Freedom tasted good. The nights cold air felt amazing.
Her direction quickly changed from aimless to focused, honed in to one area. The colors of the Circus couldn't distract, she couldn't see them anyways. Most of them at least.
The smells here are complex, some come from sources she'd never want to meet, on top of that she smelled blood. A lot of it. That means there's a lot of food in one of these tents. Making her lucky in a lot of ways tonight, lucky she got out, lucky she started her night off right to be able to sneak in like this. The padding on her paws making her silent walking on the dirt, leaving defined tracks.
She didn't bother finding the entrance, using her claws the tents fabric tore like butter giving her direct access to the storage. Sarin wasted no time breaking into the meat as if she hadn't eaten. Knocking things over in the process.
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The constellation of Hercules, the Hero // E. Slawik/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Zamani
Click below to read about this large constellation and some of the named stars here. There's also an annotated image below the cut!
Hercules, named after the Greek hero Heracles, is one of the original 48 constellations laid down by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. This is the fifth-largest modern constellation!
Although today we associate it with the Greek hero Heracles, it was not always thus. The Babylonians saw it as the "Standing Gods," depicted as a man with a serpent's body. Early Greek myths call this constellation "the Kneeler."
Eventually, myths solidified to see this figure as Heracles, perhaps about to start his fight against the dragon of the Hesperides, represented by nearby Draco. Still others saw it as Theseus or Orpheus.
The named stars are, in order of brightness:
Kornephoros (β Herculis), a binary star about 139 light years from Earth. The primary star is a yellow giant star. Its name comes from the Greek word κορυνηφόρος meaning "club-bearer."
Sarin (δ Herculis) is another binary star, this one about 75 light years away. The primary star is a blue-white giant star. This star was given this name by the Czech astronomer Antonín Bečvář, although we don't know what it means.
Rasalgethi (α Herculis) is a triple star system lying about 360 light years away. The three stars are a red supergiant, a yellow giant, and a blue-white giant star. The name comes from the Arabic phrase ra‘is al-jāthī meaning "head of the kneeler."
Tusizuo (109 Herculis) is a solitary star about 121 light years away. It is an orange giant star. Its name comes from Chinese astronomy: Tú Sì (屠肆) meaning "butcher's shop." Together with Bodu and Ramus, it forms the obsolete constellation Cerberus.
Bodu (95 Herculis) is a double star consisting of a blue-white giant and a yellow giant, offering a nice contrasting color pair. The system lies about 432 light years away. Its name comes from Chinese astronomy: Bó Dù (帛度) meaning "textile ruler." Together with Tusizuo and Ramus, it forms the obsolete constellation Cerberus.
Ramus (102 Herculis) is a solitary star about 920 light years away. It is a blue giant star. Its name refers to an obsolete constellation, Ramus Pomifer, Latin for "apple branch," a branch held in Hercules' left hand.
Maasym (λ Herculis) is a single orange giant star about 393 light years from Earth. Its name comes from the Arabic word miʽṣam meaning "wrist."
Cujam (ω Herculis) is a binary star system about 250 light years from Earth. The primary star is a blue-white giant star. Its name comes from the Latin word caiam meaning "club."
Marsic (κ Herculis) is a double star about 390 light years from Earth. This is not a true binary system, but rather an optical pairing of a yellow giant and an orange dwarf. The name comes from the Arabic Al-Mirfaq meaning "the elbow."
Ogma (HD 149026) is a yellow Sun-like star about 249 light years from Earth. It has one planet orbiting it, about a third the mass of Jupiter, named Smertrios. Both names were were given by the people of France: Ogma refers to Ogmios, a Gallo-Roman deity of eloquence, and Smertrios is a Gallic deity of war.
Hunor (HD 147506) is a yellow-white star about 419 light years away. It has two planets orbiting it, the closer of them named Magor, having about 9 times the mass of Jupiter. Both names were given by the people of Hungary: Hunor was a legendary ancestor of the Huns and the brother of Magor.
