A/N:
My goodness, Panda Family... 90k?! Are y'all crazy?!?! Well, THANK YOU! To celebrate, this is a bonus chapter, in an alternate universe. It's not going to affect the original story, but is still following the same ships and such. Genders and appearances are the same, too. The only difference is that it's ALL IN THIRD PERSON POV and the zodiacs are mythical creatures! Keep in mind that the mythology in this story is not 100% accurate. Authors typically have their own spin on mythical creatures in their stories, so there's really no point in getting grumpy... I hope?
Perhaps when we hit 100k we'll revisit this Fantasy AU... unless you want me to do something else! You're the readers, so bonus chapters should be whatever you want them to be. If y'all REALLY like this chapter... this could be the start of a new book? I dunno... read away and tell me what you think!

~

We begin our tale in the vast continent of Asterion, a beautiful land split by the two thriving kingdoms; Cardalia and Evmetalos. It is common to see mythical creatures roaming among these nations, and aside from the royal Cardalian bloodline there are almost no humans harbouring the lands. While Cardalia is extremely powerful and orderly, the elven territory Evmetalos has great technological advancements as  well as resources. Both empires are very diverse and successful, and have managed to stay civil (yet moderately cautious) with one another.

Ever since the two kingdoms came to be, a prophecy foretold they would one day become one large empire. However, no one knew if it would be due to the unifying of both kingdoms or the destruction of one. Through time, the rulers of each domain grew more wary of the possibility of war until they decided to put an end to the prophecy once and for all. The kings and queens agreed that their offspring would marry; to bring together the new country Cardantalos and create an eternal era of peace.

Many years had passed since then, those rulers were long gone from this world, leaving their children to rule... and eventually unite the two kingdoms.

Capricorn of Cardalia; one of the last humans to exist in Asterion. His great wisdom and strength had gained respect from his people at a young age, and Capricorn has become one of the greatest kings Cardalia had ever seen.

Virgo of Evmetalos; a beautiful elven queen whose charm and insurmountable intellect struck through the hearts of anyone who would step into her kingdom.

The plan was made; King Capricorn and Queen Virgo were set to marry on the first day of the next Mercury Retrograde, which was approximately three full moons away. The mercury retrograde was often a time of chaos in Asterion, for Seers all over the continent would chant the ancient prophecy which would send everyone into a panic. Capricorn and Virgo were scheduled to marry around then in order to change a time of worry into a beautiful memory; the anniversary of the kingdoms uniting once and for all.

Virgo and Capricorn were never opposed to the wedding, knowing it was their duty to merge the kingdoms. Neither knew how easily all their plans could get thrown off...

~Cardalia~

King Capricorn sat proudly and comfortably in his throne, addressing duties that needed to be attended to and simply doing what a king does on an average day.

Many would ask him how he felt about the wedding coming up in a few months, most were excited their king would be betrothed to one of the most beautiful and intelligent women in all the land. Capricorn would respond nonchalantly every time.

"It is my responsibility as king to ensure my people are safe," he'd say, "This is simply a contract. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You have no romantic feelings for the Queen of Evmentalos?" men would query, "or anyone, for that matter?"

Capricorn would bluntly dismiss them every time.
"I have no time for feelings. They'd bring weakness to me, and that means bringing weakness to my kingdom."

While Capricorn was conversing with the Steward, a soldier ran into the room.
"Your majesty!" he cried, "Two of our knights are fighting on castle grounds!"

Capricorn frowned at the sudden intrusion.
"Are you daft? This is something you should address with the Commander. Please get out."

The knight went red, stammering an apology and rushing out to find the Knight Commander to stop the commotion.

~

Another loud clash of metal could be heard throughout the courtyard, and many knights had gathered to watch the sudden duel occurring between a well known knight and the new female trainee.

Aquarius jumped back when the broad male swung his greatsword at her, clenching her teeth as she swiftly thrust her sword at him. She started her training as a knight a few weeks ago, and was getting sick of all the grown men picking on her for being the only girl. She had been shoved by her main tormentor while walking out of training grounds, which lead to an impromptu battle between her and the male.

