Chapter 26

I used to train six hours everyday. Now that I have to plan a wedding. I train four hours and utilize that time and make a list of things we need for the ceremony. I asked Lyra to help since she’s good with party planning and I’ve never even hosted any guests before.

Lyla had taken the day off today, thank the Stars for that.

“Firstly, we need a proper date,” Lyra started. “Did they tell you when they want to do it?”

“They said they’ll decide when everything is prepared even though they want to do it really soon.”

“How many guests?” Lyra got out her glitter pen.

“Umm.....roughly.....” I thought. “Maybe....about.....about thirty.” I stammered.

“Let’s make that thirty to thirty-five.” Lyra scribbled that down.

“Menu and venue,” Lyra rhymmed proudly.

“I’ve talked to the kitchen staff they’ll prepare something special. But, there can’t be a cake since there is no oven. And Mrs. Pisces promised to cook something exquisite.”

“Yeah,” she snorted. “We have different definitions of exquisite.”

“Venue....” I thought. “They want to do dinner in the cafeteria and they’ll clear up the training area so there’s room for the ceremony.”

“Are you excited?” She put down her notebook. I wiped my forehead.

“Yes,” I said giddily “I’ve never been to a wedding before. I don’t even know how they exchange Signs.”

Lyra had put oil in my hair, it kept dripping on my face. She had done this since the day she found out about the wedding and insisted that I look my best. Until the big day, I was on a daily spa treatment.

“We’ll get some chairs and set them outside the Conference Hall building, leading to the training area and Hellen and Alfred can just do it here.”

“Alright,” I agreed and Lyra wrote that down as well. “What about decorations?”

Lyra hesitated. “I have no idea what we can find here.”

“I’ll talk to them about that,” I made a mental note.

“Next up: wardrobe.” Lyra beamed. “What are the bride and groom wearing?”

“Lyra.” I looked at her sternly. “Do you really think we can get fancy clothes on a rebel base?”

“No,” she confessed. “But...I was wondering if we could alter one of my dresses so Hellen can wear it.”

“I’ll talk to her about that,” I said.

“Alfred can just wear whatever he wants, then,” Lyra said.

“I’ll ask him too,” I said.

“Besides all the attention is for the bride.” A chill ran down my spine, I hoped it wasn’t premonition. Lyra wrote something else down. Her perfect, cursive handwriting was hard to read. “What is the bridesmaid wearing?”

I blushed. “Is that really important?”

“Of course it is!”

“Please don’t write that down.” I begged.

“Fine,” Lyra groaned and cut something off the notebook. “Ugh. This mattress is so uncomfortable.”

“I know,” I sighed.

“At least turn on another light.” she demanded.

I looked at the two or three light bulbs hanging from the ceilings. “This is all we’ve got.”

“I’ll let all of you borrow some of my dresses but we’ll need to have fittings.”

“I really appreciate it, thank you.” I smiled. “But you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Nonsense!” she said. “I’m not going to ruin someone’s wedding...even if they are old people getting married in a rebel base.”

“Hey!” I nudged her.

“Alright! Sorry.” she said, trying to hide her smile. “But...don’t you think it’s weird to see your grandfather who you barely know get married to a lady who won’t even show you her Sign or tell you her Constellation?”

“It is but I’m not going to block someone’s happiness.” I confessed. “I’m trying to be a part of a family of three people...again. Even if that family is two old people who I don’t know very well but they’re all I’ve got.”

“Aww.” Lyra swooned and pulled me in a hug.

“Okay, okay.” I pulled away. “I’m going to start crying and then you’ll start crying so let’s not do this.”

She gave me the notebook and I read through it while I walked to the Conference Hall. The door was open but I still knocked. Alfred and Hellen were looking over some papers, smiling and mumbling. Still getting used to that.

“Come in, Annabelle.” Hellen sang.

“I have a few questions,” I read them all out to her and gave Lyra credit for the planning.

“I’m having someone bring out the chairs to set them outside.” Hellen told. “There is no need for decorations. I already have a dress. It’s a bit old but you can wear whatever you want.”

