The Cosmic Princess

Drops of Jupiter in Her Hair

Dedication: I would like to dedicate this to Amxxxf for the wonderful banner of Ike. I really love it, so thank you so much!

Song: Train - Drops of Jupiter

Ike's P.O.V

"She looks beautiful Ike."

Sullen eyes stopped peering blankly at the ruined tips of my shoes and warily, I glanced up to see Aeon.

Red.

It was a color I was beginning to become more and more accustom to in this world of pink and purple as the days trudged on in an endless haze of emptiness.

It was the red I saw when I looked into one of my friend's eyes. The redness of unresolved words and apologetic pain that would never get resolved.

It was the red I saw as I mutely studied Aeon's face, cheeks flushed and nose reddened, like he had just been crying but decided to man up before he came and spoke to me.

Or maybe it was the red I saw, every time I thought of Avril. Because not a second went by that I didn't think of Avril.

And when I thought of Avril, I thought of how she wasn't here. She would never be here again.

Then I thought of why she would never be here again. And that's when the red would appear.

It would flash across my vision and suddenly I felt like I was suffocating in red. The toxic taste of anger, resentment, and vengeance would burn into me like a branding stick and it would be the only thing I could see, taste, hear, smell, and feel. It was consuming, yet it made me feel hollow all at the same time.

Although, I liked the feeling.

When I focused on the feeling, I thought of Teelah. Then suddenly, everything would be on her. The shame and heartbreak that had been flowing through me for the past two days would momentarily be absent, and suddenly I would be numb to everything thing but that burning red of rage and madness.

Closing my eyes, I was instantly transported to a time when Avril was here.

"Belladonna thinks she's so clever." Avril griped rearranging her hair that had been braided into an intricate bun with braids haloing around the edges.

Quietly I watched her unwind each braid, already feeling someone of her anger because mine was just as elevated. I should have known that they would be at this meeting which circled around the next steps for reparation and repairing after the Dynoats' attack. I had stupidly hoped Belladonna and Zane would not be present, but I should have known. Family-orientated King Senira allowed his family to come with him everywhere.

Her smoldering eyes connected with mine through the mirror in this small cramped bathroom at the meeting palace the four royal families had all agreed to meet at.

A smile quirked her features. "You're looking at me like you're wondering why I'm undoing this hairstyle your mother done." There was a bite in her tone when she said that, and I could already pick up that Avril was starting to dislike my mother as her and my father began to control every element of our upcoming wedding. There wasn't much we could do about it either. Perhaps, if my mother only had control, we could have more sway but with my father in the mix, everything was set against us before we could even try.

Father always got his way.

Slightly, I shrugged at her comment, actually kind of wondering why she was doing that but not wanting to admit that she had read my mind. She's been doing that a lot lately.

"Ike," she deadpanned. "I won't have any edges by the time this meeting is adjourned if I don't take this ridiculously tight bun and braids out of my head." With lustrous streaks of platinum peeking through the thick hair every once in a while, she undid the last braid and swooped her hair into a simple ponytail. Avril liked simple.