Fan Fiction ❯ Caelestis ❯ Judgement ( Chapter 1 )

Caelestis 1: Judgment

 

We'd done it now. Daddy will probably scream for another six hours. He'd probably never forgive us. I watched as he argued with mama, who was pleading and reminding him that I and my sisters and brothers were still his children.

 

“Cognatus, they're your children, your own flesh and blood. Why would you do something like that, sending them …?”

 

That's my mama, Queen Algaia of Caelestis and royal guardian of all that is graceful.

 

“I've warned them continuously to never waver in their rulings. Aer, with her daydreaming, has allowed her part of the kingdom to fall victim to a recent raid. Terra, with her negativities of change has caused her part of the kingdom to suffer from economic problems. Ignis, with his jokes and charades has nearly burned his kingdom to the ground. And as for Aquaticus, her portion of the kingdom endures constant floods due to her unruly emotions.”

 

And that's Daddy. Daddy…isn't exactly the most understanding person around. I know he's has all of Caelestis to rule, not to mention Earth. But he could at least show a little compassion, couldn't he?

 

“Aer!”

 

I jumped as daddy bellowed my name. My sisters Terra and Aquaticus winced. Aquaticus's twin, Ignis snickered, but then quickly clamped his mouth shut at the firm glare mama shot him.

 

“Y-yes, daddy?” I answered. I was terrified at the way the palace walls shook with the force of his voice. Yep, he was really mad.

 

“Aer, royal princess and guardian of the element of air and the atmosphere; second oldest daughter of King Cognatus and Queen Algaia; and my most logical daughter,” daddy's voice softened, “what has gotten into you?”

 

I lowered my head in shame. I, as well as everyone in daddy's royal court knew what he was referring to. I did tend to daydream a lot. But I only do it so that I can come up with better ways to help my people.

 

“Your end of the kingdom has almost completely fallen because of your careless daydreaming. Due to this, your people suffer from the bitter remains of an unexpected battle with the Zelotypus kingdom.”

 

“Daddy…I'm sorry.” I cringed at the thought of the kingdom that had attacked us. Their title, Zelotypus, literally means `jealous'.

 

“So am I, my daughter. So am I. You may step back, dear.”

 

I did as I was told. My siblings' eyes followed my every move. I wanted to squirm at the pitying looks they were giving me.

 

Turning to my younger brother, Ignis, he spoke.

 

“Ignis, royal prince and guardian over the element of fire, second oldest son of King Cognatus and Queen Algaia, and my most spirited prince; step forward.”

 

Ignis gulped. Rising from his kneel on the cloud lined velvet rug, his long and radiant golden-red hair fell to the backs of his calves. Stepping towards daddy, he bowed respectfully, and then straightened.

 

“Ignis, your pranks and childish antics have nearly wiped out your entire kingdom.”

 

Gesturing towards my mama, daddy continued, “And what's more, they have shamed your mama and me indefinitely. Ignis, my son, have you forgotten your role?”

 

Ignis glanced up at daddy from under his long eyelashes. Ignis was, without a doubt, the most handsome prince in Caelestis. His incredibly long but perfect golden-red hair was the envy of many of the naiads that resided here in Caelestis. And his smoldering golden eyes complemented his olive-accented complexion faultlessly.

 

“No, father, I haven't forgotten.”

 

“Then why have you failed in your duties to maintain your kingdom with a steady hand? According to your royal advisor, the reason over half of your kingdom must be rebuilt is because of your lackadaisical sense of responsibility with that blasted pet phoenix of yours.”

 

“Father, Vitreus had nothing to do with it. It was entirely my own fault, so please, do not punish her. She tried to warn me about associating with the fire nymphs, but I wouldn't listen.”

 

My brother's head drooped. I hated seeing my three favorite siblings so upset; primarily the proud Ignis. No matter what happened, Ignis always found a way to laugh or joke about something. Seeing him like this—so penitent in front of father—was truly disheartening.

 

Daddy sighed. Apparently, he hated it as much as I did. Rubbing his great, black brow he continued on.

 

“Ignis, I have warned you time and time again about those nymphs. You know how wooly they are when they get around you. However, I know they worship you, so you expect me to believe you when you say that a group of harmless fire nymphs, who adore you no less, was the cause of your kingdom's disaster?”

 

“Well, they aren't exactly harmless when they're angry.”

 

“And what was the source of this anger? It's not as if it's simple to anger a nymph that's in love with you; unless of course you meddle with their feelings.”

