Clover

Basal 79th, 1042

The Lacus Mare castle in Moonvale was so much bigger and more breathtaking in person than in pictures Clover had seen. Its towers flanking either side were like spires of light, curling beacons reaching to the dark skies, the moat on either side of the drawbridge filled with glowing plants and the edges of the bridge itself dotted with orb lights of every color. The bridge’s pathing was transparent and glittering, giving a glimpse of the fish swimming in the water beneath, massive and nearly translucent. The ride here from Windeen and taken only a single day in the high speed subway that ran across the country from the major cities. Aspen had gotten them a private section of it, which seemed totally unnecessary, but admittedly kind of fun.

Princess Saros and her wife Princess Cassiopia met them on the bridge with their own guards. Clover was shocked that Saros was Aspen’s older sister: she was tall and willowy, and was dressed in the bright reflective neons of Lacus Mare, and, most shockingly, she was smiling.

“Awww, you’ve grown up so much since the last time I’ve seen you!” Saros exclaimed, rushing to pull Aspen into a hug. He tried to wiggle out of the hug, expression absolutely miserable and looking at Clover for help. What did he expect her to do, defy a princess? She grinned, offering a shrug, and his scowl deepened.

“You didn’t need to come out in the middle of the night to greet us,” he huffed, finally free of her grasp.

“Oh, I absolutely did. Especially when you mentioned you were traveling with other people! The famed River of Fawn Creek, it’s an absolute honor,” she said, giving a small curtsy. River returned it with a smile.

“Your Highnesses,” River greeted. “Thank you for having us.”

“Well, introduce me to everyone else, don’t be rude!” Saros demanded, giving Aspen a light punch on the shoulder.

“Ow! Why don’t you invite us inside first, you brute?”

“Poor baby bruises so easily,” she cooed as she ruffled his hair. He looked ready to throw himself off the bridge, his cheeks darkening with a blush. Saros’ eyes roamed over everyone.

“Let me guess: two friends?” she said as she looked at Clover and Alouette, who beamed and waved, then her eyes skipped over to Kuiper and Azaleon, “And two guards, as usual–” her eyes widened just a fraction, and she snapped her mouth shut. “Oh–! You know, maybe we should go inside and have this conversation privately.”

“What is it?” Cassiopia asked her wife. In contrast to Saros, she was much shorter and thickset, her hair cut short and her tone softer. Saros leaned over, whispering something in Cassiopia’s ear, and Cassiopia’s gray eyes widened. “Ah! I see. Well, it’s very nice to have all of you– Prince Aspen is right, we should really go inside and get you all settled in; it’s too chilly to stand around talking outside.”

“Your wife has all the sense between you two,” Aspen snarked at his sister. “Thank you, Princess Cassiopia.” He strode ahead, making the rest of them have to speed walk to catch up. Clearly he’d been here before. Clover wished she could take more time to walk around and admire everything. Saros caught her awe-struck expression and grinned.

“We can show you around more in the morning if you want?”

“I’d love that, oh my gosh. Everything is so cool,” she gushed. “And– if possible, I’d love to talk to whoever made both of your dresses, they’re gorgeous. I have to pick up some neon fabrics before I go home.”

“I’m sure we can arrange that. Aspen! How did you befriend such a sweet girl when you’re such a contrarian all the time?”

“I am not!”

“You literally are being contrary right now!”

“We arranged rooms for everyone already, Prince Aspen, I assume you remember where yours is?” Cassiopia interrupted the sibling squabble. “And the tea room in that wing? We’d be happy to meet you all there after you get settled in with evening snacks, since I’m sure everyone is tired from the journey,” she said, shooting a deliberate look at Saros. Saros tossed her colorful ponytail full of braids over her shoulder with a sigh, narrowly missing smacking Aspen in the face with it.

“Okay, fine, we’ll be gracious hosts and send for that to be prepared. And your favorite pandan jelly and some mooncakes since I’m feeling very kind. Aspen, don’t let your friends get lost,” Saros said before she and her wife walked in the opposite direction Aspen kept trudging in.

Clover caught up to him on the rainbow marbled stairs, nearly dropping her suitcase from how fast she was going.

He was glaring in the direction his sister had left in. “I haven’t eaten pandan jelly since I was a child and first visited Lacus Mare; where she got the idea it was my ‘favorite’ is beyond me.”

“...She’s making an effort,” Clover offered. “How long has it been since you saw her?”