“As for Alfred,” she looked at him.

“I’ll just show up like this,” he looked down at his tracksuit.

“I wish we could do this properly.”

“Us too.” Hellen sighed.

“When do you want to do it?” I remembered.

They both exchanged looks. “Very soon,” Alfred said.

“Maybe, like, in a week or less.” Hellen added.

I wrote that down. “I’ll check on the chairs,” I said and headed out.

I bumped into Tristan because I was too busy staring at my notes.

“Belle, you okay?” he asked.

“Yes, just working on stuff.”

“Oh, yeah. How’s that going?” he asked.

“So far so good,” I said. As good as it gets, I added in my head.

“Nathan, Lewis and I just got about fifty chairs from one of the storage buildings and put them in the corner of the cafeteria.” he told.

“So...there’s enough room?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Oh, by the way, I think Lyra was yelling you name in the girls’ quarters.”

“Why?”

Lewis approached, looking overexerted. He sucked in a few breaths with his hands on his knees. “Belle, tell Lyra to shout a little louder. I don’t think all of Stellaregno heard her,” he said.

“If we get exposed it’s all thanks to Lyra’s shouting.” Tristan said. I ran to the girls’ quarters. Her screams getting louder.

A blonde girl stepped ran out of the room. “What happened?” I yelled at Lyra. “Why were you shouting?”

Lyra looked like she was in shock. I was going to ask what was wrong but:

“See for yourself,” she grabbed my arm and dragged me to the training area. She pointed to a girl throwing knives at a target. She was dressed in leggings and a sweater with combat boots.

“Who is that?”

“I guess I’m not the only one who didn’t recognize her at first,” Lyra muttered. I focused a little more on the girl. I still didn’t know who she was, though she looked familiar. I met her eyes, ice blue and big.

“That’s Amara?” I gasped.

“Yes, ma’am.” Lyra confirmed.

“What in the name of Virgo did she do to her hair?”

“Dyed them, obviously.” Lyra snorted. “She took my hair dye and bleach this morning without telling me. She said she wanted to be a blonde for a really long time.”

I stared at Amara who was now rolling her eyes and shaking her had at me.

“She looks great though,” Lyra said after a while.

“I know!” I gushed. “Blue eyes and blonde hair, beautiful combination.”

“She could use a trim though,” Lyra studied Amara’s hair. The Starlight shining on it made her look pretty.

Lyra gasped. She stopped breathing and I thought her eyes would pop out. “What is it?′

“I have an idea,” she grabbed my arm and walked across the training area, dodging knives. She snatched Amara and ran to the girls’ room.

Lyra brought out one of her suitcases and threw out a pair of scissors and some boxes of hair dye along with hair care products.

“What are you doing?” Amara asked.

“Having a spa day,” she answered. “Belle, go get Raelynn and if possible Phoenix.”

I was at the door when Raelynn walked in.

“Ahh, perfect timing, Rae.” Lyra said.

“Uhhh...what are you doing?” Raelynn was a little freaked out by seeing Lyra with scissors in her hand.

“I am giving all the girls a pre-wedding makeover.” Lyra told.

“You do realize that the bride-to-be isn’t here?” Raelynn pointed out.

“Well, Belle will go and get her.” Lyra looked at me.

“I’ll go and get Phoenix.” I got to my feet. “I don’t think Hellen needs a makeover.”

“Phoenix doesn’t need one either,” Lyra mumbled as I headed out. I was surprised that Lyra was impressed by Phoenix’s goth look since she’s on the sweet and sparkly side of fashion.

Phoenix was irritated for interrupting her training but she perked up about the spa day.

“Actually,” Phoenix said as she put on her jacket. “I have an idea for that.”

She came to the girls’ room and pulled out, what looked like a small gun and earrings from the trunk under her bed.

“Who wants piercings?” she asked, excited.

“Not from you,” Amara muttered playfully.

“She’s actually really good,” Raelynn admitted.

“Alright,” I agreed.

