Twinkle Star’s restless soul

“You… got wings.” Twinkle Star didn’t believe her own words. Câlin too… Maybe it wasn’t totally unexpected, but still, she never suspected anything.
“Yes. I can come. Please.” Câlin said, as if that was the only thing that mattered now. It probably was, for Câlin anyway. Of course, this changed everything, but Twinkle Star was still a bit skeptical.
“I don’t know, Câlin… I mean…”
“Please. I want to… travel with you. Like I did with mommy and Chifre and Corné. I won’t be a bother.”
“I know you won’t be… Oh, well, all right. You can come.” Twinkle Star wasn’t sure whether she made her promise out of shock of Câlin’s wings or because she really didn’t want to leave her here anyway.

Câlin didn’t say anything, but Twinkle Star could almost feel her happiness. Did she want to get away from here that badly? No, that couldn’t be it… She probably just wanted to travel again. Câlin had never lived long in one place, after all. Twinkle Star’s eyes once again focused on Câlin’s wings. They looked like hers, when she had been Câlin’s age… No fancy patterns or anything, just wings shaped like those of a butterfly. But when Twinkle Star had been Câlin’s age, she couldn’t just summon her wings like Câlin could do. They sometimes appeared when she needed them the most, but not on her command, and it took her considerable energy to keep them up. It was only after the eruption that Twinkle Star had learned to control them fully, but Câlin didn’t seem to have any problems with it.

“Well, Câlin…” Twinkle Star said softly, and Câlin got the hint. It didn’t take long for her wings to disappear completely. Twinkle Star smiled at the girl, and Câlin smiled back. Twinkle Star could read the relief on Câlin’s face. The relief of sharing your secret with someone… But the fact that Aline knew still made her only anxious. But Câlin trusted her completely, it seemed, so all the girl could feel was relief…

“Câlin,” Twinkle Star started, “We will have to leave soon. We are expected in Madash, and it will be a while before we arrive there anyway. Besides, the Queen requested of me that I would get some water of the river Fiume on our way back, but that is quite a detour. So I want to leave as soon as possible. Is there anything special you want to bring?”
“No… Not really. Most things are safer here, right?”
“Right.” For the first time Twinkle Star wondered whether she should leave her precious bracelet right here at the castle, but her feeling decided against it. She had to take it with her… even though she did not know why.

“So when do we leave? Tomorrow?” Câlin asked curiously. Twinkle Star couldn’t help but laugh.
“No, that would be too soon, Câlin. We can’t possibly…”
“Why?” This was the first time Câlin had ever interrupted her. “Why can’t we leave tomorrow? Packing doesn’t take too long. The queen already knows.”  
“Yes, the queen knows, but the others don’t. I want to say goodbye to everyone. Surely you want to say goodbye to Tsuyo and Fleur, and what about your flowers?” Twinkle Star could see this worked. Câlin had forgotten about her flowers for a few moments, but now Twinkle Star was sure she didn’t want to rush off without making sure they would be taken care of.

“We could leave the day after tomorrow though. We’ll leave in the morning, so we can travel quite a bit before the night falls.” Twinkle Star proposed, and Câlin cheered up immediately.
“Sounds great.”
“Okay then, we’ll leave the day after tomorrow. Now, why don’t you go look for someone to take care of your flowers, and I go tell the queen about our decision.” Câlin nodded and without saying another word she rushed out of the room.

“I should get packing, too…” Twinkle Star muttered to herself. She hadn’t actually planned to leave in two days, but Câlin had just seemed so anxious… Silently, Twinkle Star wondered why. But it was Câlin, after all… it could mean so many things. For all she knew, Câlin was just anxious to travel again. Twinkle Star picked up her bracelet from the bed and put it back in her bag. Now, what else did she need…

Right, had she forgotten anything? As the late sunlight filled her bedroom, Twinkle Star went to her stuff once again. She even checked Câlin’s little bag again, to make sure there was nothing the girl had forgotten. She was already asleep, of course. They would leave early in the morning, and Twinkle Star had insisted that Câlin would get a good rest.

She had spent the entire day packing and talking to her sisters. Ivy and Fleur had been rather surprised when she had announced she would leave the next day, but Stelline and her mother had simply agreed with her. But all of them were surprised when she had announced Câlin was coming with her. Of course she had not told them about Câlin’s wings, but instead she had told them she wanted Câlin to see a bit more of the world, and Câlin had insisted on going with her. Thankfully, her mother had agreed with her that it was for the best that Câlin came along and through that her sisters had agreed as well.

She hadn’t really talked to anyone else in the castle; she had wanted to talk to Tsuyo, but she turned out to be too busy packing, and Câlin had told her she had been talking to Tsuyo and she had already promised to prepare some food for the first few days, so Twinkle Star decided to say goodbye the next morning, along with everyone else. She hadn’t talked to Aline, either, but that was mostly because she had no idea where her friend was.

Twinkle Star checked her bag one last time. Her bowl, bracelet, a cloak, some water bottles she would fill tomorrow, some extra space for food, a cloak for Câlin… Nothing seemed to be missing. She was ready for her new journey… Somehow, it felt weird. Had she gotten accustomed to staying in one place already? True, she hadn’t stayed anywhere as long as she had stayed at the castle right now… But the prospect of being on the road again gave her a happy feeling she recognized only too well.