“Last time my father and I came here on diplomatic business was a year and a half ago. I only met with Cassiopia’s older sisters and their mother at that time; I think Saros and Cassiopia were off partying. They think just because they aren’t going to take the throne that they can do what they want–”

“Aww, they seemed nice to me, though,” Alouette interrupted. “If you don’t get along with Saros, does that mean ‘Leon’s your favorite?”

“You shouldn’t just go saying things like that out loud! It’s not common knowledge,” Azaleon quickly said. “And ‘Leon’ is just a nickname for Kuiper to use.” Aspen rolled his eyes.

“If you must know, the answer is no, in my mind I’m an only child. Azaleon might be the ‘lesser annoyance’, but ‘favorite’ would be pushing it,” Aspen answered Alouette, ignoring Azaleon entirely.

“Um, thank you?” Azaleon asked, exchanging a confused look with Clover. Yeah, she didn’t know if Aspen intended for that to be an insult or compliment either, so she wasn’t sure if she should be mad on Azaleon’s behalf or not.

The third floor of the west wing of the castle was entirely dedicated to bedchambers, and Aspen showed them to the royal guest hallway, full of bedrooms and luxurious bathrooms of their own connected to them. He explained when his family visited Lacus Mare, or when mayors of important cities did, this is where they would stay. Clover could hardly believe she was being given a huge room of her own, right beside Aspen’s and Alouette’s. None of them even had to share! And her bed was massive, big enough for at least five people– she took a running jump on it as soon as she was alone in the room, rolling around on it and giggling to herself. It was softer than a cloud with dark purple silk sheets.

The bathroom was already prepared with deluxe soaps and shampoos. Oh, Gods, she was absolutely going to have a full hair day on this trip and use everything. Perhaps, she thought, she could even ask Saros and Cassiopia to join her, if they weren’t too busy with royal business. Saros’ hair was in such pretty braids, and dyed all sorts of colors; she probably had royal hairdressers to do it for her…

The view of her room was breathtaking. She could see the Lunar God’s temple sitting in the center island of one of the Great Lunar Lakes, the bridge to it connected to the back of the castle. She’d known it was close, but that close? It was a tall, pure white structure that seemed to glow in the moonlight. She felt her hand tingling, her Cachet glowing through the glove she had on.

She pulled the heavy curtains on her window shut.

After she was done poking around every inch of her room and her private bathroom, she unpacked and went to meet the others in the tea room. She’d seen Aspen point it out on the way here; it was at the entrance of the hall, a grand pair of golden doors embellished with ornate moons leading into it. Four Lacus Marian guards were posted outside of the room, but they opened the door for Clover and she thanked them with a smile.

The princesses were already settled down in the center of the room in something Clover could only describe as a ‘pillow pit’. The floor dipped down, four or five steps leading down to a table completely covered in sweets and tea, surrounded by large fluffy pillows rather than couches or chairs. The ceilings in the room were high, decorated in glitter and a mural of space, those same dark, long curtains that had been in Clover’s room on all walls. It was breathtaking, like strolling into the cosmos themselves. The room itself was dimly lit, the soft glows of candles and the dipping star lights hung from the ceiling making everything look more whimsical.

She was the first in the room besides the princesses, and felt suddenly underdressed and unprepared. She curtsied.

“Your Highnesses,” she greeted. “May I…?”

“Of course, come in!” Saros said, patting the seat right beside herself. “No need to be so formal! I am just dying to talk to Aspen’s friends. What was your name? And how did you meet my brother? Are you the daughter of a mayor, or?”

“Clover,” she walked over and sat down. “Um, I think you might have the wrong idea, I’m actually also one of River’s students.”

“Oh, so you just got stuck with him against your will, huh?” Saros asked.

“Saros,” Cassiopia nudged her.

“I’m allowed to try, aren’t I? Clover, it’s so hard. See, whenever Aspen visits we’re so busy we don’t always get to see him, and when we e-call, he’s always so formal and to the point, I never really get an idea of what’s going on back home! I mean, sure, I get information on politics, but…you know, I want to know how my little baby brother is doing in his personal life, if you get what I mean.”

“Well…” Clover leaned in, glancing at the door and then back at Saros with a small grin, “Okay, between you and me? We’ve shared rooms, at River’s– he has to get up like three hours early to take the longest bath ever, and then spends another hour primping and preening and hogging the bathrooms–”

“And I do that because I can’t sleep because of how loudly you snore. At least wait until I’m in the room, Gods,” Aspen snapped. Clover couldn’t help but laugh. He dropped into the pillow pit with more grace than any normal person could manage. “We did only come to peruse your library, there was no need to have this spread prepared or take time out of your surely busy schedules to entertain us.”