Aquarius had managed to win the fight, she had the man on his knees with her blade pointing directly at his neck. She smirked at him while sheathing her sword, knowing he wouldn't pick on her anytime soon.

Just in time, the Commander came stomping through the courtyard.
"What on earth is going on here!?" He bellowed, resulting in almost everyone to run off.

Aquarius grinned proudly with her hands on her hips.
"It's all taken care of, sir! Just putting a knight in his place."

"You again— this is the third time this week!" The commander growled, "You can't keep fighting my men, kid!"

"Your men keep picking on me!" Aquarius argued, "Maybe you should teach them to respect a lady."

"Watch your tongue, Aquarius, because I can cut it right off," he threatened, "I was kind enough to accept a lady for training, and I can throw you out of this castle anytime I want. If this happens again, perhaps I won't be so merciful. Now get out of my sight."

Aquarius glared at the commander in front of her. How dare he treat her like she's lower than everyone else? She knows she's talented, so why can't these men get over the fact that she happens to be the only female knight on main castle grounds?

Aquarius let out a long sigh. She knew she shouldn't cause a scene. She was too level-headed and agreeable to do anything about her commander's crude behaviour...

Sike. Aquarius punched that guy right in the nose, hearing a nice satisfying crunch.

The commander stumbled back, holding his hand under his nose to collect the blood gushing out of it. He let out an enraged shout,
"CEASE HER!"

Many knights who witnessed the scene circled around Aquarius, who rolled her eyes.
"I'm a knight, too. I can just cease myself."

"Take her to the throne room. Inform the king of her crimes. Attacking the head commander... inconceivable! Agh..."

Aquarius was dragged to the throne room by two soldiers. She kept a stoic look on her face, but deep down she was terrified.

Capricorn was lounging in his seat, bored of the uneventful day when three people burst in.

"Pardon the intrusion, your majesty!" One shouted nervously.

"We've a knight in training who has committed many misdeeds, and sent by the commander himself to seek punishment!" The other sputtered.

Capricorn looked over at them, suddenly intrigued by the woman they were presenting. He sat up in his seat and rested his chin in his hand.
"What has she done?" he asked.

"She's been harassing several of our finest knights and... broke the commander's nose."

"Oh really?"
Capricorn barely managed to hold in a chuckle. He smirked at the girl, watching her squirm in the other knights' iron grip. She was interesting, that was for sure. And the fact that this mesmerizing woman was causing such commotion... it intrigued and excited the king. He soon began to frown at the two men holding her, wanting them to stop treating her so roughly.

"I see... well, you two may leave. I wish to discuss these matters with her alone."

The knights gulped, letting go of Aquarius before bowing and dashing out of the room. Aquarius stood up straight, not daring to look the king in the eye. She could feel his gaze on her and nervously shuffled her feet.

"What's your name?" Capricorn suddenly spoke, shocking Aquarius by both the pleasant low sound of his voice as well as the seemingly pointless question.

"Aquarius, your highness..." she managed to stammer, giving a light bow.

"Come closer," Capricorn demanded, trying not to sound harsh but desperate to see this girl up close.

Aquarius would take a few steps and stop, repeatedly being beckoned by the king to come closer until she ascended the stairs and stood one step away from him. Capricorn stared curiously, examining every facial feature. His eyes on Aquarius made her grow flustered, not used to this sort of attention from men, nonetheless the handsome king of Cardalia. It was hard not to stare back into his enchanting eyes, but she refused to remove her gaze from the floor.

"May I?" Capricorn asked softly, bringing his hand close to her jaw.

Aquarius blushed while nodding frantically, feeling his large hand caress her cheek and tuck her hair behind her ear. He lightly brushed his fingers down her neck, making her spine tingle. He moved closer, and she could feel his warm breath on her skin.

"Just as I suspected," Capricorn muttered, moving away and staring into Aquarius' eyes. This time she looked back, entranced by this man she had just met.

"You're an Oceanid?" the king inquired, and Aquarius nodded.

An Oceanid is a type of nymph greatly connected to water and springs. They are fairly rare, only three thousand were born to serve and protect nature's elements. Not all Oceanids are associated with water, but they are daughters of sea gods so they posses oceanic features.

