing the victim.
"What are you going to do, Lily? Seriously? I could report you for all the crimes you've done, and are planning to do, and I'd be paid for it- I'd be rich beyond my years. There's nothing I don't know about you. You think I don't know why you haven't married me yet?" He paused as Lily's heart thrashed in her chest.
He leaned close to her face, so close she could see every pore on his long crooked nose. "Because you're a fucking faggot." He sneered, turning away and walking back down the alleyway where they had just come from.
Lily watched his silhouette disappear, her heart thumping in her ears, her chest tight. She snapped herself back to reality, shaking her head and climbing under the wall.
Lily knew the Palace grounds like the back of her hand, she had snuck in here many times before, admiring the building, dreaming of a life here. How easy would life be if she had just been born into this family instead?
Lily pulled the two climbing hooks from her satchel and snuck over to the back wall, covered in ivy, out of sight from anyone, and anything. She dug the hooks into the grooves in the cobblestone, hoisting her body upwards as she climbed. Lily swung herself onto the roof, sprinting silently across the gutters hopping into the tower roof and assessing the view of the kingdom.
Slipping a Bobby pin from her hair, Lily knelt down, twisting it into the small keyhole in the window on the tower roofs, tieing a rope around her waist, then to the pillar next to her, lowering herself inside.
The crown room was an enormous hall, decorated with vibrant purple banners, ans golden suns. Guards in shing silver armour guarded the pillar holding the jeweled tiara, placed on a royal purple plush pillow. Lily smirked, lowering herself further into the room, these guards were all so preoccupied watching the doors that they forgot about the ceilings.
Silently, Lily picked up the tiara, sliding it into her satchel.
A young guard, with black hair, and piercing blue eyes sneezed. He seemed to be new to the guard service. Lily had never seen him before.
"Bless you," she muttered.
"Thanks- wait-" the guards spun around, aiming their rifles just as Lily slammed the window shut, smirking to herself.
It was just too easy.
Lily sprinted across the rooftops adrenaline coursing through her veins as the loud sounds of horses galloping and soldiers yelling flooded her ears from below. Lily's feet seemed to have a mind of their own- her boots carrying her down the gutter and through the forest, the strap of her satchel held tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, a small grin on her face.
Lily stumbled through the forest, swerving between trees, outrunning the royal soldiers.
She had stolen enough times from the Palace for the soldiers to know what way she would turn. Usually, she'd turn left, into the town square and camouflage with the citizens in town, pretending to shop for bread, but today, she swerved right, sprinting through the trees, her lungs burning.
Once the sound of galloping horses can stopped, trampling inti the town square, Lily slid down against a large boulder and caught her breath. She peaked inside the satchel to see the gleaming tiara shining up at her. She could sell this to tradesman on the harbour and hopefully make enough money for somewhere to stay for a while- she wasn't worried about Severus ratting her out, he'd come crawling back to her in a couple of days, the obsessive bastard.
The vines of ivy rustled in the wind beside Lily, she turned her head. The vines of ivy seemed to be covering an entrance to a cave perhaps? A clearing in the forest? Curious, she stood, her legs aching fro running, and brushed her hand over the vines, her fingers slipped through, brushing them out of her way before she stepped into the clearing.
Lily sighed at the beauty of this strange place, walled by large mountainous boulders, a small lake trickling by, long grass brushing her knees, she tilted her head to look at the tall stone tower that stood before her. How had she never found it before?
Intrigued, Lily circled the bottom of the castle, searching for any sort of an entrance, running her fingers along the mossy cobblestone. Nothing. No door, no window.
Strange, Lily thought.
She took a large step back and craned her neck. There was in fact, a door, way up at the top of the tower, near the pointed roof. Lily wondered if anybody had seen this place before.
Did anybody live here? Unlikely, seeing as there was no door or window- perhaps she wouldn't have to sell the tiara for a home, perhaps she could listen here.