“We wanted to see you. That’s not so unbelievable, is it?” Cassiopia asked softly.

“...Thank you, then,” Aspen said, almost awkwardly. Clover realized he was minding his manners with her more than his sister; which made sense, if he’d been raised to be respectful to other royals, but it was funny watching him act so uncharacteristically polite.

“May I ask what exactly you’re looking for in our library? Something to help with your studies with River?” Cassiopia asked.

“Yes, something like that; we’re looking for execrated land, or information on the Gods, but specific information.” At his sister’s blank stare, he sighed. “It doesn’t really concern you; we’ll find it and be gone soon enough. The library here is a lot less censored than the one at home.”

“True enough,” Saros shrugged. “Well, obviously stay as long as you want. You know we love entertaining.”

“This place is humongous!” Alouette shouted as they entered, and Clover snickered at their volume. River was trailing them, murmuring something to the guards at the door. Azaleon and Kuiper were behind her, and Saros frowned. She stood up, clearing her throat and getting the guard’s attention.

“My brother’s guards are welcome to dine with us, don’t stop them,” she said, and her guards nodded. Clover hadn’t even considered the guards here might try and keep them outside to guard the door and give the royals and their friends privacy. As rude as Aspen could be, he’d never really forced them to wait outside for him from what Clover had seen, or excluded them from anything. Clover considered them friends, so the idea of having to catch them up on the conversations later because they weren’t invited in wasn’t a nice one.

“I hope that isn’t a problem for you, Aspen,” Saros said, a challenging look in her eye.

“No, but I do have to wonder why you’re inviting my guards in and not your own?” Aspen asked. “It just seems like perhaps you’re after something else. Then again, I did catch you red-handed trying to get intel from Clover–”

“Oh, as if you never gossip,” she huffed. Then she smiled sweetly. “I’d love to meet everyone.”

“Alouette, but Alo is just fine if you prefer!” Alouette said, sitting on the other side of Clover.

“Aha, is that a joke?” Saros asked with a small laugh, looking at Aspen, who’s expression didn’t shift from mild annoyance. Her face fell. “...Is it not– not the Alouette, like the criminal. Right, not that Alouette?”

“That Alouette,” they confirmed. “But me and Aspen are good friends now, so no worries!”

“No we aren’t,” Aspen said, grabbing a single pandan jelly to put on his plate and pouring himself tea. It smelt fragrant and sharp, so Clover grabbed two sugar cubes to stir into her own cup.

“You’ve found some…interesting people to surround yourself with, Aspen,” Saros said carefully. “Here I thought that was a backpack or something under your cloak, do you have actual wings?! May I…?”

They nodded, pulling their cloak off to reveal their black wings with a flourish, basking in the attention and flexing them. Clover got smacked on her side with them, and Alouette very quickly tucked them back up, making themself smaller again. Clover gently patted their shoulder to let them know she didn’t mind all that much.

“Wow. I don’t mean to be too nosy, but it was some sort of Thauma overdose, wasn’t it?” Cassiopia asked. “With our resources, we could do something.”

“No! It’s because I’m a G-”

“Good now, they’re fine is what they were going to say, because we purged them as much as possible,” Aspen quickly said. “Right? You think our resources at home aren’t good enough or something? Lay off them.”

“Don’t talk to Cassi like that,” Saros snapped. “It’s normal to be curious. And Alo didn’t seem to mind!”

“I don’t, but if Aspen does, then…” they shrunk down into the pillows with an apologetic smile. “Well, not trying to step on toes! I know my reputation, but believe me, River’s keeping me in line. I’m not gonna cause any trouble for you here.”

“We didn’t assume Aspen would have been traveling with anyone overly troublesome, don’t worry. He’s got good sense,” Cassiopia said. “Ah, speaking of that, I don’t believe we caught the two of your names?” she asked Kuiper and Azaleon.

“Kuiper, Your Highness, thank you for having us,” he said, dipping his head.

“Azaleon, um, yes, what Kuiper said, thank you, Your Highnesses,” he exchanged a look with Saros, and she looked like she was dying to ask why he was here.

Actually, she must have known he was she and Aspen’s half-brother, considering how she’d acted when she first spotted him; and she had told Cassiopia, if the way the other princess was also looking between them was anything to go by. Maybe she thought Aspen didn’t know?