 

Ignis shifted uncomfortably. “Well, you see…”

 

Mama gasped, horrified. “Oh Ignis, you didn't. Please tell me you didn't do what I think you did.”

 

Ignis grinned. “Mama, I couldn't help myself! She was so beautiful and she couldn't resist me!”

 

Daddy growled. “You fool! What possessed you to do that?!”

 

Ignis really was a fool. As the most handsome prince in all of Caelestis, he had his fair pick of any female. Nymph or naiad or even goddess, it didn't matter to Ignis. No female could resist his charm, aside from my mama, my sister, and I, of course. Sometimes, it really wasn't his fault. But sleeping with a fire nymph?

 

“Cognatus, calm down!” mama yelled over daddy's ranting. “It's not as if it hasn't happened before!”

 

“But his activities have never caused his kingdom to go up in the flames of an angry nymph, now have they?” daddy roared.

 

“Just get on with the trial,” mama said lightly. Her gracefulness really did astound me sometimes.

 

Turning to Terra, but still grumbling about `stupid sons' and `lecherous acts', he spoke again.

 

“Step back, Ignis; Terra, step forward.”

 

I looked on as Terra stood to face daddy. Her swirling hazel eyes betrayed her calm demeanor. I knew Terra. She had on her hunter face. This was the face she wore when she went hunting with my younger brother Itio, the royal prince and guardian of travel. Deep down, she was terrified. She got along with daddy the least out of all seven of my other siblings.

 

“Yes, daddy?”

 

“Terra, princess and guardian of the elemental earth and keeper of worldly creatures; third oldest daughter of King Cognatus and Queen Algaia; and my little huntress, why do you continue to allow your kingdom to plummet into the ground?”

 

Terra's natural forest green highlights shimmered in her dark brown hair. Her eyes shifted, as if she were searching or an answer.

 

“I'm not sure, daddy,” she lied. She knew very well what the cause of her kingdom's failure was.

 

“No? Well then dear one, let me tell you. Your kingdom is not up to snuff because of your conservativeness towards the economical situations that have arisen in your realm. You, for some reason, refuse to ask any of your brothers and sisters for assistance which is throwing off your financial equilibrium.”

 

Mama glared at daddy for his harsh judgment on Terra's nature. “Terra, my love, what your father means to say, is that you should be more…extending towards your brothers and sisters. They love you and I'm sure they'd gladly help you if the time called for it.”

 

“Oh mama, you don't understand,” Terra's eyes flashed. “I can't ask them for help.”

 

“Why not, dear?” mama asked.

 

Terra lifted her chin. “If I do, then that would just add to their kingdom's own problems. They don't need any more.”

 

“Terra, this is your problem,” Daddy boomed. “Your overly modest way of ruling your kingdom is slowly but surly leading to its downfall.”

 

Mama elbowed daddy sharply, who howled in pain. “Terra, you may step back, love. Aquaticus, step forward.”

 

I watched as Aquaticus rose from her kneel. Since she was Ignis's twin, her hair also reached to the backs of her calves. However, being that she was the guardian of the element of water instead of fire, her hair was a brilliant cerulean. She was the most beautiful princess in all of Caelestis with her elfin appearance. I could read the fear in her clear blue eyes as she stepped up to daddy. And her pale skin went just a little bit paler as daddy began to articulate his annoyance with her.

 

“Aquaticus, royal princess and guardian of the element of water and its components; youngest daughter of King Cognatus and Queen Algaia; and my most sensitive little one.”

 

Aquaticus lifted her shining eyes to daddy. Compared to him, she looked like a delicate flower. It seemed that if someone were to breathe on her, she would snap in two.

 

“Yes, papa?” she managed in a steady voice, despite her shaky exterior.

 

“My little one, although your deed isn't as malicious as your brother's,” daddy shot Ignis a look, a look at which Ignis snorted, “You are not exempt from your punishment.”

 

Aquaticus lowered her eyes. “I know, papa.”

 

Daddy heaved a sigh. We all knew that out of the four of us, Aquaticus had the firmest hold on daddy's heart. We didn't mind, because she had the firmest hold on ours too. Even though she was the baby of the four of us by a mere six minutes compared to Ignis, we were all outrageously overprotective.

 

“Little one, your kingdom is endlessly pounded by the floods of your emotions. The waters of Caelestis are very sensitive around you. You must learn to control and harness your wild emotions, or they will be your definite downfall.”

 

“I know, papa.”

 

“You may step back, dear.”

 

As Aquaticus went back to her kneel, daddy started to discuss our fates with mama.

 

“Do you think they'll send us to Phrenesis, Aer?” Aquaticus asked with trembling lips.