"How'd you know?" Aquarius asked softly, not wanting to harm the pleasant atmosphere that allowed them to stay so close to each other.

"Your hair gave me a suspicion," Capricorn mused, running his fingers through her soft teal locks before softly placing his hand on the back of her neck.
"But the scales on your neck confirmed it."

Aquarius took in a sharp breath, feeling absolutely hypnotized. Little did she know that Capricorn felt the same way.

"So," she coughed, trying to bring herself back to the reality of the situation, "have you decided my, um... punishment?"

Capricorn blinked, remembering the whole reason she was brought here before smiling. He knew she was innocent, he had overheard knights making degrading remarks about their new female trainee and had estimated she was simply defending herself.

"Tomorrow morning," he began, gently tracing his fingertips down her arm and then grasping onto her hand.

"Would you like to go for a walk?"

~Evmetalos~

Queen Virgo smiled at herself in the mirror, she was getting measured for her wedding gown and chatting with the seamstresses and maids. Virgo's kindness had caused her to befriend many of the people that work for her; she always thought it'd be best to avoid ruling with fear to not only keep her people happy but also to prevent herself from being lonesome.

"Oh Virgo!" one of her maids said, "You're so lucky... the King of Cardalia is so handsome! How do you feel about the marriage?"

Virgo blushed faintly.
"Capricorn is handsome," she agreed, "but this wedding is not coming from love, we're simply doing what's best for our people."

"Mhm," the seamstress hummed, "I've seen you ogling at King Capricorn during many royal gatherings."

Virgo's blush deepened.
"Is it a crime to look?"

"What about that archer that's always coming to visit?" a maid cooed, "You two seem quite close... and I hear he's on his way to the castle today!"

Virgo sighed.
"That archer is a good friend, nothing more. As Queen of Evmetalos I mustn't fret about romance. It's simply not my destiny."

"Nonsense!" the seamstress huffed, "Everyone has time for love, even kings and queens."

Virgo opened her mouth to argue, but a messenger came in.

"Your majesty," she greeted, "The great archer Libra is here to see you."

Virgo smiled to herself, excited to see him again.

"Escort him to our usual meeting place." Virgo ordered, stepping down from the stool and putting on one of her favourite simple gowns.

Libra stood in one of the castle towers, gazing out at the mystical view of the colourful vibrant lands. Libra was known around the world as the greatest archer in all of Asterion as well as a handsome demigod, being one of Apollo's sons.

A few minutes later he heard Virgo running up the stairs, smiling at her when she reached the top and taking a playful bow.

"Your majesty," he greeted teasingly, smirking.

Virgo rolled her eyes, a big smile plastered on her face.
"Hello again, Libra."

"How's Evmetalos doing?" he asked, leaning against the wall.

"It's doing quite well... hard to believe that in a few months it'll be an entirely new empire."

Libra frowned.
"So you're really marrying the King of Cardalia?"

Virgo gulped nervously under Libra's intense gaze. She gave a slight nod.

"It's for the sake of our people," she muttered, "Our parents made this deal, and it was their dying wish that we see it through."

"But what about me?" Libra took a deep frustrated breath, "What about... us?"

Virgo sighed sadly.
"Libra, the nights we've spent together... they're memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. But I have a duty as Queen to fulfill the prophecy and merge our two kingdoms."

"If you want one big empire, just overtake Cardalia!" Libra slammed his fist against the wall. "Why should we have to sacrifice our love?"

"If war ensued, we'd be sacrificing thousands of innocent lives." Virgo spoke calmly, but she could feel herself getting overwhelmed.

Libra slid down the wall, sitting on the floor with his head in his hands.
"I would do anything for us to be together, Virgo..."

The Queen felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes, so she turned around and began to walk away.
"It's just not meant to be," she said softly, afraid her voice would break.

"Perhaps in another lifetime..."