She was brutally awakened from her thoughts when someone knocked on her door.
“Who’s there?” She yelled.
“It’s me, Aline. Can I come in?”
“Sure…”  Aline slowly opened the door and entered Twinkle Star’s room. Twinkle Star still had to become accustomed to her friend’s new hair color. She looked so… different. Twinkle Star once again felt annoyed with her friends presence, even though she couldn’t exactly place why.

“How are you?” She asked as polite as possible.
“Oh, just fine… Junai and I have just returned from the new parts. They’ve started building our house, you know. It’s going to be so great! It’s really huge. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up being as large as the castle.” Aline bragged.
“That’s… really nice for you. I’m curious how it will be when it’s finished.” That, at least, was true.
“Yeah, me too. My mom said the design looked a lot like our old home… in the old lands. I don’t know, I can’t remember it… but wouldn’t it be nice if it was? Mother and Father will live there, too, of course… they’re going to support me. They’re such great parents. I’m so glad they decided to stay.”

“Yes, it is. I’m sure they’re really happy for you. But, Aline… there’s something I have to tell you.” Twinkle Star started. Why did she find it so hard to begin about her trip to Aline? She didn’t feel this resistance when she told the others.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Well… my mother asked me to go on a trip in her name… because someone invited her. And I’m going… tomorrow.”
“What? Tomorrow? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Aline asked, surprised.
“Well, For starters I couldn’t find you anywhere. And Câlin and I have only decided this yesterday, so…” “Câlin’s coming with you?”
“Yes.”
“Okay…” Aline looked hestistant for a moment. “How long will you be gone?”  She asked at last.
“A few months. We’re going to Madash, and we have to take a detour… Stelline asked if I could get asome water from Fiume for Joyeux’  ceremony.”

“Three months? Are you out of your mind?” Aline almost yelled, which took Twinkle Star completely by surprise.
“I’m sorry?” She managed to say. “You’re taking Câlin on a three month trip, after all she’s been through? She’s not even fully accustomed to living here yet, and now you decide to simply take her?”
“What? I’m sorry, but Câlin insister on coming along herself.”
 Twinkle Star was astonished by her friends outburst. Since when was Aline so concerned with Câlin’s wellbeing, anyway?
“A child doesn’t always know what’s good for her, and you should know that. Especially Câlin. When will you start taking responsibility for a change?” Aline’s voice had risen to an alarmingly high level. Twinkle Star had never seen her friend so worked up before, but she didn’t really feel like wondering why. “Responsibility? So you’re actually saying I haven’t been acting responsible for the last few months?” Twinkle Star snapped.
“No, you haven’t. Look at what you’ve been doing! Absolutely nothing! Everyone is busy with the country, the new area, your mother is swamped with work, but what are you doing? Taking care of the child of your sisters murderer, who is supposed to be kept safe at all costs, and now you’re taking her away for three months?”

Twinkle Star could hardly believe what she was hearing. She had known she and her friend had been drifting apart over the last few months, but she couldn’t believe her friend was acting like this right now. “I’m taking her because I believe she is much safer with me than she would be staying here! And who on earth do you think you are to judge me like that? You haven’t talked to me in months, you’re always busy, and when you’re not you’re totally caught up with that husband of yours! Don’t you lecture me on how I should treat Câlin! She will go with me, because she is my responsibility! Now get out of my room!”
“Fine!” Aline yelled, and she almost ran out of the door before she slammed it shut.

The next morning Twinkle Star and Câlin were outside before the sun was fully up. Her bag was completely full now, with food, water and some other last-minute necessities.
“Good luck, Twinkle Star.” Her mother said. Only her mother and Stelline were here to see them off; She had already said goodbye to the others the previous evening.
“Thank you, but I’m sure everything will be just fine, won’t it Câlin?” In response, the little girl only nodded.
“I hope you two enjoy the trip. Promise me you’ll have lots of stories to tell to the twins when you return, okay, Câlin?” Stelline winked at Câlin, who smiled and nodded again. You’re already becoming a real mother… Twinkle Star thought when she noticed how differently Stelline was treating Câlin recently.

“Well, I guess this is it, then.” Regina noted, and Twinkle Star agreed.
“Yes. We better be off, if we even want to reach the new border before the end of the day.”
“Goodbye, Stelline… Queen.”
“Goodbye, Câlin. Enjoy your trip. Goodbye, Twinkle Star.” Regina said, clearly moved. Twinkle Star realised it would always be hard for her mother to say goodbye to any of her children; she had lost them all once, and she would always remain afraid that she might lose them again… like she did with Crystal. After Twinkle Star and Stelline had also said their goodbyes, Câlin and Twinkle Star turned around and left the castle gates. Twinkle Star looked back only once, to see if she could see any sign of Aline, but she saw no one except her mother and oldest sister.

It had just been a stupid fight, and Twinkle Star had really wanted to make up with her friend, but she wasn’t even sure that was what Aline wanted. She had behaved very odd indeed, and she had hurt Twinkle Star in more than one way. Would they ever make up…? Well, she wasn’t going to find out in the next few months…
“Is everything all right?” Câlin asked, obviously noticing Twinkle Star’s mood.
“Yes, everything is just fine.” Twinkle Star lied. “Let’s have a wonderful journey, okay? I’m sure we’ll have a great time and wonderful stories to tell when we get back. And I’m sure you will enjoy Madash, it’s beautiful. Have you ever been to the beach?”
“Once… but I didn’t really see anything. Mommy was… busy, and we left soon.”  Câlin replied, and Twinkle Star could hear in her voice that she regretted the short stay.
“ Well, I’ll be sure you will enjoy the beach this time, Câlin. Trust me, we’ll have a great time!”