Phoenix sat down next to me while Lyra gave Amara a haircut in the bathroom. Raelynn decided to touch up her hair, she borrowed hair dye from Lyra and squished herself in the bathroom with two other girls already in there.

“Where do you want them?” Phoenix asked. She had a small box of earrings and a gun which made my stomach churn.

I examined Phoenix’s ears, always flashing with diamonds. She had two poircings in the left ear and three in the right. I only had one in each.

“I want it like yours,” I decided.

“On the nose too?”

I nodded. “I also do tattoos,” she told as she found an earring. “I gave Anthony one with the Ophiuchus symbol. He insisted that he should have something to represent the revolution.”

“Lyra has a pin like that,” I remembered. Phoenix held up the earrings, small red stones and she got a smaller green one for my single piercing in the right ear.

“Alright,” I heard nervousness in her voice, a rarity. “Close your eyes, it helps.”

“I’m not scared,” I promised, though I was shaking a little.

“Yeah, right.” she snorted. The gun was at my ear now. “Stop moving!” I bit my lip.

Prick. Prick. Prick.

Now I had a total of five piercings. “Ready for the nose?” Phoenix asked. I nodded, still afraid.

Prick. The nose hurt a lot, I yelped.

“Done!” Phoenix said. I opened my eyes. I touched the tiny crystal at my nose.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

“No problem,” she said. “Does anyone else want to try?”

Raelynn stepped out of the bathroom. There was still dye in her hair. “Show me,” she asked.

“Do they look good?”

“Wonderful!” Raelynn told. “I’m next.”

I went to the bathroom, the only place with a mirror. Raelynn got holes in her ears.

“Belle, look at you!” Lyra grinned. She was standing behind Amara and brushing her hair. Amara stared at her new reflection. I pushed them out and looked at myself. My mouth fell open as I touched the jewels in my ears.

What is Granny going to say? I worried.

Then I remembered I didn’t have to worry about her anymore. I smiled at the mirror and let Raelynn wash up her dye. Now, she had four piercings in her ear, two new ones. Amara got one new one in her ear, she had three in total.

When Phoenix asked Lyra she said: “No way! I already have two and those look way to dauntless for me.”

“Suit yourself.” Phoenix put away her things.

“What’s next?” I whispered to Lyra.

“Your haircut,” she said and took me to the bathroom. I was shivering and not from the cold.

“Belle, you’re making me nervous with your fidgeting. Stop!” she demanded. “For Stars’ sake! It’s just a trim.”

“Okay, okay.” I squared my shoulders.

“Do you want it straight or round?” she asked. I thought about it.

“Actually, nevermind,” she said quickly. “Round!”

I closed my eyes. The satisfying sound of scissors cutting through my hair was the only sound echoing in my ears. Snip. Snip. Snip. Snip. Snip.

“Is it done now?” I asked after five interminable minutes.

“Almost...” Lyra said. “You hair was dead at the ends.”

“Never heard of dead ends.” I told. “Split ends, yes.”

Snip. Snip. Snip.

“You don’t have split ends,′ she told. Snip. Snip.

“Your hair fell to your hips,” Lyra said after two snips. “I’m going to cut it to come to your waist.”

“I’m okay with that,” I gulped. Snip. Snip. Snip. Snip. Snip. Now comes the neatening the ends. Snip. Snip. Snip. The sound was getting annoying now.

“Done!” Lyra brushed my hair. I still didn’t open my eyes until she had broomed the dead hair into the trash can.

I opened my eyes, hesitantly. I actually looked nice. Thanks to Lyra. My hair was still long, it just came to my waist. Lyra hadn’t washed out the oil. She told me to rinse it off with her shampoo. I used it twice. She trimmed my hair one more time just to make it neater. It was easier with dry hair.

“Thanks, Lyra.” I said.

“Anytime,” she looked flattered.

Raelynn and Phoenix had left for archery practice. Amara was looking through Lyra’s clothes.

“I have to wax you now.” Lyra said. A s much as I hated the pain, I hated hair on my body even more.