~Cardalia~

The mischievous imp Gemini was frolicking through the forest, wreaking havoc wherever she went. While most imps were rather disturbing and devilish in appearance, Gemini was ironically blessed to have cute human features which made it easier to trick any of her victims. Aside from the purple wings and tail that she hid under a cloak, she looked like a beautiful innocent woman. This made it clear to Gemini that her destiny was to deceive and have a joyfully carefree lifestyle, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Gemini stumbled upon a peaceful cottage in the woods, and already began plotting a great prank on whoever was living in it. She put on her hood to hide her questionable purple hair and approached the door. Almost immediately after knocking a young man appeared, holding a large walking stick.

"Is something wrong, Miss?" the man asked.

Gemini began to sob.
"It's my sister, Sir... she's being attacked by goblins! Please help."

The male groaned.
"Damn goblins... lead the way, Miss. I'll help in any way I can. Quickly, now!"

Gemini dashed ahead, leading the unassuming man to a pit of quicksand. She used her hidden wings to lightly levitate above the quicksand and make it appear she was running across it. Gemini looked over at the man who had not taken a step forward, seemingly concerned about the suspicious sand.

"I just walked across it, it may look odd but I promise it's safe! Hurry!" she cried desperately, internally smirking at her plan.

The man gulped before attempting to run across the quicksand, but he began to sink and eventually became unable to move any further. Gemini laughed at his despair, her hood falling off to reveal her hair. The man gasped in shock when he saw her appearance before gripping his "walking stick" and chanting some unintelligible words.

The man's staff began to glow and he rose out of the quicksand to safety. Gemini gasped, realizing he was a wizard and spun around to run but was quickly caught in a paralyzing spell.

"So you're the one everyone's been talking about!" the man shouted, "Ahem... I, the great Cardalian wizard Leo, have a duty to keep these lands safe, thus I am obligated to reprimand any criminals in the area! Therefore you, pesky imp, are coming with me!"

After another chant, a frozen Gemini floated towards the wizard Leo, who carried her in his arms to the cottage. Gemini was placed inside a magical cage and Leo sat across from her, staring blankly.

"Don't you have something better to do?" Gemini pouted, angry about getting caught.

Leo ignored her and continued to stare.
"How curious," he mused, "most imps I've seen are quite ugly, but you... you're adorable!"

Gemini glared.
"I'm not adorable, I'm a devil! Now set me free!"

Leo smirked at the frustrated imp, stroking his nonexistent beard.

I really should start growing my facial hair out, he thought, how can I be a wizard without a beard?

"I've heard all about imps," the wizard chuckled, "and I know that most of you stir up trouble just because you desire companionship. So whaddya say, cutie? Would you like to be friends with a powerful wizard?"

Gemini's face went red.
"So what, you kidnapped me to be friends?"

"No, I imprisoned you because you attempted to murder me. However! As a wise wizard I'm all about settling matters peacefully, and it seems like you need a friend. So let's start over."
Leo began to open the cage, letting Gemini walk out. He outstretched his hand to her, and she hesitantly took it.

"My name is Leo, and I have just recently completed my wizard training, deeming me the official new wizard of Cardalia. Who are you?"

"I'm Gemini, a humanoid imp that wreaks havoc among the forest... in... seek of companionship or whatever."

Leo smiled, shaking the girl's hand.
"Nice to meet you, Gemini. I hope our friendship lasts a thousand lifetimes. I highly request you stay for tonight, as the sun is setting and I don't want you wandering out in the dark of night among dangerous creatures."

"Leo, I am a dangerous creature."

"Whatever you say, cute little imp!"

~Evmetalos~

Night had fallen, and the forests were seemingly quiet and peaceful. However, most beings knew that it was extremely unwise to wander the forest at night for many creatures lurk in the darkness searching for prey. The only creatures that are safe to roam at night are the strong predators and guardian forest sprites.

One of said forest sprites, Taurus, was walking through the woods in search of the source of an animal's pained whimpers. She finally found a wolf, laying on the ground with a wounded leg.

"Poor thing," she muttered to herself, "There's a healing spring nearby... I'm sure I could help him get there."

Taurus approached the injured wolf, cautiously placing her hand on his side. Seeing that he was not hostile she stroked his soft pelt, whispering soft soothing words to him. Taurus is typically a serious sprite and rarely treats wandering creatures with such kindness, but she has a soft spot for animals and is deep down extremely caring. She just doesn't trust humanoid creatures because she knows they can be clever and greedy.