Clover looked at Aspen with raised brows. He put his fingers to his lips while Saros was still looking away from him and at Azaleon.

Ooooh, he was scheming something. Clover absolutely wanted in on it.

“Maybe it’s for the best that you invited the two of them to dine with us,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I’ve already discussed this with Clover, and she agreed with me. It’s not fair.”

“Oh, yes, it’s so not fair. Totally not fair,” Clover agreed, although she didn’t know where he was going with this.

“What’s not fair?” Saros asked, leaning in and nearly knocking her tea over in the process.

“Well, that they’re forced to guard me, since I’m a Quasar and all. It’s a pointless job, I can’t die until the Ceremony! And– well, you know how Father is; he won’t even give them proper breaks for holidays…” Clover had never heard Aspen sound so genuinely saddened. She was engrossed in his performance.

“Yes, that is terrible, but I don’t quite think you having guards is pointless-” Saros tried.

“Especially for poor Azaleon. You know his mother works in that hotel you and Father always used to frequent, she is all alone over there, Azaleon’s father is some mystery deadbeat. She must be lonely, right, without her only son? You’ve always been better at finding the words and being gentler than I am…well, having my sister with me gives me the strength to do the harder parts of my duty as a prince.” he sighed, waving a hand in the air. “I want to relieve both of you of your stations. Go, be free.”

“We’re fired?” Kuiper asked with a slow blink. Clover wondered how hard he’d been paying attention, because he was only now looking up from the tea cakes. He didn’t sound overly bothered by the idea of losing this job.

“What? But–” Alouette tried to interject, but clover very quickly kicked Alouette under the table. They yelped. No one else seemed to notice, Saros too wrapped up in the injustice of it all.

“Aspen, you can’t!” Saros cried. “You don’t even– I mean, it couldn’t have been easy– um, you can’t do that, I’m sure they like their jobs-!”

“I could take it or leave it, honestly,” Kuiper muttered. Not laughing was the hardest thing Clover had ever done. Azaleon was doing a great impression of someone trying to turn invisible, getting redder by the second.

“And why wouldn’t I be able to, Saros? You know, I’ve gotten rid of plenty of guards over the past few months, haven’t I? I’m sure even you’ve heard that; you know I have a new set of them everytime I visit,” Aspen said.

“Because– I mean, you know, it’s probably taking a lot of Father’s resources to train them, you’re being rude and wasteful!” Saros scrambled to save Azaleon’s job.

“You really don’t need to do this,” Azaleon’s voice was muffled as he talked into his hands. Clover took that as him asking Aspen not to torment his sister. Saros took that as him begging for his job, and her green eyes grew even wider and more panicked.

“Now, I’m not actually heartless. I’m sure we can find you new jobs, if anyone has good ideas, I’m open to suggestions and can put in a good word,” Aspen continued.

“I think if you don’t want them, I’d like to keep them. Well, maybe just Kuiper. Clover can take Azaleon,” Alouette said with a sense of finality. She wondered if they knew they were joking.

“You make it sound like we’re splitting kids in a divorce,” Clover said. “We gotta swap them out during holidays, or it’s not fair. But yeah, I’ll take those bomb cinnamon buns everyday, my mom would love having a personal chef,” Clover nodded. “Absolutely hired.”

“Glad to know I have a backup career ready to go,” Azaleon said, finally giving in and playing along. “But unfortunately we’re a package deal. It’s both or nothing.”

“You’re all so funny,” River said under her breath, shaking her head with a smile.

Saros looked between them and slammed her hands on the table once it dawned on her it was a joke. “Aspen! You little shit, I was about to freak out! What in the world is wrong with you, scaring me like that?! Do you all know?!”

“That’s what you get for not just asking me how I’ve been when you’re wondering after me.” Aspen snickered. “Can you blame me, when you make it so easy to mess with you?”

“I’m sorry,” Azaleon said with a guilty little smile. “I couldn’t help myself either.”

“Gods. How long have you known, Aspen? I can’t imagine Father even approving this,” Saros grumbled. “I’m gonna get you back for this one.”

“It was recent, and he didn’t. We’re working on it,” Aspen said nonchalantly. “Don’t concern yourself with it.”

“Wait– he didn’t approve of it? You told him without asking Father?” Saros asked Azaleon. “You’re putting yourself in danger. That better not be another joke.”

“It’s…fine,” Azaleon nodded, not looking up at his sister.

