Phebe

"Phebe come on, you got to come down!"

"In a minute!"

Aglaia stared up, tilting her head to the sky as she tried to keep track of her younger sister who could not be seen but for the image of dark purple near the top of the tree. Briefly she glanced back at the castle before cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting to the tree. "Phebe you got to come down! It's time to go!"

"I'll be right down! You gotta try this sometime Aglaia! It's great up here!"

"Some other time Phebe! Just come down!"

Phebe laughed, she inched closer to the last branch and tested its strength before crawling onto the limb. She clung tight to the branch, feeling the wind as it blew her four long dark purple braids away from her face. A small circular tiara grouped them all together in a bun, letting the excess of it free, the excess that was now caught in the wind. Slowly she began to stand, balancing her feet, holding in her breath as her arms stretched out. Her body straightened as her head and upper body reached above the trees. Her face met the light and she smiled in triumph. She looked down at the tiny dot of her sister below. "I'm coming down!"

Confidently she took a few steps out on the branch, mimicking the movements of a gymnast. When she reached the edge she dropped.

"No not that way!"

Aglaia watched as her sister grabbed hold of the branch and swung from one to the next. When she reached near the bottom she swung and let go, clearing the tree and doing a flip, landing perfectly in front of her. Aglaia shook her head. "Showoff. Real princesses don't go traipsing across the kingdom climbing trees."

Phebe grinned. "Well I'm a princess, so obviously some do."

Aglaia sighed. "Only you Phebe."

Phebe smiled, following her sister back to the castle. Eight years senior of the 14 year old Aglaia was the opposite of Phebe. Aglaia was like a perfect princess, behaved properly and wore dresses and tiaras. Even now she was wearing a short-skirted dress with long sleeves, complete with her silver tiara and amethyst necklace. Her idea of play clothes. Her purple curls of hair and bangs flowed freely down her back and reached her waist. Phebe on the other hand wore her four braids in a bun held by a simple silver tiara. Her dark eyes took after her father and she wore a leather bodice and breeches, tall dark leather boots and an amulet with the symbol of Clios. She hated dresses and rarely agreed to wearing them. She climbed trees and participated in unscheduled games. No one knew where she would run off to next.

"You know your supposed to be a guardian. One would think you'd exhibit more control."

Phebe smiled. "Come on I'm still a kid. I'm sure I'm entitled to have a little fun sister."

"Your not even cleaned up. Don't you even remember what we're supposed to be doing today?"

Phebe stopped to think for a moment. "The party?"

"Yes Phebe, the party. Don't tell me you forgot?"

Phebe smiled, rubbing the back of her head. "Well...it might have slipped my mind a little..."

Aglaia sighed and shook her head, walking with her little sister towards the castle.

************************

Phebe sat down on her bed and dumped the excess contents of her boot. She smiled, grabbing a brush as she undid her bun and braids, brushing out the dirt and twigs that had gotten stuck in her hair.

"Phebe?"

Phebe turned around to the doorway, looking at her brother, older by two years. His hair was a short mass of purple curls, eyes lake blue like mother. "Phebe. Mom says to make sure you wear a dress."

Phebe rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. You don't have to wear a dress."

"I'm a guy Phebe. Guys don't wear dresses."

"Doesn't Simon let you wear gowns?"

Kyros sighed. "No Phebe. We both wear Tuxedos. But thats not the point and your not being serious. Get out your gown, let me see it."

Phebe shrugged, reaching into the chest beside her bed and pulling out a magenta gown with purple butterfly sleeves and a tattered red rose dead center at the chest. There was a small grass stain on the skirt and a slight tear near the hip, the bottom was frayed and the entire garment was in wrinkles.

"Phebe that isn't a gown. What did you do to it?"

"Well remember the last formal event we had? Well the Venus prince made fun of my braids and I had to defend my honor. He didn't call me Medusa again after that."

Kyros sighed. "Aglaia!"

*******************

Phebe grumbled, looking down at her new gown. The seamstresses had done a good job at taking it in, especially at the last minute. The magenta dress was floor length with puffy spiral purple sleeves and a purple bow at the waist. The chest was lined with more purple with a rose placed directly in the middle of a bow. "I don't want to wear this. I look like a girl!"

Aglaia folded her arms. "You are a girl Phebe. It's about time you learned to be a lady."

Kyros nodded. "You really don't have a choice. It's just lucky that Aglaia had one of her old gowns for you."

"I don't want to be a lady. This thing is ugly and tight. I can barely breathe."

