Chapter 24
Sia
Sia hadn’t realized how heavy the secret had been until it was gone.
It hadn’t really been a huge secret, but enough of one that it created an invisible barrier that stood between her and Lucas, only because he hadn’t told her and she hadn’t admitted she knew.
But now that he knew she knew about his dragon side, and she knew he knew she wasn’t afraid… the air felt different.
Lighter. Because now there was nothing between them that the other didn’t know.
That morning, as sunlight spilled across the castle balcony, Sia caught sight of Lucas in the gardens below with his sleeves rolled up while he spoke with one of the groundskeepers.
Her dragon. Her king. She really wanted to fly with him, but today, they had something far more important to focus on.
Celeste was turning eleven.
At Sia’s insistence, Lucas carefully stole away Luna and Stella under the guise of helping him build Spirit a bed of her own. It didn’t take long for Celeste to figure out why she had not been invited.
“Just us?” Celeste asked, wide-eyed, as Sia took her hand at the castle gates.
“Just us,” Sia confirmed with a conspiratorial smile. “Your father has been banned from all shopping trips, and he has to keep your sisters busy.”
Celeste giggled. “He’ll hate that he’s not invited.”
“He’ll survive,” Sia said solemnly.
They headed into town and Sia could almost feel Celeste’s excitement. Their first stop was breakfast.
The café owner nearly fainted when they walked in. “Your Majesty, Princess, please, we have the window table open, and we’ll bring out complimentary sweets, and…”
Celeste automatically straightened her shoulders and slipped into polished royal habits. “Thank you for accommodating us,” she said in a tone that sounded eerily like something said during court.
Sia gently lifted a hand. “We’re just here for a light breakfast,” she said warmly. “And we’d love to order like everyone else from the menu.”
The woman blinked. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
“And,” Sia added kindly but firmly, “Sia is fine.”
She leaned closer once they sat down. “You don’t have to perform for every room you enter.”
Celeste’s cheeks pinked. “But it’s proper.”
“It is,” Sia agreed. “But today? None of that royal stuff. Now look at the menu and see what you want. They have whipped cream on pancakes.”
A slow smile crept across Celeste’s face. “Can I have as much as I want?”
“Oh, absolutely obscene amounts.”
Celeste dissolved into laughter, and just like that, the princess vanished and the child remained.
After breakfast, they wandered into the boutiques lining the square. Dresses were admired. Shoes were tried on. Celeste gravitated toward sparkly things, then pretended she hadn’t.
In one shop, the clerk gasped softly when she recognized them.
“Your Majesty, Princess Celeste, it’s an honor. Please, allow me to show you our finest collection. We can close the store for privacy.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Sia said smoothly.
The clerk pressed on. “We can prepare gift packaging embossed with the royal crest, but it will take us a bit to get it finished.”
“Thank you,” Sia interrupted, her voice still gentle but unmistakably firm. “But today, we’d like to shop like ordinary people.”
The clerk glanced at her, still uncertain.
Sia reached out and squeezed the woman’s hand. “Really. We’ll let you know if we need any help. We’ll just look around to see what color catches our attention today.”
Celeste tilted her chin. “Blue,” she declared. “I bought lavender the last time.”
As they browsed, Celeste’s posture slowly relaxed again. It didn’t take long before the clerk was their new best friend and was bringing all types of garments out to them that were anything but royal.
Some of it they laughed at. Some of it was tried on just for giggles. But then Celeste tried on a twirling skirt and actually twirled around and around.
Sia clapped dramatically. “Excellent spin. Eight out of ten. Could use more flair.”
The clerk brought another one that twirled even more. “We have the under garments for this skirt so, umm, the king doesn’t have our heads.”
Once she put on the tiny pair of modesty shorts, Sia declared the skirt a ten out of ten.
Celeste’s eyes sparkled. “You think so?”
“I think it’s perfect for you,” Sia replied and motioned for the clerk to ring it up.
They were halfway back toward the castle when music drifted from an open window. It was a catchy beat that spilled from a dance studio.
Sia slowed as they passed. Inside, young dancers practiced, their movements sharp and joyful. Their instructor was calling out orders as they danced.
As they stood and watched, Sia noticed that Celeste was bobbing her head to the beat and her body subtly mimicked the young dancers.
She didn’t think. Sia just dropped her shopping bags on the sidewalk and began to move. There was nothing graceful or regal about it. It was more like wild movements.
She spun across the sidewalk with her arms sweeping wide and her skirts catching air. She kicked a little too high and nearly lost her balance, then laughed at herself.
It was entirely un-queen-like, but it was entirely freeing. A few townspeople stared and one woman gasped. Someone started clapping to the rhythm.
Sia glanced over her shoulder to see if Celeste was mortified. Shock made her take a double take when she realized that Celeste was dancing. Not mimicking her crazy movements, but actually dancing.
Her movements weren’t polished, but they were instinctive. Musical. Her feet caught the rhythm effortlessly. She turned, leaped, and landed with surprising control. Her face, usually so carefully composed, was lit with pure, unfiltered joy.