It was a good thing the bathroom walls muffled my screams. Lyra said I was overreacting, which I probably was. She waxed my arms and legs, threaded the hair off my face, gave me a face mask and lotioned my entire body.

“Your hair is getting dull,” she noticed. ’I’ll get some dye.”

“No!” I stopped but she was already looking through her suitcases.

“Red, cherry red,” she read the colours off the boxes out loud. “Ah, yes! Crimson!”

“Crimson?” Amara repeated.

“Yes,” Lyra confirmed. “Just a few touch-ups for Belle’s hair.”

I didn’t even know how she made my hair look so full of life with just oils, shampoos and dyes. I looked like I was remade into something more healthy and beautiful.

“I need to do my own hair,” Lyra told.

“Didn’t you dye it a few days ago?”

Lyra hesitated, as if she didn’t know what happened. I looked at her hair and that’s when i noticed it was all light brown again. She’d removed the dye completely.

“Why’d you wash it all off if you just wanted to do it again?” I asked.

She knitted her eyebrows. “I....I’m not....but I don’t remember......” she stammered. Her became swollen again and she turned red. Like she was really angry all of a sudden. “I don’t know.”

I didn’t push much more Lyra got out her suitcase with her fancy dresses and told me and Amara to pick out her favourites.

“I can’t believe you brought those to a rebel base,” Amara muttered.

“And if I didn’t bring them you would be attending a wedding ceremony in sweatpants and tracksuits.” Lyra said. “I also thought that if I looked good the enemy wouldn’t attack me.”

“Agghhh...” Amara groaned. I giggled. Lyra retreated to the bathroom.

We propped up the suitcase on Lyra’s bed, Amara sat next to me on my bed.

“What type of dress should we wear?” she asked.

“I’ll go with something red,” I said.

“You always wear red. Choose something different.” Amara said. I got up and looked throught the gowns.

I found a yellow shimmery long dress for Amara. “It’s a little lose,” she complained.

“You haven’t even tried it on,”

“I can tell,” she said.

“We’ll work it out.”

I found a long cream coloured dress, which gave shape to my body and made me look tall. Lyra pinned Amara’s dress and got out her sewing kit.

“Unbelievable,” Amara said when she saw it. Amara stood with her arms out as Lyra worked her magic.

I was still in the bathroom staring at my reflection. The dress had off the shoulder sleeves but they were long. It didn’t have any heavy design on it, only a silky texture wwhich shined in the light.

“I’m taking this one,” I put it on Lyra’s bed.

“Okay,” she said, her eyes fixated on Amara’s dress. “This is going to take time. Take it off, i’ll fix it by tomorrow.”

Amara went did as she was told.

“What are you wearing?” I asked Lyra. Raelynn and Phoenix got back from training. I realized how late it was. We had missed lunch and dinner.

“I have something in mind,” Lyra teased. Lyra looked at Raelynn and Phoenix, dripping in sweat. “You two can borrow some of my dresses if you like.”

“Really?” Raelynn beamed. Lyra nodded.

“I even have a dress for Phoenix,” Lyra said. Phoenix grinned.

“I’ll think about it,” she answered.

“I’m going to bed now,” I yawned. “It’s been a long day.”

“You have to show Hellen the dresses, though.” Raelynn reminded. “Make sure we’re not going over the top with this.”

“Yeah, I will.” I said groggily.

Raelynn and Phoenix took turns in the bathroom. Lyra let them use her shampoo. They were relieved that their hair was now alive. Lyra stayed up late, working on Amara’s dress under a flashlight she had.

I had a terrible headache all of a sudden and my chest felt heavy. I took out the Star Stone from Ophiuchus from my pillowcase. My Ophiuchus Sign burned, again.

I still couldn’t shake the image of that blackish thing inside my Star Stone out of my head. It slithered inside the stone, as if it was looking for a way out. But that’s impossible. I knew I was just being paranoid and the blackish matter was just leftover Celestial Energy, waiting to be evaporated. I could’ve been wrong.