Lilynipened the front picket of her satchel, pulling over the two daggers. She stabbed one into the groove in the stone. Only one way to find out, she thought, as she hoisted herself up the tower.
♡♡♡♡
Pandora paced the tower, her long white blonde hair streeling the floor as she searched for the books.
Pandora had always been a curious girl, she supposed it was a side effect of not being allowed outside of her tower in almost eighteen years- but still, it was for the better. Being a curious girl, with access to books, and the strange event of mysterious lights floating across the night sky, every year on her birthday, she was bound to do some research.
Her eighteenth birthday was in three days time, and she stood before her bookshelf, gathering books for evidence to convince her mother to let her see the floating lights.
The floating lights appeared on her birthday each year, ans each year she asked her mother what they were.
"Stars," she'd say dismissively. Skeptical, Pandora had studied stars, charted stars, recited astronomy, and she knew, whatever these floating lights were- they were not stars. So she had decided to pluck up the courage to ask her mother to see them.
She was eighteen, after all.
"Pandora! Let down your hair!" Her mother's sing song voice called from below. Taking a deep breath, Pandora hurried to the window ans gathered her long hair for her mother to climb up.
Walburga entered the tower, her long black hair curled down her back as she kissed Pandora's forhead.
"Getting a little rusty are we? That took a bit more time than usual," she sighed.
"Oh- no, sorry, Mother." Pandora said. "I was wondering, Mother-"
"You know, Pandora, I'm feeling a little tired, would you sing for me please, darling?"
Pandora resisted rolling her eyes, and nodded gathering her hairbrush and stool, and sitting before her mother. "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, male the clock reverse bring back what once was mine- so, Mother," she began, as Walburga brushed her hair quickly, clearing annoyed with her.
She spoke quickly to ensure she wouldn't be interrupted. "Mother, it's my eighteenth birthday in three days and what I want- well what I've wanted for almost forever is-"
"Pandora, stop with the mumbling. What have I told you? It's incredibly annoying. What are you saying?"
"I want to see the floating lights!" She bursted. Walburga turned to her, eyes glowering, her jaw tightening.
"Pandora, dear, I've told you before- there is nothing special about those silly stars."
Maybe there wasn't anything special about them, but they were special to Pandora. "If they're not special, why can't I see them?" She asked.
Walburga stood from her seat, stomping her black heels on the stone flooring of the tower. "Because I said so! Must you be so stubborn all the time? For goodness sake, Pandora, I've dedicated my whole life to make this world safe for you! To keep you safe! Everything that I do is for you and all you ever want is to leave me behind- to leave this tower that I so carefully raised you in. All you want to do is disobey me."
Guilt swarmed in Pandora's stomach. She never meant to fee ungrateful, honest she didn't. She knew she was lucky to have a mother who cared so much for her safety, even if it didn't seem like that all the time.
"I'm sorry, Mother," she whispered, crossing her arms, pinching at the skin on her elbows.
Walburga sighed. "You needn't act so upset- always playing the victim, you are. Come back to me when you have a mature request for a birthday present," she said, gesturing Pandora to leave the room. Pandora's stomach churned. She hadn't meant to have played the victim- she didn't mean any harm, she had just wanted to apologise.
"I- perhaps those paints? The one with all the colours?" She asked quietly.
"That's what you come up with? Those paints are a five day trip, Pandora!" She shook her head. "High maintenance bitch," she muttered under her breath.
Pandora's chest felt tight with guilt. She knew all she was was a burden, she knew she was quite unlikeable. "I just thought they were a better idea than the flo- stars."
Walburga sighed and placed her hands on Pandora's shoulders. "It's alright, dear. I'll leave now so I'll be back sooner."
"Alright, Mother." Pandora forced a smile.
"Remember, sweet, don't leave the tower, you know that you're not strong enough for that world out there, yes?"
"Yes, Mother," there was no use in objecting.
"I love you very much, dear."
"I love you more, Mother."