Stardust's Escape

Overview

Stardust the Cat is the young princess of the StarShine Kingdom , a floating continent that hovers over a beautiful and vast night-time sky of stars. Although she has everything any young girl her age could want, she feels lonely and trapped. 

Included Characters

Stardust the Cat

Corvus the Cat

King Jupiter the Cat

Queen Galaxina the Cat

Story

Queen Galaxina was rushing through the halls of the Castle of StarShine. She was looking frantically for her daughter, checking every room in the castle for her. She would have called her maids to find her, but they were all very busy, scurring about this way and that in preparation for the princess' tenth birthday. 

The queen sighed as she found that the room she was currently in wasn't harboring her daughter either. With a sinking feeling, she realized where she probably was: the garden. She hadn't checked there yet, and she was almost always outside, getting herself dirty and talking to the young garden tender. She hurried down the stairs and into the garden, and breathed a sigh of relief, tiumphant at last.

She was running about in the garden, giggling to herself as she skipped around -- barefoot. So unlady-like were her daughter's actions that she nearly exploded in anger as she stormed over to her, subconsiously scolding herself for walking through such filth. 

"Stardust."

The princess' actions ceased to a halt as she heard her mother's angered voice. She turned around, all while looking back at the royal garden tender, Corvus, nervously. His eyes showed concern and just about as much sadness and nervousness that Stardust's own blue eyes were displaying. 

"You are a princess. Prancing and dancing about such filth is absolutely unlady-like, and definitely not suitable for someone of royalty."

She suddenly cast her eyes towards Corvus, who stood up and did a small bow as she approached him. 

"It is not your fault that my daughter is out here, but I'd like you to remember that you are the garden tender. You are here to tend to the flowers and that is all. I don't want her to be seen out here ever again. Is that clear?"

He nodded, although he had a very solem look in his eyes when he did so. 

She then walked back towards Stardust, and took her by the hand. 

"We are going to talk to your father about this, but only after the party. You shall be punished for your behavior. That, I can be sure of, considering your father's method of handling these situations..."

Stardust nodded, knowing that punishment she was going to recieve tonight. 

"You are going to need to take a bath. You're filthy from running admist the dirt in the garden. Wear your best dress. Be ready by six o'clock, and no later."

Stardust took one last look at Corvus, waved, and went inside to dress for the party.

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It was around 5:30 in the evening when Stardust came down the stairs and into the main hall with a sparkling blue and silver dress on. She carefully walked in, to which her mother stood up and smiled brightly at her. 

"My, you look wonderful, dear. That dress suits you."

Her father didn't take notice, as he was busying himself with ordering his servants around to tend to the visitors in the castle. Stardust didn't mind, though; he rarely payed any attention to her on a regular basis. Why would he do so on her tenth bithday?

She walked into the ball room, which was more like a "dine-and-chat" room. There was a large table set up that stretched across almost the entire length of the massive room, and on it were hundreds of dishes that each carried some sort of meal. There were a lot of guests tonight; almost half the kingdom had come to celebrate her birthday. 

She noticed some children talking to each other amongst the many visitors, and smiled happily as she sneaked over to them to see what they were up to. They were giggling about how pretty the castle was, and if they would get to meet the king and queen. They were so excited that they hardly noticed Stardust approaching. 

"Hello there!"

All three of the children turned around to see who had spoken, and one of them gasped when she recognized who she was. 

"It's the princess!"

The other two children, one a young female cat with blonde hair and the other a slightly older male hedgehog with orange eyes, perked up excitedly as they, too, realized who had joined them. Stardust tried to shush them as politely as she could, but was too excited to realize the commotion she was causing herself. 

"Please! I can't let anyone know I'm out on the floor! I'm not supposed to be here, you see..."

The three children weren't paying attention, as they were looking above and behind Stardust. They instantly bowed down, and Stardust turned around to see her mother looking quite disappointed in her. 

"... Stardust, come with me. Now.". 

She nodded, and left with her mother back to the main hall. She sat Stardust down in a chair that was one of three around a long, thin table that had a plate of food at each seat. Her father, the king, was already sitting down, and waiting for his wife and daughter. They sat, with Stardust immediately losing her appetite at the scene before her. Everyone was very silent, even the maids that surrounded them with more plates of food. There wasn't any music, like the ball room with the small orchestra that played for the guests. There was no laughter, as everyone was dead silent and very serious. Stardust was too afraid to bring anything up to start a conversation, for fear that it would seem strange. But she was not used to this sort of dinner, so she spoke up anyway.

"The ball room sure is nice."

All looked at her.

"I mean, there's music and everyone is smilng and having a good time..."

Galaxina cleared her throat before taking a sip of her drink, all while looking at Stardust very carefully.

"Don't you think--"

"That's ENOUGH!" 

Jupiter had slammed his hands down onto the table and was now standing up at his seat. Galaxina had put her drink down and was looking at him in disbelief. 

"Jupiter, haven't we had this talk already? There shall be no shouting at the dinner table; it's disrespectful to your status and the royal family."

The king sulked back into his seat, and continued to eat. Stardust slumped into her chair, and pushed her plate away. A maid noticed, and tried to take her plate away. The queen, however, held her hand up and closed her eyes. 

"Leave it. She needs to eat. Stardust, sit up. You know how to sit like a lady. Do so now."

Sighing, she sat up, but didn't eat. She wasn't hungry because she was uncomfortable. She longed to be out in the ball room, laughing and dancing to the music that the orchestra played. She was about to speak up, when her father spoke first. 

"Stardust, I have heard that you have been playing outside in the garden rather than participating in your studies. We, your mother and I, have decided that you are not allowed to be outside until you become the rightful ruler of this kingdom."

Stardust gasped in horror, and stood up at her seat.

"Wh-what?! That's not fair! I want to--"

"It is essential for StarShine Kingdom that you study the history of it, and learn to become a powerful queen! I will not tolerate you wasting your time in the garden talking to that lowly garden tender! It is beneath you, Stardust! I will do everything in my power to keep you here, and I will not resist! I'll chain you to this castle if I have to! Do you not understand?!"

Stardust had tears in her eyes. She shook her head, and started backing away from the table. Her parents stood up, and were about to yell when there was a loud blast coming from the ball room. Screams could be heard, and the sound of people running all over. A guard rushed in, a terrified look on his face. 

"Your Majesty! There's a castle raid in the ball room!"

The king stood up, ready to fight should he have to. He was a terrible father, but he was a very responsible and noble king. 

"Well, what do they want?"

Another guard rushed in, this one slightly beaten up.

"They want her Star Power. . . they want the princess!"

He pointed vigourously at Stardust, who jumped as all heads turned towards her.