SpaceWings - Starshine

The story...

## Chapter 1

"Wake up baby! Annoying dragonet! I've called you at least 20 times! Do you have stardust in your ears today!?" Princess Starshine woke up with a scream. She had had a strange dream. There was... this thing in a cage. Wanting to get out. It screams echoed through her mind. When she looked around, all she saw was her mother. "Are you crazy!? Why are you in bed - the Vow is today and there's so much to do!" Queen Galaxy of the long - lost tribe of the SpaceWings flew to each window, throwing the blinds open. As sunlight streamed through, Starshine blinked, and yawned. When the sunlight hit him, Starshine's pet bat, Moonshine, darted away. "Why are you here mom," Starshine asked. "Can't you get Glow to do that?" Glow was the nursemaid of Starshine. She was very annoying, and some days, Starshine couldn't get a break from her.

"I sent Glow to get your breakfast. Get up! The SunWings are here, and you have to rehearse your singing, your ladies in waiting are waiting for you, and you lay here, sleeping like a bat in the daytime!" Galaxy sighed, and went to a window. "The sky's so clear today." Starshine sat up. "Mom, you have a kingdom to rule. Why are you here?" Galaxy huffed, and said "I've left the kingdom in you uncle Plasma's hands for an hour." She walked to Starshine's bed. "Look at all these scrolls on the floor! Wait. You stayed up last night reading scrolls!" "I had to!," Starshine whined. "My report on Star's journey is due next week!" Star was the first ever queen of the SpaceWings, and Starshine's ancestor.

Galaxy grabbed a scroll. It said: *The SpaceWing Conquest Of Thira*. "Oh I know why your here," Starshine started. "Your gonna lecture me on politics!" "It's never too early for politics Starshine." "Whatever." Queen Galaxy was beautiful. She was black, with different color spots of sparkles on her. Starshine was navy blue, with pink sparkles all over her. Starshine had dark smudges under her eyes. "What's wrong? Are you sick? You don't look well," Galaxy cooed. Starshine sighed. "No - I had a bad dream. There was this thing in a cage and it wanted to get out."

Galaxy rolled her eyes. "Its just a case of bad nerves. Once, I had a terrible case." "The Dreamers were there. Remember? The Dreamers are dragons who are supposed to summon you to your doom.," Starshine said. Galaxy smiled. "Ah yes the Dreamers. When I was little, I would tell you that if you didn't behave, they would come and kill you. It's all fake though." Starshine sighed. "They were right there mom! So real! ...But I have more important things to worry about." Yes you do.," Galaxy muttered. "Is your song ready?"

"Ah so that's why your here mom.," Starshine started. "To to talk to me about the prince, or how bright to make my scales. Just my song." Galaxy scowled. "Its important for your scales to be shiny, and your song. It has to be perfect sweetie." The Vow, was a ceremony in which all SpaceWing princesses had to be in. It verified if they were true royal blood or not. First, the dragonets would have to cut their palm for a huge spider named Bloody Wing, to taste. If she agreed that the girl was of royal blood, then she princess would move on to the next task: Singing. Each princess had the same song to sing. It would tell about their origins, how they were kicked out of Pyrrhia, and how they found Thira. The third task was to sing their betrothel vows to the prince they were going to marry. For Starshine, it was the SunWing prince, Sunlight.

No matter how much Starshine tried, she could never live up to her mother's expectations. "Remember.," Galaxy said. "Both the courts of the SunWings, and the SpaceWings will be watching. Don't worry. Its only the Vow." "Right mom.," Starshine said angrily. "Only the most important day of my life where I will have to be betrothed to a dragon that I don't know! Only the day when I will either be killed or not! Only the day when I will have to sing the best in the tribe!" Silence descended. "Did the SunWings arrive safely?," Starshine muttered. "Yes. Glow saw them. They were tired though."