Irena (HD 146389) is a yellow-white star about 445 light years away. It has one confirmed planet orbiting it, about 2.5 times the mass of Jupiter, named Iztok. Both names were given by the people of Slovenia: both are characters from the Slovenian novel Pod svobodnim soncem.
Franz (HAT-P-14) is a yellow-white star about 731 light years away. It has one confirmed planet orbiting it, about 2.5 times the mass of Jupiter, named Sissi. Both names were chosen by the people of Austria: both are characters from the Austrian romance movie Sissi.
Pipoltr (V1434 Herculis) is a Sun-like star about 757 light years away. It has one confirmed planet orbiting it, about twice the mass of Jupiter, named Umbäässa. Both names were chosen by the people of Liechtenstein: Pipoltr is a bright butterfly, while Umbäässa is a barely visible ant.
In honor of Mermay, I present the first snippet in Sarin's story! Sorry it was such a long time in the making, things were pretty hectic this month. It is fairly long, so most of it will go under the cut!
The sun rippled down from above the surface, bringing its light into Y/N’s bedroom. She stretched in her sponge bed, her opalescent tail glittering in the late dawn. She rolled over and hugged her pillow. Yes, she was awake, but that didn’t mean she had to get up just yet.
There came a knock at the door.
“Y/N,” her mother called, “you need to get up. We have important matters to discuss.”
Y/N groaned into her pillow.
“Coming…” she said, lifting her head.
A bralette lay out on the vanity. Y/N removed her sleepwear and changed into the garment adorned with pearls in all colors. It seemed oddly extravagant for just another day, but then again, Y/N was a princess.
As she sat on the vanity stool, she wondered what “important matters” her mother intended to go over with her. A selection of her makeup had been set out for her. Y/N tilted her head. She was never one for a full face of makeup; she usually kept it to just lipstick most days, and maybe eye makeup if she was feeling energetic. Today, everything from rouge to powder to shimmer dust had been set out for her. How peculiar.
Once she had made herself presentable, Y/N swam out into the castle corridor, where her mother was waiting in full, royal regalia.
“Your crown, Y/N?” she quirked an expectant brow.
“My…crown?” Y/N asked.
“Yes, you need to look your best today,” her mother said, “hurry up now.”
An awkward swim back into her room, and Y/N found her tiara nestled on a pillow. She slid it on, securing it in her hair.
“Better,” her mother said, “come.”
After reaching the dining hall, Y/N sat down on either side of her parents.
“So, Mother says we have to speak about something?” Y/N asked.
“Straight to business, I see,” her father chuckled.
There was a hint of nervousness in his laughter that added to Y/N’s growing confusion.
“Have your tutors ever discussed the kingdom of Siora with you, Y/N?” her father asked.
“Siora? You mean the siren kingdom?”
“The very same,” the king said, “we have received correspondence from the royal household, and they have made a generous offer.”
He seemed troubled by what Y/N thought was good news.
“Father?”
The queen rolled her eyes and took her daughter’s hand.
“Y/N, the regents of Prince Sarin have offered to make an arrangement.”
Y/N’s heart sank; she just hoped she was wrong about her assumption.
“What kind of arrangement?”
“An arrangement of marriage.”
Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. This was one time when she hated to be correct.
“What have you told them?” Y/N asked quietly.
“We agreed, of course,” Y/N’s mother said, as if this was the most obvious, logical thing to do.
“And I did not get a say in this because…?”
“Mind your tongue!” her mother said in disbelief, “this is an extremely advantageous marriage. The kingdom of Coireil will benefit greatly. And Sarin is not unkind. He is quite the gentleman.”
“How would you know? We’ve never even met him!”
“Enough of this, it has already been decided!” the queen said, “we cannot go back on our word with Siora. You are marrying Prince Sarin and that is final.”
Y/N’s jaw hung open, then snapped shut. Tears brimmed in her eyes and dissolved into the water around them. She pushed her chair out and swam off, despite her parents’ calls.