Taurus walked alongside the weakened wolf, supporting him with her strength and encouraging words. Eventually they arrived at the spring, but the wolf seemed afraid to step into the warm water. Taurus sighed and removed all her clothing, diving into the soothing water that seemed to both relax and reenergize her tired body. She beckoned the wolf to come in, assuring him that it was safe. Soon the wolf stepped into the water, his wound slowly and surely healing so he could move freely again. Taurus and the timid wolf swam around for a while, both of them enjoying each other's company and splashing around playfully.

Eventually they got out of the water, drying themselves off and Taurus put on her clothes. They laid on the grass, Taurus resting on the wolf's stomach and the wolf curling his tail around the sprite's body. They drifted off into a deep sleep, enveloped by each other's warmth and basking in the soft moonlight.

~Cardalia~

In the dark of the night, at a bewitchingly silent hour, a vampire named Scorpio stalked around the woods seeking his next meal. His thirst was still unquenched after feasting on the blood of several small animals so he continued his demonic search, desperate to satisfy his incessant hunger.

While wandering Scorpio caught a tantalizing scent drifting on the breeze, the tempting sweet smell of rare blood. He rushed through the forest, following his nose. The closer he got to the source, the more delicious the rich aroma became. Scorpio decided that this was the most luscious blood he had ever smelled, and knew he would savour every last drop.

Scorpio came to a clearing and hid in the bushes when he sensed movement. He observed his surroundings; a small waterfall splashing into a pool of water, and a woman sitting atop a rock cleansing her fresh wound. Scorpio's eyes emanated a ravenous red glow, desperate to sink his teeth into this enticing treat. He jumped from his hiding place, preparing to pounce when the woman stood up and turned to face the noise. She locked eyes with Scorpio, and that's when the vampire found himself trapped under the gaze of an alluring Xana.

A xana is a mythical female creature that has unfathomable beauty; they typically dwell by waterfalls and bring love and fortune to whoever finds them. This xana went by the name of Pisces, a young woman who had never been in contact with any mythical creature. She was both entranced and terrified by the man that stood before her, but nonetheless moved towards him.

Scorpio was still in shock, he had never seen such a gorgeous woman. His thirst for blood was replaced with beguilement, and found it nearly impossible to look away from the ethereal female approaching.

"Who are you?" Pisces asked, her gentle voice was like music to Scorpio's ears.

He was completely mesmerized.
"Scorpio. And you?"

"Pisces." she smiled, her angelic expression made Scorpio's unbeating heart melt.

Scorpio noticed Pisces suddenly tense up in fear and he remembered that he had blood staining his sharp teeth and clothes, which she undoubtedly noticed. Scorpio's guilt brought him out of his trance, running away from the xana and back into the depths of the forest. Pisces' calls for him fell on deaf ears, and she solemnly stared where the mysterious man once stood.

~Evmetalos~

Taurus awoke when the sun had barely risen due to a sharp pain in her neck. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to find her wolf companion gone, and shivered from the cold morning fog rolling in. The stinging pain was not subsiding, so Taurus looked at her reflection through the water in the spring. She noticed two red dots on her neck, but could not see clearly enough to decipher what they really were. Taurus shrugged and splashed some of the healing water on her strange wound, but was left confused when there was no effect after a few minutes of waiting.

The brunette stood up with a huff, deciding to endure the lingering pain and get on with her day. On the sprite's walk from the spring she crossed paths with a pale-skinned cambion and frowned. A cambion is a human-demon hybrid, typically the offspring of a mortal being and an incubus. Taurus assumed the auburn-haired female wanted nothing but trouble, choosing to ignore her and continue walking.

The cambion stopped in her tracks, calling for Taurus to do the same. Taurus spun around, raising a brow at the woman.

"What do you want?" she asked apathetically.

"Are you the forest sprite?" the cambion began walking closer to Taurus, "Were you here last night with a wolf?"

Taurus glared.
"Why do you ask?"

The cambion suddenly noticed the marks on Taurus' neck and grinned.
"I've found you!"

The half-demon suddenly whistled, and a loud flapping of wings could be heard. A sudden powerful wind caused the trees to robustly sway.

