terms you may need to know

shan
Chinese handheld fan,
usually woven out of bamboo, wood and paper.

kolusu
type of anklet worn in south asian culture
(check out -hyungnim's book, the eclipse, a part of this collab series.)

THE STORM RAGED.

Lightning struck a tree outside and Verine felt its pain thunder through her veins. Screams clawed at her heart as the tree's roots tore from the ground, separating from the trunk.
The wise oak had fallen- and with it, a decade of generations.

The princess winced from the torture and as the light of the tree faded, the water that once flowed in its being returned to her fingertips. It spoke to her in a language only one truly with nature could understand. It spoke and told her of its death, and wished her well as it parted.
Its job was done for its lifetime - and its duty in the gardens had been fulfilled.
Verine mourned for her loss and prayed that the sky would rest.

"Please," she whispered out, "Hear my cries, it is enough for a night."

The stars above listened.

And within minutes, the rain had calmed. A slow dance formed in the still of the darkness, the wet trickle falling from the heavens and sighing as it met the ground.

Still, her slumber had been disturbed and Verine could not find it in herself to fall back into her dreams. Probably for the best: her dreams were not one that she particularly cherished - often flashbacks from the night of her father's downfall.

Sliding on a pair of fuzzy flower-adorned flats, Verine shuffled out of her chambers, making her way to Andromeda. The location was calming and the princesses often visited it to soothe their weathered souls. Near the coast above the palace, it gave a perfect view of the land outside.

Tonight, the waves were violent, crashing at the shore. Yet, the moonlight was especially beautiful, its beams caressing the seafoam and singing a lullaby to lull the creatures beneath it back to rest. Under the translucent glow of its everlasting beauty, the land laid in peace. Verine raised her chin and thanked the orphic love of the luna. Behind, long magnificent black hair trailed down, smooth and lustrous. Her eyes closed as her heartbeat calmed, dimples forming at the side of her cheeks as she let out a smile of comfort.

"It's nice to see you, Verine."

Gasping, the princess spun around and in a blink, her hand grasping the handle of a thin gleaming metal shan. It reflected off the minimal light of the night and presented a fatal warning to whoever dared to cross its path. On it, the words 控制带来和平 laid engraved, masterfully crafted into the silver. Control brings peace.
It was a reminder - to stay focused.

Alas, the reflection of blue signalled the arrival of a dear sister.

"Estrella, my apologies."

Estrella let out a smirk, "We're in Vela. No need to worry about intruders. It's just us. I love the new weapon, though. Very chic," the royal laughed, walking to join her sister at the balcony.

Gliding past the marble tiles, the icy princess strode over, figure hugged gently by a velvet blue nightgown. She gazed at the moon as well and revelled in the cold air the night brought.

"The storm woke me up. A tree fell outside," Verine sighed, reaching out a hand towards the furious water below her. At once, they calmed and seemed to bow, recognising the water magic that flowed in the Verine's blood. The rain slowed as well, matching the rhythm of her heartbeat.

Estrella frowned, "Was it painful?" she asked in concern, majestic grey-green eyes widening.

Verine nodded, "Yes, but it passed. I just needed to go somewhere to calm down," she grinned once more, reaching to hug her sister's arm, "and what are you doing here at this hour?"

Estrella moved to close the gap between the two. Her hair laid loose, dark, long and naturally curled. Verine's eye caught a glimpse of the shiny shuriken that laid in the pocket of her belt, a hint at her sister's own ferocity.

"The storm woke me too," she smiled gently, "and I walked over here to see my dear sister looking towards the ocean," she whispered out, voice like green tea and honey to the soul, "The view here at Andromeda really is beautiful, isn't it?"

Verine smiled, feeling much better already.

"It sure is."

The next day, Verine woke to the sound of complete chaos.

"Wake up, love! I need to ask the royal advisor about something," a soft voice mumbled out, "Verine, please. I'm having trouble with coming up for a picnic outfit."

The princess grumbled, stuffing her face back into the silk pastel pink pillows as she waved her hand towards the origin of the voice.

"Go away, Tahani. I love you but I really need some sleep right now."

The other princess groaned in frustration, "Oh, come on! You've already missed breakfast. Let's have brunch together and make up for it! I'll make you some pancakes and coffee! Don't you want to spend some time with your love, Tani?" she whined as her kolusu jingled at her feet, the gold as glorious as the sun itself.

Verine knew that Tahani was only trying to make up an excuse for her to wake up and eat with the rest of the group. She probably also wanted to play with Verine's pet - the panda.

The coffee did sound enticing, but last night took a toll and as adorable as Tahani was and as much as she loved and missed her dear siblings - nothing could get her out of bed.

"Come on, Rin! Coffee! Latte! um- Hazelnut Latte! oooo Lavender Latte! I'm sure Clover will want to go to the garden with you and meet some of the new flowers growing beside the east wall. Doesn't all of this just sound exhilarating?"

Verine sighed.

"I'm sorry about this," the princess mumbled from under the pillow as a hand shot out from the sheets. Tahani let out a petrified shriek as water shot from her sister's fingertips, the pressure strong enough to make her almost tumble over. Before she could protest, Verine twisted her wrist and the water wrapped around Tahani's body, trapping her form and only releasing her once her body had left the room. Seeing that the intruder had been returned, the stream returned to its master gleefully.

Tahani's jaw laid open in both shock and awe.

Meanwhile, Verine slept in peace away from the commotion outside.

Hello everyone!

I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing!
It's been a while since I've written so my phrasing and vocab is definitely rusty!

Also my last exam is on Friday so wish me the best :')

What did you guys think of the first chapter?