 

Ignis, the idiot, retaliated, “Of course. They're going to send us there where we'll have to stay forever and ever. We'll never see home again.”

 

Terra cuffed him on the head at the horrified look Aquaticus produced. “Fool! Don't tell her that! Daddy would never do that to us! Would he, Aer?”

 

“I'm not entirely sure.”

 

“I don't know,” Ignis said. “I rather like it when the old man's a little ticked off. It makes things more interesting.”

 

“Aer, do you think you could hear what they're whispering about up there?” Aquaticus asked ignoring Ignis.

 

Observing that mama and daddy wouldn't notice if I eavesdropped because they were in a heated argument, I replied, “I could. All it would require is a few air manipulations to magnify the sound vibrations.”

 

Ignis sighed drastically. “As usual, I couldn't understand a word you just said, so that must mean that it's possible.”

 

Terra grinned slyly. “Go for it, Aer.”

 

I nodded. Closing my eyes, I waited for the surrounding air to bend into a funnel shape. I felt the vibrations knocking against the bended air, effectively magnifying every sound in the room. The call of a dove from somewhere outside the kingdom; Aquaticus' frantic heartbeat; and lastly, among other things, the conversation that was becoming more heated by the second.

 

“Cognatus, my love, you can't send them to Phrenesis!”

 

“I am Cognatus, ruler of all Caelestis! I can do whatever I please with my children. Or do you forget that, my dear wife?”

 

Mama snorted. “Whatever you say, oh ruler of all Caelestis. But they are my children, too, my dear husband, perhaps even more so than they are yours.”

 

“And just how do you find that notion a valid argument?”

 

“Well, have you ever bore eight children? Have you ever known the pains of motherhood? I don't recall you doing so. Or maybe you have. I could've married a woman, for all I know, judging by the way you're acting.”

 

“I am not a woman! How dare you say that to me?!”

 

“Then be a man, and punish our children justly, according to their mistakes instead of trying to appease your pride!”

 

“Fine! I will!” he shouted.

 

Nearly falling over at the blast of vibrations that rocked through my skull, I relinquished my hold on the air and rubbed my sore ear.

 

“So? What did you hear? What are they going to do to us?” Terra demanded.

 

“I'm not sure. I know for sure that they aren't sending us to Phrenesis. Mama forbids it.”

 

I didn't miss the absolute look of relief on Aquaticus's face as I uttered those words.

 

What is Phrenesis? Phrenesis is what mortals call `Hell'; a place where mortals are sent for committing evil deeds; a place where one goes mad for all eternity. And it was run by our three least favorite evil guardians, Odi, Captio, and Iacto.

 

Since we were little, those three took pride in making us miserable. Odi, the keeper of the emotion hate, loved to, well, hate us. She especially hated Ignis. When we were younger, Odi had this inane obsession with Ignis and desperately wanted to date him. However, Ignis refused because of their constant harassment on sensitive Aquaticus. So, because she couldn't get her way, she's hated Ignis ever since.

 

Captio, the keeper of all things deceptive, was probably my least favorite. She loved to pull tricks on my sisters and I. My oldest sister, Erato, royal princess and guardian of love and all its virtues has trouble finding a suitable mate. This is because her beauty rivals even that of Aquaticus, who is the most beautiful princess. Because of this, she is unable to find someone who cares for her because of her ways and not her pretty face.

 

Captio took advantage of this fact by enchanting Era's most current crush, the incredibly handsome Uxor (one of her own subjects) into somehow persuading her to believe him when he confessed his love for her. Of course it was a fraud confession because Uxor was married and adored his wife wholeheartedly.

 

When Captio took the enchantment off of Uxor, he denied his love for my sister and Erato's heart was soundly broken.

 

And then there's Iacto. Although she's not as potent as her sisters, she is definitely the most annoying. Being that she is keeper of harassment and irritation, she always comes up with some kind of irksome way to bother us.

 

Whether it's showing up my kingdom and rearranging the royal documents under the cover of darkness, or publicly humiliating each of my seven other siblings, she always invents a new reason to harass us.

 

And the worst part is, mama and daddy think they're saints. In fact, they called them the `Blessed Ones'.

 

“Thank the heavens! I don't know if I could stand to live with Odi for all eternity,” Ignis half joked.

 

“Aer, Terra, Ignis, Aquaticus! Rise!” daddy's voice echoed through the throne room. I winced as my knees adjusted from their transition of thick, plush velvet to standing.

 

“Your punishment has been decided.”