"I'm Sagittarius," the cambion pointed at herself with an inviting smile before pointing to the air.
"And that..."

A huge red dragon flew above the girls, letting out a powerful roar.

"... is my dragon, Aries."

Taurus gasped in fear, not particularly wanting to be eaten by a demon's pet dragon. Aries descended from the sky onto the land beside them, and Sagittarius jumped up to sit on his back.

"Get on!" she yelled to Taurus, who shook her head violently.

Sagittarius rolled her eyes, ordering Aries to do something. The dragon quickly and carefully grabbed Taurus with his claws, being sure not to crush her but also creating a cage she could not fall out of. Taurus screamed, shouting at the two beings to let her down.

"To the cave!" Sagittarius declared, ignoring the forest sprite's pleas.

Aries spread his wings and began to fly into the open skies, causing Taurus to scream louder. He soared through the sky at remarkable speed, soon arriving at a large cave. While Sagittarius jumped off the great dragon and ran deeper into the cave, Aries released Taurus from his grasp before glowing a bright red. Taurus hid her eyes from the harsh light, opening them to see a young man in front of her.

"So you're the girl?" the male queried, extending his hand towards a sitting Taurus who was too shocked to move. She eventually grabbed his hand and he helped her stand.

"We haven't properly met.. I'm Aries, the dragon from earlier! Nice to meet you... Taurus was it?" the redhead spoke happily, shaking the sprite's hand with vigorous enthusiasm.

Taurus nodded, awkwardly removing her hand from Aries' strong grip.
"That's me. Great to meet you, Aries. Now TAKE ME BACK TO MY FOREST."

"Wait!" Sagittarius called, running back from of the depths of the cave with an animal scurrying behind her.

Taurus looked over to see the wolf from the night before running with Sagittarius. Unable to hide her joy, she smiled and let out a sigh of relief.

"I know that wolf!" she exclaimed, "I was worried about him. Is he yours?"

"No, he's yours!" Aries responded, causing Taurus to frown in confusion.

The wolf dashed ahead of Sagittarius, going straight towards Taurus. The brunette grew more uncertain when the wolf began to transform before her very eyes. His bones cracked and he grew tall, morphing into a man that appeared to be the same age as everyone else. His eyes glowed yellow, still bolting towards the concerned sprite.

The man tackled Taurus to the ground, wrapping his arms around her body and licking the red marks on her neck. Taurus gasped at the sensation, surprised that the action relieved her of any pain for a few blissful moments. The man on top of Taurus suddenly kissed her deeply, causing the sprite to turn completely red and push the strange male off of her. Taurus crawled behind Aries while sputtering out incomprehensible words, flustered and shocked by what had just occurred. The man stood up, seeming offended. Luckily despite just transforming he was fully clothed, otherwise Taurus would've passed out.

"Why'd you run away, Mate?" he asked sadly.

"Mate?!" Taurus jumped up at the word.

"You don't know?" Aries tilted his head, "That's Cancer, the werewolf you saved last night. He was smitten so he marked you, claiming you as his mate."

Taurus rubbed her neck, recalling events from the night before. Realizing she had stripped and slept alongside the man called Cancer caused her face to heat up.

Sagittarius began to laugh.
"You're telling me that you thought he was just a wolf?! Ha!.. Well... I guess I don't blame you. When we found him sleeping beside you last night I thought it'd be great to have a pet wolf, so we took him home. When he woke up he turned human and started wailing about losing his mate, which is why I had to go back and get you. Congratulations Taurus, with a loyal werewolf by your side you're set for life!"

Sagittarius walked away again and Cancer walked towards Taurus, suddenly feeling bad about his outburst.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to frighten you," he muttered solemnly, "I was just so excited to see you again! I knew the mark must've been hurting so I wanted to help you feel better... and then you smelled so good, like strawberries... I couldn't help myself!"

The timid werewolf put his face in his hands to hide his embarrassment. Taurus sighed, patting his head before running her hand through his soft hair. She was definitely surprised about everything going on, but the sprite felt attached to the werewolf in a way. Taurus assumed it was because of the mark, but deep down she was genuinely drawn to him and his soft spoken nature.