The only reason Starshine wanted to see the SunWings, is that the princess, Chimera, was her best friend, and also Sunlight's cousin. "Did Universe go to meet them?," Starshine asked. Galaxy sighed and her voic had a sad note in it. "No your father did. Universe was sent to the western borders with 12,000 soldiers. Another village was raided." The raids started a year ago, and 7 villages have been hit. "Your brother thinks that the scavengers have something to do with them. Of course, your uncle thinks that the MoonWings are behind it.," Galaxy muttered. "The scavengers!? No way!," Starshine said as she jumped up from her bed. The tribes of Thira were afraid of scavengers. They could kill dragons easily. "More than 1,000 dragons were taken. No witnesses.," Galaxy said sadly.

The MoonWings were a tribe seen only at night, when their scales reflected the moon. The SpaceWings think that Admiral Shine was behind the raids. He broke a treaty that exchanged a dragon from one tribe to another by not sending his daughter, Glorious. Instead he sent his sister, Shiny, and the SpaceWings sent Prince Blu, Queen Galaxy's younger brother, instead.

"Maybe we can postpone the Vow so you and the MoonWings can work this out, mom.," Starshine said. "What!? No! We can't! This is your time to shine Starshine! It won't be ruined!" Starshine frowned. "But you could call a meeting! My place isn't set yet! You could - " "I know my place, and you should learn yours!" Tears welled up in Starshine's eyes as they heard a knock at the door. "Enter!," Galaxy screamed. A page opened the door. "My Queen, Prince Plasma has sent for you in the strategy room." "Very well.," Galaxy muttered. "Mom. Wait..." Galaxy was already gone.

## Chapter 2

Tears came out of Starshine's eyes as her mother left the room. Every conversation ended like this. Moonshine flew onto her shoulder, and Starshine leaned her neck on him. "I'm so worried about the Vow Moonshine. I don't want to marry Sunlight. I'm afraid." "Starshine! Where are you!? The hairdresser is here!" Glow. She had come back. Starshine groaned. "Coming!" she called. Before she had to resume her duties and be known as the princess, she opened her balcony doors and walked out on the small porch.

The city of Darkness was beneath her. The ruins of the old palace that Star had built were right next to her palace. She looked at the library where professers taught classes, and where she loved to read. She looked at the Colesim where she would have the Vow. She started to think about Sunlight. Last time they had seen each other, they were happy to be married. However some rumors had surfaced that Sunlight had turned into a party boy.

"Come out *now* Starshine!" Glow screeched. "Sorry Glow! Coming!" Starshine yelled. "*Starshine*..." "I said I'm coming Glow!" *"Daughter or Star, chosen one..."* That wasn't Glow's voice. It wasn't coming from the other side of the doors. I t was right behind her. "Who's there!?" Starshine cried, whirling around. *"The end begins, your time has come..."* "Stardust? Is that you? Brightness?" Starshine called to two of her many maids. No one answered. A small movement caught Starshine's eye. She turned around, then laughed. It was only a Virtrina. Virtrina were beautiful dragons, that during their lifetime, fell in love with their reflection and became trapped inside as ghosts once they died. If the mirror they fell in love with was cracked, then the Virtrina's soul would be realesed. Because it was so old, Starshine had plenty of Virtrina living in her mirror. Her mirror held the souls of a countess, a duke, a librarian, an actor, three regular common dragons, and an old lady in waiting of Queen Star. Starshine loved talking with them, and learning about the time period they lived in.

It was the countess who she had just seen. Starshine knocked on the glass, and the countess, named Beautiful, came flying over. She looked very afraid. "Someone is here with us Princess. Someone who shouldn't be here." The two dragons looked over their shoulders to see in the distance, a black figure. Starshine knew that only the most powerful dragons could move through mirrors. She didn't know anyone who could - not even her singing teacher, Shard. "That is no Virtrina. If it got in, then it can get out! Get away from the glass Starshine! *Hurry*!" Beautiful whispered. The figure came closer. It was a BlendWing. BlendWings were colored in shades of brown so they could blend in with their surroundings. She was chanting.

*"The sands run out, our spell unwinds, inch by inch our chant unbinds..."*  Starshine knew that voice. She has heard it in her dreams. It was the voice of the dragon witch. Cameo.