 

I felt Aquaticus grip my arm. I felt immense sorrow for the toll this was taking on her nerves.

 

Mama's sweet voice filled the room. “My loves, know that we punish you because we love you and feel that it's best for you as young adults to understand and learn from your mistakes. We only want what's best for you.”

 

“However, you will learn from your mistakes. Your lack of responsible behavior has disgraced this family and its role as the rulers of Caelestis.”

 

He just had to make it worse.

 

Daddy stood from his throne and motioned for us to follow him. Looking at each other in confusion we followed him to the tall stairs that lead to the large balcony overlooking Caelestis; his favorite place.

 

We walked up the steps and followed daddy out of the huge golden doors leading outside. As we passed, a couple of guards bowed respectfully.

 

Stepping outside was like stepping into another realm. The sky was always a perfect blue. Not as blue as Aquaticus's eyes, but still pretty blue. Clouds surrounded the balcony, emphasizing the height. A herd of Pegasus flew by.

 

Reaching outward, past the balcony's golden railing, he waved his hand in a circular motion, clearing away a patch of clouds. His arm seemed to extend, as if he was made of rubber.

 

“My children come and see.”

 

Like a herd of unicorns, we crowded around the hole. It was like looking through a glass window. Down, inside the hole, was Earth, glowing ethereally.

 

“My children, what do you see?”

 

Terra was the first to answer. “Isn't it Earth, daddy?”

 

“Yes, it is. But for the sake of your identity, you will refer to it as `home' until further notice.”

 

Four heads snapped in daddy's direction. In unison, we all echoed in disbelief, “Home?”

 

“Yes. Since your mother prohibits that I send you to Phrenesis, this was my ruling. You are to be sent to Earth tomorrow morning.”

 

“B-but daddy,” I sputtered, “we know absolutely nothing about Earth, about its inhabitants.”

 

“You're a resourceful princess. I'm sure you've read plenty about Earth, Aer.”

 

“B-but…”

 

“I will discuss nothing else about the subject. You're going to Earth. The purpose of this is to teach you that you are very privileged royalty. That fact should not be forsaken or forgotten. Do you know how many mortals would give their life in order to have just one glimpse of what you see every day?”

 

Aquaticus's lip began to tremble. “But papa, we've never been to Earth before. How will we get around? How will we survive?”

 

Father's hard look softened. “Do not be afraid, little one. Your brother and your sisters will watch over you. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. You will be provided for.”

 

“What about our possessions, father?” Ignis was barely containing his excitement. He was probably thinking that this was an adventure with new games and girls.

 

“You are not to take anything from Caelestis with you. That includes clothes, entertainment, or pets.”

 

Ignis's face fell. No pets meant no Vitreus, his pet phoenix, and his best friend.

Daddy continued. “I'm sending you to a place called Rome, Italy. It should be the mortal year 564 B.C. there.”

 

“What about food and clothing?” Terra asked through clenched teeth, barely repressing her anger and fear.

 

“You will be fine, Terra. Everything will turn out alright.”

 

Turning to go back inside, daddy turned around and smiled softly at us. “My children, I am sorry it had to come to this. Please understand me. It's not easy to send you four so far away from home. But I love each and every one of you, and I'm hoping that you will make me proud. You must return here first thing tomorrow morning. This should give you time to make preparations.”

 

Fading away like a shadow in a rainstorm, he was gone. There was a tense silence between us. No one knew what to say, but we all knew what the others were thinking: Help us, gods.

 

 

-Glossary-

 

Since I have an interest in stories that have foreign words, this story is like my baby. ^^ It contains Latin words, but I don't speak or know Latin. It just seemed like fun ^^.

 

 

Caelestis

Caelestis- means `coming to Heaven or from Heaven'

 

Cognatus- The king of all Guardians. He is the father of all eight siblings and the husband of Algaia. His name means `connected by blood'

 

Algaia- The queen of all Guardians. Mother to all eight siblings and wife to Cognatus. Her name means `grace'.

 

Zelotypus- Name of the kingdom that attacked Aer's kingdom. Not a major character. Name means `jealousy'.

 

 

Phrenesis

Phrenesis- The place where Guardians and other mystical creatures go for crimes committed. My own version of hell, sort of like Hades or Tartarus in Greek Mythology.

 

Odi- Oldest of the three siblings of Phrenesis. She hates all Caelestinian Guardians, especially Ignis. Her name means `hate'.

 

Captio- Name means deception. Loves to deceive and connive against the eight siblings.

 

Iacto- The youngest. Name means `irritation and harassment'.