“Is it? Also– what are those strange contacts you’re wearing? Surely those aren’t less conspicuous than just using gold Thauma, right? I noticed Clover and River also have them, but I’m always one of the first to hear about new trends, and I’ve never seen anything like those.”

“Forgive me, that’s my fault for not explaining,” River cut in. “The king is trying new ways of using Thauma, and as an expert, I was allowed to oversee the trials; a few people including myself are testing something new…it’s still in its early stages, though, so I can’t give too much information away.”

Clover was impressed River had an excuse so quickly; she’d started to sweat a little.

“Well, okay. Honestly, science goes over my head, but it won’t have any risks, right?” Saros asked.

River smiled. “No, it shouldn’t.”

“Good to know. It’s getting late, we should let you all retire. Goodness knows I’ve had enough excitement,” Cassiopia said. “But it was very nice meeting all of you.”

“Wait.” Aspen said, suddenly very serious. “Saros, I want to have a discussion with you and Clover in private before you turn in for the night.”

Clover hadn’t any idea what he wanted to talk about with her and his sister; was he going to tell her that Clover was the other Quasar? He looked at Clover, and somehow, she doubted that; he wouldn’t, not without asking her. She just knew that somehow.

“Well, that’s fine, I absolutely don’t need to be included in things, and will not eavesdrop,” Alouette declared, throwing their cloak back over their wings before waltzing out. Clover snorted. River went after them, shooting a smile back.

“See you all in the morning to actually start our studies,” she said, and Clover guessed she meant in the library, looking for books with clues about anything related to the Gods. Great; she’d never loved school, and now she had to do extended research…maybe it’d be painless with so many people helping.

“I’ll walk the two of you out,” Cassiopia offered to Kuiper and Azaleon.

When the three of them were alone, Aspen sighed. “Clover, we don’t have to if you don’t feel comfortable with this, but…you want to find Juniper, don’t you?”

“Juniper?” Saros asked.

“My brother. He’s been missing– he ran away, I guess, when I was little. Of course I wanna find him. That’s the reason I went to River’s in the first place,” she explained to Saros, who’s eyes were full of concern.

“I was thinking– between both of our countries– well, he must be somewhere, someone must have seen him. Saros could launch a large-scale missing person’s hunt here, I could set one up in Fern Helion, and I’m positive someone would report seeing him. We could offer a reward, and–”

“But what if he doesn’t want to be found?” Clover interrupted. Aspen frowned. “Sorry, but..I mean, it’s sweet that you’d do that, and I appreciate it, but…I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about it, and he…would have stayed, I think. If his intention was just to keep me safe. He still could’ve lied from home, done the same thing but…y’know, stuck around instead…”

“How does someone leave the intention to keep you safe?” Saros asked. “Why did he leave?”

“It’s complicated. If it’s all the same, I don’t feel comfortable talking about it.” Clover admitted, and Saros nodded. Aspen still wasn’t satisfied.

“That’s not fair to you, though. You’ve been worrying about him and left home to find him, and you at least deserve to get one good hit in, if nothing else!” Aspen was heated over it, stomping his foot and balling his fists up. “Seriously, for closures’ sake– as much as you’ve been doing, what you took on–” Remedy, he meant.

“I was doing that for me too,” Clover said. “It was my choice. For my own sake as much as yours, as much as hers. You said I don’t have to do this if I don’t feel comfortable with it, so no, I don’t feel comfortable forcibly starting some kind of man hunt. That would probably scare him away even harder…”

“For Gods’ sakes, you make him sound like a skittish animal; he’s a grown man, I think he can suffer through one conversation with you.”

When he said it like that, Clover was inclined to agree.

“I don’t entirely understand the situation. But would you feel more comfortable if it was more lowkey? I could ask communication centers to report if they see him but not to do anything, not try to confront or hold him, and then you could go speak to him? It’d at least make your search a bit easier, give you a closer proximity to where he might be,” Saros offered. And…admittedly, that wasn’t a bad offer; they were both nice to even do this much, but…

“I do want to see him again. Even if it’s just to ask him some questions, just to see he’s doing okay, even if it’s just once,” Clover murmured. She wanted it to be more than once. She wanted to yank him back into her life, for him to meet all of her friends, to let their mom know he was okay and alive.

She wanted to hear his stories again.

“Then let us make it happen,” Aspen implored, and Clover couldn’t think of a good reason to refuse. She’d never get a chance like this, not with as much authority and resources as Aspen and Saros had at their disposal.

“...Okay.”