"I can't believe Sagittarius would just kidnap an unsuspecting animal," Taurus grumbled before looking up at Aries, "Is that why you're her dragon? Did she force you into it?"

"Well... it's a long story," Aries began, "Sagittarius and I knew each other long before she discovered I was a Dragonborn, and I've been in love with her for as long as I can remember. She had my heart, so she basically tamed my dragon side without even realizing. When I finally showed her my dragon... I don't know what exactly happened because I lose human consciousness in that form, but when I turned back Sagittarius simply embraced me and said 'You're mine now!'... so I've been by her side ever since."

"I see..."

Sagittarius came running back once again.
"Sorry! I got hungry... I guess we should take the two lovebirds back to the forest. Aries, you know what to do."

Aries nodded while rushing out of the cave and emanating a bright red light once again, turning back into a dragon. Taurus, Cancer, and Sagittarius all climbed into his back and they ascended into the sky.

~Cardalia~

The chirping birds brought King Capricorn out of his slumber, who spent no time dilly-dallying and immediately got ready to face the day. He had something to look forward to this morning, after all. A certain Oceanid would be waiting for him in the garden, and while Capricorn would never admit it he was fully and completely charmed by the teal-haired knight. He needed to see her again, she was swimming in his mind and he could barely think straight.

Aquarius snuck into the castle gardens, she attempted to stroll in casually but a guard stopped her so she had to take the stealthy approach. The nymph didn't mind this, of course; she loved to rebel and often searched for reasons to do so. Deep down she was also interested in the king; he plagued her mind and she was keen on seeing him again, refusing to let anyone stop them from meeting.

Capricorn found Aquarius waiting by the fountains, and he deliberately flustered the knight by greeting her with a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. Her blushing cheeks and shy mannerisms enticed the king even more, and they set out on their long walk.

The two conversed the entire time, wanting to know more about one another. The king insisted that Aquarius call him by his name, not only to establish their closeness but also for his own selfish desires; Capricorn loved the way the oceanid would say his name. Aquarius noticed this, and she would address him by his name often. They were both aware there was a tantalizing game being played between them, they knew there was a forbidden romance budding. The two loved this feeling, and wanted to play for as long as they could.

"As a knight you're living on castle grounds, correct?" Capricorn clarified. They were sitting close to one another on a bench, admiring the flowers.

"Yes. Well, not anymore I suppose," Aquarius sighed, "This is my last day as one of the Commander's trainees... I'm supposed to pack my things and leave by tonight."

"Why?"

"Do you not recall why we met? I punched the commander! He never wants to see me again. My training is over."

"Nonsense," Capricorn turned to look at the nymph, "I'll train you."

"What? Really?!" Aquarius gasped, and Capricorn grasped onto her hand.

"Would you let me train you? I've been a skilled swordsman since I was a child. I promise it would be worth your while."

Capricorn leaned closer towards Aquarius, who began to blush.

"I would love that!" she exclaimed, "But I can't live on knight grounds anymore... where will I go?"

"You can sleep in the castle. There's an open room right beside my own, in case you ever need me."

"Could I really stay there?.. so close to you?"

"Of course. I'm the king, Aquarius."

Aquarius giggled with glee, wrapping her arms around the king's neck and enveloping him in a warm embrace. She quickly pulled away from him with a sudden discouraged look.

"But..." she muttered, "I've been meaning to ask you about this... is it true that you and the Queen of Evmetalos are getting married?"

Capricorn frowned. Since he first laid eyes on Aquarius, he had completely forgotten about Queen Virgo and the plans their parents had set in place.

"... not anymore." the king grumbled, summoning a messenger to the gardens.

"What do you need, Your Majesty?" the messenger asked with a bow.

"Contact Queen Virgo of Evmetalos immediately. I have a declaration of utmost importance," Capricorn ordered while rising from his seat,

"The wedding is off."

Pisces' POV:

My stupid alarm began to beep incessantly, and I groaned while rolling out of bed; whacking it with every ounce of power I had in my tired state.

"Damn it!" I grumbled, putting my face in my pillow.

"The dream was just getting good!"