Sia stopped moving and just watched. Celeste didn’t even notice. When the music faded, she slowed, breathless and glowing.
“You didn’t tell me you could do that,” Sia said softly.
Celeste blinked, suddenly shy. “I…I just mess around sometimes. I dance for Luna and Stella when no one else is around.”
“You want to dance,” Sia said.
It wasn’t a question. Celeste stared at her for a moment before she nodded. “It’s not very royal.”
Sia felt something shift inside her. “I wasn’t exactly acting as a queen. If you want to dance, then you should dance.”
Celeste looked startled. “But princesses…”
“...are allowed to love things,” Sia finished. “Even messy, loud, spin-in-the-street things.”
Celeste smiled so brightly it nearly made Sia’s heart burst out of her chest.
Later, Sia waited until she and Lucas were alone in their chambers before she said anything to him.
“She danced,” she said without preamble. “Celeste. And she had so much fun.”
Lucas looked up from his newspaper. “I’m afraid that lacks context.”
“In the street. With actual talent and passion. So much so that she couldn’t even hide it.”
“Celeste did that?” Lucas leaned back slowly and something thoughtful entered his expression. “She’s always danced for her sisters when she thought no one was looking.”
“She has?” Sia’s heart squeezed. How had she never noticed?
He nodded. “I assumed it was just for fun.”
“It may have been, but this is more than that.” Sia leaned forward. “Lucas, she lights up.”
He studied her face, then smiled faintly. “What are you proposing?”
Sia’s grin turned wicked. “A surprise.”
A week later, Sia thought the secret would kill her if it was one day longer.
From her place halfway down the corridor, half-hidden behind a marble column, she watched Celeste pause outside the formal dining room with that politely puzzled expression she wore when she suspected something but didn’t want to ruin it by asking.
“Why are we having dinner in the formal dining room?”
Lucas played his part well. “Because it’s your birthday. Just enjoy it.”
“But the dining room is so…blah.”
Sia pressed her lips together to keep from grinning.nThe ballroom was connected to the dining room.
Celeste sighed as she smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from her skirt before she pushed the heavy doors open and music suddenly burst into the hallway like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.
A live band tucked into the far corner of the ballroom kicked into an upbeat melody similar to the one they had danced to in the street.
The castle ballroom had been transformed.
Lanterns hung in soft arcs from the ceiling, and gauzy ribbons streamed from the balconies.
Long tables lined the walls, draped in lavender table cloths and piled high with pastries, teacakes, and towers of fruit.
Flowers of all shades of purple spilled from vases with punchbowls full of purple-y drink.
And in the center of it all stood what looked like half the town.
“Surprise!” The shout shook the chandeliers.
Celeste didn’t move at first. Sia watched the exact moment realization dawned. Celeste’s hands flew to her mouth as her eyes scanned the room as if she couldn’t quite trust it.
Sia stepped out from behind the column at last, unable to resist any longer.
Celeste grabbed her around the waist. “You’re all in on this?” she asked, voice wobbly in the most endearing way.
“Obviously,” Sia said, feigning offense. “Do you think I’d let your birthday pass with nothing but polite conversation and one sad little cake in the formal dining room?”
Celeste stood and shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it. “You turned the ballroom into a festival.”
“Correction,” Sia replied. “The town turned the ballroom into a festival. I just… supervised aggressively.”
The band shifted into another lively tune, and the children in the room didn’t need an invitation.
Someone grabbed Celeste’s hand and pulled her into the center of the floor.
Her laughter rang clear and unrestrained, as they all spun around in uneven circles.
Some attempted something that might be called dancing while others simply hopped in place with reckless joy.
Celeste caught Sia’s eye across the floor and held out her hand, but there was one more surprise. When the music died down, she motioned to Lucas who gestured to the band. They cleared the dance floor, and Luna guided Celeste to a chair and made her sit.
The Sia, Lucas, Luna and Stella moved to the center of the floor and waited
Celeste stared. “What is this?”
The music shifted and they began.
The four of them moved into a choreographed routine which turned out to be slightly uneven, occasionally off-beat, but enthusiastic.
Lucas, a dignified king, attempted a spin that nearly sent him into Luna.
Stella missed a cue and burst into laughter mid-step.
Luna executed her turns with sharp precision.
Sia committed fully. Every ridiculous hip sway. Every dramatic arm flourish. Hips popped. Fingers snapped. Lucas tried to shake his booty.
They finished with a dramatic pose.
At first there was silence. Then Celeste’s delighted scream echoed through the ballroom. “You learned that for me?”
Lucas bowed slightly. “Hours of covert practice.”
Celeste ran forward and flung her arms around them.
Then she pulled back. “Can I show you something?”
Sia’s eyes shone. “Please.”
The music began again, but this time, Celeste led.
She moved with confidence now and spun across the marble floor like she belonged there. Not because she was a princess, but because she loved it.
Sia watched her with an overflowing heart. The walls were gone. The secrets were gone. And here, in the glow of music and laughter and family, Sia realized something simple and profound.
Being queen didn’t mean being perfect and didn’t just mean duty. It meant making space for dragons, for daughters, for dancing in the street.
And for joy.