"Oh. Wait." Aglaia picked up a magenta ribbon and stepped behind her sister, passing it across her neck and tying it into a bow in back. "Now your ready."

Phebe scowled. "It's choking me."

"Don't complain Phebe. I didn't even tie it very tight."

Kyros sighed. "Well we're already running late."

Phebe sneered. "Your just cranky cause your not spending time with your boyfriend."

Kyros scowled. "At least I have one."

Phebe pouted. "I don't even want one."

Aglaia sighed. "Quit it, both of you. Kyros did you make sure she had slippers on?"

Kyros ducked down, lifting his sister's skirt slightly.

"Hey quit it you perv!"

He dropped the skirt. "Boots Aglaia."

Aglaia nodded and held up a pair of satin magenta slippers. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Phebe scowled, snatching the pair from Aglaia's hand and plopping onto the bed to kick off her boots and slip on the new shoes.

*****************

Phebe stared at he ballroom, pouting as she looked down at her dress. The thing was hideous, especially with the awful bow pinned right to the chest.

"Ruin that dress and I'll make sure mother sends you to that charm school on Neptune."

Phebe rolled her eyes at her sister. "Yea fine, I get it."

She glanced over at her siblings before walking out onto the floor. The ballroom seemed to be packed with enough people, as far as Phebe could tell. She'd seen at least three princesses just walking in. None of the planetary ones yet, but those of the smaller moons and provinces were in abundance. It's not as if she hadn't listened during all those instructions, she's heard every mind numbing word in her political lessons. The entire thing had bored her to tears but she did know every single one of those minor moons and most of the royalty, Stars bless her mother and sister.

"Phebe."

Phebe turned around, facing the girl who stood behind her. The other princess was merely a year above her. Her long brown hair was free, tied with a green ribbon. She had hazel brown eyes and wore an elegant green dress and stood a good four inches taller, making her 5' 6". "Sylphiel."

Sylphiel smiled, her eyes moved down to her friend's dress. "Isn't that...?"

Phebe nodded. "It's Aglaia's. And the thing is absolutely hideous."

Sylphiel nodded. "hmm, I didn't think they would be able to repair your dress. You really did a number on Eos."

"He insulted me, he had to be taught a lesson."

"Well he was. Mother says he couldn't go out for weeks because of that black eye. I'm surprised you didn't get into much trouble."

"I didn't exactly tell them, and Eos doesn't want anyone to know he was beaten by a girl."

"What are you two up to?"

The two girls turned around to an older woman in her twenties with sand colored hair tied up in a ponytail. The other had blue eyes and golden hair with a yellow bow and looked to be around eighteen. Both girls wore tiaras and had a planetary symbol on their foreheads. Phebe smiled. "Nothing really, just standing around."

The older girl, a princess from Uranus, folded her arms. "Uhhuh. Since when have I known Phebe of Clios to be standing around innocently?"

The other girl nodded. "We just came to tell you. My little brother came today."

Sylphiel looked at Aphrodite. "I thought Eos still had a black eye."

"It's healed enough, hes in the mood for revenge."

"Hey, he insulted me."

Aphrodite nodded. "Just watch your back."

The four girls were interrupted by the sudden approach of a young boy with ebony black hair. he wore a silver circlet with the symbol of Saturn. "Phebe?"

The girl turned to the boy. "What?"

"You should probably come see this."

The four shrugged and they all followed Saturn's prince up into the hall. The moon queen had decorated this corridor with dozens of paintings, each a rendering of the reigning queens. The boy led them to the end of the hall where a new picture hung at the end. This painting was of Phebe herself, complete with braids. The strange thing was, the braids appeared to have heads on the end, they appeared more like snake heads. Phebe glanced down at the nameplate below and grew red with anger as she read the bold letters entitling her as 'QUEEN MEDUSA.'

"Eos!!!"

The golden haired boy stepped out from behind the wall and dared to laugh at the young princess. Phebe scowled and picked her painting off the wall. Eos' expression immediately changed as he ducked from the painting that was aimed for his head. He broke into a run just as the nameplate hit the same mark.

"I'll get you Eos!"

Phebe took off running after her prey, anger fueling her speed.

Aglaia, Kyros and several other guests looked up as they heard the screams through the halls. Several other guests let out their own shrieks as Eos tore through the crowd with Phebe not far behind and gaining speed. Aglaia followed the two as the chase continued outside, heading dangerously close to the bridge.

"Phebe!"

Too late, the girl tackled Eos, sending him over the bridge and dunking them both into the water. Aglaia along with many of the other guests and some bystanders looked over the rail, staring down at the two young royals who were now treading water.

Aglaia groaned.