She should’ve known a day like this would come. She hadn’t wanted to believe her parents could be so shallow, but then again, people in power often twisted matters of love into matters of politics.
Y/N wasn’t watching where she was going, so it should not have come as any surprise to her when she barreled right into someone’s chest.
“Woah, steady! Are you all right?”
Y/N willed her tears to dry and looked up. A young man, around her age, stared at her with concern etched into his features. He looked just like any merman, but his skin was the color of the surface’s sky. Only sirens had such vibrant skin tones. Other merfolk carried the skin colors of the surface dwellers. As such, humans were more likely to trust a merperson than a siren.
This particular siren had long, black hair that floated a little behind him, and a resplendent, deep-blue tail which shimmered like crystals or a sea dragon’s hoard.
“I apologize,” the siren went on, “I hope you’re not hurt.”
“No, no, it was my fault,” Y/N said, straightening up, “I’m sorry.”
“You must be Princess Y/N,” the siren said.
“I am,” Y/N answered, “what brings you to Coireil?”
The siren chuckled a little, rubbing the back of his neck.
“You, as a matter of fact,” he said.
Y/N stared dumbly for a good few seconds. Oh. Oh. She wanted to pinch her scales for being so dense. How many sirens just happened to swim about in Coireil, much less the royal palace?
“Prince Sarin?” Y/N asked.
“Yes,” the siren, Sarin, said, “I confess I had hoped our first meeting would be a bit more, er, conventional. I’m afraid I must have gotten lost on a tour of your palace. You have a lovely home, Princess.”
“Y/N is fine,” Y/N said.
“Y/N.” Sarin amended with a small smile.
The pair stood (that is to say, floated) there for an awkward stretch of silence. Y/N had never quite gotten the hang of diplomatic conversation, and it seemed like Sarin hadn’t either.
A goby swam in through the window. Y/N and Sarin immediately turned their attention to it. Thank goodness, a way out of this doldrum of an introduction!
“Where did you come from, little fellow?” Sarin asked, cupping his hands underneath the small fish.
“Coireil is home to many reefs,” Y/N explained, “it’s possible he got turned around and mistook our palace coral for its own.”
“Ah yes,” Sarin agreed, “it is a marvel of symbiotic architecture, however did you convince the polyps to grow in such a way?”
He scratched the goby’s chin as he spoke.
“I… don’t really know,” Y/N admitted, “I am sure my parents could tell you, or one of the palace tutors. The palace has been around for a good while.”
“So has Castle Aiatrylle in Siora,” Sarin said, “though it is made of stone and crystal rather than coral.”
The goby proceeded to nibble Sarin’s hair. Y/N stifled a giggle. Another siren came around the corner, while Y/N’s parents arrived from the other end of the hall. This siren had blue skin as well, though it was of a deeper, almost greener hue, and he wore a short green cape that just slightly billowed behind him. His dark-teal tail bore old scars that had removed the scales in some places. His grey hair caught the light, making it look as though his head and lower face were covered in moonbeams.
“Sarin, there you are,” the siren said, “I thought we discussed how you were not to wander off?”
“Apologies, Cathaoir,” Sarin replied, “only the corals on this hall are particularly vibrant, and-…I shall endeavor to remain close by in future.”
Cathaoir sighed but nodded all the same.
“I see you have met the princess,” he said, “it is an honor to meet you, Princess Y/N.”
He bowed. Sarin swam over to him, and Y/N followed.
“Pri- Y/N, this is Sir Cathaoir, a regent of Siora and one of my oldest friends.”
“Not to mention your bodyguard,” Cathaoir added, “whose job would be easier if you weren’t swimming off into the blue every other moment.”
“We shall leave you to get settled, your highness,” Y/N’s father said, “we hope your visit to our kingdom remains pleasant. Afterwards, we shall begin the wedding preparations.”
“Of course, your majesty,” Sarin said, bowing.
Y/N watched him swim off with Cathaoir. She still wasn’t thrilled at the thought of marrying Sarin, but at least he didn’t seem like a total monster.
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