Should a Star always follow it's path?

As the years passed, Dahlia grew into a "difficult" child.

The palace was grand, but never warm. Her mother was busy ruling an entire kingdom, while nobles and advisors cared more about her title than her presence. Dahlia spent most of her childhood wandering silent halls alone with the panther beside her.

She preferred it that way.

The panther, whom she later named Nyx, became her closest companion. He followed her through the palace gardens, slept with her in the room every night, and growled at anyone who tried forcing conversation upon her.

She spent almost all of her childhood wandering in the forest and grew up with other wild beasts whom she saw as her family more than her real one...

When she fell asleep in the moonlight the tree branches acted as a gentle nest craddling her the wind blowed gentle breeze on her...with Nyx snuggling against her...

She rode dragons played with other cubs...yet it never lasts..

The knights especially the older one walked in with an exasperated sigh "Princess Dahlia

Her majesty asked for u..please come with us without throwing tantrums as usual we have work to do"

Dahlia's face drops to a pout "What does mother want now?? You never let me have fun! She always calls me right when I'm playing.." Nyx growls beside her " Dahlia let's go we can come again".....Dahlia concedes reluctantly "fine..."

Dahlia could always understand wild beasts perhaps fostered from her connection with Nyx but noone else knows what they are conversing about...most saw it as weird that the princess is speaking with an beast.

As they reach the palace the Empress sat there looking unimpressed with her daughter

Why do u have to roll among pigs in the mud. You will never listen...go ahead your tutor is waiting for u and Change. Before u go.

Dahlia changed reluctantly, though "changed" mostly meant the servants managed to wipe the mud from her cheeks and brush the leaves from her tangled silver-black hair before she escaped again.

Nyx waited outside the study doors, icy eyes narrowed at every passing servant.

Inside, the tutoring chamber was suffocatingly neat.

Towering shelves stretched to the ceiling, filled with ancient celestial texts and maps. Candles floated lazily in the air, their flames glowing pale blue. At the center sat an older man in dark robes embroidered with faint silver constellations.

Her tutor.

Master Caelus.

He looked up from his book as the doors opened.

"And where," he asked calmly, "has Her Highness disappeared to this time?"

Dahlia climbed onto the chair backwards, arms folded over the top dramatically.

"The forest."

"I assumed as much."

"There was a baby wyvern stuck in a river."

Cael blinked once.

"...A baby wyvern."

"Mhm."

"And naturally you attempted to help it."

"It bit me first."

"You are speaking about this very casually."

"It was small."

Cael pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly while Dahlia swung her legs beneath the chair.

"You cannot continue vanishing into the woods whenever you please, Princess."

"But the woods are nicer."

"That is not the point."

"The trees don't yell at me."

Cael paused.

Children often said careless things without understanding their weight.

But Dahlia never spoke dramatically. Only plainly.

"What happened this morning with Her Majesty?" he asked carefully.

Dahlia shrugged.

"She said I looked improper."

"You were covered in mud."

"The boars were covered in mud too."

"...You compared yourself to palace boars?"

"They were nice to me."

Cael stared at her for several long seconds before sighing deeply into his tea.

"Open your astronomy text."

"No."

"Princess."

"It's boring."

"It is important."

"Why?"

"Because one day you will inherit knowledge tied to your bloodline."

Dahlia's expression scrunched immediately.

"I don't want it."

"That is unfortunately irrelevant."

She groaned loudly and slumped over the desk while Cael slid the massive celestial book toward her.

The pages shimmered faintly with moving constellations.

"Now," he began patiently, "tell me the Four Celestial Houses."

Dahlia answered immediately without looking up.

"Noctara. Solvaine. Lundreth. Asteryn."

"And what governs Noctara?"

"Silence. Shadows. Absence."

"Good."

"And Solvaine?"

"Stars exploding."

"Dying stars," Cael corrected.

"Same thing."

A faint smile almost appeared on his face.

"Lundreth?"

"Reflection magic."

"Asteryn?"

"Past and future glimpses."

"Excellent."

He closed the book softly.

"You learn quickly when you choose to."

"That's because I don't like repeating things."

"An unfortunate trait for a student."

Dahlia rested her cheek against her arm, staring toward the massive window beside them.

Outside, dusk slowly painted the kingdom gold.

Birds circled the distant forest.

Her forest.

"Master Cael," she asked suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Why do stars stay where they are?"

He looked mildly surprised by the question.

"Because celestial bodies follow ordained paths."

"But what if one didn't want to?"

"...Stars do not possess wants, Dahlia."

"What if they did?"

Cael humored her.

"Then disorder would follow. The balance of the heavens depends on every star remaining within its orbit."

Dahlia fell quiet after that.

Too quiet.

The floating candle flames flickered strangely.

For a brief second- the shadows in the room bent unnaturally toward her chair.

Not darkness.

Something else.

Something that felt like space itself folding wrong.

Cael frowned faintly.

Then it vanished.

Dahlia was still staring out the window.

"Master Cael?"

"Yes?"

"If a star leaves its place..."

Her blue eyes reflected the evening sky.

"...does it become free?"

Cael looked at the child before him, suddenly unable to explain why an odd chill crawled down his spine.

"...Or lost?" he answered quietly.

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